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Tuesday 23 May 2023
Rome Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing with the Intent to Distribute FentanylRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK –Harry Rodriguez, Jr., age 43, of Rome, New York, pled guilty today to possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl, announced United States Attorney Carla Freedman; Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division and Thomas Fattorusso, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), New York Field Office.
In pleading guilty, Rodriguez, Jr. admitted that on July 21, 2021, he purchased approximately 36 grams of fentanyl for redistribution. He also admitted that on September 14, 2021, he purchased approximately 50 grams of fentanyl for redistribution.
Sentencing is scheduled for October 11, 2023, before United States District Judge David N. Hurd. Rodriguez faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years, a fine of up to $1 million, and a term of supervised release of at least 3 years and up to life. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.
This case is being investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI), the New York State Police, the Oneida County Sheriff’s Office, the Oneida County District Attorney’s Office, the Utica Police Department, the Syracuse Police Department, the Rome Police Department, U.S. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE-ERO), the Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office, the Onondaga County District Attorney’s Office, the New York Army National Guard Counter Drug Program, the Yorkville Police Department, the Whitesboro Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tamara Thomson.
Rhode Island Man Sentenced on Felony Charge for Actions During Jan. 6 Capitol BreachRead the Press Release
Press release issued by the United States Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia
WASHINGTON - A Rhode Island man was sentenced today on a felony charge for his actions during the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. His actions and the actions of others disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress convened to ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the 2020 presidential election.
Bernard Joseph Sirr, 47, of North Kingstown, Rhode Island, was sentenced to two months in prison, followed by 12 months of probation with six months of home confinement, and restitution of $2,000 for assaulting resisting, or impeding law enforcement officers and obstruction of an official proceeding. He pleaded guilty on January 27, 2023 in the District of Columbia.
According to court documents, on Jan. 6, Sirr was among rioters who illegally entered the Capitol grounds. He joined a line of rioters that was engaged in a confrontation with law enforcement officers in the tunnel area of the Lower West Terrace. At approximately 3:08 p.m., Sirr entering the tunnel area of the Lower West Terrace and joined rioters in assaulting officers at the front of the police line that law enforcement was using to push against the rioters who were assaulting them. Video showed Sirr pushing against the police line with his hand pressed against a police shield and participating in a struggle with a group of rioters as they moved together as a team against law enforcement. At 3:14 p.m., Sirr exited the tunnel and reappeared an hour later, at the Lower West Terrace doorway, joining with other rioters who were pushing against police officers before being ejected from the tunnel area.
Sirr was arrested on June 29, 2022 in North Kingstown, RI.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section prosecuted the case with valuable assistance provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Rhode Island.
The case was investigated by the FBI’s Boston Division and its Providence Resident Agency. Valuable assistance was provided by the FBI’s Washington Field Office, the Rhode Island State Police and North Kingstown Police Department along with the U.S. Capitol Police, and the Metropolitan Police Department.
In the 28 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,000 individuals have been arrested in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including more than 320 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement. The investigation remains ongoing.
Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.
Representative Fred Plump Charged with Conspiracy and Obstruction of Justice Charges and Agrees to Resign from the Alabama House of RepresentativesRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Representative Fred L Plump, Jr. has been charged with conspiracy and obstruction of justice and has agreed to resign from the Alabama House of Representatives, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona, Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Carlton L. Peeples, and Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge James Dorsey.
A charging document filed today in United States District Court charges Fred L. Plump, Jr., 76, of Fairfield, with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of obstruction of justice. These charges arise from an investigation of wrongdoing in connection with the Jefferson County Community Service Fund.
According to the charging document, in 2015 the Alabama Legislature passed Alabama Act No. 2015-226 (the “Act”) and authorized the Jefferson County Commission to levy and distribute a one percent sales tax and a one percent use tax to benefit the public welfare and enhance the education of the children of Jefferson County. Jefferson County began levying the new taxes in or about August 2017. The Act required the County to distribute the tax revenue according to certain specified priorities, including paying debt incurred during school construction, increasing the County’s general fund, giving funds to each board of education serving students in the County, and for certain other purposes set forth in the Act.
The Act created the Jefferson County Community Service Fund (the “Fund”), which was subsidized by approximately $3.6 million annually from the new taxes. The Act also created the Jefferson County Community Service Committee (the “Committee”), the four members of which were elected by members of the Jefferson County House and Senate delegations. The Committee was responsible for ensuring that the Fund was used only for the purposes set forth in the Act, which included to support public entities and projects such as schools, libraries, museums, parks, zoos, neighborhood associations, athletic facilities, youth sports associations, road construction, the performing arts, police departments, the sheriff’s office, fire departments, and certain nonprofit entities. Each Representative and Senator representing Jefferson County could make recommendations to the Committee of expenditures from their allotted amount of the Fund. These recommendations were made on a form created by the Committee that required certain certifications by the legislator. The organization receiving the funds was required to submit information about the organization and confirm that it intended to use the money for a public purpose. During each fiscal year from 2018 to 2022, each Representative was allocated approximately $100,000 and each Senator was allocated approximately $240,000 from the Fund.
The charging instrument identifies certain relevant parties. Legislator #1 was a long-serving member of the Alabama House of Representatives. Defendant Plump served as the Executive Director of the Piper Davis Youth Baseball League (“Piper Davis”), a nonprofit organization that claimed to provide a positive sporting experience for inner-city youth in Jefferson County. Individual #1 was Legislator #1’s assistant.
Between fiscal year 2018 and fiscal year 2022, Legislator #1 was allocated approximately $500,000 by the Fund. Legislator #1 directed approximately $400,000 of those discretionary funds to Piper Davis. In turn, Plump gave approximately $200,000 to Individual #1.
The charging instrument alleges that from in or about March 2019, and continuing through April 2023, Plump conspired with others to defraud and obtain money from the Fund. It is alleged that it was part of the conspiracy that Legislator #1 recommended during each fiscal year that most of his allotment of Fund money be paid to Piper Davis. In turn, Plump agreed to pay kickbacks to Individual #1. Plump submitted false and fraudulent information to the Committee about Piper Davis’s intended use of Fund money. Upon receipt and deposit of Fund checks, Plump gave checks to Individual #1 for approximately one-half of the amount of Fund money received by Piper Davis.
The charging document alleges further that Plump, after being interviewed by agents and served with a grand jury subpoena, corruptly attempted to obstruct the investigation by sending Individual #1 a text stating “Red Alert” and meeting with Individual #1 to warn her about the investigation.
According to the plea agreement, also filed today, Plump agreed to plead guilty to the charges, pay restitution of at least $200,000 to the Fund, and resign from office immediately upon entering his guilty plea. The Court will set a date for Plump to enter his guilty plea.
Each charge carries a maximum penalty of twenty years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorneys George Martin and Catherine Crosby are prosecuting the case.
An information contains only charges. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Prisoner Caught Hiding Homemade Knives Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
ATHENS, Ga. – An Athens resident with a lengthy and violent criminal history entered guilty pleas in two separate cases recently, admitting he hid homemade knives while in prison on a federal firearms charge.
Michael Anthony Randall, 32, of Athens, pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon in Case No. 3:22-cr-00023 and one count of possession of contraband while in jail in Case No. 3:22-cr-28 on May 16. Randall faces a maximum sentence of ten years in prison and a $250,000 fine for illegally possessing a firearm and five years in prison and a $250,000 for possessing contraband. Randall was on supervised release at the time of the offense for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon in Case No. 3:18-cr30. Sentencing is scheduled for July 9. There is no parole in the federal system.
“In fairly quick succession—including shortly before a federal hearing for his second offense for illegally possessing a firearm—Michael Randall was caught with a weapon, putting himself and others in danger,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “This case illustrates the unceasing effort put forth by law enforcement to keep inmates and the community as a safe as possible from repeat and dangerous offenders.”
“Michael Randall is the definition of a repeat offender,” said Keri Farley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “The FBI will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to keep dangerous criminals like Randall off Georgia streets.”
“These incidents illustrate the importance of our professional partnerships. The Butts County staff did an excellent job in supervising this inmate and identifying his illegal acts. USMS investigators presented a case to the U.S. Attorney which yielded a successful prosecution. We work hard to ensure the safety of those that we are charged with safeguarding,” said U.S. Marshal Stephen D. Lynn.
“We have a duty to ensure the inmates’ rights are protected and they are in a safe environment,” said Butts County Sheriff Gary Long. “We are thankful for our strong working relationship with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the U.S. Marshals Service to help us hold accountable those inmates who put the safety of others at risk.”
According to court documents, Randall was indicted for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon on Oct. 11, 2022, in the Middle District of Georgia, after he was arrested for illegally possessing a .380 pistol in Athens, on Jan. 12, 2021. Randall has multiple prior state felony convictions in North Carolina and Georgia, including assault with serious bodily injury and drug convictions. Randall was also previously convicted in the Middle District of Georgia for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. It is illegal for a convicted felon to possess a firearm.
On Nov. 8, 2022, while in custody awaiting his initial appearance in federal court, Butts County Jail officers found a shank—a handmade knife—hidden on Randall’s person. Officers found another shank on Randall on Nov. 10, prior to his federal court appearance. On Dec. 16, Randall was found with another shank inside the Butts County Jail.
The case was investigated by FBI, the U.S. Marshals Service and the Butts County Sheriff’s Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Tamara Jarrett is prosecuting the case for the Government.
Poplar woman admits to trafficking meth; customer died after taking the drugRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS — A Poplar woman today admitted to a methamphetamine trafficking crime after a customer died shortly after taking the drug, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
Danyell Rose Black Dog, 22, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute meth. Black Dog faces a maximum of 20 years in prison, a $1 million fine and at least three years of supervised release.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for Oct. 18. Black Dog was detained pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents that on Aug. 27, 2021, Fort Peck Tribes law enforcement officers responded to a 911 medical call regarding a woman identified as Jane Doe. Doe was unresponsive and officers began CPR. Family members told officers at the scene that Doe had used meth prior to the 911 call. Emergency medical responders arrived and transported Doe to the hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
The government further alleged the investigation determined that Doe would buy $5 or $10 worth of meth from Black Dog on a regular basis, and that Black Dog had sold to Doe two to three times a week. Black Dog sent text information to another individual in which she said she was on her way to sell Doe meth approximately 30 minutes before the incident and how she sold and delivered it to Doe. An autopsy of Doe conducted by the Montana state medical examiner listed the cause of death as methamphetamine toxicity.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The FBI and Fort Peck Tribes Department of Law and Justice conducted the investigation.
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Passaic County Man Charged with Transportation and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Passaic County, New Jersey, man was arrested for transporting and possessing videos and images of child sexual abuse, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Edward M. O’Hagan, 49, of Hawthorne, New Jersey, is charged by complaint with one count of transportation of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. He appeared this May 22, 2023, before U.S. Magistrate Judge José R. Almonte in Newark federal court and was detained.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On Jan. 19, 2023, O’Hagan used one of his email accounts to send video files containing images of child sexual abuse to himself. He also used two email addresses to create accounts on an encrypted file storage platform that was used to upload or create files containing images of child sexual abuse. The email accounts he used to access the platform were associated with an IP address that traced to O’Hagan’s address.
The count of transportation of child pornography carries a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and a fine of $250,000. The count of possession of child pornography carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of $250,000.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark, with the investigation leading to the arrest. He also thanked the Hawthorne Police Department, under the direction of Chief James Knepper, and the Passaic County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Richard H. Berdnik.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Farhana C. Melo of the Criminal Division in Newark.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
ohagan.complaint.pdfOwners of Freight Forwarding Company Sentenced to Prison for Exporting Stolen Outboard Engines to MexicoRead the Press Release
MIAMI – Today, two Miami residents, Carlos Orlando Ledesma, 57, and Nadia Esperanza Ledesma, 46, were sentenced to federal prison for conspiring to export nearly 600 stolen outboard engines to Mexico through a Miami-based freight forwarding company. Carlos Ledesma was sentenced to 36 months in prison and Nadia Ledesma was sentenced to 18 months in prison.
On May 19, co-defendants Roberto Marrero-Cisneros, 66, from Miami, and Osmani Valdivia Perez, 56, from Lehigh Acres, were each sentenced to 60 months incarceration for their roles in the conspiracy.
