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Wednesday 5 July 2023
Bridgeport Gun Trafficker Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that DAQUAN LAMONT WRIGHT, 26, of Bridgeport, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in Bridgeport to a firearm offense stemming from his illegal trafficking of firearms.
According to court documents and statements made in court, an investigation determined that Wright was illegally selling firearms without a license. In January and February 2023, investigators made three controlled purchases of handguns from Wright. One of the handguns had been reported stolen in North Carolina. During the investigation, Wright indicated that he possessed, and had access to, other firearms and firearm parts.
Wright was arrested on March 13, 2023. On that date, a search of his Bridgeport residence revealed a Glock Model 43 handgun, ammunition, and various gun parts.
Wright was previously convicted in state court of theft of a firearm, and possession with intent to sell narcotics. It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.
Wright pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 15 years. A sentencing date is not scheduled.
Wright has been detained since his arrest.
This investigation has been conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Connecticut State Police, and the Bridgeport, Fairfield, and Stamford Police Departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jocelyn Courtney Kaoutzanis through the Justice’s Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) program.
PSN, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts, 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.
Bowling Green State University Student Charged with FACE Act ViolationRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Rebecca C. Lutzko, Wood County Prosecuting Attorney Paul Dobson, and Bowling Green Police Chief Tony Hetrick announced today that a federal misdemeanor charge under the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act, was filed by information against Whitney M. Durant, a.k.a. Soren Monroe, age 20.
The FACE Act (18 U.S.C. § 248(a)(3)), prohibits a person from intentionally damaging or destroying the property of a facility because that facility provides reproductive health services. According to the information, on April 15, 2023, Durant intentionally damaged the property of HerChoice, a pregnancy care center located in Bowling Green, Ohio, by defacing the clinic’s building with spray paint because the clinic provides reproductive health services. Durant is a Bowling Green State University Student.
An information is only an allegation and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violations. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum of one year incarceration.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Angelita Cruz Bridges and Wood County Prosecutor Paul Dobson, who is also a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney, following a joint investigation by the Bowling Green Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Monday 3 July 2023
Three Members of Drug Trafficking Organization Plead Guilty to Importing and Distributing NarcoticsRead the Press Release
Two members of a Mexico-based drug trafficking organization (DTO) pleaded guilty today in the District of Columbia to importing and distributing narcotics.
A third member of the DTO pleaded guilty to the same charges on June 16.
According to court documents, from January 2020 through April 2022, Angel Adan Valenzuela, 25, of Rio Rico, Arizona; Benjamin Soto Jr., 47, of Nogales, Arizona; and Refugio Veronica Quintero Moreno, 46, of Rio Rico, Arizona, worked with others to routinely transport narcotics from Mexico through the port of entry in Nogales by car and ship those narcotics across the United States. After importing the narcotics into the United States, Valenzuela and other couriers moved them to a shipping facility in Nogales, prepared the packages for shipment, and had them distributed to cities across the United States.
Soto and Quintero Moreno, who at the time were employed at a commercial shipping company in Nogales, routinely accepted narcotics-laden packages from couriers without requesting identification or payment and mailed the packages fraudulently by using existing business accounts. Valenzuela paid the shipping company employees on behalf of the DTO for their role in shipping controlled substances, including Soto and Quintero Moreno, who received weekly payments in Mexico for their role in facilitating narcotics shipments.
From September 2021 to November 2021, agents identified and intercepted 21 packages sent in this manner, resulting in the seizure of more than 30 kilograms of methamphetamine, 20 kilograms of cocaine, seven kilograms of fentanyl, and four kilograms of heroin.
Valenzuela, Quintero Moreno, and Soto all pleaded guilty to a two-count indictment charging each with conspiring to import five kilograms or more of cocaine, 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, and 400 grams or more of fentanyl, and conspiring to distribute those amounts of those substances and Ritalin. Soto and Quintero Moreno are scheduled to be sentenced Nov. 15 and Valenzuela is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 16. Each faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison on each count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and Special Agent in Charge David G. Nanz of the FBI Springfield Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI Springfield Field Office is investigating the case with substantial assistance from Homeland Security Investigations - Arizona and the FBI Tucson Field Office.
Trial Attorneys Douglas Meisel, Mingda Hang, Kate Naseef, and Samantha Thompson of the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section are prosecuting the case.
The case is supported by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF).
Tampa Man Pleads Guilty to Illegally Possessing FirearmRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Deandre Riviera Lopez (33, Tampa) has pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Lopez faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 15 years, up to life, in federal prison under the Armed Career Criminal Act. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the court documents, on May 15, 2022, officers with the Tampa Police Department (“TPD”) arrested Lopez on an active felony warrant from the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit in Hillsborough County. During Lopez’s arrest, the officers observed Lopez reach for an item near his waist. A search of Lopez revealed a Century Arms “Canik” TP9 Elite Combat Semi-Automatic Pistol tucked near Lopez’s waist. The firearm was loaded with 14 rounds of ammunition. Lopez later admitted that he always carries a firearm for personal protection and that he had owned the pistol for several months. At the time, Lopez had multiple prior felony convictions and had served time in Florida State Prison. As a convicted felon Lopez is prohibited from possessing a firearm 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 Tampa Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David W.A. Chee.
Tampa Felon Who Led Police on A Chase Through Tampa Sentenced to More Than 6 Years in Federal for Possessing Two Firearms and Extended MagazineRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge William F. Jung has sentenced Shawn Lanier Lowman, Jr. (23, Tampa) to six years and six months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Lowman had pleaded guilty on March 23, 2023.
According to court documents, at approximate 11 p.m. on November 1, 2022, Lowman was a passenger in a black sedan that fled after officers from the Tampa Police Department (TPD) had attempted to conduct a traffic stop. The sedan led the officers on a vehicle chase through the Old Seminole Heights and Sulphur Springs neighborhoods in Tampa. The chase continued on foot as Lowman ran through a residential neighborhood. A TPD Air Service helicopter tracked Lowman using a Forward Looking InfraRed (“FLIR”) camera as he fled through the neighborhood and into the backyard of a residence where he hid in a shed. The helicopter’s FLIR camera captured the thermal signature of Lowman inside the shed. TPD officers converged on the shed and arrested Lowman. The officers later recovered 10.9 grams of bagged cocaine from inside the shed.
TPD officers retraced Lowman’s path of flight and located a backpack containing two loaded firearms: (1) a Glock 9mm pistol; and (2) a Smith & Wesson Model 659 9mm pistol (loaded with 14 rounds of ammunition, with one in the chamber). Lowman’s fingerprints were found on both pistols. The backpack also contained a digital scale, an extended magazine (black Pro Mag-brand, with 11 rounds), and a black ski mask. In an interview following his arrest, Lowman admitted that the fingerprints found on the firearms belonged to him and that he had possessed the firearms.
At the time, Lowman had previously felony convictions for armed carjacking with a deadly weapon and armed burglary. As a convicted felon, 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 Tampa Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David W.A. Chee.
Kentucky Man Arrested on Child Exploitation OffensesRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A Kentucky man was arrested yesterday on child exploitation charges, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Carlton L. Peeples.
A four-count indictment filed in the U.S. District Court charges Aden Willis Yeager, 21, of Louisville, Kentucky, with one count of production of child pornography, one count of coercion and enticement of a minor, one count of transportation of child pornography, and one count of possession of child pornography arising out of events that occurred between April 2020 and October 2020 in Tuscaloosa County.
“Summer is here, and children will have an increased online presence. I encourage parents to have open and ongoing conversations about safe and appropriate online behavior,” U.S. Attorney Escalona said. “My office, in collaboration with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, will continue in our efforts to protect our most vulnerable victims – our children.”
If you suspect or become aware of possible sexual exploitation of a child, please contact law enforcement. To alert the FBI Birmingham Office, call 205-326-6166. Reports can also be filed with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) or online at www.cybertipline.org.
For information on the FBI’s guidance on child exploitation and protecting children visit https://www.fbi.gov/scams-and-safety/protecting-your-kids.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 to combat the growing 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, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The maximum penalty for production of child pornography is thirty years, and the penalty for coercion and enticement of a minor is ten years to life in prison and a $250,000 fine. The maximum penalty for transportation and possession of child pornography is 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
FBI Birmingham’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force (CEHTTF)investigated the case along with the West Alabama Human Trafficking Task Force and the University of Alabama Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney R. Leann White is prosecuting the case.
An indictment contains only charges. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Jury returns guilty verdict in murder-for-hire plotRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A federal jury sitting in McAllen has convicted a 32-year-old man for conspiracy to commit murder for hire, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
The jury deliberated for just over an hour before convicting Christopher Andrade, Oxnard, California, following a four-day trial.
The jury heard that in 2018, Mexican Mafia gang members arranged for the murder of an individual residing in Mission.
Andrade was a Colonia Chiques gang member on parole who recruited and conspired with three additional individuals to execute the murder in exchange for $20,000. The others included his mother Viola Garcia, Noah Solis and Ronaldo Gallegos. Testimony revealed the co-conspirators agreed to travel from California to Texas to commit the murder in exchange for payment.
On Aug. 30, 2018, Garcia and co-conspirators attempted to forcibly entered the victim’s residence. The murder attempt was unsuccessful. They then tried to flee from the scene. At that time, Garcia led responding law enforcement officers on a high speed chase until she crashed the vehicle.
The jury heard testimony regarding text messages and phone calls that Andrade had made from his phone coordinating the murder attempt.
The jury also heard that in July 2018, the group had attempted to murder the same victim.
Andrade attempted to convince the jury he was not in fact the user of the phone and was unaware of any agreement or attempt to commit murder. The jury did not believe those claims and found him guilty as charged.
U.S. District Judge Ricardo H. Hinojosa presided over trial and set sentencing for Sept. 7. At that time, Andrade faces up to 10 years in federal prison.
Andrade has been and will remain in custody pending that hearing.
Noah Solis, 24, and Ronaldo Gallegos, both 24 and from Oxnard, had previously pleaded guilty, while Garcia, 52, also of Oxnard, California, was convicted by a jury in November 2022. All are also pending sentencing.
The FBI conducted the investigation with the assistance of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation and police departments in Mission and Oxnard, California. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cahal P. McColgan and Peter I. Brostowin are prosecuting the case.
Four Men Charged in a Superseding Indictment with Conspiring to Launder Funds from Various Fraud SchemesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A federal grand jury in Puerto Rico returned a superseding indictment charging four men with one count of conspiracy to launder funds from wire, mail, and access device fraud schemes. One defendant, Oluwasegun Baiyewu, was previously charged on Oct. 21, 2021.
According to court documents, Oluwaseun Adelekan 40, and Temitope Omotayo, 40, both of Staten Island, New York; Ifeoluwa Dudubo, 37, of Austin, Texas; and Temitope Suleiman, 37, and Oluwasegun Baiyewu, 37, of Richmond, Texas, conspired to launder funds from different international organized fraud schemes, including romance, pandemic relief unemployment insurance fraud, and business email compromise scams. These fraud schemes disproportionately impacted elderly or otherwise vulnerable Americans.
“Fraud that targets seniors is reprehensible, and money laundering networks like the one alleged in this case allow fraudsters to profit from their unlawful schemes,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The department is committed to pursuing investigations and prosecutions of those who victimize the elderly and other vulnerable members of our community.”
“These charges reflect the Department’s ongoing commitment to work with our law enforcement partners to identify and hold criminals accountable, especially those who prey on vulnerable victims,” said U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow for the District of Puerto Rico. “We remain steadfast in our resolve to prosecute individuals who target seniors who have been victimized for far too long by individuals who hide in the shadows and in foreign nations to commit their crimes.”
