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Wednesday 10 May 2023
Pine Ridge Man Sentenced for Drug DistributionRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a Pine Ridge, South Dakota, man convicted of Distribution of a Controlled Substance to an Individual Under 21 Years of Age, was sentenced on May 1, 2023, by Judge Jeffrey L. Viken, U.S. District Court.
Charles Richards, Jr., age 53, was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison, followed by six years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Richards was indicted for the charge by a federal grand jury, and pleaded guilty in February of 2023. The conviction stems from Richards distributing controlled substances to children under 21 years of age between June and July of 2019.
The case was investigated by the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Megan Poppen and Heather Sazama prosecuted the case.
Richards was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Pawtucket Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Trafficking Crack Cocaine While on Supervised ReleaseRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A Pawtucket man, who was previously convicted on federal crack cocaine drug trafficking and firearm charges and incarcerated, has been sentenced to five years in federal prison for again trafficking crack cocaine while on federal supervised release, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.
Estefano J. Lobo, 31, who since 2010 has been convicted of felony crimes on eight separate occasions, admitted to a ninth felony before a federal judge. Lobo admitted that, in March 2022, less than a year after leaving federal prison to begin serving a three-year term of federal supervised release, he sold and delivered crack cocaine to another individual and had been dealing crack cocaine for several months.
According to information presented to the court, during an investigation into Lobo’s renewed drug trafficking activity, and while under law enforcement surveillance, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives agents and Pawtucket Police Department detectives witnessed Lobo make a hand-to-hand crack cocaine delivery to another person.
At the time of his arrest, Lobo was found to be in possession of 1.35 grams of crack cocaine and $580 in cash. A court-authorized search of Lobo’s residence resulted in the seizure of 98.45 grams of crack cocaine, $7,652 in cash, and, among other items, tools associated with processing cocaine powder into cocaine base.
Lobo pleaded guilty to his most recent charges in federal court on October 4, 2022, to possessing cocaine base with intent to distribute and possessing cocaine with intent to distribute; he was sentenced on Tuesday by U.S. District Court Judge William E. Smith to a term of 60 months in federal prison to be followed by three years of federal supervised release.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Milind M. Shah.
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Owners & Operators of Mid-State Restaurants Plead Guilty in Scheme to Harbor Undocumented WorkersRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE – Five persons charged last year in an undocumented worker harboring scheme connected to eight mid-state restaurants, have pleaded guilty, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Thomas J. Jaworski.
In plea hearings concluded this week, Zhongzhi “Tommy” Zhuo, 46, Jianping “Alan” Zhuo, 37, both of Hendersonville, Tenn., and Jianhua “Jason” Zhuo, 35, of Gallatin, Tenn., pleaded guilty to conspiracy to harbor aliens; conspiracy to commit money laundering; and conspiracy to defraud the United States by failure to collect and pay employment taxes to the IRS. Zhongzhi Zhuo also pleaded guilty to two counts of harboring aliens, and failure to pay employment taxes. Lili Wu, 32, of Gallatin, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud the United States by failure to collect and pay employment taxes to the IRS. Xiaofen “Joyce” Zhuo, 38, of Hendersonville, pleaded guilty in February to conspiracy to defraud the United States by failure to collect and pay employment taxes to the IRS.
“These defendants profited by exploiting and concealing the existence of vulnerable people,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Jaworski. “I commend our law enforcement partners for their tireless efforts to bring them to justice and to remove individuals from circumstances in which they were exploited.”
According to records filed with the Court, the defendants participated in a scheme to harbor persons who were in the United States illegally, by providing a means of financial support through employment at the restaurants and providing them with housing and transportation. The scheme also involved paying undocumented workers in cash to avoid paying employment taxes and to conceal the ongoing fraud. The restaurants identified in the indictment include the Fuji Japanese Steakhouse, with locations in Hendersonville, Goodlettsville, and Whitehouse, Tenn.; Bonfire Mongolian Grill, with locations in Hendersonville, Clarksville, Mount Juliet, and Spring Hill, Tenn.; and the Koi Japanese Steakhouse in Gallatin, Tenn. Some of the restaurants are under new ownership.
These guilty pleas follow a nine-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in July 2022, after which all defendants were arrested by federal agents.
The defendants also agreed to forfeit residences that were used to facilitate violations of these crimes and funds derived from the commission of these crimes. As a result, defendants agreed to forfeit nine bank accounts totaling approximately $412,209.14; U.S. currency totaling $434,400.24; and the properties at 138 Huntington Place, Hendersonville, Tenn.; 1119 Peninsula, Gallatin, Tenn.; 232 Trey Court, Clarksville, Tenn.; and 1050 Bradford Park Road, Mount Juliet, Tenn.
The United States also alleged that this scheme caused a tax loss to the IRS of $1,259,348 and will be seeking restitution.
“These employers exploited a vulnerable population and defrauded the government for their own profit. The guilty pleas are a prime example of the successful outcome when local, state, and federal partners collaborate to protect workers and American businesses,” said Special Agent in Charge Rana Saoud, HSI Nashville. “Through its investigations into exploitative employers, HSI protects the U.S. labor market, workplace conditions, and the dignity of individual workers, who are often taken advantage of through dangerous work conditions, underpayment, and using those noncitizens as a business model to maximize profits.”
“Unscrupulous businesses who willfully skirt their tax and legal workforce obligations must be held to account,” said IRS CI Special Agent in Charge Donald “Trey” Eakins. “Employers who deliberately deflect these obligations undermine what is owed to the U.S. government in payroll taxes and other fees, in addition to creating an unfair economic advantage over law-abiding business owners who play by the rules.”
The defendants face between five and 20 years in prison when they are sentenced later this year. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations; IRS-Criminal Investigation; the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation; and the Hendersonville Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert S. Levine is prosecuting the case.
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Onslow County Man Involved in Multi-State Drug Trafficking Sentenced to More Than 12 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – Abdul Sanderlin, 29, of Onslow County, was sentenced to 151 months in federal prison for trafficking methamphetamine in multiple states.
According to court documents, evidence presented in court, and other documents, the Onslow County Sheriff’s Office received information that Sanderlin was involved in the distribution of narcotics between New Jersey and Sneads Ferry, North Carolina.
On August 27, 2020, an undercover DEA task force officer made a controlled purchased of a half an ounce of methamphetamine from Sanderlin. Law enforcement observed Sanderlin leaving his apartment in Sneads Ferry prior to him making the deal. Later law enforcement served a search warrant on the residence, and recovered 46 grams of methamphetamine, more than 2,000 bags of suspected heroin, paraphernalia associated with drug distribution and more than $17,000.
On January 26, 2023, Sanderlin pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine and distribution of a quantity of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine.
Sanderlin has previously been convicted in New Jersey state court of manufacturing or distributing a controlled dangerous substance or intent to manufacture (2012), felony unlawful possession of a handgun (2014), manufacturing or distributing a controlled dangerous substance or intent to manufacture (2018).
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III. The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Onslow County Sheriffs’ Offices investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Timothy Severo and Gabe Diaz prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 7:22-cr-00082-D.
Ohio Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Danny Merriweather, also known as “D,” 35, of Toledo, Ohio, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 5, 2021, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at a 10th Avenue residence where Merriweather was living and seized a Smith & Wesson .38 SPL Airweight revolver and quantities of fentanyl and methamphetamine. Merriweather admitted to possessing the firearm.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Merriweather knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony conviction for distribution of a quantity of cocaine base in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia on October 22, 2012.
Merriweather is scheduled to be sentenced on August 21, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Taylor is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:22-cr-47.
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New York Woman Sentenced for Trafficking FentanylRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A New York woman was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for trafficking five kilograms of fentanyl from New York City.
Shanese DeJesus, 25, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV to 21 months in prison and three years of supervised release. In September 2022, DeJesus pleaded guilty to one count of distribution and possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more fentanyl.
In October 2021, DeJesus drove from the New York City area to a hotel parking lot in Andover to deliver approximately five kilograms of fentanyl to a cooperating source. Upon arriving in the parking lot, DeJesus retrieved a shopping bag from her trunk and entered the source’s vehicle. Inside the shopping bag were two UPS boxes that were addressed to DeJesus’ home in Brooklyn, N.Y. and contained a total of five kilograms of fentanyl.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; John E. Mawn Jr., Interim Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police; and Colonel Nathan Noyes, Director of the New Hampshire State Police made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Mulcahy of Rollins’ Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case.
New York Man Admits Credit Card FraudRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A New York man today admitted spending hundreds of thousands of dollars using credit cards he fraudulently opened using the identities of others, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Robert Lourenco, 52, of Queens, New York, pleaded guilty by videoconference before U.S. District Judge Joseph H. Rodriguez to one count of an indictment charging him with access device fraud.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
During 2015, Lourenco opened 23 credit cards using the identities of three victims he had befriended, two of whom were senior citizens. Lourenco’s victims did not know he was using their identities to obtain the credit cards, nor did they authorize Lourenco to obtain the credit cards. Lourenco used the 23 credit cards to make more than $423,000 in unauthorized purchases. He also used the debit card for a joint bank account belonging to two of the victims to make an additional $57,000 in unauthorized charges. Lourenco admitted that he knew at least one of his victims was a vulnerable victim when he used the victim’s identity to commit his crime.
The charge of access device fraud is punishable by a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of up to the greatest of $250,000, twice the gross pecuniary gain derived from the offense, or twice the gross pecuniary loss sustained by any victims of the offense, whichever is greatest. Sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 14, 2023.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of FBI’s Atlantic City Resident Agency, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea. He also thanked the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office for its role in the investigation.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Bender of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Camden.
lourenco.indictment.pdfNew Bedford Man Sentenced for Evading More Than $400,000 in Federal Income TaxesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A New Bedford man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for evading more than $431,000 in federal income taxes over the course of seven years.
Victor M. Cruz, 43, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Rya W. Zobel to time served (10 months in prison) followed by one year of supervised release. Cruz was also ordered to pay $431,835 in restitution to IRS. On Feb. 12, 2023, Cruz pleaded guilty to three counts of tax evasion.
From 2015 through 2017, while earning between $183,000 and $212,000 in annual wages as a crewmember for various fishing vessels, Cruz failed to file federal tax returns on his income for any of the years. In addition, Cruz had previously failed to file federal income tax returns for tax years 2010 through 2014 while receiving an annual income of at least $150,000. Despite receiving at least two notices from the Internal Revenue Service directing him to file returns and pay delinquent taxes, Cruz failed to file any federal tax returns and took other measures to prevent authorities from tracing his income or determining his tax liabilities. In total, Cruz evaded paying more than $431,000 in federal taxes, not including delinquency penalties and interest.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins and Joleen D. Simpson, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation in Boston made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Victor A. Wild of Rollins’ Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit prosecuted the case.
North Dakota U.s. Attorney’s Office Allocated Five Additional Prosecutors, Including Three for “Indian Country”Read the Press Release
Fargo – United States Attorney Mac Schneider announced today that the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of North Dakota has been allocated five additional federal prosecutors by the Untied States Department of Justice. Three of these full-time Assistant United States Attorneys (AUSAs) will be dedicated to addressing public safety needs on North Dakota’s reservations.
