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5 October 2023
Hartford Felon Admits Possessing Loaded HandgunRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that GABRIEL HORACE WILLIAMS-BEY, 34, of Hartford, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Sarala V. Nagala in Hartford to unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on June 30, 2022, Hartford Police seized a loaded semi-automatic pistol from inside a vehicle that Williams-Bey was driving.
Williams-Bey’s criminal history includes a state firearms conviction, multiple state narcotics convictions, and a federal narcotics conviction for which he was sentenced, in June 2016, to eight years of imprisonment and four years of supervised release.
It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.
Williams-Bey was released from federal prison in August 2021 and was on federal supervised release at the time of this offense.
At sentencing, which is not scheduled, Williams-Bey faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 15 years. He also faces additional penalties for violating the conditions of his supervised release.
Williams-Bey has been detained in federal custody since July 12, 2022.
This matter has been investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Hartford Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Gresham 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.
Frank James Sentenced to Life in Prison for Subway Mass ShootingRead the Press Release
Frank James, 62, of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William F. Kuntz II to 10 concurrent life sentences in prison, plus 10 years to run consecutively for shooting 10 people during an attack on the New York City subway in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, on April 12, 2022. James previously pleaded guilty to all 11 counts of a superseding indictment, which included 10 counts of committing a terrorist attack or other violence against a mass transportation vehicle – one count for each gunshot victim – and one count of discharging a firearm in furtherance of his violent attack.
“Nothing can undo the damage that Frank James’s mass shooting inflicted on the 10 victims who were shot or the dozens more who suffered other injuries, but this sentence ensures that he will spend the rest of his life in prison for the devastation he caused,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “This sentence also makes clear that the Justice Department has no tolerance for crimes that terrorize our communities and will ensure accountability for those who perpetrate them.”
“Whenever domestic violent extremists violate our laws and commit heinous acts of violence against the American public, the FBI will work hand in hand with our law enforcement partners at all levels to pursue justice for the victims and hold criminals accountable for their abhorrent actions,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “The public we serve deserves nothing less.”
“In an act of cold-blooded terrorism, this defendant shot 32 rounds at defenseless victims trapped in a subway car during their rush hour commute,” said Director Steven Dettelbach of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). “ATF agents immediately responded to the scene of the shooting and joined their state, local and federal law enforcement partners in the investigation. When a gun was recovered on the subway platform, ATF conducted an urgent trace of the crime gun to identify the purchaser, ultimately leading to the name of the shooter. Today’s sentence not only reflects the heinousness of the crimes committed, but it reflects the extraordinary work of all the law enforcement and prosecutors involved. It takes the best of the best to catch the worst of the worst.”
“Today’s sentence delivered the necessary penalty for Frank James who callously carried out a terroristic mass shooting on a crowded subway car, intentionally attempting to kill innocent people, and spilling much blood,” said U.S. Attorney Breon Peace for the Eastern District of New York. “He wounded 10 victims in his planned out attack and affected the lives of many more. Every one of the victims who experienced that horror feared that they would never see their children or loved ones again. It is appropriate that the defendant will never know freedom again and will spend the rest of his life in prison so that no one can be harmed further by him. I hope that this sentence brings some closure to the many victims of this violent attack and brings comfort to the city at large in knowing that justice was done.”
During rush hour on the morning of April 12, 2022, James used a Glock 17 pistol he legally purchased to conduct a mass shooting on an N subway train in Brooklyn. James planned his act of terror for years – purchasing smoke bombs, disguises, firearms, and ammunition. He scouted the location for his attack and completed multiple practice runs. As part of his attack, James, disguised in an orange reflective jacket and yellow hard hat to look like a Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) employee, set off a smoke-bomb in a subway car before opening fire on his captive victims. Panicked passengers ran to the far end of the subway car, allowing James to shoot at his victims more easily. When the defendant started shooting, the train was between stations and then temporarily stalled, leaving victims trapped. In total, 10 victims were struck by 16 bullets fired by the defendant. Dozens more suffered from smoke inhalation and other mental and physical injuries due to the defendant’s attack. James then fled the scene of the attack, changing his clothing frequently to evade detection while law enforcement engaged in a 36-hour manhunt to find him and bring him to justice.
At some point after the shooting, James purchased a burner phone which he used to follow the coverage of his attack while hiding from law enforcement. For example, James watched 31 videos of news reports about his subway shooting. He also watched a James Bond chase scene from the movie “No Time to Die” 10 times after the attack. Finally, James turned himself in by calling the NYPD crime stoppers hotline on April 13, 2022, the day after the mass shooting.
The New York Joint Terrorism Task Force investigated the case, with valuable assistance provided by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) and the ATF.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sara K. Winik and Ellen H. Sise for the Eastern District of New York are prosecuting the case with valuable assistance provided by the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.
Frank James Sentenced to Life in Prison for Subway Mass ShootingRead the Press Release
Frank James was sentenced today by United States District Judge William F. Kuntz, II to 10 concurrent life sentences in prison, plus 10 years to run consecutively for shooting 10 people during an attack on the New York City subway in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, on April 12, 2022. James previously pleaded guilty to all 11 counts of a superseding indictment, which included 10 counts of committing a terrorist attack or other violence against a mass transportation vehicle—one count for each gunshot victim—and one count of discharging a firearm in furtherance of his violent attack.
Merrick B. Garland, United States Attorney General, Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Matthew G. Olsen, Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, James Smith, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and Edward A. Caban, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the sentence.
“Today’s life sentence delivered the necessary penalty for Frank James, who callously carried out a mass shooting on a crowded subway car, attempting to kill innocent people, and spilling much blood. He wounded 10 victims in his calculated attack and terrorized many more,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “I hope that this sentence brings some closure to the many victims of this violent attack and comfort to the city at large in knowing that justice was done.”
Mr. Peace praised the exceptional efforts of the New York Joint Terrorism Task Force for the investigation and speedy apprehension of the defendant. He also extended his appreciation to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives for their assistance.
“Today, Frank James was rightfully sentenced for his deliberate and calculated act of terror against our city. He aimed to kill innocent people, who were simply going about their daily lives amid the morning rush. It is because of the dogged determination and vigilance of the investigators of the FBI New York’s Joint Terrorism Task force that James was brought to justice and is facing the consequences he rightfully deserves,” stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Smith.
“Today’s outcome hopefully brings solace to the many victims of Mr. James, who carried out a horrifying act of terrorism in a cold, calculated, premeditated manner,” stated NYPD Commissioner Caban. “From the moment Mr. James committed this appalling crime, we and our law enforcement partners shrank his world until he had nowhere to turn – and the people of New York City worked alongside us. In addition to our colleagues at the FBI, the ATF, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York, I thank and commend New Yorkers for their vigilance in helping bring this unseemly episode to a just conclusion.”
During rush hour on the morning of April 12, 2022, James used a Glock 17 pistol he legally purchased to conduct a mass shooting on an N subway train in Brooklyn. James planned his act of terror for years—purchasing smoke bombs, disguises, firearms, and ammunition. He scouted the location for his attack and completed multiple practice runs. As part of his attack, James, disguised in an orange reflective jacket and yellow hard hat to look like an MTA employee, set off a smoke-bomb in a subway car before opening fire on his captive victims. Panicked passengers ran to the far end of the subway car, allowing James to shoot at his victims more easily. When the defendant started shooting, the train was between stations and then temporarily stalled, leaving victims trapped. In total, the defendant fired at least 32 bullets and 10 victims were struck by his gunfire. Dozens more suffered from smoke inhalation and other mental and physical injuries due to the defendant’s attack. James then fled the scene of the attack, changing his clothing frequently to evade detection while law enforcement engaged in a 36-hour manhunt to find him and bring him to justice.
At some point after the shooting, James purchased a burner phone which he used to follow the coverage of his attack while hiding from law enforcement. For example, James watched 31 videos of news reports about his subway shooting. He also watched a James Bond chase scene from the movie “No Time to Die” 10 times after the attack. Finally, James turned himself in by calling the NYPD Crime Stoppers hotline on April 13, 2022, the day after the mass shooting.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and Cybercrime Section. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sara K. Winik and Ellen H. Sise are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Magdalena St. Surin and the Justice Department’s National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.
The Defendant:
FRANK JAMES
Age: 64
Milwaukee, WisconsinE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 22-CR-214 (WFK)
Former husband and wife real estate investment team indicted for $2.25 million fraud schemeRead the Press Release
Seattle – A pair of real estate professionals, who as a married couple operated a real estate investment fund, were indicted this week by the federal grand jury for conspiracy, wire fraud and money laundering, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Paul Waln, 58, of Dallas, Texas, and his ex-wife Tamara King, aka Tamara Waln, 54, of Toledo, Ohio, previously resided in Bellevue and Kirkland, Washington. The pair are scheduled to appear on the indictment on October 12.
According to the indictment, between August 2009 and December 2013, Waln solicited investments in a real estate fund called Halcyon. Twenty-two victims, most of whom were Seattle residents, invested $2.25 million in the fund. Waln told investors their funds would be pooled to purchase and renovate an apartment building in West Seattle, and then used for other real estate projects. Investors were required to leave their money in the investment pool for ten years. Waln said that at the end of the 10-year period, Waln would return the investment principal and earnings, which he estimated amount to a 20 percent annual return. Waln was entitled to receive a 1% fee for managing the investment fund.
In 2013, Waln married King, who was also a real estate agent. Waln and King then jointly managed the investment fund. Between February 2014 and December 2018, they conspired to misappropriate money from the fund to pay their personal expenses. The pair secretly transferred hundreds of thousands of dollars at a time from the fund to their management company, and then transferred the money to King’s personal accounts. In some instances, they wrote secret memos characterizing these transfers as “loans,” but the money was never repaid. Investors were never told about the “loans.”
Under the terms of the investment, Waln and King were required to distribute the investment funds to investors in 2019. But by the end of 2018, they had misappropriated all the money. In December 2018, Waln sent investors a letter falsely claiming that the fund’s general contractor had been diagnosed with cancer. Waln told investors that this would result in a two-to-three-year delay before he would be able to return investors’ money. The contractor in question never had a cancer diagnosis.
Finally, in October 2019, King informed the investors that all the money was gone, and the investment had failed. All the remaining investors lost their entire investments.
The defendants are charged with conspiracy, eight counts of wire fraud, and two counts of money laundering.
Conspiracy is punishable by up to five years in prison. Wire fraud and money laundering are punishable by up to twenty years in prison.
The charges contained in the indictment 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 Seth Wilkinson.
indictment_waln.pdfFormer Kentucky Sheriff’s Deputy Charged with Civil Rights Offenses for Excessive Force and ObstructionRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in Lexington, Kentucky, returned an indictment today charging a former Boyle County Sheriff’s Deputy with five counts of deprivation of rights under color of law, one count of falsification of records and one count of conspiracy.
According to court documents, during 2021, then-Sheriff’s Deputy Tanner M. Abbott, 30, of Danville, Kentucky, violated the civil rights of five people by using excessive force while arresting them. During one of these arrests, Abbott also conducted an illegal warrantless search of a hotel room. The indictment further alleges that on two occasions, Abbott obstructed justice by writing and conspiring with another person to write false police reports to conceal his misconduct.
The civil rights charges each carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. The falsification of records charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. The conspiracy charges carry a maximum penalty of five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Carlton S. Shier IV for the Eastern District of Kentucky and Special Agent in Charge Michael E. Stansbury of the FBI Louisville Field Office made the announcement.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary Dembo for the Eastern District of Kentucky and Trial Attorney Alec Ward of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
abbott_indictment_october.pdfFormer Couple Pleads Guilty to Federal Conspiracy Charge for Trafficking over 80 FirearmsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Gregory Bournes Jr., 31, of Lancaster, Va., and Dream Jackson, 30, of Riverdale, Ga., pleaded guilty today to a federal conspiracy charge for trafficking over 80 firearms into the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Special Agent in Charge Craig Kailimai, of the Washington Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Bournes and Jackson pleaded guilty in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to one count of conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States. Judge Royce C. Lamberth ordered the defendants detained pending their sentencing hearing, which he scheduled for Dec. 8, 2023.
According to court papers, from February 2021 through February 2022, Bournes and Jackson—who were in a romantic relationship at the time—conspired to purchase firearms from licensed dealers in the States of Georgia and Texas and to transport and transfer the firearms to the District of Columbia and elsewhere, for the purpose of unlawfully reselling the firearms for profit. In total, Bournes and Jackson purchased over 80 firearms, which they then sold to others. As part of their guilty pleas, Bournes and Jackson each admitted that they knew or had to reason to believe that their conduct would result in prohibited persons receiving firearms.
