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25 August 2023
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.
Colorado Springs Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Federal Prison for Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
DENVER—The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Brandon Bourret, age 47, of Colorado Springs, was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison, followed by 7 years of supervised release, for production of child pornography.
According to the facts contained in the plea agreement, the defendant began sexually abusing Minor #1, who was 13 years old at the time, when he lived in the Philippines in 2011. He also created photographs depicting his sexual abuse of Minor #1 during that time frame. After moving back to the United States in October 2011, the defendant continued to sexually abuse Minor #1 and memorialize the sexual abuse in photographs and videos during trips to the Philippines in 2012 and 2013. Additionally, while in Colorado, the defendant utilized the Internet to produce sexually explicit images depicting Minor #1 and a second victim, Minor #2, from April 2014 to July 2014.
“The exploitation of children is a grievous and intolerable crime,” said United States Attorney Cole Finegan. “Thanks to the efforts of our law enforcement partners, this predator has been stopped in his tracks.”
“Protecting children is a top priority of every community and law enforcement agency, including the FBI. In this case, the defendant sexually abused and exploited children for years,” said FBI Denver Special Agent in Charge Mark Michalek. “His depraved conduct is deplorable. Now he is in a place where he can’t harm children anymore.”
United States District Court Judge William J. Martinez presided over the sentencing on August 16, 2023.
The FBI investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Alecia L. Riewerts handled the prosecution.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc and click on the "Resources" tab on the left of the page.
Case number: 20-cr-00289
Cleveland Woman Sentenced to over 24 Years in Prison for Fentanyl Trafficking Conspiracy and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
AKRON - Branea Bryant, age 30, of Cleveland, Ohio, was sentenced yesterday to 290 months in prison by U.S. District Judge John R. Adams. In March 2023, a jury convicted Bryant of one count of Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute 400 Grams or More of Fentanyl, one count of Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering, and three counts of Money Laundering. The court also ordered Bryant to serve 10 years of supervised release following imprisonment and pay a $500 special assessment.
The following information is based on court documents and evidence presented at trial.
Based upon a long term, multi-agency investigation, the FBI determined that members of the conspiracy were selling fentanyl to customers at multiple locations in Cleveland, and that Branea Bryant was involved in the drug trafficking conspiracy.
On August 31, 2021, the FBI and other law enforcement agencies executed search warrants at seven houses connected to the drug organization, and seized over a kilogram of fentanyl, numerous firearms, ammunition, high-speed money counters, drug presses, a vacuum-sealer used to package drugs and money, over $68,000 in cash, jewelry, and multiple high-end vehicles, including two Range Rovers and a Jaguar F-Type.
Investigation by the IRS showed that Branea Bryant’s company, ADF3 Investments, owned several high-end vehicles connected to the drug conspiracy, including two Range Rovers that had been purchased with drug money, and a Jaguar F-Type that was used to facilitate drug deals. At trial, the lead IRS investigator testified that ADF3 did not file any state or federal tax returns, and that it did not appear to engage in any kind of legitimate business activity. The IRS investigator also testified that ADF3’s bank accounts, which had been opened by Branea Bryant, were largely funded with cash deposits and that ADF3’s accounts had been used to make large purchases at designer stores like Gucci and Prada using Branea Bryant’s debit card.
Branea Bryant was one of 24 defendants indicted in the case, which was the result of a coordinated effort by the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). All 24 defendants, including Branea Bryant, were convicted.
The case was investigated by the FBI’s Cartel, Gang, Narcotics, and Laundering Task Force (CGNL) and IRS Criminal Investigation, with assistance from the Cleveland Division of Police, the Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Office, the Ohio Investigative Unit, the Ohio State Highway Patrol, the Cleveland Heights Police Department, the Southeast Area Law Enforcement Task Force (SEALE), the ATF, the U.S. Marshals Service, the DEA, and the Cuyahoga County Regional Forensic Science Laboratory.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys James Lewis, Joseph Dangelo, and James Morford.
This investigation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Chelsea Man Indicted for Unlawful Trafficking of Machinegun Conversion DevicesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Chelsea man has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston with illegally selling machinegun conversion devices.
Michael Williams, 49, was indicted on two counts of transferring or possessing a machinegun and one count of being a felon in possession of ammunition. Williams was previously arrested and charged by criminal complaint on July 28, 2023.
According to the charging documents, in January 2023, Williams agreed to sell several machinegun conversion devices and other firearm accessories to an undercover federal agent. It is alleged that, following a series of communications, Williams met the undercover agent twice at a pre-arranged location. It is further alleged that on Jan. 12, 2023, Williams sold the first machinegun conversion device, along with numerous rounds of ammunition, to the undercover agent. On the following day Williams allegedly sold two additional machinegun conversion devices to the undercover agent. Williams is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition due to a prior felony conviction.
The charge of unlawful transferring or possession of a machinegun provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The felon in possession charge provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Christopher DiMenna, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Chelsea Police Chief Keith Houghton made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Dawley of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Chautauqua County Man Arrested on Meth ChargesRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Darin Butts, 30, of Celeron, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, which carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years, a maximum of life and a 10,000,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Louis A. Testani, who is handling the case, stated that investigators conducting surveillance of a E. Duquesne Street residence in Jamestown observed Butts exit the residence, remove a white and black shopping bag from his vehicle and place it in a nearby vehicle, which belonged to his girlfriend, Nikita Benson. Benson gave investigators permission to search the vehicle. They recovered the white and black shopping bag, which contained a large quantity of suspected methamphetamine, packaged in smaller, individual-sized quantities, a scale, packaging materials, and cash. A backpack containing a large quantity of suspected methamphetamine was also recovered. All of the methamphetamine seized totaled 856 grams. Butts was taken into custody at that time.
The complaint is the result of an investigation by the Jamestown Police Department, under the direction of Chief Timothy Jackson, the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Frank A. Tarentino III, New York Field Division, the Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff James Quattrone, the Ellicott Police Department, under the direction of Chief William Ohnmeiss Jr., and the Dunkirk Police Department, under the direction of Chief David C. Ortolano.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Chattanooga Man Sentenced to 54 Months in Federal Prison for Defrauding ChurchRead the Press Release
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. On August 24, 2023, David Michael Apps, 50 of Chattanooga, Tennessee, was sentenced to 54 months in prison by the Honorable Charles E. Atchley, Jr., in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Chattanooga.
As part of the plea agreement filed with the court in February 2023, Apps agreed to plead guilty to an information charging him with one count of wire fraud in violation of 18 USC § 1343. In addition to the 54 months’ term of imprisonment, Apps was also sentenced to 3 years’ supervised release, ordered to pay $1.08 million in restitution, and forfeited $4,200 in cash seized by the United States.
According to court records, from 2014 through 2021, Apps was involved in a scheme to embezzle over $1.3 million while acting as the business manager of Broad Street United Methodist Church in Cleveland, TN. App’s scheme included the use of an official church credit card to pay for personal expenses. Some of these expenses included payment for personal travel, automobiles, medical bills for family members, boat/watercraft and marina fees, and other personal items, none of which was related to church business. Apps used his federal firearms license to funnel additional stolen money through his business account by using stolen church money to acquire a large supply of firearms. Apps also wrote checks to himself under the guise of church member donations to support supposed medical bills relating to his false claim that he had brain cancer. Apps additionally failed to pay the church’s payroll taxes over a period of years, which resulted in over a $1 million tax liability to the IRS from the church.
Assistant United States Attorney Steven Neff represents the United States.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI as part of the Smoky Mountains Financial Crimes Task Force.
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Cedar Rapids Man Sent to Prison After a Woman Was Shot with a Gun He PossessedRead the Press Release
A convicted felon who unlawfully possessed a gun was sentenced today to more than six years in federal prison.
Gregory Scott, age 39, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a March 8, 2023 guilty plea to possession of a firearm by a felon.
In a plea agreement, Scott admitted he possessed a firearm in June 2021. On June 8, 2021, a woman was shot by that gun while at Scott’s residence. Scott agreed that his sentence should be enhanced because he possessed the firearm in connection with the crime of reckless discharge of a firearm. Scott has multiple felony convictions, including convictions for manufacturing or delivery of cannabis and a prior conviction for felon in possession of a firearm.
Scott was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Scott was sentenced to 78 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Scott is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Emily K. Nydle and investigated by the Cedar Rapids Police Department with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 22-cr-00075.
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Clarksville Doctor Sentenced in Health Care Fraud CaseRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE – Dr. Samson K. Orusa, 61, of Clarksville, Tennessee, was sentenced yesterday to 84 months in federal prison after being convicted of over a dozen felony health care fraud charges, announced United States Attorney Henry C. Leventis for the Middle District of Tennessee.
The defendant, through his medical clinic in Clarksville, billed federal health insurance programs for hundreds of medically unnecessary services, including unnecessary office visits and steroid injections. The evidence at trial showed that he required Medicare beneficiaries and other patients to visit his clinic as many as six times each month and to undergo unnecessary steroid injections in order to obtain their prescriptions. The evidence also showed that the defendant altered progress visit notes in his patients’ medical records to justify higher billing rates.
“Combating health care fraud is a top priority for this office,” said United States Attorney Leventis. “As a result of the excellent work done in this case by our prosecutors and law enforcement partners, this physician will now be serving 7 years in federal prison for defrauding the Medicare program.”
