Latest Records
Newest first across public DOJ and U.S. Attorney press releases.
12 October 2023
Pocatello Man Sentenced to 40 Years in Federal Prison for Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
POCATELLO –Trenton Powell, 43, of Pocatello, was sentenced to 40 years in federal prison for sexual exploitation of a child and receipt of child pornography, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced today. Senior U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill also sentenced Powell to 15 years of supervised release, which will commence upon completing his prison sentence. Powell will also be required to register as a sex offender. A restitution hearing will be set at a later date to determine any restitution owed to the victim by Powell. Powell was convicted of the eight counts by a federal jury on May 2, 2023.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Powell sexually abused the first victim for six years while living in Pocatello. Powell photographed the abuse with his iPhone. Years after the abuse ended, another of Powell’s victims reported the abuse to police. Police later seized Powell’s iPhone. After the phone was forensically examined, police recovered images of Powell sexually abusing the first victim. Both victims testified during the trial and confirmed that Powell was the man who molested them.
“This sentence underscores our commitment to protecting our children from exploitation and abuse,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “This case is a testament to the dedicated efforts of our law enforcement partners and serves as a stark warning to those who would consider victimizing innocent children.”
“This investigation highlights the strength one voice can have against a child predator, even after years have passed.” said Special Agent in Charge Robert Hammer, who oversees HSI operations in the Pacific Northwest. “Because of one victim’s courage, HSI and our partners were able to deliver justice to ensure this man can never again victimize the innocent.”
U.S. Attorney Hurwit credited the cooperative efforts of Homeland Security Investigations in Idaho Falls, the Idaho Falls Police Department, and the Pocatello Police Department, which led to the charges. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Shirts and Justin Paskett.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
###
Pinehaven Man Sentenced to 6 Years in Prison for Abusive Sexual ContactRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, announced today that Leonard Yazzie was sentenced to 78 months in prison. Yazzie, 41, of Pinehaven, New Mexico, and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, pled guilty in federal court to abusive sexual contact on July 7, 2023.
According to court documents, on April 30, 2021, following a report from school personnel, Jane Doe disclosed to the Farmington Police Department during a forensic interview that Yazzie had sexually abused her during the summer of 2016. Jane Doe reported three separate incidents over the summer. When Yazzie was interviewed by law enforcement on July 30, 2021, he admitted to touching Jane Doe when she was seven years old.
Upon his release from prison, Yazzie will be subject to 5 years of supervised release and must register as a sex offender.
The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Ramah Navajo Police Department. Special Assistant United States Attorney Caitlin L. Dillon is prosecuting the case.
# # #
23-246
Pharmaceutical production manager sentenced in counterfeit drug trafficking conspiracyRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – A Houston man who served as a production manager in a counterfeit drug trafficking scheme has been sentenced to federal prison for drug trafficking and money laundering violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs today.
Willis Reed, 61, pleaded guilty to conspiracy and was sentenced to 60 months in federal prison today by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone.
According to the indictment, from April 2014 until August 2021, Reed conspired with ten others including Adam P. Runsdorf, the owner and president of Woodfield Pharmaceutical LLC based in Boca Raton, Florida.
According to information presented in court, Reed was a production manager and director of technical operations at Woodfield Pharmaceutical’s manufacturing facility in Houston, where employees produced more than 500,000 pints of counterfeit cough syrup for Byron Marshall, a Houston drug trafficker. Marshall’s drug trafficking organization sold the counterfeit drugs across Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee, Wisconsin, California, Florida, Arkansas, and Ohio. Prices generally ranged from $100 to more than $1,000 per one-pint bottle. Depending on the market and brand of cough syrup, prices went as high as $3,800 to $4,000 per pint.
All eleven defendants charged in the indictment, including Reed, pleaded guilty. All eleven have been sentenced. Byron A. Marshall, Tunji Campbell, and Adam Runsdorf pleaded guilty to conspiracy, trafficking in counterfeit drugs, and money laundering conspiracy. Marshall was sentenced to 300 months in federal prison. Campbell, who partnered with Marshall to hatch the scheme, was sentenced to 135 months imprisonment. Runsdorf was sentenced to 72 months imprisonment and ordered to forfeit $5 million and a McLaren sportscar. Chauntell D. Brown pleaded guilty to conspiracy and trafficking in counterfeit drugs and was sentenced to 72 months imprisonment. In addition to Reed, Cheryl A. Anderson, Ashley A. Rhea, Maria Anzures-Camarena, Kalpen Patel, and Jonathan Shaver each pleaded guilty to conspiracy and were sentenced to 60 months imprisonment. Gina Acosta pleaded guilty to conspiracy and was sentenced to 40 months imprisonment. Reed was the last defendant to be sentenced in the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration; U.S. Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigations; Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation; Federal Bureau of Investigation; U.S. Marshals Service; Houston Police Department; Galveston Police Department; Galveston County Sheriff’s Office; Dickinson Police Department; League City Police Department; Pearland Police Department; Pasadena Police Department; Texas City Police Department; Harris County Precent #2; Brazoria County Sheriff’s Office; Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office; Liberty County Sheriff’s Office; and the Texas National Guard. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys John B. Ross, Jonathan C. Lee, and Robert Wells.
###
O’Donnell ISD Teacher Convicted at Trial for Enticement of Minor Student Sentenced to 240 MonthsRead the Press Release
A Lubbock man who was convicted at trial for enticement and attempted enticement of a minor was sentenced today to 240 months in federal prison, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.
Nicholas Dominique Bueno, 28, was convicted, following a bench trial in June 2023, of one count of enticement and attempted enticement of a minor. In May 2023, Mr. Bueno pleaded guilty to three counts of transfer of obscene material to a minor. He was sentenced by U.S. District Judge James Wesley Hendrix, who also order Mr. Bueno to 25 years of supervised release following imprisonment and ordered him to pay a $5,000 assessment to the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act.
According to court documents, Mr. Bueno was a teacher and coach at O’Donnell High School and “Jane Doe” was a 14 year-old student. In October 2022, a school administrator for O’Donnell High School notified the Lynn County Sheriff’s Office of allegations of an inappropriate relationship between a teacher and a student. An investigation revealed, between September 23, 2022 through October 18, 2022, Mr. Bueno and Jane Doe exchanged thousands of messages. On numerous occasions the messages were controlling, grooming, sexual and enticing in nature.
When interviewed, Mr. Bueno initially denied any communication with Jane Doe outside of school, however, as the interview progressed he admitted to using a second phone to communicate with Jane Doe and admitted he destroyed the phone after the relationship was discovered.
The Lynn County Sheriff’s Office, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Department of Public Safety, and the Lubbock Police Department investigated the case with the full support and assistance of the O’Donnell Independent School District. Assistant U.S. Attorney Callie Woolam and Matt McLeod prosecuted the case.
Ohio Resident Pleads Guilty to Violating Federal Narcotics LawsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA – An Ohio resident pleaded guilty in federal court to violating federal narcotics laws, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
Luis Mattei-Albizu, 43, of Columbus, Ohio pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine from March of 2019 through September of 2020 before United States District Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan. Mattei-Albizu is one of thirteen defendants charged in the Indictment returned in this case.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that the Drug Enforcement Administration began investigating a cocaine and fentanyl trafficking organization that operated throughout the United States, including Florida, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Puerto Rico. Beginning in December of 2019 and continuing through August of 2020, the DEA received authorization to conduct a Title III wiretap investigation into the organization. Mattei-Albizu was intercepted orchestrating and directing the movement of cocaine through the mail for redistribution. In addition to the intercepted communications, agents seized cocaine, heroin, fentanyl, methamphetamine, ecstasy, marijuana, firearms, and bulk United States Currency from members of the organization.
Judge Ranjan scheduled sentencing for February 7, 2024. The law provides for a total sentence of not less than 5 years to a maximum of 40 years, a fine not to exceed $5,000,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Mark V. Gurzo is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The DEA in Pittsburgh, PA; the DEA, Columbus, OH; the DEA, Harrisburg, PA; Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”), Pittsburgh, PA; HSI, Orlando, FL; Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations; United States Postal Service, Columbus, Ohio; Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General; Lawrence County Drug Task Force – Special Investigations Unit; and New Castle Police Department conducted the investigation leading to the prosecution of Mattei-Albizu.
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.
Nurse practitioner arrested, charged with selling oxymorphoneRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Michael Ostolski, 55, of North Tonawanda, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with conspiracy to distribute oxymorphone. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Adler, who is handling the case, stated that Ostolski is a nurse practitioner working at Acacia Family Health in Lockport, NY, and is authorized to prescribe and dispense controlled substances. According to the complaint, Ostolski over-prescribed oxymorphone dosage units to select individuals who were patients, who then agreed to sell all or a portion of the prescribed pills for a financial profit. The patients were expected to give Ostolski the profits from the sale during their next office visit. The office visits were being billed to insurance including Medicare and Medicaid. Data from the New York State Department of Health Bureau of Narcotics Enforcement shows that between August 2021, and September 2023, Ostolski prescribed his co-conspirator patients collectively approximately 123 controlled substance prescriptions of oxymorphone, totaling in excess of 13,000 oxymorphone pills.
During the course of the investigation, investigators conducted several controlled purchases of oxymorphone from Ostolski, and multiple controlled office visits with Ostolski, during which he received cash payments.
Ostolski made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael J. Roemer and was released on conditions.
The complaint is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Buffalo Resident Office, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Frank A. Tarentino III, New York Field Division, the Lockport Police Department, under the direction of Chief Steven Abbott, and the Niagara Falls Police Department, under the direction of Chief John Faso. Additional assistance was provided by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, The New York State Attorney General’s Office, and New York State Department of Health Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
# # # #
Nicholas County Farmer Sentenced for Crop Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. — A Carlisle, Ky., man, Randall Taulbee, 59, was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison on Thursday, by U.S. District Judge Karen Caldwell, after previously pleading guilty to two counts of conspiring to defraud the United States, by committing crop insurance fraud.
According to his plea agreement, Taulbee, who was a magistrate in Bourbon County from 2018 until his resignation earlier this year, owned and rented farmland in Bourbon and Nicholas Counties, where he produced tobacco and corn that he began to insure through federal crop insurance in 2009 and 2013 respectively. Beginning in at least March 2013 and through November 2017, Taulbee admitted to working with his co-defendants, his brother-in-law, James A. McDonald, his sister, Cherie Lynn Noble, and his insurance agent, to falsify crop insurance policies and claims of loss.
Some examples of how Taulbee defrauded the crop insurance program include falsely stating that he was a New Producer, overreporting his acreage, falsely submitting records from a farm supply store, failing to report crop sales on his insurance claims of loss, and submitting false claims of loss documentation on private Crop Hail crop insurance policies.
Taulbee’s co-defendants have also been sentenced. McDonald received six months in prison, two years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay $718,784 in restitution. Noble received probation and community service and was ordered to pay $263,614 in restitution.
Under federal law, Taulbee and his co-defendants must serve 85 percent of their prison sentences. Upon his release, Taulbee will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for three years. In addition to his prison sentence, Taulbee was ordered to pay $718,784 in restitution.
Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Jason M. Williams, Special Agent in Charge, United States Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General; Michael E. Stansbury, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Louisville Field Office; Bryant Jackson, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation; and Juan Garrett, Director, Kentucky Department of Insurance Fraud Investigation Division, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the United States Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General, United States Department of Agriculture Risk Management Agency Special Investigations Staff, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, and Kentucky Department of Insurance. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kate Dieruf and Andrea Mattingly Williams.