“For decades, the hallmark of the United States Attorney’s Office in North Dakota has been our role as a strong federal partner in promoting public safety across the state, especially in Indian Country,” Schneider said. “With this significant investment of additional resources from the Department of Justice, we will be able to play that role even more effectively.”
In addition to the three “Indian Country” prosecutors, the office will hire an additional AUSA to prosecute violent crime in Cass County and the surrounding areas. Another prosecutor will be charged with spearheading the office’s eLitigation efforts, an area that is increasingly important to all manner of criminal prosecutions.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of North Dakota currently has 21 AUSAs working in its Criminal and Civil Divisions out of Bismarck and Fargo and an additional High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas prosecutor in Minot. The office is currently in the process of onboarding two criminal AUSAs to fill existing vacancies. When the additional five prosecutors are in place, a process expected to take several months, the office will have a total of 28 AUSAs.
The additional prosecutors assigned to “Indian Country,” a legal term defined by18 U.S. Code § 1151, will allow the United States Attorney’s Office to nearly double the prosecutorial resources currently dedicated to promoting public safety in North Dakota’s tribal communities.
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Missouri Man Admits Unemployment Insurance, Home Depot FraudsRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A man from Ste. Genevieve County pleaded guilty to federal charges Tuesday and admitted schemes to defraud both Home Depot and Missouri’s unemployment insurance program.
Arthur Grass, 36, also admitted being a felon caught with a firearm. Grass pleaded guilty in front of U.S. District Judge Matthew T. Schelp to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm, one count of conspiracy to steal money from the United States (unemployment benefits) and one count of wire fraud.
Grass admitted filing false unemployment claims for about 10 people beginning in May of 2020. Grass falsely claimed that they had been laid off from his construction company, AJE Construction. Grass cashed out the unemployment benefits, which had been placed on debit cards, and kicked some money back to the “workers,” who had voluntarily provided him their personal information to use in the scheme. In all, the scheme reaped $142,423, including supplemental COVID-19 pandemic unemployment benefits.
Grass also admitted defrauding Home Depot on multiple occasions by filling a cart with boxes of vinyl flooring and then adding an inexpensive item on top. He would pay for the inexpensive item and claim that he’d paid for the flooring online, showing a fraudulent receipt.
Charging documents say he stole about 468 boxes of flooring that way from Home Depot stores in St. Louis and St. Louis County from Jan. 5, 2023 through Feb. 6, 2023. Each box was priced at about $75 or more. He then sold them on Facebook.
Finally, on March 31, 2022, St. Charles County police who were investigating catalytic converter thefts found Grass’ Jeep in a storage lot, with Grass inside. He was arrested and police later found a stolen Glock 9mm pistol in a toolbox in the Jeep. Grass is a convicted felon and barred from possessing a firearm.
“Arthur Grass engaged in an unemployment insurance (UI) fraud scheme targeting the Missouri Department of Labor, Division of Employment Security. Grass conspired to submit fraudulent UI claims in the names of other individuals, diverting vital taxpayer resources away from those in dire need of unemployment benefits. Today’s guilty plea affirms the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General’s commitment to pursuing UI fraud. We are grateful for our partnerships with the Missouri Department of Labor and our many law enforcement partners, including the U.S. Attorney’s Office,” said Irene Lindow, Special Agent in Charge, Great Lakes Region, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General.
Grass faces up to 10 years in prison for the gun charge, up to 20 years for the wire fraud charge and up to five years for the stealing charge, as well as the possibility of a fine of up to $250,000 for each charge. He will also be ordered to repay the money.
The case was investigated by the Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, The U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the St. Charles County Police Department, the Missouri Department of Labor, the Arnold Police Department, the St. Louis County Police Department and Home Depot Retail Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Ware is prosecuting the case.
Mexican National Admits Illegally Reentering U.S.Read the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that JOSE GUADALUPE CASTILLO LARA, also known as Jose Castillo, Jose Latta, Francisco Rodriguez, and Jose Ruiz, 41, a citizen of Mexico, pleaded guilty yesterday before U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford federal court to illegally reentering the United States after being deported.
According to court documents, Castillo previously was deported from the U.S. to Mexico in April 2009 following a felony conviction in Texas for assault. He reentered the U.S. shortly thereafter and was encountered by law enforcement in Texas. On July 13, 2009, he was sentenced to two years of imprisonment for violating the terms of his probation from his assault conviction. He was again removed to Mexico in June 2010.
On November 17, 2018, Castillo was arrested by Stamford Police. On March 6, 2019, a federal grand jury in New Haven returned an indictment charging him with reentry of a removed alien. On March 7, 2019, Castillo was convicted in state court of disorderly conduct related to his November 2018 arrest, and he was released from state custody. He remained at large until March 17, 2023, when he was apprehended in Massachusetts.
Judge Shea scheduled sentencing for August 3, 2023, at which time Castillo faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years.
This matter is being investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Casey.
Meth trafficking sends Missoula man to prison for more than five yearsRead the Press Release
MISSOULA — A Missoula man who admitted to trafficking methamphetamine in the community after law enforcement seized approximately seven pounds of the drug that were associated with him was sentenced today to five years and 10 months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
James Allyn Batterton, 25, pleaded guilty in January to possession with intent to distribute meth.
U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided.
The government alleged in court documents that in February 2022, law enforcement executed multiple state search warrants in Missoula and Beaverhead counties and seized approximately seven pounds of meth from two U.S. Postal Service boxes bound for addresses associated with Batterton. Officers also seized additional meth and firearms from multiple homes and vehicles belonging to Batterton. The government further alleged that Batterton imported meth into Montana through the U.S. Postal Service and resold it in Western Montana. Batterton is believed to have distributed nearly 30 pounds of the drug. Thirty pounds of meth is the equivalent of 108,720 doses.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Tara J. Elliott prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the Missoula High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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Meriden Man Sentenced to 7 Years in Federal Prison for Trafficking Cocaine through the MailRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that BIMAEL ACEVEDO-ROMAN, 29, of Meriden, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to 84 months of imprisonment, followed by four years of supervised release, for trafficking cocaine into Connecticut.
According to court documents and statements made in court, an investigation conducted by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Narcotics and Bulk Cash Trafficking Task Force revealed that Acevedo-Roman was coordinating the shipment of parcels containing kilogram quantities of cocaine from U.S. Post Offices in Puerto Rico to various “drop addresses” in Meriden, New Britain and Bristol, and the shipment of parcels of cash back to Puerto Rico. Acevedo-Roman and others picked up parcels from the drop addresses and delivered them to Acevedo-Roman’s Meriden residence.
During the investigation, investigators intercepted and seized mail parcels containing more than five kilograms of cocaine and $179,300 in cash, and identified dozens of other suspicious parcels that likely contained kilogram quantities of cocaine and bulk currency.
Acevedo-Roman was arrested on May 18, 2022. On February 15, 2023, he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine.
Acevedo-Roman, who is released on a $100,000 bond, is required to report to prison on July 12.
This matter was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Narcotics and Bulk Cash Trafficking Task Force, which 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.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Konstantin Lantsman and Stephanie Levick.
Member of FBI Imposter Ring that Intimidated, Defrauded Victims Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
MIAMI – Reinaldo Miralles Gonzalez, 52, of Doral, Florida, has been sentenced to 30 months in federal prison and ordered to pay $123,000 in restitution after pleading guilty late last year to conspiracy to commit mail fraud.
Gonzalez was part of a fraud scheme that targeted mostly elderly users of a money transfer service. Fraudsters would contact users of the service, identify themselves as FBI agents (using the names of real agents), and scare the users into believing that the FBI had identified them as financial supporters of terrorism. Threatening legal action, and in one case deportation, the fraudsters tricked the victims into mailing blank money orders to addresses associated with Gonzalez. Some victims were repeatedly victimized and forced to take funds from retirement accounts to satisfy the demands.
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, made the announcement.
This case was investigated by FBI Miami, as part of the Transnational Elder Fraud Strike Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lois Foster-Steers prosecuted it. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daren Grove is handling asset forfeiture.
Combatting elder abuse and financial fraud targeted at seniors is a key priority of the Department of Justice. The mission of the Department’s Elder Justice Initiative is to support and coordinate the Department’s enforcement and programmatic efforts to combat elder abuse, neglect and financial fraud and scams that target our nation’s seniors. To learn more visit https://www.justice.gov/elderjustice. The public is encouraged to report their victimization and suspected fraud schemes. To find the right reporting agency visit https://www.justice.gov/elderjustice/roadmap or call the victim connect hotline at 1-855-484-2846.
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-20456.
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Massachusetts Man Convicted of Murder for Hire SchemeRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – A federal jury convicted Allen Gessen of murder for hire after he arranged to pay an undercover FBI agent to murder the mother of his young children, announced United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Robert K. Tripp. The verdict follows a one-week trial before the Hon. Jacqueline Scott Corley, U.S. District Judge.
The evidence at trial established that Gessen, 48, of Massachusetts, was an attorney licensed in New York when he was introduced to an undercover FBI agent by a target of a separate FBI investigation into violations of international money laundering. In the summer of 2022, Gessen met with the undercover FBI agent on two occasions, first in Boca Raton, Florida and then again in New York City, New York. During the meetings, Gessen volunteered details of a years-long dispute with his former partner which had resulted in contentious child custody proceedings. At these meetings and through a series of encrypted electronic messages, Gessen initiated plans to commit two different crimes utilizing the undercover FBI agent’s connections. The evidence at trial established that over the course of the investigation, Gessen’s objectives quickly transformed from bribing an immigration official to deport his former partner to hiring someone to murder her.
The trial evidence established that Gessen believed his former partner’s deportation would allow him to have full custody of their two minor children. Gessen initially agreed to pay the undercover FBI agent $100,000 to accomplish the bribery and deportation scheme. Gessen explained he could justify the expenditure because he would pay more in child support if his former partner remained in the United States. However, at the end of that same meeting, Gessen resolved to murder his former partner because it was a “cheaper way to get rid of her” and was a more permanent solution.
The trial evidence established that Gessen agreed to pay $50,000 to have the murder completed. Specifically, he agreed to pay a $25,000 deposit and have the remaining $25,000 be due after her murder. During these discussions, Gessen told the undercover FBI agent that he had previously researched murder for hire and paid $10,000 toward accomplishing the task. Gessen said he paid for a hit team from a foreign country to travel to Massachusetts, conduct reconnaissance, and surveil his former partner. Nevertheless, Gessen explained, after the team completed their reconnaissance, they told Gessen it would cost another $210,000 to commit the murder. Gessen did not continue with that plan because of the cost.
