Latest Records
Newest first across public DOJ and U.S. Attorney press releases.
Wednesday 28 June 2023
Jacksonville Man Charged with Federal Drug OffensesRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Diandre Murel (29, Jacksonville) with conspiracy to distribute cocaine and possessing cocaine with the intent to distribute it. If convicted, Murel faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 5 years, and up to 40 years, in federal prison for the conspiracy offense and up to 20 years in federal prison for the possession offense. Murel’s case is set for trial in August 2023. He had a detention hearing on June 27, 2023, and was ordered detained pending trial.
According to the indictment and court records, Murel and another individual were stopped in Baker County for speeding. Deputies from the Baker County Sheriff’s Office walked a K-9 around their car and the dog alerted to the presence of narcotics. The deputies then searched and located a kilogram of cocaine inside a backpack. Agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration responded to the scene and determined that Murel had purchased the cocaine in Atlanta and was returning to Jacksonville Beach, where he, and others, intended to sell the drugs. DEA agents and officers from the Jacksonville Beach Police Department then executed a search warrant on the condo where Murel was renting a room. Law enforcement siezed additional amounts of cocaine and three firearms from inside Murel’s room.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, the Baker County Sheriff’s Office, the Jacksonville Beach Police Department, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. The State Attorney’s Office for the Eighth Judicial Circuit also provided assistance with the investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Frank Talbot.
Herkimer County Man Sentenced to 138 Months in Prison for Distributing and Receiving Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – John Patrick Galusha, age 32, of Ilion, New York, was sentenced today to serve 138 months in prison for distributing and receiving child pornography. In addition to the prison term, Chief United States District Judge Brenda K. Sannes ordered Galusha to serve a term of supervised release of 15 years, to begin upon his release from prison, to pay restitution, and to forfeit the device he used to commit the offenses. Galusha also will have to register as a sex offender upon his release.
United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Janeen DiGuiseppi, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement.
As part of his previously entered guilty plea, Galusha admitted that, in January 2022, he traded child pornography with others over a social media messaging application on his phone, distributing approximately 35 files in exchange for 163 images and 7 videos depicting the sexual exploitation of children.
This case was investigated by the FBI Syracuse Mid-State Child Exploitation Task Force, comprised of FBI Special Agents and Investigators of the New York State Police, Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI), and Computer Crimes Unit (CCU) and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael D. Gadarian.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS). Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Hartford Man Sentenced to 42 Months for Fentanyl Distribution and Gun Possession OffensesRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that LUIS ROBLES, also known as “Lou,” 26, of Hartford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to 42 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for fentanyl distribution and gun possession offenses.
According to court documents and statements made in court, this matter stems from an investigation into gang-related drug trafficking and firearm possession by members of Los Solidos. The investigation, which included court-authorized wiretaps, revealed that Luis Feliciano, also known as “Louminaty,” distributed fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, and crack to customers and other distributors in the Hartford area, including Jose Tirado, also known as “Joselito” and “Leet,” and also to individuals in New York and Maine. Tirado further distributed fentanyl to Robles, who sold the drug to customers in Hartford’s North End, including the SANA apartment complex located on Main Street in Hartford, which is commonly referred to as the “Sands,” where Robles lived.
Robles was arrested on March 9, 2022. On that date, a court-authorized search of his residence revealed approximately 850 wax sleeves of fentanyl, 12 grams of loose fentanyl, approximately 15 grams of crack cocaine, assorted drug paraphernalia, a loaded 9mm pistol that had been reported stolen in December 2020, a loaded .357 magnum revolver with an obliterated serial number, a loaded .22 caliber pistol, and more than 100 rounds of ammunition.
On June 8, 2022, a grand jury returned an indictment charging Robles, Feliciano, Tirado, and 13 others with various narcotics distribution and firearm possession offenses.
On January 31, 2023, Robles pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, and one count of possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number. Robles has been detained since his arrest.
Feliciano and Tirado have pleaded guilty and await sentencing.
This investigation has been conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force and the Hartford Police Department. The Task Force includes members of the FBI, Hartford Police Department, East Hartford Police Department, New Britain Police Department, West Hartford Police Department, Connecticut State Police and Connecticut Department of Correction.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian P. Leaming and Robert S. Ruff. through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Grand Jury Returns IndictmentsRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. - A federal grand jury in the Western District of Wisconsin, sitting in Madison, returned the following indictments today. You are advised that a charge is merely an accusation and that a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
La Crosse Man Charged with Gun Crimes and Drug Crimes Involving Methamphetamine & Fentanyl
Issac Santana, 26, La Crosse, Wisconsin, is charged in an 8-count indictment with gun and drug crimes. The indictment alleges that on November 19, 2022, he possessed 50 grams or more of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, that he possessed fentanyl with intent to distribute, and that he was a felon in possession of ammunition. The indictment further alleges that on February 9, 2023, he distributed methamphetamine. The final four counts of the indictment allege that on April 6, 2023, he possessed 50 grams or more of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, that he possessed fentanyl with intent to distribute, that he was a felon in possession of a 9mm handgun and ammunition, and that he possessed a loaded firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
If convicted, Santana faces a mandatory minimum of 5 years and a maximum of 40 years on the two charges alleging the possession of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine for distribution, 20 years on each of the fentanyl charges and the distribution of methamphetamine charge, 15 years on the felon in possession of ammunition and felon in possession of a firearm charges, and a mandatory minimum of 5 years on the charge of possessing a loaded firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Federal law requires that any penalty imposed on the charge of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime be served consecutive to any other prison term imposed.
The charges against Santana are the result of an investigation by the La Crosse Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn Ginsberg is handling the prosecution.
Two Dane County Men Charged with Gun & Drug Crimes
Tyez D.D. Boyd, 25, Madison, Wisconsin, is charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm, and Davonte F. King, 28, Fitchburg, Wisconsin, is charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm, possessing fentanyl for distribution, and possessing a loaded firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
The indictment alleges that on November 17, 2022, Boyd possessed a.45 caliber handgun. The indictment further alleges that on that day, King possessed a 9mm handgun, and fentanyl with the intent to distribute.
If convicted, Boyd and King each face a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison on the felon in possession of a firearm charge. King faces a maximum penalty of 20 years on the fentanyl charge, and a mandatory minimum of 5 years on the charge of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Federal law requires that any penalty imposed on the charge of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime be served consecutive to any other prison term imposed.
The charges against Boyd and King are the result of an investigation by the Dane County Narcotics Task Force; Madison Police Department; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Drug Enforcement Administration; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Anderson is handling the prosecution.
Madison Man Charged with Gun & Drug Crimes
Messiah A. Fleming, 21, Madison, Wisconsin, is charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, with possessing fentanyl for distribution, and with possessing a loaded firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The indictment alleges that on November 24, 2022, he possessed a loaded 9mm handgun and fentanyl with intent to distribute.
If convicted, Fleming faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison on the felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition charge, 20 years on the fentanyl charge, and a mandatory minimum of 5 years on the charge of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Federal law requires that any penalty imposed on the charge of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime be served consecutive to any other prison term imposed.
The charges against Fleming are the result of an investigation by the Dane County Narcotics Task Force; Madison Police Department; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Drug Enforcement Administration; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Anderson is handling the prosecution.
Walworth County Man Charged with Illegally Possessing Firearm
Arron W. Dupler, 34, Darien, Wisconsin, is charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm. The indictment alleges that on March 4, 2022, he possessed a Ruger LCP .380 handgun.
If convicted, Dupler faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. The charge against him is the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Janesville Police Department; and Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anita Marie Boor is handling the prosecution.
Madison Man Charged with Gun & Drug Crimes
Robert A. Goldsberry, 28, Madison, Wisconsin, is charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, with possessing marijuana for distribution, and with possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The indictment alleges that on November 3, 2022, he possessed a 9mm handgun and ammunition, and marijuana with intent to distribute.
If convicted, Goldsberry faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison on the felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition charge, 5 years on the marijuana charge, and a mandatory minimum of 5 years on the charge of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Federal law requires that any penalty imposed on the charge of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime be served consecutive to any other prison term imposed.
The charges against Goldsberry are the result of an investigation by the Madison Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Reinhard is handling the prosecution.
Fitchburg Man Charged with Distributing Heroin
Robert Seymour, 38, Fitchburg, Wisconsin, is charged with two counts of distributing heroin. The indictment alleges that he distributed heroin on May 31 and June 21, 2023.
If convicted, Seymour faces a maximum penalty of 20 years on each count. The charges against him are the result of an investigation by the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Reinhard is handling the prosecution.
Jamaican National Charged with Illegally Reentering U.S.
Andre Bowyer, 32, a citizen of Jamaica found in Grant County, Wisconsin, is charged with reentering the United States after previously being removed. The indictment alleges that he was found in the United States on June 12, 2023.
If convicted, Bowyer faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. The charge against him is the result of an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Anderson is handling the prosecution.
Gatlinburg Woman Sentenced to 27 Months in Prison for Defrauding COVID-19 Economic Relief ProgramRead the Press Release
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - On June 28, 2023, Sarrah Denton Willhite, 35, of Gatlinburg Tennessee was sentenced to 27 months in prison by the Honorable Thomas A. Varlan, United States District Judge, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Knoxville.
As part of a plea agreement filed with the court, Willhite agreed to plead guilty to an indictment charging her with one count of wire fraud related to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343. Judge Varlan ordered Willhite to pay restitution in the amount of $346,600 and to complete a term of supervised release of two years following her release from prison.
The CARES Act is a federal law enacted in March 2020 to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans who suffered economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Two primary sources of relief provided by the CARES Act were the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (“EIDL”) program. The EIDL program was administered by the Small Business Administration (“SBA”) and provided low-interest loans to businesses to pay for items like accounts payable, rent, mortgage payments, and other bills that could not be paid as a result of the pandemic.
As set forth in the filed plea agreement, on November 27, 2021, Willhite submitted an electronic application to the SBA requesting an EIDL on behalf of Rescue Army Nation Ministries, a nonprofit organization purportedly owned and operated by Willhite for charitable or religious purposes. Willhite submitted false documents in support of her application, including a Profit and Loss Statement that Willhite fabricated solely for the purpose of obtaining the loan. She also falsely represented that Rescue Army Nation Ministries employed eight employees. In fact, as Willhite knew, it employed none. Willhite also falsely certified that she would use the loan proceeds solely for working capital, and she misrepresented that she was acting on behalf of a charitable or religious organization.
The SBA approved the application based on Willhite’s fabricated documents and false statements. On December 17, 2021, the SBA transferred by wire $346,600 in EIDL funds into a bank account Willhite controlled. Between December 17, 2021, and January 28, 2022, Willhite spent approximately all the EIDL funds on personal items or expenses, including a vacation to Disney World, to pay off student loans, to purchase land, and to purchase two vehicles and a travel trailer. She transferred the remainder of the proceeds to her personal checking account.
U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III of the Eastern District of Tennessee and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Special Agent in Charge Joe Carrico made the announcement.
The case was investigated by the FBI.
Assistant United States Attorney William A. Roach, Jr., who serves as the Coronavirus Fraud Coordinator for the United States Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of Tennessee, represented the United States.
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.
