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Wednesday 16 August 2023
Ohio man sentenced for methamphetamine traffickingRead the Press Release
ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA - An Ohio man was sentenced to prison today on federal drug trafficking charges.
Anthony Dwayne Mack, age 42, of Zanesville, Ohio, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. According to court documents and statements made in court, Mack traveled from Ohio to Elkins, supplying methamphetamine to others to sell in the area. During a traffic stop, officers found a large amount of methamphetamine in the car, along with nearly $2,000, a digital scale, and baggies.
In a separate case, William Albert Flinn, Jr., age 44, of Moorefield, West Virginia, pled guilty to a possession with intent to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug crime. According to court documents, Flinn had possessed a large quantity of methamphetamine and a semi-automatic rifle during his drug trafficking crime in Hardy County.
Flinn faces at least 10 years and up to life in prison for the drug charge and faces at least 5 years and up to life in prison for the firearms charge. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Warner prosecuted the cases on behalf of the government.
The Mountain Region Drug Task Force investigated the Mack case. The Potomac Highlands Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated the Flinn case.
U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided over the Mack hearing.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided over the Flinn hearing.
Office on Violence Against Women Director Rosie Hidalgo Visits Oklahoma City and Palomar Family Justice Center to Discuss Local Strategies and Partnerships to Combat Domestic ViolenceRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – Last Friday, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Oklahoma and Palomar, Oklahoma City’s Family Justice Center, welcomed newly appointed Director of the Department of Justice’s Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) Rosie Hidalgo, to discuss the local strategy, partnerships, and ongoing efforts to combat domestic violence in the district.
On July 11, 2023, Director Hidalgo was confirmed in a bipartisan vote by the Senate, making her the first Senate-confirmed director to lead OVW since 2012. (See DOJ Press Release). Hidalgo’s visit to Oklahoma last week included her first site visit in her new role as Director of OVW, including to Palomar. Accompanying her on the visit from OVW were Principal Deputy Director Allison Randall, Chief of Staff Shilesha Bamberg, and Executive Assistant Erica Lee.
“In my recent visit to the Western District of Oklahoma U.S. Attorney’s Office and Palomar: Oklahoma City’s Family Justice Center, I was deeply moved by the stories I heard and the solutions being implemented to address domestic violence,” said Director Rosemarie Hidalgo. “The frontline workers, law enforcement officials, advocates, and community leaders are weaving a tight-knit safety net for survivors, illustrating the power and importance of a coordinated community response. I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to U.S. Attorney Robert Troester for his work through Project Safe Neighborhoods in fostering these partnerships to support survivors, reduce domestic violence, and hold offenders accountable. Also, I am glad to see a robust response through the District’s Operation 922 program to address the increased risks of homicide at the intersection of domestic violence and firearms. The Office on Violence Against Women recognizes the value of such collective action, and we are eager to continue supporting these initiatives alongside the U.S. Attorney's Office and community partners.”
“It is an honor to host Director Hidalgo for one of her first site visits as she leads the Department of Justice’s efforts to reduce gender-based violence, support survivors, and hold perpetrators accountable,” said U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester. “We were delighted to share what is happening here through our local violent crime strategy, Operation 922, and through our many partnerships with police officers, local prosecutors, and non-profit entities working each day to combat the epidemic of domestic violence in Oklahoma. We are confident that through these strategic partnerships, and with the support of the Office on Violence Against Women, we are saving lives."
“Director Hidalgo’s site visit to Palomar illuminates the significance of having coordinated, collaborative services through the Family Justice Center model which provide avenues to simultaneously allow survivors and families to thrive and for partner agencies to focus on offender accountability,” said Palomar Board Chair Tricia Everest. “Palomar, and this coordinated family justice center model, provides more opportunities to break the cycles of violence and move us closer to a community where safety and security are felt by all.”
Topics of discussion included Operation 922, the Western District of Oklahoma’s targeted initiative which prioritizes the prosecution of federal gun crimes connected to domestic violence. Operation 922 is the local implementation of Project Safe Neighborhoods, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Since its launch in March of 2018, Operation 922 has led to the charging of nearly 300 defendants for firearms violations in domestic violence-derived cases. The U.S. Attorney’s Office also introduced a new initiative, Project RAISE UP (Resources and Aid Initiative for Survivors by Effectively Utilizing Partnerships). Project RAISE UP aims to minimize the revictimization of survivors and foster continuity in recovery by connecting survivors with resources and aid to support their unique needs in advance of a defendant’s release from federal prison.
Palomar provided a briefing on how the community came together to launch Palomar six years ago and how the collaborative has grown from 15 original partners to over 40 that are now working together to provide wraparound services to survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, human trafficking, and child and elder abuse. A panel of Palomar partners shared the ways that coordinating services leads to better outcomes for survivors. Additionally, Palomar shared the plans for the new Family Justice Center building to be built as part of MAPS 4.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office was proud to partner with Palomar Board Chair Tricia Everest in coordinating the event. In April 2021, Attorney General Merrick Garland honored Everest with the “Volunteer of the Year Award” for her advocacy on behalf of victims in crime and for her work founding Palomar. (See DOJ Press Release).
Partners participating in the briefing included the United States Marshals Service, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Oklahoma City Police Department, Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Office, Oklahoma County District Attorney’s Office, YWCA, and Oklahoma County District Court.
North Carolina Man Sentenced to 168 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
SOUTH BEND – Keith Wigfall, 57 years old, of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Damon R. Leichty on his plea of guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.
Wigfall was sentenced to 168 months in prison followed by 5 years of supervised release.
According to documents in this case, in January 2021, law enforcement executed a traffic stop of a vehicle Wigfall was driving and recovered $47,500 in cash as well as controlled substances. A search of his residence resulted in the seizure of over 1.5 kilograms of methamphetamine, 9.5 kilograms of marijuana, fentanyl, cocaine, morphine, 9 other types of controlled substances, 3 firearms, and $30,000 cash.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration with the assistance of the South Bend Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Molly E. Donnelly and former AUSA Frank E. Schaffer.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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Nigerian National Convicted in Federal Court of Conspiracy to Launder Proceeds of Internet Fraud SchemesRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, Del. – David C. Weiss, U.S. Attorney for the District of Delaware, announced today that Olugbenga Lawal, previously of Indianapolis, Indiana, was convicted on August 10, 2023, of Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering following a 4-day federal trial.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Lawal was a member of a Nigerian-based criminal organization that victimized individuals and businesses across the United States through internet-based fraud schemes, including romance fraud and business email compromises, and laundered the proceeds of those fraud schemes. The criminal organization frequently targeted elderly victims who believed they had fallen in love with people they met on the internet.
Lawal opened multiple bank accounts in his own name and the name of a purported business entity for the purpose of receiving the illegal proceeds his co-conspirators generated through internet fraud. Lawal received fraud proceeds both from individuals directly victimized by the criminal organization and from other money launderers working on behalf of the criminal organization. Lawal used those fraud proceeds to buy cars that would be shipped to Nigeria to be sold.
Between January 2019 and June 2020, bank accounts used by Lawal and his co-conspirators to launder money on behalf of the criminal organization received over $7 million. Most of that money was traced directly to individuals and businesses defrauded over the internet by Lawal’s co-conspirators in the criminal organization.
U.S. Attorney Weiss stated, “The online fraud schemes perpetrated by Mr. Lawal and his co-conspirators drained senior citizens of their retirement savings and resulted in American businesses losing hundreds of thousands of dollars. My office and our law enforcement partners will continue to investigate and prosecute those who enrich themselves and their criminal partners through online fraud schemes at the expense of hardworking Americans.”
“Lawal shamefully helped organize and execute this extensive scheme that took advantage of our senior citizens and hurt American businesses,” said Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the FBI’s Baltimore Field Office. “The FBI urges Americans to learn how to identify romance scams as well as business email compromise schemes which have increased dramatically in recent years.”
As a result of his conviction, Lawal faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison; three years of supervised release; a fine of $500,000, or twice the value of the criminally derived property, whichever is greater; forfeiture; and restitution. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence and restitution amount after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This case was investigated by FBI Baltimore Field Office’s Wilmington Resident Agency with assistance from the FBI Indianapolis Field Office. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jesse Wenger and Meredith Ruggles of the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware; Trial Attorneys Mary K. Daly and Michael Grady of the U.S. Department of Justice Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section; and former Trial Attorney Madeleine Case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the District of Delaware or on PACER by searching for Case No. 22-cr-11-MN.
New Orleans Man Sentenced for Violating Federal Gun Control ActRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that MICHAEL CRAWFORD, age 27, from New Orleans, Louisiana, was sentenced yesterday in United States District Court on one count of Possession of a Firearm After a Felony Conviction, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2).
According to court documents, CRAWFORD exchanged gunfire with an individual at the intersection of Chef Menteur Highway and Louisa Street and sustained gunshot wounds. Moments later, law enforcement encountered CRAWFORD in possession of a firearm that matched ballistics to the scene of the shooting. CRAWFORD was prohibited from firearm possession because he had been previously convicted of Possession of Tramadol in 2019.
U.S. District Court Judge Darrel James Papillion sentenced CRAWFORD to serve 86 months in prison, to be followed by three (3) years of supervised release. Judge Papillion also imposed a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00.
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.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the New Orleans Police Department in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Maria Carboni of the Financial Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
New Orleans Man Sentenced for Federal Gun and Drug OffensesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – LANCE STEVENS, age 27, of New Orleans, Louisiana was sentenced on August 15, 2023 after pleading guilty to a six-count indictment charging him with federal firearm and drug trafficking offenses.
United States District Court Chief Judge Nannette Jolivette Brown sentenced STEVENS to 132 months of imprisonment after granting his motion for a downward variance from the United States Sentencing Guidelines. Chief Judge Brown also sentenced STEVENS to serve 3 years of supervised release following his imprisonment and to pay $600 in mandatory special assessment fees.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney David Berman of the Violent Crimes Unit handled the prosecution.
New Bedford Man Sentenced for Fentanyl DistributionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A New Bedford man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for fentanyl distribution charges.
Hector Diaz, 45, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV to two years in prison and three years of supervised release. In May 2023, Diaz pleaded guilty to two counts of distributing and possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl.
On two occasions between December 2020 and January 2021, Diaz distributed and possessed with intent to distribute fentanyl in the New Bedford area.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Hoefle of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit prosecuted the case.
Muskegon Man Sentenced to 100 Months for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten today announced that U.S. District Judge Robert J. Jonker sentenced Jemarion Trevon Flowers to 100 months in prison for trafficking methamphetamine and fentanyl.
“Disrupting drug trafficking rings and ridding our streets of illegal drugs is a priority for my office,” said U.S. Attorney Totten. “I applaud our federal, state, local, and multi-jurisdictional teams for their work investigating these types of crimes and helping keep our communities safe.”
Flowers sold half-pound to pound quantities of methamphetamine and lesser quantities of fentanyl to an undercover police officer on four separate occasions between November 2022 and January 2023. The undercover officer posed as a downstream dealer that was sourcing the Traverse City and surrounding areas. In the midst of the investigation, on December 6, 2022, the Muskegon Police Department arrested Flowers while responding to a shots-fired incident. Police found Flowers in a vehicle near the shots-fired incident in possession of a loaded, stolen Glock pistol with an extended magazine and quantities of fentanyl and methamphetamine. The court held Flowers responsible for possessing the firearm during drug trafficking when sentencing him.
