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20 October 2023
Jefferson County Chiropractor Sentenced to 4 Years in Prison, Ordered to Repay $16 MillionRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey on Thursday sentenced a chiropractor from Jefferson County, Missouri to four years in prison and ordered her to repay $16.4 million lost to disability fraud, U.S. Attorney Sayler A. Fleming announced Friday.
Vivian Carbone-Hobbs, now 61, of Fenton, was convicted by a jury in U.S. District Court in St. Louis in February of conspiracy to defraud the Social Security Administration, 10 counts of health care fraud and two counts of theft of money from the United States.
Carbone-Hobbs and her husband, Thomas G. Hobbs, are co-owners of Power-Med Inc., a chiropractic clinic in Arnold, Missouri. The couple, some of their employees and others conspired with each other and others to fraudulently obtain disability payments for patients. In exchange for upfront fees of thousands of dollars, Carbone-Hobbs, Hobbs and others would coach patients on how to pretend to be unable to work and unable to lift objects, sit, stand and walk. Patients had to pay hundreds of dollars for annual appointments to keep qualifying for disability payments.
Carbone-Hobbs was also billing insurance companies for services that were not provided.
Hobbs, 65, pleaded guilty in January to a conspiracy charge and admitted conspiring to commit the crimes of health care fraud, making false statements, theft of government funds and Social Security fraud. He was sentenced in September to four years in prison and ordered to repay $4.3 million.
The cases were investigated by the Social Security Administration – Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tracy Berry, Dorothy McMurtry, Diane Klocke and Gwendolyn Carroll are prosecuting the case.
Anyone who suspects fraud involving the Disability Insurance Benefit Program is asked to contact the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General Hotline at: 1-800-269-0271 or https://oig.ssa.gov/report/.
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. 19 was:
Jacci Christen Heinemann, 32, of Livingston, on charges of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. If convicted of the most serious crime, Heinemann faces a maximum of 20 years in prison, a $1 million fine and three years of supervised release. Heinemann was detained pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Montana Highway Patrol investigated the case. PACER case reference. 23-115.
Edward Anthony Torres, 27, of Billings, on charges of felon in possession of a firearm. If convicted of the most serious crime, Torres faces a maximum of 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Torres was detained pending further proceedings. The Billings Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. PACER case reference. 23-52.
Appearing on Oct. 17 was:
Sayra Longfox, 25, of Lodge Grass, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute meth. If convicted of the most serious crime, Longfox faces a mandatory minimum of five years to 40 years in prison, a $5 million fine and at least four years of supervised release. Longfox was detained pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Indian Affairs, Drug Enforcement Administration and FBI investigated the case. PACER case reference. 23-102.
Appearing for an initial appearance on a criminal complaint on Oct. 16 was:
Eric Stephen Hadnott, 44, of Billings, on charges of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. If convicted of the most serious crime, Hadnott faces a maximum of 15 years in prison, a $100,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Hadnott was detained pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Billings Police Department investigated the case. PACER case reference. 23-146.
Appearing in Missoula before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto and pleading not guilty on Oct. 18 was:
David Scott Retzer, 41, of Livingston, on charges of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. If convicted of the most serious crime, Retzer faces a maximum of 20 years in prison, a $1 million fine and three years of supervised release. Retzer was detained pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Montana Highway Patrol investigated the case. PACER case reference. 23-115.
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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Imperial Valley Doctor Sentenced for Years-Long Use of Unapproved Cosmetic DrugsRead the Press Release
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – October 20, 2023
SAN DIEGO – Tien Tan Vo, a doctor practicing in Imperial Valley, was sentenced in federal court yesterday for crimes related to his years-long use of foreign unapproved and misbranded cosmetic drugs. According to his plea and court records, Vo injected as many as 178 patients with unapproved drugs that had been smuggled into the United States from Mexico.
Magistrate Judge Allison H. Goddard sentenced Vo to three years of probation and ordered him to pay a $201,534 fine and forfeit the $100,767 in proceeds he made from his use of unlawful cosmetic drugs. A restitution hearing is set for December 7, 2023, to finalize an order for restitution to potential victims.
In August, Vo pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor counts: receipt of misbranded drugs in interstate commerce and being an accessory after the fact to Flor Cham, who smuggled the unapproved drugs into the United States from Mexico. Cham is charged in case number 23-cr-01926-JLS.
In his plea agreement, Vo admitted that none of the injectable botulinum toxin or lip fillers used by his clinics between November 2016 and October 2020 were approved for use in the United States. This specifically included a botulinum toxin product called “Xeomeen” and an injectable lip filler called Probcel—both products that have not been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
According to court papers, Vo used these unapproved drugs on approximately 178 patients over about four years. Many were never told that they received unapproved drugs as part of their treatment.
“The public faith in the FDA approval process relies on medical providers adhering to those rules,” said U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath. “By side-stepping the safety and approval protocols of the FDA, Dr. Vo compromised care and put profits before patients. But thanks to the hard work of the agencies and our federal restitution process, those ill-gained profits will be recovered in this case.”
“Today’s sentencing serves as our promise to use every tool to investigate and hold accountable those who deliberately smuggle and administer products that pose a significant public health threat,” said Chad Plantz, special agent in charge for HSI San Diego. “HSI, together with the U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to work together to prosecute those individuals who deceive and threaten our communities.”
“The FDA’s requirements help ensure that patients receive safe and effective medical treatments. Evading the FDA process and distributing unapproved drugs to U.S. consumers will not be tolerated,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert M. Iwanicki, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations, Los Angeles Field Office. “We will continue to investigate and hold accountable those who traffic in unapproved drugs.”
A restitution hearing is set for December 7, 2023, at 9:30 a.m. before Judge Allison H. Goddard.
Potential victims related to this case may provide or request information by emailing [email protected]. Individuals may submit written statements including information about potential losses or requests for refunds that may be included as part of the restitution ordered on December 7, 2023.
DEFENDANT Case Number 23cr1700-AHG
Tien Tan Vo Age: 47 El Centro, CA
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Accessory After the Fact to Entry of Goods by Means of False Statement – Title 18, U.S.C., Sections 542 and 3
Maximum penalty: one year in prison, fine of $100,000 or twice the pecuniary gain or loss
Receipt in Interstate Commerce of Misbranded Drugs and Delivery for Pay or Otherwise – Title 21, U.S.C., Sections 331(c) and 333(a)(1)
Maximum penalty: one year in prison, fine of $1,000 or twice the pecuniary gain or loss
AGENCIES
Homeland Security Investigations
U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations
Federal Bureau of Investigation
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General
Houston man sentenced for manipulating and trafficking 13-year-oldRead the Press Release
HOUSTON –A 28-year-old Houston resident will now spend more than two decades in prison following his conviction for sex trafficking a 7th grader, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Juwan James Davis pleaded guilty March 2.
U.S. District Judge Alfred H. Bennett has now ordered Davis to serve 25 years in federal prison. At the hearing, the court heard additional information including how Davis tried to manipulate and control the minor victim four years later by contacting her from jail and attempting to get her to drop the charges. Davis was further ordered to serve 15 years on supervised release following completion of his prison term. Davis will also be ordered to register as a sex offender.
“Tragically, the young victim in this case died just a few months ago at the tender age of 18. Five years ago, when she was only 13, she should have been participating in what normal middle schoolers do - soccer games, school plays and pep rallies,” said Hamdani. “Instead, Juwan James Davis sold her body for sex; something a 7th grader should never have to endure. This sentence not only sends a message to others who prey on young children, but also gives this young victim’s family a sense of justice. It is just a shame she was not able to be in court to see it for herself.”
The investigation began in February 2018 after authorities suspected Davis had trafficked a minor for sex. The victim was a 13-year-old girl.
She told authorities she met Davis on Snapchat and that he wanted her to have sex for money. Davis posted ads of her wearing lingerie on Backpage to advertise her for commercial sex.
The victim told investigators Davis drove her to the hotels and would wait down the street until she finished engaging in commercial sex with the customers. Once finished, the victim would contact Davis who would pick her up and take the money.
The victim also reported Davis supplied her with drugs and had her branded by taking her to get a tattoo with his initials.
Law enforcement obtained a search warrant for Davis’ phone and found communications between him and the victim in which they discuss her engaging in commercial sex and the amounts to charge for these acts. The phone contained several pictures of the victim, some of which were used in the Backpage ads. There were also pictures of the 7th grader with a tattoo of Davis’ initials on her buttocks.
Tragically, the minor victim passed away earlier this year at the age of 18.
Davis will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation as part of the Human Trafficking Rescue Alliance (HTRA). Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sherri Zack and Kim Leo prosecuted the case.
HTRA law enforcement includes members of the Houston Police Department, FBI, HSI, Texas Attorney General’s Office, IRS-Criminal Investigation, Department of Labor (DOL), DOL – Wage and Hour Division, Department of State, Texas Alcoholic and Beverage Commission, Texas Department of Public Safety, Department of Homeland Security – Office of Inspector General (OIG), Social Security Administration – OIG and Sheriff’s Offices in Harris and Montgomery counties in coordination with District Attorney’s offices in Harris, Montgomery and Fort Bend Counties.
Established in 2004, the United States Attorney’s office in Houston formed HTRA to combine resources with federal, state and local enforcement agencies and prosecutors, as well as non-governmental service organizations to target human traffickers while providing necessary services to those that the traffickers victimized. Since its inception, HTRA has been recognized as both a national and international model in identifying and assisting victims of human trafficking and prosecuting those engaged in trafficking offenses.
Honduran National Living in Bridgeport Charged with Illegally Reentering U.S.Read the Press Release
Vanessa Robers Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that a federal grand jury in New Haven has returned an indictment charging NELSON ROMERO-MARTINEZ, 45, a citizen of Honduras last residing in Bridgeport, with illegally reentering the United States after being deported.
The indictment was returned on October 18, 2023, and Romero-Martinez was arrested today. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge S. Dave Vatti in Bridgeport and was ordered detained.
As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, on January 25, 2007, Romero-Martinez was convicted in Connecticut state court of second-degree assault. He received a five-year prison sentence and was removed to Honduras in approximately January 2010. Romero-Martinez subsequently tried to reenter the U.S. at least three more times and was deported to Honduras each time. He successfully and unlawfully reentered the U.S. and, on August 5, 2023, was arrested by Bridgeport Police in connection with an alleged stabbing incident.
If convicted of the charge of illegal reentry, Romero-Martinez faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years.
U.S. Attorney Avery stressed that an indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial at which it is the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
This matter is being investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ross Weingarten.
Hattiesburg Man Sentenced to over 33 Years in Prison for Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Hattiesburg, Miss. – A Hattiesburg man was sentenced to serve a total of 400 months in federal prison and pay a $10,000 fine for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 5 grams or more of methamphetamine, and conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
Jarvin Maurice Summerall, 38, was sentenced on October 19, 2023, in U.S. District Court.
According to court documents, from October 2021 through December 2021, Summerall conspired with others, including his sister, Tara Shametrice Summerall, to distribute methamphetamine. The investigation involved multiple controlled purchases and seizures that revealed the scope of the operation, which not only involved over four kilograms of methamphetamine, but seven pounds of marijuana, Lortabs, Percocets, heroin and cocaine being distributed in the Hattiesburg, Forrest County, Mississippi area.
Co-defendant Tara Summerall entered a plea of guilty and was sentenced on August 2, 2023, to 39 months in prison.
U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee and acting Special Agent in Charge Brad Byerley of the Drug Enforcement Administration made the announcement.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, Lamar County Sheriff’s Office, Hattiesburg Police Department, Forrest County Sheriff’s Office, Marion County Sheriff’s Office, and the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Keesha Middleton.
The case is the result of an extensive investigation targeting illegal drug trafficking in Hattiesburg, Forrest County, and surrounding areas. The case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Harrisburg Man Convicted for Role in Straw Purchasing Firearms for FelonsRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced Johnny Quinones, age 37, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was convicted on October 18, 2023, of straw purchasing a gun, possession of a firearm and ammunition as a felon, and conspiracy, after a bench trial before United States District Court Judge Jennifer P. Wilson.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Quinones conspired with three other individuals to purchase firearms for felons and persons under indictment. Quinones was prohibited by law from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony convictions.
On August 11, 2020, Harrisburg Police responded to a shooting victim in the City of Harrisburg where a victim was shot in the head. They eventually focused on Johnny Quinones, a felon. The investigation ultimately revealed that Taashaun Mansfield was buying guns for felons. Mansfield bought seven guns in a two-month period, and each time he lied on the forms about who was going to receive the guns. All of guns ended up in the possession of people prohibited by law from possessing the guns.
The following coconspirators pleaded guilty to weapons offenses and were sentenced:
- Taashaun Mansfield was sentenced to 37 months in prison;
- Michael Windham was sentenced to 46 months in prison; and
- Antonio Godbolt was sentenced to 33 months in prison.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in conjunction with the Harrisburg Bureau of Police. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael A. Consiglio and Richard Euliss are 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.
All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Harris County man sentenced for trafficking meth in Jefferson CountyRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – A Seabrook man has been sentenced to federal prison for trafficking drugs in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs today.
Justin Hall McSpadden, 45, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and was sentenced to 235 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on October 20, 2023.
According to information presented in court, on October 1, 2021, McSpadden sold four ounces of methamphetamine for $1,200.00 to an individual at the Petro Truck Stop located at 5405 Walden Road in Beaumont. Later that same day, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop on McSpadden on Cardinal Drive in Beaumont. During the traffic stop, law enforcement located an additional two ounces of methamphetamine inside a toolbox in the vehicle and a handgun on the driver’s side floorboard. McSpadden was indicted and charged with federal drug trafficking violations.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael A. Anderson.
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Grand Jury - October 2023Read the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced the federal Grand Jury for the District of Nebraska has returned 4 unsealed Indictments charging 4 defendants. Indictments are charging documents that contain one or more individual counts that are merely accusations, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
* Paul J. Gray, age 48, is charged with failure to register as a sex offender beginning on or about July 20, 2023, and continuing to on or about September 14, 2023. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a term of supervised release of not less than five years and up to life, and a $100 special assessment.
* Raul Enrique Imperial Ochoa, age 24, is charged with possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine (mixture) on or about September 27, 2023. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not less than 10 years’ and up to life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, a term of supervised release of not less than five years and up to life, and a $100 special assessment.
* Jason M. Viera Penalbert, age 37, is charged in a two-count Indictment. Count I charges Viera Penalbert with conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl beginning on or about May 16, 2023 and continuing to on or about May 18, 2023. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not less than 10 years’ and up to life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, a term of supervised release of not less than five years and up to life , and a $100 special assessment. Count II charges Viera Penalbert with possession with intent to distribute cocaine on or about May 18, 2023. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is a 20 year’ imprisonment, a $1,000,000 fine, a term of supervised release of not less than three years and up to life, and a $100 special assessment.
* Spenser Ware, age 35, of Lincoln, Nebraska, is charged with a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition on or about October 11, 2023. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is a 15 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a term of supervised release of not more than three years, and a $100 special assessment.
Four Gang Members Sentenced in the Murder of 10-year old Makiyah WilsonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON –Four members of the Wellington Park Crew were sentenced today for the murder of 10-year old Makiyah Wilson, an innocent bystander gunned down on July 16, 2018, in the courtyard of a Washington, D.C. apartment complex. The shooting also left multiple people wounded.
The sentences were announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Acting Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Qujuan Thomas, 24, was sentenced to 68 years in prison today by D.C. Superior Court Judge Robert Okun after being found guilty on June 13 of first-degree murder while armed, conspiracy to commit a crime of violence, participation in a criminal street gang, multiple counts of assault with intent to kill while armed, and related firearms offenses.
Darrise Jeffers, 23, was sentenced to 35 years in prison today by D.C. Superior Court Judge Robert Okun after being found guilty on June 13 of first-degree murder while armed, conspiracy to commit a crime of violence, participation in a criminal street gang, multiple counts of assault with intent to kill while armed, and related firearms offenses. Mr. Jeffers was found guilty under an aiding and abetting theory and was not identified as an actual shooter in this case.
Quentin Michals, 25, was sentenced to 40 years in prison today by D.C. Superior Court Judge Robert Okun after being found guilty on June 13 of first-degree murder while armed, conspiracy to commit a crime of violence, participation in a criminal street gang, and multiple counts of assault with intent to kill while armed. Mr. Michals was found guilty under an aiding and abetting theory and was not identified as an actual shooter in this case.