The government established at trial that Gessen finalized the details for the murder for hire plan at the subsequent meeting and gave the undercover FBI agent a gold coin worth approximately $2,000. Shortly thereafter, Gessen wired a total of $23,000 to an FBI undercover bank account in San Francisco, to carry out the murder. Around the same time, Gessen also sent to the undercover FBI agent a written agreement containing a promise to pay for phony “consulting services” as a method to disguise the true nature of the funds. Gessen also provided to the undercover FBI agent a target package containing details about his former partner’s whereabouts, schedule, and lifestyle habits.
A federal grand jury indicted Gessen on July 26, 2022, charging him with one count of murder for hire, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1958. The jury convicted Gessen of the charge.
Judge Corley has not yet set a date for Gessen’s sentencing hearing. Gessen faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. However, any sentence will be imposed only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
The case is being prosecuted by the Corporate and Securities Fraud Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The case is being investigated by the FBI.
Mason City Woman Sentenced to Federal Prison for Distributing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
A woman who sold methamphetamine in the Mason City area was sentenced today to more than 5 years in federal prison.
Tara Graham, age 42, from Mason City, Iowa, received the prison term after a January 12, 2023, guilty plea to three counts of distribution of a controlled substance.
At the plea hearing, Graham admitted that in November of 2022, she sold methamphetamine in up to ounce quantities to a confidential source on three separate occasions in Mason City.
Graham was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Graham was sentenced to 64 months’ imprisonment. She must also serve a 4-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Graham is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until she can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jack Lammers and investigated by the Cerro Gordo Sheriff’s Office, Clear Lake Police Department, Mason City Police Department, Iowa Department of Narcotics Enforcement, and the North Central Iowa Drug Task Force.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is 21-CR-3043.
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Man Who Applied for Covid-19 Relief Money for Fake Trucking Company Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – A Leland, North Carolina man, Joseph Alexander Casillas, was sentenced today to six months in prison and three years of supervised release for conspiracy to commit wire fraud. On February 16, 2023, Casillas pleaded guilty to the charge. As part of the judgment, Casillas was also ordered to pay $92,734 in criminal restitution to the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).
According to court documents and other information presented in court, Casillas fraudulently applied for Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans in March and April 2021 in furtherance of a conspiracy to defraud the government. The PPP program was created by the CARES Act in March 2020 to provide emergency financial assistance to American small businesses that were suffering the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Through the PPP program, businesses could apply for forgivable loans to retain jobs and pay certain qualifying expenses. In order to obtain a PPP loan, the business was required to make certain disclosures and certifications regarding its operations and acknowledge program rules. The business was also required to provide documentation to support its alleged payroll expenses.
As part of the scheme, Casillas submitted two false and fraudulent PPP loan applications, each of which requested over $20,000. In the applications, Casillas falsely stated that he was the sole proprietor of a longstanding trucking business that was incurring nearly $100,000 in annual payroll costs. Among other things, to substantiate his claims, Casillas provided the lender with a fraudulent 2019 tax record. In reality the company did not exist.
Michael Easley, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III. The United States Secret Service, based in Wilmington, North Carolina, investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Adam F. Hulbig prosecuted the case for the government.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 7:22-CR-132-D.
Man Sentenced to Additional Prison Time for Violating Supervised ReleaseRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that DANIEL CAY, 35, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in Bridgeport to 60 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, for violating the conditions of his supervised release.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on May 9, 2014, Cay was sentenced in the Western District of New York to 120 months of imprisonment and 10 years of supervised release for possession of child pornography. The investigation revealed that Cay was convicted in Connecticut Superior Court in March 2006 of sexual assault of a minor in the second degree, and was sentenced to eight years of imprisonment and 10 years of probation for that offense. After he was released from state prison, Cay relocated to New York, but failed to register as a sex offender. In 2013, forensic analysis of a tablet computer used by Cay reveled several hundred images depicting the sexual abuse of children.
Cay was released from federal prison on March 25, 2022, and resided in Bristol, Connecticut. Nine days after his release, U.S. Probation officers found Cay in possession of three unauthorized internet-capable devices, including a laptop. Forensic analysis of the laptop revealed multiple images of child pornography, evidence of internet searches for child pornography, and an internet search for “How to remove Bureau of Prisons firmware on a Sandisk Mp3 player.”
Cay has been detained since May 11, 2022.
This investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tara E. Levens.
This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com.
Man Indicted for Drug and Firearms Offenses on Menominee Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
Gregory J. Haanstad, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced today that a on May 9, 2023, a federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment charging Gerald B. Diamond II (age 25) with controlled substance and firearms offenses on the Menominee Indian Reservation.
The indictment charges Diamond, who most recently lived in the Hayward (Wisconsin) area, with the following counts:
COUNT
CHARGE
PENALTY
One
Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(C)
Up to 20 years in prison
Two
Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)
Mandatory minimum consecutive sentence of 5 years, up to life in prison
Three
Felon in Possession of a Firearm, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1)
Up to 15 years in prison
Diamond also faces a period of supervised release, possible fines, and a special assessment for each count if convicted.
According to filed court documents, on or about March 6, 2023, Boyd possessed methamphetamine and a firearm in furtherance of the intended distribution of the methamphetamine. Due to previous felony convictions, Diamond was prohibited from possessing firearms at the time of the offense.
The Menominee Tribal Police Department and Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case, which Assistant United States Attorney Andrew J. Maier will prosecute.
The public is cautioned that an indictment or criminal complaint is merely a charge and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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For Additional Information Contact:
Public Information Officer Kenneth Gales 414-297-1700
Louisville Man Sentenced in Federal Court to 32 Years in Prison for Multiple Carjackings and Related ChargesRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – A local man was sentenced Monday in the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky for his involvement in a string of carjackings and firearms offenses that occurred in Louisville in October and November 2021.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Jodi Cohen of the FBI Louisville Field Office, and Chief Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel of the Louisville Metro Police Department made the announcement.
Eder Mayorga-Sanchez, 20, was sentenced to 32 years and 1 month in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for carjacking resulting in serious bodily injury, discharging a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, three additional counts of carjacking, and two counts of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.
There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court documents, on October 26, 2021, Mayorga-Sanchez forced a victim to give him her vehicle at gunpoint while she was sitting in the vehicle at a traffic light on National Turnpike in Louisville. During this incident, Mayorga-Sanchez shot and injured the victim’s 16-year-old child. Additionally, on October 30, 2021, he attempted to force another victim to give him her vehicle at gunpoint while she was sitting in her vehicle outside Zappo’s in Louisville, but the victim was able to drive off. Further, on November 4, 2021, he forced a third victim to give him her vehicle at gunpoint, while the victim was sitting in her car eating her lunch in a Burger King parking lot in Louisville. Finally, on November 4, 2021, he forced two more victims to give him their vehicle at gunpoint while they were picking up trash as part of a concierge trash business.
The case was investigated by the FBI and LMPD with assistance from the Bowling Green Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Frank Dahl 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.
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Lee Man Pleads Guilty to Child Exploitation OffensesRead the Press Release
CONCORD – A Lee man pleaded guilty today in federal court to possession and distribution of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces.
Joshua Olsen, 31, pleaded guilty to possession and distribution of CSAM. U.S. District Court Judge Steven McAuliffe scheduled sentencing for August 29, 2023. Olsen was charged by complaint in December 2022 and indicted in January 2023.
Olsen corresponded with an undercover law enforcement officer through various online platforms. During these chats, Olsen engaged in sexually graphic conversations related to children and sent sexually explicit images of children to the undercover officer. A subsequent search of Olsen’s cell phone revealed the presence of over 1,600 images of apparent CSAM.
The charging statute provides a sentence of at least 5 no greater than 20 years in prison, at least 5 years of supervised release, a fine of $250,000, and mandatory restitution. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation led the investigation. Valuable assistance was provided by the Lee Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kasey Weiland is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
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Leader of Newburgh Street Gang Admits to 2016 MurderRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that ARDAE HINES, a/k/a “Young Money,” a/k/a “YM,” pled guilty today to conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering and distribution of narcotics in connection with his involvement in the August 1, 2016, murder of Deandric Little in Newburgh, New York. As part of his guilty plea, HINES admitted that he knowingly and intentionally agreed to kill Little and that Little died as a result. HINES pled guilty before U.S. District Judge Cathy Seibel.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “On August 1, 2016, Ardae Hines, a leader of the violent Southside street gang in Newburgh, directed a juvenile gang member to murder Deandric Little in what is considered to be Southside’s territory. Today’s guilty plea, which comes nearly six years after Hines was initially arrested on federal racketeering charges shows that we will continue to vigorously pursue justice for as long as it takes and hold accountable those who commit acts of violence in our communities. I commend the tenacity of our law enforcement partners, who worked tirelessly to investigate Deandric Little’s murder.”
According to the allegations in the Superseding Information and other documents filed in federal court as well as statements made in public court proceedings:
From at least 2014 through June 2017, HINES was a member of the Southside Gang, a criminal enterprise centered in and around the intersection of South Street and Chambers Street in an area of Newburgh known as the “Southside.” In order to enrich the members of the enterprise; preserve and protect the power, territory, and profits of the enterprise; and to keep victims and potential victims in fear of the enterprise, Southside members and associates committed, conspired, attempted, and threatened to commit acts involving murder, assault, robbery, and other acts of violence; possessed and used firearms; distributed controlled substances, including crack cocaine and heroin; and committed acts of intimidation and made threats to deter and punish potential witnesses to their crimes.
On or about August 1, 2016, as part of his membership in Southside, ARDAE HINES orchestrated the murder of Deandric Little in Newburgh. During the course of an argument with Little on South Street, the heart of Southside territory, HINES instructed a juvenile member of Southside to murder Little. The juvenile shot Little, and Little died of his injuries soon thereafter.
* * *
ARDAE HINES, 34, of Newburgh, New York, pled guilty to narcotics trafficking, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, and conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. HINES will be sentenced before Judge Seibel later this year.
The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Hudson Valley Safe Streets Task Force and the City of Newburgh Police Department. Mr. Williams thanked the Orange County District Attorney’s Office for its invaluable ongoing assistance in the case. Mr. Williams also thanked the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Town of Newburgh Police Department, the New York State Police, the Orange County Sheriff’s Department, the Town of New Windsor Police Department, and the New York Department of Corrections and Community Supervision for their assistance in the case.
This case is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lindsey Keenan, Jacqueline Kelly, and Samuel Raymond are in charge of the prosecution.
Larrabee Man Pleads Guilty to Meth ChargesRead the Press Release
A man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine pled guilty on May 9, 2023, in federal court in Sioux City.
Carl Thompson, 52, from Larrabee, Iowa, was convicted of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
At the plea hearing, Thompson admitted his involvement in a conspiracy that distributed more than three pounds of methamphetamine from December 2019 through May 2022. Thompson admitted assisting at least six others in obtaining the methamphetamine from sources in California and Nevada and transporting it back to Cherokee, Iowa, for further distribution.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Thompson was taken into custody of the United States Marshal and will remain in custody pending sentencing. Thompson faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, and at least five years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program of the United States Department of Justice through a cooperative effort of the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, United States Postal Inspectors, Homeland Security Investigations, Iowa DCI Laboratory, and Cherokee Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 22-4066. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Keshena Man Indicted for Aggravated Assault on Menominee Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
Gregory J. Haanstad, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced today that a on May 9, 2023, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Edmund Broeffle (age 29), a Keshena resident and enrolled member of the Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin, with Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 113(a)(6) and 1153(a).
