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13 September 2023
Warren County Sex Offender Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography ChargeRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Peter Bratis, age 43, of Chestertown, New York, pled guilty today to possessing child pornography.
United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Matthew Scarpino, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), made the announcement.
Bratis admitted to using a Google Drive account to store images depicting minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct between February 24, 2021 and August 4, 2022.
Bratis, who has a prior conviction for rape in the second degree, for which he is a registered sex offender, faces at least 10 years and up to 20 years in prison, and a term of supervised release of at least 5 years and up to life, when Chief United States District Judge Brenda K. Sannes sentences him on January 12, 2024. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors. Bratis would also have to continue to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison.
HSI investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Emmet O’Hanlon and Joseph Hartunian prosecuted this case as part of Project Safe Childhood.
Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), and is designed to marshal federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
United States Attorney Will Thompson Celebrates Funding Awarded to West Virginia for Community Responses to Gender-Based ViolenceRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – In commemoration of the 29th anniversary of the original enactment of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), the Justice Department announced today nearly $193 million in formula and discretionary grant awards to support crucial services and justice responses for survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking, including $1,325,997 for West Virginia.
For nearly three decades, VAWA has 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 the Southern District of West Virginia is proud to announce that the Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) awarded $1,325,997 to Justice and Community Services, part of the West Virginia Department of Homeland Security.
“This office remains steadfast in its commitment to target these crimes and support survivors,” Thompson said. “Because Justice and Community Services acts as the State Administering Agency (SAA) for the grant program, this vital funding will benefit effective programs and services throughout West Virginia.”
VAWA’s signature program is the STOP (Services - Training - Officers - Prosecutors) Violence Against Women Formula Grants Program, which awards funds to every U.S. state and territory to promotes 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 $1,325,997 under the STOP Program to West Virginia to enhance the capacity for communities across the country 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.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia.
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U.S. Attorney’s office for the Northern District of Georgia celebrates funding awarded for legal services and improved court responses to domestic and sexual violenceRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is proud to announce that the Department of Justice’s Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) awarded $2,450,000 to provide legal services and improve the effective coordination of justice systems impacting survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking.
“Congress passed the Violence Against Women Act in 1994 to catalyze federal efforts to combat crimes against women associated with domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, and other offenses. I am pleased to announce that our district has been awarded funding from the Office on Violence Against Women to provide critical resources to improve the coordination of these investigations,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “Our office is proud to partner with each of the recipients of these grants and dedicated to collaborating even more closely with these organizations, and others, to combat the scourge of domestic violence to make our communities safer.”
“The Legal Assistance for Victims Grant, in conjunction with the Justice for Families Program and the Domestic Violence Mentor Court Technical Assistance Initiative, serve as a powerful multi-pronged strategy to transform the justice system’s approach to supporting families affected by violence,” stated OVW Director Rosemarie Hidalgo. “These grants enhance court-related programs, trauma-informed training, and resources, while also providing victims with specialized legal support. This includes assistance with securing protective orders and navigating complex family law matters. Collectively, these grants advance a more comprehensive approach, aimed at ensuring that survivors and their families don't merely navigate our legal system, but genuinely find a path to justice and safety.”
The need for specialized legal services is both urgent and essential for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. These services provide interventions, such as securing restraining or protective orders, that are crucial for survivor safety.
• OVW awarded $1,350,000 under the Legal Assistance for Victims (LAV) Program to the Northern District of Georgia. The LAV Program addresses the legal needs of survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking.
• OVW awarded $400,000 under the Expanding Legal Services Initiative (ELSI) to the Northern District of Georgia. ELSI, which operates under the LAV Program, supports developing new legal services programs.
• OVW awarded $700,000 under the Justice for Families (JFF) Program to the Northern District of Georgia. The JFF Program aims to improve the capacity of communities and courts to respond to families impacted by violence.
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.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office conducts training for local law enforcement officers on federal domestic violence topics, including through the Georgia Law Enforcement Executive Development Seminar (FBI GA LEEDS). Our office has implemented two case referral programs with the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office and at the DeKalb County District Attorney’s Office. Through these strategic enforcement initiatives, we expect to identify and prosecute the most serious perpetrators of domestic violence – including offenders who use and possess firearms, which greatly increases the risk of serious injury or death to the victim.
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.
U.S. Attorney Announces Charges Against Five Individuals for over $20 Million Health Care Fraud, Money Laundering, and Kickbacks SchemeRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Naomi Gruchacz, the Special Agent in Charge of the New York Office of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (“HHS-OIG”), announced the unsealing today of a Superseding Indictment charging acupuncturists JUNYI LIU, a/k/a “Jenny,” and HONGXING WANG, as well as physical therapists JONATHAN LAQUI and MITZY BALDOVINO and insurance company employee VICTOR MAN, a/k/a “Mr. Wen,” with operating an over $20 million health care fraud scheme at medical offices in Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens (the “Offices”). As part of the fraud scheme, MAN referred patients to the Offices in exchange for kickbacks and also assisted in paying kickbacks to the patients (the “Paid Patients”), who were insured by Medicare and/or other insurance providers (collectively, the “Insurance Providers”). The defendants and their co-conspirators then billed the Insurance Providers for physical therapy and acupuncture services that were unnecessary or never performed. LIU was additionally charged with unlawfully enriching herself and a family member through a COVID-19 unemployment benefit scheme.
LIU and WANG were previously indicted and arrested on these charges in September 2021. LAQUI, BALDOVINO, and MAN were arrested earlier today and presented and arraigned this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sarah L. Cave. The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Laura Taylor Swain.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “The defendants allegedly perpetrated a lucrative scheme in which they fraudulently billed for physical therapy and acupuncture services that were never rendered. Thanks to our law enforcement partners and the dedicated work of the prosecutors of this Office, the defendants are now facing an array of serious charges in federal court.”
HHS-OIG Special Agent in Charge Naomi Gruchacz said: “Health care providers who submit fraudulent claims to federally funded insurance plans and bribe patients to participate in kickback schemes put health care benefits for older people and vulnerable populations at risk. HHS-OIG will continue to hold accountable individuals who exploit federal health care programs for their own greed.”
As alleged in the Indictment unsealed today in Manhattan federal court:[1]
Between 2018 and 2021, JUNYI LIU, a licensed acupuncturist, operated the Offices from which LIU and her partners fraudulently billed the Insurance Providers for physical therapy and acupuncture services that were not rendered in the manner represented or not rendered at all. LIU partnered with other licensed medical professionals, including JONATHAN LAQUI and MITZY BALDOVINO, both of whom were licensed physical therapists, and HONGXING WANG, who was a licensed acupuncturist (collectively, the “Partners”). The Partners’ roles in the scheme typically included: (i) allowing the Offices to use their enrollments with the Insurance Providers to submit to the Insurance Providers materially false and fraudulent claims for reimbursement for physical therapy and acupuncture services; (ii) creating materially false medical documentation, which stated that certain physical therapy and acupuncture services had been rendered, when such services in fact were not rendered in the manner represented or were not rendered at all; and (iii) contributing financing for the Offices, including for the payment of cash kickbacks to the Paid Patients to induce those patients to provide their insurance information and receive medically unnecessary and/or non-existent services at the Offices.
In furtherance of the scheme, LIU paid cash kickbacks to MAN and others in exchange for recruiting and referring the Paid Patients, all beneficiaries of the Insurance Providers, to the Offices. The beneficiaries also received cash kickbacks, paid by MAN and others, in exchange for their insurance information and their signatures on sign-in sheets and other documents. In some instances, these Paid Patients visited the Offices, signed in, and received unnecessary physical therapy and acupuncture services. In other instances, the Paid Patients visited the Offices, signed a sign-in sheet and other documents, and then left without receiving any services at all. In yet other instances, the Paid Patients did not visit the Offices at all and instead signed sign-in sheets and other documents brought to them elsewhere by MAN and others. Regardless of whether the Paid Patients received any services or even visited the Offices at all, LIU and her co-conspirators used the Paid Patients’ insurance information to fraudulently bill the Insurance Providers for unnecessary and/or never rendered services.
While LIU and her co-conspirators were defrauding the Insurance Providers of millions of dollars, from April 2020 through September 2021, LIU also engaged in a scheme to obtain COVID-19 unemployment benefits for herself and a family member (the “Family Member”) by fraudulently submitting and causing to be submitted to the New York Department of Labor materially false online applications and certifications for COVID-19 benefits. Among other things, the applications and/or certifications represented that LIU was unemployed when, in fact, she continued to operate the Offices for all or nearly all of this period, and the applications and/or certifications represented that the Family Member was unable to work because of COVID-19 during a five-month period when the Family Member was in China.
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JUNYI LIU, 69, of Great Neck, New York, JONATHAN LAQUI, 46, of Rahway, New Jersey, MITZY BALDOVINO, 46, of the Bronx, New York, HONGXING WANG, 63, of Brooklyn, New York, and VICTOR MAN, 60, of Queens, New York, are all charged with conspiring to commit health care fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, and conspiring to commit money laundering, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. LIU, LAQUI, WANG, and MAN are also charged with conspiring to violate the Anti-Kickback Statute, which has a maximum penalty of five years in prison. LIU is additionally charged with wire fraud, which has a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and theft of Government funds, which has a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. MAN is further charged with violating the Anti-Kickback Statute, which has a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.
The statutory maximum sentences are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants would be determined by the judge.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of HHS-OIG’s New York Office and the New York Field Office of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation. Mr. Williams also thanked the New York State Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit and the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General for their assistance.
The prosecution of this case is being handled by the Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy V. Capozzi is in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Superseding 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 constitutes only allegations, and every fact described herein should be treated as an allegation.
Syracuse Man Sentenced to 68 Months for Distributing Fentanyl and Unlawfully Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Prince Smith, age 22, of Syracuse, was sentenced today to serve 68 months in prison following his conviction for conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, distributing and possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl, and using and carrying a firearm in furtherance of his drug distribution, announced United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and John B. DeVito, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
As part of his prior guilty plea, Smith admitted that he distributed or intended to distribute approximately 19 grams of fentanyl. He also drove to a drug sale on February 18, 2021, with fentanyl inside the center console of his car sitting on top of a loaded 9mm handgun.
United States District Judge Glenn T. Suddaby also sentenced Smith to a three-year term of supervised release to begin after he serves his term of imprisonment.
This case was investigated by ATF and the Syracuse Police Department-Criminal Intelligence Section. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Sutcliffe.
Suburban Chicago Man Sentenced to Six and a Half Years in Federal Prison for Dealing Drugs and Illegally Possessing FirearmRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A suburban Chicago man has been sentenced to six and a half years in federal prison for dealing crack cocaine and illegally possessing a loaded handgun.