“This case shows what true coordination and teamwork looks like, and it speaks to our Cyber mission to bring risk and consequence to cyber criminals wherever they may be,” said Special Agent in Charge Joseph Gonzalez of the FBI San Juan Field Office. “The FBI’s commitment to protect the people and uphold the Constitution is not limited to the subjects' or victims' location. This is only possible thanks to our strong working relationships with our state and federal partners and our FBI colleagues across the nation and the globe. Special thanks to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico for their continued support and our FBI San Antonio and Houston colleagues for their assistance in this investigation.”
The superseding indictment alleges that in 2020 and 2021, the defendants worked together to profit from efforts to “clean” money from scams involving victims, many of whom were older adults, in California, Illinois, Washington, and Nevada, and business email compromise schemes affecting victim companies in Puerto Rico and Missouri. After receiving the proceeds, the defendants or their co-conspirators conducted hundreds of transactions with the funds, including by obtaining cashier’s
checks and money orders, and then using the cashier’s checks and money orders to purchase used cars that were shipped overseas to Nigeria.Adelekan, Baiyewu, Dudubo, Omotayo, and Suleiman are charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering. If convicted, each defendant faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service, U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, and Federal Bureau of Investigation San Juan Cyber Task Force are investigating this case, with assistance from the National Unemployment Insurance Fraud Task Force supporting the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Strike Force teams.
Trial Attorneys Emily C. Powers and Brandon Robers of the Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch and Assistant U.S. Attorney Edwin G. Mercado for the District of Puerto Rico are prosecuting the case.
The department’s extensive and broad-based efforts to combat elder fraud seek to halt the widespread losses seniors suffer from fraud schemes. The best method for prevention, however, is by sharing information about the various types of elder fraud schemes with relatives, friends, neighbors, and other seniors who can use that information to protect themselves. The agencies involved in this effort urge consumers to be on the lookout for signs someone is trying to recruit them to receive and transmit fraud proceeds. Do not agree to receive money or checks mailed to you or sent to your bank account for someone you have met over the phone or online. Do not open a bank or cryptocurrency account at someone else’s direction. Fraudsters will lie to persuade you to help them. They may falsely tell you that they are helping you get a lottery prize, initiate a purported romantic relationship and then tell you that they need money, or pretend to offer you a job, an opportunity to invest in a business venture, or the chance to help in a charitable effort.
The department urges individuals to be on the lookout for unauthorized debits to their accounts. Regularly check your bank, credit card, and other financial statements and contact your financial institution if you see a charge you do not recognize. Report any fraudulent debit you identify to law enforcement. Reports may be filed with the FTC at www.reportfraud.ftc.gov or at 877-FTC-HELP.
If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This U.S. Department of Justice hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, is staffed by experienced professionals who provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies, and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is staffed seven days a week from 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. eastern time. English, Spanish, and other languages are available.
For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch, visit its website at www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. For more information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico visit their website at www.justice.gov/usao-pr. Information about the Department of Justice’s Elder Fraud Initiative is available at www.justice.gov/elderjustice. Information about the Justice Department's COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force is available at www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Four Men Charged in a Superseding Indictment with Conspiring to Launder Funds from Various Fraud SchemesRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in Puerto Rico returned a superseding indictment charging four men with one count of conspiracy to launder funds from wire, mail, and access device fraud schemes. One defendant, Oluwasegun Baiyewu, was previously charged on Oct. 21, 2021.
According to court documents, Oluwaseun Adelekan 40, and Temitope Omotayo, 40, both of Staten Island, New York; Ifeoluwa Dudubo, 37, of Austin, Texas; and Temitope Suleiman, 37, and Oluwasegun Baiyewu, 37, of Richmond, Texas, conspired to launder funds from different international organized fraud schemes, including romance, pandemic relief unemployment insurance fraud, and business email compromise scams. These fraud schemes disproportionately impacted elderly or otherwise vulnerable Americans.
“Fraud that targets seniors is reprehensible, and money laundering networks like the one alleged in this case allow fraudsters to profit from their unlawful schemes,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The department is committed to pursuing investigations and prosecutions of those who victimize the elderly and other vulnerable members of our community.”
“These charges reflect the Department’s ongoing commitment to work with our law enforcement partners to identify and hold criminals accountable, especially those who prey on vulnerable victims,” said U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow for the District of Puerto Rico. “We remain steadfast in our resolve to prosecute individuals who target seniors who have been victimized for far too long by individuals who hide in the shadows and in foreign nations to commit their crimes.”
“Cases like this demonstrate the FBI’s commitment to protecting the American people and defending them against financial fraud schemes,” said Executive Assistant Director Tim Langan of the FBI’s Criminal, Cyber, Response and Services Branch. “The FBI will continue to hold anyone accountable who seeks to exploit vulnerable Americans, including the elderly.”
The superseding indictment alleges that in 2020 and 2021, the defendants worked together to profit from efforts to “clean” money from scams involving victims, many of whom were older adults, in California, Illinois, Washington, and Nevada, and business email compromise schemes affecting victim companies in Puerto Rico and Missouri. After receiving the proceeds, the defendants or their co-conspirators conducted hundreds of transactions with the funds, including by obtaining cashier’s checks and money orders, and then using the cashier’s checks and money orders to purchase used cars that were shipped overseas to Nigeria.
Adelekan, Baiyewu, Dudubo, Omotayo, and Suleiman are charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering. If convicted, each defendant faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service, U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, and FBI San Juan Cyber Task Force are investigating this case, with assistance from the National Unemployment Insurance Fraud Task Force supporting the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Strike Force teams.
Trial Attorneys Emily C. Powers and Brandon Robers of the Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch and Assistant U.S. Attorney Edwin G. Mercado for the District of Puerto Rico are prosecuting the case.
If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This U.S. Department of Justice hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, is staffed by experienced professionals who provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies, and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is staffed seven days a week from 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. eastern time. English, Spanish, and other languages are available.
For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch, visit its website at www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. For more information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico visit their website at www.justice.gov/usao-pr. Information about the Department of Justice’s Elder Fraud Initiative is available at www.justice.gov/elderjustice. Information about the Justice Department's COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force is available at www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Former Miami-Dade Police Officer Pleads Guilty to COVID-19 Relief FraudRead the Press Release
MIAMI – Samuel Harris, 43, who was a police officer with the Miami-Dade Police Department (“MDPD”), has pleaded guilty to wire fraud in connection with his fraudulent applications for a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan, an Economic Injury Disaster Loan (“EIDL”), and an EIDL advance. Harris entered his guilty plea in Miami today before U.S. District Judge Robert N. Scola Jr.
According to the facts admitted at the change of plea, Harris, who was a full-time MDPD police officer, also was the owner and president of Oregen Digital, Inc. (“Oregen”). Working with an associate, on June 29, 2020, Harris submitted and caused to be submitted a false and fraudulent PPP loan application falsely claiming that Oregen had 10 employees and a monthly payroll of over $50,000 per month. In support of this application, Harris submitted a fraudulent IRS Form W-3 falsely claiming that Oregen had paid 10 employees over $602,000 in wages during 2019. As a result of this false and fraudulent application, Harris obtained a $125,579 PPP loan from a Georgia-based SBA-approved PPP lender.
Harris also admitted that on June 30, 2020, he caused to be submitted to the SBA a false and fraudulent EIDL application in the name of Oregen, seeking both an EIDL and an EIDL advance. In this fraudulent application, Harris falsely claimed that for the twelve-month period prior to January 31, 2020, Oregen had gross revenues of over $859,000 and 10 employees. As a result of this fraudulent application, Oregen obtained from the SBA a $10,000 EIDL advance that did not need to be repaid and $149,900 in EIDL loan proceeds.
Harris is scheduled for sentencing on September 25 at 8:30 a.m. before U.S. District Judge Scola in Miami, where he faces a possible maximum sentence of up to 20 years in prison.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri of the FBI, Miami Field Office, Special Agent in Charge Matthew D. Line of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Miami Field Office, and SBA OIG’s Eastern Region Special Agent in Charge Amaleka McCall-Brathwaite, U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General (SBA OIG), Investigations Division’s Eastern Region, announced the guilty plea.
The FBI’s Miami Area Corruption Task Force, which includes task force officers from the Miami-Dade Police Department’s Professional Compliance Bureau, IRS-CI, and SBA OIG investigated the case. U.S. Attorney Lapointe thanked the Miami-Dade County Office of Inspector General for their invaluable assistance with this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward N. Stamm is prosecuting the case.
In March 2020, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act was enacted. It was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Among other sources of relief, the CARES Act authorized and provided funding to the SBA to provide Economic Injury Disaster Loans (“EIDLs”) to eligible small businesses, including sole proprietorships and independent contractors, experiencing substantial financial disruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic to allow them to meet financial obligations and operating expenses that could otherwise have been met had the disaster not occurred. EIDL applications were submitted directly to the SBA via the SBA’s on-line application website, and the applications were processed and the loans funded for qualifying applicants directly by the SBA.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
On September 15, 2022, the Attorney General selected the Southern District of Florida’s U.S. Attorney’s Office to head one of three national COVID-19 Fraud Strike Force Teams. The Department of Justice established the Strike Force to enhance existing efforts to combat and prevent COVID-19 related financial fraud. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please click here.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
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-20189.
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Former Malibu Resident Pleads Guilty to Bilking Investors out of $3M with False Promises of Discounted, Pre-IPO Shares of AlibabaRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A former Malibu resident who defrauded several individuals out of more than $3 million with bogus claims he had access to stock shares of Alibaba prior to its initial public offering has pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud, the Justice Department announced today.
Frank Harold Rosenthal, 48, who currently resides in New York City, pleaded guilty Friday before United States District Judge Fernando L. Aenlle-Rocha.
Rosenthal admitted making false claims of having inside connections at Goldman Sachs that would provide him with special access to purchase discounted shares of Alibaba, a Chinese e-commerce company, before its initial public offering.
Rosenthal carried out his scheme through a middleman, David Kunkle, by making fraudulent representations and pressuring Kunkle to solicit funds from his relatives and acquaintances for the purportedly lucrative investment opportunity.
To lend legitimacy to his fraudulent scheme, Rosenthal negotiated and drafted loan agreements and promissory notes with the victims that promised the victims significant returns on their loans and investments.
After obtaining their money, Rosenthal lulled his victims by, among ways, falsely stating that Alibaba shares had been purchased and sold. Rosenthal paid his earlier victims with money from later victims’ funds.
Instead of using victims’ funds to purchase shares of Alibaba, Rosenthal used the money to support his lavish lifestyle, which included the $16,000 monthly rent of a Malibu home.
Judge Aenlle-Rocha has scheduled a sentencing hearing on October 13, at which time Rosenthal will face a statutory maximum sentence of 40 years in federal prison, as well as restitution.
IRS Criminal Investigation investigated this matter.
Trial Attorney Sara Henderson of U.S. Department of Justice’s Tax Division and Assistant United States Attorneys Steven M. Arkow and Mark Aveis of the Major Frauds Section are prosecuting this case.
Delaware Man Sentenced for Violation of National Firearms ActRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, Del. – U.S. Attorney Davis C. Weiss announced that Mark Nepi, 46, of Wilmington, was sentenced on June 29, 2023, to 60 months in federal prison for a violation of the National Firearms Act. U.S. District Judge Maryellen Noreika pronounced the sentence.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in July 2022, Homeland Security Investigations – Philadelphia (HSI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and the Delaware State Police executed a federal search warrant at Nepi’s home based on a Delaware State Police arrest where Nepi was in possession of illegal explosives. Found inside Nepi’s home during the search warrant were eleven firearm silencers, a grenade, explosives in various stages of completion, flash powder chemicals, and remote firing devices and switches.