According to filed court documents, on or about March 12, 2023, Broeffle punched another person and caused serious bodily injury, including broken teeth, bleeding on the brain, and lacerations requiring medical attention. If convicted of this offense, Broeffle faces a maximum penalty of ten years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to three years of supervised release.
The Menominee Tribal Police Department and Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case, which Assistant United States Attorney Andrew J. Maier will prosecute.
The public is cautioned that an indictment or criminal complaint is merely a charge and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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For Additional Information Contact:
Public Information Officer Kenneth Gales 414-297-1700
Kent County Man Indicted for Sex Trafficking of A ChildRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney Mark Totten announced that Terrence Clay, age 39, of Kent County, has been indicted in federal court for sex trafficking and attempted sex trafficking of a child, sexual exploitation of a child, and distribution of child pornography.
“These sexual exploitation and child pornography allegations are extremely disturbing and very serious,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten. “My office is committed to protecting our children as our youngest and most vulnerable citizens.”
Clay was previously charged in state court for related offenses including human trafficking, child sexually abusive activity, two counts of using a computer to commit a crime, and two counts of possession of child sexually abusive material. Clay’s state charges were dismissed due to his federal prosecution.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan; county prosecutor’s offices; HSI; Michigan State Police’s Internet Crimes Against Children task force; the West Michigan Based Child Exploitation Task Force (WEBCHEX); and federal, state, and local law enforcement are working closely together to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children. Anyone with information or concerns about possible child exploitation should contact local law enforcement. For more information about Project Safe Childhood in West Michigan, including resources for children and parents, please visit: https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdmi/project-safe-childhood.
The charges in an indictment are merely accusations, and a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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Please note: A copy of the indictment is attached. Click here.
Kansas Man Sentenced for Assaulting, Resisting and Impeding a Federal OfficerRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced a Lawrence, Kansas, man convicted of Assaulting, Resisting, and Impeding a Federal Officer. The sentencing took place on May 8, 2023.
Preston Yankton, 36, was sentenced to time served of approximately 15 months in custody, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Yankton was indicted for Assaulting, Resisting, and Impeding a Federal Officer by a federal grand jury in December of 2021. He pleaded guilty on February 6, 2023.
In the early morning hours of November 7, 2021, Yankton was booked into the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Adult Corrections Facility and engaged in destructive, unsanitary behavior while in a cell. Corrections staff determined Yankton should be placed in a restraint chair. Yankton was non-compliant with initial commands that were given through the door and corrections staff entered Yankton’s cell. Yankton remained non-compliant with the commands and became combative. During the struggle, Yankton swung a closed fist and struck one of the corrections officers in the nose. Yankton swung again and struck another corrections officer in the jaw area. Neither corrections officer sustained serious injuries from the assault.
This case was investigated by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Abby Roesler prosecuted the case.
Yankton was released to begin his term of supervised release in Kansas.
Kanawha County Man Sentenced for Federal Fraud and Theft CrimesRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Ernest Lee Alexander III, 38, of St. Albans, was sentenced today to one year and nine months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for bank fraud and possession of stolen mail matter.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on December 13, 2021, Alexander led law enforcement officers on a high-speed chase throughout western Kanawha County after they attempted a traffic stop of his vehicle in South Charleston. The chase ended when Alexander exited Interstate 77 at Tuppers Creek, lost control of his vehicle, and crashed. Officers arrested Alexander and found stolen mail and a bank receipt in the vehicle. Alexander admitted that earlier that same day, he had used the identification information of the owner of the stolen mail to deposit a fraudulent check into the individual’s bank account and then withdraw $450 from the account.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the United States Postal Inspection Service and the South Charleston Police Department.
Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Ryan A. Keefe prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-cr-201.
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Kanawha County Man Pleads Guilty to EmbezzlementRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Gary F. Fridley II, 41, of Cross Lanes, pleaded guilty today to embezzlement of labor union assets.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from about December 20, 2018, until about June 12, 2019, Fridley was a union officer in Nitro while employed by American Electric Power (AEP). As the union’s elected financial secretary, Fridley was the union’s chief financial officer and was responsible for preparing and co-signing union checks and maintaining financial records. Fridley was one of three signatories on the union’s checking account at Huntington National Bank in Nitro. As financial secretary, Fridley was entitled to an officer’s salary as well as reimbursement for lost time or wages lost from his employment when he took off from work for union business.
On about June 12, 2019, Fridley received a check for $1,321.55 as reimbursement for lost time. Fridley admitted that he had not lost any time with AEP during that pay period. Fridley submitted a false voucher to receive an unauthorized lost time payment and forged the signature of another union official in order to cash the check for the fictitious lost time.
Fridley further admitted that he improperly received $19,732.88 through his wrongful actions as the union’s financial secretary. Fridley submitted additional false vouchers to receive unauthorized lost time payments from the union and forged the signatures of other union officials to cash the union checks he wrote payable to himself for the fictitious lost time payments.
Fridley is scheduled to be sentenced on August 29, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. Fridley also owes $19,732.88 in restitution.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Labor-Management Standards (OLMS).
Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorneys Holly Wilson, Kathleen Robeson, and Andrew J. Tessman are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-cr-138.
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Justice Department Files Statement of Interest in Religious Land Use Case Involving Faith-Based Group that Feeds Homeless in Orange CountyRead the Press Release
SANTA ANA, California – The Justice Department has filed a statement of interest in a federal lawsuit explaining that the act of distributing food and drinks to people who are homeless by Micah’s Way, a faith-based organization in Santa Ana that helps people in need, could be religious exercise under the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act of 2000 (RLUIPA).
The statement of interest was filed Tuesday afternoon in Micah’s Way v. the City of Santa Ana, a lawsuit alleging that the City of Santa Ana imposed a substantial burden on Micah’s Way’s religious exercise. At issue is the city’s denial of an occupancy certificate to Micah’s Way on the grounds that it was providing food and drinks to people who are homeless in violation of the city’s zoning ordinance.
According to its complaint, Micah’s Way has a religious duty to help people in need, including by providing food and drink to someone who is hungry. After denying the occupancy certificate, the city informed Micah’s Way that it could not feed people who are homeless at its resource center under any circumstances and that if it continued to do so, Micah’s Way would be subject to fines and potential criminal prosecution.
The city filed a motion to dismiss the complaint, arguing, in part, that providing food and drinks to people who are homeless is not religious exercise and that its denial of an occupancy certificate did not substantially burden Micah’s Way’s religious exercise. The Justice Department’s statement of interest argues that feeding people who are homeless may be religious exercise protected by RLUIPA, and that the city’s denial of an occupancy certificate and complete prohibition on feeding people who are homeless may have imposed a substantial burden on Micah’s Way’s religious exercise, in violation of RLUIPA.
“The free exercise of religion is a bedrock principle of our nation,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. “Religious groups should be entitled to exercise their religion by providing charitable services based in their religious beliefs. Our office firmly opposes actions that block religious groups from carrying out their spiritual mission to help others in need.”
“Discriminatory barriers and land use restrictions against faith-based organizations is unlawful,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Many faith-based organizations across the country are on the front lines serving the needs of people experiencing homelessness. The Justice Department is committed to enforcing federal civil rights laws to ensure that all religious groups can freely exercise their religious beliefs.”
Assistant United States Attorney Matthew E. Nickell of the Civil Division’s Civil Rights Section and attorneys from Housing and Civil Enforcement Section of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division worked on the statement of interest.
RLUIPA is a federal law that protects religious institutions from unduly burdensome or discriminatory land use regulations. In June 2018, the Justice Department announced its Place to Worship Initiative, which focuses on RLUIPA’s provisions that protect the rights of houses of worship and other religious institutions to worship on their land. More information is available at www.justice.gov/crt/placetoworship.
Individuals in the seven counties of the Central District of California may file a complaint asserting civil rights violations with the Civil Rights Section, Civil Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office by completing and submitting this form (English) (Spanish) by email to [email protected].
Justice Department Files Statement of Interest in Religious Land Use Case Involving Faith-Based Group That Feeds Homeless People in CaliforniaRead the Press Release
The Justice Department filed a statement of interest in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California explaining that the act of distributing food and drinks to people who are homeless by Micah’s Way, a faith-based organization that helps people in need, could be religious exercise under the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act of 2000 (RLUIPA).
The statement of interest was filed in Micah’s Way v. the City of Santa Ana, a lawsuit alleging that Santa Ana imposed a substantial burden on Micah’s Way’s religious exercise. At issue is the city’s denial of an occupancy certificate to Micah’s Way on the grounds that it was providing food and drinks to people who are homeless in violation of the city’s zoning ordinance. According to its complaint, Micah’s Way has a religious duty to help people in need, including by providing food and drink to someone who is hungry. After denying the occupancy certificate, the city informed Micah’s Way that it could not feed people who are homeless at its resource center under any circumstances and that if it continued to do so, Micah’s Way would be subject to fines and potential criminal prosecution.
The city filed a motion to dismiss the complaint, arguing in part that providing food and drinks to people who are homeless is not religious exercise and that its denial of an occupancy certificate did not substantially burden Micah’s Way’s religious exercise. The department’s statement of interest argues that feeding people who are homeless may be religious exercise protected by RLUIPA and that the city’s denial of an occupancy certificate and complete prohibition on feeding people who are homeless may have imposed a substantial burden on Micah’s Way’s religious exercise, in violation of RLUIPA.
“Discriminatory barriers and land use restrictions against faith-based organizations is unlawful,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Many faith-based organizations across the country are on the front lines serving the needs of people experiencing homelessness. The Justice Department is committed to enforcing federal civil rights laws to ensure that all religious groups can freely exercise their religious beliefs.”
“The free exercise of religion is a bedrock principle of our nation,” said U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada for the Central District of California. “Religious groups should be entitled to exercise their religion by providing charitable services based in their religious beliefs. Our office firmly opposes actions that block religious groups from carrying out their spiritual mission to help others in need.”
RLUIPA is a federal law that protects religious institutions from unduly burdensome or discriminatory land use regulations. In June 2018, the Justice Department announced its Place to Worship Initiative, which focuses on RLUIPA’s provisions that protect the rights of houses of worship and other religious institutions to worship on their land. More information is available at www.justice.gov/crt/placetoworship.
Individuals who believe they have been subjected to discrimination in land use or zoning decisions may contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office Civil Division’s Civil Rights Section at (213) 894-2879 or the Civil Rights Division Housing and Civil Enforcement Section at (833) 591-0291, or may submit a complaint through the complaint portal on the Place to Worship Initiative website. More information about RLUIPA, including questions and answers about the law and other documents, may be found at www.justice.gov/crt/about/hce/rluipaexplain.php.