-END-
Nashville Man Sentenced to Twelve Years in Federal Prison for His Role in a Multiple Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE – Defendant Anthony Bryant, 38, of Nashville, was sentenced yesterday to 12 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for his role in a poly-drug distribution conspiracy that took place in 2020, announced United States Attorney Henry C. Leventis for the Middle District of Tennessee. Co-defendant Carlos Wall, 48, of Franklin, Tennessee, previously was sentenced to twenty years’ imprisonment, and co-defendant Arthur Kinnard, 38, of Franklin, Tennessee, previously was sentenced to 83 months in federal prison. Co-defendant Samantha Brady, 27, of Nashville, Tennessee, has entered a guilty plea, and is scheduled to be sentenced on October 23, 2023.
Bryant and his co-defendants were charged with multiple crimes by information in 2021. On October 5, 2022, Bryant pled guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess With Intent to Distribute a kilogram or more of heroin; 400 grams or more of fentanyl; 50 grams or more of methamphetamine; a quantity of cocaine; and a quantity of cocaine base; multiple counts of Distribution and Possession with Intent to Distribute multiple kinds of drugs; possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking; and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.
The charges stem from a wiretap investigation into Wall and his co-defendants, in which they were intercepted discussing the distribution of multiple kinds of drugs, including fentanyl. At the sentencing for Bryant yesterday, when discussing the danger of fentanyl, United States District Judge Eli Richardson said, “fentanyl has [left] corpses all over this city.”
"Drug trafficking, and specifically fentanyl trafficking, is having a devastating impact on communities throughout Middle Tennessee. Too many people have lost loved ones to this poison. This prosecution and the lengthy prison sentences handed down in this case reaffirm our commitment to fighting back and to holding drug traffickers accountable," said United States Attorney Henry C. Leventis.
This investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department.
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 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.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda J. Klopf for the Middle District of Tennessee prosecuted the case.
#####
Myrtle Beach Woman is Sentenced to 78 Months in Federal Prison After Pleading Guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute over 400 Grams of FentanylRead the Press Release
FLORENCE, SOUTH CAROLINA —Kelly Brosky, 44, of Myrtle Beach was sentenced to more than six years after pleading guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute over 400 grams of fentanyl.
Evidence presented to the court showed that in 2021, agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) began investigating a possible clandestine pill pressing operation out of Myrtle Beach after learning that multiple pill press machines were sent to Brosky’s and her codefendant’s home. Law enforcement conducted surveillance operations, which led to them executing a search warrant at the home on March 9, 2022.
Agents seized over 6,000 pills, approximately $293,000 in cash, and other valuables. Financial records showed that Brosky and her co-conspirators transferred thousands of dollars in drug proceeds to and from their Cash App accounts.
United States District Judge Joseph Dawson sentenced Brosky to 78 months in prison to be followed by five years of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
This investigation was a 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. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Horry County Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Major is prosecuting the case.
###
Michigan Man Pleads Guilty to Investment Fraud Scheme Involving Fake NASA ContractsRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Marne, Michigan, man pleaded guilty today to a wire fraud charge arising from his participation in an investment fraud scheme.
According to court documents, beginning in at least February 2014, Steven Vernon Cross, 52, along with co-defendant Pranit Patil, 34, an Indian national, engaged in a years-long scheme to defraud victims who lent funds to or invested in Cross’s company, Commonwealth Applied Silica Technologies, LLC (CAST). Cross falsely represented to victims that CAST had valuable contracts with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) for silica processing. As part of the scheme, Cross provided victims with fake NASA contracts, assisted by Patel, who falsely presented himself as a NASA employee in charge of contracting. Cross led victims to believe that their funds were being invested in profit-making endeavors, when in fact many of the funds were being used to pay Cross’s personal expenses and also being paid out to Patil.
Cross is scheduled to be sentenced on February 16, 2024. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Stanley M. Meador, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office; and Adelle K. Harris, Special Agent in Charge of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Office of Inspector General’s Eastern Field Office, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson accepted the plea.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael C. Moore and Thomas A. Garnett are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:19-cr-158.
Michael Gonzalez Sentenced to 48 Months in Prison for Possessing and Selling Stolen TeslasRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that on October 11, 2023, Michael Gonzalez, 34, of Shelburne, Vermont, was sentenced by Chief United States District Judge Geoffrey Crawford to a term of 48 months’ imprisonment to be followed by a three-year term of supervised release. Gonzalez previously pleaded guilty to five counts of possessing and disposing of stolen vehicles that had crossed state lines.
According to court records, in 2018 and 2019, Gonzalez executed a scheme to obtain five different, brand new Tesla electric vehicles by falsely indicating he was prepared to pay the full purchase price. Gonzalez never intended to pay for the vehicles. The combined retail price of the five fraudulently obtained vehicles totaled more than $560,000. Gonzalez also submitted false statements to the Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles to obtain title to these cars. Gonzalez sold three of these vehicles to unwitting purchasers, grossing $231,900. When he was unable to sell one of the Teslas, court records explain that Gonzalez drove it onto the frozen surface of Lake Champlain in Shelburne Bay, set it on fire, and submitted an insurance claim for the value of the vehicle.
The sentence also included an order that Gonzalez pay restitution to Tesla in the amount of $493,043.93, and also forfeit $231,900 to the United States.
United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest commended the collaborative investigatory efforts of the United States Secret Service, the Investigations Unit of the Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles Enforcement & Safety, and the police departments of Shelburne, Vermont, and Seabrook, New Hampshire.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeffrey Davis, John Boscia, Jon Ophardt, Nicole Cate, and Michael Drescher. Gonzalez was represented by Chandler Matson, Esq.
Mexican National Sentenced for Entering the United States After Prior RemovalRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Mexican national was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Bangor for entering the United States after a prior removal.
U.S. District Judge Lance E. Walker sentenced Eduardo Ruiz Rojas, 36, to time served, and he will be turned over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement for removal to Mexico. Ruiz Rojas had been incarcerated since he was arrested by U.S. Border Patrol agents on April 21 after he and others were discovered in Aroostook County, a short distance from the international boundary.
Immigration records showed that Ruiz Rojas had been previously removed from the U.S. in September 2019 and had not obtained the express consent of the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to reapply for admission.
The U.S. Border Patrol investigated the case.
###
Member of Violent New Haven Gang Pleads Guilty to Racketeering ChargeRead the Press Release
KIVEON HYMAN, also known as “Tiny, ” 25, of New Haven, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in New Haven to an offense stemming from his role in a violent New Haven street gang.
Today’s announcement was made by Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut; John P. Doyle, Jr., State’s Attorney for the New Haven Judicial District; James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division; Robert Fuller, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England; and New Haven Police Chief Karl Jacobson.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in an effort to address violence in New Haven, including murders and attempted murders, the ATF, FBI, DEA and New Haven Police Department, working closely with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and New Haven State’s Attorney’s Office, have been investigating an ongoing gang war between members and associates of the Exit 8 street gang and rival gangs in the Hill section and other areas of the city. The Exit 8 gang is named after the geographic area accessed by exiting Interstate 91 at Exit 8 in New Haven. Recently, younger members of Exit 8 are identifying themselves with the word “Honcho,” which is derived from the street name of an Exit 8 member who was murdered on Quinnipiac Avenue in February 2020.
The investigation has revealed that Hyman and other members of the Exit 8 gang engaged in drug trafficking, used and shared firearms, and, since June 2018, have committed at least three murders and 16 attempted murders. Exit 8 members and associates stole vehicles, at times from outside of the state, and used those stolen vehicles when committing acts of violence. Gang members also promoted, coordinated, facilitated, and celebrated their narcotics distribution and acts of violence through text messaging and the use of social media applications and websites including Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and YouTube.
Specifically, on June 16, 2018, Hyman shot and attempted to kill a member and associate of a rival gang, and shot another individual in the vicinity.
Hyman pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to engage in a pattern of racketeering activity, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. A sentencing date is not scheduled.
Hyman has been detained since his arrest on March 24, 2023.
This investigation is being conducted by ATF, the FBI, the DEA, the New Haven Police Department, and the New Haven State’s Attorney’s Office, with the assistance of the Connecticut State Police and the Connecticut Forensic Science Laboratory. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tara E. Levens, Rahul Kale and Jocelyn C. Kaoutzanis.
This prosecution is a part of the Justice’s Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), Project Longevity and Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) programs.
PSN is a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make neighborhoods safer for everyone. Project Longevity is a comprehensive initiative to reduce gun violence in Connecticut’s major cities. Through Project Longevity, community members and law enforcement directly engage with members of groups that are prone to commit violence and deliver a community message against violence, a law enforcement message about the consequences of further violence and an offer of help for those who want it. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Maui Man Receives Ten and a Half Years in Prison for Child Enticement and Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
HONOLULU – On October 10, 2023, United States Chief District Judge Derrick K. Watson sentenced Lyle Cummings, 47, of Maui, to ten and a half years of imprisonment and seven years of supervised release for attempted coercion and enticement of a child to engage in sexual activity, as well as trafficking cocaine and crack. Cummings was tried before a jury in June 2023, and found guilty on all counts.
At trial, the United States presented evidence that in March 2020, Cummings communicated online for days with a person he believed to be a 13-year-old girl. During the online conversation, Cummings attempted to persuade, induce, entice, or coerce the minor to engage in sexual activity with him. The defendant then drove his truck to meet her at an agreed-upon location in Kihei, Maui. In reality, the defendant had been communicating with an undercover law enforcement officer, and not a 13-year-old minor. When the defendant arrived at the meet-up location, law enforcement arrested him. The next day, law enforcement executed a search warrant on the truck and found, among other items, cocaine and crack packaged for sale.
“This trial revealed how predators like Cummings utilize social media to entice and exploit children, which is appropriately punishable by a mandatory sentence of ten years incarceration,” said U.S. Attorney Clare E. Connors. “The fact Cummings possessed both cocaine and crack when he showed up to engage in sexual activity with a 13-year-old demonstrates the myriad dangers child victims face in these horrific situations.”
“HSI special agents won’t ever relent when it comes to protecting children and arresting individuals who prey on our most vulnerable,” said Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Honolulu Special Agent in Charge John F. Tobon. “Child exploitation is one of the most serious crimes HSI investigates due to the lasting psychological and physical damage it can inflict on victims. We are proud to work closely with our law enforcement partners to make communities safer.”
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 U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation that resulted in the indictment. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christine Olson and Rebecca A. Perlmutter are prosecuting the case.
Massachusetts Businessman Pleads Guilty to Million Dollar Payroll Tax Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Melrose man pleaded guilty today to a decade-long tax fraud scheme in which he failed to pay employment taxes he had withheld from employees of his two businesses.
Stephen Schofield, 70, pleaded guilty to one count of failure to pay over taxes before U.S. District Judge Denise J. Casper, who scheduled sentencing for Jan. 23, 2024.
Schofield operated and controlled two businesses – Schofield Concrete Forms in Stoneham and Schofields of Melrose, Inc. located in Melrose. For tax years 2010 through 2020, Schofield withheld federal and state employment taxes from his employees’ wages and issued W-2 forms to the employees showing that the taxes had been withheld. However, Schofield did not pay over those taxes to the IRS as required by federal law, resulting in a tax loss of approximately $1,051,000.
The charge of failure to pay over taxes provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Harry Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Victor A. Wild of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.
Massachusetts Awarded over $118 Million in Federal Grants to Support Community SafetyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy has announced that $118,366,566 in federal grants has been allocated to the District of Massachusetts to support public safety and community justice initiatives. The grants are part of $4.4 billion in funding awarded by the Justice Department’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP), which help to build community capacity to curb violence, serve victims and youth, and achieve fair outcomes through evidence-based criminal and juvenile justice strategies.
