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Tuesday 23 May 2023
Former DEA Agent, KCPD Officer Pleads Guilty to False Tax Return Related to Payday Loan SchemeRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A former agent for the Drug Enforcement Administration who is also a former Kansas City, Mo., Police Department officer has pleaded guilty in federal court to filing a false federal income tax return as part of a payday loan scheme.
Patrick Scot Witcher, 57, of Wichita Falls, Texas, waived his right to an indictment and pleaded guilty on Monday, May 22, before U.S. Magistrate District Judge Lajuana Counts to a federal information that charges him with one count of filing a false federal income tax return.
Witcher assisted at least five Kansas City-area individuals with the establishment, operation, and management of various payday lending enterprises. During his guilty plea, Witcher admitted that he filed false federal tax returns that included more than $1 million in unreported income between 2016-2018 from a payday lending enterprise. The operations of that payday lending enterprise purportedly occurred outside of the United States, and then on Native American reservations, but, in reality, the vast majority of the operational, financial, and administrative functions of the payday lending enterprise were based in the Kansas City metropolitan area.
Under federal law, Witcher is subject to a sentence of up to three years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kathleen D. Mahoney, Patrick D. Daly, and Matthew N. Sparks, and Trial Attorney Chad M. Davis of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Criminal Division, Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section. The investigation is being conducted jointly by IRS-Criminal Investigation, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation-Office of Inspector General, and the FBI.
Former Bosnian Combatant Charged with Passport FraudRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Winthrop man was charged yesterday for allegedly using a fraudulently obtained passport to enter the United States from Istanbul, Turkey in 2021.
Azem Gigo Zebic, 51, was charged with one count of use of a fraudulently obtained passport.
According to the charging documents, Zebic first came to the United States from Croatia in 1997. It is alleged that Zebic was admitted to the United States after falsely claiming that he had been the subject of persecution by Serb forces during the Bosnian War. Specifically, Zebic allegedly claimed, among other things, that Serb forces had captured, interrogated, beaten him and forced him to pull wounded soldiers from the front lines. It is further alleged that, once in the United States, Zebic continued to make false statements about his past, including that he had never assisted anyone else enter the country illegally. Zebic allegedly used this false history to obtain lawful permanent residency, American citizenship and a United States passport.
The use of a fraudulently obtained passport provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Michael J. Krol, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; Sharon B. MacDermott, Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, Boston Field Office; and Jonathan Davidson, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, Boston Field Office made the announcement today. This matter was investigated with the assistance of the United States Interagency Human Rights Violators & War Crimes Center. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John T. McNeil and Jason A. Casey of Levy’s National Security Unit are prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Florida man charged in multi-million dollar elder fraud schemeRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – A Florida man has been indicted for exploiting an elderly Jefferson County resident with dementia and taking more than two million dollars from him.
Samuel Kristofer Bunner, age 50, of Spring Hill, Florida, has been charged with wire and bank fraud, identity theft and money laundering. According to the indictment, Bunner befriended the victim while they were both working at the American Legion in Charles Town. The victim had cognitive impairment and Bunner began assisting with his medical appointments. Bunner then accompanied the victim to a law firm, where the victim made Bunner his power of attorney and gave him the ability to control his financial accounts. Over a two-year period, Bunner enriched himself by selling the victim’s real estate, emptying investment and bank accounts, and opening a credit card in the victim’s name. Bunner and his wife purchased real estate, motor vehicles, and luxury items, along with taking vacations.
“This is a sad story about someone who worked hard his whole life, saved his money, and then when he began to suffer from cognitive decline, had everything stolen by an opportunist,” said United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld. “We will continue to do everything we can to protect older West Virginians from schemes such as this.”
The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, and it is ongoing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Eleanor Hurney is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.
The Jefferson County Prosecutor’s Office, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Middle District of Florida and FBI-Tampa assisted with the matter.
If you know of an elderly person who has been the victim of financial fraud, please contact the National Elder Fraud Hotline at 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311) or send an email to [email protected].
An indictment is merely an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Florida Keys Lobster Company and President Sentenced in Federal Court for Exporting Falsely-Labeled ProductsRead the Press Release
MIAMI – Aifa Seafood, Inc., (Aifa), a Florida company operating in Florida City, and company president Jiu Fa Chen, 57, of Parkland, were sentenced today after pleading guilty earlier this year to exporting falsely-labeled spiny lobster from Florida to China.
From May through August 2019, Aifa purchased seafood products for export to China. To meet the high demand for spiny lobster, Aifa imported lobster from Haiti for reexport to China. Aifa reexported approximately 5,900 pounds of lobster and falsely labeled the product in shipping documents as “Live Florida Spiny Lobsters, Product of U.S.A.”
U.S. District Judge Federico Moreno imposed the following sentences. AIFA must pay a fine of $250,000, with $150,000 payable immediately and the balance by the end of this year. AIFA also must serve five years of probation, establish and implement a compliance plan, retain a compliance officer to be approved by the Court, and submit to a complete audit of its books and records by a court-approved third-party auditor. Chen must immediately pay a $100,000 fine and serve five years of probation, subject to the same terms as AIFA. Both fines are payable to the NOAA Lacey Act Fund.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida, Assistant Director Manny Antonaras of the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Southeast Division, Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael E. Buckley, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Miami, and the Statewide Investigations Section of the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), Division of Law Enforcement, announced the sentences.
NOAA Office of Law Enforcement, HSI Key Largo, and FWC Division of Law Enforcement investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Watts-FitzGerald prosecuted the case.
If you have any information regarding wildlife crimes, you may contact the NOAA Office of Law Enforcement Hotline: (800) 853-1964 and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service at 1-800-344-9453. Locally, environmental crimes, including wildlife violations and environmental justice matters may be reported to the U.S. Attorney’s Office at 305-961-9001 or [email protected] .
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-20479.
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Five Springfield, Branson Residents Sentenced for Child Exploitation EnterpriseRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Four Springfield, Mo., residents and a Branson, Mo., woman were sentenced in federal court today for engaging in a child exploitation enterprise that victimized at least three children.
Kevin Grant McMillan, 36, of Springfield, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to life in federal prison without parole.
Angela Marie Brown, 39, Christine Marie Rossiter, 36, and Amber Marie Baley, 38, all of Springfield, and Casie Dee Rice, 52, of Branson, Mo., also were sentenced in separate appearances today. Brown was sentenced to 12 years in federal prison without parole. Rossiter was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison without parole. Baley was sentenced to eight years in federal prison without parole. Rice was sentenced to four years in federal prison without parole.
Baley and Rossiter were also sentenced to spend the rest of their lives on supervised release following incarceration. Each of the defendants will be required to register as a sex offender upon their release from prison and will be subject to federal and state sex offender registration requirements, which may apply throughout their life.
Each of the five defendants pleaded guilty to engaging in a child exploitation enterprise from Jan. 1, 2017, to Nov. 6, 2019. They admitted to engaging in a series of felony violations, including the sexual exploitation of minors and receiving and distributing child pornography. Those felony violations, constituting three or more separate incidents and involving more than one minor victim, comprise a child exploitation enterprise.
The federal investigation began in May 2019 when the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children notified law enforcement that McMillan had uploaded three files of child pornography through his Gmail account. The Springfield Police Department was also investigating McMillan in a separate case involving an 8-year-old victim, identified in court documents as Jane Doe 2. Springfield investigators identified additional Google accounts that contained child pornography.
On Nov. 6, 2019, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at McMillan’s residence, where they contacted a second, 15-year-old victim, identified in court documents as Jane Doe 1, and a 17-year-old minor. Officers seized five laptops, two hard drives, an Apple iPad, a cell phone, and seven USB/micro SD cards. A forensic analyst found images of child pornography depicting Jane Doe 1, Jane Doe 2, and a third victim, a toddler identified in court documents as Jane Doe 3. There were a total of 27,542 pornographic images and videos of subjects whose age is difficult to determine and child erotica. There was a total of 682 images and videos of bestiality pornography. There were 111 videos and images of child exploitive animated pornography located on the devices.
Both Brown and Rossiter were living with McMillan at his Springfield residence in the spring of 2019, while the three of them were in a relationship together. McMillan was not interested in a traditional relationship, but planned on dominating several girlfriends, who would be in a submissive role. He also wanted to live the “nudist lifestyle.”
Investigators found MMS messages between McMillan and Brown. McMillan told Brown he wanted to drug and sexually assault Jane Doe 1 (who was 13 years old at the time). Brown said she would be interested in assisting him in drugging and raping children and adult women. McMillan also sent Brown sexually explicit images of Jane Doe 1, Jane Doe 2, and Jane Doe 3. They exchanged incest-related pornography, bondage pornography, bestiality pornography, child pornography, and child erotica. They also had conversations about having sexual contact with children and about having children together and impregnating them. Investigators found Facebook conversations in which McMillan and Brown extensively discussed engaging in sexual contact with other individuals, including children.
Investigators found SMS and MMS messaging between McMillan and Rossiter. McMillan and Rossiter exchanged bestiality pornography, incest-related pornography, and bondage pornography. In a Facebook conversation between March 2019 and May 2019, they extensively discussed engaging in sexual contact with other individuals, including children. In April 2019, they discussed McMillan wanting to have sexual contact with a 13-year-old minor male, identified in court documents as John Doe. Rossiter admitted that she received nude images of Jane Doe 2 and Jane Doe 3 from McMillan, and McMillan described sexual activity he wanted to engage in with Jane Doe 2 and Jane Doe 3.
Baley, who dated McMillan on and off again between 2012 and 2019, admitted to sending him nude images of Jane Doe 2. MMS conversations between Baley and McMillan repeatedly discussed getting Jane Doe 2 to engage in sexually explicit conduct.
Rice, who lived with McMillan for a short time in 2019, admitted that he sent child pornography to her via Google and that she received and sent child pornography to others through Facebook. In one email, Rice talks about their interest in children and then describes a sexual encounter where Rice would hold a female minor down while McMillan had sex with her.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ami Harshad Miller. It was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Southwest Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force, and the Springfield, Mo., Police Department.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
Fentanyl Enforcement Surge Results in Massive Increase in Seizures and ArrestsRead the Press Release
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – May 23, 2023
SAN DIEGO – Law enforcement leaders today announced that an unprecedented two-month fentanyl-enforcement surge along the southwest border has resulted in the seizure of about 4,721 pounds of fentanyl, 1,700 pounds of fentanyl precursors and more than 200 arrests of alleged smugglers, traffickers and dealers within the Southern and Central Districts of California.
The surge, labeled Operation Blue Lotus, was launched by the Department of Homeland Security along the Southwest border, including the Southern and Central districts of California and the District of Arizona, from March 13 to May 10, 2023.
According to DHS, in San Diego County alone, the two-month surge has resulted in a 300 percent increase in fentanyl seizures versus the same period last year – from 732 pounds in 2022 to 2,931 pounds in 2023. During the DHS surge, the U.S. Attorney’s Office saw a 30 percent increase in defendants prosecuted for fentanyl-related crimes in the Southern District of California compared to the same time period in 2022. And these prosecutions follow a record-setting fiscal year 2022, when we prosecuted 317 defendants for fentanyl offenses (more than an 1,800 percent increase compared to FY2017).
The operation involved the deployment of an extra 85 Homeland Security Investigations special agents and 35 Customs and Border Protection officers; many more targeted inspections at the border; the use of advanced technology at locations along the border; and intensified efforts to gather intelligence to build criminal cases against transnational criminal organizations and U.S.-based distribution networks.
“We are an epicenter for fentanyl trafficking into the United States, and we know the immense responsibility that we bear to address this crisis,” said U.S Attorney Randy Grossman. “We are answering that call to action with hard work, a purpose and a plan. Every milligram of fentanyl that we seize, and every smuggler, trafficker and dealer we bring to justice, means less fatal doses on the streets of San Diego and beyond.”
“As demonstrated by the results under Operation Blue Lotus, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), our DHS partners, law enforcement agencies and departments throughout Southern California are bringing the full weight of combined federal and local law enforcement resources to combat this fentanyl crisis,” said Chad Plantz, special agent in charge, HSI San Diego. “We are not only seeking to seize the Mexican cartel’s deadly drugs, but to remove their members and their associates from our communities and deny their opportunities to continue their deadly criminal enterprises.”
“Operation Blue Lotus represents the kind of exceptional law enforcement and prosecution innovation and collaboration that can effectively impact deadly fentanyl distribution and save lives,” said San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan. “I want to recognize the leadership of the U.S. Attorney and other key partners in bringing this operation forward. This operation yielded an extraordinary outcome that is having a direct impact on public safety. The prosecutions that resulted from this operation are an example of our ongoing commitment to holding dealers and traffickers accountable.”
“This operation was truly an outstanding demonstration of our partnership approach here in San Diego in working together to combat the importation of fentanyl,” said Sidney K. Aki, Director of Field Operations for San Diego Field Office of Customs and Border Protection. “CBP alongside our partner agencies are committed and will continue to protect our communities from this devasting.”
“In just a few months, Operation Blue Lotus was successful in removing millions of potentially deadly doses of fentanyl off the streets,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Shelly Howe. “But our work is not done. Fentanyl and meth continue to find their way onto the streets of San Diego, fueling addiction and driving deaths higher. Combined with our federal, state, and local partners we will continue to hold accountable those who traffic drugs and threaten the safety of our community.”
“I'm extremely proud of the work our investigators have done to interdict and interrupt the cross-border criminal organizations who continue to traffic deadly drugs into our communities and across the nation. The long hours and collaboration across federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement organizations is a testament to the dedication and commitment all of us feel to keep our communities safe,” said San Diego County Sheriff Kelly Martinez.
Some examples of the Blue Lotus Operation results include:
- seized fentanyl that also tested positive for xylazine. The White House has designated the combination of xylazine and fentanyl as an emerging threat to the United States based on xylazine’s growing role in overdose deaths.
