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Friday 11 August 2023
City of Gary Receives $1 Million in DOJ FundingRead the Press Release
HAMMOND – United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson and Gary Police Chief Anthony Titus announce that the City of Gary have been awarded $1 Million Dollars in Byrne Discretionary Community Project Funding.
The City of Gary received notice of this funding late August 10, 2023, from the Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs.
The funding will be utilized for permanent mounted LPR cameras, stationery video surveillance cameras & associated reoccurring costs. This technology and equipment will continue to be a driving force and deterrent within the city community. The benefits of having this technology and equipment will build on officer safety, engaging the officers to be proactive, developing the situation before occurrence, focusing on high crime targeted areas and connecting with the residents will make them feel safer knowing the technology is there and with assistance from more police engagement.
United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson said, “A key component to increasing public safety in local communities is having the funding to acquire and deploy available technology. The Department of Justice, through its grant programs, is committed to assisting local governments, as shown by this 1 million dollar grant to the City Of Gary, in funding these modernization efforts. My office will continue to work with the Gary Police Department to increase safety for City residents and visitors.”
“It’s not the dollar amount of the grant as much as it is the relationship with our Federal partners that I’m pleased about today. The citizens of Gary are better served when all law enforcement entities come together with a common goal,” said Gary Police Chief Anthony Titus. “This $1 million dollar grant will help the Gary Police Department acquire technology that will be used to serve the citizens of Gary. It will enhance our already robust LPR and mobile video camera systems. A heartfelt thanks to the Department of Justice, and everyone involved in helping the City of Gary secure this funding.”
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Canadian Truck Driver Arrested with Almost 400 Kilograms of Cocaine, Charged with Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Ahmed El Kady, 37, of Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with possession with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine, and conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute, and to distribute, five kilograms or more of cocaine. The charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum of life, and a $10,000,000.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan E. Leydecker, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, on August 7, 2023, El Kady made entry into the United States at the Ambassador Bridge Port of Entry in Detroit, Michigan, driving a commercial truck (Subject Vehicle) without a commercial trailer attached. El Kady advised CBP Officers that he was picking up a trailer locally in Detroit. Investigators surveilled El Kady and the Subject Vehicle to the TA Travel Center in Dexter, Michigan, where, over the next two days, he appeared to make some sort of exchange with the drivers of two other commercial trucks. Investigators continued to surveil El Kady as he traveled to Ohio before returning to Dexter, Michigan and making another exchange with the driver of a third commercial truck. El Kady then traveled to Buffalo, NY, arriving on evening of August 9, 2023, and spending the night at local truck stop.
On August 10, 2023, in the early afternoon, El Kady’s wife Maja Tambur arrived at the truck stop. El Kady and Tambur got into Tambur’s vehicle, traveling to Niagara Falls, where they made frequent stops throughout the area and were observed driving evasively in a manner consistent with individuals conducting counter surveillance. After their attempts to lose investigators from their surveillance, El Kady and Tambur attempted to return to the truck stop to the Subject Vehicle. A federal search warrant was executed on the Subject Vehicle, during which approximately 386 kilograms of suspected cocaine were seized, and El Kady was taken into custody.
El Kady made an initial appearance this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah J. McCarthy and is being held pending a detention hearing on August 14, 2023, at 11 a.m.
The complaint is the result of a joint investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in Charge Matthew Scarpino, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and Canada Border Services Agency. Additional assistance was provided by Customs and Border Protection, CBP Air and Marine Unit, U.S. Border Patrol, the Erie County Sheriff’s Office, the Buffalo Police Department, the North Tonawanda Police Department, the Cheektowaga Police Department, the Ontario Provincial Police, Peel Police, and Toronto Police Services.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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California man pleads guilty to sexually exploiting minor, possessing child pornography after traveling to Ohio to engage in sex acts with a 14-year-oldRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A California man pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Columbus today to sexually exploiting a minor and possessing child pornography.
Kameron E. Tolbert, 28, of Suisin City, California, admitted to traveling from California to Ohio to engage in sex acts with a 14-year-old female he met online.
According to court documents, on Aug. 22, 2022, law enforcement was dispatched to a home in Jackson, Ohio. Tolbert had jumped through the minor victim’s bedroom window when he was discovered in the bedroom with the victim. He fled on foot and then by vehicle.
The next day, the principal at the victim’s local high school identified Tolbert’s vehicle in the school parking lot and notified a school resource officer who detained Tolbert at the school.
Tolbert had first met the victim online six months prior and began chatting with her via different social media applications, including Discord. He admitted to flying from Sacramento, California, to Columbus, Ohio, on Aug. 20, 2022, to meet the victim at her home in Jackson. Tolbert parked nearby and snuck into the victim’s home through her bedroom window on August 21 and August 22 to engage in sexual intercourse with her.
A forensic examination of Tolbert’s digital devices revealed more than 500 images and 1,100 videos depicting child sexual abuse of both prepubescent and pubescent minors. Images and videos of the 14-year-old minor victim engaged in sex acts with Tolbert were also recovered.
As part of the plea, the parties involved have recommended a sentence of 15 to 20 years in prison.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; J. William Rivers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati division; and Jackson County Sheriff Tedd Frazier announced the guilty plea entered today before Chief U.S. District Judge Algenon L. Marbley. Assistant United States Attorney Emily Czerniejewski and Jennifer M. Rausch are representing the United States in this case.
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Bloomington Woman Sentenced to Nearly 5.5 Years in Federal Prison for $5.5 Million International COVID Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS- Oluwatobi Seton, 28, of Bloomington, Indiana, has been sentenced to nearly 5.5 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
According to court documents, Seton conspired with partners in Nigeria to obtain unemployment and other benefits during the COVID-19 pandemic from state and federal governments by falsely applying for such benefits using the stolen identities of others. Seton and her co-conspirators obtained personal identifiable information of their victims, which they used to open GoBank accounts and obtain debit cards. The conspirators then submitted false and fraudulent employment applications to unemployment agencies throughout the United States in the victims’ names and had the stolen benefits monies deposited into their fraudulent GoBank accounts and onto debit cards. Seton then used fake driver’s licenses in the victims’ names to access the proceeds of the fraud scheme. At the time of her arrest, Seton had over 1,400 GoBank cards and ten driver’s licenses with different names in her possession.
In total, the conspiracy resulted in at least $5,475,459.00 in actual and attempted losses to state unemployment offices and other state and federal agencies: Seton kept a portion of the proceeds for herself and sent the remainder to her conspirators, including her business partners in Nigeria. Investigators seized over $550,000 in cash and GoBank accounts linked to the scheme during the investigation.
“This international criminal enterprise conspired to steal millions of dollars meant to help our citizens as we fought through the unprecedented pandemic,” said United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, Zachary A. Myers. “Fraudsters like this defendant who sought to exploit the urgent need to provide pandemic relief must be held accountable. I commend the work of our partners at the FBI, Bloomington Police Department, and Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, along with our federal prosecutors, to identify criminals like this defendant and ensure that they pay the price for their crimes.”
“Profiting from programs meant to help those in need is a despicable and unacceptable crime in and of itself. But this defendant took it a step further and stole identities to perpetrate this fraud and caused those victims immeasurable time in an effort to clear their names,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Herbert J. Stapleton. “The FBI and our local law enforcement partners will continue to identify and aggressively pursue those who commit fraud and ensure they are held accountable for their actions.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Bloomington Police Department, and Monroe County Sheriff’s Office investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Chief Judge, Tanya Walton Pratt. Judge Pratt also ordered that Seton be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for 1 year following her release from federal prison and pay restitution in the amount of $4,309,027.00.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorney MaryAnn T. Mindrum, who prosecuted this 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 augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID‑19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form
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Arvin, California, Man Sentenced for Facilitating a Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that United States District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Arvin, California, man convicted of Use of a Communication Facility in the Commission of a Drug Trafficking Crime. The sentencing took place on August 11, 2023.
Eduardo Acosta, 24, was sentenced to 37 months custody in federal prison, followed by one year of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Acosta was indicted for Use of a Communication Facility in the Commission of a Drug Trafficking Crime by a federal grand jury in June 2022. He pleaded guilty on May 26, 2023.
Acosta resides in California. His acquaintance, Victor Alfonso Leon-Pacheco, was in custody in Oklahoma. Acosta accepted payments for drug proceeds that were wired through money exchange services. This occurred multiple times between September 2021 and January 2022. Acosta also sent packages containing controlled substances to South Dakota at the direction of Leon-Pacheco. Acosta and Leon Pacheco utilized cell phones to communicate, which are also considered to be communication facilities.
This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Unified Narcotics Enforcement Team, which is local drug task force comprised of law enforcement from the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, Rapid City Police Department, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, South Dakota Highway Patrol, and the South Dakota National Guard. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn N. Rich prosecuted the case.
Acosta will report to the Bureau of Prisons in September.
Appointment of a Special CounselRead the Press Release
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland announced today the appointment of U.S. Attorney David Weiss to serve as Special Counsel for the ongoing investigation and prosecutions referenced and described in United States v. Robert Hunter Biden, as well as for any other matters that arose or may arise from that investigation. Mr. Weiss was nominated by the former president in 2017 and confirmed by the U.S. Senate in 2018. In 2021, he was asked to remain as U.S. Attorney for the District of Delaware, where he led this ongoing investigation. On Tuesday, Aug. 8, Mr. Weiss requested to be appointed as Special Counsel, and today the Attorney General made that appointment.
“On Tuesday of this week, Mr. Weiss advised me that in his judgment, his investigation has reached a stage at which he should continue his work as a Special Counsel, and he asked to be so appointed,” said Attorney General Garland. “Upon considering his request, as well as the extraordinary circumstances relating to this matter, I have concluded it is in the public interest to appoint him as Special Counsel. This appointment confirms my commitment to provide Mr. Weiss all the resources he requests. It also reaffirms that Mr. Weiss has the authority he needs to conduct a thorough investigation and to continue to take the steps he deems appropriate independently, based only on the facts and the law.”
