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26 September 2023
Convicted Felon Indicted for Distribution of Cocaine and Possession of A FirearmRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL - United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Avery Jones-Neal (28, Dunedin) with three counts of distribution of cocaine, one count of possession of cocaine with the intent to distribute it, and one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. If convicted of the narcotics offenses, Jones-Neal faces up to 20 years in prison on each count. If convicted of the firearm offense, Jones-Neal faces up a minimum mandatory penalty of 15 years, up to life, federal prison.
According to the indictment, on July 25, 26, and 31, 2023, Jones-Neal distributed cocaine, and on August 17, 2023, Jones-Neal possessed cocaine with the intent to distribute it. The indictment also alleges that on July 26, 2023, Jones-Neal possessed a Walther, model Uzi, .22 caliber pistol. Jones-Neal has five prior felony including sale or delivery of cocaine on two separate occasions, possession of cocaine on two separate occasions, and sale of alprazolam. As a convicted felon, he is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Clearwater Police Department. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Samantha Newman.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Co-Founder of Global Multimillion-Dollar Cryptocurrency Ponzi Scheme “AirBit Club” Sentenced to 12 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that PABLO RENATO RODRIGUEZ, the co-founder of AirBit Club with GUTEMBERG DOS SANTOS, was sentenced to 12 years in prison for orchestrating the massive global AirBit Club pyramid scheme. RODRIGUEZ and his co-conspirators deceived individuals into investing in AirBit Club, a purported cryptocurrency mining and trading company, and executed a sophisticated money laundering operation to hide their illegal profits pilfered from AirBit Club. RODRIGUEZ’s co-defendants, DOS SANTOS, SCOTT HUGHES, CECILIA MILLAN, and KARINA CHAIREZ have pled guilty and are awaiting sentencing. RODRIGUEZ and his co-defendants collectively have been ordered to forfeit their fraudulent proceeds of AirBit Club, which include seized or restrained assets consisting of U.S. currency, Bitcoin, and real estate currently valued at approximately $100 million. U.S. District Judge George B. Daniels imposed today’s sentence.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Rodriguez co-founded and led an international multimillion-dollar pyramid scheme that preyed on mostly unsophisticated investors with false promises that their money was being invested in cryptocurrency trading and mining. Instead of investing on behalf of investors, Rodriguez hid victims’ money in a complex laundering scheme using Bitcoin, an attorney trust account, and international front and shell companies and used victims’ money to line his own pockets. Rodriguez is one of many recent examples of individuals exploiting cryptocurrency to commit fraud, and today’s sentence should deter anyone who may be tempted to defraud others with false promises of cryptocurrency investments.”
According to public court filings and statements made in Court:
RODRIGUEZ and DOS SANTOS co-founded AirBit Club in 2015. They coordinated a scheme in which victim-investors (the “Victims”) were induced to invest in AirBit Club based on the false promise of guaranteed profits in exchange for cash investments in club “memberships” (the “AirBit Club Scheme” or the “Scheme”). AirBit Club, through its founders, RODRIGUEZ and DOS SANTOS, as well as its promoters (the “Promoters”), including MILLAN and CHAIREZ, marketed AirBit Club as a multilevel marketing club in the cryptocurrency industry. Promoters falsely promised Victims that AirBit Club earned returns on cryptocurrency mining and trading and that Victims would earn passive, guaranteed daily returns on any membership purchased.
RODRIGUEZ, DOS SANTOS, HUGHES, MILLAN, and CHAIREZ traveled throughout the United States and around the world to places in Latin America, Asia, and Eastern Europe, where they hosted lavish expos and small community presentations aimed at convincing Victims to purchase AirBit Club memberships. In furtherance of the AirBit Club Scheme, the Victims were fraudulently induced to buy memberships in cash, including in the Southern District of New York. Following a Victim’s investment, a Promoter provided the Victim with access to an online AirBit Club portal to view the purported returns on memberships (the “Online Portal”). While Victims saw “profits” accumulate on their Online Portal, those representations were false; no Bitcoin mining or trading on behalf of Victims in fact took place. Instead, RODRIGUEZ and his co-conspirators enriched themselves and spent Victim money on cars, jewelry, and luxury homes, and financed more extravagant expos to recruit more Victims.
In many instances, as early as 2016, Victims who attempted to withdraw money from the AirBit Club Online Portal and complained to a Promoter were met with excuses, delays, and hidden fees amounting to more than 50% of the Victim’s requested withdrawal, if they were able to make any withdrawal at all. In April 2020, another victim received a notice on the AirBit Club Online Portal that his account was closed – and principal investment lost – due to “execution of financial sustainability Reserve, policy #34 of the AirBit Club Terms and Conditions, due to the economic and financial crisis caused by (COVID-19).” This excuse regarding the COVID-19 pandemic was false.
RODRIGUEZ, DOS SANTOS, HUGHES, CHAIREZ, and MILLAN sought to conceal the AirBit Club Scheme, as well as their respective control of the proceeds of that Scheme, by requesting that Victims purchase memberships in cash, using third-party cryptocurrency brokers, and by laundering the Scheme’s proceeds through several domestic and foreign bank accounts, including an attorney trust account managed by HUGHES (the “Hughes Trust Account”). The Hughes Trust Account was ostensibly intended to maintain custody of HUGHES’s law practice’s client funds. Instead, the Hughes Trust Account was used by RODRIGUEZ, DOS SANTOS, HUGHES, CHAIREZ, and MILLAN to conceal the nature and origin of the AirBit Club Scheme’s illicit proceeds. Through that account, HUGHES directed Victim funds to the personal expenses of RODRIGUEZ, DOS SANTOS, CHAIREZ, MILLAN, and himself, and funded promotional events and sponsorships designed to further promote the AirBit Club Scheme.
Before AirBit Club, RODRIGUEZ and DOS SANTOS were sued by the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) for perpetrating another pyramid investment scheme known as Vizinova and paid $1.7 million in disgorgement and fines. HUGHES, an attorney licensed to practice law in California, represented RODRIGUEZ and DOS SANTOS in the Vizinova SEC action. HUGHES then aided RODRIGUEZ and DOS SANTOS in perpetrating the AirBit Club Scheme by, among other things, helping to remove negative information about AirBit Club and Vizinova from the internet.
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RODRIGUEZ, 40, of Irvine, California, was also sentenced to three years of supervised release. RODRIGUEZ was further ordered to pay a forfeiture of $65 million and to forfeit various items of property, including: (i) $999,936.22 formerly held in escrow by Insured International Aircraft Title Service LLC for the Gulfstream Jet with Tail Number N370Z and Serial Number 2082; (ii) 1,322.98963846 in BTC seized from various Bitcoin wallets; (iii) $896,483.00 in United States currency seized from RODRIGUEZ’s California residence; (iv) RODRIGUEZ’s residence located at 117 Amber Sky in the City of Irvine, California 92618; (v) various watches and jewelry seized from RODRIGUEZ’s California residence; and (vi) 2,499.997 in BTC seized from various Bitcoin wallets.
DOS SANTOS, 48, of Panama City, Panama, MILLAN, 41, of Greensboro, North Carolina, CHAIREZ, 47, of Modesto, California, and HUGHES, 47, of Newport Beach, California, have pled guilty to charges including wire fraud conspiracy, which carries a maximum potential sentence of 20 years in prison; money laundering conspiracy, which carries a maximum potential sentence of 20 years in prison; and bank fraud conspiracy, which carries a maximum potential sentence of 30 years in prison. MILLAN, CHAIREZ, and HUGHES are scheduled to be sentenced on October 3, 2023. DOS SANTOS is scheduled to be sentenced on October 4, 2023.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of Special Agents from Homeland Security Investigations’ El Dorado Task Force. Mr. Williams further thanked the New York Waterfront Commission for its assistance in the forfeiture process and the attorneys and investigators at the SEC whose expertise and diligence were integral to the development of this investigation.
If you believe you are a victim of the AirBit Club fraud, updated information regarding the case and victims’ rights, as well as contact information for the victim witness coordinator, is available here.
The case is being handled by the Office’s Money Laundering and Transnational Criminal Enterprises Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kiersten A. Fletcher, Samuel L. Raymond, and Cecilia E. Vogel are in charge of the prosecution.
Cleveland Resident Pleads Guilty to Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA – Ravon Crockett pled guilty to committing fentanyl and cocaine trafficking crimes, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
Crockett, age 46, of Cleveland, Ohio, pled guilty before Chief United States District Judge Mark R. Hornak. Crockett pled guilty to (1) conspiring to distribute fentanyl and cocaine between March 2020 and August 2021, and (2) distributing fentanyl and cocaine on November 16, 2020. The sentencing hearing will be scheduled to occur on a date to be determined.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 40 years in prison and a fine of up to $2,000,000. Under the Under States Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Craig W. Haller is prosecuting this case on behalf of the United States.
The Lawrence County Drug Task Force and the Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation leading to the conviction in this case.
Citrus Heights Man Pleads Guilty to Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Christopher Campbell, 48, of Citrus Heights, pleaded guilty today to possession of child pornography, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, in February 2023 Campbell engaged in an online chat with an undercover officer whom Campbell believed was a 13-year-old girl. As a result of the conversations, law enforcement search Campbell’s residence and seized his iPad and cellphone, which contained approximately 517 images and 45 videos of child pornography. Law enforcement also searched Campbell’s Mega cloud storage account, which contained approximately 169 videos of child pornography, including depictions of toddlers and other minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily G. Sauvageau is prosecuting the case.
Campbell is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd on Feb. 6, 2024. Campbell faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison, and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet safety education.
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Chicago Man Sentenced to 12 Years for Attempted Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Kevin Couture, age 42, of Chicago, Illinois, was sentenced today to serve 144 months (12 years) in federal prison for attempting to entice and coerce a minor to engage in sexual activity, announced United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Alfred Watson, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
As part of his previously entered guilty plea, Couture admitted that, between January and February 2022, he exchanged sexually explicit messages online with an undercover officer posing as a 9-year-old child in an attempt to entice the child to engage in sexual acts with him. Couture also admitted that on February 8, 2022, he traveled to a prearranged meeting location in Oneida County, New York, with the intent to engage in sexual acts with the 9-year-old child. Couture was arrested by law enforcement upon arrival at the location.
United States District Judge, Glenn T. Suddaby, also sentenced Couture to a 20-year term of supervised release to begin after he serves his term of imprisonment. Couture also will be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison.
This case was investigated by the FBI and its Child Exploitation Task Force, which includes members of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adrian S. LaRochelle as part of Project Safe Childhood.
Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS). Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Charlotte Man Is Sentenced to 16+ Years in Prison for Medicaid FraudRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Today, U.S. District Judge Kenneth D. Bell sentenced Donald Booker, 57, of Charlotte, to 200 months in prison for his role in a scheme to defraud the North Carolina Medicaid program of more than $11 million, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. In addition to the prison term imposed, Booker was also ordered to pay $11,834,506.27 in restitution to the North Carolina Medicaid program and to pay a $1,000 special assessment. On December 9, 2022, Booker’s co-defendant, Delores Jordan, 55, of Louisville, Kentucky, pleaded guilty for her role in the fraudulent scheme.
Joining U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement are Robert M. DeWitt, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in North Carolina, Donald “Trey” Eakins, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division, (IRS-CI), Charlotte Field Office, and North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein, who oversees the North Carolina Medicaid Investigations Division (MID).
“Medicaid is a government-funded program that provides medical services to qualified North Carolinians in need of assistance. It’s not a get-rich-quick money jar for cheats and fraudsters to dip into,” said U.S. Attorney King. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office will hold accountable those who engage in schemes that defraud government programs and deprive important resources from those in real need.”
“North Carolina’s Medicaid program is meant to help the most vulnerable people in our community. Anyone who thinks they can manipulate the system should know the FBI will work tirelessly to make sure they pay dearly,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge DeWitt.
“Individuals abusing and stealing critical funding for Medicaid programs for their own financial benefit will be held accountable,” said Special Agent in Charge Eakins. “Thanks to the financial expertise and diligence of IRS-CI special agents working side-by-side with other federal, state and local law enforcement officers to uncover these schemes, the perpetrators now face the consequences of their actions.”