###
Former New York City Department of Education CEO of School Support Services and Three Executives of SOMMA Food Group Convicted of Extortion Conspiracy and BriberyRead the Press Release
Today, a federal jury in Brooklyn returned guilty verdicts on all counts of a superseding indictment against Eric Goldstein, the former Chief Executive Officer of the New York City Department of Education’s (NYC DOE) Office of School Support Services, and Blaine Iler, Michael Turley and Brian Twomey, operators of a food services company, with conspiring to commit extortion under color of official right and solicitation and giving of bribes relating to programs receiving federal funds. The verdict followed a 4-week, trial before Visiting U.S. Circuit Judge Denny Chin. When sentenced for Conspiracy to Commit Hobbs Act Extortion, Hobbs Act Extortion, Conspiracy to Commit Federal Program Bribery, Federal Program Bribery, Conspiracy to Commit Honest Services Wire Fraud, and Honest Services Wire Fraud, the defendants each face up to 20 years in prison as well as forfeiture and restitution penalties.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, announced the verdict.
“The defendants’ criminal conduct is a textbook example of choosing greed over the needs of our schools and the well-being of our children. Our children depended on nutritious meals served in schools and instead, got substandard food products containing pieces of plastic, metal, and bones, which is unacceptable,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “Today’s verdict demonstrates the consequences of corruptly placing personal profit over the public interests.”
Mr. Peace expressed his thanks to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office, for their outstanding investigative work on the case.
As proven at trial and contained in court filings, between 2008 and September 2018, Goldstein oversaw the management, budget, and operations of several NYC DOE departments, including the Office of Food and Nutrition Services (SchoolFood), which was responsible for managing the overall food service operation for all New York City public schools. In early 2015, Iler, Turley, and Twomey created a food services company called SOMMA Food Group (SOMMA), to provide food products to retail and food service markets, including to K-12 schools across the United States. SOMMA promoted and sold yogurt, hamburgers, and antibiotic-free chicken products marketed under the brand name Chickentopia.
At or about the same time SOMMA was founded, Goldstein, Iler, Turley, and Twomey co-founded Range Meats Supply Company (RMSCO), to purchase grass-fed beef products that SOMMA, in turn, would then promote and sell under the brand name Range Meats to retail markets and New York City schools. At the same time, Iler, Turley, and Twomey partnered with Goldstein in RMSCO, Iler, Turley and Twomey began to promote SOMMA’s products to SchoolFood officials and employees, all of whom reported to Goldstein in his role as OSS Chief Executive. During a meeting with Iler in New York in July 2015, Goldstein told him, “I’m going to buy a lot of f---ing chicken from you guys, let’s do the beef.”
Between 2015 and December 2016, defendants Iler, Turley, and Twomey provided numerous benefits to Goldstein, including enticing Goldstein with potentially lucrative business opportunities and monetary payments to RMSCO for Goldstein’s benefit. In exchange, Goldstein used his influence as head of SchoolFood to help Iler, Turley, and Twomey in SOMMA’s business dealings before SchoolFood. Goldstein helped ensure that SchoolFood accepted SOMMA’s products for purchase, expedited the approval process and resolved disagreements between SOMMA and SchoolFood officials in SOMMA’s favor. The defendants purposefully concealed Goldstein’s ownership interest in RMSCO from the NYC DOE while Goldstein was using his influence and public position at NYC DOE to benefit SOMMA.
In the fall of 2016, SchoolFood stopped serving SOMMA’s chicken tenders after a NYC DOE employee choked on a bone that had not been removed from a chicken tender supplied by SOMMA. Goldstein, who had final approval as to whether and when the chicken tenders would be allowed back in schools, delayed approving the reintroduction of the tenders until Iler, Turley, and Twomey agreed to transfer SOMMA’s ownership interest in RMSCO to Goldstein as well as to transfer $66,670 to a bank account in RMSCO’s name that Goldstein had opened and controlled. Following weeks of negotiations, on November 29, 2016, Iler, Turley and Twomey agreed to pay the bribe Goldstein was soliciting and one day later, on November 30, 2016, Goldstein approved reintroduction of SOMMA’s chicken products in schools. The products were served in schools until April 2017 when, following repeated complaints from students and staff that the chicken tenders continued to contain foreign objects. SchoolFood decided to remove all of SOMMA’s food products from New York City public schools.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Public Integrity Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Robert Polemeni, Andrew Grubin, Laura Zuckerwise, and Kaitlin McTague are in charge of the prosecution, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialists Rachel Friedman and Kavya Kannan.
The Defendants:
ERIC GOLDSTEIN
Age: 55
New Rochelle, New YorkBLAINE ILER
Age: 35
Dallas, TexasMICHAEL TURLEY
Age: 54
Fayetteville, ArkansasBRIAN TWOMEY
Age: 50
Dallas, TexasE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 21-CR-550 (DC)
Former Chicago-Area Return Preparer Pleads Guilty to Filing False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
A former Chicago-area woman pleaded guilty today to preparing and filing false income tax returns on behalf of her clients.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from January 2014 through about April 2019, Erica Early, a tax preparer formerly of Robins and Richton Park, Illinois, operated a tax preparation business for clients located in Illinois, Wisconsin, and Indiana. She often charged $1,000 to prepare basic tax returns. On returns she prepared, Early falsely inflated clients’ income to maximize the Earned Income Tax Credit and falsely claimed education-related credits. Early, who was a U.S. Postal Service employee during some of the time she was engaged in preparing the false returns, also falsified her own personal tax returns, claiming education credits she knew she was not eligible to receive. In total, Early’s conduct resulted in tax loss to the IRS of approximately $515,990.
Early is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 4, 2023, and faces a maximum sentence of three years in prison. She also faces a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement.
IRS-Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.
Assistant Chief Matthew J. Kluge and Trial Attorney Boris Bourget of the Tax Division are prosecuting the case.
Former Blair Assistant Principal Sentenced for Child PornographyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Steven Russell announced the Daniel Hutsell, 42, of Blair, Nebraska, was sentenced on June 28, 2023, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for distribution of child pornography. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Hutsell to 60 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, Hutsell with begin a five-year term of supervised release. Hutsell will be required to register as a sex offender.
On or about September 13, 2021, Stelivo, LLC, a business that runs several real-time chat websites, including freechatnow.com, identified one image of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct that was distributed through its server. Through a cybertip, Stelivo reported that a user with a freechatnow.com username, G|teachrr, sent the image to other freechatnow.com users. The image showed an 8- to 10-year-old female child exposing her genitalia in a sexually explicit manner.
Stelivo captured the IP address of the user account that was used to distribute the image. Law enforcement obtained information related to the IP address, which ultimately identified Hutsell as the subscriber and that he resided in Nebraska. Stelivo identified additional uploads of images from the same username and IP address using freechatnow.com, which included approximately 10 images of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
On November 30, 2021, law enforcement executed a search of Hutsell’s residence in Blair. At the time of the search warrant, Hutsell, an assistant principal with Blair Community Schools, admitted to law enforcement that he used a computer and freechatnow.com to trade pornography. Hutsell admitted he had seen the previously mentioned image of the 8- to 10-year-old female child exposing her genitalia in a sexually explicit manner.
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 CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
This case was investigated by the Nebraska State Patrol.
Former Active-Duty Army Staff Sergeant Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Attempting to Entice A Minor to Engage in Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Brian J. Davis has sentenced Nicholas Christopher Carwise (31, Fort Mitchell) to 10 years in federal prison, followed by 20 years of supervised release, for attempted enticement and coercion of a minor to engage in sexual activity. Carwise had pleaded guilty on March 20, 2023.
According to court documents, on May 12, 2022, a Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Task Force Officer (TFO)/St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office detective posted a photo to an online social media application. On the same date, the TFO received a response from an individual with the screenname “Vistor,” who had a location of 8 miles away. During the TFO’s conversation with “Vistor,” who was later identified as Carwise, “Vistor” quickly expressed a sexual interest in the TFO’s fictitious persona, whom he believed to be a 13-year-old child. From May 14 through May 21, 2022, the TFO and Carwise communicated through two social medial applications. Carwise discussed meeting the “minor child” to engage in sexual activity with her, including Carwise paying her $200 to engage in sexual activity with him.
Law enforcement identified Carwise based on photos and information he had provided for his profiles for the two social media accounts. Further investigation revealed that Carwise had a residence in Tennessee and that vehicles registered to him were located in and around St. Johns County from May 11 to May 15, 2022. Law enforcement also learned that Carwise was likely in the military and contacted the Criminal Investigations Division for assistance. Law enforcement learned that Carwise was on Active Duty for the Army, enlisted, and had a rank of Staff Sergeant, working in Kentucky at the time.
Carwise was arrested on June 29, 2022, at Fort Benning, Georgia and has been in custody since his arrest.
“Social media has made it easy for sexual predators to feed their illicit fantasies by targeting the innocence of children,” said Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Jacksonville Assistant Special Agent in Charge K. Jim Phillips. “The Northeast Florida INTERCEPT Task Force, including the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office, and with assistance from the Ft. Benning Criminal Investigation Division, made sure this soldier will no longer be able to entice and victimize our most vulnerable.”
This case was investigated by the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the Northeast Florida INTERCEPT Task Force. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ashley Washington.
It is another case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Federal Jury Convicts Terrance Hines of Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl Resulting in an Overdose DeathRead the Press Release
Greeneville, Tenn. - On June 26, 2023, following a four-day trial in the United States District Court at Greeneville, a jury convicted Terrance Lamont Hines, Jr., 41, of Kingsport, Tenn., of conspiring to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl resulting in death in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 846, 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(A) and 851; possession of 40 grams or more of fentanyl with intent to distribute, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(B), three counts of distribution of a quantity of fentanyl, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(C); possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(1)(A) and two counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon in violation of 18. U.S.C. § 922(g)(1).
Sentencing is set for October 30, 2023, at 3:00 p.m. before the Honorable J. Ronnie Greer, in United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Greeneville. Hines faces a minimum mandatory sentence of twenty years imprisonment as a result of the conviction for conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl resulting in death and mandatory life in prison if the Court finds that Hines has the prior qualifying felony drug trafficking conviction filed as a notice of enhancement in the indictment.
The evidence presented at trial demonstrated that Hines supplied the fentanyl that caused the death of a 52-year-old Kingsport woman in December 2020. Three co-defendants were also part of the chain of distribution. Hines sold the fentanyl to co-defendant Robin Hutchins, who sold it to co-defendant Adam Presnell, who sold it to co-defendant Shaina Lanford, who supplied it directly to the victim. The evidence showed that on July 20, 2021, law enforcement executed search warrants at Hines’ apartment and at a Kingsport music recording studio which operated as a hub for his drug trafficking. Officers located two firearms and over 100 grams of fentanyl. Hines, who had previously been convicted of multiple felony offenses, was prohibited from possessing firearms.
Co-defendants Hutchins, Presnell, and Lanford previously pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and will be sentenced at a later time.
U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III of the Eastern District of Tennessee made the announcement.
The criminal indictment was the result of an investigation by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office, and Sullivan County Drug Related Death Task Force, with assistance from the Kingsport Police Department and 2nd Judicial Drug Task Force. The Sullivan County Drug Related Death Task Force receives federally funding through the Appalachian High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (AHIDTA) initiative, which uses a multi-disciplinary approach to address public health and safety issues that center around the opioid epidemic as well as other dangerous drug trends.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Emily Swecker and Mac Heavener represented the United States.
This case was brought as 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 communicates, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring results.
###
Farmington Man Admits Methamphetamine DistributionRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A man from Farmington, Missouri on Wednesday admitted possessing and selling methamphetamine.
