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16 October 2023
Justice Department Secures Settlement in Case Concerning Disability-Based Discrimination at Multifamily Housing Complexes in MarylandRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that Maryland-based developer Humphrey-Stavrou Associates Inc. (Humphrey-Stavrou) and related entities have agreed to pay $475,000 to settle claims that they violated the Fair Housing Act (FHA) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The claims alleged that the defendants failed to build required accessible features for people with disabilities, including those who use wheelchairs, at six multi-family housing complexes across Maryland. As part of the settlement, the defendants also agreed to make extensive retrofits to remove accessibility barriers at the three properties Humphrey-Stavrou still owns and the three properties Humphrey-Stavrou sold to third parties.
“When the retrofits required by these settlements are completed, people with disabilities will have equal access to 1,300 more residential units in Maryland,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department remains committed to ensuring that apartment complexes are accessible to people with disabilities.”
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland is dedicated to ensuring that developers who fail to abide by the Fair Housing Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act will be held accountable,” said U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron for the District of Maryland. “These settlements will help ensure Marylanders with disabilities have fair and equal access to their homes by making these housing complexes more accessible.”
Humphrey-Stavrou will deposit a sum of $410,000 in an account to be used to retrofit the three properties it has sold since construction, which are now owned by other entities.
The agreement with Humphrey-Stavrou, which must still be approved by the court, also requires the defendants to pay $60,000 into a settlement fund to compensate individuals who were harmed by the inaccessible conditions and $5,000 to the government in civil penalties to vindicate the public interest.
Under the agreement, the defendants will, among other things, replace steeply sloped walkways, widen doorways and modify bathrooms so they are accessible for individuals who use wheelchairs. The agreement also requires the defendants to receive training about the FHA and the ADA, to ensure that their future multi-family housing construction complies with these laws and to provide periodic reports to the Justice Department. The six complexes are:
- Pin Oak Village, Bowie, Maryland;
- Woodland Creek Apartments (formerly Henson Creek Manor I and II Apartments), Fort Washington, Maryland;
- Woodside Village Apartments, Fort Washington, Maryland;
- Acclaim at Lake Largo (formerly Largo Center Apartments), Largo, Maryland;
- Randolph Village Senior Apartments, Silver Spring, Maryland; and
- Vistas at Lake Largo, Upper Marlboro, Maryland.
The Justice Department previously resolved part of its lawsuit, which was filed in September 2022, with Stavrou Associates Inc. and related entities, which agreed to pay $185,000 to settle claims that they failed to build the required accessibility features in 11 other multi-family housing complexes in Maryland. Stavrou Associates Inc. also agreed to make extensive retrofits to remove accessibility barriers at the complexes. The U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland entered the parties’ settlement, in the form of a consent order, on Nov. 22, 2022.
The 11 complexes built by Stavrou Associates Inc. that are the subject of the previously entered consent decree are:
- Villages at Belle Hill, Elkton, Maryland;
- Burgess Mill Station I, Ellicott City, Maryland;
- Burgess Mill Station II, Ellicott City, Maryland;
- River Point Apartments, Essex, Maryland;
- Hammarlee House Apartments, Glen Burnie, Maryland;
- Overland Gardens, Landover, Maryland;
- Rainier Manor Phase II Apartments, Mount Rainier, Maryland;
- Chapel Springs Senior Apartments, Perry Hall, Maryland;
- Hampshire Village, Silver Spring, Maryland;
- Windsor Crossing Family Apartments, Suitland, Maryland; and
- Windsor Crossing Senior Apartments, Suitland, Maryland.
The combined 17 properties at issue in the case were built with financial assistance from the federal government’s Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program and the HOME Investment Partnerships Program, and some of the properties are specifically marketed as housing for seniors.
Individuals who believe they or someone they know may have had difficulties because of the inaccessible conditions at any of these properties should send an e-mail to the Justice Department at [email protected] or leave a message at 1-833-591-0291, selecting option 1 for English, selecting option 4 for housing accessibility for persons with disabilities and selecting option 4.
The FHA prohibits discrimination in housing based on disability, race, color, religion, national origin, sex and familial status. This law requires that most multifamily housing buildings with four or more units constructed after March 13, 1991, have basic accessible features. Enacted in 1990, the ADA requires that places of public accommodation, such as rental offices at multifamily housing complexes constructed after Jan. 26, 1993, be accessible to persons with disabilities.
More information about the Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces is available at www.usdoj.gov/crt. Individuals may report disability discrimination or other forms of housing discrimination by calling the Justice Department at 1-833-591-0291 or submitting a report online at www.civilrights.justice.gov. Individuals also may report discrimination by contacting the Department of Housing and Urban Development at 1-800-669-9777 or by filing a complaint online.
humphrey-stavrou_proposed_consent_order_submitted_2023-10-16.pdfJoint Statements by U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida, and Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri, FBI, Miami Field Office Reinforcing Commitment to Combat Hate Crimes and Potential ThreatsRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida, and Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri, FBI, Miami Field Office, issued the following statements, reinforcing a united commitment to combat hate crimes and potential threats:
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office and our local FBI partners are focused on protecting the safety and the civil rights of every person in South Florida,” said U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida. “There is no justification for terrorism. There is no place for hate, evil acts, or threats against Jews, Muslims, or anyone in our diverse South Florida communities or around the globe. We hold a place in our hearts for anyone impacted by acts of terror and grieve for those who are suffering unspeakable losses. As Attorney General Merrick B. Garland stated this weekend ‘We will use every legal authority at our disposal to bring to justice those who perpetrate illegal acts of hate.’”
“FBI Miami is working closely with our law enforcement partners in South Florida to share information and identify and disrupt any threats that may emerge,” stated Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri, FBI, Miami Field Office. “As always, we take seriously any tips or leads we receive regarding potential threats and investigate them rigorously to determine their credibility. The FBI encourages members of the public to remain vigilant and report anything they consider suspicious to law enforcement.”
The community is encouraged to report all suspected hate crimes to the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or tips.fbi.gov.
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Huntington Woman Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Laura Leigh Jones, 32, of Huntington, pleaded guilty today to distribution of a quantity of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on May 5 2023, Jones sold approximately 1 ounce of methamphetamine to a confidential informant at her Richmond Street residence. Jones admitted to arranging the transaction beforehand. Jones further admitted to selling quantities of methamphetamine to the informant on two other occasions in May 2023.
On May 11, 2023, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Jones’ residence and seized quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl, a Tauris PT22 .22-caliber pistol, and .22-caliber ammunition. Jones admitted to the officers that she had been involved in the distribution of drugs within the Southern District of West Virginia and possessed the seized firearm for protection following the theft of fentanyl from her.
Jones is scheduled to be sentenced on January 22, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:23-cr-82.
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Houston businessman charged with fraudRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 55-year-old Houston resident is now in custody for wire fraud in relation to a fraudulent loan scheme, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Authorities took Michael Wayne Galvan into custody Oct. 12. He is expected to make his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Christina Bryan at 2 p.m.
The three-count indictment, returned Aug. 17, alleges Galvan owned and operated MWG Ventures LLC dba MGB Builders. He allegedly defrauded various individuals by making false representations to obtain loans from them.
Galvan solicited loans to purchase tile and granite from China and overseas for his construction business, according to the charges. However, the indictment alleges he did not use the loan money for that purpose and instead used some of it to repay loans and interest to other lenders.
If convicted, Galvan faces up to 20 years in prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
The FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Braddock is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
High Ranking Gang Member Receives 19.5 Years in Federal Prison for Leadership Role in Drug Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
RALEIGH , N.C. – William Dayshawn Wilson, also known as “Santana,” of New Bern, North Carolina, was sentenced to 234 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and aiding and abetting. On June 3, 2022, Wilson, age 32, pled guilty to the charges.
“We are committed to keeping our streets safe from the destructive influence of gang activity and the deadly impact of fentanyl trafficking. Today’s sentencing is a clear message to those who engage in such criminal enterprises will face the full force of the law. We will relentlessly protect our communities and ensure justice is served,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley.
According to court documents, evidence presented in court, and other documents, on January 13, 2019, Craven County Sheriff’s Office Deputies responded to a report of shots fired at one of Wilson’s drug stash houses at the Gracie Farms trailer park in Craven County. Law enforcement discovered that Coriana Cox had been killed as individuals shot into the trailer, likely as a part of an attempted robbery.
Before law enforcement arrived at the drug stash house, Wilson called someone inside the residence and told them to get rid of the narcotics and firearms that were inside. During the homicide investigation, law enforcement found 46 grams of fentanyl that had not yet been destroyed.
The investigation revealed that from 2014 until 2020, Wilson orchestrated drug trips from New Jersey to Eastern North Carolina and oversaw several drug “trap houses” in Craven County. The investigation uncovered that Wilson was involved in the distribution of large amounts of heroin, cocaine, and fentanyl.
On April 2, 2019, Wilson was arrested in Greenville, North Carolina for a North Carolina State probation violation. Wilson had attempted to alter his appearance, was in possession of a Florida Driver’s license in the name of “Akiz Jackman,” and had a suitcase that contained more than $30,000.
On April 24, 2019, law enforcement observed Shatavia Wilson, William Wilson’s wife, meet someone in a parking lot in Craven County. Following that meeting, that person placed a shoebox in the trunk of Shatavia Wilson’s car. Officers conducted a traffic stop on the car. A K-9 alerted on the car and officers found more than more $42,000 in the shoebox.
On May 1, 2019, Wilson used a recorded jail phone to arrange for someone to pick up heroin from New Jersey for distribution in Eastern North Carolina. Detectives were able to confirm that a third party left New Bern and travelled to Newark, New Jersey. On May 3, 2019, members of the Granville County Sheriff’s Office stopped the car in Oxford, North Carolina and found 80 grams of heroin.
According to law enforcement and other information, Wilson was one of the highest-ranking Blood gang members in Craven County and had a reputation for using fear and intimidation.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launders, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the United States Marshal’s Fugitive Task Force, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Craven and Granville County Sheriffs’ Offices, the New Bern Police Department, Craven County District Attorney Scott Thomas, and the Craven County District Attorney’s Office investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Scott Lemmon and Timothy Severo prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on our website. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:21-CR-0053-D-1.
Hagerstown Man Pleads Guilty to Making a False Statement on a Loan Application to Obtain COVID-19 FundsRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Jeffrey Bearden, age 47, of Hagerstown, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to making a false statement on a loan application relating to the submission of 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 Erek L. Barron, United States Attorney for the District of Maryland; Special Agent in Charge James C. Harris of Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”) Baltimore; and Special Agent in Charge Amaleka McCall-Brathwaite of the Small Business Administration Office of Inspector (“SBA OIG”), Eastern Region.
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, through participating financial institutions.
According to his plea agreement, Bearden was the Chief Executive Officer of B&D Consulting Inc., a corporation that provided information technology services, including cybersecurity services. As detailed in the plea agreement, on May 1, 2020, Bearden submitted an application for a $734,609 PPP loan for B&D Consulting. As part of the application, Bearden certified that the loan application and supporting documents for his company, B&D Consulting, were accurate and correct. The $734,609 PPP loan was intended to be used primarily for employee salaries, but at the time of the application, the company had no employees, nor reported paying any earnings and wages for any employee to the Maryland Department of Labor and Licensing (DLLR) in 2020.
According to court documents, on May 18, 2020, the loan was approved and $734,609 was deposited into B&D’s bank account. That same day, the $734.609 was transferred to a different B&D bank account and a total of approximately $69,848.06 was subsequently transferred to Bearden and three other individuals. The next month, $600,000 was transferred to Bearden’s brokerage account and was used to purchase stocks in a variety of publicly traded companies, including one that produced a vaccine for COVID-19. The purchase of stocks is not an approved use of PPP loan funds by the Small Business Administration.
