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14 September 2023
Zuni Man Charged with Firearms OffenseRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced today that Daryl Jay Dickson appeared in federal court on an indictment charging him with being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Dickson, 37 years old, of Zuni, and an enrolled member of the Zuni Pueblo, will remain in custody pending a detention hearing set for Monday, September 18, 2023.
According to court documents, Dickson allegedly possessed a firearm and ammunition knowing he was previously convicted in New Mexico state court of a felony offense. Dickson was also prohibited from possessing a firearm and ammunition because he was an unlawful user of or addicted to any controlled substance.
An indictment is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Dickson faces up to 10 years imprisonment and up to three years of supervised release thereafter.
The Zuni Police Department investigated the case with the assistance of Zuni Fish and Wildlife and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary C. Jones is prosecuting the case.
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23-224
Yuba City Man Pleads Guilty to Unlawfully Possessing and Selling GunsRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Billy Glyn Sims Jr., 29, of Yuba City, pleaded guilty today to one count of unlawfully dealing in firearms without a license and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, between April 1, 2022, and March 9, 2023, Sims, who is not a licensed firearms dealer, unlawfully engaged in the business of dealing in firearms. In three separate transactions in motel and apartment complex parking lots, Sims sold an FBI confidential source a Mossberg Shotgun, a Ruger single-action revolver, and a black powder revolver and a box containing .45 caliber ammunition. The transactions occurred in Yuba, Yolo, and Sutter Counties. At least one of the transactions occurred after Sims became aware that the source was a “double felon” and thus prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition. Sims also offered to sell the source several other firearms, including an AR-15 assault rifle, although these transactions were never completed. Sims was prohibited from possessing any firearms because of his own prior felony convictions, including for domestic violence and burglary.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin L. Lee and Dhruv M. Sharma are prosecuting the case.
Sims is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Daniel J. Calabretta on January 18, 2024. He faces a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for unlawfully dealing in firearms, and 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results
Woman Charged with Armed Trespass onto Kennedy Space CenterRead the Press Release
Orlando, FL –United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Katie Jeane Mahai (41, Ocala) with armed trespass, fleeing and eluding law enforcement officers, and unlawfully bringing a firearm onto Kennedy Space Center. If convicted on all counts, Mahai faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison.
According to the indictment, Mahai violated National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) regulations in place for the protection and security of the Kennedy Space Center, which is within the special territorial jurisdiction of the United States. Specifically, on February 10, 2023, Mahai unlawfully entered a secured NASA area, armed with a firearm. Additionally, Mahai is charged with fleeing and eluding law enforcement during the same incident, while driving at a high rate of speed and in a manner which demonstrated a wanton disregard for the safety of persons or property.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the NASA Office of Inspector General, Kennedy Space Center Security Police Officers, and the Titusville Police Department. It will be prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Rachel S. Lyons.
Wichita Man Pleads Guilty to Carrying Firearm While Trafficking DrugsRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN.– A Kansas man pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a firearm during a drug trafficking offense.
According to court documents, Grant Lubbers, 37, of Wichita was arrested in April 2021 in Andover, Kansas. Law enforcement had been investigating Lubbers for fentanyl trafficking. Using a search warrant, agents searched Lubbers' vehicle and found a backpack containing approximately 3,000 pills that later tested positive for fentanyl, $22,000 in cash, and a firearm.
Lubbers is scheduled to be sentenced on November 29, 2023, and faces a maximum sentence of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Smith is prosecuting the case.
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Wedgefield Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearm and Fentanyl ChargesRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA — Martez Mandel Coleman, 44, of Wedgefield, pleaded guilty in federal court to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition and possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and a quantity of marijuana.
Evidence presented to the court showed that on the evening of October 10, 2022, a deputy with the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office conducted a traffic stop of a Mercedes. When the deputy approached the vehicle, he smelled marijuana and saw a baggy of what he believed to be illegal narcotics on the center console. Coleman was identified as the driver and sole occupant of the car.
Coleman admitted to having marijuana and a gun in the car. Deputies recovered a loaded 9mm handgun and several baggies of fentanyl and marijuana. A drug analysis later showed that it was approximately 126 grams of fentanyl and approximately 47 grams of marijuana. The investigation revealed the gun as having been previously reported as stolen in Florence.
Federal law prohibits Coleman from possessing firearms and ammunition based on his 2001 federal convictions for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribution of 50 grams or more of crack cocaine and 5 kilograms or more of cocaine; possession with intent to distribute/distribution of crack cocaine; murder in relation to felony drug offense; and using/carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime, causing death of a person through use of firearm.
He faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000 on the gun charge and a mandatory minimum of 10 years with a maximum of life, along with a fine of $8,000,000, on the drug charge. He also faces a term of supervision of at least 8 years.
Coleman was on federal supervised release at the time of the October 2022 incident and faces up to two additional years in prison for violating the terms of supervision.
Senior United States District Judge Joseph F. Anderson, Jr. accepted the guilty plea and will sentence Coleman after receiving and reviewing a sentencing report prepared by the United States Probation Office.
This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Sumter County Sheriff’s Office, and South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED). Assistant U.S. Attorney Stacey D. Haynes is prosecuting the case.
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Washington man lands prison time for attempting to coerce minor for sexual activity in undercover investigationRead the Press Release
MISSOULA — Kenton Alan Shaull, a 59-year-old Washington man who traveled to Missoula expecting to meet a child for sex, was sentenced today, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy sentenced Shaull to 10 years in prison followed by 15 years of supervised release. The defendant pleaded guilty to attempted coercion and enticement of a minor in April 2023 after he had been arrested in an undercover investigation.
The government alleged in court documents and in statements in court that from January to May 2022, Shaull used his cellular phone to communicate on an internet-based social media service with a profile he believed belonged to a child, identified as “E,” who was under the age of 14. Shaull reaffirmed multiple times his belief that “E” was a child under the age of 14. Shaull also expressed his desire to engage in sexual activity with “E” and sent several sexually explicit videos of himself. Shaull further expressed his desire to meet “E” in person for sexual activity and traveled to Missoula on May 14, 2022 to meet with “E” at a pre-determined location, where law enforcement officers arrested him.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian C. Lowney prosecuted the case. The FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force and Missoula County Sheriff’s Office investigated the 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 U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Wilson County Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Federal Prison on Child Exploitation ChargesRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE –Edward Alan Kuiper, 39, of Watertown, Tennessee, was sentenced today to 30 years in federal prison for the attempted production, production, and possession of child pornography, announced United States Attorney Henry C. Leventis for the Middle District of Tennessee. That term of imprisonment will be followed by a lifetime of supervised release.
In 2020, the defendant repeatedly victimized two girls under the age of 12. He placed a hidden camera in a bathroom and took videos of both girls using the bathroom. He also took sexually explicit videos of the girls. The defendant kept those videos on his phone, along with over 8,000 images and 1,500 other videos that constituted child pornography.
A federal grand jury indicted the defendant in 2021 on two counts of attempted production of child pornography, four counts of production of child pornography, and one count of possession of child pornography. On November 28, 2022, he pled guilty to all seven counts in the indictment.
“Today’s sentence ensures that the defendant will not pose a risk to children for at least the next three decades,” said United States Attorney Henry C. Leventis. “We are grateful for the excellent work done in this case by our partners at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the Wilson County Sheriff’s Office.”
“The sentencing of this predator validates HSI’s commitment to investigate and prosecute those who sexually exploit the innocence of our children,” said HSI Nashville Special Agent in Charge Rana Saoud. “We must remain vigilant as digital technology makes it easier for criminals to engage in this type of deviant behavior. We will continue to work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to target those who prey upon the vulnerability of our children.”
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations and the Wilson County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert S. Levine prosecuted this case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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West Virginia Man Sentenced to More Than 22 Years in Federal Prison on Child Exploitation ChargesRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE –Shaun J. Sanders, 45, of Morgantown, West Virginia, was sentenced yesterday to 22 1/2 years in federal prison for the attempted sexual exploitation of a minor, announced United States Attorney Henry C. Leventis for the Middle District of Tennessee. That term of imprisonment will be followed by a lifetime term of supervised release.
In July 2022, the defendant, who was a registered sex offender, communicated with an FBI online covert employee, who was posing as a thirteen-year-old female, on an online dating platform. The defendant engaged in sexually explicit chats with the online covert employee, sent the online covert employee an explicit photo of himself, and requested nude photos and videos of the person he believed to be a minor female.
A federal grand jury indicted the defendant in 2022 on one count of attempted sexual exploitation of a minor, one count of attempted transfer of obscene material to an individual under the age of sixteen, and the penalty for registered sex offenders. On May 8, 2023, he pled guilty to attempted sexual exploitation of a minor.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Monica R. Morrison prosecuted this case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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Virginia man convicted of exporting heavy equipment to Iran in violation of U.S. sanctions lawsRead the Press Release
ATLANTA – A federal jury has convicted Jalal Hajavi of conspiring to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (“IEEPA”) and the Iranian Transactions and Sanctions Regulations (“ITSR”), smuggling goods from the United States, unlawfully exporting and reexporting goods from the U.S. to Iran without a license, and unlawfully engaging in transactions and dealings based on his participation in a scheme to unlawfully export heavy equipment from the U.S. to Iran by routing the shipments though the United Arab Emirates.
“Hajavi chose to leverage his Florida business to illegally export materials to Iran rather than to lawfully contribute to the U.S. economy,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “The U.S. trade sanctions against Iran exist to help keep our country and citizens safe. Those who seek to profit by evading these prohibitions will be held accountable.”
“Falsifying export documents in an attempt to obfuscate the transshipment of U.S. commodities through the United Arab Emirates to Iran is a serious violation of U.S. export laws, and will be vigorously investigated,” said John Johnson, Special Agent in Charge, Office of Export Enforcement’s Miami Field Office. “By disrupting illicit procurement networks, we continue to deny U.S. dual-use commodities to countries such as Iran that threaten U.S. national security interests.”
According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, the charges, and other information presented in court: Hajavi, through his company JSH Heavy Equipment, LLC, conspired with an individual in Iran to export U.S. heavy machinery indirectly to Iran without first obtaining the required licenses from the Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”). Hajavi orchestrated the scheme by locating heavy equipment for sale, such as bobcats and wheel loaders, and sending information about the equipment to his co-conspirator in Iran. Hajavi purchased the items from U.S. sellers and used freight forwarding companies to ship the heavy equipment from the U.S. to the U.A.E. Hajavi falsely claimed that the items were destined for his U.A.E. customers, which typically were general trading companies located in free trade zones in the U.A.E. But in truth, Hajavi intended for his Iranian co-conspirator to transship those items from the U.A.E. to Iran in circumvention of the U.S. export licensing requirement.
