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25 August 2023
Sarasota Convicted Felon Pleads Guilty to Possessing Multiple FirearmsRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Jonathan Kyle Eva (51, Sarasota) has pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Eva faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not been set.
According to court documents, deputies from the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office, after responding to 911 call, encountered Eva at the front door of his residence in the area of 59th Street and North Tuttle Avenue in Sarasota. The deputies entered Eva’s residence and retrieved five firearms (three rifles and two pistols) from the closet in Eva’s bedroom. Among those were a SKS Norinco 7.62x3.99 rifle, a Marlin Firearms Co. Model 60 .22 caliber rifle, and a H&R Arms Co. .22 caliber pistol. During an interview conducted by agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Eva stated that he was a felon and that he had possessed the firearms. As a convicted felon, Eva is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David W.A. Chee and Samantha E. Beckman.
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.
San Francisco Man Charged with Tax Evasion and Embezzling $2.7 Million from San Francisco CompanyRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO - A federal grand jury in San Francisco indicted Aubrey Jackson Shelton II with bank fraud, wire fraud, and tax evasion in connection with his scheme to embezzle more than $2.7 million from his employer, a San Francisco technology company, announced United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey and Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge Darren Lian. Shelton was arrested today and appeared in federal court to face the charges.
According to the indictment, filed August 15, 2023, and unsealed today, Shelton, of San Francisco, Calif., allegedly embezzled approximately $2.7 million from his employer, a San Francisco-based automobile services and technology company where Shelton worked as the Senior Vice President of Finance. According to the indictment, from November 2013 and through December 2021, Shelton used his exclusive control over the company’s payroll processing software to inflate his salary and bonuses over the authorized amounts and to direct the payroll processor to cause the company to pay him large amounts categorized as “Executive Loan,” “Misc Reimbursement,” “Mileage Reimbursement,” or other reimbursements that were not authorized or expended by Shelton.
In November 2013, Shelton submitted false information to the payroll processor about his salary, causing the gross amount to double despite the fact that his authorized salary had not changed. Then, in 2014, Shelton falsely submitted to the payroll processor that he was entitled to $5,000 mileage reimbursements on twelve consecutive semi-monthly paychecks while reducing his gross salary to the authorized amount. Shelton’s use of mileage reimbursement rather than increased salary resulted in less tax being withheld from his paycheck and the embezzled amounts not being reported to the IRS. Shelton then began submitting false information to the payroll processor claiming he was entitled to amounts described as “Executive Loan” and, later, amounts described as “Misc Reimbursement,” including during irregular payroll cycle runs. During this time, Shelton again increased his salary above the authorized amount and defrauded the company of even more money through misuse of the “Executive Loan” and reimbursement payment categories. Taxes were not withheld from both of these categories, nor were the amounts reported to the IRS. To accomplish his scheme, Shelton submitted false payroll approval documentation to the company’s CEO and submitted false payroll information to auditors, in addition to the false information he submitted to the payroll processor in connection with processing payroll. Shelton submitted false tax returns to the IRS that falsely reported his income by not including the amounts he embezzled from the company.
In sum, the indictment charges Shelton with three counts of bank fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1344(2); five counts of wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343; and four counts of tax evasion in violation of 26 U.S.C. § 7201. Shelton was scheduled to appear today in court for identification of counsel and his initial San Francisco federal district court appearance is scheduled for October 18, 2023.
An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, Shelton faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison, and a fine of $1,000,000, plus restitution, if appropriate, for each violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1344. Shelton faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, and a fine of $250,000, plus restitution, if appropriate, for each violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343. Shelton faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison, and a fine of $100,000 for each violation of 26 U.S.C. § 7201. The court also may order an additional term of supervised release to begin after a prison term as part of any sentence. However, any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Noah Stern is prosecuting the case, with the assistance of Elizabeth Kim. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation.
Ringleader of a Child Porn Enterprise Gets LifeRead the Press Release
TULSA Okla. – A Broken Arrow man who sexually exploited a young child and was an administrator for a transnational child exploitation chat group was sentenced to life in federal court, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
U.S. District Chief Judge John F. Heil III sentenced Cameron Kelly McAbee, 33, to life in federal prison.
“McAbee was the ringleader in a child porn enterprise identified through an investigation by the FBI and our task force partners. In addition to McAbee a group of 47 other predators were identified and have or will face justice in their respective jurisdictions for the trauma they have caused to children,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office and our partners in Oklahoma and across the nation will continue to identify, track, arrest and prosecute pedophiles who harm the most vulnerable among us.”
On July 26, 2021, the FBI linked the administrator of an online account engaged in child porn activities to McAbee and his Broken Arrow address. The FBI executed a search warrant of the residence and McAbee was taken into custody that same day.
In his plea agreement, McAbee admitted that from July 1, 2019, to July 26, 2021, he knowingly engaged in a child exploitation enterprise, taking part in a series of felony violations comprised of more than three separate incidents, involving more than one victim, and in concert with more than three other people.
McAbee admitted to being an administrator of an online messenger platform and group chats where members of the group exchanged numerous images and videos depicting the rape and molestation of children. He stated that the groups involved at least 21 members and at least eight child victims. As part of gaining access to one of the groups, McAbee required members to show proof of access to a child victim and they were expected to share images and videos of the sexual abuse of that child to maintain access to the group, as well as share other images and videos of child sexual abuse obtained elsewhere. McAbee admitted to being partly responsible for confirming a prospective member’s access to a child victim and admitting them to the group. McAbee also admitted that from July 1, 2019, to July 26, 2021, he had a minor engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing visual depictions that he would share online in these group chats.
The investigation into McAbee and the chat groups, led to the identification of 47 other alleged child predators from the United States, Australia, Canada, and Norway and led to the rescue or identification of more than 100 child victims.
McAbee will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal Service pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The FBI Oklahoma City Field Office (Tulsa Resident Agency), FBI Atlanta Field Office, Broken Arrow Police Department, and Tulsa Police Department conducted the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher J. Nassar and Ashley M. Robert are prosecuting the case.
This case is being prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood. 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 www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Registered Sex Offender Convicted of Gun Crime in St. LouisRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A jury in U.S. District Court in St. Louis on Thursday found a registered sex offender guilty of being a felon in possession of a firearm after he was caught by St. Louis police with a gun during a domestic dispute.
Mario Long, now 52, was arrested Aug. 6, 2020, after St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department officers were called to a home in the 4600 block of Louisiana Avenue. Long’s then-girlfriend had locked him out of the house during a dispute. Long shattered the glass on the home’s front door, assaulted his girlfriend and then got a gun from a bedroom, according to testimony at trial. The girlfriend’s daughter called police and said Long was threatening them both with the gun.
When police arrived, Long was shouting at his girlfriend. He walked into a bedroom and hid a Taurus 9mm handgun, witnesses said during the trial. Long is a convicted felon and is barred from possessing a firearm. His prior convictions include unlawful use of a weapon, unlawful possession of a firearm, assault, child molestation, statutory rape and statutory sodomy.
Long is scheduled to be sentenced later this year. The charge carries a penalty of up to 10 years in prison.
The case was investigated by the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Catherine Hoag and John Ware are prosecuting the case.
Readout of Justice Department Leadership’s Meeting with Civil Rights Groups Ahead of 60th Anniversary of the March on WashingtonRead the Press Release
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland, Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco, and Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Civil Rights Division met with civil rights organizations today at the Justice Department.
Leaders from over a dozen organizations discussed an array of critical topics including voting rights, constitutional policing, and the Department’s redlining initiative.
“When I became Attorney General, I laid out three co-equal priorities for this Justice Department: to uphold the rule of law, to keep our country safe, and to protect civil rights,” Attorney General Merrick B. Garland told the civil rights leaders. “I have also made clear that protecting civil rights is not only the responsibility of one storied Division in our Department – it is the responsibility of every Justice Department employee, every single day. It is central to the mission of every component, every team, every agent, and every prosecutor in this Department.”
Attorney General Garland highlighted recent significant civil rights work including the Department’s work to secure a ruling that portions of Texas Senate Bill 1 violate the Civil Rights Act of 1964; the opening of a civil pattern or practice investigation of the Memphis Police Department and the City of Memphis; and the Department’s efforts to combat unlawful discriminatory practices in the housing market, including by securing the largest redlining settlement in the Department’s history earlier this year.
Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco spoke about some of the Department’s other work to promote civil rights, including the Department’s implementation of Executive Order 14074, Advancing Effective, Accountable Policing and Criminal Justice Practices to Enhance Public Trust and Public Safety and the establishment, in this regard, of the National Law Enforcement Accountability Database. She also discussed the Department’s ongoing efforts to reform the Federal Bureau of Prisons, including by holding employees who commit sexual abuse against adults in custody accountable for their crimes and improving access to counsel.
Assistant Attorney General Clarke discussed additional issues that the Civil Rights Division is aggressively working to address, including hate crimes prosecutions across the country, Department efforts to intervene in lawsuits challenging gender-affirming care, and a new proposed rule to improve web and mobile application accessibility for people with disabilities. She also discussed the Department’s joint resource document issued with the Department of Education to help colleges and universities understand the Supreme Court’s ruling in Students for Fair Admissions Inc. v. President and Fellows of Harvard College and Students for Fair Admissions Inc. v. University of North Carolina et al. (collectively SFFA).
The meeting comes in advance of the 60th anniversary of the March on Washington. Department leadership recognized that this year’s theme, “Not A Commemoration, A Continuation,” is a reminder that more work remains to be done. That theme aligns with the Attorney General’s commitment to fulfill the Department’s founding purpose and historic responsibility to protect civil rights. When the Department was founded in 1870, in the wake of the Civil War and in the midst of Reconstruction, its first principal task was to protect the civil rights guaranteed by the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments. This meant confronting white supremacists who used violence and threats of violence to prevent Black Americans from exercising their voting rights. Despite important progress since then, protecting civil rights remains a cornerstone of the Department’s work.
Department leadership thanked the civil rights leaders for their hard work and partnership towards protecting civil rights.
Readout from United States Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez’s Violent Crime Listening Session with Westgate Community MembersRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and his staff met with members of the Westgate community on August 2 at the Westgate Community Center to discuss violent crime. Becky Davis from the Westgate Heights and Avalon Neighborhood Associations, Michael Parra, school-based coordinator for the School-Based Violence Intervention Program (VIP), Deputy U.S. Marshal Jim Glisson, Matthew Cross-Guillen, Health Promotion Specialist from the New Mexico Department of Health, Michele Torres, Principal of West Mesa High School, Sharay Hill, Community School Coordinator at West Mesa High School, Carolyn Brown, history teacher from West Mesa High School, and Stevie Maestas, a licensed Master Social Worker at West Mesa High School, presented statements. This listening session focused on community-based solutions and how to work with both parents and students to address issues affecting the community. This was the fifth and final listening session held with community members this summer.
United States Attorney Uballez opened the session by explaining that the Attorney General directed United States Attorney’s Offices to focus on addressing violent crime through intervention and outreach efforts. Participants described how generational trauma creates a cycle of violence in Albuquerque. Others described systemic issues within the juvenile justice system that fail to address recidivism and provide resources to young offenders before they commit felonies. All participants agreed that adults and teachers need more support, education, and resources to help teens become productive members of society when they reach adulthood.
Stevie Maestas started the session by sharing the effects violence in the community has on the schools. “This is my eighth year at West Mesa and I have never seen the violence and the amount of issues be this big,” Maestas said. “We have [no] less than 500 kids at any moment at high-risk who are getting behavior, attendance and course performance… those three indicators are very much indicating that our students need support and help.”
(Behavior, attendance and course performance are strong predictors of high school completion and part of an early warning indicator system that identifies students who are in danger of dropping out and need help to keep them on track for graduation, thereby improving their chances of future success.)
Michael Parra posed the idea that providers should shift the focus on prevention and education to elementary school-aged families. Parra explained that providers need to go to ‘the root’ because that is when parents begin to establish and grow their skills. Parra and Maestas explained that this was necessary so that parents and guardians could be proactive instead of reactive. Maestas posited that Head Start programs focusing on families with young children would help parents and guardians who are trying to break down generational trauma by making it normal for them to ask for help.
