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19 September 2023
Joplin Man Pleads Guilty to Kidnapping Conspiracy, Illegal FirearmsRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Joplin, Mo., man pleaded guilty in federal court today to his role in a kidnapping conspiracy that resulted in the death of the victim.
Freddie Lewis Tilton, also known as “Ol’ Boy,” 50, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to one count of conspiracy to commit kidnapping and two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
By pleading guilty today, Tilton admitted that he participated in a conspiracy to kidnap the victim, identified as “M.H.,” in July 2020. Co-defendants Carla Jo Ward, 49, of Joplin, James B. Gibson, 41, of Neosho, Mo., Amy Kay Thomas, 40, of Webb City, Mo., Lawrence William Vaughan, also known as “Scary Larry,” 52, of Newton County, Mo., and Russell Eugene Hurtt, also known as “Uncle,” 51, of Greenwood, Mo., have previously pleaded guilty.
According to the plea agreement, Ward picked up M.H., whom she knew was being sought by Tilton, and took him to Vaughan’s residence. Tilton, Thomas, and Gibson arrived at Vaughan’s residence in the early morning hours of July 15, 2020. They bound M.H.’s hands with handcuffs, and duct tape was placed around his mouth and other parts of his body. Gibson, Thomas, and others assaulted M.H. for a period of time. M.H. was cut, beaten, shot at, and burned with a blowtorch. As M.H. became bloody, Vaughan placed a plastic tarp on the floor. Tilton fatally shot M.H. in the head. They wrapped M.H.’s body in plastic wrap and transported it to Hurtt’s property.
Law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Hurtt’s property on July 28, 2020, based on information that a deceased body was located on the acreage. When officers attempted to contact the occupants of the residence, Tilton fired multiple shots from inside the residence at the officers. Tilton was apprehended.
Officers found M.H.’s body on the property. Officers searched the residence and found a Rigarmi .25-caliber pistol, an Ithaca .22-caliber rifle, a Remington .22-caliber rifle without a serial number, a Harrington and Richardson 12-gauge shotgun, a Ruger 9mm handgun, and a Taurus 9mm handgun without a serial number.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Tilton has two prior felony convictions for burglary, two prior felony convictions for larceny of an automobile, and prior felony convictions for stealing, possession of a controlled substance, burglary of an automobile, possession of a chemical with intent to manufacture, receiving stolen property, unlawful use of a weapon, theft, and tampering.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ami Harshad Miller and James J. Kelleher. It was investigated by the FBI, the Newton County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Neosho, Mo., Police Department, the Joplin, Mo., Police Department, and the Cherokee County, Kan., Sheriff’s Department.
Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force
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.
Jefferson County Man Sentenced for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – A Groves man has been sentenced to federal prison for trafficking drugs in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs today.
Dustin Joseph Collins, 40, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and was sentenced to 121 months in federal prison today by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone.
According to information presented in court, on November 9, 2021, Collins was stopped by law enforcement officers on Highway 69 southbound to Port Arthur. During the stop, a police canine alerted on the vehicle causing Collins to flee the scene. Collins ran across the freeway through traffic before being apprehended. A search of Collins’ vehicle revealed a backpack with over 231 grams of methamphetamine.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Port Arthur Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Anderson.
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Indictment Charges Bridgeport Man with Drug Distribution and Firearm Possession OffensesRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division, and Bridgeport Police Chief Roderick Porter today announced that a federal grand jury in Bridgeport has returned a two-count indictment charging JONATHAN BONAPARTE, 35, of Bridgeport, with drug distribution and firearm possession offenses.
The indictment was returned on September 7, 2023. Bonaparte appeared yesterday before U.S. Magistrate Judge S. Dave Vatti in Bridgeport and entered a plea of not guilty. He has been detained since his arrest on related state charges on March 31, 2022.
The indictment alleges that on March 31, 2022, Bonaparte possessed fentanyl and cocaine that he intended to distribute, six firearms, and approximately 100 rounds of ammunition. The indictment further alleges that Bonaparte’s criminal history includes state felony convictions for robbery and firearm offenses.
It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.
The indictment charges Bonaparte with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years, and unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition by a felon, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years.
U.S. Attorney Avery stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. A charge is only an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This investigation has been conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Firearms, Tobacco and Explosives (ATF), and the Bridgeport Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patricia Stolfi Collins, through Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Husband and Wife Charged with Multimillion-Dollar Gift Card Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Ivan J. Arvelo, the Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”), announced the unsealing of an Indictment charging XULIANG HOU and YUNA LIN with conspiring to commit wire fraud. HOU and LIN were arrested yesterday and will be presented today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jennifer E. Willis. The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Richard M. Berman.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “For nearly two years, Xuliang Hou, Yuna Lin, and their co‑conspirators allegedly engaged in a brazen scheme to obtain gift card information from their victims through lies. As alleged, they used those gift cards to purchase millions of dollars’ worth of products, including electronic devices. Thanks to the skillful investigative work of HSI and the dedication of the prosecutors of this Office, the defendants’ alleged scheme will be put to an end.”
HSI Special Agent in Charge Ivan J. Arvelo said: “The defendants, along with their co-conspirators, stand accused of swindling victims out of millions of dollars across multiple states over the course of several years. HSI New York remains steadfast in our commitment to thwart criminal organizations seeking to undermine the integrity of American businesses and the stability of our financial system.”
According to the allegations in the Indictment:[1]
From July 2020 through at least May 2022, XULIANG HOU and YUNA LIN carried out a scheme in which victims were induced, under false pretenses, to purchase gift cards redeemable at certain stores. The scheme’s perpetrators used those cards to purchase millions of dollars’ worth of various products, including electronic devices.
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HOU, 32, and LIN, 30, both of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, are each charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
The maximum potential sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by a judge.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of HSI.
This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeffrey W. Coyle and Benjamin M. Burkett are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the description of the Indictment set forth below constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Hughes County Resident Sentenced for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Donald Paul Griggs, age 56, of Holdenville, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 194 months in prison for possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Seminole Police Department, the Seminole County Sheriff’s Department, and the Hughes County Sheriff’s Department.
On August 10, 2022, Griggs pleaded guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine. According to investigators, on March 31, 2022, Griggs led law enforcement on a highspeed chase, forced another vehicle off the road, crashed, and attempted to flee on foot. During the chase, Griggs discarded over 21 pounds of pure methamphetamine before he was apprehended and arrested by officers.
“Those who distribute drugs do so for one purpose, to make a profit,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge, Eduardo A. Chávez, who oversees operations in Oklahoma. “Today, Mr. Griggs is being held accountable for his actions. The DEA will never stop seeking justice for those who prey on others’ addictions.”
“Methamphetamine continues to plague our communities,” said United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson. “Drug traffickers transporting and distributing illegal narcotics in the Eastern District will be investigated and aggressively prosecuted.”
The Honorable John F. Heil, III, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing in Muskogee. Griggs will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant United States Attorney Erin Cornell represented the United States.
Hudson County Man Sentenced to 90 Months in Prison for Role in Gang AssaultRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A member of a neighborhood street gang in Hudson County, New Jersey, was sentenced to 90 months in prison for stabbing a rival gang member during a retaliatory gang-related assault, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Sheldon Mays, aka “Thottie,” 23, of Jersey City, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Kevin McNulty to an information charging him with one count of assault with a dangerous weapon – a knife – in aid of racketeering. Judge McNulty imposed the sentence on Sept. 18, 2023, in Newark federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On Aug. 3, 2020, Mays and seven others, all of whom are associated with a street gang operating in and around the Curries Woods Public Housing Complex in Jersey City – identified as “Curries Woods” or the “Tay Tay Shrimp Gang” or the “Sharks” – assaulted a rival gang member in retaliation for a prior gang-related assault. As the victim was walking down a street in Jersey City, Mays and the others approached in two cars, parked in the middle of the street, and violently assaulted the victim, who was punched, kicked, and stabbed by Mays, and suffered life-threatening injuries.
In addition to the prison term, Judge McNulty sentenced Mays to three years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents and task force officers of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Newark Field Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Bryan Miller; the Jersey City Police Department, under the direction of Public Safety Director James Shea; the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Esther Suarez; and the Hudson County Department of Corrections with the investigation leading to the sentencing.
This investigation was conducted as part of the Jersey City Violent Crime Initiative (VCI). The VCI was formed in 2018 by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, and the Jersey City Police Department, for the sole purpose of combatting violent crime in and around Jersey City. As part of this partnership, federal, state, county, and city agencies collaborate to strategize and prioritize the prosecution of violent offenders who endanger the safety of the community. The VCI is composed of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI, the ATF, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Marshals, the Jersey City Police Department, the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, the Hudson County Sheriff’s Office, New Jersey State Parole, the Hudson County Jail, and the New Jersey State Police Regional Operations and Intelligence Center/Real Time Crime Center.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracey Agnew of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Trenton.
Hardeman County Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – A federal judge delivered sentencing in the case of a Hardeman County man convicted of firearm charges. Fabian Bills, 34, was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison for being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm. U.S. District Court Judge S. Thomas Anderson also ordered Bills to serve three years of supervised release upon completion of his prison term. United States Attorney Kevin Ritz announced the sentence today.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force.
According to information presented in court, on May 6, 2022, a deputy in the Madison County Sheriff’s Office conducted a traffic stop of a Nissan Maxima. Upon approaching the passenger’s side of the vehicle, the officer noticed the smell of marijuana coming from inside the car. The officer asked the driver for permission to search the vehicle; the passenger identified himself as Fabian Bills. The officer discovered a loaded 9mm handgun tucked underneath the front passenger seat. Bills admitted ownership of the firearm and stated that he had prior felony convictions. Bills was arrested and charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm. This firearm was later matched by a forensic firearms examiner to two prior shootings.
Based on this, a federal criminal complaint was issued against Bills and on May 27, 2022, a Federal Bureau of Investigations Task Force officer executed the resulting arrest warrant. Additional firearms were recovered from Bills’s vehicle when he was arrested, including an Omni 300 Blackout AR15 and a loaded Taurus G2C 9mm handgun.
In August 2023, Bills pled guilty to two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Because the Court found the defendant committed prior violent acts with one of these firearms, he was subject to enhanced punishment at sentencing. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney Kevin Ritz thanked Assistant United States Attorney Christie Hopper, who prosecuted this case, as well as law enforcement partners who investigated the case.
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Guatemalan Resident Indicted on Charge of Violating Federal Immigration LawsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA – A resident of Guatemala, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of violating federal immigration laws, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
The one-count Indictment named Alexander Mendez-Marroquin, 32, as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment presented to the court, on or about August 20, 2023, Mendez-Marroquin was located in Pittsburgh and taken into custody by Department of Homeland Security agents after knowingly illegally reentering the United States as a previously removed alien.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not more than 10 years in prison, a fine of not more than $250,000 or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Georgia Man Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Wire Fraud, Wire Fraud Conspiracy, and Aiding in the Filing of False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – Stanley Worthy Jr., 41, of Lawrenceville, Georgia, was sentenced today to 60 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Christopher Boyko after earlier pleading guilty to wire fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aiding in the filing of false tax returns. Worthy was also ordered to serve 3 years of supervised release and pay $2,935,933.35 in restitution jointly and severally with co-defendants. A special assessment of $4,200 was also ordered by the court.
