Latest Records
Newest first across public DOJ and U.S. Attorney press releases.
Tuesday 9 May 2023
La Crosse Man Sentenced to 29 Months for Unlawfully Possessing FirearmRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Anthony James, 39, La Crosse, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 29 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm after previously being convicted of a felony. James pleaded guilty to this charge on February 10, 2023.
On April 3, 2022, a Wisconsin State Patrol trooper stopped a vehicle driven by James in La Crosse County for suspended registration and illegal window tint. The trooper noticed an odor of marijuana coming from the car and conducted a search of the vehicle. During the search, the trooper recovered a .22 caliber Sterling handgun from a lockbox that was opened using a key from James’ keyring that was in the ignition of the car.
James’s prior felony convictions include a 2018 conviction in Sheboygan County for felony strangulation/suffocation and Illinois felony convictions for forgery and retail theft. James also was under state supervision for prior convictions in Kenosha and Ozaukee Counties at the time of his arrest.
At sentencing, Judge Peterson acknowledged that aggravating factors in determining a sentence were James’s voluminous criminal history and, specifically, his domestic abuse related strangulation conviction in 2018, which raised special concern about his unlawful possession of a firearm. However, the judge considered that the gun was not loaded, in a locked container, and was not used or possessed in connection with any other offense.
The charge against James was the result of an investigation conducted by the Wisconsin State Patrol and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert A. Anderson prosecuted this case.
Justice Department Secures Agreement with Union County, New Jersey, Under the Voting Rights ActRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that it has entered into a proposed consent decree with Union County, New Jersey, and county elections officials to settle a voting rights lawsuit.
The proposed consent decree was filed in federal court in conjunction with a lawsuit brought by the Justice Department. The department’s lawsuit brings claims under Section 203 and 208 of the Voting Rights Act regarding the availability of election assistance and materials in Spanish for Spanish-speaking voters with limited English proficiency. Section 203 requires that certain jurisdictions provide election materials and assistance in other languages, in addition to English. These jurisdictions have been determined by the Census Bureau to have a substantial population of citizens who speak a language other than English and who have limited English proficiency. Under Section 203 of the Voting Rights Act, Union County is required to provide assistance and make materials available in Spanish. Section 208 provides a right for voters who need assistance with voting – due to inability to read or write, blindness or disability – to receive assistance from the person of their choice, so long as that person is not an agent of the voter’s employer or union. The consent decree would resolve the United States’ claims.
“Language barriers should never prevent an eligible voter from being able to freely participate in the democratic process,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Equal access to the ballot in a modern democracy means ensuring the availability of bilingual materials for those who are limited English proficient and guaranteeing the right to receive assistance by a person of your choice. We will continue using our voting rights laws to confront the barriers that stand between voters and the ballot box.”
“The right to vote is a cornerstone of our democracy,” said U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger for the District of New Jersey. “We will work tirelessly to ensure that every eligible American is able to vote free of unlawful barriers. Through the agreement entered today, we ensure that no one is denied this sacred right simply because they are a Spanish speaker.”
The proposed consent decree, which must be approved by the court, requires the implementation of a comprehensive Spanish-language elections program under Section 203. The Union County Clerk and Board of Elections will provide all election-related information in both English and Spanish, including information in the polling places and online. The Union County Board of Elections will also ensure that in-person language assistance is available at all early voting sites and at each election district with at least 100 Spanish-surnamed registered voters. Spanish-language assistance will continue to be available to all voters by telephone during elections. In addition, the consent decree provides that any voter covered by Section 208 who needs assistance to vote may be assisted by the person of that voter’s choice, other than an agent of the voter’s employer or union, during any stage of the voting process. The consent decree also provides that federal observers may monitor election day activities in polling places in Union County.
Individuals may file voting rights complaints with the Civil Rights Division either online here, or may call (800) 253-3931. Individuals may also contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey either online here or may call (855) 281-3339.
More information about the Voting Rights Act and other federal voting rights laws are available on the Justice Department’s website at www.justice.gov/crt/voting-section.
Justice Department Reaches Agreement to Protect Rights of Spanish-Speaking Voters in Union CountyRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – The Justice Department announced today that it has entered into a proposed consent decree with Union County, New Jersey, and county elections officials to settle a voting rights lawsuit.
The proposed consent decree was filed in federal court in conjunction with a lawsuit brought by the Justice Department. The Department’s lawsuit brings claims under Section 203 and 208 of the Voting Rights Act regarding the availability of election assistance and materials in Spanish for Spanish-speaking voters with limited English proficiency. Section 203 requires that certain jurisdictions provide election materials and assistance in other languages, in addition to English. These jurisdictions have been determined by the Census Bureau to have a substantial population of citizens who speak a language other than English and who have limited English proficiency. Under Section 203 of the Voting Rights Act, Union County is required to provide assistance and make materials available in Spanish. Section 208 provides a right for voters who need assistance with voting – due to inability to read or write, blindness, or disability – to receive assistance from the person of their choice, so long as that person is not an agent of the voter’s employer or union. The consent decree would resolve the United States’ claims.
“The right to vote is a cornerstone of our democracy,” U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger said. “We will work tirelessly to ensure that every eligible American is able to vote free of unlawful barriers. Through the agreement entered today, we ensure that no one is denied this sacred right simply because they are a Spanish speaker.”
“Language barriers should never prevent an eligible voter from being able to freely participate in the democratic process,” Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division said. “Equal access to the ballot in a modern democracy means ensuring the availability of bilingual materials for those who are limited English proficient and guaranteeing the right to receive assistance by a person of your choice. We will continue using our voting rights laws to confront the barriers that stand between voters and the ballot box.”
The proposed consent decree, which must be approved by the court, requires the implementation of a comprehensive Spanish-language elections program under Section 203. The Union County Clerk and Board of Elections will provide all election-related information in both English and Spanish, including information in the polling places and online. The Union County Board of Elections will also ensure that in-person language assistance is available at all early voting sites and at each election district with at least 100 Spanish-surnamed registered voters. Spanish-language assistance will continue to be available to all voters by telephone during elections. In addition, the consent decree provides that any voter covered by Section 208 who needs assistance to vote may be assisted by the person of that voter’s choice, other than an agent of the voter’s employer or union, during any stage of the voting process. The consent decree also provides that federal observers may monitor election day activities in polling places in Union County.
Individuals may file voting rights complaints with the Civil Rights Division either online here, or may call (800) 253-3931. Individuals may also contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey either online here or may call (855) 281-3339.
More information about the Voting Rights Act and other federal voting rights laws are available on the Justice Department’s website at www.justice.gov/crt/about/vot.
The government is represented by Michael E. Campion, Chief of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Civil Rights Division; Assistant U.S. Attorney Susan Millenky of the U.S. Attorney’s Civil Rights Division; Bert Russ, Deputy Chief of the Voting Section in the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division; Bruce Gear, Trial Attorney, Voting Section; and Michelle Rupp, Trial Attorney, Voting Section.
unioncounty.consentdecree.pdf unioncounty.complaint.pdf union_county_spanish.pdfJustice Department Announces Court-Authorized Disruption of the Snake Malware Network Controlled by Russia's Federal Security ServiceRead the Press Release
The Justice Department today announced the completion of a court-authorized operation, codenamed MEDUSA, to disrupt a global peer-to-peer network of computers compromised by sophisticated malware, called “Snake,” that the United States Government attributes to a unit within Center 16 of the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation (FSB). For nearly 20 years, this unit, referred to in court documents as “Turla,” has used versions of the Snake malware to steal sensitive documents from hundreds of computer systems in at least 50 countries, which have belonged to North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) member governments, journalists, and other targets of interest to the Russian Federation. After stealing these documents, Turla exfiltrated them through a covert network of unwitting Snake-compromised computers in the United States and around the world.
