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Tuesday 30 May 2023
Tax Preparer Sentenced to Prison for Preparing False ReturnsRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that KEYANTE PAUL, 34, of Florida, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Janet Bond Arterton in New Haven to 12 months and one day of imprisonment, followed by one year of supervised release, for preparing false tax returns for numerous clients.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Paul, through her business Keys Tax Services, operated as a tax return preparer, and she traveled to the Norwich, Connecticut area for part of the year to prepare returns for Connecticut clients. For several years, Paul prepared numerous federal tax returns for clients that included false income “adjustments” that reduced taxpayers’ reported adjusted gross income or false expenses and losses in connection with sole proprietorship businesses that clients did not operate.
Paul’s criminal conduct caused losses totaling more than $550,000 to the U.S. Treasury and the Connecticut Department of Revenue Services.
Paul was arrested on June 16, 2022. On February 23, 2023, she pleaded guilty to aiding and assisting in the preparation of a false income tax return.
Restitution will be determined after additional court proceedings.
This investigation was conducted by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer R. Laraia and Lauren C. Clark.
Several smugglers admit to transporting undocumented aliensRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A total of four people have pleaded guilty to human smuggling, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Jose Quezada-Gamez, 29, Tamaulipas, Mexico, pleaded guilty to functioning as a guide for undocumented aliens attempting to cross the Rio Grande and enter the United States illegally. Derly Crescencio Medina, 27, McAllen, and Jessica Dinora Pena-Rodriguez, 48, Tamaulipas, admitted housing undocumented aliens at a residence near San Juan. Rogelio Gonzalez III, 29, Edinburg, entered his plea to transporting undocumented aliens further north into the United States.
Authorities arrested all four following an investigation into a extensive smuggling ring operating in the McAllen area. They apprehended Quezada-Gamez near the Rio Grande guiding a group of aliens into the United States from Mexico. Gonzalez was taken into custody near Premont as the driver of a vehicle containing multiple undocumented aliens.
At the time of the pleas, all four admitted to knowingly transporting or harboring undocumented aliens for financial gain.
U.S. District Judge Randy Crane will impose sentencing Aug. 10. At that time, each faces up to 10 years in prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
All four have been and will remain in custody pending that hearing.
Border Patrol conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Theodore Parran III is prosecuting the case.
Richmond man sentenced for $1.4 million Medicare home health fraud schemeRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 47-year-old home health company owner has been ordered to prison following his conviction of conspiracy to commit health care fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Akintunde Oyewale, Richmond, pleaded guilty Feb. 1, 2022.
Today, U.S. District Judge David Hittner ordered he serve 57 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, the defense requested a reduced sentence due to Oyewale’s role as a father and caretaker of his mother. In handing down the sentence, the court noted he had family commitments at the time of the offense and that he committed the conduct over a span of several years involving kickbacks to multiple parties and Medicare patients. Oyewale agreed to pay $1,467,719.92 in restitution to Medicare.
Oyewale operated Grace Healthcare Services LLC through September 2017. At the time of his plea, he admitted to and caused Grace to bill Medicare for home health services that were not medically necessary and not provided. He also acknowledged to furthering the scheme by unlawfully paying medical clinics for fraudulent home health certifications and unlawfully paying for patient referrals.
Oyewale also failed to keep records. He admitted he failed to produce records following the receipt of a grand jury subpoena. The records were supposed to justify the billed claims. Grace was subject to recoupment for failing to maintain supporting medical records for bills.
Oyewale admitted to using the fraudulently obtained funds for his personal financial benefit and for the benefit of his family members.
The Texas Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, Department of Health and Human Services - Office of Inspector General and FBI conducted the investigation. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Abdul Farukhi and AUSA Christian Latham prosecuted the case.
Red Ventures, LLC and MYMOVE, LLC Agree to Pay $2.75 Million to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations Arising from Agreements with the U.S. Postal ServiceRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Red Ventures, LLC and MYMOVE, LLC (together, “MYMOVE”) have agreed to pay the United States $2.75 million to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by knowingly withholding funds owed to the U.S. Postal Service (“USPS”) under contractual agreements connected to the USPS change of address process.
The United States alleged that MYMOVE had a contractual obligation to share monthly gross revenue related to a certain program with USPS, but instead, MYMOVE improperly and secretly deducted some of its own costs before sharing revenue with USPS – essentially changing the contractual revenue share provision at issue from one of gross revenue to one of net revenue, a change favorable to MYMOVE’s profits at the expense of revenue owed to USPS.
The settlement also resolves allegations that MYMOVE improperly and knowingly allocated labor costs related to this same contract, under which MYMOVE bore all of the program costs, to another contract, that contained a profit-sharing agreement with USPS, thereby also increasing MYMOVE’s profits at USPS’s expense by improperly passing off a portion of its labor costs to USPS.
“This settlement demonstrates that those who cheat the government will be held accountable,” said Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. “My office will continue to investigate and hold responsible those who seek to profit from defrauding federal agencies.”
“We are gratified to have contributed to this investigation and applaud the exceptional work by the United States Attorney’s Office for protecting both U.S. Postal Service revenue and the integrity of our change of address program,” said Executive Special Agent in Charge Kenneth Cleevely of the U.S. Postal Service (USPS), Office of Inspector General (OIG). “Special Agents of the USPS OIG will continue to investigate those who would engage in fraudulent activities designed to defraud the Postal Service. The settlement delivered in this case represents a win for the USPS and for all law enforcement agencies who work together to ensure that justice is served.”
The civil settlement includes the resolution of claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act by former MYMOVE employee Marcos Arellano. Under those provisions, a private party may file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. The qui tam case is captioned U.S. ex rel. Arellano v. MYMOVE, LLC and Red Ventures, LLC, No. 3:20-cv-255 (W.D.N.C.).
Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Johnson and Investigator Cathleen Hollowell of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte investigated the matter in conjunction with the USPS Office of Inspector General.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability.
Ravia Resident Sentenced for Sexually Abusing A Minor in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Lance Alden Whelchel, age 28, of Ravia, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 36 months in prison for sexually abusing a minor in Indian Country.
The charges arose from investigations by the Tishomingo Police Department, the Johnston County Sheriff’s Office, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
On November 29, 2021, Whelchel pleaded guilty to one count of Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country. At the plea hearing, Whelchel admitted that between June and August of 2020, he sexually abused a child under the age of 16.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma prosecuted this case because the defendant is a member of a federally recognized Indian tribe and the crime occurred in Johnston County, within the boundaries of the Chickasaw Nation Reservation and the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The Honorable Charles B. Goodwin, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, sitting by appointment, presided over the hearings in Oklahoma City. Whelchel will remain in custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant United States Attorney Edith A. Singer represented the United States.
Providence Woman Admits to Receiving and Storing Fentanyl and Cocaine Intended for DistributionRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A Providence woman today admitted to a federal judge that she participated in a drug trafficking conspiracy and was paid by co-conspirators to accept and store multiple shipments of fentanyl and cocaine shipped through the United Parcel Service and Federal Express, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cuna.
Rosangeles Bueno, 42, admitted that over a six-week period beginning in early February 2022, she received and stored multiple packages containing a total of 2.23 kilograms of fentanyl and multiple packages containing quantities of cocaine.
Bueno admitted that she regularly communicated with co-conspirators about the shipments and storage of drugs and the storage of and materials and supplies used to package and distribute controlled substances, including a press and molds for packaging, scales, baggies, and masks.
Bueno pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl; possession with intent to distribute fentanyl; and possession with intent to distribute cocaine. She is scheduled to be sentenced on September 7, 2023. The defendants’ sentences will be determined by a federal judge after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Denise M. Barton.
The matter was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, with the assistance of the DEA, Warwick Police Department, Newport Police Department, Central Falls Police Department, and Providence Police Department.
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Providence Man Admits to Possessing Cocaine with Intent to DistributeRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A Providence man is scheduled to be sentenced in August after admitting to a federal court judge that, in November 2021, he took possession of a package that contained more than a half kilogram of cocaine that was mailed from Puerto Rico and was addressed for delivery to a Providence residence, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.
Jose Fuentes, 32, pleaded guilty on May 23, 2023, to a charge of possession of cocaine with the intent to distribute.
According to information presented to the court, in November of 2021, as part of a narcotics trafficking investigation, the United States Postal Inspection Service and the FBI Rhode Island Safe Streets Task Force identified a suspicious package that had been sent through the mail from Puerto Rico to Providence. During the investigation, a Rhode Island State Police canine trained to alert law enforcement to the presence of narcotics was brought in to check the package and alerted its handler with a positive indication that the package contained narcotics. A court-authorized search of the package and subsequent testing revealed that the package contained 560 grams (.56 of a kilogram) of cocaine, packed inside a Lego box.
Court records show that someone, using a cell phone associated with Fuentes, made at least two calls to the post office seeking information about the location of the most recently shipped package. The caller was told that he would have to claim the package in-person. When Fuentes arrived at the post office and took possession of the package on November 4, 2021, he was arrested and the cocaine was seized by law enforcement.
Fuentes is scheduled to be sentenced on August 29, 2023. The defendant’s sentence will be determined by a federal judge after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stacey A. Erickson.
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Project Safe Neighborhoods News, May 30, 2023Read the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) initiative brings together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence. At the core of PSN is setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place. U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announces the following actions in federal PSN cases.
Guilty Pleas
Eric Terrell Christian, 31, of Vacaville, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents, on Aug. 11, 2022, Christian was arrested for a parole violation and found to be in possession of a Glock handgun with a round in the chamber and another 17 rounds in a high-capacity magazine. In an apartment to which Christian had access, officers found a Palmetto Arms pistol with a round in the chamber and 36 rounds in an inserted, 40-round magazine. Christian is not allowed to possess firearms because he has previously been convicted of three felony offenses, including two convictions for assault with a deadly weapon, and was on parole when he committed the current offense. Christian is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge William B. Shubb on Aug. 28, 2023. Christian faces a maximum statutory penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. This case is the product of an investigation by the Vacaville Police Department, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation – Division of Adult Parole Operations, the Solano County District Attorney’s Office, the FBI’s Solano County Violent Crimes Task Force, and the ATF. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrian T. Kinsella is prosecuting the case.
