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27 October 2023
Rockford Man Sentenced to 90 Months for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Vincent Phillips, 52, Rockford, Illinois was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 90 months for possessing with intent to distribute and distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Phillips pleaded guilty to these charges on July 21, 2023. This period of imprisonment will be followed by 5 years of supervised release.
Phillips was first arrested for charges related to this case on February 18, 2023, in Columbia County, Wisconsin with over 240 grams of methamphetamine packaged for distribution found in his vehicle. Officers also found drug paraphernalia, including a scale, razor, and baggies in the car. Phillips was charged in State court for this conduct and released from jail on a cash bond later that month.
In April, a confidential informant disclosed to law enforcement that Phillips was selling methamphetamine and heroin in the Baraboo area. Law enforcement conducted three controlled buys from Phillips using this confidential informant. Phillips sold about 50 grams of methamphetamine during each buy. After the last buy, which Phillips conducted inside his vehicle, law enforcement arrested him.
When he was arrested in April, officers found over 200 grams of methamphetamine and 38 grams of cocaine in his vehicle. In addition, Phillips was in possession of $2,297 in U.S. currency, $800 of which had been provided by law enforcement to the confidential informant to purchase drugs from Phillips.
At sentencing, the Judge considered Phillips’s lengthy criminal history. The Judge addressed that Phillips has been in and out of prison for most of his adult life, and that he is considered a career offender. The Judge remarked that previous intervention had done little to deter Phillips’s criminal conduct. The Judge ultimately ordered a sentence that he felt reflected the seriousness of Philips’s criminal history and his conduct in these offenses.
This is Phillips’s second federal conviction. In 2002, Phillips was convicted in the Northern District of Illinois for an armed bank robbery and was sentenced to prison.
The charges against Phillips were the result of an investigation conducted by the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office and the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn Ginsberg prosecuted this case.
Reseda Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Federal Prison for Selling Dozens of ‘Ghost Guns’ and Pound Quantities of MethRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A San Fernando Valley man was sentenced today to 144 months in federal prison for illegally selling firearms – including dozens of so-called “ghost guns” – and also selling pound quantities of methamphetamine.
Julio Ernesto Lopez-Menendez, 27, of Reseda, was sentenced by United States District Judge André Birotte Jr.
Lopez-Menendez pleaded guilty on February 3 to one count of distribution of methamphetamine and one count of engaging in the business of dealing in firearms without a license. He has been in federal custody since April 2022.
From January 2022 to April 2022, Lopez-Menendez sold at least 89 firearms and 20 rounds of ammunition over nine transactions to a buyer. The firearms sold included at least 62 firearms that lacked serial numbers and are commonly referred to as “ghost guns.” Of those ghost guns, four were short-barreled rifles whose barrel lengths Lopez-Menendez knew were each substantially less than the legally required 16 inches.
During a February 2022 telephone call with a buyer, Lopez-Menendez said the possession of shotguns or rifles with short barrels was “super illegal.” None of these short-barreled rifles were federally registered by Lopez-Menendez. He does not have a federal firearms license and does not have any firearms registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record, the central registry for all items regulated under the National Firearms Act, according to court documents.
Lopez-Menendez also sold to a buyer a total of 17 pounds of methamphetamine on four occasions, including one sale in which he sold 4.2 kilograms (9.2 pounds) of the drug to the buyer.
The Drug Enforcement Administration’s High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Southern California Drug Task Force; the FBI; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms; and the Los Angeles Police Department investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Chou of the Violent and Organized Crimes Section prosecuted this case.
Readout of the Tribal Nations Leadership Council MeetingRead the Press Release
The Justice Department hosted a two-day conference of the Tribal Nations Leadership Council (TNLC), where council members met with Attorney General Merrick B. Garland and officials from across the Department to discuss a range of pressing issues impacting American Indian and Alaska Native people.
On Wednesday, Oct. 25, the TNLC participated in a roundtable discussion with Attorney General Garland, Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco, and Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta. Discussion topics included the Department’s prioritized efforts to address the disproportionately high rates of violence experienced by American Indians and Alaska Natives, as well as the high rates of indigenous persons reported missing. Those efforts include the Department’s June 2023 creation of the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) Regional Outreach Program, which provides for placement of an MMIP Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) and an MMIP Coordinator in five designated regions with Indian Country across the United States. Other topics raised included the need for additional law enforcement and other resources to address crime, substance abuse, and the needs of Native youth. Department officials also reflected on experiences and feedback gained during visits and consultations with Tribal leaders and communities this year, including in Minnesota, Oklahoma, and Alaska, where the Department announced its implementation plan for the Alaska Pilot Program. This program was enacted as part of the 2022 Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization and authorizes the Attorney General to designate Alaska Tribes to exercise special Tribal criminal jurisdiction over non-Indians within their Villages for certain crimes.
The TNLC also raised the need for increasing data sharing and cross-jurisdictional cooperation, with the potential for building on the success of the Tribal Access Program, and leveraging new MMIP resources. Earlier in the day, the TNLC met with officials from the Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys and the FBI’s Violent Crime Section and Indian Country Violent Crime Unit, among others, to discuss pressing public safety issues.
In addition, on Wednesday, the TNLC discussed civil litigation updates on issues of significant concern, such as Tribal water and natural resource rights and the Indian Child Welfare Act, with Solicitor General Elizabeth B. Prelogar, Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Environment and Natural Resources Division, and Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton of the Civil Division. The TNLC discussed civil rights updates with Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Civil Rights Division, and issues surrounding the 2022 Reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act with the Director of the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) Rosie Hidalgo.
On Thursday, Oct. 26, the TNLC had a breakfast with U.S. Attorneys, and a conversation with Alison Ramsdell, the U.S. Attorney for the District of South Dakota and Chair of the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee’s Subcommittee on Native American Issues. The TNLC also met with top officials from the Department’s grantmaking components: the Office of Justice Programs, the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services and OVW. The TNLC concluded with a meeting with Associate Attorney General Gupta focused on concrete steps related to the department’s Tribal grantmaking and civil litigation work.
Established by the Justice Department by charter in 2010, the TNLC is a group of Tribal leaders from around the country selected by Tribal governments from each region. The Council is charged with providing perspective on emergent and ongoing issues across Indian Country as well as providing feedback on Justice Department activities in support of Tribes in each region. In addition to establishing a mechanism for regular insight and accountability, the structure of the group honors the United States’ government-to-government relationship with Tribes.
The Department is grateful to the TNLC members who were able to attend this week’s meeting:
- Melanie Benjamin, Chief Executive, Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe
- Frank Star Comes Out, President, Oglala Lakota Nation
- Buu Nygren, President, Navajo Nation
- Gloria Burns, Vice President, Ketchikan Indian Community
- W. Ron Allen, Chief Executive Officer, Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe
- Juana Majel Dixon, Councilwoman, Pauma-Yuima Band of Mission Indians
Readout of Office for Access to Justice Director Rachel Rossi’s Trip to AlaskaRead the Press Release
This week, Director Rachel Rossi of the Office for Access to Justice (ATJ) traveled to Anchorage and Bethel, Alaska, to engage access to justice stakeholders in the state and deliver keynote remarks at the launch event for Alaska Legal Services Corporation’s (ALSC) Community Justice Worker Resource Center.
Director Rossi and ATJ met with executives and staff from ALSC and the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium (ANTHC) in Anchorage. Director Rossi was briefed on ALSC’s Community Justice Worker Program, an innovative program designed to utilize trained, authorized community members to provide basic legal assistance in Alaska. At ANTHC, she met with leaders of the Distance Learning Initiative, which builds the curriculum used to remotely train community justice workers, and she toured the ANTHC campus to learn more about health and justice efforts faced by Alaska Natives and the role of health centers and medical-legal partnerships in increasing access to legal assistance.
Director Rossi also traveled to Bethel, the regional hub for the Yukon-Kuskokwim region. She visited Kuskokwim Consortium Library to hold a discussion with the library director to discuss the role of libraries in assisting and referring people to appropriate legal services.
Director Rossi visited the Bethel courthouse and met with the recently appointed Chief Public Defender for the state of Alaska, as well as staff from the Bethel Holistic Defense Project, to discuss the need for rural public defenders and civil legal aid attorneys, and recent ATJ events at law schools to encourage law students to build careers in rural communities.
To conclude her visit to Bethel, Director Rossi met with leaders and staff from the Association of Village Council Presidents (AVCP), a consortium of 56 Tribes in the Yukon-Kuskokwim region that provides social services, community development and advocacy. Director Rossi learned about the social service needs of ACVP communities and specific efforts by community justice workers at ACVP to provide legal services to individuals in need.
Concluding the trip in Anchorage, Director Rossi participated in a panel discussion on current issues in access to justice. In her remarks, Director Rossi highlighted recent office initiatives related to criminal justice, rural access to justice, innovative access to justice solutions and language access, among other topics.
Director Rossi also met with Alaska Supreme Court Justices to discuss Alaska Supreme Court’s efforts to support access to justice programs in Alaska, including the Community Justice Worker Program. She then met with the Alaska Federal Defender and met with community justice workers to hear about their efforts. Director Rossi also met with the President of the Alaska Federation of Natives to discuss current access to justice needs in Alaska Native communities.
On Wednesday evening, at the invitation of the Alaska Supreme Court, Director Rossi delivered keynote remarks at the launch event for the Community Justice Worker Resource Center at Alaska Pacific University. In her remarks, she highlighted the need for bold, creative solutions to the nation’s civil justice gap, like the Community Justice Worker Program. Read her full remarks here.
Director Rossi delivers keynote remarks during the launch of the Community Justice Worker Program at Alaska Pacific University. Director Rossi delivers keynote remarks during the launch of the Community Justice Worker Program at Alaska Pacific University. Alaska Legal Services Corporation Executive Director Nikole Nelson briefs Director Rossi and group on ALSC’s Community Justice Worker Program. Director Rossi and ATJ team meet with Alaska Supreme Court Justices. Pictured left to right, National Legal Aid & Defender Association Vice President of Civil Programs Radhika Singh, Alaska State Court Administrator Stacey Marz, Supreme Court Justice Jennifer Henderson, Supreme Court Justice Dario Borghesan, Office for Access to Justice Senior Counsel Charlie Gillig, Supreme Court Justice Susan Carney, Manilaaq Health Center Medical Director Bob Onders, Director Rachel Rossi, Alaska Director Rossi and the group meet with Kuskokwim Consortium Library Director, Theresa Quiner at the Yup’ik Museum, Library and Multipurpose Center in Bethel, AK. Pictured left to right, Alaska Legal Services Corporation Justice for All Coordinator Sarah Carver, Kuskokwim Consortium Library Director, Theresa Quiner, National Legal Aid & Defender Association Vice President of Civil Programs Radhika Singh, Office for Access to Justice Senior Counsel Charlie Gillig Director, Community Justice Worker Disaster Relief Grant Project Manager Izzy Williamson, American Bar Foundation Senior Program Officer Matthew Burnett, Alaska Legal Services Corporation Executive Director Nikole Nelson, Director Rachel Rossi and Alaska Legal Services Corporation Advocacy Director Leigh Dickey. Director Rossi and ATJ team meets with staff from the Association of Village Council Presidents. Director Rossi is joined by National Legal Aid & Defender Association Vice President of Civil Programs Radhika Singh, American Bar Foundation Senior Program Officer Matthew Burnett, Manilaaq Health Center Medical Director Bob Onders, and Alaska Court System Administrative Director Stacey Marz on a panel moderated by Alaska Legal Services Corporation Executive Director Nikole Nelson.Poway Man Sentenced to Prison after Concealing Mother’s Death for 32 years, Stealing over $800,000 in Government BenefitsRead the Press Release
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – October 27, 2023
SAN DIEGO – Donald Felix Zampach, who concealed his mother’s death in 1990 then stole more than $800,000 in government benefits intended for her, was sentenced in federal court today to 24 months in prison.
