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Friday 21 July 2023
Madison County Man Sentenced to 5 Years for Receipt and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Ryan Berte, age 33, of Eaton, New York, was sentenced today to serve 60 months in federal prison for receiving and possessing child pornography announced United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman, Special Agent in Charge Matthew Modafferi, United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General (USPS-OIG), Northeast Area Field Office, Inspector in Charge Ketty Larco-Ward, Boston Division, United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), and New York State Police (NYSP) Acting Superintendent Steven A. Nigrelli.
As part of his earlier guilty plea, Berte admitted that from at least February 24, 2021, through March 10, 2021, while employed as a mail carrier in Madison County, New York, he downloaded images and videos of child pornography which he also made available to third parties using a peer-to-peer file sharing program installed on his laptop. Berte also admitted that, on September 22, 2021, during a search of his home, he possessed hundreds of images and videos of child pornography on the same laptop.
Chief United States District Judge Brenda K. Sannes also sentenced Berte to 15 years of supervised release, to begin following his term of imprisonment. Berte will also be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison.
This case was investigated by USPS-OIG, USPIS, and the New York State Police, Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI), Computer Crimes Unit (CCU), Troop D Oneida. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrian S. LaRochelle as a 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.
Lincoln Man Sentenced for Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine and Fentanyl Resulting in Death and Serious InjuriesRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Russell L. Rucks, Sr., 52, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was sentenced today to 26 years’ imprisonment, for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and a detectable amount of fentanyl, resulting in the death of one person and serious bodily injuries to two others, by Senior United States District Judge John M. Gerrard. Following his release from prison, Rucks will serve five years on supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Rucks will also forfeit $5,084.00 in cash to the United States of America, and he was ordered to pay $9,700.00 in restitution to the mother of victim who died.
On July 24, 2021, a Lincoln woman called 911 after her fiancé collapsed after returning home from a trip to a gas station. Lincoln Fire and Rescue, (LFR), arrived and performed lifesaving measures, including administering two doses of Narcan. After the second dose of Narcan, the victim began to regain consciousness and was transported to a Lincoln hospital. The victim later told investigators he had been purchasing small amounts of cocaine about every seven to 10 days from Russell Rucks, Sr. for about a year. Just before his overdose, he said he met with Rucks and bought $20 worth of what he believed to be cocaine. He snorted the cocaine and suffered an overdose. Phone records for the victim and Rucks confirmed the victim had been communicating about drug transactions. A medical expert reviewed first responder and hospital records for the victim and found he faced a substantial risk of death had he not been given Narcan.
On July 27, 2021, two Lincoln men overdosed at a residence in Lincoln. Both were found unconscious. Both were given Narcan and were hospitalized. One of the victims died on August 19, 2021, but the other victim eventually recovered. The surviving victim told investigators he pooled money with the victim who died, and they bought what they believed to be cocaine from Rucks. The surviving victim said he and the victim who died both used the “cocaine” which led to their overdoses. Investigators found phone messages between the surviving victim and Rucks on the day of the overdoses in which the surviving victim arranged to meet with Rucks. Several items of drug paraphernalia, all containing drug residue, were seized from the residence where the two victims were found, and lab testing showed these items all contained cocaine and fentanyl. A medical expert reviewed the first responder and hospital records for both victims determined that one victim died due to ingesting cocaine laced with fentanyl and the other was seriously injured due to ingesting those substances.
On August 11, 2021, Rucks was arrested and found in possession of a small amount of cocaine. On the same day, his son, Russell Rucks, Jr., was also arrested and was found in possession of $1,634 in cash. A search warrant was executed at their Lincoln residence which resulted in the finding of 6.8 pounds of cocaine, a scale, and $3,950 in currency. Rucks, Sr. waived his Miranda rights and told investigators he had been selling what he believed to be cocaine in the months prior to his arrest.
Russell Rucks, Jr., faces similar charges and is awaiting trial currently scheduled to begin in October of 2023.
This case was investigated by the Lincoln/Lancaster County Narcotics Task Force (Lincoln Police Department, Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office and UNL Police Department) and the Nebraska State Patrol.
Leader of “Genesis II Church of Health and Healing,” Who Sold Toxic Bleach as Fake “Miracle” Cure for COVID-19 and Other Serious Diseases, Guilty of Conspiracy to Defraud the United StatesRead the Press Release
MIAMI – A federal jury in Miami has found Mark Grenon, 65, and his three sons, Jonathan Grenon, 38, Jordan Grenon, 29, and Joseph Grenon, 36, guilty of conspiracy to defraud the United States by distributing an unapproved and misbranded drug. Jonathan and Jordan Grenon were also found guilty of contempt of court.
The Grenons, all of Bradenton, Florida, manufactured, promoted, and sold a product they named Miracle Mineral Solution (“MMS”). MMS is a chemical solution containing sodium chlorite and water which, when ingested orally, became chlorine dioxide, a powerful bleach typically used for industrial water treatment or bleaching textiles, pulp, and paper. The Grenons claimed that ingesting MMS could treat, prevent, and cure COVID-19. The FDA, however, had not approved MMS for treatment of COVID-19, or for any other use. Rather, in prior official warning statements, the FDA had strongly urged consumers not to purchase or use MMS for any reason, explaining that drinking MMS was the same as drinking bleach and could cause dangerous side effects, including severe vomiting, diarrhea, and life-threatening low blood pressure. See https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/danger-dont-drink-miracle-mineral-solution-or-similar-products. In fact, FDA received reports of people requiring hospitalizations, developing life-threatening conditions, and even dying after drinking MMS.
Before marketing MMS as a cure for COVID-19, the Grenons marketed MMS as a miracle cure-all for dozens of other serious diseases and disorders, such as cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, HIV/AIDS, and leukemia, even though the FDA had not approved MMS for any use. The Grenons sold tens of thousands of bottles of MMS nationwide, including to consumers throughout South Florida. They sold this dangerous product under the guise of Genesis II Church of Health and Healing (“Genesis”), an entity they created to avoid government regulation of MMS and shield themselves from prosecution. Genesis’ own websites describe Genesis as a “non-religious church,” and defendant Mark Grenon, the co-founder of Genesis, has repeatedly acknowledged that Genesis “has nothing to do with religion,” and that he founded Genesis to “legalize the use of MMS” and avoid “going [ ] to jail.” The Genesis websites further stated that MMS could be acquired only through a “donation” to Genesis, but the donation amounts for MMS orders were set at specific dollar amounts, and were mandatory, such that the donation amounts were effectively just sales prices. The Grenons received more than $1 million from selling MMS.
The federal jury also found defendants Jonathan and Jordan Grenon guilty of criminal contempt of court. The United States previously filed a civil case against the defendants and Genesis II Church of Health and Healing. See United States v. Genesis II Church of Health and Healing, et al., Case No. 20-21601-CV-WILLIAMS. In that civil case, the United States obtained court orders halting the Grenons’ distribution of MMS. The Grenons willfully violated those court orders and continued to distribute MMS. The Grenons also threatened the federal judge presiding over the civil case, and threatened that, should the government attempt to enforce the court orders halting their distribution of MMS, the Grenons would “pick up guns” and instigate “a Waco.”
During trial, the jury saw photos and video of a dirty rundown shed in Jonathan Grenon’s backyard in Bradenton, Florida, where the defendants were manufacturing their MMS. These photos showed dozens of blue chemical drums containing nearly 10,000 pounds of sodium chlorite powder, thousands of bottles of MMS, and other items used in the manufacture and distribution of MMS. The blue chemical drums of sodium chlorite powder—the primary active ingredient in MMS—had warning labels advising the product was toxic, flammable, and highly dangerous to consume.
Sentencing has been scheduled for October 6. At sentencing, the defendants face up to 5 years in prison.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida and Assistant Commissioner Justine Green of the FDA’s Office of Criminal Investigations announced the conviction.
FDA’s Office of Criminal Investigations investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael B. Homer and John Shipley of the Southern District of Florida are prosecuting it.
U.S. Attorney Lapointe commends and thanks the government of Colombia for its assistance. U.S. Attorney Lapointe also extends his gratitude to the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs (OIA) and the Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section (NDDS) Judicial Attachés in Bogota, Colombia for their substantial assistance in securing the arrest and extradition of Mark Grenon to the United States.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 21-cr-20242.
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Leader of International Drug-Trafficking Organization Sentenced for Cocaine DistributionRead the Press Release
A leader of an international drug-trafficking organization (DTO) was sentenced today to life in prison for conspiring to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine for importation into the United States.
According to court documents, between 2003 and April 2016, Gerardo Gonzalez-Valencia, aka Lalo, 45, was a leader of Los Cuinis, a DTO responsible for importing large quantities of cocaine from South America, Mexico, and elsewhere into the United States. Los Cuinis is closely aligned with the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG), which is based in the State of Jalisco in Mexico. Together, Los Cuinis and CJNG form one of the largest, most dangerous, and most prolific drug cartels in Mexico. They are responsible for trafficking significant quantities of illegal drugs into the United States and employing extreme violence to further that objective.
“Gonzalez-Valencia’s prosecution marks another step in the Justice Department’s pursuit of the top leadership of drug-trafficking organizations like Los Cuinis and the CJNG,” said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The significant sentence imposed today also reflects the magnitude of harm these drug-trafficking organizations wreak on our communities. The Criminal Division will continue to hold accountable those like Gonzalez-Valencia, who profit from importing large quantities of dangerous substances into the United States and who support the extraordinary violence committed in furtherance of that objective.”
Gonzalez-Valencia personally invested in and coordinated multi-ton shipments of cocaine for importation into the United States. Some of these shipments were interdicted by law enforcement, including the seizure of approximately 280 kilograms of cocaine from a semi-submersible interdicted by the U.S. Coast Guard and the seizure of 750 kilograms of cocaine concealed in frozen shark carcasses destined for the United States and seized by Mexican law enforcement. Gonzalez-Valencia also directed the murders of rival drug traffickers and used and supplied weapons in furtherance of the drug-trafficking conspiracy.
“Today’s sentencing sends a clear message to the leaders of drug cartels that DEA will stop at nothing to dismantle the criminal networks that threaten the safety and health of the American people,” said DEA Administrator Anne Milgram. “Under Gonzalez-Valencia’s leadership, Los Cuinis – a cartel closely aligned with the Jalisco (CJNG) Cartel – shipped massive quantities of cocaine into the United States and killed rivals that threatened the cartels’ trafficking organizations. The men and women of DEA are working relentlessly to hold all drug traffickers accountable that seek to profit from the Jalisco Cartel’s violent and deadly drug trafficking network.”
This case is supported by the Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF).
The DEA Los Angeles Field Division investigated the case with the assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service, Investigative Operations Division.
Acting Assistant Deputy Chief Kaitlin Sahni and Trial Attorneys Kate Naseef and Kirk Handrich of the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section prosecuted the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance.
The Justice Department thanks Uruguayan authorities for their assistance in securing the arrest and extradition of Gonzalez-Valencia.
Las Vegas Man Convicted of Possessing Methamphetamine with the Intent to Distribute After Traffic Stop on I-80Read the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Patrick Lewis McKinney, 42, of Las Vegas, Nevada, was sentenced today in federal court in Lincoln, Nebraska, for possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Senior United States District Judge John M. Gerrard sentenced McKinney to 78 months’ imprisonment. He was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release after his release from prison. There is no parole in the federal system.
On August 3, 2022, law enforcement had a sign out indicating a checkpoint was ahead on I-80 in Dawson County, Nebraska. Jeno Paulucci was the driver and McKinney was the passenger of a vehicle approaching that sign. Paulucci exited the highway and parked on the wrong side of the road. Law enforcement initiated a traffic stop and smelled a strong odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle. Paulucci did not have a driver’s license, registration, or insurance. Law enforcement subsequently searched the vehicle and located 63 grams of methamphetamine, cocaine, fentanyl pills, kief, and ecstasy pills. Law enforcement also located various dangerous weapons to include two machetes, multiple bladed weapons, a baton taser, and a firearm.