The more than 3,700 OJP grants being awarded this fiscal year will support state, local and community-based efforts and evidence-based interventions that reduce violence, crime and recidivism while delivering treatment and services to those at-risk of justice system involvement. Funding will expand partnerships between criminal justice professionals and behavioral health experts, help people safely and successfully transition from confinement back to their communities, reach crime victims in underserved areas, steer young people away from justice system contact, improve the management of sex offenders and support a wide range of research and statistical activities that will help justice system professionals meet community safety challenges.
“Everyone in this country deserves to be safe in their communities,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “That is why, in addition to continuing our efforts to identify and prosecute the most violent criminals, the Justice Department is putting every available resource to work to support the efforts of our law enforcement and community partners nationwide. This significant investment will go directly to state and local programs that support the victims of crime, support officer safety and wellness, build the public trust in law enforcement essential to public safety, and help make all of our communities safer.”
“Protecting the people of Massachusetts is my highest priority, and the best way to accomplish that goal is to forge close working relationships with our state and local partners. Federal resources like this are invaluable in the support they provide for comprehensive public safety solutions and resources specific to the unique needs of Massachusetts communities,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Levy. “By investing in state and local programs, we aim to empower victims, enhance officer safety, strengthen public trust in law enforcement, and ultimately create safer communities across Massachusetts.”
In Massachusetts, nearly $60 million has been awarded under OJP’s Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), which provides leadership and assistance to local criminal justice programs that improve and reinforce the nation’s criminal justice system. BJA’s goals are to reduce and prevent crime, violence, and drug abuse and to improve the way in which the criminal justice system functions. BJA funding announcements are posted at: https://bja.ojp.gov/news/announcements.
Additionally, over $34 million has been awarded to support crime victim compensation and assistance in Massachusetts under OJP’s Office for Victims of Crime (OVC). This funding will support local victim assistance and compensation programs across Massachusetts to help build capacity to reach those disproportionately affected by crime and victimization. To learn more about OVC funding, visit: https://ovc.ojp.gov/funding.
“Across the country, the Justice Department is working side-by-side with our partners in state and local law enforcement to combat violent crime by using our federal resources to amplify their work on the front lines,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco. “The billions of dollars in grants announced today will augment those efforts and the tools law enforcement is using to curb violence, counter deadly drug abuse, and promote safety and public trust. Together with our state and local partners, the Department will continue to do everything we can to protect the communities we all serve.”
“The Department of Justice is investing in community-based approaches to violence prevention, law enforcement health and wellness, Tribal courts, improved services for victims, research and data collection efforts, reentry programs, and much more,” said Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta. “The grants announced today further our commitment to working with our state, Tribal, and local partners to increase public safety, build police-community trust, and ensure safe, healthy, and just communities for all.”
“Every sector of our society — not only the justice system, but nonprofit and faith-based groups, local leaders, and advocates, and people with lived experience who serve as credible messengers — plays a critical role in ensuring public safety and public health,” said OJP Assistant Attorney General Amy L. Solomon. “The Office of Justice Programs is proud to make these substantial investments in building community infrastructure and supporting communities as co-producers of safety and justice.”
Grants will support five major community safety and justice priorities nationwide:
- Awards totaling more than $1 billion will promote safety and strengthen trust, helping communities tackle the proliferation of gun violence in America and restore bonds of trust between community residents and the justice system. Grants will support innovative and evidence-based strategies designed to prevent and reduce violent crime, support the health and safety of law enforcement and public safety professionals, promote rehabilitation and reentry success and address the rise in hate crimes across the country.
- More than $437 million in grant awards will accelerate justice system reforms designed to achieve equal justice and fair treatment for all. Grants will expand access to services among historically underserved and marginalized communities, reduce counterproductive involvement in the justice system, increase opportunities for diversion and build pathways to treatment for people with substance use and mental health disorders.
- Over $192 million will improve the fairness and effectiveness of the juvenile justice system by supporting developmentally appropriate and culturally responsive interventions for youth. Funding will ensure that young people are served at home in their communities whenever possible, are equipped to transition to a healthy adulthood free of crime, and are protected from violence and abuse.
- More than $1.7 billion will expand access to victim services by investing in programs that provide trauma-informed and culturally responsive services to victims. Funding will support thousands of local victim assistance programs across the country and victim compensation programs in every state and U.S. territory, while helping these programs build their capacity to reach those disproportionately affected by crime and victimization.
- Over $418 million in awards will advance science and innovation to strengthen the base of knowledge that policymakers and practitioners can use to design and deploy effective community safety strategies. Awards will support research and data collection on a wide range of public safety issues, help maintain timely and accurate criminal history records, and improve the capacity of crime labs and forensic analysts to solve crimes, absolve the innocent, and deliver justice to victims.
In addition, OJP will award more than $611 million to continue its support of other previously funded programs and congressionally directed spending.
An interactive map that shows where grants are going can be found at: Workbook: OJP Awards Dashboard
Martha's Vineyard Man Pleads Guilty to Armed Robbery of Falmouth BankRead the Press Release
BOSTON – An Edgartown man pleaded guilty today to an armed robbery of a Falmouth bank, during which he zip-tied individuals, brandished a firearm, placed a purported bomb on the counter and fled the scene in the vehicle of a bank customer.
Petar Petyoshin, 40, pleaded guilty to one count of armed bank robbery before U.S. District Court Judge Angel Kelley who scheduled sentencing for Jan. 24, 2024. Petyoshin was charged in July 2023. He was initially arrested on related state charges in May 2023.
On April 8, 2023, Petyoshin departed Martha’s Vineyard aboard a Steamship Authority vessel at 7 a.m. and arrived at Woods Hole in Falmouth. At approximately 8:58 a.m. on April 8, 2023, Petyoshin entered the Rockland Trust Bank in Falmouth, placed an alleged bomb on the teller counter and brandished a firearm. Petyoshin pointed the firearm at the tellers and customers, telling one bank employee, “I’m robbing you,” before having the customers and bank employees zip-tie each other’s hands together. Petyoshin then had two additional tellers place over $20,000 in cash from the bank into a brown bag, took a customer’s car keys and fled the scene in the customer’s vehicle. Petyoshin then boarded a 1:15 p.m. return ferry to Martha’s Vineyard.
On May 23, 2023, Petyoshin was arrested on state charges in connection with the robbery. A subsequent search of his residence in Edgartown, Mass. resulted in the recovery of thousands of dollars in cash bundled together in Rockland Trust money bands, zip ties and clothing items the suspect was captured wearing on surveillance footage both before and after the robbery. Additionally, 57 firearms and a large quantity of ammunition were seized during the search. The same jacket worn by the robber inside the Rockland Trust bank was recovered during a search of Petyoshin’s personal locker at the Oak Bluffs Water Department where he is employed. The investigation also determined that the Facebook page for Petyoshin’s clothing store, Dapper Martha’s Vineyard, displayed photos of the same clothing – including jacket, sunglasses and wig – he wore during the bank robbery.
The charge of armed bank robbery provides for a sentence of up to 25 years in prison, up to five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and John. E. Mawn Jr., Interim Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Falmouth and Edgartown Police Departments; Barnstable County Sheriff’s Department; and the Cape & Islands District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke A. Goldworm of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
Marion County Convicted Felon Sentenced to More Than Three Years in Prison for Possessing AmmunitionRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – Senior United States District Judge Gregory A. Presnell has sentenced Mario Jerard Delancy (33, Ocala) to 3 years and 1 month in federal prison for possessing ammunition as a convicted felon. Delancy was also ordered to forfeit the firearm and ammunition from the offense. Delancy had pleaded guilty on May 8, 2023.
According to court documents, on June 4, 2022, an officer with the Ocala Police Department conducted a traffic stop on Delancy’s vehicle. A search of the vehicle revealed a loaded firearm tucked under the driver’s seat. At the time of the offense, Delancy had a prior state conviction for felony battery. He is, therefore, prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Ocala Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.
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.
Man Sentenced for over $500,000 COVID-19 Relief Fraud and Money Laundering SchemeRead the Press Release
A Nevada man was sentenced today to two years and four months in prison for fraudulently obtaining over $500,000 in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program loans that the Small Business Administration (SBA) guaranteed under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, and then laundering the money through family, friends, and others.
According to court documents, Brandon Casutt, 52, of Henderson, submitted multiple false and fraudulent applications to the SBA and four SBA lenders on behalf of two entities he controlled, seeking to fraudulently obtain more than $5.7 million. Two of Casutt’s fraudulent applications ultimately received funding: a PPP loan for approximately $350,000 in the name of a purported business called Sky DeSign, and an EIDL program loan for approximately $150,000 in the name of a purported charity called Skyler’s CF Foundation. While the loan applications affirmed falsely that each entity had numerous employees, significant payroll expenses, and substantial revenue, neither entity had employees nor paid any wages.
After receiving the PPP money, Casutt laundered it by writing dozens of fake payroll checks – each in the amount of approximately $8,330 – to himself, family members, and friends. On many of the checks, Casutt falsely wrote “pandemic pay” or “back pay” in the check memo. Casutt cashed or deposited these fake paychecks. Then, within days and at Casutt’s direction, the money was diverted back to a bank account under Casutt’s control. Casutt then used the money to buy a house in Henderson.
On Aug. 26, 2020, Casutt pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of concealment money laundering.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada, Special Agent in Charge Al Childress of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Phoenix Field Office, and Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division made the announcement.
IRS-CI and the FBI Las Vegas Field Office investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Sara Hallmark and Assistant Chief Cory E. Jacobs of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric C. Schmale for the District of Nevada prosecuted the case, with assistance from Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica Oliva and Daniel Hollingsworth for the District of Nevada.
In May 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 augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s prosecution of fraud schemes that exploit the PPP. Since the inception of the CARES Act, the Fraud Section has prosecuted over 200 defendants in more than 130 criminal cases and has seized over $78 million in cash proceeds derived from fraudulently obtained PPP funds, as well as numerous real estate properties and luxury items purchased with such proceeds. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/ppp-fraud.
Lynn Woman Sentenced for Stealing Social Security Benefits Intended for Her Deceased MotherRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Lynn woman was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for stealing over $50,000 in Social Security benefits intended for her deceased mother over a period of three and a half years.
Teresa M. Carrington, 66, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper to five years’ probation. Carrington was also ordered to pay restitution to the Social Security Administration (SSA) in the amount of $50,210. On May 31, 2023, Carrington pleaded guilty to one count of theft of public funds.
Carrington’s mother died in May 2016. However, the death was never reported to the SSA and, as a result, continued to issue monthly SSA Retirement Insurance Benefits to Carrington’s mother. From June 2016 through January 2020, Carrington stole at least $50,210 in RIS benefits erroneously paid to her deceased mother. To obtain the funds, Carrington wrote monthly checks on her deceased mother’s bank account – each of which was made payable to Carrington and fraudulently endorsed with her mother’s forged signature. Carrington then used the funds to pay bills and other personal expenses.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Sharon MacDermott, Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Boston Field Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Suzanne Sullivan Jacobus of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
Lewiston Man Sentenced to 7+ Years for Being a Felon in Possession of AmmunitionRead the Press Release
A Lewiston man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for being a felon in possession of ammunition.
U.S. District Judge George Z. Singal sentenced Shaiquan Moran-Stenson, 27, to 77 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release, to be served consecutively with an 18-month sentence for revocation of a term of supervised release on a previous felon-in-possession conviction in the Western District of New York. Moran-Stenson pleaded guilty on May 16, 2023.