Indianapolis Man Sentenced to Twelve years in Federal Prison After Trafficking Methamphetamine and Fleeing PoliceRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS- Jackie Dale Smith, 47, of Indianapolis, Indiana, has been sentenced to 12 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to distribution of methamphetamine.
According to court documents, on May 19, 2021, Drug Enforcement Administration agents watched Jackie Dale Smith supply 219 grams of methamphetamine to an individual for $2,500 out of his vehicle. Shortly afterwards, Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department officers attempted to conduct a traffic stop on Smith in the area of East Washington Street and Sherman Drive. Smith failed to stop and fled from law enforcement. During the pursuit, officers watched Smith throw approximately 40 grams of pure methamphetamine out of his car window, which was later recovered scattered on the street, the entrance of a gas station, and on the sidewalk.
Ten minutes after the pursuit was called off for safety reasons, agents found Smith’s vehicle parked at a nearby residence. A search of the vehicle found methamphetamine scattered throughout the front and passenger sides, along with a broken plastic baggie that had drug residue in it. Drug lab tests found that the total amount of methamphetamine in the car was approximately 26 grams.
Just fifteen minutes after locating the vehicle, IMPD officers found and arrested Smith.
U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Myers, Michael Gannon, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the DEA’s Indianapolis Field Office, and Randal Taylor, Chief of IMPD made the announcement.
“Methamphetamine and other controlled substances are killing far too many Hoosiers and have devastating impacts on users, their loved ones, and our communities,” said United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, Zachary A. Myers. “I commend the efforts of the DEA and the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department to make our communities safer by getting meth and meth dealers off our streets.”
The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated this case with valuable assistance provided by IMPD. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Sarah Evans Barker. Judge Barker also ordered that Dale Smith be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for 6 years following his release from federal prison.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorney Jayson McGrath, who prosecuted this 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.
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Huntington Man Sentenced to 54 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
FORT WAYNE –Adam Meekin, 26 years old, of Huntington, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Holly A. Brady after his plea of guilty to engaging in the business of dealing and manufacturing firearms and the unlawful possession of an unregistered firearm, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.
Meekin was sentenced to 54 months in prison to be followed by 2 years of supervised release.
According to documents in the case, in 2018, ATF observed that Meekin was advertising firearms for sale on social media. In 2017 and 2018, completed rifles were seized in investigations involving homicides, attempted homicides, robberies, and other criminal gang activity in Detroit, Chicago, and Fort Wayne. Eleven of these crime guns were traced to AR-15 style lower receivers purchased by a Meekin family member. The investigation revealed that Meekin’s family members completed paperwork and purchased at least 122 lower receivers on his behalf. In the summer of 2018, ATF agents performed a series of undercover operations from Meekin which involved purchasing completed rifles and ordering an illegal and unregistered firearm, which was a non-serialized, short-barreled fully automatic rifle, referred to as a “ghost gun”. During recorded conversations, Meekin admitted to being in business for several years and said that he could build any firearm.
“Gun violence is a problem plaguing our communities,” said United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson. “The flow of illegally purchased firearms, especially “ghost guns”, must stop. As this case shows, often the source of trafficked firearms is a person, like Mr. Meekin, who illegally manufactures and illegally sells them to violent criminals. With the assistance of the ATF and other law enforcement partners, my office will continue to prosecute, to the full extent that federal law allows, any person who illegally engages in the business of dealing and manufacturing firearms.”
“When privately made firearms end up in the hands of prohibited people, it threatens the safety of the community,” remarked ATF Special Agent in Charge Christopher Amon of the Chicago Field Division. “We will continue to investigate these important cases alongside our prosecutorial partners at the United States Attorney’s Office.”
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony W. Geller.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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Houston area man sent to prison for smuggling 20 in locked Fedex trailerRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 33-year-old Humble man has been ordered to federal prison following his conviction of smuggling 20 non-U.S. citizens, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Vince Ruiz III pleaded guilty July 6, 2022.
Today, U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos ordered Ruiz to serve 18 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by two years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard that in the event of an emergency or accident, the smuggled individuals would not have been able to extricate themselves from the inside of the trailer. In discussing the factors impacting the sentence, the court remarked on Ruiz’s use of his commercial driver’s license as a special skill in committing the offense.
On Oct. 5, 2021, Ruiz drove a white Freightliner tractor pulling two trailers marked “FedEx Ground” into the primary inspection lane at the Border Patrol (BP) checkpoint located near Falfurrias. At that time, Ruiz possessed a valid commercial driver’s license. During inspection, a K-9 alerted authorities to one of the trailers.
A subsequent search of the trailer revealed 20 undocumented individuals inside behind a locked door, including a 16-year-old unaccompanied minor. Law enforcement also discovered 15 grams of marijuana and five grams of cocaine.
At the time of his plea, Ruiz admitted he drove to Edinburg to pick up the trailer and return to Cypress. During the trip, he pulled over to the side of the road in a secluded area where the undocumented individuals were then loaded into the trailer.
They were later determined to be illegally present in the country.
Ruiz has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation. Former Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) J. Parker Gochenour prosecuted the case. AUSA Tyler Foster handled the sentencing.
Honduran citizen latest to admit selling thousands of fraudulent temporary Texas license platesRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 41-year-old woman who illegally resided in Houston has admitted to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Leidy Areli Hernandez Lopez pleaded guilty to conspiring with others residing in the Southern District of Texas and elsewhere to buying and selling thousands of fraudulent Texas-issued temporary buyer tags. None of the paper tags issued were for legitimate vehicle purchases and some were for cars outside of Texas.
Lopez and co-conspirators used the internet to buy and sell the fraudulent state-issued buyer tags and exchange proceeds from the illegal tag sales.
As part of her plea, Lopez acknowledged she and her co-conspirators communicated through email to send and deliver fraudulent buyer tags to purchasers all over the United States, including New York and Washington, D.C.
She also admitted her co-conspirators submitted falsified information to the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles to obtain a fraudulent used car dealer license in order to print and sell state-issued buyer tags and shared the fraud proceeds via electronic payment services such as Cash App and Zelle.
U.S. District Judge George C. Hanks Jr. accepted the plea and will impose sentencing Oct. 2. At that time, Lopez faces up to five years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
Lopez was permitted to remain on bond pending that hearing.
Emmanuel Padilla Reyes aka Christian Hernandez Bonilla or Noel Rivera is still a fugitive. The FBI is offering a $5,000 reward to anyone providing information that directly leads to his arrest. Those with information about the fugitive’s location should call 1-800-CALL-FBI.
The FBI conducted the investigation with assistance of Travis County Precinct 3 Constable’s Office, Houston Police Department, Texas Department of Public Safety, Texas Department of Motor Vehicles, Harris County Sheriff’s Office, New York State Police and New York City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Belinda Beek and Adam Goldman are prosecuting the case.
Group responsible for 200 kilograms of methamphetamine sentenced to prisonRead the Press Release
GAINESVILLE, Ga. - Almarud Duarte, David Garcia, Eduardo Penaloza-Pacheco, and Kevin Tello have been sentenced for their respective roles in conspiring to sell kilogram amounts of methamphetamine. Law enforcement officers seized approximately 200 kilograms of methamphetamine during the investigation.
“Illicit drugs devastatingly impact our communities, resulting in significant suffering by those addicted to the substances and the families who love them,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “We thank our law enforcement partners for their dedication to combatting the scourge of drug trafficking and helping to keep our streets safe.”
“Finding, arresting and prosecuting the criminals trafficking illegal drugs greatly improves the safety of the community by preventing this poison from finding its way onto our streets,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Travis Pickard, who oversees Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) operations in Georgia and Alabama. “Disrupting and dismantling drug trafficking organizations is one of HSI’s highest priorities and we are proud of the work that we and our partners are doing.”
“I’m pleased to see these offenders will spend time behind bars for their crimes,” said Hall County Sheriff Gerald Couch. “As you can see from this case, and so many others now under investigation, it takes teamwork to get these dangerous narcotics off of our streets. The Hall County Sheriff’s Office remains committed to the fight against illegal drugs pouring into our communities.”
According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, the charges and other information presented in court: From May 2021 to August 2021, the defendants conspired to, and did, distribute kilogram amounts of methamphetamine. Kevin Tello and David Garcia supplied the drugs to Almarud Duarte, who then sold the methamphetamine. Additionally, on June 28, 2021, Eduardo Penaloza-Pacheco sold a kilogram of methamphetamine supplied to him by Tello. Law enforcement officers then seized approximately 200 kilograms of methamphetamine during a search of Garcia’s residence.
Duarte, Garcia, and Tello pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Penaloza-Pacheco pled guilty to distribution of methamphetamine. U.S. District Judge Richard W. Story sentenced the defendants as follows:
- Almarud Duarte, 27, of Oakwood, Georgia, pleaded guilty on January 23, 2023, and was sentenced to nine years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release.
- David Garcia, 42, of Duluth, Georgia, pleaded guilty on June 1, 2022, and was sentenced to 14 years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release.
- Eduardo Penaloza-Pacheco, 38, of Gainesville, Georgia, pleaded guilty on May 16, 2022, and was sentenced to five years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release.
- Kevin Tello, 27, of Lawrenceville, Georgia, pleaded guilty on May 1, 2022, and was sentenced to eight years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation Safe Streets Task Force, the Hall County Multi-Agency Narcotics Squad, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Gwinnett County Metro Task Force, and the Georgia State Patrol.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Keen prosecuted the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Former U.S. Department of the Army Employee Indicted for Theft of Government PropertyRead the Press Release
RENO, Nev. – A former U.S. Department of the Army employee made his initial appearance in court Monday for allegedly stealing over $800,000.00 in government property.
Tamilo Pale Fe’a, also known as “T,” 60, of Sparks, Nevada, is charged with theft of government property and access device fraud. United States Magistrate Judge Carla Baldwin scheduled a jury trial to begin June 6, 2023, before United States District Judge Anne Traum.
According to allegations made in the indictment, from a time unknown but no earlier than November 1, 2021, and continuing through approximately December 31, 2021, Fe’a stole military heavy equipment, including vehicles, semi-trailers, generator trailers, flatbed trailers, refrigerator trailers, armored office trailers, tractors, and box vans from the Hawthorne Army Weapons Depot in Hawthorne, Nevada. The total value of the stolen property was over $800,000.00. From September 2020 to August 2021, Fe’a made about 69 transactions with a fuel fleet credit card for his personal benefit at various gas stations in Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, and California.
If convicted, Fe’a faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for theft of government property and a maximum of 15 years in prison for access device fraud. He also faces a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties.
United States Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada made the announcement.
The U.S. Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service; U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division; and General Services Administration—Office of the Inspector General investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Randolph J. St. Clair is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Former President of Massachusetts State Police Union and Former Lobbyist Sentenced to Prison for RICO, Fraud, Obstruction and Tax ChargesRead the Press Release
UPDATE: On June 2, 2025, the First Circuit Court of Appeals reversed Dana Pullman's three wire fraud convictions and affirmed the other convictions. The case was remanded for resentencing.