Jeno Paulucci has also pleaded guilty in this case. He will be sentenced on August 15, 2023.
This case was investigated by the Nebraska State Patrol.
Lansing Man Convicted of Threatening Federal Judge, Sheriff, and Court ClerkRead the Press Release
DETROIT –Kevin William Cassaday, 41, of Lansing, Michigan, was convicted by a federal jury last week of sending threats to public officials, United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced.
Ison was joined in the announcement by Devin J. Kowalski, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Detroit Field Division, and United States Marshal Owen Cypher.
Cassaday was convicted after a four-day jury trial before United States District Judge Laurie J. Michelson. The jury deliberated for less than two hours before returning a verdict of guilty on all counts.
At trial, the evidence showed that Cassaday threatened a federal district court judge’s chamber, Ingham County Sheriff Scott Wriggelsworth, and the Court of Claims clerk’s office. Cassady’s threatening communications to these public officials included: “I am going to get my guns and we are going to have a party,” “You want me to kill, I will start with you and your family,” and “I want the clerk dead!” At trial, the individuals that received Cassady’s threats explained that they were the most direct and persistent threats that they had ever received during their government service.
“Public officials should be free to serve their communities without worrying about threats to their lives. This offender’s threats to harm a member of the judiciary, an elected law enforcement official, and at least one other public employee caused undue concern for these employees. The jury has rightfully sent the message that threats to those serving the public will not be tolerated.” stated U. S. Attorney Dawn N. Ison.
“This verdict sends a clear message that threats of violence against a public official will not be tolerated,” said Devin J. Kowalski, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan. “Mr. Cassaday intended to intimidate and create fear in victims whose jobs are integral to our justice system. The FBI and our law enforcement partners are committed to aggressively investigating those who threaten members of our community with violence.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the United States Marshals Service. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Christopher Rawsthorne.
La Crosse Man Sentenced to 84 Months for Bringing over 2 Pounds of Methamphetamine into State for SaleRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Joshua R. Wittenberg, 40, La Crosse, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 84 months in prison for possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute. This prison term will be followed by a 5-year term of supervised release. Wittenberg pleaded guilty to the charge on April 11, 2023.
On November 7, 2023, law enforcement officers received a tip that Wittenberg was bringing a large amount of methamphetamine into La Crosse from Minnesota. Officers set up surveillance outside of Wittenberg’s apartment. Once Wittenberg arrived, a canine officer alerted to his truck. Officers then searched the truck and found over two pounds of methamphetamine.
Wittenberg was arrested and, when interviewed, he admitted that he had brought the methamphetamine to La Crosse to sell it. At the time of this offense, Wittenberg was on supervision for a prior drug conviction.
At sentencing, Judge Peterson noted Wittenberg’s crime was very serious and that the quantity of methamphetamine involved in this case harms the community by breeding violence and causing other collateral damage. Judge Peterson also noted that Wittenberg’s criminal history showed a pattern of drug dealing, with this most recent offense presenting an escalation in amount.
The charge against Wittenberg was the result of an investigation conducted by the La Crosse Police Department and the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anita Marie Boor prosecuted this case.
Jury Finds Oahu Man Guilty of Sending E-Mail Threats to Bomb BuildingsRead the Press Release
HONOLULU – After a jury trial before United States District Judge Leslie E. Kobayashi, a federal jury today found Oahu resident and former Utah resident Brian Melvin Brandenburg (age 64) guilty of seven counts of sending e-mail threats to bomb buildings in the State of Utah and across the United States. Judge Kobayashi ordered the defendant’s continued detention in custody pending his sentencing, before her on November 9, 2023.
At trial, the evidence as to Counts 1 and 2 showed that on May 4, 2022, while in Hawaii, the defendant sent an e-mail to, among other people, persons identified as Victim 1 and 2 in the indictment, State of Utah Court employees who were within the Courthouse, threating to bomb the 3rd District Courthouse in Salt Lake City, Utah. Both employees were involved with the defendant’s then pending divorce case. According to the evidence presented at trial as to Count 3 – 7, on May 4 and 6, 2022, the defendant sent more e-mails to various recipients in Utah threatening to bomb the Utah State Capitol; Mayor’s Office in the Salt Lake City, Utah; every Ivy League School; the United States Courthouse in San Diego; and Hall Labs and the University of Utah Center for Medical Innovation both in Utah. According to the evidence presented at trial, the defendant told the FBI that he “wanted to get their attention.”
Count 1 carries a maximum sentence of 20 years of imprisonment and Counts 2 – 7 carry a maximum sentence of 10 years of imprisonment for each count. Sentences are imposed based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Provo Police Department, and the University of Utah Police department conducted the investigation that resulted in this conviction. Assistant U.S. Attorneys KeAupuni Akina and Darren W.K. Ching prosecuted the case.
Jury Convicts Armed Fort Myers Drug TraffickerRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that a federal jury has found Manuel Alfredo Dickerson Copland (29, Fort Myers) guilty of possession with the intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, possession of MDMA, possession of oxycodone, and attempted possession with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. Copland faces a maximum penalty of life in federal prison. His sentencing hearing has not yet been set. Copland had been charged in a superseding indictment on January 25, 2023.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Copland was stopped in his vehicle on December 30, 2021, by members of the Lee County Sheriff’s Office Tactical Narcotics Team. Detectives found nearly 1,500 fentanyl pills, MDMA, oxycodone, and three firearms in Copland’s truck. Forensic evidence linked Copland to the drugs and firearms in the vehicle. During the subsequent investigation, information was obtained that revealed Copland was associated with mail packages that were believed to contain drugs that were being shipped to him in the Fort Myers area. As a result, the investigation identified a package containing approximately four pounds of methamphetamine that had been sent through the mail from California. The package was seized by the United States Postal Inspection Service. The intercepted package containing methamphetamine was linked to Copland through further investigation.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Lee County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Mark R. Morgan and Patrick L. Darcey.
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.
Informational: Federal Court arraignmentsRead the Press Release
The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced that the following persons were arraigned or appeared this week before U.S. Magistrate judges on indictments handed down by the Grand Jury or on criminal complaints. The charging documents are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt:
Appearing in Great Falls before U.S. Magistrate Judge John T. Johnston and pleading not guilty on July 18 was:
Jonathan Ray Gonsalez, 39, of Box Elder, on charges of sexual abuse, coercion and enticement and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. If convicted of the most serious crime, Gonsalez faces life in prison, a $250,000 fine and five years to life of supervised release. Gonsalez was detained pending further proceedings. The FBI and Rocky Boy’s Police Department conducted the investigation. PACER case reference. 23-65.
Joshua Raymond Suave, 34, of Great Falls, on charges of prohibited person in possession of a firearm and false statement during a firearms transaction. If convicted of the most serious crime, Suave faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Suave was detained pending further proceedings. The Great Falls Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation. PACER case reference. 22-110.
Robert Ray Thoroughman, 61, of Fort Shaw, on charges of prohibited person in possession of a firearm. If convicted of the most serious crime, Thoroughman faces a maximum of 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Thoroughman was detained pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Cascade County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. PACER case reference. 23-57.
Appearing in Billings before U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan and pleading not guilty on July 18 was:
Eric Fredrick Welch Jr., 22, of Billings, on charges of theft from a federal firearm licensee and possession of stolen firearms. If convicted of the most serious crime, Welch faces a maximum of 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Welch was detained pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Billings Police Department conducted the investigation. PACER case reference. 23-84.
The progress of cases may be monitored through the U.S. District Court Calendar and the PACER system. To establish a PACER account, which provides electronic access to review documents filed in a case, please visit http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. To access the District Court’s calendar, please visit https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl.
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Information Technology Consultant Sentenced to 21 Months for Stealing Hundreds of Thousands of Dollars from Small BusinessRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Derek Gleeson, an Information Technology (“IT”) Consultant, was sentenced in federal court today to 21 months in prison for embezzling hundreds of thousands of dollars from a family-owned small business based in New Jersey.
In November 2022, Gleeson, pleaded guilty to a wire fraud charge, admitting that he charged the small business for IT hardware, software, and services that he never supplied. Gleeson also admitted that he ginned up or altered invoices in an effort to substantiate the fake charges he submitted to the company. According to the plea agreement, when the company grew suspicious and confronted Gleeson about the charges, he installed pirated software on the company’s servers, all to make it appear that he had purchased and installed legitimate software, when in fact he had not. The fraudulent scheme lasted for four years and resulted in over $600,000 in losses. Gleeson lived in Carlsbad, California at the time of the fraud.
"For years, this defendant took advantage of a position of trust that gave him full access to a small business’s IT system,” said U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman. “Fortunately, he has been held accountable for the significant impact his crime had on this business and its owners.” Grossman praised the excellent work of the prosecutors and FBI agents who worked on this case.
DEFENDANTS Case Number 20cr3246-DMS
Derek Gleeson Age: 51 Round Rock, TX
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Wire Fraud – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1343
Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison and $250,000 fine
AGENCY
FBI
Hospital Employee Sentenced to 3 Years in Prison for Using Patient Information to Steal Pandemic Unemployment BenefitsRead the Press Release
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – July 21, 2023
SAN DIEGO – Matthew George Lombardo was sentenced in federal court to 36 months in prison for using his position as a clerk at a local hospital to steal patient identifying information and pass the information on to others in an attempt to steal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) benefits.
Lombardo pleaded guilty in September 2022. According to the government’s sentencing memo, in August of 2020 Lombardo worked at a hospital as a Patient Service Representative where he had access to patient admission sheets, which included patient identifying information. Lombardo used that position to access that confidential patient information and provide it to a co-defendant for use in submitting PUA claims to the California Employment Development Department (EDD). Text messages between Lombardo and his co-defendants show they were looking for the most vulnerable victims. For example, on August 15, 2020, Lombardo texted a co-defendant “if you need social security numbers or anything I can pull that shit up at work.” The government’s sentencing memo further describes how Lombardo and his co-defendants deliberately took advantage of people in their most vulnerable state. For example, on August 22, 2020, Lombardo texted his co-defendant the name, date of birth, social security number, and address of a patient and wrote, “this guy died a few hours ago, how many names do we need?” The co-defendant texted back: “find me one who is still alive . . . someone 55 or younger who is on their way out.”
In imposing a 36-month sentence U.S. District Judge Cathy Ann Bencivengo noted that Lombardo was stealing public assistance benefits intended to help people during a national emergency and said she found the text messages deliberately targeting hospital patients to be “callous.”
"During a national healthcare emergency, Mr. Lombardo stole the identities of hospital patients to defraud the government of funds intended for people in crisis,” said U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman. “This office and our law enforcement partners are dedicated to pursuing such frauds and will hold the perpetrators accountable.” Grossman thanked the prosecution team and investigating agencies who diligently pursued this case.
“The DEA and its partners will continue to pursue justice for the citizens of San Diego,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Shelly Howe.
DEFENDANT Case Number 21-CR-2154-CAB
Matthew George Lombardo Age: 54 San Diego
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Count 1: Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1349
Maximum penalty: 20 years in prison
Counts 2 and 3: Aggravated Identity Theft – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1028A
Maximum penalty: 2 years in prison
Count 4: Using Confidential Health Information for Personal Gain – Title 42, U.S.C., Section 1320d-6
Maximum penalty: 10 years in prison
AGENCY
Drug Enforcement Administration
United States Postal Inspection Service
United States Department of Labor, Office of the Inspector General
California Employment Development Department Investigation Division
San Diego County Sheriff’s Department
Healdton Resident Pleads Guilty to Defrauding Victim of More Than One Million DollarsRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Amber Nicole Pickelsimer, age 44, of Healdton, Oklahoma entered a guilty plea to an Information charging her with one count of Wire Fraud.