The Attorney General also said, “As Special Counsel, he will continue to have the authority and responsibility that he has exercised previously to oversee the investigation and decide where, when, and whether to file charges. The Special Counsel will not be subject to the day-to-day supervision of any official of the Department, but he must comply with the regulations, procedures, and policies of the Department … Today’s announcement affords the prosecutors, agents, and analysts working on this matter the ability to proceed with their work expeditiously, and to make decisions indisputably guided only by the facts and the law … I am confident that Mr. Weiss will carry out his responsibility in an even-handed and urgent matter, and in accordance with the highest traditions of this Department.”
Appointment Order of David WeissAlbert Lea Woman Sentenced to Prison for Embezzling over $200,000 in Public Housing Rent PaymentsRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – An Albert Lea woman has been sentenced to a year and one day in prison, three years of supervised release, and is required to pay $213,217 in restitution for stealing public housing rent payments, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, between January 2010 and July 18, 2018, Marcie Marie Thumann, 45, worked as a bookkeeper for the Albert Lea Housing and Redevelopment Authority (HRA), a government program that received both federal and state funding to remedy the shortage of available low-incoming housing units. Thumann, who was responsible for recording and reconciling payments to the HRA, received tenants’ rent payments via cash, check, or money order. During her tenure as the HRA’s bookkeeper, Thumann routinely embezzled HRA rent payments for her own personal use and benefit. She did so by pocketing cash payments and altering the payee information on payments made by check and money order. Thumann then manipulated the HRA’s computer system to conceal the money she stole, avoid detection, and prolong her fraud scheme. In total, Thumann stole at least $213,217 from the Albert Lea HRA.
Thumann pleaded guilty on October 12, 2022, to one count of theft from a program receiving federal funds. She was sentenced on August 9, 2023, before Senior Judge David S. Doty in U.S. District Court.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development – Office of the Inspector General and the Albert Lea Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jordan L. Sing prosecuted the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Secord and Paralegal Specialist Jessica Scott handled the seizure and forfeiture of assets.
Administrator of ‘Bulletproof’ Webhosting Domain Charged in Connection with Facilitation of NetWalker RansomwareRead the Press Release
An indictment was unsealed yesterday in Tampa, Florida, charging a Polish national with computer fraud conspiracy, wire fraud conspiracy, and international money laundering in connection with the provision of “bulletproof” webhosting services that facilitated the operation of ransomware attacks and the subsequent laundering of the illicit proceeds.
According to court documents, Artur Karol Grabowski, 36, operated a webhosting company named LolekHosted. Through LolekHosted, Grabowski provided “bulletproof” webhosting services, which is secure webhosting designed to facilitate malicious and criminal activities, including ransomware, brute-force attacks, and phishing. Grabowski allegedly facilitated the criminal activities of LolekHosted clients by allowing clients to register accounts using false information, not maintaining Internet Protocol (IP) address logs of client servers, frequently changing the IP addresses of client servers, ignoring abuse complaints made by third parties against clients, and notifying clients of legal inquiries received from law enforcement. Grabowski registered the domain “LolekHosted.net” in 2014, and advertised that its services were “bulletproof,” provided “100% privacy hosting,” and allowed clients to host “everything except child porn.”
The NetWalker ransomware was one of the ransomware variants facilitated by LolekHosted. The NetWalker ransomware was deployed on approximately 400 victim company networks, including municipalities, hospitals, law enforcement and emergency services, school districts, colleges, and universities, which resulted in the payment of more than 5,000 bitcoin in ransoms (currently valued at approximately $146 million). LolekHosted clients used its services to execute approximately 50 NetWalker ransomware attacks on victims located all over the world, including in the Middle District of Florida. Specifically, clients used the servers of LolekHosted as intermediaries when gaining unauthorized access to victim networks, and to store hacking tools and data stolen from victims.
On Aug. 8, U.S. authorities seized LolekHosted.net, the domain name LolekHosted used for nearly a decade. Visitors to LolekHosted.net will now find a seizure banner that notifies them that the domain name has been seized by federal authorities. The U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida issued the seizure warrant.
If convicted on all counts, Grabowski faces a maximum penalty of 45 years in prison. The indictment also notifies Grabowski that the United States is seeking an order of forfeiture in the amount of $21.5 million, the proceeds of the charged criminal conduct. Grabowski remains a fugitive.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg for the Middle District of Florida made the announcement.
The FBI Tampa Field Office is investigating the case, with assistance from the IRS Criminal Investigation Cyber Crimes Unit.
Trial Attorney Sonia V. Jimenez of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carlton C. Gammons and Suzanne Nebesky for the Middle District of Florida are prosecuting the case.
Substantial assistance was provided by the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the FBI’s Legal Attaché Office in Warsaw, Poland. Polish authorities also provided substantial assistance.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Thursday 10 August 2023
Wood County Man Sentenced for Unlawfully Obtaining Unemployment and COVID-19 BenefitsRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Daniel Satow, 33, of Davisville, was sentenced today to five years of federal probation and ordered to pay $21,238 in restitution for unlawfully obtaining unemployment benefits, including supplementary funds provided by the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation Program (FPUC) of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on December 20, 2020, Satow logged on to the WorkForce West Virginia website and applied for unemployment compensation. Satow admitted he was employed at the time and that he falsely claimed when he applied that he had not been gainfully employed since September 9, 2020, and that the coronavirus pandemic prevented him from working.
Satow’s fraudulent application was approved and he received a debit card loaded with unemployment compensation benefits through the mail at his Davisville residence on January 5, 2021. Satow admitted that he used the debit card to make purchases for himself while knowing he had obtained the benefits fraudulently.
Satow further admitted that he continued to access the WorkForce West Virginia website for 26 consecutive weeks and each time falsely certified that he remained entitled to unemployment compensation benefits. WorkForce West Virginia relied on Satow’s false answers and loaded additional benefits onto the debit card weekly. These benefits included supplementary funds provided by the FPUC program. Satow admitted that he continued to use the debit card to make personal purchases.
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act provided for a temporary emergency increase in unemployment compensation benefits, referred to as the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation Program (FPUC). Although these benefits are administered by the states, they are funded in part by the federal government.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the WorkForce West Virginia Integrity Section and the Litigation Financial Analyst with the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Chief United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Ryan Blackwell 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.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-56.
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West Virginia man arrested for threatening Pittsburgh federal juryRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – A Follansbee, West Virginia, man was arrested today on criminal charges related to his alleged obstruction and witness tampering in a federal trial.
Hardy Carroll Lloyd, age 45, was taken into custody early this morning without incident. According to the criminal complaint, Lloyd began commenting online about the federal hate crimes trial in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, of Robert Bowers, the Tree of Life Synagogue mass shooter. Lloyd, a self-proclaimed “reverend” of a white supremacy movement, made threatening social media posts, website comments, and emails towards the jury and witnesses during the trial. Lloyd also placed or had others place stickers in predominantly Jewish areas of Pittsburgh, directing people to the website containing his threats and antisemitic messages.
“Jury trials are a hallmark of the American justice system and attempts to intimidate witnesses or jurors will be met with a strong response,” said United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld. “The use of hateful threats in an effort to undermine a trial is especially troubling.”
"The safety and security of all citizens in our communities is a priority for the FBI," said FBI Pittsburgh Special Agent in Charge Mike Nordwall. "Threats of violence used to intimidate or influence a community or jury cannot and will not be tolerated. The FBI makes it a priority to investigate crimes based on religious bias. In this case, the Jewish community was specifically targeted by these threats. I want to thank the community for sharing information that helped lead to today's arrest."
Lloyd is charged with obstruction of the due administration of justice, transmitting threats in interstate and foreign commerce, and witness tampering. He faces up to 10 years in prison for the obstruction charge, up to five years for the threats charge, and up to 20 in prison for the tampering charge. If convicted, a federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Randolph Bernard and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jarod Douglas are prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigating.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
West Hartford Man Sentenced to 30 Months in Federal Prison for Gang-Related Fentanyl DistributionRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ROBERTO DIAZ, also known as “Dragon Eyes,” 53, of West Hartford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to 30 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, for distributing fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, this matter stems from an investigation into gang-related drug trafficking and firearm possession by members of Los Solidos. The investigation, which included court-authorized wiretaps, revealed that Luis Feliciano, also known as “Louminaty,” distributed fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, and crack to customers and other distributors in the Hartford area, including Diaz. Diaz sold the drug to his own customer base.
On June 8, 2022, a grand jury returned an indictment charging Diaz, Feliciano, and 14 others with various narcotics distribution and firearm possession offenses.
Diaz was arrested on June 9, 2022. At the time of his arrest, he possessed 63 wax sleeves of fentanyl.
On February 22, 2023, Diaz pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl. He is currently detained.
Feliciano pleaded guilty and awaits sentencing.
This investigation has been conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force and the Hartford Police Department. The Task Force includes members of the FBI, Hartford Police Department, East Hartford Police Department, New Britain Police Department, West Hartford Police Department, Connecticut State Police and Connecticut Department of Correction.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian P. Leaming and Robert S. Ruff. through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Waterloo Man Sent to Federal Prison for Shooting at an Occupied HomeRead the Press Release
A man who discharged a gun at an occupied house was sentenced today to 46 months in federal prison.
Montrell Anderson, age 20, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after an April 3, 2023 guilty plea to possession of a firearm by a drug user and possession of a stolen firearm.
Information at the sentencing hearing showed that on April 24, 2022, Anderson twice shot a stolen gun into a neighboring occupied house, nearly hitting one of the residents. At the time, he was under the influence of marijuana. Five months later, in September 2022, officers found three more guns belonging to Anderson. Two of the firearms were stolen. Anderson’s urine tested positive for marijuana metabolites, opiates, and benzodiazepines.
Anderson was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Anderson was sentenced to 46 months’ imprisonment and must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Anderson is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Liz Dupuich and Special Assistant United States Attorney Devra Hake, and it was investigated by the Waterloo Police Department and Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 23-CR-2012.
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Warwick, ND, Man Charged with Sexual Abuse and Materials Involving Sexual ExploitationRead the Press Release
FARGO - United States Attorney Mac Schneider announced that a federal grand jury has indicted Jordain Jaden Smith, aka Jordain Thompson, age 23 of Warwick, ND, for Aggravated Sexual Abuse by Force, Sexual Abuse of an Incapacitated Victim, Possession of Materials Involving the Sexual Exploitation of Minors, and Sexual Abuse of a Minor.
