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Thursday 8 June 2023
Framingham Man Indicted for Illegally Possessing Two Firearms and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Framingham man was indicted today for unlawfully possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon.
Edwin Alago, 42, was indicted on two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Alago was previously arrested on related state charges and will appear in federal court at a later date.
According to the indictment, in May 2021, Alago possessed a SCCY .9mm CPX-2 semi-automatic pistol bearing a defaced serial number and seven rounds of .9mm ammunition. It is further alleged that, in November 2022, Alago possessed a Colt, automatic, .25mm pistol and six rounds of .25 caliber ammunition.
Due to multiple previous felony convictions for drug distribution and possession and assault with a dangerous weapon, Alago is considered an armed career criminal and is prohibited from possessing firearms.
The charge of being a felon in possession provides for a sentence of up to 15 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. Due to Alago’s status as an armed career criminal, he faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years and up to life in prison. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Middlesex County District Attorney’s Office and the Framingham Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Meghan C. Cleary of Levy’s Major Crimes Unit 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.
The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Four Time Deported Honduran National Pleads Guilty to Illegal Re-EntryRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – Today, LUIS ALFREDO LEZAMA-RAMIREZ, age 47, pled guilty to a one-count indictment for illegal reentry of a removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a), announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.
According to court documents, LUIS ALFREDO LEZAMA-RAMIREZ ("LEZAMA-REMIREZ") admitted reentering the United States after being deported on June 8, 2018. LEZAMA-RAMIREZ had also been previously deported in 2006, 2009, and 2012. LEZAMA-RAMIREZ faces a maximum term of imprisonment of two years, a maximum fine of up to $250,000, a maximum term of supervised release of up to one year, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carter K.D. Guice, Jr. of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
Four Michigan Pharmacies Settle Alleged Controlled Substances Act ViolationsRead the Press Release
DETROIT–Four Michigan pharmacies have entered into a civil settlement agreement with the federal government to resolve allegations that they violated certain provisions of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced today.
Joining in the announcement was Special Agent in Charge Orville O. Greene, Drug Enforcement Administration, Detroit Field Division.
In 2020, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) began investigating HealthPlus Pharmacy of Ann Arbor, HealthPlus Pharmacy of Brighton, HealthPlus Pharmacy of Howell, and All Care Pharmacy in Allen Park (collectively, Health Plus Pharmacies) for potential violations of the CSA. The DEA’s investigation revealed that Health Plus Pharmacies committed several significant recordkeeping violations, including failing to maintain a complete and accurate record of all Schedule II controlled substances dispensed by the pharmacies. The DEA also determined that Health Plus Pharmacies failed to maintain effective controls to guard against the diversion of controlled substances. As a result, DEA concluded that Health Plus Pharmacies could not properly account for more than 30,000 hydrocodone and oxycodone pills over an approximate 18-month period.
As part of the settlement agreement, Health Plus Pharmacies will collectively pay civil penalties of $180,000. Health Plus Pharmacies has also entered into a Memorandum of Agreement with the DEA requiring, among other things, that the pharmacies hire an external auditor to conduct unannounced audits of highly abused controlled substances over the next two years and to institute a broad-based educational program for its employees that focuses on prevention of drug diversion in the workplace.
“Our Office is committed to combatting the opioid crisis and will seek to hold accountable participants at every level of the distribution chain who fail to comply with their obligations under the Controlled Substances Act,” said U.S. Attorney Ison. “Pharmacies play a critical role in preventing drug abuse and diversion, and this settlement helps ensure these four pharmacies comply with the law.”
“The failure to adhere to regulations by medical professionals adds fuel to the inferno that is the opioid crisis. We will protect our community by vigorously pursuing pharmacies and pharmacists that fail to follow proper procedures as they relate to controlled substances," said Special Agent in Charge Greene.
Congress passed the CSA to combat the illegal distribution and abuse of controlled substances. Under the CSA, entities registered with the DEA who purchase, distribute, dispense, transfer, or sell controlled substances must comply with strict inventory and documentation requirements. Regulations promulgated under the CSA require that each DEA registrant, including pharmacies, maintain complete and accurate records of each substance manufactured, received, sold, delivered, dispensed, or otherwise disposed of by the registrant. These requirements play a vital role in ensuring the appropriate handling, accounting, and distribution of controlled substances.
This matter was investigated by Diversion Investigators from DEA’s Detroit Field Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony Gentner from the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
Four Defendants Charged in Connection with Extensive Prostitution EnterpriseRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that four individuals were indicted on charges related to a prostitution enterprise called XO Companions, or XOC. The four defendants are Anton Panin, age 40, of Hollywood, Florida, Jennie Lawson, age 37, of Dillsburg, Pennsylvania, Tracey Lawson, age 57, of Thomasville, Pennsylvania, and Viktoriia Zakirova, age 32, of Miami, Florida.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment charges each defendant with conspiring to transport women in interstate and foreign commerce with intent that the women engage in prostitution and conspiring to persuade women to travel to engage in prostitution. The indictment further charges Panin and the Lawsons with money laundering.
The indictment explains that Panin and Zakirova recruited women in Russia and other Eastern European countries to travel to the United States to work as prostitutes for XO Companions. Once in the United States, XO Companions workers traveled throughout the country to meet with clients in major cities. XO Companions workers typically sent cash prostitution proceeds to the Lawsons, who in turn transported the money to Panin in Florida. Additionally, the defendants operated a password-protected website through which clients could view schedules, view services offered, reserve time, and provide reviews.
“The indictment in this case has dismantled an extensive and long-running commercial sex enterprise that exploited countless women and repeatedly violated U.S. laws,” said U.S. Attorney Karam. “We commend the law enforcement agents who coordinated across multiple agencies and worked tirelessly in the investigation that led to these charges.”
“As the lead agency in this investigation, the Diplomatic Security Service demonstrated its commitment to maintaining the integrity of U.S. travel documents and the rights of visitors to the United States,” said the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service Assistant Director for Domestic Operations Andrew Wroblewski. “Our strong relationship with our law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania continues to be essential in pursuing those who profit from exploiting U.S. visa systems.”
“Tracing money obtained as the result of criminal acts is the specialty of IRS Criminal Investigation agents,” said IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge Yury Kruty. “IRS-CI will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to ensure that individuals who attempt to hide their criminal involvement will be held accountable.”
"As alleged, Anton Panin, Viktoriia Zakirova, Jennie Lawson and Tracey Lawson operated an illicit prostitution ring over the span of many years in cities across the United States. To date, the investigation has identified hundreds of individuals linked to the criminal enterprise, some of whom are suspected of being victims of human trafficking,” said HSI New York Special Agent in Charge Ivan J. Arvelo. “We would like to thank HSI Miami’s Fort Lauderdale office and HSI Philadelphia’s Harrisburg office for their significant contributions to this multi-year investigation. HSI is committed to working with law enforcement agencies across jurisdictions to protect potential victims from being exploited for personal profit. I commend the collaboration of our agents and our law enforcement partners whose investigative efforts over the past five years were instrumental in apprehending these suspected sex traffickers.”
"The defendants preyed upon vulnerable women hoping for a better life in the United States, and they now will be held accountable for their heinous actions. Today's indictment sends a message to would be traffickers that the FBI and its partners are committed to protecting victims and bringing their predators to justice," said Philadelphia Division FBI Special Agent in Charge Jacqueline Maguire.”
If you believe you are a victim in this case, please contact Homeland Security Investigations at 866-347-2423 or [email protected].
The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carlo D. Marchioli is prosecuting the case.
The maximum penalty under federal law is five years of imprisonment for the prostitution-related conspiracy and 20 years of imprisonment for money laundering, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Four Colombian Nationals Charged with Interstate Transportation of Stolen Goods ConspiracyRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – Four Colombian nationals were charged today for their roles in a scheme to burglarize a home in New Jersey and transport the stolen goods to New York, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
William Londono Rojas, 28, of Plainfield, New Jersey; Andrew Cifuentes Cadavid, 32, and Nicolas Ochoa Zambrano, 19, both of Elizabeth, New Jersey, and Jose Alejandro Calvo Orozco, 27, of Madison, New Jersey, are each charged by complaint with conspiracy to transport stolen property. Rojas, Cadavid and Zambrano made their initial appearances before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael A. Hammer in Newark federal court and were detained. Orozco was recently deported.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On Nov. 30, 2022 through Dec. 2, 2022, the four defendants burglarized a home and then transported the stolen goods across state lines from Union County, New Jersey, to New York.
The charge of conspiracy to commit interstate transportation of stolen property carries a maximum potential penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greatest.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited the FBI Newark’s Transnational Organized Crime Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark; Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Enforcement Removal Operations, under the direction of Field Office Director John Tsoukaris; the Union County Prosecutor’s Office under direction of Prosecutor William Daniel and Chief Harvey Barnwell; and the Cranford Police Department, under the direction of Chief Ryan Greco, with the investigation leading to the charges. He also thanked New Jersey State Police, Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and U.S. Postal Inspection Service for their assistance as well as the police departments of Berkeley Heights Township, Branchburg, Cranford, Edison, Elizabeth, Kearny, Livingston, Metuchen, Monroe, Montgomery, Mountainside, Raritan Borough, and Warren.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Dong Joo Lee of the Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force/Narcotics Unit and Rebecca Sussman of the General Crimes Unit in Newark.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
rojasetal.complaint.pdfFour Arizona Swindlers Sentenced for Paycheck Protection Program FraudRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Four Arizona residents were sentenced to significant prison terms in connection with their schemes to fraudulently obtain millions of dollars in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans, a federal loan initiative designed to help businesses pay their employees and meet expenses during the COVID-19 pandemic. All four defendants, Willie Mitchell, Sean Swaringer, Kimberly Coleman, and Jason Coleman pleaded guilty to Bank Fraud.
They were each sentenced as follows:
- Willie Mitchell, aka Blu Mitchell, 41, of Phoenix, Arizona, was sentenced on February 6, 2023, by United States District Judge G. Murray Snow to 97 months in prison.
- Sean Swaringer, 57, of Peoria, Arizona, was sentenced on April 4, 2023, by United States District Judge Steven P. Logan to 121 months in prison.
- Kimberly Coleman, 39, of Mesa, Arizona, was sentenced on April 10, 2023, by Judge Logan to 120 months in prison.
- Jason Coleman, 41, of Mesa, Arizona, was sentenced on May 15, 2023, by Judge Logan to 60 months in prison.
In addition to their respective prison terms, all four defendants also were ordered to serve five years of supervised release.
Mitchell, working with others, fraudulently obtained seven PPP loans totaling $9,470,900. He purchased a vehicle, multiple properties, and vacations with the PPP funds.
Swaringer obtained four fraudulent PPP loans totaling more than $1.5 million on behalf of two entities: Cryotherapy for Veterans and Cryoworld Therapy, LLC. In addition to his own loans, Swaringer also recruited more than 10 individuals to apply for fraudulent PPP loans. He assisted in preparing and submitting their PPP applications in exchange for kickbacks from their PPP loan proceeds. Swaringer was ordered to pay more than $3.8 million in restitution for his own loans and the kickbacks from at least 15 other PPP loans. Swaringer purchased jewelry, vehicles, vacations, and real estate with the fraudulent funds.
Kimberly Coleman and her husband, Jason Coleman, collectively prepared and submitted approximately two dozen fraudulent PPP loan applications in an attempt to receive more than $30 million in PPP funds. They were successful in at least 10 of those submissions and fraudulently obtained more than $13 million in PPP funds. The Colemans’ purchases included luxury vehicles and real estate properties, personal property from several high-end retail outlets, vacation, and jewelry.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation led the investigation in these cases, with significant assistance from Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Small Business Administration-Office of the Inspector General. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecutions.
CASE NUMBERS: CR21-00977-001-PHX-GMS
CR21-00981-001-PHX-SPL
CR21-00975-002-PHX-SPL
CR21-00975-001-PHX-SPL
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-088_Mitchell-Swaringer-Coleman# # #
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.Former School Bus Driver Pleads Guilty to Cyberstalking ChildRead the Press Release
CONCORD – A Maine man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Concord to cyberstalking an eight-year-old child, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces.
Michael Chick, age 40, pleaded guilty to cyberstalking. U.S. District Court Judge Landya McCafferty scheduled sentencing for September 25, 2023. Chick was arrested on a criminal complaint in August 2022 and was indicted on September 6, 2022.