Michele Torres shared that she had introduced “Coffee with the Principal” in order to connect with student’s families and that she has found it has a positive impact. Torres extended an invitation to USA Uballez to attend this and other school events so that he would have the opportunity to converse with students and their families, and to show the students that he and his staff are safe adults who want them to be successful. This would also show the teachers, parents and guardians that he and his staff are present in the community and listening.
In response to USA Uballez’s question about how to most effectively reach families, Carolyn Brown explained that parents and guardians are not fully aware of what schools can and cannot do to address the root issues that can be indicators of future violence, and when they do become aware of the schools’ limitations, parents and guardians often recognize their part in the solution. Brown and other participants recommended that the USA employ a similar tactic by being transparent and taking steps to fully inform the community about the challenges it faces and his office’s role in addressing those issues.
Carolyn Brown reiterated the importance of federal prosecutors going into the schools to reach students and families and being transparent about what issues they are seeing in the city as well as the effects on the community as a whole. USA Uballez agreed with the participants that it was important for him to hear from community members and that new tactics need to be employed by the Department. As a result, USA Uballez attended West Mesa’s first parents’ night of the new school year and spoke to families about the actions his office is taking to address violent crime.
All participants expressed a tremendous passion for and commitment to improving their communities and came to the table with achievable, family-focused solutions. Sharay Hill summarized this best in her statement, “The kids have so much potential, even the kids that get in trouble. I think they are so smart and have so much passion and it breaks my heart to know that some of them are trapped under a system or are being exposed to things that they can’t get out of.” Hill added, “there’s a lot of conversation around wanting to provide the highest quality of education possible so that these students can move on and pursue life after high school, because there’s so much life, and hopefully [they] succeed at whatever that is.”
USA Uballez convened this listening session as part of the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program. USA Uballez previously met with representatives from organizations that serve Albuquerque’s International District, community providers who serve the unhoused population, social justice activists, and addiction and treatment service providers. These sessions were an opportunity for the USA and his staff to recognize the vital role that these leaders, providers and advocates play in our community.
Immediately following the first listening session in July, USA Uballez and his staff began implementing specific efforts to support the community based on the recommendations they received. Steps taken included assisting organizations with getting reimbursement for services provided to law enforcement agencies, participating in National Night Out, and equipping service providers with information, resources, and documents to help them more effectively serve their communities. In the coming months, USA Uballez and his staff will continue to focus on intervention and outreach efforts.
PSN is an evidence-based program proven effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. In New Mexico, the United States Attorney’s Office pursues a community violence intervention approach. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally-based intervention, prevention, and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
PSN programs are led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices in collaboration with local public safety agencies and community organizations. The programs’ emphasis on community engagement, prevention and intervention measures, focused and strategic enforcement, and measurement and accountability has helped achieve overall reductions in violent crime, including gun homicides, in neighborhoods where PSN strategies have been implemented.
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Re-Entry Fair Provides Returning Citizens Resources to Support a More Seamless Transition to Civilian LifeRead the Press Release
MIAMI – Staff from the Law Enforcement Coordination and Community Outreach Section (LEC/COS) of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida recently joined other community stakeholders at Everglades Re-Entry Center, Florida Department of Corrections, to meet with soon-t0-be returning citizens.
The Re-Entry Fair provided job leads, housing and legal resources, and other information to about 30 individuals, who in the coming months will once again enjoy their freedom. But first came poignant opening remarks from a community stakeholder who, himself, had once been incarcerated.
“You have to change that criminal mindset,” he said. “When you wait until you get out to start re-entry, it’s too late. Don’t set yourself up for failure. Don’t leave here without a vision and goals. Do training while you’re on the inside, so that when you get out you are trained and ready to succeed. Become productive men. You’re in here for doing wrong. You’ve got a chance now to do right.”
There now is more training available at Everglades Re-Entry Center than ever before. It began with one electrical program, where incarcerated individuals could learn a trade and become certified. The facility now boasts seven programs, with plans to do even more. And once trained, community stakeholders who attend the Re-Entry Fair can provide others with guidance and employment opportunities.
During the fair, the U.S. Attorney’s Office staff distributed a South Florida Re-Entry Resource Guide, with hundreds of contacts, to prepare returning citizens for their release, first steps after release, and successful transition. The guide highlights financial literacy, legal assistance, job interviewing tips and a host of other topics. Also provided were handouts on the Federal Bonding Program, which provides insurance to employers who hire hard-to-place job seekers and the Work Opportunity Tax Program which gives employers tax credits for hiring those same job seekers. Also present at the fair were employees from Gang Alternative Inc., Goodwill South Florida, Fellowship House, and Convicts of Diversified Empowerment, among others.
“I’ve probably participated in a dozen of these fairs and it’s valuable because it gives us the chance to provide information they otherwise wouldn’t know about,” said Law Enforcement Coordination Specialist Michael Martinez of the U.S. Attorney’s Office. “We want to provide them the best chance to succeed and to do that they need to have the right resources.”
LEC/COS staff does a tremendous amount of community outreach. They interact with young children, teens, and the incarcerated to help improve lives and encourage everyone to make smarter choices.
“Every bit counts,” said Martinez. “From preschool readings to anti-bullying presentations at middle schools to this re-entry fair, we’re always striving to put people on a path to success. That’s why we make community outreach a priority.”
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Rapid City Woman Sentenced for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Jeffrey L. Viken has sentenced a Rapid City, South Dakota, woman convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencing took place on August 25, 2023.
Amanda Vu, 36, was sentenced to 18 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Vu was indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance (methamphetamine) by a federal grand jury in October of 2022. She pleaded guilty on May 15, 2023.
Starting around January of 2020 and lasting until her arrest in November of 2022, Vu obtained methamphetamine from Colorado, which she then transported to South Dakota. Vu sold the methamphetamine to people in South Dakota for use or to further distribute. Although exact quantities are unknown, law enforcement estimates she brought back approximately 60 kilograms of methamphetamine. During the conspiracy, the defendant also rented multiple vehicles, a storage unit, and short-term house rentals to facilitate her organization and avoid detection by law enforcement.
This case was investigated by Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Unified Narcotics Enforcement Team, which is a local drug task force comprised of law enforcement from the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, Rapid City Police Department, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, South Dakota Highway Patrol, and the South Dakota National Guard. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn N. Rich prosecuted the case.
Vu was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Rantoul, Illinois, Man Convicted of Possession with Intent to Deliver More Than 50 Grams of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
URBANA, Ill. – On August 23, 2023, a federal jury returned a guilty verdict against Artez L. Johnson, 38, of Rantoul, Illinois, for possession with intent to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine.
Johnson was convicted following a jury trial in front of United States District Judge Colin s. Bruce. During the trial, the government presented evidence establishing that on February 20, 2023, law enforcement officers conducted a traffic stop of Johnson’s car near the intersection of Maplewood and Grove Avenue in Rantoul. After Johnson – who was driving – got out of the car, Rantoul Police officers noticed a small bag of suspected cocaine on the driver’s seat. Officers searched the car and located approximately 330 grams of methamphetamine ice packed in three ziploc bags in the center console. Johnson said the methamphetamine belonged to him but claimed it was for personal use.
The government presented additional evidence showing that Johnson had been dealing methamphetamine for several months before the traffic stop and that 330 grams is a distribution amount, not a personal use amount.
The statutory penalty for possession with intent to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine is not less than 10 years or more than life imprisonment.
The case investigation was conducted by the Rantoul Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Timothy Sullivan and Rachel Ritzer represented the government in the prosecution.
Police Officer Found Guilty on Two Felony Counts Involving Paycheck Protection Program LoansRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Today, a federal jury found Roberto Adams, 36, of Hyattsville, Maryland, guilty of wire fraud and money laundering in connection with a scheme to obtain Paycheck Protection Program loans. U.S. District Court Judge Amit P. Mehta scheduled a sentencing hearing for December 8, 2023.
According to the evidence at trial, Adams, a Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officer defrauded the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) of at least $18,350. Adams applied for and obtained PPP loans on behalf of his business SuperKlean LLC, a Maryland Corporation. At the time of the loans, SuperKlean LLC had no employees, no clients, and no income. Adams spent the funds at casinos in Maryland and at hotels and casinos in Las Vegas, on airfare, hotels, high-end sneakers, and personal debt. In addition, he spent $12,110 of the stolen disaster relief funds to pay several months of back rent on his personal residence.
The verdicts were announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Acting Special Agent in Charge David Geist, with the FBI Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division.
Adams faces a statutory maximum sentence for wire fraud of 30 years in prison and for expenditure money laundering of 10 years in prison. A federal court judge will determine the appropriate sentence based on the guideline range and other factors.
In announcing the verdict, U.S. Attorney Graves commended the work of the agencies who investigated the case, including the FBI’s Washington Field Office, with substantial assistance by the Internal Affairs Division of the Metropolitan Police Department. He also expressed appreciation for the efforts of those who handled the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialists Lisa Abbe and Sonalika Chaturvedi, and financial analyst Bryan Snitselaar.
Finally, he acknowledged the work of Assistant United States Attorneys Joshua Rothstein and Madhu Chugh, who prosecuted the case at trial.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts.
For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form
Pakistani Doctor Sentenced to 18 Years in Prison for Attempting to Provide Material Support to ISISRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Rochester man has been sentenced to 216 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, Muhammad Masood, 31, a licensed medical doctor in Pakistan, was formerly employed as a Research Coordinator at a medical clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, under an H-1B Visa. Between January 2020 and March 2020, Masood used an encrypted messaging application to facilitate his travel overseas to join a terrorist organization. Masood made multiple statements about his desire to join the Islamic State of Iraq and Al-Sham (“ISIS”), and he pledged his allegiance to the designated terrorist organization and its leader. Masood also expressed his desire to conduct “lone wolf” terrorist attacks in the United States. On Feb. 21, 2020, Masood purchased a plane ticket from Chicago, Illinois to Amman, Jordan, and from there planned to travel to Syria. On March 16, 2020, Masood’s travel plans changed because Jordan closed its borders to incoming travel due to the Coronavirus pandemic. Masood then agreed to fly from Minneapolis to Los Angeles to meet up with an individual who he believed would assist him with travel via cargo ship to deliver him to ISIS territory.
On March 19, 2020, Masood traveled from Rochester to Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) to board a flight bound for Los Angeles, California. Upon arrival at MSP, Masood checked in for his flight and was subsequently arrested by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force.
Masood pleaded guilty on August 16, 2022, to attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization. Masood was sentenced today before Senior Judge Paul A. Magnuson.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew R. Winter, and Dmitriy Slavin and Stephanie Sweeten of the National Security Division.
Pakistani Doctor Sentenced to 18 Years in Prison for Attempting to Provide Material Support to ISISRead the Press Release
A Rochester man was sentenced today to 216 months in prison, equivalent to 18 years, followed by five years of supervised release for attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization.
According to court documents, Muhammad Masood, 31, a licensed medical doctor in Pakistan, was formerly employed as a research coordinator at a medical clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, under an H-1B visa. Between January 2020 and March 2020, Masood used an encrypted messaging application to facilitate his travel overseas to join a terrorist organization. Masood made multiple statements about his desire to join the Islamic State of Iraq and Al-Sham (ISIS), and he pledged his allegiance to the designated terrorist organization and its leader. Masood also expressed his desire to conduct “lone wolf” terrorist attacks in the United States. On Feb. 21, 2020, Masood purchased a plane ticket from Chicago, Illinois, to Amman, Jordan, and from there planned to travel to Syria. On March 16, 2020, Masood’s travel plans changed because Jordan closed its borders to incoming travel due to the coronavirus pandemic. Masood then agreed to fly from Minneapolis to Los Angeles to meet up with an individual who he believed would assist him with travel via cargo ship to deliver him to ISIS territory.
On March 19, 2020, Masood traveled from Rochester to Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) to board a flight bound for Los Angeles, California. Upon arrival at MSP, Masood checked in for his flight and was subsequently arrested by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force.
