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Monday 15 May 2023
U.S. Attorney Waldref Recognizes Police Week in Eastern WashingtonRead the Press Release
Spokane, Washington: In honor of National Police Week, Vanessa R. Waldref, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, recognized the service and sacrifice of federal, state, local, and Tribal law enforcement. This year, the week is observed from May 14 through May 20, 2023.
At the National Peace Officers’ Memorial Service, which was held earlier today at the Nation’s Capital, United States Attorney General Merrick Garland stated, “We pay tribute to the law enforcement officers who sacrificed their lives in service to our country, we also honor the ongoing sacrifices by those they love the most.” The Attorney General continued, “These are individuals who answered the call to serve from a wide variety of backgrounds bringing different perspectives and different experiences to their work. . . . Each made the same promise, to serve and protect their communities. They promised that when a call for help came, they would answer. They promised that when a crisis arose in their community, they would respond. They promised that nothing, no danger, no threat, would stop them from showing up when they were needed the most. Each of the individuals we honor today kept that promise.”
U.S. Attorney Vanessa R. Waldref joined the Attorney General in thanking law enforcement. “Today and throughout this week, we thank our federal, state, local and Tribal law enforcement officers for their unrelenting commitment to protect us all and keep the communities of Eastern Washington safe and strong,” said U.S. Attorney Waldref. “These courageous men and women routinely put their lives on the line for ours, and we are extremely grateful for their sacrifice. We all owe them our deepest gratitude and respect – and not just for this week alone, but each and every day that these brave individuals serve our communities.”
President John F. Kennedy issued the first proclamation in 1962 for Peace Officers Memorial Day and National Police Week to remember and honor law enforcement officers for their service and sacrifices. Peace Officers Memorial Day, which every year falls on May 15, specifically honors law enforcement officers killed or disabled in the line of duty. Based on data submitted to and analyzed by the National Law Enforcement Officer Memorial Fund (NLEOMF), 332 law enforcement officers died nationwide in the line of duty in 2022. In the State of Washington, five officers died last year in the line of duty.
In proclaiming May 14 through May 20, 2023, as Police Week, President Biden “call[ed] upon all Americans to observe these events with appropriate ceremonies and activities and salute our Nation’s brave law enforcement officers and remember their peace officer brothers and sisters who have given their last full measure of devotion in the line of duty.” President Biden further “encourage[d] all Americans to display the flag at half-staff from their homes and businesses on that day.”
Additional information and resources regarding this year’s Police Week is available at: https://nleomf.org/memorial/programs/national-police-week-2023/.
U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker recognizes National Police WeekRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – In honor of this week as National Police Week, U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker recognizes the service and sacrifice of all law enforcement officers in the Southern District of Ohio.
“I ask the public to join me in thanking the many men and women of law enforcement who nobly and honorably serve their profession and communities,” said U.S. Attorney Parker. “Our law enforcement officers are public servants, who are tasked with serving our communities knowing their commitment to do so could cost them their lives. They have taken a solemn oath to protect us with the same vigor that they would their own families.”
In 1962, President Kennedy issued the first proclamation for Peace Officers Memorial Day and National Police Week to remember and honor law enforcement officers for their service and sacrifices. Peace Officers Memorial Day, which every year falls on May 15, specifically honors law enforcement officers killed or disabled in the line of duty.
Each year, hundreds of names of officers killed in the line of duty are engraved on the walls of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, DC. These names are then read aloud during the annual Candlelight Vigil to memorialize those who made the ultimate sacrifice. This year marked the 35th Annual Candlelight Vigil.
At this year’s candlelight vigil, Clark County Deputy Matthew Eugene Yates’s name was read aloud. Deputy Yates was killed in the line of duty on July 24, 2022.
The schedule of National Police Week events is available on the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial website.
You can view U.S. Attorney Parker’s entire message to law enforcement officers on the Southern District of Ohio’s Facebook page.
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Two guilty in prison contraband bribery schemeRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A local man has admitted he paid a prison guard to smuggle contraband into the La Villa Detention Center (LVDC), announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Abel Angel Solis, 24, Pharr, admitted he paid Jose Martin Espinoza, 36, Mercedes, to smuggle cellular phones into LVDC. Espinoza entered his plea April 24.
On May 17, 2022, Espinoza attempted to enter the detention center for his normally scheduled duty. At that time, other prison officials conducted a search and found a cell phone wrapped in cellophane inside his work cap.
Espinoza subsequently admitted Solis was paying him to bring the phones to an inmate who was being detained at LVDC pending proceedings on a hostage taking case. That inmate, Sixto Gonzalez Jr., pleaded guilty in that matter today.
The investigation also revealed cash app transactions between Espinoza and Solis. The transactions totaled $1,500 for the delivery of three phones from Espinoza to Gonzalez.
U.S. District Judge Marina Marmolejo accepted the pleas. U.S. District Judge Ricardo Hinojosa will impose sentencing July 31 and Aug. 18, for Espinoza and Solis, respectively. At those times, Espinoza and Solis face up to 15 years in prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
Solis has been and will remain in custody pending that hearing. Espinoza was permitted to remain on bond.
The FBI conducted the investigation with the assistance of the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Colton Turner is prosecuting the case.
Two Northeast Ohio Men Sentenced for Armed Carjacking SpreeRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – Thomas J.D. Williams, 19, of Maple Heights, Ohio, was sentenced on Monday, May 8, 2023, to 15 years in prison by U.S. District Judge James S. Gwin after he pleaded guilty to three counts of carjacking and two counts of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.
Donteze Congress, 19, of Maple Heights, Ohio, was sentenced on Tuesday, May 9, 2023, to 15 years in prison by U.S. District Judge James S. Gwin after he pleaded guilty to three counts of carjacking and two counts of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.
According to court documents, in three separate incidents on August 9, 2022, Congress, Williams, and co-defendant Kenneth Franklin used firearms and threats of violence to steal vehicles. During two of the armed carjacking incidents, court documents say that the defendants, riding together in a vehicle, intentionally crashed their vehicle into the rear of the victim’s vehicle to cause a minor traffic incident. In the third incident, the defendants followed the victim’s vehicle to a shopping center parking lot.
Court documents state that on each occasion, as the victim exited their vehicle, they were confronted by two or three of the carjackers brandishing firearms, threatening violence, and demanding the keys to the vehicle.
Court documents state that later that day, officers with the Solon Police Department, along with assistance from other jurisdictions, located Williams driving in one of the stolen vehicles. Williams was later arrested and found to be in possession of a victim credit card and a loaded pistol.
Co-defendant Kenneth Franklin is scheduled to be sentenced on June 5, 2023.
The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Solon Police Department, Cuyahoga Falls Police Department, Streetsboro Police Department, and the Garfield Heights Police Department.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Peter E. Daly and Christopher J. Joyce.
Two Men Sentenced for Violations of the Federal Controlled Substances and Gun Control ActsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – On May 11, 2023 United States District Judge Eldon E. Fallon sentenced GERARD BROWN, age 36, of New Orleans, and EDGARDO RUIZ, age 30, of Los Angeles, California, for violating the Federal Controlled Substances and the Federal Gun Control Acts, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.
According to the court records, BROWN conspired to possess with the intent to distribute and to distribute large amounts of heroin and fentanyl. BROWN also pled guilty to being a felon in possession of firearms after DEA agents found several guns in his house during the execution of a search warrant. RUIZ, who was incarcerated in California at the time of the offense, pled guilty to two counts of using a communications device to further drug trafficking activity. He admitted to using a contraband cellphone in jail to arrange drug transactions with BROWN.
Judge Fallon sentenced BROWN to 10 years in federal prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. Judge Fallon sentenced RUIZ to eight years imprisonment to be followed by one year of supervised release. BROWN and RUIZ were also ordered to pay a mandatory special assessment fee of $200 each.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by Special Agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney David Haller of the Violent Crime Unit.
Two Fentanyl Traffickers Plead Guilty to Charges Arising from the 2022 “Operation Killer High” Investigation in FresnoRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Henry Cox, 23, and Abel Lozano, 29, both of Sanger, pleaded guilty today to trafficking over 500 grams of fentanyl. Lozano also pleaded guilty to trafficking over 500 grams of methamphetamine and over 100 grams of a fentanyl analogue, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, investigation, dubbed “Operation Killer High,” began after a series of victims overdosed on counterfeit oxycodone M30 pills laced with fentanyl in the Fresno area. The investigation aimed to search for the drug dealers believed to have supplied the toxic pills that caused the spike in fentanyl-related overdoses. The operation uncovered a large drug-trafficking ring led by co-defendant Horacio Torrecillas Urias Jr., 22, of Fresno, the self-proclaimed “M30 king of Fresno.”
On Feb. 11, 2022, federal officers executed a search warrant at Lozano’s residence and found over a kilogram of fentanyl, 991 grams of p-flourofentanyl (an analogue more potent than fentanyl), and 907 grams of methamphetamine. According to Lozano’s plea agreement, he intended to distribute those drugs to other persons.
Also in February 2022, members of the investigative team intercepted communications between Henry Cox and others in which Cox discussed his plan to obtain and sell thousands of M30 fentanyl pills. The recorded calls led investigators to conduct a traffic stop on a car on Feb. 17, 2022. Officers searched the car and found about 20,000 fentanyl pills and almost 1 kilogram of fentanyl powder. According to Cox’s plea agreement, the drugs were part of the conspiracy in which he joined.
Charges are pending against Horacio Torrecillas Urias Jr and the other 15 co-defendants. The defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is the result of an investigation by FORT (a multi-agency team composed of Homeland Security Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Fresno Police Department), the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Clovis Police Department, the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office, and the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office, with assistance from the Bakersfield Police Department and the California Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin J. Gilio and Laurel J. Montoya are prosecuting the case.
Sentencing for Cox and Lozano is set for Aug. 28, 2023, before U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston. Cox and Lozano face a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison and a fine up to $10 million. The actual sentences, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
This case is part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (S.O.S.), a program designed to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids in high impact areas as well as identifying wholesale distribution networks and international and domestic suppliers. In July 2018, the Justice Department announced the creation of S.O.S., which is being implemented in the Eastern District of California and nine other federal districts.
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.
Spokane Resident Sentenced to 6 Months for COVID-19 Relief FraudRead the Press Release
Spokane, Washington – Vanessa R. Waldref, the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced today that Natasha Ann Opsal, 41, of Spokane, Washington, was sentenced to 6 months in federal prison for fraudulently obtaining more than $50,000 in COVID-19 relief funds. United States District Judge Thomas Rice announced the sentence, the most recent obtained by the COVID-19 Relief Fraud Strike Force.
On March 27, 2020, the President signed into law the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act. The CARES Act provided a number of programs through which eligible small businesses could request and obtain relief funding intended to mitigate the economic impacts of the pandemic for small and local businesses. One such program, the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), provided government-backed funding to small businesses which could be forgiven so long as the proceeds were used for payroll and other eligible expenses. Another program, the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program, provided low interest loans that could be deferred until the conclusion of the pandemic to provide “bridge” funding for small businesses to maintain their operations during shutdowns and other economic circumstances caused by the pandemic. The PPP and EIDL programs have provided billions of dollars in aid, the vast majority of which have not been paid back, including hundreds of millions of dollars disbursed within Eastern Washington.
“COVID-19 relief programs were designed to lift up our community during crisis, and due to the number of people and businesses that requested funding, some deserving small businesses were not able to obtain funding to keep their businesses in operation,” said U.S. Attorney Waldref. “We created the Strike Force to ensure that those who misused COVID-19 relief funding are held accountable and to protect the strength and safety of our vital small business community.”
In February 2022, U.S. Attorney Waldref and the U.S. Attorney’s Office (USAO) began working with federal law enforcement agencies to create and launch a COVID-19 Fraud Strike Force that would leverage partnerships between different agencies to aggressively investigate and prosecute fraud against COVID-19 relief programs in Eastern Washington. The Strike Force consists of agency representatives from the USAO, Small Business Administration (SBA) Office of Inspector General (OIG), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), U.S. Department of the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA), U.S. Secret Service, U.S. Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs OIG, General Services Administration OIG, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) OIG, Internal Revenue Service,
Department of Energy OIG, and others.According to court documents and information disclosed during court proceedings, Opsal fraudulently obtained over $50,000 in COVID-19 relief funding through three PPP loans she obtained in the spring of 2021 for a purported car detailing business. In February of 2023, Opsal pled guilty to submitting false and fraudulent claims to the United States, and admitted to making false and fraudulent representations about the purported business in order to obtain COVID-19 funding. As part of the sentence, Opsal will serve 6 months in federal prison and be supervised by the Court for three years following her release, among other conditions, and will be required to maintain employment and to make full restitution of the funds that she fraudulently obtained.
“I commend the stellar investigative work on these cases performed by the Strike Force and especially in this case by SBA OIG, U.S. Secret Service, and DHS OIG” said U.S. Attorney Waldref. “We will continue to work together with our law enforcement partners to vigorously prosecute those who abuse and misuse COVID-19 relief funding, and to strengthen our communities by protecting our small and local businesses.”