The Information alleged that between February 2019 and August 2020, Pickelsimer, for the purpose of executing or attempting to execute a scheme to defraud, caused to be transmitted, by means of wire communication in interstate commerce, a message through Facebook Messenger from a fictitious Facebook account to the victim’s Facebook account.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The investigation revealed that Pickelsimer created two fictitious Facebook accounts and used those accounts to extort the victim, demanding that the victim deliver large quantities of cash to a drop site. Pickelsimer eventually defrauded the victim of over $1,000,000.00. Because Pickelsimer operated in the Eastern District of Oklahoma and Facebook maintains its servers outside of the state of Oklahoma, Pickelsimer’s Facebook messages qualified as federal wire fraud.
The Honorable Gerald L. Jackson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. Pickelsimer posted a personal recognizance bond at the conclusion of the plea hearing.
Assistant United States Attorney Kara Traster represented the United States.
Grand jury indicts two central Ohio men for bank robbery, gun crime in connection with I-70 shootoutRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A federal grand jury here has returned a two-count indictment charging two central Ohio men with aiding and abetting bank robbery and aiding abetting the use of a firearm in a crime of violence.
Aden Abdullahi Jama, 20, of Reynoldsburg and Fazsal M. Darod, 23, of Columbus allegedly committed the crimes on July 6th, robbing a Fifth Third bank in Hilliard. Columbus Police and other law enforcement officers encountered them on I-70 near downtown Columbus after the robbery. A shootout followed during which a Columbus Police officer was severely injured and a third person in the car with Darod and Jama was killed.
The United States Marshals’ Southern Ohio Fugitive Apprehension Strike Team arrested Darod in the early morning hours of July 7 outside his Columbus residence. U.S. Marshals and Homeland Security Investigation agents arrested Jama at Chicago O’Hare International Airport on July 8 and is transporting him back to Ohio. Jama and Darod have been in custody since their arrests.
Aiding and abetting a bank robbery is punishable by up to 20 years in prison. Aiding and abetting the use of a firearm during a crime of violence carries a potential penalty of at least five years and up to life in prison.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Daryl S. McCormick, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives; Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant; the United States Marshals in Columbus and Chicago; ICE and HSI Chicago; J. William Rivers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; the Whitehall, Minerva Parka and Upper Arlington police departments; and Franklin County Sheriff Dallas Baldwin announced the indictment returned yesterday. Assistant United States Attorney Noah R. Litton is representing the United States in this case.
An indictment merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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Former University of Arizona Student Sentenced to 84 Months in Prison for Drug Trafficking and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Jonathan Edward Mayer, 22, of Tacoma, Washington, was sentenced on June 30, 2023, by U.S. District Judge Scott H. Rash to 84 months in prison. Mayer previously pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Marijuana, Possession with Intent to Distribute Marijuana, Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime, and three counts of Possession of Unregistered Firearms, specifically pertaining to a privately manufactured firearm, or “ghost gun,” machine gun conversion devices, and a silencer.
Mayer was attending the University of Arizona in October of 2021 when agents executed a search warrant on his apartment. Underneath his bed, agents found a bag of marijuana and a “ghost gun” with an automatic conversion switch that rendered it a machine gun. Agents also discovered $20,000 in U.S. currency, individually wrapped cocaine, a small bulk quantity of cocaine, six firearms, high-capacity magazines, a silencer, 10 grams of mushrooms, 15 grams of amphetamines, approximately one gram of LSD, and a gold money counter. Several firearms were seized, including a Glock pistol loaded with a 30-round magazine found in a backpack that Mayer carried around campus. Mayer admitted to mailing marijuana, mushrooms, and machine gun conversion devices through the United States Postal Service to various locations in the United States.
“Schools and guns are a dangerous combination,” said United States Attorney Gary M. Restaino. “The defendant got caught up with the wrong people from out-of-state, and his actions created a public safety risk here in Tucson.”
“The conviction and sentencing of Mayer is an excellent example of multiple law enforcement agencies combining their expertise and resources to combat narcotics and firearms trafficking. U.S. Postal Inspectors are committed to continuing our work to dismantle drug trafficking organizations to keep USPS customers and employees safe,” stated Acting Inspector in Charge Glen Henderson of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Phoenix Division.”
“I commend the outstanding work conducted by law enforcement in this investigation, which saved lives,” said DEA Phoenix Division Special Agent in Charge Cheri Oz. “DEA and our partners are dedicated to public safety and will continue to stand strong, protecting the communities we serve.”
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)—Phoenix Division, the multi-agency Tucson Strike Force, the United States Postal Inspectors Service (USPIS)—Phoenix Division, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) conducted the investigation in this case in partnership with the Spokane, Washington Field Offices of the DEA and USPIS, local and regional law enforcement partners in Eastern Washington, and the University of Arizona Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan P. DeJoe, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution with assistance from Richard R. Barker and Stephanie Van Marter, Assistant United States Attorneys for the Eastern District of Washington.
CASE NUMBER: 21-CR-3187-TUC-SHR
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-111_Mayer# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Former South Florida Pharmacy CEO Pleads Guilty to Lying to Federal InvestigatorsRead the Press Release
MIAMI – Patrick Smith, 71, of Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, the former CEO of Patient Care America (PCA), a compounding pharmacy located in Broward County, pled guilty today to one count of lying to federal agents who were investigating PCA for various health care fraud offenses.
According to court records, Smith admitted that in March of 2020 he voluntarily met with DCIS agents who were investigating PCA on allegations of health care fraud and payment of illegal kickbacks. During that interview, Smith lied to agents about his role in hiring the marketing groups who were paid by PCA to recruit Tricare patients. Smith claimed that he played no role in vetting the marketing groups, when in fact documents and witness testimony establish that he frequently met with the marketing groups and decided which to hire and on what terms. PCA paid over $40 million in kickbacks to the marketers. To date, a dozen of PCA’s marketers have been convicted and sentenced to prison terms of up to 13 years for their roles in the scheme.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe of the Southern District of Florida, and Special Agent in Charge Darrin K. Jones of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), Southern Field Office, made the announcement.
Patrick Smith faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison. The Court has not set a date for sentencing yet.
DCIS investigated the case, with assistance from the Veterans Affairs-Office of Inspector General, the Food and Drug Administration-Office of Criminal Investigation, and FBI Miami.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jon Juenger is prosecuting the case.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 22-cr-20532.
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Former Journalist Pleads Guilty to Transportation and Possession of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
A former journalist pleaded guilty today to transportation and possession of child sexual abuse material.
According to court documents, while visiting South Carolina in February 2020, James Gordon Meek, 53, of Arlington, Virginia, used an online messaging platform on his iPhone to send and receive images and videos depicting minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, and to discuss his sexual interest in children. Some of the images and videos depicted prepubescent minors and minors under the age of 12, including an infant being raped. Meek brought the iPhone containing the child sexual abuse material back with him when he returned to Virginia.
Meek is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 29. He faces a mandatory minimum of five years in prison and a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Aber for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Assistant Director in Charge David Sundberg of the FBI Washington Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI Washington Field Office’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force is investigating the case. The task force is composed of FBI agents, along with other federal agents and detectives from northern Virginia and the District of Columbia. The task force is charged with investigating and bringing federal charges against individuals engaged in the exploitation of children and those engaged in human trafficking. Valuable assistance was provided by the Arlington County Police Department.
Trial Attorney Whitney Kramer of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Zoe Bedell for the Eastern District of Virginia are prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Former Journalist Pleads Guilty to Child Sexual Abuse Material ChargesRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An Arlington man pleaded guilty today to transportation and possession of child sexual abuse material.
According to court documents, while visiting South Carolina in February 2020, James Gordon Meek, 53, used an online messaging platform on his iPhone to send and receive images and videos depicting minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, and to discuss his sexual interest in children. Some of the images and videos depicted prepubescent minors and minors under the age of 12, including an infant being raped. Meek brought the iPhone containing the child sexual abuse material back with him when he returned to Virginia. Additionally, Meek possessed multiple electronic devices containing images and videos of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
Meek is scheduled to be sentenced on September 29. He faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 5 years imprisonment and a maximum penalty of 20 years imprisonment for each charge. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Kenneth A. Polite, Jr, Assistant Attorney General. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; and David Sundberg, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Claude Hilton accepted the plea.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Zoe Bedell and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Whitney Kramer are prosecuting the case.
This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force. The task force is composed of FBI agents, along with other federal agents and detectives from northern Virginia and the District of Columbia. The task force is charged with investigating and bringing federal charges against individuals engaged in the exploitation of children and those engaged in human trafficking. Valuable assistance was provided by the Arlington County Police Department.
This case was also brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:23-cr-65.
Former Correctional Officer Sentenced to Prison for Sexual Abuse of an InmateRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – Senior United States District Judge John Antoon II has sentenced Fiona Eyana Palmer (39, Wesley Chapel) to 15 months in federal prison for sexual abuse of an inmate. A federal jury had found Palmer guilty on April 11, 2023.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Palmer was employed as a correctional officer at the Coleman Federal Correction Complex when she engaged in sexual acts with an inmate at the prison between January 2018 and March 2019. In two recorded phone calls between Palmer and the inmate, Palmer discussed the sexual acts and offered to send money to one of the inmate’s relatives. Palmer also directed the inmate to lie to federal investigators if asked about the sexual relationship.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Justice – Office of Inspector General. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys William S. Hamilton and Hannah Nowalk.
Florida Attorney Charged in Fraudulent Charitable Contribution Tax SchemeRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in Fort Lauderdale returned a 34-count indictment, unsealed today, charging an attorney with conspiracy to defraud the United States, mail and wire fraud conspiracy, aiding and assisting in the preparation of false tax returns, conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, and other crimes arising out of his promotion of an illegal tax shelter scheme involving false charitable contribution tax deductions.
According to the indictment, Michael L. Meyer of Davie, Florida, organized and sold an illegal tax shelter called the Ultimate Tax Plan to assist high-income individuals in reducing their taxes. Meyer allegedly marketed the scheme as a way for clients to claim charitable contribution tax deductions without giving up control over the assets they purportedly donated to charity and advised that clients could still access their donated assets for their own personal use through tax-free loans and execute an “exit strategy” to buy back their donations at a significantly discounted rate. The indictment further alleges that, to execute the scheme, Meyer prepared the boilerplate transaction documents, prepared appraisals of the purported donations, assisted clients in filing false tax returns, and controlled the charities that received the purported donations. For several clients, Meyer and his co-conspirators allegedly created backdated transaction documents to make it appear that a client had made a charitable contribution in a prior year and, in turn, assisted clients to falsely claim charitable tax deductions for the prior year.
The indictment further alleges that Meyer represented clients in audits with the IRS, during three of which Meyer allegedly provided false documents to the IRS.
In April 2018, the United States filed a Complaint for Permanent Injunction and Other Relief against Meyer seeking to enjoin him from, among others, continuing to promote the Ultimate Tax Plan. The United States allegedly issued civil subpoenas to witnesses requesting records related to the Ultimate Tax Plan. In response to the civil subpoenas, Meyer and his co-conspirators allegedly prepared backdated documents and directed clients to submit those backdated documents in response to the subpoenas. Meyer also allegedly provided backdated documents in response to document requests from the United States. In April 2019, a federal district court entered a permanent injunction against Meyer. The indictment alleges that Meyer violated the terms of his permanent injunction through various means, including filing tax returns, assisting clients in taking charitable tax deductions, and providing advice on charitable tax deductions.
Since 2013, Meyer and his co-conspirators allegedly earned more than $10 million from selling the Ultimate Tax Plan. Meyer allegedly used that income to purchase a multi-million-dollar estate and a luxury vehicle collection that included Lamborghinis, Rolls Royces, Mercedes Benzes, a Bentley, and a Ferrari.