Masood pleaded guilty on Aug. 16, 2022, to attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization. Masood was sentenced today before Senior Judge Paul A. Magnuson.
The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew R. Winter for the District of Minnesota and Trial Attorney Dmitriy Slavin National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section prosecuted the case.
Oregon Man Pleads Guilty to Interstate StalkingRead the Press Release
BOISE – Joel Waters, 44, of Wallowa, Oregon, pleaded guilty to interstate stalking, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced today.
According to court records, between October 7 and December 24, 2020, Waters traveled between Oregon and Idaho to harass and intimidate the victim who was residing in Boise. Waters took dogs from the victim’s home and car, slashed the tires on the victim’s vehicle, set fire to the victim’s residence in Oregon on two occasions, placed a tracking device on the victim’s vehicle, set fire to the victim’s vehicle, and sent the victim numerous harassing emails. Some of Waters’ acts occurred in violation of a civil protection order that the victim had obtained against Waters in Oregon.
Waters is scheduled to be sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge David C. Nye on November 8, 2023, and faces a minimum of one year and up to five years in federal prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
U.S. Attorney Hurwit commended the cooperative efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Boise Police Department, and the Oregon State Police, which led to the charge.
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Omaha Man Sentenced to More Than 12 Years for Conspiracy to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Joseph Harris, 40, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced today in Omaha by Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. for one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine (actual). Harris was sentenced to 151 months in prison and will also serve 5 years on supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
Starting on March 1, 2021, Harris sold more than 500 grams of methamphetamine to a witness cooperating with law enforcement. On April 20, 2021, a different cooperating witness working with law enforcement purchased 415 grams of methamphetamine from Harris in Omaha. Over the course of the next month, the cooperator met with Harris on several occasions and made payments to him for the methamphetamine. During these visits the two discussed possible future transactions but they never materialized.
This case was investigated by the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Ohio Electrical Engineer Sentenced to Prison for Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – John Everson, of Liberty Center, Ohio, was sentenced today to 30 months in prison for evading taxes by using a sham trust to conceal income he earned from his electrical engineering business. A federal jury convicted Everson in October 2022 of three counts of tax evasion.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, from approximately 2009 through 2016, Everson earned more than $2.3 million in income from the business. He attempted to conceal much of this income and evade the IRS by instructing clients to make payments to a trust that he controlled. Everson used the trust money to pay personal expenses and make large cash withdrawals. He also funneled some of the trust funds to other bank accounts held in the names of non-profit organizations that he and several family members controlled, even listing his home and airplane in the name of a non-profit organization. In total, Everson’s conduct caused a loss to the IRS of $658,487.
In addition to the term of imprisonment, U.S. District Judge Jeffrey J. Helmick for the Northern District of Ohio ordered Everson to serve two years of supervised release and pay restitution to the United States.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Rebecca C. Lutzko for the Northern District of Ohio made the announcement.
IRS-Criminal Investigation investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Sarah Ranney of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Gene Crawford for the Northern District of Ohio prosecuted the case.
Ohio Electrical Engineer Sentenced to 30 Months in Prison for Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
John Everson, of Liberty Center, Ohio, was sentenced today to 30 months in prison for evading taxes by using a sham trust to conceal income he earned from his electrical engineering business. A federal jury convicted Everson in October 2022 of three counts of tax evasion.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, from approximately 2009 through 2016, Everson earned more than $2.3 million in income from the business. He attempted to conceal much of this income and evade the IRS by instructing clients to make payments to a trust that he controlled. Everson used the trust money to pay personal expenses and make large cash withdrawals. He also funneled some of the trust funds to other bank accounts held in the names of non-profit organizations that he and several family members controlled, even listing his home and airplane in the name of a non-profit organization. In total, Everson’s conduct caused a loss to the IRS of $658,487.
In addition to the term of imprisonment, U.S. District Judge Jeffrey J. Helmick for the Northern District of Ohio ordered Everson to serve two years of supervised release and pay restitution to the United States.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Rebecca C. Lutzko for the Northern District of Ohio made the announcement.
IRS-Criminal Investigation investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Sarah Ranney of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Gene Crawford for the Northern District of Ohio prosecuted the case.
Niagara Falls Man Going to Prison for Five Years on Gun ChargeRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Lazarus R. Hayes, 34, of Niagara Falls, NY, who was convicted of possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, was sentenced to serve 60 months in prison by U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy C. Lynch, who handled the case, stated that on June 19, 2021, the Niagara Falls Police Narcotics Unit and Niagara County Drug Task Force executed a search warrant at Hayes’s Pierce Avenue residence. During the search, they recovered from a bag belonging to co-defendant Gerald Harper approximately 93 grams of cocaine, 9 grams of fentanyl, 26 grams of amphetamine, 245 milligrams of hydrocodone, and 720 milligrams of oxycodone. In addition, within Hayes’s residence, investigators seized approximately 8 grams of cocaine, 20 clonazepam tablets, a digital scale, two loaded firearms, $3,958 in cash, which is proceeds of drug trafficking activities.
Gerald Harper was previously convicted and sentenced.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Niagara Falls Police Department, under the direction of Superintendent John Faso, the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Frank A. Tarentino III, New York Field Division, and the Niagara County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Michael Filicetti.
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New Orleans Resident Sentenced for Failure to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS - JOSHUA BARNES (“BARNES”), age 31, and a resident of New Orleans was sentenced on August 22, 2023 by Judge Susie Morgan to time served, to be followed by three years of supervised release and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee for failing to register as a sex offender under the federal Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA), announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.
According to court documents, BARNES , who was convicted of a sex offense in Texas, failed to register as a sex offender with the State of Louisiana after he established residence in this state.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the United States Marshals Service. Assistant United States Attorney Spiro G. Latsis of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
New Orleans Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun and Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LA – REYNALDO DOMINICK, age 31, of New Orleans, Louisiana, pled guilty on August 17, 2023, before United States District Judge Carl L. Barbier to a four-count superseding bill of information charging him in Count 1 with possession with intent to distribute a quantity of cocaine-base (“crack”) and possession with intent to distribute a quantity of cocaine hydrochloride, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), and 841(b)(1)(C). DOMINICK was charged in Counts 2 and 4 with being a Felon in Possession of Firearms, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2). Lastly, in Count 3, DOMINICK was charged with Possession with Intent to Distribute a quantity of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of N-phenyl-N-[1-(2-phenylethyl)-4-piperidinyl] propanamide (fentanyl) in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(C).
According to court documents, DOMINICK was previously convicted of several felony convictions out of Orleans Parish and Jefferson Parish. On December 25, 2020, DOMINICK fled from Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office deputies during a traffic stop. After DOMINICK crashed his vehicle and was apprehended, multiple small baggies of cocaine-base and cocaine were found in DOMINICK’s pants, and two firearms were recovered from DOMINICK’s vehicle. On August 12, 2021, DOMINICK was again arrested at his home and agents located two stolen firearms and fentanyl in a bag that DOMINICK threw on top of his carport roof. Agents also located DOMINICK’s cellphone that contained several messages involving narcotics trafficking activity. In pleading guilty, DOMINICK has acknowledged he possessed fentanyl, cocaine-base, and cocaine with intent to distribute and possessed firearms to further his drug trafficking. DOMINICK is also prohibited from possessing firearms due to his criminal history.
DOMINICK is scheduled to be sentenced on December 7, 2023. As to Counts 1 and 3, DOMINICK faces up to twenty (20) years imprisonment, and/or a fine of up to $1,000,000, and at least 3 years of supervised release. As to Counts 2 and 4, DOMINICK faces up to ten (10) years imprisonment, and/or a fine of up to $250,000, and up to three (3) years of supervised release. As to each count, DOMINICK faces payment of a $100.00 mandatory special assessment fee.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Lynn E. Schiffman of the Narcotics Unit.
Nashville Man Sentenced for November 2020 Violent Crime SpreeRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE – Defendant Miles Priddy, 24, of Nashville, Tennessee, was sentenced today to nine years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release for a string of violent crimes he committed in Nashville in 2020, announced United States Attorney Henry C. Leventis.
Priddy and his co-defendant, Dion Swanson, were charged with multiple crimes by a federal grand jury in 2022. On April 17, 2023, Priddy pled guilty to attempted carjacking, carjacking, and using a firearm during a crime of violence.
The charges stem from a crime spree on the evening of November 23, 2020, involving an attempted carjacking in East Nashville where Priddy and Swanson attempted to carjack a vehicle. After the victim said his vehicle did not work, Priddy and his co-defendant beat him with weapons and their fists. They then took the victim’s cellphone, wallet, and pants before fleeing.
Less than an hour later, the two men crashed into the back of a vehicle stopped at an intersection. As the driver exited his vehicle to inspect the damage, Priddy and Swanson committed an armed carjacking. When the driver hesitated to give up his keys, Priddy and Swanson beat him unconscious in front of his family and then took his vehicle. Metropolitan Nashville Police Department officers apprehended Priddy and Swanson a short time later.
"As a result of today's sentence, this violent criminal will be removed from our community for almost a decade," said United States Attorney Henry C. Leventis. "I commend the outstanding work done in this case by the Metro-Nashville Police Department, the FBI, and the prosecutors in our office to protect Nashvillians from violent crime."
Priddy’s co-defendant has entered a guilty plea and will be sentenced by United States District Judge William L. Campbell Jr. in September.
The FBI Memphis Field Office and Metropolitan Nashville Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Herbert L. Bunton III for the Middle District of Tennessee prosecuted the case.
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Missoula doctor settles alleged Controlled Substances Act recordkeeping violations for $85,000Read the Press Release
HELENA—A Missoula doctor who operated clinics in Missoula and Kalispell that dispense ketamine, a dissociative anesthetic that has some hallucinogenic effects, has agreed to pay the federal government $85,000 to settle alleged Controlled Substances Act violations that he distributed the drug from an unregistered location and failed to maintain records for his controlled substances, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said today.
Dr. William D. Stratford Jr. entered into a civil settlement agreement with the Drug Enforcement Administration and U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Montana on Aug. 11. The terms of the agreement require Stratford to pay a settlement amount of $85,000, attend training on the Controlled Substances Act and comply with record keeping requirements. The agreement further prohibits Stratford from prescribing controlled substances to himself or any immediate family members or office staff for five years.
“Maintaining accurate records as required by the Controlled Substance Act is critical to make sure that controlled substances, such as ketamine, are not abused or misused. We expect doctors and all providers to comply with these rules, and we take any violations of the regulations seriously. I want to thank Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael A. Kakuk and the DEA for their work on this case,” U.S. Attorney Laslovich said.
“Doctors and health care professionals are entrusted with prescribing medications responsibly and in the best interests of their patients,” said DEA Acting Special Agent in Charge James Stroop III of the Rocky Mountain Field Division. “Failure to comply with the Controlled Substances Act can have serious public safety and health implications. The DEA Rocky Mountain Field Division will continue to use all the tools at our disposal to keep our communities safe.”
In a Complaint, the United States contended that in May 2021, DEA investigators conducted an inspection of Stratford’s Missoula clinic, Big Sky Ketamine Care, and found violations of the Controlled Substances Act that included numerous failures to maintain complete and accurate records for his controlled substances. Stratford did not maintain as required a separate registration for controlled substances stored as his residence or at his Kalispell clinic. In addition, Stratford did not maintain as required records of receipt for ketamine and failed to provide distribution records as required for ketamine that was administered or distributed from May 2019 through February 2021. The DEA identifies ketamine as a Schedule III non-narcotic substance. The drug is a short-acting anesthetic and is used for short-term sedation and for treatment of resistant depression, post-traumatic stress, and other psychological conditions.
The settlement agreement is neither an admission of liability by Stratford nor a concession by the United States that its claims are not well-founded.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael A. Kakuk represented the United States in this matter. The DEA conducted the investigation.
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Mexican National Sentenced to 136 Months for Drug Trafficking in the Tri CitiesRead the Press Release
Richland, Washington – On August 23, 2023, Chief United States District Judge Stanley A. Bastian sentenced Amado De La Mora Cardenas, age 35, to over 11 years in in federal prison after his guilty plea to possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of pure methamphetamine. De La Mora Cardenas, who is from Colima, Mexico, also will serve 5 years of federal supervision after he is released from custody.