In February 2021, Bearden applied for a second PPP loan in a similar amount, attaching a fraudulent bank statement for B&D Consulting for the month of March 2020 showing the company was paying salaries to at least 19 individuals and that there had been $335,000 in total deposits and $332,017.10 in total withdrawals from the account. In fact, no deposits or withdraws had been made from that account in March 2020 and the account was overdrawn by more than $275. A loan for $734,609 was initially approved but later cancelled after the discovery of the fraudulent March 2020 bank statement and no funds were disbursed.
Bearden faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison. As part of his guilty plea, Bearden will also be required to pay a money judgment of $734,609 and to forfeit $16,562.15 seized from an investment account during the investigation. U.S. District Judge George L. Russell, III has scheduled sentencing for January 22, 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 Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“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 HSI and the SBA OIG for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron S.J. Zelinsky, who is prosecuting the federal 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 and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Guilty Plea Reached After over 50 Kilograms of Cocaine Interdicted in New Kent CountyRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Durham, North Carolina, man pleaded guilty today to attempted possession of more than 50 kilograms of cocaine.
According to court documents, on August 2, Jose Arellano-Rodriguez, 26, was arrested by Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents when he brought $90,000 to a rest stop in New Kent County to pay for what he believed was a load of more than 50 kilograms of cocaine. The load had been intercepted one week prior by law enforcement from within a vehicle believed to have crossed the Mexican border into the United States. The individuals Arellano-Rodriguez provided the money to were members of law enforcement. Once the money was provided by Arellano-Rodriguez, he was arrested and taken into custody. Following his arrest, law enforcement discovered a firearm in Arellano-Rodriguez’s possession.
Arellano-Rodriguez pleaded guilty to attempted possession of more than five kilograms of cocaine and is scheduled to be sentenced on February 20, 2024. He faces a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years and a maximum of life in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Jarod Forget, Special Agent in Charge for DEA’s Washington Division; and Derek W. Gordon, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C., made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Jamar K. Walker accepted the plea.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric M. Hurt is prosecuting the case.
Assistance was provided by the Washington/Baltimore High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) task force.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:23-cr-61.
Former Navy IT Manager Sentenced to over 5 Years in Prison for Hacking a Computer Database, Stealing over 9,000 People’s Identities, and Selling the Information for $160,000 in BitcoinRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Former Navy IT Manager Marquis Hooper, 32, of Selma, California, was sentenced today to five years and five months in prison for hacking a computer database that contained personally identifiable information (PII) and selling it, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court records, in August 2018, Hooper opened an online account with a company that runs a database containing the PII for millions of people. The company restricts access to the database to businesses and government agencies that have a demonstrated, lawful need for the PII. Hooper, however, opened his database account by falsely representing to the company that the Navy needed him to perform background checks.
After Hooper opened his database account, he added his wife and co-defendant, Natasha Chalk, to the account. They then stole over 9,000 people’s PII and sold it to other individuals on the dark web for $160,000 in bitcoin.
At least some of the individuals to whom Hooper and Chalk sold the PII used it to commit further crimes. For example, one individual used the PII to create a fake driver’s license and then tried to withdraw money from the victim’s bank account.
In December 2018, Hooper’s database account was closed for suspected fraud. Thereafter, Hooper, Chalk, and an unindicted co-conspirator tried to regain access to the database. Hooper instructed the unindicted co-conspirator to open a new database account by representing that the Navy needed him to perform background checks just like Hooper had done. Hooper offered to pay the unindicted co-conspirator $2,500 for each month that the database account was opened. The unindicted co-conspirator submitted an application to open the database account and the company told him that a supply officer had to sign the contract. Navy supply officers have contracting authority to purchase certain services and supplies for the Navy.
Hooper then sent the unindicted co-conspirator multiple documents falsely identifying an identity theft victim as the supposed Naval supply officer. These documents included a false contract, a fake driver’s license for the identity theft victim, and a forged letter purporting to be from a commanding officer in the Navy. The unindicted co-conspirator submitted the fake documents to the company, but the company decided not to open the new database account.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Barton is prosecuting the case.
Chalk is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 20, 2023. She faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
Former Jackson Police Officer Pleads Guilty to Submitting False Covid-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan ApplicationRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A Jackson man pleaded guilty to wire fraud in connection with his submission of a false COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) application.
According to court documents, Wesley Murray, Sr., 54, submitted to the United States Small Business Association (“SBA”) a false EIDL application containing material misrepresentations. In reliance on his certification that he would use the EIDL funds for business purposes, the SBA awarded Murray approximately $72,400 in COVID-19 relief funds. Murray acknowledged that he used these funds for purely personal expenses. Pursuant to the terms of his plea agreement with the United States, Murray agreed to make full restitution to the SBA.
Murray is scheduled to be sentenced on January 10, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi and Acting Inspector General Stephen Ravas of the AmeriCorps Office of Inspector General made the announcement.
The case was investigated by the AmeriCorps Office of Inspector General. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kimberly T. Purdie.
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 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 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.
Former High Desert Doctor Pleads Guilty to Drug Distribution Charges for Illegally Issuing Prescriptions During Telehealth SessionsRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A former Antelope Valley physician pleaded guilty today to federal narcotics charges for illegally dispensing prescriptions for often-abused controlled substances – including opioid-based medications – during telemedicine sessions with “patients” from across the United States.
Raphael Tomas Malikian, 39, who resides in Llano and Palmdale, pleaded guilty to one count of aiding and abetting the acquisition of a controlled substance by fraud and one count of distribution of oxycodone.
The Medical Board of California suspended Malikian’s medical license in November 2021. His license expired in November 2022.
According to his plea agreement, from at least December 2019 to August 2021, Malikian was a licensed physician in California and, in this role, was authorized by the Drug Enforcement Administration to prescribe medication. Malikian also owned and operated Happy Family Medicine, a medical clinic that was advertised as being in a co-working space in the Hollywood district of Los Angeles, but primarily offered telehealth services via telephone or text message communications.
Malikian issued prescriptions for controlled substances to customers without first obtaining the person’s full medical history, conducting a physical examination, requiring medical testing, or utilizing diagnostic tools. Malikian did not verify his customers’ identities before prescribing controlled substances, and he allowed customers to obtain prescriptions in the names of others.
He also worked with two co-conspirators, who provided Malikian with false names, addresses, dates of birth, and Malikian issued controlled substance prescriptions accordingly, which the co-conspirators then filled and re-sold on the black market.
Many of Malikian’s fraudulent controlled substance prescriptions contained notes on the prescriptions or accompanying documentation that falsely urged pharmacies not to verify such prescriptions because medications were emergently needed and the failure to dispense could be life threatening because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Malikian issued hundreds of false prescriptions for liquid promethazine with codeine during this period – including to people he knew were fictitious patients and which totaled more than 82 liters – and directed them to be sent to various pharmacies across the nation for co-conspirators to obtain.
From April to July of 2020, Malikian prescribed to a buyer 702 pills of 10 milligrams oxycodone and 240 milliliters of promethazine with codeine. The customer, in fact, was an undercover law enforcement officer. Malikian issued each prescription to this buyer without conducting proper medical evaluations or verifying the buyer’s identity and was performed outside the scope of professional practice and without a legitimate medical purpose.
In addition, from May to July of 2020, Malikian prescribed to a customer – who also was an undercover law enforcement officer – 234 pills of the painkiller Norco, which contained a total of 2,340 milligrams of the opioid hydrocodone and 180 pills of alprazolam, an anxiety medication sold under the brand name Xanax. Once again, Malikian issued each prescription to this buyer without conducting proper medical evaluations or verifying the buyer’s identity and was performed outside the scope of professional practice and without a legitimate medical purpose.
United States District Judge Dale S. Fischer scheduled a February 5, 2024 sentencing hearing, at which time Malikian will face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for distribution of oxycodone and up to four years in federal prison for aiding and abetting the acquisition of a controlled substance by fraud.
The DEA investigated this matter. The California Department of Justice, Bureau of Medi-Cal Fraud and Elder Abuse provided substantial assistance.
Assistant United States Attorney Brittney M. Harris of the International Narcotics, Money Laundering, and Racketeering Section is prosecuting this case.
Former California Resident Sentenced to 13 Years of Imprisonment for Violating Federal Narcotics LawsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA – A former resident of Stockton, California has been sentenced in federal court to 13 years of imprisonment followed by five years of supervised release on his conviction for violating federal narcotics laws. This conviction is related to a nine-month Title III wiretap investigation into drug trafficking in and around the counties of Jefferson, Clearfield, and Allegheny, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
United States District Judge Christy Criswell Wiegand imposed the sentence on Marco Galvez, age 32.
According to information presented to the court, Galvez was a narcotics supplier who supplied at least 50 pounds of methamphetamine that was shipped from California and Nevada to Jefferson County, Clearfield County, and Allegheny County.
Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan D. Lusty prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Olshan commended the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, United States Postal Service – Office of Inspector General, United States Postal Inspection Service, Internal Revenue Services, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, Allegheny County Police, and Pennsylvania State Police. Also assisting were the Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office, Clearfield County District Attorney’s Office, and the Clarion Borough Police Department for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Galvez.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Former California Police Officer and Three Co-Defendants Sentenced for Years Long Operation of Illicit Massage BusinessesRead the Press Release
Peter Griffin, 79, a retired San Diego police officer and former vice detective, attorney and private investigator, was sentenced on Friday to 33 months in prison and one year of supervised release for committing various crimes in connection with his operation of five California and Arizona-based illicit massage businesses that profited for years by selling commercial sex under the guise of offering therapeutic massage services.
Griffin’s three female co-defendants, Kyung Sook Hernandez, 59, Yu Hong Tan, 57, and Yoo Jin Ott, 46, who managed the different illicit massage businesses in Griffin’s network, were each sentenced to six months in prison and one year of supervised release.
According to court documents, Griffin, Hernandez, Tan and Ott owned and operated “Genie Oriental Spa,” “Felicita Spa,” “Blue Green Spa,” “Maple Spa” and “Massage W Spa,” located in the greater San Diego area and in Tempe, Arizona, between 2013 and August 2022. The criminal scheme included incorporating their businesses with state agencies, managing the businesses’ illicit proceeds, advertising commercial sexual services online, recruiting and employing women to perform commercial sex services and benefiting financially from the illegal enterprises.
“Defendant Griffin – a former vice detective who once took an oath to uphold our laws – is being held accountable for abusing his position of authority and, with his co-defendants, operating illicit massage businesses and profiting by exploiting women for commercial sex,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This case is an example of how strong partnerships among law enforcement agencies can combat the illicit massage industry. The Justice Department will continue to prosecute those who callously prey on the most vulnerable members of our society.”
“Peter Griffin used the skills he developed as a vice detective — and his status as a former law enforcement officer — to operate a network of illicit massage businesses and evade law enforcement,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Thanks to this multiagency investigation, Griffin has been held accountable for his nearly decade-long criminal scheme. This case underscores the department’s commitment to prosecuting the purveyors of these illicit businesses, who profit from pressuring their employees to engage in commercial sex.”
“Illicit massage businesses hide in plain sight in many communities in America, including our district,” said U.S. Attorney Tara K. McGrath for the Southern District of California. “Operators of these businesses often profit through exploitation. For years, Peter Griffin used his connections as a former police officer for his own criminal profiteering. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to prosecuting these kinds of offenses, protecting our communities and ensuring that legitimate local businesses are not tarnished by criminal activity.”
“Peter Griffin abused and exploited vulnerable women by pressuring them into commercial sex for profit while taking advantage of his status in the community,” said Special Agent in Charge Chad Plantz of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) San Diego Field Office. “This sentence sends a clear message to those who mistakenly believe they can get away with such repugnant crimes. HSI, in collaboration with our law enforcement partners, will continue to work vigorously and bring to justice those who exploit and victimize vulnerable members of our community.”