- Officials seized a quantity of fentanyl precursor drugs that could produce more than 200 million fentanyl pills.
- A vehicle inspection at the border resulted in the discovery of 116 packages containing about 163 pounds of fentanyl concealed in the rear bumper, quarter panels, doors, seats, center console, gas tank, and firewall of the vehicle. The driver was arrested and charged.
In addition to the surge associated with Operation Blue Lotus, law enforcement officials here have attacked the fentanyl crises through aggressive prosecutions at every level of the supply chain – from the Sinaloa Cartel leadership, to cross-border trafficking organizations, to money launderers, to street level dealers who are selling drugs that result in overdose deaths. These impactful cases are the result of a close collaboration among the U.S. Attorney’s Office and several multi-jurisdictional task forces focused on combatting the fentanyl crisis, including the HSI-led Fentanyl Abatement and Suppression Team (FAST), a joint federal, state and local law enforcement task force that targets fentanyl distribution networks in the Southern District of California. FAST’s mission compliments the work of the DEA’s Overdose Response Team (formerly Team 10) which investigates fentanyl overdoses in the City of San Diego.
Federal Prisoner Sentenced for Assault on a Federal OfficerRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A federal prisoner was sentenced today to 20 months in prison for assault on a federal officer, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca. The sentence will run consecutively to his current federal sentence.
According to court documents, Jason Michael Beasley, 49, was a federal prisoner at the Federal Correctional Complex in Yazoo City and assaulted a federal officer who was in the performance of his duties. Beasley was subsequently questioned and admitted to his illegal actions. He pleaded guilty on February 16, 2023.
The United States Bureau of Prisons investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lynn Murray and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael FiggsGanter prosecuted the case.
Federal Jury Finds Charlotte Business Owner Guilty of Selling Stolen iPhones OverseasRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A federal jury has found a Charlotte business owner guilty of conspiracy, international transportation of stolen goods, and money laundering, for selling stolen and fraudulently obtained Apple iPhones (iPhones) and other electronic devices to overseas buyers, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. U.S. District Judge Max O. Cogburn Jr. presided over the trial which ended late yesterday.
Jason Byrne, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Secret Service (USSS), Charlotte Field Office, and Chief Johnny Jennings of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.
According to court documents, trial evidence, and witness testimony, Rami Mahmod Mhana, 46, was the owner of Wireless City Fashions, Inc. (Wireless City) and Protocol Business Group Inc. (Protocol), located at 441 Bradford Drive in Charlotte, as well as multiple Boost mobile stores in the Charlotte area. From at least May 2017 through October 2019, Mhana purchased thousands of brand new, current generation iPhones and other electronic devices, many of which were stolen and fraudulently obtained. Mhana then shipped the new iPhones to the United Arab Emirates (the U.A.E.) and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China (Hong Kong).
Trial evidence established that Mhana obtained a significant portion of the stolen and fraudulently obtained devices from multiple local “boosters.” A booster is a person who steals or obtains through fraud goods and products and sells them for profit. According to evidence presented at trial, Mhana’s store on Bradford Drive was known to local boosters as a place they could sell stolen devices for cash with no questions asked. Evidence at trial further established that Mhana provided his employees with a pricelist of how much they should pay for certain new model iPhones and other electronic devices. Mhana would pay boosters significantly less than retail value of the devices. Over the course of the scheme, Mhana received more than $4.5 million in international wires from buyers of the devices in Dubai and Hong Kong.
Following the guilty verdict, Mhana was released on electronic monitoring. At sentencing, he faces a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a fine of $250,000 for the conspiracy charge; up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count of international transportation of stolen goods; and a maximum of 20 years in prison and a fine for each money laundering conviction.
This case was the result of the investigative efforts of CMPD and the Secret Service, which have established a fully integrated partnership to combat the most significant organized criminal groups operating in Charlotte. Through this partnership, this unit has successfully leveraged local and federal resources, personnel, expertise and authorities to identify and combat the criminals and criminal organizations that have the largest negative impact on the community.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael E. Savage and William Bozin of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte are prosecuting the case.
Federal Grand Jury Indicts Nelson County Man for Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – A federal grand jury in Louisville returned an indictment on May 17, 2023, charging a Nelson County man with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge R. Shawn Morrow of the ATF Louisville Field Division, and Chief Kim Kraeszig of the Bardstown Police Department made the announcement.
According to the indictment, Dustin Stump, 30, of Cox’s Creek, Kentucky, was charged with one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. On May 4, 2023, Stump possessed an American Tactical, 12-gauge shotgun and ammunition. Stump was prohibited from possessing a firearm because he had previously been convicted of the following felony offenses. On April 5, 2019, in Nelson Circuit Court, Stump was convicted of being a convicted felon in possession of a handgun, wanton endangerment in the first-degree police officer, and receiving stolen property, a firearm. On September 22, 2017, in Nelson County Circuit Court, Stump was convicted of theft by unlawful taking or disposition automobile $500 or more but under $10,000.
The defendant made his initial court appearance yesterday before a U.S. Magistrate Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. If convicted, Stump faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is being investigated by the ATF and the Bardstown Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Josh Porter is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Federal Grand Jury Indicts Man for Gun and Drug OffensesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – On Friday, May 19, 2023, MARCUS THEODORE, age 31, a resident of New Orleans, Louisiana, was charged in a four-count indictment by a federal grand jury for violations of the Federal Gun Control and Controlled Substances Acts, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.
THEODORE is charged in Count 1 with conspiring to distribute and to possess with the intent to distribute four hundred grams or more of a substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(A), and 846. THEODORE is charged in Count 2 with possession with the intent to distribute forty grams or more of a substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(B). In Count 3, THEODORE is charged with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A). In Count 4, THEODORE is charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(1). The indictment also alleges that THEODORE has a prior serious violent felony conviction, for manslaughter, that increases his potential punishment on the drug charges.
If convicted of Count 1, THEODORE faces a mandatory minimum penalty of fifteen years up to a maximum sentence of life imprisonment, up to a $20,000,000 fine, and at least 10 years of supervised release. If convicted of Count 2, THEODORE faces a mandatory minimum penalty of ten years up to a maximum sentence of life imprisonment, up to a $8,000,000 fine, and at least 8 years of supervised release. If convicted of Count 3, THEODORE faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years up to life imprisonment, which is to run consecutively to all other sentences, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to 5 years of supervised release. If convicted of Count 4, THEODORE faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 15 years, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to 3 years of supervised release. As to each count, THEODORE also faces payment of a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.
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.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Haller of the Violent Crime Unit .
Federal Correctional Officer Charged with Aggravated Sexual AbuseRead the Press Release
A federal correctional officer at the Federal Correctional Institution, Dublin (FCI Dublin) made his first appearance before the Northern District of California after a federal grand jury returned a 12-count indictment charging him for sexually abusing three female inmates in his custody.
According to the indictment, Darrell Wayne Smith, 54, now residing in Florida, was employed at FCI Dublin as a correctional officer when he engaged in sexual acts and sexual contact with three female inmates who were then serving prison sentences. The indictment describes 12 incidents between May 2019 and May 2021 during which Smith allegedly engaged in illegal sexual contact and acts with his victims, including digitally penetrating a victim’s anus by use of force.
“The charges announced today are the latest in the Justice Department’s campaign to root out sexual misconduct within the Bureau of Prisons,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco. “As alleged, Darrell Smith exploited his authority to sexually abuse three vulnerable victims in custody at FCI Dublin. To enforce the BOP’s dual mission of providing a safe, humane environment for those in custody while preparing them to return to society, we will hold accountable all BOP personnel who abuse their authority.”
“For years, the defendant allegedly used his position of authority, as a federal corrections officer, to commit unspeakable acts of abuse and violence against multiple victims in a correctional institution,” said FBI Deputy Director Paul Abbate. “The FBI and our law enforcement partners are committed to aggressively pursuing those who violate the civil rights of others, no matter their rank or title. Nothing can undo the pain inflicted on the victims, but we hope today’s indictment is a further step towards justice.”
“The Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General is committed to bringing to justice every single BOP employee at FCI Dublin who sexually abused inmates. To date, those efforts have already included arrests and convictions of FCI Dublin’s former Warden and Chaplain,” said Inspector General Michael E. Horowitz. “Today’s indictment alleges brazen and violent sexual assault by Smith and alleges abuse of multiple inmates over several years. As evidenced by these charges, the OIG and FBI investigation remains ongoing, and we will continue to aggressively investigate allegations of abuse at FCI Dublin and across the Federal Bureau of Prisons.”
“This indictment shocks the conscience of anyone reading it,” said U.S. Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey for the Northern District of California. “The alleged conduct falls far below the minimum standards of decency required – much less, the standards of integrity expected – of any Bureau of Prisons employee. Rest assured, the Department will root out any such conduct and prosecute all persons who are responsible.”
Each of the alleged victims is identified in the indictment by initials and was in official detention and under Smith’s custodial, supervisory, and disciplinary authority at the time of the alleged illegal conduct. In addition, each count in the indictment corresponds with one encounter during which Smith allegedly engaged in unlawful sexual acts or contact with one of the victims.
Smith is charged with five counts of sexual abuse of a ward, six counts of abusive sexual contact, and one count of aggravated sexual abuse.
Smith faces a maximum of life in prison if convicted of the aggravated sexual abuse, a maximum of 15 years of in prison for each count of sexual abuse of a ward, and a maximum of two years in prison for each count of abusive sexual contact. In addition, as part of any sentence, the court may order a term of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000 for each count, restitution, and additional assessments. A federal district judge will determine sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Smith was arrested on May 11 and made his initial federal court appearance in the Northern District of Florida on the same day. Smith made his initial Northern District of California appearance this morning before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kandis A. Westmore. Smith’s next federal court appearance is scheduled for July 10.
DOJ OIG and the FBI investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Molly Priedeman and Andrew Paulson for the Northern District of California are prosecuting the case, with the assistance of Leeya Kekona.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Federal Complaint Charges Central Illinois Man with Attempted Arson of ClinicRead the Press Release
URBANA, Ill. – A Prophetstown, Illinois, man, Philip J. Buyno, 73, has been arrested and charged by federal criminal complaint with attempting to use fire to damage a building used in interstate commerce. Danville, Illinois, police officers arrested Buyno on Saturday, May 20th, and he is scheduled to appear in federal court in Urbana today at 1:15 pm before U.S. Magistrate Judge Eric I. Long. At that time, Judge Long will address whether Buyno will be released on conditions of bond or held in custody pending further proceedings.
According to the affidavit filed in support of the complaint, Danville police officers responded to an alarm at 600 N. Logan Avenue in Danville around 4:30 a.m. early Saturday morning. They found Buyno stuck inside a maroon Volkswagen Passat that he had backed into the entrance of the building, which is being renovated for use as a reproductive health clinic. According to the affidavit, Buyno brought several containers filled with gasoline with him.
If convicted of attempted arson, Buyno faces a minimum penalty of five years up to twenty years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and three years of supervised release.
The charges are the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office, and the Danville Police Department. Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Eugene L. Miller is representing the government in the prosecution.
Members of the public are reminded that a complaint is merely an accusation; the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
Ex-Signal Peak Mine safety manager sentenced for conspiring to make false reports about coal mine injuryRead the Press Release
BILLINGS — The former safety manager at the Signal Peak Energy LLC underground coal mine near Roundup was sentenced today for conspiring to make false reports about a mine accident in which an employee had his fingers crushed, resulting in partial amputation, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
Curtis Floyd, 47, of Billings, was sentenced to two years of probation and fined $2,000. Floyd pleaded guilty in January to an information charging him with conspiracy to submit false statements in mine records.
U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided.
In a plea agreement reached in the case, the parties agreed that a term of probation was appropriate.
“As Signal Peak Energy’s safety manager, Floyd had a duty to make sure miners were safe and protected and to document and report accidents. Floyd not only failed the miners, but he also flaunted mandatory mine health and safety reporting regulations. We expect mines and their managers to operate in compliance with all regulations, and when they don’t, they will be held accountable,” U.S. Attorney Laslovich said.
“The Mine Safety and Health Administration relies on accurate and timely reporting data to inform our investigations and address safety and health hazards. These reports also help mine operators uphold their legal obligation to keep miners safe and healthy by advising the industry of necessary changes to prevent future incidents. Floyd’s failure to report this data undercuts this system and puts miners at risk. We thank the Department of Justice for its vigorous enforcement of the Mine Act and helping MSHA protect the nation’s miners,” said Assistant Secretary for Mine Safety and Health Chris Williamson.
“Protecting the health and safety of our nation’s miners requires a team effort, which starts with mine operators following crucial safety and health laws and regulations. When mine operators violate their obligations or attempt to cheat the system, the Department of Labor will not hesitate to use every available tool to uphold the law, including partnering with other agencies. We are grateful for the Department of Justice’s critical partnership to keep all our nation’s miners safe,” said Solicitor of Labor Seema Nanda.
The government alleged in court documents that in 2018, Floyd was the safety manager at the Signal Peak Energy coal mine and was responsible for overseeing safety-related accidents and injuries, ensuring that all such incidents were properly reported as required by federal law. Instead, the government alleged, Floyd went along when management needed an accident covered up. Floyd dropped off injured miners at the hospital instead of escorting them inside or let them go home, knowing they would lie to doctors about how they got hurt, and he let required safety reports disappear instead of making sure the reports were filed.
In early 2018, John Doe 1, a miner, had his fingers crushed while loading mining materials. The injury eventually required partial amputation. As Floyd was taking John Doe 1 to the hospital, Dale Musgrave, the former vice president of underground operations, called the injured miner and directed him to falsely claim that the injury was unrelated to his work. Musgrave told John Doe 1 that he would make it worth his while. Floyd told John Doe 1 he would support whatever decision was made. The injured miner agreed to not report the incident. Floyd and Musgrave were required to complete a U.S. Department of Labor Mine Safety and Health Administration Mine Accident, Injury and Illness report, but they never completed or submitted a report for this incident. They also failed to report John Doe 1’s injury on another MSHA quarterly report.