According to information disclosed during court proceedings, in April 2020, an investigation was initiated into an organization suspected to be involved in trafficking methamphetamine into the Eastern District of Washington, specifically in the Tri-Cities, Washington, and Connell, Washington, areas. Multiple subjects were identified within the organization to include Carlos Madrigal-Deniz; Amado De La Mora Cardenas, Rafael Muniz De la Mora; and Pascual Masqueda-Salinas, and others.
In September 2020, De La Mora Cardenas and Co-Defendant Madrigal-Deniz made arrangements for a ten-pound delivery of methamphetamine from Muniz-De La Mora, who brought a four-year-old child to the transaction. The child was wearing a Spider-Man backpack containing approximately 10 pounds of methamphetamine. Co-Defendant Muniz-De La Mora escorted the young child, who is seen wearing the backpack, from one vehicle to another. Co-Defendant Muniz-De La Mora, the child, and De La Mora Cardenas then entered into the second vehicle – a Chevy Cruze. Shortly thereafter, DEA Tri-Cities stopped the Chevy Cruze and recovered the backpack, which was inside the car, next to the child. Inside the Spider-Man Backpack, the DEA recovered 10 pounds of methamphetamine supplied by De La Mora Cardenas and Co-Defendant Muniz-De La Mora. Below are still shots from surveillance video of the transaction. Muniz-De La Mora Cardenas appears in the blue hoodie.
Vanessa R. Waldref, the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, stated “Drug distribution continues to harm the Tri-Cities and elsewhere. It is particularly troubling that Mr. De La Mora Cardenas participated in a drug transaction where a four-year old child was used to conceal distribution activities” U.S. Attorney Waldref continued: “I commend the collaborative efforts of state, local, and federal law enforcement to identify Mr. De La Mora Cardenas’s drug trafficking activities and to prevent him from further distributing this poison in our community.”
“This incident is another sad example of the depths drug traffickers will go to exploit others, even children, to continue their drug trafficking. The case illustrates to the community the steadfast resolve of DEA and our federal, state, local partners in the Tri-Cities in bringing wrongdoers to justice,” said David F. Reames, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division.
Brigit Clary, Richland Police Department’s Chief of Police, stated “The drug trade does not recognize jurisdictional boundaries when insidiously introducing the most vulnerable of our population to life altering substances; even using children to accomplish their destruction. Law enforcement in the Tri-Cities, together with the US Attorney’s Office, remains committed to working together across local and federal lines to partner in aggressively combatting drug crimes, and keeping our communities safer.”
Chris Guerrero, Kennewick Police Department’s Chief of Police, stated “This impactful sentence is yet another great example of the public safety partnerships that are in operation every single day to keep the Tri-Cities area safe. We appreciate the commitment from our Tri-Cities Metro Drug Task Force, the DEA, US Border Patrol, and the US Attorney’s Office in holding those who are providing illegal narcotics to our communities accountable.”
This case was investigated by the DEA Tri-Cities, the METRO Drug Task Force, United States Border Patrol, Richland Police Department, Kennewick Police Department, Pasco Police Department, and West Richland Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Van Marter.
4:20-CR-06028-SAB
Man Sentenced for Selling Firearms to a FelonRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Roger Hudson, 41, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska for selling firearms to a felon and possessing unregistered firearms. Chief United States District Court Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Hudson to 41 months in the Bureau of Prisons on each charge to run concurrently. After completing his prison term, Hudson will begin a two-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
Between March 24, 2022, and November 9, 2022, a source working with the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF) purchased three firearms from Hudson: a .40 caliber handgun and two AR15 rifles. Before the buys, Hudson knew that he was selling the firearms to a felon who is prohibited from possessing gun. Each of the controlled buys took place in Omaha and were audio and video recorded by the ATF.
On November 9, 2022, Hudson sold an AK-47 rifle with a 30 round high-capacity magazine attached to the rifle to the confidential source. This buy took place in Omaha and was witnessed by law enforcement officers as well as audio and video recorded.
On December 7, 2022, the confidential source made a controlled buy from Hudson of a fully operational, defaced sawed-off 12-gauge shotgun. The shotgun had an overall length of less than 26 inches and a barrel of less than 18 inches thus rendering it classified as a “short barreled shotgun” under the National Firearms Act. A search of the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record by agents determined that the firearm was not registered to Hudson and no tax stamp had been issued for the gun. The firearm’s serial number was also defaced.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Man Pleads Guilty to COVID-19 Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
A California man pleaded guilty yesterday to fraudulently obtaining $345,108 in COVID-19 pandemic relief loans from a financial institution and the Small Business Administration (SBA).
According to court documents, Artur Chanchikyan, 55, of Los Angeles, was the owner of Gentle Touch Home Health Care Inc. (Gentle Touch), a home health agency that was located in North Hollywood, California. On or about Dec. 27, 2019, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) placed Chanchikyan under Medicare payment suspension based on fraud allegations. While under suspension, around April 2020, Chanchikyan applied for a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan seeking $160,000 on behalf of Gentle Touch. In the PPP application, Chanchikyan made false representations, including the number of employees to whom Gentle Touch paid wages and Gentle Touch’s average monthly payroll expenses at the time of the application, and false certifications that the loan would be used for permissible business purposes by Gentle Touch. As a result, Gentle Touch received approximately $45,472 in PPP loan proceeds.
Around April 2020, the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Provider Relief Fund (PRF) program deposited approximately $139,736 into Gentle Touch’s bank account. The PRF automatically distributed funds to providers who met certain criteria to help health care providers that were financially impacted by COVID-19, as well as to provide care to patients who were suffering from COVID-19 and compensate providers for the cost of that care. On or about May 1, 2020, Chanchikyan falsely certified to HHS that he would use the funds to prevent, prepare for, and respond to COVID-19 or to reimburse Gentle Touch for health care related expenses or lost revenue attributable to COVID-19 as required.
Additionally, around July 2020, Chanchikyan submitted an application to the SBA seeking a low-interest loan from the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) Program. In the EIDL application, Chanchikyan falsely represented the number of employees at Gentle Touch, and falsely certified that the loan would be used for permissible business purposes. As a result, Gentle Touch received approximately $159,900 in EIDL proceeds.
Chanchikyan used the funds from the PPP, PRF, and EIDL programs for his own benefit and for purposes that were different from those he certified.
Chanchikyan pleaded guilty to wire fraud. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 5 and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada for the Central District of California, Special Agent in Charge Timothy B. DeFrancesca of the HHS Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), and Assistant Director in Charge Donald Alway of the FBI Los Angeles Field Office made the announcement.
The HHS-OIG and FBI Los Angeles Field Office are investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Helen H. Lee, Patrick J. Queenan, and Laura Connelly of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case.
Man Arrested for Charges Related to Two Victims Found Dead on Ft. Liberty in December 2020Read the Press Release
GREENVILLE, N.C. – Today, U.S. Attorney Michael Easley announced charges relating to murder, drugs, firearms, and obstruction for Kenneth Maurice Quick, Jr. of Laurinburg, North Carolina. A federal grand jury indicted Quick on August 1, 2023, and that indictment was unsealed at his initial appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kimberly Swank in Greenville.
According to court documents and other information presented in court, it is alleged Quick committed first-degree murder by shooting a victim on Fort Liberty (formerly Fort Bragg) on December 1, 2020. In addition, it is alleged Quick used a firearm to murder a second victim that same day. The murder of the second victim was in relation to a separate charge for conspiracy to distribute cocaine. Quick is also alleged to have been a felon at the time of these offenses and knowingly possessed ammunition. Finally, Quick is alleged to have obstructed justice by attempting to dispose of the body of one of the victims. Quick is currently serving 57 months in federal prison for an unrelated conviction.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division). U.S. Attorney Michael Easley commends the focus and dedication of the investigating agencies that allowed these charges to be brought. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brad DeVoe and Caroline Webb are prosecuting the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:23-CR-246. The indictment is located here:
An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
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Major Carteret County Methamphetamine Dealer Sentenced to More than 16 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, N.C. – Lee Trevor Kirwan, 38, of Carteret County, was sentenced to 200 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl and possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. On February 21, 2023, Kirwan pled guilty to the charges.
According to court documents and information presented in court, on January 30, 2022, investigators with the Craven County Sheriff’s Office and the New Bern Police Department encountered the defendant during a traffic stop in Craven County. After a narcotics dog alerted to Kirwan’s backpack, a search located approximately one pound of crystal methamphetamine, approximately 1.5 ounces of fentanyl and fentanyl analogue, and a .38 caliber Smith and Wesson revolver. During questioning, Kirwan admitted to supplying at least 20 individuals in Carteret County with crystal methamphetamine for further distribution.
Kirwan previously sustained a felony conviction in Virginia for larceny and possession of burglary tools.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement. The Craven County Sheriff’s Office, the New Bern Police Department, and Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine S. Englander prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for case number 4:22-CR-00063-M-BM.
Leader and Chief Financial Officer of Human Smuggling Transportation Cell Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Lourdes Ortiz Castaneda was sentenced in federal court yesterday to 34 months in prison for her role as the chief financial officer of a vast alien-smuggling organization operating in Southern California for several years.
The organization’s leader, Gerardo Rigoberto Barojas-Saavedra, was previously sentenced to 71 months in custody for his running one of the most prolific smuggling operations in Southern California from 2019 through 2021. According to their plea agreements, Barojas, known as “El Jefe” (“The Boss”), admitted that he, along with Ortiz and others, smuggled more than one hundred undocumented migrants from Mexico into the United States, including some minors, through the southern border to Orange County and as far as the east coast. According to their plea agreements, Barojas and Ortiz charged migrants between $7,000 and $8,000 per person to be smuggled to Orange County, receiving the majority of smuggling fees in cash. According to their plea agreements, Barojas received approximately $216,925 in wire transfers and Ortiz received payments in cash, check, and wire transfers totaling approximately $480,465.
U.S. Border Patrol Agents assigned to the Boulevard Border Patrol Station led the investigation into the smuggling organization, resulting in the interdiction of approximately 150 alien smuggling events and the prosecution of three couriers, according to the complaint. The plea agreements reflect that the organization operated by renting vehicles and recruiting drivers to pick up illegal aliens along the Interstate 8 corridor in Imperial and San Diego counties, after the aliens had crossed illegally into the United States. Several of these smuggling events involved substantial risk to the migrants, including, for example, one event in which three were transported in an unsafe manner concealed within the trunk of a vehicle.
According to publicly filed documents, on or about November 9, 2020, the Anaheim Police Department arrested Barojas for allegedly kidnapping one of the minor migrants he smuggled into the United States and holding the minor at gunpoint. Officers found nine migrants, including the minor, in Barojas’ stash house, and seized four Glock handguns, one shotgun, two AR-15 rifles (including Barojas’ personal rifle bearing punisher logo), high-capacity magazines, a suitcase containing ammunition, hand-drawn maps depicting smuggling routes and locations to pick up aliens in the Southern District of California, electronic devices, a ledger, pay/owe sheets, and over $20,000 in cash. Barojas pleaded guilty to assault with a semi-automatic firearm in violation of California Penal Code 245(b) and Human Trafficking for Forced Labor in violation of California Penal Code 236.1(a) in 2021.
The plea agreements revealed that while in custody on the state charges from 2020 to 2021, Barojas continued running the Barojas alien smuggling organization from custody with the help of Ortiz and others. Ortiz handled day-to-day operations during this time, and also continued managing the financial operations of the smuggling organization until her arrest in September 2021.
The sentences, handed down by U.S. District Judge Barry Ted Moskowitz, included enhanced penalties for the substantial risk that the Barojas organization’s drivers caused; the illegal transportation of an unaccompanied minor; the possession of firearms in furtherance of the offense; the transportation of more than 100 aliens; and their aggravated roles within the transportation cell’s alien smuggling activities.
