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16 August 2023
Two Pinterest Directors Resign from Nextdoor Board of Directors in Response to Justice Department’s Ongoing Enforcement Efforts Against Interlocking DirectoratesRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that two directors of Pinterest Inc. (Pinterest) have resigned their positions on the Board of Directors of Nextdoor Holdings Inc. (Nextdoor) in response to the Antitrust Division’s ongoing enforcement efforts around Section 8 of the Clayton Act. The division's enforcement initiative has led to fifteen interlocking director resignations from eleven boards.
“We remain steadfast in our commitment to protect competition by preventing interlocking directorates that we believe violate Section 8 of the Clayton Act,” said Deputy Assistant Attorney General Andrew Forman of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “Enforcement involving interlocking directorates will continue to be one of the top priorities of the Antitrust Division.”
Section 8, which Congress made a per se violation of the antitrust laws, prohibits directors and officers from serving simultaneously on the boards of competitors, subject to limited exceptions. In response to the division’s Section 8 enforcement efforts, two directors who served on the boards of both Nextdoor and Pinterest resigned from the board of Nextdoor effective Aug. 1, without the directors or either company admitting liability.
Nextdoor is a Delaware corporation headquartered in San Francisco. It is a large social network that connects users, businesses and other neighborhood stakeholders.
Pinterest is a Delaware corporation headquartered in San Francisco. It is a leading social network and image sharing service.
Anyone with information about potential interlocking directorates or any other potential violations of the antitrust laws is encouraged to contact the Antitrust Division’s Citizen Complaint Center at 1-888-647-3258 or [email protected].
Thurmont Man Pleads Guilty to Sexual Exploitation of a ChildRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Jose Alexander Diaz-Rodriguez, age 23, of Thurmont, pleaded guilty today sexual exploitation of a child, after he broke into his neighbor’s home and took sexually explicit photographs of a child.
The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Chief Greg Eyler of the Thurmont Police Department; Chief Jason Landon of the Frederick Police Department; and Frederick County State’s Attorney J. Charles Smith, III.
According to his guilty plea, on July 26, 2021, Diaz-Rodriguez broke into his neighbor’s home and entered the bedroom where Jane Doe 1 and Jane Doe 2 were sleeping. Diaz-Rodriguez got into bed with Jane Doe 1, who was eight years old, and produced a series of four images intending to create sexually explicit images of Jane Doe 1. DNA from Diaz-Rodriguez was found on swabs from Jane Doe 1.
Jane Doe 1’s mother heard a noise and went into the room where she found Diaz-Rodriguez on the ground next to the bed. Diaz-Rodriguez fled and was arrested a short time later at his residence. A search warrant executed at his residence and his cell phone was seized. A forensic examination of the phone located over 1,000 files depicting the sexual abuse of children, including the four images of Jane Doe 1, which Diaz-Rodriguez had deleted prior to police arrival.
Diaz-Rodriguez further admitted that he distributed child sex abuse material on his social media account, specifically an image documenting the sexual abuse of a child.
As part of his plea agreement, upon his release from prison, Diaz-Rodriguez will be required to register as a sex offender in the places where he resides, where he is an employee, and where he is a student, under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (“SORNA”).
Diaz-Rodriguez and the government have agreed that, if the Court accepts the plea agreement, Diaz-Rodriguez will be sentenced to 18 years in federal prison. U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett has scheduled sentencing for November 20, 2023 at 2:30 p.m.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc and click on the “Resources” tab on the left of the page.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI, the Thurmont Police Department, the Frederick Police Department and the Frederick County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation and prosecution. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul E. Budlow and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Joyce King, who prosecuted the federal case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-childhood and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Three Shreveport Men Sentenced to Federal Prison for Illegal Possession of Narcotics and FirearmsRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – Three Shreveport, Louisiana men have been sentenced for illegal possession of narcotics and firearms, announced United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown. United States District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote conducted these sentencing hearings.
Tremaine Zyshun Russell, 28, of Shreveport, was sentenced to 60 months in prison, followed by 4 years of supervised release. According to evidence presented to the court, officers with the Shreveport Police Department observed a vehicle traveling at a high rate of speed on February 24, 2022, around 4 a.m. and conducted a traffic stop. The vehicle was being driven by a female and Russell was in the passenger seat. The officer detected the smell of marijuana coming from the vehicle and the driver and passenger were asked to step outside the car. The officer was given consent by the female driver to search the vehicle and inside he found a Glock firearm with an extended magazine and a Glock switch (a conversion device) attached. Behind the driver’s seat was a backpack containing two digital scales, marijuana, methamphetamine, cocaine and two Adderall pills. After being read his Miranda rights, Russell admitted that the backpack, narcotics, and firearm belonged to him.
The seized narcotics were sent to the North Louisiana Criminalistics Laboratory and confirmed to be 125 grams of marijuana, 14.92 grams of methamphetamine, and 6.35 grams of cocaine. Agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) examined and tested the firearm and found it to be a functioning firearm which had been manufactured in Austria and traveled in interstate commerce. Russell pleaded guilty on May 3, 2023, to possession with intent to distribute over 5 grams of methamphetamine, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and illegal possession of a machine gun. He was previously convicted of illegal possession of stolen things in 2019 and knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition.
The case was investigated by the ATF and Shreveport Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Aaron Crawford.
In a separate case, Christian D. Price, 20, and Devon Charles Price, 23, brothers who lived in Shreveport, were sentenced yesterday. Christian Price was sentenced to 33 months in prison, and Devon Charles Price was sentenced to 18 months in prison. Both will serve 3 years of supervised release following their release from prison. The charges in this case stem from a visit to their residence by Louisiana Probation and Parole agents in June 2021 for a routine residence check. Upon entering the residence, agents found that Christian Price had a Glock Model 19X semiautomatic pistol loaded with 29 rounds in an extended magazine in his bedroom, as well as a 50-round drum magazine underneath his bed. While checking Devon Price’s bedroom, agents found a small bag of suspected marijuana and other small baggies commonly used in the drug trade. In addition, they discovered a Glock Model 27 .40 caliber pistol which was chambered with one round and had 13 rounds loaded in the magazine.
Both brothers had prior felony convictions which prohibited them from having a firearm or ammunition. Christian Price has a felony conviction for attempted aggravated burglary and Devon Price has a felony conviction for theft of motor vehicles and illegal possession of stolen firearms. Both defendants pleaded guilty to one count of being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm and admitted to knowing they were prohibited from possessing said firearms and ammunition. Agents with the ATF examined and tested the firearms and determined they were functioning firearms which had traveled in interstate commerce.
The case was investigated by the ATF and Louisiana Probation and Parole and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert F. Moody.
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Thibodaux Man Sentenced for Failing to Account for and Pay TaxesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that on August 15, 2023, U.S. District Judge Susie Morgan sentenced CORNEL MARTIN, SR. (“MARTIN”), age 63, of Thibodaux, Louisiana, to serve 12 months in prison, to be followed by 3 years of supervised release, for failing to account for and pay over federal income taxes and Federal Insurance Contributions Act (“FICA”) taxes, in violation of Title 26, United States Code, Section 7202. Judge Morgan also ordered that MARTIN pay restitution to the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) in the amount of $2,681,379.96, and imposed a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.
According to court documents, MARTIN operated several businesses in Terrebonne Parish that provided temporary labor to shipyards and offshore oil rigs. MARTIN was the sole owner of each of the companies and controlled the companies’ finances. From 2012 to 2021, MARTIN’s various businesses withheld taxes from its employees’ paychecks, but MARTIN failed to pay over the withheld taxes to the IRS as required. All told, MARTIN’s willful failure to account for and pay trust fund and other taxes associated with his businesses between 2012 and 2021 resulted in a loss amount to the IRS between $1,500,000 and $3,500,000.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office would also like to acknowledge the work of the Internal Revenue Service on this matter. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon S. Long of the Financial Crimes Unit.
Tahlequah Resident Pleads Guilty to Involuntary Manslaughter and Federal Firearm CrimeRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Kiah John Pritchett, age 38, of Tahlequah, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to one count of Involuntary Manslaughter in Indian Country and one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Pritchett was charged with unlawfully killing the victim without malice on July 4, 2021, and with unlawful possession of a firearm by a previously convicted felon.
The crimes occurred in Cherokee, County, within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The Honorable Gerald L. Jackson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, took the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. Pritchett was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending sentencing.
Assistant United States Attorneys Jarrod Leaman and Patrick Flanigan represented the United States.
St. Louis Man Sentenced to 120 Years in Prison for Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS –U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey on Wednesday sentenced a man from St. Louis, Missouri who produced child pornography involving three children to 120 years in prison.
Anthony Lemicy, 44, was found guilty in March by a jury in U.S. District Court in St. Louis of four counts of producing child pornography. Witnesses and evidence showed that in 2019, Lemicy sexually abused a 7-year-old that he was babysitting and took pictures and videos of the abuse. He also took videos of two other children in the shower.
“This sentence will ensure that Missouri children will now be safe from Anthony Lemicy’s predatory behavior,” said U.S. Attorney Sayler A. Fleming. “It should also serve as a notice to others that those who prey on children will be punished severely.”
After police were alerted and before Lemicy was arrested, he fled to Tacoma, Washington. He was later found by FBI agents hiding in a clothes dryer and returned to St. Louis.