Gregory Taylor, 27, was sentenced to 65 years in prison today by D.C. Superior Court Judge Robert Okun after being found guilty on June 13 of first degree murder while armed, conspiracy to commit a crime of violence, participation in a criminal street gang, multiple counts of assault with intent to kill while armed, and related firearms offenses.
Two other defendants - Isaiah Murchison and Marquell Cobbs - were sentenced on October 6, 2023 to 60 years and 72 month in prison, respectively.
According to the government’s evidence, on July 16, 2018, defendants Isaiah Murchison, Gregory Taylor, Qujuan Thomas, and two other individuals drove to the Clay Terrace neighborhood armed with guns. They opened fire on the Clay Terrace courtyard, firing more than 50 shots, indiscriminately. Makiyah Wilson, who was sitting on the front stoop of her home, was killed. Several other people were wounded. Defendants Quentin Michals and Darrise Jeffers assisted the shooters by obtaining the weapons and vehicle used in the shooting. Despite having witnessed the defendants preparing for the shooting, no witnesses were willing to provide information regarding the identity of the shooters. The government presented forensic evidence, statements the defendants made over social media, and motive evidence in presenting its case.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Acting Chief Smith commended the work of the detectives with the Metropolitan Police Department Homicide Branch, especially Detective Konstantinos (Gus) Giannakoulias, who investigated the case, and members of the prosecution team, including Supervisory IT Specialist Leif Hickling, IT Specialist Charlie Bruce, IT Project Manager Deon Williams, Supervisory Victim/Witness Program Specialist Jennifer Clark, Victim/Witness Program Specialist Jennifer Allen, Supervisory Victim/Witness Services Coordinator Katina Adams-Washington, Victim/Witness Services Coordinator Maenylie Watson, Witness Security Specialist Ashli Tolbert, USAO Criminal Investigator Neil D’Cunha, Investigative Analyst Zach McMenamin, Lead Paralegal Sharon Newman, Paralegal Specialist Grazy Rivera, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Richard Barker and Melissa Jackson, along with former AUSA John Timmer, who investigated the case. Finally, they thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Laura Bach and Lindsey Merikas, who prosecuted the case.
Forty-One Charged with Illegal Trafficking, Possession, and Use of Firearms, Drug Trafficking and Conspiracy Offenses as a Result of Summer Violent Crime Reduction Effort “Operation Big Easy” in New OrleansRead the Press Release
Federal and local law-enforcement officials announced today that 41 individuals were charged in connection with firearms-trafficking, drug-distribution, conspiracy, and other offenses following a three-month violent crime reduction initiative in New Orleans this summer.
“The dozens of charges and arrests announced today represent what federal, state, and local law enforcement can accomplish when we work hand-in-hand to take violent criminals and trigger-pullers off our streets,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco. “When we harness the Justice Department’s resources and technology — especially crime-gun intelligence from ATF’s NIBIN network — we are able to identify and arrest the culprits of gun violence and safeguard our communities. Across the country, our towns and cities are safer because of the dedication and bravery of federal agents and their state and local partners, and the 21st-century crime-solving tools DOJ is able to provide.”
“For months, incredibly brave ATF agents and our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners have been investigating violent criminals who have terrorized New Orleans,” said Director Steve Dettelbach of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). “The results are now clear: dozens of arrests; scores of seized firearms, including guns previously used in crimes; recoveries of stolen guns and guns with obliterated serial numbers; and the seizure of deadly machine gun conversion devices. All done better than ever using crime gun intelligence to catch the worst of the worst. ATF commits to continue using and sharing its intelligence with our courageous partners around the country to further drive down violent crime."
“Many thanks to all of our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners for their invaluable efforts, unrelenting vigilance, and selfless contributions to the Operation Big Easy Initiative,” said U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans for the Eastern District of Louisiana. “When we work together and share information, good results occur. To our community, rest assured that we will continue to combat violent crime throughout the Eastern District of Louisiana. Every resource and every force multiplier we possess, will be used to accomplish that goal.”
Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson of the ATF New Orleans Division, Special Agent in Charge Bradley L. Byerly of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) New Orleans Division, and Orleans Parish District Attorney Jason Williams provided additional details relating to the initiative, as well as other narcotics and violence-prevention efforts.
Indictments and complaints were recently unsealed in federal court. The charges stemmed from the extensive, targeted, and sustained effort this past summer, led by ATF and assisted by other federal, state, and local law-enforcement partners, to clamp down on illegal firearms trafficking, use, and possession, as well as the associated distribution of drugs, in New Orleans.
Overall, this operation resulted in approximately 71 crime-related firearms being permanently removed from New Orleans’ streets. The seized weapons included a significant number of stolen firearms and others with obliterated serial numbers. NIBIN data connected a number of the firearms to violent criminal activity, including homicides and felonious assaults, that took place in the New Orleans area and Gulf Coast region in 2022 and 2023. And six of the weapons are machinegun-conversion devices or “switches,” which enable a firearm to fire in fully automatic mode.
Some of these individuals also sold controlled substances to law enforcement. Many of these sales took place in public parking lots of business establishments during business hours or in recreational areas while nearby citizens engaged in their day-to-day errands or recreational activities. During this investigation, law enforcement purchased or seized over two kilograms of fentanyl/heroin mix, over one-half kilogram of cocaine and cocaine base, and over one-half kilogram of methamphetamine.
The following is a breakdown of the charges in United States District Court, according to court documents:
- Michael Lott, 49, Dianta Tropez, 29, Vernell Woodard, 40, Quindele Addison, 47, Sheena Rudolph, 40, and Coris Addison, 23, were charged on Sept. 22 in a superseding indictment.
- Quindele Addison, Woodard, Rudolph and Tropez were charged with conspiracy to distribute and possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine.
- Tropez, Woodard and Quindele Addison were further charged with distribution of methamphetamine.
- Lott, Tropez and Woodard were charged with conspiracy and robbery of a person of money belonging to the United States.
- Lott, Tropez and Woodard with brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence and assaulting an officer of the United States with a deadly weapon.
- Lott, Tropez and Quindele Addison were charged with unlawfully possessing firearms following felony convictions.
- Quindele Addison was charged with possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
- Quindele Addison and Woodard are charged, jointly, with maintaining a drug involved premises.
- Rashad Montague, 32, was charged Oct. 10 via complaint with possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance and conspiracy to distribute controlled substances.
- Dawud Barnes, 22, was indicted Oct. 6 for possession and transfer of a machinegun.
- Vin Davis, 43, and William Grace, 45, were indicted Oct. 5 for distribution of fentanyl.
- Anthony Doyl, 40, and Carlos Guillen, 43, were indicted Oct. 12 for distribution of fentanyl.
- Devin Hilliard, 47, and Stering Pipkins, 39, were indicted Oct. 12 for distribution of cocaine, and Hilliard was additionally charged with unlawfully possessing a firearm following a felony conviction.
- Joshua Hogan, 35, was indicted Sept. 29 for distribution of fentanyl.
- Dayshawn Brown, 39, was indicted Oct. 12 for distribution of fentanyl and methamphetamine, unlawfully possessing a firearm following a felony conviction, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
- Michael Lewis, 36, was indicted Oct. 6 for distribution of fentanyl/heroin/cocaine, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and unlawfully possessing a firearm following a felony conviction.
- Troy Locke, 34, was indicted Sept. 8 for unlawfully possessing a firearm following a felony conviction.
- Junior Alexander Moncada-Vargas, 34, was indicted Sept. 29 for possession and transfer a machinegun and unlawfully possessing a firearm and ammunition as an unauthorized alien.
- Luis Morales, 33, Tyrone Whittington, 38, and Daniel Beck, 43, were indicted Oct. 5. Morales, Whittington, and Beck were charged with distribution of methamphetamine. Morales was charged with possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and unlawfully possessing a firearm following a felony conviction. Whittington was charged with unlawfully possessing a firearm following a felony conviction.
- Tommy Nash, 50 and Loreall Gorden, 38, were indicted Sept. 22 for conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, and distribution of fentanyl.
- Rodney Offray, 49, was indicted Sept. 22 for distribution of fentanyl and heroin.
- Jamar Holmes, 34, was indicted Oct. 5 for distribution of fentanyl and cocaine and sale of a stolen firearm.
- Kennan Alexis, age 47, was indicted Oct. 5 for distribution of fentanyl and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
- Dameron Carmon, 45, were charged Oct. 20 via complaint with conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
- Daniel Smith, 55, were charged Oct. 20 via complaint with conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
The following is a breakdown of the charges in Orleans Criminal District Court, according to court documents:
- Johnny Milton, 42, drug trafficking.
- Brandon Adiar, 49, drug trafficking.
- Kenneth Tyler, 46, drug trafficking.
- Brandon Jackson, 33, drug trafficking.
- Calvin Smith, 44, drug trafficking.
- Cordero Johnson, 35, drug trafficking.
- Ernest Cloud, 29, drug trafficking.
- LC Nixon, 33, drug trafficking.
- Cierra Craig, 34, drug trafficking.
- Ormond King, 31, drug trafficking.
- Zed Jones, age 32, illegal possession of a firearm
ATF investigated the cases, with assistance from the DEA, New Orleans Police Department, Louisiana State Police, U.S. Marshals Service, City of New Orleans Office of Criminal Justice Coordination, and the Louisiana Office of Alcohol and Tobacco Control, with additional thanks to the New Orleans Emergency Management Service and Crime Stoppers, GNO. This operation was also part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces initiative.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana and the Orleans Parish District Attorney’s Office are prosecuting the cases.
Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
- Michael Lott, 49, Dianta Tropez, 29, Vernell Woodard, 40, Quindele Addison, 47, Sheena Rudolph, 40, and Coris Addison, 23, were charged on Sept. 22 in a superseding indictment.
Forty-One Charged with Illegal Trafficking, Possession, and Use of Firearms, Drug Trafficking and Conspiracy Offenses as a Result of Summer Violent Crime Reduction Effort “Operation Big Easy” in New OrleansRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Today, U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans joined federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to announce that 41 individuals were charged with firearms-trafficking, narcotics, conspiracy, or other firearms offenses after a three-month, summertime violent-crime-reduction initiative in New Orleans. Operation Big Easy was a National Integrated Ballistics Information Network (NIBIN) enforcement initiative of collected firearm casings for the time period of August 1, 2022 to January 31, 2023 that produced data points of high-density shootings and homicides in seven areas of New Orleans related to individuals engaged in criminal activity. The vast majority of these individuals were charged in United States District Court, while the rest were charged in state court. They were apprehended in a series of coordinated arrests made during the last two weeks.
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (“ATF”) Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson, Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”), Special Agent in Charge Bradley L. Byerly and Orleans Parish District Attorney Jason Williams provided additional details relating to the initiative, as well as other narcotics and violence-prevention efforts.
Indictments and complaints were recently unsealed in federal court. They detail a lengthy ATF- led investigation, that focused on reducing firearms-related crime in several areas of New Orleans. These areas were selected after studying gun-crime violence data and then identifying illegal firearms sellers in an effort to disrupt their trafficking. Overall, this operation resulted in the seizure and permanent removal of approximately 71 firearms and from New Orleans’ streets. The firearms seized or purchased firearms included stolen firearms, firearms with obliterated serial numbers, “switches,” already-loaded firearms, assault rifles, and firearms previously used to commit violent crimes. NIBIN data showed that a number of those firearms were connected to violent criminal activity, including homicides and felonious assaults, that occurred in the New Orleans and Gulf Coast areas in 2022 and 2023. Of the purchased firearms, six contained machinegun conversion devices or “switches”—a device that enables a firearm to fire in fully automatic mode.
Some of these individuals also sold controlled substances to law enforcement. Many of these sales took place in public parking lots of business establishments during business hours or in recreational areas in close proximity to law-abiding citizens engaged in their daily errands or recreational activities. During this investigation, law enforcement purchased or seized over 2 kilograms of fentanyl/heroin mix, over one-half kilogram of cocaine and cocaine base, and over one-half kilogram of methamphetamine. Some defendants were charged together, but several others were charged individually. In all cases, however, these charges stemmed from the extensive, targeted, and sustained effort over the summer. This effort was led by ATF and assisted by other federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, and designed to reduce both illegal firearms trafficking, use, and possession, and the distribution of drugs in New Orleans.
“The dozens of charges and arrests announced today represent what federal, state, and local law enforcement can accomplish when we work hand-in-hand to take violent criminals and trigger-pullers off our streets,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco. “When we harness the Justice Department’s resources and technology — especially crime-gun intelligence from ATF’s NIBIN network — we are able to identify and arrest the culprits of gun violence and safeguard our communities. Across the country, our towns and cities are safer because of the dedication and bravery of federal agents and their state and local partners, and the 21st century crime-solving tools DOJ is able to provide.”
“For months, incredibly brave ATF agents and our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners have been investigating violent criminals who have terrorized New Orleans,” said ATF Director Steve Dettelbach. “The results are now clear: dozens of arrests; scores of seized firearms, including guns previously used in crimes; recoveries of stolen guns and guns with obliterated serial numbers; and the seizure of deadly machine gun conversion devices. All done better than ever using crime gun intelligence to catch the worst of the worst. ATF commits to continue using and sharing its intelligence with our courageous partners around the country to further drive down violent crime."
”Many thanks to all of our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners for their invaluable efforts, unrelenting vigilance, and selfless contributions to the Operation Big Easy Initiative,” said United States Attorney Duane A. Evans. “When we work together and share information, good results occur. “To our community, rest assured that we will continue to combat violent crime throughout the Eastern District of Louisiana. Every resource and every force multiplier we possess, will be used to accomplish that goal.”
“This investigative initiative is an excellent example of the ATF-led Crime Gun Unit, working together with federal, state and local partners through the US Attorney’s Office, making impact in reducing, preventing, and solving violent gun in our community,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson. “Holding those accountable who further violent gun crime makes our communities safer.”
The following is a breakdown of the charges in United States District Court, according to court documents:
- MICHAEL LOTT, age 49, DIANTA TROPEZ, age 29, VERNELL WOODARD, age 40, QUINDELE ADDISON, age 47, SHEENA RUDOLPH, age 40, and CORIS ADDISON, age 23, were charged on September 22, 2023, in a superseding indictment.
QUINDELE ADDISON, WOODARD, RUDOLPH, and TROPEZ were charged with conspiracy to distribute and possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine.
TROPEZ, WOODARD, and QUINDELE ADDISON were further charged with distribution of methamphetamine.
LOTT, TROPEZ, and WOODARD were charged with conspiracy and robbery of a person of money belonging to the United States.
LOTT, TROPEZ, and WOODARD were charged with brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence and assaulting an officer of the United States with a deadly weapon.
LOTT, TROPEZ, and QUINDELE ADDISON were charged, individually, with being felons in possession of firearms.
QUINDELE ADDISON was charged with possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
QUINDELE ADDISON and WOODARD were charged, jointly, with maintaining a drug involved premises.
- RASHAD MONTAGUE, age 32, was charged October 10, 2023, via complaint, with possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance and conspiracy to distribute controlled substances.
- DAWUD BARNES, age 22, was indicted October 6, 2023, for possession and transfer of a machine gun.
- KEVIN DAVIS, age 43, and WILLIAM GRACE, age 45, were indicted October 5, 2023, for distribution of fentanyl.
- ANTHONY DOYLE, age 40, and CARLOS GUILLEN, age 43, were indicted October 12, 2023, for distribution of fentanyl.
- DEVIN HILLIARD, age 47, and STERING PIPKINS, age 39, were indicted October 12, 2023, for violating the federal controlled substances act and the federal gun control acts. HILLIARD was also charged with distribution of cocaine and felon in possession of a firearm. PIPKINS was also charged with distribution of cocaine.
- JOSHUA HOGAN, age 35, was indicted September 29, 2023, for distribution of fentanyl.
- DAYSHAWN BROWN, age 39, was indicted October 12, 2023, for distribution of fentanyl and methamphetamine, felon in possession of a firearm, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
- MICHAEL LEWIS, age 36, was indicted October 6, 2023, for distribution of fentanyl/heroin/cocaine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and felon in possession of a firearm.