“When people steal from Medicaid, they’re breaking the law,” said Attorney General Stein. “They’re also taking from the taxpayers and people who need health care services. My office’s Medicaid Investigations Division works with our state and federal partners to hold accountable anyone committing Medicaid fraud.”
According to filed court documents, evidence presented at Booker’s trial evidence, and witness testimony, Booker owned United Diagnostic Laboratories (UDL), a urine toxicology testing laboratory, and United Youth Care Services (UYCS), a company that provided mental health and substance abuse treatment services. Booker’s co-defendant, Delores Jordan, owned Legacy Housing, a housing provider. Trial evidence established that, from January 2016 to August 2019, Booker and his co-conspirators executed a conspiracy to defraud the North Carolina Medicaid program by paying illegal kickbacks to Jordan and other co-conspirators in exchange for urine samples from Medicaid-eligible beneficiaries.
As Jordan previously admitted in court, she and other co-conspirators recruited housing-vulnerable individuals and other Medicaid-eligible beneficiaries for housing and other programs and services. Once enrolled, the beneficiaries were required to submit urine specimens for drug testing as a condition of their participation in the program. The specimens were provided to UDL and UYCS for medically unnecessary urine drug testing. Booker and his co-conspirators paid the recruiters a kickback from UYCS’s NC Medicaid reimbursement on the drug testing. Court records show that Booker and Jordan also executed a conspiracy to launder the proceeds of the kickback and health care fraud conspiracy in order to conceal and disguise the nature and source of UYCS’s illegal kickback payments for drug testing referrals.
On January 10, 2023, a federal jury convicted Booker of conspiracy to commit health care fraud, multiple violations of the Anti-Kickback Statute, money laundering conspiracy, and money laundering. Jordan has pleaded guilty to healthcare fraud conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy and is awaiting sentencing.
The FBI, IRS-CI, and the North Carolina Medicaid Investigations Division investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Graham Billings and Michael Savage of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.
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Charlotte Doctor Is Found Guilty of Making False Statements in Connection with $5 Million Durable Medical Equipment SchemeRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A federal jury has returned a guilty verdict against a Charlotte physician for her role in a durable medical equipment (DME) scheme that defrauded federal benefits programs of more than $5 million, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Sudipta Mazumder, 47, of Charlotte, was convicted of six counts of making false statements relating to healthcare matters. U.S District Judge Max O. Cogburn Jr. presided over the trial.
Robert M. DeWitt, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Charlotte Division, and Tamala E. Miles, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General for the region including North Carolina, join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.
According to court documents, witness testimony, and evidence presented at trial, during 2019 and 2020, Mazumder was a doctor in Charlotte who worked as an independent contractor for a telemedicine company. During the relevant time frame, Dr. Mazumder signed fraudulent orders for medically unnecessary durable medical equipment for patients insured by the Medicare and TRICARE programs. Trial evidence established that Dr. Mazumder falsely stated in those orders that she was treating the patients for the listed medical conditions and that the braces she ordered were medically necessary.
According to trial evidence and the testimony of witnesses, contrary to the orders she signed, Dr. Mazumder never examined the Medicare and TRICARE beneficiaries. In fact, Dr. Mazumder had little or no interaction with the beneficiaries and made no medical determination whether the devices were medically necessary or the beneficiaries needed the DME. Dr. Mazumder received from the telemedicine company unsigned orders for orthopedic braces for the beneficiaries, which she signed and returned to the telemedicine company in exchange for $20 for each purported assessment that she performed.
Dr. Mazumder remains released on bond. The charge of making false statements relating to healthcare matters carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine, per count. A sentencing date has not been set.
The investigation was handled by the FBI and HHS-OIG with the assistance of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service of the U.S. Department of Defense, Office of the Inspector General.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Graham Billings and Katherine Armstrong of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte are prosecuting the case.
Canadian Truck Driver Convicted; Faces 10 to Life for Attempt to Smuggle 50 Kilograms of Cocaine Across BorderRead the Press Release
DETROIT – A Canadian trucker was convicted last week by a federal jury on charges of possessing with the intent to distribute over 50 kilograms of cocaine, United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced today.
Ison was joined in the announcement by Angie Salazar, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations.
Convicted was Subeg Singh, 30. The three-day trial was held in Detroit before U.S. District Stephen J. Murphy III. Singh has been in custody since his arrest in September 2021.
Evidence presented during the trial showed that Singh tried to drive more than 50 kilograms of cocaine across the US-Canadian border in September 2021 in a commercial truck. But, he was stopped at the Ambassador Bridge by Customs and Border Protection Officers, who discovered the drugs in the trailer.
“Today’s verdict sends a message to drug traffickers and couriers who compromise the security of our borders by attempting to transport narcotics across them,” stated United States Attorney Ison. “This verdict is a result of the hard work of our Customs and Border Protection Officers who intercepted the drugs, and Homeland Security Investigations who investigated the case.”
“HSI relentlessly pursues drug traffickers that exploit international commerce for their illicit gains,” said HSI Detroit Special Agent in Charge Angie M. Salazar. “By thwarting this attempt with our CBP partners, we disrupt the transportation networks that supply drugs to our local communities.”
Given the type and quantity of drugs involved, Singh is facing a mandatory 10-year prison sentence, with a maximum possible sentence of life imprisonment. Sentencing is set for January 9, 2024.
This case was investigated by Customs and Border Protection and Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Robert White and Erin Ramamurthy.
California Man Charged with Trafficking over 70,000 Fentanyl Pills from Mexico into EvansvilleRead the Press Release
EVANSVILLE- A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging Javier Moreno-Garibaldi, 37, of Salinas, California, with distribution of fentanyl.
According to court documents, in May of 2023, the Drug Enforcement Administration began an investigation into a-Mexico based drug trafficking organization operating in Mexicali, Mexico, trafficking large quantities of fentanyl and methamphetamine. During the investigation, law enforcement officers purchased or intercepted thousands of fentanyl pills shipped or transported by the drug traffickers into Southern Indiana and Western Kentucky.
As part of the investigation, undercover law enforcement officers arranged to purchase 100,000 fentanyl pills and 50 pounds of methamphetamine from a supplier based in Mexicali, Mexico. On August 31, 2023, the Mexican supplier told the undercover officer that his drug courier was leaving from Calexico, California, enroute to Evansville with 50,000 fentanyl pills in exchange for $100,000. The next day the supplier stated that the courier would now be delivering 60,000 pills to an Evansville hotel for $120,000 and a $2,500 delivery fee. For the next three days, the Mexican supplier and the undercover officer exchanged messages about the arrival of the courier and how to handle counting the money and the pills. The supplier indicated that the courier would arrive at the Evansville hotel at 10:00 am on September 4, 2023.
At 10:07 a.m., September 4, 2023, the Mexican supplier told the undercover officer that his courier would be driving a gray Honda, and later provided the courier’s cell phone number. At 10:30 a.m., a gray Honda SUV with California plates arrived at the hotel. At 10:31, the undercover officer called the number the supplier provided for the courier and arranged to meet the courier at the hotel. The undercover officer met the gray Honda in the hotel parking lot, and got into the front seat with the driver, later identified as Javier Moreno-Garibaldi. The undercover officer gave Moreno-Garibaldi the $2,500 delivery fee, and Moreno-Garibaldi stated that the pills were in a dog kennel box in the back seat. Moreno-Garibaldi agreed to go with the undercover officer to a safehouse to count the pills and the $120,000 owed for the drugs. Moreno-Garibaldi put the dog kennel box of pills into the undercover officer’s car and was arrested without incident. A search of the box revealed five separate bags containing a large amount of small blue pills marked “M” on one side and “30” on the other, apparent counterfeit “M-30” pills containing fentanyl. The field weight of the seized pills was 15.7 pounds (7.064 kilograms), or approximately 70,000 pills.
According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, as little as two milligrams of fentanyl can be fatal, depending on a person’s body size, tolerance, and past usage. One kilogram of fentanyl has the potential to kill 500,000 people. Last year, six out of ten illegal fentanyl tablets seized and analyzed by the DEA contained a potentially lethal dose of the drug.
“Fentanyl is such a deadly drug that just one counterfeit pill can be fatal. Every death, overdose, and addition fueled by these fentanyl pills is devastating to our families, neighbors, and friends,” said Zachary A. Myers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “We know these drugs are flooding into our communities in astonishing quantities because of the Mexican cartels, aided by overseas chemical suppliers and traffickers and dealers nationwide. These criminals act with utter disregard for human life and must be held accountable. Our office will continue to work with our outstanding partners in DEA, Evansville Police Department, Vanderburgh County Drug Task Force, and Owensboro Police Department to prioritize investigation and prosecution of the members of these criminal enterprises.”
The Drug Enforcement Administration, Evansville Police Department, Vanderburgh County Drug Task Force, and Owensboro Police Department investigated this case. If convicted, Moreno-Garibaldi faces up to life in federal prison and a fine of up to $10,000,000. A federal district court judge will determine the actual sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorney Lauren M. Wheatley, who is prosecuting this case.
One Pill Can Kill: Avoid pills bought on the street because One Pill Can Kill. Fentanyl has now become the leading cause of death in the United States. Fentanyl is a highly potent opioid that drug dealers dilute with cutting agents to make counterfeit prescription pills that appear to be Oxycodone, Percocet, Xanax, and other drugs. Fake prescription pills laced with fentanyl are usually shaped and colored to look like pills sold at pharmacies. For example, fake prescription pills known as “M30s” imitate Oxycodone obtained from a pharmacy, but when sold on the street the pills routinely contain fentanyl. These pills are usually round tablets and often light blue in color, though they may be in different shapes and a rainbow of colors. They often have “M” and “30” imprinted on opposite sides of the pill. Do not take these or any other pills bought on the street – they are routinely fake and poisonous, and you won’t know until it’s too late.
An indictment or criminal complaint are merely allegations, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Bowling Green Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Methamphetamine Trafficking and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
Bowling Green, KY – A Bowling Green man was sentenced yesterday to 15 years in prison for methamphetamine trafficking and firearms offenses.
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 Director Tommy Loving of the Bowling Green/Warren County Appalachia High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (AHIDTA) Drug Task Force made the announcement.
According to court documents, Jimmy Norris, 46, was sentenced to 15 years in prison, followed by a 3-year term of supervised release, for possessing with the intent to distribute 23.456 grams of methamphetamine, illegally possessing a sawed-off shotgun that was not registered under the National Firearms Act, and possessing three handguns, two rifles, and a sawed-off shotgun as a convicted felon. Norris was prohibited from possessing a firearm because he had previously been convicted of the following felony offenses. On August 24, 2016, in Warren Circuit Court, Norris was convicted of first-degree promoting contraband. On August 24, 2016, in Warren Circuit Court, Norris was convicted of first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance. On October 17, 2012, in Warren Circuit Court, Norris was convicted of first-degree wanton endangerment. On September 6, 2006, in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky, Norris was convicted of felon in possession of a firearm.
There is no parole in the federal system.
The case was investigated by the ATF Bowling Green Field Office and the Bowling Green/Warren County AHIDTA Drug Task Force.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark J. Yurchisin II, of the U.S. Attorney’s Bowling Green Branch Office, 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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Bogue Chitto Man Sentenced to Ten Years in Prison for Shooting at a Law Enforcement OfficerRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A Bogue Chitto man was sentenced today to ten years in prison for shooting at a law enforcement officer, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
According to court documents, Shane Alexander Bell, Jr., 27, used a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence and fired a handgun at an officer with the Choctaw Police Department. Court documents also revealed that the gunfire resulted in damage to the officer’s home located in the Bogue Chitto Community of the Choctaw Indian Reservation. Fortunately, the officer was unharmed.
The case was investigated by the Choctaw Police Department of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin J. Payne and Special Assistant United States Attorney Brian K. Burns.
