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18 October 2023
Jena Medical Group, LLC, Its Principals and Physician Agree to Pay over $1.7 Million to Settle False Claims Act Liability for Improperly Performed ProceduresRead the Press Release
Orlando, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces today that Jena Medical Group, LLC, Benjamin Weiss, Moishe Hoffman, and Jason Schultz have agreed to pay the United States $1,724,986.08 to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by submitting claims to Medicare and TRICARE for radiofrequency ablations that were performed by an unqualified technician.
According to the settlement agreement, Jena Medical, through its principals, Benjamin Weiss, Moishe Hoffman, and through Dr. Jason Schutlz, billed Medicare and TRICARE for radiofrequency ablations that were not medically necessary, not provided by a qualified provider, or both, during the period from January 1, 2018, through December 31, 2020. According to the allegations, patients referred to the unqualified technician as “doctor” and were led to believe he was qualified to perform their procedures. Jena Medical also permitted the washing and re-use of catheters that were designed for a single use.
“Protecting Medicare and TRICARE patients is paramount,” said U.S. Attorney Roger Handberg. “This civil settlement demonstrates our continuing commitment to hold accountable those who abuse the nation’s healthcare programs at the expense of the taxpayers.”
“Allegations of health care providers billing our federal health care programs for unnecessary services is of deep concern, especially if such services could potentially cause harm to patients,” stated Acting Special Agent in Charge Julie Rivera of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “Working with our law enforcement partners, we will continue to protect the health of patients and the integrity of the federal health care programs serving them.”
“When actors within our health care system are focused on profit rather than patient care, it undermines the integrity of the medical decision-making process,” stated Special Agent in Charge Darrin K. Jones, DoD Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), Southeast Field Office. “ DCIS will continue to work with our investigative partners to protect the funding entrusted to the Defense Health Agency which serves our military members and their families.”
The settlement concludes a lawsuit originally filed in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida by Relator Michael Lomonaco, a Doctor of Nursing Practice and former employee of Jena Medical. Dr. Lomonaco sued under the qui tam, or whistleblower, provisions of the False Claims Act permitting private citizens to sue on behalf of the United States for false claims and to share in the recovery. The Act also allows the United States to intervene and prosecute the action. The Relator will receive over $300,000 of the proceeds from the settlement with the defendants.
This settlement resulted from a coordinated effort by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida, the HHS Office of Inspector General, and the Defense Criminal Investigative Service. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy R. Bloor led the investigation.
The government’s action in this matter illustrates the emphasis on combating health care fraud, and one of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services, at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).
The case is captioned United States ex rel. Lomonaco v. Jena Medical Group, LLC et al., Case No. 6:20-cv-312-ORL-WWB. The settlement resolves the United States’ claims in that case. The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
Inmate Pleads Guilty to Threatening Federal JudgeRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Jeziah Guagno (23) has pleaded guilty to mailing threatening communications to a federal judge. Guagno faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not been set.
According to court documents, in May 2021, a federal judge in the Middle District of Florida received a threatening letter from M.S.—an inmate at the Santa Rosa Correctional Institution. The letter included violent threats to murder the judge and his wife. When interviewed, M.S. denied making the threats. Guagno, however, was also serving time in the same Florida prison as M.S. A subsequent DNA and fingerprint analysis by the FBI determined that Guagno’s DNA was on the envelope and his palmprint was on the letter. Known handwriting samples from Guagno also matched the handwritten threats in the letter. Further investigation revealed that the federal judge who had been threatened in the letter previously had dismissed a civil case filed by Guagno.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Marshals Service, and the Florida Department of Corrections. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tyrie K. Boyer.
Indictment Charges District Man with First Degree Murder in Killing at the Navy Yard Metro StationRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – An indictment, filed today in Superior Court in the District of Columbia, charges Tyriq Jamal Williams, 32, of Northwest Washington D.C, with first degree murder while armed in the Jan. 7, 2023, shooting death of 20-year-old Terry Clark, of Southeast Washington D.C., outside the entrance to the Navy Yard Metro Station. The indictment was announced today by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Acting Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
According to the indictment, Williams and a female companion exited a Green Line Metro train at the Navy Yard Station in Southeast, where they encountered Clark on the escalator leading to the station on Half Street. Clark was bouncing on the stairs and made a fist-pumping gesture with his right hand. Williams separated from his companion at the station exit and waited next to a cement column until Clark walked by him. Williams approached Clark and shot him once in the head. Then Williams turned and walked away in the direction of his companion. He returned to the Metro alone and boarded it again at the station, leaving the area on the Green Line train.
Police responded at 7:55 p.m. and found Clark lying on the sidewalk unconscious and unresponsive in front of the Metro station entrance. A single 9 mm casing was found a few feet south of the victim’s body. Clark was pronounced dead at 8:05 p.m.
The Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force arrested Williams on Jan. 20, 2023.
A conviction of first-degree murder while armed carries a statutory minimum sentence of 30 years in prison and a maximum of life.
This case is being investigated by the MPD. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John Interrante, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Helena man admits possessing unregistered machine gunRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS — A Helena man today admitted to a firearms crime after law enforcement found an unregistered machine gun, along with other firearms and silencers, during a search of his home, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
Justin Arthur Berger, 36, pleaded guilty to possession of an unregistered machine gun. Berger faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The court set sentencing for March 20, 2024. Berger was detained pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents that in December 2022, a friend of Berger’s notified the FBI in Helena that Berger had made statements about wanting to harm others in a mass shooting and that Berger expected he would be killed by law enforcement during a shootout. The friend also reported that Berger had several assault rifles and silencers. Law enforcement learned through an investigation that Berger indicated he was depressed, that he knew a lot about firearms and that he had manufactured a part what would convert an AR-15 into a fully automatic weapon. In addition, Berger had been seen firing rifles with the silencers attached at a makeshift shooting range. Law enforcement executed a search warrant on Berger’s home and located several firearms, including AR-style firearms, firearms components, a suspected short-barreled rifle, silencers and components for assembling silencers.
One of the firearms seized was determined to be a machine gun because it was capable of firing more than one round by a single function of the trigger. There was no record of Berger having registered a machine gun in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey K. Starnes is prosecuting the case. The FBI, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Helena Police Department 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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Hedge Fund Manager Pleads Guilty to Operating Multimillion Dollar Ponzi SchemeRead the Press Release
A Florida man pleaded guilty today in the Southern District of Ohio to using his hedge fund management company as part of a years-long Ponzi scheme.
According to court documents, Michael Wayne Williams, 48, of Miami, was the chief executive officer and investment manager of Highguard Capital and its affiliated entities, Guardian Opportunity Fund and Guardian Opportunity Management. Williams convinced victims to invest over $3 million in Guardian Opportunity Management and used their money for undisclosed and unauthorized purposes, including to settle civil lawsuits accusing him of fraud and to repay investors from discontinued funds that he previously managed.
In early February and March 2021, Williams convinced a Mississippi woman to invest $1,005,000 into Guardian Opportunity Management. Williams did not inform her that Guardian Opportunity Management’s principal investment vehicle, Guardian Opportunity Fund, had recently lost 90% of its assets under management and that Williams intended to use her money to repay other investors in Guardian Opportunity Management, who were threatening legal action against him.
Williams pleaded guilty to wire fraud and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division, and Assistant Director in Charge David Sundberg of the FBI Washington Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI Washington Field Office investigated the case.
Trial Attorney David A. Peters of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Trial Attorney Elise Kent Bernanke, formerly of the Criminal Division, are prosecuting the case.
If you believe you are a victim in this case, please contact the Fraud Section’s Victim Witness Unit toll-free at (888) 549-3945 or by email at [email protected].
Griffith Man Sentenced to 70 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
HAMMOND- Allen Crouse, 47 years old, of Griffith, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Senior Judge Jon E. DeGuilio after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a destructive device, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.
Crouse was sentenced to 70 months in prison followed by 2 years of supervised release.
According to documents in the case, on July 21, 2021, law enforcement purchased from Crouse two destructive devices that he had manufactured. The destructive devices were intended to work as explosives or bombs and would have functioned as designed if detonated. His criminal history revealed ten prior felony burglary convictions between 1995 and 2002, and as such, he was prohibited from possessing the destructive device.
This case is the result of the investigative efforts of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Indiana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Task Force and the Griffith Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Caitlin M. Padula.
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.
Gang Member Who Posed with Firearms on Snapchat Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Boston man pleaded guilty today to illegally possessing a firearm and ammunition while under house arrest for four state firearm charges.
Dumari Shakur Scarlett-Dixon, 22, pleaded guilty to being an unlawful drug user in possession of a firearm and ammunition. U.S. District Court Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV scheduled sentencing for Jan. 11, 2024.
A 2021 investigation into Heath Street, a violent Boston-area street gang, identified Scarlett-Dixon as a Heath Street member and the owner of a Snapchat account posting numerous videos and images of himself in possession of firearms. At the time of the conduct, Scarlett-Dixon was on pre-trial release for four separate state court cases of unlawful possession of a firearm. As a condition of his release, Scarlett-Dixon was on court-ordered home confinement with GPS monitoring at his grandmother’s residence in Weymouth.
During a September 2021 search of his grandmother’s residence in Weymouth, a Bersa 9-millimeter semi-automatic pistol, 59 rounds of ammunition and blunts of marijuana – a Schedule I controlled substance – were found in Scarlett-Dixon’s bedroom.The charge of being an unlawful drug user in possession of a firearm and ammunition carries a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and fine of $250,000 fine. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Division; and Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Division made the announcement. Special assistance in the investigation was provided by the Boston, Quincy and Lynn Police Departments and the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Pohl of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.
The operation was conducted is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. More information on the OCDETF program is available here: https://www.justice.gov/ocdetf/about-ocdetf.
Four Men Convicted of Conspiracy and Schemes to Defraud the Small Business Administration, State Workforce Agencies, and Private LendersRead the Press Release
Gregory J. Haanstad, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on October 17, 2023, defendants Aziz Hassan Bey, Letez Osiris Bey, Minister Zakar Ali, and Divine-Seven El were convicted after a week-long jury trial. A federal grand jury returned an indictment on August 23, 2022, charging the four defendants with conspiring to commit wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1349, wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343, and mail fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1341. Defendants Aziz Bey and Divine-Seven El were also charged with money laundering, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1957.
The evidence presented at trial showed that between June 2020 and July 2021, the four defendants participated in a conspiracy to attempt to obtain over $9.5 million in loans from the Small Business Administration (SBA) and private lenders, through the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program and Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). Each of the defendants filed multiple fraudulent EIDL and PPP loan applications. The defendants also engaged in a scheme to defraud the SBA into paying approximately $775,000 in EIDL loan proceeds to which the defendants were not entitled. To obtain those funds, the defendants submitted applications for businesses that were not operational and submitted false representations regarding the companies’ number of employees, gross revenues, and cost of goods sold.
Additionally, the evidence demonstrated that defendants Aziz Bey, Letez Bey, and Ali participated in a scheme to defraud state workforce agencies by submitting false and fraudulent applications for unemployment insurance (UI). As part of the scheme, the three defendants filed false UI applications in the State of Georgia. Aziz Bey and Ali received approximately $33,680 and $43,525, respectively, from Georgia, where they had not lived or worked. Defendant Letez Bey filed UI applications in the states of Illinois and California in the names of other individuals, and caused those states to mail debit cards containing UI funds to addresses used by Aziz Bey and Ali.
Letez Bey received hundreds of thousands of dollars in UI funds from unemployment claims in the names of others.
Defendants Aziz Bey, Ali, and El were also convicted of participating in a scheme to defraud lenders by submitting false information to the Wisconsin Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to remove liens that lenders held on vehicles, including a Land Rover, a BMW, and a Corvette. As a result, the defendants were able to keep for their own use or sell the vehicles without repaying the outstanding loans.
With the fraud proceeds they received, the defendants transferred funds to each other and purchased personal items, such as vehicles and jewelry. Defendants Aziz Bey and El were also convicted of conducting money laundering transactions. Aziz Bey used fraud proceeds to purchase a Maserati and to write a $43,000 check to El. El also used fraud proceeds to purchase a Porsche and to write a $60,000 check to himself.