Zampach pleaded guilty to money laundering and Social Security fraud in June 2023. According to his plea agreement, Zampach’s mother died in Japan in 1990. At the time of her death, she was receiving a widow’s pension from the Social Security Administration and an annuity from the Department of Defense (DoD). Zampach maintained his mother’s bank accounts for over three decades after her death, forged her signature on certificates of eligibility to keep her government benefits in pay, and filed forged federal income taxes.
Zampach admitted that between November 1990 and September 2022, he received at least $830,238 intended for his mother. Zampach used his mother’s identity to fraudulently open credit accounts with at least nine financial institutions, causing losses of more than $28,000. Zampach laundered the stolen monies in part to pay off the mortgage on his Poway home.
Zampach was ordered to pay $858,876.28 in restitution and to forfeit more than $830,000, including his home.
“This is theft on a grand scale,” said U.S. Attorney Tara K. McGrath. “Mr. Zampach stole from service members and those who dutifully pay into Social Security, expecting that when their time comes to retire, the money will be there. Thanks to the diligent efforts of our Social Security Administration partners, Mr. Zampach must pay back what he stole, and be held accountable for this decades-long crime.”
“Mr. Zampach’s sentencing culminates a more than 30-year fraud scheme that he knowingly and willingly implemented to the detriment of the American taxpayer by unlawfully obtaining Department of Defense and Social Security benefits,” said DoD Inspector General Robert P. Storch. “My office, working through its Defense Criminal Investigative Service and with our law enforcement partners, will continue to vigorously investigate and prosecute criminal activities that siphon away the invaluable resources entrusted to the DoD.”
“Mr. Zampach intentionally withheld material information from the Social Security Administration (SSA) to fraudulently obtain more than $250,000 in SSA benefits. This sentence holds him accountable for his devious, decades-long fraud,” said Gail S. Ennis, Inspector General for SSA. “In total, he stole more than $800,000 in public money; and my office will continue to partner with law enforcement to investigate those who defraud SSA and government agencies. I thank the investigators, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey D. Hill for their successful efforts in investigating and prosecuting this crime.”
This case was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey D. Hill.
DEFENDANT Case Number 23cr1268-CAB
Donald Felix Zampach Age: 65 Poway, CA
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Money Laundering – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1956(a)(1)(B)(i)
Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison and $500,000 fine
Social Security Fraud – Title 42, U.S.C. Section 408(a)(4)
Maximum penalty: Five years in prison and $250,000 fine
AGENCIES
Social Security Administration – Office of the Inspector General
Department of Defense – Office of the Inspector General – Defense Criminal Investigative Service
Pine Ridge Man Sentenced to Eight Years and Four Months for Methamphetamine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Pine Ridge, South Dakota, man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencing took place on October 25, 2023.
Jeremiah Little, 40, was sentenced to eight years and four months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. He was also ordered to forfeit two firearms.
Little was indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance (methamphetamine) by a federal grand jury in September of 2022. He pleaded guilty on August 11, 2023.
In the spring and summer of 2021, Little distributed methamphetamine primarily in Kyle and Pine Ridge, South Dakota. On May 13, 2022, law enforcement located two firearms and drug paraphernalia in a vehicle operated by Little after he fled from them. During the time frame of the conspiracy, Little was responsible for distributing around 200 grams of methamphetamine. On a second occasion in August of 2022, Little again fled from law enforcement, this time leading to seizure of drug paraphernalia.
This case was investigated by Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety, FBI, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn N. Rich prosecuted the case.
Little was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Phoenix Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Voluntary ManslaughterRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Joel James Justin, 32, of Phoenix, was sentenced on Monday by United States District Judge Diane J. Humetewa to 120 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release.
On October 3, 2021, Justin, a member of the Gila River Indian Community, stabbed the victim, killing him. The defendant pleaded guilty on February 7, 2023, to Voluntary Manslaughter.
The investigation in this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Gila River Police Department. The prosecution was handled by Raynette Logan and Vinnie Lichvar, Assistant U.S. Attorneys, District of Arizona, Phoenix.
CASE NUMBER: CR-22-00074-PHX-DJH
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-161_Justin# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Parmelee Man Sentenced for AssaultRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced a Parmelee, South Dakota man convicted of Assault of an Intimate Partner by Strangulation. The sentencing took place on October 24, 2023.
Allen Eugene Two Eagle, age 31, was sentenced to 20 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Two Eagle was indicted for Assault of an Intimate Partner by Strangulation by a federal grand jury in April of 2022. He pleaded guilty on July 27, 2023.
The Defendant and the victim began dating in November of 2020. In September of 2021, they were living together at the Defendant’s residence in Parmelee. On September 12, 2021, the Defendant and the victim argued about their relationship and the argument continued into the following day. The confrontation became physical when the Defendant assaulted the victim. During the assault, the Defendant put his knee into the victim’s stomach and put his hand around her neck. The victim was not able to breathe as the Defendant applied pressure to her neck.
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in Federal court as opposed to State court.
This case was investigated by Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Abby Roesler prosecuted the case.
Two Eagle was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Orange Park Man with History of Mental Illness Indicted for Illegally Trying to Buy A FirearmRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Timothy Crowe (54, Orange Park) with making a false statement to a federally licensed firearms dealer during the attempted purchase of a firearm. If convicted, Crowe faces up to five years in federal prison.
According to the indictment, Crowe completed an ATF Form 4473 during his attempted purchase of a firearm from Best Deal Gun and Pawn, a federally licensed firearms dealer. Crowe indicated on the required paperwork that he did not have a history of mental illness. The indictment alleges that this was a false statement, and that Crowe was previously adjudicated not guilty by reason of insanity in two Clay County felony cases.
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 is another case uncovered through the FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS). All NICS denials are reported to federal law enforcement and are reviewed daily for potential criminal prosecution. Federal law makes it a felony offense to make a false statement to a firearms dealer when trying to buy a gun.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Frank Talbot.
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.
Oklahoma City Man Sentenced to Serve 30 Years in Federal Prison for Illegal Possession of a Firearm and Distribution of MethRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – Earlier this week, ANTONIO MIGUEL RODRIGUEZ, 39, of Oklahoma City, was sentenced to serve 360 months in federal prison for illegally possessing a firearm after a previous felony conviction and for distribution of methamphetamine, announced U. S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
On December 7, 2022, a federal grand jury returned a 14-count Superseding Indictment against Rodriguez and co-defendant, Lisha Constantino, 37, for their role in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. The Superseding Indictment alleges both Rodriguez and Constantino conspired to distribute methamphetamine near an Oklahoma City elementary school. Court documents also allege Rodriguez was found to be in possession of several firearms and ammunition. Rodriguez holds multiple prior felony convictions, including assault and battery on a police officer in Tulsa County District Court case number CF-2002-1647, and three counts of drive-by shooting and attempted robbery with a dangerous weapon in Oklahoma County District Court case number CF-2003-3408.
On March 13, 2023, Rodriguez pleaded guilty to Count 3 and Count 4 of the Superseding Indictment, illegal possession of a firearm after a previous felony conviction, and distribution of methamphetamine.
At the sentencing hearing on Monday, U. S. District Judge Stephen P. Friot sentenced Rodriguez to serve 360 months in federal prison, followed by six years of supervised release. In announcing the sentence, the court noted Rodriguez’s criminal history, disciplinary record while incarcerated, and continued criminal behavior upon his release.
Constantino was charged by a one-count Superseding Information with distribution of methamphetamine on April 6, 2023. She has pleaded guilty and is set to be sentenced next month.
This case is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, the FBI Oklahoma City Office, and the Oklahoma City Police Department. It is also a part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Assistant U. S. Attorneys Matthew P. Anderson and Chelsie A. Pratt are prosecuting the case.
Moss Point Man Pleads Guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – A Moss Point man pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute 112.5 grams of methamphetamine.
Ronald Charles Glaude, Jr., aka “Bug”, 34, pled guilty on October 26, 2023, in U.S. District Court in Gulfport.
According to court documents, on February 22, 2019, Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics agents utilized a confidential informant to purchase a clear plastic bag containing a total package weight of approximately 112.5 grams of methamphetamine for $1,600 from Glaude at a residence in Moss Point.
Glaude is scheduled to be sentenced on January 22, 2024, and faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and a maximum of life in prison. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Jermicha Fomby of the Federal Bureau of Investigation made the announcement.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Pascagoula Police Department, and the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Erica Rose.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor- led, intelligence driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Mission Man Sentenced for Prohibited Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced a Mission, South Dakota, man convicted of Prohibited Possession of a Firearm. Sentencing took place on October 23, 2023.
Paris Bordeaux, age 33, was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Bordeaux was indicted by a federal grand jury in January of 2023. He pleaded guilty on July 27, 2023.
On August 28, 2022, law enforcement initiated a traffic stop on a vehicle near Mission for a vehicle safety violation. The Defendant was the driver of the vehicle. As information developed during the stop, it was determined the vehicle would be searched. The search revealed a Glock pistol, a box of 9mm rounds, a plastic bag with methamphetamine, two digital scales that tested positive for narcotics, and a glass pipe with residue. The Defendant admitted to possessing the firearm and claimed ownership of the drug-related items in the vehicle. As an unlawful user of a controlled substance, the Defendant is prohibited from possessing a firearm. The Defendant also has a prior conviction for domestic violence which prohibits him from possessing a firearm.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Indian Affairs and Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Abby Roesler.
Bordeaux was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Marrero Woman Pleads Guilty to Misprision of a FelonyRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – ROSE B. DEMERS, of Marrero, LA, age 68, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Court Judge Eldon E. Fallon to misprision of a felony related to funds received from a fraud victim, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.
According to the charging documents, DEMERS received $8,600 from an out of state fraud victim on or about July 9, 2021. Rather than contact the authorities, DEMERS converted some of the funds to her own use and attempted to wire the funds to a person posing as an Internal Revenue Agent. DEMERS was acting as a middleman for a fraudster who directed financial fraud victims to send her money, which she would then convert to MoneyGrams, etc., and forward to the fraudster.
Sentencing is set for February 22, 2024. DEMERS faces a sentence of up to three years in prison, up to $250,000 in fines, and up to one year of supervised release. There is also a $100 mandatory special assessment fee due after conviction.
Elder fraud complaints may be filed with the Federal Trade Commission at www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov or at 1-877-FTC-HELP. The Department of Justice provides a variety of resources relating to elder fraud victimization through its Office of Victims of Crime at www.ovc.gov. Additional elder justice resources, training, and outreach materials can be found at the Elder Justice Website at www.elderjustice.gov.
If you need assistance or to report elder abuse, please contact your local adult protective services agency through the Eldercare Locator or by call the helpline at 1-800-677-1116 Monday – Friday 9am - 8pm EST. To report elder fraud, please visit the FBI’s IC3 Elder Fraud Complaint Center or contact the dedicated National Elder Fraud Hotline at 833–FRAUD–11 or 833–372–8311 Monday – Friday, 10:00 am – 6:00 pm EST.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the United States Secret Service and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office, Economic Crimes Section, in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward J. Rivera of the Financial Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
Marfa Youth Softball Coach Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
ALPINE, Texas – A Marfa man pleaded guilty in a federal court in Alpine today to possession of child pornography and transportation of child pornography, aiding and abetting.