UPDATE: On June 2, 2025, the First Circuit Court of Appeals reversed Anne Lynch's convictions for three counts of wire fraud, one count of obstruction of justice and one count of tax fraud and affirmed the other convictions. The case was remanded for resentencing.
BOSTON – The former President of the State Police Association of Massachusetts (SPAM) and the union’s former Massachusetts lobbyist were sentenced today in federal court in Boston for racketeering, fraud, obstruction of justice and tax crimes.
Dana A. Pullman, 60, of Worcester, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Douglas P. Woodlock to 30 months in prison, three years of supervised release and restitution. Anne M. Lynch, 71, of Hull, was sentenced by Judge Woodlock to two years in prison, two years of supervised release and restitution. Lynch was also ordered to pay a fine of $25,000.
In November 2022, Pullman and Lynch were convicted by a federal jury of one count of racketeering conspiracy, one count of honest services wire fraud, three counts of wire fraud, one count of obstruction of justice and one count of conspiracy to defraud the Internal Revenue Service. Pullman was also convicted of two additional counts of wire fraud and two counts of aiding and assisting the filing of a false tax return. Lynch was convicted of an additional count of obstruction of justice and four counts of aiding and assisting in the filing of a false tax return.
“Members of law enforcement have a duty to protect and serve – placing the needs of the community and others first. Mr. Pullman and Ms. Lynch’s actions violate these very obligations. The racketeering organization that these two individuals ran deprived hard working union members of honest services and defrauded vendors seeking to do business with the Massachusetts State Police. For six years, Mr. Pullman and Ms. Lynch used the State Police Association of Massachusetts as a criminal enterprise for their own personal financial benefit,” said United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins. “Mr. Pullman was elected to represent the members of his union and put their interests above everything else. He violated that trust when he and Ms. Lynch chose to pursue their own greedy and unlawful financial gain. Today’s sentences illustrate the criminality of both Mr. Pullman and Ms. Lynch’s conduct. My office will continue to ensure that those who put their own self interest above those they are bound to serve are held accountable. Trusting our law enforcement partners is imperative for public health and safety.”
“Former Massachusetts State Police Trooper and union boss Dana Pullman failed his department, his sworn oath, and taxpayers when he and lobbyist Anne Lynch joined forces to line their pockets with thousands of dollars in bribes and kickbacks. Today’s sentences demonstrate that no one is above the law, and highlights the FBI’s ongoing efforts to preserve public confidence in law enforcement,” said Joseph Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division.
“Dana Pullman and Anne Lynch conspired to enrich themselves on the backs of the brave law enforcement professionals who placed their trust in them. For nearly a decade, through a series of bribes and kickbacks, these defendants took advantage of their access and completely disregarded their responsibility to serve honestly and fairly. Today’s sentences affirm that this conduct will not be tolerated or go unpunished,” said Joleen D. Simpson, Special Agent in Charge of Internal Revenue Service- Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office.
SPAM is an association consisting of more than 1,500 Troopers and Sergeants from the Massachusetts State Police (MSP). SPAM acts as the exclusive bargaining agent between its members and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts regarding the terms and conditions of SPAM members’ employment. Pullman, who was an MSP trooper from 1987 to 2018, was the President of SPAM from 2012 until his resignation on Sept. 28, 2018. Lynch’s lobbying firm represented SPAM during the same time period, in exchange for monthly retainer payments.
From at least 2012 until Pullman resigned as the President in September 2018, Pullman and Lynch turned SPAM into a racketeering enterprise, using Pullman’s position and power to defraud SPAM members, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and vendors looking to do business with the MSP. Among other things, Pullman and Lynch defrauded SPAM members and the Commonwealth of their right to honest services from Pullman when Lynch paid Pullman a $20,000 kickback in connection with a settlement agreement between SPAM and the Commonwealth. Pullman and Lynch defrauded two different companies that sought to do business with the MSP by hiding from the vendors the fact that Lynch was paying Pullman to direct vendors to use Lynch’s services. The defendants hid the payments from Lynch and her lobbying firm to Pullman in a manner designed to avoid reporting and paying taxes on that income to the IRS. Pullman and Lynch also attempted to obstruct the grand jury’s investigation of this matter by manipulating subpoenaed records, and Lynch attempted to obstruct the grand jury’s investigation by lying to investigators.
Additionally, Pullman embezzled and misused SPAM funds for personal use by using a debit card tied to a SPAM bank account to pay for thousands of dollars of meals and travel for an individual with whom Pullman was having a romantic relationship.
U.S. Attorney Rollins, FBI SAC Bonavolonta and IRS SAC Simpson made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kristina E. Barclay and Neil J. Gallagher Jr. of Rollins’ Public Corruption & Special Prosecutions Unit prosecuted the case.
Former Postal Worker Convicted of Mail FraudRead the Press Release
Salt Lake City, Utah – A federal jury convicted a Salt Lake City woman and former Express Mail Clerk with the United States Postal Service (USPS) for delaying and destroying immigration mail that was intended for delivery.
According to court documents and the evidence presented at trial, Diana K. Molyneux, was working at a USPS plant known as the Processing and Delivery Center (P&DC) in Salt Lake City, Utah. Working the nightshift, Molyneux sorted and processed Express and Priority Mail intended to be delivered locally or dispatched to Reno, Nevada. A number of immigration mailers from the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) had gone missing in the fall of 2017. Other mail clerks reported to supervisors that they had found USCIS mail in places that were either outside the normal delivery stream, tampered with, or placed at a location for shredding. As a result of these reports, a criminal investigation was initiated. Between April 2018 and June 2018 Molyneux was captured on camera digging through areas of pre-sorted mail. Camera footage shows Molyneux retrieving and setting aside priority immigration mail, which was never returned to its proper location for dispatch. Between August and September 2018, agents witnessed Molyneux again removing pre-sorted mail that was later identified as USCIS immigration mail. During the September surveillance, Molyneux buried six pieces of priority immigration mail deep in a shred bin that is used to destroy and recycle undeliverable bulk mail. The defendant was suspended from her position and placed on unpaid leave. The complaints to the USPS about lost USCIS type mail from USPS’ Processing and Delivery Center immediately ceased after her termination.
USPS-OIGMolyneux was found guilty of destruction of mail. Sentencing is scheduled for August 1, 2023, at 11:00 a.m. in courtroom 3.4 before a U.S. District Court Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse.
“Ms. Molyneux used her position as a U.S. Postal employee to interfere with the delivery of mail. The fact that she targeted immigration mail makes this offense more egregious,” said U.S. Attorney Trina A. Higgins of the District of Utah. “We will continue to work with law enforcement to investigate and prosecute cases where public servants abuse their position to discriminate and cause harm to our community.”
“This successful resolution of this case not only confirms that mail theft committed by Postal Service personnel is completely unacceptable, but it also demonstrates the steadfast commitment of U.S. Postal Service-Office of Inspector General Special Agents in maintaining the integrity of the U.S. Postal Service,” said U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General, Western Pacific Area Field Office, Acting Executive Special Agent-in-Charge Kenneth Bulle. “The USPS-OIG values our partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and other Postal Service partners in holding Postal Service personnel accountable for their actions when they violate a position of trust.”
The U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General (USPS-OIG), is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys, Drew Yeates and Sam Pead are prosecuting the case.
Former Louisville Metro Police Department Officer Pleads Guilty to Using Excessive Force During 2020 ProtestRead the Press Release
A former Louisville Metro Police Department officer pleaded guilty to violating an individual’s rights by using excessive force while acting as a police officer.
During the plea hearing, Richard Ross Wiedo, 37, admitted that on or about May 30, 2020, while working as a police officer with the Louisville Metro Police Department, he deployed a foam round from his 40mm direct impact munition into a crowd of protestors after a bottle was thrown from the back of the crowd. The foam round struck an individual at the front of the crowd in the face. Wiedo admitted he had not identified who had thrown the bottle and was not deploying his 40mm direct impact munition at anyone who was being actively aggressive.
Wiedo pleaded guilty to one misdemeanor count of using unreasonable force. Wiedo’s guilty plea carries a maximum fine of $100,000. As part of the plea agreement, if it is accepted by the court, Wiedo will forfeit his Kentucky law enforcement certification and agree not to seek any future law enforcement employment.
Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett for the Western District of Kentucky and Special Agent in Charge Jodi Cohen of the FBI Louisville Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI Louisville Field Office and the Louisville Metro Police Department’s Public Integrity Unit investigated the case through the Louisville Public Corruption Civil Rights Task Force.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda E. Gregory for the Western District of Kentucky and Trial Attorney Anita Channapati of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section prosecuted the case.
Former Louisville Metro Police Department Officer Pleads Guilty to Using Excessive Force During 2020 ProtestRead the Press Release
A former Louisville Metro Police Department officer pleaded guilty to violating an individual’s rights by using excessive force while acting as a police officer.
During the plea hearing, Richard Ross Wiedo, 37, admitted that on or about May 30, 2020, while working as a police officer with the Louisville Metro Police Department, he deployed a foam round from his 40mm direct impact munition into a crowd of protestors after a bottle was thrown from the back of the crowd. The foam round struck an individual at the front of the crowd in the face. Wiedo admitted he had not identified who had thrown the bottle and was not deploying his 40mm direct impact munition at anyone who was being actively aggressive.
Wiedo pleaded guilty to one misdemeanor count of using unreasonable force. Wiedo’s guilty plea carries a maximum fine of $100,000. As part of the plea agreement, if it is accepted by the court, Wiedo will forfeit his Kentucky law enforcement certification and agree not to seek any future law enforcement employment.
Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett for the Western District of Kentucky and Special Agent in Charge Jodi Cohen of the FBI Louisville Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI Louisville Field Office and the Louisville Metro Police Department’s Public Integrity Unit investigated the case through the Louisville Public Corruption Civil Rights Task Force.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda E. Gregory for the Western District of Kentucky and Trial Attorney Anita Channapati of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section prosecuted the case.
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Former IRS Revenue Officer, Along with Five Others, Charged in Alleged Multi-Million Dollar COVID-Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
OAKLAND – The U.S. Attorney’s Office has filed two informations charging six defendants with a variety of crimes in connection with an alleged scheme to obtain millions of dollars by submitting fraudulent loan applications through the U.S. government’s Payroll Protection Program (PPP), announced U.S. Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge Darren Lian, Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General, Western Region Special Agent in Charge Weston King, and Office of Inspector General for the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Acting Western Region Special Agent in Charge Cory Nootnagel. All six defendants are scheduled to make their initial federal court appearances next week before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kandis Westmore.
Central to the allegations in the charging documents is the role of Frank Mosley, 58, of Oakland, a former IRS Revenue Officer and current City of Oakland Tax Enforcement Officer. According to the charging documents, Mosley conspired with others to submit fraudulent PPP-loan applications and then, after securing the proceeds from the loans, used his share of the illegally-obtained proceeds for personal investments and expenses. The PPP is administered by the U.S. Small Business Administration as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The CARES Act is a federal law enacted in March 2020 to provide billions of dollars in emergency financial assistance to millions of Americans suffering from the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The PPP provided forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and limited other business expenses. According to the informations, the defendants, including Mosely, received approximately $3 million as a result of submitting fraudulent loan applications under the PPP program.