Smith appeared for an initial appearance and arraignment today. Smith is charged with five counts alleging Smith sexually abused two minor females and possessed materials involving the sexual exploitation of one of the minors. The sexual abuse alleged in the Indictment occurred within the boundaries of the Spirit Lake Reservation. If convicted, the two highest charges carry a maximum sentence of life in prison.
Smith has entered not guilty plea to matters alleged in the Indictment and an initial trial date has been scheduled for October 3, 2023.
Grand jury indictments are allegations and are not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until he is proven guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices throughout the nation, Project Safe Childhood, in conjunction with Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC), helps federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies enhance their investigative responses to offenders who use the Internet, online communications systems, or computer technology to sexually exploit children. The ICAC Program is a national network of 61 coordinated task forces engaging in proactive investigations, forensic investigations, and criminal prosecutions. Project Safe Childhood also helps to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
This case is being investigated by Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from: Bureau of Indian Affairs North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation, Grand Forks Police Department, Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and the case is being prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s office, with Assistant United States Lori H. Conroy assigned to the case.
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Venezuelan Men Plead Guilty to High Seas 1400kg Cocaine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – Two Venezuelan citizens pleaded guilty today and yesterday to conspiracy to distribute cocaine on board a vessel in international waters.
According to court documents, on May 16, 2023, Juan Milano, 50, and Carlos Marcano, 31, were found with two others by a U.S. Navy ship and its Naval and Coast Guard personnel on board a go-fast boat in international waters while in possession of over 1400 kilograms of cocaine. The go-fast vessel was without nationality, and none of its crew declared their nationality, the flag nationality of the vessel, or claimed to be its master.
Milano is schedule to be sentenced on December 14 and Marcano, who pleaded yesterday, is scheduled to be sentenced on December 13. They each face a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison and a maximum of life imprisonment. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Milano and Marcano were prosecuted as part of a joint interagency partnership between the U.S Coast Guard, U.S. Navy, the Department of Justice including the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Department of Homeland Security, and select U.S. Attorney offices in the United States and its territories.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Jarod Forget, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Division; Derek W. Gordon, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C.; William P. Hicks II, Special Agent in Charge, Coast Guard Investigative Service, Chesapeake Region, made the announcement after U.S. District Senior Judge Raymond A. Jackson.
The Narcotics and Dangerous Drug Section of the Department of Justice assisted in this investigation. The Joint Interagency Task Force South (JIATF-S), a United States multiservice, multiagency task force, also assisted in this investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin M. Comstock is prosecuting the case.
Congress has declared drug trafficking on vessels in international waters a serious international problem universally condemned and one that presents a specific threat to the security and societal well-being of the United States.
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. 2:23-cr-85.
U.S. Forest Service Wins Civil Case Supporting Forest Restoration Projects in the Fremont-Winema National ForestRead the Press Release
MEDFORD, Ore.—The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon announced today that an order granting summary judgment in favor of the U.S. Forest Service was entered in a civil case challenging the agency’s commercial thinning of timber conducted as part of forest restoration efforts in the Fremont-Winema National Forest.
In December 2021 and May 2022, after an environmental effects review and public outreach, the Forest Service approved three restoration projects covering more than 91,000 acres in the Fremont-Winema National Forest designed to reduce the risk of severe wildfire in dry forestlands and improve degraded forest health and habitats. To achieve the agency’s restoration goals, it proposed various activities in the three projects including, but not limited to, small tree thinning, prescribed burning, juniper cutting, meadow enhancement, stream restoration, and the commercial sale of select forest products.
As part of each of the three restoration projects, the Forest Service approved between 3,000 and 16,000 acres of commercial thinning. Commercial and non-commercial thinning are longstanding timber management tools the Forest Service uses to improve timber stand growth and reduce fire hazard through the removal of select trees in overly dense and deteriorated stands. The Fremont-Winema National Forest has recently suffered from major wildfires including the 400,000-acre Bootleg Fire in 2021.
On July 12, 2022, Oregon Wild and WildEarth Guardians, two non-profit corporations, brought suit challenging the Forest Service’s use of commercial thinning as part of the restoration projects, alleging violations of the Administrative Procedure Act (APA) and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).
On August 4, 2023, U.S. District Court Judge Michael J. McShane issued a summary judgment order concluding that the Forest Service had not in fact violated APA or NEPA. The court found the Forest Service’s use of NEPA procedures to approve the projects was lawful and reasonably determined.
The U.S. Forest Service was represented in this matter by Sean E. Martin, Assistant United States Attorney for the District of Oregon.
Two Men Arrested After Another Pleads Guilty in $470,000 Kickback Scheme Involvintg Jersey City Condo ComplexRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – Two New Jersey men were charged, and another previously pleaded guilty, for participating in a kickback scheme to defraud the owner of a condominium complex in Jersey City of $470,000, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Ranaldo Bennett, 40, of Jersey City, and Jonathan Smith, 56, of Montclair, New Jersey, were each charged in a three-count complaint with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering. Smith was arrested earlier today and will have his initial appearance this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Edward S. Kiel in Newark federal court. Bennett was arrested earlier in the week and had his initial appearance before Judge Kiel on Aug. 7, 2023.
Nathaniel Obedos, 56, of Jersey City, pleaded guilty on July 6, 2023, before U.S. District Judge Karen M. Williams in Camden federal court to an information charging him with conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
According to the publicly filed documents and statements made in Court:
From November 2018 through October 2020, Obedos conspired with Bennett and Smith to engage in a kickback scheme to defraud the owner of the condominium complex. Bennett was the complex’s lead property manager and Smith was its superintendent. Bennett and Smith steered repair and maintenance work to Obedos and his company in exchange for kickbacks from Obedos. Bennett and Smith falsified invoices that grossly inflated the value of Obedos’s work. Relying on those fake invoices, the complex paid Obedos the inflated prices, and Obedos then used the excess money to pay Bennett and Smith kickbacks. In total, the complex paid Obedos and his company over $1 million for work that was actually valued at $500,000. Obedos used the overpayments to pay $460,000 in kickbacks to Bennett and over $10,700 in kickbacks to Smith.
The charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years, and the money laundering charges each carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. Each charge also carries a maximum fine of $250,000, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greatest. Obedos’ sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 9, 2023.
U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark, with the investigation leading to the plea and arrests.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Blake Coppotelli of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Economic Crimes Unit.
The charges and allegations against Bennett and Smith are merely accusations, and they are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
obedos.information.pdf
bennetsmith.complaint.pdfTwo Florida Men Charged with Orchestrating $12 Million Advance-Fee SchemeRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Christie M. Curtis, the Acting Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced the unsealing of an Indictment charging JOSEPH MALVASIO and GREGG MARCUS, a/k/a “Gregg Pierce,” with running a years-long advance-fee scheme through which they defrauded hundreds of victims of at least approximately $12 million. MALVASIO and MARCUS were arrested this morning will be presented later today in the Southern District of New York.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As alleged, Joseph Malvasio and Gregg Marcus perpetrated an advance-fee scheme whose victims were defrauded into paying millions of dollars for loans they needed but never received. Instead of keeping their promises to the victims, Malvasio and Marcus allegedly used the victims’ money to fund their lavish lifestyles.”
FBI Acting Assistant Director in Charge Christie M. Curtis said: "The defendants are alleged to have operated a fraudulent loan scheme where they collected fees from victims, however, had no intention of providing such loans. The fees were then used to fund luxury personal expenses. Ensuring that financial fraudsters are held accountable in the criminal justice system remains a top priority of the FBI."
According to the allegations contained in the Indictment:[1]
From at least in or about March 2017 through at least in or about August 2023, JOSEPH MALVASIO and GREGG MARCUS operated an advance-fee scheme that defrauded hundreds of victims of at least approximately $12 million. MALVASIO and MARCUS operated this fraudulent scheme through their ownership and operation of a business called Global Capital Partners Fund LLC (“GCPF”). MALVASIO and MARCUS falsely represented that GCPF was a legitimate business that would provide loans to individuals who were interested in funding for private commercial projects. Instead, MALVASIO and MARCUS defrauded victims, collecting thousands of dollars in fees from each victim without intending to issue a loan.
MALVASIO and MARCUS typically collected several fees from each victim, including a “letter of intent” fee, a “commitment” fee, and an “appraisal” fee. Each fee ranged from a few thousand dollars to tens of thousands of dollars. Once MALVASIO and MARCUS collected these fees, they informed each victim that he or she would not receive a loan and then refused to refund any of the fees each victim had paid.
Once MALVASIO and MARCUS received money from victims, they transferred the funds to their personal accounts and used them to make payments in the tens of thousands of dollars to Porsche, BMW, and Modern Yachts LLC, among other dealers of luxury goods. MALVASIO and MARCUS also used victim funds to make payments in the hundreds of thousands of dollars for personal credit card expenses.
* * *
MALVASIO, 65, of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and Bridgehampton, New York, and MARCUS, 57, of Bay Harbor Islands, Florida, are each charged with one count of wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, each of which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
The maximum potential penalties are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI.
This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jackie Delligatti is in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the description of the Indictment set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
U.S. v. Malvasio and Marcus IndictmentTwo California Residents Found Guilty of Conspiring to Launder Drug Kingpin’s CashRead the Press Release
DETROIT – A federal jury in Detroit found two California residents guilty yesterday of conspiring to launder money, United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced today.
Ison was joined in the announcement by Orville O. Greene, Special Agent in Charge of Drug Enforcement Administration, and Charles E. Miller, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service, Detroit Field Divisions.
Convicted were Teeauna White, 37, and Robin Herndon, 43. The four-week trial was conducted before United States District Judge Terrence Berg.
White and Herndon, both of California, participated in a money laundering conspiracy that was led by convicted drug trafficker Maurice McCoy. McCoy was sentenced in March 2023 to 22 years after pleading guilty to drug and money laundering conspiracies.
