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Friday 4 August 2023
Leading Crips Member Sentenced for Methamphetamine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Los Angeles man was sentenced today to 24 years in prison for his leading role in a methamphetamine distribution conspiracy.
According to court documents, from approximately fall 2018 through September 2019, Kevin Day, a/k/a “Prince Hauncho,” 34, was at the top of a multi-state, multi-kilogram methamphetamine conspiracy involving a distribution organization that moved over 11 kilograms of dangerous and highly addictive controlled substances from Crips gang sources in California to the Hampton Roads area, where it was distributed to local dealers and users.
Day, a California-based Grape Street Crips gang member, led the California side of the conspiracy in which he shipped high-purity methamphetamine through the United States mail with the help of a U.S. Postal Service worker, Laquisha McFrazier, he recruited Day and his co-conspirators also used couriers to smuggle fentanyl into Hampton Roads on commercial air flights. In attempts to conceal their drug proceeds, members of the conspiracy laundered thousands of dollars by electronically transferring money between themselves.
McFrazier pleaded guilty to her role in the conspiracy and was sentenced to 98 months’ imprisonment. Day’s co-conspirator Xavier Howell was convicted by a federal jury and sentenced to 30 years in prison.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Brian Dugan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office; and Mark G. Solesky, Chief of Chesapeake Police, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney, Jr.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amanda Cheney and John F. Butler prosecuted the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:20-cr-11.
Lawrence Man Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
CONCORD – A Lawrence man was sentenced in federal court for drug trafficking in New Hampshire, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces.
Santo Evangelista Soto, 36, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Joesph N. Laplante to 60 months in prison and three years of supervised release. On February 21, 2023, Soto plead guilty to distributing heroin, fentanyl, and methamphetamine.
From February 12, 2020 through October 9, 2020, the defendant conspired with other individuals to sell heroin, fentanyl, and methamphetamine in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. On one occasion during the investigation, the defendant sold 1,000 counterfeit oxycodone pills that contained heroin and methamphetamine. Soto was arrested by the Drug Enforcement Administration on October 9, 2020. At the time of the arrest, Soto intended to sell one and a half kilograms of crystal methamphetamine.
“The defendant has a long history of drug dealing, and has already been convicted for drug trafficking twice,” U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young. “Today’s lengthy sentence ensures he will serve a significant period of incarceration for this serious crime.”
The DEA’s Manchester District Office, New Hampshire State Police’s Narcotics Investigations and Mobile Enforcement Units and the Dover Police Department led the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer C. Davis is prosecuting the case.
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Justice Department to Host 18th Annual Government-to-Government Tribal Consultation on Violence Against WomenRead the Press Release
TULSA – The Justice Department’s Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) will host the 18th Annual Government-to-Government Violence Against Women Tribal Consultation, August 8-10, 2023, in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Tribal government leaders will provide recommendations on administering tribal funds and programs; enhancing the safety of American Indian and Alaska Native women from domestic and dating violence, sexual assault, homicide, stalking and sex trafficking, along with strengthening the federal response to these crimes; and improving access to local, regional, state, and federal crime information databases and criminal justice information systems.
The consultation is required by law to address the federal administration of tribal funds and programs established under the Violence Against Women Act of 1994 (VAWA) and its subsequent reauthorizations.
Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta and other Department of Justice officials will be in attendance.
WHO: U.S. Department of Justice’s Office on Violence Against Women, Office of Justice Programs, and Office of Tribal Justice
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families and the Indian Health Service
U.S. Department of Interior’s Bureau of Indian Affairs – Office of Justice Services
WHEN: All times provided in local Central time:
August 8, 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m.
August 9, 8:30 a.m.- 5:30 p.m.
August 10, 8:30 a.m.- 5:30 p.m.
WHERE: River Spirit Resort, 8330 Riverside Parkway, Tulsa, OK 74137
Join virtually: https://www.ovwconsultation.org/Attend/Register
CONTACT: Media with any question regarding the consultation should reach out to Connie Palmer-Dodson at [email protected]. 918-382-2755
Members of the press who wish to attend consultation must register and will need to check in at the hotel registration desk upon arrival to obtain credentials, which must be worn and displayed at all times throughout the event. For more information and to register as press, visit: https://www.ovwconsultation.org/Attend/Register
NOTES:
OVW Director Rosie Hidalgo; OVW Tribal Affairs Deputy Director Sherriann Moore; and U.S. Attorney Clinton Johnson for the Northern District of Oklahoma are available for interviews. Please contact Connie Palmer-Dodson for more information.
Jewelry Store Owner Pleads Guilty to Evading Cash Reporting RuleRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The owner of two jewelry stores in the Independence Center mall in Independence, Mo., pleaded guilty in federal court today to evading federal reporting requirements for cash transactions.
Junaid “Jay” Sahibzada, 37, of Lenexa, Kan., waived his right to an indictment and pleaded guilty before U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips to a federal information that charges him with one count of evading federal reporting requirements for businesses that conduct cash transactions above $10,000 by failing to file Form 8300.
Form 8300 provides valuable information to the Internal Revenue Service and the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) in their efforts to combat money laundering.
Sahibzada co-owns Gold-N-Time, a kiosk shop, and Jawa Jewelers, a storefront, both located in the Independence Center mall.
By pleading guilty today, Sahibzada admitted that he met with an undercover federal agent posing as a heroin dealer interested in laundering money by making cash purchases of jewelry from Gold-N-Time, transporting the jewelry to Chicago, Illinois, and then reselling it for cash. The undercover agent told Sahibzada he did not want any government forms filed for his purchases, which Sahibzada said would not be a problem because no one would know about cash purchases.
The undercover agent purchased two pieces of custom jewelry from Sahibzada for $21,100. Sahibzada did not subsequently file or instruct any employee to file a Form 8300 for the cash transaction.
Sahibzada later admitted to federal agents that he had never filed a Form 8300, despite having completed multiple jewelry cash transactions exceeding $10,000.
Under federal statutes, Sahibzada is subject to a sentence of up to five years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office. Under the terms of today’s plea agreement, Sahibzada must pay a money judgment of $21,100, which is the total amount involved in the undercover operation.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Constance and Tony Brown. It was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation.
Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Jamaican National Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy Charge in Connection with Fraudulent Lottery Scheme that Targeted Elderly AmericansRead the Press Release
A Jamaican national, who was previously extradited to the United States from Jamaica, pleaded guilty in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of North Carolina in connection with a fraudulent Jamaica-based lottery scheme that targeted elderly victims in the United States.
According to court documents, Antony Linton Stewart, 39, of St. James Parish, Jamaica, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud.
As part of his plea agreement, Stewart admitted that he contacted elderly Americans by telephone and falsely told them that they had won money and other prizes in a sweepstakes or lottery. Stewart told victims that they needed to send money to pay fees and taxes on their winnings. Stewart contacted victims repeatedly for as long as they could be persuaded to send additional money. At Stewart’s direction, victims used wire transfers and the U.S. Postal Service, among other means, to send money to individuals in the United States and Jamaica who served as intermediaries and transmitted the money to Stewart. In fact, no lottery ever existed, and no victim ever received any money or other prizes. The scheme defrauded victims out of hundreds of thousands of dollars.
“The Department of Justice’s Consumer Protection Branch is committed to investigating fraudulent schemes targeting elderly Americans, wherever those schemes are based,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Stewart is the latest example in the department’s ongoing efforts to root out and deter fraud from foreign locations that targets our most vulnerable consumers.”
“Each year, millions of older Americans suffer heavy financial losses in the hands of scammers operating in the United States and abroad,” said U.S. Attorney Dena J. King for the Western District of North Carolina. “Today’s guilty plea underscores our efforts to investigate and bring to justice perpetrators of elder fraud schemes no matter where they originate. We will continue to join forces with our law enforcement counterparts to do all we can to stop these criminals from stealing from our seniors.”
“The U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) is committed to investigating those who use the U.S. Mail to commit fraud and target elderly and vulnerable American citizens both domestically and abroad,” said Inspector in Charge Christopher A. Nielsen of the USPIS Philadelphia Division. “Today’s plea exemplifies the unwavering efforts of Postal Inspectors in collaboration with our law enforcement partners – here in the United States and around the world – to bring these callous criminals to justice.”
The USPIS investigated the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with law enforcement partners in Jamaica to secure the arrest and extradition of Stewart. The U.S. Marshals Service also provided significant assistance.
The case is being prosecuted by Senior Trial Attorney Raquel Toledo and Trial Attorney Ryan E. Norman of the Civil Division's Consumer Protection Branch, with the assistance of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jenny G. Sugar and Daniel Ryan for the Western District of North Carolina.
If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This U.S. Department of Justice hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, is staffed by experienced professionals who provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies, and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is staffed seven days a week from 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. eastern time. English, Spanish, and other languages are available.
For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch, visit its website at www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. For more information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of North Carolina visit their website at www.justice.gov/usao-wdnc. Information about the Department of Justice’s Elder Fraud Initiative is available at www.justice.gov/elderjustice.
Jamaican National Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy Charge in Connection with Fraudulent Lottery Scheme That Targeted Elderly AmericansRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A Jamaican national, who was previously extradited to the United States from Jamaica, pleaded guilty in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of North Carolina in connection with a fraudulent Jamaica-based lottery scheme that targeted elderly victims in the United States.
According to court documents, Antony Linton Stewart, 39, of St. James Parish, Jamaica, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud.
As part of his plea agreement, Stewart admitted that he contacted elderly Americans by telephone and falsely told them that they had won money and other prizes in a sweepstakes or lottery. Stewart told victims that they needed to send money to pay fees and taxes on their winnings. Stewart contacted victims repeatedly for as long as they could be persuaded to send additional money. At Stewart’s direction, victims used wire transfers and the U.S. Postal Service, among other means, to send money to individuals in the United States and Jamaica who served as intermediaries and transmitted the money to Stewart. In fact, no lottery ever existed, and no victim ever received any money or other prizes. The scheme defrauded victims out of hundreds of thousands of dollars.
“The Department of Justice’s Consumer Protection Branch is committed to investigating fraudulent schemes targeting elderly Americans, wherever those schemes are based,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Stewart is the latest example in the department’s ongoing efforts to root out and deter fraud from foreign locations that targets our most vulnerable consumers.”
“Each year, millions of older Americans suffer heavy financial losses in the hands of scammers operating in the United States and abroad,” said U.S. Attorney Dena J. King for the Western District of North Carolina. “Today’s guilty plea underscores our efforts to investigate and bring to justice perpetrators of elder fraud schemes no matter where they originate. We will continue to join forces with our law enforcement counterparts to do all we can to stop these criminals from stealing from our seniors.”