The defendants are scheduled to be sentenced before United States District Court Judge J.P. Stadtmueller on February 1, 2024. They face up to 20 years’ imprisonment on the conspiracy and mail and wire fraud convictions and up to ten years’ imprisonment on the money laundering charges. They also face up to five years of supervised release.
“The jury’s verdict reflects the fact these defendants sought to enrich themselves at the expense of taxpayers across the country,” stated U.S. Attorney Haanstad. “In addition to fraud targeting private businesses, they sought to take unlawful advantage of programs meant to help individuals, businesses, and the entire economy survive the impact of the pandemic. I commend the hard work and relentless efforts of everyone involved in pursuing justice in this case.”
“This fraud scheme was dismantled through excellent collaboration between the FBI and our law enforcement partners.” Said FBI Special Agent in Charge Michael E. Hensle. “The FBI has an unwavering commitment to combat fraudulent activities and will ensure that those who seek personal gain through such schemes are held accountable.”
“The jury’s verdict affirms the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General’s commitment to ensuring the integrity of the unemployment insurance program. We will continue working with our law enforcement partners to aggressively investigate these types of allegations,” said Irene Lindow, Special Agent in Charge, Great Lakes Region, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated this case, with valuable assistance from the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General. Assistant United States Attorneys John P. Scully and Benjamin P. Taibleson prosecuted the case.
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Former Waynesburg Resident Pleads Guilty to Transportation of a Minor with Intent to Engage in Criminal Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA – A former resident of Waynesburg, PA, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
James Jordan, age 31, pleaded guilty to one count before United States District Judge William S. Stickman.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that from January 11, 2022 until January 12, 2022, Jordan transported a minor from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to the State of West Virginia, with the intent that the minor engage in criminal sexual activity.
Judge Stickman scheduled sentencing for February 21, 2024, at 1:30 p.m. The law provides for a total sentence of not less than 10 years and not more than life in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history of the defendant.
Pending sentencing, Jordan remains detained.
Assistant United States Attorney Heidi M. Grogan is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Department of Homeland Security—Pittsburgh, the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, the Pennsylvania State Police, the Waynesburg Police Department, and the Lewisburg (WV) Police Department conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Jordan.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Former U.S. Capitol Police Officer Pleads Guilty to Violating an Individual’s Civil RightsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Former United States Capitol Police (USCP) officer Thomas Smith, 46, pleaded guilty today to violating an individual’s civil rights by recklessly engaging in a dangerous pursuit and being deliberately indifferent to the danger he created. The plea was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, FBI Special Agent in Charge Wayne A. Jacobs, of the Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division, and Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.
Smith pleaded guilty to deprivation of rights under color of law. According to court documents, on the evening of June 20, 2020, Smith was on duty conducting security checks at the homes of members of Congress in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C., when he began pursuing two individuals riding motorized cycles. Though USCP policies prohibit vehicular pursuits outside of the Capitol grounds, except in emergencies and upon supervisory approval, Smith conducted the pursuit without seeking such approval.
While following the motorcyclists closely, but without his emergency lights on, Smith’s USCP cruiser struck one of the motorcyclists at the intersection of Wisconsin Avenue and M Street, Northwest. The crash knocked the cyclist into the air before he hit the asphalt roadway. As the victim lay in the intersection unconscious, Smith drove his cruiser around the victim and left the scene of the collision. Contrary to USCP policies, Smith did not notify anyone of the incident, take any action to seek medical assistance for the victim or ensure that no further harm came to the victim as he lay on the road. Hours after the collision, Smith falsified several USCP records in an attempt to cover up the events related to the incident.
“Like all of our law enforcement partners, we know that the overwhelming majority of U.S. Capitol Police officers do their difficult and dangerous jobs honorably and lawfully,” said U.S. Attorney Mathew M. Graves for the District of Columbia. “But former officer Smith violated the Constitution and abused his position by recklessly engaging in a dangerous pursuit that resulted in an unnecessary collision that could have had devastating results. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to protecting the civil rights of all District residents and to holding accountable individuals who violate those rights.”
“A federal law enforcement officer who abuses his authority by engaging in reckless and obstructive conduct not only violates the law, but also public trust,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “All police officials who deprive citizens of their civil rights will be held accountable. We will aggressively prosecute any law enforcement officer who violates the most basic constitutional rights of our citizens.”
“Contrary to the oath he took as a law enforcement officer and a government employee, Smith endangered and showed disregard for others’ lives,” said Special Agent in Charge Jacobs. “His guilty plea today demonstrates the FBI’s unwavering pursuit of justice on behalf of the American people."
Smith faces a maximum penalty of 10 years imprisonment. Sentencing is scheduled for January 22, 2024. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI Washington Field Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Gauri Gopal and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Kendra Briggs, previously investigated, indicted and prosecuted the case. Trial Attorneys Sanjay Patel and Laura-Kate Bernstein of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Visser for the District of Columbia are prosecuting the case.
Former U.S. Capitol Police Officer Pleads Guilty to Civil Rights Charge Related to Hit-And-Run Traffic CrashRead the Press Release
A former United States Capitol Police (USCP) officer pleaded guilty today to violating an individual’s civil rights by recklessly engaging in a dangerous pursuit and being deliberately indifferent to the danger he created.
Thomas Smith, 46, pleaded guilty to deprivation of rights under color of law. According to court documents, on the evening of June 20, 2020, Smith was on duty conducting security checks at the homes of members of Congress in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C., when he began pursuing two individuals riding motorized cycles. Though USCP policies prohibit vehicular pursuits outside of the Capitol grounds, except in emergencies and upon supervisory approval, Smith conducted the pursuit without seeking such approval.
While following the motorcyclists closely, but without his emergency lights on, Smith’s USCP cruiser struck one of the motorcyclists at the intersection of Wisconsin Avenue and M Street, Northwest. The crash knocked the cyclist into the air before he hit the asphalt roadway. As the victim lay in the intersection unconscious, Smith drove his cruiser around the victim and left the scene of the collision. Contrary to USCP policies, Smith did not notify anyone of the collision, take any action to seek medical assistance for the victim or ensure that no further harm came to the victim as he lay on the road. Hours after the collision, Smith falsified several USCP records related to the incident.
“A federal law enforcement officer who abuses his authority by engaging in reckless and obstructive conduct not only violates the law, but also public trust,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department will continue to aggressively prosecute any law enforcement officer, including those who serve within the ranks of federal law enforcement, when they violate the most basic constitutional rights of our citizens.”
“Like all of our law enforcement partners, we know that the overwhelming majority of U.S. Capitol Police officers do their difficult and dangerous jobs honorably and lawfully,” said U.S. Attorney Mathew M. Graves for the District of Columbia. “But former officer Smith violated the Constitution and abused his position by recklessly engaging in a dangerous pursuit that resulted in an unnecessary collision that could have had devastating results. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to protecting the civil rights of all District residents and to holding accountable individuals who violate those rights.”
“Contrary to the oath he took as a law enforcement officer and a government employee, Smith endangered and showed disregard for others’ lives,” said Assistant Director in Charge David Sundberg of the FBI Washington Field Office. “His guilty plea today demonstrates the FBI’s unwavering pursuit of justice on behalf of the American people."
Smith faces a maximum penalty of 10 years imprisonment. Sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 22, 2024. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI Washington Field Office investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Sanjay Patel and Laura-Kate Bernstein of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Visser for the District of Columbia are prosecuting the case.
Former Oregon Corrections Nurse Sentenced to 30 Years in Federal Prison for Sexually Assaulting Nine Female InmatesRead the Press Release
A former Oregon Department of Corrections employee was sentenced yesterday for sexually assaulting nine female inmates while serving as a nurse at the Coffee Creek Correctional Facility, Oregon’s only women’s prison.
Tony Daniel Klein, 38, of Clackamas County, Oregon, was sentenced to 30 years in prison and five years of supervised release. A restitution hearing will be held at a later date.
“The sentence in this case should send a significant message to any official working inside jails and prisons across our country, including those who provide medical care, that they will be held accountable when they sexually assault women inmates in their custody,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Women detained inside jails and prisons should be able to turn to medical providers for care and not subjected to exploitation by those bent on abusing their power and position. We will listen to and investigate credible allegations put forward by people who are sexually assaulted and, where appropriate, bring federal prosecutions. The Justice Department stands ready to hold accountable those who abuse their authority by sexual assaulting people in their custody and under their care.”
“Today’s sentence sends a clear message that using a position of authority to prey on individuals in custody will never be tolerated by the Justice Department,” said U.S. Attorney Natalie Wight for the District of Oregon. “Holding Tony Klein accountable for his crimes would not have been possible without the courage and resolve of the women he abused and the dedication of our partners at the FBI and Civil Rights Division.”
“We know this prison sentence cannot undo the trauma Tony Klein inflicted on numerous victims, but we hope this brings them one step closer to healing,” said Special Agent in Charge Kieran L. Ramsey of the FBI Portland Field Office. “As a state prison nurse, Klein abused his position and abused multiple women, violating the public’s trust, while doing everything he could to avoid being caught. The investigators and prosecutors should be applauded for their efforts to hold Klein accountable, but we recognize this lengthy sentence is also because of a group of brave women who came forward and helped ensure that Klein was held accountable for being a sexual predator within Coffee Creek Correctional Facility.”
According to court documents, from 2010 until January 2018, Klein served as a nurse at the Coffee Creek Correctional Facility in Wilsonville, Oregon. In his position, Klein interacted with female inmates who either sought medical treatment or worked as orderlies in the prison’s medical unit. Aided by his access to the women and his position of power as a corrections employee, Klein sexually assaulted or engaged in nonconsensual sexual conduct with many female inmates entrusted to his care.
By virtue of his position as a medical provider, Klein was often alone with his victims and assaulted many before, during or after medical treatment. For women who worked in the medical unit, Klein manufactured reasons to get them alone in secluded areas such as medical rooms, janitor’s closets or behind privacy curtains. Klein made it clear to his victims that he was in a position of power over them, and that they would not be believed if they tried reporting his abuse. Fearing punishment if they fought back against or reported his misconduct, most of Klein’s victims submitted to his unwanted advances or endured his assaults.
On March 8, 2022, a federal grand jury in Portland returned an indictment charging Klein with depriving his victims of their constitutional right not to be subjected to cruel and unusual punishment by sexual assault. The indictment also charged Klein with perjury.
On July 25, a federal jury in Portland found Klein guilty of 17 counts of depriving his victims of their constitutional right not to be subjected to cruel and unusual punishment by sexual assault and four counts of perjury.
The FBI Portland Field Office investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Cameron A. Bell of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Gavin W. Bruce for the District of Oregon prosecuted the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Hannah Horsley for the District of Oregon assisted the trial team.
Former NASCAR Team Owner Is Indicted on Federal ChargesRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Federal charges have been filed against a former NASCAR team owner, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. A Charlotte grand jury returned a bill of indictment, charging Ronald Devine, 67, of Burke, Virginia, with four counts of failure to pay payroll taxes.
Donald “Trey” Eakins, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division, Charlotte Field Office (IRS-CI), Robert M. DeWitt, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Charlotte Division, and Tommy D. Coke, Inspector in Charge of the Atlanta Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, which oversees Charlotte, join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.
According to allegations in the indictment, Devine was the owner and President of BK Racing, LLC (BK Racing), which operated a NASCAR racing team and owned two NASCAR charters. As BK Racing’s owner, Devine exercised control over BK Racing’s financial affairs, including having sole signature authority and control over BK Racing’s bank accounts, directing and
authorizing payment of BK Racing’s bills, and authorizing the filing and payment of BK Racing’s trust fund taxes, commonly referred to as payroll taxes.
Payroll taxes are withheld from employees’ gross pay and are used by the government to fund Social Security and Medicare, and also include the income taxes withheld from the employees’ paychecks. Employers are also required to make contributions to trust fund taxes matching the amounts withheld from their employees’ pay, and to file quarterly an Employer’s Quarterly Federal Tax Return, Form 941, indicating payment of the relevant taxes.