Worthy pleaded guilty on June 1, 2023 to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, five counts of wire fraud, and 36 counts of aiding and abetting in the filing of false tax returns to the IRS. The court sentenced Worthy to 60 months for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud and sentenced Worthy to 36 months for aiding in the filing of false tax returns, all sentences to run concurrently.
According to court documents from 2019 to 2020 Worthy and his co-conspirators used the Soamazin Automotive car dealership, in Warrensville Heights, Ohio to purchase stolen vehicles at a discount, and sell those vehicles to unsuspecting buyers for profit. In furtherance of the conspiracy, the defendants devised a scheme to have individuals apply for loans to fund the purchase of non-existent vehicles. The conspirators split the loan proceeds between themselves and the applicant. Worthy recruited applicants from clients of his company, Cavalier Care, which offered tax preparation services and financial education services. From 2017 to 2020, Worthy fraudulently prepared 35 tax returns for others to increase their tax refunds causing a loss of approximately $211,737 to the United States.
This case was investigated by IRS Criminal Investigation (CI) and the FBI. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alex Abreu and Payum Doroodian.
Former Investment Banker and Registered Broker Pleads Guilty to Cryptocurrency Investment Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
BROOKLYN, NY – Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Rashawn Russell pleaded guilty to participating in a scheme to defraud clients of the R3 Crypto Fund, a purported cryptocurrency investment fund operated by Russell. Russell also pleaded guilty for his role in a separate identity-theft scheme in which he fraudulently obtained credit cards and other access devices in the names of third parties. Today’s plea took place before United States Magistrate Judge Sanket J. Bulsara. When sentenced, Russell faces up to 30 years in prison. As part of his plea agreement, Russell will be required to pay restitution in the amount of more than $1.5 million.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Nicole M. Argentieri, Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; and Eric Shen, Inspector-in-Charge, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Criminal Investigations Group (USPIS), announced the guilty plea.
“Russell leveraged investor interest in cryptocurrency markets to perpetrate a scheme to defraud clients who trusted him,” stated United States Attorney Breon Peace. “The swift conviction in this case underscores this Office’s commitment to holding bad actors in the digital asset markets accountable.”
“The Postal Inspection Service proudly protects Americans from ever-evolving threats of fraud,” stated USPIS Inspector-in-Charge Shen. “This case showcases our dedication to bring to justice those who violate their fiduciary duty to their clients.”
According to court filings and facts presented during the plea hearing, between November 2020 and August 2022, Russell, a former investment banker and registered broker with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, engaged in a scheme to defraud investors into his R3 Crypto Fund by falsely promising that, among other things, he would use their funds to make cryptocurrency investments that would return large, and sometimes guaranteed, returns. In truth, much of the investors’ assets were misappropriated by Russell and used for his personal benefit, to gamble, and to repay earlier investors. Through Russell’s scheme, at least 29 investors lost at least $1.5 million.
In a separate fraud scheme, between September 2021 and June 2023, Russell fraudulently obtained more than fifteen credit cards and other access devices in the names of third parties. Russell obtained these devices with the intent to use them to complete unauthorized transactions.
The government’s case is being handled by the Business and Securities Fraud Section of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York and the Department of Justice, Criminal Division, Fraud Section. Assistant United States Attorney Drew Rolle, Trial Attorney Kyle Crawford, and Assistant Chief Scott Armstrong are prosecuting the case.
If you believe you are a victim in this case, please contact the Fraud Section’s Victim Witness Unit toll-free at (888) 549-3945 or by email at [email protected].
The Defendant:
RASHAWN RUSSELL
Age: 27
Brooklyn, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 23-CR-152
Former Congressman Sentenced to 22 Months in Prison for Insider TradingRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that STEPHEN BUYER, a former Indiana Congressman, was sentenced today to 22 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Richard M. Berman. BUYER was previously convicted following trial of four counts of securities fraud for engaging in two insider trading schemes.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Stephen Buyer was convicted by a jury of twice engaging in insider trading. He abused positions of trust for illicit personal gain, and today he faced justice for those acts. No insider trader is above the law, and we will continue to bring those who undermine the fairness and integrity of our markets to justice.”
According to the Indictment, evidence presented during trial, court documents, and statements made in open court:
In 2018 and 2019, BUYER engaged in two separate, but interrelated insider trading schemes to steal material non-public information that he obtained through consulting work and to place timely, profitable securities trades based on that stolen information. First, in or about March and April 2018, BUYER purchased shares of Sprint Corporation (“Sprint”) ahead of the April 29, 2018, public announcement that T-Mobile US, Inc. (“T-Mobile”) and Sprint would merge in a deal valued at $26.5 billion. Prior to the public announcement of the transaction by T-Mobile, executives at T-Mobile told a small, trusted group of consultants that they had retained to work on the deal, including BUYER, about the merger and directed them to keep the information confidential. BUYER breached his duty of confidentiality to T-Mobile and misappropriated that information by purchasing shares of Sprint across several brokerage accounts, including his own accounts, an account held jointly with his cousin, and an account in the name of a close, personal friend. Across these accounts, BUYER made more than $126,000 from the purchase and subsequent sale of Sprint stock after the merger was publicly announced.
In or about June through August 2019, BUYER again engaged in insider trading, this time trading in shares of Navigant Consulting, Inc. (“Navigant”) ahead of Navigant’s acquisition by consulting and advisory firm Guidehouse. As with his purchase of Sprint shares, BUYER learned through his consulting work for Guidehouse that Guidehouse intended to acquire Navigant and misappropriated that information by purchasing Navigant shares ahead of the public announcement of the acquisition. BUYER purchased Navigant shares across several brokerage accounts, including accounts in his own name, joint accounts held with family members, and the account of the same close, personal friend whose account he used to trade Sprint shares. In total, Buyer made more than $223,000 from his illegal Navigant trades.
BUYER testified at his March 2023 trial and provided false explanations for his Sprint and Navigant trading, which Judge Berman found at sentencing to constitute obstruction of justice.
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In addition to his prison sentence, BUYER, 64, of Noblesville, Indiana, was ordered to pay more than $350,000 in forfeiture and restitution in an amount to be determined.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and also thanked the Securities and Exchange Commission for its assistance.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kiersten A. Fletcher and Margaret Graham are in charge of the prosecution.
Former Allegheny County Resident Sentenced to 216 Months in Prison for Drug Conspiracy and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA – Ross Landfried was sentenced to 216 months in federal prison for conspiring to distribute a controlled substance, and to engage in money laundering, in 2017 and 2018 while serving a federal prison sentence for a prior drug trafficking conviction, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
Landfried, age 42, formerly of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, was sentenced by United States District Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan. Judge Ranjan ordered Landfried to serve six years of supervised release following his prison sentence. Judge Ranjan also ordered that the 216-month prison sentence be served consecutively to Landfried’s prior sentence.
Landfried was convicted at the conclusion of a trial in June 2022. Landfried was serving a federal prison sentence in 2017 and 2018 following a federal conviction for prior large-scale drug trafficking. Despite his prior conviction and incarceration, he continued to engage in drug trafficking, and money laundering, while in federal prison. He led a scheme that involved several co-conspirators and that was designed to introduce large quantities of K2 paper saturated with powerful Schedule I synthetic cannabinoid controlled substances into prisons. The K2 paper endangered other inmates and corrections officers and burdened them with the effects of frequent lockdowns, overdoses, assaults, and other volatile behavior. While pending trial following his indictment, Landfried engaged in repeated incidents of violence and weapon possession at local detention facilities.
Assistant United States Attorneys Rebecca L. Silinski and Craig W. Haller prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, the Internal Revenue Service, the federal Bureau of Prisons, and the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General led the multi-agency investigation that also included the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Beaver County District Attorney’s Office, the Department of Homeland Security/Homeland Security Investigations, the Pittsburgh Police Department, the United States Marshals Service, the Pennsylvania State Police, the Munhall Police Department, the Robinson Township Police Department, the McKees Rocks Police Department, the Stowe Township Police Department, the Etna Police Department, and the Erie County District Attorney’s Office.
This prosecution is a result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles high-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten communities throughout the United States. OCDETF uses a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Florida Man Sentenced to Three Years in Prison for Participating in Fraud and Money Laundering Scheme Targeting Hedge FundRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that MUSTAPHA RAJI was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jesse M. Furman to three years in prison for his participation in a $1.7 million business email compromise and money laundering scheme that targeted a Manhattan hedge fund. RAJI was previously convicted after a one-week jury trial of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, receipt of stolen property, and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Today’s sentencing of Mustapha Raji should send a clear message that email scams targeting businesses in this District will not be tolerated. Together with our law enforcement partners, we will continue to zealously prosecute online scammers abroad, and the U.S.-based money launderers they work with, to protect American businesses.”
As reflected in the Indictment, public filings, and the evidence presented at trial:
RAJI participated in an international fraud ring that conducted phishing and other email fraud campaigns.
In April 2017, a company RAJI controlled received over $100,000 in two transfers from another corporate entity, which had itself just received nearly $2 million in stolen money from a public university in Oregon. The university had been conned into sending the payment to an account controlled by one of RAJI’s co-conspirators instead of the bank account of the legitimate vendor it intended to pay.
In July 2018, RAJI was involved in the compromise of the business email account of a hedge fund founder in New York. That compromise resulted in the fraudulent diversion of a $1.7 million wire transfer from the hedge fund to a corporate bank account used to facilitate the scheme. RAJI was a registered officer of the company that received the stolen funds, he fabricated documents to cover up the fraudulent transfer of funds from the hedge fund, and he directed a co-conspirator to launder the stolen funds to other co-conspirators domestically and overseas. RAJI took a $50,000 cut for his participation in the scheme.
Similarly, in May 2018, a hospital system in Missouri fell victim to a business email compromise scheme. As part of that scheme, unauthorized emails were sent from the email account for the hospital’s chief financial officer that purported to direct payments to be issued for false invoices issued by RAJI’s company, causing over $250,000 to be sent directly by the victim to a bank account RAJI controlled.
In September 2018, RAJI learned that a co-conspirator with whom he had worked closely in the scheme had been arrested. Nonetheless, when a cooperating witness approached RAJI in 2019 about a new fraud — a supposed insider job to steal $2.3 million — RAJI agreed to participate and sent the cooperating witness wire instructions for an account to receive the stolen money.
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In addition to his prison term, RAJI, 53, of Hollywood, Florida, was sentenced to three years of supervised release and was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $711,557.54 and forfeit the same amount.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Catherine Ghosh, Jilan Kamal, Dina McLeod, and Robert B. Sobelman are in charge of the prosecution.