Gabriel Joseph Detrant, 49, of Redding, pleaded guilty on May 18, 2023, to being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents, on Feb. 2, 2021, law enforcement officers conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle Detrant was driving in Redding. Detrant stopped the vehicle, and he and a passenger fled on foot. The officers found a Baikal Makarov, Model IJ-70 9 mm handgun loaded with eight rounds by the driver’s seat. Officers later found Detrant hiding nearby in possession of a magazine loaded with eight 9 mm rounds. Detrant is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition because he has multiple prior felony convictions, including a 2018 conviction in Shasta County for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Detrant is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 31, 2023, by U.S. District Judge Daniel J. Calabretta. Detrant faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. This case is the product of an investigation by the Shasta County District Attorney’s Office, the Redding Police Department, and the ATF. Assistant U.S. Attorney Haddy Abouzeid is prosecuting the case.
The actual sentences, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Sentencings
Kevin Lester Wise, 68, of Rancho Cordova, was sentenced on May 9, 2023, to two and a half years in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents, on July 22, 2020, Wise was found to be in possession of a Ruger .22 caliber rifle and a silencer. Wise had previously attempted to unlawfully import another silencer from China. In 1990, Wise was convicted in Sacramento County for unlawful assault by an officer while he was serving as a deputy sheriff. In 2013, Wise was convicted in federal court in the Eastern District of California for a being a felon in possession of a firearm. As a convicted felon, Wise is prohibited from owning firearms, including silencers. This case was the product of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations and the ATF. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrian T. Kinsella prosecuted the case.
Derick Louangamath, 33, of Sacramento, was sentenced on April 24, 2023, to five years and three months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents, on Nov. 23, 2019, law enforcement officers stopped a vehicle that Louangamath was driving and found a Glock 26, along with loaded 10-round, 15-round, and 33-round magazines. Louangamath has several prior felony convictions, including convictions for being a felon in possession of a firearm, which prohibit him from possessing a firearm. This case was the product of an investigation by the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office, the Sacramento Police Department, and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron D. Pennekamp prosecuted the case.
These cases are part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Parker Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Sexual Abuse of a MinorRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Victor Adrian Shortey, 40, of Parker, Arizona, was sentenced on May 8, 2023, by United States District Judge Douglas L. Rayes to 180 months in prison, followed by a term of lifetime supervised release. Shortey pleaded guilty to Sexual Abuse of a Minor.
Between May 2017 and November 2017, when the minor victim was temporarily residing with Shortey, he sexually abused the victim on multiple occasions at his residence. Shortey is a member of the Colorado River Indian Tribes (“CRIT”), and the sexual abuse occurred on the CRIT Indian Reservation.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and the CRIT Police Department conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant United States Attorney Christina J. Reid-Moore, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-22-00167-PHX-DLR
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-078_Shortey# # #
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.Palm Beach Art Dealer Sentenced to Federal Prison for Laundering Money from Art Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
MIAMI – Palm Beach art dealer Daniel Elie Bouaziz was sentenced today to 27 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for laundering money derived from his scheme to sell counterfeit artwork. U.S. District Judge Aileen M. Cannon also ordered Bouaziz to pay a $15,000 fine. The restitution hearing is set for August 16.
Bouaziz was the owner of art galleries, to include Danieli Fine Art and Galerie Danieli, located at 226A and 230 Worth Avenue, respectively, in Palm Beach County, Florida. Bouaziz knowingly engaged in and attempted to engage in a monetary transaction, by, through, and to, a financial institution, affecting interstate and foreign commerce, in criminally derived property of a value greater than $10,000, such property having been derived from the unlawful sale of counterfeit art, using means of interstate commerce to carry out the sale and transfer of proceeds.
On October 25, 2021, Bouaziz sold counterfeit artwork to a customer, to include pieces purportedly by artist Andy Warhol (“Warhol”) out of his Palm Beach art galleries. Bouaziz had told the customer that the works that he was selling, for between $75,000 and $240,000, were authentic, original Warhol pieces, and that some of the pieces were signed by the artist. Relying upon these false and fraudulent representations, the customer purchased artwork from Bouaziz. The customer gave Bouaziz a $200,000 down payment for the artwork. The money was deposited into Bouaziz’s account and then the comingled funds were wired to other accounts, to include an account controlled by Bouaziz.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri of the FBI, Miami Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge Matthew D. Line of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Miami Field Office, announced the sentence imposed by U.S. District Judge Cannon.
FBI Miami, West Palm Beach Resident Agency, and IRS-CI Miami investigated this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah J. Schall is prosecuting this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Peter A. Laserna and Daren Grove are handling asset forfeiture.
If you believe you have been a victim of art fraud, please contact the FBI’s Art Crime Team at 1-800-CALL-FBI.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 22-cr-80099.
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New York Motorcycle Club Member Pleads Guilty to Illegal FirearmRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Woodside, New York, man who was part of a group of motorcycle riders passing through Missouri pleaded guilty in federal court today to illegally possessing a firearm.
Edward DeJesus, 56, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
On June 3, 2022, the Independence, Mo., Police Department was advised that members of the Outcast Motorcycle Club from New York were heading westbound on Interstate 70 toward the Kansas City, Mo., area. A detective with the Independence Police Department observed a group of motorcycles traveling faster than the posted speed limit on westbound Interstate 70. The detective then activated the lights and siren on his unmarked police vehicle and attempted to stop the pack of motorcycles in the area of westbound Interstate 70 and 291 Highway for speeding and traveling in the passing lane. The motorcycles were weaving in and out of lanes of traffic and failing to yield.
An Independence police officer at Interstate 70 and Noland Road saw DeJesus, who was driving a black Harley Davidson Road Glide in excess of 100 miles per hour. The officer activated his lights and siren and went in pursuit of the motorcycle. The motorcycle was weaving in and out of traffic and riding down the center line between vehicles. The motorcycle exited onto eastbound 40 Highway and pulled into the Wal-Mart and then into the gas station lot at the Wal-Mart. The officer pulled beside the motorcycle and arrested DeJesus.
The officer searched DeJesus and found a dollar bill in his wallet that contained 1.5 grams of cocaine. Officers also found a loaded Glock handgun and two additional magazines in the saddlebags on the motorcycle.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. DeJesus has a prior felony conviction for possessing a controlled substance.
Under federal statutes, DeJesus is subject to a sentence of up to 10 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert M. Smith. It was investigated by the Independence, Mo., Police Department.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
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.
New York Man Sentenced to 12 Months and One Day for Failing to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama announced that United States District Judge Kristi DuBose sentenced defendant Jose Fulwood, 26, to 12 months and one day in prison for Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. Fulwood entered a guilty plea to this offense on February 9, 2023.
According to court documents filed in connection with his guilty plea, Fulwood was previously convicted of Attempted Rape Second Degree in the County Court of Chenango County, New York. The conviction occurred on September 22, 2017. In January 2022, the United States Marshals Service received a tip that Fulwood was living and working in Mobile, Alabama. Fulwood never registered as a sex offender in the state of Alabama. Fulwood had a prior conviction for failing to register as a sex offender in Virginia.
Judge DuBose imposed a 12 month and one day sentence of incarceration and a 5-year term of supervised release upon his discharge from prison. Judge DuBose ordered that Fulwood pay $100 in special assessments. Fulwood will be required to register as a sex offender when he is released from prison.
The United States Marshals Service investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Kacey Chappelear 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 https://www.justice.gov/psc/publications-resources.
New Orleans Steamboat Company Charged for Discharging Excess Ballast Material into Industrial CanalRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that NEW ORLEANS STEAMBOAT COMPANY (“NOSC”), was charged on May 26, 2023 with violating the Clean Water Act (“CWA”) in connection with a discharge of excess ballast material into the Industrial Canal in New Orleans in 2019.
According to the bill of information, NOSC negligently discharged, without the knowledge of the Board of Directors, and caused to be discharged a quantity of a substance into a navigable water of the United States, upon adjoining shorelines, and affecting the United States’ natural resources. The discharge took place on or around February 12, 2019, in the Inner Harbor Navigational Canal (“IHNC”), more commonly known as the Industrial Canal.
An employee of NOSC, Matt Dow, was charged with a misdemeanor violation of the CWA, punishable by up to one year in jail and $100,000 fine.
If convicted, NOSC faces a possible term of probation and a fine of up to $50,000 or twice the gross gain to the defendant or twice the gross loss to any victim as well as a mandatory $100 special assessment fee. A bill of information is merely a charge, and the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
The case was investigated by the Environmental Protection Agency’s Criminal Investigation Division, and the Department of Transportation’s Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carter K.D. Guice, Jr. of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
New Haven Teen Pleads Guilty, Admits Role in 5 CarjackingsRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that TIHAJA ORTIZ-TUCKER, also known as “TJ,” 19, of New Haven, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Janet Bond Arterton in New Haven to carjacking and conspiracy offenses.
According to court documents and statements made in court, between March and July 2022, Ortiz-Tucker and others posed as interested buyers of motor vehicles advertised by Connecticut residents (the “victim-sellers”) on Facebook Marketplace. On three occasions, Ortiz-Tucker and his co-conspirators arranged to meet in person with the victim-sellers for the purported purpose of test driving and purchasing the motor vehicles. At the conclusion of the purported test drives, Ortiz-Tucker and his co-conspirators stole, at gunpoint, the vehicles, as well as certificates of title, bills of sale, and other ownership documents. On at least two occasions, Ortiz-Tucker posed as the legitimate owner of stolen motor vehicles, advertised them for sale on the OfferUp online platform, and sold them to unwitting purchasers.
Ortiz-Tucker also participated in two carjackings of Uber drivers in May 2022. In both instances, an Uber driver picked up the carjacker in New Haven and drove to Wallingford where the cars were taken from the Uber drivers at gunpoint. Both cars were later recovered in the same area of Hamden.
Ortiz-Tucker was arrested on July 22, 2022.
Ortiz-Tucker pleaded guilty to three counts of taking a motor vehicle from a person by force, violence, and intimidation (“carjacking”), an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 15 years on each count, and one count of conspiracy, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of five years.
Judge Arterton scheduled sentencing for August 22.
Ortiz-Tucker, who had been released on bond and residing with family members in California, was remanded to custody at the conclusion of the sentencing proceeding.
On May 2, 2023, Ruben Montano, 20, of New Haven, pleaded guilty to one count of carjacking and admitted that he participated in one of these carjackings in July 2022, and the subsequent sale of the vehicle. Montano, who is detained in state custody on unrelated charges, is scheduled to be sentenced on July 31.
This matter is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Safe Streets Violent Crime Task Force, the Connecticut State Police and the Wallingford, New Haven, Hamden, Waterbury, and Bridgeport Police Departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah P. Karwan and Tara E. Levens.