Chick, a former school bus driver, began stalking an eight-year-old child on his bus route at least as early as March 2022. Chick gave the victim candy and small toys, and asked for permission to attend the child’s sporting events. Later, Chick provided the victim with cell phones and instructed the child to call Chick when he was alone. Chick told the child lies about a secret organization that would kidnap and torture the victim and kill the child’s family if the child did not fulfill various demands, which Chick purported to be relaying to the victim on behalf of the organization. Chick traveled to the child’s home at night and photographed the inside of their home by peering through the windows. Chick also placed GPS trackers on both of the victim’s parents’ vehicles. A forensic examination of Chick’s cell phone revealed surreptitiously recorded images and videos of the child and their family at various public locations such as retail stores, theme parks, and sporting events.
The charging statute provides a sentence of no greater than 10 years in prison, 3 years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Homeland Security Investigations led the federal investigation. Valuable assistance was provided by the Greenland Police Department, the Eliot Police Department in Maine, the Old Town Police Department in Maine, the New England State Police Information Network, the New Hampshire Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and the Massachusetts State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kasey Weiland is prosecuting the case.
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Former NYPD Detective and Four Other New York Men Charged in Violent Racketeering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Michael J. Driscoll, the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), and Keechant L. Sewell, the Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), announced the unsealing of Indictments charging DAGOBERTO SOTO-RAMIREZ, a/k/a “Pito,” SAUL ARISMENDY DE LA CRUZ, a/k/a “Nene,” a/k/a “Venom,” EDWIN LUCIANO RODRIGUEZ-GENAO, a/k/a “Pantalla,” SANTIAGO XAVIER MALDONADO, a/k/a “Xavier,” and DIEGO MUELAS-GONZALEZ, a/k/a “Menor,” for their participation in a violent theft crew. DE LA CRUZ, RODRIGUEZ-GENAO, MALDONADO, and MUELAS-GONZALEZ were arrested this morning and arraigned before U.S. Magistrate Judge Judith C. McCarthy. SOTO-RAMIREZ has not been arrested at this time.
DAGOBERTO SOTO-RAMIREZ: WANTED BY THE FBI
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As alleged, this crew stole substantial quantities of cash and valuables from dozens of families in New York and across the country, predominantly targeting Asian-American small business owners. And, as alleged, they bribed an NYPD detective in an attempt to get away with it. Corruption, violence, and racially targeted crime are intolerable, and this Office stands with our law enforcement partners in the fight against all three. Dagoberto Soto-Ramirez, the alleged leader of this violent crew, remains at large. We encourage anyone who may have additional information regarding Dagoberto Soto-Ramirez’s whereabouts to please call the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI.”
FBI Assistant Director in Charge Michael J. Driscoll said: “Over an extended period, the defendants allegedly participated in a string of violent armed robberies and additional crimes designed to conceal the thefts. The crew went so far as to entice a member of law enforcement to help them evade capture. The FBI will continue to work diligently everyday to remove violent criminals from our communities.”
NYPD Commissioner Keechant L. Sewell said: “Violent criminal acts like the type alleged today are a disgrace. When such behavior involves a former police officer who shamelessly exploits their position of power for personal gain, it erodes public trust in law enforcement and tarnishes the reputations of the many thousands of women and men who honorably serve New Yorkers each day. There will always be zero tolerance in the NYPD for corruption of any kind. And our investigators, in close partnership with all of our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners, will continue to ensure that it is punished to the fullest extent possible.”
As alleged in the Indictment and Superseding Indictments unsealed in White Plains federal court:[1]
Between 2017 and 2022, SOTO-RAMIREZ organized a crew that committed residential burglaries and home invasion robberies, repeatedly targeting small business owners. The majority of the targeted victims were Asian-American. Armed with guns and other weapons, members of the crew stole money, jewelry, and other property from scores of homes in states across the country. RODRIGUEZ-GENAO, MALDONADO, and MUELAS-GONZALEZ took part in the crew’s criminal scheme, which also included the use of false identification, bank fraud, and laundering theft proceeds. In addition, SOTO-RAMIREZ and other members of the conspiracy bribed DE LA CRUZ, first an officer and later a detective of the NYPD, who helped members of the crew escape arrest. As part of his activities with the crew, SOTO-RAMIREZ committed two gunpoint home invasion robberies in Queens.
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SOTO-RAMIREZ, 41, of the Bronx, New York, DE LA CRUZ, 31, RODRIGUEZ-GENAO, 48, MALDONADO, 43, and MUELAS-GONZALEZ, 26, all of Queens, New York, are each charged with one count of racketeering conspiracy, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. SOTO-RAMIREZ is additionally charged with two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering, each of which carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, and two counts of possession of a firearm, which was brandished, in furtherance of a crime of violence, each of which carry a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison.
The statutory minimum and maximum penalties are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants would be determined by the judge.
Mr. Williams praised the investigative work of the FBI, the Westchester County Joint Organized Crime Task Force, the New York Public Corruption Task Force, the Westchester County Department of Public Safety, the NYPD, the Nassau County Police Department, the New York State Police, and the Fort Lee Police Department. He added that the investigation is ongoing.
The case is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Josiah Pertz and Jeffrey C. Coffman are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Indictment and Superseding Indictments are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the description of the Indictment and the other charging documents set forth in this release constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
U.S. v. Soto-Ramirez et al Indictment U.S. v. Muelas-Gonzalez Indictment U.S. v. Maldonado IndictmentFormer Branch Manager of Boston Bank Pleads Guilty to Bank Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The former branch manager for a Boston bank pleaded guilty today to stealing over $100,000 in funds from customer bank accounts.
Nathan Wadsworth, 32, of Syracuse, N.Y., pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud. United States District Judge Leo T. Sorokin scheduled sentencing for Sept. 7, 2023. Wadsworth was charged by an Information on May 17, 2023.
From June 2020 through November 2021, Wadsworth was employed as a branch manager for PNC Bank in Boston. Beginning in or around March 2021, Wadsworth used his position to identify dormant accounts of foreign account holders, transfer the funds in those dormant accounts to a new account he opened in the customers’ names and then moved the funds to his own accounts for personal use. In total, Wadsworth stole approximately $121,000 in customer funds. All the funds have since been repaid to the affected customers.The charge of bank fraud provides for a sentence of up to 30 years in prison, five years 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 Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. PNC Bank cooperated with the government’s investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Victor A. Wild of Levy’s Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.
Foreign National Pleads Guilty to Role in Identity Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
A foreign national pleaded guilty today for his role in a scheme to sell identity documents belonging to U.S. citizens to undocumented noncitizens and others residing within the United States without lawful authority.
According to court documents, Manuel Ruiz-Aguilera, 44, of Mexico, and his co-conspirators sold government-issued identity documents, including Government of Puerto Rico-issued birth certificates and corresponding U.S. social security cards, to undocumented noncitizens residing within the United States. Ruiz-Aguilera sold the documents to undocumented noncitizens so they could assume the identities of U.S. citizens, and/or fraudulently apply for other identity documents in that person’s name in order to reside in the United States. Ruiz-Aguilera and his co-conspirators knew these documents pertained to real people.
Ruiz-Aguilera was arrested in Mexico in February 2022 pursuant to a U.S. request for his extradition. In March 2023, he was extradited to Puerto Rico.
Ruiz-Aguilera pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit identification fraud by possessing, producing, and transferring identification documents. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 29. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow for the District of Puerto Rico, Deputy Director and Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Director Tae D. Johnson of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and Chief Postal Inspector Gary R. Barksdale of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service made the announcement.
The charges are the result of Operation Island Express, an ongoing, nationally-coordinated investigation led by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Chicago, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS), and IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) offices in Chicago, in coordination with HSI San Juan. The Illinois Secretary of State Police; Elgin, Illinois, Police Department; Seymour, Indiana, Police Department; and Indiana State Police provided substantial assistance. The HSI Assistant Attaché office in the Dominican Republic and International Organized Crime Intelligence and Operations Center (IOC-2), as well as various ICE, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, DSS, and IRS-CI offices around the country, provided invaluable assistance.
Trial Attorneys Frank Rangoussis and Marie Zisa of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Anderson for the District of Puerto Rico are prosecuting the case.
The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with prosecutors to prepare the extradition request for Ruiz-Aguilera. The department thanks the Government of Mexico for their assistance in arresting and extraditing Ruiz-Aguilera.
Potential victims and the public may obtain information about the case at www.justice.gov/criminal/vns/caseup/beltrerj.html. Anyone who believes their identity may have been compromised in relation to this investigation or who may have information about particular crimes in this case should call the ICE toll-free hotline at 1-866-DHS-2ICE (1-866-347-2423) or use its online tip form at www.ice.gov/tipline.
Anyone who believes that they have been a victim of identity theft, or wants information about preventing identity theft, may obtain helpful information and complaint forms on various government websites including the Federal Trade Commission ID Theft Website at www.ftc.gov/idtheft. Additional resources regarding identity theft can be found at www.ojp.usdoj.gov/ovc/pubs/ID_theft/idtheft.html, www.ssa.gov/pubs/10064.html, and www.irs.gov/privacy/article/0,,id=186436,00.html.
Foreign National Pleads Guilty to Role in Identity Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
A foreign national pleaded guilty today for his role in a scheme to sell identity documents belonging to U.S. citizens to undocumented noncitizens and others residing within the United States without lawful authority.
According to court documents, Manuel Ruiz-Aguilera, 44, of Mexico, and his co-conspirators sold government-issued identity documents, including Government of Puerto Rico-issued birth certificates and corresponding U.S. social security cards, to undocumented noncitizens residing within the United States. Ruiz-Aguilera sold the documents to undocumented noncitizens so they could assume the identities of U.S. citizens, and/or fraudulently apply for other identity documents in that person’s name in order to reside in the United States. Ruiz-Aguilera and his co-conspirators knew these documents pertained to real people.
Ruiz-Aguilera was arrested in Mexico in February 2022 pursuant to a U.S. request for his extradition. In March 2023, he was extradited to Puerto Rico.
Ruiz-Aguilera pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit identification fraud by possessing, producing, and transferring identification documents. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 29. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow for the District of Puerto Rico, Deputy Director and Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Director Tae D. Johnson of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and Chief Postal Inspector Gary R. Barksdale of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service made the announcement.
The charges are the result of Operation Island Express, an ongoing, nationally-coordinated investigation led by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Chicago, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS), and IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) offices in Chicago, in coordination with HSI San Juan. The Illinois Secretary of State Police; Elgin, Illinois, Police Department; Seymour, Indiana, Police Department; and Indiana State Police provided substantial assistance. The HSI Assistant Attaché office in the Dominican Republic and International Organized Crime Intelligence and Operations Center (IOC-2), as well as various ICE, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, DSS, and IRS-CI offices around the country, provided invaluable assistance.
Trial Attorneys Frank Rangoussis and Marie Zisa of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Anderson for the District of Puerto Rico are prosecuting the case.
The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with prosecutors to prepare the extradition request for Ruiz-Aguilera. The department thanks the Government of Mexico for their assistance in arresting and extraditing Ruiz-Aguilera.
Potential victims and the public may obtain information about the case at www.justice.gov/criminal/vns/caseup/beltrerj.html. Anyone who believes their identity may have been compromised in relation to this investigation or who may have information about particular crimes in this case should call the ICE toll-free hotline at 1-866-DHS-2ICE (1-866-347-2423) or use its online tip form at www.ice.gov/tipline.
Anyone who believes that they have been a victim of identity theft, or wants information about preventing identity theft, may obtain helpful information and complaint forms on various government websites including the Federal Trade Commission ID Theft Website at www.ftc.gov/idtheft. Additional resources regarding identity theft can be found at www.ojp.usdoj.gov/ovc/pubs/ID_theft/idtheft.html, www.ssa.gov/pubs/10064.html, and www.irs.gov/privacy/article/0,,id=186436,00.html.
Firearms Trafficker, Drug Dealer Sentenced to 72 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
ROANOKE, Va. – A Maryland man who sold seven silencers and 800 counterfeit prescription pills to undercover officers with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), was sentenced yesterday to 72 months in federal prison.
Milford Thomas Washington, 57, pleaded guilty in January 2023 to transporting an unregistered silencer in interstate commerce.