“We cannot emphasize enough that human smugglers only care about money and have very little regard for the safety and well-being of their customers,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Andrew Haden. “I urge anyone considering this perilous journey: Please do not trust a smuggler with your life.”
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Loren G. Rene.
DEFENDANTS Case Number 21-cr-02922-BTM
Gerardo Rigoberto Barojas-Saavedra Age: 35 Anaheim, CA
Lourdes Ortiz Castaneda Age: 28 Anaheim, CA
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Conspiracy to Transport Aliens, in violation of 8 U.S.C. § 1324(a)(1)(A)(v)(I)
Maximum penalty: Ten years in prison and a $250,000 fine per count
AGENCY
U.S. Border Patrol
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The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California helps lead Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA), which was established by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland in June 2021 to marshal the investigative and prosecutorial resources of the Department of Justice, in partnership with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), to enhance U.S. enforcement efforts against the most prolific and dangerous human smuggling and trafficking groups operating in Mexico and the Northern Triangle countries of Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras. The Task Force focuses on disrupting and dismantling smuggling and trafficking networks that abuse, exploit, or endanger migrants, pose national security threats, and are involved in organized crime. JTFA consists of federal prosecutors and attorneys from U.S. Attorney’s Offices along the Southwest Border (District of Arizona, Southern District of California, Southern District of Texas, and Western District of Texas), from the Criminal Division and the Civil Rights Division, along with law enforcement agents and analysts from DHS’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Customs and Border Protection, and Border Patrol. The FBI and the Drug Enforcement Administration are also part of the Task Force.
Kandiyohi County Man Pleads Guilty to Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Kandiyohi County man has pleaded guilty to producing sexually explicit images of a minor, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to the defendant’s guilty plea and court documents, in November 2022, Andrew John Groen, 35, contacted a minor victim using the messaging application TextMe. Groen, who knew the victim was a minor, identified himself in messages as a 19-year-old man named “Tyler.” On multiple occasions, Groen coerced the minor to send sexually explicit images. Groen also sent the minor victim obscene images and links to pornography, and encouraged the minor victim to have sex with an adult man identified in messages.
Groen pleaded guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court before Judge Jerry W. Blackwell to one count of production and attempted production of child pornography. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later time.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI and the Willmar Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Hillary A. Taylor is prosecuting the case.
Kalamazoo Man Sentenced to 27 Years in Prison for Federal Drug and Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
Case Represented the Largest Seizure of Fentanyl in the Kalamazoo Area
GRAND RAPIDS – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten today announced that U.S. District Judge Paul L. Maloney sentenced Tyrone Henderson, 51, of Kalamazoo, Michigan, to 27 years in prison for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, heroin, and methamphetamine and for being a felon in possession of firearms. After release from prison, Henderson will spend five years on federal supervised release. The Court also ordered Henderson to forfeit firearms and drug proceeds seized from his residence.
“We’re in a fight to save lives against illegal firearms and fentanyl, which pose an extreme danger to our communities,” said U.S Attorney Totten. “Disrupting the supply lines of illegal drugs and unlawful guns is a top priority for my office. I applaud our local, state, federal, and multi-jurisdictional task force partners for their investigative work to protect our communities and hold Mr. Henderson accountable.”
The Kalamazoo Valley Enforcement Team (KVET), a multi-jurisdictional narcotics task force, had an ongoing investigation of Henderson for his involvement with fentanyl and methamphetamine distribution in Kalamazoo. KVET obtained a warrant to search Henderson’s residence and executed it on November 10, 2022. A search of the residence yielded 2.3 kilograms of pure fentanyl, 1.3 kilograms of a heroin and fentanyl mixture, 516 grams of heroin, and 489 grams of methamphetamine. Much of the methamphetamine seized from Henderson’s residence was in pill form, disguised to look like the party drug ecstasy. Henderson’s residence also contained four assault rifles; ten magazines, nine of which were loaded and fit the assault rifles; ammunition; a handgun; digital scales; presses; and other implements used for processing narcotics. Two of the seized firearms were reported stolen to the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety. Henderson has multiple prior felony convictions, including a prior federal drug trafficking conviction, and is prohibited from possessing firearms.
At sentencing, U.S. District Judge Maloney observed that fentanyl, heroin, and methamphetamine are a “scourge” not only in the Western District of Michigan, but across the United States and that fentanyl is the primary catalyst for the spike in drug overdoses in the past five years. Judge Maloney noted that Henderson did not learn his lesson after spending nearly 10 years in prison on his prior federal drug trafficking conviction. He characterized Henderson as a “threat to the public” given the lethal nature of fentanyl, the quantity of drugs Henderson possessed, and the nature and number of firearms involved in the case. In handing down the 27-year sentence, Judge Maloney recognized the need to “incapacitate” Henderson from committing further crimes of this nature.
“Today’s sentence of Tyrone Henderson is a testament to the hard work DEA and our outstanding law enforcement partners put into this investigation," said Orville O. Greene, Special Agent in Charge of Detroit Field Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration. "We will continue to aggressively pursue those who deal drugs and cause death in our community.”
“The Kalamazoo Valley Enforcement Team is proud of the work accomplished to seize these lethal drugs and dangerous weapons off the street and successfully prosecute Mr. Henderson with our federal partners,” said KVET Sgt Brian Cake. “Our hope is that this lengthy prison sentence sends a clear message to deter anyone else who is currently involved in similar illegal crimes in our city.”
The investigation of Henderson was handled by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Kalamazoo Valley Enforcement Team. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joel S. Fauson and Austin J. Hakes prosecuted the case.
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KC Man Charged with Carjacking, Brandishing Illegal Firearm After High-Speed ChaseRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Kan. man who was arrested after attacking an adult male victim, carjacking a second victim, getting into a high-speed chase with police, and crashing into a residence in Kansas City, Kansas was charged in federal court.
Van Calvin Callahan, Jr., 43, was charged in a three-count criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo. Callahan remains in federal custody pending a detention hearing on Tuesday, August 29.
The federal criminal complaint charges Callahan with one count of carjacking, one count of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. These offenses allegedly occurred on August 22, 2023.
According to an affidavit filed in support of the federal criminal complaint, on August 22, 2023, Callahan committed an unprovoked assault against a victim who was walking to the bus stop near East 3rd Street and Grand Boulevard, Kansas City, Mo. A second victim attempted to intervene, and Callahan used a firearm to carjack that victim.
The charges contained in this complaint are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashleigh Ragner. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, Kansas City, Kan. Police Department.
Jury Convicts Salem Man for Illegally Transferring a Machine GunRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—On August 24, 2023, a federal jury in Portland found a convicted felon from Salem, Oregon guilty of illegally transferring a machine gun.
Daniel Matthew Kittson, 61, was convicted of one count of illegally transferring a machine gun. He was found not guilty of illegally possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.
According to court documents, in December 2019, a special agent from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) learned that an individual, later identified as Kittson, possessed and was attempting to sell a Russian PPSh-41, a machine gun capable of firing approximately 900 rounds per minute. After identifying Kittson, investigators learned that he had prior felony convictions for attempted murder, first degree manslaughter, and felon in possession of a weapon, making it illegal for him to possess any type of firearm.
In early January 2020, investigators communicated with Kittson on two separate occasions to arrange a controlled purchase of the machine gun and, on January 10, 2020, completed the transaction. Following their purchase, investigators tested the firearm and confirmed that it was indeed a functional machine gun.
On March 9, 2021, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a two-count indictment charging Kittson with illegally possessing and transferring a machine gun and illegally possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.
On May 28, 2021, Kittson was arrested without incident by the U.S. Marshals Service and was released following his first appearance in federal court. In June 2022, Kittson absconded his pretrial supervision. Three months later, on September 27, 2022, he was located and arrested in Crook County, Oregon in possession of a firearm and small quantities of methamphetamine and heroin.
Illegally transferring a machine gun is punishable by up to ten years in federal prison.
Kittson will be sentenced in December 2023 by U.S. District Court Judge Karin J. Immergut.
This case was investigated by ATF. It was prosecuted by Leah K. Bolstad and Nicole M. Bockelman, Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Oregon.
Houma Resident Charged with Federal Narcotics and Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced today that CURTIS WILLIAMSON JR., age 40, of Houma, LA, was indicted on August 10, 2023 on one (1) count of Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Dangerous Substance in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(A) and one (1) count of Possession of Firearms during a Drug Trafficking Offense in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A). The indictment was previously sealed and was unsealed on August 23, 2023.
According to the indictment, following a complaint that WILLIAMSON JR. trafficked illegal narcotics, a search warrant was executed on WILLIAMSON JR.’s residence by Terrebonne Parish Sherriff’s Office after which multiple kilograms of methamphetamine and numerous firearms were discovered.
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.
United States Attorney Evans reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
United States Attorney Evans praised the work of the Drug Enforcement Administration and Terrebonne Parish Sherriff’s Office. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stuart Theriot of the Narcotics Unit.
Houma Man Indicted on Federal Drug and Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – TREVON HARVEY, age 35, a resident of Houma, Louisiana, was charged on August 24, 2023 in a three-count indictment, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.
Count 1 of the indictment charges HARVEY with possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and quantities of heroin and cocaine base (“crack”), in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(B), and 841(b)(1)(C). For this offense, he faces a statutory mandatory minimum sentence of five years, up to forty years imprisonment, a fine of up to $5,000,000, and at least four years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment.
Count 2 charges HARVEY with being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8). For this offense, he faces up to fifteen years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to three years supervised release.
Count 3 charges HARVEY with possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A)(i). For this offense, the defendant faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years imprisonment, up to life, to run consecutive with any other sentence, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to five years supervised release.
For each of the counts of the indictment, the defendant faces payment of a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
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.
U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that the indictment is merely a charging document and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Houma Police Department Narcotics Division. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney J. Benjamin Myers of the Narcotics Unit.
Group Charged in Forty-Count Indictment with Fourteen Armed Carjackings, One Attempted Carjacking, and Five Armed Robberies of BusinessesRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On August 24, 2023, a federal grand jury returned a forty-count indictment charging Ángel Mercado-Aquino, Ferdinand Escobar-Castillo, Ismael Reyes-Rivas and Andro Bianchi-Montalvo with a series of armed carjackings and robberies of businesses, announced W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico.
According to the Government’s allegations, between January 31 and March 6, 2023, the four defendants (acting together or as part of a smaller group) committed a series of armed robberies in Río Piedras, Río Grande, Guaynabo, Caguas, Canóvanas, Puerto Nuevo, Toa Baja, and Bayamón, Puerto Rico. The businesses that were targeted included Burger King and Shell gas stations. Most of the carjackings occurred early in the morning at gas stations, including a Gulf Gas Station in Río Grande, a Mobil Gas Station in Guaynabo, the Any Time Gas Río Cañas in Caguas, the Total Energies Gas Station in Canóvanas, and a Gulf Gas Station located at La Virgencita, Toa Baja.
“Violent criminal street gangs are a constant threat to our communities. These arrests will not only make our neighborhoods safer but send a message to other gang members that the Department of Justice and its law enforcement partners will continue to aggressively pursue efforts to disrupt and dismantle organized crime groups such as these,” said U.S. Attorney Muldrow.
Christopher A. Robinson, Special Agent in Charge of the Miami Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, commented: “This investigation is a testament to the commitment of the ATF San Juan Field Office in the fight against armed criminals who terrorize our communities with the plague of violent crime.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Julian Radzinschi of the Violent Crimes Section is in charge of the prosecution of the case. Special Agent Ivys Rosado-Díaz of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is in charge of the investigation. If convicted on all counts, the defendants face over 100 years in prison.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Greenville Woman Pleads Guilty to Making Fraudulent Statements to Medicaid in Connection with the Delivery of Autism Spectrum Disorder ServicesRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA —Nina Bourret, 41, of Greenville, pleaded guilty in federal court to making false and fraudulent statements on claims submitted to Medicaid.
Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that Bourret was an owner of Agapi Behavior Consultants, Inc., which provided Applied Behavior Analysis therapy to treat Autism Spectrum Disorder. From February 2021 to December 2022, Bourret submitted electronic claims to Medicaid on behalf of Agapi falsely and fraudulently certifying that services had been rendered and/or certifying that services had been rendered in excess of what was actually provided to the beneficiary.