Armed Fentanyl and Cocaine Dealer Is Sentenced to 7.5 YearsRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – George McNeill, 32, of Charlotte, was sentenced today to 90 months in prison followed by four years of supervised release for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
According to filed court documents and information presented at the sentencing hearing, in September 2021, law enforcement learned that McNeill was a fentanyl and cocaine trafficker in the Charlotte area. Court records show that law enforcement working with a cooperating individual arranged a meeting with McNeill to buy narcotics. When McNeill arrived in his vehicle at the agreed-upon location, law enforcement moved in to detain him. McNeill sped away from the scene to evade arrest. McNeill eventually crashed his vehicle and then attempted to flee on foot. He was apprehended after a brief foot chase. After McNeill was arrested, law enforcement searched his vehicle and recovered fentanyl, cocaine, drug paraphernalia, and $2,160 in cash. Law enforcement also found a firearm loaded with six rounds of ammunition tucked beneath the center console arm rest. Court records show that McNeill has multiple prior state convictions for drug trafficking.
On April 11, 2023, McNeill pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine. He is currently in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King credited the Western District’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), and thanked the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives and the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department for their investigative efforts.
OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles criminal organizations using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/ocdetf.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Taylor G. Stout of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.
Arkansas Business Owner Pleads Guilty to Fraudulently Obtaining More than $16.5 Million in COVID Relief FundingRead the Press Release
Spokane, Washington – Vanessa R. Waldref, the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced today that Tyler Keith Penix, age 37, of Bentonville, Arkansas, formerly known as Tyler Keith Andrews, pled guilty to fraudulently obtaining more than $16.5 million as part of a wide-ranging conspiracy to obtain fraudulent COVID relief funding. United States District Judge Thomas O. Rice accepted Andrews’ guilty plea, and set sentencing for January 11, 2024, at 10 a.m., in Spokane. This conviction is the most recent conviction, and most significant loss amount, announced by the Eastern Washington COVID-19 Fraud Strike Force launched in 2022.
On March 27, 2020, the President signed into law the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The CARES Act provided a number of programs through which eligible small businesses could request and obtain relief funding intended to mitigate the economic impacts of the pandemic for small and local businesses. One such program, the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), provided forgivable loans to eligible small businesses to retain jobs and maintain payroll during the pandemic. Another program, the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program, provided low-interest bridge funding for small businesses placed at risk during the pandemic.
“COVID-19 relief programs quickly ran out of money due to the number of businesses that requested funding, meaning that struggling, deserving small businesses were not able to obtain critically needed funding to keep their businesses afloat during the shutdowns and disruptions caused by the COVID pandemic,” said U.S. Attorney Waldref. “We created the Eastern Washington COVID-19 Fraud Strike Force because it is critical to the strength and safety of our communities that we all work together to combat pandemic-related fraud and bring much-needed accountability to these programs. The Strike Force works to ensure that limited resources are used to protect our local small businesses and the critical jobs and services that they provide for the community.”
In February 2022, U.S. Attorney Waldref and the U.S. Attorney’s Office began working with federal law enforcement agencies to create and launch a COVID-19 Fraud Strike Force that would leverage partnerships between different agencies to aggressively investigate and prosecute fraud against COVID-19 relief programs in Eastern Washington. The Strike Force consists of agency representatives from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Small Business Administration (SBA) Office of Inspector General (OIG), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), U.S. Department of the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA), U.S. Secret Service, U.S. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs OIG, General Services Administration OIG, Internal Revenue Service, Department of Energy OIG, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) OIG, Department of Labor OIG, Air Force Office of Special Investigations, and others. Cases investigated and prosecuted by the Strike Force have resulted in numerous indictments and convictions, and have recovered millions of dollars in penalties and restitution for the public.
In the plea agreement accepted by the court, and in information disclosed during court proceedings, Mr. Penix admitted to preparing and submitting dozens of fraudulent applications for PPP and EIDL funding for purported businesses supposedly owned by himself and others. For example, Mr. Penix admitted to preparing two EIDL applications for two purported businesses owned by Spokane resident and co-defendant Yuriy Anishchenko. Through the fraudulent applications prepared by Penix, Anishchenko received more than $300,000 for his two purported businesses, neither of which was an active business at the time of the applications. According to court documents, Anishchenko then shared some of the proceeds with Penix, and referred to Penix more than a dozen additional potential “clients” for which Penix prepared and submitted dozens of additional fraudulent EIDL applications using false information and fraudulent documents, and that Penix shared in the proceeds from many of these as well. Finally, Penix admitted to preparing and submitting numerous false and fraudulent PPP and EIDL applications on behalf of purported businesses owned by him, again using fictitious documentation and false statements. In total, Penix admitted to obtaining more than $3.25 million in PPP and EIDL funding for his own businesses, and another $13.5 million in EIDL funding for Anishchenko and other co-conspirators.
“I commend the stellar investigative work on these cases performed by the Strike Force and especially in this case by SBA OIG, the FBI, and TIGTA,” said U.S. Attorney Waldref. “The extent of Mr. Andrews’s fraud – more than $16 million is staggering. I’m so grateful for the support and collaboration with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Arkansas and the State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service. This was an extensive and wide-ranging conspiracy that required exceptional investigative work and close coordination. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to strengthen our communities by protecting our small and local businesses.”
“This guilty plea sends a signal to wrongdoers that evidence of their crimes will be brought to light,” said SBA OIG’s Western Region Special Agent in Charge Weston King. “Our Office will remain relentless in the pursuit of fraudsters who sought to exploit SBA’s vital pandemic response programs. I want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners for their dedication and pursuit of justice.”
“The money these subjects fraudulently received should have benefitted legitimate small businesses during the pandemic,” said Richard A. Collodi, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Seattle field office. “I’m thankful for the work by members of the COVID Fraud Strike Force and the United States Attorney’s Offices to hold accountable those who would take advantage of disaster funding for their own nefarious purposes. This should serve as an example of the effort and resources law enforcement and prosecutors will leverage to seek justice.”
The charges to which Andrews pled carries a maximum sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison. The cases were investigated by the Eastern Washington COVID Fraud Strike Force, and in particular by SBA-OIG, the FBI, and TIGTA. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Arkansas and Department of State Diplomatic Security Service provided additional assistance and support. Assistant United States Attorneys Dan Fruchter and Tyler H.L. Tornabene are prosecuting this case on behalf of the United States.
While Andrews has been adjudged guilty, the Indictment against Anishchenko remains pending. An Indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Case No. 2:22-CR-00057-TOR
Apopka Man Sentenced for Receiving and Possessing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Wendy W. Berger today sentenced Charles Vincent Yannaccone (52, Apopka) to 12 years and 6 months years in federal prison for receipt and possession of child sexual abuse materials. The court also ordered Yannaccone to forfeit five hard drives, a cellphone, a thumb drive, a computer tower, and a computer with a SD card, which were used to commit the offenses in this case. Yannaccone had entered a guilty plea on June 28, 2023.
According to court documents, Yannaccone downloaded multiple depictions of child sexual abuse materials using a peer-to-peer file sharing platform. During the execution of a search warrant on his home, law enforcement discovered hundreds of depictions of child sexual abuse materials on Yannaccone’s electronic devices.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Courtney D. Richardson-Jones.
This is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
25 September 2023
Violent Street Gang Member Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
A Dallas man who committed an April 2022 drive-by-shooting was sentenced Monday, September 25, 2023 to 15 years in federal prison, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.
Alexandro Mauricio Campos, 27, pleaded guilty in March 2023 to two counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He was sentenced September 25, 2023 by U.S. District Judge David C. Godbey. Campos is a violent felon, and a member of a violent street gang.
According to court documents, on April 24, 2022 Mansfield Police Officers were dispatched to investigate reports of a drive-by shooting. Once on the scene, officers observed two vehicles riddled with bullets that was parked at the residence. The residence was also shot, and bullets penetrated a child’s bedroom, the laundry room, and the garage. Officers recovered numerous shell casings from the street. An AK-47 firearm was used to shoot the vehicles and the house. Campos’s ex-girlfriend and young child were in the house when it was shot, and Campos had sent his ex-girlfriend threatening text messages before the shooting. A neighbor’s home security camera captured the shooting.
During the investigation, officers learned one of the vehicles hit in the April 24th shooting (which belonged to Campos’s ex-girlfriend) had previously been shot by Mr. Campos. Officers observed bullet holes covered with black electrical tape and learned Mr. Campos was being investigated for the violent attack.
On April 27, 2022, the U.S. Marshal’s North Texas Fugitive Task Force arrested Campos. During the arrest, officers located a large black AK-47 style pistol on the driver’s floorboard where Mr. Campos was seated and a large box of ammunition for the weapon. Ballistic testing confirmed that this firearm was used in the April 24th drive-by shooting.
According to the criminal complaint, Mr. Campos has a 2018 felony conviction for Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon and received a 2-year prison sentence for the offense. Campos, in fact, has a long history of violent behavior directed at women.
Campos was also sentenced for possessing another AK-47 style pistol in Mesquite, Texas, in June 2021.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives’ Dallas Field Division conducted the investigation with the assistance of the U.S. Marshal’s North Texas Fugitive Task Force, the Mansfield Police Department, and the Mesquite Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gary Tromblay prosecuted the case.
Vinton Man Admits to Illegal Possession of ExplosivesRead the Press Release
ROANOKE, Va. – A Vinton, Virginia man, who illegally possessed explosives both at his home and at another property in Roanoke County, has pled guilty in federal court.
Robert Wayne Wright, 29, pled guilty earlier this month to one count of possessing an explosive as a convicted felon.
According to court documents, between June 2021 and September 2021, Wright manufactured triperoxide (TATP) on multiple occasions, both at his residence in Vinton and at another property off Branico Drive in South Roanoke County.
TATP is a powerful, highly unstable explosive that can be created using commercially available products.
On October 5, 2021, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Wright’s residence after receiving multiple complaints from neighbors about explosions in rural Roanoke County. During the search, authorities recovered a small amount of unexploded TATP in a blue, plastic container.
At sentencing, Wright faces a maximum statutory penalty of up to 10 years in prison.
United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh and Craig B. Kailimai, Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, made the announcement.
The investigation of the case was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Assistant U. S. Attorneys Andrew Bassford and Michael Baudinet are prosecuting the case for the United States.
Vallejo Man Pleads Guilty to Being a Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Raykheem Andrew Guthery, 31, of Vallejo, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, on June 9, 2022, law enforcement officers conducted a vehicle stop on Guthery for driving a car without license plates. Guthery pretended to be someone else, claimed he was not on parole or probation, and denied being armed. In fact, Guthery was on probation for felony assault and had a firearm loaded with an extended magazine concealed on his person. Officers discovered the firearm during Guthery’s arrest. The firearm was a non-serialized, privately manufactured firearm, known as a “ghost gun.” It was loaded with one round of .40-caliber ammunition in the chamber and another 17 rounds in an extended magazine.
Guthery is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition because he has been convicted of at least three felonies, including a 2016 felony conviction for forcible assault likely to cause grave bodily injury. He is also prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition because he is the subject of a domestic violence protective order issued on April 15, 2021, by the Superior Court of California, Solano County.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Solano County District Attorney’s Office, the Solano County Sheriff’s Office, and the FBI’s Solano County Violent Crimes Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrian T. Kinsella is prosecuting the case.
Guthery is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Kimberly J. Mueller on Dec. 11, 2023. Guthery faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Two Real Estate Developers Convicted of Conspiring to Embezzle Millions from the Failed Washington Federal Bank in ChicagoRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A federal jury in Chicago has convicted two real estate developers of participating in a conspiracy that embezzled millions of dollars from the failed Washington Federal Bank for Savings in Chicago.
Washington Federal, which was based in Chicago’s Bridgeport neighborhood, was shut down in 2017 after the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency determined that the bank was insolvent and had at least $66 million in nonperforming loans. For more than a decade, developers MIROSLAW KREJZA and MAREK MATCZUK were part of a conspiracy that embezzled millions of dollars in bank funds. The embezzled funds were disguised as purported real estate development loan disbursements to Krejza, Matczuk, and others. The conspirators were not required to repay these purported loans, and they never did.
Krejza, 65, of Chicago, and Matczuk, 60, of Park Ridge, Ill., were convicted Friday of conspiring to commit embezzlement and falsify bank records, as well as aiding and abetting embezzlement by bank employees. The jury returned the verdicts after a three-week trial in federal court in Chicago. U.S. District Judge Virginia M. Kendall did not immediately set sentencing dates.
