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Tuesday 11 July 2023
Jury Finds District Man Guilty of All Charges for Repeated Acts of Sexual Abuse of a ChildRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Charles Johnson, 29, of Washington, D.C., was convicted today of multiple counts of first degree child sexual abuse with aggravating circumstances, multiple counts of first degree sexual abuse with aggravating circumstances, second degree child sexual abuse with aggravating circumstances, attempted first degree child sexual abuse with aggravating circumstances, and assault. The verdict, announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Interim Chief Ashan Benedict, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), follows a 5-day trial in Superior Court in the District of Columbia. The Honorable Michael O’Keefe scheduled a sentencing hearing for October 6, 2023.
According to evidence and testimony presented at trial, on multiple occasions between November 2019 and September 2021, Johnson sexually abused a child who was nine and ten years old at the time of the assaults. Johnson subjected the child to sexual acts and repeatedly forced her to perform sexual acts on him. Johnson, who is an officer with the Metropolitan Police Department, resided in the home with the victim and took advantage of occasions when he was left in a position of supervision and care over her.
Johnson faces the potential of life imprisonment without the opportunity of release. If he were to be released, Johnson would be required to register as a sex offender for the remainder of his life.
In announcing the verdict, U.S. Attorney Graves and Interim Chief Benedict commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialists Tiffany Jones and Reshawn Johnson, Victim/Witness Advocate Lezlie Richardson, Victim/Witness Coordinators Donna Proctor, Nikiya Burnette, Katina Adams-Washington, and Tonya Jones, and Litigation Technology Specialist Leif Hickling and Charlie Bruce. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marco Crocetti and Kathleen Houck, and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel Bohlen, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
Hitchcock resident gets over 22 years for multiple charges to include enticing minor via FacebookRead the Press Release
GALVESTON, Texas – A 55-year-old Hitchcock resident has been ordered to federal prison following his convictions for sexual exploitation of child, receipt and possession of child pornography and the transfer of obscene material to a minor, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Luke Allen Gregory pleaded guilty July 7, 2022.
U.S. District Judge Jeffery V. Brown has now ordered him to serve 270, 120, and 120 months for the production, possession and receipt of child pornography convictions, respectively, as well as another 120 months for the transfer of obscene material. They will run concurrently for a total 270-month-term of imprisonment.
At the hearing, the court heard through how Gregory had manipulated the minor victim in this case by threatening to kill himself and his daughter when she had tried to end the relationship. He had also sent a photo with a gun to his head.
Gregory will serve the rest of his life on supervised release following completion of his prison term. During that time, he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. He will also be ordered to register as a sex offender.
“Gregory manipulated a minor for the purpose of his deviant sexual desire,” said Hamdani. “To make it even worse, that young female was a relative. If he could do that, he is capable of so much more. Thankfully, the sentence imposed today will eliminate that possibility of danger to our kids. Gregory’s actions also serve as a reminder to us as parents to be diligent in monitoring our children’s social media activity.”
Gregory came to the attention of law enforcement in October 2019. Facebook reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that someone was utilizing their social media platform to entice a minor to produce and distribute files depicting child pornography. The investigation revealed Gregory owned that account. On Oct. 10, 2019, law enforcement executed a federal search warrant at Gregory’s residence in Hitchcock.
Law enforcement seized his electronic devices to include his cellphone. Forensic analysis resulted in the discovery of multiple images of the minor in which her genitals were displayed in a lewd and lascivious manner.
Gregory admitted he had been texting and engaging in sexual conversations with a minor female, whom he knew had just turned 16 years of age and was a relative. Gregory stated that the two of them had exchanged nude images of each other.
The victim also told this to law enforcement. She also stated Gregory had gotten her name tattooed on his right thigh.
Gregory 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. Attorney Kimberly Ann Leo is prosecuting 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.
Hebbronville man sentenced for trying to smuggle cocaine past checkpointRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas - A 64-year-old man has been ordered to prison for possession with intent to distribute approximately 16 kilograms of cocaine, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Ascencion Garza Jr. pleaded guilty Jan. 10.
U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos has now ordered Garza to serve 144 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard considered additional argument and discussion regarding Garza’s multiple prior federal drug‑trafficking convictions. In handing down the sentence, the court noted the quantity of drugs involved and that Garza had not been deterred from committing the instant offense by prior sentences.
On Sept. 7, 2022, Garza drove his truck into the primary inspection lane of a Border patrol (BP) checkpoint located near Falfurrias. There, authorities searched his vehicle and discovered 15 bricks of cocaine in concealed compartments within the rear quarter-panels.
The drugs weighed approximately 16 kilograms and have an estimated street value of more than $1.1 million.
Garza will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Homeland Security Investigations and Customs and Border Protection conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tyler Foster prosecuted the case.
Greenbelt Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug and Firearms Charges, Including Illegal Possession of a MachinegunRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – Donald Fortune, Jr., age 19, of Greenbelt, Maryland, pleaded guilty yesterday to federal charges for illegal possession of a machinegun, possession with intent to distribute oxycodone and fentanyl, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; and Chief Malik Aziz of the Prince George’s County Police Department (“PGPD”).
According to his guilty plea, law enforcement began investigating Fortune in April 2022 for suspected firearms and drug trafficking offenses. As part of the investigation, PGPD detectives monitored public posts from Fortune’s social media account where he displayed firearms and advertised drugs for sale. Based on their investigation, including the social media posts, PGPD detectives obtained a search warrant for Fortune’s apartment.
On June 2, 2022, law enforcement was conducting surveillance outside Fortune’s apartment building in preparation for executing the warrant. In the late morning, Fortune was seen exiting the building and approaching a silver Honda Civic. Fortune removed a large bag of blue pills, suspected to be oxycodone, from a Gucci bag that he was wearing. Fortune engaged in a suspected hand-to-hand drug transaction with the driver of the Civic. Fortune then placed the pills back in the Gucci satchel and returned to his apartment.
A short time later, Fortune left the apartment building accompanied by a woman. He was wearing the Gucci satchel across his chest and had his right hand in the satchel as he walked, consistent with having a firearm inside the satchel. Fortune and the woman got into a rideshare and the vehicle drove away. PGPD police conducted a traffic stop a short time later and observed Fortune reach down toward his feet. Officers asked Fortune, who was still wearing the Gucci satchel, to step out of the vehicle and officers observed a .40-caliber semi-automatic pistol on the floorboard where Fortune had been seated. The gun was loaded with one round in the chamber and 21 rounds in an extended magazine and was equipped with a full auto selector switch on the rear of the handgun slide, making it a machinegun under federal law. A search of the Gucci satchel recovered a large bag containing 232 30mg blue pills, later found to be counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl. Officers also recovered $790 in cash from Fortune. Fortune was arrested and charged in Prince George’s County. He was held for 12 days before being released on June 14, 2022, pending trial.
Fortune admitted that he continued to sell drugs and possess firearms after his release, including coordinating a drug deal around a court appearance. Fortune switched to using a second social media account in mid-July 2022, believed by investigators to be an effort to evade law enforcement. Investigators began monitoring this account, where Fortune continued to advertise pills for sale and display firearms, despite being on pretrial release. For example, on July 26, 2022, investigators observed a public-facing live video that was streaming from Fortune’s second social media account, which showed Fortune smoking a suspected marijuana cigarette, flashing two prescription bottles, and holding an AR-style pistol. Fortune then turned the camera around to show a table display of at least six firearms, including two AR-style pistols, one handgun with an extended magazine, and one handgun with a suspected full-automatic switch, with cash fanned out in front of the firearms.
As detailed in the plea agreement, that evening, PGPD officers were on patrol in the 6400 block of Pennsylvania Avenue in District Heights, Maryland and saw Fortune smoking marijuana on the sidewalk in front of a residence. As the officer was parking his car in the parking lot, he saw Fortune walk behind a pick-up truck and throw an item under the truck, then walk away from the area. Believing Fortuned had discarded a firearm or contraband, the officer got out of his unmarked police cruiser to speak with Fortune, who continued to walk away. As the officer got closer, Fortune began running and was apprehended a short distance away. Another officer arrived and stayed by the location where Fortune had been seen throwing something. A search of the area recovered a privately manufactured 5.56 caliber semi-automatic AR-15 style pistol with no serial number, also known as a “ghost gun.” The gun was loaded with 30 rounds of ammunition in the magazine and one in the chamber. Officers searched Fortune and recovered two pill bottles containing 16 real or counterfeit oxycodone pills. The pills were tested and eight were found to contain approximately 5mg of oxycodone each and the rest were found to be counterfeit oxycodone pills that contained fentanyl.
Fortune and the government have agreed that, if the Court accepts the plea agreement, Fortune will be sentenced to between seven years and 10 years in federal prison. U.S. District Judge Theodore D. Chuang has scheduled sentencing for November 3, 2023, at 9:30 a.m.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (“PSN”), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI’s Cross Border Task Force and the Prince George’s County Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick D. Kibbe, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua A. Rosenthal, who are prosecuting the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-neighborhoods-psn and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Former Security Engineer for International Technology Company Arrested for Defrauding Decentralized Cryptocurrency ExchangeRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Chad Plantz, the Special Agent in Charge of the San Diego Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”), and Tyler Hatcher, the Special Agent in Charge of the Los Angeles Field Office of the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation (“IRS-CI”), announced the unsealing of an Indictment charging SHAKEEB AHMED with wire fraud and money laundering in connection with his attack on a decentralized cryptocurrency exchange (the “Crypto Exchange”). AHMED was arrested this morning in New York, New York, and will be presented this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Lehrburger.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “This is the second case we are announcing this week to shed light on fraud in the cryptocurrency and digital asset ecosystem. As alleged in the indictment, Shakeeb Ahmed, who was a senior security engineer at an international technology company, used his expertise to defraud the exchange and its users and steal approximately $9 million in cryptocurrency. We also allege that he then laundered the stolen funds through a series of complex transfers on the blockchain where he swapped cryptocurrencies, hopped across different crypto blockchains, and used overseas crypto exchanges. But none of those actions covered the defendant’s tracks or fooled law enforcement, and they certainly didn’t stop my Office or our law enforcement partners from following the money.”
HSI Special Agent in Charge Chad Plantz said: “Financial crime strikes at the core of our national and economic banking security. With an attack of this magnitude, it’s crucial we ensure continued consumer confidence in our financial system. Ruthless and reckless attempts aimed to sabotage legitimate commerce for greed must be stopped. It’s cases like these that demonstrate HSI’s commitment and ability to work with a coalition of the willing to dismantle these complicated and technical fraud schemes and identify those responsible regardless of where they operate.”
IRS-CI Special Agent in Charge Tyler Hatcher said: “As alleged, Mr. Ahmed used his skills as a computer security engineer to steal millions of dollars. He then allegedly tried to hide the stolen funds, but his skills were no match for IRS Criminal Investigation's Cyber Crimes Unit. We, along with our partners at HSI and the Department of Justice, are at the forefront of cyber investigations and will track these fraudsters anywhere they try to hide and hold them accountable.”
As alleged in the Indictment:[1]
The Crypto Exchange was incorporated overseas and operates on the Solana blockchain. At all relevant times, the Crypto Exchange allowed users to exchange different kinds of cryptocurrencies and paid fees to users who deposited cryptocurrency to provide liquidity on the Crypto Exchange.
In July 2022, AHMED carried out an attack on the Crypto Exchange by exploiting a vulnerability in one of the Crypto Exchange’s smart contracts and inserting fake pricing data to fraudulently cause that smart contract to generate approximately $9 million dollars’ worth of inflated fees that AHMED did not legitimately earn, which fees AHMED was able to withdraw from the Crypto Exchange in the form of cryptocurrency. This conduct defrauded the Crypto Exchange and its users, whose cryptocurrency AHMED had fraudulently obtained. Additional details regarding the attack, including AHMED’s use of cryptocurrency “flash loans” to further defraud the Crypto Exchange, are described in the Indictment publicly filed today.
After he stole the fees he never legitimately earned, AHMED had communications with the Crypto Exchange in which he decided to return all of the stolen funds except for $1.5 million if the Crypto Exchange agreed not to refer the attack to law enforcement.
At the time of the attack, AHMED was a senior security engineer for an international technology company whose resume reflected skills in, among other things, reverse engineering smart contracts and blockchain audits, which are some of the specialized skills AHMED used to execute the attack.
AHMED laundered the millions in fees that he stole from the Crypto Exchange to conceal their source and ownership, including through (i) conducting token-swap transactions, (ii) “bridging” fraud proceeds from the Solana blockchain over to the Ethereum blockchain, (iii) exchanging fraud proceeds into Monero, an anonymized and particularly difficult cryptocurrency to trace, and (iv) using overseas cryptocurrency exchanges.
