Latest Records
Newest first across public DOJ and U.S. Attorney press releases.
6 October 2023
Maryland man sentenced to 18 years in prison for sexually exploiting Ohio teensRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A 72-year-old Annapolis, Maryland, man was sentenced in federal court here to 18 years in prison for numerous child exploitation and pornography crimes.
A federal jury found Bernhard Jakits guilty on all eight counts following a trial in May 2023. The jury deliberated for approximately 45 minutes before reaching their verdict.
According to court documents and trial testimony, in January 2019, the Belmont County Sheriff’s Office received information relating to two potential exploitation victims. Forensic examination of cell phones and other electronic devices revealed that Jakits had communicated via text message with two teenaged victims and coerced them to send nude photographs of themselves.
In December 2018 and January 2019, Jakits sexually exploited a 15-year-old female to create child pornography. Jakits also attempted to exploit a 13-year-old female in January 2019.
The defendant coerced the two teenaged victims and used the chat app TextNow to obtain pornographic images of the minors in exchange for money. Jakits sought to video chat with the victims and offered them thousands of dollars, but the minors declined.
Jakits met the minor victims based on his relationship with their mother, during which he paid the mother to engage in sex acts via video chats.
Jakits owned homes in both Maryland and California. He traveled extensively around the world on his yacht after running and selling a yacht brokerage business.
The defendant was indicted in a superseding indictment by a federal grand jury in January 2023.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; J. William Rivers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; and Belmont County Sheriff David M. Lucas announced the sentence imposed on Oct. 5 by U.S. District Judge Edmund A. Sargus, Jr. Senior Litigation Counsel Heather A. Hill and Assistant United States Attorneys Emily K. Czerniejewski and Kevin A. Koller are representing the United States in this case.
# # #
Man Sentenced to Seven Years in Prison for Dog-Fighting Violations of the Animal Welfare ActRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On September 22, 2023, Antonio Casillas Montero, the owner of Stone City Kennels, was sentenced to seven years in prison for conspiring to violate the Animal Welfare Act and for possession of dogs for use in animal fighting ventures, announced W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico.
According to the facts stipulated by the parties, for over 35 years, Casillas ran Stone City Kennels, which participated in over 150 dog fights. Casillas bred pit-bull type dogs for fights in Puerto Rico, México, Ecuador, Perú, the Dominican Republic, and various cities in the continental United States. During a search of his property in Humacao, several pit-bull type dogs were seized which suffered from pustules, fungus, lameness, and jaw clamping.
In its sentencing memorandum (see PDF attached), the Government argued that “Casillas’s conduct is on the extreme end of the spectrum of cruelty in an already cruel form of abuse.” According to the evidence presented by the Government, Casillas would use veterinarians in Puerto Rico to obtain health certificates to send fighting dogs to the Dominican Republic on a ferry, where the dogs would be trained in the weeks before matches. During the fights, which could last for over 1.5 hours, Casillas would let losing dogs perish from their injuries, rather than removing them from a fight. During the sentencing hearing, the Government presented a video of one of Casillas’ dogs dying after a match in the Dominican Republic while being insulted for its defeat.
In addition to fighting numerous dogs, Casillas organized large, international matches. He and his partners would breed fighting dogs for sale for thousands of dollars and ship them on airplanes from Puerto Rico around the world. The Government presented evidence of inquiries from potential customers in South America and Europe regarding Stone City Kennels’ dogs. Casillas would also mentor dog fighters on training techniques with steroids. Evidence presented by the Government indicated that Casillas was considered a “Caribbean legend” of dogfighting.
“Dogfighting for entertainment and profit is not only cruel and inhumane, but also a violation of federal law,” said U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow. “This sentencing ends the defendant’s decades-long involvement in this illegal business and hopefully will deter others.”
“The United States Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General-Investigations, actively investigates allegations of animal abuse. This agency has made animal fighting a high priority in order to demonstrate that these blatant acts of cruelty to animals will no longer be tolerated,” said Special Agent in Charge Miles Davis. “We would like to thank the United States Attorney’s Office for aggressively prosecuting perpetrators of animal fighting, our federal law enforcement partners, and United States Department of Agriculture, Animal Plant Health Inspection Service, Investigative Enforcement Services for their dedicated work in this investigation.”
HSI San Juan Special Agent in Charge Rebecca González-Ramos said, “This sentencing is a strong message of a firm stance against animal cruelty; we must work together to create more humane and compassionate societies. This sentencing of this individual who profited from the illegal and cruel practice of dog fighting does exactly that: hold those who profit from animal cruelty accountable.”
The United States Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General, and the Department of Homeland Security investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Gottfried of the Violent Crimes Section prosecuted the case.
If you have information regarding dog fights or animal cruelty, please call PRPB Office of the Coordinator of Law 154 at (787)793-1234, extensions 3128 and 3131.
###
Local Man Sentenced to 120 Months in Federal Prison for Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
Ronald Jones, 54, was sentenced Wednesday by U.S. District Judge Ed Kinkeade to 120 months in federal prison, an upward variance, for the robbery of Chase Bank located in Corsicana, announced U.S. Attorney Leigha Simonton of the Northern District of Texas.
Jones pleaded guilty in June 2023 to one count of Bank Robbery.
According to evidence presented at sentencing, Jones, who was on state parole for a 2015 bank robbery conviction, entered Chase Bank located at 101 N. Beaton Street, Corsicana, Texas wearing a mask, presented a demand note which threatened that he had a gun, lifted his shirt as if he had a gun, and received $585 from the teller.
The Corsicana Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Keith Robinson was in charge of the prosecution.
Leaders of “Genesis II Church of Health and Healing,” who sold toxic bleach as fake “Miracle” cure for COVID-19 and other serious diseases, sentenced to more than 12 years in federal prisonRead the Press Release
MIAMI – A federal judge in Miami has sentenced Jonathan Grenon, 37, and Jordan Grenon, 29, to 151 months in prison, for conspiring to defraud the United States by distributing an unapproved and misbranded drug, and for contempt of court. Mark Grenon, 66, and Joseph Grenon, 36, were sentenced to 60 months in prison, the statutory maximum sentence for conspiring to defraud the United States by distributing an unapproved and misbranded drug. All four defendants were found guilty by a federal jury following a trial this summer.
The Grenons, all of Bradenton, Florida, manufactured, promoted, and sold a product they named Miracle Mineral Solution (“MMS”). MMS is a chemical solution containing sodium chlorite and water which, when ingested orally, became chlorine dioxide, a powerful bleach typically used for industrial water treatment or bleaching textiles, pulp, and paper. The Grenons claimed that ingesting MMS could treat, prevent, and cure COVID-19. The FDA, however, had not approved MMS for treatment of COVID-19, or for any other use. Rather, in prior official warning statements, the FDA had strongly urged consumers not to purchase or use MMS for any reason, explaining that drinking MMS was the same as drinking bleach and could cause dangerous side effects, including severe vomiting, diarrhea, and life-threatening low blood pressure. See https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/danger-dont-drink-miracle-mineral-solution-or-similar-products. In fact, FDA received reports of people requiring hospitalizations, developing life-threatening conditions, and even dying after drinking MMS.
Before marketing MMS as a cure for COVID-19, the Grenons marketed MMS as a miracle cure-all for dozens of other serious diseases and disorders, such as cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, HIV/AIDS, and leukemia, even though the FDA had not approved MMS for any use. The Grenons sold tens of thousands of bottles of MMS nationwide, including to consumers throughout South Florida. They sold this dangerous product under the guise of Genesis II Church of Health and Healing (“Genesis”), an entity they created to avoid government regulation of MMS and shield themselves from prosecution. Genesis’ own websites describe Genesis as a “non-religious church,” and defendant Mark Grenon, the co-founder of Genesis, has repeatedly acknowledged that Genesis “has nothing to do with religion,” and that he founded Genesis to “legalize the use of MMS” and avoid “going [ ] to jail.” The Genesis websites further stated that MMS could be acquired only through a “donation” to Genesis, but the donation amounts for MMS orders were set at specific dollar amounts, and were mandatory, such that the donation amounts were effectively just sales prices. The Grenons received more than $1 million from selling MMS.
The federal jury also found defendants Jonathan and Jordan Grenon guilty of criminal contempt of court. The United States previously filed a civil case against the defendants and Genesis II Church of Health and Healing. See United States v. Genesis II Church of Health and Healing, et al., Case No. 20-21601-CV-WILLIAMS. In that civil case, the United States obtained court orders halting the Grenons’ distribution of MMS. The Grenons willfully violated those court orders and continued to distribute MMS. The Grenons also threatened the federal judge presiding over the civil case, and threatened that, should the government attempt to enforce the court orders halting their distribution of MMS, the Grenons would “pick up guns” and instigate “a Waco.”
During trial in July 2023, the jury saw photos and video of a dirty rundown shed in Jonathan Grenon’s backyard in Bradenton, Florida, where the defendants were manufacturing their MMS. These photos showed dozens of blue chemical drums containing nearly 10,000 pounds of sodium chlorite powder, thousands of bottles of MMS, and other items used in the manufacture and distribution of MMS. The blue chemical drums of sodium chlorite powder—the primary active ingredient in MMS—had warning labels advising the product was toxic, flammable, and highly dangerous to consume.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida and Assistant Commissioner Justin D. Green of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations (FDA-OCI), Miami Field Office, announced the sentence.
FDA-OCI Miami investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael B. Homer and John Shipley prosecuted the case.
Lapointe commends and thanks the government of Colombia for its assistance. Lapointe also extends his gratitude to the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs (OIA) and the Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section (NDDS) Judicial Attachés in Bogota, Colombia for their substantial assistance in securing the arrest and extradition of Mark Grenon and Joseph Grenon to the United States.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 21-cr-20242.
###
Las Cruces Man Indicted in El Paso for Sexual Coercion of a MinorRead the Press Release
EL PASO, Texas – Bradley Fariss Pieper, 27, of Las Cruces was indicted in a federal court in El Paso Wednesday, and charged with coercion and enticement of a minor.
According to allegations in a criminal complaint, Homeland Security Investigations agents arrested Pieper on Sept. 9, when he attempted to meet with a person he believed was a 15-year old girl for the purpose of performing sexual acts with her. Pieper had arranged the meeting and communicated his intentions in chats on social media.
The indictment charges Pieper with one count of coercion and enticement. The defendant was arrested Sept. 9 and made his initial court appearance Sept. 11 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Anne T. Berton of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas. At the Sept. 20 detention hearing, Judge Berton ordered Pieper to be detained without bond pending trial.
