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Tuesday 22 August 2023
Historical Items Belonging to Alan Turing Returned to EnglandRead the Press Release
DENVER – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces the return of historical items belonging to Alan Turing to the Sherborne School in Dorset, England.
As part of a ceremony this week, several items belonging to Alan Turing were returned to his boyhood school, including the following items: Alan Turing’s PhD diploma from Princeton University, the Order of the British Empire Medal, a personal note from the King George VI of England, a number of school reports, and various photos. These items were removed from the school archives nearly 40 years ago. They were recovered in Colorado, and subject to a forfeiture action filed in U.S. District Court in the District of Colorado.
According to the Second Amended Complaint, the United States learned that certain items originally belonging to Alan Turing were located in Colorado, when they were offered to be displayed at the University of Colorado in Boulder in 2018. An investigation by Homeland Security Investigations revealed that the items had been removed from the Sherborne School located in Dorset, England. Alan Turing attended the school from approximately 1926 to 1931, and the items were originally placed there by his family. In 1984, a person named Julia Schinghomes arrived at the school and took the items into her possession. She later changed her name to Julia Turing. After the United States filed the action in this case, the matter was resolved in a settlement. Pursuant to that settlement, the United States District Court for the District of Colorado entered a Final Order of Forfeiture over the items in this case in May 2021.
“Together with Homeland Security Investigations, our office ensured that historical artifacts belonging to Alan Turing are now back in the place where they belong,” said U.S. Attorney Cole Finegan. “We celebrate the accomplishments of Alan Turing and are thrilled that the historical significance of these artifacts will continue to be appreciated by scholars and generations to come.”
“Sir Alan Turing was named a national hero for the crucial role he played in cracking coded messages during World War II, enabling the Allies to defeat the Axis Powers,” said HSI Special Agent in Charge, Ryan L. Spradlin. “I’m very proud that HSI Denver investigators and our partners at the U.S. Attorney’s office were able to recover his effects after being missing for nearly 40 years.”
Alan Turing was an English mathematician and computer scientist instrumental in codebreaking during the Second World War.
The Sherborne School invited HSI Special Agent Greg Wertsch and Assistant United States Attorney Laura Hurd to attend the repatriation ceremony this week. The repatriation represents years of hard work and the dedication of HSI Agents, the Department of Justice, and local law enforcement. The event further signifies the importance of the Department of Justice’s work to return cultural property worldwide.
Case Number 20-cv-00152-STV
Hartford Fentanyl Distributor Sentenced to 67 Months in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that TROY COLEMAN, also known as “Hoy” and “TJ,” 37, formerly of Hartford and Waterbury, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Janet Bond Arterton in New Haven to 67 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for distributing fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, an investigation by the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force revealed that Troy Coleman and his brother, Tyshawn Coleman, were selling fentanyl and crack cocaine in Hartford. In November and December 2020, investigators made five controlled purchases of fentanyl, totaling 900 dose bags of the drug, from Troy Coleman. As the investigation continued, on April 13, 2021, Troy Coleman was shot multiple times outside of a restaurant located at 2393 Main Street in Hartford. Coleman, who possessed fentanyl and crack cocaine at the time of the shooting, was released from the hospital approximately one week later.
It is alleged that an undercover law enforcement officer purchased fentanyl from Tyshawn Colman in late April and early May 2021. On May 5, 2021, investigators conducted a court authorized search of Tyshawn Coleman’s apartment on Sisson Avenue in Hartford, where Troy Coleman also resided. The search revealed distribution quantities of fentanyl and crack cocaine, items used to process and package narcotics for street sale, a .40 caliber “ghost gun” with a loaded high-capacity magazine, a loaded 9mm pistol with an obliterated serial number, and additional loaded gun magazine, ammunition, and $4860 in cash. Troy Coleman was located and arrested on unrelated later that day.
Troy Coleman has been detained since his federal arrest on October 4, 2021. On August 23, 2022, he pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of, fentanyl.
Tyshawn Coleman, also known as “Ty” and “Mazi” has been charged by indictment for conduct stemming from this investigation, and is currently being sought by law enforcement. Individuals with knowledge of his whereabouts are encouraged to call the FBI at 203-777-6311.
As to Tyshawn Coleman, U.S. Attorney Avery stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force and the Hartford Police Department. The Task Force includes members of the FBI, Hartford Police Department, East Hartford Police Department, New Britain Police Department, West Hartford Police Department, Connecticut State Police and Connecticut Department of Correction.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian P. Leaming and Brendan J. Keefe through Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Hammond Man Sentenced to 60 Months Incarceration for Committing Interstate Domestic ViolenceRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – VINCENT TURNER, age 39, a resident of Hammond, Louisiana, was sentenced by United States District Judge Susie Morgan to 60 months in federal prison for violating 18 U.S.C. 2261(b)(5), Interstate Domestic Violence, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. The sentence imposed will run concurrent with a sentence to be imposed in a Plaquemines Parish revocation proceeding.
On May 2, 2023, TURNER pled guilty to a three-count indictment charging him with violations of Assault and Interstate Domestic Violence. The remaining counts of the indictment were dismissed pursuant to a plea agreement between the government and TURNER. Following his incarceration, TURNER will be placed on supervised release for 36 months. The Court also imposed a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00.
According to court records, TURNER physically assaulted his dating partner while aboard the Carnival cruise ship Valor, an American vessel. The ship left from the Port of Orleans and traveled to Costa Maya, Mexico. While aboard the cruise ship, TURNER and his dating partner engaged in a verbal altercation that turned physical when TURNER pushed his dating partner, causing her to fall to the floor. TURNER continued to strike the victim with his hand and kick her with his foot, resulting in physical injuries to her.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brittany Reed of the Public Integrity Unit.
Fugitive and Alleged Drug Dealer Behind Bars After Three Years in HidingRead the Press Release
Salt Lake City, Utah – A Utah fugitive was arrested in Salt Lake County after fleeing from federal law enforcement in 2020 on federal charges related to the distribution of a narcotic in the District of Utah.
According to court documents, Llobani Fredrigco Figueroa, 32, of Magna, Utah, was located and taken into custody by federal agents in early August 2023. In 2020, a federal grand jury charged Figueroa by indictment for distribution of methamphetamine. Court documents allege that in February 2020, Figueroa distributed 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
Figueroa had his initial appearance on the indictment August 8, 2023. He had a detention hearing on August 21, 2023, at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.
U.S. Attorney Trina A. Higgins of the District of Utah made the announcement.
The case is being investigated jointly by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Safe Streets Task Force, West Valley City Police Department, Unified Police Department Salt Lake Area Metro Gang Unit (MGU), and the Department of Public Safety State Bureau of Investigation (DPS-SBI).
Assistant United States Attorney Stephen Nelson of the District of Utah 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.
Fourth and final meth trafficker ordered to federal prisonRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A 35-year-old Edinburg man has been sentenced for his role in transporting meth in multiple tractor trailer loads, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Roel Longoria pleaded guilty June 23, 2022.
U.S. District Judge Micaela Alvarez has now ordered Longoria to serve 262 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard of Longoria’s extensive criminal history including three prior felony convictions. In delivering the sentence, Judge Alvarez noted Longoria’s serious pattern of criminal behavior and disregard for the law.
Judge Alvarez previously sentenced Dorian Hazel Ruiz-Chavez, 36, a citizen of Mexico unlawfully in the United States, Mario Alberto Ortiz, 43, Edinburg, and Luis Ramos, 35, Donna, to 190, 168 and 70 months, respectively.
In September 2020, law enforcement initiated an investigation into a drug trafficking organization in the Rio Grande Valley. They were believed to be involved with the importation of narcotics from Mexico utilizing commercial tractor trailers with hidden compartments.
Ruiz-Chavez coordinated with a Mexican narcotics supplier who would send the tractor trailers into the United States. Once there, Ruiz-Chavez worked with additional individuals to store and transport the trailers further north. Longoria and Ortiz were tasked to find willing drivers to transport the narcotics north after they entered the United States.
On Nov. 12 2020, authorities seized a tractor trailer after it entered the United States through the Laredo Port of Entry. The trailer contained 147 kilograms of meth within a hidden compartment. On April 26, 2021, authorities seized a tractor trailer after it entered through the Pharr Port of Entry. The trailer contained 90 kilograms of meth within a hidden compartment. Both trailers were allegedly transported at the direction of Ruiz-Chavez.
Following the trailer seizures, the organization changed tactics and began to transport narcotics in smaller loads within passenger vehicles.
On May 13, 2021, authorities apprehended Ramos as he transported 45 kilograms of meth in his personal vehicle.
Longoria has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura Garcia prosecuted the case.
Former attorney, convicted of defrauding clients, now charged with defrauding taxpayers by falsely claiming COVID program benefitsRead the Press Release
Tacoma – A disbarred attorney, sentenced last year to 18 months in prison for stealing money from a deceased client’s estate and defrauding a friend, is now charged by information with wire fraud and making false statements in connection with a scheme to illegally claim COVID pandemic benefits, and with lying to the government about her income, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Darlene Baker, aka Darlene Piper, 58 of Port Orchard, Washington, was sentenced in March 2022 to 18 months in prison for her scheme to steal a $500,000 bequest to a children’s hospital, and then defrauding a friend out of $500,000 to repay the estate. Piper has officially changed her name to Baker. She is scheduled for a plea hearing on the information on Friday August 25, 2023.
Following the sentencing hearing for the original wire fraud case, prosecutors were alerted that Baker had lied to the government about her income and work status. The investigation revealed that she had also lied to government agencies to obtain pandemic relief loans to which she was not entitled. The charging information alleges that between March of 2020 and August of 2021, Baker sought to obtain $265,000 in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Funds and Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL), and successfully obtained over $80,000. In connection with the applications for the programs, Baker allegedly falsely claimed that she had lost all income due to the pandemic and stated that she would use the aid to meet payroll expenses for her business. In fact, throughout that period, Baker worked providing accounting and related services for a Gig Harbor, Washington, investment firm earning as much as $145,000. Baker also had no employees and no payroll obligations.
The False Statement charge alleges that Baker lied on financial disclosure statements required by the court in her earlier criminal case. In those statements, Baker claimed to be out of work, when in fact she had substantial income working for the investment firm. Despite that income, Baker failed to repay the victim in the wire fraud case and claimed to have virtually no resources to pay restitution.
Darlene Piper was released from federal custody on March 16, 2023, but remains on supervised release.
Wire fraud in connection with a presidentially declared major disaster or emergency is punishable by up to 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine. Making a false statement is punishable by up to five years in prison.