Utilizing this scheme, Hajavi purchased an Ingersoll Rand blasthole drill from a U.S. company. The drill is a type of heavy machinery used to create holes in the ground that are usually then filled with controlled charges. In a sham transaction, Hajavi sold the drill to a U.A.E. company that, in turn, provided the drill to Hajavi’s Iranian co-conspirator, who shipped the tool to Iran.
In addition to evading OFAC licensing requirements, Hajavi concealed his activities with his Iranian co-conspirator by causing false information to be entered into the Automated Export System (“AES”), a U.S. government database containing information about exports from the United States. Hajavi hired a U.S. freight forwarder to arrange the drill’s export from the U.S. to the U.A.E. As part of the shipping process, the freight forwarder submitted information to AES about the shipment, including the ultimate consignee’s name and the ultimate delivery destination. Hajavi lied to the freight forwarder by claiming that the U.A.E. company was the ultimate consignee and that the ultimate delivery destination was the U.A.E. In fact, Hajavi’s co-conspirator in Iran was the true recipient and Iran was the ultimate delivery destination.
Sentencing for Jalal Hajavi, 59, of Sterling, Virginia, is scheduled for December 14, 2023, at 10:00 a.m. before U.S. District Judge Thomas W. Thrash.
This case is being investigated by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security, Office of Export Enforcement.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracia M. King and Trial Attorney Emma Dinan Ellenrieder of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are 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.
Unlicensed Firearms Dealer Pleads Guilty to Multiple Weapons ChargesRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO –Craig Bolland pleaded guilty to crimes he committed related to his storage and sale of a firearms arsenal he maintained in his San Francisco home, announced United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey and Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Special Agent in Charge Jennifer Cicolani. The guilty plea was accepted by the Hon. Vince Chhabria, United States District Judge.
In his plea agreement, Bolland admitted he was involved in the business of manufacturing and selling firearms from at least June 2021 through May 30, 2023, the date of his arrest. Bolland admitted that he engaged in these activities even though he previously had been convicted of a felony and therefore was prohibited from possessing firearms.
According to his plea agreement, Bolland admitted that he manufactured his own firearms using parts he had shipped to himself. He also used manufacturing equipment—including a 3D printer, a drill press, and a machine called a Ghost Gunner 3—to fabricate privately manufactured “ghost guns” (both pistols and rifles) which lacked serial numbers. In addition to manufacturing his own guns, Bolland admitted he used his equipment to modify pre-existing firearms. Modifications included installing “switches” to enable semi-automatic firearms to become fully-automatic firearms.
In addition to illegally manufacturing firearms, Bolland admitted that he also sold the weapons although he did not have a license to do so. Bolland admitted he sold dozens of commercially manufactured firearms and at least five firearms that he manufactured himself privately. Some of the firearms Bolland possessed for sale had obliterated serial numbers. The plea agreement describes how Bolland accepted payment for the firearms in cash, cryptocurrency, and narcotics and how Bolland had reason to believe some of his customers were involved in criminal activity of their own and were legally prohibited from possessing firearms. Moreover, in addition to selling firearms that he manufactured and acquired for resale, Bolland acknowledged in his plea agreement that he also brokered multiple firearms and ammunition sales between other buyers and sellers. Bolland admitted he received a commission for brokering such deals.
Bolland was convicted of a felony in 2007 and therefore was prohibited from lawfully possessing firearms and ammunition. Nevertheless, Bolland admitted that at the time of his arrest he possessed hundreds of rounds of pistol and rifle ammunition, more than a dozen firearm frames and receivers, at least four pistols and an AR-15 style 5.56mm caliber rifle.
On August 2, 2023, a federal grand jury indicted Bolland, charging him with the following crimes:
Count
Charge
Statute
Maximum Statutory Penalty
One
Manufacturing and dealing firearms without a license
18 U.S.C. § 922(a)(1)(A)
5 years
Two
Felon in possession of a firearm
18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1)
15 years
Three
Possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number
18 U.S.C. § 922(k)
5 years
Four
Possession of a machinegun
18 U.S.C. § 922(o)
10 years
Pursuant to the plea agreement, Bolland pleaded guilty to all four counts. In addition to the penalties listed above, as part of any sentence, Judge Chhabria may order the defendant to serve an additional period of supervised release and to pay a fine of $250,000 per count. However, the court will impose a sentence only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
Bolland has been in custody since the date of his arrest. Judge Chhabria has scheduled Bolland’s sentencing for December 6, 2023.
Assistant United States Attorney George Hageman is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Carolyn Young and Amala James. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the ATF and the San Francisco Police Department.
U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Kentucky Celebrates Funding Awarded to the Kentucky Justice & Public Safety Cabinet for the Continued Fight to Combat Violence Against WomenRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – United States Attorney Michael A. Bennett joins the United States Department of Justice, and Office on Violence Against Women (OVW), in commemorating of the 29th anniversary of the original enactment of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA).
VAWA’s signature program is the STOP (Services, Training, Officers, and Prosecutors) Violence Against Women Formula Grants Program, which awards funds to every U.S. state and territory to promote a coordinated community response among law enforcement, prosecution, courts, victim services organizations, and other community services to ensure the safety of survivors. OVW is awarding $2,445,428.00 under the STOP Program to the Kentucky Justice & Public Safety Cabinet to enhance the capacity for communities across the country to develop programs to end gender-based violence and hold offenders accountable.
The Kentucky Justice and Public Safety Cabinet is the second largest cabinet in state government with more than 7,000 employees. The cabinet oversees five departments, including the Kentucky State Police, Department of Corrections, Department of Juvenile Justice, Department of Criminal Justice Training, and the Department of Public Advocacy. The cabinet also administers the Office of the State Medical Examiner and the Office of Drug Control Policy.
“Prior to the enactment of VAWA, survivors were primarily left to fend for themselves, often cycling in and out of dangerous environments with little help from legal systems or service providers,” OVW Director Rosie Hidalgo said. “VAWA has changed this landscape by supporting a coordinated community response to address domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking in a more comprehensive manner. It emphasizes survivor-centered, trauma-informed, and community-based approaches and ensures that services are available across every state and territory.”
“The violence goes beyond the victim and the abuser. Children, friends, relatives, and the entire community suffer,” stated United States Attorney Bennett. “Through this important financial support of our state partners, we continue to use all the tools at our disposal to ensure victims have a viable path to safety and justice.”
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U.S. Attorney's Office for District of Arizona Celebrates Funding Awarded for Community Responses to Gender-Based ViolenceRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. ⸺ In commemoration of the 29th anniversary of the original enactment of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), the Justice Department announced yesterday nearly $193 million in formula and discretionary grant awards, including over $3 million for the District of Arizona.
For nearly three decades, VAWA provided the tools and resources to protect and serve survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. To commemorate the 29th anniversary of VAWA, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for District of Arizona is proud to announce that the Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) awarded grant monies to Arizona to support community responses to gender-based violence.
Specifically, Arizona received the following funds for the 2023 fiscal year:
● OVW awarded $3,609,737 under the STOP (Services, Training, Officers, and Prosecutors) Violence Against Women Formula Grants Program - the VAWA’s signature program - which awards funds to every U.S. state and territory to promote a coordinated community response among law enforcement, prosecution, courts, victim services organizations, and other community services to ensure the safety of survivors. The money awarded to Arizona will be used to enhance the capacity to develop programs to end gender-based violence and hold offenders accountable.
“Prior to the enactment of VAWA, survivors were primarily left to fend for themselves, often cycling in and out of dangerous environments with little help from legal systems or service providers,” OVW Director Rosie Hidalgo said. “VAWA has changed this landscape by supporting a coordinated community response to address domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking in a more comprehensive manner. It emphasizes survivor-centered, trauma-informed, and community-based approaches and ensures that services are available across every state and territory.”
OVW provides leadership in developing the nation’s capacity to reduce violence through implementing VAWA and subsequent legislation. Created in 1995, OVW administers financial and technical assistance to communities nationwide that are developing programs, policies, and practices to end domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. In addition to overseeing federal grant programs, OVW undertakes initiatives in response to special needs identified by communities facing acute challenges. Learn more at www.justice.gov/ovw.
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-136_OVW Grant Awards
U.S. Attorney's Office Hosts "United Against Hate" Outreach EventRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY– This week, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Kentucky, hosted its first “United Against Hate” Community Outreach Event, bringing together law enforcement and Louisville’s Faith Community to discuss effective strategies to prevent, report, and respond to hate crimes and incidents.
“United Against Hate” is a nationwide Department of Justice initiative to combat unlawful acts of hate. “We are excited to bring this initiative to the Western District and thankful to our law enforcement partners and community faith leaders for uniting with us to combat hate and protect civil rights, especially in our faith communities,” said U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett.
The event, held Tuesday, September 12, 2023, at the Louisville Public Library Main Branch, featured presentations from Assistant U.S. Attorneys, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Louisville Metro Police Department on identifying hate crimes and incidents, the importance of reporting, and strategies to protect places of worship.
“Combating hate crimes and bias incidents is one of the top priorities of the Department of Justice and our office,” said U.S. Attorney Bennett. “People in the Western District, and across the country, deserve to live without fear of being attacked or harassed because of where they are from, what they look like, whom they love, how they worship, or what they believe.”
As part of its United Against Hate Program, the U.S. Attorney’s Office plans to engage with diverse communities across the Western District to further education and prevention efforts and encourage reporting of hate crimes, bias incidents, and discrimination to local and federal authorities. By convening community forums and providing education about civil rights statutes and incident reporting mechanisms, we will build relationships and root out hate in the district.
If you believe you are the victim of a hate crime or that you witnessed a hate crime, immediately report the crime to your state or local police by dialing 9-1-1, then quickly report the incident to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). You can report to the FBI online at tips.FBI.gov or by phone by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324). If you believe a bias incident or act of discrimination may not involve a hate crime, you should still report such incident to the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division at civilrights.justice.gov or by contacting the Civil Rights Coordinator at the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
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U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez announces $1.4M Grant to the Crime Victims Reparation Commission of New MexicoRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez announced today that, in commemoration of the 29th anniversary of the original enactment of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), the Department of Justice awarded a $1,464,308.00 grant to the New Mexico Crime Victims Reparation Commission as part of VAWA’s signature program, STOP (Services, Training, Officers, and Prosecutors) Violence Against Women Formula Grants Program. The program awards funds to every U.S. state and territory to promote a coordinated community response among law enforcement, prosecution, courts, victim services organizations, and other community services to ensure the safety of survivors and the development of programs to end gender-based violence and hold offenders accountable.
