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Friday 12 May 2023
Krebs Resident Sentenced for Possession with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jeffery Owen Freeman, age 54, of Krebs, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 235 months for one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Krebs Police Department, the McAlester Police Department, and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.
On November 13, 2021, law enforcement officers conducting a routine traffic stop discovered Jeffery Freeman, a felon, in possession of several baggies containing a total of 192.4 grams of pure methamphetamine, a set of digital scales, and a loaded Sig Sauer, Model P365, 9x19 mm caliber, semi-automatic pistol. Freeman was on probation supervision at the time of his arrest.
On July 19, 2022, Jeffery Freeman pleaded guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, a violation 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(A).
“This is yet another example of the outstanding partnership and collaboration between the DEA, law enforcement partners and the United States Attorney’s Office of the Eastern District of Oklahoma. The arrest of Mr. Freeman has undoubtedly made our communities safer and prevented the further destruction that methamphetamine can bring to our neighborhoods” said Eduardo A. Chavez, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Dallas Field Division.
“The defendant has a long history of drug and firearms offenses, and the 235-month sentence imposed should send a clear message that dealing illegal drugs will not be tolerated in the Eastern District of Oklahoma,” said United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearings in Muskogee. Jeffery Freeman will remain in custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve his sentence of incarceration.
Assistant United States Attorney Joshua Satter represented the United States.
Kalamazoo Man Convicted at Trial of Federal Drug and Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
Case Represented the Largest Seizure of Fentanyl in the Kalamazoo AreaGRAND RAPIDS – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten today announced that after a three-day trial, a jury convicted Tyrone Henderson (50) of Kalamazoo, Michigan, of the crimes of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, heroin, and methamphetamine and for being a felon in possession of firearms. Henderson was originally arrested upon a criminal complaint on November 15, 2022, and was subsequently indicted by the Grand Jury on December 6, 2022.
“Fentanyl and other illicit street drugs pose an extreme danger to our loved ones,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten. “We are in a fight to save lives, and my office, in coordination with our local and federal partners, is committed to disrupting the distribution of fentanyl, illegal drugs, and guns into our communities.”
Henderson faces a mandatory minimum term of 10 years in federal prison, although his advisory range under the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines will be much higher. According to the Kalamazoo Valley Enforcement Team, at the time of the seizure, this represented the largest seizure of fentanyl in the Kalamazoo area. Henderson will be sentenced sometime later this year.
The Kalamazoo Valley Enforcement Team (KVET), a multi-jurisdictional narcotics task force, had an ongoing investigation of Henderson for his involvement with fentanyl and methamphetamine distribution in Kalamazoo. KVET obtained a warrant to search Henderson’s residence and executed it on November 10, 2022. A search of the residence yielded 2.3 kilograms of pure fentanyl, 1.3 kilograms of a heroin and fentanyl mixture, 516 grams of heroin, and 489 grams of methamphetamine. Much of the methamphetamine seized from Henderson’s residence was in pill form, disguised to look like the party drug ecstasy. Henderson’s residence also contained four assault rifles; ten magazines, nine of which were loaded and fit the assault rifles; ammunition; a handgun; digital scales; presses; and other implements used for processing narcotics. Two of the seized firearms were reported stolen to the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety. Henderson has multiple prior felony convictions and is prohibited from possessing firearms.
The investigation of Henderson was handled by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Kalamazoo Valley Enforcement Team. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joel S. Fauson and Austin J. Hakes prosecuted the case.
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Justice Department Files Sexual Harassment Lawsuit Against Property Manager and Owner of California Rental PropertyRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – The Justice Department filed a lawsuit today against the property manager of an apartment building in Koreatown and the owner of the rental property alleging the sexual harassment of female residents in violation of the Fair Housing Act.
Abraham Kesary, who resides at the apartment building on South Western Avenue, sexually harassed female residents at the rental property from at least 2012 until at least 2020, according to the lawsuit filed today in federal court. According to the complaint, Kesary offered housing-related benefits in exchange for sexual acts, made unwelcome sexual comments and advances to female tenants, entered the homes of female tenants without their permission, and subjected female tenants to unwelcome sexual acts.
Kesary managed the apartment building on behalf of M&F Development, LLC, the property’s owner, who is also named as a defendant in the suit.
“Mr. Kesary allegedly abused his power as a property manager to sexually harass and victimize vulnerable tenants for years,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. “Sexual harassment is a violation of the Fair Housing Act, and the Justice Department will do everything in its power to seek justice for victims of discrimination and harassment.”
“No one should be subjected to demands for sex, sexual comments or propositions in exchange for safe and affordable housing,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “A home is a place of refuge; not a place to be subjected to degrading and unlawful harassment. The Justice Department is committed to vigorously enforcing the Fair Housing Act and holding landlords and housing providers accountable when they sexually harass their tenants.”
The lawsuit seeks monetary damages to compensate persons harmed by the alleged harassment, a civil penalty to vindicate the public interest, and a court order barring future discrimination.
Individuals who believe that they may have been victims of sexual harassment or other types of housing discrimination at rental dwellings owned or managed by Abraham Kesary or M&F Development, or who have other information that may be relevant to this case, may contact the Housing Discrimination Tip Line at 1-833-591-0291. Individuals may also email the Department at [email protected] or submit a report online. Reports also may be made by contacting the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development at 1-800-669-9777 or by filing a complaint online.
Assistant United States Attorney Margaret Chen of the Civil Division’s Civil Rights Section and attorneys from the Housing and Civil Enforcement Section of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division are handling this matter.
Justice Department Files Sexual Harassment Lawsuit Against California Rental Property Manager and OwnersRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that it has filed a lawsuit against the manager and the owner of a rental property in Los Angeles for engaging in sexual harassment in violation of the Fair Housing Act.
The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, alleges that Abraham Kesary sexually harassed female tenants at 445 S. Western Avenue in Los Angeles since at least 2012. According to the complaint, Kesary offered housing-related benefits in exchange for sexual acts, made unwelcome sexual comments and advances to female tenants, entered the homes of female tenants without their permission, and subjected female tenants to unwelcome sexual acts. The lawsuit also names M&F Development LLC, the owner of the property, as a defendant.
“No one should be subjected to demands for sex, sexual comments or propositions in exchange for safe and affordable housing,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “A home is a place of refuge; not a place to be subjected to degrading and unlawful harassment. The Justice Department is committed to vigorously enforcing the Fair Housing Act and holding landlords and housing providers accountable when they sexually harass their tenants.”
“Mr. Kesary allegedly abused his power as a property manager to sexually harass and victimize vulnerable tenants for years,” said U.S Attorney Martin Estrada for the Central District of California. “Sexual harassment is a violation of the Fair Housing Act, and the Justice Department will do everything in its power to seek justice for victims of discrimination and harassment.”
The lawsuit seeks monetary damages to compensate persons harmed by the alleged harassment, a civil penalty to vindicate the public interest and a court order barring future discrimination.
The Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in housing based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability and familial status. Individuals who believe that they may have been victims of sexual harassment or other types of housing discrimination at rental dwellings owned or managed by Abraham Kesary or M&F Development LLC, or who have other information that may be relevant to this case, may contact the Housing Discrimination Tip Line at 1-833-591-0291, select option 1 for English or option 2 for Spanish, select option 2 for sexual harassment, then select option 5 for English or option 4 for Spanish to leave a message. Individuals may also email the department at [email protected] or submit a report online. Reports also may be made by contacting the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development at 1-800-669-9777 or by filing a complaint online.
The Justice Department launched its Sexual Harassment in Housing Initiative in October 2017. The department’s initiative is led by the Civil Rights Division, in coordination with U.S. Attorneys’ Offices across the country. The initiative seeks to address and raise awareness about sexual harassment by landlords, property managers, maintenance workers, loan officers, and other people who have control over housing. Since launching the initiative, the department has filed 31 lawsuits alleging sexual harassment in housing and recovered over $10.7 million for victims of such harassment.
Jury Convicts Priest of Sex Trafficking Three Victims in Northern OhioRead the Press Release
TOLEDO - A federal jury in Northern District of Ohio convicted Michael J. Zacharias, a priest, of five counts of sex trafficking. The charges related to three victims, two of whom Zacharias trafficked when they were minors and as adults. The evidence presented to the jury detailed how Zacharias paid the victims to engage in sex acts with him using the victims’ fear of serious harm to compel their compliance.
Specifically, the jury heard evidence of how Zacharias first met the victims when they were young boys, and he was a Seminarian at St. Catherine’s Catholic Parish school in Toledo, Ohio, and how Zacharias began grooming the boys for commercial sex acts, using his position as a priest and teacher to ingratiate himself with the boys and their families as a trusted friend, mentor and spiritual counselor. The defendant overcame the victims’ resistance to his eventual commercial sex overtures by gradually sexualizing conversations and conduct with them. At the same time, the victims were developing serious opiate addictions, using pain medication and, later, heroin. Zacharias waited to propose commercial sex until he knew the victims were so heavily involved in drug abuse that it was impacting their daily lives, physical and mental well-being and ability to maintain a stable school or work life.
The victims’ testimony explained how, in varying degrees, they submitted to Zacharias’ commercial sex solicitations because they feared the psychological harm of losing Zacharias as a father figure and friend, losing their connection to the Church and God, and suffering the painful symptoms of opioid withdrawal that could be alleviated with the money provided by Zacharias to purchase drugs. One victim in particular – the older brother of another victim – also explained how he feared Zacharias would sexually abuse his minor brother and others if he did not continue to comply with the defendant’s commercial sex solicitations.
“This defendant betrayed the victims in the most inhumane way,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “He robbed them of their childhood, their dignity and their faith. He inflicted cruel psychological harm, preying on their fears and forcing them to choose between submitting to commercial sex acts, or incurring the pain of losing a father figure or counselor, suffering withdrawal sickness, and risking sexual abuse of a loved one. The Justice Department will vigorously prosecute human trafficking crimes to hold offenders like Michael Zacharias accountable and bring justice to their victims.”
“This verdict sends a clear message to those who prey upon children by using positions of trust to further their crimes,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle M. Baeppler for the Northern District of Ohio. “Our office will continue to protect our children by aggressively prosecuting child predators who engage in sex trafficking.”
“The defendant not only abused his victims, but also betrayed the trust placed in him by the congregation and those who dutifully serve parishes across the country,” said Special Agent in Charge Gregory Nelsen of the FBI Cleveland Field Office. “The FBI is committed to finding and investigating child predators, so no other people become victim to deceitful and abhorrent behavior.”
Sentencing has not yet been scheduled. Zacharias faces a fifteen-year mandatory minimum and lifetime maximum sentence. Restitution in this case is mandatory under the law.
Assistant Attorney General Clarke and First Assistant U.S. Attorney Baeppler made the announcement.
The Lima and Toledo Resident Agencies of the FBI Cleveland Field Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracey Tangeman for the Northern District of Ohio and Trial Attorney Lindsey Roberson of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit are prosecuting the case.