The charges contained in the information are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The case is being investigated by the FBI.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mike Dion.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
baker_information.pdfFormer Taylor Mayor pleads guilty to Bribery Conspiracy and Wire FraudRead the Press Release
DETROIT – Richard Sollars, 49, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to commit bribery and wire fraud, announced United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison. The charges were in connection with the City of Taylor’s Right of First Refusal (“ROFR”) Program and also involved a scheme to defraud donors to Sollars’ election campaign account by fraudulently using donated funds for his personal benefit.
U.S. Attorney Ison was joined in the announcement by Devin J. Kowalski, Acting Special Agent-in- Charge of the Detroit Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
According to court records, between 2016 and 2018, Sollars exercised his authority and influence as Mayor and recommended to the Taylor City Council that Awad’s company, Realty Transition, be awarded the majority of the tax-foreclosed properties that the City had or would acquire under its ROFR program. This was a program designed to allow Taylor to acquire tax-foreclosed properties from Wayne County for redevelopment. Sollars recommended Realty Transition for the ROFR program, intending to be influenced and rewarded by the free home renovations and other items of value that Awad provided to Sollars for his personal residence, office, and lake house.
As part of his election efforts, Sollars established a campaign account entitled, “Committee to Elect Richard Sollars, Jr.” Sollars engaged in a scheme to defraud his donors by fraudulently using funds that were donated for his personal benefit rather than for his political campaign. In furtherance of the fraudulent scheme, Sollars directed his campaign treasurer to provide him with a signed blank check from his campaign account. Sollars then made that check payable to Dominick’s Market in the amount of $5,600, purporting to represent payment for catering services provided to the campaign. The owner of Dominick’s Market, Hadir Altoon, prepared a false invoice purporting to reflect a bill for $5,600 in catering services for a 2018 Superbowl party at City Hall. As known to Sollars, Dominick’s Market did not provide catering services worth
$5,600 and instead cashed the campaign check and gave some of the money to Sollars for Sollars’s personal use.
The bribery conspiracy count to which Sollars pleaded guilty carries a maximum sentence of 5 years’ imprisonment and a fine of up to $250,000. The wire fraud count carries a maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment and a fine of up to $250,000.
“Sollars, as the Mayor of the City of Taylor, betrayed the trust of the citizens and the voters who supported him by awarding city contracts and spending campaign funds for his personal gain.
Today’s plea represents my office’s commitment to hold accountable those elected officials who place their own greed above of their duties to the citizens in the community,” U.S. Attorney Ison said.
“The former Mayor effectively eroded the faith of those who entrusted him with his office,” said Devin J. Kowalski, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Detroit Field Office. “No one is above the law and the FBI remains committed to combatting public corruption and following the facts wherever they may lead.”
The investigation of this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Frances Carlson and Robert Moran.
Former Puerto Rico Mayor Sentenced for Accepting BribesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – The former mayor of the municipality of Humacao, Puerto Rico, was sentenced today to three years and one month in prison for his involvement in a bribery scheme in which he received cash payments for awarding municipal contracts to two companies.
According to court documents, from 2021 until 2022, Reinaldo Vargas-Rodríguez, 49, was the mayor and highest-ranking government official in the municipality of Humacao. Starting in 2021, Vargas-Rodríguez was involved in a bribery conspiracy in which he received and accepted cash payments from two businessmen in exchange for awarding municipal contracts for waste disposal services, asphalt and paving services, and debris removal, and paying outstanding invoices on the contracts. Vargas-Rodríguez received at least $27,000 in cash bribes from January 2021 through July 2021 from the two businessmen.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow for the District of Puerto Rico, Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division, and Special Agent in Charge Joseph González of the FBI San Juan Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI San Juan Field Office investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Nicholas W. Cannon of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Erbe for the District of Puerto Rico prosecuted the case. Trial Attorney Ryan R. Crosswell of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott H. Anderson for the District of Puerto Rico assisted in the investigation.
This case is part of the Justice Department’s ongoing efforts to combat public corruption by municipal officials in Puerto Rico. In addition to the above matters, the Public Integrity Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico have recently obtained convictions against other former public officials and contractors in the District of Puerto Rico for soliciting and accepting bribes related to municipal contracts.
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Former Puerto Rico Mayor Sentenced for Accepting BribesRead the Press Release
The former mayor of the municipality of Humacao, Puerto Rico, was sentenced today to three years and one month in prison for his involvement in a bribery scheme in which he received cash payments for awarding municipal contracts to two companies.
According to court documents, from 2021 until 2022, Reinaldo Vargas-Rodriguez, 49, was the mayor and highest-ranking government official in the municipality of Humacao. Starting in 2021, Vargas-Rodriguez was involved in a bribery conspiracy in which he received and accepted cash payments from two businessmen in exchange for awarding municipal contracts for waste disposal services, asphalt and paving services, and debris removal, and paying outstanding invoices on the contracts. Vargas-Rodriguez received at least $27,000 in cash bribes from January 2021 through July 2021 from the two businessmen.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow for the District of Puerto Rico, Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division, and Special Agent in Charge Joseph Gonzalez of the FBI San Juan Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI San Juan Field Office investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Nicholas W. Cannon of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Erbefor the District of Puerto Rico prosecuted the case. Trial Attorney Ryan R. Crosswell of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott H. Anderson for the District of Puerto Rico assisted in the investigation.
This case is part of the Justice Department’s ongoing efforts to combat public corruption by municipal officials in Puerto Rico. In addition to the above matters, the Public Integrity Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico have recently obtained convictions against other former public officials and contractors in the District of Puerto Rico for soliciting and accepting bribes related to municipal contracts.
Former Louisiana Resident Charged with Federal Cares Act FraudRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – BRIA PETERS, age 38, formerly of New Orleans, LA and now residing in Houston, Texas, was charged on August 18, 2023 in a one-count bill of information with making false statements related to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.
On March 27, 2020, The CARES Act established several new temporary programs and provided for the expansion of others to address the COVID-19 pandemic. Among these programs, the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) authorized forgivable loans backed by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) to small businesses to retain workers and maintain payroll, make mortgage interest payments, lease payments, and utility payments. The PPP allows the interest and principal on the PPP loan to be forgiven if the business spends the loan proceeds on these expense items within a designated period of time after receiving the proceeds and uses at least a certain percentage of the PPP loan proceeds on payroll expenses.
According to the charging documents, PETERS made false statements to an approved lender on or about May 27, 2021, for the purpose of fraudulently obtaining a PPP loan, which she later received in the amount of approximately $29,166.00. PETERS stated in her PPP application that she owned a clothing business impacted by the pandemic when,in truth, she had no such business in 2020.
PETERS faces a sentence of up to five years in prison, up to $250,000 in fines, and up to three years of supervised release for the false statements count. There is also a $100 mandatory special assessment fee due after conviction.
U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that a bill of information is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
For more information on the Department of Justice’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Amtrak Office of Inspector General – Criminal Investigations in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward J. Rivera of the Financial Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
Former J.P. Morgan Precious Metals Traders Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
Two former precious metals traders at JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPMorgan) were sentenced today for engaging in fraud, attempted price manipulation, and spoofing as part of a market manipulation scheme that spanned over eight years, involved tens of thousands of unlawful trading sequences, and resulted in over $10 million in losses to market participants.
Gregg Smith, 59, of Scarsdale, New York, was sentenced to two years in prison and a $50,000 fine. Michael Nowak, 49, of Montclair, New Jersey, was sentenced to one year and one day in prison and a $35,000 fine.
“The defendants used their positions as some of the most powerful traders in the worldwide precious metals markets to engage in an egregious effort to manipulate prices for their benefit,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “This case reaffirms the Department’s steadfast commitment to hold accountable those who engage in fraud and manipulation that undermines the investing public’s trust in the integrity of our commodities markets.”
According to court documents, between approximately May 2008 and August 2016, Smith and Nowak, along with other traders on the JPMorgan precious metals desk, engaged in a widespread spoofing, market manipulation, and fraud scheme. Smith was an executive director and trader on JPMorgan’s precious metals desk in New York, and Nowak was a managing director and ran JPMorgan’s global precious metals desk. As part of their market manipulation scheme, Smith and Nowak placed orders for precious metals futures contracts that they intended to cancel before execution to drive prices on orders they intended to execute on the opposite side of the market. Smith and Nowak engaged in tens of thousands of deceptive trading sequences for gold, silver, platinum, and palladium futures contracts traded through the New York Mercantile Exchange Inc. (NYMEX) and Commodity Exchange Inc. (COMEX), which are commodities exchanges operated by CME Group Inc. These deceptive orders were intended to inject false and misleading information about the genuine supply and demand for precious metals futures contracts into the markets.
“As today’s sentencing demonstrates, the FBI and its partners remain committed to investigating and bringing to justice anyone who attempts to manipulate our financial markets for their own selfish gain,” said Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “In order to maintain economic security, investors in equity and commodities markets must have confidence that exchanges are operated in a transparent and equitable manner, and that investments are free from manipulation and fraud. Today’s outcome should serve as a reminder that the FBI remains highly focused on combatting bad actors conducting sophisticated fraud schemes targeting the securities and commodities markets.”
In September 2020, JPMorgan admitted to committing wire fraud in connection with: (1) unlawful trading in the markets for precious metals futures contracts; and (2) unlawful trading in the markets for U.S. Treasury futures contracts and in the secondary (cash) market for U.S. Treasury notes and bonds. JPMorgan entered into a three-year deferred prosecution agreement through which it paid more than $920 million in a criminal monetary penalty, criminal disgorgement, and victim compensation, with parallel resolutions by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and the Securities Exchange Commission announced on the same day.
The FBI New York Field Office investigated the case. The CFTC’s Division of Enforcement provided valuable assistance.
Market Integrity & Major Frauds Unit Chief Avi Perry and Trial Attorneys Matthew F. Sullivan, Lucy B. Jennings, and Christopher Fenton of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section prosecuted the case.
Former Employee of NFT Marketplace Sentenced to Prison in First-Ever Digital Asset Insider Trading SchemeRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that NATHANIAL CHASTAIN, a former product manager at Ozone Networks, Inc. d/b/a OpenSea (“OpenSea”), was sentenced today to three months in prison in connection with a scheme to commit insider trading in Non-Fungible Tokens, or “NFTs,” by using confidential information about which NFTs were going to be featured on OpenSea’s homepage for his personal financial gain. CHASTAIN was previously convicted at trial of wire fraud and money laundering.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Nathanial Chastain faced justice today for violating the trust that his employer placed in him by using OpenSea’s confidential information for his own profit. Today’s sentence should serve as a warning to other corporate insiders that insider trading – in any marketplace – will not be tolerated.”
