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20 July 2023
Final Defendant Pleads Guilty in Violent Carjacking Conspiracy Targeting Uber and Lyft DriversRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Minneapolis man has pleaded guilty to his role in a violent carjacking ring that targeted Uber and Lyft drivers, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, between September and October 2021, Eric Harrell Knight, 20, along with others, engaged in a series of violent carjackings and armed robberies, targeting Uber and Lyft drivers. As part of the scheme, members of the conspiracy lured victim-drivers to particular locations under the guise of picking up or dropping off passengers. When the victim-drivers arrived, members of the conspiracy brandished firearms and demanded the cell phones and wallets of the victim-drivers. Members of the conspiracy forced the victim-drivers at gunpoint to unlock their cell phones and provide passcodes. The conspiracy members then transferred money, via Cash App or other applications, from the accounts of the victim-drivers to the accounts of members of the conspiracy. Members of the conspiracy then carjacked the victim-drivers at gunpoint. To intimidate and force compliance, members of the conspiracy struck, pistol whipped, and threatened to kill the victim-drivers.
Knight pleaded guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court before Judge Katherine M. Menendez to one count of conspiracy to use, carry, and brandish firearms during and in relation to crimes of violence. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later time.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI and the Minneapolis Police Department.
U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger and Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Calhoun-Lopez are prosecuting the case.
Fentanyl Trafficking Ring Operator Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Firearms Violations and Drug DistributionRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Minneapolis man has been sentenced to 144 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for fentanyl trafficking and illegal possession of a firearm, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
“Fentanyl is a uniquely dangerous drug, making it the leading cause of death for Americans between 18 and 45,” said U.S. Attorney Andrew Luger. “Fentanyl traffickers who carry firearms to protect their deadly trade can expect to face lengthy federal prison sentences.”
According to court documents, in 2021 and 2022, Jimmie Bivins Jr., 22, and his co-conspirators were part of a drug trafficking ring that obtained “M30” or “MBox” fentanyl pills from a source of supply outside of Minnesota and transported and distributed the pills across the Twin Cities region. Bivins regularly distributed the fentanyl pills in quantities ranging from 100 to 1,000 or more at a time. On one occasion, Bivins sold 2,030 pills to an undercover informant during a transaction that occurred in Bivins’ Uptown apartment.
According to court documents, during the course of the investigation, law enforcement conducted a seizure operation in March 2022 and obtained approximately 57,000 M30 fentanyl pills, more than $83,000 in U.S. currency, and multiple firearms from Bivins, including a Seekings Precision Model SP223 semi-automatic rifle from Bivins’s vehicle. He was arrested, charged in Hennepin County Court, and obtained release on bail.
Afterward, in July 2022, law enforcement encountered Bivins during a traffic stop and ultimately recovered a Glock model 45 9mm semiautomatic pistol from under Bivins’ driver’s seat. The firearm was loaded with an extended magazine which contained 28 rounds of ammunition. The Grand Jury indicted Bivins in July 2022.
Because Bivins has prior felony convictions, he is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time.
On December 19, 2022, Bivins pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and one count of possession of a firearm as a felon. He was sentenced on July 18, 2023, before Senior Judge Michael J. Davis.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office, the Southwest Hennepin Drug Task Force, the Dakota County Drug Task Force, the Fridley Police Department, and the St. Paul Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Allen A. Slaughter Jr. prosecuted the case.
Federal Search Warrants ExecutedRead the Press Release
DES MOINES, Iowa -- On Thursday, July 20, 2023, federal search warrants were executed at the following locations in the Des Moines metropolitan area:
• 900 block of Creston Avenue, Des Moines,
• 1200 block of 23rd Street, Des Moines,
• 200 block of East Caulder Circle, Des Moines,
• 400 block of East Thornton Avenue, Des Moines,
• 2500 block of East Sheridan Avenue, Des Moines,
• 1500 block of South 50th Street, West Des Moines,
• 9000 block of Burkwood Drive, West Des Moines, and
• 15000 block of Boston Parkway, Clive.
The searches at these locations were an official law enforcement action involving officers, agents, and investigators from Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Des Moines Police Department, United States Postal Inspection Service, Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement (DNE), Iowa State Patrol, Iowa Division of Intelligence and Fusion Center, Iowa State Patrol SWAT, United States Marshals Service, Clive Police Department, West Des Moines Police Department, Ames Police Department, Altoona Police Department, Mid-Iowa Narcotics Task Force, Polk County Sheriff’s Office, Suburban Emergency Response Team (SERT), and Metro Special Tactics and Response (STAR).Federal Jury Convicts Pensacola Armed Fentanyl TraffickerRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Marcus D. Flintroy, 32, of Pensacola, Florida, was found guilty by a federal jury Wednesday afternoon on two counts of distribution of fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The guilty verdict was announced by Jason R. Coody, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
Between December 8, 2022, and January 5, 2023, Flintroy distributed and possessed with intent to distribute approximately 200 grams of fentanyl in Pensacola. As revealed at trial, this was an extremely large amount of a lethal controlled substance. The evidence against Flintroy culminated with a traffic stop conducted by law enforcement, which Flintroy tried to evade by ramming his vehicle into multiple undercover law enforcement vehicles. Flintroy then ran on foot when his vehicle became disabled, but he was caught by law enforcement officers. In his vehicle, law enforcement located approximately 100 grams of fentanyl, numerous items of drug paraphernalia, a loaded assault rifle, a loaded pistol, and over 180 rounds of ammunition.
Flintroy has prior state felony convictions for offenses ranging from fleeing and eluding law enforcement, aggravated assault with a firearm, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, grand theft auto, and sell, manufacture, deliver, or possess with intent to sell, manufacture, or deliver a controlled substance. Flintroy had just been released from state prison in late 2021 before engaging in the new federal offenses.
Sentencing in the case is set for October 19, 2023, at 9:00 a.m., at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola before United States District Judge M. Casey Rodgers. Based on his prior criminal history, Flintroy faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 10 years in federal prison with a maximum of up to life imprisonment.
This case resulted from a joint investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, the Florida Highway Patrol, the Pensacola Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives. Assistant United States Attorneys David L. Goldberg and Jessica S. Etherton prosecuted 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 intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access available public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Federal Grand Jury Indicts 27 Individuals for Roles in a Fraudulent Scheme to Obtain COVID-19 Relief FundsRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – W. Stephen Muldrow, U.S. Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico, announced the indictment of 27 individuals for their participation in a scheme to illegally obtain federal recovery funds under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The Grand Jury charged the defendants with multiple counts of wire fraud and money laundering. The charging documents allege that from April 2020 through July 2023, the defendants and their co-conspirators caused the submission of at least 23 Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) and Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan applications seeking the illegal disbursement of at least $458,923 in federal recovery funds from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and Bank 1.
“This is the third round of defendants charged since April 2023 relating to this fraud scheme, and the investigation remains ongoing,” said U.S. Attorney Muldrow. “The EIDL and PPP loans were supposed to benefit those whose legitimate businesses were suffering from losses due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Prosecution of those who illegally obtain government benefits will continue to be a priority for our office.”
The United States Secret Service, the Small Business Administration Office of the Inspector General, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, and the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations conducted the investigation with the collaboration of the Puerto Rico Treasury Department, the Puerto Rico Bureau of Special Investigations, the Puerto Rico Police Bureau, and the Guaynabo Municipal Police.
According to court documents, defendant Brian Oniel Blassini, together with Manfred A. Pentzke Lemus, a.k.a. “Man/Contable/El Gestor”, Rodolpho R. Pagesy Roussel, a.k.a. “El Banquero”, Augusto A. Lemus Berrios, a.k.a. “Primo”, Jonatan Ben David Prieto Ruiz De Val, a.k.a. “Johnny Millones”, Ligia María Lemus De Pentzke, and others knowingly devised a scheme to defraud the SBA and Bank 1 to obtain federal money and property by means of materially false and fraudulent pretenses, representations, and promises submitted through applications for EIDL and PPP loans made available to help small businesses recover from the impact of the pandemic through the CARES Act. Pentzke Lemus, Pagesy Roussel, Lemus Berrios, Prieto Ruiz De Val, and Lemus De Pentzke were previously charged in April in a separate indictment.
The defendants are:
[1] Brian Oniel Blassini
[2] Denise Marie Torres Polonio
[3] Rosario Polonio Báez
[4] Isaac Adorno Polonio
[5] Luis Manuel González Blassini
[6] Carlos J. Negrón Flores
[7] Christopher Molina Chévere
[8] Edgar R. Rodríguez Torres
[9] Giovanni Hernández Collazo
[10] Ismael Ramírez Zayas
[11] Jancarlo Morales
[12] Julio Vera De Jesús
[13] Kiara Lee Sierra Bermúdez
[14] Luis Miguel Burgos Dávila
[15] Maximino Vera Rivera
[16] Michael Jovany Pagán Ruiz
[17] Nelson Yadiel Rodríguez Vega
[18] Roberto Argenis Fragoso Negrón
[19] Saúl L. Maldonado Acosta
[20] Homar Javier Horta Torres
[21] Carlos E. Nevárez Correa
[22] Elías Díaz Delgado
[23] Michelle Crespo Blanco
[24] Norberto Torres Colón
[25] Stephanie D. Ruiz Martínez
[26] Victor L. González Barbosa
[27] Yanhzee Puig Maisonet
The CARES Act authorized federal assistance through the issuance of SBA loans to small businesses and non-profit entities that experienced revenue loss due to the COVID-19 worldwide pandemic. The EIDL program was one such loan assistance program for small businesses. To procure the loan, applicants had to fill out an online application detailing operational information for the 12‑month period prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, such as the number of employees in the business, the gross business revenues realized, and the cost of goods sold. Another form of assistance provided by the CARES Act was the authorization of United States taxpayer funds in forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses, such as interest on mortgages, rent and utilities, through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).
The indictment alleges that the defendants and their co-conspirators submitted at least 23 fraudulent EIDL and PPP loan applications containing materially false and fraudulent information and false documents, including false and fictitious tax documents, payroll records, bank records, and identification documents, to procure the disbursement of EIDL and PPP assistance loans by Bank 1. The indictment further alleges that the defendants and their co-conspirators directed the recipients of the fraudulently obtained PPP and EIDL loans to remit a portion of the proceeds of the loans to the defendants and their co-conspirators and used the loan proceeds to benefit themselves and others, and to pay for expenses prohibited under the requirements of the EIDL and PPP programs.
The court documents claim that defendant Manfred A. Pentzke Lemus was the principal organizer of the fraudulent scheme and the efforts to launder the proceeds; defendant Rodolpho R. Pagesy Roussel worked at Bank 1 in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and used his position to obtain the approval of fraudulent PPP applications; defendant Augusto A. Lemus Berríos assisted in the preparation of fraudulent PPP applications; defendant Jonatan Ben David Prieto Ruiz De Val acted as a money courier and coordinated the delivery of “kickback” payments to further the fraudulent scheme; defendant Ligia María Lemus De Pentzke received “kickback” payments from proceeds of the fraudulent scheme and forwarded them to her co‑conspirators; and defendant Carlos Manfredo Pentzke Chamorro received fraudulent PPP and EIDL loans in furtherance of the conspiracy.