The indictment alleges that, starting in 2012, Devine caused BK Racing to fail to account for and pay over hundreds of thousands of dollars in payroll taxes. For example, according to the indictment, in 2017, Devine allegedly failed to pay over more than $390,000 in payroll taxes due to the IRS. The indictment further alleges that, between 2012 and 2017, instead of using the funds held in trust to pay for payroll taxes due, Devine transferred more than $2 million to other businesses and entities that he owned and controlled and used some of the funds to pay for BK Racing’s expenses such as rent, utilities, and vendor bills.
Devine will have his initial appearance in federal court in Charlotte. The charge of failure to truthfully account for and pay over trust fund taxes carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each of the four counts in the indictment.
The charges against Devine are allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt in a court of law.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King commended IRS-CI, the FBI, and USPIS for their investigation of the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Caryn Finley and Daniel Ryan of the Office in Charlotte are prosecuting the case.
Former FBI Special Agent and D.C. Real Estate Developer Sentenced for Role in Bribery SchemesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – David Paitsel, 42, a former FBI agent, and Brian Bailey, 53, a D.C. real estate developer were sentenced today on bribery and conspiracy charges for their role in schemes involving confidential information held by the D.C. Department of Housing and Community Development, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, FBI Special Agent in Charge Wayne A. Jacobs of the Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division, and Daniel W. Lucas, Inspector General for the District of Columbia.
Paitsel, a resident of North Carolina, was sentenced to 24 months in prison for each count to run concurrently, 24 months of supervised release, $100 special assessment, and ordered to pay a $10,600 forfeiture money judgment. Bailey, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, was sentenced to 48 months in prison for each count to run concurrently, 24 months of supervised release, $100 special assessment, and a $250,000 fine. Both defendants were sentenced by U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly. A jury convicted both defendants of bribery and conspiracy charges on October 7, 2022.
Bailey was found guilty of giving thousands of dollars in bribes to Dawne Dorsey, a program specialist with the District of Columbia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) in exchange for confidential, un-redacted Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act (TOPA) offer of sale notices, which included the names of tenants holding TOPA rights.
TOPA provides tenants living in the District of Columbia with the right to purchase their residence should the owner decide to sell the property. Under TOPA, tenants can re-assign their right to purchase to a third party. TOPA requires the owner (seller) to provide the District of Columbia Department of Housing and Community Development with offer of sale notices before the proposed real estate transaction. The offer of sale notices include, among other things, information not released to the public, such as the names of tenants residing at the property
In a second part of the scheme, Paitsel and Bailey were both found guilty of one count of bribery and one count of conspiracy. Specifically, Bailey paid Paitsel bribes to look up the contact information of the tenants holding TOPA rights, which he did using a database he had special access to as an FBI Agent.
The District of Columbia government employee, Dawne Dorsey, 40, pleaded guilty to bribery in June 2019. She is scheduled to be sentenced on November 6, 2023. In a related case, Frederick Silvers of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty to bribery and was sentenced to 5 months’ incarceration for bribes paid to Dorsey.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office and the District of Columbia Office of the Inspector General.
The trial of the case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elizabeth Aloi and John Borchert, with assistance from Paralegal Specialists Lisa Abbe and Quiana Dunn-Gordon of the Fraud, Public Corruption, and Civil Rights Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
Former Church Employee Sentenced to Pay Restitution and Serve Two Years in Federal Prison for Defrauding Church Out of More Than $450,000Read the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – Yesterday, DARLA BRALLEY, 59, of Oklahoma City, was sentenced to serve 24 months in federal prison for embezzling more than $450,000 from St. Paul The Apostle Catholic Church, announced U. S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
On August 17, 2022, Bralley was charged by Information with wire fraud, and making and filing a false tax return. According to the Information, beginning in early 2014 and continuing through at least January 2020, Bralley devised a scheme to defraud and obtain money from St. Paul. Bralley was employed as payroll administrator for St. Paul during this period and had the authority to issue checks for authorized expenses on behalf of the church. The information alleges Bralley issued approximately 198 unauthorized checks, drawn from St. Paul’s checking account, to pay for various personal items including personal credit card payments, utilities, and living expenses. Bralley also made approximately 1,068 fraudulent, unauthorized transfers from the St. Paul checking account to pay her personal expenses. In all, Bralley defrauded St. Paul out of approximately $451,177.54.
The Information also alleges that on her 2018 U. S. Individual Income Tax Return, Bralley reported a total income that was substantially lower than what she received during the year as a result of the fraud.
On September 29, 2022, Bralley pleaded guilty to the two-count Information. As part of her plea, Bralley admitted to embezzling 451,177.54 from the church and she further admitted that she did not declare those funds on her annual tax returns.
At the sentencing hearing Tuesday, U. S. District Judge Scott L. Palk sentenced Bralley to serve 24 months in federal prison and ordered Bralley to pay restitution in the amount of $544,173.54. In announcing the sentence, Judge Palk noted that $451,177.54 would be paid to St. Paul, and $92,996.00 would be paid to the IRS.
The investigation was conducted by agents from the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office, and the United States Secret Service. Assistant U. S. Attorney Charles Brown prosecuted the case.
Florida Woman’s 10-year Sentence Ends Drug Conspiracy CaseRead the Press Release
HARRISONBURG, Va. – A Florida woman, the ninth and final defendant to be sentenced as part of a large methamphetamine conspiracy, was sentenced this week to 10 years in federal prison.
Jacqueline Tatiana Cuellar, 53, of Orlando, Florida, was convicted along with three other co-defendants by a Harrisonburg jury of conspiring to distribute and possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of actual methamphetamine or 500 grams or more of methamphetamine mixture.
In addition to Cuellar, Stephen “City” Purks, 36, of King George, Virginia, Carlos “C-Lo” Bariola, 35, of Hialeah, Florida, and Natassia “Prima” Kimble, 32, of Hialeah, Florida, were tried by jury and convicted.
In July 2023, Bariola, Purks, and Kimble were sentenced for their roles in the conspiracy: Bariola was sentenced to 27 years, Purks to 25 years, and Kimble to 10 years.
Co-defendants Jessica Grote, 37, of Jacksonville, Florida, Ashlyn Gates, 35, of Baker, West Virginia, Stephanie Butler, 28, of Winchester, Virginia, April Mosley, 43, of Jacksonville, Florida, and Catherine Rec, 48, of Newport News, Virginia, all pleaded guilty for their roles in the conspiracy.
According to court documents and evidence presented during the trial, both Purks and Bariola are career criminals who were serving time in state prison in Florida. During the life of the conspiracy, Purks and Bariola, organized and led the methamphetamine conspiracy from inside the Florida Department of Corrections using women they had recruited from outside the jail. The two men ran the operation using contraband cellphones, one of which was located in Purk’s anal cavity.
The methamphetamine was eventually trafficked and sold into the greater Winchester area.
United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA’s Washington Division Jared Forget, and Damon Wood, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service – Washington Division, made the announcement.
The Drug Enforcement Administration - Winchester Resident Office, the United States Postal Inspection Service - Office of the Inspector General, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Northwest Virginia Regional Drug and Gang Task Force (which is comprised of Special Agents, Investigators, and Detectives from the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office, the Clarke County Sheriff’s Office, the Shenandoah County Sheriff’s Office, the Page County Sheriff’s Office, the Winchester Police Department, the Front Royal Police Department, the Strasburg Police Department, the Luray Police Department, and the Virginia State Police) investigated the case.
The Drug Enforcement Administration in Jacksonville, Florida, Miami, Florida, Orlando, Florida, and the Florida Department of Corrections also contributed substantially to the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelly McGann and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather L. Carlton prosecuted the case.
Firearms Trafficker Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Supplying Weapons and Ammunition to Sinaloa CartelRead the Press Release
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – October 18, 2023
SAN DIEGO – Alfredo Lomas Navarrete, a prolific firearms trafficker, was sentenced in federal court today to 15 years in custody for his role in supplying hundreds of high-powered weapons and tens of thousands of rounds of ammunition to the Sinaloa Cartel.
This case is part of a long-running investigation targeting the Valenzuela Transnational Criminal Organization (TCO), which is a significant component of the Sinaloa Cartel. The Valenzuela TCO is one of the largest importers of cocaine into the United States. The TCO sources cocaine and other controlled substances (including fentanyl, heroin, methamphetamine, and marijuana) from South America and Mexico, transports the drugs to multiple locations along the U.S.-Mexico border using commercial trucking companies, smuggles the narcotics into the country, and distributes them throughout the U.S. The TCO then smuggles the bulk cash proceeds from its drug trafficking activities back to the TCO’s leadership in Mexico.
According to court records, throughout 2020, the Valenzuela TCO, including one of its leaders, Jorge Alberto Valenzuela Valenzuela (“Jorge”), was engaged in violent conflict with another component of the Sinaloa Cartel led by Ivan Archivaldo Guzman-Salazar. During this conflict, Jorge’s brother and previous TCO leader, Gabriel Valenzuela-Valenzuela, was killed. This led the Valenzuela TCO to procure large quantities of firearms, ammunition, tactical gear, armored vehicles, and ballistic vests. A considerable number of these items were sourced from within the United States and clandestinely smuggled into Mexico, using numerous arms trafficking networks.
During the multi-year investigation, agents identified Alfredo Lomas Navarrete as a major firearms trafficker for the TCO. Agents recovered hundreds of messages between Jorge and Lomas in which they discussed firearms trafficking. Lomas worked closely with Jorge and other high-ranking organization members to supply hundreds of firearms to the TCO. These firearms ranged from .50 caliber rifles, submachine guns, and grenade launchers, to assault rifles (AK-47s, AR-15s, FN SCARs) and handguns. In addition to the weapons, Lomas and his co-conspirators supplied tens of thousands of rounds of ammunition to the TCO. Some of these weapons and ammunition were acquired in the United States, including in California, Arizona, and Nevada, and then smuggled through the Ports of Entry in San Diego and Arizona into Mexico
To date, this investigation has resulted in the charging of 109 defendants and the seizure of approximately 2,000 kilograms of cocaine and fentanyl, over $16 million in cash, and 21,000 rounds of ammunition.
Lomas pleaded guilty in April 2023 to conspiring to import cocaine, distribute cocaine, commit money laundering, and to smuggle goods from the United States.
“The amount of cash, ammunition, and narcotics seized in this case is staggering,” said U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath. “The collaboration in this case sends a clear message that the U.S. Attorney’s Office will attack every facet of drug trafficking organizations from money to drugs to firearms. We will stay after it for as long as it takes to bring them to justice.”
“The Venezuelan transnational criminal organization has brought death and suffering to countless people through their once prosperous criminal enterprise,” said Chad Plantz, special agent in charge for HSI San Diego. “The sentencing of this firearms trafficker sends a resounding message to traffickers and criminals around the world that HSI and the law enforcement community will vehemently pursue those who seek to harm not only Americans, but humanity as a whole with their brutality and deadly drugs.”
“Drug cartels use drug proceeds to purchase weapons and ammunition, fueling violence in our communities,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Shelly Howe. “DEA and our federal, state, and local partners will continue to hold drug traffickers and the cartels responsible for the carnage and destruction they cause.”
“The sentencing of Mr. Navarrete is a major milestone in federal law enforcement’s efforts to disrupt and dismantle illegal trafficking operations of all kinds,” said FBI San Diego Special Agent in Charge, Stacey Moy. “We are proud to support our law enforcement partners in all efforts that target and take down crime organizations that threaten the citizens of the United States of America.”
“Mr. Navarrete’s enablement of violence on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border is over,” said Special Agent in Charge Tyler Hatcher, IRS Criminal Investigation, Los Angeles Field Office. “Crime leaves a money trail, and when we pool our resources we are able to find the evidence necessary to lead to conviction. Navarrete is going to prison because of a well-coordinated joint investigation we are proud to have been part of.”
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew J. Sutton and Mikaela Weber.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations.
DEFENDANT Case Number 21-cr-2960-AGS
Alfredo Lomas Navarrete Age: 33 Culiacan, Mexico
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
International Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine for Purpose of Unlawful Importation, in violation of Title 21 U.S.C. §§ 959, 960 and 963.
Maximum Penalty: Mandatory minimum 10 years and up to life in prison, $10 million fine.
Conspiracy to Import Cocaine, in violation of Title 21 U.S.C. §§ 952, 960 and 963.