The sentencing hearings were held before U.S. District Judge Robert N. Scola, Jr. Judge Scola also ordered the defendants to forfeit the proceeds they each received from the scheme, and to pay $420,668.47 in restitution to the identifiable victims.
Nadia Ledesma is the President of Netcycle Trading Corp., a freight forwarding company in Miami, and Carlos Ledesma is the warehouse manager. From 2015 to 2018, Carlos and Nadia Ledesma received almost 600 stolen outboard engines for export to Mexico. The replacement cost of the stolen engines was over $11 million.
Dozens of individuals delivered the stolen engines to Netcycle. The engines had visible damage from the thefts, and cables and lines had been cut rather than properly detached. The individuals delivered the stolen engines in non-commercial vehicles without bills of sale or any other documentation for the engines.
Marrero-Cisneros created false serial number stickers to place on most of the stolen outboard engines. Nadia and Carlos Ledesma, and their co-conspirators, created false bills of sale and submitted false export information to the United States.
Many of the stolen engines were directed to Tomas Vale Valdivia, a co-conspirator who was then in Mexico. Later, on January 28, 2020, Vale Valdivia was sentenced to 57 months for alien smuggling, in a separate case before U.S. District Judge Kathleen M. Williams.
Vale Valdivia is the nephew of defendant Osmani Valdivia Perez. Valdivia Perez made many cash payments to co-conspirators in this case, on behalf of Vale Valdivia. The cash payments included payments to Netcycle for the fees for exporting the stolen outboard engines, payments to Marrero-Cisneros for the false serial numbers, and payments to the individuals who stole the outboard engines.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Anthony Salisbury, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Miami, and Special Agent in Charge Zinnia P. James, U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service (CGIS), Southeast Region, announced the sentences.
HSI Miami and CGIS investigated the case, with assistance from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE). Assistant U.S. Attorney Ana Maria Martinez is prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daren Grove is handling asset forfeiture.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 22-cr-20269.
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Operator of Sober Homes and Associate Arrested for Fraud Schemes Involving Sober Home Client, Mass Save Program and COVID-19 Business LoansRead the Press Release
BOSTON – An operator of numerous sober homes in Massachusetts, who also operated insulation companies receiving funds through the Mass Save Program, was indicted along with a sober home manager, for their alleged involvement in numerous fraud schemes involving sober homes in the Greater Boston area, the Mass Save Program and a federal loan program to assist businesses during the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Daniel Cleggett, 37, of Kingston and Nicholas Espinosa, 37, of Randolph, were charged in a 37-count indictment with two counts of wire fraud conspiracy; one count of conspiracy to make false statements to a mortgage lending business (mortgage fraud conspiracy); 21 counts of wire fraud; six counts of unlawful monetary transactions (money laundering); and one count of making false statements to a mortgage lending business. In addition, Cleggett was separately charged with four counts of wire fraud and two counts of making false statements to a mortgage lending business. The defendants were arrested this morning and released following an initial appearance in federal court in Boston today before U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Paul G. Levenson.
According to the charging documents, Cleggett was the founder of the sober home business A Vision From God LLC (AVFG). Established in November 2016, AVFG owns and operates sober homes in Boston, Wakefield, Quincy and Weymouth under trade names including Brady’s Place, Lakeshore Retreat and Lambert House. Espinosa managed the day-to-day affairs of Cleggett’s sober home business.
It is alleged that Cleggett, Espinosa and a sober home client entered into a conspiracy to defraud a New York-based family trust that was paying for the client’s room and board at Brady’s Place, located in Quincy. Specifically, Cleggett and Espinosa allegedly overcharged the family trust for room and board by up to $12,500 per month by submitting false and fraudulent invoices to the family trust. Cleggett and Espinosa would allegedly then issue “refund” checks to the client in furtherance of the fraud scheme.
According to the charging documents, from approximately October 2019 to December 2021, Cleggett personally, and through straw purchasers including Espinosa, purchased the three residential properties in Weymouth and Boston to use as sober homes. It is alleged that Cleggett, Espinosa and others submitted false information and fraudulent documentation including falsely representing that the three properties were intended to be purchased as primary residences when, in reality, each was intended to be a sober homes.
In addition to the sober home business, Cleggett operated numerous insulation contracting companies that participated in the Mass Save Program: Green Save Energy Corporation; Environmental Construction Objective Inc. (ECO); Green Giants, LLC; and Insulation Situation, LLC. Mass Save is a Massachusetts public/private partnership sponsored by gas and electric utility companies that funds energy conservation projects and improvements via energy efficiency funds charged to Massachusetts residents’ utility bills. Specifically, Green Save and ECO received millions of dollars for residential insulation work from a lead vendor company under the Mass Save program. It is alleged that, from 2018 through mid-2021, Green Save and ECO fraudulently billed the vendor company for required permits that were not actually obtained. Green Save and ECO were ultimately terminated from participating in the company’s program in June 2021, and Cleggett was banned from participating in the Mass Save program. In response to this, Cleggett, Espinosa and other co-conspirators allegedly formed Insulation Situation and Green Giants to enter as new lead vendors with the same company under straw owners. As a result, Cleggett allegedly obtained a total of $954,443 in payments from the company to Green Giants and Insulation Situation, despite him being banned from participating in the Mass Save program.
Additionally, it is alleged that on April 1, 2020, Cleggett submitted three Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) applications to the Small Business Administration for AVFG, the Daniel Cleggett Sole Proprietorship and Green Save. Cleggett obtained a total of $794,900 in EIDL loans and advances. In the applications, it is alleged that Cleggett falsely denied involvement in illegal activity despite his alleged involvement in the sober home wire fraud scheme and the mortgage fraud scheme involving one of his Weymouth sober homes. It is also alleged that Cleggett’s Sole Proprietorship EIDL application was false because the Daniel Cleggett Sole Proprietorship did not exist. Despite certifying that EIDL proceeds would only be used for “working capital” for the entity seeking the loan, Cleggett allegedly used tens of thousands of dollars from the funds to pay for personal expenses including EZ-Pass bills, gym membership fees, pet expenses, airline tickets, car rentals, vacation trips to Yellowstone, Montana and Aruba, and thousands of dollars in hotel resort stays for Cleggett and his girlfriend – which included spa fees as well as a wine and caviar dinner, among other expenses. Cleggett also allegedly used Green Save EIDL funds for $37,997 in wedding expenses.
The charges of wire fraud and wire fraud conspiracy provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of making false statements to a mortgage lending business provides for a sentence of up to 30 years in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. The charge of unlawful monetary transactions provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Joleen D. Simpson, Special Agent in Charge of Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Kingston, Randolph and Quincy Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys and John T. Mulcahy of Levy’s Criminal Division and Dustin Chao, Chief of Levy’s Public Corruption Unit, are prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Operation Smoke and Mirrors Update: Virginia Man Pleads Guilty to Role in Methamphetamine Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Todd Tyler Snead, 57, of Waynesboro, Virginia, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, admitting to a role in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that operated in the Charleston area.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Snead admitted to traveling to St. Albans on March 14, 2023 to obtain approximately 4 pounds of methamphetamine from a co-defendant. Law enforcement officers followed Snead back to a hotel in Cross Lanes, where they searched the trunk of his vehicle, found the methamphetamine and arrested him. Snead had obtained pound-level quantities of methamphetamine from the co-defendant for several months leading up to his arrest.
Snead is scheduled to be sentenced on September 6, 2023, and faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison, five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a $10 million fine.
Snead is among 30 individuals indicted as a result of Operation Smoke and Mirrors, a major drug trafficking investigation that has yielded the largest methamphetamine seizure in West Virginia history. Law enforcement seized well over 200 pounds of methamphetamine as well as 28 pounds of cocaine, 20 pounds of fentanyl, 18 firearms and $747,000 in cash.
Seven other co-defendants have pleaded guilty. Indictments against the other defendants are pending. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), the West Virginia State Police, the West Virginia National Guard Counter Drug program, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Charleston Police Department, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office and the Raleigh County Sheriff's Office. MDENT is composed of the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Nitro Police Department, the St. Albans Police Department and the South Charleston Police Department.
Chief United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe is prosecuting the case.
The investigation was part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The program was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and is the keystone of the Department of Justice’s drug reduction strategy. OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States.
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. 2:23-cr-31.
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Niles Physician Sentenced to 6 Years in Prison for Illegally Prescribing Controlled Substances and Healthcare FraudRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – Jeffrey Sutton, 65, of Niles, Ohio, was sentenced today to 72 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Christopher A. Boyko, after he pleaded guilty to illegally prescribing patients opioids and other controlled substances, illegally distributing controlled substances and healthcare fraud. Sutton was also sentenced to 3 years of supervised release, a $5,200 special assessment, a $20,000 fine, and restitution of $148,870.79.
According to court documents, from January 2015 through January 2022, Sutton knowingly prescribed medically unnecessary controlled substances to patients outside of the usual course of professional practice and without legitimate medical purpose. In doing so, Sutton fraudulently billed health care benefit programs for office visits and the controlled substances illegally dispensed.
Sutton also admitted to engaging in sexual acts with patients to whom he directly prescribed controlled substances, including during office visits. He also admitted to delivering dozens of oxycodone pills to the home of one of his patients with whom he was engaged in a relationship, outside the course of treatment and without a valid prescription.
The investigation was conducted by the Cleveland offices of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Department of Health and Human Services - Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG), and by the State of Ohio Board of Pharmacy. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elliot Morrison.
New Jersey Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Receiving Military-Type Training from Hezbollah, Marriage Fraud and Making False StatementsRead the Press Release
The Justice Department today announced that Alexei Saab, aka Ali Hassan Saab, aka Alex Saab, aka Rachid, 46, was sentenced to 12 years in prison followed by three years of supervised release for receiving military-type training from Hezbollah, marriage fraud, and making false statements.
According to court documents, Saab was convicted by a jury in May 2022 after a two-week trial. The sentence was imposed by the Honorable Paul G. Gardephe, who also presided over the trial.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Hezbollah is a Lebanon-based Shia Islamic organization with political, social and terrorist components. Hezbollah was founded in the 1980s with support from Iran after the 1982 Israeli invasion of Lebanon, and its mission includes establishing a fundamentalist Islamic state in Lebanon. Since Hezbollah’s formation, the organization has been responsible for numerous terrorist attacks that have killed hundreds, including U.S. citizens and military personnel. In 1997, the U.S. Department of State designated Hezbollah a Foreign Terrorist Organization, pursuant to Section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act, and it remains so designated today. In 2001, pursuant to Executive Order 13224, the U.S. Department of Treasury designated Hezbollah a Specially Designated Global Terrorist entity. In 2010, State Department officials described Hezbollah as the most technically capable terrorist group in the world and a continued security threat to the United States.
The Islamic Jihad Organization (IJO), which is also known as the External Security Organization and “910,” is a component of Hezbollah responsible for the planning and coordination of intelligence, counterintelligence, and terrorist activities on behalf of Hezbollah outside of Lebanon. In July 2012, an IJO operative detonated explosives on a bus transporting Israeli tourists in the vicinity of an airport in Burgas, Bulgaria. The detonation killed six people and injured 32 others. Law enforcement authorities have disrupted several other IJO attack-planning operations around the world, including the arrest of an IJO operative surveilling Israeli targets in Cyprus in 2012, the seizure of bomb-making precursor chemicals in Thailand in 2012, and a seizure of similar chemicals in May 2015 in connection with the arrest of another IJO operative. In June 2017, two IJO operatives were arrested in the U.S and charged with terrorism-related offenses in the Southern District of New York. In May 2019, a jury convicted one of those two IJO operatives on all counts, and in December 2019, he was sentenced principally to 40 years in prison.
Saab joined Hezbollah in 1996. Saab’s first Hezbollah operations occurred in Lebanon, where he was tasked with observing and reporting on the movements of Israeli and Southern Lebanese Army soldiers in Yaroun, Lebanon. Among other things, Saab reported on patrol schedules and formations, procedures at security checkpoints, and the vehicles used by soldiers. Saab also, alongside his brother, planted an improvised explosive device that detonated and hit Israeli soldiers, seriously injuring at least one.