The defendant was charged in 2018 with 45 criminal violations, including 13 counts of health care fraud. He was convicted at trial of all charges except for nine counts of illegal distribution of oxycodone. Yesterday’s sentencing concerned only the health care fraud crimes charged in the indictment.
In addition to the 84-month prison sentence, the defendant was ordered to pay over $1 million in restitution and serve three years of supervised release. He was also fined $195,000 and must forfeit previously seized assets worth approximately $900,000.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Office of Inspector General; the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation; the Clarksville Police Department; and the 19th Judicial District Drug Task Force.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephanie N. Toussaint and Miller A. Bushong prosecuted this case.
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Buffalo Man Pleads Guilty to Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Patrick Malloy, 33, of Buffalo, NY, pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography before Senior U.S. District Judge William M. Skretny. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Russell T. Ippolito, Jr., who is handling the case, stated that on June 24, 2023, a search warrant was executed at Malloy’s residence and several electronic devices were seized. The devices contained approximately 28,000 images of child pornography, including images of prepubescent minors under the age of 12 engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia.
Sentencing is scheduled for December 6, 2023, at 10:00 a.m. before Judge Skretny.
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Boyle County Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Receiving Child PornographyRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. — A Danville, Ky., man, Steve Noonan, 46, was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison on Friday, by Chief U.S. District Judge Danny Reeves, for receiving child pornography.
According to his plea agreement, in 2020, Noonan was convicted of sexual exploitation of a minor in North Carolina. After being released from prison, Noonan was placed on probation, the terms of which included monitoring of his electronic devices. In May 2022, the Boyle County Probation and Parole noticed suspicious searches on one of Noonan’s devices. This prompted Probation and Parole to search Noonan’s residence, where they found a cell phone that did not have the required monitoring software and that contained hundreds of images or videos of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Noonan then admitted to searching for and downloading these digital files.
Under federal law, Noonan must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence; and upon his release, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for 15 years.
Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Rana Saoud, Special Agent in Charge, Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Col. Phillip Burnett, Commissioner, Kentucky State Police (KSP); and Chief Parker Hatter, Perrysville Police Department, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by HSI, KSP, Perryville Police Department, and Boyle County Probation and Parole. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Roth.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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All 20 Members of Fentanyl and Methamphetamine Trafficking Organization Sentenced to a Total of More Than 265 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS –Richard A. Wells, a/k/a Council, 30, of Indianapolis, Indiana has been sentenced to 30 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl. Wells was the final of 20 defendants to be sentenced in this conspiracy.
According to court documents, Wells was a member of a methamphetamine and fentanyl trafficking organization that operated in the Indianapolis area from February 2019 through July 14, 2021. The organization was led by Jason Betts, a resident of Indianapolis, who coordinated the receipt of methamphetamine and fentanyl from Los Angeles, California and organized the distribution of the controlled substances in Indianapolis. Betts was previously sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment by Judge Hanlon following his guilty plea.
In February of 2023, Rick P. Coley, 36, of Indianapolis, and David K. Duggar, 40, of Greenwood, were convicted of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, possessing controlled substances with intent to distribute, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon following a two-week jury trial. Both Coley and Duggar served as upper-level drug distributors for Betts. Judge Hanlon sentenced Coley to 30 years’ imprisonment and Duggar to 23 years.
The investigation resulted in the indictment and conviction of twenty total defendants for their roles in the organization’s drug trafficking activity. The organization distributed approximately 350 pounds of methamphetamine and 15 kilograms of fentanyl during its operation.
Other sentences include the following:
Defendant
Charge
Sentence
Jennifer J. Black, 41, Indianapolis
Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances
21 years’ imprisonment
Aleshalia Boss, 43, Indianapolis
Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and Distribution of Fentanyl
22 years’ imprisonment
Brittany Cocco, 33, Indianapolis
Unlawful use of a cell phone
Time Served
Kenneth K. Fielder, 28, Bloomfield
Possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine
4.5 years’ imprisonment
Stephen Grider, a/k/a Compton, 42, Los Angeles, California
Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances
14 years’ imprisonment
Donta L. Hampton, 36, Indianapolis
Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances
18 years’ imprisonment
Justin Helms, age, Spencer, Indiana
Conspiracy to distribute controlled
4.5 years’ imprisonment
Colin Johnson, 30, Indianapolis
Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances
5 years’ imprisonment
Brian McGee, 44, Indianapolis
Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances
10 years’ imprisonment.
William K. Mosier, 43, Indianapolis
Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances
10 years’ imprisonment.
Christina Pennington, 26, Indianapolis
Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances
1.5 years’ imprisonment
Mar-Kel Sampson, 31, Indianapolis
Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances
2 years’ imprisonment
Marco Uribe, 43, Indianapolis
Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances
10 years imprisonment
Asa Vetters, 32, Indianapolis
Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances
10 years’ imprisonment.
Montez L. Wells, 32, Indianapolis
Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances
20 years’ imprisonment
Carl T. Wilson, a/k/a Bud, 36, Indianapolis
Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances
10 years’ imprisonment
“Drug trafficking organizations who push fentanyl and methamphetamine into our communities seek profits without regard for the deaths and lasting trauma they cause,” said United States Attorney for the Southern District for Indiana, Zachary A. Myers. “Dismantling these criminal networks through comprehensive investigations and prosecutions is a top priority for federal, state, and local law enforcement. The convictions and sentences imposed here demonstrate that trafficking in these very deadly drugs carries very serious consequences.”
“Due to extraordinary investigative work by the FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force, a significant drug trafficking organization has been dismantled, and 20 of its members have been brought to justice,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Herbert J. Stapleton. “These criminals profited from peddling illegal drugs that destroy lives and families. The sentencing of the final defendant in this case closes the book on this criminal enterprise, preventing them from bringing further harm to the community.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Safe Streets Task Force and the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department investigated this case, with valuable assistance provided by the United States Postal Inspection Service, Drug Enforcement Administration, Indiana State Police, National Guard of the United States, and Marion County Sheriff’s Office.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Bradley A. Blackington and Kelsey L. Massa, who prosecuted this case.
This case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
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24 August 2023
Young dealer charged with selling fentanyl resulting in deathRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – A federal grand jury has returned an indictment against a 22-year-old resident of Laredo for distributing fentanyl which caused the death of a juvenile, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Authorities arrested Jose Antonio Carlos III today. He is expected to appear before U.S. Magistrate Judge Christopher dos Santos Aug. 25 at 9:30 a.m.
The two-count indictment, returned Aug. 22, alleges Carlos distributed fentanyl, a schedule II controlled substance, to another individual May 16. That person was a juvenile who subsequently died after using the drug, according to the charges.
Carlos is also charged with one count of possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl.
If convicted of the distribution resulting in death, Carlos faces up life in federal prison with a mandatory minimum of 20 years. He could also be ordered to pay up to a $1 million fine.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, Customs and Border Protection, Border Patrol, Laredo Police Department and Webb County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Bajew is prosecuting the case.
This case is being prosecuted as part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF is the largest anti-crime task force in the country. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage.
More information on the dangers of fentanyl can be found on the DEA’s website. #OnePillCanKill
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Woman Sentenced for Drug and Counterfeiting CrimesRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Karre Christine O’Dell, 43, most recently of Colorado, was sentenced today by Chief United States District Court Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. to 37 months’ imprisonment for Possession with Intent to Distribute 5 Grams or More of Methamphetamine (actual) and Possession of a Document Making Implement or Authentication Feature. There is no parole in the federal system. After her release from prison, O’Dell will serve a 4-year term of supervised release.
On October 15, 2021, officers with the Omaha Police Department were called to the Cambria Hotel in Omaha, Nebraska, regarding a theft. Upon arrival officers were directed to O’Dell’s room by hotel staff. Upon entering O’Dell’s hotel room, officers found methamphetamine and equipment consistent with manufacturing identification documents and credit cards, to include printers, papers with apparent photo IDs, and photocopies of credit cards. A search warrant was obtained for the room and officers found additional blank checks and blank credit cards.
Two storage units rented by O’Dell were also located and searched pursuant to a search warrant. In the storage unit officers found several boxes of identification documents to include identification documents in various stages of manufacture. Officers also found packaging consistent with narcotics distribution and a scale.
The methamphetamine found in O’Dell’s room was submitted for testing at the Nebraska Public Service Laboratory and was found to be 19.95 grams of methamphetamine actual.
This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service and the Omaha Police Department.
Wilmington Man with Prior Manslaughter Conviction Sentenced for Gun OffenseRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, N.C. – A Wilmington man was sentenced today to 70 months in federal prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. On March 7, 2023, Tyrek Desmond Anderson, pled guilty to the charge.
According to court documents and other information presented in court. After witnessing a vehicle commit a traffic violation on February 16, 2022, officers initiated their emergency equipment to conduct a traffic stop, but the vehicle, driven by Tyrek Anderson fled from law enforcement at a high rate of speed and almost caused multiple traffic collisions. Due to public safety concerns, the chase was terminated.