In March 2023, following their indictment by a federal grand jury, Bournes and Jackson were arrested in Georgia—where they both resided at the time—pursuant to warrants issued by the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. The defendants were released on their personal recognizance pending trial. Following their guilty plea today, the government moved for their detention pending sentencing. Judge Lamberth granted the government’s motion, and both defendants are now in custody.
Bournes and Jackson face a maximum sentence of five years in prison and up to a $250,000 fine. The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentence imposed in this case will be determined by the Court after considering the United States Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Most of the firearms trafficked by Bournes and Jackson remain unaccounted for, and law enforcement in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area continue to recover the trafficked firearms in connection with criminal activity. One firearm, which Bournes purchased in Georgia in November 2021 and then resold for profit, was recently used in the commission of an attempted murder in Prince George’s County, Maryland.
In announcing the guilty pleas, U.S. Attorney Graves and Special Assistant in Charge Kailimai commended the work of those who investigated the case from the ATF’s Washington Field Division. They also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas G. Strong.
Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul V. Courtney and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine A. Pattison, who indicted and are prosecuting the matter.
Fentanyl Trafficker Linked to Fatal Overdose SentencedRead the Press Release
The drug dealer who sold the fentanyl that killed an Abilene man was sentenced today to 30 years in federal prison, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.
Elijah James Perez, 21, pleaded guilty in September 2023 to distribution and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl resulting in death or serious bodily injury. He was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge James Wesley Hendrix.
According to plea papers, Mr. Perez admitted that he sold fentanyl to a victim, identified in court documents as J.W., on Feb. 11, 2022.
The following day, J.W. was found nonresponsive in his bed. After 40 minutes of attempted resuscitation, he was pronounced dead at the scene.
Witnesses told law enforcement they believed J.W. had ingested Percocet, but an autopsy found that J.W. died from the toxic effects of fentanyl.
According to plea papers, Mr. Perez admitted that approximately three days before J.W.’s death, Mr. Perez offered to sell him “5 percs.” Three days later, Mr. Perez met with J.W. outside his home around 10 p.m. to make the sale. The pills contained fentanyl.
Six minutes later, J.W. texted his girlfriend that he’d received some “percs” that were “hella strong.” Hours later, he was dead of an overdose.
The Drug Enforcement Administration’s Dallas Field Office and the Abilene Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Tusing prosecuted the case.
Note: Illicitly produced, fentanyl-laced pills often look similar to legitimate prescription pills like Oxycontin or Percocet, but can pose significantly more danger. On the street, these pills are often referred to as “M30s” (a reference to the markings on some of the pills), “blues,” “perks,” “yerks,” “china girls,” or “TNT.” DEA research shows that six out of ten pills laced with fentanyl contain a potentially lethal dose. One pill can kill. For resources, visit https://www.dea.gov/onepill.
Federal grand jury indicts Buffalo man for fraudulently receiving COVID 19 fundsRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that a federal grand jury has returned a four-count indictment charging Brian A. Smith, 49, of Buffalo, NY, with four counts of wire fraud. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. Rudroff, who is handling the case, stated that Smith, owner of B Smith and Companies, LLC, received two Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans and one Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL), which were administered by the Small Business Administration to assist small businesses during the COVID-19 epidemic. According to the indictment and a previously filed complaint, Smith submitted false documentation to the SBA and/or the financial institutions administering the PPP program, completing loan applications with fictious gross receipts, cost of goods sold, and payroll for businesses under his control. Smith is also accused of filing false tax returns misrepresenting his income to receive COVID relief loans for which he would not otherwise qualify. Smith personally received approximately $119,633.00 in EIDL and PPP loans, which he deposited into bank accounts that he controlled. The funds were ultimately used for personal expenditures at adult entertainment clubs, hotels, restaurants, cash withdrawals, and on retail goods.
In October of 2010, Smith was convicted of wire fraud in the Eastern District of Missouri and served 10 months in prison. In September 2012, Smith was convicted of wire and bank fraud in the Western District of New York and was sentenced to 63 months in prison. In September 2019, Smith was sentenced to serve an additional nine months in prison after violating the terms of his supervised release.
The indictment is the result of an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division, under the direction of Special Agent-In-Charge Thomas Fattorusso and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Federal Judge Sentences Rockford Man to More Than Six Years in Prison for Illegally Possessing FirearmRead the Press Release
ROCKFORD — A federal judge has sentenced a Rockford man to more than six years in federal prison for illegally possessing a firearm in Rockford.
U.S. District Judge Philip G. Reinhard on Tuesday sentenced WILLIE EVANS, 35, to eighty months in prison. Evans pleaded guilty earlier this year to a charge of illegal firearm possession. As a previously convicted felon, Evans was prohibited by federal law from possessing a firearm.
Evans admitted in a plea agreement that while in Rockford on Feb. 23, 2022, he possessed a handgun that had been loaded with 13 rounds of ammunition, including one in the chamber. Evans also admitted that he possessed several small baggies containing cocaine and ecstasy that he intended to sell to others.
The sentence was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Christopher Amon, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, and Carla Redd, Chief of the Rockford Police Department.
“Defendant’s offense endangered the community because he was not only illegally in possession of a firearm but was engaged in drug trafficking,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Theodora Anderson argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum. “Drug trafficking and gun violence go hand-in-hand and pose a real threat to the community.”
Holding illegal firearm possessors accountable through federal prosecution is a centerpiece of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) – the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction strategy. In the Northern District of Illinois, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and law enforcement partners have deployed the PSN program to attack a broad range of violent crime issues facing the district, particularly firearm offenses.
Federal Grand Jury Indicts Honduran Citizen for Violations of the Federal Gun Control ActRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – JUNIOR ALEXANDER MONCADA-VARGAS, age 34, of Honduras, was charged on in a four-count indictment on September 29, 2023. Count One charges him with possession and transfer of a machinegun, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(o) and 924(a)(2). Counts Two through Four charge him with being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm and ammunition, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(5)(A) and 924(a)(8).
Count One of the indictment charged that, on or about July 21, 2023, MONCADA-VARGAS, did knowingly possess and transfer a machinegun, to wit, a Glock Model 22 Gen 5, .40 caliber semi-automatic handgun, with a Glock auto-sear.
Counts Two, Three, and Four of the indictment charged that, on or about July 21, 2023, August 2, 2023 and September 18, 2023, respectively, MONCADA-VARGAS, knowing that he was an illegal alien and unlawfully in the United States, knowingly possessed a firearm, to wit, a Glock Model 22 Gen 5, .40 caliber semi-automatic handgun, with a Glock auto-sear, and approximately twenty-two (22) rounds of ammunition, said firearm and ammunition having been in and affecting interstate commerce; a Kalashnikov USA Model KR103, 7.62 x 39 caliber semi-automatic rifle, and approximately thirty (30) rounds of ammunition, said firearm and ammunition having been in and affecting interstate commerce; and a Norinco Model SKS, 7.62 x 39 caliber semi-automatic rifle, and approximately thirty (30) rounds of ammunition, said firearm and ammunition having been in and affecting interstate commerce.
If MONCADA-VARGUS is convicted, he faces up to 10 years of imprisonment, up to a $250,000.00 fine, and up to 3 years of supervised release for Count One; and up to 15 years of imprisonment, up to a $250,000.00 fine, and up to 3 years of supervised release for each of the charges described in Counts Two through Four. MONCADA-VARGUS also faces a mandatory $100 special assessment fee per count.
U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The case was investigated by the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (A.T.F.) and the New Orleans Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Troy Bell of the General Crimes Unit.
Federal Grand Jury A Indictments Announced- October 2023Read the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – United States Attorney Clint Johnson announced the results of the October 2023 Federal Grand Jury A.
The following individuals have been charged with violations of United States law in indictments returned by the Grand Jury. The return of an indictment is a method of informing a defendant of alleged violations of federal law, which must be proven in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt to overcome a defendant’s presumption of innocence.
Jacob Robin Gilmartin. Second Degree Murder in Indian Country. Jacob Robin Gilmartin, 30, a Cherokee citizen from Skiatook is charged with second degree murder in Indian country for allegedly causing a fatality collision while under the influence of a controlled substance. Oklahoma Highway Patrol and the FBI are the investigating agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Ihler is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-315-GKF
Austin Lee Huffman. Assault of an Intimate/Dating Partner by Strangling and Attempting to Strangle in Indian Country; Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury in Indian Country; Kidnapping in Indian Country; Witness Tampering by Using and Threatening Physical Force. Austin Lee Huffman, 21, a Cherokee citizen from Broken Arrow, is charged with kidnapping, assault and witness tampering for allegedly assaulting and strangling his live-in girlfriend and then refusing to let her leave. Broken Arrow Police Department and FBI are the investigating agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mallory Richard is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-322-GKF
Jason Mark Long. Assault with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country and Carrying, Using, and Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence. Jason Mark Long, 45, of Pryor is charged with assault with intent to do bodily harm in Indian country and carrying, using, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence for allegedly pulling the victims hair and placing a gun to her head while threatening to kill her. The Mayes County Sheriff’s Office and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are the investigating agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Melody Nelson and Michele Hulgaard are prosecuting the case. 23-CR-325-GKF
Jin Kai Chen. Possession of Marijuana with Intent to Distribute. Jin Kai Chen, 48, a Chinese national legally residing in Overland Park, Kansas, is charged with possession of marijuana with intent to distribute after he was allegedly found with over 100 kg of marijuana. The Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Homeland Security Investigations are the investigating agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Nasar is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-316-GKF
Joshua Keller. Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute. Joshua Keller, 39, of Grove is charged with possession of meth with intent to distribute. The Grove Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are the investigating agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Niko Boulieris is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-324-GKF
Carlon Wayne Smith. Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country and Injury to Personal Property in Indian Country. Carlon Wayne Smith, 50, of Tulsa is charged with assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm in Indian country and injury to personal property in Indian country. The Tulsa Police Department and FBI are the investigating agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Cyran is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-314-JFH
Juan Antonio Martinez-Pasillas. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Juan Antonio Martinez-Pasillas, 32, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawful reentry of a removed alien for unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously deported and removed on or about December 23,2020, at or near Del Rio, Texas. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cymetra Williams is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-319-JFH
Eduardo Montoya Ibarra. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Eduardo Montoya Ibarra, 53, a Mexican national is charged with unlawful reentry of a removed alien for unlawfully reentering the United States after being previously deported on or about December 15, 2006, at or near Nogales, Arizona. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney David D. Whipple is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-323-GKF
Oscar Gaudalupe Lopez-Lara. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Oscar Gaudalupe Lopez-Lara, 44, a Mexican national is charged with unlawful reentry of a removed alien for unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously deported and removed on or about March 15, 2010, at or near Laredo, Texas. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Buscemi is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-326-GKF
Jose Reyes- Palos. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Jose Reyes-Palos, 32, a Mexican national is charged with unlawful reentry of a removed alien for unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously deported and removed on or about August 7, 2019, at or near Laredo, Texas. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elliot Anderson is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-327-GKF
Elmira man with prior child sex conviction pleads guilty to child pornography chargeRead the Press Release
ROCHESTER, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Eugene R. Criss, Jr., 55, of Elmira, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Charles J. Siragusa to possession of child pornography by an individual with a prior sex offense conviction, which carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum of 20 years, and a fine of $250,000.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan K. McGuire, who is handling the case, stated that in July 2013, Criss was convicted of Criminal Sex Act – 1st Degree – Victim Less Than 11 Years Old. On April 5, 2023, Criss possessed a cellphone, a thumb drive, a tablet, and a laptop, which contained over 1,000 images and videos of child pornography, some of which depicted prepubescent children engaged in sexually explicit conduct and violence or the sexual abuse of an infant or toddler.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation Child Exploitation Human Trafficking Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia.
Sentencing is scheduled for February 5, 2024, before Judge Siragusa.
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Durham Man Pleads Guilty to Charges Related to $9.5 Million Scheme to Defraud InvestorsRead the Press Release
GREENSBORO –A Durham man pleaded guilty today to wire fraud and securities fraud in connection with a $9.5 million investment fraud scheme, announced Sandra J. Hairston, United States Attorney for the Middle District of North Carolina.
According to court documents, between July 2022 and June 2023, NAYEEM CHOUDHURY, 27, solicited investments for his company, Dream Venture Capital Group, which CHOUDHURY marketed as a fund that traded in option contracts. CHOUDHURY raised approximately $9.5 million from investors and induced victims to invest by promising high rates of return and telling victims that they could invest their capital with no risk. CHOUDHURY also falsely represented to investors that Dream Venture was profitable and that it had a proven track record of successfully trading options. CHOUDHURY lost over $5 million in investor money trading options.