DHS Inspector General, Dr. Joseph V. Cuffari, said, “I appreciate the continued partnership between DHS OIG and the Eastern District of Washington’s COVID Fraud Strike
Force. Defrauding the U.S. Government’s programs for personal gain is unconscionable. This sentencing should serve as a deterrent to individuals intent on fleecing our COVID pandemic relief programs.”“Individuals making false statements to fraudulently obtain pandemic funds will face justice,” said SBA OIG’s Western Region Special Agent in Charge Weston King. “Our Office will remain relentless in the pursuit of fraudsters who seek to exploit SBA’s vital economic programs. I want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners for their dedication and commitment to seeing justice served.”
This case was investigated by the Eastern District of Washington COVID-19 Fraud Strike Force and by the SBA OIG, U.S. Secret Service, and DHS OIG. Special Assistant United States Attorney Frieda K. Zimmerman and Assistant United States Attorney Dan Fruchter prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States.
Case No. 2:22-CR-53-TOR
South Texan admits to receiving child porn via messaging appRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A 20-year-old resident of Edinburg has pleaded guilty to receipt of child pornography depicting prepubescent minors, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Lazaro Segundo-Vazquez admitted to receiving over 1,800 images and video files containing child sexual abuse material.
An alert from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children led authorities to a residence in Edinburg appearing to be uploading child pornography to a Google account. The investigation revealed Segundo-Vazquez received images and videos containing child sexual abuse material via a third-party messaging application on his cellular phone.
Segundo-Vazquez admitted to receiving child sexual abuse material that included videos and images of prepubescent children and toddlers. The material depicted children engaged in sexual acts with adults and other children. Segundo-Vazquez then uploaded several images of child sexual abuse material to a Google account.
U.S. District Judge Ricardo H. Hinojosa will impose sentencing Aug. 18. At that time, Segundo-Vazquez faces up to 20 years in prison.
He will remain in custody pending that hearing.
Homeland Security Investigations - Rio Grande Valley Child Exploitation Task Force conducted the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Cahal P. McColgan prosecuted the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources link on that page.
Sioux City Man to Federal Prison for Meth ConvictionsRead the Press Release
A man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine and possessed with intent to distribute methamphetamine was sentenced May 10, 2023.
Kenneth John David Schneiders, 34, from Sioux City, Iowa, was convicted by a jury on December 13, 2022, after a two-day jury trial of one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine all within 1,000 feet of a protected location, namely the Sioux City Alternative School and Opportunities School, each located in the Boys and Girls Home in Sioux City, Iowa.
The evidence at trial showed that Schneiders was communicating with others for the sale of methamphetamine on December 2, 2019. Law enforcement was made aware of the discussions through a confidential source, and ultimately located Schneiders at the Boys and Girls Home parking lot with approximately two ounces of methamphetamine.
Sentencing was held before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Schneiders was sentenced to 80 months’ imprisonment and must serve an eight-year term of supervised release following imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. Schneiders remains in custody of United States Marshal until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick T. Greenwood and was investigated by Tri-State Drug Task Force based in Sioux City, Iowa, that consists of law enforcement personnel from the Drug Enforcement Administration; Sioux City, Iowa, Police Department; Homeland Security Investigations; Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office; South Sioux City, Nebraska, Police Department; Nebraska State Patrol; Iowa National Guard; Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; United States Marshals Service; South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation; and Woodbury County Attorney’s Office.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 20-4032. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Sacramento Man Pleads Guilty to Heroin ConspiracyRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Juan Medina, 29, of Sacramento, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to distribute heroin, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, in July 2015, Medina, a truck driver acting at the direction of a Mexican drug source of supply, went to Garden Grove and received $9,800 for a prior delivery of heroin orchestrated by the Mexican source.
Medina is the third courier in this case to enter a guilty plea. Roberto Palacios-Garcia, 37, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to seven years and three months in prison. Daniel Quiroz, 41, of Los Angeles, is scheduled for sentencing on July 10, 2023.
Charges are pending against a fourth defendant, Otoniel Cardenas-Torres, 33. Cardenas-Torres is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Escobar is prosecuting the case.
Medina is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston on Sept. 5, 2023. Medina faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
This 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.
Rockford Man Sentenced to 36 Years in Federal Prison for the Sexual Exploitation of ChildrenRead the Press Release
ROCKFORD — A Rockford man has been sentenced to 36 years in federal prison on charges of sexual exploitation of children.
U.S. District Judge Philip G. Reinhard imposed the sentence Friday on NATHAN TAUCK, 32, and ordered that it be followed by a lifetime of court-supervised release. Judge Reinhard also ordered Tauck to pay $60,000 in restitution to his victims.
The sentence was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and R. Sean Fitzgerald, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Office of Homeland Security Investigations. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica S. Maveus.
Tauck admitted in a plea agreement that in 2015 he knowingly persuaded and coerced a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing child sexual abuse material, which he then shared online via a social media application. Tauck further admitted to possessing more than 600 images and videos of child sexual abuse material, three of which he shared on social media.
Shortly after committing the exploitation offense in Rockford, Tauck moved to Europe and later to China, where he worked as a teacher and engaged in the possession and distribution of child pornography. While in China, Tauck exchanged sexual exploitation materials online with another individual, to whom Tauck indicated he was attempting to purchase an infant with the intent of sexually abusing the child.
Tauck was detained in China and sent back to the United States in 2018 after Homeland Security Investigations collaborated with Chinese authorities.
Putnam County Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – George Daren Hall, also known as “Pops,” 47, of Nitro, was sentenced today to five years and 10 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for distribution of a quantity of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 10, 2022, Hall sold approximately 65 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant outside of a Cochrane Lane residence in Nitro. Hall admitted to that transaction and to the sale of approximately 59 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant outside the same residence on March 14, 2022. Hall further admitted to selling approximately 59 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant outside of a Brandy Lane residence in Nitro on June 4, 2022.
On March 23, 2022, law enforcement officers conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle driven by Hall in the Poca area of Putnam County. Hall admitted to throwing approximately 1 pound of methamphetamine from his vehicle while trying to flee the traffic stop. Officers apprehended Hall and recovered the methamphetamine from the side of the road.
On October 24, 2022, officers conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle driven by Hall in the Kanawha County section of Nitro. Hall admitted to possessing approximately 30 grams of methamphetamine found by officers in the vehicle, and further admitted that he intended to sell the methamphetamine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the West Virginia State Police and the Ona Violent Crime and Drug Task Force West.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie S. Taylor prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:22-cr-166.
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Prominent Ghanaian Influencer Charged for Role in Romance Scheme and Extradited from United Kingdom to the United StatesRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Michael J. Driscoll, the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced the unsealing of a six-count Indictment charging MONA FAIZ MONTRAGE for her role in a series of romance schemes and for laundering the proceeds of those schemes. MONTRAGE was arrested in the United Kingdom on November 10, 2022, and was extradited from the United Kingdom on May 12, 2023. MONTRAGE will be presented before U.S. District Judge Paul A. Crotty, to whom the case is assigned, later today.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As alleged, Mona Faiz Montrage was a member of a criminal conspiracy that specifically targeted older Americans through romance scams. These scams can be both financially and emotionally devastating for vulnerable victims. Thanks to the efforts of our law enforcement partners, Montrage was arrested abroad and has been brought to the United States to face justice.”
FBI Assistant Director in Charge Michael J. Driscoll said: “We alleged today that Ms. Montrage participated in multiple romance scams – often targeting elderly victims – resulting in more than $2 million in fraudulent funds under her control. Romance scams – especially those that target older individuals – are of major concern. The FBI will be tireless in our efforts to hold fraudsters accountable in the criminal justice system.”
As alleged in the Indictment and other publicly filed materials:[1]
From at least in or about 2013 through in or about 2019, MONTRAGE was a member of a criminal enterprise (the “Enterprise”) based in West Africa that committed a series of frauds against individuals and businesses in the United States, including romance scams.
Many of the Enterprise’s romance scam victims were vulnerable, older men and women who lived alone. The Enterprise frequently conducted the romance scams by sending the victims emails, text messages, and social media messages that deceived the victims into believing that they were in romantic relationships with a person who had, in fact, a fake identity assumed by members of the Enterprise. Once members of the Enterprise had successfully convinced victims that they were in a romantic relationship and had gained their trust, they convinced the victims, under false pretenses, to transfer money to bank accounts the victims believed were controlled by their romantic interests, when, in fact, the bank accounts were controlled by members of the Enterprise.
MONTRAGE is a Ghanaian public figure who rose to fame as an influencer through her Instagram profile, under the username “Hajia4Reall,” which at one point had approximately 3.4 million Instagram followers and was among the top 10 profiles with the most followers in Ghana.
MONTRAGE received money from several victims of romance frauds whom members of the Enterprise tricked into sending money. Among the false pretenses used to induce victims to send money to MONTRAGE were (i) payments to transport gold to the United States from overseas; (ii) payments to resolve a fake FBI unemployment investigation; and (iii) payments to assist a fake United States army officer in receiving funds from Afghanistan.
As to one victim, MONTRAGE used her real name and spoke to the victim several times by phone. MONTRAGE sent the victim a tribal marriage certificate purporting to show that MONTRAGE and the victim had been married in Ghana. The victim sent MONTRAGE approximately 82 wire transfers totaling approximately $89,000 to purportedly help with costs associated with MONTRAGE’s father’s farm in Ghana.
In total, MONTRAGE controlled bank accounts that received over $2 million in fraudulent funds from the Enterprise.
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MONTRAGE, 30, of Accra, Ghana, is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, one count of wire fraud, one count of money laundering conspiracy, and one count of money laundering, each of which carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. MONTRAGE is also charged with one count of receipt of stolen money, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, and one count of conspiracy to receive stolen money, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.
The maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of MONTRAGE will be determined by a judge.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding work of the FBI. Mr. Williams also thanked the United States Marshals Services, the National Extradition Unit, United States Customs and Border Protection, and the FBI Legal Attaché in London for their assistance in the investigation. The U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs of the Department’s Criminal Division provided significant assistance in securing the defendant’s extradition from the United Kingdom.
The case is being prosecuted by the Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mitzi Steiner and Kevin Mead are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the description of the Indictment set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Portland School Employee Sentenced to 22 Years for Sexual Exploitation of Elementary School Student in 2021Read the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Portland man was sentenced today in U.S. District in Portland for the sexual exploitation of a minor.
U.S. District Judge Nancy Torresen sentenced Benjamin Conroy, 34, to 22 years followed by 15 years of supervised release. The court deferred its decision on restitution to a later date. Conroy pleaded guilty on August 31, 2022.
According to court documents, in the fall of 2021, Conroy sexually exploited a young student at an elementary school in Portland and then sent explicit images of the abuse to a third person using a dating application. The concerned recipient notified the Portland Police Department. During the investigation, law enforcement also discovered video of the sexual exploitation on Conroy’s phone. Conroy was employed as a special education technician by the Portland School District.
“Benjamin Conroy sexually exploited a vulnerable child in a place where parents should feel confident their children are safe and protected, at school,” U.S. Attorney Darcie N. McElwee said. “He used his position as a school employee to victimize a young child with special needs. If not for a concerned citizen who received the child sexual abuse material from Mr. Conroy, we might never have known that a crime occurred. I commend that individual for not hesitating to report this conduct as well as HSI and the Portland Police for the diligent and thorough investigation.”
Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case with assistance from the Portland Police Department.
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Podiatrist Sentenced in Foot Bath Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
OXFORD – A Panola County man was sentenced today to two years in prison following his conviction for his role in a scheme to defraud Medicare and TRICARE by prescribing and dispensing medically unnecessary foot bath medications and ordering medically unnecessary testing of toenails in exchange for kickbacks and bribes.
According to court documents, Marion Shaun Lund, D.P.M., 54, of Batesville, owned and operated a podiatry clinic, as well as an in-house pharmacy. Lund routinely wrote prescriptions for and dispensed antibiotic and antifungal drugs to be mixed into a tub of warm water for patients to soak their feet. Rather than prescribing drugs based on the individualized needs of patients, Lund prescribed foot bath medications in order to maximize reimbursements from Medicare, TRICARE, and other health care benefit programs, regardless of medical necessity. In addition, Lund took toenail clippings and wound cultures from patients and sent them to a lab for diagnostic testing, even though such testing was not medically necessary. From April 2020 through March 2022, Lund caused the submission of over $1.4 million in claims to Medicare and TRICARE for unnecessary prescriptions of foot bath medications and diagnostic testing of toenails, resulting in over $700,000 in reimbursements. In exchange for his prescriptions and orders, Lund was paid cash kickbacks by a purported marketer.
On February 2, 2023, Lund entered a plea of guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud. On Monday morning, U.S. District Judge Glen Davidson sentenced Lund to 24 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered Lund to pay restitution in the amount of $851,428.