This prosecution was part of a broad corruption investigation into Signal Peak Energy’s management and operations that resulted in criminal misdemeanor convictions of the company for willful violation of health and safety standards and felony convictions of some former mine managers and associates for embezzlement, tax evasion, bank fraud, money laundering, drugs and firearms violations. Musgrave was sentenced to probation and fined $20,000 for his conviction in the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Colin M. Rubich, Zeno B. Baucus and Timothy Tatarka prosecuted the case. The IRS Criminal Investigation, FBI, Department of Labor and Environmental Protection Agency conducted the investigation.
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Enid Man Charged with Threatening to Kill Government OfficialsRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – Today, a criminal complaint has been unsealed that charges TYLER JAY MARSHALL, 36, of Enid, Oklahoma, with transmitting a threat in interstate commerce, announced United States Attorney Robert J. Troester.
Public records reflect that on May 19, 2023, Marshall was charged by criminal complaint with transmitting in interstate commerce a communication containing a threat. An affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint alleges that on or about May 15, 2023, the FBI learned that Marshall had communicated via Twitter threats to kill multiple public officials, including Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt, Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, and United States Senator Ted Cruz.
Today, Marshall had his initial appearance in federal court in Oklahoma City. If found guilty of transmitting in interstate commerce a communication containing a threat, he faces up to five years in federal prison, a fine of $250,000, and a special assessment of $100. He would also be required to serve a term of supervised release of up to three years. Marshall has been detained pending further proceedings in the case.
The public is reminded that these charges are merely accusations and that Marshall is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
This case is the result of an investigation by the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office, with assistance from the Oklahoma Highway Patrol and the Enid Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Stoneman is prosecuting the case.
Reference is made to public filings for more information.
El Departamento de Justicia celebra acuerdos con diez empleadores por publicar anuncios discriminatorios de trabajo en una plataforma de reclutamiento en una universidadRead the Press Release
El Departamento ha conseguido más de $1.6 millones por concepto de sanciones civiles durante el último año
WASHINGTON – El Departamento de Justicia anunció hoy que ha llegado a otros diez acuerdos con compañías que usaron una plataforma de reclutamiento de una universidad para publicar anuncios de trabajo que, de manera ilícita, excluyeron a no ciudadanos de los EE. UU. Estos acuerdos son una adición a los acuerdos recientes del Departamento con otras 20 compañías que resuelven acusaciones similares, 16 de los que se remontan a junio del 2022 y otros cuatro a septiembre del 2022, lo que lleva a una sanción civil total para los 30 empleadores de más de $1.6 millones.
«EL Departamento de Justicia ya ha hecho a 30 compañías rendir cuentas tras usar una plataforma universitaria de reclutamiento para publicar anuncios de trabajo discriminatorios que excluyeron a estudiantes no ciudadanos de los EE. UU. de oportunidades laborales», afirmó la Fiscal General Auxiliar Kristen Clarke, de la División de Derechos Civiles. «Estos acuerdos deben dejar claro nuestro compromiso a hacer cumplir las leyes de derechos civiles, con el fin de garantizar que todo postulante tenga la igualdad de oportunidades para competir para trabajos».
La intervención del Departamento en estos asuntos comenzó después de que un estudiante de Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech), que para aquel entonces era residente permanente legal, presentó una denuncia de discriminación ante la División de Derechos Civiles. El estudiante alegó que el anuncio de un banco en una plataforma de reclutamiento laboral de Gerogia Tech restringió la oportunidad para prácticas laborales que había publicado solamente a ciudadanos de los EE. UU. La investigación del Departamento halló toda una serie de anuncios discriminatorios en la plataforma de reclutamiento laboral de Georgia Tech, así como en otras plataformas operadas por universidades por todo Estados Unidos.
El Departamento encontró que cada uno de los diez empleadores con los que ha llegado a un acuerdo publicaron al menos un anuncio de trabajo que excluyó a no ciudadanos de los EE. UU. en una plataforma de reclutamiento laboral operada por Georgia Tech. El Departamento determinó que los anuncios desalentaban a estudiantes cualificados de solicitar un trabajo debido a su estatus de ciudadanía, y en muchos casos las restricciones relacionadas con el estatus de ciudadanía también impedían que los estudiantes solicitaran un puesto e incluso obstaculizaron la posibilidad de reunirse con reclutadores de la empresa.
Al igual que los 20 que les precedieron, estos nuevos acuerdos requieren que cada compañía pague una sanción civil. El monto total de la sanción de cada empleador se basa en el número de anuncios discriminatorios que publicó.
Empleador
Monto de la
sanción1.
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
Además de pagar las sanciones civiles, el personal de reclutamiento de los empleadores deberá participar en una capacitación sobre la disposición antidiscriminatoria de la ley de Inmigración y Nacionalidad (INA, por sus siglas en inglés) y abstenerse de incluir designaciones específicas de estatus migratorio o de ciudadanía en sus anuncios de trabajos en las universidades a menos que tales restricciones sean requeridas por ley.
Por lo general, la INA prohíbe que los empleadores y reclutadores restrinjan puestos de trabajo con base en la ciudadanía o el estatus migratorio a menos que así lo requiera una ley, un reglamento, una orden ejecutiva o un contrato gubernamental. Los ciudadanos estadounidenses, nacionales de los EE. UU., refugiados, asilados y residentes permanentes legales están protegidos bajo la INA de discriminación por motivos de su estatus de ciudadanía en los procesos de contratación, despido y reclutamiento o recomendación por comisión.
La Sección de Derechos de Inmigrantes y Empleados de la División de Derechos Civiles es responsable de hacer cumplir la disposición antidiscriminatoria de la INA. La ley prohíbe la discriminación por motivos de estatus de ciudadanía y nacionalidad de origen en los procesos de contratación, despido o reclutamiento o recomendación por comisión; prácticas documentales injustas; y represalias e intimidación.
Para aprender más sobre la labor de la IER y cómo conseguir ayuda, vea este vídeo corto. El sitio web de la IER tiene información sobre cómo los empleadores pueden evitar la discriminación por motivos de estatus de ciudadanía en la contratación y el reclutamiento. Aquellos aspirantes o empleados que creen haber sido discriminados por motivos de su estatus migratorio, ciudadanía o nacionalidad de origen en los procesos de contratación, despido, reclutamiento o verificación de la elegibilidad para trabajar (Formulario I-9 e E-Verify) o sujetos a represalias pueden presentar una denuncia. El público también puede llamar a la línea directa de la IER para trabajadores al 1-800-255-7688 (1-800-237-2515, TTY para personas con discapacidades auditivas); llamar a la línea directa de la IER para empleadores al 1-800-255-8155 (1-800-237-2515, TTY para personas con discapacidades auditivas); enviar un correo electrónico a [email protected]; inscribirse a un seminario en línea gratuito; o visitar los sitios web de la IER en inglés o español. Inscríbase para recibir las últimas noticias de la IER por correo electrónico.
Attachment(s):
Download Asurion Settlement Agreement.pdf
Download Black & Veatch Settlement Agreement.pdf
Download Deluxe Settlement Agreement.pdf
Download Freese & Nichols Settlement Agreement.pdf
Download GTRI Settlement Agreement.pdf
Download GreyOrange Settlement Agreement.pdf
Download Honeywell Settlement Agreement.pdf
Download Procter & Gamble Settlement Agreement.pdf
Download Stryker Settlement Agreement.pdf
Download Wiley Bros. Settlement Agreement.pdf
Dominican Man Sentenced for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dominican man was sentenced on May 17, 2023 in federal court in Boston for illegally reentering the United States after deportation.
Felix Bienvenido Gonzalez-Arias, a/k/a “Victor Manuel Trinidad-Lugo,” 38, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani to 21 Months in prison and three years of supervised release. Gonzalez-Arias will be subject to deportation proceedings upon completion of his sentence. On Feb. 23, 2023, Gonzalez-Arias pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien.
At an unknown time, Gonzales-Arias illegally entered the United States. In November 2014, he was arrested in Essex County on state charges of heroin trafficking. Gonzales-Arias was convicted of the offense, sentenced to three and a half to five years in state prison and upon completion of his sentence, he was removed from the United States in April 2018. Some point thereafter, Gonzales-Arias illegally reentered the United States.
On Sept. 1, 2022, Gonzalez-Arias was arrested in Lawrence on drug trafficking charges. Gonzalez-Arias’ fingerprints produced a positive match from those from his 2014 arrest and 2018 removal and he was identified as being illegally present in the United States after deportation.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Todd Lyons, Field Office Director, Boston, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke A. Goldworm of Levy’s Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.District Man Pleads Guilty to Distributing the Fentanyl and Cocaine that Resulted in Two DeathsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Sheldon Marbley, 44, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty today to federal charges of distribution of fentanyl and cocaine, admitting that he distributed the drugs to customers in Southwest Washington, D.C. The guilty plea was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Special Agent in Charge Jarod A. Forget, of the Washington Division of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and Interim Chief Ashan M. Benedict, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Marbley pleaded guilty in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. U.S. District Court Judge Christopher R. Cooper scheduled a sentencing hearing for September 7, 2023. Under the terms of the plea agreement, which is subject to the Court’s approval, Marbley is to be sentenced to 240 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release.
According to evidence presented in court, Marbley admitted that he distributed fentanyl and cocaine to a male and female, both of whom subsequently died from consuming the fentanyl and cocaine that Marbley provided. Marbley also admitted that he distributed fentanyl and cocaine to another male and female, and they suffered serious bodily injury as a result of consuming the fentanyl and cocaine that Marbley provided.
As part of his plea agreement, Marbley acknowledged that on the morning of January 28, 2022, and in the days thereafter, Emergency Medical Service and MPD officers responded to at least 13 fatal and non-fatal opioid overdoses located near the area of First and O Street, S.W. in Washington D.C. Marbley admitted that, on that morning, he had distributed fentanyl and cocaine from the driver’s seat of a vehicle in Southwest Washington. Closed-circuit television (“CCTV”) footage from that morning depicts numerous individuals approaching the front driver’s side of the vehicle and appearing to engage in narcotics purchases.
After the mass overdose event on January 28, 2022, Marbley went to stay at the residence of another drug user and customer, where he continued to possess with the intent to distribute narcotics until he was arrested in the customer’s apartment building on March 23, 2022. Marbley knew that his prior drug distributions resulted in several overdoses resulting in serious bodily injury and death.
This case was investigated by the DEA Washington Division and the Metropolitan Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys David T. Henek and Andy Wang and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah J. Rasalam, of the Violence Reduction and Trafficking Offenses Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
Defuniak Springs Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Stealing ChecksRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Charlie James Rhodes, 43, of Defuniak Springs, was sentenced to 45 months in federal prison after previously pleading guilty to charges theft of mail, bank fraud, and aggravated identity theft. The sentence was announced by Jason R. Coody, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
“Frauds, such as this one, which target the elderly and compromise essential institutions, such as the mail and our banking system, are serious federal offenses and violators will be prosecuted,” said U.S. Attorney Coody. “With the assistance of our dedicated law enforcement partners, we are committed to investigating and prosecuting those who engage in acts of fraud.”
Court documents reflect that between March 2019 and July 2019, Rhodes drove around neighborhoods in the Fort Walton Beach area looking for mailbox flags that were raised, indicating the presence of outgoing mail. Rhodes would then steal the mail, looking for personal checks from the homeowner to various payees. Once found, he would wash the checks, make himself or one of his aliases the payee, and increase the payment amount. Finally, he would take the checks to local banks and cash them. Using this scheme, he stole over 30 checks, for a loss amount more than $35,000. This crime primarily victimized elderly members of the community, but also many of the local banks. The residents bore the time and expense of sorting out the fraud and the impact of the misdirected funds and the local banks ultimately bore the financial loss. From 2019 to 2022, Rhodes served time in Alabama for a similar scheme. When Rhodes was arrested in Enterprise, Alabama in 2019, he had several checks in his vehicle waiting to be cashed, some from residents of Okaloosa County.
“Identity theft and fraud are a continuing problem in our society,” said Sheriff Eric Aden. "I commend the hard work of our investigators to hold these individuals accountable and our department will continue to aggressively pursue all who engage in this type of criminal activity.”
Rhodes’s prison sentence will be followed by three years of supervised release. The court also ordered Rhodes to pay $6,727 in restitution.
“The United States Postal Inspection Service will aggressively investigate those who target our most vulnerable citizens and defraud them of their hard-earned money,” said Miami Division Postal Inspector in Charge Juan A. Vargas. “This sentence is a testament of the dedication and collaborative efforts with all law enforcement partners involved.”
This case was investigated by the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office and the United States Postal Inspection Service. Assistant United States Attorney Walter Narramore prosecuted the case.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access available public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Cut Bank woman sentenced for role in vehicle crash that killed one, injured another in East GlacierRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS — A Cut Bank woman who admitted to manslaughter and assault charges after the vehicle she was driving crashed head on into another vehicle in East Glacier, on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation, was sentenced today to 37 months in prison, to be followed by two years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
Feather Lynn Stillsmoking, 32, pleaded guilty in December 2022 to involuntary manslaughter and to assault resulting in serious bodily injury.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. The court also ordered $8,661 restitution.
In court documents, the government alleged that on March 12, 2022, Stillsmoking was driving an Oldsmobile west on US 2 into East Glacier at a high rate of speed. As she was negotiating a left-hand curve, the car rotated counterclockwise because of the speed, crossed the centerline and collided head on with an eastbound Nissan. A passenger, identified as John Doe, who was in the Oldsmobile, died at the scene of blunt force injuries. The driver of the Nissan, identified as Jane Doe, suffered serious injuries. An analysis of Stillsmoking’s blood found alcohol, amphetamine and methamphetamine. Stillsmoking told investigators that she drank a fifth of vodka prior to the crash. Investigators determined that the Oldsmobile was traveling at 102 mph five seconds before impact. The speed limit at the crash location is a 25-mph restricted speed zone.