Charles J. Crawford, 53, pleaded guilty in front of U.S. District Judge Ronnie L. White to distributing and possessing with the intent to distribute methamphetamine.
On Sept. 5, 2019, Crawford sold about an ounce of nearly pure methamphetamine to a confidential informant working with the Missouri State Highway Patrol for $250. Officers then observed multiple vehicles coming and going from Crawford’s home, indicating drug sales were occurring. A subsequent court-approved search of Crawford’s home early the next morning found nearly three more ounces of methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia and two firearms.
The possession with intent charge carries a mandatory minimum prison term of five years in light of the significant quantity of drugs involved. Both sides have agreed to recommend 100 months in prison when Crawford is sentenced.
The case was investigated by the Missouri State Highway Patrol and the Mineral Area Drug Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary Bluestone is prosecuting the case.
Former Cape Air Employee Pleads Guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute CocaineRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, VI – United States Attorney Delia L. Smith announced today that Shakari Francis, 27, of St. Thomas, pleaded guilty before Chief District Court Judge Robert A. Molloy to possession with intent to distribute cocaine. Francis faces a maximum sentence of 40 years imprisonment, not less than three years of supervised release and a maximum fine of $1,000,000.00.
According to court documents, Francis worked at Cape Air as a ramp agent at the Cyril E. King Airport in St. Thomas. On January 11, 2023, Francis entered the airport using his secured access with two bricks of cocaine. Francis later met Ahkoy Smith, a ticketed passenger on Spirit Airline’s flight to Fort Lauderdale, FL, in the restrooms located next to the concession area where Francis delivered the two bricks of cocaine to Smith. Federal agents arrested Francis and attempted to arrest Smith as he boarded his flight. When approached by the agents, Smith removed his backpack and threw it to the tarmac and ran onto the active runway. He was apprehended by federal agents and placed under arrest and charged with possession with intent to distribute cocaine. Smith entered a plea agreement with the United States to change his plea from not guilty to guilty.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Everard E. Potter. This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Evadale Little League Coach Guilty of Federal Child Exploitation ViolationsRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas - A Lumberton man has pleaded guilty to federal child exploitation charges in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs today.
Adam Dale Isaacks, 40, pleaded guilty to four counts of transporting a minor for purposes of sexual activity today before U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone.
According to information presented in court, on Dec. 13, 2021, the Jasper County Sheriff’s Office responded to an Evadale home in reference to a report of several sexual assaults. As the investigation progressed, Isaacks was identified as the assailant. Isaacks, a youth baseball coach and president of the Evadale Little League Baseball organization and a trusted member of the community, was reported to have sexually assaulted eight minor members of his baseball team. The boys were between 9 and 11 years old the time of the offenses. The investigation revealed instances where several minor victims were transported by Isaacks from the Eastern District of Texas outside the state. While outside the State of Texas, Isaacks engaged in illicit sexual conduct with the minor victims. The trips were verified with records from airlines, credit card information, photos, and witnesses.
Under federal statutes, Isaacks faces a minimum of 10 years and up to life in federal prison as sentencing. The maximum statutory sentence prescribed by Congress is provided here for information purposes, as the sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office.
case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
This case is being investigated by the FBI, the Sabine County Sheriff’s Office, the Jasper County Sheriff’s Office, and the San Augustine County Sheriff’s Office. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel Grove.
###
Eugene Man Faces Federal Charges for Unlawfully Possessing Machine Guns and a SilencerRead the Press Release
EUGENE, Ore.—An indictment was unsealed in federal court Wednesday charging a local man with illegally possessing two firearms converted into fully-automatic machine guns and a silencer.
Joshua Allen Lampe, 35, a Eugene resident, has been charged with unlawfully possessing two machine guns and a silencer. The National Firearms Act makes it illegal to possess and transfer certain firearms, including machine guns and silencers, without proper registration.
According to court documents, in an August 2022 search of Lampe’s Eugene residence, investigators located and seized dozens of firearms, knives, ammunition, firearm accessories and parts, scopes, laser sights, packaging materials, tactical gear, and other types of armaments.
In December 2022, investigators sought and obtained a warrant to search Lampe’s home for a second time in just four months. They discovered Lampe had quickly amassed hand tools, a rifle, firearm parts, machine gun switches, a 3D printer used to make switches, several ghost guns, a silencer, and packaging materials as well as methamphetamine, heroin, and fentanyl pills.
Analysis and testing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) later confirmed two pistols seized from Lampe’s residence were operative machine guns having been converted with switches. An analysis also confirmed the silencer seized was an operative device.
Machine gun switches, sometimes referred to as “Glock switches,” are small attachments used to convert firearms from semi-automatic to fully-automatic.
Lampe made his initial appearance in federal court today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mustafa T. Kasubhai. He was arraigned, pleaded not guilty, and released on conditions pending a jury trial scheduled to begin on September 5, 2023.
Illegally possessing a machine gun and a silencer are punishable by up to ten years in federal prison per count of conviction.
This case was investigated by ATF and the Eugene Police Department with assistance from the Lane County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by the William M. McLaren, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), 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.
An indictment is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Elkhart Man Sentenced to 24 Months in Prison and Ordered to Pay RestitutionRead the Press Release
SOUTH BEND – Charles Ray Smith, 52 years old, of Elkhart, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Damon R. Leichty after pleading guilty to wire fraud, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.
Smith was sentenced to 24 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release and was ordered to pay $315,020 in restitution to the victims of the offense.
According to documents in the case, from November 2016 to October 2021, Smith represented to several people that if they invested money with him, they would receive large returns on their investments. Induced by Smith’s representations, certain individuals gave him money. Smith did not invest the money as promised, but instead used it for his own personal benefit including purchasing his 3,500-square-foot residence. As a result of this scheme, Smith fraudulently obtained over $300,000.00.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Luke N. Reilander.
###
East Hartford Man Sentenced to Nearly 6 Years in Federal Prison for Drug and Gun OffensesRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JOSE RIVERA, also known as “Chepo,” 43, last residing in East Hartford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in Bridgeport to 71 months of imprisonment, followed by four years of supervised release, for narcotics and firearm offenses.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in June 2021, the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force and Hartford Police Department made controlled purchases of distribution quantities of fentanyl and crack cocaine from Rivera and his associate, Elvin Gonzalez, also known as “Peewee.”
Rivera and Gonzalez were arrested on June 25, 2021. On that date, a search of Rivera’s East Hartford residence revealed approximately 162 grams of loose fentanyl, 300 dose bags of fentanyl, items used to process and package narcotics for street sale, a handgun and a loaded magazine, and more than $19,000 in cash. A search of Gonzalez’s Hartford residence revealed approximately 4,000 dose bags of fentanyl, approximately 139 grams of crack, approximately 18 grams of cocaine, two loaded handguns, a loaded rifle, and additional rounds of ammunition.
At the time of his arrest, Rivera was on parole after having served approximately 20 years in prison for committing a gang-related murder and a separate non-fatal shooting in 1997.
It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.
On January 5, 2023, Rivera pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl, and one count of possession of a firearm by a felon.
Gonzalez pleaded guilty to the same charges on November 10, 2021. On February 1, 2023, he was sentenced to 87 months of imprisonment.
The FBI’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force includes members of the Hartford Police Department, East Hartford Police Department, New Britain Police Department, West Hartford Police Department, Connecticut State Police and Connecticut Department of Correction. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian P. Leaming.
This prosecution 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. In May 2021, the Justice 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.
Drug Trafficker Faces Federal Charges After Portland Overdose DeathRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—An area drug trafficker is facing federal charges Wednesday after his supply of illicit fentanyl was linked to a fatal overdose in Portland.
Efrain Roberto Diaz-Rangel, 34, a Mexican National residing in Portland, has been charged by criminal complaint with possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl and heroin.
According to court documents, in April 2023, the Westside Interagency Narcotics Team (WIN) began investigating a suspected fentanyl overdose of an adult victim in Portland. Investigators identified multiple people involved in a distribution chain responsible for selling counterfeit Oxycodone pills manufactured with fentanyl, some of which were determined to have caused the Portland victim’s overdose death. In May 2023, WIN requested investigative assistance from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). Together, WIN and HSI obtained evidence that Diaz-Rangel was involved in the fentanyl distribution chain previously identified.
On June 27, 2023, HSI special agents arrested Diaz-Rangel. At the time of his arrest, Diaz-Rangel possessed approximately 1,000 counterfeit pills and a small quantity of heroin. Inside Diaz-Rangel’s residence, the agents located an additional 30,000 counterfeit pills, several additional pounds of heroin, and more than $10,000 in cash.
Diaz-Rangel made his first appearance in federal court today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Stacie F. Beckerman. He was ordered detained pending further court proceedings.
This case was jointly investigated by WIN and HSI with assistance from the Oregon-Idaho High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Interdiction Task Force (HIT) and Portland Police Bureau. It is being prosecuted by Scott M. Kerin, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
A criminal complaint is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Drug Dealer Sentenced to More Than 12 Years in Federal Prison for Role in Fentanyl Death of Hillsboro ManRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A Portland area drug dealer was sentenced to federal prison Wednesday for distributing counterfeit pills containing fentanyl that caused the fatal overdose of a Hillsboro, Oregon man.
David Weaver, 40, a Portland resident, was sentenced to 150 months in federal prison and five years’ supervised release.
According to court documents, on February 3, 2021, a 25-year-old man was found deceased by his parents at their home in Hillsboro after he consumed a counterfeit Oxycodone pill containing fentanyl. In less than three weeks, law enforcement uncovered a four-person drug distribution chain whose illicit actions led to the young man’s death. Investigators identified Weaver as the person who purchased the deadly counterfeit pills from a drug trafficker who transported them from California to Oregon. Weaver resold the pills to others, including the individuals who supplied the pills to the Hillsboro overdose victim.
On February 18, 2021, using a seized cell phone, investigators arranged to purchase 100 fentanyl pills from Weaver who they arrested en route to a meeting location. A search of Weaver’s car and home led to the discovery and seizure of more than 900 fentanyl pills, approximately three and half pounds of methamphetamine, two pounds of heroin, a 9mm handgun, a shotgun with an obliterated serial number, and $22,483 in cash. Five days later, on February 23, 2021, investigators located and arrested Weaver’s supplier, Gerardo Corrales-Aragon, 30, whose place of residence is unknown, as he was leaving a Portland hotel.
On March 16, 2021, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a 13-count indictment charging Weaver, Corrales-Aragon and three others with conspiring with one another to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and other related offenses.
On August 31, 2022, Weaver pleaded guilty to possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine. As part of his plea agreement, Weaver agreed to a sentencing enhancement that his fentanyl distribution resulted in the death of the Hillsboro victim.
On March 6, 2023, Corrales-Aragon pleaded guilty to possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl and agreed to the same sentencing enhancement as Weaver. On June 9, 2023, Corrales-Aragon was sentenced to 150 months in federal prison and five years’ supervised release.
This case was investigated by the Portland Police Bureau, Washington County Sheriff’s Office, and Hillsboro Police Department with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). It was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon.