Evidence presented during the trial established that McCoy kept distribution hubs in multiple cities across the U.S., including Novi, Michigan where the organization stored more than 30 kilograms of fentanyl and over half a million dollars that the DEA seized. At the time it was the largest fentanyl seizure in Michigan and one of the largest in the U.S. The seizure was the result of agents’ creative investigative work after they traced a UPC code off a Sony PlayStation box that was used to deliver heroin to a drug customer. That UPC code led to the Novi condominium where the PlayStation was active. Agents identified couriers who crisscrossed the U.S. delivering kilograms, transporting bulk currency, or laundering money, leading to multiple arrests and additional seizures in Indianapolis, Indiana, and Baltimore, Maryland where the organization also operated. All identified couriers and large-scale drug customers who were indicted pleaded guilty.
The evidence further established that White, who lived with McCoy, lived lavishly off the drug conspiracy’s proceeds, purchasing a Bentley and Mercedes, expensive jewelry, and a half a million-dollar home in the greater Los Angeles area. Herndon assisted McCoy and White by opening multiple bank accounts through which money from the drug conspiracy was used to purchase McCoy and White’s home.
“I salute the innovative investigative work of our federal law enforcement partners at the DEA and IRS that unraveled this drug conspiracy and helped tracked down all of the individuals who profited from the conspiracy,” stated U.S. Attorney Dawn Ison. “We will not only seek to hold those accountable who traffic in drugs, but also those who help them hide or launder the illicit proceeds of their crimes.”
Today’s announcement should serve as a clear warning to anyone who would use the cover of legitimate business to conceal proceeds derived from narcotics trafficking. Money launderers will be held to the same level of accountability as the drug traffickers they’re partnering with,” said Special Agent in Charge Orville.
“The laundering of illegal drug profits is as important and essential to drug traffickers as the very distribution of their illegal drugs,” said Charles Miller, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Detroit Field Office. “Without these ill-gotten gains, the traffickers cannot finance their organizations. IRS-CI will continue to provide our financial expertise in narcotics investigations, as we work alongside the US Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners to bring criminals to justice.”
Sentencing is pending for both defendants.
The investigation of the case was conducted by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement (OCDETF) Southeast Regional Strike Force. Assistant United States Attorneys Andrea Hutting, Craig Wininger, and Gjon Juncaj prosecuted the case for the United States.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Tsayatoh Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearms ViolationRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, announced today that Rumaldo Peshlakai pled guilty to being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition. Peshlakai, 43, of Tsayatoh, and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, will remain in custody pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled.
According to court documents, on Sept. 23, 2021, Peshlakai and Jane Doe were involved in a domestic dispute at a residence in Tsayatoh. Afterward, Peshlakai left the residence in Doe’s vehicle with their four children and multiple firearms and ammunition, driving into a wooded area near the residence. Peshlakai stated if any officers tried to stop him, he would shoot. An Amber Alert was issued for the four children in New Mexico and Arizona.
Officers from the Navajo Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation located the vehicle in the wooded area and identified footprints leading away from the vehicle. Inside the vehicle was an empty box of ammunition and a single round. Officers tracked the footprints for six miles to an abandoned housing area where it appeared another vehicle arrived and picked up Peshlakai and the four children. That evening, Peshlakai contacted NPD Dispatch and informed them the children were at a relative’s house. Peshlakai was not at the relative’s house and would not give his location but agreed to turn himself in to the FBI the next morning.
The children, who were unharmed, were recovered by law enforcement, and Peshlakai was arrested on Sept. 24. Law enforcement later traced Peshlakai’s steps over the six-mile walk and unearthed a gun case that Peshlakai had buried while evading police. It contained a rifle, two pistols, and ammunition. Additional investigation revealed that Peshlakai abandoned the vehicle and took the case, then buried and concealed the case while being pursued by law enforcement. In a later interview, he claimed not to know the location of any firearms and denied possessing them at all.
Peshlakai was previously convicted in 2001 of assault by striking, beating or wounding and assault resulting in serious bodily injury, and in 2006 for being a felon in possession of ammunition. As a previously convicted felon, Peshlakai cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition.
At sentencing, Peshlakai faces up to 10 years in prison.
The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office and the Navajo Police Department investigated this case with assistance from the FBI Phoenix Field Office, United States Marshals Service, New Mexico State Police, Navajo Police Department, McKinley County Sheriff's Office and Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexander F. Flores and Kimberly Bell are prosecuting the case.
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Thomson, Illinois Man Sentenced to 270 Months in Prison Related to Conspiracy to Distribute MethRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, Iowa – A Thomson, Illinois man was sentenced on August 8, 2023 to more than 22 years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine or 500 grams and more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine.
According to public court documents, Clifford Don Smith, 56, was identified by law enforcement as a distributor for large quantities of methamphetamine in and around the Clinton, Iowa area since 2021. In total, Smith was held responsible for 8.99 kilograms of ice methamphetamine.
After completing his term of imprisonment, Smith will be required to serve five years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, and the Clinton Police Department.
Texas Men Sentenced to Federal Prison for Paducah ATM TheftRead the Press Release
Paducah, KY – Two Houston, Texas men were sentenced yesterday to federal prison for their roles in a theft from a Paducah ATM.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Jodi Cohen of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Chief Brian Laird of the Paducah Police Department made the announcement.
According to court documents, Otis J. Gibson, 24, was sentenced to 38 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for bank larceny and interstate transportation of stolen funds. Eric J. Rhodes, 25, was sentenced to 12 months and one day in prison, followed by 2 years of supervised release, for bank larceny and interstate transportation of stolen funds. On June 10, 2020, Gibson, Rhodes, and unnamed co-conspirators stole cash from a stand-alone ATM located on Highway 60 near the Kentucky Oaks Mall in Paducah. The group used a stolen truck, chain, and pry bars to break open the ATM. Over $150,000 was stolen from the machine. They then traveled across state lines with the stolen cash. There is no parole in the federal system.
Gibson was also indicted by a federal grand jury in Missouri for his role in a January 9, 2020, ATM theft in Saint Louis. That indictment was transferred to the Western District of Kentucky. He was also sentenced today to a concurrent prison sentence for bank larceny charged in the Missouri indictment.
Gibson and Rhodes were ordered to pay $158,127 in restitution for bank larceny in Paducah. Gibson was ordered to pay an additional $98,748 for bank larceny in Saint Louis.
The FBI and the Paducah Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Raymond McGee, of the U.S. Attorney’s Paducah Branch Office, prosecuted the case.
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Texas Man Who Supplied Virginia Drug Network Sentenced to 25 YearsRead the Press Release
ABINGDON, Va. – A Texas man, who a jury convicted in April of trafficking large quantities of high-purity methamphetamine from Mexico into Southwest Virginia, was sentenced today to 25 years in federal prison.
Alonso Cantu-Cantu, 46, of Houston, was the major source of supply for a drug conspiracy that distributed more than 33 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine and 6 kilograms of cocaine into Southwest and Central Virginia through a multi-jurisdictional drug trafficking organization.
In April, a jury convicted Cantu-Cantu of conspiracy to distribute and possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Evidence presented at trial showed that Cantu-Cantu received methamphetamine in 55-gallon drums that had been transported into the United States in water tankers directly from sources in Mexico. Cantu-Cantu then directed the drugs through distributors from Indiana, who ultimately distributed down the supply chain throughout the Western District of Virginia, from Harrisonburg to Bristol, Virginia. Many of these transactions were orchestrated through another major drug trafficker who was incarcerated in multiple Virginia prisons throughout the conspiracy.
In all, the estimated street value of the methamphetamine and cocaine distributed during the course of the conspiracy was more than $1.4 million. Over 33 kilograms of methamphetamine, 125.4 grams of heroin, 94 grams of cocaine, and 7 firearms were seized, and 26 defendants have now been convicted over the course of the six-year investigation, which started with the investigation of street level dealers in the Smyth County, Virginia, area.
United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh, Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares, and Special Agent in Charge Jared Forget of the DEA’s Washington Division made the announcement today.
This investigation was led by the Drug Enforcement Administration-Washington Field Division’s Bristol Post of Duty with assistance from the Smyth County Virginia Sheriff’s Office. Numerous other agencies also provided assistance throughout the investigation including the Drug Enforcement Administration in Indianapolis, Indiana, and Birmingham, Alabama, the Washington County Virginia Sheriff’s Office, the Abingdon, Virginia Police Department, the Rockingham County Virginia RUSH Drug Task Force, the Rockingham County, Virginia Sheriff’s Office, the Harrisonburg, Virginia Police Department, the Bessemer, Alabama Police Department, the Virginia Department of Corrections, the Virginia Department of Corrections Probation and Parole Unit, and the Southwest Virginia Regional Jail Authority.
Special Assistant United States Attorney M. Suzanne Kerney-Quillen, a Senior Assistant Attorney General with the Virginia Attorney General’s Major Crimes and Emerging Threats Section, and Assistant United States Attorney Lena L. Busscher prosecuted the case for the United States.
Tech Executive Admits Participating in $150 Million Fraud on QualcommRead the Press Release
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – August 10, 2023
SAN DIEGO – Sanjiv Taneja, the former CEO of a technology company sold to Qualcomm for over $150 million, pleaded guilty in federal court today for his role in a massive fraud.
Taneja of Cupertino, California, pleaded guilty to one count of money laundering related to a $1.5 million transaction involving proceeds of the fraud on Qualcomm. In his plea agreement, Taneja admitted that he and co-defendants Karim Arabi, Ali Akbar Shokouhi, and others schemed to hide Arabi’s involvement in Abreezio—the tech firm that they marketed to Qualcomm. Arabi was a Qualcomm employee throughout the entire marketing period, and hiding his involvement in the firm and the development of its patented technology allowed Abreezio’s principals to claim that the company was an “angel-funded” outside firm while disguising its true connections to Qualcomm. In that regard, Taneja admitted that he asked Arabi for performance numbers for Qualcomm’s existing technology to try to improve Abreezio’s marketing pitch, and that he even called Arabi by a different name in text messages to obscure Arabi’s involvement in Abreezio. According to court documents, Qualcomm agreed to pay roughly $180 million for Abreezio—$150 million of which was paid in cash in October 2015.
Taneja acknowledged that he never actually met the purported creator of Abreezio’s core technologies, who is Arabi’s family member and was never involved in the company’s technical or strategic decision-making as far as Taneja knew.
In his plea agreement, Taneja also admitted that Karim Arabi directed him to delete emails concerning the scheme once Qualcomm started investigating the Abreezio transaction, although Taneja was later able to recover the emails.