According to the affidavit in a criminal complaint, which was filed in May, Patricio Javier Serrano, 36, was in possession of multiple photos and videos depicting child sexual abuse material stored on his cell phone and in his phone’s web browser.
Serrano pleaded guilty to one count of transportation of child pornography, aiding and abetting and one count of possession of child pornography. He faces no less than five and up to 20 years in prison for the transportation charge, and up to 20 years in prison for the possession charge. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas made the announcement.
The FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, Texas Department of Public Safety, and Marfa Police Department are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amy Greenbaum and Kevin Cayton are prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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Man Sentenced to 171 Months in Federal Prison for Carjacking and Shooting at Victim in Dothan, AlabamaRead the Press Release
MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA – On October 26, 2023, a federal judge sentenced 50-year-old Steven John Smalley, from Panama City, Florida, to 171 months in prison for carjacking and discharging a firearm during the crime, announced Acting United States Attorney Jonathan S. Ross. In addition, the judge ordered that Smalley serve five years of supervised release following his prison term. Federal inmates are not eligible for parole.
Smalley’s sentence follows a July 2023 trial where a jury found him guilty of shooting at a customer of a gas station on Ross Clark Circle in Dothan, Alabama then driving away in the customer’s vehicle. While questioning witnesses at the scene shortly after the carjacking, investigators spotted Smalley in the stolen vehicle as he drove by the gas station. Police arrested Smalley within walking distance of the crime scene.
This case was part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime.
The Dothan Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated this case, which Assistant United States Attorneys Justin L. Jones and Joel Feil prosecuted.
Lead defendant in a 15-defendant health care fraud conspiracy sentenced to federal prisonRead the Press Release
MIAMI – On Oct. 26, the lead defendant in a 15-defendant, $36 million health care fraud conspiracy scheme, was sentenced to 104 months in prison.
Arisleidys Fernandez Delmas, 33, of Miami, Florida, was sentenced to 104 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $8,671,377, for her participation in a health care fraud conspiracy that billed Blue Cross Blue Shield (“BCBS”) for more than $36 million for physical therapy services that patients never received. Fernandez Delmas and 11 other defendants have pleaded guilty in federal court in South Florida for their participation in the scheme.
According to the factual proffers filed with the court, from August 2018 to February 2023, co-conspirators in the scheme paid kickbacks to beneficiaries of health insurance plans managed by BCBS. The co-conspirators offered these kickbacks to employees of JetBlue Airways, AT&T Inc., and TJX Companies Inc. to induce the beneficiaries to serve as patients at 30 South Florida physical therapy clinics. The co-conspirators who owned the clinics then submitted fraudulent health insurance claims to BCBS for health care benefits that were medically unnecessary and not even provided.
According to the court documents, these co-conspirators also paid kickbacks and bribes to their co-defendants in return for referring additional BCBS beneficiaries to the physical therapy clinics so more fraudulent health care claims could be submitted. These co-conspirators also paid licensed massage therapists—several of whom were among the defendants convicted—to act as “nominee owners” and operators of the physical therapy clinics. This allowed the leaders of the scheme to avoid various medical clinic licensing requirements and attempt to evade criminal prosecution.
The following defendants have pleaded guilty for their involvement in the fraudulent physical therapy billing scheme (sentencing information is noted where available):
- Pedro Hugo Prieto Garcia, of Miami, Florida, pleaded guilty on July 27, to conspiracy to commit health care fraud and health care fraud (Case No. 22-cr-20560-Williams). Prieto Garcia was sentenced on Oct. 16, to 87 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release and ordered to forfeit $341,887.
- Leidys Delmas Garcia, of Miami, Florida, pleaded guilty on July 24, to conspiracy to commit health care fraud (Case No. 22-cr-20560-Williams). Delmas Garcia was sentenced on Oct. 16, to 68 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release and ordered to forfeit $1,599,933.33.
- Carlos Jose Martin Gomez, of Miami, Florida, pleaded guilty on Oct. 12, to conspiracy to commit health care fraud (Case No. 22-cr-20249-Altonaga). Martin Gomez’s sentencing hearing is scheduled on Jan. 3, 2024.
- Julio Acosta Perez, of Homestead, Florida, pleaded guilty on June 14, to conspiracy to commit health care fraud (Case No. 22-cr-20561-Moreno). Acosta Perez was sentenced on Sep. 6, to 37 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release and ordered to forfeit $822,524.21.
- Yohana Iriza (aka Yohana Lozada), of Miami, Florida, pleaded guilty on April 4, to conspiracy to commit health care fraud (Case No. 22-cr-20562-Altman). Iriza was sentenced on Aug. 4, to 33 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release and ordered to forfeit $367,207.64.
- Gabriel Lozada, of Fort Meyers, Florida, pleaded guilty on May 1, to conspiracy to commit health care fraud (Case No. 22-cr-20561-Altman). Lozada was sentenced on July 31, to 27 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release and ordered to forfeit $255,694.16.
- Emiliano Joaquin Garcia, of Lakeland, Florida, pleaded guilty on April 18, to conspiracy to commit health care fraud (Case No. 22-cr-20560-Williams). Garcia was sentenced on Oct. 24, to 16 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release.
- Anthony Lozada, of Miami, Florida, pleaded guilty on April 4, to conspiracy to commit health care fraud (Case No. 22-cr-20562-Altman). Lozada was sentenced on Aug. 4, to 18 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release and ordered to forfeit $223,604.78.
- Daimara Borroto Garcia, of Hollywood, Florida, pleaded guilty on May 4, to conspiracy to commit health care fraud (Case No. 22-cr-20560-Williams). Borroto Garcia was sentenced on Sep. 18, to 14 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release.
- Elias Caises Maurino, of Miami, Florida, pleaded guilty on April 25, to conspiracy to commit health care fraud (Case No. 22-cr-20560-Williams). Maurino was sentenced on Aug. 9, to six months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release.
- Linda Taylor, of Miami, Florida, pleaded guilty on Aug. 28, to conspiracy to commit health care fraud (Case No. 23-cr-20248-Scola). Taylor’s sentencing hearing is scheduled on Nov. 17.
The following three other defendants have made their initial appearances in federal court, Gabriel Jaime Mejia, of Miami, Florida (22-cr-20560-Williams); Yarlon Valdes Morejon, of Miami, Florida (23-cr-20131-Scola), and Ariel Gonzalez, of Naples, Florida (23-cr-20248-Scola).
A complaint, information, or indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida and Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri of FBI, Miami Field Office, made the announcement.
FBI Miami investigated the cases. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Will J. Rosenzweig and Michael B. Homer are prosecuting them. Assistant U.S. Attorney Annika Miranda is handling asset forfeiture.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 22-cr-20560.
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Latin King gang member convicted of sex trafficking, obstruction and use of interstate facilities in aid of racketeeringRead the Press Release
MIAMI – On Oct. 25, a federal jury convicted a Latin King gang member of two counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion; obstruction of sex trafficking enforcement, and use of interstate facilities in aid of racketeering. The convictions followed a seven-day jury trial in front of Chief District Judge Cecilia M. Altonaga in Miami.
Jason Wagner, aka “King Ace,” 41, of Miami, Florida, forced several women to engage in commercial sex since as early as 2003. To make his adult and underaged victims engage in commercial sex, Wagner locked them in his apartments, took their personal identification documents, subjected them to violence and threats of violence, and provided them with drugs. Wagner initially came to the attention of law enforcement after a woman alerted a good Samaritan that she was being held hostage in Wagner’s home. After Wagner’s arrest in this case, he repeatedly asked the woman to drop the charges and refuse to testify in court.
Sentencing is set on Jan. 12, 2024, at 8:30 a.m., in Miami. Wagner faces up to life in prison.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Anthony Salisbury of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Miami, and Interim Director Stephanie V. Daniels of the Miami-Dade Police Department (MDPD), announced the guilty verdict.
HSI Miami, in partnership with MDPD’s Human Trafficking Squad and the South Florida Human Trafficking Task Force, investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lacee Elizabeth Monk and Jessica Kahn Obenauf prosecuted it.
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 the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Divisions Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate better, 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.
To report suspected human trafficking or to obtain resources for victims, please call 1-888-373-7888; text “BeFree” (233733), or live chat at HumanTraffickingHotline.org. The toll-free phone, SMS text lines, and online chat function are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Help is available in English, Spanish, Creole, or in more than 200 additional languages. The National Hotline is not managed by law enforcement, immigration, or an investigative agency. Correspondence with the National Hotline is confidential, and you may request assistance or report a tip anonymously.
To learn more about the National Resource Hotline, visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org. To learn more about the U.S. Department of Justice’s efforts to combat human trafficking, visit www.justice.gov/humantrafficking.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 22-cr-20124.
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Las Vegas Man Sentenced to Prison for Receipt of Sexually Explicit Images of ChildrenRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – A Las Vegas resident was sentenced today by United States District Judge Gloria M. Navarro to 97 months in prison followed by lifetime supervised release for receiving over 125 images of child exploitation on his cell phone.
According to court documents, on March 14, 2022, Joshua Kenneth Eshe (34) visited a website known for prostitution advertisements and contacted the poster of an advertisement entitled “Young and Tight.” He solicited who he believed was a 15-year-old child to have sex with him and agreed to pay $100 for sex with the child. Eshe arranged to meet the child at a hotel and he was arrested by law enforcement upon arriving at the room. During a search of Eshe’s cell phone, investigators discovered that Eshe had received 126 images and four videos of child pornography.
Eshe pleaded guilty in June 2023 to one count of receipt of child pornography. He is required to register as a sex offender and keep the registration current.
United States Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Spencer L. Evans for the FBI made the announcement.
The case was investigated by the FBI and Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Supriya Prasad prosecuted the case.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood and for information about internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Anyone with information on suspected child sexual exploitation can contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678) or https://report.cybertip.org.
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Justice Department and City of Albuquerque Seek Partial Termination of Consent Decree Covering the Albuquerque Police DepartmentRead the Press Release
The Justice Department and the city of Albuquerque filed a joint motion today seeking court approval to terminate certain portions of the consent decree covering the Albuquerque Police Department (APD).
The joint motion is based on APD’s consistent progress towards achieving the goals of the consent decree. The independent monitor’s most recent report, from May 2023, concluded that APD had reached full compliance with 92% of the consent decree’s terms. In addition, APD is now monitoring its own compliance with some provisions, consistent with an agreement between the department and APD, which the parties previously filed with the court.
In light of APD’s continued improvement, as well as its demonstrated record of sustaining compliance with some requirements, the parties ask the court to terminate certain provisions of the consent decree with which APD has been in full compliance for at least two years and that APD has been self-assessing. The provisions cover: a multi-agency task force; specialized tactical units; specialized investigative units; the Field Training Evaluation Program; public information on civilian complaints; recruiting, selection and promotion; and officer assistance and support.
“Our filing with the court demonstrates that the Justice Department’s consent decree has been critical to driving real reform and moving the Albuquerque Police Department toward the goal of ensuring effective and constitutional policing,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Our filing makes clear the real progress that has been made in transforming aspects of the department’s policing over the last eight years. The Albuquerque Police Department has demonstrated its ability to independently sustain compliance with important requirements of the consent decree. The Justice Department will continue to support police and city leaders as they forge ahead with full compliance with the consent decree, and we will continue to stand with residents of the city. The residents of Albuquerque deserve fair and constitutional policing, and nothing less.”
“This move to partial termination is yet more evidence of the City of Albuquerque’s dogged pursuit of progress,” said U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez for the District of New Mexico. “Work remains to be done, and the challenges facing us as a community are ever evolving. While we continue to work together to confront those challenges, we applaud the steady and unrelenting drive towards the type of policing that the people of Albuquerque deserve.”