The convictions were announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Vincent R. Zehme, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Region of the FDIC’s Office of Inspector General; Machelle L. Jindra, Special Agent-in-Charge of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's Office of Inspector General in Chicago; Justin Campbell, Special Agent-in-Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation in Chicago; Catherine Huber, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Central Region of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, Office of Inspector General; Robert W. “Wes” Wheeler, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI; Andrea Peacock, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Department of the Treasury, Office of Inspector General; Deborah Witzburg, City of Chicago Inspector General; and Kathryn B. Richards, Chicago Housing Authority Inspector General. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Trustee Program and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michelle Petersen, Kristin Pinkston, and Brian Netols, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Snell.
The federal investigation into the collapse of Washington Federal led to criminal charges against 16 defendants, including the bank’s Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer, and other high-ranking employees, for conspiring to embezzle at least $31 million in bank funds. Krejza, Matczuk, and two others were convicted after jury trials, while ten defendants pleaded guilty and two entered into deferred prosecution agreements.
Much of the embezzled money was transferred to Chicago attorney ROBERT M. KOWALSKI and other individuals outside the bank without all of the required documentation and often without any documentation whatsoever. A jury earlier this year convicted Robert Kowalski on bankruptcy fraud, bank embezzlement, and false statement charges. His sentencing is set for Jan. 23, 2024. Robert Kowalski’s sister, JAN R. KOWALSKI, also an attorney, pleaded guilty and was sentenced in June to more than three years in prison for fraudulently enabling her brother to conceal more than $357,000 from creditors and the trustee in his bankruptcy case.
Last month, three former members of Washington Federal’s Board of Directors pleaded guilty to conspiring to falsify bank records to deceive the OCC. WILLIAM M. MAHON, GEORGE F. KOZDEMBA, and JANICE M. WESTON will be sentenced in December.
Last year, Chicago attorney PATRICK D. THOMPSON was convicted of making false statements to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. regarding the amount of money he received from Washington Federal via a purported loan and other unsecured payments. Thompson was also convicted of filing tax returns in which he falsely deducted interest that he had not actually paid to Washington Federal.
Two Puerto Rican Men Plead Guilty to Federal Hate Crime Against a Transgender Woman and Obstruction of Justice ChargesRead the Press Release
Two Puerto Rican men pleaded guilty today to federal charges of conspiracy to commit a hate crime and obstruction of justice, arising out of an assault with a dangerous weapon against a transgender woman because of her gender identity.
According to court documents, on Feb. 24, 2020, at around 12:29 a.m. ET, Jordany Rafael Laboy-Garcia and Christian Yamaurie Rivera-Otero, along with their former co-defendant Anthony Steven Lobos-Ruiz, were out driving together in Toa Baja, Puerto Rico, when they saw the victim, identified as A.N.L., standing under a tent near the side of the road. The defendants recognized A.N.L. from social media posts concerning an incident that had occurred the day prior at a McDonald’s in Toa Baja. During that incident, A.N.L. had used a stall in the McDonald’s women’s restroom.
Upon recognizing A.N.L., Lobos-Ruiz used his iPhone to record a video of himself yelling, “la loca, la loca,” as well as other disparaging and threatening comments to A.N.L. from inside the car. The defendants then decided to get a paintball gun to shoot A.N.L. and record another iPhone video. Within 30 minutes, they retrieved a paintball gun and returned to the location where they had last seen A.N.L., who was still at that location. Lobos-Ruiz then used his iPhone to record Laboy-Garcia shooting at A.N.L. multiple times with the paintball gun. After the assault ended, Lobos Ruiz shared the iPhone video recordings with others.
Several hours later, Rivera-Otero and Lobos-Ruiz exchanged text messages, in which they told each other to delete the evidence of their harassment and paintball gun assault of A.N.L., in order to conceal their involvement. Following this message exchange, Lobos-Ruiz deleted the videos on his iPhone of himself yelling at A.N.L. and of Laboy-Garcia firing paintballs at A.N.L.
“The defendants are being held accountable for assaulting a transgender woman because of her gender identity and then trying to obstruct an investigation into that assault,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Acts of violence against LGBTQI+ people have no place in our society today. As we mark 25 years since the death of Matthew Shepard, the Justice Department remain steadfast in its commitment to investigate and prosecute those who target LGBTQI+ people with acts of violence.”
“To assault an innocent victim who posed no threat to the defendants for no other reason than her gender identity is reprehensible behavior that will not be tolerated,” said U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow for the District of Puerto Rico. “The Justice Department will continue to vigorously defend the rights of all people, regardless of their gender identity, to be free from hate-fueled violence. Our community must stand together against acts of violence motivated by hate for any group of people – we remain steadfast in our commitment to prosecute civil rights violations and keep our communities safe and free from fear.”
“What makes our country great is our diversity in all aspects of life,” said Special Agent in Charge Joseph Gonzalez of the FBI San Juan Field Office. “This diversity makes us strong, and criminal acts undermine our society's foundations. The FBI will not tolerate hateful criminal activity of any kind and will pursue these cases to the full extent of the law. We urge anyone who thinks they have been a victim or a witness to a hate crime to call 787-987-6500 or leave a tip by visiting Tips.FBI.Gov. Know that we are here for you."
As part of the plea agreement, Laboy-Garcia pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit a hate crime and admitted that he shot paintballs at A.N.L. because she was, and was perceived to be, transgender. Rivera-Otero pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice and admitted to directing his co-defendant to delete video recordings of the assault and harassment of A.N.L.
Sentencing hearings for both defendants have been scheduled for Nov. 10. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Lobos-Ruiz previously pleaded guilty to committing a hate crime and was sentenced to 33 months in prison.
The FBI San Juan Field Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jose A. Contreras for the District of Puerto Rico and Trial Attorney Laura Gilson of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section are prosecuting the case.
Two Puerto Rican Men Plead Guilty to Federal Hate Crime Against a Transgender Woman and Obstruction of Justice ChargesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Two Puerto Rican men pleaded guilty today to federal charges of conspiracy to commit a hate crime and obstruction of justice, arising out of an assault with a dangerous weapon against a transgender woman because of her gender identity.
According to court documents, on Feb. 24, 2020, at around 12:29 a.m. ET, Jordany Rafael Laboy-Garcia and Christian Yamaurie Rivera-Otero, along with their former co-defendant Anthony Steven Lobos-Ruiz, were out driving together in Toa Baja, Puerto Rico, when they saw the victim, identified as A.N.L., standing under a tent near the side of the road. The defendants recognized A.N.L. from social media posts concerning an incident that had occurred the day prior at a McDonald’s in Toa Baja. During that incident, A.N.L. had used a stall in the McDonald’s women’s restroom.
Upon recognizing A.N.L., Lobos-Ruiz used his iPhone to record a video of himself yelling, “la loca, la loca,” as well as other disparaging and threatening comments to A.N.L. from inside the car. The defendants then decided to get a paintball gun to shoot A.N.L. and record another iPhone video. Within 30 minutes, they retrieved a paintball gun and returned to the location where they had last seen A.N.L., who was still at that location. Lobos-Ruiz then used his iPhone to record Laboy-Garcia shooting at A.N.L. multiple times with the paintball gun. After the assault ended, Lobos Ruiz shared the iPhone video recordings with others.
Several hours later, Rivera-Otero and Lobos-Ruiz exchanged text messages, in which they told each other to delete the evidence of their harassment and paintball gun assault of A.N.L., in order to conceal their involvement. Following this message exchange, Lobos-Ruiz deleted the videos on his iPhone of himself yelling at A.N.L. and of Laboy-Garcia firing paintballs at A.N.L.
“The defendants are being held accountable for assaulting a transgender woman because of her gender identity and then trying to obstruct an investigation into that assault,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Acts of violence against LGBTQI+ people have no place in our society today. As we mark 25 years since the death of Matthew Shepard, the Justice Department remain steadfast in its commitment to investigate and prosecute those who target LGBTQI+ people with acts of violence.”
“To assault an innocent victim who posed no threat to the defendants for no other reason than her gender identity is reprehensible behavior that will not be tolerated,” said U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow for the District of Puerto Rico. “The Justice Department will continue to vigorously defend the rights of all people, regardless of their gender identity, to be free from hate-fueled violence. Our community must stand together against acts of violence motivated by hate for any group of people – we remain steadfast in our commitment to prosecute civil rights violations and keep our communities safe and free from fear.”
“What makes our country great is our diversity in all aspects of life,” said Special Agent in Charge Joseph Gonzalez of the FBI San Juan Field Office. “This diversity makes us strong, and criminal acts undermine our society's foundations. The FBI will not tolerate hateful criminal activity of any kind and will pursue these cases to the full extent of the law. We urge anyone who thinks they have been a victim or a witness to a hate crime to call 787-987-6500 or leave a tip by visiting Tips.FBI.Gov. Know that we are here for you."
As part of the plea agreement, Laboy-Garcia pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit a hate crime and admitted that he shot paintballs at A.N.L. because she was, and was perceived to be, transgender. Rivera-Otero pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice and admitted to directing his co-defendant to delete video recordings of the assault and harassment of A.N.L.
A sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Lobos-Ruiz previously pleaded guilty to committing a hate crime and was sentenced to 33 months in prison.
The FBI San Juan Field Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jose A. Contreras for the District of Puerto Rico and Trial Attorney Laura Gilson of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section are prosecuting the case.
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Two Promoters Charged in Alleged Nationwide Illegal Abusive-Trust Tax Shelter Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in Denver returned an indictment, unsealed today, charging a Colorado man and a Texas man with conspiring to defraud the United States and with assisting in the preparation of false income tax returns. The indictment also charges the Colorado man and his spouse with evading their personal federal income taxes.
According to the indictment, since 2017, Timothy McPhee of Estes Park, Colorado, and Larry Conner of Frisco, Texas – along with others – promoted and sold an abusive-trust tax shelter to clients nationwide for fees ranging from approximately $25,000 to $50,000. The indictment alleges that McPhee and Conner instructed clients to assign their income to a series of sham trusts to make it appear as if the income was no longer owned or controlled by the client. However, this paper trail was allegedly false as the clients continued to benefit from and control the income assigned to the sham trusts. McPhee and Conner’s promotion and sale of the tax shelter allegedly resulted in tens of millions of dollars in federal income taxes not being paid to the IRS.
McPhee and Conner allegedly assured clients that after transferring income or personal property to the sham trusts, the clients would retain full control over the assets and could continue to use them for their benefit. To facilitate such use, McPhee and Conner allegedly directed their clients to open bank accounts and obtain credit cards in the names of their sham trusts and to pay personal expenses with funds held in those accounts. McPhee and Conner also allegedly directed their clients to transfer real estate and other assets to the sham trusts to avoid paying income taxes on any capital gains incurred from the sale of those assets.
McPhee and his wife, Marcia Predmore, are charged with using the abusive-trust tax shelter to conceal a substantial amount of their own income from the IRS. McPhee and Predmore allegedly signed trust instruments purporting to create four trusts, opened bank accounts in the name of each entity and paid for personal living expenses from those bank accounts. The indictment alleges that McPhee and Predmore assigned nearly all their income to their sham trusts and transferred multiple real estate properties to one of their sham trusts before selling the property. McPhee and Predmore then allegedly filed false individual income tax returns with the IRS that failed to report the income they assigned to the sham trusts.
If convicted, McPhee and Conner face a maximum penalty of five years in prison for conspiring to defraud the United States and three years in prison for each count of aiding and assisting in the preparation of false tax returns. McPhee and Predmore also face a maximum penalty of five years in prison for each count of tax evasion. 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.
Senior Litigation Counsel Corey J. Smith and Trial Attorneys Lauren K. Pope and Amanda R. Scott of the Tax Division are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Two More Sentenced for Roles in Southwest Virginia Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
ABINGDON, Va. – A pair of Tennessee men, who conspired with others to distribute methamphetamine and heroin in northeast Tennessee and southwest Virginia, were sentenced last week in U.S. District Court in Abingdon.