The silencers recovered during the search qualified as a firearm under National Firearms Act and were not registered to Nepi, a requirement pursuant to federal law.
Commenting on the case, U.S. Attorney Weiss stated, ‘Identifying and prosecuting individuals who illegally possess the weapons found in Mr. Nepi’s home is a priority for my office. I wish to recognize the successful investigative efforts of HSI Philadelphia, ATF and the Delaware State Police. Their efforts resulted in a significant federal prison sentence, which helps to keep our communities safe.”
“Weapons such as those seized from Mark Nepi pose real threats and dangers to our communities,” said William S. Walker Special Agent in Charge of HSI Philadelphia. “The exploitation of international shipping avenues to import these dangerous weapons is illegal. HSI is dedicated to stopping the illicit trade in these items that pose a very serious risk to the safety of the American public.”
“Illegally importing and illegally possessing firearms is a potential precursor to violent acts and can create environments that can put law-abiding citizens at risk,” said ATF Baltimore Field Division Assistant Special Agent in Charge Joseph Persails. “ATF is proud to work alongside our law enforcement partners every day to identify and investigate those individuals who continue to use and acquire firearms through the illegal market, threatening the safety of Delaware communities.”
This case was investigated by HSI, ATF, and Delaware State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Samuel S. Frey and former District of Delaware Assistant U.S. Attorney Ruth Mandelbaum prosecuted 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 No. 23-44.
Customs and Border Protection Officer Indicted for Receiving Bribes, Allowing Drug-laden Vehicles to Enter the U.S.Read the Press Release
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – July 3, 2023
SAN DIEGO – U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officer Leonard Darnell George was charged in an indictment unsealed today with accepting bribes to allow vehicles containing drugs such as fentanyl and methamphetamine to pass through the border into the U.S.
In addition, George is charged along with Mario Angel Gutierrez, Esteban Galvan and four other unnamed defendants with conspiracy to import and conspiracy to distribute controlled substances in the Southern District of California and elsewhere. According to the indictment and other public records, the defendants allegedly coordinated the smuggling of methamphetamine, fentanyl, cocaine, and heroin from Mexico with an ultimate destination of the United States.
Officer George is charged separately with receiving bribes. The indictment alleges that he did directly and indirectly corruptly demand, seek, receive, accept, and agree to receive items of value in return for being induced to permit narcotics laden vehicles entry into the United States in violation of his official duties, that is failing to enforce controlled substances and customs laws of the United States.
Gutierrez is charged separately with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
“The indictment alleges that Officer George broke the very drug trafficking laws that he was supposed to enforce,” said U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office and our agency partners in the Southern District of California are committed to rooting out and punishing corruption.” Grossman thanked the prosecution team and investigating agencies for their excellent work on this case.
“This significant arrest demonstrates great teamwork and coordination by HSI and its federal law enforcement partners to dismantle transnational criminal organizations and root out alleged corruption in our government,” said Chad Plantz, Special Agent in Charge for HSI San Diego. “HSI is committed to protecting our homeland and the people of this country.”
“The Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to aggressively investigate all allegations of corruption. Today’s arrest reinforces our commitment to protecting the integrity of DHS personnel, programs, and operations,” said Homeland Security Inspector General Joseph V. Cuffari, Ph.D.
“It is the responsibility of all government employees to operate with the utmost integrity and do their best to foster and maintain the public's trust,” said FBI San Diego Field Office Special Agent in Charge Stacey Moy. “Anyone who violates that trust will be held accountable for their actions.”
“The vast majority of CBP officers are highly skilled, hard-working professionals dedicated to our mission of protecting the American public and we do not stand for those that would tarnish our badge,” said Sidney Aki, Director of Field Operations for CBP in San Diego. “The San Diego Field Office will cooperate fully as the case proceeds.”
A detention hearing is scheduled for July 6, 2023, at 10 a.m. before U.S. Magistrate Judge Barbara Major.
SUMMARY OF CHARGES Case Number 23CR1291
Receiving Bribe by Public Official – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 201
Maximum penalty: Fifteen years in prison
Conspiracy to Import Controlled Substances – Title 21 U.S.C., Sections 952, 960, 963
Maximum penalty: Life in prison with a 10-year mandatory minimum
Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances – Title 21 U.S.C., Sections 841(a)(1), 846
Maximum penalty: Life in prison with a 10-year mandatory minimum
Possession of Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime – Title 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)
Maximum penalty: Consecutive five-year mandatory minimum
AGENCIES
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
Department of Homeland Security – Office of Inspector General (DHS OIG)
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI)
Customs and Border Protection – Office of Professional Responsibility (CBP OPR)
Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)
*The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
21 Year Old Lincoln Gang Member Sentenced for His Role in the Murder of Officer Mario HerreraRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Steven Russell announced that Senior United States District Judge John Gerrard ruled today that Orion J. Ross of Lincoln, Nebraska should be punished for the actions he took that helped bring about the murder of Lincoln Police Department Officer Mario Herrera. Judge Gerrard specifically found that Ross told his accomplice, Felipe Vazquez, where to get a stolen firearm that was stashed in the bedroom where the two were barricaded together. LPD officers issued repeated commands for Vazquez to surrender and exit the bedroom peacefully, but instead, Vazquez cocked the firearm Ross made available to him. Ross then shattered the window of the bedroom in an action intended to distract officers so that Vazquez could escape through the window while firing the weapon. Vazquez shot Officer Herrera during his escape with the stolen handgun that Ross made available to him. Judge Gerrard found these actions were part of ongoing conspiracies between Ross, Vazquez, and other members of the No Name Demons gang to possess firearms in furtherance of crimes of violence and drug trafficking. As a result, Judge Gerrard sentenced Ross to 30 years in federal prison for what the Court called a “senseless and brutal murder.” The Court further described its familiarity with the No Name Demons gang overall as a gang that espoused “extreme violence,” a “code of silence,” and the Court noted that there were many other victims of this gang’s violent acts. Ross is subject to 6 years of supervised release following the 30-year term of imprisonment.
Ross was charged in his indictment with eleven other members of the No Name Demons gang. Many of those defendants were previously sentenced by Judge Gerrard to include:
Isaiah James Dorsey, sentenced to 240 months in federal prison for his role in a gang rape and for firearms conspiracy in furtherance of crimes of violence.
Krysean Reynolds, sentenced to 200 months in federal prison for his role in a gang rape and for firearms conspiracy in furtherance of crimes of violence.
Lorenzo Anderson, sentenced to 102 months in federal prison for firearms conspiracy.
Yuko Gusko, sentenced to 90 months in federal prison for firearms conspiracy.
Rice Hill, sentenced to 88 months in federal prison for firearms conspiracy.
Kyce Davis, sentenced to 70 months in federal prison for firearms conspiracy.
Kallam Yiel, sentenced to 60 months in federal prison for firearms conspiracy.
Bryan Castillo, sentenced to 24 months in federal prison for firearms conspiracy.
Three other defendants have yet to be sentenced. Tang Lian is the next defendant set to be sentenced in the case on July 19, 2023, at 10:30 a.m.
Following the sentencing today, FBI Omaha Special Agent in Charge Eugene Kowel said, "As a member of a violent gang, Orion Ross terrorized Lincoln neighborhoods; ultimately leading to the death of one of our own. Ross may not have pulled the trigger, but his actions make him just as responsible for the killing of Officer Mario Herrera. While no sentence will bring Officer Herrera back or end his family’s pain, the FBI, and our federal, local, and state partners in the Lincoln Safe Streets Gang Task Force, hope they can take some comfort in the fact this violent gang has been dismantled and its members are behind bars. “
This case was primarily investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Lincoln Police Department with operational assistance from the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office and the Nebraska State Patrol.
Friday 30 June 2023
Willoughby Hills Couple Indicted for Insurance-Fraud ArsonRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – Rebecca C. Lutzko, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio announced today that a federal grand jury sitting in Cleveland returned a three-count indictment charging a Willoughby Hills couple with conspiring to set fire to rental properties in order to collect insurance money.
Lonnie White, 46, and Lisa Ogletree, 46, of Willoughby Hills, Ohio, face one count of conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud, one count of conspiracy to engage in money laundering, and one count of conspiracy to use fire in commission of a felony.
The indictment charges that from April 2013 through March 2019, White and Ogletree devised a scheme to defraud several insurance companies by setting houses on fire and falsely collecting insurance proceeds. White and Ogletree agreed to purchase ownership rights in houses, recruit additional people to act as nominal owners and renters, and obtain insurance on the houses. White and Ogletree then arranged for the houses to be set on fire while staging the fires to appear accidental. White and Ogletree recruited nominal owners to submit fraudulent loss claims to the house insurers for the fire damage and after payment would distribute the funds to White and Ogletree. White and Ogletree agreed with others to transfer proceeds obtained from the insurance payouts to different accounts. White and Ogletree agreed to use fire to defraud insurance
companies.An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense, and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and, in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.
The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio would like to acknowledge and thank the Cleveland Fire Investigation Unit; the Cuyahoga County Fusion Center; the Ohio State Fire Marshal; the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation; and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General for their cooperation with this matter. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian M. McDonough and Adam J. Joines.
ATF is the federal agency with jurisdiction for investigating fires and crimes of arson. Anyone having information about an incidence of arson should contact ATF at 1-888-ATF-TIPS (888-283- 8477). Individuals may also email [email protected], or contact ATF through its website at www.atf.gov/contact/atf-tips. Tips may also be submitted to ATF using the ReportIt® app, available on both Google Play and the Apple App Store, or by visiting www.reportit.com.
Waterloo Man Convicted of Multiple Methamphetamine CrimesRead the Press Release
A man who conspired with others to distribute methamphetamine was convicted by a jury on June 28, 2023, after a three-day trial in federal court in Cedar Rapids.
Jeffery Turner, age 48, from Waterloo, Iowa, was convicted of one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and two counts of distribution of methamphetamine. The verdict was returned following about an hour and a half of jury deliberations.
The evidence at trial showed that Turner distributed methamphetamine out of his home in Waterloo. Turner worked with various other people who helped him get ice methamphetamine from various sources of supply in Cedar Rapids, Waterloo, and California. Law enforcement eventually purchased methamphetamine from Turner in two controlled buys.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Turner remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Turner faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, and a lifetime of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Adam J. Vander Stoep and Assistant United States Attorneys Patrick J. Reinert and Dillan Edwards and was investigated by the Tri-County Drug Enforcement Task Force consisting of the Waterloo Police Department, Cedar Falls Police Department, Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Department, Evansdale Police Department, Waverly Police Department, Hudson Police Department, La Porte City Police Department, and the Bremer County Sheriff’s Department; the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 22-CR-02059-CJW.
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Violent Gang Member Convicted of Drug and Firearms Conspiracy Involving Six ShootingsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The last remaining defendant in a multi-phase investigation targeting drug trafficking and gang violence in communities north of Boston was found guilty yesterday of operating a large-scale drug trafficking conspiracy that manufactured and distributed kilograms of fentanyl, methamphetamine and cocaine in Maine. The trial evidence also included proved his participation in six shootings. The defendant served as a supplier for multiple large-scale drug dealers in Maine and participated in the acquisition of over 40 firearms for gang members.
Armani Minier-Tejada, a/k/a “Shotz,” a/k/a “Gustavo,” 23, was convicted by a federal jury of one count of conspiracy to manufacture, distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine, cocaine, and other controlled substances; one count of conspiracy to use and carry a firearm during and in relation to, and possess a firearm in furtherance of, a drug trafficking crime; and one count of use and carrying, brandishing and discharge of a firearm during and in relation to, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of, a drug trafficking crime.. U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton scheduled sentencing for Oct. 5, 2023. Based upon the charges for which he was convicted, Minier-Tejada faces a mandatory minimum sentence of at least 40 years in prison.