“The silencers involved in this case are specifically designed to mask violent, criminal behavior, and pose a direct threat to public safety,” United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh said today. “I am thankful to ATF and our local and state partners who worked on this matter for keeping these dangerous items off our streets.”
“The illegal possession of handgun diversion devices and distribution of deadly narcotics are significant threats to our community and remain a top priority for ATF. The leverage of our resources and valuable assets were instrumental throughout this investigation. Thanks to the hard work and dedication of the men and women of ATF and our valued law enforcement partners; we were able to remove another violent criminal from our streets,” said Special Agent in Charge Craig Kailimai “We will continue to do our part in combating violent crime through intelligence led strategies.”
According to court documents, between July 2021 and February 2022, Washington sold at least seven silencers to undercover ATF agents. At the time of his arrest in April 2022, Washington was prepared to illegally ship an additional 13 silencers.
The National Firearms Act, in part, makes it unlawful to possess and transfer certain firearms, including silencers, without proper registration. Washington, however, was also prohibited from engaging in the sale of silencers because he had previously been convicted of a felony.
In addition to trafficking silencers, in 2022, Washington sold approximately 800 counterfeit Percocet pills to the ATF. An analysis of some of these pills, which are designed to look like authentic prescription drugs, revealed the presence of fentanyl.
The ATF, with the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and United States Postal Inspection Service, investigated the case. The Montgomery County (Maryland) Police Department also contributed to the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Coleman Adams prosecuted the case. During the investigation, he received assistance and support from the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland.
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.
Federal Inmate Pleads Guilty to EscapeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Kevin Leon Davis, 33, a federal inmate, pleaded guilty today to escaping from the Federal Prison Camp (FPC) at Beckley.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Davis was serving a sentence for conspiracy to distribute 5 grams or more of methamphetamine when he left FPC Beckley without permission or authorization on November 13, 2022. The United States Marshals Service captured Davis the following day near the prison.
Davis is scheduled to be sentenced on September 29, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Prisons, the United States Marshals Service and the Cops United Felony Fugitive Enforcement Division (CUFFED) Task Force, and the assistance provided by the West Virginia National Guard.
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy D. Boggess is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:23-cr-36.
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Federal Grand Jury Returns Indictment Against Louisville Man for Fentanyl Distribution ChargesRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – A federal grand jury in Louisville, Kentucky, returned an indictment on June 6, 2023, charging a Louisville man with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Rana Saoud of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Nashville, and U.S. Postal Inspector in Charge Lesley Allison of the Pittsburgh Division made the announcement.
According to the indictment, beginning in October 2022, and continuing through May 24, 2023, Markus Stillwell, 34, conspired to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, to include 400 grams or more of a fentanyl mixture. Additionally, on May 24, 2023, Stillwell possessed with the intent to distribute 400 grams or more of a fentanyl mixture.
Stillwell was previously charged by federal complaint and remains in federal custody. Yesterday, he made his initial court appearance before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. If convicted, he faces a minimum sentence of 10 years and a maximum sentence of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is being investigated by HSI Louisville and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alicia P. Gomez is prosecuting this case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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El Paso Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Receiving, Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
EL PASO, Texas – An El Paso man was sentenced in a federal court in El Paso today to 180 months in prison for receipt and distribution of a visual depiction involving the sexual exploitation of a minor.
According to court documents, Oscar Garcia Jr., 33, distributed child sexual abuse material (CSAM) via a global instant messaging app in July 2022. Already a registered sex offender due to a prior conviction, Garcia used a phone belonging to his father to download CSAM. An investigation revealed more than 317 images and 33 videos containing CSAM. Garcia has remained in federal custody since his arrest on Aug. 10, 2022.
“This defendant was a repeat offender who continued to pursue child sexual abuse material despite his previous conviction,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas. “With this lengthy prison sentence, we ensure he will no longer possess the means to access such material, preventing him from further victimizing so many innocent children as he had the years prior.”
“FBI El Paso’s Child Exploitation & Human Trafficking Task Force, along with our law enforcement partners around the nation remain committed in identifying individuals distributing child pornography on the internet,” said Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey R. Downey for the FBI El Paso Field Office. “Investigating those who prey on our most vulnerable population remains a top priority for the FBI. This sentence sends a clear message that there are severe consequences for those who exploit children in any way and the FBI will continue to dedicate our resources to identify these individuals and bring them to justice.”
The FBI investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Catherine Dos Santos prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and 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.
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El Departamento de Justicia llega a un acuerdo con un franquiciado de Domino’s Pizza que resuelve unas acusaciones de discriminación relacionada con la inmigraciónRead the Press Release
El Departamento de Justicia anunció hoy que ha llegado a acuerdo conciliatorio con Treacy Enterprises Inc., con sede en Maryland y dueño y operador de varias franquicias de Domino’s Pizza (Treacy Enterprises). El acuerdo resuelve la determinación del Departamento que Treacy Enterprises vulneró la ley de Inmigración y Nacionalidad (INA, por sus siglas en inglés) al requerir que un trabajador no ciudadano de los EE. UU. proporcionara más documentos de los necesarios para demostrar su permiso para trabajar, aunque ya había presentado suficiente documentación.
«Mientras que los empleadores deben verificar el permiso para trabajar en los Estados Unidos de cada persona recién contratada, no pueden requerir documentos innecesarios o discriminar durante el proceso con base en el estatus de ciudadanía o la nacionalidad de origen de uno», afirmó Kristen Clarke, la Fiscal General Auxiliar de la División de Derechos Civiles del Departamento de Justicia. «La División de Derechos Civiles seguirá luchando por quitar las barreras discriminatorias al empleo».
La investigación del Departamento comenzó cuando un trabajador que es residente permanente legal se quejó que Treacy Enterprises estaba requiriendo que entregara documentación adicional e innecesaria para demostrar su permiso para trabajar en vez de aceptar la documentación válida que ya había presentado. El Departamento determinó que Treacy Enterprises había discriminado al trabajador al (1) exigir documentación adicional para demostrar que él podía trabajar en vez de aceptar los documentos válidos que el trabajador ya había entregado y (2) requerir que el trabajador demostrara su estatus de ciudadanía al presentar una Tarjeta de Residente Permanente (también conocida como «tarjeta verde»). Las leyes federales permiten a los trabajadores elegir los documentos válidos y legalmente aceptables que desean presentar para demostrar su identidad y permiso para trabajar, independientemente de su ciudadanía, estatus migratorio o nacionalidad de origen. Los empleadores no pueden exigir documentos específicos o adicionales a los que son necesarios como parte de su proceso.
Conforme el acuerdo, Treacy Enterprises pagará una sanción civil a los Estados Unidos. Asimismo, el acuerdo requiere que la compañía capacite a su personal de recursos humanos en cuanto a los requisitos de la INA, que revise sus políticas de empleo y que se someta a los requisitos de supervisión y declaración del Departamento.
La Sección de Derechos de Inmigrantes y Empleados de la División de Derechos Civiles es responsable de hacer cumplir la disposición antidiscriminatoria de la INA. Entre otras cosas, la ley prohíbe la discriminación por motivos de estatus de ciudadanía y nacionalidad de origen en los procesos de contratación, despido o reclutamiento o recomendación por comisión, prácticas documentales injustas y represalias e intimidación.
Para aprender más sobre la labor de la IER y cómo conseguir ayuda, vea este vídeo corto. Hay información disponible en el sitio web de la IER sobre cómo los empleadores pueden evitar la discriminación a la hora de verificar el permiso para trabajar. Aquellos aspirantes o empleados que creen haber sido discriminados por motivos de su estatus migratorio, ciudadanía o nacionalidad de origen en los procesos de contratación, despido, reclutamiento o verificación de la elegibilidad para trabajar (Formulario I-9 e E-Verify) o sujetos a represalias pueden presentar una denuncia. El público también puede llamar a la línea directa de la IER para trabajadores al 1-800-255-7688 (1-800-237-2515, TTY para personas con discapacidades auditivas); llamar a la línea directa de la IER para empleadores al 1-800-255-8155 (1-800-237-2515, TTY para personas con discapacidades auditivas); enviar un correo electrónico a [email protected]; inscribirse a un seminario en línea gratuito; o visitar los sitios web de la IER en inglés o español. Inscríbase para recibir las últimas noticias de la IER por correo electrónico. Haga clic aquí para visualizar este comunicado de prensa en inglés.
Eighth Defendant Arrested in Montezuma County Area Narcotics InvestigationRead the Press Release
DURANGO – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Douglas Brummett, age 23, of Montezuma County has been arrested on an indictment alleging multiple instances of trafficking fentanyl and methamphetamine. Brummett made his initial appearance in federal court on June 1, 2023, before United States Magistrate Judge James M. Candelaria. If convicted, Brummett faces a maximum penalty of 20 years imprisonment on each count.
Brummett’s arrest is the latest originating from a joint investigation by the Montezuma County Sheriff's Office, the Cortez Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Previously, seven other alleged drug traffickers in the Montezuma County vicinity have been indicted and arrested on two separate indictments:
- In case number 22-cr-00359, Cesar Ortiz-Castillo, William Millard, Mary Lobato, Infant Maciel, and Russell Wall were previously indicted on conspiracy to commit drug trafficking offenses, for alleged violation of 21 U.S.C. § 846, and other drug distribution and weapons offenses. These five individuals have been arrested and are pending trial.
- In case number 23-cr-00007, Luis Martinez and Crystal Bass were previously indicted on conspiracy to commit drug trafficking offenses, for alleged violation of 21 U.S.C. § 846, and other drug distribution offenses. Both individuals have been arrested and are pending trial.
The charges contained in each indictment are allegations. All of the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted jointly by the Montezuma County Sheriff’s Office, the Cortez Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Indian Affairs. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorneys R. Josh Player and Jeffrey K. Graves.
Case Number 23-cr-00245
District Man Found Guilty of Charges for Armed Robbery in Northwest WashingtonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A jury found Nwabueze Igwe, 32, of Washington, DC guilty of robbing a man at knifepoint, in February of 2023, in Northwest Washington D.C., announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Michael Anzallo, of the Metropolitan Transit Police Department. The verdict was returned on Wednesday, June 7, 2023. The Honorable Jason Park scheduled sentencing for August 11, 2023.
Igwe was found guilty, following a three-day trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, of armed robbery, assault with a dangerous weapon, and carrying a dangerous weapon.
According to the government’s evidence, on the evening of February 13, 2023, the defendant yelled at the victim, a stranger, multiple times on the Metro as the pair were travelling in the same car on the Green Line. As the train stopped at the Gallery Place Station, the defendant approached the victim, entered his personal space, and took his North Face backpack. When the victim asked for his backpack, the defendant brandished and opened a switchblade as he warned the victim to back away.
The defendant and the victim both exited at Gallery Place. While the victim ran for help and found nearby officers, the defendant looked in both directions before jumping back on the train, with the victim’s backpack in his hand, as the doors were closing. Once he got back on the train, the defendant hid the backpack in a translucent trash bag. The defendant then exited at the next stop, Mount Vernon Station, where he walked throughout the station constantly looking over his shoulder before exiting the station on foot. Just over an hour later, the defendant returned to the Gallery Place Station, still carrying the victim’s belongings. Metro surveillance footage captures the defendant in the immediate moments after the robbery and confirms his flight path. He was apprehended at Gallery Place that night and charged with armed robbery.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Transit Police Department. It was investigated, prosecuted, and tried by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Omeed A. Assefi and Sabena Auyeung, of the Major Crimes Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. Valuable assistance was provided by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kimberly Nielsen and Kathleen Kern, Paralegal Specialists Debra McPherson and Carolyn Carter-McKinley, and Litigation Technology Specialist Charlie Bruce.
Defendant who brought homemade gun to downtown Seattle protest sentenced to prisonRead the Press Release
Seattle –A former North Carolina man who brought an improvised gun to a 2020 Seattle protest and threatened to kill police was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to two years in prison for possession of a destructive device, announced U.S. Attorney Nick Brown. Devinare Antwan Parker, 31, was arrested Sunday evening, May 31, 2020, after he possessed an improvised firearm capable of firing shotgun shells. At the sentencing hearing U.S. District Judge Ricardo S. Martinez said, “The offense conduct was extremely dangerous…. It was a very volatile time when emotions were running high. He basically had a homemade shotgun which was extremely dangerous.”