“The U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) is committed to investigating those who use the U.S. Mail to commit fraud and target elderly and vulnerable American citizens both domestically and abroad,” said Inspector in Charge Christopher A. Nielsen of the USPIS Philadelphia Division. “Today’s plea exemplifies the unwavering efforts of Postal Inspectors in collaboration with our law enforcement partners – here in the United States and around the world – to bring these callous criminals to justice.”
The USPIS investigated the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with law enforcement partners in Jamaica to secure the arrest and extradition of Stewart. The U.S. Marshals Service also provided significant assistance.
The case is being prosecuted by Senior Trial Attorney Raquel Toledo and Trial Attorney Ryan E. Norman of the Civil Division's Consumer Protection Branch, with the assistance of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jenny G. Sugar and Daniel Ryan for the Western District of North Carolina.
If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This U.S. Department of Justice hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, is staffed by experienced professionals who provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies, and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is staffed seven days a week from 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. eastern time. English, Spanish, and other languages are available.
For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch, visit its website at www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. For more information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of North Carolina visit their website at www.justice.gov/usao-wdnc. Information about the Department of Justice’s Elder Fraud Initiative is available at www.justice.gov/elderjustice.
Illegal Possession of Methamphetamine Sends Houston Man to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. - United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced the sentencing today of a Houston man for illegal possession of methamphetamine in the Western District of Louisiana. United States District Judge David C. Joseph sentenced Paul Powell, 29, to 135 months (11 years, 3 months) in prison, followed by 4 years of supervised release for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Powell pleaded guilty to the charge on April 21, 2023.
On September 4, 2019, law enforcement agents with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office observed a black Mercedes Benz being driven on the roadway without two working headlights as required by state law. The driver of the Mercedes was later determined to be Powell. Agents observed the vehicle stop at a residence and Powell went inside for a brief time, then returned to the vehicle. Law enforcement agents activated their lights and sirens in an attempt to stop the vehicle, but Powell refused to stop and began to flee from agents traveling at a high rate of speed. Powell continued to flee and when arriving on Elephant Walk Road in Lafayette, exited the vehicle, along with an unknown passenger and they fled on foot running through several yards and jumping several fences. Powell was apprehended and placed in handcuffs. A probable cause search was conducted of his vehicle and agents located a digital scale and a bag containing methamphetamine. Law enforcement agents questioned Powell the next day and he admitted that the methamphetamine belonged to him.
The suspected narcotics were sent to the DEA Laboratory for analysis, and it was determined that the substance was positive for methamphetamine and had a net weight of 210 grams plus or minus 0.2 grams.
The case was investigated by the DEA and Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney LaDonte A. Murphy.
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Hogansburg Man Pleads Guilty to International Money Laundering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Carey Terrance Sr., age 42, of Hogansburg, New York, pled guilty on July 31 to conspiring to launder money in connection with a scheme to smuggle cut rag tobacco into Canada from the United States.
United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; Matthew Scarpino, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); and Thomas Fattorusso, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), New York Field Division, made the announcement.
In pleading guilty, Terrance Sr. admitted that from approximately 2013 to 2016, he worked with co-conspirators to acquire cut rag tobacco and smuggle it into Canada, where it was made into contraband cigarettes. Members of the conspiracy sold the contraband cigarettes, making substantial profits by avoiding taxes and duties, and used some of their profits to buy more cut rag tobacco that they sent into Canada.
Funds to purchase the cut rag tobacco were sent from Canada, often through the Northern District of New York, to North Carolina. Once purchased, the cut rag tobacco was delivered to warehouses and buildings in the Northeastern United States, including on the St. Regis Mohawk Akwesasne Reservation, where it was staged for smuggling into Canada. Terrance admitted that he laundered $221,860.20 as part of the scheme; he agreed to forfeit that amount as part of the guilty plea.
Two other co-conspirators, Samuel C. Baker, age 45, of Laurinburg, North Carolina, and Jeffrey Doctor, age 51, of Charlotte, North Carolina, have each also pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering and are awaiting sentencing.
Terrance, Doctor and Baker each face a maximum term of 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $500,000, and a term of supervised release of up to 3 years. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
A charge remains pending against Edgar M. Baker, Jr. and a trial is currently scheduled for September 27, 2023. The charge in the indictment against Baker is merely an accusation. He is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
HSI and IRS-CI are investigating this case, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Allen J. Vickey and Alexander P. Wentworth-Ping are prosecuting this case.
Georgia Inmate Is Sentenced to Prison for Trafficking MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – U.S. District Judge Kenneth D. Bell has sentenced Alfonso Roman Brito, 44, to 25 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release for trafficking methamphetamine, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), which oversees the Charlotte District Office, Ronnie Martinez, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in North Carolina and South Carolina, Robert Schurmeier, Director of the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI), Sheriff Banks Hinceman of the Burke County Sheriff’s Office, and Sheriff Donald G. Brown II of the Catawba County Sheriff’s Office join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.
According to filed court documents and evidence introduced at trial Brito’s trial, in 2019, law enforcement were conducting an investigation into a Drug Trafficking Organization (DTO) operating in Catawba and Burke Counties and surrounding communities. As trial evidence established, the investigation determined that Brito, who was an inmate in the Georgia Department of Corrections, was in charge of coordinating the shipment of multiple kilograms of methamphetamine from Atlanta into Western North Carolina. According to information presented at trial, between 2019 and 2021, Brito orchestrated the delivery of more than 100 kilograms of methamphetamine from Georgia to North Carolina, which was then sold to drug networks in the area for local distribution.
In December 2022, a federal jury convicted Brito of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and distribution of methamphetamine. Six co-defendants have also been sentenced for drug related offenses in connection with this case:
- Charles Ray Hildebran was sentenced to 180 months in prison and five years of supervised release.
- Jeffrey Ben Pavkovich was sentenced to 151 months in prison and five years of supervised release.
- Billy Dean Potter was sentenced to 132 months in prison and three years of supervised release.
- Phillip Anthony Godfrey was sentenced to 120 months in prison and five years of supervised release.
- Britton Nicole Metcalf was sentenced to 120 months in prison and five years of supervised release.
- Marcos Alan Martinez was sentenced to 46 months in prison and two years of supervised release.
In making today’s announcement U.S. Attorney King commended the DEA, HSI, the Burke County Sheriff’s Office, and the Catawba County Sheriff’s Office for leading the investigation. U.S. Attorney King also thanked the Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office, the Newton Police Department, the Hickory Police Department, and the Georgia Department of Corrections for their assistance in the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Hess of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville 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.
Four MS-13 Gang Members Sentenced for Racketeering Conspiracy and MurderRead the Press Release
Four men were sentenced in Maryland for their participation in La Mara Salvatrucha, a violent international gang commonly known as MS-13.
Jose Henry Hernandez-Garcia, aka Paciente, 29, of Annandale, Virginia, was sentenced today to life in prison. Agustino Eugenio Rivas Rodriguez, aka Terrible, 26, of Silver Spring, Maryland, was sentenced on Aug. 1 to 16 years in prison. Hernan Yanes-Rivera, aka Recio, 22, of Adelphi, Maryland, was sentenced on July 28 to 22 years in prison. Brian Samir Zelaya Mejia, aka Chispa, 25, of Hyattsville, Maryland, was sentenced on July 25 to six years in prison.
United States v. Jose Domingo Ordonez-Zometa, et al.
According to court documents, Hernandez-Garcia and his co-defendants were members of the Los Ghettos Criminales Salvatruchas (LGCS or Ghettos) clique of MS-13. MS-13 is an international criminal organization composed primarily of individuals from El Salvador or their descendants, with members operating throughout the United States. MS-13 members are organized into “cliques,” smaller groups that operate in a specific city or region. MS-13 members are required to commit acts of violence, both to maintain membership and discipline within the gang and against rival gangs. One of the principal rules of MS-13 is that its members must attack and kill rivals, known as “chavalas,” whenever possible. MS-13 members earn promotions and improved standing within the gang for participating in attacks on rival gang members, often at the direction of MS-13 leadership.
On March 8, 2019, Jose Domingo Ordonez-Zometa, the leader of the LCGS clique, called a LCGS meeting at his house to discuss clique matters, including recent contacts that an LCGS clique member (the victim) had with the police. Hernandez-Garcia, Jose Rafael Ortega-Ayala, the victim, and other MS-13 members participated in the meeting, during which Ordonez-Zometa questioned the victim about cooperating with police.
During the questioning, the MS-13 members assaulted the victim, based on their incorrect suspicions that the victim was cooperating with law enforcement. They also assaulted another MS-13 member who attempted to defend the victim. The assault culminated with Ordonez-Zometa ordering the murder of the victim. Hernandez-Garcia, Ortega-Ayala, and other MS-13 members then murdered the victim by stabbing him in Ordonez-Zometa’s basement.
After the murder, Ordonez-Zometa ordered Hernandez-Garcia, Ortega-Ayala, and other LCGS clique members and co-conspirators to cover up 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, and 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 other evidence of the murder, including the victim’s blood.
On March 6, Ordonez-Zometa was sentenced to life in prison. Ortega-Ayala is scheduled for sentencing on Sept. 25.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron for the District of Maryland, Special Agent in Charge Wayne Jacobs of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Criminal Division, Special Agent in Charge James C. Harris of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore Office, Stafford County Sheriff David P. Decatur, Chief Malik Aziz of the Prince George’s County Police Department, and Chief Kevin Davis of the Fairfax County Police Department made the announcement.
The FBI, HSI, the Stafford County Sheriff’s Office, the Prince George’s County Police Department, and the Fairfax County Police Department investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Matthew Hoff and Jared Engelking of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Morgan for the District of Maryland are prosecuting the case.
United States v. Brayan Torres, et al.
According to court documents, Rivas Rodriguez, Yanes-Rivera, and Zelaya Mejia were members and associates of Weedams Locos Salvatrucha, (WLS), a MS-13 clique operating primarily in Adelphi.