The two informations provide numerous details of the alleged conspiracy. According to the first information, between July of 2020 and September of 2021, Frank Mosely, along with four other defendants—his brother Reginald Mosley (60, of Sacramento), Marcus Wilborn (50, of Elk Grove), Aaron Boren (56, of Roseville), and Scott Conway (52, of Rocklin)—submitted fraudulent documents on behalf of four entities. Although each of the companies’ PPP loan applications certified that each company had between 19 and 49 employees and approximately $150,000 to $430,000 in monthly payroll, in reality, all four companies were little more than shell companies, with no payroll expenses. In addition, upon receipt of the PPP loan proceeds, the defendants allegedly did not use the funds for any legitimate business expenses, such as to pay employees. Rather, they used the funds for significant personal expenses, personal credit cards, personal investments, and distributions to their family members.
The first information further alleges that in August of 2020, Frank Mosley and Reginald Mosley submitted the first successful loan application on behalf of an entity they controlled called Forward Thinking Investors, Inc. After receiving over $1 million in fraudulently obtained funds in the first transaction, Reginald Mosley allegedly recruited acquaintances— including Wilborn, Boren, and Conway— who owned companies that existed prior to February 2020 to submit additional fraudulent loan applications. As part of the scheme, Frank and Reginald Mosley helped prepare the fraudulent loan applications for Wilborn, Boren, and Conway, who then funneled portions of the fraudulently-obtained funds back to Frank and Reginald Mosley. In fact, Frank and Reginald Mosley reduced their illegal agreement to writing, circulating via email a written contract laying out the amount they would receive for helping prepare and submit the fraudulent loan applications. Specifically, Frank and Reginald Mosley demanded a kickback of at least 15% of the fraudulently obtained proceeds for loans submitted by each of the other three co-conspirators. After obtaining the fraudulent loan proceeds, Frank and Reginald Mosley filed fraudulent payroll tax returns with the IRS in an attempt to cover up their scheme.
The second information describes how the sixth defendant, Kenya Ellis, 55, of Los Angeles, allegedly aided and advised Frank Mosley, Reginald Mosley, and others, in submitting fraudulent PPP loans on behalf of their own companies. In addition, the second information describes how in 2020 and 2021, Ellis allegedly obtained more than $296,000 in PPP and other COVID-related loans on behalf of an entity called Global Processor, Inc. (GPI). Specifically, the information alleges Ellis falsely represented in her loan applications that she was the owner of GPI. In fact, however, Ellis had no legitimate relationship with GPI and the true owner of GPI had no awareness of, nor involvement in, the preparation and submission of the loan applications. The applications Ellis submitted also made false statements about GPI’s monthly payroll and number of employees.
The charges presented in the informations are merely allegations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
Frank Mosley, Reginald Mosley, Wilborn, Boren, and Conway are charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1349, which carries a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison. Frank and Reginald Mosley are also charged with aiding and advising in the filing of false tax returns in violation of 26 U.S.C. § 7201(2), which carries a maximum sentence of three years in prison. Ellis is charged in a separate case with bank fraud in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1344, which carries a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison. In addition to a prison sentence, the court can order the defendants to pay restitution, to serve an additional period of supervised release and to pay additional assessments. However, any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
The defendants are scheduled to make their initial federal court appearances before Magistrate Judge Westmore on the following dates:
Defendant Date of Initial Appearance May 15 Conway May 16 Ellis May 18 Frank Mosley, Reggie Mosley, and Boren May 23 WilbornAssistant U.S. Attorney Abraham Fine is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Kay Konopaske. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations, the Office of Inspector General for the Small Business Administration, and the Office of Inspector General for the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection.
Former Employee of Technology Company Sentenced to Six Years in Prison for Stealing Confidential Data and Extorting Company for RansomRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that NICKOLAS SHARP, a former employee of a public New York-based technology company (“Company‑1”) was sentenced today to six years in prison. In December 2020, SHARP secretly stole gigabytes of Company-1’s data. While purportedly working to remediate the security breach he created, SHARP extorted the company, as an anonymous hacker, for nearly $2 million for the return of the files and the identification of a remaining purported vulnerability. SHARP subsequently re-victimized his employer by causing the publication of misleading news articles as a purported anonymous whistleblower about the company’s handling of the breach that he perpetrated, which were followed by the loss of over $4 billion in Company-1’s market capitalization. SHARP previously pled guilty to intentionally damaging a protected computer, wire fraud, and making false statements to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) before U.S. District Judge Katherine Polk Failla, who imposed today’s sentence.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Nickolas Sharp was paid close to a quarter million dollars a year to help keep his employer safe. He abused that trust by stealing a massive amount of sensitive data, attempting to implicate innocent employees in his attack, extorting his employer for ransom, obstructing law enforcement, and spreading false news stories that harmed the company and anyone who invested into the company. Sharp now faces serious penalties for his callous crimes.”
According to the Indictment, court filings, and statements made in court:
At all times relevant to the Indictment, Company-1 was a technology company headquartered in New York that manufactured and sold wireless communications products and whose shares were traded on the New York Stock Exchange. SHARP was employed by Company-1 from in or about August 2018 through on or about April 1, 2021. SHARP was a senior developer who had access to credentials for Company-1’s Amazon Web Services (“AWS”) and GitHub Inc. (“GitHub”) servers.
In about December 2020, while interviewing for a position at another company, SHARP repeatedly misused his administrative access to download gigabytes of confidential data from his employer. During the course of this cybersecurity incident (the “Incident”), SHARP caused damage to Company-1’s computer systems by altering log retention policies and other files in order to conceal his unauthorized activity on the network. SHARP modified session file names to attempt to make it appear as if other coworkers were responsible for his malicious sessions.
In or about January 2021, while working on a team remediating the effects of the Incident, SHARP sent a ransom note to Company-1, posing as an anonymous attacker who claimed to have obtained unauthorized access to Company-1’s computer networks. The ransom note sought 50 Bitcoin — which was the equivalent of approximately $1.9 million, based on the prevailing exchange rate at the time — in exchange for the return of the stolen data and the identification of a purported “backdoor,” or vulnerability, to Company-1’s computer systems. After Company-1 refused the demand, SHARP published a portion of the stolen files on a publicly accessible online platform.
On or about March 24, 2021, FBI agents executed a search warrant at SHARP’s residence in Portland, Oregon, and seized certain electronic devices belonging to SHARP, including a laptop SHARP had used to steal Company-1’s data. During the execution of that search, SHARP made numerous false statements to FBI agents.
Several days after the FBI executed the search warrant at SHARP’s residence, SHARP caused false news stories to be published about the Incident and Company-1’s response to the Incident. In those stories, SHARP identified himself as an anonymous whistleblower within Company-1 who had worked on remediating the Incident and falsely claimed that Company-1 had been hacked by an unidentified perpetrator who maliciously acquired root administrator access to Company-1’s AWS accounts. In fact, as SHARP well knew, SHARP himself had taken Company-1’s data using credentials to which he had access, and SHARP had used that data in a failed attempt to extort Company-1 for millions of dollars.
Following the publication of these articles, between approximately March 30, 2021, and March 31, 2021, Company-1’s stock price fell approximately 20%, losing over $4 billion in market capitalization. SHARP also attempted to cause domestic and foreign regulators to investigate Company-1 based on his false allegations about the security breach he secretly caused.
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SHARP, 37, of Portland, Oregon, pled guilty on February 2, 2023, to one count of transmitting a program to a protected computer that intentionally caused damage, one count of wire fraud, and one count of making false statements to the FBI. In addition to the prison sentence, SHARP was sentenced to three years of supervised release and ordered to pay restitution of $1,590,487 and to forfeit personal property used or intended to be used in connection with these offenses.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Vladislav Vainberg and Andrew K. Chan are in charge of the prosecution.
Former Buffalo County Post Office Employee Sentenced to Probation for Misappropriation of Postal FundsRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. –Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Megan Torrez, 45, Alma, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 3-years of federal probation for misappropriation of postal funds. Torrez was also ordered to pay $26,930.70 in restitution to the United States Postal Service.
Torrez was employed by the U. S. Postal Service in June 2021, as a Postal Support Employee in Nelson, Wisconsin. Her assigned duties included conducting postal business with the public and performing financial accounting functions to report the sales of postage, money orders and other items. When postage and money order stock were sold, she was responsible for collecting money from those sales and remitting that money to the bank. Between August 2021 and February 2022, Torrez manipulated postal funds accessible to her in her position at the Nelson Post Office by issuing postal money orders to herself and family members and paying with personal checks that she admitted had insufficient funds to clear her bank. Postal money orders may only be purchased with cash, debit card, or traveler’s check, and no personal checks are accepted by the Postal Service.
In January 2022, the Office of Inspector General received information about the checks written by Torrez to the Postal Service that were returned as “non-sufficient funds.” At the time of their investigation, thirty-two checks were outstanding for over $26,000 in postal money orders. The money orders that Torrez issued to herself and her family were used to pay for her family’s personal expenses. Torrez claimed that her decision to use postal funds to pay for her family’s bills was out of desperation when her husband lost his job during the pandemic.
The charge against Torrez was the result of an investigation conducted by the U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert A. Anderson prosecuted this case.
Federal Jury Convicts Adair County Resident of Two Counts of Aggravated Sexual AbuseRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced today that Jerry Wayne Asbill, Jr., age 42, of Adair County, Oklahoma was found guilty by a federal jury of two counts of Aggravated Sexual Abuse in Indian Country.
The jury trial began with testimony on Monday, May 8, 2023, and concluded on Wednesday, May 10, 2023, with the guilty verdicts.
During the trial, the United States presented evidence that the defendant took a child to a hotel and molested the child there in November of 2018. The government was able to corroborate the hotel stay through various records.
The guilty verdicts were the result of investigations 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 of Oklahoma and the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
The Honorable Kea W. Riggs, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the District of New Mexico, sitting by assignment in the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the trial in Muskogee and ordered the completion of a presentence report. The sentencing will be scheduled following completion of the report. The defendant was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshal and will remain in custody until the sentencing hearing.
Assistant United States Attorneys Morgan Muzljakovich and Nicole Paladino represented the United States.
Essex County Man Convicted of Being Member of Newark Drug Trafficking Organization Responsible for the Distribution of over One Kilogram of HeroinRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – An Essex County, New Jersey man was convicted today for his role in a conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute over one kilogram of heroin, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Selling announced.
Furad Loyal, 41, of Newark, was convicted at trial before U.S. District Judge Susan D. Wigenton in Newark federal court on three counts of the indictment against him: conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute more than one kilogram of heroin, possession with intent to distribute heroin, and being a felon in possession of a firearm. He was acquitted on one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to documents filed in this case and the evidence at trial:
Loyal was a heroin supplier and a member of a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that operated in and around Hayes Street and 14th Avenue in the area of the New Community Corporation community development (NCC) in Newark. In addition to selling narcotics in and around NCC, the members shared narcotics supply, narcotics proceeds, and customers. On Nov. 21, 2017, Loyal was found inside the apartment of an NCC resident where he was stashing his heroin, his firearm, and over $11,000 in cash.