According to court records, in December 2021, Moran-Stenson fired multiple shots near Bartlett Street in Lewiston. Video cameras at two residences recorded him firing shots across the street before he ran to a parked car and fired additional shots as the vehicle drove away. Investigators recovered .40 caliber shell casings from the area. At the time of the shooting, Moran-Stenson was on supervised release for a prior conviction and was prohibited from possessing ammunition.
The Lewiston Police Department, Portland Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation.
Project Safe Neighborhoods: This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. To learn more information about Project Safe Neighborhood, visit www.justice.gov/psn.
###
Lake Charles Man Sentenced to over Six Years in Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
LAKE CHARLES, La. – Johntrel Joel Lewis, 34, of Lake Charles, was sentenced today for illegally possessing a firearm, announced United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown. Lewis was sentenced by United States District Judge James D. Cain, Jr. to 78 months (6 years, 6 months) in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release for the offense.
According to information presented in court, on August 6, 2022, deputies with the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a vehicle operated by Lewis. Lewis continued traveling in his vehicle evading law enforcement, eventually abandoning the vehicle, and fleeing on foot. Law enforcement officers apprehended Lewis and provided him his Miranda advisements. A search of his person revealed three clear bags containing a substance believed to be crack cocaine weighing approximately 20.8 grams, as well as over $900 in his pants pocket. Inside the vehicle, deputies located a clear bag near the vehicle in the direction Lewis had fled on foot, as well as a Taurus, model TH9C 9mm handgun loaded with eleven rounds of ammunition, with one round in the chamber, which was found between the front passenger seat and center console.
Law enforcement officers learned that Lewis had previously been convicted of illegally carrying a weapon by a convicted felon in the presence of a controlled substance in 2018. As a convicted felon, Lewis knew that he was prohibited from possessing any firearm or ammunition. Agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (“ATF”) examined the recovered firearm and determined it was manufactured in Brazil and had traveled in or affected interstate commerce.
The case was investigated by ATF and the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel J. McCoy.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. PSN is part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime. To learn more about Project Safe Neighborhoods, go to www.justice.gov/psn.
# # #
Keene Man Pleads Guilty to Threatening to Kill a Member of CongressRead the Press Release
CONCORD – A Keene man pleaded guilty in federal court to threatening to kill a member of Congress, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces.
Allan Poller, 24, pleaded guilty to transmitting in interstate commerce a threat to injure the person of another. U.S. District Court Judge Landya B. McCafferty scheduled sentencing for January 18, 2024. Poller was arrested on April 3, 2023.
On March 29, 2023, Poller called the Washington, D.C. office of a member of the United States House of Representatives and left a voicemail message stating the following:
Hi, my name is Allan Poller, A-L-L-A-N P-O-L-L-E-R, phone number []
8931. And I just want to let you know, Representative [Name], if you keep on
coming for the gays, we’re gonna strike back and I guarantee you, you do not want
to f**k with us. We will kill you if that’s what it takes. I will take a bullet to your
f**king head if you fuck with my rights anymore. And then if you want to keep
going down that path, you know who’s next.
Poller later admitted to placing the call and leaving the message. He stated that he had been drinking and left the message after becoming angry while watching videos on the social media application TikTok.
The charging statute provides a sentence of no greater than 5 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 Federal Bureau of Investigation and U.S. Capitol Police led the investigation. Valuable assistance was provided by the Keene Police Department and Springfield, Vermont Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jarad E. Hodes and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Chen are prosecuting the case.
###
Justice Department and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Issue Joint Statement Cautioning that Financial Institutions May Not Use Immigration Status to Illegally Discriminate Against Credit ApplicantsRead the Press Release
The Justice Department and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) issued a joint statement today that reminds financial institutions that all credit applicants are protected from discrimination on the basis of their national origin, race and other characteristics covered by the Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA), regardless of their immigration status. The Justice Department and CFPB are issuing this statement because consumers have reported being rejected for credit cards as well as for auto, student, personal and equipment loans because of their immigration status, even when they have strong credit histories and ties to the United States and are otherwise qualified to receive the loans.
While the ECOA allows a creditor to consider an applicant’s immigration status when necessary to ascertain the creditor’s rights regarding repayment, creditors should be aware that unnecessary or overbroad reliance on immigration status, including when that reliance is based on bias, may run afoul of the law.
“Lenders should not deny people the opportunity to take out a loan to buy a home, build their businesses or otherwise pursue their financial goals because of unlawful bias and without regard to their actual ability to repay,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This guidance reminds lenders that denying someone access to credit based solely on their actual or perceived immigrant status may violate federal law.”
“Fair access to credit is crucially important for building wealth and strengthening household financial stability,” said CFPB Director Rohit Chopra. “The CFPB will not allow companies to use immigration status as an excuse for illegal discrimination.”
Some financial institutions have maintained blanket policies denying credit to individuals based on their immigration status, regardless of their personal circumstances and demonstrated ability to repay, arguing that the ECOA, and the regulation that implements it, protect them whenever they consider immigration status in making a credit decision. Others have incorrectly claimed that the Act shields lenders from liability under other federal and state civil rights laws that bar discrimination on the basis of someone’s status as an immigrant or noncitizen.
The joint statement explains that while the ECOA allows creditors to consider immigration status when necessary to ascertain the creditor’s rights regarding repayment, unnecessary or overbroad reliance on immigration status may violate the Act’s prohibition of discrimination on the basis of national origin, race or another prohibited basis. The joint statement also confirms that neither the ECOA nor its regulations provide companies a safe harbor with respect to other laws barring discrimination on the basis of immigration status.
Read today’s joint statement.
The Civil Rights Division enforces federal laws that protect individuals from discrimination based on your race, color, national origin, disability status, sex, religion, familial status or loss of other constitutional rights. If you believe your civil rights, or someone else’s, have been violated, submit a report using our online form.
The CFPB is a 21st century agency that implements and enforces federal consumer financial law and ensures that markets for consumer financial products are fair, transparent and competitive. For more information, visit consumerfinance.gov.
Consumers can submit complaints about financial products or services by visiting the CFPB’s website or by calling (855) 411-CFPB (2372). Employees who believe their companies have violated federal consumer financial protection laws are encouraged to send information about what they know to [email protected]. To learn more about reporting potential industry misconduct, visit the CFPB’s website.
Justice Department Secures Agreement in Tennessee School Desegregation CaseRead the Press Release
Note: View the agreement here.
Memphis, TN – The Justice Department announced yesterday that it has secured an agreement to improve and expand educational opportunities for students in the Fayette County School District in Tennessee. The consent order was approved by U.S. District Court Judge S. Thomas Anderson for the Western District of Tennessee as part of a longstanding school desegregation case.
Under the consent decree, the school district will improve its practices for identifying and serving students in its gifted programs and in dual enrollment classes, which give high school students access to college-level coursework; bolster efforts to recruit and retain diverse faculty; and revise student discipline policies to prevent racial discrimination and support a positive climate, including by ending the use of corporal punishment.
“School desegregation and equal access to a quality education was critically important nearly 70 years ago when the Supreme Court decided Brown v. Board, and it is critically important today,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department remains steadfast in our commitment to making real the promise of Brown and dismantling the legacy of discrimination in our schools. This consent decree is a giant step forward for students deserving of racially just and equitable outcomes in Fayette County Schools. These reforms will expand access to enriched academic opportunities and give students the positive, inclusive learning environment they need to thrive.”
As part of the consent decree, the court declared the district had met its desegregation obligations in several areas of operations, including staff assignment, facilities, transportation and extracurricular activities. The consent decree also provides that the district will, among other requirements:
- Work with the Justice Department and private plaintiffs represented by the NAACP Legal Defense Fund to develop an effective and sustainable student assignment policy to further desegregation in its schools;
- Adopt a plan to ensure that all students, including Black students, are properly identified for enrollment in its gifted program and that the district delivers gifted services to properly designated students in a nondiscriminatory manner;
- Review its enrollment in advanced and dual enrollment courses in secondary schools to identify any racial disparities and implement practicable responses designed to reduce barriers that limit the participation of Black students;
- Work with a consultant to implement changes to its student discipline policies designed to reduce racial disparities in discipline, and instill positive reinforcement techniques;
- Eliminate the use of corporal punishment, a practice that undermines effective implementation of positive behavioral interventions; and
- Conduct a comprehensive review of the district’s hiring policies and procedures to identify racial disparities in the recruitment, hiring, promotion and retention of Black faculty and implement appropriate remedial measures.
Next year marks the 70th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Brown v. Board of Education. The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division continues to prioritize enforcement of desegregation orders in school districts formerly segregated by law, to ensure that all children can access the building blocks of educational success. Additional information about the Civil Rights Division is available on its website at www.justice.gov/crt, and additional information about the work of the Educational Opportunities Section is available at www.justice.gov/crt/educational-opportunities-section.
Members of the public may report possible civil rights violations at www.civilrights.justice.gov/report.
Judge Sentences Defendant to Five Years for Role in Drug Trafficking Around 7th & O Streets, NWRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Harold Augostus Stone, 48, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to five years in prison for possession with intent to distribute cocaine base, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, FBI Special Agent in Charge Wayne A. Jacobs of the Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division, and Acting Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Stone is one of 20 defendants charged in connection with a wide-ranging drug trafficking investigation centered on the area of 7th and O Streets, in Northwest Washington, D.C. He pleaded guilty on June 23, 2022. In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Reggie B. Walton ordered an additional five years of supervised release.
Stone has a prior conviction for first degree murder while armed for a 1992 slaying in the District of Columbia. His sentence was reduced under D.C.’s Incarceration Reduction Amendment Act, and he was released from custody in July 2020. He also has a previous conviction for assault with a deadly weapon in Virginia.
According to court documents, in mid-2021 members of the MPD, working with the FBI, began investigating violent crime and drug trafficking activities connected to an open-air drug market at the corner of 7th and O Streets. The investigation revealed that the individuals charged gathered in this area on a regular basis to sell controlled substances that included cocaine base and fentanyl. Law enforcement identified several neighborhood residences the group used as stash houses for storing, processing, and packaging drugs for resale.
On May 11, 2022, Stone – aka “Bankroll” – was arrested by four U.S. Park Police on the 1200 block of M Street, NW. At the time, Stone was wearing a satchel and a large puffy jacket. Inside the satchel, officers recovered six knotted bags weighing 98 grams total and $3,242 in cash. The substance in the bags tested positive for cocaine base and weighed more than 28 grams.
This case stems from a collaborative investigation by the Violence Reduction Unit (VRU) of MPD’s Violent Crime Suppression Division, the FBI Washington Field Office’s Cross Border Safe Streets Task Force, the Washington Division of the DEA, and the U.S. Park Police. The Cross Border Safe Streets Task Force targets the most egregious and violent street crews operating in the District of Columbia.
The investigation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin Rosenberg and Solomon Eppel of the Violence Reduction and Trafficking Offenses section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, with valuable assistance provided by Assistant United States Attorney Steven Wasserman and former Special Assistant United States Attorney Shaunik Panse.
Jackson County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – James Gould, 48, of Ravenswood, pleaded guilty today to being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 18, 2022, Gould possessed a Remington 11-87 12-gauge shotgun at his residence.
Federal law prohibits a prohibited person from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Gould was prohibited from possessing a firearm after having been involuntarily committed in Jackson County to a mental health facility on or about July 30, 2019.
Gould is scheduled to be sentenced on January 25, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office.
Chief United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy D. Boggess 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. 2:22-cr-95.