According to records in the case, at about 11:30 p.m. on Sunday evening, May 31, 2020, two Seattle Police Officers were driving their marked patrol car north on Third Avenue near Benaroya Hall. They saw Parker, who was downtown in violation of the curfew, walking down the middle of the street. Parker was ultimately arrested. When he was searched, officers found an improvised firearm constructed of two pieces of pipe and a firing pin with a laser pointer/ flashlight attached to the side. Parker also carried several shotgun shells that fit the device.
As he was being arrested, Parker shouted at the officers that he brought the weapon to the protest to shoot and kill police officers.
Following Parker’s federal arrest, prosecutors worked with his counsel to get him mental health treatment and the opportunity to resolve the case in King County’s mental health court. However, Parker repeatedly refused to participate in the mental health program, violated the conditions of his release with illicit drug use, and posted images on social media showing him using marijuana and displaying drugs, large amounts of cash, and apparent firearms parts.
In asking the court for a 27-month sentence, Assistant United States Attorney Erin H. Becker wrote to the court, “The government has struggled at length to reach a resolution in this case that would ensure community safety. For a long time, the government believed that this goal could be achieved through Mental Health Court. Parker’s mental illnesses and presumed addictions obviously present a danger to the community, and they may well have contributed to his offense. MHC offered an avenue for intensive oversight and supportive treatment to mitigate those risks. Unfortunately, it appeared that everyone wanted such a resolution except for Parker.”
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Erin H. Becker.
Crownpoint Woman Ordered to Pay over Half a Million in Restitution to the Social Security AdministrationRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced today that Marylynn Harry was sentenced to 5 years unsupervised probation and ordered to pay $551,436.00 in restitution to the Social Security Administration (SSA). Harry, 63, of Crownpoint, New Mexico, pleaded guilty on Feb. 8, 2023, to Social Security fraud, a felony offense under federal law.
According to the plea agreement and other court records, Harry’s father, Alfred Becenti, passed away in October of 1996. At the time of his death, Becenti was receiving Retirement Insurance Benefits payments from SSA. Following her father’s death, Harry made herself the co-owner of the bank account the payments were deposited into and obtained numerous debit cards linked to account. She concealed and did not notify SSA or the bank of her father’s death and continually made use of the deposited funds. Over the course of twenty-five years, Harry fraudulently collected $551,436.00. When agents from SSA Office of the Inspector General confronted her, Harry quickly admitted wrongdoing.
The SSA Office of the Inspector General investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Patrick E. Cordova prosecuted the case.
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Convicted Felon Who Illegally Possessed Ghost Guns, Ammunition, and Silencers Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A West Greenwich man who was previously convicted and incarcerated on state felony firearm charges and who was later found by federal agents to be illegally in possession of firearms and parts to make – and stockpile – a collection of un-serialized, privately made firearms, also known as “ghost guns,” along with silencers and thousands of rounds of ammunition, was sentenced on Wednesday to three years in federal prison, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.
Walter Garbecki, 38, previously admitted to a federal judge that, between March and July 2022, when he was unable to lawfully purchase firearms and ammunition from federally licensed firearms dealers due to previous felony convictions, he used various websites to purchase, firearm triggers and so-called “lower parts kits” to construct Glock-style pistols. Garbecki also ordered 2,480 rounds of ammunition, including 800 rounds of hollow point ammunition; firearm magazines and pistol holsters; and firearm maintenance supplies from the websites.
“Whether they are purchased, stolen, or manufactured at home from an internet-ordered kit, federal law is clear: firearms do not belong in the hands of felons, and we will work tirelessly to take them, and the criminals who carry them, off of our streets,” remarked U.S. Attorney Cunha. “I commend our federal partners at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service for their superb investigative efforts to keep Rhode Island communities safe.”
Garbecki pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court on March 2, 2023, to charges of being a felon in possession of a firearm, being a felon in possession of ammunition, and possession of firearm mufflers or silencers. He was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Chief Judge John J. McConnell, Jr., to thirty-six months of incarceration to be followed by three years of federal supervised release.
At the government’s request, items seized from Garbecki’s home on September 20, 2022, by agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, including four fully functioning ghost guns and two in various stage of assembly; three silencers; approximately 1,500 rounds of ammunition; and various parts and kits used to assemble “Ghost Guns,” have been forfeited to the government, and will be destroyed.
“When individuals illegally manufacture firearms because they are unable to purchase them legally, ATF will continue to pour our resources into stopping these crimes in their tracks,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge James Ferguson.
“Walter Garbecki’s three-year sentence should serve as a warning to those who intend to misuse the U.S. Mail for this type of criminal activity,” said Inspector in Charge Ketty Larco-Ward, Boston Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. “The collaborative efforts and dedication of the Postal Inspectors, Special Agents of the ATF, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office resulted in bringing Garbecki to justice. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service remains vigilant, pursuing criminals like Garbecki to ensure the public's trust in a safe and secure mail system.”
According to state court records Garbecki was convicted in 2019 in Rhode Island state court on charges of sale or possession of silencers; unlawful devices attached to a semi-automatic weapon allowing automatic fire; possession of a firearm while delivering or manufacturing a controlled substance; and drug trafficking. In that matter, law enforcement seized, among other items, an AR-15 style rifle that Garbecki modified to allow it to fire automatically; a Taurus .40 caliber handgun; three shotguns; seven rifles; a homemade firearm silencer; and cocaine and drug trafficking paraphernalia.
The current federal case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ronald R. Gendron.
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Convicted Felon Pleads Guilty to Possessing Fentanyl, Firearms, and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
CONCORD – A Weare man pleaded guilty today in federal court to possessing firearms and ammunition as a prohibited person, and possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl in New Hampshire, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces.
Brian Elliott, age 32, pleaded guilty to one count of possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl, and two counts of being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition. U.S. District Court Judge Landya McCafferty scheduled sentencing for September 21, 2023. The defendant was indicted on March 21, 2022.
Elliott fled on foot following a vehicle stop by an officer of the Goffstown Police Department on May 22, 2021. During flight, Elliott dropped a backpack containing approximately 138 grams of fentanyl and various types of ammunition. A loaded firearm was also recovered from the scene the next day. On May 24, 2021, Elliott was apprehended at a Holiday Inn in Manchester, where negotiators succeeded in getting him out of his room. A subsequent search of his hotel room yielded additional fentanyl, as well as another firearm and ammunition. Elliott is a convicted felon and is legally prohibited from possessing firearms.
The charging statute for the drug offense provides a sentence of at least five years and no greater than 40 years in prison, a term of supervised release of at least four years, and a maximum fine of $5,000,000. The charging statute for the felon in possession of firearms and ammunition offenses provides a sentence of no greater than 10 years in prison, a maximum term of supervised release of four years, and a maximum fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation led the investigation. Valuable assistance was provided by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Goffstown Police Department and Manchester Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Gingrande is prosecuting the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
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Columbia Man Pleads Guilty to Illegally Exporting Firearms to GhanaRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Eric Nana Kofi Ampong Coker, age 41, of Columbia, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to the illegal export of firearms.
The guilty plea was announced by Erek L. Barron, United States Attorney for the District of Maryland; Special Agent in Charge Toni M. Crosby of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (“ATF”) Baltimore Field Division; Special Agent in Charge James C. Harris of Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”) Baltimore; and Stephen Maloney, Director of Field Operations for the Baltimore Field Office of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (“CBP”).
According to his guilty plea, since 2017 Ampong Coker has purchased at least 81 firearms from three separate Maryland Federal Firearms Licensees (“FFLs”) and in 2019 received Regulated Firearms Collector status through the Maryland State Police, which waived the restriction on the number of firearms he could purchase during a 30-day period.
As detailed in the plea agreement, investigators also determined that prior to 2021 Ampong Coker had shipped passenger vehicles to Ghana. In May 2021, federal agents surveilled Ampong Coker as he retrieved firearms purchased from one of the FFLs and was then observed in a variety of locations, including a business that packaged and shipped items from the Port of Baltimore. A shipping vehicle was subsequently seen departing that location on May 27, 2021. On May 29, 2021, Ampong Coker was searched as he was departing the United States from Detroit, Michigan, bound for Ghana. Among other items seized in his luggage were foam cutouts used for packaging and securing firearms in gun cases.
In early June 2021, HSI and CBP agents identified a shipping container scheduled to depart the Port of Baltimore for Tema, Ghana, on June 14, 2021. Included in the listed contents of the container was a 2018 Toyota Corolla registered to Ampong Coker. The list of contents of the container did not include any firearms. On June 8, 2021, HSI, ATF, CBP and other agents searched the contents of the shipping container. Within the trunk of the 2018 Toyota Corolla, which had the Defendant’s name on cardboard on top of the vehicle, the agents found a grey suitcase. Secreted in the lining of the suitcase, the agents found five 9mm handguns previously purchased by Ampong Coker.
Law enforcement authorities identified another shipping container bound for Ghana containing other vehicles associated with Ampong Coker. The vessel on which this container was loaded sailed from the Port of Baltimore in May 2021, was intercepted at sea on June 14, 2021, and returned to Baltimore on August 20, 2021, without having been off-loaded in Ghana or any other port enroute. On August 25, 2021, this container was searched, revealing six 9mm handguns and 16 9mm pistol magazines found in the vehicles associated with Ampong Coker.
Ampong Coker admitted that all of the firearms and magazines were identified on the U.S. Department of Commerce Control List, and he had not obtained the required license or written approval to export the weapons to Ghana.
Ampong Coker faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for illegally exporting firearms. U.S. District Judge Stephanie A. Gallagher has scheduled sentencing for September 6, 2023, at 2:00 p.m.
U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the ATF, HSI, and CBP for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron also thanked Assistant United States Attorney P. Michael Cunningham, who is 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 and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Colombian Man Extradited to the United States for Role in Extensive Money Laundering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Colombian man has been extradited to the United States from the Republic of Colombia to face charges related to his alleged role in a sophisticated money laundering organization that laundered approximately $1 million in proceeds from drug trafficking through United States banks.
Luis Fernando Galindo Ramos, 55, was arrested in Cali, Colombia on Nov. 9, 2021 and extradited to the United States today. Galindo was detained after appearing in federal court in Boston earlier today. On Aug. 19, 2021, Galindo was indicted by a federal grand jury on money laundering conspiracy, laundering of monetary instruments and engaging in monetary transactions in criminally derived property.
According to the charging documents, in or about August 2016, an investigation began into a sophisticated money laundering organization located primarily in Cali, Colombia. During an extensive five-year investigation, the organization allegedly laundered approximately $1 million in drug proceeds through intermediary banks in the United States, including banks in Massachusetts, by use of the Colombian Black Market Peso Exchange (BMPE).
Galindo allegedly arranged the domestic transfer of substantial amounts of bulk cash within the United States. He maintained the security of those funds during the transfers through the exchange of passcodes. The funds were subsequently integrated into bank accounts located in the United States and held in the names of businesses and individuals in order to repay drug suppliers in Colombia. It is alleged that, by using the BMPE, Galindo conspired to conceal drug trafficking activity and proceeds from law enforcement. Approximately $550,000 in laundered bulk currency was seized during the investigation.
The charges of money laundering conspiracy and laundering of monetary instruments each provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $500,000, or twice the amount involved, whichever is greater. The crime of engaging in monetary transactions in criminally derived property 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, or twice the amount involved. 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 Levy; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; and Joleen D. Simpson, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation in Boston made the announcement today. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the Office of the Judicial Attaché at the U.S. Embassy in Bogota provided critical assistance in securing the arrest and extradition of Galindo. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jared C. Dolan and Alathea E. Porter of Levy’s Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Coal Company and Agent Sentenced for Submitting False Coal Dust SamplingRead the Press Release
PIKEVILLE, Ky. – Black Diamond Coal Company, LLC and Walter Perkins, a certified dust examiner, were sentenced on Thursday for violating the Mine Safety and Health Administration’s (MSHA) regulations requiring accurate respirable coal-dust-sampling in underground coal mines. Black Diamond was sentenced for submitting false samples and Perkins was further sentenced for lying to MSHA special investigators.
Respirable coal dust causes pneumoconiosis or “black lung” disease in coal workers. Black lung is a progressive and irreversible disease leading to lung failure and death. However, it is preventable, by reducing the levels of respirable coal dust miners are exposed to while in the mines.