Jury Convicts Priest of Sex Trafficking Three Victims in Northern OhioRead the Press Release
A federal jury in Northern District of Ohio convicted Michael J. Zacharias, a priest, of five counts of sex trafficking. The charges related to three victims, two of whom Zacharias trafficked when they were minors and as adults. The evidence presented to the jury detailed how Zacharias paid the victims to engage in sex acts with him using the victims’ fear of serious harm to compel their compliance.
Specifically, the jury heard evidence of how Zacharias first met the victims when they were young boys, and he was a Seminarian at St. Catherine’s Catholic Parish school in Toledo, Ohio, and how Zacharias began grooming the boys for commercial sex acts, using his position as a priest and teacher to ingratiate himself with the boys and their families as a trusted friend, mentor and spiritual counselor. The defendant overcame the victims’ resistance to his eventual commercial sex overtures by gradually sexualizing conversations and conduct with them. At the same time, the victims were developing serious opiate addictions, using pain medication and, later, heroin. Zacharias waited to propose commercial sex until he knew the victims were so heavily involved in drug abuse that it was impacting their daily lives, physical and mental well-being and ability to maintain a stable school or work life.
The victims’ testimony explained how, in varying degrees, they submitted to Zacharias’ commercial sex solicitations because they feared the psychological harm of losing Zacharias as a father figure and friend, losing their connection to the Church and God, and suffering the painful symptoms of opioid withdrawal that could be alleviated with the money provided by Zacharias to purchase drugs. One victim in particular – the older brother of another victim – also explained how he feared Zacharias would sexually abuse his minor brother and others if he did not continue to comply with the defendant’s commercial sex solicitations.
“This defendant betrayed the victims in the most inhumane way,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “He robbed them of their childhood, their dignity and their faith. He inflicted cruel psychological harm, preying on their fears and forcing them to choose between submitting to commercial sex acts, or incurring the pain of losing a father figure or counselor, suffering withdrawal sickness, and risking sexual abuse of a loved one. The Justice Department will vigorously prosecute human trafficking crimes to hold offenders like Michael Zacharias accountable and bring justice to their victims.”
“This verdict sends a clear message to those who prey upon children by using positions of trust to further their crimes,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle M. Baeppler for the Northern District of Ohio. “Our office will continue to protect our children by aggressively prosecuting child predators who engage in sex trafficking.”
“The defendant not only abused his victims, but also betrayed the trust placed in him by the congregation and those who dutifully serve parishes across the country,” said Special Agent in Charge Gregory Nelsen of the FBI Cleveland Field Office. “The FBI is committed to finding and investigating child predators, so no other people become victim to deceitful and abhorrent behavior.”
Sentencing has not yet been scheduled. Zacharias faces a fifteen-year mandatory minimum and lifetime maximum sentence. Restitution in this case is mandatory under the law.
Assistant Attorney General Clarke and First Assistant U.S. Attorney Baeppler made the announcement.
The Lima and Toledo Resident Agencies of the FBI Cleveland Field Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracey Tangeman for the Northern District of Ohio and Trial Attorney Lindsey Roberson of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit are prosecuting the case.
Jackson Woman Pleads Guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A Jackson woman pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Acting Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, & Explosives.
According to court documents, Betty Butler, 56, possessed a firearm after having previously been convicted of a felony. On December 8, 2021, federal and state law enforcement executed a search warrant at her home and found a firearm in her bedroom. Butler has several prior felony convictions for narcotics violations.
Butler is scheduled to be sentenced on August 10, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, & Explosives and the Drug Enforcement Administration investigated this case with assistance from the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics and the Hinds County Sheriff’s Department. Criminal Chief Erin Chalk and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Allen are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation, “Bell Ringer”, which began as an operation targeting illegal methamphetamine and cocaine distribution in central, Mississippi. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Jackson Felon Sentenced to 14 Years in Federal Prison for Using 3D-Printers to Manufacture MachinegunsRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A Jackson man was sentenced to 168 months in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm and engaging in business as a manufacturer of firearms, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Acting Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
According to court documents, Kent Edward Newhouse, 41, possessed firearms on or about July 13, 2022 and July 20, 2022, and engaged in the business of manufacturing firearms from April to July 2022. In April 2022, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives discovered through a confidential informant that Newhouse was using 3D-printers to manufacture auto-sears, which are firearm components designed to cause semi-automatic firearms to function as fully automatic machineguns. Under federal law, auto-sears are themselves machineguns. On July 13, 2022, Newhouse sold a confidential informant a firearm and several auto-sears. On July 20, 2022, a search warrant was executed at Newhouse’s residence, where additional firearms and auto-sears were located. The government also obtained videos of Newhouse operating fully functional machineguns. Newhouse was previously convicted of felony sale of controlled substances in Madison County in 2009.
Newhouse pled guilty on September 1, 2022 to two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm and one count of engaging in business as a manufacturer of firearms.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Jackson Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bert Carraway and Andrew W. Eichner prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Inmate Convicted of Running Drug Distribution Scheme While in PrisonRead the Press Release
Montgomery, Alabama – Yesterday, a federal jury found Johnnie Page Lott, 41, from Mobile, Alabama, guilty of conspiring to sell methamphetamine in an Alabama prison and conspiring to launder drug money, announced United States Attorney Sandra J. Stewart.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, in early 2020, Lott was an inmate at Kilby Correctional Facility in Montgomery. Correctional officers suspected Lott was involved in illegal activity and began listening to recordings of calls Lott made from prison phones. The recordings revealed that Lott had numerous conversations concerning the sale of drugs, including synthetic cannabinoids called “Flakka,” within the prison. The subsequent investigation showed that Lott would have drugs brought into the prison, then he utilized other inmates to distribute them throughout the facility.
The trial evidence revealed that on May 24, 2020, a correctional officer spotted an inmate with a suspicious bulge in his clothing. The officer searched the inmate and found a package of what turned out to be methamphetamine. Later on, Lott made a phone call and discussed with a co-conspirator the confiscation of the drugs.
The jury also heard evidence that Lott was coordinating payments for the sale of his illegal drugs with his co-conspirator. On numerous occasions, Lott and the co-conspirator spoke about the amount of money the drug enterprise generated and, on one occasion, boasted about having an “$11,000.00 weekend.” They also discussed the co-conspirator paying cash for a $27,000.00 vehicle. When DEA agents executed a federal search warrant on the home of the co-conspirator, they found nearly $130,000.00 in cash. Federal agents also seized the co-conspirator’s financial accounts, totaling approximately $60,000.00.
Following the May 11, 2023, verdict, Lott faces a sentence 10 years to life in federal prison. The Alabama Department of Corrections' Law Enforcement Services Division and the DEA investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorneys Eric M. Counts, Kevin P. Davidson, and Mark E. Andreu are prosecuting the case.
Informational: Federal Court arraignmentsRead the Press Release
The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced that the following persons were arraigned or appeared this week before U.S. Magistrate judges on indictments handed down by the Grand Jury or on criminal complaints. The charging documents are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty:
Appearing in Missoula before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto and pleading not guilty on May 12 was:
Max Gaylord Stout, 35, of Billings, on charges of felon in possession of a firearm and drug user and addict in possession of firearms and ammunition. If convicted of the most serious crime, Stout faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Stout was detained pending further proceedings. The Kalispell Police Department, Flathead County Sheriff’s Office, Montana Crime Lab and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. PACER case reference. 22-62.
Tracy Jean Bell, 50, of Beaverton, Oregon, on charges of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute meth. If convicted of the most serious crime, Bell faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release. Bell was detained pending further proceedings. The Missoula County Sheriff’s Office, Missoula Police Department, Northwest Montana Drug Task Force and Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case. PACER case reference. 22-23.
Appearing in Billings before U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan and pleading not guilty on May 10 was:
Mariana Tyler Wallace, 22, of Okanogan, Washington, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. If convicted of the most serious crime, Wallace faces a mandatory minimum 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release. Wallace was detained pending further proceedings. The Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Indian Affairs and FBI investigated the case. PACER case reference. 23-55
Gregory Jacob Porterfield, 35, of Billings, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and distribution of controlled substances. If convicted of the most serious crime, Porterfield faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release. Porterfield was detained pending further proceedings. The Eastern Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force investigated the case. PACER case reference. 23-54.
Savas Christian Lewis Howard, 26, of Billings, on charges of theft from a federal firearm licensee, possession of stolen firearms and prohibited person in possession of a firearm. If convicted of the most serious crime, Howard faces a maximum of 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Howard was detained pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Billings Police Department investigated the case. PACER case reference. 23-53.
Appearing in Great Falls before U.S. Magistrate Judge John T. Johnston and pleading not guilty on May 9 was:
Marvin James Cole, 27, of Dodson, on charges of assault resulting in serious bodily injury. If convicted of the most serious crime, Cole faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Cole was released pending further proceedings. The FBI, Fort Belknap Law Enforcement, Montana Highway Patrol and Phillips County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. PACER case reference. 23-29.
The progress of cases may be monitored through the U.S. District Court Calendar and the PACER system. To establish a PACER account, which provides electronic access to review documents filed in a case, please visit http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. To access the District Court’s calendar, please visit https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl.
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Illinois Man Sentenced to One Year in Prison for Escape from Federal CustodyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Steven Russell announced that Martese Rayshawn Roland, 30, of Chicago, Illinois, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for Escape from Custody. Chief United States District Court Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Roland to one year in prison. He was also ordered to serve a three-year term of supervised release as there is no parole in the federal system.
On July 18, 2016, Roland was convicted in the District of Nebraska for Possession with Intent to Distribute Heroin and Marijuana, and Use of a Firearm During a Drug Trafficking Crime. Roland received a 96-month sentence that he served at the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
On August 17, 2022, Roland was transferred to the Residential Re-Entry Center in Omaha (RRC DISMAS) to finish his sentence that was set to expire on January 14, 2023. On September 16, 2022, Roland left RRC DISMAS without permission. He was located in Omaha by deputies with the United States Marshals Service on October 31, 2022, and was arrested at that time for escape.
This case was the result of an investigation by the United States Marshals Service.
Illinois Hospital Agrees to Pay $12.5 Million to Settle Allegations of Billing ErrorRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – St. Elizabeth’s Hospital of the Hospital Sisters Health System (“St. Elizabeth”) in O’Fallon, Illinois, this week agreed to pay $12.5 million to resolve allegations that it committed billing errors that may have resulted in an overpayment for services. A lawsuit alleged that the hospital submitted claims for urgent care services billed at a higher level of service. When the errors were brought to the attention of St. Elizabeth, the hospital fully cooperated with the Department of Justice’s investigation.
The settlement resolves a qui tam, or whistleblower, lawsuit. St. Elizabeth is not admitting any wrongdoing but has agreed to settle the claims to avoid the expense and uncertainty of litigation. The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability. Under the False Claims Act, private citizens, known as relators, can bring suit on behalf of the United States and share in any recovery.
The settlement was the result of a coordinated effort by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of Illinois; the Office of the Inspector General of the Office of Personnel Management; the Inspector General’s Office of the Department of Health and Human Services; the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Defense; the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office; and the Illinois State Police Medicaid Fraud Control Unit.