In addition to the massive trading losses, CHOUDHURY used a portion of the investor money on personal expenses, including the purchase of Mercedes Benz, and to make Ponzi-style payments to other investors.
Sentencing is scheduled to take place on March 21, 2024, at 9:30 a.m. in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, courtroom number 4, before United States District Judge Loretta C. Biggs. At sentencing, CHOUDHURY faces a maximum sentence of twenty years in prison, a period of supervised release of up to three years, restitution, and other monetary penalties.
The case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ashley Waid.
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Durango Drug Dealer Who Fled Police, Scattering Fentanyl Pills on Main Avenue, Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
DURANGO – Robert James Russell Simmons, age 37, of Durango, Colorado, was sentenced to serve 10 years in federal prison, followed by 5 years on supervised release, for possessing a controlled substance with the intent to distribute.
According to court documents and facts presented during sentencing, investigators with the Southwest Drug Task Force observed a drug deal involving Simmons in the Durango Transit Lot in September 2022. La Plata County Sheriff’s Deputies approached Simmons, who was seated in a Dodge Charger. Deputies asked Simmons to step out of the car. In response, Simmons put the Charger into reverse and accelerated, causing the Charger to hit one Deputy in the arm and knee, requiring a hospital visit. Simmons then accelerated forward out of the Transit Lot, turning onto 8th Street, and then veering the wrong way past “Do Not Enter” signs on Narrow-Gauge Avenue. Halfway down the block, the Charger was blocked by a truck coming the other direction. Simmons pulled into a parking lot, colliding with a parked truck. Simmons then fled on foot carrying a bag of small, blue pills containing fentanyl. He ran through the parking lot, across Main Avenue, and threw the bag of fentanyl pills into a trashcan. Law enforcement later found a trail of blue pills that went from the site of the car crash to the trashcan. Pills were also located on Main Avenue and the nearby sidewalk. Law enforcement later secured a search warrant for the Charger and found 840 grams of a methamphetamine mixture (or roughly 3,360 individual doses).
“Durango is a little safer today with this drug dealer being bars,” said U.S. Attorney Cole Finegan. “Fentanyl is extraordinarily dangerous. We will continue to prosecute the dealers who seek to profit from this poison and endanger everyone in our community.”
“This sentencing sends the very clear message that HSI and our partners will relentlessly investigate and prosecute those who try to transport drugs across the state filling our communities with poison,” said Ryan L. Spradlin, Special Agent in Charge, HSI Denver. “Every day our agents are on the streets to ensure people like this end up with significant time behind bars.”
“The Southwest Drug Task Force is committed to keeping La Plata County safe for everyone in our community,” said Commander Joey LaVenture of the Southwest Drug Task Force. “ We commend the work of our deputies, officers and federal law enforcement partners in this prosecution of this dangerous fentanyl dealer.”
According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, 6 out of 10 fentanyl pills tested contain a potentially lethal dose of fentanyl. https://www.dea.gov/onepill
United States District Court Judge Gordon P. Gallagher presided over the sentencing on October 4, 2023, finding that sentencing enhancements applied for use of violence and reckless endangerment based on Simmons’s conduct fleeing from law enforcement. Simmons appeared at the sentencing hearing in custody and was remanded at its conclusion.
This case was investigated by the Southwestern Drug Task Force, Homeland Security Investigations, and the La Plata County Sheriff’s Office. The defendant was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey K. Graves.
Case Number: 23-cr-00006-GPG-JMC
Dunklin County Man Sentenced to 110 Months in Prison for Methamphetamine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
CAPE GIRARDEAU – U.S. District Judge Stephen N. Limbaugh Jr. on Thursday sentenced a man from Kennett, Missouri to 110 months in prison for his role in a methamphetamine conspiracy involving his twin brother and another man.
Jody Renfro, 35, is the third and final defendant in the case to be sentenced. He pleaded guilty in April to a charge of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
In April, Judge Limbaugh sentenced John Andrew Schoolcraft, 32, of Portageville, in New Madrid County, to 15 years in prison for the offenses of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Jammie Renfro, 35, of Kennett, Missouri, was sentenced in August to 130 months in federal prison for the offenses of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and distribution of methamphetamine.
All three pleaded guilty and admitted distributing methamphetamine throughout Dunklin County from May of 2022 through June 23, 2022. The Missouri State Highway Patrol utilized confidential informants and audio and video recording devices to conduct a series of controlled methamphetamine purchases from the group. The case culminated in the execution of a search warrant at Schoolcraft’s residence in Kennett, where officers seized over four pounds of methamphetamine, a .45-caliber pistol and $2,785 in cash.
Jody and Jammie Renfro are twins.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol, assisted by the Southeast Missouri Drug Task Force, investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie Hunter prosecuted the case.
Dubuque Man Involved in Conspiracy to Distribute Hundreds of Pounds of Methamphetamine Pleads Guilty in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
A man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine pled guilty today in federal court in Cedar Rapids.
Jason Laufenberg, age 38, from Dubuque, Iowa, was convicted of conspiracy to distribute at least 500 grams of a mixture of substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine and at least 50 grams of actual (pure) methamphetamine.
At a prior hearing, evidence showed that Laufenberg bought and sold hundreds of pounds of ice methamphetamine from multiple drug sources in Dubuque between 2019 and 2022.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Laufenberg remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Laufenberg faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment without parole, a $10,000,000 fine, a $100 special assessment, and a term of supervised release of at least five years and up to life.
The case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Devra T. Hake and was investigated by the Dubuque Drug Task Force, Dubuque County Sheriff’s Office, Dubuque Police Department, Quad City Metropolitan Enforcement Group, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Drug Enforcement Administration, United States Postal Inspection Service, and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation Criminalistics Laboratory.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 23-CR-1008.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Dodson man admits assault charge after vehicle crash on Fort Belknap Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS — A Dodson man today admitted an assault charge after he drifted into the oncoming lane while driving and crashed into another vehicle, seriously injuring the other driver, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
Marvin James Cole, 27, pleaded guilty to assault resulting in serious bodily injury. Cole faces a maximum of 10 years of imprisonment, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for March 6, 2024. Cole was detained pending further proceedings.
The government alleged that on June 22, 2022, Cole crashed his GMC truck into a Dodge Avenger driven by the victim, identified as John Doe, on Highway 66 near Harlem, on the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation. Doe suffered serious injuries and ultimately was treated at a hospital in Seattle. A toxicology report showed amphetamine and methamphetamine in Cole’s blood. Cole agreed that he likely drifted into the other lane when he looked at his phone.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The FBI, Fort Belknap Law Enforcement, Montana Highway Patrol and Phillips County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation.
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District Man Charged in the Murder of a 24-Year Old in a Northeast Apartment BuildingRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Christopher Tyler, 46, of Washington, D.C., was presented in Superior Court today on charges of first-degree felony murder while armed stemming from the homicide of 24-year-old Nolan Edwards, on July 7, 2023, in the Benning neighborhood, in Northeast, Washington, D.C., announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Acting Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Tyler was arraigned before Magistrate Judge Judith Pipe in Courtroom C-10, in D.C. Superior Court, where he entered a plea of not guilty. The court heard arguments and found probable cause to believe that the defendant committed first degree felony murder while armed. The court held the defendant without bond pending a preliminary hearing scheduled for November 30, 2023, before Judge Michael O’Keefe.
An arrest on a complaint is merely a formally charged allegation that a defendant has committed a violation of criminal laws and every defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty.
In announcing the charge, U.S. Attorney Graves and Acting Chief Smith commended the work of those investigating the case from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Diamond Bar Man Sentenced to Nearly 2 Years in Federal Prison for Groping a Sleeping Passenger on a Cleveland-to-Los Angeles FlightRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A Diamond Bar man was sentenced today to 21 months in federal prison for intentionally touching the inner thigh of a sleeping woman seated next to him on a flight from Cleveland to Los Angeles in February 2020.
Mohammad Jawad Ansari, 50, was sentenced by United States District Judge Fernando L. Aenlle-Rocha, who also ordered the defendant to pay a $33,750 fine, $1,600 in restitution, a $100 special assessment, and an additional $5,000 special assessment. Furthermore, Ansari was ordered to register as a sex offender.
At the conclusion of a four-day trial, a jury on May 9 found Ansari guilty of one count of abusive sexual contact.
On February 17, 2020, Ansari boarded a flight from Cleveland Hopkins International Airport to Los Angeles International Airport. Ansari occupied a window seat in the 10th row, while the victim occupied the middle seat next to him. The victim, who was wearing a dress, fell asleep shortly after takeoff and the armrest separating Ansari from the victim was down.
At some point during the flight to Los Angeles, Ansari placed his left hand on the victim’s right knee and, without the victim’s consent, moved his hand to her inner thigh. The person sitting in the aisle seat next to the victim witnessed Ansari’s hand touching the victim’s inner thigh.
The victim woke up, pushed Ansari’s hand away, left her seat, and informed a flight attendant about what had happened. The flight attendants observed Ansari during the remainder of the flight and believed he was pretending to sleep.
“[Ansari] committed a serious offense that caused immediate and long-lasting harm to [the victim],” prosecutors argued in a sentencing memorandum. “In the immediate aftermath, [Ansari’s] groping left [the victim] shocked and afraid and witnesses testified that she sobbed for the remainder of the flight…. [On flights, the victim] now struggles to fall asleep because she is constantly concerned about ‘what if someone touches me.’”
The FBI and the Los Angeles Airport Police investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorneys Samuel J. Diaz and James A. Santiago of the International Narcotics, Money Laundering, and Racketeering Section prosecuted this case.
The FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office has issued a public service announcement to bring awareness to the problem of sexual assault on airplanes. Victims of in-flight sexual misconduct – either verbal or physical – or their loved ones are encouraged to report the incident to a flight attendant and to your nearest FBI field office or to submit a tip online to the FBI at https://tips.fbi.gov/.
Cook County Man Sentenced in Rockford to More Than Five Years in Prison for Mail Fraud and Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
ROCKFORD — A Cook County man has been sentenced to more than five years in federal prison after pleading guilty to mail fraud and aggravated identity theft.
ROBERT CARTER, 29, of Homewood, Ill., was sentenced Wednesday by U.S. District Judge Philip G. Reinhard to 64 months in prison and ordered to pay more than $1 million in restitution.
According to his plea agreement, from June 2020 through March 2021, Carter and others schemed to submit fraudulent unemployment insurance claims to the California Employment Development Department, the Maryland Division of Unemployment Insurance, and the Virginia Employment Commission. Carter used Social Security numbers and dates of birth of others without their knowledge or consent to submit unemployment claims. Carter opted to have the unemployment benefits paid via debit cards mailed to residences connected to Carter and others involved in the scheme, then withdrew funds from the debit cards at financial institutions and ATMs in Illinois.
The sentence was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Irene Lindow, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Region of the Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General, and Ruth M. Mendonça, Inspector-in-Charge of the Chicago Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert S. Ladd.
“Robert Carter engaged in a scheme to fraudulently obtain more than $1 million in unemployment insurance funds by applying for benefits in the names of identity theft victims,” said SAC Lindow. “Carter stole benefits set aside by the federal government to assist American workers struggling during the COVID-19 pandemic. We are grateful to the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service for their strong partnership and collaboration on these types of investigations.”
Convicted bank robber pleads guilty to escaping reentry centerRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Brandon Loyd, 27, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara to escape from the Lighthouse Buffalo Residential Reentry Center. The charge carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney P. Richard Antoine, who is handling the case, stated that in May 2017, Loyd was convicted of bank robbery by use of a dangerous weapon and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, and sentenced to serve 85 months in prison. In September 2021, Loyd was transferred to the Lighthouse Buffalo Residential Reentry Center. On December 18, 2021, Loyd walked out of the center with all his belongings without authorization. Later that day, during a telephone call, a staff member instructed Loyd to return. He replied, “I’m going out of state, and they are going to have to extradite me.” Following the conversation, Loyd was placed in “escape status” until his arrest on December 24, 2021, by the United States Marshals Service.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the United States Marshals Service, under the direction of Marshal Charles Salina.
Sentencing is scheduled for December 21, 2023, before Judge Arcara.
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Connecticut U.S. Attorney’s Office Celebrates Annual U.S. Attorney’s AwardsRead the Press Release
The United States Attorney’s Office Law Enforcement Awards Ceremony was celebrated this afternoon in New Haven. The ceremony at the City of New Haven’s aldermanic chambers recognized approximately 140 individuals for their investigative efforts and other contributions to significant federal criminal prosecutions and civil cases in Connecticut.