“The Traverse Narcotics Team (TNT) focuses on those individuals who travel to our area and deal drugs to members of our communities. These dealers prey on addicts in our community,” said TNT D/Sgt. Olivia Whetstone. “We make it a mission to seek prosecution on the dealers to keep our residents safe and to thwart the fentanyl epidemic that is ongoing in our country. This case is an excellent example of state, federal, and local agencies working together to present a case to the U.S. Attorney’s Office and getting successful prosecution. TNT will continue to target dealers who come to our area and this sentencing sends a message to others who plan to do the same as Mr. Flowers did.”
“Drugs like fentanyl and methamphetamine have devastated communities in Michigan,” said HSI Detroit Special Agent in Charge Angie M. Salazar. “This case demonstrates our steadfast commitment to work with our partners at every level to keep these drugs off our streets and hold drug traffickers accountable for the damage they have done.”
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Michigan State Police (MSP), and Muskegon Police Department participated in the investigation with critical contributions from the Strike Team Investigative Narcotics Group (STING), Traverse Narcotics Team (TNT) and the West Michigan Enforcement Team (WEMET). Assistant United States Attorney Joel S. Fauson prosecuted the case.
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Mobridge Man Sentenced for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled SubstanceRead the Press Release
ABERDEEN - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Charles B. Kornmann has sentenced a Mobridge, South Dakota, man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencing took place on August 14, 2023.
Dana Aman, age 54, was sentenced to two and a half years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, a $1,000 fine, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
Aman was indicted by a federal grand jury in October of 2022. He pleaded guilty on May 4, 2023.
The conviction stemmed from an investigation that began when postal inspectors in South Dakota were notified that an international package had been intercepted by U.S. Customs and Border Patrol. The package originated in Navi Mumbai, India, and was addressed to Aman in Mobridge. The parcel was found to contain 50 boxes of silver blister packs containing orange pills, but labeled “Tapentadol Tablets 100 mg” for a total of 5,000 tablets. Tapentadol is a Schedule II controlled substance. During the course of the investigation Aman admitted that he would receive multiple pill packages, containing thousands of pills, from the source in India and then repackage and mail the pills to various individuals across the United States.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspector and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan N. Dilges prosecuted the case.
Aman was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Mission Man Sentenced for Failure to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced a Mission, South Dakota, man convicted of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. The sentencing took place on August 14, 2023.
James Peneaux, age 56, was sentenced to 15 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Peneaux was indicted for Failure to Register as a Sex Offender by a federal grand jury in January of 2023. He pleaded guilty on May 18, 2023.
Peneaux was convicted of Sexual Contact with a Child Under the Age of 16 in Davison County, South Dakota, in 1989. As a result of this conviction, Peneaux is required to register quarterly and within three business days of a change in residence, employment, or education status. In March of 2020, Peneaux relocated from Sioux Falls to Mission. Peneaux initially complied with his registration requirements but failed to complete any registration after December of 2020. Investigation revealed that Peneaux was no longer residing at his registered address and his whereabouts were unknown until his arrest in December of 2022.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service and the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Abby Roesler prosecuted the case.
Peneaux was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Millsboro Man Sentenced to 87 Months in Prison for Possession of Molotov CocktailRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, Del. – David C. Weiss, U.S. Attorney for the District of Delaware, announced that a Millsboro man was sentenced yesterday to 87 months in federal prison for possessing a destructive device known as a “Molotov Cocktail.” The Honorable Richard G. Andrews pronounced the sentence.
According to court documents, Job Gillette, 25, amassed seventeen Molotov Cocktails, additional raw materials, an AK-47 semi-automatic rifle, ammunition, and a ballistic vest, which he was keeping in a shed outside the group home where he lived. Gillette had taken measures to maximize the harmful impact of his weapons, including adding Styrofoam to his Molotov Cocktails in an effort to “help the burning liquid adhere to the target and create clouds of thick, choking smoke,” as well as adding screws and nails to increase their destructive impact.
Gillette had threatened to “blow up or burn down” the group home where he lived. He also believed in the New World Order, a conspiratorial idea that powerful entities are manipulating governments to create a one-world totalitarian government.
U.S. Attorney Weiss stated, “Had Mr. Gillette been able to follow through with his plot, the impact could have been devastating for the group home and its residents. I wish to commend federal, state and local law enforcement for working together to thwart Mr. Gillette’s criminal plans. This sentence should serve as a deterrent for anyone considering this similar violent conduct.”
“The FBI works tirelessly every day to protect the American people and remains vigilant in our efforts to detect and assess threats of violence,” said Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the FBI’s Baltimore Field Office. “We will continue to partner with our local and state law enforcement to be ready to respond to any threats that arise and keep our communities safe.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Carly A. Hudson and former District of Delaware Assistant U.S. Attorney Ruth Mandelbaum prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the FBI Wilmington Resident Agency, with substantial assistance from HSI Wilmington and the Delaware State Police and Delaware State Fire Marshals.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the District of Delaware or on PACER.
Michigan Man Sentenced to Prison for Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Terry Dwayne Jones, 34, of Macomb, Michigan, was sentenced today to four years and nine months in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 15, 2022, law enforcement officers conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle driven by Jones on Interstate 77 near Ripley. Officers searched the vehicle and found one bottle of pills in the glove compartment and a second bottle of pills in the trunk. The West Virginia State Police Forensic Laboratory confirmed that the nearly 1,000 pills found inside the two bottles contained a total of approximately 106 grams of fentanyl. The pills were mislabeled as Percocet rather than fentanyl. Jones admitted that he possessed the pills, knew they contained a controlled substance, and planned to distribute them.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department.
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Nowles Heinrich prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-cr-137.
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Mexican national heads to prison for trafficking narcotics in batteriesRead the Press Release
BROWNSVILLE, Texas – A 40-year-old man illegally residing in Edinburg has been ordered to federal prison following his conviction of trafficking meth, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Pedro Castillo-Lopez pleaded guilty March 9 to possession with intent to distribute approximately 31.83 pounds of meth.
U.S. District Judge Rolando Olvera has now ordered Castillo-Lopez to serve 96 months in federal prison. Not a U.S. citizen, Castillo-Lopez is expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment. In handing down the sentence, the court noted Castillo-Lopez will now have a felony conviction for and could spend the rest of his life in prison if he commits another felony or drug crime.
On Oct. 26, 2021, law enforcement observed Pedro Castillo-Lopez arrive at a hardware store parking lot located in Harlingen. Castillo approached another vehicle and transferred two commercial vehicle batteries from his vehicle to that one.
Authorities were able to confiscate the batteries. They broke one open and found what tested positive for the characteristics of heroin and meth. Further analysis later confirmed both drugs.
Castillo-Lopez had been previously removed from the country and did not have lawful presence in the United States. He has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Coronado prosecuted the case.
Mexican National Illegally Residing in Lexington Sentenced to 372 Months for Role in Money Laundering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. — A Mexican national, illegally residing in Lexington, Luis Lara-Garcia, 25, was sentenced on Tuesday to 372 months in federal prison, by Chief U.S. District Judge Danny Reeves, for one count of conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and five kilograms of cocaine, one count of distribution of 400 grams or more of fentanyl and 500 grams or more of cocaine, one count of possession of firearm by an alien, one count of conspiracy to launder drug proceeds, and one count of illegal re-entry into the United States.
According to his plea agreement, Lara-Garcia admitted to knowingly and voluntarily participating in a conspiracy to distribute large quantities of fentanyl and cocaine in the Eastern District of Kentucky. After the controlled substances were distributed, Lara-Garcia and other conspirators would collect the proceeds of the drug sales, count and package the money, and then conduct financial transactions with the money, by delivering the packages to couriers for the larger drug trafficking organization. Lara-Garcia also admitted that he is an alien, a native and citizen of Mexico, and has no legal status in the United States.
During the investigation, DEA agents seized 7 kilograms of fentanyl, 2 kilograms of cocaine, 6 firearms and approximately $650,000 in cash drug proceeds.
In all, eleven defendants were charged in the drug or money laundering conspiracies. Seven pled guilty, including Demarkus Nemetz, who was sentenced, in July 2023, to 294 months in prison. Humberto Saucedo-Salgado, of Lexington, was sentenced to 97 months and Eduardo Hernandez Alfaro, also of Lexington, was sentenced to 78 months. Three defendants proceeded to trial, in April 2023, and were found guilty of conspiracy to launder drug proceeds and promotional money laundering. Tawsif Mohamed Tajwar was sentenced, in July 2023, to 90 months in prison. Two remaining defendants, who were convicted at trial, are pending sentencing.
Under federal law, Lara-Garcia must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for five years. Lara-Garcia was also ordered to pay a money judgement of $400,000 and to forfeit approximately $650,000 and four firearms.
Carlton S. Shier IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, and J. Todd Scott, Special Agent in Charge, DEA, Louisville Field Division, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the DEA. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd Bradbury.
This case 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.
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Member of Violent Bridgeport Gang Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
AMIRE NEWSOME, also known as “Mire,” 20, of Bridgeport, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to a racketeering offense stemming from his involvement in a violent Bridgeport street gang.
Today’s announcement was made by Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut; Joseph T. Corradino, State’s Attorney for the Fairfield Judicial District; Bridgeport Police Chief Roderick Porter; Robert Fuller, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England, and Acting U.S. Marshal Lawrence Bobnick.
According to court documents and statements made in court, the FBI, ATF, DEA, U.S. Marshals Service, Connecticut State Police and Bridgeport Police have been investigating multiple Bridgeport-based gangs whose members are involved in narcotics trafficking, murder and other acts of violence. Newsome was a member of the Original North End (“O.N.E.”), a gang based in the Trumbull Gardens area of Bridgeport that committed acts of violence against rival gangs, including the East End gang, the East Side gang, and the PT Barnum gang. O.N.E. members also robbed drug dealers, customers and others, sold narcotics, and stole cars from inside and outside Connecticut, often using the cars to commit crimes. They frequently used social media to promote and coordinate their criminal activities.
Analysis of numerous social media posts and text messages revealed that Newsome possessed firearms, including firearms with extended magazines, and that he sold a variety of drugs. He also participated with other O.N.E. members in the theft and possession of stolen vehicles, some of which were used to commit gang-related shootings.
The investigation also revealed that on March 25, 2020, Newsome and O.N.E. member Tyiese Warren stole a car that was in front of the Citgo 6M Service Station and Quik Mart located at 2000 Barnum Avenue in Stratford. During the theft, they dragged the car’s driver, who was trying to stop the theft and was hanging onto the car, several hundred yards before he let go. Warren and Newsome then engaged in a carjacking involving a Toyota Corolla in Bridgeport, holding the owner at gunpoint and ultimately driving away in the car. Minutes later, Warren and Newsome committed a gunpoint robbery of the Citgo in Stratford, taking cash from the store and a cellphone from a store employee.
On March 7, 2021, Newsome and O.N.E. members were involved in a shooting of the mother of an East End gang member.
Newsome has been detained since his arrest on August 10, 2021.
Newsome pleaded guilty to one count of racketeering conspiracy, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. A sentencing date is not scheduled.
Warren pleaded guilty to the same charge. On March 9, 2022, he was sentenced to 40 years of imprisonment.