Defendants Brian Oniel Blassini and Homar Javier Horta Torres are facing one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, for knowingly conducting financial transactions involving the proceeds of wire fraud, together with other individuals previously indicted. The defendants, including Brian Oniel Blassini, are also alleged to have recruited other unindicted co-conspirators to not only obtain additional EIDL and PPP loans under false pretenses, but recruit others to submit fraudulent applications.
If convicted, the defendants are facing up to 30 years in prison for the wire fraud counts. Brian Oniel Blassini and Homar Javier Horta Torres are also facing up to 20 years of imprisonment for the money laundering count.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Timothy R. Henwood and Daniel J. Olinghouse.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Federal Charges Brought Against Man Accused of Shooting at Hertford County Sheriff’s DeputyRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – The United States Attorney’s Office filed a Criminal Complaint against Talametrius Kenyon Spruill, 41, of Ahoskie. Spruill is alleged to be a felon in possession of ammunition after he allegedly fired four shots at a Hertford County Sheriff’s Deputy who responded to a suspicious person call at 3 a.m. on July 16, 2023, in Ahoskie. Spruill is alleged to have fired four rounds at the deputy who was not struck and returned fire. Spruill managed to escape on foot and was arrested on the night of July 17, 2023, on state charges and remains in custody. If convicted, Spruill faces up to 180 months in prison for the federal charges.
This complaint is part of a sustained effort by local, state, and federal law enforcement to make Eastern North Carolina safer by using inter-agency coordination and federal cooperation to address violent crime and local gun violence.
“We stand by and support the law enforcement officers who put their lives on the line to keep our communities safe,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “Brazen attacks on those who protect and serve will not be tolerated. We will continue to use every tool available to keep our communities safe by addressing gun violence.”
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement. The Hertford County Sheriff’s Office, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are investigating the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Phil Aubart is prosecuting the case.
A Criminal Complaint is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Essex County Man Charged with Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – An Essex County, New Jersey, man was arrested and charged with bank robbery, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Sufyan A. Abdullah, 54, of Newark, is charged by complaint with two counts of bank robbery. He appeared on July 20, 2023, before U.S. Magistrate Judge James B. Clark III in Newark federal court and was detained.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On July 8, 2023, Abdullah entered a bank in Elizabeth, New Jersey, and handed a note to a teller claiming to have multiple firearms and threatening a “mass shooting.” Abdullah fled the bank without obtaining any money. On July 15, 2023, Abdullah entered a bank in Springfield, New Jersey, and placed an object – which he claimed to be an explosive device – on the counter in front of a teller, demanding money and threatening to blow up the bank. The teller gave Abdullah cash, and Abdullah said he would blow up the bank if anyone followed him or he heard sirens. Law enforcement subsequently determined that the purported explosive device was an imitation explosive device.
The counts of bank robbery each carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and a fine of $250,000.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark, with the investigation leading to the charges. He also thanked the Springfield Police Department, under the direction of Chief of Police John Cook, and the Elizabeth Police Department, under the direction of Police Chief Giacommo Sacca, for their assistance in the investigation.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Fell of the Narcotics/OCDETF Crimes Unit in Newark.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
abdullah.complaint.pdfEl Prado Man Pleads Guilty to Charges in Wire Fraud and Money Laundering SchemeRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, the Department of the Interior (DOI) Office of Inspector General, and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Office of Inspector General announced today that Jeffrey Ham pled guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Ham, 46, of El Prado, NM, will remain on conditions of release pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled.
According to the plea agreement and court documents, Ham owned Timberline Environmental, LLC, an environmental restoration company. . Ham’s co-defendant James Matison, 57, of Boulder, CO, worked as a Program Director at WildEarth Guardians, a not-for-profit organization whose goal is to protect and restore wildlife, natural resources, and ecosystems of the American west. WildEarth Guardians relies on funding primarily through grants that it receives either directly from federal agencies, such as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Interior (DOI), or indirectly via the State of New Mexico or other not-for-profit organizations. Between February 2015 and April 2019, Ham conspired with Matison to inflate hours billed to WildEarth Guardians by Timberline Environmental, LLC and to pass the excess funds to Matison. All told, Matison and Ham diverted more than $240,000 from WildEarth Guardians.
At sentencing, Ham faces up to 20 years in prison.
The Environmental Protection Agency Office of Inspector General and the Department of the Interior Office of Inspector General investigated this case which is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy Peña.
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El Departamento de Justicia llega a un acuerdo con una compañía de contratación para resolver una acusación de discriminación en el empleo relacionada con la inmigraciónRead the Press Release
El Departamento de Justicia anunció hoy que ha llegado a un acuerdo conciliatorio con FM Talent Source LLC, una compañía de servicios de contratación radicada en Maryland. El acuerdo resuelve la determinación del Departamento que FM Talent vulneró la ley de Inmigración y Nacionalidad (INA, por sus siglas en inglés) cuando la compañía rescindió una oferta de trabajo a un no ciudadano de los EE. UU. y aplazó su eventual contratación debido a sospechas infundadas con base en su estatus de ciudadanía.
«Los empleadores no pueden basar sus decisiones en lo que se refiere a la contratación únicamente en presunciones o estereotipos sobre el estatus de ciudadanía de un postulante», declaró Kristen Clarke, la Fiscal General Auxiliar de la División de Derechos Civiles del Departamento de Justicia. «La División de Derechos Civiles hará cumplir con firmeza el mandato no discriminatorio de la ley de Inmigración y Nacionalidad con el fin de garantizar que se trate de manera justa a todo postulante de trabajo».
La investigación del Departamento comenzó cuando un residente permanente legal se quejó que FM Talent rescindió su oferta de trabajo para un puesto como contratista con el gobierno federal por motivos de su estatus de ciudadanía. El Departamento halló que FM Talent rescindió la oferta del postulante debido a sospechas infundadas de la compañía que el estatus del postulante como no ciudadano de los EE. UU. retrasaría el proceso de contratación. FM Talent renovó la oferta de trabajo del postulante después de que el Departamento inició su investigación, pero las acciones discriminatorias aplazaron la fecha de comienzo del trabajador. Conforme a la INA, los empleadores no pueden, en ningún punto durante el proceso de contratación, discriminar de manera ilícita, con base en el estatus migratorio o de ciudadanía o bien por la nacionalidad de origen.
Según los términos del acuerdo, FM Talent pagará una sanción civil a los Estados Unidos y pagos retroactivos al trabajador afectado. Por otra parte, FM Talent capacitará a su personal en cuanto a la disposición antidiscriminatoria de la INA, revisará sus políticas y procedimientos y se someterá a la supervisión del Departamento durante un período de tres años.
La Sección de Derechos de Inmigrantes y Empleados («IER», por sus siglas en inglés) de la División de Derechos Civiles es responsable de hacer cumplir la disposición antidiscriminatoria de la INA. 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.
Hay más información disponible en el sitio web de la IER sobre cómo los empleadores pueden evitar la discriminación en los procesos de contratación y reclutamiento. Aprenda más sobre cómo la IER protege los derechos de los trabajadores en este video. Para más información sobre protecciones en virtud de las leyes migratorias contra la discriminación por parte de empleadores, llame a la línea directa de la IER para trabajadores al 1-800-255-7688 (1-800-237-2515, TTY para personas con discapacidades auditivas); llame a la línea directa de la IER para empleadores al 1-800-255-8155 (1-800-237-2515, TTY para personas con discapacidades auditivas); inscríbase a un seminario en línea en vivo o vea una presentación a la carta; envíe un correo electrónico a [email protected]; o visite los sitios web de la IER en inglés y español. Inscríbase para recibir actualizaciones por correo electrónico de la IER.
Settlement AgreementEast Bay Resident Charged with Fraud in Alleged Quarter-Million Dollar Embezzlement SchemeRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – A federal grand jury has indicted Athena Harven, charging her with four counts of wire fraud in connection with an alleged scheme to embezzle more than a quarter of a million dollars from the now-defunct San Francisco non-profit organization where she formerly worked, announced United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey and United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (“HUD”) Office of the Inspector General (“OIG”) Special Agent in Charge Mark Kaminsky. Harven made her initial appearance in federal court this morning before U.S. Magistrate Judge Alex Tse to face the charges.
According to the indictment, Harven, 53, of Vallejo, Calif., was Director of Operations at a San Francisco-based non-profit organization that provided academic support and employment assistance to students in the Sunnydale and Visitacion Valley neighborhoods of San Francisco. The non-profit received funding from, among other sources, the City and County of San Francisco and HUD. As Director of Operations, Harven had access to, and control over, the non-profit’s finances. According to the indictment, for almost four years between April 2015 and December 2018, Harven engaged in a scheme to defraud the organization. Specifically, Harven allegedly wrote herself 119 checks on the non-profit’s bank account and prepared paperwork to suggest that the funds from many of those checks would be used to pay the non-profit’s payroll taxes; in fact, Harven allegedly deposited the checks into bank accounts she controlled and spent the funds to enrich herself, including to withdraw cash from ATMs; to pay for travel expenses, rent, utilities, and groceries; to shop online; to make purchases at various retail stores, restaurants, hotels, casinos, and gas stations; and to shore up the finances of—and to pay expenses associated with—a bakery that she owned and operated.
The indictment alleges that Harven took money earmarked to pay the non-profit’s payroll taxes and spent it instead at merchants including Victoria’s Secret, Forever 21, VIP Luggage & Leather, H&M, and Hollister. She also allegedly withdrew thousands of dollars in cash and allegedly used the funds to pay business rent for her bakery.
The indictment further alleges that Harven took several steps to conceal her fraud from the non-profit allowing the fraud to continue. For example, she allegedly altered the non-profit’s records to show the payee on many of the checks she wrote to herself was ADP, a payroll processing company that formerly worked with the non-profit; in fact, Harven was the payee on the checks. Further, Harven allegedly intercepted dozens of communications over several years from the state tax authorities to the non-profit regarding the organization’s unpaid payroll taxes, allowing her fraud to continue undetected. Additionally, Harven allegedly concocted a fake email, purportedly from an employee of the California Economic Development Department, to conceal her fraudulent scheme.
The indictment alleges that the non-profit and Harven failed to make any payroll tax payments to the federal or state tax authorities between April 2015 and December 2018 and that, as a result, the non-profit owed hundreds of thousands of dollars in unpaid taxes in December 2018, when the organization laid off its employees (including Harven), ceased its operations, and collapsed. Finally, the indictment alleges that “the amount of payroll taxes [the non-profit] failed to pay from 2015 through 2018 closely approximated the $256,771.84 Harven embezzled during that same time period.”
The indictment charges Harven with four counts of wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343.
Magistrate Judge Tse released Harven on a personal recognizance bond after this morning’s initial appearance. Harven’s next appearance in this case is scheduled for August 30, 2023, for a status hearing before the Honorable Charles R. Breyer, Senior United States District Judge.
An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, Harven faces a maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment and a fine of twice the gross loss resulting from her criminal conduct. As part of any sentence, the court also may order Harven to serve up to three years of supervised release to begin after any term of imprisonment, and may impose additional assessments and restitution, if appropriate. However, any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas Parker is prosecuting the case with assistance from Lance Libatique and Andy Ding. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development - Office of Inspector General.
Dubuque Heroin and Cocaine Dealer SentencedRead the Press Release
A man who sold cocaine and heroin near Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa, was sentenced on July 19, 2023, to more than four years in federal prison.
Rashaun Carter, age 46, from Lynwood, Illinois, received the prison term after a November 23, 2022 guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to distribute heroin and cocaine within 1000 feet of Loras College.