A short time later, officers located the vehicle, unoccupied, on the side of the road in the area of Metts Avenue and South 22nd Street. Officers then saw Anderson walking down Metts Avenue towards Forest Hills Drive. Upon seeing law enforcement, Anderson fled on foot and ran through multiple backyards on Forest Hills Drive before being apprehended. During the chase, officers saw Anderson holding what appeared to be a handgun, however, they did not locate a handgun on his person in a search incident to arrest. Officers retraced Anderson’s path of flight and located a stolen Glock 19 in the bushes of a residence on Forest Hills Drive. Subsequent testing revealed the presence of Anderson’s DNA on the firearm. In a subsequent search of the vehicle Anderson drove, officers located six softball size bags containing marijuana totaling approximately 237 grams.
Anderson was previously convicted of voluntary manslaughter in connection with a 2015 murder and was on post-release supervision for that conviction at the time of this offense.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Terrence W. Boyle. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the Wilmington Police Department, the Wilmington Police Department Gun Crimes Task Force, and the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case and Special Assistant United States Attorney William Van Trigt prosecuted the case. Van Trigt is a prosecutor with the New Hanover County District Attorney’s Office assigned to the United States Attorney’s Office to prosecute federal violent crimes and other criminal matters. This has been made possible by a grant funded by New Hanover County.
The conviction is a result of the ongoing Violent Crime Action Plan (VCAP) initiative which is collaborative effort with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, working with the community, to identify and address the most significant drivers of violent crime. VCAP involves focused and strategic enforcement, and interagency coordination and intelligence-led policing.
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. 7:22-cr-00102BO-001.
Webster Business Owner Pleads Guilty to Tax Fraud for Failing to Report Hundreds of Thousands of Dollars in Income to the IRSRead the Press Release
ROCHESTER, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Steven Rosenbaum, 57, of Webster, NY, pleaded guilty before Chief U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford to filing a false tax return, which carries a maximum penalty of three years in prison and a fine of $250,000.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard A. Resnick, who is handling the case, stated that Rosenbaum owns 50% of Swoop1, Inc., a security business that provides security personnel to various high schools, colleges, businesses, and performing arts venues in the greater Rochester area.
For the years 2016 through 2021, Rosenbaum and his Swoop1 co-owner, identified as A.L., failed to report on Swoop1’s corporate income tax returns gross receipts totaling $5,598,354. Rather than deposit hundreds of checks received from clients into their business bank account, the defendant and A.L. cashed the checks at a local check cashing business. From the money received from the checks cashed, Rosenbaum and A.L. paid fees to the check cashing business totaling $112,619, and paid hundreds of Swoop1’s employees some of or all their wages in cash. The remaining amount of the money received from the checks cashed, $2,550,787, was split by Rosenbaum and A.L. this resulted in Rosenbaum failing to report $1,390,315 in income and failing to pay $355,225 in taxes to the IRS. In addition, Rosenbaum and A.L. failed to pay payroll taxes on the $2,675,467 in cash that was paid to the employees of Swoop1, resulting in a loss to the IRS of $204,673.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division, under the direction of Thomas Fattorusso, Special Agent-in-Charge.
Sentencing is scheduled for December 20, 2023, at 11:00 a.m. before Judge Wolford.
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United States File Forfeiture Action to Recover Cryptocurrency Traceable to Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The United States Attorney’s Office filed a civil forfeiture action to recover cryptocurrency alleged to be proceeds of a business email compromise (BEC) scheme targeting a Massachusetts resident. The government seeks to forfeit 18.836 bitcoin (BTC) seized from an account located at Binance.US, a cryptocurrency exchange and custodian. 18.836 BTC has a current estimated value of approximately $500,000.
In June 2022, an investigation began into a BEC fraud scheme targeting a Massachusetts resident. In a BEC fraud, individuals obtain unauthorized access to email accounts that a business uses to send information about commercial, real estate, and other financial transactions. Targets impersonate individuals expecting to receive money from these transactions and send requests that payments be directed to a network of bank accounts that they control. Perpetrators behind BEC fraud schemes are often located overseas.
As alleged in court documents, a Massachusetts resident was tricked into wiring $400,000 into a bank account located in California, and some of those funds were subsequently transferred to Binance.US where they were used to purchase 18.836 BTC. Investigators traced the funds to a Binance account, and the BTC was seized in July 2023.
It is a violation of federal law to use wire communications as part of a scheme to defraud or to obtain money or property by means of false or fraudulent pretenses. The complaint alleges that the seized cryptocurrency was traceable to proceeds of the wire fraud. A civil forfeiture action allows third parties to assert claims to property, which must be resolved before the property can be forfeited to the United States and returned to victims.
This is the fifth civil forfeiture action the U.S. Attorney’s Office has filed seeking to forfeit cryptocurrency traced to fraud schemes targeting Massachusetts victims.
Members of the public who believe they are victims of a cybercrime – including cryptocurrency scams, romance scams, investment scams and BEC fraud scams – should contact [email protected].
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Christopher DiMenna, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Office made the announcement today. The civil forfeiture action is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Carol E. Head, Chief of the Asset Recovery Unit.
The details contained in the civil forfeiture complaint are allegations. The United States Attorney’s Office has not filed a corresponding criminal action on the matter.
USDA employee and others indicted for public corruptionRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas - A 51-year-old Rio Grande City resident and employee of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has been charged with bribery of public officials and witnesses, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Roberto Rodriguez, 51, turned himself in to authorities today. He is expected to make his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge J. Scott Hacker at 9 a.m. Also taken into custody and appearing today are Jose Sandoval, 70, and Daniel Diaz, 67, both USDA contractors from Rio Grande City.
A federal grand jury returned the three-count indictment Aug. 22.
Rodriguez was a USDA rural development loan specialist, according to the charges. From on or about January 2021 and continuing through Aug. 22, Rodriguez accepted bribe payments from Sandoval and Diaz. In return, Rodriguez allegedly referred applicants of the USDA 504 Single Family Housing Repair Grant and Loan program to the contractors.
Rodriguez did knowingly, corruptly and in violation of his official duty, accept payments from Sandoval and Diaz, according to the allegations. The contractors allegedly paid the bribes with the intent to influence official acts after the federally-funded repairs were completed.
If convicted, all face up to 15 years in federal prison as well as a possible $250,000 maximum fine. The indictment also includes a notice of restitution of all funds related to the charges.
The FBI conducted the investigation along with Texas Office of the Attorney General, USDA - Office of Inspector General (OIG) and Housing and Urban Development – OIG with the assistance of Drug Enforcement Administration, Texas Department of Public Safety – Texas Rangers and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Patricia Cook Profit is prosecuting the case.
The investigation is part of the Border Corruption Task Force (BCTF) and Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Forces. The BCTF is comprised of multiple state and federal agencies that serve to disrupt and dismantle corrupt domestic public officials that operate along the southwest border. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Tylertown Man Sentenced to over Ten Years in Prison for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Hattiesburg, Miss. -- A Tylertown man was sentenced to serve 128 months in federal prison followed by a lifetime of supervised release for possession of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Jermicha Fomby of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Jason Patrick Appeldorn, 47, was sentenced on August 23, 2023, in U.S. District Court in Hattiesburg. In addition to his term of imprisonment, Appeldorn was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $63,500 to victims and a $5,000 fine. Appeldorn was also ordered to pay an additional $5,000 assessment under the Amy, Vicky, and Andy Child Pornography Victim Assistance Act of 2018.
According to court documents, on September 23, 2021, federal officers of the U.S. Probation Office executed a search of Appeldorn’s residence in Tylertown, Mississippi. Appeldorn had been under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office since November 29, 2017, because of a previous conviction for possession of child pornography in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana. Appeldorn’s cellular telephone recovered at the search was forensically examined and over 2,000 visual depictions of child sexual abuse material of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct was recovered.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with the assistance of the Mississippi Attorney General’s Cyber Crimes Division.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea Jones prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov
Two persons charged in large-scale meth trafficking ring centered on Crow Indian Reservation admit chargesRead the Press Release
BILLINGS — A man and a woman accused in large-scale, multi-state drug investigation centered on the Crow Indian Reservation admitted to trafficking methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said today.
Darlon Richard Lefthand, 37, of Hardin, pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute meth. Darlon Lefthand faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan presided. A sentencing date will be set before U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters. Darlon Lefthand was detained pending further proceedings.
Frederica Lefthand, 52, of Lodge Grass, a co-defendant, pleaded guilty on Aug. 23 to possession with intent to distribute meth and to conspiracy to commit money laundering. Frederica Lefthand faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided. The court set sentencing for Frederica Lefthand for Jan. 4, 2024 and ordered her detained pending further proceedings.
The court will determine any sentence for both defendants after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
In court documents, the government alleged that federal law enforcement, in a collaborative effort with local and tribal law enforcement, investigated a large-scale, multi-state narcotics trafficking operation centered on multiple properties on the Crow Indian Reservation. The properties, including one known as Spear Siding, were a source of supply of meth for both the Crow and Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservations.
Darlon Lefthand is one of the individuals affiliated with the investigation. The government alleged that Darlon Lefthand would receive meth from these locations and would redistribute it. In September 2022, law enforcement conducted a controlled purchase of approximately one ounce of meth from Darlon Lefthand.