“Prior to the enactment of VAWA, survivors were primarily left to fend for themselves, often cycling in and out of dangerous environments with little help from legal systems or service providers.” OVW Director Rosie Hidalgo said. “VAWA has changed this landscape by supporting a coordinated community response to address domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking in a more comprehensive manner. It emphasizes survivor-centered, trauma-informed, and community-based approaches and ensures that services are available across every state and territory.”
“The bravery of survivors makes justice possible,” said U.S. Attorney Uballez. “They report crimes at tremendous personal risk, they flee the safety of shelter and familiarity, and they courageously testify against their abusers in open court. And, in doing so, they protect others from the violence of their abusers. As a community, we owe these women support outside of the courtroom. With this grant, the Department of Justice lives up to our promise to center the experiences of survivors, keep them safe, and help them heal.”
"The New Mexico Crime Victims Reparation Commission is grateful for the continued support from the Department of Justice, Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) for the STOP (Services, Training Officers, and Prosecutors) formula grant funding on the 29th anniversary of the enactment,” said Frank Zubia, Director of the New Mexico Crime Victims Reparation Commission. “The 15% financing increase of $1,464,308. is vital as most states prepare for the impending VOCA cuts. This funding promotes a coordinated, multidisciplinary approach to improving the criminal justice system's response by creating community partnerships between law enforcement, prosecution, the courts, victim advocates, and service organizations to enhance victim safety for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking."
OVW provides leadership in developing the nation’s capacity to reduce violence through implementing VAWA and subsequent legislation. Created in 1995, OVW administers financial and technical assistance to communities nationwide that are developing programs, policies, and practices to end domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. In addition to overseeing federal grant programs, OVW undertakes initiatives in response to special needs identified by communities facing acute challenges. Learn more at www.justice.gov/ovw.
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Two Louisville Gang Members Charged with Federal Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – Two Louisville gang members were charged with federal firearms offenses.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge R. Shawn Morrow of the ATF Louisville Field Division, and Chief Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel of the Louisville Metro Police Department made the announcement.
Virgil Jackson, age 20, of Louisville, Kentucky, is charged with possessing a firearm after having been convicted of a felony. Jackson was charged by federal complaint, is in state custody, and will be brought to federal custody at a later date. Jackson is prohibited from possessing a firearm because he had previously been convicted of the following felony offenses. On May 19, 2023, in Jefferson County Circuit Court, Jackson was convicted of receiving stolen property – vehicle – over $300 and unlawful transaction with a minor in the second degree in case number 22-CR-001243. On May 19, 2023, in Jefferson County Circuit Court, Jackson was convicted of complicity to engaging in organized crime – criminal syndicate, complicity to receiving stolen property $10,000 or more, and complicity to criminal mischief in the first degree in case number 21-CR-001433-005. On May 5, 2023, in Oldham County Circuit Court, Jackson was placed on diversion for complicity to receiving stolen property $1,000 < $10,000, fleeing or evading police in the first degree (on foot), two counts of complicity to wanton endangerment in the first degree, and unlawful transaction with minor in the second degree in case number 21-CR-00124.
Dacorey Hodges, age 19, also of Louisville, formerly of California, is charged with possessing a firearm while being a fugitive from justice. Hodges is prohibited from possessing a firearm because he has an active felony arrest warrant for burglary in Orange County, California, that was issued on August 1, 2023, in case number 19DL0480.
Hodges was charged by a federal complaint and was arrested this week. He made his initial appearance yesterday before a U.S. Magistrate Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. A detention hearing is currently scheduled for September 18, 2023, at 2:30 p.m.
According to the complaint, Jackson is a member of the Jack Gang and Hodges is a member of Cali to Victory, a subset of the Victory Park Crips gang. Both gangs have been identified by law enforcement as violent street gangs operating in Louisville, Kentucky. The complaint alleges that on September 4, 2023, at approximately 2:23 a.m., a drive-by shooting occurred at the Waffle House located at 2805 Fern Valley Road in Louisville, Kentucky. A female victim received a gunshot wound to the foot during the shooting. Investigators were able to review video recordings from the Waffle House surveillance cameras and identified Jackson and Hodges as two of the individuals who fired weapons. On September 12, 2023, ATF agents, with the assistance of LMPD, executed federal search warrants at Hodges’ and Jackson’s residences. At Jackson’s residence, law enforcement recovered one firearm with an extended magazine. At Hodges’ residence, law enforcement recovered three firearms along with assorted types of ammunition.
If convicted, both defendants face a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is being investigated by the ATF and LMPD.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Frank Dahl and Alicia Gomez are 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.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Two Bridgeport Gang Members Plead GuiltyRead the Press Release
MICHAEL LOCKHART, also known as “Mikey RTN,” 24, and JAHAZ LANGSTON, also known as “Haz,” 23, pleaded guilty yesterday in Bridgeport federal court to charges related to their involvement in a violent Bridgeport street gang.
Today’s announcement was made by Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut; Joseph T. Corradino, State’s Attorney for the Fairfield Judicial District; Bridgeport Police Chief Roderick Porter; Robert Fuller, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England, and Acting U.S. Marshal Lawrence Bobnick.
According to court documents and statements made in court, the FBI, ATF, DEA, U.S. Marshals Service, Connecticut State Police, and Bridgeport Police have been investigating multiple Bridgeport-based gangs whose members are involved in narcotics trafficking, murder and other acts of violence. Lockhart and Langston were members of the Original North End (“O.N.E.”), a gang based in the Trumbull Gardens area of Bridgeport that committed acts of violence against rival gangs, including the East End gang, the East Side gang, and the PT Barnum gang. O.N.E. members also robbed drug dealers, customers and others, sold narcotics, and stole cars from inside and outside Connecticut, often using the cars to commit crimes. They frequently used social media to promote and coordinate their criminal activities.
Lockhart was arrested on June 29, 2021, after a search of his residence revealed large bags of marijuana, numerous items used to process and package narcotics for street sale, five handguns, two empty boxes for other handguns, extended magazines, ammunition, body armor, and other gun accessories. Laboratory analysis of the seized items revealed that presence of Lockhart’s DNA on one of the handguns and a magazine. He has been detained since his arrest.
Lockhart pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years, and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years.
Langston, who has been detained since his arrest on July 20, 2021, pleaded guilty to one count of racketeering conspiracy, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.
This investigation is being conducted by the FBI’s Safe Streets and Violent Crimes Task Forces, ATF, DEA, U.S. Marshals Service, Bridgeport Police Department, Connecticut State Police and the Bridgeport State’s Attorney’s Office, with the assistance of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Connecticut Forensic Science Laboratory and the Naugatuck Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Karen L. Peck, Tara E. Levens, Patrick J. Doherty, Rahul Kale, and Jocelyn C. Kaoutzanis.
This prosecution is a part of the Justice’s Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), Project Longevity and Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) programs.
PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Project Longevity is a comprehensive initiative to reduce gun violence in Connecticut’s major cities. Through Project Longevity, community members and law enforcement directly engage with members of groups that are prone to commit violence and deliver a community message against violence, a law enforcement message about the consequences of further violence and an offer of help for those who want it. If a group member elects to engage in gun violence, the focused attention of federal, state, and local law enforcement will be directed at that entire group.
OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Two Baltimore Co-Defendants Sentenced to Federal Prison for the Attempted Murder of a Federal Officer and for a Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Ellen L. Hollander sentenced Davon Rogers, age 40, to nine years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for attempted murder of a federal officer in connection with a shooting that occurred on December 29, 2021. Judge Hollander sentenced co-defendant Juan Hester, age 41, of Baltimore, Maryland, to 14 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for a conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute more than 400 grams of fentanyl and more than 50 grams of methamphetamine.
The sentences were announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget of the Drug Enforcement Administration - Washington Division; and Acting Commissioner Richard Worley of the Baltimore Police Department.
“Drugs and guns are a deadly combination,” said Erek L. Barron, United States Attorney for the District of Maryland. “In this case, that combination led to an attack on a law enforcement officer. We will prosecute any such attack on our partners to the fullest extent of the law.”
According to Rogers’ guilty plea, during the evening of December 29, 2021, members of the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”) were conducting surveillance in the 2500 block of W. Fayette Street in Baltimore, as part of an ongoing federal drug trafficking investigation. One of the members of the surveillance team was a DEA Special Agent who was in the area in his unmarked vehicle conducting covert surveillance in connection with the narcotics investigation.
As detailed in court documents, while the Special Agent was inside of his vehicle, Rogers and another individual approached the vehicle and began looking inside. The Special Agent tried to avoid being seen by laying down in the rear area the vehicle. After they looked inside of the Special Agent’s vehicle, Rogers and the second individual walked away from the vehicle. Several minutes later, the Special Agent got into the driver’s seat of his vehicle to try to drive away from the area. By that time, Rogers and the second individual had returned to the area. At approximately 9:18 p.m., as the Special Agent began driving away, Rogers and the second individual began shooting at the Special Agent. The Special Agent was nearly struck by one or more of the bullets, and his vehicle sustained multiple bullet strikes. Specifically, bullets struck the driver’s side front and rear doors, the rear window, the trunk, and the passenger’s side sun visor and ceiling area.
As detailed in the plea agreement, the Special Agent was able to drive for approximately one block before crashing his vehicle into a nearby parked car and running to safety. After the shooting, Rogers and the second individual fled the scene. Investigators recovered multiple shell casings, of two different calibers, from the area where Rogers and the second individual shot at the Special Agent.
After the shooting, search warrants were executed at co-defendant Juan Hester’s residence and at Rogers’ residence on December 30, 2021 and January 4, 2022. Investigators recovered 113 grams of almost pure methamphetamine hydrochloride, 814 grams of THC, 34 grams of mixtures containing cocaine, three grams of mixtures containing fentanyl, and various cutting agents from Hester’s residence. Investigators seized approximately fourteen rounds of .40 caliber ammunition from Rogers’ residence. Based on new information received, two additional search warrants were executed on Hester’s residence on January 1, 2022 and January 6, 2022 and investigators recovered approximately 337 grams of mixtures or substances containing fentanyl, 78 rounds of 7.62 caliber ammunition, 32 rounds of .22 caliber ammunition and one handgun magazine. Hester admitted that he maintained the residence as a premises for manufacturing or distributing controlled substances. In addition to the narcotics seized, Hester admitted that approximately three kilograms of fentanyl and 200 grams of methamphetamine were involved in the drug conspiracy.