This investigation is being conducted by the FBI’s Safe Streets and Violent Crimes Task Forces, ATF, DEA, U.S. Marshals Service, Bridgeport Police Department, Connecticut State Police and the Bridgeport State’s Attorney’s Office, with the assistance of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Connecticut Forensic Science Laboratory and the Naugatuck Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Karen L. Peck, Tara E. Levens, Patrick J. Doherty, Rahul Kale, and Jocelyn C. Kaoutzanis.
This prosecution is a part of the Justice’s Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), Project Longevity and Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) programs.
PSN is 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.
Project Longevity is a comprehensive initiative to reduce gun violence in Connecticut’s major cities. Through Project Longevity, community members and law enforcement directly engage with members of groups that are prone to commit violence and deliver a community message against violence, a law enforcement message about the consequences of further violence and an offer of help for those who want it. If a group member elects to engage in gun violence, the focused attention of federal, state, and local law enforcement will be directed at that entire group.
OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Maryland Man Sentenced to 96 Months in Federal Prison for Felon in Possession of FirearmsRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, Del. – David C. Weiss, U.S. Attorney for the District of Delaware, announced that Wilbert Wilson, age 34 of Wilmington, was sentenced yesterday to 96 months in prison for one count of felon in possession of a firearm. U.S. District Maryellen Norieka pronounced the sentence.
According to court documents, on November 31, 2021, Wilson, a previously convicted felon and Megan’s Law registrant, delivered a handgun and drum kit with 20 rounds of ammunition to a confidential human source in exchange for $600. Following the firearm transaction, Wilson attempted to arrange the delivery of methamphetamine to the confidential human source but was unsuccessful.
U.S. Attorney Weiss stated, “Firearms offenses are a serious threat to our community’s safety. This office and our local and federal law enforcement partners work diligently to investigate and prosecute those who illegally sell firearms in our state. This sentence serves as a warning to anyone who unlawfully transfers firearms.”
“The sentence imposed should send a clear message that the FBI and our partners will not tolerate this type of illegal activity,” said Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the FBI’s Baltimore Field Office. “We will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to stop the flow of drugs into our neighborhoods and keep firearms out of the hands of those prohibited from being able to possess them.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin P. Pierce prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the FBI's Delaware Violent Crime and Safe Streets Task Force.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the District of Delaware or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:22-cr-81.
Man Sentenced for Producing Child Sexual Abuse Material of Approximately 72 VictimsRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Manassas man was sentenced today to 16 years in prison for the sexual exploitation of children and receipt of child sexual abuse material.
According to court documents, Anthony Benton, 21, initially came to the attention of law enforcement when he bought child sexual abuse material, including videos depicting the sexual abuse of children who appear to be as young as 5 years old, over Telegram. A residential search warrant was executed at his home and law enforcement discovered that Benton had used Omegle, a live video application, to consistently produce child pornography since 2020.
Benton engaged in sexual live video calls with approximately 1,000 girls ranging in age from 7 to 17 years old. He screen-recorded and saved approximately 72 of those videos without the minor victims knowing. Within these videos, Benton can be seen texting a 10-year-old minor, deceiving her by saying he was 15 years old and then, when she revealed her age, promising their sexual conversation was, “[J]ust between us.”
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Derek W. Gordon, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C., made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Anthony J. Trenga.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney McKenzie Hightower and Trial Attorney for the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:23-cr-87.
Man Sentenced for Producing Child Sexual Abuse Material of Approximately 72 VictimsRead the Press Release
A Virginia man was sentenced today to 16 years in prison for the sexual exploitation of children and receipt of child sexual abuse material.
According to court documents, Anthony Benton, 21, formerly of Manassas, came to the attention of law enforcement when he bought child sexual abuse material, including videos depicting the sexual abuse of children who appear to be as young as 5 years old, over Telegram. Law enforcement executed a search warrant at his home and discovered that Benton had used Omegle, a live-streaming video application, to regularly produce child sexual abuse material for about three years beginning in 2020. Benton engaged in sexual conversations in live video calls with approximately 1,000 girls ranging in age from 7 to 17 years old. In some of those calls, he enticed the girls to engage in sexually explicit conduct. He screen-recorded and saved approximately 72 videos without the minor victims’ knowledge. One of the videos shows Benton texting a 10-year-old minor to deceive her into believing that he was 15 years old. When she revealed her age, Benton promised their conversation was “just between us.”
Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Aber for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Special Agent in Charge Derek W. Gordon of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C., made the announcement.
HSI investigated the case.
Trial Attorney McKenzie Hightower of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Justice Department. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Man Pleads Guilty to Illegal Reentry into the United StatesRead the Press Release
CONCORD – A man pleaded guilty in federal court in connection to his illegal reentry into the United States after being deported twice, United States Attorney Jane E. Young announces.
Luis Aragon-Lara, 40, pleaded guilty to one count of reentry after deportation. U.S. District Court Judge Steven J. McAuliffe scheduled sentencing for November 28, 2023. Lara was indicted by a federal grand jury on March 29, 2023.
On October 26, 2022, the Keene Police Department arrested the defendant in connection with the passing of counterfeit currency at retail stores in the area. A subsequent investigation revealed that the defendant was again illegally in the United States, after having been previously deported on or about June 9, 2009 and April 3, 2020.
The charging statute provides a sentence of no greater than 10 years in prison, 3 years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
The Keene Police Department and the Immigration and Customs Enforcement led the investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey W.R. Ward.
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Luzerne County Man Indicted for Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that a federal grand jury in Scranton has indicted a Wilkes-Barre, Luzerne County, man for bank robbery.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that on July 14, 2023, Damen Drakeford, age 29, committed a robbery of the M&T Bank located at 900 North Ninth Street in Stroud Township, Monroe County.
The charges against the defendant resulted from an investigation conducted by the Stroud Area Regional Police Department, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the FBI Safe Streets Task Force. Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. O’Hara is prosecuting the case.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Under federal law, Drakeford faces a maximum sentence of up to twenty years in prison, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.
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Louisville Man Sentenced to over 9 Years in Federal Prison for Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – A Louisville man was sentenced yesterday to 9 years and 7 months in prison after having been convicted by a jury in November 2022 of two counts of being a convicted felon in possession of firearms and one count of receiving a firearm while under felony indictment.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Jodi Cohen of the FBI Louisville Field Office, Special Agent in Charge R. Shawn Morrow of the ATF Louisville Field Division, and Chief Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel of the Louisville Metro Police Department made the announcement.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Antonio D. Williamson¸ 35, received a CZ-USA Scorpion Evo 3 9mm handgun in February 2020 from an individual. On May 22, 2021, Williamson was in possession of this handgun, and was captured on surveillance video at a local restaurant drive-thru pointing it at another person while he was driving a stolen vehicle. In September 2021 law enforcement executed a search warrant at Williamson’s residence where they located and seized additional ammunition and firearms, including a Romarm/Cugir, 7.62 caliber rifle, an American Tactical M1911, .45 caliber pistol, and an Eagle Arms, 5.56 caliber rifle. Williamson was prohibited from possessing a firearm because he had previously been convicted of two felony burglary charges in Jefferson Circuit Court in December 2008. He was also under indictment beginning in 2019 in Jefferson Circuit Court on multiple felony charges, including being a persistent felony offender. Williamson was released on bond for the 2019 indictment when he received the 9mm handgun in February 2020.
Following the 9-year and 7-month prison sentence, Williamson was ordered to serve 3 years of supervised release. He was also fined $25,000. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Strategic enforcement is a core principle of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN),” stated U.S. Attorney Bennett. “We will continue to execute targeted enforcement efforts in partnership with our federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies as we work to make communities throughout the Western District safer for all.”
“Mr. Williamson is a persistent re-offender who will now spend a significant amount of time behind bars,” stated FBI Special Agent in Charge Cohen. “Keeping firearms out of the hands of convicted felons is critical to keeping our communities safe, and the FBI will stop at nothing to do so.”
This case was investigated by the FBI, the ATF, and the Louisville Metro Police Department with assistance by the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua Judd and Christopher Tieke 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.
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Louisville Man Sentenced to over 8 Years in Federal Prison for Distributing FentanylRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – A Louisville man was sentenced yesterday to 8 years and 4 months in federal prison for two counts of distributing fentanyl.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Jodi Cohen of the FBI Louisville Field Office, and Chief Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel of the Louisville Metro Police Department made the announcement.
According to court documents, on September 15 and 22, 2021, Johnny Williams, Jr., 33, distributed 28 grams of a fentanyl mixture. In Jefferson Circuit Court, Williams had previously been convicted of trafficking in a controlled substance in the first degree cocaine on June 5, 2008, in case number 08-CR-32189; trafficking in a controlled substance in the first degree on October 12, 2009, in case number 10-CR-322; and trafficking in a controlled substance first degree cocaine on March 21, 2011, in case number 11-CR-1875.
Following the 8-year and 4-month prison sentence, Williams was ordered to serve 3 years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by the FBI and LMPD.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Josh Porter prosecuted the case.
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Kyle Man Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Jeffrey L. Viken has sentenced a Kyle, South Dakota, man convicted of Voluntary Manslaughter. The sentencing took place on August 14, 2023.
Scotty Old Horse, 28, was sentenced to five years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Old Horse was indicted for Second Degree Murder by a federal grand jury in November of 2022. He pleaded guilty on May 17, 2023.
The conviction stems from Old Horse killing another man on November 2, 2022, at Kyle, when Old Horse struck him with his vehicle.
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in Federal court as opposed to State court.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Lindrooth prosecuted the case.
Old Horse was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
KC Chiefs ‘Superfan’ Indicted for Bank Theft, Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A man popularly known as Kansas City Chiefs superfan “ChiefsAholic” was indicted by a federal grand jury today for robbing several financial institutions and laundering the proceeds through area casinos.
Xaviar Michael Babudar, 29, was charged in a 19-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo. Today’s indictment replaces a federal criminal complaint that was filed against Babudar on May 24, 2023, and includes additional charges.
Babudar, who lived a nomadic existence at various locations around the Kansas City metropolitan area, enjoyed a robust social media presence as Kansas City Chiefs superfan Twitter user @ChiefsAholic, attending most games dressed as a wolf in Chiefs clothing. According to the indictment, Babudar’s ability to attend these games and sustain this lifestyle was funded by his perpetration of a string of bank and credit union robberies throughout 2022. Babudar laundered the robbery proceeds through area casinos, and used the robbery proceeds to attend numerous Chiefs home and away games. He also placed various wagers on the outcomes of Chiefs games. During this time, the indictment says, Babudar did not report any wages earned in the states of Missouri or Kansas.
Today’s indictment charges Babudar with three counts of armed bank robbery, one count of bank theft, 11 counts of money laundering, and four counts of transporting stolen property across state lines.
Babudar allegedly stole $70,000 from the Clive, Iowa, branch of Great Western Bank on March 2, 2022. He then carried this money to Missouri, depositing it in two separate transactions into his personal savings account.
Babudar allegedly stole $170,860 from the Omaha, Nebraska, branch of First National Bank of Omaha on April 28, 2022. Omaha police officers recovered $163,560 following the theft.
Babudar allegedly stole $303,845 from the West Des Moines, Iowa, branch of First Class Community Credit Union on July 13, 2022. In the course of this robbery, Babudar allegedly brandished what appeared to be a silver and black firearm, jumped over the teller counter, and demanded that the bank employees open the bank vault. He carried this money back to Missouri, and the next day deposited $23,000 into his savings account. He used some of the proceeds to make various casino chip purchases over the next three months at casinos in Missouri and Illinois, then cashed out his winnings and deposited them into his savings account.