Darin Kent Thomas, 38, of Strawberry Pines, Tennessee, previously pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute heroin and possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. He was sentenced last week to 61 months in federal prison.
Garrett Teffeteller, 43, of Knoxville, Tennessee, previously pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. He was sentenced last week to 48 months in federal prison.
According to court documents, Thomas and Teffeteller conspired with others to sell crystal methamphetamine and heroin, including sales to individuals who resold the drugs in and around Lee County, Virginia. Teffeteller was a regular source of supply for methamphetamine to other conspiracy members.
Thomas, who is a former package delivery driver in the Knoxville, Tennessee area, stole a revolver from a package at his former place of employment and traded the gun for heroin. The stolen firearm was then traded again to another member of the conspiracy in exchange for drugs and ultimately ended up in the hands of an undercover law enforcement officer in Lee County, Virginia. Thomas also sold heroin to several of his former coworkers.
United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh and Special Agent in Charge Craig B. Kailimai of the Washington Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives made the announcement.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Virginia State Police, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, the Knox County, Tennessee Sheriff’s Office, and the Sevier County, Tennessee Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lena L. Busscher prosecuted the case.
Tulare County Woman Sentenced to 16 Years and 3 Months in Prison for Distributing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Alma Sanchez, 50, of Alpaugh, was sentenced today to 16 years and three months in prison for distributing methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, Sanchez distributed methamphetamine on two occasions to a co-conspirator, who then immediately sold the methamphetamine. On June 16, 2021, Sanchez distributed a pound and a half of methamphetamine, and on and Jan. 31, 2022, she distributed another 2 pounds of methamphetamine.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Coalinga Police Department, the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office, the Tulare County High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Unit (HIDTA), and the Fresno Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Antonio J. Pataca prosecuted the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Tulare County Dealer of Guns and Gamecocks Sentenced to over 7 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Pedro Gavino, 28, of Orosi, was sentenced today to seven years and three months in prison for selling firearms without a license and conspiring to violate the Animal Welfare Act by selling gamecocks and participating in cockfighting events, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, from February 2017 to October 2018, Gavino negotiated for the sale of 28 firearms and actually sold 24 unregistered firearms, including AR-15 type pistols and AR-15 type short-barreled rifles that had been privately made using unfinished receivers. Privately made firearms using unfinished receivers are known as “ghost guns” because they do not have a serial number and are untraceable. The gun sales occurred at Gavino’s ranch in Orosi and at different gas stations in Selma after the buyer advised Gavino that the firearms were destined for buyers in Chicago and Juarez, Mexico.
During one of the illegal gun transactions, Gavino also sold two American Game Fowl type of birds commonly used for cockfighting and six Mexican slashers, or short knives, that are attached to the leg of a rooster for the purpose of fighting.
In April 2018, Gavino brought five gamecocks to a large cockfighting event in an orchard in Orosi where 200 to 300 spectators gathered. After two of Gavino’s gamecocks fought and won, there was a dispute, gunshots were fired, and the crowd dispersed. In October 2018, during the execution of a federal search warrant at Gavino’s ranch, agents found 128 gamecocks, 30 hens used for breeding gamecocks, 278 Mexican slashers, and 10 additional firearms, including two AR-15 type pistols.
Gavino agreed to surrender the animals involved in the case - both gamecocks and hens used to breed gamecocks.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Office of Inspector General with assistance from the California Highway Patrol and the Fresno Police Department Multi-Agency Gang Enforcement Consortium (MAGEC). Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen A. Escobar prosecuted the case.
Tijuana Man Sentenced to Federal Prison after 30-Year Identity Theft UncoveredRead the Press Release
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – September 25, 2023
SAN DIEGO – Abel Alonso Valdez-Vazquez was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison for misusing the identity of an American citizen for over 30 years in order to obtain identification documents and thousands of dollars in government benefits.
U.S. District Judge Anthony J. Battaglia ordered Valdez-Vazquez, 59, to pay $81,185.35 in restitution to the Social Security Administration. Valdez-Vazquez will likely be deported at the conclusion of his prison sentences.
Valdez-Vazquez was originally arrested on August 5, 2022, after driving a vehicle into the U.S. through the Otay Mesa Port of Entry that had three undocumented aliens concealed within it. Valdez-Vazquez was charged under the identity of G.P., a U.S. citizen, and pleaded guilty to his conduct as “G.P.” on January 19, 2023.
Soon thereafter, investigators learned that a second man claiming to be G.P. had complained that his identity had been stolen and used for decades by an unknown person. Investigators were able to confirm the true G.P.’s identity after confirming it with family members and birth records. It was more difficult to determine the identity of his impersonator, but ultimately his true name – Abel Alonso Valdez-Vazquez – was revealed and his status as a Mexican citizen without legal status in the United States was confirmed.
It was determined that Valdez-Vazquez had been using G.P.’s identity since at least December 1992, when he was first arrested (and later convicted) under G.P.’s identity.In his second plea agreement, entered on June 30, 2023, as Abel Alonso Valdez-Vazquez, he admitted that from 2007 through 2017, and 2019 through December 2021, he received Supplemental Security Income (SSI) from the Social Security Administration under G.P.’s identity. Valdez-Vazquez admitted that as a Mexican citizen without legal status in the United States, he was never eligible to receive any government benefits, and that all SSI paid to him was therefore money stolen from the United States. Valdez-Vazquez also admitted fraudulently applying for and receiving a California Driver’s License under G.P.’s identity, and then using that license to apply for entry into the United States on August 5, 2022, when he was arrested at the border.
“This defendant pulled off this fraudulent charade for more than 30 years, and he had many victims – from the man whose identity was stolen, to the courts, state and federal government, and the Social Security Administration,” said Acting United States Attorney Andrew R. Haden. “We hope this prosecution sends a message to those who commit fraud and identity theft: No matter how long it takes, you will be found out, and there will be consequences for your crimes.”
“The effects of stolen identities have long lasting effects that can take years and prove costly to resolve,” said Chad Plantz, special agent in charge for HSI San Diego. “Identity theft is not a victimless crime and HSI is committed to investigating those who think otherwise and helping victims.”
“Mr. Valdez-Vazquez knowingly committed identity theft, receiving Supplemental Security Income that he was not legally eligible for, which is a federal crime,” said Gail S. Ennis, Inspector General for the SSA. “This sentence holds him accountable for his deceitful actions. I thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office for prosecuting this case.”
These cases were prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward Chang and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey D. Hill.
DEFENDANTS Case Numbers 22cr1969-AJB & 23cr1304-AJB
Abel Alonso Valdez-Vazquez Age: 59 Tijuana, MX
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Bringing in Unlawful Aliens Without Presentation – Title 8, U.S.C. Section 1324(a)(2)(B)(iii)
Maximum penalty: Ten years in prison and $250,000 fine
Receipt of Stolen Public Money – Title 18, U.S.C. Section 641
Maximum Penalty: Ten years in prison and $250,000 fine
Unlawful Representation – Title 8, U.S.C. Section 1325(a)(2)
Maximum Penalty: Six months in prison and $5,000 fine
AGENCIES
United States Homeland Security Investigations
Social Security Administration – Office of the Inspector General
Third Defendant Charged with Federal Narcotics Offenses Resulting in Death in Connection with the Poisoning of Four Children at A Bronx DaycareRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Frank A. Tarentino III, the Special Agent in Charge of the New York Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”), and Edward A. Caban, the Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), announced today the unsealing of a criminal Complaint in Manhattan federal court charging RENNY ANTONIO PARRA PAREDES, a/k/a “El Gallo,” with conspiracy to distribute narcotics resulting in death in connection with the poisoning of four children under the age of three, one of whom died, at a daycare facility in the Bronx. PAREDES is in custody and was presented today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Ona T. Wang.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “I promised last week that we would continue to work to bring those involved in the child poisonings at Divino Niño daycare to justice. Since then, this Office and our law enforcement partners have worked around the clock to identify and apprehend additional individuals who are responsible. Today’s arrest is one more step toward obtaining justice for the child-victims of this heinous offense and their families.”
DEA Special Agent in Charge Frank A. Tarentino III said: “As alleged, Paredes had an instrumental role in this conspiracy and is charged with narcotics distribution and death in connection with the poisoning of four children. The alleged drugs and materials seized in the trap are indicative of a prolific drug packaging operation. Traffickers often hide contraband in inconspicuous or unsuspecting locations with no regard for the safety of others. In this case, the Daycare’s floorboards were used as concealment, putting children’s lives at risk who innocently sat on the floor to play. I reiterate that DEA and our law enforcement partners will continue to pursue justice for all members of this trafficking ring.”
NYPD Police Commissioner Edward A. Caban said: “The truly disgraceful allegations in this case continue to shock the senses. This latest charge proves that our determination to eradicate the threat of illicit fentanyl and save lives cannot – and will not – stop. The NYPD and our law enforcement partners remain committed to investigating and holding fully accountable anyone who puts the lives of our children in danger. New Yorkers’ families, and our communities, depend on it.”
As alleged in the Complaint:[1]
From at least in or about July 2023 through at least in or about September 2023, RENNY ANTONIO PARRA PAREDES and others, including GREI MENDEZ and CARLISTO ACEVEDO BRITO,[2] conspired to distribute fentanyl, including at a children’s daycare center in the Bronx, New York (the “Daycare”). There, despite the daily presence of children, including infants, PAREDES and his co-conspirators maintained large quantities of narcotics, including a kilogram of fentanyl stored on top of children’s playmats, and large quantities of suspected narcotics in hidden compartments known as “traps” located in the floor of the room in which the children played and slept. In addition, law enforcement found in the traps materials to package narcotics, such as glassine envelopes used for retail distribution of drugs, which had been stamped in red with “RED DAWN.” One of the traps found in the floor of the Daycare is pictured below:
As a consequence of the drug conspiracy engaged in by PAREDES, MENDEZ, ACEVEDO BRITO, and others, on or about September 15, 2023, four children at the Daycare, who were all under three years of age, appear to have experienced the effects of poisoning from exposure to fentanyl. Three of the children were hospitalized with serious injuries. The fourth child, a one-year-old boy, died.
Following the arrest of PAREDES, law enforcement officers searched the apartment in which PAREDES had been staying. During the course of that search, law enforcement officers found shopping bags containing tools and instruments that are used to prepare and distribute narcotics, including strainers, tape, a grinder, plastic bags, and digital scales. Law enforcement officers also found what appears to be two clear Ziplock bags filled with a greyish powder and a rectangular, brick-shaped package, both of which appear to contain narcotics.
Law enforcement officials further found in the apartment in which PAREDES was staying glassine envelopes that bore the same red stamp with the name “RED DAWN” as the above-described glassine envelopes found at the Daycare. The first photo below depicts the glassines found in the trap in the Daycare, and the second photo below depicts the glassines found in the apartment in which PAREDES was staying.
Law enforcement officers also found the “RED DAWN” stamp itself in the apartment in which PAREDES was staying.
* * *
PAREDES, 38, of the Bronx, New York, is charged in Count One with conspiracy to distribute narcotics resulting in death, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison.
The statutory minimum and maximum sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the DEA, the NYPD, the SDNY Digital Forensic Unit, the Complex Analytical and Social Media Enhancement Team at the New York/New Jersey High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, and the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (“OCDETF”) New York Strike Force.
The OCDETF New York Strike Force provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. The specific mission of the New York Strike Force is to target, disrupt, and dismantle drug trafficking and money laundering organizations, reduce the illegal drug supply in the United States, and bring criminals to justice. The Strike Force is affiliated with the DEA’s New York Division and includes agents and officers of the DEA; NYPD; New York State Police; Homeland Security Investigations; U.S. Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation; U.S. Customs and Border Protection; New York National Guard; U.S. Coast Guard; New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision; Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office; Fort Lee Police Department; Palisades Interstate Parkway Police; Teaneck Police Department; Hillsdale Police Department; Closter Police Department; Northvale Police Department; River Vale Police Department; Englewood Police Department; Saddle River Police Department; Bergen County Sheriff’s Department; Hawthorne Police Department; and Hackensack Police Department.