The government further alleged that Frederica Lefthand occupied the Spear Siding property and that she and other co-defendants stored meth on the property. The investigation determined that Frederica Lefthand was the source of supply for several co-defendants. In addition, law enforcement conducted two controlled purchases of meth from Frederica Lefthand in September 2022. On April 1, 2023, Frederica Lefthand was arrested following a vehicle pursuit and was found to be in possession of meth and a handgun. Frederica Lefthand admitted to selling meth to several individuals throughout the investigation. In addition, the government alleged that from June 2022 to February 2023, Frederica Lefthand made several wire transfers of money from drug transactions to an individual in Washington.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys are prosecuting the case. The Bureau of Indian Affairs, Drug Enforcement Administration and FBI conducted the investigation.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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Tse Bonito Man Pleads Guilty to Sexual Abuse of a MinorRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, announced today that Gerald Lee pled guilty to sexual abuse of a minor. Lee, 37, of Tse Bonito, and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, will remain in custody pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled.
According to court documents, on May 15, 2021, Lee raped the victim, Jane Doe, who was 15 years old at the time, at his mother’s house within the exterior boundaries of the Navajo Nation.
Lee faces up to fifteen years in prison followed by five years of supervised release and must register as a sex offender.
The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office and the Navajo Police Department investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Bell is prosecuting the case.
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23-201
Ticket scammer guilty of identity theftRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 48-year-old California resident has pleaded guilty in a nationwide ticket scam that included a Texas A&M football game, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Derrick Langford admitted he used email to obtain stolen credit card information from victims across the United States. He used that data and false identities to buy tickets for sporting events, concerts and other entertainment venues across the United States. He then re-sold the tickets on internet-based resale sites like Ticket Liquidator.
One such event tied to Langford was the Texas A&M football game against Clemson Sept. 8, 2018. During the hearing today, Langford admitted he created false buyer accounts and used stolen credit card numbers to buy tickets to that game and then resold the fraudulently-purchased tickets on resale sites to unsuspecting buyers.
Texas A&M discovered the fraud and invalidated the tickets. However, some had already been sold to unsuspecting buyers which caused the university to incur a 100% loss on the fraudulent tickets.
As the scheme continued, Langford received stolen credit card information and personal identifying information of more than 75 victims in one of his email accounts.
U.S. District Judge Charles Eskridge accepted the plea and set sentencing for Dec. 14. At that time, Langford faces a mandatory sentence of two years in prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
Langford was permitted to remain on bond pending sentencing.
The FBI conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Texas A&M University Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Quincy Ollison and Belinda Beek are prosecuting the case.
Three New Jersey Men Admit Participating in Conspiracy to Traffic Counterfeit Computer Networking DevicesRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – Three New Jersey men have admitted their roles in a conspiracy to traffic counterfeit computer networking devices, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Musa Karaman, 35, of North Arlington, New Jersey, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Georgette Castner in Trenton federal court to an information charging him with one count of trafficking in counterfeit goods. Sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 4, 2024.
Sadri Ozturan, 37, of Hawthorne, New Jersey, and Israfil Demir, 38, of Secaucus, New Jersey, each pleaded guilty before Judge Castner on Aug. 9, 2023, to separate informations charging them with one count of trafficking in counterfeit goods. Sentencing for Ozturan is scheduled for Dec. 13, 2023, and sentencing for Demir is scheduled for Dec. 14, 2023.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From September 2017 through May 2021, Karaman, Demir, and Ozturan formed and operated numerous entities selling computer networking equipment, including networking devices manufactured by Cisco Systems Inc., a major U.S. technology conglomerate. Although the defendants advertised the Cisco products they offered for sale as new and genuine, the products were counterfeit devices they procured from various overseas suppliers at well below market prices and resold at higher prices.
The offense of trafficking in counterfeit goods carries a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum fine of $2 million.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of Homeland Security Investigations Newark, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel; and the U.S. Department of Defense, Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Northeast Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Patrick J. Hegarty, with the investigation leading to the guilty pleas.
The government is represented by Andrew M. Trombly, Chief of the General Crimes Unit and Assistant U.S. Attorney Samantha C. Fasanello of the Cybercrime Unit in Newark.
demir.information.pdf ozturan.information.pdf karaman.information.pdfThree Men Sentenced to Decades in Federal Prison for Armed Home Invasion and KidnappingRead the Press Release
MIAMI – Senior United States District Judge James I. Cohn sentenced Kejuan Brandon Campbell a/k/a “SplashZanotti”; Antonio Charles James Jr. a/k/a “YungFokiss”; and Dionte Alexander-Wilcox a/k/a “TrapSavage” to federal prison, after a jury found each of them guilty of conspiracy to kidnap, two counts of kidnapping, three counts of bank robbery, and three counts of carrying firearms during a crime of violence.
The evidence at trial revealed that, on October 11, 2020, Campbell, James, and Alexander-Wilcox conspired to commit a home invasion against a husband and wife – both of whom were over sixty years of age -- because the couple’s estranged nephew had stolen $20,000 from Campbell hours earlier. Wearing masks and gloves, and carrying firearms, the three defendants forced their way into the couple’s home, physically assaulted the husband, and forced both victims to lie on the floor at gunpoint.
The defendants ransacked the couples’ home and took their phones and wallet. Using the wife’s telephone, the defendants tried using CashApp to transfer $20,000 to themselves, but the transactions were declined. Campbell then forced the wife to travel with him to multiple stores to try to cash $20,000 in checks. The other two defendants kept the husband at home, holding him at gunpoint.
After the stores declined to process the checks, the defendants stayed overnight at the victims’ home and planned to get the money from the couple’s bank the next morning. During their stay, the defendants cooked, drank alcohol, and smoked marijuana. They kept a gun pointed at the couple inside and did not allow them to speak to one another. At one point, with gun in hand, Alexander-Wilcox forced the wife into the master bedroom and raped her.
The next morning, Campbell forced the wife to withdraw $20,000 from ATMs. After returning the wife home, the defendants filled a couple of suitcases with the victims’ jewelry, as well as items on which the defendants might have left their DNA. The defendants threatened to kill the victims if they called the police, locked the victims in a bathroom, took their house key, and left with the cash.
On June 21, 2023, Alexander-Wilcox was sentenced to life in prison.
On June 21, 2023, James was sentenced to 41 years in prison.
On August 24, 2023, Campbell was sentenced to 42 years in prison.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida and Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri of the FBI, Miami Field Office, announced the sentences.
The FBI and Miramar Police Department investigated this matter along with the ATF, Broward Sheriff’s Office, Davie Police Department, U.S. Coast Guard CGIS, and Lauderhill Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ajay Alexander and Brooke E. Latta prosecuted this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daren Grove handled forfeiture.
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 on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 21-cr-60011.
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Threats to murder Montana U.S. Sen. Jon Tester send Kalispell man to prison for two and a half yearsRead the Press Release
MISSOULA — A Kalispell man who admitted to threatening to kill Montana U.S. Senator Jon Tester in calls to his office was sentenced today to two and a half years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.
Kevin Patrick Smith, 46, pleaded guilty in April to threats to murder a United States Senator.
U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided.
In court documents and in statements in court, the government said public discourse is the cornerstone of a free society and that criticism, disagreement, and even disdain are not only acceptable methods of expression, they also are constitutionally protected. “But there is a line. And Kevin Patrick Smith crossed that line – repeatedly,” the government said.
The government alleged that on Jan. 30, Smith made numerous threatening phone calls to Sen. Tester, a member of Congress, by leaving voicemails at Sen. Tester’s Kalispell office.
In one message, Smith said:
“There is nothing I want more than to have you stand toe to toe with me. You stand toe to toe with me. I rip your head off. You die. You stand in a situation where it is physical between you and me. You die.”
Smith also left a message for Sen. Tester that said:
“I would love to (obscenity) kill you. I would love to see your FBI at my door. I would love to see something in the news.”
The government further alleged that Smith’s voicemails, including the frequency and threats of murder, rose to the level that the United States Capitol Police and FBI began investigating. Despite being warned by the FBI not to threaten public officials, Smith refused to stop. Smith acknowledged in the recordings that he threatened Sen. Tester and such threats were “on purpose.” Smith made the threats because he was upset with Sen. Tester’s political decisions.
In total, Smith left about 60 messages for Sen. Tester. After arresting Smith, law enforcement searched his residence and recovered 19 firearms, including four shotguns, five rifles, eight pistols, a home-made silencer and 1,186 rounds of ammunition.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan G. Weldon prosecuted the case. The FBI and U.S. Capital Police conducted the investigation.
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Texas Man Sentenced for String of Nebraska Pharmacy BurglariesRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Christopher Allen Williams, 32, of Fort Worth, Texas, was sentenced on August 23, 2023, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for his involvement in a string of pharmacy burglaries that occurred in Nebraska. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Williams to 63 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, Williams will begin a three-year term of supervised release. Williams was also ordered to pay $24,917 in restitution.
From February 10, 2021 to February 12, 2021, seven Nebraska pharmacies, located in Springfield, Fremont, and Omaha, were burglarized. In response, a Drug Enforcement Administration-led task force was formed, which included the Omaha Police Department and Nebraska State Patrol. Analyzing cell-tower data, videos taken from the burglaries, and historical cell phone location data, the task force was able to identify specific cell phones that were present at the different burglaries. It was determined from the data that the cell phones were traveling between Texas and Nebraska via Interstate 35. With cooperation from law enforcement agencies in Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Iowa, it was determined that two individuals involved in the pharmacy burglaries were Christopher Blanton and Christopher Williams.