At the guilty plea, Carter admitted he was involved in the distribution of heroin and cocaine out of a house located near the Loras College campus in Dubuque in 2017 and 2018. In January 2018, Dubuque Drug Task Force Officers stopped Carter and others as they returned from Chicago with over 300 grams of cocaine that was to be sold in Dubuque.
Carter was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Carter was sentenced to 51 months’ imprisonment and must also serve a six-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Carter is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick Reinert and was investigated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program of the United States Department of Justice through a cooperative effort of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Dubuque Drug Task Force comprised of the Dubuque Police Department and the Dubuque County Sheriff’s Office.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 22-CR-01021.
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Drug Dealers Who Dangerously Fled from Law Enforcement Prosecuted in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
POCATELLO and BOISE – Today, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced the progress in two cases in which two separate Idaho men dangerously fled from law enforcement to avoid investigation into their drug trafficking activities.
In the first case, Theodore Maynard Hamann, 40, of Pocatello, was sentenced to 130 months in federal prison for drug trafficking. On December 21, 2021, Hamman was arrested after hitting an Idaho State Trooper with his vehicle and leading law enforcement officers on a high-speed chase while transporting three pounds of methamphetamine.
According to court records, Hamann was driving a white pickup truck when he was pulled over by an Idaho State Police Trooper. During the traffic stop, the trooper explained that investigators would be searching his vehicle due to information they received from one of the passengers. Before the trooper finished his comment, Hamann put the vehicle in drive and sped away striking the trooper with his vehicle. Assisting officers pursued Hamann and eventually apprehended him. Officers later searched Hamann’s vehicle and found over three pounds of methamphetamine that he intended to distribute to another person. The advisory sentencing guideline applicable to Hamann was increased because he recklessly placed the trooper and the public in danger when he fled from police. United States Chief District Judge David C. Nye, who sentenced Hamann, considered the advisory sentencing guideline when imposing the sentence.
U.S. Attorney Hurwit commended the investigations by the Idaho State Police, Bannock County Sheriff’s Office, Pocatello Police Department, and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), which led to the charges in the Hamann case.
In a separate case, Robert Dean Glenn, 48, of Nampa, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine in connection with a January 10, 2023 incident in which he fled from a Nampa Police Officer during a routine traffic stop.
According to court records, Glenn jumped out of a moving vehicle during a traffic stop in an attempt to flee from law enforcement. After a foot pursuit through a grocery store parking lot, a Nampa Police Department patrol officer was able to apprehend Glenn. The officer searched Glenn and found nearly one pound of methamphetamine taped to his ankle. The bag holding the methamphetamine had a hole in it and spilled methamphetamine in a serpentine-like path through the grocery store parking lot when Glenn had run from police. Officers secured the scene and collected the methamphetamine scattered throughout the parking lot.
Glenn is scheduled to be sentenced on October 3, 2023, and faces a statutory mandatory minimum sentence of at least five years and a maximum sentence of 40 years in federal prison, a fine of up to five million dollars, and at least four years of supervised release. A federal district court judge will determine Glenn’s sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Hurwit commended the work of the Nampa Police Department, which led to the charges in the Glenn case.
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Doctor and Office Manager Charged for $1.3M COVID-19 Loan Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
An indictment was unsealed yesterday charging a Nevada doctor and his wife with fraudulently obtaining approximately $1.3 million in COVID-19 pandemic relief loans through the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program and the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).
According to court documents, Kofi Sarfo, 58, of Las Vegas, is a medical doctor and the owner and president of Vista Medical Associates, a Las Vegas medical practice. His wife, Rose Sarfo, 54, also of Las Vegas, is the office manager and treasurer of Vista Medical Associates. Kofi and Rose Sarfo allegedly conspired to submit false loan applications to obtain EIDL and PPP pandemic relief funds. Rather than spending the money on their business as represented in the loan applications, the Sarfos allegedly used at least some of the funds to purchase stocks and cryptocurrency.
The Sarfos are charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and four counts of wire fraud. In addition, Kofi Sarfo is charged with one count of money laundering. If convicted, they each face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and for each count of wire fraud. Kofi Sarfo also faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison on the money laundering charge.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and Special Agent in Charge Spencer L. Evans of the FBI Las Vegas Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI Las Vegas Field Office is investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Kyle Crawford of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section is prosecuting the case.
In May 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The task force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
District Man Sentenced to 97 Months in Prison for Distributing Drugs and Illegally Possessing FirearmsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Demarco Boyd, 29, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 97 months in prison for his convictions on drug and gun charges, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Acting Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Boyd pleaded guilty on March 24, 2023, to unlawful possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, and possession of two firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking (one of which was a machinegun). In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Royce C. Lamberth ordered 60 months of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, in June of 2022, the Metropolitan Police Department (“MPD”) was investigating individuals involved in narcotics distribution around the 3600 block of Hayes Street NE, Washington DC, including hand-to-hand transactions and controlled buys in the area of the 3600 block of Hayes Street NE. After making a controlled purchase of cocaine base from Boyd, on June 16, 2022, officers executed a search warrant at an apartment occupied by Boyd, his pregnant girlfriend, and her young child. Boyd was present at the time and dropped a Glock firearm and a black backpack containing a “Draco” style firearm out of one window of the apartment onto the grass below. The Glock 19 pistol had an illegal “giggle” converter switch, which is designed to enable the firearm to expel more than one round of ammunition with a single pull of the trigger, making the firearm a machinegun. The “Draco” style firearm had a large capacity magazine loaded with 28 rounds.
From the apartment, officers also seized distributable amounts of phencyclidine (PCP), cocaine base, fentanyl, and marijuana, as well as various drug paraphernalia. DEA lab results indicate that law enforcement seized at least 583 grams of marijuana, 110 grams of cocaine base, 40 grams of PCP, and 2.77 grams of fentanyl. MPD also found and seized $5,129 of U.S. currency. The defendant admitted that he possessed the two firearms in furtherance of his drug trafficking activities, and that he knew he was a convicted felon at the time he possessed them.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Acting Chief Smith commended the work of the detectives and patrol officers of the Metropolitan Police Department. They also expressed appreciation to those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorney David T. Henek and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah J. Rasalam, of the Violence Reduction and Trafficking Offenses Section, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
Detroit Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Federal Prison for Drug Trafficking and Firearms ViolationsRead the Press Release
DETROIT – Jeffrey Davis, 50, of Detroit, MI, was sentenced in federal court yesterday on charges of drug trafficking and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced. Davis was sentenced by United States District Judge Bernard Friedman to 25 years in prison. Davis has been in custody since his arrest in July 2019.
Ison was joined in the announcement by James Deir, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF’s Detroit Division.
According to court records, Jeffery Davis was a member of the TuffTeam drug trafficking organization. Davis and three others were responsible for trafficking firearms, fentanyl, heroin, crack cocaine, and marijuana from Detroit, MI to Bridgeport, West Virginia and Morgantown, West Virginia. During the course of the investigation, 23 firearms were seized, including 2 machine guns, along with 69 grams of heroin, 91.99 grams of fentanyl, 215 grams of crack cocaine, and more than $10,000 in cash.
“Removing individuals who inflict significant harm on our community by dealing in deadly drugs and high-powered firearms is a top priority, stated U.S. Attorney Dawn Ison. “This significant sentence should send a clear message to those similarly engaged in such conduct that we will be relentless in our effort to protect our community,” stated US Attorney Ison.
“Jeffrey Davis sold poison in our community while armed with a firearm. This sentence should serve as a clear message to all armed drug dealers in Detroit: If you pack an illegal firearm while peddling your poison, you need to pack your bags for prison,” said James Deir, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF’s Detroit Division.
The case was investigated by ATF Special Agents Sherri Reynolds and Eric Miller. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys John O’Brien and Jeanine Brunson.
Danville Man Who Sold Fatal Dose of Fentanyl Sentenced to 12 YearsRead the Press Release
ROANOKE, Va. – A Danville man, who sold a fatal dose of fentanyl in October 2019, has been sentenced to 12 years in federal prison.
Chauncey Lamont Montague, 49, pleaded guilty in March 2023 to distribution of fentanyl.
According to court documents, on October 23, 2019, A.R., a regular user of opiates, wanted to purchase $20 of heroin from Montague. After being unable to reach Montague by phone, A.R. began walking towards Montague’s home. During the walk, A.R. met up with a close family member who agreed to take her money the rest of the way to Montague’s home and purchase the drugs for her.
After making the drug transaction with Montague, the family member delivered the heroin to A.R. who then used the drugs and was found dead a short time later. It was determined that she died from a fentanyl overdose.
The following morning, Danville Police executed a search warrant on Montague’s residence and an additional 8.2 grams of fentanyl was discovered in the pocket of a jacket in his bedroom.
United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh, Special Agent in Charge Craig B. Kailimai of the Washington Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration Jared Forget made the announcement.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Danville Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Bassford prosecuted the case.
Crow Agency woman accused in large-scale, drug investigation admits to trafficking methRead the Press Release
BILLINGS — A Crow Agency woman charged in a large-scale, multi-state drug investigation centered on the Crow Indian Reservation admitted today to trafficking methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
Carly Joy James, 41, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute meth. James faces a mandatory minimum 10 years to life imprisonment, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for Nov. 16. James was detained pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents that federal law enforcement, in a collaborative effort with local and tribal law enforcement, investigated a large-scale, multi-state narcotics trafficking operation centered on multiple properties on the Crow Indian Reservation. The properties, including one known as Spear Siding, were a source of supply of meth for both the Crow and Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservations. James is one of the individuals affiliated with the investigation. The government further alleged that James sold meth to individuals in August 2022 and in October 2022. In January, James was pulled over for a traffic violation, and a search of her vehicle revealed a firearm and approximately eight grams of meth.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys are prosecuting the case. The Bureau of Indian Affairs, Drug Enforcement Administration and FBI conducted the investigation.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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Convicted Sex Offender Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Child Pornography CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Dana Michael Russell, also known as “Anthony Roberts,” 37, of Griffithsville, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 12 years in prison, to be followed by 25 years of supervised release, for possession of prepubescent child pornography.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on January 20, 2021, Russell possessed two images of child pornography on his cell phone depicting prepubescent minor females subjected to sexually explicit conduct. Russell admitted that one of the images depicted a known child victim.
Russell further admitted to using his cell phone on June 25, 2020, to distribute and attempt to distribute an image containing child pornography using the Snapchat social media platform. Russell also admitted to distributing images containing child pornography using multiple Snapchat and Facebook accounts in June, August and December 2020. One of the Facebook accounts that Russell used listed “Anthony Roberts” as the account username.
Russell is a registered sex offender as a result of his conviction for distribution and exhibiting of material depicting minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct in Kanawha County Circuit Court on February 19, 2015.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the West Virginia State Police Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force.
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Julie M. White prosecuted the case.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative of the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-cr-25.
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Convicted Felon Pleads Guilty to Charge Arising Out of a Shooting Incident Outside Detroit Convenience StoreRead the Press Release
DETROIT – Shawn Hickman, 24, pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of ammunition related to a shooting incident in Detroit’s 8th precinct, a targeted enforcement area, United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced.
Ison was joined in the announcement by Devin J. Kowalski, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Detroit.