This case was made possible by investigative leads generated from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives’ (“ATF”) National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (“NIBIN”). NIBIN is the only national network that allows for the capture and comparison of ballistic evidence to aid in solving and preventing violent crimes involving firearms. NIBIN is a proven investigative and intelligence tool that can link firearms from multiple crime scenes, allowing law enforcement to quickly disrupt shooting cycles. For more information on NIBIN, visit https://www.atf.gov/firearms/national-integrated-ballistic-information-network-nibin.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (“PSN”), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case is also part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the DEA and the Baltimore Police Department for their work in the investigation and thanked the Anne Arundel County, Howard County, and Baltimore County Police Departments, the Laurel Police Department, the Annapolis Police Department, the Maryland Transportation Authority Police Department, and the Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office for their assistance. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anatoly Smolkin and Darryl Tarver, who prosecuted the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-neighborhoods-psn and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Trafficker of 3D-Printed “Glock Switches” and “Auto-Sears” Sentenced to over Seven Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS- Micah Moore, 31, of Indianapolis, Indiana, has been sentenced to 7 years and 6 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to possession of a machine gun.
According to court documents, on July 18, 2022, investigators with the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department executed a search warrant at Micah Moore’s residence in Indianapolis. In the dining room area, police recovered two machinegun conversion devices, also known as “Glock Switches.” Police also recovered three black auto-sears that were created to function as machinegun conversion devices if installed on a semiautomatic rifle.
Machinegun conversion devices, sometimes called “Glock switches” or “auto-sears” are devices that convert ordinary semiautomatic firearms into fully automatic machineguns. Machinegun conversion devices are themselves considered machineguns under federal law, even when not installed, and are illegal to possess or sell in almost all cases.
In a recorded interview with investigators, Moore stated that that he was making and selling switches and auto sears using a 3D printer. Moore also stated that he was reselling firearms that he bought from people off the street. Court documents and evidence presented at sentencing further showed that, in addition to manufacturing machinegun conversion devices and selling firearms, Moore was also manufacturing counterfeit prescription pills containing fentanyl.
“Criminals who put illegal machineguns onto our streets add fuel to the fire of gun violence already devastating far too many of our families,” said Zachary A. Myers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Possession and sale of these extremely dangerous devices is a serious crime which can result in years in federal prison. Our office will continue to work with the ATF, IMPD, and all our partners in law enforcement to get illegal machineguns out of our communities and hold gun traffickers accountable.”
“The proliferation of machine gun conversion devices adds another, even more deadly, layer to the firearms violence in our community,” stated Daryl McCormick, Special Agent in Charge of ATF’s Columbus Field Division. “These devices, because they fire more quickly and are more difficult to control, greatly increase the danger to innocent bystanders and law enforcement. ATF will continue to work with our partners to take these devices off the streets.”
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and IMPD investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge, Sarah Evans Barker. Judge Barker also ordered that Moore be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for 3 years following his release from federal prison and pay a $750 fine.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorney Kelsey L. Massa, who prosecuted this case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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Torreon Man Sentenced to 4 Years in Prison for AssaultRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, announced today that Monty Joe Montoya, 43, of Torreon, and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, was sentenced to four years in prison. Montoya pled guilty to assault resulting in serious bodily injury on March 31, 2023.
According to court documents, on March 15, 2022, Montoya hit his girlfriend, Jane Doe, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, in the head and face multiple times with a closed fist and a .45 caliber pistol. When Jane Doe tried to get away, Montoya pointed the pistol at her and fired, hitting her in the left arm and breaking the bone. Jane Doe's face was extremely bruised and swollen, and she required surgery to repair the bone broken by the gunshot. After he shot Jane Doe, Montoya took the pistol to his mother’s house to hide it in an effort to conceal what he had done.
Upon his release from prison, Montoya will be subject to three years of supervised release.
The FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Nation Police Department and the Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Kimberly Bell is prosecuting the case.
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Three Defendants Sentenced to Federal Prison for Illegal Possession of Firearms and DrugsRead the Press Release
LAKE CHARLES, La. - United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced the resolution of three cases in the Lake Charles Division. United States District Judge James D. Cain, Jr. sentenced the following defendants yesterday:
Casey Soldier, 27, of Lake Charles, was sentenced to 70 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release for the unlawful shipment, transfer, receipt, or possession of firearm by a convicted felon. This charge stems from the discovery of 16 firearms, 3,350 rounds of various ammunition, and a dual drum magazine, all found in Soldier’s residence during the execution of a search warrant. In addition, law enforcement officers found and seized approximately 53 pounds of marijuana, 171 pounds of THC candy and edibles, 3.9 pounds of THC wax and oils, $25,284 in cash, and other documents from Soldier’s residence. During a search of Soldier’s truck which was parked outside of the residence, agents found an additional Glock 17, 9mm pistol. Agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) learned that the firearms all traveled in interstate commerce and operated as firearms. Soldier was a convicted felon and knew he was prohibited from having any firearm or ammunition in his possession. He pleaded guilty to the charge on May 22, 2023.
The case was investigated by the ATF and the Combined Anti-Drug Task Force in Calcasieu Parish and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel J. Vermaelen.
Dexter Oniel Mayes, 36, of Eunice, was sentenced to 140 months in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release. Mayes pleaded guilty on May 9, 2023, to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. This charge stems from a traffic stop which was conducted on Mayes’ vehicle for a switched plates violation on May 18, 2019, as he was traveling from Houston to Louisiana. As officers approached the vehicle, they smelled the odor of marijuana and both Mayes and his passenger were detained while officers searched the vehicle. Inside the trunk were 12 ziploc bags containing suspected methamphetamine which weighed approximately 25 pounds. The narcotics were sent to the DEA Laboratory for analysis and were confirmed to contain methamphetamine with a total weight of 11,867 grams.
This case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, St. Landry Parish Sheriff’s Office, and Eunice Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jamilla A. Bynog.
In another case, Harris J. Boudreaux, 43, was sentenced to 27 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release for being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm. On November 27, 2022, a U.S. Probation Officer made an unannounced contact visit at Boudreaux’s residence in Calcasieu Parish to monitor his compliance with his conditions of probation and to verify his residence. During the inspection, the Probation Officer observed a Glock 45 firearm in plain view on the coffee table in the living room. The Probation Officer secured the firearm and contacted 9-1-1 to have Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office deputies arrive to arrest Boudreaux. He admitted to the Probation Officer that the firearm belonged to him. Boudreaux pleaded guilty on June 21, 2023, and admitted that he possessed the firearm knowing that he was prohibited from doing so because he was a convicted felon.
The case was investigated by the ATF, U.S. Probation Office, and Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel J. McCoy.
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Texas Man sentenced to prison on back fraud and identity theft chargesRead the Press Release
BILLINGS — Vincent Charles McCall, 21, of Dallas, Texas, was sentenced today for passing stolen and forged checks amounting to over $40,000, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters sentenced McCall to 2½ years in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release, and ordered him to pay $30,446 in restitution to the victims of his crimes. The defendant pleaded guilty to bank fraud and aggravated identity theft in May 2023.
“Crimes like McCall’s harm both financial institutions and their customers and often require victims to spend significant time and energy piecing their credit histories back together. The investigation and prosecution of these cases calls for cooperation and coordination among different law enforcement agencies and I’m grateful to the Secret Service and the Yellowstone County Sheriff’s Office, and AUSA Colin Rubich, for bringing McCall to justice.” U.S. Attorney Laslovich said.
The government alleged in court documents that beginning in January 2023, and continuing until his arrest on February 14, 2023, McCall participated in a scheme to defraud various financial institutions by means of false or fraudulent pretenses, representations, or promises by passing stolen and forged checks at various bank branches across Montana. McCall forged signatures to obtain funds from victims’ accounts.
McCall would travel from Texas to other states and pass fraudulent checks for real bank accounts belonging to real people. He presented banks with high quality fraudulent IDs when asked for identification. Beginning in January, McCall started hitting banks across Montana, including branches in Bozeman, Choteau, Fairfield, and Billings. All told, McCall successfully stole approximately $39,682.00 and attempted to steal another $4,888.00 for a total intended loss of approximately $44,570.00.
As a part of the scheme, on February 14, 2023, McCall attempted to pass a check at a Western Security Bank branch in Billings on Old Hardin Road for $4,888.00. He gave the teller a fraudulent ID to disguise his identity. The teller grew suspicious and called the police. When the police arrived, McCall attempted to flee but was apprehended and arrested.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Colin Rubich prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the United States Secret Service and the Yellowstone County Sheriff’s Office.
Texas Man Pleads Guilty to Hate Crime ChargesRead the Press Release
A Dallas man pleaded guilty today to federal hate crime charges arising out of a fatal shooting at a car repair shop.
Anthony Paz Torres, 38, pleaded guilty to five federal hate crime counts for killing one individual and attempting to kill four others during a shooting at Omar’s Wheels and Tires in Dallas, Texas, on Dec. 24, 2015. Torres also pleaded guilty to one count of using a firearm to commit the murder. According to documents filed in connection with his guilty plea, Torres’ shooting spree came a few days after he had gone to the business, made anti-Muslim statements and pledged that he would come back. When he returned a few days later, Torres asked customers if they were Muslim and then opened fire on the customers and employees present in the shop. Torres killed one individual and attempted to kill four other individuals with his firearm.
“Acts of Islamophobic-violence that cause death and injury have no place in our country and run contrary to our values as Americans,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This defendant is being held accountable for a violent and deadly hate-fueled shooting spree targeting innocent Muslim Americans. The Justice Department is firmly committed to confronting unlawful acts of bias-motivated violence, and stands ready, willing and able to prosecute perpetrators who target victims because of their religion.”
“This defendant specifically targeted a business’s employees and customers simply because of religion. Tragically, his actions resulted in the death of an innocent person and injuries to others,” said U.S. Attorney Leigha Simonton for the Northern District of Texas. “Religious hatred, including anti-Muslim bigotry, has no place in America. And when that bigotry crosses the line into violence, we will not hesitate to hold perpetrators to account.”
“The defendant’s deliberate targeting of a Muslim-owned business resulted in not only the death of one person, but also caused physical and emotional harm to everyone present that day,” said Special Agent in Charge Chad Yarbrough of the FBI Dallas Field Office. “Hate crimes are not only an attack on the victim, but they are also meant to threaten and intimidate an entire community. The FBI actively works with our law enforcement partners to investigate hate crimes and achieve justice for victims impacted by violence. We will continue to pursue anyone that commits violent, hateful acts against any member of our community.”
Torres’ sentencing is set for Jan. 24, 2024. Pursuant to the terms of the plea agreement, he faces a maximum penalty of up to 37 years in prison, with credit for time served.
The FBI Dallas Field Office investigated the case, with assistance from the Dallas Police Department and Dallas Criminal District Attorney’s Office.
Trial Attorney Rebekah J. Bailey of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Dana for the Northern District of Texas are prosecuting this case.
For more information and resources about the department’s work to combat hate crimes, visit www.justice.gov/hatecrimes.