Detroit Man Sentenced to Prison for Fentanyl Trafficking on the Red Lake ReservationRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Detroit man has been sentenced to five years in prison followed by four years of supervised release for his role in a fentanyl trafficking operation targeting the Red Lake Reservation, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, in March 2021, Scot Lamonte Watkins, Jr., 34, conspired with others to distribute fentanyl pills, methamphetamine, and cocaine to individuals from the Red Lake Reservation. Watkins, along with co-defendants Douglas Edward McClendon, 32, and Christopher Douglas Richard, 41, obtained fentanyl and other drugs from suppliers in Detroit and then traveled to Bemidji, Minnesota, to sell the drugs. In a text message between the co-defendants, Watkins was told, “Oh yeah we do got something for ya cum down in get yo dope and sell it playa.”
According to court documents, the defendants conducted their drug distribution operation out of various Bemidji-area hotels. On March 12, 2021, law enforcement executed a search warrant at a hotel where the defendants were selling drugs. As a result of the search, law enforcement agents recovered more than 174 grams of fentanyl, 37 grams of methamphetamine, and other controlled substances. As law enforcement entered the hotel room, Watkins and McClendon fled while Richard flushed a significant amount of fentanyl down the toilet.
On March 13, 2023, Watkins plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and other controlled substances. Watkins was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Nancy E. Brasel. Restitution was also ordered as part of Watkins’ sentence.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Paul Bunyan Drug Task Force, the FBI Headwaters Safe Trails Task Force, the Red Lake Tribal Police Department, and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura M. Provinzino.
Denver Man Sentenced to 27 Years in Federal Prison for 10 Armed Bank RobberiesRead the Press Release
DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces Jerome Bravo, age 39, of Denver, has been sentenced to 27 years in federal prison after earlier pleading guilty to ten counts of bank robbery and three counts of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence.
According to the plea agreement, the defendant and his codefendant robbed ten banks in Denver, Aurora, and Arvada between January 6, 2021, and March 31, 2021. The two were nicknamed the “Brazen Bandits” for their risky tactics during the commission of the robberies. In the January 6th robbery, the defendant was armed with a black handgun, pointed it at a teller, and stated, "Don't move, I'm going to shoot you." After taking money from the drawer, he jumped back over the counter and left the bank. On February 4, 2021, the defendant and his codefendant ran into a bank yelling while waving and pointing their handguns at people in the bank. The defendant demanded the teller open her drawer as he vaulted over the counter. Out of fear, the teller complied and removed money from her drawer and gave it to the defendant and his codefendant. In the second of two bank robberies on February 8, 2021, the defendant and codefendant ran into a bank brandishing handguns, vaulted the counter, and demanded money from the teller. The teller was in fear for her life and safety and gave the robbers the money in her drawer and from the machine. After obtaining the money, the defendant and codefendant vaulted the counters and ran out of the bank. On February 18, 2021, the defendant and codefendant entered a bank brandishing handguns, yelling “get down,” and warning that they weren’t “playing.” The defendant and codefendant also threatened to shoot the occupants of the bank. The defendant vaulted over the counter and emptied out several teller drawers, actually physically taking the drawer units. The defendant and his codefendant also robbed five other banks before being apprehended.
Judge Daniel D. Domenico sentenced the defendant on June 27, 2023. Codefendant Jonathan Gullette has also pleaded guilty and is scheduled to be sentenced on September 19, 2023.
“We are grateful for the collaboration between the FBI and all the law enforcement agencies that worked to end this series of armed bank robberies,” said United States Attorney Cole Finegan. “The sentence handed down by the court serves as a reminder that such criminal behavior will not be tolerated and that there are serious consequences for this type of criminal conduct.”
“This is a criminal who terrorized employees and customers at 10 banks across metro Denver in just three months,” said FBI Denver Special Agent in Charge Mark Michalek. “This case is an example of why the FBI Denver Rocky Mountain Safe Streets Task Force and Project Safe Neighborhoods are so important in our work to keep communities safe. We will continue partner with local law enforcement to get violent criminals off the streets and reduce gun crimes.”
This was investigated by the FBI Rocky Mountain Safe Streets Task Force, Colorado Bureau of Investigation, Denver Police Department, Aurora Police Department, and Arvada Police Department. The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Brian Dunn.
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.
CASE NUMBER: 21-cr-226
Dayton man sentenced to 17 years in prison for narcotics, gun crimesRead the Press Release
DAYTON, Ohio – A Dayton man was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 204 months in prison for possessing with intent to distribute bulk amounts of methamphetamine and fentanyl, and for possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Laramie Lawson, 37, possessed more than 5.4 kilograms of methamphetamine, more than 500 grams of fentanyl and three firearms, magazines, and ammunition.
“To others who may consider going down the same path as Lawson: dealing drugs may seem like easy money, but it is not worth it to lose your liberty,” said U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker.
In January 2021, law enforcement encountered Lawson at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport with more than $19,000 in cash concealed in his carry-on bag. The day before, Lawson had purchased a one-way ticket to Los Angeles. He was unemployed at the time.
During a later investigation by the FBI’s Southern Ohio Safe Streets Task Force, task force members executed a search warrant at Lawson’s residences on Stolz Avenue and Sylvan Drive.
At the Stolz Avenue location, they discovered: 5,405 net grams of methamphetamine, 5.64 net grams of fentanyl and 2.79 net grams of cocaine. The bulk amounts of methamphetamine were in an upstairs bedroom closet as well as a kitchen cabinet. Handguns were discovered on top of the refrigerator near the methamphetamine and in an armrest of the living room recliner.
While searching the residence on Sylvan Avenue, investigators discovered bulk amounts of fentanyl and a loaded handgun in the primary bedroom.
Lawson was charged by criminal complaint in October 2022 and indicted by a grand jury in December 2022. He pleaded guilty to three federal drug counts in March 2023.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; J. William Rivers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; and other members of the FBI’s Southern Ohio Safe Streets Task Force announced the sentence imposed by Senior U.S. District Court Judge Walter H. Rice. Assistant United States Attorney Ryan A. Saunders is representing the United States in this case.
# # #
Costco Carjacker Sentenced to 45 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – On Tuesday June 27, 2023, TYRESE HARRIS, age 20, a resident of Orleans Parish, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jay C. Zainey to 45 years imprisonment, 5 years of supervised release, and a $500 mandatory special assessment fee after previously pleading guilty to a five-count superseding indictment, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.
In Count 1, HARRIS is charged with conspiracy to commit carjackings, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371. Count 2 and Count 4 charged HARRIS with committing and attempting to commit a carjacking, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2119(1). Count 3 charged HARRIS with using a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 924(c)(1)(A)(ii) and 2. Count 5 charged HARRIS with committing a carjacking resulting in serious bodily injury, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2119(2) and 2.
From August 19, 2021 to February 1, 2022, HARRIS conspired to commit carjackings. On August 19, 2021, HARRIS committed a carjacking in the 600 block of Washington Avenue in New Orleans, LA. During that incident, HARRIS and two of his co-conspirators used a firearm to threaten the victim and take the vehicle. Two days later the victim’s stolen vehicle was located in New Orleans east with HARRIS and three other occupants inside. HARRIS fled, leading police on a high-speed chase that ended with the victim’s vehicle crashing into a ditch. HARRIS and the vehicle’s three other occupants were eventually apprehended. On January 18, 2022, HARRIS and his co-conspirators attempted to carjack another vehicle at a Howard Avenue gas station. During this attempted carjacking, HARRIS fired his weapon at the victim and the victim’s vehicle. Finally, on February 1, 2022, HARRIS and his co-conspirators carjacked another vehicle belonging to a victim who was pumping gas at a Costco on S. Carrollton Avenue. During the carjacking, the victim was dragged by the car, resulting in serious bodily injury.
“Thanks to AUSA Inga Petrovich and the entire law enforcement team for bringing this prosecution home,” said U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. “TYRESE HARRIS is now off to federal prison for the next forty-five (45) years. His six-month reign of terror, in the Eastern District of Louisiana, is now at an end. Rest assured that when violent crime affects our citizens or businesses, our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners will diligently work to bring the offenders to justice.”
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the New Orleans Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Inga Petrovich of the Violent Crime/Strike Force Unit.
Convicted Felon in Custody After Allegedly Attempting to Sell a Shotgun via Social MediaRead the Press Release
Salt Lake City, Utah – A federal grand jury in Salt Lake City returned an indictment today charging a convicted felon with allegedly attempting to sell a firearm to an undercover officer and for possessing multiple firearms.
According to court documents, on June 20, 2023, Eric Donald Johnson, 25, of Layton, Utah, communicated via social media with an undercover officer assigned to the Wasatch Metro Drug Task Force (WMDTF), that he had multiple firearms available for purchase. The undercover officer arranged to purchase a shotgun from Johnson, who told the undercover officer to meet him at his home in Layton to complete the transaction. Upon arrival, the undercover officer and other agents saw Johnson exit his home and walk towards the undercover officer with a Citadel Shotgun in his hand. Johnson was detained and agents also located a .357 Magnum revolver in his pocket. During the execution of a search warrant at Johnson’s residence, agents located multiple additional firearms including a Bul Armory .45 caliber 1911 handgun, a Zastava arms AK-47 rifle, a Riley Defense AK-47 rifle, a .357 Magnum revolver, a FAP F.lli Pietta .357 revolver, a Glock 22 .40 caliber handgun, a Scorpion .22 caliber handgun, a Glock 19 Trump edition handgun, and a Ruger AR-15 rifle, all of which were in and affecting commerce.
Davis Metro Narcotics Strike ForceJohnson is charged with Felon in Possession of Firearms. The defendant is scheduled for his initial court appearance on the indictment June 29, 2023, at 9:30 a.m. in courtroom 8.4 before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in Salt Lake City, Utah.
U.S. Attorney, Trina A. Higgins, of the District of Utah made the announcement.
The case is being investigated jointly by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office and the Wasatch Metro Drug Task Force.
An Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Utah is prosecuting 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.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Convicted Felon Pleads Guilty to New Child Pornography ChargeRead the Press Release
ROCHESTER, NY—U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Jason Koscielski, 35, of Rochester, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Charles J. Siragusa to possession of child pornography by an individual with a prior sex offense conviction), which carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum of 20 years, and a fine of $250,000.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan K. McGuire, who is handling the case, stated that in December 2011, Koscielski was convicted on federal charges of receipt, distribution, and possession of child pornography, and sentenced to serve 135 months in prison and 30 years supervised release, which prohibited him from possessing any unmonitored telephone. In November of 2021, Koscielski obtained a Tracfone, in violation of the terms of his supervised release.
Between November 2 and November 16, 2021, Koscielski used the phone to send and receive images of child pornography and to possess approximately 476 images of child pornography. Many of the images involved children younger than 12 years old and were sexually explicit in nature. On November 5, 2021, Koscielski also used the Phone to exchange sexually explicit photos with Minor Victim 1, a 15-year-old male.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the U.S. Probation Department, under the director of Chief Probation Officer Timothy Englert and the Federal Bureau of Investigation Child Exploitation Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia.
Sentencing is scheduled for October 24, 2023, before Judge Siragusa.
# # # #
Cleveland Man Sentenced to Prison for Drug DistributionRead the Press Release
AKRON – Darrin Harsley, 33, of Cleveland, Ohio, was sentenced to 262 months of imprisonment on Tuesday, June 27, 2023 by U.S. District Judge John R. Adams after he pleaded guilty to three counts of distribution of a controlled substance.