The investigation has revealed Bourret and Agapi submitted claims to Medicaid that contained false and fraudulent statements in excess of $900,000.00.
Bourret faces a maximum penalty of 5 years in federal prison. She also faces a fine of up to $250,000, restitution, and 3 years of supervision to follow the term of imprisonment. Senior United States District Judge Henry Michael Herlong, Jr. accepted the guilty plea and will sentence Bourret after receiving and reviewing a sentencing report prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Department of Health and Human Services – Office of the Inspector General, and the South Carolina Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Bower is prosecuting the case.
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Grandview Man Sentenced for $4.1 Million Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Grandview, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for his role in a $4.1 million drug-trafficking conspiracy, which is linked to two murders, and which distributed approximately 400 kilograms of methamphetamine in the Kansas City and St. Louis metropolitan areas.
Gerald Lee Ginnings, 43, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to 520 months in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Ginnings to pay a money judgment of $86,750.00, which represents the proceeds he received from the drug-trafficking conspiracy. That forfeiture amount is based on the defendants specific unlawful distribution of approximately 7 kilograms of methamphetamine, based on an average street sale price of $500 per ounce. The overall conspiracy distributed at least 400 kilograms of methamphetamine in less than 2 years.
On Oct. 21, 2022, Ginnings pleaded guilty to participating in conspiracies to distribute methamphetamine and launder drug proceeds from Jan. 1, 2017, Sept. 1, 2018, to possessing a firearm in relation to a drug-trafficking crime, and to being a felon in possession of a firearm. Ginnings was arrested several times in 2018 in possession of methamphetamine and firearms.
The drug-trafficking organization with which Ginnings was associated was responsible for two murders. In August 2018, James Hampton was seized in St. Louis by members of the same drug-trafficking conspiracy that supplied Ginnings with methamphetamine, although Ginnings was not in St. Louis, Mo., with this group when Hampton was seized. Hampton was seized because the drug conspiracy were convinced Hampton could help find the drugs and money stolen by co-conspirator David Richards. When they realized Hampton could not or would not help, Hampton was restrained and beaten. Hampton was then transported from St. Louis to Kansas City, in the trunk of his own car. Brittanie Broyles, who was with Hampton and witnessed him being beaten and restrained, was also taken to Kansas City, where she later sent text messages from a co-conspirator’s phone she secreted of her plight to family and friends in St. Louis. They were unable to locate her before she was murdered.
On Aug. 6, 2018, Hampton’s car and body were discovered burning in Bates City, Mo. On Aug. 8, 2018, Broyles’s body was recovered near Super Flea in the Northeast area of Kansas City. She had been murdered by two gunshots to her head. Witnesses and video identified Ginnings being following by co-defendant Markus Michael A. Patterson, of Kansas City, Mo., in another co-conspirator’s car as Ginnings drove Hampton’s car to Bates City. Patterson was recently sentenced to 560 months on the same charges.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone involved in drug trafficking to possesses firearms related to that trafficking and it is also illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Ginnings has prior felony convictions for statutory rape, failure to register as a sec offender, and numerous assaults and car thefts.
Ginnings is among 32 co-defendants who have pleaded guilty in this case and its companion case.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bruce Rhoades and Robert M. Smith. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, the Sni Valley Fire Department, the Jackson, Lafayette, Buchanan, and Phelps County, Mo., Sheriff’s Departments, the FBI, the Jackson County Drug Task Force, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, and the St. James, Mo., Police Department.
Glen Carbon Business Owner Admits to Selling Misbranded Male Enhancement SupplementsRead the Press Release
EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – A Glen Carbon man who operated an online business admitted guilt in federal court of misbranding the ingredient list on a male sexual enhancement supplement product, thus deceiving his customers.
William Goldsmith, 48, pleaded guilty to a felony information Thursday charging one count of introducing misbranded drugs into interstate commerce.
“Protecting consumers is critical to a healthy business environment, and entrepreneurs who use deceitful tactics to sell misbranded products place profits above people,” said U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe.
“Misbranded prescription drugs that are smuggled from overseas can present a serious health risk to those who buy and use them. The drugs can contain unknown ingredients and can be made under unknown conditions,” said Special Agent in Charge Ronne G. Malham, Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigations Chicago Field Office. “We will continue to investigate and bring to justice those who traffic in misbranded prescription drugs.”
According to court documents, Goldsmith owned and operated an online store called Malosi Herbs from his home in Glen Carbon from 2016 through July 31, 2019.
To create inventory, he imported sildenafil citrate from China and India, personally placed a mixture of it into pill capsules, left sildenafil citrate off the bottle’s ingredient label and distributed the misbranded male sexual enhancement product to hundreds of customers across the U.S. The business was estimated to have generated more than $250,000 in gross proceeds.
Goldsmith labeled the product: “Ma’Kava,” “Ma’Kava Private Stock,” and “Night Cap X.” The product’s ingredient list claimed to only include “natural” herbal ingredients, such as horny goat weed, black maca, kavalactone, tongkat ali, panax ginseng, ginkgo biloba, and sea cucumber extract. Goldsmith was charged because his products contained sildenafil citrate, and it was not properly listed on the ingredients’ label or any branding of the Ma’Kava products.
Sildenafil citrate was an active ingredient in prescription drugs approved by the FDA to treat erectile dysfunction due to its effect on the human body to open capillaries, increase blood flow and speed up a heart rate, according to the criminal complaint.
However, the FDA most recently warned consumers of a possible adverse reaction of taking sildenafil citrate for patients using heart or blood-thinning medications—as individuals could have a higher risk of heart attack or stroke.
Goldsmith’s sentencing is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. on Dec. 5, 2023.
The FDA and the St. Louis Office of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service conducted the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Zoe Gross is prosecuting the case.
Individuals who purchased products from Malosi Herbs or Goldsmith between 2016 and July 2019 may be a victim in this case. If you believe you are a victim, contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office by emailing: [email protected]. Please provide your full name, mailing address, telephone number, and email address.
Glen Burnie Sex Trafficker Sentenced to 19 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett sentenced Benjamin Lawton, age 42, of Glen Burnie, Maryland, on August 23, 2023, to 19 years in federal prison, followed by 25 years of supervised release, for sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion, in connection with his sex trafficking and or transportation of eight women to work for him in his prostitution business. Judge Bennett also ordered that, upon his release from prison, Lawton will be required to register as a sex offender in the places where he resides, where he is an employee, and where he is a student, under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). Judge Bennett also ordered that Lawton must pay restitution to the victims in the full amount of their losses.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Chief Amal E. Awad of the Anne Arundel County Police Department; Colonel Roland L. Butler, Jr., Superintendent of the Maryland State Police; and Anne Arundel County State’s Attorney Anne Colt Leitess.
According to his plea agreement, beginning in at least 2020, Lawton recruited, enticed, transported, advertised, and solicited at least eight victims by force, threats of force, or coercion into engaging in commercial sex acts. Lawton enticed and coerced the victims to travel across state lines to engage in prostitution, transporting the victims himself or paying for airline tickets to transport the victims across state lines to engage in prostitution.
As detailed in the plea agreement, Lawton’s victims were expected to provide Lawton with all the money they made from commercial sex acts and Lawton threatened them with physical harm if they did not follow the rules.
For example, Lawton met Victim 1 through a female friend in March 2021. Eventually, Lawton explained to Victim 1 that she belonged to him, and he took photos for commercial sex ads for both Victim 1 and her friend and taught Victim 1 how to engage in commercial sex acts. Lawton also taught Victim 1 the text codes and rules. When Victim 1 did not use the correct text code after one of her “dates,” Lawton slapped Victim 1 so hard that her eardrum burst. Lawton put Victim 1 into hotel rooms near the BWI airport, around Washington, D.C. and in Northern Virginia, where she engaged in commercial sex and provided all the money she earned to Lawton.
Victim 2 met Lawton in May 2021 through her relationship with Victim 1. Lawton took Victim 2 to hotels in Washington, D.C. and near the BWI airport to engage in commercial sex acts. Victims 1 and 2 were very close, and when Victim 2 failed to perform her date and commercial sex acts in the way Lawton required, Lawton assaulted Victim 1. Lawton also punched Victim 3 in the eye when he found out that she did not give him all the money she earned; Lawton routinely threatened Victim 4, telling her that he would beat her so badly her family wouldn’t recognize her; Lawton threatened to kill Victim 5 and her family if she ever tried to leave; and Lawton assaulted Victim 6, injuring her eye, but refused to let her go to the emergency room or seek medical care for several weeks. Between 2020 and 2022, Lawton deposited almost $100,000 in cash into his bank accounts made from the exploitation and trafficking of his victims.
This case was investigated by law enforcement agencies that are members of the Maryland Human Trafficking Task Force, formed in 2007 to discover and rescue victims of human trafficking while identifying and prosecuting offenders. Members include federal, state, and local law enforcement, as well as victim service providers and local community members. For more information about the Maryland Human Trafficking Task Force, please visit http://www.mdhumantrafficking.org/.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI, the Anne Arundel County Police Department, the Maryland State Police, and the Anne Arundel County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation and prosecution. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen E. McGuinn, who prosecuted the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/human-trafficking and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Founder and Creator of Anti-Government Website Is Sentenced to Prison for Communicating Interstate ThreatsRead the Press Release
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – The founder and creator of an anti-government website was sentenced late yesterday in federal court in Asheville to 10 years in prison, for aiding and abetting threatening interstate communications, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. In addition to the prison term imposed, Timothy Michael Dever, 57, of Naperville, Illinois, was ordered to serve three years under court supervision after he is released from prison. Dever’s co-defendant, Darris Gibson Moody, 57, of Waynesville, N.C., was sentenced to two years in prison and three years of supervised release for making a threatening interstate communication.
Robert M. DeWitt, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in North Carolina, joins U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.
According to filed court documents and court proceedings, Dever was the creator and administrator of a website for a fictitious entity, the “People’s Bureau of Investigation” (PBI). As the website’s administrator, Dever hosted, maintained, and provided content for PBI, including templates for court judgments, or “Writs of Execution,” issued by the “U.S. Environmental District Court,” a fictitious court that purportedly had convicted hundreds of public officials and private individuals of various bogus crimes. The website claimed that the writs gave private citizens, like Moody, the authority to conduct a “citizen’s arrest” of the individuals on the fake writs. The website also claimed that those arrested could face a punishment of monetary fines, imprisonment, and even death, and that anyone who made a “citizen’s arrest” of the persons named in the writs was eligible to receive a monetary reward of up to $20,000.
According to court documents and the sentencing hearing, Dever promoted the writs as a mechanism for removing federal, state, and local officials from their positions. Dever made the template for the fake writs available for download on PBI’s website, as well as other documents and videos that explained the purpose of the writs and how to serve them. For example, one video on the website was a recorded radio talk show, where Dever and another individual discussed how private citizens could arrest “a sheriff, a judge and a governor,” who they claimed to have been convicted in the “highest court of the land.” Dever also maintained on PBI’s website a list that contained the names, home addresses, and personal information of victims who had been falsely named as convicted defendants in the fake writs. Court records show that the PBI website listed the personal identifying information of over 900 victims, located in approximately 32 different states.
As Dever previously admitted in court, PBI’s website also enabled group members to use a digital app to have encrypted communications in online chatrooms and via text messages, and to share information on how to create, use, and serve the writs. Dever also used PBI’s website to raise funds by soliciting direct donations and selling PBI merchandise.
Moody was a like-minded PBI group member who accused her targets of having been convicted of corruption, environmental charges, and even treason. Moody used the PBI website to generate fake arrest writs for 57 individuals, most of whom resided in the Western District of North Carolina, including sheriffs, judges, and other government officials and private individuals, and used software to fax the fake arrest notices to the recipients.
"Dever's anti-government rhetoric and fake arrest writs were more than a nuisance. They put hundreds of lives at risk. Those who shared Dever's warped ideology, including Moody, became self-proclaimed bounty hunters that turned innocent victims into targets of harassment, intimidation, and death threats. But, unlike Dever and Moody's sham court proceedings, my Office has legitimate authority to hold these defendants accountable for their actions."