According to court filings and statements made in court:
As part of his employment, CHASTAIN was responsible for selecting NFTs to be featured on OpenSea’s homepage. OpenSea kept confidential the identity of featured NFTs until they appeared on its homepage. After an NFT was featured on OpenSea’s homepage, the price buyers were willing to pay for that NFT, and for other NFTs made by the same NFT creator, typically increased substantially. In violation of the duties of trust and confidence he owed to his employer, OpenSea, CHASTAIN exploited his advanced knowledge of what NFTs would be featured on OpenSea’s homepage for his personal financial gain.
From approximately June to September 2021, CHASTAIN used OpenSea’s confidential business information about what NFTs were going to be featured on its homepage to secretly purchase dozens of NFTs shortly before they were featured. After those NFTs were featured on OpenSea, CHASTAIN sold them at profits of two- to five-times his initial purchase price. To conceal the fraud, CHASTAIN conducted these purchases and sales using anonymous digital currency wallets and anonymous accounts on OpenSea.
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In addition to the prison term, CHASTAIN, 31, of New York, New York, was sentenced to three months of home confinement, three years of supervised release, a $50,000 fine, and ordered to forfeiture the Ethereum he made trading the featured NFTs.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas S. Burnett, Allison Nichols, and Nicolas Roos are in charge of the prosecution.
Florida Man Admits $3.6 Million Health Care Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – A Florida man today admitted his role in a durable medical equipment kickback scheme, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Patrick Fitchner, 51, of Orlando, Florida, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Michael A. Shipp in Trenton federal court to an information charging him with one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud.
“The defendant admitted that he and his conspirators submitted millions of dollars’ worth of claims to Medicare and other health benefits programs that they knew were procured through the payment of kickbacks and bribes. Their scheme caused Medicare to pay out $3.6 million in fraudulently obtained reimbursements. Protecting our healthcare system from schemers like this is a full-time job, and we will use all the tools at our disposal to do so.”
U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger
“The defendant admitted that he and his conspirators submitted millions of dollars’ worth of claims to Medicare and other health benefits programs that they knew were procured through the payment of kickbacks and bribes,” U.S. Attorney Sellinger said. “Their scheme caused Medicare to pay out $3.6 million in fraudulently obtained reimbursements. Protecting our healthcare system from schemers like this is a full-time job, and we will use all the tools at our disposal to do so.”
“Many scammers who commit healthcare fraud may believe the system is so complex that no one will miss a few thousand dollars here or a few million dollars there,” FBI – Newark Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy said. “The problem with that premise is we are paying attention, and our job as the FBI is to protect the general public from criminals who think they can game the system. Fitchner and his conspirators are now paying for their crimes, and others looking to follow suit should take note.”
“Violations of the Anti-Kickback Statute that involve durable medical equipment can jeopardize the supply of equipment and federal health care benefits for others,” Special Agent in Charge Naomi Gruchacz with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General said. “Individuals who participate in the federal health care system are required to obey the laws meant to preserve the integrity of program funds and the provision of appropriate, quality services to patients.”
According to documents filed in the case and statements made in court:
Fitchner and his conspirators solicited and received kickbacks and bribes in exchange for providing durable medical equipment (DME) companies with completed doctors’ orders for medically unnecessary DME, such as orthotic braces. Fitchner and his conspirators utilized the service of telemedicine companies to obtain these prescriptions for DME, and the DME orders were subsequently fraudulently billed to Medicare and other health care benefit programs.
Fitchner and his conspirators were paid approximately $2.1 million in kickbacks for these DME orders and caused losses to Medicare and other health care benefit programs of at least $3.6 million.
The charge of conspiracy to commit health care fraud is punishable by a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of $250,000, or twice the gross profit or loss caused by the offense, whichever is greatest. Sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 9, 2024.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark; the Department of Health and Human Services-Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Naomi Gruchacz; and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Christopher F. Algieri, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys DeNae M. Thomas of the Health Care Fraud Unit in Newark and Sean M. Sherman of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of New York.
fitchner.information.pdfFinal Gang Member Sentenced in Large Scale Racketeering CaseRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. - The final defendant prosecuted as part of the Northern District of Oklahoma’s case against the United Aryan Brotherhood (UAB) – a violent white supremacist gang – for racketeering and drug trafficking charges, was sentenced today.
Johnny R. Jameson, 41, of Oklahoma City, was sentenced to three years and two months in prison. He is currently serving life without parole for a state conviction.
According to court documents, the UAB operates both inside prisons and outside prison walls and funds itself through drug trafficking to promote white supremacist hatred. The Northern District of Oklahoma targeted the gang’s violent and drug trafficking activities, which led to the conviction of 18 UAB members. The UAB, and Jameson, specifically, murdered a Black Oklahoma of Department of Corrections inmate. Additionally, UAB members engaged in multiple other acts of murder, drug trafficking, and money laundering both inside and outside prison facilities.
“The UAB is a violent gang in Oklahoma prisons. Their crimes bleed into communities beyond the prison walls and include 10’s of millions of dollars in drug trafficking and money laundering, 100,000’s of pounds in methamphetamine distribution, arson, kidnapping, and murder,” said U.S. Attorney Clinton Johnson. “This was an arduous lengthy investigation and I want to thank the many partner agencies that diligently worked to get convictions on all 18 defendants in this indictment.”
“The financial expertise of IRS Criminal Investigation (CI) Special Agents is critical in detecting and tracing the money laundering transactions of criminal organizations,” said Christopher J. Altemus Jr., CI Special Agent in Charge of the Dallas Field Office. “These cases are a direct result of the excellent partnership between law enforcement and the U.S. Attorney’s office in combating the UAB criminal organization. I am extremely proud of the CI special agents who used their unique financial expertise to help unravel this complex fraud and money laundering scheme involving 18 defendants prosecuted over the last five years. This joint effort demonstrates CI’s resolve to serving our communities by investigating criminal activities negatively impacting citizens of the United States.”
“The success of this joint investigation is clear proof to criminal gangs that they are not beyond the reach of the law,” said Lester R. Hayes Jr., Special Agent in Charge Homeland Security Investigations Dallas. “We will continue pursuing transnational criminal organizations, using every resource and law enforcement partnership available for the sake of justice and public safety."
In many cases, the defendants’ federal sentences will run concurrently to state terms of imprisonment yet to be fulfilled. The additional defendants in the case were sentenced to the following prison terms, or probation where noted:
- Christopher Baldwin, 22 years
- Matthew Abrego, 10 years
- Jeremy Anderson, aka JC, 22 years
- Dustin Baker, 20 years
- Michael Clinton, aka Mikey Clinton, 15 years.
- Eddie Funkhouser, over 12 years.
- Elizabeth Lewis, aka Beth Lewis, over eight years
- Charles McCully, aka Mark McCulley, aka Charles M. McCulley, 15 years
- Dillon Rose, over 17 years
- Randy Seaton, over seven years.
- Brandy M. Simmons, three years of probation.
- James Taylor, aka JT, 20 years
- Robert W. Zeidler, aka Rob Z, 22 years
- Brandon Zimmerlee, 10 years
- Lisa Lara, three years of probation.
- Sisney Large, over six years
- Richard Young, aka Richard Pearce, five years
U.S. Attorney Clinton J. Johnson for the Northern District of Oklahoma, Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Chief Jim Lee of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) made the announcement.
The IRS-CI, HSI, Oklahoma Department of Corrections, and state and local law enforcement partners investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dennis Fries and David Nasar for the Northern District of Oklahoma and Trial Attorney Ken Kaplan of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section prosecuted the case.
Final Gang Member Sentenced in Large Scale Racketeering CaseRead the Press Release
The final defendant prosecuted as part of the Northern District of Oklahoma’s case against the United Aryan Brotherhood (UAB) – a violent white supremacist gang – for racketeering and drug trafficking charges, was sentenced today.
Johnny R. Jameson, 41, of Oklahoma City, was sentenced to three years and two months in prison. He is currently serving life without parole for a state conviction.
According to court documents, the UAB operates both inside and outside prisons and funds itself through drug trafficking to promote white supremacist hatred. The Northern District of Oklahoma targeted the gang’s violent and drug trafficking activities, which led to the conviction of 18 UAB members. The UAB, and Jameson specifically, murdered a Black Oklahoma of Department of Corrections inmate. Additionally, UAB members engaged in multiple other acts of murder, drug trafficking, and money laundering both inside and outside prison facilities.
In many cases, the defendants’ federal sentences will run concurrently to state terms of imprisonment yet to be fulfilled. The additional defendants in the case were sentenced to the following terms:
- Christopher Baldwin was sentenced to 22 years in prison.
- Matthew Abrego was sentenced to 10 years in prison.
- Jeremy Anderson, aka JC, was sentenced to 22 years in prison.
- Dustin Baker was sentenced to 20 years in prison.
- Michael Clinton, aka Mikey Clinton, was sentenced to 15 years in prison.
- Eddie Funkhouser was sentenced to over 12 years in prison.
- Elizabeth Lewis, aka Beth Lewis, was sentenced to over eight years in prison.
- Charles McCully, aka Mark McCulley, aka Charles M. McCulley, was sentenced to 15 years in prison.
- Dillon Rose was sentenced to over 17 years in prison.
- Randy Seaton was sentenced to over seven years in prison.
- Brandy M. Simmons was sentenced to three years of probation.
- James Taylor, aka JT, was sentenced to 20 years in prison.
- Robert W. Zeidler, aka Rob Z, was sentenced to 22 years in prison.
- Brandon Zimmerlee was sentenced to 10 years in prison.
- Lisa Lara was sentenced to three years of probation.
- Sisney Large was sentenced to over six years in prison.
- Richard Young, aka Richard Pearce, was sentenced to five years in prison.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Clinton J. Johnson for the Northern District of Oklahoma, Chief Jim Lee of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), and Special Agent in Charge Lester R. Hayes Jr. of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Dallas made the announcement.
The IRS-CI, HSI, Oklahoma Department of Corrections, and state and local law enforcement partners investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Ken Kaplan of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dennis Fries and David Nasar for the Northern District of Oklahoma prosecuted the case.
Federal Jury Convicts Tahlequah Resident of Assault and Firearm CrimesRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that that Nick Allen Mabray, age 37, of Tahlequah, Oklahoma, was found guilty by a federal jury of all counts charged in the indictment, specifically: one count of Conspiracy to Commit Assault with a Dangerous Weapon in Indian Country, one count of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon in Indian Country, and one count of Brandishing a Firearm in Furtherance of a Crime of Violence.