This case is being prosecuted by the Office’s Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Maggie Lynaugh and Brandon C. Thompson are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Complaint 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 Complaint and the description of the Complaint set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact descried therein should be treated as an allegation.
[2] GREI MENDEZ and CARLISTO ACEVEDO BRITO have been charged in a separate complaint under docket number 23 Mag. 6444.
Stockton Man Pleads Guilty to Dealing Drugs, Being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm, and Carrying a Firearm in Relation to Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Jamel Duppre Stinson, 43, of Stockton, pleaded guilty today to two counts of possession of various drugs with intent to distribute, one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm, and one count of possessing a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking offense, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, on April 21, 2020, law enforcement agents went to Stinson’s residence to execute a search warrant for his residence, vehicle, and person. Stinson arrived in a Mercedes driven by his girlfriend. Once the vehicle parked on the driveway, officers announced their presence and that they had a search warrant. Stinson, still seated in the front passenger seat, shoved an item in a black plastic bag into a shoe on the front passenger floorboard. Officers removed Stinson from the vehicle and detained him. During the subsequent search, officers located a loaded Glock 21 .45 caliber firearm in his left shoe. In his right shoe, they discovered various distribution amounts of crack cocaine, powder cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine. Stinson later admitted that he sold drugs in Oakland, that he personally manufactured powder cocaine into crack cocaine, and that he carried the firearm for protection because people knew he had money from dealing drugs. Stinson is prohibited from possessing firearms because he has been previously convicted of eight felonies, including six prior drug trafficking offenses and a prior conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Oakland Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrian T. Kinsella is prosecuting the case.
Stinson is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge William B. Shubb on Dec. 18, 2023. Stinson faces a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $5 million fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Sequoyah County Resident Sentenced for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Gene Douglas Fleet, age 53, of Vian, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 87 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics, the District 25 Drug and Violent Crime Task Force, and the McIntosh County Sheriff’s Department.
On April 26, 2022, Fleet pleaded guilty to one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine. On June 23, 2021, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop on the I-40 corridor near Checotah after observing Fleet's truck exceeding 75 miles per hour and drifting off the road. A search of the cab revealed a single package of more than 200 grams of pure methamphetamine. At the plea hearing April 26, 2022, Fleet admitted to possessing the methamphetamine in order to distribute it.
The Honorable John F. Heil, III, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing in Muskogee. Fleet will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration
Assistant United States Attorney Erin Cornell represented the United States.
Roosevelt Norris Charged with Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont – The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that Roosevelt Norris, 54, of Rutland, Vermont, appeared on Friday, September 22, 2023, before United States Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle after the federal grand jury in Burlington charged him with three counts of distributing cocaine base, a Schedule II controlled substance. According to court records, Norris, who is also known as “Maz,” sold cocaine base to a confidential informant on three occasions in July and August 2023. Norris pleaded not guilty to the charges. Magistrate Judge Doyle ordered Norris to remain in the custody of the United States Marshals pending trial.
The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that a criminal complaint contains allegations only and that Norris is presumed innocent until and unless he is convicted of a crime. Norris faces up to 20 years in prison, a maximum fine of $1,000,000, and up to a lifetime of supervised release, with a mandatory minimum of three years of supervised release. The actual sentence, however, would be determined by the Court with guidance from the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines.
United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest commended the investigatory efforts of the Vermont State Police and the Rutland Police Department.
The prosecutors are Assistant United States Attorneys Corinne M. Smith and Jonathan A. Ophardt. Norris is represented by Michael J. Straub, Esq.
Purported Medical Assistant Convicted for Multi-Year Conspiracy to Distribute Prescriptions for OpioidsRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – A federal jury convicted a purported medical assistant for the distribution of large quantities of illegal prescriptions for opioids without a legitimate medical purpose.
According to court documents and evidence presented during the eight-day trial, David A. Litwin (64) conspired with a licensed physician and others to sell prescriptions, including oxycodone, hydrocodone, Xanax and Soma, to persons without any legitimate medical purpose for the drugs. Over the course of several years, Litwin helped to operate a medical practice known as New Amsterdam Medical Group that purported to be a pain specialty center. However, Litwin and his co-conspirators utilized that pain specialty center to sell fake prescriptions to hundreds of people, including multiple individuals who filled the prescriptions in order to sell opioids unlawfully on the secondary market.
On September 22, 2023, Litwin was found guilty of conspiracy to distribute oxycodone and seven counts of distribution of oxycodone. United States District Judge Kent J. Dawson presided over the jury trial, and sentencing is scheduled for December 21, 2023.
United States Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada, Assistant Special Agent in Charge Kevin Adams for the DEA Las Vegas District Office, and Special Agent in Charge Spencer L. Evans for the FBI made the announcement.
The case was investigated by the DEA and FBI. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Nadia Ahmed, Edward Veronda, and Jean Ripley.
If you have a tip or information about illegal sales or distribution of prescription opioids, including oxycodone, hydrocodone, etc., by doctors and pharmacies call the DEA RxAbuse Tip Line at 1-877-RxAbuse (1-877-792-2873) or submit a tip online at: https://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/tips_online.htm.
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Providence Man Sentenced for Robbing Five Rhode Island BanksRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A Providence man who previously admitted to a federal judge that he robbed five banks in Rhode Island within five weeks in early 2022, including three in three days, was sentenced today to 30 months in federal prison, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.
Dashawn Diaz, 24, admitted that on January 12, 13, and 14, 2022, and on February 1 and 8, 2022, he presented a note to tellers at various bank branches in Providence, Pawtucket, and East Providence announcing that he was robbing the bank. In at least one of the robberies, Diaz told a teller, “Hurry! Big bills only” as he presented a note that read “Armed Robbery.”
On March 2, 2023, Diaz pleaded guilty to five counts of bank robbery, admitting that on January 12, 2022, he robbed a Providence branch of Santander Bank of $7,100; on January 13, 2022, a Providence branch of Citizens Bank of approximately $2,700; on January 14, 2022, a branch of Citizens Bank in Pawtucket of $952; on February 1, 2022, a Santander Bank branch in Providence of $2,348; and on February 8, 2022, a TD Bank branch in East Providence of $3,167.
At sentencing today, U.S. District Court Judge Mary S. McElroy sentenced Diaz to thirty months of incarceration to be followed by three years of federal supervised release. Diaz was ordered to pay restitution to the banks totaling $15,807.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Zechariah Chafee.
The matter was investigated by the FBI and the Providence, Pawtucket, and East Providence Police Departments.
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Ohio Man Sentenced to Prison for Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Johnte Tyree Warren, 24, of Akron, Ohio, was sentenced today to four years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for distribution of fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 1, 2022, Warren arranged by phone to sell a quantity of fentanyl to a confidential informant. Warren admitted to meeting the confidential informant in a vehicle on 20th Street in Huntington on that day as arranged and to selling approximately 12.95 grams of fentanyl to the confidential informant. Warren further admitted to distributing additional quantities of fentanyl in the Huntington area at various times including February and March 2022, sometimes utilizing another individual to distribute fentanyl on his behalf.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Huntington Violent Crime and Drug Task Force and the Huntington Police Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chamber imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Joseph F. Adams and Courtney L. Finney prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:23-cr-79.
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Ohio Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Danny Merriweather, also known as “D,” 36, of Toledo, Ohio, was sentenced today to 10 years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 5, 2021, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at a 10th Avenue residence where Merriweather was living and seized a Smith & Wesson .38-caliber SPL Airweight revolver and quantities of fentanyl and methamphetamine. Merriweather admitted to possessing the firearm.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Merriweather knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony conviction for distribution of a quantity of cocaine base in United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia on October 22, 2012.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Taylor prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:22-cr-47.
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Norwood Woman Pleads Guilty to Stealing Government BenefitsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Norwood woman pleaded guilty on Sept. 22, 2023 in federal court in Boston to fraudulently receiving federal workers’ compensation benefits and disability benefits from the Social Security Administration (SSA).
Karen Nolan, 66, pleaded guilty to two counts of theft of public funds and two counts of making false statements. U.S. Senior District Court Judge Mark L. Wolf scheduled sentencing for Dec. 7, 2023. Nolan was indicted by a federal grand jury in August 2021.
From approximately November 2017 through August 2021, Nolan repeatedly stole federal workers’ compensation benefits, as well as Social Security disability benefits from approximately July 2019 through August 2021. In April 2019, Nolan falsely reported to the SSA that she had not worked since 2017 due to a medical disability, but was actively employed at a dermatology practice at the time. Nolan also made similar false statements to the Department of Labor, Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs in May 2021.
The charges of theft of public funds each provide for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. The charges of making a false statement each provide for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Christopher Algieri, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General, Northeast Field Office; Sharon MacDermott, Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Boston Field Division; and Anthony DiPaolo, Chief of Investigations, Insurance Fraud Bureau of Massachusetts, made the announcement today. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney James J. Nagelberg of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
Northern Nevada Man Sentenced to Life in Prison for Murdering Pregnant Indigenous Woman on ReservationRead the Press Release
RENO, Nev. — A Northern Nevada man was sentenced today by Chief United States District Judge Miranda M. Du to life in prison, plus 20 years in prison, for murdering a pregnant indigenous woman on the Pyramid Lake Indian Reservation in December 2020.
According to court documents, Michael Burciaga (36) stabbed his pregnant girlfriend, a registered member of the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe, multiple times, causing her death and the death of their unborn child. Shortly after midnight on December 15, 2020, officers with Pyramid Lake Police Department responded to an emergency call from the victim’s daughter at the victim’s home located on the Pyramid Lake reservation in Nixon, located in Washoe County.
Burciaga has prior convictions for Domestic Assault in Becker County, Minn.; Domestic Battery in Fernley; and Battery and Domestic Battery in Sparks.
A jury convicted Burciaga of Murder in the First Degree within Indian Country, a violation of the Protection of Unborn Children Act, and Domestic Assault by a Habitual Offender Within Indian Country.
“Today’s sentence illustrates our collaborative efforts to ensuring justice for the victim and holding the defendant accountable for his heinous crime,” said United States Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada. “The Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) crisis is a priority for the Department of Justice and we will continue to work alongside Tribes and law enforcement partners in the pursuit of justice.”
“Today’s sentencing ends a tragic story of cold-blooded murder,” said Special Agent in Charge Spencer L. Evans for the FBI. “While life in prison will not undo the crime committed by Mr. Burciaga, it will prevent him from victimizing anyone on the Pyramid Lake Indian Reservation again. I appreciate the work of our investigators and tribal partners ensuring violent offenders such as this are held accountable, and residents can feel safe in their homes.”
This case was investigated by the FBI and Pyramid Lake Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Penelope Brady, Megan Rachow, and Richard Casper prosecuted the case.
For additional information about the Department of Justice’s efforts to address the MMIP crisis, please visit the Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons section of the Tribal Safety and Justice website at: https://www.justice.gov/tribal/mmip.
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New York Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl Possession and Distribution ChargesRead the Press Release
BOSTON - A New York man has pleaded guilty to distributing fentanyl in Woburn.
Ruben Davila Cardenas, 45, pleaded guilty to distribution and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. U.S. District Court Senior Judge Mark L. Wolf scheduled sentencing for Dec. 20, 2023.
In October 2021, Cardenas distributed approximately three kilograms of fentanyl and approximately 500 grams of fentanyl analogue.
The charge of distribution and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine up to $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration in New England; John E. Mawn Jr., Interim Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police; and Colonel Mark B. Hall, Director of the New Hampshire State Police made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Mulcahy of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.
New Orleans Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun ChargeRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LA – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that DAJUAN MARTIN, age 24, of New Orleans, pleaded guilty on September 19, 2023 to an indictment charging him with possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, in violation of the Federal Gun Control Act, Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2).
According to court documents, MARTIN was arrested on June 13, 2022, by New Orleans Police Department officers after they identified him driving a stolen scooter. When MARTIN fled from officers, he discarded a loaded Glock, nine-millimeter handgun. Further investigation revealed that MARTIN had been convicted in 2017 and 2018 for illegal carrying of a weapon. These convictions prohibited his possession of a firearm.