“Law enforcement professionals swear an oath to protect and defend our communities, and the spirit of that oath should live on even when we stop carrying a badge,” said Special Agent in Charge Tyler Hatcher of the IRS Criminal Investigation (CI) Los Angeles Field Office. “Griffin preyed on people who should have felt safer because of his presence. He and his co-conspirators failed in their attempts to conceal their illicit activities because of our special agents’ unique ability to follow the money and a strong cross-agency effort to find the evidence to bring these predators to justice.”
Through this scheme, the defendants exploited the employees, mostly vulnerable women from Korea and China; pressured the employees to perform commercial sex services; and made substantial financial profits from the illegal commercial sexual activity. When one employee initially refused to perform commercial sexual services, one of the defendants instructed her to “leave [her] morals in China” in order to “make the customers happy.”
Griffin, who left the department in 2002, previously worked as a detective with the Vice Operations Unit of the San Diego Police Department, a unit tasked with dismantling the very businesses he operated and promoted for personal profit. Throughout the nine-year criminal scheme, Griffin used the experience and skills he acquired through his work as a vice detective – skills honed by his education as an attorney and work as a private investigator – and his reputation as a former police officer to help the businesses evade law enforcement; conceal evidence; pressure employees to engage in commercial sex; maintain a façade of legitimacy; and thwart regulatory inspections, investigations and any official action against the businesses.
Griffin repeatedly used his status as a former law enforcement officer to falsely assure local authorities that his businesses would be operated legitimately. On one occasion, Griffin flashed his badge to a local officer responding to a citizen complaint regarding one of his illicit businesses. Additionally, Griffin told an employee that he was a former police officer and instructed her not to “open [her] mouth” about working at the illicit massage business. Griffin’s co-defendants similarly informed employees of Griffin’s law enforcement background and his resulting “connections” and promised he would protect the illegal businesses from law enforcement detection. Griffin also abused resources he had access to by virtue of his private investigator license to obtain information on customers and employees on behalf of the illicit massage businesses.
HSI, IRS-CI and the San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force, a regional, multi-agency effort led by the California Justice Department dedicated to supporting survivors and holding traffickers accountable, led the investigation. The FBI San Diego Field Office, the San Diego Police Department, the San Diego Sherriff’s Office, the Escondido Police Department, the San Diego District Attorney’s Office and the Tempe, Arizona Police Department also supported the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jill Streja for the Southern District of California, Trial Attorney Caylee Campbell of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section and Trial Attorney Leah Branch of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit prosecuted the case, with assistance from Senior Financial Investigators Sheila Olander and Kathryn Montemorra of the Money Laundering Section’s Special Financial Investigations Unit.
Anyone who has information about human trafficking should report that information to the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free at 1-888-373-7888, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information about human trafficking, please visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org.
Former Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Office Deputy Pleads Guilty to Receipt of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that Todd Eric Tripp, age 35, of Sorrento, Louisiana, pled guilty before U.S. District Judge John W. deGravelles to receipt of child pornography. As a result of his conviction, Tripp faces a significant term of imprisonment, a fine, and a period of supervised release—which includes sex offender registration requirements.
According to admissions made during his plea, from March 2020, and continuing until October 2020, Tripp used a multimedia instant messaging application to obtain child pornography. Tripp received at least 15 images of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
This matter was being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Ascension Parish Sherriff’s Office, and the York County, South Carolina Sheriff’s Office. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Edward H. Warner and Criminal Chief Jamie A. Flowers Jr.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc.
Felon Pleads Guilty to the Unlawful Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
CONCORD – A Rhode Island man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Concord to the unlawful possession of a firearm as a convicted felon, First Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay McCormack announces.
Garrito (“Tony”) Fort, 39, pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm. U.S. District Court Judge Joseph N. Laplante scheduled sentencing for January 25, 2024. Fort was charged on August 1, 2022.
According to court documents, on the morning of November 1, 2021, Fort believed a man had scratched his car the night before, so he left a residence in Seabrook to confront him. Armed with a Taurus 9 mm pistol, Fort confronted the man for approximately three minutes. During the confrontation, two witnesses tried separating Fort and the man. One of the witnesses also told Fort to “put that gun away.” Fort fired two shots. The first shot seriously injured another man, and the second shot killed the man that Fort thought scratched his car. The shooting was captured on video camera.
The charging statute provides a sentence of no greater than 10 years in prison, 3 years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Seabrook Police Department, and New Hampshire State Police led the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexander S. Chen and Charles L. Rombeau are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cam T. Le also previously worked on this matter.
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Federal inmate convicted of assaulting correctional officerRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Dwight Foster, age 50, a federal inmate formerly housed at United States Penitentiary Hazelton in Bruceton Mills, was convicted of assaulting a correctional officer.
After a two-day trial, a jury found Foster guilty of assault of a correctional officer involving physical contact and possession of a weapon. According to court documents and statements made in court, Foster was found with a prison-made weapon during a random search. When a correctional officer attempted to seize the object from Foster and detain him, Foster struck the officer in the face and chest with his fist.
Foster faces up to 8 years in prison for the assault charge and up to 5 years for the weapon charge. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brandon Flower and Christie Utt prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.
Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.
Danbury Postmaster Admits Operating Bribery, Kickback, and Embezzlement SchemeRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, Kenneth Cleevely, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General, and Robert Fuller, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, today announced that on October 13, 2023, EPHREM D. NGUYEN, 50, formerly of Brookfield, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to a fraud offense stemming from a bribery, kickback, and embezzlement scheme he operated while serving as the Postmaster of the Danbury Post Office.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Nguyen was employed by the U.S. Postal Service (“USPS”) as the Postmaster of the Danbury Post Office in Danbury, with responsibilities that included supervising the maintenance and repair of all equipment, facilities, and vehicles assigned to the post office. In November 2020, Nguyen required that all Danbury Post Office vehicle maintenance and repair work be performed by a certain vendor, even though Nguyen knew that another vendor already had a contract for with the Danbury Post Office for those services. Nguyen demanded that the vendor provide free vehicle maintenance and repairs for himself, one of his children, a USPS employee, and employee of Nguyen’s personal business. In 2022, Nguyen solicited and received $90,000 in cash bribes from the vendor. In exchange for these bribes, Nguyen caused the USPS to overpay the vendor for vehicle maintenance and repair, which Nguyen characterized as a “raise.” Between approximately January 2022 and February 2023, Nguyen used USPS credit cards to pay the vendor more than $1 million, or approximately $760,000 more than necessary to pay for legitimate maintenance and repair work.
In addition, Nguyen embezzled more than $80,000 from the USPS by using his USPS credit cards to rent vehicles for the personal use of himself and others, and he approved more than $8,000 in fraudulent travel expense reimbursement claims for a co-worker.
Through these schemes, Nguyen defrauded the USPS of approximately $874,930.59.
“As federal employees, we take an oath to protect the public, including funds that have been allocated for federal services,” said U.S. Attorney Avery. “This corrupt employee operated a brazen bribery, kickback, and embezzlement scheme that defrauded the U.S. Postal Service of hundreds of thousands of dollars. I commend the USPS Office of Inspector General and the FBI for their excellent work in this investigation.”
“The public must have confidence that Postal Service employees will conduct their work in an honest manner,” said Kenneth Cleevely, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General. “When employees commit serious offenses, such as taking bribes, they will be aggressively investigated and prosecuted. We are gratified to have contributed to this investigation and applaud the exceptional work by the United States Attorney’s Office for assuring that there is no place for public corruption anywhere within the Postal Service.”
“Investigations into the breach of public trust by government employees are a top priority for the FBI, said FBI Special Agent in Charge Fuller. “We would like to extend our appreciation to the U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General for the excellent collaboration that led to this individual being brought to justice. We hope the results of this case and similar previous cases will send a clear message to anyone engaging in fraudulent government activities.”
Nguyen pleaded guilty to honest services wire fraud, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. Judge Underhill scheduled sentencing for January 5, 2024.
Nguyen who is currently residing in Quincy, Massachusetts, is released on a $100,000 bond pending sentencing.
This ongoing investigation is being conducted by the U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan N. Francis.
Corona Man Sentenced to Nearly 6 Years in Prison for Scheme that Fraudulently Obtained $2.1 Million in COVID Jobless BenefitsRead the Press Release
RIVERSIDE, California – A Riverside County man was sentenced today to 68 months in federal prison for orchestrating a scheme to obtain more than $2.1 million in pandemic-related unemployment insurance (UI) benefits by filing fraudulent applications claiming, among other things, that the claimants were salon and barbershop workers rendered jobless by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Robert Campbell Jr., 30, of Corona, was sentenced by United States District Judge Jesus G. Bernal, who also ordered him to pay $2,113,966 in restitution.
Campbell, this case’s lead defendant, pleaded guilty on March 6 to one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud in connection with a presidentially declared emergency and one count of mail fraud in connection with benefits connected to a presidentially declared emergency. He has been free on $100,000 bond since his July 2022 arrest in this case.
From March 2020 to July 2021, Campbell and other co-conspirators used the personally identifiable information (PII) of others – including names, dates of birth, and Social Security numbers – to file fraudulent UI applications with the California Employment Development Department (EDD), which administers the state’s unemployment insurance program.
The fraudulent UI claims were federally funded through programs authorized by Congress in response to the pandemic, including the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance and Lost Wage Assistance programs.
Many of the fraudulent claims were made on behalf of ineligible out-of-state claimants and on behalf of people ineligible for benefits because they were imprisoned, including one claimant in Texas.
The fraudulent applications falsely stated the claimants had prior annual incomes of $42,000 and they were self-employed individuals whose jobs were adversely impacted when salons and barbershop closed during the COVID-19 pandemic. The fraudulent applications listed mailing addresses with locations chosen and controlled by Campbell and his accomplices. Once the fraudulent applications were approved, debit cards were mailed to those addresses.
In total, Campbell and others caused 174 fraudulent applications to be filed with EDD, resulting in 125 fraudulent claims to be paid and resulting in total losses of approximately $2,113,966.
Campbell is the eighth and final defendant to be sentenced in this case. The other seven defendants pleaded guilty and Judge Bernal imposed previous sentences ranging from probation and home confinement to 18 months in federal prison.
“While the nation struggled with unprecedented loss of life and social and economic disruption, [Campbell] seized upon the dislocation wrought by the COVID-19 pandemic to defraud the public of more than $2.1 million,” prosecutors argued in a sentencing memorandum. “[Campbell] organized, led, and encouraged his coconspirators throughout, and mocked considerations of decency and honesty at every turn in his communications with them.”
The United States Department of Labor Office of Inspector General and the California Employment Development Department Investigation Division are investigating this matter. Homeland Security Investigations, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation’s Special Services Unit, and the United States Secret Service provided substantial assistance.
Assistant United States Attorney Adam P. Schleifer of the Major Frauds Section prosecuted this case.
Anyone with information about allegations of fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at (866) 720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Conehatta Man Pleads Guilty to Sexual Abuse of a ChildRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A Conehatta man pleaded guilty today to abusive sexual contact with a child.
According to court documents, Dayleon Phillips, Sr., 35, engaged in sexual contact with a minor under the age of twelve. Court records show that the offense occurred in the Conehatta Community of the Choctaw Indian Reservation.
Phillips is scheduled to be sentenced on January 19, 2024, and faces up to 20 years in prison. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Jermicha Fomby of the Federal Bureau of Investigation made the announcement.
The Choctaw Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin J. Payne and Special Assistant United States Attorney Brian K. Burns are prosecuting the case.
Cleveland Man Sentenced to 204 Months in Prison for Engaging in "Sextortion" of ChildrenRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – JAVAN BAILEY, age 22, a resident of Cleveland, Ohio, was sentenced by United States District Judge Carl J. Barbier to 204 months in prison, followed by 15 years of supervised release, after previously pleading guilty to a two-count indictment charging him with producing images and videos depicting the sexual exploitation of an eleven-year-old female, Victim 1, in violation of 18 U.S.C. ' 2251(a), and transmitting interstate threats for the purpose of extorting a thing of value, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 875(d), announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. BAILEY will also be required to register as a sex offender and pay a $200 mandatory special assessment fee. Additionally, Judge Barbier scheduled a restitution hearing for January 4, 2024.