If convicted, Pieper faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas and Special Agent in Charge Francisco B. Burrola for the HSI El Paso Division made the announcement.
HSI is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Osterberg is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
###
Lame Deer man admits assaulting partner on Northern Cheyenne Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
BILLINGS — A Lame Deer man accused of assaulting a woman on two separate occasions on the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation admitted to multiple crimes today, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
Curtis Leo Crazymule, 45, pleaded guilty to assault of a dating partner resulting in substantial bodily injury, assault of a dating partner by strangulation and assault with a dangerous weapon. Crazymule faces a maximum of 10 years of imprisonment, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan presided. A sentencing date will be set before U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Crazymule was detained pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents that Crazymule and the victim, identified as Jane Doe, were in a romantic relationship when, in December 2022, Crazymule assaulted the victim while in a parked vehicle when she wanted to drive because of his level of intoxication. Crazymule headbutted, bit and strangled the victim, causing her to almost lose consciousness. The Bureau of Indian Affairs police responded, and the victim was transported by ambulance to a clinic in Lame Deer for treatment of injuries. In a second assault in January 2023, the government alleged that Crazymule assaulted Jane Doe at a residence with a baton, striking her on the head and knocking her unconscious. Two persons witnessed the assault. Crazymule denied striking the victim with a baton or any other object.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lori Harper Suek is prosecuting the case. The Bureau of Indian Affairs, FBI and Indian Health Service conducted the investigation.
XXX
Kenel Woman Sentenced for Child AbuseRead the Press Release
ABERDEEN - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Court Judge Charles B. Kornmann has sentenced a Kenel, South Dakota, woman convicted of Child Abuse. The sentencing took place on October 2, 2023.
Bobbi Rey Yellow Fat, age 41, was sentenced to 12 months and one day in federal prison, followed by one year of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Yellow Fat was indicted for Child Abuse by a federal grand jury in September of 2022. She pleaded guilty on June 20, 2023.
In early August of 2022, Yellow Fat was caring for her three-year-old child in Kenel, which is in Corson County and within the Standing Rock Indian Reservation. The child sat on a mop that was soaked with a household cleaning solution. The child had eczema and a history of skin issues which exacerbated the injuries to her through the exposure. Other older children in the defendant’s household asked the defendant to get the child medical care, but she did not. The defendant did not take reasonable steps to address the injuries to the child. The child developed skin infections, suffered bleeding wounds, and was exposed to severe physical pain for over a week through the defendant’s lack of appropriate care and abuse. After law enforcement officers were notified, the child received medical care and healed.
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in Federal court as opposed to State court.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Office of Justice Services, Standing Rock Agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tim Maher prosecuted the case.
Yellow Fat was released after sentencing and must report to prison by October 24, 2023.
Jury convicts Hays man of sexually abusing minor girl on Fort Belknap Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS — A federal jury on Oct. 5 convicted a Hays man of sexually abusing a minor girl on the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said today.
After a three-day trial that began on Oct. 3, the jury found Daniel Jacob Werk, 38, guilty of sexual abuse of a minor, as charged in an indictment. Werk faces a maximum of 15 years of imprisonment, a $250,000 fine and five years to a lifetime of supervised release.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for March 6, 2024. Werk was released on conditions pending further proceedings.
“Werk used his position with the Fort Belknap Grassland Restoration Project, which is intended to help at-risk Native youth, to recruit a minor girl into the program. Hours after learning the victim was only 15 years old, Werk, who was 36 at the time, started having repeated sexual encounters with the victim. Our office will work tirelessly with our federal law enforcement partners to hold anyone accountable who seeks to sexually abuse a child. The jury’s verdict is a validation of those ongoing efforts,” U.S. Attorney Laslovich said.
In court documents and at trial, the government alleged that from July 2021 to October 2021, Werk repeatedly sexually abused a 15-year-old girl on the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation. Werk, who was the program coordinator for the Fort Belknap Grassland Restoration Project, a program designed to provide opportunities for at-risk Native youth, recruited the girl, identified as Jane Doe, into the program and then repeatedly engaged in sexual acts with her.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The FBI conducted the investigation.
XXX
Jury Convicts District Man in Shooting That Endangered ResidentsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Raekwon Sutton, 26, of Washington, D.C., was found guilty, on October 3, 2023, of two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon, two counts of possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime of violence, one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a previously convicted person, and three counts of felony threats, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Acting Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
The charges stem from a March 19, 2022 shooting in Southeast Washington. The verdict was returned by a jury sitting in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. Sentencing is scheduled for December 1, 2023.
According to the government’s evidence, Sutton went to his ex-girlfriend’s apartment armed with a handgun. In a fit of rage, he fired ten rounds at the front door of the apartment while two family members were inside. A few hours before the shooting, Sutton sent multiple text messages and voice messages threatening to shoot at the apartment. Shortly after the shooting, Sutton sent additional messages threatening to return to the apartment and fire additional shots.
In announcing the verdict, U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Acting Chief Pamela A. Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department, commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the U.S. Marshals Service. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Yasmin Emrani and Brian Yang, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
Informational: Federal Court arraignmentsRead the Press Release
The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced that the following persons were arraigned or appeared this week before U.S. Magistrate judges on indictments handed down by the Grand Jury or on criminal complaints. The charging documents are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt:
Appearing in Missoula before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto on a criminal complaint on Oct. 2 was:
Efren Zanabriga Zuniga, 35, of Mexico, on charges of transportation of child pornography and possession of child pornography. If convicted of the most serious crime, Zuniga faces a mandatory minimum of five years to 20 years of imprisonment, a $250,000 fine and five years to life of supervised release. Zuniga was detained pending further proceedings. Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation. PACER case reference. 23-65.
The progress of cases may be monitored through the U.S. District Court Calendar and the PACER system. To establish a PACER account, which provides electronic access to review documents filed in a case, please visit http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. To access the District Court’s calendar, please visit https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl.
XXX
Indiana Man Sentenced to 120 Months for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
LONDON, Ky. — A Cambridge City, Ind., man, John Carico, 56, was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison on Friday, by U.S. District Judge Robert Wier, for possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine.
According to his plea agreement, on August 31, 2022, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle occupied by Carico and Gary Voiles. During the stop, a canine alerted to the presence of narcotics in the vehicle. Officers then asked Voiles to step out of the car. At that point, Carico slid into the driver’s seat and fled the scene. Carico made contact with one of the officers as he fled and then led police on a lengthy pursuit, with speeds in excess of 100 mph. Law enforcement eventually stopped the vehicle. When tracing the route of the chase, law enforcement recovered a bag with 741 grams of methamphetamine that Carico had thrown from the vehicle.
Voiles has also entered a guilty plea in the case and is scheduled to be sentenced in January 2023.
Under federal law, Carico must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence; and upon his release, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for five years.
Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Michael E. Stansbury, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office; and Sheriff Bobby Jones, Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by FBI and the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Blankenship.
-END-
Indiana Man Indicted for Sending Violent, Anti-Semitic Threats to Four Offices of the Anti-Defamation LeagueRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS – A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging Andrzej Boryga, 67, with sending threatening communications to Anti-Defamation League offices around the country.
The indictment charges Boryga with four counts of willfully transmitting in interstate commerce a threat to injure another person. The defendant was also charged with choosing his victims because of their actual or perceived religion. According to the indictment, Boryga is alleged to have left voicemails containing threats to kill Jewish people at Anti-Defamation League offices located in New York, Texas, Colorado and Nevada.
If convicted on all counts, Boryga faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. A federal district court judge will determine the sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
“Preventing and prosecuting hate crimes is a top priority for the Justice Department and my office,” said U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, Zachary A. Myers. “We want to ensure the public that if a crime is motivated by bias, it will be investigated, and the perpetrators held responsible for their actions. We encourage anyone impacted by a hate crime to report violations to the FBI or through the U.S. Attorney’s Office website.”
Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, and Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Indianapolis Field Office, Herbert Stapleton made the announcement.
The FBI’s Indianapolis Field Office investigated this case.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter A. Blackett and Trial Attorney Anita Channapati of Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section, who are prosecuting this case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
###
Indiana Man Indicted for Sending Violent Anti-Semitic Threats to Four Offices of the Anti-Defamation LeagueRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in the Southern District of Indiana returned an indictment charging Andrzej Boryga, 67, with sending threatening communications to Anti-Defamation League offices around the country.
The indictment charges Boryga with four counts of willfully transmitting in interstate commerce a threat to injure another person. The defendant was also charged with choosing his victims because of their actual or perceived religion. According to the indictment, Boryga is alleged to have left voicemails containing threats to kill Jewish people at Anti-Defamation League offices located in New York, Texas, Colorado and Nevada.
If convicted on all counts, Boryga faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Myers for the Southern District of Indiana and Special Agent in Charge Herbert Stapleton of the FBI Indianapolis Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI Indianapolis Field Office investigated this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter A. Blackett for the Southern District of Indiana and Trial Attorney Anita Channapati of Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Boryga IndictmentIllegal Alien from Honduras Pleads Guilty to Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA –MELVIN DANIEL VARGAS-REYES, 21, a native of Honduras, pleaded guilty on October 4, 2023, to a one-count indictment with being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(5)(A).
According to court documents, on February 26, 2023, the Kenner Police Department investigated a shooting in Kenner, Louisiana. Based on investigative leads, they identified VARGAS-REYES as a potential suspect. During the investigation, Kenner Police Detectives obtained a search warrant for VARGAS-REYES's residence. As a result of the search warrant, officers found a Hi-Point, 9 mm pistol and several rounds of 9 mm ammunition at VARGAS-REYES's residence. Additionally, investigators discovered that VARGAS-REYES is an illegal alien and therefore prohibited from possessing a firearm. Following the search of his apartment, VARGAS-REYES admitted to being an illegal alien and to possessing the pistol.
If convicted, REYES faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 15 years, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to 3 years of supervised release. VARGAS-REYES must also pay a mandatory special assessment fee of $100. Sentencing is currently scheduled for January 10, 2024.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The case was investigated by the United States Department of Homeland Security. Assistant United States Attorney Spiro G. Latsis of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
Hate Crime Charges Added in Burning of Douglas Churches CaseRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – A federal grand jury in Tucson returned a six-count superseding indictment yesterday against Eric Ridenour, 58, of Douglas, for Arson of Property Used in Interstate Commerce, Obstruction of Free Exercise of Religious Beliefs by Fire, and Using Fire to Commit Federal Felony.