In his guilty plea, Shawn Hickman, 24, of Detroit, admitted his involvement in a shooting incident outside of a convenience store in the 8th Precinct, one of Detroit’s most violent neighborhoods. According to court records, on August 16, 2022, Detroit Police officers responded to a 911 call that an adult male had been shot. The shooting occurred around Grand River and Lahser in the City of Detroit. Working cooperatively, investigators with Detroit Police Department and the FBI were able to identify Hickman as the shooter. They then located and apprehended Hickman following an intensive search.
Hickman faces a maximum sentence of up to 15 years and will be sentenced on November 20, 2023, by United States District Judge Matthew J. Leitman.
“I appreciate the collaborative work done to focus on violent offenders in our community,” state U.S. Attorney Dawn Ison.” “We will continue to work with all of our law enforcement partners to investigate and aggressively prosecute convicted felons who illegally possess and use firearms and ammunition.”
The investigation and prosecution were the result of a partnership between the United States Attorney’s Office, Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office, Detroit Police Department, ATF, FBI, and other partner agencies. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Blake S. Hatlem.
Convicted Felon Indicted for Possessing a Firearm and Conspiring to Make False Statements in the Acquisition of FirearmsRead the Press Release
CONCORD – A Woonsocket, Rhode Island man was indicted and arrested in connection with federal firearms charges, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces.
Mario Marques, 25, was indicted on one count of conspiracy to make false statements during the acquisition of firearms, and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Marques will appear in federal court in Concord at a later date.
According to the charging documents, Marques was legally prohibited from purchasing firearms but conspired with another person to purchase six firearms for him. The guns were purchased from five separate federally licensed firearms dealers in New Hampshire, between September 30 and November 20, 2021. Marques is charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm for possessing a Springfield Armory Model XD, .40 caliber semiautomatic pistol purchased in New Hampshire during the course of the conspiracy.
The charges provide 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. 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 Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) led the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Gingrande is prosecuting the case.
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.
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Convicted Armed Robber Sentenced to More Than 5 Years in Federal Prison for Illegally Acquiring a Firearm Through a “Straw-Purchase” SchemeRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS- Randy Coffey, 36, of Indianapolis, Indiana, has been sentenced to 63 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to illegally possessing a firearm.
According to court documents, on March 1, 2022, Coffey sold a pair of tires with rims at Cash America Pawn, a federally licensed firearms dealer. After completing the sale, Coffey attempted to purchase a Ruger 9mm semi-automatic pistol. On the required federal firearm transaction form, Coffey stated under penalty of perjury that he was not a convicted felon. Coffey failed the required background check, and the gun sale was not completed.
Several hours later, Coffey returned to the same Cash America Pawn with another person. Coffey stayed inside his vehicle as the other person looked over the store’s guns and purchased a Taurus 9mm semi-automatic pistol. The person then illegally purchased the gun for Coffey in exchange for $120 from Coffey, a transaction known as a “straw-purchase” of a firearm.
A straw purchase scheme is when a person not prohibited from purchasing or possessing a firearm falsely states to a federally licensed gun dealer that they are purchasing a firearm for themselves, when they know that the gun is actually intended for someone else, frequently someone who is prohibited from purchasing or possessing the firearm themselves.
On March 8, 2022, IMPD detectives stopped Coffey for a traffic violation. Coffey did not have a valid license or a valid registration in his possession and he was placed under arrest. During a search of the vehicle, officers located the same Taurus 9mm handgun straw-purchased for him from Cash America Pawn the week before. The handgun had a loaded magazine with a round in the chamber.
Coffey is prohibited from possessing a firearm under federal law due to his two previous felony convictions of armed robbery resulting in bodily injury in 2006 and 2013.
“Illegally armed, violent criminals drive the unacceptable gun violence suffered by Indianapolis and far too many other communities,” said U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Myers. “Straw-purchases and other gun trafficking schemes are a major source of the guns obtained and used by these dangerous offenders. Our federal prosecutors will continue to partner with IMPD and the ATF to disarm the most dangerous offenders and hold them accountable in federal court. The federal prison sentence imposed here demonstrates that accountability awaits these armed criminals, because no one should have to live in fear in our neighborhoods.”
“Violent felons possessing firearms poses a severe risk to public safety. Coffey illegally attempted to purchase a firearm and then circumvented the law by enticing someone else to obtain one for him,” said Special Agent in Charge Daryl McCormick “ATF will continue to work diligently with our law enforcement partners to identify and apprehend violent convicted felons who put our communities at risk when they possess firearms.”
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated this case with valuable assistance provided by IMPD. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Judge, James R. Sweeney. Judge Sweeney also ordered that Coffey by supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for 3 years following his release from federal prison.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy C. Fugate, who prosecuted this case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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Conover, N.C. Woman Is Charged with Mail Fraud and Identity Theft for Stealing More Than $300,000 from Elderly CoupleRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Andrea Brawley, 45, of Conover, N.C., is facing federal charges for stealing more than $300,000 from two elderly relatives, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. A federal grand jury in Charlotte returned a criminal indictment this week, charging Brawley with mail fraud and aggravated identity theft.
Robert M. DeWitt, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in North Carolina and Sheriff Donald G. Brown II of the Catawba County Sheriff’s Office join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.
According to allegations in the indictment, from August 2016 to January 2023, Brawley engaged in a scheme to defraud the elderly couple identified in court documents as J.S. and M.S., by exploiting her relationship with the victims to steal their money and property. The indictment alleges that Brawley gained access to the victims’ personal and company bank accounts, which she was expected to use to manage the couple’s personal and business affairs and to pay routine bills. Instead, Brawley allegedly misused her access to transfer funds to herself, causing the victims to sustain significant financial losses. For example, Brawley allegedly failed to make payments due on the victims’ home equity line of credit on their residence. As a result, the victims’ residence went into foreclosure and the couple lost their home. Brawley also allegedly drained the victims’ retirement accounts by forging retirement distribution forms without the victims’ knowledge and consent, causing them further financial hardship. Over the course of the scheme, Brawley allegedly defrauded J.S. and M.S. and M.S.’s company of more than $300,000.
As alleged in the indictment, Brawley concealed the fraudulent scheme from J.S. and M.S. by making false representations about the cause of the foreclosure and about the state of J.S. and M.S.’s finances and personal affairs. The indictment alleges that Brawley also isolated J.S. and M.S. and limited their contact with their friends and family by taking the victims’ cell phones, impersonating them in communications with third parties, transporting them to various locations around the state, and preventing them from returning to their residence. The indictment further alleges that, in furtherance of the scheme, Brawley engaged in identity theft by using and attempting to use one or more means of identification that belonged to J.S. and M.S., including their names, addresses, and unique account numbers.
“Elder financial abuse continues to rise at an alarming rate. Unfortunately, when older adults are victims of financial exploitation it is incredibly difficult for them to recover financially and recoup their losses. And when the fraud is perpetrated by a trusted friend or close family member, the added emotional devastation can be overwhelming,” said U.S. Attorney King. “My Office’s elder financial exploitation cases receive the priority they deserve, and we are committed to doing all we can to combat elder financial abuse and ensure that older adults are supported and protected from fraud.”
“When you stop and consider the true impact of elder financial fraud, it is devastating. People should not work 40 years or longer only to have their life savings swindled away,” said Special Agent in Charge DeWitt. “The FBI will work tirelessly to protect the elderly and help educate them and those who love them, how not to fall victim to fraud.”
“My office is striving to combat the victimization of our older adults,” said Sheriff Brown. “Elder financial abuse often has a lasting and debilitating effect, especially when a close trust or confidence is violated. We will continue working with our local, state and federal partners to seek justice for these victims.”
The charges in the indictment are allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The mail fraud offense carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. The aggravated identity theft charge carries a maximum sentence of two years in prison, consecutive to any other term of incarceration imposed.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King thanked the FBI in Charlotte and the Catawba County Sheriff’s Office for their investigation of the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Graham Billings with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte is in charge of the prosecution.
If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This U.S. Department of Justice hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, is staffed by experienced professionals who provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim, and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies, and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is staffed 10am-6pm Eastern Time, Monday-Friday. English, Spanish, and other languages are available.
Charleston Man Sentenced to Prison for Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Khalif Marquee Coleman, 35, of Charleston, was sentenced today to three years and 10 months in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release, for conspiring to distribute 40 grams or more of a mixture containing a detectable amount of fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Coleman admitted to arranging the sales of mixtures containing fentanyl to confidential informants asking to purchase heroin in Charleston in seven separate transactions between May 2, 2022, and September 23, 2022. Several of these transactions occurred at a Chesterfield Avenue residence in Charleston and the mixtures totaled approximately 92.64 grams.
Coleman also admitted to arranging seven additional sales of mixtures containing fentanyl in August and September, 2022, at or near the Chesterfield Avenue residence.
On September 28, 2022, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at the Chesterfield Avenue residence and found mixtures containing fentanyl totaling 55.97 grams, scales, drug packaging materials, and $5,926. Some of the cash recovered during the search was prerecorded buy money from the sales to the confidential informants.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), and the assistance provided by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Mid-Atlantic Laboratory.
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Julie M. White prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-cr-198.
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California Man Sentenced for Mailing Meth to Missouri for DistributionRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Sacramento, California, man was sentenced in federal court today for mailing packages of methamphetamine to southwest Missouri as part of a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in Jasper and Newton counties.
John Gabriel Martinez, 39, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to 152 months in federal prison without parole.
On April 21, 2022, Martinez pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine from Aug. 15, 2016, to March 18, 2017, and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering.
On Oct. 4, 2016, Missouri State Highway Patrol troopers executed a search warrant at the residence of co-defendant Daryl B. Weston, 41, of Purcell, Mo. Troopers found approximately 11 grams of pure methamphetamine and $14,822 in cash. Troopers seized a package addressed to Weston from Martinez that contained approximately three pounds of methamphetamine. Weston later told investigators that Martinez had sent him four additional packages that contained a total of nearly six pounds of methamphetamine; co-conspirators then sent drug proceeds back to Martinez.
Co-conspirators admitted they deposited drug proceeds into Martinez’s account at a local branch of Joplin Metro Credit Union. Further investigation revealed that many others in the Joplin area were sending drug proceeds to Martinez in California through local branches of Joplin Metro Credit Union and through the Moneygram system at local Wal-Marts. The total amount of drug proceeds laundered in this case though a credit union and Moneygram was at least $153,014.
Martinez is the final defendant to be sentenced among 19 defendants indicted in this case. Weston was sentenced on Oct. 11, 2022, to eight years in federal prison without parole.
This case was prosecuted by Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Randall D. Eggert. It was investigated by the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the Ozarks Drug Enforcement Team, the Drug Enforcement Administration, IRS-Criminal Investigation, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
Brockton Man Sentenced for Pandemic Unemployment FraudRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Brockton man has been sentenced in federal court in Boston for using others’ identities to fraudulently obtain over $60,000 in Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) Benefits and for using one of those identities to fraudulently obtain a Massachusetts driver’s license.
Francisco Jose Peguero Brea, 48, was sentenced on July 14, 2023 by U.S. District Court Judge Rya Zobel to three months in prison and three years of supervised release. In February 2023, Peguero pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of false representation of a Social Security number.
Peguero used the name and Social Security number of a U.S. citizen to fraudulently apply for and obtain PUA benefits as well as a Massachusetts Driver’s License. Peguero received additional PUA benefits from another claim that directed the funds to be deposited into a bank account controlled by Peguero and another individual.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Michael J. Krol, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General; U.S. Department of State, Diplomatic Security Service; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Massachusetts State Police; and the Brockton Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin A. Saltzman of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.