The jury trial began with testimony on August 14, 2023, and concluded on August 15, 2023, with the guilty verdicts.
The guilty verdicts were the result of investigations by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Cherokee County Sherriff’s Department.
Nick Mabry, along with Gene Mabray and Odom Hoffman, was indicted by a federal grand jury in May 2022. During the trial, the United States presented evidence that on January 6, 2021, Nick Mabray had a confrontation with an agent of RCB Bank at a foreclosed property in Park Hill, Oklahoma. During the incident, Mabray drove his truck into the agent’s vehicle before beating him with a 22-250 rifle and holding the agent against his will. The government also presented evidence that during the altercation, Gene Mabray took the victim’s cell phone to prevent calls for help, and Odom Hoffman removed the rifle from the scene to conceal evidence of the crimes. These crimes occurred in Indian Country, within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation Reservation of Oklahoma, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
On January 17, 2023, Odom Hoffman, age 58, formerly of Tahlequah, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to one count of the felony offense of Misprision. At his hearing, Hoffman admitted that on January 6, 2021, he arrived to find the victim on the ground, but failed to summon help, and that he removed the rifle Nick Mabray used in the assault from the scene of the crime.
On July 5, 2023, Gene Mabray, age 67, of Cherokee County, pleaded guilty to one count of Conspiracy to Commit Assault with a Dangerous Weapon in Indian Country. At his plea hearing, Gene Mabray admitted that on January 6, 2021, he took the victim’s cell phone and firearm during the altercation.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the trial in Muskogee, Oklahoma, and ordered the completion of a presentence report. The sentencing will be scheduled following completion of the report. Nick Allen Mabray will remain in custody of the United States Marshal until sentencing. Odom Hoffman and Gene Mabray were granted conditional release from custody after entering their pleas and are awaiting sentencing.
Special Assistant United States Attorneys Robert F. Moody and Casey Richmond represented the United States.
Fayette County Man Sentenced to 18 Years in Prison for Child Exploitation CrimesRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – William Lawrence Bryant, 33, of Fayetteville, was sentenced today to 18 years in prison, to be followed by 25 years of supervised release, for sexual exploitation of a minor and distribution of child pornography. Bryant must also register as a sex offender.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 1, 2022, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Bryant’s residence and seized multiple digital media devices including computers, cell phones, and external hard drives. A forensic analysis of the seized devices revealed over 17,000 images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children, including 20 images of child pornography that Bryant produced himself.
Bryant told the officers that he downloaded and distributed child pornography on various internet platforms and websites for several years. Bryant admitted that the digital media devices were his and contained images and videos showing prepubescent minor male children subjected to sexually explicit conduct. Bryant further admitted that the child pornography he possessed included a video of a male toddler being sexually assaulted by an adult male.
A photograph on one of the seized cell phones depicts Bryant naked with a minor male child who was asleep and in underwear. Bryant admitted to taking the photograph and further admitted that the minor male child was younger than 12 years old.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Violent Crimes Against Children Task Force, the West Virginia State Police, and the FBI Baltimore field office.
Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Ryan A. Keefe and Julie M. White prosecuted the case.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative of the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-cr-112.
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Experian Consumer Services Agrees to Injunction and $650,000 Civil Penalty for Allegedly Sending Emails to Consumers Without Giving Future Opt-Out OptionRead the Press Release
STIPULATED ORDERSANTA ANA, California – ConsumerInfo.com Inc., which does business as Experian Consumer Services (Experian), has agreed to a permanent injunction and to pay a $650,000 civil penalty as part of a settlement resolving alleged violations of federal law that requires senders of commercial emails to notify the recipients of such emails of their right to opt-out of future emails and to provide an opt-out mechanism, the Justice Department and Federal Trade Commission announced today.
The settlement resolves alleged violations of the Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography and Marketing Act of 2003 (CAN-SPAM Act), the Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography and Marketing Rule (CAN-SPAM Rule), and the Federal Trade Commission Act. Experian shares a parent company, Experian PLC, with Experian Information Solutions Inc., which offers credit information, analytical tools, and marketing services.
The lawsuit, filed in United States District Court in Santa Ana, concerns emails Experian sent to consumers who had created free Experian accounts to control third-party access to their credit reports. Account holders may “freeze” their credit reports to make them inaccessible to identity thieves and legitimate potential creditors such as banks. They can also “unfreeze” their credit reports when they require a credit check, for example, to finance an expensive purchase. The complaint asserts that Experian sent its account holders millions of commercial emails promoting additional Experian services.
These emails asked the consumer to confirm whether a car that Experian had associated with the user’s account was theirs, offered a service aimed at boosting the user’s credit score, and advertised a free scan of the dark web. The emails did not give the recipients notice that they could opt-out of future such emails or provide any opt-out mechanism, violating the CAN-SPAM Act and the CAN-SPAM Rule. The complaint alleges that these emails implied that they contained important information about the recipient’s account, even though they were commercial in nature. The government received many consumer complaints that these emails contained no opt-out mechanism.
The stipulated order, entered on Monday by United States District Judge Fred W. Slaughter, enjoins Experian from sending commercial emails that do not provide notice that the recipient may opt-out of receiving such emails in the future or an opt-out mechanism. The order also enjoins Experian from otherwise violating the CAN-SPAM Act. Under the order, Experian is also subject to a civil penalty judgment of $650,000.
“It is critical that consumers have the ability to opt-out of unwanted commercial emails, and such emails should not be misleading in any way,” said U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada. “This permanent injunction and civil penalty will provide relief to consumers and help to prevent future violations of the CAN-SPAM Act.”
“Consumers have the right to opt-out of email advertising that they do not want,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The department is committed to enforcing the CAN-SPAM Act and preventing senders of commercial emails from falsely describing those emails as providing account updates or other transactional information in order to circumvent the opt-out requirements.”
“Signing up for a membership doesn’t mean you’re signing up for unwanted email, especially when all you’re trying to do is freeze your credit to protect your identity,” said Director Samuel Levine of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. “You always have the right to unsubscribe from marketing messages, and the FTC takes enforcing that right seriously.”
This matter was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Ross M. Cuff of the Civil Division’s Civil Fraud Section, Justice Department Senior Trial Attorney James T. Nelson, Assistant Director Lisa Hsiao of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch, and Frances Kern and Elsie Kappler of the FTC.
For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. For more information about the FTC, visit www.FTC.gov.
District Man Sentenced to 17 Years for Shooting a Man in Northeast WashingtonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Stefen Farmer, 52, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 17 years in prison for the February 2021 shooting of a man on a sidewalk in Northeast Washington D.C., announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Acting Chief Pamela A. Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department.
On March 7, 2023, following a two-week trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, Farmer was found guilty of aggravated assault while armed, assault with a dangerous weapon, assault with significant bodily injury, three counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, unlawful possession of a firearm, carrying a pistol without a license, and lesser included firearms offenses.
The Honorable Anthony Epstein sentenced Farmer to 144 months for aggravated assault while armed and 60 months for possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, with those sentences to run consecutively, for a total of 17 years incarceration.
According to the government’s evidence, around 6 p.m. on February 25, 2021, the defendant was sitting in the driver’s seat of a small black SUV parked on the 4400 block of Gault Place when the victim - a longtime friend of the defendant’s - walked up to the car window and started a conversation. Farmer repeatedly asked the victim for money but the victim refused. Farmer then retrieved a gun, stepped out of the car, and shot at the victim from pointblank range three times, as the victim was walking away. Two bullets hit the victim while he was trying to escape the gunfire and he sustained injuries to his hand and leg. Farmer stopped shooting only because a mutual friend of both men pushed him back while he was firing the gun. Three days after the shooting, Farmer sent the victim a Facebook message apologizing “for the inconvenience.”
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Acting Chief Smith commended the officers and detectives of the Metropolitan Police Department for their work on the case. They also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alec Levy and Omeed A. Assefi who prosecuted the case.
Convicted Felon Sentenced on Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A convicted felon was sentenced today for being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Special Agent in Charge Marcus Watson.
U.S. District Court Judge Karon O. Bowdre sentenced Cedric Rozell Thomas, 24, of Birmingham, to 120 months in prison. Thomas pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm in March 2023.
According to the plea agreement, on December 4, 2020, Jefferson County Sheriff deputies initiated a traffic stop on Thomas. Thomas fled and led deputies on a high-speed vehicle chase from Fairfield to Ensley. The pursuit ended when Thomas wrecked his vehicle and fled on foot. Deputies pursued Thomas on foot and apprehended him. Thomas had in his possession a Hi-Point .45 caliber pistol.
On September 29, 2021, officers with Birmingham Police Department patrolling the Smithfield Court Housing Community and saw Thomas walking across the street. The officers knew Thomas had federal warrant. Thomas fled from officers, and dumped the contents of a bookbag he was carrying, including a Stoeger .32 caliber handgun. Officers arrested Thomas shortly after pursuit.
The ATF investigated the case, along with the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, and the Birmingham Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Darius Greene prosecuted the case.
Columbia Man Pleads Guilty to Possession of an Unregistered SilencerRead the Press Release
Hattiesburg, Miss – A Columbia man pled guilty to possession of a silencer that was not registered with the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Grant McArthur, 51, pled guilty in U.S. District Court in Hattiesburg.
McArthur will be sentenced on December 6, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The ATF investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Allen is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Columbia Man Pleads Guilty to Manufacturing Firearms Without a LicenseRead the Press Release
Hattiesburg, Miss. – A Columbia man pled guilty to manufacturing firearms without a license issued under federal law, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Robert “Bobby” Ball, 67, pled guilty in U.S. District Court in Hattiesburg.
According to court documents, Ball, performed milling work on the lower receivers of firearms so that the firearms could be illegally converted into machineguns.
Ball is scheduled to be sentenced on October 31, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The ATF investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Allen is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Chad Thomas Sentenced for Fraudulent PPP LoansRead the Press Release
GREENEVILLE, Tenn. – On August 21, 2023, Chad B. Thomas, 41, of Blountville, Tennessee, was sentenced to 40 months imprisonment by the Honorable J. Ronnie Greer, United States District Judge, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Greeneville.
As part of the plea agreement filed with the court, Thomas agreed to plead guilty to an information charging him with one count of wire fraud in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343. Following his incarceration, Thomas will be on supervised release for three years. He was also ordered to repay $307,700 in restitution.