APD has made substantial change in reaching compliance with provisions of the consent decree, including:
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APD has a clear and reliable process for conducting criminal investigations of critical incidents through the multi-agency task force;
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APD significantly professionalized its SWAT team and brought its operations in line with national standards;
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APD’s investigative units operate with clarity about their scope and mission;
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Through APD’s Field Training Evaluation Program, new officers receive reinforcement about APD’s values and expectations, helping to ensure that officers provide constitutional and effective policing from their first days on patrol;
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APD and Albuquerque’s civilian oversight agency widely distributes information about filing complaints about police officers, ensuring that people across the city can easily access and submit complaint forms, and that APD and civilian oversight are aware of the issues that people are having with police officers;
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The independent monitor has found that APD has set new standards in police recruiting, increasing interest in joining APD at a time when police departments across the country face challenges in recruiting; and
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APD’s Behavioral Sciences Section provides industry-standard behavioral health and wellness services to APD personnel and their families, often exceeding the requirements of the consent decree.
The District Court for the District of New Mexico entered the consent decree in June 2015. The decree, as well as information about the Civil Rights Division, are available on the Special Litigation Section Cases and Matters website. Additional information about implementation of the consent decree is also available on the U.S. Attorney’s Office website.
View the joint motion here.
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Joplin Man Sentenced for Illegal Firearm Following High-Speed Motorcycle Chase in Newton CountyRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Joplin, Mo., man has been sentenced in federal court for illegally possessing a firearm after he led law enforcement officers on a high-speed pursuit on his motorcycle across state lines from Kansas to Newton County, Mo.
Douglas Eugene Alexius, 48, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark on Thursday, Oct. 26, to six years and six months in federal prison without parole.
On April 13, 2023, Alexius pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Alexius was arrested on Oct. 9, 2022, after leading law enforcement officers on a high-speed chase. Alexius was driving a Harley Davidson motorcycle on U.S. Highway 166 in Cherokee County, Kan., when a sheriff’s deputy attempted to stop him for failing to stop at a stop sign. Alexius accelerated his motorcycle and led law enforcement officers in pursuit into Newton County. Officers observed the motorcycle swerving into the oncoming lane of travel on multiple occasions. Alexius lost control of his motorcycle and crashed at the intersection of Greenwood Drive and Birch Drive.
Alexius was taken into custody after being tased three times because he refused to follow an officer’s order to lie on the ground and kept reaching into his jacket pocket. Officers searched Alexius and found a loaded Smith & Wesson 9mm pistol in his jacket pocket.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Alexius has four prior felony convictions for resisting arrest and two prior felony convictions for possessing a controlled substance, as well as prior felony convictions for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, possessing a firearm in relation to a drug offense, receiving stolen property, and unlawful use of a firearm.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron A. Beaver. It was investigated by the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Newton County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, and the Cherokee County, Kan., Sheriff’s Department.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
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.
Jamestown man arrested, charged by criminal complaint with drug and gun chargesRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Samuel L. Arrington, III, 41, of Jamestown, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with possession with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl, and possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes. The charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum of life and a $1,000,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Louis A. Testani, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, on October 12, 2023, New York State Parole Officers conducted a detail at Arrington’s King Street residence. Probation officers knocked on Arrington’s door, several minutes later he answered and exited onto the front porch, and probation officers conducted a “pat down” of Arrington but found no contraband. Probation officers then searched a bedroom in the residence and recovered quantities of suspected cocaine and fentanyl, a large amount of cash, a shotgun, and ammunition. Subsequently, the Chautauqua County Narcotics Unit, Jamestown Metro Drug Task Force, and probation officers executed a search warrant at the residence, recovering another firearm, a .38 caliber revolver.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The complaint is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Frank Tarentino, III, New York Field Division, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, under the direction of John B. DeVito, Special Agent-in-Charge, New York Field Division, the Jamestown Metro Drug Task Force, under the direction of Jamestown Police Chief Timothy Jackson, the Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff James Quattrone, and the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, under the direction of Acting Commissioner Anthony J. Annucci.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Jamaican Citizen Sentenced to 21 Months for Illegally Reentering U.S.Read the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Andre Bowyer, 32, a citizen of Jamaica, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 21 months in federal prison for illegally reentering the United States. Bowyer pleaded guilty to this charge on August 16, 2023.
On June 9, 2023, Bowyer was arrested in Grant County, Wisconsin, during a mail fraud investigation where he was using a fake name. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement became aware of Bowyer’s presence following a fingerprint match during the booking process. Bowyer admitted to paying a smuggler to bring him across the Mexican border into the United States in April or May of 2022.
In 2017, Bowyer was convicted of conspiracy to commit mail fraud in the Eastern District of Louisiana. That case involved a scheme to defraud elderly and vulnerable victims of their money through a fake lottery scheme in which members of the conspiracy contacted victims by telephone through Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP). Following his prison sentence in that case, Bowyer was removed from the United States to Jamaica in March 2022. As a condition of his removal and his supervised release from his mail fraud case, Bowyer was ordered not to reenter the United States. Bowyer was still on supervised release in the fraud case at the time of his 2023 arrest and faces revocation in that case.
In sentencing Bowyer on the illegal reentry charge, Judge Conley noted that Bowyer came back to the United States in 2022 shortly after his removal. He also expressed concern that it appeared Bowyer had returned to engaging in fraud given the circumstances of his arrest in Grant County, where he was arrested using a false name and attempted to pick up a mail parcel containing $18,000 in cash.
The charge against Bowyer was the result of an investigation conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven P. Anderson prosecuted this case.
Jackson Man Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Escape from Reentry CenterRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A Jackson man was sentenced today to five years in prison for escape from a Residential Reentry Center.
According to court documents, David Black, 33, was in federal custody at Dismas Charities, a contracted Residential Reentry Center of the Federal Bureau of Prisons, after having served time in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. On December 16, 2022, the U.S. Marshals Service was alerted that Black had not reported to work at his designated place of employment during his Reentry term, and he did not return to Dismas after failing to report to work. On December 19, 2022, Black turned himself back into federal custody. He was subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury for this offense.
U.S. Attorney Todd Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi and U.S. Marshal Mark B. Shepherd made the announcement.
The United States Marshals Service investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matt Allen and Andrew Eichner prosecuted the case.
Jackson Man Pleads Guilty to Armed CarjackingRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A Jackson man pleaded guilty to carjacking and brandishing a firearm in relation to a crime of violence.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Russell Emmett Gibbs, 46, carjacked a male victim at gunpoint on Edgewood Terrace in Jackson in November of 2020. Gibbs was indicted by a federal grand jury on June 6, 2023.
Gibbs is scheduled to be sentenced on January 30, 2024. He faces a minimum of seven years and a maximum of life in prison. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee and Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives made the announcement.
The case was investigated by the ATF and the Jackson Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly T. Purdie is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Informational: Federal Court arraignmentsRead the Press Release
The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced that the following persons were arraigned or appeared this week before U.S. Magistrate judges on indictments handed down by the Grand Jury or on criminal complaints. The charging documents are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt:
Appearing in Billings before U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan and pleading not guilty on Oct. 26 was:
John Edward Szydlowski IV, 21, of Billings, on charges of felon in possession of a firearm. If convicted of the most serious crime, Szydlowski faces a maximum of 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Szydlowski was detained pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Billings Police Department conducted the investigation. PACER case reference. 23-124.
Steven Edward Schlosser, 53, of Ballantine, on charges of felon in possession of a firearm. If convicted of the most serious crime, Schlosser faces a maximum of 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Schlosser was detained pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Yellowstone County Sheriff’s Office and Montana Division of Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation. PACER case reference. 23-123.
Appearing in Missoula before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto and pleading not guilty on Oct. 26 was:
Juan Jose Romero, 39, of Butte, on charges of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and prohibited person in possession of a firearm. If convicted of the most serious crime, Romero faces a mandatory minimum of five years to 40 years in prison, a $5 million fine and at least four years of supervised release. Romero was detained pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Montana Division of Criminal Investigation and Montana Probation and Parole conducted the investigation. PACER case reference. 23-11.
The progress of cases may be monitored through the U.S. District Court Calendar and the PACER system. To establish a PACER account, which provides electronic access to review documents filed in a case, please visit http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. To access the District Court’s calendar, please visit https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl.
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Indiana U.S. Attorney’s Offices Celebrate Funding for Survivors Announced During Domestic Violence Awareness MonthRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS- As part of a monthlong observance of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Southern and Northern Districts of Indiana are proud to announce that the Department’s Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) awarded $790,618 to the state of Indiana to bolster coordinated community responses aimed at bringing an end to domestic violence, as well as sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking.
Data from the most recent National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey indicate about 41% of women and 26% of men experienced sexual violence, physical violence, or stalking by an intimate partner. Domestic violence rates are even higher for people of color, individuals with disabilities, and LGBTQI+ individuals.
The announced grants will reach historically marginalized and underserved communities, college and university campuses, rural towns, culturally specific communities, Tribal nations, and more. The funding prioritizes increasing access to justice, improving survivor safety, holding perpetrators accountable, and offering training and technical support to professionals addressing these crimes.
Indiana received the following funds for the 2023 fiscal year:
- OVW awarded $340,618 under State and Territory Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Coalitions Program to enhance the coordination between courts, child protective services agencies, advocates, law enforcement, and community programs to encourage trauma-informed, survivor-centered responses to domestic violence and sexual assault.
- OVW awarded $450,000 under the Transitional Housing Assistance Grants for Victims of Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, and Stalking Program (Transitional Housing Program) to support programs that provide 6 to 24 months of transitional housing or housing assistance to survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking.
“No one should be subjected to abuse, especially by those closest to them. Whether or not we’re aware, everyone knows someone impacted by domestic and intimate partner abuse, said Zachary A. Myers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “This trauma leaves an indelible mark on survivors and their families, from physical harm and psychological distress to negative impacts on housing, employment, and education. U.S. Attorney Johnson and I celebrate the Office of Violence Against Women’s support programs serving survivors across the state of Indiana.”
“I am pleased to announce, along with U.S. Attorney Myers, that our State has been awarded funding from the Office on Violence Against Women. Domestic Violence, in all forms, undermines the safety and security that one should have in their homes and intimate relationships. These grant funds will support the ongoing work being done to create communities free of domestic violence,” said Clifford D. Johnson, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Indiana.
“Every day, a vast network of dedicated individuals helps domestic violence survivors access multiple pathways to safety, justice, and healing,” said OVW Director Rosie Hidalgo. “OVW understands that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to addressing domestic violence. These funds will enable communities to increase capacity and strengthen a coordinated community approach to prevent and address violence in more comprehensive ways tailored to their communities. Together, with our grantees, we are building a future where individuals and families can live and thrive without the threat of intimate partner violence.”
The Department of Justice joins survivors, victim service providers, advocates, and communities nationwide in recognizing October as National Domestic Violence Awareness Month. This is a time to center the experiences of survivors; honor those who lost their lives to domestic violence; express gratitude to the countless individuals in the movement to end violence; and raise awareness on the issues of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking.
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Illicit Money Transmitters Admit Criminal Scheme to Funnel Money to Nevada CasinoRead the Press Release
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – October 27, 2023
SAN DIEGO – Two Mexican nationals and their unlicensed money transmitting business admitted in federal court today that they illegally helped foreign gamblers move money stealthily through the U.S. financial system to avoid scrutiny by U.S. and foreign law enforcement and regulators.