Financial Crimes Conference Aims to Give Law Enforcement Tools to Better Fight Internet CrimeRead the Press Release
MIAMI – Last week, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida recently convened a financial crimes training entitled “Taking the Byte out of Crime—Tools and Techniques for Fighting Internet Crimes Targeting Businesses and Individuals.”
More than 90 law enforcement officers and federal agents from Key West to Palm Beach met at Broward College Health Sciences Simulation Center in Davie, Fla., to enhance their knowledge base, discuss evolving internet crime schemes, hear about criminal case examples, and share investigative resources to combat crime. U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida expressed his gratitude to those in attendance and acknowledged the importance of federal, state, and local law enforcement partnerships to reduce internet crimes.
The financial crimes conference offered the attendees an invaluable training opportunity on areas to include business email compromise scams, virtual currency tracing, illegal narcotics in the mail stream, mail theft, cryptocurrency scams, and the federal fraud statutes applicable to these offenses. Representatives from the following federal agencies presented during the conference: the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida; FBI Miami; Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Miami; U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General (USPS-OIG), Miami; and Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Office of Inspector General, Miami.
Some of the important public safety takeaways are:
- Protect your personal identifying information (PII). If an investment opportunity seems too good to be true, it probably is. Scammers can send very realistic emails and account statements to make it look like you are involved in a legitimate investment. Online “friends” who discourage you from telling friends and family about your relationship or financial “investments” are also a red flag. Be cautious. According to the FBI, internet crime amounted to victim losses of $10.3 billion in 2022.
- Anyone who suspects they are a victim of internet criminal activity should report it to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center by clicking www.ic3.gov. Be sure to include as much information as possible — original emails, checks, receipts, financial transaction information, cryptocurrency addresses, websites, and phone numbers. The more information that is provided, the better chance the FBI has of recouping stolen funds or making an arrest.
- To combat potential theft, consider mailing any financial correspondence inside the Post Office lobby drop box or hand it to a clerk. The U.S. Postal Service has a free service called Informed Delivery www.usps.com which will send the user photos of the mail before it arrives. If you suspect U.S. Postal Service employee wrongdoing, please contact the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General hotline immediately at www.uspsoig.gov/hotline.
No one can prevent all crime but protecting your personal identification information, and verifying the identity of those you are dealing with online is a great place to start. The sharing of information across agencies gives law enforcement more avenues to solve crimes.
“Criminality is evolving and it’s up to law enforcement to update its investigative techniques,” said Law Enforcement Coordination/Community Outreach Section Chief J.D. Smith, U.S. Attorney’s Office. “We put on these trainings because we see the value in them. The trainings bring law enforcement officers/agents and prosecutors together to learn from one another. The U.S. Attorney’s Office has been asked to host more of these conferences … and we will.”
Federal Jury Finds Richfield Felon Guilty in Methamphetamine Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A federal jury found a Richfield man guilty of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
Following a five-day trial before Judge John R. Tunheim in U.S. District Court, Andrew Jerome Bigbee, 57, was convicted on one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and three counts of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later date.
The defendant conspired to distribute methamphetamine between approximately September 2019 and October 2021. On September 4, 2019, law enforcement searched the defendant’s house in Richfield, Minnesota, on a warrant. Law enforcement found more than 520 grams of methamphetamine in the defendant’s house. Law enforcement also found numerous trappings of drug trafficking, including a digital scale, more than $8,000 in cash, a money counting machine, drug packaging materials, and two firearms.
On October 16, 2020, law enforcement searched the defendant’s RV in Bloomington, Minnesota. Law enforcement found more than 5,000 grams of methamphetamine throughout the RV as well as drug trafficking paraphernalia, including a vacuum sealer machine, plastic bags, digital scales, a money counting machine, and more than $300,000 in cash.
On May 6, 2021, law enforcement searched the defendant’s residence in Elko, Minnesota. Law enforcement found almost 8,000 grams of methamphetamine in the residence. Law enforcement also found drug trafficking tools, including a digital scale, a money counter machine, almost $18,000 in cash, and a firearm.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, Bloomington Police Department, Scott County Sheriff’s Office, Edina Police Department, Richfield Police Department, Southwest Hennepin Drug Task Force, and the Springerville Police Department in Arizona.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nathan H. Nelson and Chelsea A. Walcker prosecuted the case.
Federal Jury Convicts Man of Detonating Pipe Bomb at Suburban Chicago Train StationRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A federal jury in Chicago has convicted a man of detonating a pipe bomb at a suburban Chicago train station.
On Sept. 1, 2006, THOMAS JAMES ZAJAC placed a pipe bomb in a trash can at the BNSF Railway station in Hinsdale, Ill. The device exploded during the morning commute, causing damage inside the station and injuring a station agent. About a month later, Zajac sent an anonymous letter to the Hinsdale Police Department, stating that the police had “[expletive] with” the wrong person and that the writer had “fired a warning shot” last month. The letter indicated that police actions would “likely eventually lead to the death” of at least one person in Hinsdale, and that the writer wanted to see whether the department was “bright enough or possess[ed] the character to stop this death.” Evidence at trial revealed that Zajac felt disrespected when a family member was arrested by Hinsdale Police the prior year.
Zajac, 70, formerly of Oakbrook Terrace, Ill., was convicted Monday of all three counts against him, including one count of attempting to destroy property with an explosive device, one count of possessing an unregistered destructive device, and one count of willfully making a threat through the mail to kill or injure a person with an explosive device.
The property destruction count carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in federal prison and a maximum of 20 years. Each of the other two counts are punishable by a maximum sentence of ten years. U.S. District Judge Matthew F. Kennelly set sentencing for Dec. 13, 2023.
The verdicts were announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Christopher Amon, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Valuable assistance was provided by the Hinsdale Police Department, DuPage County, Ill., Sheriff’s Office, and the U.S. Secret Service. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian Kerwin, G. David Rojas, and Andréa L. Campbell.
Federal Inmate Sentenced to 18 Months’ Imprisonment for Possessing Methamphetamine in PrisonRead the Press Release
SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Larry Massenburg, age 35, an inmate at the Federal Correctional Institution, Schuylkill (FCI Schuylkill), Minersville, Pennsylvania, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani to 18 months’ imprisonment for possessing contraband in prison.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Massenburg was an inmate at FCI Schuylkill, serving a sentence of imprisonment for a prior federal conviction for cocaine trafficking. On March 2, 2022, correctional officers at FCI Schuylkill found Massenburg in possession of methamphetamine. Judge Mariani ordered the 18-month sentence to run consecutive to Massenburg’s existing term of imprisonment.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Prisons’ Special Investigative Services. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Phillip J. Caraballo.
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Fayette County Man Sentenced to 240 Months for Armed Drug Trafficking and Illegal Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
FRANKFORT, Ky. — A Lexington man, Cary Lamar Wilkerson, Jr., 24, was sentenced to 240 months in federal prison on Tuesday, by U.S. District Judge Gregory VanTatenhove, for two counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, one count of possession with intent to distribute 10 grams or more of a fentanyl analogue, two counts of possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, and one count of possession with intent to distribute a fentanyl mixture.
According to court documents, in June 2022, law enforcement in Fayette County attempted a traffic stop on a vehicle being driven by Wilkerson, but he refused to stop, resulting in a pursuit that endangered other motorists. Law enforcement was able to disable Wilkerson’s vehicle, but Wilkerson then fled on foot. After he was apprehended, officers located a firearm and 17 grams of flurofentanyl that Wilkerson had abandoned upon fleeing. The firearm was a Glock pistol, with a “Glock switch” that converts a semi-automatic pistol into a machinegun.
Law enforcement in Clark County encountered Wilkerson again in October 2022, when a vehicle was observed travelling over 100 mph on I-64. Law enforcement attempted a traffic stop, but the car accelerated and nearly struck multiple other vehicles. After crashing into a utility pole and fleeing on foot, Wilkerson was apprehended by law enforcement. During the foot chase, Wilkerson attempted to discard two bags of fentanyl and a firearm. Inside Wilkerson’s wrecked vehicle, law enforcement found more narcotics, cash, and numerous empty plastic bags.
Wilkerson pleaded guilty to the charges in May 2023.
Wilkerson has multiple prior convictions, including for robbery and drug trafficking. As a convicted felon, he was prohibited from possessing a firearm.
Under federal law, Wilkerson must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence; and upon his release, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for eight years.
Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Shawn Morrow, Special Agent in Charge, ATF, Louisville Field Division; Chief Lawrence Weathers, Lexington Police Department; and Sheriff Berl Perdue, Jr., Clark County Sheriff’s Office, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by ATF and the Lexington Police Department, and the Clark County Sherriff’s Office. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cindy Rieker.
This case was prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” Program (PSN), which is a nationwide, crime reduction strategy aimed at decreasing violent crime in communities. It involves a comprehensive approach to public safety — one that includes investigating and prosecuting crimes, along with prevention and reentry efforts. In the Eastern District of Kentucky, U.S. Attorney Shier coordinates PSN efforts in cooperation with various federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.
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Erie Resident Indicted on Charges Relating to the Sexual Exploitation of ChildrenRead the Press Release
ERIE, Pa. - A resident of Erie, Pennsylvania has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Erie on charges of violating federal laws relating to the sexual exploitation of children, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
The two-count Indictment named Darren Steven George Akers, 48, of Erie, Pennsylvania, as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment presented to the court, on or about March 9, 2023, Akers received and attempted to receive images depicting prepubescent minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Akers also possessed and accessed with intent to view child sexual abuse material from in and around May 2022, to in and around March 2023.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of 30 years in prison, a fine of $500,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Christian A. Trabold is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Pennsylvania State Police conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
East Hartford Man Sentenced to 8 Years for Multiple Gun and Drug OffensesRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JUSTIN GAY, 27, of East Hartford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to 96 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, for multiple gun and drug possession and trafficking offenses.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on July 6, 2016, Gay’s associate, Daniel Vazquez, shot a rival drug dealer who was driving a car at the intersection of Tolland Street and Moore Avenue in East Hartford. Vazquez was arrested on that date, and a search of his residence revealed a Ruger LC93 9mm handgun, which he had used in the shooting, and a Taurus 9mm handgun. The two firearms were traced to Minot, North Dakota.
The investigation revealed that Gay, Vazquez, and others trafficked firearms from North Dakota to Connecticut. In late June 2016, Gay, Vazquez, and others traveled to Minot where they purchased, sometimes with counterfeit currency, firearms from sellers who had advertised the guns for sale on a website. Gay and Vazquez then transported five firearms from North Dakota to Connecticut. Two of these five firearms were found in Vazquez’s residence on July 6, 2016. Several of the trafficked firearms were used in shootings in and around Hartford.
On December 8, 2016, East Hartford Police arrested Gay on state charges after he sold marijuana to an individual and was found in possession of one of the handguns he had obtained in North Dakota.
On September 1, 2019, Gay pleaded guilty in federal court to possession with intent to distribute marijuana, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and conspiracy to unlawfully transport firearms in interstate commerce.