Maximum Penalty: Mandatory minimum 10 years and up to life in prison, $10 million fine.
Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine, in violation of Title 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and 846.
Maximum Penalty: Mandatory minimum 10 years and up to life in prison, $10 million fine.
Conspiracy to Launder Monetary Instruments, in violation of Title 18 U.S.C. 1956(h).
Maximum Penalty: Twenty years in prison, a fine of $500,000 or twice the value of the monetary instrument or funds involved.
Conspiracy to Smuggle Goods, in violation of Title 18, U.S.C. §§ 371 and 554(a).
Maximum Penalty: Five years in prison, fine of $250,000.
AGENCY
Homeland Security Investigations
Drug Enforcement Administration
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation
United States Marshals Service
Customs and Border Protection, Office of Field Operations
Customs and Border Protection, Office of Border Patrol
Department of Justice, Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces
Department of Justice, Office of Enforcement Operations
Department of Justice, Office of International Affairs
San Diego County Sheriff’s Department
San Diego Police Department
Border Crime Suppression Team
San Diego County District Attorney’s Office
Felon Sentenced to 4 Years in Prison for the Illegal Possession of a Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
CONCORD – A Vermont man was sentenced today in federal court in Concord for the unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition, First Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay McCormack announces.
Brian Woodburn, 40, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Samantha D. Elliott to 48 months in prison and three years of supervised release. On May 11, 2023, Woodburn pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
“The defendant’s previous felony conviction took away his right to own a gun,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney John J. McCormack. “Our office will continue to enforce the laws that keep dangerous weapons out of the hands of those who are prohibited from having them.”
“Today’s sentence makes it clear that criminals who repeatedly break the law and continue to possess illegal firearms and ammunition, will be held accountable,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. “Our Major Offender Task Force and our law enforcement partners are hard at work every day, sharing resources and intelligence with the goal of making our communities safer.”
Woodburn was found passed out in the driver’s seat of a car on a campground in Lancaster, New Hampshire. He consented to a search of his car, and law enforcement recovered a 9 mm pistol, ammunition, brass knuckles, and drug paraphernalia, including substances that tested positive for suboxone, buprenorphine, and fentanyl.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Lancaster Police Department led the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander S. Chen prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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Federal Jury Convicts Pocola Resident of Sexual Abuse in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced today that that Daniel Matthew Matlock, age 28, of Pocola, Oklahoma, was found guilty by a federal jury of one count of Sexual Abuse in Indian Country and one count of Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country.
The jury trial began in Muskogee, Oklahoma, with testimony on Tuesday, October 17, 2023, and concluded on Wednesday, October 18, 2023, with the guilty verdicts.
During the trial, the United States presented evidence that in February of 2019, Matlock sexually abused a minor under the age of 16. The United States also offered DNA evidence to support the testimony of the victim at trial. The crimes occurred in Leflore County, within the boundaries of the Choctaw Nation Reservation of Oklahoma, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The guilty verdicts were the result of investigations by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the District 16 Violent Crimes Task Force, and the Pocola Police Department.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the trial in Muskogee and ordered the completion of a presentence report. The sentencing will be scheduled following completion of the report. Matlock was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshal, where he will remain until sentencing.
Assistant United States Attorneys Morgan Muzljakovich and Jessie Heidlage represented the United States.
Del Rio Armed Career Criminal Pleads Guilty to Possessing A FirearmRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Kenneth Lorenzo Jackson (48, Del Rio) has pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Jackson faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 15 years in federal prison under the Armed Career Criminal Act. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the plea agreement, Jackson was indicted on September 7, 2022, in a separate federal case charging him with possessing ammunition as a convicted felon. Because of that indictment, Jackson was the subject of a federal arrest warrant. On October 18, 2022, officers from the Tampa Police Department were patrolling the Sulphur Springs neighborhood of Tampa when they encountered Jackson walking along the street. The officers were familiar with Jackson and were aware of his outstanding arrest warrant. When the officers arrested Jackson, they recovered a loaded firearm (Phoenix Arms HP22A .22 caliber pistol) that was tucked in the front waistband of his pants. The officers also found a crack rock in his pocket and a small quantity of MDMA. Jackson later admitted to possessing the firearm for two weeks for protection.
Jackson has multiple prior felony convictions for drug offenses and is therefore prohibited from carrying a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Tampa Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David W.A. Chee and Shauna S. Hale.
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.
Dante Flowers Jr. Sentenced to 200-Month Prison Term for Drug Conspiracy and Firearm CrimeRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont – The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that Dante Flowers Jr., 30, formerly of Hartford, Connecticut, was sentenced yesterday in the United States District Court in Burlington to 200 months of imprisonment. United States District Judge Christina Reiss also ordered that Flowers Jr. to serve three years of supervised release following his period of incarceration. Flowers Jr. had previously pleaded guilty to participating in a drug conspiracy and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents, in 2020, in the Orleans County area of Vermont, Dante Flowers Jr. (who was also known as “Fresh”), conspired with Jayquan Flintroy (who was also known as “Jay”) and Dante Flowers Sr. (who was also known as “Pops”), to distribute crack cocaine and fentanyl. During the conspiracy, Flowers Jr. and his coconspirators carried firearms and used violence to threaten and control people, including their drug customers and local drug re-distributors. On October 15, 2020, Flowers Jr., along with Dante Flowers Sr., seriously assaulted a man at his residence in Derby, Vermont, purportedly in a dispute over drug money. This assault internally decapitated the man and left him a paraplegic. The man is still paralyzed with little to no function of arms and no function of the lower part of his body.
Following the assault, Flowers Jr. and his coconspirators continued to sell drugs. On November 30, 2020, the group was together in a car in the parking lot of the Wendy’s Restaurant in Newport, Vermont. While in the parking lot, there was another dispute about drugs and Flowers Sr. was shot in the leg. Flowers Jr. and Flintroy were arrested after the shooting. Flowers Sr. recovered from the shooting and was also later arrested. Flowers Sr. and Flintroy have pleaded guilty in federal court to the drug conspiracy and a charge of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Flintroy and Flowers Sr. are awaiting sentencing.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Vermont State Police, Newport Police Department, Orleans County Sheriff’s Department, United States Marshal Service, U.S. Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine, United States Border Patrol and Homeland Security Investigations.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Wendy L. Fuller represented the government. Mark D. Oettinger, Esq. represented Flowers Jr.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. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psn.
Crisp County Career Offender Sentenced to Prison for Meth TraffickingRead the Press Release
ALBANY, Ga. – A Cordele, Georgia, resident with prior serious felony drug convictions was sentenced as a career offender to serve 180 months in prison resulting from an investigation into drug trafficking in the community.
Alexis Sylvester Holton, 43, was sentenced to serve 180 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Leslie Abrams Gardner today after he pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of methamphetamine on April 11. Holton is not eligible for parole.
“The most disruptive repeat offenders in Crisp County and across the district will face the possibility of federal charges for their continued criminal actions causing significant harm in the communities where they reside,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “I want to commend the cooperation displayed by our local, state and federal partners in the Middle District of Georgia to make our communities as safe as possible.”
“This investigation has resulted in the disruption of a significant methamphetamine supply to the Cordele area. We are grateful for our partnership with the other investigative agencies and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for seeing this case through successfully,” said GBI Director Chris Hosey.
“It is always reassuring that when we identify major drug offenders in our community, we can rely on our state and federal partners to assist us in working and presenting the cases for prosecution,” said Crisp County Sheriff Billy Hancock. “It is a good day to know that our community is a little safer because justice was served.”
According to court documents and other public information, Holton sold a total of 279.51 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant (CI) working with GBI and Crisp County Sheriff’s Office investigators during nine exchanges, beginning in Oct. 2021, until his arrest on Feb. 9, 2022, in Cordele. Holton has several prior convictions, including two prior serious felony drug convictions in the Superior Court of Crisp County, Georgia.
This case was investigated by GBI, DEA and the Crisp County Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Redavid.
Connecticut Man Arrested for Selling Hundreds of Fraudulently Obtained Gold CoinsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Connecticut man was arrested today for fraudulently obtaining gold coins and transporting them outside of Massachusetts.
William Dawson, 51, was indicted by a federal grand jury in Worcester on one count of interstate transportation of property taken by fraud. Dawson was arrested this morning and released on conditions following an initial appearance in federal court in Worcester.
According to the indictment, Dawson held himself out as a property buyer and reseller. Person-1 operated a home cleanout business in Massachusetts that sold property contained in decedent estates.
It is alleged that in or around December 2022, Person-1 was retained by a decedent estate to clean out a residence in Shrewsbury. In that home, Person-1 found 170 Queen Elizabeth II Canadian Gold Maple Leaf Coins, collectively worth approximately $290,000. With approval from the estate, Person-1 allegedly agreed to sell 120 of the gold coins to Dawson.
In January 2023, Dawson allegedly met with Person-1 in Millbury and purchased the 120 gold coins with two checks totaling $198,800. However, it is alleged that Dawson had significantly less than $198,800 in the bank account when he wrote the checks to Person-1. Later that same day, Dawson allegedly called Person-1 claiming that his car had been broken into and that the gold coins had been stolen. The next day, Dawson allegedly traveled to a pawn shop in Pawtucket, R.I. where he sold 43 of the gold coins in exchange for $80,442. It is further alleged that, on several occasions in February 2023, Dawson traveled to a pawn shop in Cranston, R.I., where he sold 19 more of the gold coins in exchange for a total of approximately $35,094.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Andrew Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Secret Service, Boston Field Office made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Milford Police Department and the Worcester County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan O’Shea of the Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Columbia Man Sentenced for Fentanyl Conspiracy, Illegal FirearmRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Columbia, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for his role in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and for illegally possessing a firearm.
Ryan Edwad Knudsen, 31, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes to 10 years in federal prison without parole.
On June 20, 2023, Knudsen pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime. Knudsen admitted that he obtained fentanyl from a source in St. Louis, Mo., and sold it to customers in Columbia. Knudsen told investigators he typically got between 350-400 capsules for about $1,400 and that each capsule contained about .1 gram of fentanyl.
Law enforcement officers were tracking Knudsen in August 2021 when he traveled to St. Louis, then on his return left a bag in a light pole at a Kingdom City, Mo., car wash. The bag, which was retrieved by officers, contained 22 fentanyl capsules. Officers later stopped the vehicle in which Knudsen was a passenger. Knudsen had a bag in his front pocket that contained hundreds of similar capsules. He also had a loaded Glock 9mm handgun and ammunition in his backpack. Officers seized a total of 384 capsules that contained approximately 34 grams of fentanyl.
According to government filings, Boone County ranks in the top ten among all Missouri counties for fatal overdose deaths, and fentanyl and other non-heroin opioids cause a significant majority of those deaths. Due to the potential for lethality and the inherently inconsistent quality of unregulated illegal fentanyl, the risk of overdose is present each time an individual uses street fentanyl – and each of the hundreds of capsules that Knudsen distributed had the potential to take a life.
This case was prosecuted by Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren E. Kummerer. It was investigated by the Columbia, Mo., Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Charlotte Woman Pleads Guilty to Producing Fake DocumentsRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Chaiya Maley-Jackson, 23, of Charlotte, pleaded guilty today to unlawful production of a false identification document, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Robert M. DeWitt, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Charlotte Division, joins U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.
According to information to which Maley-Jackson pleaded guilty, other documents filed in this case and statements made in court, as early as January 2020, Maley-Jackson was the owner and operator of Diva Documents/CPN Services (Diva Documents). Diva Documents advertised the sale of false and fraudulent documents on Facebook as well as two websites, divadocuments.com and divadocuments.onuniverse.com. Court documents show that Maley-Jackson used her personal Facebook page under the name Yaya Flowers to advertise the types of documents she could produce and a pricelist for the fake documents. The documents listed on the document pricelist that Maley-Jackson could produce and transfer included paystubs, lease agreements, COVID-19 hardship letters, bank statements, W2 forms, Social Security Cards, and driver’s licenses, both digital and hard copies, among others. The prices for the fake documents ranged from $15 to edit a paystub to $150 for a hard copy of a driver’s license. Maley-Jackson required customers to pay half of the payment upfront and the balance upon completion of the fabricated documents.