After the attack, AHMED searched online for information about the attack, his own criminal liability, criminal defense attorneys with expertise in similar cases, law enforcement’s ability to successfully investigate the attack, and fleeing the United States to avoid criminal charges. For example, approximately two days after the attack, AHMED conducted an internet search for the term “defi hack,” read several news articles about the hack of the Crypto Exchange, and visited several pages on the Crypto Exchange’s website. As another example, AHMED conducted internet searches or visited websites related to the charges in the indictment, including by searching for the term “wire fraud” and for the term “evidence laundering.” Finally, AHMED also conducted internet searches or visited websites related to his ability to flee the United States, avoid extradition, and keep his stolen cryptocurrency: he searched for the terms “can I cross border with crypto,” “how to stop federal government from seizing assets,” and “buying citizenship”; and he visited a website titled “16 Countries Where Your Investments Can Buy Citizenship . . .”
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AHMED, 34, of New York, New York, is charged with wire fraud and money laundering, each of which carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
The maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding work of HSI and IRS-CI. Mr. Williams also thanked the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California for their assistance in the investigation.
The case is being prosecuted by the Office’s Money Laundering and Transnational Criminal Enterprises Unit and Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys David R. Felton and Kevin Mead are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the description of the Indictment set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described therein should be treated as an allegation.
U.S. v. Ahmed IndictmentFormer Private Prisoner Transport Officer Sentenced to Nine Years for Sexually Assaulting Pretrial DetaineeRead the Press Release
A former private prisoner transport officer was sentenced in federal court in the Western District of Missouri to nine years in federal prison to be followed by three years of supervised release for violating a female pretrial detainee’s civil rights by sexually assaulting her.
According to the plea agreement, at the time of the offense, Rogeric Hankins, 37, worked as a private prisoner transport officer for Inmate Services Corporation. As a private prisoner transport officer, Hankins performed the government function of picking up individuals who were arrested on out-of-state warrants and transporting those individuals back to the jurisdictions that issued the warrants. On March 31, 2020, Hankins picked up the victim, a female pretrial detainee, from a jail in Olympia, Washington, to transport her to a jail in St. Paul, Minnesota.
On April 3, 2020, before arriving in Minnesota, Hankins stopped the transport van at a rest stop in Joplin, Missouri. Hankins brought the victim into the rest stop to use the bathroom. After the victim used the women’s bathroom, Hankins led her into the men’s bathroom, and told her to go into the stall furthest from the door. Once inside the stall, Hankins began to try to pull the victim’s shirt up. The victim resisted and told Hankins to stop. In response, Hankins told the victim to be quiet and made her perform a sexual act on him. Hankins then bent the victim over a toilet seat and raped her.
“The defendant sexually abused and violently assaulted a woman in his custody, exploiting his authority and depriving this survivor of her constitutional right to bodily integrity,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This sentence sends a clear message that the Justice Department is committed to protecting victims of sexual violence carried out at the hands of any and all law enforcement officials. The privatization of positions in law enforcement does not change the fact that these individuals can and must be held accountable when they violate our federal civil rights laws.”
“This former prisoner transport officer sexually assaulted a detainee who was in his custody while transporting her through Missouri,” said U.S. Attorney Teresa Moore for the Western District of Missouri. “Today he is being held accountable for abusing his position of trust and authority. The Department of Justice is committed to protecting the civil rights of all citizens, including those in custody.”
“Hankins abused his power and sexually assaulted the victim while she was extremely vulnerable,” said Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston Sr. of the FBI Minneapolis Field Office. “Today's sentencing sends a clear message that those who abuse their position of power to sexually assault the very people they are sworn to protect will be held accountable. The FBI is committed to protecting the Constitutional rights of all citizens and pursuing justice on behalf of the victims in cases like this.”
The FBI Minneapolis Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office.
Trial Attorney Laura Gilson and former Special Litigation Counsel Fara Gold of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section prosecuted this case, with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Missouri.
Former Maui Jim Employee Must Serve Time and Pay Restitution for Mail and Wire FraudRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – A Bradford, Illinois, woman, Erica Lynn Hornof, 36, of the 300 block of Enterprise Drive, was sentenced on July 10, 2023, to 12 months and one day of imprisonment, to be followed by three years supervised release, after pleading guilty to three counts of mail fraud and three counts of wire fraud. Hornof must also pay $125,472.48 in restitution to Maui Jim.
At the sentencing hearing before U.S. District Judge James E. Shadid, the government presented evidence that Hornof was a long-term employee of Maui Jim. While employed as a lead Frame Repair Trainer, Hornof stole Maui Jim parts from the repair area to make sunglasses, packaged them with a cleaning cloth and warranty card, used her personal FedEx account to create shipping labels, and then shipped them through the Maui Jim mailroom. She sold the sunglasses to two buyers who then sold the sunglasses on websites. The evidence established that over the 16-month period that Hornof was selling the sunglasses, she received $104,860 from the two buyers. In a later statement to Federal Bureau of Investigation special agents, Hornof said that the individuals did not know that the sunglasses were stolen. Judge Shadid found that she was responsible for selling approximately 2,996 pairs of sunglasses, each valued at $250, for an intended loss of $749,000 to Maui Jim.
Hornof was indicted in August 2022 and released on a personal recognizance bond with conditions of pre-trial supervision. She entered a guilty plea to all six counts in March 2023. Judge Shadid ordered Hornof to report to the designated prison by 2:00 pm on September 19, 2023.
The statutory penalties for each of the mail and wire fraud counts are up to 20 years’ imprisonment and up to a $250,000 fine, to be followed by up to three years of supervised release.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office – Peoria Resident Agency, investigated the case. Criminal Chief Darilynn J. Knauss represented the government in the prosecution.
Former EMT sent to prison for robbery and firearms chargesRead the Press Release
HOUSTON - A 30-year-old Houston resident has been sent to prison for a series of armed robberies he committed while brandishing a firearm in September 2020, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Xavier McCoy-Taylor pleaded guilty to interference with commerce by robbery and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence Aug. 29, 2022.
U.S. District Judge George C. Hanks has now handed McCoy-Taylor a 34-month-term of imprisonment for the robbery as well as another 84 months for each of the firearms charges which must be served consecutively to the other sentence imposed. The total 198-month sentence will be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence that described McCoy-Taylor’s criminal history as well as his former employment as a firefighter. In imposing the sentence, the court noted how McCoy-Taylor was a “wolf in sheep’s clothing” in that he had a loving family
and went to work every day at a job where he was entrusted to help the most vulnerable people in the community. Judge Hanks commented that at that same time, he held innocent victims at gunpoint for no apparent reason other than enjoying it. He added that McCoy-Taylor should not be able to walk the streets of Houston for a very long time.
"This defendant was an EMT (emergency medical technician) and had every opportunity to be a productive member of society,” said Hamdani. “Instead of serving the public, he decided to endanger it, pointing a gun at pregnant store clerk and then pointing it at a Texas State Trooper. As a result, he will spend the next years taking care of his jail cell instead of his patients.”
McCoy-Taylor had previously been employed as an EMT at the Westlake Fire Department. At the time of his arrest, he was employed as a patient care assistant at Memorial Herman Hospital.
On Sept. 25, 2020, McCoy-Taylor robbed a CVS on Beechnut Street in Houston. During the robbery, he held the pregnant clerk at gunpoint. As McCoy-Taylor exited the building with his gun still in hand, a Texas state trooper in the parking lot approached and yelled at him to stop. McCoy-Taylor then pointed his firearm at him.
The trooper pulled the trigger on his firearm in self-defense, but the gun malfunctioned. McCoy-Taylor then ran down the street, but fell to the ground and dropped his gun.
McCoy-Taylor had also brandished a firearm while robbing the gas station attendant at the Murphy USA gas station in Katy earlier that month.
He has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Texas Department of Public Safety; Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office and police departments in Katy and Houston conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Britni Cooper prosecuted the case.
Felon Sentenced to 27 Months in Federal Prison for Escape from Halfway House in Addition to 15-Year State Sentence for Killing a Person After EscapeRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS- Dallas Jones, 32, of Indianapolis, Indiana, has been sentenced to an additional 27 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to escape.
According to court documents, on November 17, 2015, Jones was sentenced to 4 years’ imprisonment after being convicted of illegally possessing a firearm.
On July 25, 2018, Jones was transferred to the Volunteers of America (“VOA”) in Indianapolis Indiana, to complete his sentence. The Bureau of Prisons contracts with residential reentry centers, also known as halfway houses, to aid inmates who are nearing release as they transition back into the community. Inmates serving a portion of their sentence at a residential reentry center are only authorized to leave through sign-out procedures for approved activities.
Jones was to remain in, and abide by the rules of, the facility until his projected release date of May 26, 2019. On April 12, 2019, Jones was transported to Eskenazi Hospital for medical treatment. Jones removed his GPS monitor and left the hospital in the early hours of April 13, 2019.
On June 12, 2019, after absconding from the VOA, Jones was dealing drugs and participating in an illegal dice game on Dearborn Street. He got into a physical altercation that quickly escalated to a gun battle. During the shooting, Jones killed one person, and injured two others who were caught in the crossfire. Jones was arrested by Deputy United States Marshals the next day.
In February 2023, Jones was convicted in Marion County Superior Court of Voluntary Manslaughter and Possession of a Firearm by a Serious Violent Felon. Jones was sentenced to serve 15 years in the custody of the Indiana Department of Corrections.
Jones will serve his 27-month federal prison sentence in addition to the 15-year sentence imposed by the state court.
Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, and Dan McClain, U.S. Marshal for the Southern District of Indiana, made the announcement.
U.S. Marshals Service investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Jane Magnus-Stinson.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorney Kate Olivier, who prosecuted this case.
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Federal Jury Convicts Charleston Man of Drug and Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – After two days of trial, a federal jury convicted Samuel Pierre Joseph, 40, of Charleston, today of one count of possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture containing methamphetamine, one count of possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm, one count of possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and a quantity of fentanyl, and one count of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture containing methamphetamine and 40 grams or more of a mixture containing fentanyl.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Joseph was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony conviction for possession of marijuana, fourth offense, in the Second Judicial District Court for the Parish of Bienville, Louisiana, on April 14, 2015.
Evidence at trial proved that on December 27, 2021, law enforcement officers encountered Joseph as he left his room at the Knights Inn on MacCorkle Avenue in Charleston. Joseph dropped a black duffel bag he was carrying and attempted to flee. Officers apprehended Joseph and found approximately 267 grams of methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia and two firearms, a Smith & Wesson Model Bodyguard .380-caliber semi-automatic pistol and a Ruger model LC9s 9mm semi-automatic pistol, in the duffel bag. Officers also found $1,355 on Joseph’s person.
On March 17, 2022, Joseph was a passenger of a vehicle pulled over by law enforcement officers in a Dudley Avenue parking lot in Parkersburg. During the traffic stop, officers found approximately 152 grams of methamphetamine and 12.9 grams of a mixture containing fentanyl and heroin on Joseph’s person. Officers arrested Joseph and took him to the Parkersburg Police Department. While at the police department, Joseph attempted to dispose of a business card from a Charleston storage unit rental facility that included the number of a storage unit that Joseph rented at the facility. Officers recovered the card and obtained a search warrant for the rented storage unit. Officers found approximately 896.8 grams of methamphetamine and 83.6 grams of fentanyl in the rented storage unit when they executed the search warrant.
“I commend the law enforcement agencies that investigated this case as well as Assistant United States Attorneys Jeremy Wolfe and Troy Adams,” said United States Attorney Will Thompson. “I credit the work of the entire trial team for securing guilty verdicts against the defendant on all five counts.”
Joseph is scheduled to be sentenced on December 13, 2023, and faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years and up to life in prison.
The Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT) and the Parkersburg Police Department conducted the investigation with assistance provided by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the Charleston Police Department.
Chief United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston presided over the jury trial.
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-93.
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Father and Son Indicted in Miami for Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances and FirearmsRead the Press Release
MIAMI – Ahmed Subni Wadi (Ahmed Wadi), 49, and his son Ramzi Ahmed Wadi (Ramzi Wadi), 21, both from Miami, Florida, have been indicted in federal court with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and dealing firearms without a license.
According to the indictment and underlying criminal complaint affidavit, in November 2022, Ahmed Wadi sold a firearm with an obliterated serial number and multiple grams of oxycodone to someone in the parking lot of a mall. During the sale, an individual serving as Ahmed Wadi’s bodyguard told the purchaser that he was armed and there for Ahmed Wadi’s protection.
The charging documents also allege that on April 7, Ahmed Wadi sold two semi-automatic firearms and multiple grams of oxycodone laced with fentanyl to someone at the business where both defendants work. Ahmed Wadi also offered to sell the person a machine gun and silencer. It is alleged that later that month, Ramzi Wadi completed that transaction on his father’s behalf – selling the person a machine gun, silencer, and multiple grams of oxycodone laced with fentanyl. It is alleged that Ramzi Wadi was carrying a firearm during this sale, says the indictment.
On June 6, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at the defendants’ business and residence. According to statements made in court, law enforcement officers recovered over 30 firearms, suspected cocaine, marijuana, and pill bottles containing suspected oxycodone laced with fentanyl.