On April 30, 2020, Gay, who had been detained while awaiting sentencing, was released on bond due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
On June 14, 2021, Gay was arrested after an investigation into drug trafficking by his roommate, Alexander Belen, led to a search of Gay’s vehicle. The search revealed a loaded 9mm handgun fitted with a “sear switch” that made the firearm fully automatic, a separate 50 round drum magazine, another loaded 9mm handgun, and distribution quantities of fentanyl, cocaine, and crack.
On April 20, 2023, Gay pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, receipt of a firearm by a person under indictment, and commission of offenses while on release.
Gay has been detained since June 14, 2021.
On March 5, 2019, Vazquez was sentenced to 84 months of imprisonment.
Belen has pleaded guilty and is awaiting sentencing.
The gun trafficking investigation was conducted by the ATF and East Hartford Police Department, with the assistance of the Connecticut Department of Correction and the Minot (N.D.) Police Department. The drug trafficking investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Hartford Task Force. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patricia Stolfi Collins and Brendan J. Keefe.
Dulce Man Pleads Guilty to Sexual Abuse of a MinorRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, announced that Amadius Archuleta pleaded guilty to sexual abuse of a minor. Archuleta, 23, of Dulce, and a Taos Pueblo Tribal Member, will remain in custody pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled.
According to court records, on July 2, 2022, Archuleta, who was 21 years old at the time, contacted a 14-year-old minor, Jane Doe, through Instagram and, after some conversation, asked to meet her. They met near her house before walking to Archuleta’s grandparents’ old house nearby. There, they both consumed alcohol and marijuana. Archuleta then initiated a sexual act with Jane Doe.
Later that night, Jane Doe’s father contacted the Taos Pueblo Department of Public Services (TPDPS) to report that his daughter was highly intoxicated. When TPDPS officers arrived, Jane Doe’s parents gave a female officer permission to interview their daughter in private. At that time, Jane Doe disclosed that Archuleta had sexually assaulted her.
In his plea agreement, Archuleta admitted that he knew Jane Doe was 14 years old and that he initiated a sexual act with her and recorded audio of the act on his phone.
At sentencing, Archuleta faces 15 years in prison followed by no less than 5 years, and up to life, of supervised release.
The Santa Fe Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Taos Pueblo Department of Public Safety. Assistant United States Attorney Alexander F. Flores is prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice (DOJ) to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and DOJ’s Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/.
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District Man Sentenced to Nearly 10 Years in Prison for Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Saadiq Logan, 22, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 117 months in prison and five years of supervised release for unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a person prohibited, and using, carrying, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Special Agent in Charge Wayne A. Jacobs, of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division, and Acting Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Logan pleaded guilty, on Dec. 15, 2022, in the U.S. District Court of the District of Columbia.
According to court documents, shortly after 6 p.m. on June 22, 2022, members of MPD’s Violent Crime Impact Team (VCIT), were patrolling in Southeast Washington when they observed Logan with a group of individuals standing around a Mercedes parked on the road. Logan was holding a backpack. As the officers exited their vehicle, Logan ran but tripped and fell, dropping the backpack. Officers recovered the backpack and found two firearms with multiple magazines. They also found a Glock 21 .45 caliber semi-automatic pistol in Logan’s waistband, equipped with a machine gun conversion device (a “switch”) which allows the pistol to shoot multiple rounds with a single pull of the trigger. The Glock 21 had one round chambered and 10 additional rounds in a 13-round capacity magazine.
Inside Logan’s backpack, law enforcement recovered the following:
• A loaded 7.62 caliber Micro-Draco semi-automatic pistol with one round in the chamber and 21 additional rounds in an unknown capacity magazine
• A loaded 9mm semi-automatic pistol with one round in the chamber and 22 additional rounds in a 31-round capacity magazine
• A 10mm magazine loaded with 10 rounds
• An unloaded .45 caliber magazine with 30-round capacity
• A .40 caliber drum magazine with 50-round capacity loaded with 22 rounds
Logan also was carrying a pill bottle containing 59 tablets determined to contain fentanyl.
On Aug. 5, 2022, while detained in the D.C. jail pending resolution of the current case, Logan assaulted an inmate and intentionally kicked the victim in the head multiple times during a fight. As a result of this incident, Logan was charged with simple assault in D.C. Superior Court. He pleaded guilty to that charge on June 20, 2023, and is awaiting sentencing.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and the FBI’s Washington Field Office.
The case was prosecuted by former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Allison McGuire and Assistant U.S. Attorney George Eliopoulos, with assistance from Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jordan Leiter, all members of the Violence Reduction and Trafficking Offenses Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
District Man Sentenced to 24 Years in Prison for 2021 Murder in Southeast Washington Apartment Building LobbyRead the Press Release
Defendant Shot Victim in Back After Confrontation Over Drug Sales to Victim’s Father
WASHINGTON – Shaka Haltiwanger, 24, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 24 years in prison for second-degree murder while armed, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and related charges stemming from the brazen mid-morning killing of Anthony Kelley in the lobby of an apartment building in Southeast Washington. The sentenced was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Acting Chief Pamela A. Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
A jury found Haltiwanger guilty on March 22, 2023. In addition to the 24-year prison term, the Honorable Rainey Brandt ordered three years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, just before 11:30 a.m. on September 10, 2021, 39-year old Anthony Kelley arrived at his father’s apartment building at 1400 29th Street SE, to take his father—who had suffered a stroke and could not drive—to the grocery store. When Mr. Kelley entered his father’s apartment, he found Haltiwanger on the living room couch. Haltiwanger had been regularly selling crack cocaine to Mr. Kelley’s father. Mr. Kelley confronted Haltiwanger and physically removed him from the apartment. Haltiwanger and Mr. Kelley continued to argue in the hallway and stairwell of the apartment building until Mr. Kelley separated himself and began to walk away toward the building’s front door. Haltiwanger then removed a 9 mm “ghost gun,” equipped with a 50-round magazine drum, from his backpack and shot Mr. Kelley once in the back. The gun jammed after the first shot, and Haltiwanger fled the scene. Haltiwanger and others then proceeded to call multiple eyewitnesses to the shooting more than a dozen times using blocked phone numbers while the eyewitnesses were speaking to law enforcement on scene.
Haltiwanger was arrested for the murder of Mr. Kelley on September 30, 2021, and has been in custody since. At the time of the murder, Haltiwanger was on pretrial release for a pending gun and drug case in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Acting Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the U.S. Marshals Service and FBI CAST team. They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sharon Donovan, Deputy Chief of the Homicide Section, and Dan Lenerz of the Appellate Section; Investigative Analyst Zachary McMenamin; Victim/Witness Advocate Jennifer Allen; Victim/Witness Security Specialists Robert Cephas, Marlon Hernandez, and Lesley Slade; Supervisory Victim/Witness Service Coordinator Katina Adams-Washington; Paralegal Specialists Meridith McGarrity and Grazy Rivera; and Supervisory Litigation Technology Specialist Leif Hickling.
Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gregory Kimak and Charles R. Jones, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
Danville Woman Sentenced to 22 Months in Federal Prison for Embezzling $1.7 Million from Public CompanyRead the Press Release
OAKLAND – Gina Suzanne Lonestar was sentenced to 22 months in federal prison in connection with a wire fraud scheme pursuant to which she embezzled over $1.7 million from her former employer, announced United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Special Agent in Charge Robert K. Tripp. The sentence was handed down by the Hon. Jon S. Tigar, United States District Judge.
Lonestar, 52, of Danville, Calif., pleaded guilty to the charge on May 19, 2023. According to her plea agreement, Lonestar admitted that, in December 2010, she devised a scheme to create a fake vendor to defraud Men’s Wearhouse and later Tailored Brands (Men’s Wearhouse’s parent company) of money by submitting and approving false invoices for the fake vendor to the accounts payable department. Lonestar created a document stating the vendor was a sole proprietorship associated with a family member and then began submitting and approving invoices falsely claiming the vendor was performing work at Men’s Wearhouse stores throughout California, such as inspections and handyman work. Lonestar admitted that she submitted and approved false invoices in the name of the fake vendor for approximately eight years, defrauding her employer of over $1.7 million, which was paid to her joint checking account. Lonestar admitted that the vendor did not exist and the family member with whom she co-owed the company performed none of the work for which she provided invoices.
At the time Lonestar devised the scheme, she was a Director in the Facilities Department of Men’s Wearhouse. During the relevant time period she was promoted to Senior Director of Facilities and Corporate Services and then to Vice President of Construction, Maintenance, and Facilities. In all of her roles, she had the authority to approve invoices for work done by vendors. Lonestar’s scheme ended in 2019 when the company discovered the conduct during an internal audit.
On September 8, 2022, a federal grand jury indicted Lonestar charging her with six counts of wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343. Pursuant to her plea agreement, Lonestar pleaded guilty to one count and the court dismissed the remaining counts during her sentencing hearing.
In addition to the 22-month sentence, Judge Tigar ordered Lonestar to pay a $1,736,216 forfeiture money judgment and to serve three years of supervised release which will begin after she leaves prison. Judge Tigar ordered that Lonestar begin serving her sentence on January 5, 2024. In addition, Judge Tigar scheduled a hearing for December 1, 2023, to determine issues regarding restitution.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Noah Stern with assistance from Elizabeth Kim and Kathleen Turner. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI.
D.C. Executive Pleads Guilty to Second Fraud Offense and Admits to Stealing more than $2 million from Former ClientsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Graham Hauck, 50, of Bethesda, Maryland, pleaded guilty today—for the second time in approximately four months—to stealing money from his clients. In May 2023, Hauck pleaded guilty to stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from one former client. Following that guilty plea, additional clients contacted the government to report that Hauck had stolen from them, too. Hauck even stole money from one client after his May 2023 guilty plea. In total, he misappropriated more than $2 million from eight clients. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division.
On May 10, 2023, Hauck pleaded guilty to wire fraud, which carries a statutory maximum of 20 years in prison. Today, he pleaded guilty to bank fraud, which carries a statutory maximum of 30 years in prison. As part of his plea agreements, Hauck must pay full restitution to the victims. He also will be liable for forfeiture money judgments. U.S. District Court Judge Rudolph Contreras accepted both of Hauck’s guilty pleas. Judge Contreras revoked Hauck’s bond last Thursday after he learned that Hauck had stolen money from one victim following the entry of his May guilty plea. Sentencing is scheduled in both cases for Feb. 28, 2024.
Hauck served as president and CEO of Hauck & Associates, Inc., (H&A) a trade association management firm based in Washington, D.C. The victim organizations retained H&A to serve as their management company. Hauck used his access to their financial accounts to steal more than $2 million from the eight victims.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kondi Kleinman with assistance from Financial Analyst Bryan Snitselaar, Paralegal Specialists Michon Tart and Marsha Cannon, and Supervisory Paralegal Specialist Catherine Chae.