“I would like to commend the excellent work of our investigators, their law enforcement partners, and the U.S. Attorney’s office for their tireless efforts on this complex case,” said U.S. Office of Personnel Management Deputy Assistant Inspector General for Investigations Conrad J. Quarles. “Safeguarding the integrity of the Federal Employees Health Benefits Plan is of the utmost importance to our Office and benefits millions of Federal employees, retirees, and dependents who rely on the program.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Klein and Department of Justice Trial Counsel Allie Pang represented the government during the settlement process. To learn more about the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of Illinois, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-cdil.
Human Smuggler Sentenced to 101 Months for Causing Crash That Killed PassengerRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Andres Urias-Soto, 28, of Phoenix, Arizona, was sentenced last week by United States District Judge John C. Hinderaker to 96 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. Because Urias-Soto was on supervised release for the offense of transporting illegal aliens for profit when he committed this offense, Judge Hinderaker imposed a sentence of 5 months consecutive for the violation of supervised release. Urias-Soto pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Transport Illegal Aliens for Profit Resulting in Death and admitted to violating a condition of supervised release.
On June 17, 2021, Urias-Soto agreed to drive to Lukeville, Arizona, to pick up undocumented non-citizens who were present illegally in the United States. Urias-Soto was to be paid to transport them to another location within the United States. On that same date, United States Border Patrol agents observed Urias-Soto pick up two suspected undocumented non-citizens from a gas station and drive northbound on State Route 85 towards Interstate 8. When Border Patrol agents activated their lights and sirens to conduct a traffic stop, Urias-Soto sped up, failed to yield to the agents, and eventually reached speeds up to 110 miles per hour. Shortly thereafter, Urias-Soto lost control of the vehicle and crashed in the desert. One of the passengers succumbed to his injuries. The surviving passenger also sustained injuries.
The investigation in this case was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations, Sells, in coordination with Customs and Border Protection’s United States Border Patrol, Ajo Station, and the Arizona Department of Public Safety. Assistant United States Attorney Arturo Aguilar, United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: 21-cr-01933-JCH-EJM
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-069_Urias-Soto# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Hulbert Resident Sentenced for Federal Firearm OffenseRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jeramey Dill, age 34, of Hulbert, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 120 months in prison for one count of Use, Carry, and Discharge of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence.
The charges arose from investigations by the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
On May 3, 2021, during a violent argument, Dill pulled a handgun and discharged his weapon multiple times. The victim sustained a non–life threatening gunshot wound to his leg and Dill fled the scene before deputies arrived. Investigators recovered multiple .40 caliber shell casings from the scene. Dill was arrested at his residence the following day by investigators serving a search warrant and confessed to the shooting.
Dill pleaded guilty to the offense on October 28, 2021.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy to foster trust and legitimacy in our communities, support community-based organizations that help prevent violence, set focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and produce measurable results.
The Honorable Charles B. Goodwin, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearings in Oklahoma City. Dill will remain in custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve his sentence of incarceration.
Assistant United States Attorney Ryan Bondura represented the United States.
Four Men Sentenced to Life for June 2018 SlayingRead the Press Release
Defendants Abducted Maryland Man and Held Him for Ransom
WASHINGTON – Four Washington, D.C. men were sentenced today in U.S. District Court to life in prison for murder and other charges in the kidnapping of a Maryland man, whose body was found in June 2018 in an alley in Southeast Washington. The victim had been shot numerous times and his hands were still bound with zip-ties.
Defendants Darin Moore, Jr. 29, of Bowie, Md., Gabriel Brown, 33, and John Sweeney, 29, both of Washington, D.C., were each sentenced to life in prison on the charge of kidnapping resulting in death, and 45 years in prison on counts of conspiracy to commit kidnapping, first degree premeditated murder and felony murder, all to run concurrent to each other. Defendant James Taylor, 33, also of Washington, D.C., was sentenced to life in prison for kidnapping resulting in death and 45 years in prison for felony murder, to run concurrently. All four were found guilty, on November 1, 2022, following a trial in U.S. District Court.
The sentences were announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Special Agent in Charge Wayne A. Jacobs, of the FBI Washington Field Office's Criminal and Cyber Division, and Chief Robert J. Contee III, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
According to the government’s evidence, on June 19, 2018, the victim, Andre Simmons, Jr., 28, from Bowie, Maryland, was abducted at gunpoint in Maryland, bound with zip ties, and forced into a vehicle by Moore and Sweeney. During the following few hours, several ransom calls were made from Taylor’s phone to Mr. Simmons’ family, who delivered $7,000 in cash to a drop location as instructed by the kidnappers. The money was subsequently picked up by Brown.
Just over an hour after the ransom payment, at about 6:25 a.m. on June 20, 2018, the defendants shot Mr. Simmons 19 times and left his zip-tied body in an alley off the 600 block of Atlantic Street SE. The four men then met up in Capitol Heights, Maryland, to divide up the proceeds of the ransom demand.
Moore was arrested on June 20, 2018; Brown was arrested on June 27, 2018; Taylor was arrested on Aug. 17, 2018; and Sweeney was arrested on Jan. 14, 2019. All have been in custody since their arrests.
This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office Violent Crimes Task Force and MPD’s Homicide Division. Valuable assistance was provided by Prince George’s County, Maryland, Police Department, and the U.S. Marshal Service.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Steven Wasserman and Will Hart, of the Violence Reduction and Trafficking Offenses Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura Crane and former Paralegal Specialist Genevieve De Guzman also assisted in the prosecution.
Fort Pierce Man Sentenced to 13 Years in Federal Prison for Carjacking at GunpointRead the Press Release
MIAMI – Xavier Daughtry, 25, of Fort Pierce, Florida, has been sentenced to 13 years in federal prison, including a sentencing enhancement for obstruction of justice during the trial, for carjacking and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. Following his conviction by a South Florida federal jury in February.
Just before midnight on May 9, 2022, the Fort Pierce Police Department received a 911 call from the victim advising that she had parked her vehicle at a gas station on U.S. Hwy 1 in Fort Pierce. After going inside the store, the victim returned to find Daughtry attempting to enter her vehicle. The victim confronted Daughtry, who then raised a loaded .45 caliber pistol and pointed it at the victim’s face and told her to “back the f--- up.” Daughtry then got inside the vehicle and left the area. As a result of the call, the police department issued a BOLO “be on (the) lookout” for the vehicle, a 2022 Nissan Altima, including the license plate number.
Less than eight minutes later, law enforcement observed the Nissan Altima turning onto Saint Frances Drive in Fort Pierce and initiated a traffic stop. After apprehending Daughtry, police officers located a fully loaded Llama Minimax .45 caliber semi-automatic handgun on the driver’s seat of the vehicle.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida and Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri of the FBI, Miami Field Office, announced the sentence imposed by U.S. District Judge Donald M. Middlebrooks.
FBI Miami, Fort Pierce Resident Agency investigated the case, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Fort Pierce Field Office, the St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office, and the Fort Pierce Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael D. Porter and Justin Hoover prosecuted the case.
This case stems from Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that brings together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. In 2017, PSN was reinvigorated as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
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-14047.
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Fort Myers Man Sentenced to More Than Six Years in Federal Prison for Firearms and Narcotics OffensesRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber has sentenced Doumy Joseph (27, Fort Myers) to six years and nine months in federal prison for possession with the intent to distribute a controlled substance and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. The court also ordered Joseph to forfeit the firearms and ammunition he illegally possessed. Joseph had pleaded guilty on September 22, 2022.
According to court documents, law enforcement stopped Joseph’s vehicle after discovering there was an outstanding warrant for his arrest. Before Joseph’s vehicle was towed, law enforcement conducted an inventory search of the vehicle. During the inventory search, a brown fast-food bag containing four circular crack cocaine cookies, weighing approximately 69.4 grams total, was found on the front passenger seat. A loaded Glock 9mm firearm was located in the vehicle’s center console. Law enforcement also searched the trunk of the vehicle and found a Smith & Wesson MP15 rifle, as well as assorted ammunition. Joseph admitted to purchasing the firearms found in his vehicle.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Lee County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Trent Reichling.
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 out 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 first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Fort Myers Felon Convicted for Unlawfully Possessing Loaded RifleRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that a federal jury has found Javonte Keyon Whitfield (25, Fort Myers) guilty of possessing a firearm and ammunition as a previously convicted felon. Whitfield faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison. His sentencing date has not yet been scheduled. Whitfield had been indicted on February 9, 2022.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, shortly before 1:30 A.M. on May 14, 2021, officers from the Fort Myers Police Department (FMPD) were alerted to multiple gunshots near the intersection of Linhart Avenue and Evans Avenue in Fort Myers. While investigating the origin of the gunfire, the officers spoke with an occupant of a duplex on Evans Avenue, who denied hearing any gunshots and claimed that he was alone in the residence with his three young children. Shortly thereafter, in direct contradiction to what he just told officers, six adult males—including Whitfield—and three young children exited the residence. Officers observed that one of the men was suffering from a gunshot wound, and EMS was summoned. When the residence was later searched, FMPD personnel located seven unsecured firearms, dozens of rounds of ammunition, and cocaine. From under the bed in one of the two bedrooms of the residence, FMPD recovered a loaded NORINCO SKS rifle equipped with a high-capacity magazine. Subsequent forensic analysis of that firearm determined that a latent fingerprint lifted from the metallic bayonet of the rifle belonged to Whitfield, a previously convicted felon who had been released from prison less than five months earlier. As a previously convicted felon, he is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Fort Myers Police Department, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Simon R. Eth and Patrick L. Darcey.
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.
Forsyth man admits to two separate assaults with weapons on Northern Cheyenne Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
BILLINGS — A Forsyth man accused of assaulting two men with a gun in one assault and assaulting a woman with a metal bar in a separate assault, admitted to charges on May 11, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said today. Both assaults were committed in Lame Deer, on the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation,
Edward Leroy Widner III, 29, pleaded guilty to five counts in a superseding information charging him with two counts of assault resulting in serious bodily injury and three counts of assault with a dangerous weapon. Widner faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release on each count.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan presided. A sentencing date will be set before U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Widner was detained pending further proceedings.
The government alleged that on May 22, 2022 at Lame Deer, Widner assaulted two victims, John Doe 1 and John Doe 2, with a firearm. Widner went to John Doe 1’s residence and first assaulted Doe 2 in the living room by hitting him in the head with a pistol. Widner dragged Doe 2 into a bedroom occupied by Doe 1 and told Doe 1 to get up or Doe 2 was going to die. Widner then hit Doe 1 repeatedly in the face. At some point, the gun discharged, and a round went through the bed, a wall and into the ground outside of the residence. Doe 1 suffered serious injuries.
The government further alleged that in March 2020 at Lame Deer, Widner assaulted Jane Doe 1, who sought medical attention for serious injuries. At the time, Doe 1 declined to name her assailant citing increased danger if she were to speak to law enforcement. Doe 1 reported that Widner assaulted her with multiple objects, including a metal pipe. In a recent interview with the FBI, Doe 1 identified Widner as her assailant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kalah A. Paisley is prosecuting the case. The FBI, Northern Cheyenne Investigative Services and Bureau of Indian Affairs conducted the investigation.