In 2020 and 2021, LARRY DENNIS conducted a drug-dealing operation from his residence in Markham, Ill. When a customer arrived outside of the home, Dennis would typically approach the customer or their vehicle to deliver baggies of narcotics in exchange for cash. In December 2020, Dennis pointed a gun at a man during a drug-debt dispute in the driveway of Dennis’s home.
Law enforcement in January 2021 conducted a court-authorized search of Dennis’s residence and discovered cocaine, marijuana, drug packaging materials, and a loaded handgun. Dennis had previously been convicted of multiple state felonies, including firearm offenses, and was not lawfully allowed to possess the gun.
Dennis, 39, pleaded guilty earlier this year to a federal drug charge. U.S. District Judge Sharon Johnson Coleman imposed the sentence Monday after a hearing in federal court in Chicago.
The sentence was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Christopher Amon, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; and Daniel Delaney, Chief of the Midlothian, Ill., Police Department. Valuable assistance in the investigation was provided by the Markham Police Department, Dolton, Ill., Police Department, and Orland Park, Ill., Police Department. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Saurish Appleby-Bhattacharjee.
Strawberry Point Man Charged with Possession of A FirearmRead the Press Release
Scott Wesley Timmerman, age 56, from Strawberry Point, Iowa, has been charged with one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and one count of possession of a short-barreled shotgun in violation of federal law. The charges are contained in an Indictment unsealed on September 12, 2023, in United States District Court in Cedar Rapids.
The Indictment alleges that, on or about May 31, 2023, Timmerman was found in possession of a short-barreled Winchester shotgun and the firearm was not registered to him in the federal registry. The indictment also alleges Timmerman had two prior felony convictions from Arizona.
If convicted on all charges, Timmerman faces a possible maximum sentence of 25 years’ imprisonment, a $500,000 fine, and 3 years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
Timmerman appeared on September 12, 2023, in federal court in Cedar Rapids and was held pending a detention hearing scheduled for September 15, 2023. Timmerman’s trial is set for November 13, 2023.
As with any criminal case, a charge is merely an accusation, and a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick Reinert and was investigated by the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office, Clayton County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 23-CR-02054. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Stephens County Woman Pleads Guilty to Child Abuse in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – Earlier this week, CAITLYN CHEYENNE DOWNS, 24, of Stephens County, pleaded guilty to child abuse in Indian Country, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
On December 7, 2022, a federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment against Downs, charging her with murder in the second degree and two counts of child abuse. The indictment alleges that between May 11, 2022, and September 20, 2022, Downs willfully failed to protect two minor children from harm or threatened harm and that Downs was responsible for the health, safety, and welfare of the children. The harm resulted in the death of one of the children.
On August 29, 2023, Downs was charged by a one-count Superseding Information with child abuse.
At a hearing on Monday, September 11, 2023, before United States District Judge Stephen P. Friot, Downs pleaded guilty to the single-count Superseding Information. At the hearing, Downs admitted that she was responsible for the health, safety, and welfare of the minor children and failed to protect them from harm to their health and safety.
This case is in federal court because Downs is a citizen of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma and the alleged crime occurred within the boundaries of the Chickasaw Nation.
At sentencing, Downs faces up to life in federal prison and a fine of up to $5,000.00. As part of a plea agreement, the government has agreed to dismiss the Indictment at sentencing, based on her guilty plea to the Superseding Information. Sentencing will take place in approximately 90 days.
This case is a result of an investigation by the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office and the Duncan Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany Edgmon and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kaleigh Blackwell are prosecuting the case.
Reference is made to public filings for more information.
St. Louis Man Admits Involvement in Armed Carjackings, Jail Escape and Fatal Shooting of De Smet High School Football CoachRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A man from St. Louis, Missouri pleaded guilty Wednesday to four counts of carjacking, two counts of discharging a firearm in furtherance of carjacking, one count of discharging a firearm in furtherance of carjacking resulting in death and one count of escape.
Kurt Wallace, 30, appeared today before U.S. District Judge Ronnie L. White, who set Wallace’s sentencing for Dec. 12, 2023.
According to the plea agreement, on Sept. 16, 2017, Wallace carjacked the driver of a 2005 Chevrolet Monte Carlo in the 300 block of Walsh in the St. Louis. During the carjacking, Wallace shot the driver in the shoulder.
On Oct. 15, 2017, Wallace carjacked a Cadillac CTS in the 5800 block of Kennerly in St. Louis. During the carjacking, Wallace shot the driver in the leg.
The next day, Wallace was involved in the armed carjacking of a Jeep Grand Cherokee being driven by Jaz Granderson, a football coach at De Smet Jesuit High School. Wallace fatally shot Granderson during the carjacking.
Wallace was indicted by a federal grand jury in November 2017 and detained in jail pending trial. While in custody, Wallace escaped from a jail on July 15, 2019. After escaping, Wallace and fellow inmate James Flannel carjacked a vehicle and led police on a multi-jurisdiction pursuit until Wallace crashed and flipped the vehicle.
As part of the plea, both sides have agreed to recommend a sentence of 60 years in federal prison.
Wednesday’s guilty pleas conclude a joint investigation by the Saint Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives into a series of violent crimes committed by Wallace and others during the fall of 2017. Wallace is the seventh individual convicted in connection with that investigation; the others include Floyd Barber, 28, Jherrica Dixon, 30, James Flannel, 43, Jerell Henderson, 33, Larenta Jones, 30, and Stephan Jones, 33.
Flannel was sentenced in November 2021 to life in prison for the fatal carjacking of Boris Iouioukine, a Laclede Cab Company driver on June 25, 2018. He awaits sentencing on the escape and carjacking.Dixon pleaded guilty May 22, 2019 to eight felonies: four counts of carjacking, three counts of discharge and brandishing of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence and one count of discharge of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence resulting in death. She admitted setting up a series of meetings with men so that they could be carjacked by her then-boyfriend Wallace and others. On Aug. 14, 2017, Wallace and others carjacked a 2017 Dodge Charger in the 800 block of Gustav Avenue in St. Louis. Dixon also admitted setting up the Sept. 16 and Oct. 15 carjackings and the carjacking of Granderson.
Barber pleaded guilty June 4, 2019 to two counts of carjacking, one count of discharge and brandishing of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence and one count of discharge of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence resulting in death. He admitted the Sept. 9, 2017 carjacking of a Kia Optima in St. Louis and admitted participating in the carjacking of Granderson and the fatal drug robbery of Ladareace Pool, 26, in the 4700 block of Goodfellow Avenue on Oct. 3, 2017.
The sentencing hearings for Dixon and Barber are pending. Dixon faces a mandatory minimum of 27 years in prison for just three of the charges. Both sides have agreed to recommend 30 years in prison for Barber.
U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey sentenced Henderson on Aug. 23, 2022 to 42 ½ years in prison for Pool’s robbery and murder. Larenta Jones was sentenced to 30 years in prison and Stephan Jones, the driver the day of Pool’s murder, was sentenced to five years in prison on a drug charge.
“ATF has no higher priority than working with our law enforcement partners to investigate and ultimately, bring to justice those who inflict violence on our communities and in our neighborhoods,” said Bernard Hansen, Special Agent in Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Kansas City Field Division. “As this case so clearly demonstrates, we will continue to use our investigative expertise, and strong partnership with the men and women of the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department to ensure that St. Louis is a safer place to live and work.”
The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are investigating this case with assistance provided by the U.S. Marshals Service, the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Department, the Troy Police Department, the Saint Ann Police Department and the Saint Louis County Police Department.South Carolina Woman Who Coordinated Drug Deals with Prison Inmate Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Evin Rae Davenport (32, Greenwood, South Carolina) today pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute, and possess with the intent to distribute, 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine. Davenport’s co-defendant, Zachariah Luke, pleaded guilty to the same charge on August 16, 2023. Both Davenport and Luke face minimum mandatory terms of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison.
According to Davenport’s plea agreement, in November 2021, Luke was serving a prison sentence in South Carolina. Using contraband cellphones, Luke communicated with Davenport who assisted him in acquiring and selling illegal drugs on the street. Receiving direction from Luke, Davenport delivered drugs three times to a Florida-based drug dealer, including approximately one kilogram of methamphetamine that she supplied to him outside of a department store in South Carolina.
Once Davenport delivered the kilogram of methamphetamine, the dealer returned to Florida. In St. Augustine, Florida, a deputy observed a traffic offense and signaled the dealer to pull over. The dealer initially appeared to be looking for a place to stop, but instead accelerated and raced down the streets of a residential neighborhood. A police helicopter tracked the speeding car, and the pilot observed an object being thrown from the car and directed another deputy to that specific location. Following the directions of the pilot, the deputy found a backpack on the side of the road. Inside, the deputy found approximately 985.6 grams of crystal methamphetamine that laboratory testing would later show was 100% pure.
After attempting to dispose of the drugs, the dealer continued to drive, but eventually reached a dead end. He then abandoned the car to hide in a nearby wooded area but was located and arrested. After that arrest, correctional officers in South Carolina seized multiple cellphones from Luke, which he was prohibited from possessing in prison. Investigators searched those phones and recovered text communications with both Davenport and the Florida-based dealer, concerning when, where, and from whom drugs were to be supplied and delivered.
This case was investigated by the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the South Carolina Department of Corrections, the Aiken County Sheriff’s Office, the Aiken Department of Public Safety, the North Augusta Department of Public Safety, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Coolican.
Shreveport Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possession of a Machine GunRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – Tydarrien T. Porter, 21, of Shreveport, has been sentenced for possession of a machine gun, announced United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown. United States District Judge S. Maurice Hicks, Jr. sentenced Porter to 84 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release.
According to evidence presented to the court, on April 13, 2022, an officer with the Shreveport Police Department conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle being driven by Porter. The officer observed Porter leaning down as if to place or reach for something under the driver’s seat. Another officer made contact with the other occupants of the vehicle on the passenger side and observed a firearm in the back seat between the legs of a male passenger in the back seat of the vehicle. Two females were also in the vehicle. The officer ordered the occupants to exit the vehicle and a search was conducted. Officers located a second firearm in front of where one of the female occupants was sitting. In addition, officers seized 23 grams of marijuana found under the driver’s seat. In all, three firearms were found and seized, a Joe Bob Outfitters AR pistol, a Draco pistol, and a Glock pistol. The Joe Bob Outfitters AR pistol was found to have a drop-in auto sear inserted inside, a device which converted the pistol into a machine gun.
Porter admitted to officers that the AR pistol and marijuana found inside the car belonged to him. A federal grand jury returned an indictment charging him with possession of a machine gun and Porter pleaded guilty to the charge on April 3, 2023.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Shreveport Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Aaron Crawford.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Louisiana recently notified the public through a Public Service Announcement (PSA) that there is a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to persons found with Glock switches, auto sears, or firearms containing either. This PSA can be viewed on the district’s YouTube page at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CAICRba4034.