U.S. Attorney Avery encouraged those who sell and purchase items online, and need to meet an individual in person to complete the sale, to use a visible, monitored location. Contact your local police department to see if it offers a monitored meeting location, or search online for a nearby monitored location.
Modesto Man Sentenced to over 14 Years in Prison for Receiving and Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Jerrid Kunkel, 27, of Modesto, was sentenced today to 14 years and seven months in prison, to be followed by 10 years of supervised release, for receiving and distributing material involving the sexual exploitation of minors, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, between April 2014 and December 2017, Kunkel received and distributed at least 600 images of child pornography over the internet from his cellphone.
This case was the product of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brittany M. Gunter 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 those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet-safety education.
Michigan Man Pleads Guilty in Pandemic Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA - A resident of Michigan pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of mail fraud and identity theft, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
Milton Barth Reed, age 32, pleaded guilty to two counts before United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon on May 26, 2023.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that, in September 2020, Reed was located in Pittsburgh, PA, in possession of a notebook containing the personally identifying information of twenty-four individuals. Each of these identities had been used to file a fraudulent application for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) benefits in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. While in Pittsburgh, Reed had attempted to pick up two fraudulently issued PUA debit cards that were supposed to be delivered by commercial carrier to an address near Ben Avon.
Sentencing in this matter has been scheduled for October 3, 2023. The law provides for a total sentence of 22 years in prison, a fine of $500,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Pending sentencing, the court ordered that the defendant be detained.
Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey R. Bengel is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Department of Homeland Security/Homeland Security Investigations, United States Postal Inspection Service, and United States Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Milton Barth Reed.
Mexican National Extradited from Mexico to the United States to Face Cocaine Trafficking and Money Laundering ChargesRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Gilberto Alarcon-Holguin a/k/a Beto, 55, a Mexican national, was arraigned in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York on charges of conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute cocaine and conspiracy to launder the illicit proceeds charges. In December 2022, Alarcon-Holguin was arrested by Mexican authorities in Mexico pursuant to an extradition request from the United States. he was extradited from Mexico to the United States on May 26, 2023.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael J. Adler and Jeremiah E. Lenihan, who are handling the case, stated that according to the indictment against Alarcon-Holguin, between October 2017, and December 2018, he conspired with others to sell cocaine and then launder the proceeds of the drug sales. During the course of the investigation, law enforcement seized approximately 2.6-million dollars.
Alarcon-Holguin was arraigned today before U.S. Magistrate Judge H. Kenneth Schroeder, Jr. and was held pending a detention hearing on June 6, 2023, at 1:00 p.m. before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael J. Roemer.
The indictment is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Scarpino; the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia; the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Eugene Staniszewski; the Erie County Sheriff’s Department, under the direction of Sheriff John Garcia; and Customs and Border Protection, Air and Marine Unit, under the direction of Brian Manaher, Director, Marine Operations. Additional assistance was provided by the New York National Guard and Homeland Security Investigations, El Paso, Texas. The Government of Mexico, including the Fiscalía General de la República (FGR), provided significant assistance in the extradition of Alarcon-Holguin to the United States. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with law enforcement partners in Mexico to secure the arrest and extradition of Alarcon-Holguin.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Marysville Man Pleads Guilty to Child Exploitation ChargesRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Brent Hooton, 50, of Marysville, pleaded guilty today to sexual exploitation of a child and distribution of child pornography, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, in May 2021, Hooton produced images of a child under the age of 12 engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Hooton then distributed those images to other users over the Kik messaging app.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Audrey Hemesath and Denise Yasinow are prosecuting the case.
Hooton is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 12, 2023, by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd. Hooton faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison, a maximum statutory penalty of 30 years in prison on the sexual exploitation of a child count, and a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison, a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison on the distribution of child pornography count. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet-safety education.
Man Pleads Guilty to Robbing the Service Credit Union in KeeneRead the Press Release
CONCORD – A Keene man pleaded guilty in federal court to robbing the Service Credit Union on Winchester Street in Keene, New Hampshire, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces.
Ethan Clark, 31, pleaded guilty to bank robbery. U.S. District Court Judge Joseph Laplante scheduled sentencing for September 7, 2023. Clark was charged on May 10, 2023.
On November 28, 2022, Clark gave a bank teller at the Service Credit Union in Keene a note demanding money, stealing more than $4,700. Surveillance footage shows that Clark left the bank and walked to a van he stole from his former employer. Later that day, Clark was seen driving the van in Lawrence, Massachusetts. When law enforcement searched the vehicle, they found a note consistent with the robbery note given to the teller.
The charging statute provides a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, 3 years of supervised release, a fine of $250,000 and restitution. 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 FBI led the investigation. Valuable assistance was provided by the Keene Police Department and the Lawrence Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Hunter is prosecuting the case.
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Lodi Man Sentenced to over 12 Years in Prison for Fentanyl Pill and Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Vincent Jose Vasquez, 29, of Lodi, was sentenced today to 12 years and six months in prison for fentanyl and methamphetamine trafficking, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, in October 2020, law enforcement officers seized approximately a kilogram of heroin that Vasquez was transporting. On May 5, 2021, more than 10,000 counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl, more than 900 grams of cocaine, almost 1 pound of methamphetamine, three firearms, and $21,623 in cash were seized following the execution of a search warrant at Vasquez’s residence in Lodi.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration with assistance by the U.S. Marshals Service, the California Highway Patrol, the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Department, and the Lodi Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney David W. Spencer prosecuted the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Kings County Man Charged in Operation Red Reaper Sentenced to over 21 Years in Prison for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Florentino Gutierrez, 41, of Hanford, was sentenced today to 21 years and 10 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams and more of a mixture containing methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
Gutierrez was one of 21 drug traffickers charged federally as a result of Operation Red Reaper, a multi-agency investigation into the criminal activities of individuals associated with the Kings and Tulare County Nuestra Familia prison gang.
According to court documents, in April and May 2019, Gutierrez conspired with others to traffic over 2 kilograms of methamphetamine. Gutierrez’s plan included using his Cadillac Escalade as collateral to purchase the methamphetamine. His co-conspirators then traveled from Hanford to Bakersfield, where they picked up the methamphetamine. On the return trip, investigators stopped the car, searched it, and seized five bags containing a total of over 2 kilograms of methamphetamine.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Kings County Gang Task Force, the Special Operations Unit of the California Department of Justice and the California Highway Patrol; the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation; the Kings County District Attorney's Office; and the Tulare County Sheriff's Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin J. Gilio is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Kansas Man Indicted for Using Guns, Death Threats and Racial Slurs to Intimidate Black PeopleRead the Press Release
A Kansas man was indicted by a federal grand jury for using guns, death threats and racial slurs to intimidate Black people and interfere with multiple federally-protected rights.
The indictment alleges that, on July 27, 2022, Austin Schoemann, 30, of Wichita, brandished a firearm and used racial slurs in order to threaten two Black juveniles, Victims 1 and 2, while they were entering a QuikTrip gasoline station. In addition to intimidating and interfering with the two young men, Schoemann used his firearm to threaten a Black adult, Victim-3, who intervened in support of the juveniles’ federally-protected right to be free from racial discrimination when visiting a gasoline station. The indictment also charges Schoemann with using a firearm during and in relation to these crimes of violence.
The indictment further alleges that beginning in January 2022 and continuing through August 2022, Schoemann interfered with the federally-protected housing rights of a white woman, Victim-4, by making threats to hurt or kill any Black people who visited her home. The indictment alleges that Schoemann made many of these threats in-person, and that he would stand outside of Victim-4’s house and shout threats and racial slurs on occasions when he believed she had Black visitors in her house or planned to do so. Schoemann is also charged with two violations of using the internet to distribute videos and messages to Victim-4’s family members and others in which he repeatedly threatened to shoot and kill Black people.
Schoemann faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for the firearms charges, a maximum penalty of five years in prison for distribution of threating messages online and a mandatory minimum of seven years in prison for brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Kate E. Brubacher for the District of Kansas and Special Agent in Charge Charles Dayoub of the FBI Kansas City Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI Kansas City Field Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Smith for the District of Kansas and Trial Attorney Thomas Johnson of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Kansas Man Indicted for Using Guns, Death Threats and Racial Slurs to Intimidate Black PeopleRead the Press Release
A Kansas man was indicted by a federal grand jury for using guns, death threats and racial slurs to intimidate Black people and interfere with multiple federally-protected rights.
The indictment alleges that, on July 27, 2022, Austin Schoemann, 30, of Wichita, brandished a firearm and used racial slurs in order to threaten two Black juveniles, Victims 1 and 2, while they were entering a QuikTrip gasoline station. In addition to intimidating and interfering with the two young men, Schoemann used his firearm to threaten a Black adult, Victim-3, who intervened in support of the juveniles’ federally-protected right to be free from racial discrimination when visiting a gasoline station. The indictment also charges Schoemann with using a firearm during and in relation to these crimes of violence.
The indictment further alleges that beginning in January 2022 and continuing through August 2022, Schoemann interfered with the federally-protected housing rights of a white woman, Victim-4, by making threats to hurt or kill any Black people who visited her home. The indictment alleges that Schoemann made many of these threats in-person, and that he would stand outside of Victim-4’s house and shout threats and racial slurs on occasions when he believed she had Black visitors in her house or planned to do so. Schoemann is also charged with two violations of using the internet to distribute videos and messages to Victim-4’s family members and others in which he repeatedly threatened to shoot and kill Black people.
Schoemann faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for the firearms charges, a maximum penalty of five years in prison for distribution of threating messages online and a mandatory minimum of seven years in prison for brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Kate E. Brubacher for the District of Kansas and Special Agent in Charge Charles Dayoub of the FBI Kansas City Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI Kansas City Field Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Smith for the District of Kansas and Trial Attorney Thomas Johnson of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
KC Man Pleads Guilty to Meth Trafficking, Illegal FirearmsRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man who was injured when his ATV flipped over while making a turn on an Independence, Mo., street pleaded guilty in federal court today to illegally possessing firearms and methamphetamine.
Melvin L. Carter, 48, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Independence police officers were called to an address on S. Overton Avenue on Oct. 14, 2022, after Carter was ejected from his ATV as it flipped over while making a turn. Prior to the officers’ arrival, the Independence Fire Department responded to an earlier 911 call and informed officers that Carter had been armed when they arrived at the scene of the accident. They retrieved his firearm, a Keltec 9mm pistol, which they turned over to the police officers. Officers found the ATV flipped on its side when they arrived at the scene. Carter was bleeding from his head and being treated by paramedics.