On Feb. 23, 2020, at the direction of MS-13 leaders Brayan Alexander Torres and Agustino Eugenio Rivas Rodriguez, Yanes-Rivera and co-defendant Franklyn Sanchez shot and killed a former WLS member, identified in court records as Victim 1, in retaliation for the victim’s suspected cooperation with law enforcement. In the weeks before the murder, Victim 1 had been in touch with WLS members over social media, text messages, and calls. WLS members told Victim 1 that if he met with gang members to make amends, his cooperation would be forgiven. Victim 1 was instructed to wait on the side of a road at a location in or near Adelphi. A junior WLS member drove Yanes-Rivera and Sanchez to the location, where they picked up Victim 1. They drove to a location in or near Hyattsville. Yanes-Rivera, Sanchez, and Victim 1 got out of the car and walked into the woods, where Yanes-Rivera and Sanchez shot and killed Victim 1. MS-13 promoted Yanes-Rivera for his participation in the murder.
On Aug. 8, 2020, WLS members, including Franklyn Sanchez, gathered at a park in Prince George’s County. Sanchez and several other WLS members agreed to murder a man, identified in court records as Victim 4, who was suspected of cooperating with law enforcement and to whom Sanchez owed a debt. As planned, Sanchez and another MS-13 member murdered Victim 4, then dragged Victim 4’s body to a stream and left it there. As he was leaving the woods, Sanchez was concerned that his DNA remained on the body. To prevent the discovery of his DNA or other evidence, and to hinder the investigation and prosecution of Victim 4’s murder, Rivas Rodriguez, Zelaya Mejia, and other WLS members buried Victim 4’s body in the woods. Law enforcement later found Victim 4’s body with a bullet wound to the head.
Yanes-Rivera and Zelaya Mejia were also responsible for collecting extortion payments, or “rents,” from at least two extortion victims on behalf of WLS, knowing that the victims making extortion payments did so under the threat of death or bodily injury. For example, WLS members used baseball bats to impose rents and sometimes collected rent while flashing firearms or other weapons.
Rivas Rodriguez and Yanes-Rivera also participated in money laundering by transferring gang funds from extortion activities to MS-13 members and associates in El Salvador.
On May 19, Sanchez was sentenced to 28 years in prison. Torres is scheduled for sentencing on Sept. 13.
Assistant Attorney General Polite, U.S. Attorney Barron, Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the FBI Baltimore Field Office, Special Agent in Charge Harris of HSI Baltimore, and Chief Aziz of the Prince George’s County Police Department made the announcement.
The FBI, HSI, and Prince George’s County Police Department investigated the case, with assistance from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations and Montgomery County Police Department.
Trial Attorney Christopher Taylor of the Organized Crime and Gang Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel Crespo for the District of Maryland are prosecuting the case.
These cases are 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. PSN, an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime, is the centerpiece of the Justice Department’s violent crime reduction efforts. 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.
These cases are also part of Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigations. 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 HSI 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.
Former Nurse Pleads Guilty to Drug Diversion from Boston-Area HospitalRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A former nurse pleaded guilty in federal court today in Boston to diverting opioids from a Boston-area hospital.
Andrea Falzano, 39, of Winchester, pleaded guilty to three counts of unlawfully obtaining controlled substances by fraud, deception, and subterfuge. U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton scheduled sentencing for Nov. 14, 2023. Falzano was indicted on Feb. 24, 2023.
According to admissions made in connection with her guilty plea, beginning in May 2019, Falzano used her capacity as a nurse in the emergency department at a Massachusetts based hospital to withdraw controlled substances from a locked drug cabinet. These substances included morphine, fentanyl, and hydromorphone, all of which are opioids and Schedule II controlled substances. In total, Falzano withdrew these substances 412 times for 299 already discharged patients over an approximately five-month period.
The charge of unlawfully obtaining controlled substances by fraud provides a sentence of up to four years in prison, one year of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Office; and Robert Goldstein, MD, PhD, Commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Evan Panich of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.
Former Media Producer Sentenced for Extortion and Obstruction of JusticeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A former media producer was sentenced today to four years and three months in prison for extortion and obstruction of justice related to his involvement in a scheme to obtain money in exchange for preventing the release of chat messages involving senior officials in the government of Puerto Rico.
According to court documents, in June 2019, Sixto Jorge Díaz Colón, 54, of San Juan, attempted to extort a public official in the government of Puerto Rico. Díaz Colón attempted to secure a $300,000 payment and other things of value from the official in exchange for the assurance that a third-party would not publicly disclose certain messages containing damaging information about various public officials in the government. When approached by the FBI in July 2019, Díaz Colón deleted messages containing information about his involvement in the scheme before surrendering his cellular telephone to the authorities.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow for the District of Puerto Rico, Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division, and Special Agent in Charge Joseph Gonzalez of the FBI San Juan Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI San Juan Field Office investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Michael N. Lang of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section (PIN) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Myriam Fernández-González for the District of Puerto Rico prosecuted the case. Former PIN Trial Attorney James Pearce, former Trial Attorney Byron Jones of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Henwood for the District of Puerto Rico provided assistance.
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Former Media Producer Sentenced for Extortion and Obstruction of JusticeRead the Press Release
A former media producer was sentenced today to four years and three months in prison for extortion and obstruction of justice related to his involvement in a scheme to obtain money in exchange for preventing the release of chat messages involving senior officials in the government of Puerto Rico.
According to court documents, in June 2019, Sixto Jorge Díaz Colón, 54, of San Juan, attempted to extort a public official in the government of Puerto Rico. Díaz Colón attempted to secure a $300,000 payment and other things of value from the official in exchange for the assurance that a third-party would not publicly disclose certain messages containing damaging information about various public officials in the government. When approached by the FBI in July 2019, Díaz Colón deleted messages containing information about his involvement in the scheme before surrendering his cellular telephone to the authorities.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow for the District of Puerto Rico, Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division, and Special Agent in Charge Joseph Gonzalez of the FBI San Juan Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI San Juan Field Office investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Michael N. Lang of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section (PIN) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Myriam Fernández-González for the District of Puerto Rico prosecuted the case. Former PIN Trial Attorney James Pearce, former Trial Attorney Byron Jones of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Henwood for the District of Puerto Rico provided assistance.
Former Labor Union President Gets 18 Months in Federal Prison for Embezzling More Than $200,000Read the Press Release
BENTON, Ill. – A U.S. District judge sentenced a former president of the Alton chapter of the AFSCME labor union to 18 months imprisonment after he admitted to embezzling more than $200,000 from the organization and using the funds for personal expenses.
Byron Clemons, Sr., 36, of Alton, pleaded guilty to one count of Interstate Transportation of Stolen Money. In addition to the prison sentence, he will serve two years of supervised release and was ordered to pay $202,100 in restitution.
In rejecting the defendant’s request for probation, the sentencing judge stated that she hopes a message is sent that individuals who steal from non-profits will be held accountable.
“Clemons abused his position as the labor union’s president to embezzle funds, enrich himself and get cash to gamble at casinos,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Jim Cutchin. “I commend our partners at the U.S. Department of Labor for their diligent work in investigating this case and ensuring that Clemons be brought to justice.”
“Former AFSCME Local 124 President Byron Clemons embezzled more than $200,000 from the dues-paying members he had a duty to serve. This sentencing is an affirmation of our efforts with the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Labor-Management Standards to protect the integrity of labor organizations,” said Irene Lindow, Special Agent-in-Charge, Great Lakes Region, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General.
Clemons was the president of AFSCME’s Local 124 in Alton from June 2017 through January 2022. According to court documents, Clemons withdrew a total of $202,100 from the Local 124’s U.S. Bank account from February 2021 to January 2022. The defendant used the funds to gamble at casinos and pay personal expenses.
Agents with the U.S. Department of Labor – Office of the Inspector General and the Office of Labor – Management Standards contributed to the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Verseman prosecuted the case.
Foreign National Extradited to Face Charges of Immigration Fraud, Human Smuggling, and Money Laundering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An Israeli national made his initial appearance in federal court today for charges stemming from smuggling, harboring and employing illegal workers.
According to court documents, Shai Cohen, 39, allegedly organized, led, and worked with others to recruit and facilitate the illegal entry of Israeli citizens into the United States under false pretenses. Cohen and his co-conspirators allegedly assisted noncitizens in fraudulently obtaining B-1/B-2 tourist/visitor visas by misrepresenting the true purpose of their travel to the United States, which was illegal employment. Cohen and his co-conspirators are alleged to have then assisted the noncitizens with travel to the United States. Upon arrival, the noncitizens were employed at various kiosks owned and operated by Cohen in malls in Virginia and Maryland. The noncitizens who engaged in illegal employment were allegedly primarily compensated for their work by under-the-table cash payments or the transfer of money to stored value payment cards, rather than a legitimate payroll system. Cohen also allegedly provided housing and transportation for the noncitizens to and from work in the United States.
Cohen was arrested in Israel pursuant to a U.S. request for his extradition. In August 2023, he was extradited to the Eastern District of Virginia.
Cohen is charged with conspiracy to defraud and commit offenses against the United States, bringing aliens to the United States for financial gain, encouraging and inducing aliens to unlawfully come to enter and reside in the United Sates for financial gain, harboring illegal aliens, and money laundering conspiracy. If convicted, Cohen faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Kenneth A. Polite, Jr., Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Troy W. Springer, Acting Special Agent in Charge, National Capital Region, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General; and Special Agent in Charge Derek W. Gordon of the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, Washington Field Office, made the announcement.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Raizza K. Ty and Trial Attorney Clayton O’Connor of the Justice Department’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section are prosecuting the case.
The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with the government of Israel to secure the arrest and extradition of Cohen.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:16-cr-114.
An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Foreign National Charged for Visa Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
An indictment charging an Israeli national with leading a visa fraud scheme to facilitate the illegal entry and employment of noncitizens in the United States was unsealed today in the Eastern District of Virginia.
According to court documents, Shai Cohen, 39, allegedly organized, led, and worked with others to recruit and facilitate the illegal entry of Israeli citizens into the United States under false pretenses. Cohen and his co-conspirators allegedly assisted noncitizens in fraudulently obtaining B-1/B-2 tourist/visitor visas by misrepresenting the true purpose of their travel to the United States, which was illegal employment. Cohen and his co-conspirators are alleged to have then assisted the noncitizens with travel to the United States. Upon arrival, the noncitizens were employed at various kiosks owned and operated by Cohen in malls in Virginia and Maryland. The noncitizens who engaged in illegal employment were allegedly primarily compensated for their work by under-the-table cash payments or the transfer of money to stored value payment cards, rather than through a legitimate payroll system. Cohen also allegedly provided housing and transportation for the noncitizens to and from work in the United States.
Cohen was arrested in Israel pursuant to a U.S. request for his extradition. In August, he was extradited to the Eastern District of Virginia.