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Former Mental Health and Community Residence Facility Director Sentenced for Financial Exploitation of a Vulnerable Adult and Elderly PersonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON –Latonja Dashawn Carrera, also known as Latonja Dashawn Martin, 48, of Camp Springs, Maryland, was sentenced today to twelve months incarceration, ten months suspended, and three years of probation for a felony charge of financial exploitation of a vulnerable or elderly adult in violation of D.C. Code §§ 22-933.01(a)(3) and 22-936.01(a)(1).
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Inspector General for the District of Columbia Daniel W. Lucas.
According to facts admitted in her guilty plea, Carrera was the owner and administrator of M&M Residential Services, Inc., a Mental Health Community Residence Facility licensed by the Department of Behavioral Health (DBH). Carrera admitted that within a 16-day period in January 2019, she made five separate transactions totaling $3,090.14 from the bank accounts of a 73-year-old vulnerable adult under her care, which she in turn used to pay for her own personal utility and credit card bills.
Carrera was arrested in December 2020, and pleaded guilty on December 6, 2022. In addition to the prison term and probation, D.C. Superior Court Judge Michael O’Keefe, ordered Carrera to undergo a mental health evaluation and pay $1,565.78 in restitution to the victim, in addition to a $100 fine paid to the victims compensation fund As a condition of probation, Carrera is also prohibited from serving in any fiduciary role for any individual other than her immediate family members.
This prosecution is part of the Office’s wider efforts to combat crimes against seniors and vulnerable adults. In 2018, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia launched an initiative to address the abuse and exploitation of older adults. The Elder Abuse and Financial Exploitation Initiative at the U.S. Attorney’s Office expanded its response to criminal and civil violations targeting older adults. The initiative has enabled the U.S. Attorney’s Office to develop and coordinate further its prosecution of these cases and enhance its overall support of older or vulnerable victims. The team consists of experienced prosecutors and victim advocates from across the Office, to include the Superior Court, Criminal, and Civil Divisions, as well as the Victim Witness Assistance Unit.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Elder Abuse and Financial Exploitation Initiative partners with the D.C. Office of the Inspector General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU), which is statutorily responsible for investigating and prosecuting District Medicaid provider fraud as well as abuse or neglect of residents in health care facilities and board and care facilities and of District Medicaid beneficiaries in noninstitutional or other settings.
This prosecution is indicative of the continued collaboration between the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the D.C. Office of the Inspector General to investigate and prosecute cases of this kind. The government urges the public to provide tips and assistance to stop health care fraud. If you have information about individuals committing health care fraud, please call the D.C. Office of the Inspector General at 202-724-TIPS [202-724-8477].
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Inspector General Lucas commended the work of those who investigated and prosecuted the case from the Major Crimes Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Office of Inspector General’s MFCU. They also acknowledged the efforts of Special Assistant United States Attorney Jason Facci, on detail from the Office of the Inspector General, who prosecuted the case, and MFCU Special Agent Jonathan Rich, who investigated the matter. They also recognized the work of the Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia, which initiated this case, and the D.C. Adult Protective Services, which referred this matter for investigation.
Former Grantham Man Indicted for Embezzling More Than $230,000 from CharityRead the Press Release
CONCORD – A former Grantham man and current resident of Holly Springs, North Carolina, was indicted in connection with stealing nearly a quarter million dollars from a charity and gambling away a large amount of the stolen funds at the MGM casino in Springfield, Massachusetts, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces.
Kyle Fisher, 42, was indicted on four counts of wire fraud. Fisher is scheduled to appear in federal court on a later date.
According to the charging documents, Fisher was the Executive Director of a charity in Lebanon, New Hampshire. He had full access to the charity’s finances, including its QuickBooks accounting records, PayPal account, and bank account. Between February 2021 and September 2022, Fisher embezzled more than $230,000 from the charity. He wrote unauthorized checks to himself and transferred funds from the charity’s PayPal account to his own personal bank account. Fisher created fake invoices and receipts and altered the charity’s accounting records. He gambled a large amount of the stolen funds away at the MGM casino in Springfield, Massachusetts.
The charge of wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation led the investigation. Valuable assistance was provided by the Lebanon Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander S. Chen is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Former Boston Woman Arrested for Failing to Surrender to Serve Federal SentenceRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A former Boston woman who was sentenced to federal prison in 2021 has been arrested for allegedly failing to surrender to serve her sentence.
Yris Sanchez, 51, was indicted by a federal grand jury in April 2022 for failing to appear to serve a federal sentence and was arrested in Laredo, Texas on March 18, 2023. Following an initial appearance in federal court in Boston today, Sanchez was held pending further court proceedings on this charge and until she serves her prior sentence.
According to court documents, Sanchez used the name and Social Security number of a U.S. citizen to apply for and use various U.S. passports and at least one Massachusetts Real ID driver’s license. Sanchez also used this person’s identifiers to apply for and use accounts with various banks, including Citizens Bank and Santander. In addition, Sanchez also used a different identity to obtain another U.S. Passport. Sanchez has previously been arrested under multiple identities.
In May 2020, Sanchez was convicted of misusing a passport and was sentenced to 15 months of prison. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Sanchez requested release on conditions and to self-report to serve her sentence. The Court granted this request and released Sanchez on an appearance bond. It is alleged that, following several extensions of her self-report date, Sanchez failed to surrender to the Bureau of Prisons in June 2021 to serve her sentence. In July 2021, the Court forfeited Sanchez’s secured appearance bond and entered a further default judgment of $47,500 against Sanchez.
The charge of failure to surrender provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Any sentence on this charge will be served consecutively to the sentence imposed on her prior case. 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.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Brian Kyes, U.S. Marshal for the District of Massachusetts; and Jonathan Davidson, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, Boston Field Office made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney William F. Abely, Chief of Rollins’ Criminal Division, is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Florida Man Pleads Guilty to Role in Nationwide “Felony Lane Gang” ConspiracyRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Tyrone Parker Jr., age 23, of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, pled guilty today to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; Michael J. Driscoll, Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); and Putnam County Sheriff Kevin J. McConville made the announcement.
Parker Jr. admitted that he was involved in a fraud scheme known as “Felony Lane Gang” between 2018 and 2020. Parker Jr. and his co-conspirators traveled across the country breaking into cars, often targeting those parked by women at locations such as health and fitness centers, daycares, and parks. Parker Jr. and other members of the conspiracy stole debit cards, credit cards, checkbooks, and photo identifications in these “smash-and-grab” vehicle thefts, and they used these stolen items to commit bank fraud by recruiting women to impersonate the smash-and-grab victims and cash checks in drive-through bank lanes. The recruited check cashers were almost always suffering from an addiction to drugs and were provided payment at least partially in narcotics. Parker Jr. also helped rent cars that he and other members of the conspiracy used to travel around and commit their crimes. Parker Jr. admitted that the loss amount from the conspiracy attributable to him is approximately $81,737.
The charges to which Parker Jr. pled guilty carry a minimum sentence of 2 years in prison, a maximum sentence of 30 years, a fine of up to $1.25 million, and a supervised release term of up to 5 years. Parker Jr. will be sentenced on September 13, 2023. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
Parker Jr. was one of nine men charged in a 13-count indictment for their roles in the scheme. Keyshawn Arnold, age 25, of Schenectady, New York; Gary Grier, age 37, of Fort Lauderdale; Joshua Mallory, age 37, of Fort Lauderdale; Terrell McDonald, age 32, of Troy, New York; Robert Natson, age 37, of Fort Lauderdale; and Tyrone Parker Sr. (the father of Tyrone Parker Jr.), age 40, of Fort Lauderdale, previously pled guilty. The remaining co-defendants are:
- CEDRIC LYNCH, a/k/a “City,” a/k/a “C,” age 37, of Orlando, Florida; and
- RANDALL TAYLOR, a/k/a “Gucci,” a/k/a “Guwop,” age 37, of Fort Lauderdale.
The two defendants awaiting trial are each charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft, and they are scheduled for trial in federal court in Albany on July 10, 2023. The charges in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants whose cases remain pending are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
This case is being investigated by the FBI Westchester Resident Agency of the New York Field Office and the Putnam County Sheriff’s Department, with assistance from the FBI Field Offices in Albany, Miami, and Salt Lake City, and Resident Agencies in Savannah, Georgia, and Portland, Maine, and from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine, the Saratoga County District Attorney’s Office, and the Ulster County District Attorney’s Office. Additional assistance was provided by numerous law enforcement agencies, including, within New York, the New York State Police; Columbia County Sheriff's Office; Genesee County Sheriff’s Office; Monroe County Sheriff’s Office; Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office; Warren County Sheriff’s Office; and the police departments of the Town of Bethlehem; Glens Falls; Gloversville; Greenburgh; Greece; and Watervliet; and elsewhere, Connecticut State Police; Florida Department of Law Enforcement; Georgia State Patrol; Illinois State Police; Massachusetts State Police; Broward County, FL Sheriff’s Office; Northern York County, PA Regional Police; Southern Chester County, PA Regional Police; Utah County, UT Sheriff's Office; and the police departments of Auburn, MA; Bath, ME; Biddeford, ME; Bozeman, MT; Brunswick, ME; Caernarvon Township, PA; Chester Township, PA; Cinnaminson, NJ; Darien, CT; East Norriton Township, PA; Easthampton, MA; Greenwich, CT; Lower Moreland Township, PA; Manheim Township, PA; Portland, ME; Portsmouth, NH; Saco, ME; Salisbury, MA; Sanford, ME; Scarborough, ME; Somersworth, NH; South Portland, ME; St. George, UT; Syracuse, UT; Tinicum, PA; Towamencin, PA; Tewksbury, MA; Wakefield, MA; Yarmouth, ME; and York, ME.
Assistant United States Attorneys Matthew J. McCrobie, Michael F. Perry, and Paul Tuck are prosecuting the case.
Federal Jury Finds Venezuelan National Guilty of Trafficking $21 Million of Cocaine on the High SeasRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL - United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that a federal jury has found Hector Caballero (70, Venezuela) guilty of conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute cocaine on a vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, as well as possessing with the intent to distribute cocaine on a vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the United States. Caballero faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 10 years, and up to life, in federal prison. His sentencing hearing has been scheduled for July 21, 2023. Caballero and three others were indicted on November 30, 2022.
According to testimony presented at trial, a maritime patrol aircraft spotted a panga-style “go-fast vessel” in the Caribbean Sea, about 100 miles north of the nearest point of land in Colombia. The vessel was suspected of drug smuggling because it had several fuel barrels and a tarp covering the deck, had no registration numbers on the hull and was flying no flag, was operating at a high rate of speed, and was sailing in a location where maritime drug smuggling by similar vessels is common. A U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) helicopter and a USCG Law Enforcement Detachment (LEDET) were deployed from HNLMS Holland, a Dutch naval vessel patrolling in the area, to intercept the suspicious vessel. The helicopter and its crew were from the USCG Helicopter Interdiction Squadron (“HITRON”) unit based in Jacksonville and the LEDET boarding team was from the USCG Tactical Law Enforcement Team South (“TACLET South”) based in Opa-Locka.