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Puerto Rico Woman Admits Trafficking Cocaine on Flight to ConnecticutRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that HECMARIELIZ CRUZ-ACEVEDO, 24, of Bayamon, Puerto Rico, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in Bridgeport to a cocaine trafficking offense.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on May 9, 2021, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) received information from U.S. Department of Agriculture inspectors at San Juan International Airport that Cruz-Acevedo had boarded a flight to Baltimore-Washington International Airport, with a final destination of Bradley International Airport, and had checked a piece of luggage that contained five rectangular-shaped objects consistent with narcotics packages. After the flight landed at Bradley Airport, a Connecticut State Police canine detected the presence of narcotics in the checked bag. Investigators stopped Cruz-Acevedo when she retrieved the bag at baggage claim. She was arrested after a search of the bag revealed five individual parcels, each containing slightly more than one kilogram of cocaine, located between articles of clothing.
Cruz-Acevedo pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute cocaine, and offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.
Cruz-Acevedo is released on a $100,000 bond pending sentencing, which is not scheduled.
This matter has been investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Connecticut State Police. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathaniel J. Gentile.
Pontotoc County Resident Pleads Guilty to Failing to Register as A Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Donald Lamond Washington, age 40, of Ada, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to one count of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender.
According to U.S. Marshals, Washington, a convicted sex offender, failed to alert authorities to his presence in the Eastern District of Oklahoma as required by law. Washington, who received a felony conviction in the State of Texas in January 2023 for Indecency with a Child, knowingly failed to register in the State of Oklahoma despite traveling from Texas and residing in the state from January 2023 until his arrest on June 22, 2023.
The charge arose from an investigation by the U.S. Marshals Service.
The Honorable D. Edward Snow, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea in Muskogee and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. Mapp will remain in custody of the U.S. Marshal pending sentencing.
Special Assistant United States Attorney Genevieve A. Ozark represented the United States.
Pinedale Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Sexual AbuseRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, announced today that Sheldon Livingston was sentenced to 12 years in prison. Livingston, 23, of Pinedale, and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, pled guilty to abusive sexual contact of a child under 12 on April 18, 2023.
According to court documents, in December 2020, Livingston engaged in a sexual act with a child who had not attained the age of 12. The victim disclosed the abuse to a forensic interviewer in April 2021. According to the victim, Livingston was told to stop, but he did not; instead, he told the victim to “be quiet.” The victim was eventually able to push Livingston off and run away. Following the incident, Livingston attempted to remain in contact with the victim, but they refused.
When confronted by police, Livingston downplayed his criminality, expressing he mainly just kissed and held hands with the victim, and that everything was done with consent. Livingston denied that the victim told him to stop but did admit that he told them not to tell anyone.
Upon his release from prison, Livingston will be subject to five years of supervised release. He must also register as a sex offender.
The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Zachary C. Jones is prosecuting the case.
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Piedmont Man Pleads Guilty in Federal Court to Conspiracy to Distribute over 4,000 Grams of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
GREENVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA —Randy Kennedy, 35, of Piedmont, has pleaded guilty in federal court to conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine.
Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that Kennedy facilitated the mailing of over 4,000 grams of methamphetamine into South Carolina in 2019. Kennedy also instructed another person on how to carry out the methamphetamine business during the course of the conspiracy.
Kennedy faces a maximum penalty of life in federal prison. He also faces a fine of up to $10,000,000, and a lifetime term of court-ordered supervision to follow his prison term.
United States District Judge Bruce H. Hendricks accepted the guilty plea and will sentence Kennedy after receiving and reviewing a sentencing report prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations, and Greenville County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jamie Lea Nabors Schoen is prosecuting the case.
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Orange County Man Convicted of Federal Child Pornography ViolationsRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – A Bridge City man has been convicted of federal child pornography violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs today.
Dereck Wayne Winstead, 34, was found guilty by a jury of possession of child pornography following a trial before U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on September 12, 2023.
According to information presented in court, in 2020, federal agents received two cyber tips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) with information that an individual in Orange County, Texas, had been accessing and possessing images of child pornography. An investigation revealed the accounts accessing the child pornography were connected to Winstead. On March 30, 2022, law enforcement officers conducted a consensual search at Winstead’s residence and located four electronic devices, including a custom-built gaming computer. A search of the custom-built gaming computer by a computer forensic analyst revealed over 300 images of child pornography including images of children under the age of 12.
Under federal statutes, Winstead faces up to 20 years in federal prison at sentencing. The maximum statutory sentence prescribed by Congress is provided here for information purposes, as the sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to 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.projectsafechildhood.gov.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations Beaumont Resident Agency and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rachel Grove and Jonathan Lee.
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Omaha Man Sentenced for Methamphetamine Distribution and Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA – On September 5, 2023, an Omaha man was sentenced to 132 months in federal prison for possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute and possessing a firearm as a prohibited person.
According to public court documents, in March 2023, Russell Paul Sorbello, 59, was found in possession of methamphetamine and cocaine during a traffic stop. In a subsequent search of Sorbello’s hotel room, law enforcement located additional drugs, including methamphetamine, cocaine, and marijuana. Officers also located a firearm in Sorbello’s possession.
Upon release from prison, Sorbello will serve a 5-year total term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Southwest Iowa Narcotics Enforcement Task Force investigated 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. In May 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.
Okmulgee County Resident Pleads Guilty to Possessing Child Sexual Exploitation MaterialRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Vince Harjo, age 35, of Okmulgee, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to one count of Possession of Material Involving Sexual Exploitation of a Child.
During the plea hearing, Harjo admitted to knowingly possessing material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Muscogee Nation Lighthorse Police.
The Honorable Jason A. Robertson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea in Muskogee and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. Harjo was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending sentencing.
Special Assistant United States Attorney Genevieve A. Ozark represented the United States.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc and click on the tab ‘Resources.’
New Orleans Man Pleads Guilty to Violating the Federal Controlled Substances and Federal Gun Control ActsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – SHAWN MAJOR, JR., age 22, a resident of New Orleans, Louisiana, pled guilty on September 5, 2023 to a two-count superseding bill of information charging him with possession with intent to distribute a quantity of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl, a quantity of cocaine base (“crack”), and a quantity of methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(C), and being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8).
According to court documents, the Drug Enforcement Administration executed a search warrant at a residence in New Orleans after confirming drug activity at that location. Inside the residence, agents located MAJOR, JR. between a washing machine and a bathroom toilet. On top of the washing machine was Glock Model 22, .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol. In and around the toilet, agents located and seized approximately 17 grams of methamphetamine, 2 grams of crack, and 83 grams of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl.
For the drug count, MAJOR, JR. faces a maximum term of imprisonment of fifteen years, a fine of up to $250,000.00, a term of supervised release of up to three years, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00 per count.
For the firearm count, MAJOR, JR. faces a maximum term of imprisonment of fifteen years, a fine of up to $250,000.00, a term of supervised release of up to three years, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00.
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 was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorney André Jones of the Narcotics Unit.
Muscatine Man Sentenced to Prison for Methamphetamine ChargesRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, IA – A Muscatine man was sentenced on Wednesday, September 6, 2023, to 168 months in prison for conspiracy to manufacture, distribute, and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
According to public court documents, on May 22, 2022, law enforcement observed Benjamin Stuart Gomes, 49, receive a package from another man at that man’s residence in Buffalo, Iowa and drive away from the residence. Shortly after Gomes left the Buffalo residence, law enforcement made a traffic stop in Muscatine County of Gomes who was driving his vehicle. During the traffic stop, Gomes was found to be in possession of approximately three pounds of methamphetamine. Gomes admitted he knowingly possessed the methamphetamine with the intent to distribute some or all of it to others. Pursuant to a subsequent search warrant of Gomes’s vehicle seized during the traffic stop, law enforcement recovered approximately sixteen pounds of methamphetamine from the vehicle.
Following his term of imprisonment, Gomes will be required serve five years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement.
The United States Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case.
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 National Sentenced to Serve 70 Months in Federal Prison for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – Yesterday, MANUEL RAMIREZ-HARO, 51, a Mexican national living in Idaho at the time of his arrest, was sentenced to serve 70 months in federal prison for drug trafficking, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
According to public record, on November 12, 2022, officers with the Oklahoma City Police Department stopped Ramirez-Haro on Interstate 40 in Oklahoma City. Officers searched the vehicle and located approximately:
- 18.2 kilograms of methamphetamine;
- 2.4 kilograms of cocaine;
- 2.2 kilograms of fentanyl; and
- 1.56 kilograms of heroin.
On December 7, 2022, a federal grand jury returned a 5-count indictment against Ramirez-Haro, charging him with drug conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute cocaine, methamphetamine, fentanyl, and heroin. On April 18, 2023, Ramirez-Haro pleaded guilty to Count 3 of the indictment.
At the sentencing hearing yesterday, U.S. District Judge Stephen P. Friot sentenced Ramirez-Haro to serve 70 months in federal prison, followed by four years of supervised release. In announcing the sentence, the court noted the serious nature and circumstances of the offense.
This case is the result of an investigation by the Oklahoma City Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Dain Barnett prosecuted the case.
Reference is made to the public record for additional information.
Mexican Man Pleads Guilty to Unlawful Return to the United States After Removal and Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited PersonRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A Mexican man pleaded guilty to unlawful return to the United States after removal, and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Acting Special Agent in Charge Eric DeLaune of Homeland Security Investigations in New Orleans.
According to court documents, on March 23, 2023, the Pearl Police Department received a report of an intoxicated man with a gun at a Pearl apartment complex. Law enforcement officers responded to the area and located Antonio Andrade-Hernandez, 36, with a gun pointed at his head. With small children in the immediate area around Andrade-Hernandez, law enforcement was able to get him to surrender peacefully. A records check revealed that Andrade-Hernandez was an illegal alien who had previously been removed from the United States. Additionally, since Andrade-Hernandez is a Mexican national illegally in the United States, it is contrary to federal law for him to possess any firearm.
Andrade-Hernandez is scheduled to be sentenced on December 12, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Pearl Police Department, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam T. Stuart is prosecuting the case.
This case is being 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.
Methuen Man Sentenced for Conspiring to Steal Firearms from Second Amendment Outdoors in DerryRead the Press Release
CONCORD – A Methuen, Massachusetts man was sentenced in federal court in Concord for his role in a conspiring to steal firearms from a federal firearms licensee, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces.
Jaythean Diaz, 20, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Joseph Laplante to 24 months in prison and 2 years of supervised release. Diaz was also ordered to pay $5,100 in restitution. On April 13, 2023, Diaz pleaded guilty to conspiring to steal firearms from a federal firearms licensee. One of Diaz’ co-conspirators, Gary Ortiz, pleaded guilty to similar charges on May 1, 2023 and is scheduled to be sentenced on September 22, 2023.