Tennessee man appears on charges in drug overdose deathRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS – A Tennessee man accused of dealing fentanyl pills which resulted in an overdose death appeared in federal court on drug charges on Tuesday, September 12, 2023, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
Malice Clark, Jr., aka Greg Clark, aka “Greed,” 57, had an initial appearance on an Indictment charging him with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and distribution of controlled substances resulting in death. If convicted, Clark faces a maximum of life imprisonment, a $1,000,000 fine and at least 3 years of supervised release.
U.S. Magistrate Judge John T Johnson presided. Clark was detained pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court document that between February 2021 and April 2022, Clark knowingly possessed fentanyl with the intent to distribute it to other people and that he did knowingly distribute fentanyl to John Doe, which caused John Doe’s death.
An indictment is merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey K. Starnes is prosecuting the case. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and Great Falls Police Department conducted the investigation.
PACER case reference. 23-41.
The progress of cases may be monitored through the U.S. District Court Calendar and the PACER system. To establish a PACER account, which provides electronic access to review documents filed in a case, please visit http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. To access the District Court’s calendar, please visit https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl
Suspended Kentucky Attorney and Wife Sentenced for Wire Fraud and Willful Failure to Pay TaxRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – A suspended Kentucky attorney and his wife were sentenced in federal court today for wire fraud and willful failure to pay tax. The former attorney was sentenced to 2 years and 9 months imprisonment and his wife was sentenced to 2 years and 3 months imprisonment.
United States Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Robert Holman of the United States Secret Service Louisville Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge Bryant Jackson of the Cincinnati Field Office of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, made the announcement.
According to court documents, Andrew Nicholas Clooney, 55, was sentenced to 2 years and 9 months in prison, followed by 2 years of supervised release. Christel Marie Clooney, 51, was sentenced to 2 years and 3 months in prison, followed by 2 years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
Andrew Clooney and Christel Clooney were also ordered to pay $663,965.16 in restitution to former clients.
Andrew Clooney practiced as a personal injury attorney through the Clooney Law Office. Christel Clooney served as the office manager for the Clooney Law Office. From August 2016 through October 2018, the Clooneys used funds that belonged to clients of the Clooney Law Office on personal expenses. Further, the Clooneys made approximately $426,098 in income in 2016, on which they owed approximately $107,140 in federal income taxes. The Clooneys neither filed a tax return for tax year 2016 nor paid any of their outstanding tax liability for that year.
The United States Secret Service and the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda E. Gregory prosecuted the case.
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St. Louis Man Sentenced to 405 Months in Federal Prison for Attempted Sex Crimes Against a MinorRead the Press Release
EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – A U.S. District judge sentenced a St. Louis man to spend nearly 34 years in federal prison following his conviction by a jury for several attempted sex offenses involving a purported minor.
In March 2023, a jury convicted Vallie F. Zeller, 46, of Attempted Enticement of a Minor, Travel with Intent to Engage in Sexual Conduct with a Minor and Attempted Sexual Exploitation of a Minor after evidence presented at trial showed he was conversing online with an alleged 15-year-old girl with the intention of having sex with the minor, and then traveled to Illinois to meet her. Following the federal prison sentence, Zeller will serve the rest of his life on supervised release.
“The defendant is a child predator, and our communities are better off with him spending time in federal prison,” said U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe. “This operation was a strong, coordinated effort by federal, state and local law enforcement, and I appreciate their efforts to protect children in southern Illinois.”
“This significant sentence delivers a message to anyone intent on harming children. The FBI and our law enforcement partners are committed to protecting children from the clutches of offenders like Zeller,” said FBI Springfield Field Office Special Agent in Charge David Nanz. “Every time a child predator is brought to justice, potential victims are spared immeasurable harm.”
According to court documents and evidence presented during trial, Zeller began conversing online with a profile created by an undercover FBI agent in June of 2020. The agent was posing as a 15-year-old girl, and Zeller started sexually explicit conversations with the account, requested sexually explicit images of the minor, and made plans to meet the minor for illegal sexual activity.
Zeller was also convicted of driving across the Missouri-Illinois border to engage in criminal sexual activity with the minor when the agent provided an address for a residence in Collinsville, where Zeller was arrested. Zeller’s conversation with the purported minor lasted four days, during which Zeller asked the minor for nude photographs and other sexually explicit content. Evidence at sentencing established that Zeller had previously been accused of having sexual contact with two minors in Florida. Agents also uncovered additional sexual communications with another purported minor on Zeller’s phone.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ali Burns and Zoe Gross prosecuted the case.
Zeller was one of 14 defendants charged by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Southern District of Illinois in June 2020 as the result of an operation involving multiple local, state and federal law enforcement agencies that targeted online predators attempting to meet minors for sex.
The FBI Springfield Field Office led the investigation with assistance by the FBI St. Louis Field Office, the U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations, the Belleville Police Department, the Collinsville Police Department, the Edwardsville Police Department, the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, the Illinois State Police, the Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville Police Department, the St. Louis County Police Department, the Swansea Police Department, the U.S. Secret Service, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Alton Jail, the Monroe County Jail, and the St. Clair County Jail.
St. Croix Man Pleads Guilty to Second Degree MurderRead the Press Release
St. Croix, VI – United States Attorney Delia L. Smith announced today that Elvin Wrensford, 38, of St. Croix, pleaded guilty before United States Magistrate Judge Emile Henderson, III to Murder Second Degree and Possession of a Firearm in a School Zone.
According to court documents, on May 10, 2012, Wrensford and Craig Muller were at Ben’s Car Wash in St. Croix when an argument ensued with Gilbert Hendricks, Jr. Wrensford and Muller left the car wash but later returned and approached Hendricks who tried to escape by running towards Food Town Supermarket. Wrensford and Muller followed Hendricks, and Wrensford fired several shots at Hendricks from the passenger side of their vehicle. Two days later, Hendricks succumbed to injuries caused from being shot twice in the head.
Within one hour of the shooting, Wrensford was apprehended in Estate St. John, approximately one and a half miles from the crime scene and six feet from a firearm with an obliterated serial number. Muller was apprehended several days after the shooting in Puerto Rico on his way to New York. Forensic analysis conducted on the shell casings recovered from the crime scene was linked to the firearm and the vehicle used by Wrensford and Muller in the attack. The shooting occurred within 1,000 feet of the St. Croix Christian Academy. Sentencing for Wrensford is scheduled for January 17, 2024. Muller was convicted by a federal jury in March 2015 and sentenced to life imprisonment.
This case was investigated by the Virgin Islands Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Rhonda Williams-Henry and Evan Rikhye.
Russian Malware Developer Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Wire and Computer FraudRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Dariy Pankov (28, Vasil’yevskoye, Russia) has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit access device fraud and computer fraud. Pankov faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison. Pursuant to the plea agreement, Pankov has agreed to forfeit $358,437, the proceeds of the charged criminal conduct. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the plea agreement, Pankov developed a malicious software program named “NLBrute.” The powerful malware was capable of compromising protected computers by decrypting login credentials, such as passwords. Pankov used NLBrute to obtain the login credentials of tens of thousands of computers located all over the world. He marketed and sold, and had others sell on his behalf, NLBrute to other cybercriminals for a fee. Pankov sold the stolen login credentials on a dark web website that specialized in the purchase and sale of access to compromised computers. Once sold, those credentials were used to facilitate a wide range of illegal activity, including ransomware attacks and tax fraud. Pankov listed the credentials of more than 35,000 compromised computers for sale on the website, and obtained more than $350,000 in illicit proceeds.
Pankov, a citizen and resident of Russia, was taken into custody by Georgian authorities in the Republic of Georgia on October 4, 2022, and extradited to the United States.
This case was led by the IRS Criminal Investigation (Tampa Field Office) and the Tampa Division of the FBI. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided substantial assistance to secure the arrest and extradition of Pankov. The United States Marshals Service also provided significant assistance. This investigation also benefited from foreign law enforcement cooperation by the Georgian Prosecutor General’s Office, Ministry of Justice, and Ministry of Internal Affairs. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Carlton C. Gammons.
Putnam Valley Husband and Wife Indicted for Operating A Prostitution Business at Multiple Massage Parlors in New YorkRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, James Smith, the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), and Kevin McConville, the Sheriff of the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, announced today the unsealing of an Indictment charging HONG RU LIN, a/k/a “Bruce,” and KENA ZHAO, a/k/a “Angela,” with violating the Travel Act and conspiring to do so in connection with their use of facilities of interstate commerce to operate a prostitution business at multiple massage parlors in Putnam, Westchester, New York, and Queens County. LIN and ZHAO were arrested this morning and will be presented before U.S. Magistrate Judge Judith C. McCarthy.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As alleged, Hong Ru Lin and Kena Zhao operated an extensive prostitution business, using massage parlors as cover for their illegal activities. Today’s Indictment makes clear that my Office will continue to pursue those who operate illicit businesses, especially when they do so behind the closed doors of supposedly legitimate establishments.”
FBI Assistant Director in Charge James Smith said: “This indictment puts an end to an alleged extensive commercial sex enterprise that exploited countless women and repeatedly violated U.S. laws. Let these charges be a message to anyone who seeks to exploit women for monetary gain, the FBI is committed to protecting victims, and will always bring their predators to justice.”
Putnam County Sheriff Kevin McConville said: “We will continue to work with our federal and local law enforcement partners to keep these types of crime out of Putnam County.”
According to the allegations in the Indictment unsealed today in White Plains federal court:[1]
Between at least September 2020 and the present, LIN and ZHAO operated a prostitution business out of multiple massage parlors that they owned in Putnam, Westchester, New York, and Queens County. LIN and ZHAO managed a roster of women who worked at the massage parlors and performed sexual acts for the customers of LIN and ZHAO. LIN and ZHAO communicated by cellphone and private chatroom to manage and operate their prostitution business. Among other things, LIN and ZHAO used cellphones to communicate with potential customers, assign particular employees to customers, monitor the income of their prostitution business, and set performance goals for the women who worked in the massage parlors. In addition, on at least one occasion, ZHAO personally participated in a massage during which a sexual act was offered to a customer.
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HONG RU LIN, 50, and KENA ZHAO, 45, both of Putnam Valley, New York, are charged with violating the Travel Act and conspiring to violate the Travel Act. Each of these counts carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.
The statutory maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by a judge.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding work of the FBI’s Westchester County Safe Streets Task Force and the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office. Mr. Williams also thanked the Town of Carmel Police Department, the Westchester County Police Department, and the Yonkers Police Department for their assistance in this matter.
Mr. Williams noted that the investigation is ongoing. If you feel you may be a victim of or have information related to the conduct in this case, please contact the FBI Tip Line at 1-800-CALL-FBI or at tips.fbi.gov.