The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Colleen Lang and Nathan Chapman prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's 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.
South Texan gets max for possessing videos showing abuse of childRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – A 27-year-old Cotulla resident has been ordered to prison for possessing child pornography, including content he created from his abuse of a minor victim, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Jose Luis Lara pleaded guilty Feb 1, 2022.
U.S. District Judge Marina Garcia Marmolejo has now imposed a 20-year-term of imprisonment, the maximum allowed under the statute. In handing down the sentence, the Judge noted the extremely disturbing nature of Lara’s acts toward a minor child, remarking that she would have given him more time if she could.
Authorities identified Lara in 2021 after they learned of an individual sharing child pornography online who may have also abused a child.
On July 21, 2021, law enforcement executed a search warrant at his home in Cotulla and discovered and seized several electronic devices. They also showed him a photo of a minor child whom Lara then acknowledged he knew.
Lara admitted to filming videos of him abusing that child. He said he filmed them in Big Wells before moving to Cotulla.
Law enforcement ultimately identified a total of 1,151 images and 699 videos containing child pornography, including the videos Lara had filmed himself.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michal Makens prosecuted the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources link on that page.
South Florida Resident Sentenced to Eight Years in Federal Prison for Nationwide Interstate Moving Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
MIAMI – Yesterday, Arvaham Zano, 36, of Hollywood, Florida, was sentenced to eight years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. He was also ordered to forfeit $334,499.73 and pay $2,877,497.35 in restitution, joint and several with co-defendant Sofein Mlayah, 28, of North Miami Beach.
The sentence comes after Zano’s guilty plea to wire fraud, interstate transportation of stolen property, and failure to give up possession of household goods, for his role in operating an interstate moving company scam that included inflating the costs of clients’ interstate moves and thereafter taking possession of client household belongings, failing to deliver the goods as promised, and abandoning them throughout the nation at undisclosed self-storage facilities, often resulting in the total loss of client property.
Zano operated two companies, including Zano Moving and Storage, LLC, and acquired jobs through various moving brokers. These brokers would negotiate a moving service fee with a client, then subcontract the moving job to one of Zano’s companies. With the subcontracts in hand, Zano and his drivers, including Mlayah, traveled to the job locations – often on dates different from the ones originally scheduled and sometimes late at night – and loaded the household items to be moved into a truck. Zano or Mlayah would tell clients that they had more household items than the moving broker had originally estimated. Then, with the items already in the truck, they demanded more money to begin the move – sometimes two to three times more than the original estimate. If the clients refused, they risked losing their deposits and belongings. Zano and Mlayah often argued with the victims and coerced them into paying more for their moves, and on other occasions, Zano and Mlayah would not start loading the trucks until they received the higher fees; loaded the trucks but never delivered the items; or charged the victims bogus storage fees. Most of the victim’s household items have never been recovered.
On June 6, Mlayah was sentenced to 30 months in prison for his role in the scheme.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri of the FBI, Miami Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge Todd A. Damiani of the Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General (“DOT-OIG”), Southern Region, announced the sentence imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Raag Singhal.
FBI Miami and DOT-OIG investigated this case with assistance from Sunny Isles Beach Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Marc Anton prosecuted it. Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Stone is handling asset forfeiture.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 22-cr-60200.
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South Carolina Man Who Orchestrated Drug Deals by Phone from Prison Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Zachariah Ryan Luke (28, Bennettsville, South Carolina) today pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine. Luke faces minimum mandatory penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the plea agreement, in November 2021, Luke was serving a prison sentence in South Carolina for various offenses, including possession of methamphetamine. Using contraband cellphones, he communicated with an associate who assisted him with acquiring and selling illegal drugs, including methamphetamine. On November 24, 2021, from his South Carolina prison cell, Luke coordinated the delivery of approximately one kilogram of methamphetamine to a Florida-based drug dealer outside of a department store in South Carolina. After receiving the drugs, the dealer returned to Florida. In St. Augustine, Florida, a deputy observed a traffic offense and signaled the dealer to pull over. The dealer initially appeared to be looking for a place to stop, but instead accelerated and raced down the streets of a residential neighborhood. A police helicopter tracked the speeding car, and the pilot observed an object being thrown from the car and directed another deputy to that specific location. Following the directions of the pilot, the deputy found a backpack on the side of the road. Inside, the deputy found approximately 985.6 grams of crystal methamphetamine that laboratory testing would later show was 100% pure.
After attempting to dispose of the drugs, the dealer continued to drive, but eventually reached a dead end. He then abandoned the car to hide in a nearby wooded area but was located and arrested by deputies. After that arrest, corrections officers in South Carolina seized multiple cellphones from Luke, which he was prohibited from possessing in prison. Investigators searched those phones and recovered text communications concerning when, where, and from whom drugs were to be supplied and delivered.
This case was investigated by the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the South Carolina Department of Corrections, the Aiken County (South Carolina) Sheriff’s Office, the Aiken Department of Public Safety, the North Augusta (South Carolina) Department of Public Safety, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Coolican.
Shiprock Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Abusive Sexual Contact of a Minor and Possession of Child PornographyRead 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 Allan Wilson was sentenced to 12 years in prison. Wilson, 64, of Shiprock, New Mexico, pled guilty in federal court on March 22, 2023, to abusive sexual contact of a minor in Indian Country and possession of child pornography.
According to court documents, in the fall of 2019, Wilson engaged in abusive sexual contact with a minor while she was spending the night in the home Wilson shared with his sister on the Navajo Nation. The victim, who is a member of the Navajo Nation, was less than twelve years old at the time. During the resulting investigation, the FBI conducted a search of Wilson’s phone. The search revealed pornographic pictures of another minor victim under the age of eighteen years old. Wilson admitted that he knew the images were on his phone.
Upon his release from prison, Wilson must register as a sex offender and he will be on supervised release for ten years.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department and the New Mexico Regional Computer Forensics Lab. Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas J. Marshall is prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice (DOJ) to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and DOJ’s Criminal Division’s 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 http://www.justice.gov/psc/.
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Second Oklahoma Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Role in Racially Motivated Hate CrimeRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – A second Oklahoma man, Brandon Wayne Killian, 31, of Midwest City, Oklahoma, was sentenced Monday to serve 72 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $43,007.76 of a total restitution amount of $113,644.40 for his role in a racially-motivated attack in Shawnee, Oklahoma.
On January 18, 2022, a federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment charging Killian, 31, of Midwest City, and co-defendant Devan Nathanial Johnson, with physically assaulting a Black man, as well as the Black man’s white friend, in the parking lot of a Shawnee business on June 22, 2019. According to the indictment, the assault occurred because of the Black man’s race and color. Both Killian and Johnson are white. Killian pleaded guilty to one count of committing a hate crime in September 2022, and was sentenced on August 14, 2023. Co-defendant Johnson was sentenced to 10 years in prison, and ordered to pay $68,186.64 in restitution on July 25, 2023.
“The sentencing of both defendants responsible for this racially-motivated and violent assault secured justice for the victim and the community,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke for the Civil Rights Division. “Preventing, investigating and prosecuting bias-motivated crimes remains a top priority for the Justice Department, and we will continue our enforcement efforts around the country, holding individuals accountable for committing violent hate crimes.”
“The defendants targeted a Black victim for a brutal attack simply because of the color of his skin," said U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester. "Hate-fueled criminal conduct cannot be tolerated in a civilized society and my office will remain steadfast in our mission to protect those victimized by hate. I commend the work done by our law enforcement partners and prosecutors who continue to seek justice in these cases.”
“The FBI worked in close partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to bring justice for the victim of this horrific attack,” said FBI Oklahoma City Special Agent in Charge Edward J. Gray. “Defending the civil rights of every American citizen is one of the FBI’s highest priorities, and we simply won’t tolerate acts of violence fueled by hate.”
Assistant General Clarke, U.S. Attorney Troester, and Special Agent in Charge Gray made the announcement.
The FBI Oklahoma City Field Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Julia E. Barry for the Western District Oklahoma and former Trial Attorney Avner Shapiro of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section prosecuted the case.
Reference is made to public filings for more information.
Seattle woman with prior murder conviction, sentenced to seven years in prison for armed drug dealingRead the Press Release
Seattle – A Seattle-area woman, whose life has been marked by abuse and addiction, was sentenced August 15, 2023, in U.S. District Court in Seattle to seven years in federal prison, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Raven Marlyne Hudson, 39, pleaded guilty in May 2023, to drug trafficking and using a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. She was arrested in July 2022, in Seattle’s University District, after she rammed a law enforcement vehicle while trying to avoid arrest. In her car, law enforcement found a variety of illegal drugs and two firearms – one of them stolen. At the sentencing hearing, U.S. District Judge James L. Robart said of the offense, “It was terrible… after 16 and a half years in jail and less than six months later you are doing serious drug dealing…. And ramming the cars is just not something we can tolerate.”
“Ms. Hudson’s history of childhood abuse and abandonment no doubt played a role in her drug addiction and criminal conduct,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. “It is our hope that the drug treatment in federal prison and the close monitoring and supportive services while on federal supervised release will make a difference and lead to a productive future for Ms. Hudson and her family.”