- TROY LOCKE, age 34, was indicted September 8, 2023, for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
- JUNIOR ALEXANDER MONCADA-VARGAS, age 34, was indicted September 29, 2023, for possession and transfer of a machine gun and for being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
- LUIS MORALES, age 33, TYRONE WHITTINGTON, age 38, and DANIEL BECK, age 43, were indicted October 5, 2023, for distribution of methamphetamine. MORALES was also charged with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and being a felon in possession of a firearm. WHITTINGTON was also charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm.
- TOMMY NASH, age 50 and LOREALL GORDEN, age 38, were indicted September 22, 2023, for conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, and distribution of fentanyl.
- RODNEY OFFRAY, age 49, was indicted September 22, 2023, for distribution of fentanyl and heroin.
- JAMAR HOLMES, age 34, was indicted October 5, 2023, for distribution of fentanyl and cocaine and sale of a stolen firearm.
- KENNAN ALEXIS, age 47, was indicted October 5, 2023, for distribution of fentanyl and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
- DAMERON CARMON, age 45, were charged October 20, 2023, via complaint with conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
- DANIEL SMITH, age 55, were charged October 20, 2023, via complaint with conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
The following is a breakdown of the charges in Orleans Criminal District Court, according to court documents:
- JOHNNY MILTON, age 42, Drug Trafficking.
- BRANDON ADIAR, age 49, Drug Trafficking.
- KENNETH TYLER, age 46, Drug Trafficking.
- BRANDON JACKSON, age 33, Drug Trafficking.
- CALVIN SMITH, age 44, Drug Trafficking.
- CORDERO JOHNSON, age 35, Drug Trafficking.
- ERNEST CLOUD, age 29, Drug Trafficking.
- LC NIXON, age 33, Drug Trafficking.
- CIERRA CRAIG, age 34, Drug Trafficking.
- ORMOND KING, age 31, Drug Trafficking.
- ZED JONES, age 32, Illegal Possession of a Firearm
An indictment or complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
The investigation preceding the indictments was led by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (“ATF”), with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”), the New Orleans Police Department (“NOPD), the Louisiana State Police (“LSP”), the United States Marshals Service (“USMS”), the City of New Orleans Office of Criminal Justice Coordination, and the Louisiana Office of Alcohol and Tobacco Control. Also, many thanks to the New Orleans Emergency Management Service and Crimestoppers, GNO. This Operation was also part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) initiative. The cases stemming from this investigation are being prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana and the Orleans Parish District Attorney’s Office.
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Former university professor indicted for theft of grant fundsRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Xinjian “Kevin” He, a former West Virginia University professor, has been indicted on two counts of federal program fraud.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Mr. He, age 41, was a professor in the University’s engineering department and allegedly embezzled federal grant funding, using the money to purchase clothing, furniture, home goods, and electronics for his personal use. The indictment was returned in November of 2020 but remained sealed because the defendant fled the country and wasn’t arrested until September 26, 2023, when he entered the United States from Canada and was apprehended in New York.
At a hearing today in Clarksburg federal court, a motion by the U.S. Attorney’s Office to detain Mr. He pending trial due to the risk of flight was granted.
The defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. If convicted, the defendant faces up to 10 years in prison for each count of fraud.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Wagner is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General and the WVU Police Department investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided over today’s proceedings.
Former Phelps County Deputy Indicted on Child Sex, Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A former deputy sheriff from Phelps County was indicted Wednesday on charges that accuse him of soliciting and possessing child pornography and is expected to appear in U.S. District Court in St. Louis Friday.
Justin Bradley Durham, 42, was indicted by a federal grand jury on one count of sexual exploitation of children, two counts of possession of child pornography and two counts of altering or destroying records. The indictment says that between roughly December 2013 and December 2014, Durham induced and enticed an underage girl to engage in sexually explicit conduct and record it. Durham possessed explicit images of the girl during those same dates, the indictment says, as well as a second girl between about Dec. 9, 2017, and July 2, 2018. The final charges relate to the accusation that Durham deleted files in his Dropbox account and destroyed his iPhone to impede an FBI investigation.
A motion seeking to have Durham held in jail until trial says he offered the first victim money for explicit pictures and later paid her $200 to come to his house, where they engaged in sexual activity. Durham met the second victim when he responded to a call for police assistance, the motion says.
During the investigation, additional women have come forward with allegations about Durham, including allegations involving his demands for sex or sexually explicit images after making traffic stops. Anyone with information about Dunham should call the FBI at 314-589-2500.
“If a victim of police misconduct does not want to report the alleged abuse to the department where the officer works, the victim should contact the FBI directly,” said Special Agent in Charge Jay Greenberg of the FBI St. Louis Division. “Sworn officers who taint the badge are the exception and not the rule. One of the FBI’s priorities is to root out the few to protect victims and the public’s trust in law enforcement.”
Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The sexual exploitation of children charge carries a penalty of at least 15 years in prison. The child pornography charges each carry a penalty of between 5 and 20 years in prison, and the altering or destroying records charges each carry a penalty of up to 20 years in prison.
The case was investigated by the FBI and the Missouri State Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Bateman is 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 the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Former Nurse Practitioner Sentenced to Jail, Fined for Illegal Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
ROANOKE, Va. – A 71-year-old former nurse practitioner, who worked at L5 Medical, a chain of pain clinics with locations in the Woodlawn, Lynchburg, Madison Heights, Blacksburg, and Christiansburg areas, was sentenced to jailtime and fined this week in federal court.
Debra Shaffer, of New Castle, Virginia, previously pleaded guilty to one count of using the DEA Registration number of another while prescribing controlled substances. DEA Registration numbers are unique identifiers issued by medical providers in order to track who issues drug prescriptions.
Shaffer was sentenced to five days in prison, a fine of $5,000, and one year of supervised release.
According to court documents, Shaffer was an important part of a years-long scheme to illegitimately distribute Suboxone by staff providers who lacked the training, experience, and legal authority to prescribe Suboxone (buprenorphine). The illegal use of DEA Registration numbers facilitated this scheme and was designed to deceive pharmacists and the Government about the true nature of who was writing the prescriptions for controlled substances. For example, Shaffer regularly saw opioid-addicted patients at the Christiansburg clinic and wrote Suboxone prescriptions under the name of doctors who did not see the patients. Some patients continued to receive controlled substance prescriptions even after showing obvious “red flags” of drug abuse, such as failing drug tests, taking unprescribed drugs, or having drug overdoses.
Shaffer also followed the advice of non-medical personnel in the course of prescribing controlled substances. One of those individuals, Charles Wilson Adams, Jr., is currently serving a two-year prison sentence for federal drug charges related to the same clinics. Charges against other individuals remain pending.
United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh, Jared Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA’s Washington Division, Maureen Dixon, Special Agent in Charge of HHS-OIG’s Philadelphia Region, Col. Gary Settle, Superintendent of the Virginia State Police, and Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares announced the sentence.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – Office of the Inspector General, the Virginia State Police, and the Virginia Attorney General’s Office - Medicaid Fraud Control Unit investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys S. Cagle Juhan, Jason Scheff, and Special Assistant United States Attorney Janine M. Myatt, Assistant Attorney General with the Virginia Attorney General’s Office, prosecuted the case.
Former Bank VP Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison on Bank Fraud, Arson ChargesRead the Press Release
BENTON, Ill. – A former vice president and loan officer for Community First Bank of the Heartland in Mount Vernon who committed bank fraud and multiple arsons was sentenced in federal court in Benton on Thursday to 12 years in prison.
Richard Pigg, 53, previously pleaded guilty in April to six counts of bank fraud and three counts of arson. The defendant currently resides in Texas, but he lived in Mount Vernon, Illinois, at the time of the charged conduct from May 2011 to December 2016.
During his hearing, the sentencing judge described Pigg as a “Jekyll and Hyde” who destroyed people’s lives with his horrific fraud. Pigg had relied on letters of support citing his good works, but the judge told Pigg that this was like a man who robs a bank, gives some of money to a homeless shelter, then burns the homeless shelter down and wants credit for donating to the homeless shelter.
"For more than half a decade, Richard Pigg abused his position of trust to defraud his bank, take advantage of his customers and skim money off of inflated loans,” said U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe. “When his financial schemes unraveled, he burned the houses to use insurance money in an attempt to cover the loans. For this pattern of fraud and fire that financially ruined his victims, put innocent lives at risk and injured a first responder, Richard Pigg is fully deserving of 12 years in federal prison."
The defendant used his position as vice president and a loan officer to defraud more than $600,000 from CFBH to purchase investment properties and to pay personal expenses.
According to court documents, Pigg convinced bank customers to buy rental properties in Centralia, Mount Vernon, Murphysboro and West Frankfort on his behalf through mortgage loans financed at CFBH. Pigg concealed his personal financial interest from CFBH while facilitating the loans.
“As the sentence imposed in this case clearly indicates, the investigation and prosecution of crimes of arson remains a priority for ATF and the United States Attorney. The criminal use of fire, whether to conceal crime, intimidate, or defraud others, places lives and property at great risk and endangers those who selflessly respond, day or night or extinguish the flames,” said Bernard Hansen, Special Agent in Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Kansas City Field Division.
As part of the scheme, Pigg assured his victims that he would secure the tenants, collect the rent and maintain the properties.
In addition, without the victims’ consent, the defendant at times increased the amount financed in the mortgage loan by thousands of dollars above the purchase price and redirected the excess loan proceeds to his own accounts and to pay his own debts.
In an attempt to use insurance benefits to pay off bank loans, Pigg burned multiple properties. Some properties Pigg burned more than once, such as a Centralia property that was partially damaged in January 2016 and then destroyed by fire in February 2016.
Pigg also burned a four-unit rental apartment complex in West Frankfort in January 2016 soon after renewing one insurance policy and less than two weeks after taking out a second insurance policy on the property.
Under Truth in Sentencing, Pigg must serve at least 85% of his sentence. Following imprisonment, he will serve three years of supervised release.
Agents with ATF and the Federal Housing Finance Agency Office of Inspector General contributed to the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Peter T. Reed and Kevin F. Burke prosecuted the case.
Florida Man Convicted of Stealing Sports Camp Tuition Funds from 303 FamiliesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Florida man was convicted yesterday by a federal jury in Boston for stealing tuition and deposits from families in Boston, and across the country, who planned to send children to sports camps in the Boston area in July and August 2019.
Mehdi Belhassan, 53, of Tampa, Fla., was convicted following a six-day jury trial of two counts of wire fraud. U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young scheduled sentencing for Jan. 11, 2024. Belhassan was arrested and charged in March 2021.
Beginning in the fall of 2018, Belhassan falsely claimed that he would operate his annual MB Sports Camps at a Boston-area college. Later, Belhassan announced that the camps would occur at a Boston-area university. Based on these representations, Belhassan collected tuition and deposit payments totaling over $380,000 from at least 303 families in Massachusetts and across the United States, as well as advance payments of $191,000 from an online payment company and a commercial finance company. As part of his scheme, Belhassan provided the lender with a fraudulent contract with the college that contained the forged signature of a college administrator.
“Mr. Belhassan preyed upon the trust of families, promising summer fun while plotting his own indulgence. He lured in, deceived and betrayed over 300 families – diverting hundreds of thousands of dollars not to the promised camps, but to personal pursuits like plastic surgery and extravagant vacations at Las Vegas casinos,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “Today's verdict is a testament to our office’s unwavering commitment to ensuring that those who exploit trust for personal gain are held accountable.”
“Mehdi Belhassan stole tens of thousands of dollars from hundreds of hard-working families across the country without a second thought, and with today’s conviction, he has been held accountable for lining his own pockets at their expense,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. “During these challenging times, financial fraudsters are doing everything they can to cheat people out of their hard-earned money, while the FBI is doing everything we can to make sure they don’t succeed.”
The charge of wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting U.S. Levy and FBI SAC Cohen made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kriss Basil and Alathea E. Porter of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.
Federal Jury Finds Shelton Man Guilty of Unlawful Possession of Assault Rifle and Ammunition in WaterburyRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that a federal jury in New Haven has found MIGUEL RIVERA, also known as “Macho,” 31, of Shelton, guilty of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon.
A trial before U.S. District Judge Janet C. Hall began on October 17 and the jury returned its verdict yesterday afternoon.
According to the evidence presented during the trial, in the early morning hours of July 5, 2020, Waterbury Police officers responded to a shots-fired complaint in the area of William Street and Laurel Street in Waterbury. When officers arrived on William Street, Rivera, who was wearing a body armor vest, attempted to flee by climbing over a fence. Rivera was subsequently apprehended, and a search of the area from which he had run revealed a Romarm/Cugir, AK Type Model, 7.62 x 39mm caliber, semi-automatic rifle containing a fully-loaded 30-round magazine. Rivera also possessed one round of ammunition in his pocket.
Rivera’s criminal history includes convictions for felony firearm, robbery, and burglary offenses. It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.
At sentencing, which is not scheduled, Rivera faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years.
It is alleged that on June 21, 2022, while he was released on bond and awaiting trial in this case, Rivera unlawfully possessed a stolen 12-gauge shotgun, ammunition, and two Kevlar bullet proof vests. He has been detained since July 13, 2022, and additional charges are pending in federal court.
U.S. Attorney Avery stressed that a charge is only an allegation, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This investigation is being conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Waterbury Police Department, and the Connecticut State Police. These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Natasha M. Freismuth and Patricia Stolfi Collins through Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Federal Jury Convicts Tennessee Man of Terrorism ChargeRead the Press Release
On Oct. 19, following an eight-day trial, a jury convicted Benjamin Carpenter, 31, of Knoxville, Tennessee, aka Abu Hamza, of attempting to provide material support to ISIS, a foreign terrorist organization.
According to evidence presented at trial, Carpenter served as the leader of Ahlut-Tawhid Publications, an international organization of pro-ISIS “munasirin” (i.e., supporters), dedicated to translating, producing and distributing ISIS propaganda throughout the world. For years, Carpenter, using his alias “Abu Hamza,” published a large body of ISIS media, including his weekly newsletter “From Dabiq to Rome,” a periodical that, among other things, celebrated the deaths of American soldiers, glorified suicide bomber, and called for open war against the United States and its Western allies. In 2020 and 2021, Carpenter contacted an individual he believed to be affiliated with ISIS’s central media bureau and provided translation services for a project intended to relaunch Al-Hayat Media Center, ISIS’s official foreign-language media arm.
Carpenter faces up to 20 years in prison and a lifetime of supervised release. He will be sentenced by the Honorable Katherine A. Crytzer, U.S. District Judge at a later date.
Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III for the Eastern District of Tennessee, and Special Agent in Charge Joseph E. Carrico of the FBI Knoxville Field Office made the announcement.
The Knoxville Joint Terrorism Task Force, which is composed of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, investigated the case, with assistance from FBI Field Offices across the country.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kyle J. Wilson and Casey T. Arrowood for the Eastern District of Tennessee and Trial Attorney Charles J. Kovats Jr. of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section represented the United States at trial.
Federal Jury Convicts Knoxville Man of Terrorism ChargeRead the Press Release
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - On October 19, 2023, following an eight-day trial in United States District Court, a jury convicted Benjamin Carpenter, age 31, of Knoxville, Tennessee, also known as “Abu Hamza,” of attempting to provide material support to ISIS, a foreign terrorist organization, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2339B.
Carpenter faces a sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison and a lifetime term of supervised release. He will be sentenced in Knoxville, Tennessee, by the Honorable Katherine A. Crytzer, United States District Judge at a later date.
The evidence presented at trial demonstrated that Carpenter served as the leader of Ahlut-Tawhid Publications, an international organization of pro-ISIS “munasirin” (i.e., supporters), dedicated to translating, producing, and distributing ISIS propaganda throughout the world. For years, Carpenter, using his alias “Abu Hamza,” published a large body of ISIS media, including his weekly newsletter From Dabiq to Rome, a periodical that, among other things, celebrated the deaths of American soldiers, glorified suicide bombers, and called for open war against the United States and its Western allies. In 2020 and 2021, Carpenter contacted an individual he believed to be affiliated with ISIS’s central media bureau and provided translation services for a project intended to relaunch Al-Hayat Media Center, ISIS’s official foreign-language media arm. Unbeknownst to him, that individual was an FBI undercover employee who had infiltrated Carpenter’s group.
Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Department of Justice National Security Division, United States Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III of the Eastern District of Tennessee, and Special Agent in Charge Joseph E. Carrico of the Knoxville Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation made the announcement. The case was investigated by the Knoxville Joint Terrorism Task Force, which is composed of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. It was led by the Knoxville FBI Field Office and involved the assistance of FBI offices from across the country.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kyle J. Wilson and Casey T. Arrowood of the Eastern District of Tennessee and Trial Attorney Charles J. Kovats, Jr. of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section represented the United States at trial.
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Federal Jury Convicts Four Taos County, New Mexico Compound Defendants in Connection with Kidnapping and Terrorism PlotRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A federal jury returned guilty verdicts against Siraj Ibn Wahhaj, his sisters Hujrah Wahhaj and Subhanah Wahhaj, and Subhanah’s husband, Lucas Morton, following a three week jury trial. The jury convicted Siraj Wahhaj and Lucas Morton of conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists, providing material support to terrorists and conspiracy to murder an officer or employee of the United States. Hujrah Wahhaj, Subhanah Wahhaj and Lucas Morton were additionally convicted of conspiracy to commit kidnapping resulting in death and kidnapping resulting in death.
In a plea agreement which was unsealed today, the fifth defendant, Jany Leveille, pled guilty to conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists and being in possession of a firearm while unlawfully in the United States.
According to evidence presented at trial and other publicly available court records, in December 2017, Siraj Wahhaj unlawfully abducted his three-year-old son, Abdul Ghani, from his wife in Georgia. Leveille and the defendants had formed the belief that Abdul Ghani was her son and was possessed by demons. The group took Abdul Ghani to New Mexico, depriving him of his anti-seizure medication and the loving care of his mother, and subjected him to an exhausting regimen of daily spiritual exorcisms.
Abdul Ghani died less than two weeks after arriving in New Mexico, before investigators had any knowledge of a suspected location to search for him.
Under Leveille’s direction, Siraj and the others established a community centered on the belief that Abdul Ghani would return as Jesus Christ to pass judgment on corrupt institutions, including the FBI, the military and other government and financial institutions. To this end, they established a fortified base and a firing range. Armed with 11 firearms, including an AR-15 Bushmaster assault rifle, high-capacity magazines, and hundreds of rounds of ammunition, the group conducted weapons and tactical training and required some of the children to do so as well. The group conducted the training with the intent to “face the nation” and kill those who refused to believe as they did. They spoke of waging jihad and becoming martyrs.
On Aug. 3, 2018, the Taos County Sheriff’s Office Tactical SRT Unit executed warrants on the compound. Siraj Wahhaj armed himself and prepared to defend the compound before ultimately being taken into custody without shots fired. During a search of the compound, law enforcement located the remains of Abdul Ghani in an underground tunnel.
In her plea agreement, Leveille admitted that she and her co-conspirators entered into an agreement to provide material support and resources to prepare for, and to carry out, the killing of federal officers or employees when they came to the compound. Leveille also admitted that she knew she was no longer legally and lawfully in the United States and that she was not allowed by law to possess the firearms or ammunition.
“When a mother loses her child, we all lose a child,” said United States Attorney Alexander Uballez. “It is our collective responsibility to protect our children from danger and, when we lose a child, it is our solemn duty in law enforcement to ensure that those who are responsible receive justice. My thanks go out to the many local, state, and federal law enforcement officers who worked tirelessly to deliver that justice, and my heart goes out to the mother of Abdul Ghani.”
“The FBI takes its mission of protecting the American public seriously, and we are dedicated to conducting fair and thorough investigations,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Raul Bujanda. “The nefarious activities and subsequent conviction of these four depraved criminals underscore the continued interest of some US-based violent extremists in self-initiated attack plotting, independent of any guidance or support from a foreign terrorist organization. This investigation highlighted their interest in the preparation for and possible desire to conduct attacks in the Homeland against innocent people.”
“In addition to this preparation for terror, the senseless kidnapping resulting in the death of a juvenile these criminals conducted is inexcusable and have no place in our society,” Bujanda continued. "Their despicable actions shattered a community and a family who will forever be impacted by these traumatic events. The convictions rendered in this case show those who participate in these types of criminal activities will be held accountable for their actions. The FBI would like to thank the Taos County Sheriff Office and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico for their partnership and diligent work on this case.”
All four defendants will remain in custody pending sentencing, which has not yet been scheduled. At sentencing, Siraj, Hujrah and Subhanah Wahhaj, and Lucas Morton each face up to life in prison. Per the terms of her plea agreement, Leveille faces up to 17 years in prison.
The FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, the Taos County Sheriff’s Office, NM Office of the Superintendent of Insurance, and the 8th Judicial District Attorney’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kimberly Brawley and Tavo Hall for the District of New Mexico and Trial Attorneys Jessica Joyce and George Kraehe of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case.
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Federal Jury Convicts Four New Mexico Compound Defendants in Connection with Kidnapping and Terrorism PlotRead the Press Release
Earlier this week, a federal jury returned guilty verdicts against Siraj Ibn Wahhaj, his sisters, Hujrah Wahhaj and Subhanah Wahhaj, and Subhanah’s husband, Lucas Morton, following a three-week jury trial. The jury convicted Siraj Wahhaj and Lucas Morton of conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists, providing material support to terrorists and conspiracy to murder an officer or employee of the United States. Hujrah Wahhaj, Subhanah Wahhaj and Lucas Morton were additionally convicted of conspiracy to commit kidnapping resulting in death and kidnapping resulting in death.
In a plea agreement, unsealed yesterday, the fifth defendant, Jany Leveille, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists and being in possession of a firearm while unlawfully in the United States.
According to evidence presented at trial and other publicly available court records, in December 2017, Siraj Wahhaj unlawfully abducted his three-year-old son from his wife in Alabama. Leveille, and the defendants had formed the belief that the child was her son and was possessed by demons. The group took the child to New Mexico, depriving him of his medication and the loving care of his mother, and subjected him to an exhausting regimen of daily spiritual exorcisms.
The child died fewer than two weeks after arriving in New Mexico, before investigators had any knowledge of his suspected location.
Under Leveille’s direction, Siraj and the others established a community centered on the belief that the child would return as Jesus Christ to pass judgment on corrupt institutions, including the FBI, the military and other government and financial institutions. To this end, they established a fortified base and a firing range. Armed with 11 firearms, including an AR-15 Bushmaster assault rifle, high-capacity magazines and hundreds of rounds of ammunition, the group conducted weapons and tactical training and required some of the children to do so as well. The group conducted the training with the intent to “face the nation” and kill those who refused to believe as they did. They spoke of waging jihad and becoming martyrs.
On Aug. 3, 2018, the Taos County Sheriff’s Office Tactical Special Response Team executed warrants on the compound. Siraj Wahhaj armed himself and prepared to defend the compound before ultimately being taken into custody without shots fired. During a search of the compound, law enforcement located the remains of the child in an underground tunnel.
In her plea agreement, Leveille admitted that she and her co-conspirators entered into an agreement to provide material support and resources to prepare for, and to carry out, the killing of federal officers or employees when they came to the compound. Leveille also admitted that she knew she was no longer legally and lawfully in the United States and that she was not allowed by law to possess the firearms or ammunition.
All four defendants will remain in custody pending sentencing, which has not yet been scheduled. At sentencing, Siraj, Hujrah and Subhanah Wahhaj, and Lucas Morton each face up to life in prison. Leveille faces up to 17 years in prison.
The FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Department of Homeland Security, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Taos County Sheriff’s Office, New Mexico Office of the Superintendent of Insurance, and 8th Judicial District Attorney’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kimberly Brawley and Tavo Hall for the District of New Mexico and Trial Attorneys Jessica Joyce and George Kraehe of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case.
Federal Grand Jury Indicts Bowling Green Man for Domestic Violence Offense at Mammoth Cave National ParkRead the Press Release
Bowling Green, KY – A federal grand jury in Bowling Green returned an indictment on October 11, 2023, charging a Bowling Green, Kentucky man with committing domestic assault.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky and Scott L. Larson, Regional Chief Ranger of the National Park Service Law Enforcement Rangers made the announcement.
According to the indictment, Rakan F. Elsalem, 39, was charged with one count of domestic assault by a habitual offender. On May 1, 2023, Elsalem committed a domestic assault within the Mammoth Cave National Park, a place within the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States. At the time Elsalem committed the domestic assault, he had two prior convictions for offenses that would have been, if subject to federal jurisdiction, assault against a spouse or intimate partner. These included convictions of assault in the fourth degree on September 22, 2020, and on January 24, 2022, in Warren District Court.
Elsalem made his initial court appearance on October 19, 2023, before a U.S. Magistrate Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. If convicted, Elsalem faces a maximum sentence of 5 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is being investigated by the National Park Service Law Enforcement Rangers.
Assistant U.S. Attorney R. Nicholas Rabold, of the U.S. Attorney’s Bowling Green Branch Office, is 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.
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Department of Justice Announces More than $2 Million in Federal Funding for Washington State Patrol DNA Capacity EnhancementRead the Press Release
Spokane, Washington – Vanessa R. Waldref, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, today announced a Department of Justice grant award for Washington State Patrol’s Crime Laboratory Division. The grant allocates $2,245,651 to increase DNA casework and to reduce the current turnaround time for DNA processing.
The Washington State Patrol Crime Laboratory Division (WSPCLD) is the established public provider of forensic DNA and DNA database services in Washington State. There are 5 existing casework DNA laboratories in the WSPCLD, which provide forensic DNA casework services for the entire state of Washington. The WSPCLD also has an existing Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) database laboratory, which is a computer software program that operates local, state, and national databases of DNA profiles from convicted offenders, unsolved crime scene evidence, and missing persons.
The expected outcomes of this grant are to increase WSPCLD’s capacity to meet the steady rise of submissions, reduce the backlog of samples needing testing, and grow the CODIS database of DNA profiles from crime scene and database samples. These activities will result in more timely investigative leads for law enforcement agencies to aid criminal investigations and increase public safety.
In announcing this award, U.S. Attorney Waldref stated, “It is critical that we work together – with our state and local law enforcement partners – to address the growing need for DNA casework.” She continued, “This award will fund critical services to better assist with DNA processing and support my office’s mission to seek justice on behalf of all citizens in Eastern Washington. The Washington State Patrol’s crime lab has been an invaluable partner, especially in federal cases arising on Tribal land. Thanks to their incredible work, we have prosecuted a number of cases that would not have been possible without the work by WSP’s professional forensic analysts.”
Additional information about grants and funding through the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs is available at https://www.ojp.gov. Information regarding the Department of Justice’s Office on Violence against Women is available at https://www.justice.gov/ovw.
Department of Justice Announces $650,000 in Federal Funding for Mentoring Youth Affected by Opioid and Other Substance Misuse in Yakima CountyRead the Press Release
Yakima, Washington – Vanessa R. Waldref, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, today announced a Department of Justice grant award for the Safe Yakima Valley’s Youth Mentoring Program. This grant allocates $650,000 to expand their mentoring program and provide substance misuse awareness training.
The 2021 Washington State Healthy Youth Survey indicates that Yakima County youth use alcohol and marijuana at higher rates than statewide counterparts (21% v. 18%) constituting a
61.5% increase over a three-year period. We can expect that, without preventative actions such as mentoring, substance use rates will rise further. Safe Yakima Valley’s Youth Mentoring Program will mitigate the harmful impact of individual and family substance misuse.
Pursuant to the grant award, six program objectives will be tracked: 1) Expanding and enhancing Safe Yakima Valley’s Youth Mentoring Program with Elements of Effective Practice for Mentoring, 2) Developing 300 positive adult role models with a high degree of mentor competency, established through successful completion of mentor training, 3) Providing substance misuse awareness training to 300 adult mentors, 4) Initiating direct one-on-one mentoring for 300 target youth for a minimum of 39 contact hours over a 12-month minimum match period, 5) Providing 10 hours of “Keepin’ it REAL” drug-prevention training to 300 target youth, and 6) holding 18 mentee-family engagement events.
In announcing this award, U.S. Attorney Waldref stated, “Our office is committed to reducing tragic substance misuse, especially when it affects those who are most vulnerable in our district. We all are alarmed at the increased rates in substance abuse by today’s youth, and we must take action. Youth mentoring programs like this one allow federal, state, local, and Tribal community leaders an outlet to provide youth in need with information to prevent substance misuse and make Eastern Washington safer and stronger.”
Additional information about grants and funding through the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs is available at https://www.ojp.gov. Information regarding the Department of Justice’s Office on Violence against Women is available at https://www.justice.gov/ovw
Corvallis meth trafficker sentenced to 10 years in prisonRead the Press Release
MISSOULA — A Corvallis woman who admitted to trafficking methamphetamine and carrying a gun to protect herself while distributing drugs was sentenced today to 10 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
Brittany Nicole Lewis, 33, pleaded guilty in June to possession with intent to distribute meth.
U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy presided.
The government alleged in court documents that on April 8, 2022, in Ravalli County, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle Lewis was driving. In a later search of the vehicle, officers found one pound of meth. Lewis admitted that she sold meth and that the meth in the vehicle belonged to her. She also admitted that she used a firearm to protect herself while distributing drugs.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Tara J. Elliott prosecuted the case. The Missoula High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force, Ravalli County Sheriff’s Office, Montana Highway Patrol and Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation.
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.
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Cobb County man receives 20-year sentence for producing child pornographyRead the Press Release
ATLANTA – Billy Calhoun has been sentenced for producing child pornography. Calhoun convinced multiple minor girls he met online to send him sexually explicit videos and images by pretending he was a teenage boy.
“Calhoun took advantage of the anonymity the Internet provides to target and victimize young girls,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “While social media can provide a forum for young people to safely connect with family and friends, this case should serve as a reminder to parents that vigilance of their children’s online activity is critical.”
“This sentence ensures Billy Calhoun will not harm children in our community for a long time. We hope his victims will be able to recover from the emotional scars left by his actions,” said FBI Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Keri Farley. “The FBI will continue to work to ensure justice is served on those who commit these terrible crimes.”
“Our detectives work tirelessly to make sure the most vulnerable are given a voice and those who would do them harm are brought to justice,” said Cobb County Police Chief Stuart VanHoozer. “We are proud of our working relationship with our local and federal partners to ensure the full weight of the justice system is brought to bear on those who would victimize our communities’ children.”
According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, the charges, and other information presented in court: Calhoun came to the attention of law enforcement in February 2020 after the Cobb County Police Department (“CCPD”) received a call from a local middle school regarding the alleged exploitation of one of its teenage students. CCPD was advised that an older male—later identified as Calhoun—brought lunch to a 14-year-old girl. The girl told school administrators that the older male was her boyfriend’s uncle and explained to them that she had a 16-year-old boyfriend, “Zack,” who she met on Instagram several months earlier. Investigators learned that the girl had never actually met or seen “Zack” but that she had sent him nude photos using a cell phone. They also learned that “Zack” bought her gifts, including a cell phone and two laptops. Several weeks after initially speaking with the 14-year-old girl, CCPD learned that Calhoun had attempted to pick her up at school without her mother’s permission. CCPD subsequently arrested Calhoun on state charges.
During a post-arrest interview with CCPD detectives, Calhoun admitted that he was “Zack” and pretended to be a 16-year-old when he learned the girl was 14 years old. Calhoun also admitted to receiving sexually explicit videos from her. CCPD later executed several search warrants on Calhoun’s cellular phones and residence. As a result, the FBI later identified at least three other minor girls Calhoun met online who sent him sexually explicit videos and/or photos. Investigators also discovered at least hundreds of other images and videos of child pornography.
Billy Calhoun, 32, of Acworth, Georgia, was sentenced by Judge William H. Ray, II to 20 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. Calhoun will also have to register as a sex offender. Calhoun pleaded guilty to one count of production of child pornography on March 17, 2023.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Cobb County Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alex R. Sistla and Katie Terry prosecuted the case.
This case is being brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In February 2006, the Attorney General launched Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices around the country, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Chicago Man Caught with Stolen Firearm and Marijuana Pleads Guilty to Possessing Firearm as a Prohibited PersonRead the Press Release
A man who possessed a firearm as a prohibited person pled guilty today in federal court in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Johnny Martell Brown, age 31, from Chicago, Illinois, was convicted of possessing a firearm as a felon and drug user.