In the government’s sentencing memo, John Doe’s mother and Jane Doe described how the crash has affected their lives. “There is no greater pain than having your child gone from you in a blink of an eye and there is nothing you can do about it,” John Doe’s mother said in her statement. Jane Doe described having surgeries and ongoing pain, seeking mental health counseling and experiencing financial stress from being unable to work for six months while being the main source of income for her family. “This happened at a time in my life, I will be 75, when I was hoping I could stop working, but I can’t,” Jane Doe said in her statement.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The FBI, Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services, Glacier County Sheriff’s Office and Montana Highway Patrol conducted the investigation.
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Convicted Felon Sentenced to More than Eight Years in Prison for Fentanyl Distribution Offenses and Possessing a Loaded Firearm with Obliterated Serial NumberRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Somerville man was sentenced on May 17, 2023 for distributing fentanyl and subsequently possessing fentanyl with intent to distribute while being illegally in possession of a loaded firearm.
Tevon Ngomba, 30, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani to 97 months in prison and four years of supervised release. In November 2022, Ngomba pleaded guilty to one count of distributing and possessing with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl, one count of possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl and one count of possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon.
On July 16, 2020, less than two months following his release from state prison, Ngomba distributed more than 40 grams of fentanyl to an individual in exchange for $1,800 in a recorded drug transaction.On Aug. 3, 2020, Ngomba purported to sell a loaded firearm to the same individual in exchange for $1,500 in another recorded transaction. During the deal, which occurred in the individual’s vehicle, Ngomba loaded the firearm and pretended to leave it under the driver’s seat before exiting the vehicle. Instead, Ngomba took both the $1,500 cash from the individual as well as the firearm he had pretended to sell. Ngomba did not realize, however, that he accidentally left his cellphone in the individual’s vehicle which he preceded to chase down. Law enforcement immediately apprehended Ngomba who was still clutching the $1,500 in his hand.
During a subsequent search of Ngomba’s vehicle, a loaded Ruger firearm with an obliterated serial number was found in the trunk. Sixteen grams of fentanyl and a second cellphone containing drug-related communications were in the glove compartment. The cellphone Ngomba left in the individual’s car was found to contain images from the night before of Ngomba posing with what appeared to be the same firearm found in his vehicle. One image also showed Ngomba posing alongside two associates while he had a firearm in his pocket.
At the sentencing hearing, the Court also found that Ngomba obstructed justice during the litigation of the case, determining that Ngomba had submitted false documents to the Court in connection with a detention reconsideration hearing. Those documents included two letters purportedly written by two acquaintances of Ngomba (the same individuals depicted in one of the cellphone images) in which they denied any gang affiliation or association. A transcript of jail recordings captured Ngomba contacting an individual requesting that she draft letters in the names of those two associates. Ngomba detailed what to write in the letters and then instructed the female to create a fake email account from which to transmit the letters onto his attorney for submission to Court in support of his pretrial release. The letters ultimately were filed with the Court in connection with Ngomba’s detention reconsideration hearing.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, New England Field Division; Somerville Police Chief Charles Femino; and Somerville Housing Authority Chief of Police Daniel Meade made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kaitlin R. O’Donnell and Fred M. Wyshak, III of Levy’s Organized Crime and Gang Unit prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the 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.Convicted Felon Sentenced to 6 Years in Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing Eight Firearms and over 600 Rounds of AmmunitionRead the Press Release
CONCORD – A former Jefferson man was sentenced today in federal court for possessing eight firearms and 600 rounds of ammunition as a prohibited person, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces.
Hunter Ramsay, 29, was sentenced by Chief U.S. District Court Judge Landya McCafferty to 72 months in prison and 3 years of supervised release. On January 23, 2023, Ramsay pleaded guilty to one count of possession of firearms as a previously convicted person.
“The defendant illegally possessed an arsenal of ammunition and firearms, which included three sawed-off shotguns. He compounded his threat to the community by leading law enforcement on a dangerous high-speed pursuit,” said U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young. “I commend the brave acts and poise under pressure of the officers and State troopers who successfully brought Ramsay to justice.”
“ATF will continue to actively pursue individuals with firearms and/or ammunition, who are legally prohibited from doing so. These weapons continue to be used to further criminal activity, and ATF is committed to stopping it,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge James Ferguson.
On July 7, 2021, Ramsay was wanted on outstanding state warrants for probation violations in both New Hampshire and Vermont when he was observed by New Hampshire State Police driving a truck in Bethlehem. Ramsay initially fled, so his vehicle was disabled by law enforcement’s deployment of spike strips in Littleton. Ramsay was taken into custody, and a total of eight firearms and over 600 rounds of ammunition were recovered on him and in his vehicle. At the time, Ramsay was prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition under federal law as a result of a prior felony conviction in Vermont state court. Ramsay has been detained since his July 2021 arrest.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives led the investigation. Valuable assistance was provided by the New Hampshire State Police, the Littleton Police Department, the Coos County Attorney’s Office, and the New Hampshire Department of Corrections. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Charles L. Rombeau.
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Columbia County man sentenced to federal prison for possession of child pornographyRead the Press Release
AUGUSTA, GA: A Columbia County man has been sentenced to more than 14 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to possessing images of child sexual abuse.
Bradley Fearneyhough, 35, of Martinez, Ga., was sentenced to 172 months in prison after pleading guilty to Possession of Child Pornography, said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. U.S. District Court Chief Judge J. Randal Hall also ordered Fearneyhough to pay $21,000 in restitution, to register as a sex offender, and to serve 20 years of supervised release upon completion of his prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Predators who possess images of child sexual exploitation perpetuate the victimization of these vulnerable children,” said U.S. Attorney Steinberg. “This sentence makes it clear that such despicable activity won’t be tolerated in our communities.”
“As described in court documents and testimony, in May 2022, the FBI received an online tip that Fearneyhough possessed images that depicted child sexual abuse. He was arrested after subsequent interviews and searches of his electronic devices. Agents found hundreds of images of child pornography on multiple devices in Fearneyhough’s possession, including videos depicting sexual abuse of children as young as infants.
"Thanks to a public tip submitted to the National Threat Operations Center, Fearneyhough will be held accountable for his heinous crimes," said Keri Farley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. "This case is an outstanding example of how partnerships between the FBI and the public are essential in protecting our citizens, in particular, children, our most vulnerable citizens."
Anyone with information on suspected child sexual exploitation can contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 800-843-5678, or https://report.cybertip.org/.
The case was investigated by the FBI, and prosecuted for the United States by First Assistant U.S. Attorney Tara M. Lyons.
Co-leader of Alien Smuggling Organization Sentenced to Four Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
EL PASO, Texas – A Mexican national residing in Plano was sentenced in a federal court in El Paso on May 3 to 48 months in prison and three years of supervised release for one count of conspiracy to transport aliens.
According to court documents, Ana Maria Villa-Flores, 40, of Morelia, Michoacan, Mexico, conspired, communicated and coordinated the smuggling of a group of 22 undocumented noncitizens from El Paso to the Dallas-Fort Worth area with a co-conspirator in July 2021. Villa-Flores also conspired and coordinated with another co-conspirator to move 24 undocumented noncitizens from El Paso to Plano in January 2022. Further investigation revealed Villa-Flores to be a leader and organizer for conspiring to smuggle undocumented noncitizens via locked and enclosed cargo trailers from El Paso to Dallas-Fort Worth. Villa-Flores is held accountable for smuggling 124 known undocumented noncitizens between July 2021 and April 2022.
“As demonstrated in this case, our dedicated partners at Homeland Security Investigations and the U.S. Border Patrol remain vigilant in their pursuit of justice. The dismantling of this alien smuggling organization is a testament to their commitment and tireless effort,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas. “Together, we stand resolute in protecting our borders and upholding the rule of law, safeguarding the integrity of our nation.”
“Individuals involved in the illicit movement of human cargo into the country and then onto further destinations within the United States have a callous disregard for the value of human life and are placing profit ahead of public safety,” said Special Agent in Charge Francisco B. Burrola for HSI El Paso. “HSI will continue to aggressively work with our law enforcement partners to identify and arrest those involved in this illicit and dangerous activity.”
HSI and USBP investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Victoria Crosby prosecuted the case.
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Chattanooga Police Department Awards United States Attorney's Office Federal Partner of the YearRead the Press Release
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. On Thursday, May 18, 2023, the Chattanooga Police Department and Chief Celeste Murphy awarded the United States Attorney’s Office the honor of Federal Partner of the Year.
In bestowing this honor on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Chattanooga Police Department explained:
For many years, the Chattanooga Police Department has enjoyed an excellent professional relationship with our federal partners who live and work together in the greater Chattanooga area. Over those years, CPD and the U.S Attorney’s Office have partnered on numerous individual investigations, programs, and projects to enhance the safety of our community. We believe that this partnership has played an important role in our high quality of life in Chattanooga. This past year, our partnership with the USAO has been crucial in the continued development of our region's violent crime strategy. Through this partnership, we have made significant inroads into our community’s struggle with crimes committed by individuals while using or illegally possessing guns, as well as other violent crimes committed by repeat offenders. The USAO has also directly supported CPD in the prosecution of drug-related crimes that have resulted in way too many overdose deaths of people in our community. Lastly, the USAO has taken an active role in our region's awarded PSP Grant, leveraging their Department of Justice experience to provide both guidance and strategic leadership. We at CPD look forward to our continued collaboration with the USAO as we continue to build upon our violent crime strategy.
“The United States Attorney’s Office is proud of its longstanding partnership with the Chattanooga Police Department, and we are honored to receive this award from Chief Murphy,” said United States Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III. “We look forward to continuing our important work together as we collaborate to reduce violent crime in the Chattanooga community.”
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Charleston Man Pleads Guilty to Defrauding Charitable NonprofitRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Benjamin Cisco, 30, of Charleston, pleaded guilty today to two counts of wire fraud. Cisco admitted to defrauding a charitable nonprofit organization of $871,288.34 intended for suffering West Virginians.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from about March 19, 2020, through about September 28, 2022, Cisco devised and executed his scheme to defraud the charitable non-profit organization while employed as its finance and operations manager in Belle and Charleston. Through his position, Cisco had control over the victim charity’s finances and access to its debit cards, and regularly worked with its accountant. Cisco’s duties included preparing the victim charity’s biweekly payroll, depositing payments into its bank accounts and providing its Board of Directors with updates regarding its finances.
Cisco admitted that his fraud scheme followed a two-step process. First, Cisco electronically transferred money from the victim charity’s debit cards to its account with the Flipcause crowd-funding platform, which recorded those transfers as donations. Second, Cisco electronically transferred money from the victim charity’s Flipcause account to his personal bank account, which he had falsely labeled as belonging to the victim charity.
Cisco admitted that these fraudulent transactions included electronic transfers from the victim charity’s Flipcause account to his personal bank account of $4,724 on January 28, 2022, and $2,874 on May 6, 2022. Both transfers traveled in interstate commerce between Charleston, West Virginia, and California. Cisco further admitted to executing the fraudulent two-step process more than 100 times.
Cisco’s fraudulent scheme specifically caused at least $518,101.70 of loss to the victim charity. Cisco also admitted to defrauding the victim charity of an additional $285,626.64 in travel reimbursements he was not authorized to receive and $67,560 by purchasing gift cards with victim charity funds without authorization. The total loss is $871,288.34.
Cisco is scheduled to be sentenced on September 13, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $500,000 fine. He also owes $871,288.34 in restitution.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
Chief United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorneys Holly Wilson and Erik S. Goes are prosecuting the case. Assistant United States Attorney Kathleen Robeson contributed to the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-25.
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Chapel Hill Man Sentenced for Involvement in Multi-State Drug Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
WINSTON-SALEM – A Chapel Hill man was sentenced today to 188 months in prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, announced United States Attorney Sandra J. Hairston.
According to court documents, ABEL GASPAR, JR., age 35, was charged with one count of conspiracy to commit drug trafficking along with one co-defendant after both admitted their involvement in trafficking drugs across state lines and sales of multiple quantities of methamphetamine to undercover officers. In January of 2022, a confidential source (CS) contacted the Sanford Police Department officers to provide information about a drug dealer involved in the sale of cocaine and methamphetamine. At the time of the interaction, the drug dealer was already known to officers. Officers then arranged a meeting between the CS and the dealer wherein GASPAR was seen leaving a package containing 159 grams of methamphetamine for the CS in exchange for $1,800. On February 15, 2022, the CS informed the dealer of another potential client and arranged the sale of 439 grams of methamphetamine between the dealer and an undercover officer in Raleigh for $3,500.
On February 25, 2022, a Guilford County Sheriff’s Office Deputy pulled over GASPAR for erratic driving and attempted to perform a field sobriety test as a result of GASPAR’s driving. GASPAR briefly struggled with the deputy and fled on foot. A deputy then searched GASPAR’s car and located multiple plastic bags containing a total of 2,036 grams of methamphetamine, a firearm, 12 grams of marihuana, and a large amount of cash. In interviews with investigators, GASPAR later revealed his supplier to be an individual from Atlanta.
GASPAR was sentenced today to a 188-month term of imprisonment by the Honorable Loretta C. Biggs, United States District Judge in the United States District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina. In addition to prison time, GASPAR was ordered to serve a five-year term of supervised release and to pay a special assessment of $100.00. GASPAR’s co-defendant is set for sentencing on June 2, 2023.
This prosecution was brought as a part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s drug supply reduction strategy. OCDETF was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations. Today, 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 and money laundering organizations and those primarily responsible for the nation’s drug supply.