Police officers checked Carter’s jacket and found a plastic baggie that contained approximately 105 grams of methamphetamine.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Carter has prior felony convictions for robbery, possession of a controlled substance, sale of a controlled substance, trafficking, and resisting arrest.
After Carter was federally indicted, Independence police officers located him and placed him under arrest. Carter was in possession of a loaded Glock .40-caliber handgun with an extended magazine and approximately 215 grams of methamphetamine.
Under federal statutes, Carter is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of life in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Q. McCarther. It was investigated by the Independence, Mo., Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
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.
Justice Department Highlights Initiatives to Prevent and Address Gender-Based ViolenceRead the Press Release
This week, the Justice Department highlighted a series of initiatives aimed at preventing and addressing sexual violence, intimate partner violence, stalking, and other forms of gender-based violence (GBV). With its strong, longstanding commitment to upholding justice and pursuing equality for all, the Justice Department joins its partners across the federal government and communities nationwide to prioritize the safety of all survivors of GBV and lauds the White House’s recent release of the National Plan to End Gender-Based Violence: Strategies for Action.
“Gender-based violence violates fundamental human rights, destroys communities, and fosters social inequities,” said Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta. “Identifying and preventing these crimes is a top department priority, underscored by this first-ever national plan and the government’s collective commitment to this cause. The Justice Department, with our federal partners, will continue to spotlight the repercussions of these crimes on society and applauds those who support survivors in restoring their sense of safety and well-being.”
GBV affects individuals from all walks of life and spans all ages, representing a significant public safety crisis. It pervades every sphere of human interaction, be it public or private. In our ever-connected world, this form of violence impacts communities nationwide and can often escalate under disaster, conflict or crisis conditions, including global health emergencies such as a pandemic.
During the Launch of the National Plan to End Gender-Based Violence, Acting Director Allison Randall of the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) delivered remarks and facilitated a roundtable discussion with leaders, advocates, and survivors. “Sexual assault, domestic violence, stalking, and human trafficking are serious violent crimes that make our nation less equal and less just,” said Acting Director Randall. “Only a comprehensive response that is deeply informed by survivors and historically marginalized communities can end gender-based violence. Today we uplift the ongoing work of the Department of Justice and stand with colleagues across the federal government and with communities across the United States.”
The Justice Department’s work to respond to GBV is a whole-of-agency effort to provide comprehensive services for survivors and hold offenders accountable by enforcing the nation’s laws against these crimes. The department’s unwavering commitment to addressing GBV spans across funding, research, policy, technical assistance, training, and guidance that includes, but is not limited, to the following:
Funding
The OVW and the Office of Justice Programs (OJP) administer grants to prevent, address and coordinate community responses across the nation to address gender-based violence. Funding helps to strengthen the criminal justice system’s response, expand victim services, support community-based efforts and bolster prevention.
Of note, the Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization Act of 2022 (VAWA 2022) includes numerous improvements to legal tools and expansions to OVW grant programs addressing domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. Also, each year, OJP’s Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) administers hundreds of millions of dollars to all states and territories for crime victim assistance and compensation, including for survivors of gender-based violence.
Policies and Guidance
- In October 2022, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland issued revised Attorney General Guidelines for Victim and Witness Assistance. The revised guidelines address the responsibilities of department employees when working with victims and witnesses of crime to ensure that they are treated with dignity and respect during criminal justice proceedings. The Guidelines address the myriad needs of survivors of gender-based violence.
- On May 23, the department released the National Protocol for Intimate Partner Violence Medical Forensic Examinations to guide the clinical practice of conducting comprehensive assessments for patients experiencing intimate partner violence (IPV) that prioritize the patient’s health and well-being.
- In April 2022, the department issued Federal Workplace Responses to Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking, an agency policy that aims to improve safety in the workplace for employees and contractors who could potentially be victims of such crimes.
- In May 2022, the department released updated guidance in Improving Law Enforcement Response to Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence by Identifying and Preventing Gender Bias aimed at enhancing law enforcement's approach to handling sexual assault and domestic violence cases by identifying and preventing gender bias.
Projects and Initiatives
- In April 2023, the Civil Rights Division’s Coordinating Committee to Combat Sexual Misconduct released a fact sheet showcasing its achievements in combatting sexual misconduct throughout the preceding year.
- In September 2022, OVC funded Restoring Youth: Supporting Sexual Abuse Survivors in Youth Detention, a program aimed at expanding services for sexual abuse survivors in youth detention. The project will build the capacity of four selected grantee partnership sites, comprised of youth detention facilities and community-based sexual abuse survivor service providers, to establish services for youth that are rooted in racial equity and accessible to survivors from traditionally underserved communities.
- OVC funded several initiatives to prevent Female Genital Mutilation or Cutting (FGM/C) including a Support Line for Survivors of FGM/C, an End FGM/C Network Resources Page, and a Voices to End FGM/C Digital Storytelling Project. They also funded two national trainings for maternal healthcare providers to address FGM/C in May of 2023.
- OVC funded the Youth Collaboratory to implement projects to prevent and reduce the victimization of Black girls vulnerable to sex trafficking by increasing the capacity of program providers and other stakeholders working to prevent the trafficking of Black girls. The projects included a three-part video series that amplified voices from the field-direct service professionals, researchers, youth and young adults with lived expertise, and multidisciplinary providers. Additionally, the Girls Action Board (GAB), a national leadership opportunity for youth and young adults (ages 18-24) with lived expertise, wrote and performed a collaborative poetry piece about the importance of centering Black girls.
Addressing Crimes Against American Indian and Alaska Native Communities
- In July 2022, Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco issued a memorandum reiterating the priority of the Department of Justice to address the disproportionately high rates of violence experienced by American Indians and Alaska Natives, and relatedly, the high rates impacting indigenous women and girls reported missing or murdered. The memorandum directed each U.S. Attorney with Indian country jurisdiction – along with their law enforcement partners at the Justice Department – to update and develop new plans for addressing missing and murdered persons crisis.
- On Aug. 8-10, the OVW will hold the 18th Annual OVW Government-to-Government Tribal Consultation on Violence Against Women in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on behalf of the Attorney General. The 2022 Tribal consultation report is available here.
- In December 2022, the OVC held its Tribal Nation’s Conference in Palm Springs, California, bringing together thousands of Tribal leaders, victim service providers, and criminal justice practitioners to address crime victimization in Indian Country, including all aspects of gender-based violence.
- In April 2022, OVW issued an interim final rule governing the Special Tribal Criminal Jurisdiction (STCJ) Reimbursement Program, a new program authorized under VAWA 2022 to reimburse Tribal governments for expenses incurred in exercising STCJ over non-Native individuals who commit certain covered crimes on tribal lands.
- OVC administers the Tribal Victim Services Set-Aside, which provides non-competitive grant funding to support victim services, including gender-based violence. Tribal set-aside awards support activities such as shelters, child advocacy centers, sexual assault services, community outreach and education; and other activities needed to address survivors in tribal communities.
Research and Data
- In May 2022, OVW released the FY 2023 Research and Evaluation Initiative to conduct research that facilitates researcher-practitioner partnerships and studies interventions that address domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking.
- In March 2023, the Department’s National Institute of Justice released a solicitation to conduct research and evaluation projects examining a broad range of topics, including the crimes of domestic and family violence, intimate partner violence, rape, sex trafficking, sexual assault, stalking, and teen dating violence, also known as adolescent relationship abuse, along with the associated criminal justice system response, procedures, and policies.
- The Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) maintains a collection of data that support efforts to address gender-based violence. These measures are collected on several BJS data collections, although the approach to measurement can vary depending on the collection and the year of administration: National Crime Victimization Survey, National Inmate Survey, National Survey of Youth in Custody, and Survey of Prison Inmates.
Jamaican Nationals Sentenced to Federal Prison for Their Roles in Scam Targeting Elderly VictimsRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA —Two Jamaican nationals – Tyrell Harris, 32, and Errol Durrant, 60 – were each sentenced to more than five years in federal prison after pleading guilty to their roles in a fraudulent lottery scam that targeted elderly victims around the country.
Evidence presented to the court showed that, as part of the scheme, the defendants or their co-conspirators would contact elderly victims and falsely inform the victims that they had won a sweepstakes. The supposed prizes in these sweepstakes usually consisted of millions of dollars, a new vehicle, or other valuable items. The defendants and their co-conspirators would tell the victims that they needed to pay bogus fees and/or taxes in order to collect their purported winnings.
The defendants and their co-conspirators would direct the elderly victims where to send the bogus fees and/or taxes. Evidence showed victims purchased prepaid cards, USPS money orders, and bank money orders, and mailed cash/personal checks to the defendants. The defendants in turn wired the fraudulent funds to co-conspirators in Jamaica and amongst various bank accounts opened and controlled by them.
The defendants received more than $1.7 million from the victims they targeted, and at least 70 victims were targeted across 15 states.
United States District Judge Bruce H. Hendricks sentenced Tyrell Harris to 90 months in federal prison and Errol Durrant to 80 months in federal prison. Both defendants’ sentences are to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision, in the event they are not deported upon release. There is no parole in the federal system. The defendants were also ordered to pay $1,700,512.90 in restitution.
“The District of South Carolina is committed to prosecuting scams that target vulnerable citizens,” said United States Attorney Adair F. Boroughs. “ We appreciate the hard work of our federal agency partners and the continued efforts to investigate these crimes.”
“These individuals preyed on some of the most vulnerable members in our community,” said Tommy D. Coke, Inspector in Charge of the Atlanta Division. “The U.S. Postal Inspection Service and our law enforcement partners will continue our commitment to protect our citizens and bring those responsible for these illegal schemes to justice.”
“This sentence is the result of great work by HSI and our partners at the U.S. Postal Inspection Service to bring these criminals to justice,” said Ronnie Martinez, Special Agent in Charge for HSI Charlotte, which covers North and South Carolina. “These types of crimes can have devastating effects on the elderly and HSI will aggressively pursue criminal prosecution to dismantle Transnational Criminal Organizations, both domestically and internationally, to bring justice to the victims.”
This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Amy Bower prosecuted the case.
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Independence Man Pleads Guilty to Illegal Firearm Obtained Through Straw Purchase Less Than a Month After Leaving PrisonRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An Independence, Mo., man pleaded guilty in federal court today to illegally possessing a firearm, which he obtained through a straw purchase less than a month after being released from state prison on parole.