The helicopter arrived on scene first and signaled the go-fast vessel to stop. The vessel continued at a high rate of speed, even after the helicopter deployed warning shots in front of the vessel. Ultimately, the helicopter successfully deployed disabling fire to the go-fast vessel’s two outboard engines, and the small boats from the Holland with the USCG LEDET boarding team arrived at the vessel.
The boarding team found Caballero and three others onboard. The USCG determined the vessel to be without nationality, and therefore subject to U.S. jurisdiction. A search of the vessel revealed over 700 kilograms of cocaine, worth approximately $21 million, hidden under the fuel barrels and tarp on the vessel. The three others onboard previously pleaded guilty and are pending sentencing. Photos of the law enforcement boarding and cocaine below:
This case was investigated by the United States Coast Guard and the Panama Express Strike Force, a standing Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) Strike Force comprised of agents and analysts from the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, and the U.S. Southern Command's Joint Interagency Task Force South. 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.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Pardo and Special Assistant United States Attorney Benjamin Krebs.
Father and Son Convicted After Nine-Day Trial for a Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – A federal jury has convicted Scott Anthony Williams, age 45, of Laurel, Maryland and Taeyan Raymond Williams, age 26, of Morgantown, West Virginia yesterday for a drug trafficking conspiracy and for possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. Scott Williams was also convicted for conspiracy to destroy and conceal evidence related to these crimes. Both defendants were acquitted of charges related to the armed robbery, and kidnapping resulting in death of their marijuana supplier.
The verdict was announced by Erek L. Barron, United States Attorney for the District of Maryland; Colonel Roland L. Butler, Jr., Superintendent of the Maryland State Police; Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Washington Division; and Special Agent in Charge James C. Harris of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore.
According to the evidence presented at the nine-day trial, from approximately October 2017 until April 6, 2018, Victim 1 sold and distributed marijuana and marijuana products to Scott Williams (“S. Williams”), Taeyan Williams (“T. Williams”), their family members, and associates. S. Williams and T. Williams sold the products received from Victim 1 to other distributors for resale and to end drug users. The Williams’ also sold and distributed cocaine to Victim 1 for further distribution. As a result of various transactions between the Williams’ and Victim 1, T. Williams and members of his family, including S. Williams, became indebted to Victim 1. According to witness testimony, on April 6, 2018, Victim 1 planned to meet with T. Williams and S. Williams to discuss the debt that they owed to Victim 1, and to provide the Williams’ with marijuana and marijuana products.
As detailed in trial testimony, shortly before that meeting, Victim-1’s supplier in California had a large shipment of marijuana and marijuana products delivered to Victim-1’s storage unit in Jessup, Maryland. The Williams’ were aware that Victim 1 had access to a large amount of marijuana and marijuana products.
Trial evidence showed that on April 5, 2018, and April 6, 2018, Victim 1 retrieved controlled substances from his storage unit in Jessup, Maryland and stayed at a short-term rental property in Baltimore, Maryland. On the afternoon of April 6, Victim 1 traveled from Baltimore to Laurel, Maryland, where S. Williams lived. Location data reflects that at 1:32 p.m., Victim 1 was approximately 1.5 miles from Scott Williams’ residence. On April 6, 2018, at approximately 1:52 p.m., Victim 1 saved a note to a ledger and accounting of controlled substances that Victim 1 sold to T. Williams and monies paid or owed from him, which Victim 1 maintained in his email account.
The government presented evidence that on April 7, 2018, S. Williams and other conspirators drove Victim 1’s vehicle to a Baltimore parking lot where they parked the vehicle, cleaned it, and then drove away in S. Williams’s rented car. Victim 1’s DNA and blood were later recovered from the rear bumper, lift gate, passenger side door frame, and trunk carpeting of Victim 1’s abandoned vehicle. Further, the evidence showed that between 8:37 p.m. on April 6, 2018, and 8:31 p.m. on April 8, 2018, S. Williams used Victim 1’s PIN number to enter the Jessup storage facility. Between April 8, 2018 and June 6, 2018, the defendants hid Victim-1’s drugs in S. Williams’ in Laurel. When law enforcement executed a search warrant at the home on June 6, 2018, they recovered large quantities of marijuana, cocaine, and methamphetamine, as well as four firearms: a 9mm handgun; a 7.62 caliber-rifle; a .38 caliber handgun; and a .25 caliber handgun. A copy of Victim 1’s ledger was also found under S. Williams’ bed in the home. The body of Victim 1 was never located.
Finally, the evidence also proved that between June 6, 2018, and his initial appearance on federal charges in January 2019, S. Williams sought to conceal and destroy evidence related to the ongoing investigation, including by asking an associate to delete information from his electronic storage account and phone.
Scott and Taeyan Williams each face a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. In addition, Scott Williams faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and up to life in prison for possessing with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine; and a maximum of 20 years in prison for conspiracy to conceal and destroy evidence. U.S. District Judge Theodore D. Chuang has scheduled sentencing for Scott Williams on August 22, 2023, and for Taeyan Williams on August 23, 2023.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the Maryland State Police, the DEA, and HSI for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Leah B. Grossi, William D. Moomau, and Michael C. Hanlon who are prosecuting the federal case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Executive Director of Alabama Association for Career and Technical Education Pleads Guilty to Embezzling Federal FundingRead the Press Release
Montgomery, Alabama – Yesterday, Doris Joann Gilmore, 61, from Montgomery, Alabama, pleaded guilty to federal program theft and failure to submit payroll taxes collected from employees, announced United States Attorney Sandra J. Stewart.
According to the plea agreement and other court records, Gilmore was the Executive Director of the Alabama Association for Career and Technical Education (ALACTE) in Montgomery, Alabama. The ALACTE serves as an advocate on issues affecting Alabama’s career and technical education programs. During the period in question, between 2020 and 2022, the ALACTE received federal grant funds through various state agencies. As the organization’s director, Gilmore was responsible for budgeting, approving payments, and developing and disbursing payroll funds. She also prepared and filed federal and state tax returns, payroll tax returns, and Forms W-2.
Although the total timeframe for the criminal conduct was not specified in court documents, Gilmore specifically admitted to embezzling ALACTE funds during the 2020 calendar year and failing to send payroll taxes to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) that were withheld during the first quarter of 2022. The plea agreement states that Gilmore’s crimes caused a total loss of $2,832,486.30.
A sentencing hearing will be scheduled in the coming months. At that hearing, Gilmore will face a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, along with substantial fines and restitution.
The FBI, IRS’s Criminal Investigation Division, and the United States Postal Inspection Service investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Joel Feil is prosecuting the case.
District Man Pleads Guilty to Attempted Assault with a Dangerous Weapon and Gun-Related ChargesRead the Press Release
Defendant Threatened Victim With a Gun at a Metro Station
WASHINGTON – Kalil Ameer Xavier Pitts, 31, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty today to one count of attempted assault with a dangerous weapon, two counts of unlawful possession of a firearm, one count of simple assault, and one count of criminally negligent storage of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Michael Anzallo, of the Metro Transit Police Department.
Kalil Pitts pleaded guilty in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia before the Honorable Erik P. Christian. Pitts will be sentenced on July 28, 2023. He faces up to five years’ imprisonment for attempted assault with a dangerous weapon, up to 10 years’ imprisonment for unlawful possession of firearms, up to 180 days’ imprisonment for simple assault, and up to 180 days’ imprisonment for criminally negligent storage of a firearm.
According to the government’s evidence, on June 9, 2022, Kalil Pitts followed a former friend to the train platform at Brookland-CUA Metro Station in Washington, D.C., and threatened him with a handgun. The victim fled, but Pitts chased him through the station and started a fistfight. Pitts punched the victim multiple times, cutting the victim near his eye. The assaults were recorded by WMATA’s surveillance system. A week later, members of the Metro Transit Police Department executed a search warrant at the D.C. apartment of Kalil Pitts. Inside, police found a loaded handgun and a “ghost” rifle—both of which were accessible to two young children under the age of 10 years. Pitts was not permitted to possess the firearms due to a prior conviction and he did not store the firearms securely.
In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Anzallo commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metro Transit Police Department. They also expressed appreciation for the work of those who handled the cases at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carlos A. Valdivia and Omeed Assefi, who investigated and prosecuted the matter.
Defendant on Ten Most Wanted List Extradited from Canada to the United States to Face Drug Trafficking ChargesRead the Press Release
DETROIT - A dual citizen of Laos and Canada on Homeland Security Investigation’s (HSI) Ten Most Wanted list was extradited this week by the government of Canada to the United States to face drug trafficking charges in Detroit, announced United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison.
Ison was joined in the announcement by Special Agent in Charge Angie M. Salazar, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Detroit Field Division.
According to court records, Khaophone Sychantha, age 41, was first indicted by a grand jury in the Eastern District of Michigan in December 2005. Further investigation by agents of HSI Detroit led to charges in a superseding indictment returned in October 2013, charging Sychantha and three additional defendants. Sychantha is charged with conspiring to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, ecstasy, BZP, and marijuana between 2003 and 2011. He is also charged with three counts of possessing with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and ecstasy.
Following these American indictments, Sychantha was also charged and arrested in Canada on three separate Canadian criminal cases. In 2014, Sychantha fled while under house arrest in Canada. HSI Detroit subsequently added Sychantha to the Homeland Security Investigation’s (HSI) Ten Most Wanted List and offered a $25,000 reward for information leading to his capture.
In 2017, Sychantha was arrested in the Montreal, Canada area following an assault on a police officer and a short pursuit. Since his 2017 arrest, Sychantha has remained in Canadian custody while he contested his extradition to the United States along with two Canadian co-defendants. Sychantha made his initial appearance in federal court in Detroit yesterday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Anthony P. Patti.
“I commend the work of the agents from HSI and Canadian law enforcement for pursuing this long-time fugitive and significant drug trafficker,” said U.S. Attorney Ison. “Thanks to the coordinated efforts of our international partners, Sychantha will now face justice in the United States.”
“HSI will continue to work with our partners both in the United States and across the globe to hold criminals accountable,” said HSI Detroit Special Agent in Charge Angie M. Salazar. “More than a decade has passed since this investigation began. I am proud of the HSI special agents, prosecutors, and law enforcement who did not let the passage of time prevent them from bringing the defendant to justice.”