“This past year has been marked by a succession of critically important prosecutions and impactful settlements that would not have been possible without the law enforcement partners recognized today, and their dedication to justice,” said U.S. Attorney Vanessa Roberts Avery. “Day after day, we are honored to work together with them to uphold the rule of law, safeguard civil rights, and enhance the public safety of people in all communities across Connecticut.”
In addition to criminal and civil case awards that recognized investigators of violent crime, drug trafficking, child exploitation, public corruption financial fraud, tax fraud, health care fraud, pandemic relief fraud, identity theft, and other matters, U.S. Attorney Avery presented three special awards during the ceremony.
The U.S. Attorney’s Award for Outstanding Investigator was presented to Connecticut State Police Detective Jonathan Carreiro. Detective Carreiro, a Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Task Force Officer and member of the Internet Crimes Against Children’s Task Force, has displayed an unwavering dedication to the protection of children from dangerous predators who lurk in cyberspace and our community. He has spearheaded investigations of several individuals who were convicted of federal child exploitation offenses and are currently serving lengthy prison terms.
The U.S. Attorney’s Outstanding Community Award was presented to the founding members of FED-UP: Working Together for a Safer Community. Created in 2021, FED-UP is run by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in conjunction with Project Longevity, local hospitals, and community-based organizations, to stop the gun violence that is destroying the lives of students and their families in Connecticut’s cities. FED-UP sends seasoned violent crime prosecutors, law enforcement officers, medical professionals, and returning citizens into middle schools, where the program teaches students to understand that what they experience with gun violence is not normal, and that there is nothing wrong about being angry or scared by it. FED-UP has reached thousands of students in Bridgeport, Waterbury, and New Haven, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office is planning to expand the program to other cities.
A Special Recognition Award for Outstanding Service, Friendship, and Humanity was presented posthumously to Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Supervisory Special Agent Nicholas “Nick” Scorza, who died in June at the age of 52.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is charged with enforcing federal criminal laws in Connecticut and representing the federal government in civil litigation. The Office is composed of approximately 68 Assistant U.S. Attorneys and 57 staff members at offices in New Haven, Bridgeport and Hartford.
Congressional Campaign Treasurer Pleads Guilty to Conspiring with Congressional Candidate in Campaign Finance Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
The former treasurer for a candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives pleaded guilty today to conspiring with a congressional candidate to commit wire fraud, make materially false statements, obstruct the administration of the Federal Election Commission (FEC), and commit aggravated identity theft.
According to court documents, Nancy Marks, 58, of New York, was the treasurer for the principal congressional campaign committee of a candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives during the 2022 election cycle in New York’s Third Congressional District. During this election cycle, Marks and the candidate devised and executed a fraudulent scheme to obtain money for the campaign by submitting materially false reports to the FEC on behalf of the campaign in which they inflated the campaign’s fundraising numbers for the purpose of misleading the FEC, a national party committee, and the public.
Specifically, the purpose of the scheme was to ensure that the candidate and his campaign qualified for a program that the national party committee administered, pursuant to which the national party committee would provide financial and logistical support to the candidate and his campaign committee. To qualify for the program, the candidate had to demonstrate, among other things, that his congressional campaign had raised at least $250,000 from third-party contributors in a single quarter.
To meet this financial benchmark and to further demonstrate to the national party committee that the congressional candidate’s campaign was financially viable, Marks and the candidate agreed to falsely report to the FEC that at least 10 family members of Marks and the candidate had made contributions to the campaign, when Marks and the candidate both knew that these individuals had not made the reported contributions. In addition, Marks and the candidate agreed to falsely report to the FEC that the congressional candidate had loaned the campaign significant sums of money, including in one instance a $500,000 loan, when, in fact, the congressional candidate had not made the reported loans and, at the time the loans were reported, did not have the funds necessary to make such loans.
Through the execution of this scheme, Marks and the candidate ensured that the candidate met the necessary financial benchmarks to qualify for the program that the national party committee administered. As a result of qualifying for the program, the congressional campaign received financial support.
Marks is scheduled to be sentenced on April 12, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Breon Peace for the Eastern District of New York, and Assistant Director in Charge James Smith of the FBI New York Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI is investigating the case, with assistance from the Nassau County District Attorney’s Office.
Trial Attorneys Jacob Steiner and John Taddei of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ryan Harris, Anthony Bagnuola, and Laura Zuckerwise for the Eastern District of New York are prosecuting the case, with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Rachel Friedman. Former Trial Attorney Jolee Porter of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section provided substantial contributions to the prosecution.
Congressional Campaign Treasurer Pleads Guilty to Conspiring with a Congressional Candidate to DefraudRead the Press Release
CENTRAL ISLIP, NY – Earlier today, at the federal courthouse in Central Islip, Nancy Marks, the former treasurer for a candidate for the United States House of Representatives, pleaded guilty to conspiring with a congressional candidate to: (a) commit wire fraud; (b) make materially false statements; (c) obstruct the administration of the Federal Election Commission (FEC); and (d) commit aggravated identity theft. Today’s proceeding was held before United States District Judge Joanna Seybert. When sentenced, Marks faces up to five years in prison, as well as restitution and a fine.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Nicole M. Argentieri, Acting Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, and James Smith, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the guilty plea.
“With today’s guilty plea, Marks has admitted that she conspired with a congressional candidate to lie to the FEC and, by extension, the public about the financial state of the candidate’s campaign for New York’s Third Congressional District, falsely inflating the campaign’s reported receipts with non-existent contributions and loans,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “My Office will continue holding accountable those who perpetrate a fraud on the public and the institutions that help maintain transparency in the electoral process.”
Mr. Peace expressed his thanks to the Nassau County District Attorney’s Office for their assistance with the investigation.
“Marks engaged in criminal conduct intended to deceive and defraud the American public. This guilty plea holds her responsible for those various fraudulent schemes and brazen misrepresentations,” stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Smith. “The FBI will continue to investigate all allegations of campaign finance abuse to ensure openness, fairness, and transparency in our election process.”
According to court filings and facts presented during the plea proceeding, Marks was the treasurer for the principal congressional campaign committee of a candidate for the United States House of Representatives during the 2022 election cycle in New York’s Third Congressional District (the “Candidate”). During this election cycle, Marks and the candidate devised and executed a fraudulent scheme to obtain money for the campaign by submitting materially false reports to the FEC on behalf of the campaign in which they inflated the campaign’s fundraising numbers for the purpose of misleading the FEC, a national party committee, and the public.
Specifically, the purpose of the scheme was to ensure that the Candidate and his campaign qualified for a program administered by the national party committee, pursuant to which the national party committee would provide financial and logistical support to the Candidate and his campaign committee. To qualify for the program, the Candidate had to demonstrate, among other things, that his congressional campaign had raised at least $250,000 from third-party contributors in a single quarter.
To meet that financial benchmark and to further demonstrate to the national party committee that the congressional candidate’s campaign was financially viable, Marks and the Candidate agreed to falsely report to the FEC that at least 10 family members of Marks and the Candidate had made contributions to the campaign, when Marks and the Candidate both knew that these individuals had not made the reported contributions. In addition, Marks and the Candidate agreed to falsely report to the FEC that the congressional candidate had loaned the campaign significant sums of money, including in one instance a $500,000 loan, when, in fact, the congressional candidate had not made the reported loans and, at the time the loans were reported, did not have the funds necessary to make such loans.
Through the execution of this scheme, Marks and the Candidate ensured that the Candidate met the necessary financial benchmarks to qualify for the program administered by the national party committee. As a result of qualifying for the program, the congressional campaign received financial support.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Public Integrity Section, the Long Island Criminal Division, and the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Ryan Harris, Anthony Bagnuola, and Laura Zuckerwise, along with Trial Attorneys Jacob Steiner and John Taddei, are in charge of the prosecution with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Rachel Friedman. Former Trial Attorney Jolee Porter of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section also provided substantial contributions to the prosecution.
The Defendant:
NANCY MARKS
Age: 58
Shirley, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 23-CR-197 (JS)
Commercial Truck Driver Sentenced to over Two Years in Prison for Cocaine Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Mexican man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for his role in a cocaine trafficking conspiracy.
Gerardo Madrigal Quintero, 25, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper to 29 months in prison and two years of supervised release. On July 11, 2023, Quintero pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine.
In August 2022, an investigation began into a drug trafficking organization based in Mexico that was seeking to set up a cocaine distribution network in the Boston area. The investigation subsequently identified Quintero’s co-defendant, Joel Enrique Armenta Castro, as a member of the organization who came to Boston to facilitate the distribution of multiple kilograms of cocaine. In August 2022, Quintero transported 15 kilograms of cocaine from California to Massachusetts in the back of his tractor trailer. On Aug. 29, 2022, Quintero provided Castro with the cocaine at service plaza on the Massachusetts Turnpike in Ludlow.
On Sept. 28, 2023, Castro was sentenced to four years in prison and two years of supervised release after previously pleading guilty.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alathea E. Porter of the Criminal Division 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 https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Chicago Man Sentenced to Six Years in Federal Prison for $1.5 Million Scheme to Obtain Two Dozen Luxury Vehicles Using Stolen IdentitiesRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS- Alexander Weatherspoon, a/k/a “Tyler Simmons,” 28, of Chicago, Illinois, has been sentenced to 6 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to mail fraud, aggravated identity theft, and making false statements.
According to court documents, from December 2017 to August 2019, Weatherspoon participated in a scheme using other individuals’ names, addresses, Social Security numbers, and dates of birth, to finance luxury vehicles. Weatherspoon was able to obtain four Dodge Charger Hellcats and a Porsche Panamera GTS from dealerships in Miami, Florida, Salt Lake City, Utah, and Jamestown, North Dakota. Once the vehicles were purchased and delivered to Weatherspoon, he defaulted on the loans he took out in other’s names and either kept or sold the vehicles for less than retail value.
On August 27, 2019, FBI agents interviewed Weatherspoon about the scheme. During the interview, Weatherspoon lied to the agents about his identity and falsely stated he purchased one of the vehicles for $25,000. In fact, Weatherspoon used a stolen identity to finance the purchase from a dealer for $56,443.
In total, investigators found that Weatherspoon was responsible for securing $1,450,646 in fraudulent financing for 24 vehicles.
“For nearly two years, this defendant operated a nationwide scam—fleecing car dealerships and damaging the credit and security of innocent identity theft victims,” said U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, Zachary A. Myers. “Identity theft can cause lasting economic harm and shake victims’ sense of security in their financial lives. The defendant compounded his crimes by lying to investigators. This investigation and prosecution demonstrate that the FBI, USPIS, Social Security Administration, and our federal prosecutors will continue to unravel complex financial crimes and work together to hold fraudsters accountable.”
“This sentence clearly demonstrates the severity of the illegal activity the defendant perpetrated all in an effort to enrich himself at the expense of unwitting victims,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Herbert J. Stapleton. “The FBI and our partners will continue to aggressively pursue swindlers who wreak havoc on the lives of others through identity theft.”
“By stealing the identities of consumers to obtain credit lines to purchase expensive vehicles, Mr. Weatherspoon’s criminal actions caused significant financial loss to individuals and businesses, as well as damaged the integrity of the Social Security number,” said Gail S. Ennis, Inspector General for the Social Security Administration. “Identity theft is not victimless, and this sentence holds him accountable for his harmful actions. I thank the FBI and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service for their extensive work in this investigation and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their efforts in prosecuting this case.”
The FBI, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Judge, Richard L. Young. Judge Young also ordered that Weatherspoon be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for 2 years following his release from federal prison and pay $972,591.40 in restitution.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorney MaryAnn Mindrum, who prosecuted this case.
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Charleston Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Taylor Womack, 29, of Charleston, was sentenced today to two years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on September 7, 2020, a law enforcement officer responding to a trespassing call at a St. Albans area business encountered Womack walking nearby. Believing Womack matched a description of the suspect, the officer instructed Womack to stop. Womack continued to walk away from the officer and began shoving his hands down his pants. The officer stopped and searched Womack, finding a loaded FEG Model PA-63 9mm firearm inside one of Womack’s pants legs.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Womack knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony convictions for delivery of a controlled substance and conspiracy to commit delivery of a controlled substance in Wayne County Circuit Court on September 15, 2017, and for daytime burglary by breaking and entering in Kanawha County Circuit Court on October 16, 2014
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office.
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Jonathan T. Storage and Monica D. Coleman 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.
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. 2:23-cr-12.