The investigation was conducted by Homeland Security’s Investigation’s Document and Benefit Fraud Task Force (DBFTF), a specialized field investigative group comprised of personnel from various local, state, and federal agencies with expertise in detecting, deterring, and disrupting organizations and individuals involved in various types of document, identity, and benefit fraud schemes.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Branson Man Sentenced to 216 Months in Federal Prison for Distribution of Fentanyl and/or HeroinRead the Press Release
Springfield, Mo. – Brandon Michael Jones, 26, Branson, Missouri, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stephen Bough to 216 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to a single count of knowingly and intentionally transferring a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl and/or heroin. The charge was based upon the distribution of drugs by Jones on March 27, 2020, in Christian County, Missouri.
In announcing the sentence today, Judge Bough referenced the fact that Jones had provided drugs on two separate occasions which resulted in the death of one individual and the serious physical injury of the second. Both of these instances happened within days of each other in March 2020.
This case is being prosecuted by Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Randall Eggert. It was investigated by the Springfield Police Department and the Christian County Sherriff’s Department.
Border Crosser Sentenced to 30 Months in Prison for Assaulting Federal OfficersRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Miguel Angel Acatzihua-Temoxtle, 26, a citizen and national of Mexico, was sentenced last Thursday, by United States District Judge John C. Hinderaker to 30 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Acatzihua-Temoxtle pleaded guilty on March 15, 2023, to Assault on a Federal Officer with a Deadly or Dangerous Weapon and Assault on a Federal Officer Resulting in Bodily Injury.
United States Border Patrol agents received information on May 31, 2022, that several groups of non-citizens were passing though the Baboquivari Mountain range near the area of Newfield, Arizona. When agents located the group, Acatzihua-Temoxtle fled up the side of a wash, kicking several large boulders towards one of the agents to slow his pursuit. When agents apprehended Acatzihua-Temoxtle, he physically assaulted one agent by using the agent’s flashlight and attempted to strangle another agent with his lanyard used to hold night vision goggles.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s U.S. Border Patrol conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant United States Attorney Raquel Arellano, District of Arizona, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-22-01420-TUC-JCH
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-110_Acatzihua-Temoxtle# # #
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 newsBangor Woman Pleads Guilty to Stealing More than $28,000 from Native American Tribal OrganizationRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Bangor woman pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Bangor to stealing from her employer, a tribal organization.
According to court records, between June 2017 and April 2021, Angelia Holt, 54, stole more than $28,000 from her employer by using a credit card issued to another employee for unauthorized personal expenses and then altering the invoices to conceal the theft. Holt was employed as an accounting clerk for the organization.
Holt faces up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. She will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigative report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI investigated the case.
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Baltimore Man Pleads Guilty to Attempted Murder of a Federal OfficerRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Davon Rogers, age 40, of Baltimore, Maryland, pleaded guilty yesterday to attempted murder of a federal officer in connection with a shooting that occurred on December 29, 2021. Co-defendant Juan Hester, age 41, of Baltimore, pleaded guilty on July 10, 2023, to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
The guilty pleas were announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget of the Drug Enforcement Administration - Washington Division; and Acting Commissioner Richard Worley of the Baltimore Police Department.
According to Rogers’ guilty plea, during the evening of December 29, 2021, members of the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”) were conducting surveillance in the 2500 block of W. Fayette Street in Baltimore, as part of an ongoing federal drug trafficking investigation. One of the members of the surveillance team was a DEA Special Agent who was in the area in his unmarked vehicle conducting covert surveillance in connection with the narcotics investigation.
Rogers admitted that while the Special Agent was inside of his vehicle, he and another individual approached the vehicle and began looking inside. The Special Agent tried to avoid being seen by laying down in the rear area the vehicle. After they looked inside of the Special Agent’s vehicle, Rogers and the second individual walked away from the vehicle. Several minutes later, the Special Agent got into the driver’s seat of his vehicle to try to drive away from the area. By that time, Rogers and the second individual had returned to the area. At approximately 9:18 p.m., as the Special Agent began driving away, Rogers and the second individual began shooting at the Special Agent. The Special Agent was nearly struck by one or more of the bullets, and his vehicle sustained multiple bullet strikes. Specifically, bullets struck the driver’s side front and rear doors, the rear window, the trunk, and the passenger’s side sun visor and ceiling area.
As detailed in the plea agreement, the Special Agent was able to drive for approximately one block before crashing his vehicle into a nearby parked car and running to safety. After the shooting, Rogers and the second individual fled the scene. Investigators recovered multiple shell casings, of two different calibers, from the area where Rogers and the second individual shot at the Special Agent.
After the shooting, search warrants were executed at co-defendant Juan Hester’s residence and at Rogers’ residence on December 30, 2021 and January 4, 2022. Investigators recovered 113 grams of almost pure methamphetamine hydrochloride, 814 grams of THC, 34 grams of mixtures containing cocaine, three grams of mixtures containing fentanyl, and various cutting agents from Hester’s residence and investigators seized approximately fourteen rounds of .40 caliber ammunition from Rogers’ residence. Based on new information received, two additional search warrants were executed on Hester’s residence on January 1, 2022 and January 6, 2022 and investigators recovered approximately 337 grams of mixtures or substances containing fentanyl, 78 rounds of 7.62 caliber ammunition, 32 rounds of .22 caliber ammunition and one handgun magazine. Hester admitted that he maintained the residence as a premises for manufacturing or distributing controlled substances.
Rogers, Hester, and the government have agreed that, if the Court accepts the plea agreements, Rogers will be sentenced to nine years in federal prison and Hester will be sentenced to 14 years in federal prison. U.S. District Judge Ellen L. Hollander has scheduled sentencing for Rogers on September 11, 2023 at 11:00 a.m. and for Hester on September 12, 2023 at 11:00 a.m.
This case was made possible by investigative leads generated from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives’ (“ATF”) National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (“NIBIN”). NIBIN is the only national network that allows for the capture and comparison of ballistic evidence to aid in solving and preventing violent crimes involving firearms. NIBIN is a proven investigative and intelligence tool that can link firearms from multiple crime scenes, allowing law enforcement to quickly disrupt shooting cycles. For more information on NIBIN, visit https://www.atf.gov/firearms/national-integrated-ballistic-information-network-nibin.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (“PSN”), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case is also part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the DEA and the Baltimore Police Department for their work in the investigation and thanked the Anne Arundel County, Howard County, and Baltimore County Police Departments, the Laurel Police Department, the Annapolis Police Department, the Maryland Transportation Authority Police Department, and the Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office for their assistance. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anatoly Smolkin and Darryl Tarver, who are prosecuting the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-neighborhoods-psn and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Automaker Official Agrees to Plead Guilty to Conspiring to Violate the Clean Air ActRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Emanuele Palma, 43, of automaker group FCA US, pleaded guilty today to a felony as a result of conspiring to violate the Clean Air Act (CAA). As alleged in court documents, Palma and others conspired to withhold information from the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regarding the design, calibration and function of the emissions control systems on more than 100,000 Model Year 2014, 2015 and 2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee and Ram 1500 diesel vehicles. The co-conspirators also misrepresented the vehicles’ emissions of pollutants, fuel efficiency and compliance with U.S. emissions standards.
According to court documents, Palma pleaded guilty to Count 1 of the Superseding Indictment – originally fined in 2019 – charging him with conspiring to violate the Clean Air Act. Sentencing is set for Oct. 17 in front of U.S. District Judge Nancy Edmunds, sitting in Detroit, Michigan.
“Senior auto officials at FCA US, including Mr. Palma, conspired to circumvent pollution standards and obtain EPA certifications for hundreds of thousands of SUVs and pickup trucks under false pretenses,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “Today’s actions reflect the Justice Department’s continued and steadfast commitment to enforcing the Clean Air Act and holding individuals accountable for attempting to circumvent our Nation’s pollution standards.”
“Today’s guilty plea demonstrates EPA’s commitment to holding accountable those in management positions who intentionally withhold key information from regulators,” said Acting Assistant Administrator Larry Starfield of EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “Mr. Palma’s guilty plea accompanies the earlier conviction of Fiat Chrysler for defrauding both the EPA and customers, as well as creating an unfair advantage over automakers who complied with the law.”
“Mr. Palma and those he worked with concealed material information from the EPA about how certain of Fiat Chrysler’s diesel engines operated. Our environmental laws depend on companies being honest and transparent with the EPA about the environmental impact of their products,” said U.S. Attorney Dawn N. Ison for the Eastern District of Michigan. “The conduct in this case falls well short of that standard, and today’s guilty plea provides a measure of accountability for this deceptive conduct.”
According to Palma’s admissions and court documents, beginning at least as early as 2010, FCA US developed a new 3.0-liter diesel engine for use in FCA US’s Jeep Grand Cherokee and Ram 1500 vehicles (the Subject Vehicles) that would be sold in the United States. As alleged in the Superseding Indictment related to this plea agreement, Palma and others developed and calibrated the 3.0-liter diesel engine. Their responsibilities included calibrating several software features in the vehicles’ emissions control systems to meet emissions standards for nitrogen oxides (NOx), a family of poisonous gases that are formed when diesel fuels are burned at high temperatures, while also achieving best-in-class fuel efficiency targets set by FCA US.
The Superseding Indictment alleges that the emissions control systems on the Subject Vehicles was purposely calibrated to produce less NOx emissions on the federal test procedures, or driving “cycles,” than when the Subject Vehicles were being driven by FCA US’s customers in the real world. One method that was used to effectuate this goal was called “T Eng,” a software function that affects the rate of exhaust gas recirculation.
According to court documents, Palma and his co-conspirators agreed not to disclose the existence of the T Eng function to the EPA. Palma knew that T Eng was properly the subject of regulation by the EPA, and in agreeing to withhold this information, he acknowledged concealing material information from that regulatory body. As a result of this concealment, material information was omitted from FCA’s applications for Certificates of Conformity from the EPA, which authorize the company to sell vehicles pursuant to the Clean Air Act.
This plea is related to the corporate plea and sentencing of FCA US, LLC, in August 2022, where FCA US LLC, was sentenced and ordered to pay a fine of over $96.1 million; to satisfy a forfeiture money judgment of over $203.5 million; and to serve a three-year term of organizational probation.
Assistant Chief Michael T. O’Neill of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section, White Collar Unit Chief John K. Neal and Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy J. Wyse for the Eastern District of Michigan, and Senior Litigation Counsel Todd W. Gleason of the Environment and Natural Resources Division’s Environmental Crimes Section are prosecuting the case. The FBI and EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division are investigating this case.
Adair County Man Sentenced to 27 Years in Federal Prison for Child Pornography OffensesRead the Press Release
Bowling Green, KY – An Adair County man was sentenced today to 27 years in prison for child pornography offenses.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky and Special Agent in Charge Jodi Cohen of the FBI Louisville Field Office made the announcement.
According to court documents, Matthew Ross Mouser, 41, produced videos of his sexual abuse of a minor victim, traded images of child pornography via the internet, and discussed sexually abusing children with others online.
Mouser was sentenced to 27 years in prison, followed by a lifetime term of supervised release, for producing, distributing, and possessing child pornography. In addition to the 27-year prison sentence, Mouser was ordered to pay restitution to a victim in the amount of $3,000. There is no parole in the federal system.