Lund is the fourth defendant, including three medical professionals, to plead guilty and be sentenced for his role in the scheme. In October 2021, Logan Hunter Power pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and to pay and receive kickbacks, and in October 2022, Power was sentenced to 25 months in prison. In August 2022, Jared Lee Spicer, D.P.M., pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and was sentenced to serve a term of 3 years probation. In September 2022, Carey “Craig” Williams, D.P.M., pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and was sentenced to serve 42 months in prison.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner for the Northern District of Mississippi; Special Agent in Charge Derrick L. Jackson of the Department of Health and Human Services-Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG); and Acting Assistant Director Jay Greenberg of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division made the announcement.
The HHS-OIG and FBI investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Sara E. Porter and Assistant Chief Justin M. Woodard of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Clayton A. Dabbs of the Northern District of Mississippi prosecuted the case.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, comprised of 15 strike forces operating in 25 federal districts, has charged more than 5,000 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $24 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at https://www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
Phoenix Man Pleads Guilty to Armed Robbery Spree that Ended in High-Speed Chase in Which He Opened Fire on Law EnforcementRead the Press Release
RIVERSIDE, California – An Arizona man pleaded guilty today to federal criminal charges for committing armed robberies of nine stores in Southern California and Arizona during a crime spree last summer that ended in a high-speed chase in which he fired upon federal agents and, after police rammed his car, he accidentally shot himself under his chin.
Samuel Sven Smith, 27, of Phoenix, pleaded guilty to two counts of interference with commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act) and two counts of brandishing and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence.
According to his plea agreement, from July 31, 2022, until his arrest on August 20, 2022, Smith went on an armed robbery spree in Los Angeles, Orange, and San Bernardino counties as well as in Arizona. Specifically, Smith admitted to targeting and robbing a Big Lots store in Riverside and PetSmart stores in Signal Hill, Orange, San Bernardino, Fontana, Pico Rivera, Redlands, Phoenix, and Rancho Cucamonga.
In each of these robberies, Smith brandished a firearm to control the stores’ employees.
After Smith robbed the Rancho Cucamonga PetSmart store, stealing $400 from a store employee, he exited the store and law enforcement, which included federal officers, confronted him. Smith then opened fire at the officers.
Smith then entered his vehicle and sped off, leading law enforcement on a high-speed chase, during which he fired his gun numerous times at pursuing officers. The chase ended when law enforcement rammed into Smith’s vehicle.
According to court documents, when law enforcement approached Smith’s car, they determined he had suffered a gunshot wound underneath his chin. Smith told officers who were performing life saving measures, that when they rammed into his vehicle, he accidentally shot himself, according to an affidavit filed with a criminal complaint in this case.
United States District Judge Jesus G. Bernal scheduled a January 22, 2024 sentencing hearing, at which time Smith will face a mandatory minimum sentence of 17 years in federal prison and a statutory maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
The ATF Orange County Violent Crime Task Force investigated this matter. The task force, which is responsible for investigating serial robberies around Southern California, is comprised of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); the Brea Police Department; the Fullerton Police Department; the Santa Ana Police Department; and the Orange County District Attorney’s Office. The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department provided assistance.
Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey M. Chemerinsky, Chief of the Violent and Organized Crime Section and Assistant United States Attorney Kevin J. Butler, also of the Violent and Organized Crime Section, are prosecuting this case.
Pharr man convicted of kidnapping for ransom in MexicoRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A 26-year-old Pharr man has admitted to hostage taking, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Sixto Gonzalez Jr. admitted he unlawfully detained a 19-year-old Alamo man in order to force a ransom to be paid for his safe return.
On June 23, 2021, Gonzalez lured the victim into Mexico by purporting to have a potential job opportunity to give him. Gonzalez picked the victim up after the victim crossed into Mexico on foot. When they arrived at a house located in Reynosa, Mexico, Gonzalez and several co-conspirators beat and restrained the victim. Between June 23 and June 25, 2021, Gonzalez and his co-conspirators demanded $5,000 and a firearm in exchange for his return.
When the family could not immediately obtain the funds, conspirators sent a video to the victim’s family with footage of him being beaten with a wooden board until the board fractured.
Law enforcement eventually determined the location of the house where he was being held. They conducted a search of the home and found the victim bound with zip ties, covered with a blanket and with bruises throughout his body. They also discovered Gonzalez located inside the house.
U.S. District Judge Ricardo Hinojosa will impose sentencing Aug. 18. At that time, Gonzalez faces up to life in prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
He has been and will remain in custody pending that hearing.
The FBI conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Reynosa State police in Tamaulipas, Mexico. Assistant U.S. Attorney Colton Turner and Roberto Lopez is prosecuting the case.
One Detroit Won’t Stop Fighting for a Better, Safer DetroitRead the Press Release
On April 19, a broad coalition of community partners announced the creation of “One Detroit,” the comprehensive violence reduction initiative of the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The core of the initiative is partnership. One Detroit is a formal alliance that brings together leaders of the community and those with subject matter expertise in the areas of enforcement, prevention, and reentry—the three pillars that serve as the foundation for One Detroit—to develop and execute the best strategies to reduce violent crime. Our goal is ambitious: we are setting our sights on cutting gun violence in half in the district’s largest city. But it can be done. We must do it. We will do it as One Detroit.
Although the One Detroit partnership was announced in April, this was not the start of our work. For the last year, we have learned about the violent crime problems in Detroit and elsewhere; we have identified individuals and groups working hard to address it; and, we have begun to implement anti-violence practices that have worked in other cities. We learned that urban violence is often perpetrated in clusters by a small number of people and groups, and we can be most effective if we focus on these violent people. We also learned that responses to violence can be overbroad and negatively affect community relationships. Most importantly, we learned that violence is best addressed together, as one community, as One Detroit.
The One Detroit partners come from all aspects of our city, and they include Bishop Edgar Vann of the Second Ebenezer Church, Kenyatta Stephens, the CEO of Black Family Development, Mayor Mike Duggan, Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy, Detroit Police Chief James White, and Heidi Washington, Director of the Michigan Department of Corrections.
The One Detroit partnership’s enforcement efforts will involve close coordination between federal and local law enforcement to identify emerging violent offenders or trends within particular neighborhoods. We will draw on the expertise of local officers, who have deep experience in the communities they serve. And we will pair that personalized knowledge with technology like the National Integrated Ballistics Identification Network (NIBIN), ShotSpotter, and evidence-based tools that will help us focus on the small number of people perpetrating violence.
This strategy is backed by evidence and experience. It works. It is already having an impact in communities throughout the district, including Detroit. Over the course of the last year, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and its state, local, and federal partners have focused enforcement on the drivers of violence throughout the Eastern District of Michigan. And in 2022, shootings in Saginaw were down 57%; down 70% in Pontiac; down 42% in Flint; and down 53% in Jackson. Detroit’s numbers—a 10% reduction in non-fatal shootings—were not as significant. One Detroit is committed to changing that.
But One Detroit is much more than just another enforcement effort. We are focused on crime prevention in ways this community has never seen before. For instance, next week we will send out over one hundred letters warning those on probation and parole about our upcoming summer enforcement in an effort to deter those individuals from illegally possessing guns. We will turn on its head the historical paradigm of arrest first and advise later so that we can prevent crime rather than punish it.
And we will assist returning citizens to transition peacefully to the community by connecting them to housing, mental health, and employment assistance. We recently hosted a “Second Chance” reentry symposium that was attended by over one hundred returning citizens and service providers.
This combined approach—enforcement, prevention, and reentry—recognizes the need for prosecution of those who are the most violent, but also the collateral impacts that often accompany aggressive law enforcement efforts. We are committed to balancing our investigative and prosecutive efforts with outreach strategies designed to prevent violent crime from happening. For the past year, federal prosecutors have been assigned to five precincts in Detroit to work with federal and local law enforcement partners to identify violent offenders. But they are not just involved in enforcement. Our prosecutors also attend community meetings in those precincts where they communicate about our work and learn about things like blight and abandoned buildings where violence and crime often concentrate. This type of partnership has a direct impact on violence and the quality of life for Detroit’s citizens. For instance, last summer, a prosecutor learned from the community about an abandoned house that had become a hotspot for violence. The prosecutor shared that information with the Mayor’s office, which was able to prioritize the house for demolition.
We understand that law enforcement cannot simply target communities for enforcement to reduce crime but must engage with those communities in a positive manner. Last summer, before we implemented our enhanced enforcement strategy in two precincts most affected by violent crime in Detroit, my team and I addressed the Community Relations Councils in those precincts. We explained the data we used to determine the areas in need of the enhanced enforcement. We shared our strategy. We asked the community leaders in those areas to help us deter violence by providing information about the enhanced enforcement. They welcomed the information and readily joined the effort.
In addition, during the summer enforcement period, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, in partnership with the City of Detroit and some of our One Detroit partners, hosted community engagement events called “Peacenics” in those same areas in the city. These community gatherings included everything from cookie decorating, face painting, and basketball giveaways, to literacy programs, expungement assistance, vocational programs, employment opportunities, and other community-level services. The positive reactions from the community to these gatherings inform our belief that outreach and trust are crucial components of crime reduction. Our Peacenics will be returning to O’Hair Park and Heilmann Park this July.
Reducing violent crime is my highest priority as U.S. Attorney. People in Detroit need to feel safe when they go about their business on our streets. And I recognize that we need a more mindful approach to violence reduction that acknowledges law enforcement cannot be the only solution to keeping our communities secure. We need to change hearts and minds through trust and transparency.
The One Detroit partners don’t have all the answers to reduce violent crime in the City of Detroit, but we won’t stop trying to find solutions. We won’t stop trying to make Detroit safe for its residents and the people who come to Detroit to work and play. We won’t stop trying to partner with individuals and groups willing to put their efforts into making our community safe. We won’t stop trying to end the cynicism that sees violent crime in cities like Detroit as intractable. Finally, as U.S. Attorney, I won’t stop trying to bring an end to the senseless killings in my treasured hometown of Detroit and throughout the Eastern District of Michigan. I WON’T STOP!
Northfield Man Charged with Wire Fraud for Embezzling $560,000Read the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont – The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that John Van Vught, 72, of Northfield, Vermont, was arrested on Friday, May 12, 2023 in Brunswick, Georgia. Van Vught is expected to have his initial appearance later today before a United States Magistrate Judge in Brunswick, Georgia.
According to court records, on May 11, 2023, the federal grand jury in Burlington, Vermont returned a three-count wire fraud indictment related to Van Vught’s embezzlement of $560,000 from ValleyNet, a non-profit operating in the Upper Valley. Van Vught performed contract accounting work for ValleyNet between 2010 and July 2022. During that timeframe, Van Vught transferred $560,000 out of ValleyNet’s accounts into his personal bank account. Van Vught hid the transfers by underreporting the income ValleyNet received according to his accounting submissions. Van Vught also obfuscated his possession of the embezzled funds by purchasing properties in Georgia and Florida.
The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that an indictment contains allegations only and that Van Vught remains presumed innocent until and unless he is convicted of a crime. Van Vught faces a maximum sentence of 20 years of imprisonment on each wire fraud count. The actual sentence would be determined with reference to the United States Sentencing Guidelines.
United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest commended the investigatory efforts of Special Agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The prosecutor is Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan A. Ophardt. Van Vught has not yet retained or been appointed counsel.North Carolina Man Sentenced to Prison for Sex Offense Against A MinorRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Brian Mathew Wittmann, 34, of Madison, North Carolina, was sentenced today to four years and three months in prison, to be followed by 10 years of supervised release, for traveling in interstate commerce to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor. Wittmann must also register as a sex offender.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on May 11, 2022, Wittmann contacted an individual he believed to be a minor female on Instagram after finding her profile. Wittmann admitted that he asked for the minor female’s phone number and began sending her text messages that included a photo of his genitals. Wittmann further admitted that he continued to text the minor female for about a week, seeking to entice her into engaging in illicit sexual conduct with him.
On May 19, 2022, Wittmann arranged by text message to meet the minor female the following day at a location in Nicholas County, West Virginia, to engage in illicit sexual conduct. Wittmann admitted to driving the next day from North Carolina to Nicholas County, where he was met by law enforcement officers. Wittmann admitted that he told the officers that he had sent sexually explicit messages to the minor female as well as to other minor females on Instagram. Officers searched Wittmann’s vehicle and found condoms, blankets, a pillow and a morning-after pill, a type of emergency birth control. Wittmann admitted to buying the morning-after pill to prevent pregnancy.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Violent Crime Against Children (VCAC) Task Force.
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Julie M. White prosecuted the case.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative of the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-cr-120.
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Mexican man guilty after car battery reveals cocaineRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A 22-year-old resident of Tamaulipas, Mexico, has pleaded guilty to importing cocaine, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Felipe Abad Medina-Rubio admitted he attempted to smuggle approximately four kilograms of cocaine into the United States through the Hidalgo port of entry.