The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence that the defendant committed the crimes charged. The defendant is presumed innocent until the government meets its burden in court of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Detroit Division. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Carl D. Gilmer-Hill. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided substantial assistance in securing the defendant’s extradition from Canada.
sychantha_firstsupersedingindictmentfiledcopy_oct162013.pdfCottonwood County Farmer Pleads Guilty in $19 Million Organic Grain Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
ST PAUL, Minn. – A Cottonwood County man has pleaded guilty to wire fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, between 2013 and 2021, James Clayton Wolf, 65, a certified organic farmer, engaged in a scheme to defraud grain purchasers by selling them non-GMO grains falsely represented as organic. In his guilty plea, Wolf admitted purchasing conventionally farmed grains from a supplier and reselling the grains labelled as organic. The scheme netted profits of more than $19.6 million, which Wolf used to purchase real estate, vehicles and farm equipment, and investments. As part of the agreement, Wolf will forfeit all the proceeds of the fraud.
Wolf pleaded guilty earlier today before U.S. District Judge Judge Katherine M. Menendez to one count of wire fraud. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later date.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of the Inspector General (USDA-OIG), the FBI, and the U.S. Marshals Service, with assistance from the Cottonwood County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert Lewis, Craig Baune, and Quinn Askew are prosecuting the case.
Convicted Felon Sentenced to Five Years for Possessing A Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Steven D. Merryday has sentenced Raequan M. Nelson (24, Tampa) to five years in federal prison for possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. The court also ordered Nelson to forfeit the firearm and ammunition. Nelson had pleaded guilty on September 26, 2022.
According to court documents, on February 13, 2022, Nelson had two warrants for his arrest in Hillsborough County. Officers from the Tampa Police Department located Nelson in Tampa. When Nelson entered his car, the officers executed a “box-in” to stop Nelson from leaving the scene. Nelson responded by trying to flee. Once detained, law enforcement removed a loaded Glock 9mm pistol from Nelson’s right front pocket. At the time, Nelson had multiple prior felony convictions and is therefore prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Tampa Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael R. Kenneth. The forfeiture was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Suzanne C. Nebesky.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Convicted Felon Indicted for Possessing A Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Milton Anthony Bradshaw (43, Tampa) with possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. If convicted, Bradshaw faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 15 years, up to life, in federal prison. The indictment also notifies Bradshaw that the United States intends to forfeit the firearm and ammunition traceable to the offense.
According to the indictment, on September 20, 2022, Bradshaw was in possession of a firearm and ammunition. At the time of the incident, Bradshaw had four previous felony convictions for delivery of cocaine. As a previously convicted felon, he is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael R. Kenneth. The forfeiture will be handled by Assistant United States Attorney Suzanne Nebesky.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Convicted Fayetteville Fentanyl Dealer Sentenced to More Than 20 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, N.C. – Jarrell Raeshon Bordeaux was sentenced to 248 months in prison for 13 drug trafficking and firearm charges. Bordeaux was convicted by a federal jury in January of this year. According to court records and evidence presented in court, Bordeaux sold ounces of fentanyl and heroin to a confidential informant 10 times. During the drug deals, he bragged about how successful he was at selling drugs and the steps he took to keep from being caught.
“Over 150 people die every day from overdoses related to synthetic opioids like fentanyl,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “This defendant recklessly stored fentanyl and stolen guns in the same room where his seven-year-old played. We are proudly partnering with local law enforcement to put narcotics traffickers like Bordeaux behind bars where they belong.”
Following the controlled purchases, officers executed search warrants at two locations used by Bordeaux to distribute drugs. At his house, officers found his seven-year-old son playing video games in the same room as 200 grams (seven ounces) of fentanyl and heroin and two loaded handguns that were stolen. At another location, officers seized three more handguns along with tools and packaging Bordeaux used to distribute drugs.
At sentencing, the Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II emphasized the danger and harm caused by fentanyl and armed drug trafficking across the United States, and specifically in communities like Fayetteville. Chief Judge Myers also noted that Bordeaux ignored these risks by storing fentanyl and loaded guns in his own child’s room.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II. The Fayetteville Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tyler Lemons and Nick Hartigan prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No.5:20-cr-00428-M.
Construction Company Principal Sentenced to Three Months in Prison in Connection with Worker Death on Construction Site in PoughkeepsieRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that ONEKEY, LLC, a New Jersey construction company, was sentenced to three years of probation and ordered to pay a $218,417 fine and its principal, FINBAR O’NEILL, was sentenced to three months in prison today by U.S. Magistrate Judge Paul E. Davison, following their guilty plea to willfully violating Occupational Safety and Health Administration (“OSHA”) regulations, resulting in the death of a construction worker (“Victim-1”) in Poughkeepsie, New York, on or about August 3, 2017.
According to statements and filings in federal court:
In 2017, ONEKEY and O’NEILL implemented a soil compaction plan at a construction site at 1 Dutchess Avenue in Poughkeepsie. The soil compaction plan involved piling large quantities of dirt, called “surcharges,” on top of the sites of three future buildings. An engineering firm designed a plan for the use of the surcharges. ONEKEY and O’NEILL did not follow this plan. Instead, they built a wall to hold back one of the surcharges, so workers could get started on the buildings next to it. ONEKEY and O’NEILL did not consult with any qualified person to see if the wall could withstand the weight to be placed on it by the surcharge.
While people were working next to the wall, ONEKEY kept using construction machinery to add dirt to the surcharge pressing up against the wall. The people working near the wall were not warned about the dangers it created. ONEKEY and O’NEILL heard from people working at the site that the wall was not safe. They did not fix the wall.
On August 3, 2017, workers complained that construction machines were driving on top of the surcharge, adding dirt to it. Later that day, the wall collapsed. As it fell, Victim-1 ran away from the wall, but he could not get away in time and was killed.
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In addition to the prison term, O’NEILL, 57, of Paramus, New Jersey, was sentenced to one year of supervised release.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding work of OSHA and the Department of Labor, Office of the Inspector General.
The case is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Steven J. Kochevar and Stephanie Simon are in charge of the prosecution.
Concord Man Sentenced for Defrauding InvestorRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Concord man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for defrauding an investor of $72,000.
Eric Lyons, 52, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Angel Kelley to six months of home confinement and 100 hours of community service. Lyons was also ordered to pay $72,000 in restitution and placed on probation for two years during which he is prohibited from working as an investment advisor. On Nov. 2, 2022, Lyons pleaded guilty to one count of investment advisor fraud.
Between 2015 and 2017, Lyons participated in the operation of multiple investment funds, including the Synchrony Value Fund LP. Lyons defrauded an investor by allowing for the distribution of that investor’s gains, as well as a portion of their underlying investment, to other investors. The defrauded investor eventually liquidated their position in the fund, receiving approximately $72,000 less than the amount to which they were entitled.
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. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Markham of Rollins’ Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit prosecuted the case.
Columbus Man Convicted of Mail Fraud and Making False StatementsRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Steven Russell announced that Jerald Schreiber, 66, of Columbus, Nebraska, was found guilty today following a four-day jury trial in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for mail fraud and two counts of making false statements to a government entity. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. scheduled Schreiber’s sentencing for August 4, 2023, at 3:00 p.m.
The case arose out of fraudulent applications Schreiber made to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) as part of the Farm Service Agency’s 2018 market facilitation program. The evidence at trial showed that Schreiber falsified on two applications the number of hogs he had at his farms. On an application for one of his farms, he stated that he had 9,079 hogs. This application resulted in the USDA mailing Schreiber approximately $72,631. On an application for a different farm, he stated he had 8,194 hogs. This resulted in the USDA mailing Schreiber approximately $65,682. Both of these farms had substantially fewer hogs than Schreiber claimed. By inflating the number of hogs, Schreiber received more money than he was entitled. Once he received the inflated payments, he deposited them into checking accounts.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Cleveland Man Convicted of Armed Bank Robbery, Brandishing a Firearm and Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND - First Assistant United States Attorney Michelle M. Baeppler announced that a federal jury convicted Randall Hines, 32, of armed bank robbery, brandishing a firearm during the bank robbery, and for being a felon in possession of a firearm on May 11, 2023 in Cleveland following a four-day trial before Judge David A. Ruiz.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Hines entered the Huntington Bank in Brooklyn, Ohio dressed in a turtleneck, covid mask, beanie, and hoodie in an attempt to conceal his identity and distinct neck tattoos. However, video surveillance from the bank and a
nearby business captured Hines’ car parked a few blocks from the bank. Hines was arrested three days later and a search of his car revealed, tucked under the bench backseat, the gun Hines’ used in the bank robbery, loaded with ten rounds of ammunition.The jury also was resented with additional evidence obtained from Hines’ cellular telephone which established his movements before and after the bank robbery.
Hines will be sentenced on September 7, 2023 before Judge David A. Ruiz.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Cleveland, Ohio, the Brooklyn, Ohio Police Department, the Parma Police Department and the Orange Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bryson N. Gillard and Aaron P. Howell.
Chinese Real Estate Developer’s L.A. Company Fined $4 Million for Providing over $1 Million in Benefits to Corrupt City CouncilmanRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A downtown Los Angeles-based company was sentenced today to five years of probation and was fined $4 million – the maximum penalty under the law – for the actions of its billionaire Chinese real estate developer owner and others who provided more than $1 million in benefits – including luxury trips and a sham loan – to bribe then-Los Angeles City Councilman José Huizar to obtain city approval to build a 77-story skyscraper.
Shen Zhen New World I LLC was sentenced by United States District Judge John F. Walter, who noted that this criminal case exposed the “crushing costs of public corruption.”
At the conclusion of an 11-day trial that ended in November 2022, a jury found Shen Zhen guilty of three counts of honest service wire fraud, four counts of interstate and foreign travel in aid of bribery, and one count of bribery.
Shen Zhen’s owner – Wei Huang, 57, a resident of Shenzhen, China, who also maintains a residence in San Marino – is also charged in this case, but he has yet to make a court appearance in this matter. He is a fugitive believed to be in China.
In 2010, Shen Zhen – on Huang’s behalf – purchased the L.A. Grand Hotel in downtown Los Angeles. The property was located in the 14th City Council District, whose representative at that time was Huizar.
As part of his roles on the Los Angeles City Council, Huizar, 55, of Boyle Heights, was the chairman of the Planning and Land Use Management Committee, commonly referred to as the PLUM Committee, which oversaw major commercial and residential development projects in the city.
In June 2018, Shen Zhen filed an application with the Los Angeles City Planning Department to redevelop the L.A. Grand Hotel into a skyscraper featuring a mix of residential and commercial uses.
From February 2013 to November 2018, Shen Zhen, acting through Huang, provided Huizar with cash, casino gambling chips, flights on private jets and commercial airlines, stays at luxury Las Vegas hotels and casinos, expensive meals, spa services, prostitution services, political contributions, and a $600,000 collateral for Huizar to confidentially settle a pending sexual harassment lawsuit against Huizar by a former staffer that threatened his career.
At the time Shen Zhen provided these items, it did so intending to influence Huizar to take official acts to benefit the L.A. Grand Hotel redevelopment project, a project that would have transformed Shen Zhen’s hotel into a 77-floor mixed use skyscraper that would have been the tallest such structure west of the Mississippi River.
Specifically, Shen Zhen intended that Huizar benefit the project by presenting motions and resolutions in various city committees; voting on the project in the PLUM Committee and City Council; acting in the PLUM Committee to expedite the approval process of the project; exerting pressure on other city officials to influence the approval process of the project; and introducing and voting on city resolutions to enhance the professional reputation and marketability of Wei Huang.