The case was investigated by the FBI, with the assistance of the Allen County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney A. Spencer McKiness prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
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19 July 2023
געוועזענער הויפט פוןיעריגע מיידל כדי זיך צו פארנעמען מיט סעקסועלע מעשים בארא פארק חברה שומרים געבט זיך איין אלס שולדיג פאר׳ן אריבערפירן א 15-Read the Press Release
יעקב דאסקאל האט זיך איינגעגעבן אלס שולדיג אום יולי 14, 2023 פאר׳ן טראנספארטירן א קינד מיט׳ן כוונה צו באגיין סעקסועלע פארברעכנס. די היינטיגע פראצעדור איז פארגעקומען ביים יונייטעד סטעיטס דיסטריקט ריכטער ניקאלאס דזשי. גאראופיס. אלס טייל פון זיין שולד איינגעבונג, האט דער באשולדיגטער מסכים געווען אויף אן אורטייל פון בערך 14 ביז 17 א האלב יאר אין טורמע. אלס טייל פון דעם שולד איינגעבונג, מוז דאסקאל זיך רעגיסטרירן אלס א סעקס פארברעכער.
ברעאן פיעס, יונייטעד סטעיטס אטוירני פאר׳ן איסטערן דיסטריקט פון ניו יארק האט אויסגעמאלדן דעם שולד איינגעבונג.
״דער באשולדיגטער האט מודה געווען אז ער האט אויסגעניצט אויף בייזן זיין מאכט, צוטרוישאפט און פאזיציע אינערערהאלב דער קאמיוניטי דורך באגיין שענדליכע מעשים קעגן א קינד אין זיין אויפפאסונג,״ האט געזאגט יונייטעד סטעיטס אטוירני פיעס. ״מיר ווילן אז געליטענע קרבנות איבעראל זאלן הערן דעם שולד הודאה אלס אונזער אפיס׳ס אנגייענדע דעקלעראציע אז קיינער שטייט נישט העכער פונעם געזעץ און מיר וועלן ברענגען צו יוסטיץ די וועלכע בא׳עוולה׳ן אונזערע קינדער.״
מר. פיעס האט אויסגעדרוקט זיין דאנקבארשאפט פאר׳ן פעדעראלער ביורא פון פארשונג (׳פעדעראל ביורא אוו אינוועסטיגעשען׳), ניו יארק פיעלד אפיס, דעם קינגס קאונטי דיסטריקט אטוירני׳ס אפיס און דעם ניו יארק סיטי פאליציי דעפארטמענט.
ווי פארגעלייגט אין געריכט דאקומענטן, איז דער באשולדיגטער געווען הויפט פון בארא פארק חברה שומרים (די ״שומרים״), א פריוואטע, ארטאדאקסיש-אידישער שמירה גרופע פארבינדן מיט׳ן ניו יארק פאליציי דעפארטמענט. אין פרילינג 2017, האט דער פארדעכטיגטער, אויסניצנדיג זיין פאזיציע אין שומרים, זיך פארבינדן מיט א 15-יעריגע מיידל, וועם ער האט אריינגעברענגט ביי זיך אינדערהיים און איר איבערגערעדט און גרייט געמאכט פאר סעקס. צווישן אוגוסט און נאוועמבער 2017, איז דער באשולדיגטער, וועלכער איז דאן געווען 58 יאר אלט, באגאנגען סעקסועלע מעשים אויף דעם 15-יעריגן קרבן.
דורכאויס דעם זומער 2017, איז פארגעקומען די סעקסועלע געפירעכץ הויפטזעכליך ביי דאסקאל אינדערהיים אין ברוקלין, ניו יארק, און ביי זיין זומער הויז אין סאוט פאלסבורג, ניו יארק. דער באשולדיגטער האט אפט טראנספארטירט דעם קרבן צווישן די צוויי ערטער דורכפארנדיג ניו דזשערזי. אין ענדע אוגוסט, האט זיך דער באשולדיגטער, אינאיינעם מיט זיין פאמיליע, און די געליטענע קרבן, זיך אומגעקערט פול-צייטיג צו זיין הויז אין ברוקלין, וואו דאס בא׳עוולה׳ען איז ווייטער אנגעגאנגען. אזוי ווי דער סקול יאר האט זיך אנגעהויבן, האט דער באשולדיגטער געהאלפן דעם קרבן טרעפן א נייע סקול אין שיקאגא, אילינאי, און אין אקטאבער 2017 האט זי זיך אהינגעצויגן אויף צו גיין אין סקול און צו וואוינען מיט אן אנדערער פאמיליע. בשעת די געליטענע איז געווען אין שיקאגא, האט דער באשולדיגטער קאמוניקירט מיט איר דורך טעקסט מעסעדזשעס און איבער סקייפ ווידעאו טשעט. אום אדער בערך נאוועמבער 5, 2017, איז דער באשולדיגטער געפארן קיין שיקאגא פאר א טאג אויף צו באזוכן די בא׳עוול׳טע. דער באשולדיגטער האט געדינגען א האטעל צימער אין שיקאגא, און געברענגט דעם קרבן צום האטעל פאר סעקסועלע מעשים און אָורעל סעקס. ער איז צוריקגעפלויגן יענעם אוונט קיין ניו יארק.
דורכאויס דאס בא׳עוולה׳ען, האט דער באשולדיגטער אנגעזאגט דעם קרבן אויסצומעקן זייערע קאמוניקאציעס און איר געווארנט קיינעם נישט צו דערציילן איבער זייער סעקסועלע באציאונגען. דער באשולדיגטער האט אויך אויסגעניצט זיין פאזיציע אלס א פירנדער מיטגליד פון זייער קאמיוניטי אויף שטיל צו מאכן דעם קרבן, זיך גרויס געהאלטן איבער זיינע פארבינדונגען מיט געזעץ אינפארסירער און איר געווארנט אז עס וועט איר חרוב מאכן דאס לעבן אויב פארציילט זי עמיצן איבער זייערע באציאונגען.
די רעגירונג׳ס קעיס ווערט געפירט דורך דעם אפיס׳ס ציווילע רעכטן אפטיילונג. אסיסטענט יונייטעד סטעיטס אטוירני
ערין ריעד און דזשעני נגאי זענען באאויפטראגט מיט׳ן פראקורירן, מיט הילף פון ליטיגאציע אנאליסט רייען קאסטלי.
Worcester Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Possessing and Distributing Counterfeit Adderall Pills Containing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Worcester man was sentenced today in federal court in Worcester for a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine disguised as counterfeit Adderall pills.
Nestiano Kristo, 22, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Margaret R. Guzman to 12 years in prison and five years of supervised release. On March 17, 2023, Kristo pleaded guilty to three counts of distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine; one count of possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and 500 grams or more of cocaine; and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Over the course of two months, Kristo sold significant quantities of counterfeit Adderall pills containing methamphetamine, cocaine and fentanyl to an undercover law enforcement officer. Specifically, on May 10, 2021, Kristo provided approximately 1,000 counterfeit Adderall pills containing methamphetamine to the undercover officer, as well as providing cocaine to advertise what else he could supply. On May 18, 2021, Kristo arranged to sell 2,000 pills containing methamphetamine to the undercover. He sent an associate to deliver the pills while he waited in a nearby car. On June 2, he again provided over 1100 pills containing methamphetamine to the undercover officer. A search of Kristo’s home in June 2021 recovered over 50,000 counterfeit Adderall pills, over $140,000 in cash, cocaine, counterfeit Xanax, fentanyl, as well as three firearms – one of which was modified into a fully automatic weapon.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; John E. Mawn, Jr. Interim Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police; and Worcester Police Chief Steven M. Sargent made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen Noto of the Worcester Branch Unit prosecuted the case.
Woman Pleads Guilty to Sex Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A Texas woman pleaded guilty yesterday to conspiracy to commit sex trafficking.
According to court documents, in or around April 2022, Patricia Hart, 24, and her boyfriend, Gregory Massey, were arrested in New Orleans. While Massey was in custody, Hart conspired with Massey on recorded jail calls to engage in sex trafficking, including by locking one victim outside, hitting her, withholding her identity documents, and scaring her with a firearm.
Hart is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 7 and faces a maximum penalty of life in prison. As a result of her plea, Hart must also participate in the sex offender registration and notification program. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans for the Eastern District of Louisiana made the announcement.
Homeland Security Investigations; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; and the Louisiana State Police investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Melissa E. Bücher of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Maria M. Carboni for the Eastern District of Louisiana are prosecuting the case.
Woman Pleads Guilty to Sex Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A Texas woman pleaded guilty yesterday to conspiracy to commit sex trafficking.
According to court documents, in or around April 2022, Patricia Hart, 24, and her boyfriend, Gregory Massey, were arrested in New Orleans. While Massey was in custody, Hart conspired with Massey on recorded jail calls to engage in sex trafficking, including by locking one victim outside, hitting her, withholding her identity documents, and scaring her with a firearm.
Hart is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 7 and faces a maximum penalty of life in prison. As a result of her plea, Hart must also participate in the sex offender registration and notification program. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans for the Eastern District of Louisiana made the announcement.
Homeland Security Investigations; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; and the Louisiana State Police investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Melissa E. Bücher of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Maria M. Carboni for the Eastern District of Louisiana are prosecuting the case.
Waubay Man Charged with Escape from CustodyRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a federal grand jury has indicted a Waubay, South Dakota, man for Escape from Custody.
Levi Ambrose Locke, age 32, was indicted in May of 2023. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Veronica L. Duffy on July 17, 2023, and pleaded not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to five years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, three years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment alleges that on or about April 13, 2023, Locke escaped while in the custody of the Bureau of Prisons at Dismas Charities, Inc. Locke was serving part of a federal sentence when he allegedly left the premises and did not return.
The charge is merely an accusation and Locke is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ann M. Hoffman is prosecuting the case.
Locke was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial, which has been set for September 19, 2023.
Virginia Man and Woman Charged with Committing Forced Labor and Alien Harboring at Gas Station and Convenience Store for Multiple YearsRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in Richmond, Virginia, returned a seven-count indictment today charging a Virginia couple with forced labor, conspiracy to commit forced labor, alien harboring for financial gain and document servitude along with fraud-related charges – conspiracy to commit bankruptcy fraud and fraudulent transfers in contemplation of bankruptcy – in connection with their operation of a gas station and convenience store in North Chesterfield, Virginia.
According to the court documents, between March 2018 and May 2021, Harmanpreet Singh, 30, and Kulbir Kaur, 42, allegedly forced the victim to provide labor and services at Singh’s store, including working as the cashier, preparing food, cleaning and managing store records. The indictment alleges that the defendants used various coercive means, including confiscating the victim’s immigration documents and subjecting the victim to physical abuse, threats of force and other serious harm and, at times, degrading living conditions, to compel him to work long hours for minimal pay. The indictment further alleges that the defendants harbored the victim after his visa expired for financial gain and committed bankruptcy-related fraud offenses.
The charge of forced labor carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, up to five years of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000 and mandatory restitution. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
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 Stanley M. Meador of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI Richmond Field Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Avi Panth for the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorney Matthew Thiman of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit are prosecuting the case.