The superseding indictment alleges that Ridenour burned down two historic churches in Douglas: Saint Stephen’s Episcopal Church and First Presbyterian Church. Both churches are located on Church Square, in a historic district in the border town of Douglas, approximately two hours southeast of Tucson. According to the Guinness Book of World Records, it is the only block in the nation containing churches from four different denominations: Southern Baptist, Presbyterian, Episcopal, and Methodist. According to the superseding indictment, further investigation and evidence elicited in court testimony alleges that Ridenour intentionally started the fires in both churches because of his hostility toward their progressive doctrines, particularly their practice of having women and members of the LGBTQ community serve as church leaders. Ridenour was arrested on May 23, 2023, and charged by complaint with maliciously damaging or destroying both buildings by means of fire, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 844(i). On June 22, 2023, he was initially indicted on two counts of the same.
A conviction for Arson of Property Used in Interstate Commerce carries a minimum penalty of five years imprisonment and maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A conviction for Obstruction of Free Exercise of Religious Beliefs by Fire carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A conviction for Using Fire to Commit Federal Felony carries a penalty of 10 years in prison. A second conviction for Using Fire to Commit Federal Felony carries a penalty of 20 years in prison. Any conviction and subsequent mandatory term of imprisonment under Using Fire to Commit Federal Felony shall run consecutively to any other conviction.
An indictment is simply a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Douglas Police Department are handling the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adam Rossi, District of Arizona, Tucson, and Ben Goldberg, District of Arizona, Phoenix, are handling the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR 23-00908-TUC-SHR
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-152_Ridenour# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Harpers Ferry man charged with theft of government property, illegal gun salesRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Todd Matthew Raymond, age 47, of Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, has been charged with theft of government property and firearms charges.
According to court documents, Raymond was employed by U.S. Customs and Border Protection at a facility that disposes of decommissioned service weapons and firearms and parts seized by the agency. Raymond allegedly stole firearms and firearms parts from the facility. He is accused of selling some of the stolen property.
Raymond is charged with theft of government property, engaging in the business without a license, possession of a stolen firearm, obliterated serial number, and possession of an unregistered firearm. He is facing up to 10 years in federal prison for each of the theft, stolen firearm, and unregistered firearms charges and up to 5 years for each of the business and obliterated serial number charges. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Salem is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General; and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Office of Professional Responsibility is investigating.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Hamdani to serve on AG Advisory CommitteeRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – Attorney General Merrick B. Garland has appointed U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani to serve on the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee of U.S. Attorneys (AGAC).
The AGAC was created in 1973 and advises the Attorney General on matters of policy, procedure and management impacting the offices of the U.S. Attorneys and elevates the voices of U.S. Attorneys on essential matters facing the Department of Justice.
“U.S. Attorneys work every day throughout the country to advance our mission of upholding the rule of law, keeping our country safe, and protecting civil rights,” said Garland. “I am grateful for the perspective the newest members of the committee will provide on behalf of federal prosecutors across the country and the communities they serve.”
“It is an honor to be chosen to serve on the AGAC,” said Hamdani. “I look forward to learning from and serving with my fellow AGAC members as we advise the Attorney General and the Department of Justice’s leadership.”
U.S. Attorney Hamdani will serve alongside chair Damian Williams of the Southern District of New York, vice chair Gary Restaino for the District of Arizona and newest members Alexander M.M. Uballez for the District of New Mexico, Breon Peace for the Eastern District of New York, Kenneth Parker for the Southern District of Ohio, Natalie K. Wight for the District of Oregon, Eric G. Olshan for the Western District of Pennsylvania and Christopher R. Kavanaugh for the Western District of Virginia as well as Ryan Buchanan of the Northern District of Georgia, Gregory K. Harris of the Central District of Illinois, Andrew M. Luger of the District of Minnesota and Darcie N. McElwee of the District of Maine.
President Biden nominated Hamdani to serve as U.S. Attorney for this district Nov. 14, 2002, upon the recommendation of U.S. Senators John Cornyn and Ted Cruz. The full Senate unanimously confirmed his appointment Dec. 6, 2022. He was sworn in Dec. 12, 2022.
As U.S. Attorney, Hamdani is the chief federal law enforcement officer in the Southern District of Texas (SDTX), responsible for prosecuting and defending the interests of the United States in the seventh largest district in the nation.
Hamdani has been with the Department of Justice since 2008. Most recently, he has been an Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) with the SDTX, primarily responsible for the investigation and prosecution of national security and official corruption crimes. From 2010 to 2014, Hamdani served in the Counterterrorism Section of the Department of Justice’s National Security Division, holding the position of deputy chief from 2012 to 2014. Prior to that, he was an AUSA in the Eastern District of Kentucky.
The SDTX typically prosecutes more cases against more defendants than most other U.S. Attorney’s Offices nationwide, representing 43 counties and nine million people and covering 44,000 square miles. This district currently comprises seven U.S. District Court divisions with federal district courts in Houston, Galveston, Victoria, Corpus Christi, Brownsville, McAllen and Laredo. The U.S. Attorney's office, headquartered in Houston, has branch offices in all seven divisions.
Gonzales Man Sentenced to 150 Months in Federal Prison for Distribution of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that U.S. District Judge John W. deGravelles sentenced Irving Bobby Mitchell, age 41, of Gonzales, Louisiana, to 150 months in federal prison following his convictions for distribution of methamphetamine. The Court further sentenced Mitchell to five years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment.
According to admissions made as a part of his guilty plea, on February 9, 2022 and February 18, 2022, under the supervision of law enforcement, a confidential source (CS) purchased methamphetamine from Mitchell during controlled buys that were witnessed by agents.
On March 4, 2022, during a controlled call with Mitchell, the CS requested an ounce of methamphetamine in exchange for $350. An undercover agent from the St. John Parish Sheriff’s Office rode with the CS to the agreed upon meeting location within the Middle District of Louisiana. Mitchell, the CS, and the undercover agent met inside the store to exchange the methamphetamine. The undercover agent was fitted with audio and video recording equipment. After the transaction, Mitchell called the CS to inquire about the undercover agent, who then talked with him and tried to establish a drug trafficking relationship.
On March 10, 2022, agents arranged another recorded, controlled purchase of methamphetamine using the CS and undercover agent. The agent met with Mitchell in Prairieville where Mitchell distributed three ounces of methamphetamine in exchange for $980.
This matter was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Internal Revenue Service, Gonzales Police Department, Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Office, West Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office, Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office, Iberville Parish Sheriff’s Office, East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office, Baton Rouge Police Department, St. James Parish Sheriff’s Office, and St. John Parish Sheriff’s Office and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jessica Jarreau, who also serves as Deputy Chief of the Organized and Violent Crime Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office and Jeremy S. Johnson.
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.
Four Oklahomans Ordered to Pay a Total of $68,000 for Killing Endangered Whooping CranesRead the Press Release
Court Also Ordered Forfeiture of Firearms and Nationwide Loss of Hunting Privileges for Five Years
OKLAHOMA CITY – This week, four Oklahoman men were sentenced to pay restitution totaling $68,000 for unlawfully killing four endangered whooping cranes protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
On August 22, 2023, JOSEPH M. ROMAN, 43, and JUSTIN M. WINE, 40, of Altus, CHANOD M. CAMPBELL, 32, of Gould, and BRIAN LEE GOLLIHARE JR., 35, of Hollis, were charged by information with taking a migratory bird for which there is no season. According to information presented in court, on or about November 5, 2021, the four defendants were hunting at Tom Steed Reservoir in southwest Oklahoma when they killed four whooping cranes and attempted to hide the birds before leaving the scene.
Whooping cranes are a migratory bird and are protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. According to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS), the whooping crane is one of the rarest birds in North America and are highly endangered. An FWS report from May, 2023, estimates there are less than 600 total whooping cranes in the wild.
All four defendants pleaded guilty and, at sentencing hearings this week, U.S. Magistrate Judge Amanda Maxfield Green ordered each defendant to pay $17,000 in restitution to the International Crane Foundation and pay a $750 fine. The defendants were also each ordered to forfeit their shotguns and will also lose their hunting privileges in all 50 states for the next five years.
“Each of us bears responsibility to protect endangered wildlife so that the species is preserved for future generations,” said U.S. Attorney Robert Troester. “My office stands with and commends the work done by our federal and state law enforcement partners, and we hope this case serves as a warning for those who would harm endangered species.”
“The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of Law Enforcement is committed to conducting criminal investigations with the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation for the protection of endangered species such as the whooping crane," said Edward Grace, Assistant Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement. "The outcomes of this case are the result of vigorous investigative efforts by the Office of Law Enforcement and our ODWC partners to bring wildlife violators to justice.”
"This is a great example of state and federal agencies working closely together throughout the investigation. The outstanding ODWC Game Wardens were tireless in tracking down leads and in their collection of key evidence that led to this outcome,” said Nathan Erdman, Law Enforcement Chief for the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. “Rest assured that those committing wildlife violations in Oklahoma will be caught thanks to thorough investigations like this along with tips from the public.”
This case is a result of an investigation by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Brown prosecuted the case.
Former Soldier Indicted for Attempting to Pass National Defense Information to People’s Republic of ChinaRead the Press Release
Seattle – A former U.S. Army Sergeant whose last duty post was Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM) in western Washington was arrested today on an indictment charging him with two federal felonies: attempt to deliver national defense information and retention of national defense information. Joseph Daniel Schmidt, 29, will appear in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California this morning and will be brought to the Western District of Washington for further court proceedings.
“Individuals entrusted with national defense information have a continuing duty to protect that information beyond their government service and certainly beyond our borders,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security Matthew G. Olsen. “The National Security Division is committed to identifying and holding accountable those who violate that duty.”
“Joseph Daniel Schmidt was once a trusted guardian of our nation’s secrets and swore an oath to defend and protect US national security,” said Assistant Director Suzanne Turner of the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division. “As alleged by the government, Schmidt betrayed his promise and potentially placed our nation at risk in his attempts to pass national defense information to Chinese security services. The FBI and our partners remain steadfast in our commitment to protecting the American people and U.S. national security."
“Members of our military take a sworn oath to defend our country and the Constitution. In that context the alleged actions of this former military member are shocking – not only attempting to provide national defense information, but also information that would assist a foreign adversary to gain access to Department of Defense secure computer networks,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman for the Western District of Washington. “I commend the FBI for their diligent work to end his alleged efforts to betray our country.”
According to records filed in the case, Schmidt was an active-duty soldier from January 2015 to January 2020. His primary assignment was at JBLM in the 109th Military Intelligence Battalion. In his role, Schmidt had access to SECRET and TOP SECRET information. After his separation from the military, Schmidt allegedly reached out to the Chinese Consulate in Turkey and later, the Chinese security services via email offering information about national defense information.