“It is criminals, like the defendant and his co-conspirators, that put illegal guns on our streets and often into the hands of dangerous people,” said U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young. “Their crime also has a direct financial impact on legitimate firearm commerce and our federal firearms licensees, like the victim in this case, Second Amendment Outdoors in Derry. The defendant’s lengthy incarceration sends a strong message that the illegal firearm market will not be tolerated in the Granite State.”
“Diaz and his co-conspirators targeted a local gun dealer in order to steal and resell guns on the street. This sentence is proof of ATF’s relentless resolve to bring to justice anyone who would victimize members of our community and put illegal guns into circulation,” said James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division. “Federal firearms licensees are law-abiding citizens who make their livelihood providing a safe and legal means to responsibly bear arms, criminal acts against these businesses will be met with the full weight of the law.”
On December 8, 2021, the Diaz and his co-conspirators broke into Second Amendment Outdoors in Derry, New Hampshire and stole 12 firearms—11 pistols and one rifle. Videos recovered from the phone of a co-conspirator show Diaz holding the stolen firearms, and messages recovered in another search show attempts by Diaz to sell at least one of the stolen firearms.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (“ATF”) led the investigation. Valuable assistance was provided by the Lawrence Police Department, Methuen Police Department, Massachusetts State Police, Derry Police Department, Atkinson Police Department, Plaistow Police Department, Kingston Police Department, Windham Police Department, Hooksett Police Department, and Salem Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney John J. Kennedy is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (“PSN”), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities; supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place; setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities; and measuring the results.
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Mescalero Man Charged with Domestic AssaultRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced today that Ashton Louis Apachito appeared in federal court on a criminal complaint charging him with assault by strangling and/or suffocating an intimate partner. Apachito, 19, of Mescalero and an enrolled member of the Mescalero Apache Tribe, will remain in custody pending a preliminary and detention hearing set for September 15, 2023.
According to the criminal complaint, on July 19, while at his mother’s residence in Mescalero, Apachito allegedly lost his temper and choked and bit the victim on the cheek. Apachito’s family intervened and reported the incident to the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), but officers were only informed that Apachito was causing a disturbance, not of the assault.
Following the incident, the victim left the residence to stay with her mother. Over the next several days, Apachito allegedly harassed the victim by phone and threatened to throw all of her belongings in the road. On July 29, the victim returned to the residence to collect her belongings, at which time Apachito allegedly attacked the victim, pushing her to the ground, kicking her in the stomach multiple times and choking her. The next morning, the victim called her mother and asked her to pick her up. The victim’s mother reported the domestic violence to BIA and the victim was transported to the Lincoln County Medica Center for treatment.
When interviewed by BIA officers, Apachito admitted to biting, hitting, choking, and pushing the victim.
A complaint is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted on the current charge, Apachito faces up to 10 years imprisonment.
The Bureau of Indian Affairs investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eliot Neal is prosecuting the case.
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Meridian Man Sentenced to 87 Months in Prison for Possession of a Firearm by Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A Meridian man was sentenced to 87 months in federal prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
According to court documents, Waltravious Leeandre Watson, 31, was found in possession of nine firearms by officers of the Mississippi Department of Corrections and the Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Office on February 19, 2020, during a search of his home. Watson has a prior felony conviction for burglary of a dwelling. As a convicted felon, it is contrary to federal law for Watson to possess any firearm.
Watson pled guilty on March 21, 2023, to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
The Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Office and the ATF investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew W. Allen and Charles W. Kirkham are prosecuting the case.
This case is being 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.
Meridian Man Pleads Guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A Meridian man pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
According to court documents, Jeremy Lovell, 44, was found in possession of approximately 630 grams of methamphetamine, and two firearms on May 3, 2022, during the execution of a search warrant at Lovell’s residence. Lovell has prior convictions for burglary of a commercial building and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. As a convicted felon it is contrary to federal law for Lovell to possess any firearm.
Lovell is scheduled to be sentenced on December 12, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of life in prison. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Department, Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, and the ATF investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam T. Stuart is prosecuting the case.
This case is being 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.
Massachusetts Man Sentenced to 27 Months’ Imprisonment for Unlawful Ammunition PossessionRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that on September 11, 2023, Gabriel Lebron, 32, of Florence, Massachusetts, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge William K. Sessions III to a sentence of 27 months’ imprisonment followed by a 3-year term of supervised release. Lebron previously pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of ammunition as a convicted felon.
According to court records, on October 12, 2022, Lebron was arrested while attempting to flee a residence in Bennington, Vermont, during the execution of a search warrant. Law enforcement recovered from Lebron’s person a privately manufactured firearm, or “ghost gun.” The firearm had a round in the chamber and a fully loaded 15-round magazine. Lebron was also found to be in possession of fentanyl packaged for sale. In 2021, Lebron received multiple felony convictions in Massachusetts for firearms and other weapons offenses, which prohibited him under federal law from possessing the ammunition loaded in the ghost gun seized on October 12, 2022.
United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest commended the collaborative investigatory efforts of Homeland Security Investigations and the Bennington Police Department.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan Ophardt and Corinne Smith. Mr. Lebron was represented by Assistant Federal Public Defender Steven Barth.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psn.
Marshall County Resident Pleads Guilty to Making A False Statement During the Acquisition of A FirearmRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Steven Kenneth Reilly, age 34, of Kingston, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to making a false statement during the acquisition of a firearm.
According to investigators, on December 24, 2022, Reilly attempted to redeem a pawned firearm at the EZ Pawn in Durant, Oklahoma. During that visit, Reilly intentionally made a false written statement on the ATF Firearms Transaction Record Form 4473 asserting he was not charged with a felony information or indictment at the time of redemption. In reality, Reilly was subject to a two-count felony information in the Marshall County District Court at the time of the visit.
The charges arose from an investigation by members of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
The Honorable Gerald L. Jackson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
Assistant United States Attorneys Joshua Satter and Michael Robinson represented the United States.
Lame Deer assaults send Forsyth man to prison for 10 yearsRead the Press Release
BILLINGS — Edward Leroy Widner III, 29 of Forsyth, was sentenced today for assaulting two men with a gun in one assault and assaulting a woman with a metal bar in a separate assault, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said. Both assaults were committed in Lame Deer, on the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation.
U.S. District Court Judge Susan P. Watters sentenced Widner to 10 years in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release. The defendant pleaded guilty on May 11, 2023, to five charges in a superseding information charging him with two counts of assault resulting in serious bodily injury and three counts of assault with a dangerous weapon.
The government alleged that on May 22, 2022 at Lame Deer, Widner assaulted two victims, John Doe 1 and John Doe 2, with a firearm. Widner went to John Doe 1’s residence and first assaulted Doe 2 in the living room by hitting him in the head with a pistol. Widner dragged Doe 2 into a bedroom occupied by Doe 1 and told Doe 1 to get up or Doe 2 was going to die. Widner then hit Doe 1 repeatedly in the face. At some point, the gun discharged, and a round went through the bed, a wall and into the ground outside of the residence. Doe 1 suffered serious injuries.
The government further alleged that in March 2020 at Lame Deer, Widner assaulted Jane Doe 1, who sought medical attention for serious injuries. At the time, Doe 1 declined to name her assailant citing increased danger if she were to speak to law enforcement. Doe 1 reported that Widner assaulted her with multiple objects, including a metal pipe. In a recent interview with the FBI, Doe 1 identified Widner as her assailant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kalah A. Paisley prosecuted the case which was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Northern Cheyenne Investigative Services and Bureau of Indian Affairs.
Kidnapping and Murder of Osage Nation Citizen Results in 9 ConvictionsRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – The last of multiple defendants involved in the abduction and death of an Osage Nation citizen pleaded guilty on Tuesday to murder in the second degree in federal court, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
Tre Robert Allen Ackerson, 29, of Webb City, Missouri, pleaded guilty to second degree murder for the killing of Osage citizen Jolene Walker Campbell. Ackerson faces up to life in federal prison with no possibility of parole.
“Tre Ackerson, along with codefendant Breanna Sloan, conspired to kidnap and brutally murder the victim. Then they conspired with additional codefendants to threaten witnesses and destroy evidence in an extensive effort to cover up their crimes,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “This final conviction reflects three years of work and commitment from our law enforcement partners and federal prosecutors to provide justice for the victim and her family.”
“Jolene Campbell was only 35 when she was brutally murdered, a young woman with a long life ahead of her. She left behind a grieving family that deserves justice, and after three long years and 9 convictions, we hope they can finally begin to heal from this tragic loss,” said FBI Oklahoma City Special Agent in Charge Edward J. Gray. “Thanks to the dedicated efforts of the FBI and our law enforcement partners, the defendants are now facing decades in prison for their involvement in this horrific crime.”
In the early morning hours of July 5, 2020, codefendant Breanna Sloan and Ackerson were driving around Joplin, Missouri. Ackerson spotted Campbell walking on the side of the road and stated, “that’s that bitch!” Ackerson told Sloan he had robbed Campbell just a few hours earlier, and Sloan asked whether he wanted to lure Campbell into the vehicle. Ackerson agreed.
Sloan drove past Campbell to let Ackerson hide in the woods. She then waited in the car for Campbell to reach her location and offered her a ride After Campbell got into the front passenger seat, Ackerson emerged from the woods armed with a gun, climbed into the rear seat, and told Sloan to drive.
Ackerson attempted to rob Campbell again, but she had nothing more for him to steal. Campbell suggested they go meet someone else she knew in Oklahoma City to obtain the money Ackerson wanted. During the drive from Missouri through Oklahoma, Campbell fell asleep. They stopped at a gas station in Tulsa before Sloan took a fateful detour into Mayes County, Oklahoma to go to another destination for supplies.
Before they reached the intended destination, Ackerson instructed Sloan to turn into a rural field and stop on a dead-end dirt road. Ackerson then got out of the car and opened the rear passenger door, causing a still-sleeping Campbell to partially fall out into the road. Ackerson then forced Campbell into the field and killed her.
The victim’s body was discovered on July 15, 2020, in the same Mayes County field where Ackerson killed her, within the boundaries of the Muscogee Nation reservation.
A year later, on July 20, 2021, 11 defendants from the Joplin, Missouri, area were charged for their various roles related to the kidnapping that led to the death of the victim and for conspiring to obstruct the ensuing federal investigation, including tampering with witnesses by using and threatening physical force.
Ackerson admitted that he intentionally shot the victim multiple times, cut her throat, and hit her head several times with a tire jack until she died from the injuries. He further admitted to conspiring with the other codefendants to obstruct, threaten, and tamper with witnesses that had information relating to the kidnapping and murder.
Ackerson has been and will remain in the custody of the Marshal Service pending formal sentencing at a future date and faces a maximum sentence of life in federal prison.
The additional defendants in this case, all currently in custody, are as follows:
Breanna Lynn Sloan, 24, pleaded guilty on Nov. 17, 2022, and admitted that from July 4, 2020, to July 5, 2020, she aided and abetted codefendant Ackerson, in the kidnapping of the victim and that the victim died as a result of the kidnapping. Sloan faces up to life in prison.