Kurup C. Seuell, 21, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
By pleading guilty today, Seuell admitted that he and a straw purchaser went to Frontier Justice, a firearms store and shooting range in Lee’s Summit, Mo., and purchased a Glock 9mm handgun on Jan. 30, 2021. Seuell was paroled from the Missouri Department of Corrections on Dec. 28, 2020, after attaining a 2018 conviction for stealing. Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition.
That same day, after purchasing the firearm, Seuell sent a video through his Facebook account showing the newly purchased firearm on his lap.
Investigation into Seuell’s social media accounts from January 2021 through March 2023 revealed Seuell frequently in possession of various assault-style rifles, handguns (including Glocks with affixed Glock “switches” to convert them to automatic), guns with extended magazines, distribution amounts of marijuana, and large quantities of cash. Seuell displayed a total at least eight but no more than 99 firearms. Seuell frequently created social media posts offering guns for sale. Seuell’s posts included him shooting guns at shooting ranges. It also included a video post of him firing a fully automatic handgun.
On March 29, 2023, while investigators were searching for Seuell to place him under arrest, Seuell posted a video of himself firing an apparent AR-type pistol, equipped with a drum style magazine, at Crossfire Recreation Center in Independence. While shooting, the video shows several other firearms laid out in front of him. Investigators acquired a signed copy (signed by Seuell) of the range safety rules and a signed copy of the range waiver from Crossfire Recreation Center. They also recovered surveillance video of Seuell firing various weapons at the range, and then acquiring 50 rounds of ammunition from the gun store side of the recreation center.
On March 29, 2023, Seuell also posted videos of himself in a bedroom displaying the same guns he’s seen with on the surveillance video and social media. On March 30, 2023, investigators were able to locate the address where Seuell was residing. As Seuell drove away from that residence and law enforcement officers followed, he began driving at a high rate of speed, weaving through traffic. Officers eventually found Seuell’s vehicle at a gas station and arrested him as he left the store.
Officers searched Seuell’s residence and found the firearms that Seuell displayed on his social media, as well as firearms seen in the surveillance video. Officers also found the ammunition that Seuell had acquired from the gun store the prior day.
Under federal statutes, Seuell is subject to a sentence of up to 10 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Q. McCarther. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
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.
Illinois Man Sentenced to Prison for Conspiring to Unlawfully Transport 10 AliensRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Jorge Alberto Pacheco-Robles, age 35, of Illinois, was sentenced today to a year and a day in prison for conspiring to unlawfully transport 10 Mexican citizens who had illegally crossed the border into the United States.
United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Chief Patrol Agent Robert N. Garcia, United States Border Patrol, Swanton Sector, made the announcement.
As part of his guilty plea, Pacheco-Robles admitted that on October 2, 2022, he rode in an SUV with co-conspirator Cesar Batres-Recinos, from Illinois to Constable, New York, to pick up 10 Mexican citizens who recently illegally crossed the international border from Canada into the United States. Pacheco-Robles also admitted that he and Batres-Recinos planned to drive these people to various locations inside of the United States, including Chicago, Illinois, and that he expected to be paid between $500-$1,300 per person transported.
On April 20, 2023, Batres-Recinos was sentenced to 13 months in prison.
The United States Border Patrol investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Rick Belliss prosecuted the case.
Husband and Wife Sentenced for International Wire Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – Caesar Oruade, 39, and Ayana Saunders, 37, of Hawthorne, California, have been sentenced to federal prison for wire fraud conspiracy and conspiracy to launder money. Kevin G. Ritz, United States Attorney, announced today.
According to United States Attorney Ritz and information presented in court, in May 2017, a computer intrusion at a real estate company resulted in a Memphis woman’s $76,000 down payment on a home being diverted to the bank account of a co-conspirator. Agents investigating the case traced the funds and found that the $76,000 had been "chopped" and sent to several other U.S. bank account holders before ultimately being wired to an account in Nigeria.
Many others across the United States and in Canada had been similarly victimized in their attempts to purchase real estate. The proceeds of romance scams and “hard money” loan scams were also flowing through the same accounts. Bank accounts belonging to defendant Ayana Saunders generally served as the last domestic stop for funds before leaving the United States. Testimony at trial showed that Saunders would take some of the funds before wiring the remaining monies to the Nigerian bank account of her husband, Caesar Oruade.
"These sentences are the result of state and federal law enforcement working together to protect the public from real estate and romance scammers and bringing those responsible to justice," said Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Memphis Field Office. “The FBI continues to hold as a priority the targeting of domestic and foreign fraudsters who seek to scam innocent people out of their hard-earned money."
Senior United States District Judge J. Daniel Breen sentenced Oruade and Saunders to federal prison for 70 months and 60 months, respectively, followed by three years of supervised release. The defendants were also ordered to pay more than one million dollars in restitution. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Memphis Division, United States Secret Service (USSS), FBI – Los Angeles Division and the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD).
United States Attorney Kevin Ritz thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Debra Ireland and Raney Irwin, who prosecuted this case, as well as law enforcement partners who investigated the case.
###Fresno Man Charged in Operation No Fly Zone Sentenced to 3 Years and 5 Months in Prison for Unlawful Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Patrick Feaster, 23, of Fresno, was sentenced today to three years and five months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
Feaster was one of seven Fresno residents charged federally as a result of Operation No Fly Zone, a multi-agency investigation that sought to address a rise in the number of shootings and homicides in Fresno. According to court documents, on March 16, 2022, investigators learned that Feaster would be going to a residence in Fresno to pick up a firearm and an extended magazine. Shortly after Feaster left the residence, officers attempted to conduct a traffic stop on his car, but Feaster failed to yield. Feaster got out of the car with a bag and fled on foot. After a chase, officers arrested Feaster and seized the bag from him. Inside the bag, officers found a semi-automatic handgun with an extended magazine. Feaster was not allowed to possess firearms because he had previously been convicted of first degree robbery, a felony offense.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Fresno Police Department; the Fresno-area Multi-Agency Gang Enforcement Consortium (MAGEC); the California Department of Justice; the California Highway Patrol; the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office; the Kings County Sheriff’s Office; the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation; and the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin J. Gilio and Antonio J. Pataca prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Former University of Delaware Student Extradited from Germany and Charged with Stalking and Cares Act FraudRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, Del. – A Mays Landing, New Jersey man who formerly attended the University of Delaware was extradited from Germany to the United States last week on federal charges of cyberstalking and threats made in interstate or foreign commerce. He was separately indicted for wire fraud and money laundering.
According to the July 2022 stalking and threatening communications indictment and other publicly filed documents, Kyle Stevens, 29, moved to Germany in October 2020. Thereafter, he began sending threatening messages to two female former classmates from the University of Delaware. Over several months, Stevens used multiple electronic platforms to send the victims numerous messages, including expressing his intent to kill them by “put[ting] a bullet in [their] head[s]” and stating he could do so “whenever [he] want[s].”
According to the July 2022 wire fraud and money laundering indictment and other publicly filed documents, while Stevens lived in Germany, he applied for ten fraudulent loans or grants under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. Stephens filed those applications on behalf of five fictitious businesses and obtained approximately $1.4 million in fraudulent loan and grant disbursements. Law enforcement has seized over $1.1 million of these funds through associated forfeiture proceedings.
Stevens was extradited from Germany to the United States in May 2023. If convicted, Stephens faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison for threats and stalking and 20 years in prison for wire fraud and money laundering. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
David C. Weiss, U.S. Attorney for the District of Delaware, and Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office made the announcement.
This case is being investigated by the FBI with assistance from the University of Delaware Police Department and the Newark Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carly Hudson is prosecuting the case with assistance from Eastern District of Pennsylvania Assistant U.S. Attorney Ruth Mandelbaum. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with law enforcement partners in Germany to secure the arrest and extradition of Stevens.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the District of Delaware or on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 1:22-CR-65 and 1:22-CR-66.
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
Former Teacher and Coach Sentenced to 10 Years’ Imprisonment for Child Sex CrimeRead the Press Release
A former Wynot, Nebraska middle school teacher and Sergeant Bluff High School baseball coach was sentenced in federal court in Sioux City. Andrew Heller, age 39, was convicted of sexual exploitation of a minor after pleading guilty in federal court on January 13, 2023.
The FBI and Sioux City Police Department were conducting an undercover investigation to identify subjects engaged in human trafficking in Sioux City, Iowa. As part of the operation, law enforcement posted an advertisement for sex services on a frequently used dating website.
Andrew Heller, a middle school teacher and high school baseball coach responded to an ad purporting to be from a 19-year-old female offering sexual services in exchange for money. After calling the phone number in the ad, Heller began communicating with a person he believed was a 14-year-old girl, but who was actually an undercover FBI agent. Heller agreed to pay $200 cash and bring some Trulys in exchange for sex with the 14-year-old. The meeting date was scheduled, and Heller showed up, as previously arranged, in his vehicle. He was searched by police, who found the cash and Trulys, along with condoms.
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.”
Heller was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand to 120 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve 5 years of supervised release after the term of imprisonment and pay a $5,100 in special assessments. There is no parole in the federal system.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ron Timmons and was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Sioux City Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 22-4059.
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Five Columbia Men Sentenced to Federal Prison Following Armed Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA – Following the armed robbery of a bank ATM on Fairfield Road in Columbia, five Columbia men have been sentenced collectively to more than 42 years in federal prison:
- Anthony Bernard Hopkins, a/k/a “Tony Cash,” 34, was sentenced to more than 12 years (154 months) in prison after pleading guilty to Armed Bank Robbery and Brandishing a Firearm in Furtherance of Crime of Violence.
- Kenneth Boyles, Jr., a/k/a “Kilo”, 22, was sentenced to more than 11 years (141 months) in prison after pleading guilty to Armed Bank Robbery and Brandishing a Firearm in Furtherance of Crime of Violence.
- Aquan Shanard Hopkins, 28, was sentenced to more than 8 years (97 months) in prison after pleading guilty to Armed Bank Robbery and Possession of a Stolen Firearm.
- Denzel Malik Goodwin, a/k/a “Zell”, 26, of Columbia, South Carolina, and Kansas City, Missouri, was sentenced to more than 6 years (73 months) in prison after pleading guilty to Armed Bank Robbery and Possession of a Stolen Firearm.
- Antwan Kanard Hopkins, 35, was sentenced to more than 4 years (50 months) in prison after pleading guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute a Quantity of Marijuana.