“Today’s verdict is a testament to the combined efforts of state, local and federal law enforcement agencies working across five states,” DEA Omaha Division Special Agent in Charge Justin C. King said. “It is the responsibility of the DEA to investigate these cases of theft from pharmacies and we are grateful for the assistance of our partners in finding, arresting, and sentencing two individuals who crossed state lines while putting our community members at risk.”
Blanton was sentenced on May 17, 2023, to 63 months’ imprisonment.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Omaha Police Department, and the Nebraska State Patrol.
Terre Haute Child Molester Sentenced to 30 Years in Federal Prison for Distributing and Possessing Child Sexual Abuse Material Using KikRead the Press Release
TERRE HAUTE- Paul Hoopingarner, 62, of Terre Haute, has been sentenced to 30 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to three counts of distribution of child sexual abuse material, three counts of receiving child sexual abuse material, and one count of possession of child sexual abuse material.
According to court documents, beginning in at least January 2021, and continuing to at least February 2021, Hoopingarner used Kik to distribute and receive images and videos of the sexual abuse of children as young as eight-years-old. Hoopingarner used the screenname “domeeasey69” to communicate and share images and videos of adults engaged in sex acts with children with others who were also sexually interested in children. The material Hoopingarner shared and stored included depictions of the sadistic or masochistic conduct or other depictions of violence as well as depictions of the sexual abuse of toddlers and infants.
Hoopingarner is a repeat and dangerous sex offender against children, following his 1996 conviction for Child Molesting in Morgan County, Indiana.
United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, Zachary A. Myers, Indiana State Police Superintendent, Douglas Carter, and Jeffrey R. Adams, Special Agent in Charge of the USSS Indianapolis Field Office made the announcement.
“Pedophiles use the perceived anonymity of communications apps to share horrific images of child sex abuse and communicate with like-minded criminals,” said United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, Zachary A. Myers. “This defendant engaged in a series of horrific crimes and abuses against children, online and off, and he has now been held accountable for his actions. Thanks to the outstanding work of the Secret Service, Indiana State Police, and our federal prosecutor, the serious federal prison sentence imposed here ensures that he will never again harm a child.”
The United States Secret Service and Indiana State Police Investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Judge, James P. Hanlon. Judge Hanlon ordered that Hoopingarner be supervised by the U.S. Probation office for the rest of his life following his release from federal prison.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorney Tiffany J. Preston, who prosecuted this case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc
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Taunton Woman Sentenced for Cocaine PossessionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Taunton woman has been sentenced in federal court in Boston for possessing cocaine intended for distribution.
Kiyanna Ambers, 42, was sentenced on Aug. 22, 2023 by U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns to 18 months in prison and three years of supervised release. In August 2020, Ambers pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine base and cocaine. Ambers participated in the Court-run RISE program (Repair, Invest, Succeed, Emerge), which she successfully completed.
In June 2020, following a multi-week investigation into Ambers and her associates, a search warrant was executed at Ambers’ residence. During the search, multiple baggies of white powder containing a total of over 340 grams of cocaine and cocaine base, as well as approximately $11,462 were recovered in Ambers’ home.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren A. Graber of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
South Carolina Man and Woman Plead Guilty to Hate Crime and Conspiracy for Bias-Motivated Armed Robberies Targeting Hispanic VictimsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A South Carolina man and woman pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Columbia, South Carolina, to a federal hate crime, conspiracy and other charges.
According to court documents, beginning in January 2021 and continuing through February 2021, Gabriel Brunson, 20, and Sierra Fletcher, 33, both of Columbia, conspired to target people the defendants identified as Mexican or Hispanic at places of public accommodation, including gas stations and grocery stores. After identifying these targets, the defendants would rob their victims at gunpoint. The defendants targeted their victims because of their victims’ race and national origin.
Both defendants admitted their involvement in a Jan. 22, 2021, armed robbery in which the defendants followed their victims from a grocery store and restaurant to their home, and then robbed the victims at gunpoint, stealing cash and a cellphone. Fletcher admitted to being involved in several other robberies on Jan. 30, 2021, including a carjacking and a home invasion robbery of other Hispanic victims. The defendants admitted to using guns during their crimes.
The information to which Brunson and Fletcher pleaded guilty charges each of them with one hate crime for the Jan. 22, 2021, robbery of Hispanic victims. The information further charges Brunson and Fletcher with conspiracy, Hobbs Act robbery and carrying firearms in connection with those crimes.
“These defendants targeted Hispanic victims for violent acts of armed robbery because of their race, national origin and perceived vulnerability,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “No person should have to fear for their lives or property because of their race or national origin. The Justice Department will continue to vigorously prosecute those who commit bias-motivated crimes.”
“Prosecuting civil rights crimes is a priority for our office,” said U.S. Attorney Adair Boroughs for the District of South Carolina. “Federal law recognizes that crimes targeting people of a particular race or national origin is particularly egregious, and we stand ready to enforce the national hate crimes law here in South Carolina.”
“These were not crimes of opportunity. The defendants systematically robbed at gunpoint people whom they identified as Mexican or Hispanic,” said Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “Hate motived violence has no place in our country. The FBI will continue to aggressively investigate these crimes and promote a culture of safety and inclusivity in all the communities we serve.”
“The heinous crimes described in this case have no place in society,” said Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Columbia Field Office Steve Jensen. “The FBI is committed to seeking justice for crime victims while holding perpetrators accountable.”
The plea agreements require both defendants to pay restitution to all victims. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI Columbia Field Office investigated the case, with assistance from the Richland County and Lexington County Sheriff’s Departments.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ben Garner and Brook Andrews for the District of South Carolina and Trial Attorney Andrew Manns of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section are prosecuting the case.
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Schenectady Man Sentenced for Drug and Gun OffensesRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Doron Tucker, age 27, of Schenectady, New York, was sentenced today to 84 months in prison for conspiring to distribute fentanyl, possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl and marijuana, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Frank A. Tarantino III, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division, made the announcement.
In pleading guilty, Tucker admitted to conspiring to sell pills containing fentanyl in Troy and Schenectady between June and October 2020. At first, the defendant supplied his co-conspirator, Darren Favreau, with fentanyl pills, which Favreau personally sold to purchasers. Favreau and Tucker then shared the sale proceeds. After Favreau was arrested in August 2020, Tucker personally sold fentanyl pills to purchasers.
In executing a search warrant at Tucker’s apartment in Schenectady in October 2020, law enforcement seized marijuana, a digital scale, approximately $8,000 in cash, and a loaded .40 caliber handgun. Tucker’s black BMW, which was parked outside the apartment, contained 386 fentanyl pills, more marijuana, and another digital scale. Approximately $1,000 in cash was seized from Tucker himself. Tucker admitted to possessing and intending to sell the fentanyl pills and marijuana, and to possessing the handgun to protect his fentanyl, marijuana, and drug proceeds.
Tucker was also sentenced to serve 3 years of post-release supervision.
Favreau, age 52, of Troy, was previously sentenced to 77 months in prison and a 4-year term of supervised release for his role in the fentanyl-trafficking conspiracy.
DEA investigated the case, which was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cyrus P.W. Rieck.
Schenectady County Man Sentenced to 21 Months in Prison for Failing to Update His Sex Offender RegistrationRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Craig Foley, 57, of Schenectady County, New York was sentenced yesterday to serve 21 months in prison and five years of post-imprisonment supervised release for failing to update his sex offender residential address information with the New York Division of Criminal Justice Services, as required by the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (“SORNA”). United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and David L. McNulty, United States Marshal for the Northern District of New York, made the announcement.
In previously pleading guilty, Foley admitted that he was convicted of Sexual Abuse in the Third Degree in Utica City Court in 2011 and, because of that conviction, was designated a Level III sex offender with a lifetime registration requirement under New York law and became a person required to register as a sex offender under SORNA. He further admitted that he knowingly failed to update his residential address as required after relocating from a residence in Pennsylvania to the State of New York in approximately November 2020.
The United States Marshals Service investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Michael D. Gadarian is the prosecutor. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS). Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.
Roca Man Sentenced to More than 16 Years for Possession with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Timothy Alan Moore, 58, of Roca, Nebraska, was sentenced today in Lincoln, Nebraska, by Senior United States District Judge John M. Gerrard for possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of actual methamphetamine. Moore was sentenced to 200 months in prison and will also serve 5 years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Additionally, Moore will forfeit to the United States $9,930 in U.S. currency that was seized during the investigation.
On June 28, 2021, investigators with the Lincoln/Lancaster County Task Force executed a search warrant for Moore’s residence in Roca. During the search, officers found three baggies of suspected methamphetamine weighing 318.5 grams, 8.7 grams, and 2.5 grams. Officers also found a handgun with a magazine containing 8 rounds of ammunition and a total of $9,930 in U.S. currency.
A lab determined that the baggie weighing 318.5 grams contained about 310.91 grams of methamphetamine, of which at least 290 grams were pure methamphetamine. The other baggies were confirmed by the lab to contain methamphetamine. The currency seized was the proceeds of drug sales or used to facilitate Moore’s sale of methamphetamine.
This case was investigated by the Lincoln Police Department and the Lincoln/Lancaster County Narcotics Task Force.