Babudar allegedly stole $125,900 from the Nashville, Tennessee, branch of The Tennessee Credit Union on Nov. 17, 2022. In the course of this robbery, Babudar allegedly brandished what appeared to be a silver and black firearm, climbed over the teller counter, and demanded that the bank employees take him to the bank vault. A few days later, he used some of the stolen money to purchase $20,000 in casino chips in multiple transactions from a local casino.
Babudar allegedly stole $25,000 from the Clive, Iowa, branch of First Interstate Bank on Nov. 30, 2022. Following two unsuccessful robberies of the Wings Financial Credit Union in Savage, Minn., and the Royal Credit Union in Apple Valley, Minn., on Nov. 29, 2022, the indictment says, Babudar returned to Clive, Iowa. The Great Western Bank that he had robbed on March 2, 2022, had become a branch of First Interstate Bank. In the course of this robbery, Babudar allegedly brandished what appeared to be a silver and black firearm, jumped over the teller counter, and ordered the bank employees at gunpoint to open the bank vault. Babudar then carried the stolen money back to Missouri, where he deposited a portion of it into his personal checking account.
Babudar was charged in Tulsa County, Okla., with the robbery of the Tulsa Teachers Federal Credit Union on Dec. 16, 2022. Babudar was released on bond in February 2023.
Months earlier, the indictment says, Babudar had placed two winning bets at the Argosy Casino in Alton, Ill. On June 10, 2022, Babudar bet $5,000 that Kansas City Chiefs’ quarterback Patrick Mahomes II would win the Most Valuable Player at Super Bowl LVII, which would pay out $45,000 should that occur. Babudar also bet $5,000 that the Kansas City Chiefs would win Super Bowl LVII, which would pay out $55,000 should that occur. When the Kansas City Chiefs won the Super Bowl on Feb. 12, 2023, and Mahomes won the Most Valuable Player award, Babudar won $100,000. Argosy Casino mailed Babudar a $100,000 check in early March 2023.
Days later, the indictment says, Babudar cut his ankle monitor and fled from Oklahoma. Babudar evaded law enforcement until his arrest in Sacramento on July 7, 2023. He remains detained in federal custody without bond.
Following Babudar’s arrest in Oklahoma last December, FBI investigators began reviewing bank records, casino transaction records, and sensitive financial reporting to determine the breadth and scope of additional potential criminal activities. According to the affidavit filed in support of the original criminal complaint, Babudar purchased and redeemed more than $1 million in chips from various casinos in Missouri, Kansas, and Illinois between April and December 2022. Investigators also reviewed previously unsolved bank robberies throughout the Midwest during that time frame. Babudar’s cell phone was placed in the same cities and locations for these previously unsolved bank robberies and attempted robberies, the affidavit says.
The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patrick D. Daly and Stephanie C. Bradshaw. It was investigated by the FBI. The Placer County, Calif., Sheriff’s Department and the Lincoln, Calif., Police Department assisted in the arrest.
Jenison Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten today announced that Michael John Batt, age 36, of Jenison, Michigan, was sentenced to 30 years in prison for creating and distributing pornographic images of a three-year-old child he abused. In imposing the maximum permitted sentence, U.S. District Court Judge Janet T. Neff emphasized the “abhorrent” nature of Batt’s offense, as well as his “extensive collection” of child sexual abuse material. Batt will be on supervised release for 10 years when he gets out of prison, and was also ordered to pay $19,000 in restitution to victims depicted in his child pornography stockpile and over $15,000 in special assessments.
“It is difficult to imagine a crime more heinous than the sexual abuse of a child,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten. “These are among the most sensitive and serious cases my office takes, and we will continue to prioritize finding and prosecuting child sexual predators.”
Batt was caught after creating child pornography and sending five pornographic images to an undercover police officer. Leading up to his sentencing, Batt admitted the “egregious” nature of his conduct and that his victims would “never fully heal.” Batt also acknowledged his role in “increas[ing] the demand for child pornography with further and future victimization of children.”
“Our community is safer with this predator behind bars,” said HSI Detroit Special Agent in Charge Angie M. Salazar. “We will continue to prioritize the safety and security of children by investigating online sexual offenses involving minors and working with our partners to hold offenders accountable for the severe harm they cause.”
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan; county prosecutor’s offices; HSI; ICAC; the West Michigan Based Child Exploitation Task Force (WEBCHEX); and federal, state, and local law enforcement are working closely together to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children. Anyone with information or concerns about possible child exploitation should contact local law enforcement. For more information about Project Safe Childhood in West Michigan, including resources for children and parents, please visit: https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdmi/project-safe-childhood.
This matter was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Michigan State Police Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick Castle.
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Huntington Man Sentenced to 145 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
FORT WAYNE –Bryon Fisher, 42 years old, of Huntington, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge Holly A. Brady after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.
Fisher was sentenced to 121 months in prison followed by 5 years of supervised release. The Court also revoked Fishers’ supervised release on his prior conviction for mail theft and sentenced him to an additional 24 months in prison. The Court ordered these sentences to be served consecutively for a total term of 145 months in prison.
According to documents in the case, from about July 2022 through August 2022, law enforcement conducted 6 controlled buys of methamphetamine from Fisher. A search of his residence resulted in the recovery of evidence indicating drug trafficking, including a drug ledger. In total, Fisher delivered and possessed with intent to deliver over 244 grams of methamphetamine.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration with the assistance of the Fort Wayne Police Department and the Huntington Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stacey R. Speith.
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Honduran National Sentenced for Illegally Reentering the United States After Aggravated Felony OffenseRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Honduran national, who was arrested after stabbing a man with a broken beer bottle, was sentenced in federal court on Monday, August 14, 2023, for illegally reentering the United States after committing an aggravated felony.
Jose Borjas-Gutierrez, 33, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Judge Howard F. Sachs to 30 months in federal prison without parole.
On March 2, 2023, Borjas-Gutierrez pleaded guilty to one count of illegal reentry by an alien previously convicted of an aggravated felony. The defendant was initially arrested in 2022 after an argument resulted in Borjas-Gutierrez stabbing another man with a broken beer bottle. For that crime, Borjas-Gutierrez pled guilty to a state-level charge of assault in the second degree.
Prior to his arrest in this case, Borjas-Gutierrez had been deported from the United States on three separate occasions and had been convicted of illegally carrying a weapon and aggravated robbery in the state of Texas. In his robbery case, Borjas-Gutierrez pointed a gun at a convenience store clerk and took approximately $20,000 from a cash register and safe.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathleen D. Mahoney. It was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Honduran National Pleads Guilty to Illegal Reentry of Deported AlienRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that MARTIR PERDOMO CHAVEZ (“PERDOMO”), age 44, a citizen of Honduras, pleaded guilty to one-count indictment charging him with illegal reentry of deported alien in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a).
According to the indictment, PERDOMO was encountered in the United States on or about January 5, 2023, after having been previously deported from the country in 2008. U.S. District Judge Sarah S. Vance scheduled sentencing in the matter for November 15, 2023.
At sentencing, PERDOMO faces a maximum term of imprisonment of two years, a maximum fine of $250,000, a maximum term of supervised release of one year, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.
U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans praised the work of the United States Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Spiro G. Latsis of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
Hickory, N.C. Woman Is Charged with Embezzling More Than $900,000 from EmployerRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A federal grand jury sitting in Charlotte has returned a criminal indictment, charging Michelle Wilshire, 48, of Hickory, N.C., with multiple counts of wire fraud, tax fraud, and money laundering, for allegedly embezzling more than $900,000 from her employer, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
U.S. Attorney King is joined in making today’s announcement by Donald “Trey” Eakins, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division, Charlotte Field Office, and Tommy D. Coke, Inspector in Charge of the Atlanta Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, which oversees Charlotte.
According to allegations in the indictment, from 2016 to 2021, Wilshire was employed by a family-owned business located in Conover, N.C., identified in court documents as Company A. During the relevant time, Wilshire was in charge of Company A’s Comdata account – a third-party payment processing and debit card issuing service – which Company A used for fleet management and payment services for its drivers. The indictment alleges that Wilshire executed a scheme to defraud her employer by issuing multiple Comdata prepaid debit cards in her name and in the names of other individuals, including former employees, fictitious employees, and current employees who were not aware the cards existed. Wilshire allegedly caused Comdata to load funds onto the prepaid debit cards, which the defendant then withdrew via ATM cash withdrawals. Between November 2017, and July 2021, Wilshire allegedly withdrew more than $528,000 from prepaid Comdata debit cards.
In addition to the debit card scheme, Wilshire allegedly embezzled Company A’s funds by using Comdata’s Comchek and Comchek Mobile services to issue checks in the defendant’s name and to make multiple wire transfers into Wilshire’s personal bank account, totaling over $315,000. Wilshire also allegedly caused more than $58,000 of Company A’s funds to be transferred through Comdata into the bank account of a former company employee.
According to allegations in the indictment, Wilshire also prepared and filed individual income tax returns for tax years 2017 through 2021, which did not include the additional funds Wilshire received through her embezzlement scheme.
Wilshire is charged with six counts of wire fraud, which carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine per count; five counts of making and subscribing a false tax return, which carry a statutory maximum term of one year in prison per count; and two counts of money laundering which carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $500,000 fine or twice the value of the property involved in the transaction.
The charges in the indictment are allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Wilshire’s initial court appearance in Charlotte has been scheduled for Tuesday, August 29, 2023, at 10:15 a.m.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King thanked IRS-CI and USPIS for their investigation of the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike Savage and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Frick of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte are prosecuting the case.
Hardin man admits assault of woman on Crow Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
BILLINGS — A Hardin accused of striking a woman in Lodge Grass, on the Crow Indian Reservation, admitted to an assault charge today, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
Sergio Antonio Lopez, 33, pleaded guilty to assault by striking, beating or wounding, a misdemeanor, as charged in a superseding information. Lopez faces a maximum of one year in prison, a $100,000 fine and one year of supervised release.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The court set sentencing for Dec. 15. Lopez was released pending further proceedings.
In court documents, the government alleged that on Aug. 20, 2022 in Lodge Grass, bounty hunters, accompanied by Lopez, arrested an individual with outstanding state warrants at the home of the victim, identified as Jane Doe. The arrest occurred sometime after midnight. Jane Doe heard knocking at her door and it was Lopez. During the arrest, the individual was resisting, and Jane Doe assisted the individual in trying to stop the arrest. Lopez assaulted Jane Doe by pulling her hair, hitting and kicking her.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lori Harper Suek is prosecuting the case. The FBI conducted the investigation.
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Georgia man sentenced to prison for COVID-19 relief fraud two years after being sentenced by the same court for mortgage fraudRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Maurice Lawson has been sentenced to federal prison for obtaining nearly a half a million dollars by submitting multiple fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (“EIDL”) applications.
“Congress enacted the Paycheck Protection Program to provide emergency financial assistance to millions of Americans suffering the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Lawson took advantage of a federal program that depended on self-reporting to get relief in the hands of American businesses as fast as possible,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “His crimes make it harder for the United States to provide disaster relief during the next large-scale emergency. This office, in coordination with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, is dedicated to holding individuals who sought to exploit this critical economic safety net accountable for their conduct.”