Defendants Francisco Alberto Garza-Vargas and Ricardo Najera-Almaguer, both of San Pedro Garza Garcia, Mexico, and Carma de Monterrey SA de CV, a Mexican corporation headquartered in Monterrey, Mexico, admitted they conspired to operate an unlicensed money transmitting business on behalf of foreign patrons of the casino industry.
Garza-Vargas was previously a registered agent with the Nevada Gaming Commission. Casinos typically contract with such agents to be a liaison between casinos and high-rolling guests. These agents bring players into a particular casino; and in return, they are compensated with commission by that casino.
According to court documents, the defendants’ unlicensed money transmitting enterprise conducted more than 115 illegal transfers with bank accounts controlled by the casino industry in the aggregate amount of approximately $8,129,664.
These cases bring to 15 the total number of defendants who have admitted wrongdoing in this investigation into money laundering, unlicensed money transmitting, and other crimes, with associated criminal penalties of over $7.5 million.
During today’s hearing, U.S. District Judge Dana M. Sabraw accepted Garza-Vargas’ and Najera-Almaguer’s deferred prosecution agreements and the corporation’s guilty plea and ordered the defendants to pay criminal fines and other financial penalties totaling $3,198,397.
According to court documents, the defendants conducted financial transactions for casino patrons located abroad who sought to gamble in the United States. To have funds available for that purpose in the United States, the defendants transferred the patron’s funds through a series of bank accounts controlled by the corporation defendant and others into casino-controlled bank accounts. The circuitous transfers helped patrons evade laws and regulations designed to prevent money laundering.
As a result of not registering their money transmitting business, not maintaining an anti-money laundering program, and not filing required suspicious activity reports or currency transaction reports, the defendants were able to conceal the sources of funds. This conduct obscured the nature of the transactions from other United States-based financial institutions and inhibited the ability of law enforcement and other authorities to investigate.
Today’s proceedings follow a similar resolution as that of defendant Juan Carlos Palermo on April 20, 2022, who in a related case admitted to money laundering in the promotion of his own unlicensed money transmitting business. Since October 2012, while acting as an agent for one casino, defendant Palermo operated multiple unlicensed businesses in the United States and abroad that conducted more than 200 transfers with bank accounts controlled by multiple casino entities, over $17.7 million, on behalf of at least 50 casino gambling patrons.
Between approximately 2012 and 2020, defendant Palermo and his unlicensed money transmitting business transacted with clients, and related financial accounts, in at least 15 countries, including countries that the United States Department of State has identified as “Major Money Laundering Countries” of “primary concern” like Mexico, Argentina, Cayman Islands, Switzerland, United Arab Emirates, and Hong Kong. The Palermo money transmitting business’s use of these bank accounts and other financial services allowed clients to conduct international monetary transfers through underground financial networks engaged in transferring funds, exchanging currency, and other money transmitting and remitting services, while circumventing laws and regulations regarding monetary transfer and reporting in the U.S. and elsewhere.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carl F. Brooker IV, Christopher Beeler, and Mark W. Pletcher and investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the IRS Las Vegas Financial Crimes Task Force.
DEFENDANTS
Francisco Alberto Garza-Vargas Age: 59 San Pedro Garza Garcia, MX
(Case Number 23-CR-0219-DMS)
Ricardo Najera-Almaguer Age: 68 San Pedro Garza Garcia, MX
(Case Number 23-CR-0219-DMS)
Carma de Monterrey S.A. de CV Monterrey, MX
(Case Number 22-CR-0219-DMS)
Juan Carlos Palermo Age: 64 Buenos Aires, Argentina
(Case Number 22-CR-0859-DMS)
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Conspiracy to Operate an Unlicensed Money Transmitting Business – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 371
Maximum penalty: Five years in prison and $250,000 fine
AGENCIES
Homeland Security Investigations
IRS-Criminal Investigations, Las Vegas Financial Crimes Task Force
Honduran National Sentenced for Assault on Border Patrol AgentRead the Press Release
DEL RIO, Texas – A Honduran national was sentenced in a federal court in Del Rio to 78 months in prison for assault on a federal agent/officer.
According to court documents, Kevin Roney Rodriguez-Sauceda, 29, was apprehended by a U.S. Border Patrol agent near Eagle Pass on Aug. 3, 2022. During the encounter, Rodriguez-Sauceda assaulted the agent with a knife while another undocumented noncitizen bit the agent. Both individuals were detained as additional agents responded.
Rodriguez-Sauceda pleaded guilty on March 6 to one count of assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers or employees.
“We are once again reminded that our partners in green place their lives on the line each and every day in defense of the United States and the integrity of our border,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas. “Thank you to our partners at the FBI and U.S. Border Patrol for their dedication to the mission and upholding the law.”
“This case is a reminder of the danger U.S. Border Patrol agents and law enforcement officers face while working to protect people every day,” said Special Agent in Charge Oliver E. Rich Jr. for the FBI San Antonio Division. “This sentencing is a reflection of the FBI's commitment in partnering with law enforcement at all levels to keep our communities safe.”
The FBI and USBP investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brett Miner prosecuted the case.
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Hawaii Woman Charged with Filing False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in Honolulu returned an indictment yesterday charging a Hawaii woman with filing false tax returns, wire fraud, money laundering and structuring related to her fraudulent application for unemployment assistance due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to the indictment, for 2016 through 2020, Heidi Cafirma, of Waipahu, filed with the IRS false joint personal tax returns for her and her spouse that underreported their total, business or other income and total taxes owed.
Cafirma allegedly also submitted a fraudulent application requesting Pandemic Unemployment Assistance benefits to which she was not entitled. From approximately June 2020 through September 2021, Cafirma allegedly filed weekly unemployment benefit certification forms in support of her application, falsely claiming she was not working or earning any income during the certification period. As a result, Cafirma allegedly received approximately $70,500 in fraudulent benefit payments. She also allegedly laundered money, and on three separate occasions in August 2018, allegedly made cash deposits each under $10,000 into two separate bank accounts in an effort to avoid currency transaction reporting requirements.
If convicted, Cafirma faces a maximum penalty of three years in prison for each false return count, 20 years in prison for each count of wire fraud, 10 years in prison for money laundering and five years in prison for illegal structuring. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Clare E. Connors for the District of Hawaii made the announcement.
IRS-Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Sarah A. Kiewlicz of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Craig S. Nolan for the District of Hawaii are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Hacker Sentenced to 30 Months for SIM Swapping Conspiracy Resulting in Theft of Nearly $1 Million in CryptocurrencyRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Jordan Dave Persad, 20, of Orlando, Florida, was sentenced on Monday by United States District Judge Diane J. Humetewa to 30 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Persad was also ordered to pay $945,833 in restitution. Persad pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Computer Fraud.
Between March 2021 and September 2022, Persad and his co-conspirators hacked into victims’ email accounts, hijacked their cell phone numbers, and gained unauthorized access to their online cryptocurrency accounts. As a result of this scheme, often referred to as “SIM swapping,” Persad and his co-conspirators stole close to $1 million worth of cryptocurrency from dozens of victims, including approximately $30,000 from a victim in Arizona. Defendant and his co-conspirators then divided these stolen funds amongst themselves, with Persad keeping around $475,000. Investigators were able to recover some of these funds when they executed search warrants at Persad’s Orlando home.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amy Chang and Bridget Minder of the United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-23-00680-PHX-DJH
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-163_Persad# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Ganado Man Sentenced to 20 Years for Murder of GrandmotherRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Jedidiah Michael Noble, 35, of Ganado, Arizona, was sentenced on Monday by United States District Judge Michael T. Liburdi to 20 years in prison. Noble pleaded guilty to Second Degree Murder.
On January 13, 2021, Noble stabbed his grandmother approximately 50 times, killing her.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer E. LaGrange and Sharon K. Sexton, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-21-08012-PCT-MTL
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-162_Noble# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Four Men Sentenced in Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation CrimesRead the Press Release
Four men were sentenced this week in federal court for committing sex crimes against children, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
Richard Alan Sisney, 70, of Tulsa, plead guilty on Aug. 8, 2022, to one count of receipt of a visual depiction of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct and one count of possession of a visual depiction of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct. On Oct. 24, 2023, U.S. District Judge Raul M. Arias-Marxuach sentenced Sisney to prison. The Government and Sisney jointly appealed to the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals, requesting that Sisney be resentenced due to a procedural error.
On Oct. 24, 2024, Judge Arias-Marxuach resentenced Sisney to 121 months, followed by 10 years of supervised release. Following his release from prison, Sisney is required to register as a sex offender. The judge further ordered Sisney to pay $12,000 in restitution. In court documents, Sisney admitted to downloading images and videos of young children being sexually abused by adults. The FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Nassar and Ashley Robert prosecuted the case.
Kenneth James Loftin, 26, of Sapulpa, plead guilty on July 13, 2022, to one count of receipt of child pornography, one count of possession of child pornography in Indian Country, and one count of abusive sexual contact of minor children in Indian Country. On Oct. 24, 2023, U.S. District Judge Raul M. Arias-Marxuach sentenced Loftin to three 120 month sentences to run concurrent followed by lifetime supervision. Following his release from prison, Loftin is required to register as a sex offender. Judge Arias-Marxuach further ordered Loftin to pay $3,000 in restitution. In his plea agreement, Loftin admitted to downloading and viewing numerous images and videos of child pornography from the internet. He also admitted to sexually abusing a child who was under the age of 12. Loftin is a member of the Cherokee Nation. Homeland Security Investigations and Tulsa Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys George Jiang and Valeria Luster prosecuted the case.
Jeffery James Bucchino, 44, of Buford, Georgia, plead guilty on Aug. 10, 2022, to one count of sexual exploitation of a child and one count of coercion and enticement of a minor after previously being convicted for solicitation of a minor in Texas. On Oct. 27, 2023, U.S. District Judge Raul M. Arias-Marxuach sentenced Bucchino to 300 months followed by lifetime supervision. Following his release from prison, Bucchino is required to register as a sex offender. In his plea agreement, Bucchino admitted that he knowingly persuaded a minor living in Tulsa to send him live or recorded videos of herself masturbating over the internet from November 2016 to March 2018. Homeland Security Investigations and Tulsa Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys George Jiang and Deputy Criminal Chief Christopher Nassar prosecuted the case.
Matthew Rame Griner Ramsey, 27, of Vinita, plead guilty on May 30, 2023, to abusive sexual contact with a minor under 12 years of age in Indian Country. On Oct. 24, 2023, U.S. District Judge Raul M. Arias-Marxuach sentenced Ramsey to 120 months followed by lifetime supervision. Following his release from prison, Ramsey is required to register as a sex offender. In his plea agreement, Ramsey stated that he knowingly engaged in sexual activity with a four-year-old. He further admitted that the abuse was intended to “arouse and gratify” his sexual desires. Ramsey is a member of the Cherokee Nation. The FBI and Vinita Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chantelle Dial prosecuted the case.
“The sentences handed down this week demonstrate that our justice system will not tolerate those who victimize children,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “These terrible crimes cause tremendous physical and psychological trauma on children, our most vulnerable victims. Federal prosecutors and our law enforcement partners will do everything in their power to protect child victims and bring to justice those who exploit children in anyway.”
These cases were brought as part of Project Safe Childhood is a unified and comprehensive strategy to combat child exploitation. Initiated in May of 2006, Project Safe Childhood combines law enforcement efforts, community action, and public awareness. The goal of Project Safe Childhood is to reduce the incidence of sexual exploitation of children. There are five essential components to Project Safe Childhood: (1) building partnerships; (2) coordinating law enforcement; (3) training PSC partners; (4) public awareness; and (5) accountability. The Department of Justice is committed to the safety and well-being of our children and has placed a high priority on protecting and combating sexual exploitation of minors.