This case was investigated by Drug Enforcement Agency, the North Carolina State Bureau Investigation, the Guilford County Sheriff’s Office, and the Sanford Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jake Pryor.
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Caswell Woman Sentenced to 12 ½ Years on Federal Drug and Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Caswell woman was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Bangor for possession of more than 500 grams of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute and possession of firearms by an unlawful user of controlled substances
U.S. District Judge Lance E. Walker sentenced Nicole McLaughlin, 42, to 150 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release on the drug charge and 120 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release on the firearms charge, to be served concurrently.
According to court records, in May 2022, McLaughlin was in a single-vehicle car accident in Presque Isle. Responding officers from the Presque Isle Police Department discovered methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia and a handgun in her vehicle. Agents with the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency responded and investigated further. A search of McLaughlin’s residence resulted in the seizure of a large safe containing approximately 92 pounds of methamphetamine, the largest meth bust ever in the state of Maine. The search also uncovered four handguns, including one with an obliterated serial number, and documents bearing McLaughlin’s name.
The Maine Drug Enforcement Agency and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case, with assistance from the Presque Isle Police Department and the Maine State Police. U.S. Attorney Darcie N. McElwee thanked the Aroostook County District Attorney’s Office for the consultation and coordination it provided.
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Career Offender Sentenced to More Than 26 Years in Prison on Drug Trafficking ChargesRead the Press Release
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – A federal judge today sentenced an Athens man on drug charges, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Carlton L. Peeples.
U.S. District Court Judge Liles Burke sentenced Eric Cordelle Bass, 35, of Athens, to 322 months in prison. Bass pleaded guilty in February 2023 to two counts of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Bass is a Career Offender based on prior felony convictions. The sentence reflects his status as a Career Offender.
“This sentence sends a message that armed drug dealers will face stiff consequences in the Northern District of Alabama,” said U.S. Attorney Escalona. “I am grateful to the FBI and Limestone County Sheriff’s Office whose efforts ensured that this career offender was brought to justice.”
According to the plea agreement, the Limestone County Sheriff's Office Narcotics Unit executed a search warrant at Bass’ residence on October 28, 2021. In Bass’ bedroom, investigators found approximately one pound of methamphetamine and two firearms. In addition, on March 16, 2022, Bass was found to be in possession of a bag containing methamphetamine and a firearm. Bass attempted to bribe the officers after the methamphetamine was discovered.
The FBI investigated the case along with the Limestone County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney John M. Hundscheid prosecuted the case.
California Man Pleads Guilty in Identity Theft and Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Los Angeles, California, man pleaded guilty today to fraud and identity theft charges in connection with stealing the identity of the owner of a Richmond auto shop, Lotsey & Hardy Tire Company.
According to court documents, around January 2022, Daniel Cruz, 30, obtained the owner’s personal information and used that information to take over the auto shop and its owner’s accounting software, bank accounts, email addresses, and phone numbers. Through approximately February 2023, armed with this sensitive information, Cruz re-routed calls placed to Lotsey & Hardy to his own phone, transferred money to his personal bank account from bank accounts of the shop and its owner, took out loans in the owner’s name, ordered and picked up auto parts in Los Angeles and billed them to the Richmond auto shop, and ordered auto parts by impersonating the shop’s owner. In all, the loss resulting from Cruz’s crimes totaled at least $34,514.87.
Cruz is scheduled to be sentenced on August 31. He faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 2 consecutive years in prison for aggravated identity theft, and a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for wire fraud. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Kyo M. Dolan, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service’s Richmond Field Office, made the announcement after Senior U.S. Magistrate Judge Summer L. Speight accepted the plea.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Shea Gibbons is prosecuting the case.
The Central Virginia Financial Crimes Task Force, created in 2022, is a partnership between federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies and representatives of local financial institutions. Co-chaired by the Richmond Field Office of the United States Secret Service and the Washington Division of the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Task Force utilizes the knowledge and experience of its many partners to develop intelligence and pursue investigations into crimes that target or involve financial institutions located throughout the Central Virginia region.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:23-cr-32.
Brazilian Man Sentenced for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Brazilian man residing in Revere has been sentenced in federal court in Boston for illegally reentering the United States after deportation.
Julio Cesar Ferreira Artur, 41, was sentenced on May 17, 2023 by U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns to 18 months in prison followed by one year of supervised release. Ferreira Artur will be subject to deportation proceedings upon completion of his sentence. On Jan. 17, 2023, Ferreira Artur pleaded guilty to illegal reentry.
In 2005, Ferreira Artur was encountered by federal immigration authorities in Arizona and determined to be illegally present in the United States. Ferreira Artur was subsequently placed into removal proceedings and, on March 30, 2005, was deported to Brazil.
Sometime after his 2005 removal, Ferreira Artur illegally reentered the United States. In February 2018, he was encountered by immigration authorities in Revere, determined to be illegally present and again deported to Brazil in April 2018.
On an unknown date and place, Ferreira Artur illegally reentered the United States for the third time. In February 2022, federal immigration authorities located Ferreira Artur at the Middlesex County House of Correction where he was being held pretrial on unrelated state charges. According to court records, in January 2022 he was convicted in a state case of carrying a firearm and ammunition without a license and sentenced to more than four years in prison.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Todd M. Lyons, Field Office Director, Boston, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elianna J. Nuzum of Levy’s Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.Beverly Hills Man Finishing Federal Sentence in Fraud Case Indicted in New Alleged $9 Million Scam for Investments in Fake Hemp FarmRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A federal grand jury this afternoon returned a five-count indictment that accuses a Beverly Hills man – who was completing a sentence in a prior federal fraud case – of soliciting more than $9 million from investors with false claims they were investing in a hemp farm that did not exist.
Mark Roy Anderson, 68, who was living in Beverly Hills while on supervised release after serving a 135-month prison sentence, faces five counts of wire fraud in a case that alleges he tricked investors into providing funding for his company, called Harvest Farm Group, to harvest and process hemp, grown on his farm, into medical grade CBD isolate to be sold for a substantial profit.
Special agents with the FBI arrested Anderson in this case on May 9 after prosecutors filed a criminal complaint outlining a series of actions and false statements that allegedly induced victims to send money to Anderson during the scheme that ran from at least June 2020 to April 2021.
“To induce the victim-investors to invest in Harvest Farm Group, defendant Anderson falsely represented that, through Harvest Farm Group: (i) he owned and operated a hemp farm in Kern County, California; (ii) he had already completed successful and profitable harvests of hemp from the farm; and (iii) he was using his own machinery and equipment to convert the hemp into CBD isolate and/or Delta 8, a psychoactive substance that, like CBD isolate, could be used in consumer products ranging from olive oil to body cream,” according to the indictment, which goes on to allege that none of those claims was true.
Anderson allegedly attempted to maintain a veneer of trustworthiness by taking steps to assure investors Harvest Farms Group was legitimate and he “was not the ‘Mark Roy Anderson’ with multiple prior fraud convictions.” The indictment alleges Anderson “concealed that he had been convicted of multiple federal and state felony crimes, including mail fraud, wire fraud, grand theft, forgery, preparing false evidence, and money laundering, and concealed that he was still serving a criminal sentence and still on supervised release at the time he was soliciting investments.”
Anderson allegedly used investor money for personal expenses, including more than $650,000 worth of luxury and vintage vehicles, over $400,000 in cash withdrawals, more than $142,000 in retail purchases, and other personal expenses, including more than $1.3 million spent to purchase a residence and surrounding citrus groves in Ojai.
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant committed a crime. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Anderson, who has been ordered held without bond in this case, is scheduled to be arraigned on the indictment in United States District Court on May 30.
Each count of wire fraud alleged in the indictment carries a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.
The FBI is investigating this case.
Assistant United States Attorney Kerry L. Quinn of the Major Frauds Section is prosecuting the case.
Bangor Man Faces up to Life Following Guilty Plea to Drug and Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Bangor man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Bangor to possessing controlled substances with the intent to distribute and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court records, in May 2022, officers with the Brewer Police Department responded to a call for a service and located Allen Henry, 48, in a parked vehicle. A record check revealed Henry had an active warrant for his arrest and active bail conditions stemming from a state charge. The bail conditions prohibited him from using or possessing any alcohol or illegal drugs. Upon conducting a bail check to ensure Henry was compliant with conditions, officers located more than 400 grams of fentanyl, approximately 30 grams of cocaine base and a firearm in his vehicle. Henry has a previous 2013 state conviction that prohibits him from possessing firearms.
Henry faces a maximum term of life imprisonment on the drug charge and up to ten years on the firearms charge. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigative report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, and the Brewer Police Department investigated this case.
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Anchorage Man Indicted on Federal Guns and Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
ANCHORAGE – A federal grand jury in Alaska returned an indictment charging an Anchorage man with possession of fentanyl, heroin, methamphetamine, and multiple firearms.
According to the indictment, Paul Thomas Baldwin Jr., 32, possessed with the intent to distribute over 40 grams of fentanyl and 100 grams of heroin in September 2022. Between March 22 and April 21, 2023, he again possessed with the intent to distribute over 40 grams of fentanyl, 100 grams or more of heroin, and more than 50 grams of methamphetamine. It is alleged that Baldwin also possessed over $25,000 in cash that was involved in the drug offenses. Baldwin, who has a prior serious drug felony conviction and is prohibited from possessing firearms, was also charged with possessing two pistols.
The defendant is scheduled for his court appearance on May 24, 2023, before United States Magistrate Judge Kyle F. Reardon of the United States District Court of Alaska. If convicted, based on his prior conviction for a serious drug felony, he faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker of the District of Alaska made the announcement.
The Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Anchorage Police Department (APD), and Alaska State Troopers (AST) are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney George Tran is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Anchorage Inmate Indicted for Orchestrating Purchase of Firearms with Oregon WomanRead the Press Release
ANCHORAGE – A federal grand jury in Alaska returned an indictment last week, charging an Oregon man and woman with conspiracy to straw purchase firearms while the man was in prison.
According to the indictment, Dominique Kyle James Swain, 25, was arrested in Oregon in January 2022 for violating his supervised release from a previous federal criminal case in the District of Alaska. He was transported from Oregon to Alaska following his arrest. As a convicted felon, Swain was prohibited from purchasing and possessing firearms. While he was in custody in Anchorage, Swain orchestrated and directed Abigail Corinne Elaine Sturdevant, 25, who was in Oregon at the time, to purchase firearms on his behalf. Sturdevant agreed and throughout July and August 2022, she purchased several specific models of firearms at Swain’s direction, falsely claiming she was the actual buyer when they both knew the firearms were purchased for Swain. It is alleged that Swain was on the phone with Sturdevant as they made the firearm purchases. Sturdevant then stored the purchased firearms at her residence for Swain.
Swain and Sturdevant are each charged with one count of conspiracy to straw purchase firearms. Swain is further charged with one count of being a felon in possession of firearms. If convicted, each faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker of the District of Alaska made the announcement.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), with the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) and Eugene Police Department, are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney George Tran is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Amite Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Dogfighting ChargeRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – On May 17, 2023, DAVID GUIDRY, age 48, a resident of Amite, Louisiana, pled guilty to Count Three of a seven-count indictment, charging him with possession of an animal for an animal fighting venture, in violation of Title 7, United States Code, Section 2156(b), Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2 and 49(a), announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.
GUIDRY faces a maximum sentence of 5 years imprisonment, a fine up to $250,000.00, a period of supervised release up to 3 years, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00.
According to court records, in 2017, federal and state law enforcement investigated narcotics-trafficking in the Eastern and Middle Districts of Louisiana. In the summer of 2017, an investigation led law enforcement to information that GUIDRY was hosting dogfights at his residence in Independence, Louisiana.
On October 24, 2017, law enforcement executed a federal search warrant at GUIDRY’s residence, in Independence, Louisiana. During the search, law enforcement discovered that GUIDRY possessed seven pit bull-type dogs that were restrained using heavy chains and isolated from one another, a “break stick,” a device used by dogfighters to pry open the jaw of a dog involved in a dogfight, a veterinary antibiotic intended for large farm animals, and a syringe. After being advised of his legal rights, GUIDRY consented to an interview and admitted ownership of the seven, pit bull-type dogs. GUIDRY forfeited ownership of the dogs.
United States District Judge, Jane Triche Milazzo, will sentence GUIDRY on September 6, 2023.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. It is being prosecuted by Matthew Evans of the U.S. Department of Justice, Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant United States Attorney Brittany Reed of the Public Integrity Unit .
Monday 22 May 2023
Woman Guilty of Using Threats and Intimidation to Bilk Elderly Victim Out of More Than $1.6 MillionRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A woman has admitted in federal court that she used a series of threats and intimidation to bilk an elderly victim out of more than $1.6 million.
LEE TURNER, also known as “Ashley Turner,” 40, of Joliet, Ill., pleaded guilty on May 16, 2023, to one count of using a facility of interstate commerce to promote and carry on unlawful activity, namely theft and intimidation. The conviction is punishable by a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison and a fine of up to $250,000. U.S. District Judge Manish S. Shah set sentencing for Sept. 8, 2023.
Turner admitted in a plea agreement that from 2018 to 2021 she communicated numerous threats and fraudulent statements to the victim, who was in his seventies and had limited vision. Turner’s communications threatened to expose the victim’s purported criminal activity, even though Turner had no knowledge of any such activity committed by the victim. Turner took on false personas to convey false statements purportedly from others, including alleged gang members, individuals involved in organized crime, prosecutors, journalists, and corrupt law enforcement officers.
In one example cited in the plea agreement, Turner, using the alias “Big Joe,” sent a series of messages to the victim, claiming that the victim had to pay $30,000 to prevent law enforcement from raiding the victim’s residence and a relative’s residence. On June 13, 2019, the victim paid Turner $30,000 to avoid the purported raids, the plea agreement states. The money was one of dozens of similar payments, ranging in value from $5,000 to $66,000, that the victim made to Turner. In all, Turner received $1,611,975 from the victim as a result of the scam, the plea agreement states.