The case is being prosecuted by the Office’s Civil Rights Unit in the Criminal Division and the White Plains Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lindsey Keenan and Ryan W. Allison 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 herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Providence Man Sentenced for Being a Felon in Possession of Firearms, Including Three Ghost Guns, and Making False Statements to a Federally Licensed Firearms DealerRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE, RI – A Providence man found to be illegally in possession of a 9mm firearm, three ghost guns, and more than 400 rounds of ammunition, and who knowingly made false statements to a federally-licensed firearms dealer when attempting to purchase a firearm, was sentenced today to two years in federal prison, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.
Lucas Soriano, 41, arrested in November 2022, pleaded guilty on May 11, 2023, to a charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm and making false statements during the purchase of a firearm.
Soriano’s arrest came during a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) investigation into individuals who use the United States mail in furtherance of violating federal firearm laws and individuals who are prohibited from possessing firearms.
As reflected in court documents, retailers that specialize in the advertising and sale of firearm parts, ammunition, and firearm accessories shipped orders through the U.S. Postal Service to Soriano at his mother’s address. These orders contained items that are commonly used to manufacture privately made firearms that lack serial numbers and other manufacturer or importer markings, rendering them difficult for law enforcement to trace.
ATF and USPIS agents executed a court-authorized search of Lucas Soriano’s residence and seized, among other items, three ghost guns, a 9mm handgun, and more than 400 rounds of ammunition.
During the course of the investigation, ATF learned that in June 2022, a federally licensed firearm dealer in Rhode Island denied Soriano’s application to purchase a firearm after he falsely claimed on ATF forms that he had not been previously convicted of a crime, when in fact he had. According to court records, Soriano was previously convicted in New York on charges of armed robbery with a deadly weapon and criminal possession of a loaded firearm.
At sentencing today, U.S. District Court Judge Mary S. McElroy sentenced Soriano to twenty-four months of incarceration to be followed by three years of federal supervised release.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ronald R. Gendron.
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. In 2021, the Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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Portland Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Assaulting U.S. Probation Officer While on Supervised ReleaseRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A Portland man pleaded guilty and was sentenced to federal prison today for assaulting a U.S. Probation Officer during a supervised release home visit.
Andre Eugene Shaw, 39, was sentenced to 63 months in federal prison and three years’ supervised release.
According to court documents, on April 14, 2021, two U.S. Probation Officers conducted a home visit with Shaw at his Portland residence. At the time, Shaw was on supervised release for multiple federal crimes, including extorting individuals engaged in the production of child pornography, money laundering, and possessing an unregistered short-barreled rifle, and restricted from possessing certain electronic devices, including cellphones.
During the home visit, the probation officers observed an unauthorized cellphone in Shaw’s hallway closet. When one of the officers attempted to seize the cellphone, Shaw struck the officer in the face. He then grabbed the officer by her shirt and pushed her to the ground before fleeing his residence. The officer sustained cuts to her lip and nose.
The second probation officer pursued Shaw on foot outside the residence, ordering him to stop. Shaw ran away from the home and temporarily out of the officer’s view. Soon after, Shaw reappeared, began walking back toward the probation officers with his hands behind his head, and was placed under arrest. The cell phone Shaw prevented the probation officers from seizing was never recovered.
On April 16, 2021, Shaw was charged by criminal complaint with assaulting a federal officer. Later, on May 19, 2021, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a two-count indictment charging Shaw with assaulting a federal officer and assaulting or resisting a person authorized to make searches and seizures.
In August 2019, Shaw was involved in a similar confrontation with staff at a community reentry center for recently incarcerated individuals. When staff at the facility attempted to seize Shaw’s cellphone, he ripped it out of a staff member’s hand and swallowed the SIM card. Shaw was sentenced to 14 months in prison following the incident.
This case was investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by Marco A. Boccato and Gavin W. Bruce, Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Oregon.
Plaquemines Parish Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Federal Drug Trafficking CrimesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – LESLIE PARKER, age 42, a resident of Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana, was sentenced on September 12, 2023 to 120 months imprisonment, 5 years of supervised release, and a mandatory $300 special assessment fee by U.S. District Judge Susie Morgan, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.
PARKER previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C), and 846; use of a communication facility in causing or facilitating the commission of felonies under the Controlled Substances Act, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 843(b) and Title 18, United States Code, Section 2; and possession with intent to distribute fifty grams or more of methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(A).
According to court documents, a federal Drug Enforcement Administration investigation revealed that PARKER, along with others, was involved in a narcotics distribution conspiracy. As part of the conspiracy, PARKER regularly distributed amounts of methamphetamine. On October 19, 2021, officers conducted surveillance on PARKER, which ultimately led to the seizure of a bag containing 98.7 grams of crystal methamphetamine.
This case was investigated by the federal Drug Enforcement Administration and the Plaquemines Parish Sheriff’s Office. The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorney J. Benjamin Myers of the Narcotics Unit.
Philadelphia Man Sentenced to over Five Years in Prison for Drug Trafficking on Choctaw ReservationRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A Philadelphia man was sentenced to 68 months in federal prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine on the Choctaw Indian Reservation, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Brad Byerley of the Drug Enforcement Administration.
According to court documents, Terll Shell 42, of Philadelphia, distributed methamphetamine on the Choctaw Indian Reservation from May 2019 to April of 2020.
A federal grand jury indicted Shell in August 2020. On December 11, 2020, Shell entered a plea of guilty to count one of the indictment charging conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine.
The case was investigated by the Choctaw Police Department of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians, the U.S. Department of Interior Bureau of Indian Affairs, and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin J. Payne and Special Assistant United States Attorney Brian Burns.
Pharmacist convicted for conspiring to unlawfully dispense over 100,000 opioid pillsRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A federal jury in Houston has convicted a Texas pharmacist for her role in a pill-mill pharmacy that unlawfully dispensed over 100,000 opioid pills in exchange for cash.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, from January 2014 to January 2018, Deanna Winfield-Gates, 54, Houston, was a relief pharmacist at Health Fit Pharmacy (Health Fit), a cash-only, pill-mill pharmacy. Health Fit dispensed controlled substances to drug traffickers in exchange for hundreds of dollars, often based on prescriptions that were fraudulent and issued in the names of physicians whose identities were stolen. Winfield-Gates filled large volumes of cookie-cutter prescriptions for the opioids hydrocodone 10-325mg and oxycodone 30mg and for carisoprodol, alprazolam and promethazine with codeine, often in combination, knowing these controlled substances were likely to be diverted or abused.
The jury convicted Winfield-Gates yesterday of one count of conspiracy to unlawfully distribute and dispense controlled substances. She is scheduled to be sentenced Jan. 11, 2024. At that time, she faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
Winfield-Gates was the last-remaining defendant charged in this case. Three others previously pleaded guilty to the conspiracy.
The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation.
Trial Attorneys Drew Pennebaker and Courtney Chester of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, comprised of 15 strike forces operating in 25 federal districts, has charged more than 5,000 defendants who collectively have billed the Medicare program for more than $24 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
Pharmacist Convicted for Conspiring to Unlawfully Dispense over 100,000 Opioid PillsRead the Press Release
A federal jury in Houston convicted a Texas pharmacist yesterday for her role in a pill-mill pharmacy that unlawfully dispensed over 100,000 opioid pills in exchange for cash.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, from January 2014 to January 2018, Deanna Winfield-Gates, 54, of Houston, was a relief pharmacist at Health Fit Pharmacy (Health Fit), a cash-only, pill-mill pharmacy. Health Fit dispensed controlled substances to drug traffickers in exchange for hundreds of dollars, often based on prescriptions that were fraudulent and issued in the names of physicians whose identities were stolen. Winfield-Gates filled large volumes of cookie-cutter prescriptions for the opioids hydrocodone 10-325mg and oxycodone 30mg and for carisoprodol, alprazolam, and promethazine with codeine, often in combination, knowing these controlled substances were likely to be diverted or abused.
The jury convicted Winfield-Gates of one count of conspiracy to unlawfully distribute and dispense controlled substances. She is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 11, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Winfield-Gates was the last-remaining defendant charged in this case. Three co-defendants previously pleaded guilty to the conspiracy.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani for the Southern District of Texas, and Special Agent in Charge Daniel C. Comeaux of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Houston Field Division made the announcement.
The DEA investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Drew Pennebaker and Courtney Chester of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, comprised of 15 strike forces operating in 25 federal districts, has charged more than 5,000 defendants who collectively have billed the Medicare program for more than $24 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
Pennsylvania Man Arrested, Charged with Firearms TraffickingRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. -- U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Christian Arroyo Collazo, 27, of New Castle, PA, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with engaging in the firearms business without a license, unlawful shipment and transportation of firearms, and firearms trafficking. The charges carry a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua A. Violanti, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, Collazo was identified as an individual associated with multiple Jamestown, NY, drug traffickers/users during an investigation into methamphetamine and heroin trafficking in Jamestown by the DEA and Jamestown Metro Drug Task Force. Between November 2021, and May 2022, investigators traced three firearms recovered in Jamestown to Collazo, who purchased the firearms at Duke's FFL, and Nesbit Guns, both located in New Castle, PA. Two of the firearms were recovered during the arrests of two other federal defendants. Subsequent investigation determined that Collazo utilized Facebook and Facebook Messenger to conduct firearm related conversations and effectuate his firearms trafficking activities. During these conversations, Collazo would send photos of firearms to potential buyers.
Collazo made an appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael J. Roemer and was released on conditions.
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.
This case is being prosecuted under the new criminal provisions of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, which Congress enacted, and the President signed in June 2022. The Act is the first federal statute specifically designed to target the unlawful trafficking and straw-purchasing of firearms.
The complaint is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Frank Tarentino, III, New York Field Division, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, under the direction of John B. DeVito, Special Agent-in-Charge, New York Field Division, and the Jamestown Metro Drug Task Force, under the direction of Jamestown Police Chief Timothy Jackson.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Owner of Olathe, Kansas Pharmacy Agrees to Pay $250,000 to Resolve Allegations of Violating the Controlled Substances ActRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. - A Kansas City, Kansas-based company entered into a civil settlement agreement with the federal government agreeing to pay $250,000 to resolve allegations that a retail pharmacy it owns violated the civil provisions of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA).
Four B. Corporation, doing business as Balls Food Stores, owns and operates retail pharmacies in the Kansas City metro area including Price Chopper Pharmacy located on East Santa Fe Street in Olathe, Kansas.
In passing the CSA, the U.S. Congress took steps to create “a closed system” of distribution for controlled substances in which the handling of the substances is subject to intense governmental regulation. One of the purposes of the Act is to prevent the diversion and abuse of legitimate controlled substances, while still ensuring an adequate supply of those substances to meet the medical and scientific needs of the country.