Evidence presented to the Court showed that around 4:00 PM on May 31, 2020, six subjects (Anthony Hopkins, Kenneth Boyles, Aquan Hopkins, Denzel Goodwin, and two minors) participated in the armed bank robbery an ATM on Fairfield Road in Columbia while it was being serviced by a technician and protected by an armed security guard. Evidence presented also indicated all of the defendants are relatives: Aquan Hopkins, Anthony Hopkins, Antwan Hopkins, and Kenneth Boyles are brothers, and Denzel Goodwin is their cousin.
Surveillance video showed a Dodge Charger parked behind the ATM and a Chevrolet Caprice parked in the drive-through lane of the ATM. Both vehicles belonged to Aquan Hopkins.
The private security guard noticed the Caprice pull in, and she approached the vehicle to advise that the ATM was closed. While she was walking toward the Caprice, Aquan Hopkins, wearing a ski mask, placed the muzzle of a long gun to her head; that gun had an extended drum magazine attached. Aquan Hopkins laid the security guard face-down on the ground at gunpoint. A minor who participated in the robbery then stole the security guard’s Glock 9mm service pistol.
The ATM service technician then fled on foot, and with the ATM open, Anthony Hopkins and Kenneth Boyles stole $108,940 from the ATM. The defendants returned to the two cars and fled to an apartment complex where a family member lived to split the proceeds. Denzel Goodwin and the second minor remained in the vehicles throughout the robbery.
Homes associated with the defendants were searched. Law enforcement recovered more than $32,000 in robbery proceeds, four firearms (including the long gun used), ammunition, and the drum magazine used, which was loaded with 46 rounds. At the time of the robbery, Aquan Hopkins served as a Staff Sergeant in the United States Air Force as a security forces Airman.
Antwan Hopkins was prosecuted in a related case. When a house was searched following the robbery, he was found in possession of more than 200 grams of marijuana packaged for distribution, two firearms (an Anderson AM 15 rifle loaded with 22 rounds and an FN Five-Seven 5.56mm pistol loaded with 21 rounds), a bill counter, a digital scale, and vacuum-seal bags. Antwan Hopkins had numerous prior drug and firearm-related felony convictions that prohibited him from possessing firearms under federal law. Anthony Hopkins and Kenneth Boyes also had prior felony convictions at the time of the robbery.
Anthony Hopkins was arrested by the FBI and the United States Marshals in California, where he fled after his photograph in the robbery was broadcast on the news. Denzel Goodwin was arrested by the United States Marshals in Missouri. Kenneth Boyles was arrested in Florence, South Carolina, on a bus with fake identification.
United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis sentenced Anthony Hopkins, Kenneth Boyles, and Denzel Goodwin, and United States District Judge J. Michelle Childs sentenced Antwan Hopkins and Aquan Hopkins. All five defendants are subject to between 3 and 5 years of court-ordered supervision following their terms of imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system.
Anthony Hopkins, Kenneth Boyles, Aquan Hopkins, and Denzel Goodwin were ordered to pay $108,940 in restitution to the victim bank.
This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the City of Columbia Police Department, and the United States Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elliott B. Daniels prosecuted the case.
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Fentanyl Trafficker Pleads Guilty to Distributing More Than 1,000 PillsRead the Press Release
A fentanyl trafficker responsible for distributing thousands of counterfeit pills across north Texas pleaded guilty today to federal drug charges, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.
Stephen Paul Brinson, aka “Steve-O,” 18, was charged in March. He pleaded guilty Tuesday to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a Schedule II controlled substance (fentanyl) before U.S. Magistrate Judge Irma Carrillo Ramirez.
In plea papers, Mr. Brinson admitted he dealt fentanyl-laced counterfeit pills out of a home in Flower Mound.
He used an Instagram account to facilitate the sale of the round blue pills, which were imprinted “M/30” to resemble legitimate 30mg oxycodone pills.
According to court documents, Mr. Brinson acted as the source of supply for fentanyl to Donovan Jude Andrews, the Carrollton dealer who allegedly capitalized on the arrest of Luis Navarrete and Magaly Cano to advertise his pill business. (Mr. Andrews is allegedly tied to at least one juvenile fentanyl overdose – that of a 14-year-old girl who paid her dealer through CashApp; Mr. Navarrete and Ms. Cano, along with their supplier, Jason Villanueva, are allegedly tied to more than ten others.)
During a search of Mr. Brinson’s residence, law enforcement recovered approximately 1,800 fentanyl-laced pills along with cocaine, marijuana, and two firearms.
In plea papers, he admitted that at the time of the search, he was armed and en route to deliver an M/30 pill to a customer in Flower Mound.
Mr. Brinson is the second defendant charged in the wake of the Carrollton / Flower Mound juvenile overdoses to enter a guilty plea. Magaly Cano, 29, pleaded guilty earlier this month. Six other defendants – including Mr. Andrews, Mr. Villanueva, and Mr. Navarrete – have been charged but not yet convicted. (All are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.)
Mr. Brinson now faces up to 40 years in federal prison.
The Drug Enforcement Administration’s Dallas Field Division and the Carrollton Police Department conducted the investigation with the assistance of School Resource Officers from the Carrollton – Farmer’s Branch Independent School District and the Lewisville Independent School District. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Phelesa Guy and Rick Calvert are prosecuting the case.
Note: Illicitly produced, fentanyl-laced pills often look similar to legitimate prescription pills like Oxycontin or Percocet, but can pose significantly more danger. On the street, these pills are often referred to as “M30s” (a reference to the markings on some of the pills), “blues,” “perks,” “yerks,” “china girls,” or “TNT.” DEA research shows that six out of ten pills laced with fentanyl contain a potentially lethal dose. One pill can kill. For resources, visit https://www.dea.gov/onepill.
Expatriate Charged with Making Multiple Threats to Kill U.S. Senator and U.S. MarinesRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – Eric Charles Welton, an American citizen living in Thailand, was arrested last Thursday on a criminal complaint charging that he threatened a U.S. senator and members of their staff in September of 2021. He is also alleged to have made threats against U.S. Marines and others working the U.S. Consulate in Chiang Mai, Thailand, in late 2022. Welton was arrested at the Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport as he returned to the United States from overseas by FBI Charlotte and FBI Atlanta Special Agents.
“Our elected representatives and the public servants who staff their offices must be free to do the people’s work without threats of violence,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “Violent threats against our democratically elected representatives do not just erode our civil discourse – they can undermine our democracy. We will hold accountable anyone who threatens violence targeting our bedrock institutions.”
“It is unacceptable to make violent threats against anyone. And when threats are directed at elected officials or members of the armed forces it can impact their ability to serve our country effectively,” said Robert M. DeWitt, the Special Agent in Charge of FBI Charlotte.
According to the complaint, Welton, age 51, made multiple harassing and intimidating calls to the offices of Republican elected officials and associated organizations in the United States due to a large number of unsolicited political emails he claimed he was receiving. In September of 2021, he allegedly spoke with a staff member at the Senator’s Raleigh office and, among other things, threatened to show up and “put a bullet through each of [their] heads.” The complaint also states that Welton threatened to cut off the hands of the individual that had decided to send him the emails.
The complaint further alleges that in October and November of 2022, Welton began making threats against U.S. Marines and others working at the U.S. Consulate in Thailand. In one voicemail, Welton allegedly stated that he was “going to kill a bunch of Marines” due to anger over an immigration issue.
Welton is currently charged with one count of threatening a federal official, a violation of 18 U.S.C. § 115(a)(1)(B). If convicted, he faces up to ten years in prison. Additional charges may follow.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement. The Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigating the case, and the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the U.S. Department of State's Diplomatic Security Service provided significant assistance to return him to the United States. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lori Warlick is prosecuting the case.
A complaint is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
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Dublin Man Charged with Damaging Computers Belonging to His Former EmployerRead the Press Release
OAKLAND - A federal grand jury in Oakland indicted Vamsikrishna Naganathanahalli, charging him with a felony related to the alleged improper accessing and damaging of a protected computer, announced United States Attorney Ismael J. Ramsey and Federal Bureau of Investigation, Special Agent in Charge Robert K. Tripp.
According to the indictment filed May 11, 2023, and unsealed earlier today, Naganathanahalli, 47, of Dublin, Calif., accessed a computer system belonging to his former employer, Vituity, after his company login privileges had been revoked. The indictment alleges Naganathanahalli used his access to the computer system to replace real data with masked data causing damage to an important Vituity database.
Vituity comprises a group of related companies based in Emeryville, Calif., including physician partnerships and other entities. According to the indictment, Vituity maintained a computer database that was central to its business and was connected to systems responsible for hiring and payroll, among other functions. The indictment alleges that in late May of 2022, Naganathanahalli was informed that his employment with Vituity would be terminated in mid-June. The indictment alleges that after he was informed his employment would be terminated, but before his last day on the job, he changed a password to another employee’s account so he would be able to gain access to a Vituity computer system after access to Vituity’s computers using his own password was revoked. Further, the indictment alleges that in September 2022, Naganathanahalli used the changed password to access a Vituity computer system remotely, change yet another employee’s password, and then use that employee’s account to overwrite the company’s personnel data. In doing so, Naganathanahalli uploaded generic, “masked” data to overwrite the real data for thousands of current and former employees.
Defendant was arrested on May 25, 2023, and made his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kandis A Westmore in federal court in Oakland this morning. Magistrate Judge Westmore ordered Naganathanahalli released on a $100,000 bond. Naganathanahalli’s next scheduled appearance is at 2 p.m. on June 15, 2023, for before the Honorable Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, U.S. District Judge for a review of case status.
An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum sentence of 10 years of imprisonment, and a fine of $250,000, plus restitution if appropriate for each violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1030(a)(5)(A), (c)(4)(A)(i)(I). 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.
This case is being prosecuted by the Special Prosecutions Section of the United States Attorney’s Office. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Court Sentences Mobile Man to Five Years Imprisonment for Trafficking FentanylRead the Press Release
On May 24, 2023, Senior United States District Court Judge Callie V. Granade sentenced Lavarance D. Nettles to 60 months imprisonment for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute fentanyl. Nettles had previously plead guilty to the offense.
Documents filed with the Court in connection with Nettles’s guilty plea established that on September 3, 2020, the Mobile Police Department Tactical Intelligence Unit seized eighty-four pills from the defendant’s vehicle. The pills were tested and found to contain fentanyl. Officers also executed a search warrant at the defendant’s apartment in Mobile and found hundreds more fentanyl pills. Officers also located and seized $64,990.00 in cash at the apartment. The money was previously forfeited to the United States as drug proceeds in a separate civil forfeiture action filed in federal court.