Convicted Felon Indicted for Possessing Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A previously convicted felon has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston for allegedly possessing a firearm and ammunition.
Tarik Muhammad, 29, of Boston, was indicted on one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Muhammad was previously charged by criminal complaint on Aug. 10, 2023.
According to the charging documents, on the evening of Feb. 4, 2023, Muhammad was denied entry to the Encore Casino in Everett when security detected that he was carrying a firearm. Encore security alerted local law enforcement, but Muhammad left before they arrived. It is alleged that security cameras at the casino show Muhammad leaving in a blue Toyota Rav 4. The following day, a notice was dispatched to local law enforcement about the incident and with photos of Muhammad, the vehicle and license plate captured on casino security cameras.
On Feb. 6, 2023, law enforcement spotted Muhammad driving the Rav 4 in Roxbury and attempted to conduct a traffic stop. It is alleged that Muhammad fled, leading to a high-speed chase that ended when Muhammad crashed into an occupied, parked vehicle. Muhammad allegedly tried to flee on-foot but was apprehended. It is alleged that a loaded semi-automatic pistol was found in Muhammad’s waistband.
Muhammad is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition due to several felony convictions including a June 2022 conviction in U.S. District Court in Boston of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and cocaine base. Muhammad was on federal supervised release at the time of the alleged offenses announced today.
The charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition provides for a sentence of up to 15 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox; and Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Tolkoff of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit 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.
The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.
Computer System Administrator and Spouse Plead Guilty in Massive Scheme to Sell Pirated Business Telephone System Software LicensesRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY– A computer system administrator and his spouse pleaded guilty today to participating in a massive international scheme to make millions of dollars by selling pirated business telephone system software licenses. The entire scheme allegedly resulted in the sale of software licenses with a retail value of over $88 million.
According to court documents, Raymond Bradley Pearce, aka Brad Pearce, 48, and Dusti O. Pearce, 45, both of Tuttle, Oklahoma, conspired with Jason M. Hines, aka Joe Brown, Chad Johnson, and Justin Albaum, 43, of Caldwell, New Jersey to commit wire fraud in a scheme that involved generating and then selling unauthorized Avaya Direct International (ADI) software licenses. The ADI software licenses were then used to unlock features of a popular telephone system used by thousands of companies around the globe. The ADI software licensing system has since been decommissioned.
Avaya Holdings Corporation, a multinational business communications company headquartered in California, sold a product called IP Office, a telephone system used by many midsize and small businesses in the United States and abroad. To enable additional functionality of IP Office, such as voicemail or telephones, customers had to purchase software licenses – which Avaya generated – from an authorized Avaya distributor or reseller. Avaya used software license keys to control access to Avaya’s copyright-protected software and to ensure that only customers who paid for the software could use it. In addition, Avaya required that each software license on an IP Office system be associated with the system’s Avaya Secure Digital (SD) card – a small flash memory card with a unique serial number that plugged into the IP Office manager computer – which the end user had to keep in its possession to use the licenses.
Brad Pearce, a long-time customer service employee at Avaya, used his system administrator privileges to generate tens of thousands of ADI software license keys that he sold to Hines and other customers, who in turn sold them to resellers and end users around the globe. The retail value of each Avaya software license ranged from under $100 to thousands of dollars. Dusti Pearce handled accounting for the illegal business. Hines was by far the Pearces’ largest customer – buying over 55% of the stolen licenses – and significantly influenced how the scheme operated. Hines operated Direct Business Services International (DBSI), a de-authorized Avaya reseller, in New Jersey.
Brad Pearce also employed his system administrator privileges to hijack the accounts of former Avaya employees to generate additional ADI software license keys. Furthermore, he used these privileges to alter information about the accounts to conceal the fact that he was generating ADI license keys, preventing Avaya from discovering the fraud scheme for many years.
The Pearces’ and Hines’ operation not only prevented Avaya from making any money on its stolen intellectual property but also undercut the global market in Avaya ADI software licenses because the Pearces and Hines were selling licenses for significantly below the wholesale price. In fact, Brad Pearce told Hines that the Pearces’ customers could not obtain same-day ADI software licenses from anyone else for anything even close to the Pearces’ prices, and Hines suggested that he and Brad Pearce work together to “corner” the market in licenses. Altogether, the Pearces and Hines reaped millions of dollars from the fraud. To hide the nature and source of the money, the Pearces funneled their illegal gains through a PayPal account created under a false name to multiple bank accounts, and then transferred the money to numerous other investment and bank accounts. They also purchased large quantities of gold bullion and other valuable items.
Brad Pearce and Dusti Pearce pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. They both face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. Pursuant to the plea agreement, Brad Pearce and Dusti Pearce must forfeit a money judgment of at least $4 million as well as cash, gold, silver, collectible coins, cryptocurrency, and a vehicle. They must also make full restitution to their victims. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
In July, Hines pleaded guilty to conspiring with the Pearces.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester for the Western District of Oklahoma, and Special Agent in Charge Edward J. Gray of the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Julia E. Barry and William Farrior for the Western District of Oklahoma and Senior Counsel Matthew A. Lamberti of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section are prosecuting the case.
Computer System Administrator and Spouse Plead Guilty in Massive Scheme to Sell Pirated Business Telephone System Software LicensesRead the Press Release
A computer system administrator and his spouse pleaded guilty today to participating in a massive international scheme to make millions of dollars by selling pirated business telephone system software licenses. The entire scheme allegedly resulted in the sale of software licenses with a retail value of over $88 million.
According to court documents, Raymond Bradley Pearce, aka Brad Pearce, 48, and Dusti O. Pearce, 45, both of Tuttle, Oklahoma, conspired with Jason M. Hines, aka Joe Brown, Chad Johnson, and Justin Albaum, 43, of Caldwell, New Jersey, to commit wire fraud in a scheme that involved generating and then selling unauthorized Avaya Direct International (ADI) software licenses. The ADI software licenses were then used to unlock features of a popular telephone system used by thousands of companies around the globe. The ADI software licensing system has since been decommissioned.
Avaya Holdings Corporation, a multinational business communications company headquartered in California, sold a product called IP Office, a telephone system used by many midsize and small businesses in the United States and abroad. To enable additional functionality of IP Office, such as voicemail or telephones, customers had to purchase software licenses – which Avaya generated – from an authorized Avaya distributor or reseller. Avaya used software license keys to control access to Avaya’s copyright-protected software and to ensure that only customers who paid for the software could use it. In addition, Avaya required that each software license on an IP Office system be associated with the system’s Avaya Secure Digital (SD) card – a small flash memory card with a unique serial number that plugged into the IP Office manager computer – which the end user had to keep in its possession to use the licenses.
Brad Pearce, a long-time customer service employee at Avaya, used his system administrator privileges to generate tens of thousands of ADI software license keys that he sold to Hines and other customers, who in turn sold them to resellers and end users around the globe. The retail value of each Avaya software license ranged from under $100 to thousands of dollars. Dusti Pearce handled accounting for the illegal business. Hines was by far the Pearces’ largest customer – buying over 55% of the stolen licenses – and significantly influenced how the scheme operated. Hines operated Direct Business Services International (DBSI), a de-authorized Avaya reseller, in New Jersey.
Brad Pearce also employed his system administrator privileges to hijack the accounts of former Avaya employees to generate additional ADI software license keys. Furthermore, he used these privileges to alter information about the accounts to conceal the fact that he was generating ADI license keys, preventing Avaya from discovering the fraud scheme for many years.
The Pearces’ and Hines’ operation not only prevented Avaya from making any money on its stolen intellectual property but also undercut the global market on Avaya ADI software licenses because the Pearces and Hines were selling licenses for significantly below the wholesale price. In fact, Brad Pearce told Hines that the Pearces’ customers could not obtain same-day ADI software licenses from anyone else for anything even close to the Pearces’ prices, and Hines suggested that he and Brad Pearce work together to “corner” the market in licenses. Altogether, the Pearces and Hines reaped millions of dollars from the fraud. To hide the nature and source of the money, the Pearces funneled their illegal gains through a PayPal account created under a false name to multiple bank accounts, and then transferred the money to numerous other investment and bank accounts. They also purchased large quantities of gold bullion and other valuable items.
Brad Pearce and Dusti Pearce pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. They both face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. Pursuant to the plea agreement, Brad Pearce and Dusti Pearce must forfeit a money judgment of at least $4 million as well as cash, gold, silver, collectible coins, cryptocurrency, and a vehicle. They must also make full restitution to their victims. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
In July, Hines pleaded guilty to conspiring with the Pearces.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester for the Western District of Oklahoma, and Special Agent in Charge Edward J. Gray of the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI is investigating the case.
Senior Counsel Matthew A. Lamberti of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Julia E. Barry and William Farrior for the Western District of Oklahoma are prosecuting the case.
Colorado Woman Sentenced for 15 Pounds of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Angelica Ramos Torres Villa, 31, of Colorado Springs, Colorado, was sentenced today in federal court in Lincoln, Nebraska, for possessing with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of methamphetamine mixture. Senior United States District Judge John M. Gerrard sentenced Torres Villa to 96 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.
On June 26, 2022, deputies with the Seward County Sheriff’s Office stopped Torres Villa for a traffic violation. During the stop, a drug detection dog was deployed and indicated to the odor of drugs inside the vehicle. A subsequent search of the vehicle resulted in 15 pounds of methamphetamine found hidden behind removable panels. Torres Villa had injuries on her arms consistent with putting the methamphetamine in the hidden locations.
This case was investigated by the Seward County Sheriff’s Office.
Clearfield Woman Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A resident of Clearfield, PA pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of violating federal narcotics laws, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
Brittany Luzier, age 29, of Clearfield, PA, pleaded guilty to Count Two of the Superseding Indictment before Senior United States District Judge Kim R. Gibson.
In connection with the guilty plea, from July 2019 to June 2020, Luzier did conspire to distribute 5 grams or more of actual methamphetamine.
Judge Gibson scheduled sentencing for January 18, 2024. The law provides for a minimum sentence of 5 years in prison and a maximum of 40 years in prison, a fine of up to $5,000,000 or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Maureen Sheehan-Balchon is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Pennsylvania State Police conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Luzier. Additional agencies participating in this investigation include the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, the United States Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations, Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General, Clearfield County District Attorney’s Office, Erie County District Attorney’s Office, Millcreek Police Department, Erie Bureau of Police, and other local law enforcement agencies.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Chicago Man Sentenced to 8 Years in Prison for Armed Robbery of Sheldon BankRead the Press Release
A man who robbed the Iowa State Bank in Sheldon, Iowa, was sentenced today, to 8 years in federal prison.
Leon Sutton, age 38, from Chicago, Illinois, received the prison term after a May 17, 2023, guilty plea to bank robbery.
Evidence in the case showed that on June 3, 2021, Sutton entered the bank at approximately 12:00 p.m., armed with a handgun, and demanded money. Sutton was seen on video surveillance in a recently purchased car with no plates, canvasing the area. Sutton even entered the bank twice in the morning before the robbery. Sheldon officers were able to locate the previous owner of the car and traced it to Sutton, who after the robbery, fled to the Chicago area where he was apprehended.