In a plea agreement, Brown admitted that on December 16, 2022, in Cedar Rapids, law enforcement stopped a car that he was driving. Officers searched the car and found a loaded stolen firearm and marijuana. In Brown’s underwear, officers discovered a Cheetos bag that contained marijuana. Brown admitted that he regularly smoked marijuana. He also has felony convictions for conspiracy to distribute heroin and possessing a controlled substance.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Brown remains in custody of the United States Marshal. Brown faces a possible maximum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a special assessment of $100, and three years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Devra T. Hake and was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives and the Cedar Rapids Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 23-CR-34.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Cookeville Man Indicted for Robbing Two Banks in BrentwoodRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE – Antonio Peebles, 30, of Cookeville, Tennessee, was indicted by a federal grand jury and charged with two counts of bank robbery, announced United States Attorney Henry C. Leventis for the Middle District of Tennessee.
According to the indictment and prior media reports, on May 24, 2023, Peebles entered the Pinnacle Bank on Franklin Road in Brentwood, Tennessee, placed a bag on the bank counter and demanded money. The bank tellers gave Peebles money from their drawers and Peebles then fled on foot.
Peebles later robbed the Wilson Bank & Trust on Harpeth Drive in Brentwood, Tennessee, on June 12, 2023, in a similar manner. Peebles was arrested the same day by officers with the Brentwood Police Department.
If convicted, Peebles faces up to 20 years in federal prison on each count.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Brentwood Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Juliet Aldridge is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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Bronx Man Pleads Guilty to Sexually Exploiting MinorRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Bronx, N.Y. man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to coercing a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing child pornography, as well as traveling with the intent to engage in illicit conduct with the minor victim.
Markell Greene, 27, pleaded guilty to one count of sexual exploitation of a minor and one count of travel with intent to engage in illicit conduct. U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris scheduled sentencing for Feb. 15, 2024. Greene was initially arrested on state warrants in February 2022 and indicted by a federal grand jury in November 2022. He has remained in custody since.
Greene persuaded, enticed and coerced a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing child pornography. Additionally, on or about Feb. 14, 2022, Greene traveled in interstate commerce with a motivating purpose of engaging in illicit sexual conduct with the minor victim.
In late 2021, Greene sent an unsolicited Snapchat message to the then-12-year-old minor victim, who believed Greene to be approximately 16 years old. Over the course of several months, Greene manipulated the minor victim into sending sexually explicit photos and videos of herself at his request. Greene also directed the minor victim to brag about her age during the sexually explicit videos.
In February 2022, Greene persuaded the minor victim to meet him in-person at a parking lot in Arlington. On Feb. 14, 2022, Greene arrived to the agreed upon meet up in an SUV, picked up the minor victim and parked the car in an adjacent parking lot. There, Greene raped the minor victim and forced her to engage in oral sex, which he recorded on Snapchat.
“Mr. Greene is a serious danger to our communities. Under the cloak of social media anonymity, he targeted, exploited and violated the innocence of a vulnerable child. His conduct was beyond despicable and I commend the incredible bravery of the victim for coming forward. Today, this predator now stands as a convicted felon who now faces more than a decade in federal prison for his reprehensible conduct,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “There is no higher priority for this Office and our law enforcement partners than protecting children. This case is a stark reminder of the evil that exists in our society. Make no mistake about it, if you prey on children in this District we will spare no resource to ensure our children are safe from harm and hold dangerous offenders accountable.”
“What Markell Greene admitted to doing today to this 12-year-old child was heinous, and his actions will have untold ramifications on this brave victim’s life for years to come,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. “Every day, FBI Boston’s Child Exploitation – Human Trafficking Task Force is working hard to protect our most vulnerable by identifying and apprehending predators like Greene who take advantage of their innocence to commit atrocious acts.”
The charge of sexual exploitation of children provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and up to 30 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of travel with intent to engage in illicit conduct provides for a sentence of up to 30 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Members of the public who have questions, concerns or information regarding this case should call 617-748-3274.
Acting U.S. Attorney Levy and FBI SAC Cohen made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Arlington, Mass. and New York City Police Departments; the Middlesex County District Attorney’s Office; and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke A. Goldworm of the Major Crimes Unit is 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 the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Aurora Man Convicted of Defrauding Non-Profit of More Than $880,000 Intended to Address Cleveland Food DesertRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND –United States Attorney Rebecca C. Lutzko announced today that Arthur Fayne, 61, who managed the development of the New East Side Market, was found guilty of all 9 counts of wire fraud for embezzling more than $880,000 in funds intended to help the residents of Cleveland’s Glenville neighborhood, but which Fayne used for an extravagant lifestyle with extensive casino gambling. The trial lasted five days and was presided over by U.S. District Judge Solomon Oliver, Jr.
According to court documents and trial testimony, Fayne owned and managed Business Development Concepts, LLC (“BDC”), through which he oversaw construction projects. Northeast Ohio Neighborhood Health Services, Inc. (“NEON”) was a nonprofit corporation that operated as a federally qualified health center network of community health centers and provided primary care medical services in the Cleveland, Ohio area. As part of that mission, NEON, through a subsidiary, initiated a project to redevelop a vacant building in the Glenville neighborhood into a grocery store and community center called the New East Side Market. The grocery store was intended to address the persistent food desert challenges in Glenville. NEON entrusted Fayne with control of the project and payments to vendors, and Fayne used that trust to steal funds NEON provided for the project.
Fayne was convicted of embezzling approximately $759,105.92 in funds intended to pay the project’s general contractor, the Albert M. Higley Company (“AM Higley”). Fayne concealed the invoices he received from AM Higley while submitting his own invoices to NEON seeking funds he claimed were for paying AM Higley. He then diverted to his personal benefit more than $750,000 of the funds intended for AM Higley.
Fayne was also convicted of embezzling approximately $125,923.86 in funds intended for audio-visual contractor Crescent Digital. That vendor actually returned roughly half of the money it had been paid at the start of the project, telling Fayne that it could only collect a deposit at that time, and would invoice BDC for the balance when the work was complete. Rather than hold those funds to pay Crescent Digital, however, Fayne had the funds deposited in his wife’s personal account, and then diverted that money for his benefit.
Fayne spent the money on the extravagant lifestyle he lived, which included sometimes gambling tens of thousands of dollars in a single night. Evidence showed Fayne lost over $1 million at casinos during the project. Fayne’s spending of the diverted funds included gambling at the JACK Cleveland Casino, gambling at a New Orleans casino, and making personal expenditures on Louis Vuitton merchandise, services at a New York City spa, and a luxury cruise out of Miami.
The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by the Cleveland Division of the FBI and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Office of the Inspector General. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian M. McDonough and Vanessa V. Healy.
Aiken Man Convicted of CockfightingRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA — Roosevelt Curry, 68, of North Augusta, S.C., was convicted of participating in an animal fighting venture following a multi-day jury trial.
Evidence presented by the Government at trial in the case established that on March 12, 2022, Curry and others gathered at the property of Michael Roy Limehouse in Ridgeville, S.C. to participate in a cockfighting derby. Participants paid $400 to enter four birds into the derby. Some participants, including Curry, put multiple entries into the derby that day. Once birds were weighed, organizers used a software program to match the birds into fights. Participants then attached metal gaffes to their birds’ ankles prior to having them fight.
While the cockfighting derby was taking place, the Dorchester County Sheriff’s Office received a tip and responded to the scene. Officers searched the property and found a barrel containing birds that had been killed in the fights that had taken place so far that day. They also seized numerous bird transport boxes, metal gaffes and spurs and other items used by participants. Seven participants in the cockfighting derby, including Curry and Limehouse, were later indicted in United States District Court for their respective roles in the derby. The other six defendants pled guilty prior to Curry’s trial.
United States District Judge Bruce H. Hendricks presided over the trial and will sentence Curry after receiving and reviewing a pre-sentence report that will be prepared by the United States Probation Office. Curry faces up to five years imprisonment. He has a previous state court conviction for cockfighting in 2010.
The case was investigated by agents of the United States Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General (USDA OIG) and the Dorchester County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorneys Chris Lietzow and Nick Bianchi are prosecuting the case.
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Activity in the U.S. Attorney's OfficeRead the Press Release
Drug Trafficking
James Lee Kesler, age 45, of Ogden, Utah, was sentenced to 108 months in prison following a guilty plea to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. According to court documents, on Mar. 3, an officer with the Evanston (Wyo.) Police Department contacted Kessler in his parked car. Kessler was disoriented and had trouble following directions. When asked if there were controlled substances in the car, Kesler said there were 500-600 fentanyl pills in the glove box. A search of Kessler’s car revealed over 700 fentanyl pills. Text messages found on Kessler’s cellphone showed he was selling fentanyl. This crime was investigated by the Evanston Police Department, the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney T.J. Forwood. Chief U.S. District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl imposed the sentence on Oct. 18.
Michael Guzman, age 40, of Cheyenne, Wyoming, was sentenced to 75 months in prison following a guilty plea to possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl. According to court documents, on Mar. 18, Laramie County Sheriff’s Office deputies discovered over 60 grams of fentanyl following a traffic stop of a car driven by Guzman. A review of Guzman’s cellphone revealed text messages showing Guzman was selling fentanyl. This crime was investigated by the Laramie County Sheriff’s Office, the Cheyenne Police Department, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney T.J. Forwood. U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson imposed the sentence on Oct. 19.
Brandon Marshall Clevenger, age 39, of Cheyenne, Wyoming, was sentenced to 100 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents, during a traffic stop on April 18, investigators found a semiautomatic pistol and over 600 grams of methamphetamine in a car driven by Clevenger. When interviewed, Clevenger admitted the pistol and methamphetamine belonged to him. Clevenger was indicted in May and pled guilty in July. This crime was investigated by the Cheyenne Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney T.J. Forwood. U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson imposed the sentence on Oct. 19.
Violent Crime
Charles Edward Wallowingbull Jr., age 35, of Arapahoe, Wyoming, was sentenced to 18 months in prison following a guilty plea to assault by strangulation. According to court documents, on Apr. 18, a Wind River Police Department (WRPD) officer responded to a call of a domestic strangulation. The investigation showed that Wallowingbull had placed his hands over the victim’s throat and squeezed while pushing her downward into a mattress to the point where the victim could no longer breath or scream. This crime was investigated by the FBI and WRPD. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy W. Gist. Chief U.S. District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl imposed the sentence on Oct. 18.
About the United States Attorney’s Office
The United States Attorney’s Office is responsible for representing the federal government in virtually all litigation involving the United States in the District of Wyoming, including all criminal prosecutions for violations of federal law, civil lawsuits brought by or against the government, and actions to collect judgments and restitution on behalf of victims and taxpayers. The Office is involved in several programs designed to make our communities safer. They include:
Environmental Justice
The fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies.
Project Safe Childhood
Project Safe Childhood (PSC) is a DOJ initiative that combats the proliferation of technology-facilitated sexual exploitation crimes against children. The threat of sexual predators soliciting children for sexual contact is well-known and serious.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is a nationwide commitment to reducing gun and gang crime in America by networking existing local programs that target gun crime and providing these programs with additional tools necessary to be successful.
Victim Witness Assistance
The Victim Witness Coordinator for the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Wyoming is dedicated to making sure that victims of federal crimes and their family members are treated with compassion, fairness, and respect.To report a federal crime, go to: https://www.justice.gov/actioncenter/report-crime#trafficking
21 People Facing Firearms, Illegal Drugs, and Conspiracy Charges Following Multi-Agency Violent Crime Reduction Effort in MemphisRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – United States Attorney Kevin G. Ritz, together with federal, county, and local law enforcement officials, today announced that 21 individuals were charged in federal court in connection with firearms-trafficking, narcotics, conspiracy, or other firearms offenses after a targeted violent crime reduction initiative in Memphis. The indictments are a result of a series of coordinated arrests made following a targeted multi-agency operation that spanned several months.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the Memphis Police Department initiated this investigation after analyzing crime and gun recovery statistics. By examining more than 5,000 data points collected from the National Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN), MPD’s Real Time Crime Center, and 911 calls referencing shots fired, analysts were able to identify areas of Memphis with the highest density of firearm-related crime. Based on that analysis and other information, ATF opened an investigation into illegal activity at several locations around Memphis and Shelby County, including the Save a Stop 2 store, located at 2757 Kimball Avenue in Memphis.
“The dozens of charges and arrests announced today represent what federal, state, and local law enforcement can accomplish when we work hand-in-hand to take violent criminals and trigger-pullers off our streets,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco. “When we harness the Justice Department’s resources and technology — especially crime-gun intelligence from ATF’s NIBIN network — we are able to identify and arrest the culprits of gun violence and safeguard our communities. Across the country, our towns and cities are safer because of the dedication and bravery of federal agents and their state and local partners, and the 21st-century crime-solving tools DOJ is able to provide.”
“We have a serious gun violence problem in Memphis and strong law enforcement partnership is one of our most effective tools for addressing it,” said United States Attorney Kevin Ritz. “This was an extensive, well-coordinated, and sustained effort to identify and take down some of our community’s most dangerous repeat offenders, serial shooters, and firearms trafficking rings so that we protect citizens and ensure our city’s safety. I want to thank our law enforcement partners for their hard work and reiterate this office’s commitment to working with them to make our streets safer.”
“For months, ATF agents and our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners have been investigating violent criminals who have terrorized Memphis,” said ATF Director Steve Dettelbach. “The results are now clear: more than 20 arrests; nearly 100 seized firearms, including guns outfitted with machine gun conversion devices; and large quantities of narcotics – including fentanyl. All done better than ever using crime gun intelligence to catch the worst of the worst. ATF commits to continue using and sharing its intelligence with partners around the country to further drive down violent crime."
ATF Special Agent in Charge Marcus Watson, United States Marshal Tyreece Miller, Memphis Police Department Chief Cerelyn “CJ” Davis, Homeland Security Investigations Assistant Special Agent in Charge Clint Cannon, and Shelby County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Anthony Buckner provided additional details relating to the initiative, as well as on larger firearms enforcement and violence-prevention efforts.
“ATF is committed to reducing the impact of firearm related violent crime in our communities,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Marcus Watson. “Using technology helps us to identify the high crime areas and those who criminally possess firearms. We employ every technique available to law enforcement to dismantle criminal organizations and disrupt the illegal use of firearms for criminal activity. Working with our law enforcement partners, this enforcement initiative did just that.”
Additionally, District Attorney General Steve Mulroy announced that his office obtained a court order under Tennessee law to shut down the Save a Stop 2 store as a nuisance and danger to the community. The order was based on the excessive illegal firearm and drug crimes being committed on and around the property.
“This is an excellent example of effective partnerships among agencies,” said District Attorney Mulroy. “Thanks to the great work of the ATF and our local law enforcement, we were able to file a nuisance action to shut down a breeding ground of crime in the community which had long degraded neighborhood residents' safety and quality of life. Because of that and the work by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, residents can now look forward to a safer community.”
Indictments and complaints were recently unsealed in federal court. They detail a lengthy investigation, led by ATF, that focused on reducing firearms-related crime in several areas of Memphis by studying data about areas with a high density of gun-crime violence, then identifying illegal firearms sellers to disrupt their trafficking.
Between 2022 and 2023, law enforcement officials investigated illegal firearm and drug crimes happening in Memphis and Shelby County. Information from 911 calls involving the Save a Stop 2 property showed repeated reports of armed persons, drug overdoses, shots fired, both aggravated and simple assaults, auto thefts, fights, drug sales, and other disturbances. Many of these activities took place in the store’s public parking lot during business hours while nearby uninvolved, law-abiding citizens were engaged in their shopping or day-to-day errands.
The joint investigation has led to nine indictments or complaints and 21 defendants facing federal charges. Federal agents purchased or seized 91 firearms, six of which were outfitted with machine gun conversion devices or “switches” designed to convert a firearm to a fully automatic weapon. Additionally, law enforcement purchased or seized almost 2 kilograms of methamphetamine, 332 grams of powder cocaine, 210 grams of powder fentanyl, almost 65 grams of crack cocaine, 2,826 fentanyl pills, and 767 MDMA/Meth pills.
Some defendants were charged together, but several others were charged individually. The following charges have been filed in United States District Court, according to court documents:
- Marvis Harris, 49, Christopher Butts, 41, and Antoinette Ozier, 41, were indicted together on drug distribution charges. In the same indictment:
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- Harris and Butts were charged with conspiracy to distribute drugs as well as distribution of drugs.