The investigation began in 2020 in direct response to an increasing number of shootings in communities north of Boston committed by street gangs whose violence is fueled by drug distribution. The investigation resulted in the arrest and charging of Minier-Tejada and his co-conspirators Shelby Kleffman, Jaiir Coleman and Christina Bernbaum in early 2021. All three of Minier-Tejada’s co-conspirators pleaded guilty to their roles in the conspiracy and are awaiting sentencing.
Minier-Tejada was a member of a street gang known as the Tiny Rascal Gangsters (TRG), one of the largest and most violent criminal street gangs in the country that operates on a decentralized structure via local groups or “sets.” TRG is involved in street-level distribution of powdered cocaine, marijuana, ecstasy and methamphetamine and members are known for their involvement in gun violence, including drive-by shootings of residences of rival gang members.
The government introduced evidence at trial that Minier-Tejada and his co-conspirators participated in a long-running conspiracy to manufacture, distribute and possess large quantities of fentanyl, methamphetamine and cocaine in Boston, the North Shore and Bangor, Maine. At trial, the government introduced evidence that Minier-Tejada served as the supplier for multiple large-scale drug dealers in Maine and, in total, he and his co-conspirators were responsible for trafficking more than 10 kilograms each of fentanyl, methamphetamine and cocaine into Maine.
Minier-Tejada and his coconspirators produced numerous videos and images in which they were depicted brandishing and holding firearms, including multiple machine guns. Evidence was introduced at trial that in 2019 and 2020, Minier-Tejada and co-conspirator Coleman committed six shootings in Boston and surrounding communities in furtherance of the drug conspiracy. One of the shootings, which took place in Cambridge in July 2020, was in response to a video being live-streamed from a parking lot accusing Minier-Tejada and Coleman of cooperating with law enforcement. Minier-Tejada and Coleman travelled to the streaming location with two firearms – including a machine gun – and together fired at least 30 rounds into a large crowd of people gathered in the parking lot.
Additionally, evidence was introduced that the drug conspiracy of which Minier-Tejada was a leader acquired over 40 firearms and multiple “selector switches” for TRG members. “Selector switches,” or auto sears, are aftermarket parts that convert a semi-automatic firearm into a machine gun.
“The highest calling for the Department of Justice is to keep our communities safe. This case should send a clear and unequivocal message to those who chose to pump fentanyl and other deadly drugs into our streets and brazenly brandish highly dangerous firearms to protect their trade – you will be investigated and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. We will spare no resources working with our federal, state and local partners to make sure that people who terrorize their communities and who show a callous disregard for human life will spend decades behind bars,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy.
“Armani Minier-Tejada stands convicted of numerous shootings committed in furtherance of his large-scale drug trafficking ring that polluted the streets of Maine with everything from deadly fentanyl to cocaine, crack cocaine & methamphetamine,” said Christopher DiMenna, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division. “The FBI’s North Shore Gang Task Force will continue to work diligently to remove violent criminals from our communities, and we thank the jury for their swift verdict in this case.”
“DEA is committed to investigating and dismantling violent poly drug trafficking organizations like this operating in Massachusetts led by Armani Minier-Tejada,” said Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Office. “As we all know, drug trafficking in our communities, along with the gun and physical violence that often accompanies it, is a serious threat to public safety. This is unacceptable and we will not allow it to happen. DEA and its local, state and federal partners are dedicated to bringing to justice those that commit these crimes. This verdict not only holds Mr. Minier-Tejada accountable for his crimes but serves as a warning to those traffickers who are contributing to the drug crisis in Massachusetts.”
“ATF’s deepest gratitude goes out to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for pursuing this investigation, as well as the state and local partners who diligent assisted with this investigation, which included a cavalier act of shooting a machine gun into an open public area. Our community can rest tonight, knowing our streets are safer with Armani Minier-Tejada being found guilty for his crimes,” said James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division.
“I want to express my sincere gratitude to our officers, and law enforcement partners, who worked collaboratively to bring justice following a very concerning series of events in Cambridge and across our region,” said Cambridge Police Commissioner Christine Elow. “This conviction is yet another example of how working together can make our streets and communities safer. It also demonstrates the collective action we all are deeply committed to taking, particularly when addressing important issues like gun violence and drug trafficking that can cause great harm and trauma to our communities.”
“The Maine Drug Enforcement Agency continues to coordinate our enforcement efforts with our local, State and Federal partners to combat the lethal drug epidemic in Maine. This case underscores how dangerous these criminal drug traffickers are and how vital it is to shut down these criminal enterprises. We want to recognize and thank the many law enforcement professionals who participated in complex case and the successful prosecution,” said Rick Desjardins, Director of the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency.
Minier-Tejeda is the 18th and final federal defendant to be convicted in this case. Over the past three years, the investigation has resulted in the arrest, conviction and imprisonment of multiple drug traffickers and violent offenders in the greater Boston area, including Vincent Caruso, a/k/a “Fatz;” his mother Laurie Caruso and co-conspirator Ernest Johnson, a/k/a “Yo Pesci;” Malden-based drug trafficker Phillips Charles, a/k/a “Phon C;” and large-scale methamphetamine supplier and TRG leader David Oth, a/k/a “Baby Bouncer.”
The charge of conspiracy to manufacture, distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine, cocaine, and other controlled substances, provides for a sentence of at least 10 years and up to life in prison, at least 10 years and up to life of supervised release and a fine of up to $10 million. The charge of conspiracy to use and carry a firearm during and in relation to, and possess a firearm in furtherance of, a drug trafficking crime provides for a sentence of up to life in prison because a machine gun was involved in the offense, five years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge use and carrying, brandishing and discharge of a firearm during and in relation to, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of, a drug trafficking crime provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of 30 years and up to life to be served consecutively to the penalty for the underlying drug trafficking crime, five years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. As such, based on the crimes for which Minier-Tejada was convicted, he faces a mandatory 40 years in federal prison. Sentences are imposed by a federal district judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Levy, FBI SAC DiMenna, DEA SAC Boyle, ATF SAC Ferguson, Commissioner Elow and MDEA Director Desjardins made the announcement today. Valuable assistance in the investigation was provided by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine; Maine Drug Enforcement Agency; Middlesex and Suffolk County District Attorney’s Offices; Essex and Hancock (Maine) County Sheriff’s Department; and the Chelsea, Everett, Lynn, Malden, Salem, Somerville, Bangor (Maine), Portland (Maine) and Westbrook (Maine) Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Philip A. Mallard and Kaitlin R. O’Donnell of Levy’s Organized Crime and Gang Unit are prosecuting the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
UPDATE: This press release was amended on July 25, 2023.
Violent Felon with Four Prior Convictions Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS- Cameron Johnson, 32, of Indianapolis, Indiana has been sentenced to 15 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to illegally possessing a firearm.
According to court documents, on Friday, September 15, 2019, at approximately 2:01 a.m., a uniform Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department Officer was on patrol when she noticed a dark blue Dodge Charger illegally parked on the side of the road near North Ralston Avenue. The officer approached the vehicle and made contact with Cameron Johnson, who was in the driver’s seat. Johnson initially told the officer that he did not have his driver’s license with him and provided a false name of “Christian Turman.” A BMV check of “Turman’s” license returned as a habitual traffic violator, and Johnson was placed under arrest.
During his arrest, officers located a driver’s license in Johnson’s pocket with the name of “Cameron Kimbrough” listed. Johnson eventually admitted that he was not “Christian Turman,” and was in fact Cameron Johnson. Johnson told officers that he changed his last name to Kimbrough because of numerous felony arrests under the name Cameron Johnson. Officers also confirmed that Johnson had an outstanding warrant in Hendricks County, Indiana.
Officers searched the vehicle and found a loaded 9mm handgun on the floorboard of the driver’s seat. The handgun had one live round in the chamber and seventeen rounds in the magazine.
Johnson is prohibited from possessing a firearm under federal law due to his three previous felony convictions for robbery and one felony conviction of dealing in a narcotic drug.
“Any time a firearm can be taken out of the hands of someone with a history of violent felonies is a win for our community,” said Zachary A. Myers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “The serious federal prison sentence imposed here demonstrates our office’s commitment to partnering with ATF and IMPD as we seek to reduce gun violence in Indianapolis and all of the communities we serve.”
“Repeat felony offenders have no business possessing firearms,” stated Daryl S. McCormick, Special Agent in Charge of ATF’s Columbus Field Division. “Working with our law enforcement partners to ensure that violent repeat offenders don’t have guns is at the core of our mission. We will keep working together to make our communities safer for all of us.”
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and IMPD investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Chief Judge, Tanya Walton Pratt. Judge Pratt also ordered that Johnson be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for 3 years following his release from federal prison.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorney Kelsey L. Massa, who prosecuted this case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Utah Woman Found Guilty of $10M Worth of PPP Loan FraudRead the Press Release
Salt Lake City, Utah – A federal jury convicted a Salt Lake County woman Thursday of two counts of making false statements designed to influence a bank, one count of money laundering, and one count of contempt.
According to court documents and the evidence presented at trial, Allison Marie Baver, 42, of Taylorsville, Utah, submitted eight fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan applications for her company, Allison Baver Entertainment LLC (ABE). PPP loans were designed to enable small businesses to pay their employees during the COVID-19 crisis. Baver is the owner and agent of ABE. On April 25 and 26, 2020, Baver submitted the fraudulent PPP loan applications to Northeast Bank and Meridian Bank. In each of the loan applications, Baver sought $10 Million of PPP loan funding for ABE. She falsely stated in each application that ABE’s average monthly payroll was between $4,770,583, when ABE had no average monthly payroll; and falsely stated ABE had 430 employees, when ABE had no employees. Baver’s false statements influenced Meridian Bank to fund her requested $10 million PPP loan. After receiving the loan proceeds, she transferred $150,000 to invest in a movie.
Sentencing is scheduled for October 30, 2023, at 10:00 a.m. before U.S. District Court Judge Jill N. Parrish at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.
U.S. Attorney, Trina A. Higgins for the District of Utah made the announcement.
The case was investigated jointly by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Salt Lake City Field Office, Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General (SBA-OIG), and the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI).
Assistant United States Attorneys Jennifer Muyskens and Jamie Z. Thomas are prosecuting the case.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s prosecution of fraud schemes that exploit the PPP. Since the inception of the CARES Act, the Fraud Section has prosecuted over 200 defendants in more than 130 criminal cases and has seized over $78 million in cash proceeds derived from fraudulently obtained PPP funds, as well as numerous real estate properties and luxury items purchased with such proceeds. More information can be found at https://www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/ppp-fraud.
U.S. Attorney’s Office hosts United Against Hate SummitRead the Press Release
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia partnered with the Chamblee Police Department to host the first of a series of community forums designed to educate the public about hate crimes and other civil rights enforcement tools to address hate crimes, hate incidents, and discrimination.
“Our most recent United Against Hate Summit was one of many ways our office seeks to combat hate crimes and incidents in our district,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “We were honored to be joined by leaders from our community who work tirelessly to address hate incidents and discrimination who attended the summit and served as guest speakers. Like the summit participants, we encourage all citizens in our district to take a stand on hate and report these types of incidents to our office.”
The event, held on June 21, 2023, in Chamblee, Georgia, featured facilitated discussions with several members of the community including:
- Georgia State Representative Esther Panitch, who spoke about her experience as a Jewish woman who received antisemitic fliers at her home and her decision to report the incident.