According to court documents, Maley-Jackson was aware that she was producing and transferring fake documents and knew that customers would use the fake documents for PPP loan applications, car loan applications, and apartment rentals, among others. Maley-Jackson admitted that between January 2020 and August 2022, she created at least 400 Social Security Cards, eight driver’s licenses, and six COVID vaccine cards, and earned more than $320,000 in fees from producing, selling and transferring false documents.
Maley-Jackson was released on bond after her plea hearing. The maximum statutory penalty for the charge of unlawful production of a false identification document is 15 years in prison. A sentencing date has not been set.
The FBI in Charlotte investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Caryn Finley is in charge of the prosecution.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866‑720‑5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Carolina Man Arrested for Child ExploitationRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – A Carolina man was arrested on criminal charges related to his alleged child exploitation conduct.
On October 13, 2023, Special Agents from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) San Juan arrested Matthew John McGlone, a 33-year-old man from Carolina, P.R.
A federal grand jury indicted McGlone on October 12, 2023, with three counts for coercion and enticement of a minor, receipt of child exploitation material, and transfer of obscene material to a minor. This is an investigation led by the Puerto Rico Crimes Against Children Task Force (PRCACTF) in collaboration with the Puerto Rico Police Bureau.
According to court documents, between September 11, 2023, and October 5, 2023, McGlone used a cellular phone and an internet instant messaging platform to coerce a fourteen-year-old male minor to engage in sexual activity. During the same period, McGlone knowingly attempted to receive child exploitation material and transferred obscene material to the fourteen-year-old male minor.
McGlone also had multiple arrest warrants from the state of Georgia related to several charges including criminal attempt of child molestation.
“We will continue to track down those who engage in child exploitation and will hold them accountable for their criminal conduct,” said W. Stephen Muldrow, U.S. Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue its effort to protect the most vulnerable among us by aggressively prosecuting all those who prey on our children.”
Special Agent in Charge Rebecca González-Ramos stated: “The defendant is a wanted person in the state of Georgia for similar charges. HSI has zero tolerance for those who repeatedly engage in criminal behavior against children. In this case, thanks to the collaboration of parents, teachers, and social workers, our agents were able to identify suspicious child exploitation activities against a fourteen-year-old minor. As we have stated, the first line of defense to protect children is those who interact with them daily. HSI agents responded rapidly, and we successfully arrested the suspect to bring him before justice.”
Special Assistant United States Attorney Nadia Y. Pineda-Pérez of the Child Exploitation and Immigration Unit is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, the defendant faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years to life in prison for coercion and enticement of a minor; a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years up to 20 years for receipt of child exploitation material; and up to 10 years in prison for the transfer of obscene material to a minor. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
For more information about HSI’s efforts to protect children from sexual predators, visit https://www.ice.gov/topics/iGuardians; and to denounce suspicious activities call 787-729-6969.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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About Homeland Security Investigations
HSI is the principal investigative arm of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), responsible for investigating transnational crime and threats, specifically those criminal organizations that exploit the global infrastructure through which international trade, travel, and finance move. HSI’s workforce of more than 8,700 employees consists of more than 6,000 special agents assigned to 237 cities throughout the United States, and 93 overseas locations in 56 countries. HSI’s international presence represents DHS’s largest investigative law enforcement presence abroad and one of the largest international footprints in U.S. law enforcement.
# HSI #
California Man Indicted for Smuggling Fentanyl Aboard TrainRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Bakersfield, California, man was indicted by a federal grand jury today for smuggling more than six kilograms of fentanyl through Kansas City aboard a train enroute to St. Louis, Mo.
Cesar Angulo Ramos, 18, was charged with possessing fentanyl with the intent to distribute in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo. Today’s indictment replaces a federal criminal complaint that was filed against Ramos on Sept. 26, 2023.
Ramos was a passenger on a train from Los Angeles, Calif., passing through Kansas City, Mo., enroute to St. Louis on Sept. 25, 2023. According to an affidavit filed in support of the original criminal complaint, Ramos was contacted by members of the DEA Kansas City Interdiction Task Force and the Missouri Western Interdiction Narcotics (MOWIN) Task Force after a police dog reacted to the apparent odor of controlled substances as it pulled toward Ramos at the train station.
Officers searched Ramos’s duffle bag, the affidavit says, and found 43 clear plastic bags that contained counterfeit M30 pills with fentanyl, which weighed a total of approximately 4.769 kilograms. Officers also searched a pillow Ramos was carrying that contained two bundles of fentanyl wrapped in black tape, which weighed a total of approximately 2.123 kilograms.
The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney D. Michael Green. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.
Butler Resident Indicted on a Charge of Violating Federal Postal LawsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA - A resident of Butler, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of violating federal postal laws, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
The one-count Indictment named Kelly Randolph, age 44, of Butler, PA, as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment, while serving as a Rural Carrier Associate out of the Chicora, PA Post Office, on or about April 18, 2023, Randolph removed cash for her own personal use, from an envelope which was intended to be sent through the U.S. Mail.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not more than five (5) years in prison, a fine of not more than $250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Robert S. Cessar is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Brooklyn Gang Member Sentenced for Multiple Armed CarjackingsRead the Press Release
Dieuverson Caille, a/k/a “Savage,” was sentenced today by Second Circuit Judge Denny Chin, sitting by designation, in Brooklyn to 36 months plus an additional 21 years to run consecutively for committing multiple armed carjackings during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Caille was convicted in March where it was established that between August 28, 2020 and June 20, 2021, Caille, together with his co-conspirator gang members, carjacked four victims at gunpoint, kidnapped one of them, pistol whipped another, and stole their iPhones and money. Evidence at trial also showed that the defendant was a member of the Eight Tray Gangster Crip and Haitian Loc gangs when he committed these crimes.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and Bryan DiGirolamo, Acting ATF NY Special Agent in Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and Edward A. Caban, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the verdict.
“The defendant terrorized Brooklyn by committing a string of violent crimes against random, innocent people during the height of the COVID pandemic,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “The city is a safer place because of today’s sentence and underscores that this Office will vigorously prosecute defendants who commit violent crimes.”
“The men and women of ATF NY and the NYPD successfully disrupted this senseless violent string of armed carjackings. Due to the hard work of law enforcement, a reckless individual is effectively removed from terrorizing more innocent people," stated Acting ATF NY Special Agent in Charge Bryan DiGirolamo. "No one should live in fear simply driving down the street. I am thankful for the collaboration of the men and women of ATF NY’s Strategic Pattern Armed Robbery Technical Apprehension group, NYPD’s Brooklyn Robbery Squad & the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York. ATF NY will continue to work with our partners to aggressively pursue investigations to remove violent criminals from our communities. Working together is vital to our Violent Crime Reduction Strategy here and throughout NY State.”
“Today’s sentence appropriately punishes a brazen criminal who tormented unsuspecting New Yorkers at the peak of the pandemic, and amid a citywide and nationwide spike in motor vehicle thefts,” stated NYPD Commissioner Edward A. Caban. “Mr. Caille has now been held fully accountable for his actions. And I thank all of the talented NYPD and ATF investigators, and everyone involved from the office of the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, for their dedication to ending his particular reign of terror.”
As proven at trial, Caille was involved in a series of violent and armed carjackings. On August 28, 2020, Caille carjacked a victim in Flatbush at gunpoint. Caille and two of his gang members forced the victim into the backseat of his own car, drove the victim to a drive-through ATM fifteen minutes away and attempted to force the victim to withdraw money. The victim escaped by jumping out of the car’s window because he thought if he stayed in the car he could be shot. On September 3, 2020, Caille and several accomplices carjacked a Chevrolet Malibu at gunpoint in Canarsie and attacked an occupant of the car by pistol whipping him. On November 15, 2020, Caille, acting alone, carjacked at gunpoint the driver of a BMW who was working as a rideshare driver in Flatbush. Finally, on June 20, 2021, the defendant, together with at least one other accomplice, carjacked at gunpoint the driver of a Porsche in East New York. The defendant posted pictures of the same make and model Porsche to his Instagram account “cali2savage” three days later.
During the course of the conspiracy, the defendant texted his fellow gang member “I need money” or “I need a V,” which was code for committing robberies or carjackings. The defendant instructed his co-conspirator to text in Creole to evade law enforcement.
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 make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
Assistant United States Attorneys Sara K. Winik, Ellen H. Sise, and Antoinette N. Rangel are in charge of the prosecution with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Magdalena St. Surin.
The Defendant:
DIEUVERSON CAILLE
Age: 22
Brooklyn, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 20-CR-547 (DC)
Bridgeport man sentenced to more than 12 years for methamphetamine traffickingRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Austin Lodge, age 31, of Bridgeport, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 151 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, officers engaged in a high-speed chase with Lodge in Harrison County, which ended with a foot chase. Lodge discarded a backpack during the chase containing methamphetamine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Zelda Wesley prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.
The Greater Harrison Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, and Harrison County Sheriff’s Office investigated.
Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.
Brian Pierce Sentenced to 24 Months and Vince Brown Sentenced to 20 Months in Federal Prison for Paying Bribes to Rick JohnsonRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten today announced that Brian Pierce and Vincent Brown were sentenced before U.S. District Court Judge Jane Beckering for paying bribes to Rick Vernon Johnson, the former Chairperson of the Michigan Medical Marijuana Licensing Board.
Pierce, 45, of Midland, Michigan, was sentenced to serve 24 months in federal prison, fined $25,000 and will serve two years on supervised release following his release from prison. Brown, 33, of Royal Oak, Michigan, was sentenced to serve 20 months in prison, fined $25,000 and will serve two years on supervised release following his release from prison.
“Mr. Pierce and Mr. Brown deliberately bribed Rick Johnson for their own personal gain,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten. “As I’ve said before, public corruption is a poison to our democracy and shatters the people’s trust in public officials. My office will hold offenders accountable – whomever, whenever, and wherever we find corruption and blatant disregard for the rule of law.”
Rick Johnson was a member and the Chairperson of the Michigan Medical Marijuana Licensing Board (MMLB) between May 2017 and April 2019. Prior to his appointment to that Board, Johnson worked as a lobbyist in Lansing, Michigan, and served as Speaker of the Michigan House of Representatives.
Pierce and Brown worked as lobbyists in Lansing, Michigan, who did business together as Philip Alan Brown Consulting, LLC and Michigan Grower’s Consultants, LLC. Pierce and Brown lobbied on behalf of various businesses seeking operating licenses from the Medical Marijuana Licensing Board. Pierce and Brown admitted paying Johnson a total of $40,000 between June 2017 to November 2018 when Johnson was Chairperson of the licensing board, and at Johnson’s request, Pierce paid a total of $2,000 to a Detroit stripper who was having commercial sex with Johnson. The payments were made to influence and reward Johnson in connection with his official duties on the Board, including receiving his assistance for their clients who applied for licenses to operate in the newly developing marijuana industry.
"Public corruption is the top criminal investigative priority for the FBI,” said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan. “I am thankful for the outstanding FBI personnel for their daily commitment to following the investigative facts wherever they lead, particularly in this case. My office continues to urge concerned citizens to report public corruption information they believe they may have by calling FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI or submitting tips online at tips.fbi.gov."
Assistant United States Attorneys Chris O’Connor and Clay Stiffler are prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
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MEDIA NOTE: U.S. Attorney Totten’s remarks following today’s sentencings can be viewed at @usao.wdmi on the U.S. Attorney’s Facebook Page.
Previous press releases concerning this case can be viewed by visiting the below links.
- Former Chair of Marijuana Board, Rick Johnson, Sentenced to 55 Months in Federal Prison for Bribery
Johnson Obtained More Than $110,000 in Bribe Payments; U.S. Attorney Mark Totten Affirms Commitment to Fight Public Corruption
- Oakland County Businessman Sentenced to 28 Months in Federal Prison for Paying Bribes to Rick Johnson
- Four Charged in State Bribery Scheme
Rick Johnson, former Chairperson of the Michigan Medical Licensing Board, and three others have agreed to plead guilty and cooperate in ongoing investigation
Bookkeeper Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud for $1.6 Million Embezzlement SchemeRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Marc Weiss, 48, of Charlotte, appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge David C. Keesler today and pleaded guilty to wire fraud, for embezzling approximately $1.6 million from two companies, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Jason Byrne, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Secret Service, Charlotte Field Office and Sheriff Darren Campbell of the Iredell County Sheriff’s Office join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.