According to records filed in the case, in early 2022, Homeland Security Investigation (HSI) agents and Seattle Police Narcotics Detectives began investigating Hudson as a significant drug dealer in the Seattle area. In June, a person working with law enforcement ordered fentanyl pills from Hudson. Following that drug sale, law enforcement surveilled Hudson’s activities, seeing her move around to high-frequency drug trafficking areas. On July 12, 2022, agents and officers blocked Hudson’s car as she parked in Seattle’s University District. Hudson rammed one of the HSI vehicles before ultimately being removed from her car and arrested.
When investigators executed a court-authorized search warrant on Hudson’s car, they recovered more than 600 grams of methamphetamine, more than 118 grams of fentanyl powder, about 6,700 fentanyl pills, plus heroin and cocaine. Two Glock firearms were in the car. One of the Glocks was reported stolen, the other had a 25-round extended capacity magazine. Both guns were loaded with a round chambered.
Hudson cannot legally possess firearms due to prior convictions. In 2006 she was convicted in Kitsap County of Second-Degree Murder and Unlawful Possession of a Firearm. Hudson was released from state custody on the murder conviction in January 2022.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Seattle Police Department.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Todd Greenberg.
Real Estate Investor Pleads Guilty to Wire FraudRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - Franklin Olaitan, 50, of Beltsville, Maryland, pleaded guilty in federal court, late yesterday, to one count of wire fraud related to the theft of a residence located in Northwest Washington D.C. As part of the guilty plea, the defendant admitted he caused the filing of a false deed transferring the property, which he immediately resold to a third-party, pocketing the sale proceeds. As a result of the fraudulent scheme, the defendant caused over a half-million dollars in loss to the various victims.
The guilty plea was entered before U.S. District Court Judge Carl J. Nichols. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled in early 2024 before U.S. District Court Judge Paul L. Friedman.
According to the Statement of the Offense, the property located on First Street N.W. (the “First Street property”), was purchased by Person 1 in 1996. Between about September 2016 through March 2017, while the First Street property was vacant, the defendant forged the signatures of Person 1 and a notary on several documents - including a false sales contract and a false deed - in order to sell the First Street property to a company owned and controlled by him, without Person 1’s knowledge or consent. The defendant executed his scheme to defraud by preparing and presenting to a lender and Maryland settlement company the false and fraudulent documents. Neither the owner of the First Street property nor the notary signed the documents selling the property to the defendant’s company. The defendant provided the false documents to a Maryland settlement company and caused the settlement company to file the false documents with the D.C. Recorder of Deeds. In addition, the defendant caused the settlement company to give him the purported seller’s proceeds check from the purported sale, which he later deposited into another one of his LLC’s bank accounts. After allegedly purchasing the property, the defendant immediately resold the property to a third-party who intended to renovate it. After the third-party buyer spent at least $600,000 renovating the First Street property, they listed it for sale. The true owner of the property then learned that the property had been stolen out from under them.
In announcing the guilty plea, U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Matthew M. Graves and Acting Special Agent in Charge David Geist, of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division, commended the work of those who investigated the case from the FBI’s Washington Field Office. They also commended the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialists Lisa Abbe and Liliana Villamizar, Victim-Witness Service Coordinator Tonya Jones, Supervisory Litigation Technology Specialist Leif Hickling, Litigation Technology Specialist Jeanie Latimore-Brown, former Assistant U.S. Attorneys Derrick Williams and Veronica Sanchez, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Diane Lucas and Christopher Howland, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
Rapid City Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal PrisonRead 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 Receipt of Child Pornography. The sentencing took place on August 14, 2023.
Gary Heckel, 71, was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Heckel will also be required to register as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.
Heckel was indicted for Receipt of Child Pornography and Possession of Child Pornography by a federal grand jury in August of 2022. He pleaded guilty on March 24, 2023.
Heckel was federally indicted following a Cybertip from the National Center of Missing and Exploited Children in relation to suspected child pornography from Dropbox. The Internet Crimes Against Children Taskforce executed a search warrant on Heckel’s home and located multiple devices. A forensic examination of those devices found over 84,000 images of child pornography and over 46,000 videos of 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. Attorney Sarah B. Collins prosecuted the case.
Heckel was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Pryor man sentenced to 37 months in prison for domestic assaultRead the Press Release
BILLINGS — A Pryor man convicted of beating a woman on the Crow Indian Reservation was sentenced today to 37 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
Christian Aaron Monroy, 25, pleaded guilty in March to an indictment charging him with domestic assault by a habitual offender.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided. The court also ordered $1,000 restitution.
In court documents, the government alleged that in June 2021, the victim, identified as Jane Doe, was driving a car with Monroy as a passenger. Monroy began to tease Jane Doe, who accidently hit Monroy in the face with her elbow. Later, with Monroy now driving, Jane Doe threw a bottle of Monroy’s alcohol out of the window. Monroy stopped the car and began assaulting Jane Doe. Monroy continued assaulting the victim after they arrived at his home. Jane Doe received treatment for injuries at a Billings hospital. Monroy and Jane Doe were in a dating relationship at the time. Monroy had been convicted in January 2020 and June 2021 of partner or family member assault for assaulting previous girlfriends.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lori Harper Suek and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeanne Torske prosecuted the case. The FBI and Bureau of Indian Affairs conducted the investigation.
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Point Marion Man Pleads Guilty to Interstate Domestic ViolenceRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA - A resident of Point Marion, Pennsylvania pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of interstate domestic violence, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
Kristopher Lee Holmes pleaded guilty to one count before Senior United States District Judge David Stewart Cercone.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that on August 30, 2020, Holmes restrained his dating partner while he led police on a high-speed chase from West Virginia into Pennsylvania, with speeds exceeding 100 miles an hour. Meanwhile, the victim was trying to escape the car, including by attempting to open the passenger door to exit the vehicle while it was moving. In keeping the victim in the car against her will, Holmes gave the victim a black eye and left long bruises in the shape of fingerprints on the victim’s left arm.
Judge Cercone scheduled sentencing for December 5, 2023 at 1:00 p.m. The law provides for a total sentence of 5 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Pending sentencing, the court continued Holmes on bond.
The Pennsylvania State Police and Monongalia County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Holmes.
Pierre Man Sentenced for Failure to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced a Pierre, South Dakota, man convicted of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. The sentencing took place on August 14, 2023.
Benjamin Loafer, age 63, was sentenced to 15 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Loafer was indicted for Failure to Register as a Sex Offender by a federal grand jury in January of 2023. He pleaded guilty on May 18, 2023.
Loafer was convicted of Abusive Sexual Contact in U.S. District Court, District of South Dakota, in 2008. As a result of this conviction, Loafer is required to register biannually and within three business days of a change in residence, employment, or education status. In February of 2022, Loafer completed a registration with the Pierre Police Department. At that time, Loafer advised the registering official that he would be relocating to Kyle, South Dakota. In June of 2022, it was discovered that Loafer did not complete an updated registration. Investigation revealed that Loafer resided in Kyle for approximately two months before returning to Pierre. Loafer failed to complete an updated registration after his changes in residence. Loafer was located in Pierre on August 12, 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 U.S. Marshals Service, the Pierre Police Department, and the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Abby Roesler prosecuted the case.
Peneaux was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Oviedo Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Wendy W. Berger has sentenced Rafick Gordon Gilpin (32, Oviedo) to 10 years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute cocaine and possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. The court also ordered Gilpin to forfeit a firearm and multiple rounds of ammunition. Gilpin had pleaded guilty on April 12, 2023.
According to court documents, the FBI used a confidential human source to identify Gilpin, also known as Diesel, and his coconspirators. From November 2021 to July 2022, the FBI obtained information about Gilpin and his coconspirators during multiple meetings and transactions for drugs and guns. As a part of this investigation, authorities seized cocaine, methamphetamine, and multiple handguns. Gilpin was arrested by special agents from the FBI and officers from the Orlando Police Department during a drug deal for one kilogram of cocaine. At the time of the incident, a loaded firearm was found in his vehicle.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Orlando Police Department, and the Apopka Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John M. Gardella.
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.
Ohio man sentenced for methamphetamine traffickingRead the Press Release
ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA - An Ohio man was sentenced to prison today on federal drug trafficking charges.
Anthony Dwayne Mack, age 42, of Zanesville, Ohio, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. According to court documents and statements made in court, Mack traveled from Ohio to Elkins, supplying methamphetamine to others to sell in the area. During a traffic stop, officers found a large amount of methamphetamine in the car, along with nearly $2,000, a digital scale, and baggies.
In a separate case, William Albert Flinn, Jr., age 44, of Moorefield, West Virginia, pled guilty to a possession with intent to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug crime. According to court documents, Flinn had possessed a large quantity of methamphetamine and a semi-automatic rifle during his drug trafficking crime in Hardy County.
Flinn faces at least 10 years and up to life in prison for the drug charge and faces at least 5 years and up to life in prison for the firearms charge. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Warner prosecuted the cases on behalf of the government.
The Mountain Region Drug Task Force investigated the Mack case. The Potomac Highlands Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated the Flinn case.
U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided over the Mack hearing.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided over the Flinn hearing.