According to court documents, on October 6 and 7, 2020, Black Diamond Coal submitted dust-sampling results to MSHA for its required quarterly sampling. Those results were abnormally low and led to inquiries from the MSHA Barbourville District Office. On October 8, 2020, MSHA inspectors and investigators visited the Black Diamond Number 1 mine in Floyd County. There, they found the company’s continuous personal dust monitor (CPDM) running on the surface, in a first aid trailer. The CPDM should be worn by a miner underground, as he worked his normal shift, to accurately sample the coal dust underground.
A forensic analysis of the CPDM confirmed that it had not moved in days, despite Black Diamond submitting dust samples claiming it was conducting its required sampling underground, in accordance with MSHA’s mandatory health and safety regulations.
Perkins was employed by Black Diamond and was certified by MSHA as a dust-examiner. As part of his certification, he was trained by MSHA on how to properly conduct the required dust-sampling. When confronted with the CPDM running in the first aid trailer, Perkins claimed that he had given the CPDM to miner operating the continuous mining machine, but the operator had returned it to him stating that the CPDM had stopped working because of a fault. That was false and Perkins later admitted that he never gave the CPDM to the miner operator and the device never experienced a fault.
“Enforcement of mandatory health standards is a top priority for me and this Administration,” said Assistant Secretary for Mine Safety and Health Chris Williamson. “The Mine Safety and Health Administration can only protect miners from the risk of developing black lung disease if it has accurate sampling results. Given the troubling spike in black lung cases in Appalachia, we must hold accountable those who choose not to comply with the law and put miners’ health and lives at risk.”
Black Diamond was sentenced to pay a fine of $200,000 and to two years of probation. Further, because there is no immediate way of knowing whether any miners may develop black lung because of dust overexposure, Black Diamond was ordered to pay restitution of $400 to any miner who is no longer employed in the mining industry – meaning they no longer have access to free black lung screenings – to obtain their own screenings. This restitution for miners exposed to unknown respirable dust levels, after a company falsified the dust-sampling, is the first of its kind.
Perkins, 45 of Harlan County, was sentenced to a 12-month split sentence, with 6 months to be served in prison and 6 months to be served in home detention, followed by one year of supervised release to follow.
“The purpose of these safety regulations is to prevent a progressive and irreversible disease,” said Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky. “If employers falsify the dust sampling, not only are they are violating the law they are dramatically reducing the safety of their employees. That is simply unacceptable, and compelled us to prosecute this case.”
“Mine operators bear the responsibility for the safety and health of the miners they employ, and when operators avoid their legal obligation, the U.S. Department of Labor will use its enforcement powers to hold them accountable,” said Solicitor of Labor Seema Nanda. “We thank the United States Attorney’s Office for partnering with us to enforce critical health regulations designed to prevent black lung.”
The investigation of the case was conducted by MSHA’s Barbourville District Office. Assistant United States Attorney Emily Greenfield and Special Assistant United States Attorney Jason Grover, from the Department of Labor, represented the United States.
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Clermont County woman sentenced to more than 4 years in prison for COVID-19 relief fraudRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – Kasey Hamer, 37, of Batavia, Ohio, was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 55 months in prison for pandemic relief fraud.
As part of her sentence, Hamer was ordered to pay more than $185,000 in restitution.
According to court documents, Hamer orchestrated a scheme to defraud several programs administered by the Small Business Administration designed to provide COVID-19 relief.
Hamer purported to assist family members and friends to apply for several CARES Act loans. Using the names, social security numbers and other identifiers of others, Hamer significantly overstated the gross revenues, monthly payroll, and/or number of employees for the businesses filed. Hamer then controlled disbursements of the loan funds that were issued to family and friends.
For example, in June 2020, Hamer falsely claimed that a relative ran an event planning business that generated gross revenues of nearly $105,000 and employed 15 people. Hamer knew this information was false.
Hamer also filed numerous fraudulent loan applications in her own name. For example, in one application, Hamer falsely claimed to make over $8,000 per month as a marketer.
In total, Hamer and her associates requested more than $1 million in relief loans and received more than $150,000 in SBA program funds. Hamer used the funds she received for purchases at restaurants and retail stores, online gambling and gambling.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, announced the sentence imposed June 7 by U.S. District Court Judge Douglas R. Cole. The case was investigated by the U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration and the Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General. Assistant United States Attorney Ebunoluwa A. Taiwo represented the United States in this case.
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Chief Compliance Officer Convicted of $50M Medicare Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
A federal jury convicted a Florida man today for conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Steven King, 45, of Miramar, was the chief compliance officer of a pharmacy holding company that fraudulently billed Medicare over $50 million for dispensing lidocaine and diabetic testing supplies that Medicare beneficiaries did not need or want. King and his co-conspirators operated A1C Holdings LLC, which held pharmacies in various states, including All American Medical Pharmacy in Warren, Michigan. When A1C secured prescriptions and refills on behalf of its pharmacies for medically unnecessary lidocaine and diabetic testing supplies, it violated Medicare and pharmacy benefit manager rules.
King and his co-conspirators took several steps to conceal their scheme, including enrolling their mail order pharmacies as brick-and-mortar retail locations to evade more rigorous oversight, shipping prescription refills for high-reimbursing medications and supplies without patient consent, concealing the ownership of A1C Holdings LLC and its pharmacies, and transferring patients among pharmacies without patient consent. King and his co-conspirators took each of these steps to ensure that Medicare continued to be billed for profitable medications and supplies. As chief compliance officer, King was in a unique position to prevent and report the fraudulent scheme, but he used his position to defraud Medicare instead.
The jury convicted King of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud. His sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 14 and he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine King’s sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Special Agent in Charge James A. Tarasca of the FBI Detroit Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge Mario Pinto of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) made the announcement.
The FBI Detroit Field Office and HHS-OIG investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Shankar Ramamurthy and Acting Assistant Chief Andrew Barras of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, comprised of 15 strike forces operating in 25 federal districts, has charged more than 5,000 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $24 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
Central Texas Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Possession of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
WACO, Texas – A Gatesville man was sentenced in a federal court in Waco on Wednesday to 240 months in prison for possession of visual depictions of sexual activities by minors.
According to court documents, Christopher Dallas Nelson, 43, possessed and uploaded images of prepubescent minors under the age of 12 engaging in sexually explicit conduct to various social media platforms.
“The defendant in this case was dealt a significant and warranted prison sentence for his heinous actions,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas. “Let this serve as a reminder and a warning to others that our society will not tolerate such vile abuse of vulnerable, innocent children. Sexual predators like Nelson will face the full force of the law and the consequences will be severe.”
"The FBI is committed to protecting children from abuse and exploitation,” said Special Agent in Charge Oliver E. Rich Jr. for the FBI San Antonio Division “Thanks to the hard work of the Southern Texas Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and the assistance our law enforcement partners, this individual is now off the streets."
The FBI and Temple Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory Gloff prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and 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.
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Buffalo Man Sentenced for Assaulting an FBI AgentRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Tyler Collins, 27, of Buffalo, NY, who was convicted of assaulting a federal officer and causing a bodily injury, was sentenced to time served (approximately nine months) and three years’ supervised release by Senior U.S. District Judge William M. Skretny.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Franz M. Wright and Douglas A. C. Penrose, who handled the case, stated that on July 12, 2022, at approximately 4:00 p.m., Collins attempted to enter the FBI-Buffalo Division main office but was denied entry by the security guards inside of the front door. At the time, three federal agents were walking back to the main office and encountered Collins, who they observed was yelling into the intercom system. Collins was heard yelling expletives while physically banging on the FBI building’s door demanding entry. One of the federal agents attempted to calm Collins, at which time Collins punched the federal agent, physically assaulting him. One of the other federal agents discharged pepper spray, in an attempt to subdue Collins, who then fled on Elmwood Avenue. Collins was later taken into custody that evening after he was found walking on Delaware Avenue.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia, and the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia.
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Bloods Gang Leader Sentenced to 37 Years in Prison for Murder-for-Hire Committed at McDonald's Drive-ThruRead the Press Release
Earlier today, at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn, United States District Judge Hector Gonzalez sentenced Bushawn Shelton to 37 years’ imprisonment for his leadership role in the October 4, 2018 killing of 71-year-old Sylvester Zottola and the July 11, 2018 attempted murder of Salvatore Zottola. The defendant pleaded guilty to murder-for-hire and murder-for-hire conspiracy on August 22, 2022.
Co-defendants Anthony Zottola and Himen Ross were sentenced to life imprisonment following their convictions at trial. Co-defendants Herman Blanco, Arthur Codner, Jason Cummings, and Branden Peterson previously pleaded guilty and were sentenced to lengthy terms of imprisonment that ranged from 16 to 22 years.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and Michael J. Driscoll, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the sentence.
“For more than a year, the defendant led the charge in stalking, beating, stabbing, and eventually shooting an elderly man purely for money,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “The lengthy sentence meted out brings an end to the brutality of this violent group. The community is safer as a result.”
As proven at the trial of Shelton’s co-conspirators, Anthony Zottola, Sr., hired Bushawn Shelton to kill Zottola’s father, Sylvester, and his brother, Salvatore. Shelton recruited numerous others to commit the murders, and together they engaged in a year-long conspiracy to carry out a series of violent attacks against Sylvester and Salvatore Zottola. Among other attempts, on November 26, 2017, Sylvester Zottola was menaced at gunpoint by a masked individual. On December 27, 2017, three men invaded Sylvester Zottola’s residence, struck him on the head with a gun, stabbed him multiple times, and slashed his throat. Zottola survived the attack. On July 11, 2018, a gunman shot Salvatore Zottola in the head, chest, and hand in front of his residence. Zottola survived the shooting.
Shelton arranged for the placement of a tracking device on Sylvester Zottola’s car, allowing co-defendant Himen Ross, a fellow Bloods gang member, to track Sylvester Zottola to a McDonald’s restaurant on Webster Avenue. There, while Zottola waited at the drive-through to pick up a cup of coffee, Ross fatally shot him multiple times. Ross and Shelton exchanged texts immediately after the hit, and then Shelton and Anthony Zottola exchanged texts, in which Anthony was informed that his father had just been murdered. Shelton texted Anthony Zottola: “Can we party today or tomorrow?” Anthony Zottola assured Shelton that he would have Shelton’s payment for carrying out the murder ready soon: “I have the cases of water in a day or so.” A photograph later recovered from one of Shelton’s cellular telephones depicts a cardboard box of bottled water, as well as over $200,000 in banded currency.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Organized Crime and Gangs Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Kayla C. Bensing, Emily J. Dean, Devon Lash, and Andrew M. Roddin are in charge of the prosecution, with the assistance of paralegal specialist Brittany Wissel. Assistant United States Attorney Brian Morris assisted with forfeiture matters.
The Defendant:
BUSHAWN SHELTON (also known as “Shellz”)
Age: 39
Brooklyn, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 18-CR-609 (S-3) (HG)
Bastrop Man Sentenced in Human Trafficking CaseRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. - United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced that Deray Montrez Richard, 38 of Bastrop, Louisiana, has been sentenced by United States District Judge S. Maurice Hicks, Jr. to 228 months (19 years) in prison in connection with a human trafficking case. Richard was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $9,000.
“This is another case of a defendant taking advantage of vulnerable individuals in our society for selfish reasons,” said U.S. Attorney Brandon B. Brown. “We know that there are many other instances of human trafficking and forced labor across our district and we are committed to funneling resources toward combating such heinous activity.”
According to evidence presented to the court, Richard met a 20-year-old female (Victim 1) on Facebook in the fall of 2020 and he convinced her to travel with him. In December 2020, Richard and another female (Victim 2) drove to Kentucky to pick up Victim 1 in order to prostitute for Richard. Once they picked her up, Richard and the two females drove to Mesquite, Texas where they got two hotel rooms. While in Mesquite, at Richard’s direction, Victim 1 saw several johns and performed sexual acts in exchange for money. Richard kept the money and in fact physically assaulted and forced Victim 1 to engage in prostitution. Richard left Mesquite with the two female victims, arrived in Bossier City, Louisiana on December 12, 2020, and rented two rooms at a local hotel. While in Bossier City, Richard directed Victim 1 to post escort ads on the internet advertising sexual services. He later got into an argument with Victim 1 that escalated to him beating her.