Dena J. King, United States Attorney
“At its core, the FBI’s mission is to protect the American people and uphold the Constitution of the United States. While we celebrate the freedoms of our country, you cannot make up your own laws and threaten those who serve or are elected by our democracy,” said Special Agent in Charge DeWitt.
Dever pleaded guilty to five counts of aiding and abetting interstate threatening communication. Moody pleaded guilty to making an interstate threating communication. They are currently in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King commended the FBI for their investigation of this case and thanked the Haywood County Sheriff’s Office for their assistance.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Don Gast of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville prosecuted the case.
Former attorney, convicted of stealing from client and defrauding friend, pleads guilty to defrauding taxpayers by falsely claiming COVID program benefitsRead the Press Release
Tacoma – A disbarred attorney, sentenced last year to 18 months in prison for stealing from a deceased client’s estate and defrauding a friend, pleaded guilty today to wire fraud and making false statements for her scheme to illegally claim COVID pandemic benefits, and lie to the government about her income, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Darlene Baker, aka Darlene Piper, 58 of Port Orchard, Washington, was sentenced in March 2022 to 18 months in prison for her scheme to steal a $500,000 bequest to a children’s hospital and then a second $500,000 stolen from a friend. Piper has officially changed her name to Baker. She is scheduled for sentencing in front of U.S. District Judge Robert J. Bryan on December 1, 2023.
Following the sentencing hearing for the original wire fraud case, prosecutors were alerted that Baker had lied to the court about her employment status. The investigation revealed that she had also lied to government agencies to obtain pandemic relief loans to which she was not entitled. In the plea agreement she admits that between March of 2020 and August of 2021, Baker sought to obtain $265,000 in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Funds and Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL). In the applications for the programs Baker falsely claimed that she would use PPP funds to meet payroll expenses for her business. In fact, Baker had no employees and she used $80,000 in PPP funds for her personal expenses. Baker claimed in her EIDL applications that her business had been shut down due to COVID. In fact, throughout that period Baker had worked as a bookkeeper for a Gig Harbor, Washington, investment firm earning as much as $145,000 during the relevant period. The Small Business Administration (SBA) did not pay out any funds to Baker based on her EIDL application.
In her plea agreement Baker admits that she lied on financial disclosure statements required by the court in her earlier criminal case. In those statements Baker claimed to be out of work, when in fact she had substantial income working as a bookkeeper for the investment firm. Despite that income Baker made no attempt to repay the victim in the wire fraud case and claimed to have no resources to pay restitution.
Darlene Piper was released from federal custody on March 16, 2023.
Wire fraud in connection with a presidentially declared major disaster or emergency is punishable by up to 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine. Making a false statement is punishable by up to five years in prison.
The case is being investigated by the FBI.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mike Dion.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form
Former Shreveport Police Department Lieutenant Indicted by Federal Grand Jury for Overtime Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown has announced the return of an indictment by a federal grand jury in Shreveport charging a former Shreveport Police Department Lieutenant with wire fraud.
Jeffrey L. Peters, 55, of Shreveport, was indicted and charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and five counts of wire fraud. The indictment alleges that on or about January 6, 2020, and continuing through at least January 19, 2021, Peters and others knowingly conspired to defraud the City of Shreveport out of funds which were designated to pay Shreveport Police Department (SPD) officers. It is alleged that Peters claimed overtime for which he had not worked and received payments for unworked overtime under the Community-Based Crime Reduction Program (CBCR).
According to the indictment, Peters and a fellow SPD officer fraudulently obtained these monies by creating and submitting falsified Reports of Overtime to the SPD. These falsified reports stated that Peters had worked overtime hours for the SPD. Officer 1 would also submit falsified Reports of Overtime to the SPD which Peters would approve as his supervisor. As part of the scheme, Peters also created and submitted Activity Reports to the SPD which falsely claimed that Peters and Officer 1 were working assignments together in Shreveport’s Police District 3, which was located in downtown Shreveport and the surrounding area, which area included the SPD Headquarters. It is alleged that Peters himself submitted in excess of fifty (50) false reports of overtime.
The indictment further alleges that while Peters was claiming overtime in District 3, he was actually not working and was instead at various bars and restaurants in Shreveport and Bossier. These establishments were all located outside District 3.
The CBCR is administered by the U.S. Department of Justice and seeks to reduce crime and improve community safety in distressed, high-crime neighborhoods. As part of the program, CBCR awards grants to local and tribal communities to be used for, among other things, overtime for police officers. Officers at SPD were entitled to collect 1.5 times their regular rate of pay under the CBCR.
An indictment is merely an accusation, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
If convicted, Peters faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, 3 years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.
The case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Department of Justice-Office of Inspector General, and the Internal Revenue Service–Criminal Investigations, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth D. Reeg.
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Former Federal Correctional Officer Sentenced to Prison for Sexual Abuse of an InmateRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A former federal correctional officer was sentenced to three months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release – the first three months of supervised release will be on home detention – for sexual abuse of an individual in federal custody. He will also pay a $1,000 fine, a $5,000 Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act assessment, a $100 special monetary assessment, and be required to register as a sex offender and be subject to all sex offender conditions.
According to court documents, between October 2021, and August 2022, Lenton Jerome Hatten, 54, of Tallahassee, Florida, engaged in repeated sexual acts with an inmate while employed as a sports specialist for the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) at the Federal Correctional Institution in Tallahassee (FCI Tallahassee). Immediately after being reported, a forensic examination was conducted of the victim by a sexual assault nurse examiner. DNA evidence confirmed a likely link between Hatten and the victim.
At the time of the report, Hatten was on vacation leave and when made aware, he resigned his position. As such, Hatten had no further contact with inmates.
“As this prosecution demonstrates, the Department of Justice remains dedicated to rooting out sexual misconduct at the Bureau of Prisons,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco. “Any BOP employee who abuses their position of authority and mistreats those in their custody will be held accountable.”
“No inmate should ever experience sexual abuse or abuse of any kind at the hands of a Bureau of Prisons employee. My office will continue to aggressively pursue justice for victims of such heinous acts,” said Inspector General Michael E. Horowitz.
“Without exception, all people, including those serving sentences in correctional facilities, are entitled to protection of their physical safety and civil rights” said FBI Deputy Director Paul Abbate. “This defendant repeatedly sexually abused an inmate in his care and thanks to the victim’s bravery in coming forward, future abuse has been prevented. Today’s case shows that the FBI will investigate anyone who violates federal law, regardless of their position, and hold those responsible for enforcing it to the highest standard.”
“The abuse of any inmate by correctional officers is intolerable,” said U.S. Attorney Coody for the Northern District of Florida. “Sentences of confinement are imposed to account for the inmate’s criminal conduct and afford educational and vocational skills to aid in rehabilitation. The inmate’s dignity and safety are not surrendered at the prison door. This office will vigorously investigate and prosecute any officer who violates their oath through abuse of inmates entrusted to their care and custody.”
The DOJ-OIG and FBI investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney James A. McCain for the Northern District of Florida prosecuted the case.
Former FMC Prison Guard Pleads Guilty to Sexual Abuse of a WardRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. – A Lexington man, Gregory D. Barrett, 51, pleaded guilty on Friday, before Chief U.S. District Judge Danny Reeves, to sexual abuse of a ward.
According to his plea agreement, beginning on June 22, 2022 through July 5, 2022, while employed as a Senior Officer Specialist at the Federal Medical Center in Lexington, Barrett knowingly engaged in a sexual act with an inmate. The plea agreement also explains that Barrett later threatened and intimidated another inmate who was aware of his crime and could be a witness against him.
Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; and William J. Hannah, Special Agent in Charge, Department of Justice, Office of the Inspector General, Chicago Field Office, jointly announced the guilty plea.
The investigation was conducted by DOJ-OIG. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Zach Dembo.
Barrett is scheduled to be sentenced on December 15. He faces a maximum of 15 years in prison and up to a $250,000 fine. However, any sentence will be imposed by the Court, after its consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal sentencing statutes.
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Former Company CEO Charged in Alleged MJ Capital Funding, LLC Ponzi SchemeRead the Press Release
MIAMI – A South Florida federal grand jury has charged Johanna Michely Garcia, the former Chief Executive Officer of MJ Capital Funding, LLC, with conducting an investment Ponzi fraud scheme, totaling approximately $190,700,000, from the business.
The indictment, unsealed today, charges Garcia, 40, of Broward County, Florida with conspiring to commit wire fraud and mail fraud, and multiple counts of wire fraud, mail fraud, and money laundering.
According to the indictment, MJ Capital Funding, LLC was a Pompano Beach company that offered merchant cash advances, or MCAs, a type of short-term financing typically used by small and medium-sized businesses. The indictment alleges that from about October 2020 to August 12, 2021, Garcia, Pavel Ramon Ruiz Hernandez, and others fraudulently solicited money from investors purportedly to fund MJ Capital Funding, LLC’s MCAs. It also alleges that Garcia, Ruiz Hernandez, and their co-conspirators recruited others to solicit additional investors, typically paying the recruits about 10% of the money they raised.
Garcia had her initial appearance in U.S. Magistrate Court today. A subsequent hearing in this matter will be held on August 28, 2023, at 1:30 p.m., in U.S. Magistrate Court. If convicted, Garcia faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison as to each conspiracy, money laundering and mail fraud counts, and ten years in prison as to each money laundering charge. A federal district court judge would determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Ruiz Hernandez was charged in August 2022 and pleaded guilty in April 2023. He is scheduled to be sentenced on September 7, 2023, in U.S. District Court, Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida, and Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri, FBI, Miami Field Office, made the announcement.
FBI Miami investigated this case. The U.S Securities and Exchange Commission, Miami Regional Office, and Florida’s Office of Financial Regulation assisted with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric E. Morales of the Southern District of Florida is prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Marx Calderon is handling forfeiture.
An indictment is a charging instrument containing allegations. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and 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 23-CR-20350.
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Former Cape Coral Resident Found Guilty of Mail Fraud and Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that a federal jury has found Devin Ryan Maresca (33, Newcastle, PA) guilty of 10 counts of mail fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft. Maresca faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison for each mail fraud count and a minimum of two years in federal prison on the aggravated identity theft count. His sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled. Maresca had been indicted on November 2, 2022.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, while living in Cape Coral, Maresca filed more than 2,200 fraudulent indemnity claims to the United States Postal Service (USPS) claiming that Priority Mail packages that he had mailed or received were damaged. Maresca fraudulently used his mother, father, and brother’s names to submit most of the claims. Further, Maresca forged his family members’ signatures on the backs of USPS claims checks to deposit them into a bank account he controlled. The checks were mailed to mailboxes that Maresca had set up at UPS and Pak-Mail locations in Fort Myers, Cape Coral, and Punta Gorda.
Maresca’s fraud scheme caused the USPS to issue more than $100,000 in claims checks. IP address, bank, and email records, along with USPS data, linked Maresca to the fraudulent claims. In December 2021, a United States Postal Inspector and USPS Office of Inspector General (OIG) Special Agent interviewed Maresca at his home in Newcastle, PA. During the interview, Maresca admitted to submitting more than 2,200 fraudulent claims and forging his family members’ signatures on USPS indemnity checks.
This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service and the United States Postal Service - Office of Inspector General. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Trent Reichling and Patrick Darcey.
Former Alabama Deputy Sheriff Sentenced for Sexually Assaulting a Woman in His CustodyRead the Press Release
A former deputy sheriff with the Dallas County, Alabama, Sheriff’s Office was sentenced today in the Southern District of Alabama to 12 and a half years in prison for sexually assaulting a woman while he was on duty.
According to the superseding information and plea documents, on Jan. 30, 2020, Joshua Davidson, 33, while on duty as a Dallas County deputy sheriff, placed the victim in custody and drove her down a dark road to a desolate location where the victim performed oral sex on him against her will. The victim, who reported the assault immediately, was in fear that Davidson would shoot her if she did not cooperate.