- Butts and Ozier were charged as felons in possessions of firearms and for possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
- Harris was also charged as a felon in possession of a firearm, illegal possession of machine guns, and with possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
- Ozier was charged with using a premises for the purpose of manufacturing or distributing drugs.
- Ernell Paige, 45, was charged in an indictment with possessing drugs with intent to distribute and with distribution of drugs.
- Indicted together were Ulandus Mayes, 34, and Christopher Watts, 39, for engaging in the business of dealing firearms without a federal firearms license and for being felons in possession of a firearm. Mayes was additionally charged with distribution of drugs and possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
- Enrique Cardenas-Otra, 41, was charged as a felon in possession of a firearm and for engaging in the business of dealing firearms without a federal firearms license.
- Xavier Ashford, 30, and Marquez Glover, 21, were both charged with distribution of drugs.
- Indicted together were Leedell Otis, 46, Ricky Brooks, 41, and Jeremiah Otis, 34. In the same indictment:
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- Leedell Otis and Ricky Brooks were also charged with being felons in possession of firearms.
- In addition, Leedell Otis and Jeremiah Otis were charged with distribution of narcotics, and use and carry of a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime.
- Justin Bankhead, 33, was charged with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
- Indicted together were Jamar Anderson, 27, Tijerol Crawford, 33, Raymond Greenwood, 39, Broderick Harper, 26, Benjamin Jones, 28, Octavius McMullen, 32, and Larry Raiford, 58. In the same indictment:
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- Anderson, Jones, Crawford, Greenwood, and McMullen were also charged with being felons in possession of firearms.
- Anderson, Jones, Raiford, and Crawford were charged with distribution of narcotics.
- Harper and Jones were charged with possession of a machine gun conversion device.
- Crawford was charged with carrying and using a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime.
- Adrian Seymour, 37, was indicted for being a felon in possession of a firearm, distribution of narcotics, and use and carry of a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime.
An indictment or complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, each defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal records, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation.
The investigation preceding the indictments was led by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with assistance from the Memphis Police Department, the United States Marshals Service, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Department of Homeland Security Investigations, and the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office.
These indictments are 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, using data-driven methods to set focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The federal cases stemming from this investigation are being prosecuted by a team of AUSAs in the U.S. Attorney’s Office, led by AUSA Marques Young and AUSA Michelle Parks.
2023 Strom Thurmond Awards for Excellence in Law Enforcement Winners AnnouncedRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA –The United States Attorney’s Office’s Law Enforcement Coordinating Committee (LECC), along with the South Carolina Law Enforcement Officers Association (SCLEOA) and the Strom Thurmond Foundation, hosted the 40th Anniversary of the annual Strom Thurmond Awards for Excellence in Law Enforcement Luncheon today at the Ft. Jackson NCO Club in Columbia, South Carolina. Approximately 200 state, local, and federal law enforcement officials from across the state attended the awards luncheon to honor these officers and hear from Governor Henry McMaster, the keynote speaker. The awards began in 1983 and McMaster was the first United States Attorney to co-host these awards.
The following South Carolina law enforcement officers received the 2023 awards:
City – Chief Amy S. Prock, Myrtle Beach Police Department
County – Captain Eric Abdullah, Aiken County Sheriff’s Office
Federal – Special Agent Adam R. Hardin, Drug Enforcement Administration
State – Colonel Christopher Williamson, South Carolina Highway Patrol
The Strom Thurmond Awards for Excellence in Law Enforcement were established by then Senator Strom Thurmond in 1983 to recognize law enforcement officers whose performances demonstrate the highest ideals of excellence in professional law enforcement. An annual award is given in each of the four categories: (1) city/municipal; (2) county; (3) state; and (4) federal. An awards committee composed of representatives from the U.S. Attorney's Office, the Strom Thurmond Foundation, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, the South Carolina Sheriffs’ Association, the South Carolina Police Chiefs’ Association, SCLEOA, and past recipients selects the winners from nominations received from across the state.
“These individuals embody the integrity and excellence of our law enforcement community,” said United States Attorney Adair F. Boroughs. “I am pleased to honor each of them today as we express our gratitude for their service to their communities and the state of South Carolina.”
City Recipient
Chief Amy S. Prock, Myrtle Beach Police Department
Amy Prock is the Chief of Police for the Myrtle Beach Police Department. She has served the department since 1996 and has been assigned to several different positions all throughout the department, to include the Patrol Division, Special Operations Division, Administrative Division, and the Investigative Division. During her 27 years of service, the positions she filled have provided her the opportunity to serve the Myrtle Beach community from the waterfront, to Street Crimes, to Narcotics, to Traffic, Patrol, Detectives, Regulatory and several others. She has been a member of the Critical Incident Negotiations Team, attended the FBI’s National Academy, the Administrative Officers Management Program at NC State and many other leadership and specialty trainings in law enforcement. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice from Radford University in Radford, Virginia and her Master’s Degree in Psychology is from Francis Marion University in Florence, South Carolina.
Throughout Chief Prock’s time with the department, her focus continues to be on working with the Myrtle Beach community, team development, team leadership, and implementation of technology, such as NIBIN. She is motivated by the opportunity to make a difference. Her favorite motto is “Public safety is a shared responsibility.” What she enjoys most about being the Chief of Police is making a difference within the community she serves and working together with her community and with the Myrtle Beach Police Department and the City of Myrtle Beach to accomplish this. She believes that goals can always be met by working together and communicating.
County Recipient
Captain Eric Abdullah, Aiken County Sheriff’s Office
Captain Eric Abdullah began his South Carolina law enforcement career in 2003 when he joined the Aiken County Sheriff’s Office. Captain Abdullah has served in many roles, including Patrol Deputy, Corporal, Patrol Sergeant, Patrol Lieutenant, and SWAT Team Commander. In 2013, he was appointed Captain over the Special Operations Division and Public Information Officer. In 2022, he also assumed command of the Uniformed Patrol Division.
“He has done an outstanding job throughout the years building relationships with internal and external stakeholders by working harder than anyone I know and always models the way of a law enforcement professional,” said Sheriff Michael Hunt. Lt. Tyler Roberts of Aiken County Sheriff’s Office contributes Captain Abdullah’s leadership model from one of his quotes—“Take care of your people, your people will take care of you and the mission in turn will take care of itself.”
Captain Abdullah earned both a Bachelor’s and a Master’s Degree from Colorado Technical University, is a graduate of 2008-2009 Leadership Aiken County, and a graduate of the 239th session of the FBI National Academy. He maintains and holds multiple instructor certifications through the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy and serves as a board member for the South Carolina Law Enforcement Officers’ Association. Captain Abdullah served 22 years in the United States Army, both active and reserves, before retiring in 2015. He also has served for 12 years as an Adjunct Instructor for the criminal justice program at Aiken Technical College.
Captain Abdullah and his wife Jessica have a blended family of 4 adult children and 2 grandchildren.
Federal Recipient
Special Agent Adam R. Hardin, Drug Enforcement Administration
Adam Hardin has a combined 29 years of law enforcement and military experience. Prior to joining DEA, he served eight years in the U.S. Army as a paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne and in the South Carolina Army National Guard as an Intelligence Analyst assigned to the South Carolina Governor’s Counter Drug Task Force. As an intelligence analyst with the Governor’s Counter Drug Task Force, Hardin was assigned to DEA, the United States Attorney’s Office Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force, and the FBI Safe Streets Task Force and worked on several high profile OCDETF Title III wiretap investigations.
In 2003, Hardin became a DEA Diversion Investigator, where he conducted investigations of individuals responsible for the diversion of controlled substances into the illicit market. He led an extensive investigation into the diversion of controlled substances by the leader and organizer of the largest pharmaceutical drug organization ever identified at that time in the upstate region of South Carolina. The investigation led to the conviction of 32 individuals. In 2008, Hardin became a DEA Special Agent assigned to the Atlanta-Carolina High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) group. Currently, he is the lead case agent of an OCDETF international money laundering investigation, which he and his partners from HSI initiated with the Sumter County Sheriff's Department. The investigation spans the United States, Mexico, South America, and Europe. To date, it has resulted in 9 arrests and the seizure of a large quantity of fentanyl and other drugs, as well as the seizure of multiple business bank accounts.
“Agent Hardin is an example of the best that a law enforcement officer can and should be--capable, honorable, intelligent, driven, hard-working and completely dedicated to the mission while maintaining the highest ethical standards,” said Jason Peavy, a criminal defense attorney and former Deputy Criminal Chief at the United States Attorney’s Office.
State Recipient
Colonel Christopher N. Williamson, South Carolina Highway Patrol
Colonel Christopher N. Williamson is a 37-year law enforcement veteran from Darlington, South Carolina. He began his law enforcement career as a deputy in his hometown, but over the past 35 years has ascended the ranks of the South Carolina Highway Patrol. In 2017, he became the first African American to hold the position of commander of the South Carolina Highway Patrol, where he leads nearly 1,000 sworn and civilian personnel in innovative policing efforts, utilizing technology to pinpoint enforcement areas of concern and placing a strong emphasis on employee wellness and community outreach. He played a significant role in fostering stronger relationships between law enforcement and the communities it serves, particularly during periods of civil unrest. When COVID-19 completely changed our way of life, the Highway Patrol adapted to ensure that troopers and support staff could continue to do their jobs and carry out the mission of the Highway Patrol.
Colonel Williamson holds a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science with a concentration in Police Science from Fayetteville State University, as well as a Master’s degree in Clinical and Behavioral Counseling from Webster University. In 2021, the South Carolina General Assembly commemorated his accomplishments by designating a portion of Society Hill Road in Darlington County as “Colonel Christopher N. Williamson Road.” He and his wife Deloris have two daughters, Krissy and Daysha, two granddaughters, Kristina and Kailyn, and one grandson, Logan.
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10 Defendants Indicted for Operating $20 Million Black Market HIV Medication Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, James Smith, the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), and Naomi Gruchacz, the Special Agent in Charge of the New York Regional Office of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (“HHS-OIG”), announced today the unsealing of Superseding Indictments charging BORIS AMINOV, CHRISTY CORVALAN, IRINA POLVANOVA, ROMAN SHAMALOV, JONATHAN GAVRIELOF, ANTONIO PAYANO, DAVID FERNANDEZ, CRYSTAL MEDINA, JUAN HERNANDEZ, a/k/a “Pop,” and ALBERT YAGUDAYEV, a/k/a “Jeff,” in connection with their participation in a years-long scheme to defraud Medicaid, Medicare, and private insurance companies out of at least approximately $20 million. POLVANOVA, SHAMALOV, and YAGUDAYEV were arrested this morning and GAVRIELOF was arrested yesterday evening. All four will be presented before Chief U.S. Magistrate Judge James L. Cott today. AMINOV, CORVALAN, FERNANDEZ, and MEDINA were previously arrested in connection with an earlier indictment in the case, which is assigned to U.S. District Judge Mary Kay Vyskocil. PAYANO and HERNANDEZ remain at large.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As alleged, the defendants orchestrated a scheme to get rich by lying to Medicaid, Medicare, and private insurance companies and depriving vulnerable HIV patients of legitimate and safe medications. The defendants allegedly made millions of dollars through submitting fraudulent insurance claims, paying illegal kickbacks, and buying and selling black-market HIV medications. Today’s charges send a clear message that this Office will be tireless in its pursuit of those who seek to line their pockets by lying to federal agencies and preying on vulnerable members of society.”
FBI Assistant Director in Charge James Smith said: “For more than half a decade, the defendants allegedly operated a health care fraud scheme that defrauded taxpayer-funded medical programs. Black market medication frauds like this take advantage of vulnerable members of our community, exposing them to unnecessary risks. The FBI will make sure anyone attempting to illegally benefit from government health care programs is held accountable in the criminal justice system.”
HHS-OIG Special Agent in Charge Naomi Gruchacz said: “Health care fraud schemes that divert HIV medication harm patients who actually need the medication as well as put other patients at risk when black market medications are recirculated and dispensed by pharmacies participating in the scheme. HHS-OIG will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to hold accountable individuals who exploit federal health care programs for their own greed.”
According to the allegations contained in the Superseding Indictments:[1]
From at least in or about 2017 through at least in or about 2023, AMINOV, CORVALAN, POLVANOVA, SHAMALOV, PAYANO, FERNANDEZ, and MEDINA engaged in a scheme that defrauded Medicaid, Medicare, and private insurance companies out of at least approximately $20 million through trafficking in black-market HIV medication. In doing so, they exploited at least hundreds of low-income individuals who had been prescribed HIV medication, jeopardizing the health and safety of those vulnerable patients.
AMINOV and PAYANO distributed black-market HIV medications to pharmacies that were owned and operated by, among others, CORVALAN (the “Corvalan Pharmacies”), POLVANOVA (the “Polvanova Pharmacy”), and SHAMALOV (the “Shamalov Pharmacy”).
After purchasing black-market medication from AMINOV and PAYANO, CORVALAN, POLVANOVA, and SHAMALOV then dispensed that medication to patients of the Corvalan and Polvanova Pharmacies or otherwise distributed it to other pharmacies. FERNANDEZ and MEDINA were employees of the Corvalan Pharmacies who participated in the day-to-day operation of the scheme.
As part of the scheme, CORVALAN, POLVANOVA, FERNANDEZ, MEDINA, HERNANDEZ, and YAGUDAYEV also funded and paid illegal kickbacks to patients in order to recruit patients to their respective pharmacies. CORVALAN, POLVANOVA, FERNANDEZ, MEDINA, HERNANDEZ, and YAGUDAYEV regularly attempted to recruit new patients to increase the number of prescription medications for which the Pharmacies could fraudulently bill government insurance. CORVALAN, FERNANDEZ, and MEDINA also paid patients to sell back their HIV medications to the Corvalan Pharmacies, thereby inducing patients to forego using the medications they were prescribed.
From at least in or about 2021 through at least in or about October 2023, SHAMALOV and POLVANOVA engaged in a related scheme where they bought and then re-sold diverted black-market prescription HIV medication through online prescription drug marketplaces to other pharmacies around the country.
In order to further their schemes and conceal their proceeds, CORVALAN, POLVANOVA, and SHAMALOV used bank accounts associated with their respective pharmacies to funnel money to shell companies controlled by AMINOV.
The defendants spent the proceeds of the scheme to purchase luxury cars, including a 2021 Mercedes-Benz Maybach with an estimated fair market value of approximately $245,000; waterfront real-estate, including two properties in the Bronx purchased for a total of approximately $2.4 million; designer clothes; and jewelry and gold.
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AMINOV, 47, of Brooklyn, New York, is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and health care fraud, which carries a maximum potential sentence of 20 years in prison; one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, which carries a maximum potential sentence of 20 years in prison; and one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States, which carries a maximum potential sentence of five years in prison.
CORVALAN, 41, of the Bronx, New York, is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and health care fraud, which carries a maximum potential sentence of 20 years in prison; one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, which carries a maximum potential sentence of 20 years in prison; one count of conspiracy to violate the Anti-Kickback Statute, which carries a maximum potential sentence of five years in prison; and one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States, which carries a maximum potential sentence of five years in prison.
POLVANOVA, 47, of Queens, New York, is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and health care fraud, which carries a maximum potential sentence of 20 years in prison; one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, which carries a maximum potential sentence of 20 years in prison; one count of conspiracy to violate the Anti-Kickback Statute, which carries a maximum potential sentence of five years in prison; one count of mail fraud, which carries a maximum potential sentence of 20 years in prison; and one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States, which carries a maximum potential sentence of five years in prison.
SHAMALOV, 47, of Queens, New York, is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, which carries a maximum potential sentence of 20 years in prison; one count of mail fraud, which carries a maximum potential sentence of 20 years in prison; and one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States, which carries a maximum potential sentence of five years in prison.
GAVRIELOF, 28, of Woodmere, New York, is charged with one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States, which carries a maximum potential sentence of five years in prison.
PAYANO, 34, of the Bronx, New York, is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and health care fraud, which carries a maximum potential sentence of 20 years in prison, and one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States, which carries a maximum potential sentence of five years in prison.