Sutton was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand to 96 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
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.
Sutton is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was investigated by Sheldon, Iowa Police Department, and the FBI and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Forde Fairchild.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 22-4033.
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Chicago Man Sentenced to 13 Years in Federal Prison for Attempting to Smuggle Nearly 3 Kilograms of Fentanyl onto FlightRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – An Illinois man has been sentenced to 156 months in federal prison for checking a duffle bag containing nearly 3 kilograms of fentanyl at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), the Justice Department announced today.
Jermaine Eggleston, 35, of Chicago, was sentenced on Monday by United States District Judge Dale S. Fischer.
At the conclusion of a three-day trial in April 2022, a jury found Eggleston guilty of one count of distribution of fentanyl.
On September 14, 2020, an x-ray machine alerted LAX security to a checked black duffle bag as containing suspicious, potentially concealed explosives. The bag was routed to a Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officer for additional screening.
The officer opened the bag and found, inside a computer keyboard box, three parcels wrapped in tape, plastic wrap, and carbon paper. Eggleston checked the bag under his own name for a Los Angeles-to-New Orleans flight. Subsequent testing revealed that the parcels in total contained 2,986 grams of fentanyl.
Law enforcement estimates the fentanyl had a wholesale value of more than $250,000.
Airport police officers arrested Eggleston at his flight’s gate area. He was released from federal custody in October 2020, but in March 2021 he was arrested in Chicago while on pretrial release in this case for allegedly illegally possessing a firearm. He has remained in federal custody since that time.
“[Eggleston] sought to check luggage containing nearly three kilograms of fentanyl powder onto a plane – an act that, had [Eggleston] succeeded, would have risked the lives of not just the many eventual downstream users of the fentanyl, but also the passengers and crew of the plane,” prosecutors argued in a sentencing memorandum.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, TSA, and the Los Angeles Airport Police investigated this case.
Assistant United States Attorney Lyndsi C. Allsop of the Violent and Organized Crime Section prosecuted this case.
Charleston Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Che Dushon Lark, 48, of Charleston, pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute heroin and methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 6, 2020, Lark possessed a quantity of controlled substances containing methamphetamine and heroin that he intended to distribute in Charleston.
Lark is scheduled to be sentenced on December 11, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Charleston Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), and the assistance provided by the West Virginia State Police. MDENT is composed of the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Nitro Police Department, the St. Albans Police Department and the South Charleston Police Department.
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorneys Brian Parsons and Nowles Heinrich are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-84.
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Carbon County Man Pleads Guilty to Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Curtis Margle, age 33, of Lehighton, Carbon County, pleaded guilty on September 18, 2023, before U.S. District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani, to the charge of possession with intent to distribute more than 50 grams of crystal methamphetamine.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Margle admitted to possessing between 200 grams and 350 grams of high-quality crystal methamphetamine for distribution in the Schuylkill County and Carbon County areas in 2022. The charges stem from an investigation in which investigators made a purchase of crystal methamphetamine from Margle in March 2022 in Schuylkill County and then seized an additional quantity of crystal methamphetamine from Margle.
The charges against the defendant resulted from an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Schuylkill County Drug Task Force. Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. O’Hara 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.
The charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison. The maximum sentence under federal law is up to forty years in prison, a term of supervised release and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
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California Woman Sentenced to 19 Years in Prison for Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – A California woman was sentenced to 229 months in federal prison for conspiracy to possess 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.
Antonina Isabel Troyer, 41, of Yorba, Linda, CA, was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Gulfport.
According to court records, on December 29, 2021, DEA agents received information regarding the drug trafficking activities of Troyer in Long Beach, MS. The investigation revealed that Troyer was receiving multi-pound packages of methamphetamine from a source of supply in California. On January 12, 2022, Postal Inspectors notified DEA agents that they had intercepted a package addressed to Troyer that contained methamphetamine. On March 30, 2022, Postal Inspectors seized a similar package addressed to Troyer. The following day, DEA and USPS did a controlled delivery of the package to Troyer’s residence. Approximately 200 grams of methamphetamine were inside the package and Troyer was placed under arrest.
It was determined through the course of the conspiracy that Troyer was responsible for the sale of roughly 2.9 kilograms of methamphetamine in the Southern District of Mississippi.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the United States Postal Inspection Service.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Erica Rose.
California Woman Sentenced for Transporting 19 Pounds of CocaineRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Imelda Ambriz, 35, of Los Angeles, California, was sentenced today in federal court in Lincoln, Nebraska, for transporting cocaine. Senior United States District Judge John M. Gerrard sentenced Ambriz to 54 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After her release from prison, she will begin a three-year term of supervised release.
On September 17, 2022, a trooper with the Nebraska State Patrol was patrolling westbound on Interstate 80 near mile marker 349 when he observed a white Ford SUV traveling eastbound in the passing lane following another vehicle at a close and unsafe distance. The trooper caught up to the SUV and saw it exit at mile marker 353. The trooper initiated a traffic stop at a nearby truck stop in York County.
The trooper approached the SUV and identified the lone driver as Imelda Ambriz, who was taking short rapid breaths and her entire body was shaking. While questioning Ambriz during the stop, the trooper became suspicious of criminal activity and requested permission to search her vehicle, which Ambriz granted. A subsequent search revealed 19.9 pounds of cocaine hidden in the back of the vehicle’s seats.
This case was investigated by the Nebraska State Patrol.
California Real Estate Developer Sentenced to Federal Prison for Using Stolen Identities to Obtain Covid-Relief Program FundsRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A California real estate developer was sentenced to federal prison today for using stolen identities to fraudulently obtain more than $1.3 million in loans intended to help small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Alfred E. Nevis, 53, was sentenced to 70 months in federal prison and three years’ supervised release. Nevis was also ordered to pay more than $1.3 million in restitution to the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and to forfeit another $1.3 million to the United States Treasury.
According to court documents, from April 1, 2020, through at least August 6, 2020, Nevis used the identities of multiple individuals known to him—including current and former employees, business associates, and their spouses—to illegally obtain Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs) disbursed by the SBA. The EIDL program was one of several economic relief programs originally authorized by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES) passed in March 2020 to provide emergency financial assistance to American employers.
To facilitate his scheme, Nevis used the stolen identities to register straw corporations, obtain Employer Identification Numbers (EINs) from the IRS, and submit loan applications to SBA on behalf of the newly-registered corporations. In one instance, Nevis claimed a straw corporation called Isley Farms, registered in Oregon, had 12 employees and generated more than $725,000 in revenue in a 12-month period ending in January 2020.
Between April 1, 2020, and September 25, 2020, Nevis submitted at least 22 EIDL applications using the stolen identities of at least eight individuals. Together, these applications sought nearly $2.8 million from SBA. By August 2020, Nevis had obtained more than $1.3 million in EIDL payouts and laundered at least $160,000 of his ill-gotten gains.
On May 17, 2022, a federal grand jury in Portland returned an indictment charging Nevis with wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and money laundering. On May 2, 2023, he pleaded guilty to all three charges.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA), the SBA Office of Inspector General, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) Office of Inspector General, and the FBI. It was prosecuted by Ryan W. Bounds, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Justice Department’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Business Owner Sentenced for Illegally Tampering with Emissions ControlsRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – The owner of a Kirbyville, Mo., towing company was sentenced in federal court today for leading a conspiracy to illegally tamper with the emissions controls of the company’s diesel towing vehicles.
“This business owner intentionally polluted the air in southwest Missouri for more than a decade with massive amounts of cancer-causing toxins in violation of federal law,” said U.S. Attorney Teresa Moore. “He pursued personal profit at the expense of the environment and the health of his neighbors. And he brazenly continued dumping dangerous pollutants into the air, and ultimately into the lungs of everyone in the community, even after pleading guilty and being admonished by the court.”
Dennis Cleveland, 73, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to two years in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Cleveland to pay a $255,000 fine.
“The defendant in this case conspired to bypass and disable the emission control equipment on heavy-duty diesel engines,” said Special Agent in Charge Lance Ehrig of EPA’s criminal investigation program in Missouri. “This sentencing demonstrates that EPA will vigorously prosecute those who violate laws designed to protect our communities from harmful air pollution.”
Cleveland is the owner of Affordable Towing, a roadside, recovery, hauling, and mobile repair provider for commercial and private automobiles and vehicles throughout southwest Missouri. Affordable Towing utilized heavy-duty, commercial diesel trucks to tow and haul away vehicles to repair facilities.
On March 9, 2023, Cleveland pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to violate the Clean Air Act and one count of tampering with a Clean Air Act monitoring device. Cleveland admitted that, since 2011, he has directed his employees to physically disable emissions control components on multiple heavy-duty diesel tow trucks.
Each one of Cleveland’s 12 illegally altered tow trucks was responsible for releasing the equivalent pollution of 1,140 legally operating tow trucks, according to court documents. If each of these illegally modified tow trucks operated only once a day (which the investigation revealed occurred far more frequently) that would be the equivalent of 13,200 tow trucks that have legal emission systems being operated every day.
Even after being contacted by law enforcement in September 2022, Cleveland continued operating his illegally modified fleet of tow trucks. After pleading guilty, and being warned by the court that continuing such operations would violate federal law as well as his plea agreement, Cleveland never stopped using his illegally modified tow trucks. As a result, Cleveland’s bond was revoked on July 20, 2023, and he has since been detained in federal custody.
Cleveland conspired with Robert Dyche, 67, of Springfield, the owner and operator of Full Flash Tuning, which specializes in illegally tampering with the on-board diagnostic systems on these vehicles. Cleveland caused the Affordable Towing trucks to be tampered with to save money by avoiding maintenance expenses on emissions control systems and by spending less money on fuel.
This tampering is frequently referred to as “tuning” or “flashing” an on-board diagnostic system. One purpose for “tuning” is to allow the vehicles to continue to seemingly operate normally while the emissions control system is disabled, rather than forcing the vehicle’s engine into a state known as “limp mode,” which greatly limits the maximum speed of the vehicle, incentivizing the driver or owner to repair the malfunction. The use of “tuning” thereby serves to reduce the high costs associated with maintaining or repairing components of the emissions control systems on heavy-duty diesel trucks.
As a consequence of “tuning,” tampered vehicles spew substantially more deleterious pollutants such as nitrogen oxides (Nox), carbon monoxide (CO), non-methane hydrocarbons (NMHC), and particulate matter (PM) into the air, presenting a risk to the environment and public health.
Cleveland, through Affordable Towing, contracted with Dyche on multiple occasions to “tune” or “flash” the emissions control systems of Affordable Towing vehicles, thereby causing multiple fleet vehicles to be altered in such a way that the vehicles released pollutants into the air that far exceeded the legally allowable amounts under the Clean Air Act. Each diesel truck would continue to operate normally, as if the vehicle were operating in accord with existing Clean Air Act restrictions, rather than go into limp mode.