According to court documents, in about February 2021, BAILEY met Victim 1, a New Orleans resident born in about October 2009, in a social media service specializing in the presentation of short-form videos hosted by its users. BAILEY used username “dabratt88” and pretended to be a minor female. After communicating with Victim 1 about twerking videos, BAILEY sent Victim 1 a video of a juvenile female twerking and engaging in sexually explicit conduct. BAILEY then instructed Victim 1 to either send him a video of Victim 1 herself engaging in sexually explicit conduct or else BAILEY would post the video he sent Victim 1 on social media platforms, claiming the video was of Victim 1. Victim 1 complied. For the next three months, BAILEY directed Victim 1 to record and send him increasingly explicit content, while threatening to release the prior content if Victim 1 refused.
On or about May 27, 2021, law enforcement authorities executed a search warrant on BAILEY’s residence in Cleveland, Ohio, during which they seized BAILEY’s cellular telephone. A forensic review of the phone revealed that between about November 2019 and May 2021, BAILEY sought and obtained depictions of dozens of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct using the same extortionate scheme he used to obtain sexually explicit material from Victim 1. Additionally, BAILEY sold these sexually explicit depictions of minors by charging approximately $30 in exchange for sharing a link to the content. BAILEY sold the link dozens of times.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys= Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Jordan Ginsberg, Chief of the Public Integrity Unit, is in charge of the prosecution.
Cedar Rapids Man Convicted of Methamphetamine Crimes Involving Pounds of the DrugRead the Press Release
A man who conspired with others to distribute methamphetamine was convicted by a jury on October 13, 2023, after a four-day trial in federal court in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Michael Lee Brunson, age 66, who lived in Cedar Rapids, was convicted of one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, two counts of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and one count of distribution of methamphetamine. The jury also found that $30,540 in United Sates Currency was subject to forfeiture because the property was used or intended to be used in relationship to the drug trafficking conspiracy.
The evidence at trial showed that Brunson, who also went by the name “Jaxon,” was a methamphetamine dealer in the Cedar Rapids area. Between April 2022 and September 2022, Brunson conspired with others to distribute methamphetamine in Cedar Rapids and surrounding areas. On June 5, 2022, Brunson was traffic stopped with over 2/3 lb. of methamphetamine in his car. On January 10, 2023, Brunson sold approximately two ounces of methamphetamine to a confidential source during a controlled buy. On January 21, 2023, he was stopped for a break lights violation. He had three bags of methamphetamine in his coat pocket, one bag weighing almost ½ lb., and had two additional bags of methamphetamine in his trunk, each bag weighing just under one pound.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Brunson remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Brunson faces a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, and a lifetime of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Nicole L. Nagin and Assistant United States Attorney John H. Lammers and was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, the Cedar Rapids Police Department, the Marion Police Department, and the Belle Plaine Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 23-CR-00005-CJW.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
California Man Sentenced to Prison for Straw Purchasing Firearms and Dealing in Firearms Without A Federal Firearms LicenseRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – A California man was sentenced today by United States District Judge Cristina D. Silva to 63 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release for making false statements in connection with the unlawful purchase of more than 50 firearms and selling the firearms without a license.
According to court documents, from about February 17, 2020, to about October 12, 2021, Kenneth Earl Smith Jr., of Lancaster, California, bought or attempted to buy more than 50 firearms in “straw purchases” from licensed firearms dealers in Las Vegas, Henderson, and Pahrump, Nevada. During each straw purchase, Smith deliberately made false statements to the firearms dealer that he was the buyer of the firearms, when in fact he was acquiring the firearms on behalf of other persons. Smith likewise represented that he was a Nevada resident, when in fact he was a California resident. Further, Smith presented various fraudulently obtained driver’s licenses and a Concealed Firearm Permit to carry out those unlawful purchases. Smith sold more than 50 firearms he illegally purchased to other individuals. During this time, Smith was not licensed as a Federal Firearms Licensee.
Smith pleaded guilty in June 2023 to eight counts of illegal acquisition of a firearm and one count of engaging in the firearms business without a license.
United States Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Jennifer Cicolani for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) made the announcement.
This case was investigated by ATF. Assistant United States Attorney Dan Cowhig prosecuted the case.
Anyone with information about the unlawful purchase of firearms can call ATF at 1-888-ATF-TIPS (1-888-283-8477), email [email protected], or submit information anonymously at www.reportit.com/.
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California Lawyer Sentenced to Six Years in Prison for Racketeering Conspiracy, Mail Fraud, and Multiple Conspiracy Counts, Including Mail and Wire Fraud, Money Laundering, and the Illegal Distribution of $157 Million in Diverted Prescription DrugsRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – David Jess Miller was sentenced to serve 72 months in prison for his role in a variety of crimes stemming from conspiracies involving racketeering, mail and wire fraud, and money laundering, in addition to substantive mail fraud and conspiracy against the United States, announced First Assistant United States Attorney Patrick D. Robbins; Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Robert K. Tripp; Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Special Agent in Charge of the Oakland Field Office Darren Lian; U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) Pittsburgh Division Inspector in Charge Lesley Allison; and U.S. Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigations (FDA-OCI) Special Agent in Charge of the Metro Washington Field Office George A. Scavdis. The sentence was handed down by the Hon. Charles R. Breyer, Senior United States District Judge.
A jury convicted Miller, 58, of Santa Ana, California, and his company, Minnesota Independent Cooperative (MIC), of all charges on January 26, 2023, following a two-week trial.
“Miller and his co-conspirators disregarded the health and safety of thousands of people in need of medication,” said First Assistant United States Attorney Patrick D. Robbins. By putting profits over patients, Miller and his criminal enterprise undermined important safeguards designed to ensure the safety of prescription drugs in the United States. This sentence sends the clear message that the diversion of prescription drugs and the intentional circumvention of these critical regulatory requirements will not be tolerated.”
“The FDA oversees the prescription drug supply chain; when criminals breach that supply chain, patients can no longer be assured of the safety or effectiveness of the drugs they may take,” said Special Agent in Charge George A. Scavdis, FDA-OCI Metro Washington Field Office. “We will continue to pursue and bring to justice those who would put the public health at risk through their criminal actions.”
“David Miller greedily put the health and well-being of people at risk with the orchestration and implementation of his prescription drug diversion scheme. He attempted to capitalize on his disregard for people’s health by laundering money around the world,” said Special Agent in Charge Darren Lian, IRS-CI Oakland Field Office. “Let today’s sentencing be a warning to those who aspire to profit from deception against the U.S. government and innocent taxpayers: IRS Criminal Investigation and partner law enforcement agents will catch you and justice will be served.”
The trial was the result of indictments filed in two separate districts—the Northern District of California and the Southern District of Ohio. The convictions included charges handed down in a second superseding indictment by a grand jury in the Northern District of California on February 11, 2016, and by a separate indictment handed down on May 6, 2015, in the Southern District of Ohio. Both indictments involved additional defendants and charges that were not presented at the trial.
The evidence at trial established that Miller, 58, of Santa Ana, Calif., was at the center of a vast racketeering enterprise responsible for the fraudulent distribution of hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of diverted prescription drugs, including instances in which Miller and his co-conspirators distributed tampered medication that posed a health risk to consumers. The scheme targeted brand-name prescription drugs designed to treat HIV, hepatitis C, mental disorders, and various other serious conditions. Miller and MIC lied to their customers about the nature and sources of the prescription drugs being sold, falsely claiming that the drugs had been maintained in the safe, federally- and state-regulated supply chain. The evidence at trial established that Miller and his company agreed with many others, including Mihran Stepanyan, 37, and Artur Stepanyan, 45, to conduct the affairs of their wide-ranging and long-lasting criminal enterprise. The evidence established that the enterprise, operating primarily out of Southern California and Minnesota, was responsible for distributing diverted prescription drugs to unsuspecting pharmacies throughout the county. In finding Miller guilty, the jury concluded that he played a role in promoting the racketeering conspiracy. For example, as the owner and operator of MIC between 2007 and 2015, Miller bought approximately $157 million of diverted prescription drugs from co-defendants Mihran and Artur Stepanayan. Miller and MIC also knew that the Stepanyans were not licensed to sell prescription drugs and that they procured their drugs from street suppliers. Miller and MIC nevertheless purchased the diverted drugs from the Stepanyans and lied to their customers about the sources and nature of those drugs.
Further, the jury concluded Miller engaged in a money laundering conspiracy. The evidence established that Miller and others laundered hundreds of millions of dollars between approximately 2007 and 2015 to promote their criminal activities and to conceal the nature of their scheme. For example, to hide the fact Miller was paying the Stepanyans for the illegally sourced drugs they were distributing, Miller made payments to the Stepanyans’ company GC National Wholesale through companies he controlled in Puerto Rico. As to another supplier, Miller authorized payments to accounts held in the names of various front companies at banks in multiple countries. In this way, Miller and his co-conspirators sought to obscure the illicit sources of MIC drugs and to conceal the true identities of the suppliers.
In sum, at the conclusion of the trial, Miller was convicted of one count of racketeering conspiracy, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1962(d); one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1349; one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1956(h); ten counts of mail fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1341; and one count of conspiracy to engage in the unlicensed wholesale distribution of drugs and making a false statement to the FDA, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 331(t), 333(b)(1)(D), 353(e)(2)(A), and 18 U.S.C. § 371.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Breyer ordered Miller to pay a $250,000 fine, due immediately; to serve three years of supervised release to begin after the prison term is completed; and to pay a $1,400 special assessment. Judge Breyer also ordered MIC, currently a defunct entity, to pay a special assessment of $4,500.
Of the 38 defendants charged in the February 2016 second superseding indictment, all have either been convicted or resolved their case, and six remain to be sentenced.
Assistant United States Attorneys Claudia Quiroz, Andrew Dawson, and Chris Kaltsas are prosecuting the case, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Kevin Costello. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI, IRS-Criminal Investigation, U.S. Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigations, and U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
Brothers Sentenced to a Total of 27 Years in Federal Prison for Armed Robbery Using OfferUpRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS- Jessie Dixson, 23, and his brother, Joqeis Dixson, 22 of Indianapolis, Indiana, have been sentenced to a total of 27 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to commercial robbery and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a violent crime.
According to court documents, on May 14, 2020, Jessie and Joqeis Dixson used OfferUp, an online marketplace, advertise the purported sale of a PlayStation game console. Victim N.B. agreed to purchase the console from the Dixson brothers in the vicinity of 4440 Jamestown Court, in Indianapolis. When N.B. arrived at the agreed location, Jessie Dixson pointed a shotgun in the victim’s face, and Joqeis Dixson took the victim’s cell phone and wallet. Both Dixson brothers fled the scene.
Law enforcement officers later obtained a warrant to search Dixson brothers’ residence. During the search, investigators located the gun used during the robbery in Joqeis Dixson’s bedroom.
Jessie Dixson was sentenced to 18 years and 7 months’ imprisonment, followed by 3 years of supervised release and a fine of $500. Joqeis Dixson was sentenced to 9 years imprisonment followed by 3 years of supervised release. Joqeis was also ordered to pay $1,000 in restitution to the victim.
“For years, violent criminals have been using online marketplaces like OfferUp to set up armed robberies, sometimes leading to injuries and deaths,” said Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Most local police departments will allow people to use their properties as a safe place to meet when buying and selling online, which can help keep everyone safe during these transactions. You often don’t know who is on the other end of an online communication, or what their intentions might be. I want to thank the FBI and our federal prosecutors for their work to ensure that these armed criminals were identified and held accountable.”