Operation MEDUSA disabled Turla’s Snake malware on compromised computers through the use of an FBI-created tool named PERSEUS, which issued commands that caused the Snake malware to overwrite its own vital components. Within the United States, the operation was executed by the FBI pursuant to a search warrant issued by United States Magistrate Judge Cheryl L. Pollak of the Eastern District of New York, which authorized remote access to the compromised computers. This morning, the Court unsealed redacted versions of the affidavit submitted in support of the application for the search warrant, and of the search warrant issued by the Court. For victims outside the United States, the FBI is engaging with local authorities to provide both notice of Snake infections within those authorities’ countries and remediation guidance.
Merrick B. Garland, United States Attorney General; Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Lisa O. Monaco, Deputy Attorney General of the Justice Department; and Michael J. Driscoll, Assistant Director-in-Charge, FBI, New York Field Office, announced the operation.
“The Justice Department, together with our international partners, has dismantled a global network of malware-infected computers that the Russian government has used for nearly two decades to conduct cyber-espionage, including against our NATO allies,” stated Attorney General Garland. “We will continue to strengthen our collective defenses against the Russian regime’s destabilizing efforts to undermine the security of the United States and our allies.”
“Russia used sophisticated malware to steal sensitive information from our allies, laundering it through a network of infected computers in the United States in a cynical attempt to conceal their crimes. Meeting the challenge of cyberespionage requires creativity and a willingness to use all lawful means to protect our nation and our allies,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “The court-authorized remote search and remediation announced today demonstrates my Office and our partners’ commitment to using all of the tools at our disposal to protect the American people.”
“Through a high-tech operation that turned Russian malware against itself, U.S. law enforcement has neutralized one of Russia’s most sophisticated cyber-espionage tools, used for two decades to advance Russia’s authoritarian objectives,” stated Deputy Attorney General Monaco. “By combining this action with the release of the information victims need to protect themselves, the Justice Department continues to put victims at the center of our cybercrime work and take the fight to malicious cyber actors.”
“The operation we announced today successfully disrupted the foremost cyber espionage tool of the Russian government. For two decades, the malware allowed Russian Intelligence to compromise computer systems and steal sensitive information - harming not only the United States Government and our allies but also private sector organizations. This action should serve as a reminder to Russia and any other hostile nation willing to steal information, the FBI and our partners are united in our efforts to protect our countries,” stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Driscoll.
“For 20 years, the FSB has relied on the Snake malware to conduct cyberespionage against the United States and our allies – that ends today,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “The Justice Department will use every weapon in our arsenal to combat Russia’s malicious cyber activity, including neutralizing malware through high-tech operations, making innovative use of legal authorities, and working with international allies and private sector partners to amplify our collective impact.”
As detailed in court documents, the U.S. government has been investigating Snake and Snake-related malware tools for nearly 20 years. The U.S. government has monitored FSB officers assigned to Turla conducting daily operations using Snake from a known FSB facility in Ryazan, Russia.
Although Snake has been the subject to several cybersecurity industry reports throughout its existence, Turla has applied numerous upgrades and revisions, and selectively deployed it, all to ensure that Snake remains the FSB’s most sophisticated long-term cyberespionage malware implant. Unless disrupted, the Snake implant persists on a compromised computer’s system indefinitely, typically undetected by the machine’s owner or authorized users. The FBI has observed Snake persist on particular computers despite a victim’s efforts to remediate the compromise.
Snake provides its Turla operators the ability to remotely deploy selected malware tools to extend Snake’s functionality to identify and steal sensitive information and documents stored on a particular machine. Most importantly, the worldwide collection of Snake-compromised computers acts as a covert peer-to-peer network, which utilizes customized communication protocols designed to hamper detection, monitoring, and collection efforts by Western and other signals intelligence services.
Turla uses the Snake network to route data exfiltrated from target systems through numerous relay nodes scattered around the world back to Turla operators in Russia. For example, the FBI, its partners in the U.S. Intelligence Community, together with allied foreign governments, have monitored the FSB’s use of the Snake network to exfiltrate data from sensitive computer systems, including those operated by NATO member governments, by routing the transmission of these stolen data through unwitting Snake-compromised computers in the United States.
As described in court documents, through analysis of the Snake malware and the Snake network, the FBI developed the capability to decrypt and decode Snake communications. With information gleaned from monitoring the Snake network and analyzing Snake malware, the FBI developed a tool, named PERSEUS, that establishes communication sessions with the Snake malware implant on a particular computer, and issues commands that causes the Snake implant to disable itself without affecting the host computer or legitimate applications on the computer.
Today, to empower network defenders worldwide, the FBI, the National Security Agency, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, the U.S. Cyber Command Cyber National Mission Force, and six other intelligence and cybersecurity agencies from each of the Five Eyes member nations, issued a joint cybersecurity advisory (the “Joint Advisory”) with detailed technical information about the Snake malware that will allow cybersecurity professionals to detect and remediate Snake malware infections on their networks. The Joint Advisory is available here. The FBI and U.S. Department of State are also providing additional information to local authorities in countries where computers that have been targeted by the Snake malware have been located.
Although Operation MEDUSA disabled the Snake malware on compromised computers, victims should take additional steps to protect themselves from further harm. The operation to disable Snake did not patch any vulnerabilities or search for or remove any additional malware or hacking tools that hacking groups may have placed on victim networks. The Department of Justice strongly encourages network defenders to review the Joint Advisory for further guidance on detection and patching. Moreover, as noted in court documents, Turla frequently deploys a “keylogger” with Snake that Turla can use to steal account authentication credentials, such as usernames and passwords, from legitimate users. Victims should be aware that Turla could use these stolen credentials to fraudulently re-access compromised computers and other accounts.
The FBI is providing notice of the court-authorized operation to all owners or operators of the computers remotely accessed pursuant to the search warrant.
The criminal investigation into the FSB’s use of the Snake malware is being handled by the Office’s National Security and Cybercrime Section. Assistant United States Attorney Ian C. Richardson is in charge of the investigation, with assistance from the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.
The efforts to disrupt the Snake malware network were led by the FBI’s New York Field Office, FBI’s Cyber Division, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York, and the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section. Assistance was also provided by the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section.
Those efforts would not have been successful without the partnership of numerous private-sector entities, including those victims who allowed the FBI to monitor Snake communications on their systems.
The Search Warrant:
In the Matter of the Search of Information Associated with Computers Constituting the Snake Malware Network
Eastern District of New York Docket No. 23-MJ-0428 (CLP)
Justice Department Announces Court-Authorized Disruption of Snake Malware Network Controlled by Russia’s Federal Security ServiceRead the Press Release
The Justice Department today announced the completion of a court-authorized operation, code-named MEDUSA, to disrupt a global peer-to-peer network of computers compromised by sophisticated malware, called “Snake”, that the U.S. Government attributes to a unit within Center 16 of the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation (FSB). For nearly 20 years, this unit, referred to in court documents as “Turla,” has used versions of the Snake malware to steal sensitive documents from hundreds of computer systems in at least 50 countries, which have belonged to North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) member governments, journalists, and other targets of interest to the Russian Federation. After stealing these documents, Turla exfiltrated them through a covert network of unwitting Snake-compromised computers in the United States and around the world.
Operation MEDUSA disabled Turla’s Snake malware on compromised computers through the use of an FBI-created tool named PERSEUS, which issued commands that caused the Snake malware to overwrite its own vital components. Within the United States, the operation was executed by the FBI pursuant to a search warrant issued by U.S. Magistrate Judge Cheryl L. Pollak for the Eastern District of New York, which authorized remote access to the compromised computers. This morning, the court unsealed redacted versions of the affidavit submitted in support of the application for the search warrant, and of the search warrant issued by the court. For victims outside the United States, the FBI is engaging with local authorities to provide both notice of Snake infections within those authorities’ countries and remediation guidance.