Cohen is charged with conspiracy to defraud and commit offenses against the United States; bringing aliens to the United States for financial gain; encouraging and inducing aliens to unlawfully come to, enter, and reside in the United Sates for financial gain; harboring illegal aliens; and money laundering conspiracy. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Aber for the Eastern District of Virginia; Special Agent in Charge Derek W. Gordon of the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington Field Office; and Acting Special Agent in Charge Troy W. Springer of the Department of Labor Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG), National Capital Region made the announcement.
The HSI Washington Field Office and DOL-OIG are investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Clayton O’Connor of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Raizza Ty for the Eastern District of Virginia are prosecuting the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with the government of Israel to secure the arrest and extradition of Cohen.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Florida Woman Sentenced to Nine Years in Federal Prison for the Voluntary Manslaughter of Her GirlfriendRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Chief U.S. District Judge James K. Bredar sentenced Janice Martina Mason, age 30, of Melbourne Florida, today to nine years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release for voluntary manslaughter. On May 18, 2023, Mason was convicted after trial for running over her girlfriend on the Baltimore-Washington (“BW”) Parkway and leaving her to die.
The sentence was announced by Erek L. Barron, United States Attorney for the District of Maryland; Acting Special Agent in Charge David Geist of the Federal Bureau of Investigation - Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division; and Chief Jessica M. E. Taylor of the U.S. Park Police (“USPP”).
According to the evidence presented at her eight-day trial, in the early morning hours of November 24, 2021, USPP officers responded to a citizen report for a body on the side of the BW Parkway northbound, north of Route 197, an area within the territorial jurisdiction of the United States. Officers found the victim lying face down on the shoulder of the road. Medics arrived on the scene and pronounced the victim dead. The evidence showed that that there were no skid marks or vehicle parts located at the scene. A cellphone belonging to the victim was found on the grass and another cellphone with a broken screen was found in the roadway and was later determined to belong to Mason.
There was testimony that later on November 24, 2021, Mason contacted the USPP Greenbelt Station and advised that she’d lost her phone on the BW Parkway after it had been thrown out of her vehicle, and she tracked the location to USPP Criminal Investigations. Mason then agreed to come to the station for an interview. Witnesses testified that Mason advised the USPP detective that she was visiting from Florida and was staying at her mother’s house in Washington, D.C. Mason falsely told the detective that she was driving the victim and another woman home to Laurel, Maryland, in a black Nissan vehicle when the other woman started hitting Mason. Mason said she pulled over to the side of the highway and ordered them out of the car and they walked away. The detective showed her the phone found in the roadway of the BW Parkway and she identified it as her phone. She also identified a photo of the victim as one of the people she was driving home.
Evidence was presented that on November 25, 2021, a USPP detective went to Mason’s mother’s home, spoke with Mason and obtained her written consent to seize and search the contents of her phone, which had been returned to her, and to tow and examine a black Nissan vehicle parked behind the residence, which Mason confirmed was the vehicle she’d used to drive her friend’s home. While at the residence, the USPP detective noticed a black Ford Expedition parked down the street with the tag “JANICE.” Investigators subsequently determined that Mason had been driving the Ford Expedition on November 24, 2021 and not the Nissan vehicle. They went back to Mason’s mother’s residence to tow the Ford Expedition, which was found to have visible damage to the hood, front grille, and the passenger side running board.
As detailed in trial testimony, on November 26, 2021, Mason had a second voluntary interview with USPP investigators. She acknowledged that the was driving the black Ford Expedition on the morning of November 24, 2021 and advised investigators that it was just Mason and the victim in the car that day. The Ford Expedition was processed and searched by the FBI’s Evidence Response Team. A swab from the indented hood area was collected and sent to the FBI Laboratory for DNA analysis and concluded that it was DNA from the victim. The FBI Laboratory examined impressions that were collected from the undercarriage of the Ford Expedition and determined that one corresponded in pattern and size with the victim’s shoe.
At today’s sentencing, the Court found that in the heat of passion Mason purposefully drove into the victim and then left her on the highway to die.
U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the USPP and the FBI for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Kim Y. Oldham and Ari Evans, who prosecuted the case. Mr. Barron also recognized Paralegal Specialist Kristy Penny for her assistance.
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 and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Felon imprisoned for possessing prohibited firearmRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 27-year-old San Diego man has been ordered to federal prison after illegally possessing a short-barreled shotgun, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Chris Davila Jr. pleaded guilty April 24.
U.S. District Judge Drew B. Tipton has now ordered Davila to serve a total of 24 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. In imposing the sentence, the court admonished the Davila about the dangerousness of his conduct and the promise of future encounters with law enforcement if he continues.
On Feb. 26, 2022, authorities conducted a traffic stop and soon discovered a short-barreled shotgun between Davila’s driver’s seat and the center console of the car. Davila is a previously convicted felon and prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition per federal law.
The investigation revealed that on a previous occasion, Davila had also been discovered with a prohibited firearm in his vehicle - a “sawed-off” shotgun.
“The firearms recovered in this investigation were especially dangerous,” said Special Agent in Charge Fred Milanowski of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. “Our community was made much safer by getting those firearms and the convicted felon who possessed them off the streets.”
Davila remains in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
ATF conducted the investigation along with police departments in San Diego and Alice. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Martin prosecuted the case.
Ewing, Nebraska Woman Sentenced in Methamphetamine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Lindsey Ann Rokahr, 40, of Ewing, Nebraska, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha for her participation in a methamphetamine conspiracy. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Rokahr to 60 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After her release from prison, she will begin a 4-year term of supervised release.
In May 2020, the Holt County Sheriff's Office, Nebraska State Patrol, and the united States Postal Inspection Service, began investigating Rokahr and Dallas Rhinehart for their involvement in the distribution of methamphetamine in the Norfolk area. As a result of the investigation, it was determined that Katherine Marie Tacheira would mail multi-ounce packages from California to different recipients in Nebraska. The USPS was able to determine that three packages of methamphetamine were sent by Tacheira to Rokahr in July, August, and September of 2020. The September package from Tacheira to Rokahr was intercepted and contained three ounces of methamphetamine. Rokahr was found responsible for receiving at least 13 ounces in the mail.
Rhinehart was sentenced on March 13, 2023, to 130 months’ imprisonment. Tacheira was sentenced on May 16, 2023, to 120 months’ imprisonment.
This case was investigated by the Holt County Sheriff’s Office, Nebraska State Patrol, and United States Postal Inspection Service.
Doctor Convicted for COVID-19 Health Care Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
A federal jury in Baltimore convicted a Maryland doctor today for submitting over $15 million in false and fraudulent claims to Medicare and a commercial insurer for patients who received COVID-19 tests at his testing sites.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Ron Elfenbein, 49, of Arnold, was an owner and the medical director of Drs ERgent Care LLC, dba First Call Medical Center and Chesapeake ERgent Care. Drs ERgent Care operated multiple drive-through COVID-19 testing sites in Anne Arundel and Prince George’s counties. Elfenbein instructed the employees of Drs ERgent Care that, in addition to billing for COVID-19 tests, the employees were to bill for high-level evaluation and management visits. In reality, these visits were not provided to patients as represented. Rather, Elfenbein instructed his employees that the patients were “there for one reason only – to be tested,” that it was “simple and straightforward,” and that the providers were “not there to solve complex medical issues.”
Elfenbein ordered these high-level visits to be billed for all patients, including those who were asymptomatic, who were getting tested for COVID-19 for their employment requirements, and who were being tested for COVID-19 so that they could travel. Elfenbein, through Drs ERgent Care, caused the submission of millions of dollars in claims to Medicare and a commercial insurer for tens of thousands of high-level visits that were not provided as represented and were ineligible for reimbursement.
The jury convicted Elfenbein of five counts of health care fraud. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 7 and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison on each count. Elfenbein is the first doctor convicted at trial by the Justice Department for health care fraud in billing for office visits in connection with patients seeking COVID-19 tests. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron for the District of Maryland; Special Agent in Charge Maureen Dixon of the the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG); Special Agent in Charge Christopher Dillard of the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), Mid-Atlantic Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Thomas Sobocinski of the FBI Baltimore Field Office; and Deputy Assistant Inspector General for Investigations Conrad J. Quarles of the Office of Personnel Management Office of the Inspector General (OPM-OIG) made the announcement.
The HHS-OIG, DCIS, FBI, and OPM-OIG investigated the case.
Trial Attorney D. Keith Clouser of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew P. Phelps for the District of Maryland are prosecuting the case.
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 the Medicare program for 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.
In the past three years, the Health Care Fraud Strike Force has rooted out health care fraud related to the COVID-19 pandemic. To date, 53 defendants have been charged in nationwide COVID-19 Health Care Fraud Enforcement Actions for causing over $784 million in loss associated with the pandemic, including this case.
Columbus man sentenced to 5 years in prison for laundering more than $2 million from online romance fraud scamsRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A Columbus man was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 60 months in prison for laundering $2.3 million of proceeds generated by online romance fraud scams.
Maximus Okwudili Adiele, 49, of Columbus, was born in Nigeria and immigrated to the United States in 2010. He became a naturalized citizen in 2015.
According to court documents, from January 2017 until 2020, Adiele participated in a money laundering conspiracy, laundering $2.3 million for online romance fraud scammers into 12 different bank accounts that he controlled.
Adiele used his international car dealing business to conduct financial and wire transactions to individuals in Nigeria.
The conspiracy involved unidentified perpetrators who fabricated online relationships with men and women throughout the United States to manipulate the victims into sending money to one of Adiele’s bank accounts. Many of the victims of the scam were elderly individuals who lost their life savings. In total, Adiele laundered the money from at least 17 victims.
Adiele wired to Nigeria nearly $1.2 million of the $2.3 million he received. The defendant failed to report additional income to the IRS for tax years 2017, 2018 and 2019, causing a loss to the IRS in the amount of $64,242.
As part of his sentence, Adiele was ordered to pay $967,669.98 in restitution to the individual victims and $64, 242 to the IRS.
Adiele was charged by a bill of information and pleaded guilty in November 2022 to money laundering and submitting a false tax return.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Lesley Allison, Inspector in Charge, U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS); and Bryant Jackson, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) announced the sentence imposed by Senior U.S. District Court Judge James L. Graham. Assistant United States Attorneys Brenda S. Shoemaker and David J. Twombly are representing the United States in this case.