###
Iowa Nurse Pleads Guilty to Stealing Pain Medication from at Least 50 New Mothers at Waterloo HospitalRead the Press Release
An Iowa nurse who stole pain medication from at least 50 new mothers at a Waterloo hospital pled guilty today in federal court in Cedar Rapids. Christina Eileen Olson, formerly known as Christina Eileen Hovey, age 43, of Waterloo, was convicted of one count of acquiring a controlled substance by misrepresentation, fraud, deception, and subterfuge, one count of adulteration and misbranding with intent to defraud and mislead, and one count of false statements relating to health care matters.
At the plea hearing, and in a plea agreement, Olson admitted that the State of Iowa granted her a nursing license in 2004. In 2017, a Waterloo hospital hired Olson to work as a nurse in its labor and delivery unit. As a nurse in the hospital’s labor and delivery unit, Olson was responsible for caring for late-term pregnant women, women in active labor, and post-partum women, including women recovering from recent Caesarean section (“c-section”) surgery. Obstetricians prescribed these women Schedule II narcotics, including hydromorphone, oxycodone, and fentanyl, to control physical pain associated with the birthing process.
From January 2022 to March 25, 2022, Olson used her nursing license to gain access to controlled substances in the hospital’s labor and delivery unit. Instead of administering the controlled substances to the women in pain, Olson diverted the controlled substances to herself for her own illicit drug use. Olson admitted she stole narcotics from no less than 50 victims. To cover up her crimes, Olson used a variety of fraudulent means, including falsely documenting that she had administered pain medication to new mothers when she had not done so. Olson also admitted to tampering with pain medication—replacing fentanyl inside a vial with saline and diverting the narcotic for her own use.
For example, on March 25, 2022, Olson was supposed to care for three new mothers and their babies during her shift from 3 a.m. to 3 p.m. One of Olson’s victims, known in court documents as “Mother-1,” had given birth via c-section on March 23, 2022, in a high-risk pregnancy. In addition to caring for Mother-1, it was Olson’s responsibility to come into Mother-1’s room and document how much the baby was eating every hour, as this is important to ensure the health of a newborn. Instead of caring for Mother-1 and her baby, however, Olson never came into the room or checked on Mother-1 or her baby or administered pain medication to Mother-1 on March 25, 2023, even though Olson documented in the hospital’s records that she was administering pain medication to Mother-1. Rather, Olson diverted the pain medication to her own use.
As a result of Olson’s crimes, Mother-1 suffered “horrible and excruciating pain” on March 25, 2023. Further, because Olson had created false health care records documenting that she had administered the pain medication to Mother-1, the next nurse on shift declined to give pain medication to Mother-1 for at least 30 additional minutes to ensure Mother-1 was not feigning her need for narcotics. And despite repeated requests by Mother-1’s husband for formula, Mother-1’s newborn did not receive any formula until the end of Olson’s shift.
The next day, March 26, 2023, Olson was again working first shift at the hospital. During this shift, the hospital drug tested Olson. The drug test was positive for opiates (oxycodone and hydromorphone) and marijuana. Another nurse then found an open fentanyl vial, an open ephedrine vial, and an epidural bag in another new mother’s room. The hospital’s records revealed that Olson had removed these three items under the new mother’s name despite the fact there were no such orders for her. The fentanyl vial had puncture marks on the top and bottom stopper surfaces, and laboratory results later revealed that nearly all the fentanyl in the vial had been replaced with saline.
Olson admitted that she routinely drank alcohol and used marijuana while working at the Waterloo hospital. In September 2021, after receiving reports that Olson was disappearing from her shift for extended periods of time, the hospital’s director referred Olson to an employee assistance program. On September 9, 2021, however, Olson took a leave of absence from the hospital for about three months after she was arrested for drunk driving. Olson’s blood alcohol level at the time of her arrest was no less than .274.
In July 2022, Olson entered into a settlement agreement with the Iowa Board of Nursing under which she agreed to voluntarily surrender her nursing license for one year. As a part of her plea agreement, Olson has agreed to forfeit her nursing license to the United States.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Olson remains free on bond previously set. Olson faces a possible maximum sentence of 12 years’ imprisonment, a $750,000 fine, and three years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Timothy L. Vavricek and was investigated by the Food and Drug Administration, Office of Inspector General, and the Iowa Medicaid Fraud Control Unit.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 23-CR-2055.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Indictment Charges Las Vegas Couple with Drug and Money Laundering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Rushan Lavar Reed, 46, and Celeste Nicole Reed, 26, both of Las Vegas, Nevada, were arrested on charges, filed in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., related to the alleged sale of illegal drugs and the laundering of the drug proceeds. The charges were announced today by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, and Special Agent in Charge Wayne Jacobs of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division.
According to the indictment, unsealed yesterday, starting in March of 2017, the Reeds knowingly conspired with others – known and unknown to the Grand Jury – to distribute and possess with intent to distribute narcotics that included a detectable amount of oxycodone, hydrocodone, and amphetamine. The indictment also alleges that the defendants conducted and attempted to conduct financial transactions involving the proceeds of illegal drug trafficking activity.
If convicted, the defendants each face a maximum statutory sentence of 10 years in prison for conspiracy to distribute the illegal drugs and 10 years in prison for conspiracy to commit money laundering. The maximum statutory sentence for federal offenses is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes. The sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This case is being investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office and Office of the Inspector General of the District of Columbia, with assistance from the FBI Las Vegas Field Office and U.S. Postal Inspection Service. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gary Crosby and Andy Wang, of the Violence Reduction and Trafficking Offenses Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
IRS Contractor Pleads Guilty to Disclosing Tax Return Information to News OrganizationsRead the Press Release
An IRS contractor, Charles Littlejohn, 38, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty today to disclosing tax return information without authorization.
“By using his role as a government contractor to gain access to private tax information, steal that information, and disclose it publicly, Charles Littlejohn broke federal law and betrayed the public’s trust,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “In every case, the Department of Justice is committed to following the facts wherever they lead and holding accountable those who violate our laws.”
“The unauthorized theft and disclosure of tax return information by government employees or contractors is a serious breach of the public’s trust,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The Department will hold accountable those who illegally exploit their access to sensitive personal information.”
“The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) is dedicated to conducting comprehensive investigations of criminal activity that impacts federal tax administration. The American people have every right to expect the utmost integrity from those who are granted access to sensitive taxpayer information through their employment with the IRS. TIGTA stands ready to investigate, pursue, and bring to justice any individuals, whether they be employees, contractors, or unaffiliated outside parties who abuse IRS’s systems, steal taxpayer information, and/or illegally disclose taxpayer information,” said Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Trevor Nelson of TIGTA. “TIGTA is committed to investigating and bringing to justice those individuals who illegally disclose taxpayer information. I want to thank TIGTA special agents, the Department of Justice Public Integrity Section, and the U.S. Attorney’s offices for their hard work in their commitment to this goal.”
According to court documents, Littlejohn, while working at the IRS as a government contractor, stole tax return information associated with a high-ranking government official (Public Official A). Littlejohn accessed tax returns associated with Public Official A – and related individuals and entities – on an IRS database after using broad search parameters designed to conceal the true purpose of his queries. He then evaded IRS protocols established to detect and prevent large downloads or uploads from IRS devices or systems. Littlejohn then saved the tax returns to multiple personal storage devices, including an iPod, before contacting News Organization 1. Between around August 2019 and October 2019, Littlejohn provided News Organization 1 with the tax return information associated with Public Official A. Littlejohn then stole additional tax return information related to Public Official A and provided it to News Organization 1. In September 2020, News Organization 1 published a series of articles about Public Official A’s tax returns.
In July and August 2020, Littlejohn separately stole tax return information for thousands of the nation’s wealthiest individuals. Littlejohn was again able to evade IRS detection. In November 2020, Littlejohn disclosed this tax return information to News Organization 2, which published over 50 articles using the stolen data. Littlejohn then obstructed the forthcoming investigation into his conduct by deleting and destroying evidence of his disclosures.
Littlejohn pleaded guilty to unauthorized disclosure of tax return and return information. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 29, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
TIGTA investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Lauren Castaldi and Jonathan E. Jacobson of the Justice Department’s Public Integrity Section are prosecuting the case, with substantial assistance from Assistant U.S. Attorney Eleanor Hurney for the Northern District of West Virginia.
If you believe you are a victim in this case, please contact the Public Integrity Section by email at [email protected]. Victims can find case updates and additional information at www.justice.gov/criminal-vns/case/united-states-v-charles-littlejohn.
Howard County Man Pleads Guilty to His Role in a Murder-For-Hire ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Jourdain Larose, a/k/a “JBlacc,” age 28, of Ellicott City, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to the use and discharge of a firearm during a crime of violence resulting in death, in connection with a murder-for-hire conspiracy. Larose admitted that he solicited others to murder victim Juan Ross in exchange for money and that in the course of the murder-for-hire Larose aided and abetted his co-conspirators who discharged firearms, resulting in the death of Ross.
The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Toni M. Crosby of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Baltimore Field Division; Chief Gregory Der of the Howard County Police Department; and Howard County State’s Attorney Rich Gibson.
According to his plea agreement, Larose accused Juan Ross, age 23, of Columbia, Maryland, of cooperating with law enforcement, including on a live social media conversation on September 9, 2020, and in text message.
As detailed in his plea agreement, Larose provided a gun to a conspirator on September 12, 2020, for the purpose of killing Juan Ross. On October 3, 2020, when the conspirator had not committed the murder yet, Larose solicited co-defendant Tyrik Braxton to commit the murder instead. On that same date, Braxton texted a cell phone number linked to co-defendant Daquante Thomas with the address where Ross could be found.
According to court documents, on October 4, 2020, after text messaging each other about the address where they could find the victim, Braxton, Thomas, and another co-conspirator drove to the area of Basket Ring Court in Columbia to locate Juan Ross, then drove to a drug store nearby, where Braxton got out of the car and left the area. A short time later, Thomas and the co-conspirator returned to Basket Ring Court, shot and killed Juan Ross and drove away together.
Although they denied knowing each other in post arrest statements, investigators linked Larose and Braxton through cellphone records and witness interviews. According to the plea agreement, after Ross’s murder, Braxton texted Larose that he had something important to discuss, and Larose told Braxton to Facetime him. As detailed in the plea agreement, on October 7, 2020, Braxton texted Larose, “It’s going to be hot as sh** out here” to which Larose responded, “It already is bro.”
Larose and the government have agreed that, if the Court accepts the plea, Larose will be sentenced to no more than 40 years in federal prison. U.S. District Judge Julie R. Rubin has scheduled sentencing for Larose on February 27, 2023.
Co-defendant Tyrik Braxton, a/k/a “Son-Son,” age 27, of Baltimore, Maryland, previously pleaded guilty to discharge of a firearm during a crime of violence resulting in death and is expected to be sentenced to between 20 and 25 years in federal prison. No date has been set for his sentencing. On January 11, 2023, Judge Rubin sentenced co-defendant Daquante Thomas, age 21, of Baltimore, to 35 years in federal prison for the same charge. Thomas admitted that he was one of the shooters.
This case was made possible by investigative leads generated from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives’ (ATF) National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN). NIBIN is the only national network that allows for the capture and comparison of ballistic evidence to aid in solving and preventing violent crimes involving firearms. NIBIN is a proven investigative and intelligence tool that can link firearms from multiple crime scenes, allowing law enforcement to quickly disrupt shooting cycles. For more information on NIBIN, visit https://www.atf.gov/firearms/national-integrated-ballistic-information-network-nibin.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the ATF, the Howard County Police Department, and the Howard County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation and prosecution and thanked the FBI, the Maryland State Police, the Anne Arundel County Police Department, the Baltimore County Police Department, and the Baltimore Police Department for their assistance. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Kim Y. Hagan, who is prosecuting the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-neighborhoods-psnexile and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
# # #
Ghanaian National and a Florida Resident Indicted for Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA - A Ghanaian National and a resident of Florida have been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh for money laundering, United States Attorney Eric G Olshan announced today.