“The Justice Department, together with our international partners, has dismantled a global network of malware-infected computers that the Russian government has used for nearly two decades to conduct cyber-espionage, including against our NATO allies,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “We will continue to strengthen our collective defenses against the Russian regime’s destabilizing efforts to undermine the security of the United States and our allies.”
“Through a high-tech operation that turned Russian malware against itself, U.S. law enforcement has neutralized one of Russia’s most sophisticated cyber-espionage tools, used for two decades to advance Russia’s authoritarian objectives,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco. “By combining this action with the release of the information victims need to protect themselves, the Justice Department continues to put victims at the center of our cybercrime work and take the fight to malicious cyber actors.”
“For 20 years, the FSB has relied on the Snake malware to conduct cyberespionage against the United States and our allies – that ends today,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “The Justice Department will use every weapon in our arsenal to combat Russia’s malicious cyber activity, including neutralizing malware through high-tech operations, making innovative use of legal authorities, and working with international allies and private sector partners to amplify our collective impact.”
“Russia used sophisticated malware to steal sensitive information from our allies, laundering it through a network of infected computers in the United States in a cynical attempt to conceal their crimes. Meeting the challenge of cyberespionage requires creativity and a willingness to use all lawful means to protect our nation and our allies,” said U.S. Attorney Breon Peace for the Eastern District of New York. “The court-authorized remote search and remediation announced today demonstrates my office and our partners’ commitment to using all of the tools at our disposal to protect the American people.”
“Today’s announcement demonstrates the FBI’s willingness and ability to pair our authorities and technical capabilities with those of our global partners to disrupt malicious cyber actors,” said Assistant Director Bryan Vorndran of the FBI’s Cyber Division. “When it comes to combating Russia’s attempts to target the United States and our allies using complex cyber tools, we will not waver in our work to dismantle those efforts. When it comes to any nation state engaged in cyber intrusions which put our national security at risk, the FBI will leverage all tools available to impose cost on those actors and to protect the American people.”
As detailed in court documents, the U.S. Government has been investigating Snake and Snake-related malware tools for nearly 20 years. The U.S. government has monitored FSB officers assigned to Turla conducting daily operations using Snake from a known FSB facility in Ryazan, Russia.
Although Snake has been the subject to several cybersecurity industry reports throughout its existence, Turla has applied numerous upgrades and revisions, and selectively deployed it, all to ensure that Snake remains Turla’s most sophisticated long-term cyberespionage malware implant. Unless disrupted, the Snake implant persists on a compromised computer’s system indefinitely, typically undetected by the machine’s owner or authorized users. The FBI has observed Snake persist on particular computers despite a victim’s efforts to remediate the compromise.
Snake provides its Turla operators the ability to remotely deploy selected malware tools to extend Snake’s functionality to identify and steal sensitive information and documents stored on a particular machine. Most importantly, the worldwide collection of Snake-compromised computers acts as a covert peer-to-peer network, which utilizes customized communication protocols designed to hamper detection, monitoring, and collection efforts by Western and other signals intelligence services.
Turla uses the Snake network to route data exfiltrated from target systems through numerous relay nodes scattered around the world back to Turla operators in Russia. For example, the FBI, its partners in the U.S. Intelligence Community, together with allied foreign governments, have monitored the FSB’s use of the Snake network to exfiltrate data from sensitive computer systems, including those operated by NATO member governments, by routing the transmission of these stolen data through unwitting Snake-compromised computers in the United States.
As described in court documents, through analysis of the Snake malware and the Snake network, the FBI developed the capability to decrypt and decode Snake communications. With information gleaned from monitoring the Snake network and analyzing Snake malware, the FBI developed a tool named PERSEUS which establishes communication sessions with the Snake malware implant on a particular computer, and issues commands that causes the Snake implant to disable itself without affecting the host computer or legitimate applications on the computer.
Today, to empower network defenders worldwide, the FBI, the National Security Agency, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, the U.S. Cyber Command Cyber National Mission Force, and six other intelligence and cybersecurity agencies from each of the Five Eyes member nations issued a joint cybersecurity advisory (the Joint Advisory) with detailed technical information about the Snake malware that will allow cybersecurity professionals to detect and remediate Snake malware infections on their networks. The FBI and U.S. Department of State are also providing additional information to local authorities in countries where computers that have been targeted by the Snake malware have been located.
Although Operation MEDUSA disabled the Snake malware on compromised computers, victims should take additional steps to protect themselves from further harm. The operation to disable Snake did not patch any vulnerabilities or search for or remove any additional malware or hacking tools that hacking groups may have placed on victim. The Department of Justice strongly encourages network defenders to review the Joint Advisory for further guidance on detection and patching. Moreover, as noted in court documents, Turla frequently deploys a “keylogger” with Snake that Turla can use to steal account authentication credentials, such as usernames and passwords, from legitimate users. Victims should be aware that Turla could use these stolen credentials to fraudulently re-access compromised computers and other accounts.
The FBI has provided notice of the court-authorized operation to all owners or operators of the computers remotely accessed pursuant to the search warrant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ian C. Richardson for the Eastern District of New York is prosecuting the case, with valuable assistance provided by the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.
The efforts to disrupt the Snake malware network were led by the FBI New York Field Office, FBI’s Cyber Division, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York, and the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section. The Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section provided valuable assistance. Those efforts would not have been successful without the partnership of numerous private-sector entities, including those victims who allowed the FBI to monitor Snake communications on their systems.
Jefferson City Tax Preparer Sentenced for Filing False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Jefferson City, Mo., tax preparer was sentenced in federal court today for filing false tax returns for himself and others.
Josiah Mator, Jr., 41, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark to two years and nine months in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Mator to pay a fine of $1,000 and $200,292 in restitution to the federal government and the state of Missouri.
On June 23, 2022, Mator was convicted at trial of two counts of filing false federal income tax returns.
Mator, a citizen of the United States who moved to this country from Liberia in 2001, prepared and electronically filed tax returns for individuals in the Liberian community and other friends and acquaintances for tax years 2010 through 2015. Mator did not have a registered tax preparation business, but used Express 1040 software to prepare his clients’ tax returns from his home.
According to court documents, individuals received substantial refunds they were not legally eligible to receive in 53 fraudulent claims related to the scheme. Matro’s criminal conduct resulted in a federal and state tax loss of $200,292.
Mator was found guilty of filing a false federal income tax return for his own 2015 income. Mator claimed that his adjusted gross income in 2015 was $16,552, and his taxable income was $0, knowing that he did not include the business income from his tax preparation service.
Mator also was found guilty of filing a false federal income tax return for individuals identified as “I.A.” and L.A.” The fraudulent return reported $16,000 in unreimbursed employee business expenses in 2015, although Mator knew I.A. and L.A. did not have any expenses related to their employment. As a result, I.A. and L.A. received a refund they were not legally eligible to receive.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley S. Turner. It was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation.
Iowa Felon Sentenced to Almost Four Years in Prison for Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
A man who illegally possessed a firearm was sentenced on May 8, 2023, in federal court in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Lavell Andre Barnes, Jr., age 27, from Iowa City, Iowa, was convicted of possession of a firearm by a felon.
At the sentencing, information showed that Barnes traveled from Chicago with a firearm, illegal controlled substances, and a large amount of United States Currency with children in the vehicle. Barnes admitted that he illegally possessed a firearm after being previously convicted of two felony convictions in Cook County, Illinois. Barnes was also previously convicted of a controlled substance offense involving heroin.