In approximately 1999, Saab attended his first Hezbollah training. The training was focused on the use of firearms, and Saab handled and fired an AK-47, an M16 rifle, and a pistol, and threw grenades. In 2000, Saab transitioned to membership in Hezbollah’s unit responsible for external operations, the IJO, and he then received extensive training in IJO tradecraft, weapons, and military tactics, including how to construct and detonate bombs and other explosive devices and how to best use these devices in attacks. Specifically, Saab received detailed instruction in, among other things, triggering mechanisms, explosive substances, detonators, and the assembly of circuits. In pre-arrest interviews with the FBI, Saab was able to diagram multiple improvised explosive devices that would have been viable if constructed as diagrammed.
In 2000, Saab entered the United States. While living in the United States, Saab remained an IJO operative, continued to receive military training in Lebanon, and conducted numerous operations for the IJO. For example, Saab surveilled dozens of locations in New York City — including the United Nations headquarters, the Statue of Liberty, Rockefeller Center, Times Square, the Empire State Building, and local airports, tunnels, and bridges — and provided detailed information on these locations, including photographs, to the IJO. In particular, Saab focused on the structural weaknesses of locations he surveilled in order to determine how a future attack could cause the most destruction. Saab’s reporting to the IJO included the materials used to construct a particular target, how close in proximity one could get to a target, and site weaknesses or “soft spots” that the IJO could exploit if it attacked a target in the future. Saab conducted similar intelligence gathering in a variety of large American cities, including Boston and Washington, D.C., Saab admitted that his surveillance was designed to best position the IJO to attack the U.S. in the future. Saab also was tasked by Hezbollah with opening a front company that he could use to obtain fertilizer in the United States for use as an explosives precursor.
In addition to his attack-planning activities in the United States, Saab conducted operations abroad. For example, in or about 2003, Saab attempted to murder a man he later understood to be a suspected Israeli spy. Saab pointed a firearm at the individual at close range and pulled the trigger twice, but the firearm did not fire. Saab also conducted surveillance in Istanbul, Turkey, and elsewhere.
Finally, in or about 2012, Saab entered into a fraudulent marriage in exchange for $20,000. The purpose of the marriage was for Saab’s purported wife to apply for her citizenship. Saab later falsely affirmed, under penalty of perjury, and in connection with his purported wife’s efforts to obtain status in the U.S., that the marriage was not for any immigration-related purposes.
Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, U.S. Attorney Damian Williams for the Southern District of New York, and Assistant Director Robert R. Wells of the FBI Counterterrorism Division made the announcement.
The FBI and its New York Joint Terrorism Task Force, which principally consists of agents from the FBI and detectives from the New York City Police Department, investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sam Adelsberg and Jason A. Richman for the Southern District of New York are prosecuting the case, with assistance from Trial Attorneys Jessica Fender and Alexandra Hughes of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.
New Jersey Man Sentenced to 12 Years for Receiving Military-Type Training from Hizballah, Marriage Fraud, and Making False StatementsRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that ALEXEI SAAB, a/k/a “Ali Hassan Saab,” a/k/a “Alex Saab,” a/k/a “Rachid,” was sentenced today to 12 years in prison for receiving military-type training from Hizballah, marriage fraud, and making false statements. A jury convicted SAAB of those offenses in May 2022 after a two-week trial. The sentence was imposed by the Honorable Paul G. Gardephe, who also presided over the trial.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Alexei Saab’s actions as a Hizballah operative, both domestically and internationally, were deeply disturbing. Saab trained extensively on military tactics and weapons use, he specialized in how to construct and detonate explosives, and he surveilled major American landmarks to identify potential attack sites. But his apprehension by law enforcement before an attack could be carried out is a testament to the importance of our counterterrorism efforts. We will continue to protect the American people by thwarting terrorist organizations’ pursuits of murder and mass destruction. Thanks to the hard work of the career prosecutors of this Office and our law enforcement partners, Saab will now spend the coming 12 years in federal prison.”
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial:
Hizballah is a Lebanon-based Shia Islamic organization with political, social, and terrorist components. Hizballah was founded in the 1980s with support from Iran after the 1982 Israeli invasion of Lebanon, and its mission includes establishing a fundamentalist Islamic state in Lebanon. Since Hizballah’s formation, the organization has been responsible for numerous terrorist attacks that have killed hundreds, including U.S. citizens and military personnel. In 1997, the U.S. Department of State designated Hizballah a Foreign Terrorist Organization, pursuant to Section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act, and it remains so designated today. In 2001, pursuant to Executive Order 13224, the U.S. Department of Treasury designated Hizballah a Specially Designated Global Terrorist entity. In 2010, State Department officials described Hizballah as the most technically capable terrorist group in the world and a continued security threat to the U.S.
The Islamic Jihad Organization (“IJO”), which is also known as the External Security Organization and “910,” is a component of Hizballah responsible for the planning and coordination of intelligence, counterintelligence, and terrorist activities on behalf of Hizballah outside of Lebanon. In July 2012, an IJO operative detonated explosives on a bus transporting Israeli tourists in the vicinity of an airport in Burgas, Bulgaria. The detonation killed six people and injured 32 others. Law enforcement authorities have disrupted several other IJO attack-planning operations around the world, including the arrest of an IJO operative surveilling Israeli targets in Cyprus in 2012, the seizure of bomb-making precursor chemicals in Thailand in 2012, and a seizure of similar chemicals in May 2015 in connection with the arrest of another IJO operative. In June 2017, two IJO operatives were arrested in the U.S and charged with terrorism-related offenses in the Southern District of New York. In May 2019, a jury convicted one of those two IJO operatives on all counts, and in December 2019, he was sentenced principally to 40-years in prison.
SAAB joined Hizballah in 1996. SAAB’s first Hizballah operations occurred in Lebanon, where he was tasked with observing and reporting on the movements of Israeli and Southern Lebanese Army soldiers in Yaroun, Lebanon. Among other things, SAAB reported on patrol schedules and formations, procedures at security checkpoints, and the vehicles used by soldiers. SAAB also, alongside his brother, planted an improvised explosive device that detonated and hit Israeli soldiers, seriously injuring at least one.
In approximately 1999, SAAB attended his first Hizballah training. The training was focused on the use of firearms, and SAAB handled and fired an AK-47, an M16 rifle, and a pistol, and threw grenades. In 2000, SAAB transitioned to membership in Hizballah’s unit responsible for external operations, the IJO, and he then received extensive training in IJO tradecraft, weapons, and military tactics, including how to construct and detonate bombs and other explosive devices and how to best use these devices in attacks. Specifically, SAAB received detailed instruction in, among other things, triggering mechanisms, explosive substances, detonators, and the assembly of circuits. In pre-arrest interviews with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), SAAB was able to diagram multiple improvised explosive devices that would have been viable if constructed as diagrammed.
In 2000, SAAB entered the U.S. While living in the U.S., SAAB remained an IJO operative, continued to receive military training in Lebanon, and conducted numerous operations for the IJO. For example, SAAB surveilled dozens of locations in New York City — including the United Nations headquarters, the Statue of Liberty, Rockefeller Center, Times Square, the Empire State Building, and local airports, tunnels, and bridges — and provided detailed information on these locations, including photographs, to the IJO. In particular, SAAB focused on the structural weaknesses of locations he surveilled in order to determine how a future attack could cause the most destruction. SAAB’s reporting to the IJO included the materials used to construct a particular target, how close in proximity one could get to a target, and site weaknesses or “soft spots” that the IJO could exploit if it attacked a target in the future. SAAB conducted similar intelligence gathering in a variety of large American cities, including Boston and Washington, D.C. SAAB admitted that his surveillance was designed to best position the IJO to attack the U.S. in the future. SAAB also was tasked by Hizballah with opening a front company that he could use to obtain fertilizer in the United States for use as an explosives precursor.
In addition to his attack-planning activities in the United States, SAAB conducted operations abroad. For example, in or about 2003, SAAB attempted to murder a man he later understood to be a suspected Israeli spy. SAAB pointed a firearm at the individual at close range and pulled the trigger twice, but the firearm did not fire. SAAB also conducted surveillance in Istanbul, Turkey, and elsewhere.
Finally, in or about 2012, SAAB entered into a fraudulent marriage in exchange for $20,000. The purpose of the marriage was for SAAB’s purported wife to apply for her citizenship. SAAB later falsely affirmed, under penalty of perjury, and in connection with his purported wife’s efforts to obtain status in the U.S., that the marriage was not for any immigration-related purposes.
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In addition to the prison term, SAAB, 46, was sentenced to 3 years of supervised release.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s New York Joint Terrorism Task Force, which principally consists of agents from the FBI and detectives from the New York City Police Department. Mr. Williams also thanked the Counterterrorism Section of the Department of Justice’s National Security Division.
This prosecution is being handled by the Office’s National Security and International Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sam Adelsberg and Jason A. Richman are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Trial Attorneys Jessica Fender and Alexandra Hughes of the Counterterrorism Section.
New Haven Man Sentenced to More than 7 Years in Federal Prison for Firearm OffenseRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JACKIE BROWN, 43, of New Haven, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to 92 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for unlawfully possessing ammunition.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on October 7, 2021, Brown was involved in a car accident in New Haven. After a responding officer observed Brown attempting to hide an extended firearm magazine by sitting on top of it, Brown ran from the car, up the street, and through the backyard of a residence. Another officer apprehended Brown minutes later. A search of Brown’s path of travel revealed a .40 caliber handgun, a loaded gun magazine, and two loose rounds of ammunition.
In an interview with officers, Brown admitted that he had discarded a firearm with a loaded magazine during the chase. Analysis of the extended magazine that was found in the car revealed that it contained 25 rounds of ammunition.
Brown has an extensive criminal history that includes seven drug-related felony convictions, and a conviction for attempted assault in the first degree. It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.
Brown has been detained since his arrest. On August 12, 2022, he pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a felon.
This investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the New Haven Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney A. Reed Durham through the Justice’s Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) program.
PSN, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts, 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.
Nebraska U.S. Attorney’s Office Allocated Additional ProsecutorsRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Steven Russell announced today that the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Nebraska has been allocated three additional federal prosecutors and two additional support staff by the United States Department of Justice. One of these full-time Assistant United States Attorneys (AUSAs) and support staff will be dedicated to addressing public safety needs to combat violent crime in the state.
“For decades, the United States Attorney’s Office in Nebraska has been a strong federal partner in promoting public safety across the state, including the prosecution of violent crime and government fraud,” Russell said. “With this significant investment of additional resources from the Department of Justice, we will be able to continue to effectively coordinate with state, local and tribal law enforcement to ensure that Nebraska is a safe place to work and live.”
In addition to the “violent crime” prosecutor, the office will hire an additional AUSA charged with spearheading the office’s eLitigation program, enhancing the process of identifying, assessing, producing and presentation of discoverable information for all manner of criminal prosecutions and civil matters. A term AUSA will be charged with prosecuting COVID fraud, false statements, and money laundering related to the CARES Act passed by Congress in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. This includes fraud involving the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL), and unemployment insurance (UI) programs committed during the pandemic. Finally, the Office has also been allocated two support staff positions to assist in Indian country prosecutions and e-litigation support.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Nebraska currently has 30 AUSAs working in its Criminal and Civil Divisions out of Omaha and Lincoln. The office is currently in the process of onboarding two criminal AUSAs to fill existing vacancies. When the additional prosecutors are in place, a process expected to take several months, the office will have a total of 34 AUSAs representing the United States serving the citizens of Nebraska.
Navarre Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal Prison for Child Exploitation CrimesRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Stephen D. Regis, Jr., 31, of Navarre, was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for the production, receipt, and possession of child pornography, as well as the transfer of obscene materials to minors. The sentence was announced by Jason R. Coody, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
“There is no greater charge than the protection of our children,” said U.S. Attorney Coody. “This sentence is yet another example of the unwavering commitment to the protection of our most vulnerable and should serve as a significant deterrent to those who would attempt to harm them. We will continue to work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute those who engage in such heinous conduct.”