Real Estate Investor Resentenced to Prison for Bid Rigging After Retaliating Against WitnessesRead the Press Release
A real estate investor was resentenced yesterday in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky to 18 months in prison after his probation was revoked for retaliating against witnesses. He is also required to pay a criminal fine of $171,000 and restitution of $79,000.
Mackie E. Shelton of Scottsville, Kentucky, pleaded guilty to bid rigging a farmland auction on Nov. 29, 2022, in violation of the Sherman Act. According to court documents, Shelton and a co-defendant were real-estate investors who demanded and accepted payoffs to rig the outcome of an April 21, 2018, auction for hundreds of acres of farmland and timber in Allen County, Kentucky. The crime resulted in a financial loss to the Kentucky family selling the property. As a result of his conviction, Shelton lost his professional auctioneer and real-estate licenses, and initially received a sentence of three years of probation with 26 consecutive weekends in jail. While on probation, he retaliated against witnesses who cooperated with law enforcement in the case, resulting in the resentencing. His 18-month prison sentence will be followed by three years of supervised release. He was required to report for prison in two days.
“As part of our commitment to investigating and prosecuting antitrust crimes throughout America’s heartland, we will never hesitate to protect witnesses who cooperate with law enforcement,” said Acting Director of Criminal Enforcement Emma Burnham of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “This sentence is a warning that intimidating or retaliating against witnesses will not be tolerated.”
“Retaliating against a witness strikes at the very heart of our country’s judicial system,” said Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri of the FBI Miami Field Office. “The FBI will aggressively investigate allegations of witness retaliation as our system of justice demands that actions such as these not be tolerated.”
The FBI’s International Corruption Unit investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Jariel A. Rendell and Alison M. Friberg of the Antitrust Division’s Washington Criminal I Section prosecuted the case, with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Kentucky.
Anyone with information about bid rigging and other antitrust crimes targeting America’s farmers and rural communities should contact the Antitrust Division’s Complaint Center at 888-647-3258, or visit www.justice.gov/atr/report-violations.
Purvis Man Sentenced to Prison for Assisting in the Preparation of False Tax ReturnRead the Press Release
Hattiesburg, Miss. -- A Purvis man was sentenced to 34 months in federal prison for assisting in the preparation of a materially false tax return, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Acting Special Agent in Charge Demetrius Hardeman of IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Atlanta Field Office.
Terance Dewune Price, 41, was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Hattiesburg. In addition to his term of imprisonment, Price was ordered to pay a $15,000 fine and $58,582 in restitution to the IRS.
According to court documents, Price was identified in an investigation by the IRS-CI as a tax preparer who assisted in the preparation and presentation to the IRS of a false U.S. Individual Income Tax Return, Form 1040, for an individual A. E. for the calendar year 2017. The investigation revealed that the return was false and fraudulent as to a material matter in that the information provided on Line 53, a “Residential Energy Credit”, and information on Line 64, for “Federal Income Tax Withheld from Form 1099,” was false, and the defendant knew it was false.
“Providing clients assistance in complying with current tax laws when submitting federal returns is a responsibility Terance Price unlawfully failed to do,” said Demetrius Hardeman, Acting Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Atlanta Field Office. “Dishonest tax preparers who use their knowledge of the tax system to work around it should look at Price’s sentencing as a warning that IRS Criminal Investigation and our law enforcement partners will hold them accountable for cheating the government.”
Price pled guilty on April 17, 2023 to assisting in the preparation of a materially false tax return.
The case was investigated by IRS Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea Jones prosecuted the case.
Plainville Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl Trafficking ChargeRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that FELIX OSORIO, JR., 27, of Plainville, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Osorio was arrested on June 7, 2022, after a court-authorized search of his residence on Basswood Street in Plainville revealed packaged fentanyl and loose fentanyl totaling more than 500 grams, a quarter-kilogram hydraulic press, and other items used in the processing and packaging of narcotics for street sale.
Judge Dooley scheduled sentencing for November 20, at which time Osorio faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. Osorio is released on a $100,000 bond pending sentencing.
This matter has been investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Tactical Diversion Squad, with assistance from the New Britain Police Department. The Tactical Diversion Squad included officers from the Bristol, East Windsor, Hamden, New Britain, West Haven, Newington, Manchester, Glastonbury, and Watertown Police Departments.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tara E. Levens and John T. Pierpont, Jr.
Pittsburgh Resident Sentenced to Two Years’ Probation and a Restitution Amount of $109,413.90 for Conviction of Theft of Government PropertyRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA - A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to two years’ probation and a restitution amount of $109,413.90 on her conviction of theft of government property, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
United States District Judge David Stewart Cercone imposed the sentence on Jacqueline Waters (age 59), of Pittsburgh, PA. The conditions of probation included that Waters serve the first six months in a community confinement center, followed by another six months of home confinement.
According to information presented to the court, from June 2004 through July 2018, Waters concealed a common law marriage that would have affected her continued eligibility for Social Security Income benefits.
Prior to imposing sentence, Judge Cercone stated that given Waters various health conditions, the nature of the offense, and her criminal history, a two-year term of probation with community confinement and home detention was sufficient but not greater than necessary.
United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan and Assistant United States Attorney Carolyn J. Bloch prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Olshan commended the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Waters.
Pearland resident gets 40 years for soliciting sexually explicit images and videos of minorsRead the Press Release
HOUSTON - A 27-year-old suburban Houston man has been ordered to federal prison after his convictions of production, receipt and possession of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Andrew Joel Galvan pleaded guilty Sept. 21, 2022, to two counts of sexual exploitation of a minor and one count each of receipt and possession of child pornography.
Today, U.S. District Judge Jeffrey V. Brown sentenced him to 360 months on each of the sexual exploitation of a minor counts to run concurrently and a total of 120 months for the receipt and possession of child pornography combined. The sexual exploitation counts will run consecutively to other term for a total 480-month-term of imprisonment. At the hearing, the court heard how Galvan had reached out to 10 different prepubescent females requesting them to send naked photos and videos of themselves to him. In imposing the sentence, Judge Brown commented on how Galvan’s conduct is very different than others who just collect child pornography.
Galvan was furthered ordered to serve 10 years on supervised release following the completion of his prison term. During that time, he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to the internet. He will also be required to register as a sex offender.
In April 2020, the mother of an 8-year-old child contacted law enforcement after discovering sexually explicit chats between her daughter and an unknown individual on Instagram. Authorities later identified that person as Galvan.
A search of the minor’s cell phone revealed several private chats in which Galvan was soliciting naked photos and videos of the minor. He would direct the minor on how to position herself and requested multiple images. She ultimately did as he requested.
Law enforcement then obtained a search warrant for Galvan’s Instagram account which was only two months old. They found numerous conversations between Galvan and several prepubescent children in which Galvan would solicit child pornography and direct these minors on how to take the images and videos.
Galvan admitted he would portray himself as a 13, 14 or 15-year-old boy and targeted girls between the ages of 8 and 13. He also admitted to sending these children pictures of his private parts.
Authorities ultimately discovered 10 victims, all under the age of 12, from whom Galvan solicited child pornography.
Law enforcement also conducted a forensic exam on Galvan’s electronic devices found 7,500 images and 650 videos of young children engaged in sexually explicit conduct. The images and videos include children under the age of 12, bondage, bestiality and acts of violence such as the penetration of the victims.
He will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Homeland Security Investigations – Galveston, Pearland Police Department and the Houston Metro Internet Crimes Against Children task force conducted the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kimberly Ann Leo and Luis Batarse prosecuted the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources link on that page.
Owner of insurance company in Rosebud County admits defrauding customersRead the Press Release
BILLINGS — A Forsyth woman accused of defrauding customers through her business, Rosebud County Insurance Inc., by spending client payments on personal expenses admitted fraud charges today, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
Kileen Moria Hagadone, 57, pleaded guilty to wire fraud and to aggravated identity theft. Hagadone faces a maximum of 20 years in prison, $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release on the wire fraud crime and a mandatory minimum of two years in prison, consecutive to any other punishment, a $250,000 fine and one year of supervised release on the aggravated identity theft crime.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan presided. A sentencing date will be set before U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Hagadone was released pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents that Hagadone owned and operated Rosebud County Insurance Inc., an insurance brokerage business that acted as an intermediary between customers and national insurance companies. Hagadone was supposed to help negotiate insurance contracts for her customers and then receive and transmit payments from the customers to the companies for the negotiated policies. Hagadone received these payments from customers but failed to send the funds to the insurance companies. Instead, Hagadone misappropriated the money for personal expenses. The scheme ran from about 2020 until April 2023.
The government further alleged that one of the victims was the Chief Dull Knife College of Lame Deer, which engaged Hagadone to find an insurance policy for the college. Hagadone did so, and the negotiated premium for the policy in November 2021 was $91,883. The college paid Hagadone the full amount at that time. Instead of sending the premium to the insurance company, Hagadone fraudulently contracted to finance the college’s insurance premium with a premium financing company and forged the signature of a college representative on the contract. The agreement enabled Hagadone to keep most of the payment without immediately cancelling the insurance policy. Eventually, Hagadone embezzled too much money from her business trust account and could not pay the financing payments she fraudulently created. As a result, by April 2022, the college’s insurance had been terminated. Hagadone concealed this from the college and falsely represented that the college was insured when it was not.