Sentencing was held before United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Barnes was sentenced to serve 46 months’ imprisonment and must serve a three‑year term of supervised release following his term of incarceration. There is no parole in the federal system. Barnes remains in the custody of the United States Marshal until he is transported to federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jason Dorval Norwood and was investigated by the Iowa City Police Department’s Street Crimes Action Team.
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.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 22-CR-84.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Husband and Wife Found Guilty in Meth and Money Laundering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a jury has convicted Salvador Madrigal Jr. (age 41) and Anahi Plascencia Cardona (age 33), both of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, following a four-day long jury trial in federal district court in Sioux Falls. Both defendants were convicted of one count of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance and one count of Conspiracy to Launder Monetary Instruments. The verdicts were returned on May 5, 2023.
The charge of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in custody and/or a $10,000,000 fine, five years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. The charge of Conspiracy to Launder Monetary Instruments carries a maximum penalty of twenty years in custody and/or a $500,000 fine, three years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Madrigal Jr. and Plascencia Cardona were indicted by a federal grand jury in July of 2021.
Salvador Madrigal Jr., and his wife Anahi Plascencia Cardona, were leaders of a South Dakota drug cell that was responsible for trafficking hundreds of pounds of methamphetamine into South Dakota from California and Mexico. The husband-and-wife team worked with other members of the conspiracy, including some of their family members, who have previously been charged and convicted, to aid in the transportation and distribution of well over one hundred pounds of methamphetamine and hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Madrigal Jr. recruited his aunt, Maria Magana Zavala, and her husband William Hartwick, to make multiple trips to and from California to transport methamphetamine, marijuana, and money, promising them that this endeavor would be prosperous. Magana Zavala and Hartwick were instead sentenced to 70 months in custody for their involvement in the conspiracy. Madrigal Jr. also recruited his younger brother, Oscar Madrigal, to aid in the organization’s activities. Oscar Madrigal was sentenced to 120 months in custody for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance in July of 2022. Madrigal Jr. also involved his mother, Rosa Madrigal, in the money laundering conspiracy by arranging to have her make multiple deposits of cash into multiple institutions, to launder the proceeds of his drug trafficking organization. Rosa Madrigal was sentenced to 60 months in custody for Conspiracy to Launder Monetary Instruments in August of 2022. Multiple other co-conspirators who were responsible for the sub-distribution of these drugs have also been charged and sentenced in federal court.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations, and the Sioux Falls Area Drug Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Hodges prosecuted the case alongside Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Ebert, who also serves as a prosecutor with the South Dakota Attorney General’s Office.
Presentence investigations were ordered, and sentencing dates for each defendant will be set in the future. The defendants were both remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Hospital Owner and Hospitalist Group Agree to Pay $560K to Settle False Claims Act AllegationsRead the Press Release
The United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut and the Connecticut Office of the Attorney General today announced that YALE NEW HAVEN HEALTH SERVICES CORP. and NORTHEAST MEDICAL GROUP, INC. have entered into a civil settlement agreement with the federal and state governments and have paid $560,718.48 to resolve allegations that they violated the federal and state False Claims Acts for submitting false claims to Medicare and Medicaid for services billed by physicians when, in fact, the services should have been billed by mid-level providers at a lower reimbursement rate.
Yale New Haven Health Services Corp. (“Yale”) is a nonprofit health system that owns several acute-care hospitals, including Bridgeport Hospital. Northeast Medical Group, Inc. (“Northeast Medical”) employs internal medicine hospitalist physicians and mid-level providers (i.e., advanced practice nurse practitioners and physician assistants) at Bridgeport Hospital. Northeast Medical is an affiliate of Yale, and outsources its billing, coding, and compliance to Yale.
The federal and state governments allege that, between July 2014 and June 2020, Yale and Northeast Medical violated the federal and state False Claims Acts by submitting false claims to Medicare and Medicaid for evaluation and management services billed by Northeast Medical hospitalist physicians to Bridgeport Hospital patients that did not satisfy certain billing requirements and, instead, should have been billed by mid-level providers. As a result, Yale and Northeast Medical improperly received 10 to 15 percent higher in Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements for the allegedly falsely billed hospitalist physician services. To resolve their liability, Yale and Northeast Medical have paid $560,718.48.
The False Claims Act allegations resolved by the settlement were originally brought in a lawsuit filed by a whistleblower under the qui tam, or whistleblower, provisions of the False Claims Act, which allow private parties to bring suit on behalf of the government and to share in any recovery. The relator (whistleblower), a former employee of Northeast Medical, will receive $106,536.51 as her share of the recovery. The case resolved by this settlement was captioned U.S. ex rel. Cadariu v. Northeast Medical Group et al. (Docket No. 19-cv-904).
This matter was investigated by the Office of Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Gruber, and by Assistant Attorney General Rick Porter of the Connecticut Office of the Attorney General.
People who suspect health care fraud are encouraged to report it by calling 1-800-HHS-TIPS.
High-Ranking Member of G-Shine Bloods Sentenced for Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Norfolk man was sentenced today to 15 years in prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime.
According to court documents, from May 2021 to April 2022, Torian Nemow, 30, purchased, manufactured, distributed, and possessed with intent to distribute at least 500 grams of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine and a quantity of marijuana in Hampton Roads.
On April 29, 2022, members of the Norfolk and Virginia Beach Police Departments executed a search warrant on Nemow’s residence. In Nemow’s residence, they found 2,321 pills containing methamphetamine, 27 pounds of marijuana, 56 bottles containing promethazine, 3 digital scales, packaging material, $60,000 in United States currency, 145 rounds of ammunition, and two firearms, one of which had been reported stolen. Officers also found numerous photographs of Nemow with other known members of the G-Shine/Gangster Killer Bloods, a criminal street gang and subset of the United Blood Nation. During the course of their investigation, law enforcement obtained information that showed that Nemow was a high-ranking member of the gang.
Nemow had set up his own security cameras within the residence. One of the cameras was pointed at drugs sitting on a countertop in the kitchen. Footage from this security camera showed Nemow and others manipulating drugs at the kitchen counter on different occasions.
Officers searched Nemow’s cell phones and social media accounts, where they found additional photographs of Nemow with other members of the G-Shine Bloods, conversations where Nemow talked about trafficking in narcotics, and photographs of firearms and narcotics.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Ramin Fatehi, Norfolk Commonwealth’s Attorney; Brian Dugan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office; and Paul Neudigate, Chief of Virginia Beach Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth Wilson Hanes.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda Cheney and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Graham M. Stolle prosecuted the case. Stolle also serves as an Assistant Norfolk Commonwealth’s Attorney.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-cr-118.
Hartford Man Sentenced to 50 Months in Prison for Gun Possession Offense, Violating Supervised ReleaseRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JOSEPH STEELE, 36, of Hartford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to 50 months of imprisonment, followed by one year of supervised release, for unlawfully possessing a firearm and for violating the conditions of his supervised release from a prior federal conviction.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in June 2017, Steele was arrested by Hartford Police after a search of his vehicle revealed a stolen .40 caliber semiautomatic pistol, 50 wax folds of fentanyl, and two knotted plastic bags containing approximately 6.5 grams of crack cocaine. On April 16, 2018, a federal jury found Steele guilty of drug distribution and firearm possession offenses. On July 9, 2018, Judge Shea sentenced him to 36 months of imprisonment and three years of supervised release.
Steele was released from federal prison in February 2020. On January 28, 2022, while on federal supervised release, he was arrested by Hartford Police after they found him in possession of a loaded 9mm handgun.
Steele’s criminal history also includes a 2016 state conviction for possession of a firearm without a permit. It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.
Steele has been detained since January 28, 2022. On February 10, 2023, he pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a felon.
Judge Shea sentenced Steele to 37 months of imprisonment for unlawfully possessing a firearm, and a consecutive 13 months of imprisonment for violating the conditions of his supervised release.