If convicted of all charges, defendants face up to 25 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Christopher A. Robinson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Miami Field Division, and Interim Special Agent in Charge Eli Lawson of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE), made the announcement.
ATF Miami Field Office and FDLE investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stefan Diaz Espinosa is prosecuting it. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jorge Delgado is handling asset forfeiture.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
An indictment contains mere allegations, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 23-cr-20286.
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Dover-Area Drug Trafficking Organization Charged by Federal Indictment Following State’s Largest Fentanyl SeizureRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, Del. – A federal grand jury returned a superseding indictment last week charging three Dover residents and one Middletown resident with conspiring to distribute cocaine, methamphetamine and fentanyl, along with various other drug and gun crimes. The amount of fentanyl seized from this organization represents the largest known fentanyl seizure in Delaware history.
According to the superseding indictment, Dwayne Fountain, 51, William Warren, 47, Martin Fountain, 47, and Durell Patton, 44, conspired to distribute drugs from January through May 2023. With respect to Dwayne Fountain, the conspiracy involved more than five kilograms of cocaine, more than 400 grams of fentanyl, and more than five hundred grams of methamphetamine. The superseding indictment also alleges that all four defendants possessed various drugs with intent to distribute. Finally, the superseding indictment charges Dwayne Fountain and Durell Patton with possessing guns on May 17, 2023, despite past criminal convictions which prohibit them from doing so.
According to documents filed in court, this case was the result of a long-term investigation spearheaded by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Delaware State Police, and Dover Police Department. Search warrants executed in the case led to the seizure of over 7.5 kilograms of fentanyl, 10 kilograms of powder cocaine, over a kilogram of crack cocaine, about 280 grams of methamphetamine, and 300 grams of xylazine, commonly referred to as “tranq,” an additive commonly mixed with fentanyl.
“The threat to public health and safety found in these cases is something that requires policing organizations to share information and resources, in order to protect the vulnerable,” noted Dover Police Chief Thomas A. Johnson, Jr. “It bears repeating that the amount of illicit drugs seized in this operation was enough to potentially kill close to 400,000 people, or, stated another way, roughly 4 in 10 Delawareans. It was great to be a part of such an effective collaboration between Local, State, and Federal law enforcement agencies.”
If convicted, Dwayne Fountain faces a mandatory minimum of ten years and a maximum of life in prison. William Warren faces a mandatory minimum of five years and a maximum of forty years in prison. Martin Fountain and Durell Patton face a maximum of twenty years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
David C. Weiss, U.S. Attorney for the District of Delaware, Thomas Hodnett, Special Agent in Charge for DEA’s Philadelphia Division, and Thomas A. Johnson, Jr., Chief, Dover Police Department made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer K. Welsh and Samuel Frey are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the District of Delaware or on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 23-46 and 23-49 (CFC).
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
District Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Intimate Partner Violence and Obstructing JusticeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Brandon Brown, 33, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced today to a 10-year prison term for strangling his ex-girlfriend and then trying to dissuade her from participating in the pending criminal investigation, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves announced and Interim Chief Ashan Benedict, of the Metropolitan Police Department. Brown pleaded guilty, on March 3, 2023, to one count of aggravated assault, and one count of obstructing justice.
According to the government’s evidence, on April 19, 2022, Brown and his on-again, off-again intimate partner got into an argument about whether they had been cheating on each other. During the argument, the defendant strangled his partner with sufficient force that she “blacked out.” Brown’s actions caused the defendant to lose her vision and become unconscious, creating a grave risk of death. A week later, despite being held in custody, Brown contacted his partner from the D.C. Jail to try and persuade her not to come to court or participate in the criminal investigation.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Interim Chief Benedict commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department’s Sexual Assault Unit. She acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Victim/Witness Advocate Tracey Hawkins, Paralegal Specialists Tiffany Fogle and Garcia Clarke, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dana Joseph and Robert Platt, and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Courtney Lee, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
District Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Role in Drug Trafficking Conspiracy in NW D.C.Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Isaiah Anderson, 22, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for his role in a violent drug trafficking organization, involving 16 other defendants, whose members are charged in a drug distribution conspiracy involving fentanyl, cocaine base, other illegal drugs, illegal firearms. Anderson pleaded guilty, on November 29, 2022, to conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of Fentanyl; using, carrying, and possessing a firearm during a drug trafficking offense; and possession of contraband in prison.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Acting Special Agent in Charge Emily Odom, of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division, Special Agent in Charge SAC Craig Kailimai, of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) Washington Field Division, Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Division, and Interim Chief Ashan Benedict, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
According to court documents, in the Spring of 2020, MPD, FBI, ATF, and DEA began conducting an investigation into a drug trafficking operation, centered around a multi-unit apartment building, located in the Shaw neighborhood of Northwest, Washington, D.C. The investigation revealed that between May 2020 and late-September 2020, at 1319 5th Street, NW, Washington, D.C. members of the conspiracy, including the defendant, distributed narcotics on a near daily basis, primarily in the foyer outside of certain apartments, as well as in the courtyard adjacent to the building’s front entrance. During the conspiracy, the defendant sold Fentanyl for approximately $80/gram and had numerous repeat customers. It is estimated the group distributed multiple kilograms of Fentanyl in the relevant time period.
“This case is another example of the multi-agency efforts underway to rid our district of dangerous drug trafficking crews and the violence they bring,” said U.S. Attorney Graves. “The strategy works. In the six months after these arrests, no violent crimes were reported in the territory the defendants previously occupied, and calls for sounds of gunshots dramatically decreased (by 94%). Nearly two years later, calls for the sounds of gunshots were still down 57%. We are going to prioritize these kinds of investigations, so those thinking of joining similar crews should think hard about whether they want to sacrifice their freedom.”
“The success of Operation Lincoln Westmoreland was a result of strong collaboration between the FBI and our federal and local partners,” said FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge Odom. “Together we arrested over a dozen subjects; recovered numerous weapons, including seven ghost guns; and seized fentanyl, heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine, and promethazine, leaving Shaw safer for everyone who lives and works in the neighborhood.”
On August 5, 2020, Anderson and another co-conspirator purchased a 2017 Infiniti Q60 for $32,690 in cash. Anderson provided the car dealership with trash bags full of small denomination bills for the purchase. On August 12, 2020, Anderson was driving that car with co-conspirator Michael Robinson in the vehicle. The Infiniti was involved in a traffic crash with an MPD vehicle. Anderson fled the scene but was apprehended a short time later. Inside the vehicle, law enforcement found a Glock 30, Gen4 .45 caliber firearm, loaded with 11 rounds in the magazine and 1 round in the chamber; a digital scale; approximately 100 empty Ziplock bags; $3,567.99 in U.S. Currency; and suspected cocaine base, Fentanyl, and marijuana. Anderson admitted that he possessed the narcotics on August 12, 2020, with the intent to redistribute them to others as part of the conspiracy. He also admitted that his role in the conspiracy included the distribution and the possession with the intent to distribute at least 400 grams of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of Fentanyl.
On or about August 25, 2021, the Defendant, while an inmate being held without bond in this case in the custody of the United States Marshal at the Central Detention Facility (CDF) located at 1901 D Street, S.E., Washington, D.C., possessed on his person a five-inch piece of metal sharpened to a point on one end and wrapped in cloth on the other end that was designed or intended to be used as a weapon. In September 2021, while also incarcerated in this case in the custody of the United States Marshal at the CDF, the Defendant possessed an operating cellular telephone to access, and communicate through, Instagram, a social media platform.
Other members of the conspiracy who have pleaded guilty to drug and/or gun offenses and have been sentenced include:
NAME
SENTENCE
Isaiah Anderson
120 months in prison; 36 months SR
Tyree Marshall
84 months in prison; 36 months SR
Daeshawn Brown
51 months in prison; 36 months SR
Taquan Canarte
53 months in prison; 36 months SR
Shahn Giles
60 months in prison; 36 months SR
Xavier Harris
110 months in prison; 60 months SR
Jovanta Little
42 months in prison; 36 months SR
Mikeal Matthews
94 months in prison; 60 months SR
Kevon Maynor
63 months in prison; 48 months SR
Michael Robinson
96 months in prison; 36 months SR
Jaden Smith
46 months in prison; 36 months SR
Takisha Ganeous
96 months in prison; 48 months SR
Maurice Glasgow
Pleaded guilty; Awaiting sentencing
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves, Acting Special Agent in Charge Linden, Special Agent in Charge Kailimai, Special Agent in Charge Forget, and Interim Chief Benedict, commended the work of the detectives and patrol officers of the Metropolitan Police Department, the agents from FBI and DEA, and the agents and DNA lab personnel from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. They also expressed appreciation to those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Victim/Witness Advocate Yvonne Bryant. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney George Eliopoulos and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel Fletcher, with the office’s Violence Reduction and Trafficking Offenses Section, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
District Man Pleads Guilty to Sexually Assaulting Child at Gunpoint in 2005Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Marquette E. Johnson, 42, of the District of Columbia, pleaded guilty today to first degree sexual abuse while armed and first degree child sexual abuse while armed, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Interim Chief Ashan Benedict of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
According to the government’s evidence, on or about November 28, 2005, at approximately 8:30 a.m., within the District of Columbia, Johnson abducted a 12-year-old female child, at gunpoint, as she walked to school. He drove up to the victim, pointed a semiautomatic pistol or imitation pistol at her, and told her to get in the minivan or he would kill her. Once the child complied, the defendant drove her to an alley behind the 1300 block of Morris Road, SE, where he forced her to get in the back seat and sexually assaulted her. When the defendant finished raping her, he drove the victim back to the location where he had picked her up and told her something to the effect of, “See, I told you, you wouldn’t miss school.” The child promptly reported what had occurred to a teacher and an MPD officer stationed at the school.
DNA obtained from the physical evidence in the investigation matched the DNA profile of the defendant, who is a convicted offender. Additional DNA testing determined it was at least 87 quadrillion times more likely if the evidence originated from the defendant and the victim, than if from the victim and an unknown, unrelated individual. The defendant was a stranger to the victim and her family.
The Honorable Judge Maribeth Raffinan scheduled a sentencing hearing for September 29, 2023. Under the plea agreement, if accepted by the Court, Johnson faces a sentence of 23-27 years in prison, followed by at least five years of supervised release. He will also have to register as a sex offender for the remainder of his life.
This case was investigated by detectives of the Metropolitan Police Department’s Sexual Assault Unit and Cold Case Sexual Assault Unit, Youth Investigations Division, and detectives and officers from the Seventh District. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amy Zubrensky and Robert Platt, with support from Paralegal Specialist Cynthia Muhammad and Victim/Witness Advocate Tracey Hawkins.
This case was brought as part of the Cold Case Initiative launched in February 2018, by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, to reinvestigate previously unsolved cases of sexual assault as well as sexual assault-related homicides. The U.S. Attorney’s Office works on this initiative in partnership with the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Marshals Service, and local law enforcement partners in the DMV area to achieve its mission.
Detroit Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiring with Former State Contractor to Steal $550,000 in Unemployment Insurance BenefitsRead the Press Release
DETROIT – A Detroit resident pleaded guilty today to engaging in an extensive unemployment fraud conspiracy with a former State of Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency contract employee, whereby they stole over $550,000 in public funds, announced United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison.
Joining in the announcement were Irene Lindow, Special Agent-in-Charge, Great Lakes Region, U.S. Department of Labor-Office of Inspector General; Devin Kowalski, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Detroit Field Office; and Julia Dale, Director of the State of Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency.
William Haynes, 26, pleaded guilty today before United States District Judge Mark A. Goldsmith. Haynes admitted to engaging in a criminal conspiracy with Autumn Mims, a former contract Unemployment Insurance Examiner for the State of Michigan. Mims’s duties included reviewing, processing, and verifying the legitimacy of unemployment insurance claims.
Mims previously pleaded guilty to the same charge and is currently awaiting sentencing before Judge Goldsmith.
According to court records, shortly after Mims began working with the Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency in August 2020, she began using her insider access to fraudulently process claims in the names of third parties without their knowledge or authorization. As part of the scheme, Haynes (1) altered direct deposit information for third-party unemployment insurance assistance; (2) accessed third-party unemployment insurance assistance claim information without authorization; (3) completed false and fraudulent certifications for third-party unemployment insurance assistance benefits; (4) opened unauthorized bank accounts in the names of third parties; (5) provided stolen personal identifying information to his co-conspirator, Mims; (6) conducted cash withdrawals of unemployment insurance assistance issued in the names of third parties; (7) conducted financial transactions utilizing unemployment insurance assistance funds issued in the names of third parties; and (8) received non-cash benefits from his involvement in the conspiracy, including rent payments made by his co-conspirator Mims.
According to court records, as a result of the conspiracy, over $550,000 in fraudulent unemployment assistance payments were made by the State of Michigan. Haynes has agreed to be held accountable for $448,614 in restitution.
Sentencing is set for November 28, 2023, before Judge Goldsmith. Haynes faces up to 20 years’ imprisonment.