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Canadian Resident Indicted for Human-Smuggling and Assault ChargesRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont announced that Andres Morales-Murrieta, 30, will be arraigned in the District of Vermont on October 6, 2023. A federal grand jury sitting in Burlington, Vermont returned a two-count indictment this afternoon alleging that Morales-Murrieta brought a migrant without legal status to the United States on September 21, 2023, and that he physically assaulted and resisted a federal agent when confronted. Morales-Murrieta made an initial appearance before United States Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle on a criminal complaint alleging similar charges on September 25, 2023, and he was ordered detained pending further proceedings.
According to court records, United States Border Patrol agents disrupted a human-smuggling event in which Morales-Murrieta led a group of migrants from rural Canada into the United States near Ballard Road in the town of Highgate, Vermont on September 21, 2023. A Border Patrol Agent located the group and watched many of them enter a vehicle at approximately 2:15 a.m. The vehicle departed the area while one man from the group—later identified as Morales-Murrieta, a resident of Montreal, Quebec—stayed behind and began walking north. The agent attempted to reach Morales-Murrieta, but he noticed the agent and ran. Two agents were able to locate Morales-Murrieta shortly thereafter. When they attempted to detain him, Morales-Murrieta physically resisted, tried to escape, and struck one of the agents with his fists and elbows. He was ultimately restrained and arrested by the agents.
The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that an indictment contains allegations only and that Morales-Murietta remains presumed innocent unless and until he is convicted of a crime. As presently charged, Morales-Murietta faces a maximum sentence of 5 years of imprisonment for the human-smuggling offense and a maximum sentence of 8 years of imprisonment for the assault. The actual sentence following any conviction would be determined with reference to Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
U.S. Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest commended the rapid response and efforts of the United States Border Patrol.
The case will be prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew Lasher and Colin Owyang. Morales-Murrieta is represented by Assistant Federal Public Defender Sara Puls, Esq.
Bronx Man Sentenced to 22 Years in Prison for Drug-Related Shooting on Crowded Manhattan SidewalkRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that MICHAEL ROWE, a/k/a “MJ,” was sentenced today to 22 years in prison for shooting another man over a $150 drug debt on a crowded sidewalk in Hell’s Kitchen on April 29, 2023. ROWE was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Denise L. Cote.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Michael Rowe resorted to a reckless act of violence when his victim failed to pay him just $150. Rowe could have taken someone’s life on that crowded sidewalk in Hell’s Kitchen over a trivial drug debt, but fortunately, no bystanders were hurt, and the victim survived his injuries. Thanks to the quick work of our law enforcement partners and the prosecutors of this Office, Rowe now faces prison time for his dangerous behavior.”
According to the Complaint and Information, as well as statements by the Government and defense in connection with the plea and sentencing proceedings in this case:
On or about April 29, 2023, ROWE got into a disagreement with another individual (the “Victim”) on the sidewalk in the vicinity of 650 Ninth Avenue in Manhattan. ROWE had given the Victim a quantity of cocaine base to sell, and the Victim had failed to pay ROWE a debt of $150. After they exchanged words, ROWE brandished a firearm and shot the Victim several times as the Victim stood among other bystanders. ROWE shot the Victim in the leg, among other places, and the Victim was hospitalized with serious physical injuries. Video footage from the scene shows ROWE pointing the gun and shooting the Victim, as others in the area fled for safety.
ROWE (in black) and the Victim (in blue) Arguing
ROWE Shooting the Victim
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ROWE, 23, of the Bronx, New York, pled guilty to possessing ammunition after sustaining three prior felony convictions for violent felonies and serious drug offenses and to conspiring to distribute cocaine base. In addition to the prison term, ROWE was sentenced to five years of supervised release.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI and the NYPD. Mr. Williams also thanks the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives for its assistance in this case.
This case is being handled by the Office's Violent and Organized Crime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Frank Balsamello, Peter Davis, and Jamie Bagliebter are in charge of the prosecution.
Broken Arrow Resident Sentenced for Federal Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Blaine Allen Villines, age 47, of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 30 months imprisonment for Possession of an Unregistered Firearm (Destructive Device).
The charges arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol.
On September 1, 2022, Villines pleaded guilty to one count of Possession of Unregistered Firearm (Destructive Device). At the plea hearing, Villines admitted to possessing two homemade explosive devices on May 8, 2022.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the sentencing hearing. Villines will remain in custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant United States Attorney T. Cameron McEwen represented the United States at the sentencing hearing.
Bridgeton Police Officer Admits Civil Rights ViolationRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A Bridgeton police officer today admitted to violating an individual’s civil rights by using excessive force during an arrest, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
John Grier III, 51, of Cedarville, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Joseph H. Rodriguez in Camden in federal court to a superseding information charging him with one count of violating an individual’s civil rights.
U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger“This defendant admitted he broke his oath as a police officer by violating an arrestee’s civil rights. Those who wear the badge have an obligation to protect the civil rights of everyone in our communities, including those who are accused of a crime. Using pepper spray on a handcuffed suspect who posed no threat was an unreasonable use of force that violated the law. This office will continue to prioritize the protection of the civil rights for all of New Jersey’s people.”
“The public trusts that when we take our oath as law enforcement to serve and protect, we will respect the gravity of our responsibilities,” FBI – Newark Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy said. “When we arrest and take someone into custody, we must ensure their safety, as well as our own. We can do a million things right, but one bad action erodes the faith people place in us."
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Grier was sworn in as a Bridgeton police officer in August 2004. As a police officer, Grier knew that every citizen had the right to be free from unreasonable seizure which includes the right to be free from the use of unreasonable force by a police officer. On June 18, 2017, Grier was working as Bridgeton Police Officer in full uniform. That day Grier was dispatched to the Riggins Gas Station on West Broad Street in Bridgeton, New Jersey, and came into contact with the victim. The victim was arrested for driving while under the influence of alcohol. He was placed in handcuffed by other officers who were on scene, and was not resisting arrest or posing a threat to Grier or any other officers. As another officer walked the victim toward a police vehicle, Grier sprayed the victim, who was still in handcuffs, directly in the face with a crowd control-sized can of oleoresin capsicum (OC) spray. Grier then sprayed the victim a second time while the victim was still in handcuffs.
At today’s plea hearing, Grier agreed that his repeated use of OC spray was unnecessary, unreasonable, and an excessive use of force, in violation of the Fourth Amendment to the Constitution.
The violation of civil rights count carries a maximum penalty of one year in prison and a maximum fine of $100,000. Sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 6, 2024.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Dennehy in Newark, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea. Sellinger also recognized the contributions of the Internal Affairs Unit of the Bridgeton Police Department, under the direction of Chief Michael A. Gaimari Sr.; investigators and detectives of the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office, under the direction of Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin; and the Cumberland County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Jennifer Webb-McCray.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jason M. Richardson and Lindsey Harteis of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Camden.
grier.superseding.pdfBoston Tax Preparer Sentenced for $2 Million Tax FraudRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The owner of a tax preparation business in Jamaica Plain was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for preparing false tax returns for his clients.
Joseph Rodriguez, 73, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to 15 months in prison and one year of supervised release. Rodriguez was also ordered to pay restitution of $110,462. In February 2023, Rodriguez pleaded guilty to one count of aiding or assisting in filing a false tax return.
On numerous occasions between 2014 and 2017, Rodriguez prepared and filed federal income tax returns for clients in which he included inflated and ineligible expenses on his clients’ Schedules A for medical and dental expenses, charitable contributions and unreimbursed employee business expenses. By inflating Schedule A deductions, Rodriguez decreased his clients’ taxable income and effectively increased the clients’ tax refunds. As a result, Rodriguez caused more than $2 million in tax loss to the IRS.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Harry Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen A. Kearney of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit prosecuted the case.
Boston Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Distribute over Five Thousand Fentanyl PillsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Boston man pleaded guilty today to conspiring to distribute thousands of counterfeit prescription pills containing fentanyl.
Alexis Radhames Diaz Tejeda, 45, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl. U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani scheduled sentencing for Jan. 5, 2024. Diaz Tejeda was arrested and charged in July 2022.
On March 7, 2022, during a video-recorded controlled purchase in Dorchester, Diaz Tejeda provided a confidential source with a sample of 15 counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl. On June 1, 2022, Diaz Tejeda again met with the confidential source during a controlled purchase in Lawrence, this time providing 996 fentanyl pills. On July 6, 2022, Diaz Tejeda was arrested in Dorchester while attempting to meet the confidential source to sell another 4,000 fentanyl pills. During a subsequent search of Diaz Tejeda’s Dorchester residence, 4,034 fentanyl pills were found. In total, Diaz Tejeda conspired to distribute approximately 5,500 fentanyl pills to the confidential source.
The charge of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division made the announcement. Special assistance was provided by the Boston Police Department’s Gang Unit and the Massachusetts State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Samuel R. Feldman of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.
Boca Raton sex offender sentenced to 15 years in prison for receiving child pornographyRead the Press Release
MIAMI – On Oct. 4, a registered sex offender was sentenced to 15 years and eight months in prison, followed by 30 years of supervised release, for receipt of child pornography material.
Jerry K. Seal, 60, of Boca Raton, Florida, agreed with a person in the Philippines, through an online networking platform, to send the person money in exchange for a video of a prepubescent child being exposed in a sexual manner. Seal aka Dirty Rook, who is a registered sex offender with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE), received a probationary period in Broward County, Florida, after pleading guilty to possession of child pornography in 2015.
In February 2023, the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) and the Palm Beach Sheriff’s Office (PBSO) conducted a sex offender operation targeting sex offenders in Palm Beach County, Florida. During the operation, an arrest warrant was executed for Seal at his Boca Raton residence for violating his sex offender registration requirements. Florida Department of Corrections (FDC) officers then located a hidden tablet device in Seal’s residence containing a copy of the child's video. In addition, Seal’s online payment provider reported suspicious payment activity to the Philippines connected to Seal's email address.
As part of his sentence, Seal is now also required to register as a federal sex offender.
“The protection of children around the globe is among our nation’s highest obligations. Within our district, the prosecution of those who repeatedly sexually offend children is of the utmost priority,” said U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida. “The sentence announced today reflects the gravity of child pornography offenses. We implore the public to report all suspected child abuse and exploitation to law enforcement, so that we may protect our children from threats from near and afar.”
“The U.S. Marshals Service remains committed to protecting the most vulnerable members of our community through enforcement actions in conjunction with our state and local partners,” said U.S. Marshal Gadyaces S. Serralta of the USMS. “The U.S. Marshals Service would also like to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida and our State and local partners for the successful prosecution of this case.”
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida and U.S. Marshal Gadyaces S. Serralta of the USMS announced the sentence.
USMS, West Palm Beach investigated the case with assistance from PBSO, Sexual Predator Offender Trafficking (SPOT) Unit, and the PBSO, Internet Crimes Against Child (ICAC), and Broward County Sheriff’s Office (BSO), Internet Crimes Against Child (ICAC) Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory Schiller prosecuted 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 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 23-cr-80095.
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Bay Area Couple Pleads Guilty to Defrauding Victims of over Half a MillionRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Kendra Dennaoui, 67, of San Mateo, pleaded guilty today to wire fraud, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, Dennaoui and her spouse Dennis Moore (who has already pleaded guilty to the same charge) defrauded their victims by promising to invest their money into real estate deals, but they actually used the victims’ money to continue their fraud schemes and pay for personal expenses. Dennaoui and Moore misappropriated approximately $516,529 in funds from their victims.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Veronica M.A. Alegría is prosecuting the case.
U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley is scheduled to sentence Moore and Dennaoui on Feb. 29, 2024. Dennaoui and Moore each face a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss. 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.
Atlantic County Man Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Drug Trafficking Conspiracy Involving over 100 Kilograms of CocaineRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – An Atlantic County, New Jersey, man was sentenced today to 60 months in prison for his role in a conspiracy to distribute cocaine, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Lester Santana, 53, of Egg Harbor Township, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Christine P. O’Hearn to an information charging him with one count of conspiracy to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine. Judge O’Hearn imposed the sentence today in Camden federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Santana admitted that on numerous occasions from March 2019 to August 2020, he and his conspirators flew to San Juan, Puerto Rico, on commercial flights from Philadelphia International Airport. Santana and his conspirators purchased multi-kilogram quantities of cocaine from wholesale drug suppliers based in the San Juan area in exchange for cash payments. Santana and the other conspirators then shipped the kilograms of cocaine by overnight delivery from U.S. Post Offices in San Juan to various addresses in Philadelphia and southern New Jersey, including to Santana’s residence. After the cocaine shipments were delivered, a conspirator resold the cocaine to other drug dealers in the Philadelphia area for a profit. Santana admitted that he was jointly responsible for the possession with intent to distribute and distribution of 50 to 150 kilograms of cocaine.