According to court records, in May and July 2020, Thomas submitted three fraudulent Payroll Protection Program (“PPP”) loan applications that included false information about payroll expenses and phony supporting documents. In the Spring of 2020, Congress had authorized the issuance of forgivable PPP loans to qualified businesses for use in paying authorized expenses as a legislative response to the COVID-19 pandemic through the CARES Act. Applicants completed and submitted loan applications that described historical payroll information and attached supporting documentation.
Thomas submitted three fraudulent PPP loan applications and obtained a total of $307,700 in fraudulent loan proceeds. As part of his scheme, Thomas submitted false payroll information and included fictitious supporting forms as part of his applications, including IRS forms.
For the final loan—a PPP loan in the amount of $207,500—on May 12, 2020, Thomas incorporated a business named Kingdom of God, Inc. as a religious organization with the Tennessee Secretary of State. On July 6, 2020, Thomas electronically submitted a fraudulent PPP loan application for Kingdom of God, Inc. to a lender in San Diego, California. Thomas falsely represented that the company had 26 employees and an average monthly payroll of $83,000. Thomas also included a monthly payroll journal that showed Thomas’ family members, minor children, and several nationally known religious figures were paid employees of Kingdom of God, Inc. Neither the state of Tennessee nor the IRS had any record of Kingdom of God, Inc. ever paying any employees. Kingdom of God, Inc. did no business and was ultimately dissolved by the Tennessee Secretary of State for failure to file reports. The San Diego lender approved the fraudulent loan application, and on July 14, 2020, deposited the sum of $207,500 into a Kingdom of God, Inc. bank account that Thomas had formed.
As part of the investigation, law enforcement seized and administratively forfeited the sum of $161,938.01 from bank accounts Thomas controlled.
U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III of the Eastern District of Tennessee; and Resident Agent in Charge Jason Brown of the United States Secret Service made the announcement.
The criminal indictment was the result of an investigation by the United States Secret Service. This investigation was led by Special Agents Kay Berry and Thomas Whitehead.
Assistant United States Attorney Mac D. Heavener III represented the United States.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
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Central Oregon Drug Trafficker Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
EUGENE, Ore.—On August 16, 2023, a Deschutes County, Oregon woman was sentenced to federal prison for trafficking large quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl to Oregon for distribution.
Krista Vela, 39, was sentenced to 84 months in federal prison and five years’ supervised release.
“Today marks a significant victory in our ongoing fight against the scourge of methamphetamine and fentanyl trafficking. With the successful arrest and conviction of Krista Vela, we have dealt a decisive blow to the criminal networks that seek to spread destruction in the central Oregon community,” said Sergeant Kent van der Kamp of the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office. “This outcome is a testament to the tireless efforts of the Central Oregon Drug Enforcement Team (CODE), and our partners at the U.S. Attorney’s Office. We remain resolute in our commitment to ensure the safety of central Oregon, and this case serves as a powerful reminder that those who peddle in illegal drugs will face the full force of justice.”
According to court documents, in November 2020, as part of a broader drug trafficking investigation, the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office and CODE identified Vela as a key source of supply for a prominent area drug dealer. In early December, investigators seized several pieces of luggage being removed from a hotel room rented by Vela in Sunriver, Oregon. The bags contained drug packaging materials, a digital scale, a GPS tracking device, 15 kilograms of methamphetamine, and 2 kilograms of fentanyl. One of the bags also contained several pieces of paperwork with Vela’s name on them.
On December 6, 2021, Vela was charged by criminal complaint with conspiracy to possess and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl. Later, on April 21, 2022, a federal grand jury in Eugene returned a two-count indictment charging Vela and an accomplice with conspiring with one another to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl. On July 5, 2023, Vela pleaded guilty to both charges.
Vela’s sentence will run concurrent to an 84-month federal prison sentence imposed on March 16, 2023, in the District of Montana for a separate drug trafficking conviction.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office, and CODE. It was prosecuted by Adam E. Delph, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
The CODE team is a multi-jurisdictional narcotics task force supported by the Oregon-Idaho High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) program. CODE includes members of the Bend, Redmond, Prineville, Madras, Sunriver, and Black Butte Police Departments; the Warm Springs Tribal Police Department; the Deschutes, Crook, and Jefferson County Sheriff and District Attorney’s Offices; the Oregon State Police; the Oregon National Guard; DEA; and the FBI.
Carrollton Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Bank FraudRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A Carrollton man pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Darren LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Jermicha Fomby of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
According to court documents and facts admitted by the defendant in open court, Robert Earl Givens, Jr., 49, participated in a scheme to defraud multiple banks by obtaining fraudulent heavy equipment loans. Givens, along with four co-conspirators, used fraudulent bills of sale and other false and misleading documents to secure loans for heavy equipment. The participants in the scheme posed as both the buyers and the sellers of the heavy equipment, with Givens generally posing as the buyer. This allowed Givens to obtain the money from the loan, even when the banks disbursed the loan money directly to the purported seller of the heavy equipment. The fraudulent loans were not paid off and the various financial institutions have been forced to charge off those unpaid loan amounts. The overall scheme caused hundreds of thousands of dollars in monetary damages to the affected financial institutions.
Givens will be sentenced on a later date and faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
“The United States Attorney’s office will continue to prosecute these fraudsters who use schemes instead of firearms to take money from financial institutions,” said United States Attorney LaMarca. “We are appreciative of the thorough investigation by the FBI which led to a successful prosecution.”
“Mr. Robert Earl Givens, Jr. deliberately sought to circumvent the proper banking process through his elaborate criminal scheme,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Jermicha Fomby. “His actions ripped at the fiber of our economic system, which relies on integrity to sustain our nation's free market. The FBI takes fraudulent activity very seriously and remains committed to pursuing those bad actors who conspire in this type of criminal activity for their personal gain.”
The case was investigated by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles W. Kirkham is prosecuting the case.
Bronx Man Sentenced for Offering Bribe to Government OfficialRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK - Muhammad Z. Aabdin, 33, of the Bronx, New York, was sentenced today in federal court in Syracuse to serve 3 years of probation after previously pleading guilty to offering a bribe to a public official, announced United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Special Agent in Charge Christopher F. Algieri, Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, Northeast Field Office.
In pleading guilty previously, Aabdin admitted that in September 2020, he offered a bribe to a contracting officer with the Veterans Administration (“VA”) in Syracuse. Specifically, Aabdin offered to share profits with the VA contracting officer in exchange for her awarding VA contracts to him for personal protective equipment (“PPE”). Aabdin made the initial bribe offer by email and then reiterated it in subsequent text messages and in a recorded phone conversation with an undercover agent posing as the contracting officer. In text messages dated October 15, 2020, Aabdin offered a bribe of $8,333.33 in the event he received a VA contract for N-95 masks leading to a total profit of $25,000. Aabdin did not receive any VA contracts, and his actions did not cause a loss to the VA.
This case was investigated by VA Office of Inspector General, and it was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael F. Perry.
Braintree Man Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Braintree man has pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston to child pornography charges.
Michael Martin, 44, pleaded guilty on Aug. 14, 2023 to one count of possession of child pornography and one count of distribution of child pornography. U.S. District Judge Richard G. Stearns scheduled sentencing for Nov. 15, 2023. Martin was initially charged by criminal complaint in May 2022 and subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury in June 2022.
On March 9, 2021, social media platform Tumblr reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that a Tumblr user – later identified as Martin – had suspected child pornography on their account. A subsequent search of Martin’s Braintree residence resulted in the seizure of various electronic devices storing child pornography. Additionally, a search of Martin’s Tumblr account determined that Martin has posted and received child pornography over the social media site. The child pornography included images of children believed to be between four and eight years old.
The charge of possession of child pornography provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of distribution of child pornography provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up to 20 years in prison, at least five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Michael J. Krol, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; and Braintree Police Chief Tim Cohoon made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney David G. Tobin of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Boston Man Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for the Intent to Distribute Fentanyl and CocaineRead the Press Release
CONCORD – A Boston man was sentenced today in federal court in Concord for possession with intent to distribute controlled substances in New Hampshire, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces.
Anthony Govan, 30, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Joseph Laplante to 24 months in prison and 3 years of supervised release.
“The defendant trafficked lethal narcotics to the Granite State,” U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young. “His sentence serves as a warning that trafficking, any amount of fentanyl and crack cocaine to New Hampshire, will have consequences.”
According to Court documents and statements made in Court, Govan’s charges stem from a 2019 traffic-stop along I-95 in Portsmouth. Govan was a passenger in the vehicle and was found to be in possession of distribution quantities of fentanyl and crack cocaine. Govan has been in state custody in Massachusetts on unrelated charges since August 2021.
United States Attorney Jane E. Young made the announcement today. The New Hampshire State Police led the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kasey Weiland prosecuted the case.
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Billings woman admits meth trafficking chargeRead the Press Release
BILLINGS — A Billings woman admitted to a methamphetamine trafficking crime today after law enforcement found meth and a semi-automatic handgun in her vehicle during a traffic stop, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
Nancy Michelle Hartsock, 36, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute meth. Hartsock faces a maximum of 20 years in prison, a $1 million 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. Hartsock was detained pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents that on March 15, Yellowstone County Sheriff’s officers conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle driven by Hartsock. Officers noticed that Hartsock was nervous, animated, trembling and shaking and that there was an open container of Twisted Tea in the back seat. When asked if she had been drinking, Hartsock volunteered she was not allowed because she was on parole. After contacting Hartsock’s parole officer, law enforcement searched her vehicle and found 28 grams of meth, a digital scale, syringes and a 9mm semi-automatic handgun. During a search of Hartsock’s house, law enforcement found an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle, a firearm magazine, ammunition, drug paraphernalia and a small amount of meth.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys are prosecuting the case. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Yellowstone County Sheriff’s Office, Billings Police Department, Montana Probation and Parole and Eastern Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force conducted the investigation.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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Baltimore Felon Pleads Guilty to Committing a Series of Armed Commercial RobberiesRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Joseph Dinkins, age 40, of Baltimore, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to committing an armed commercial robbery.
The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), Baltimore Field Office; and Acting Commissioner Richard Worley of the Baltimore Police Department (“BPD”).
According to his guilty plea, on November 18, 2020, February 15, 2021, and February 17, 2021, the defendant committed four armed robberies or attempted armed robberies of Family Dollar stores, three of which occurred at the same store. In each robbery, the defendant demanded cash from a store employee, showing or implying that he had a weapon, and left the store with the cash register.