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Columbus Man Sentenced to 5 Months in Prison for Mail Fraud and Making False StatementsRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Jerald Schreiber, 66, of Columbus, Nebraska, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for mail fraud and making false statements. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Schreiber to 5 months of imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, Schreiber will begin a three-year term of supervised release. Schreiber must also pay $138,184 in restitution.
On May 12, 2023, following a four-day jury trial, Schreiber was found guilty of mail fraud and two counts of making false statements to a government entity. The case arose out of fraudulent applications Schreiber made to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) as part of the Farm Service Agency’s 2018 market facilitation program. The evidence at trial showed that Schreiber falsified on two applications the number of hogs he had at his farms. On an application for one of his farms, he stated that he had 9,079 hogs. This application resulted in the USDA mailing Schreiber approximately $72,631. On an application for a different farm, he stated he had 8,194 hogs. This resulted in the USDA mailing Schreiber approximately $65,682. Both of these farms had substantially fewer hogs than Schreiber claimed. By inflating the number of hogs, Schreiber received more money than he was entitled. Once he received the inflated payments, he deposited them into checking accounts.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Cleveland Man Found Guilty of Distributing Fentanyl and Cocaine that Resulted in DeathRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND - U.S. Attorney Rebecca C. Lutzko announced today that Willie A. Pratt, 34, of Cleveland, Ohio, was found guilty of one count of distributing fentanyl that resulted in the death, one count of conspiring to possess fentanyl, acetyl fentanyl, cocaine, and heroin, and two counts of possession with the intent to distribute controlled substances. The trial lasted four days and was presided over by U.S. District Judge John R. Adams.
According to court documents and trial testimony, on October 30, 2021, Pratt sold cocaine and fentanyl to the victim who died as a result of the use of those substances. Further, on November 1, 2021, Defendant engaged in conspiracy or agreement with another person to distribute controlled substances, specifically, fentanyl, acetyl fentanyl, cocaine, and heroin. Defendant then aided and abetted the possession of such substances with the intent to distribute them. Finally, on November 1, 2021, upon his arrest, Defendant himself possessed cocaine and fentanyl with the intent to distribute it.
Sentencing is scheduled for November 21, 2023. Pratt faces a mandatory minimum sentence of twenty years in prison, although his sentence will be determined by many factors and may be higher than the mandatory minimum. The judge will determine the appropriate sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other factors.
The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by the Rocky River Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Payum Doroodian and Yasmine Makridis.
Cherokee County Resident Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearm CrimeRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Austin Cole Yanez, age 23, of Tahlequah, Oklahoma entered a guilty plea to one count of Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime, punishable by a minimum of five years in prison.
The indictment alleged that on or about June 21, 2022, Yanez possessed a semi-automatic pistol for the purposes of protecting the fentanyl he intended to distribute.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Tahlequah Police Department, and the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office.
The Honorable Gerald L. Jackson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma in Muskogee, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. Yanez will remain in custody of the U.S. Marshal pending sentencing.
Assistant United States Attorney Zachary W. Parsons represented the United States.
- Centreville Man Sentenced to over 13 Years in Prison for Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl
Cedar Rapids Drug User with Loaded Firearm Sent to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A man who possessed a firearm as an unlawful drug user was sentenced today to 30 months in federal prison.
Silas Paul Griffin, age 31, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a February 8, 2023 guilty plea to possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.
Evidence at the sentencing hearing showed that on January 31, 2022, law enforcement stopped a vehicle in Marion, Iowa. Griffin was in the front passenger seat. On his person, officers found hydrocodone pills (prescribed to someone else), marijuana, and a loaded magazine. Officers then searched underneath Griffin’s seat and found a loaded gun. Griffin admitted that he possessed the gun. He later gave a urine sample that tested positive for the presence of THC and benzodiazepines.
Griffin was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Griffin was sentenced to 30 months’ imprisonment and must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Griffin is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dillan Edwards and investigated by the Marion Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 22-CR-45.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
California Woman Indicted for Possessing More Than 110 Pounds of Methamphetamine and Nearly Three Pounds of Cocaine During Traffic StopRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Martha Betancourth Angulo, 34, of Torrance, California, was indicted last week on one count each of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine and Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine.
The indictment alleges that, on June 29, 2023, Angulo was traveling on Interstate 8 in Yuma County, Arizona when she was stopped by the Arizona Department of Public Safety. During the encounter, officers found 90 packages hidden within Angulo’s vehicle. Field tests on the contents of the packages revealed the presence of methamphetamine and cocaine. The total weight of the methamphetamine, including packaging, was 112.87 pounds. The total weight of the cocaine, including packaging, was 2.99 pounds.
Each count carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $1,000,000, and up to lifetime supervised release.
An indictment is simply a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, Yuma Office, is conducting the investigation in this case. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph K. Nwoga, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-23-01112-PHX-JJT
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-121_Angulo# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.California Man Sentenced for Distributing Meth, Heroin through MailRead the Press Release
FAIRBANKS, Alaska – A California man was sentenced yesterday to 10 years in prison for distributing methamphetamine and heroin to a narcotics dealer through the mail.
According to court documents, in May 2019, Charles Trevino, 50, mailed over 1,300 grams of 97% pure methamphetamine and over 220 grams of heroin via the U.S. Postal Service from California to a drug dealer in Fairbanks, Alaska, for distribution. Law enforcement intercepted the package and the dealer said he planned to divide it and sell it to other dealers, who would sell it to users.
At the time of the crime, Trevino lived in Arizona. He purchased the packages of drugs from an individual in California, labeled them and shipped them to Fairbanks. He also traveled to Fairbanks multiple times to assist with drug distribution.
“Individuals who traffic dangerous drugs into Alaska present a severe risk to our communities and these actions will not be tolerated,” said U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker for the District of Alaska. “Let this sentence be a reminder that getting dangerous substances off the street is a priority for our office, and we will continue to work with our partners and dedicate resources to identifying, investigating and prosecuting individuals who threaten the health and safety of the people of Alaska.”
“The Drug Enforcement Administration and our partners are steadfast in our commitment to protect Americans from drug trafficking threats and this case is another example of our cooperative approach making a difference in our community,” said David F. Reames, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division. “Alaska is a little safer today because of our work together in this case.”
The DEA, with assistance from the FBI, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, U.S. Marshals Service, Alaska State Troopers, North Pole Police Department, Fairbanks Police Department and North Slope Borough Police Department, investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ryan Tansey and Carly Vosacek prosecuted the case.
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Bulk Fentanyl Trafficker Is Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Jermaine Douglas Grandy, 42, Lenoir, N.C., has been sentenced to 35 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release for trafficking fentanyl and illegal gun possession, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Bennie Mims, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, Robert Schurmeier, Director of the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI), and Sheriff Alan C. Jones of the Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.
According to evidence presented at Grandy’s trial and documents filed with the court, between December 2020 and February 2021, Grandy conspired with others to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl in Caldwell County and surrounding areas. Trial evidence established that Grandy obtained the drugs from a supply source in Arizona, and frequently travelled there to purchase fentanyl pills in bulk quantities. On February 14, 2021, as Grandy was returning to North Carolina from a trip to Arizona, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop of Grandy’s vehicle in Granite Falls, N.C. Upon searching the vehicle, law enforcement located inside the vehicle three loaded 9mm pistols, and approximately 34,221 pills wrapped in fourteen bundles concealed in the air vent under the hood of the car. Later the same day, law enforcement executed a search warrant at a residence associated with Grandy, from which they seized a money counter, two digital scales, and other items consistent with the packaging and distribution of narcotics. Law enforcement also seized 29 illegal firearms, including semi-automatic rifles and handguns, ammunition, and approximately 79 magazines.
In February 2023, a federal jury convicted Grandy of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking crime, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Grandy is currently in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the federal Bureau of Prison upon designation of a federal facility.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King commended the ATF, the SBI, and the Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office for their investigation of the case and thanked the Catawba County Sheriff’s Office, the Hickory Police Department, and the Drug Enforcement Administration for their assistance.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Hess of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Boston Man Pleads Guilty to Child Exploitation ChargesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Boston man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to sexual exploitation of children, distribution of child pornography, and possession of child pornography.
Robinson Alberto Baez-Nova, 39, of Jamaica Plain, pleaded guilty to one count of sexual exploitation of children, one count of distribution of child pornography, and two counts of possession of child pornography. U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani scheduled sentencing for Nov. 17, 2023. Baez-Nova was charged by criminal complaint on Apr. 29, 2021.
On Nov. 5, 2020, police received 13 National Center for Missing and Exploited Children CyberTipline reports associated with a Google account and email addresses linked to Baez-Nova. These reports indicated that the Google account uploaded suspected child pornography to Baez-Nova’s Google Photos between Nov. 14, 2018 and Aug. 27, 2020. A subsequent search of Baez-Nova’s cellphone revealed images and videos of child pornography.
A further review of Baez-Nova’s cellphone revealed a WhatsApp chat with an individual saved in Baez-Nova’s phone with the initials “Y.P.” who has since been identified as a 17-year-old male living the in the Dominican Republic. Y.P. had access to his niece, referred to the Indictment as “MINOR A.” Within this chat, Baez-Nova and Y.P. discussed MINOR A’s ninth birthday and Y.P. requested money from Baez-Nova for MINOR A’s birthday celebration. Y.P. continually told Baez-Nova how much his family and MINOR A needed money and requested that Baez-Nova send money to him. Baez-Nova, in turn, beginning in or around July 2020, told Y.P. that he would send money if Y.P. exploited MINOR A by producing child pornography of MINOR A. Ultimately, Y.P. sent Baez-Nova five different videos of MINOR A in response to the Baez-Nova’s specific requests.
In addition to the chat outlined above with Y.P., while searching Baez-Nova’s device, law enforcement located another WhatsApp chat with another minor female who has been identified as a 14-year-old female residing in the Dominican Republic, hereinafter referred to as “MINOR B.” During this conversation, Baez-Nova solicited MINOR B to obtain images and videos of “little kids” engaged in sexual conduct in exchange for money.
On August 27, 2020, Baez-Nova distributed child pornography to MINOR B. Additionally, on August 28, 2020, Baez-Nova distributed child pornography of MINOR A to MINOR B.
Ultimately, over 200 images and over 400 videos of child pornography were found on Baez-Nova’s cell phone and in his Google Photos account.
The charge of sexual exploitation of children provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of fifteen years and up to 30 years in prison. The charge of distribution of child pornography provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up to 20 years in prison. The charge of possession of child pornography provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison. Each charge also provides for a mandatory minimum of five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Christopher DiMenna, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office; Nashua Police Department; Hillsborough County (N.H.) District Attorney’s Office; and Homeland Security Investigations in Boston. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mackenzie Duane and Mark Grady of the Major Crimes Unit are prosecuting the case.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.