In addition to the prison term, Judge O’Hearn sentenced Santana to five years of supervised release.
Two conspirators in this case, Jose Gonzalez and Iran Soler, both previously pleaded guilty before Judge O’Hearn to conspiring to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine. Gonzalez is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 4, 2024, and Soler is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 6, 2023.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited postal inspectors of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Philadelphia Division, under the direction of Acting Inspector in Charge Christopher A. Nielsen; agents of the U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General, Northeast Area Field Office, under the leadership of Special Agent in Charge Matthew Modafferi; agents assigned to the FBI’s Atlantic City Resident Agency, Newark Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy; agents assigned to the FBI’s Philadelphia Field Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jacqueline Maguire; troopers assigned to the New Jersey State Police Strategic Investigations Unit South, under the direction of Col. Patrick J. Callahan; and officers and detectives of the Philadelphia Police Department, under the direction of Interim Police Commissioner John Stanford, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick C. Askin of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Camden.
Atlanta Resident Supplying Armed Meth, Fentanyl Organization Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. – The supplier of an armed methamphetamine and fentanyl trafficking organization who was providing kilogram quantities of narcotics out of her high-rise condominium located in Atlanta’s Buckhead community pleaded guilty to her crimes today.
Heather Breland, 39, of Atlanta, pleaded guilty to one count of aiding and abetting co-defendant Randall Heath’s possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine before U.S. District Judge Marc T. Treadwell. Breland faces a mandatory minimum of ten years up to a maximum of life in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release and a maximum $10,000,000 fine. Co-defendant Randall Heath, 62, of Macon, pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine today and faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison to be followed by at least three years of supervised release and a maximum $1,000,000 fine. The remaining seven co-defendants indicted in this case have all previously entered guilty pleas:
Raiford Reeves aka “RH,” 43, of Warner Robins, Georgia, pleaded guilty to distribution of methamphetamine and faces a mandatory minimum of ten years imprisonment up to a maximum of life in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release;
Travis Warthen aka “Trap,” 39, of Warner Robins, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and faces a mandatory minimum of ten years up to a maximum of life in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release;
Jeremiah Kaleta, 46, of Warner Robins, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison to be followed by at least three years of supervised release;
Lucretia Snellgrove, 51, of Warner Robins, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison to be followed by at least three years of supervised release;
Kendall Howard, 31, of Centerville, Georgia, pleaded guilty to use of a communication facility to unlawfully conspire to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and faces a maximum sentence of four years in prison to be followed by one year of supervised release;
Kenneth Maddox, 31, of Warner Robins, pleaded guilty to use of a communication facility to unlawfully conspire to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and faces a maximum sentence of four years in prison to be followed by one year of supervised release; and
Luis Acosta, 35, of Centerville, pleaded guilty to use of a communication facility to unlawfully conspire to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and faces a maximum sentence of four years in prison to be followed by one year of supervised release.
Sentencing will occur for all defendants at dates determined by the Court. The defendants are not eligible for parole.
“Heather Breland went to great lengths to evade justice for supplying kilos of deadly narcotics to her network of drug distributors in Central Georgia. Ultimately, she was caught and will now be held accountable for her crimes, along with her co-defendants,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “This case is the result of a lengthy investigation by the Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force, a group of law enforcement agencies working hand-in-hand across the Middle District of Georgia to crack down on criminal organizations doing the most harm in our communities.”
“These violent and dangerous drug traffickers are enriching their lives by profiting off someone else’s pain and addiction,” stated Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division. “These defendants will now face significant federal prison time.”
“Heather Breland and Randall Heath were involved in an organized network designed to peddle poison onto the streets of our community. Most law enforcement agencies don’t have the resources to handle investigations to combat organizations like this one. We are fortunate to have federal, state and local law enforcement agencies in Middle Georgia that recognize the benefit of working together in order to keep our communities safe,” said Peach County Sheriff Terry W. Deese.
“The successful prosecution and disruption of this organization exemplifies what can be done when local, state and federal agencies work together. These efforts have made Warner Robins and Peach County safer. I am extremely proud of the part our officers provided in this case and its outcome,” said Warner Robins Interim Police Chief Roy Whitehead.
According to court documents, DEA agents and local law enforcement investigated co-defendant Reeves’s Warner Robins-based drug trafficking organization between Oct. 2021 and June 2022. Breland—the supplier to the organization—was distributing kilogram quantities of narcotics, primarily methamphetamine and fentanyl, to Reeves out of her condominium located in the Buckhead community in Atlanta. Law enforcement obtained court orders to intercept the phone calls and text messages from cell phones belonging to Breland and Reeves and conducted controlled purchases of methamphetamine from Reeves. Reeves would supply other co-defendants with some of the narcotics to sell. Agents observed Breland travel to Macon to provide narcotics to Reeves; she also had a self-storage unit in Macon on Riverside Drive to store drugs.
Agents learned Breland was planning to provide co-defendant Heath with narcotics. On May 21, 2022, Heath took an airport shuttle service to Atlanta; Breland ordered Heath a ride-hailing service from the shuttle station to her condominium. Heath returned to Macon on the same shuttle service on May 25 and was seen exiting the shuttle station with a suitcase and got into his car. A traffic stop was conducted, and a K9 alerted to the presence of narcotics in the car. Agents found a kilogram of methamphetamine inside his suitcase. On May 26, agents executed a search warrant at a motel Reeves and co-defendant Howard occupied in Warner Robins; Reeves was in the process of flushing methamphetamine down a toilet when agents entered the room. Agents seized methamphetamine, fentanyl, oxycodone, alprazolam, clonazepam, codeine and a 9mm semi-automatic pistol. That same day, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Breland’s condominium. Breland immediately fled in her Range Rover as agents arrived. In her residence, agents seized 3.266 kilograms of pure methamphetamine, 14.72 grams of fentanyl, cocaine, marijuana, a 9mm semi-automatic pistol, a .22 magnum caliber revolver, two cellphones and $78,353 cash. On the same day, agents executed a search warrant at her storage unit in Macon and seized eight pounds of marijuana in a Louis Vuitton duffle bag.
Following the execution of the search warrant, Breland fled to North Carolina, created a fictitious license plate, and changed her hair length and color. She was arrested by U.S. Marshals on Oct. 20, 2022, at a hotel and casino in Biloxi, Mississippi. When she was arrested, she had methamphetamine and ID cards with a similar appearance but false identifying information. Breland has seven prior felony convictions for forgery, possession of methamphetamine, burglary and identity fraud. Co-defendant Reeves has prior convictions for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, felon in possession of a firearm and possession of a firearm during commission of a felony.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the Warner Robins Police Department, the Houston County Sheriff’s Office, the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office and the Peach County Sheriff’s Office with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service.
Deputy Criminal Chief Will Keyes is prosecuting the case.
Alleged Armed Credit Union Robbery Suspect Captured via GPS and ProsecutedRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY – A federal grand jury in Salt Lake City returned an indictment charging a previously convicted felon with armed credit union robbery and firearm charges after he allegedly stole over $3,000.
According to court documents, on September 25, 2023, Robert L. Durazo, 41, of Salt Lake City, robbed Golden West Credit Union, located at 769 E. South Temple Street, in Salt Lake City. Upon entering the credit union, Durazo, wearing a face covering and an orange construction sweatshirt, brandished a Glock 19 handgun, and pointed the firearm directly at four employees. Durazo instructed the employees to move backwards and demanded money from three separate tills. Durazo collected the cash and fled the scene. Each of the three tills contained a GPS tracking device inside of the stolen money.
The GPS devices were monitored remotely and a Volvo, later identified as registered to Durazo, was tracked to a Chevron gas station in North Salt Lake City, Utah. The responding officer observed a male across the street from the Chevron, later identified as Durazo, digging into a garden. Officers recovered a large sum of money, three tracking devices and a Costco receipt buried in the garden. The Costco membership number on the receipt was later confirmed to belong to Durazo. Officers located the Volvo registered to Durazo parked at the Commons on 2nd apartment complex located in South Salt Lake City.
Pursuant to a search warrant for Durazo’s apartment, officers recovered over $2,000 in cash and a black Glock 19 handgun, which resembles the same gun used in the robbery. Durazo was arrested and an additional $151 in cash was found on him.
Durazo is charged with armed credit union robbery, using, carrying and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, and felon in possession of a firearm. Durazo is scheduled for his initial court appearance on Oct. 5, 2023, at 1:30 p.m. in courtroom 8.4 before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.
U.S. Attorney, Trina A. Higgins, of the District of Utah made the announcement.
An FBI Task Force Officer with the Salt Lake City Police Department is investigating the case. Assistant United States Attorney Carlos A. Esqueda for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Albuquerque Man Sentenced to 6 Months for AssaultRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office, announced that Vance Andres Raymond was sentenced to 6 months. Raymond, 27, of Albuquerque, and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, pled guilty in federal court on Aug. 17, 2021, to one count of assault resulting in serious bodily injury in Indian Country.
According to court records, on April 10, 2018, assaulted Jane Doe by grabbing her arm, resulting in serious injury.
Upon his release from prison, Raymond will be subject to 3 years of supervised release.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Fred J. Federici is prosecuting the case.
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15 Defendants Indicted in Connection with Lawrence-Based Drug Trafficking OperationRead the Press Release
CONCORD – 15 defendants have been indicted in connection with a Lawrence-based drug trafficking enterprise, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces.
Over the past day and a half, law enforcement arrested nine of these defendants on conspiracy to distribute controlled substances charges, namely fentanyl and cocaine, while two others were in state custody, serving prison sentences in New Hampshire and Massachusetts.
The defendants are scheduled to appear in federal court at various times this week.
The following defendants have been indicted in connection with these charges:
- Melvin Villar-Lugo, 25, of Lawrence, Massachusetts.
- Felix Manuel Mejia-Gonzalez, 32, of Lawrence, Massachusetts.
- Yonathan Elias Baez-Santos, 22, of Methuen, Massachusetts. Baez-Santos is in custody.
- Elaine Soto-Villar, 25, of Methuen, Massachusetts. Soto-Villar is in custody, serving a Massachusetts state prison sentence for a felony drug conviction.
- Candido Armando Diaz-Fernandez, 30, Dedham, Massachusetts. Diaz-Fernandez is in custody.
- Julio Rafael Mejia-Baez, 23, of Boston, Massachusetts. Mejia-Baez is in custody.
- Alexander Lechappelle, 26, of Lawrence, Massachusetts.
- Aaron Loew, 44, of Litteton, New Hampshire. Loew is in custody.
- Benjamin Conkright, 28, of Whitefield, New Hampshire. Conkright is in custody.
- Johnnie Boynton, 51, of Littleton, New Hampshire. Boynton is in custody.
- Anthony Monbleau, 32, of Brookline, New Hampshire. Monbleau is in custody.
- Erika Barlow, 32, of Nashua, New Hampshire. Barlow is in custody.
- Cody Stanford, 29, of Pembroke, New Hampshire. Stanford is in custody, serving a New Hampshire state prison sentence for a felony drug conviction.
- Dylan Painter, 26, of Nashua, New Hampshire. Painter is in custody.
- Benjamin Bryant, 33, of Manchester, New Hampshire. Bryant died on September 16, 2023, three days after the indictment was issued by the Grand Jury.
According to the court documents, the alleged leader of the drug trafficking enterprise used a social media messaging application and other means to coordinate narcotic transactions with customers in New Hampshire via “runners” in Massachusetts, from October 2021 through August 2023. During the investigation, law enforcement seized more than one kilogram of fentanyl. The investigation also involved a review of pertinent text messages over the social media account managed by the drug trafficking enterprise, which showed a total of more than 14 kilograms of fentanyl negotiated with various large-scale drug dealers in New Hampshire and a gun-for-drug trade.
The charge of conspiracy to distribute or possess with intent to distribute controlled substances provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, Manchester District Office Group 2, led the investigation. Valuable assistance was provided by the Nashua Police Department, the Salem Police Department, the New Hampshire State Police, the Whitefield Police Department, the Littleton Police Department, the Methuen Police Department, the Massachusetts State Police and the Lawrence Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cesar Vega and Jarad Hodes are prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. Each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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15 Defendants Indicted in Connection with Lawrence-Based Drug Trafficking OperationRead the Press Release
CONCORD – 15 defendants have been indicted in connection with a Lawrence-based drug trafficking enterprise, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces.
Over the past day and a half, law enforcement arrested nine of these defendants on conspiracy to distribute controlled substances charges, namely fentanyl and cocaine, while two others were in state custody, serving prison sentences in New Hampshire and Massachusetts.