This investigation was conducted by the Hartford Police Department and the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force. The FBI Task Force includes members of the Hartford Police Department, East Hartford Police Department, New Britain Police Department, West Hartford Police Department, Connecticut State Police and Connecticut Department of Correction.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patricia Stolfi Collins through the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) initiative. PSN is 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. In May 2021, the Justice 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.
Gloucester County Man Admits Filing False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A Gloucester County, New Jersey, man today admitted filing false claims against the IRS, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Christian L. Whittaker, 42, of Williamstown, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Christine P. O’Hearn in Camden federal court to one count of an indictment charging him with making false claims against the IRS.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Whittaker knowingly and willfully prepared, electronically signed, and filed with the IRS false U.S. Individual Income Tax Returns (Forms 1040) for the tax years 2016 to 2019. Whittaker claimed that a business paid him significant wages and incurred substantial losses, when in fact the business was fictitious. Based on the false claims, the IRS paid more than $300,000 in refunds to Whittaker. More than $80,000 was paid by the IRS and garnished to pay debts that Whittaker had previously incurred.
The charge that Whittaker pleaded guilty to is punishable by up to five years in prison and a fine $250,000, or twice the gross profits or gross loss, whichever is greatest. Sentencing is scheduled for Seopt. 13, 2023.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of IRS – Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Tammy Tomlins, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel A. Friedman of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Criminal Division in Camden.
whittaker.indictment.pdfFormer Coinbase Insider Sentenced in First Ever Cryptocurrency Insider Trading CaseRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that ISHAN WAHI, a former product manager at Coinbase Global, Inc. (“Coinbase”), was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Loretta A. Preska to two years in prison for providing Coinbase’s confidential business information about upcoming Coinbase crypto asset listings to his brother and his friend so that they could place profitable trades in advance of Coinbase’s listing announcements. WAHI previously pled guilty to two counts of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Ishan Wahi – a former Coinbase product manager – violated the trust placed in him by his employer by tipping others with valuable confidential information regarding Coinbase’s planned token listings. Today’s sentence should send a strong signal to all participants in the cryptocurrency markets that the laws decidedly do apply to them. The Southern District of New York will hold those who engage in insider trading to full account, regardless of whether their illegal conduct occurs in the equity markets or in the market for crypto assets.”
According to the allegations in the Indictment and statements made in public court proceedings:
At all relevant times, Coinbase was one of the largest cryptocurrency exchanges in the world. Coinbase users could acquire, exchange, and sell various crypto assets through online user accounts with Coinbase. Periodically, Coinbase added new crypto assets to those that could be traded through its exchange, and the market value of crypto assets typically significantly increased after Coinbase announced that it would be listing a particular crypto asset. Accordingly, Coinbase kept such information strictly confidential and prohibited its employees from sharing that information with others, including by providing a “tip” to any person who might trade based on that information.
Beginning in approximately October 2020, ISHAN WAHI worked at Coinbase as a product manager assigned to a Coinbase asset listing team. In that role, WAHI was involved in the highly confidential process of listing crypto assets on Coinbase’s exchanges and had detailed and advanced knowledge of which crypto assets Coinbase was planning to list and the timing of public announcements about those crypto asset listings.
On multiple occasions between June 2021 and April 2022, WAHI violated his duties of trust and confidence to Coinbase by providing confidential business information that he learned in connection with his employment at Coinbase to Nikhil Wahi and Sameer Ramani so that they could secretly engage in profitable trades around public announcements by Coinbase that it would be listing certain crypto assets on Coinbase’s exchanges. Following Coinbase’s public listing announcements, on multiple occasions, Nikhil Wahi and Ramani sold the crypto assets for a profit.
On April 12, 2022, a Twitter account that is well known in the crypto community tweeted regarding an Ethereum blockchain wallet “that bought hundreds of thousands of dollars of tokens exclusively featured in the Coinbase Asset Listing post about 24 hours before it was published.” The trading activity referenced in the April 12 tweet was trading previously conducted by Ramani based on tips provided by WAHI. Coinbase thereafter publicly replied on Twitter, noting that it had already begun investigating the matter and, a few weeks later, stated in a public blog post that any Coinbase employee who leaked confidential company information would be “immediately terminated and referred to relevant authorities (potentially for criminal prosecution).” On May 11, 2022, Coinbase’s director of security operations emailed WAHI to inform him that he should appear for an in-person meeting relating to Coinbase’s asset listing process at Coinbase’s Seattle, Washington, office on May 16, 2022. WAHI confirmed he would attend the meeting.
On the evening of May 15, 2022, WAHI purchased a one-way flight to India that was scheduled to depart the next day shortly before WAHI was supposed to be interviewed by Coinbase. In the hours between booking the flight and his scheduled departure, WAHI called and texted Nikhil Wahi and Ramani about Coinbase’s investigation and sent both of them a photograph of the messages he had received on May 11, 2022, from Coinbase’s director of security operations. Prior to boarding the May 16, 2022, flight to India, WAHI was stopped by law enforcement and prevented from leaving the country.
* * *
In addition to the prison sentence, ISHAN WAHI, 32, of Seattle, Washington, was ordered to forfeit various crypto assets that he received in connection with the scheme.
Mr. Williams praised the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. He also acknowledged the assistance of the Justice Department’s National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team, as well as that of the Securities and Exchange Commission, which separately initiated civil proceedings against WAHI.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Noah Solowiejczyk and Nicolas Roos are in charge of the prosecution.
Final Member of Drug Trafficking Conspiracy Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl and Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Carlos Alberto Castro-Ruiz, 26, of Phoenix, Arizona, pleaded guilty yesterday to Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl and Methamphetamine before United States District Judge Steven P. Logan. A sentencing hearing is set for July 18, 2023.
Castro-Ruiz’s co-conspirators also pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl and Methamphetamine. On April 13, 2023, Alexander Ortega-Islas, 22, of Phoenix, Arizona, pleaded guilty before Judge Logan. Keivin Crosswell-Cervantes, 27, of Mexico, pleaded guilty on May 2, 2023, before Judge Logan. Sentencing hearings are scheduled for July 10 and July 17, 2023, respectively.
The three co-conspirators all admitted that they delivered approximately 400,000 blue fentanyl pills, approximately 20,000 multi-colored fentanyl pills (“skittles”), and approximately 25 pounds of methamphetamine to undercover officers on September 22, 2022. Law enforcement officers also seized an AK-47-style pistol, a .45 caliber Kimber 1911 semi-automatic pistol with two magazines, and a .45 caliber FN semi-automatic pistol.
A conviction for Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl and Methamphetamine carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison, with a maximum penalty of life imprisonment, a fine up to $10,000,000, or both.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Homeland Security Investigations, Nogales, and the Drug Enforcement Administration, Nogales conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant United States Attorney Matthew G. Eltringham, District of Arizona, Tucson, is handling the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR 22-01295-PHX-SPL
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-068_Castro-Ruiz, et al.# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Federal Investigation into “Straw Purchasing” of Handguns in Wisconsin Results in Charges Against Chicago-Area Woman and Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A Chicago-area woman has been charged in federal court with conspiring to “straw purchase” 19 handguns in Wisconsin on behalf of a convicted felon. The felon was charged as part of the investigation with illegal firearm possession.
SONYA BROWN purchased the guns from licensed dealers at stores and gun shows in Wisconsin and falsely certified on federal forms that she was both a Wisconsin resident and the actual buyer of the firearms, according to a complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Chicago. In reality, Brown purchased the guns on behalf of a convicted felon with whom she resided in the Chicago area, the complaint states. The felon – SIMONE DUNN – had previously been convicted of murder and other felonies and was not lawfully allowed to possess a firearm. Dunn was on parole from the murder conviction when Brown purchased the guns for him earlier this year, the complaint states.