“We are committed to prosecuting those who engage in schemes to steal public funds,” stated U.S. Attorney Ison. “We will continue working with our law enforcement partners to bring them to justice, whether they are insiders who abuse their positions of trust or outsiders who enable that abuse.”
"William Haynes conspired with former Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency Examiner Autumn Mims to defraud the state of Michigan. Haynes worked with Mims to certify Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) unemployment insurance (UI) claims he knew were fraudulent. The proceeds from the fraudulent claims were deposited into bank accounts that Haynes and Mims controlled. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners and state workforce agencies to protect the integrity of the UI system," stated Special Agent-in-Charge Irene Lindow, Great Lakes Region, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General.
“Haynes used his co-defendant’s official position at the Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency to steal money from people who were struggling through pandemic-related economic challenges,” said Devin J. Kowalski, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Detroit Field Office. “The FBI will continue working alongside our state and federal partners to investigate this type of scheme and bring to justice those who defraud the unemployment system.”
“Add William Haynes to the growing list of fraudsters that UIA’s investigators have identified as brazenly violating the trust Michiganders put in an unemployment system that is their lifeline when they lost work,” said Julia Dale, Director of the Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency. “That Mr. Haynes found a willing accomplice within the UIA to help carry out his devious scheme is also appalling. Today’s guilty plea should put bad actors on notice that the UIA won’t tolerate the theft of public funds. Our nearly 50 convictions so far prove they won’t get away with defrauding taxpayers.”
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Andrew J. Yahkind. The investigation is being conducted jointly by the Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Unemployment Insurance Agency, Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity.
Columbus Armed Robber Sentenced to 21+ Years for Violent Crime SpreeRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ga. – A Columbus man who committed seven violent armed robberies with his stepbrother in 2021, holdingstore employees at gunpointand firing shots at people, was sentenced to serve 259 months in prison today.
Janerio Jones, 27, was sentenced to serve 259 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release today by U.S. District Judge Clay Land after he pleaded guilty to two counts of Hobbs Act robbery and one count of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence on Dec. 20, 2022. Co-defendant Quentin Anderson, 29, of Columbus, was sentenced to serve 200 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release on June 14. Anderson previously pleaded guilty to one count of Hobbs Act robbery and one count of conspiracy to commit an offense on Feb. 24. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Janerio Jones and Quentin Anderson embarked on a violent robbery spree that caused mayhem in the Columbus community and inflicted lasting harm on their victims,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “Our office will do everything in our power to hold dangerous offenders accountable and support local, state and federal law enforcement in their efforts to curb violent crime.”
“No one should ever be terrorized physically or emotionally, like the victims in these violent armed robberies were,” said Rich Bilson, Special Supervisory Resident Agent of FBI Atlanta’s Columbus office. “Thanks to the assistance from our local law enforcement partners, Jones and Anderson will spend a long time behind bars where they won’t be able to wreak havoc on any more innocent civilians."
“In the span of a few days, the defendants charted a path of violent armed robberies at multiple businesses across Columbus,” said Columbus Police Department Deputy Chief Lance Deaton. “Thanks to the collaborative effort with our state and federal partners, these individuals were arrested before they could terrorize another business and its employees. These sentencings send a clear message that violent crime will not be tolerated in our community.”
According to court documents, Jones and Anderson together robbed seven businesses in Columbus between Jan. 18, 2021, and Feb. 22, 2021. On the afternoon of Jan. 18, the defendants robbed both the Little Caesars on Buena Vista Road and the Dollar General on Crystal Drive within an hour and a half of each other. At Little Caesars, the entire cash register was removed from the store and the store employees took cover at the back of the store once they realized the robbers had a gun. At Dollar General, the robbers attempted to take the cash register, failed and fled on foot. Four days later, on Jan. 22, the defendants held up the Forrest Road Package on Forrest Road. One of the robbers pointed a gun in the face of a store employee while the other attempted to rob an employee at the back of the store. The cash register tray was taken. The following day, on Jan. 23, the owner of Jerry’s Food Mart on St. Mary’s Road was robbed at gunpoint by Jones and Anderson. The robbers took the owner’s wallet, store merchandise and cash. On Jan. 27, the owner of the Super C Food Mart on Decatur Street was robbed at gunpoint. The owner refused to give the robbers cash, and Jones fired a round at the cashier, which struck the protective glass barrier. As they exited the building, Jones fired another round at the owner which penetrated the glass barrier, narrowly missing him. The store owner fired his own gun at the assailants. On the evening of Feb. 4, the defendants and another individual robbed the Quality Inn on Macon Road. Jones pointed his handgun at the property owner’s head and stole money out of the hotel safe; the men fled on foot. On Feb. 22 at approximately 8:53 p.m., the defendants robbed the Marco’s Pizza on University Avenue. Jones fired his gun into the air when they entered the restaurant and demanded money. The robbers fled with stolen cash. Several Marco’s Pizza employees quit their jobs after the violent incident. Anderson was taken into custody on April 14, 2021, at a residence in Stockbridge, Georgia. Jones was taken into custody on Aug. 11, 2021, at a motel in Forest Park, Georgia.
The case was investigated by FBI and the Columbus Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Williams prosecuted the case for the Government.
Co-Defendants Admit to Violent Carjackings, Get Federal Prison SentencesRead the Press Release
EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – A U.S. District judge sentenced two co-defendants to federal prison after the pair admitted to participating in a string of violent carjackings in the Metro East. Both men each pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit carjacking, one count of carjacking, and one count of use of a dangerous weapon to commit a crime of violence.
Jamariante N. Burgess, 21, of East St. Louis, Illinois, received a 192-month sentence, and Armon R. Simpson, 19, of St. Louis, Missouri, received a 208-month sentence. At the time of the crimes, Simpson was 17. He was certified by the Court to be treated as an adult in the case.
“In a one-month span, the co-defendants wreaked serious havoc on numerous victims in the Metro East area,” said U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe. “The pair has proven they have no respect for the law, and their federal prison sentences reflect the severity of the violence and terror they caused.”
“The co-defendants showed a total disregard for other people – their safety and welfare – as they terrorized their community on numerous occasions,” said Illinois State Police Director Brendan F. Kelly. “ISP refuses to let people get away with this behavior and will continue to work with local law enforcement and the United States Attorney’s Office Southern District of Illinois to bring violent criminals to justice.”
According to court documents and official proceedings, the co-defendants engaged in a string of violent carjackings around the East St. Louis and St. Louis area during the summer of 2021. Beginning in July, the co-defendants pointed firearms at and carjacked a victim at the Roosevelt Homes public housing complex in East St. Louis.
On Aug. 5, 2021, Burgess and Simpson displayed firearms and carjacked a man in the St. Louis Soulard neighborhood. After being unable to drive the car, Burgess and Simpson exchanged gunfire with a citizen who tried to stop the carjacking. Undeterred, the pair then went to downtown St. Louis, robbed three victims of their belongings at gunpoint, and forcibly took their vehicle.
Burgess and Simpson fled with the stolen vehicle to the John DeShields Apartments in East St. Louis. Simpson erroneously identified an innocent pedestrian as a member of an opposing gang and both Simpson and Burgess shot at the victim, who sustained injuries. Police in both Illinois and Missouri worked quickly to identify the suspects and arrested Burgess and Simpson later that morning. Officers recovered three firearms and some of the robbery victims’ belongings.
Law enforcement officers with the Illinois State Police Public Safety Enforcement Group (PSEG), the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, and the St. Louis County Police Department conducted the investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexandria Burns prosecuted the case.
Cedar Rapids Man Pleads Guilty to Being a Prohibited Person in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
A prohibited person who possessed a firearm pled guilty today in federal court in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Ethan Porter, age 33, of Cedar Rapids, was convicted of one count of being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm. At the plea hearing, Porter admitted that, in June 2022, he possessed a Taurus pistol while being an unlawful drug user and after having been convicted of three felonies and a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Porter remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Porter faces a possible maximum sentence of ten years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Tremmel and was investigated by the High Risk Unit of the Sixth Judicial District Department of Correctional Services, the Cedar Rapids Police Department, the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is CR 23-6.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Cape Coral Man on Federal Supervised Release Carrying Tactical Swords, Nunchucks, and Loaded Firearm Pleads Guilty to Possessing Firearm as A Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Basilio Amaury Bron, Jr. (43, Cape Coral) has pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Bron faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to court documents, on March 12, 2022, at around 5:00 p.m., Bron was driving carelessly and more than 100 miles per hour northbound on Interstate 75 near the Laurel Road exit. A deputy from the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office stopped Bron’s vehicle for speeding. The deputy conducted a background check which revealed that Bron was a convicted felon on federal supervised release. During the traffic stop, the odor of marijuana emanated from Bron’s vehicle, and two 20-inch tactical swords were visible near the driver’s seat and the driver’s door. Bron also admitted to having a firearm in the vehicle. The deputy located a SCCY CPX-1 9mm pistol, loaded with seven rounds of ammunition, inside the vehicle’s center console and a bag containing 4 grams of marijuana. The deputy also recovered a pair of nunchucks from the driver’s seat pocket. Bron later admitted to ATF agents that he had possessed the firearm, handled it multiple times, and sold marijuana.
In 2016, Bron was sentenced to more than seven years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Therefore, he is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David W.A Chee and Michael Kenneth.
California Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute Meth by MailRead the Press Release
A California man, who conspired to distribute methamphetamine by mail pled guilty June 28, 2023, in federal court in Sioux City. James Dean Sterner, age 65, from Tustin, California, was convicted of conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, which contained 50 grams or more of pure methamphetamine.
In a plea agreement, Sterner admitted that from August 2019 to October 2019 he conspired to distribute methamphetamine in and around Sioux City, Iowa after receiving the meth via the mail from California. In October 2019, law enforcement found a package mailed to a resident in Sioux City from Sterner containing approximately 319 grams of pure methamphetamine.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Sterner remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Sterner faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of up to life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, and 5 years up to life of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Ron Timmons and Mikala Purdy-Steenholdt, and was investigated by the Tri-State Drug Task Force based in Sioux City, Iowa, that consists of law enforcement personnel from the Drug Enforcement Administration; Sioux City, Iowa, Police Department; Homeland Security Investigations; Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office; South Sioux City, Nebraska, Police Department; Nebraska State Patrol; Iowa National Guard; Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; United States Marshals Service; South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation; and Woodbury County Attorney’s Office.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 20-4088. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
California Doctor and Medical Practice Agree to Pay $11.4 Million to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations Relating to Skin Biopsies, Spine Surgeries, and Urine Drug TestingRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Lags Spine & Sportscare Medical Centers Inc. (Lags Medical) and Francis P. Lagattuta M.D., the owner and medical director of Lags Medical, have agreed to pay $11,388,887 to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by submitting millions of dollars of false claims to Medicare, Medi-Cal, and the Oregon Medicaid program for medically unnecessary skin biopsies, spinal cord stimulation surgeries, and urine drug testing, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced today.
Skin Biopsies
The settlement resolves allegations that, from 2016 to 2021, Lagattuta and Lags Medical performed medically unnecessary skin biopsies to test patients for small fiber neuropathy. As part of the settlement, Lagattuta and Lags Medical acknowledged that Lagattuta created what he named an “Artificial Intelligence Team” of non-provider staff who were required to order at least 150 skin biopsies per week for patients without the consent of the patients’ treating providers at Lags Medical. Each biopsy order stated that the patient had identical symptoms of small fiber neuropathy, yet those symptoms were generally inconsistent with those patients’ actual symptoms. Lagattuta and Lags Medical also acknowledged as part of this settlement that, if a patient refused a skin biopsy, Lags Medical told the patient that they would reduce their opioid medication and instructed the patient’s provider to immediately taper the patient’s medication.
Spinal Cord Stimulation Surgeries
The settlement also resolves allegations that, from 2018 to 2021, Lagattuta and Lags Medical performed medically unnecessary surgeries to implant spinal cord stimulators, which is an invasive surgery of last resort for the treatment of chronic pain. Lagattuta paid a psychiatrist to state to Medicare and Medicaid insurers that the psychiatrist had performed a necessary psychological evaluation on each patient prior to receiving the surgery and that the patient did not have any preexisting psychological or active substance abuse disorders that would adversely affect their response to the surgery. But Lagattuta and Lags Medical knew that the psychiatrist did not perform in-person psychological evaluations of any patients and ignored indications that many patients suffered from psychological or substance use disorders before receiving spinal cord stimulation surgery.
Urine Drug Testing
Finally, the settlement resolves allegations that, from 2017 to 2021, Lagattuta and Lags Medical performed medically unnecessary definitive urine drug testing, which identifies the concentration of specific medications, illicit substances, and metabolites in urine samples. Blanket orders of urine drug testing—identical orders for all patients without regard to each patient’s individualized medical necessity for the test—are not covered by Medicare. Lagattuta and Lags Medical acknowledged that they made identical orders of urine drug tests for all patients to be tested every four months and ordered the maximum number of drug panels for each patient, using Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System Code G0483. Lags Medical’s CEO stated to Lagattuta that performing urine drug tests on all their patients “[s]hould be a big money maker” and called it “Operation GO483!” When a new consultant for Lags Medical told Lagattuta that it was “medically unnecessary but also wasteful” to order the maximum number of drug panels for each patient, Lagattuta directed a Lags Medical executive not to contact the consultant “because she might report us. For anything.”