As detailed in the plea agreement, in the second robbery committed on February 17, 2021, when Dinkins pulled out a weapon and demanded money from the employee, the employee ran outside. Dinkins then grabbed the entire cash register and left the store. But when he got outside, the employee had told individuals outside that the store was being robbed and the individuals attacked Dinkins. Aerial surveillance saw the fight and called for backup. When BPD officers arrived, the Family Dollar employees informed them that Dinkins had robbed the store. Several officers also recognized Dinkins as being wanted for a robbery committed at a different Family Dollar store earlier that day.
A subsequent review of the surveillance footage from all four robberies identified Dinkins as the individual in each video.
Dinkins and the government have agreed that, if the Court accepts the plea agreement, Dinkins will be sentenced to 100 months in federal prison. U.S. District Judge Ellen L. Hollander has scheduled sentencing for November 28, 2023, at 10:00 a.m.
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.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI and the BPD for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney John W. Sippel, Jr., who is prosecuting the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-neighborhoods-psn and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Aliquippa Resident Indicted on Violating Federal Drug and Firearm LawsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA - A resident of Aliquippa, Pennsylvania has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of violating federal drug and firearm laws, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
The eight-count Indictment named Travon J. Dawkins, age 36, of Aliquippa, Pennsylvania as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment presented to the court, on various dates in January and February 2023, Dawkins distributed and possessed with intent to distribute a quantity of cocaine base, commonly known as crack. The Indictment further alleges that on February 13, 2023, Dawkins, a convicted felon, was in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine up to $2,250,000 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 Carl J. Spindler is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives along with the Beaver County District Attorney’s Office Detective Bureau conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Alabama Man Sentenced to over 26 years in Prison for Robberies and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – An Anniston, Alabama man was sentenced to 314 months in prison for two counts of robbery, two counts of using or carrying a firearm in connection with crimes of violence and being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Acting Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Jonathan Lewis Jennings, 32, robbed a liquor store and a convenience store in Meridian, Mississippi at gunpoint on January 15, 2018. Evidence collected by the Meridian Police Department established Jennings’s identity as the perpetrator through DNA analysis. ATF agents conducted follow-up investigative measures that further confirmed Jennings’s involvement in and planning of the robberies. Jennings is a convicted felon, and it was therefore also unlawful for him to possess the firearm he used during the robberies.
Jennings was found guilty by a jury on December 12, 2022 following a trial in U.S. District Court.
The Meridian Police Department and the ATF investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adam T. Stuart and Charles W. Kirkham prosecuted the case.
This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, 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.
22 Human Smugglers Using Social Media Charged in Law Enforcement TakedownRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, announced today the recent unsealing of 13 indictments charging a total of 22 individuals with Conspiracy to Transport Illegal Aliens for Profit.
Each indictment charges a human smuggling coordinator who utilized social media, including Snapchat, to recruit individuals within Arizona to transport undocumented noncitizens for money. After recruiting the drivers on social media, the coordinators often switched to a messenger application such as WhatsApp to coordinate the logistics. Many of the indicted coordinators were identified through law enforcement contacts, data from cellular phones, and their social media accounts.
Smuggling coordinators often recruit juveniles and young adults as drivers with social media posts that glamorize alien smuggling. Many of the posts claim drivers can make large sums of money without the risk of being arrested, as depicted below in an exemplar from the first-listed case.
The charged cases include:
- United States v. Ramon Moreno-Lopez; CR-23-01022-DWL
- United States v. Mauricio Andrade-Garcia, et al.; CR-23-01024-DLR
- United States v. Juan Ausencio-Avendano, et al.; CR-23-01026-DJH
- United States v. Josiah Gomez, et al.; CR-23-01042-MTL
- United States v. Jalen Harris, et al.; CR-23-01051-MTL
- United States v. Ruben Ibarra, et al.; CR-23-01023-GMS
- United States v. Dominic Leos, et al.; CR-23-01025-MTL
- United States v. Jose Molina; CR-23-01041-SPL
- United States v. Keyani Perez, et al.; CR-23-01040-DGC
- United States v. Armando Ramirez, et al.; CR-23-01021-DLR
- United States v. Fabian Rivera, et al.; CR-23-01020-DLR
- United States v. Jose Sarabia, et al.; CR-23-01019-JJT
- United States v. Arnoldo Soto, et al.; CR-23-01043-MTL
A conviction for Conspiring to Transport Illegal Aliens for Profit carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to three years of supervised release.
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.
Homeland Security Investigations–Casa Grande and Customs and Border Protection’s U.S. Border Patrol–Tucson Sector conducted the investigations. Assistant United States Attorneys Ross Arellano Edwards, John Ballos, Timothy Courchaine, Brett Day, Matthew Doyle, Lisa Jennis, Christine Keller, Marcus Shand, LeighAnn Thomas, and Stuart Zander, District of Arizona, Phoenix, are handling the prosecutions.
CASE NUMBERS:
CR-23-01024-DLR
CR-23-01022-DWL
CR-23-01026-DJH
CR-23-01040-DGC
CR-23-01042-MTL
CR-23-01021-DLR
CR-23-01051-MTL
CR-23-01020-DLR
CR-23-01023-GMS
CR-23-01019-JJT
CR-23-01025-MTL
CR-23-01043-MTL
CR-23-01041-SPL
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-126_Snapchat Takedown
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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.
Monday 21 August 2023
Zuni Man Sentenced to 9 Years in Prison for Voluntary ManslaughterRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, announced that Brian Wallace was sentenced to 9 years in prison. Wallace, 44, of Zuni, and an enrolled member of the Zuni Pueblo, pled guilty to voluntary manslaughter on May 3, 2023.
According to court records, Wallace instigated a fight with his uncle, Edmond Shelendewa, sometime between July 5, 2022, and August 9, 2022. The fight escalated and Wallace took up a maul, or a wood splitter, and hit Shelendewa in the chest, killing him. Wallace claimed that he was mad because Shelendewa kept telling Wallace that he was his real father.
Wallace buried Shelendewa in a shallow grave in the backyard of a friend’s house. In October of 2022, Wallace informed law enforcement of what had happened and where Shelendewa’s body was located. The body was recovered, and the Office of Medical Investigator determined that John Doe had died from blunt force trauma to his chest.
Upon his release from prison, Wallace will be subject to 3 years of supervised release.
The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from Zuni Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas J. Marshall is prosecuting the case.
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23-190
Woonsocket Man Sentenced to More Than Eight Years in Prison for Role in a Conspiracy that Trafficked Dozens of Kilos of CocaineRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE , RI – A Woonsocket man, who was identified in court documents as one of the initial participants in a conspiracy that went on to receive more than five dozen packages containing kilograms of cocaine shipped from Puerto Rico to Rhode Island through the U.S. Postal Service was sentenced today to eight and a half years in federal prison, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.
William Lugo, 32, previously admitted to a federal judge that he accepted at least eight parcels containing at least one kilogram of cocaine shipped from Puerto Rico between December 2017 and July 2020. The cocaine was often shipped stashed inside wine racks and Bluetooth speakers.
Lugo admitted that he communicated regularly with alleged leaders of the drug trafficking enterprise in Rhode Island and with co-conspirators in Puerto Rico via social media apps about when drug parcels would be delivered. He received cash payments for each package he accepted or retrieved.
On July 14, 2020, U.S. Postal Service Inspectors and members of the Rhode Island High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force executed a court-authorized search of Lugo’s residence and seized a ghost gun with nine rounds of .40 caliber ammunition; cellphones Lugo used to communicate via social media apps with other members of the conspiracy; and, among other items, two wine racks with broken bottoms and two Bluetooth speakers.
Lugo pleaded guilty on May 1, 2023, to charges of conspiracy to distribute cocaine, unlawful use of a communication facility (the U.S. mail), and being a prohibited person in possession of ammunition.
He was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Judge William E. Smith to 102 months in federal prison to be followed by three years of federal supervised release.
At the time of his arrest by federal agents in July 2020, Lugo was serving a term of state probation, having been convicted in Rhode Island state court in December 2015 on a charge of carrying a pistol without a license.
The case in U.S. District Court is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Christine D. Lowell and Stacey A. Erickson.
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U.S.-Based Conspirators Plead Guilty in International Tax SchemeRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Adetunji Adejumo and Ibrahim Jinadu have pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud relating to their roles in a transnational tax fraud scheme. Each faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. A third conspirator, Olufemi Odedeyi, of London, United Kingdom, remains pending extradition for his role in the scheme. All three individuals were arrested in September 2021.
According to the plea agreements, international conspirators (including Odedeyi) obtained unauthorized access to computer servers of businesses in the United States; participated in stealing from those servers the personally identifying information of U.S. residents; and used that information to file false and fraudulent federal tax forms seeking income tax refunds from the IRS. Adejumo and Jinadu, residing in the United States, collected fraud proceeds directed to prepaid debit cards in their possession or to bank accounts they controlled or to which they had access. They then transferred a share of the fraud proceeds to other conspirators. The conspirators filed tax returns claiming millions of dollars in refunds to which they were not entitled.
The investigation was led by the IRS – Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) (Tampa Field Office) and the FBI (Tampa Division). Substantial assistance was provided by the IRS-CI Cyber Crimes Unit (Washington, DC), the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, the IRS-CI and FBI International Operations at Mission UK, the United Kingdom’s National Extradition Unit, and IRS-CI Dallas and Atlanta Field Offices. The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Rachel Jones.
U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich announces $800,000 grant from Justice Department to the University of Montana for tribal children’s advocacyRead the Press Release
BILLINGS — U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich today announced that the U.S. Department of Justice has awarded $800,000 to the University of Montana to fund a program that provides assistance to victims of child abuse in tribal communities.
The grant is for the Fiscal Year 2023 Victims of Child Abuse Act Tribal Children’s Advocacy Centers Training and Technical Assistance program. The award is from the Office of Justice Programs’ Office of Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention and is a continuation for a project that began in 2022 and will end in 2024.
“I want to congratulate the University of Montana on this grant award for its important work on behalf of native children. The project provides technical assistance and training to tribes and children advocacy groups as they develop, improve and expand responses to child abuse. This funding continues the U.S. Department of Justice’s commitment to addressing and preventing child abuse and trauma in tribal communities,” U.S. Attorney Laslovich said.
With the project, the Native Child Advocacy Resource Center (NCARC), a division of the National Native Children’s Trauma Center at the University of Montana, will serve as the Justice Department’s Tribal Children’s Advocacy Centers (CAC) Training and Technical Assistance (TTA) provider. NCARC will provide training and technical assistance to tribes and non-tribal CACs and multidisciplinary teams as they develop, improve or expand responses to child abuse in tribal communities. One of the goals of the project is to build a hub of curricula, resources and information on Children’s Advocacy Centers in American Indian and Alaska Native communities.