In addition, the government alleged that in November 2022, Hagadone falsely told the college that the insurance policy needed to be renewed, even though it had been cancelled and did not exist. Hagadone then created a false insurance contract for a policy that did not exist and induced the college to pay $98,893 for the fictious policy. Hagadone embezzled the entire payment, and the college was uninsured from April 2022 until April 2023. Hagadone cheated other customers in a similar way, although the amounts paid were typically smaller.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Colin M. Rubich is prosecuting the case. The Montana State Auditor, Commissioner of Securities and Insurance, FBI and Rosebud County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation.
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Operators of physical therapy chain charged in fraud schemeRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – Two individuals involved in a state-wide chain of physical therapy clinics have been charged with defrauding a federal worker’s compensation program, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Authorities took Ricardo Cano, 46, McAllen, and Rosita Cano Meeks, 56, Edinburg, into custody today. They are expected to make their initial appearances before U.S. Magistrate Judge J. Scott Hacker at 1 p.m.
The 18-count indictment charges Cano and Meeks with conspiracy to commit health care fraud and 10 counts of health care fraud. Cano is also charged with seven counts of money laundering.
The indictment alleges between 2014 and 2019, the clinics operated under the name Texas Federal Wellness Center. During that time, they allegedly billed more than $80 million to the Department of Labor – (DOL) Office of Worker’s Compensation Program for physical therapy services provided to injured federal employees.
According to the indictment, Cano and Meeks allegedly caused the clinics to submit inflated claims for therapy, fictional medical visits, excessive therapy and fraudulent durable medical equipment. The charges allege Cano and Meeks directed clinic employees to falsify patient checkout times on medical records to conceal the inflated therapy claims. Meeks was in charge of, and oversaw, the fraudulent billing, according to the indictment.
The charges also allege Cano is not a physician. He was only a physician’s assistant and allegedly instructed employees to refer to him as Dr. Cano.
According to the indictment, Cano entered into an arrangement with a physician to falsely give the appearance a licensed doctor oversaw, managed and controlled the clinics, as Texas law requires. The charges allege Cano is, in fact, the true owner of the enterprise which he managed and controlled.
As part of the scheme, Cano allegedly coordinated with that physician to obstruct a Texas Medical Board inquiry into a complaint about Cano’s role in operating the clinics and submitting false corporate records. The indictment also alleges Cano transferred approximately $43 million from the Texas Federal Wellness Center clinics to various bank accounts in Cano’s name or in the name of clinics Cano controlled.
If convicted, they each face up to 10 years in prison for conspiracy to commit health care fraud and substantive counts of health care fraud. Cano also faces up to 10 years for each conviction of money laundering.
The U.S. Postal Service-Office of Inspector General (OIG), FBI, Department of Homeland Security-OIG and DOL-OIG conducted the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Swartz is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Omaha Man Sentenced for Role in Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Willis Parker, 32, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on August 24, 2023, in federal court in Omaha for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl, and marijuana. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Parker to 120 months in prison. There is no parole in the federal system. After Parker’s release from prison, he will begin a five-year term of supervised release.
From about July of 2016 to November of 2020, Parker was part of a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl, and marijuana. The conspiracy involved over 500 grams of methamphetamine and over 100 kilograms of marijuana. Parker was involved in the distribution of methamphetamine and marijuana in the Omaha area.
On November 23, 2020, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Parker’s Omaha residence. Officers located approximately 80 pills containing methamphetamine, 0.205 kilograms of marijuana, and a digital scale. Parker possessed the methamphetamine and marijuana during and in furtherance of the conspiracy. Officers also located seven destructive devices similar to a bomb. Parker was previously charged federally and sentenced to 37 months in prison for possessing the destructive devices.
Co-defendants Ty-Sean Nunn, George Buck, Dominique Thomas, Anthony Hill-Gaines, and Jerrell Jackson have all pleaded guilty to charges related to the drug conspiracy. Thomas was sentenced on June 7, 2023, to 90 months in prison. Buck was sentenced on July 26, 2023, to 120 months in prison. Nunn was sentenced on August 17, 2023, to 168 months in prison. Hill-Gaines was sentenced on August 17, 2023, to 90 months in prison. Jackson is pending sentencing. Only co-defendant Terrance Traynham is pending trial. Traynham was previously sentenced to 106 months in federal prison for conduct related to this conspiracy.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Omaha Police Department, and the Bellevue Police Department.
Omaha Man Sentenced for Possessing Destructive Device in Public HousingRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Willie Harbour, 61, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha for being a felon in possession of a destructive device. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Harbour to 57 months’ imprisonment. Upon release from prison, Harbour will be required to complete a 3-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
In the early morning hours of August 2, 2022, Harbour placed an explosive device near an entry door of an apartment at the Benson Towers, an Omaha Housing Authority property. The explosive device detonated and caused property damage, including collapsing part of an overhead sprinkler system and lights, and damaging a metal door frame such that it trapped the resident inside. Investigators recovered surveillance video from the Benson Towers which showed Harbour light and place the explosive device. After he was arrested, Harbour admitted to investigators that he placed the explosive device at the Benson Towers.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the City of Omaha Fire Department.
Omaha Man Convicted of Attempted Coercion and Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Wesley T. Vavra, 51, of Omaha, Nebraska, was found guilty on August 23, 2023, by a jury in federal court in Omaha. Vavra was convicted of attempted coercion and enticement of a minor. Sentencing is set for November 21, 2023, at 1:30 p.m. before Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. Vavra faces a minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison.
Between May 2022 and July 16, 2022, Vavra communicated on the Whisper application and through text messages with someone Vavra thought was interested in “open family play dates”. The other Whisper user was a law enforcement officer working in an undercover (“UC”) capacity pretending to be a father with an 8-year-old child. Vavra arranged to meet the UC on July 18, 2022, to engage in sexual acts with the supposed father’s 8-year-old child. Vavra was arrested upon arrival at the meetup location in Omaha. Vavra’s cell phone was seized. Analysis of Vavra’s phone showed that in addition to communicating with the UC, Vavra was also communicating with someone he thought was a 13-year-old female during this same timeframe. The 13-year-old female was also a law enforcement officer working in an undercover capacity.
This case was investigated by the Omaha FBI's Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force and the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office.
Ohio Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Brandon Ellis Gates, 37, of Akron, Ohio, was sentenced today to nine years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute a mixture containing methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on July 12, 2022, a law enforcement officer conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle driven by Gates on Interstate 77 in Jackson County. Gates admitted to possessing approximately four pounds of methamphetamine found during the officer’s search of the vehicle. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Mid-Atlantic Laboratory confirmed the controlled substance was crystal methamphetamine, also known as “ice,” and was 93 percent pure.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the United States Marshals Service and the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office.
Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Julie M. White and J.C. MacCallum prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-cr-146.
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Nursing Home Aide and Daughter Convicted of Identity Theft FraudRead the Press Release
MIAMI – Yesterday, a South Florida jury found Aisladys Diaz, 45, and her daughter Ailensy Buron Diaz, 29, both of Miami, Florida, guilty of conspiracy to commit access device fraud, use of an unauthorized access device, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and wire fraud.
Aisladys Diaz was a private duty health aide who worked with a home health aide agency. The agency provided home health aides to residents at senior communities in Miami-Dade County. From May to June 2020, Aisladys Diaz stole the personal identifiable information of two elderly residents under her care. Aisladys Diaz then shared the information with her daughter, Ailensy Buron Diaz, Berto Omar Rodriguez Fonseca, a finance manager at a car dealership in Miami Lakes, and others who used the information to purchase numerous new and used vehicles at car dealerships, at a cost totaling over $500,000, and apply for credit cards, an Economic Disaster Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL), and a Small Business Administration (SBA) loan under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri of the FBI, Miami Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge Scott H. Moffit of the U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA), Cybercrime Investigations Division, made the announcement.
Berto Omar Rodriguez Fonseca is scheduled for a change of plea hearing on August 29, 2023. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
FBI Miami and TIGTA’s Cybercrime Investigations Division investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lois Foster-Steers prosecuted it. Assistant U.S. Attorney William Zloch is handling asset forfeiture.
Anyone with information about allegations of elder fraud can report it by calling the National Elder Fraud Hotline at 1-833-FRAUD-11 or 833–372–8311.
More information about the Department’s efforts to help American seniors is available at its Elder Justice Initiative at https://www.justice.gov/elderjustice. For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit its website at https://www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. Elder fraud complaints may be filed with the FTC at www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov or at 877-FTC-HELP. The Department of Justice provides a variety of resources relating to elder fraud victimization through its Office for Victims of Crime, which can be reached at https://www.ovc.gov.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 22-cr-20354.
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Nine KC Gang Leaders, Members Indicted in Racketeering, Murder ConspiraciesRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Three leaders and six members of a confederation of street gangs in the Kansas City metropolitan area have been indicted by a federal grand jury for their roles in an ongoing criminal enterprise that involved armed violence, including a murder conspiracy and drive-by shootings, and illegal drug trafficking.