FERNANDEZ, 24, and MEDINA, 28, both of the Bronx, New York, are charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and health care fraud, which carries a maximum potential sentence of 20 years in prison; one count of conspiracy to violate the Anti-Kickback Statute, which carries a maximum potential sentence of five years in prison; and one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States, which carries a maximum potential sentence of five years in prison.
HERNANDEZ, 63, of New York, New York, and YAGUDAYEV, 35, of Queens, New York, are charged with one count of conspiracy to violate the Anti-Kickback Statute, which carries a maximum potential sentence of five years in prison.
The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI and HHS-OIG.
This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeffrey W. Coyle and Jackie Delligatti are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Indictments are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Superseding Indictments and the description of the Indictments set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described herein should be treated as an allegation.
19 October 2023
“Used Car King of New York” sentenced for nationwide scheme to sell hundreds of thousands of fake Texas paper vehicle tagsRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 52-year-old man who advertised himself as the “Used Car King of New York” has been ordered to federal prison following his conviction of conspiring to commit wire fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Octavian Ocasio pleaded guilty Oct. 18, 2022, to conspiring with others residing in the Southern District of Texas to buy and sell thousands of fraudulent Texas-issued temporary buyer tags for cars outside of Texas without a legitimate vehicle purchase.
U.S. District Judge George C. Hanks Jr. has now ordered Ocasio to serve 53 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard how Ocasio and others engaged in a widespread fraud to use fictitious car dealerships to generate and sell Texas temporary buyer tags without actually selling cars, all while also making false promises and assurances that it was legal. In handing down the sentence, the court noted that Ocasio committed the offense utilizing mass marketing and sophisticated means. The court also ordered Ocasio to pay restitution to the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles in the amount of $324,600.
“If it seems like there are more cars driving around the streets of Houston with temporary paper plates, you would be correct, in part thanks to the hundreds of thousands fake paper plates Ocasio sold to Texas drivers,” said Hamdani. “Ocasio’s fake plates would come back to a car that was never sold or sold to drivers who never should have been issued plates in the first place. Because of this, Texas recently changed the way paper plates are issued, and because of his decision to produce and sell fake plates, Ocasio will now spend several years inside of a real jail cell.”
“It’s not every day that one of our cases leads to changes in the law, so I’m extremely proud of our FBI Houston agents and our partners who maneuvered through the complexities and scale of this investigation in the name of justice,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge David Martinez of the FBI. “Ocasio was one of several who, for too-long, allowed thousands of drivers across the country to ride around with fraudulent paper license plates- all just to save a few dollars. Now, he’ll have to park himself inside a federal prison to pay for his crimes. Ocasio and his co-conspirators pocketed more than $200 million from their illegal activity which exploited not just the state of Texas but allowed unsafe vehicles on our streets with uninsured and unlicensed drivers at the wheel.”
Ocasio and co-conspirators used the internet to buy and sell the fraudulent state-issued buyer tags and exchange proceeds from the illegal tag sales.
At the time of his plea, Ocasio acknowledged he and his co-conspirators communicated through accounts on Gmail, Instagram and Facebook to receive and deliver fraudulent buyer tags to purchasers all over the United States, including New York, Florida and Washington, D.C.
He also admitted he and his co-conspirators advertised the state-issued buyer tags on social media platforms and received and shared fraud proceeds via electronic payment services such as Cash App and Zelle.
Ocasio will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Emmanuel Padilla Reyes aka Christian Hernandez Bonilla or Noel Rivera is still a fugitive in this case. The FBI is offering a $5,000 reward to anyone providing information that directly leads to his arrest. Those with information about the fugitive’s location should call 1-800-CALL-FBI or email www.TIPS.FBI.GOV
The FBI conducted the investigation with assistance of Travis County Precinct 3 Constable’s Office, Houston Police Department, Texas Department of Public Safety, Texas Department of Motor Vehicles, Harris County Sheriff’s Office, New York State Police and New York City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Belinda Beek and Adam Goldman prosecuted the case.
Virginia Beach Man Sentenced for Multiple Armed Carjackings After High-Speed Police ChasesRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Virginia Beach man was sentenced today to 250 months in prison for multiple carjackings and for using a firearm while committing the carjackings.
According to court documents, on November 3, 2020, in Chesapeake, Bryant Marcus Wilkerson, 30, approached an individual who was sitting in the driver seat of their vehicle after having just left their work. Wilkerson told the driver of the vehicle to get out of the car or he would shoot the driver. Before the driver could close the door, Wilkerson stood in between the door and the driver’s seat and once again told the driver that he would shoot the driver if he did not get out of the vehicle. Wilkerson then produced a firearm and hit the driver in the face with it. The driver then got out of the vehicle and Wilkerson drove it away. The vehicle was found abandoned the next day.
On November 9, 2020, Wilkerson approached another individual who was sitting in the driver seat of their vehicle in Currituck, North Carolina. Wilkerson opened the passenger side door, pointed a firearm at the driver, and ordered the driver to get out of the vehicle. The driver exited the vehicle, but Wilkerson was unable to start the car because the driver still had the key fob. Wilkerson then got into another vehicle that was unoccupied with the engine running and fled the scene. Deputies from the Currituck County Police Department attempted to stop Wilkerson, but he led them on a high-speed chase where Wilkerson drove into oncoming traffic at a high rate of speed and ran other vehicles off the road.
Wilkerson later exited that vehicle and, after a foot pursuit, jumped on the hood of another vehicle, pointed a firearm at the driver, and told the driver to get out. Wilkerson then fired a shot into the dash and pointed the firearm at the driver again. The driver got out of the vehicle and Wilkerson drove it away. Wilkerson led law enforcement officers on another high-speed chase, this time traveling at speeds in excess of 100 miles per hour while driving in the wrong direction on an expressway. Law enforcement officers were able to flatten Wilkerson’s tires using spike strips, which forced him to finally stop. Wilkerson fled on foot again, robbed another citizen, and ultimately broke into yet another locked vehicle. Officers found Wilkerson hiding in the vehicle with a firearm and took him into custody.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Jason Miyares, Virginia Attorney General; Brian Dugan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office; Mark G. Solesky, Chief of Chesapeake Police; and Mark Talbot, Chief of Norfolk Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Arenda Wright Allen.
Significant assistance was provided by the Currituck County Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda Cheney and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Marc West prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-cr-152.
United States Files Civil Lawsuit Against Waterloo Woman for Alleged Wire FraudRead the Press Release
EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – The United States has filed a civil lawsuit against a Waterloo woman after she allegedly continued to move money for scammers following warnings to stop from federal law enforcement officers.
Janice M. Augustine, 74, is facing a civil lawsuit for her alleged involvement as a money mule. She was recruited to participate in the scheme by an individual claiming to be an American working abroad who was in search of a romantic relationship.
“Criminals scour online dating and social media websites looking for lonely or vulnerable people to exploit. Oftentimes, criminals exploit elderly or vulnerable victims by tricking them into believing they are interested in a romantic relationship. But other times, the criminals persuade elderly or vulnerable people into helping them launder the money they receive by defrauding others,” said U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe. “Southern Illinois is not immune to these scams. Residents should be wary of anyone who asks them to receive and transfer money for them.”
The civil complaint alleges Augustine knowingly accepted money obtained via fraud schemes. The money was sent via wire transfers and electronic deposits into her personal bank accounts. Augustine then transferred the funds to the perpetrators who had committed the fraud.
“Acting as a money mule is illegal and punishable even if you aren’t aware you’re committing a crime,” said FBI Springfield Acting Special Agent in Charge Shannon Fontenot. “According to the FBI’s 2022 Internet Crime Report, Illinois residents lost $17.8 million to romance scams. Romance scams manifest in a variety of forms, all for the purpose of manipulating victims to do their bidding. And fraudsters won’t stop pursuing a victim until the victim breaks off communication or contacts law enforcement.”
The federal complaint alleges that a perpetrator convinced Augustine he was involved in a romantic relationship with her in summer 2022. He then persuaded her to transmit fraud proceeds. In January 2023, an FBI agent interviewed Augustine about her suspicious bank activity. FBI warned Augustine of this reality and encouraged her to end the relationship.
Undeterred, Augustine registered a limited liability company with the Illinois Secretary of State and opened a new bank account in April 2023 in the LLC’s name.
In May 2023, special agents with IRS Criminal Investigation (CI) visited Augustine at her Waterloo residence to discuss her unusual financial activity and again explained how her actions were illegal.
“Developing romantic attachments to bad characters can lead to financial ruin, or as in this case, involvement in money laundering schemes,” said Special Agent in Charge Thomas F. Murdock, IRS Criminal Investigation (CI). “Sadly, some seniors continue to fall for the tricks of criminals. CI is proud to partner with other law enforcement agencies to help raise awareness in the senior community to protect them from even greater consequences.”
According to court documents, the defendant is accused of moving nearly $400,000 in fraud proceeds even after receiving multiple warnings by federal law enforcement officers.
She has continued to execute fraudulent financial transactions, thus acting as a money mule for a criminal organization. The term “money mule” refers to individuals who receive funds and send the money on to the criminals who conduct the schemes.
The United States is seeking a permanent injunction against Augustine which would prohibit her from participating in money transmitting activities in the future.
FBI and IRS CI agents handled the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Hanna is prosecuting the case with support from Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Verseman.
If you believe you are participating in a money mule scheme, contact FBI Springfield immediately.
As part of the Department of Justice’s Elder Justice Initiative, federal prosecutors visit senior communities throughout the Southern District of Illinois to give presentations on scams targeting older residents. To schedule a visit or learn more information, email Lauren Barry at [email protected].
United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Tennessee Observes Domestic Violence Awareness MonthRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – October marks the observance of Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM). U.S. Attorney Kevin G. Ritz joins the U.S. Department of Justice in commemorating DVAM, paying tribute to victims and survivors, and saluting the dedication of advocates, service providers, justice professionals, law enforcement officers, and first responders who tirelessly work in support of survivors.
Domestic violence, dating violence, and intimate partner violence can have long-lasting impacts and consequences. Approximately one in four women and one in seven men will experience severe domestic violence in their lifetimes. Rates are disproportionately higher for historically underserved populations, including LGBTQI+ individuals, persons with disabilities, and racial and ethnic minorities. DVAM provides an opportunity to spread awareness about domestic violence and encourage everyone to play a role in ending gender-based violence.
“Domestic violence affects us all personally in some way,” said U.S. Attorney Ritz. “We who serve as federal prosecutors for the Western District of Tennessee have a duty to use all the tools at our disposal — and to leverage our partnerships with local law enforcement and prosecutors — to ensure victims have a viable path to safety and justice.”
Purple Thursday, observed on October 19, 2023, is a National Day of Action during DVAM. It is an opportunity to raise awareness about domestic violence and to show commitment to promoting safe communities. Please join us on October 19 by wearing purple and starting a conversation about domestic violence.
Union County Man Admits Role in Interstate Car Theft RingRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Union County, New Jersey, man today admitted his role in a conspiracy to steal and transport across state lines luxury cars stolen from towns in New York, Connecticut, and New Jersey, U.S. Attorney Philip Sellinger announced.
Malik Baker, 29, of Vauxhall, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Esther Salas in Newark federal court to an information charging him with one count of conspiring to transport stolen vehicles in interstate commerce and one count of receiving a stolen vehicle that had crossed state lines after being stolen.
Baker’s conspirators – Hakeem Smith, Nafique Goodwyn, and Bilal Cureton – previously pleaded guilty to related charges. Smith was sentenced on April 25, 2023, to 41 months in prison. Sentencing is pending for Goodwyn and Cureton.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Since as early as July 2019, the defendants and others stole and conspired to steal at least 10 luxury cars from towns in New York, Connecticut, and New Jersey, and hid those cars at a location in Irvington, New Jersey. The cars include a 2019 BMW X4 M40i, stolen from Greenwich, Connecticut, on July 19, 2019; a 2017 BMW Alpina, stolen from Hewlett Bay Park, New York, on July 22, 2019; a 2017 Maserati GranTurismo, stolen from Manalapan, New Jersey, on Aug. 5, 2019; a 2018 Range Rover and a 2019 Porsche Cayenne, stolen from New City, New York, on Aug. 6, 2019; a 2017 Mercedes S550 and a 2019 Rolls Royce, stolen from Hewlett Bay Park, New York, on Aug. 13, 2019; a 2019 Land Rover, stolen from Kensington, New York, on Aug. 22, 2019; a 2019 Mercedes Maybach, stolen from Quogue, New York, on Aug. 29, 2019; a 2014 Lexus GS, stolen from West Long Branch, New Jersey, on Aug. 29, 2019; a 2017 BMW M4, stolen from Marlton, New Jersey, on Sept. 7, 2019; and a 2017 Mercedes AMG S63, stolen from Orangeburg, New York, in September 2019.
The defendants often used the stolen cars to steal more cars, and, in one instance, they used a Maserati GranTurisimo they stole from Manalapan to steal a Range Rover and a Porsche Cayenne. When law enforcement attempted to conduct a stop of the Maserati, the Maserati accelerated and crashed head-on into a police vehicle before the suspects fled the scene in another stolen vehicle. Law enforcement recovered one of the stolen cars in a shipping container at the port in Newark en route to Ghana, Africa.
The charge of conspiracy to transport stolen vehicles is punishable by a maximum potential penalty of five years in prison. The charge of receiving stolen vehicles is punishable by a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison. Both charges are punishable by a fine up to $250,000, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offenses, whichever is greatest. Sentencing is scheduled for March 7, 2024.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark, and the Newark Police Department, under the direction of Public Safety Director Fritz G. Fragé. He also thanked officers with the Irvington Township Police Department, under the direction of Director Tracy Bowers; the Clarkstown Police Department, under the direction of Chief Jeffrey Wanamaker; the Wall Township Police Department, under the direction of Chief Sean O’Halloran; the Marlboro Township Police Department, under the direction of Chief Peter Pezzullo; the Tewksbury Township Police Department, under the direction of Chief Tim Barlow; the Port Authority Police Department, under the direction of Superintendent Edward Cetnar; the New Jersey State Police, under the direction of Colonel Patrick J. Callahan; the Hunterdon County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Renée M. Robeson. He also thanked officers with Customs and Border Protection, New York Field Office, under the direction of Director of Field Operations Francis J. Russo; special agents of Homeland Security Investigations Newark, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Robert Kurtz; and the Department of Commerce-Office of Export Enforcement, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Carson in New York, with the investigation leading to the charges.
This investigation is part of the Violent Crime Initiative (VCI) in Newark. The VCI was formed in August 2017 by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, and the City of Newark’s Department of Public Safety to combat violent crime in and around Newark. As part of this partnership, federal, state, county, and city agencies collaborate and pool resources to prosecute violent offenders who endanger the safety of the community. The VCI is composed of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI, the ATF, the DEA New Jersey Division, the U.S. Marshals, the Newark Department of Public Safety, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, the Essex County Sheriff’s Office, N.J. State Board of Parole, Union County Jail, N.J. State Police Regional Operations and Intelligence Center/Real Time Crime Center, N.J. Department of Corrections, the East Orange Police Department, and the Irvington Police Department.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Amore, Chief of the General Crimes Unit.
baker.information.pdfUndocumented Man Who Shot Seminole Police Officer Sentenced to 180 Months for Firearm CrimeRead the Press Release
A Mexican man who shot a police officer in Seminole, Texas was sentenced to 180 months in federal prison, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.
Jose Ramon Castillo-Lopez, 28, was charged via criminal complaint in October 2022 and indicted later that same month. He pleaded guilty in May 2023 to illegal alien in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents, Mr. Castillo-Lopez, a Mexican national in the United States illegally, admitted he was pulled over by a Seminole Police Department officer for traffic violations on Oct. 1, 2022.
As the officer approached Mr. Castillo-Lopez’s vehicle, he began firing at the officer with a handgun. The officer was struck but moved to a defensive position and returned fire. Mr. Castillo-Lopez exited his vehicle and fled, dropping a 9 mm semi-automatic pistol as he did so.
The officer was able to radio in a description of the defendant, and he was apprehended a few blocks away shortly thereafter.
In an interview with law enforcement, Mr. Castillo-Lopez admitted he had been previously deported and was currently in the county illegally. He also admitted to firing the pistol, which he said he purchased from an unknown individual at a traffic light in Midland, Texas for $200.
The victim officer’s body armor prevented serious injury, and he returned to duty shortly thereafter.