In March 2020, Schmidt traveled to Hong Kong and allegedly continued his efforts to provide Chinese intelligence with classified information he obtained from his military service. He allegedly retained a device that allows for access to secure military computer networks and offered the device to Chinese authorities to assist them in efforts to gain access to such networks.
Schmidt remained in China, primarily Hong Kong, until this week when he scheduled to fly to San Francisco. He was arrested at the airport.
Attempt to deliver national defense information and retention of national defense information are both punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The FBI is investigating the case, with valuable assistance provided by the U.S. Army Counterintelligence Command.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd Greenberg for the Western District of Washington and Deputy Chief Matthew J. McKenzie of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Former Soldier Indicted for Attempting to Pass National Defense Information to People’s Republic of ChinaRead the Press Release
A former U.S. Army Sergeant whose last duty post was Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM) in western Washington was arrested today on an indictment charging him with two federal felonies: attempt to deliver national defense information and retention of national defense information. Joseph Daniel Schmidt, 29, will appear in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California later today and will be brought to the Western District of Washington for further court proceedings.
“Individuals entrusted with national defense information have a continuing duty to protect that information beyond their government service and certainly beyond our borders,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security Matthew G. Olsen. “The National Security Division is committed to identifying and holding accountable those who violate that duty.”
“Joseph Daniel Schmidt was once a trusted guardian of our nation’s secrets and swore an oath to defend and protect U.S. national security,” said Assistant Director Suzanne Turner of the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division. “As alleged by the government, Schmidt betrayed his promise and potentially placed our nation at risk in his attempts to pass national defense information to Chinese security services. The FBI and our partners remain steadfast in our commitment to protecting the American people and U.S. national security."
“Members of our military take a sworn oath to defend our country and the Constitution. In that context the alleged actions of this former military member are shocking – not only attempting to provide national defense information, but also information that would assist a foreign adversary to gain access to Department of Defense secure computer networks,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman for the Western District of Washington. “I commend the FBI for their diligent work to end his alleged efforts to betray our country.”
According to records filed in the case, Schmidt was an active-duty soldier from January 2015 to January 2020. His primary assignment was at JBLM in the 109th Military Intelligence Battalion. In his role, Schmidt had access to SECRET and TOP SECRET information. After his separation from the military, Schmidt allegedly reached out to the Chinese Consulate in Turkey and later, the Chinese security services via email offering information about national defense information.
In March 2020, Schmidt traveled to Hong Kong and allegedly continued his efforts to provide Chinese intelligence with classified information he obtained from his military service. He allegedly retained a device that allows for access to secure military computer networks and offered the device to Chinese authorities to assist them in efforts to gain access to such networks.
Schmidt remained in China, primarily Hong Kong, until this week when he scheduled to fly to San Francisco. He was arrested at the airport.
Attempt to deliver national defense information and retention of national defense information are both punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The FBI is investigating the case, with valuable assistance provided by the U.S. Army Counterintelligence Command.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd Greenberg for the Western District of Washington and Deputy Chief Matthew J. McKenzie of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Schmidt Declaration
Schmidt IndictmentFormer San Antonio Lawyer Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud, Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
UPDATE: On Aug. 17, 2026, Christopher John Pettit entered a guilty plea to three counts of wire fraud and two counts of money laundering. Under the new plea, Pettit will receive a sentence between 235 and 293 months.
SAN ANTONIO – Former San Antonio Attorney Christopher John Pettit, 56, pleaded guilty in federal court Thursday to wire fraud and money laundering.
According to court documents, from around October 2019 to July 2022, Pettit made numerous misrepresentations that persuaded his clients to deposit money with his firm, Chris Pettit and Associates, PC, which funds the clients believed would be used for services such as living trusts, irrevocable trusts, estate planning services, investments, and real-estate transactions, but which Pettit instead misused for his own enrichment and as part of a Ponzi-type scheme.
In one scheme, Pettit opened trustee accounts with client funds and simply moved the money to his own accounts, rather than using the funds for the benefit of the trust. Other fraudulent schemes included falsely promising to invest client money in high percentage bonds and instead wiring the funds to his personal account. He also falsely represented himself as a Qualified Intermediary for a 1031 real-estate exchange, which he used to convince clients to wire millions of dollars from asset sales into accounts he controlled and then misused for his own enrichment. Pettit would use his victimized clients’ funds to pay other client debts as well as to support an extravagant lifestyle. The schemes resulted in an estimated loss to the victims of between $20 million and $65 million.
Pettit pleaded guilty to three counts of wire fraud and three counts of money laundering. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 11, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for the wire fraud counts and up to 10 years for the money laundering counts. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas and Special Agent in Charge Oliver E. Rich Jr. of the FBI San Antonio Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI is investigating the case in conjunction with representatives of the Texas State Securities Board and the Texas Department of Public Safety.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert Almonte and Kelly Stephenson are prosecuting the case.
###
Former AFGE Local Union President Pleads Guilty to Stealing Union FundsRead the Press Release
BOISE – Tamlyn Leigh Ulin-Gilson, 56, of Reedsport, Oregon, pleaded guilty to wire fraud for stealing from the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Local Union 1273, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced today.
According to court records, Ulin-Gilson served as president of AFGE Local Union 1273 from January 2019 to April 24, 2021. AFGE 1273 is a federal labor organization that represents approximately 1,1000 medical support staff employed at the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs Healthcare System in Boise and affiliated clinics. Prior to serving as president, Ulin-Gilson served as the vice president and secretary‑treasurer for AFGE 1273.
With the resignation of the other executive board members, Ulin-Gilson had exclusive and unchecked control of AFGE 1273’s bank account beginning in February 2020. She abused her authority by fraudulently misusing at least $42,674.45 of AFGE 1273’s funds on unauthorized, personal expenses. Ulin-Gilson spent at least $34,632.60 at casinos in Idaho and Nevada during this time, and also spent $7,037.35 on personal insurance premiums, and caused $1,004.50 in bank fees from the transactions.
Ulin-Gilson is scheduled to be sentenced on January 17, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of twenty years in federal prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Hurwit commended the investigation by the Department of Labor Office of Labor Management Standards, which led to the charges. Assistant U.S. Attorney Darci Crane is prosecuting the case.
###
Florida Resident Pleads Guilty to Violating Federal Narcotics LawsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA – A Florida resident pleaded guilty in federal court to violating federal narcotics laws, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
Jossian Ayala-Ruberte, 55, of Kissimmee, Florida 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. Ayala-Ruberte 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. Ayala-Ruberte 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 January 26, 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 Ayala-Ruberte.
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.
Florida Man Sentenced to 5 Years for Bangor and Houlton Area Methamphetamine Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Florida man was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Bangor today for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
U.S. District Court Judge Lance E. Walker sentenced Rogelio Rios, 34, to 60 months followed by four years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $5,000 in restitution. Rios pleaded guilty on April 27, 2023.
According to court records, between May 2018 and July 2018, Rios obtained methamphetamine from Florida and distributed it in locations around Bangor and Houlton through a group of co-conspirators. On July 12, 2018, a truck driven by Rios and in which a co-conspirator was a passenger was stopped by law enforcement in Lincoln. A search of the vehicle revealed multiple grams of methamphetamine and nearly $20,000 in cash in the co-conspirator’s bag.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency investigated this case.
###
Customs Broker Arrested on Superseding Indictment Alleging New $2 Million Fraud Committed after His Release on Bond in Original Fraud CaseRead the Press Release
SANTA ANA, California – A customs broker has been arrested on a superseding grand jury indictment that alleges he defrauded clients out of $2 million while he was free on bond after being charged with bilking another client out of $3.4 million, the Justice Department announced today.
Frank Seung Noah, 62, of Corona, was arrested Thursday on an eight-count superseding indictment returned on October 4. He entered not guilty pleas during an arraignment Thursday afternoon.
According to court documents, Noah owned and operated Comis International Inc., a logistics and supply-chain company based in Cerritos, which offered customs import brokerage services on behalf of businesses. From 2007 to 2019, Comis was a customs import broker for Daiso, a Japan-based variety and value store with stores in the United States, including Southern California.
Noah was initially charged in February 2022 with engaging in a $3.4 million wire fraud scheme that overcharged Daiso on customs duties. From March 2016 until February 2019, Noah – acting through Comis – paid customs import duty fees to U.S. Customs and Border Protection on Daiso’s behalf. Noah then allegedly submitted invoices to Daiso that fraudulently inflated the customs import duty fees that Noah had paid. As a result of Noah’s scheme, the indictment alleges, Daiso paid the inflated invoices, and Noah fraudulently obtained approximately $3,379,774.
Noah was also charged in the 2022 indictment with evading the payment of $1.5 million in personal income taxes. The original indictment charged Noah with one count of tax evasion and three counts of wire fraud. Noah was released on bond pending trial in February 2022. A trial was scheduled for February 20, 2024.
The superseding indictment adds four wire fraud counts for allegedly defrauding two other victim clients, an online crafts store and a wholesale apparel distributor.
Beginning in late 2021 and continuing through June 2023 – with much of this period following the original indictment and while he was free on bond – Noah defrauded two other client companies by invoicing and receiving funds from the two victim companies, and then simply pocketing the funds instead of paying the customs duties to CBP, according to the superseding indictment. After CBP notified the victim clients of their unpaid customs duties, they asked Noah about the unpaid fees, and he allegedly sent the victim clients altered bank statements falsely reflecting that he had paid the customs duties. The two victims in this new part of the case allegedly suffered losses of approximately $2 million.
In relation to the tax evasion charge, Noah allegedly willfully attempted to evade the payment of approximately $1,562,684 in federal taxes which the IRS assessed against him for the calendar years 2008, 2009 and 2010. He allegedly did so by making small payments to the IRS, all while making much larger payments on mortgages for properties he controlled – even though they were bought in his girlfriend’s name – including his Corona residence purchased in 2016 and a vacation property in Rancho Mirage that was purchased the following year.
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
Noah appeared this afternoon in United States District Court, where he was released on a $205,000 bond with strict pretrial supervision conditions, including home detention with location monitoring, an agreement that he would no longer directly or indirectly engage in customs brokering services, and a near prohibition on using email or accessing the internet.
If convicted of all charges, Noah would face a statutory maximum sentence of five years in federal prison for the tax evasion count and 20 years in prison for each wire fraud count.
IRS Criminal Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorney Faraz Mohammadi of the Santa Ana Branch Office is prosecuting this case.