Office on Violence Against Women Director Rosie Hidalgo Visits Oklahoma City and Palomar Family Justice Center to Discuss Local Strategies and Partnerships to Combat Domestic ViolenceRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – Last Friday, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Oklahoma and Palomar, Oklahoma City’s Family Justice Center, welcomed newly appointed Director of the Department of Justice’s Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) Rosie Hidalgo, to discuss the local strategy, partnerships, and ongoing efforts to combat domestic violence in the district.
On July 11, 2023, Director Hidalgo was confirmed in a bipartisan vote by the Senate, making her the first Senate-confirmed director to lead OVW since 2012. (See DOJ Press Release). Hidalgo’s visit to Oklahoma last week included her first site visit in her new role as Director of OVW, including to Palomar. Accompanying her on the visit from OVW were Principal Deputy Director Allison Randall, Chief of Staff Shilesha Bamberg, and Executive Assistant Erica Lee.
“In my recent visit to the Western District of Oklahoma U.S. Attorney’s Office and Palomar: Oklahoma City’s Family Justice Center, I was deeply moved by the stories I heard and the solutions being implemented to address domestic violence,” said Director Rosemarie Hidalgo. “The frontline workers, law enforcement officials, advocates, and community leaders are weaving a tight-knit safety net for survivors, illustrating the power and importance of a coordinated community response. I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to U.S. Attorney Robert Troester for his work through Project Safe Neighborhoods in fostering these partnerships to support survivors, reduce domestic violence, and hold offenders accountable. Also, I am glad to see a robust response through the District’s Operation 922 program to address the increased risks of homicide at the intersection of domestic violence and firearms. The Office on Violence Against Women recognizes the value of such collective action, and we are eager to continue supporting these initiatives alongside the U.S. Attorney's Office and community partners.”
“It is an honor to host Director Hidalgo for one of her first site visits as she leads the Department of Justice’s efforts to reduce gender-based violence, support survivors, and hold perpetrators accountable,” said U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester. “We were delighted to share what is happening here through our local violent crime strategy, Operation 922, and through our many partnerships with police officers, local prosecutors, and non-profit entities working each day to combat the epidemic of domestic violence in Oklahoma. We are confident that through these strategic partnerships, and with the support of the Office on Violence Against Women, we are saving lives."
“Director Hidalgo’s site visit to Palomar illuminates the significance of having coordinated, collaborative services through the Family Justice Center model which provide avenues to simultaneously allow survivors and families to thrive and for partner agencies to focus on offender accountability,” said Palomar Board Chair Tricia Everest. “Palomar, and this coordinated family justice center model, provides more opportunities to break the cycles of violence and move us closer to a community where safety and security are felt by all.”
Topics of discussion included Operation 922, the Western District of Oklahoma’s targeted initiative which prioritizes the prosecution of federal gun crimes connected to domestic violence. Operation 922 is the local implementation of Project Safe Neighborhoods, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Since its launch in March of 2018, Operation 922 has led to the charging of nearly 300 defendants for firearms violations in domestic violence-derived cases. The U.S. Attorney’s Office also introduced a new initiative, Project RAISE UP (Resources and Aid Initiative for Survivors by Effectively Utilizing Partnerships). Project RAISE UP aims to minimize the revictimization of survivors and foster continuity in recovery by connecting survivors with resources and aid to support their unique needs in advance of a defendant’s release from federal prison.
Palomar provided a briefing on how the community came together to launch Palomar six years ago and how the collaborative has grown from 15 original partners to over 40 that are now working together to provide wraparound services to survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, human trafficking, and child and elder abuse. A panel of Palomar partners shared the ways that coordinating services leads to better outcomes for survivors. Additionally, Palomar shared the plans for the new Family Justice Center building to be built as part of MAPS 4.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office was proud to partner with Palomar Board Chair Tricia Everest in coordinating the event. In April 2021, Attorney General Merrick Garland honored Everest with the “Volunteer of the Year Award” for her advocacy on behalf of victims in crime and for her work founding Palomar. (See DOJ Press Release).
Partners participating in the briefing included the United States Marshals Service, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Oklahoma City Police Department, Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Office, Oklahoma County District Attorney’s Office, YWCA, and Oklahoma County District Court.
North Carolina Man Sentenced to 168 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
SOUTH BEND – Keith Wigfall, 57 years old, of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Damon R. Leichty on his plea of guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.
Wigfall was sentenced to 168 months in prison followed by 5 years of supervised release.
According to documents in this case, in January 2021, law enforcement executed a traffic stop of a vehicle Wigfall was driving and recovered $47,500 in cash as well as controlled substances. A search of his residence resulted in the seizure of over 1.5 kilograms of methamphetamine, 9.5 kilograms of marijuana, fentanyl, cocaine, morphine, 9 other types of controlled substances, 3 firearms, and $30,000 cash.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration with the assistance of the South Bend Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Molly E. Donnelly and former AUSA Frank E. Schaffer.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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Nigerian National Convicted in Federal Court of Conspiracy to Launder Proceeds of Internet Fraud SchemesRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, Del. – David C. Weiss, U.S. Attorney for the District of Delaware, announced today that Olugbenga Lawal, previously of Indianapolis, Indiana, was convicted on August 10, 2023, of Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering following a 4-day federal trial.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Lawal was a member of a Nigerian-based criminal organization that victimized individuals and businesses across the United States through internet-based fraud schemes, including romance fraud and business email compromises, and laundered the proceeds of those fraud schemes. The criminal organization frequently targeted elderly victims who believed they had fallen in love with people they met on the internet.
Lawal opened multiple bank accounts in his own name and the name of a purported business entity for the purpose of receiving the illegal proceeds his co-conspirators generated through internet fraud. Lawal received fraud proceeds both from individuals directly victimized by the criminal organization and from other money launderers working on behalf of the criminal organization. Lawal used those fraud proceeds to buy cars that would be shipped to Nigeria to be sold.
Between January 2019 and June 2020, bank accounts used by Lawal and his co-conspirators to launder money on behalf of the criminal organization received over $7 million. Most of that money was traced directly to individuals and businesses defrauded over the internet by Lawal’s co-conspirators in the criminal organization.
U.S. Attorney Weiss stated, “The online fraud schemes perpetrated by Mr. Lawal and his co-conspirators drained senior citizens of their retirement savings and resulted in American businesses losing hundreds of thousands of dollars. My office and our law enforcement partners will continue to investigate and prosecute those who enrich themselves and their criminal partners through online fraud schemes at the expense of hardworking Americans.”
“Lawal shamefully helped organize and execute this extensive scheme that took advantage of our senior citizens and hurt American businesses,” said Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the FBI’s Baltimore Field Office. “The FBI urges Americans to learn how to identify romance scams as well as business email compromise schemes which have increased dramatically in recent years.”
As a result of his conviction, Lawal faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison; three years of supervised release; a fine of $500,000, or twice the value of the criminally derived property, whichever is greater; forfeiture; and restitution. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence and restitution amount after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This case was investigated by FBI Baltimore Field Office’s Wilmington Resident Agency with assistance from the FBI Indianapolis Field Office. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jesse Wenger and Meredith Ruggles of the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware; Trial Attorneys Mary K. Daly and Michael Grady of the U.S. Department of Justice Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section; and former Trial Attorney Madeleine 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. 22-cr-11-MN.
New Orleans Man Sentenced for Violating Federal Gun Control ActRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that MICHAEL CRAWFORD, age 27, from New Orleans, Louisiana, was sentenced yesterday in United States District Court on one count of Possession of a Firearm After a Felony Conviction, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2).
According to court documents, CRAWFORD exchanged gunfire with an individual at the intersection of Chef Menteur Highway and Louisa Street and sustained gunshot wounds. Moments later, law enforcement encountered CRAWFORD in possession of a firearm that matched ballistics to the scene of the shooting. CRAWFORD was prohibited from firearm possession because he had been previously convicted of Possession of Tramadol in 2019.
U.S. District Court Judge Darrel James Papillion sentenced CRAWFORD to serve 86 months in prison, to be followed by three (3) years of supervised release. Judge Papillion also imposed a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the New Orleans Police Department in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Maria Carboni of the Financial Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
New Orleans Man Sentenced for Federal Gun and Drug OffensesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – LANCE STEVENS, age 27, of New Orleans, Louisiana was sentenced on August 15, 2023 after pleading guilty to a six-count indictment charging him with federal firearm and drug trafficking offenses.
United States District Court Chief Judge Nannette Jolivette Brown sentenced STEVENS to 132 months of imprisonment after granting his motion for a downward variance from the United States Sentencing Guidelines. Chief Judge Brown also sentenced STEVENS to serve 3 years of supervised release following his imprisonment and to pay $600 in mandatory special assessment fees.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney David Berman of the Violent Crimes Unit handled the prosecution.
New Bedford Man Sentenced for Fentanyl DistributionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A New Bedford man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for fentanyl distribution charges.
Hector Diaz, 45, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV to two years in prison and three years of supervised release. In May 2023, Diaz pleaded guilty to two counts of distributing and possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl.
On two occasions between December 2020 and January 2021, Diaz distributed and possessed with intent to distribute fentanyl in the New Bedford area.
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. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Hoefle of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit prosecuted the case.
Muskegon Man Sentenced to 100 Months for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten today announced that U.S. District Judge Robert J. Jonker sentenced Jemarion Trevon Flowers to 100 months in prison for trafficking methamphetamine and fentanyl.