The one-count Indictment, returned on September 12, 2023 and unsealed on October 4, 2023, named David Kakra Mensah, 30, of Accra, Ghana, and Charles Wilson Stout, 65, of Ocala, Florida as defendants.
According to the Indictment, from April 2022 through June 2022, Mensah and Stout conspired to launder over $600,000 of fraudulent proceeds of a business email compromise scam that victimized an educational institution located in Washington, D.C. They opened a shell cooperation, multiple bank accounts, and multiple cryptocurrency accounts to facilitate their fraud. They subsequently transferred portions of the fraudulent proceeds into those accounts to conceal their true nature, location, source, ownership, and control.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not more than twenty years in prison, a fine of not more than $500,000.00 or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant. Both Mensah and Stout remain detained pending trial.
Assistant United States Attorney Mark V. Gurzo is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Georgia doctor ordered to pay $27 million for submitting false claims to MedicareRead the Press Release
ROME, Ga. – A federal district judge has ordered Charles Adams M.D. and his medical practice to pay more than $27 million for violating the False Claims Act (FCA). In June 2023, a federal jury in Rome found that the defendants violated the FCA by submitting false claims to Medicare for chelation therapy reimbursements. Chelation therapy involves the use of drugs to remove heavy metals from the body. The jury found that Medicare reimbursed the defendants more than $1.1 million for these unnecessary treatments. In a post-trial ruling, the federal district judge added penalties to the jury’s verdict, bringing the total amount owed to more than $27 million.
“The Court’s judgment emphasizes the serious consequences that face healthcare providers who submit false claims to Medicare,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “On behalf of those healthcare providers who faithfully bill for medical procedures, and for their patients who rely on the safety net of Medicare, our office will continue to work vigorously with our federal agencies and law enforcement partners to pursue providers who engage in misconduct.”
“Physicians who fraudulently submit unreasonable, medically unnecessary claims put their personal profits over their obligations to both federal health programs and their patients,” said Tamala E. Miles, Special Agent in Charge for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “With our law enforcement partners, HHS-OIG is committed to investigating potentially fraudulent billing that can compromise the integrity of our federal health care programs and the well-being of beneficiaries.”
“Providers who undermine the integrity of the health care system will be held accountable for their actions,” said Sean Burke, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. "Actions like this impact every tax paying citizen, in particular, those who rely on federally funded programs for their health care needs.”
According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, the civil complaint, the court’s final order, and other information presented in court: Adams operated a medical practice in Ringgold, Georgia, known as Full Circle Medical Center. As a part of his internal medicine specialty, Adams administered the drug edetate calcium disodium (“EDTA”) to address a wide range of conditions, including atherosclerosis, high blood pressure, headaches, GI ailments, fatigue, and other generalized symptoms. But these symptoms are not recognized as being treatable using EDTA. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, EDTA is recognized as a treatment only for lead poisoning and lead encephalopathy. Because Dr. Adams’ patients did not have lead poisoning or lead encephalopathy, Medicare would not reimburse his use of EDTA. To receive reimbursement for the EDTA, Dr. Adams falsely claimed to Medicare that his patients suffered from heavy metal poisoning.
In August 2018, the Government filed a civil complaint alleging that between November 2008 and September 2015, Adams and Full Circle knowingly submitted false claims to Medicare for medically unnecessary and “alternative” chelation therapy that Adams administered using EDTA. The complaint also alleged that in connection with this scheme, Adams and Full Circle unlawfully received approximately $1.1 million in Medicare reimbursements.
The case proceeded to a jury trial in Rome, Georgia, in June 2023, before presiding U.S. District Judge William M. Ray, II. The jury found Adams and Full Circle liable for submitting more than 4,400 false claims to Medicare. The jury awarded more than $1.1 million in damages. Under the FCA, Judge Ray was required to treble the jury’s award and to add penalties based on the number of false claims submitted. Judge Ray issued his final decision on August 25, 2023, ordering the defendants to pay a total of $27,567,729 in damages and penalties.
The FCA is the primary authority used by the Civil Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office to redress fraud, waste, and abuse within federal programs, including Medicare.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The case is being litigated by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anthony DeCinque and Akash Desai. Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Paris Wynn also worked the case before his departure.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Former bank manager pleads guilty to bank fraud and aggravated identity theftRead the Press Release
Tacoma –A 44-year-old former bank manager from Battle Ground, Washington, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Tacoma to Bank Fraud and Aggravated Identify Theft, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Brian Davie, a former branch manager at Wells Fargo, used unauthorized cash withdrawals, money transfers, and cashier’s checks to steal over $1 million. Davie targeted elderly and vulnerable customers. Eight victims have been identified. One woman had more than $566,000 stolen from her retirement accounts. Davie is scheduled for sentencing by U.S. District Judge Benjamin H. Settle on January 2, 2024.
Davie worked for Wells Fargo in Battle Ground from March of 2014 until he was fired in June 2019. According to records in the case, Davie used his position as a manager at the branch to conduct unauthorized transactions. Davie had access to customer files containing information about bank account balances. Davie hid his criminal activity by repeatedly exchanging cashier’s checks until they were small enough to cash without triggering banking reporting requirements.
Davie continued undetected because he stole from elderly customers who might be less likely to closely monitor their account balances. Some of Davie’s victims had dementia or had limited English skills and did not understand banking transactions. In at least one case, Davie failed to file the paperwork to install a victim’s relative as a co-signer on the victim’s accounts. That failure prevented the relative from being able to monitor the account and detect the fraudulent transactions.
Davie deposited some of the stolen money in an account he created in the name of a relative’s business. He made some of the cashier’s checks payable to that relative or to the business account he created. Much of the money was withdrawn as cash.
In all Davie embezzled S1,279,840 from victim accounts. Wells Fargo reimbursed victims for their losses. Judge Settle will determine the amount of restitution at sentencing.
Prosecutors have agreed to recommend a four-year prison sentence. The actual sentence will be determined by Judge Settle who will consider a number of statutory factors before determining the appropriate sentence.
This case was investigated by the FBI with assistance from the Wells Fargo investigation team.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Zachary Dillon.
Former Olympic Equestrian Sentenced to Federal Prison for Sexually Abusing Minor StudentRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A former Olympic equestrian who in retirement became a world-class equestrian coach was sentenced to federal prison today for sexually abusing a minor student.
Richard Rankin Fellers, 63, of Sherwood, Oregon, was sentenced to 50 months in federal prison and five years’ supervised release.
According to court documents, from late 2019 until the summer of 2020, Fellers maintained an intimate sexual relationship with a minor female equestrian student who he had been coaching since the student was 14 years old. The relationship, which began when the student was 16 years old, culminated with a multiday road trip in June 2020 to an equestrian event in Michigan. Investigators later learned Fellers planned the trip so he could engage in sexual conduct with the student.
On May 24, 2023, Fellers was charged by criminal information with one count of traveling across state lines to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor. On July 13, 2023, he pleaded guilty.
Fellers has a pending state criminal case in Washington County Circuit Court where he is facing four counts of second-degree sex abuse for illegal sexual conduct with the same minor student. As part of a global resolution with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Washington County District Attorney’s Office, Fellers’ federal prison sentence will run concurrently with any state prison term imposed when he is sentenced on October 27, 2023, in Washington County.
Fellers was ordered to voluntarily surrender into the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service following sentencing.
This case was investigated by the FBI with assistance from the Washington County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Gary Y. Sussman and Kelly A. Zusman, Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Oregon.
Anyone who has information about the physical or online abuse of children are encouraged to call the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Justice Department to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Former Inglewood Police Officer Agrees to Plead Guilty to Federal Drug Charge for Selling Kilogram of CocaineRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A former Inglewood Police Department (IPD) officer has agreed to plead guilty to a federal narcotics offense of distributing cocaine, the Justice Department announced today.
In a plea agreement filed today in federal court, John Abel Baca, 47, of Whittier, who served as an IPD officer for 21 years, admitted that he distributed cocaine on two occasions, the first occurring on April 29, 2021, when he delivered cocaine to a witness cooperating with law enforcement. Baca then delivered approximately one kilogram of cocaine to the same cooperating witness (CW) during another meeting on May 4, 2021, in exchange for $22,000 in cash.
According to the plea agreement, in February 2021, the CW informed the FBI that Baca, then an active-duty IPD officer, previously had offered to sell the CW one kilogram of cocaine, two kilograms of “White China” heroin, and an unlimited supply of black tar heroin. The CW reported that Baca claimed to have stolen drugs and cash during routine traffic stops that Baca made as a drug task force officer with IPD.
During a covertly recorded meeting in late April 2021, Baca provided a sample of the cocaine to the CW to provide to purported buyers. Several days later, Baca negotiated the price for one kilogram of cocaine – $22,000 in cash – and then delivered a brick of cocaine to the CW’s workplace on May 4, 2021. Later the same day, Baca collected $22,000 in cash from the CW’s residence.
In the plea agreement, Baca admitted that he abused his position of trust as a police officer, including by stealing drugs from IPD’s lock-up and reselling them.
Baca agreed to plead guilty to one count of distribution of cocaine, a crime that carries a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison. Baca, who currently free on a $1.1 million bond, is expected to formally plead guilty to the charge on October 17.
The FBI is conducting the investigation into this matter. The Inglewood Police Department provided its full cooperation during the investigation.
Assistant United States Attorney Cassie D. Palmer of the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section is prosecuting this case.
Former Indiana Police Officers Sentenced for Civil Rights Violations in Assault of Handcuffed DetaineeRead the Press Release
A former police officer with the Elkhart Police Department, Joshua Titus, 34, was sentenced today to one year and one day in federal prison followed by one year of supervised release for his role in assaulting a handcuffed detainee in his custody.
On Dec. 8, 2022, Titus’s co-defendant, former Elkhart Police Officer Cory Newland, 40, was sentenced to 15 months in prison for his role in the same offense. Titus and Newland were both sentenced by District Court Judge Phillip P. Simon in the Northern District of Indiana after pleading guilty to their respective roles in the assault.
“When officers abuse their power by assaulting handcuffed and defenseless arrestees, it erodes the public trust and tarnishes the reputation police officers everywhere,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “No one is above the law, and the Justice Department will continue to ensure that officers who violate the rights of individuals in their custody are held accountable.”
“To have effective law enforcement, the public must be confident that the officers will perform their duties consistently, within the boundaries of the constitution and federal law,” said U.S. Attorney Clifford D. Johnson for the Northern District of Indiana. “Instead of honoring their duties by protecting and serving the public, these defendants engaged in criminal behavior. When this happens, my office will fulfill our duties by vigorously prosecuting those officers.”
“The majority of law enforcement officers are well trained professionals who uphold their oath to serve and protect and do so with the utmost integrity. But the few who violate that oath and betray public trust will be held accountable,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Robert “Alex” Middleton of the FBI Indianapolis Field Office. “There is no acceptable level of abuse of power and the FBI will vigorously investigate those officers who violate that oath.”
According to court documents, on Jan. 12, 2018, while on duty, Newland assisted in the arrest of an individual identified by the initials M.L. and transported him to the booking area at the police department. Once at the police department, M.L. was placed in a chair with his hands handcuffed behind his back, with both arms behind the back of the chair. While seated in the chair, M.L. spat in the direction of Newland, at which point both Titus and Newland began punching M.L. in the face, causing him to fall backwards onto the concrete floor. Titus and Newland then hunched over M.L. and punched him approximately 10 more times in the face and body. Both former officers have acknowledged that they knew at the time of the assault that their use of force on M.L. was unjustified and unlawful under the circumstances.