On Dec. 2. 2022, he arrived at the checkpoint, at which time he stated he had no illegal drugs in his vehicle. Authorities referred him to secondary inspection where a K-9 alerted to the odor of narcotics near the battery of his vehicle. An X-ray examination revealed several anomalies which resulted in the discovery of four bricks of cocaine weighing approximately four kilograms. It had an estimated street value of $16,000.
At his plea today, he admitted he expected to be paid $2,000 to smuggle the cocaine into the united states.
U.S. District Judge Ricardo Hinojosa will impose sentencing Aug. 17. At that time, he faces up to 40 years in prison and a possible $5 million fine.
Medina has been and will remain in custody pending that hearing.
Customs and Border Protection and Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Theodore Parran III prosecuted the case.
Massachusetts Man Indicted for Acting as an Illegal Agent of the People’s Republic of ChinaRead the Press Release
A Massachusetts man was arrested on May 9 for allegedly acting as an agent of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) without providing notification to the U.S. Attorney General.
Litang Liang, 63, of Brighton, was indicted on one count of acting as an agent of a foreign government without providing notification to the U.S. Attorney General and one count of conspiracy to act as an agent of a foreign government without providing notification to the U.S. Attorney General.
“We will not tolerate the PRC’s efforts to interfere with public discourse and threaten civic participation in the United States,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “This case demonstrates, once again, the lengths that the PRC government, including its Ministry of Public Security, will go to target people in the U.S. who exercise their rights to speak out against the PRC.”
“The Department of Justice will protect these individual rights and protect our country against those who seek to unlawfully act on behalf of foreign governments while within our borders,” said U.S. Attorney Rachael S. Rollins for the District of Massachusetts. “We allege that Mr. Liang engaged in a series of acts on behalf of the PRC government including providing information on Boston-area residents, organizations and dissidents to PRC government officials – potentially placing people at risk here in Massachusetts and abroad. Attempts to repress constitutionally protected rights here in the United States will never be tolerated. Anyone who infringes upon those rights on American soil will be identified and held to account.”
“The United States requires agents of foreign countries to register with our government, and for good reason – in such cases, those agents often act against the interests of the United States,” said Assistant Director Suzanne Turner of the FBI Counterintelligence Division. “The FBI is not going to stand by and allow undeclared agents of the People’s Republic of China to operate in our country unchecked. We will continue to steadfastly enforce the law of the land, uncovering these efforts and holding accountable all those who work with foreign governments to violate our laws.”
According to the charging documents, from in or around 2018 through at least 2022, Liang acted within the United States as an agent of the PRC government by allegedly providing PRC government officials with information on Boston-area individuals and organizations; organizing a counter-protest against pro-democracy dissidents; providing photographs of and information about dissidents to PRC government officials; and providing the names of potential recruits to the PRC’s Ministry of Public Security. At no point did Liang notify the U.S. Attorney General that he was acting as a PRC government agent.
Specifically, beginning in or around 2018, Liang allegedly provided information about Chinese individuals and organizations in the Boston area to PRC government officials – including PRC officials formerly in the United States, the Ministry of Public Security, and the United Front Work Department, an entity which reports directly to the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and works to further the CCP’s goals.
It is alleged that Liang provided PRC government officials with information regarding members and leaders of Boston-area, Chinese family associations and community organizations with pro-Taiwan leanings. Additionally, it is alleged that Liang sent information regarding anti-PRC dissidents to PRC officials including: identification of an individual he accused of having “sabotaged” PRC flags in Boston’s Chinatown in October 2018; video of a dissident attending the “Boston Stands with Hong Kong” march in August 2019; and photographs of anti-PRC dissidents in front of the Boston Public Library in September 2019.
The charge of acting as an agent of a foreign government without providing notification to the U.S. Attorney General provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of conspiracy to act as an agent of a foreign government without providing notification to the U.S. Attorney General provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy H. Kistner for the District of Massachusetts is prosecuting the case. Valuable assistance was provided by Trial Attorney Elizabeth Abraham of the Justice Department’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Massachusetts Dentist Sentenced for Embezzling over $1.2 Million and Defrauding the GovernmentRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Massachusetts dentist was sentenced today for embezzling over $1.2 million from his employer and fraudulently obtaining government benefits in his employer’s name.
Jack Massarsky, 65, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV to two years in prison and three years of supervised release. Massarsky also paid more than $1.2 million in restitution prior to sentencing. On Jan. 25, 2023, Massarsky pleaded guilty to one count of mail fraud and one count of wire fraud.
Between 2015 and 2021, Massarsky worked as a dentist and bookkeeper for a general dentistry practice in Massachusetts. In 2015, Massarsky opened a secret bank account in the name of the dentistry practice. Massarsky then intercepted insurance reimbursement checks sent to the dentistry practice in the mail and deposited those checks in the secret bank account. He continued this practice for over five years and embezzled over $1.2 million. Massarsky used the stolen funds for personal and family expenses.
Additionally, Massarsky used the dentistry practice’s name to defraud the United States. In July 2020, he submitted a fraudulent application to the Health Resources and Services Administration Provider Relief Fund (HRSA PRF) in the name of the dentistry practice. The HRSA is an agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services that provides health care to people who are geographically isolated or otherwise vulnerable. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the HRSA PRF provided economic assistance to qualifying healthcare providers, including certain dentistry practices. By submitting the fraudulent application to the HRSA PRF, Massarsky obtained over $52,000 in pandemic relief funds that were deposited in the secret bank account Massarsky had opened in the name of his employer.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins and Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement. Valuable assistance in the investigation was provided by the United States Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Markham of Rollins’ Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit prosecuted the case.
Maryland Man Found Guilty in Scheme that Bilked Benevolent Donors of Charitable ContributionsRead the Press Release
Defendant Pretended to Collect for Charities But Only Paid Himself
WASHINGTON – James Trankle, 55, previously of Churchton, Maryland, was convicted today of conspiracy to commit mail and bank fraud, and five additional counts of bank fraud all stemming from a scheme in which he created fake charities, solicited donations, and then stole the identities of the donors he tricked into giving funds.
The verdict was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Inspector-in-Charge Damon Wood of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service – Washington Division. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for August 29, 2023.
The offenses of conspiracy to commit mail and bank fraud, and the five further counts of bank fraud, each carry a statutory maximum of 20 years in prison and financial penalties.
According to evidence presented in court, from 2013 to 2018, Trankle and his co-defendant, Stephen Sibert, were charged with creating fake charities and registering those entities with the D.C. Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (“DCRA”) and then presenting them as legitimate charities. Examples included the “Disabled and Paralyzed Veterans Fund,” the “National Breast Cancer Awareness Fund,” and the “Children’s Leukemia of America Fund.”
Trankle used a post office box address in Washington, D.C., as the claimed official mailing address for the fraudulent charities. He opened numerous bank accounts in the names of the fraudulent charities. And he sent solicitations via U.S. mail to thousands of potential donors—i.e., victims—nationwide asking the recipients to send personal checks as donations. Through the scheme, Trankle obtained over 1,600 personal checks from victims making charitable donations, which he then deposited into bank accounts that the conspirators Trankle and Sibert controlled.
In addition, Trankle and his conspirator purchased check making supplies such as stock paper and printing equipment. Using the bank account and routing information from the victims’ checks, the conspirators printed additional unauthorized counterfeit checks payable to their fraudulent charities that were drawn against the victims’ personal checking accounts. The conspirators deposited those unauthorized counterfeit checks into the bank accounts they controlled. They later withdrew and spent the funds for various personal expenses.
The fraudulent charities did not perform any of the charitable work described in their solicitations, nor did the fraudulent charities provide any significant funds to other charities that did so.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Washington Division. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Borchert and Brian Kelly, and Paralegal Specialist Gina Torres Trujillo.
Manager admits to key role in Indian Call Center scamRead the Press Release
HOUSTON - A 28-year-old Indian citizen has entered a guilty plea in a years-long international conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Between 2017 and 2020, Zaheen Malvi, who was illegally residing in Heber Springs, Arkansas, assisted Indian call centers in a telemarketing scheme that extorted millions of dollars from hundreds of victims in the United States. Malvi first acted as a runner in the scheme, going to different Target stores in the Chicago area and depleting funds from gift cards that victims had transferred to the call centers. In later years, Malvi managed other runners as they traveled around the country, picking up packages filled with cash that call center victims had mailed.
“The Indian call centers perpetrating these scams are relentless,” said Hamdani. “They prey on the fears and insecurities of the most vulnerable among us, such as the elderly. But we are relentless too. Today, one more criminal is finally held to account for the many years he helped funnel money from victims into the pockets of overseas scammers…and tomorrow, we keep working.”
One common script used in the scheme involved coercing victims into believing federal agents were investigating them. The “agent” on the phone would convince the victim the only way to clear his or her name from investigation was to buy gift cards and transfer the redemption codes to the call center or mail cash in a package to a name and address the call center provided. Runners in the United States would then deplete the gift card funds and pick up the packages.
As part of his plea agreement, Malvi will pay restitution to the scheme’s identified victims.
U.S. District Judge Andrew S. Hanen accepted the plea and set sentencing for Aug. 14. At that time, Malvi faces up to 20 years in prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
He will remain in custody pending that hearing.
The Social Security Administration – Office of Inspector General (SSA-OIG), Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, U.S. Postal Inspection Service and Homeland Security Investigations in Houston and Fayetteville, Arkansas, conducted the investigation with the assistance of the FBI and Heber Springs Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephanie Bauman and Kate Suh are prosecuting the case.
The SSA and its OIG consistently warns people of similar scams. Protect yourself!
Man Sentenced for Production of Child Pornography and ExtortionRead the Press Release
A Canadian man was sentenced today to 32 years in prison for producing images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children and for interstate extortion based on an online “sextortion” scheme.
According to court documents, from approximately 2014 to 2016, Muhammad Luqman Rana, 33, of Vaughan, Ontario, used the online messaging chat sites Omegle and Tinychat to target both adult and minor victims living in the United States and Canada to produce sexually explicit images. Rana tricked five minor U.S. victims, who ranged from ages 12 to 17, into producing sexually explicit images by posing as a minor male. Rana surreptitiously captured two of the minor victims changing in their bedrooms after they had accidentally left their webcam on after chatting with him. Once Rana had embarrassing and sensitive videos of his victims, he forced them to produce and send additional sexually explicit images and videos via both live transmission and to his email account out of fear that he would publicly post the videos he had previously obtained if they did not comply with his demands.
In January 2021, Rana was arrested in Canada on a provisional arrest warrant. He was extradited to the United States on Jan. 25, 2022.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron for the District of Maryland, Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI's Criminal Investigative Division, Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the FBI Baltimore Field Office, and Chief Myron Demkiw of the Toronto Police Services made the announcement.
The FBI and the Toronto Police Services investigated the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs conducted the requests for mutual legal assistance and extradition.
Senior Trial Attorney Jennifer Toritto Leonardo of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney G. Michael Morgan Jr. for the District of Maryland prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Long Island Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for Producing and Possessing Child Pornography Dating Back to the 1990sRead the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Central Islip, New York, United States District Judge Gary R. Brown sentenced Daniel Mullan to 30 years’ imprisonment for sexually exploiting a child and the possession of child pornography. According to court filings and facts presented during the sentencing, Mullan sexually exploited a child in between 1999 and 2006 as part of his ongoing sexual abuse of children and production of child pornography. Mullan was also convicted of possessing large quantities of child pornography between 2014 and 2017, much of which he produced over the course of decades. Based upon the criminal statutes in place at the time of Mullan’s offenses, 30 years’ imprisonment was the maximum term allowed by law.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and Michael J. Driscoll, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the sentence.
Today’s sentence is a just punishment for the defendant’s years of heinous acts against minors, and sends a message to all who seek to harm innocent children,” stated United States Attorney Breon Peace. “This Office and our law enforcement partners will continue to make every effort to ensure that those who contribute to the exploitation and victimization of children will be brought to justice.”
Mr. Peace extended his grateful appreciation to the FBI Long Island Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, which is made up of FBI and local law enforcement agencies, for its investigative work and assistance in the case.
According to court filings, in the summer of 2017 the FBI and the Suffolk County Police Department executed search warrants on Mullan’s Elmont, New York residence and a storage unit Mullan had rented in Melville, New York. During the searches, law enforcement recovered hundreds of images and videos of child sexual abuse. Several of the videos depicted Mullan engaged in sexual acts with minor teenage boys dating back to the early 1980s.
Additional investigation by the FBI located numerous victims, including a minor who Mullan had travelled with domestically and internationally between 1999 and 2006. Mullan had recorded his sexual abuse of this victim. Another search warrant executed by law enforcement on a safe deposit box located over $300,000 in cash that Mullan had intended to use as “hush money” for one of his victims. Mullan was extradited to the United States from Ireland on August 15, 2019.