The United States alleges that Lagattuta’s and Lags Medical’s conduct relating to these three procedures violated the False Claims Act.
The settlement amount of $11,388,887 is based on Lagattuta’s and Lags Medical’s ability to pay and includes proceeds from Lagattuta’s sale of a remotely operated underwater vehicle. As part of the settlement. Lagattuta has also agreed to a voluntary exclusion from federal health care programs for five years.
“Dr. Lagattuta and Lags Medical engaged in a brazen scheme to defraud Medicare and Medicaid of millions of dollars by inflicting unnecessary and painful procedures on patients whom they were supposed to be relieving of pain,” said U.S. Attorney Talbert. “The United States Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners will use all of the tools at our disposal to stop fraud against federal health care programs and prevent patient harm.”
“Thousands of Medi-Cal patients trusted Dr. Lagattuta to take away their pain,” said Attorney General Bonta. “Instead he exploited their trust by carrying out arrays of unnecessary tests and billing for them over the objections of the doctors he employed. Billing for services that providers know are unnecessary undermines the quality of care that patients receive, and increases the costs to the Medi-Cal program. I am grateful to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their partnership in this effort to hold Dr. Lagattuta to account. My office remains committed to pursuing justice against those who seek to abuse the Medi-Cal system for their own benefit.”
“Health care providers, including physicians, who perform medically unnecessary procedures to boost profits undermine the public’s trust in the health care system and exploit taxpayer-funded programs,” stated Special Agent in Charge Steven J. Ryan of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “Working with our law enforcement partners, HHS-OIG is committed to protecting the health of patients and the integrity of federal health care programs serving them.”
The civil settlement includes the resolution of claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act by Steven Capeder, Lags Medical’s former operations director and marketing director. Under those provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. The qui tam case is captioned United States and California ex rel. Steven Capeder v. Francis P. Lagattuta, M.D., Lagz Corporation, Spine & Pain Treatment Medical Center of Santa Barbara, Inc., and LAGS Spine & Sportscare Medical Centers, Inc., No. 2:18-cv-2928 KJM KJN (E.D. Cal.). As part of the settlement announced today, Capeder will receive approximately $2.1 million.
The investigation was conducted with the California Department of Justice, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the U.S. Department of Defense, Defense Criminal Investigative Service.
lagattuta_agreement_fully_executed_final.pdfBullitt County Man Arrested and Charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY –A federal criminal complaint and arrest warrant were issued today charging a Bullitt County man with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Jodi Cohen of the FBI Louisville Field Office, and Colonel Marcus Laytham, Chief of the Mt. Washington Police Department, made the announcement.
According to the complaint, James Nott, 40, of Mt. Washington, Kentucky, was charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. On July 11, 2023, Nott possessed an AK-47 rifle, a .38 special, Charter Arms, revolver, and ammunition. Nott was prohibited from possessing a firearm because he had previously been convicted of the following felony offenses. On November 11, 2011, in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky, Nott was convicted of possession of an unregistered destructive device and possession of a firearm by an unlawful user of marijuana.
The felon in possession of a firearm offense charged in today’s complaint, arose from a federal search warrant executed at Nott’s residence today, in connection with a search for firearms and trafficked human remains.
Nott made his initial appearance today before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. Nott remains in federal custody and is scheduled for a detention hearing on July 12, 2023, at 3:00 p.m.
If convicted, Nott faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. There is no parole in the federal system.
The FBI and the Mt. Washington Police Department are investigating the case.
Assistant United States Attorneys Christopher Tieke and Stephanie Zimdahl are prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Belleville Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Exploiting Minors to Produce Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – A U.S. District judge sentenced a Belleville man to spend 15 years in federal prison after he pled guilty to four counts of production, distribution, and transportation of child sexual abuse material.
Zachary R. Dennert, 21, will serve 10 years of supervised release following his prison sentence.
“The defendant targeted young boys on social media, gained their trust by pretending to be a young girl and exploited his victims for sexual images,” said U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe. “His sentence reflects the severity of his manipulative behavior, and I applaud the investigative agencies for their work in bringing this offender to justice.”
According to court documents, Dennert created social media profiles on several platforms purporting to be a teenage female in 2020. Using the profiles, he contacted numerous male minors and requested explicit images. Dennert received images from victims ranging in age from 11 to 15-years-old. Investigators recovered more than 600 images of child sexual abuse material from Dennert’s account.
Task force members with the U.S. Secret Service and the O’Fallon Police Department conducted the investigation, with assistance from Saint Clair County State’s Attorney Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexandria Burns prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims.
For more information, visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.
Armed Drug Trafficker Receives 135 Months for Distributing Drugs and Discharging a FirearmRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, N.C. – Marlon Porter, 51, of Wilmington, was sentenced yesterday to 135 months in prison for armed trafficking of cocaine base (crack), cocaine, heroin and fentanyl. On March 13, 2023, Porter pled guilty to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute and distribute 28 grams or more of crack cocaine and quantities of cocaine, heroin and fentanyl; possession of a quantity of crack cocaine, cocaine and fentanyl; possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking; and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
“Our men and women continue to work tirelessly day in and day out to protect the City of Wilmington,” said Wilmington Police Chief Donnie Williams. “I am extremely grateful for their continued dedication to ensuring that justice is delivered. I appreciate the partnership with the various agencies who assisted with this case to bring it to a close. We will continue to patrol the streets to remove violent offenders and send them to prison where they belong.” said Wilmington Police Chief Donnie Williams.
“ATF and our law enforcement partners focus on those individuals who pose the biggest threat to our communities,” said Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Special Agent in Charge Bennie Mims. “Our collaborative efforts continue to disrupt drug trafficking networks, recover firearms from illegal possessors, apprehend violent offenders, and better public safety in our neighborhoods.”
According to court documents and other information presented in court, on June 26, 2019, a Wilmington Police Officer and a New Hanover County Sheriff’s Deputy responded to multiple gun shots in the area of Gores Row and Orange Streets in Wilmington. They observed Marlon Porter running across the street. Porter did not initially respond to commands to stop and ran around a corner. Porter then came back into their sight and surrendered. After searching the area, law enforcement found a stolen 9mm handgun cocked and ready to fire. Law enforcement also observed Porter’s brother, George Porter, reaching into a car in the area. Law enforcement searched the car and found a loaded .380 handgun under the front seat. In addition, numerous shell casings were recovered by law enforcement near the area in which Porter had been observed running from. On July 16, 2019, law enforcement made a controlled purchase from Porter at a Glenn Street address used by Porter as a stash house.
On September 23, 2019, Wilmington Police Officers responded to a welfare check in a hotel parking lot on Eastwood Road. Officers saw Marlon Porter and another man asleep in a BMW. As they approached Porter, he threw two ounces of cocaine across the car. A search of the car uncovered crack, fentanyl, multiple wax baggies, digital scales, almost $4,000 and a loaded .357 revolver. Officers discovered that Porter was associated with a room at the hotel. Inside the hotel room, officers found six grams of fentanyl, crack and items used to make crack.
On December 13, 2019, New Hanover County Narcotics detectives received information that Porter was selling drugs from the Baymont Inn in Wilmington. Following this, detectives arrested an individual in possession of heroin in the area of South 15th street. The individual had a room key for the Baymont Inn. Law enforcement went to the room and stopped a female leaving the room with five bindles of fentanyl. Upon entry of the room, they found Porter on the bed, and a search of the room found a .45 caliber handgun, three grams of fentanyl, digital scales and almost $2,000. Law enforcement searched Porter’s jeep which was parked in front of the room and found a small amount of fentanyl and a stolen 9mm handgun and digital scales.
Porter has prior North Carolina State convictions for Possession of a controlled substance within 300 feet of a School (1994), Selling Cocaine (2012) Attempted Common Law Robbery and Assault Inflicting Bodily Injury (2012).
This is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launders, 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.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, the Wilmington Police Department and the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Severo prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 7:20-cr-00029-M-1.
Anthon, Iowa Man to Federal Prison for Drug Conspiracy ConvictionsRead the Press Release
Brett Sauser, 38, from Anthon, Iowa, was sentenced on June 29, 2023, in federal court in Sioux City to 126 months’ imprisonment. Sauser pled guilty on February 10, 2023, to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, cocaine, and fentanyl and one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine within a protected location. Sauser resided within 1000 feet of Memorial Park and Anthon Elementary School in Anthon, Iowa and obtained his drugs from the Dark Web.
Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that from January 2019 through August 2022, Sauser participated in a conspiracy involving the distribution of more than 500 grams of methamphetamine as well as possession of more than 20 grams each of fentanyl; ketamine; and MDMA. Sauser obtained the controlled substances through the Dark Web and would receive the drugs through the U.S. Postal Service. In August of 2022, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Sauser’s residence after Sauser accepted covert delivery of a package containing a quarter-pound of methamphetamine. The evidence seized included 3 separate baggies of methamphetamine, approximately 3.5 grams each, plus small amounts of MDMA, heroin, ketamine, LSD, marijuana, three bags of mushroom roots (for manufacture of psilocybin mushrooms) and various drug use and distribution paraphernalia.
Sentencing was held before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Sauser was sentenced to 126 months’ imprisonment and must serve an 8-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Sauser remains in custody of the United States Marshal until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by Tri-State Drug Task Force based in Sioux City, Iowa, that consists of law enforcement personnel from the Drug Enforcement Administration; Sioux City, Iowa, Police Department; Homeland Security Investigations; Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office; South Sioux City, Nebraska, Police Department; Nebraska State Patrol; Iowa National Guard; Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; United States Marshals Service; South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation; and Woodbury County Attorney’s Office.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 22-4065. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Monday 10 July 2023
Worcester Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Child Pornography OffensesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Worcester man was sentenced on July 7, 2023 in federal court in Worcester for distributing and possessing child pornography.
Kenneth Gianatasio, 44, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni to 12 years in prison and eight years of supervised release. On March 14, 2023, Gianatasio pleaded guilty to two counts of possession of child pornography and one count of distribution of child pornography.
In August 2019, Gianatasio initiated a conversation with an undercover agent on Kik Messenger. During the conversation, Gianatasio requested to meet the agent in order to engage in sexual activity with the agent’s fictitious underage daughter. During subsequent interviews with law enforcement, Gianatasio admitted that he used Kik as well as other applications to distribute, receive, and possess images and videos of child pornography as well as engage others in conversations about meeting to perform sexual acts on children. Gianatasio also stated that he kept his child pornography in secret applications in his devices for five years. A search of Gianatasio’s iPhone and iPad were found to contain videos and images of child pornography, including thousands of thumbnails in applications on his iPhone.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Christopher DiMenna, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Assistance was provided by U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the Worcester Police Department and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lucy Sun and Kaitlin J. Brown of Levy’s Criminal Division 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 the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.White Earth Felon Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Fentanyl Trafficking and Illegal Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Ponsford man has been sentenced to 60 months in prison followed by four years of supervised release for possessing a firearm as a felon and distributing fentanyl on the White Earth Indian Reservation, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, in January 2022, law enforcement received information that Francis Edward Durant, 52, was selling controlled substances from his residence on the White Earth Reservation. Law enforcement executed a search warrant at Durant’s residence and recovered quantities of fentanyl, a loaded Smith & Wesson .45 caliber handgun, $9,612 in cash, and other drug trafficking paraphernalia. Because Durant has prior felony convictions, he is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition at any time.
Durant pleaded guilty on December 5, 2022, to one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and one count of possessing a firearm as a felon. Durant was sentenced today in U.S. District Court before Senior Judge Joan N. Ericksen.
This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the White Earth Police Department and the Paul Bunyan Drug Task Force.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Bradley M. Endicott.
West L.A. Man Gets More Than 6 Years in Prison for Illicitly Obtaining Nearly $9 Million in COVID Loans, Some of Which He Used for Las Vegas GamblingRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A West Los Angeles man was sentenced today to 79 months in federal prison for fraudulently obtaining approximately $9 million in COVID-19 business loans, some of which he used on gambling excursions to Las Vegas and transferred to his stock trading accounts.
Andrew Marnell, 43, was sentenced by United States District Judge R. Gary Klausner, who scheduled a restitution hearing for August 28.
Marnell pleaded guilty in September 2021 to one count of bank fraud and one count of money laundering.
From March 2020 to July 2020, Marnell schemed to defraud lenders and the Small Business Administration (SBA) by submitting fraudulent loan applications under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), which Congress designed to aid businesses feeling the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and another SBA loan program called the Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program (EIDL).
Marnell’s bogus loan applications contained numerous false and misleading statements about his shell companies’ business operations and payroll expenses. Marnell, often using aliases, submitted fake and altered documents to obtain the small business loans, including bogus federal tax filings and employee payroll records.