Regis was indicted for victimizing seven minor females in the Gulf Breeze and Navarre, Florida areas. As alleged in the indictment, Regis engaged in the production, receipt, and possession of child pornography in 2021. Regis chose a trial by jury, and a federal jury in Pensacola, Florida, found him guilty of all twenty-one counts of the indictment in late 2022. The trial evidence revealed that Regis used the social media platform Snapchat to communicate with his victims. On Snapchat, Regis requested the victims produce or send child pornography and, in return, he would meet the minor females to provide them with electronic cigarettes, alcohol, and marijuana. During the course of this conduct, Regis also sent the minor females graphic sexual images and videos of himself and personally requested sexual acts from them.
“This arrest shows that our local agencies cooperating with the DOJ can make a substantial impact on those individuals who produce child pornography,” said Santa Rosa County Sheriff Bob Johnson. “Hopefully, this will deter anyone else from even thinking about following Regis’ footsteps.”
Regis’ prison sentence will be followed by a lifetime of federal supervised release. He will also be required to register as a sex offender and be subject to all sex offender conditions.
“We are witnessing an epidemic through social media and the internet when it comes to the sexual exploitation of our children. It’s imperative that our children are taught the dangers of online predators,” said Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Tallahassee Assistant Special Agent in Charge Nicholas Ingegno. “Thanks to the partnerships we have with the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the Florida Highway Patrol, we are able to stop predators like this from victimizing our children.”
This case resulted from a joint investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the Florida Highway Patrol. Assistant United States Attorneys David L. Goldberg and Jennifer H. Callahan prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice and led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Divisions Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), it marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Nacogdoches Man Sentenced to 12 years in Federal Prison for Trafficking MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – A Nacogdoches man has been sentenced to 12 years in federal prison for drug trafficking violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs today.
Brandon Spears, 38, pleaded guilty on April 20, 2022, to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and was sentenced to 144 months in federal prison today by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone.
According to information presented in court, Spears was part of a trafficking organization responsible for trafficking at least 44 grams of methamphetamine in the Nacogdoches area. During the 2 ½ year investigation, law enforcement officers purchased methamphetamine from Spears on multiple occasions. During one attempted sale of methamphetamine, Spears and co-defendant, Angel Aguilar, were out of stock so they provided the buyer with a firearm and pills containing a mixture of cocaine and methamphetamine as collateral towards the future purchase of methamphetamine. The firearm given as collateral was later confirmed to be stolen. At sentencing, Spears forfeited three firearms seized by law enforcement during the investigation. Aguilar was previously sentenced to 180 months in federal prison.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Nacogdoches Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Donald S. Carter.
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Missouri Man Indicted on Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Brian Wilder, age 53, of Jefferson City, Missouri, was indicted on May 16, 2023, by a federal grand jury on child enticement and child pornography charges.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that between November 2022 and December 2022, Wilder used the internet to entice a minor child to engage in sexual acts for which any person could be charged with a crime. The indictment also alleges that Wilder conspired with an individual to produce child pornography.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jenny P. Roberts is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by 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.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is lifetime imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Micco, Brevard County Resident Sentenced to 15 years for Trafficking Fentanyl in Indian River CountyRead the Press Release
MIAMI – Yesterday, Christopher Jon Bauer, 46, of Micco, Florida, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Aileen M. Cannon, sitting in Fort Pierce, to 15 years for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine.
Sebastian Police Department (SPD) received a Treasure Coast Crime Stopper complaint about Bauer making fentanyl purchases on the dark web and mailing them to a codefendant. After the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) confirmed that several packages were mailed to a codefendant in Sebastian, Florida; SPD officers and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents set up surveillance at a U.S. Post Office (USPS), located in Sebastian. During the surveillance, they observed that Bauer had arrived in a red Cadillac SUV, with a passenger, who went into the post office and returned to Bauer’s vehicle carrying a USPS Express package. When SPD detectives attempted to stop the vehicle, Bauer fled, leading police on a lengthy high-speed pursuit, which resulted in the vehicle becoming disabled. SPD officers apprehended Bauer and the passenger of the vehicle and took both into custody. The total quantities of narcotics seized following Bauer’s arrest were about 65 grams of fentanyl, 12.53 grams of methamphetamine, and a small amount of cocaine. Bauer received at least 16 shipments of fentanyl, totaling nearly one kilogram.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Anthony Salisbury of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Miami, and Inspector in Charge Juan A. Vargas of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Miami Division, announced the sentence.
HSI Fort Pierce Office and USPIS Miami investigated the case, with assistance from SPD. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Hudock prosecuted it. Assistant U.S. Attorney Marx Calderon is handling asset forfeiture.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 22-cr-14068.
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Miami Church Pastor Sentenced to 48 Months in Federal Prison for Defrauding Paycheck Protection ProgramRead the Press Release
MIAMI – Elie Floradin, 59, the self-described head pastor of the New Bethel Baptist Church in Miami, Florida, was sentenced to 48 months in federal prison for participating in a fraudulent scheme seeking more than $1 million in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
Floradin caused an intermediary to repeatedly file false and fraudulent PPP applications, which sought federal COVID-19 assistance funds for companies that did not exist. Among these was a fake employment agency through which Floradin claimed to pay approximately $960,000 in yearly wages to dozens of employees when, in fact, no such business existed. After successfully receiving an initial PPP loan of approximately $200,000, Floradin caused the submission of three (3) more fraudulent PPP applications on behalf of his non-existent hiring agency, seeking approximately $600,000 in additional PPP loans—though these additional funds were denied.
Following Floradin’s guilty plea, however, the government learned of yet another prior fraudulent PPP loan, successfully filed on behalf of yet another corporate entity under Floradin’s name, causing the disbursement of approximately $336,000 in additional PPP funds to Floradin. At sentencing, Floradin admitted that he fraudulently applied for more than $1 million, and that he received more than half that amount, in fraudulently obtained COVID-19 assistance funds. In addition to his sentence of imprisonment, Floradin was ordered to pay back $535,996 in the form of restitution to the United States.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida and Special Agent in Charge Mark H. Morini Jr. of the U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA), Southern Field Division, announced the sentence imposed by U.S. District Judge Jose E. Martinez.
TIGTA Southern Field Division investigated the case, along with the Florida Office of Financial Regulation (OFR), Bureau of Financial Investigations (BFI), Miami Region. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eduardo Gardea Jr. prosecuted the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Annika Miranda and Peter Laserna are handling asset forfeiture.
In March 2020, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act was enacted. It was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Among other sources of relief, the CARES Act’s PPP program allowed qualifying small businesses and other organizations to receive loans with a maturity of two years and an interest rate of 1%. PPP loan proceeds had to be used by businesses on payroll costs, interest on mortgages, rent, and utilities. The PPP allowed the interest and principal on the PPP loan to be forgiven if the business spent the loan proceeds on these expense items within a designated period of time after receiving the proceeds and used at least a certain percentage of the PPP loan proceeds on payroll expenses.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
On September 15, 2022, the Attorney General selected the Southern District of Florida’s U.S. Attorney’s Office to head one of three national COVID-19 Fraud Strike Force Teams. The Department of Justice established the Strike Force to enhance existing efforts to combat and prevent COVID-19 related financial fraud. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please click here.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
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-20361.
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Member of International Money Laundering Network Pleads Guilty to Laundering Millions of Dollars in Drug ProceedsRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Belize City, Belize, man pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to commit money laundering after laundering tens of millions of dollars of drug proceeds on behalf of notorious international drug trafficking organizations.
According to court documents, from at least 2014 and continuing through 2020, Jianxing Chen, 44, led and controlled a network of couriers who transported cash generated by the sale of cocaine throughout the United States – including Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, as well as in the Eastern District of Virginia. At Chen’s direction, couriers transported drug money across the country to locations in New York City. From there it was laundered through a variety of methods until it, or its equivalent value, was remitted to drug trafficking organizations in Latin America, including Mexico. Chen received “contracts” to transport and launder this money through co-conspirators who were prosecuted and convicted based on the same superseding indictment
Chen is scheduled to be sentenced on August 29. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
In October 2021, co-defendant, Xizhi Li, was sentenced to 15 years in prison for leading the conspiracy to launder tens of millions of dollars for foreign drug trafficking organizations. Li signed a consent order of forfeiture for $10,000,000 to the United States pursuant to his plea.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema accepted the plea.
The DEA’s Louisville Division and the DEA’s Special Operations Division – Bilateral Investigations Unit investigated this case, with assistance from the DEA’s Office of Special Intelligence, Document and Media Exploitation Unit and the DEA’s offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Omaha, Atlanta, Newark, Portland Dallas, Mexico City, Merida (Mexico), Guatemala City, Belmopan (Belize), Beijing, Hong Kong, Jakarta (Indonesia), Manila (Philippines), Tokyo, Seoul, Bangkok, Lima (Peru), and Canberra (Australia). The U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS), the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Interpol, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection National Targeting Center (CBP – National Targeting Center) were partners in the investigation of this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys David A. Peters and Rachael C. Tucker and Trial Attorneys Mary K. Daly and Stephen A. Sola of the Justice Department’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section prosecuted the case.
This prosecution is part of two Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). investigations known as Operation Dark Castle and Operation Taishan Triangle. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:19-cr-334.
Maryland Resident Sentenced for Possession with Intent to Distribute FentanylRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jose Sanchez, of Maryland, was sentenced to 120 months in prison for one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl.
The charges arose from investigations by the Sequoyah County Sheriff’s Department and Homeland Security Investigations.
On May 2, 2022, Sanchez pleaded guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl.
On November 18, 2019, a Sequoyah County deputy stopped Sanchez for speeding on Interstate 40. During the traffic stop, the deputy discovered a vacuum-sealed bag concealed under a rear speaker. The bag contained 9,648 counterfeit oxycodone pills which later tested positive for fentanyl. The fake pills contained over a kilogram of fentanyl.
“The defendant was transporting thousands of lethal doses of fentanyl," said United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson. “Fentanyl is 50 times more potent than heroin, and a single dose of only two milligrams is potentially lethal. I commend the work of our law enforcement partners in discovering and seizing these counterfeit pills. Combatting the trafficking of illegal narcotics, especially fentanyl, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma continues to be a priority for the U.S. Attorney’s Office.”
The Honorable Ronald A. White, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearings in Muskogee. Sanchez 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 Ryan Conway represented the United States.
Maryland Resident Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud After Preparing and Submitting Fraudulent Applications for Cares Act Financial AssistanceRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that SIEDAH ELEY, age 30, a resident of Houston, Texas, and formerly a resident of Columbia, Maryland, pled guilty before United States District Judge Ivan L.R. Lemelle to a one-count bill of information charging her with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 371 and 1343, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. The charge stems from ELEY’S role in preparing and filing false applications for loans related to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act).
According to court documents, ELEY used both word-of-mouth and text message contacts to fraudulently solicit individuals interested in obtaining money from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) program with her assistance. When someone expressed interest, ELEY requested the following information from the applicant: the applicant’s name, address, social security, and phone number, a copy of the front and back of the applicant’s driver’s license, a bank statement from 2020, and the routing and account number for the applicant’s bank account. ELEY then created a false and fraudulent loan application. Among the false representations ELEY included in the pertinent forms was that the applicant had a sole proprietorship in the beauty industry and generated substantial income from those businesses. ELEY also submitted financial numbers that overstated the gross receipts, expenses, and net income for the business, which resulted in the creation of a false federal tax Form 1040, Schedule C by the online portal that accepted and processed the application. In several instances, where the applicant received minimal income from the beauty business, ELEY knowingly and falsely inflated the amount of income. Each of the above-described false representations constituted a misstatement that was material to the determination of the eligibility of the applicant and the loan amount the applicant would receive.
Once the loan was paid to the applicant, ELEY charged some applicants up to $5,000.00 for preparing and submitting the fraudulent PPP application. ELEY used this scheme to file her own fraudulent application and applications for at least seven (7) co-conspirators, which resulted in a total loss to the Small Business Association of approximately $166,656.
ELEY faces a maximum term of imprisonment of five (5) years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, up to a $250,000 fine, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. Sentencing before Judge Lemelle has been scheduled for September 20, 2023.
For more information on the Department of Justice’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the United States Secret Service in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorneys Jordan Ginsberg, Chief of the Public Integrity Unit, is in charge of the prosecution.