For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Four Florida Men Sentenced to Prison for Roles in Nationwide “Felony Lane Gang” ConspiracyRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Four men from Fort Lauderdale, Florida – Joshua Mallory, age 38; Tyrone Parker Jr., age 24; Gary Grier, age 37; and Robert Natson, age 37 – have been sentenced to federal prison after previously pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and related charges. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; James Smith, Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); and Putnam County Sheriff Kevin J. McConville made the announcement.
All four defendants pled guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud, and Mallory, Grier, and Parker Jr. also pled guilty to aggravated identity theft. In previously pleading guilty, the defendants admitted that they were involved in a fraud scheme known as “Felony Lane Gang” at various times between 2015 and 2020. These defendants and their co-conspirators traveled across the country breaking into cars, often targeting those parked by women at locations such as health and fitness centers, daycares, outdoor recreational parks and dog parks. They stole debit cards, credit cards, checkbooks and photo identifications in these “smash-and-grab” vehicle thefts, and they used these stolen items to commit bank fraud by recruiting women to impersonate the smash-and-grab victims and cash checks in drive-through bank lanes. The recruited check cashers were almost always suffering from an addiction to controlled substances and were provided payment at least partially in drugs. The total loss amount from the conspiracy was over $1 million, with individual co-conspirators held responsible for portions of that loss.
- Mallory was sentenced on October 27, 2023 to 80 months’ imprisonment and was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $364,989.56, along with a forfeiture money judgment of $17,183.90. He was also ordered to serve a 5-year term of supervised release after completing his term of imprisonment.
- Parker Jr. was sentenced on October 20, 2023 to 65 months’ imprisonment and was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $81,737.00, along with a forfeiture money judgment of $8,630. He was also ordered to serve a 5-year term of supervised release.
- Natson was sentenced on October 4, 2023 to 46 months’ imprisonment and was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $34,400, along with a forfeiture money judgment of $4,352. He was also ordered to serve a 4-year term of supervised release.
- Grier was sentenced on August 25, 2023 to 51 months’ imprisonment and was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $163,964, along with a forfeiture money judgment of $1,880. He was also ordered to serve a 3-year term of supervised release.
Five other defendants were charged in the indictment, all of whom have pled guilty and some of whom have previously been sentenced, as follows:
- Tyrone Parker (the father of Tyrone Parker, Jr.), age 41, of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, was sentenced on February 13, 2023 to 57 months’ imprisonment and was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $132,990, along with a forfeiture money judgment of $7,202. He was also ordered to serve a 3-year term of supervised release.
- Terrell McDonald, age 32, of Troy, New York, was sentenced on March 13, 2023 to 65 months’ imprisonment and was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $133,190, along with a forfeiture money judgment of $17,648.28. He was also ordered to serve a 3-year term of supervised release.
- Randall Taylor, age 37, of Fort Lauderdale, pled guilty on June 1, 2023 to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft, and he is scheduled to be sentenced on December 5, 2023 by United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino, who presides over the case.
- Cedric Lynch, age 38, of Orlando, Florida, pled guilty on June 23, 2023 to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft, and he is scheduled to be sentenced on November 22, 2023.
- Keyshawn Arnold, age 27, of Schenectady, New York, pled guilty on August 4, 2021 to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft, and he is scheduled to be sentenced on November 20, 2023.
This case was investigated by the FBI Westchester Resident Agency of the New York Field Office and the Putnam County Sheriff’s Department, with assistance from the FBI Field Offices in Albany, Miami, and Salt Lake City, and Resident Agencies in Savannah, Georgia, and Portland, Maine, and from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine, the Saratoga County District Attorney’s Office, and the Ulster County District Attorney’s Office. Additional assistance was provided by numerous law enforcement agencies, including, within New York, the New York State Police; Columbia County Sheriff's Office; Genesee County Sheriff’s Office; Monroe County Sheriff’s Office; Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office; Warren County Sheriff’s Office; and the police departments of the Town of Bethlehem; Glens Falls; Gloversville; Greenburgh; Greece; and Watervliet; and elsewhere, Connecticut State Police; Florida Department of Law Enforcement; Georgia State Patrol; Illinois State Police; Massachusetts State Police; Broward County, FL Sheriff’s Office; Northern York County, PA Regional Police; Southern Chester County, PA Regional Police; Utah County, UT Sheriff's Office; and the police departments of Auburn, MA; Bath, ME; Biddeford, ME; Bozeman, MT; Brunswick, ME; Caernarvon Township, PA; Chester Township, PA; Cinnaminson, NJ; Darien, CT; East Norriton Township, PA; Easthampton, MA; Greenwich, CT; Lower Moreland Township, PA; Manheim Township, PA; Portland, ME; Portsmouth, NH; Saco, ME; Salisbury, MA; Sanford, ME; Scarborough, ME; Somersworth, NH; South Portland, ME; St. George, UT; Syracuse, UT; Tinicum, PA; Towamencin, PA; Tewksbury, MA; Wakefield, MA; Yarmouth, ME; and York, ME.
Assistant United States Attorneys Matthew J. McCrobie, Michael F. Perry and Paul Tuck are prosecuting the case.
Former Marketing Employee Sentenced to Federal Prison for Bank Fraud and Identity TheftRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – A former account manager at a Memphis marketing firm has been sentenced to federal prison in connection with a scheme to defraud her employer of more than $1,000,000. Kevin G. Ritz, United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the sentence today.
On October 18, 2023, United States District Court Judge John T. Fowlkes, Jr. sentenced Karen Winkles Crutchfield, 55, of Southaven, Miss. to 75 months incarceration followed by five years of supervised release. In addition, Fowlkes ordered Crutchfield to pay $1,058,266 in restitution to her former employer and other victims. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by the Secret Service and the Internal Revenue Service.
"Financial fraud can happen anywhere, and can be devastating to local businesses,” said United States Attorney Ritz. “The defendant used her position of trust and authority to defraud a small business for her own personal benefit. Thanks to our investigative partners, her callous dishonesty has been exposed. Wherever fraud occurs in the Western District of Tennessee, this office will be prepared to hold offenders accountable.”
“Small business owners sacrifice every day to help build the United States economy,” said Special Agent in Charge Mark Switzer, US Secret Service, Memphis Field Office. “When a trusted employee steals from their employer, it undermines all the work and opportunity those employers give to their community. The Secret Service appreciates the opportunity to work with our investigative partners to assist in bringing justice to this business in Western Tennessee.”
“Financial fraud undermines the integrity of the U.S. tax system and breaks down consumer confidence," said Donald "Trey" Eakins, IRS Criminal Investigation’s Charlotte Field Office Special Agent in Charge. "We, along with our federal partners, will continue to hold perpetrators accountable for their actions."
According to the indictment and information presented in court, between 2013 and 2019, Crutchfield was employed as an account manager at Good Advertising in Memphis. In that capacity, she handled company payroll, accounts receivable, and accounts payable. Crutchfield used her access to create false invoices, duplicate or fictitious vendors, and more than 620 fraudulent checks, totaling approximately $662,000. In addition, she stole more than $168,740 from the owners’ profit-sharing account and used company credit cards to pay nearly $59,000 in personal expenses and withdraw $82,000 in cash advances. She inflated her wages, telling the company’s payroll processer that her annual salary was $95,000 – more than double the $45,000 she legitimately earned. Crutchfield used her access to the company owners’ personal identifying information to apply for a business loan without permission, in an apparent effort to cover the shortfall caused by her theft. Finally, Crutchfield filed false tax returns with the IRS, failing to declare the income she obtained from her fraud schemes.
A federal grand jury returned an indictment against Crutchfield in April 2022. Crutchfield appeared before Judge Fowlkes and entered a guilty plea to the charges of bank fraud, wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and filing a false tax return.
Assistant United States Attorney Mark Erskine prosecuted this case on behalf of the federal government.
Former CEO of Sunwest Management Ordered to Pay over $74 Million in Restitution to More than 1,400 VictimsRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon announced today that the former CEO of Sunwest Management and associated companies, who previously admitted to orchestrating one of the largest financial fraud schemes in Oregon history, was ordered to pay over $74 million in restitution to more than 1,400 victims.
Jon Michael Harder, 58, a resident of Canyonville, Oregon, who pleaded guilty in 2015 to one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering, was ordered to pay $74,062,211 in restitution to his victims.
According to court documents, Harder formerly controlled a network of companies that bought, constructed, and managed assisted living facilities. At its height, the organization, Sunwest Management and its related companies, owned approximately 300 assisted living facilities that served more than 15,000 residents. As CEO of Sunwest, Harder knowingly and intentionally misled hundreds of investors about the nature and risks of their investment in Sunwest housing facilities and development projects. He further misled his investors about the financial health of Sunwest, failing to disclose that the company continuously operated at substantial monthly losses. In total, Harder misled more than 1,400 investors, causing losses exceeding $120 million.
On September 18, 2012, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a 56-count indictment charging Harder with mail fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering. On January 8, 2015, Harder pleaded guilty to one count each of wire fraud and money laundering. On November 18, 2015, Harder was sentenced to 180 months in federal prison and three years’ supervised release.
On January 13, 2021, after Harder had served just over five years of his 15-year prison sentence, President Donald J. Trump commuted his sentence to time-served.
This case was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, FBI, and the Justice Department’s U.S. Trustee Program. Restitution was litigated by Claire M. Fay, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
Former Attorney Convicted of Bribery SchemeRead the Press Release
A federal jury convicted a former attorney today of engaging in a scheme to bribe the chief of police of Medford, Massachusetts, to obtain approval for a client to sell recreational marijuana.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Sean O’Donovan, 56, of Somerville, Massachusetts, paid a bribe to influence the Medford police chief in connection with O’Donovan’s client’s recreational marijuana business. In February 2021, O’Donovan approached Individual 1, a close relative of the chief, and offered to pay Individual 1 $25,000 to speak with the chief about his client’s anticipated application to sell recreational marijuana in Medford. At the time, the chief had recently been appointed to serve on a committee to rank such applications on behalf of Medford’s mayor, who would ultimately select three applicants to open retail marijuana stores in Medford. After Individual 1 informed the chief of O’Donovan’s corrupt offer, the chief immediately alerted federal authorities.
Over the course of the investigation, O’Donovan, believing he had an agreement with Individual 1 and the chief, offered to pay Individual 1 approximately $25,000 in exchange for the chief’s favorable action on his client’s application. Specifically, O’Donovan sought to have the chief favorably rank his client’s application and, separately, advised and pressured the mayor to select the client to open a retail marijuana store in Medford. O’Donovan was slated to receive a stream of income of at least $100,000 annually from his client’s marijuana business if its Medford application were successful. O’Donovan never informed his client of the bribery scheme with Individual 1.
The jury convicted O’Donovan of two counts of honest services wire fraud and one count of bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 7, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each honest services wire fraud count and a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison on the federal funds bribery count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Acting U.S. Attorney Joshua S. Levy for the District of Massachusetts, and Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division made the announcement.
The FBI investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Jonathan E. Jacobson of the Criminal Divion’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristina E. Barclay for the District of Massachusetts are prosecuting the case.
Former Attorney Convicted for Bribery SchemeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A federal jury in Boston has convicted a former attorney today of engaging in a scheme to bribe the Chief of Police in Medford, Mass. to obtain approval for a client to sell recreational marijuana.