According to filed court documents and today’s plea hearing, 2016 to 2022, Weiss engaged in a scheme to defraud two Mooresville, N.C. companies, where he was employed as a bookkeeper. Over the course of the scheme, Weiss abused his position and access to the companies’ financial accounts to make more than 120 fraudulent transfers totaling $1.6 million from the companies’ accounts into bank accounts under Weiss’s control. To disguise the fraud, Weiss created fake entries in the victim companies’ books and records, categorizing the fraudulent transfers as payments to existing vendors for software development, and advertising and marketing expenses.
As Weiss admitted in court today, he generally used the embezzled funds to pay for personal expenses, including to pay for a luxury apartment in Charlotte, to make payments for high-end vehicles, and to pay for travel and vacations.
Weiss was released on bond following today’s plea hearing. The wire fraud charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A sentencing date for Weiss has not been set.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King thanked the U.S. Secret Service and the Iredell County Sheriff’s Office for their investigation of the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jenny G. Sugar of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte is prosecuting the case.
Billings woman sentenced to more than two years in prison for drunken driving crash that injured passenger on Northern Cheyenne Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
BILLINGS — A Billings woman was sentenced today to two years and three months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for a drunken driving crash that seriously injured her passenger, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
Jamie Nicole Selage, 27, pleaded guilty in June to assault resulting in serious bodily injury.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.
The government alleged in court documents that on Jan. 16, 2022, Selage was driving drunk and had a blood-alcohol concentration of .316 percent when she swerved into the wrong lane on U.S. Highway 212, ran off the road and crashed in a ditch as she approached Lame Deer, on the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation. Both Selage and her passenger had to be extricated from the vehicle. The passenger suffered serious injuries and required hospitalization.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lori Harper Suek prosecuted the case. The FBI and Bureau of Indian Affairs conducted the investigation.
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Baltimore Man Pleads Guilty to a Scheme to Fraudulently Obtain Almost $18 Million in COVID-19 CARES Act LoansRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Ahmed Sary, age 45, of Baltimore, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to commit wire fraud affecting financial institutions, relating to the submission of more than $17.9 million in fraudulent CARES Act loan applications. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act was a federal law enacted in March 2020 to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering from the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Amaleka McCall-Brathwaite of the Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General, Eastern Region; and Chief Robert McCullough of the Baltimore County Police Department.
“Sary will now pay the price for living luxurious from stolen pandemic relief funds that others needed to keep a business open or to keep a roof over their heads,” said United States Attorney Erek L. Barron.
Financial assistance offered through the CARES Act included forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses, through the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”), administered through the Small Business Administration (“SBA”), and SBA-approved lenders. The SBA also offered an Economic Injury Disaster Loan (“EIDL”) and/or an EIDL advance to help businesses meet their financial obligations. An EIDL advance did not have to be repaid, and small businesses could receive an advance, even if they were not approved for an EIDL loan. The maximum advance amount was $10,000.
According to the plea agreement, from April 2020 through January 2022, Sary and his co-conspirators prepared false and fraudulent PPP loan and EIDL applications for a number of borrowers in exchange for a kickback of typically ranging from 20 percent to 30 percent of the loan amount. The fraudulent PPP and EIDL loan applications prepared by Sary, and his co-conspirators grossly inflated the purported businesses’ number of employees, monthly payroll costs, and revenue numbers, including for businesses that didn’t exist in any legitimate capacity
As detailed in the statement of facts, Sary and his co-conspirators filed 85 false and fraudulent PPP loan applications seeking a total of over $14,807,609.37 and 57 false and fraudulent EIDL applications seeking a total of over $3,093,670.50. All the loans were ultimately funded. After the loan funds were received, the recipient would typically provide Sary multiple, sometimes up to seven, checks that were signed by the loan recipient and that listed a payment amount and date but that left the payee name blank. Sary would then write a payee name on each of those checks and deposit them.
In connection with some of the fraudulently obtained PPP loans for purported businesses, Sary also assisted the loan recipients with setting up payroll services with Payroll Processor 1 to make it appear that the fraudulently obtained PPP loan funds were being used for permissible purposes when they, in fact, were not. The payroll services also facilitated the creation of documentation that could be used to substantiate a request for each of the PPP loans to be forgiven.
In addition to the loan kickback fees, Sary received $959,559 in PPP/EIDL funds for purported businesses he controlled, including a purported financial services business, a purported meatpacking business, a purported clothing company and a purported talent agency. In fact, none of these businesses existed in any legitimate capacity. Sary admitted that he used the fraudulently obtained funds to travel to Dubai and Egypt on multiple occasions, to stay at luxury hotels, including the Four Seasons, while there, to purchase property in Egypt and to, among other things, open a beachfront restaurant in Alexandria, Egypt called Sary’s Kitchen.
Sary and the government have agreed that, if the Court accepts the plea agreement, Sary will be sentenced to between 60 months and 114 months in federal prison. U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett has scheduled sentencing for February 1, 2024 at 11:00 a.m.
The District of Maryland Strike Force is one of five strike forces established throughout the United States by the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute COVID-19 fraud, including fraud relating to the CARES Act. The CARES Act was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The strike forces focus on large-scale, multi-state pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors. The strike forces are interagency law enforcement efforts, using prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams designed to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds.
For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI, the SBA-OIG and the Baltimore County Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul A. Riley, who is prosecuting the case. He also recognized the assistance of the Maryland COVID-19 Strike Force Paralegal Specialist Joanna B.N. Huber.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao/md.
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Armed Man Arrested for Attempted Kidnapping on the Blue Ridge Parkway Is Indicted by A Federal Grand JuryRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A Whittier, N.C., man arrested on a federal complaint for attempted kidnapping on the Blue Ridge Parkway has been formally charged by a grand jury in Charlotte, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. The indictment charges Evan William Blankenship, 22, with kidnapping, two counts of assault with intent to commit a felony, two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm, and possession and discharge of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.
Debra A. Flowers, Acting Chief Ranger of the Blue Ridge Parkway, joins U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.
According to allegations in the indictment and information contained in the affidavit filed with the criminal complaint, in the early morning hours of September 28, 2023, L.P. and a second victim, L.M., were sitting in a parked vehicle at Water Rock Knob Overlook off the Blue Ridge Parkway. The affidavit alleges that Blankenship drove his vehicle to where the victims were located and pointed a semi-automatic pistol at them. Blankenship tried to pull L.P. out of the vehicle by the hair and arm. Over the course of the incident, Blankenship allegedly threatened to hurt both victims, and hit L.P. in the face causing her temporary hearing loss. Blankenship also allegedly fired his firearm into the air, before pointing it again at the victims.
According to allegations in the affidavit, L.M. eventually convinced Blankenship to let them go. Shortly thereafter, the victims reported the incident to law enforcement. L.P. told investigators that she knew Blankenship through Snapchat and believed Blankenship had used Snapchat’s location sharing feature to find her on the Blue Ridge Parkway.
Blankenship was arrested on October 11, 2023, and remains in federal custody. The charge of kidnapping carries a maximum penalty of life in prison. Each assault charge carries a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison. The charge of possession and discharge of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence carries a minimum sentence of 10 years and a maximum of life in prison. The actual sentence of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the federal sentencing guidelines and other applicable statutory factors.
The charges against Blankenship 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 the National Park Service for the investigation which led to the charges and the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office for their assistance with the case.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville is prosecuting the case.
Armed Hillsborough County Fentanyl Trafficker Sentenced to 25 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Mary S. Scriven today sentenced Randell Alexander Love (48, Hillsborough County) to 25 years in federal prison for possession of fentanyl with the intent to distribute it and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The sentence consists of 20 years’ imprisonment on the fentanyl charge and a consecutive five-year sentence for the firearm offense. Love had pleaded guilty on July 31, 2023.
According to court documents, Love was a prolific and violent fentanyl trafficker who carried a loaded firearm to conduct and protect his illicit drug business. Love used violence and intimidation to resolve disputes with his drug suppliers and customers, and to keep them in line. He harmed others to get his way. For example, he punched a potential witness against him in the face, knocking her teeth out. The woman subsequently died of a fentanyl and heroin overdose. Love pistol-whipped one of his drug sources of supply and also battered a man with a metal pipe. Love trafficked enough fentanyl to kill 45,000 people.
During a traffic stop on October 5, 2021, deputies from the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office pulled over a car driven by Love, and subsequently found and seized nearly an ounce of fentanyl and a loaded 9mm handgun.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Christopher F. Murray.
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.
Amherst Man Arrested for Child Pornography OffensesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – An Amherst man has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Springfield for allegedly distributing and possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
Bradley Driscoll, 25, was indicted on one count of distribution of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. Driscoll was arrested this morning and will appear in federal court in Springfield later today.
According to the indictment, in August 2022, Driscoll possessed CSAM in the form of videos and knowingly distributed CSAM that depicted a minor victim under 12 years old.
The charge of distribution of child pornography provides for a sentence of at least five years and up to 20 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of possession of child pornography provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime 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.
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.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Mazur of the Springfield Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Alabama Man Sentenced to over 15 Years in Federal Prison for His Role in Murder-For-Hire ConspiracyRead the Press Release
FLINT — Julius K. Jordan, 26, of Mobile, Alabama was sentenced yesterday to over 15 years in federal prison following his conviction for conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire and possession of an unregistered short barrel rifle, U.S. Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced.
Ison was joined in the announcement by James Deir, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ Detroit Field Division, and Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Detroit Field Office.
U.S. District Court Judge F. Kay Behm imposed sentence on Jordan following his guilty plea to conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire and possession of an unregistered short barrel rifle.
According to court documents, on February 7, 2022, an individual identified as Person-1 solicited Jordan and his co-defendant Reginald L. Hunter to travel from Alabama to Flint, Michigan, to murder someone in exchange for money. Person-1 sent money to Hunter and Jordan to travel to Michigan. Once Jordan and Hunter arrived in Michigan, they met with Person-1 who provided Jordan and Hunter with assault rifles. They later began looking for the individual who they were hired to kill.
On the evening of February 15, 2022, as Jordan and Hunter drove through a neighborhood looking for their intended victim, Jordan failed to stop at a stop sign. Michigan State Police troopers saw Jordan roll through the stop sign and conducted a traffic stop. During the stop, the troopers saw the assault rifles in the car. They seized a short barrel semi-automatic rifle with a collapsible stock from the floorboard near Jordan’s feet. They also seized another semi-automatic rifle from the front passenger floorboard near Hunter’s feet. Both rifles were loaded with chambered rounds and high-capacity magazines.
“This investigation is a great example of good police work by Michigan State Police; they thwarted a fatal shooting,” stated U.S. Attorney Ison. And cooperation between our state and federal partners remains strong, as ATF and the FBI continue to work diligently to hold all of those responsible accountable. This sentence should send a strong message to those within our boundaries or beyond that we will put our strongest effort to removing violent offenders from our streets.”
“This case represents a tale as old as time - choices have consequences. Julian Jordan made a choice to come up to Michigan from Alabama to murder someone. Now, he will have many years to reflect about his life choices behind bars. The message is simple - if you commit gun crime in Michigan, you should pack your bags for prison,” said Special Agent in Charge Deir.
"The thwarted murder-for-hire plot in this case underscores the significance of collaborative efforts between law enforcement agencies to ensure the safety of the citizens in our community," said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan. "Had it not been for the combined efforts of the ATF, Michigan State Police, and Flint Police Department working together as part of the Genesee County Safe Streets Task Force, the consequences could have been far more catastrophic. The FBI is committed to investigating violent crimes such as this and we remain steadfast in our goal of making Michigan's streets safer for everyone."
Reginald Hunter is currently scheduled to proceed to trial on December 5, 2023. The investigation of Person-1 remains ongoing.
This investigation was conducted by troopers of the Michigan State Police and special agents of the ATF’s Flint Field Office and the FBI’s Flint Resident Agency. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jules M. DePorre and Anthony P. Vance.