The defendants are scheduled to appear in federal court at various times this week.
The following defendants have been indicted in connection with these charges:
- Melvin Villar-Lugo, 25, of Lawrence, Massachusetts.
- Felix Manuel Mejia-Gonzalez, 32, of Lawrence, Massachusetts.
- Yonathan Elias Baez-Santos, 22, of Methuen, Massachusetts. Baez-Santos is in custody.
- Elaine Soto-Villar, 25, of Methuen, Massachusetts. Soto-Villar is in custody, serving a Massachusetts state prison sentence for a felony drug conviction.
- Candido Armando Diaz-Fernandez, 30, Dedham, Massachusetts. Diaz-Fernandez is in custody.
- Julio Rafael Mejia-Baez, 23, of Boston, Massachusetts. Mejia-Baez is in custody.
- Alexander Lechappelle, 26, of Lawrence, Massachusetts.
- Aaron Loew, 44, of Littleton, New Hampshire. Loew is in custody.
- Benjamin Conkright, 28, of Whitefield, New Hampshire. Conkright is in custody.
- Johnnie Boynton, 51, of Littleton, New Hampshire. Boynton is in custody.
- Anthony Monbleau, 32, of Brookline, New Hampshire. Monbleau is in custody.
- Erika Barlow, 32, of Nashua, New Hampshire. Barlow is in custody.
- Cody Stanford, 29, of Pembroke, New Hampshire. Stanford is in custody, serving a New Hampshire state prison sentence for a felony drug conviction.
- Dylan Painter, 26, of Nashua, New Hampshire. Painter is in custody.
- Benjamin Bryant, 33, of Manchester, New Hampshire. Bryant died on September 16, 2023, three days after the indictment was issued by the Grand Jury.
According to the court documents, the alleged leader of the drug trafficking enterprise used a social media messaging application and other means to coordinate narcotic transactions with customers in New Hampshire via “runners” in Massachusetts, from October 2021 through August 2023. During the investigation, law enforcement seized more than one kilogram of fentanyl. The investigation also involved a review of pertinent text messages over the social media account managed by the drug trafficking enterprise, which showed a total of more than 14 kilograms of fentanyl negotiated with various large-scale drug dealers in New Hampshire and a gun-for-drug trade.
The charge of conspiracy to distribute or possess with intent to distribute controlled substances provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, Manchester District Office Group 2, led the investigation. Valuable assistance was provided by the Nashua Police Department, the Salem Police Department, the New Hampshire State Police, the Whitefield Police Department, the Littleton Police Department, the Methuen Police Department, the Massachusetts State Police and the Lawrence Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cesar Vega and Jarad Hodes are prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. Each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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13 Members and Associates of the “Route Boys” Convicted of Drug Trafficking and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Central Islip, Eric Nunez pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and use of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking activity. Nunez is the last of 13 defendants to plead guilty before United States District Judge Gary R. Brown in connection with a 22-count superseding indictment with charges involving drug distribution, use of firearms, pharmacy burglaries, and ATM thefts.
The defendants are members and associates of a burglary and drug trafficking organization known as the “Route Boys.” The Route Boys committed burglaries of pharmacies and convenience stores in Nassau, Suffolk, Brooklyn, Queens, Westchester and Rockland Counties, as well as in New Jersey and Connecticut from 2020 through June 2022, when they were arrested.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and James Smith, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the guilty pleas.
“With today’s guilty plea, and a dozen others previously, the criminal organization known as the “Route Boys” has been routed for their crime spree targeting local businesses throughout the Tri-State area, distributing drugs stolen from pharmacies and using firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “This Office is working tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to protect local businesses and hold accountable those who endanger our communities with dangerous drugs and guns.”
Mr. Peace thanked the New York City Police Department, Nassau County Police Department, Suffolk County Police Department, Westchester Safe Streets Task Force, Drug Enforcement Administration, Kings County District Attorney’s Office, Queens County District Attorney’s Office, Nassau County District Attorney’s Office, and Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office for their assistance with the investigation.
As alleged in the superseding indictment and other court filings, the Route Boys began committing burglaries in late 2020, breaking into convenience stores, check-cashing businesses, laundromats and restaurants, stealing primarily cash and tobacco products. In addition, the organization often stole free-standing ATMs, forcing them open and stealing the cash from inside the machine, netting them tens of thousands of dollars. They then began targeting small “mom-and-pop” pharmacies throughout the Tri-State area by smashing through windows and stealing controlled substances such as oxycodone and promethazine-codeine cough syrup. They sold these stolen pharmaceuticals, often by advertising on social media immediately after a night of burglaries.
When sentenced, Carlos Acevedo, Ramon Collado, Naresh Deonarrain, the crew’s founder Jason Liriano, Charlie Maisonet, Cavier Nedrick, Eric Nunez, Jose Rosado, Alberto Santiago, and Jeffrey Vargas each face up to life imprisonment. Jonathan Santiago faces a sentence of up to 20 years’ imprisonment, Luis Cerda faces a sentence of up to 10 years’ imprisonment, and Devin Lopez-Dominguez faces a sentence of up to 5 years’ imprisonment.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Long Island Criminal Division. Assistant United States Attorneys Samantha Alessi and Andrew Wenzel are in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendants:
CARLOS ACEVEDO
Age: 26
Brooklyn, New YorkLUIS CERDA
Age: 33
Queens, New YorkRAMON COLLADO
Age: 26
Brooklyn, New YorkNARESH DEONARRAIN
Age: 27
Brooklyn, New YorkJASON LIRIANO
Age: 25
Brooklyn, New YorkDEVIN LOPEZ-DOMINGUEZ
Age: 22
Brooklyn, New YorkCHARLIE MAISONET
Age: 21
Brooklyn, New YorkCAVIER NEDRICK
Age: 26
Hauppauge, New YorkERIC NUNEZ
Age: 26
Brooklyn, New YorkJOSE ROSADO
Age: 30
Queens, New YorkALBERTO SANTIAGO
Age: 27
Queens, New YorkJONATHAN SANTIAGO
Age: 24
Franklin Square, New YorkJEFFREY VARGAS
Age: 23
Brooklyn, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 21-451 (S-3) (GRB)
11 Alleged Fentanyl Traffickers Charged in Amarillo TakedownRead the Press Release
Ten alleged fentanyl traffickers were arrested in Amarillo, Texas on federal drug charges, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton. One additional defendant who was already in state custody has also been charged federally.
During the bust, agents and officers also seized six firearms, hundreds of fake M-30 fentanyl pills and bulk US currency.
The defendants were charged in a seven-count indictment unsealed today. Those charged include:
- Gary Eugene Carlisle, charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl
- Robert Tucker Witt, charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl
- Rebecca Ann Schmitkons, charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl
- Julian Gabriel Apodaca, charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl
- Rachel Lynn Waddell, charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl
- T Blue Bloomer, charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl
- Michael David Winbigler, charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl
- Lucas Paul Blanke, charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl
- Elesaio Ben Guzman Maestas, charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl
- Katherine Valencia-Morales, charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl
- Kylie Nicole James, charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl
“We are tireless in our fight against fentanyl traffickers in the Northern District of Texas and are doing whatever we can to stem the flow of fentanyl into the Amarillo area,” said U.S. Attorney Leigha Simonton. “Each person lost to fentanyl is one person too many. I encourage all parents and guardians to talk with young people about the dangers of taking any pill they get off the street, as it very possibly contains a deadly amount of fentanyl. We are all in this fight together to stop the selling and buying of this deadly drug.”
“Criminal organizations are continuing to flood communities with fentanyl at an alarming rate,” said Eduardo A. Chávez, Special Agent in Charge of DEA Dallas, which covers all operations in Amarillo. “This week, DEA Amarillo worked with our area law enforcement partners to investigate those responsible for selling this poison throughout the region. We will keep going. We will not stop until all members of this criminal organization are held accountable for their actions and to make our neighborhoods safer. The potential for an individual to be harmed by illicit fentanyl is greater today than at any other time in our history, as seven out of ten fake pills contain a potential lethal amount of illicit fentanyl.”
Amarillo Police Chief Martin Birkenfeld states, “We are very thankful for our federal law enforcement partners that work with us on a daily basis to make our city safer. Fentanyl is sickening and killing people in Amarillo and this is unacceptable. We will continue to hold drug dealers accountable and do everything in our power to bring justice to families who are victimized by these potential murderers.”
An indictment is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
If convicted, the defendants face up to 20 years on each count.
The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Amarillo Police Department’s Proactive Criminal Enforcement (PACE) Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Marie Bell is prosecuting the case.
4 October 2023
Wisconsin Contractor & Wife Plead Guilty to Home Improvement Project Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Tyler Hansen, 52, Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Madison to wire fraud and money laundering charges in connection to a contractor fraud scheme he committed throughout Wisconsin. Jennifer Hansen, 43, who is Tyler Hansen’s wife, also pleaded guilty today to money laundering in connection with her participation in the fraud scheme.
Between October 2020 and September 2022, Tyler Hansen operated a home improvement business based in Dane County and Jefferson County that operated under multiple names, including Weathersealed Wisconsin and EcoView Windows of South-Central Wisconsin. At today’s hearing, Tyler Hansen pleaded guilty to engaging in a wire fraud scheme in which he entered into contracts for home improvement projects with customers throughout Wisconsin knowing he did not intend to order supplies for the jobs or otherwise start the projects. The contracts were for various home improvement projects, including windows, sunrooms, bathroom remodels, roofs, and doors. At the time the project contracts were signed, Tyler Hansen and his associates regularly required that the customers pay 50% of the total contract price as a down payment. As part of the plea agreement, Tyler Hansen admitted that he lied to his customers and told them that he used the money from the down payments to purchase building materials for their projects. Instead, Tyler Hansen used the money from the down payments to pay for personal expenses.
Tyler Hansen, along with his wife Jennifer Hansen, also pleaded guilty to participating in a money laundering conspiracy in which they attempted to conceal and disguise the down payment funds by using multiple business and personal bank accounts. The Hansens admitted that they routinely deposited down payment checks from customers into multiple bank accounts at Fort Community Credit Union associated with their business. Once the down payment checks were deposited, the Hansens often transferred the funds to multiple personal accounts at Fort Community Credit Union in order to conceal and disguise the true nature of the funds and to make it more difficult for clients to receive refunds of their down payments.
The maximum penalty for the wire fraud charge is 20 years in prison. The maximum penalty for the money laundering charge is also 20 years in prison. The Court scheduled Tyler Hansen’s sentencing hearing for December 19, 2023 at 1:00 p.m., and Jennifer Hansen’s sentencing hearing for December 13, 2023 at 1:00 p.m.
The charges against the Hansens were a result of an investigation led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, IRS Criminal Investigation, the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, the Walworth County Sheriff’s Office, and with the assistance of law enforcement officers and District Attorneys’ Offices in the following counties in Wisconsin: Richland, Vernon, Grant, Dane, Fond du Lac, Green Lake, Jefferson, Vilas, Walworth, Waukesha, Iowa, Kenosha, Adams, Columbia, Green, Monroe, Rock, Sauk, Winnebago, Sheboygan, Dodge, and Brown. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Wegner is handling the prosecution.
Weaverville, N.C. Man Indicted for Attempted Murder of U.S. Postal Carrier and Related ChargesRead the Press Release
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – A Weaverville, N.C. man has been indicted for the attempted murder of a U.S. Postal Carrier and related charges, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Tommy D. Coke, Inspector In Charge of the Atlanta Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, which oversees Charlotte, joins U.S. Attorney King in making today's announcement.
A federal grand jury sitting in Asheville returned a four-count criminal indictment against Jaden Isaiah Garay, 24, charging him with attempted murder of a United States Postal Service Rural Mail Carrier, carjacking, assault on a mail carrier, and use of a firearm during a crime of violence.
According to allegations in the indictment, on September 5, 2023, in Madison County, Garay unlawfully attempted to kill T.R., a United States Postal Service Rural Mail Carrier. The indictment further alleges that Garay carjacked T.R.’s vehicle, assaulted T.R. while she was performing her official duties, and put the victim’s life in jeopardy using a dangerous weapon. The indictment also alleges that Garay did carry and use a 9mm semiautomatic pistol, and that the firearm discharged during and in relation to crimes of violence, that being attempted murder and carjacking.
A federal arrest warrant has been issued for Garay to appear in federal court in Asheville on the federal charges. Garay is currently in the custody of the Madison County Sheriff’s Office.
The charges against Garay are allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The charge of attempted murder carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. The statutory maximum prison term for the carjacking charge and the assault on a mail carrier charge is 25 years in prison for each offense. The charge of use of a firearm during a crime of violence carries a minimum penalty of 10 years in prison and maximum penalty of life in prison.