This prosecution is 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 United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The government’s case is being handled by the Long Island Criminal Division. Assistant United States Attorneys Michael Maffei and Madeline O’Connor are in charge of the prosecution. The Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs assisted in the extradition.
The Defendant:
DANIEL MULLAN
Age: 83
Elmont, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 17-CR-495 (GRB)
Laplace Woman Sentenced to over Two Years for Church EmbezzlementRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – ANITA WILLENE HOBDY, age 68, of LaPlace, was sentenced to 27 months in prison on May 11, 203 for wire fraud, stemming from fraudulent charges made from First Baptist Church of LaPlace, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.
HOBDY previously pled guilty to a one-count bill of information for wire fraud that involved her conduct from 2015 through 2021. According to court documents, HOBDY was a bookkeeper for a church’s daycare and embezzled over $175,000 from church accounts during that period.
The Honorable Eldon E. Fallon sentenced HOBDY to 27 months in prison, followed by one year of supervised release, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee. She was also ordered to pay $175,124.26 in restitution to the First Baptist Church of LaPlace.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the United States Secret Service and the St. John Parish Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas D. Moses, Health Care Fraud Coordinator, is in charge of the prosecution.
Lake County Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Federal Prison for Distributing Fentanyl Resulting in DeathRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – United States District Judge Roy B. Dalton, Jr. today sentenced Jermaine Lamar Harvard (41, Eustis) to 30 years in federal prison for distributing fentanyl resulting in death. A federal jury had found Harvard guilty on February 23, 2023.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Harvard distributed a quantity of fentanyl to the victim, “M.R,” in October 2019. Harvard represented that the substance was heroin. An analysis of the victim’s cellphone revealed that Harvard had set up multiple drug transactions with the victim. The drugs supplied by Harvard led directly to the victim’s death. A medical examiner subsequently confirmed that the victim had died of acute fentanyl toxicity.
Harvard has prior state convictions for the sale of cocaine in 2013.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Lake County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys William S. Hamilton and Hannah J. Nowalk.
Key West Tax Return Preparer Sentenced to Federal Prison for Tax FraudRead the Press Release
MIAMI – Abel Raphael, 65, of Key West, Florida has been sentenced to 18 months in federal prison, followed by one year of supervised release, and ordered to pay almost $150,000 in restitution for aiding and assisting the preparation and presentation of false tax returns. Following his guilty plea in October 2022.
Raphael was a professional tax return preparer and operated Abel Income Tax Service Inc., in Monroe County. In connection with his guilty plea, Raphael admitted that he obtained an Electronic Filing Identification Number (EFIN) to submit tax returns electronically to the IRS in the names of others. Raphael prepared the returns using false deduction and tax credit figures, then electronically filed them with the IRS.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Matthew D. Line of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Miami Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri of the FBI, Miami Field Office, announced the sentence imposed by U.S. District Judge K. Michael Moore.
IRS-CI Miami and FBI Miami, Key West Resident Agency investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy Thompson prosecuted it.
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-10016.
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Kernersville Man Sentenced to Prison and Ordered to Pay $956,028 for Filing False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
GREENSBORO, NC – A local man was sentenced in federal court today for filing false tax returns. U.S. District Court Judge William Osteen, Jr. sentenced Brandon Michalak, 41, to 15 months in the Federal Bureau of Prisons. Michalak was ordered to pay restitution of $956,028 in tax loss to the IRS.
In January of 2023, Michalak pled guilty to two counts of filing a false tax return, a violation of Title 26, United States Code, Section 7206(1).
According to court filed documents, Michalak was part-owner of a metal recycling business known as Sarah’s Recycling that specialized in the collection and bulk resale of used catalytic converters. Michalak operated the business from his home in Forsyth County, North Carolina. The investigation revealed that during the years 2014-2018, Michalak omitted $11,022,953 in sales generated by his catalytic converter business. Each year, Michalak reported minimal taxable income and claimed the Earned Income Tax Credit, which is a refundable credit designed to provide relief for low-to-moderate-income working people. Simultaneously, Michalak led a lavish lifestyle that included home and property purchases without financing, home renovations, pool installation, extravagant jewelry purchases in cash, and at least 20 vehicle purchases for himself and family members. As an example, he paid approximately $136,788 in cash for the purchase of a 2018 BMW Alpina.
“Honest, hardworking citizens should be appalled by the conduct of the defendant in this case,” said United States Attorney Sandra J. Hairston. “Tax evasion hurts all of us, and we will aggressively prosecute anyone who willfully files false tax returns or fails to pay their fair share of taxes, especially in egregious cases like this.”
“The license to run a business is not a license to avoid paying taxes,” said Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Charlotte Field Office, SAC Donald “Trey” Eakins. "The defendant’s misconduct, hiding income, and having his business pay his personal expenses, cheated all Americans who pay their fair share for the government services and protections that we enjoy.”
Sandra J. Hairston, U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of North Carolina, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge William Osteen, Jr. sentenced Michalak. The Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Clifton T. Barrett prosecuted the case.
Justice Department Obtains Agreement with Liberty County Sheriff’s Office Resolving Race Discrimination Complaint Filed by Delaware State UniversityRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today an agreement with the Liberty County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO) to resolve a race discrimination civil rights complaint under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. In response to the complaint, LCSO worked cooperatively with the Justice Department to reach a resolution agreement that will modernize its policing operations and further its ongoing efforts to prevent and address discriminatory law enforcement practices.
In May 2022, the Justice Department received a complaint from Delaware State University (DSU), a historically Black university, alleging that LCSO discriminated against its student athletes, athletic coach, and driver when it conducted a racially discriminatory traffic stop in Georgia of a bus charted by DSU. Following the traffic stop, the University alleged that the subsequent questioning and search of the personal belongings of the primarily Black passengers, including through the use of a drug-sniffing dog, constituted unlawful race discrimination in violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act (Title VI). Title VI prohibits recipients of federal financial assistance from discriminating on the basis of race, color, or national origin. LCSO is a recipient of federal funding from the Justice Department.
“Fairness and racial equity are fundamental principles for effective law enforcement, especially for those agencies that receive federal funding,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The students and staff at Delaware State University deserve policing that is racially equitable and bias-free. The agreement that we have secured with the Liberty County Sheriff’s Office will help ensure that its policing practices are free from racial bias and discrimination going forward. We will continue working to ensure that federally funded law enforcement agencies comply with our federal civil rights laws.”
“Law enforcement is most effective when it is supported by public confidence,” said U.S. Attorney Jill E. Steinberg for the Southern District of Georgia. “The agreement announced today is a step toward ensuring that policing occurs in an evenhanded manner.”
Under the agreement, LCSO will review its bias-free policing policies, make necessary updates to its policies on traffic enforcement and searches, and develop and implement data collection procedures, among other provisions.
The enforcement of Title VI is a top priority of the Civil Rights Division. Additional information about the Civil Rights Division is available on its website at www.justice.gov/crt. Members of the public may report possible civil rights violations at https://civilrights.justice.gov/report/.
Jury Convicts St. Lawrence County Sex Offender of Child Exploitation OffensesRead the Press Release
UTICA, NEW YORK – A jury on Friday voted to convict Jerod Schaffer, age 40, of Potsdam, New York, of sexual exploitation of a minor, committing a felony offense against a minor while being required to register as a sex offender, and receipt and possession of child pornography, following a 5-day trial in Utica.
United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Matthew Scarpino, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), made the announcement.
The trial evidence established that Schaffer was convicted in 2014 in Franklin County, New York, of attempted sexual abuse in the first degree and, as a result, was required to register as a sex offender. In November 2021, Schaffer met a 14-year-old girl on a social media site and began requesting and receiving child pornography from her. In early 2022, Schaffer traveled from New York to Ohio where he had sex with the victim on multiple occasions, recorded it, and posted a sex video online. When Schaffer’s house was searched in May 2022, he had dozens of sexually explicit files depicting the victim.
The jury voted to acquit Schaffer of one count of sexual exploitation of a child and failed to reach a verdict as to three other counts.
At sentencing scheduled for September 21, 2023, before United States District Judge David N. Hurd, Schaffer faces at least 35 years and a maximum term of 120 years in prison, restitution to the victim, and forfeiture of the electronic device involved in the commission of his offense. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the statutes the defendant violated, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.
HSI and the Potsdam Police Department investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorneys Michael D. Gadarian and Adrian LaRochelle are prosecuting this case as part of Project Safe Childhood.
Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS). Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Jury Convicts Insurance Agent of Defrauding Elderly InvestorsRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that today, following a six-week trial, a jury has returned guilty verdicts on nine counts of the superseding indictment charging Phillip Roy Wasserman (66, Sarasota) with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and mail fraud and substantive counts of wire fraud and mail fraud. Wasserman faces a maximum penalty of 20 years’ imprisonment on each of the conspiracy, mail fraud, and wire fraud counts. The United States is also seeking a money judgment in the amount of at least $6.3 million, the proceeds of the charged criminal conduct. Prior to trial, the tax counts in the superseding indictment were ordered to be tried separately at the request of Wasserman.
On July 21, 2021, Wasserman’s codefendant, Kenneth Rossman, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and mail fraud as well as aiding and abetting the preparation of a false and fraudulent income tax return. He is scheduled to be sentenced on June 8, 2023.
According to the evidence presented at trial, Wasserman, a former lawyer and licensed insurance agent, and Rossman, a Florida certified public accountant and licensed insurance agent, made false and fraudulent misrepresentations and concealed material information to convince elderly victim-investors to put their money into Wasserman’s new insurance venture – “FastLife.” Some victim-investors were persuaded to liquidate traditional investments such as annuities and/or to borrow funds against existing life insurance policies to generate cash to invest in the venture. These victim-investors were not told about surrender fees and other costs associated with said liquidations, or about negative personal tax consequences resulting from liquidations. Wasserman paid Rossman a percentage of the victim-investors’ money as compensation for his role in the conspiracy. Wasserman also used victim-investors’ money to make payments to earlier victim-investors in the FastLife venture, as well to as other earlier creditors.
Wasserman spent a significant amount of the victim-investors’ money to finance a lavish lifestyle that included a luxury personal residence, a beach house on Casey Key, Tampa Bay Lightning season and playoff tickets, concerts and other shows, vehicles, jet skis, jewelry, personal celebrity entertainment, gambling, retail shopping, home improvements, personal insurance, and a host of other expenses for his personal benefit and the benefit of family members.
The evidence also established that Wasserman took numerous affirmative steps to evade payment of more than $900,000 in taxes due and owed. Wasserman also failed to disclose a multitude of civil judgments and other debts pending against him at the time he solicited victim-investors to put their money into FastLife. In addition, Wasserman took steps to conceal FastLife’s mounting business debts to various business vendors and service providers, employees and independent contractors, and victim-investors. The investigation revealed that Wasserman had created a second set of books and fabricated a compensation agreement in an effort to convince investigators that he had not made improper personal use of victim-investors’ funds.
Moreover, Wasserman urged one witness to lie to investigators, attempted to dissuade several victim-investors from cooperating with law enforcement, and requested that one victim-investor make a baseless complaint against an investigator. In a further effort to thwart the investigation, Wasserman falsely and fraudulently represented that he had an audit from a highly regarded financial services firm that would show neither he nor FastLife had committed any wrongdoing. In fact, Wasserman had never even engaged the firm to perform an audit and never received any final work product of any kind from the firm.
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation and the Florida Office of Financial Regulation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Rachelle DesVaux Bedke and Rachel K. Jones.
Jury Convicts Former Aequitas CEO and Company Executives for Roles in $300 Million Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—After a six-week trial in Portland, a federal jury found three former executives of Aequitas Management, LLC, and associated companies, guilty today for their roles in a vast fraud conspiracy. Evidence at trial showed the conspirators raised nearly $300 million from defrauded investors.
Robert J. Jesenik, 63, former chief executive officer of Aequitas and resident of Lake Oswego, Oregon; Andrew N. MacRitchie, 59, formerly of Palm Harbor, Florida; and Brian K. Rice, 56, of Portland were found guilty of conspiring with one another to commit mail and wire fraud and 28 individual counts of wire fraud. Jesenik was also convicted of making a false statement on a loan application.
“Today’s guilty verdicts are an important milestone in the yearslong effort to hold Bob Jesenik and other former Aequitas executives accountable for cheating investors and going to extraordinary lengths to conceal the precarious and rapidly-declining financial condition of their company,” said Ethan Knight, Chief of the Economic Crimes Unit for the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
“Theft is theft, whether it be taking from another's pocket or taking through a corrupt financial investment scheme. Bob Jesenik and his co-conspirators deliberately deceived investors and the federal government for years and now they will finally face the consequences,” said Kieran L. Ramsey, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Portland Division. “The length of this investigation and this trial demonstrates the full measure to which the FBI, and our law enforcement partners, will go to seek justice. Today’s conviction sends a message that you will be held accountable for corrupt financial practices. We thank IRS-Criminal Investigation, the Employee Benefits Security Administration, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their diligent work on this case.”