Border Enforcement Security Task Force seizes 30,000+ fentanyl pills from alleged trafficker in Tukwila, WashingtonRead the Press Release
Seattle – A 46-year-old Mexican citizen is in federal custody tonight charged with possession of controlled substances with intent to deliver, for some 30,000 fentanyl pills found in his pick-up truck, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. David Garcia-Garcia made his appearance on the criminal complaint this afternoon. He remains detained pending further hearings.
According to records filed in the case, the Border Enforcement Security Task Force became aware that a dealer known as “Daby,” was offering fentanyl for sale. Agents were able to identify Daby as an alias for Garcia-Garcia. A meeting was arranged with Garcia-Garcia near a restaurant in Tukwila to review the goods for a possible drug sale. Following the drug meeting, officers moved in and arrested Garcia-Garcia and impounded his truck.
Law enforcement obtained a search warrant for the truck and found multiple packages of fentanyl pills – the total was more than three kilos – likely more than 30,000 fentanyl pills.
Because of the amount of fentanyl involved, Garcia-Garcia faces a mandatory minimum ten years in prison and up to 40 years in prison.
The charges contained in the criminal complaint are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Garcia-Garcia faces deportation following any prison term.
The case was investigated by agents and officers from Homeland Security Investigation (HSI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Seattle Police Department.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Elyne Vaught.
Beggs Resident Sentenced for Murder in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Bernard Richard Poulin, age 31, of Beggs, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 30 years in prison for murder and 5 years for an unrelated arson. The sentences were ordered to run concurrently.
The charges arose from investigations by the Beggs Police Department, the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Lighthorse Police, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
On August 23, 2022, Poulin pleaded guilty to Murder in Indian Country – Second Degree, along with Arson. According to investigators, on May 10, 2021, Poulin stabbed and killed the victim during a physical altercation at the victim’s residence. While incarcerated in the Okmulgee County Jail after his arrest, Poulin started a fire outside his cell area. The crimes occurred in Indian Country, within the boundaries of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reservation and within the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing in Muskogee. Poulin will remain in custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant United States Attorney Joshua Satter represented the United States.
Bassfield Man Sentenced to over 13 Years in Prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Hattiesburg, Miss. – A Bassfield, Mississippi man was sentenced to 160 months in prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Brad L. Byerley of the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Jamario Myers, 26, was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Hattiesburg.
According to court documents, from December 2019 through February of 2020, DEA agents conducted an investigation into the distribution of methamphetamine in the Bassfield area by Myers.
During that time Myers was monitored and surveilled distributing methamphetamine from his shed behind his residence. His methamphetamine distribution occurred throughout Jefferson Davis County, MS.
Myers was indicted by a federal grand jury on February 23, 2022. He plead guilty on February 28, 2023, to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Erica Rose and Shundral Cole.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor- led, intelligence driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland Statement Regarding the 58th Anniversary of the Voting Rights ActRead the Press Release
The Justice Department issued the following statement from Attorney General Merrick B. Garland ahead of the 58th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act:
“The right of all eligible citizens to vote and to elect representatives of their own choice is the foundation of our democracy.
The Voting Rights Act of 1965 was signed into law 58 years ago this weekend, with the goal of making real the 15th Amendment’s guarantee that no American citizen be denied the right to vote on account of race.
That law, enacted thanks to the urgent calls to action of the Civil Rights Movement, gave the Justice Department some of its most important authorities to protect the right to vote, including Section 5 of the law, its “preclearance” provision. That provision required jurisdictions with a history of suppressing voting rights to obtain preclearance from the Justice Department or a court before making any changes in voting procedures. Between 1965 and 2006, the Justice Department blocked almost 1,200 proposed voting laws in those jurisdictions in order to protect the fundamental right to vote.
With the Supreme Court’s decision Shelby County v. Holder in 2013, the Justice Department effectively lost this powerful tool. And in the wake of that decision, states across the country advanced voting measures that have made it harder for citizens to cast a vote that counts, measures that the Justice Department likely would have been able to block or deter had the preclearance provision still been in place. The Justice Department therefore continues to urge Congress to restore the tools we need to effectively protect the right to vote.
But we are not waiting for Congress to act. The Justice Department is using every authority we have to protect the franchise for all voters. We have doubled the size of the Civil Rights Division’s enforcement staff for protecting voting rights. The Department has brought voting rights cases and filed statements of interest and amicus briefs in courts across the country. We have sought to address discriminatory voting laws, to protect language access at the ballot box, and to ensure that voters with disabilities are able to exercise the right to vote. And we have provided guidance and outreach to state and local election officials and the public about federal voting rights laws.
The Justice Department will never stop working to ensure that all eligible voters can cast a vote, that all lawful votes are counted, and that every voter has access to accurate information. Our democracy depends on it.”
Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta to Deliver Remarks at Justice Department’s 8th Annual Government-to-Government Violence Against Women Tribal ConsultationRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – On Tuesday, Aug. 8, Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta will deliver opening remarks at the Justice Department’s 8th Annual Government-to-Government Violence Against Women Tribal Consultation in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
The Associate Attorney General’s trip to Tulsa, the second in a series of government-to-government meetings with Tribal leadership, includes a visit with leaders and members of the Muscogee Creek Nation and follows her visit earlier this summer to the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe in Minnesota. This trip is part of the Justice Department’s continued efforts to strengthen ties to Indian Country, elevate the voices and concerns of American Indians and Alaska Natives and reinforce the Department’s commitment to bolstering support for Tribal governments by investing additional resources to tackle uniquely Tribal issues.
At the consultation, which runs from Aug. 8 – Aug. 10, Tribal government leaders will provide recommendations on administering tribal funds and programs; enhancing the safety of American Indian and Alaska Native women from domestic and dating violence, sexual assault, homicide, stalking and sex trafficking, along with strengthening the federal response to these crimes; and improving access to local, regional, state and federal crime information databases and criminal justice information systems.
The consultation is required by law to address the federal administration of Tribal funds and programs established under the Violence Against Women Act of 1994 (VAWA) and its subsequent reauthorizations. In addition to the Associate Attorney General, Director Rosie Hidalgo of the Office on Violence Against Women, Director Tracy Toulou of the Office of Tribal Justice and U.S. Attorneys Christopher J. Wilson for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, Clinton Johnson for the Northern District of Oklahoma and Bob Troester for the Western District of Oklahoma, among other Justice Department leaders, will attend the consultation and give remarks.
WHEN: 8:30 a.m. CT / 9:30 a.m. ET
WHERE:
River Spirit Resort
8330 Riverside Parkway, Tulsa, OK 74137
OPEN PRESS
Reporters with questions for Office of the Associate Attorney General should contact [email protected].
Members of the press who wish to attend the consultation must register and will need to check in at the hotel registration desk upon arrival to obtain credentials, which must be worn and displayed at all times throughout the event. For more information and to register as press, visit: www.ovwconsultation.org/Attend/Register.
Question regarding the consultation and logistics should be directed to [email protected].
Arkansas Man Pleads Guilty, Sentenced for Illegally Transporting Unlawfully Killed WildlifeRead the Press Release
DELTA JUNCTION, Alaska – An Arkansas man pleaded guilty and was sentenced on July 18, 2023, for illegally transporting a bull caribou out of Alaska, which he killed in violation of state law.
According to court documents, Edward A. Bundy, 54, was charged by the U.S. Attorney’s Office on one count of violating the Lacey Act for illegally killing and transporting a bull caribou in April 2018. Bundy claimed to be an Alaska resident and killed the animal without the proper non-resident Alaska Department of Fish and Game hunting license and locking tag.
As part of a plea agreement, Bundy was sentenced to pay a fine of $12,000 to the Lacey Act Reward Fund as restitution for five animals unlawfully killed by the defendant while hunting in Alaska. He will serve a sentence of 18 months’ probation and is prohibited from hunting anywhere in the world throughout the duration of his probation. Bundy must also forfeit two bull caribou and one black bear, all killed illegally.
“Let Mr. Bundy’s actions be a reminder that illegal killing and transportation of wildlife will not be tolerated,” said U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker for the District of Alaska. “Our office will continue to be vigilant in working with our partners to identify and prosecute individuals who choose to commit crimes in violation of the Lacey Act.”
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, with assistance from the Alaska Wildlife Troopers and the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Steve Skrocki prosecuted the case.
###Ardmore Resident Sentenced for Robbery in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Robert Carnell Knight, Jr., age 31, of Ardmore, Oklahoma, was sentenced to a term of 68 months in prison for Robbery in Indian Country.
The charges arose from investigations by the Ardmore Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
On July 17, 2023, Robert Knight, Jr. pleaded guilty to Robbery in Indian Country. At the plea hearing, Knight, Jr. admitted that on November 24, 2019, he and others broke into an occupied house in Ardmore with the intent to steal money and marijuana. Brandishing firearms, the group attacked and threatened the victim before absconding with approximately $1,200 and one pound of marijuana. The crime occurred in Indian Country, within the boundaries of the Chickasaw Nation Reservation and within the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing in Muskogee. Robert Knight, Jr. will remain in custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant United States Attorney Ryan Bondura represented the United States.
Amphenol Corporation Pays $18 Million to Resolve Allegations That It Submitted False Claims for Electrical ConnectorsRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Amphenol Corporation (Amphenol) has agreed to pay the United States $18 million dollars to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by submitting false claims for electrical connectors to the United States government when Amphenol sold electrical connectors that failed to fully comply with applicable government regulations and contract specifications, due to Amphenol’s failure to meet required testing standards and other manufacturing and program requirements.
The U.S. military and government buys tanks, fighter jets, rockets, missiles, and other equipment and weapon systems containing electrical connectors manufactured by Amphenol, and also purchases electrical connectors from Amphenol to use as replacement parts in weapon systems and equipment. Government contracts and regulations calling for the use of Military Specification (MIL-SPEC or MS) connectors require that both the supplier (Amphenol) and the product supplied (MS electrical connectors) meet all military specifications for the manufacture and testing of those electrical connectors. The Qualified Products List (QPL) program for the six MS connector series covered by the settlement agreement was at all times overseen and managed by Defense Logistics Agency (DLA).