The guilty plea was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Robert W. “Wes” Wheeler, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Office of the FBI, and Eric Rossi, Chief of the Orland Park Police Department. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney David B. Green.
Woman Admits Aiding in St. Louis County ATM Worker RobberyRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A woman pleaded guilty Monday and admitted helping to steal a bag of cash from workers servicing an ATM in St. Louis County, Missouri.
Gregreonia Hampton, 21, pleaded guilty in front of U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey to one count of aiding and abetting a robbery. Hampton admitted helping Mark Anthony Diggs rob two employees of ATM Solutions on May 31, 2022 at a Vantage Credit Union.
Hampton drove a white Kia Optima to the ATM, and Diggs then got out of Kia’s back seat with a fully automatic Anderson Manufacturing AM-15 firearm. He demanded and received a bag of cash before Hampton drove off. The robbery was captured on video.
Hampton admitted having enough foreknowledge of the robbery that she could have walked away.
The robbery charge carries a potential penalty of up to 20 years in federal prison, a $250,000 fine or both. Hampton is scheduled to be sentenced August 23.
Diggs, 21, pleaded guilty in April to charges of robbery and possession and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.
The St. Louis County Police Department, the FBI, the Missouri State Highway Patrol and the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Linda Lane is prosecuting the case.
Wetumka Resident Sentenced for Possession with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Joseph Anthony Paxton, age 31, of Wetumka, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 58 months in prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine.
The charges arose from investigations by the Hughes County Sheriff’s Department, the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics, the District 22 Drug and Violent Crime Task Force, and the United States Drug Enforcement Administration.
On March 15, 2022, Paxton pleaded guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine.
On November 28, 2020, law enforcement executed a search warrant on Paxton’s residence in Wetumka. Officers discovered approximately 12 grams of methamphetamine, baggies, digital scales, a .380 pistol, and ammunition.
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. Paxton 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.
Watertown Father and Son Sentenced to Prison for Decade-Long Lottery and Tax Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A father and son were sentenced today in federal court in Boston for orchestrating an elaborate “ten-percenting” scheme involving dozens of convenience stores across Massachusetts. The defendants unlawfully claimed more than 14,000 winning lottery tickets, laundered over $20 million in proceeds, and then lied on their tax returns. The result was more than $6 million in federal tax loss. As a direct result of this case, the Massachusetts State Lottery Commission is in the process of revoking or suspending the licenses of more than 40 of its lottery agents.
Ali Jaafar, 63, and Yousef Jaafar, 29, both of Watertown, were sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to five years and 50 months in prison, respectively, in addition to orders of restitution in the amount of $6,082,578 and forfeiture of their profits from the scheme. In December 2022, Ali and Yousef Jaafar were convicted by a federal jury of one count of conspiracy to defraud the Internal Revenue Service, one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering and one count each of filing a false tax return.
Mohamed Jaafar, another of Ali Jaafar’s sons who was also involved in the scheme, previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud the Internal Revenue Service on Nov. 4, 2022 and is scheduled to be sentenced on July 25, 2023.
In 2019 alone, Ali Jaafar was the top individual lottery ticket casher for Massachusetts. Mohamed Jaafar was the third highest individual ticket casher and Yousef Jaafar was the fourth highest individual ticket casher. The scheme also resulted in federal tax losses of over $6 million, more than $1.2 million of which went directly to the defendants in the form of fraudulent tax refunds.
“This case is, at its core, an elaborate tax fraud. Over the course of a decade, this father-and-son team defrauded the Massachusetts State Lottery Commission and the IRS to pocket millions of hard-earned taxpayers’ dollars. These defendants worked together to recruit a wide network of co-conspirators and spread their lottery scam across Massachusetts, avoiding detection by repeatedly lying to government officials. In total, the Jaafars laundered more than $20 million in proceeds, and their scheme resulted in more than $6 million in tax loss. These defendants pocketed $1.2 million from fraudulent taxpayer refunds,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “I commend the Massachusetts State Lottery Commission and the IRS for their exceptional collaboration and partnership. As a direct result of this case, the Commission is in the process of revoking or suspending the licenses of more than 40 of its lottery agents. This case should serve as a warning to those who think they can cheat the system for their own financial gain: you will be identified, prosecuted and held accountable.”
“Instead of using business savvy and skill to build a legitimate multi-generational family business, the Jaafars carried out a complex decade-long tax and lottery scam, building a vast network of coconspirators to further their illegal activities. Tax violations have been erroneously referred to as victimless crimes, but it's the honest law-abiding citizen who is harmed when someone tries to manipulate our nation's tax system,” said Joleen Simpson, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston.“This case is an example of the extensive efforts the Lottery will take in partnering with law enforcement to assist in the prevention of illegal activities. This decision is the culmination of years of hard work to maintain the integrity of the Lottery,” said Deborah B. Goldberg, Massachusetts State Treasurer & Receiver General, and Chair of the Massachusetts State Lottery Commission.
“The outcome of this case sends a clear message that anyone complicit in the avoidance of financial obligations through fraudulent Lottery prize claims faces real and severe consequences. We commend the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Massachusetts State Police and the IRS for their efforts in assisting us in confronting these illegal activities and securing the public’s trust in the Lottery,” said Mark William Bracken, Interim Executive Director, Massachusetts State Lottery.
Between 2011 and 2020, the defendants purchased winning lottery tickets from individuals across Massachusetts who wanted to sell their winning tickets for a cash discount instead of claiming their prizes from the Massachusetts State Lottery Commission. This allowed the real winners to avoid identification by the Commission, which is legally required to identify lottery winners and withhold any outstanding taxes, back taxes and child support payments before paying out prizes. The defendants recruited and paid the owners of dozens of convenience stores to facilitate the transactions. After purchasing tickets from the lottery winners at a discount, using the convenience stores as go-betweens, the defendants lied to the Commission, claiming the full amount of the prize money as their own. The defendants then further profited by reporting the winnings on their income tax returns and claiming equivalent fake gambling losses as an offset, thereby avoiding federal income taxes and receiving fraudulent tax refunds.
Acting U.S. Attorney Levy; IRS SAC Simpson; Treasurer & Receiver General Goldberg; and Interim Executive Director Bracken made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher J. Markham and Kristen A. Kearney of Levy’s Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit prosecuted the case.
Warwick Woman Admits Role in Methamphetamine Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A thirty-eight-year-old Warwick woman today admitted to a federal judge that she participated in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine during which, on at least ten occasions, she sold crystal meth to others, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.
According to information presented to the court, between March and June 2021, Wendy Greene sold a total of 447 grams of crystal meth to various individuals. Greene personally sold the drugs on nine occasions while being surveilled by members of the FBI’s Rhode Island Safe Streets Gang Task Force. On at least one occasion, she enlisted another individual to make the delivery.
Appearing in U.S. District Court, Greene pleaded guilty to a charge of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. She is scheduled to be sentenced on August 22, 2023. The defendant’s sentence will be determined by a federal judge after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine D. Lowell.
The matter was investigated by the Rhode Island FBI Safe Streets Gang Task Force, with significant assistance provided by the Warwick Police Department.
The Rhode Island FBI Safe Streets Gang Task Force consists of agents and law enforcement officers from the FBI, United States Marshals Service, Central Falls Police Department, Cranston Police Department, Pawtucket Police Department, Providence Police Department, West Warwick Police Department, Woonsocket Police Department, and Rhode Island State Police.
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Unrepentant Gang Member Who Led Police on High-Speed Chase Receives 10 Years in Federal Prison for Drug Trafficking and Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
NEW BERN, N.C. – Veshon Lendell Shaw, aka “Play Maker”, 29, of Wilmington, was sentenced to 120 months in prison for possession of a firearm by a felon and possession with intent to distribute MDMA (Ecstasy) and marijuana. He pled guilty to the charges on February 13, 2022.
“This defendant led law enforcement on a high-speed chase and crashed into a police vehicle,” said U.S. Attorney Easley. “When apprehended, he bragged that he wasn’t afraid to spend time in prison. Today’s sentence makes the Wilmington community safer by putting him behind bars for the next 10 years.”
“Violent criminals have no place on our streets. We will continue to do everything we can to ensure that those who are responsible for criminal activity are held accountable for their actions. We appreciate the partnerships we have with various agencies who helped us bring this case to a close. I am also grateful to the women and men of the Wilmington Police Department for their continued pursuit of justice to ensure a safe community for all,” said Chief Donny Williams.
According to court documents and other information presented in court, on July 29, 2021, a Wilmington Police Officer attempted to stop a car driven by Shaw for a revoked license and a traffic violation. Shaw pulled into a parking lot in the Creekwood area of Wilmington then sped off at a high rate of speed onto North 30th street. Shaw’s car struck a law enforcement van on Market Street, and law enforcement was then able to box in Shaw’s car following this collision. Shaw exited the car and fled on foot but was ultimately apprehended. At the time of his arrest, Shaw was in possession of an ounce of MDMA and $1,200 cash. Law enforcement found a stolen 9mm handgun and marijuana in the car.
Following Shaw’s arrest, he told officers that he was not afraid to “sit down.” Law enforcement knew this to mean that Shaw was claiming that he was not afraid to serve a prison sentence. Shaw said that it would give him a chance to meet a new “plug” (a source of supply for drugs). According to law enforcement, Shaw was a member of the 720 Folk Nation Gang. Shaw has prior convictions for Selling a Controlled Substance (2012), Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon (2013), Common Law Robbery (2015), and Selling Heroin (2015).
This is part of operation “Golfer” which is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launders, 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.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the New Hanover and Brunswick County Sheriffs’ Offices and the Wilmington Police Department investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Severo and Gabe Diaz prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 7:21-cr-00103-FL-1.
United States Attorney’s Office Seeks to Forfeit Homes Connected to Murder of Police OfficerRead the Press Release
Big Stone Gap, Va. – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Virginia has filed a civil complaint to forfeit a pair of Big Stone Gap homes connected to the November 2021 murder of Big Stone Gap Police Officer Michael Chandler.
In a complaint for forfeiture unsealed last week in U.S. District Court, the United States Attorney’s Office brought a civil action against both 2505 Orr Street and 2512 Orr Street in Big Stone Gap, Virginia, asking the court to forfeit the properties to the custody of the United States on the grounds that they were used to commit or facilitate criminal activities. Upon filing of the action, United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh made the following statement:
"On November 13, 2021, Officer Michael Chandler was responding to provide a welfare check on one of these homes at approximately 4:00 AM, where he was shot and killed. Our criminal investigation into Officer Chandler’s death resulted in federal charges against Michael White for the murder, as well as federal narcotics charges against White and 18 co-conspirators.
Our investigation also revealed that these two homes were hubs for a narcotics conspiracy that funneled narcotics to Southwest Virginia, and the owners knew about it and allowed it to proceed. In just the 15-month period prior to White’s death, there were approximately 78 calls for service for local police to respond to these two homes, including 911 calls. The United States Attorney’s will continue to use all the federal laws and tools at our disposal to protect our communities and our citizens."
This investigation is being conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Virginia State Police, the United States Marshal’s Service, the Wise County Sheriff’s Office, the City of Norton Police Department, the Kingsport Tennessee Police Department, the Big Stone Gap Police Department, the Wise County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office, the East Tennessee Drug Task Force, and the Southwest Virginia Drug Task Force, which is comprised of investigators from the Virginia State Police, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, the Scott County Sheriff’s Office, the Wise County Sheriff’s Office, the City of Norton Police Department, and the Big Stone Gap Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lena L. Busscher is prosecuting the criminal case. Assistant United States Attorney Krista Consiglio Frith is handling the civil forfeiture litigation.
United States Attorney’s Office Announces 20th Annual Project Safe Neighborhoods Logo Contest WinnersRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA --- United States Attorney Adair F. Boroughs announced today the winners of the United States Attorney’s Office’s 20th Annual Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Logo Contest.
The theme was “Preventing Gun Violence in Our Schools,” and the contest was open to all SC grade school students. Judges sought logos that demonstrated a successful collaboration between schools, communities, and law enforcement to reflect (1) warning signs that students should be looking for related to gun violence; (2) resources to help students who have concerns about gun violence; and (3) general messages to prevent gun violence in South Carolina schools. The overall winning logo will be displayed on our website and used in various presentations.
“Every year, we look forward to the entries submitted by SC students and gathering their input on how to curb gun violence in our schools. These students are important voices that we all need to listen to in addressing this national issue,” said U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs. “We hope that the winning artwork will capture the attention of other students and inspire them to use their voices in combatting gun violence.”
The winner from each grade division and the overall winner, along with their schools, are named below. Media should contact the respective schools to determine details of any award presentations to be held:
K–2ND GRADE DIVISION
Winner - Harlem Foster, 2nd grade
Fairfield Magnet School for Math & Science, Winnsboro, SC
Honorable Mention - Rocco Fuhr, 2nd grade
Memminger Elementary, Charleston, SC
3RD–5TH GRADE DIVISION/OVERALL WINNER
Winner/Overall Winner - Andrea Gaston, 5th grade
Wallace Elementary Middle School, Wallace, SC
Honorable Mention - Kaylee Summers, 5th grade
Fairfield Magnet School for Math & Science, Winnsboro, SC
6TH–8TH GRADE DIVISION
Winner - Ky’Mari Johnson, 8th grade
William J. Clark Middle School, Orangeburg, SC
Honorable Mention - Abryelle Bignal, 6th grade
Fairfield Magnet School for Math & Science, Winnsboro, SC
9TH–12TH GRADE DIVISION
Winner - Samantha Morales, 9th grade
C. A. Johnson High School, Columbia, SC
Honorable Mention - Paige Shea, 11th grade
Battery-Creek High School, Beaufort, SC
The winning entries were chosen by “The Insiders,” a select group of young leaders at the South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice who act as role models for the other youth. The South Carolina Sheriffs’ Association is providing $50.00 awards to each division winner, as well as an additional $50 to the overall winner. Additionally, all students who participated will receive a Certificate of Appreciation for their submissions.