“Fraud and deceit undermine legitimate businesses and the marketplace, whether they victimize small businesses or multinational corporations and their shareholders,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Andrew R. Haden. “This office will seek justice against wrongdoers, big and small alike.”
“Crimes like the one supported by Mr. Taneja and his co-conspirators threaten the economy at every level,” said FBI San Diego Field Office Acting Special Agent in Charge Jamie Arnold. “The FBI is committed to working with its law enforcement partners to ensure that every criminal taking part in corporate fraud is investigated and arrested.”
“Mr. Taneja was part of an elaborate conspiracy to steal tens of millions of dollars from a major technology company and a complex scheme to launder the proceeds,” said Special Agent in Charge Tyler Hatcher, IRS Criminal Investigation Los Angeles field office. “IRS Criminal Investigation special agents are experts at following the money through complex transactions and international movements, and we are committed to continued collaboration with our law enforcement partners to identify and bring to justice those who attempt to defraud people, businesses or both.”
DEFENDANTS Case Number 22-CR-1152-BAS
Karim Arabi Age: 57 San Diego, CA
Sanjiv Taneja Age: 60 Cupertino, CA
Ali Akbar Shokouhi Age: 64 San Diego, CA
AGENCIES
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Internal Revenue Services, Criminal Investigation
United States Marshals Service
*The charges and allegations contained in an indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Smith Lake Man Pleads Guilty to Second Degree MurderRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, announced that Josiah Alan Smith, 29, of Smith Lake and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, pled guilty in federal court to second degree murder. Smith will remain in custody pending sentencing which has not been scheduled.
According to court documents on May 17, 2021, Smith shot and killed the victim, identified as John Doe, at a residence near Church Rock, New Mexico, on the Navajo Nation. Smith, who had arrived at the residence earlier in the day, allegedly fired into a window from outside the home, striking the victim in the back and killing him.
The FBI, with the assistance of the McKinley County Sheriff's Office and Gallup Police Department, arrested Smith in Gamerco, New Mexico, on Aug. 21, 2021.
At sentencing, Smith faces up to life in prison.
The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations and the McKinley County Sheriff's Office. Assistant United States Attorneys Matthew T. Nelson and Blake Nichols are prosecuting the case.
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Six Indicted for Multi-State Oxycodone ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Six individuals were indicted today by a federal grand jury in Boston for their alleged involvement in a drug trafficking organization that distributed oxycodone pills, obtained from a source in the Houston area, across Southeastern Massachusetts and beyond.
The following defendants were indicted on one count each of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and to possess with intent to distribute oxycodone pills. They were previously arrested on July 12, 2023:
- John Campbell, a/k/a Jizz, 40, of Taunton;
- Kenneth Veiga, 33, of Abington;
- Michael Atwood, 36, of Carver;
- Austin Gonsalves, 36, of Fall River;
- Scott Lambert, 55, of Falmouth; and
- Christan Russell, a/k/a Christian Russell, a/k/a Bear, 32, of Tomball, Texas.
According to the charging documents, an investigation into Campbell began in April 2022 after law enforcement received information that he was allegedly distributing oxycodone pills. Intercepted communications allegedly revealed that Campbell distributed oxycodone pills to Atwood and Lambert, who then re-distributed the pills to others. On Feb. 24, 2023, law enforcement stopped Lambert in Bourne after he allegedly met with Campbell, and 73 oxycodone pills were found hidden in a Krazy Glue container inside the vehicle.
It is further alleged that, on multiple occasions, Russell obtained oxycodone pills from pharmacies in the Houston area before travelling to the Boston area and distributing the pills to Veiga, who then re-distributed them to Gonsalves. Specifically, flight records allegedly show that Russell travelled to Boston and met with Veiga in February, March and May 2023 to distribute the pills in various locations, including the Twin River Casino, in Lincoln, R.I. and a Brookline hotel.
The charge of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and to possess with intent to distribute oxycodone pills provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
The indictment also includes a drug forfeiture allegation, aiming to seize the following items: a 2014 Mercedes-Benz CLS550; a 2017 BMW X6; over $998,000 in U.S. Currency; an Aero Precision Model X15 Pistol; a Kongsberg Norwegian M1914 Pistol; a Glock 22 .40 Caliber Pistol; and a Taurus .44 Caliber Revolver.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Boston Field Division; John E. Mawn Jr., Interim Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police; Falmouth Police Chief Jeffrey A. Lourie; Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division; and Harry Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston made the announcement today. Valuable assistance in the investigation was provided by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; the United States Coast Guard Investigative Service; the Cape & Islands District Attorney’s Office; the Barnstable County Sheriff’s Office; and the Barnstable, Dennis, Bourne, Mashpee, Yarmouth and Sandwich Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John T. Mulcahy of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit and Alexandra Amrhein of the Asset Recovery Unit are prosecuting the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendants are presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.
Savage Life Gang Members Sentenced to Federal Prison on Racketeering ChargesRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, Iowa – Two Davenport men were sentenced on Tuesday, August 8, 2023, in relation to a racketeering prosecution. Najawaun Marcus Quinn, 26, was sentenced to 408 months in federal prison for assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering, use and carry a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, and felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Dimetri Alexander Smith, 30, was sentenced to 400 months in federal prison for two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering and two counts of use and carry a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. In February 2023, both were found guilty of the charges following a 7-day jury trial.
According to public court documents and evidence presented at trial, in 2016 and 2017, as members of Savage Life Boys (SLB), a Davenport-based street gang, Quinn and Smith were involved in multiple shootings.
In October 2016, Quinn and other SLB members encountered a man with whom he had been feuding sitting in a parked car at his residence on North Division Street in Davenport. They parked a short distance away and Quinn approached the man on foot. Quinn then fired numerous rounds at the man while he sat in his car. The man sustained a gunshot wound.
In January 2017, Smith, and co-defendants Austin Ruiz and Olajuwan Culbreath were at the NorthPark Mall when they saw a rival gang member. Smith, Ruiz, and Culbreath went to their car, where they had firearms. Culbreath drove to the mall entrance where they expected the rival gang member to exit. When they saw the rival gang member, Smith and Ruiz chased him through the mall parking lot, shooting at him.
In February 2017, Quinn, Smith, and co-defendants Culbreath, and Darion Gardner, and other SLB members started an altercation at a concert at the Hotel Davenport due to perceived disrespect for their gang. During the altercation, Gardner shot and killed one male and injured another.
In April 2017, Smith and Ruiz were at Centennial Park in Davenport when they saw a male who recently robbed another SLB member’s dice game. Ruiz, armed with a firearm, got out of their vehicle to confront the male. The men struggled over the firearm, which discharged, striking the male in the foot. Smith then joined the altercation, choking the male to unconsciousness to assist them in their flight.
Quinn and Smith committed these acts with the intent to maintain or increase position in the gang.
Following their prison terms, both Quinn and Smith must each serve five years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
In April 2023, Ruiz was sentenced to 202 months in prison and Culbreath was sentenced to 152 months in prison. In December 2022, Gardner was sentenced to 450 months in prison.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal stated “We will continue to pursue and aggressively prosecute those individuals and groups of individuals that choose to commit violent crimes. This investigation, trial and hard work of our partners at the Davenport Police Department exemplifies our joint commitment to using every tool available to combat gun violence and protect the communities we serve.”
“We are proud of the hard work and dedication of our investigators and continued partnership with federal prosecutors to bring violent offenders to justice. Partnerships such as these are vital to keeping our community safe,” said Davenport Police Chief Jeffery E. Bladel.
The Davenport Police Department led this investigation, with assistance from the Peoria, Illinois Police Department.
Santo Domingo Woman Pleads Guilty to Assault on a Federal OfficerRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, announced that Henryetta John pled guilty to assault on a federal officer. John, 30, of Santo Domingo, New Mexico, and a member of the Pueblo of Santo Domingo, will remain in custody until she can be released for substance-abuse treatment.
According to court documents, on Oct. 20, 2021, John was stopped on suspicion of DWI by a federal officer from the Bureau of Indian Affairs. When the officer tried to place John under arrest, she slipped the handcuffs and physically assaulted the officer, causing them to roll down a hillside. The officer sustained injuries as a result of the altercation.
At sentencing, John faces up to 20 years in prison.
The FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Sandoval County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas J. Marshall is prosecuting the case.
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Ringleader sent to prison in nationwide fraud scheme targeting elderly victimsRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – The leader in a conspiracy to commit mail fraud has been ordered to federal prison, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
MD Azad, 26, an Indian national who illegally resided in Houston, pleaded guilty Aug. 15, 2022, admitting he participated in a fraud ring from 2019-2020 which operated out of various cities including Houston.
U.S. District Judge Kenneth Hoyt has now ordered Azad to serve 188 months in federal prison. Azad, a citizen of India, is expected to face removal proceedings following the prison term. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence that described Azad as the U.S.-based ringleader working with a call center in India. In handing down the sentence, the court noted the many letters and victim impact statements it had read showing the financial devastation to elderly and vulnerable victims throughout the United States because of this fraud scheme.
“The victims in this case were devastated, financially and otherwise,” said Hamdani. “This fraud ring repeatedly preyed on elderly and vulnerable people in the United States who spoke of threats of bodily harm if they did not comply with demands for more money. Our hope, and that of many of the victims, is deterrence so as to stop others who would think of doing similar harm in our community and beyond.”
The scheme targeted elderly victims throughout the United States and elsewhere.
The ring tricked and deceived victims using various ruses and instructed them to send money via wire through a money transmitter business such as Western Union or MoneyGram, by buying gift cards and providing to the fraudsters or by mailing cash to alias names via FedEx or UPS.
Part of the scheme involved fraudsters contacting victims by phone or via internet sites for computer technical support and directing victims to a particular phone number. Once victims contacted the fraudsters, they were told various stories such as they were communicating with an expert that needed remote access to their computer in order to provide technical support services. The fraudsters then gained access to victims’ personal data and bank and credit card information.
Victims typically paid a fee to conspirators for the fake technical support but were later told they were due a refund. Through paying for “technical support” or through the “refund” process, the ring gained access to the victim’s bank account(s) and credit cards and manipulated the accounts to make it appear the victim was paid too large a refund due to a typographical error. Victims were then instructed to reimburse the ring by various means.