According to court documents, in August 2022, Ashtabula Police learned that a drug dealer from Cleveland nicknamed “D” was selling methamphetamine and fentanyl in the Ashtabula area. Based on a review of CashApp and phone information, Ashtabula Police were able to identify “D” as Darrin Harsley, who had prior felony convictions for felonious assault and drug trafficking. Then between August 30 and September 15, 2022 Ashtabula Police used a confidential source to make three purchases of methamphetamine and fentanyl from Harsley. During each of those three drug sales, Harsley traveled from Cleveland to Ashtabula, where he met the source at a park and sold them methamphetamine and fentanyl. Ashtabula Police arrested Harsley following the third drug sale and found the cash from the sale in the center console of his vehicle. According to court records, Harsley had been released from prison in 2021 after serving approximately a decade for two felonious assault convictions, each of which involved a firearm.
At Harsley’s sentencing hearing, the court determined that he qualified as a career offender based on his two prior felonious assault convictions, and was therefore subject to an increased sentencing guidelines range.
The investigation was conducted by the Ashtabula Police Department and the FBI Safe Streets Task Force. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney James P. Lewis.
Child Predator Sentenced to Life Plus 10 Years Following Son’s TipRead the Press Release
A Granbury man whose son reported him to law enforcement was sentenced to a term of life imprisonment plus 10 years for child sexual exploitation, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.
In February, after three days of trial and just 45 minutes of deliberation, a federal jury found David Earl Boyd, 64, guilty of two counts of producing child pornography, one count of possession of child pornography, and one count of penalties for registered sex offenders. Mr. Boyd was sentenced Wednesday by U.S. District Judge Terry R. Means.
“This sentence ensures Mr. Boyd will never again exploit a little child,” said U.S. Attorney Leigha Simonton. “I want to again thank Mr. Boyd’s son for reporting his father’s behavior to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. It cannot have been easy, but it likely prevented further harm. We hope the families of the children already victimized will rest a little easier knowing Mr. Boyd will remain behind bars for the rest of his life.”
“This defendant’s actions were exceptionally disturbing given the severity of the life-altering abuse these children experienced,” said HSI Dallas Special Agent in Charge Lester R. Hayes Jr. “HSI stands ready with our law enforcement partners to identify and investigate those who prey on the most precious members of our society, our children.”
According to evidence presented at trial, in the spring of 2022, Mr. Boyd, already a registered sex offender, took sexually explicit images of two young children, aged 6 and 3.
Mr. Boyd’s son discovered nude images of the children in his father’s trash folder. He took a screenshot of the trash gallery and submitted a report to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, which forwarded the tip to law enforcement.
Shortly thereafter, officers arrested Mr. Boyd and seized his Samsung smartphone.
During an extraction of the phone, forensic examiners discovered thousands of child pornography images in a directory associated with an application designed to conceal images and videos. (Although Mr. Boyd had previously deleted the app, the directory retained the images and videos.)
Previously, Mr. Boyd was convicted of possession of child pornography in Taylor County. In 2003, the state sentenced him to three years and required to register as a sex offender.
Homeland Security Investigations’ Dallas Field Office, the Hood County District Attorney’s Office, and the Dallas Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aisha Saleem prosecuted the case with the help of Assistant U.S. Attorney Alex Lewis. U.S. District Judge Terry Means oversaw the trial.
Cheyenne Man Sentenced for Being a Felon and Unlawful Drug User in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
Devon Jonathan Souza, a/k/a/ Devon Jonathan Swan, age 29, of Cheyenne, Wyoming, was sentenced on June 26, 2023, to 105 months in prison for being a felon and a drug user in unlawful possession of a firearm. U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson imposed the sentence, which also includes three years of supervised release and a $100 special assessment.
Souza was convicted by a jury on May 10, 2023. According to court records and evidence presented at trial, on September 1, 2021, Wyoming Highway Patrol troopers attempted to pull Souza over based on known arrest warrants. Souza led troopers, police officers and sheriff’s deputies on a high-speed chase through Cheyenne and then attempted to flee on foot. He was apprehended and taken into custody. Law enforcement returned to the vehicle and found a loaded Ruger pistol in a bag. While in custody, Souza tested positive for methamphetamine and admitted to using fentanyl.
This crime was investigated by the Wyoming Highway Patrol, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, Cheyenne Police Department, Laramie County Sheriff’s Office, and the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys T.J. Forwood and Seth Griswold.
Chattanooga Man Convicted of Being A Felon in Possession of A FirearmRead the Press Release
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – On June 27, 2023, following a one-day trial in United States District Court, in Chattanooga, Tenn., a jury convicted Andre Blocker, Jr., 22 of Chattanooga of possessing a firearm as a convicted felon in violation of 18 U.S.C. §922(g)(1).
Sentencing is set for October 26, 2023, at 10:00 a.m. before the Honorable Charles E. Atchley, Jr. in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Chattanooga. Blocker faces up to ten years imprisonment.
The evidence presented at trial showed that on February 9, 2022, a Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office Lieutenant observed Blocker driving recklessly on Glenwood Drive in Chattanooga and initiated a traffic stop. During the stop, Blocker brandished a pistol and then fled, leading law enforcement on a high-speed pursuit. Block eventually crashed, striking an innocent motorist’s vehicle and a building, and then fled on foot. He was taken into custody a short distance from the crash. Officers located a Taurus 9-millimeter pistol in Blocker’s vehicle. Blocker is a multi-convicted felon.
U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III of the Eastern District of Tennessee made the announcement.
Law enforcement agencies participating in the arrest and investigation which led to indictment and subsequent conviction of Blocker included the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office, Chattanooga Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation Chattanooga Safe Streets Task Force.
Assistant United States Attorney Kevin T. Brown represented the United States at trial.
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.
###
California Truck Driver Sentenced to 8 Years in Federal Prison After Transporting 72 Kilograms of Methamphetamine into IndianaRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS- Dejohntae Zeche Keith Williams, 30, of California, has been sentenced to 8 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of methamphetamine.
According to court documents, on May 7, 2021, an Indiana State Police Trooper stopped Williams after he was clocked driving a semi-truck over the speed limit on I-65.
The troopers conducted a lawful search of the truck and found two large, black duffel bags on the top bunk of the sleeper berth. Inside the bags were individually wrapped plastic packages containing a total of 162 approximately one-pound packages of methamphetamine. In total, there was approximately 72 kilograms of methamphetamine between the two bags.
During an interview with Homeland Security Investigations Agents, Williams admitted that he was delivering drugs to Louisville, Kentucky, in exchange for $30,000.
“The Crossroads of America remains an attractive target for the drug traffickers who seek illegal profits with utter disregard for the individuals and families harmed by abuse of dangerous substances,” said Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “I commend the ISP Troopers who successfully intercepted this large quantity of methamphetamine involved and ISP’s partnership with Homeland Security Investigations to ensure that this criminal was held accountable. The serious federal prison sentence imposed today should serve as a warning to drug traffickers everywhere: Indiana’s highways are not a safe space to push your poisons into our communities.”
“HSI and our law enforcement partners will continue to investigate and remove from our streets those involved in the illicit drug trade,” said Special Agent in Charge Sean Fitzgerald, who oversees the HSI Chicago area of operations. “We are committed to combating the dangerous threat methamphetamine poses to our citizens and the safety of our communities.”
“The Indiana State Police will continue to work with its federal, county and local law enforcement partners in an effort to not only keep these dangerous and potentially deadly drugs out of our communities, but to also hold those responsible for transporting and trafficking them into those communities,” said Indiana State Police Superintendent, Doug Carter.
Homeland Security Investigations investigated this case, with valuable assistance provided by Indiana State Police. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Judge, Jane Magnus Stinson. Judge Stinson also ordered that Williams be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for 3 years following his release from federal prison.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorneys William L. McCoskey and Corbin Houston, who prosecuted this case.
California Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A federal judge today sentenced a California man on a drug trafficking charge, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge Brad L. Byerley.
U.S. District Court Judge Sharon L. Blackburn sentenced Esteban Roberto Ortiz, 43, to 300 months in prison. Ortiz was convicted in February of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and marijuana. The jury also returned a special verdict that the offense involved more than 500 grams of methamphetamine.
Evidence at trial proved that Ortiz conspired with others to transport approximately 11 pounds of methamphetamine and 4 pounds of marijuana from California to Alabama. Ortiz coordinated couriers to travel to Alabama in a vehicle containing an after-market hidden compartment where the methamphetamine and marijuana were stored. After the couriers were stopped in Oklahoma, agents from DEA Oklahoma City and DEA Birmingham coordinated a controlled delivery of this car to Alabaster, Alabama, to meet Ortiz, where he was taken into custody. Evidence at trial further showed that, ahead of the vehicle’s arrival, Ortiz was planning for the distribution of these drugs to a network of drug associates in Alabama.
The DEA investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Allison Garnett and Ryan Rummage prosecuted the case.
CFO, Controller, Corporate Officers Charged in $53 Million Fraud Scheme Involving Pandemic ReliefRead the Press Release
Fourteen people who allegedly bilked the Paycheck Protection Program, a COVID-era financial program, and numerous financial institutions out of more than $53 million in loan proceeds have been federally charged, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton. This case is the largest investigated by the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee (PRAC) Fraud Task Force to date.
The defendants were arrested Tuesday and Wednesday in Texas, California, and Oklahoma by special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Treasury Department’s Special Inspector General for Pandemic Recovery (SIGPR), and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Office of Inspector General (FDIC-OIG).
“Defrauding the government is an affront to American taxpayers. Defrauding the government during a pandemic – at a time when millions of hardworking entrepreneurs struggled to make payroll and rent – is pouring salt in a wound,” said U.S. Attorney Leigha Simonton. “These defendants allegedly conspired to steal tens of millions of dollars from the Paycheck Protection Program – funds which could have helped legitimate businesses pay their bills and keep their employees afloat. We are thankful to the officers and agents who meticulously investigated this case, especially the data scientists at the Pandemic Analytics Center of Excellence, whose sophisticated analysis ensures that those who abused the PPP will be brought to justice.”
“These indictments charge another group of individuals with defrauding the taxpayers of millions of dollars as the group abused a federal program critical for struggling small businesses that were hit hard by the pandemic,” said Brian Miller, the Special Inspector General for Pandemic Recovery. “SIGPR is glad to have played a significant role teaming with other law enforcement agencies and the United States Attorney’s Office to hold these individuals accountable.”
“These individuals allegedly conspired to orchestrate multiple fraud schemes which exploited financial institutions and government programs, solely to enrich themselves,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge Chad Yarbrough. “We will continue to work with our partners to ensure that the American people do not fund the lifestyle of criminals with taxpayer dollars that were intended to protect the most susceptible from financial ruin and promote economic stabilization in a critical time of need.”
According to a series of indictments unsealed Wednesday, several of the charged defendants purportedly operated a group of affiliated recycling companies, including Mammoth Metal Recycling, Elephant Recycling, Gulf Coast Scrap, 4G Metals, 4G Plastics, 5G Metals, Level Eight, Sunshine Recycling, L.K. Industries, , NTC Industries, West Texas Equipment, and West Texas Scrap.
They allegedly submitted at least 29 Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan applications that fraudulently inflated payroll expenses, doctoring bank statements and Internal Revenue Service tax forms to falsely reflect business income. They then routed PPP loan funds through a series of bank accounts to create a false paper trail of payroll expenses.
At least two of the defendants also allegedly submitted false applications to financial institutions on behalf of their purported recycling companies to fraudulently obtain, in the aggregate, millions of dollars in business loan proceeds.
And one defendant allegedly lied to the Federal Deposit Insurance Commission (FDIC) by stating that he did not know several of his other alleged coconspirators.