In addition to personally tuning Affordable Towing vehicles, Dyche, on multiple occasions, would take the vehicles to an unidentified entity in Rogersville, Mo., to “tune” the vehicles, for which he was compensated by Affordable Towing.
Dyche pleaded guilty on March 13, 2023, to one count of conspiracy to violate the Clean Air Act and awaits sentencing.
These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Carney. They were investigated by the Environmental Protection Agency.
Burlington Man Sentenced for Drug Trafficking OffensesRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont – The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont stated that on September 18, 2023, Kenneth Jackson, 69, of Burlington, Vermont, was sentenced in United States District Court in Burlington, Vermont to serve 48 months in prison after his guilty plea to one count of distribution of fentanyl and one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine and fentanyl. U.S. District Judge William K. Sessions III also ordered Jackson to serve a five-year term of supervised release and to pay a $200 special assessment.
According to court records and proceedings, in October and November 2022, Kenneth Jackson sold drugs from his car at City Hall Park in Burlington, Vermont. A confidential informant (CI) purchased cocaine, cocaine base, and fentanyl from Jackson on several occasions. Law enforcement arrested Jackson on November 10, 2022. During a search of Jackson incident to his arrest, law enforcement found approximately $1,950. During a search of Jackson’s car, law enforcement found approximately $5,500, fentanyl packaged for sale, cocaine base, and cocaine. Law enforcement also searched Jackson’s residence, during which was found additional amounts of fentanyl and cocaine base, a loaded Rossi .357 caliber revolver under the mattress in Jackson’s bedroom, and materials used to package drugs for sale.
At the sentencing hearing, Judge Sessions noted that he had previously sentenced Jackson for separate drug trafficking offenses that occurred in 1998 and 2007. Judge Sessions further observed that he found as an aggravating circumstance that Jackson “set up shop in public places, including the main city park in Burlington, Vermont,” for the distribution of drugs.
U.S. Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest commended the efforts of the Burlington Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Northern Vermont Drug Task Force, in the investigation and prosecution of Jackson.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Barbara A. Masterson handled the prosecution of Jackson. Assistant Federal Public Defender Sara M. Puls represented Jackson.
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.
Bronx Man Sentenced to 38 Years in Prison for 2018 Murder During Which He Shot the Victim’s Five-Year-Old SonRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that JOSHUA RODRIGUEZ, a/k/a “Suave,” was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jed S. Rakoff to 38 years in prison for the fatal shooting of Jaquan Millien on October 23, 2018. RODRIGUEZ shot and killed Millien in the Butler Houses in the Bronx, New York, in connection with a drug dispute. During the shooting, RODRIGUEZ shot Millien’s five-year-old son, who was with his father at the time. Thankfully, Millien’s son survived. RODRIGUEZ was convicted following a five-day trial before Judge Rakoff on June 6, 2023.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Inside of a residential building in the Bronx, Joshua Rodriguez targeted, ambushed, and callously murdered Jaquan Millien over a drug dispute. Worse still, Rodriguez shot and wounded Millien’s five-year-old son who was standing next to his father. Millien’s son’s gunshot wound has healed, but the scars from witnessing the brutal murder of his father will last a lifetime. Today’s lengthy sentence is yet another example of this Office’s promise to remain relentless in its prosecution of violent drug dealers.”
According to the evidence presented in court during the trial:
Between in or about 2012 and in or about 2018, JOSHUA RODRIGUEZ conspired with others to sell marijuana in an apartment building located at 1408 Webster Avenue (the “Apartment Building”). In connection with his narcotics dealing, on or about October 23, 2018, RODRIGUEZ followed Jaquan Millien and his son into the Apartment Building after Millien picked up his son from school. RODRIGUEZ cornered Millien and his son in the stairwell and fired multiple shots, killing Millien and hitting Millien’s son in the arm.
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In addition to his prison term, RODRIGUEZ, 31, of the Bronx, New York, was sentenced to five years of supervised release.
Mr. Williams thanked the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New York City Police Department for their outstanding work on the investigation.
The case is being prosecuted by the Office’s Violent and Organized Crime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mathew Andrews, Courtney Heavey, and Jim Ligtenberg are in charge of the prosecution, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist William Coleman.
Beloit Man Sentenced to 22 ½ Years for Sexual Exploitation of a ChildRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Everett Wescott, 32, of Beloit, Wisconsin was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 22 ½ years in federal prison for sexual exploitation of a child. This prison term will be followed by a 25-year term of supervised release. Wescott pleaded guilty to this charge on June 6, 2023.
Law enforcement began their investigation into Wescott after a 15-year-old victim disclosed to police that Wescott began sexually assaulting her when she was 12 years old. The victim detailed that Wescott transported her across state lines in order to have sex with her, and that he recorded himself having sexual intercourse with her using an iPhone. In an interview with FBI, Wescott admitted to the sexual relationship and to recording the sexual encounters.
At sentencing, Judge Conley stated that Wescott’s conduct “could hardly be more sinister” and warranted a lengthy sentence. Judge Conley also noted that the minor was especially vulnerable, which was something Wescott knew and then used to groom the victim.
The charge against Wescott was the result of an investigation conducted by the Beloit Police Department and Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Taylor L. Kraus prosecuted this case.
Bay Area Resident Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Producing Child Pornography and Engaging in Sex Trafficking of A MinorRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – Kenneth Orlando Sparks was sentenced to serve 15 years in prison for producing child pornography and for engaging in the sex trafficking of a minor, announced United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Special Agent in Charge Robert K. Tripp. The sentence was handed down by the Honorable Vince Chhabria, United States District Judge.
A jury convicted Sparks, 37, of Oakland, Calif., of the charges on March 20, 2023. The evidence at trial established that Sparks produced child pornography by recording multiple videos of himself having sex with a minor victim in July 2019. Further, the evidence demonstrated that Sparks engaged in sex trafficking of a minor for his actions enticing, recruiting, and transporting the minor victim to Oakland and San Francisco to engage in commercial sex work on “the Blade” (a generic term used to describe both cities’ commercial sex strips).
Trial evidence demonstrated Sparks had been warned about the minor victim’s age and nevertheless transported her to the Bay Area for commercial sex on three occasions after receiving the warning. Sparks provided the minor accommodation in the Bay Area, offered her advice and instruction while she was working on the Blade, and arranged to transport the minor to and from the Blade to facilitate her ability to engage in commercial sex.
A federal grand jury indicted Sparks on September 29, 2021, charging him with one count each of production of child pornography, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2251(a); sex trafficking of a minor, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1591(a)(1), (b)(2), (c); coercion and enticement of a minor, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2422(b); and receipt of child pornography, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2252(a)(2). The government dismissed the receipt of child pornography charge before trial and the jury acquitted Sparks of the enticement charge.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Chhabria ordered Sparks to serve five years of supervised release to begin after the prison term is completed.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ilham Hosseini and Alethea Sargent are prosecuting the case with the assistance of Veronica Hernandez and Megan Pagaduan. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI and San Francisco Police Department.
Atlanta meat market owner pleads guilty to $10 million food stamp fraudRead the Press Release
ATLANTA – Uttam Halder has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud arising from a $10 million scheme to purchase Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits from low-income recipients. After his arrest, Halder became a fugitive and attempted to flee to Istanbul, where he was apprehended by foreign authorities.
“The defendant exploited a program designed to provide nutritional assistance for needy citizens by enabling stores to pay cash to customers to redeem their food stamp benefits,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “His actions diverted millions of dollars in taxpayer funds for his personal gain. He also tried to evade the consequences of his actions by escaping abroad but was captured and arrested with the assistance of our international law enforcement partners.”
“This investigation and prosecution should send a strong zero-tolerance message to those individuals engaged in the practice of defrauding the taxpayer through SNAP,” said Miles Davis, Special Agent-in-Charge, USDA-Office of Inspector General. “It should also serve as a warning to all stores that participate in the SNAP program as vendors that fraud and trafficking (purchasing those benefits for cash and the sharing of Point-of-Sale terminals) will be vigorously investigated and prosecuted by the USDA-OIG, the U.S. Attorney's Office, and all its federal, state, and local partners that have a stake in ensuring that fraud is eliminated from taxpayer-funded programs.”
“Halder thought that his scheme to defraud the government and his attempt to evade prosecution would be successful, but thanks to HSI and its law enforcement partners, both here and abroad, he was sadly mistaken,” said HSI Atlanta acting Special Agent in Charge Travis Pickard, who oversees Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) operations in Georgia and Alabama. “Crime does not pay is the lesson we want others, contemplating scams, to take from this case and change their minds.”
According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, the charges and other information presented in court: Uttam Halder owned and operated a small meat market in Atlanta called Big Daddy’s Discount Meat (“Big Daddy’s”). Halder enrolled Big Daddy’s as a retailer for the USDA’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (“SNAP”) in 2014. SNAP, formerly known as the Food Stamp Program, is designed to alleviate hunger among low-income families by providing benefits on Electronic Benefit Transfer (“EBT”) cards that can be exchanged for eligible food items.
Between 2015 and 2020, Halder loaned his EBT terminals to two stores, Food World and Big Brother Mini Supermarket, contrary to SNAP rules. Co-conspirator Paltu Roy, the operator of Big Brother Mini Supermarket, and another co-conspirator who operated Food World agreed to share profits with Halder from Big Daddy’s terminals used illegally at those stores. After receiving Big Daddy’s EBT terminals, both stores made cash payments to customers in return for redeeming their SNAP benefits at the rate of roughly 50 cents on the dollar. During this six-year period, Big Daddy’s terminals collected more than $10 million in fraudulent redemptions of SNAP benefits, and Halder shared a substantial portion of the profits.
Following his arrest in January 2021, Halder was released on bond. Contrary to his bond conditions, Halder fled and became a fugitive in late 2022. In June 2023, foreign authorities in Turkey located Halder when he attempted to enter Istanbul from Cancun, Mexico with a fake passport. Halder was returned to the United States and placed into custody.
Uttam Halder, 42, of Decatur, Georgia, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of failure to appear. The sentencing is scheduled for January 30, 2024, before U.S. District Court Judge Michael L. Brown.
His co-conspirator, Paltu Roy, 51, of Stone Mountain, Georgia, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud on December 9, 2021. Judge Brown sentenced Roy on April 20, 2022, to three years and one month in prison, three years of supervised release, and a special assessment of $100 and ordered him to pay $3,071,235 in restitution to the USDA.
This case is being investigated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General and Homeland Security Investigations.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathan P. Kitchens is prosecuting the case.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Athens, Georgia, Career Offender Sentenced to Prison for Federal CrimesRead the Press Release
ATHENS, Ga. – A federal career offender with a lengthy criminal history in the Athens community to include multiple aggravated assault and controlled substance convictions was sentenced to serve 18 years in federal prison this week after he admitted to drug trafficking charges.