- Japjee Singh, a young Sikh man who was harassed in school based on his religion and national origin. Following a complaint about the harassment from Singh’s Family and the Sikh Coalition, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Department of Justice reached a comprehensive agreement with DeKalb County School District that included, among other things, anti-harassment training and a safety plan to ensure Singh’s safety in the school.
- Brandon White, a gay man who spoke about being beaten and called slurs outside an Atlanta convenience store in 2012. His case resulted in criminal prosecution of his attackers by the U.S. Attorney’s Office and was one of the first successful prosecutions under the federal hate crimes statute based on sexual orientation.
- Gerald Bostock, one of the named plaintiffs in the landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision in Bostock v. Clayton County who spoke about his experience as a gay man who was fired based on his sexual orientation.
Presenters provided interactive video clips and engaged with the community to emphasize the importance of reporting hate crimes and incidents.
Members of the community also heard from community organizations including Disability Link, Georgia Equality, NAACP, ADL, Georgia Consumer Mental Health Network, and Raksha. These grass roots organizations discussed alternatives to DOJ enforcement by highlighting the work they do daily to combat discrimination and hate incidents.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office will host additional United Against Hate events in the coming months to engage with communities across the Northern District of Georgia. These events will encourage further collaboration, support hate crime prevention efforts, and encourage more citizens of our district to report hate crimes and acts.For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
CORRECTION: Please note that Raksha was spelled incorrectly in this release. That has been corrected in the body of this release.
Two Wilmington Men Federally Charged with Interstate Kidnapping ConspiracyRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, Del. – A federal grand jury returned an indictment on June 15, 2023, charging two Wilmington men with conspiring to kidnap and kidnapping a man.
According to the indictment, Donnie Taylor, 19, and Kyaire Finch, 20, conspired with an unnamed juvenile to lure the victim to a parking lot in New Castle, Delaware in the early hours of October 17, 2022 for the purpose of robbing him. Once there, Taylor and Finch punched the victim in the head and robbed him of his wallet and cell phone. The defendants and the juvenile coconspirator then used a banking application on the victim’s cell phone to transfer $1,400 from the victim to themselves. Finch then restrained the victim in the back seat of a vehicle while the group drove across state lines to the victim’s home in Pennsylvania.
Once they arrived at the victim’s apartment complex, Finch continued to restrain the victim in the parking lot while Taylor and the juvenile coconspirator entered the victim’s apartment. Before Taylor and the juvenile coconspirator returned to the parking lot, the victim broke free from Finch and Finch fled the area.
Inside the apartment, Taylor encountered and assaulted a second victim, causing lacerations to his face and head. Taylor and the juvenile coconspirator stole $865.00 and various items from the apartment and drove back to Delaware.
After they returned to New Castle, Delaware, Taylor assaulted a 68-year-old woman and stole her car. Taylor and the juvenile coconspirator then fled to Georgia in the stolen vehicle, where Taylor was captured on October 20, 2022.
Taylor and Finch are charged with conspiracy to commit kidnapping and kidnapping. If convicted, Taylor and Finch each face a maximum penalty of life 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, and Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office, made the announcement. U.S. Attorney Weiss credits the FBI’s Delaware Violent Crime and Safe Streets Task Force and New Castle County Police Department with the investigation leading to this indictment. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin P. Pierce and Carly A. Hudson 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 No. 1:23-CR-60.
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.
Two Texas Medical Practices to Pay More Than $500,000 to Resolve False Claims Act Liability for Fraudulently Billing Medicare for P-Stim DevicesRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO - U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas announced Wednesday, separate civil settlements totaling $513,168.10 to resolve allegations that two area medical practices violated the False Claims Act (“FCA”) by improperly billing Medicare for P-Stim devices. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas has now obtained more than $2 million related to improperly billed P-Stim devices since June 2021.
P-Stim is an electro-acupuncture device that is affixed behind a patient’s ear using an adhesive. Needles are inserted into the patient’s ear and affixed using another adhesive. Once activated, the device provides intermittent stimulation by electrical pulses. It is a single-use, battery-powered device designed to be worn for approximately four days until its battery runs out, at which time the device is thrown away. Medicare does not reimburse for P-Stim devices.
Alamo City Pain Consultants LLC, d/b/a The Institute for Functional Health, a San Antonio medical practice, billed Medicare for P-Stim devices between May 2018 and January 2020. Ronald Moore, DNP, Theresa Lambert, DNP, through their Austin area business entities Psych Dimensions Inc., and Lambert & Moore Enterprises Inc., billed Medicare for P-Stim devices to beneficiaries between December 2018 and March 2019. The United States alleged that the medical practices fraudulently obtained payment from Medicare by falsely claiming they had implanted neuro-stimulators, a surgical procedure that usually requires an operating room and is reimbursable by federal healthcare programs.
Under the terms of the separate settlement agreements in these cases, Institute for Functional Health has agreed to pay $357,913.18 and Moore and Lambert have agreed to pay $155,254.92 to resolve their respective liability under the FCA for these claims.
The settled civil claims are allegations only and do not constitute admissions of liability by the settling parties.
These matters were investigated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin M. Van De Walle negotiated the settlements on behalf of the United States.
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Two Pittsburgh Residents Indicted on Charges of Conspiracy and Obstruction of Law Enforcement During Civil DisorderRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA - Two residents of Pittsburgh, PA, have been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of conspiracy and obstruction of law enforcement during civil disorder, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
The three-count Indictment named Brian DiPippa, age 36, and his wife, Krystal DiPippa, age 40, as defendants.
According to the Indictment, on April 18, 2023, the DiPippas participated in a protest at the O'Hara Student Center on the University of Pittsburgh campus, at which time Brian DiPippa ignited and dropped two homemade smoke bomb containers in and around a line of persons waiting to enter the O’Hara Student Center to attend a scheduled event featuring guest speakers. The Indictment further alleges that, when Pitt Police officers gathered and formed a barrier to prevent the protesters from entering the rear of the building, Brian DiPippa, concealed by his wife, Krystal DiPippa, ignited and threw a large explosive firework into the group of Pitt officers, causing a loud explosion and injuries to several officers. Brian DiPippa was also charged with using an explosive to commit a federal felony.
For the charges of conspiracy and obstruction of law enforcement, the law provides for a maximum total sentence of 10 years in prison, a fine of $500,000 or both. The charge of using an explosive to commit a federal felony has a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years imprisonment, with a maximum fine of $250,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Shaun E. Sweeney is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Federal Bureau of Investigation Joint Terrorism Task Force, of which the University of Pittsburgh Police, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and Pittsburgh Bureau of Police are all members, conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Two Kern County Defendants Charged with Sexual Exploitation of a Minor and Receiving and Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a five-count indictment Thursday against Bakersfield residents Roy Richard Truitt III, 40, and Amber Louise Lowe, 46, charging them with sexual exploitation of a minor, attempt and conspiracy. Lowe is further charged with distribution of child pornography. Truitt is further charged with receiving and distributing child pornography and committing a felony offense involving a minor while being required to register as a sex offender, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, Truitt and Lowe conspired to, attempted to, and sexually exploited a minor victim, producing photographs of the sexual exploitation, which Lowe distributed to Truitt, and Truitt distributed to others. Truitt further distributed other images of child pornography to other individuals over the internet. During the relevant time period, Truitt was required to register as a sex offender in California.
This case is the product of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey A. Spivak is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Truitt faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 25 years in prison and a maximum of 50 years in prison, and a $250,000 fine for sexual exploitation of a minor, a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison and a maximum of up to 40 years in prison for receipt and distribution of child pornography. If convicted for committing a felony offense against a minor while being a registered sex offender, Truitt faces a mandatory minimum consecutive sentence of 10 years in prison. If convicted, Lowe faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison and a maximum of up to 30 years in prison, and a $250,000 fine for sexual exploitation of a minor. If convicted of distribution of child pornography Lowe faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison and a maximum of up to 20 years in prison. Any sentence, however, would 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. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet-safety education.
Tucson Man Will Serve 78 Months for Conspiracy to Distribute FentanylRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Glen Adam Romero, Jr., 42, of Tucson, Arizona, was sentenced on June 27, 2023, by United States District Judge James A. Soto to 78 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Romero also was ordered to pay a $100 special assessment. Romero pleaded guilty to Conspiring to Distribute Fentanyl.
In October 2020, the Federal Bureau of Investigation initiated an investigation into the Southside Murder Gang Killaz (SMGK) criminal street gang in Tucson, Arizona. The investigation revealed individuals associated with SMGK were involved in the smuggling of aliens, narcotics, and firearms in the Tucson area. Romero, Jr. conspired to distribute 1.7256 kilograms of fentanyl.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brandon Bolling and Adam Rossi, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-22-00979-JAS-1
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-103_Romero# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Tonawanda Man Going to Prison on Child Pornography ChargeRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that David Rubel, 41, of Tonawanda, NY, who was convicted of receipt of child pornography, was sentenced to serve 84 months in prison and 15 years supervised release by U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Raymond J. Fadel, who handled the case, stated that in August 2020, a parent filed a report with the Town of Tonawanda Police Department, alleging that Rubel had been texting his daughter, who recently turned 16 years-old (Victim), and that some of the texts he observed were sexual in nature. The parent observed inappropriate images on his daughter’s cell phone within a text thread between the Victim and Rubel. With the consent of the Victim’s father, an investigator searched the cell phone and observed the text messages, some of which included sexual images. Investigators also searched Rubel’s cell phone and recovered sexual images, including two videos, that were also found on the Victim’s cell phone, within the string of text messages between Ruble and the Victim.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Town of Tonawanda Police Department, under the direction of Chief James Stauffiger and the Federal Bureau of Investigation Child Exploitation Human Trafficking Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia.
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Three Charged with Stealing Firearms from La Crosse County Gun ShopRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Three men are charged with stealing firearms from a business located in La Crosse County, Wisconsin, in an indictment returned on June 28, 2023 by a federal grand jury sitting in Madison, Wisconsin. The indictment is announced by Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin.
The indictment charges Robert E. Benson, 18, of La Crosse, Wisconsin, Mackey K. Drake, 22, also of La Crosse, and Nehemiah J. Sample, 26, Trempealeau, Wisconsin with stealing 41 firearms from a federally licensed firearms business located in the Village of Rockland, Wisconsin. The indictment alleges that the firearms were stolen on April 25, 2023. The indictment also charges Drake with being a felon in possession of firearms.
Benson is scheduled to make his initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Madison today. The initial appearances of Drake and Sample have not been scheduled.
If convicted, Benson, Drake, and Sample each face a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison on the charge of stealing the firearms. Drake also faces a maximum penalty of 15 years on the felon in possession of firearms charge. The charges against them are the result of an investigation by the La Crosse County Sheriff’s Office, Lake Village (Arkansas) Police Department, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey Stephan is handling the prosecution.
You are advised that a charge is merely an accusation and that a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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.
Tampa Drug Trafficking Leader Sentenced to More Than 21 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – United States District Judge Charlene Edwards Honeywell has sentenced Edward Verdi-Bruno, (31, Tampa) to 21 years and 8 months in federal prison for conspiracy and delivery of controlled substances. Verdi-Bruno had pleaded guilty on March 29, 2023.
According to court documents, Verdi-Bruno led a drug trafficking organization operating from a car wash on 22nd Street in Palmetto Beach. During the investigation, agents made controlled purchases of fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine from multiple members within the drug trafficking organization. In March 2022, agents seized two kilograms of cocaine sent by Verdi-Bruno from Puerto Rico to the Tampa area. In September 2022, agents intercepted a parcel containing two kilograms of fentanyl concealed in an air fryer mailed by the organization and destined for Puerto Rico. Verdi-Bruno and another co-conspirator were arrested when they attempted to retrieve the seized parcel.