On December 13, 2020, Richard and the two female victims moved to another hotel in Bossier City and rented two rooms. While there, both female victims saw several johns and performed sexual acts at Richard’s direction. Later that day, Richard began to physically assault both female victims at the hotel. Victim 1 was able to flee the room and report the fight to the hotel clerk, then ran to a nearby convenience store for assistance. Officers with the Bossier City Police Department arrived, and Richard was arrested. After further investigation by agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Richard was indicted by a federal grand jury on human trafficking charges. Richard pleaded guilty to a charge of sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion in February 2023.
The case was investigated by the FBI and Bossier City Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Earl M. Campbell.
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Atlantic County Man Sentenced to 18 Months in Prison for Health Care Fraud Conspiracy Targeting State Health Benefits ProgramsRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A retail director for a local candy company was sentenced today to 18 months in prison for defrauding New Jersey state health benefits programs out of over $2 million by submitting fraudulent claims for medically unnecessary prescriptions, Attorney for the United States Vikas Khanna announced.
Nicholas Tedesco, 49, of Linwood, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Robert B. Kugler to an information charging him with conspiracy to commit health care fraud. Judge Kugler imposed the sentence today in Camden federal court.
Nicholas Tedesco’s brother and a leader in the conspiracy, Matthew Tedesco, pleaded guilty to his role in the scheme on Aug. 17, 2017 and is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 26, 2023. Nicholas Tedesco’s co-defendant, Christopher Broccoli, pleaded guilty to his role in the scheme on July 28, 2022, and is scheduled to be sentenced on July 26, 2023. Two doctors involved in the scheme, John Gaffney and Brian Sokalsky, also pleaded guilty for their roles in the conspiracy and are scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 16, 2023, and Aug. 22, 2023, respectively.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From January 2015 through April 2016, Nicholas Tedesco and others, working under conspiracy leader Matthew Tedesco, recruited individuals in New Jersey to obtain very expensive and medically unnecessary compounded medications from an out-of-state pharmacy, Central Rexall Drugs Inc. in Louisiana. The conspirators knew that certain compound medication prescriptions – including pain, scar, antifungal, and libido creams, as well as vitamin combinations – were reimbursed for thousands of dollars for a one-month supply. The conspirators also knew that some New Jersey state and local government and education employees, including teachers, firefighters, municipal police officers, and state troopers, had insurance coverage for these particular medications.
Nicholas Tedesco recruited and paid several individuals to receive the medically unnecessary medications and to recruit others to receive them, including co-defendant Christopher Broccoli. The medically unnecessary prescriptions for individuals recruited by Nicholas Tedesco were authorized by Gaffney and Sokalsky.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Kugler sentenced Nicholas Tedesco to three years of supervised release. As part of the plea agreement, Nicholas Tedesco must forfeit $782,767 in criminal proceeds and pay restitution of $2.04 million.
Attorney for the United States Khanna credited special agents of the FBI’s Atlantic City Resident Agency, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark; special agents of IRS – Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Tammy Tomlins in Newark; and special agents of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Mellone in New York, with the investigation leading to the sentencing.
The government is represented by Senior Trial Counsel Christina O. Hud of the Health Care Fraud Unit and Deputy Criminal Chief R. David Walk Jr. of the Criminal Division.
Armed Harnett County Drug Trafficker Sentenced to More Than 17 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
NEW BERN, N.C. – A Dunn man was sentenced today to 212 months in prison for multiple charges, including drug trafficking and firearms offenses. Anthony Puente, 35, previously pled guilty to distribution of five grams or more of methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute a quantity of a mixture or substance containing methamphetamine and a quantity of cocaine, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents and other information presented in court, agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Harnett County Sherriff’s Office oversaw multiple controlled purchases from Puente. In addition, an agent with the Dunn Police Department who was patrolling local hotels based on reports of increased narcotics activity in the area, observed Puente’s vehicle in two of the hotel parking lots. The officer approached Puente’s vehicle and, after detecting the odor of marijuana, asked Puente to exit the car. Puente consented to a weapons frisk, which uncovered 40 grams of crystal methamphetamine, five grams of cocaine and two grams of marijuana. After finding the drugs on Puente, the officer conducted a search of the car which yielded a 9mm pistol, six rounds of 9mm ammunition, 16 12-gauge shot gun shells, and additional amounts of marijuana and methamphetamine.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Harnett County Sheriff’s Office and the Dunn Police Department investigated the case and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Casey Peaden prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:20-CR-297-FL and 5:21-CR-189-FL.
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Ada Resident Sentenced for Witness Tampering and Federal Firearms ViolationsRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Timmie Lee Runnels, age 33, of Ada, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 20 years in prison for tampering with a witness in a federal case, and 10 years for being a felon in possession of ammunition, to run concurrently.
The charges arose from investigations by the Ada Police Department, the Coal County Sheriff’s Office, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
On April 18, 2022, Timmie Lee Runnels pleaded guilty to one count of Tampering with a Witness and one count of Felon in Possession of Ammunition.
During the plea hearing, Runnels admitted that on January 5, 2021, he was involved in an altercation in Ada, Oklahoma, during which Runnels fired a gun at another vehicle. Officers searched Runnels’ vehicle and located 41 rounds of ammunition. Runnels was a convicted felon at the time of the incident. The defendant also admitted that from April 2021 to September 2021, while in jail awaiting trial, he made telephone calls with the intent to keep a witness from testifying in his case.
“The defendant knowingly interfered with a federal investigation by attempting to prevent his victim from testifying,” said FBI Oklahoma City Special Agent in Charge Edward J. Gray. “The FBI and our law enforcement partners will continue to hold offenders like Mr. Runnels accountable, while ensuring victims are heard and supported.”
“The defendant, a violent felon, used a firearm and was found in possession of ammunition, then attempted to avoid prosecution by intimidating a witness,” said United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson. “This type of behavior cannot—and will not—be tolerated. The twenty-year sentence imposed by the Court ensures that Runnels is off the streets and no longer a threat to the residents of the Eastern District.”
The Honorable Patrick R. Wyrick, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearings in Muskogee. Runnels will remain in custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant United States Attorney Zachary W. Parsons represented the United States.
21 Plead Guilty to Federal Charges in Maury & Lewis County Drug Distribution ConspiraciesRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE – 21 individuals charged with distributing substantial amounts of controlled substances in and around Maury County and Lewis County, Tennessee, have pleaded guilty to federal drug distribution charges, announced United States Attorney Henry C. Leventis.
An indictment returned in December 2021 charged the following 14 individuals with conspiracy to distribute cocaine, crack cocaine, and methamphetamine, between March 2018 and September 2019:
Julio Esparza, aka Beto, 46; Freddy Quinones, 49; and Jesus Silva, aka Barbas, 41, all of McAllen, Texas; Brandon Dailey, aka Willie Earl, 40; Henry Davis, aka Hank, 43; Vincent Conner, aka Roe, 38; Derrick Nixon, aka Chewy, 55; Shanika Odom, aka Butterball, 32; Terry Strayhorn, aka Goldie Mac, 42; and Samuel Abernathy, 45, all of Mount Pleasant, Tenn.; Brent Burns, aka Smiley, 39; and Tristen Tisby, aka Jolly, 31, both of Columbia, Tenn.; and Tory Hardison, 28; and Carson Lunn, 26, both of Pulaski, Tenn.
In another indictment, the following seven individuals were charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute controlled substances, including heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine, crack cocaine, and oxycodone, between October 2017 and November 2020:
Michael Sowell, aka Mac Black, 38; Frank Sparkman, aka Chucky, 42; Antonio Sowell, aka Premo, 38; Tanasha Vaughn, aka Nesha, 24, all of Hohenwald, Tenn.; Charles Lowe-Kelley, aka White Chaz, 31, of Columbia, Tenn.; and Darron Weakley, aka Snype Lucas, 37; and Antonio Laster, aka Lil Memphis, 33, both of Nashville, Tenn. Michael Sowell and Antonio Sowell were also charged with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug crime and being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm.
A third indictment charged Keadrick Duke, aka Kebe, 41, of Columbia, Tenn., with distribution of crack cocaine in November 2018.
Every defendant charged across these three indictments has now pleaded guilty, except for Brandon Dailey, who died while awaiting trial.
Many of these defendants face mandatory minimum prison terms of five, ten, or fifteen years, and up to life in prison when they are sentenced later this year.
This case is the result of a multi-agency investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Drug Enforcement Administration; the Columbia Police Department; the Hohenwald Police Department; the Spring Hill Police Department; and the Williamson County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert S. Levine and Nani Gilkerson are prosecuting these cases.
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Wednesday 7 June 2023
Wilson Man with Two Prior Felony Convictions Sentenced to 19 Years After Armed Robbery of Speedway Gas StationRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – Antwon Demarco Perry, of Wilson, was sentenced today to 228 months in prison for brandishing a firearm during a robbery. Perry, 37, pled guilty to the charge on March 16, 2023.
“Violent robberies like this often leave victims traumatized for years, even when no shots are fired,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “This store clerk was just doing her job when she was held at gunpoint and ordered to hand over the cash in the register. The Wilson Police Department is partnering with our office to get dangerous, repeat felons off the streets to make our communities safer.”
“We value our partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office,” said Wilson Police Chief Scott Biddle. “The arrest and prosecution of chronic, violent offenders like Mr. Perry are vital to making Wilson a safe place to live and raise a family. This partnership resulted in the conviction and sentencing that will keep Mr. Perry off the streets of Wilson for a long time.”
According to court documents and other information presented in court, on November 5, 2019, at around 10:30 p.m., officers with the Wilson Police Department responded to an armed robbery call at the Speedway gas station at 1602 Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway in Wilson. The store clerk told officers that a masked man wearing a gray-camouflage jacket and light blue gloves pointed a firearm at her and demanded money from the register. She handed over money from the register, and the robber fled on foot.
The State Crime Lab analyzed matching light blue gloves recovered during the course of the investigation for DNA, and the results came back as a match for Perry. When investigators approached Perry, he admitted to committing the robbery to repay a drug debt.
This is Perry’s third federal felony conviction. In 2004 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, he was convicted of numerous offenses, including armed carjacking and use of a firearm during that crime, and received a 60-month sentence. Then, in 2012, Perry was convicted in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina of possessing a firearm as a felon and received a 71-month sentence.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III. The Wilson Police Department investigated the case, which Assistant U.S. Attorney Jake D. Pugh prosecuted.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:22-cr-0052-D.
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Wilmington Man Sentenced to 90 Months for Drug Conspiracy Which Led to an Overdose DeathRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, Del. – U.S. Attorney David C. Weiss announced that Stefano Saienni, 31, of Wilmington, was sentenced on June 1, 2023, to 90 months in federal prison for distributing fentanyl. U.S. District Judge Richard G. Andrews pronounced sentence. The government successfully argued at sentencing that Saienni sold fentanyl-laced pills that ultimately led to the overdose death of William H. Ebert, IV. While the Department of Justice typically does not disclose the names of victims, Mr. Ebert’s family wish that he not be forgotten.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in May 2022, the New Castle County Police Department responded to a fatal overdose in Bear, Delaware. After locating and analyzing the victim’s cellular phones, law enforcement located messages between Saienni and the victim coordinating the sale of counterfeit oxycodone pills, which contained fentanyl. Within those messages, Saienni often described the counterfeit pills as “fire” knowing there was fentanyl inside.
U.S. Attorney Weiss commented on the sentencing, “Illicit drug overdoses continue to destroy families and ravage our communities. Investigating and prosecuting those who sell fentanyl and counterfeit pills is paramount to my office and our state, local, and federal law enforcement partners. We will seek justice against those who profit from illegally selling fentanyl. As importantly, if customers die from using their product, drug dealers will face the prospect of significant prison sentences.”
“The dangers of fake pills cannot be underestimated, as evidenced by Saienni’s sale of them that resulted in an overdose death,” said Thomas Hodnett, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Philadelphia Field Division. “Fake pills are more widely available, more accessible, and deadlier than ever before. Learn more about the dangers of fake pills at www.dea.gov/onepill.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin P. Pierce prosecuted the case. The case was investigated by the DEA and the New Castle County Police Department.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to helping those who suffer from substance abuse. If you need help, drug treatment information is available any time through the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s Treatment Referral Routing Service, found online at dpt2.samhsa.gov/treatment/ or by dialing 1.888.545.2600.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the District of Delaware or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:22-CR-00054.