“Disrupting drug trafficking rings and ridding our streets of illegal drugs is a priority for my office,” said U.S. Attorney Totten. “I applaud our federal, state, local, and multi-jurisdictional teams for their work investigating these types of crimes and helping keep our communities safe.”
Flowers sold half-pound to pound quantities of methamphetamine and lesser quantities of fentanyl to an undercover police officer on four separate occasions between November 2022 and January 2023. The undercover officer posed as a downstream dealer that was sourcing the Traverse City and surrounding areas. In the midst of the investigation, on December 6, 2022, the Muskegon Police Department arrested Flowers while responding to a shots-fired incident. Police found Flowers in a vehicle near the shots-fired incident in possession of a loaded, stolen Glock pistol with an extended magazine and quantities of fentanyl and methamphetamine. The court held Flowers responsible for possessing the firearm during drug trafficking when sentencing him.
“The Traverse Narcotics Team (TNT) focuses on those individuals who travel to our area and deal drugs to members of our communities. These dealers prey on addicts in our community,” said TNT D/Sgt. Olivia Whetstone. “We make it a mission to seek prosecution on the dealers to keep our residents safe and to thwart the fentanyl epidemic that is ongoing in our country. This case is an excellent example of state, federal, and local agencies working together to present a case to the U.S. Attorney’s Office and getting successful prosecution. TNT will continue to target dealers who come to our area and this sentencing sends a message to others who plan to do the same as Mr. Flowers did.”
“Drugs like fentanyl and methamphetamine have devastated communities in Michigan,” said HSI Detroit Special Agent in Charge Angie M. Salazar. “This case demonstrates our steadfast commitment to work with our partners at every level to keep these drugs off our streets and hold drug traffickers accountable for the damage they have done.”
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Michigan State Police (MSP), and Muskegon Police Department participated in the investigation with critical contributions from the Strike Team Investigative Narcotics Group (STING), Traverse Narcotics Team (TNT) and the West Michigan Enforcement Team (WEMET). Assistant United States Attorney Joel S. Fauson prosecuted the case.
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Mobridge Man Sentenced for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled SubstanceRead the Press Release
ABERDEEN - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Charles B. Kornmann has sentenced a Mobridge, South Dakota, man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencing took place on August 14, 2023.
Dana Aman, age 54, was sentenced to two and a half years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, a $1,000 fine, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
Aman was indicted by a federal grand jury in October of 2022. He pleaded guilty on May 4, 2023.
The conviction stemmed from an investigation that began when postal inspectors in South Dakota were notified that an international package had been intercepted by U.S. Customs and Border Patrol. The package originated in Navi Mumbai, India, and was addressed to Aman in Mobridge. The parcel was found to contain 50 boxes of silver blister packs containing orange pills, but labeled “Tapentadol Tablets 100 mg” for a total of 5,000 tablets. Tapentadol is a Schedule II controlled substance. During the course of the investigation Aman admitted that he would receive multiple pill packages, containing thousands of pills, from the source in India and then repackage and mail the pills to various individuals across the United States.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspector and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan N. Dilges prosecuted the case.
Aman was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Mission Man Sentenced for Failure to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced a Mission, South Dakota, man convicted of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. The sentencing took place on August 14, 2023.
James Peneaux, age 56, was sentenced to 15 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Peneaux was indicted for Failure to Register as a Sex Offender by a federal grand jury in January of 2023. He pleaded guilty on May 18, 2023.
Peneaux was convicted of Sexual Contact with a Child Under the Age of 16 in Davison County, South Dakota, in 1989. As a result of this conviction, Peneaux is required to register quarterly and within three business days of a change in residence, employment, or education status. In March of 2020, Peneaux relocated from Sioux Falls to Mission. Peneaux initially complied with his registration requirements but failed to complete any registration after December of 2020. Investigation revealed that Peneaux was no longer residing at his registered address and his whereabouts were unknown until his arrest in December 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 U.S. Marshals Service and the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Abby Roesler prosecuted the case.
Peneaux was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Millsboro Man Sentenced to 87 Months in Prison for Possession of Molotov CocktailRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, Del. – David C. Weiss, U.S. Attorney for the District of Delaware, announced that a Millsboro man was sentenced yesterday to 87 months in federal prison for possessing a destructive device known as a “Molotov Cocktail.” The Honorable Richard G. Andrews pronounced the sentence.
According to court documents, Job Gillette, 25, amassed seventeen Molotov Cocktails, additional raw materials, an AK-47 semi-automatic rifle, ammunition, and a ballistic vest, which he was keeping in a shed outside the group home where he lived. Gillette had taken measures to maximize the harmful impact of his weapons, including adding Styrofoam to his Molotov Cocktails in an effort to “help the burning liquid adhere to the target and create clouds of thick, choking smoke,” as well as adding screws and nails to increase their destructive impact.
Gillette had threatened to “blow up or burn down” the group home where he lived. He also believed in the New World Order, a conspiratorial idea that powerful entities are manipulating governments to create a one-world totalitarian government.
U.S. Attorney Weiss stated, “Had Mr. Gillette been able to follow through with his plot, the impact could have been devastating for the group home and its residents. I wish to commend federal, state and local law enforcement for working together to thwart Mr. Gillette’s criminal plans. This sentence should serve as a deterrent for anyone considering this similar violent conduct.”
“The FBI works tirelessly every day to protect the American people and remains vigilant in our efforts to detect and assess threats of violence,” said Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the FBI’s Baltimore Field Office. “We will continue to partner with our local and state law enforcement to be ready to respond to any threats that arise and keep our communities safe.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Carly A. Hudson and former District of Delaware Assistant U.S. Attorney Ruth Mandelbaum prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the FBI Wilmington Resident Agency, with substantial assistance from HSI Wilmington and the Delaware State Police and Delaware State Fire Marshals.
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.
Michigan Man Sentenced to Prison for Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Terry Dwayne Jones, 34, of Macomb, Michigan, was sentenced today to four years and nine months in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 15, 2022, law enforcement officers conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle driven by Jones on Interstate 77 near Ripley. Officers searched the vehicle and found one bottle of pills in the glove compartment and a second bottle of pills in the trunk. The West Virginia State Police Forensic Laboratory confirmed that the nearly 1,000 pills found inside the two bottles contained a total of approximately 106 grams of fentanyl. The pills were mislabeled as Percocet rather than fentanyl. Jones admitted that he possessed the pills, knew they contained a controlled substance, and planned to distribute them.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department.
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Nowles Heinrich prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-cr-137.
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Mexican national heads to prison for trafficking narcotics in batteriesRead the Press Release
BROWNSVILLE, Texas – A 40-year-old man illegally residing in Edinburg has been ordered to federal prison following his conviction of trafficking meth, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Pedro Castillo-Lopez pleaded guilty March 9 to possession with intent to distribute approximately 31.83 pounds of meth.
U.S. District Judge Rolando Olvera has now ordered Castillo-Lopez to serve 96 months in federal prison. Not a U.S. citizen, Castillo-Lopez is expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment. In handing down the sentence, the court noted Castillo-Lopez will now have a felony conviction for and could spend the rest of his life in prison if he commits another felony or drug crime.
On Oct. 26, 2021, law enforcement observed Pedro Castillo-Lopez arrive at a hardware store parking lot located in Harlingen. Castillo approached another vehicle and transferred two commercial vehicle batteries from his vehicle to that one.
Authorities were able to confiscate the batteries. They broke one open and found what tested positive for the characteristics of heroin and meth. Further analysis later confirmed both drugs.
Castillo-Lopez had been previously removed from the country and did not have lawful presence in the United States. He has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Coronado prosecuted the case.
Mexican National Illegally Residing in Lexington Sentenced to 372 Months for Role in Money Laundering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. — A Mexican national, illegally residing in Lexington, Luis Lara-Garcia, 25, was sentenced on Tuesday to 372 months in federal prison, by Chief U.S. District Judge Danny Reeves, for one count of conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and five kilograms of cocaine, one count of distribution of 400 grams or more of fentanyl and 500 grams or more of cocaine, one count of possession of firearm by an alien, one count of conspiracy to launder drug proceeds, and one count of illegal re-entry into the United States.
According to his plea agreement, Lara-Garcia admitted to knowingly and voluntarily participating in a conspiracy to distribute large quantities of fentanyl and cocaine in the Eastern District of Kentucky. After the controlled substances were distributed, Lara-Garcia and other conspirators would collect the proceeds of the drug sales, count and package the money, and then conduct financial transactions with the money, by delivering the packages to couriers for the larger drug trafficking organization. Lara-Garcia also admitted that he is an alien, a native and citizen of Mexico, and has no legal status in the United States.
During the investigation, DEA agents seized 7 kilograms of fentanyl, 2 kilograms of cocaine, 6 firearms and approximately $650,000 in cash drug proceeds.
In all, eleven defendants were charged in the drug or money laundering conspiracies. Seven pled guilty, including Demarkus Nemetz, who was sentenced, in July 2023, to 294 months in prison. Humberto Saucedo-Salgado, of Lexington, was sentenced to 97 months and Eduardo Hernandez Alfaro, also of Lexington, was sentenced to 78 months. Three defendants proceeded to trial, in April 2023, and were found guilty of conspiracy to launder drug proceeds and promotional money laundering. Tawsif Mohamed Tajwar was sentenced, in July 2023, to 90 months in prison. Two remaining defendants, who were convicted at trial, are pending sentencing.