The settlement resolves the government’s allegations that between February 2019 and June 10, 2022, the Price Chopper Pharmacy violated the CSA and its implementing regulations by dispensing controlled substances before receiving prescriptions, improperly partially filling prescriptions, and failing to maintain inventory records for controlled substances.
“The Controlled Substances Act seeks to prevent the abuse and misuse of controlled substances, but that effort is futile unless those who dispense these substances adhere to the CSA guidelines” said U.S. Attorney Kate E. Brubacher. “Hopefully this settlement will make pharmacies take heed of the Department of Justice’s commitment to enforcing these rules.”
"How pharmaceutical medications are dispensed is something we have to take seriously because it can so easily result in someone getting hurt from the drugs,” said Diversion Program Manager Kimberly Daniels, the Drug Enforcement Administration's lead for the Diversion program in the states of Missouri and Kansas, and southern Illinois. “One of the many responsibilities that pharmacies have is ensuring medications are dispensed only after receiving legitimate prescriptions, then they must track the prescriptions they dispense. When they fail to do that, DEA must take action. This settlement is a reminder that DEA's highest priority is the safety and well-being of our citizens."
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Diversion Control Division, Kansas City Field Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jon Fleenor, Affirmative Civil Enforcement Coordinator handled the case.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs office.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
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Owner of New Jersey Construction and Real Estate Companies Pleads Guilty to Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
A New Jersey man pleaded guilty today to evading federal income taxes.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Salvatore Caravella, Jr. of Kinnelon, New Jersey, operated construction and real estate companies, including 2-C Construction Company Inc., Bella Construction of North Jersey LLC and 203 Harrison Street LLC. Caravella oversaw all aspects of the businesses’ operations, including ensuring that all necessary tax returns on behalf of the companies were filed with the IRS. For 2015 through 2018, however, Caravella willfully did not report approximately $692,185 in self-employment income he earned from his businesses on his personal tax returns (Form 1040). Caravella’s conduct caused a total tax loss to the IRS of $235,999.
Caravella faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, a period of supervised release, restitution and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger for the District of New Jersey made the announcement.
IRS-Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Christopher Magnani, formerly of the Tax Division, is prosecuting the case.
Owner of Construction Company Agrees to Plead Guilty to Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The owner of a construction company doing business on the South Shore, Cape Cod, and in Rhode Island has been charged and has agreed to plead guilty to a multi-year tax evasion and cash payroll scheme.
Christopher Pomavilla Minchala, 31, of New Bedford, has agreed to plead guilty to one count of tax evasion and one count of failure to pay over taxes. A plea hearing has not yet been scheduled by the Court.
According to the charging document, from 2017 to 2021, Pomavilla, the owner of Rossy Construction Corporation based in New Bedford, cashed customer checks and did not deposit the receipts in his business bank accounts. Pomavilla allegedly hid from his tax preparer that he was cashing large numbers of checks from customers. By hiding his income in this manner, Pomavilla underreported income from the business on his tax returns, resulting in his failure to pay more than $1.1 million in federal income taxes he owed for the tax years 2017 to 2021. Pomavilla also allegedly ran an unlawful cash payroll, paying Rossy employees in cash while failing to pay over to the IRS more than $670,000 in payroll taxes.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Harry Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston made the announcement today. The Insurance Fraud Bureau of Massachusetts and the United States Department of Labor, Criminal Investigations Team provided valuable assistance in this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ian J. Stearns of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.Osceola County Mortgage Loan Officer Sentenced for Bank Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft Charges Involving Forging of Judges’ SignaturesRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Paul Byron has sentenced Omayra Ujaque (52, St. Cloud) to two years and eight months in federal prison for bank fraud and aggravated identity theft. Ujaque was convicted at trial on April 13, 2023.
According to evidence presented at trial, Ujaque, in her capacity as a licensed mortgage loan officer, created and executed a mortgage fraud scheme targeting the financial institution where she worked. To ensure that otherwise unqualified borrowers were approved for mortgage loans, Ujaque falsified the borrowers’ income by fabricating or inflating the amounts of their monthly child support payments on mortgage loan applications that she signed and certified to the financial institution’s underwriting department. In furtherance of her scheme, Ujaque created fictitious Final Judgments of Dissolution of Marriage and Final Orders Modifying Child Support that fraudulently represented that the borrowers were entitled to receive non-existent monthly child support payments. Ujaque then used the names of judges from the Circuit Court of the Ninth District of Florida and forged their signatures on the fabricated Final Judgments of Dissolution of Marriage or Final Orders Modifying Child Support. Ujaque also created bogus Florida Department of Revenue statements listing fraudulent monthly child support payments, as well as phony prepaid debit card statements listing fake borrower withdrawals of the non-existent monthly child support payments.
In most cases, the borrowers did not have the listed children and/or had never been married. Ujaque submitted bogus paperwork to the financial institution to support the false monthly income on the loan applications. Based on Ujaque’s misrepresentations, the financial institution approved and funded the mortgage loans.
This case was investigated by Federal Housing Finance Agency – Office of Inspector General, the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development – Office of Inspector General, and the Florida Office of Financial Regulation. It was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Chris Poor.
Oakland County Businessman Sentenced to 28 Months in Federal Prison for Paying Bribes to Rick JohnsonRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten today announced that John Dawood Dalaly, 71, of West Bloomfield, Michigan, was sentenced to serve 28 months in federal prison and fined $25,000 for paying bribes to Rick Vernon Johnson, the former Chairperson of the Michigan Medical Marijuana Licensing Board. Following his release from prison, Dalaly will serve two years on supervised release. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Jane Beckering.
“John Dalaly bribed a public official. He corrupted a process designed to give people a fair shot at entering this promising new market,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten “Now, he’ll serve time in a federal prison. Public corruption is a poison to our democracy, and we will hold offenders accountable whenever and wherever we find them.”
Rick Johnson was a member and the Chairperson of the Michigan Medical Marijuana Licensing Board (MMLB) between May 2017 and April 2019. Prior to his appointment to that Board, Johnson worked as a lobbyist in Lansing, Michigan, and served as Speaker of the Michigan House of Representatives.
John Dalaly operated two companies that were formed with the purpose of obtaining various operating licenses from the MMLB or exploring the licensing of a digital currency platform for medical marijuana financial transactions. Dalaly admitted paying at least $68,200 in cash and other benefits (including private charter flights) to Johnson while he served as the Chair of the MMLB. In return, Johnson voted in favor of approving the prequalification status for one of Dalaly’s companies and voted in favor of granting medical marijuana licenses to that company. Johnson also provided valuable non-public information about the anticipated rules and operation of the MMLB and assistance with license application matters to Dalaly and others who paid him money.
“The corrupt activities uncovered in this case were facilitated by men whose desire for favorable treatment outweighed notions of integrity and fair play,” said Devin J. Kowalski, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan. “Public corruption is the FBI's top criminal investigative priority and anyone who seeks to influence public officials through bribery will be thoroughly investigated.”
Rick Johnson’s sentencing for accepting bribes is scheduled for Thursday, September 28, 2023, at 1:30 p.m. in Grand Rapids before U.S. District Judge Jane Beckering. U.S. Attorney Mark Totten is scheduled to attend Johnson’s sentencing hearing and provide comments outside immediately following.
On Wednesday, October 18, 2023, sentencing hearings have been scheduled for Brian Pierce at 11 a.m. and Vince Brown at 1:30 p.m. in Grand Rapids before U.S. District Judge Jane Beckering.
Assistant United States Attorneys Christopher O’Connor and Clay Stiffler are prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
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Norfolk Man Convicted of Drug, Firearm, and COVID Fraud ChargesRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A federal judge convicted a Norfolk man yesterday on charges involving the simultaneous sale of cocaine and firearms, distribution of cocaine, use of a firearm in the commission of narcotics trafficking, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and fraudulently receiving $83,330 in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans in 2021.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, between 2021 and 2022, Bonas was apprehended by Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) agents after he participated in a scheme involving a group of co-conspirators who distributed approximately one kilogram of cocaine and 15 firearms. Bonas participated in four controlled purchases in the summer of 2021 which involved three firearms, two of which were stolen, and approximately 3.5 ounces of cocaine. He was also identified as a prolific distributor of crack cocaine in Norfolk and Virginia Beach during the same period.
As part of their investigation, ATF agents discovered through bank records that Bonas received four Small Business Administration-guaranteed PPP loans of $20,833 each and spent the money on various personal expenses, including the purchase of a luxury vehicle, restaurant and bar tabs, clothing, jewelry, sports gambling, and over $16,800 on rental cars. Bonas also sought and obtained forgiveness of the $83,330 in loans using the same fraudulent data.
Bonas faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years and a maximum penalty of life in prison when sentenced on January 16, 2024. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Craig Kailimai, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF’s Washington Field Division, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge Raymond A. Jackson returned the verdict.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sherrie S. Capotosto is prosecuting the case.
Congress authorized PPP loans under the CARES Act as a source of funds to allow small businesses to continue making payroll and other business-related expenses during the COVID-19 pandemic. On May 17, 2021, Attorney General Merrick Garland established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force, led by the Deputy Attorney General, to bring together the full resources of the federal government to bolster fraud enforcement efforts.
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.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-25.
Newton Man Pleads Guilty to Cocaine Distribution and Unlawfully Possessing Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A previously convicted felon residing in Newton, Mass. pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to cocaine distribution and firearm offenses.
Shawn Craig, 38, pleaded guilty to three counts of possession with intent to distribute and distribution of cocaine and one count of possession of a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris scheduled sentencing for Dec. 18, 2023. Craig was charged in January 2022.
Craig coordinated three drug transactions with an undercover agent between September and October 2022. Craig met with the undercover agent near his Newton residence on three separate occasions – Sept. 12, Oct. 20 and Oct. 26, 2022 – to conduct the deals, during which Craig provided cocaine in exchange for cash. Prior to the third meeting, on Oct. 26, 2022, Craig sent an image of a firearm to the undercover agent and indicated that he could sell it to the agent. During the subsequent meeting, Craig provided the undercover agent with a firearm, ammunition and a quantity of cocaine.
At the time of the conduct, Craig was on federal supervised release for a 2014 federal conviction for possessing a stolen firearm and possessing a firearm with an obliterated serial number. Craig was sentenced to seven years in prison and three years of supervised release in that case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; John E. Mawn, Jr., Interim Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police; Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan; and Newton Police Chief John F. Carmichael Jr. made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Probation Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kaitlin R. O’Donnell of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit is prosecuting the case.