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Two Plaquemines Parish Men Sentenced for Violating the Federal Controlled Substances ActRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – JOSHUA MACKEY, age 37, and DARON WILLIAMS, age 48, residents of Port Sulphur, Louisiana, were sentenced on August 17, 2023 by U.S. District Judge Susie Morgan, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.
MACKEY was sentenced to 70 months imprisonment, 3 years of supervised release, and a $200 mandatory special assessment fee. MACKEY previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine and crack, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C), and 846, as well as being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(1).
WILLIAMS was sentenced to time served, which was approximately 20 months imprisonment, 3 years of supervised release, and a $200 mandatory special assessment fee. WILLIAMS previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C), and 846, as well as possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(C).
According to court documents, a DEA wiretap investigation revealed that MACKEY and WILLIAMS were involved in a narcotics distribution conspiracy with several other co-conspirators between June 8, 2020, and June 5, 2021. As part of the conspiracy, MACKEY regularly distributed quantities of crack and cocaine and WILLIAMS frequently distributed quantities of methamphetamine. Additionally, DEA agents executed a federal search warrant at MACKEY’s residence that resulted in the seizure of a Francolin International Arms Company
Model Citadel Boss-25, 12-gauge semi-automatic shotgun, as well as quantities of cocaine, crack, and methamphetamine.
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.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and Plaquemines Parish Sheriff’s Office. The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorney J. Benjamin Myers of the Narcotics Unit.
Two Havre residents admit trafficking fentanyl, meth on Fort Belknap, Rocky Boy’s Indian ReservationsRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS — Two Havre residents accused of distributing fentanyl and methamphetamine to the Fort Belknap and the Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservations admitted today to a drug trafficking crime, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
Brittany Alice Bradley, 25, and Daniel First Raised, 32, each pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. The defendants face a mandatory minimum of five years to 40 years of imprisonment, a $5 million fine and at least four years of supervised release.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for both defendants for Dec. 18. The defendants were detained pending further proceedings.
In court documents, the government alleged that in June 2022, FBI agents learned that First Raised was distributing a significant amount of fentanyl on the Fort Belknap and the Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservations and that Bradley distributed fentanyl and meth with First Raised. Law enforcement learned that the defendants likely received their drugs from a source in Yakima, Washington. Law enforcement conducted a series of controlled purchases of fentanyl and meth from Bradley and First Raised from August 2022 to September 2022.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica A. Betley is prosecuting the case. The FBI and Tri Agency Task Force conducted the investigation.
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Two Gang Members Charged with 2022 Bronx MurderRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Ivan J. Arvelo, the Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”), and Edward A. Caban, the Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), announced today that GIBRAN GUERRERO, a/k/a “Cojito,” and YORVIN GOMEZ, a/k/a “Julbie,” were charged with racketeering conspiracy, murder in aid of racketeering, committing violent crimes in aid of racketeering, and firearms offenses related to their membership in a street gang known as the “Trinitarios” that operated in or around the Bronx and other locations. GUERRERO and GOMEZ are also charged with participating in a robbery on December 15, 2022. During the robbery, one of the victims, Johnny Gaston, was shot and killed. The other victim was shot but survived. The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Lorna G. Schofield.
GUERRERO and GOMEZ were in state custody and were transferred into federal custody today. They were presented this afternoon in Manhattan federal court.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Gibran Guerrero and Yorvin Gomez are alleged to have terrorized the Bronx in connection with their membership in the Trinitarios gang. Their alleged violent conduct included engaging in gunpoint robberies of multiple victims, with one robbery resulting in the tragic death of Johnny Gaston. Today’s indictment furthers this Office’s work to chip away at the gang violence that threatens public safety in our community.”
NYPD Commissioner Edward A. Caban said: “Every crime carried out by Trinitarios gang members in New York City is met with tenacious work by the NYPD and our law enforcement partners to ensure justice – and this case is no different. Behind the charges unsealed today against these two defendants is a proactive, aggressive investigation to ensure the strongest possible prosecution. I want to thank our NYPD detectives and all of our partners, including the agents of the HSI New York Field Office and the prosecutors of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, for their steadfast collaboration in bringing this important case.”
HSI Special Agent in Charge Ivan J. Arvelo said: "Guerrero and Gomez, through their affiliations to the notorious ‘Trinitarios’ street gang, stand accused of perpetrating a multitude of criminal acts, including robberies, narcotics trafficking, and extreme violence, exemplified by a fatal shooting during a December 2022 robbery. This collaborative effort between HSI, the NYPD, and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York sends a strong message of our commitment to protecting our communities from gang-related crime."
According to the allegations in the Indictment unsealed today in Manhattan federal court:[1]
From at least in or about 2021 up to and including 2023, in the Southern District of New York and elsewhere, GIBRAN GUERRERO and YORVIN GOMEZ were members of the Trinitarios gang. In order to fund the gang, protect its territory, and promote its standing, members of the Trinitarios engaged in, among other things, robberies, frauds, narcotics trafficking, and other acts of violence, including murder.
On December 15, 2022, GUERRERO, GOMEZ, and other Trinitarios members lured two victims to a location in the Bronx and robbed them. During the robbery, one of the victims, Johnny Gaston, was shot and killed. The other victim was shot but survived.
In addition, on or about July 30, 2022, and September 26, 2022, GUERRERO and other Trinitarios members participated in gunpoint robberies of several victims located in the Bronx.
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GIBRAN GUERRERO, 20, and YORVIN GOMEZ, 26, both of the Bronx, New York, are each charged with one count of racketeering conspiracy, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison; one count of murder in aid of racketeering, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of life in prison or death; one count of causing death through use of a firearm, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison or death; and conspiracy to commit bank fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison. GUERRERO is also charged with two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering, which each carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, and two counts of carrying and brandishing firearms in connection with a crime of violence, which each carry a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison.
The minimum and maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of HSI and the NYPD.
The case is being handled by the Office’s Violent and Organized Crime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mathew Andrews and Rushmi Bhaskaran are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the description of the Indictment set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
U.S. v. Guerrero and Gomez IndictmentTexas Man Who Earned Millions Working Overseas Pleads Guilty to Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
A Texas man pleaded guilty today to evading his federal income taxes.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from 2013 to 2018, Peter Joseph Tignini worked in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Qatar, earning approximately $4,783,031 in income that he deposited into foreign bank accounts. From2013 through 2017, Tignini filed tax returns falsely reporting that his income was only approximately $100,000 each year, an amount near or below the Foreign Earned Income (FEI) exclusion, which allows a U.S. citizen who lives and works in a foreign country for the majority of a year to exclude a portion of their income earned outside the United States from their taxable income. Tignini did not file a return for 2018. As a result, Tignini caused a tax loss to the IRS of $1,169,348.
After IRS Special Agents interviewed Tignini, he used an internet application to alter his employment contract and payroll documents to make them appear as if Tignini’s former employer was responsible for submitting his tax returns and paying the corresponding taxes due. Tignini then caused his attorneys to provide the fraudulent documents he had created to the Justice Department’s Tax Division and the IRS. After investigators asked a witness about the internet application Tignini used to create the phony documents, Tignini attempted to delete the documents from his account.
Tignini faces a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison, as well as a period of supervised release, restitution and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division, U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani for the Southern District of Texas and Special Agent in Charge Ramsey E. Covington of the IRS-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Houston Field Office made the announcement.
IRS-CI is investigating the case.
Senior Litigation Counsel Sean Beaty and Trial Attorney Brian Flanagan of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Goldman for the Southern District of Texas are prosecuting the case.
Texas Man Sentenced for Federal Fentanyl Trafficking ChargesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – FERMIN RODRIGUEZ-ORTEGA, age 25, a resident of Dallas, Texas, was sentenced today, to 51 months imprisonment, 3 years of supervised release, and a $200 mandatory special assessment fee by U.S. District Judge Carl J. Barbier, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. RODRIGUEZ-ORTEGA previously pleaded guilty to a two-count indictment that charged him with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(A), and 846, and possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(A).
According to court documents, on September 27, 2022, RODRIGUEZ-ORTEGA traveled from Dallas, Texas to the Super 8 motel in Covington, Louisiana carrying approximately five kilograms of fentanyl. Based on information obtained from a confidential source, Homeland Security Investigations agents and St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office deputies were waiting on RODRIGUEZ-ORTEGA when he arrived at the motel. Agents then searched his luggage and discovered five kilograms of fentanyl.
This case was investigated by United States Homeland Security Investigations and the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office. The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorney J. Benjamin Myers of the Narcotics Unit.
Terrebonne Parish Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute CocaineRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – ANTHONY MONREAL-FABELA, age 22, a resident of Houma, Louisiana, pled guilty on August 17, 2023, before Chief U.S. District Judge Nannette Jolivette Brown to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute a quantity of cocaine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C), and 846, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.
According to court documents, MONREAL-FABELA was arrested on July 27, 2022, when he conspired with his co-defendant, Diogo Hernandez, to possess with intent to distribute twenty kilograms of cocaine that had been smuggled into the Port of New Orleans via a container ship.
MONREAL-FABELA faces up to 20 years imprisonment, a fine of up to $1,000,000, at least three years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
This case was investigated by the United States Homeland Security Investigations, United States Customs and Border Protection and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney J. Benjamin Myers of the Narcotics Unit.
Taunton Woman Pleads Guilty in Conspiracy to Issue Driver's Licenses to Applicants Who Did Not Take Road TestRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Taunton woman pleaded guilty today to bribing a road test examiner at the Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) in Brockton to issue driver’s licenses to individuals who did not take road tests.
Neta Centio, 56, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin to one count of conspiracy to commit honest services mail fraud. Judge Sorokin scheduled sentencing for Nov. 20, 2023. Centio was charged on June 26, 2023.
Centio paid a road test examiner at the Brockton RMV service center to misrepresent to the RMV that certain driver’s license applicants had passed their road test when, in fact, they had not even showed up for the test. As a result of the fraud, the RMV mailed driver’s licenses to unqualified applicants. Centio used CashApp to pay the road examiner in exchange for fraudulent passing scores on road tests. After Centio’s fraud was discovered, she told the road test examiner, “Don’t say nothing about the CashApp. . . . Break the phone.”
The charge of conspiracy to commit honest services mail fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. The charging document also seeks a $20,215 forfeiture money judgment based on the amount of the bribes. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Michael J. Krol, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; and Christopher A. Scharf, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General, Northeast Region made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christine Wichers and Adam Deitch of the Public Corruption & Special Prosecutions Unit are prosecuting the case.