Meyer made his initial court appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Alicia M. Otazo-Reyes of the Southern District of Florida. If convicted, Meyer faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison for conspiracy to defraud the United States, twenty years in prison for mail and wire fraud conspiracy, three years in prison for each false return count, three years for each count of endeavoring to impede the internal revenue laws, and twenty years each for obstructing and conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement.
IRS-Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.
Assistant Chief Michael Boteler and Trial Attorneys Casey S. Smith and Andrew Ascencio of the Justice Department’s Tax Division are prosecuting the case with assistance from the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
First Tribal Community Response Plan Adopted in the District of OregonRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—In a first for the District of Oregon, the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs Tribal Council has unanimously adopted a Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) Tribal Community Response Plan (TCRP).
“When someone goes missing from a Tribal community, it is an urgent and time-sensitive situation. A community response plan ensures that all available resources—government, law enforcement, and community members—are quickly deployed in support of a full and thorough investigation,” said Natalie Wight, U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon. “We thank the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs for their leadership in addressing this important issue.”
A TCRP is a guide for how Tribal law enforcement and community members will respond when someone goes missing from a Tribal community. TCRPs are tailored to the needs, resources, and culture of individual Tribal communities. The Warm Springs TCRP was created in partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon as part of the U.S. Department of Justice national MMIP initiative. The District of Oregon is one of six pilot program districts working to develop community response plans in accordance with this initiative.
The Warm Springs TCRP establishes four different sets of guidelines relevant to MMIP: law enforcement, victim services, public and media communications, and community outreach. The overall goal of the TCRP is to recognize the critical need for an immediate and consistent response to missing persons reports from the Warm Springs Indian Reservation, establish a formal process for responding to and investigating these reports, and outline the actions that will be taken by Tribal authorities.
In early 2022, the District of Oregon established an MMIP Working Group to increase multi-agency communication and collaboration in support of and response to Oregon-connected MMIP cases. The working group includes at least one representative from each of the nine federally recognized Tribes in Oregon, the FBI, Bureau of Indian Affairs, U.S. Department of Interior Regional Solicitor’s Office, U.S. Marshals Service, Oregon Department of Justice, Oregon State Medical Examiner’s Office, and Oregon State Police.
If you have questions about the U.S. Attorney’s Office MMIP program, please email [email protected] or call (503) 727-1000.
Federal Contractor Agrees to Pay $7 Million to Settle False Claims Act AllegationsRead the Press Release
DETROIT - Foresee Results, Inc. and Verint Americas, Inc. (collectively, Foresee) have agreed to pay $7,000,000 to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by falsely representing to the United States that they used the methodology of the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) to measure customer satisfaction.
In 2011, the Federal Consulting Group (FCG), which is part of the United States Department of the Interior, awarded Foresee a five-year contract for website assessment and improvement services, through which Foresee agreed to measure the public’s satisfaction with certain government websites and make recommendations regarding how to improve satisfaction. In awarding the contract to Foresee, the FCG understood that Foresee would be applying the trusted methodology of the ACSI to provide federal agencies with an ACSI measurement. The settlement announced today resolves the government’s allegations that Foresee did not use the ACSI methodology, but instead used a different methodology to measure the public’s satisfaction with certain government websites.
“The False Claims Act is an important tool to deter and hold accountable those who misuse public funds,” said U.S. Attorney Dawn N. Ison for the Eastern District of Michigan. “Federal contractors must deal honestly with federal agencies, and this settlement demonstrates that our office will diligently investigate and hold accountable those companies that fail to uphold their end of the bargain.”
“Government contractors are expected to adhere to the requirements of their contracts and not cut corners in order to increase profits,” said Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey Ryan, Office of the Inspector General for the U.S. General Services Administration. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office, GSA-OIG, and DOI-OIG worked diligently to investigate these allegations, which resulted in a substantial settlement for the U.S. Government,” said Katie Balestra, Special Agent in Charge, Office of the Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Interior. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate those who commit fraud.”
The civil settlement includes the resolution of claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act by CFI Group USA, LLC and American Customer Satisfaction Index, LLC (collectively, Relators). Under those provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. In this case, Relators will receive $1,540,000.00 as part of the settlement. The qui tam case is captioned United States ex rel. CFI Group USA, LLC, et al. v. Verint Americas, Inc., Case No. 19-12557 (E.D. Mich.).
The resolution was the result of a coordinated effort by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan, the Office of the Inspector General for the U.S. General Services Administration, and the Office of the Inspector General for the U.S. Department of the Interior. The matter was handled by Assistant United States Attorney John Postulka from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only; there has been no determination of liability.
Fairfield Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Being a Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — William Josiah Scrivner, 37, of Fairfield, was sentenced Thursday to 10 years in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, on March 23, 2022, law enforcement officers observed Scrivner as the driver and sole occupant of a vehicle in the parking lot of the NorthBay Medical Center in Fairfield. The officers arrested Scrivner on an outstanding Solano County arrest warrant. A post-arrest search of his person and vehicle resulted in approximately 40 grams of methamphetamine, $551 on his person, and a digital scale found in his car. A probation search of Scrivner’s residence resulted in the discovery of two firearms, one of which was stolen, firearm parts and ammunition, additional methamphetamine, and two more scales. Scrivner is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition because he has been convicted of several felonies, including two prior convictions for possession of methamphetamine for sale and a prior conviction for being a felon in possession of ammunition.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Fairfield Police Department, the Solano County District Attorney’s Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the FBI’s Solano County Violent Crimes Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrian T. Kinsella prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Dominican Man Sentenced to over Seven Years in Prison for Fentanyl and Cocaine Trafficking and Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dominican man has been sentenced in federal court in Boston for trafficking fentanyl and cocaine, and for unlawful reentry of a deported alien.
Francisco Alberto Martinez, 52, was sentenced on July 19, 2023 by U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to 87 months in prison and five years of supervised release. On April 19, 2023, Martinez pleaded guilty to one count of distribution and possession with intent to distribute cocaine; three counts of distribution and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl; three counts of distribution and possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl; one count of distribution and possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and cocaine; one count of possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and cocaine; and one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien.
On nine separate occasions between August 2018 and May 2019, Martinez sold fentanyl and cocaine to a cooperating witness. Martinez first unlawfully entered the United States on an unknown date. In 2010, he was convicted in federal court in Boston of cocaine conspiracy and sentenced to 66 months in prison. Upon completion of his sentence in 2014, Martinez was deported to the Dominican Republic. Sometime after his removal, Martinez unlawfully reentered the United States and continued to distribute controlled substances.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Christopher DiMenna, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; and Peabody Police Chief Thomas M. Griffin made the announcement. Valuable assistance in the investigation was provided by the Massachusetts Department of Correction; Norfolk Sheriff’s Office; the Suburban Middlesex County Drug Task Force; and the Peabody, Concord, Reading, Watertown, Braintree, Waltham, Woburn, Salem, Revere, and Beverly Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Craig Estes, Charles Dell’Anno and Alathea Porter of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
District Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Killing His Childhood FriendRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Jean Paul Kearney, 36, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced to 20 years in prison for second degree murder while armed, and other charges, in connection with the April 4, 2021, shooting death of Dontra Harris. Superior Court Judge Maribeth Raffinan handed down the sentence on July 18, 2023, and also ordered five years of supervised release.
Kearney was convicted by a jury of assault on a police officer while armed, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, obstruction of justice, unlawful possession of a firearm (prior conviction), and possession of a large capacity ammunition feeding device); he pleaded guilty on April 27, 2023 to second degree murder while armed..
According to the Government’s evidence, on April 4, 2021 shortly before 9 p.m., Kearney tailed his childhood friend, Dontra Harris, on a motorcycle. They both pulled over by the side of the road and verbally argued and then went their separate ways. Kearney, who lived nearby, went back home to switch out his motorcycle for his mother’s vehicle. He then drove to the victim’s apartment building and waited for 15 minutes for the victim to return home. When the victim attempted to enter his building, Kearney ambushed him, and shot him several times in the back. When law enforcement and paramedics arrived on scene, they located the victim near the front of the building and pronounced him dead. On May 13, 2021, when the Gun Recovery Unit executed a residential search warrant in connection with the homicide investigation, Kearney fired multiple times at the officers with an AK-47 assault rifle. Several days later, upon learning that the police had collected his cellphone during the warrant execution, Kearney provided his family member with instructions over the phone on how to remotely erase the contents of his phone.
Officers with the Metropolitan Police Department arrested Kearney on May 13, 2021. He has been in custody since.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Acting Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), commended the work of the MPD officers and detective who investigated the case. They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialists Stephanie Gilbert and Debra Forte, Investigative Analyst Zachary McMenamin; Supervisory Victim/Witness Advocate Jennifer Clark; Victim/Witness Advocates Karina Hernandez and Paola Molina, Supervisory Victim Witness Service Coordinator Katina Adams-Washington; and Supervisory Litigation Technology Specialist Leif Hickling, and Litigation Technology Specialist William Henderson
Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sitara Witanachchi and Erin DeRiso, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
Delaware County Cherokee Citizen Convicted of MurderRead the Press Release
TULSA Okla. – A federal jury convicted James William Buzzard, 50, a Cherokee citizen and Delaware county resident of first-degree murder in Indian Country; assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm; and discharge of a firearm during the commission of a federal crime of violence. The crime occurred within the Cherokee Nation reservation.
“Today the jury convicted the last of three defendants for a brutal murder in rural Indian Country,” said U.S. Attorney Clinton Johnson. “This case follows a prolonged and meticulous investigation by our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners. Violent crime within the Northern District of Oklahoma will be thoroughly investigated and the perpetrators brought to justice.”
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, on Aug. 1, 2019, the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office responded to a shooting near Jay, Okla. Deputies discovered Jerry Tapp deceased in his front yard. It appeared that Tapp sustained multiple gunshot wounds and that a second victim had a gunshot wound to her arm. According to court testimony, the surviving victim told investigators that she heard a noise outside the home early that morning. When she turned on the light and opened the door, she heard gunfire and felt a sudden pain in her wrist. The victim noticed a four-door car before she shut and locked the front door, crawled to another room, and called 911. While investigating the crime, OSBI agents located and seized multiple shell casings.
Dakota Buzzard, son of James Buzzard, was located by deputies from the McDonald County Sheriff’s Office driving a white 4-door Altima matching the surviving victim’s description. OSBI agents later found four spent shell casings inside the vehicle. Dakota provided the location of the rifle used, as well as additional bullets. During the investigation, the shell casings found at the scene of the crime were identified as having been fired by the same rifle.
On Aug. 6, 2019, investigators obtained Facebook records of Cody Buzzard, another son of James Buzzard. The day prior to the shooting, Cody made Facebook inquiries about getting a vehicle and firearm. He indicated that he “had business to tend to,” and he was going to “take care of a problem.”
During an interview with authorities, Dakota Buzzard stated that he, Cody, and James Buzzard drove toward Tapp’s residence, parked up the road from the home, and waited for him to return from work. James Buzzard allegedly told his sons to retrieve the rifle from the trunk of the car. Dakota stated that once Tapp drove by they followed him to his home where Tapp was shot and killed. Prosecutors proved the Buzzards aided and abetted one another to shoot and kill Tapp and then shoot his girlfriend.
The two brothers in this case, both Cherokee citizens from Grove, entered earlier pleas. Cody Dwayne Buzzard, 29, pled guilty to second degree murder in Indian Country; and brandishing and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Dakota Chase Buzzard, 22, pled to conspiracy to carry, use, brandish, and discharge a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
The FBI, Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, and the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney’s Reagan Reininger, Eric Johnston, and Elizabeth Dick prosecuted the case.