Convicted Felon Sentenced to 120 Months in Federal Prison for Gun ChargeRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that U.S. District Judge John W. deGravelles sentenced Derrick Lamont Johnson, age 43, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to 120 months in federal prison following his conviction for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The Court further sentenced Johnson to three years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment and ordered that the firearm involved be forfeited.
According to admissions made as a part of his guilty plea, on February 19, 2019, 911 received a call that Derrick Johnson was outside a residence threatening an individual with a gun over an encounter that occurred earlier that day. When the police arrived, they found Johnson at the front door, unarmed. Johnson was immediately detained in cuffs and placed in the back of a police unit. Once Johnson was safely in police custody, the caller told police that the gun Johnson had was in the trunk of their car. With the caller’s permission, officers entered the automobile and recovered a shotgun from the trunk.
Prior to possessing the firearm, Johnson had been convicted in East Baton Rouge Parish of aggravated flight from an officer in March 2003, simple robbery in September 2003, and felon in possession of a firearm in January 2012.
This matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (“ATF”) and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kristen Lundin Craig.
Connecticut Investment Advisor Admits Defrauding Clients of $2.7 Million Through Cherry-Picking SchemeRead 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, today announced that JONATHAN VINCENT GLENN, 54, of Greenwich, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty yesterday in Hartford federal court to defrauding investment clients through a “cherry-picking” securities scheme.
“Cherry-picking” is a fraudulent securities trading practice in which the responsible individual executes trades without assigning those trades to a particular trading account until the individual determines whether or not the trade has become profitable or suffered losses. The responsible individual then allocates the profitable trades to favored accounts – often the individual’s own accounts – and assigns unprofitable trades to disfavored client accounts.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Glenn owned Glenn Capital LLC, also known as GlennCap LLC, an investment advisory firm headquartered in Greenwich. Through Glenn Capital, Glenn provided clients with portfolio management services including asset selection and asset allocation. Glenn managed all of Glenn Capital’s advisory clients’ accounts and was authorized to make trading decisions on each client’s behalf without seeking approval for each trade. Glenn placed trades on behalf of advisory clients, himself, or family members by trading directly in the relevant individual account, or by placing block trades in Glenn Capital’s omnibus account and allocating the block trades among the relevant individual accounts. Glenn Capital’s Code of Ethics required Glenn to determine and document the specific allocation of each block trade prior to the execution, and to allocate block trades to individual accounts at an average price.
In pleading guilty, Glenn admitted that he defrauded clients by retroactively allocating profitable omnibus-account trades to favored clients, family, and personal accounts, and unprofitable omnibus-account trades to non-favored-client accounts. Notwithstanding the requirements set forth in the Code of Ethics, Glenn did not determine the allocation of block trades until after they were executed, when he knew if the trades were profitable in the hours following the execution. When a block purchase of an equity security increased in value in the hours after the purchase, Glenn generally realized the profits by selling the security. He then allocated those profits to favored-client, family, firm, and personal accounts. When a block purchase of an equity security decreased in value, Glenn generally allocated those block purchases to the non-favored-client accounts. Glenn did not inform his clients that he was “cherry picking.” Instead, he gave the false impression that he allocated trades fairly and according to a pre-determined allocation methodology.
Through this scheme, Glenn defrauded more than 45 clients of a total of more than $2.7 million.
Glenn pleaded guilty to one count of securities fraud, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 25 years and a fine of up to approximately $5.4 million. Glenn is released pending sentencing, which is scheduled for December 28.
This matter has been investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with the assistance of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, which has settled fraud charges with Glenn and GlennCap LLC.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather L. Cherry.
Cheyenne Man Sentenced for Trafficking FentanylRead the Press Release
Kyle Aubrey Rozell, age 34, of Cheyenne, Wyoming, was sentenced to 85 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson imposed the sentence on October 4, in Cheyenne, Wyoming.
Rozell was indicted by a federal grand jury in Wyoming and pleaded guilty to the charges in July. According to court documents, on August 23, 2022, Cheyenne Police Department conducted a traffic stop on the defendant. Pursuant to a lawful search, officers found over 200 fentanyl pills, $2,900 in cash, drug paraphernalia, and a cell phone in the vehicle. Further investigation revealed that Rozell was using that cell phone to buy and sell fentanyl pills.
This crime was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation and Cheyenne Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan C. Coppom.
Case No. 23-CR-00043
Cedar Rapids Man Convicted of Ice Methamphetamine Conspiracy Sentenced to Nearly 20 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
A man who was intercepted in a wiretap investigation conspiring to distribute large quantities of ice methamphetamine was sentenced September 29, 2023, to nearly 20 years in federal prison.
Elmer Mims, age 69, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a February 24, 2023 jury verdict finding him guilty of one count of conspiring to distribute methamphetamine.
The evidence at trial showed that the Cedar Rapids Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) conducted a wiretap investigation in late 2021 and early 2022 targeting a group of individuals who were shipping large quantities of ice methamphetamine from Los Angeles, California, to Cedar Rapids. The DEA intercepted calls over phones used by David Belton (a/k/a “Blood”) and Derek Mims (a/k/a “D Mo”) in which they orchestrated the shipment of loads of thirty to sixty pounds of ice methamphetamine. Elmer Mims was intercepted in a call in early December 2021 discussing a prior occasion during which Elmer Mims had obtained 14 pounds of ice methamphetamine for $26,000. During an intercepted call in early February, Belton and Derek Mims discussed how they were going to obtain 60 pounds of ice methamphetamine, 20 pounds for each of them and 20 pounds for “Unc,” a nickname for Elmer Mims.
Less than two weeks after that call, DEA contacted local authorities in York County, Nebraska, to assist in stopping a truck that was believed to be transporting the 60 pounds of ice methamphetamine. The Nebraska officers stopped the truck and seized a tote that contained sixty, one‑pound packages of 99% pure methamphetamine. During an intercepted call on February 28, 2022, Elmer Mims and Belton discussed the seizure of the 60 pounds in Nebraska, believing that Derek Mims may have been stealing from them.
In March 2022, investigators searched Elmer Mims’s Cedar Rapids residence, seizing nearly $19,000 in cash drug proceeds, a box for a Glock handgun, ammunition, a holster, a tactical vest, and over four pounds of marijuana. Elmer Mims had previously been convicted in federal court in 1985 for a heroin conspiracy that involved smuggling large quantities of heroin using drug couriers and sending drug money to Hong Kong and Nepal.
Eleven other individuals were charged in the same investigation, nine of whom have been sentenced:
- Kiyonte Levell Sowell was sentenced to 144 months’ imprisonment;
- Albert Henry Bailey was sentenced to 88 months’ imprisonment;
- Jesus Vera was sentenced to 151 months’ imprisonment;
- Calub Joseph Storlie was sentenced to 200 months’ imprisonment;
- Christopher Eric Curley was sentenced to 175 months’ imprisonment;
- David Poitier Belton was sentenced to 396 months’ imprisonment;
- Derek Michael Mims was sentenced to 360 months’ imprisonment;
- Phillip Lanell Rogers was sentenced to 135 months’ imprisonment;
- Anton Tarrice Whitney, Jr. was sentenced to 216 months’ imprisonment
Two other individuals, Robert Lee Michael Bates and Timothy Michael Webber, are awaiting sentencing.
Mims was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Mims was sentenced to 235 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Mims is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was investigated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program of the United States Department of Justice through a cooperative effort of the DEA Task Force in Cedar Rapids and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The DEA Task Force in Cedar Rapids consists of the DEA; the Linn County Sheriff's Office; the Cedar Rapids Police Department; the Marion Police Department; and the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Dan Chatham and Kraig Hamit.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 22‑CR‑39‑CJW‑MAR.
Cape Coral Man on Federal Supervised Release Carrying Tactical Swords, Nunchucks, and Loaded Firearm Sentenced to More Than Five Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – Senior United States District Judge Virginia Hernandez Covington has sentenced Basilio Amaury Bron, Jr. (43, Cape Coral) to five years and four months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon and for violating his federal supervised release. Bron must serve his sentence for violating his supervised release consecutive to his sentence on the underlying federal charge.
According to court documents, at around 5:00 p.m. on March 12, 2022, Bron drove an SUV carelessly and in excess of 100 miles per hour northbound on Interstate 75 in Sarasota County near the Laurel Road exit. A Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office deputy stopped Bron’s vehicle for speeding. The deputy conducted a background check which revealed that Bron was a convicted felon and currently on federal supervised release in the Middle District of Florida. During the traffic stop, the odor of marijuana emanated from Bron’s vehicle, and two 20-inch tactical swords were visible near the driver’s seat and the driver’s door. Bron also admitted to having a firearm in the vehicle. The deputy located a SCCY CPX-1 9mm pistol, loaded with seven rounds of ammunition, inside the vehicle’s center console and a bag containing 4 grams of marijuana. The deputy also recovered a pair of nunchucks from the driver’s seat pocket. Bron later admitted to ATF agents that he had possessed the firearm, handled it multiple times, and sold marijuana.
In 2016, Bron was sentenced to more than seven years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. He is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David W.A Chee and Michael Kenneth.
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.
Bixby man gets life for carjacking, robbery, and Haikey Creek Park Double MurderRead the Press Release
TULSA Okla. – A Bixby man was sentenced to life in federal prison Thursday for multiple felonies including carjacking, robbery, and multiple murder charges, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell sentenced Hunter Isaiah Hobbs, 22, to 3 life sentences for felony murder in Indian Country; causing death by carrying, using, and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence; and obstruction of justice by killing a victim. Frizzell further sentenced Hobbs to 20 years each for two counts of conspiracy to carry, use, and brandish a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, 25 years for attempted carjacking and 15 years for robbery in Indian Country. All sentences are to run concurrently.
"Hunter Hobbs conspired to rob multiple victims in this case. He and his co-defendant shot one victim, a complete stranger, in an attempted carjacking and then killed two of their own friends during this crime spree,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “The relentless efforts of this Office, the FBI, and the Tulsa and Broken Arrow Police Departments resulted in the life sentences handed down today.”
"Today's sentence means Hunter Hobbs will spend the rest of his life behind prison walls for his spree of senseless and violent crimes, which tragically led to the death of two innocent victims," said FBI Oklahoma City Special Agent in Charge Edward J. Gray. "This case demonstrates the FBI's steadfast commitment to pursuing justice for victims and holding dangerous criminals accountable."