In total, Marnell submitted applications for PPP loans in amounts exceeding $10 million and lenders funded nearly $9 million in loans to his fake companies. In addition, Marnell requested EIDL loans from the SBA in the amount of $320,000, and of that amount, $170,000 was funded.
Once Marnell obtained the illicitly obtained loans, he used the money for gambling, including at a Las Vegas casino and in stock market trades, and for purchasing luxury goods. As part of his plea agreement with federal prosecutors, Marnell agreed to forfeit his ill-gotten gains, including Rolex watches, multiple laptop computers and tablets, a Range Rover automobile, a Ducati motorcycle, and hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash. The government also seized more than $1.5 million from various Marnell-controlled accounts, including those used to trade in the stock market.
“As soon as the federal government declared a national emergency and took action to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, [Marnell] started scheming to steal relief funds intended to save small businesses from going bankrupt and millions of individuals from losing their jobs,” prosecutors argued in a sentencing memorandum. “[Marnell] was one of the first people arrested in this district for pandemic-related fraud, and thus he was one of the first out of the proverbial gate to start defrauding programs designed to provide emergency assistance and relief to those impacted by the pandemic, including owners of small businesses.”
The Federal Housing Finance Agency Office of Inspector General; the FBI; the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General; IRS Criminal Investigation; the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration; and the Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General investigated this matter. The California Department of Justice Bureau of Gambling Control provided assistance in the investigation.
Assistant United States Attorney Kerry L. Quinn of the Major Frauds Section prosecuted this case.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at (866) 720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Upland Man Convicted of Felon in Possession of FirearmsRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Susan T. Lehr announced that Donald Greuter, Jr., 57, of Upland, Nebraska, was sentenced on June 29, 2023, by Senior United States District Court Judge John M. Gerrard to a term of 114 months’ imprisonment following his conviction for being a felon in possession of firearms. After he completes his prison sentence, Greuter will also serve three years on supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
In December of 2019, Greuter was on parole for a felony drug distribution conviction. As a convicted felon, Greuter was prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition. On January 8, 2020, police and parole officers went to Greuter’s home in Upland to conduct a parole search of his property. At the time, Greuter resided with his significant other, Tricia Easley. While at Greuter’s home, investigators learned that he also owned the property next door, which contained a house. Greuter acknowledged that he owned that property and gave investigators the keys to make entry. Once inside, officers noticed several containers of live ammunition in various calibers. In the same room, officers saw a large combination safe that was locked. Between the safe and the wall, officers found two 12-gauge shotguns inside a gun case.
Investigators obtained a search warrant for both properties and recovered 30 firearms, including eight pistols, eight shotguns, 16 rifles, and several thousand rounds of ammunition. Among the firearms located in the safe was a short shotgun, a defaced rifle, two stolen guns, a 50-caliber rifle, and three semiautomatic rifles with high-capacity magazines. In total, investigators located 32 firearms and more than 4,000 rounds of ammunition.
Four of the firearms recovered by investigators were found to have been purchased at a Grand Island pawn shop. Greuter’s significant other, Tricia Easley, said she purchased these firearms at Greuter’s request and transferred the firearms to him. Greuter provided her with the money to pay for the guns and told her to pick them up from the pawn shop. Greuter was present during more than one of these gun purchases. Pawn shop employees, who were familiar with Greuter, observed him handle at least one of the firearms purchased. A special agent for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) examined the guns and ammunition and determined that they were manufactured outside the State of Nebraska. For her part, Easley pleaded guilty to transferring a firearm to a prohibited person and is set to be sentenced on August 2, 2023.
This case was investigated by the Nebraska State Patrol and the Trident Drug Task Force, which is made up of officers from the Grand Island Police Department, Hall County Sheriff, Hastings Police Department, Adams County Sheriff, Kearney Police Department, Buffalo County Sheriff, Nebraska State Patrol, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
U.S. Attorney Ritz Launches National Security and Civil Rights UnitRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – United States Attorney Kevin Ritz today announced the creation of a National Security and Civil Rights Unit within the Criminal Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Tennessee. This move permanently positions a supervisory attorney and several prosecutors to respond to and prevent hate crimes and civil rights violations, as well as threats to national security.
“None of us can afford for federal investigators and prosecutors to take a passive role when it comes to protecting the rights guaranteed by the Constitution,” said U.S. Attorney Ritz. “We have a responsibility to our communities to be active participants in seeing those rights endure. This new unit mobilizes every tool at our disposal to prosecuting hate-based crimes, civil rights violations, violent extremism, and related crimes. This is a major part of our mission and deserves to always have a clear, formal home in our office.”
Assistant United States Attorney Karen Hartridge was appointed by Ritz to lead the unit as Deputy Criminal Chief. For nearly nine years, Hartridge has represented the United States in the prosecution of violations of federal firearms, controlled substances, and robbery statutes. Prior to joining the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Hartridge served in the Department of Veterans Affairs, where she supervised a team of attorneys and support personnel. As Deputy Criminal Chief, Hartridge will oversee a team of federal prosecutors on cases involving bias-related incidents, official misconduct, domestic terrorism, interstate threats, cybercrime (including exploitation of children), and other related violations of federal law.
That team will expand almost immediately, according to U.S. Attorney Ritz, as he and Hartridge also announced plans to recruit multiple new Assistant United States Attorneys to work on these issues by the end of the summer. The Justice Department recently granted resources to the Western District to hire multiple additional Assistant United States Attorneys, including one to focus specifically on domestic terrorism and violent crime.
“Our first job is to send a strong message to the cities and counties we serve that we take these kinds of cases seriously and that we are focused on holding people accountable when there is a report of a violation of civil rights or threat to national security,” said Hartridge. “That requires us to build a team of passionate, victim-focused prosecutors who understand the responsibility of this work. The team we have in Memphis and Jackson has given us an incredible foundation; I’m excited to work with them and our new hires to grow and sustain the new unit.”
More information on the attorney vacancies, including qualifications and details on the process, can be found on USAJobs.gov. The deadline to apply is July 16, 2023.
The new unit in the Western District of Tennessee prioritizes cases consistent with Attorney General Garland’s May 27, 2021 directive to U.S. Attorneys to combat hate crimes and incidents, address them when they occur, support those victimized by them, and reduce the pernicious effects these incidents have on our society.
Data released in early 2023 shows an increase in hate crimes reported to the FBI by law enforcement agencies, rising from more than 8,000 in 2020 to nearly 11,000 the following year.
United States Attorney Ritz recently joined three subcommittees of the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee (AGAC) as part of this effort. The AGAC was created in 1973 to serve as the voice of U.S. Attorneys and to advise the Attorney General. United States Attorney Ritz serves on the Violent and Organized Crime Subcommittee, the Terrorism and National Security Subcommittee, and the Civil Rights Subcommittee. As a member of these subcommittees, Ritz works with other U.S. Attorneys and Department leadership to advise on issues in these areas and address their impact across the Western District of Tennessee.
“We’re certainly going to continue to lean on our partnerships across local, state, and federal law enforcement to investigate and prosecute these cases wherever we can,” said Ritz. “But community members are also important partners in this fight. Part of our work is going to be talking to people in all 22 of the counties in our District about how domestic terrorism is evolving, what hate crimes look like in 2023, and how they can bring their concerns to our attention.”
To report a hate crime, human trafficking, civil rights violation, or other federal crime, dial 911 for immediate help from local authorities; submit a report to the Civil Rights Division at civilrights.justice.gov; or contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI or tips.fbi.gov.
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U.S. Attorney Hurwit Releases Public Service Announcement to Highlight Renewed Focus on Violent Crime in Canyon CountyRead the Press Release
BOISE – Today, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit, along with the Nampa Police Department, the Caldwell Police Department, the Canyon County Sheriff’s Office, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, released a public service announcement, available here, about rising violent crime in Canyon County. The PSA highlights the work of the Treasure Valley Metro Violent Crimes Task Force, which is comprised of FBI agents, sheriff deputies, and police officers and works directly with prosecutors at the U.S. Attorney’s Office as well as the Canyon County Prosecutor’s Office. In the PSA, U.S. Attorney Hurwit also explains that convictions for federal crimes generally mean tougher sentences and no parole.
“Our mission is public safety. This means eliminating violent crime in every single neighborhood,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “My office always prioritizes prosecuting those who, through their violent acts, show no regard for the safety of others. This mission is critical in Canyon County, and I hope this PSA will encourage community members to work with law enforcement to address this threat to us all.”
“To help ensure safety in Canyon County, we must work together with our law enforcement partners and community members,” said Joe Huff, Nampa Chief of Police. “One of our core values at the Nampa Police Department is teamwork and we practice it every day in many ways to include crime prevention and in solving crimes.”
“Crime knows no borders and we are better together,” said Rex R. Ingram, Caldwell Chief of Police. “We are unified in numbers with a common goal of keeping Idaho a safe place for people to live, work and play.”
“The Canyon County Sheriff’s Office was a founding member of the Treasure Valley Metro Violent Crimes and Gang Task Force when it first began back in 2005. In the last 18 years, the Task Force has been a vital tool in our fight against violent criminals, gangs, and transcontinental criminal organizations (TCOs) like the Sinaloa and Jalisco New Generation Cartels in the Treasure Valley,” said Kieran Donahue, Canyon County Sheriff. “To date, this partnership between local and federal law enforcement agencies has led to over 600 indictments and taken hundreds of violent criminals off our streets. But our work is far from over. We must continue to be vigilant in our pursuit of violent criminals, gang members, and TCOs, who in addition to committing violent crimes, distribute unprecedented amounts of dangerous drugs like methamphetamine and fentanyl to our residents. These people have no place in our community.”
The FBI and Canyon County law enforcement report an increase in gang-related shootings and drive-by shootings in the recent months. Law enforcement is also seeing an increase in possession of firearms by prohibited individuals in Canyon County. The U.S. Attorney’s Office has made prosecution of crimes involving violent offenders a top priority. From previous years, the office projects an approximate 50% increase in prosecutions of individuals stemming from Treasure Valley Metro Violent Crimes Task Force investigations.
The Task Force focuses on local violent crime and gang activity and is comprised of federal, state, and local agencies, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Caldwell Police Department; Canyon County Sheriff’s Office; and the Idaho Department of Correction.
The following recent federal cases illustrate the Task Force’s work:
- Isaac Bright, 29, of Nampa. Bright was a documented member of Latin Kings gang with an extensive criminal history. On January 29, 2022, a police officer with the Wilder Police Department attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by Bright. Bright failed to stop, resulting in a high-speed pursuit. Bright was eventually arrested after discharging a firearm at the officer. He pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm and was sentenced on February 14, 2023 to ten years in federal prison.
- Jordan Khan, 27, of Washington. Khan moved to the Treasure Valley in 2021, after being released from Washington state prison for unlawful possession of a firearm, possession of a controlled substance, and taking a vehicle without permission. He has an extensive criminal history. On January 27, 2022, United States Marshals were searching for a wanted fugitive believed to be at Khan’s residence. During the search, Khan was found in possession of a .40 caliber pistol and trafficking amounts of fentanyl. He pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and was sentenced on March 14, 2023, to 98 months in federal prison.
- Steven Thornhill, 41, of Nampa. On January 12, 2022, Thornhill was arrested by officers with the Nampa Police Department. Thornhill had methamphetamine and a firearm in his possession. He pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and was sentenced on March 20, 2023, to 80 months in federal prison. Thornhill had an extensive criminal history including prior convictions for unlawfully possessing firearms and burglary. At the time of the instant offense, Thornhill was still on probation for two burglary convictions.
In addition to the Treasure Valley Metro Violent Crimes Task Force, the Wilder Police Department and the U.S. Marshals Service participated in these cases. These cases were prosecuted by the Special Assistant U.S. Attorney hired by the Treasure Valley Partnership and the State of Idaho to address gang crimes. The Treasure Valley Partnership is comprised of a group of elected officials in southwest Idaho dedicated to regional coordination, cooperation, and collaboration on creating coherent regional growth. For more information, visit www.treasurevalleypartners.org.
U.S. Attorney Hurwit expressed his gratitude to all the law enforcement agencies who support the Treasure Valley Metro Violent Crimes Task Force and to the individual prosecutors and task force investigators who are achieving justice through their hard work and professionalism.
Anyone with information about violent crime or illegal activity can call (208) 344-7843.