Following Verdi-Bruno’s arrest and detention on a criminal complaint, Verdi-Bruno used the recorded phone system at the Pinellas County jail to direct other members of the organization to deliver fentanyl pills to an undercover officer in October 2022. Verdi-Bruno directed two deliveries from the Pinellas County jail, resulting in the seizure of thousands of pressed fentanyl pills.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and the Tampa Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Samantha Beckman.
This investigation is the result of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) program. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and those primarily responsible for the nation’s drug supply.
Staff Sergeant at Fort Leonard Wood Indicted for Killing a ChildRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A U.S. Army staff sergeant stationed at the Fort Leonard Wood military base has been indicted by a federal grand jury for killing a two-year-old child.
Kevin Long, 40, was charged in a two-count indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Springfield on Tuesday, June 27. That indictment was unsealed and made public today following Long’s arrest and initial court appearance. Long remains in federal custody pending a detention hearing on July 6, 2023.
The federal indictment alleges that on Nov. 6, 2019, Long physically assaulted a two-year-old child, identified in court documents as “Jane Doe,” as part of a pattern and practice of assault against a child. Long killed Jane Doe, the indictment says, by blunt force injuries in the perpetration of child abuse. Jane Doe was being cared for by Long and his wife in a day care she operated out of their home on Fort Leonard Wood.
Under federal law, murder committed in the perpetration of child abuse is murder in the first degree.
Long also is charged with one count of making a false statement. Long allegedly told authorities during the murder investigation that he was unaware of Army regulations that restricted the operation of a daycare at Fort Leonard Wood.
The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ami Harshad Miller and Shannon T. Kempf. It was investigated by the United States Army – Criminal Investigation Division, the St. Robert, Mo., Police Department, and the Missouri Department of Social Services.
Springfield Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Kidnapping and Murder ChargesRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that BRANDON BATISTE, also known as “B,” 35, of Springfield, Massachusetts, pleaded guilty today in New Haven federal court to offenses stemming from his role in the kidnapping and murder of a Massachusetts man in 2020.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on December 24, 2020, Batiste and Calvin Roberson, also known as “Cutty,” kidnapped Francisco Roman, Jr., 28, at gunpoint from his residence in Chicopee, Massachusetts. Batiste and Roberson threatened to harm Roman if he did not comply with their orders, handcuffed him, and stole cash, marijuana, and other items from Roman. Batiste and Roberson forced Roman into the rear of Roman’s 2010 Acura ZDX, and transported Roman and the other stolen property to Connecticut. Batiste shot and killed Roman while the car was en route to Hartford. They then drove to the car Shultas Place in Hartford and left it parked on the street.
Shortly before 9 p.m. on December 26, 2020, Hartford police and fire personnel responded to Shultas Place and found the car engulfed in flames. After the fire was extinguished, investigators discovered Roman’s body with multiple gunshot wounds in the rear of the vehicle.
Batiste pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit kidnaping, and one count of causing the death of a person through the use of a firearm. Under the terms of a binding plea agreement, if accepted by the court, Batiste will be sentenced to between 30 and 45 years of imprisonment. He is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Omar A. Williams in Hartford on September 22.
Batiste has been detained since his arrest on February 11, 2021.
Roberson pleaded guilty to the same charges on April 27, 2023, and is detained while awaiting sentencing.
This investigation is being conducted by the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force, FBI’s Springfield Gang Task Force, Massachusetts State Police, Hampden County (Mass.) District Attorney’s Office, Hartford Police Department’s Major Crimes Division, Chicopee Police Department and Springfield Police Department, with the assistance of the Waterbury Police Department and the FBI’s Atlanta Field Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian P. Leaming and Angel M. Krull.
U.S. Attorney Avery thanked the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Georgia and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts for their assistance in this matter.
Smyrna Man Sentenced to 30 Months for Possession of Machineguns and Unregistered SilencersRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, Del. – David C. Weiss, U.S. Attorney for the District of Delaware, announced that Danny Aument, age 48, was sentenced earlier this week to 30 months in prison for one count of unlawful possession of a machinegun and one count of possession of an unregistered silencer. U.S. District Judge Gregory B. Williams pronounced the sentence.
According to court documents and statements made in open court, over the course of several years — while struggling with addition to controlled substances — the defendant amassed an arsenal of dangerous weapons. Upon executing a search warrant at the defendant’s home on August 24, 2022, law enforcement recovered numerous firearms, including ten machineguns and eight homemade silencers. Despite knowing that these firearms were either prohibited or highly regulated, the defendant continued to unlawfully obtain and/or manufacture machineguns and failed to register the silencers on the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record.
Upon imposing sentence, Judge Williams noted the seriousness of the defendant’s conduct and indicated that this sentence should serve to deter others from flouting laws regulating firearms.
U.S. Attorney Weiss stated, “The laws regulating the possession of firearms are designed to protect the public. My office will continue to pursue charges against those who unlawfully possess highly dangerous weapons or fail to register those firearms.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Meredith C. Ruggles prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the District of Delaware or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:23-CR-06.
Slidell Man Indicted for Receipt of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced today that CHRISTOPHER YARBROUGH (“YARBROUGH”), age 42, of Slidell, Louisiana, was indicted for receipt of child pornography in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2252(a)(2) and (b)(1). If convicted, YARBROUGH faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five (5) years and a maximum sentence of twenty (20) years imprisonment, and/or a fine of $250,000.00, or the greater of twice the gross gain to the defendant or twice the gross loss to any person of the offense under Title 18, United States Code, Section 3571. In addition, YARBROUGH faces a term of supervised release of no less than five (5) years and up to life after his release from prison as well as payment of a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
According to court documents , the case against YARBROUGH stemmed from an online Child Sexual Abuse Material (“CSAM”) investigation by the Bossier Parish Sheriff’s Office. The investigation was referred to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”). On June 26, 2023, HSI special agents, along with members of the Slidell Police Department and the Louisiana Bureau of Investigation, executed a federal search warrant at YARBROUGH’s Slidell home. HSI agents arrested YARBROUGH during the search and charged him with receipt of CSAM. HSI’s investigation revealed YARBROUGH received images and videos depicting the sexual exploitation of minors.
U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations; the Bossier Parish Sheriff’s Office; the Slidell Police Department; and the Louisiana Bureau of Investigation in investigating this matter. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian M. Klebba, Project Safe Childhood Coordinator and Chief of Financial Crimes Unit.
Six Indicted for Drug Trafficking in San Joaquin County and ElsewhereRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a 13-count indictment Thursday against Jorge Omar Arredondo Garcia, 44, of Lodi; Gregorio Ontiveros Verdugo, 39, of Morada; Jose Manuel Ontiveros Verdugo, 37, of Stockton; Alberto Navarro Zapata, 36, of Stockton; and Wilfredo Reyes, 48, of Manteca; charging them with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, distribution of methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, distribution of heroin, and unlawful use of a telephone, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, between July 2019 and December 2019, the defendants conspired with each other and with others to distribute methamphetamine. During the investigation, an undercover source bought a total of 11 pounds of methamphetamine and a half pound of heroin from this drug trafficking organization. Law enforcement interdicted the group’s shipments of 50 pounds of methamphetamine destined for Nebraska, as well as a 21‑pound shipment destined for Pennsylvania.
This investigation also resulted in the indictment of Robert Godinez, 50, of Hayward, who was pulled over on a traffic stop after buying methamphetamine from a former member of this conspiracy. A federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment against Godinez today, charging him with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and heroin and unlawful use of a cellphone. Two pounds of methamphetamine and approximately a half pound of heroin were found in his vehicle.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Customs and Borders Protection, the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, the San Joaquin County Probation, the Stockton Police Department, and the Tracy Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrian T. Kinsella is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, the defendants face a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $10 million fine. Any sentence, however, would 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. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Readout of Civil Rights Division’s Inaugural Quarterly LGBTQI+ Rights Community Stakeholder MeetingRead the Press Release
Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and the division’s LGBTQI+ Working Group convened the inaugural quarterly meeting of LGBTQI+ Rights Community Stakeholders at the Justice Department.
Department leadership, including representatives from the Civil Rights Division, FBI, Office of Justice Programs and Office on Violence Against Women heard from attending organizations on an array of topics, including anti-LGBTQI+ violence and hate, legislation targeting the LGBTQI+ community, Title VI and grant funding concerns specific to the LGBTQI+ community and the need to increase intersex awareness. Representatives from other government agencies, including the Departments of Health and Human Services, Education, Energy and Housing and Urban Development were also in attendance.
This week’s meeting reinforces the Justice Department’s commitment to taking an all-of-department approach to protecting LGBTQI+ rights, including by engaging with organizations and stakeholders on issues affecting the LGBTQI+ community. The department’s recent work on LGBTQI+ rights issues includes statements of interest and lawsuits challenging state bans on gender-affirming health care for transgender minors in Oklahoma, Kentucky, Tennessee and Alabama. The department has also prosecuted hate crimes based on LGBTQI+ status, supported organizations serving LGBTQI+ victims and survivors, and educated the public about threats facing the LGBTQI+ community, including by hosting a virtual, nationwide community meeting addressing practical steps for protecting LGBTQI+ communities from hate-motivated attacks and threats of violence. These and other efforts by the department are summarized in a fact sheet released earlier in June in honor of Pride Month.
Rapid City Man Sentenced for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Jeffrey L. Viken has sentenced a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of Child Pornography. The sentencing took place on June 26, 2023.
Kyle J. Kirchhoff, 28, was sentenced to three years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release. He was ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund and a $5,000 special assessment to the Victims of Trafficking Fund. Kirchhoff will also be required to register as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.
Kirchhoff was indicted for Production of Child Pornography, Receipt of Child Pornography and Possession of Child Pornography by a federal grand jury in March of 2022. He pleaded guilty on March 10, 2023.
The conviction stems from Kirchhoff possessing child pornography that he self-produced between January of 2019 and February of 2022.
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.
This case was investigated by the Internet Crimes Against Children Taskforce, Homeland Security Investigations, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, Rapid City Police Department, and the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Knox prosecuted the case.
Kirchhoff was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Rapid City Man Found Guilty of Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a jury has convicted Michael Raymond Holst, age 48, of Rapid City, South Dakota, of Receipt of Child Pornography, Obscene Visual Representations of the Sexual Abuse of Children, and Possession of Child Pornography following a three-day jury trial in federal district court in Rapid City, South Dakota. The verdict was returned on June 29, 2023.
The charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in custody and/or a $250,000 fine, a mandatory minimum of five years up to lifetime of supervised release, and a $300 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
Holst was indicted by a federal grand jury in February of 2022.
Evidence at trial established that law enforcement was alerted after Holst downloaded an image of child pornography off the internet that was later uploaded to his Synchronoss account. The Internet Crimes Against Children Taskforce identified Holst as the owner of the account and executed a search warrant on his home where they seized multiple devices. A forensic examination of those devices found hundreds of images of child pornography and thousands of images of computer-generated child pornography.
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.
This case was investigated by the Internet Crimes Against Children Taskforce, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, and the Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah B. Collins and Anna Lindrooth tried the case.
A presentence investigation was ordered, and a sentencing date has not been set. The defendant was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Previously Convicted Felon Sentenced to 30 Months in Prison for Unlawful Possession of Firearms and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dorchester man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for unlawfully possessing firearms and ammunition as a previously convicted felon.
Kevin Blackmore, 45, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper to 30 months in prison and three years of supervised release. On March 7, 2023, Blackmore pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition.