On May 8, 2021, Hobbs and Denim Lee Blount, 21, of Tulsa, lay in wait at the Westminster Apartments, at 7486 E 47th Place, in Tulsa, looking for a victim of opportunity. They approached a 2005 Chevy Tahoe with guns drawn and ordered the driver out of the vehicle. When the victim tried to maneuver his vehicle and leave, Hobbs and Blount opened fire. The attack was captured on security cameras, which show Hobbs firing an entire magazine at the driver from his .45 caliber Colt Model Combat Commander pistol, as Blount fired a 12-gauge shotgun at the car. The victim managed to flee the area but was struck multiple times. He sustained injuries to his hands, knee, arm, nose, cheeks, and frontal scalp. His injuries required surgery and caused permanent damage to his hand. Hobbs and Blount fled the scene.
On May 13, 2021 Hobbs and Blount again conspired to ambush, rob, and kill. This time the targets were two friends, Caleb Vaughan Collier and Kelly Ray Olen John Landsaw-Davis, both citizens of the Cherokee Nation. Hobbs and Blount planned to lure then men to a secluded area of Haikey Creek Park in Broken Arrow and rob them. When Blount stated that the men would be able to identify them to the police, Hobbs stated: “Then we’ll just off them”.
The victims picked Hobbs and Blount up in the early morning hours of May 13 and the four men drove to a parking lot in Haikey Creek Park where Blount tricked Landsaw-Davis into handing over a handgun he was carrying. Hobbs then drew his Colt .45 caliber pistol and along with Blount ordered both victims out of the car at gun point.
Once exiting the vehicle, Hobbs shot Collier eight times in the torso with his Colt .45 caliber pistol, as Blount shot Landsaw-Davis with a 12-gauge shotgun that had been provided to him by Hobbs. As Collier lay gasping for breath, Hobbs reloaded his pistol and fired another 7-round magazine into Collier’s head and neck, killing him.
Hobbs and Blount then stole the victims’ phones and vehicle and fled the scene. They later abandoned the vehicle in Tulsa and set fire to it attempting to destroy evidence. Witnesses testified that Hobbs laughed and joked about the killings, mocking his victims’ last dying breaths.
Cheryl Collier, mother of Caleb Collier, in addressing the court said, “When I finally got to go see my son at the funeral home, they told me to be careful with him because his body had a lot of damage done to it. They said that they had to wrap him up from his neck to his feet so he would not come apart.”
Hobbs will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal Service pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Codefendant Blount is still pending adjudication.
The FBI, Broken Arrow Police Department, and Tulsa Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Nassar prosecuted the case.
Barbour County man admits to federal firearms chargeRead the Press Release
ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA – Ethan D. Delauder, age 31, of Philippi, West Virginia, has pled guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm.
According to court documents, officers conducted a traffic stop and found a sawed-off shotgun in Delauder’s vehicle. Delauder was convicted of domestic violence in Barbour County in 2018, making it illegal for him to have firearms.
Deluader is facing up to 10 years in federal prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Warner is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the West Virginia State Police investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland Appoints Seven U.S. Attorneys to Advisory CommitteeRead the Press Release
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland today announced the appointment of the following seven U.S. Attorneys to serve on the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee (AGAC): Alexander M.M. Uballez for the District of New Mexico, Breon Peace for the Eastern District of New York, Kenneth Parker for the Southern District of Ohio, Natalie K. Wight for the District of Oregon, Eric G. Olshan for the Western District of Pennsylvania, Alamdar Hamdani for the Southern District of Texas, and Christopher R. Kavanaugh for the Western District of Virginia.
“United States Attorneys work every day throughout the country to advance our mission of upholding the rule of law, keeping our country safe, and protecting civil rights,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “I am grateful for the perspective the newest members of the Committee will provide on behalf of federal prosecutors across the country and the communities they serve.”
In addition, the Attorney General has selected Gary Restaino for the District of Arizona to serve as the committee’s vice chair, replacing Cindy Chung, the former U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Pennsylvania who is now a judge on the Third Circuit Court of Appeals.
The Attorney General also thanked the following U.S. Attorneys who have completed their terms and are rotating off the committee: Cole Finegan for the District of Colorado, Brandon Brown for the Western District of Louisiana, Dawn Ison for the Eastern District of Michigan, Trini Ross for the Western District of New York, and Sandra Hairston for the Middle District of North Carolina.
The AGAC was created in 1973 and advises the Attorney General on matters of policy, procedure, and management impacting the Offices of the U.S. Attorneys and elevates the voices of U.S. Attorneys in Justice Department policies.
The bios of all U.S. Attorneys are available here.
Anoka County Felon Sentenced to Six Years in Prison for Illegal Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – An Anoka County man has been sentenced to 72 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for illegal possession of a firearm, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, on December 29, 2022, officers with the Coon Rapids Police Department conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by Lewis Edward Byrd III, 46. Byrd, a felon with a prior sexual assault conviction, was arrested for violations related to his status as a predatory offender. After the arrest, officers searched Byrd’s vehicle and found a Smith and Wesson 9mm handgun in a pillowcase behind the driver’s seat. Further investigation revealed that Byrd purchased the firearm from a private seller earlier in December 2022. Law enforcement contacted the seller who confirmed the sale of the firearm and said that Byrd stated he was not a felon.
Because Byrd has prior felony convictions, including first degree criminal sexual conduct, stalking, and false imprisonment, he is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time.
Byrd pleaded guilty on May 8, 2023, to one count of possession of a firearm as a felon. Byrd was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court before Judge Eric C. Tostrud.
This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Coon Rapids Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lindsey E. Middlecamp prosecuted the case.
Alabama Man Sentenced to Ten Years in Prison for Transferring Machinegun Conversion Devices and Theft of Government FundsRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Wendy W. Berger has sentenced Ivan Hollingsworth (35, Florence, AL) to 10 years in federal prison for transferring machinegun conversion devices and theft of government funds. The court also ordered Hollingsworth to forfeit $46,426.91, which is traceable to proceeds of the offense involving the theft of government funds. As part of his sentence, the court also ordered Hollingsworth to pay the same amount in restitution to the Social Security Administration. Hollingsworth had pleaded guilty on April 10, 2023.
According to the plea agreement, Hollingsworth manufactured and transferred hundreds of 3D printed auto sears, which are parts designed and intended for use in converting a weapon into a machinegun. Hollingsworth advertised his 3D printing business through social media.
Between December 2021 and March 2022, Hollingsworth communicated with an undercover ATF agent and negotiated the sale and transfer of hundreds of auto sears, which he delivered from Alabama to Florida via the U.S. Postal Service.
On March 17, 2022, federal agents executed a search warrant at Hollingsworth’s residence and located a machinegun, 111 3D printed auto sears, 11 silencers, and three 3D printers.
Additionally, court records show that beginning in June 2018, and continuing through October 2022, in the Northern District of Alabama, Hollingsworth stole and converted to for his own use $46,426.91 in funds belonging to the Social Security Administration. Those funds represented Social Security disability benefits intended for another person.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Social Security Administration – Office of the Inspector General. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ilianys Rivera Miranda.
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.
Ada Resident Sentenced for Theft from the Chickasaw NationRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Christopher Wallace Covington, age 43, of Ada, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 24 months imprisonment and ordered to pay $486,431.02 in restitution for Theft Concerning Programs Receiving Federal Funds.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Chickasaw Nation Department of Treasury, the Chickasaw Nation Department of Interior Services, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
On March 25, 2022, Covington pleaded guilty to one count of Theft Concerning Programs Receiving Federal Funds. According to investigators, Covington, a Chickasaw Nation Department of Treasury accounting manager, embezzled $486,431.02 from the Chickasaw Nation from 2017 until May 2021. The Chickasaw Nation is a federally recognized Indian tribal government and an organization which receives federal benefits and assistance.
“The defendant deliberately exploited his position to steal nearly half a million dollars in federal funds from his employer,” said FBI Oklahoma City Special Agent in Charge Edward J. Gray. “We will continue to partner with the U.S. Attorney's Office to protect the integrity of taxpayer dollars and take swift action against those who embezzle funds intended to assist our tribal communities.”
“The defendant abused his position of trust over many years to steal hundreds of thousands of dollars in grant funds intended to benefit Chickasaw students,” said United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson. “This office stands together with our Tribal partners in seeking prosecution of crimes that would deprive the future of Native Americans in the Eastern District.”
The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the sentencing hearing in Muskogee, Oklahoma. Covington will report on October 26, 2023, to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant United States Attorneys T. Cameron McEwen and Kara Traster represented the United States.
29-Time Convicted Felon Pleads Guilty to Illegal Firearm Possession After Shooting Down Law Enforcement DroneRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Wendell Doyle Goney (52, Mount Dora) has pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Goney faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the plea agreement, on July 11, 2021, deputies from the Lake County Sheriff’s Office responded to a burglary at a 10-acre business property in Mount Dora. As deputies were using a law enforcement drone to assist with the outdoor search, the drone was destroyed by gunfire from a neighboring property. Deputies responded to the neighboring property and were confronted Goney, who admitted that he had just shot down the drone with a .22 caliber rifle. Goney claimed that the drone had been “harassing” him. Goney then admitted to the deputies that he could not lawfully possess a firearm because he was a convicted felon. A record check confirmed his 29 prior Florida felony convictions, which included aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, resisting arrest with violence, illegal drug possession, burglary, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. As a convicted felon, Goney is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Department of Transportation - Office of Inspector General, and the Lake County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert E. Bodnar, Jr.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
5 October 2023
Woman Pleads Guilty to $359M Fraud Involving Claims for Unnecessary Respiratory Tests Submitted with COVID-19 TestsRead the Press Release
A California woman pleaded guilty today to fraudulently submitting claims to governmental and private insurance programs during the COVID-19 pandemic for expensive and medically unnecessary respiratory pathogen panel (RPP) tests.
“Those who stole from government health programs during the COVID-19 pandemic not only violated federal law, they betrayed the public trust,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “As this action to disrupt a $359 million scheme, and the Department’s recent announcement involving over 300 defendants and over $830 million in alleged COVID-19 fraud make clear, the Justice Department will continue to find and hold accountable those who defrauded American taxpayers during the pandemic.”
“Today’s plea marks an end to this costly health care fraud scheme in which bad actors fraudulently ordered medically unnecessary tests to reap ill-gotten gains,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “Through coordination and close collaboration with our partners, the public can rest assured that the FBI will work relentlessly to protect our healthcare system and hold those accountable who attempt to illegally exploit it.”