Defendants Charged in Joint Federal, State, and Local Investigation of Firearms Trafficking and Drug DistributionRead the Press Release
DES MOINES, Iowa – Eleven defendants are facing federal criminal charges as part of a joint federal, state, and local law enforcement investigation. These charges result from a year-long investigation into violent acts, shootings, the possession and use of firearms, including the use of automatic switches, which qualify as machine guns under federal law, firearm straw purchasing, firearm trafficking, and distribution of fentanyl within the Des Moines area by members and associates of the criminal street gang OMB (Only My Brothers), a subset of the C-Block criminal street gang. During the investigation, law enforcement recovered shell casings at various shootings and generated investigative leads. Ninety-two guns were involved, with 73 of the involved guns seized.
“Federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies will continue to work side by side to aggressively investigate crimes of violence and conduct that promotes and sustains this violence, including the trafficking of fentanyl, firearms trafficking, and straw purchasing,” stated United States Attorney Richard Westphal. “Our thanks to the dedicated local, state and federal law enforcement agents and officers whose tireless dedication to the protection of this community is exemplified by this investigation. To individuals and groups that use violent crime, firearms and drug trafficking as a means to any end, please stop or face similar consequences.”
Eleven defendants are charged in five criminal indictments with federal drug and firearm related offenses:
• Armani Eugene Gates, 19, also known as “OMB74” and “74,” of Des Moines,
• Majok Majok, 18, also known as “Jok” and “Magok Magok,” of Des Moines,
• Trent Douglas Brown, Jr., 19, also known as “TB,” of Des Moines,
• Semaj Johnson, 19, also known as “Maj” and “10mill,” of Des Moines,
• Santiz Cortez Langford, Jr., 19, also known as “Tiz” and “Tizwick,” of Des Moines,
• Dawn Ellease Robinson, 44, also known as “Dawn Ellease Colbert,” of Des Moines,
• Deon Ellease Cooper, 27, of Des Moines,
• Deadrian Maurice Nelson, 18, also known as “Shiesty” and “D,” of Des Moines,
• Johnetta Marie Strode, 36, of Des Moines,
• Avontae Lamar Tucker, 20, also known as “Tae Tae,” of Des Moines, and
• Bakier Esmaeil, 18, of Des Moines.On July 20, 2023, federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies executed nine federal search warrants that resulted in the arrest of eleven defendants, two of which were already in federal custody. The search warrants also lead to the seizure of approximately 13,000 suspected fentanyl pills, seven firearms, one machine gun conversion device, and $23,000 in cash.
According to public court documents and information discussed at court hearings, Strode is Nelson’s mother and allegedly conspired to straw purchase a firearm, later found in Nelson’s possession. Robinson is the mother of both Langford and Cooper and allegedly conspired with Langford to straw a purchase a firearm later found in possession of a victim in the January 2023 Starts Right Here double homicide in Des Moines. Cooper, who is Langford’s sister, is also alleged to have purchased firearms at Langford’s direction.
Gates, Majok, and Brown are charged with conspiracy to distribute fentanyl. This charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years in prison, up to life in prison.
Gates, Cooper, Langford, Robinson, and Strode are charged with conspiracy to straw purchase firearms. Cooper and Robinson were charged with individually straw purchasing firearms. These charges carry a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison, with Gates facing a maximum of 25 years in prison.
Cooper, Robinson, and Strode are charged with false statement during the purchase of a firearm. These charges carry a maximum sentence of five to 10 years in prison.
Gates, Majok, Johnson, and Langford are charged with firearm trafficking conspiracies. Langford was charged with firearms trafficking. These charges carry a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison.
Johnson and Tucker are charged with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. Gates, Brown, and Majok were charged with distribution of fentanyl. These charges carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
Langford is charged with possession with intent to distribute marijuana. This charge carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison.
Tucker is charged with possession with intent to distribution five grams or more of methamphetamine. This charge carries a minimum sentence of five years in prison and a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison. Tucker is also charged with possessing and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, which carries a mandatory seven-year consecutive sentence, up to life in prison. Further, Tucker is charged with interference with commerce through robbery. This charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
Johnson and Tucker are charged with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. This charge carries a mandatory five-year consecutive sentence, up to life in prison.
Majok and Langford are charged with illegal possession of a machinegun. Majok and Langford were also charged with possession of a machinegun in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. These charges carry a mandatory 30-year consecutive sentence, up to life in prison.
Gates, Esmaeil, Johnson, Majok, Robinson, Langford, Strode, and Tucker are charged with being an unlawful drug user in possession of a firearm. Nelson was charged with being a felon and an unlawful drug user in possession of a firearm. These charges carry a maximum penalty of 10 to 15 years in prison.
A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the United States Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The charges were announced by Richard D. Westphal, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Iowa; Bernard Hansen, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Kansas City Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; Bryan Musgrove, Postal Inspector in Charge of the Denver Division of the United States Postal Inspection Service; and Dana Wingert, Chief of Police of the Des Moines Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Kristin Herrera and Mallory Weiser are prosecuting the case.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Des Moines Police Department, and the United States Postal Inspection Service are investigating the case, with assistance from the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement (DNE), Iowa State Patrol, Iowa Division of Intelligence and Fusion Center, Iowa State Patrol SWAT, United States Marshals Service, Clive Police Department, West Des Moines Police Department, Ames Police Department, Altoona Police Department, Mid-Iowa Narcotics Task Force, Polk County Sheriff’s Office, Suburban Emergency Response Team (SERT), and Metro Special Tactics and Response (STAR).
This investigation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Defendant on the Run for 12 Years Extradited from Spain to Face Child Pornography Charges in Miami Federal CourtRead the Press Release
MIAMI – After skipping bond and remaining on the lam for 12 years, 71-year-old Carlos Blanco has been extradited from Spain to the United States to face federal child pornography possession and distribution charges in the Southern District of Florida. Blanco made his initial appearance in Miami federal court this week after arriving on a flight from Spain, where he was arrested pursuant to a request from the U.S. government.
Federal law enforcement originally arrested Blanco (a citizen of the United States, Honduras, and Cuba) on November 3, 2010, charging him by criminal complaint with possessing and distributing child pornography. He was released on bond following initial hearings before a federal magistrate judge. Following a grand jury’s decision to indict Blanco, the court set a February 24, 2011 hearing, at which Blanco was expected to plead guilty. Blanco failed to appear for the change of plea hearing, and the judge issued an arrest warrant. The court declared Blanco a fugitive on February 25, 2011 -- a designation Blanco held for over 12 years.
In March 2023, Blanco was arrested in Spain pursuant to a request for his provisional arrest made by the U.S. Department of Justice Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs (OIA). Blanco consented to his extradition to the United States. Blanco lived in Spain from July 2022 through the date of his arrest. Before that, he lived in Honduras for 11 years.
Markenzy Lapointe, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and Jeffrey B. Veltri, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Miami, announced the extradition.
U.S. Attorney Lapointe extends his gratitude to FBI Miami’s Crimes Against Children and Human Trafficking Task Force and the government of Spain for making the extradition possible, as well as OIA for its significant assistance in securing the defendant’s extradition. The U.S. Attorney also extends his gratitude to the Spanish Civil Guard and Interpol for their assistance in capturing this fugitive and in bringing him back to the United States.
FBI Miami investigated the criminal case against Blanco, which Assistant U.S. Attorney Cory O’Neal is prosecuting.
An indictment is merely an accusation, and a defendant is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number Case #10-20837-CR-King.
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Daviess County Man Pleads Guilty to Defrauding Covid Agricultural ProgramRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Jameson, Mo., man has pleaded guilty in federal court to defrauding the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program, a program created by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
Troy Jennings, 49, waived his right to a grand jury and pleaded guilty before Chief U.S. District Judge Beth Phillips to a federal information that charges him with one count of theft of government funds.
The Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP)—a program administered by the United States Department of Agriculture through the Farm Service Agency (FSA)—was created to provide financial assistance to producers of agricultural commodities during the coronavirus pandemic. As part of the program, cattle producers could receive a per-head payment for cattle sold between January 15, 2020, and April 15, 2020.
In June 2020, Jennings provided false information on his CFAP application regarding the number of cattle he sold. When asked by the FSA to substantiate his numbers, Jennings submitted multiple fraudulent documents and activated a pre-paid phone in an attempt to impersonate another man.
As part of his plea agreement, Jennings will be required to pay restitution in the amount of $114,267, the full amount he received from the CFAP.
Under federal statutes, Jennings is subject to a sentence of up to 10 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as the sentence of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas P. Heberle. It was investigated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General.
Davenport Woman Sentenced to Six Months in Prison Related to PerjuryRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, IA – A Davenport woman was sentenced today to six months in federal prison for providing false statements during federal grand jury testimony.
According to court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, LaRhonda Dawnielle Jenkins, 30, was present at a shooting at the Dam View Inn in Davenport on March 9, 2021, where an individual was shot multiple times. When Jenkins was called to testify at federal grand jury proceedings, Jenkins lied about her knowledge of the identified shooter.
After completing her term of imprisonment, Jenkins will be required to serve three 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. This case was investigated by the Davenport 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. 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.Danville, Illinois, Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison for Possession of a Firearm by a Felon as an Armed Career CriminalRead the Press Release
URBANA, Ill. – A Danville, Illinois, man, Alvin Beasley, 38, was sentenced today to 300 months of imprisonment, to be followed by a five-year term of supervised release, after being convicted of possessing a firearm as a felon following a jury trial in September 2021.
At the sentencing hearing in front of U.S. District Judge Colin S. Bruce, the government highlighted evidence that Beasley did not just possess a firearm, he discharged several shots at his pregnant girlfriend’s Danville home during a drive-by shooting while she was inside the residence. Beasley was on parole for a second-degree murder conviction at the time. In addition, the government pointed to jailhouse phone calls made after the shooting where Beasley said he “just snap[s] out for no reason” and wants to “hurt people.” Beasley also explained during another call that he was tired of dealing drugs and “just want[ed] to kill people.”
Judge Bruce found that Beasley qualified as an Armed Career Criminal based on his prior state convictions for armed robbery, aggravated battery, and second-degree murder. That determination raised Beasley’s statutory penalties to fifteen years to life imprisonment.
Judge Bruce further noted that the facts of Beasley’s case were serious and troubling and stated that Beasley attempted to obstruct justice with his testimony at trial. Specifically, after hearing the evidence against him, Beasley took the stand and admitted that he shot at his pregnant girlfriend’s residence, but tried to claim that he did so with a different gun than the one he was charged with possessing. The jury rejected his testimony and found him guilty.
“Gun violence has no place in our communities, said U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Harris. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of Illinois will continue to work with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to protect our communities and ensure those who engage in gun violence are held accountable.”
The case was investigated by the Danville Police Department, the Vermilion County Sheriff’s Office, the Vermilion County Metropolitan Enforcement Group, the Illinois State Police, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bryan Freres and William Lynch represented the United States in this prosecution.
Convicted Felon Sentenced to More Than Four Years in Federal Prison for Possession of AmmunitionRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Charlene Honeywell has sentenced Dartis Cobb (35, St. Petersburg) to four years and three months in federal prison for possessing ammunition as a convicted felon. Cobb had pleaded guilty on March 9, 2023.
According to court documents, on August 13, 2022, deputies with the Pinellas County Sherriff’s Office attempted to pull over a vehicle being driven by Cobb. Cobb refused to stop the car and fled from the deputies, leading them on a chase through a neighborhood. Eventually, deputies were able to stop the vehicle on a residential street. They then placed Cobb under arrest for felony fleeing and recovered one round of 9 mm ammunition from Cobb’s front pants pocket.
Deputies also located a bag in the passenger seat. The bag was open, and deputies could see the magazine well of a firearm sticking out of the bag. They could also see the magazine was inside the well. Deputies took the weapon and the magazine containing 12 rounds of 9mm ammunition into evidence. They deputies also concluded that the firearm appeared to be a “ghost gun” with no identifiable or traceable components. This was later confirmed by agents with ATF.