Accused Drug Dealers Arrested and Prosecuted for Illegal Drug Possession and Distribution Charges, 14,000 Fentanyl Pills SeizedRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY – A federal grand jury in Salt Lake City returned an indictment today that charges two foreign nationals for illicit drug possession, including fentanyl, with intent to distribute.
According to court documents, Juan Robles-Ramos, 22, of Clearfield, Utah, and Pedro De Jesus Figueroa-Roman, 19, of Clearfield, knowingly possessed narcotics with the intent to distribute. Beginning in July 2023, the FBI Wasatch Metro Drug Force (WMDTF) began a criminal investigation into Figueroa-Roman and Robles-Ramos, and other members of a drug trafficking organization believed to be distributing large quantities of narcotics in the District of Utah. Pursuant to a controlled purchase of heroin, agents identified Robles-Ramos and learned that the two defendants lived together. On October 6, 2023, during the execution of a search warrant of Robles-Ramos’ and Figueroa-Roman’s residence, agents recovered approximately 1,444 grams of fentanyl, over 1,400 grams of heroin, and over $4,000 in cash. In a separate area of the residence, agents also recovered 1,292 grams of heroin. Robles-Ramos and Figueroa-Roman are in custody.
Robles-Ramos is charged with possession of heroin with intent to distribute. Figueroa-Roman is charged with possession of heroin with intent to distribute and possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute. The defendant’s initial court appearance on the indictment is scheduled for Oct. 19, 2023, at 2:00 p.m. in courtroom 8.4 before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.
U.S. Attorney, Trina A. Higgins, of the District of Utah made the announcement.
The FBI Wasatch Metro Drug Task Force (WMDTF) consisting of the FBI and Davis Metro Narcotic Strike Force (DMNSF) are investigating the case.
United States Attorney Brent Andrus of the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.
The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
17 October 2023
York County Man Sentenced to 12 Months in Prison for Identity TheftRead the Press Release
SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Ronald Geraldo Molina, age 37, of York, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today to 12 months’ imprisonment by United States District Court Judge Christopher C. Conner for aggravated identity theft.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Molina sold counterfeit debit cards to an undercover Pennsylvania State Trooper holding account and pin information from various financial institutions encoded on the magnetic strips. Investigators determined that the account information was likely stolen from a single gas station in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. In all, the scheme included 82 debit cards containing stolen identification information from consumers.
The case was investigated by the Homeland Security Investigation and the Pennsylvania State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd K. Hinkley prosecuted the case.
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York County Man Charged with Drug Trafficking and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Charles N. Lenhart, age 43, of York, Pennsylvania, was indicted on October 11, 2023, by a federal grand jury on drug trafficking and firearms offenses.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment charges Lenhart with possession with intent to distribute cocaine hydrochloride and fentanyl. Lenhart is further charged with possessing an Anderson Arms .223 caliber Am15, a Stevens 12-gauge shotgun, and an ESS .38 revolver in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The indictment also charges Lenhart with unlawful possession of firearms by a convicted felon. The offenses took place on May 31, 2023, in York County.
The case was investigated by the Lower Windsor Township Police department, York County Drug Task Force, Pennsylvania State Police, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney William Behe is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The maximum penalty for these offenses is up to life in prison, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Wisconsin Jury Convicts Corn Milling Company Officials for Workplace Safety Violations Following Deadly Mill ExplosionRead the Press Release
On Friday, Oct. 13, a federal jury in Madison, Wisconsin, convicted current and former Didion Milling Inc. officials of workplace safety, environmental, fraud and obstruction of justice charges following a deadly explosion in 2017 at a corn mill that Didion Milling operated in Cambria, Wisconsin. The explosion killed five workers and seriously injured others.
Didion Milling Vice President of Operations, Derrick Clark, was convicted of conspiring to falsify documents, making false Clean Air Act compliance certifications as Didion’s “responsible official” and obstructing the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) investigation of the explosion at the corn mill by making false and misleading statements during a deposition.
Former Didion Milling Food Safety Superintendent, Shawn Mesner, was convicted of participating in a fraud conspiracy against Didion Milling’s customers and conspiring to obstruct and mislead OSHA for his role in falsifying sanitation records used at Didion to track the completion of cleanings designed to remove accumulations of corn dust at the mill.
“The trial and convictions in this case show that compliance matters, and attempting to hide non-compliance, is not just a ‘technical’ violation,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “Managers and officers who enable corporate cultures that tolerate, encourage or cover up violations, and who participate in falsifying documents and obstructing agency investigations, will and must be held accountable in addition to the corporations.”
“The tragic loss of life in this case shows the terrible consequences that can result when companies fail to implement required health, safety and environmental measures,” said Assistant Administrator David M. Uhlmann of the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “The convictions of Didion Milling senior managers sends a clear message that EPA and our law enforcement partners will investigate and prosecute companies that put profits above the health and safety of their workers.”
“Derrick Clark and Shawn Messner chose to intentionally mislead OSHA investigators and made false statements about their knowledge of working conditions at the plant to protect themselves and cover their mistakes,” said OSHA Regional Administrator Bill Donovan in Chicago. “Their blatant actions demonstrated a callous disregard for the loss of life, injuries and property damage that occurred under their leadership at the Didion Mill. Both Clark and Messner ignored their legal and moral obligation to protect workers before and after the explosion. OSHA is committed to taking all necessary action to hold employers responsible for protecting workers on the job.”
Grain dust can be explosive, and OSHA safety standards require grain milling facilities like the Didion Milling corn mill to develop and implement housekeeping programs, including regular cleanings, to reduce grain dust accumulation. Didion Milling maintained its master sanitation schedule to record the performance of required cleanings. Clark and Mesner were convicted of participating in a conspiracy to falsify that cleaning log, including directing others to backfill entries for uncompleted cleanings.
Federal law gives OSHA six months to gather facts and issue appropriate citations after a safety violation occurrence. In matters involving worker deaths, evidence that corporate managers knew about violations can result in issuance of a “willful” citation and a criminal referral. OSHA subpoenaed Clark’s testimony in September 2017, during the corn mill explosion fatality investigation. Clark gave false and misleading testimony about his knowledge of problems with the dust collection system at Didion’s corn mill, his knowledge of explosion hazards and his knowledge of prior fires at the facility.
Additionally, a permit issued under the Clean Air Act required compliance by Didion Milling at its corn mill including the operation of baghouses equipment, which are designed to limit the release of particulate matter like corn dust into the environment. The permit also required a “responsible official,” a senior manager with authority, to periodically certify the mill’s compliance with air pollution control permit conditions and disclose known permit violations. Clark falsely certified Didion’s compliance without disclosing that baghouse logs – documentation on maintenance of baghouse equipment – had been systematically falsified to conceal permit violations.
Didion Milling sold its milled corn products to food and beverage manufacturers. Sanitation at food manufacturing facilities is necessary for food safety, and excessive accumulations of grain dust can cause food safety problems. Through deceptive means, including repeatedly presenting a falsified cleaning log to food safety auditors, Mesner conspired to deceive Didion’s customers about its sanitation practices. As food safety superintendent, Mesner directed operations personnel to falsify the log to make it appear as if the cleaning schedule was being followed.
The jury on Friday also acquitted former Didion Milling environmental manager James Lenz of charges relating to falsifying environmental records and conspiring to make false statements and obstruct agency proceedings.
Didion Milling previously pleaded guilty to falsifying the cleaning logs and baghouse logs at the mill and agreed to pay a criminal fine of $1 million and restitution of $10.25 million to the victims of the 2017 explosion. Didion Milling shift superintendents Nicholas Booker, Michael Bright and Joel Niemeyer previously pleaded guilty to false statement charges for participating in the falsification of the cleaning logs and baghouse logs. Didion Milling shift superintendent Anthony Hess pleaded guilty to obstructing OSHA by making false and misleading statements about the accuracy of the cleaning log during a sworn statement taken as part of OSHA’s investigation into the mill explosion. Former Didion Milling environmental manager Joseph Winch previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to conceal environmental violations from regulators by falsifying compliance certifications and providing falsified logs to regulators.
Sentencing hearings for each of the defendants before U.S. District Court Judge James D. Peterson for the Western District of Wisconsin will be scheduled at a later date.
The EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Samuel Charles Lord and Joel LaBissonniere and Senior Trial Attorney Richard J. Powers of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section are prosecuting the case, with logistical and victim services support from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Wisconsin.
United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Alabama’s Offers Stand Against Firearm Endangerment (SAFE) Student Pledge to SchoolsRead the Press Release
MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA — Acting United States Attorney Jonathan S. Ross announced that this week the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Alabama is working with schools across the district to encourage students to participate in the Stand Against Firearm Endangerment (SAFE) Student Pledge. With a focus on keeping schools and communities safe, students in middle school and high school are signing a voluntary pledge promising that they will assume that any gun they see might be loaded, they will never take a gun to school, they will never resolve a dispute with a gun, and they will use their influence to prevent friends from using guns to resolve disputes. Elementary school children are making a similar commitment—pledging that they will not play with a gun and that, if they see a gun, they will not touch it and they will tell a teacher or a trusted adult. Students are making the SAFE Student Pledge this week in conjunction with the National Day of Concern for Young People and Gun Violence, which will be observed on October 18, 2023.
The SAFE Student Pledge recognizes the role young people play in reducing gun endangerment and violence by making responsible decisions. The pledge also seeks to foster discussions among students and their families about the necessity of gun safety and non-violent ways to resolve disputes.
“Each year, far too many lives are lost due to accidents and poor choices,” stated Acting United States Attorney Ross. “This initiative seeks to encourage young people to make responsible decisions and, as a result, cut down on the number of needless injuries and deaths.”
The United States Attorney’s Office reached out to schools in the Middle District of Alabama to make the pledges available. Schools or youth organizations may also participate in the SAFE Student Pledge throughout the year by visiting www.justice.gov/usao-mdal/safe-student-pledge and submitting a request.
The SAFE Student Pledge initiative is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a national program that has been historically successful in bringing together law enforcement agencies and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Schools participating in the SAFE Student Pledge this week are located in a variety of counties within the Middle District of Alabama, including Autauga, Chambers, Chilton, Coffee, Coosa, Elmore, Geneva, Henry, Macon, Montgomery, Pike, and Randolph.
U.S. Attorney’s Office and Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division Announce Investigation of City of Trenton and Trenton Police DepartmentRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger for the District of New Jersey and Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke for the Civil Rights Division announced today that the Justice Department has opened a civil pattern or practice investigation into the City of Trenton and the Trenton Police Department (TPD).
The investigation will seek to determine whether there are systemic violations of the Constitution and federal law by TPD. The investigation will focus on TPD’s use of force and its stops, searches and arrests. The investigation will include a comprehensive review of TPD policies, training and supervision, in addition to complaint intake, internal investigation protocols, complaint reviews, complaint adjudications and disciplinary decisions.
U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger“Police officers have the difficult job of keeping us safe, and most officers do this work with honor and distinction. But if police officers abuse the trust the community places in them and fail to respect the constitutional rights of those in the community, and if the community feels threatened by those who wear the badge, it undermines public safety and endangers the very citizens they swore to protect and serve. Unfortunately, we have reviewed numerous reports that Trenton police officers may have used force inappropriately and conducted stops, searches, and arrests with no good reason in violation of individuals’ constitutional rights. Today’s announcement reflects our office’s commitment to ensuring effective, constitutional policing in Trenton and throughout New Jersey. Trenton residents should be assured that we will conduct a thorough and impartial investigation of the Trenton Police Department, and that we will address any unlawful conduct we find.”
“The public must have trust and confidence that police officers will treat them fairly and with respect,” said Assistant Attorney General Clarke. “The Justice Department is opening an investigation into the Trenton Police Department after an extensive review of publicly available information and other information provided to us suggesting that officers used force, stopped motorists and pedestrians and conducted searches of homes and cars in violation of the Constitution and federal law. Such conduct, if true, creates an environment of distrust between police officers and the community. The Justice Department will conduct a full and fair investigation into these allegations, and if we substantiate those violations, the department will take appropriate action to remedy them.”