This case was investigated by the FBI. The sentences were imposed by Chief U.S. District Court Judge Tanya Walton Pratt.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorney Lawrence Hilton, who prosecuted this 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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Baton Rouge Tax Preparer Sentenced to 33 Months for Pandemic Benefits Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that U.S. District Judge John W. deGravelles sentenced Pamela Albert, age 51, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to 33 months in federal prison following her conviction for wire fraud. The Court further sentenced Albert to serve three years of supervised release following her term of imprisonment and ordered her to pay $223,180 in restitution.
Between approximately March and June 2021, Albert submitted false claims for Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) loans in her name and in the names of others. Albert also submitted fraudulent tax documents for her PPP loan claims, that were based on fictitious business profits and losses. Albert maintained various bank accounts in which PPP funds were deposited.
Throughout her scheme, Albert obtained the personally identifiable information of others, such as names, birth dates, and Social Security numbers in order to file her false PPP loan claims. Albert requested that PPP benefits be wired to her bank accounts, totaling over $200,000 in funds to which she and others were not entitled. Upon submitting the claims and receiving the funds, Albert either gave a portion of the funds to others or kept all the funds for herself.
This matter was investigated by the U.S. Secret Service and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Edward H. Warner.
Alexandria Man Pleads Guilty to Failure to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
CONCORD – An Alexandria man pleaded guilty today in federal court to one count of failing to register as a sex offender in New Hampshire, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces.
Rex Jason Sumner, 52, pleaded guilty to failure to register as a sex offender. U.S. District Court Judge Landya McCafferty scheduled sentencing for January 22, 2024. Sumner was charged on July 19, 2023.
Sumner is a Tier III sex offender with a duty to register for life. Sumner was released from prison in Oklahoma in 2018 and had been registering with Oklahoma authorities at an address in Oklahoma despite residing in New Hampshire since early 2023. Sumner would return to Oklahoma periodically to update his registration and continued to represent to authorities that he still resided in Oklahoma.
The charging statute provides a sentence of no greater than 10 years in prison, a minimum of 5 years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Marshals Service led the investigation. Valuable assistance was provided by the Alexandria Police Department, the Plymouth Police Department, the Meredith Police Department, the New Hampshire State Police, the New England State Police Information Network, the Garvin County (OK) Sherriff’s Office, and the Oklahoma Department of Corrections. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kasey Weiland is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
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15 October 2023
Readout of Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco’s Trip to California to Attend MCCA and IACP Annual ConferencesRead the Press Release
Deputy Attorney General (Deputy AG) Lisa O. Monaco traveled to California this week to advance the Justice Department’s strong partnerships with state and local law enforcement, and collaboration with the private sector, to promote the public safety and security of the American people.
Deputy AG Monaco spoke at the Wing 2023 conference in northern California, which brings together senior executives across major industries to address emerging technology and cybersecurity issues for the business community and society. She stressed the indispensable role of public-private collaboration to identify and disrupt a range of threats to the homeland – from ransomware attacks to ongoing efforts by foreign adversaries to steal our data and critical technologies such as quantum computing and artificial intelligence. The Deputy AG emphasized the key role that victim reporting has played in the success of the Justice Department’s cyber-strategy pivot to prioritize near-term disruptions and victim protection. And the Deputy AG discussed the 21st century tools and techniques the Department is using to target illicit actors, harden supply chains, and protect innovation, including the Disruptive Technology Strike Force launched earlier this year.
While in California, the Deputy AG addressed the annual meetings of both the Major Cities Chiefs Association (MCCA) and the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) in San Diego. In her closing keynote speech at MCCA and her remarks to the IACP State Associations of Chiefs of Police, the Deputy AG discussed the Justice Department’s priorities of combatting violent crime, taking illegal firearms off the streets, and battling the flow of synthetic opioids like fentanyl into our communities. In all her engagements, she emphasized the vital role that the Department’s partnerships with federal, state, local, tribal, and international law enforcement plays in tackling the most serious threats.
She underscored that, all too often, the heaviest burden in the fight against violent crime and illegal drug and firearms trafficking rests on the shoulders of the Department’s state, local, and tribal partners, who are taking on these challenges with diminishing resources and personnel, and often at great personal risk.
The Deputy AG also called attention to the recruitment and retention issues impacting law enforcement agencies nationwide. In keeping with the Attorney General’s direction for the Justice Department to identify strategies to address these challenges, she previewed that soon the Department will release more than 50 recommendations to help police departments address recruitment and retention issues. These include ways to modernize hiring standards to align with the realities of policing in the 21st century, accelerate the hiring process, and prioritize diversity and inclusion.
As part of the Justice Department’s commitment to supporting local law enforcement, the Deputy AG highlighted the $75 million in grant funding recently awarded to state and local law enforcement agencies across the country – funding that will help law enforcement combat the distribution and trafficking of illegal drugs, increase officer access to mental health and wellness services, and ensure agencies have the resources they need to keep our communities safe.
While in California, the Deputy AG also visited the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Central and Southern Districts of California, where she met with U.S. Attorneys Martin Estrada and Tara McGrath, their leadership teams, and the dedicated prosecutors and professional staff of both offices. She thanked them for their dedication to the Department’s mission, especially the work each office is doing to tackle violent crime.
In both districts, the Deputy AG met with the leaders of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to reinforce the Department’s commitment to partnerships with their agencies and to discuss best practices and effective law enforcement initiatives. In the Southern District of California, the Deputy AG was joined by ATF Director Steve Dettelbach and DEA Administrator Anne Milgram for a series of briefings at the San Diego Imperial Valley High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Offices on how law enforcement from federal, state, and local agencies are working together to combat the deadly fentanyl epidemic and the trafficking of firearms – including ghost guns.
Deputy AG Monaco and U.S. Attorney McGrath with the men and women of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California. Deputy AG Monaco, ATF Director Dettelbach, U.S. Attorney McGrath, and law enforcement leaders at the San Diego Imperial Valley High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Office. Deputy AG Monaco taking questions at the United States Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California.Attorney General Statement on the Killing of Six-Year-Old Child Wadea Al-Fayoume and Severe Wounding of His Mother Hanaan Shahin in IllinoisRead the Press Release
The Justice Department issued the following statement from Attorney General Merrick B. Garland on the killing of Wadea Al-Fayoume and the severe wounding of his mother, Hanaan Shahin:
“I am heartbroken by the abhorrent killing of Wadea Al-Fayoume, a six year old child who died after being stabbed 26 times with a military-style knife. On behalf of the entire Justice Department, I want to express my deepest condolences to his family and his community as they grieve his loss.
The Justice Department has opened a federal hate crimes investigation into the events leading to the tragic death of Wadea Al-Fayoume and the serious injuries suffered by his mother, Hanaan Shahin. The Department is limited in what more it can say because this is an ongoing criminal investigation.
This incident cannot help but further raise the fears of Muslim, Arab, and Palestinian communities in our country with regard to hate-fueled violence. The Department of Justice is focused on protecting the safety and the civil rights of every person in this country. We will use every legal authority at our disposal to bring to justice those who perpetrate illegal acts of hate. No one in the United States of America should have to live in fear of violence because of how they worship or where they or their family come from.”
13 October 2023
Worcester Man Sentenced for Illegal Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Worcester man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
Lawrence Rutherford, 42, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni to 78 months in prison and three years of supervised release. In March 2023, Rutherford pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
During a search of Rutherford’s residence in June 2019 two loaded .22 caliber pistols and approximately 613 rounds of ammunition was seized. Rutherford is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition due to several prior felony convictions punishable by more than one year in prison.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF Boston Field Division; and Interim Worcester Police Chief Paul Saucier made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Greg A. Friedholm and John T. Mulcahy of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.
Wisconsin Man Convicted of Possessing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Gregory J. Haanstad, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, joins Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division in announcing Joseph M. Thomas, 43, of Kenosha was convicted on October 13, 2023, in federal court in the Eastern District of Wisconsin for possessing material depicting the sexual abuse of children.
According to court documents, Thomas, who was convicted in 2011 of the repeated sexual assault of a young child, saved and viewed child sexual abuse material (CSAM) on hard drives he stored in his residence from 2017 to 2021. Law enforcement uncovered Thomas’s stash of CSAM after observing that someone accessing the internet from his residence in 2021 appeared to be downloading CSAM over an online file-sharing network. The FBI then obtained a warrant to search Thomas’s residence and seized multiple hard drives and other digital devices, a forensic examination of which revealed evidence that Thomas had used these devices to save and view CSAM and to search for similar material online.
The jury convicted Thomas of one count of possessing child pornography. He is scheduled to be sentenced on February 1, 2024, and faces a mandatory minimum of ten years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan J. Paulson for the Eastern District of Wisconsin and Trial Attorney William G. Clayman of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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Wenatchee Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Federal Prison for Distributing Child Pornography on the “Dark Web”Read the Press Release
Spokane, Washington – On October 11, 2023, U.S. District Judge Thomas O. Rice sentenced Michael Luis Ibarra, 36, of Wenatchee, Washington, to 12 years in federal prison for distributing images of child pornography on the “Dark Web.” Judge Rice also ordered Ibarra to serve the remainder of his life on federal supervision after he is released from prison. Ibarra was also ordered to pay a total of $114,000 in restitution to 38 individual victims of his conduct.
In January of 2021, Ibarra was identified as a user of a website on the “Dark Web” dedicated to the distribution of child pornography. Ibarra was commended at one point by website administrators for distributing a “herculean” quantity of child pornography. Ibarra communicated with undercover federal agents in chat rooms and shared with them child pornography on several occasions.
Ibarra’s electronic devices were seized at his home in Wenatchee and searched by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Agents found more than fifteen thousand child pornography files, with more than five thousand files depicting the sexual abuse of infants and toddlers.
“The FBI and the United States Attorney’s Office stand ready to respond with thorough investigations, vigorous prosecutions, and significant sentences for anyone who abuses children,” said Vanessa R. Waldref, United States Attorney for the Eastern District. “No sentence can give these children back their innocence; however, our community is safer with Mr. Ibarra behind bars. Today’s sentence sends a clear message to those who seek to victimize children, whether behind closed doors, through the dark web, or computer screens: the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our partners will continue to work tirelessly to seek justice, and the consequences of exploiting children will be severe.”
“Mr. Ibarra may have believed the Dark Web afforded him a level of protection from law enforcement” said Richard A. Collodi, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Seattle field office. “Thanks to the dedication of our investigators, we were able to bring his reprehensible activities to an end. The FBI and our partners will continue the work of protecting the most vulnerable of our citizens.”This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the U.S. Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Michael J. Ellis, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, and Kyle P. Reynolds, Trial Attorney for the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section of the United States Department of Justice Criminal Division.
2:21-CR-00173-TORUnion County Teacher Charged with Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Union County, New Jersey, man was arrested today for producing a video depicting images of child sexual abuse and receiving and possessing images of child sexual abuse, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Michael Hamilton, 51, of Springfield, New Jersey, is charged by complaint with one count each of production, receipt and possession of child pornography. He made his initial appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge José R. Almonte in Newark federal court and was detained.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From February 2023 through July 2023, Hamilton, a high school teacher, began an exchange with a minor victim on a messaging platform. Hamilton and the minor victim exchanged hundreds of sexually explicit messages, pictures, and videos, many of which constituted child pornography depicting the minor victim.
The charge of production of child pornography carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison and a maximum potential penalty of 30 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The charge of receipt of child exploitation material carries a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison, and a $250,000 fine. The charge of possession of child exploitation material carries a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison, and a $250,000 fine.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited FBI Newark’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark, with the investigation leading to the charges. U.S. Attorney Sellinger also thanked the Springfield Police Department and the Union County Prosecutor’s Office.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) in the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rebecca Sussman of the General Crimes Unit in Newark.