“Strictly speaking, borrowing from Peter to pay Paul isn’t illegal. However, lying to Peter for personal financial gain and then not paying Paul is definitively criminal,” said Special Agent in Charge Adam Jobes, IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS:CI), Seattle Field Office. “Corporate executives engaged in fraud tell a multitude of lies, and one of the first is convincing themselves they will get away with it. Today, these individuals are learning the cold, hard truth—they undeniably have not gotten away with it. IRS:CI is committed to bringing conmen and fraudsters to justice.”
“Some of the victims of this shameful scheme were participants of employee pension benefit plans, who worked hard for a secure retirement” said Klaus Placke, Employee Benefits Security Administration’s Regional Director in San Francisco. “We were pleased to partner with federal law enforcement agencies to prosecute these former executives to the full extent of the law.”
According to court documents, Jesenik, MacRitchie, Rice, and others used Aequitas, formerly headquartered in Lake Oswego, to solicit investments in a variety of notes and funds, many of which were purportedly backed by trade receivables in education, health care, transportation, and other consumer credit areas. At its peak, Aequitas employed nearly 200 people.
From June 2014 through February 2016, the former executives solicited investors by misrepresenting Aequitas’ use of investor money, the financial health and strength of the company and its subsidiaries, and the risks associated with its investments and investment strategies. Collectively, the defendants also failed to disclose other critical facts about the company, including its near-constant liquidity and cash-flow crises, the use of investor money to repay other investors and to defray operating expenses, and the lack of collateral to secure funds.
In 2005, Jesenik founded the Aequitas group of companies, and, as chief executive officer, controlled the organization’s structure and had ultimate decision-making authority over company activities. As elicited through trial testimony, Jesenik was a micromanager deeply entrenched in the day-to-day workings of Aequitas. He also served as the company’s principal pitchman, frequently telling others that Aequitas would one day rival leading asset management firms.
MacRitchie was Aequitas’s executive vice president and chief compliance officer responsible for the development and implementation of risk management and compliance processes and procedures. MacRitchie oversaw the company’s accounting, legal, and auditing functions, and participated in fundraising. He also established Aequitas’s New York office and directed the company’s “Lux Fund,” a Luxembourg-based fund used to solicit international investors.
Rice served as Aequitas’s executive vice president and president of wealth management. Among other responsibilities, Rice oversaw the solicitation of investments through registered investment advisors (RIA) and managed Aequitas’s affiliated RIAs.
The company’s largest holdings were from various hospital networks, a consumer debt-consolidator, a motorcycle lender, and Corinthian Colleges, one of the nation’s largest operators of for-profit technical and post-secondary schools. The student loans Aequitas owned from Corinthian Colleges, valued at more than $200 million, were by far the company’s largest single category of receivables.
By early 2014, the U.S. Department of Education began scrutinizing Corinthian’s graduation and job-placement rates and, by June of 2014, announced it would defer the payment of federal-aid funds to the schools. Soon after, Corinthian defaulted on its monthly recourse payment to Aequitas, costing the company more than $4 million per month.
The collapse of Corinthian Colleges set off a series of events that ultimately led to Aequitas’s own demise. Meanwhile, Jesenik, MacRitchie, Rice, and others committed numerous financial crimes in an effort to conceal Aequitas’ bleak financial picture. In June 2014, they prepared a letter to investors claiming that Corinthian’s woes would not impact Aequitas’s ability to recoup its investment from student borrowers. At the same time, they continued soliciting new non-equity investments in the company, falsely claiming Aequitas used new investment funds to purchase receivables when, in reality, they were using the funds to pay the company’s bills and prior investors. By July 2014, Aequitas was effectively insolvent, and, in March 2016, the company collapsed.
On July 13, 2022, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a 31-count superseding indictment charging Jesenik, MacRitchie, and Rice with one count each of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering, and 28 counts of wire fraud. Jesenik was also charged with a single count of making a false statement on a loan application.
In 2019, former Aequitas executives and co-conspirators Brian A. Oliver, 58, of Aurora, Oregon, and Olaf Janke, 52, of Portland, pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit mail and wire fraud and money laundering. Oliver and Janke will be sentenced on December 19, 2023, and June 20, 2023, respectively, and, as part of their plea agreements, have agreed to pay restitution in full to their victims as recommended by the government and ordered by the court.
On May 26, 2022, former Aequitas senior executive and chief financial officer Nelson Scott Gillis, 70, of Lake Oswego, pleaded guilty to making a false statement to a bank. He will be sentenced on June 27, 2023, and has also agreed to pay full restitution.
Conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and wire fraud are punishable by up to 20 years in prison, three years’ supervised release, and a minimum $500,000 fine per count of conviction. Making false statements on a loan application is punishable by up to 30 years in prison, three years’ supervised release, and a $1 million fine.
This case was investigated by the FBI, IRS-Criminal Investigation, and U.S. Department of Labor Employee Benefits Security Administration. It was prosecuted by Ryan W. Bounds, Christopher L. Cardani, and Siddharth Dadhich, Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Oregon. Assistant U.S. Attorney Hannah Horsley assisted the trial team.
Joshua Pincoske Pleads Guilty to Production of Child Sexual Abuse Materials and Possession of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialsRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont – The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that Joshua Pincoske, 47, of Concord, New Hampshire pleaded guilty today in United States District Court in Concord, New Hampshire to one count of production of child sexual abuse materials (formerly called child pornography) and one count of possession of child pornography. U.S. District Judge Joseph N. Laplante ordered that Pincoske remain detained in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing. Pincoske’s sentencing hearing is set to occur in Concord, New Hampshire on August 28, 2023.
According to court records, on February 2, 2022, law enforcement executed search warrants authorizing the searches of Pincoske’s residence, his vehicle, and his person. During the execution of those search warrants, law enforcement seized a number of electronic devices, including his cellular phones. Examinations of the contents of Pincoske’s cellular phones revealed numerous visual depictions of minor females engaged in sexually explicit conduct. In the plea agreement between Pincoske and the United States, Pincoske admitted to engaging in sexual activity with a fifteen-year-old female in the master bedroom of his home in Concord on October 4, 2019. During the sexual activity, Pincoske, using his cellular phone, created videos and images of the juvenile engaged in sexual activity. Pincoske also admitted to engaging in sexual activity with a second juvenile female on November 12, 2021 while in Massachusetts, and creating both images and videos of this juvenile female engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
At sentencing, if the plea agreement is accepted by the Court, Pincoske will face a sentence of not less than 20 years and not more than 30 years of imprisonment, and a 10-year term of supervised release. Pincoske is required to pay restitution to the victims of his federal convictions and has agreed to pay restitution to four additional juvenile victims related to pending prosecutions in Merrimack and Strafford Counties.
The resolution of Pincoske’s federal charges occurs in conjunction with coordinated resolutions concerning matters pending before New Hampshire state courts in Merrimack and Strafford Counties. Those resolutions are the subject of separate agreements with the prosecutors in those jurisdictions.
United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest commended the investigatory efforts of the Concord Police Department and the Farmington Police Department. He also thanked the New Hampshire Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the Merrimack County Child Advocacy Center, the Yarmouth, Massachusetts Police Department, the Bangor, Maine Police Department, the El Dorado, Kansas Police Department, and the United States Secret Service for their vital assistance.
The United States Attorney for the District of Vermont has been appointed to handle this prosecution under the authority described in 28 U.S.C. § 515. The prosecutor assigned to the matter is Jonathan A. Ophardt, an Assistant United States Attorney in the District of Vermont. Pincoske is represented by Assistant Federal Public Defender Behzad Mirhashem.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and Child Exploitation Obscenity Section, Criminal Division (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Jefferson County Men Sentenced for Federal Firearms and Narcotics OffensesRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – The final members of a fifteen-person drug trafficking conspiracy were recently sentenced for their roles in the conspiracy.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Jodi Cohen of the FBI Louisville Field Office, Special Agent in Charge R. Shawn Morrow of the ATF Louisville Field Division, and Chief Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel of the Louisville Metro Police Department made the announcement.
Levontay Townes, 30, of Louisville, was sentenced on May 3, 2023, to 15 years in prison, followed by a 5-year term of supervised release, for conspiring to distribute fentanyl and heroin, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime (two counts), possessing with the intent to distribute heroin and methamphetamine, and possessing a firearm by a convicted felon (two counts).
Deonte Beason, 34, of Louisville, was previously sentenced on April 18, 2023, to 6 years and 5 months in prison, followed by a 4-year term of supervised release, for conspiring to distribute fentanyl and heroin and possessing with the intent to distribute fentanyl.
Jean-Luc Henry, 32, of Louisville, was previously sentenced on April 18, 2023, to 5 years in prison, followed by a 4-year term of supervised release for conspiring to distribute fentanyl and heroin and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Co-conspirators Frank Trammell, 30, and Khalid Raheem, II, 26, also of Louisville, were previously convicted following a jury trial. On February 28, 2023, Raheem was sentenced to 11 years in prison, followed by a 3-year term of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute heroin and 40 grams or more of fentanyl, for distribution of fentanyl, and for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. During the sentencing hearing, the court heard testimony concerning witness intimidation and applied an enhancement to Raheem’s sentence for obstruction of justice.
On March 1, 2023, Trammell was sentenced to 32 years and 3 months years in prison, followed by an 8-year term of supervised release, for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute heroin and 40 grams or more of fentanyl, for distribution of fentanyl, for possession with the intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl, for possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, and for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
On February 1, 2023, Destiney Rhodes, 25, of Louisville, was sentenced to 10 years in prison, followed by a 4-year term of supervised release, for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute heroin and 40 grams or more of fentanyl, for distribution of fentanyl, for possession with the intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl, for possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, and for making a false statement during the purchase of a firearm.
Also previously sentenced in this case were the following:
On June 8, 2022, Kevin Henry, 26, of Louisville, was sentenced to 4 years in prison, followed by a 3-year term of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and heroin.
On December 1, 2021, James Bivens, 34, of Louisville, was sentenced to time served and 3 years of supervised release for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and heroin.
Reginald Harris, 31, of Louisville, and Jason Logsdon, 43, of Elizabethtown, were each sentenced to 2 years of probation for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and heroin. Harris was sentenced on November 30, 2021, and Logsdon was sentenced on February 1, 2023.
K’lan Dunlap, 30, and Pierre Travis, 31, both of Louisville, were each sentenced to time served for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and heroin. Dunlap was sentenced on December 1, 2021, and Travis was sentenced on October 20, 2021.
On September 2, 2022, Daryion Newsome, 21, of Louisville, was sentenced to 41 months in prison, followed by a 3-year term of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and heroin.
On August 31, 2022, Kevone Evans, 21, of Louisville, was sentenced to 27 months in prison, followed by a 3-year term of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and heroin.
On January 18, 2023, Ronnie Gadberry, 32, of Campbellsville, was sentenced to 20 months in prison, followed by a 3-year term of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and heroin.
There is no parole in the federal system.
“This successful prosecution resulted from the outstanding work of our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners and the strong working relationships that exist between the agencies,” stated U.S. Attorney Bennett. “We all benefit from the combined effort of the agents, deputies, detectives, officers, and troopers who work to keep our communities safe.”
This case was investigated by the FBI, the ATF, and the Louisville Metro Police Department, with assistance from the DEA, the IRS Criminal Investigation, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, the St. Matthews Police Department, the Jeffersontown Police Department, the Shepherdsville Police Department, the Kentucky State Police, and the Indiana State Police.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin McKenzie and Assistant U.S. Attorney Frank E. Dahl, III prosecuted the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
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Inland Empire Man Sentenced to 2½ Years in Federal Prison for BB Gun Attacks on Planned Parenthood Clinic and Firearm OffenseRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A San Bernardino County man was sentenced today to 30 months in federal prison for firing BB guns at a Planned Parenthood facility in Pasadena nearly a dozen times and for illegally possessing a firearm and ammunition.
Richard Royden Chamberlin, 53, who currently resides in Ontario, but previously maintained a residence in Altadena, was sentenced by United States District Judge Michael W. Fitzgerald, who also ordered him to pay $42,663 in restitution.
At today’s sentencing hearing, Judge Fitzgerald described Chamberlin’s year-long string of BB gun attacks as a “reign of terror” and that Chamberlin had acted “in a calculated and cruel way” against Planned Parenthood, its staff, and patients.
Chamberlin pleaded guilty in December 2022 to one count of violating the federal Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
Chamberlin admitted in his plea agreement to driving past the Planned Parenthood facility in Pasadena and firing his BB gun at the clinic on at least 11 occasions between June 2020 and May 2021. Chamberlin admitted that he intentionally conducted the attacks to intimidate and interfere with the clinic, its doctors, staff, and patients specifically because the clinic was providing reproductive health services, including services related to the termination of pregnancies.
Beginning on June 27, 2020, Chamberlin’s attacks involved him firing BB pellets through the window of his car. The attacks caused physical damage to the clinic, including shattered windows, and served to intimidate the staff of the clinic.