From March to August 2018, Loyal and 27 other members of the DTO were charged by criminal complaint with conspiracy to distribute heroin and cocaine base; Loyal also was charged with firearms offenses. The other 27 defendants have all since pleaded guilty to crimes in connection with their roles in the DTO.
The heroin trafficking conspiracy count on which Loyal was convicted carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum potential penalty of life in prison, and a $10 million fine. The drug distribution and possession with intent to distribute count carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison, and a $1 million fine. The firearm count carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, and a $250,000 fine. Loyal’s sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 26, 2023.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark, and members of the Newark Department of Public Safety, under the direction of Director Fritz Fragé, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty verdict. He also thanked the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, the Essex County Sheriff’s Office, the New Jersey Department of Corrections, New Jersey State Parole, and the U.S. Marshals for their assistance.
Loyal and the NCC drug trafficking organization were part of the original Violent Crime Initiative (VCI). The VCI was formed in August 2017 by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, and the City of Newark’s Department of Public Safety for the sole purpose of combatting violent crime in and around the Newark. As part of this partnership, federal, state, county, and city agencies collaborate and pool resources to prosecute violent offenders who endanger the safety of the community. The VCI is comprised of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI, the ATF, the DEA’s New Jersey Division, the U.S. Marshals, the Newark Department of Public Safety, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, the Essex County Sheriff’s Office, New Jersey State Parole, Union County Jail, New Jersey State Police Regional Operations and Intelligence Center/Real Time Crime Center, New Jersey Department of Corrections, the East Orange Police Department, and the Irvington Police Department.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elaine K. Lou and Christopher D. Amore of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Criminal Division in Newark.
East Glacier man sentenced to more than 11 years in prison for murder of man shot after birthday party on Blackfeet Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS — An East Glacier man was sentenced today to 11 years and eight months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, after he admitted to murdering a man by shooting him after a birthday party on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
Dillon James Wippert, 27, pleaded guilty in December 2022 to second degree murder.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.
In court documents and in court, the government alleged that on May 19, 2020, Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services officers responded to a residence in the Bear Paw community, where family members had found the body of the 19-year-old victim, identified as John Doe, in his bedroom. Investigators determined that Wippert, friends and the victim had gathered at the victim’s residence on May 17, 2020 to celebrate Wippert’s birthday. As the party was ending and the attendees were coming down from the drugs they had consumed, Wippert pointed a firearm at another friend, scaring him. Wippert then argued with the victim over the incident. Eventually, everyone left, while the victim and Wippert remained. Sometime later, Wippert took a firearm and shot the victim in the arm and then in the back of the head.
The government further alleged that after his arrest, Wippert told law enforcement he had a panther in him and described himself as a weapon. When pushed for a motive for the killing, Wippert’s only explanation was that he held ill feelings and that the victim had given him an “evil smile” and given off “death threat energy.”
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kalah A. Paisley, Lori Harper Suek and Wendy A. Johnson prosecuted the case. The FBI and Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services, with assistance from the Cut Bank Police Department, Glacier County Sheriff's Office, Mineral County Sheriff’s Office and U.S. Marshals Service, conducted the investigation.
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Diggs Sworn in as United States Attorney for the Eastern District of TexasRead the Press Release
SHERMAN, Texas – Damien M. Diggs has taken the oath of office to become the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Texas. Diggs was nominated by President Joe Biden on Feb. 2, 2023 and confirmed by the U.S. Senate on May 4, 2023. He took the oath of office on May 7, 2023 from Chief U.S. District Judge Rodney Gilstrap.
Diggs, 47, of Frisco, is the chief federal law enforcement official in the Eastern District of Texas, which includes 43 counties stretching from the Oklahoma border to the Gulf of Mexico. The district includes six fully staffed offices in Beaumont, Plano, Tyler, Sherman, Texarkana, and Lufkin with 103 employees, including 53 prosecutors. Diggs is responsible for the prosecution of federal criminal offenses in the district and will represent the United States in all civil litigation in the district.
“I am honored to have been nominated by President Biden and confirmed by the Senate,” said U.S. Attorney Diggs. “I’m excited to continue serving the public in this role and ensuring that justice is served for the citizens in the 43 counties that make up the Eastern District of Texas.
Diggs has served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Northern District of Texas since 2018 where he was assigned to the criminal division’s violent crime section prosecuting firearms violations and fraud matters. Prior to that, he worked as an assistant U.S. attorney in Washington, D.C. from 2012 to 2018. From 2007 to 2012, he was an attorney with the Department of Education. Diggs was also an associate at Hogan & Hartson for two years before beginning his service with the federal government.
Diggs earned his Bachelor of Science in political science and government from Towson University’s College of Liberal Arts in 1998 and his law degree from American University’s Washington College of Law in 2003.
Today, Diggs was honored to have his family and friends by his side as he took his ceremonial oath of office from U.S. District Judge Amos Mazzant.
For more information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Texas, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-edtx.
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Dangerous pursuit and crash results in smuggling chargesRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A 22-year-old man has been arrested for conspiracy to transport illegal aliens, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Authorities took Luis Ruiz-Valadez into federal custody today. He is expected to make his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Juan F. Alanis at 9 a.m.
The criminal complaint alleges on April 18, authorities observed several subjects breach the border wall near Hidalgo and run to a nearby parking lot. There, Ruiz-Valadez was allegedly waiting in a red Ford F-150 pick-up truck.
According to the charges, Ruiz-Valadez fled the scene at a high rate of speed and failed to yield when law enforcement attempted to conduct a traffic stop for speeding. Throughout the high-speed pursuit, they observed three subjects laying in the bed of the truck, according to the complaint.
Ruiz-Valadez allegedly crashed into a cement barricade on Expressway 83 and was taken into custody.
If convicted, Ruiz-Valadez faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
Border Patrol conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Texas Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Devin V. Walker is prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
DEA Operation Last Mile Tracks Down Sinaloa and Jalisco Cartel Associates Operating within the United StatesRead the Press Release
DETROIT – More than 3.8 million deadly doses of fentanyl and 201 pounds of methamphetamine were removed from communities in Michigan, Ohio and northern Kentucky during “Operation Last Mile,” a year-long national operation, targeting operatives, associates, and distributors affiliated with the Sinaloa and Jalisco Cartels responsible for the last mile of fentanyl and methamphetamine distribution on our streets and on social media.
DEA’s top operational priority is to defeat the Sinaloa and Jalisco Cartels—the two drug cartels based in Mexico that are responsible for the vast majority of the fentanyl and methamphetamine that is killing Americans. In Operation Last Mile, DEA tracked down distribution networks across the United States that are connected to the Sinaloa and Jalisco Cartels. The Operation shows that the Sinaloa and Jalisco Cartels use violent local street gangs and criminal groups and individuals across the United States to flood American communities with huge amounts of fentanyl and methamphetamine, which drives addiction and violence and kills Americans. It also shows that the Cartels, their members, and their associates use social media applications—like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat—and encrypted platforms—like WhatsApp, Telegram, Signal, Wire, and Wickr—to coordinate logistics and reach out to victims.
Nationally, Operation Last Mile comprised 1,436 investigations conducted from May 1, 2022 through May 1, 2023, in collaboration with federal, state and local law enforcement partners, and resulted in 3,337 arrests and the seizure of nearly 44 million fentanyl pills, more than 6,500 pounds of fentanyl powder, more than 91,000 pounds of methamphetamine, 8,497 firearms, and more than $100 million.
The fentanyl powder and pill seizures equate to nearly 193 million deadly doses of fentanyl removed from communities across the United States, which have prevented countless potential drug poisoning deaths. Among these investigations, more than 1,100 cases involved social media applications and encrypted communications platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, WhatsApp, Telegram, Signal, Wire, and Wickr.
“The Sinaloa and Jalisco Cartels use multi-city distribution networks, violent local street gangs, and individual dealers across the United States to flood American communities with fentanyl and methamphetamine, drive addiction, fuel violence, and kill Americans,” said Administrator Milgram. “What is also alarming—American social media platforms are the means by which they do so. The Cartels use social media and encrypted platforms to run their operations and reach out to victims, and when their product kills Americans, they simply move on to try to victimize the millions of other Americans who are social media users.”
The Detroit Division, responsible for DEA operations in Michigan, Ohio and northern Kentucky, made 16 arrests and seized 20,636 fentanyl pills, 151 pounds of fentanyl powder, $5,809,597 in cash & assets, 201 pounds of methamphetamine and 360 firearms. The fentanyl seizures could provide a
deadly dose to more than 3.8 million people.Operation Last Mile is an example of DEA’s network-based approach to take out Sinaloa and Jalisco Cartel members and associates in the United States and across the globe, stop fentanyl, and save American lives. In April 2023, the DEA and our federal partners announced the indictment of 28 members and associates of the Sinaloa Cartel operating in Mexico, China, and Central America, including the leaders of the Cartel known as the “Chapitos.”
D.C. Executive Pleads Guilty to Embezzling Hundreds of Thousands of Dollars from Former Client, a Nonprofit AssociationRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Graham Hauck, 50, of Chevy Chase, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to stealing more than $330,000 from a nonprofit trade organization. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Special Agent in Charge Wayne A. Jacobs, of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division.
Hauck pleaded guilty to wire fraud, which carries a statutory maximum of 20 years in prison. As part of his plea agreement, Hauck must pay full restitution. He also will be liable for a forfeiture money judgment. U.S. District Court Judge Rudolph Contreras, who accepted Hauck’s guilty plea, scheduled sentencing for September 14, 2023.
According to court documents, Hauck served as president and CEO of Hauck & Associates, Inc. (“H&A”), a trade association management firm based in Washington, D.C. The victim organization, a nonprofit professional trade organization, retained H&A to serve as its management company. For the period covering January 1, 2019, through December 31, 2019, the victim organization agreed to pay H&A an annual management and headquarters fee of $148,475, with one-twelfth of the fee (approximately $12,372) being billed on the first day of each month. From March 2019 through approximately October 2019, Hauck stole roughly $336,222 from the victim organization. Although H&A was authorized to pay itself the monthly management fee from one of the organization’s bank accounts, Hauck wrote checks and initiated ACH payments from that account to H&A in amounts far exceeding what the organization owed. Hauck also stole from one of the organization’s other accounts by writing a $100,000 to H&A and initiating three ACH transfers from the account.
Hauck concealed his scheme both by lying to one of his employees who noticed the victim organization’s unusual activity and by creating inaccurate balance sheets that were presented monthly to the victim organization’s board of directors. The false balance sheets showed more money than the organization actually had in its accounts.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office.
It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kondi Kleinman and Anne McNamara, and former Assistant U.S. Attorney David B. Kent, with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Michon Tart and former Paralegal Specialists Angeline Thekkumthala and Stephanie Frijas.