The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
hamilton.complaint.pdfUnited States Attorney’s Office, Virgin Islands District, Observes Domestic Violence Awareness MonthRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, VI – October marks the observance of Domestic Violence Awareness Month. United States Attorney Delia L. Smith joins the U.S. Department of Justice in commemorating Domestic Violence Awareness Month, paying tribute to victims and survivors, and saluting the dedication of advocates, service providers, justice professionals, law enforcement officers, and first responders who tirelessly work in support of survivors.
One in four women and one in seven men experience severe physical violence from intimate partners during their lifetime, and over 43 million women and 38 million men have experienced psychological aggression by an intimate partner in their lifetime, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates. Such abuse invariably leaves an indelible mark on survivors and their families, manifesting in diverse ways – from physical harm and psychological distress to socioeconomic repercussions, encompassing housing, employment and education. Supporting survivors and preventing these forms of violence is our shared responsibility. Domestic Violence Awareness Month offers us a platform, in collaboration with community allies, to unequivocally proclaim our solidarity with survivors, reassuring them of our support and our intolerance for violence, be it within our homes, localities, workplaces, or wider communities.
“Domestic violence is more prevalent than many realize, and every instance is unacceptable,” said United States Attorney Delia L. Smith. “Our office recognizes and appreciates the Virgin Islands Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Council and the Family Resource Center for their service to the community. The United States Attorney’s Office has a duty to use all the tools at our disposal to ensure that victims have a viable path to safety and justice.”
The Virgin Islands Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Council encourages all to wear purple on Thursday, October 19, 2023, to show your commitment to ending domestic violence, and invites all to participate in a Domestic Violence Awareness March and Candlelight Vigil beginning at 5:00 p.m. at the Emancipation Garden in St. Thomas.
U.S. Attorney’s Offices in Ohio, Michigan reach settlement with Huntington National Bank to make online banking more accessibleRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – U.S. Attorneys in Ohio and Michigan today announced a settlement agreement with Huntington National Bank that will make its services more accessible to Social Security Representative Payees (SSRP) and their beneficiaries with disabilities.
Huntington National Bank fully cooperated with the U.S. Attorney’s Offices in the Southern District of Ohio, Northern District of Ohio and Eastern District of Michigan to reach a settlement that will restore access to SSRPs who use online services the bank had previously restricted on behalf of beneficiaries with disabilities.
In February 2021, Huntington terminated the ability of individuals acting as SSRPs to use Huntington’s electronic banking services. Account holders with disabilities and their authorized representatives were thereby barred from full and equal access to the numerous online banking services Huntington offers.
Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) prohibits banks like Huntington from discriminating against account holders with disabilities.
Under the terms of the agreement, Huntington must provide SSRPs with full access to its online banking system. The agreement also requires Huntington to notify both current and past account holders that it has changed its policies.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Dawn N. Ison, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan; and Rebecca C. Lutzko, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio; announced the settlement.
“This settlement shows that we will continue to staunchly enforce the ADA and give Social Security beneficiaries with disabilities equal access to online banking,” said U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker. “I commend the attorneys in my office and our counterparts in Northern Ohio and Eastern Michigan for their dedication to this important issue.”
“Collaborating with our partners to ensure our civil rights laws are enforced is one of my key priorities,” said Eastern District of Michigan U.S. Attorney Dawn Ison. “Ensuring equal online banking access to those who need it most, like disabled individuals who use SSRP accounts, is crucial,” she added.
“SSRPs provide an invaluable service to disabled Social Security beneficiaries, and it is critical that we protect their right to use the same banking conveniences available to non-disabled customers to ensure that they can take care of the basic needs of disabled beneficiaries,” said Northern District of Ohio U.S. Attorney Rebecca C. Lutzko.
Civil Chief Andrew M. Malek and Assistant United States Attorney Michael J.T. Downey are representing the Southern District of Ohio in this matter.
The claims resolved by this settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability. In agreeing to the settlement terms, Huntington denied all liability under the ADA.
The public can also report potential civil rights violations in the Southern District of Ohio via the Civil Rights Referral Form on the U.S. Attorney’s Office main webpage.
Individuals can also submit complaints to the Civil Rights Division through its complaint portal at www.ada.gov/complaint. For more information on the Civil Rights Division, please visit www.justice.gov/crt. For more information on the ADA, please call the department’s toll-free ADA Information Line at 800-514-0301 (TDD 800-514-0383) or visit www.ada.gov.
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U.S. Attorney’s Offices in Michigan and Ohio Reach Settlement with Huntington National Bank to Make Online Banking More Accessible to Social Security Representative Payee Account Holders and Disabled BeneficiariesRead the Press Release
Detroit, MI-- U.S. Attorneys in Michigan and Ohio today announced a settlement agreement with Huntington National Bank that will make its services more accessible to Social Security Representative Payees (SSRP) and their beneficiaries with disabilities.
Huntington National Bank fully cooperated with the U.S. Attorney’s Offices in the Eastern District of Michigan, Southern District of Ohio, and Northern District of Ohio to reach a settlement that will restore access to people with disabilities who use SSRP online services the bank had previously restricted.
SSRPs manage Social Security benefits for people who are unable to do so for themselves, often due to disability. Benefits are direct deposited into accounts owned by beneficiaries, but only SSRPs have access to the funds to ensure that they are used to pay for needs such as food, shelter, and medical expenses. SSRPs are not compensated for this work and are usually family members or friends who are stepping up to help a loved one.
In February 2021, Huntington terminated the ability of individuals acting as SSRPs to use Huntington’s electronic banking services. Account holders with disabilities and their authorized representatives were thereby barred from full and equal access to the numerous online banking services Huntington offers.
Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) prohibits banks like Huntington from discriminating against account holders with disabilities.
Under the terms of the agreement, Huntington must provide SSRP account holders, and their beneficiaries, full access to its online banking system. The agreement also requires Huntington to notify both current and past account holders that it has changed its policies.
Dawn N. Ison, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan; Rebecca C. Lutzko, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio; and Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio announced the settlement.
“Collaborating with our partners to ensure our civil rights laws are enforced is one of my key priorities,” said Eastern District of Michigan U.S. Attorney Dawn Ison. “Ensuring equal online banking access to those who need it most, like disabled individuals who use SSRP accounts, is crucial,” she added.
“SSRPs provide an invaluable service to disabled Social Security beneficiaries, and it is critical that we protect their right to use the same banking conveniences available to non-disabled customers to ensure that they can take care of the basic needs of disabled beneficiaries,” said Northern District of Ohio U.S. Attorney Rebecca C. Lutzko.
“This settlement shows that we will continue to staunchly enforce the ADA and give Social Security beneficiaries with disabilities equal access to online banking,” said U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker. “I commend the attorneys in my office and our counterparts in Northern Ohio and Eastern Michigan for their dedication to this important issue.”
The full and fair enforcement of the ADA is a priority of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan, the Northern District of Ohio, and the Southern District of Ohio.
This matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nedra Campbell from the Eastern District of Michigan, Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Downey from the Southern District of Ohio, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle Heyer from the Northern District of Ohio.
Individuals who believe they have been subjected to discrimination or experienced a civil rights violation in the Eastern District of Michigan can submit a complaint with its U.S. Attorney’s Office by email at [email protected] or by phone at (313) 226-9151. For more information on the Office’s civil rights efforts, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-edmi/programs/civil-rights.
Individuals can also submit complaints to the Civil Rights Division through its complaint portal at www.ada.gov/complaint. For more information on the Civil Rights Division, please visit www.justice.gov/crt. For more information on the ADA, please call the department’s toll-free ADA Information Line at 800-514-0301 (TDD 800-514-0383) or visit www.ada.gov.
U.S. Attorney’s Offices in Ohio and Michigan Reach Settlement with Huntington National Bank to Make Online Banking More Accessible to Social Security Representative Payee Account Holders and Disabled BeneficiariesRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – United States Attorneys in Ohio and Michigan today announced a settlement agreement with Huntington National Bank that will make its services more accessible to Social Security Representative Payees (SSRP) and their beneficiaries with disabilities.
Huntington National Bank fully cooperated with the U.S. Attorney’s Offices in the Northern District of Ohio, Southern District of Ohio and Eastern District of Michigan to reach a settlement that will restore access to SSRPs who use online services the bank had previously restricted on behalf of beneficiaries with disabilities.
In February 2021, Huntington terminated the ability of individuals acting as SSRPs to use Huntington’s electronic banking services. Account holders with disabilities and their authorized representatives were thereby barred from full and equal access to the numerous online banking services Huntington offers.
Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) prohibits banks like Huntington from discriminating against account holders with disabilities. Under the terms of the agreement, Huntington must provide SSRPs with full access to its online banking system. The agreement also requires Huntington to notify both current and past account holders that it has changed its policies.
Rebecca C. Lutzko, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio; Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; and Dawn N. Ison, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan announced the settlement.
“SSRPs provide an invaluable service to disabled Social Security beneficiaries, and it is critical that we protect their right to use the same banking conveniences available to non-disabled customers, to ensure that they can take care of the basic needs of disabled beneficiaries” said Northern District of Ohio U.S. Attorney Rebecca C. Lutzko.
“This settlement shows that we will continue to staunchly enforce the ADA and give Social Security beneficiaries with disabilities equal access to online banking,” said Southern District of Ohio U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker. “I commend the attorneys in my office and our counterparts in Northern Ohio and Eastern Michigan for their dedication to this important issue.”
“Collaborating with our partners to ensure our civil rights laws are enforced is one of my key priorities,” said Eastern District of Michigan U.S. Attorney Dawn Ison. “Ensuring equal online banking access to those who need it most, like disabled individuals who use SSRP accounts, is crucial,” she added.
The claims resolved by this settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability. In agreeing to the settlement terms, Huntington denied all liability under the ADA. Individuals can submit complaints to the Civil Rights Division through its complaint portal at www.ada.gov/complaint. For more information on the Civil Rights Division, please visit www.justice.gov/crt. For more information on the ADA, please call the department’s toll-free ADA Information Line at 800-514-0301 (TDD 800-514-0383) or visit www.ada.gov.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Recognizes Outstanding Law Enforcement OfficersRead the Press Release
MIAMI – On Oct. 5 and 11, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida held the 2021-2023 Outstanding Law Enforcement Officer (OLEO) Award Ceremony, in Miami-Dade County and Broward County, respectively. Approximately 200 award recipients, from various federal, state, and local law enforcement organizations, were recognized for having distinguished themselves by virtue of the work they performed in a criminal prosecution.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida handles some of the most important and impactful cases in the nation. The stellar investigative work by the office’s law enforcement partners, in particular the award nominees, makes it possible for the district’s Assistant U.S. Attorneys to file cases charging the gamut of federal crimes. Collectively, the U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecutes human trafficking, narcotics trafficking, civil rights violations and hate crimes, violent crime, illegal firearms offenses, bank robbery, public corruption, environmental crimes, national security threats, the broad landscape of financial fraud that plagues our district, and more.
As U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida stated, “It takes a village to carry out the mission of the U.S. Department of Justice - to uphold the rule of law, to keep our country safe, and to protect civil rights. The office’s prosecutors cannot do their jobs alone.” The U.S. Attorney’s Office relies on the dedicated men and women in law enforcement who work tirelessly to identify the criminals so that they can be held accountable in a court of law. The honorees hard work often comes with tremendous personal sacrifice. The award recipients’ commitment to the pursuit of justice is worthy of special recognition. “They are having a direct impact on our quality of life, safety, and security,” said Lapointe.
Law enforcement partnerships and collaboration are invaluable crime-fighting tools. The honorees represent agencies and departments from across the district that work together to protect and serve the public. Lapointe noted that the South Florida award recipients are “some of our nation’s most talented, effective, and impactful public servants.”