Under federal law, Lara-Garcia must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for five years. Lara-Garcia was also ordered to pay a money judgement of $400,000 and to forfeit approximately $650,000 and four firearms.
Carlton S. Shier IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, and J. Todd Scott, Special Agent in Charge, DEA, Louisville Field Division, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the DEA. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd Bradbury.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
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Member of Violent Bridgeport Gang Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
AMIRE NEWSOME, also known as “Mire,” 20, of Bridgeport, pleaded guilty today 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. Newsome 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 Newsome possessed firearms, including firearms with extended magazines, and that he sold a variety of drugs. He also participated with other O.N.E. members in the theft and possession of stolen vehicles, some of which were used to commit gang-related shootings.
The investigation also revealed that on March 25, 2020, Newsome and O.N.E. member Tyiese Warren stole a car that was in front of the Citgo 6M Service Station and Quik Mart located at 2000 Barnum Avenue in Stratford. During the theft, they dragged the car’s driver, who was trying to stop the theft and was hanging onto the car, several hundred yards before he let go. Warren and Newsome then engaged in a carjacking involving a Toyota Corolla in Bridgeport, holding the owner at gunpoint and ultimately driving away in the car. Minutes later, Warren and Newsome committed a gunpoint robbery of the Citgo in Stratford, taking cash from the store and a cellphone from a store employee.
On March 7, 2021, Newsome and O.N.E. members were involved in a shooting of the mother of an East End gang member.
Newsome has been detained since his arrest on August 10, 2021.
Newsome pleaded guilty to one count of racketeering conspiracy, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. A sentencing date is not scheduled.
Warren pleaded guilty to the same charge. On March 9, 2022, he was sentenced to 40 years of imprisonment.
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.
Maryland Man Sentenced to 96 Months in Federal Prison for Felon in Possession of FirearmsRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, Del. – David C. Weiss, U.S. Attorney for the District of Delaware, announced that Wilbert Wilson, age 34 of Wilmington, was sentenced yesterday to 96 months in prison for one count of felon in possession of a firearm. U.S. District Maryellen Norieka pronounced the sentence.
According to court documents, on November 31, 2021, Wilson, a previously convicted felon and Megan’s Law registrant, delivered a handgun and drum kit with 20 rounds of ammunition to a confidential human source in exchange for $600. Following the firearm transaction, Wilson attempted to arrange the delivery of methamphetamine to the confidential human source but was unsuccessful.
U.S. Attorney Weiss stated, “Firearms offenses are a serious threat to our community’s safety. This office and our local and federal law enforcement partners work diligently to investigate and prosecute those who illegally sell firearms in our state. This sentence serves as a warning to anyone who unlawfully transfers firearms.”
“The sentence imposed should send a clear message that the FBI and our partners will not tolerate this type of illegal activity,” said Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the FBI’s Baltimore Field Office. “We will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to stop the flow of drugs into our neighborhoods and keep firearms out of the hands of those prohibited from being able to possess them.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin P. Pierce prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the FBI's Delaware Violent Crime and Safe Streets Task Force.
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. 1:22-cr-81.
Man Sentenced for Producing Child Sexual Abuse Material of Approximately 72 VictimsRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Manassas man was sentenced today to 16 years in prison for the sexual exploitation of children and receipt of child sexual abuse material.
According to court documents, Anthony Benton, 21, initially came to the attention of law enforcement when he bought child sexual abuse material, including videos depicting the sexual abuse of children who appear to be as young as 5 years old, over Telegram. A residential search warrant was executed at his home and law enforcement discovered that Benton had used Omegle, a live video application, to consistently produce child pornography since 2020.
Benton engaged in sexual live video calls with approximately 1,000 girls ranging in age from 7 to 17 years old. He screen-recorded and saved approximately 72 of those videos without the minor victims knowing. Within these videos, Benton can be seen texting a 10-year-old minor, deceiving her by saying he was 15 years old and then, when she revealed her age, promising their sexual conversation was, “[J]ust between us.”
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Derek W. Gordon, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C., made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Anthony J. Trenga.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney McKenzie Hightower and Trial Attorney for the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:23-cr-87.
Man Sentenced for Producing Child Sexual Abuse Material of Approximately 72 VictimsRead the Press Release
A Virginia man was sentenced today to 16 years in prison for the sexual exploitation of children and receipt of child sexual abuse material.
According to court documents, Anthony Benton, 21, formerly of Manassas, came to the attention of law enforcement when he bought child sexual abuse material, including videos depicting the sexual abuse of children who appear to be as young as 5 years old, over Telegram. Law enforcement executed a search warrant at his home and discovered that Benton had used Omegle, a live-streaming video application, to regularly produce child sexual abuse material for about three years beginning in 2020. Benton engaged in sexual conversations in live video calls with approximately 1,000 girls ranging in age from 7 to 17 years old. In some of those calls, he enticed the girls to engage in sexually explicit conduct. He screen-recorded and saved approximately 72 videos without the minor victims’ knowledge. One of the videos shows Benton texting a 10-year-old minor to deceive her into believing that he was 15 years old. When she revealed her age, Benton promised their conversation was “just between us.”
Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Aber for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Special Agent in Charge Derek W. Gordon of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C., made the announcement.
HSI investigated the case.
Trial Attorney McKenzie Hightower of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Justice Department. 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.
Man Pleads Guilty to Illegal Reentry into the United StatesRead the Press Release
CONCORD – A man pleaded guilty in federal court in connection to his illegal reentry into the United States after being deported twice, United States Attorney Jane E. Young announces.
Luis Aragon-Lara, 40, pleaded guilty to one count of reentry after deportation. U.S. District Court Judge Steven J. McAuliffe scheduled sentencing for November 28, 2023. Lara was indicted by a federal grand jury on March 29, 2023.
On October 26, 2022, the Keene Police Department arrested the defendant in connection with the passing of counterfeit currency at retail stores in the area. A subsequent investigation revealed that the defendant was again illegally in the United States, after having been previously deported on or about June 9, 2009 and April 3, 2020.
The charging statute provides a sentence of no greater than 10 years in prison, 3 years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
The Keene Police Department and the Immigration and Customs Enforcement led the investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey W.R. Ward.
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Luzerne County Man Indicted for Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that a federal grand jury in Scranton has indicted a Wilkes-Barre, Luzerne County, man for bank robbery.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that on July 14, 2023, Damen Drakeford, age 29, committed a robbery of the M&T Bank located at 900 North Ninth Street in Stroud Township, Monroe County.
The charges against the defendant resulted from an investigation conducted by the Stroud Area Regional Police Department, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the FBI Safe Streets Task Force. Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. O’Hara is prosecuting the case.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, 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.
Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Under federal law, Drakeford faces a maximum sentence of up to twenty years in prison, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.
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Louisville Man Sentenced to over 9 Years in Federal Prison for Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – A Louisville man was sentenced yesterday to 9 years and 7 months in prison after having been convicted by a jury in November 2022 of two counts of being a convicted felon in possession of firearms and one count of receiving a firearm while under felony indictment.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Jodi Cohen of the FBI Louisville Field Office, Special Agent in Charge R. Shawn Morrow of the ATF Louisville Field Division, and Chief Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel of the Louisville Metro Police Department made the announcement.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Antonio D. Williamson¸ 35, received a CZ-USA Scorpion Evo 3 9mm handgun in February 2020 from an individual. On May 22, 2021, Williamson was in possession of this handgun, and was captured on surveillance video at a local restaurant drive-thru pointing it at another person while he was driving a stolen vehicle. In September 2021 law enforcement executed a search warrant at Williamson’s residence where they located and seized additional ammunition and firearms, including a Romarm/Cugir, 7.62 caliber rifle, an American Tactical M1911, .45 caliber pistol, and an Eagle Arms, 5.56 caliber rifle. Williamson was prohibited from possessing a firearm because he had previously been convicted of two felony burglary charges in Jefferson Circuit Court in December 2008. He was also under indictment beginning in 2019 in Jefferson Circuit Court on multiple felony charges, including being a persistent felony offender. Williamson was released on bond for the 2019 indictment when he received the 9mm handgun in February 2020.
Following the 9-year and 7-month prison sentence, Williamson was ordered to serve 3 years of supervised release. He was also fined $25,000. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Strategic enforcement is a core principle of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN),” stated U.S. Attorney Bennett. “We will continue to execute targeted enforcement efforts in partnership with our federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies as we work to make communities throughout the Western District safer for all.”
“Mr. Williamson is a persistent re-offender who will now spend a significant amount of time behind bars,” stated FBI Special Agent in Charge Cohen. “Keeping firearms out of the hands of convicted felons is critical to keeping our communities safe, and the FBI will stop at nothing to do so.”
This case was investigated by the FBI, the ATF, and the Louisville Metro Police Department with assistance by the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua Judd and Christopher Tieke prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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Louisville Man Sentenced to over 8 Years in Federal Prison for Distributing FentanylRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – A Louisville man was sentenced yesterday to 8 years and 4 months in federal prison for two counts of distributing fentanyl.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Jodi Cohen of the FBI Louisville Field Office, and Chief Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel of the Louisville Metro Police Department made the announcement.