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U.S. Attorney Announces Charges Against Co-Director of Think Tank for Acting as an Unregistered Foreign Agent, Trafficking in Arms, Violating U.S. Sanctions Against Iran, and Making False Statements to Federal AgentsRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Matthew G. Olsen, the Assistant Attorney General for National Security, and Christie M. Curtis, the Acting Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced today the unsealing of an eight-count Indictment charging GAL LUFT with offenses related to willfully failing to register under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (“FARA”), arms trafficking, Iranian sanctions violations, and making false statements to federal agents. LUFT, a dual U.S.-Israeli citizen, was indicted on November 1, 2022, and arrested on February 17, 2023, in the Republic of Cyprus based on the charges in the Indictment. LUFT subsequently fled after being released on bail while extradition proceedings were pending and remains a fugitive.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As alleged, Gal Luft, a dual U.S.-Israeli citizen and co-head of a Maryland think tank, engaged in multiple, serious criminal schemes. He subverted foreign agent registration laws in the United States to seek to promote Chinese policies by acting through a former high-ranking U.S. Government official; he acted as a broker in deals for dangerous weapons and Iranian oil; and he told multiple lies about his crimes to law enforcement. As the charges unsealed today reflect, our Office will continue to work vigorously with our law enforcement partners to detect and hold accountable those who surreptitiously attempt to perpetrate malign foreign influence campaigns here in the United States.”
FBI Acting Assistant Director in Charge Christie M. Curtis said: “As alleged, the defendant engaged in multiple schemes to evade sanctions and laws intended to protect our national security. The FBI is determined to defend our nation by enforcing laws designed to promote transparency of foreign influence within the United States.”
According to the allegations contained in the Indictment, other filings, public information, and statements made during court proceedings:[1]
For years, LUFT, a dual U.S.-Israeli citizen who serves as the co-director of a Maryland-based think tank, engaged, along with others, in multiple international criminal schemes.
First, LUFT conspired with others in an effort to act within the United States to advance the interests of the People’s Republic of China (“China”) as agents of China-based principals, without registering as foreign agents as required under U.S. law. As part of this scheme, while serving as the co-director of a Maryland-based non-profit think tank, LUFT agreed to covertly recruit and pay, on behalf of principals based in China, a former high-ranking U.S. Government official (“Individual-1”), including in 2016 while the former official was an adviser to the then-President-elect, to publicly support certain policies with respect to China without LUFT or Individual-1 filing a registration statement as an agent of a foreign principal with the Attorney General of the United States, in violation of FARA. Among other things, in the weeks before the 2016 U.S. presidential election, LUFT and a co-conspirator (“CC-1”), who is a Chinese national and worked for a Chinese nongovernmental organization affiliated with a Chinese energy company, created a written “dialogue” between CC-1 and Individual-1, in which LUFT wrote Individual-1’s responses and included information that was favorable to China. The dialogue was then published in a Chinese newspaper online and sent to, among others, individuals in the United States, including a journalist and professors at multiple U.S. universities. When LUFT was writing the dialogue, CC-1 told LUFT that “[i]n these articles, we do not want to spill all the beans yet, just enough to let ‘people’ know he [i.e., Individual-1] is in the corridor of power to be. Just broad stroke policy consideration that leaves plenty of room for interpretation and imagination to be filled in later.” After the purported “conversations” were published, LUFT told CC-1 that certain information, favorable to China, had been “tucked between the lines.” Shortly after the 2016 election, LUFT and CC-1 also discussed possible roles Individual-1 might have in the incoming U.S. administration and discussed Individual-1 taking a “silent trip” to China. LUFT responded that “[w]e are debating about his role in the new admin. There are all kinds of considerations . . .We should talk ftf [i.e., face-to-face] as there can be a supremely unique opportunity for china.”
Second, LUFT conspired with others and attempted to broker illicit arms transactions with, among others, certain Chinese individuals and entities. In his role as a broker or middleman, LUFT worked to find both buyers and sellers of certain weapons and other materials, without a license to do so as required under U.S. law, in violation of the Arms Export Control Act. Among other things, LUFT worked to broker a deal for Chinese companies to sell certain weapons to Libya, including anti-tank launchers, grenade launchers, and mortar rounds (which LUFT and his associates referred to in coded language as “toys”). LUFT also worked to broker deals for certain weapons to be sold to the United Arab Emirates, including aerial bombs and rockets. LUFT further worked to broker deals for certain weapons to be sold by a Chinese company to Kenya, including unmanned aerial vehicles (“UAVs”) – and specifically “strike” UAVs, which LUFT acknowledged “[t]he US doesn’t want to sell[, . . .] hence the opportunity.” LUFT also discussed brokering a deal for weapons to Qatar and told CC-1 that Israel was “not a good fit” as the middleman for the deal because it had the “[s]ame problem the [] Q [i.e., Qataris] have w uncle [i.e., the United States]. Need a third party. . . . I will activate.” In his role as a broker for illicit arms deals, LUFT worked on a commission basis and traveled to meetings and received and passed on documentation needed to secure the deals. During a voluntary interview with U.S. law enforcement in which he was asked questions about his involvement in arms trafficking, LUFT made multiple false statements, including that he had not sought to engage in or profit from arms deals.
Third, LUFT conspired with others and attempted to broker deals for Iranian oil – which he directed an associate to refer to as “Brazilian” oil in an effort to conceal the activity and evade sanctions – in violation of U.S. sanctions against Iran and the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. In his role as a broker or middleman, LUFT solicited buyers and passed on pricing and other information. One offer letter for Iranian oil that LUFT received noted that the “origin” of the oil was “Iranian / It can be presented as UAE origin without Iranian papers.” He also assisted in setting up meetings between Iranian representatives and a Chinese energy company for the purpose of discussing oil deals. During a voluntary interview with U.S. law enforcement in which he was asked about his role brokering deals in Iranian oil, LUFT made multiple false statements, including that he had tried to prevent oil deals with Iran and had not been present during meetings with the Chinese energy company and Iranians.
* * *
LUFT, 57, a dual U.S.-Israeli citizen who formerly resided in both Maryland and Israel and is now a fugitive, has been charged with the following offenses, which carry the maximum prison terms listed below. The statutory maximum penalties are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant would be determined by a judge.
Count
Charge
Maximum Prison Term
One
Conspiracy to violate the Foreign Agents Registration Act
Five years
Two
Conspiracy to violate the Arms Export Control Act
Five years
Three
Violation of the Arms Export Control Act (relating to Libya)
20 years
Four
Violation of the Arms Export Control Act (relating to the United Arab Emirates)
20 years
Five
Violation of the Arms Export Control Act (relating to Kenya)
20 years
Six
Making false statements
Five years
Seven
Conspiracy to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act
20 years
Eight
Making false statements
Five years
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI and its New York Field Office, Counterintelligence Division. Mr. Williams also thanked the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, the Department of Justice’s National Security Division, and the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs for their assistance.
If you have any information about LUFT’s whereabouts, please contact your local FBI office or the nearest American Embassy or Consulate. Tips can be reported anonymously and can also be reported online at tips.fbi.gov.
This matter is being handled by the Office’s National Security and International Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel C. Richenthal and Catherine Ghosh are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Trial Attorney Scott Claffee of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.
The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the Indictment and the description of the Indictment set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
U.S. v. Luft Indictment_As FiledTwo Plead Guilty to Federal Drug CrimesRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Edward Daniel Walker Jr., also known as “Jetty,” 38, of Columbus, Ohio, and Jordan Lee Jobe, 29, of Leon, West Virginia, each pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to distribute heroin.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from about April 2022 to about September 25, 2022, Walker and Jobe participated in a conspiracy to distribute heroin in the Leon area of Mason County. Walker admitted to selling heroin to customers directly and distributing quantities of heroin to other individuals for them to sell at his direction. Jobe admitted to distributing heroin for Walker and transporting Walker to obtain heroin.
On September 25, 2022, law enforcement officers conducted a traffic stop on Interstate 64 in Hurricane of a vehicle driven by Jobe in which Walker was a passenger. Officers searched the vehicle and found approximately 105 grams of suspected heroin and a firearm. Walker and Jobe each admitted to intending to sell the heroin.
Following the traffic stop, officers executed a search warrant that same day at a Barboursville motel room where Walker and Jobe were staying. Officer seized approximately 204 grams of suspected heroin, two firearms and $1,000 during that search. Walker and Jobe each admitted to intending to sell the heroin, and further admitted that the cash was proceeds from previous drug sales.
On March 31, 2023, officers executed a search warrant at a Durham Road residence in Leon, where they arrested Walker and Jobe. Officers seized approximately 135 grams of suspected heroin found at the residence and $2,000 on Walker’s person. Walker and Jobe each admitted to intending to sell the heroin. Walker further admitted that the cash was proceeds from previous drug deals.
Walker and Jobe are scheduled to be sentenced on October 16, 2023, and each faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the West Virginia State Police and the Drug and Violent Crime Task Force West.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Taylor is prosecuting 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. 3:23-cr-40.
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Two Men Indicted for Conspiracy to Straw Purchase FirearmsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Two men have been indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston for allegedly conspiring to straw purchase firearms in Maine and traffic the firearms to Massachusetts.
Traveyon Richardson, 25, of Bangor, Maine and Breon Stroup, 26, of Fall River, Mass., were indicted on one count each of conspiracy to straw purchase firearms. Richardson was also indicted on one count of trafficking of firearms and Stroup was indicted on one count of felon in possession of firearms and ammunition. The defendants will appear in federal court in Boston at a later date.
According to the charging document, in September 2022, Stroup allegedly used Snapchat to ask Richardson to purchase two specific firearms for him in Maine, where Richardson resides. It is alleged that the following day, Stroup sent Richardson a Cash App money transfer and Richardson purchased the firearms online. Then, Richardson allegedly picked up the firearms from the federal firearm license dealer and drove the firearms to Massachusetts in October 2022.
It is further alleged that approximately two weeks later, in October 2022, Richardson and Stroup had a phone conversation where Stroup assured Richardson that he had deleted his Snapchat account. When Richardson allegedly inquired about Stroup’s iCloud account, Stroup responded that he had deleted his iCloud account also.The charge of conspiracy to straw purchase firearms provides for a sentence of up to 15 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of trafficking of firearms provides for a sentence of up to 15 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition 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 and James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Fall River Police Department and the Maine State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lucy Sun of Levy’s Organized Crime & Gang Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Two Men Convicted of Using Credit and Debit Card Skimmers at Gas Stations to Steal Nearly $200,000 in Fresno and Southern CaliforniaRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Akop Dongelyan, 47, of Glendale, and Artak Vardanyan, 40, of Burbank, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to commit credit and debit card fraud, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court records, in November 2015, Dongelyan and Vardanyan went on a crime spree in Fresno and Southern California where they stole multiple victims’ credit and debit card information through skimmers placed at gas stations. They then used that information to make counterfeit credit and debit cards and fraudulently withdraw $198,000 from the victims’ accounts.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Barton is prosecuting the case.
Dongelyan is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 6, 2023, and Vardanyan is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 16, 2023, by U.S. District Judge Ana de Alba. They each face a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison and $250,000 fine. The actual sentences, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
Tampa Cocaine Dealer Sentenced to over 7 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Charlene E. Honeywell today sentenced Rafael Jose Gonzalez Alomar (39, Tampa) to seven years and three months in federal prison for possessing over 500 grams of cocaine with the intent to distribute it. Gonzalez Alomar had pleaded guilty on March 28, 2023.
According to court documents, in February 2022, officers conducted a series of controlled purchases of cocaine from Gonzalez Alomar at his Tampa home. On March 14, 2022, officers executed a search warrant at Gonzalez Alomar’s home and seized more than two kilograms of cocaine, two firearms, and $93,842 in cash. Alomar Gonzalez admitted that the items belonged to him.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Charlie D. Connally.
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.
Springfield Man Sentenced to Six Years in Prison for Armed RobberyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Springfield man has been sentenced in connection with an armed robbery of a convenience store and firearms charges.
Emilio Rivera, 34, was sentenced on July 6, 2023 by U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni to six years in prison followed by three years of supervised release. In March 2019, Rivera pleaded guilty to one count of interference with commerce by robbery, one count of using a firearm in relation to crime of violence and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
On Nov. 14, 2019, Rivera and, allegedly, co-defendant Alfredo Aldeco robbed a clerk in a West Springfield convenience store at gunpoint. When law enforcement later executed a search warrant on Rivera’s home, they found the firearm used in the robbery along with another firearm and ammunition, owned by Rivera. At the time, Rivera was prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition due to a prior felony conviction.
Aldeco has pleaded not guilty and is awaiting trial.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives made the announcement. Valuable assistance in the investigation was provided by the Massachusetts State Police and the West Springfield, Holyoke, Agawam, Chicopee, Northampton and Springfield Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Deepika Bains Shukla of Levy’s Springfield Branch Office prosecuted the case.
Sarasota Restaurant Owner Pleads Guilty to Failing to Provide Information to the IRSRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Karl Knocker has pleaded guilty to three counts of failing to provide information to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) as required by law relating to his income tax liability. Knocker faces a maximum penalty of three years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the plea agreement and information presented at the plea hearing, Knocker owned and managed a restaurant in Sarasota. Beginning at least as early as August 2013, Knocker and his partner and co-owner of the restaurant, Madeline Nikolson, instituted a scheme to defraud the IRS by removing the records of daily cash sales from point-of-sale registers at the restaurant, leaving the record to consist only of credit card sales. The owners kept the true record of their sales and income secret and did not disclose it to the IRS, as required by the Internal Revenue Code and regulations. The two restaurant owners provided this falsified record of sales income to tax preparers who prepared both their personal income tax returns and their corporate tax returns for tax years 2016, 2017, and 2018. As a result, they falsified and removed any reference to approximately $726,105 in sales income from their corporate and personal tax returns for those tax years, resulting in over $100,000 of taxes due and owing on those sums of unreported income.