Honorees were recognized from agencies and departments to include: Biscayne Park Police Department, Boca Raton Police Department, Broward Sheriff’s Office, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), City of Miami Police Department (MPD), FBI, Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE), Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General (FDIC-OIG), Federal Housing Finance Agency Office of Inspector General (FHFA-OIG), Florida Office of Financial Regulation, Fort Lauderdale Police Department (FLPD), Hialeah Police Department, Homestead Police Department, Hollywood Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Lauderhill Police Department, Martin County Sheriff’s Office, Miami-Dade Police Department (MDPD), Miami Gardens Police Department, Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, Palm Springs Police Department, Sunny Isles Police Department, Sweetwater Police Department, U.S. Coast Guard (USCG), U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service (CGIS), U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) and CBP-Office of Intelligence, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), U.S. Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigations (FDA-OCI), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), and U.S. Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General (DOT-OIG).
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U.S. Attorney Lapointe Speaks with Students and the Community at his Alma Mater Miami Edison Senior High SchoolRead the Press Release
MIAMI — Recently, U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida took a trip down memory lane when he hosted a community engagement meeting where he graduated high school.
Miami Edison Senior High School Principal James Dominique and the school’s staff graciously welcomed Lapointe back to his alma mater. As Principal Dominique’s message reads on the school’s homepage, “It takes a village to raise a child.” Lapointe acknowledged the impact of those words by adding that our united “village is called upon to raise, educate, serve, and protect our children. For many, education starts at home but not everyone has that opportunity. For our youth to grow into successful and productive citizens, we must all come together to offer our support and mentorship. We need to safeguard the youth of today so that, hopefully, they never become a victim or commit a crime.”
The auditorium of Miami Edison Senior High School was full of both students and community stakeholders who listened intently as Lapointe gave his opening remarks. Afterward, audience members lined up in the aisle to ask questions of the Edison graduate who was appointed by President Joe Biden to serve as the Chief Law Enforcement Officer for the District. Lapointe is the first African American to lead the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida and the first Haitian-born individual to serve as a U.S. Attorney in any office across the Nation.
One question directed at Lapointe during the community program was what advice he would give young adults.
“Understand from the get-go that education is your only way out,” he said. “You can’t count on a trust fund. When I was growing up we didn’t have a choice—we knew it was education. That’s the core element of success and how we made it through.”
One of the primary missions of the United States Attorney's Office is to ensure that federal crimes affecting the people in the Southern District of Florida are investigated and that the perpetrators are prosecuted, convicted, and punished. Common sense and experience have taught us, however, that we cannot prosecute, arrest, and punish our way out of the problems that illegal drug use, violent crime, and criminal gangs visit upon our community. Prosecution alone will not eliminate the threat they pose to our way of life. Every sector and member of our community, including Edison High School students, has an important role to play in our efforts to put an end to these problems.
Lapointe recounted what it was like growing up in the Miami Edison Senior High School area.
“I lived right over there on 12th and 59th,” he said. “[I] Had pots and pans all over the apartment floor to catch rain because the roof leaked. I know what you’re going through because I have lived it. And if I can make it, then you all can make it too.”
During his high school years, Lapointe used visualization to help him remain focused and in a positive mindset.
“I would sit on top of our building on 12th Street and from there I could see an outline of downtown in the distance,” he said. “And I would say to myself, ‘This is where I should be.’ And that helped me.” Years later, Lapointe found himself exactly where he envisioned one day being–in downtown Miami, working as a lawyer.
Lapointe encouraged the students to stay the course, to make smart decisions, to read as much as possible, and to seek the guidance of others in their time of need.
The program at Miami Edison Senior High School was put together by the Law Enforcement Coordination and Community Outreach Section (LEC/COS) of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida Markenzy Lapointe speaks to a group of community members and Miami Edison Senior High School students during a recent community engagement event. Lapointe, an Edison graduate himself, stressed the importance of education and making good decisions.
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Truck Driver Charged in Attempt to Smuggle Half-a-Ton of Cocaine into the United StatesRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Oswaldo Lopez-Escobar, of Mexico, was charged by complaint on October 5, 2023, for Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine.
The complaint alleges that, on October 4, 2023, Lopez-Escobar, driving a semi-truck, applied for admission into the United States from Mexico at the Mariposa Port of Entry in Nogales. During a customs inspection of the vehicle, Customs and Border Protection Officers found 155 packages of cocaine concealed in the floor of the trailer. The total weight of the packages was approximately 587 kilograms, or about 1294.2 pounds. The cocaine has an estimated value of between $10.7 and $12.5 million.
A conviction for Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine carries a maximum penalty of up to life in prison with a mandatory minimum term of 10 years in prison, a fine of $10,000,000.00, or both; and a term of between five years and lifetime supervised release.
A complaint is simply a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the interdiction and subsequent investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, is handling the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: 23-00747MJ
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-154_Lopez-Escobar# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Three Orange County Gang Members Found Guilty of Murdering Gangster at Behest of Imprisoned Mexican Mafia MemberRead the Press Release
SANTA ANA, California – Three Orange County street gang members were found guilty by a federal jury today of the August 2017 murder in Orange of a gangster who had fallen afoul of a member of the Mexican Mafia prison gang.
Mike Escobar, a.k.a. “Risky,” 40, a member of the Little Hood gang in Anaheim; James Mendez, a.k.a. “Buck,” 44, a Sureño gang member from Garden Grove; and Kevin Trejo, a.k.a. “Minor,” 36, a member of the Jeffrey Street gang in Anaheim, each were found guilty of one count of violent crime in aid of racketeering.
According to evidence presented at the eight-day trial, on August 21, 2017, the defendants murdered the victim, a member of a Costa Mesa street gang. At the time of his murder, the victim trafficked drugs and collected “taxes” from gangs in Orange County for imprisoned Mexican Mafia member Johnny Martinez, a.k.a. “Crow,” 47, a co-defendant in this case who has pleaded not guilty to the charges against him and who is scheduled to go to trial on June 25, 2024.
The defendants tricked the victim into driving with them just before midnight from his home in Anaheim to a residential neighborhood in Orange, where they shot him seven times in the back and once in the head. Escobar, Mendez, and Trejo were acting on orders from Martinez, who issued the order to kill the victim because the victim on two occasions stole drugs and money controlled by Martinez, the jury found.
United States District Judge Cormac J. Carney scheduled March 25, 2024 sentencing hearings for the defendants, each of whom faces a mandatory sentence of life in federal prison.
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
The FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office; the Orange Police Department; the Santa Ana Police Department; the Anaheim Police Department; the Fullerton Police Department; the Placentia Police Department; the Orange County Sheriff’s Department; the Orange County Probation Department; the Orange County District Attorney’s Office; and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorneys Greg Staples and Gregory Scally of the Santa Ana Branch Office and Trial Attorneys Grace Bowen and Christopher Matthews of the Justice Department Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section are prosecuting this case.
Three Hartford Residents Charged with Robbing Victims Who Advertised Goods on Internet MarketplacesRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division, today announced that a federal grand jury in Hartford has returned an indictment charging JOHN VILLEGAS, 25, also known as “Kirby,” JALEN LASALLE, 19, and VALERIE MENESES, 23, all of Hartford, with offenses related to a series of gunpoint robberies targeting individual sellers of luxury goods over online marketplaces last year.
As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, ATF, the Hartford Police Department, and the Middletown Police Departments investigated a series of gunpoint robberies of individuals who advertised items for sale on internet marketplaces, such as Facebook Marketplace and OfferUp. At an arranged meeting place to sell their items, which included cell phones and luxury sneakers and accessories, the purported purchaser would brandish a firearm, force the victim to hand over the luxury goods, and flee. The investigation revealed that Villegas and Meneses committed one armed robbery on August 20, 2022, in Middletown, and that Villegas and Lasalle subsequently committed five armed robberies in Hartford in late August and early September 2022.
The indictment, which was returned on September 27, 2023, charges Villegas with six counts and Lasalle with five counts of interference with commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act robbery), an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years on each count. The indictment also charges Villegas with three counts and Lasalle with two counts of carrying, using, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, an offense that mandatory consecutive term of imprisonment of at least seven years.
The indictment charges Meneses with one count of aiding and abetting Hobbs Act robbery and one count of aiding and abetting the carrying, using, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
Villegas and Lasalle appeared yesterday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert A. Richardson in Hartford and pleaded not guilty to the charges. Villegas has been detained since his arrest on December 14, 2022, and Lasalle, who was arrested on February 3, 2023, is released on a $50,000 bond. Meneses was arrested on October 5, 2023, and is released on a $25,000 bond.
U.S. Attorney Avery stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This matter is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the Hartford Police Department, and the Middletown Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephanie T. Levick and A. Reed Durham.
U.S. Attorney Avery encouraged those who sell and purchase items online, and need to meet an individual in person to complete the sale, to use a visible, monitored location. Contact your local police department to see if it offers a monitored meeting location, or search online for a nearby monitored location.
Three Gang Members Convicted of Racketeering MurderRead the Press Release
A federal jury in Santa Ana, California, convicted three Orange County men today of murder in aid of racketeering as part of their association with the Mexican Mafia, a prison gang.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, on Aug. 21, 2017, Mike Escobar, aka Risky, 40, a member of the Little Hood gang in Anaheim; James Mendez, aka Buck, 44, a Sureño gang member from Garden Grove; and Kevin Trejo, aka Minor, 36, a member of the Jeffrey Street gang in Anaheim, murdered their victim in Orange, California. Escobar, Mendez, and Trejo tricked the victim into driving with them from the victim’s home in Anaheim to a residential neighborhood near Orange, where they shot him seven times in the back and once in the head. Escobar, Mendez, and Trejo were acting on orders from co-defendant Johnny Martinez, aka Crow, 47, a member of the Mexican Mafia. Martinez issued the order to kill the victim because he stole drugs and money controlled by Martinez on two occasions.
The jury convicted Escobar, Mendez, and Trejo of murder in aid of racketeering. They are scheduled to be sentenced on March 25, 2024, and each face a mandatory sentence of life in prison without parole.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney E. Martin Estrada for the Central District of California, Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division, and Assistant Director in Charge Donald Alway of the FBI Los Angeles Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI Los Angeles Field Office, Orange County Resident Agency; Orange Police Department; Santa Ana Police Department; Anaheim Police Department; Fullerton Police Department; Placentia Police Department; Orange County Sheriff’s Department; Orange County Probation Department; Orange County District Attorney’s Office; and California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Grace Bowen and Christopher Matthews of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Greg Staples and Gregory Scally for the Central District of California are prosecuting the case.
Terrebonne Man Sentenced for Trafficking Fentanyl and Firearms ViolationRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LA – United States District Judge Barry W. Ashe sentenced JOSHUA PICOU, age 30, of Houma, Louisiana, to 78 months imprisonment for violating the Federal Gun Control and Federal Controlled Substances Acts, announced United States Attorney Duane A. Evans.
According to court documents, PICOU distributed a substance containing fentanyl and cocaine on May 27, June 2, and June 22, 2021. Later, on June 24, 2021, he possessed forty (40) grams or more of fentanyl, twenty-eight (28) grams or more of cocaine base, and a quantity of cocaine, with the intent to distribute those substances. On that same date, he was in possession of two firearms, a Glock Model 17 handgun and a Springfield Armory Model XDM-9, which he was prohibited from possessing due to his criminal history.
Judge Ashe sentenced PICOU to 78 months on each of the five counts to which he pleaded guilty, with the time to run concurrently, to be followed by four years of supervised release. PICOU was also ordered to pay a mandatory special assessment fee of $100 per count for a total of $500.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Homeland Securities Investigations and the Terrebonne Parish Sherriff’s Office in investigating this matter. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David Haller of the Violent Crime Unit.
Swift Bird, SD Man Sentenced for AssaultRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a Swift Bird, South Dakota, man convicted of Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury was sentenced on October 11, 2023, by Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court.
Cody Dean High Elk, age 40, was sentenced to 27 months in federal prison, three years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
High Elk was indicted by a federal grand jury in February 2023. He pleaded guilty on July 11, 2023.