The annual logo contest is a long-running part of the district’s PSN program and an important prevention initiative to engage our students in meaningful conversation about preventing gun crimes amongst our young people and ensuring a safe learning atmosphere for our children. PSN focuses on reducing violent crime in our communities through prevention, enforcement, and re-entry initiatives.
View this year’s winning submissions and learn more about the contest at https://www.justice.gov/usao-sc/programs/ceasefire/project-sentry/contest-winners.
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United States Attorney Ritz Announces Recent Prosecutions for “Switches” and Releases Public Service Announcement about Illegal Machine Gun Conversion DevicesRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – Today, United States Attorney Kevin G. Ritz, along with federal and local law
enforcement partners, announced the prosecution of 26 individuals for crimes involving machine gun
conversion devices, also known as “switches” or auto sears. These switches transform a
semiautomatic firearm into a machine gun capable of firing dozens of rounds of ammunition in a
couple of seconds.United States Attorney Ritz also released a 60-second public service announcement, available here,
about the danger posed by switches. The PSA features a trained agent demonstrating how these
illegal devices turn a firearm into a machine gun that is essentially impossible to control. In the
PSA, United States Attorney Ritz also explains that simply possessing a switch can result in
significant penalties—up to 10 years in federal prison.United States Attorney Ritz said: “Switches are illegal and highly dangerous devices that convert
semiautomatic firearms into machine guns. These devices threaten public safety and make the gun
violence problem even worse. As our recent prosecutions show, we are vigorously enforcing the
federal laws prohibiting machine gun conversion devices. I encourage the public to watch our new
public service announcement and spread the word: anyone with a switch will face significant time in
federal prison.”The U.S. Attorney’s Office has made prosecution of crimes involving switches a top priority. In
recent months, Assistant United States Attorneys in both Memphis and Jackson have prosecuted 26
individuals for illegally possessing switches. These cases, which are detailed below, were
investigated by federal and local law enforcement partners, including the Bureau of Alcohol,
Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Homeland
Security Investigations (HSI), the Memphis Police Department (MPD), and the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO).“These illegal machine gun conversion devices more commonly referred to as ‘switches’ can
significantly enhance the rate of fire of a semi-automatic firearm. This enhancement adds to the
potential lethality of the weapon. Our communities are experiencing an unacceptable increase in
firearm related violence and these devices have no place on our streets,” said Marcus Watson,
Special Agent in Charge, ATF, Nashville.Memphis Police Chief, Cerelyn “CJ” Davis said, "Gun violence has increasingly plagued our city in
recent years, causing death and trauma throughout. Switches and similar devices have only
exacerbated these urgent issues in our community, prompting the need for stronger enforcement. We
are grateful for U.S. Attorney Kevin Ritz and his team of prosecutors for aggressively seeking the
maximum penalties for individuals who brazenly commit violence."“The illegal importation and use of switches create a significant threat to public safety. As
simple to manufacture as they are quick to install, conversion devices turn regular firearms into a
machine gun capable of inflicting tremendous harm in a split second. Homeland Security
Investigations (HSI) is committed to stopping the transnational criminal organizations that
conspire to import these illegal firearm conversion kits used for violent criminal acts and harming
the communities we serve,” said Special Agent in Charge Rana Saoud, HSI Nashville.“The United States Marshals Service always stands ready to assist our local, state, and federal
partners in executing arrest warrants for suspects who possess weapons with ‘switches’ or
modifications. These suspects pose a consequential threat to our communities and will be a priority
for our fugitive task forces,” said Tyreece Miller, United States Marshal, Western District of
Tennessee.The following defendants have been convicted and sentenced for federal crimes involving switches.
There is no parole in the federal system.• Prenagio Baines, 21. Baines was a member of AOB, a violent hybrid street gang operating in
Memphis. On March 13, 2022, MPD officers encountered a vehicle parked on the wrong side of the
road. Baines got out of the vehicle. Officers discovered a .40 caliber pistol with a machine gun
conversion device attached. Baines admitted that he left the gun in the vehicle. He pled guilty to
possessing a machine gun and was sentenced on February 27, 2023, to 24 months in prison.• Daniel Banks, 23. Banks fled from officers on foot during a traffic stop. He dropped a firearm
with a switch after he jumped over a fence. Banks pled guilty to drug and gun crimes, including
possession of a machine gun, and was sentenced on March 24, 2023, to 84 months.• Justin Hardaway, 23. Hardaway was a member of the Grape Street Crips, a violent street gang
operating in Memphis. In March 2022, officers followed Hardaway driving a stolen Dodge Charger into
the parking lot of a convenience store. The officers placed Hardaway into custody and recovered a
.40 caliber Glock handgun with a machine gun conversion device attached. Hardaway pled guilty to possessing a machine gun and was sentenced on February 14, 2023, to 30 months.• Terrance Jones, 24. ATF learned that Jones was selling drugs, which led to a search warrant
executed on his trap house. Jones had a home camera system that recorded him selling drugs with
firearms. The switch charge derived from a separate incident—a shooting at Young Dolph’s memorial.
Jones was in the car that fled the scene, and the evidence showed that he discarded a firearm with
the switch. Jones pled guilty. He was sentenced on October 27, 2022, to 30 months on the switch
charge and a consecutive 60 months on a separate firearm charge.• Daniel Kirtman, 25. Kirtman, a convicted felon, sold a short-barreled rifle. Agents arrested
Kirtman and seized a Glock pistol equipped with an extended magazine and a machinegun conversion
device. Kirtman pled guilty to firearm crimes and was sentenced on December 7, 2022, to 102 months
in prison.• Michael Thomas, 24. Thomas sold and possessed multiple machine gun conversion devices. Thomas
pled guilty to possessing the switches and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug
trafficking crime. He was sentenced on December 1, 2022, to 84 months.• Michael Naylor, 26. Investigators discovered Naylor worked at a gun store and was selling
machine guns, switches, and other firearms. During the investigation, agents met with Naylor on two
different occasions to purchase switches. In the first meeting, undercover ATF agents purchased
three switches, and in the second meeting agents purchased one switch. On the final occasion,
Naylor brought twenty switches to sell. ATF agents arrested him. Naylor pled guilty and was
sentenced on March 3, 2023, to 27 months.The following defendants have been convicted of federal crimes involving switches and are awaiting
sentencing. Under federal law, the penalty for possession of a machine gun is up to 10 years in
prison.• Kameron Chatman, 20. Chatman was seen in a Facebook video with a switch. On March 9, 2023, he
pled guilty in federal court in Jackson, Tennessee, to firearm crimes, including possession of a
machine gun.• Avonta Gregory, 21. Gregory, a member of the AOB violent hybrid street gang in Memphis, pled
guilty on May 1, 2023, to possessing a Glock firearm with a 22- round magazine and a machine gun
conversion device.• Martavious Hodges, 23. Hodges, a member of the Fast Cash violent hybrid street gang in Memphis,
sold firearms with switches on January 7, 2022, and January 26, 2022. On February 9, 2022, officers
arrested Hodges with six switches before the third controlled delivery. He pled guilty on March
22, 2023, to possession of a machine gun.• Cameron Person, 20. Law enforcement executed a search warrant on Person’s residence and located
four switches, materials to put together another one, and two firearms. He pled guilty in federal
court in Jackson, Tennessee, on March 7, 2023, to possession of a machine gun.• Michael Rimmer, Jr., 21. Law enforcement recovered five firearms possessed by Rimmer. Two had
switches. Rimmer pled guilty on March 20, 2023, to a drug crime and possession of machine guns.• Mitchell Shaw, 23. Shaw pled guilty on September 28, 2022, in federal court in Jackson,
Tennessee, to possessing a machine gun.• Maurice Wilson, 38. Defendant possessed a switch and pled guilty on March 14, 2023, to firearm
crimes.• Dionco Lowe, 25. During the investigation into Lowe, law enforcement recovered four firearms
and a machine gun conversion device. Lowe pled guilty on May 9, 2023, to being a felon in
possession of a firearm.The following defendants have been charged with federal crimes involving switches. Members of the
public are reminded that an indictment is an accusation and only contains charges. Each defendant
is presumed innocent of the charges and it is the government’s burden to prove each defendant’s
guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.• Nakiel Addison, 25. Addison was indicted on March 30, 2023, for federal gun crimes, including
possessing a firearm with a switch.• Khamron Roberts, 25. Roberts was indicted on April 27, 2023, for federal gun crimes, including
possessing a firearm with a switch.• Roosevelt Wilson, 42. Wilson was indicted on April 27, 2023, for federal gun crimes. His alleged
crime involved ordering 25 switches from China.• Jaquan Bridges, 22. Bridges was indicted on April 27, 2023, for possessing a machine gun. His
alleged crime involved shooting at a SCSO deputy on the interstate. Investigators recovered a gun
with a switch.• Jaqerious Conner, 25. Conner was indicted on November 10, 2022, for drug and gun crimes,
including possession of a machine gun. Conner was investigated for trafficking drugs and switches.
Officers recovered multiple firearms, one of which was a Glock with a machine gun conversion
device.• Quatavious Doggett, 23. Doggett was indicted on March 16, 2023, for being a felon in possession
of a firearm and possession of a machine gun. His alleged crime involved possession of a firearm
with a switch.• Pariss Johnson, 36, Paris Brown, 22, and Leroy Cloyd, 22. These three defendants were indicted
on February 16, 2023, for possessing machine guns. During the investigation, law enforcement
performed undercover purchases of machine gun conversion devices.• Timothy Williams, 25. Williams was indicted on February 7, 2023, for being a felon in possession
of firearms and other crimes. During the investigation, law enforcement recovered four firearms and
a machine gun conversion device.• Eddie Martinez, 25. Martinez was indicted on January 26, 2023, for possession of a machine gun.
During the investigation agents recovered a Glock 9mm pistol with a switch and loaded with 23
rounds.Several defendants charged in this series of indictments are alleged to be convicted felons. Under
federal law, is it illegal for an individual convicted of a felony to possess a firearm or
ammunition.Anyone with information about switches or other federal gun crimes can call 1-800-ATF- GUNS
(1-800-283-4867).United States Attorney Ritz offered his gratitude to the Assistant United States Attorneys who are
prosecuting these cases, as well as the law enforcement partners who investigated
cases.
U.S. Law Enforcement Disrupts Networks Used to Transfer Fraud Proceeds, Taking over 4,000 Actions in Fifth CampaignRead the Press Release
The Justice Department, FBI, U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), and other federal law enforcement agencies announced today the completion of a three-month campaign that disrupted networks used by foreign fraudsters to obtain fraud proceeds. Multiple law enforcement actions addressed conduct by individuals sometimes referred to as “money mules,” who have been providing critical services to fraudsters by receiving money from fraud victims and forwarding the fraud proceeds to the perpetrators (many of whom are based overseas). Some individuals knew they were facilitating fraud, while others first interacted with fraudsters as victims and may have been unaware that their activity furthered criminal activity.
Over approximately the last three months, law enforcement took over 4,000 actions against individuals responsible for facilitating a range of fraud schemes. These schemes included those that targeted consumers, such as lottery fraud and romance scams, as well as those that targeted businesses or pandemic funds.
The thousands of actions taken by law enforcement — which ranged from criminal prosecutions to civil actions, to warning letters — were designed to punish those who knowingly assisted fraudsters and to advise those who may have been unknowingly helping fraudsters that their conduct furthered crime. These actions are intended to deter overseas fraudsters from relying on U.S.-based individuals to facilitate schemes and thereby reduce the harm caused by foreign fraud operations.
This year’s effort marked the fifth U.S. law enforcement campaign disrupting these money transmitting networks. Since the first campaign, during which approximately 400 actions were taken by law enforcement, agencies have collectively taken over 12,000 actions. Investigations have shown that disrupting money transmitting networks has impeded fraudsters’ abilities to receive funds, thereby reducing fraud victimization. These campaigns are part of a global effort to tackle money transmitting networks linked to illegal activity.
“Law enforcement is committed to reducing fraud using every tool at our disposal. Our efforts to disrupt networks used to transfer fraud proceeds, to educate the public about elder fraud, and to prosecute those involved in these schemes have stymied fraudsters,” said Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta. “This initiative demonstrates what can be achieved through focused efforts and vigorous enforcement.”
“The money mule campaign was an effort to educate the public, disrupt criminal enterprises, and provide feedback to financial institutions who go to great lengths to implement anti-money laundering programs,” said Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “The FBI values the partnership of the Justice Department's Consumer Protection Branch, USPIS, and other federal agencies who work together to disrupt criminal enterprises conducting fraud and money laundering schemes.”
“Anyone can be approached to be a money mule, but criminals often target students, those looking for work, and those on dating websites,” said USPIS Inspector in Charge Eric Shen of the Criminal Investigations Group. “When those individuals use the U.S. Mail to send or receive funds from fraudsters, postal inspectors are quick to step in and put a stop to money mule activities.”
This year’s effort was coordinated by the Justice Department's Consumer Protection Branch, FBI and USPIS, which were joined by Homeland Security Investigations, the Department of Labor Office of Inspector General and the Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General. Participating agencies collectively served over 4,000 letters warning individuals that their activities are facilitating fraud. These letters outlined the potential consequences for continuing to transmit illegally acquired funds. Participating agencies also filed 12 civil or administrative actions. Additionally, more than 25 individuals were criminally charged for knowingly receiving and forwarding victim funds or otherwise laundering fraud proceeds.