Man involved in Violent Robberies of AT&T Stores Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ALEX JOSEPHS, 23, of Hartford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to 120 months of imprisonment for his involvement in a spree of violent robberies of AT&T stores in Connecticut and western Massachusetts.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in 2021, Josephs, Shaquille Raymond, Ronaldo Smith, and Deshawn Baugh committed several violent armed robberies of AT&T stores in Connecticut and western Massachusetts. The perpetrators typically entered the stores shortly before closing, pointed weapons at employees, and, at times, pistol-whipped, dragged and shoved employees toward the back inventory room. They then held the employees at gunpoint while loading large bags with cell phones and other electronics. The group stole hundreds of thousands of dollars in merchandise. Saviana Bourne, who worked at AT&T stores, helped plan the robberies, served as a getaway driver, and coordinated the sale of the stolen merchandise.
The investigation revealed that Josephs, Raymond, and Smith robbed AT&T stores in Newington on January 29, 2021, and Enfield on February 24, 2021. Baugh then joined the conspiracy and together they robbed an AT&T store in Canton on April 15, 2021, and attempted to rob stores in Torrington and Glastonbury in May 2021, but were locked out of the stores.
On June 6, 2021, Josephs and his associates, armed with a semiautomatic pistol, two revolvers, and a semiautomatic rifle, robbed an AT&T store in West Springfield, Massachusetts. After the robbery, they fled in a vehicle driven by Bourne, who led police on a high-speed chase that ended when their vehicle collided with a Massachusetts State Police cruiser. Josephs, Raymond, Smith, Baugh, and Bourne were arrested, and a search of the vehicle revealed more than $150,000 in stolen merchandise, as well as the firearms used during the robbery.
Judge Underhill ordered Josephs to pay restitution of $298,073.86, which reflects the losses from the Newington, Enfield, and Canton robberies. The property stolen in the West Springfield robbery was recovered.
Josephs has been detained since his arrest. On November 30, 2022, he pleaded guilty to one count of Hobbs Act robbery and one count of brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
Raymond, Smith, Baugh, and Bourne also pleaded guilty. On March 1, 2023, Baugh was sentenced to 108 months of imprisonment and was ordered to pay restitution of $124,842.45, which reflects the loss from the Canton robbery. On March 29, 2023, Raymond was sentenced to 72 months of imprisonment and Bourne was sentenced to 78 months of imprisonment. Raymond and Bourne were also ordered to pay restitution of $298,073.86. Smith awaits sentencing.
Josephs and Raymond, who are citizens of Jamaica, face immigration proceedings when they are released from prison.
This matter has been investigated by the FBI’s Connecticut Violent Crimes Task Force with the assistance of the Massachusetts State Police and the Newington, Enfield, Canton, Torrington, Glastonbury, and West Springfield Police Departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert S. Ruff.
Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – United States District Court Chief Judge Raúl Arias Marxuach sentenced Francisco Xavier Ortiz-Colón to 30 years in prison,10 years of supervised release, and registration as a sex offender for nine counts of production of child pornography, eight counts of coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in sexual conduct, one count of receipt of child pornography, and one count of possession of child pornography. On November 9, 2022, Ortiz-Colón was found guilty of 19 counts of child pornography.
According to court documents and testimony during trial, from August 2019 through June 2020, Ortiz-Colón induced, enticed, and coerced nine female victims, ranging from nine to fourteen years of age, to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing child pornography. Ortiz-Colón used multiple Instagram accounts to commit these crimes.
During trial, the government presented evidence to prove that Ortiz-Colón used three Instagram accounts, while impersonating a female user, to procure armpit photos of the minor victims. After obtaining photos of the minors’ armpits and breasts, he used those photos to extort further explicit pornographic photos of the minors. HSI law enforcement agents executed several search warrants of the address where Ortiz-Colón’s Instagram account IP Address was identified and found him in possession of the smartphone through which he exercised control of the Instagram accounts used to extort the minor victims.
“The sentenced imposed today reflects the heinous nature the crimes committed by the defendant and the abuse inflicted on his victims,” said W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners will relentlessly investigate and prosecute the misuse of social media platforms to commit these atrocious crimes.”
“Today’s sentencing not only concludes a long emotional process of victim testimonies which impacted everybody present in the courthouse, but most importantly provides closure to all the minors who this predator attacked with no mercy,” said HSI Acting Special Agent in Charge Rebecca González-Ramos. “This man once told one of his victims that he would never get caught by law enforcement, he believed he was above the law, preying on our children. HSI arrested him and a jury found him guilty, it’s time to face a long sentence in jail.”
The Department of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jenifer Y. Hernández-Vega, Project Safe Childhood Coordinator in the Child Exploitation and Immigration Unit, prosecuted the case.
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Luzerne County Man Charged with Drug Trafficking and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that James Adams, age 31, of Kingston, Pennsylvania, was indicted on May 16, 2023, by a federal grand jury for drug trafficking and firearm offenses.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that on or about January 26, 2023, in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, Adams possessed with the intent to distribute marijuana, as well as four firearms in furtherance of that drug trafficking offense. The indictment further alleges that Adams possessed the firearms after knowing that he had been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year. The firearms include: a black 9mm Taurus Model G36 pistol, a 9mm Lorcin Model L9 pistol, a .22 caliber Smith & Wesson Model 61-3 pistol, and a .380 caliber Davis Industries Model P370, all firearms having been shipped and transported in interstate commerce.
The matter is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (“ATF”), the Luzerne County Drug Task Force, the Kingston Police Department, and the Luzerne County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney James M. Buchanan is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The maximum penalty under federal law for these offenses is life imprisonment and a fine of $10,000,000. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Louisville Man Sentenced to 5 Years in Federal Prison for Methamphetamine and Heroin TraffickingRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – A Louisville man was sentenced yesterday for methamphetamine and heroin trafficking.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge J. Todd Scott of the DEA Louisville Field Division, and Chief Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel of the Louisville Metro Police Department made the announcement.
According to court documents, Myron L. Daniels, 40, was sentenced to 5 years in prison, followed by a 3-year term of supervised release, for possessing with the intent to distribute a methamphetamine mixture and a heroin mixture in Jefferson County Kentucky. There is no parole in the federal system.
The case was investigated by the DEA and the Louisville Metro Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Erin McKenzie and Marisa Ford prosecuted the case.
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Louisiana Man Indicted for Shipping Firearms to New YorkRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Rodell Patterson, age 51, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, was indicted today on charges that he engaged in the firearms business without a license, sold firearms to a person he knew to be a convicted felon, and unlawfully sold firearms to a resident of another state.
United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and John B. DeVito, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), made the announcement.
Patterson sent a package containing multiple handguns from Baton Rouge to the Capital Region in May 2022. Two of those firearms were recovered the following month in an apartment in Troy, New York. The charges in the indictment are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The charges filed against Patterson carry a maximum term of 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to 3 years. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
United States Magistrate Judge Daniel J. Stewart previously ordered Patterson detained pending trial before Chief United States District Judge Brenda K. Sannes.
ATF’s Albany Field Office is investigating the case with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Louisiana, ATF’s Baton Rouge Field Office, and the Rensselaer County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan S. Reiner is prosecuting the case.
Louisiana Man Charged with Vidor Armed CarjackingRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – A New Orleans, Louisiana man has been named in a federal indictment charging him with carjacking and firearms violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs today.
Aubrey Young, 36, was charged with carjacking, possession of a firearm by a felon, and using a firearm during a crime of violence. A federal grand jury returned the indictment on May 3, 2023. Young appeared before U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone today on those charges. Young is scheduled to appear for a detention hearing on May 25, 2023.
According to the indictment, on Oct. 26, 2022, law enforcement officers responded to a call regarding a stolen car, taken at gunpoint. The suspect allegedly approached two individuals in Vidor, pulled a gun from his backpack and demanded the keys to their vehicle. The vehicle was spotted near Anahuac and a high-speed chase ensued involving officers from the Chambers County Sheriff’s Office and the Texas Department of Public Safety. Young, the sole occupant of the vehicle, was arrested and a firearm was located in the vehicle. Further investigation revealed Young is a convicted felon and prohibited by a federal law from owning or possessing firearms or ammunition.
If convicted, Young faces up to 22 years in federal prison.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. This case is being investigated by the Vidor Police Department, Chambers County Sheriff’s Office, Texas Department of Public Safety and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel Grove.
A grand jury indictment is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Lincoln County Man Sentenced to 292 Months for Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky.— A Stanford, Ky., man, Sean Ryan Reardon, 30, was sentenced to 292 months in federal prison on Monday, by Chief U.S. District Judge Danny Reeves, for enticing a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing child pornography.
According to his plea agreement, Reardon met a minor victim in Fall 2019 and, in early 2020, started communicating with the victim via Snapchat. Reardon admitted that had sexual contact with the victim, at his home and other locations, from July 2021 through March 2022, and that he captured pictures and videos of these encounters. Reardon also admitted that he and the victim exchanged sexually explicit visual depictions through Snapchat and Google Duo.
Reardon pleaded guilty in February 2023.
Under federal law, Reardon must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for 10 years.
Carlton S. Shier IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Louisville Field Office; and Col. Phillip Burnett, Commissioner, Kentucky State Police, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI and Kentucky State Police. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Melton.
This case was prosecuted 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.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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Las Vegas Resident Sentenced to Prison for Distribution of Fentanyl and Possession of Machine GunsRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – A Las Vegas man was sentenced yesterday by United States District Judge Cristina D. Silva to 6 ½ years in prison followed by four years of supervised release for selling machine gun conversion devices and thousands of pills laced with fentanyl.
According to court documents, on or about December 16, 2021, Anthony Rivas (23) sold four machine gun conversion devices. On that same day, he sold about 100 pills containing fentanyl. In January and February of 2022, Rivas sold a multi-caliber rifle modified with a machine gun conversion device, and 3,000 pills containing fentanyl.
Fentanyl is classified as a Schedule II controlled substance. Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid drug that is approximately 80-100 times more potent than morphine and 50 times more potent than heroin. A few milligrams of fentanyl, which is equivalent to a few grains of table salt, may be deadly.
Rivas pleaded guilty in February 2023 to conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance-fentanyl and illegal possession of a machine gun.
United States Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada, Assistant Special Agent in Charge Kevin Adams for the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Las Vegas District Office, and Special Agent in Charge Jennifer Cicolani for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) made the announcement.
This case was investigated by the DEA, ATF, and Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Melanee Smith prosecuted the case.
This effort was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States, using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
If you have information about illegal firearms activity, submit a tip to ATF by calling the hotline at 1-800-ATF-GUNS (1-800-283-4867) or through the ReportIt mobile app.
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Lackawanna County Man Indicted on Drug Trafficking ChargesRead the Press Release
SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Charles Norman McKenzie, II., age 41, of Scranton, Pennsylvania, was indicted on May 16, 2023, by a federal grand jury on drug trafficking charges.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that on May 4, 2023, McKenzie attempted to possess over 500 grams of cocaine and 400 grams of fentanyl with intent to distribute it. The indictment also alleges that on May 5, 2023, McKenzie attempted to possess over 500 grams of methamphetamine with intent to distribute it.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jenny P. Roberts is prosecuting the case.
This case is also part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was also brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the Heroin Initiative targets heroin traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit heroin related offenses.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is lifetime imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Kennewick Man Sentenced to 151 Months for Drug Trafficking in the Tri Cities:Read the Press Release
Richland, Washington – On May 22, 2023, United States District Judge Mary K. Dimke sentenced Jose Oliva, 37, to over 12 years in federal prison after his guilty plea to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. Oliva also will serve 5 years of federal supervision after he is released from federal custody.
According to information disclosed in court documents and during court proceedings, the DEA Tri-Cities Resident Office in collaboration with Tri-City Metro Drug Task Force identified Oliva as a supplier and part of a drug trafficking organization operating in the Tri-Cities, WA area. Oliva was brokering pound-level quantities of methamphetamine for the organization, which were routinely distributed in the Eastern District of Washington.