On the evening of July 3, 2022, High Elk and his wife were arguing while walking to their home in the Swift Bird Community. High Elk threw his wife to the ground and punched her. High Elk’s wife fled to their home. High Elk followed and continued to strike her until shortly before law enforcement arrived. High Elk’s wife incurred a separated shoulder and bruising on her face, shoulder and forearm in the assault.
This case was investigated by the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carl Thunem prosecuted the case.
High Elk was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Staged Reading of the Laramie Project Set for October 17 and 18Read the Press Release
COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA – The University of South Carolina School of Law, the Richland County Bar Association, and the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina are proud to present a staged reading of The Laramie Project, in commemoration of the 25th anniversary of Matthew Shepard's murder. Directed by Abigail Lee McNeely and featuring actors from the community and the University of South Carolina, the staged reading will take place in the Karen Williams Courtroom at the University of South Carolina School of Law on Oct. 17 and 18 at 7:00 p.m.
The Laramie Project, written by Moisés Kaufman and the Tectonic Theatre Project, is a documentary play written in the aftermath of Matthew Shepard's death. This year marks the 25th anniversary of the death of Shepard, who succumbed to injuries after a violent hate crime committed against him. Shepard was a gay student who attended the University of Wyoming when he was beaten and left to die near Laramie, Wyoming in Oct. 1998. Through the voices of those who lived in Laramie, Wyoming, the play offers a thought-provoking reflection on the importance of tolerance and understanding in civil society.
Performing in the show are University of South Carolina students Gracie Auld, Bradley Gittens, Avery Williams, and Griffin Wilson, as well as Columbia theatre locals Julian Deleon, Ezri Fender, Mary Jeffcoat, and Ripley Thames. The cast of eight will perform over 40 different characters, including Laramie locals and members of the Tectonic Theatre Project.
Director Abigail Lee McNeely, a 2017 alumna of South Carolina’s Department of Theatre and Dance and staff member at Columbia’s Trustus Theatre, expressed her enthusiasm. "We are honored to bring The Laramie Project to the University of South Carolina School of Law. This production serves as a tribute to Matthew Shepard's memory and begs us to ask the question of what more can we do to prevent acts of hate against the LGBTQ+ in our community." Joining McNeely is associate director and dramaturg Elizabeth Houck-Zozaya.
The show is produced by theatre artist and University of South Carolina adjunct professor Patrick Michael Kelly. Citing the collaboration between local organizations, actors and artists from Columbia’s theatre community, and the involvement of various law organizations, Kelly calls the production “a true community effort, fitting for a play about community and how it bands together in a time of tragedy.”
This special production is made possible through the generous sponsorship of the University of South Carolina School of Law and the Richland County Bar Association, in collaboration with the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina. U.S. Attorney Adair Boroughs said, “Out of the senseless beating death of Matthew Shepard came the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Hate Crimes Prevention Act. Enforcing this hate crimes law and other civil rights protections is central to the mission of the Department of Justice. Through the nationwide Department of Justice initiative, United Against Hate, and working with the USC School of Law and the Richland County Bar Association, our goal in offering this production is to foster dialogue in the community and promote tolerance, which aligns with the themes of The Laramie Project. More practically, our goal is to improve reporting of hate crimes by teaching community members how to identify, report, and, most importantly, prevent acts of hate.”
U.S. Attorney Boroughs will be moderating a talkback between the audience and a panel of subject matter experts and actors after each show. Audience members are encouraged to stay after the show to engage in conversation with these community leaders and creatives from the production.
The Laramie Project is a testament to the enduring power of theatre that invites audiences to reflect on the impact of Shepard's death and the importance of tolerance and understanding in civil society. This special event has only two performances. For more information about the production and to reserve your free tickets, please visit https://forms.office.com/r/YERBhJTbQF.
Event Details:
Date: Oct. 17 and 18, 2023
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Venue: Karen Williams Courtroom, University of South Carolina School of Law
Admission: FREE to the public, registration required at https://forms.office.com/r/YERBhJTbQF.
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Springfield Bus Driver Sentenced to 17 Years for Child Sexual ExploitationRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield, Mo., man has been sentenced in federal court for taking sexually explicit photos of a young child and sharing the images in an internet chat group.
Gordon Wesley Roughton II, 42, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool on Thursday, Oct. 12, to 17 years in federal prison without parole.
On Sept. 22, 2022, Roughton pleaded guilty to the sexual exploitation of a minor. At the time of his arrest, Roughton was employed as a seasonal bus driver for a children’s program for the Springfield-Greene County Park Board, as he had been every summer from 2014 to 2019. Roughton also had been employed as a substitute teacher at schools in the Springfield area, and in the past had worked as a bus driver for Springfield Public School District and a Springfield Catholic school.
The investigation began on June 15, 2021, when a detective with the Springfield, Mo., Police Department received a CyberTip Report from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. MeWe, a social media and social networking service, had discovered images of child pornography uploaded by Roughton.
On June 16, 2021, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Roughton’s residence. Roughton admitted he had participated in a chat group on MeWe where the group members traded child pornography. Roughton explained that he had no images of child pornography to trade and needed some to remain in the chat. Roughton took photos of the child victim to trade in the chat group and uploaded the images to MeWe.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ami Harshad Miller. It was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Southwest Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force, the Springfield, Mo., Police Department and the FBI.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
Slidell Woman Sentenced to 18 Months for Misappropriating Veteran’s FundsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that SLOANE SIGNAL-DEBOSE, Ph.D., age 52, a resident of Slidell, was sentenced on October 11, 2023 to 18 months in prison for misappropriating funds from a veteran.
SIGNAL previously pled guilty to misappropriation by a veteran’s fiduciary, in violation of Title 38, United States Code, Section 6101. According to court documents, from 2016 until 2018 SIGNAL was a fiduciary for a veteran who needed assistance with the management of his affairs, and she had control over the veteran’s finances and bank accounts. During that time, SIGNAL took over $100,000 from the veteran’s accounts, and routed it through bank accounts in her own name. SIGNAL ultimately used the money as the down payment on a home for which she was the sole legal owner. SIGNAL also used additional funds from the veteran to pay contractors working on SIGNAL’s home. SIGNAL then submitted false records to the Department of Veteran’s Affairs to hide her misuse of the veteran’s funds.
The United States District Judge Sarah S. Vance sentenced SIGNAL to eighteen months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee. Judge Vance ordered a restitution hearing to be set at a future date.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General. Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas D. Moses, Health Care Coordinator, is in charge of the prosecution.
Slidell Man Pleads Guilty to Violations of the Federal Gun Control ActRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LA – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that RODERICK WILLIAMS, age 27, of Slidell, Louisiana, pleaded guilty on October 12, 2023, to two counts of an indictment charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(1).
According to court documents, on April 9, 2023, members of the New Orleans Police Department initiated a traffic stop on a vehicle being driven by WILLIAMS. After stopping WILLIAMS, officers obtained a search warrant for the vehicle and located a Glock Model 19, 9-millimeter semi-automatic handgun in the trunk of the vehicle. This handgun was loaded, with one bullet in the chamber and carried an extended, twenty-five (25) round magazine.
On April 28, 2023, investigators conducted video surveillance of the intersection of Chef Menteur Highway and Werner Drive. Officers noted an unknown black male hold a firearm as he entered a convenience store. New Orleans Police Officers were notified, entered the store and encountered WILLIAMS. As the officers approached, WILLIAMS moved his body away to conceal the firearm that he possessed. As WILLIAMS did so, the officers observed the outline of a firearm in WILLIAMS’s waistband, officers detained and searched him. Officers then located and seized a Glock Model 26, 9-millimeter semi-automatic handgun from WILLIAMS.
WILLIAMS was previously convicted of felonies, which prohibited him from possessing firearms.
As to each count, WILLIAMS faces a maximum term of imprisonment of fifteen (15) years, a fine of up to $250,000.00, up to three (3) years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment as well as payment of a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.
Sentencing is scheduled for February 1, 2024.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Orleans Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas Rayburn of the Violent Crimes Unit.
Sioux Falls Woman Sentenced for Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that District Court Judge Lawrence Piersol has sentenced a Sioux Falls, South Dakota woman convicted of Possession of a Firearm by Prohibited Person. The sentencing took place on September 25, 2023.
Ashley Garcia, 36, was sentenced to twelve months and one day in federal prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release. She was also ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Garcia was indicted for Possession of a Firearm by Prohibited Person by a federal grand jury in February of 2023. She pleaded guilty on June 27, 2023.
On December 21, 2022, Garcia was walking in the area of West 12th and Interstate 29 in Sioux Falls, South Dakota with a rifle. A concerned party called the police department about a woman walking outside, as it was during a blizzard, and the temperature was -9 degrees. When officers arrived, Garcia had the rifle in her left hand, but attempted to discard it upon being approached by law enforcement.
This case was investigated by the Sioux Falls Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Ebert prosecuted the case.
Garcia was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Shipbuilding Company CEO Charged with Witness Tampering and ObstructionRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in Honolulu returned a superseding indictment yesterday charging a Hawaii man with obstruction, witness tampering, and structuring, while awaiting trial on previous charges of securities fraud, conspiracy, mail fraud, and wire fraud.
According to the superseding indictment, on Jan. 4, Curtiss Jackson, 70, of Honolulu, allegedly obstructed an official proceeding for fleeing the United States’ territorial waters aboard the Semisub One, a semisubmersible vessel controlled by Jackson’s company, Semisub Inc. Semisub One was the subject of forfeiture proceedings in the District of Hawaii in connection with Jackson’s pending criminal case. On the day before his flight, Jackson also allegedly withdrew more than $24,000 in cash from multiple checking transactions in a manner designed to avoid federal bank reporting requirements.
Additionally, Jackson allegedly sent a death threat to a co-conspirator during the grand jury’s original investigation. The text message contained a link to an online video entitled “Death of FBI Informants” containing clips from a television series depicting the deaths of several characters on the show who had cooperated with the FBI.
Jackson’s case is pending in the U.S. District Court for the District of Hawaii. Each count carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, except for the structuring charge, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison. Jackson is charged with committing obstruction and structuring while on pre-trial release, which carries an additional consecutive sentence of up to 10 years in prison.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Clare E. Connors for the District of Hawaii, Inspector in Charge Eric Shen of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) Criminal Investigations Group, and Special Agent in Charge Adam Jobes of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Seattle Field Office made the announcement.
The USPIS and IRS-CI are investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Matthew Reilly and Christopher Fenton of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Aislinn Affinito for the District of Hawaii are prosecuting the case.
If you believe you are a victim in this case, please contact the USPIS victim hotline at (202) 305-6736.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Superseding IndictmentShakopee Man Sentenced to Prison for $3.1 Million Ponzi SchemeRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Shakopee man has been sentenced to 51 months in prison, three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $3.1 million in restitution for operating a fraudulent investment scheme, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents and his guilty plea, between 2014 and 2021, Jason Dodd Bullard, 59, and others working at his direction solicited funds from individuals, entities, and trusts purportedly to invest in a foreign currency investment program. In reality, Bullard was operating a Ponzi scheme. The funds collected from investors over time were used to fund other entities owned or controlled by Bullard, which were not part of the purported investment plan, and to make payments back to investors to falsely portray the appearance of actual returns. Bullard also used investor funds to support his and his family’s lifestyle. Bullard lied to investors in reports and statements sent to investors that purposed to describe the balances and activity in investors’ accounts. These statements were meant to encourage further investment and to keep investors from learning the truth and to allow Bullard to continue the fraudulent scheme. In total, Bullard defrauded approximately 100 victims in several states, including Minnesota, out of $3,108,312.24 over the course of the scheme.
Bullard pleaded guilty on April 25, 2023, to one count of wire fraud. Bullard was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court before Judge Katherine M. Menendez.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert M. Lewis prosecuted the case.