According to court documents, on September 15 and 22, 2021, Johnny Williams, Jr., 33, distributed 28 grams of a fentanyl mixture. In Jefferson Circuit Court, Williams had previously been convicted of trafficking in a controlled substance in the first degree cocaine on June 5, 2008, in case number 08-CR-32189; trafficking in a controlled substance in the first degree on October 12, 2009, in case number 10-CR-322; and trafficking in a controlled substance first degree cocaine on March 21, 2011, in case number 11-CR-1875.
Following the 8-year and 4-month prison sentence, Williams was ordered to serve 3 years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by the FBI and LMPD.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Josh Porter prosecuted the case.
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Kyle Man Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Jeffrey L. Viken has sentenced a Kyle, South Dakota, man convicted of Voluntary Manslaughter. The sentencing took place on August 14, 2023.
Scotty Old Horse, 28, was sentenced to five years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Old Horse was indicted for Second Degree Murder by a federal grand jury in November of 2022. He pleaded guilty on May 17, 2023.
The conviction stems from Old Horse killing another man on November 2, 2022, at Kyle, when Old Horse struck him with his vehicle.
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in Federal court as opposed to State court.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Lindrooth prosecuted the case.
Old Horse was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
KC Chiefs ‘Superfan’ Indicted for Bank Theft, Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A man popularly known as Kansas City Chiefs superfan “ChiefsAholic” was indicted by a federal grand jury today for robbing several financial institutions and laundering the proceeds through area casinos.
Xaviar Michael Babudar, 29, was charged in a 19-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo. Today’s indictment replaces a federal criminal complaint that was filed against Babudar on May 24, 2023, and includes additional charges.
Babudar, who lived a nomadic existence at various locations around the Kansas City metropolitan area, enjoyed a robust social media presence as Kansas City Chiefs superfan Twitter user @ChiefsAholic, attending most games dressed as a wolf in Chiefs clothing. According to the indictment, Babudar’s ability to attend these games and sustain this lifestyle was funded by his perpetration of a string of bank and credit union robberies throughout 2022. Babudar laundered the robbery proceeds through area casinos, and used the robbery proceeds to attend numerous Chiefs home and away games. He also placed various wagers on the outcomes of Chiefs games. During this time, the indictment says, Babudar did not report any wages earned in the states of Missouri or Kansas.
Today’s indictment charges Babudar with three counts of armed bank robbery, one count of bank theft, 11 counts of money laundering, and four counts of transporting stolen property across state lines.
Babudar allegedly stole $70,000 from the Clive, Iowa, branch of Great Western Bank on March 2, 2022. He then carried this money to Missouri, depositing it in two separate transactions into his personal savings account.
Babudar allegedly stole $170,860 from the Omaha, Nebraska, branch of First National Bank of Omaha on April 28, 2022. Omaha police officers recovered $163,560 following the theft.
Babudar allegedly stole $303,845 from the West Des Moines, Iowa, branch of First Class Community Credit Union on July 13, 2022. In the course of this robbery, Babudar allegedly brandished what appeared to be a silver and black firearm, jumped over the teller counter, and demanded that the bank employees open the bank vault. He carried this money back to Missouri, and the next day deposited $23,000 into his savings account. He used some of the proceeds to make various casino chip purchases over the next three months at casinos in Missouri and Illinois, then cashed out his winnings and deposited them into his savings account.
Babudar allegedly stole $125,900 from the Nashville, Tennessee, branch of The Tennessee Credit Union on Nov. 17, 2022. In the course of this robbery, Babudar allegedly brandished what appeared to be a silver and black firearm, climbed over the teller counter, and demanded that the bank employees take him to the bank vault. A few days later, he used some of the stolen money to purchase $20,000 in casino chips in multiple transactions from a local casino.
Babudar allegedly stole $25,000 from the Clive, Iowa, branch of First Interstate Bank on Nov. 30, 2022. Following two unsuccessful robberies of the Wings Financial Credit Union in Savage, Minn., and the Royal Credit Union in Apple Valley, Minn., on Nov. 29, 2022, the indictment says, Babudar returned to Clive, Iowa. The Great Western Bank that he had robbed on March 2, 2022, had become a branch of First Interstate Bank. In the course of this robbery, Babudar allegedly brandished what appeared to be a silver and black firearm, jumped over the teller counter, and ordered the bank employees at gunpoint to open the bank vault. Babudar then carried the stolen money back to Missouri, where he deposited a portion of it into his personal checking account.
Babudar was charged in Tulsa County, Okla., with the robbery of the Tulsa Teachers Federal Credit Union on Dec. 16, 2022. Babudar was released on bond in February 2023.
Months earlier, the indictment says, Babudar had placed two winning bets at the Argosy Casino in Alton, Ill. On June 10, 2022, Babudar bet $5,000 that Kansas City Chiefs’ quarterback Patrick Mahomes II would win the Most Valuable Player at Super Bowl LVII, which would pay out $45,000 should that occur. Babudar also bet $5,000 that the Kansas City Chiefs would win Super Bowl LVII, which would pay out $55,000 should that occur. When the Kansas City Chiefs won the Super Bowl on Feb. 12, 2023, and Mahomes won the Most Valuable Player award, Babudar won $100,000. Argosy Casino mailed Babudar a $100,000 check in early March 2023.
Days later, the indictment says, Babudar cut his ankle monitor and fled from Oklahoma. Babudar evaded law enforcement until his arrest in Sacramento on July 7, 2023. He remains detained in federal custody without bond.
Following Babudar’s arrest in Oklahoma last December, FBI investigators began reviewing bank records, casino transaction records, and sensitive financial reporting to determine the breadth and scope of additional potential criminal activities. According to the affidavit filed in support of the original criminal complaint, Babudar purchased and redeemed more than $1 million in chips from various casinos in Missouri, Kansas, and Illinois between April and December 2022. Investigators also reviewed previously unsolved bank robberies throughout the Midwest during that time frame. Babudar’s cell phone was placed in the same cities and locations for these previously unsolved bank robberies and attempted robberies, the affidavit says.
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 Patrick D. Daly and Stephanie C. Bradshaw. It was investigated by the FBI. The Placer County, Calif., Sheriff’s Department and the Lincoln, Calif., Police Department assisted in the arrest.
Jenison Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten today announced that Michael John Batt, age 36, of Jenison, Michigan, was sentenced to 30 years in prison for creating and distributing pornographic images of a three-year-old child he abused. In imposing the maximum permitted sentence, U.S. District Court Judge Janet T. Neff emphasized the “abhorrent” nature of Batt’s offense, as well as his “extensive collection” of child sexual abuse material. Batt will be on supervised release for 10 years when he gets out of prison, and was also ordered to pay $19,000 in restitution to victims depicted in his child pornography stockpile and over $15,000 in special assessments.
“It is difficult to imagine a crime more heinous than the sexual abuse of a child,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten. “These are among the most sensitive and serious cases my office takes, and we will continue to prioritize finding and prosecuting child sexual predators.”
Batt was caught after creating child pornography and sending five pornographic images to an undercover police officer. Leading up to his sentencing, Batt admitted the “egregious” nature of his conduct and that his victims would “never fully heal.” Batt also acknowledged his role in “increas[ing] the demand for child pornography with further and future victimization of children.”
“Our community is safer with this predator behind bars,” said HSI Detroit Special Agent in Charge Angie M. Salazar. “We will continue to prioritize the safety and security of children by investigating online sexual offenses involving minors and working with our partners to hold offenders accountable for the severe harm they cause.”
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan; county prosecutor’s offices; HSI; ICAC; the West Michigan Based Child Exploitation Task Force (WEBCHEX); and federal, state, and local law enforcement are working closely together to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children. Anyone with information or concerns about possible child exploitation should contact local law enforcement. For more information about Project Safe Childhood in West Michigan, including resources for children and parents, please visit: https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdmi/project-safe-childhood.
This matter was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Michigan State Police Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick Castle.
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Huntington Man Sentenced to 145 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
FORT WAYNE –Bryon Fisher, 42 years old, of Huntington, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge Holly A. Brady after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.
Fisher was sentenced to 121 months in prison followed by 5 years of supervised release. The Court also revoked Fishers’ supervised release on his prior conviction for mail theft and sentenced him to an additional 24 months in prison. The Court ordered these sentences to be served consecutively for a total term of 145 months in prison.
According to documents in the case, from about July 2022 through August 2022, law enforcement conducted 6 controlled buys of methamphetamine from Fisher. A search of his residence resulted in the recovery of evidence indicating drug trafficking, including a drug ledger. In total, Fisher delivered and possessed with intent to deliver over 244 grams of methamphetamine.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration with the assistance of the Fort Wayne Police Department and the Huntington Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stacey R. Speith.
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Honduran National Sentenced for Illegally Reentering the United States After Aggravated Felony OffenseRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Honduran national, who was arrested after stabbing a man with a broken beer bottle, was sentenced in federal court on Monday, August 14, 2023, for illegally reentering the United States after committing an aggravated felony.
Jose Borjas-Gutierrez, 33, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Judge Howard F. Sachs to 30 months in federal prison without parole.