Those charged in the sixteen count-indictment filed last week include:
- Mihir Patel, Chief Financial Officer of Sunshine Recycling, and owner of Mammoth Group, R.A. Industries, and L.K. Industries: conspiracy to commit bank fraud, bank fraud and aiding and abetting, and conspiracy to commit money laundering
- Kinjal Patel, Controller at Sunshine Recycling: conspiracy to commit bank fraud, bank fraud and aiding and abetting, and conspiracy to commit money laundering
- Prateek Desai, owner of West Texas Scrap: conspiracy to commit bank fraud and bank fraud and aiding and abetting
- Wajahat Khan, aka Ray Khan, President and owner of Gulf Coast Scrap: conspiracy to commit bank fraud, bank fraud and aiding and abetting, and conspiracy to commit money laundering
- Imran Khan, aka Ron Khan, Operations Director and owner of 4G Metals and West Texas Equipment: conspiracy to commit bank fraud and bank fraud and aiding and abetting
- Chirag Gandhi, aka Chris Gandhi, Controller of NTC Industries, and President and owner of 5G Metals and Sunshine Recycling: conspiracy to commit bank fraud and bank fraud and aiding and abetting
- Bhavesh Patel, aka Bobby Patel, Chief Business Development Officer for Sunshine Recycling and owner of Level Eight and: conspiracy to commit bank fraud, bank fraud and aiding and abetting, and making a false statement to the FDIC
- Dharmesh Patel, aka Danny Patel, Co-President and co-owner of Elephant Recycling: conspiracy to commit bank fraud and bank fraud and aiding and abetting
- Mitra Bhattarai, Co-President and co-owner of Elephant Recycling: conspiracy to commit bank fraud and bank fraud and aiding and abetting
- Bhargav Bhatt, aka Brad Bhatt, NTC Industries employee: conspiracy to commit bank fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering
Those charged in separate indictments include:
- Mrunal Desai: bank fraud and aiding and abetting
- Chintak Desai, President of Nanosoft Technologies: bank fraud and aiding and abetting
- Ambreen Khan: wire fraud
- Usha Chapain, aka Usha Sharma: bank fraud
An indictment is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
If convicted, the defendants face up to 30 years in federal prison for each count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, bank fraud and aiding and abetting, bank fraud, and making a false statement to the FDIC, 20 years for wire fraud, and 10 years for conspiracy to commit money laundering.
This case was investigated by a SIGPR special agent assigned to the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee (PRAC) Fraud Task Force, and special agents from the Dallas field offices of the FDIC OIG and FBI. Assistant United States Attorney Fabio Leonardi is prosecuting the case.
The PRAC was established to promote transparency and facilitate coordinated oversight of the federal government’s COVID-19 pandemic response. The PRAC’s 21 member Inspectors General identify major risks that cross program and agency boundaries to detect fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement in the more than $5 trillion in COVID-19 spending, including spending via the Paycheck Protection Program. This case was also supported by the PRAC’s Pandemic Analytics Center of Excellence, which applies the latest advances in analytic and forensic technologies to help OIGs and law enforcement pursue data-driven pandemic relief fraud investigations.
The Paycheck Protection Program was authorized under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, a federal law enacted on March 29, 2020, to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering economic hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The PPP provided forgivable loans to small businesses to cover payroll, rent, and other certain business expenses; the program ended in May 2021.
Billings rancher sentenced for defrauding Bureau of Land Management in grazing fee schemeRead the Press Release
BILLILNGS — A Billings cattle rancher who admitted defrauding the Bureau of Land Management of fees in a grazing scheme in which he lied about the ownership and number of cattle he was grazing was sentenced today to four years of probation, fined $35,000 and ordered to pay $143,714 restitution, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
Gene John Klamert, 71, pleaded guilty in January to mail fraud.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.
The government alleged in court documents that between 2017 and 2020, Klamert held a BLM grazing permit that allowed him to graze his cattle on public land near Winnett. The permit authorized Klamert to graze cattle he owned for a low monthly base rate, compared to private grazing fees, which are typically 10 times higher or more. Klamert’s BLM permit also authorized him to graze other people’s cattle, but he was required to report them and pay a surcharge for every head of cattle he grazed that he did not personally own.
BLM first discovered Klamert underreporting cattle in 2017. When confronted, Klamert admitted grazing 100 cattle that did not belong to him and that he did not report. Klamert actually grazed at least 620 cattle that he failed to report and thereby, avoided paying the required surcharge. Before the next grazing season, BLM reminded Klamert that he must report other people’s cattle he intended to graze and pay a surcharge for each. Klamert, however, ignored these warnings and continued misreporting cattle for the next three seasons. To hide the cattle and avoid the surcharge, Klamert submitted to the BLM fake bills of sale purporting to have purchased 1,515 head of cattle between 2018 and 2020 that he in fact did not own and never purchased. The fraudulent bills of sale enabled Klamert to avoid paying $65,612 in surcharge fees. Klamert also defrauded the BLM by continuing to graze other people’s cattle that he simply never reported. In total, Klamert grazed more than 2,000 cattle that he chose not to report, avoiding an additional $78,884 in surcharges to the BLM. Klamert defrauded BLM of a total of $144,497. He paid back $782 after his reprimand in 2017, bringing the fraud loss to $143,714.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Benjamin D. Hargrove and Bryan T. Dake prosecuted the case. The BLM conducted the investigation.
XXX
Baton Rouge Man Pleads Guilty to Assaulting and Threatening Federal OfficersRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – KESHAWN KELLY, age 20, a resident of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, pled guilty on June 27, 2023, before U.S. District Judge Greg G. Guidry to an indictment charging him with influencing federal officials by threat, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 115(a)(1)(B), and assaulting, resisting, or impeding federal officers, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 111(a)(1), announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.
According to court documents, on February 15, 2022, KELLY initiated a 21-minute standoff with police in the emergency department parking lot at the New Orleans VA Medical Center. During the standoff, KELLY possessed an AR-15 rifle that was fully loaded with a round in the chamber and the selector switch in the semi-automatic firing position. KELLY, who continuously refused to get out of the car he occupied with his hands up, made various threats to shoot and otherwise assault the officers for the duration of the standoff.
KELLY’s sentencing is scheduled for October 3, 2023. The maximum punishment KELLY faces for influencing federal officials by threat is six years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, up to three years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. The maximum punishment for assaulting federal officers is one year imprisonment, up to a $100,000 fine, up to one year of supervised release following any term of imprisonment, and a $25 mandatory special assessment fee.
This case was investigated by the United States Department of Veteran’s Affairs Police. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney J. Benjamin Myers of the Narcotics Unit.
Baltimore Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Racketeering Conspiracy Charge for His Participation in the Triple C GangRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Jawaun Harris, age 24, of Baltimore, Maryland, pleaded guilty yesterday to a federal charge of conspiracy to participate in the affairs of a racketeering enterprise, in connection with his membership in the Triple C gang, including a carjacking, two attempted murders and a drug distribution conspiracy.
The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Toni M. Crosby of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Baltimore Field Division; Chief Robert McCullough of the Baltimore County Police Department; and Acting Commissioner Richard Worley of the Baltimore Police Department.
According to court documents, Harris was a member of the Cruddy Conniving Crutball gang, or Triple C, an enterprise operating primarily in east Baltimore. The gang’s main purpose was to commit violent acts to promote the reputation of the gang and to command respect from the neighborhood. The enterprise benefitted financially from selling narcotics, murdering drug dealers, taking contract killings, engaging in street robberies, robbing dice games, and occasionally carjacking vehicles. The members of the gang divided the proceeds of the robberies. Harris admitted that between 2015 and 2020, he and other Triple C members engaged in more than a dozen murders and numerous non-fatal shootings, robberies, and carjackings.
Also, Triple C members routinely used social media to identify and locate victims and to share information concerning possible retaliation for violent crimes committed by gang members. Triple C members and associates used at least 14 firearms to commit crimes, often trading with each other or other groups to avoid detection through ballistic evidence. They limited conversations about criminal plans to members of Triple C and critiqued each other after committing crimes regarding ways to improve their actions.
Harris admitted that he participated in two attempted murders on October 10 and 11, 2018, and a carjacking on October 10, 2018, during which at least one member of the conspiracy possessed a firearm. Harris also admitted that it was foreseeable to him, that his co-conspirators would commit other acts that he did not participate in, including at least 16 murders, 28 attempted murders, at least 22 robberies and attempted robberies, and three carjackings.
Co-defendants Rashaud Nesmith, a/k/a Shaud, age 21, and Michael Chester, a/k/a Mikkie, age 24, both of Baltimore, pled guilty to their participation in a racketeering conspiracy in June 2022 and were sentenced to 40 years and 20 years in federal prison, respectively.
Harris and the government have agreed that, if the Court accepts the plea agreement, Harris will be sentenced to 10 years in federal prison. Chief U.S. District Judge James K. Bredar has scheduled sentencing for October 5, 2023 at 10:00 a.m.
This case was made possible by investigative leads generated from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives’ (“ATF”) National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (“NIBIN”). NIBIN is the only national network that allows for the capture and comparison of ballistic evidence to aid in solving and preventing violent crimes involving firearms. NIBIN is a proven investigative and intelligence tool that can link firearms from multiple crime scenes, allowing law enforcement to quickly disrupt shooting cycles. For more information on NIBIN, visit https://www.atf.gov/firearms/national-integrated-ballistic-information-network-nibin.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (“PSN”), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the ATF, the Baltimore County Police Department, the Baltimore Police Department for their work in the investigation and thanked the FBI and the Office of the Baltimore City State’s Attorney for their assistance in the investigation and prosecution. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Patricia C. McLane and Michael C. Hanlon, who are prosecuting the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-neighborhoods-psn and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
# # #
Bvi Man Sentenced to Eight Months for Failing to Stop His Vessel Being Used for Human SmugglingRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI – United States Attorney Delia L. Smith announced today that Buney Chinnery, 22, of Tortola, BVI, was sentenced by Chief District Judge Robert Molloy to eight months incarceration on his conviction for failure to heave to law enforcement and giving a false statement.
According to the evidence presented at trial, on October 31, 2022, at approximately 9:00 p.m., Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine agents were conducting border security patrol between the U.S. and British Virgin Islands. Agents approached Coral Bay, St. John, and observed Chinnerys’ vessel operating without navigation lights. Despite continued warnings and attempts to stop the vessel, Chinnery refused to stop and accelerate his vessel while operating the it in an evasive manner. Agents eventually disabled the vessel and later discovered Chinnery along with six individuals attempting to gain illegal entry into the United States.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Natasha L. Baker.
Atoka Resident Sentenced for Killing Four Durant Teens in May 2020 Motor Vehicle CollisionRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Bradley Shawn Pittman, age 45, of Atoka, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 405 months in prison each for four counts of Second-Degree Murder in Indian Country. The sentences will be served concurrently.
The charges arose from investigations by the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, Durant Police Department, Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, Texas Highway Patrol, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
On December 1, 2020, Pittman pleaded guilty to four counts of Murder in Indian Country – Second Degree. At the plea hearing, Pittman admitted that he was driving a pickup at speeds of over 70 miles per hour on Main Street in Durant when he collided into the rear of another vehicle that was stopped at a traffic light just before midnight on May 24, 2020. Four Durant teens in the other vehicle were killed in the collision. At the time of the collision, Pittman registered a blood alcohol level three times the legal limit, was driving on a suspended or revoked driver’s license, and had previously been convicted of driving under the influence on three separate occasions.