Homeland Security Investigation’s Dallas Field Office and the Seminole Police Department conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, & Explosives’ Dallas Field Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew McLeod prosecuted the case.
U.S. Postal Worker Is Indicted for Stealing Business Checks Worth over $1.9 Million from Ballantyne Post OfficeRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A federal indictment was unsealed today in federal court, charging Dontavis Romario Truesdale, 27, of Charlotte, with conspiracy to commit financial institution fraud and theft of mail by a postal employee, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Jeff Krafels, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Postal Service, Office of the Inspector General (USPS-OIG) for the Mid-Atlantic Area Field Office (MAAFO), Tommy D. Coke, Inspector in Charge of the Atlanta Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, which oversees Charlotte, and Chief Johnny Jennings of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.
According to allegations in the indictment, from November 2022 to April 2023, Truesdale worked as a processing clerk at the Ballantyne Post Office in Charlotte. The indictment alleges that Truesdale used his position as mail processing clerk to steal hundreds of checks of businesses that maintained post office boxes at the Ballantyne Post Office. The indictment further alleges that Truesdale sold the stolen checks to other co-conspirators who committed bank fraud, by depositing the stolen checks into bank accounts they controlled, and then quickly removed the funds before the banks detected the fraud. As alleged in the indictment, over the course of the scheme, Truesdale stole more than 200 checks with a total face value of over $1.9 million.
Truesdale was released on bond following his initial appearance in court. The bank fraud conspiracy charge carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison. The charge of theft by a postal employee has a statutory maximum penalty of five years in prison for each of the five counts charged in the indictment.
The charges in the indictment are allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt in a court of law.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King thanked USPS-OIG, USPIS and CMPD for their investigation which led to the charges.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jenny G. Sugar with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte is prosecuting the case.
U.S. District Court Maryland Enjoins Former Frostburg-Based Dentist from Prescribing Controlled SubstancesRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Julie R. Rubin today approved the United States’ consent decree with Jordan R. Hobel, formerly a Frostburg-based dentist, resolving the United States’ civil allegations that Hobel violated the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) in illegally prescribing opioids.
The consent decree was announced by Erek L. Barron, United States Attorney for the District of Maryland and Special Agent in Charge Jarod A. Forget of the Drug Enforcement Administration - Washington Field Division.
“Without exception, all prescribers—including dentists—are subject to the CSA.” said U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron. “As our Office’s recent consent decrees have shown, we intend to hold accountable all medical professionals who contribute to Maryland’s opioid epidemic by overprescribing opioids, regardless of their title or the letters that follow their name.”
“As our nation battles a surge of opioid overdoses and poisonings, it is more important than ever that healthcare providers prescribe medications in a safe and responsible manner. We know that pharmaceutical abuse has led to a worsening of the opioid crisis as people turn to the streets to find pills which we know most often contain a lethal dose of fentanyl,” said Jarod Forget, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Washington Division. We encourage prescribers to remain vigilant and responsive to any signs of controlled substance misuse or diversion, for through our collective efforts, we can create a healthier and safer society for all.”
The Government alleges that, between 2017 and 2021, Hobel, who owned and practiced dentistry at Mountain City Dental in Frostburg, Maryland, issued at least several dozen prescriptions for dangerous controlled substances that had no legitimate medical purpose and fell outside the usual course of professional medical or dental practice.
More specifically, Hobel fraudulently utilized the DEA registration numbers of other dentists in his practice to prescribe himself controlled substances, including oxycodone. Further, Hobel prescribed controlled substances to various friends and family—some who were not his patients—and, for at least some of these prescriptions, Hobel received some of the pills from the intended recipient for his own use. Hobel denies the Government’s allegations.
Under the consent decree, Hobel agrees to not apply for or seek the reinstatement of his DEA registration, which is required for a medical professional to prescribe controlled substances, and which Hobel voluntarily surrendered for cause in 2022.
The Court’s approval of this consent decree should remind all medical practitioners that the Department of Justice intends to use all tools at its disposal—both criminal and civil—to combat the opioid epidemic which continues to plague Maryland and Marylanders.
U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the DEA’s Office of Diversion Control, Washington Division, Hagerstown Resident Office for its work in the investigation. Mr. Barron also thanked Assistant United States Attorney Alan C. Lazerow, who handled the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md.
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U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont Observes Domestic Violence Awareness MonthRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont – October marks the observance of Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM). U.S. Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest joins the U.S. Department of Justice in commemorating DVAM, paying tribute to victims and survivors, and saluting the dedication of advocates, service providers, justice professionals, law enforcement officers, and first responders who tirelessly work in support of survivors.
DVAM renews our commitment to addressing and preventing domestic violence. This dedication is of paramount significance, given the alarming prevalence of domestic and intimate partner violence as violent crimes. For example, nearly 20% of all violent crime is categorized as domestic violence, as revealed by the 2021 National Crime Victimization Survey data from the Bureau of Justice Statistics. By fostering awareness and proactive interventions against domestic, dating, and intimate partner violence, we pave the way for more secure, violence-free communities.
Domestic violence, dating violence, and intimate partner violence can have long-lasting impacts and consequences. Approximately one in four women and one in seven men will experience severe domestic violence in their lifetimes; however, rates are disproportionately higher for American Indian and Alaska Native populations, women of color, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and two-spirit people, and people with disabilities. DVAM provides an opportunity to spread awareness about domestic violence and encourage everyone to play a role in ending gender-based violence.
Supporting survivors and preventing these forms of violence is our shared responsibility throughout the year. DVAM offers us a platform, in collaboration with community allies, to unequivocally proclaim our solidarity with survivors, reassuring them of our support and our intolerance for violence, be it within our homes, localities, workplaces, or wider communities.
“Domestic violence affects us all personally in some way,” said U.S. Attorney Kerest, “And we who serve as federal prosecutors for the District of Vermont have a duty to use all the tools at our disposal—and leverage our partnerships with local law enforcement and prosecutors—to ensure victims have a viable path to safety and justice. One of the tools that we created and are particularly proud of is our Vermont Crime Victim Services Directory. We encourage victims and survivors and anyone who works in support of survivors to use this resource. For more information, please see a PDF version of our 2023 Vermont Victim Services Resource Guide and the mobile downloadable version at https://vtvictimresources.com/.”
U.S. Attorney’s Office for District of Montana Observes Domestic Violence Awareness MonthRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich for the District of Montana joins the U.S. Department of Justice in observing October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM), paying tribute to victims and survivors, and saluting the dedication of advocates, service providers, justice professionals, law enforcement officers, and first responders who work tirelessly in support of survivors.
Domestic, dating and intimate partner violence can have long-lasting impacts and consequences. Approximately one in four women and one in seven men will experience severe domestic violence in their lifetimes. However, rates are disproportionately higher for American Indian and Alaska Native populations, women of color, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and two-spirit people, and people with disabilities. DVAM provides an opportunity to spread awareness about domestic violence and encourage everyone to play a role in ending gender-based violence.
“We want Montanans to know that we are here to support victims and survivors of domestic violence--not just in October, but every month,” U.S. Attorney Laslovich said. “Domestic violence harms individuals, families and communities and provides each of us with the responsibility in helping to end this abuse.”
Through Project Safe Neighborhoods, a Justice Department violent crime reduction initiative, the District of Montana is working with federal, state, tribal and local law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute firearms crimes, which is crucial for combatting domestic violence. Domestic violence abusers who have access to a gun are five times more likely to kill their partners. In addition, abusers use guns to inflict fear, intimidation and coercive control. Under federal law, persons with domestic violence misdemeanor and felony convictions and those subject to domestic violence protective orders are prohibited from purchasing or possessing firearms.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office also has an essential role in prosecuting crimes in Indian Country, including domestic violence crimes that involve assault of intimate or dating partners. Holding violent domestic offenders accountable is critical for stopping the abuse and ensuring justice and safety for survivors.
To find support in Montana, visit https://www.justice.gov/ovw/local-resources. For immediate help for domestic violence victims: Call the National Domestic Violence Hotline (@ndvhofficial) at 1-800-799-7233 or Strong Hearts Native Helpline (@strongheartsdv) at 1-844-762-8483. To learn more, please visit www.Justice.gov/OVW
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U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida Observes Domestic Violence Awareness MonthRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL - October marks the observance of Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM). United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg joins the U.S. Department of Justice in commemorating DVAM, paying tribute to victims and survivors, and saluting the dedication of advocates, service providers, justice professionals, law enforcement officers, and first responders who tirelessly work in support of survivors.
“Domestic violence is harmful to individuals, families, and communities,” said U.S. Attorney Handberg. “We want our community to know that we are here to support victims and survivors in the Middle District of Florida – not just in October, but every month. We will continue to work with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to address the systemic problem that is domestic violence.”
Domestic violence, dating violence, and intimate partner violence can have long-lasting impacts and consequences. Approximately one in four women and one in seven men will experience severe domestic violence in their lifetimes; however, rates are disproportionately higher for American Indian and Alaska Native populations, including women of Color, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and two-spirit people, and people with disabilities. DVAM provides an opportunity to spread awareness about domestic violence and encourage everyone to play a role in ending gender-based violence.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Announces 60 Percent Increase in Day-of-Arrest Prosecution RatesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia today announced an increase of over 60 percent in the percent of cases charged by the Office in D.C. Superior Court at the time of arrest. This increase occurred after the District secured a contract that provided sufficient drug testing capacity in the third quarter of Fiscal Year 2023.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office also announced a 58 percent increase in federal prosecutions targeting individuals responsible for violence in the community. These cases included charges for kidnapping, carjacking, robberies of commercial establishments, firearms, and murder.
“Our top priority has been to prosecute the drivers of violence in both District Court and Superior Court, to remove the threat posed by those individuals, and to give the neighborhoods they terrorize time to heal,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves.
Currently, approximately 60 percent of arrests for D.C. Code offenses are charged immediately after arrest by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Superior Court, or transferred for prosecution to U.S. District Court or the D.C. Office of the Attorney General. The Office continues to charge 90 percent of the most serious violent crimes (homicide, carjacking, assault with intent to kill, and first-degree sexual abuse) at the time of arrest.
The overall day-of-arrest charging rate for Fiscal Year 2023 prosecutions in Superior Court increased to 44 percent. During the third quarter of Fiscal Year 2023, the District secured additional drug testing capacity to address the D.C. Department of Forensic Sciences’ loss of accreditation in April 2021. Thereafter, in the final quarter of Fiscal Year 2023 (July – September 2023), the Office charged 53 percent of arrests in Superior Court at the time of arrest, and transferred 5 percent of arrests for prosecution by the Office in U.S. District Court or by the District’s Office of the Attorney General.
Of the remaining approximately 40 percent of D.C. arrests, roughly half were arrests where the victim did not want to participate or proceed and the Office respected their wishes. Nearly all of these cases involved misdemeanor charges. In approximately 13 percent of arrests, the Office lacked sufficient evidence to charge the case at the time of arrest, and in about three percent of arrests, the Office determined that the arrested individual had a valid affirmative defense, such as self-defense. In the remaining seven percent of cases, the Office exercised its prosecutorial discretion not to charge an arrest, typically in low-level misdemeanors committed by individuals with no or limited criminal history.
“We will continue to use every available tool in combatting the violent crime crisis we are experiencing in our city,” said U.S. Attorney Graves. “This includes prosecuting - as adults - those 16- and 17-year olds who are committing pattern or spree armed robberies and carjackings. This includes bringing federal charges against those individuals responsible for gun violence, and coordinating with our federal law enforcement partners in conducting large-scale take-downs in communities being ravaged by violence. We will do everything we can to relentlessly attack them from our lane, using the full force of federal law. One shooting is one too many. One carjacking is one too many. One robbery is one too many.”
Watch this video to learn more: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBK9zF7I_YY
U.S. Attorney Ihlenfeld marks Domestic Violence Awareness MonthRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld marked Domestic Violence Awareness Month today by highlighting the important work of two organizations helping to combat the problem in the region.
Ihlenfeld was joined by Jo Elliott, Executive Director of Community Alternatives to Violence, and Katie Spriggs, Executive Director of the Eastern Panhandle Empowerment Center, to discuss their response to domestic violence.
Although his office has accelerated its efforts to address the issue through additional prosecutions, Ihlenfeld explained that enforcement is only part of the solution.
“We will continue to be aggressive in our prosecution of domestic violence offenders while at the same time collaborating with agencies that support victims and rehabilitate offenders,” said U.S. Attorney Ihlenfeld.
Community Alternatives to Violence (CAV), a licensed Batterer's Intervention and Prevention Program, serves approximately 400 people in the Eastern Panhandle each year, offering classes for men and women to help build respectful relationships and prevent domestic violence.
“CAV is honored to be a part of this coordinated community response to domestic violence in our region. The role we play, intervention and prevention, provides those who use violence with an opportunity to learn how to be nonviolent and respectful in their families, and in all their relationships,” said Elliott. “We challenge these individuals to examine their belief systems and uncover how those beliefs have led to patterns of behaviors that create harmful dynamics in their homes. We then help them create their own plan of accountability; this is their road map for moving intentionally and with integrity towards a life of respect and empathy.”
The Eastern Panhandle Empowerment Center (EPEC) in Martinsburg plays an equally critical role, offering services to victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, and human trafficking.
"The Eastern Panhandle Empowerment Center provides direct services to survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, and human trafficking. I have been in the movement to end interpersonal violence movement for over a decade, and the only response that I have ever seen functionally work to address these issues is a collaborative approach and that is exactly what we are working to build in Martinsburg with this new initiative. Survivors get more efficient, client centered, and more culturally responsive services when the team that is providing those services trusts each other and works well together. We are excited to continue working with this team and making our community safer," said Spriggs.
Both CAV and EPEC are part of the recently formed Berkeley County Domestic Violence Reduction Initiative. Other participating agencies include the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the Berkeley County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office; the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office; the Martinsburg Police Department; and the West Virginia State Police.
If you or someone you know is a victim of domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or go to thehotline.org.
Two Businessmen Charged for $1M Kickback Scheme Involving Nuclear Weapons ComponentsRead the Press Release
An indictment was unsealed today in Kansas City, Kansas, charging two businessmen for an alleged scheme to fraudulently steer and award subcontracts by a major engineering firm for work on nuclear weapons manufacturing projects for the National Nuclear Security Administration’s Kansas City National Security Campus (KCNSC).
According to court documents, from at least 2011 through approximately January 2021, Michael Clinesmith, 67, of Kansas, allegedly solicited and received kickbacks and bribes from Richard Mueller, 63, of Missouri, in exchange for steering subcontracts from Clinesmith’s employer to Mueller’s company (Subcontractor 1). Clinesmith, a long-tenured employee of a major engineering firm (Company 1) working at the KCNSC, was responsible for designing and procuring gages that were specially designed and manufactured to measure the components of nuclear weapon products. Clinesmith allegedly used his position and authority at Company 1 to steer gage subcontracts to Subcontractor 1 in exchange for Mueller paying him over $1 million for surreptitiously performing some or all of the work. Clinesmith is alleged to have told Mueller how much to bid on gage subcontracts that Company 1 awarded. Then, Clinesmith told his employer, Company 1, that those bids were fair and reasonable without disclosing that, in exchange for the subcontracts, Mueller would secretly funnel to Clinesmith the money awarded to Subcontractor 1. The indictment also alleges that Mueller lied to federal agents regarding the number of impacted subcontracts and his involvement in the scheme.
Clinesmith and Mueller are each charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and honest services wire fraud and four counts of wire fraud and honest services wire fraud. Mueller is also charged with one count of making false statements to federal agents. If convicted, they each face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for the conspiracy, wire fraud, and honest services wire fraud charges. Mueller also faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison for the false statements charge.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Kate E. Brubacher for the District of Kansas, and Special Agent in Charge Justin Kessel of the Department of Energy Office of Inspector General (DOE-OIG), Western Field Office made the announcement.
The DOE-OIG Western Field Office is investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Andrew Jaco of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section is prosecuting the case.
If you believe you are a victim in this case, please contact the Fraud Section’s Victim Witness Unit toll-free at (888) 549-3945 or by email at [email protected]. To learn more about victims’ rights, please visit www.justice.gov/criminal/criminal-vns/victim-rights-derechos-de-las-v-ctimas.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.