In July of 2022, Oliva had agreed to meet a confidential source to deliver a pound of methamphetamine, as well as fentanyl-laced pills. After confirming Oliva’s presence at the arranged meeting location, agents moved in to make the arrest. Oliva immediately fled on foot while in possession of a loaded firearm and distribution quantities of fentanyl-laced pills, which he attempted to discard while in flight from law enforcement. Oliva did not escape and was placed under arrest thereafter.
Vanessa R. Waldref, the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, stated “Removing dangerous narcotics from our community is critical to protecting our families and building stronger and safer neighborhoods. I am grateful for the joint efforts of state, local, and federal law enforcement to identify Mr. Oliva’s drug trafficking activities and to prevent him from further distributing this poison in our community. I also commend Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Van Marter for her leadership of federal drug prosecutions in the Tri-Cities that benefit the public safety of Eastern Washington.”
“We are grateful for working with all of our partners in this investigation, our efforts removed an individual from our communities who distributed deadly narcotics and possessed a dangerous firearm,” said Jacob D. Galvan, Acting Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division. “We will continue in any way we can to keep our communities safe and healthy.”
This case was investigated by the DEA Tri-Cities Resident Office, the Tri-City METRO Drug Task Force, United States Border Patrol, Richland Police Department, Kennewick Police Department, Pasco Police Department, West Richland Police Department, and the Benton County Sherriff’s Office. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Van Marter.
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Kaneohe Man Sentenced to 37 Months in Prison for Posting Threats to Kill Others on Social MediaRead the Press Release
HONOLULU – Lindsey Kinney, 44, of Kaneohe, was sentenced today in federal court by Chief United States District Judge Derrick K. Watson to 37 months imprisonment and three years of supervised release for posting two threats to kill others on Instagram. Kinney was found guilty of those crimes by a federal trial jury on February 8, 2023. Kinney has been detained since his arrest on April 13, 2022.
According to the evidence presented at trial, the evidence as to Count 1 showed that in January 2022, defendant posted on his Instagram account threats to cut off the heads of persons identified as Victims 1, 2, and 3 in the indictment and their social media profiles. Victim 1 believed defendant threatened Victims 1 and 2 because Victim 1, acting in his official capacity as a government official, had recently been involved in two encounters with another individual, and the defendant repeatedly referred to Victim 1’s official title. Victim 2 is the wife of Victim 1, and Victim 3 is a close friend of them both.
The information presented as to Count 2, was that in March 2022, Kinney publicly posted on his Instagram account a 15-minute videorecording in which he and a second unseen person made threats to kill Victim 4 and Victim 5, both government officials, and to injure Victim 4’s security staff, including stating, “we cut their heads off right in the [obscenity omitted] palace, for treason -- for treason and human trafficking.” After learning of the threatening post, Victim 4’s security staff increased its vigilance, familiarizing themselves with defendant’s appearance and scrutinizing those who approached Victim 4 to ensure that defendant did not get close to Victim 4. Similarly, in response to Kinney’s post and until the arrest operation began, armed personnel were present at Victim 5’s office during working hours to protect Victim 5 and his staff should defendant appear.
“This prosecution and sentence by the Court send an important message that conduct engaged in on social media can have serious criminal consequences,” said United States Attorney Clare E. Connors. “Posting threats to kill specific targets on social media like Instagram criminally terrorizes members of our community and will not be tolerated by federal law enforcement.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation that resulted in the convictions. Assistant U.S. Attorney Craig Nolan prosecuted the case.
Justice Department Secures Agreements with Ten Employers for Posting Discriminatory Job Advertisements on a College Recruiting PlatformRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that it has secured another 10 settlements with companies that used a college recruiting platform to post job advertisements that unlawfully excluded non-U.S. citizens. These agreements add to the department’s recent settlements with 20 other companies resolving similar claims – 16 in June 2022 and another four in September 2022 – and bring the total civil penalty amount for all 30 employers to over $1.6 million.
“The Justice Department has now held 30 companies accountable for using a college recruitment platform to post discriminatory job advertisements that locked non-U.S. citizen students out of job opportunities,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “These settlements should make clear our commitment to enforcing federal civil rights laws to ensure that all applicants have a fair and equal chance to compete for jobs.”
The department’s involvement in these matters began after a Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) student, who was a lawful permanent resident at the time, filed a discrimination complaint with the Civil Rights Division. The student alleged that a bank’s advertisement on a Georgia Tech job recruitment platform restricted the posted internship opportunity to U.S. citizens only. On investigation, the department discovered many other discriminatory advertisements on Georgia Tech’s job recruiting platform, as well as platforms operated by other colleges across the United States.
The department found that each of the ten employers with which it is now settling posted on an online job recruitment platform operated by Georgia Tech at least one job announcement excluding non-U.S. citizens. The department determined that the advertisements deterred qualified students from applying for jobs because of their citizenship status, and in many cases the citizenship status restrictions also blocked students from applying or even meeting with company recruiters.
The new settlements, like the 20 before them, require each company to pay a civil penalty. The amount of each employer’s penalty is based on the number of discriminatory advertisements it posted:
Employer
Penalty Amount
1.
Asurion LLC
$13,395
2.
Black & Veatch Corporation
$8,930
3.
Deluxe Corporation
$183,065
4.
Freese & Nichols Inc.
$4,465
5.
Grey Orange Inc.
$13,395
6.
Honeywell International Inc.
$191,995
7.
Procter & Gamble
$8,930
8.
Georgia Tech Research Institute
$31,255
9.
Stryker Employment Company LLC
$4,465
10.
Wiley Bros.
$4,465
TOTAL
$464,360
In addition to paying civil penalties, the employers’ recruiting staff must undergo training on the Immigration and Nationality Act’s (INA) anti-discrimination provision and refrain from including specific citizenship or immigration status designations in their campus job postings unless the restrictions are required by law.
The INA generally prohibits employers and recruiters from limiting jobs based on citizenship or immigration status unless required by a law, regulation, executive order or government contract. The INA protects asylees, refugees, recent lawful permanent residents, U.S. citizens, and U.S. nationals from citizenship status discrimination in hiring, firing, and recruitment or referral for a fee.
The Civil Rights Division’s Immigrant and Employee Rights Section (IER) is responsible for enforcing the anti-discrimination provision of the INA. The statute prohibits discrimination based on citizenship status and national origin in hiring, firing or recruitment or referral for a fee; unfair documentary practices; and retaliation and intimidation.
Learn more about IER’s work and how to get assistance through this brief video. IER’s website has more information on how employers can avoid discriminating based on citizenship status when hiring and recruiting. Applicants or employees who believe they were discriminated against based on their citizenship, immigration status or national origin in hiring, firing, recruitment or during the employment eligibility verification process (Form I-9 and E-Verify); or subjected to retaliation, may file a charge. The public can also call IER’s worker hotline at 1-800-255-7688 (1-800-237-2515, TTY for hearing impaired); call IER’s employer hotline at 1-800-255-8155 (1-800-237-2515, TTY for hearing impaired); email [email protected]; sign up for a free webinar; or visit IER’s English and Spanish websites. Subscribe for email updates from IER.
Spanish version
Johnstown Man Sentenced to 60 Months in Prison and 4 Years of Supervised Release for Conspiring to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Cocaine, Heroin, and MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A former resident of Johnstown, PA, has been sentenced in federal court to a total of 60 months in prison followed by 4 years of supervised release on his conviction of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
Senior United States District Judge Kim R. Gibson imposed the sentence on Darren Alston, age 31, of Johnstown, Pennsylvania.
According to information presented to the court, from on or about April 2019, to on or about July 2021, Alston did conspire to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 28 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of cocaine base, in the form commonly known as crack, a quantity of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of heroin, and a quantity of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine.
Assistant United States Attorney Maureen Sheehan-Balchon prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Mr. Rivetti commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Laurel Highlands Resident Agency and Homeland Security Investigations for the investigation that led to the successful prosecution of Alston. Additional agencies participating in this investigation include the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, the United States Postal Inspection Service, Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General, Pennsylvania State Police, Cambria County District Attorney’s Office, Indiana County District Attorney’s Office, Cambria County Sheriff’s Office, Cambria Township Police Department, Indiana Borough Police Department, Johnstown Police Department, Upper Yoder Township Police Department, Richland Police Department, Ferndale Police Department and other local law enforcement agencies.
This prosecution is a result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles high-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten communities throughout the United States. OCDETF uses a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Jefferson Parish Man Charged with Federal Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LA. - KEVIN HAMILTON, age 27, of Marrero, LA, was indicted on May 19, 2023 on a single count of Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8), announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.
According to the indictment, HAMILTON possessed a firearm in the French Quarter despite being prohibited from doing such due to previous felony convictions. If convicted, HAMILTON faces up to fifteen years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, up to three years of supervised release and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.
U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Louisiana State Police. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stuart Theriot of the Narcotics Unit.
Jackson Man Sentenced to over Five Years in Prison for Being a Convicted Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A Jackson man was sentenced today to 64 months in federal prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Jermicha Fomby of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
According to court documents, on July 18, 2020, Tremaine Gill, 41, was found with three firearms in his possession by the Jackson Police Department during the execution of a search warrant. Gill has multiple previous felony convictions, and it is a violation of federal law for a convicted felon to possess any firearm.
Gill pled guilty on February 27, 2023, to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
The case was investigated by the Jackson Police Department and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Allen prosecuted the case.
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.
Illinois Man Sentenced to More Than 31 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
DES MOINES, IA – On Monday, May 22, 2023, a Markham, Illinois man was sentenced to 375 months in prison. During a January 2023 trial, Carl Murphy, 53, was convicted of conspiracy to distribute heroin for his role in a large-scale heroin and fentanyl conspiracy.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, over the course of a 14-month investigation, including the use of wiretaps, law enforcement identified Murphy, also known as “P” and “C-Note,” as a heroin/fentanyl supplier for numerous street-level dealers in the Des Moines Metro from 2019 through July 2021.
Murphy is a high-ranking member of the Black P Stone Nation, a criminal street gang based in Chicago. Murphy had a large distribution network consisting of lower ranking gang members, which he helped run and control. The street-level dealers traveled to and from Murphy’s Chicago suburb residence to purchase large quantities of heroin/fentanyl for redistribution in Des Moines. While awaiting trial, Murphy threatened individuals he believed to be cooperating against him, intimidated potential witnesses, and orchestrated a violent assault of an individual in his jail housing unit. Murphy was previously convicted of distribution of a controlled substance in the Northern District of Illinois in 2011.
At sentencing, Chief United States District Court Judge Stephanie M. Rose found that Murphy was an organizer or leader of the conspiracy; obstructed justice by attempting to influence witnesses, threatening others, and orchestrating an assault; and maintained a residence for drug trafficking. As a result, Murphy was sentenced to 375 months in prison. There is no parole in the federal system.
In July 2021, Murphy and others were arrested and charged following the execution of numerous search warrants. Twenty-three co-defendants were sentenced as part of this drug conspiracy including:
• Malek Shawn Holmes, also known as “Chubbs,” 23, was sentenced to 50 months imprisonment;
• Pierre Fontain Black, also known as “Rico,” “Peezy,” and “Pezzo,” 32, was sentenced to 192 months imprisonment;
• Deshawn Levell Greer, also known as “Jack,” 31, was sentenced to 87 months imprisonment;
• Gregory Izell Spight, also known as LoSo, 43, was sentenced to 63 months imprisonment;
• Earl Clay, III, also known as “BD,” 30, was sentenced to 87 months imprisonment;
• Michael Byrd, also known as “Big Mike,” 30, was sentenced to 63 months imprisonment;
• Azim Abdul-Ahad, also known as “Tana,” 24, was sentenced to 60 months imprisonment;
• Ronald Harris, 37, was sentenced to 60 months imprisonment;
• Daeante Dewayne Neely, also known as “Black,” 30, was sentenced to 60 months imprisonment;
• Derrick Fleming, also known as “Flock,” 29, was sentenced to 70 months imprisonment;
• Dandre Cox, also known as “Dusky,” 22, was sentenced to 60 months imprisonment;
• Patrick Staples, 30, was sentenced to 60 months imprisonment;
• Tabaris Brown, also known as “TB,” 24, was sentenced to 24 months imprisonment;
• Brandon Reed, also known as “J,” 33, was sentenced to 12 months and 1-day imprisonment;
• Jason Beaman, 48, was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment;
• Elijah Seymour, also known as “Big Josh,” 34, was sentenced to 24 months imprisonment;
• Felicia Olson, 31, was sentenced to 12 months and 1-day imprisonment;
• Sarah Hume, 40, was sentenced to 24 months imprisonment;
• Andrew Price, 31, was sentenced to 3 years supervised release;
• Jamisha Canada, 45, was sentenced to 5 years supervised release;
• Tonie Canada, 40, was sentenced to 60 months imprisonment;
• Rickey’a Dee Jackon, also known as “Kia,” 23, was sentenced to 3 years probation.