On March 29, 2021, an employee of the clinic heard an object hit her office window, which caused her to fear for her physical safety and interfered with the performance of her job duties. The next day, at 8:30 a.m. while the clinic was open and receiving patients, Chamberlin again drove by and fired his BB gun at the front entrance. During this attack, a patient’s support companion was seated on the front porch and was nearly hit when the BB gun pellets peppered the banners directly in front of where she was seated. No one was injured in any of the shootings.
On May 7, 2021, the Pasadena Police Department stopped Chamberlin while he was driving away from the clinic following yet another BB gun attack. At this time, Chamberlin possessed eight BB guns, including BB guns designed to look like assault rifles. On the front passenger seat of his vehicle, police found a backpack containing a .22-caliber pistol, which was loaded with 10 rounds of ammunition. In his plea agreement, Chamberlin admitted that he possessed this firearm and ammunition after being previously convicted in Arizona in 2012 of a felony offense of attempted transportation of a narcotic drug for sale.
Following his May 7, 2021, arrest, Chamberlin attempted to dispose of his remaining firearms by selling four firearms to a local consignment store and transferring ownership of eight additional firearms to a neighbor. During a subsequent search of his home, authorities recovered thousands of rounds of ammunition, gun powder, a dozen additional BB guns, a black cylinder resembling a suppressor, a Polymer 80 gun-making kit, various gun parts and multiple documents identifying and referring to Planned Parenthood.
“These victims have all been deeply impacted by [Chamberlin’s] conduct,” prosecutors argued in a sentencing memorandum. “The clinic’s employees still experience daily anxiety and fear, and they have an overwhelming sense of being unsafe in their work environment.”
The FBI and the Pasadena Police Department conducted the investigation in this matter.
Assistant United States Attorney Frances S. Lewis of the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section prosecuted this case.
Indiana Man Sentenced to 72 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
SOUTH BEND – Michael Snyder, 35 years old, of Francesville, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Robert L. Miller, Jr. after pleading guilty in two cases, one for distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and one for being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.
Snyder was sentenced to 72 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release.
According to documents in these cases, in November 2021, Snyder, who was driving a stolen vehicle in Mishawaka, was stopped by law enforcement officers. A loaded, stolen handgun was recovered from under his seat. Snyder had a prior felony conviction, and as such, was prohibited from possessing the firearm. In April 2022, an investigation revealed that Snyder was the source of a pound of methamphetamine that was sold in Winamac, Indiana.
These cases were investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Porter County Multi-Enforcement Group, and the Mishawaka Police Department. These cases were prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joel Gabrielse.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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Honoring National Police WeekRead the Press Release
HAMMOND— In honor of National Police Week, United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson salutes the service and sacrifice of federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement. This year, the week is observed Sunday, May 14, 2023 through Saturday, May 20, 2023.
In 1962, President Kennedy issued the first proclamation for Peace Officers Memorial Day and National Police Week to remember and honor law enforcement officers for their service and sacrifices. Today is Peace Officers Memorial Day, which every year falls on May 15, specifically honors law enforcement officers killed or disabled in the line of duty. Based on data submitted to and analyzed by the National Law Enforcement Officer Memorial Fund (NLEOMF), 224 law enforcement officers died nationwide in the line of duty in 2022, with four of those officers having served in the State of Indiana. One officer, Noah C. Rainey, from the Northern District of Indiana lost his life in 2022.
“It is my solemn duty to honor all law enforcement officers who have made the ultimate sacrifice,” said United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson. “Law enforcement officers undertake great risks every day to protect others. These selfless acts deserve the upmost respect and honor. On behalf of my Office, I want to say to all law enforcement officers; we are grateful for the work that you perform each day.”
The names of the 556 fallen officers added this year to the wall at the National Law Enforcement Officer Memorial were read on Saturday, May 13, 2023, during a Candlelight Vigil in Washington, D.C. Starting last Friday and continuing throughout the current week, US Attorney staff will be attending District events in remembrance of fallen officers.
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Guilty Pleas in Fraudulent Nursing Diploma SchemeRead the Press Release
MIAMI – Five of dozens of defendants charged in the Southern District of Florida for their alleged participation in a scheme that created an illegal licensing and employment shortcut for aspiring nurses have pleaded guilty to wire fraud conspiracy.
Krystal Lopez and Damian Lopez (both of Palm Beach County, Fla.); Francois Legagneur (of Nassau County, N.Y.), Reynoso Seide (of Union County, N.J.); and Yelva Saint Preux (of Suffolk County, N.Y.) will be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Raag Singhal in federal district court in Fort Lauderdale on July 27. They each face up to 20 years in federal prison.
During guilty plea hearings before U.S. District Judge Raag Singhal, D. Lopez, Legagneur, Seide, and Saint Preux admitted to soliciting and recruiting people who sought nursing credentials that would allow them to work as registered, licensed practical, or vocational nurses. They also admitted to working with Palm Beach School of Nursing to create and distribute fraudulent diplomas and transcripts representing that the aspiring nursing candidates had attended the school and completed the necessary courses and clinicals to obtain their nursing diplomas. In fact, the aspiring nurses had not completed the courses and clinicals. K. Lopez admitted that, in her role as Palm Beach School of Nursing’s Finance Director, she processed applications for individuals who were issued fraudulent nursing school diplomas and transcripts and that each student paid the school $15,000 for the documents. The defendants all admitted to profiting from the scam.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri of the FBI, Miami Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge Omar Pérez Aybar of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), Miami Region, made the announcement.
FBI Miami and HHS-OIG Miami investigated, with valuable assistance from Homeland Security Investigations, Miami Field Office; U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs-Office of Inspector General; United States Postal Inspection Service, Miami; and Florida Attorney General-Florida Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, Mid-Atlantic Field Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Clark is prosecuting this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Grosnoff is handling asset forfeiture.
This case is being prosecuted in conjunction with a related criminal matter in the District of Maryland.
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 23-cr-60007. Related cases in the Southern District of Florida are case nos. 22-cr-60111, 22-cr-60118, 23-cr-60005, 23-cr-60010, 23-cr-60012, and 23-cr-60013.
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Guatemalan Man Sentenced for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Guatemalan man residing in Framingham has been sentenced in federal court in Boston for illegally reentering the United States after deportation.
Carmen Jimenez-Cruz, 42, was sentenced on May 11, 2023 by U.S. District Court Judge Angel Kelley to one year and one day in prison followed by one year of supervised release. Jimenez-Cruz will be subject to deportation proceedings upon completion of his sentence. On Jan. 24, 2023, Jimenez-Cruz pleaded guilty to illegal reentry.
In May 2013, Jimenez-Cruz was encountered by federal immigration authorities after he illegally crossed the Mexican border into Texas without being admitted by an immigration officer. He was removed from the United States in June 2013. One month after his removal, Jimenez-Cruz illegally reentered the United States and, in July 2013, he was again encountered by federal immigration authorities in Texas after having entered the United States without inspection. He was removed from the United States shortly thereafter in July 2013.
On an unknown date and place, Jimenez-Cruz illegally reentered the United States again. In April 2019, federal immigration authorities located Jimenez-Cruz at the Middlesex County House of Correction where he was being held pretrial on unrelated state charges. According to court records, in May 2022, Jimenez-Cruz was convicted of strangulation/suffocation and assault and battery on a family/household member and was sentenced to an 11-month split sentence followed by probation until May 2023. Upon completion of his sentence, Jimenez-Cruz was released from state prison.
Jimenez-Cruz was later located in September 2022 after being identified as a passenger during a motor vehicle stop in Framingham. Jimenez-Cruz was taken into custody and fingerprints obtained during his booking process were confirmed as an identical match to a prior removal verification document.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Todd Lyons, Field Office Director, Boston, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations; and Framingham Police Chief Lester Baker made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Suzanne Sullivan Jacobus of Rollins’ Major Crimes Unit is prosecuted the case.Georgia Couple Charged with Labor Trafficking Conspiracy, Forced Labor and Alien SmugglingRead the Press Release
A 16-count indictment was unsealed today charging a Georgia husband and wife with conspiring to commit labor trafficking, in addition to forced labor and alien smuggling, in connection with their operation of two Mexican restaurants, Sabor A Mexico at 805 Floy Farr Parkway, Fayetteville, Georgia, and Sabor A Mexico at 7860B Ella Lane, Fairburn, Georgia.
According to the indictment, between March 2021 and October 2022, Efrain Gonzalez, 40, and Estella Gonzalez, 34, both of Peachtree City, conspired to commit labor trafficking. The indictment alleges that the couple used force, threats of force, coercion and abuse of law and legal process to compel victims to engage in forced labor. The indictment further alleges that the couple engaged in alien smuggling for commercial gain, alleging five counts of alien smuggling against Efrain Gonzalez and one count against Estella Gonzalez.
The charge of forced labor carries a maximum of 20 years in prison, up to five years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan for the Northern District of Georgia, and Acting Special Agent in Charge Travis Picknard of HSI Atlanta made the announcement.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Annalise Peters and Trial Attorney Kate Hill of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit are prosecuting the case.
Anyone who believes that they may have been a victim of this case or may have relevant information to share is asked to call the HSI tip line at 866-DHS-2423.
If you or someone you know is a victim of human trafficking, please call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Franklin Naturopathic Practitioner Sentenced to Twelve Months’ Imprisonment for Unlawful Prescribing of Controlled SubstancesRead the Press Release
Gregory J. Haanstad, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on May 12, 2023, Michele Nickels (48) was sentenced to 12 months and one day of imprisonment, to be followed by two years of supervised release. On February 8, 2023, Nickels pled guilty to an information charging her with one count of unlawful distribution of controlled substances. Nickels’ conviction stemmed from her practice, over at least a 4-year period, of prescribing medications, including controlled substances such as Adderall, without a medical license or a DEA registration.
According to court documents, during the relevant time period, Nickels was a licensed Acupuncturist who had graduated from Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine in Arizona. Although Nickels owned and operated Self-Integrative Family Wellness Center between 2008 and 2022, Nickels was never licensed to practice medicine or prescribe medications in Wisconsin. Despite lacking the authority and licensure to prescribe medications or controlled substances, Nickels prescribed such substances over a four-year period by, among other things, using a DEA registration number that was not assigned to her.
In announcing the sentence, United States District Judge J.P. Stadtmueller focused on the trust that society places in licensing authorities to impose meaningful requirements in order to ensure the protection of the public. Judge Stadtmueller noted that individuals, like Nickels, who are unable to conform their conduct to the requirements of their licensing authorities must face appropriate consequences.
The Drug Enforcement Administration Diversion Control Division investigated this case, which Assistant United States Attorney Julie F. Stewart prosecuted.
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Former U.S. Army Employee Arrested in Bribery and Kickbacks Scheme Involving Defense ContractsRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and L. Scott Moreland, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of the United States Army Criminal Investigation Division’s (“Army CID”) Major Procurement Fraud Field Office, announced today the arrest YOUNG BEOM KIM, a native of the Republic of Korea (“Korea”) and a United States citizen, on charges of honest services wire fraud, bribery, and money laundering. As alleged in an Indictment unsealed today in Manhattan federal court, KIM, while acting in his capacity as Chief of the Design Branch at Army Garrison Yongsan/Casey in Korea (“USAG-Y/C”), schemed to enrich himself through bribes and kickbacks from various manufacturers and suppliers of parts used in U.S. Army contracts. KIM is expected to be presented today before United States Magistrate Judge James L. Cott. The case has been assigned to United States District Judge Richard M. Berman.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As alleged in the Indictment, Young Beom Kim was responsible for overseeing construction contracts, including for the repair of bunkers, at Army Garrison Yongsan/Casey in Korea, located just miles from the North Korean border. The importance of Kim’s work and duties to the Army and its troops cannot be overstated. Kim betrayed those duties in exchange for a quick buck. Individuals who would betray their positions of trust for personal financial gain will continue to be held to account by this Office.”
Special Agent in Charge L. Scott Moreland said: “Today’s arrest should serve as a stark reminder that our agents are relentless in their pursuit of those who choose to defraud the government. We have a very robust group of highly trained special agents and analysts who are masters at combating and uncovering fraud, deception, and other criminal acts associated with government contracting and purchasing. CID will continue to see to it that anyone suspected of contract fraud and corruption is brought to justice.”
According to the allegations in the Indictment unsealed today in Manhattan federal court and other publicly filed documents: [1]
From at least May 2017 through at least August 2021, KIM was a civilian employee for the U.S. Army, primarily serving as Chief of the Design Branch for the Directorate of Public Works at USAG-Y/C in Korea. KIM’s responsibilities included designing, reviewing, approving, and/or amending various maintenance, repair, and construction contracts at USAG-Y/C. While acting in that capacity, KIM helped ensure that certain Army contracts included the use of parts manufactured or supplied by specific companies. Some of these parts included blast doors, blast valves, shock mounts, and shock isolators (i.e., equipment designed to protect Army personnel in the event of an attack). In return, the companies manufacturing or supplying those parts collectively sent over $400,000 in kickbacks to KIM. A significant portion of these funds were laundered through bank accounts controlled by KIM’s adult relatives – including one account held in the name of a shell company (i.e. a company which existed in name only and which performed no legitimate business functions) – and were ultimately used to enrich KIM and to pay for bills and expenses incurred by KIM.