“Lawson used his position during an unprecedented national pandemic to steal critical taxpayer money intended to provide relief to legitimate small businesses and employees who desperately needed it,” said Special Agent-in-Charge Jerome Winkle with the HUD Office of Inspector General. “HUD OIG remains steadfast in its commitment to working with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and law enforcement partners to aggressively pursue those who engage in activities that threaten the integrity of HUD and other federal programs.”
“We remain committed to combatting fraud within the Paycheck Protection Program,” said Edwin Bonano, Special Agent in Charge of FHFA-OIG’s Southeast Region. “FHFA-OIG will pursue criminals who created fraudulent schemes to divert PPP funds from those it was meant to aid until they are held fully accountable.”
According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, the charges and other information presented in court: Between April 2020 and March 2021, Lawson applied for at least seven PPP or EIDL loans for six different businesses. The applications contained an assortment of false information, including false Tax Forms 940 and 941, fake social security cards, fraudulent addresses, falsified average monthly payroll claims, and false claims of employing between five and 12 employees. In total, Lawson sought $537,120, and received $419,020, in loan proceeds. Among the businesses used to seek these loans was Coastal Drape, LLC – the same company that Lawson used during his mortgage fraud conspiracy, for which he was sentenced in March 2021 to three years of federal probation. Lawson received funds from one of the fraudulent COVID-19 loan applications days after being sentenced for mortgage fraud.
Maurice Lawson, 39, of Lithia Springs, Georgia, has been sentenced to one year, nine months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $437,870.07. Lawson was convicted on these charges on May 16, 2023, after he pleaded guilty.
This case was investigated by the Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of Inspector General and Federal Housing Finance Agency Office of Inspector General.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alison Prout prosecuted the case.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Garner Man Who Shot a Pregnant Woman in the Head in Road Rage Incident Sentenced to 10 years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. –Tyler Mack Kirby, 27, of Garner who shot a pregnant woman in the head on New Bern Avenue in August of last year was sentenced to 120 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for possession of ammunition by a felon. Kirby pled guilty on May 11, 2023.
“This felon shot a pregnant woman in the back of the head in an act of senseless violence while she simply rode in a car,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “Make no mistake, this U.S. Attorney’s Office will take action against any felon who engages in gun violence in Raleigh or beyond. We are partnering with law enforcement to prioritize prosecutions against dangerous trigger-pullers who illegally use and carry guns.”
“I am proud that our ongoing partnership with the VCAP initiative continues to remove dangerous offenders from our community," said Raleigh Police Chief Estella Patterson. "This arrest should send a message to all violent offenders that the Raleigh Police Department is working closely with our federal partners to prosecute those who inflict harm on our community. As one of my priorities, making Raleigh the safest city in the country requires constant collaboration with the community and our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners. This arrest is yet another example of the impact of collaboration to end violence caused by firearms.”
According to documents and other information presented in court, on August 25, 2022, Kirby was traveling in a vehicle on New Bern Avenue. Occupants of Kirby’s vehicle began arguing with occupants of a second vehicle over perceived driving errors. After the argument ensued, Kirby fired a single gunshot into the back of the second vehicle where a pregnant woman was a passenger. The bullet traveled through the headrest and struck the passenger in the head. After firing the single shot, Kirby fled from law enforcement and destroyed evidence prior to being taken into custody by the Garner Police Department. The shooting victim survived the incident. State charges related to the shooting, including Discharging a Weapon Into Occupied Property, Assault with a Deadly Weapon with Intent to Kill Inflicting Serious Injury, Fleeing or Eluding Arrest with a Motor Vehicle, and Possession of a Firearm by a Felon, are still pending.
The conviction is a result of the ongoing Violent Crime Action Plan (VCAP) initiative which is a collaborative effort with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, working with the community, to identify and address the most significant drivers of violent crime. VCAP involves focused and strategic enforcement, and interagency coordination and intelligence-led policing.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III . The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the Raleigh Police Department
investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Foxx prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:20-CR-00341-D.
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Four Sentenced for Multi-Kilogram Crack Cocaine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
ROCK ISLAND, Ill. – The last four men in a six-man crack cocaine conspiracy were sentenced on August 8, 2023, before Chief District Court Judge Sara L. Darrow. The conspiracy covered a period of time from 2017 until mid-2020, and occurred in and around Rock Island County, Illinois. In addition to the conspiracy, some men were charged with individual counts of distribution of cocaine and crack cocaine. All six defendants involved in the conspiracy pleaded guilty and were sentenced as follows.
- Rasheem Damonte Bogan, a/k/a “Sheem”, 31, of the 1800 block of West 8th Street, Davenport, Iowa, was sentenced to 180 months of imprisonment and five years of supervised release.
- Raheem Jacques Houston, a/k/a “Heem”, 30, of the 800 block of 21st Street, Rock Island, Illinois, was sentenced to 120 months of imprisonment and five years of supervised release.
- Devell Carl Lewis, 35, of Brown Court Street, Davenport, Iowa, was sentenced to 126 months of imprisonment and five years of supervised release;
- Christopher William Pullman, a/k/a “Dime”, 35, of the 2700 block of 6th Avenue, Rock Island, Illinois, was sentenced to 180 months of imprisonment and ten years of supervised release. Based on Pullman’s prior criminal history, his statutory penalties were enhanced to a mandatory minimum term of fifteen years up to a maximum of life in prison, followed by at least ten years of supervised release.
- Two other co-defendants had previously been sentenced in March of 2022 for their involvement in the conspiracy.
- Brandon Jerome Pullman, a/k/a “Tall B.” a/k/a “B”, 32, of the 2700 block of 6th Avenue, Rock Island, Illinois, was sentenced to 120 months’ of imprisonment and five years of supervised release.
- Cortez Deangelo Cooper, Jr., a/k/a “Tez”, 29, of the 900 block of West 14th Street, Davenport, Iowa, was sentenced to 125 months of imprisonment and five years of supervised release.
The statutory penalty for conspiracy to distribute at least 280 grams of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of cocaine base, “crack” is a mandatory minimum term of ten years, and up to a maximum of life in prison, followed by at least five years of supervised release. The statutory penalty for distribution of at least 28 grams of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of cocaine base, “crack” is five years to 40 years in prison, followed by at least five years of supervised release. The statutory penalty for distribution of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of cocaine or cocaine base, “crack” is up to 20 years in prison, followed by at least three years of supervised release. Each charge also carries a $100 special assessment.
At the sentencing hearing, the government presented commentary about the multi-year nature of the conspiracy and the impact that the drug distribution had on the Quad Cities community.
Additionally, three of the men, Rasheem Bogan, Devell Lewis, and Raheem Houston, were also charged in May of 2023, by federal indictment in the Southern District of Iowa, Davenport Division, for a Racketeering Conspiracy. It is alleged that the three men and others, were members of a criminal organization known as the “Arsenal Courts Posse, a/k/a Zone Fifth, a/k/a, Fifth Street Mafia, a/k/a Rock Town Money Getters, a/k/a Money Team. According to that indictment, the organization’s purpose was to distribute controlled substances, obtain money and things of value, and earn and maintain respect in the Quad Cities. It is alleged that Bogan, Lewis and Houston, as well as the other members of the organization, conspired to engage in a years-long pattern of violence, including murder, attempted murders, robbery, and drug trafficking. Additional information can be found at https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdia/pr/defendants-charged-joint-federal-state-and-local-investigation-firearms-trafficking
The Rock Island Police Department, and the Federal Drug Enforcement Administration Task Force investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Mathew and former Assistant United States Attorney Alyssa Raya represented the government in the prosecution.
This case was brought as part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF
Former Pittsburgh Resident Pleaded Guilty and Was Sentenced for Conviction of Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA- A former resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty and was sentenced in federal court to 30 months’ imprisonment followed by five years of supervised release on his conviction of possession of child pornography, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
United States District Judge Robert J. Colville imposed the sentence on Christopher Pelzer, 33, formerly of Pittsburgh, PA.
According to information presented to the court, Pelzer knowingly possessed 11 images and 13 videos containing child sexual abuse material, some of which depicted sadistic and masochistic conduct involving minors as young as 5 to 7 years old.
Prior to imposing sentence, Judge Colville noted the seriousness of the offense and its impact on minor victims. Judge Colville further ordered Pelzer to pay a $5000 special assessment under the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act, and a $1000 special assessment under the Amy, Vicky, and Andy Child Pornography Victim Assistance Act.
Assistant United States Attorney Karen Gal-Or prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.United States Attorney Olshan commended the Department of Homeland Security for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Pelzer.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Former NYPD Officer Charged with Accessory After the Fact to Murder, Obstructing A Federal Gang Investigation, and Racketeering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Ivan J. Arvelo, the Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”), and Edward A. Caban, the Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), announced the unsealing of an Indictment today charging GINA MESTRE, a former NYPD Officer, for her participation in a racketeering conspiracy with members of the Shooting Boys gang, including her involvement in obstructing a federal grand jury investigation into the Shooting Boys gang and serving as an accessory after the fact to a murder committed by the Shooting Boys gang. MESTRE was arrested last night and will be arraigned before U.S. District Judge Denise Cote, to whom the case is assigned, later this afternoon in Manhattan federal court.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As alleged, Gina Mestre shamelessly exploited her position of public trust to assist gang members in her own NYPD precinct that were terrorizing the Bronx by committing robberies, murders, drug trafficking, and other acts of violence. The Indictment unsealed today alleges that the defendant abused her position as an NYPD police officer by, among other things, obstructing a federal grand jury investigation into the gang and assisting the gang’s leader in evading capture for a cold-blooded murder committed in broad daylight. The defendant’s alleged conduct violates the oath she swore to protect the public – as well as her fellow NYPD officers – from the type of criminal activity she helped the gang commit. This Indictment makes clear that my Office and our law enforcement partners will remain vigilant in fighting all forms of police corruption.”
NYPD Commissioner Edward A. Caban said: “There is no place for corruption of any kind in the NYPD. The arrest today of a former police officer is built upon the steadfast work of our Internal Affairs Bureau, a team driven to root out such betrayals of public trust. I thank IAB, all of our partners, and everyone from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York for their sustained collaboration in this important case.”
As alleged in the Indictment and other documents filed in federal court and based on statements made in public court proceedings:[1]
The Shooting Boys gang is a criminal organization based in the University Heights section of the Bronx. Since at least 2017, gang members sold drugs, used guns, and committed numerous acts of violence against members of rival gangs. The gang’s territory and base of operations fell within the jurisdiction of the NYPD’s 52nd Precinct. The recognized leader of the Shooting Boys was Andrew Done, a/k/a “Caballo.”
MESTRE was an NYPD police officer from July 2013 to May 2022 assigned to the 52nd Precinct’s Public Safety Unit. In the summer of 2020, a major focus of the precinct and the Public Safety Unit was the reduction of gun violence, much of which was attributed to members of the Shooting Boys.
In or about June 2020, MESTRE began communicating with Done through secret social media accounts and phone numbers. MESTRE and Done began an intimate relationship, during which MESTRE provided Done and other gang members with confidential non-public law enforcement information about the federal grand jury investigation into the Shooting Boys. For example, MESTRE warned Done, and other gang members, that federal investigators were preparing to bring a federal indictment against the Shooting Boys. MESTRE also warned Done about impending law enforcement operations, enabling Done and other gang members to conceal their criminal activity. In addition, MESTRE disclosed the identity of a witness cooperating with law enforcement and providing information about the gang, which allowed Done and other Shooting Boys to assault and intimidate the witness in an effort to prevent the witness from further cooperation.