The maximum penalties for this firearm charge, is up to ten (10) years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000.00, up to (3) years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. Sentencing is scheduled for December 19, 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 Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Orleans Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas Rayburn of the Violent Crime Unit.
New Orleans Man Indicted on Federal Firearms ChargeRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – IRVIN J. LEFERE, JR., age 37, a resident of New Orleans, Louisiana, was indicted on September 21, 2023 for being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8), announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.
According to the indictment it is alleged that, on or about July 13, 2022, LEFERE, knowing that he had previously been convicted of a crime punishable by a term of imprisonment for a term exceeding one year, knowingly possessed a .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol and assorted rounds of .40 caliber ammunition.
For this offense, he faces up to fifteen years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, up to three years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that the indictment is merely a charging document and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case was investigated by Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the New Orleans Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Andre J. Lagarde of the Public Integrity Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
Multiple defendants prosecuted on federal firearms chargesRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: Four people have been indicted in the Southern District of Georgia on felony charges including illegal firearms possession, while additional defendants have been sentenced to federal prison or await further proceedings after pleading guilty to federal gun charges.
The cases are prosecuted as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods in collaboration with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the FBI, to reduce violent crime with measures that include targeting convicted felons who illegally possess guns.
“Guns in the hands of convicted felons present a danger to the community,” said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. “With our law enforcement partners, we continue to identify and prosecute individuals who violate firearms laws.”
In the past four years, more than 800 defendants have been prosecuted in the Southern District of Georgia for firearms offenses – most often for possessing a firearm after conviction for a previous felony. That charge carries a statutory penalty of up to 15 years in prison, and there is no parole in the federal system.
Those indicted during the September term of the U.S. District Court Grand Jury include:
- Wilbur Zaccaeus Hightower, 43, of Blackshear, Ga., charged with Possession with Intent to Distribute Marijuana and Cocaine; Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime; and Possession of a Machine Gun, referring to a pistol with an illegal “Glock switch”;
- Hunter W. Taylor, 25, of Hephzibah, Ga., charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, and Possession of an Unregistered Firearm, referring to a short barrel rifle;
- Joshua Bowser, 28, of Savannah, charged with Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition by a Convicted Felon; and,
- Zytavious Beck, 26, of Dublin, Ga., charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon.
Defendants recently adjudicated on federal firearms charges include:
- Melvin Jamarcus Lanier, 42, of Statesboro, was sentenced to 60 months in prison and fined $1,500 after pleading guilty to Possession of a Stolen Firearm. Statesboro police officers arrested Lanier in January 2021 during a traffic stop after finding a pistol in his vehicle.
- Demmerio Swint, 29, of Augusta, was sentenced to 15 months in prison after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Savannah police officers found a pistol in Swint’s pocket and another in his vehicle after a November 2021 traffic stop.
- Nygeria Tasheema Brown, 32, of Savannah, was sentenced to three years’ probation and fined $1,000 after pleading guilty to False Statement During the Purchase of a Firearm. Brown assisted Javonte Deshawn Washington, 30, of Savannah, in buying a pistol despite knowing he was a convicted felon. Garden City police officers found Washington in possession of the gun later that month when responding to a report of a man pointing a gun at motorists outside an apartment complex. Washington is serving a 44-month term in federal prison after pleading guilty to Straw Purchase of a Firearm.
- Tekayo Spencer, 39, of Savannah, was sentenced to 32 months in prison after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Savannah police officers arrested Spencer in June 2022 during an investigation into a man brandishing a firearm during a domestic dispute.
- Caleb Earl Riggs, 38, of Claxton, Ga., was sentenced to 24 months in prison and fined $1,500 after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. One of 32 defendants indicted in October 2022 as part of a drug trafficking conspiracy in Operation Carpet Ride, Riggs was found in possession of a pistol during a traffic stop by Evans County sheriff’s deputies and the Georgia State Patrol.
- Milton Parker III, 37, of Savannah, was sentenced to 51 months in prison after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Savannah police officers arrested Parker in September 2022 while investigating reports of shots being fired in a Savannah neighborhood, and finding Parker with a pistol in his waistband.
- Jonathan Duncan, 38, of Savannah, awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Savannah police officers found a pistol in Duncan’s vehicle during a November 2022 traffic stop.
- Tori Davis, 33, of Savannah, awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon and Possession with Intent to Distribute Oxycodone and Fentanyl. Garden City police officers found drugs and a pistol in Davis’ vehicle during a traffic stop. When Davis was federally indicted in February 2023, investigators found multiple guns and extended magazines in his residence during his arrest.
- Alvin York, 47, of Swainsboro, Ga., awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Swainsboro police officers found multiple firearms in York’s vehicle during a December 2021 traffic stop.
- Michael Floyd, 30, of Savannah, awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. An Oglethorpe Mall security officer contacted the Savannah Police Department after observing what appeared to be a gun inside Floyd’s clothing, and officers later determined Floyd was prohibited as a convicted felon from carrying a gun.
Agencies investigating these cases include the ATF, the FBI, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, the Savannah Police Department, the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office, and the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office.
The cases are being prosecuted for the United States by the Southern District of Georgia U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Under federal law, it is illegal for an individual to possess a firearm if he or she falls into one of nine prohibited categories including being a felon; illegal alien; or unlawful user of a controlled substance. Further, it is unlawful to possess a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense or violent crime. It is also illegal to purchase – or even to attempt to purchase – firearms if the buyer is a prohibited person or illegally purchasing a firearm on behalf of others. Lying on ATF Form 4473, which is used to lawfully purchase a firearm, also is a federal offense.
For more information from the ATF on the lawful purchasing of firearms, please see: https://www.atf.gov/qa-category/atfw-form-4473
Mexican National Residing in Bakersfield Pleads Guilty to Possessing 60 Pounds of Methamphetamine with Intent to DistributeRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Francisco Torres Mora, 30, a Mexican national residing in Bakersfield, pleaded guilty today to possessing with intent to distribute 60 pounds of methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, in April 2021, Torres possessed 60 pounds of methamphetamine at a commercial property that he intended to distribute. Law enforcement officers seized the methamphetamine after wire intercepts indicated that Torres was holding the methamphetamine for Jorge Calderon-Campos, 42, also a Mexican national, who was the target of a wiretap investigation that resulted in the seizure of an additional 26 pounds of methamphetamine and 1 kilogram of heroin. The wiretap investigation also uncovered an illegal cockfighting enterprise involving Calderon-Campos, who is charged in a second indictment with violations of the Animal Welfare Act. An associate, Horacio Ortega-Martinez, 36, a Mexican national residing in Bakersfield, previously pleaded guilty to the unlawful possession of gamecocks for an animal fighting venture and was sentenced to 18 months in prison.
This case was the product of an investigation led by Homeland Security Investigations and the Drug Enforcement Administration with assistance from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General (USDA-OIG), the U.S. Marshals Service, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the U.S. Secret Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the Kern County High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force, the California Highway Patrol, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the Kern County Sheriff's Office, the Kern County Probation Department, and the Bakersfield Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Escobar is prosecuting the case.
Torres is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston on Jan. 29, 2024. Torres faces a mandatory statutory minimum penalty of 10 years and a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison, along with a $10 million fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
Calderon-Campos and four other co-defendants are currently scheduled for a status conference on Dec. 6, 2023. They are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Mexican National Pleads Guilty to Entering the United States After Prior RemovalRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Mexican national pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Bangor to entering the United States after a prior removal.
According to court records, in April 2023, Alberto Beltran-Martinez, 44, and six others were pulled over in a van with six others in Hamlin near the international boundary by a U.S. Border Patrol Agent from the Van Buren Border Patrol Station. Immigration records showed that Beltran-Martinez had twice been previously removed from the U.S., in September 2006 at Laredo, Texas and in April 2021 at Del Rio, Texas. Beltran-Martinez had not obtained the express consent of the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to reapply for admission.
Beltran-Martinez faces up to 20 years in prison and up to a $250,000 fine followed by five years of supervised release. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection investigated the case.
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Marion Man Pleads Guilty to Large-Scale Meth Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
ABINGDON, Va. – A Marion, Virginia man, who trafficked numerous pounds of methamphetamine from Georgia into Southwest Virginia since 2021, pled guilty in federal court earlier this month.
Brian Cory Hoover, 34, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute as well as distributing 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, and one additional count of possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine.
According to court documents, twice a month, Hoover routinely transported up to 10 pounds of methamphetamine from Atlanta, Georgia into Southwest Virginia. That methamphetamine was redistributed in Southwest Virginia by Hoover and his co-conspirators Amanda Wain, Travis Farmer, Larry Whittaker, Borve Fisher, and others. Wain, Farmer, Whittaker, and Fisher have all previously pled guilty in federal court.
Shortly after law enforcement learned of Hoover’s activities, Hoover fled Virginia and then the United States. He was apprehended in Mexico in June of this year.
At sentencing, Hoover faces a sentence of 25 to 30 years.
United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh and Special Agent in Charge Stanley M. Meador of the FBI’s Richmond Division made the announcement.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Virginia State Police’s Holston River Regional Drug Task Force, the Smyth County Sheriff’s Office, the Bristol, Tennessee Police Department, the Wythe County Sheriff’s Office, and the Washington County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Whit D. Pierce is prosecuting the case.
Man Pleads Guilty to Illegally Distributing over $16M of Adulterated HIV MedicationRead the Press Release
A Florida man pleaded guilty today to distributing at least $16.7 million of adulterated HIV drugs that were ultimately dispensed to unsuspecting patients throughout the country.
According to court documents, Armando Herrera, 43, of Miami, and his co-conspirators established companies in Florida, Texas, Washington, and California that they used to sell and distribute adulterated prescription drugs, primarily HIV medications, to wholesale pharmaceutical suppliers. Herrera and his co-conspirators created false documentation to make it appear as though the drugs were acquired legitimately when, in fact, they were not. The pharmaceutical suppliers then sold the drugs to pharmacies, which dispensed the adulterated prescription drugs to unwitting patients.
Herrera pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to introduce adulterated and misbranded drugs into interstate commerce. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 21 and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida; Special Agent in Charge Omar Pérez Aybar of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG), Miami Regional Office; Special Agent in Charge Kyle A. Myles of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General (FDIC-OIG), Atlanta Region; and Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri of the FBI Miami Field Office made the announcement.
HHS-OIG, FDIC-OIG, and the FBI are investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Alexander Thor Pogozelski of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section is prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Marx P. Calderón for the Southern District of Florida is handling asset forfeiture.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, comprised of 15 strike forces operating in 25 federal districts, has charged more than 5,000 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $24 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
MS-13 Gang Member Sentenced to Life in Prison for Racketeering Conspiracy, Including MurderRead the Press Release
A Maryland man was sentenced today to life in prison for racketeering and murder in aid of racketeering conspiracies, for committing murder in aid of racketeering, and for conspiracy to destroy and conceal evidence in connection with his participation in La Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13), a transnational criminal enterprise.
According to court documents, on March 8, 2019, Jose Rafael Ortega-Ayala, aka Impaciente, 30, of Greenbelt, along with Jose Henry Hernandez-Garcia, Victim 1, and other MS-13 members, participated in a Los Ghettos Criminales Salvatruchas (LGCS) clique meeting, where gang matters – including recent contacts that Victim 1 had with the police – were discussed. During the meeting, Jose Domingo Ordonez-Zometa, the leader of LGCS, questioned Victim 1 about his/her cooperation with police. During the questioning, Ortega-Ayala and at least one other MS-13 member assaulted Victim 1, based on their incorrect suspicions that Victim 1 was cooperating with law enforcement. They also assaulted another MS-13 member who attempted to defend Victim 1. The assault culminated with Ordonez-Zometa, as LGCS clique leader, ordering that Victim 1 be killed. Ortega-Ayala, Hernandez-Garcia, and other MS-13 members then stabbed and murdered Victim 1 in Ordonez-Zometa’s basement.