Other defendants charged in this indictment are:
- Huizar, who pleaded guilty on January 20 to one count of racketeering conspiracy and one count of tax evasion. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for September 25. As part of his plea agreement, Huizar has agreed to seek a sentence of no less than nine years in prison.
- Dae Yong Lee, a.k.a. “David Lee,” 57, of Bel Air, a real estate developer who along with one of his companies, 940 Hill LLC, was found guilty in June 2022 of providing $500,000 in cash to Huizar in exchange for his help in resolving a labor organization’s appeal of their downtown Los Angeles development project. Both defendants are scheduled for sentencing on July 21.
- Raymond She Wah Chan, 67, of Monterey Park, a former Los Angeles deputy mayor, has pleaded not guilty to charges of RICO conspiracy, bribery, honest services fraud and lying to federal agents. His retrial is expected in March 2024.
Other defendants in related cases stemming from the Huizar corruption matter are:
- George Chiang, 44, of Granada Hills, a real estate development consultant who pleaded guilty in June 2020 to one count of racketeering conspiracy and is scheduled for sentencing on October 20.
- Justin Jangwoo Kim, 56, of Mar Vista, a political fundraiser who pleaded guilty in June 2020 to one count of bribery and is scheduled for sentencing on October 23.
- George Esparza, 36, José Huizar’s former special assistant, who is scheduled for sentencing on October 27. Esparza pleaded guilty in July 2020 to one count of racketeering conspiracy.
- Morris Roland Goldman, 60, of Porter Ranch, a lobbyist who pleaded guilty in September 2020 to one count of conspiracy to commit bribery and honest services fraud and is scheduled for sentencing on November 3.
- Salvador Huizar, 56, of Boyle Heights, José Huizar’s brother, who testified as a witness for the prosecution in the Shen Zhen trial, pleaded guilty in October 2022 to a felony charge of making false statements to federal investigators. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for November 3.
The FBI investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorney Mack E. Jenkins, Chief of the Criminal Division, Assistant United States Attorneys Susan S. Har and J. Jamari Buxton, of the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section, and Assistant United States Attorney Patrick Castañeda of the International Narcotics, Money Laundering, and Racketeering Section, prosecuted this defendant.
Cheyenne Man Convicted of Unlawful Possession of FirearmRead the Press Release
Devon Jonathan Souza, a/k/a/ Devon Jonathan Swan, age 29, of Cheyenne, Wyoming, was convicted on May 10, 2023, by a federal jury for being a felon and a drug user in unlawful possession of a firearm. The trial was held before U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, on September 1, 2021, Wyoming Highway Patrol troopers attempted to pull defendant Swan over based on known warrants. Swan led troopers, police officers, and sheriff’s deputies on a high-speed chase through Cheyenne and then attempted to flee on foot. He was apprehended and taken into custody. Law enforcement returned to the vehicle and found a loaded Ruger pistol in a bag. While in custody, Souza tested positive for methamphetamine.
Souza faces up to 10 years’ imprisonment with three years of supervised release, up to a $250,000 fine, and a $100 special assessment. Judge Johnson will determine the sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing is scheduled for June 26, 2023 at 10:30 in Cheyenne.
This crime was investigated by the Wyoming Highway Patrol, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, Cheyenne Police Department, Laramie County Sheriff’s Office, and the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys T.J. Forwood and Seth Griswold.
Cedar Rapids Man Charged with Being a Prohibited Person in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
Ethan Porter, age 33, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, has been charged with being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm. The charge is contained in an Indictment unsealed on March 13, 2023, in United States District Court in Cedar Rapids.
The Indictment alleges that, in June 2022, Porter possessed a Taurus pistol while being an unlawful drug user and after having been convicted of three felonies and a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence.
If convicted, Porter faces a possible maximum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and three years on supervised release following any imprisonment.
Porter appeared for a detention hearing today in federal court in Cedar Rapids and was held without bond. Porter’s next appearance for trial is set for July 10, 2023.
As with any criminal case, a charge is merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Tremmel and is being investigated by the High Risk Unit of the Sixth Judicial District Department of Correctional Services, the Cedar Rapids Police Department, the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is CR 23-6.
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Cape Coral Man Sentenced to 46 Months in Federal Prison for FraudRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber has sentenced Johnny Fior (48, Cape Coral) to 46 months in federal prison for wire fraud and illegal monetary transactions. As part of his sentence, the court also entered an order of forfeiture in the amount of $1,404,169.74, which were the proceeds of the wire fraud and illegal monetary transaction offenses. Fior had pleaded guilty on January 18, 2023.
According to court documents, Fior committed the fraud by engaging in two different fraud schemes. With the first scheme, Fior convinced two individuals, by false and fraudulent pretenses, to serve as private investors/lenders for short-term balloon loans that were secured by mortgages on real properties in Lee County. To accomplish the scheme and give the investors the impression that their funded loans were secured by real property, Fior fraudulently filed fictitious mortgage deeds, promissory notes, and mortgage satisfactions. Additionally, Fior provided the investors interest-only payments to further delay repayment of the loans and requested loan repayment extensions to further prolong the scheme. Fior diverted the investors’ funds for his own personal use and none of the funds were used for their intended purpose.
In the second scheme, Fior, in his role as a real estate closing agent, diverted funds intended to be used to pay off property sellers’ existing mortgages to himself during real estate closings. In furtherance of the scheme, Fior created and caused the creation of real estate settlement statements that falsely represented a seller’s mortgage was repaid during the real estate closing process. Additionally, Fior created fake and fictitious bank statements, lender correspondence, wire transfer records, cashier’s checks, deposit records, and shipment records that fraudulently represented a seller’s mortgage had been paid or that the mortgage pay-off funds were submitted. As a result of the second scheme, two separate title insurance companies suffered a total loss of approximately $977,330.23.
This case was investigated by the FBI. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Trent Reichling.
Burnsville Felon Charged with Illegal Possession of MachinegunsRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Burnsville man has been charged in a criminal complaint for illegal possession of machinegun conversion devices, or switches, and for possessing firearms as a felon, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, in March 2023, federal agents received information that Benjamin Jehle Zwack, 29, an employee at a Federal Firearms Licensee (FFL) business, was selling 3D-printed machinegun conversion devices, commonly known as “switches” or “auto sears.” These devices enable firearms to be fired as a fully automatic weapon by a single function of the trigger and qualify as machineguns under federal law.
According to court documents, on March 7, 2023, an undercover agent went to the FFL business and purchased eleven 3D-printed machinegun conversion devices designed to convert a semiautomatic AR-Type weapon to shoot automatically from Zwack. During the purchase, the undercover agent observed a firearm in Zwack’s waistband.
According to court documents, on March 30, 2023, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant on Zwack’s residence and vehicle. Officers recovered a Girsan-Regard, 9mm semi-automatic pistol from the center console of Zwack’s vehicle and a shotgun and ammunition from his residence. A search of Zwack’s storage locker revealed additional firearms, suspected homemade silencers, ammunition, and a suspected destructive device.
Because Zwack has a prior felony conviction he is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time.
The complaint charges Zwack with one count of possession of machineguns and one count of possession of a firearm as a felon. Zwack made his initial appearance yesterday before Magistrate Judge Dulce J. Foster. He was ordered to remain in detention pending further court proceedings.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Dakota County Drug Task Force.
Assistant U.S. Attorney David P. Steinkamp is prosecuting the case.
A complaint is merely an allegation and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Bronx, New York Man Sentenced for Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud and Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Steven Russell announced that Felix Pena, 34, of Bronx, New York, was sentenced today in Omaha, Nebraska, by Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. Pena was sentenced to 60 months in prison and will also serve 3 years on supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Additionally, Pena was ordered to pay $404,069 in restitution.
This case began in 2017 when Pena, along with others, conspired and agreed together to devise a scheme to defraud Verizon Wireless. Members of the conspiracy did so by acquiring stolen identities of real United States citizens including at least three individuals from Nebraska. The conspiracy members would use the victims’ information to create Verizon accounts. Once accounts were created, they would purchase cellphones and accessories that would be billed to the accounts, causing financial loss to Verizon and potential credit damage to the individual whose identity was used. Once purchased, the phones would be shipped back to New York or New Jersey where they would be sold on the black market. In February of 2019, two of the conspirators were arrested after attempting to purchase cellphones using the stolen identity of a Nebraska resident in Kearney, Nebraska thus beginning the investigation of this matter.
Pena’s main role in the conspiracy was to run credit reports for the stolen identities so they could determine the credit worthiness of the victim whose identity was being used to open a Verizon account. Pena would also distribute money to the other members of the conspiracy for their roles in the conspiracy. Pursuant to the scheme, Verizon Wireless suffered a loss of $528,002.33.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Kearney Police Department.
Bronx Man Charged with Sex Trafficking of A Minor and Distribution of FentanylRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today the arrest of VIRGIL WARDLOW for paying for sex with a minor with fentanyl-laced pills. WARDLOW was arrested yesterday evening in the Bronx, New York, and will be presented today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Valerie Figueredo.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “The defendant’s alleged conduct is reprehensible: He allegedly used pills laced with fentanyl to pay for sex with a 16-year-old minor victim. The victim’s 19-year-old friend ingested one of those pills and died shortly thereafter. Worse, the defendant’s conduct was allegedly part of a pattern of similar behavior in which he exchanged or attempted to exchange dangerous narcotics for sex. This Office will be relentless in its efforts to seek justice for victims of child sexual exploitation and for the families facing the horrific tragedy of losing a loved one to fentanyl poisoning.”
According to the allegations contained in the Complaint:[1]
WARDLOW engaged in a pattern of paying for sex with illicit pills laced with fentanyl. On or about March 25, 2023, at a hotel room in the Bronx, New York, WARDLOW provided two of those pills to a 16‑year-old female (“Victim-1”) in exchange for sex. After Victim-1 had sex with WARDLOW and WARDLOW left the hotel room, Victim-1 and her 19-year-old female friend (“Victim-2”) ingested the pills he provided. Thereafter, Victim-1 and Victim-2 became ill, and Victim-2 died.
Between at least on or about February 8, 2023, and on or about April 7, 2023, WARDLOW exchanged multiple messages with other individuals in which WARDLOW offered to provide pills in exchange for sex and otherwise sell pills. WARDLOW sent these messages using an anonymized cellphone number that masked his identity from his intended victims.
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WARDLOW, 31, of the Bronx, New York, is charged with one count of sex trafficking of a minor, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison, and one count of unlawful distribution of narcotics, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
The mandatory minimum and 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 a judge.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the New York State Police, the New York City Police Department, and Special Agents from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York.
This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit and Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey W. Coyle is in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Complaint 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 Complaint and the description of the Complaint set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Bogue Chitto Woman Pleads Guilty to Murder on Choctaw Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A Bogue Chitto woman pleaded guilty on May 11, 2023, to the murder of a tribal member on the Choctaw Indian Reservation, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Jermicha Fomby of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Mississippi.