Brown, 49, of Oak Park, Ill., is charged with conspiracy to violate federal firearm laws. Dunn, 49, of Oak Park, Ill., is charged with illegal firearm possession. Both defendants were arrested Monday. U.S. Magistrate Judge Gabriel A. Fuentes scheduled Brown’s detention hearing for Wednesday at 11:00 a.m., while a detention hearing for Dunn was set for Thursday at 1:00 p.m. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will seek to have both defendants remain detained pending trial.
The charges were announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; and Christopher Amon, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Substantial assistance was provided by the ATF Milwaukee Field Office. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Irene Hickey Sullivan.
“Straw purchasers enable the unlawful possession of firearms and the violence that too often follows,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Pasqual. “Our office is committed to stopping the flow of guns to individuals who cannot legally possess them.”
“When firearms are diverted from the legal market to the illegal market via trafficking schemes such as straw purchasing, it threatens the safety of our communities,” said ATF SAC Amon. “ATF will continue to investigate these important cases in coordination with our law enforcement and prosecutorial partners throughout Chicagoland to ensure prohibited persons do not possess firearms.”
Disrupting illegal firearms trafficking is a centerpiece of the Chicago Firearms Trafficking Strike Force, the Department of Justice’s cross-jurisdictional strike force aimed at reducing gun violence. As part of the Chicago Strike Force, the U.S. Attorney’s Office collaborates with ATF and other federal, state, and local law enforcement partners in the Northern District of Illinois and across the country to help stem the supply of illegally trafficked firearms and identify patterns, leads, and potential suspects in violent gun crimes.
Holding illegal firearm possessors accountable through federal prosecution is also a centerpiece of Project Safe Neighborhoods, the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction strategy. In the Northern District of Illinois, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has deployed the PSN program to attack a broad range of violent crime issues facing the district, particularly firearm offenses.
The public is reminded that a complaint is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. The conspiracy charge against Brown is punishable by a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison, while the unlawful possession charge against Dunn is punishable by up to ten years. If convicted, the Court must impose reasonable sentences under federal statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
Elkins man admits to having large amount of methamphetamineRead the Press Release
ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA – An Elkins, West Virginia, man has admitted to having more than 300 grams of crystal methamphetamine and a firearm.
Joshua Ervin Cave, 43, pled guilty today to possession and firearms charges. According to court documents, Cave had 338 grams of methamphetamine, also known as “ice,” and a hunting rifle found during search warrants executed at his home and a storage unit. Cave is prohibited from having firearms because of two prior domestic assault convictions in Randolph County Magistrate Court.
Cave is facing up to 20 years in prison for the drug charge and up to 10 years for the firearms charge. He is currently being held at the Tygart Valley Regional Jail. He will be sentenced at a later date. 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 the Mountain Region Drug Task Force.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Warner is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.
El Departamento de Justicia llega a un decreto por consentimiento con Union County, New Jersey, bajo la Ley de Derechos ElectoralesRead the Press Release
El Departamento de Justicia anunció hoy que ha llegado a un decreto por consentimiento propuesto con Union County, New Jersey, y los oficiales electorales del condado para resolver una demanda de derechos electorales.
El decreto por consentimiento propuesto fue radicado junto con la demanda del departamento en el Tribunal Federal de Distrito. La demanda alega violaciones bajo las secciones 203 y 208 de la Ley de Derechos Electorales sobre la disponibilidad de asistencia electoral y materiales en español para votantes hispanos con conocimientos limitados del idioma inglés. La sección 203 requiere que ciertas jurisdicciones provean materiales electorales y asistencia en otros idiomas, así como en inglés. Estas jurisdicciones son aquellas que el Buró de Censos ha determinado que tienen una población sustancial de ciudadanos quienes hablan un idioma que no es inglés y tienen conocimentos limitados del idioma inglés. Bajo la sección 203, Union County tiene la obligación de proveer asistencia y materiales en español. La sección 208 le brinda el derecho a los votantes que necesiten asistencia al votar – debido a inhabilidad de leer o escribir, ceguera o discapacidad – a conseguir la ayuda de una persona que ellos mismos elijan, siempre y cuando esa persona no sea un agente del empleador del votante ni tampoco un funcionario de su sindicato laboral. El decreto por consentimiento resolvería las alegaciones del departamento.
“Las barreras idiomáticas jamás deben privar a un votante elegible de participar plenamente en el proceso democrático,” dijo Kristen Clarke, Secretaria de Justicia Auxiliar a cargo de la División de Derechos Civiles del Departamento de Justicia. “La igualdad de acceso a las urnas en la democracia moderna significa asegurar la disponibilidad de materiales bilingües para aquellos con conocimientos limitados del idioma inglés y garantizar el derecho de recibir ayuda de una persona que el votante mismo elija. Nosotros seguiremos utilizando las leyes de derechos electorales para enfrentar las barreras que se interponen entre los votantes y las urnas.”
“El derecho al voto es un pilar de nuestra democracia,” dijo el Fiscal Federal Philip S. Sellinger. “Trabajaremos sin cesar para asegurar que cada americano elegible pueda votar libre de barreras ilegales. Mediante el acuerdo al que llegamos hoy, nos aseguramos de que a nadie se le deniegue este sagrado derecho simplemente por hablar español.”
El decreto por consentimiento, que aún requiere la aprobación del Tribunal de Distrito, exige el establecimiento de un programa de asistencia idiomática integral en español bajo la sección 203. El Secretario del Condado y la Junta de Elecciones proveerá toda la información electoral tanto en inglés como en español, incluyendo en los lugares de votación y en línea. La Junta de Elecciones de Union County también asegurará la presencia de oficiales electorales bilingües en los lugares de votación temprana y en los lugares de votación con al menos 100 votantes registrados con apellidos de origen hispano. La asistencia en español seguirá disponible por teléfono para todos los votantes durante las elecciones. Además, el decreto por consentimiento provee que cualquier votante cubierto bajo la sección 208 quien necesite asistencia para votar podrá recibir ayuda de una persona que el votante mismo elija, siempre y cuando no sea un agente de su empleador ni tampoco un funcionario de su sindicato laboral, durante cualquier etapa del proceso electoral. El decreto por consentimiento también dispone que observadores federales pueden monitorear las actividades el Día de Elecciones en los lugares de votación en Union County.
Para denunciar una possible vulneración de las leyes federales de derecho al voto a la División de Derechos Civiles puede hacerlo en línea o llamar al (800) 253-3931. Puede también llamar a la Oficina del Fiscal Federal del Distrito de New Jersey en línea o llamar al (855) 281-3339.
Para obtener más información sobre la Ley de Derechos Electorales y otras leyes federales electorales, visite el portal del Departamento de Justicia en www.justice.gov/crt/voting/.
Eastern Shore Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Steal More Than $1.8 Million from a Salisbury BusinessRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Stephen Franklin, age 54, of Salisbury, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to a wire fraud conspiracy and to aggravated identity theft in connection with the theft of more than $1.8 million from Shore Appliance Connection.
The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron and Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office.
According to his plea agreement, Franklin was the chief operating officer of Accurate Optical, a chain of optometric shops on the Eastern Shore of Maryland and with the owners of Accurate Optical he also purchased East Coast Optometric, a chain of South Carolina optical shops. Franklin and co-defendant Duane G. Larmore met through the Salisbury Chamber of Commerce and became friendly.
As detailed in the plea agreement, Larmore was an employee at Shore Appliance Connection (“Shore Appliance”), located in Salisbury, Maryland, whose duties included maintaining the books and records for the company. The company was owned and operated by Owner #1 and Owner #2. From mid-September 2016 through about March 2020, Franklin conspired with others, including Larmore, to steal more than $1.8 million from Shore Appliance.