Chloe Louise Stith, 23, pleaded guilty on May 5, 2022, to witness tampering by using and threatening physical force. Stith admitted that she helped another person in a separate incident in the use of force against two other witnesses with the intention of keeping them from communicating with federal law enforcement about Campbell’s disappearance and subsequent murder. She admitted to covering the two witnesses’ eyes with duct tape and driving the witnesses against their will to a remote location where one witness was physically assaulted by the other person who had accompanied Stith. The incident occurred on Aug. 13, 2020. Stith faces up to 30 years in prison.
Sarah Michelle Humbard, 26, and David William Morris, 35 each pleaded guilty to witness tampering by using the threat of physical force. Humbard and Morris both admitted that they threatened a witness by referencing Campbell’s murder and that the witness was “playing with fire.” The two further admitted to luring the witness to drive to the Precious Moments Hotel in Carthage, Missouri, where codefendant Lane Bronson confronted the witness. Bronson, who is Ackerson’s brother, then demanded the witness change testimony regarding codefendant Ackerson, and if not, the witness would pay for it. Humbard pleaded guilty on April 21, 2022, and Morris pleaded guilty May 13, 2022. They each face a maximum of 20 years.
Lane Ryan Bronson, 30, pleaded guilty on Nov. 21, 2022, to witness tampering by using and threatening physical force and faces a maximum of 30 years. Bronson admitted to assaulting and using physical force on witnesses with the intention of preventing them from communicating with federal law enforcement officers about his brother’s involvement in Campbell’s kidnapping and killing.
Morgan Lee Bowman, 28, pleaded guilty on May 9, 2022, to tampering with a witness, victim, and informant by using and threatening physical force and faces a maximum of 30 years. Bowman admitted that on July 7, 2020, she, Megan Louise Detherage, and Bronson bound, blindfolded, and kidnapped two witnesses from a Joplin home and drove them to a remote location in Seneca, Missouri, that was occupied by Ackerson and Sloan. She stated that while at that location, Ackerson used a semi-automatic rifle to shoot at one of the witnesses and told the witness to “dance.” The second witness, who was still bound and blindfolded, was forced to listen. Bowman stated that after the shooting, she, Sloan, and Detherage took the witnesses’ personal belongings and wiped down the car used in the kidnapping with bleach with the intention of destroying DNA and fingerprint evidence. Bowman admitted that at the time of the crime, she understood that a federal proceeding was likely to evolve in relation to the kidnapping and killing of Campbell and that they threatened the witnesses with the intent to prevent communication with law enforcement about the crimes.
Jacob Ryan Scribner, 35, pleaded guilty on Jan. 6, 2023, to conspiracy to retaliate against a witness and informant, and he is facing 20 years in prison. Scribner admitted to having a recorded jail call with Stith regarding a witness that had been talking to the FBI. They believed the witness was also going to be placed in custody at the same jail facility as Scribner. Stith told Scribner that she would pay a $75 bounty to anybody to “relay a great message” to the witness. Scribner agreed to relay the bounty around the facility with the understanding that Stith was offering to pay money for someone to assault the witness for talking to the FBI.
Megan Louise Detherage, 29 pleaded guilty on May 10, 2022, to misprision of a felony and faces a maximum of three years. Detherage admitted that she failed to inform law enforcement about her participation in a kidnapping for the purpose of intimidating witnesses of a drug trafficking offense. On July 7, 2020, she, Bronson, Bowman, and two witnesses were present at a house in Joplin. She stated that at Bronson’s direction, she and Bowman blindfolded the two witnesses and they drove the witnesses to a trailer in Seneca, Missouri, where Ackerson and Sloan were located. She stated that Ackerson and Bronson left with one of the witnesses, then returned and parked behind the trailer. She, Sloan, and Bowman then wiped down the car used in the kidnapping with bleach at the direction of Bronson. During that time, she claimed that she heard gunshots fired in the direction of where Ackerson and one of the witnesses were located, causing the second witness to become fearful. She stated the only firearm she saw during the kidnapping was a short-barreled rifle carried by Ackerson.
Charges were dismissed on the remaining 2 defendants pursuant to diversionary agreements.
A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI, Mayes County Sheriff’s Office, Muscogee Nation Lighthorse Police Department, and the Joplin Police Department conducted the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Bish and George Jiang prosecuted the case.
Justice Department Secures Settlement with American Samoa Government to Resolve Employment Discrimination Case Involving Harassment of Transgender WomanRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that it secured a settlement with the American Samoa Government (ASG) to resolve the department’s lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for Hawaii alleging that the ASG discriminated against a former employee, Simeonica Tuiteleleapaga, because she is a transgender woman, in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Title VII is a federal statute that prohibits employment discrimination based on race, color, national origin, religion and sex, including sexual orientation and gender identity, and prohibits retaliation against employees for opposing discriminatory employment practices.
Under the consent decree that the district court approved yesterday, the ASG is required to pay $125,000 to compensate Ms. Tuiteleleapaga for the harassment she suffered at the hands of her supervisor. The consent decree also requires the ASG to adopt new policies and procedures to handle sex based discrimination complaints and to provide its employees training on these new policies.
“Discrimination against transgender employees is discrimination based on their sex, and no employee should have to tolerate a supervisor’s hostile comments about their gender identity,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Transgender employees must be free from discrimination, harassment or derision in the workplace. The Justice Department will not tolerate discrimination based on an employee’s sex or gender identity and will safeguard the rights of vulnerable workers, including LGBTQI+ employees.”
According to the department’s complaint, then-director of the ASG’s Department of Human and Social Services, Mr. Meki Solomona, harassed Ms. Tuiteleleapaga and another transgender employee on multiple occasions, despite the employees’ complaints about his misconduct. The complaint describes one humiliating instance when Mr. Solomona singled out Ms. Tuiteleleapaga at a department-wide meeting, where he threatened to eliminate her position, asked her if she was a “girl or a boy” and told her to “[t]ake it off” and “let us see if you are a woman.” After Ms. Tuiteleleapaga left the meeting in tears, Mr. Solomona continued his tirade for 40 minutes, repeatedly referring to her as a “thing” or an “it.” After the meeting, as described in the complaint, Mr. Solomona attempted to transfer her to another work location; misgendered her to her supervisor; attempted to terminate her; and refused to allow her routine work travel authorizations. The ASG failed to take any actions to stop his harassment.
The Hawaii District Office of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) investigated and attempted to resolve Ms. Tuiteleleapaga’s charge of discrimination before referring it to the Justice Department as an enforcement action. More information about the EEOC’s jurisdiction is available on its website at www.eeoc.gov.
The enforcement of Title VII and other federal employment discrimination laws is a top priority of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. Additional information about the Civil Rights Division and its work is available on its websites at www.justice.gov/crt and www.justice.gov/crt/employment-litigation-section.
Senior Trial Attorney Jeffrey Morrison of the Civil Rights Division’s Employment Litigation Section handled this case.
american_samoa_consent_decree_september_2023.pdfJustice Department Awards $192.8 Million in Grants to Support Community Responses to Gender-Based ViolenceRead the Press Release
In commemoration of the 29th anniversary of the original enactment of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), the Justice Department announced today $192,819,214 in formula and discretionary grant awards to support crucial services and justice responses for survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. Congress appropriated approximately $700 million for the implementation of VAWA in Fiscal Year 2023, and additional grant awards will be announced in the coming weeks. The Office on Violence Against Women (OVW), created under VAWA, has administered over $9.5 billion in grant funds since its inception, supporting communities in implementing effective strategies that prevent and respond to these crimes.
“We must confront the continued prevalence of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking in our country,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “Today the Justice Department is marking nearly three decades of the Violence Against Women Act by awarding $192.8 million in resources that will go directly to making our communities safer by supporting and gaining the trust of survivors and holding accountable those who have harmed them.”
The Department awarded a total of $172,932,681 across all 50 states and six territories under the STOP (Services, Training, Officers, and Prosecutors) Violence Against Women Formula Grants Program, one of VAWA’s inaugural grant programs. The grant is designed to promote a coordinated community response among law enforcement, prosecution, courts, victim services organizations, and other community services to ensure the safety of survivors.
“I was privileged to work on the original passage of VAWA and took to heart the government’s paramount obligation to protect its citizens,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco. “For nearly 30 years, VAWA has afforded rights and safeguards to survivors of sexual violence while ensuring the criminal justice system holds their perpetrators to account. The Justice Department has furthered its promise by awarding nearly $10 billion in funding – including the newest grants announced today – to communities across the country to respond to gender-based violence.”
“Everyone has the right to live without the threat of gender-based violence, and with VAWA’s expansion and 2022 reauthorization, we are improving victim services and reaching more survivors, including survivors in marginalized communities, LGBTQI+ survivors, older adults, and those with disabilities,” said Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta. “This is an important step toward our goal of bringing these crimes to an end, once and for all.”
“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,” said OVW Director Rosie Hidalgo. “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. Last year’s reauthorization, as well as strong congressional and Administration support, has bolstered the Office on Violence Against Women’s efforts to provide increased funding to local communities nationwide, strengthening partnerships to support innovative programs and increase pathways to safety, justice, and healing.”
Additional awards announced today include:
- Grants for Training and Services to End Violence Against Individuals with Disabilities and Deaf People Program (Disability Grant Program): Fourteen grants totaling $8,339,438 will support services for individuals with disabilities and Deaf individuals. This includes but is not limited to: providing specialized training, outreach, cross-training for various agencies, and developing model programs to strengthen organizational capacities in assisting survivors.
- Grants for Outreach and Services to Underserved Populations: Seventeen grants totaling $10,066,724 will support services that enhance population-specific victim services, outreach strategies, and organizational capacities and provide training for criminal and civil justice systems to address the specific needs of underserved populations.
- Enhanced Training and Services to End Abuse in Later Life Program (Abuse in Later Life Program): Three grants totaling $1,480,371 will support projects that provide training to criminal justice professionals to enhance their ability to address elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation. These grants also offer cross-training opportunities to professionals working with older victims, establish or strengthen a coordinated community response to elder abuse, and enhance services for victims who are 50 years of age or older.
Organizations interested in applying for these and other grants are encouraged to visit the OVW website for more details and application guidelines.