On or about November 5, 2020, Done shot and killed a rival gang member (“Victim-1”) as Victim-1 sat in his car on Cromwell Avenue in the Bronx. NYPD Detectives investigating the murder recovered security camera video (the “Video”) capturing Done’s commission of the murder. Several members of the 52nd Precinct were called upon to assist in the identification of the person captured on the Video. MESTRE was one of several officers who identified Done as the perpetrator.
During the manhunt to apprehend Done, of which MESTRE was a part, MESTRE sent Done a copy of the Video to his phone and secretly communicated with Done the day of the murder and in the weeks afterwards. MESTRE warned Done about law enforcement’s efforts to capture him, allowing Done to eventually flee from the United States.
In March 2022, 10 members of the Shooting Boys were charged in a 15-count indictment with various federal crimes, including racketeering conspiracy and murder. Done was charged with the murder of Victim-1 and was apprehended in the Dominican Republic several months later.
On November 17, 2022, Done pled guilty to racketeering conspiracy and admitted to his role in the murder of Victim-1. On February 22, 2023, Done was sentenced to 35 years in prison.
* * *
MESTRE, 33, of Mohegan Lake, New York, is charged with one count of racketeering conspiracy, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; one count of conspiracy to obstruct justice, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison; one count of conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; and one count of accessory after the fact to murder in aid of racketeering, which carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison.
The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the NYPD’s Internal Affairs Bureau, Group 25; HSI; and the Special Agents of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York.
The case is being prosecuted by the Office’s Violent and Organized Crime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dominic A. Gentile and James Ligtenberg are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the description of the Indictment set forth in this release constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
U.S. v. Mestre IndictmentFormer Mayor of Anaheim Agrees to Plead Guilty to Federal Charges Stemming from Attempted Sale of Angel StadiumRead the Press Release
SANTA ANA, California – The former mayor of Anaheim has agreed to plead guilty to federal felony charges for obstructing an FBI public corruption investigation by destroying evidence and for making false statements to FBI agents, the Justice Department announced today.
In court documents filed today in United States District Court, Harish “Harry” Singh Sidhu, 66, of Anaheim, also admits cheating California tax authorities and making false statements to the Federal Aviation Administration in relation to his purchase of a helicopter.
Federal prosecutors today filed a criminal information charging Sidhu with one count of obstruction of justice, one count of wire fraud, and two counts of making false statements to the FBI and the FAA. In a plea agreement also filed today, Sidhu agreed to plead guilty to the four offenses.
According to his plea agreement, Sidhu – a longtime member of the Anaheim City Council who was elected mayor in 2018 – admitted that while the City of Anaheim was negotiating the sale of Angel Stadium to the Los Angeles Angels Major League Baseball club, he sought out and became a member of the city’s negotiating team for the stadium sale. While on the negotiating team, Sidhu provided confidential information belonging to the city to people working for the Angels, so that the Angels could buy Angel Stadium on favorable terms for the baseball club. After secretly providing the information he had received in his position as mayor, Sidhu later was recorded saying he expected a $1 million campaign contribution from the Angels after the baseball club purchased Angel Stadium, the plea agreement states.
“While serving as Anaheim’s mayor, Mr. Sidhu took a series of actions that compromised the city’s negotiating position by providing confidential information and secretly working to influence the city’s decision-making process – all of which had a detrimental effect on the city and its residents,” said First Assistant United States Attorney Joseph T. McNally. “Public confidence in the integrity of public officials is critical to our society. This office will continue to root out public officials who compromise their integrity.”
“Mr. Sidhu was elected by and pledged to work for the residents of Anaheim, but he violated that pledge and their trust on numerous occasions to look out for special interests,” said Donald Alway, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office. “Mr. Sidhu deceived his colleagues and weakened the city’s official strategy by divulging intellectual property, then lied to the government when his corruption was discovered. I’m proud of the hard work put in by agents and prosecutors which resulted in today’s plea agreement.”
“The public places a lot of trust and confidence in elected officials, which Mr. Sidhu violated,” said Special Agent in Charge Tyler Hatcher, IRS Criminal Investigation, Los Angeles Field Office. “Working with our law enforcement partners, we were able to prevent Mr. Sidhu from causing greater harm to the Anaheim community.”
Sidhu admitted that he knowingly destroyed evidence by deleting multiple email messages and documents with the intent to impede and obstruct the FBI’s investigation of public corruption related to the city’s attempted sale of Angel Stadium. In the plea agreement, Sidhu specifically admitted he deleted an email message he had sent on July 21, 2020, with an attachment drafted by lawyers for the city, which contained confidential negotiation information related to the potential sale of Angel Stadium, including a discussion of issues related to price.
Sidhu also admitted in his plea agreement that he deleted a September 2020 email message about secret mock Anaheim City Council meetings involving Sidhu, two other City Council members and representatives of the Angels – including the team president and a team lawyer. Those mock City Council meetings would precede the scheduled public City Council meeting about the city’s proposed sale of Angel Stadium. The deleted email message had an attachment titled “Angels Council Debate Prep,” which detailed the topics on which each participant of the mock City Council meetings should focus, and it added “[Angels] team available to help develop ‘zingers’, responses, and other points to improve performance.”
Sidhu also admitted he had provided a confidential appraisal range to the Angels in 2019, months before the appraisal was made public.
During the investigation, FBI agents secretly recorded multiple statements by Sidhu about the $1 million campaign contribution that he expected to receive after the City of Anaheim sold Angel Stadium to the Angels, the plea agreement states.
Sidhu also admitted that he lied about the Angel Stadium sale negotiations and related matters when FBI agents interviewed him on May 12, 2022. For example, during that interview, Sidhu falsely stated that he was expecting “nothing” from the Angels after the Angel Stadium sale, when in truth, he was expecting to receive a $1 million campaign contribution for his election after the sale. Sidhu also admitted to lying about using his personal email for city business. “Not only did [Sidhu] conduct City business using his personal email, but he also communicated with some City staff using that staff’s personal email, purposely avoiding using the staff member’s official City email address,” the plea agreement states.
In his plea agreement, Sidhu also admitted that in late 2020, he tried to defraud the State of California of approximately $16,000 in sales tax revenue by using an Arizona address to register a helicopter he had just purchased, even though he lived in Anaheim. Sidhu admitted that he fraudulently used a mailing address in Scottsdale, Arizona that actually belonged to an Anaheim businessperson.
Sidhu also admitted that he provided false information for the helicopter to the Federal Aviation Administration when he submitted an “Aircraft Registration Application” that he signed and certified as true, but which falsely claimed his permanent mailing address was in Arizona.
Sidhu is expected to make his initial appearance in United States District Court in Santa Ana later this month.
Once Sidhu enters his guilty pleas, he will face a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison for the obstruction of justice count, up to 20 years in federal prison for the wire fraud count, and up to five years in federal prison for each false statements count.
The FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation are conducting the ongoing investigation in this matter. U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Air and Marine Operations – Riverside Air Unit, provided substantial assistance in the investigation of Sidhu’s helicopter tax fraud.
Assistant United States Attorneys Charles E. Pell and Melissa S. Rabbani of the Santa Ana Branch Office are prosecuting this case.
Former D.C. Government Employee Sentenced to Four Years in Prison for Stealing from Project Empowerment ProgramRead the Press Release
Defendant Previously Served Prison Sentence for Different Theft Scheme
WASHINGTON – Rhayda Barnes Thomas, 52, of Washington, D.C., a former employee of the D.C. Department of Employment Services’ Project Empowerment Program, was sentenced today to 48 months in prison for stealing more than $350,000 from the Project Empowerment Program between May 2015 and April 2018.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, District of Columbia Inspector General Daniel W. Lucas, and Inspector in Charge Damon E. Wood, Washington Division, U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
On May 17, 2023, Barnes Thomas pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud. In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Richard J. Leon ordered restitution in the amount of $356,110.64, three years of supervised release, 360 hours of community service, and ordered Thomas be liable for a forfeiture money judgment totaling $318,415.
The D.C. government’s Project Empowerment Program provides employment services to D.C. residents who have multiple barriers to employment, such as a history of substance abuse, a history of job cycling (not maintaining steady employment), and either a felony conviction or previous incarceration. One phase of the program consists of subsidized employment, which involves the D.C. government paying the wages of participants while they work at worksites. During this phase, worksites were responsible for entering participants’ work hours into an electronic system used by Project Empowerment. In turn, the D.C. government would then have payments corresponding with those hours issued to accounts associated with participants, usually in the form of pre-paid bank debit cards.
In 2011, Barnes Thomas pleaded guilty, in federal court in the District of Maryland, to theft involving a federal government program in connection with a scheme to use federal funds received by her school employer to buy technology for herself, her family, and friends. She was sentenced to 27 months in prison for that offense.
In August 2013, following her release from prison, Barnes Thomas participated in the Project Empowerment Program. She ultimately was hired by the program as a Program Support Assistant in February 2014. From May 2015 through April 2018, she stole hundreds of thousands of dollars from the program by reviving 16 former Project Empowerment participants’ profiles and modifying entries in a database to falsely show them as working for a non-profit organization, which was not true. She also used the name of a former employee from the non‑profit organization to enter and approve time in the database showing individuals as working when they were not. In addition, she ordered or caused to be ordered replacement and new prepaid debit cards on behalf of the former Project Empowerment participants whose profiles she fraudulently revived. As a result of her conduct, she caused the D.C. government to request that Wells Fargo Bank load funds onto those prepaid debit cards, which she controlled.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves, Inspector General Lucas, and Inspector in Charge Wood commended the work of those who investigated the case from the D.C. Office of the Inspector General, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Criminal Investigations Unit in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. They also acknowledged the efforts of individuals from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kondi Kleinman and David Gorman, Financial Analyst Bryan Snitselaar, Paralegal Specialists Michon Tart, Mariela Andrade, and Amanda Rohde, and former Paralegal Specialists Brittany Phillips and Aisha Keys.
Florida Real Estate Broker Agrees to Pay over $4 Million to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations Relating to Fraudulent Cares Act LoansRead the Press Release
PANAMA CITY, FLORIDA – Real Estate Broker Chad Wade, 41, of Panama City, Florida, along with his companies Ideal Property Holdings, LLC; Grand Panama Resort Properties, LLC; Beach Life Properties PCB, LLC; First Texas Mortgage, LLC; PCB Limousine, LLC; South Houston Vending Company, LLC; and Emerald Oak Stables, LLC, have agreed to settle allegations that they violated the False Claims Act (“FCA”) by knowingly providing false information in support of multiple Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program (“EIDL”) loans. The settlement was announced by Jason R. Coody, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
“The theft of any amount of taxpayer funds is inexcusable,” said U.S. Attorney Coody. “However, the defendant’s deceptive acts of diverting millions of dollars in emergency financial assistance from small businesses during the pandemic is beyond the pale. This civil resolution and the forthcoming criminal sentence will punish the defendant’s criminal conduct and should serve as a significant deterrent to those who would steal from hardworking taxpayers to unlawfully enrich themselves. With our law enforcement partners, we remain committed to investigating and prosecuting those who engage in acts of COVID-related fraud.”