Specifically, Franklin and Larmore stole over $1 million from Shore Appliance to use for their own purposes, including to make investments and to pay business expenses for Franklin’s businesses, without the knowledge and consent of the owners of Shore Appliance. For example, Franklin introduced Larmore to an individual who offered an opportunity to invest in an oil deal that promised quick and substantial returns, for an initial investment of $100,000. Franklin did not have $100,000 but knew that Larmore could obtain the investment funds from Shore Appliance. Larmore wire transferred $100,000 of Shore Appliance’s money to an account controlled by Franklin, who wire transferred the funds to an individual in the United Kingdom to invest in the oil deal. Those funds were ultimately returned to Shore Appliance because the name on the bank account did not match the named beneficiary on the wire transfer form completed by Franklin. Prior to the funds being returned and at Franklin’s urging, Larmore transferred another $100,000 to T.H., purportedly an attorney for the oil deal. Franklin also convinced Larmore to invest in other deals, including: in 2016, a $95,000 investment with GenFinance II, PLC, London, U.K., which then required an additional $300,000, and then additional funds for additional expenses and travel abroad; in 2018, an investment through W.S. of $35,000 and an investment through Gateway Capital of $50,000; and in 2019 - 2020, investments and expenses through I.P. and E. P.-S. to recover assets in the custody of U.S. Customs, part of the Department of Homeland Security. No investment paid any return to the schemers.
To conceal how much money had been removed from Shore Appliance and to obtain cash to invest, Franklin suggested that Larmore enter into factoring contracts. Franklin had experience with borrowing operating funds for his optical companies from factors and provided Larmore with the names and contact information for factoring companies. Factoring is a means by which businesses, can obtain cash quickly by leveraging accounts receivable. With Franklin’s encouragement, Larmore applied for a factoring contract for Shore Appliance without the knowledge or approval of the owners, corporate directors, or officers of Shore Appliance. As detailed in the plea agreement, the factoring contracts provided cash deposits to Shore Appliance’s bank accounts but encumbered the accounts receivable of Shore Appliance and required payments and interest of more than $725,000.
To obtain contracts with factoring companies for Shore Appliance and to conceal the fact that the Shore Appliance owners were not aware of and had not approved the factoring contracts, the signatures of the owners were forged, and the fraudulent signatures were witnessed or notarized by Franklin. Further, Larmore and a female employee of Franklin’s posed as the owners in telephone conversations with representatives of the factoring companies to confirm their approval of the factoring contracts. In addition, to conceal Larmore’s embezzlements and the factoring agreements, Larmore caused Shore Appliance to draw on Shore Appliance’s lines of credit with two separate financial institutions to obtain another $200,000 in cash. As of March 2020, Shore Appliance still owed $208,394.92 in principal and interest on these lines of credit.
Finally, when Franklin’s business began having financial difficulties, Franklin requested that Larmore provide funds from Shore Appliance for Franklin’s companies. Larmore provided funds to Franklin for his businesses, including to pay rent and employee salaries, as well as paying to rent a storage facility and hire trucks to move equipment and office furniture when Accurate Optical was evicted from its Salisbury, Maryland office in July 2019. All the while, Franklin continued to suggest that Larmore put money into other investment schemes, which Larmore did.
In all, Larmore paid $739,295.28 of Shore Appliance’s funds, without the officers and owners’ knowledge or consent, to invest in fraudulent schemes that never paid any money back. Of that amount, $395,000 was moved through bank accounts controlled by Franklin. Franklin caused an additional loss of $171,548.67 by having Larmore transfer funds to Franklin or to Franklin’s companies. As a result of the conspiracy and efforts to conceal the losses, Shore Appliance lost an additional $731,250.07 in fees and other payments to factors and to factoring brokers. Shore appliance also paid extra interest in the amount of $208,395 from Larmore drawing on its bank lines of credit. Thus, the factoring arrangements and advances on Shore Appliance’s lines of credit in total caused Shore Appliance to lose in actual funds $939,645. However, Shore Appliance as of March 2020 still owed the factors almost $270,000. For all of Franklin’s and Larmore’s conduct, actual cash losses to Shore Appliance totaled $1,850,488.94 and intended losses totaled $2,137,674.74.
Franklin faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for a wire fraud conspiracy and a mandatory sentence of two years in federal prison, consecutive to any other sentence imposed, for aggravated identity theft. U.S. District Judge Deborah K. Chasanow has scheduled sentencing for September 7, 2023, at 9:30 a.m. As stated in his plea agreement, Franklin will be required to pay restitution in the full amount of the victims’ losses, which the parties stipulate is $1,850,488.94. Franklin’s liability is joint with co-defendant Duane G. Larmore. Duane G. Larmore, age 48, of Salisbury, previously pleaded guilty to his role in the conspiracy and is awaiting sentencing.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI for its work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Evelyn L. Cusson, Joyce K. McDonald, and Leo J. Wise, who are prosecuting the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach. For more information about resources available to report fraud, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/report-fraud.
# # #
East Windsor Man Sentenced to Prison for Oxycodone Prescription Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JAYSON KEMP, 46, of East Windsor, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in Bridgeport to 12 months and one day of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for operating a scheme to acquire and distribute oxycodone obtained through fraudulent prescriptions.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Kemp obtained blank prescription paper from employees of various Connecticut medical practices. He kept some of the prescription paper for himself and also sold some of the prescription paper, for thousands of dollars, to other individuals. Kemp and his co-conspirators recruited “runners,” who typically were individuals who received Medicaid and Medicare benefits, to fill fraudulent prescriptions at various pharmacies. Kemp and his co-conspirators filled out each prescription with the runner’s identifying information and forged a doctor’s signature on the prescription. The runner then filled the fraudulent prescription at a pharmacy, generally using their Medicaid or Medicare benefits, and provided the pills to Kemp and his co-conspirators in exchange for approximately $50 per prescription. Kemp and his co-coconspirators then sold the pills to individuals suffering from opioid addictions.
Kemp and his co-conspirators were responsible for filling at least 150 fraudulent prescriptions for oxycodone, almost all of which were for 150 30-mg oxycodone pills.
Judge Bolden ordered Kemp to pay $48,836.14 in restitution.
Kemp was arrested on August 2, 2019. On July 5, 2022, he pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in Bridgeport to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, oxycodone.
Kemp, who is released on a $150,000 bond, is required to report to prison on July 5.
This matter was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New Haven Tactical Diversion Squad, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General, and the Vernon Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Pierpont, Jr.
Durham Man Sentenced for Firearms Charges after Fleeing from Highway PatrolRead the Press Release
GREENSBORO – A Durham man was sentenced today to 5 years in prison, after pleading guilty to firearms charges stemming from two incidents in 2022, announced United States Attorney Sandra J. Hairston.
According to court documents, JHAMAR ORATAVIO DAWSON, also known as “Smoke”, age 22, fled from a North Carolina State Highway Patrol trooper on June 21, 2022, after nearly colliding with the trooper’s car at a traffic light in Durham. As he fled, DAWSON reached a speed of 75mph in a 45mph zone and drove toward oncoming traffic. At the intersection of E. Club Blvd. and Dearborn Dr., DAWSON’s car skidded into a ditch, went airborne, and burst into flames.
DAWSON and an unidentified passenger fled on foot. The trooper pursued them and caught DAWSON. Law enforcement officers found a handgun on the driver’s seat of the car driven by DAWSON. DAWSON was arrested on state charges.
DAWSON was previously convicted of felony flee to elude arrest in a motor vehicle in December 2021 in Durham County Superior Court and was therefore prohibited from possessing a firearm.
In October 2022, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Safe Streets Task Force arrested DAWSON at an apartment in Wake County, NC for possessing a firearm in June. During DAWSON’s arrest, FBI agents discovered a stolen firearm, a large amount of cash, and small bags of suspected controlled substances.