As part of the settlement, Amphenol admits that, between 2012 and 2017, it manufactured and sold the following MIL-SPEC electrical connectors directly and indirectly to the U.S. Government that did not fully conform to the applicable MIL-SPECs: Series Nos. 22992, 26482, 26500, 27599, 38999, and 83723 connectors (the “six MS connector series”). Specifically, Amphenol failed to timely complete required retention of qualification testing,[1] failed to timely report required testing results to DLA, and failed to immediately report certain testing failures to DLA, all as required by the applicable MIL-SPECs.
Between 2012 and at least March 2016, Amphenol also obtained parts and components from sources that DLA did not authorize. Amphenol used these parts in the assembly and manufacture of the six MS connector series.
As a result of all of this conduct, from 2012 through 2017, Amphenol submitted or caused to be submitted to DLA, and other Government agencies, claims for the six MS connector series when those connectors did not fully conform with the requirements of the applicable MIL-SPECs.
“Defense contractors agree to follow strict manufacturing and testing protocols so that taxpayers receive the equipment they pay for,” said Carla B. Freedman, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of New York. “These high standards also ensure that our service members have the reliable equipment that they expect and deserve. Today’s $18 million settlement holds Amphenol accountable for its failure to meet those high standards for specific electrical connectors.”
The settlement with Amphenol was the result of a coordinated effort by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York; the Defense Logistics Agency; the U.S. Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service; the Naval Criminal Investigative Service; the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division; the Air Force Office of Special Investigations; and the Department of Energy Office of Inspector General. This matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carl Eurenius and John Hoggan for the Northern District of New York.
[1] “Retention of qualification” testing is periodic testing required by the applicable MIL-SPECs for a manufacturer to maintain status as a QPL manufacturer for a particular QPL-listed product.
Altamonte Springs Dentist Convicted of Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that a federal jury has found Frantz Brignol guilty of tax evasion. Brignol faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for November 9, 2023, before Senior United States District Judge Gregory A. Presnell. Brignol was indicted on November 22, 2022.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Brignol amassed more than $600,000 in tax liabilities with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Between 2014 and 2020, he evaded his tax payments by hiding hundreds of thousands of dollars in his mother’s bank accounts (for which he had signatory authority), trading funds overseas in his mother’s name, and making materially false statements to the IRS on financial disclosure forms.
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Hannah Nowalk and William S. Hamilton.
Alden Man Who Illegally Possessed a Firearm Pled Guilty in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
Seth Peterson, 30, from Alden, Iowa, pled guilty on August 4, 2023, in federal court in Sioux City, to being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm. Peterson was previously convicted of Aggravated Assault with a Dangerous Weapon, Aggravated Domestic Abuse Assault with the Intent or Display a Weapon, and felony Extortion.
At the plea hearing, Peterson admitted he possessed a loaded Taurus 9mm handgun with an obliterated serial number. Peterson further admitted to knowingly being a felon at the time he possessed the firearm, and being a user of methamphetamine and marijuana, all of which prohibit him from possessing a firearm.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Peterson remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Peterson faces a possible maximum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a $100 special assessment, and not more than three years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
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 is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick T. Greenwood and was investigated by Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and Franklin County Sheriff’s Office.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 23-3007.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Akron Man Sentenced to over 13 Years for Gun and Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – Reginald Allen, 37, of Akron, Ohio, was sentenced yesterday to 157 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Bridget M. Brennan, after he pled guilty to a nine-count indictment including charges for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, a fentanyl analog, cocaine, and methamphetamine. Allen also pled guilty to possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking and two counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Judge Brennan ordered Allen to serve 5 years of supervised release following imprisonment.
According to court documents and court records, on March 16, 2022, Portage County Sheriff’s Deputies stopped Allen for traffic violations. Allen possessed 34 grams of Fentanyl and a loaded firearm in the center console of his car. Law enforcement obtained a search warrant for Allen’s apartment in Akron, Ohio following the traffic stop. Allen possessed 41 grams of Fentanyl, 23 grams of P-Fluorofentanyl (a Fentanyl analog), 32 grams of Methamphetamine, 7 grams of cocaine, drug scales, a drug press, and another loaded firearm in his apartment. Allen had prior felony drug trafficking and firearm convictions in the Summit County Court of Common Pleas.
The investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco Firearms, and Explosives, the Portage County Sheriff’s Department, and the Akron Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Aaron P. Howell and Damoun Delaviz.
Akron Man Sentenced to over 11 Years for Robbing Two BanksRead the Press Release
AKRON – Jacob Onusic, 28, of Akron, Ohio, was sentenced yesterday to over 11 years in prison by U.S. District Judge Bridget Meehan Brennan, after he pleaded guilty to robbing a bank in Cuyahoga Falls and one in Canal Fulton as well as possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Onusic was ordered to serve 3 years of supervised release following imprisonment, pay a $300 special assessment, and pay $142,700 in restitution.
According to court documents and court records, on July 14, 2022, ONUSIC entered the Peoples Bank located on State Road in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio dressed in all black with a cap covering his hair and a blue medical mask. ONUSIC asked to open an account. When ONUSIC was taken to meet with a teller to open the account, he told the teller to place her hands on the desk and if she moved her hands he would “blow her head off”. ONUSIC then ordered other tellers to lock the front door, open the vault and place the money in a trash bag which ONUSIC provided. All the tellers complied. ONUSIC told one of the tellers to empty her personal bag so ONUSIC could place the stolen $142,700.00 in U.S. Currency inside it. ONUSIC then ordered the tellers to lay on the ground until he was gone.
On August 26, 2022, ONUSIC entered the Apple Creek bank in Canal Fulton, Ohio wearing a wig and multiple masks. ONUSIC requested to open an account. When he did not have the correct paperwork, ONUSIC asked about getting a safe deposit box. As bank employees were taking him to the safe deposit box area, ONUSIC demanded they open the vault, which a teller opened. Once the vault was opened, ONUSIC demanded the money in the vault and then ordered all the bank employees inside the vault. ONUSIC left the bank with $57,234.00 in U.S. Currency and drove away.
When law enforcement attempted to stop ONUSIC’s vehicle, he attempted to flee from law enforcement and eventually crashed his vehicle in Akron, Ohio. ONUSIC then fled on foot. ONUSIC hid in a shed in the back yard of a residence. ONUSIC assaulted an Akron Police Officer and an Akron Police Canine Officer as law enforcement attempted to take him into custody. Inside ONUSIC’s vehicle, law enforcement recovered the $57,234.00 in U.S. Currency, the wig ONUSIC was wearing during the robbery, a loaded firearm and ammunition.
The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Akron and Canton Resident Agency’s, the Ohio State Highway Patrol, the Cuyahoga Falls Police Department and the Akron Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Toni Beth Schnellinger Feisthamel.
Adam Runsdorf and Woodfield Distribution, LLC, Agree to Pay $2.475 million to Resolve Allegations They Failed to Properly Account for Controlled SubstancesRead the Press Release
MIAMI – Adam Runsdorf and his companies, Florida-based drug wholesaler Woodfield Distribution, LLC and associated operations in Texas, surrendered their seven Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) registrations and agreed to pay $2.475 million in civil fines to resolve violations of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). These CSA requirements are designed to prevent the diversion of controlled substances.
Beginning in 2013 through 2016, Woodfield Distribution’s Florida location violated multiple CSA provisions, and as a result entered into a Memorandum of Agreement with the DEA to prevent future CSA violations. In 2018 and 2020, the DEA discovered additional CSA violations at Woodfield Distribution’s Florida and Texas locations. These CSA violations included: failure to account for over 120 million dosage units of controlled substances; failure to design and operate a system for monitoring suspicious orders; failure to notify the DEA of over 200,000 dosage units of stolen controlled substances; falsifying importation documents and the illegal importation of over 200 million dosage units of controlled substances; failure to properly store and secure controlled substances; lack of complete and accurate records; and failure to report controlled substance transactions and sales.
In August 2021, the DEA issued three Immediate Suspension Orders (ISO) for Woodfield Distribution’s Texas Distributor and Importer Registrations, as well as Manufacturer Registration for Woodfield Pharmaceuticals, LLC. The ISOs were issued for Woodfield’s failure to maintain effect controls and procedures against the theft and diversion of controlled substances and the imminent danger to public health and safety. ‘
In August 2022, a separate criminal investigation by DEA resulted in Adam Runsdorf and Woodfield Pharmaceuticals pleading guilty in the Eastern District of Texas to criminal charges of conspiracy, trafficking in counterfeit drugs, and money laundering conspiracy. According to the criminal indictment, from April 2014 until August 2021, Runsdorf, the owner and President of Woodfield Pharmaceutical based in Boca Raton, Florida, conspired with drug traffickers in Houston, Texas, to distribute misbranded and counterfeit cough syrup.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida, U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani for the Southern District of Texas, Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter of the DEA Miami Division, and Daniel Comeaux, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Houston Division announced the resolution.
The DEA Miami Field Division, West Palm Beach District Office; DEA Houston Division Office, and DEA Galveston Resident Office investigated this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Lavine from the Southern District of Florida and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jill Venezia from the Southern District of Texas handled the civil matter. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Ross, Jonathan Lee, and Robert Austin Wells from the Eastern District of Texas prosecuted the criminal case.
A copy of the agreement is available at the link below.
Agreement###
Thursday 3 August 2023
West Columbia Man Sentenced to 6 ½ Years in Federal Prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute over 40 Grams of FentanylRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA — Daniel Scott Burgess, 39, of West Columbia, was sentenced to 6.5 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute over 40 grams of fentanyl.
Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that between November 10, 2018, and September 5, 2021, law enforcement from various jurisdictions in Richland, Lexington, and Berkeley Counties arrested Burgess different times for various drug and firearm offenses.
Thereafter, federal agents and officers assigned to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Atlanta-Carolinas High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas Program (ACHIDTA) Task Force in Columbia worked in conjunction with local law enforcement to adopt Burgess’ pending state cases for federal prosecution.
United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis sentenced Burgess to 78 months in prison, to be followed by a 4-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
The DEA ACHIDTA Task Force in Columbia is comprised of agents and officers from the DEA, United States Postal Inspection Service, Richland County Sheriff’s Department, Kershaw County Sheriff’s Department, Lexington County Sheriff’s Department, Department of Public Safety for the City of Orangeburg, and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division. The local law enforcement agencies involved in this case include the Town of South Congaree Police Department, Cayce Department of Public Safety, Lexington County Sheriff’s Department, Lexington County Multi-Agency Narcotics Enforcement Team, Lexington County Fugitive Task Force, Springdale Police Department, Summerville Police Department, West Columbia Police Department, and Richland County Sheriff’s Department. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen Bales is prosecuting the case.