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KIM, 62, a resident of Korea, is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud and bribery, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison; two counts of honest services wire fraud; each of which carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; two counts of bribery, each of which carry a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison; and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding work of Army CID and Special Agents from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York. Mr. Williams thanked the Antitrust Division of the U.S. Department of Justice for its assistance in this case.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Public Corruption Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Frank J. Balsamello and Jonathan E. Rebold are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the description of the Indictment set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Former Prince George’s County Police Department Lieutenant Sentenced to 16 Months in Federal Prison for Tax Evasion—Failed to Report More Than $1.3 Million in Income from His Security BusinessRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Deborah L. Boardman sentenced Edward Scott Finn, age 48, of Dunkirk, Maryland, today to 16 months in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release, for a tax evasion charge. Finn is a former Lieutenant with the Prince George’s County Police Department and owned and operated Edward Finn Inc. (EFI), a private company. Judge Boardman also ordered Finn to pay restitution in the full amount of the loss, $367,765.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Acting Special Agent in Charge Kareem A. Carter of the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, Washington, D.C. Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron said, “Law enforcement officers are not above the law and we will hold them accountable—as we would anyone—for their criminal actions.”
“To maintain faith in our nation’s tax system, all Americans, including those in positions of public trust, must be held accountable for paying their fair share,” said Kareem A. Carter, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Washington D.C. Field Office. “IRS Criminal Investigation will continue to investigate those who intentionally conceal income and file false returns.”
“Despite Finn’s position of trust as an officer of the law, he lied and stole from the government. He used his Secondary Law Enforcement Employment (SLEE) to propel his greed,” said Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the FBI Baltimore Field Office. “Today’s sentence articulates financial crimes do not pay.”
According to his plea agreement and other court documents, from approximately December 26, 1995 to April 26, 2021, Finn was a member of the Prince George’s County Police Department (PGPD). Members of the PGPD were allowed to work part-time outside employment in addition to their full-time duties, known as Secondary Law Enforcement Employment (SLEE). According to the plea agreement and court documents, from 2014 to 2021, Finn used EFI and employed off-duty law enforcement officers to provide security services to apartment complexes and other businesses, primarily in Prince George’s and Montgomery Counties, to manage and operate his SLEE business.
Finn admitted that he underreported a total of more than $1.3 million of EFI income on his 2014 through 2019 individual income tax returns. During that time frame, Finn deposited checks payable to EFI into personal bank accounts or non-EFI bank accounts over which Finn had signature authority. Finn also created false business expenses to lower his tax due by writing checks to relatives and friends for purported services performed; and used business funds to purchase a boat, a car, and other items for his personal use. This underreported income resulted in a total tax loss to the government of $367,765.
Further, Finn admitted that on April 22, 2021, as federal agents announced their presence at his front door to execute a search warrant on his residence, Finn initiated the erasure and resetting of his cellphone. Finn then opened the front door to his residence and law enforcement recovered the phone in the master bedroom.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the IRS-CI and the FBI and for their work in the investigation and thanked the Prince George’s County Police Department and the Prince George’s County State’s Attorney’s Office for their assistance. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy F. Hagan, Jr., who prosecuted this case.
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Former Preschool Teacher's Assistant Sentenced to 90 Years in Federal Prison for Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
LITTLE ROCK— Augustus “Gus” Shenker, 23, of Little Rock was sentenced to serve the next 90 years in federal prison for production of child pornography. Shenker was sentenced earlier today by United States District Judge Lee P. Rudofsky.
In May 2021, FBI received a cyber tip that Dropbox user Augustus Shenker, using an email address that contained his name, possessed seven videos containing child pornography. Investigators determined Shenker’s address and learned that he was employed at Miss Selma’s School in Little Rock, an early education school with children from 18 months old to fifth grade.
FBI agents obtained a search warrant for Shenker’s home and made contact with him at the school where he worked. Law enforcement seized Shenker’s iPhone and advised him a search warrant was being executed at his residence.
A review of items seized from Shenker’s residence revealed six videos created in March 2021 that showed Shenker touching the buttocks and vagina of a preschool-age child in a classroom at Miss Selma’s School. His iPhone contained a hidden folder with 19 additional videos, all of which were taken in the same preschool classroom where Shenker worked. Shenker’s face is visible in several of the videos. In addition to the videos of abuse that Shenker produced himself, law enforcement located more than a thousand images of child sexual abuse on Shenker’s phone and other devices. Shenker later admitted making the videos of the preschool-age children during nap time.
Shenker was first charged in a criminal complaint on May 18, 2021, when the FBI received the initial cyber tip. On June 1, 2021, after the discovery of the videos on his phone, a federal grand jury returned an indictment, charging Shenker with 22 counts of production of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. Shenker pleaded guilty to three counts of production of child pornography in December 2022. Judge Rudofsky sentenced Shenker to the maximum of 30 years on each count, to run consecutively, for a total of 90 years. In addition to the 90-year prison term, Shenker was sentenced to life of supervised release following imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system.
“We are grateful that Judge Rudofsky imposed the maximum sentence allowed by the law against Mr. Shenker,” said United States Attorney Jonathan D. Ross. “This sentence ensures that Mr. Shenker will spend the rest of his life in prison, which means he will never harm another child. In the Eastern District of Arkansas, we will not waste time empathizing with adults who have a sexual interest in children, but rather resolve to fully investigate and prosecute each and every child predator. Our office, the FBI, and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children will maintain our commitment to make sure that every criminal that harms and exploits children will be brought to justice.”
“As an educator, Mr. Shenker was entrusted to support and protect our children,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge James A. Dawson. “Instead, he chose to exploit and manipulate the very children he was hired to teach. Today’s sentence ensures he will never again victimize our community. FBI Little Rock will continue to utilize all resources to protect innocent youth from predators who seek to harm them.”
The investigation was conducted by the FBI Little Rock Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kristin Bryant.
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This news release, as well as additional information about the office of the
United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at
https://www.justice.gov/edar
Twitter:
@EDARNEWS
Former Orange County Elementary School Teacher Pleads Guilty to Possessing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
SANTA ANA, California – A former Orange County elementary school teacher and high school wrestling coach pleaded guilty today to possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM), including at least one video portraying masochistic sexual conduct involving a child.
Richard O’Connor, 45, of Anaheim, pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography.
O’Connor formerly was employed as a fourth-grade teacher at Crescent Elementary School in Anaheim and volunteered as a boys’ wrestling coach at Canyon High School, also located in Anaheim. He is not accused of victimizing students.
According to his plea agreement, in October 2022, law enforcement served a federal search warrant on Apple Inc. for the contents of O’Connor’s Apple iCloud account.
A forensic review of O’Connor’s iCloud account identified at least 81 videos and 158 images of CSAM. O’Connor admitted in his plea agreement that several of the videos and images of CSAM in his iCloud account depicted infants or toddlers as well as violent, sadistic, or masochistic conduct.
O’Connor further admitted in his plea agreement that he knew that at least three of the videos that he possessed depicted minors engaged in sexual conduct. He also admitted to possessing at least one video that portrayed a child engaged in sadistic or masochistic conduct, particularly bondage.
United States District Judge David O. Carter scheduled a December 18 sentencing hearing, at which time O’Connor will face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison and will be required to register as a sex offender.
Federal prosecutors have agreed to recommend to the court that O’Connor be sentenced to a term of imprisonment no higher than five years.
Homeland Security Investigations investigated this case.
Assistant United States Attorney Melissa S. Rabbani of the Santa Ana Branch Office is prosecuting this case.
Former Indianapolis Police Sergeant Pleads Guilty to Using Excessive Force During Arrest on Monument CircleRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS- A former Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department Sergeant pleaded guilty today to violating the civil rights of an arrestee by using excessive force.
According to court documents, on Sept. 24, 2021, Eric Huxley, 44, of Indianapolis, then a sergeant with the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, was on patrol in downtown Indianapolis when another officer requested his assistance in confronting a disorderly person on Monument Circle.
After officers placed the victim, identified as J.V., under arrest for disorderly conduct, Huxley assisted other officers with conducting an inventory of J.V.’s property. When officers began to remove J.V.’s belt, J.V. became confrontational with the officers. The primary arresting officer used a department-approved takedown maneuver to bring J.V., who had already been handcuffed, to the ground. The arresting officer held J.V. down with one hand while a second officer restrained his legs. This reasonable and appropriate use of force effectively overcame J.V.’s resistance and rendered him physically unable to move.
Despite knowing that J.V. had been effectively restrained and posed no further danger to officers or the public, Huxley then intentionally raised his right foot and drove it down onto J.V.’s head and face.
“This police officer violently and callously assaulted a homeless man who posed no threat,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department will continue to investigate and prosecute law enforcement officers for violating federal civil rights laws.”
“In addition to the trauma inflicted on victims, police officers who break the law and use excessive force damage the community’s trust in the law enforcement profession,” said United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, Zachary A. Myers. “Officers put themselves at risk every day doing a difficult and sometimes dangerous job to uphold the law and protect their communities. Those who instead commit crimes must be identified and prosecuted. Today’s guilty plea demonstrates that the FBI, Department of Justice, and our U.S. Attorney’s Office are committed to seeking accountability for those who violate people’s civil rights under the color of law.”
“Everyday law enforcement officers in this country face dangerous situations which require the application of reasonable force to protect themselves and others. Unfortunately, some officers fail to adhere to the applicable standards of law and policy, inflicting harm instead of preventing it,” said Special Agent in Charge Herbert J. Stapleton of the Indianapolis Federal Bureau of Investigation. “This guilty plea reflects the FBI’s commitment to protecting the civil rights of all citizens, and I commend the work of the Special Agents and prosecutors who helped ensure the defendant was held accountable for his illegal conduct.”
Sentencing has not yet been scheduled. Huxley faces a maximum of 10 years in prison followed by supervised release. A federal judge will determine sentencing guidelines based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General Clarke, U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Myers, and Special Agent in Charge Stapleton made the announcement.
The FBI Indianapolis Field Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany Preston for the Southern District of Indiana and Trial Attorney Alec Ward of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section prosecuted the case.
Prior release here
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Former Indianapolis Police Sergeant Pleads Guilty to Using Excessive Force During ArrestRead the Press Release
A former Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department Sergeant pleaded guilty today to violating the civil rights of an arrestee by using excessive force.
According to court documents, on Sept. 24, 2021, Eric Huxley, 44, was on patrol in downtown Indianapolis when another officer requested his assistance in confronting a disorderly person on Monument Circle. After officers placed the victim, identified as J.V., under arrest for disorderly conduct, Huxley assisted other officers with conducting an inventory of J.V.’s property. When officers began to remove J.V.’s belt, he became confrontational with the officers. The primary arresting officer used a department-approved takedown maneuver to bring J.V., who had already been handcuffed, to the ground. The arresting officer held J.V. down with one hand while a second officer restrained his legs. This reasonable and appropriate use of force effectively overcame J.V.’s resistance and rendered him physically unable to move.
Despite knowing that J.V. had been effectively restrained and posed no further danger to officers or the public, Huxley then intentionally raised his right foot and drove it down onto J.V.’s head and face.
“This police officer violently and callously assaulted a homeless man who posed no threat,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department will continue to investigate and prosecute law enforcement officers for violating federal civil rights laws.”
“In addition to the trauma inflicted on victims, police officers who break the law and use excessive force damage the community’s trust in the law enforcement profession,” said U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Myers for the Southern District of Indiana. “Officers put themselves at risk every day doing a difficult and sometimes dangerous job to uphold the law and protect their communities. Those who instead commit crimes must be identified and prosecuted. Today’s guilty plea demonstrates that the FBI, Department of Justice, and our U.S. Attorney’s Office are committed to seeking accountability for those who violate people’s civil rights under the color of law.”
“Every day law enforcement officers in this country face dangerous situations which require the application of reasonable force to protect themselves and others. Unfortunately, some officers fail to adhere to the applicable standards of law and policy, inflicting harm instead of preventing it,” said Special Agent in Charge Herbert J. Stapleton of the FBI Indianapolis Field Office. “This guilty plea reflects the FBI’s commitment to protecting the civil rights of all citizens, and I commend the work of the Special Agents and prosecutors who helped ensure the defendant was held accountable for his illegal conduct.”
Sentencing has not yet been scheduled. Huxley faces a maximum of 10 years in prison followed by supervised release. A federal judge will determine the sentence based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General Clarke, U.S. Attorney Myers and Special Agent in Charge Stapleton made the announcement.
The FBI Indianapolis Field Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany Preston for the Southern District of Indiana and Trial Attorney Alec Ward of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section prosecuted the case.