The FBI Indianapolis Field Office investigated this case.
Trial Attorney Katherine G. DeVar of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and General Crimes Unit Chief Abizer Zanzi for the Northern District of Indiana prosecuted the case.
Former Indiana Police Officers Sentenced for Civil Rights Violations in Assault of Handcuffed DetaineeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON-A former police officer with the Elkhart Police Department, Joshua Titus, 34, was sentenced today to 12 months and one day in federal prison followed by one year of supervised release for his role in assaulting a handcuffed detainee in his custody.
On Dec. 8, 2022, Titus’s co-defendant, former Elkhart Police Officer Cory Newland, 40, was sentenced to 15 months in prison for his role in the same offense. Titus and Newland were both sentenced by District Court Judge Phillip P. Simon, in the Northern District of Indiana, after pleading guilty to their respective roles in the assault.
“When officers abuse their power by assaulting handcuffed and defenseless arrestees, it erodes the public trust and tarnishes the reputation police officers everywhere,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “No one is above the law, and the Justice Department will continue to ensure that officers who violate the rights of individuals in their custody are held accountable.”
“To have effective law enforcement, the public must be confident that the officers will perform their duties consistently, within the boundaries of the constitution and federal law,” said U.S. Attorney Clifford D. Johnson for the Northern District of Indiana. “Instead of honoring their duties by protecting and serving the public, these defendants engaged in criminal behavior. When this happens, my office will fulfill our duties by vigorously prosecuting those officers.”
“The majority of law enforcement officers are well trained professionals who uphold their oath to serve and protect and do so with the utmost integrity. But the few who violate that oath and betray public trust will be held accountable,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Robert “Alex” Middleton of the FBI Indianapolis Field Office. “There is no acceptable level of abuse of power and the FBI will vigorously investigate those officers who violate that oath.”
According to court documents, on Jan. 12, 2018, while on duty, Newland assisted in the arrest of an individual identified by the initials M.L. and transported him to the booking area at the police department. Once at the police department, M.L. was placed in a chair with his hands handcuffed behind his back, with both arms behind the back of the chair. While seated in the chair, M.L. spat in the direction of Newland, at which point both Titus and Newland began punching M.L. in the face, causing him to fall backwards onto the concrete floor. Titus and Newland then hunched over M.L. and punched him approximately 10 more times in the face and body. Both former officers have acknowledged that they knew at the time of the assault that their use of force on M.L. was unjustified and unlawful under the circumstances.
The FBI Indianapolis Field Office investigated this case.
Trial Attorney Katherine G. DeVar of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and General Crimes Unit Chief Abizer Zanzi for the Northern District of Indiana prosecuted the case.
# # #
Former Executive Director of Tribal non-profit job training program pleads guilty to embezzling federal fundsRead the Press Release
Tacoma – The former Executive Director of the Western Washington Indian Employment Training Program (WWIETP) pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Tacoma to embezzling from a program receiving federal funds, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Debbie Rawle, 68, of Tacoma served as Executive Director of the tribally owned non-profit job training program for several years until October 2019. The non-profit is now defunct and no longer receiving any federal funds. Rawle is scheduled to be sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge David G. Estudillo for the embezzlement of nearly $100,000 on January 5, 2024.
According to the plea agreement, the job training non-profit received $698,153 in 2018 and $703,388 in 2019 to provide employment and training services for eligible tribal members. The U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, Division of Indian and Native American Programs administers the funds.
In September 2019, the Division of Indian and Native American Programs began investigating questionable expenditures using the debit card of the non-profit training organization at a Macy’s store. Rawle provided false and misleading information about the purchases, claiming they were work related. In fact, there were multiple purchases of items for Rawle’s own use including a new mattress, sunglasses, and clothing.
Further investigation revealed Rawle used the organization debit card for purchases at Best Buy, Amazon, and Costco. At Costco she purchased a cedar pavilion and above ground swimming pool, while on Amazon she ordered a pool maintenance kit, and motorcycle accessories costing more than $1,000. In all, the embezzled funds amount to $99,990.
“The Western Washington Indian Employment and Training Program (WWIETP) provided education, job training, and employment services to Native Americans through grants funded by the U.S. Department of Labor. As Executive Director, Debbie Rawle used her position at the WWIETP to embezzle these funds to personally enrich herself. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to aggressively identify those who commit similar crimes and bring them to justice,” said Quentin Heiden, Special Agent-in-Charge, Western Region, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General.
Rawle has agreed to pay $99,990 in restitution. Embezzlement from a program receiving federal funds is punishable by up to ten years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence will be determined by Chief Judge Estudillo who will consider a number of statutory factors before determining the appropriate sentence.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, Division of Indian and Native American Programs (“DINAP”). The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney J. Tate London. Mr. London serves as a Tribal Liaison for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Western District of Washington.
Former Army Reservist Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Theft of Government FundsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced today that former United States Army reservist LEROY DANIELS, JR. pled guilty to conspiracy to commit theft of government funds. DANIELS stole $11,693.87 from the United States Department of the Army by claiming reimbursement for the performance of military funeral honors ceremonies that never occurred.
The National Defense Authorization Act of 2000 authorizes military funeral honors (MFH) for active-duty soldiers, retirees, and veterans. At a family’s request, eligible persons can receive military funeral honors, including the folding and presenting of the United States flag and the playing of “Taps.”
According to court documents, in or about May 2013 and continuing until in or about June 2016, DANIELS and a co-defendant conspired to obtain money from the United States under false pretenses by submitting false applications for MFH payment requests for services that had not been performed to the Department of the Army.
As a result of this conspiracy, DANIELS received approximately $l1,693.87 from the United States government to which he knew he was not entitled. DANIELS faces a maximum penalty of five (5) years imprisonment, followed by up to three (3) years of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000.00, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the United States Army Criminal Investigation Command, including Special Agents Dustin Stevens, John Hiniker, Jeffrey Riedeman, and Denny Richter. Assistant United States Attorney Andre J. Lagarde of the Public Integrity Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
Federal Jury Convicts Hebron Man of Being a Felon in Possession of FirearmsRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Hebron man was found guilty today of being a felon in possession of firearms following a two-day jury trial in U.S. District Court in Portland.
According to evidence presented during the trial, in January 2022, Maine State Troopers executed search warrants at the home of Dario Giambro, 75. Investigators located hundreds of firearms, including shotguns, rifles, pistols, and revolvers, and a large amount of ammunition inside Giambro’s residence. Giambro is prohibited from possessing firearms due to a prior federal conviction in the District of Maine for possessing an unregistered firearm, a felony offense.
Giambro faces up to 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000 and up to three years of supervised release. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Maine State Police investigated this case, with assistance from the Oxford County Sheriff’s Office and Norway Police Department.
###
Federal Grand Jury Indicts Greenville Man for Firearms Trafficking OffensesRead the Press Release
Owensboro, KY – A federal grand jury in Bowling Green returned an indictment on October 11, 2023, charging a Greenville, Kentucky man with firearms trafficking and dealing in firearms without a license.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky and Special Agent in Charge R. Shawn Morrow of the ATF Louisville Field Division made the announcement.
According to the indictment, from June 1, 2023, to September 14, 2023, in Muhlenberg County, Kentucky, David Smith, 57, engaged in firearms trafficking when he transferred or otherwise disposed of 13 handguns to a person whose possession of the firearms Smith knew, or had reasonable cause to know, would constitute a felony.
Additionally, Smith is also charged with dealing in firearms without a license when from June 1, 2023, to September 14, 2023, in Muhlenberg County, Kentucky, Smith willfully engaged in the business of dealing in firearms when he did not have a license to do so.
Smith will make his initial court appearance on October 26, 2023, before a U.S. Magistrate Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. If convicted, Smith faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is being investigated by the ATF Bowling Green Field Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Yurchisin, of the U.S. Attorney’s Bowling Green Branch Office, is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
###
Essex County Felon Sentenced to 19 Years in Prison for Drug Trafficking, Firearm Possession, and Possessing Firearm in Furtherance of Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – An Essex County, New Jersey, man was sentenced today to 228 months in prison for drug trafficking, firearm possession, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Ricky Hubbard, 46, of Newark, was convicted on March 13, 2023, following a four-day trial before U.S. District Judge Kevin McNulty on one count each of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon; possession with intent to distribute cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl; and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Judge McNulty imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and the evidence at trial:
On Nov. 6, 2019, law enforcement officers pulled over Hubbard’s car in Union, New Jersey. Inside a secret compartment, Hubbard possessed over 369 doses of cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl packaged for distribution; drug-packaging materials; and a 9mm Taurus handgun loaded with seven rounds of ammunition, including one in the chamber.
In addition to the prison term, Judge McNulty sentenced Hubbard to five years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark; the Union Township Police Department, under the direction of Police Director Chris Donnelly; the Union County Prosecutor’s Office under the direction of Prosecutor William A. Daniel; and the Union County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Union County Sheriff Peter D. Corvelli Jr., with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Olta Bejleri and Emma Spiro of the Criminal Division in Newark.
Eleven Charged with Trafficking Narcotics in New HavenRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Robert Fuller, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and New Haven Police Chief Karl Jacobson today announced that the following 11 individuals have been charged with federal offenses stemming from the illegal distribution of narcotics in and around the Fair Haven neighborhood of New Haven:
MARIANO IRIZARRY, a.k.a. “Pop” and “Papo,” 39, of New Haven
LUIS SANCHEZ-VAZQUEZ, 35, of New Haven
DIANNA ZEILIK, 53, of New Haven
LUIS GARCIA, 34, of New Haven
KELVIN ALVARADO, a.k.a. “Kelz” and “Kel Bucks,” 23, of New Haven
RYAN BRAMWELL, a.k.a. “Corona” and “Rona,” 29, of New Haven
YHAMANDA WALLEN, 29, of New Haven
JAQUET JACOBS, a.k.a. “Fifty,” 32, of New Haven
MARCUS JACOBS, a.k.a. “Slice,” 31, most recently of New Haven
JUSTIN GALLOGLY, a.k.a. “White Pudge,” 28, of New Haven
DENZEL SUGGS, 27, of HamdenAlvarado, Wallen, Jaquet Jacobs, Marcus Jacobs, and Gallogly were arrested yesterday, and Bramwell and Suggs were arrested on March 10. Irizarry, Sanchez-Vazquez, Zeilik, and Garcia were previously arrested.
As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, in June 2022, the FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force initiated an investigation into a drug trafficking organization headed by Irizarry that was operating in the Fair Haven neighborhood of New Haven. The investigation included the use of court-authorized wiretaps, physical surveillance, and several controlled purchases of fentanyl, heroin, cocaine and crack cocaine. Irizarry distributed narcotics to a network of street-level dealers, as well as to his own customers. The investigation also revealed that Zeilik and Garcia were acquiring and distributing prescription narcotic pills, some of which they distributed to Irizarry.
During the course of the investigation, investigators seized more than 250 grams of fentanyl from Alvarado, more than 400 grams of fentanyl and 160 grams of heroin from Sanchez-Vazquez, more than 1,000 oxycodone pills from Zeilik, and seven firearms.