The crimes occurred in Bryan County, within the boundaries of the Choctaw Nation Reservation and within the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
“Every parent’s worst fear is having your child taken from you in the blink of an eye. Four teenagers were stolen from their families with one reckless decision that has had a devastating and rippling impact on the Durant community,” said FBI Oklahoma City Special Agent in Charge Edward J. Gray. “Let this sentence serve as a reminder of the grave and irrevocable consequences of driving under the influence, so that no other family will have to endure such tremendous loss.”
“No sentence can heal the loss to these families and this community,” said U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Wilson. “The devastation brought about by one individual’s reckless actions underscores our determination to hold those accountable who engage in criminally reckless actions within the Eastern District of Oklahoma.”
The Honorable John F. Heil, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearings in Muskogee, Oklahoma.
Assistant United States Attorney Benjamin D. Traster represented the United States.
Albany Man Receives 64 Months for Distribution of Heroin and FentanylRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Carlos Hernandez, age 54, of Albany, was sentenced today to 64 months in prison for distributing heroin and fentanyl on at least five occasions in April and May 2021. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), made the announcement.
On February 8, 2023, Hernandez pled guilty to distribution of a controlled substance. He admitted that between April and May 2021, while he was on parole from a state prison term, he sold a total of 68 grams of fentanyl and 71 grams of heroin on at least five occasions in Albany.
Senior United States District Judge Lawrence E. Kahn also ordered Hernandez to serve a 4-year term of supervised release after he is released from prison.
The DEA investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin S. Clark prosecuted the case.
6 men convicted of conspiring to traffic gunsRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The final of six conspirators responsible for trafficking more than 100 firearms pleaded guilty in federal court here today.
Jadden I. Bedell, 21, of Cleveland, admitted to his role in the conspiracy involving 114 guns.
According to court documents, between January and May 2022, the defendants illegally dealt in firearms without a federal firearms license. Many of the firearms were resold in Cleveland and Rochester, New York, and have been recovered in connection with other crimes and shootings.
Two defendants – Brian R. Cunningham, 43, of Marysville, Ohio, and Tyson Rathburn, 47, of Ashville, Ohio – purchased the guns at licensed firearms dealers in the Southern District of Ohio, including at Frazier Firearms LLC, George Washinguns LLC and Rural King. The pair sometimes used straw purchasers to obtain guns. The defendants then listed the firearms for sale online at marked-up prices.
The four other co-conspirators completed a series of trips from Cleveland to Columbus to purchase the firearms from Cunningham and Rathburn. Two of those customer co-defendants, Charles L. Jackson, 28, of Rochester, New York, and Anthony D. Redmond, 59, of Cleveland, were prohibited from possessing firearms because they had previously been convicted of or are currently under indictment for felony crimes.
Beddell, Jackson, Redmon and Martino D. Lorenzi, 35, of Cleveland, met with Cunningham and Rathburn multiple times at gas stations and stores in the Southern District of Ohio to purchase handguns.
For example, on March 19, 2022, Beddell and Jackson met Rathburn near a gas station in Marengo, Ohio, to buy 42 firearms for $14,000 total.
In May 2022, Beddell, Jackson and Lorenzi purchased 16 firearms from an undercover ATF agent.
Each of the six defendants has pleaded guilty to conspiring to deal in the business of firearms without a license, which is a federal crime punishable by up to five years in prison.
Jackson has been sentenced to 51 months in prison, and his five co-defendants await sentencing.
Congress sets the maximum statutory sentence. Sentencing is determined by the Court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; and Daryl S. McCormick, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF); announced the guilty plea offered today. Assistant United States Attorneys Noah R. Litton and S. Courter Shimeall are representing the United States in this case.
# # #
22-Year-Old Man Receives 21 Months in Prison for Assault on a Federal OfficerRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Hugo Alexander Garcia-Sales, 22, of Guatemala, was sentenced last week by United States District Judge Rosemary Márquez to a term of 21 months in prison, followed by two years of supervised release. Garcia-Sales pleaded guilty on April 11, 2023, to Assault on a Federal Officer with a Deadly or Dangerous Weapon and Improper Entry by an Alien.
On October 13, 2022, Garcia-Sales threw five softball-sized rocks at a United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Air and Marine Operations helicopter Air Interdiction Agent while the helicopter was in the air. Although the rocks failed to hit the helicopter, one rock came within several feet of striking the aircraft. As part of his guilty plea, Garcia-Sales admitted that striking the helicopter with any of the rocks could have caused the aircraft to crash. Additionally, Garcia-Sales admitted he is a Guatemalan national who knowingly entered the United States near Newfield, Arizona, without legal permission to enter or remain in the United States.
CBP’s United States Border Patrol conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant United States Attorney Nathaniel J. Walters, District of Arizona, Tucson, is handling the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-22-02445-RM-BGM
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-100_Garcia-Sales# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.
Tuesday 27 June 2023
Yuba City Man Indicted for Unlawfully Possessing and Selling GunsRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — On June 15, 2023, a federal grand jury returned a five-count indictment against Billy Glyn Sims Jr., 29, of Yuba City, charging him with dealing in firearms without a license, being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition, and selling ammunition to a prohibited person, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, between April 1, 2022, and March 9, 2023, in the Counties of Yuba, Yolo and Sutter, Sims, who is not a licensed firearms dealer, unlawfully engaged in the business of dealing in firearms. In connection with his dealing, Sims was in possession of two guns and ammunition, which he is prohibited from possessing because of his prior felony convictions, including for domestic violence and burglary. Sims also sold ammunition to a person that he knew had prior felony convictions and could not legally possess ammunition.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin L. Lee and Dhruv M. Sharma are prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Sims faces a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for unlawfully dealing in firearms, 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for being a felon in possession of a firearm, and up to 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for being a felon in possession of ammunition and for selling ammunition to a prohibited person. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
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 U.S. Department of Justice 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.
Wolcott Man Who Attempted to Have Sex with A 12 Y/O Is Going to Prison for 35 YearsRead the Press Release
ROCHESTER, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Jacob Ritchie, 37, of Wolcott, NY, who was convicted of distributing child pornography following a prior conviction for a child sex abuse offense, was sentenced to serve 35 years in prison and 10 years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Charles J. Siragusa.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle P. Rossi, who handled the case, stated that between November 2021, and February 2022, Ritchie engaged in sexually explicit online communications with an undercover New York State Police Investigator, who Ritchie believed was a 12-year-old female. During these conversations, Ritchie repeatedly asked the child to produce and send to him images of child pornography. He also attempted to persuade the child to meet him for sex. Ritchie also sent images of child pornography in an attempt to groom the child for sexual activity. The images depicted children as young as eight-years-old engaged in sexual activity with adults. Ritchie also made numerous references to possible sexual contact with a minor relative while communicating with the undercover investigator.
In February 2022, investigators executed a search warrant at Ritchie’s residence, where they recovered a cell phone containing dozens of images of child pornography. Some of the images depicted the sexual abuse of children as young as toddlers, and children being subjected to violence. A subsequent search of Ritchie’s social media found that he engaged in multiple online conversations during which he openly discussed sexually abusing children and traded child pornography. Ritchie admitted to sexually abusing multiple children, to include a child as young as five-years-old. He is a level 3 sex offender following child sexual abuse convictions in 2012, 2016, and 2017.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Brian J. Ratajczak and Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Scarpino.
# # # #
Wisconsin Man Sentenced for Sex Trafficking a ChildRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Milwaukee, Wisconsin man was sentenced in federal court today for the sex trafficking of a child.
Gerald H. Paul-Gibson, 33, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to 10 years in federal prison without parole. The court also sentenced Paul-Gibson to 10 years of supervised release following incarceration.
On March 9, 2022, Paul-Gibson pleaded guilty to the sex trafficking of a child. Paul-Gibson admitted that he recruited, transported, and advertised a 15-year-old victim for prostitution, and either knew or recklessly disregarded the fact that the child victim was under the age of 18.
Kansas City, Mo., police officers initially arrested the child victim for soliciting prostitution during a human trafficking sting at a local hotel on April 24, 2019. Once arrested, officers recognized she was a minor. She identified herself via her high school email address and confirmed she was 15 years old.
The child victim told investigators she met Paul-Gibson in Milwaukee and he brought her to Kansas City. Paul-Gibson placed advertisements online and transported her to the hotel for the appointment with an undercover police officer. Paul-Gibson, who was parked outside the hotel, was arrested. When investigators searched his cell phone, they found a large number of text messages that confirmed Paul-Gibson recruited women for prostitution. In some conversations, Paul-Gibson refers to himself as a pimp.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Catherine A. Connelly. It was investigated by the FBI and the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
Washington man admits trafficking meth, fentanyl on Rocky Boy’s Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS — A Washington man suspected of trafficking methamphetamine and fentanyl on the Rock Boy’s Indian Reservation admitted to a drug crime today, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
Antonio Penalosa Infante, 36, of Spokane, Washington, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. Infante faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for Nov. 21. Infante was detained pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents that in the fall of 2022, the FBI received reports that Infante was bringing controlled substances to the Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation. During a traffic stop in December 2022 by the Montana Highway Patrol, officers recovered a total of 91 fentanyl pills, two pistols, cocaine and methamphetamine from the vehicle in which Infante was a passenger. Infante later said the drugs were his and intended only for personal use. In a second traffic stop of Infante on the reservation 10 days later, officers located a half pound of meth, approximately 100 fentanyl pills, cocaine and a loaded 9mm magazine. Officers found a 9mm pistol in the police officer’s vehicle where Infante had been seated for transportation following the traffic stop. Additionally, in January, law enforcement conducted a controlled purchase of 100 fentanyl pills from Infante. In a third traffic stop of Infante on the reservation, officers located meth and 76 fentanyl pills. In February, the FBI executed a search warrant on a residence where Infante had been staying and recovered a large quantity meth that was determined to be 9.8 pounds of the drug, which is approximately 35,515 doses.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ethan R. Plaut and Amanda L. Myers are prosecuting the case. The FBI, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Rocky Boy’s Police Department, Tri Agency Task Force and Montana Highway Patrol conducted the investigation.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
XXX
Ulster County Felon Pleads Guilty to Unlawful Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Bram Fox, age 43, of Kerhonkson, New York, pled guilty today to unlawfully possessing a rifle as a previously convicted felon. Fox also admitted to manufacturing and possessing several dozen firearms, which law enforcement seized from his Ulster County house earlier this year.
United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and John B. DeVito, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), made the announcement.
Fox admitted that from about October 2020 until January 2023, he purchased firearms parts from numerous online retailers; had these items shipped to his residence in Kerhonkson; and then used these firearms parts to manufacture non-serialized handguns and rifles, which are sometimes called “ghost guns” due to the fact that this type of firearm does not contain a serial number imprinted by a manufacturer.
Fox also acquired several serialized firearms and thousands of rounds of ammunition, including an Aero Precision M5 rifle. Fox has felony convictions in New York and Connecticut, including a 2009 conviction for an armed bank robbery, that prevents him from lawfully possessing the rifle, and other firearms and ammunition.
Fox has been in custody since his arrest on January 31, 2023. He faces up to 15 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to 3 years of post-imprisonment supervised release, when United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino sentences him on October 26, 2023. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
Fox also agreed to abandon, to the ATF, all firearms, ammunition, firearms parts and related items that were seized from his residence and formerly in his possession, including more than 25 firearms and thousands of rounds of ammunition.