Victims were sometimes re-victimized multiple times and threatened with bodily harm if they did not pay.
Indian citizen Anirudha Kalkote, 26, also pleaded guilty in relation to the conspiracy as did Sumit Kumar Singh, 26, Himanshu Kumar, 26, and MD Hasib, 27, all also Indian nationals who illegally resided in Houston. They are pending sentencing.
All five individuals will remain in custody.
The FBI, U.S. Postal Inspection Service and IRS Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations, Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office and other local law enforcement agencies throughout the United States including the Sheriff’s Office and Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office of Augusta County, Virginia. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Belinda Beek and Quincy Ollison prosecuted the case.
The case is brought as a part of the Elder Justice Initiative. Its goal is to support and coordinate the Department’s enforcement and programmatic efforts to combat elder abuse, neglect and financial fraud and scams that target our nation’s older adults.
In March 2020, the U.S. Department of Justice launched National Elder Fraud Hotline to help combat fraud against older Americans and provide services to victims. If you or someone you know is a victim of elder fraud, we encourage you to call the National Elder Fraud Hotline at 833–FRAUD–11 (833–372–8311).
The hotline is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. eastern time. Services are available for speakers of English, Spanish and other languages.
Rhode Island Man Sentenced to Three Years in Prison for Theft and Misuse of COVID-19 Pandemic AssistanceRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Rhode Island man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for his involvement in a fraudulent scheme to obtain and misuse COVID-19-related unemployment assistance.
Dquintz Alexander, 36, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Angel Kelley to three years in prison and three years of supervised release. Alexander was also ordered to pay forfeiture of $318,281. In April 2023, Alexander pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud conspiracy, five counts of wire fraud, and one count of aggravated identity theft.
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) created a temporary federal unemployment insurance program called Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA). PUA, administered by the Massachusetts Department of Unemployment Assistance, provides unemployment insurance benefits for individuals who are not eligible for other types of unemployment benefits (e.g., the self-employed, independent contractors or gig economy workers).
From April to June 2020, Alexander conspired with his co-worker, Norman Higgs, to submit fraudulent PUA claims using stolen identifying information of other individuals. The PUA payments were directed into bank accounts controlled by Alexander and Higgs. In total, accounts controlled by Alexander and Higgs received over half a million dollars in fraudulent PUA payments. While the majority of the funds were frozen by banks or recovered through the efforts of law enforcement, Alexander and Higgs were able to use over $200,000 of the funds for their personal benefit, including to pay off credit card debt and to fund digital currency and online retail brokerage accounts. On August 2, 2023, Higgs was sentenced for his role in the scheme.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Christopher DiMenna, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Jonathan Mellone, Special Agent in Charge of Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations-Labor Racketeering and Fraud made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Markham of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit 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.
Rapid City Man Found Guilty of Failure to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has convicted Ryder White Hawk Sierra, age 33, of Rapid City, South Dakota, of one count of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender following a court trial in federal district court in Rapid City, South Dakota. The verdict was returned on August 9, 2023.
The charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in custody and/or a $250,000 fine, a minimum of five years up to life of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Sierra was indicted by a federal grand jury in March of 2023.
The charge related to Sierra failing to register and update his sex offender registration under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act between January and March of 2023.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Poppen prosecuted the case.
A presentence investigation was ordered and a sentencing date was set for October 25, 2023. The defendant was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Princeton Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Methamphetamine DistributionRead the Press Release
Paducah, KY – A Princeton, Kentucky man was sentenced yesterday to 10 years in prison for methamphetamine distribution offenses.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge J. Todd Scott of the DEA Louisville Field Division, and Commissioner Phillip Burnett, Jr. of the Kentucky State Police made the announcement.
According to court documents, on separate dates in March, June, and August of 2021, in Caldwell County, Kentucky, Donald Ray Adams, 49, distributed 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Further, on September 23, 2021, Adams possessed with the intent to distribute over 400 grams of methamphetamine. Adams was sentenced yesterday to 10 years in prison followed by a 5-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by the DEA Paducah post of duty and the Kentucky State Police, with assistance from the Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office and the Pennyrile Narcotics Task Force.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Hancock, Chief of the U.S. Attorney’s Paducah Branch Office, prosecuted the case.
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Plainfield Man Sentenced to over 3 Years in Federal Prison for $1.5 Million Identity Theft SchemeRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS- Vimalkumar Trivedi, 41, of Plainfield, Indiana, has been sentenced to 46 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to the possession of false identity documents and operating an unlicensed money transfer business.
According to court documents, from April 2017 through April 1, 2021, Trivedi defrauded multiple victims, including some elderly individuals, into sending cash to various locations, including Indianapolis via FedEx. Trivedi and his co-conspirators in the U.S. and India masqueraded as federal law enforcement agents and told the victims that their Social Security numbers had been found in connection with criminal activity, often narcotics trafficking. The criminals stated that the victims would be arrested if they did not immediately withdraw large sums of cash and mail it to fictitious individuals.
Trivedi tracked the packages of money sent by fraud victims to the fictitious recipients and picked them up at multiple FedEx locations. In each instance, Trivedi used a false identification document in the name of the listed package recipient. In total, Trivedi possessed at least 53 false identification documents, each with his picture but containing different identifying information. He used these false identification documents to pick up at least 122 packages containing $901,124 in cash proceeds of the fraud. Trivedi kept $60,000 stolen from victims for his own use and forwarded the remainder to his associates.
Through the investigation, law enforcement agents have identified and confirmed approximately 17 victims, identified approximately 50 other suspected victims, and identified approximately $1.5 million in losses to the victims.
United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, Zachary A. Myers, Herbert J. Stapleton, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Indianapolis Field Office; Welber Hickman, Special Agent in Charge of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service Norfolk Field Office, Rodney Hopkins, Postal Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Detroit Division; and Gail S. Ennis, Inspector General of the Social Security Administration, OIG made the announcement.
“International fraud conspiracies steal from hard-working people using lies, manipulation, and fear,” said U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, Zachary A. Myers. “These vicious crimes often devastate families and individuals victimized by these heartless thieves. The sentence in this case demonstrates that fraudsters seeking a quick buck will pay a heavy price for their crimes. I commend the dedication of the FBI, NCIS, Postal Inspection Service, and Social Security Administration OIG, to hold these criminals accountable and seek justice for victims.”
“The sentence imposed on the defendant sends a very clear message to those who attempt to profit from fraud. You will be caught, and you will face time behind bars,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Herbert J. Stapleton. “Protecting the community from becoming victims of these types of schemes will always be a priority for the FBI and our partners.”
“Mr. Trivedi’s conspirators threatened and scared innocent victims into sending him large sums of money in a vile scheme for which he deserves to be held fully accountable,” said Special Agent in Charge Welber Hickman of the NCIS Norfolk Field Office. “This sentencing should serve as a warning that NCIS and our partners will expose and bring to justice those who seek to defraud our nation’s warfighters and their families.”
“Trivedi was part of an imposter scam that used scare tactics and identity theft to scam innocent victims out of hard-earned money. Today’s sentence shows that such behavior will not be tolerated,” said Gail S. Ennis, Inspector General for the Social Security Administration. “I thank the United States Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners for their dedication and work on this case.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Naval Criminal Investigative Service, United States Postal Inspection Service, and the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Chief Judge, Tanya Walton Pratt. Judge Pratt also ordered that Trivedi be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for 3 years following his release from federal prison.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Bradley P. Shepard and Patrick A. Gibson, who prosecuted this case.
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Philadelphia Man Sentenced to 35 Years in Prison for Conspiring to Distribute Methamphetamine and Cocaine and Unlawfully Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A former resident of Philadelphia, PA, has been sentenced in federal court to a total of 420 months in prison followed by 5 years of supervised release on his convictions of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine, and unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
Senior United States District Judge Kim R. Gibson imposed the sentence on John T. Terry, age 48, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
On August 25, 2022, a jury found John Terry guilty of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine and cocaine, between March 30, 2018, and April 4, 2018.
Further, on August 26, 2022, District Judge Kim R. Gibson found Terry guilty of unlawfully possessing a loaded, stolen Smith & Wesson M&P Shield .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. On June 2, 1998, Terry was convicted in United States District Court for the Eastern District of PA, of interference with interstate commerce by robber for possessing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, both of which are crimes punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year. Federal law prohibits persons who have been convicted of a crime punishable by a term of imprisonment exceeding one year from possessing firearms.
Assistant United States Attorney Arnold P. Bernard, Jr. prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Mr. Olshan commended the Laurel Highlands Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Pennsylvania State Police SHIELD Unit, and the Somerset Turnpike Barracks, for the investigation that led to the successful prosecution of Terry.
Pharmacy Owner and Technician Both Sentenced to Prison for Health Care FraudRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – James Craig Bell, 63, was sentenced today to 24 months for conspiracy to commit health care fraud in connection with a scheme through his pharmacy in Robeson County that had operated under the name Townsend’s Pharmacy. Mr. Bell previously pled guilty to the charge in October 2022. Mr. Bell’s codefendant and former employee, Melisha Oxendine West, 51, was sentenced last month following her guilty plea to 24 months imprisonment followed by 3 years of supervised release in connection with the same scheme.
“People who steal taxpayer-funded programs intended to provide healthcare to the needy will be investigated and prosecuted,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “For over a decade, Bell and his pharmacy fraudulently billed Medicare and Medicaid over $4 million for medicine he never actually gave to patients. That money should have gone to getting vital medications to those in need.”
Beginning as early as 2006 through July 2017, Bell, acting through Townsend’s Pharmacy, billed Medicare, Medicaid, and various private health plans for prescription drugs that were never actually dispensed by the pharmacy. Bell had trained West and other employees on how to bill health care benefit plans for drugs that were not authorized or dispensed. Bell also trained employees to falsely reauthorize a previously existing prescription from a licensed medical professional, and, how to falsely bill health care benefit programs as though a drug had been dispensed. West began independently running the pharmacy’s operations while Bell continued to knowingly profit from the fraudulent billing practices. This fraud scheme in total cost Medicare and North Carolina Medicaid over $4M in fraudulent billings by conservative estimates.