U.S. Attorney Avery stressed that charges are not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This investigation is being conducted by FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force, which includes members from the FBI, the Connecticut State Police, the Connecticut Department of Correction, and the New Haven, Milford, East Haven, West Haven, and Wallingford Police Departments.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan J. Keefe through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Eighteen indicted for drug trafficking in Northern PanhandleRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Eighteen individuals have been indicted for distributing drugs in the Northern Panhandle, including two Chicago men accused of operating a fentanyl trafficking organization in Weirton and Steubenville.
United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced that a federal grand jury has returned a series of indictments alleging the sale of drugs in Hancock, Brooke, Ohio, Marshall, and Wetzel counties.
In the first indictment, Gerald Henry, also known as “Unc,” age 39, and Stephen Price, also known as “Sleepy,” age 38, both of Chicago, Illinois, are accused of leading a conspiracy to distribute large quantities of fentanyl and cocaine in Hancock County. The others charged in the conspiracy are Jasmine McCullough, age 39, also of Chicago, Daniel Paul Truax, age 45, of Weirton, West Virginia, Paula Jean Truax, age 43, of Weirton, and William Dean Tredway, age 34, of Colliers, West Virginia.
The second indictment alleges a conspiracy to distribute cocaine in Ohio County, led by Teo Marcero Coleman, also known as “Teddy,” age 43, of McMechen and including Marlow Hurd, also known as “Brah,” age 45, of Wheeling, and Terry L. Blair, Jr., also known as “Fool,” age 40, also of Wheeling.
A Wetzel County conspiracy is alleged in the third indictment, charging Nolan Eugene McCray, age 39, of Cedar Lane, Texas, with coordinating efforts to distribute methamphetamine and heroin. The others charged in the indictment are Regina Anne Shaw, age 54, of Pine Grove, West Virginia, Maranda Rose Richardson, age 35, of Burton, West Virginia, and Cody Norris, age 34, also of Burton.
The fourth indictment charges David Adam Stewart, age 41, and Ginny Lynn Richmond, age 42, both of Moundsville, West Virginia, with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in Marshall County.
The fifth indictment charges Joseph William Alfred, also known as “Chris,” age 49, of Moundsville, West Virginia, for the distribution of methamphetamine in Ohio County.
The sixth indictment charges Gerald Lee Young, age 56, of Weirton, West Virginia, with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, cocaine base, and methamphetamine in Hancock County.
The final indictment charges an individual with the distribution of fentanyl in Ohio County but it remains sealed until the person charged has been arrested.
“We are fortunate to have three outstanding drug task forces in the Northern Panhandle to respond to the threat posed by out-of-town traffickers,” said U.S. Attorney Ihlenfeld. “Their efforts make our communities safer and make life uncomfortable for dealers who choose to operate here.”
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carly Nogay and Clayton Reid are prosecuting the cases on behalf of the government.
The cases were investigated by the Hancock-Brooke-Weirton Drug Task Force, the Ohio Valley Drug Task Force, the Marshall County Drug Task Force, the Belmont County Sheriff’s Office, and the Wetzel County Sheriff’s Office.
Indictments are merely allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Dows Man Sentenced to More Than Seven Years in Federal Prison for Meth and Heroin ConvictionsRead the Press Release
A man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine and heroin was sentenced on September 27, 2023, in federal court in Sioux City.
Nathan Miller, 49, from Dows, Iowa, pled guilty May 10, 2023, to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and heroin and one count of distribution and aiding and abetting another in the distribution of methamphetamine.
At the plea and sentencing hearings evidence showed that during the course of the conspiracy, October 2020 through December 2021, Miller and others participated in the distribution of nearly two kilograms of mixed methamphetamine and nearly one kilogram of heroin. Miller and another would receive packages of drugs through FedEx and DHL from a source in Mexico to addresses in Minnesota and Iowa for further distribution in Iowa. Miller also admitted that on April 28, 2021, he and another distributed methamphetamine to a confidential informant working with law enforcement.
Sentencing was held before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Miller was sentenced to 87 months’ imprisonment and must serve a three-year term of supervised release following imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. Miller remains in custody of the United States Marshal until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, Wright County Sheriff’s Office, Iowa DCI Laboratory, and the Rochester Minnesota Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 22-3024. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
District Man Sentenced to Five-Year Prison Term for Assault with Intent to Kill RoommateRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Jose Avelino Felipe, 45, was sentenced today to 60 months in prison for stabbing his female roommate in 2021, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Acting Chief Pamela A. Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). The defendant pleaded guilty to one count of assault with intent to kill in August 2023 in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia.
According to the government’s evidence, on Dec. 4, 2021, Avelino Felipe and his wife were living in the same apartment as the victim and her husband. That evening, Avelino Felipet and the victim’s husband got into a physical altercation in the home. Both men left the home after the altercation. Shortly thereafter, Avelino Felipe returned to the home, where the victim remained. Avelino Felipe went to her bedroom and asked whether she would call the police. She stated she would not. Nevertheless, Avelino Felipe then stabbed the victim twice with a knife, once in the chest, and once in her left shoulder. He fled the apartment before police arrived. The victim required emergency surgery for her injuries. In the immediate aftermath of the assault, the victim’s left lung filled with blood, and her right lung collapsed, requiring the insertion of chest tubes.
The MPD's Capitol Area Regional Fugitive Task Force apprehended Avelino Felipe on May 23, 2023.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Acting Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the MPD. They also expressed appreciation for the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Covert, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
District Man Indicted on Enhanced Second Degree Theft for October Theft from a CVSRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Kinshasa Reddock, 40, of Washington, D.C., was indicted by a grand jury this week in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia on one count of second-degree theft stemming from the Oct. 1, 2023, theft from a CVS store located at 14th and W Streets NW, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Acting Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Reddock is to be arraigned on Friday, Oct.13, 2023, at a hearing before a Superior Court judge.
According to the indictment, at about 5:35 p.m. on Oct. 1, 2023, Reddock entered the CVS store, took various items from the shelves and placed them into a bag. Reddock then promptly left the store bypassing all points of sale without paying for any of the items. He was arrested minutes later, in possession of many of the items, by members of the MPD.
Reddock has more than two prior theft convictions, though not from the same occasion, and is therefore subject to enhanced penalties for his alleged theft, including a mandatory minimum sentence of one year in prison.
This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ariel Lieberman.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of criminal laws and every defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty.
Davenport Man Sentenced to 27 Years in Prison Related to Fentanyl Overdose of ChildRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, IA – A Davenport man was sentenced today to 27 years in federal prison for his involvement in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl which resulted in the overdose of an 18-month-old child.
According to public court documents and evidence presented at trial, Kathan Daniel Wiley, 23, possessed fentanyl, which had been pressed into pills resembling prescription Percocet pills—blue pills stamped with “M30”—with the intent to distribute the pills, which an 18-month-old child ingested. The child had stopped breathing as a result of ingesting the fentanyl, but was able to be revived by medical professionals. A jury found Wiley guilty of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl resulting in serious bodily injury (relating to the overdose of the child), after a trial in April 2023.
Others charged as a part of the conspiracy include Linder Kai Divos (a.k.a. Lindo), Jordan Thomas Hopper, Austen Michael Thomas (a.k.a. Waynski, a.k.a Mitch), and Marshall Matthew James Carver.
Linder Kai Divos, 27 of Davenport, pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of a substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl and being a felon in possession of a firearm. On February 21, 2023, Divos was sentenced to 14-and-a-half years in federal prison.
Jordan Thomas Hopper, 25 of Davenport, pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, distribution of fentanyl resulting in serious bodily injury, relating to an April 2021 overdose which occurred in Bettendorf, and distribution of fentanyl resulting in death, relating to a June 2021 overdose which occurred in Davenport. Hopper’s sentencing is scheduled for November 28, 2023, at 11:00 a.m.
Austen Michael Thomas, 26 of Davenport, pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and felon in possession of a firearm. Thomas’ sentencing is scheduled for November 29, 2023, at 12:30 p.m.
Marshall Matthew James Carver, 26 of Davenport, pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and distribution of fentanyl resulting in serious bodily injury, relating to an April 2021 overdose which occurred in Bettendorf. Carver’s sentencing is scheduled for January 23, 2024, at 10:30 a.m.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Davenport Police Department investigated this case.
Connecticut Man Charged with Fraud Scheme Involving Elderly VictimsRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – In an indictment returned yesterday by a federal grand jury sitting in Madison, Wisconsin, a Connecticut man is charged with conspiring to commit wire fraud. The indictment is announced by Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul, and FBI Special Agent in Charge Michael E. Hensle.
The indictment charges Matthew Ramos-Soto, 26, Hartford, Connecticut, with conspiring with others to defraud Wisconsin residents. The indictment alleges that from October 24 to 28, 2022, unknown conspirators contacted elderly individuals by telephone and falsely represented that a relative had been arrested following an accident and that money for bail was needed. The indictment further alleges that Ramos-Soto and his co-conspirators traveled throughout Wisconsin to pick up cash in person from the targeted individuals.
“Elder fraud is a serious issue, and we’re committed to combating it,” said Attorney General Josh Kaul. “Thank you to those in Wisconsin DOJ’s Division of Criminal Investigation and the other public safety professionals whose work led to this charge.”
“Unfortunately, scams targeting the elderly or vulnerable are proliferating. If someone demands money over the phone or internet, always reach out to a trusted advisor, law enforcement agency, or the fraud hotlines described below,” said U.S. Attorney O’Shea. “My office is committed to working with local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute those who target vulnerable individuals for financial gain.”
“I commend our long list of local and state law enforcement partners in bringing this perpetrator to justice,” said Special Agent in Charge Hensle. “Elder fraud is a serious crime. Many of our senior citizens are targeted by unscrupulous individuals seeking to exploit their vulnerabilities, taking advantage of their trust, and causing significant financial and emotional harm. The FBI will continue to work with our partners and ensure that justice is served.”
The indictment alleges that co-conspirators impersonated attorneys or judges, provided victims with false file or case numbers, and warned them that there was “a gag order” in their relative’s court case and their relative could face additional consequences if the victim told anyone about the situation. Victims were instructed to go to their financial institutions to withdraw the needed money in cash and to provide a false reason for the withdrawal to their financial institution.
The indictment alleges that the Ramos-Soto and his co-conspirators obtained approximately $200,000 during the five days of the conspiracy in October 2022. The indictment alleges three specific incidents in Wisconsin, including $5,000 from an individual in Wrightstown, $17,545 from an individual in Fitchburg, and $12,500 from an individual in Hobart.
Ramos-Soto is in custody in Michigan. A date for his initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Madison has not been set. If convicted, Ramos-Soto faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison.
U.S. Attorney O’Shea, Attorney General Kaul, and Special Agent in Charge Hensle urge Wisconsin residents to be alert to financial fraud schemes that target the elderly and to talk to family and friends about recognizing common scams. If you suspect fraud has occurred or been attempted, report it to authorities so that those who commit fraud can be identified. The U.S. Justice Department operates the National Elder Fraud Hotline which can be reached at 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311), which is staffed by case managers who provide personalized support to callers. Wisconsin residents can also contact their county elder abuse helpline or the Wisconsin Elder Abuse Hotline at 1-833-586-0107.
The charge against Ramos-Soto is the result of an investigation led by the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, following a Statewide Crime Alert by the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office that connected several investigations across Wisconsin. The other agencies involved in the investigation are the Outagamie, Shawano, Manitowoc, and Brown County Sheriffs’ Offices; and the New Lisbon, Wrightstown, Fitchburg, Reedsburg, Randolph, Fox Valley Metro, Hobart Lawrence, Green Bay, Oshkosh, and Fond du Lac Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meredith Duchemin is handling the prosecution.
You are advised that a charge is merely an accusation and that a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.