The jury convicted Sean O’Donovan, 56, of Somerville, Mass., of two counts of honest services wire fraud and one count of bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 7, 2024.“Sean O’Donovan’s greed led him to engage in this old school bribery scheme to line his own pocket,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “His plot failed because of the unquestioned integrity of Medford Police Chief Jack Buckley and his brother. Upholding the rule of law and holding lawyers who break the law accountable is an essential priority of this office.”
“Today’s verdict proves that Sean O’Donovan went from practicing law to breaking it by engaging in a pay-to-play scheme in which he tried to capitalize on his insider access, in attempting to bribe the Medford Police Chief for his own financial gain. His actions were not only an affront to all the hard-working businesses that play by the rules, but a betrayal of his client’s and the community’s trust,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. “Rooting out public corruption is a top priority for the FBI, and we are extremely grateful to the Medford Police Chief and his relative who did not hesitate to do what was right by working with us to thwart this nefarious scheme.”
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, O’Donovan paid a bribe to influence the Medford Police Chief in connection with O’Donovan’s client’s recreational marijuana business. In February 2021, O’Donovan approached Individual 1, a relative of the Chief, and offered to pay Individual 1 $25,000 to speak with the Chief about his client’s anticipated application to sell recreational marijuana in Medford. At the time, the Chief had recently been appointed to serve on a committee to rank such applications on behalf of Medford’s mayor, who would ultimately select three applicants to open retail marijuana stores in Medford. After Individual 1 informed the Chief of O’Donovan’s corrupt offer, the Chief immediately alerted federal authorities.
Over the course of the investigation, O’Donovan, believing he had an agreement with Individual 1 and the Chief, offered to pay Individual 1 approximately $25,000 in exchange for the Chief’s favorable action on his client’s application. Specifically, O’Donovan sought to have the Chief favorably rank his client’s application and, separately, advised and pressured the mayor to select the client to open a retail marijuana store in Medford. O’Donovan was slated to receive a stream of income of at least $100,000 annually from his client’s marijuana business if its Medford application were successful. O’Donovan never informed his client of the bribery scheme with Individual 1.
O’Donovan faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each honest services wire fraud count and a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison on the federal funds bribery count. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting U.S. Attorney Levy; SAC Cohen; Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; and Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division made the announcement today.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristina E. Barclay with the Public Corruption Unit for the District of Massachusetts and Trial Attorney Jonathan E. Jacobson of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and are prosecuting the case.
Florida Man Sentenced to Fifteen Years’ Imprisonment for Fentanyl Trafficking, International Money Laundering, and Possession of A Firearm in Furtherance of Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber has sentenced Luis Mojica Rojas (46, Zephyrhills) to 15 years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, conspiracy to commit international money laundering, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. The court also ordered Mojica Rojas to forfeit $90,000, which are traceable to proceeds of the offense. Mojica Rojas was arrested on May 9, 2022, detained, and pleaded guilty on July 19, 2023.
According to court records, on May 9, 2022, federal agents executed a search warrant at Mojica Rojas’s residence. Inside the master bedroom, agents located an AR-15 assault pistol and a loaded drum magazine for an AR-15. DNA testing of the firearm confirmed that Mojica Rojas possessed it. Cocaine was also found in the master bathroom. Agents seized over 780 grams of suspected fentanyl in powdered form and another 102 grams of counterfeit prescription drugs containing suspected fentanyl from a shed and camper in the backyard. In total, law enforcement seized over two kilograms of fentanyl associated with the conspiracy. In August 2021, Mojica Rojas met with an undercover law enforcement officer to launder $90,000 in drug proceeds on behalf of a coconspirator.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the United States Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations, the Pasco Sheriff’s Office, the Tampa Police Department, and the Plant City Police Department. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dan Baeza.
Federal grand jury indicts 3 defendants for Trapper Creek murdersRead the Press Release
ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A federal grand jury in Alaska returned an indictment last week charging three defendants with crimes connected to the murders of two women in Trapper Creek this May.
According to the indictment, Heraclio Sanchez-Rodriguez, 56, Tamara Denise Bren, 41, and Kevin Glenn Peterson II, 29, engaged in a drug conspiracy and conspired to kidnap and murder Sunday Powers and Kami Clark in furtherance of a drug trafficking enterprise on May 22. The drug conspiracy resulted in the distribution of over 33 kilograms of fentanyl, 11 kilograms of meth, four kilograms of heroin and 57 grams of cocaine. The indictment further explains that Sanchez-Rodriguez was an inmate in a California prison and used contraband phones to run his enterprise.
The indictment alleges the defendants communicated in person and through phone calls and text messages to coordinate the kidnapping of Powers and Clark. They used tracking applications on cell phones to confirm the location of Powers and Clark the day of the murders. They further organized multiple vehicles to meet the co-conspirators near Trapper Creek and have a conspirator carry a firearm to carry out the kidnapping.
According to the indictment, conspirators restrained Powers and Clark under the threat of force by carjacking the vehicle they occupied. During the kidnapping and carjacking, Powers called 911 but a conspirator ended her call. Powers and Clark were driven to a hidden location, where they were executed and buried in a shallow grave near Trapper Creek.
The indictment charges all three defendants with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, killing in furtherance of continuing criminal enterprise, kidnapping conspiracy, kidnapping resulting in death, carjacking resulting in death and use of a firearm to commit murder in relation to a drug trafficking crime. Bren and Sanchez-Rodriguez are also charged with engaging in a continuing criminal enterprise. If convicted of engaging in a continuing criminal enterprise, Bren and Sanchez-Rodriguez face a mandatory sentence of life imprisonment. The maximum penalty for the remaining charges is life imprisonment.
U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker for the District of Alaska, Special Agent in Charge Antony Jung of the FBI Anchorage Field Office and Alaska State Trooper Colonel Maurice Hughes made the announcement.
The indictment is the result of an investigation by the FBI Anchorage Field Office, Drug Enforcement Administration Seattle Division, IRS Criminal Investigation Seattle Field Office, U.S Postal Inspection Service Seattle Division, Alaska State Troopers, Anchorage Police Department and the Palmer Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Karen Vandergaw and Christopher Schroeder are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Federal grand jury indicts 10 defendants in large drug trafficking ringRead the Press Release
ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A federal grand jury returned a 16-count indictment charging 10 defendants with running a large-scale drug trafficking ring in Alaska.
According to the indictment, Christina Reyna Quintana, 38, Angela Marie Jasper, 39, Amber Young, 28, Rochelle Monique Wood, 37, James Anthony Schwarz, 41, Elroy Daniel Bouchard, 58, Khamthene Thongdy, 45, Colleen McDaniel, 68, Tamberlyn Solomon, 25, and Lois Jean Frank, 63, engaged in a conspiracy to traffic at least 12 kilograms of fentanyl into Alaska. The indictment also charges Jasper, Wood, Schwarz, Bouchard, Thongdy, McDaniel and Solomon with laundering money to promote drug trafficking and concealing the source of the funds. Court documents identify 37 separate money laundering transactions, including some made internationally to Mexico, between August 2022 and July 2023.
During the entirety of the conspiracy, Quintana has been an inmate at Hiland Mountain Correctional Facility in Eagle River, Alaska. She is serving a 22-and-a-half-year prison sentence following a federal conviction for traveling from California to Sitka, Alaska, in 2018 and shooting a woman in both kneecaps over drug debt. The indictment charges Quintana with engaging in a continuing criminal enterprise, which carries a mandatory life sentence, alleging that Quintana was a principal administrator, organizer, supervisor and leader of a criminal enterprise. The other defendants also face a maximum possible penalty of life imprisonment.
U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker for the District of Alaska and Special Agent in Charge David F. Reames of the Drug Enforcement Administration Seattle Division made the announcement.
The indictment is the result of an investigation by the FBI Anchorage Field Office, Drug Enforcement Administration Seattle Division, IRS Criminal Investigation Seattle Field Office, U.S Postal Inspection Service Seattle Division, Alaska State Troopers, Anchorage Police Department and Palmer Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Schroeder, Alana Weber and Stephan Collins are prosecuting the case.
This investigation and prosecution were part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (“OCDETF”), which identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Update - This release has been updated to add an investigating agency.
Fayetteville Check Fraud Ringleader Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, N.C. – A Fayetteville, North Carolina man, Alvester Aaron Williams, Jr., was sentenced today to 44 months’ imprisonment and five years of supervised release for conspiracy to commit bank fraud. On May 24, 2023, Williams pleaded guilty to the charge.
According to court documents and other information presented in court, the United States Postal Inspection Service initiated an investigation of Williams following a state probation search of Williams’s hotel room in Fayetteville. The search recovered approximately 500 stolen checks and other pieces of stolen mail, X-ACTO blades for altering the checks, over a dozen debit cards in the names of other people, and bank account usernames and passwords. At the time of the search, Williams was on state probation for obtaining property by false pretense related to the theft and alteration of checks, among other convictions. Analysis of the stolen checks, together with other evidence, indicated that Williams resumed his check fraud activities shortly after the imposition of his state sentence.
According to the subsequent federal investigation, between approximately July 2020 and August 2021, William conspired with others to steal checks from mailboxes in and around Fayetteville, alter the checks to reflect the names of co-conspirators (i.e., money mules), change the payment amounts, deposit the checks into co-conspirator accounts, and withdraw the proceeds at ATMs. When law enforcement authorities arrested Williams on the federal indictment, Williams was found in possession of 97 stolen checks, multiple debit cards in the names of other people, and X-ACTO blades.
Michael Easley, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II. The United States Postal Inspection Service, based in Raleigh, North Carolina, investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Adam F. Hulbig prosecuted the case for the government.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:22-CR-227-M
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El Paso Fentanyl Dealer Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
EL PASO, Texas – An El Paso man was sentenced in a federal court in El Paso to 240 months in prison for distribution of a controlled substance causing serious bodily injury.
According to court documents, Patrick Harley Chaires, 28, sold a counterfeit M-30 pill containing fentanyl on Jan. 10. The purchaser consumed the pill and overdosed due to fentanyl poisoning. The victim was revived after receiving medical care and Naloxone. Chaires was arrested on Jan. 25 as the result of a Drug Enforcement Administration investigation.
“The victim in this case is incredibly fortunate that they were able to receive the necessary medical care following their overdose,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas. “Everyone must be aware of, and take seriously, the dangers of fentanyl and its abundant presence in counterfeit pills being sold on the streets and through social media. As long as fentanyl distribution persists, we will continue to heavily prosecute those responsible for poisoning our communities.”
“This 20-year sentence sends a clear message to everyone in our community,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Eric Castañeda for the DEA’s El Paso Division. “The DEA is laser-focused on one goal – saving American lives. Regardless of the quantity of illicit drugs you sell, if you hurt someone in the process, we will build a case against you, and bring this elevated charge to our partners at the U.S. Attorney’s office for your prosecution.”
This case was investigated by the Fentanyl Overdose Response Team (FORT) of the DEA’s El Paso Division, which is a West Texas HIDTA Initiative. FORT is comprised of law enforcement personnel from the Drug Enforcement Administration, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, Department of Army Criminal Investigations Division, Texas Army National Guard, Texas Department of Public Safety, El Paso County Sheriff’s Department, and El Paso Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Phil Countryman prosecuted the case.
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Decatur Man Convicted of Sexually Exploiting MinorsRead the Press Release
URBANA, Ill. – A federal jury returned guilty verdicts on October 26, 2023, against Kevin Dial, 52, of Decatur, Illinois, for two counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, receipt of child pornography, and possession of child pornography. Sentencing for Dial has been scheduled for February 26, 2024, in front of United States District Judge Colin S. Bruce at the federal courthouse in Urbana, Illinois.