On June 19, 2022, police were dispatched to a hotel in Sharon, Mass. in response to a call for a possible disturbance involving two vehicles. At the scene, the female occupant of one vehicle requested police assistance in collecting personal items from Blackmore, who was driving the second vehicle. When officers assisted Blackmore in searching the vehicle for those items, they recovered a black Smith and Wesson .45 caliber semi-automatic firearm, a Taurus .9mm semi-automatic firearm, 97 rounds of .9mm ammunition and 100 rounds of .45 caliber ammunition. According to court records, Blackmore has numerous prior felony convictions stemming back to 1996 and going up through 2020, as a result Blackmore is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition. Blackmore has multiple prior convictions for violent behavior, nine restraining orders involving eight different women and a prior conviction for illegal possession of a firearm in 2009.
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 today. Valuable assistance was provided by Sharon Police Department and the Norfolk County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke A. Goldworm of Levy’s Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
Philadelphia Man Pleads Guilty to Involuntary Manslaughter and Assault with a Dangerous WeaponRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Reginald Johnson, 31, of Philadelphia, P.A., pleaded guilty, today, to involuntary manslaughter (criminal negligence) and assault with a dangerous weapon in connection with a vehicular homicide. The plea was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Interim Chief Ashan Benedict, of the Metropolitan Police Department.
According to the Government’s evidence, on January 15, 2023 around 6:10 p.m., Reginald Johnson drove his Jeep eastbound into the intersection of Massachusetts Avenue, Northwest and 15th Street, N.W crashing into an Uber driver in a Toyota Corolla who was turning left across eastbound traffic lanes onto 15th Street, NW. Mr. Johnson reached a speed of 61 miles per hour shortly before the crash, more than twice the 25 miles per hour speed limit. Mr. Johnson told an officer that he saw the car turning but thought it was stopping, sped up, and struck the car towards its tail end.
Reginald Johnson had been drinking alcoholic beverages at Mission Bar from approximately 1:24 p.m. to 5:46 p.m. before choosing to get behind the wheel. His breath alcohol content was at 9:20 p.m. was 0.10 grams of alcohol per 210 liters of breath. D.C. Code § 50–2206.01 defines intoxicated as “An alcohol concentration at the time of testing of 0.08 grams or more … per 210 liters of the person’s breath…”
On June 30, 2023, the defendant pleaded guilty, in the Superior Court for the District of Columbia, to involuntary manslaughter (criminal negligence) in the death of one passenger, Carlos Christian, and assault with a dangerous weapon in the injury of another passenger, Camila Selman. Superior Court Judge Robert Okun scheduled a sentencing hearing for October 13, 2023, at which time the defendant faces a sentence of up to 12 years in prison.
In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Graves and Interim Chief Benedict commended the work of Detective William Lee and others from MPD’s Major Crash Unit who investigated the case in Washington, D.C. They also acknowledged the efforts of Assistant U.S. Attorney Jamie Carter, of the Homicide section, who is prosecuting the case.
Orlando Man Who Destroyed Hard Drive Pleads Guilty to Distributing and Possessing Child Sex Abuse MaterialsRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Christopher Tristan McKie (38, Orlando) has pleaded guilty to distribution and possession of child sex abuse material. McKie faces a minimum mandatory term of 5 years, up to 20 years, in federal prison for the distribution offense and up to 20 years in federal prison for the possession offense. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for September 19, 2023.
According to the plea agreement, law enforcement received a CyberTip regarding a user distributing child sex abuse images and videos on a social media platform. Further investigation revealed that McKie was the user who had uploaded the child sex abuse material. While executing a search warrant on McKie’s residence, law enforcement seized multiple electronic devices belonging to McKie, including a damaged laptop under McKie’s bed and an external hard drive broken into pieces behind a freezer. Law enforcement also found a folder containing McKie’s handwritten stories describing the sexual abuse of children between the ages of five and sixteen. A forensic examination of McKie’s devices revealed several videos and images of child sex abuse material. During an interview with law enforcement, McKie admitted to viewing and trading child sex abuse material.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Courtney Richardson-Jones.
This is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Ontario Man Pleads Guilty to Smuggling Marijuana into the United States via HelicopterRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Raminderjit Assi, 28, of Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr. to importation of marijuana into the United States, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Adler, who is handling the case, stated that after researching methods of smuggling marijuana into the United States, including by helicopter, Assi and a co-conspirator obtained a helicopter and helicopter pilot licenses. On April 9, 2019, Assi and a co-conspirator flew a helicopter from Canada into United States airspace, specifically, Beaver Island Park on Grand Island, NY, where they left four red duffle bags. Before the bags could be collected by another co-conspirator, U.S. Border Patrol located the bags. The bags contained a total of 49 kilograms of marijuana. Radar data from the Federal Aviation Administration, CBP Air and Marine Operations, and NavCanada, determined that Assi and his co-conspirator turned off the transponder on the helicopter, failed to check-in with required towers, and failed to submit a required flight plan. Surveillance footage from the helipad in Canada where the two took off revealed that they prepared and operated the helicopter at take-off and returned in the helicopter after the illegal incursion. Assi later admitted he had flown the helicopter.
The plea is the result of an investigation by Customs and Border Protection, under the direction of Director of Field Operations Rose Brophy and Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in Charge Matthew Scarpino.
Sentencing is scheduled for October 16, 2023, at 1:00 p.m. before Judge Sinatra.
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Omaha Man Sentenced for Firearm and Drug Trafficking CrimesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Steven Russell announced that Cameron Carodine, 33, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha for possessing with the intent to distribute fentanyl and possessing a firearm during a drug trafficking crime. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Carodine to 90 months’ imprisonment on the drug charge and a consecutive 60 months of imprisonment on the firearm charge, for a total sentence of 150 months. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, he will begin a 5-year term of supervised release.
On February 25, 2020, during a controlled buy in Omaha, a confidential source, equipped with audio and visual recording devices, purchased 500 fentanyl pills from Carodine. On March 5, 2020, law enforcement was conducting surveillance at Carodine’s residence in anticipation of serving a federal search warrant. Carodine exited the home and drove away in a gray 2012 Chevrolet Malibu without license plates. Law enforcement conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle and took Carodine into custody. Carodine’s residence was searched, and several hundred fentanyl pills and a Glock 21, .45 caliber handgun were seized.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Ocean County Man Admits $21.7 Million Health Care Fraud Scheme and COVID-19 Wire Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – An Ocean County, New Jersey, man admitted his role in a durable medical equipment kickback scheme, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Alexander Schleider, 57, of Lakewood, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Michael A. Shipp in Trenton federal court to an information charging him with one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and one count of wire fraud.
According to documents filed in the case and statements made in court:
Schleider owned and operated durable medical equipment (DME) companies in New Jersey that provided orthotic braces to beneficiaries of Medicare and other federal and private health care benefit programs without regard to medical necessity. Schleider and his conspirators obtained prescriptions for the DME braces through the payment of kickbacks and bribes to individuals operating marketing call centers, who in turn utilized the service of telemedicine companies to obtain prescriptions for the DME. Schleider caused losses to Medicare and other health care benefit programs of $21.7 million.
Schleider also committed wire fraud in connection with funds made available in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. After one of his DME companies received $322,237 from the Department of Health and Human Services’ Health Resources and Services Administration Provider Relief Fund, Schleider submitted a fraudulent attestation to HRSA in which he claimed that the DME company provided diagnoses, testing, and care for individuals with possible or actual cases of COVID-19 after Jan. 31, 2020. In reality, the DME company had ceased billing for any services in April 2019. The attestation also falsely claimed that the payment would only be used to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus, and that the payment shall reimburse the recipient only for health care related expenses or lost revenues that are attributable to coronavirus. Schleider did not use the funds for those purposes, but transferred them into other accounts and subsequently used them to purchase real estate and vehicles, among other things.
The charge of conspiracy to commit health care fraud is punishable by a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of $250,000, or twice the gross profit or loss caused by the offense, whichever is greatest. The charge of wire fraud is punishable by a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000, or twice the gross profit or loss caused by the offense, whichever is greatest. Sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 8, 2023.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark; the Department of Health and Human Services-Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Naomi Gruchacz; and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Christopher F. Algieri, with the investigation leading to the guilty plea.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sean M. Sherman and DeNae Thomas of the Health Care Fraud Unit in Newark.
schleider.information.pdfNewburgh Man Sentenced to 5 Years in Federal Prison for Possession of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
EVANSVILLE- Phillip Abell, 46, of Newburgh, Indiana, was sentenced to 5 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to possession of child sexual abuse material.
According to court documents, on January 23, 2020, FBI agents executed a search warrant at Abell’s home in Newburgh, Indiana. Law enforcement officers located and seized data storage discs and a custom-built desktop computer. Abell admitted that he had used a file sharing program for the last three years to search for child sexual abuse material. Abell stated he did not always look at child sexual abuse material but would sometimes get a “hankering” for it and needed to satisfy that desire. Abell also admitted to first viewing child sexual abuse material while in college. Abell stated he used a peer-to-peer file sharing network to search for the types of files he was interested in. Abell engaged in a pattern of intentionally finding, downloading, viewing, and then deleting child sexual abuse material. The materials Abell downloaded included visual depictions of the sexual abuse of prepubescent children under twelve years old.
U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, Zachary A. Myers, Herbert J. Stapleton, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Indianapolis Field Office, and Billy Bolin, Chief of Evansville Police Department made the announcement.
“Over the course of many years, the defendant trawled through the darkest corners of the internet to find images of the sexual abuse of young children,” said U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Myers. “Trafficking in these images furthers the trauma inflicted on innocent children and fuels the desires of criminals with sexual interests in children. The federal prison sentence imposed here demonstrates that our office is committed to working with the FBI and Evansville Police to protect our children from those who desire to do them harm.”
The FBI and Evansville Police Department investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Richard L. Young. Judge Young also ordered that Abell be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for 10 years following his release from federal prison. Abell must register as a sex offender wherever he lives, works, and goes to school.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorney Lauren M. Wheatley, who prosecuted this case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc
If you are a victim of child sexual exploitation, please contact your local police department. Resources for victims of child exploitation can be found on our website at https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdin/project-safe-childhood
New Jersey Man Pleads Guilty to Interstate Transportation of a Stolen VehicleRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA - A resident of Garfield, New Jersey, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of interstate transportation of a stolen vehicle, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
Angel Alfonso Arias-Miranda, age 53, pleaded guilty to one count of transporting a stolen motor vehicle in interstate commerce before United States District Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that Arias-Miranda, on October 11, 2020, transported a stolen vehicle, namely, a 2012 Mack drilling rig, from Jefferson County, Pennsylvania, to New Jersey, knowing that the vehicle had been stolen.
Judge Ranjan scheduled sentencing for Arias-Miranda on October 16, 2023, at 2:00 p.m. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not more than ten (10) years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
The court ordered that the defendant remain on bond pending sentencing.
Assistant United States Attorney Karen Gal-Or is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Pennsylvania State Police and Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Arias-Miranda.
New Haven Drug Trafficker Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JASHON SPEARMAN, also known as “J ” and “Deuce,” 35, of New Haven, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Sarala V. Nagala in Hartford to a narcotics conspiracy offense stemming from his leadership of a New Haven area drug trafficking ring.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in the fall of 2021, the New Haven Safe Streets/Gang Task Force and New Haven Police Department began investigating Spearman and others for the distribution of fentanyl, heroin crack and cocaine in and around the West Hills neighborhood, including the McConaughy Terrace housing complex located on South Genesee Street in New Haven. The investigation, which included court-authorized wiretaps, fixed video surveillance and controlled purchases of narcotics, revealed that Spearman was receiving fentanyl and heroin from James Hillard, of New York, and shipments of kilogram quantities of cocaine through the U.S. Mail from Puerto Rico, which were arranged by Jean Mangual-Castro, also known as “Mangui,” of West Haven. Spearman then distributed the drugs to others, several of whom processed, packaged, and sold fentanyl and crack at the McConaughy Terrace housing complex.