"When providers submit false claims to Medicare and Medicaid, they take valuable, taxpayer-funded resources away from patients," said Tamala E. Miles, Special Agent in Charge at the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). "HHS-OIG is proud to work with our partners to hold accountable those who attempt to illegitimately profit off of federal health care programs."
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan announced the sentence. The United States Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General is investigating the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney David G. Beraka is prosecuting the cases.
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 Cases No. 7:22-cr-00107-FL and 7:21-cr-00129-FL.
Putnam County Man Charged with Possession of Destructive Devices and a Firearm with an Obliterated Serial NumberRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – August 10, 2023 – Levi Austin Flatt, 31, of Baxter, Tennessee, was charged yesterday by federal criminal complaint with three counts related to possession of a destructive device and one count related to possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number announced United States Attorney Henry C. Leventis.
The criminal complaint alleges that on August 7, 2023, officers with the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office (“PCSO”) observed a video on the Flatt’s Facebook account that depicted him holding a plastic bottle, a wine bottle, and a galvanized pipe with an endcap affixed to the end. The three items were taped together with what appears to be yellow tape. Black and white braided electrical wires hung from the device. In the video, Flatt stated: “Hey ATF, let me know if this is legal, a pound of Tannerite, a pipe bomb, and a wine bottle full of diesel…oh is that legal ATF… just let me know about this…somebody let me know.”
Later that same day, PCSO officers pulled over Flatt while he was driving less than a mile from the Putnam County Fair. Flatt exited his van with an empty holster on his right side and a fixed blade knife on his lower back. Officers searched the van and found, among other things, a fully loaded 9 mm pistol with an obliterated serial number; seven extended magazines containing 145 rounds of 9 mm ammunition; three additional suspected bombs, one of which contained metal shrapnel inside; several additional metal pipes with one end of each pipe welded closed; two Molotov cocktails; and, a receipt for a propane tank.
This case is being investigated by the ATF, FBI, Tennessee Highway Patrol – Special Operations Unit, and the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn Risinger is prosecuting the case.
A complaint is merely an allegation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Owner of Maryland Construction Company Pleads Guilty to Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
A Maryland man pleaded guilty today to evading his federal income taxes.
According to court documents, Jerry Lee Redman of Severn, Maryland, owned Redman Services Inc. (RSI), a paving and construction company. For at least 2015 through 2018, Redman filed corporate income tax returns for RSI that underreported the business’s gross receipts. Redman caused customers to write checks to him personally, instead of to RSI, and then deposited those checks into his personal bank account. Those payments were not reported as gross receipts on RSI’s corporate returns. During the same years, Redman also did not report other income that he received from RSI. Redman withdrew and caused others to withdraw funds from RSI’s business bank account to pay for his personal expenses, but Redman did not report those funds as income on his own tax returns. Some of the withdrawals for personal expenses were also falsely deducted as business expenses on RSI’s corporate returns. Redman’s conduct caused a loss to the IRS of approximately $666,113.
If convicted, Redman faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison. He also faces a period of supervised release, restitution and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement.
IRS-Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Melissa S. Siskind and Christina M. Grimes of the Tax Division are prosecuting the case.
Otay Mesa Detention Facility Case Manager Accused of Having Sex with DetaineeRead the Press Release
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – August 10, 2023
SAN DIEGO – Shantal Hernandez is charged in a complaint unsealed today with having sexual relations with a detainee at the Otay Mesa Detention Facility while she was a case manager at the Office of the Immigration Detention Ombudsman (OIDO), which provides oversight of immigration detention facilities.
OIDO is an independent office within the Department of Homeland Security. OIDO was established by Congress to assist individuals with complaints about the potential violation of immigration detention standards or other misconduct by Department of Homeland Security or contract personnel and provides oversight of immigration detention facilities. It is not a part of Immigration and Customs Enforcement or U.S. Customs and Border Protection. As part of her duties, Hernandez managed the complaints of ICE detainees in various detention facilities in the San Diego area.
According to the complaint, agents with the Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Office of Professional Responsibility (ICE OPR), received information that Hernandez had been spending an unusual amount of time with a detainee - identified in court documents by the initials I.K.N. - at the Otay Mesa facility.
The complaint alleges that agents from ICE OPR obtained phone records from OMDC and determined that I.K.N. and Hernandez engaged in a significant number of sexually explicit phone calls and electronic communications. These calls discussed an ongoing relationship and sex acts between Hernandez and I.K.N. For example, in one call, Hernandez told I.K.N. that she had a video of one of their sex acts. Agents executed a search warrant that yielded a copy of one such video.
“The alleged conduct cannot and will not be tolerated,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Andrew Haden. “Those in a position of authority over immigration detainees must be held to the highest standard.”
“Hernandez’ main purpose as a DHS OIDO case manager was to promote safe and humane conditions within immigration detention,” said Jeffrey Gilgallon, special agent in charge for the Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR). “However, she allegedly abandoned that oversight role, instead using her position to engage in prohibited sexual activity with an ICE detainee in one of our detention facilities. OPR is fully committed to enforcing ICE’s zero tolerance policy against sexual abuse in our detention facilities and aggressively pursuing those DHS employees who violate the law, no matter their role or title.”
Hernandez made her initial appearance in federal court this afternoon. She is scheduled to appear in court on August 15, 2023, at 10 a.m. for a detention hearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jill L. Burkhardt.
DEFENDANTS Case Number 23mj2882
Shantal Hernandez Age: 36 San Diego, CA
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Sexual Abuse of a Ward – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 2243(b)
Maximum penalty: Fifteen years in prison and $250,000 fine
AGENCY
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Office of Professional Responsibility
*The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Ontario County Man Pleads Guilty to Bilking Investors Out of Hundreds of Thousands of DollarsRead the Press Release
ROCHESTER, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Thomas Corsaro, 59, of Bloomfield, NY, pleaded guilty to wire fraud before Chief U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard A. Resnick, who is handling the case, stated that between November 2020, and November 2022, Corsaro, acting as an investment adviser, executed a scheme to defraud eight individual investors who invested funds with him. Rather than invest the funds, as he represented he would do, Corsaro used the funds for his own personal use, depositing the funds into personal and business bank accounts. In total, Corsaro received $1,712,469.32 from the eight investors. He repaid $265,642.83 prior to the criminal investigation.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia.
Sentencing is scheduled for December 6, 2023, at 2:00 p.m. before Judge Wolford.
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Ohkay Owingeh Man Charged with Sexual AbuseRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced today that Dwayne Calvert made an initial appearance in federal court on an indictment charging him with sexual abuse. Calvert, 34, of Ohkay Owingeh, and an enrolled member of Pueblo of Ohkay Owingeh, will remain in custody pending a detention hearing scheduled for Friday, August 11, 2023.
According to the indictment, on July 2, 2022, Calvert attempted to engage in sexual intercourse with the victim, Jane Doe, while Doe was incapable of consenting to the sexual act.
An indictment is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Calvert faces up to life in prison and a term of supervised release between five years and the remainder of his life.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs Office of Justice Services. Assistant United States Attorney Zachary Jones is prosecuting the case.
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Odessa Man Indicted in Pecos for Allegedly Attempting to Smuggle Methamphetamine from Mexico to DallasRead the Press Release
PECOS, Texas – A federal grand jury in Pecos returned an indictment today charging an Odessa man with importation and possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine.
According to the affidavit attached to a complaint, Angel Vargas-Valdivia, 23, attempted to enter the United States from Mexico through the Presidio Port of Entry on Aug. 8. During a Customs and Border Protection inspection, officers noticed evidence of tampering on the rear quarter panels of Vargas’s vehicle, as well as abnormally heavy vehicle doors. X-ray imaging revealed anomalies within the vehicle’s quarter panels, side doors, rear cargo door, trunk and roof. Further inspection revealed 154 bundles weighing approximately 72.2 kilograms. A crystal-like substance extracted from the bundles tested positive for properties of methamphetamine.
Vargas-Valdivia made his initial court appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge David Fannin of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas. If convicted, he faces a penalty of 10 years to life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas and Special Agent in Charge Francisco B. Burrola for the Homeland Security Investigations El Paso Division made the announcement.
HSI is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Greenbaum is prosecuting the case.
An indictment/complaint is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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New Yorker Guilty of Possessing Automatic Rifle in Basilica School ZoneRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – A Brooklyn, NY man has pleaded guilty to a federal firearms violation in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs today.
Ahmed Abdalla Allam, 26, pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm in a school zone before U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone today.
According to information presented in court, on Jan. 29, 2023, Allam was found in possession of a multi-caliber rifle within 1,000 feet of St. Anthony Cathedral Basilica School in Beaumont. Allam also possessed a 30-round magazine and 150 rounds of ammunition. It is a federal violation to possess firearms within 1,000 feet of a school zone.
“We are grateful to our Beaumont citizens who were vigilant and looked out for their community by reporting this defendant’s suspicious activity,” said U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs. “We are also grateful to the Beaumont Police Department and its officers who ensured that this defendant was unable to act on whatever it was he had planned.”
Allam was indicted by a federal grand jury on Feb. 1, 2023. He faces up to five years in federal prison. The maximum statutory sentence prescribed by Congress is provided here for information purposes, as the sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office.
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 is being investigated by the Beaumont Police Department, Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, FBI, Port Arthur Fire Department, and Montgomery County Fire Marshall. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John B. Ross.
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New York Man Charged with Fraudulently Obtaining More Than $1 MillionRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. B A New York man was arrested this morning on charges he fraudulently obtained more than $1 million in a COVID-19 scheme, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Terrell Fuller, 33, of Brooklyn, New York, is charged by complaint with one count of wire fraud. Fuller is scheduled to appear this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Edward S. Kiel in Newark federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act was a federal law enacted in or around March 2020 that was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The CARES Act enabled the Small Business Association (SBA) to offer funding through the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program to business owners negatively affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
In September 2021, a fraudulent EIDL application was made to the SBA on behalf of a business. The SBA provided $1.2 million in response to the application. According to a representative of the business, the business did not make the application. Approximately $400,000 of the funds paid out by the SBA in response to the application were eventually deposited into bank accounts to which Fuller was the sole signatory.