Cobb has previously been convicted of two felonies including robbery and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He is therefore prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Samantha Newman. Assistant United States Attorney Suzanne Nebesky is handling the forfeiture.
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.
Columbia Falls felon sentenced to 15 years in prison for illegal possession of firearmRead the Press Release
MISSOULA — A Columbia Falls man with multiple felony convictions was sentenced on July 20 to 15 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised, for illegally possessing a loaded shotgun, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said today.
Christopher Glenn Lakey, 35, pleaded guilty in March to prohibited person in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy presided. In sentencing Lakey, the court applied a enhancement under the Armed Career Criminal Act, which provides that a defendant convicted of felon in possession is subject to a mandatory sentence of 15 years of imprisonment if the defendant has three prior convictions for a serious drug offense or a violent felony.
The government alleged in court documents that on Jan. 18, 2022, the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office learned that Lakey was leaving Columbia Falls in a pickup truck and may have weapons in his possession. Deputies knew about an outstanding federal warrant for Lakey and located the truck. Lakey fled from law enforcement, driving at more than 100 mph toward Whitefish. During his flight, Lakey threw a stolen 12-gauge shotgun out the window. The shotgun was recovered the next day from the side of the road. The shotgun had one round chambered and four in the tube. Two 12-gauge shells were found during a probation search of his abandoned truck. Lakey had prior felony convictions for criminal endangerment, burglary and robbery and was prohibited from possessing firearms.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The FBI, Flathead County Sheriff’s Office, Montana Probation and Parole, Whitefish Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation.
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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Carroll Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun and Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
Darwin Robinson, Jr., age 45, from Carroll, Iowa, was convicted of illegally possessing a firearm and possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute. Robinson pled guilty July 20, 2023, in federal court in Sioux City.
Robinson was previously convicted of cocaine-possession and three domestic abuse assaults which prohibited him from possessing firearms.
At the plea hearing, Robinson admitted that he had these convictions and that he was a regular user of methamphetamine and possessed a .40 caliber handgun. On March 22, 2021, law enforcement stopped the vehicle Robinson was driving and officers seized two small bags of methamphetamine from Robinson and a loaded .40 caliber handgun from the vehicle. Robinson admitted that he planned on selling some or all the methamphetamine that was found.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Robinson remains in the custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. On the firearm conviction, Robinson faces a possible maximum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and not more than three years of supervised release following any imprisonment. Robinson faces a possible maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment, a $1,000,000 fine, and three years up to life of supervised release on the possession with intent to distribute conviction.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Carroll, Iowa Police Department, Iowa DCI Criminalistics Laboratory, and 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 23-3002.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
California Woman Sentenced to Prison for Embezzling More Than $1 Million from EmployerRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A California woman was sentenced to 66 months in prison, two years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $1,791,334.81 in restitution for embezzling more than $1 million from her employer, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, Mai Houa Xiong, 47, of Fresno, California, was employed as a financial manager for a Minneapolis-based property management company that provided financial services to homeowners’ associations (HOAs) throughout the Twin Cities metro area. Xiong’s duties included bookkeeping, and as manager she had nearly unfettered access to the victim homeowner’s associations’ financials, bank accounts, vendor and contractor payments, and bookkeeping systems. Between February 2015 and February 2022, Xiong devised and executed a fraud scheme to embezzle funds directly from the accounts to which she had access. These funds were HOA fees collected from residents intended to pay for maintenance, construction, and other costs incurred by the victim associations.
As part of the scheme, Xiong repeatedly accessed the HOAs’ bank accounts and conducted electronic transfers of funds directly into her personal bank accounts. Xiong disguised these transfers by mis-labeling them to make it appear as if they were legitimate HOA expenses. Xiong also used her authority as a signatory to make cash withdrawals directly from the HOAs’ accounts, including making withdrawals after she was fired from her position in July 2021. After her termination, Xiong began collecting Unemployment Insurance (UI) funds. However, even after Xiong found new employment, she continued to wrongfully obtain public UI benefits.
Xiong pleaded guilty on March 9, 2023, to one count of wire fraud, one count of aggravated identity theft, and one count of making and subscribing a false tax return. Xiong was sentenced today before Chief Judge Patrick J. Schiltz.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the IRS – Criminal Investigations, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, and the Minneapolis Police Department.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Allison K. Ethen.
Brooksville Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Possessing Firearm as an Armed Career CriminalRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – Senior United States District Judge John Antoon II has sentenced Wayne Allen Phillips, Jr. (45, Brooksville) to 15 years in federal prison for possession of a firearm and ammunition by a previously convicted felon. Phillips was found guilty after a trial on April 11, 2023.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, deputies from the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office encountered Phillips while attempting to serve a warrant for his arrest on another matter. Phillips ran from the deputies but was apprehended after a brief foot chase. A search of his person revealed a revolver loaded with five rounds of ammunition in his pants pocket. Phillips has numerous previous state felony convictions, including shooting into an occupied building, strongarm robbery, sale of cocaine, and fleeing and eluding law enforcement. As a previously convicted felon, he is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law. Moreover, Phillips’s prior felony convictions qualified him for a sentencing enhancement as an Armed Career Criminal.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney William S. Hamilton.
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.
Booz Allen Agrees to Pay $377.45 Million to Settle False Claims Act AllegationsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - Booz Allen Hamilton Holding Corporation has agreed to pay the United States $377,453,150 to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by improperly billing commercial and international costs to its government contracts. Booz Allen, which is headquartered in McLean, Virginia, provides a range of management, consulting, and engineering services to the Government, as well as commercial and international customers.
Under government contracting rules, there must be a nexus between the costs charged to a government contract and the objective of the contract. Thus, a contractor may charge to a government contract costs directly related to that contract, as well as indirect costs that benefit multiple contracts including the government contract. A contractor may not charge costs to a government contract, however, that have no relationship to that contract. This prohibition prevents government contractors from using taxpayer funds to subsidize non-government related work.
The settlement announced today resolves allegations that from approximately 2011 to 2021, Booz Allen improperly charged costs to its government contracts and subcontracts that instead should have been billed to its commercial and international contracts. In particular, the government alleged that Booz Allen improperly allocated indirect costs associated with its commercial and international business to its government contracts and subcontracts that either had no relationship to those contracts and subcontracts or were allocated to those contracts and subcontracts in disproportionate amounts. The government further alleged that Booz Allen failed to disclose to the Government the methods by which it accounted for costs supporting its commercial and international businesses. As a result, Booz Allen obtained reimbursement from the government for the costs of commercial activities that provided no benefit to the United States.
“This settlement, which is one of the largest procurement fraud settlements in history, demonstrates that the United States will pursue even the largest companies and the most complex matters where taxpayer funds are alleged to have been pilfered,” said U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Matthew M. Graves. “The Justice Department is committed to ferreting out all fraud, waste, and abuse in government programs—small or large, simple or complex.”
“Government contractors must turn square corners when billing the government for costs under government contracts,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Today’s settlement demonstrates our commitment to hold accountable contractors that knowingly overcharge the government and enrich themselves at the expense of the American taxpayers.”
“DCAA appreciates the opportunity to support the Justice Department and our law enforcement partners by providing expert financial assistance regarding enforcement of the False Claims Act,” said Director Terri Dilly for the Defense Contract Audit Agency. “This interagency cooperation provides a strong safeguard for appropriate use of taxpayer dollars.”
The settlement resolved a lawsuit filed under the qui tam or whistleblower provision of the False Claims Act, which permits private parties to file suit on behalf of the United States for false claims and share in a portion of the Government’s recovery. The qui tam lawsuit was filed by Sarah Feinberg, a former Booz Allen employee, and is captioned United States ex rel. Feinberg, v. Booz Allen Hamilton, Inc., Civ. A. No. 16-1911 (D.D.C.). Ms. Feinberg will receive $69,828,832 in connection with the settlement.
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, the Defense Contract Management Agency’s Contract Integrity Center, and the Defense Contract Audit Agency’s Operations Investigative Support Division, with assistance by agents from the Defense Criminal Investigative Service and Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Inspector Generals from the Central Intelligence Agency, National Security Agency, U.S. Postal Service, U.S. Army, U.S. Air Force, National Reconnaissance Office, Department of Homeland Security, and National Geospatial Intelligence Agency.
The case was handled by Trial Attorneys Dan Schiffer and Chris Reimer of the Civil Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Hudak with the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia, with assistance from the Defense Contract Audit Agency's Operations Investigative Support Division, in particular DCAA Auditors Igor Yegoroff, Myron Antoniw, and Tim Chase.
The case is captioned United States ex rel. Feinberg v. Booz Allen Hamilton, Inc., Civ. A. No. 16-1911 (ACR) (D.D.C.). The claims alleged in the case are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
Booz Allen Agrees to Pay $377.45 Million to Settle False Claims Act AllegationsRead the Press Release
Booz Allen Hamilton Holding Corporation has agreed to pay the United States $377,453,150 to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by improperly billing commercial and international costs to its government contracts. Booz Allen, which is headquartered in McLean, Virginia, provides a range of management, consulting, and engineering services to the government, as well as commercial and international customers.
Under government contracting rules, there must be a nexus between the costs charged to a government contract and the objective of the contract. Thus, a contractor may charge to a government contract costs directly related to that contract, as well as indirect costs that benefit multiple contracts including the government contract. A contractor may not charge costs to a government contract, however, that have no relationship to that contract. This prohibition prevents government contractors from using taxpayer funds to subsidize non-government related work.
The settlement announced today resolves allegations that from approximately 2011 to 2021, Booz Allen improperly charged costs to its government contracts and subcontracts that instead should have been billed to its commercial and international contracts. In particular, the government alleged that Booz Allen improperly allocated indirect costs associated with its commercial and international business to its government contracts and subcontracts that either had no relationship to those contracts and subcontracts or were allocated to those contracts and subcontracts in disproportionate amounts. The government further alleged that Booz Allen failed to disclose to the government the methods by which it accounted for costs supporting its commercial and international businesses. As a result, Booz Allen obtained reimbursement from the government for the costs of commercial activities that provided no benefit to the United States.
“Government contractors must turn square corners when billing the government for costs under government contracts,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Today’s settlement demonstrates our commitment to hold accountable contractors that knowingly overcharge the government and enrich themselves at the expense of the American taxpayers.”
“This settlement, which is one of the largest procurement fraud settlements in history, demonstrates that the United States will pursue even the largest companies and the most complex matters where taxpayer funds are alleged to have been pilfered,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves for the District of Columbia. “The Justice Department is committed to ferreting out all fraud, waste, and abuse in government programs — small or large, simple or complex.”
"The Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA) appreciates the opportunity to support the Justice Department and our law enforcement partners by providing expert financial assistance regarding enforcement of the False Claims Act," said Director Terri Dilly of the DCAA. "This interagency cooperation provides a strong safeguard for appropriate use of taxpayer dollars."
The settlement resolved a lawsuit filed under the qui tam or whistleblower provision of the False Claims Act, which permits private parties to file suit on behalf of the United States for false claims and share in a portion of the Government’s recovery. The qui tam lawsuit was filed by Sarah Feinberg, a former Booz Allen employee, and is captioned United States ex rel. Feinberg, v. Booz Allen Hamilton, Inc., Civ. A. No. 16-1911 (D.D.C.). Ms. Feinberg will receive $69,828,832 in connection with the settlement.
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, the Defense Contract Management Agency’s Contract Integrity Center, and the DCAA’s Operations Investigative Support Division, with assistance by agents from the Defense Criminal Investigative Service and FBI, and Inspector Generals from the Central Intelligence Agency, National Security Agency, U.S. Postal Service, U.S. Army, U.S. Air Force, National Reconnaissance Office, Department of Homeland Security, and National Geospatial Intelligence Agency.