This prosecution is part of a High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas Program (HIDTA) investigation. HIDTA is a grant program purposed with improving public safety and well-being by disrupting and dismantling drug trafficking and money laundering organizations through intelligence-driven multi-jurisdictional operations; enhancing the safety and effectiveness of law enforcement operations through training; and improving communication and information sharing among criminal justice, drug prevention, and drug treatment professionals in support of the objectives as administered by the Office of National Drug Control Policy. Additional information can be found at https://www.achidta.org/, https://www.dea.gov/operations/hidta, and https://www.whitehouse.gov/ondcp/.
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Watertown Man Sentenced to 130 Months for Possession with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Ryan D. Monroe, age 41, of Watertown, New York, was sentenced yesterday to serve 130 months (10 years and 10 months) in federal prison for his conviction for possession with intent to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine, announced United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman, Matthew Scarpino, Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Buffalo, New York Field Office, and Jefferson County District Attorney Kristyna S. Mills.
Monroe was arrested by members of the Metro-Jefferson Drug Task Force (“Met-Jeff”) on May 18, 2022, on bench warrants for his failure to appear in Jefferson County Court for sentencing on two New York State felony cases. Met-Jeff Detectives located Monroe in the City of Watertown as he got out of a car. A short foot pursuit ensued after which Monroe was taken into custody. A search incident to arrest located 56 grams of nearly pure methamphetamine in Monroe’s pants pocket along with $2,388.00 in U.S. currency. A shoulder bag that Monroe discarded during the foot chase was searched pursuant to a search warrant and found to contain 29 grams of cocaine, a set of digital scales, 12 grams of cocaine base (crack), and approximately 50 small plastic baggies containing individual quantities of a heroin/fentanyl mixture.
This case was investigated by the Metro-Jefferson Drug Task Force, consisting of Special Agents from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Detectives from the City of Watertown Police Department and the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department, Investigators from the Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office, and U.S. Border Patrol Agents. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Southwick.
Waterford Woman Charged with Fraud and Theft from Addiction and Mental Health Services NonprofitRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that a federal grand jury in Hartford has returned an indictment charging MICHELE DEVINE, 49, of Waterford, with fraud and theft offenses in connection with her role as the former executive director of the Southeastern Regional Action Council on Substance Abuse, Inc.
The indictment was returned on July 26. Devine appeared today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert A. Richardson in Hartford, entered a plea of not guilty, and was released on a $25,000 bond.
As alleged in the indictment and statements made in Court, the Southeastern Regional Action Council on Substance Abuse, Inc. (“SERAC”), headquartered in Norwich, is a 501(c)(3) organization that serves 41 towns in southeastern and northeastern Connecticut with substance abuse, problem gambling, and mental health related services. SERAC is primarily funded through hundreds of thousands of dollars in state and federal grants from the State of Connecticut’s Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
Devine was the executive director of SERAC until July of 2022. In that role, Devine is alleged to have spent thousands of dollars on purchases that did not relate SERAC but instead appear to be personal expenses for Devine and her family. These charges include thousands of dollars spent on home appliances; a trip to the Canyon Ranch luxury spa in the Berkshires, Massachusetts; timeshare fees at the Water’s Edge resort; and purchases at Marshalls, Target, Amazon, Best Buy, Etsy, and scrapbooking/crafting websites.
The indictment charges Devine with nine counts of wire fraud, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years on each count, and two counts of theft from an agency receiving federal funds, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years on each count.
U.S. Attorney Avery stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This matter is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, with the assistance of the New London State’s Attorney’s Office and the State of Connecticut Office of the Attorney General. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah P. Karwan.
Wallingford Man Charged with Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont – The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that today a federal grand jury sitting in Burlington, Vermont returned a one count indictment charging John Grandizio, 39, of Wallingford, Vermont, with knowingly possessing a firearm after having been previously convicted of a felony offense.
On August 1, 2023, Grandizio was arrested on another federal firearms charge and he made his initial appearance before United States Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle yesterday. Grandizio was ordered detained pending further proceedings in this matter. Grandizio’s next scheduled court date is August 15, 2023.
According to court records, in April 2023, United States Customs and Border Protection intercepted two parcels coming from China destined for Grandizio’s Wallingford post office box, each containing devices that were or could be easily converted to be a firearms silencer. When Grandizio was arrested on August 1 on charges resulting from the discovery of these parcels, Grandizio possessed a loaded brown Glock 19 handgun, which led to the charge contained in today’s indictment. Court records state that during a search of Grandizio’s and his girlfriend’s Wallingford residence on August 1, agents seized approximately 23 firearms and at least hundreds of rounds of ammunition.
The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that an indictment contains allegations only and that Grandizio remains presumed innocent until and unless he is convicted of a crime. Grandizio faces a maximum sentence of 15 years of imprisonment if convicted. The actual sentence would be determined with reference to Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest commended the investigatory efforts of Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and United States Customs and Border Protection.
The prosecutor is Assistant United States Attorney Michael Drescher. Grandizio is represented by Matthew Hart, Esq.
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. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psn.Vacaville Man Indicted for Being a Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a single count indictment today against Ramon Garcia Jr., 31, of Vacaville, charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, on Nov. 5, 2022, law enforcement officers responded to a call involving Garcia at an apartment complex. When officers arrived, Garcia fled before being taken into custody. During his arrest, officers located a key to a white GMC Acadia in his pocket. Officers located the GMC Acadia nearby and conducted a search, where they found a Glock-17 handgun and an unloaded high-capacity, 31-round Glock magazine. Garcia is prohibited from possessing firearms because he has multiple state felony convictions, including two prior domestic violence convictions.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Vacaville Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Solano County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Haddy Abouzeid is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Garcia faces a maximum statutory penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would 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. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the 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.
Union County Man Sentenced to 61 Months in Prison for Illegally Possessing Firearm and Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Union County, New Jersey, man was sentenced to 61 months in prison for illegally possessing fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, and oxycodone for distribution and possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
William Murphy, 45, of Elizabeth, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Madeline Cox Arleo to an information charging him with one count of being a previously convicted felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, one count of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Judge Arleo imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On July 30, 2020, law enforcement officers executed search warrants at Murphy’s residence and found oxycodone pills; knotted bags containing mixtures of cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl; a digital scale; a money counter; numerous empty vacuum sealed bags; and approximately $13,000 in cash. The officers also recovered a 9mm Taurus handgun, loaded with 12 rounds of 9mm ammunition, a magazine loaded with 12 rounds of 9mm ammunition, and a box containing 50 rounds of 9mm ammunition.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Arleo sentenced Murphy to three years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Newark Field Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Bryan Miller; and Elizabeth Police Department, under the direction of Chief Giacommo Sacca, with the investigation leading to the sentencing.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dong Joo Lee and Vince D. Romano of the Narcotics/Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force Unit.
U.S. Navy Service Member Allegedly Transmitted Sensitive U.S. Military Information to a Chinese Intelligence OfficerRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – Federal prosecutors today unsealed a grand jury indictment that accuses a United States Navy service member with receiving bribes in exchange for transmitting sensitive U.S. military information to an intelligence officer from the People’s Republic of China.
Petty Officer Wenheng Zhao, 26, also known as Thomas Zhao, of Monterey Park, was arrested Wednesday by special agents with the FBI and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS). Zhao, who is charged in the indictment with conspiracy and receipt of a bribe by a public official, is scheduled to be arraigned this afternoon in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles.
The indictment alleges that Zhao, who worked at Naval Base Ventura County in Port Hueneme and held a U.S. security clearance, received bribes from a Chinese intelligence officer in exchange for violating his official duties as a U.S. sailor by, among other actions, disclosing non-public, sensitive U.S. military information.
Beginning in August 2021 and continuing through at least May 2023, at the Chinese intelligence officer’s direction, Zhao violated his official duties to protect sensitive military information by surreptitiously recording, and then transmitting to the intelligence officer, U.S. military information, photographs and videos, according to the indictment.
In exchange for bribes, Zhao allegedly sent the Chinese intelligence officer non-public and controlled operational plans for a large-scale U.S. military exercise in the Indo-Pacific Region, which detailed the specific location and timing of Naval force movements, amphibious landings, maritime operations and logistics support.
The indictment further alleges that Zhao photographed electrical diagrams and blueprints for a radar system stationed on a U.S. military base in Okinawa, Japan.
Zhao also obtained and transmitted details about the Navy’s operational security at the Naval Base in Ventura County and on San Clemente Island, including photographs and videos, according to the indictment.
The intelligence officer allegedly directed Zhao to conceal their relationship and to destroy evidence of the unlawful and corrupt scheme.
In exchange for the sensitive information Zhao provided – information Zhao accessed as a result of his position within the U.S. Navy – the Chinese intelligence officer paid Zhao approximately $14,866, the indictment alleges.
“By sending this sensitive military information to an intelligence officer employed by a hostile foreign state, the defendant betrayed his sacred oath to protect our country and uphold the Constitution,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. “Unlike the vast majority of U.S. Navy personnel who serve the nation with honor, distinction and courage, Mr. Zhao chose to corruptly sell out his colleagues and his country.”
“By accepting cash bribes from a hostile nation whose leaders are intent on stealing American secrets, Zhao betrayed his military oath and sold out his country while he brazenly put Americans and our servicemen at risk, said Donald Alway, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office. “Zhao’s alleged actions are a reminder that American citizens with access to state secrets or intellectual property are being targeted by the Chinese government. The FBI will continue to seek out such behavior with our partners and hold offenders accountable.”
“NCIS is committed to protecting the Department of the Navy’s sensitive information to ensure the safety of the warfighter and our nation,” said Special Agent in Charge Brice Miller of the NCIS Office of Special Projects. “NCIS will continue to leverage its unique law enforcement and counterintelligence authorities to vigorously pursue those who attempt to compromise our national security information. We are grateful to the FBI and Department of Justice for their substantial assistance to this lengthy investigation and greatly appreciate our continued partnership.”
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
If he were to be convicted of the two counts in the indictment, Zhao would face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.
The FBI’s Counterintelligence and Cyber Division of the Los Angeles Field Office and NCIS conducted the investigation. IRS Criminal Investigation provided substantial assistance.
Assistant United States Attorneys Annamartine Salick, Sarah Gerdes, Christine Ro and Kathrynne Seiden of the Terrorism and Export Crimes Section are prosecuting this case. The Counterintelligence and Export Control Section at the Department of Justice is providing substantial assistance.