Steven K. Lee, also known as “Bizzle” and “SB,” 38, Charles V. Williams, also known as “Cheese” and “Chucky D,” 35, Travis L. Cook, also known as “Trav,” 30, Richard B. Johnson, also known as “Scritch” and “Rich,” 24, Deion D. Alford, also known as “Wommy,” 23, Ewon R. Kelley, also known as “Won,” 33, Myreku L. Frazier, also known as “Rekus,” 30, Anthony D. Hunter, also known as “Dee,” 25, and Jacequin Boswell, also known as “Nunu” and “Noodles,” 30, were charged in a six-count indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo., on Aug. 17, 2023. That indictment was unsealed and made public today upon the arrests and initial court appearances of three of the defendants.
Lee, Williams, Cook, Kelley, and Hunter were all arrested in an operation on Thursday, August 24, 2023. Johnson and Alford are already in custody in connection with other charges. The operation involved more than 140 law enforcement officers from multiple local and federal agencies and searches of 16 residences associated with gang members. During the searches and arrests, law enforcement seized approximately 27 firearms, two machineguns, 1,069 rounds of ammunition, cocaine, heroin, fentanyl, marijuana, and bulk cash associated with the gangs. Additional seizures are still in the process of being logged into evidence.
According to the indictment, seven of the defendants—Lee, Johnson, Alford, Kelley, Frazier, Hunter, and Boswell—were members of an organized criminal enterprise, a gang called the Park Side Greasies, which is centered around the intersection of 33rd Street and Park Avenue in Kansas City, Mo. Members of Park Side Greasies allegedly engaged in acts of violence, including murder, conspiracy to murder, armed assault and robbery, and drug trafficking.
According to the indictment, Lee is the leader of Park Side Greasies. Williams leads Click Clack Gang and Cook leads South Benton Gang. Members of the three gangs maintain regular communication and frequently cooperate for the purpose of illegal drug trafficking and violent crimes, creating a confederation of gangs known as South Park Click. The gang alliance was memorialized in a 2013 song entitled “For Da 30’s,” the indictment says, which includes the verse “South Park Click. That’s South Benton, Park, and Click Clack. If somebody got shot, close your mouth – we probably did that. McDonald’s or Wendy’s, we don’t give a (expletive). You won’t move until the paramedics pick you up.”
Leaders, members, and associates of the criminal enterprise promoted a climate of fear in the community through repeated waves of gunfire, assaults, and destruction of property, among other crimes of violence and intimidation, the indictment says. They used and threatened to use physical violence to suppress challenges from rival criminals and others who threatened the enterprise. They enhanced their reputation for violence by killing, attempting to kill, and otherwise violently confronting people who challenged them. They enriched themselves, and funded the operations of the criminal enterprise, with the proceeds of illegal drug trafficking, robbery, and burglary.
The indictment charges all nine of the defendants in one count of participating in a racketeering conspiracy since at least Jan. 1, 2008. They allegedly engaged in a pattern of racketeering activity, including multiple acts and threats of murder, robbery, and drug trafficking as part of the criminal enterprise.
The indictment charges all nine of the defendants in one count of participating in a drug-trafficking conspiracy since at least Jan. 1, 2008. They allegedly conspired to distribute cocaine, crack cocaine, methamphetamine, fentanyl, heroin, PCP, alprazolam, oxycodone, and marijuana.
The indictment charges Lee, Johnson, Alford, Kelley, Hunter, and Boswell in one count of participating in a murder conspiracy since at least Dec. 8, 2017, in aid of the racketeering enterprise. Lee allegedly issued a contract for the murder of a rival gang member. Boswell located and attempted to shoot the victim in the area of 34th Street in Kansas City, Mo., but the victim successfully fled. Hunter shot at the victim on Dec. 30, 2018, reporting to Lee that they had “exchanged metal.” Kelley located the victim on Jan. 1, 2019, but was unable to execute the contract because too many people were around.
On Jan. 28, 2021, Johnson allegedly fired on multiple vehicles, believing them to be occupied by rivals, causing an injury to an uninvolved citizen and damaging property. Johnson is charged with one count of aiding and abetting another person to attempt to murder and to assault another person with a dangerous weapon, a Glock 9mm handgun. Johnson is also charged with one count of using a firearm during a crime of violence and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
The charges contained in this indictment 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 Byron H. Black and Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie C. Bradshaw. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.
KC Metro Strike Force
This prosecution was brought as a part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (“OCDETF”) Co-located Strike Forces Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations against a continuum of priority targets and their affiliate illicit financial networks. These prosecutor-led co-located Strike Forces capitalize on the synergy created through the long-term relationships that can be forged by agents, analysts, and prosecutors who remain together over time, and they epitomize the model that has proven most effective in combating organized crime. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations, and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States.
New Orleans Steamboat Company and Employee Plead Guilty and Sentenced for Discharging Ballast Material into the Industrial CanalRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that the NEW ORLEANS STEAMBOAT COMPANY (“NOSC”), plead guilty to a violation of the Clean Water Act (“CWA”), Title 33, United States Code, Section 1319 (c)(2)(A), in connection with a discharge of excess ballast material into the Industrial Canal in New Orleans in 2019. The maximum penalty for this violation is five years’ probation, up to a $50,000 fine or the greater of twice the gross gain to the defendant or twice the gross loss to any person under Title 18, United States Code, Section 3571 and a mandatory $400 special assessment fee.
According to court documents, NOSC admitted to discharging, without the knowledge of the Board of Directors, a quantity of a substance into a navigable water of the United States. The discharge took place on or around February 12, 2019, in the Inner Harbor Navigational Canal (“IHNC”), more commonly known as the Industrial Canal.
Additionally, MATT DOW (“DOW”), an NOSC employee, plead guilty to a misdemeanor violation of the CWA, Title 33, United States Code, Section 1319 (c)(2)(A), punishable by up to one year in jail, up to a $100,000 fine, up to one year of supervised release and a $25 mandatory special assessment fee.
U.S. District Judge Jay C. Zainey conducted a sentencing hearing with the consent of the parties after the guilty pleas were entered. Following the hearing, Judge Zainey sentenced NOSC to a $50,000 fine, the maximum penalty for the violation, one year probation and a $400 special assessment fee. DOW was sentenced to one year probation, forty hours of community service and a $25 mandatory special assessment fee.
The case was investigated by the Environmental Protection Agency’s Criminal Investigation Division, and the Department of Transportation’s Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carter K.D. Guice, Jr. of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
New Orleans Man Pleads Guilty to Heroin Trafficking ChargesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – CHRISTOPHER JOHNSON, age 39, a New Orleans resident, pleaded guilty on August 23, 2023, before U.S. District Judge Mary Ann Vial Lemmon to a two-count superseding bill of information that charged him with conspiracy to distribute 1 kilogram or more of heroin, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(A), and 846, and possession with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(A), announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.
According to court documents, JOHNSON regularly received half-kilogram quantities of heroin through the mail from his source of supply in California. JOHNSON then distributed the heroin in multiple ounce quantities to other co-conspirators. On June 22, 2021, agents seized 485 grams of heroin that was mailed to JOHNSON and a co-conspirator.
For the conspiracy charge, JOHNSON faces a statutory mandatory minimum sentence of ten years, up to life imprisonment, a fine of up to $10,000,000, at least five years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment,a fine of up to $10,000,000, at least five years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. For the possession with intent to distribute heroin charge, JOHNSON faces a statutory mandatory minimum sentence of five years, up to forty years imprisonment, a fine of up to $5,000.000, at least four years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (New Orleans Gang Task Force), with the assistance of the New Orleans Police Department, Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, and Gretna Major Crimes Task Force, led the investigation. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney J. Benjamin Myers of the Narcotics Unit.
New Orleans Couple Indicted on Drug Conspiracy and Distribution Charges and Federal Gun ViolationsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LA – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that on August 18, 2023, JAVAN ROBINSON a/k/a “Diddy,” age 59, and MICHELE COLEMAN, age 57, both of New Orleans, Louisiana, were charged in a seven-count indictment for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C), and 846, distribution of cocaine in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(C), possession with intent to distribute cocaine in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), and 841(b)(1)(C), possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A)(i), and possession of firearms by a convicted felon in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1), 924(a)(2), and 924(e)(1).
After receiving information that both defendants were conducting narcotics transactions within Orleans Parish, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents and members of the New Orleans Gang Task Force (NOGTF) conducted surveillance, set up pole cameras, conducted controlled purchases, and executed search warrants on two residences associated with both defendants. Agents located multiple firearms, cocaine, crack cocaine, marijuana, paraphernalia, and a large amount of money between both residences.
If convicted of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine, and possession with intent to distribute cocaine, ROBINSON and COLEMAN each face a maximum term of twenty (20) years imprisonment, a fine of up to $1,000,000.00, and a minimum of three (3) years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment. If convicted of the three distribution of cocaine charges, ROBINSON faces a maximum term of twenty (20) years imprisonment, a fine of up to $1,000,000.00, and a minimum of three (3) years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment. If convicted of possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, ROBINSON and COLEMAN each face a minimum term of five (5) years up to a maximum term of life imprisonment to run consecutive to any other term of imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to three (3) years of supervised release. If convicted of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, ROBINSON faces a minimum term of fifteen (15) years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to three (3) years of supervised release. As to each of the charged counts, ROBINSON and COLEMAN, individually, face payment of a $100.00 mandatory special assessment fee.
U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendants must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the New Orleans Police Department, and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lynn E. Schiffman of the Narcotics Unit.