This matter was handled by attorneys Dan Schiffer and Chris Reimer of the Civil Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Hudak for the District of Columbia, with assistance from DCAA's Operations Investigative Support Division, in particular DCAA Auditors Igor Yegoroff, Myron Antoniw, and Tim Chase.
The claims resolved by this settlement are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability.
SettlementBay St. Louis Man Sentenced to over 11 Years in Prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – A Bay St. Louis man was sentenced to 136 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Brad L. Byerley of the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Reynard Joseph Elzy, 40, was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Gulfport.
According to court records, a confidential source purchased methamphetamine from Elzy in Bay St. Louis. A search warrant was executed on Elzy’s residence and additional narcotics and a firearm were found. Elzy was on parole through the Mississippi Department of Corrections at the time of the offense.
Elzy was indicted by a federal grand jury on January 25, 2023. He pled guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine on April 19, 2023.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Hancock County Sheriff’s Office.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Erica Rose.
Alleged Drug Dealer Facing Federal Charges Following Fentanyl DeathRead the Press Release
Salt Lake City, Utah – A federal grand jury in Salt Lake City returned an indictment charging a Weber County man for allegedly possessing fentanyl with intent to distribute, which led to another person’s death by drug intoxication.
According to court documents, in February 2023, Spencer Massengale, 31, of Ogden, Utah, knowingly possessed with the intent to distribute Fentanyl in the District of Utah, which resulted in death. According to the allegations, the victim was found unresponsive on the couch at Mr. Massengale’s residence by Massengale’s roommate. Upon Massengale’s return home, neither he nor the roommate called 911 until Massengale ensured his fentanyl had been hidden. After obtaining a search warrant for Mr. Massengale’s residence, police discovered approximately 330 pills containing fentanyl. Additionally, evidence obtained from Massengale’s cell phone shows the victim one week prior suffering from the effects of a near-fatal overdose.
Massengale is charged with possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute resulting in death. He was arraigned on the indictment before a U.S. Magistrate Judge on July 14, 2023. His detention hearing is scheduled for July 21, 2023, at 11:00 a.m. in courtroom 8.4 at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.
U.S. Attorney, Trina A. Higgins, of the District of Utah made the announcement.
The case is being investigated by the Weber Morgan Narcotics Strike Force and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Alexis Candelario Santana Convicted at a Retrial of 40 Counts of Drug Trafficking, 9 Murders, and 19 Attempted Murders for the October 2009 La Tómbola Massacre in Toa Baja, Puerto RicoRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – A federal jury convicted Alexis Candelario Santana today for: violations of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, 8 murders, the murder of an unborn child, 19 attempted murders, drug trafficking, and being a felon in possession. United States District Court Senior Judge Francisco A. Besosa presided over the retrial that commenced on June 20, 2023.
Alexis Candelario Santana, 51, faces life in prison following his conviction of murdering eight people and an unborn child and attempting to murder 19 others during a mass shooting that occurred at a Puerto Rico on Oct. 17, 2009, in what became known as the “La Tómbola Massacre.”
Candelario Santana was convicted of 28 counts of violent crime in aid of racketeering activity, one count of racketeering conspiracy, nine counts of using a firearm in relation to a crime of violence, one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance and one count of possession of a firearm with a prior conviction.
According to the evidence presented at trial, from approximately 1993 through 2003, Candelario Santana was the leader of a drug trafficking organization that operated in the Sabana Seca ward of Toa Baja, Puerto Rico. The organization purchased drugs in bulk, processed and packaged the drugs, and sold them in Sabana Seca through numerous sellers, runners, and enforcers under Candelario Santana’s direction and control. The organization trafficked in crack, cocaine, heroin, and marijuana. The members of the organization routinely possessed firearms to protect their drug points. The evidence introduced at trial also established that, between 1995 and 2001, Candelario Santana either personally killed, or ordered others to kill, 13 individuals whom he viewed as threats or as disloyal members of his drug trafficking organization.
Around 2002, Candelario Santana was arrested and charged in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico with numerous murders. Initially, Candelario Santana maintained control of the drug trafficking organization from prison with assistance from co-defendant Carmelo Rondón Feliciano, who had taken charge of the drug trafficking organization’s activities. Sometime in 2004 Candelario Santana was marginalized by co‑conspirators Wilfredo Semprit Santana and Rondón Feliciano. On September 25, 2006, however, Rondón Feliciano was arrested and charged in the District of Puerto Rico with federal drug trafficking crimes. These charges stemmed, in part, from Rondón Feliciano’s distribution of narcotics in Sabana Seca. After Rondón Feliciano’s arrest, co‑conspirator Semprit Santana assumed control of the drug trafficking organization in Sabana Seca. According to evidence presented at the second trial, Candelario Santana became infuriated at being removed from power within the drug trafficking organization.
Candelario Santana was released from prison in February 2009. Thereafter, on October 17, 2009, Semprit Santana held a grand opening of a pub he rented in Toa Baja, Puerto Rico called La Tómbola. The event was heavily attended, with people congregating inside and outside the establishment. At approximately 11:50 p.m., Candelario Santana and others, drove to La Tómbola. When they arrived, they immediately opened fire on the patrons outside the establishment. Candelario Santana and others also entered the pub and opened fire on the people inside.
Eight people and an 8-month unborn child were killed because of the gunfire. 19 other victims were also shot and injured. Those killed included Candelario Santana’s godson, Rondón Feliciano’s stepson and Candelario Santana’s cousin. The evidence presented at trial included 335 expended shell-casings recovered from the La Tómbola crime scene. The ballistics evidence established that 17 different firearms were used during the massacre, which included the following calibers: 9 mm, .40, 45, AK-47, and AR-15.
Candelario Santana is scheduled to be sentenced on October 27, 2023.
U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow of the District of Puerto Rico and Joseph González, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI San Juan Field Office, made the announcement.
The case was investigated by FBI and the Puerto Rico Police Bureau, with the collaboration of U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Instituto de Ciencias Forenses; and the Puerto Rico Department of Justice.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Víctor Acevedo-Hernández and Scott Anderson prosecuted the case.
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Adair County Resident Pleads Guilty to Coercion and Enticement and Felon in Possession of A FirearmRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jakoma Twohat Sanders, age 35, of Adair County, Oklahoma entered a guilty plea to one count of Coercion and Enticement, and one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm.
The Indictment alleged that beginning on or about June 5, 2018, and continuing until on or about August 6, 2018, Sanders used a means of interstate commerce to knowingly persuade, induce, entice, and coerce a minor child to engage in sexual activity. The Indictment also alleged that on September 24, 2019, Sanders was found to knowingly be in possession of a firearm while having previously been convicted of a felony punishable by more than one year in prison.
The charges arose from an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
The investigation began after Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation received a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children about the Sanders communicating with minor females over the internet and inducing them to engage in sexual activity. When the defendant was arrested, he was found to be in possession of a firearm after having previously been convicted of a felony.
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.”
If you have information about the physical or online exploitation of children, please call the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov. You can also contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 1-800-THE–LOST (1-800-843-5678) or submit a tip online at report.cybertip.org.
The Honorable Judge Gerald L. Jackson, Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma in Muskogee, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. Sanders was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending sentencing.
Assistant United States Attorneys Morgan Muzljakovich and Caila Cleary represented the United States.
20 Apprehended in Lubbock Drug, Gun BustRead the Press Release
Twenty people were apprehended in a large-scale drug enforcement operation Wednesday, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.
The defendants were charged in 14 separate indictments with a total of 37 counts, including distribution of fentanyl, distribution of methamphetamine, and felon in possession of a firearm. Seven people charged in the scheme remain fugitives.
Those apprehended include:
- Erik Hans Grosstueck: conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl
- Brian Jacob Miller: conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl
- Alexander Erik Pierce: conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, distribution of fentanyl
- Matthew Ryan Chandler: conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl
- Loddy Max Montoya: conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl
- Trey Matthew Parrish: conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, distribution of fentanyl
- Kevontae Jalil Hawthorne: felon in possession of a firearm (one rifle)
- Daniel Anthony Moreno: felon in possession of a firearm (one semi-automatic handgun)
- Glen Donnell Nall, Jr.: possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime (one pistol)
- Ethan Tyler Nieto: felon in possession of a firearm (one pistol)
- Martin Rosalez III, aka Wedo: felon in possession of a firearm (one semi-automatic handgun)
- Roberto Salinas, Jr.: felon in possession of a firearm (one semi-automatic handgun)
- Tevin Terelle Carrington: felon in possession of a firearm (one pistol)
- Steven Paul Echols: conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine
- Rachel Michelle Melendez: conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime (one pistol)
- Nicolas Blake Pereida: conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, distribution of methamphetamine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime (one 9mm pistol), distribution of fentanyl
- Brent Reed Angelle: conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime (two pistols and one shotgun), possession with intent to distribute fentanyl
- Alexus Michelle Grubelnik: conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl, distribution of fentanyl
- Beatrice Eunice Gutierrez: conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl
- Ronny Paul Spuriel: distribution of methamphetamine
Seven people charged in the scheme remain fugitives.
A number of the defendants charged in the scheme are tied to Lubbock’s Project Safe Neighborhood zone, a high-crime hotspot where federal, state, and local law enforcement leaders collaborate to reduce violence and increase community safety. Many have extensive criminal histories, including child sexual assault, aggravated assault, burglary, fraud, manufacture and delivery of controlled substances, and unlawful carrying of firearms.
An indictment is merely an allegation of wrongdoing, not evidence. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
If convicted, some face up to life in federal prison.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives’ Dallas Field Division – Lubbock Resident Agency, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Dallas Field Division – Lubbock Resident Agency, the United States Marshal Service, the Caprock HIDTA (High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area) Task Force, the Texas Department of Public Safety, the Lubbock Police Department, the Lubbock County Sherriff’s Office, and the Texas Anti-Gang Task Force conducted the investigation and arrest operation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean Long is prosecuting the drug conspiracy; AUSAs Jeff Haag, Ann Howey, Callie Woolam, and Matt McLeod are prosecuting the gun cases with the assistance of AUSAs Ryan Redd and Stephan Rancourt, the Lubbock Branch Office’s Project Safe Neighborhood Coordinators.
Thursday 20 July 2023
Zephyrhills Man Sentenced to 27 Months for Unlawful Making of A FirearmRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL - U.S. District Judge Mary Scriven has sentenced James John Hall (34, Zephyrhills) to two years and three months in federal prison for unlawfully making a firearm. Hall had pleaded guilty on April 3, 2023.
According to court documents, on November 1 and 2, 2022, Hall spoke by phone with a man to whom he had sold firearms in the past. During these conversations, Hall offered to sell the man a “pipe bomb” that he had built. Hall told the man that he had contemplated using the “pipe bomb” to target an individual with whom he was angry. The man who Hall was communicating with was a confidential informant (CI) with the Pasco Sherriff’s Office. The CI reached out to the Pasco Sheriff’s Office who then coordinated further with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Later in the evening on November 2, the CI and an undercover detective from the Pasco Sheriff’s Office met with Hall, where the undercover detective purchased the “pipe bomb.” When asked about future purchases, Hall indicated that he “had enough to build six more now.”
The suspected destructive device was then disassembled by ATF special agent bomb technicians. The materials were then sent to ATF laboratories for additional analysis where a senior explosives enforcement officer examined the device and concluded that it was designed to function as a weapon and would be characterized as both an improvised explosive bomb and destructive device.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Pasco Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Samantha Newman.
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.
Woman Pleads Guilty to Arson of ClinicRead the Press Release
Lorna Roxanne Green, 22, pled guilty to arson of a building used in interstate commerce, specifically the Wellspring Health Access Clinic located in Casper, Wyoming. Green entered her guilty plea before U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson on July 20, 2023. She was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service following the hearing.
At the hearing, Green admitted that she set fire to the clinic on May 25, 2022, which was under construction at the time and planned to offer OB/GYN services, gender-affirming care, and abortion procedures. Green was arrested on March 21, 2023, and then indicted by the federal grand jury in May.