Before this announcement, officials from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey and the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division notified Trenton Mayor Reed Gusciora, Director Steve Wilson of TPD and Director Wes Bridges of the Trenton Law Department, who have all pledged to cooperate with the investigation. As part of this investigation, the Justice Department and U.S. Attorney’s Office will conduct outreach to community groups and members of the public to learn about their experiences with TPD.
The U.S Attorney’s Office and the Special Litigation Section of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division will jointly conduct this investigation pursuant to the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, which prohibits state and local governments through their law enforcement officers from engaging in a pattern or practice of conduct by law enforcement officers that deprives people of rights protected by the Constitution and federal law. If the Justice Department has reasonable cause to believe that the law enforcement officers of a state or local government have engaged in a prohibited pattern or practice, the department is authorized to bring a lawsuit seeking court-ordered changes to remedy the violations. In this investigation, the department will assess the law enforcement practices under the Fourth and 14th Amendments to the U.S. Constitution.
Individuals with relevant information are encouraged to contact the Justice Department via email at [email protected] or by phone at 973-645-2801. Individuals can also report civil rights violations regarding this or other matters using the reporting portal of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, available at www.civilrights.justice.gov or the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey’s civil rights reporting portal, available at www.justice.gov/usao-nj/civil-rights-enforcement/complaint.
Additional information about the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division is available on its website at www.justice.gov/crt. Additional information about civil rights enforcement at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, including the Office’s Civil Rights Division, is available at www.justice.gov/usao-nj/civil-rights-enforcement.
prs_remarks_trenton.pdfU.S. Attorney’s Office Affirms the Significance of Supporting National Night Out EventsRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, VI – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of the Virgin Islands joins community organizers, neighbors, and law enforcement partners in recognition of National Night Out held throughout the territory in October. For this year’s National Night Out, the Virgin Islands Law Enforcement Planning Commission and the Virgin Islands Juvenile Justice State Advisory Group Board have organized several events territory-wide.
One event was held in Buddhoe Park, St. Croix on October 7th and another at the Franklin Powell Bandstand on St. John on October 13th. The following additional events are scheduled on St. Thomas:
- October 27th, 2023, at 5 p.m. – Community Prayer & Praise Day – Promenade by the Waterfront
- October 28th, 2023, at 4 p.m. – Emile Griffith Park to Emancipation Garden
“National Night Out events are a vital opportunity to reaffirm the close partnership between law enforcement and the communities we serve,” United States Attorney Delia Smith said.
National Night Out was established in 1984 with funding from the U.S. Department of Justice Bureau of Justice Assistance. It is an annual community-building campaign that promotes partnerships and camaraderie between law enforcement and the communities they serve to make neighborhoods safer places to live. Millions take part in National Night Out across thousands of communities throughout the country. The program is administered by the National Association of Town Watch, a nationwide non-profit organization.
In the Virgin Islands, the program is coordinated by local law enforcement and trained volunteers and brings police and neighbors together under positive circumstances. Neighborhoods host block parties, cookouts, festivals, parades, safety demonstrations, seminars, youth events, visits from emergency personnel, and more. The goal is to send a message that neighbors are united and working together to keep their communities and each other safe.
To register as a provider at a local National Night Out event, please contact the Virgin Islands Law Enforcement Planning Commission: Jacqueline Freeman or Ana Creque at (340) 774-6500 ext. 210 or 209.
For more information, please visit https://natw.org/.
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U.S. Attorney Hamdani to participate in discussion on national security and protecting American technologiesRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – The Greater Houston Partnership and U.S. Commercial Service are hosting a forum Thursday, Oct. 19 from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. to support engagement for the Disruptive Technology Strike Force with business leaders in Houston.
U.S. Attorney Hamdani will participate in a session entitled Global Trade Threats and National & Economic Security featuring leadership from the Department of Justice’s National Security Division (NSD) and Department of Commerce.
Other speakers on varying topics include personnel from FBI and Homeland Security Investigations.
Speakers will discuss best practices to protect U.S. companies from hidden threats that can compromise sensitive information and leave them vulnerable to a host of security attacks. Topics include global trade threats, cyber threats, theft of trade secrets, economic espionage and more.
Under the leadership of the NSD and BIS, the strike force was launched to protect U.S. advanced technologies' critical technological assets that are at risk of being illegally acquired by foreign adversaries. The strike force operates in 14 metropolitan regions across the United States including Houston and Dallas with oversight from the local U.S. Attorneys’ Offices.
According to the DOJ, nation-state adversaries such as the People’s Republic of China, Iran, Russia and North Korea can use advanced technology to enhance its military capabilities, improve calculations in weapons design and testing and develop algorithms to break encryptions that protect sensitive data and classified information.
Registration is $40 to attend and the registration form is available online. Open to the public and media, the discussions will be held at Partnership Tower, 701 Avenida De Las Americas Houston, TX 77010.
Click here for more information on the Disruptive Technology Strike Force.
Two sentenced for federal drug crimes in West VirginiaRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Two people were sentenced for drug trafficking charges in the Northern District of West Virginia.
Brandy Hanshaw, also known as Brandy Deberry, age 40, of Lumberport, West Virginia, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and distribution of methamphetamine. According to court documents, Hanshaw sold methamphetamine in Harrison County. The investigation connected at least 1.5 kilograms of methamphetamine to Hanshaw.
In a separate case, Lewis Johnson, age 35, of Detroit, Michigan, was sentenced to two years in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. According to court documents and statements made in court, Johnson was one of 11 defendants charged in a drug trafficking conspiracy that stretched from Detroit to Monongalia County. Investigators conducted a search warrant of Johnson’s hotel room and vehicle in Morgantown and found fentanyl.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Cogar prosecuted the Hanshaw case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Zelda Wesley prosecuted the Johnson case on behalf of the government.
The Greater Harrison Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated the Hanshaw case. The Johnson case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Mon Metro Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative.
Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.
Two Sentenced for Federal Methamphetamine Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Paducah, KY – Two members of a methamphetamine distribution conspiracy were sentenced yesterday for their roles in the conspiracy. Both were also convicted of possessing with the intent to distribute methamphetamine on two occasions.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge J. Todd Scott of the DEA Louisville Field Division, Sheriff Matt Hillbrecht of the Marshall County Sheriff’s Office, and Commissioner Phillip Burnett, Jr. of the Kentucky State Police made the announcement.
According to court documents, Angela Dawn Moore, 43, of Marshall County, Kentucky, and Kevin Bellamy, 44, of Paducah, Kentucky, were sentenced for conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute and to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine in the Western District of Kentucky. Both defendants were also sentenced for possession with the intent to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine based upon seizures made by the Marshall County Sheriff’s Office in January of 2021 and the Kentucky State Police in March of 2021.
Moore was sentenced to 12 years and 6 months in prison followed by 5 years of supervised release. Bellamy was sentenced to 4 years in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by the DEA Paducah post of duty, the Marshall County Sheriff’s Office, and the Kentucky State Police.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Hancock, Chief of the U.S. Attorney’s Paducah Branch Office, prosecuted the case.
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Two Men from Mississippi and Alabama Sentenced for Actions During Jan. 6 Capitol BreachRead the Press Release
Thomas Harlen Smith, 45, of Mathiston, Mississippi, was sentenced to 108 months in prison and 36 months of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Reggie B. Walton. A jury convicted Smith of 11 charges, including nine felonies and two misdemeanors, on May 5, 2023.
Donnie Duane Wren, 44, of Athens, Alabama, was sentenced to 12 months and one day in prison and 24 months of supervised release by Judge Walton. A jury convicted Wren of two felonies and one misdemeanor on May 5, 2023.
According to evidence presented during the trial and court documents, on Jan. 5, 2021, Smith traveled from his home in Mississippi to Washington, D.C., to attend a rally held by former President Trump the next day and picked up his cousin, defendant Wren, from his home in Alabama along the way. On the morning of Jan. 6, 2021, Smith and Wren attended the rally and afterward made their way toward the U.S. Capitol building. Before entering Capitol grounds, Smith climbed a column near the African American History Museum with the outdated Mississippi state flag.
Smith and Wren arrived on the restricted Capitol grounds and observed other rioters climbing scaffolding erected around the stage for the Presidential Inauguration. The two then climbed the structure and made their way to the Lower West Terrace Tunnel. Smith pushed toward the front of a group of rioters and used a flagpole like a spear to try to break a window next to the Lower West Terrace doors. Smith thrust his flagpole at the window five times. He then surged through the doorway, where he and a mass of other rioters pushed into a line of Metropolitan Police Department (“MPD”) officers attempting to hold the door shut.
Smith then exited the Tunnel and reunited with his cousin, Wren, who had witnessed the violence directed by other rioters against police officers in the area. The two posed for a photograph together on the Lower West Terrace. Smith and Wren then climbed up a railing to the Upper West Terrace and confronted a line of police officers using riot shields and attempting to clear the area. Smith and Wren pushed back against the police line, placing their hands on the officer’s shields and leaning back into the police. Wren leaned all his weight into the riot shield, preventing the police officer from advancing. Wren’s push against the riot shield was an early assault on the Terrace that instigated the fight between rioters and police attempting to clear the area.
While this occurred, Smith witnessed an object fly past him and hit an officer. Smith yelled at the officer, “You deserve that, you piece of s—!” At 4:35 p.m., Smith kicked an MPD officer in the back—sending the officer to the ground. Smith then picked up a metal pole-like object and threw it toward the line of police, striking two MPD officers in the head.
Later that day, on Facebook, Smith described the assault on the Capitol: “Patriots stood together and battled the tyrannical cops throughout the entire afternoon.”
Smith was convicted of 11 charges at trial, including felony offenses of assaulting officers with a dangerous weapon; obstruction of an official proceeding; two counts of civil disorder; two counts of assaulting, impeding, or resisting officers; entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds with a deadly or dangerous weapon; disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds with a deadly or dangerous weapon; and engaging in physical violence in a restricted building or grounds with a dangerous weapon. He was also convicted of two misdemeanors: disorderly conduct in the Capitol grounds or buildings and an act of physical violence in the Capitol grounds or buildings.
Wren was convicted of civil disorder and assaulting, impeding, or resisting officers, both felonies, and a single misdemeanor charge of entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds.
This case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the National Security Division's Counterterrorism Section. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Northern District of Mississippi, the Northern District of Alabama, and the Southern District of Florida.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington and Birmingham Field Offices and the Homestead, Florida and Oxford, Mississippi Resident Agencies, which listed Wren as #219 on their seeking information photos. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Capitol Police, the Metropolitan Police Department, and the Prince George’s County Police Department.
In the 33 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,100 individuals have been charged in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including more than 400 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement, a felony. The investigation remains ongoing.
Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.
Troy Resident Charged with Communicating ThreatsRead the Press Release
GREENSBORO – Sandra J. Hairston, United States Attorney for the Middle District of North Carolina, announced today that JEFFREY SCOTT HOBGOOD, of Troy, was arrested yesterday and charged with communicating threats.
According to publicly filed court documents, on or about October 11, 2023, HOBGOOD sent an email to an address associated with a Jewish organization stating, in part, “I am going to take out every one of you.” On October 13, 2023, after being contacted by law enforcement, HOBGOOD sent a second email to the same address saying, in part, “Guess what happens to traitors? . . . Public execution. . . . We are at war . . . . If you think you semite pieces of s[***] are going to win, then you are delusional.”
Court documents further allege that in June 2022, HOBGOOD sent multiple threatening emails to a family member.
HOBGOOD is charged with a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 875(c), transmitting in interstate commerce a communication containing a threat to injure the person of another. If convicted, HOBGOOD faces a maximum term of 5 years of imprisonment, a fine not to exceed $250,000, or both.
“No one in America should be threatened based on their race, nationality, religion, gender, or other protected characteristics,” said United States Attorney Sandra J. Hairston. “Individuals who target other community members will be held accountable for their actions.”
“No one should be threatened with violence or acts of hate because of who they are or how they worship. The FBI partners with communities of faith across North Carolina. Crimes driven by hate have no place in our state,” said Robert M. DeWitt, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in North Carolina.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys JoAnna McFadden and Ashley Waid.
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