New York City Man Admits Role in Burglary Conspiracy Targeting Asian Small Business OwnersRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A New York man admitted his role in a conspiracy that targeted Asian and Asian-American small business owners for burglaries, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
James Hurt, 47, of New York, pleaded guilty Sept. 13, 2023, before U.S. District Judge Evelyn Padin in Newark federal court to an information charging him with one count of conspiracy to commit interstate transportation of stolen property.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From Dec. 2, 2016, to March 20, 2019, Hurt and others participated in a conspiracy to burglarize the residences of certain Asian small business owners living in New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Delaware of large sums of money, valuable jewelry, and other items, and then transport the stolen goods in interstate commerce, including to residences in New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
The charge of conspiracy to commit interstate transportation of stolen property carries a maximum potential penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the amount of money involved in the offense, whichever is greater. Sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 20, 2023.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited FBI Newark’s Transnational Organized Crime Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy, in Newark, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea. He also thanked the South Plainfield Police Department, the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office, the New Jersey State Police, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, the U.S. Department of Labor, the U.S. Department of State, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the U.S. Department of Transportation, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Union County Prosecutor’s Office, and the Bernards Township, Bethlehem Township, Cherry Hill, Cinnaminson, Clark, Colonial Regional, Cranford, Delaware State Police-Troop 2, Delran, Edison, East Brunswick, East Hanover, Eatontown, Elizabeth, Essex County Sheriff’s Office-Bureau of Narcotics, Evesham Township, Exeter Township, Fair Lawn, Forks Township, Fort Lee, Franklin Township, Glassboro, Gloucester Township, Hackensack, Haverstraw, Hazlet, Highland Park, Hillside, Hillsborough Township, Howell Township, Jackson, Kenilworth, Lawrence Township, Linden, Lyndhurst, Mahwah, Marlboro Township, Maywood, Middletown, Montgomery County, Montville, Morris Township, Mount Laurel, Mountainside, New Castle County, New Providence, New York Police Department’s 105th Detective Squad, North Brunswick, North Plainfield, Old Bridge, Paramus, Parsippany, Phillipsburg, Piscataway, Pocono Mountain Regional, Pocono Township, Raritan, Roselle Park, Sayreville, Somerville, South Brunswick, South River, South Whitehall Township, Spotswood, Town of Tuxedo, Tinton Falls, Toms River, Township of Ocean, Union, Upper Macungie Township, Wall Township, Warren, Washington Township, Watchung, Westfield, Whitehall Township, and Woodbridge Township police departments.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dong Joo Lee and Christopher Fell of the U.S. Attorney’s Office OCDETF/Narcotics Unit in Newark.
hurt.information.pdfNew Orleans Woman Pleads Guilty to Theft of More Than $88,000 in Government FundsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LA – ALINE JAMES, a/k/a “Aline Foster” (“JAMES”), age 51, of New Orleans, Louisiana, pled guilty yesterday to Theft of Government Funds, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 641, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.
By pleading guilty, the defendant faces a maximum penalty of ten (10) years of imprisonment, up to three (3) years of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100. United States District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo set the sentencing hearing in this matter for December 13, 2023.
According to the indictment, beginning in or around September 2012, and continuing until in or around December 2020, JAMES collected approximately $88,298.00 in Social Security Administration and Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (“CARES ACT”) funds to which she was not entitled.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Maria Carboni of the Financial Crimes Unit.
New Orleans Woman Pleads Guilty to Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Yesterday, CATHY LYNN HAMILTON, age 63, a resident of New Orleans, Louisiana, pleaded guilty to bank robbery, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2113(a), announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.
HAMILTON faces a maximum sentence of up to 20 years imprisonment, up to a $250,000.00 fine, up to 3 years of supervised release, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.
According to court records, on Friday May 5, 2023, HAMILTON entered a Chase Bank in New Orleans, approached a bank teller and presented a note announcing the robbery and demanding money. The bank teller complied, giving HAMILTON $500.00 in United States currency.
United States District Judge Sarah S. Vance, will sentence HAMILTON on November 15, 2023.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Troy L. Bell of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
Monroe County Man Charged with Attempted Online Enticement and Attempted Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SCRANTON – The United States Attorney for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that an Indictment was returned by a grand jury charging a Monroe County man with attempted online enticement of a minor and attempted production of child pornography.
The Indictment alleges that Kenneth Lesser, age 49, a resident of Monroe County, Pennsylvania, used the internet and an electronic device to attempt to persuade, induce, entice, and coerce a person who he believed to be 13 years old to engage in sexual conduct. Additionally, the indictment alleges that Lesser attempted to cause the production of child pornography.
The investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) – Allentown Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Olshefski.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
The maximum penalty under federal law for the crimes charged in the Indictment is life imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.
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Mississippi Man Charged with Exposing His Genitals on an AirplaneRead the Press Release
SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that James Torrez Smith, age 24, of Jackson Mississippi, was charged with violation of law on an aircraft.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the information alleges that on June 6, 2023, Smith was a passenger on a flight from O’Hare International Airport to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport. Throughout the flight, Smith exposed his genitalia and engaged in masturbation.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Luzerne County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jenny P. Roberts is prosecuting the case.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 90 days of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Miami-Based Businessman Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Violate Russia-Ukraine Sanctions and to Commit International Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
Sergey Karpushkin, 46, of Miami, a resident of the United States and a citizen of Belarus, pleaded guilty today to engaging in a scheme to violate U.S. sanctions and commit money laundering by conducting transactions for the purchase and acquisition of metal products valued at over $139 million from companies owned by Sergey Kurchenko, a sanctioned oligarch.
According to court documents, Kurchenko was sanctioned by the U.S. Department of the Treasury Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) in 2015 for his role in misappropriating Ukrainian state assets or economically significant entities.
According to the allegations in the information and other public filings: between in or about July 2017 and in or about August 2020, Karpushkin conspired with others to purchase and receive over $139 million in metal products from two companies that Karpushkin knew were owned and controlled by Kurchenko. Karpushkin and his business associates, acting through the Florida-based company Metalhouse LLC, entered into contracts and purchase orders for pig iron, steel billets, and wire rods from these companies, received tens of thousands of tons of metal products from the companies, and agreed to share profits from these unlawful transactions. Karpushkin and his business associates intentionally concealed from U.S. banks and government officials the ultimate source and origin of the goods they sought to acquire, knowing that they did not have the necessary authorization or license from OFAC to transact with Kurchenko and companies owned and controlled by Kurchenko.
Karpushkin pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Embry J. Kidd in Orlando, Florida, to one count of conspiring to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and to commit international promotional money laundering, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison. Karpushkin also agreed to forfeit $4,723,625 in proceeds that he obtained as a result of the conspiracy. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
An indictment charging alleged co-conspirator and Metalhouse president John Can Unsalan, aka Hurrem Can Unsalan, with one count of conspiring to violate and evade U.S. sanctions, in violation of IEEPA, 10 counts of violating IEEPA, one count of conspiring to commit international money laundering, and 10 counts of international money laundering was unsealed on April 17, and Unsalan has been detained pending further court proceedings.
The FBI Tampa Field Office and the International Corruption Unit of the FBI Washington Field Office are investigating the case, with valuable assistance provided by U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the FBI Miami Field Office.
Trial Attorney Emma Ellenrieder of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section, Assistant U.S. Attorney Chauncey A. Bratt for the Middle District of Florida, and Trial Attorney Sean O’Dowd of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Forfeiture Section are prosecuting the case.
The investigation was coordinated through the Justice Department’s Task Force KleptoCapture, an interagency law enforcement task force dedicated to enforcing the sweeping sanctions, export controls and economic countermeasures that the United States, along with its foreign allies and partners, has imposed in response to Russia’s unprovoked military invasion of Ukraine. Announced by the Attorney General on March 2, 2022, and under the leadership of the Office of the Deputy Attorney General, the task force will continue to leverage all of the department’s tools and authorities to combat efforts to evade or undermine the collective actions taken by the U.S. government in response to Russian military aggression.
Mexican citizen imprisoned for child pornography received on peer-to-peer sharing platformRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A 38-year-old Mexican citizen residing in Weslaco has been sent to federal prison for receiving material that contained child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Jose Arturo Barrera-Torres pleaded guilty June 30.
U.S. District Chief Judge Randy Crane has now sentenced Barrera-Torres to 97 months. The court also heard additional information today including victim impact statements detailing the life-long turmoil and fear victim’s feel as a result of their abuse being continuously circulated online. Furthermore, the court heard that Barrera-Torres received, watched and deleted child pornography from the peer to peer platform from 2021 to the most recent downloads in February 2023. Not a U.S Citizen, he is exoected to face reomoval proceedings following his imprisonment.
Barrera-Torres was further ordered to pay $5,000 in restitution to the victims. During that time, he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. Barrera-Torres will also be ordered to register as a sex offender.
Between Sept. 12-Oct. 14, 2021, authorities conducted an investigation on a peer-to-peer sharing platform for offenders sharing child pornography. Law enforcement identified a computer downloading videos of child pornography connecting the IP address to a location in Weslaco.
On Feb. 16, authorities contacted Barrera-Torres at that residence, at which time he admitted to using a peer-to-peer file sharing program on his computer to download and watch videos containing child pornography. He also acknowledged deleting the files.
Barrera-Torres received and downloaded approximately 80 to 100 videos of child pornography from 2021 to 2022, with the most recent downloads in February 2023.
Law enforcement discovered 31 video files and 83 image files of child exploitation materials on his laptop. The ages of the victims ranged from over 3 years of age to under 12 years of age.
Barrera-Torres will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Homeland Security Investigations – Rio Grande Valley Child Exploitation Investigations Task force conducted the investigation with assistance from the Texas Attorney General’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexa D. Parcell prosecuted the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources link on that page.
Mescalero Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Domestic AssaultRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced today that Julius Scott Mendez was sentenced to 10 years in prison. Mendez, 31, of Mescalero, and an enrolled member of the Mescalero Apache Tribe, pled guilty to assault of an intimate partner resulting in substantial bodily injury and assault of an intimate partner by strangling on January 31, 2023.
According to court documents, on April 25, 2022, Mendez was drinking alcohol with his then-girlfriend, Jane Doe, at Jane Doe’s house. Mendez became upset with Jane Doe and began to argue with her until Jane Doe went to bed to end the argument. Later that night, Jane Doe awoke to Mendez viciously kicking her and stomping on her chest while wearing steel-toed boots. Mendez kicked, punched, and strangled Jane Doe until she lost consciousness. Jane Doe awoke the next morning in her bed in a pool of blood. In addition to violently assaulting Jane Doe, Mendez also destroyed Jane Doe’s house.
Jane Doe was treated at the Lincoln County Medical Center twice after the assault. Jane Doe presented at the emergency room with severe bruising to her head, face and neck and a nasal septal deviation. Jane Doe will need surgery to address the injuries.
Upon his release from prison, Mendez will be subject to 6 years of supervised release.
The Bureau of Indian Affairs investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorneys Matilda McCarthy Villalobos and Eliot Neal are prosecuting the case.
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