Joshua Adam Schulte Convicted After Trial of Multiple Child Pornography CrimesRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and James Smith, the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced the conviction of JOSHUA ADAM SCHULTE of three counts — receiving, possessing, and transporting child pornography — in connection with an encrypted cache of more than 3,000 images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of young children found on the defendant’s home desktop computer. The defendant was found guilty following a three-day jury trial before U.S. District Judge Jesse M. Furman. The defendant, a former programmer at the Central Intelligence Agency (“CIA”), was previously found guilty of four counts of espionage, four counts of computer hacking, contempt of Court, and making false statements to the FBI at previous trials conducted in 2020 and 2022 in connection with the defendant’s commission of the largest theft of classified information in the history of the CIA, which information was disseminated by the website WikiLeaks under the names Vault 7 and Vault 8. Sentencing on all counts of conviction is scheduled for January 10, 2024, before Judge Furman.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Joshua Schulte has already been held accountable for endangering our nation’s security, and today’s verdict holds him accountable for endangering our nation’s children as well. The outstanding investigative work of the FBI throughout this investigation revealed Schulte as not only a traitor, but as one who participated in the exploitation and victimization of young children as well. The career prosecutors in this Office are dedicated to securing justice for the most vulnerable victims of sexual abuse and exploitation.”
FBI Assistant Director in Charge James Smith said: "The FBI maintains investigating crimes of violence and sexual abuse against children as a top priority. The jury's conviction of Joshua Schulte of having knowingly received, possessed, and transported thousands of files of child sexual abuse material will hopefully provide some measure of comfort to Schulte's victims. Schulte used his expert computer programming skills and training to victimize the most vulnerable members of our society, and the FBI will always vigorously pursue anyone who commits such crimes."
According to court documents and evidence at trial:
While living in Virginia in 2016, SCHULTE built a custom desktop computer, which he used to download and collect more than 15,000 images of child pornography and child erotica. SCHULTE stored his cache of child pornography in various encrypted locations on the computer. In or about November 2016, SCHULTE relocated to New York, New York, and transported his child pornography computer with him. While living in New York, New York, SCHULTE continued to stockpile child pornography from the dark web and Russian websites.
In March 2017, after executing a search warrant for SCHULTE’s apartment in connection with the investigation of his theft of classified information, the FBI recovered and searched SCHULTE’s computer pursuant to another court-issued warrant. Using passwords identified from SCHULTE’s cellphone that SCHULTE used for a variety of personal accounts, including credit cards, online shopping, and email, FBI computer scientists were able to decrypt SCHULTE’s hidden collection of child pornography. The FBI determined that SCHULTE had collected and viewed videos and images depicting the sexual abuse by adults of children as young as two years old, including materials depicting sadomasochism and bestiality inflicted on children.
* * *
SCHULTE, 34, of New York, New York, was convicted today of one count of receipt of child pornography and one count of transportation of child pornography, which each carry a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison and a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, and one count of possession of child pornography, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. SCHULTE was previously convicted of one count of gathering national defense information with the intent to harm the United States, two counts of transmitting unlawfully possessed national defense information, one count of attempting to transmit unlawfully possessed national defense information, one count of unauthorized access to a computer to obtain national defense information, one count of unauthorized access to a computer to obtain information belonging to an agency of the United States, two counts of causing transmission of a harmful computer command, one count of making false statements to the FBI, and one count of contempt of Court, which collectively carry a maximum sentence of life in prison.
The potential mandatory minimum and maximum sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by Judge Furman.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding efforts of the Counterintelligence Division and the Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force of the FBI’s New York Field Office, as well as the extraordinary assistance of FBI computer scientists from the Cyber Action Team.
This case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and International Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys David W. Denton Jr., Michael D. Lockard, and Nicholas S. Bradley are in charge of the prosecution, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Kayla A. Collins.
Indictment Charges Maryland Pair in Fentanyl Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – An arraignment was held today for Edward Steven Monge, 22, of Beltsville, Maryland, on charges connected to his alleged role in a fentanyl distribution conspiracy. Monge and his co-conspirator, Jennifer Echeverria Flores, 26, of Silver Spring, Maryland, are named in an indictment charging them with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute more than 400 grams of fentanyl. Echeverria Flores is further charged with unlawful distribution of 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
According to the charging documents, on five different occasions between February 17, 2023 and July 19, 2023, Echeverria Flores — who allegedly used Monge as her source of supply — sold a total of approximately 4,500 pills containing fentanyl to undercover agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”) in Washington, D.C. and Maryland. The pills are blue, marked “M” on one side, and “30” on the other side. DEA laboratory testing has confirmed that the pills contain fentanyl.
Echeverria Flores was arrested on July 31, 2023, and has been ordered held without bond pending trial. On August 3, 2023, law enforcement agents arrested Monge in Hyattsville, MD, pursuant to an outstanding arrest warrant for him from Fairfax County, VA. Upon a search of Monge, officers found approximately 1,102 pills on his person, which field tested positive for the presence of fentanyl. Monge was arrested on a federal arrest warrant on September 11, 2023.
The conspiracy charge carries a statutory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a statutory maximum sentence of life in prison. The distribution charge carries a statutory minimum sentence of five years in prison with a statutory maximum sentence of 40 years. The charges also carry potential financial penalties. The minimum and maximum statutory sentences for federal offenses are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes. The sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This case is being investigated by the DEA’s Washington Field Division and is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys Javier Urbina and Jordan Leiter of the Violence Reduction and Trafficking Offenses section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Houtzdale Resident Indicted on Charges of Possession of an Unregistered Firearm/Destructive Device and Conspiracy to Maliciously Destroy Property by ExplosiveRead the Press Release
JOHNSTOWN, PA - a resident of Houtzdale, PA, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Johnstown on charges of possession of an unregistered firearm/destructive device and conspiracy to maliciously destroy property by explosive, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
The two-count Indictment named Kris Joseph Nevling, age 46, as the sole defendant. Nevling is currently incarcerated for unrelated state offenses.
According to the Indictment, between October 3, 2019, and October 4, 2019, Nevling unlawfully possessed a destructive device and also conspired with at least one other person to destroy property by using explosives.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of life in prison, a fine of $250,000.00 or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorneys Maureen Sheehan-Balchon and Shaun E. Sweeney are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Houston Woman Pleads Guilty to Cares Act Fraud and Theft of Government FundsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that TEMIKA SANTEMORE, age 43, a resident of Houston, Texas, pleaded guilty on September 12, 2023 before U.S. District Judge Jay C. Zainey to a two-count bill of information charging her with making false statements and theft of government funds related to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act).
The CARES Act is a federal law enacted on March 29, 2020, to provide emergency financial assistance in connection with economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. One source of relief provided by the CARES Act was the authorization of up to $349 billion in forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses, through the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”). In April 2020, Congress authorized over $300 billion in additional PPP funding.
The PPP allows qualifying small businesses and other organizations to receive loans with a maturity of two years and an interest rate of 1%. PPP loan proceeds must be used by businesses on payroll costs, interest on mortgages, rent, and utilities. The PPP allows the interest and principal on the PPP loan to be forgiven if the business spends the loan proceeds on these expense items within a designated period of time after receiving the proceeds and uses at least a certain percentage of the PPP loan proceeds on payroll expenses.
In addition, the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (“EIDL”) program was a U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) program that provided low-interest financing to small businesses, renters, and homeowners in regions affected by declared disasters. The CARES Act provided funding for EIDL loans for business affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. In contrast to the PPP, EIDL loan amounts were determined based on the recipient businesses’ historical revenue and disbursed directly to the recipient by the SBA.
According to the charging documents, SANTEMORE made false statements to the SBA for the purpose of fraudulently obtaining pandemic-related relief loans funded by the federal government, including PPP funds, which she received in the amount of approximately $13,540. SANTEMORE also applied for an EIDL from the SBA in July of 2020 and illegally received $5,000 for a dormant business that she owned.
Sentencing is set for December 12, 2023. SANTEMORE faces a sentence of up to five years in prison, up to $250,000 in fines, and up to three years of supervised release for the false statements count. She faces up to ten years in prison, up to $250,000 in fines, and up to three years of supervised release for the theft count. There is also a $100 mandatory special assessment fee for each count due after conviction.
For more information on the Department of Justice’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 Amtrak Office of Inspector General – Criminal Investigations, the Department of Labor – Office of the Inspector General, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward J. Rivera of the Financial Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
Hartford Man Who Possessed Loaded Ghost Gun Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that CAMRON HILL, 36, of Hartford, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey A. Meyer in New Haven to 18 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for a federal firearm offense.
According to court documents and statements made in court, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Hartford Task Force and Hartford Police Department conducted an investigation of a business located at 136 Barbour Street in Hartford that was suspected of trafficking narcotics. The business, a purported clothing store, had an awning that read “The HOLE Ex-Con 360 the movement.” In October 2022, investigators made two controlled drug purchases of marijuana from the store.
On October 5, 2022, Hill and others were in the store when investigators conducted a court-authorized search of the store and seized quantities of suspected crack cocaine, psychedelic mushrooms, cocaine, marijuana, heroin, synthetic opioid films, fentanyl pills disguised as oxycodone, MDMA, drug packaging and processing materials, U.S. currency, and five handguns. One of the handguns seized was a loaded 9mm privately made firearm (“PMF” or “ghost gun”) that was found behind the counter of the store in a black satchel-type bag. Surveillance video the morning of the search showed Hill using keys to open the store and carrying a black satchel-type bag. Subsequent forensic testing of the firearm revealed Hill’s DNA.
Hill has a prior felony conviction. It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.
On April 18, 2023, Hill pleaded guilty to possession of ammunition by a felon.
Hill, who is released on bond, is required to report to prison on October 17.
This investigation has been conducted by the DEA’s Hartford Task Force and the Hartford Police Department, with the assistance of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and the Connecticut Forensic Science Laboratory. The DEA Task Force includes personnel from the DEA Hartford Resident Office, the Connecticut State Police, and the Bristol, Hartford, East Hartford, Enfield, Manchester, New Britain, Rocky Hill, Wethersfield, Windsor Locks and Willimantic Police Departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys A. Reed Durham and Brendan J. Keefe.
Fourth man sentenced for delivery of methRead the Press Release
BROWNSVILLE, Texas – A 32-year-old U.S. citizen residing in Brownsville has been ordered to federal prison following his conviction for possession with intent to distribute approximately a kilogram of meth, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Raul Perez pleaded guilty Oct. 1, 2019.
U.S. District Judge Rolando Olvera has now ordered Perez to serve 125 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence that detailed his involvement with others in the distribution of meth and other drugs in the Brownsville area.
Perez was the fourth of the conspirators convicted and sentenced for the delivery. Others included Eduardo Guerrero, 33, Rodolfo Garza, 31, and Jacob Trujillo, 24, all of Brownsville who received 90, 144 and 120 months in prison, respectively. The final man - Jetzrael Saldana aka Jetz, 25, also of Brownsville will be sentenced Oct. 18.
In September 2018, law enforcement learned of certain individuals who were interested in selling meth. The undercover investigation led to Guerrero and Garza who later sold 380 grams of meth and one kilogram of meth on two occasions.
They met the buyers at a local business parking lot in Brownsville. Guerrero had displayed a handgun and said it was loaded but that he could be trusted. A black truck then arrived, and the driver – Trujillo - provided a cereal box containing the drugs to Guerrero.