Nikolson previously pleaded guilty for her role in this case. Her sentencing hearing is scheduled for August 1, 2023.
This case was investigated by the IRS-Criminal Investigation Division. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jay L. Hoffer.
Rockport Business Owner Charged with Filing False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The owner of a local landscaping company was charged today and has agreed to plead guilty in connection with a multi-year scheme to underreport income on his tax returns.
Steven O’Brien, 70, of Rockport, was charged with five counts of filing false tax returns. A plea hearing has not yet been scheduled by the Court.
According to the charging documents, O’Brien, the owner of Steve’s Landscaping, Inc., cashed customer checks instead of depositing customer payments into his business bank accounts. It is alleged that O’Brien then did not report his income from the cashed checks on his corporate tax filings and personal tax returns for tax years 2016 through 2021, resulting in an income tax loss of more than $368,000.
The charge of filing false tax returns provides for a sentence of up to three years in prison, up to one year of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. 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 and Joleen D. Simpson, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kriss Basil of Levy’s Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Red Oak Man Sentenced for Drug Distribution OffensesRead the Press Release
COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA -- A Red Oak man was sentenced on July 6, 2023 for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance and Attempted Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance.
Donald Eugene Reed, 45, was sentenced to 212 months in prison following his plea of guilty to both counts. Reed must serve a 10-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court documents, Iowa Department of Narcotics Enforcement (DNE) completed several controlled buys from Reed in September 2022, purchasing methamphetamine and marijuana. The United States Postal Inspectors intercepted a package addressed to Reed’s home in Red Oak, containing four pounds of methamphetamine. DNE also learned that approximately 15 other similar packages had been previously delivered to Reed.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement investigated the case.
Readout of Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco’s Trip to Tokyo for G7 and ASEAN Justice Ministers MeetingsRead the Press Release
Deputy Attorney General (Deputy AG) Lisa O. Monaco traveled to Tokyo July 6-8 to highlight the importance of international partnerships and support for the rule of law at a Group of Seven (G7) Justice Ministers’ Meeting and a G7 Interface Meeting with Justice Ministers and Attorneys General from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
In remarks at the ASEAN Interface on July 7, the Deputy AG emphasized the critical importance of strong international partnerships to combating intensifying global threats from cybercrime and transnational organized crime, particularly narcotics trafficking. She noted how the Justice Department’s prosecutors and investigators are working with global partners to disrupt the criminal ecosystem that allows increasingly brazen cyber criminals and malicious nation-state actors to flourish. She also encouraged her counterparts to join the Justice Department’s campaign against drug cartels that fuel violence around the world, warning that the United States is facing a deadly threat from fentanyl and other illicit synthetic drugs. She said:
“To my colleagues — I urge you to recognize that while you may not see this deadly killer now — you will. Fentanyl trafficking is a serious threat to all of us and is an area ripe for future cooperation.”
In the meeting of G7 Justice Ministers, the Deputy AG reiterated her warning about fentanyl and acknowledged the steadfast commitment of G7 nations to support Ukraine and resolve to hold Russia accountable for the war crimes and atrocities it is perpetrating in its war of aggression in Ukraine. She joined G7 Justice Ministers in announcing new efforts to help Ukraine strengthen the rule of law and fight corruption, including through a new G7 Anti-Corruption Task Force for Ukraine, which the Justice Department will support as part of its continued response to Russia’s unprovoked and brutal war in Ukraine.
Pointing to the Disruptive Technology Strike Force she launched earlier this year, the Deputy AG also encouraged her G7 counterparts to work together to deny repressive regimes the technology they abuse and exploit to monitor, harass, and intimidate, warning that:
“Our adversaries are not content with the status quo — they are increasingly creative, brazen, and malicious in their efforts to weaken democracies, to sow discord, and to spread corruption across the globe. Only by defending the rule of law, protecting civil liberties, and holding fast to the values that underpin our countries can we defeat these autocratic regimes — and we can and must do these things together.”
You can read more here about the commitments made by G7 Justice Ministers to support Ukraine, enhance cooperation among the G7 nations to promote the rule of law, and connect the G7 and Indo-Pacific in the fields of law and justice.
While in Tokyo, the Deputy AG held a number of bilateral meetings, including with Justice Ministers and other counterparts from the United Kingdom, the Philippines, France, Italy, Germany, Japan, and Canada, as well as with the Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). In all of these discussions, the Deputy AG emphasized the importance of continuing to invest in international partnerships, which are key to dismantling deadly narcotics trafficking networks, disrupting cybercrime and threats like ransomware, and preventing the misuse of critical technologies by repressive regimes to undermine democracies.
Joined by U.S. Ambassador to Japan, Rahm Emanuel, the Deputy AG met with the Japanese Minister of Justice, Ken Saitō, to thank him for his leadership of the G7 Justice Ministerial and for his hospitality in Tokyo. She met separately with Deputy Commissioner General of the Japanese National Police, Yoshimi Ogata, and underscored the Justice Department’s deep appreciation for the strong collaboration with Japanese law enforcement and justice partners in combating shared global threats.
Before leaving Tokyo, the Deputy AG visited the American Embassy for a briefing with U.S. officials on their work in-country and to thank them for their dedicated public service.
Rapid City Man Sentenced for Illegally Possessing a Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition by a Prohibited Person was sentenced on July 7, 2023, by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey L. Viken.
Duane Starkey, age 33, was sentenced to two years and six months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Starkey was indicted by a federal grand jury in September of 2022 and pleaded guilty in March of 2023.
The conviction stems from Starkey, a previously convicted felon who is prohibited from possessing firearms, being in possession of a SCCY 9mm caliber semi-automatic pistol and Remington 9mm Luger ammunition in August of 2022 in Rapid City, which was found after Starkey came into contact with law enforcement.
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.
The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Patterson prosecuted the case.
Starkey was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Pittsburgh Resident Sentenced to 90 Months Imprisonment for Attempted Receipt of Material Involving the Sexual Exploitation of a ChildRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA - A resident of Pittsburgh, PA, has been sentenced in federal court to 90 months imprisonment followed by 7 years of supervised release on his conviction of attempted receipt of material involving the sexual exploitation of a child, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
United States District Judge Christy Criswell Wiegand imposed the sentence on Thomas Hunt, 32 on July 10, 2023.
According to information presented to the court, Hunt attempted to meet who he believed to be a 13-year-old minor in person and attempted to receive material, from this minor, involving the sexual exploitation of minors from September 13, 2023, to October 13, 2021. Instead, Hunt was speaking to an undercover law enforcement officer.
Assistant United States Attorney Michael L. Mitchell prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Olshan commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Hunt.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), 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.
Pittsburgh Resident Pleads Guilty to Concealing a Material Fact in Connection with a Naturalization MatterRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA - A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of concealing a material fact in connection with a naturalization matter, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
Man Ho, age 34, pleaded guilty to one count before United States District Judge David S. Cercone.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that Man Ho, a citizen of Vietnam, married a U.S. citizen in July 2011 for the sole purpose of gaining permanent residency in the United States and that in matters before immigration authorities she failed to advise that the marriage was a sham marriage.
The law provides for a total sentence of not more than 6 months in prison, a fine of not more than $5,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorneys Yvonne Saadi and DeMarr Moulton prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
The Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Man Ho.
Pine Ridge Man Sentenced to Life ImprisonmentRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Jeffrey L. Viken has sentenced a Pine Ridge, South Dakota, man convicted of First Degree Murder and Discharge of a Firearm During the Commission of a Crime of Violence. The sentencing took place on July 6, 2023.
Colton Bagola, 30, was sentenced to life in federal prison for the First Degree Murder charge and a consecutive 10 year sentence in federal prison on the Firearm charge. He was also ordered to pay $200 in special assessments to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Bagola was indicted for the charges by a federal grand jury in January of 2020. He was found guilty following a federal jury trial in Rapid City, South Dakota, in October of 2022.
The conviction stems from Bagola shooting a 30-year-old male in the back of the head killing him on December 17, 2019, at Pine Ridge.
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian country be prosecuted in federal court as opposed to State court.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Megan Poppen and Gina Nelson prosecuted the case.
Bagola was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Pine Ridge Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a Pine Ridge, South Dakota, man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance was sentenced on June 30, 2023, by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey L. Viken.
Alex Jaramillo, age 36, was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Jaramillo was indicted by a federal grand jury in July of 2021 and pleaded guilty in March of 2023. The conviction stems from Jaramillo conspiring with others to distribute methamphetamine in South Dakota and elsewhere between March and June of 2021.
The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, and the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Patterson prosecuted the case.
Jaramillo was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Petersburg, Illinois, Man Charged with Sexual Exploitation of a Minor, Receipt, and Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A grand jury indicted a Petersburg, Illinois, man, Adam L. Power, 29, of the 500 block of 8th Street in Petersburg, Illinois, on July 7, 2023, for producing, distributing, and receiving child pornography.
Court documents allege that Power requested, traded, and received child pornography from minors through the use of online applications. Power was identifying himself as a minor female to get minor males to produce sexually explicit images and videos of themselves. Additionally, it is alleged Power distributed as well as received visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
Power was originally arrested in Petersburg, Illinois, on March 21, 2023, and charged with possession of child pornography by the Menard County State’s Attorney. He was released on bond with electronic monitoring. On June 30, 2023, Power was arrested by Department of Homeland Security Agents on a federal warrant and was subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury. He is currently in the custody of the U.S. Marshals.
If convicted, the offense of sexual exploitation of a minor carries a statutory penalty of at least fifteen years to a maximum of thirty years’ imprisonment; for both receipt and distribution of child pornography, the penalty is at least five years to a maximum of twenty years’ imprisonment.
Agencies participating in the investigation include the Department of Homeland Security, Illinois Attorney General’s Office, Athens Police Department, Illinois State Police, Petersburg Police Department, the Menard County Sheriff’s Office, and the Menard County States Attorney. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tanner K. Jacobs is representing the government in the prosecution.
Members of the public are reminded that an indictment is merely an accusation; the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
Anyone who may have information about potential victims is asked to contact Springfield Homeland Security Investigations at 217-547-2114 or [email protected].
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. 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.
Passaic County Husband and Wife Sentenced for Sex TraffickingRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A husband and wife from Passaic County, New Jersey, have been sentenced to prison for their roles in a sex trafficking scheme, U.S. Attorney Philip Sellinger announced today.
Enna Gonzalez, 58, of Paterson, New Jersey, was sentenced on July 6, 2023, by U.S. District Judge Madeline Cox Arleo to four years in prison and five years of supervised release. Gonzalez previously pleaded guilty to an indictment charging her with conspiracy to commit sex trafficking.
Gonzalez husband, Jean Noriega, 52, of Paterson, was sentenced June 14, 2023, to 20 years in prison and five years of supervised release. Noriega previously pleaded guilty to an indictment charging him with conspiracy to commit sex trafficking and the sex trafficking of six different victims. Judge Arleo imposed the sentences in Newark federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From 2016 through 2017, Noriega coerced multiple women to engage in commercial sex acts in New Jersey and New York. Noriega used violence, threats of violence, threats of drug withdrawal, and other means, to compel the victims to engage in commercial sex for his profit, including after his incarceration in New York on unrelated charges in 2017. Gonzalez helped Noriega control the victims through various means, including, collecting the proceeds of the commercial sex acts. She also carried out Noriega’s sex trafficking activities while Noriega was incarcerated.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI’s Newark Child Exploitation Human Trafficking Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark, and the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office’s Human Trafficking Unit, under the direction of Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes, with the investigation leading to the sentencings.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sophie E. Reiter of the U.S. Attorney’s Cybercrime Unit in Newark.
Omaha Man Sentenced for an Interstate Domestic Violence OffenseRead the Press Release
COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA – An Omaha man was sentenced on Thursday, July 6, 2023, for interstate domestic violence – causing travel of a victim.
Ruben Toledo, Jr., 28, was sentenced to 60 months in prison following his guilty plea. According to court documents, on October 23, 2021, Toledo assaulted his then girlfriend at a bar in downtown Omaha then forced her into his car and drove from Omaha, Nebraska to Council Bluffs, Iowa and continued the assault. After his prison sentence, Toledo must serve a three-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
When he committed this crime, Toledo was on supervised release for a 2015 federal conviction for conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance. The Court also revoked Toledo’s supervised release and sentenced him to 18 months’ imprisonment, to be served consecutively to the 60-month sentence.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Council Bluffs Police Department, the Omaha Police Department, the Glenwood Police Department, Mills County Sheriff’s Office, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case.
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 (SAFE), or the Iowa Coalition Against Domestic Violence at 1-800-770-1650. Additional resources for victims and survivors of domestic violence can be found on the Resources page of the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence website at https://ncadv.org/resources.