There is no parole in the federal system.“Let there be no doubt as to law enforcement’s continued resolve to prosecute Carl Murphy and any individuals, groups, and gangs who believe they can distribute deadly drugs such as heroin and fentanyl in our community,” United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa said. “This significant sentence is an example of the fate that awaits them. Our thanks to the tireless effort of the officers and agents involved in this complex investigation.”
The investigation was conducted by the Mid-Iowa Narcotics Enforcement Task Force (MINE) and the Central Iowa Gang Task Force (CIGTF), with assistance from the: Des Moines Police Department; Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; Polk County Sheriff’s Office; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; Iowa State Patrol; Iowa Division of Intelligence and Fusion Center; Iowa State Patrol SWAT; United States Marshals Service; Central Iowa Drug Task Force; Drug Enforcement Agency; Mid-Iowa Narcotics Enforcement Task Force East; Homeland Security Investigations; Altoona Police Department; Story County Sheriff’s Office; Ames Police Department; Norwalk Police Department; West Des Moines Police Department; Ankeny Police Department; METRO Star; Suburban Emergency Response Team (SERT); Iowa Fifth Judicial District; Federal Bureau of Investigation Chicago; Federal Bureau of Investigation Kansas City; Federal Bureau of Investigation Minneapolis; Federal Bureau of Investigation Omaha; and the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). Assistant United States Attorneys Mallory Weiser and Amy Jennings prosecuted the case with the assistance of Victim Witness Specialist Charlotte Kovacs.
This investigation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
INTERPOL Washington Director Michael A. Hughes Delivers Remarks at "INTERPOL at 100: Celebrating a Century of Transnational Police Cooperation"Read the Press Release
Yesterday, INTERPOL Washington hosted a celebration of the 100-year anniversary of the world’s largest police organization. The ceremony included remarks from Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco, INTERPOL Secretary General Jürgen Stock, and Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security John Tien, reflecting on the challenges, successes, and future of international law enforcement.
Video of the event can be viewed here: Celebrating One Hundred Years of Interpol
INTERPOL Washington Director Michael A. Hughes's remarks as prepared for delivery:
Thank you, Secretary General Stock, for being with us here today. During your time as Secretary General, you have brought INTERPOL to new heights and better equipped our 195 member countries with the means and abilities to detect and interdict crimes around the globe. And, thank you Deputy Attorney General Monaco for your leadership here at the Department of Justice and to you, Deputy Secretary Tien for all of your work at the Department of Homeland Security. You both have been steadfast supporters of our INTERPOL mission, and it is your support and confidence that we are able to have so much success.
Acting Assistant Attorney General, and former INTERPOL Executive Committee member Jolene Lauria, your ongoing commitment to INTERPOL is invaluable and has added much value to our domestic and international missions. There are so many important people in this room who have made a positive impact on our INTERPOL work, that we would be here all day if I called you all out. So I will say thank you to everyone for being here today to celebrate 100 years of INTERPOL.
It is an honor to address this distinguished audience on such a momentous occasion. It is an even greater honor to represent the men and women of INTERPOL Washington, who stand watch each day to keep our country safe and build a better world. As Director of INTERPOL Washington and as one of the 13 elected INTERPOL Executive committee members, I see the great work being done each day by the INTERPOL organization in fighting all forms of transnational crime and terrorism.
Since its founding in 1923, INTERPOL has been instrumental in promoting global law enforcement cooperation and fighting transnational crime. But today’s criminals have since evolved. They are increasingly anonymous, increasingly transnational, and increasingly dangerous. Thanks to INTERPOL, 100 years later, information on the worst of the worst transnational criminals and terrorists from anywhere in the world can be shared directly with frontline police officers, investigators, and border security agents in any one of our over 18,000+ police agencies across the United States.
And, as part of INTERPOL’s network, we have direct communication with all of the other member countries, to exchange vital information that is crucial to our public safety and national security. At INTERPOL Washington, we are proud to be at the forefront of this effort.
Our team of dedicated professionals work tirelessly every day to support our partners across the United States and around the world, leveraging cutting-edge technology and intelligence-sharing to disrupt transnational crime and protect our communities. The United States realizes the value of the INTERPOL network and, as such, continues with our strong engagement in various INTERPOL projects. You have heard many examples of INTERPOL successes in combatting transnational crimes, but the secret to the organization’s success is our ability to compile and exchange actionable information in all our INTERPOL 195 member countries.
Realizing this, the United States has been leading many member country capacity building projects with INTERPOL. For instance, through Project Terminus and Project Gemini, we are helping to extend INTERPOL’s I-24/7 secure global police communications system to high-risk areas around the world.
This helps deliver solid, actionable criminal intelligence in a secure manner to countries where it’s needed most.
These programs provide certain member country National Central Bureaus with updated equipment to access INTERPOL data and, our personnel provide training to our partners to assist them to effectively utilize INTERPOL connectivity at border-control points of entry and in other areas. This helps strengthen the ability of law enforcement and border security agencies to detect and interdict the illicit international travel of transnational criminals, as well as Foreign Terrorist Fighters.
This has proven to be quite effective. For instance, in Indonesia, which began as a test case a few years back, has since enabled connectivity to INTERPOL data to and from over 170 of its Ports of Entry. Also, in Nigeria, we were successful in adding over 147,000 critical Nigerian records to the INTERPOL database within the first hour of implementation, and those numbers continue to grow exponentially.
And, following our Project Terminus efforts in the Maldives, we were able to increase their queries of INTERPOL information by nearly 300%, and in Panama, the number of Stolen and Lost Travel Documents entered into INTERPOL holdings increased by nearly 50,000 records. These are significant successes that benefit the United States and all member countries. With information sharing at the heart of INTERPOL, we must continue to ensure connectivity of member countries to combat all transnational crime and terrorism. INTERPOL Washington is one of the Department of Justice’s five law enforcement components, and the key to the success of our agency is our people.
We are very proud of our diverse workforce consisting of extremely talented full-time employees, other agency detailees from across the government, and contractors. This mix of experience and skill make INTERPOL Washington very effective in providing top-notch service to our many customers and stakeholders across the United States and around the world.
The success of INTERPOL Washington is due to our incredible people, the true backbone of our agency, working 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, every day of the year, to ensure our missions are accomplished. I thank all of our INTERPOL Washington personnel, many of whom are here today, and all of our personnel who worked diligently to put together this INTERPOL 100 year commemoration ceremony. Let’s have a round of applause to show them our appreciation. We have made many advances and had many successes throughout INTERPOL’s 100 years.
But, our work is far from done. As transnational criminals and terrorists continue to evolve, we must remain vigilant and adaptable in our law enforcement response. Now, more than ever, we must continue to work together, domestically and internationally, and remain committed to building strong partnerships, harnessing the power of ever-changing technology, and investing in our people to ensure that we can stay ahead of the criminals and terrorists that threaten our communities. We need to ensure that our INTERPOL organization remains faithful to its foundational principles of respect for human rights, the rule of law and neutrality by continuing to strengthen the governance of the organization and ensuring strong leadership that values democracy.
As we sit here in the Great Hall of the Robert F. Kennedy building, I am reminded of his words: “The purpose of life is to contribute in some way to making things better.”
Everyone in this room is contributing to making things better - even by celebrating this 100-year INTERPOL milestone. Your presence here builds the bridges, builds the relationships, and builds the partnerships that advance our mission in countless ways. I hope you will walk out of these doors today inspired by what international police partnerships and collaboration do to keep our families, our communities, our country and the world safe.
On behalf of the men and women of INTERPOL Washington, I want to express my deepest gratitude to our all of our partners, both here in the United States and around the world, for your unwavering support and collaboration. Together, we have accomplished so much over the past century, and I am confident that we will continue to make progress in the years to come.
Thank you once again for the privilege of speaking to you today, and for your ongoing dedication to the cause of global security and justice. Happy 100-year Anniversary, INTERPOL!
INTERPOL Washington Deputy Director Marc A. Zimmermann's remarks as prepared for delivery:
Good morning everyone.
Thank you for joining us today in celebration of INTERPOL’s 100th anniversary. Happy Birthday! From my perspective, 100 never looked so good! I am honored to speak with you about INTERPOL and what the organization means to law enforcement.
The International Criminal Police Organization has unparalleled reach, with 195 member countries, it is the largest police organization in the world. INTERPOL has a hand in nearly all facets of law enforcement – from border security and fugitive apprehensions, to child exploitation investigations and efforts to dismantle transnational criminal organizations. INTERPOL is at the center of so much of what happens in the global law enforcement community and that is no different here in the United States.
Through INTERPOL Washington, the over 18,000 law enforcement agencies here in the US are connected to a global network of law enforcement professionals, each one working to make the world a safer place. INTERPOL Washington provides law enforcement personnel, whether in remote locations or in big cities, with access to data to inform their decision making. This is all of you….federal, state, and local law enforcement working at INTERPOL Washington with partners from around the world, many of whom are represented here today.
While we are here to celebrate 100 years of INTERPOL, we are also celebrating 20 years of the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security co-managing INTERPOL Washington. As the senior DHS official at INTEREPOL Washington, I can attest that the DHS commitment to partnership is in fact evident in everything that we do across the INTERPOL network. We partner, domestically and internationally, to share best practices and leverage expertise in our never-ending quest to bring criminals to justice throughout the world and increase the safety and security of the communities we serve.Before we kick off the festivities here today, I want to take a moment to thank the women and men of INTERPOL Washington for the extraordinary work they undertake in support of law enforcement operations. And I want to thank all of you for being here today and for your commitment to INTERPOL. Working together, we can make a difference.
Hudson County Man Sentenced to 21 Months in Prison for Conspiracy to Steal CryptocurrencyRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Hudson County, New Jersey, man was sentenced today to 21 months in prison for conspiring to steal more than $500,000 worth of cryptocurrency from users’ accounts with a cryptocurrency exchange platform, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Ebrahem Adeeb, 20, of Bayonne, New Jersey previously pleaded guilty by videoconference before U.S. District Judge Claire C. Cecchi to an information charging him with conspiring to commit wire fraud.
According to documents filed in the case and statements made in court:
From October 2020 through May 2021 Adeeb and his conspirators “swapped” the subscriber identity module (SIM) associated with a victim’s phone number for another SIM loaded into a mobile device they controlled in order to access and control the victim’s accounts. Adeeb and his conspirators then sent a password reset request to a digital currency exchange platform, which caused the company to send a password reset link to the victim’s email account. Adeeb and his conspirators then accessed the victim’s email account and account at the currency exchange company and transferred cryptocurrency from the victim’s account to a cryptocurrency wallet they controlled. Adeeb and his conspirators stole cryptocurrency valued at more than $500,000 at the time of the thefts.
In additional to the prison term, Judge Cecchi sentenced Adeeb to three years of supervised release and ordered him to pay restitution of $504,418.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Kogan of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Cybercrime Unit in Newark.
Herkimer County Man Sentenced to Prison for Possessing and Intending to Distribute “Bath Salts”Read the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Jordan Burks, a/k/a Justin Burts, age 32, of Ilion, New York, was sentenced today to 36 months in prison for possessing a drug, sometimes marketed as “bath salts,” with the intent to distribute it. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Matthew Scarpino, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations, made the announcement.
On January 12, 2022, federal agents executed a search warrant at Burks’s home and recovered about 454 grams of alpha-Pyrrolidinohexiophenone, three digital scales, and $19,393 in cash. In the weeks leading up to the execution of the search warrant, agents seized five packages of alpha-Pyrrolidinohexiophenone—one of which contained more than a quarter-kilogram of the drug—bound for Burks’ home. Burks admitted that he intended to distribute the “bath salts.”