Stockton Man Pleads Guilty to Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Maleek Carter-Rea, 22, of Stockton, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, in March 2023, law enforcement officers observed Carter-Rea and several other individuals brandishing firearms in videos on social media. Law enforcement officers conducted surveillance and initiated a traffic stop of the vehicle in which Carter-Rea was riding. During the search of the vehicle, officers found and seized a Glock 48 firearm on the floor beside Carter-Rea’s feet. Carter-Rea is prohibited from possessing firearms because he has a state felony conviction for robbery in San Joaquin County.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Stockton Police Department, the Manteca Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Delaney is prosecuting the case.
Carter-Rea is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Kimberly J. Mueller on Nov. 6, 2023. Carter-Rea faces a maximum statutory penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
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 U.S. Department of Justice 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.
Statement from U.S. Attorney Jason M. Frierson on National Fentanyl Prevention and Awareness DayRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada today issued the following statement from United States Attorney Jason M. Frierson:
“On National Fentanyl Prevention and Awareness Day, we join the DEA and community partners in raising awareness about the serious dangers of illicit fentanyl from counterfeit pills. We remember those lost to illicit fentanyl poisoning and the affected families and friends across the country. We will continue to coordinate with the DEA, law enforcement partners, and community organizations to increase our outreach efforts to raise awareness about the highly addictive and dangerous synthetic opioid fentanyl.
“Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is approximately 50 times more potent than heroin and 100 times more potent than morphine. Only two milligrams of fentanyl is considered a potentially lethal dose. Information and free resources, including the One Pill Can Kill partner toolkit, are available at DEA.gov/onepill.”
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Stanislaus County Man Sentenced to over 13 Years in Prison for Methamphetamine DistributionRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Julian Loeza, 33, of Ceres, was sentenced today to 13 years and eight months in prison for distribution of methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, in 2020, a team of local and federal law enforcement officers partnered in an investigation into the drug trafficking activities of Loeza and co-defendants Esmerelda Ceja-Mendez, 43, of Ceres; Sofia Cisneros-Noyola, 37, of Sacramento; and Victor Ramirez, 37, of Atwater. On March 3, 2021, Loeza sold 2 pounds of methamphetamine for $3,600.
Loeza had been convicted of previous federal drug trafficking charges in 2016. In that prior case he was sentenced to six years in prison. By March 2021, he had been released. Loeza committed his new drug trafficking offense while on federal supervised release for the prior case. Loeza was also sentenced to 24 months in prison for violating the terms of his supervised release, to run concurrently with his sentence for the new offense.
Ramirez previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Ramirez is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston on Nov. 20, 2023.
Charges are pending against Ceja-Mendez and Cisneros-Noyola; they are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the San Joaquin County Metropolitan Narcotics Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin J. Gilio and Antonio J. Pataca prosecuted the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
San Francisco Man Sentenced to 6 Years in Prison for Vacaville Gun Store BurglaryRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Adrian Oscar Duran, 27, of San Francisco, was sentenced today to six years in prison for burglary of a federally licensed firearms dealer, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, on June 1, 2020, law enforcement officers responded to reports of suspicious activity at Guns, Fishing and Other Stuff, a two-story gun and outdoor recreation store in Vacaville. Guns, Fishing and Other Stuff is a federally licensed firearms dealer. When officers responded, four vehicles fled the scene. After a high-speed chase on Interstate 80 during which vehicles reached over 100 miles per hour, one vehicle, a rented minivan, was stopped, and Duran and four others were arrested after a foot pursuit. In total, the gun store reported that more than 70 firearms had been stolen. Inside the minivan were bolt cutters, a power saw, and 13 handguns with price tags from Guns, Fishing and Other Stuff still attached.
The four co- defendants pleaded guilty and three await sentencing: Donte Marcel Anderson, 34, of Pittsburg, California; Desteny Estrella Leilani Salazar, 25, of San Francisco; and Tracy Whitfield, 34, of Pittsburg. Donley Thompson, 31, of Pinole, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 33 months in prison. Thompson is in custody after violating the conditions of his supervised release.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with assistance from the Vacaville Police Department, the Fairfield Police Department, the Antioch Police Department, the Vallejo Police Department, and the California Department of Justice – Bureau of Firearms. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Lee is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice 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.
San Diego State University Basketball Stars Join with U.S. Attorney’s Office and City Attorney’s Office to Launch Fentanyl Awareness CampaignRead the Press Release
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY—August 21, 2023
SAN DIEGO— The U.S. Attorney’s Office, San Diego City Attorney’s Office and the non-profit MESA (Mentoring and Empowering Student Athletes) Foundation today launched a social media campaign featuring all of the members of the 2023-2024 San Diego State University’s men’s basketball team – including several who played in the 2023 NCAA national championship game - to promote fentanyl awareness and prevention.
This unique partnership, believed to be the first of its kind between a Name/Image/Likeness (NIL) collective and the Department of Justice, features the student-athletes describing the dangers of fentanyl and the need to be aware of locations to obtain Narcan in the community. Narcan is a medicine that rapidly reverses the effects of opioids to prevent fatal overdoses. The release includes the hashtags #BlockFentanyl and #KnowAboutNarcan. The two social media PSAs can be found here:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGvHJHdPh24X9JHCAywDdqt-Osgrb6yiR
In the public service announcements, athletes look at the camera and say: “Fentanyl kills. Creates chaos. Ruins families. It doesn’t care about your race. It doesn’t care how you identify. It doesn’t care if you are addicted or just trying for the first time. Fentanyl kills. That’s 70,000 brothers, sisters, fathers, and mothers lost last year. That Adderall, Percocet, Xanax, ecstasy you are offered - it likely contains fentanyl. That cocaine you would just try - it likely contains fentanyl. We need to help each other. Know where Narcan is. Watch for friends making strange sounds while sleeping at parties or turning blue. Call for help if in doubt. Be a good teammate, and let’s save lives.”
The campaign - timed to highlight National Fentanyl Prevention and Awareness Day (August 21, 2023) - is being deployed over Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), Snapchat, LinkedIn, and YouTube by the student-athletes, the MESA Foundation, the Department of Justice, and other coalition members.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office and law enforcement partners have attacked the fentanyl crises through aggressive prosecutions at every level of the supply chain – from the Sinaloa Cartel leadership, to cross-border trafficking organizations, to money launderers, to street level dealers who are selling drugs that result in overdose deaths.
The “Block Fentanyl” campaign is just one aspect of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s prevention and outreach strategy. For example, on August 10, 2023, prosecutors from the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the City Attorney’s Office gave a presentation at San Diego State University to resident advisors and student leaders on the topic “Know Fentanyl.” The presentation, attended by approximately 250 students, covered the dangers of counterfeit and adulterated pills and powder, recognizing the signs of an overdose, and how to properly deploy Narcan.
“We are committed to innovative approaches to protect and educate the youth of our community about the extreme danger of fentanyl,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Andrew R. Haden. “We are willing to do whatever it takes to save lives and spread the word that fentanyl is still claiming many lives, and every one of us can and must take action to prevent fatal overdoses. I’d like to thank the incredible SDSU student-athletes, who did not hesitate to answer our call for help. They have graciously used their celebrity and influence for the most important cause: Keeping fellow students from making a fatal mistake with fentanyl.”
“As the City’s Prosecutor and the mother of two teenagers, I am extremely proud to participate in a campaign that informs our youth about the risks associated with fentanyl, an extremely potent synthetic opioid. Unbeknownst to most, fentanyl is 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine. Its availability has so increased that it’s now the number one killer in the nation for those between the ages of 18-and-45. We must ensure the truth about fentanyl reaches susceptible children and young adults before the drug does,” said San Diego City Attorney Mara W. Elliott. “I would like to thank Deputy City Attorney Mark Robertson for his important work representing my Office on the Opioid Task Force and for assisting with the creation of these powerful commercials.”
The MESA Foundation, established in 2022 after the NCAA began allowing student-athletes to receive compensation for the use of their NIL, connects Aztec student-athletes with nonprofits in the San Diego community in a variety of different capacities. The student-athlete receives a stipend for partnering with the charity through their Name, Image and Likeness.
More information about the MESA Foundation, a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, can be found here:
https://www.mesafoundationsd.org/.
Additional fentanyl prevention resources can be found at San Diego County’s Community & Parent Toolkits which are available in both English and Spanish: https://www.sdpdatf.org/community-parent-fentanyl-toolkit.
Both offices would like to thank Isabelle Sandmeyer, and her company Studio Isla, for donating her time and talent to the “Block Fentanyl” project.
Roanoke Drug Dealer Sentenced to over 15 Years on PrisonRead the Press Release
ROANOKE, Va. – A Roanoke man who engaged in drug dealing from behind bars was sentenced last week to 186 months in federal prison.
Anthony Brian Barnett, 37, pleaded guilty in April 2023 to conspiring to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin in 2019 and for also distributing para-fluorofentanyl, a 10-times more powerful form of fentanyl, in 2022. Barnett will serve his federal sentence after he finishes serving an 8-year state sentence as a result of his convictions in Roanoke City Circuit Court for Malicious Wounding by Mob and Assault and Battery.
According to court documents, Barnett was arrested on July 20, 2019, for his involvement in a May 2019 assault and shooting that occurred in Roanoke, Virginia. Prior to his arrest, Barnett was involved in the trafficking of narcotics in and around the City of Roanoke.
Following this arrest, and while incarcerated, Barnett directed his co-conspirator, Aminee Jewel Davenport, 37 of Roanoke, Virginia, to drive to a residence to obtain his heroin to then sell to a “customer.” On a recorded jail phone call, Barnett told Davenport where to find the heroin, how to weigh it, and how much money to charge. Barnett, however, was unaware that the “customer” was a confidential informant working with the Virginia State Police. Davenport then sold approximately four ounces of heroin to the informant on two occasions. As a result, both Barnett and Davenport were indicted by a federal grand jury.
While awaiting trial for this conduct, in March 2022, Barnett obtained what he believed was heroin, but was later determined to be para-fluorofentanyl, from an inmate in his jail pod. Barnett then sold this substance to other inmates, only to be caught after an inmate in his pod died from a drug overdose. Although Barnett was not charged with contributing to this inmate’s death, his continued involvement in dealing deadly substances still merited this significant sentence.
The Virginia State Police, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, along with their partners in the Roanoke City and Roanoke County Police Departments, participated in the investigation of the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Coleman Adams and Kristin Johnson prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.