According to court documents, from June 2020 to April 2022, Lourdes Navarro, 64, of Glendale, conspired with Imran Shams to obtain nasal swab specimens from residents and staff at nursing homes, assisted living facilities, rehabilitation facilities, and students and staff at primary and secondary schools, for the purported purpose of conducting screening tests to identify and isolate individuals infected with COVID-19. Obtaining those samples enabled Matias Clinical Laboratory, dba Health Care Providers Laboratory (HCPL), to perform RPP tests on some of the specimens, even though only COVID-19 testing had been ordered and even though there was no medical justification for conducting RPP tests. Navarro and Shams submitted, through HCPL, approximately $359 million in claims for the unnecessary RPP tests to Medicare, the Health Resources and Services Administration COVID-19 Uninsured Program, and a private health insurance company, and were reimbursed approximately $54 million.
“The defendant used her management position at a clinical testing laboratory to exploit the COVID-19 pandemic for personal gain,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “This case demonstrates the Criminal Division’s continued resolve in working with our partners to root out bad actors who steal from government health programs.”
“I would like to thank our law enforcement partners, as well as my dedicated team of investigators, analysts, and attorneys, for bringing this fraud scheme to light and shutting it down,” said Inspector General Christi A. Grimm of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). “Stealing public money is unacceptable in any circumstance, but particularly egregious when taking advantage of a public health emergency.”
Navarro pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud. She is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 23, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Shams previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud and is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 9, 2024.
The FBI and HHS-OIG are investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Gary A. Winters and Raymond E. Beckering III of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Maxwell Coll for the Central District of California obtained seizure warrants and is handling forfeiture.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, comprised of 15 strike forces operating in 25 federal districts, has charged more than 5,000 defendants who collectively have billed the Medicare program for more than $24 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with HHS-OIG, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
Woman Pleads Guilty in $1.6M Counterfeit U.S. Savings Bond SchemeRead the Press Release
A California woman pleaded guilty yesterday to her role in a counterfeit savings bond scheme.
According to court documents, Summer Marie Creech, 45, of Fontana, conspired with others to create, pass, and transfer counterfeit Department of the Treasury Series I savings bonds at financial institutions in the Southern District of Texas and elsewhere. Creech forged counterfeit Series I savings bonds using genuine bond numbers and then sent them to her co-conspirators, who negotiated them at financial institutions and shared the profits with Creech. To pass the counterfeit bonds, the co-conspirators used means of identification belonging to others without their knowledge or consent. During the conspiracy, Creech and others passed over $1.6 million in counterfeit Series I savings bonds.
Creech pleaded guilty to conspiracy to make, pass, and transfer counterfeit U.S. securities and passing counterfeit U.S. securities. She is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 20 and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
One of Creech’s co-conspirators, Daniel Alan Lewis, previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to make, pass, and transfer counterfeit U.S. securities and passing counterfeit U.S. securities. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 12.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani for the Southern District of Texas, and Special Agent in Charge Craig S. Larrabee of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) made the announcement.
HSI Rio Grande Valley Office is investigating the case, with assistance from the U.S. Secret Service, Department of the Treasury’s Office of Inspector General, and U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California.
Trial Attorney David D. Hamstra of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Edgardo J. Rodriguez for the Southern District of Texas are prosecuting the case.
Wisconsin and Missouri Residents Sentenced to Prison for Bank FraudRead the Press Release
Gregory J. Haanstad, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on September 28 and October 4, 2023, respectively, Senior United States District Judge William C. Griesbach sentenced both Jimmy A. Walker (age: 30) and Marialuwisa A. Prado (age: 26) to 14 months’ imprisonment and 3 years’ supervised release after they pled guilty to bank fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1344.
According to court records, Prado is a Wisconsin resident, and Walker resides in Missouri. In May 2022, while Prado was working for a private mail-sorting business in Brookfield, Wisconsin, she stole mail that contained a check in the amount of $600,263.55. The check had been written by a Wisconsin corporation, and was made payable to another Wisconsin corporation, for business-related services. It never reached the intended recipient. Instead, Prado sent the stolen check by FedEx to Walker in Missouri, who had previously set up a sham bank account under the name of the Wisconsin business. Walker opened the account at a bank branch in Olivette, Missouri, and then drove to a different branch of the same bank in nearby Ballwin, Missouri, where he deposited the stolen check. Fortunately, bank officials flagged the transaction and prevented any funds from being unlawfully withdrawn.
In sentencing both defendants, Judge Griesbach cited the significant dollar value at issue, the potential economic loss to the businesses and banks, the defendants’ planning and scheme, and the breach of trust in stealing mail from Prado’s former employer. The judge reasoned that although both defendants lacked a criminal record, the offense warranted significant punishment and a strong deterrent message.
“The prison sentences in this case were the direct result of excellent collaboration between local and federal law enforcement,” stated U.S. Attorney Haanstad. “Law enforcement’s work – and the attentive bank employees who flagged the transaction – directly prevented the loss of hundreds of thousands of dollars and ensured that these defendants are serving prison sentences instead of reaping the benefits of their criminal conduct.”
The case was investigated by the Oshkosh Police Department and the Green Bay office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from law enforcement agencies in the State of Missouri. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Timothy W. Funnell.
# # #
For Additional Information Contact:
Public Information Officer
414-297-1700
Follow us on Twitter
West Point Man Sentenced in Drug Trafficking CaseRead the Press Release
Greenville, MS – A West Point man was sentenced on Wednesday to 100 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
According to court documents, Bobby Earl Brownlee, 44, of West Point, Mississippi, pled guilty in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi to one count of conspiracy to possess and distribute methamphetamine and cocaine. Brownlee was sentenced by Chief U.S. District Court Judge Debra M. Brown to 100 months in prison. He was further sentenced to three years of supervised release following his release from prison.
Court records show that Brownlee was involved in a drug trafficking organization responsible for transporting large quantities of methamphetamine and cocaine and distributing them throughout the Northern District of Mississippi. The investigation of this drug trafficking organization and its participants spanned over a year. Brownlee was indicted along with fourteen other individuals.
“The U.S. Attorney’s office will continue to prioritize the prosecution of individuals who choose to illegally sell dangerous and unlawful drugs in our towns and communities,” said U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner. “We hope that this sentence will make other individuals think twice before they choose to seek quick profits from distributing illicit drugs.”
“Bobby Brownlee’s sentence is a victory for law enforcement and the people of Mississippi. Brownlee was a major player in a drug trafficking organization that was responsible for bringing dangerous drugs into our state,” said DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge Anessa Daniels-McCaw. “His conviction and sentence should send a clear message to other drug traffickers that they will be held accountable for their crimes. We will continue to work tirelessly to keep our communities safe.”
The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics investigated the case as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program in partnership with state and local law enforcement. 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. Multiple agencies assisted with the investigation including the U.S. Marshal’s Service, U.S. Postal Inspector’s Service, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Mississippi Highway Patrol, Starkville Police Department, Oktibbeha County Sheriff’s Department, Clay County Sheriff’s Department, Lowndes County Sheriff’s Department, Webster County Sheriff’s Department and the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kimberly M. Hampton and Sam Stringfellow prosecuted the case.
Wayne county man pleads guilty to possession of child pornographyRead the Press Release
ROCHESTER, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Frederick Trivitt, 63, of Newark, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Charles J. Siragusa to possession of child pornography involving a prepubescent minor, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan K. McGuire, who is handling the case, stated that on January 4, 2023, Trivett possessed a laptop, which contained 368 images and 26 videos of child pornography. Some of the images and videos depicted prepubescent minors and included violence or the sexual abuse of an infant or toddler. Trivitt also admits that he engaged in a pattern of activity involving the sexual abuse of a minor for approximately seven years.
The plea is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Scarpino and the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Brian Ratajczak. Additional assistance was provided by the Wayne County District Attorney’s Office.
Sentencing is scheduled for February 1, 2024, at 9:30 a.m. before Judge Siragusa.
# # # #
Waterbury Gang Member Sentenced to More Than 5 Years in Federal Prison for Drug and Gun OffensesRead the Press Release
TAVAUGHN WRIGHT, also known as “Teddy,” 29, of Waterbury, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to 63 months of imprisonment, followed by four years of supervised release, for narcotics and firearm offenses related to his role in a violent Waterbury street gang.
Today’s announcement was made by Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut; Maureen T. Platt, State’s Attorney for the Waterbury Judicial District; Waterbury Police Chief Fernando C. Spagnolo; Robert Fuller, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in an effort to address escalating violence in Waterbury, the FBI, ATF, and Waterbury Police have been investigating multiple Waterbury-based groups whose members are involved in narcotics trafficking, murder and other acts of violence. The investigation revealed that Wright, a member of the 960 gang, was distributing narcotics and using a location on Buckingham Street to store and process narcotics.
On February 13, 2020, investigators executed search warrants at Wright’s residence on Bucks Hill Road and the Buckingham Street location. The search of Wright’s residence revealed nearly 500 dose bags of heroin/fentanyl and other items, and the search of the Buckingham Street location revealed approximately 60 dose bags of heroin/fentanyl, a loaded 9mm handgun, and other items. Analysis of the firearm revealed that it was stolen in Maine in 2016.
Wright’s criminal history includes felony convictions, and it is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.
Wright has been detained since February 13, 2020. On June 13, 2023, he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.
This investigation is being conducted by the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force, ATF and Waterbury Police Department, with the assistance of the Watertown Police Department, New Milford Police Department and Connecticut Department of Correction. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Geoffrey M. Stone, John T. Pierpont, Jr. and Natasha M. Freismuth, and Supervisory Assistant State’s Attorney Don E. Therkildesen, Jr. and Assistant State’s Attorney Alexandra Arroyo of the Waterbury State’s Attorney’s Office, who have been cross-designated as Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys in this matter.
This prosecution is a part of the Justice’s Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) and Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) programs.
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.
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.
Washington Woman Pleads Guilty to Embezzling from Sutter County BusinessRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Tamara Mannisto, 58, of Ocean Park, Washington, pleaded guilty today to one count of bank fraud, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, from February 2007 through November 2016, Mannisto worked for a company located in Rio Oso that was in the business of mechanical food processing and farming. In her role at the company, Mannisto’s duties included preparing checks for the owners to sign. Beginning in at least January 2012, and continuing through October 2016, Mannisto carried out a fraudulent scheme to steal over $900,000 from her employer. As part of the scheme, Mannisto created company checks and made them payable to herself, without authorization and for amounts not due her. To make the checks appear legitimate, Mannisto forged the owners’ signatures on the checks or stamped them with one of the owners’ signatures. Falsely posing as the checks’ lawful payee, Mannisto deposited the checks in bank accounts she controlled.