After the murder, Ordonez-Zometa ordered Ortega-Ayala, Hernandez-Garcia, and other LGCS clique members and co-conspirators, to conceal and destroy evidence of the murder. Ortega-Ayala and other MS-13 members transported Victim 1’s body to a secluded location in Stafford County, Virginia, set the body on fire, then destroyed and concealed evidence of the murder from the vehicle used to transport the victim. Meanwhile, Ordonez-Zometa, Hernandez-Garcia, and another MS-13 member stayed at the crime scene and attempted to remove, destroy, and conceal evidence of the murder, including the blood of Victim 1.
On March 6, Ordonez-Zometa was sentenced to life in prison. On Aug. 4, Hernandez-Garcia was also sentenced to life in prison.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron for the District of Maryland, and Assistant Director in Charge David Sundberg of the FBI Washington Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI, Department of Homeland Security, and state and local law enforcement partners investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Jared Engelking and Matthew Hoff of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Morgan for the District of Maryland prosecuted the case.
MS-13 Gang Member Sentenced to Life in Federal Prison for A Racketeering Conspiracy, Including A Murder in MarylandRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis today sentenced Jose Rafael Ortega-Ayala, a/k/a “Impaciente,” age 30, of Greenbelt, Maryland, to life in federal prison for racketeering and murder in aid of racketeering conspiracies, for committing murder in aid of racketeering, and for conspiracy to destroy and conceal evidence connected to his participation in La Mara Salvatrucha, a transnational criminal enterprise also known as MS-13. The charges related to the murder of a victim believed to be cooperating with law enforcement and the subsequent cover-up of the murder. Ortega-Ayala was convicted on December 16, 2022, after a two-week trial, along with co-defendants Jose Domingo Ordonez-Zometa, a/k/a “Felon,” age 33, of Landover Hills, Maryland and Jose Henry Hernandez-Garcia, a/k/a “Paciente,” age 29, of Annandale, Virginia.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Acting Assistant Attorney Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department's Criminal Division; the Federal Bureau of Investigation – Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division; Special Agent in Charge James C. Harris of Homeland Security Investigations, Baltimore Field Office; Chief Kevin Davis of the Fairfax County Police Department; Stafford County Sheriff David P. Decatur; and Chief Malik Aziz of the Prince George’s County Police Department.
According to evidence presented at trial, MS-13, one of the largest street gangs in the United States, is a national and international gang composed primarily of immigrants or descendants from El Salvador and other central American countries. Branches or “cliques” of MS-13, operate throughout the United States, including in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. Ortega-Ayala and his co-defendants were members and associates of the Los Ghettos Criminales Salvatruchas (“LGCS” or “Ghettos”) clique of MS-13.
Members of MS-13 were expected to protect the name, reputation, and status of the gang from rival gang members and other persons, at all times, using any means necessary to force respect from those who showed disrespect, including acts of intimidation and violence. One of the principal rules of MS-13 is that its members must attack and kill rivals, often referred to as “chavalas,” whenever possible. Participation in criminal activity by a member, particularly in violent acts directed at rival gangs or as directed by gang leadership, increases the respect accorded to that member, resulting in that member maintaining or increasing his position in the gang, and opens the door to promotion to a leadership position.
Also outlined during trial evidence was the fact that Ordonez-Zometa, the leader of the LGCS clique. On March 8, 2019, Ordonez-Zometa called a meeting of the LGCS clique at his house to discuss gang matters, including recent contacts that a clique member (Victim 1) had with the police. Ortega-Ayala, Hernandez-Garcia, Victim 1, and other MS-13 members participated in the meeting, during which Ordonez-Zometa questioned Victim 1 about his/her cooperation with police.
During the questioning, Ortega-Ayala and at least one other MS-13 member assaulted Victim 1, based on their incorrect suspicions that Victim 1 was cooperating with law enforcement. They also assaulted another MS-13 member who attempted to defend Victim 1. The assault culminated with Ordonez-Zometa, as LGCS clique leader, ordering that Victim 1 be killed. Ortega-Ayala, Hernandez-Garcia, and other MS-13 members then stabbed and murdered Victim 1 in Ordonez-Zometa’s basement.
According to trial testimony, after the murder, Ordonez-Zometa ordered Ortega-Ayala, Hernandez-Garcia, and other LGCS clique members and co-conspirators, to conceal and destroy evidence of the murder. Ortega-Ayala and other MS-13 members transported the body of the victim to a secluded location in Stafford County, Virginia, and set the victim’s body on fire, then destroyed and concealed evidence of the murder from the vehicle used to transport the victim. Meanwhile, Ordonez-Zometa, Hernandez-Garcia, and another MS-13 member stayed at the crime scene and attempted to remove, destroy, and conceal evidence of the murder, including the blood of Victim 1.
Ordonez-Zometa and Hernandez-Garcia were previously sentenced to life in 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 make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case is also an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Anyone with information about MS-13 is encouraged to provide their tips to law enforcement. The FBI and Homeland Security Investigations both have nationwide tiplines that you can call to report what you know. You can reach the FBI at 1-866-STP-MS13 (1-866-787-6713), or you can call HSI at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron and Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri commended the FBI, HSI, the Fairfax County Police Department, the Stafford County Sheriff's Office, and the Prince George's County Police Department for their work in the investigation and thanked the Prince George’s County State’s Attorney’s Office for its assistance. Mr. Barron and Ms. Argentieri thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Morgan and Trial Attorneys Jared Engelking and Matthew Hoff of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Violent Crime and Racketeering Section, who are prosecuting this case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-neighborhoods-psn and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Luzerne County Woman Sentenced to 30 Months’ Imprisonment for Fentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Candacelee Ellis, age 37, of Plymouth, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on September 22, 2023, by U.S. District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani, to 30 months’ imprisonment on the charge of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Ellis previously pleaded guilty and admitted to conspiring with other individuals to distribute between 160 grams and 280 grams of fentanyl in the Luzerne County area between 2019 and 2020.
Previously, co-defendant Eric Hill, age 34, also of Plymouth, Pennsylvania, was sentenced by Judge Mariani to serve 10 years’ imprisonment for conspiring to distribute between 400 grams and 1.2 kilograms of fentanyl in the Luzerne County area.
The charges against the defendants resulted from an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), the Kingston Police Department, the Luzerne County Drug Task Force, and the Pennsylvania State Police. Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. O’Hara 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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Long Island Trafficker of Firearms, Including ‘Ghost Guns,” Sentenced to 46 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Central Islip, Jeramya Sloan, also known as “JuJu,” was sentenced by United States District Judge Joanna Seybert to 46 months’ imprisonment for illegally selling eight firearms – including several privately made firearms, or “ghost guns” – in Suffolk County. Sloan pleaded guilty to firearms trafficking in June 2022.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, announced the sentence.
“This case reflects the efforts of this Office, together with our law enforcement partners, to reduce gun violence in our district. We will arrest and prosecute those who traffic firearms and contribute to the proliferation of untraceable ghost guns, which threaten public safety,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “The recovery of each and every gun sold by Sloan potentially prevented death or serious injury.”
Mr. Peace also thanked the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, New York Division (ATF), the Suffolk County Police Department, and the United States Postal Inspection Service, for their work in this case.
According to court filings and statements made during court proceedings, from approximately December 2019 through January 2021, Sloan sold eight firearms to someone he believed was a member of the Bloods street gang, at locations throughout Suffolk County. Specifically, Sloan sold: (1) a .45 caliber Ruger P97DC semi-automatic pistol; (2) a .22 caliber High Standard MFG Corp revolver; (3) a .22 caliber Smith & Wesson M&P semi-automatic pistol; (4) a .40 caliber Smith & Wesson SW40VE semi-automatic pistol, with an obliterated serial number; (5) a 9-millimeter Polymer80 type semi-automatic pistol, bearing no make, model or serial number (also known as a “ghost gun”); (6) a 9-millimeter FMK G2 semi-automatic pistol; (7) a .45 caliber Polymer80 type semi-automatic pistol “ghost gun,” with a loaded magazine; and (8) a 9-millimeter Polymer80 type semi-automatic pistol “ghost gun,” along with a MasterPiece Arms MAC 10 9-millimeter high-capacity magazine. The .45 caliber Ruger was traced to another purchaser, who originally bought the firearm in approximately March 2005 from a store in Columbia, South Carolina. The .22 caliber Smith & Wesson was traced to another purchaser, who originally bought the firearm in approximately May 2012 from a store in Oneonta, New York. The other firearms could not be traced. At the time of Sloan’s arrest on November 9, 2021, ammunition was recovered from his residence in Selden.
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 make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. As part of the program, U.S. Attorney’s Offices work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and their local communities to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York is currently partnering with the SCPD, the New York City Police Department (NYPD), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), ATF, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (DHS/HSI), and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in its PSN mission.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Long Island Criminal Division. Assistant United States Attorney Justina L. Geraci is in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendant:
JERAMYA SLOAN (also known as “JuJu”)
Age: 22
East Patchogue and Selden, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 21-CR-559 (JS)
Le Claire Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Distribution and Receipt of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, IA – A Le Claire man was sentenced on September 20, 2023, to ten years in federal prison for distribution and receipt of child pornography.
According to public court documents, and evidence presented at sentencing, law enforcement identified Kyle Daniel DuPrey, 36, a former East Moline firefighter, as a person of interest after the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received a cybertip from a social media platform indicating that videos of child sexual abuse material had been uploaded. Law enforcement traced the account to DuPrey.
During a search warrant at DuPrey’s residence, two cell phones were located which showed evidence of receipt and distribution of child pornography. The investigation revealed that DuPrey viewed and distributed child pornography while on duty as a firefighter, including from approximately December 2020 until at least August 2022.
After completing his term of imprisonment, DuPrey will be required to serve five years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. DuPrey was also ordered to pay $6,000 in restitution.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Scott County Sherriff’s Office and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation.
This case was prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Childhood” initiative, which was started in 2006 as a nationwide effort to combine law enforcement investigations and prosecutions, community action, and public awareness in order to reduce the incidence of sexual exploitation of children. Any persons having knowledge of a child being sexually abused are encouraged to call the Iowa Sexual Abuse Hotline at 1-800-284-7821.
Latimer County Resident Sentenced for Voluntary ManslaughterRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Alyssa Lyn Turner, age 35, of Wilburton, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 120 months of incarceration followed by three years of supervised release for Voluntary Manslaughter.
On June 10, 2022, Turner pleaded guilty to one count of voluntary manslaughter. According to investigators, on July 2, 2021, Turner and the victim got into a fight in Wilburton, Oklahoma. During the fight, Turner shot and killed the victim. The crime occurred in Latimer County, within the boundaries of the Choctaw Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Choctaw Nation Tribal Police, and the Latimer County Sheriff’s Office.
The Honorable Jodi W. Dishman, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma, sitting by appointment, presided over the hearing in Oklahoma City.Assistant United States Attorney Jordan Howanitz represented the United States.
Justice Department Awards over $4.2 Million in Grants to State and Local AgenciesRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that the Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance has awarded $4,202,037 collectively to the Louisiana Commission on Law Enforcement, East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office, Baton Rouge Police Department, Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office, and Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Office.
The Louisiana Commission on Law Enforcement (“LCLE”) was awarded $3,893,810 to provide resources in assisting Louisiana agencies fight the drug epidemic and violent crime throughout the state. Project activities include providing state and local units of government funding to enforce drug control laws and to improve the functioning of the criminal justice system, with an emphasis on violent crime and serious offenders. LCLE is a foundation located in Baton Rouge dedicated to improving the operations of the criminal justice and juvenile justice systems and to promoting public safety by providing progressive leadership and coordination within the criminal justice community.
East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office and Baton Rouge Police Department was awarded $235,720 to purchase and maintain video/computer equipment, and general law enforcement equipment that would be otherwise be unavailable, due to budgetary constraints. Approved budget items will promote officer and citizen safety throughout their communities.
Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office (“LPSO”) was awarded $41,007 to further the goals of the Livingston Parish Gun Violence Reduction Initiative by providing overtime pay to gun violence investigators, use technology to provide officer safety and obtain evidence for illegal gun related prosecutions, prevent gun violence crimes, and to target violent criminal offenders.
Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Office was awarded $31,500 to provide all law enforcement officers in Ascension Parish with reliable and effective body armor.
For more information about these awards, please contact the OJP Office of Communications at 202-307-0703 or [email protected].