Wayne L. McKinley, 36, of Athens, was sentenced as a career offender to serve 220 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release after he pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of heroin and one count of distribution of cocaine before U.S. District Judge C. Ashley Royal on Sept. 18. McKinley is not eligible for parole.
“Federal prosecutors will not turn a blind eye to repeat criminal activity by violent offenders in Athens or elsewhere in the Middle District of Georgia,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “Our office will continue to collaborate with local law enforcement to hold repeat criminals accountable for their continued crimes.”
“Repeat offenders pose serious threats to public safety in our communities,” said Keri Farley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “McKinley’s history of continued criminal activity demonstrates his lack of concern for the welfare of others and his disregard for the law.”
According to court documents, FBI confidential informants contacted McKinley to purchase heroin and cocaine from him in May 2016. The informants agreed to meet McKinley at an apartment complex on Fourth Street in Athens. Under surveillance, McKinley sold the illegal drugs to the informants, and was taken into custody.
McKinley has prior criminal convictions in the Athens-Clarke County community for aggravated assault, distribution of controlled substances, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, robbery by sudden snatching, terroristic threats and criminal trespassing.
This case was investigated by the FBI Middle Georgia Safe Streets Gang Task Force, the Northeast Georgia Regional Drug Task Force and the Athens-Clarke County Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike Morrison prosecuted the case for the Government.
Anchorage Man Sentenced to 14 Years for Trafficking Fentanyl, MethRead the Press Release
FAIRBANKS, Alaska – An Anchorage man was sentenced on Sept. 5 to 14 years in prison for distributing large quantities of controlled substances in Alaska.
According to court documents, Darrell Latory Moss Sr, 45, sold over 1,300 grams of methamphetamine and 100 fake prescription pills containing fentanyl over a three-month period.
The defendant was arrested in Bethel, Alaska, in March 2023. The defendant pleaded guilty to one count of distributing a controlled substance, in violation of 21 U.S.C.§841(a)(1). Moss was sentenced to 14 years in federal prison, five years’ supervised release, and he is required to forfeit two vehicles and over $8,500 cash.
”Mr. Moss’s sentence brings us another step closer in our efforts to keep Alaskans safe,” said U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker for the District of Alaska. “Drugs are affecting communities and villages large and small and create serious public safety issues. Our office will continue to prioritize working with our Federal, State and local law enforcement partners to identify, investigate and prosecute people who choose to push dangerous drugs out into our communities. Their actions will not be tolerated.”
“This defendant sought to financially gain from distributing dangerous drugs, including deadly fentanyl pills disguised as oxycodone pills, at the expense of Alaska’s communities,” said Special Agent in Charge Antony Jung of the FBI Anchorage Field Office. “This sentencing ensures accountability for those crimes, and is a result of law enforcement partnerships across Alaska working to keep illicit drugs out of our communities.”
The FBI Anchorage Field Office, with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), IRS Criminal Investigation, Alaska State Troopers, Anchorage High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) team, Fairbanks HIDTA team and Mat-Su Valley HIDTA team investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Carly Vosacek and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Tansey prosecuted the case.
This investigation and prosecution were part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (“OCDETF”), which 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.
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ATM Machine Heists Land Four Individuals in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States District Judge Roy B. Dalton, Jr. has sentenced the remaining four defendants in a series of bank ATM machine thefts. Each of the individuals previously pleaded guilty to bank burglary for their role in the thefts, which targeted five banks in Central Florida and resulted in $593,650 being stolen and over $100,000 in damages to the five ATM machines. Details for the four defendants are listed below:
Name
Date of Plea
Sentencing Date
Sentence Imposed
Deontrae Walden
(23, Orlando)
1/18/23
9/18/23
3 years, 6 months
Aqunis Green
(24, Houston, TX)
5/18/23
9/18/23
18 months, consecutive to 46 months imposed on related case in Texas
Carlos Tawan Reed, Jr. (23, Orlando)
11/28/22
3/6/23
4 years, 3 months
Wendell Harp
(24, Orlando)
12/16/22
4/11/23
2 years, 6 months
According to court records, Walden, Green, Reed, and Harp engaged in a spree of ATM burglaries at five Chase Bank locations in the Orlando area. During each of the burglaries, the men used a stolen pickup truck and attach chains to rip the casing from the ATM machines and steal the cash boxes inside.
In October 2022, Green came to Orlando and showed Walden how to commit the first two offenses. Together they stole $104,000 from a bank ATM on East Colonial Drive in Orlando on October 26, 2021, and $158,000 from a bank ATM on Conroy Road in Windermere on November 11, 2021. Green is currently serving a 46-month federal sentence for similar conduct in the Eastern District of Texas. His 18-month sentence has been ordered to run consecutive to that previous sentence in Texas.
On November 14 and December 18, 2021, Walden burglarized two more bank ATMs. During the November 14 offense, Walden stole $108,140 from the bank on South Semoran Boulevard in Orlando. During the December 18 burglary, Walden netted $107,180 from the bank on SR 436 in Casselberry.
In the fifth heist on May 26, 2022, Walden recruited Reed and Harp to help him burglarize the ATM located on East Colonial Drive in Orlando. They stole $116,650 but were caught by law enforcement officers who were surveilling them. Deputies from the Orange County Sheriff’s Office had pursued them on the ground and from the air. Reed failed to stop and led police on a high-speed chase, which ended when deputies deployed spike strips and disabled the car. Reed, Harp, and Walden bailed from the car and attempted to flee on foot but were quickly apprehended. The deputies recovered the stolen money from the fifth burglary from the vehicle.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, the Orlando Police Department, the Casselberry Police Department, and the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael P. Felicetta.
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.
18 September 2023
Woodbridge Residents Ordered to Pay $336,356 for Defrauding the Paycheck Protection ProgramRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – On September 7, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia entered a judgment that ordered Bernice Suppey, 40, and Kwaku Adubofour, 42, of Woodbridge, to pay $336,356 based on their fraudulent applications for multiple loans through the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).
“The Paycheck Protection Program has been a critical lifeline to small businesses and workers during the COVID-19 crisis,” said U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Aber. “EDVA is committed to using all enforcement tools – both civil and criminal – to hold accountable anyone who took advantage of the program for personal gain.”
“This recovery is a direct result of the concerted efforts of SBA and the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia to investigate claims of fraud in SBA’s COVID-relief programs and to recover funds lost through fraud from individuals and companies that engage in such activities,” said SBA’s General Counsel, Therese Meers.
The PPP offered loans to eligible small businesses for economic relief during the COVID-19 pandemic. PPP borrowers were required to provide their income and supporting documents to calculate and confirm the loan amount.
Suppey and Adubofour obtained four PPP loans by submitting applications with inflated income and fabricated tax documents to SBA-authorized lenders. Based on these fraudulent applications, the Court found Suppey and Adubofour liable for violating the False Claims Act, conspiring to violate the False Claims Act, and for violating the Financial Institutions Reform, Recover, and Enforcement Act (FIRREA).
The outcome in the case was the result of a coordinated effort between the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia and the Small Business Administration’s Office of Litigation.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys William Hochul III and Kristin Starr.
The case caption is United States v. Suppey, No. 1:22-cv-00279-CMH-IDD. A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.
Wilson Man Pleads Guilty to Drug and Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Kevin S. Wise, Jr., 33, of Wilson, NY, pleaded guilty before Senior U.S. District Judge William M. Skretny to possession with intent to distribute marijuana, being a user of a controlled substance in possession of firearms, and being a felon in possession of firearms. The charges carry a maximum penalty of life in prison and a $1,000,000 fine.
On September 6, 2020, Wise was arrested following a traffic stop on a domestic complaint for two counts of Aggravated Harassment. Subsequently, a search warrant was executed at his two residences on Youngstown Road in Wilson, including vehicles located on the properties. During the searches, investigators recovered 23 firearms, 18,446 rounds of ammunition, ammunition, firearms parts, approximately 374 grams of marijuana, a quantity of MDA, psilocybin mushrooms, two digital scales, and $2,717.00 in U.S. currency. Law enforcement also located 11 marijuana plants and observed multiple trail cameras positioned throughout the back yard, woods, and location of the marijuana plants. Wise admits that, at the time of his possession of the firearms, he was an unlawful user of marijuana and methamphetamine.
On August 1, 2022, investigators executed another search warrant at one of Wise’s Youngstown Road residences in Wilson. Wise was on federal pre-trial release at the time of the search. During the search, law enforcement recovered seven additional firearms, approximately 3,692 rounds of ammunition, numerous firearms parts and accessories, drug paraphernalia and suspected marijuana and THC products. Wise was convicted of a felony in Niagara County in October 2014 and is legally prohibited from possessing a firearm.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Niagara County Sheriff’s Office Drug Task Force, under the direction of Sheriff Michael Filicetti; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge John B. Devito, New York Field Division; and Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Scarpinato.
Sentencing is scheduled for December 13, 2023, at 9:00 a.m. before Judge Skretny.
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Willowbrook Man Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison for Bank Robberies He Committed While on Supervised Release for Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A Willowbrook man was sentenced today to 60 months in federal prison for robbing three banks during a six-day crime spree while he was on supervised release for bank robbery convictions over a decade ago.
Rickey Lewis, 54, was sentenced by United States District Judge Christina A. Snyder, who also ordered him to pay $4,035 in restitution.
Lewis pleaded guilty in September 2022 to three counts of bank robbery and one count of attempted bank robbery.
From January 22 to January 28, 2019, Lewis stole a total of $4,035 in cash by robbing two JPMorgan Chase bank branches in Gardena and an International City Bank branch in Long Beach. Lewis also attempted to rob a Bank of America branch in Downey.
During the robberies, Lewis threatened to shoot bank tellers – though it was not apparent that he was carrying a firearm – and he had clear tape on his fingers. In fear for their lives, the bank tellers handed over the cash.
According to an affidavit filed with a criminal complaint in this case, law enforcement recovered a partial palm print recovered from the Long Beach bank robbery that matched Lewis’ palm print.
While he committed the January 2019 bank robbery spree, Lewis was on supervised release for bank robbery convictions he sustained after he pleaded guilty in February 2006 to a month-long spree in which he robbed six banks in South Los Angeles and Inglewood.
The FBI investigated this matter with the assistance of the Long Beach Police Department, the Downey Police Department, the Gardena Police Department, and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
Assistant United States Attorneys Patrick Castañeda of the International Narcotics, Money Laundering, and Racketeering Section and Kevin J. Butler of the Violent and Organized Crime Section prosecuted this case.
West Virginia man sentenced for child pornography chargeRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Jerry Wayne Ricketts, age 43, of Martinsburg, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 235 months in federal prison for possession of child pornography.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Ricketts used the Kik app on his phone to upload images and videos of child pornography. Officers conducted a search of his home and another home in which he uploaded some of the images. Ricketts admitted to using both residences to upload images and videos and accessing the dark web. A review of his phone revealed more than 600 images and videos of child pornography, including minors under the age of 12.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberley Crockett prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.
The West Virginia State Police investigated.
U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.