According to court documents, Bethany Thomas, 27, of the Bogue Chitto Community of the Choctaw Indian Reservation, stabbed the victim with a knife which resulted in his death.
In November of 2021, a federal grand jury indicted Thomas on the charge of murder in the second degree. Thomas pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and is scheduled to be sentenced on August 10, 2023. Thomas faces a maximum possible penalty of 15 years in prison. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney LaMarca commended the work of the Choctaw Police Department of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation who investigated the case.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin J. Payne and Special Assistant United States Attorney Brian K. Burns.
Arizona Man Sentenced to 108 Months for Transporting Victim for ProstitutionRead the Press Release
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – May 12, 2023
SAN DIEGO – Ashton Jordan was sentenced in federal court today to 108 months in prison for transporting a woman from Nevada to Arizona to California in order to cause her to engage in prostitution.
Jordan was arrested in Arizona in November 2021 on sex trafficking charges following his indictment by a federal grand jury. He first came to the attention of law enforcement in July 2021 when the victim escaped from Jordan at a hotel in downtown San Diego. She reported at the time that Jordan had used violence against her to cause her to stay with him and prostitute herself for his financial benefit. Jordan was on probation at the time of his offense.
Jordan pleaded guilty in November 2022. In his plea agreement, Jordan admitted that he brought the victim to San Diego with the intent that she would be engaging in prostitution. During the time that Jordan was with the victim, he further admitted that he was physically violent with her on multiple occasions in order to cause her to engage in prostitution.
“I applaud the bravery of this victim,” said U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman. “The defendant’s reprehensible actions have forever impacted her life, and for that he will pay a high price. We will never relent in our pursuit of justice for victims.” Grossman thanked the prosecution team and the San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force for their excellent work on this case.
“Human trafficking and sexual exploitation destroy lives,” said California Attorney General Rob Bonta. “Today’s sentencing is another example of our commitment to hold perpetrators accountable and help survivors get a fresh start. I’m thankful to all of our partners on the San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force for their collaboration and I’m proud of our office’s work to help uplift vulnerable Californians. When we work together, we get results. At the California Department of Justice, we’re always ready to answer the call when it comes to standing up for public safety.”
“Jordan preyed on, manipulated, and exploited his victim for his own financial gain—he showed zero regard for human life,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Houtan Moshrefi. “Sex trafficking happens every day, and it often occurs in plain sight. When you see something that doesn’t feel right, report it to law enforcement. FBI San Diego will continue to collaborate with our partners at every level to hold accountable all who believe a living being can be reduced to a dollar amount.”
Jordan has been detained in custody since his arrest in November 2021.
At the sentencing hearing today, U.S. District Court Judge Dana M. Sabraw not only imposed the 108-month prison sentence, but also ordered Jordan to serve 10 years of supervised release following his release from custody.
DEFENDANTS Case Number 22cr2649-DMS
Ashton Tylon Amir Jordan Age: 28 Phoenix, AZ
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Transportation for Purposes of Prostitution – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 2421
Maximum penalty: Ten years in prison and $250,000 fine
AGENCY
San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force, which consists of:
Federal Bureau of Investigation
California Department of Justice
California Department of Corrections & Rehabilitation – Parole
California Highway Patrol
ICE/Homeland Security Investigations
National City Police Department
San Diego City Attorney’s Office
San Diego County District Attorney’s Office
San Diego County Probation Department
San Diego County Sheriff’s Department
San Diego Police Department
United States Attorney’s Office, Southern District of California
Arizona Man Indicted for Shipping Fentanyl to Southern OregonRead the Press Release
MEDFORD, Ore.—A federal grand jury in Medford has returned an indictment charging a Phoenix, Arizona man with mailing large quantities of fentanyl to Southern Oregon.
Luke Austin Montgomery, 24, has been charged with three counts of attempting to distribute fentanyl.
According to court documents, in late 2022, law enforcement learned Montgomery had been shipping counterfeit oxycodone pills suspected to contain fentanyl from Phoenix to Southern Oregon. Soon after, investigators arranged the purchase of 1,000 counterfeit pills from Montgomery. The same day Montgomery fulfilled the order, he shipped an additional 10,000 pills to a second Southern Oregon address. Montgomery concealed the counterfeit pills in over-the-counter pill bottles packaged among various toiletries. Investigators later obtained videos Montgomery had allegedly created and used to sell the counterfeit pills on social media.
On May 9, 2023, Montgomery was arrested in Arizona. Today, he was ordered detained pending transfer to the District of Oregon.
Attempting to distribute more than 40 grams of fentanyl is punishable by up to 40 years in federal prison with a five-year mandatory minimum sentence, five years’ supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and U.S. Postal Inspection Service. It is being prosecuted by Marco A. Boccato, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
An indictment is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Appraiser in Billion-Dollar Conservation Easement Fraud Scheme Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
A North Carolina land appraiser pleaded guilty today to conspiring to defraud the United States as part of a syndicated conservation easement tax shelter scheme – involving inflated charitable contribution deductions based on a fraudulent appraisal value of a conservation easement on land – that claimed more than $1.3 billion in fraudulent tax deductions.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from 2008 to 2019, Walter “Terry” Douglas Roberts II of Shelby, North Carolina, conspired with others to defraud the United States by fraudulently inflating the value of the conservation easements upon which the tax deductions were based.
Roberts became a licensed appraiser in 2007 and began providing appraisals of conservation easements that same year. From 2008 through 2019, as part of the scheme, Roberts fraudulently inflated the values of at least 18 conservation easements by, among other things, not following normal appraisal methods, making false statements, and either personally manipulating or relying on knowingly manipulated data, in order to reach a targeted appraisal value – communicated to him by coconspirators – that would result in the desired tax deduction amount.
Roberts inflated some of his appraisals by at least 70%. The 18 conservation easements Roberts fraudulently appraised claimed approximately $466,961,000 in tax deductions, resulting in a tax loss to the IRS exceeding $129,000,000.
Roberts is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 14 and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, as well as a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division, U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan for the Northern District of Georgia, and IRS Criminal Investigation Chief James C. Lee made the announcement.
IRS-CI and U.S. Postal Inspection Service are investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Richard M. Rolwing, Grace Albinson, Parker Tobin, Jessica Kraft, and Nicholas J. Schilling Jr., of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Huber, Deputy Chief of the Complex Frauds Section for the Northern District of Georgia are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brittney Campbell for the District of Idaho, formerly of the Tax Division, also previously worked on this case.
Adair County Resident Pleads Guilty to Aggravated Sexual Abuse in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Bryan Udale Jones, 63, of Stillwell, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to Aggravated Sexual Abuse in Indian Country, which is punishable by not less than thirty years imprisonment.
Government prosecutors alleged that beginning in 2003 and continuing until 2010, the defendant engaged in sexual acts with a child who had not yet attained the age of 12. As a part of the plea allocution, the defendant also admitted to sexually assaulting three other children, all less than 12 years old at the time of the abuse.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Adair County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma prosecuted the case because the defendant is a member of a federally recognized Indian tribe and the crimes occurred in Adair County, within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation Reservation, and within the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The Honorable Jason A. Robertson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Muskogee, accepted the pleas and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. Sentencing will be scheduled following completion of the report. Jones was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshal pending the imposition of sentencing.
Assistant United States Attorneys Nicole Paladino and Anthony C. Marek represented the United States.
Thursday 11 May 2023
West Haven Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Trafficking Cocaine through the U.S. MailRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JEAN MANGUAL-CASTRO, also known as “Mangui,” 35, of West Haven, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Sarala V. Nagala in Hartford to 120 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, for trafficking cocaine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, an investigation headed by the FBI’s New Haven Safe Streets/Gang Task Force and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Narcotics and Bulk Cash Trafficking Task Force revealed that Mangual-Castro was orchestrating shipments of cocaine through the U.S. Mail from Puerto Rico. On December 20, 2021, after investigators identified a suspicious package that had been delivered to the West Haven residence of Mangual-Castro’s mother, Enid Castro, investigators conducted a court-authorized search of the residence and seized approximately two kilograms of cocaine, a Rolex watch, more than $200,000 in jewelry, and approximately $2,900 in cash. During the investigation, law enforcement also found at another location approximately three kilograms of cocaine that had been mailed from Puerto Rico to Connecticut at Mangual-Castro’s direction. Investigators identified numerous other suspicious parcels that had been shipped from Puerto Rico to addresses connected to Mangual-Castro in Connecticut.
Judge Nagala ordered the forfeiture of the Mangual-Castro’s interest in the watch, jewelry and cash that were seized.
Mangual-Castro has been detained since his arrest on December 20, 2021. On September 12, 2022, he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine.
Enid Castro pleaded guilty to a related charge and awaits sentencing.
The FBI’s New Haven Safe Streets/Gang Task Force includes participants from the New Haven Police Department, Milford Police Department, East Haven Police Department, West Haven Police Department, Connecticut State Police and the Connecticut Department of Correction. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Narcotics and Bulk Cash Trafficking Task Force includes members from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Postal Service – Office of the Inspector General, the Connecticut Army National Guard, and the Hartford, New Britain, Meriden and Town of Groton Police Departments.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anthony E. Kaplan and Kenneth L. Gresham through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Waterbury Man Admits Theft of Pandemic Unemployment BenefitsRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that OLAJUWON HARRINGTON, also known as “OJ Harrington” 31, of Waterbury, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty yesterday before U.S. District Judge Omar A. Williams in Hartford to a fraud offense related to his theft of pandemic unemployment benefits.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in March 2020, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (“CARES Act”) was signed into law. The CARES Act created a new temporary federal unemployment insurance program for pandemic unemployment assistance (“Pandemic Unemployment Assistance”). Pandemic Unemployment Assistance provided unemployment insurance (“UI”) benefits for employed individuals who are not eligible for other types of UI due to their employment status. The CARES Act also created a new temporary federal program called Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (“FPUC”) that provided additional weekly benefits to those eligible for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance or regular UI. The Connecticut Department of Labor (CT-DOL) administers UI benefits for residents of Connecticut.
Using identifying information of real persons (“victims”) without their knowledge, Harrington submitted to CT-DOL numerous fraudulent applications for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance. Relying on the applications, CT-DOL awarded unemployment assistance in the form of debit cards in the names of the victims and mailed the debit cards to addresses provided in the applications. Thereafter, Harrington obtained the debit cards issued in victims’ names and unlawfully used the cards for his own benefit.
The government contends that the loss attributable to Harrington through this scheme is as much as $793,254.
Harrington was arrested on a criminal complaint on November 30, 2022.
Harrington pleaded guilty to access device fraud, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 15 years. Judge Williams scheduled sentencing for August 23.
Harrington is released on a $50,000 bond pending sentencing.
This investigation is being conducted by the U.S. Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General; U.S. Department of Homeland Security – Office of Inspector General; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Social Security Administration – Office of Inspector General and the Connecticut Department of Labor. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher W. Schmeisser.
Individuals with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 are encouraged to report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721, or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.