On February 4, 2022, investigators arrested Spearman and Hillard after they met in the Bronx and a search of Hillard’s car revealed more than 7,000 folds of heroin/fentanyl and approximately $30,000 in cash.
On February 8, investigators executed court-authorized search warrants at several locations, including a residence on Ward Street in New Haven where Spearman distributed narcotics, and vehicles in which Spearman was suspected of storing narcotics. A search of a minivan revealed approximately 19 kilograms of cocaine; a search of a vehicle registered to Spearman revealed $750,400 in cash, assorted jewelry and a quantity of fentanyl; and a search of the Ward Street residence revealed additional cash, several money counters, and numerous cellphones. The search also found and seized five firearms.
On February 15, 2022, a grand jury in New Haven returned an indictment charging Spearman, Hilliard and six co-defendants with narcotics trafficking offenses. On April 19, 2022, Spearman, Mangual-Castro, and two others were charged in a separate indictment with offenses related to the trafficking of cocaine through the mail from Puerto Rico.
Spearman pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute five or more kilograms of cocaine, 40 grams or more of fentanyl, and a quantity of cocaine base (“crack”) and heroin. Judge Nagala scheduled sentencing for October 16, at which time Spearman faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of life. He has been detained since his arrest.
Spearman has agreed to forfeiture of the seized cash, firearms, and three vehicles.
All 11 defendants charged during this investigation have now pleaded guilty. On May 11, 2023, Mangual-Castro was sentenced to 10 years of imprisonment. Hilliard and several other defendants await sentencing.
This investigation has been conducted by the FBI’s New Haven Safe Streets/Gang Task Force, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Narcotics and Bulk Cash Trafficking Task Force, and the New Haven Police Department. The FBI’s New Haven Safe Streets/Gang Task Force includes participants from the New Haven Police Department, Milford Police Department, East Haven Police Department, West Haven Police Department, Connecticut State Police, and the Connecticut Department of Correction. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Narcotics and Bulk Cash Trafficking Task Force includes members from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Postal Service – Office of the Inspector General, the Connecticut Army National Guard, and the Hartford, New Britain, Meriden, and Town of Groton Police Departments.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anthony E. Kaplan and Kenneth L. Gresham through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Minneapolis Man Pleads Guilty to Role in Violent Carjacking Conspiracy Targeting Uber and Lyft DriversRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Minneapolis man has pleaded guilty to his role in a violent carjacking ring that targeted Uber and Lyft drivers, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, between September and October 2021, Shevirio Kavirion Childs-Young, 20, along with others, engaged in a series of violent carjackings and armed robberies, targeting Uber and Lyft drivers. As part of the scheme, members of the conspiracy lured victim-drivers to particular locations under the guise of picking up or dropping off passengers. When the victim-drivers arrived, members of the conspiracy brandished firearms and demanded the cell phones and wallets of the victim-drivers. Members of the conspiracy forced the victim-drivers at gunpoint to unlock their cell phones and provide passcodes. The conspiracy members then transferred money, via Cash App or other applications, from the accounts of the victim-drivers to the accounts of members of the conspiracy. Members of the conspiracy then carjacked the victim-drivers at gunpoint. To intimidate and force compliance, members of the conspiracy struck, pistol whipped, and threatened to kill the victim-drivers.
Childs-Young pleaded guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court before Judge Katherine M. Menendez to one count of conspiracy to use, carry, and brandish firearms during and in relation to crimes of violence.
On June 15, 2023, co-defendant Javeyon Demario Tate, 22, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to use, carry, and brandish firearms during and in relation to crimes of violence.
On October 21, 2022, co-defendant William Charles Saffold, 21, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to use, carry, and brandish firearms during and in relation to crimes of violence and one count of assault on a federal officer.
Sentencing dates will be scheduled at a later time.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI and the Minneapolis Police Department.
U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger and Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Calhoun-Lopez are prosecuting the case.
Mexican National Pleads Guilty to Sex Trafficking a MinorRead the Press Release
A Mexican national, who legally resided in Mission, Texas, pleaded guilty in the Southern District of Texas today to sex trafficking a minor.
In February 2022, a federal grand jury indicted Rita Martinez, 65, for using force, fraud and coercion to compel 10 victims, both adults and minors, to engage in commercial sex work in a cantina that Martinez owned and operated in Mission, Texas, known at various times as Perez Lounge, Rita’s Lounge and Rita’s Sports Bar.
In January 2023, a co-defendant in the case, Genaro Fuentes, 40, pleaded guilty to sex trafficking a minor.
As part of her plea agreement, Martinez admitted that she operated a cantina in Mission, Texas, from 2000 to 2019 and provided housing to a minor victim whom she knew to be 16 years old in the spring or summer of 2005. Martinez had the minor victim clean her house, but eventually, sent the minor victim with men from the cantina, knowing that these men intended to engage in commercial sex with the minor victim. Martinez also admitted that she accepted money from these clients before allowing them to take the minor victim out of the cantina to engage in commercial sex. Martinez applied the money to a smuggling debt that she imposed upon the minor victim to transport her from Mexico into the United States. The minor victim left Rita’s cantina in the fall of 2006.
“Human trafficking – particularly trafficking of children – is a reprehensible crime with far reaching consequences. Traffickers degrade human dignity and decimate individual rights while at the same time undermining public safety, border security, economic opportunity and the rule of law,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department remains committed to prosecuting human traffickers for this heartless exploitation of vulnerable young people and to obtaining restitution on behalf of victims.”
“Behind her cantina, Rita Martinez tormented and forced young migrant women and girls into sexual acts, acts with Rita’s male patrons,” said U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani for the Southern District of Texas. “No one should have to endure that kind of treatment. Sometimes it takes time, but we will not give up. We will make sure people like Martinez answer for violating the laws of the United States by preying on the weak and vulnerable members of our society.”
“Human trafficking strips victims of their bodily autonomy and devastates families and communities,” said Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “Justice would not be possible without the courage of the victims to come forward and tell their story. The FBI is grateful for their bravery and devoted to bringing justice to anyone affected by human trafficking.”
Martinez faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and up to life in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. As part of Martinez’s plea agreement, she agreed to pay over $840,000 in restitution to 14 victims. Sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 7.
Assistant Attorney General Clarke, U.S. Attorney Hamdani and Assistant Director Quesada made the announcement.
The FBI investigated the case, with assistance from the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Laura Garcia and Sherri Zack for the Southern District of Texas and Trial Attorney Kate Hill of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit are prosecuting the case.
Anyone who has information about human trafficking should report that information to the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free at 1-888-373-7888, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information about human trafficking, please visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org. Information on the Justice Department’s efforts to combat human trafficking can be found at www.justice.gov/humantrafficking.
Metairie Man Charged with Bank FraudRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – JASON CAREY, age 42, a resident of Metairie, Louisiana, was charged today in a twenty-count indictment for bank fraud in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1344, announced United States Attorney Duane A. Evans.
According to the indictment, beginning on or about November 4, 2020 and continuing until on or about November 20, 2020, CAREY allegedly executed a scheme to fraudulently obtain approximately $20,000 from Hancock Whitney Bank by depositing altered United States Postal Money Orders into his minor daughter’s bank account at Hancock Whitney Bank. CAREY then withdrew these funds from Hancock Whitney Bank before the fund transfers cleared.
If convicted, CAREY faces up to thirty years imprisonment, a fine of up to $1,000,000, up to five years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
U.S. Attorney Evans emphasized that an indictment is merely an allegation, and that all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
U.S. Attorney Evans also praised the work of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service in investigating this matter. Assistant U. S. Attorney Rachal Cassagne of the Narcotics Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
Mescalero Man Charged with Sexual AbuseRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, announced today that Garrick Richard Shendo-Herrera made an initial appearance in federal court on a criminal complaint charging him with sexual abuse. Shendo-Herrera, 34, of Mescalero, will remain in custody pending trial.
According to the complaint, on May 16, 2023, the victim gave Shendo-Herrera a ride home from his workplace. After they arrived at Shendo-Herrera’s residence, Shendo-Herrera allegedly began sexually abusing the victim. Shendo-Herrera stopped assaulting the victim only when a third party interrupted the alleged assault, giving the victim a chance to escape.
An indictment is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Shendo-Herrera faces up to life in prison.
This case was investigated by the Las Cruces Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau Investigation with assistance from the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Assistant United States Attorney Eliot Neal is prosecuting the case.
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Member of Violent Bridgeport Gang Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
JAUWAN EDWARDS, also known as “Yaya,” 25, of Bridgeport, pleaded guilty yesterday before U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to a racketeering offense stemming from his involvement in a violent Bridgeport street gang.
Today’s announcement was made by Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut; Joseph T. Corradino, State’s Attorney for the Fairfield Judicial District; Bridgeport Police Chief Roderick Porter; Robert Fuller, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England, and Acting U.S. Marshal Lawrence Bobnick.
According to court documents and statements made in court, the FBI, ATF, DEA, U.S. Marshals Service, Connecticut State Police and Bridgeport Police have been investigating multiple Bridgeport-based gangs whose members are involved in narcotics trafficking, murder and other acts of violence. Edwards was a member of the Original North End (“O.N.E.”), a gang based in the Trumbull Gardens area of Bridgeport that committed acts of violence against rival gangs, including the East End gang, the East Side gang, and the PT Barnum gang. O.N.E. members also robbed drug dealers, customers and others, sold narcotics, and stole cars from inside and outside Connecticut, often using the cars to commit crimes. They frequently used social media to promote and coordinate their criminal activities.
Analysis of numerous social media posts and text messages revealed that Edwards possessed firearms, and that he sold a variety of drugs, including fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, crack, Percocet pills, and marijuana. Edwards also participated with other O.N.E. members in the theft and possession of stolen vehicles, including a Lexus Rx350 that was stolen from Rye, New York.
In early December 2019, O.N.E. members were involved in multiple shots-fired incidents in Bridgeport. In one incident, the mother of two East End gang members was shot outside of her Bridgeport home. In another incident, on December 8, 2019, O.N.E. members used the stolen Lexus in a shooting incident at the P.T. Barnum Housing Complex, and then drove it to Newfield Avenue in Bridgeport, considered the turf of the East End/East Side gang, where they shot and killed Ty’Quess Moore, also known as “Breezo,” 18.
Edwards has been detained since his arrest on July 27, 2021.
Edwards pleaded guilty to one count of racketeering conspiracy, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. Judge Dooley scheduled sentencing for September 27.
This investigation is being conducted by the FBI’s Safe Streets and Violent Crimes Task Forces, ATF, DEA, U.S. Marshals Service, Bridgeport Police Department, Connecticut State Police and the Bridgeport State’s Attorney’s Office, with the assistance of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Connecticut Forensic Science Laboratory and the Naugatuck Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Karen L. Peck, Tara E. Levens, Patrick J. Doherty, Rahul Kale, and Jocelyn C. Kaoutzanis.
This prosecution is a part of the Justice’s Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), Project Longevity and Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) programs.
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.
Project Longevity is a comprehensive initiative to reduce gun violence in Connecticut’s major cities. Through Project Longevity, community members and law enforcement directly engage with members of groups that are prone to commit violence and deliver a community message against violence, a law enforcement message about the consequences of further violence and an offer of help for those who want it. If a group member elects to engage in gun violence, the focused attention of federal, state and local law enforcement will be directed at that entire group.
OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.