The United States alleged that from in or about April 2020, through June 2021, Wade prepared and submitted, or caused to be submitted, false and fraudulent applications and documents to obtain four EIDL loans and fourteen PPP loans totaling $1,506,803. Wade submitted numerous false documents, including false federal tax documents, false state tax documents, and false employee wage reports. The United States further alleged that Wade used the EIDL and PPP funds to grow his real estate businesses by purchasing and paying off properties; purchasing a vacation villa in Mexico; buying a red 1981 Ferrari (among other luxury items); paying personal expenses; and otherwise funding a lavish lifestyle, in direct violation of the terms of the EIDL and PPP programs. The United States also alleged that Wade prepared and submitted, or caused to be submitted, false and fraudulent forgiveness applications wherein he falsely certified that the entire loan amounts were used to pay eligible business costs.
“Falsifying information to gain access to vital federal funds intended to support American small businesses is deplorable,” said SBA OIG’s Eastern Region Special Agent in Charge Amaleka McCall-Brathwaite. “Today’s settlement sends a strong message that those responsible will be held accountable. I want to thank the U.S. Department of Justice and our law enforcement partners for their dedication and pursuit of justice.”
On July 7, 2023, Wade plead guilty to three criminal counts in connection with the fraudulent EIDL and PPP loans: (1) Wire Fraud; (2) Money Laundering; and (3) Bankruptcy Fraud. His sentencing is scheduled for October 19, 2023.
Wade agreed to pay $4,027,804.69 in damages and penalties under the FCA, of which $1,579,531.25 is restitution.
The civil matter was handled by Assistant United States Attorneys Mary Ann Couch and Marie Moyle and the criminal matter was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Corey J. Smith from the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, with assistance from the U.S. Small Business Admission Office of General Counsel and the U.S. Small Business Admission Office of Inspector General.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Florida Man Convicted of Illegally Possessing a Gun in Valdosta PSN CaseRead the Press Release
VALDOSTA, Ga. – An armed Orlando, Florida, convicted felon who was wanted on outstanding warrants for aggravated assault and terroristic threats when he led Georgia deputies on a high-speed chase to evade arrest was convicted by a federal jury late yesterday afternoon of illegally possessing a firearm resulting from a Project Safe Neighborhoods case.
Joshua Granger, 34, of Orlando, Florida, was found guilty of one count of illegal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon at the conclusion of a two-day trial before U.S. District Judge Hugh Lawson on Aug. 15. Granger faces a maximum of ten years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 10, 2024.
“Our office will hold repeat offenders accountable at the federal level when they illegally possess guns, especially when they lead law enforcement on a high-speed chase that endangers innocent civilians,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “Our trial team was supported by the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office to help bring this defendant to justice.”
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, a Lowndes County Sheriff’s deputy attempted to stop Granger for a traffic violation while he was traveling on Highway 401 on May 26, 2021. Granger attempted to evade arrest, leading law enforcement on a chase at speeds up to 130 miles per hour, crossing into Florida. Officers performed a PIT maneuver, and Granger was apprehended following a foot chase. Officers found a 9mm handgun with a 33-round magazine containing 25 rounds of ammunition inside Granger’s car. At the time of his arrest, Granger was wanted on outstanding warrants for aggravated assault, burglary, terroristic threats and extortion. Granger has prior felony convictions, to include delivery of cocaine and burglary of a dwelling.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
The case was investigated by the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Hannah Couch is prosecuting the case for the Government, with support from Criminal Chief Leah McEwen.
Florida Business Owner Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Defrauding Medicare of More Than $11 MillionRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that ANTHONY CRACCHIOLO was sentenced today to five years in prison for conspiring to defraud the Medicare Program and for illegally possessing an automatic weapon as a convicted felon. CRACCCHIOLO’s fraud conviction related to his involvement in a scheme to pay and receive kickbacks in connection with illegally buying and selling signed orders for durable medical equipment (“DME”), such as leg, arm, and back braces, and then using those orders to file fraudulent Medicare claims for more than $11 million, as well as selling such orders to other DME supply companies so that those companies in turn could also file fraudulent Medicare claims. CRACCHIOLO previously pled guilty to the charges and was sentenced today before U.S. District Judge John P. Cronan.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Anthony Cracchiolo faced justice today for illegally trafficking in signed orders for durable medical equipment and thus seeking to defraud Medicare of more than $11 million. Such fraud schemes do real harm to the Medicare program — a vital, taxpayer-funded program that provides affordable health care to people over 65 or with disabilities.”
According to statements made in court and publicly filed documents in this case:
From at least July 2019 through October 2020, CRACCHIOLO and a partner (“Partner-1”) engaged in a scheme to defraud Medicare in at least three ways. First, CRACCHIOLO and Partner-1 illegally paid kickbacks of more than $565,000 to purchase fraudulent DME orders, including orders purportedly “signed” by doctors who never, in fact, signed or authorized those orders and were unaware that their names and identities were being so used. These DME orders were for such equipment as braces for ankles, knees, elbows, wrists, and backs. Second, CRACCHIOLO and Partner-1 resold some of the fraudulent orders to other DME suppliers — receiving more than $425,000 in criminal proceeds — so that those suppliers, in turn, could fraudulently bill Medicare for the DME. Finally, in May and June 2020, CRACCHIOLO and Partner-1 acquired five of their own fraudulent DME supply companies and themselves used fraudulent DME orders to file more than $11 million in fraudulent Medicare claims, seeking payment to the DME suppliers that CRACCHIOLO and Partner-1 controlled. Ultimately, Medicare paid out more than $5.5 million to CRACCHIOLO and Partner-1, along with a substantial sum to the DME suppliers to whom CRACCHIOLO and Partner-1 sold fraudulent DME orders.
When arrested at his residence in Parkland, Florida, on March 1, 2022, CRACCHIOLO was found to be illegally in possession of a semiautomatic firearm, a Palmetto State Armory PA-15, as well as an extended ammunition clip and approximately 130 rounds of ammunition, despite being a previously convicted felon who was not allowed to possess such a firearm.
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In addition to the prison term, CRACCHIOLO, 43, of Parkland, Florida, was sentenced to three years of supervised release and ordered to pay restitution of $5,595,968 to the Medicare program. He was also ordered, on March 15, 2023, to pay forfeiture of $2,399,817, including forfeiting his Florida residence and the seized automatic weapon.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the Office of the Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Raymond Lewis is in charge of the prosecution.
Federal Jury Convicts Oklahoma Man for Role in Nationwide Methamphetamine Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
Defendant is Last of Seven Defendants Convicted in this Drug Trafficking Conspiracy
OKLAHOMA CITY – Last week, a federal jury convicted KE’ANDRE DEWAYNE WILSON, 25, of Oklahoma City, of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute or to distribute methamphetamine, announced United States Attorney Robert J. Troester.
On May 18, 2021, a federal grand jury returned a 12-count Indictment against seven defendants, including Wilson, for their roles in a drug-trafficking organization (DTO). Wilson was charged with two counts: Count 1 alleged conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute methamphetamine and Count 2 alleged possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. The trial began on August 8, 2023, and the jury returned its guilty verdict on August 10, 2023, after a few hours of deliberation.
According to evidence presented at trial, in June 2020, law enforcement began investigating Wilson and several other defendants for their role in a DTO which distributed methamphetamine throughout the United States. The DTO stored methamphetamine in various locations across Oklahoma City, including approximately 133 kilograms of methamphetamine at Low Life Body Shop located in southwest Oklahoma City. On April 28, 2021, Wilson and his co-defendants planned to transport approximately 100 kilograms of methamphetamine to Chicago. As Wilson and his co-defendants were preparing for the trip, law enforcement executed a search warrant and recovered the methamphetamine.
The jury convicted Wilson with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute or to distribute methamphetamine, as alleged in Count 1 of the Indictment. The jury acquitted Wilson on Count 2. At sentencing, Wilson faces up to life in federal prison and a $10,000,000 fine.
The other six defendants in the case have been previously sentenced to serve collectively more than 600 months of imprisonment:
- Arnulfo Perez pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute methamphetamine, and was sentenced to serve 180 months in prison.
- Juan Benigno Vazquez Gonzalez pleaded guilty to possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, and to being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm, and was sentenced to serve 168 months in prison.
- Liliana Padron-Perez pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute methamphetamine, and was sentenced to serve 120 months in prison.
- Ramon Guadalupe Sanchez III pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute methamphetamine, and was sentenced to serve 84 months in prison.
- Cesar Maximino Franco Morales pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute methamphetamine, and was sentenced to serve 36 months in prison.
- Emily Rios pleaded guilty to maintaining a drug-involved premises, and was sentenced to serve 12 months and one day in prison.
Through the course of the investigation, law enforcement seized approximately 139 kilograms of methamphetamine, 11 firearms, and $6,000.00 in cash.
This case is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Oklahoma Highway Patrol, and Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics. It is also a part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew Anderson and Nick Coffey prosecuted the case.
Reference is made to court filings for further information.
Federal Court Sentences Key Players in Large-Scale Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
ABINGDON, Va. – One of the main sources of supply in Southwest Virginia for a large-scale methamphetamine conspiracy, and one of the conspiracy’s dealers, were each sentenced to long federal prison terms this week.
Payton Lee Farris, 26, of Castlewood, Virginia, the supplier of approximately 40 kilograms of methamphetamine that was sold throughout Wise County and surrounding areas, was sentenced today to 13 years in prison. Farris pled guilty in March 2023 to conspiring to distribute and possession with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine as well as distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
Jamie Lynn Johnson, 46, of Coeburn, Virginia, a repeat offender with multiple felony convictions who was widely known to trade methamphetamine in exchange for firearms, regularly purchased methamphetamine from Farris. Over a period of six months, Farris purchased one pound of methamphetamine for $4,000 every two days and then sold Johnson, his primary customer, one pound of methamphetamine every three days for $5,000.
Johnson was sentenced today to 18 years in prison after pleading guilty in January 2023 to conspiring to distribute and possession with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh and Craig B. Kailimai, Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, made the announcement.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Southwest Virginia Drug Task Force (consisting of the Wise County Sheriff’s Office, the Scott County Sheriff’s Office, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, the Norton Police Department, the Big Stone Gap Police Department, and the Virginia State Police), the Holston River Drug Task Force, and the Russell County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lena L. Busscher prosecuted the case.
Eagle Butte Man Sentenced for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled SubstanceRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced an Eagle Butte, South Dakota, man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance.
Larry Chavez, age 26, was sentenced to two years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, a $1,000 fine, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
Chavez was indicted by a federal grand jury in April of 2022. He pleaded guilty on March 20, 2023.
Beginning in January of 2021, Chavez and co-defendant Regina Maynard conspired with others to distribute methamphetamine in and around Central South Dakota and on the Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation. Methamphetamine is a Schedule II controlled substance. Maynard was previously sentenced to seven years and three months in federal prison.
This case was investigated by the Stanley County Sheriff’s Office and the Northern Plains Safe Trails Drug Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan N. Dilges prosecuted the case.
Chavez was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service following his sentencing.
District Man Charged with Murdering a 57-year-old Tree TrimmerRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Jamari Payne, 21, of Washington, D.C., was presented in Superior Court today on the charge of second-degree murder while armed, stemming from the homicide of 57-year-old Bacilio Villatoro, on September 22, 2022, in the Gateway neighborhood, U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves announced.