Anyone who has information about human trafficking should report that information to the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free at 1-888-373-7888, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information about human trafficking, please visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org. Information on the Department of Justice’s efforts to combat human trafficking can be found at www.justice.gov/humantrafficking.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
IndictmentVirginia Beach Woman Pleads Guilty to Unemployment Insurance Fraud Scheme Totaling More than $800,000Read the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Virginia Beach woman pleaded guilty today to fraudulently obtaining unemployment insurance (UI) benefits using personal identifiable information (PII) belonging to both Virginia Department of Corrections inmates and unwitting victims from the Norfolk area and out of state.
According to court documents, from approximately May 2020 through in November 2020, Jenyce Williams, 34, and her co-defendants and co-conspirators conspired to use PII, including names, dates of birth, and social security numbers belonging to others to file hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of UI claims amid the pandemic when numerous businesses were shut down. Williams’ role in the conspiracy was to submit UI applications and complete weekly recertifications using PII provided either by one of her co-conspirators, a Virginia Department of Corrections inmate, or obtained using other sources. For the UI applications to be successful, Williams and a second co-conspirator provided numerous false inputs in required fields on the Virginia Employment Commission (VEC) website, including a false mailing address, telephone number, e-mail address, and last employer. Williams and her second co-conspirator repeated false recertifications on a weekly basis to ensure benefits would continue to be paid. For many of the inmate claims, Williams continued weekly recertifications through in or about December 2020 until the VEC cut off known inmate claims. Williams elected for most of the UI benefits to be paid through a preloaded Way2Go debit card, which was mailed to the mailing address listed on the application, which was either Williams’ address, a co-conspirator’s address, or other residences selected to avoid suspicion regarding too many cards going to one address. The false claims filed specifically by Williams for 12 inmates resulted in the approval of approximately $193,332 in UI benefits. As a result of the overall conspiracy, the VEC approved approximately $478,640 in UI benefits on behalf of Virginia Department of Corrections inmates who were not entitled to receive such benefits, in addition to two non-inmates who had former connections to the Virginia Department of Corrections.
Williams also used another source available to members of the conspiracy to obtain PII belonging to individuals out of state who were not incarcerated. Using this PII, Williams filed approximately 15 claims, resulting in the approval of approximately $361,664 in UI benefits. These innocent out-of-state victims did not provide their PII to Williams or any of her co-defendants and had no knowledge of the scheme.
Williams is scheduled to be sentenced on November 3. She faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. 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; Joseph V. Cuffari, Inspector General for the Department of Homeland Security; Troy W. Springer, Acting Special Agent in Charge, National Capital Region, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General; and Damon E. Wood, Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service made the announcement after U.S. Magistrate Judge Lawrence R. Leonard accepted the plea.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen Taylor is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the 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. 2:23-cr-30.
Veterans Affairs Medical Center Employee Sentenced to Eight Years in Prison for Child Pornography OffensesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Royalston man was sentenced today in federal court in Springfield in connection with distributing child pornography using the Wi-Fi of a Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center.
Kevin A. Divoll, 51, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni to eight years in prison and five years of supervised release. Divoll was also ordered to pay $5,000 each to two of the identified victims. On April 24, 2023, Divoll pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography.
Divoll, a former employee of the VA Medical Center in Leeds, was identified as the owner and user of a device distributing child pornography over the VA Medical Center’s public Wi-Fi from May 2022 through July 2022. During a search of his residence on Aug. 4, 2022, Divoll was found to be in possession of child pornography that involved a prepubescent minor and a minor who had not attained 12 years of age.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Christopher Algieri, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, Northeast Field Office, made the announcement. Significant assistance was provided by the Leeds VA Medical Center Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Catherine G. Curley of the Springfield Branch Office prosecuted the case.
U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida Joins Announcement of Nationwide Initiative to Curtail Illegal Telemarketing OperationsRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Jason R. Coody, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida joins the Department of Justice, the Federal Trade Commission, the Federal Communications Commission, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and other law enforcement partners, including attorneys general from all 50 states and the District of Columbia, in announcing a crackdown on telemarketing operations responsible for billions of illegal calls to U.S. consumers.
The announcement caps approximately a year of enforcement actions taken by federal and state agencies to combat the scourge of illegal telemarketing, including robocalls and scam calls. In the last year, the Department has pursued approximately 90 cases against illegal telemarketing operations and those who facilitate those illegal calls. This initiative, “Operation Stop Scam Calls,” targets telemarketers, including those who use telephone calls to commit fraud, as well as those who facilitate illegal telephone calls. Enforcement actions targeted lead generators who deceptively collect consumers’ telephone numbers and then provide those telephone numbers to robocallers and others (falsely representing that these consumers have consented to receive calls), as well as Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) service providers who facilitate tens of billions of illegal robocalls every year. Significant actions also were taken against individuals and entities who unjustly profited by facilitating the movement of money from scam call victims to fraudsters.
"Americans are fed up with the constant barrage of scams that maliciously target the elderly and other vulnerable citizens," said U.S. Attorney Coody. "Florida experiences far too many instances of fraud against unsuspecting, vulnerable citizens. With the assistance of our dedicated law enforcement partners, we are committed to investigating and vigorously prosecuting those who seek to steal the hard-earned savings of our citizens."
The Department of Justice and its partners urge consumers to be on the lookout for illegal calls, to take steps to minimize the number of illegal calls received, and to report any scam calls to law enforcement.
• Callers may pressure you to send money by trying to scare you. They may pretend to be someone you know who is in trouble, a government agency, or a major company. These are fraudsters. Hang up.
• Don’t trust your caller ID. It can be faked.
• If you answer the telephone and hear a recorded message instead of a live person, it’s potentially a robocall trying to sell you something. It is probably illegal and likely a scam.
• Only call a telephone number you know is real.
• Make sure your number is on the Do Not Call Registry and consider using your telephone’s call blocking options or getting a call blocking app or service.For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit its website at www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. To review a list of common transnational elder fraud scams, many facilitated by telephone calls, visit https://www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch/transnational-elder-fraud-strike-force.
To learn more about the Department’s elder fraud efforts, visit www.justice.gov/elderjustice. If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has experienced financial fraud, experienced professionals are standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This Department of Justice hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, can provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies, and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. The hotline is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET. English, Spanish, and other languages are available.
For more information on unwanted calls, including steps people can take to avoid robocall scams and to hear examples of illegal calls, visit https://www.ftc.gov/calls, which is also available in Spanish at https://www.ftc.gov/llamadas.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
U.S. Attorney Dena J. King Participates in National Recognition Week for “Do the Write Thing ” Winners in Washington, D.C.Read the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – This week, U.S. Attorney Dena J. King participated in the National Recognition Week for the winners of the “Do the Write Thing” essay challenge in Washington, D.C., organized by the National Campaign to Stop Violence.
The Do the Write Thing (DtWT) challenge is a program of the National Campaign to Stop Violence, which seeks to encourage middle school students to express the impact of violence in their lives through writing, and to empower students to become catalysts for positive change by sharing their ideas on ways to reduce youth violence.
U.S. Attorney King serves as Chair of the DtWT Committee in Asheville. In May, U.S. Attorney King announced the two winners of the essay competition in Asheville, Ace Wilkins from Asheville Middle School, and Hannah-Grace Tweedie from Cane Creek Middle School. U.S. Attorney King also attended the DtWT ceremony in Charlotte, where Aaliyah Williams-Camp from Eastway Middle School, and Michael Tadi from Coulwood STEM Academy were announced as the winners of the essay competition in Charlotte.
As overall winners of the essay challenge, the four students were designated as DtWT Student National Ambassadors. As Ambassadors, the students, their parents/guardians and the teachers who submitted their essays were invited to the National Recognition Week, that took place from July 15 to July 19, in the nation’s capital. While there, the Ambassadors participated in a number of events, including a visit to the U.S. Supreme Court, and a meeting with members of Congress at the U.S. Capitol, where the students had an opportunity to discuss a number of topics including the problem of youth violence. In addition, the students were honored at an embassy reception hosted by the Ambassador from the State of Kuwait to the United States. A highlight of the week was a visit to the Library of Congress where the National Ambassadors’ essays can be viewed by the public.
“I am very proud of our Asheville and Charlotte National Ambassadors for this great accomplishment. I am confident that this experience has fueled their drive to achieve their goals and strive to reach their full potential,” said U.S. Attorney King. “Words have incredible power and can make ideas, hopes, and dreams become a reality. Do the Write Thing is a unique opportunity, as it allows young people to express their experiences through their writings, communicate their insights about the impact of violence in their lives, and learn how they can become agents of change.”
For more information on the National “Do the Write Thing Challenge” program please visit http://www.dtwt.org.
Tucson Man Sentenced to 36 Months in Prison for Alien Smuggling and Threats to Murder a Border Patrol AgentRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Jesus Alberto Ibarra-Barraza, 31, of Tucson, Arizona, was sentenced on Monday, by United States District Judge Scott H. Rash to a term of 36 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Ibarra-Barraza pleaded guilty on February 27, 2023, to Conspiracy to Transport Illegal Aliens for Profit and Threats to Murder an Employee of the United States.
On March 16, 2023, Ibarra-Barraza was transporting four undocumented noncitizens when he encountered law enforcement. Ibarra-Barraza stopped his vehicle, directed the passengers to exit, then fled at a high rate of speed. Ibarra-Barraza then crashed his vehicle sustaining serious injuries. While at the hospital, Ibarra-Barraza verbally confronted the victim, a United States Border Patrol Agent, and threatened to kill the victim upon his release from the hospital.
United States Customs and Border Protection’s Border Patrol conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant United States Attorney Nathaniel J. Walters, District of Arizona, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-22-01958-TUC-SHR
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-109_Ibarra-Barraza# # #
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.Sturgis Man Sentenced for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Jeffrey L. Viken sentenced a Sturgis, South Dakota, man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance.
Todd Deutsch, 55, was sentenced to 14 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Deutsch was indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance by a federal grand jury in October of 2020. He was found guilty following a jury trial on January 13, 2023.
During the conspiracy, Deutsch conspired with multiple other persons in western South Dakota, to obtain large volumes of methamphetamine from places like California, Nevada, and Colorado, and then worked with his co-conspirators to distribute the methamphetamine within the District of South Dakota, primarily in the Black Hills area.
This case was investigated by the Unified Narcotics Enforcement Team (UNET) and the Drug Enforcement Agency. UNET is comprised of law enforcement from the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, Rapid City Police Department, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, South Dakota Highway Patrol, and the South Dakota National Guard. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gina S. Nelson and Kathryn N. Rich prosecuted the case.
Deutsch was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Southern Oregon Dairy Pleads Guilty to Violating the Clean Water ActRead the Press Release
MEDFORD, Ore.—On July 17, 2023, a family-owned dairy located near Grants Pass, Oregon, pleaded guilty and was sentenced in federal court for violating the Clean Water Act by negligently discharging cow manure into a nearby creek and river.
Noble Marital Trust dba Noble Family Dairy pleaded guilty to one count of negligently discharging a pollutant in violation of a National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit and was ordered to pay a $25,000 fine.
“By disregarding the maximum number of cattle allowed by its waste management permit, the Noble Family Dairy caused significant environmental harm to two waterways shared and enjoyed by countless Rogue Valley residents and visitors,” said Nathan J. Lichvarcik, Chief of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Eugene and Medford Branch Offices. “Our nation’s environmental laws exist to protect human health and the environment, and we will continue working closely with our partners at EPA to hold accountable anyone who violates them.”