Authorities later learned Perez had provided the drugs and loaned his black truck knowing it would be used for the delivery of the drugs. Saldana was present to provide counter-surveillance to ensure a successful delivery.
Perez will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Oscar Ponce prosecuted the case.
Fort Wayne Man Sentenced to 97 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
FORT WAYNE–Gerardo Nino Romero, 41 years old, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, and Uriangato, Guanajuato, Mexico, was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge Holly A. Brady after pleading guilty to possessing controlled substances with intent to distribute, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.
Nino Romero was sentenced to 97 months in prison followed by 4 years of supervised release.
According to documents in the case, Romero was operating a drug premises at his Fort Wayne residence where he was storing and trafficking large amounts of heroin, cocaine, and marijuana.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Fort Wayne Safe Streets Gang Task Force, which includes the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Indiana State Police, the Allen County Sheriff’s Department, the Fort Wayne Police Department; and the DEA North Central Regional Laboratory. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony W. Geller.
Fort Wayne Man Sentenced to 220 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
FORT WAYNE –Joshua R. Letner, 42 years old, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge Holly A. Brady after pleading guilty to possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.
Letner was sentenced to 220 months in prison followed by 5 years of supervised release.
According to documents in the case, between March 2020 and October 2021, Letner distributed and possessed with intent to distribute controlled substances in Fort Wayne, including over 50 grams of methamphetamine. Letner, a convicted felon, who could not legally possess the firearm in this case, also possessed a firearm in furtherance of his drug trafficking.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, with assistance from the Fort Wayne Police Department and the New Haven Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stacey R. Speith.
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.
Former CEO of International Investment Advisory Firm Pleads Guilty to Investment Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
BROOKLYN, NY – Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Roberto Gustavo Cortes Ripalda (Cortes) pleaded guilty to participating in a years’ long conspiracy to defraud clients of Biscayne Capital, an international investment advisory firm that operated in the United States, South America, and the Caribbean. Today’s plea took place before United States District Judge Carol Bagley Amon. When sentenced, Cortes faces up to 20 years in prison and as part of his plea agreement will pay forfeiture in the amount of $3.4 million.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Nicole M. Argentieri, Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Kareem A. Carter, Special Agent-in-Charge, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, Washington, D.C. (IRS-CI); and Derek W. Gordon, Special Agent-in-Charge, Homeland Security Investigations, Washington, D.C. Field Office (HSI), announced the guilty plea.
According to court filings and facts presented during the plea hearing, between approximately 2013 and 2018, Cortes, together with others at Biscayne Capital, orchestrated a scheme to defraud Biscayne Capital clients through a series of material misrepresentations and omissions about how Biscayne Capital client funds would be used, including falsely claiming that their funds would be used to develop luxury real estate in Florida. As part of the scheme, Cortes and his co-conspirators used client money to pay promised investment returns to other Biscayne Capital clients. According to the indictment, by September 2018, the scheme collapsed and Biscayne Capital went into liquidation, causing more than $155 million in losses to Biscayne Capital clients.
Co-conspirators Ernesto Heraclito Weisson Pazmino pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud in April 2022; Gustavo Trujillo pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering in April 2019; Juan Carlos Cortes pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering in July 2022; Fernando Martinez Gomez pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering in March 2022. They are awaiting sentencing. Co-conspirator Fernando Haberer Bergson was arrested in Argentina in September 2021 and is facing extradition to the Eastern District of New York.
The IRS-CI Global Illicit Financial Team and HSI are investigating the case.
The government’s case is being handled by the Business and Securities Fraud Section of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York and the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section (MLARS). Assistant United States Attorneys Drew G. Rolle and Benjamin Weintraub, Fraud Section Trial Attorney Randall Warden and MLARS Trial Attorney Chad Davis are in charge of the prosecution. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs also provided significant assistance in the case.
The Defendant:
ROBERTO GUSTAVO CORTES RIPALDA
Age: 56
Key Biscayne, FloridaCo-Conspirators Who Previously Pleaded Guilty:
ERNESTO HERACLITO WEISSON PAZMINO
Age: 55
Miami, FloridaFERNANDO HABERER BERGSON
Age: 50
ArgentinaE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 21-CR-458 (CBA)
GUSTAVO TRUJILLO
Age: 43
Miami, FloridaE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 19-CR-134 (CBA)
JUAN CARLOS CORTES
Age: 45
Boca Raton, FloridaE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 22-CR-288 (CBA)
FERNANDO MARTINEZ GOMEZ
Age: 45
EcuadorE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 22-CR-65 (CBA)
Former CEO of Financial Services Firm Pleads Guilty to $150M Investment Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A Florida man pleaded guilty today to defrauding clients of his financial services firm.
According to court documents, in 2005, Roberto Gustavo Cortes Ripalda, 56, of Key Biscayne, founded financial services company Biscayne Capital. Between approximately 2013 and 2018, Cortes and others orchestrated a scheme to defraud Biscayne Capital clients through a series of lies regarding how the firm would use client funds. For example, Cortes and his co-conspirators told clients that their investments would finance the development of real estate projects, when in fact, Cortes and his co-conspirators used the money to pay other Biscayne Capital clients, cover Biscayne Capital expenses, and pay themselves millions of dollars. Cortes and his co-conspirators also invested clients’ money without their knowledge, and then attempted to cover their tracks by providing investors with fraudulent account statements. According to the indictment, by September 2018, the scheme collapsed, and Biscayne Capital went into liquidation, causing more than $155 million in losses to Biscayne Capital clients.
Cortes pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. As part of his plea, Cortes agreed to a forfeiture judgment in the amount of $3.4 million. Cortes is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 12, 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.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Breon Peace for the Eastern District of New York, Special Agent in Charge Kareem A. Carter of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Washington, D.C. Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge Derek W. Gordon of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington made the announcement.
The IRS-CI Global Illicit Financial Team and HSI are investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Randall Warden of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section, Trial Attorney Chad Davis of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Drew Rolle and Benjamin Weintraub for the Eastern District of New York are prosecuting the case. Trial Attorneys John (Fritz) Scanlon and Brandon Burkart of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section assisted with the investigation of the case.
The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance in the case.
Former Alabama Department of Corrections Lieutenant Pleads Guilty to Federal Civil Rights and Obstruction Offenses for Assaulting a Restrained Inmate and Lying to Cover It UpRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A former Alabama Department of Corrections (ADOC) lieutenant pleaded guilty today to using excessive force on an inmate and lying afterwards in an official report to cover up his abuse.
According to the plea agreement, former William E. Donaldson Correctional Facility Lieutenant and Shift Commander Mohammad Shahid Jenkins, who had more than 20 years of experience in law enforcement, used excessive force on inmate V.R. Specifically, on Feb. 16, 2022, Jenkins willfully deprived inmate V.R. of his right to be free from excessive force by kicking him, hitting him, spraying him with chemical spray, striking him with a can of chemical spray and striking him with a shoe, while V.R. was restrained inside of a holding cell and not posing a threat. Jenkins admitted that, over the course of approximately five minutes and outside the presence of other officers and inmates, Jenkins repeatedly re-entered the holding cell that V.R. was in and re-assaulted him numerous times. Jenkins used a dangerous weapon — chemical spray and the can of chemical spray — on V.R. and his attacks on V.R. caused V.R. to suffer bodily injury. Following his assault on V.R., Jenkins authored a false incident report. In it, he gave a false account of where, in Donaldson, he transported V.R. to and he omitted entirely his use of force on V.R. from his report. As part of the factual basis, Jenkins further admitted that he lied to investigators by denying using any force on V.R.
Further, as part of the factual basis, Jenkins admitted to using force on another inmate on a different occasion at Donaldson. Specifically, on Nov. 29, 2021, Jenkins willfully deprived inmate D.H. of his right to be free from excessive force by repeatedly spraying D.H. with chemical spray while D.H. was handcuffed behind his back and compliant, by hitting D.H. in the head with the can of chemical spray and by delivering an open-hand strike to D.H.’s head while D.H. was suffering from the effects of chemical spray.
“Senior law enforcement officers set the tone for junior officers whom they supervise,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This defendant abused his position of power to carry out a violent assault on a restrained inmate, in an isolated location of the prison. The Justice Department will continue to hold accountable law enforcement officers who violate the civil rights of any American, including those who are incarcerated in our jails and prisons.”
“There is zero tolerance for corrections officers who commit these egregious crimes,” said U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona for the Northern District of Alabama. “My office will continue to aggressively prosecute and bring to justice those who abuse their authority and prey on vulnerable people who they are sworn to protect and keep safe.”
“The civil rights of all must be protected, including those who are in the trusted custody of law enforcement officials,” said Special Agent in Charge Carlton L. Peeples of the FBI Birmingham Field Office. “To willfully deprive any individual without due process or subject the same to cruel and unusual punishment can’t be tolerated or perceived to be so commonplace it’s considered normal inside of our institutions. The FBI will remain committed to holding those who swore an oath to protect and serve, but instead willfully abused their privileges and abandon their responsibilities as law enforcement officers, accountable.”
Sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 19. Jenkins faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison on the excessive force charge related to his assault of V.R. and 20 years in prison on the obstruction charge. He also faces up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000.
The FBI Birmingham Field Office investigated the case with the assistance of ADOC’s Law Enforcement Services Division.
Assistant U.S. Attorney George Martin for the Northern District of Alabama and Trial Attorney Anna Gotfryd of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section are prosecuting the case.
Federal jury convicts Minnesota man of trafficking methamphetamine and fentanyl in Havre and BillingsRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS — A federal jury today convicted a Minnesota man of trafficking methamphetamine and fentanyl in Havre and Billings in 2021, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
After a 2 ½ day trial that began on September 11, the jury found Rembrandt Carlos Kemp, 32, of Fridley, Minnesota, guilty of conspiracy to distribute or to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, as charged in an indictment. Kemp faces 5 to 40 years in prison, a $5,000,000 fine and at least 4 years of supervised release.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for January 31, 2024. Kemp was detained pending further proceedings.
“As Kemp’s conduct demonstrates, the tentacles of drug trafficking reach every corner of Montana, from our biggest city to our smaller communities on the Hi-Line. I’m grateful for the diligent investigative efforts of the Tri-Agency Task Force, the Havre Police Department, and the Drug Enforcement Administration and to Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian Lowney and Benjamin Hargrove for bringing Kemp to justice. We remain committed to working with all our law enforcement partners to combat illegal drug distribution across the state,” U.S. Attorney Laslovich said.