The ATF and New York State Police investigated this case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Barnett is prosecuting this case.
U.S. Attorney's Office Testifies Before D.C. Council in Support of the Safer Stronger Amendment ActRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia will testify today at a committee hearing before the Council of the District of Columbia on proposed legislation, Bill 25-0291, the “Safer, Stronger Amendment Act of 2023” and Bill 25-0247, the “Female Genital Mutilation Prohibition Act of 2023.”
USAO-DC supports the “Safer Stronger Amendment Act” because it will make the community safer by increasing penalties for firearms and violent crimes; supporting violent crime investigations; enhancing pretrial detention for violent crimes; and expanding information considered in second look sentence reductions for the most serious violent crimes. This legislation offers targeted, common-sense measures to address shortcomings in our criminal justice system. Fixing these deficiencies will make our judicial system work better and, consequently, increase community safety.
In addition to appearing before the Council’s Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety, Elana Suttenberg, Special Counsel to the U.S. Attorney, provided written remarks, available in the accompanying attachment.
The testimony is available in the attachment below.
USAO DC Testimony on b25-0291_b25-0247More information available in the attachment below.
USAO DC Safer Stronger one-pagerU.S. Attorney warns about rise in online impersonators exploiting childrenRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, announced today that his office and law enforcement agencies are seeing an increase in cases involving impostors posing as others, especially as children or teens on social media and online gaming platforms, persuading victims to provide sexual or intimate personal information, and using that information to threaten or intimidate their victims.
Parker urged parents and caregivers to take steps to help young people identify the impostors and avoid becoming victims.
“Social media has opened up a whole new realm of child exploitation opportunities,” Parker said. “An online predator can easily amass victims across the United States by pretending to be someone they aren’t. Offenders will tell fictitious stories and create personas to manipulate and coerce victims.”
Parker offered the following guidance to parents and child caregivers:
- Know what devices your child is using and their passcodes to access the devices;
- Become familiar with the online games and the social media your child uses, and the privacy settings in the games and apps;
- Set limits on the time your child spends online;
- Talk with your child about the dangers of sharing personal information or images online and how those images can damage their mental health and reputation; and
- Watch for sudden changes in a child’s behavior such as isolation, missing school, losing interest in friends, becoming obsessive about their phone, and being angry or upset after they’ve been online.
Parker also emphasized that parents need to maintain open lines of communication with their children letting their child know that the parent will be monitoring the child’s online activity to protect their child. “Assure your child that they can come to you and talk judgment-free about their online activity, who they’ve met, and what they discuss,” Parker said.
Parker cited recent cases of a 28-year-old high school coach accused of impersonating a 15-year-old girl and persuading his victims to send sexually explicit photos which he distributed over the internet, and a convicted sexual offender who allegedly worked with his girlfriend claiming that the only way he could get life-saving surgery for his mother was to sell sexually explicit images and videos of minor victims. Defendants in all criminal cases should be presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
Parker said these two cases, like many child exploitation cases, started with caregivers or other adults notifying local law enforcement of their concerns. He urges any parents who suspect their children could be victims of online exploitation to contact their local law enforcement agency. Many local agencies participate in Internet Crimes Against Children task forces that unite federal, state, and local law enforcement resources to investigate and prosecute cases of child exploitation.
To report online child sexual exploitation, use the electronic Cyber Tip Line or call 1-800-843-5678. The Cyber Tip Line is operated by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children in partnership with the FBI and other law enforcement agencies.
# # #
Two Charged in Conspiracy to Access Protected Computer Network of Non-Profit Mental Health Treatment ProviderRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Two men have been charged in Worcester for allegedly conspiring to access a protected computer of their former employer, a non-profit substance use and mental health treatment provider that operates recovery centers throughout Massachusetts.
Nathan Howe, 42, of Rutland, Mass., was indicted on one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, three counts of wire fraud, one count of conspiracy to access a protected computer to obtain information and cause damage and one count of intentionally causing damage to a protected computer and impairing medical treatment. Patrick Edmonds-Morin, 31, of Union, Conn., was charged by Information on May 18, 2023, with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to access a protected computer to obtain information. Howe was taken into custody on May 16, 2023 and was released on conditions of pre-trial supervision. Edmonds-Morin will appear in federal court in Worcester on June 28, 2023.
According to the charging documents, Howe and Edmonds-Morin were employed by the non-profit until April 2021 and October 2020, respectively. It is alleged that, between September and December of 2021, Howe and Edmonds-Morin conspired to access records of the non-profit’s employees, listen to and view conversations between the employees, and create and deploy a computer program designed to impede a Vice President of the non-profit’s use of the network. In November 2021, Howe allegedly accessed the computer network and transmitted a command that shut down the network for the non-profit’s Westborough campus where individuals were receiving in-patient treatment. By allegedly shutting down the network, Howe made the non-profit’s electronic medical records system inaccessible at its sites across Massachusetts, impairing or potentially impairing the medical examination, diagnosis, treatment and care of patients.
It is further alleged that, between July 2018 and November 2020, Howe and Edmonds-Morin conspired to commit wire fraud by obtaining cell phones from a cell phone provider which were intended for the non-profit’s staff and, instead, selling the cell phones to third parties for personal profit, typically in the amounts of hundreds of dollars per phone.
The charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of conspiracy to access a protected computer without authorization to obtain information and cause damage, provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of intentionally causing damage without authorization to a protected computer and causing the potential impairment of medical treatment provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of conspiracy to access a protected computer without authorization to obtain information, provides for a sentence of up to one year in prison, up to one year of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Christopher DiMenna, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan O’Shea of Levy’s Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Turkish National Charged with Attack on Turkish Consulate in ManhattanRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Carlos F. Matus, the Director of the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (“DSS”), and Keechant L. Sewell, the Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), announced that a Complaint was unsealed today alleging that RECEP AKBIYIK used a metal bar to shatter the glass of 10 windows and two doors of the building housing the Turkish Consulate General in New York, New York (the “Turkish Consulate”). When two of the Turkish Consulate’s security officers emerged from the building to investigate, AKBIYIK allegedly charged at the security officers with the metal bar and, as the security officers retreated into the building, repeatedly struck the building’s doors with the metal bar. AKBIYIK was arrested this morning and will be presented today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sarah L. Cave.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As alleged, Recep Akbiyik brazenly attacked the Turkish Consulate building, causing serious damage to its windows and doors. Even worse, Akbiyik allegedly endangered two of the Turkish Consulate’s security officers, nearly beating them with a metal bar. As these charges make clear, people who attack diplomatic facilities or their employees within the United States will be held accountable for their actions.”
DSS Director Carlos F. Matus said: “The Diplomatic Security Service is firmly committed to working with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our other law enforcement partners to investigate allegations of crime related to diplomatic facilities and personnel within the United States, and to bring those who commit these crimes to justice. This was a great success by all of the agencies involved.”
According to the allegations in the Complaint:[1]
On May 22, 2023, at 3:15 a.m., AKBIYIK used a blue metal bar to shatter approximately 10 of the Turkish Consulate’s windows. Below are photographs reflecting the damage done to the windows:
As AKBIYIK shattered the Turkish Consulate’s windows, two security officers who had been in the Turkish Consulate’s lobby stepped outside of the building. AKBIYIK sprinted toward the security officers with the blue metal bar raised as if to strike them. Below are stills from surveillance video showing AKBIYIK running toward the security officers:
As the Security Officers retreated into the Turkish Consulate, pulling its doors closed, AKBIYIK repeatedly struck the Turkish Consulate’s doors with the blue metal bar, breaking the doors’ glass panes. Below is a photograph reflecting the damage done to the Turkish Consulate’s doors:
AKBIYIK fled, leaving behind a blue bag containing eight bricks and the blue metal bar, photographs of which are below:
In a post-arrest interview with NYPD officers, AKBIYIK admitted to the attack on the Turkish Consulate and stated that he had been planning the attack for weeks.
* * *
AKBIYIK, 29, of Brooklyn, New York, is charged with damaging property occupied by a foreign government, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.
The maximum potential sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of DSS and the NYPD and thanked the U.S. Marshals Service and the New York County District Attorney’s Office for their assistance.
This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin M. Burkett is in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint and the description of the Complaint set forth below constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
U.S. v. Akbiyik ComplaintThree-Time Removed Mexican National Convicted of Trafficking over 24 Pounds of Methamphetamine in Omaha AreaRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Steven Russell announced that Juan Felipe-Carmona, 34, originally of Mexico but residing illegally in Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha, for Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Felipe-Carmona to 120 months’ imprisonment. He was also ordered to serve five years of supervised release after his release from prison. There is no parole in the federal system. He faces potential deportation following the completion of his prison sentence.
Law enforcement executed a search warrant on defendant’s residence in Omaha on September 9, 2021. During the execution of the warrant, officers located a small amount of methamphetamine and through further investigation learned defendant distributed at least 24 pounds of methamphetamine to others in the Omaha area from approximately July 2020 through September 2021. Defendant was previously removed from the United States on three occasions for unlawfully being present in the country.
This case was investigated by the Omaha Police Department.
Think Tank Agrees to Pay More Than $500,000 to Resolve Allegations That It Falsely Certified Its Eligibility to Receive PPP LoanRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The U.S. Attorney’s Office has reached a $501,161 settlement with the Institute for Policy Studies (IPS), a nonprofit headquartered in Washington, D.C., to resolve allegations that IPS falsely certified that it was eligible to receive a Second Draw Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Loan from the Small Business Administration (SBA). As part of the settlement, IPS admits that it certified to the SBA that it was not a think tank primarily engaged in political or lobbying activities, when it had publicly stated otherwise.
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) is a federal law enacted on March 29, 2020, designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans who were suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. One source of relief provided by the CARES Act was the authorization of forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain approved expenses, through the PPP. Entities that applied for Second Draw PPP loans were required to certify their eligibility for the loan, including that they were not “primarily engaged in political or lobbying activities.”
IPS conducts research and publishes reports to influence public policy. As detailed in the settlement agreement, on Feb. 11, 2021, IPS submitted an application for a Second Draw PPP loan from SBA. In its application, IPS certified that it was “not a business concern or entity primarily engaged in political or lobbying activities, including any entity that is organized for research or for engaging in advocacy in areas such as public policy or political strategy or otherwise describes itself as a think tank in any public documents.” But, as IPS admits, IPS has described itself as a “think tank” in various sections of its website, on LinkedIn, and in various public documents, including reports and press releases. Per its corporate bylaws, “The purpose of IPS is to conduct research to produce publications, and to educate the public on important matters of public policy.” Among many other objectives, IPS’ Strategic Plan for 2021-2022 included lobbying activities such as “leveraging public scholarship for social movements with progressives in Congress.”
The United States contends that IPS was ineligible for a Second Draw PPP loan, which it received only after falsely certifying to SBA that it was not primarily engaged in political or lobbying activities.
The settlement stems from allegations originally brought in a lawsuit filed by a whistleblower under the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act, which allow private parties, known as relators, to bring suit on behalf of the government and to share in any recovery. In connection with today’s announced settlement, the relator will receive 10 percent of the recovery.
Acting U.S. Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Isabella Casillas Guzman, Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Julien M. Mundele and Jessica J. Weber of Levy’s Affirmative Civil Enforcement Unit handled the matter.
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.
US v. Institute for Policy Studies - Settlement Agreement