United States District Judge Glenn T. Suddaby also imposed 3 years of post-release supervision.
HSI investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan S. Reiner prosecuted it.
Grand Rapids Physician Pays over $135,000 for Allegedly Using Foreign, Unapproved Botox to Treat Medicare BeneficiariesRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten today announced that Derek Lado, D.O., and his Grand Rapids practice, Elite Medical Spine & Musculoskeletal Center PLLC (Elite), have agreed to pay $135,871.84 to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by using foreign, unapproved Botox to treat Medicare beneficiaries and then billing Medicare for those services.
“Patients deserve the confidence that their medical practitioners are following the rules to keep them safe,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten. “If you cut corners by using foreign drugs that have not been approved by the FDA as safe and effective to treat our Medicare population, there will be consequences.”
The United States alleged that Dr. Lado and Elite treated patients with Botox (onabotulinumtoxinA), a drug administered by injection that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved for a variety of treatments. However, beginning in August 2018, Dr. Lado and Elite began to purchase and use foreign, unapproved onabotulinumtoxinA for these treatments in order to cut costs. Government officials seized numerous packages of the foreign, unapproved drugs en route to Elite, and they warned the practice that it was importing adulterated and misbranded drugs. Despite these warnings and Medicare rules that the program denies coverage of drugs that have not received approval from the FDA, Dr. Lado knowingly used these foreign, unapproved drugs to treat Medicare beneficiaries and billed Medicare for those services.
“Providers can place patients at risk of harm through the importation and use of unapproved drugs,” said Mario M. Pinto, Special Agent in Charge at the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “Protecting the safety of Medicare and Medicaid patients is crucial, and HHS-OIG is committed to ensuring that taxpayer dollars are not used for unapproved, potentially dangerous medical substances, that put patients at risk.”
“The FDA requirements are designed to ensure the safety, efficacy, and quality of drugs distributed to American consumers,” said Special Agent in Charge Ronne L. Malham, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations (FDA-OCI) Chicago Field Office. “We commend the efforts of the Department of Justice to protect the public health and hold accountable those who place profits over patient safety.”
“We will continue to work with our partners to prioritize the safety of our Michigan residents,” said Detroit Special Agent in Charge Angie M. Salazar, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). “Unregulated goods, more importantly those used in medical treatments, present a variety or dangers and risks that no patient should be subject to.”
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan, HHS-OIG, FDA-OCI, and HSI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew J. Hull prosecuted this matter.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
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Grand Jury Indicts New Orleans Man for Violations of the Federal Controlled Substances and Federal Gun Control ActsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LA – NAIROBI DAVIS, age 33, of New Orleans, Louisiana, was indicted on May 19, 2023 on one (1) count of Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Cocaine, Fentanyl, and Marijuana in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 846 and one (1) count of Conspiracy to Possess Firearms in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(o), announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.
According to the indictment, DAVIS did knowingly and intentionally conspire with other persons, to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine, fentanyl, and marijuana. For this charge, DAVIS could face up to 20 years imprisonment, up to a $1,000,000 fine, and at least 3 years of supervised release.
Additionally, according to the indictment, DAVIS conspired with other persons to possess firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. For this charge, DAVIS could face up to 20 years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to 3 years of supervised release.
As to each count , DAVIS faces payment of a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.
United States Attorney Evans reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas Rayburn of the Violent Crimes Unit.
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Grand Island Man Sentenced for Methamphetamine and Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Steven Russell announced that Christopher Lee Perez, 36, of Grand Island, Nebraska, was sentenced on May 22, 2023, in Lincoln, Nebraska, by Senior United States District Court Judge John M. Gerrard to a term of 13 years’ imprisonment following his conviction for possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing methamphetamine and using a firearm in relation to a drug trafficking crime. After he completes his prison sentence, Perez will also serve 5 years on supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
On December 1, 2021, law enforcement served a search warrant on Perez’s truck in Grand Island. Inside the truck, they found a backpack with a gun cleaning kit, a bag of 79 grams of methamphetamine, ammunition, and baggies. Under the driver’s seat, officers found a Taurus Millennium G2 pistol with a magazine containing rounds of ammunition. The pistol was readily available to protect Perez and the methamphetamine. Officers also found a digital scale on the rear floorboard.
This case was investigated by the Trident Drug Task Force, which is made up of officers from the Grand Island Police Department, Hall County Sheriff, Hastings Police Department, Adams County Sheriff, Kearney Police Department, Buffalo County Sheriff, Nebraska State Patrol, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Gardner Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Child Pornography OffensesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Gardner man was sentenced on May 17, 2023 in federal court in Worcester for distributing and possessing child pornography.
Michael Irons, 46, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni to 10 years in prison and five years of supervised release. On Jan. 27, 2023, Irons pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography and one count of distribution of child pornography.
During a search of Iron’s residence in July 2020, two cell phones were discovered in Iron’s bedroom – belonging to him – that a preliminary search revealed to contain approximately 500 videos and over 1,000 images of child pornography. It was determined that Irons used an application called Kik Messenger to distribute child pornography; in the application, Irons participated in a group chat where he distributed and encouraged other members to upload child pornography. Irons also had a Snapchat account, which Irons used to solicit nude photographs and videos from purported minors.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Michael J. Krol, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement today. Assistance was provided by the Gardner and Worcester Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lucy Sun and Kaitlin J. Brown of Levy’s Criminal Division prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.Fresno Resident Arrested for Food Stamp Trafficking Scheme at El Ranchito BakeryRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — On May 4, 2023, a federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment, charging Jorge Luis Rivera, 53 of Fresno, with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud and attempted wire fraud, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
The indictment was unsealed following Rivera’s arrest today.
According to court documents, Rivera owned El Ranchito Bakery in Fresno. Beginning in 2005, El Ranchito was authorized by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to accept Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, formerly known as Food Stamps. These benefits cannot be exchanged for cash. Between approximately 2011 and August 2018, Rivera directed his employees to exchange SNAP benefits for cash and to accept SNAP benefits for unauthorized items at the request of customers. The loss to the United States is estimated to be over $5 million.
This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General (USDA-OIG) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexandre Dempsey and Joseph Barton are prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Rivera faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Former deputy constable heads to prison for cocaine conspiracyRead the Press Release
HOUSTON - A 49-year-old Huffman resident has been sent to prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Alexsander S. Reyes, a former Harris County Precinct 1 deputy constable, pleaded guilty Jan. 6, 2022.
Today, U.S. District David Hittner sentenced him to a total of 210 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. In handing down the sentence, the court noted Reyes committed a “gross abuse of public trust” and committed these crimes while on duty further mentioning how he used his patrol vehicle while possessing his service firearm. Judge Hittner also deemed Reyes a leader/organizer because he recruited other persons to assist in the crimes.
“Reyes was a cop who wanted to help criminals by becoming one himself,” said Hamdani. “While the vast majority of police serve with courage and character, there are sadly a few that choose to dishonor their badges. Ferreting out those bad apples is something we in the Southern District of Texas take seriously so as to ensure the integrity of our criminal justice system.”
“Alexsander Reyes was a dirty cop who got caught red-handed and has now been sentenced to more than 17 years in federal prison,” said Special Agent in Charge James Smith of the FBI. “We hope his lengthy sentence sends a clear message to others who think they can mask their criminal and corrupt behavior with their uniform, gun and badge.”
On or about Dec. 5, 2020, Reyes escorted a tractor-trailer in a marked constable vehicle through Houston with the assistance of his then girlfriend, Priscilla Yvette Cervantes, 46, Huffman. They both believed it contained 10 kilograms of cocaine.
For their assistance, Reyes received a total of $6000 in cash.
However, the drug load was actually part of an undercover operation and included “dummy” or fake cocaine. Prior to the escort, Reyes and Cervantes had traveled twice to Lake Charles, Louisiana, to transport a total of $350,000, proceeds allegedly from the sales of narcotics.
Reyes has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons Facility to be determined in the near future.
A federal jury convicted Cervantes in October 2022. She has since been ordered to prison for 121 months.
The FBI conducted the investigation with assistance of Harris County Precinct 1 Constable’s Office, Houston Police Department and Texas Department of Public Safety.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carolyn Ferko and Heather Winter prosecuted the case.
Former Missouri Prison Guard Admits Assaulting Inmate, Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A former Missouri prison guard pleaded guilty to federal charges Tuesday and admitted assaulting an inmate and possessing child pornography.
Carl Hart, 37, of Farmington, was a sergeant in the Eastern Reception, Diagnostic and Correctional Center in Bonne Terre at the time of the Oct. 28, 2021 assault. After a verbal disagreement with an inmate who is the victim in the case, Hart ordered the victim out of his office. When the victim did not immediately return to his cell, two other corrections officers pepper-sprayed him. The victim went to the showers to wash off the spray. Hart admitted striking the victim in the shower and again after the victim had left the shower and was on the ground, handcuffed and compliant. The victim suffered lacerations on his head, swelling on his face, a black eye, numb arms and rib pain that continues to this day, Hart’s plea says.
In a separate investigation, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received a tip about suspected child pornography in Hart’s Dropbox account. The Missouri Highway Patrol Digital Forensics Unit investigated and found child pornography in Dropbox and on one of his phones, Hart admitted in his plea agreement.
Hart pleaded guilty in front of U.S. District Judge Ronnie L. White to one count of deprivation of rights under color of law and two counts of possession of child pornography. The civil rights charge is punishable by up to 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine or both. Each child pornography charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Hart is scheduled to be sentenced on August 24.
He also faces child pornography charges in St. Francois County Circuit Court.
The case was investigated by the FBI and the Missouri Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Krug is prosecuting the case.
Former Metropolitan Police Officer Convicted of Federal Civil Rights ViolationsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Mark Lamont Clark, 57, a former officer with the Metropolitan Police Department, was found guilty today of two counts of deprivation of civil rights under color of law. The verdict was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M Graves and Chief Robert J. Contee, III, of the Metropolitan Police Department.
According to evidence presented in court, on July 13, 2018, while acting under color of law and fully dressed in his MPD uniform, Clark applied a prohibited chokehold to victim D.T., causing bodily injury and depriving D.T. of civil rights, outside a McDonald’s restaurant, following a confrontation Clark had with a friend of D.T. Just five days later, on July 18, 2018, while acting under color of law and fully dressed in his MPD uniform, Clark similarly escalated a verbal confrontation with a McDonald’s patron, victim K.C., and then applied a prohibited chokehold and a prohibited carotid artery hold to K.C., causing bodily injury and depriving K.C. of civil rights. Both offenses were captured on Clark’s MPD body-worn camera (BWC).
U.S. District Judge Carl J. Nichols presided over Clark’s trial and scheduled Clark’s sentencing for August 30, 2023.
This case was investigated by the Internal Affairs Division of the Metropolitan Police Department.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Truscott and George Eliopoulos of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
Former Hudson County Sheriff’s Officer Admits Role in Conspiracy to Make False Statements in Connection with Fraudulent Short SaleRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A former Hudson County Sheriff’s Officer admitted conspiring to make false statements to a bank in connection with an application to discharge a mortgage through a fraudulent short sale, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Osbado Hernandez, 54, of Avenel, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Michael A. Shipp in Trenton federal court on May 22, 2023, to an information charging him with one count of conspiracy to make false statements in connection with the release of a loan.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From September 2015 to Dec. 30, 2015, in order to induce a bank to discharge the mortgage he owed on his house in Keansburg, New Jersey, Hernandez agreed with others to make false statements in connection with a fraudulent short sale of the property, including that he did not have any money to apply toward his mortgage delinquency and that he did not intend to stay in the house for more than 90 days following the short sale. As a result of the fraudulent short sale, the bank discharged over $98,000 of debt against Hernandez.
The false statements conspiracy charge is punishable by a maximum potential penalty of five years in prison and a maximum fine of up to $250,000. Sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 4, 2023.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Thomas Mahoney, and special agents with IRS - Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Tammy Tomlins, with the investigation leading to the guilty plea.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elaine K. Lou, Chief of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Opioid Abuse Prevention and Enforcement Unit.
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