This case is a product of an investigation by the IRS-Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Thuesen is prosecuting the case.
U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley is scheduled to sentence Mannisto on March 28, 2024. She faces a sentence of up to 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the court’s discretion after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
Utica Man Pleads Guilty to Armed Robbery of RestaurantRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Nay Thar, age 25, of Utica, New York, pled guilty today to committing the armed robbery of a restaurant in Utica, and use of an unregistered sawed-off shotgun to commit the robbery, announced United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman, John B. DeVito, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and Chief Mark Williams, City of Utica Police Department.
As part of his guilty plea, Thar admitted that on August 5, 2022, he used an unregistered short-barreled shotgun to rob the Zam Zam Restaurant in Utica. Upon entering the restaurant wearing a ski-mask, Thar pointed the shotgun at an employee and demanded she open the cash register. After she fled to the rear of the restaurant, Thar stole a donation box from a charity on the counter, exited the building, and fled in a car. New York State Parole officers who happened to be in the area responded with Utica Police. After a short vehicle pursuit, Thar was taken into custody by Utica police. The ski-mask, unregistered shotgun, and stolen money were recovered from the car Thar was driving.
Sentencing is scheduled for February 7, 2024, in Syracuse, New York, at which time Nay Thar faces a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, and a fine of up to $250,000.00 for his conviction for Interference with Commerce through Robbery (Hobbs Act Robbery). He faces a mandatory consecutive sentence of ten-years imprisonment, and a fine of up to $250,000.00 for his conviction for using an unregistered sawed-off shotgun to commit a federal crime of violence. Thar also faces a term of post-incarceration supervised release of up to 5 years following any term of imprisonment. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.
The United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the Utica Police Department (UPD), and the New York State Police (NYSP) are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Southwick is prosecuting (with assistance from the Oneida County District Attorney’s Office) the case as 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.
United States Files Civil Complaint Against Local School and Owner Alleging VA Education Assistance Benefits FraudRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. - Todd W. Gee, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Mississippi, announced today that the United States filed a civil complaint against April Tucker Beard and her barber school, April’s Mane Attraction, Inc., Academy, seeking treble damages and penalties for defrauding the United States Department of Veterans Affairs’ Post-9/11 GI Bill education assistance program. The United States alleges that Beard and her school unlawfully received VA education assistance funds in the amount of $235,734 to which she was not entitled.
As part of the Post-9/11 GI Bill program, the VA provides tuition and fee payments directly to qualifying schools, including non-degree schools such as AMA/Academy, on behalf of eligible veterans. These benefits are part of the United States’ promise to support veterans after honorably serving our country.
To qualify as an institution eligible to receive VA education assistance funds, the school must submit a written application with supporting documents to the State’s Approving Agency. Beard and AMA/Academy received such approval in May 2017. Thereafter, the school’s certifying official must submit separate enrollment certifications for each enrolled veteran certifying the course in which the veteran is being enrolled, the start and end dates of the enrollment period, the number of hours per week the veteran will attend class, and the cost of tuition and fees for the course. In addition, the school certifies that it will comply with all program requirements under Title 38, which includes charging comparable tuition for VA and non-VA students. Requiring consistent and comparable tuition ensures that the VA is paying fair market value tuition rates and also provides protection for the government so that it is not funding education for non-VA students.
The United States alleges in its complaint that from July 2017 to November 2019, Beard and AMA/Academy made or caused to be made false statements to the VA regarding veteran students’ enrollment in her barber training program to obtain VA funding. The United States alleges that Beard and her school charged inflated tuition and fees for VA students in the amount of $22,400 as compared to $50/week or $2,400 for non-VA students. According to the United States, Beard did not maintain accurate attendance records, did not maintain complete and accurate payment ledgers, and did not provide course instruction and certificates of completion to VA students in accordance with program rules and as she certified in application and enrollment documents submitted to the VA.
“The Post-9/11 GI Bill provides important educational and training opportunities to our nation’s veterans, which we must protect from fraud, waste, and abuse,” said United States Attorney Gee. “This office will continue to help safeguard the integrity of VA programs intended to benefit those who serve our nation.”
“Safeguarding Post-9/11 GI Bill education benefit funds is a top priority for our agency,” said Special Agent in Charge Kris Raper with the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General’s South Central Field Office. “The VA OIG thanks the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their efforts in this case.”
This investigation was the result of a dedicated and coordinated effort from the VA OIG, the Veterans Benefits Administration, Education Service, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, SDMS.
U.S. Attorney’s Offices in Rhode Island and Southern District of Texas Resolve Violation of False Claims Act Recovering More Than $465,000Read the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – The United States Attorney’s Offices for the District of Rhode Island and the Southern District of Texas have resolved a civil investigation into RPS Group, Inc, a global professional services firm, that will result in a recovery of over $465,000, announced United States Attorneys Zachary A. Cunha and Alamdar S. Hamdani.
The investigation focused on allegations that between June 2011 and July 2020, in order to maximize revenue and avoid hitting budgetary ceilings, RPS Group, Inc., which held several contracts with the federal government, unlawfully engaged in a practice of moving recorded labor hours between government projects with different funding sources; that RPS submitted invoices for work that was not performed on government contracts; and that RPS falsely inflated employee billing rates. The government alleges that these practices occurred across numerous government contracts and resulted in the submission of false invoices to multiple government agencies.
The government alleges that this conduct, brought to the government’s attention both through a corporate disclosure by RPS and through complaints raised by four former employees, violated the False Claims Act. As part of a civil settlement, RPS Group, Inc., will pay the U.S. Government $465,293.
At the time of the conduct alleged in this matter, RPS Group’s headquarters in the United States were located in Houston, Texas, with a subsidiary in North Kingstown, Rhode Island. The company has since been acquired by another firm.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bethany Wong of the District of Rhode Island and Jill Venezia of the Southern District of Texas litigated this matter.
The case was investigated by the Department of Commerce, Office of Inspector General; Army Criminal Investigation Division; Coast Guard Investigative Service; General Services Administration Office of Inspector General; National Aeronautics and Space Administration Office of Inspector General; Department of Defense Criminal Investigative Service; Environmental Protection Agency Office of Inspector General; Department of Interior Office of Inspector General; and Naval Criminal Investigative Service.
###
U.S. Attorney's Office Observes Domestic Violence Awareness MonthRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – October marks the observance of Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM). U.S. Attorney Dena J. King joins the U.S. Department of Justice in commemorating DVAM, paying tribute to victims and survivors, and saluting the dedication of advocates, service providers, justice professionals, law enforcement officers, and first responders who tirelessly work in support of survivors.
“Domestic violence, dating violence, and intimate partner violence is a recurring pattern of abuse in relationships, that can have a long-lasting impact on victims and survivors,” said U.S. Attorney King. “We want our community to know that we are here to support victims and survivors not just in October, but every month. My Office will continue to be actively engaged with the community we serve to address, respond to, and prevent future domestic violence and bring offenders to justice.”
Today, U.S. Attorney King attended Safe Alliance’s “Breakfast of Hope,” an event held annually to raise awareness about domestic violence and sexual assault. Safe Alliance is an organization that provides support to domestic violence and sexual assault victims in the greater Charlotte area, and client-focused services on housing, court assistance, sexual trauma resources, counseling for individuals, couples, and families, and support groups for adult and teen survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault.
Safe Alliance President and CEO, Laura Lawrence, noted, “The epidemic of domestic violence impacts Charlotte-Mecklenburg in countless ways each day but, by partnering during DVAM and all year long, we can make a difference. Safe Alliance is honored to work alongside U.S. Attorney King’s office supporting survivors and holding offenders accountable in order to build a safer community.”
DVAM provides an opportunity to spread awareness about domestic violence and encourage everyone to play a role in ending gender-based violence. According to the National Domestic Violence Hotline, approximately one in four women and one in seven men will experience severe domestic violence in their lifetimes; however, rates are disproportionately higher for American Indian and Alaska Native populations, women of Color, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and two-spirit people, and people with disabilities.
To understand more about domestic violence, visit: https://www.justice.gov/ovw/domestic-violence#dv.
If you require immediate help, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or Strong Hearts Native Helpline at 1-844-762-8483.
Two Georgia men sentenced for trafficking fentanylRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: Two Georgia men, including one from Bryan County, have been sentenced to federal prison for trafficking the deadly synthetic opioid fentanyl.
Darien Cothern, 34, of Marietta, Ga., was sentenced to 42 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release, and Javarus McKinney, a/k/a “Jody,” 34, of Richmond Hill, Ga., was sentenced to 130 months in prison followed by six years of supervised release, said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia.
McKinney was convicted after a four-day trial in March on charges of Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute, and to Distribute, Fentanyl; Possession with Intent to Distribute and Distribution of Fentanyl; and Possession with Intent to Distribute and Distribution of Fentanyl in or Near Schools, but acquitted on enhanced charges related to the death of an overdose victim. Cothern pled guilty to Distribution of Fentanyl, and his plea acknowledged that the death resulted from the fentanyl the victim purchased from Cothern.
“Fentanyl is an addictive synthetic opioid that has flooded this country, and nearly 300 people in the United States die each day from drug overdoses including those from fentanyl,” said U.S. Attorney Steinberg. “Along with our law enforcement partners, we will continue to hold accountable those who deal in deadly illegal drugs.”
Richmond Hill Police officers initiated an investigation Aug. 12, 2020, after a 25-year-old male victim was found dead in a residential pool. An autopsy determined the man had a fatal dose of fentanyl in his system at the time of his death. Working with agents from the Savannah Office of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, investigators identified McKinney as a Richmond Hill-area distributor of counterfeit Oxycodone pills containing fentanyl, and determined Cothern obtained the pills from McKinney and sold them to the victim.
“The Chatham-Savannah Counter Narcotics Team (CNT) is committed to collaborating with and assisting our fellow law enforcement agencies,” said CNT Director Michael G. Sarhatt. “This year alone, Chatham County has encountered over 65 overdose deaths, exceeding numbers from 2022. This abundant influx of fentanyl creates a significant threat to not only our community but to surrounding counties as well. CNT considers this a significant concern and is utilizing every asset to rid this hideous poison from our community. The sentences given to these defendants send a clear message to those distributing fentanyl on our streets: they will be caught and serve a lengthy prison term.”
“Fentanyl is extremely dangerous to the consumer and leaves behind a trail of devastation and destruction,” said Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration. “The defendants in this case had total disregard for the safety of others.”
The case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the Chatham-Savannah Counter Narcotics Team, and the Richmond Hill Police Department, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Darron J. Hubbard and Frank M. Pennington II.