-
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District Massachusetts charged a defendant for using his accounting and “virtual CFO” business as a front to launder the proceeds of internet fraud schemes. As part of the alleged conspiracy, the defendant created dozens of shell companies and used those shell companies to open business bank accounts in Rhode Island and Massachusetts, through which the defendant laundered the criminal proceeds for his clients in exchange for fees. In total, since 2019, the defendant is alleged to have opened approximately 80 bank accounts (purportedly on behalf of 65 different companies), laundering approximately $35 million.
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The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of North Carolina charged an individual for facilitating an international, multimillion-dollar tech support fraud. The indictment alleged that the defendant agreed to obtain payment-processing services in his name to process victim payments and laundered the proceeds domestically and internationally to bank accounts located in India, receiving 3% of the revenue in return.
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The U.S. Attorneys' Offices for the Central District of California and the District of Nebraska charged individuals who, despite warnings from law enforcement, continued facilitating fraud. In the Central District of California, an individual was charged for her role in receiving funds from fraud victims, including victims of business email compromises. According to the charges, the defendant opened 11 bank accounts at seven separate financial institutions in furtherance of the scheme. In the District of Nebraska, two individuals were charged for facilitating a lottery fraud scheme, including by receiving cashier’s checks in the mail.
As in past years, participating agencies are working to raise awareness about how fraudsters recruit and use individuals to assist their fraud operations. Federal agencies conducted outreach to the public and industry, and also expanded partnerships with local, state, and foreign law enforcement agencies. The Commodities Futures Trading Commission released a public awareness message about how fraudsters use and recruit people to facilitate romance fraud and “wrong number” text message scams, where fraudsters strike up conversations touting their wealth and success in trading crypto assets, over-the-counter foreign currency, or gold contracts to try and convince consumers to “invest” in crypto assets.
The agencies involved in this effort urge consumers to be on the lookout for signs someone is trying to recruit them to receive and transmit fraud proceeds. Do not agree to receive money or checks mailed to you or sent to your bank account for someone you have met over the phone or online. Do not open a bank or cryptocurrency account at someone else’s direction. Fraudsters will lie to persuade you to help them. They may falsely tell you that they are helping you get a lottery prize, initiate a purported romantic relationship and then tell you that they need money, or pretend to offer you a job, an opportunity to invest in a business venture, or the chance to help in a charitable effort.
For more information on this initiative, please visit www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch/money-mule-initiative.
Information about the Department of Justice’s Elder Fraud Initiative is available at www.justice.gov/elderjustice. If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is available at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311).
Information about the Justice Department's COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force is available at www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit its website at www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch.
A criminal indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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U.S. Law Enforcement Disrupts Networks Used to Transfer Fraud Proceeds, Taking over 4,000 Actions in Fifth CampaignRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – The Department of Justice, FBI, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and other federal law enforcement agencies announced today the completion of a three-month campaign that disrupted networks used by foreign fraudsters to obtain fraud proceeds. Multiple law enforcement actions addressed conduct by individuals sometimes referred to as “money mules,” who have been providing critical services to fraudsters by receiving money from fraud victims and forwarding the fraud proceeds to the perpetrators (many of whom are based overseas). Some individuals knew they were facilitating fraud. Others first interacted with fraudsters as victims and may have been unaware that their activity furthered criminal activity.
Over approximately the last three months, law enforcement took over 4,000 actions against individuals responsible for facilitating a range of fraud schemes. These schemes included those that targeted consumers, such as lottery fraud and romance scams, as well as those that targeted businesses or pandemic funds.
The thousands of actions taken by law enforcement—which ranged from criminal prosecutions, to civil actions, to warning letters—were designed to punish those who knowingly assisted fraudsters and to advise those who may have been unknowingly helping fraudsters that their conduct furthered crime. These actions are intended to deter overseas fraudsters from relying on U.S.-based individuals to facilitate schemes, and thereby reduce the harm caused by foreign fraud operations.
This year’s effort marked the fifth U.S. law enforcement campaign disrupting these money transmitting networks. Since the first campaign, during which approximately 400 actions were taken by law enforcement, agencies have collectively taken over 12,000 actions. Investigations have shown that disrupting money transmitting networks has impeded fraudsters’ abilities to receive funds, thereby reducing fraud victimization. These campaigns are part of a global effort to tackle money transmitting networks linked to illegal activity.
“Law enforcement is committed to reducing fraud using every tool at our disposal. Our efforts to disrupt networks used to transfer fraud proceeds, to educate the public about elder fraud, and to prosecute those involved in these schemes have stymied fraudsters,” said Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta. “This initiative demonstrates what can be achieved through focused efforts and vigorous enforcement.”
“The money mule campaign was an effort to educate the public, disrupt criminal enterprises, and provide feedback to financial institutions who go to great lengths to implement anti-money laundering programs,” said Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “The FBI values the partnership of DOJ Consumer Protection Branch, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and other federal agencies who work together to disrupt criminal enterprises conducting fraud and money laundering schemes.”
“Anyone can be approached to be a money mule, but criminals often target students, those looking for work, and those on dating websites,” said Eric Shen, Inspector in Charge of the Criminal Investigations Group. “When those individuals use the U.S. Mail to send or receive funds from fraudsters, Postal Inspectors are quick to step in and put a stop to money mule activities.”
This year’s effort was coordinated by the Department of Justice’s Consumer Protection Branch, the FBI, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, which were joined by Homeland Security Investigations, the Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, and the Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General. Participating agencies collectively served over 4,000 letters warning individuals that their activities are facilitating fraud. These letters outlined the potential consequences for continuing to transmit illegally acquired funds. Participating agencies also filed twelve civil or administrative actions. Additionally, more than 25 individuals were criminally charged for knowingly receiving and forwarding victim funds or otherwise laundering fraud proceeds.
- The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District Massachusetts charged a defendant for using his accounting and “virtual CFO” business as a front to launder the proceeds of internet fraud schemes. As part of the alleged conspiracy, the defendant created dozens of shell companies and used those shell companies to open business bank accounts in Rhode Island and Massachusetts, through which the defendant laundered the criminal proceeds for his clients in exchange for fees. In total, since 2019, the defendant is alleged to have opened approximately 80 bank accounts (purportedly on behalf of 65 different companies), laundering approximately $35 million.
- The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of North Carolina charged an individual for facilitating an international, multi-million-dollar tech support fraud. The indictment alleged that the defendant agreed to obtain payment-processing services in his name to process victim payments and laundered the proceeds domestically and internationally to bank accounts located in India, receiving three percent of the revenue in return.
- The U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Central District of California and the District of Nebraska charged individuals who, despite warnings from law enforcement, continued facilitating fraud. In the Central District of California, an individual was charged for her role in receiving funds from fraud victims, including victims of business email compromises. According to the charges, the defendant opened 11 bank accounts at seven separate financial institutions in furtherance of the scheme. In the District of Nebraska, two individuals were charged for facilitating a lottery fraud scheme, including by receiving cashier’s checks in the mail.
Criminal charges are merely allegations. Defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
As in past years, participating agencies are working to raise awareness about how fraudsters recruit and use individuals to assist their fraud operations. Federal agencies conducted outreach to the public and industry, and also expanded partnerships with local, state, and foreign law enforcement agencies. The Commodities Futures Trading Commission released a public awareness message about how fraudsters use and recruit people to facilitate romance fraud and “wrong number” text message scams, where fraudsters strike up conversations touting their wealth and success in trading crypto assets, over-the-counter foreign currency, or gold contracts to try and convince consumers to “invest” in crypto assets.
The agencies involved in this effort urge consumers to be on the lookout for signs someone is trying to recruit them to receive and transmit fraud proceeds. Do not agree to receive money or checks mailed to you or sent to your bank account for someone you have met over the phone or online. Do not open a bank or cryptocurrency account at someone else’s direction. Fraudsters will lie to persuade you to help them. They may falsely tell you that they are helping you get a lottery prize, initiate a purported romantic relationship and then tell you that they need money, or pretend to offer you a job, an opportunity to invest in a business venture, or the chance to help in a charitable effort.
For more information on this initiative, please visit www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch/money-mule-initiative.
Information about the Department of Justice’s Elder Fraud Initiative is available at www.justice.gov/elderjustice. If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is available at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311).
Information about the Department of Justice’s COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force is available at https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit its website at https://www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch.
U.S. Attorney’s Office to receive four additional prosecutors, including two for Indian Country casesRead the Press Release
BILLINGS — The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Montana will be receiving four new full-time federal prosecutor positions, including two positions dedicated to addressing cases arising in Indian Country, one position for violent crime and one position for eLitigation work, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said today.
The U.S. Department of Justice allocated additional resources for U.S. Attorney’s Offices throughout the country from funding within the President’s budget passed last year.
“These new Assistant United States Attorney positions are a significant investment from the Justice Department and will strengthen our ability to address public safety across the state, especially in Indian Country,” U.S. Attorney Laslovich said.
One of the new Indian Country prosecutors will be located in either the Great Falls or Helena branch office, while the second new position will be in the Billings branch office. Duties will include prosecuting assaults, burglaries, sexual assaults, murders, and drug cases, and serving as a liaison between the reservation and the U.S. Attorney. Prosecutors assigned to Indian Country, which is a legal term in federal law, prosecute major crimes arising in six Montana Indian reservations within federal jurisdiction, including the Blackfeet, Rocky Boy’s, Fort Belknap, Fort Peck, Crow and Northern Cheyenne.
The new violent crime prosecutor will be assigned to the Billings branch office, while the eLitigation prosecutor will be assigned to either Missoula, Helena or Billings. The eLitigation position will be the district’s first lawyer assigned to this field and will focus on enhancing the District’s electronic litigation efforts, particularly in the intake, processing, and production of discovery in criminal and civil cases.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Montana currently has 31 Assistant U.S. Attorneys working in its criminal and civil divisions in branch offices located in Missoula, Helena, Great Falls, and Billings. The hiring process is underway and expected to take several months. When the four positions are added, the office will have a total of 35 assistant U.S. attorneys.
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Two Minneapolis Men Plead Guilty to Armed CarjackingRead the Press Release
ST PAUL, Minn. – Two Minneapolis men have pleaded guilty to carjacking, kidnapping, and holding a victim at gunpoint for several hours, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, on the evening of February 14, 2023, Jamal Timothy Funchess, 18, T’Shawn Teon Palton, 21, and a juvenile posted an advertisement on Facebook Marketplace to purportedly sell an iPhone. The victim responded and made arrangements to buy the phone. The victim and the purported seller agreed to meet at a location in Columbia Heights. When the victim arrived at the location and was still in the car, Palton and the juvenile approached. The juvenile had a gun and hit the victim in the face with the firearm. The men ordered the victim to the backseat of the car. The men then got into the victim’s car, drove a few blocks, and picked up Funchess.
For several hours, the three men drove the victim’s car around the Twin Cities, holding the victim at gunpoint in the backseat. Each of the three men at some point held the firearm and pointed it at the victim. During this time, they demanded that the victim surrender his cell phone, wallet, credit cards, and banking information. They drove to several gas stations around the Twin Cities in an attempt to use the victim’s cards to withdraw money. Toward the end of the ordeal, the three men discussed what to do with the victim and openly talked about murdering him. Eventually, they dropped the victim on a road in St. Paul and drove away in the victim’s car. The victim ran to a nearby gas station and borrowed an employee’s cell phone to call 911.
Officers were able to use the location of the victim’s stolen cell phone to find Palton, Funchess, and the juvenile, along with the victim’s stolen car and possessions.
Funchess and Palton pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court before Senior Judge Susan Richard Nelson to one count each of carjacking. Sentencing hearings will be scheduled at a later date.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, the Anoka County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bloomington Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew D. Forbes is prosecuting the case.
Two Indicted for Narcotics Offenses Involving 20 Kilograms of CocaineRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Two men have been indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston in connection with a traffic stop in Littleton on March 29, 2023, that resulted in the seizure of 20 kilograms of cocaine.
Cornelio Hernandez, 51, of Fort Worth, Texas; and Erasmo Lira-Mendez, 38, a citizen of Mexico, have been indicted on one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and one count of possession with intent to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine. Hernandez and Lira-Mendez were arrested on March 29, 2023, on related state charges. The defendants were detained following an initial appearance in federal court in Worcester today before U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge David H. Hennessy.
According to court documents, Hernandez and Lira-Mendez were arrested after a traffic stop in Littleton resulted in the seizure of 20 kilograms of cocaine from a duffle bag on the back seat of their car. The driver, Lira-Mendez, lacked a driver’s license. The passenger, Hernandez, also lacked a driver’s license and had a pending warrant for his arrest in Texas.
The charges of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances (involving 5 kilograms or more of cocaine) and possession with intent to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine provide for a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years incarceration and a maximum of life, at least five years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $10 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Samuel R. Feldman of Levy’s Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Tulare County Man Sentenced to over 17 Years in Prison for Gun and Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Jonathan Gallegos, 32, of Ivanhoe, was sentenced to 17 years and seven months in prison for trafficking methamphetamine and marijuana and using a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, the charges arose from a long-term investigation that uncovered evidence of a scheme involving the trade of illegal drugs sourced in Mexico and California for firearms sourced in Texas. In 2021, a team of local, state, and federal law enforcement officers partnered in an investigation into the Tulare County Surenos Street Gang. Part of the investigation focused on Gallegos and his associates, who were involved in shipping illegal drugs and firearms across state lines.
Between April 6, 2021, and Dec. 17, 2021, Gallegos and associates shipped kilograms of methamphetamine and marijuana from post offices in Central California to residences in San Antonio, Texas. Gallegos’s drug-buying customers shipped firearms back to Gallegos and his associates in California, as payment for the narcotics they had received.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office, the Tulare County Area Regencies Gun Enforcement Team, the Visalia Police Department, the California Department of Justice’s Bureau of Investigation, the California Highway Patrol’s Special Operations Unit, and the Tulare County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin J. Gilio and Antonio J. Pataca are prosecuting the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.