“Today’s sentence sends a clear message that officers who abuse their positions of power to sexually assault women in their custody will face significant prison time for their unlawful actions,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department will not tolerate sexual misconduct committed by law enforcement officers who were sworn to serve and protect their communities.”
“The citizens of Dallas County rightfully rely on their law enforcement officers to serve and protect them, not assault and abuse them,” said U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello for the Southern District of Alabama. “Some criminals wear a badge, and we will continue to hold accountable those who violate the law and erode the trust of our community.”
“All law enforcement officers must adhere to the highest standard of professional conduct,” said Special Agent in Charge Paul Brown for the FBI Mobile Field Office. “Whenever someone chooses to violate the civil rights of the people they are sworn to protect, they will be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”
The FBI Mobile Field Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Arrington for the Southern District of Alabama and Trial Attorneys Maura White and MarLa Duncan of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section prosecuted the case.
Federal Grand Jury B Indictments Announced- August 2023Read the Press Release
Tulsa Okla. - United States Attorney Clint Johnson today announced the results of the August 2023 Federal Grand Jury B.
The following individuals have been charged with violations of United States law in indictments returned by the Grand Jury. The return of an indictment is a method of informing a defendant of alleged violations of federal law, which must be proven in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt to overcome a defendant’s presumption of innocence.
Michael Robert Brown. Assault With a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country. Michael Robert Brown, 32, a Cherokee citizen from Skiatook, is charged with assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to cause bodily harm in Indian Country. Brown allegedly stabbed the victim in the head with a pair of scissors during a domestic dispute. Skiatook Police Department and the FBI are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mallory Richard and Stacey Todd are prosecuting the case. 23-CR-274
Joseph James Burris & Chloe Jayde Burris. Child Neglect in Indian Country; Tampering with a Witness by Corrupt Persuasion and Misleading Conduct; Evidence Tampering. Joseph James Burris, 20, a Cherokee citizen is charged with child neglect in Indian Country, tampering with a witness by corrupt persuasion and misleading conduct, and evidence tampering. Chloe Jayde Burris, 20, is charged with child neglect in Indian Country and evidence tampering. The Cherokee Nation Marshal Service, Vinita Police Department, and the FBI are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Ihler is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-276
Daniel Lawrence Charba. Unlawfully making a destructive device, Possession of an unregistered destructive device. Daniel Lawrence Charba, 32, of Tulsa, is charged with unlawfully making a destructive device and possession of an unregistered destructive device. The Tulsa Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathan Michel is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-264
Clinton Dewayne Collins. Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury in Indian Country. Clinton Dewayne Collins, 54, a Choctaw Nation citizen is charged with assault resulting in serious bodily injury in Indian Country. The Tulsa Police Department and FBI are the investigating agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Cyran is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-265 *Update* The Defendant, Clinton Dewayne Collins, was acquitted of the charges alleged in the indictment.
Steven Lee Hindman. Assault with Intent to Commit Murder in Indian Country; Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country; Carrying, Using, Brandishing, and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence; and Felon in Possession of Ammunition. Steven Lee Hindman, 57, a Cherokee Nation citizen from Delaware, Oklahoma, is charged with two counts of assault with intent to commit murder in Indian Country; two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm in Indian Country; carrying, using, brandishing, and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence; and for being a felon in possession of ammunition. . Nowata Sheriff’s Office, Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigations, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Dunn is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-278
Rolland James Miles. Attempted Carjacking; Assault with Intent to Commit a Felony in Indian Country; Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country; and two counts of Carrying, Using, Brandishing, and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence. Rolland James Miles, 20, a Muscogee Nation citizen is charged with attempted carjacking; assault with intent to commit a felony in Indian Country; assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm in Indian Country, and two counts of carrying, using, brandishing, and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence after allegedly firing shots at a Tulsa apartment complex. The Tulsa Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matt Cyran and Dennis Fries are prosecuting the case. 23-CR-249
Christopher Ryan Stafford. Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm, and felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. Christopher Ryan Stafford, 40, a Muscogee Nation citizen from Tulsa is charged with assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. The Tulsa Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shakema Onias and Dennis Fries is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-269
Ladarion Deontrae Ladrue Tibbs. Possession of a Stolen Firearm; Receipt of a Firearm While Under Indictment for a Felony. Ladarion Deontrae Ladrue Tibbs, 21, a Seminole Nation citizen from Tulsa is charged with possession of a stolen firearm and receipt of a firearm while under indictment for a felony. The Tulsa Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shakema Onias and John Dowdell is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-261
Teresa Antonia Caceres- Rivera Unlawful reentry of a removed alien. Teresa Antonia Caceres- Rivera, 30, a Mexican National is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously deported and removed therefrom on or about October 14,2019, at or near Houston, Texas. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elliot Anderson is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-263
Jaime Delarosa. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Jaime Delarosa, 40, a Mexican National is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously deported and removed therefrom on or about May 26,2016, at or near Hidalgo, Texas. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elliot Anderson is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-266
Mario Montes-Gallarza. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Mario Montes-Gallarza, 60, a Mexican National is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously deported and removed therefrom on or about May 26,2016, at or near Hidalgo, Texas. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Whipple is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-267
Cruz Morales-Gutierrez. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Cruz Morales-Gutierrez, 45, a Mexican National, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously deported and removed therefrom on or about Jan. 18,2013, at or near Del Rio, Texas. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Buscemi is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-268
Drug Trafficker Sentenced to 8+ Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – A U.S. District judge sentenced an Arizona man to 100 months imprisonment after he admitted to trafficking more than 1,300 grams combined of fentanyl and heroin into southern Illinois.
Jimmy Carrasco, 28, of Glendale, Arizona, pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. Following his prison sentence, he will serve three years of supervised release.
“May this sentence serve as a warning for drug traffickers planning trips through Illinois—law enforcement is waiting for you,” said U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe.
“Trafficking in fentanyl and heroin is trafficking in death and ISP will root out and pursue drug traffickers with everything we’ve got,” said Illinois State Police Director Brendan F. Kelly.
According to court documents, officers with the Illinois State Police conducted a traffic stop on Carrasco’s vehicle on Interstate 70 in Madison County on Oct. 5, 2021. During a search of the vehicle, officers recovered pills containing 771 grams of fentanyl and 616 grams of heroin.
Co-defendant Luciano Gomezllanos-Martinez, 45, originally from Mexico, was a passenger in Carrasco’s vehicle at the time of the traffic stop. Gomezllanos-Martinez pleaded guilty to federal drug possession and illegal reentry charges and was sentenced to 46 months imprisonment on Jan. 18, 2023.
DEA led the investigation with assistance from the Illinois State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dan Kapsak prosecuted the case.
Drug Dealer Sentenced to 210 Months in Fentanyl Overdose DeathRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO— David Michael Busse of Temecula was sentenced in federal court today to 17 1/2 years in prison for supplying the fentanyl that led to the fatal overdose of 35-year-old Brook W. Jacoby on May 20, 2021. Two drug couriers for Busse - Roger Bionogers Santiago of Valley Center and Vanessa Lanae Lathan of Spring Valley - were also sentenced today to 78-months and 68-months, respectively, for their roles in delivering the deadly dose of fentanyl to the victim.
In imposing sentence on Busse, Judge Bashant emphasized that he clearly “knew the dangers of fentanyl” and given his drug dealing history, this outcome “was just a matter of time.”
According to the government’s sentencing papers, Jacoby was the father of a young daughter and had become engaged to be married five days before his death. He was a high-performing salesperson who was training for an upcoming triathlon. One of his siblings described him as a “beautiful and selfless soul” who had a “lingering positive impact on everyone.” He was memorialized in a June 2021 celebration of life. The video may be found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v+ivSeUuQzS-0.
San Diego Police officers found Jacoby deceased at the kitchen table in his San Diego apartment. Next to him was suspected drug paraphernalia. Officers examined his cellular phone and found text messages between Busse and Jacoby related to the sale. Those messages revealed that the victim told Busse he had been “clean” for some months and had no experience with fentanyl when Busse sold him the drug Jacoby, who clearly had some trepidation about fentanyl, asked Busse whether he should only “do an extremely small amount…I will be OK?” Busse responded by asking if Jacoby had Narcan “just in case.”
The messages between Busse and Jacoby demonstrate that Busse understood the fentanyl he was selling was particularly potent. Busse sent Jacoby a screen shot of another conversation between Busse and another customer during which the customer told Busse, “Damn that shit was strong” and “that shit was crazy” and it “took my vision away for like five minutes….” Busse told Jacoby: “I’ve had people go out off [sic] smoking it….”
Through the investigation, law enforcement determined that Busse was advertising the fentanyl via the “Offer Up” app. As the prosecutor pointed out at sentencing, Busse has a lengthy drug-related criminal history dating back to 2009.
Through his plea agreement, Busse admitted to selling the fatal dose and participating in a fentanyl distribution conspiracy involving 40 grams or more of fentanyl. Lathan and Santiago, who were themselves fentanyl customers of Busse, each admitted that they transported and delivered fentanyl they obtained from Busse to the victim in exchange for additional fentanyl or other limited compensation.
"It is very clear that this defendant recognized the potential - if not inevitable - consequences of continuing to deal this deadly drug,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Andrew Haden. “Because of his callous actions, another life has met the tragic end that fentanyl brings, and a family has lost its father, fiancé, son and brother. We will continue to prosecute these cases in the hope of sparing another family this tragic consequence."
“This case reminds us that drug dealing is not a victimless crime,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Shelly Howe. “Another family is suffering an unnecessary loss and DEA, along with our partners, will continue to find justice for these victims.”
This case is the result of ongoing efforts by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office, and the Drug Enforcement Administration to investigate and prosecute the distribution of dangerous illegal drugs—fentanyl in particular—that result in overdose deaths. The Drug Enforcement Administration created the Overdose Response Team as a response to the increase in overdose deaths in San Diego County. Investigators from the DEA Overdose Response Team led the investigation into Jacoby’s death.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U. S. Attorneys Larry Casper and Sean Van Demark.
DEFENDANTS Case Number 21-CR-2158-BAS
David Michael Busse Age: 33 Temecula, CA
Vanessa Lanae Lathan Age: 31 Spring Valley, CA
Roger Bionogers Santiago Age: 36 Valley Center, CA
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Distribution of Fentanyl – Title 21, United States Code, Section 841(a)(1) and Title 18, United States Code, Section 2
Maximum penalty: 20 years’ imprisonment
AGENCIES
Drug Enforcement Administration
San Diego Police Department
District Man Sentenced to Six Year Prison Term for Armed Robberies in Howard University Area of NW D.C.Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Marquis Funderburk, 20, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 72 months in prison for two separate gunpoint robberies that took place within 30 minutes of each other in the neighborhood near Howard University in January 2022, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Pamela A. Smith, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department.
A jury found Funderburk guilty of two counts of Robbery While Armed in May 2023, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia.
According to the government’s evidence, on January 18, 2022, at about 11:35 a.m., Funderburk and two associates grabbed Victim 1, a stranger, as they walked past him on the sidewalk. As one man pointed a gun at Victim 1’s stomach the other two went through Victim 1’s pockets, taking his AirPods, iPhone, wallet, and keys.
About noon the same day, approximately two blocks from the first robbery, Funderburk and three associates grabbed Victim 2, a stranger, as they walked past him on the sidewalk. Funderburk’s associate pressed a gun, concealed inside a fanny pack, into Victim 2’s chin while demanding Victim 2 give them his property. Funderburk punched Victim 2 in the face. Then the group proceeded to punch and kick Victim 2 repeatedly until he fell to the ground bleeding, ultimately resulting in a concussion. As they demanded Victim 2’s account passwords, Funderburk commanded his armed associate to shoot Victim 2.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also expressed appreciation for the work of those who handled the cases at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorneys Richard Carlton, Luca Winer, and Dan Lenerz, Paralegal Specialist Richard Cheatham, Victim/Witness Advocate Christie Bloodworth, and IT Specialist William Henderson.
Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shauna Payyappilly and Katie Sessa, who investigated and prosecuted the case.