“This defendant’s actions caused the discharge of manure into the Applegate River and Caris Creek, causing significantly elevated levels of E. coli in the water,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Benjamin Carr of EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division in Oregon. “EPA and its partners will continue to protect the waters of the United States from illegal pollution discharges that contribute to serious health problems and put our communities at risk.”
According to court documents, Noble Family Dairy is a commercial dairy consisting of a farm and large concentrated animal feeding operation located approximately 13 miles southeast of Grants Pass off Oregon Route 238. In early 2019, the dairy had 130 more head of cattle than it was permitted under its state-issued waste management plan permit causing its manure lagoons to fill more rapidly. As a result, dairy operators applied manure to its fields throughout the rainy season and dug a trench to capture the runoff. In late February 2019, heavy rainfall and flooding caused the dairy’s runoff trench to fail and discharge manure into Caris Creek and, ultimately, the Applegate River.
In March 2019, an inspector from the Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA) visited the dairy and observed that the trench had been repaired but had as much as 18 inches of solid manure collecting in places. The inspector further observed what appeared to be islands of solid manure in Caris Creek and manure visibly discharging from the creek into the Applegate River. Despite these illegal discharges and the trench’s recent failure, the dairy continued applying liquid manure to its fields.
On April 19, 2023, Noble Family Dairy was charged by criminal information with one count of discharging a pollutant in violation of a NPDES permit, a misdemeanor crime under the Clean Water Act.
This case was investigated by the Environmental Protection Agency Criminal Investigation Division (EPA CID) with assistance from the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (ODEQ) and ODA. It was prosecuted Judith R. Harper, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon, and Gwendolyn Russell, Special Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
Manure and wastewater from dairies and other concentrated animal feeding operations have the potential to contribute pollutants such as nitrogen and phosphorus, organic matter, sediments, pathogens, hormones and antibiotics to the environment.
If you witness an environmental event that may lead to an immediate threat to human health or the environment, please call 9-1-1. After alerting local emergency authorities, please also report incidents to the EPA’s National Response Center by calling 1-800-424-8802.
South Georgia Resident Convicted in Lanier County Meth Distribution CaseRead the Press Release
VALDOSTA, Ga. –A Clinch County, Georgia, resident was convicted by a federal jury late yesterday of possessing with intent to distribute nearly one kilogram of methamphetamine, resulting from an investigation initiated by the Lanier County, Georgia, Sheriff’s Office.
Dennis Thompson, 40, of Homerville, Georgia, was convicted on July 18 of one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine following a two-day trial that began on July 17 before U.S. District Judge Hugh Lawson. Thompson faces a minimum mandatory sentence of ten years up to a maximum sentence of life imprisonment to be followed by five years of supervised release and a $10,000,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 15.
“Law enforcement successfully prevented a large quantity of methamphetamine from entering Lanier County,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “Thompson, and others who choose to push large amounts of the most deadly and addictive illegal drugs, will be held accountable for these crimes that degrade communities and so often feed other criminal activities.”
“Thompson endangered himself, law enforcement and other motorists during his irresponsible attempt to evade justice for methamphetamine distribution,” said Rich Bilson, Supervisory Senior Resident Agent of FBI Atlanta’s Valdosta office. “Hopefully this conviction sends a clear message that drug dealing in our communities will not be tolerated by the FBI and our partners.”
“We are appreciative of the cooperative efforts from all our partners to help bring this case to a close,” said Lanier County Sheriff Charles “Nick” Norton. “It is this kind of cooperation that makes our streets a safer place.”
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Thompson was under surveillance for distributing methamphetamine by Lanier County Sheriff’s Office investigators in Aug. 2020. A confidential informant told investigators that Thompson would be carrying a large amount of illegal drugs into Lanier County on Aug. 30, 2020, and he would be driving on Highway 221. Deputies attempted to pull Thompson over on Highway 221, but Thompson fled, leading deputies on a high-speed chase in excess of 100 miles per hour for several miles. The pursuit continued into Atkinson County, Georgia, where the vehicle finally came to a stop. A drug dog alerted to the odor of drugs inside Thompson’s car. Officers found 976 grams of methamphetamine inside a bag in the car. Thompson acquired the methamphetamine in Atlanta to distribute in the Lanier County community.
The case was investigated by FBI and the Lanier County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sonja Profit and Criminal Chief Leah McEwen are prosecuting the case for the Government.
Scott County Man Sentenced to 294 Months for Role in Money Laundering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. — A Georgetown, Ky., man, Demarkus Nemetz, 24, was sentenced on Monday to 294 months in federal prison, by Chief U.S. District Judge Danny Reeves, for conspiracy to launder drug proceeds and promotional money laundering.
According to his plea agreement, Nemetz admitted to knowingly and voluntarily participating in a conspiracy to launder drug proceeds. After other conspirators distributed controlled substances, including fentanyl and cocaine, Nemetz would collect the proceeds of the drug sales, count and package the money, and then conduct financial transactions with the proceeds by delivering the packages to couriers for the larger drug trafficking organization. Nemetz admitted that he was responsible for at least $1.5 million but less than $3.5 million in drug proceeds.
During the investigation, DEA agents seized 7 kilograms of fentanyl, 2 kilograms of cocaine, 6 firearms and approximately $650,000 in cash drug proceeds.
Eleven defendants were charged in the drug or money laundering conspiracies. Six defendants pled guilty, including Nemetz, who pleaded guilty in November 2022. Three defendants proceeded to trial in April 2023, on conspiracy to launder drug proceeds and promotional money laundering. All three were found guilty by the jury and are pending sentencing. Two others have already been sentenced. Eduardo Hernandez Alfaro, of Lexington, was sentenced to 78 months and Humberto Saucedo-Salgado, also of Lexington, was sentenced to 97 months.
Under federal law, Nemetz must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for three years.
Carlton S. Shier IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, and J. Todd Scott, Special Agent in Charge, DEA, Louisville Field Division, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the DEA. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd Bradbury.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
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Rochester Business Owner Sentenced to Prison for Tax CrimesRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – The owner of a Rochester jewelry business has been sentenced to six months in prison followed by one year of supervised release, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, Bernard James Benavidez, 62, is the sole owner and operator of Master Jewelers, Inc., located in Rochester, Minnesota. Because of its corporate structure, Master Jewelers was responsible for paying its own corporate taxes while Benavidez was independently responsible for reporting any salary, wages, or other compensation that Master Jewelers paid to him personally. But Benavidez regularly and intentionally diverted significant portions of Master Jewelers’ gross sales into his personal bank accounts for the purpose of lowering tax liabilities. Benavidez occasionally directed customers to pay him personally for work he completed on behalf of the business. Master Jewelers also sold significant amounts of scrap metal as part of its business and Benavidez deposited the proceeds into his personal bank account instead of the corporate account to avoid the funds from being captured on tax returns.
In total, between 2013 and 2017, Benavidez successfully concealed $432,373.42 in Master Jewelers’ sales, which resulted in unpaid tax liabilities of $147,006.96.
“Financial crimes involving the concealment, diversion and manipulation of business funds can be quite difficult to detect,” said Justin Campbell, Special Agent in Charge, IRS-Criminal Investigation, Chicago Field Office. “The sentencing of this individual underscores the fact that IRS-CI special agents are as meticulous as they are dedicated to bringing to justice business owners who attempt to evade their tax obligations.”
Benavidez pleaded guilty on February 3, 2023, to one count of making and subscribing a false tax return. Benavidez was sentenced yesterday before Judge Wilhelmina M. Wright.
This case was jointly investigated by IRS – Criminal Investigations.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jordan L. Sing.
Retired Oklahoma Police Officer to Serve 15 Months for Threatening to Kill Federal Law Enforcement Officers at AirportRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – Last week, CHARLES DEAN LACK, 56, of Wayne, Oklahoma, was sentenced to serve 15 months in federal prison for threatening to murder federal law enforcement officers, announced United States Attorney Robert J. Troester.
On August 17, 2022, a federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment against Lack. Count 1 charged him with threatening to murder federal law enforcement officers, and Count 2 charged him with interstate transmission of a threatening communication. On April 19, 2023, Lack pleaded guilty and admitted to threatening to kill TSA officers at Will Rogers World Airport (WRWA).
According to an affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint, on or about August 5, 2022, the Federal Bureau of Investigation learned Lack had communicated his intention to visit WRWA and kill federal officers once he arrived. The affidavit states Lack traveled to WRWA on three separate occasions to scout the area and determine where federal officers were located within the airport.
At a sentencing hearing on July 14, 2023, U.S. District Court Judge Timothy D. DeGiusti sentenced Lack to serve 15 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. In announcing the sentence, the court noted the nature and circumstances of the offense, along with Lack’s history and characteristics.
This case is the result of investigations by the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office and the Oklahoma City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matt Dillon and Mark Stoneman prosecuted the case.
Reference is made to public filings for more information.
Recidivist Sex Offender Pleads Guilty to Attempted Coercion and Enticement of MinorRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A New York man pleaded guilty today to attempted coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity.
According to court documents, from at least August 2020 through November 2020, Anthony Lynch, 59, who is a registered sex offender in New York, communicated with the out-of-state minor over the telephone and through various social media applications. In those communications, Lynch repeatedly demanded that the minor take explicit videos and photographs of herself for his personal use. When the underage victim did not comply, defendant repeatedly threatened her, writing that the “war has started” and by claiming, among other things, that he would distribute intimate pictures of her over the internet and email the victim’s school with her information and claim that she was performing online sex shows. After a lengthy investigation, including a search warrant executed at his purported residence in Brooklyn, Lynch was located at a relative’s home in Chesapeake, Virginia, and arrested.
Lynch is scheduled to be sentenced on December 13. He faces a mandatory minimum sentence of twenty years and a maximum penalty of life in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. 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; Brian Dugan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office; and Al Chandler, Chief of Suffolk Police, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Elizabeth Wilson Hanes.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia expresses its appreciation to the FBI New York Field Office and the San Francisco Police Department for their significant assistance in this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony Mozzi is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-8.
Prison Guard Admits to Using Excessive Force, Obstructing JusticeRead the Press Release
EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – A former correctional officer at Pinckneyville Correctional Center pleaded guilty to federal charges Tuesday stemming from an incident in which a restrained inmate was beaten.
Cord A. Williams, 35, of Vergennes, Illinois, pleaded guilty to violating the inmate’s civil rights by using excessive force under color of law and of conspiracy to obstruct justice by falsifying incident reports.
Correctional officers Christian L. Pyles, 25, of Christopher, Illinois, and Mark C. Maxwell, 52, of Pinckneyville, Illinois, are also charged in the indictment.
The indictment alleges both Williams and Pyles beat an inmate who was fully restrained in handcuffs and leg irons on April 24, 2022. Maxwell was charged with a separate civil rights violation that alleges he was the acting lieutenant when he failed to intervene and allowed the inmate to be beaten in his presence.
As part of Williams’ plea, he admitted that the beating occurred to punish the inmate, because he had previously punched a different correctional officer. Court records showed the beating caused significant injuries to the inmate, including facial fractures, multiple lacerations, a chipped tooth, and lung damage.
As part of their official duties, correctional officers are required to write incident reports to accurately document any unusual incidents that they observe or are reported to them, including disturbances or the use of force. The conspiracy count alleges that both Williams, Pyles, and others colluded to file false reports about the incident.
The Illinois State Police are leading the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft is prosecuting the case.