Whiteside County Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Embezzling from Labor OrganizationRead the Press Release
ROCKFORD — A Whiteside County man has been sentenced to a federal prison term for embezzling from a labor organization.
BRENT TOPPERT, 43, of Morrison, Ill., was sentenced Tuesday by U.S. District Judge Iain D. Johnston to five months in federal prison, to be followed by six months of home detention. Toppert was also fined $5,000.
Toppert was the elected Financial Secretary-Treasurer of Local 238 of the Security, Police, and Fire Professionals of America, a labor organization that represents members who provide security at a nuclear plant in Cordova, Ill. Toppert pleaded guilty in federal court earlier this year and admitted that from 2013 to 2018 he made several unauthorized withdrawals from SPFPA’s bank account, totaling $55,140.98, which he converted to his personal use.
The sentence was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Thomas Murray, District Director, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Labor-Management Standards. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael D. Love and Vincenza Tomlinson.
“While the vast majority of union officials do their work diligently and without incident, unfortunately criminal violations do occur,” said District Director Murray. “When they do, it is the union and its members that are the victims. Brent Toppert embezzled over $55,000 from SPFPA Local 238 that should have been used for its members’ benefit. OLMS is committed to holding accountable anyone who unlawfully exploits their position for financial gain at the expense of their fellow union members.”
Utah Man Facing Federal Charges After Allegedly Distributing Fentanyl Resulting in DeathRead the Press Release
Salt Lake City, Utah – A federal grand jury in Salt Lake City returned an indictment today charging an alleged Utah drug dealer for distributing an illicit drug that resulted in the death of another person.
According to a criminal complaint, Shereldon Cly Yanito, a/k/a “Bobby,” 23, of Grand County, Utah, allegedly sold fentanyl to a victim who overdosed and was found dead by responding officers on April 15, 2022, in San Juan County. A post-mortem examination concluded that the victim died as a result of fentanyl intoxication. According to associates of the victim, Yanito sold counterfeit blue “M30” pills containing fentanyl to the victim. Financial research revealed that on April 14, 2022, the night before the victim’s deadly overdose, a $40 financial transaction occurred between the victim’s digital wallet account and Yanito’s digital wallet. In May 2023, Yanito allegedly admitted to an undercover agent via social media that he previously sold “blues” for $40 but had stopped. Following some additional messages regarding powder cocaine, Yanito agreed to meet the undercover agent but was arrested during a traffic stop and transported to Grand County Jail.
Yanito is charged with distribution of fentanyl resulting in death. Yanito is scheduled for an arraignment on his indictment Thursday June 8, 2022, at 10 a.m. before U.S. Magistrate Judge Paul Kohler in Room 2B 206 in the U.S District Courtroom located at the state courthouse in St. George, Utah.
U.S. Attorney, Trina A. Higgins, of the District of Utah made the announcement.
The case is being investigated jointly by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Grand County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Utah are prosecuting the case.
Union County Man Convicted of Tax Evasion and Failing to File Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Union County, New Jersey, man was convicted of tax evasion and failing to file personal income tax returns, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger and Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division announced today.
Jonathan D. Michael of Springfield, New Jersey was convicted of one count of tax evasion, from 2014 through 2018, and five counts of failing to file tax returns during the same period. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Michael worked as a mechanic by a port-operating company in New Jersey. From 2014 through 2018, Michael earned over $1.4 million from the port-operating company. In February 2014, he submitted a Form W-4, “Employee’s Withholding Allowance Certificate” to his employer in which he falsely claimed to be completely exempt from federal income tax withholding, which caused the employer to stop withholding federal income taxes from his wages. In November 2016, after the IRS sent Michael a notification that he was not entitled to claim exempt status, Michael wrote the company and claimed that his false W-4 was correct. Despite earning income each year over the threshold that would require him to file individual income tax returns, Michael failed to file such tax returns with the IRS for the years 2014 through 2018.
The maximum penalty for tax evasion is five years of in prison; the maximum penalty for failure to file as charged in Counts Two through Six is one year per count.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger and Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Goldberg credited special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Tammy Tomlins in Newark, with the investigation leading to the guilty verdict.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Feldman Nikic of the Cybercrime Unit in Newark and by Trial Attorney Michael C. Vasiliadis of the Tax Division in Washington, D.C.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Recovers Millions in PPP Fraud JudgmentsRead the Press Release
Oxford, Mississippi – U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner announced today that in addition to ongoing criminal investigations and prosecutions, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Mississippi is conducting a comprehensive civil investigation regarding potential fraud involving the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, also known as the CARES Act, that has resulted in over $20 million dollars in judgments to date. Specifically, the investigation is using the False Claims Act, 31 U.S.C. §§ 3729-3733 to target fraudulent loans obtained through the Paycheck Protection Program.
The Civil Division’s lawyers have obtained more than 150 False Claims Act judgments to date (more than any other district in the country) and obtained millions of dollars in those judgments. In addition to allowing the government to recover treble damages or triple the amount of the PPP loan, the False Claims Act also allows the United States to recover up to $27,018 in penalties for each PPP loan, bank processing fees, and a $402 court filing fee.
In addition to the civil judgments the office has obtained, investigations initiated by the Civil Division’s Affirmative Civil Enforcement Attorney, Harland Webster, have also uncovered fraud schemes that subsequently resulted in criminal prosecutions. One includes Chris Lick of Starkville, Mississippi, who was sentenced to 78 months for submitting a fraudulent PPP loan application and has a $12,000,000 civil judgment. Another example is Mississippi attorney and SBA employee LaKeith Faulkner, who was sentenced to 62 months and ordered to pay $10,600,000 in restitution for his role in a scheme to obtain fraudulent PPP loans.
In announcing the ongoing investigations, U.S. Attorney Joyner remarked, “We anticipate focusing on PPP fraud for several years to come and are proud to be recovering tax-payer money. We will not allow fraud schemes to remain unchecked in our district and we will use all civil and criminal remedies available to hold accountable those who committed fraud.”
Civil Chief John E. Gough, Jr. stated, “We are uncovering fraud throughout our district. This fraud scheme was rampant, and we would like the public’s help in recovering these ill-gotten funds. If you have a tip regarding potential fraud in our district, please contact us by sending an email to [email protected] .”
The investigations into PPP fraud by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Mississippi have been ongoing for approximately 12 months and have expanded to areas all across the District. Recent amendments to federal law have extended the statute of limitations for civil and criminal fraud enforcement actions involving PPP loans from six years to a period of up to ten years.
Two men sentenced for methamphetamine trafficking in West VirginiaRead the Press Release
ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA – Two men were sentenced today in separate cases for trafficking methamphetamine in Randolph and Hardy Counties.
William Thomas DeSantis, 32, of Akron, Ohio, will serve 10 years and 4 months in prison for transporting methamphetamine from Ohio to Randolph County, West Virginia. During a traffic stop, officers found nearly 600 grams of methamphetamine in magnetic storage boxes hidden throughout DeSantis’s vehicle. The investigation revealed that DeSantis was a supplier for several people in Elkins, West Virginia, transporting hundreds of grams of methamphetamine to be sold.
In a separate case, Scott Allen Greenwalt, 50, of Moorefield, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 8 years in prison for drug trafficking and firearms violations. Investigators used a confidential informant on several occasions to purchase methamphetamine from Greenwalt in Hardy County. Officers executed a search warrant and found nearly 50 grams of methamphetamine and a loaded 9mm pistol in Greenwalt’s house.
The Mountain Region Drug Task Force investigated the DeSantis case. The Ohio State Highway Patrol assisted.
The Potomac Highlands Drug Task Force and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the Greenwalt case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Warner prosecuted both cases on behalf of the government.
Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.
Two Pocatello Police Officers Honored in Justice Department’s Sixth Annual Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service in Community PolicingRead the Press Release
BOISE – Two Pocatello Police Department officers—Corporal Demetrius Amos and Patrolman First Class Mackenzie Handel—received the Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service in Community Policing at a ceremony presided over by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland on Monday in Washington, D.C. Corporal Amos and Patrolman Handel were two of only nineteen law enforcement officers and deputies from 15 jurisdictions across the country to receive this prestigious honor this year.
The Attorney General’s Award recognizes individual state, local, and Tribal sworn rank-and-file officers, deputies, and troopers for exceptional efforts in community policing. The awarded individuals have demonstrated active engagement with the community in one of three areas: criminal investigations, field operations, or innovations in community policing.
Pocatello Police Chief Roger Schei and Pocatello Mayor Brian Blad attended the ceremony along with representatives from the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Idaho.
“Every day, law enforcement officers across the country are asked to respond to some of the most difficult, most dangerous, and most traumatic moments that our communities face,” said Attorney General Garland. “Today’s awardees exemplify the very best of the noble profession of policing.”
In May 2022, Officers Demetrius Amos and Mackenzie Handel and their trainees (new hires on just their third day with the Pocatello Police Department) responded to a domestic disturbance in which a man was threatening a woman and a child with a gun. When the officers and trainees arrived, the subject turned his rifle on them. Officer Amos fired twice, and the subject fled to an alley, took cover, and lay in wait to ambush them when they followed. When they did, he fired multiple rounds—gravely injuring Amos and then injuring Officer Handel, who had placed himself in the line of fire to protect his trainees. Handel was able to direct additional responding officers to the subject, who surrendered, and to guide a new hire in providing emergency medical care for Amos and himself. The subject was transported to a local hospital by ambulance; Amos and Handel were evacuated in patrol vehicles. Officer Handel’s selflessness and quick thinking resulted in his own injury but likely saved the lives of officers around him, including Officer Amos. Amos’s encouraging messages to his department through his period of recovery unquestionably improved morale among colleagues who had been affected by the incident.
“Corporal Amos and Patrolman Handel are extremely well-deserving of this honor,” said U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit. “They responded with bravery and professionalism to protect the community from a cowardly act of violence. The officers that assisted them immediately after the shooting and, indeed, the entire Pocatello Police Department, also have our praise and gratitude. All of their actions during this traumatic event, and in its aftermath, represent the best of law enforcement and are a credit to Idaho.”
The Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service in Community Policing is made possible through the Department’s work with national law enforcement stakeholder groups, who play a vital role in the review process. The result is this annual awards program, which allows the Department to highlight a group of officers whose commitment to their communities is obvious through their exceptional efforts.
A list of award winners can be found here. Complete information on the Sixth Annual Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service in Community Policing can be found here.
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Two Green Bay Men Sentenced to Federal Prison for Trafficking Fentanyl Disguised as Percocet.Read the Press Release
Gregory J. Haanstad, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on May 24 and June 1, 2023, Senior U.S. District Judge William C. Griesbach sentenced Don A.K. James, Jr. (age: 24) and Frederick L. Brewer (age: 34) to 15 years and 12 years in federal prison, respectively, after a jury convicted the Green Bay men of Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl, Possessing Fentanyl With Intent to Distribute, and Distributing Fentanyl, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841 and 846.
The evidence presented at trial showed that in January and February 2022, Brewer sold fentanyl pills to an informant working with the Brown County Drug Task Force (“BCDTF”). The potentially lethal pills had been illicitly manufactured to resemble Percocet®, in the form of blue “M30” pills. After BCDTF investigators arrested Brewer, they learned that James—Brewer’s brother—had negotiated with an Arizona-based source to buy thousands of counterfeit Percocet® “M30” pills containing fentanyl. James flew to Arizona in early January 2022 to buy at least 15,000 pills. While there, he sent a video to a large-scale buyer in the Green Bay area. The video showed that James had at least 19,000 pills to distribute. James flew back to Wisconsin and boasted to the buyer that James now had 30,000 fentanyl pills and was ready to do business. Brewer conspired with and assisted James in the fentanyl-trafficking operation, including when James returned from Arizona with the “load” of pills. When James was arrested, he attempted to swallow a bag of 58 fentanyl pills. After a several-minute struggle, during which BCDTF investigators administered Narcan to protect James against a potential overdose, they caused James to spit out the still-intact bag. James feared that he had swallowed two pills and pleaded for additional medical help. Investigators quickly summoned an ambulance, which transported James to the hospital for medical clearance. James later posted bail and was released, only to be re-arrested in June 2022 when he was found in possession of over 750 fentanyl pills with the intent to distribute.