Green is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Johnson on October 6, 2023. Green faces a minimum of five years in prison, a maximum of 20 years in prison, up to a $250,000 fine, three years of supervised release following her incarceration, a $100 special assessment, and restitution. Judge Johnson will determine Green’s sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This crime was investigated by the Casper Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Case No. 23-CR-00066
Wilmington Man Sentenced to 68 Months in Federal Prison for Distribution of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, Del. – David C. Weiss, U.S. Attorney for the District of Delaware, announced that Victor Rodriguez, age 39 and a Wilmington resident, was sentenced today to 68 months in prison for distribution of methamphetamine. U.S. District Judge Maryellen Noreika pronounced the sentence.
According to court documents, throughout 2022, Rodriguez received parcels mailed from California at various Wilmington addresses. These parcels contained pounds of methamphetamine, some of which were over 95% pure according to subsequent lab testing. Rodriguez then sold that methamphetamine throughout Delaware.
U.S. Attorney Weiss stated, “Methamphetamine remains among the deadliest drugs plaguing our streets today. Peddling this poison endangers community safety. My office will continue to seek significant prison sentences for those, like Mr. Rodriguez, who profit from illegal drug trafficking.”
“Methamphetamine is a powerful stimulant that can produce effects such as paranoia, hallucinations, and violent and erratic behavior,” said Thomas Hodnett, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Philadelphia Field Division. “The methamphetamine that Rodriguez distributed was of extremely high purity making it all the more dangerous.”
The case was investigated by the Delaware State Police and the DEA Philadelphia Field Division.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the District of Delaware or on PACER by searching for Case No. 23-cr-08.
Wentzville Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for St. Louis County Armed Robberies, ShootingRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Rodney W. Sippel on Thursday sentenced a man from Wentzville, Missouri who robbed a White Castle twice and shot an employee to 20 years in prison.
On June 22, 2022, Matthew Sabir, now 38, demanded “all the $20 and $50 bills” from an employee of the White Castle restaurant at 7380 Olive Boulevard in University City before placing a black semi-automatic pistol on the countertop, according to his plea agreement. Sabir left with about $180 in cash.
The next day, after a failed robbery of the BP gas station at 4403 North Hanley Road in Berkeley, Sabir returned to the White Castle, his plea says. He told store employees, “Give me money. Don’t move. Don’t run,” and pointed a pistol at them. The employees ran, and Sabir opened fire, hitting a 16-year-old female employee multiple times.
The shooting victim spoke at Sabir’s sentencing Thursday, saying that she is still suffering the aftereffects of her injuries.
Sabir pleaded guilty March 1 to three felonies: robbery, brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence and discharging a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. The firearm charges carry a mandatory minimum prison term, consecutive to any other charge.
The case was investigated by the University City Police Department, the Berkeley Police Department and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Linda Lane prosecuted the case.
Webster Man Indicted in Connection with Two Pipe Bomb ExplosionsRead the Press Release
CONCORD – A Webster man was indicted in connection with two pipe bomb explosions in Weare, New Hampshire, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces.
Dale G. Stewart, Jr., 54, was indicted on three counts of possessing an unregistered firearm, specifically a destructive device. Stewart made an initial appearance in federal court on May 3, 2023, and is detained.
According to the charging documents, Stewart allegedly constructed and detonated two destructive devices in Weare, New Hampshire, on April 26, 2023 and April 27, 2023. In response to the explosions, law enforcement obtained a search warrant for Stewart’s vehicle and retrieved an additional destructive device, constructed of white PVC pipe, with glued end caps, wrapped in black electrical tape, with a green hobby fuse protruding from one of the end caps. The destructive device found in the vehicle contained more than 4 ounces of an explosive material, consistent with the manufacturing of the two recovered suspected pipe bombs from the two separate detonation scenes in Weare, New Hampshire.
The charge of possessing an unregistered destructive device provide for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, and a fine of up to $10,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the Weare Police Department, and the Federal Protective Service led the investigation. Valuable assistance was provided by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the New Hampshire State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cesar Vega is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Wausau Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Possessing Methamphetamine for DistributionRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Devin Needham, 37, Wausau, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 10 years in prison for possessing with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Needham pleaded guilty to this charge on April 5, 2023.
In December 2021, law enforcement agents began a drug investigation into Needham. The investigation revealed that Needham and his co-defendant, Ari Lor, were involved in selling large amounts of methamphetamine. On June 20, 2022, GPS location data from Lor’s cellular telephone showed he was driving towards Wausau from his home in Appleton, Wisconsin. Based on information developed during the investigation, agents believed Lor was planning to meet with Needham to buy methamphetamine.
Law enforcement officers located Lor’s black minivan parked at a market in Wausau. Officers observed Lor leave the market carrying at least one plastic bag and get in the passenger side of the minivan. The minivan drove away but was pulled over by law enforcement officers a short time later for an expired registration sticker. After a K-9 positively alerted to the presence of narcotics, officers searched the minivan and found approximately one pound of methamphetamine in a white plastic bag.
Officers later reviewed surveillance video from the market and saw Lor and Needham walk around the store together. In the video, Needham is carrying a white plastic bag and the name of a store printed on the side of the bag was identical to the bag found in the minivan containing the methamphetamine.
During Lor’s arrest, agents seized two cellular telephones from him. Officers later searched the phones pursuant to a warrant, and on one of the phones found a message over the application “Telegram” from June 19, 2022, in which Lor asked Needham about the price of one pound of methamphetamine. Needham responded it would cost $4,000. Telegram messages prior to Lor’s arrest on June 20 show him and Needham making plans to meet that day in Wausau.
Needham’s criminal history includes eight prior felony convictions, including convictions for child abuse, possession with intent to distribute cocaine, and bail jumping. At the sentencing hearing, Judge Peterson stated that Needham was a drug trafficker of significance and had a substantial criminal history including multiple offenses involving violence.
On June 29, 2023, Lor was sentenced by Judge Peterson to 120 months in prison.
The charge against Needham is the result of an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Central Wisconsin Narcotics Task Force comprised of investigators from the FBI, Marathon County Sheriff’s Office, Wausau Police Department, Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, Wisconsin State Patrol, Everest Metro Police Department, and Wisconsin’s National Guard Counterdrug Program. The Lake Winnebago Area Metropolitan Enforcement Group and the Marathon County District Attorney’s Office also provided assistance. The prosecution of the case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Wegner.
Washington Man Sentenced for Involvement in Shooting Death of Coeur d’Alene TeenRead the Press Release
COEUR D’ALENE – Matthew James Holmberg, 20, of Spokane Valley, Washington, was sentenced Monday, July 17, 2023, to 19 years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and discharge of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, announced U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit.
According to court records, Holmberg was involved in distributing a variety of controlled substances, including fentanyl pills. In 2021, Holmberg met Dennen Trey George Fitterer-Usher, 24, of Spokane Valley, Washington. Holmberg recruited and began bringing Fitterer-Usher to drug deals with him as an armed bodyguard.
On May 31, 2021, Gabriel Casper, 18, Vadin Bartlett, 19, and Ashton Creech, 18, met Holmberg and Fitterer-Usher near Cherry Hill in Coeur d’Alene. Though Casper had arranged to purchase $300 worth of pills, he and the others were armed and arrived at the deal with the intent of robbing Holmberg. Casper, Bartlett, and Creech got into Holmberg’s vehicle, and Casper attempted to steal the pills. Fitterer-Usher then pulled his firearm and shot Casper six times. While Bartlett and Creech fled from the gun fire, Holmberg sped off with Casper still in the vehicle. Several blocks later, Casper was pushed from the moving car and left to die.
Despite attempts by civilians and EMS to save him, Casper ultimately succumbed to his wounds. Local, state, and federal officers began an immediate investigation into Casper’s death. Despite attempts by Fitterer-Usher and Holmberg to conceal the crimes, they were both eventually located and arrested.
“The sentence imposed in this case, and in the multiple other prosecutions arising from this investigation, show that our office and our law enforcement partners will spare no effort in seeking justice against those who commit violence and distribute drugs in our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit.
"Amidst tragedy and unwarranted loss, the tenacity of our investigators and the relentless work by the U.S. Attorney brings justice for a grieving family and community,” said Colonel Kedrick Wills, Director of the Idaho State Police. “This unfortunate case serves as a solemn reminder of our commitment to uphold the rule of law and ensure those who violate it face consequences."
“The U.S. Postal Inspection Service will continue to aggressively investigate individuals like Holmberg who use the U.S. Mail in support of their criminal activities,” said Inspector in Charge Anthony Galetti. “This should also serve as a reminder to those who abuse our community by peddling dangerous narcotics; law enforcement will find you and bring you to justice. Cases like these don’t come together without collaboration between our federal, state, and local partners and we thank all agencies involved.”
“This incident is another sad example of the death and despair that fentanyl brings to our communities but also shows the resolve of DEA and our federal, state, and local partners in bringing evildoers to justice,” said David F. Reames, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division.
Fitterer-Usher was also charged federally with conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and discharge of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. He was previously sentenced by Senior U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill in December of 2022 to more than 14 years of federal prison time.
Bartlett and Creech were both prosecuted by the state of Idaho for attempted robbery. Bartlett was sentenced to a suspended sentence of 5 years fixed, followed by 7 years indeterminate and was placed on probation after completing a rider. Creech was sentenced to an imposed sentence of 4 years fixed, followed by 11 years indeterminate and is currently serving his time in the Idaho Department of Corrections.
As part of their investigation, officers learned that Holmberg had been selling fentanyl-laced pills for several months via social media websites, including SnapChat. The investigation revealed Holmberg had delivered fentanyl pills to Michael Stabile, a 15-year-old, Lake City High School student in Coeur d’Alene. On May 10, 2021, Michael Stabile overdosed and died from fentanyl poisoning. Stabile’s death was one of several reasons that U.S. District Judge Amanda K. Brailsford sentenced Holmberg to 228 months in federal prison. Holmberg, upon completion of his prison sentence, was also ordered to serve an additional three years of supervised release.
The investigation also resulted in the arrest and prosecution of multiple individuals in Washington and Arizona who were involved in obtaining tens of thousands of fentanyl pills from a source in Mexico, via Arizona, and distributing those pills in Washington and North Idaho.
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is 50-100 times stronger than morphine. Pharmaceutical fentanyl was developed for severe pain management and prescribed in the form of transdermal patches or lozenges. While prescription fentanyl can be diverted for misuse, most cases of fentanyl-related overdoses in the U.S. are linked to illegally made fentanyl that is sold through illicit drug markets for its heroin-like effect.
Idaho in general has seen a massive influx of these pills in the last several years. The pills are mass-produced by criminal drug networks and falsely marketed as legitimate prescription pills. The pills are made to look like prescription opioids such as oxycodone (Oxycontin, Percocet), hydrocodone (Vicodin), and alprazolam (Xanax); or stimulants like amphetamines (Adderall). It is difficult to tell the difference between an authentic pill and a counterfeit pill.
U.S. Attorney Hurwit commended the cooperative efforts of the Coeur d’Alene Police Department, Kootenai County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office, Liberty Lake Police Department, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Bureau of Indian Affairs, U.S. Border Patrol, Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Idaho State Police, which led to charges. He also commended the work of other agencies who participated and assisted in the investigation of the sources of supply, which resulted in the arrest and conviction of multiple individuals in Washington and Arizona. Agencies who assisted include the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Washington, Lakewood Police Department, Medford Police Department, Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office, Centralia Police Department, Chehalis Police Department, Shoshone County Sherriff’s Office, Washington Department of Corrections, United States Marshals Service, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, DEA Centralia Post of Duty, and certain DEA Task Forces: JNET, Tucson Strike Force, and Phoenix Group 16 DEALERS.
These prosecutions are a part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
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