United States Attorney Sean P. Costello praised the outstanding work of the federal and local law enforcement agencies in bringing this fentanyl trafficker to justice and forfeiting the illegal drug proceeds. Costello stated that the federal asset forfeiture statutes present a powerful tool in depriving criminals of their ill-gotten gains. The statutes also allow most of the forfeited assets to be used to fund law enforcement operations.
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The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Mobile Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney George F. May.Co-Conspirator in Middle Georgia Criminal Meth Organization SentencedRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. – Two co-conspirators involved in an armed drug trafficking organization responsible for distributing 16 kilograms of methamphetamine in Middle Georgia had court hearings recently.
Tamara Hall, 40, of Warner Robins, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 210 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release after she previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine on April 19, 2022. Benjamin Luopa, 48, of Warner Robins, pleaded guilty to two counts of use of a communication facility. Luopa faces a maximum sentence of four years in prison to be followed by one year of supervised release and a $250,000 fine for each count. The hearings occurred before U.S. District Judge Tilman E. “Tripp” Self, III on May 25. Sentencing for Luopa is scheduled for Sept.7. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Tamara Hall played a significant role in co-conspirator Ontarrio Veal’s armed criminal organization pushing many kilograms of methamphetamine into the Warner Robins area,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “With the rise of fentanyl, it’s no secret that street drugs are even more dangerous, plus the other crimes that develop around this level of armed drug trafficking all contribute to community erosion. Thanks to the effort of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force, a significant supply of methamphetamine is cut off and the community is safer for it.”
“This investigation deals a fatal blow to a once-thriving ‘meth’ ring,” said Robert J. Murphy, the Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division. “The citizens of Warner Robins and elsewhere can rest assured that their communities are much safer today thanks to the outstanding case work by DEA and our local law enforcement partners.”
“ATF considers the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force a critical partner in its long-term mission of removing armed gangs, criminals and narcotics traffickers from our communities,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Beau Kolodka, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Atlanta Field Division.
“The Warner Robins Police Department is honored to have worked in conjunction with our federal partners through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force which resulted in the outcome of this case,” said Assistant Chief Wayne Fisher, Warner Robins Police Department. “It is through such local, state and federal partnerships that impacts such as these can be realized. It was with great work and effort from the men and women of this task force which resulted in these arrests that will have an immeasurable impact for the good of our shared communities.”
According to documents and other evidence admitted into court, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents and Warner Robins Police Department officers investigated Ontarrio Veal’s Warner Robins-based drug trafficking organization from Jan. to June 2020. Law enforcement obtained court orders to intercept the phone calls and text messages from Veal’s and Hall’s cell phones. Agents learned that Veal was a multi-kilogram methamphetamine dealer and surveilled Veal, Hall and various co-defendants conducting methamphetamine transactions and traveling to Atlanta to purchase large quantities of methamphetamine.
Veal was taken into custody in June 2020, on a return trip from Atlanta in possession of three kilograms of methamphetamine and a Glock .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol with a 50-round drum magazine. Agents executed search warrants at various locations in Middle Georgia, seizing multiple firearms and ammunition, methamphetamine and more than $100,000 cash. Hall is being held responsible for distributing 4.5 kilograms of methamphetamine. The organization is responsible for distributing more than 16 kilograms of methamphetamine.
The following co-defendants have pleaded guilty and/or been sentenced:
Ontarrio Veal aka “Torrie,” 33, of Warner Robins, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine on Nov. 15, 2022, and was sentenced to serve 420 months in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release on April 4;
Matthew Kay, 36, of Warner Robins, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine on Sept. 6, 2022, and was sentenced to serve 235 months in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release to run consecutively to three sentences he is currently serving in Houston County, Georgia, on Jan. 19.;
Reginald Lowe, 41, of Warner Robins, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine on Aug. 30, 2022, and was sentenced to serve 240 months in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release to run consecutively to a state sentence he is currently serving in Houston County, Georgia, for an aggravated assault conviction on Dec. 6, 2022;
Milton Simmons aka Mann, 41, of Macon, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine on Aug. 1, 2022, and was sentenced to serve 120 months on Jan. 10;
Donna Ussery, 31, of Warner Robins, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine on April 19, 2022, and was sentenced to serve 100 months in prison on Oct. 4, 2022;
Parsa Ervin, 45, of Warner Robins, pleaded guilty to two counts of use of a communication facility to conspire to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine on Aug. 30, 2022, and was sentenced to serve 57 months in prison to be followed by one year of supervised release to run consecutively to any term of imprisonment that may be imposed in three separate cases in Houston County on Jan. 19.;
Marquell Gaines aka Paris, 38, of Warner Robins, pleaded guilty to use of a communication facility to conspire to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine on July 19, 2022, and was sentenced to serve 48 months in prison on Oct. 11, 2022;
Victor Mendoza, 34, of Warner Robins, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to drugs on Dec. 1, 2022, via a global plea agreement in the Southern District of Alabama and sentencing is scheduled for June 2; and
Eddie Linkhorn, 42, of Warner Robins, pleaded guilty to two counts of use of a communication facility to conspire to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine on Oct. 20, 2022, and sentencing is scheduled for June 6.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
This case was investigated by Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the Warner Robins Police Department.
The case was prosecuted by Deputy Criminal Chief Will Keyes.
Clarkdale Resident Sentenced to Prison for Sexually Abusing Young ChildRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Damian Andrew Wathogoma, 22, of Clarkdale, Arizona, was sentenced last week by United States District Judge Steven P. Logan to 51 months in prison, followed by lifetime supervised release. Wathogoma was convicted by a federal jury of Abusive Sexual Contact with a Minor in March 2023.
The evidence presented at trial revealed that Wathogoma sexually abused a seven-year-old girl on the Yavapai-Apache Indian Reservation, on or about December 11, 2021. Wathogoma is an enrolled member of the Yavapai-Apache Nation.
The Yavapai-Apache Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-22-08029-SPL
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-079_Wathogoma# # #
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.Chinese national charged with attempting to bring child pornography into the United StatesRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A 45-year-old man from Suqian in the Jiangsu province of China has been indicted for transporting child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
A federal grand jury returned the one-count indictment today against Tong Sun. Already in custody following charges in a criminal complaint, he is expected to make his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Scott Hacker in the near future.
Authorities allegedly encountered Sun illegally entering the United States in early May.
They conducted a search of Sun’s phone on May 8 and allegedly found videos containing child pornography. According to the charges, one video depicted a minor female believed to be younger than five years of age and was over three minutes in length.
If convicted, Sun faces up to 20 years in prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of Border Patrol.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter I. Brostowin is prosecuting the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources link on that page.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Charlottesville Bodybuilding Coach Indicted on Child Exploitation ChargesRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – In an indictment unsealed today, a federal grand jury has charged a Charlottesville-based virtual bodybuilding coach with the sexual exploitation of a minor, enticement of a minor, and possession of child pornography.
In an indictment returned May 24 and unsealed today following the defendant’s arrest, the grand jury has charged Elliott Atwell, 33, of Charlottesville, with four counts of the sexual exploitation of a minor, one count of enticing a minor for the purposing of engaging in sexual activity, and one count of possessing child pornography.
According to the indictment, between December 2013 and April 2020, Atwell enticed at least six minors to record themselves engaging in sexually explicit conduct and then send the recordings to him.
The investigation into this matter remains ongoing. Any individuals who believe they or someone they know may have been victimized by this defendant should contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI.
United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh of the Western District of Virginia and Stanley M. Meador, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Richmond Division made the announcement.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Melanie Smith and Trial Attorney Jessica Urban of the Department of Justice’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section are prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and 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.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Charleston Man Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Timothy Blake Parsons, 54, of Charleston, pleaded guilty today to possession of prepubescent child pornography.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on November 2, 2022, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Parsons’ residence and seized several electronic devices including Parsons’ cell phone. A forensic analysis of Parsons’ cell phone and cloud backup revealed an extensive history of searching for and viewing child pornography. Over 1,000 images and a video of child pornography were identified. Some of these images depict prepubescent minors, including toddlers, subjected to sexually explicit conduct, as well as bestiality. One image depicts an adult male sexually assaulting a prepubescent minor female.
Parsons is scheduled to be sentenced on September 21, 2023, and faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 20 years in prison, five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
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).
Chief United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorneys Julie M. White and Holly Wilson are prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.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-230.
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California Man Sentenced to 87 Months for Methamphetamine Trafficking in Saratoga CountyRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Roderick Meskell, age 53, of Sacramento, California, was sentenced today to 87 months in prison for his role in a drug trafficking organization that distributed crystal methamphetamine in Saratoga County in 2020.
United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Janeen DiGuiseppi, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement.
In previously pleading guilty, Meskell admitted that from June 2020 through October 2020, he worked with others, including co-conspirators Ali Hassan Ahmed III and Jordan D. Lopez, to transport and distribute Mexican cartel-sourced crystal methamphetamine from Sacramento to redistributors in Saratoga County. In total, the organization trafficked approximately 5 kilograms of methamphetamine.
United States District Judge Glenn T. Suddaby also ordered Meskell to serve a 5-year term of supervised release following his release from prison.
Lopez previously pled guilty in connection with the conspiracy and was sentenced to 78 months in prison.
Ahmed III has also pled guilty in connection with the conspiracy, and faces at least 10 years and up to life in prison, a term of supervised release between 5 years and life, and a maximum fine of $10 million. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statutes the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.
The FBI and the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Emmet O’Hanlon is prosecuting this case.
Bodybuilding Coach Arrested for Child ExploitationRead the Press Release
A bodybuilding coach was arrested today in Charlottesville, Virginia, for multiple child exploitation offenses.
According to court documents, between 2013 and April 2020, Elliott Simon Atwell, 33, of Charlottesville, allegedly enticed and coerced at least six minors to engage in sexually explicit conduct in order to produce recordings of the conduct. Atwell also allegedly enticed a minor to engage in criminal sexual activity and possessed images of minors – including prepubescent minors and minors under 12 years of age – who were engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
Atwell is charged with four counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, one count of enticement of a minor, and one count of possession of child pornography. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and up to life in prison.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh for the Western District of Virginia, and Special Agent in Charge Stanley M. Meador of the FBI Richmond Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI is investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Jessica L. Urban of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Melanie Smith for the Western District of Virginia are prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and 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.