Over three days of testimony, the government presented evidence to establish that Dial directed another individual to sexually abuse three minor victims, all of whom were under the age of 11 at the time, and to video record that abuse. Dial then ordered the individual to send the video recordings of the sexual abuse to him.
Dial remains in the custody of the United States Marshals Service. At sentencing, Dial faces statutory penalties of 15 to 30 years’ imprisonment on each of the sexual exploitation counts and up to 20 years’ imprisonment for receiving and possessing child pornography. The district judge may order that the sentences on each count be served consecutively.
The case investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office, with assistance from the Philippine National Police. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rachel Ritzer and Nathan Bertrand represented the government at trial.
De Kalb Woman Pleads Guilty to Misappropriation of Postal FundsRead the Press Release
Jackson, MS – A De Kalb woman pled guilty to misappropriation of postal funds while serving as Postmaster.
According to court documents, Stacey Eldridge Parker, 45, while serving as Postmaster of the Marion Post Office and Administrative Postmaster of the Bailey and Daleville Post Offices, took cash and other property of the United States Postal Service for personal use. A federal grand jury indicted Parker on August 8, 2023.
Parker is scheduled to be sentenced on January 25, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi and Assistant Inspector in Charge Dana Carter of the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General, Houston Divison, made the announcement.
The U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Allen is prosecuting the matter.
DOJ awards more than $2.5 million to Western Washington non-profits who assist survivors of human traffickingRead the Press Release
Seattle – The U.S. Department of Justice is awarding more than $2.5 million in grants to three non-profit organizations that work to combat human trafficking and support survivors, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. The three non-profits focus their work on different geographic areas of Western Washington.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Western District of Washington is a leader in prosecuting cases of human trafficking – whether it is sex trafficking of vulnerable victims or labor trafficking of immigrants who feel helpless to escape,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Gorman. “This grant funding will ensure the victims of modern-day slavery are rescued and supported as they put their lives back together.”
The largest grant, $950,000, is awarded to Innovations Human Trafficking Collaborative (IHTC) to provide support and resources to 300 survivors of sex and labor trafficking in the South Sound region. Specifically, the organization will focus on Thurston, Lewis, Pierce, and Mason counties and among ten tribes: Nisqually, Chehalis, Tulalip, Puyallup, Cowlitz, Quileute, Lower Elwha Klallam, Muckleshoot, and Hoh tribes. IHTC will provide training on best practices for local law enforcement, health, mental health, and social services providers while also mobilizing a network of non-profits, government agencies, the faith community, tribal elders, and businesses who can assist those seeking to escape human trafficking.
Seattle’s International Rescue Committee was awarded $800,000 to provide evidence-based and trauma informed Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) services to survivors of human trafficking in King County. Primary activities include individual counseling, group support, and case management services to survivors and training and technical assistance to providers to increase their capacity to serve survivors.
Finally, the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project (NWIP) was awarded $800,000 to provide legal services to human trafficking survivors in southwest Washington and on the Olympic Peninsula. Two other non-profits will have services funded through this grant award: Centro Integral Educativo Latino de Olympia (CIELO) an organization dedicated to meeting the human service needs of Latino residents of three rural counties with high risk for labor trafficking, specifically in non-timber forest harvesting, fishing/shellfish, and agriculture; and Pueblo Unido PDX, an organization dedicated to more effectively serving the immigration legal needs of indigenous language speakers. NWIP will oversee these subgrants.
DEA National Prescription Drug Take Back DayRead the Press Release
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. On Saturday, October 28th, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”) will provide the public the opportunity to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs. Location information is available from the DEA, along with items that cannot be accepted. This service is free and anonymous, no questions asked.
This October’s event is DEA’s 24th nationwide event since its inception 11 years ago. Last spring, Americans turned in nearly 663,725 pounds of prescription drugs at nearly 4,955 sites operated by the DEA and 4,497 from its state and local law enforcement partners.
The DEA will now accept vaping devices and cartridges at any of its drop-off locations during National Prescription Drug Take Back Day. It is important to note that DEA cannot accept devices containing lithium-ion batteries. If batteries cannot be removed prior to drop-off, DEA encourages individuals to consult with stores that recycle lithium-ion batteries. Concerns have been raised across the United States over illnesses and deaths caused by vaping and the high youth vaping initiation rates. To support a healthy lifestyle and energetic population, especially among America’s youth, DEA is committed to doing all it can to help safely dispose of vaping devices and substances.
The DEA’s “Take Back” day and “Get Smart About Drugs” initiatives address the vital public safety and public health issue. Medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the United States are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses because of these drugs. Synthetic opioids, such as illicit fentanyl, are the primary driver of the increase in overdose deaths. For information on DEA’s “Take Back” in Spanish, click here, or for more information on the “Get Smart About Drugs” publication, click for English or Spanish.
In addition to DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, there are many other ways to dispose of unwanted prescription drugs every day, including the 11,000 authorized collectors that are available all year long. For more information, visit DEA’s year-round collection site locator. Participating in the next DEA Take Back Day on Saturday, October 8th, simply means cleaning out your medicine cabinet or anywhere you keep unused, unwanted, or expired medications and dropping them off at your nearest collection site. For more information about the disposal of prescription drugs or about the October 28th Take Back day event, go to DEA Drug Take Back event or by calling 800-882-9539.
The FDA also provides information on how to properly dispose of prescription drugs. More information is available here: English or Spanish.
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Convicted Felon Arrested for Shooting of a Federal OfficerRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Jerardo Jay Rosales, 39, of Tucson, was arrested Wednesday and charged in a two-count complaint with Assault on Federal Officer Using a Deadly or Dangerous Weapon and Prohibited Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon.
The complaint alleges that, on October 17, 2023, Rosales, a convicted felon, shot a federal officer in the left arm with a pistol, then fled in a vehicle. The officer suffered a non-life-threatening injury.
A conviction for Assault on Federal Officer Using a Deadly or Dangerous Weapon carries a maximum penalty of up to 20 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both, and a maximum term of three years supervised release. A conviction for Prohibited Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon carries a maximum of up to 15 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both, and a maximum term of three years supervised release.
A complaint is simply a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is conducting the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Cassell, District of Arizona, Tucson, is handling the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: 23-02095MJ
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-165_Rosales# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Columbia Man Sentenced to 19 Years for Illegal Firearm Following Police ChaseRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Columbia, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for illegally possessing the stolen firearm that he threw out of his car during a police chase.
Cecil Jason Robinson, 44, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark to 19 years and seven months in federal prison without parole. Robinson was sentenced as an armed career criminal due to his prior felony convictions.
On Jan. 13, 2022, Robinson was found guilty of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Robinson was in possession of a loaded Sig Sauer 9mm semi-automatic handgun with an extended magazine when he was arrested on Jan. 26, 2021, following a high-speed police chase on Interstate 70.
ATF task force officers attempted a traffic stop of Robinson, who was driving a Chevrolet Silverado with a defective brake light on I-70 west between the St. Charles Road exit and the Highway 63 connector on Jan. 26, 2021. When the officers activated their emergency lights, Robinson’s vehicle exited I-70 onto the Highway 63 connector, where it immediately conducted an illegal U-turn, forcing oncoming traffic to stop. The vehicle entered the I-70 west entrance ramp, accelerating its speed, and a vehicle pursuit ensued.
Officers saw Robinson open the driver’s side door slightly and throw out the Sig Sauer handgun into the rocky area between the entrance ramp and I-70. Officers recovered the firearm, which had been reported stolen in Kansas City, Kan. Officers also saw Robinson throw out a baggie of marijuana near the 127.8 mile marker of I-70 west. The pursuit ended in the Columbia Mall parking lot and Robinson was taken into custody.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Robinson has two prior felony convictions for robbery, two prior felony convictions for unlawful use of a weapon, and a prior felony conviction for drug trafficking.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael S. Oliver. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Columbia, Mo., Police Department.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
City of Albuquerque and APD Achieves Another Major Milestone in Policing Reform EffortsRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – United States Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez announced today that the Justice Department and the City of Albuquerque (City) filed a Joint Motion for Partial Termination, seeking court approval to terminate certain portions of the consent decree covering the Albuquerque Police Department (APD). The motion was filed in recognition of APD’s sustained compliance with significant portions of the consent decree.
The motion represents a second major milestone APD has achieved this year following the joint motion filed in April to modify the requirements of the consent decree.
Over the last several years, APD has made consistent and sustained progress towards achieving constitutional policing and in reaching compliance with provisions of the consent decree, including:
- APD has a clear and reliable process for conducting criminal investigations of critical incidents through the Multi-Agency Task Force;
- APD significantly professionalized its SWAT team and brought its operations in line with national standards;
- APD’s investigative units operate with clarity about their scope and mission;
- through APD’s Field Training Evaluation Program, new officers receive reinforcement about APD’s values and expectations, helping to ensure that officers provide constitutional and effective policing from their first days on patrol;
- APD and Albuquerque’s civilian oversight agency widely distribute information about filing complaints about police officers, ensuring that people across the city can easily access and submit complaint forms, and that APD and civilian oversight are aware of the issues that people are having with police officers;
- the Monitor has found that APD has set new standards in police recruiting, increasing interest in joining APD at a time when police departments across the country face challenges in recruiting; and
- APD’s Behavioral Sciences Section provides industry-standard behavioral health and wellness services to APD personnel and their families, often exceeding the requirements of the consent decree.
For many of these provisions, APD achieved compliance two or more years ago, has sustained its compliance, and is monitoring its own compliance with these provisions. Now, the parties have agreed that it is appropriate to terminate sections and sub-sections of the consent decree which APD has been in full compliance for at least two years. The motion sets out the specific paragraphs of the consent decree that the parties have moved to terminate.
The partial termination allows the parties and the Monitor to focus their efforts on the remaining areas of the consent decree where APD is still working to attain or maintain full compliance.
“This move to partial termination is yet more evidence of the City of Albuquerque’s dogged pursuit of progress,” said U.S. Attorney Alexander Uballez. “Much remains to be done, and the challenges facing us as a community are ever evolving. While we continue to work together to confront those challenges, we applaud the steady and unrelenting drive towards the type of policing that the people of Albuquerque deserve.”
“This should put to rest concerns about APD’s ability to self-monitor and continue the reform process past federal oversight,” Mayor Tim Keller said. “APD is proving the department is ready to institutionalize constitutional policing and ongoing reform on its own. Going forward we need to push past the piecemeal approval process and focus on the future beyond the CASA.”
The Justice Department is committed to supporting city leaders, community stakeholders and APD as they work together to implement lasting institutional reform and make constitutional policing a reality for the community of Albuquerque.
The District Court for the District of New Mexico entered the consent decree in June 2015. The decree, as well as information about implementation of the consent decree, is available on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office at Investigation into Albuquerque Police Department.
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Cincinnati man pleads guilty to possessing Glock switchRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – Elhanan Omar Pittman, 28, of Cincinnati, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to possessing a Glock switch.
Possessing any weapon or machine gun that can readily shoot more than one shot without manual reloading is against federal law.
Parties involved in Pittman’s case have recommended a sentence of 78 months in prison.
According to his plea agreement, on June 8, a Wyoming, Ohio, police officer attempted to stop Pittman’s vehicle for a traffic violation. Pittman fled from the vehicle carrying a backpack.
After a foot pursuit, Pittman was captured when he was found hiding behind Wyoming Middle School.
Pittman had an automatic weapon in the backpack, namely, a handgun with a Glock switch.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Daryl S. McCormick, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF); and Wyoming Police Chief Brooke Brady announced the guilty plea entered Oct. 25 before U.S. District Judge Jeffery P. Hopkins. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy D. Oakley is representing the United States in this case.
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