In sentencing both men, Judge Griesbach emphasized that trafficking fentanyl is equivalent to distributing “poison.” The judge cited recent data from the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”) that 6 in 10 counterfeit pills tested at DEA Crime Labs contain a potentially lethal dose of fentanyl. In 2021, the DEA determined that 40% of pills were potentially lethal, but by 2022, the fatal dosage increased to 60% of tested pills.
According to the DEA, fentanyl remains the deadliest drug threat facing this country. It is a highly addictive synthetic opioid that is 50 times more potent than heroin and 100 times more potent than morphine. Just two milligrams of fentanyl, the small amount that fits on the tip of a pencil, is considered a potentially deadly dose. According to the CDC, 107,622 Americans died of drug poisoning in 2021, with 66 percent of those deaths involving synthetic opioids like fentanyl.
This case was investigated by the Brown County Drug Task Force and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant United States Attorney Tim Funnell prosecuted the cases.
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Two Federal Bureau of Prisons Employees Charged with Violating the Civil Rights of an Inmate Resulting in His DeathRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury indicted a Bureau of Prisons (BOP) lieutenant and a BOP registered nurse yesterday with violating the civil rights of an inmate by showing deliberate indifference to the inmate’s serious medical needs, resulting in his death.
The indictment alleges that on Jan. 9, 2021, Lieutenant Shronda Covington, 47, of Chesterfield, Virginia, and Registered Nurse Tonya Farley, 52, of Chesterfield, Virginia, were on duty and working in their official capacities at the Federal Correctional Institution at Petersburg, Virginia. On that day, they allegedly each willfully failed to ensure that the inmate, a 47-year-old man identified as W.W., was provided with necessary medical care, resulting in W.W.’s death, even though each knew that W.W. had serious medical needs. Farley is also charged with writing a false report about the incident, and Covington and Farley are each charged with making false statements to federal agents about the incident.
The civil rights charges each carry a maximum penalty of life in prison, the false report charge carries a maximum penalty of twenty years in prison and each false statement charge carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison.
Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Aber for the Eastern District of Virginia and Special Agent in Charge Russell W. Cunningham of the Justice Department’s Office of Inspector General (DOJ OIG) Washington Field Office made the announcement.
DOJ OIG investigated the case.
Special Litigation Counsel Kathryn E. Gilbert and Trial Attorney Matthew Tannenbaum of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Garnett for the Eastern District of Virginia are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Two Federal Bureau of Prisons Employees Charged with Violating the Civil Rights of an Inmate Resulting in His DeathRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A federal grand jury indicted a Bureau of Prisons (BOP) lieutenant and a BOP registered nurse yesterday with violating the civil rights of an inmate by showing deliberate indifference to the inmate’s serious medical needs, resulting in his death.
The indictment alleges that on January 9, 2021, Lieutenant Shronda Covington, 47, of Chesterfield, and Registered Nurse Tonya Farley 52, of Chesterfield, were on duty and working in their official capacities at the Federal Correctional Institution at Petersburg, Virginia. On that day, they allegedly each willfully failed to ensure that the inmate, a 47-year-old man identified as W.W., was provided with necessary medical care, leading to W.W.’s death, even though each allegedly knew that W.W. had serious medical needs. Farley is also charged with writing a false report about the incident. Covington and Farley are each charged with making false statements to federal agents about the incident.
The civil rights charges each carry a maximum penalty of life in prison, the false report charge carries a maximum penalty of twenty years in prison and each false statement charge carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Kristen Clarke, Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division; and Russell W. Cunningham, Special Agent in Charge of the Justice Department’s Office of Inspector General (DOJ OIG) Washington Field Office, made the announcement.
DOJ OIG investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Garnett and Special Litigation Counsel Kathryn E. Gilbert and Trial Attorney Matthew Tannenbaum of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:23-cr-68..
An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Two D.C. Businessmen Found Guilty of Bribing D.C. Tax Official to Erase Millions in Tax LiabilityRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON — Today, a federal jury found Anthony Merritt, 48, of Washington D.C., and Andre De Moya, 54, of Temple Hills, Maryland, guilty of bribery, conspiracy, and wire-fraud offenses arising from their scheme to bribe former D.C. Tax Official Vincent Slater, so that Slater would erase millions of dollars of their District tax liabilities. U.S. District Court Judge Reggie B. Walton scheduled a sentencing hearing for De Moya on October 17, 2023; and for Merritt on October 23, 2023.
According to the evidence at trial, De Moya paid Slater, a former employee of the D.C. Office of Tax and Revenue (OTR), to fraudulently eliminate tax liabilities of businesses owned by De Moya and others, including Arman Amirshahi and Charles Zhou. Anthony Merritt served as a middleman, whom De Moya and Slater relied upon to communicate with Slater and who facilitated the bribe payments. Merritt also took a cut of the bribe payments. Amirshahi, Zhou, and Slater all previously pleaded guilty for their roles in this and related bribery schemes, and are awaiting sentencing.
The verdicts were announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Special Agent in Charge Wayne A. Jacobs, with the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and D.C. Inspector General Daniel W. Lucas.
The statutory maximum sentence for conspiracy is five years in prison; for bribery, is 15 years in prison; and for wire fraud, is 20 years in prison. A federal court judge will determine the appropriate sentence based on the guideline range and other factors.
In announcing the verdict, U.S. Attorney Graves commended the work of the agencies who investigated the case, including the FBI’s Washington Field Office and the District of Columbia Office of the Inspector General, with substantial assistance by the District of Columbia Office of the Chief Financial Officer, Office of Integrity and Oversight. He also expressed appreciation for the efforts of those who handled the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialists Michon Tart, Amanda Rhode, and Mariela Andrade, and former paralegal specialist Aisha Keys.
Finally, he acknowledged the work of Assistant United States Attorneys Christine Macey and Timothy Visser, who prosecuted the case at trial, and Assistant United States Attorneys Emily Miller and Molly Gaston, and former AUSA Amanda Vaughn, who investigated the case.
Statement from Director Rachel Rossi of the Office for Access to Justice on the Adoption of the Equal Access to Justice Resolution at the United Nations Crime CommissionRead the Press Release
The Office for Access to Justice today issued the following statement from Director Rachel Rossi following the adoption of the “Equal Access to Justice for All” resolution at the 32nd Session of United Nations Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (CCPCJ) in Vienna, Austria:
“The Office for Access to Justice is pleased to have played a role in the recent adoption by consensus of the first UN-CCPCJ resolution on access to justice. This resolution recognizes that when access to justice is limited or restricted in criminal justice systems, the rule of law is undermined. The resolution emphasizes the importance of United Nations Member States taking ‘all necessary steps to provide fair, transparent, effective, non-discriminatory and accountable services that promote access to justice for all;’ notes the importance of cross-sectoral and multi-stakeholder partnerships; promotes efforts that reduce inequities in justice systems; and requests that the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime hold a first-ever convening of experts on enhancing equal access to justice for all. The adoption of this resolution is a significant step forward, as it establishes goals that reflect the same work and mission our Office has undertaken here in the United States.”
Starkville Man Sentenced in Drug Trafficking CaseRead the Press Release
Greenville, MS – A Starkville man was sentenced today to 20 years in prison for conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and money laundering.
According to court documents, Terrance Chandler, 44, of Starkville, Mississippi, pled guilty in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi to one count of conspiracy to possess and distribute a controlled substance and one count of money laundering. Chandler was sentenced by Chief U.S. District Court Judge Debra M. Brown to 240 months in prison for both counts. He was further sentenced to three years of supervised release following his release from prison.
Court records show that Chandler was involved in a drug trafficking organization responsible for transporting large quantities of marijuana and methamphetamine from Texas and distributing them throughout the Northern District of Mississippi, the Southern District of Mississippi, and elsewhere. The investigation of this drug trafficking organization and its participants spanned over a year. Chandler was indicted along with fourteen other individuals.
“The U.S. Attorney’s office will continue to prioritize the prosecution of individuals who choose to illegally sell dangerous and unlawful drugs in our towns and communities,” said U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner. “We hope that today’s sentence will make other individuals think twice before they choose to seek quick profits from distributing illicit drugs.”
“Terrance Chandler’s sentence is a victory for law enforcement and the people of Mississippi. Chandler was a major player in a drug trafficking organization that was responsible for bringing dangerous drugs into our state,” said Acting Assistant Special Agent in Charge Anessa Daniels-McCaw. “His conviction and sentence should send a clear message to other drug traffickers that they will be held accountable for their crimes. We will continue to work tirelessly to keep our communities safe.”
The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics investigated the case as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program in partnership with state and local law enforcement. Multiple agencies assisted with the investigation including the U.S. Marshal’s Service, U.S. Postal Inspector’s Service, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Mississippi Highway Patrol, Starkville Police Department, Oktibbeha County Sheriff’s Department, Clay County Sheriff’s Department, Lowndes County Sheriff’s Department, Webster County Sheriff’s Department and the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kimberly M. Hampton and Sam Stringfellow prosecuted the case.
Spokane Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Spokane, WA – Earlier today, Senior United States District Judge Wm. Fremming Nielsen sentenced Jaiden Gyvan Petersen, age 24, of Spokane, Washington, to 240 months in federal prison today for two counts of Production of Child Pornography (240 months on each count to be served concurrently). At the conclusion of his prison term, Petersen will spend the rest of his life on federal supervision. Senior Judge Nielsen ordered restitution to the victims of Petersen’s offenses in the amount of $23,400. Petersen had entered a guilty plea to two counts of Production of Child Pornography on December 8, 2022.
This case stemmed from a CyberTip or a notice to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) reporting the online exploitation of children. The FBI received the CyberTip, which originated from Snapchat, indicating child pornography had traveled across Snapchat’s servers from Petersen’s Snapchat account.
Petersen was interviewed by law enforcement and admitted the Snapchat account in question was his. He further admitted he had been receiving and distributing child pornography for years.
Law enforcement obtained a federal search warrant and searched serval of Petersen’s electronic devices. All of these devices were reviewed forensically. During the review, the FBI found at total of over 1,000 child pornography images and 10 child pornography videos. Three images were of a local production victim — i.e., a victim of a separate defendant also prosecuted in the Eastern District of Washington — that were traded directly with Petersen. Other illicit images in Petersen’s possession included urination and child bondage.
During the investigation, the FBI also located child pornography images Petersen had produced himself. Specifically, Petersen produced child pornography with a six-year old child to whom he had access when Petersen was himself was 17-years old. Petersen later distributed these images after he became an adult. Because Petersen produced those images when he was 17 years old, the Spokane County Prosecuting Attorney is prosecuting the case pertaining to this first victim.
As an adult, Petersen produced additional child pornography of two other children. The children were 13 years and 14 years old respectively when the production occurred. The older child was a person Petersen knew personally, and the younger child was a person Petersen met on Xbox Live. Petersen asked both victims to produce very specific images of child pornography and to send these materials to him, often through Snapchat.
At today’s sentencing, Senior Judge Nielsen noted the seriousness of the misconduct and stated, “Your conduct will have an adverse effect psychologically on the lives of your victims.” Judge Nielsen also told Petersen that the victims he selected were young and vulnerable, “so not only were they victims, but their family members are victimized also as a result” of Petersen’s actions.
“This case unfortunately serves as a stark reminder of the need to educate children, even young teenagers, of the dangers that lurk online,” stated U.S. Attorney Waldref. “Our office prioritizes these offenses against our community’s youngest and most vulnerable and will continue to aggressively prosecute those who harm children.”
“For years now, Mr. Petersen has shown a willingness to exploit children.” said Richard A. Collodi, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Seattle field office. “Not only did he receive and distribute disturbing images, he produced pornographic images with child victims he knew personally. This case demonstrates the commitment of the FBI and our partners to protect children from people like Mr. Petersen, who seek to harm and exploit them.”
This case was pursued as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the United States 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. The Project Safe Childhood Initiative (“PSC”) has five major components:
- Integrated federal, state, and local efforts to investigate and prosecute child exploitation cases, and to identify and rescue children;
- Participation of PSC partners in coordinated national initiatives;
- Increased federal enforcement in child pornography and enticement cases;
- Training of federal, state, and local law enforcement agents; and
- Community awareness and educational programs.
For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
The federal case was investigated by the Spokane Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This case was prosecuted by Alison L. Gregoire, Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington. Hannah Sterns, Senior Deputy Prosecuting Attorney with the Spokane County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, will now take custody of Mr. Petersen to complete the prosecution pertaining to the youngest production victim.
2:20-CR-00146-WFN