On March 2, 2023, Borjas-Gutierrez pleaded guilty to one count of illegal reentry by an alien previously convicted of an aggravated felony. The defendant was initially arrested in 2022 after an argument resulted in Borjas-Gutierrez stabbing another man with a broken beer bottle. For that crime, Borjas-Gutierrez pled guilty to a state-level charge of assault in the second degree.
Prior to his arrest in this case, Borjas-Gutierrez had been deported from the United States on three separate occasions and had been convicted of illegally carrying a weapon and aggravated robbery in the state of Texas. In his robbery case, Borjas-Gutierrez pointed a gun at a convenience store clerk and took approximately $20,000 from a cash register and safe.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathleen D. Mahoney. It was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Honduran National Pleads Guilty to Illegal Reentry of Deported AlienRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that MARTIR PERDOMO CHAVEZ (“PERDOMO”), age 44, a citizen of Honduras, pleaded guilty to one-count indictment charging him with illegal reentry of deported alien in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a).
According to the indictment, PERDOMO was encountered in the United States on or about January 5, 2023, after having been previously deported from the country in 2008. U.S. District Judge Sarah S. Vance scheduled sentencing in the matter for November 15, 2023.
At sentencing, PERDOMO faces a maximum term of imprisonment of two years, a maximum fine of $250,000, a maximum term of supervised release of one year, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.
U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans praised the work of the United States Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Spiro G. Latsis of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
Hickory, N.C. Woman Is Charged with Embezzling More Than $900,000 from EmployerRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A federal grand jury sitting in Charlotte has returned a criminal indictment, charging Michelle Wilshire, 48, of Hickory, N.C., with multiple counts of wire fraud, tax fraud, and money laundering, for allegedly embezzling more than $900,000 from her employer, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
U.S. Attorney King is joined in making today’s announcement by Donald “Trey” Eakins, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division, Charlotte Field Office, and Tommy D. Coke, Inspector in Charge of the Atlanta Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, which oversees Charlotte.
According to allegations in the indictment, from 2016 to 2021, Wilshire was employed by a family-owned business located in Conover, N.C., identified in court documents as Company A. During the relevant time, Wilshire was in charge of Company A’s Comdata account – a third-party payment processing and debit card issuing service – which Company A used for fleet management and payment services for its drivers. The indictment alleges that Wilshire executed a scheme to defraud her employer by issuing multiple Comdata prepaid debit cards in her name and in the names of other individuals, including former employees, fictitious employees, and current employees who were not aware the cards existed. Wilshire allegedly caused Comdata to load funds onto the prepaid debit cards, which the defendant then withdrew via ATM cash withdrawals. Between November 2017, and July 2021, Wilshire allegedly withdrew more than $528,000 from prepaid Comdata debit cards.
In addition to the debit card scheme, Wilshire allegedly embezzled Company A’s funds by using Comdata’s Comchek and Comchek Mobile services to issue checks in the defendant’s name and to make multiple wire transfers into Wilshire’s personal bank account, totaling over $315,000. Wilshire also allegedly caused more than $58,000 of Company A’s funds to be transferred through Comdata into the bank account of a former company employee.
According to allegations in the indictment, Wilshire also prepared and filed individual income tax returns for tax years 2017 through 2021, which did not include the additional funds Wilshire received through her embezzlement scheme.
Wilshire is charged with six counts of wire fraud, which carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine per count; five counts of making and subscribing a false tax return, which carry a statutory maximum term of one year in prison per count; and two counts of money laundering which carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $500,000 fine or twice the value of the property involved in the transaction.
The charges in the indictment are allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Wilshire’s initial court appearance in Charlotte has been scheduled for Tuesday, August 29, 2023, at 10:15 a.m.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King thanked IRS-CI and USPIS for their investigation of the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike Savage and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Frick of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte are prosecuting the case.
Hardin man admits assault of woman on Crow Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
BILLINGS — A Hardin accused of striking a woman in Lodge Grass, on the Crow Indian Reservation, admitted to an assault charge today, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
Sergio Antonio Lopez, 33, pleaded guilty to assault by striking, beating or wounding, a misdemeanor, as charged in a superseding information. Lopez faces a maximum of one year in prison, a $100,000 fine and one year of supervised release.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The court set sentencing for Dec. 15. Lopez was released pending further proceedings.
In court documents, the government alleged that on Aug. 20, 2022 in Lodge Grass, bounty hunters, accompanied by Lopez, arrested an individual with outstanding state warrants at the home of the victim, identified as Jane Doe. The arrest occurred sometime after midnight. Jane Doe heard knocking at her door and it was Lopez. During the arrest, the individual was resisting, and Jane Doe assisted the individual in trying to stop the arrest. Lopez assaulted Jane Doe by pulling her hair, hitting and kicking her.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lori Harper Suek is prosecuting the case. The FBI conducted the investigation.
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Georgia man sentenced to prison for COVID-19 relief fraud two years after being sentenced by the same court for mortgage fraudRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Maurice Lawson has been sentenced to federal prison for obtaining nearly a half a million dollars by submitting multiple fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (“EIDL”) applications.
“Congress enacted the Paycheck Protection Program to provide emergency financial assistance to millions of Americans suffering the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Lawson took advantage of a federal program that depended on self-reporting to get relief in the hands of American businesses as fast as possible,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “His crimes make it harder for the United States to provide disaster relief during the next large-scale emergency. This office, in coordination with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, is dedicated to holding individuals who sought to exploit this critical economic safety net accountable for their conduct.”
“Lawson used his position during an unprecedented national pandemic to steal critical taxpayer money intended to provide relief to legitimate small businesses and employees who desperately needed it,” said Special Agent-in-Charge Jerome Winkle with the HUD Office of Inspector General. “HUD OIG remains steadfast in its commitment to working with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and law enforcement partners to aggressively pursue those who engage in activities that threaten the integrity of HUD and other federal programs.”
“We remain committed to combatting fraud within the Paycheck Protection Program,” said Edwin Bonano, Special Agent in Charge of FHFA-OIG’s Southeast Region. “FHFA-OIG will pursue criminals who created fraudulent schemes to divert PPP funds from those it was meant to aid until they are held fully accountable.”
According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, the charges and other information presented in court: Between April 2020 and March 2021, Lawson applied for at least seven PPP or EIDL loans for six different businesses. The applications contained an assortment of false information, including false Tax Forms 940 and 941, fake social security cards, fraudulent addresses, falsified average monthly payroll claims, and false claims of employing between five and 12 employees. In total, Lawson sought $537,120, and received $419,020, in loan proceeds. Among the businesses used to seek these loans was Coastal Drape, LLC – the same company that Lawson used during his mortgage fraud conspiracy, for which he was sentenced in March 2021 to three years of federal probation. Lawson received funds from one of the fraudulent COVID-19 loan applications days after being sentenced for mortgage fraud.
Maurice Lawson, 39, of Lithia Springs, Georgia, has been sentenced to one year, nine months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $437,870.07. Lawson was convicted on these charges on May 16, 2023, after he pleaded guilty.
This case was investigated by the Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of Inspector General and Federal Housing Finance Agency Office of Inspector General.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alison Prout prosecuted the case.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
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.
Garner Man Who Shot a Pregnant Woman in the Head in Road Rage Incident Sentenced to 10 years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. –Tyler Mack Kirby, 27, of Garner who shot a pregnant woman in the head on New Bern Avenue in August of last year was sentenced to 120 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for possession of ammunition by a felon. Kirby pled guilty on May 11, 2023.
“This felon shot a pregnant woman in the back of the head in an act of senseless violence while she simply rode in a car,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “Make no mistake, this U.S. Attorney’s Office will take action against any felon who engages in gun violence in Raleigh or beyond. We are partnering with law enforcement to prioritize prosecutions against dangerous trigger-pullers who illegally use and carry guns.”
“I am proud that our ongoing partnership with the VCAP initiative continues to remove dangerous offenders from our community," said Raleigh Police Chief Estella Patterson. "This arrest should send a message to all violent offenders that the Raleigh Police Department is working closely with our federal partners to prosecute those who inflict harm on our community. As one of my priorities, making Raleigh the safest city in the country requires constant collaboration with the community and our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners. This arrest is yet another example of the impact of collaboration to end violence caused by firearms.”
According to documents and other information presented in court, on August 25, 2022, Kirby was traveling in a vehicle on New Bern Avenue. Occupants of Kirby’s vehicle began arguing with occupants of a second vehicle over perceived driving errors. After the argument ensued, Kirby fired a single gunshot into the back of the second vehicle where a pregnant woman was a passenger. The bullet traveled through the headrest and struck the passenger in the head. After firing the single shot, Kirby fled from law enforcement and destroyed evidence prior to being taken into custody by the Garner Police Department. The shooting victim survived the incident. State charges related to the shooting, including Discharging a Weapon Into Occupied Property, Assault with a Deadly Weapon with Intent to Kill Inflicting Serious Injury, Fleeing or Eluding Arrest with a Motor Vehicle, and Possession of a Firearm by a Felon, are still pending.
The conviction is a result of the ongoing Violent Crime Action Plan (VCAP) initiative which is a collaborative effort with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, working with the community, to identify and address the most significant drivers of violent crime. VCAP involves focused and strategic enforcement, and interagency coordination and intelligence-led policing.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III . The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the Raleigh Police Department
investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Foxx prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:20-CR-00341-D.
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