Any individuals who believe they or someone they know may have been victimized by Atwell are encouraged to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Bakersfield Man Sentenced to 4.5 Years in Prison for Being a Felon in Possession of a Shotgun and Stealing MailRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Christopher Smith, 36, of Bakersfield, was sentenced today to four years and six months in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a shotgun, stealing checks and debit cards from the mail, and committing related financial fraud, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court records, Smith, a previously convicted felon, unlawfully possessed a 12‑gauge shotgun that he was keeping in a storage unit. From March 2020 through July 2020, Smith also obtained hundreds of pieces of stolen mail that included 200 checks with a face value of over $100,000 and 27 debit cards belonging to other individuals and businesses. Smith then altered and forged the stolen checks and used the stolen debit cards to deposit the checks into victims’ bank accounts and make cash withdrawals.
This case was the product of an investigation by U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Barton is prosecuting the case.
Armed Career Criminal Pleads Guilty to Possessing Firearms and Ammunition as A Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Samuel Robert Bruner (47, North Fort Myers) today pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition. Bruner faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years, up to life, in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to court documents, Bruner was found in possession of two revolvers, a shotgun, and assorted ammunition in a vehicle he was operating on December 1, 2021. Court records confirm that he had previously been convicted of a felony, which prohibits him from possessing firearms and ammunition under federal law. Bruner has at least three prior felony convictions that qualify under federal law as either a “violent felony” or a “serious drug offense” subjecting him to enhanced punishment as an Armed Career Criminal.
This case was investigated by the Lee County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark R. Morgan.
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.
Ada Resident Sentenced for Child Neglect in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Dylan Tyler Neal, age 23, of Ada, Oklahoma, was sentenced to time served followed by five years of supervised release for child neglect in Indian Country. Neal was also sentenced to time served followed by three years of supervised release for receiving a firearm and ammunition while under felony indictment.
The charges arose from investigations by the Pontotoc County Sheriff’s Office, the Shawnee Police Department, the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Lighthorse Tribal Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
On March 4, 2022, Neal pleaded guilty to one count of willfully and maliciously failing to provide adequate and appropriate care, supervision, and medical care to an Indian child under eighteen years of age while responsible for the child’s health, safety, and welfare, resulting in injury to the child. That same day, Neal also pleaded guilty to one count of receiving a firearm and ammunition while under indictment for felony Child Neglect in Indian Country.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma prosecuted these cases because the defendant is a member of a federally recognized Indian tribe and the crimes occurred in Indian Country, within the boundaries of the Chickasaw Nation Reservation and the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The Honorable Jodi W. Dishman, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, sitting by appointment, presided over the hearings in Oklahoma City.
Special Assistant United States Attorney Genevieve Ozark represented the United States at sentencing.
12 Quad Cities Gang Members and Associates Indicted on Federal ChargesRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, IA – A federal grand jury in Davenport returned an indictment on May 22, 2023, charging 12 Quad Cities men with offenses related to a racketeering conspiracy, who conspired to engage in a years-long pattern of violence, including murder, attempted murders, robbery, and drug trafficking.
As alleged in this indictment, those charged were members and associates of a criminal organization or Enterprise known as the “Arsenal Courts Posse a/k/a Zone Fifth a/k/a Fifth Street Mafia a/k/a Rock Town Money Getters (RTMG) a/k/a Money Team,” whose members and associates engaged in acts of violence. The Enterprise’s origins began in Rock Island, Illinois, in the late 1990s and early 2000s. At that time, members and associates of the Enterprise referred to themselves as the Arsenal Courts Posse. Arsenal Courts was the former name of Century Woods, a housing complex which members or associates of the Enterprise lived in or frequented on a regular basis. The housing complex is located in the 1400 block of Fifth Street. Between 2009 and 2011, the younger members and associates of the Enterprise began referring to themselves as “Zone Fifth” or “Fifth Street Mafia” continuing to represent the location of the Enterprise’s territory. As alleged in this indictment, the principal purposes and objectives of the Enterprise were to distribute controlled substances, obtain money and things of value, and earn and maintain respect in the Quad Cities. To achieve those purposes and objectives, members and associates of the Enterprise committed acts involving murder, robbery, threatened to commit acts of violence, and trafficking of controlled substances.
The following members and associates of the Enterprise are charged in the Indictment and are all from Rock Island, Illinois:
• Ricky Lee Childs, Jr., 38, is charged with racketeering conspiracy. As part of this investigation, he was previously charged with felon in possession of a firearm and sentenced to 110 months of imprisonment (Southern District of Iowa, 3:22-cr-21). Between both charges, he is facing a maximum sentence of 30 years of imprisonment.
• Don Christopher White, Jr., 37, is charged with racketeering conspiracy and felon in possession of a firearm. As part of this investigation, White was previously charged with felon in possession of a firearm (Southern District of Iowa, 3:23-cr-22). White is facing a maximum sentence of 40 years of imprisonment.
• Devell Carl Lewis, 35, is charged with racketeering conspiracy. He is facing a maximum sentence of 20 years of imprisonment. In addition, Lewis is scheduled to be sentenced in August 2023 on federal drug charges out of Rock Island, Illinois (Central District of Illinois, 4:20-cr-40022).
• Deaguise Ramont Hall, 34, is charged with racketeering conspiracy. He is facing a maximum sentence of 20 years of imprisonment.
• Simmeon Terrell Hall, 34, is charged with racketeering conspiracy. He is facing a maximum sentence of 20 years of imprisonment.
• Brandon Deshane Branigan, 32, is charged with racketeering conspiracy. As part of this investigation, Branigan was previously charged with felon in possession of a firearm (Southern District of Iowa, 3:22-cr-110). Branigan is facing a maximum sentence of 30 years of imprisonment.
• Rasheem Damonte Bogan, 31, is charged with racketeering conspiracy and felon in possession of a firearm. He is facing a maximum sentence of 30 years of imprisonment. In addition, Bogan is scheduled to be sentenced in August 2023 on federal drug charges out of Rock Island, Illinois (Central District of Illinois, 4:20-cr-40022).
• Raheem Jacques Houston, 30, is charged with racketeering conspiracy and felon in possession of a firearm. He is facing a maximum sentence of 30 years of imprisonment. In addition, in August 2023, Houston is scheduled to be sentenced on federal drug charges out of Rock Island, Illinois (Central District of Illinois, 4:20-cr-40022).
• Michael Linn Cross, 30, is charged with racketeering conspiracy. He is facing a maximum sentence of 20 years of imprisonment.
• Lashawn D James Hensley, 30, is charged with racketeering conspiracy. He is facing a maximum sentence of 20 years of imprisonment.
• Devante Atwell French, 29, is charged with racketeering conspiracy and felon in possession of a firearm. He is facing a maximum sentence of 30 years of imprisonment.
• Timothy Justin Beaver, 28, is charged with racketeering conspiracy. He is facing a maximum sentence of 20 years of imprisonment.
The Indictment is attached below.
Timothy Beaver, Simmeon Hall, and Deaguise Hall made their initial court appearance on May 25, 2023, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Stephen B. Jackson, Jr. of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa. The remaining defendants will make their initial court appearances on later dates.As part of this investigation, in September 2022, Sinae Coral Lucille Tate, 33 of the Quad Cities, was charged with making false declarations to a federal grand jury regarding Don White’s use of her 2005 Pontiac Grand Prix during two of the overt acts in the racketeering conspiracy (Southern District of Iowa, 3:22-cr-77). On April 20, 2023, Tate pled guilty to one count of False Declarations Before a Grand Jury. She is facing a maximum sentence of five years of imprisonment and is scheduled to be sentenced on August 8, 2023.
“To those that choose criminal violence this case is an example of the fate that awaits you. We will continue to place violent crime as our highest priority. With our law enforcement partners like the Davenport Police Department, we are dedicated and motivated to use every legal tool to help protect the Davenport community,” said United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa.
“The tremendous work of our investigators and federal partners delivered justice for those impacted by these violent crimes,” said Davenport Police Chief Jeffery Bladel. “These cases demonstrate, the outstanding partnership and collaboration between federal prosecutors and local law enforcement that has a long-term impact on the safety of our community. The Davenport Police Department is dedicated to the safety and wellbeing of our community and bringing those who commit violent crimes to justice.”
The Davenport and Rock Island Police Departments are investigating the case, with assistance from the Scott County Sheriff’s Office, Iowa Department of Criminal Investigations, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Drug Enforcement Administration.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
arsenal_courts_posse_indictment.pdf
Sunday 28 May 2023
White River Man Sentenced for Abusive Sexual ContactRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced a White River, South Dakota, man convicted of Abusive Sexual Contact. The sentencing took place on May 22, 2023.
Justin Moreno, age 34, was sentenced to nine years and six months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Moreno was indicted by a federal grand jury in May of 2022. He pleaded guilty on February 9, 2023.
The conviction stems from conduct that occurred on January 2, 2022, in Mellette County, South Dakota, wherein Moreno engaged in sexual contact with an adult female by the use of force.
This case was investigated by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson prosecuted the case.
Richards was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Texas Man Sentenced to 19 Months in Federal Prison for Role in ATM LarcenyRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier sentenced a Houston, Texas, man, convicted of Bank Larceny. The sentencing took place on May 15, 2023, in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
Alton Himes, age 25, was sentenced to 19 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. He was ordered to pay approximately $100,000 in restitution and $100 as a statutorily required special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Himes was indicted for Bank Larceny and Transportation of Stolen Money by a federal grand jury in September 2022. He pleaded guilty to Bank Larceny on March 1, 2023.
According to court documents, on December 2, 2021, in the early morning hours, Himes, and his three co-defendants, approached an automated teller machine (ATM) belonging to Dakotaland Federal Credit Union located in Madison, South Dakota. One of the vehicles that Defendant Himes and his co-defendants were driving at that time was a stolen Ford F-350 pickup truck. The truck was stolen from a parking lot located on the campus of South Dakota State University in Brookings, South Dakota.
Himes and his co-defendants used the stolen truck and towing equipment, including straps and J-hooks, to physically break into the ATM and remove three cash boxes. After forcefully removing the boxes, Himes and his co-defendants stole the boxes and fled the area in the stolen pickup truck. They then traveled across state lines with the stolen cash.
The ATM was destroyed in the process of the larceny and was deemed a total loss, costing over $30,000 to replace. The total amount of cash stolen was $32,300, and it belonged to Dakotaland Federal Credit Union.
Himes’s co-defendants – Kytorrion Young, Keivon Jones, and Kendrick Kennedy – knowingly participated with Himes in carrying out bank larceny. Each is awaiting sentencing.
This case was investigated by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy R. Jehangiri prosecuted the case.
Himes was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service to continue serving his sentence.