In making today's announcement, U.S. Attorney King commended the USPIS, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, the U.S. Marshals Service, the North Carolina Department of Correction K9 Team, the North Carolina Highway Patrol, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, the Burke County Sheriff’s Office, Burke County EMS, Burke County Emergency Management, and Burke County Communications Center, the Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office, the Catawba County Sheriff’s Office, the Madison County Sheriff’s Office, the McDowell County Sheriff’s Office, the Morganton Department of Public Safety, the Marion Police Department, and the Mars Hill Police Department for their investigation of the case and for their invaluable assistance in apprehending Garay. U.S. Attorney King also thanked Madison County District Attorney Seth Banks for his Office’s assistance and coordination with the federal investigation.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville is prosecuting the case.
United States Attorney Martin Estrada Launches Corporate and Securities Fraud Strike ForceRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – United States Attorney Martin Estrada today announced the formation of the Corporate and Securities Fraud Strike Force, a new section that will focus on complex corporate crimes, abuses by company insiders and offenses that impact the nation’s financial system.
Working with authorities at federal law enforcement agencies, the Corporate and Securities Fraud Strike Force is designed to expand and prioritize complex corporate and securities fraud investigations, some of which will involve corporate executives and other individuals involved in criminal conduct. Members of the Strike Force will examine accounting fraud, insider trading, and other matters that can directly impact the financial system and trading markets. The Strike Force will also examine criminal violations of the Bank Secrecy Act, which is designed to combat money laundering and tax evasion.
“Fraud by corporate executives, traders, and other insiders corrodes public trust in our nation’s business institutions and financial system,” said United States Attorney Estrada. “This Strike Force will help focus our efforts on uncovering and punishing corporate malfeasance. Corporate criminals are on notice that my office will not tolerate efforts to deceive and cheat others.”
The Strike Force will be led by Assistant United States Attorney Brett Sagel, a veteran prosecutor with a long track record of successfully handling complex white-collar matters. AUSA Sagel will lead a new section of experienced federal prosecutors.
“Greed in the corporate environment can lead to insider trading, self-dealing and other fraudulent offenses,” said Donald Alway, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office. “The FBI is proud to launch this effort with our federal partners to weed out criminal behavior and protect the investing public by leveling the playing field from Wall Street to Main Street.”
“IRS Criminal Investigation is uniquely suited to be part of the Corporate and Securities Fraud Strike Force,” said Special Agent in Charge Tyler Hatcher, IRS Criminal Investigation, Los Angeles field office. “We have a proven track record of investigating the most complex financial crimes in the world and look forward to continuing our work through our participation in the new Corporate and Securities Fraud Strike Force.”
United States Attorney Estrada today also announced the formation of the Vulnerable Communities Task Force. This Task Force will focus on prioritizing the investigation and prosecution of individuals and entities that prey on communities that typically are less likely to report crimes to law enforcement and historically have had less legal recourse to address the offenders targeting them. These groups may include immigrants and migrant workers defrauded in immigration schemes, indigent individuals reliant on public benefits, the elderly, and those who have been reluctant to seek assistance from government authorities.
“We must be mindful of the greater damage scams and con schemes can have on the most vulnerable in our community,” said United States Attorney Estrada. “Our office must be at the forefront of redressing this harm. Those who prey on the most vulnerable in our communities will be held accountable.”
“HSI is committed to working with our partners to investigate and hold anyone who preys on innocent victims accountable,” said HSI Los Angeles Special Agent in Charge Eddy Wang. “This task force is yet another example of how Los Angeles law enforcement joins together to protect our vulnerable population.”
The Vulnerable Communities Task Force will be comprised of federal prosecutors who will come from sections across the office. The Task Force will be led by Assistant United States Attorney Monica Tait, a veteran prosecutor who recently has been the office’s Elder Justice Program Coordinator.
United States Justice Department Awards over $4.4 Billion to Support Community SafetyRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, VI – The Justice Department’s Office of Justice Programs is awarding more than $4.4 billion to support state, local, and Tribal public safety and community justice activities. The grants will help build community capacity to curb violence, serve victims and youth, and achieve fair outcomes through evidence-based criminal and juvenile justice strategies.
“Everyone in this country deserves to be safe in their communities,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “That is why, in addition to continuing our efforts to identify and prosecute the most violent criminals, the Justice Department is putting every available resource to work to support the efforts of our law enforcement and community partners nationwide. This significant investment will go directly to state and local programs that support the victims of crime, support officer safety and wellness, build the public trust in law enforcement essential to public safety, and help make all of our communities safer.”
The more than 3,700 OJP grants being awarded this fiscal year will support state, local, and community-based efforts and evidence-based interventions that reduce violence, crime, and recidivism while delivering treatment and services to those at-risk of justice system involvement. Funding will expand partnerships between criminal justice professionals and behavioral health experts, help people safely and successfully transition from confinement back to their communities, reach crime victims in underserved areas, steer young people away from justice system contact, improve the management of sex offenders, and support a wide range of research and statistical activities that will help justice system professionals meet community safety challenges.
“I am pleased to announce the U.S. Virgin Islands is receiving $6,677,128 in grants for nine awards from the Justice Department which will further assist the local government in reducing violent crime and expanding services for victims,” U.S. Attorney Delia L. Smith said.
“Across the country, the Justice Department is working side-by-side with our partners in state and local law enforcement to combat violent crime by using our federal resources to amplify their work on the front lines,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco. “The billions of dollars in grants announced today will augment those efforts and the tools law enforcement is using to curb violence, counter deadly drug abuse, and promote safety and public trust. Together with our state and local partners, the Department will continue to do everything we can to protect the communities we all serve.”
“The Department of Justice is investing in community-based approaches to violence prevention, law enforcement health and wellness, Tribal courts, improved services for victims, research and data collection efforts, reentry programs, and much more,” said Associate Attorney
General Vanita Gupta. “The grants announced today further our commitment to working with our state, Tribal, and local partners to increase public safety, build police-community trust, and ensure safe, healthy, and just communities for all.”“Every sector of our society — not only the justice system, but nonprofit and faith-based groups, local leaders, and advocates, and people with lived experience who serve as credible messengers — plays a critical role in ensuring public safety and public health,” said OJP Assistant Attorney General Amy L. Solomon. “The Office of Justice Programs is proud to make these substantial investments in building community infrastructure and supporting communities as co-producers of safety and justice.”
Grants will support five major community safety and justice priorities:
- Awards totaling more than $1 billion will promote safety and strengthen trust, helping communities tackle the proliferation of gun violence in America and restore bonds of trust between community residents and the justice system. Grants will support innovative and evidence-based strategies designed to prevent and reduce violent crime, support the health and safety of law enforcement and public safety professionals, promote rehabilitation and reentry success, and address the rise in hate crimes across the country.
- More than $437 million in grant awards will accelerate justice system reforms designed to achieve equal justice and fair treatment for all. Grants will expand access to services among historically underserved and marginalized communities, reduce counterproductive involvement in the justice system, increase opportunities for diversion, and build pathways to treatment for people with substance use and mental health disorders.
- Over $192 million will improve the fairness and effectiveness of the juvenile justice system by supporting developmentally appropriate and culturally responsive interventions for youth. Funding will ensure that young people are served at home in their communities whenever possible, are equipped to transition to a healthy adulthood free of crime and are protected from violence and abuse.
- More than $1.7 billion will expand access to victim services by investing in programs that provide trauma-informed and culturally responsive services to victims. Funding will support thousands of local victim assistance programs across the country and victim compensation programs in every state and U.S. territory, while helping these programs build their capacity to reach those disproportionately affected by crime and victimization.
- Over $418 million in awards will advance science and innovation to strengthen the base of knowledge that policymakers and practitioners can use to design and deploy effective community safety strategies. Awards will support research and data collection on a wide range of public safety issues, help maintain timely and accurate criminal history records, and improve the capacity of crime labs and forensic analysts to solve crimes, absolve the innocent, and deliver justice to victims.
In addition, OJP will award more than $611 million to continue its support of other previously funded programs and congressionally directed spending. More information about the awards announced today can be found by visiting www.ojp.gov/funding/fy23awards.
U.S. Attorney's Office Observes Domestic Violence Awareness MonthRead the Press Release
BOSTON – October marks the observance of Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM). Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy joins the U.S. Department of Justice in commemorating DVAM, paying tribute to victims and survivors, and saluting the dedication of advocates, service providers, justice professionals, law enforcement officers and first responders who tirelessly work in support of survivors.
“Domestic violence is more prevalent than many realize. According to the CDC, one in four women and one in seven men experience severe physical violence from intimate partners during their lifetime,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Levy. “We want communities to know that the U.S. Attorney’s Office is using all the tools at our disposal to ensure victims and survivors have a viable path to safety and justice. Our office will continue to leverage federal resources to prioritize the prosecution of domestic violence offenders who unlawfully possess firearms, or whose criminal conduct occurs online or crosses state lines.”
Domestic violence, dating violence and intimate partner violence has long-lasting impacts and consequences. Approximately one in four women and one in seven men will experience severe domestic violence in their lifetimes according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates. However, rates are disproportionately higher for American Indian and Alaska Native populations, women of Color, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and two-spirit people and people with disabilities. Domestic violence takes on many forms of abuse that are not limited to physical abuse. DVAM provides an opportunity to spread awareness about domestic violence and encourage everyone to play a role in ending domestic violence.
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, immediate services and shelter information in Massachusetts can be found by calling the statewide toll-free domestic violence SafeLink hotline at 877-785-2020 or by visiting: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/list-of-domestic-violence-services-by-massachusetts-county.
National support is available through the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or Strong Hearts Native Helpline at 1-844-762-8483. To find additional information on local support and resources by state, visit: https://www.justice.gov/ovw/local-resources.
Two California Residents Plead Guilty to Money Laundering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA - Two residents of Santa Ana, California, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of money laundering conspiracy, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
Thien Phuc Tran, age 33, and Ton Huynh Bui, age 30, both of Santa Ana, CA pleaded guilty to One Count before United States District Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that Tran and Bui were part of a wide-ranging criminal conspiracy which had two overall elements – a fraud scheme to deprive victims of money, and then a second scheme to launder the fraudulently obtained funds. Tran and Bui were part of the money laundering scheme. Vulnerable victims all across the United States, often elderly, were convinced through nefarious means, including computer pop-ups followed by telephone calls from co-conspirators operating out of call centers in India to send their money to bank accounts created with stolen Personally Identifiable Information (PII). Typically, the pop up on their computer screen would appear to be from a tech company, such as Microsoft, urging the user to call a number. When the victim called the number, the victim was told that his or her identity had been compromised, and would be convinced to send their money to a particular bank account opened by Tran and Bui with stolen PII . Tran was involved in the laundering of $4,247,973.23 in fraud proceeds. Bui is responsible for a lesser amount: $194,278.45
Judge Ranjan scheduled sentencing for January 24, 2024. The law provides for a total sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine of $500,000 or twice the value of the property involved in the transaction, whichever is greater, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Pending sentencing, the court continued bond for both Tran and Bui.
Assistant United States Attorneys Stephen R. Kaufman and Robert S. Cessar are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Secret Service conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Tran and Bui.
Twice-Convicted Felon Indicted on Drug and Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – A twice federally-convicted man is facing new federal drug trafficking and firearms charges, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Brian Mein, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and Sheriff Lowell S. Griffin of the Henderson County Sheriff's Office join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.
According to court documents and court records, Douglas Aaron Holcomb, 31, of Brevard, N.C., was released from federal custody on June 20, 2023, after serving a term of imprisonment for possession of ammunition by a convicted felon, and he began to serve a term of court-ordered supervised release. The indictment alleges that, on June 27, 2023, in Henderson County, while Holcomb was on supervised release, he possessed with intent to distribute a quantity of methamphetamine. The indictment also alleges that Holcombe illegally possessed a .45 caliber semiautomatic pistol and 51 rounds of ammunition, and that he possessed the firearm and the ammunition in furtherance of his drug trafficking activities.
The charges against Holcomb are allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The charge of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine carries a mandatory minimum prison sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum of life in prison. The charge of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime carries a sentence of at least five years in prison up to life in prison, to be served consecutive to any other sentence imposed. The charge of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison.
In addition to the 2020 federal conviction, Holcomb was convicted in 2016 of federal firearms offenses, that being unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition while being a fugitive from justice, and possession of a firearm and ammunition while being an unlawful user of a controlled substance.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King thanked the ATF and the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office for their investigation of the case.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville is prosecuting the case.