Mr. Payne was arraigned before Judge Shelly Mulkey in D.C. Superior Court, today, where he entered a plea of not guilty. The defendant is accused of firing multiple shots striking the victim in the back. The court heard arguments and found probable cause to believe that the defendant committed second degree murder while armed. The court held the defendant without bond pending a preliminary hearing scheduled for August 31, 2023, before Judge Maribeth Raffinan.
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 commended the work of those investigating the case from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
District Man Arrested for Multiple Stranger Sexual AssaultsRead the Press Release
Defendant Accused of Sexually Assaulting Multiple Victims in Golden Triangle
WASHINGTON – Christopher Sharp, 31, of Washington, D.C., has been arrested on sexual assault charges against three different victims. Sharp is charged in a criminal complaint filed in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia with assault with intent to commit first degree sexual abuse; kidnapping; and misdemeanor sexual abuse. He made an initial appearance in the District of Columbia on August 16, 2023. The Honorable Shelly A. Mulkey has ordered that Sharp be detained pending a preliminary hearing on August 22, 2023. The charges were announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew Graves and Acting Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) announced.
According to court documents, on August 15, 2023, at approximately 9:40am, Sharp left the George Washington University Hospital. Upon the leaving the building, he encountered an individual standing near the exit. Sharp is accused of smacking the individual’s buttock. Sharp then walked away in the direction of Washington Circle. Around five minutes later, at approximately 9:50am, Sharp encountered an individual walking in the 2100 block of K Street, Northwest. As Sharp and the individual passed each other, Sharp is accused of grabbing the individual’s buttock.
Around five minutes later, at approximately 9:55am, Sharp encountered an individual near the intersection of 19th Street, Northwest and Eye Street, Northwest. Sharp is accused of approaching the individual from behind, touching the individual’s vagina, and lifting the individual into the air. Sharp then walked several feet forward before sitting down on the pavement, still carrying the individual. Once on the ground, Sharp is accused of pinning the individual to the ground, pulling up her dress, and attempting to sexually assault the individual. The assault ended when bystanders intervened, causing the defendant to release the individual.
At the time of the alleged offenses, Sharp was on release in a pending case in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia in which he was charged with misdemeanor sexual abuse against three additional victims.
A complaint is merely a charge that a defendant has committed a violation of criminal laws and every defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty.
This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department’s Sexual Assault Unit. It is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
Denver Woman Sentenced to Four Years in Federal Prison for CARES Act FraudRead the Press Release
DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that DeJane Reaniece Lattany was sentenced to four years in federal prison for receiving more than $3.3 million of fraudulent COVID-19 loans.
On March 27, 2020, the President of the United States signed into law the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act, which provided emergency assistance to small business owners suffering adverse economic effects caused by the Coronavirus (“COVID-19”) pandemic. Two sources of funding for small businesses were the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) and the Economic Injury Disaster Loans (“EIDL”) program. The CARES Act mandated that only businesses in operation on February 15, 2020, for PPP, or before February 1, 2020, for EIDL, were eligible under the programs. In addition, the CARES Act authorized the Small Business Administration to issue advances of up to $10,000 to small businesses, known as Economic Injury Disaster Grants (“EIDG”). The amount of the EIDG was determined by the number of employees the applicant certified having. The EIDGs did not need to be repaid.
According to court documents, beginning in June 2020, and continuing through January 2022, the defendant prepared and submitted fraudulent EIDL applications to the Small Business Administration on behalf of business entities that she purportedly owned. In these fraudulent EIDL applications, Lattany made false statements regarding the entities’ number of employees, gross revenues, and cost of goods sold; she further falsely certified that the information provided in the EIDL applications was true and accurate and that the funds would be used to pay payroll and other permissible expenses when, in fact, she used the bulk of the proceeds for her personal benefit. The Small Business Administration approved and funded five EIDL applications and three EIDGs for a total of $430,000 in EIDLs and $20,000 in EIDGs. From June 2020 through December 2021, Lattany submitted fraudulent PPP applications to participating lenders on behalf of business entities that she purportedly controlled and obtained $2,887,976.94 in PPP loans as a result of the scheme. These PPP applications contained a number of false and fraudulent certifications and representations regarding Lattany’s ownership of other businesses, as well as the businesses’ average monthly payroll and number of employees. Lattany falsely represented that all PPP funds would be used to pay eligible business expenses, when, in fact, the bulk of the proceeds were used for her personal benefit. She also submitted false and fraudulent documentation in support of the PPP applications to the participating lenders. Lattany also sought loan forgiveness for PPP loans by submitting loan forgiveness applications. In total, $3,337,976.94 of PPP, EIDL, and EIDG proceeds were paid out as a result of the scheme.
“Taxpayers were generous during the pandemic, saving struggling businesses with loans and grants provided by the Small Business Administration,” said U.S. Attorney Cole Finegan. “This defendant stole from the taxpayers, cheating them out of millions. For these crimes she’ll now pay with years of her life in federal prison, and she’s been ordered to pay every penny back with interest.”
“Federal CARES Act dollars were meant to keep families, businesses, and the economy afloat during the pandemic. Instead, this fraudster lied in her applications and used more than $3.3 million to live the high life,” said FBI Denver Special Agent in Charge Mark Michalek. “The FBI continues to investigate those who so eagerly defrauded the government and we’re committed to holding each and every one accountable.”
United States District Court Judge Nina Y. Wang sentenced the defendant on August 15, 2023. In addition to the period of incarceration, the defendant was ordered to pay $3,437,072.81, plus interest, in restitution.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Denver Division. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorneys Nicole C. Cassidy and Rebecca S. Weber.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Case Number: 23-cr-00074-NYW
Dade City Man Arrested for Unlicensed Possession of A Machine GunRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL - United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the arrest and filing of a criminal complaint charging Stewart Walter Bachmann (55, Dade City) with one count of unlicensed possession of a firearm not registered in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record (NFRTR). If convicted, Bachmann faces up to 10 years in federal prison.
According to the complaint, on August 5, 2023, the Pasco Sheriff’s Office received a telephone call from Bachman who told the dispatcher that he was being held hostage and was going to be “put under” by people who were able to walk through the “5th dimension.” As the call progressed, Bachmann also stated there was “going to be something like 9/11,” and there was currently an invisible person in the backseat of his vehicle. Deputies from the Pasco Sheriff’s Office made contact with Bachmann near the Tampa Premium Outlet Mall. Bachmann told the deputies that the CIA was planning a politically motivated mass shooting at the mall. When deputies asked Bachmann if he was going to be the one committing the shooting, he indicated he didn’t know or hadn’t been told that yet.
The Pasco Sherriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) conducted a search warrant of Bachmann’s home and located several firearms that had been registered in the NFRTR. However, another firearm, an RAK15 AR-15 type rifle, was also located. This rifle had been modified to be able to house an automatic sear, making the firearm capable of being fired as a fully automatic weapon. ATF found no records for this weapon in the NFRTR, indicating Bachmann was unlawfully in possession of the device.
This case was investigated by the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Pasco Sheriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Samantha Newman.
A complaint is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
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.
Corvallis Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Orchestrating Fraud Scheme Claiming to Support Christian Missionaries and OrganizationsRead the Press Release
EUGENE, Ore.—A Corvallis, Oregon man was sentenced to federal prison today for orchestrating an investment fraud scheme that falsely claimed to support various Christian missionaries and organizations.
Erik J. Hass, 53, was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison and three years’ supervised release. He was also ordered to pay more than $1.75 million in restitution to his victims.
According to court documents, in January 2013, Hass founded Simply Gains, Inc., an organization he claimed supported Christian missionaries and organizations while offering significant returns for investors. Hass solicited members of his church, coworkers, and other acquaintances to invest in the organization via self-directed retirement and cash accounts. In exchange, he gave investors unsecured promissory notes and promised compounded annual returns of up to 30%.
Hass also claimed he would only profit from the investment scheme if monthly returns were higher than 2%. Yet, from the start, Hass began taking a salary drawn from investors’ funds and used the proceeds to pay for personal expenses. Throughout the scheme, Hass sent investors account statements showing fictitious gains and account balances and false IRS 1099-INT forms.
Hass continued accepting investments well into 2018, knowing he could not honor his investment claims. Instead, these new investments were used to fund Ponzi payments to older investors who had requested withdrawals from their accounts. In total, at least 20 investors lost more than $1.75 million combined investing in Hass’ scheme.
On June 9, 2020, a federal grand jury in Eugene returned an 8-count indictment charging Hass with wire fraud, mail fraud, and money laundering. On February 21, 2023, he pleaded guilty to five counts of wire fraud and two counts of mail fraud.
This case was investigated by the FBI and Oregon Division of Financial Regulation. It was prosecuted by Gavin W. Bruce, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
Convicted Sex Offender Sentenced to 10 Years for Possessing Child Sexual Abuse Images and VideosRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States District Judge Roy B. Dalton has sentenced Patrick James Sperber (45, Apopka), a registered sex offender, to 10 years in federal prison for possession of child sexual abuse images and videos. Sperber had pleaded guilty on May 17, 2023.
In 1999, Sperber was convicted of lewd and lascivious assault on a child. As a result, he is registered and designated as a sexual offender.
According to court documents, on April 17, 2021, an Electronic Service Provider (ESP) submitted a CyberTip to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). This NCMEC referral indicated that an individual with the username “P.J. Sperber” had uploaded several videos depicting the sexual abuse of minors while using a messenger application of the ESP. Further investigation traced the Internet Protocol (IP) address used to upload the videos to Sperber’s residence.
On April 15, 2022, FBI agents executed a search warrant for Sperber’s residence and seized his cellphone. A forensic review of Sperber’s cellphone revealed child sex abuse imagery and videos. Sperber admitted to viewing child sex abuse imagery and videos using a chat app account on his cellphone. Several of the child sex abuse videos found on Sperber’s cellphone depicted children under the age of 12 being sexually abused.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Terry B. Livanos.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Cecil County Man Sentenced to 50 Years in Federal Prison for His Repeated Sexual Abuse of a ChildRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett today sentenced Lawrence Aquilla Colby, IV, a/k/a “Buddy,” age 35, of Elkton, Maryland, yesterday to 50 years in federal prison, followed by lifetime supervised release, for his participation in a conspiracy to sexually abuse a child from the age of approximately four months to two years old, for producing and receiving images documenting the sexual abuse of the child, and for possession of child pornography.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Cecil County State’s Attorney James Dellmyer; and Cecil County Sheriff Scott Adams.
At his plea hearing, Colby admitted that he and his co-conspirator, Summer McCroskey, sexually abused a child, starting at the time the victim was approximately four months of age through at least October 2021, when the victim was two years old, and produced videos and images of the abuse. Both Colby and McCroskey participated in the abuse. Additionally, Colby received files documenting the sexual abuse of the child, which were sent to him by McCroskey.
On May 18, 2023, Judge Bennett sentenced co-defendant Summer McCroskey, age 25, also of Elkton, to 80 years in federal prison for her role in the conspiracy.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc and click on the “Resources” tab on the left of the page.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI, the Cecil County State’s Attorney’s Office and the Cecil County Sheriff’s Office for their work in the investigation and thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul E. Budlow and Colleen E. McGuinn who prosecuted the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-childhood and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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