The government presented evidence at trial showing that on January 11, 2021, an investigation was initiated regarding a female and male distributing fentanyl in Havre, Montana. Based on information provided by a confidential source and after reviewing public Facebook profiles, law enforcement determined that the female was Chantel Azure and the male was Rembrandt Kemp. On January 13, 2021, the source successfully conducted a controlled buy of fentanyl pills from Azure. During the sale, law enforcement observed Azure arrive in a vehicle with two male passengers inside. Agents saw Azure get out of her car, get into the source’s vehicle where the sale occurred, and return to her vehicle with the two men still inside.
After continued surveillance, law enforcement initiated a traffic stop with Azure and her two occupants inside the vehicle. Kemp was located in the front passenger seat and his co-defendant, Martaveon Scott, was in the back seat. Azure and Kemp were arrested on warrants and Scott was arrested for providing a false name. Kemp was found with 4.32 grams of actual methamphetamine and a digital scale. Scott was found with 28.43 grams of actual methamphetamine and 100 pills of fentanyl, which weighed approximately 9.6 grams. An additional 2.9 grams of actual meth was found in the trunk of the vehicle along with a .22 caliber AR-15 style rifle. Additionally, $1,378 was found with Kemp and Scott in the car, including the $800 cash used by the source for the controlled buy.
Martaveon Makei Scott previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. He is scheduled to be sentenced on November 29, 2023 in front of Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris.
Chantel Marie Azure previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. She was sentenced in December 2022 to 28 months in prison followed by 4 years supervised release.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian Lowney and Benjamin Hargrove are prosecuting the case, which was investigated by the Tri-Agency Task Force, Havre Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
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.
Federal Grand Jury Indicts 19 Central Illinois United States Postal Service Workers for Wire Fraud Related to COVID Relief FundsRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A federal grand jury has returned indictments against 19 United States Postal Service employees and former employees, charging them with fraud related to the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) administered through the Small Business Administration (SBA).
The PPP provided federally backed funds to small businesses that were directly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic to pay up to eight weeks of payroll costs, rent, utilities, and mortgage interest. The program was implemented by the SBA and administered by third-party lenders. The PPP was enacted via the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act, an economic bill that passed in March 2020 in response to the economic fallout caused by the pandemic.
The indicted individuals, all current or former United States Postal Service employees, are:
- Dominique Alexander, 31, of Downers Grove, Illinois, formally of Springfield, was charged in September 2023 with two counts of wire fraud.
- Tenneil Baskin, 42, of Springfield, Illinois, was charged in September 2023 with two counts of wire fraud.
- Breanea Brown, 28, of Savoy, Illinois, was charged in September 2023 with one count of wire fraud.
- Rachaundra Donaldson, 33, of Springfield, Illinois, was charged in September 2023 with two counts of wire fraud.
- Maya Egbejima, 25, of Springfield, Illinois, was charged in September 2023 with two counts of wire fraud.
- Larry Eubanks, 35, of Springfield, Illinois, was charged in September 2023 with two counts of wire fraud.
- Angela Gillespie, 35, of Champaign, Illinois, was charged in September 2023 with one count of wire fraud.
- Patrice Green, 47, of Springfield, Illinois, was charged in August 2023 with four counts of wire fraud.
- Charles Hughes, 34, of Atlanta, Georgia, formally of Springfield, was charged in September 2023 with two counts of wire fraud.
- Marcus Jones, 39, of Springfield, Illinois, was charged in September 2023 with two counts of wire fraud.
- Sarah Jones, 43, of Danville, Illinois, was charged in September 2023 with one count of wire fraud.
- Jasmine Morris, 30, of Champaign, Illinois, was charged in February 2023 with two counts of wire fraud.
- Shakeena Mosley, 35, of Springfield, Illinois, was charged in September 2023 with four counts of wire fraud.
- Ainmere Sangster, 32, of Champaign, Illinois, was charged in September 2023 with one count of wire fraud.
- Diamond Vinson, 29, of Springfield, Illinois, was charged in August 2023 with four counts of wire fraud.
- Uniqua Whitaker, 27, of Urbana, Illinois, was charged in March 2023 with one count of wire fraud.
- Ta Sheena White, 32, of Urbana, Illinois, was charged in March 2023 with one count of wire fraud.
- Rikkia Williams, 33, of Springfield, Illinois, was charged in September 2023 with two counts of wire fraud.
- Shawntelle Lynn, 31, of Springfield, Illinois, was charged in October 2022 with two counts of wire fraud.
Each of the individuals have either already been arraigned or have been issued a summons to appear in federal court in Springfield or Urbana for arraignment. If convicted, the maximum statutory penalties for the alleged crimes charged are a maximum of 30 years’ imprisonment, a maximum five-year term of supervised release, and restitution.
Agencies participating in the investigation include the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office; United States Secret Service; United States Postal Inspection Service; the Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General; the Internal Revenue Service Office of Inspector General; the Department of Labor Office of Inspector General; the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General; and the Illinois Department of Revenue. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nathan Bertrand and Sierra Senor-Moore are representing the government in the prosecutions.
COVID-19 disaster relief and enhanced unemployment benefits are intended to help people and businesses suffering as a result of the pandemic. If members of the public suspect anyone fraudulently obtained or misused benefits, they should contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NDCF) Hotline at 1-866-720-5721 or submit the NCDF Web Complaint Form. The NCDF is a national coordinating agency within the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division dedicated to improving the detection, prevention, investigation, and prosecution of criminal conduct related to natural and man-made disasters and other emergencies, such as the coronavirus (COVID-19). Hotline staff will obtain information regarding complaints, which will then be reviewed by law enforcement officials. More information is available at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud.
Members of the public are reminded that an indictment is merely an accusation; the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
Dermatology Management Company to Pay $8.9 Million to Resolve Self-Reported False Claims Act LiabilityRead the Press Release
A Texas entity that manages and operates dermatology practices, surgical centers, and pathology laboratories across the United States has agreed to pay the United States $8.9 million to resolve allegations, which were self-reported, of potential violations of the Physician Self-Referral Law (the Stark Law) and the Anti-Kickback Statute (AKS), announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton. The United States contends that these potential violations resulted in liability under the False Claims Act.
Per the terms of a civil settlement executed on September 12, 2023, Oliver Street Dermatology Management LLC will pay the government $8,892,079.72 – including $5,928,053.15 in restitution—within 10 days of the settlement. The settlement credits Oliver Street for its self-disclosure and collaboration with government investigators. The self-reported conduct was unknown to the United States at the time of the self-disclosure, and was specific as to the nature of the potentially problematic transactions, the personnel involved, and the potential financial impact on the Government.
According to the settlement agreement, from January 2013 to July 2018, Oliver Street – doing business as U.S. Dermatology Partners (USDP) -- acquired numerous dermatology practices across the United States.
In September 2021, the company voluntarily self-disclosed to the Department of Justice that it had discovered credible evidence suggesting that former senior managers had offered (or agreed) to increase the purchase price of 11 acquired dermatology practices in exchange for an agreement by the provider at the practice to refer services to USDP-affiliated entities following the acquisition. Claims for certain of those referred services were later submitted to Medicare for payment.
The United States contends that this conduct violated the AKS and the Stark Law, and resulted in the submission of false claims for payment to Medicare. The AKS prohibits offering or paying remuneration to induce the referral of items or services covered by Medicare and other federally funded healthcare programs. The Stark Law prohibits healthcare entities from billing for certain services referred by physicians with whom the entity has a financial relationship, unless that relationship satisfies one of the law’s statutory or regulatory exceptions. Both the AKS and the Stark Law are intended to ensure that medical judgments are not compromised by improper financial inducements.
“Decisions about where medical specimens are analyzed should be made with the best interests of patients, not providers, in mind,” said U.S. Attorney Leigha Simonton. “We applaud this company for self-reporting its potential violations and cooperating with government investigators, allowing us to reach a swift settlement.”
This resolution is the result of a coordinated effort between the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas and the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services’ Office of Inspector General. This matter was handled by Civil Chief Kenneth Coffin.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only; there has been no determination of liability.
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For more information, please contact NDTX Public Affairs Officer Erin Dooley at 214-659-8707 or [email protected].
Delaware County Man Pleads Guilty to Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Michael Murray, age 71, of Sidney, New York, pled guilty today to multiple counts of possession of child pornography.
United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; Matthew Scarpino, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Buffalo Field Office; and New York State Police (NYSP) Acting Superintendent Steven A. Nigrelli made the announcement.
Murray admitted that in October 2021, he possessed images and videos of child pornography on two cell phones and possessed images and videos of child pornography in two email accounts he controlled. Murray had a previous conviction in New York related to the production, possession and distribution of child pornography at the time of these federal offenses.
Sentencing is scheduled for January 12, 2024, before Chief United States District Judge Brenda K. Sannes in Albany. The parties have jointly recommended to Chief Judge Sannes that Murray receive a term of 144 months in prison. Murray also faces a fine of up to $250,000 and a term of supervised release of at least 5 years and up to life. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors. Murray will also have to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison.
This case was investigated by HSI and its Child Exploitation Task Force, which includes members of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, including the New York State Police. Assistant United States Attorney Alexander Wentworth-Ping prosecuted this case as part of Project Safe Childhood.
Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS). Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Davenport Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Methamphetamine ChargesRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, IA – A Davenport man was sentenced on Wednesday, September 6, 2023, to 120 months in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
According to public court documents and evidence, David Roy Bolinger, 49, was identified as a person distributing methamphetamine in the Davenport, Iowa, area during 2022. On April 14, 2022, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Bolinger’s residence in Davenport. Law enforcement recovered approximately one ounce of methamphetamine. Bolinger admitted to officers on the same day of the search that he knowingly took part in a conspiracy to distribute at least 50 grams of actual methamphetamine with other individuals.
Following his term of imprisonment, Bolinger will be required to complete five years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement.
The United States Drug Enforcement Administration investigated this case.
Drug Trafficker Lands Twenty Three Year Prison SentenceRead the Press Release
MISSOULA — A 58-year-old resident of Port Orchard, Washington was sentenced today after being found guilty of trafficking methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine in Lake County last year, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy sentenced David Loren Waldeck to 23 years in prison followed by 5 years of supervised release. A jury found the defendant guilty in April 2023.
“We all know the consequences that accompany the distribution of dangerous drugs in our Montana communities. We are committed to helping our law enforcement partners, federal, state, local and tribal, hold traffickers like David Waldeck accountable as we continue to work to stem the tide of poisonous substances from entering our state.” U.S. Attorney Laslovich said.
The government alleged in court documents and at trial that on Oct. 24, 2022, Flathead Tribal police officers stopped and arrested an individual on outstanding warrants and learned that a person, named “David,” was in Kalispell and coming back to Polson that day with meth and fentanyl to distribute. The police officers stopped Waldeck later that day and located 4,212 fentanyl pills, approximately 837 grams, or 1.8 pounds of meth, and approximately 489 grams, or a little more than one pound, of cocaine in his vehicle.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer S. Clark and Amanda L. Myers prosecuted the case, which was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and Flathead Tribal Police Department.
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.