The charge of wire fraud is punishable by a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of the greater of $250,000, twice the gross profits or twice the gross loss suffered to the victims of his offense, whichever is greatest.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark, and special agents of IRS – Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Tammy Tomlins, with the investigation leading to today’s arrest. He also thanked the U.S. Postal Inspection Service in Newark, the New York Police Department and FBI – New York for their assistance.
The government is represented by Senior Trial Counsel Andrew Kogan of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Cybercrime Unit in Newark.
The charge and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations and the defendant is considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
fuller.complaint.pdfNew Orleans Man Pleads Guilty to Violations of the Federal Controlled Substances Act and Interstate Travel in Aid of RacketeeringRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – CHARLES WADE, age 42, a resident from New Orleans, pled guilty on August 9, 2023 before United States District Court Judge Jane Triche Milazzo to a two-count superseding bill of information charging him in count one with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine hydrochloride, one kilogram or more of heroin, and 400 grams or more of fentanyl and in count two with interstate travel in aid of racketeering, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.
During the investigation, law enforcement, led by the Drug Enforcement Administration, seized over forty (40) kilograms of cocaine hydrochloride, six (6) kilograms of fentanyl, four and a half (4.5) kilograms of heroin, and over four hundred thousand ($400,000.00) in bulk cash.
According to court documents, WADE and other co-conspirators are responsible for the distribution of multi-kilogram quantities of cocaine, fentanyl, and heroin within the Eastern District of Louisiana.
For count one, WADE faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years up to a maximum term of life, a fine of up to $10,000,000.00, at least five years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100. For count two, WADE faces a maximum term of imprisonment of five years, a fine of up to $250,000.00, up to three years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
This investigation was led by the Drug Enforcement Administration – New Orleans Field Division Office and assisted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, United States Border Patrol, Gretna Major Crimes Task Force, Kenner Police Department, Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, St. John’s Parish Sheriff’s Office, New Orleans Sheriff’s Office, and New Orleans Police Department. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Lynn E. Schiffman of the Narcotics Unit.
New Orleans Man Pleads Guilty to Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that on August 8, 2023, DAVID COULTER, age 34, of New Orleans, pleaded guilty as charged on August 8, 2023 to Count 2 of his indictment for being a felon in possession of a firearm in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2).
According to court documents, COULTER has a prior conviction for possessing cocaine and multiple convictions for being a felon in possession of a firearm or weapon in Orleans Parish. Due to this criminal history, he is prohibited from having a firearm. He is now charged with possessing a Glock Model 34, nine-millimeter semi-automatic handgun on January 16 and January 18, 2022.
As it relates to Count 2, the maximum penalty includes a term of imprisonment of up to 10 years, a fine of up to $250,000, up to three years of supervised release, as well as a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00. He will be sentenced on November 28, 2023.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the New Orleans Police Department. This matter is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike Trummel of the Violent Crime Unit.
Mitchell Man Sentenced for Receipt and Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Mitchell, South Dakota, man/woman convicted of Receipt and Distribution of Child Pornography. The sentencing took place on August 7, 2023.
Justin Douglas Brende, age 43, was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison, 15 years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
Brende was indicted by a federal grand jury in June of 2022. He pleaded guilty on May 16, 2023.
The conviction stemmed from incidents between November 1, 2020 and October 3, 2021, when Brende knowingly received and distributed material which contained child pornography. Brende used his cellular phone to access the internet and subsequently searched for, received, and distributed child pornography. On some occasions, he used his PayPal account as a means to pay money to access digital files that contained images and videos of prepubescent children engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Some of the prepubescent minors had not attained the age of 12.
This case was investigated by the DCI, the SD Internet Crimes Against Children, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, and the Mitchell Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey C. Clapper prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by 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.
Brende was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Minneapolis Man Sentenced to 17 Years in Federal Prison for Directing Drug Conspiracy from inside the Grand Forks County JailRead the Press Release
FARGO – United States Attorney Mac Schneider, District of North Dakota, announced that on August 10, 2023, Timothy Edward Eason, age 57, Minneapolis, MN, was sentenced to 204 months imprisonment, 5 years supervised release and $200 Special Assessment for Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances and Money Laundering Conspiracy.
On October 18, 2021, Eason was arrested on state drug charges and was held in the Grand Forks County Jail. The investigation revealed that from October 2021 to February 2022, Eason used communication facilities in the jail to arrange shipments of methamphetamine and fentanyl from Arizona to distributors in Fargo, North Dakota, Moorhead, Minnesota and elsewhere. Eason and other co-conspirators arranged payment for these controlled substances through cash applications such as Cash App and Chime.
Eason and Tiffany Marie Johnson were indicted by a Grand Jury in North Dakota on February 16, 2022. A Superseding Indictment was returned on March 16, 2022, adding additional defendants, Alfonso Demond Patrick and Ashtyn Lenea Gladue.
The investigation resulted in the identification and prosecution of the source of supply in Arizona. The other sentences handed down in this case include:
Alfonso Demond Patrick, 47, Phoenix, Arizona - 96 months imprisonment and 3 years supervised release.
Tiffany Marie Johnson, age 43, Moorhead, Minnesota - 54 months imprisonment and 3 years supervised release.
Ashtyn Lenea Gladue, age 26, Rolla, North Dakota - 42 months imprisonment and 3 years supervised release.
“Distributing dangerous drugs like fentanyl and meth puts lives at risk in our communities,” Schneider said. “Arranging shipments of these drugs from a county jail, as today’s sentence shows, is a surefire way to land an even longer stay in a federal prison. This result is a real credit to the teamwork of our local, state, and federal partners.”
This case was investigated by the Grand Forks Narcotics Task Force, the Grand Forks Police Department, Grand Forks Sheriff’s Department, Homeland Security Investigations, United States Postal Inspection Service, Cass County Drug Task Force and Moorhead Police Department.
The cases were prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher C. Myers
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Minneapolis Felon Sentenced to 15.5 Years in Prison for Illegal Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Minneapolis man has been sentenced to 186 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for illegal possession of a firearm after engaging in a shootout in north Minneapolis, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, on December 20, 2021, Dominique Marquise McCaskel, 26, was in possession of a loaded Sig Sauer, model P365, 9mm semiautomatic pistol. According to the defendant’s plea agreement and other court documents, surveillance footage from a nearby business showed a vehicle drive slowly past McCaskel, stopping momentarily in an alleyway several feet ahead of McCaskel. Upon seeing the vehicle, McCaskel pulled his Sig Sauer firearm from his pocket, ran towards the vehicle as it was pulling away, and exchanged gunfire with individuals in the vehicle. McCaskel was shot, suffering two non-life-threatening gunshot wounds, and fell to the sidewalk, while the vehicle fled the area. Officers with the Minneapolis Police Department responded to the scene and recovered two 9mm discharged cartridge casings near McCaskel on the ground, and later recovered McCaskel’s firearm. Police also found that McCaskel had several suspected fentanyl pills and cash on his person. The Minneapolis Police Forensics Division determined that the two recovered discharged cartridge casings were shot from McCaskel’s Sig Sauer firearm. The Forensics Division also found McCaskel’s thumbprint on the loaded magazine that was inserted into the firearm.
Because McCaskel has several prior felony convictions, including crimes of violence, he is prohibited from lawfully possessing any firearms or ammunition.
McCaskel pleaded guilty on March 14, 2023, to one count of possession of a firearm as an armed career criminal felon. McCaskel was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court before Senior Judge Ann D. Montgomery.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Minneapolis Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Benjamin Bejar and Hillary A. Taylor prosecuted the case.
Luzerne County Woman Pleads Guilty to Preparing and Submitting Numerous False Economic Injury Disaster Loan (Eidl) Applications in Covid-19 Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Angela Castillo, age 39, of Freeland, PA, pleaded guilty on August 9, 2023, before United States District Judge Robert D. Mariani, to a wire fraud scheme involving the preparation and submission of numerous false Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) applications.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the criminal Information to which Castillo pleaded guilty alleges that between June 2020 and September 2020, on behalf of other individuals and in exchange for payment, Castillo prepared and submitted to the United States Small Business Association (SBA) at least 40 false EIDL applications containing material misrepresentations. Castillo’s conduct resulted in the SBA paying out approximately $163,000.00 in COVID-19 relief funds to individuals, none of whom actually owned a qualifying small business, and who therefore were not entitled to receive such funds under the program. Pursuant to the terms of her plea agreement, Castillo acknowledged that the monetary loss attributable to her conduct was between $150,000.00 and $250,000.00, and she agreed to make restitution to the SBA.
The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffery St John is prosecuting 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.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 20 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. 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.
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Lowell, Maine Man Sentenced to 3 Years for CyberstalkingRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Lowell, Maine man was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Portland for cyberstalking.
U.S. District Judge Nancy Torresen sentenced Jonathan Trayes, 34, to 36 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. Trayes pleaded guilty on September 26, 2022.
According to court records, Trayes was involved in a brief relationship with the victim which ended when Trayes was arrested for violating conditions of release after the victim accused him of physical assault. Trayes eventually pleaded guilty in state court to domestic assault with priors, violating conditions of release and aggravated assault and was sentenced to five years of incarceration with all but two years suspended followed by four years of probation.
Beginning shortly after his release, Trayes began posting embarrassing, sexually graphic images and videos of the victim online, including identifying information including the victim’s name and what he believed was the victim’s address. The harassment continued for more than a year, leading the victim to reach out to the FBI.
The FBI conducted the investigation.
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Louisville Felon Sentenced to Nearly 4 Years in Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing a Machine GunRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – A Louisville man was sentenced to nearly 4 years in prison yesterday for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and illegal possession of a machine gun.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, 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, on February 13, 2023, Charles Divine, 27, possessed two Glock 9-millimeter pistols and a Glock switch, which is a device that allows a semi-automatic handgun to function as an automatic. A Glock switch is defined as a machine gun under federal law. Divine was prohibited from possessing a firearm because he had previously been convicted of the following felony offense. On June 30, 2020, in Oldham Circuit Court, Divine was convicted of wanton endangerment in the first degree.
Yesterday, Divine was sentenced to 3 years and 10 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by the ATF and LMPD.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Frank Dahl 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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