DAWSON was charged both in the Middle District of North Carolina and the Eastern District of North Carolina with a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(1), felon in possession of a firearm. DAWSON pleaded guilty to both counts in the Middle District of North Carolina on January 17, 2023.
DAWSON is facing additional charges in Wayne County, NC stemming from a July 2020 incident, including felony flee to elude arrest in a motor vehicle, possession of a stolen firearm, and assault with a deadly weapon on a government official.
DAWSON was sentenced today to a 60-month term of imprisonment by the Honorable William L. Osteen, Jr., United States District Judge in the United States District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina. In addition to prison time, DAWSON was ordered to serve a three-year term of supervised release and to pay a special assessment of $200.00.
The cases were investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation Safe Streets Task Force, the North Carolina State Highway Patrol, and the Durham Police Department, and are being prosecuted by Middle District of North Carolina Assistant United States Attorney Eric Iverson with assistance from the Eastern District of North Carolina.
###
Drug Testing Companies Agree to Collectively Pay $1.7 Million to Resolve False Claims Act AllegationsRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. — Two Kentucky-based businesses involved in performing urine drug tests for the family court system have agreed to collectively pay $1,740,620 to resolve civil allegations that they improperly billed those tests to Medicare and Kentucky Medicaid.
Blue Waters Assessment and Testing Services, LLC (“BATS”) is a Lexington-based business that provides services relating to urine drug testing, including the collection of specimens from individuals who were ordered by the Fayette County family courts to receive such testing as part of their court cases. BATS sent the specimens to VerraLab JA, LLC, a clinical laboratory based in Louisville that does business under the name BioTap Medical (“BioTap”). BioTap performed the urine drug tests and billed them to Kentucky Medicaid and Medicare.
Billing these tests to Kentucky Medicaid and Medicare violated the False Claims Act, a federal law that prohibits the submission of false or fraudulent claims for payment to the federal government, because Medicaid and Medicare only pay for laboratory tests used for purposes of medical diagnosis or treatment. Medicare and Medicaid – as federally-funded health insurance programs – do not pay for tests performed for non-medical reasons, such as those that are performed only to satisfy a court order. In fact, Medicaid’s regulations explicitly prohibit reimbursement for laboratory tests, such as urine drug tests, that were ordered by a court.
The Government alleged that BioTap knew that the urine drug tests at issue were court-ordered, and not used for medical diagnosis or treatment, but billed those tests to Medicare and Medicaid anyway. As a result, BioTap received reimbursements from Medicare and Medicaid to which it was not entitled. Under the terms of the Settlement Agreements, BioTap agreed to pay $1,490,620 to resolve allegations it submitted false claims. BATS and its owner, David Waters, agreed to pay $250,000 for their alleged roles in causing the submission of false claims; the settlement with BATS and Waters was pursuant to the Department of Justice’s inability-to-pay policy.
“The federal Medicaid and Medicare programs are designed – and funded – to provide health care benefits to eligible individuals with a medical necessity,” said Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky. “These lab tests were not medically necessary and were improperly billed to these programs. It is important to all of us that steps are taken to return such misapplied funds to their appropriate purpose – providing medical care.”
“Submitting false claims to Medicare or Medicaid wastes taxpayer dollars and undermines the integrity of those programs," said Tamala E. Miles, Special Agent in Charge at the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG remains committed to ensuring that those who attempt to take valuable resources away from their intended recipients are held accountable.”
The settlements resolve a lawsuit brought by two private citizens under the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act. Under those provisions, a private party can file a civil action on behalf of the United States, thereby bringing allegations of fraud to the Government’s attention, and share in any financial recovery. As part of this resolution, the individuals who filed the qui tam complaint will receive approximately $295,000 from the settlements.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General and the Affirmative Civil Enforcement section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Christine Corndorf represented the United States.
This case is captioned United States ex rel. Nam Nguyen & Misty Nall v. Blue Waters Assessment & Testing Services, LLC; Crossroads Counseling Services, Inc.; David Waters; and VerraLab JA, LLC, Case No. 5:21-CV-00297-DCR. The claims resolved by the settlements are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
– END –
Doctor Admits Telemedicine Fraud in St. LouisRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A doctor from Kansas pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis Tuesday and admitted ordering millions of dollars’ worth of unnecessary and expensive genetic tests and orthotic braces for thousands of patients as part of a telemedicine fraud scheme.
Dr. Gautam Jayaswal, 64, of Overland Park, pleaded guilty in front of U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud.
Dr. Jayaswal has been a licensed medical doctor since 1986, working primarily as an emergency room physician. From 2017 to 2021, he contracted with multiple companies to work as a telemedicine doctor, including Barton & Associates, DialCare Co, Doctegrity, Doctorology LLC, USA Management Resources LLC, Rossiter and Cummaro Enterprises LLC, RAS/Sunshine Medical, Fix Ur Rx, Rocky Mountain Health, LSW Management Solutions, Physician Acquisition Pas and MP Network, his plea agreement says.
During that period, Dr. Jayaswal fraudulently ordered one or more orthotic braces for 1,433 patients. The companies used those fraudulent orders to defraud Medicare out of approximately $1.36 million. Between June 2018 and September 2021, Dr. Jayaswal signed orders for medically unnecessary genetic tests. Medicare Part B paid about $14.7 million for the 2,061 patients for whom Dr. Jayaswal was listed as the ordering physician.
Dr. Jayaswal faces up to five years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000 or both. He will also be ordered to repay the money.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Derek Wiseman is prosecuting the case.
District Man Sentenced to 18 Months’ Imprisonment for Assault on a Member of the LGBTQ+ CommunityRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Anthony Duncan, 42, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment and 3 years of supervised release today for assaulting a pedestrian in May 2022, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
On February 27, 2023, Duncan was found guilty of Assault with Significant Bodily Injury at a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The Honorable Lynn Leibovitz presided over the trial.
According to the government’s evidence presented at trial, on May 21, 2022, the victim was walking home on 15th Street in Northwest, Washington, D.C. from a Bocce Ball game when he was confronted by Duncan. Duncan, who was a stranger to the victim, accused the victim of directing a sexually suggestive act towards him and took offense. The victim vehemently denied making any such advance. As Duncan confronted the victim for this perceived advanced, he pulled out his cell phone, and recorded himself physically attacking the victim. Duncan broke the victim’s nose and teeth, and the victim required numerous stitches to stop the bleeding. Duncan called the victim a derogatory gay slur numerous times as he attacked the victim.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Contee commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also expressed appreciation for the work of those who handled the cases at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jared English and Randle Wilson, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
District Man Sentenced to 102 Months in Prison for Illegally Possessing Firearms and Operating an Unlicensed Marijuana DispensaryRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Terron Demise Barnes, also known as “Ali Vegaz,” 41, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 102 months in prison for unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and possession with the intent to distribute marijuana. The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Special Agent in Charge Wayne A. Jacobs, of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division, Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael T. Weddel, of the ATF Washington Field Division, and Chief Robert J. Contee, III, of the Metropolitan Police Department (“MPD”).
Barnes pleaded guilty on January 27, 2023. As part of the plea agreement, Barnes admitted to operating “Pak Religious, LLC” from his apartment in Northeast Washington, D.C., from approximately June 2019 through his arrest on July 2, 2020. Barnes advertised “Pak Religious” on the Instagram social media application, where he recruited buyers, in part, by falsely advertising himself as a “licensed D.C. marijuana dispensary.”
In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Timothy J. Kelly ordered 48 months of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, federal agents and MPD officers executed a search warrant at Barnes’ apartment on July 2, 2020. During the search, agents found and seized the following items, which Barnes agreed to forfeit as part of his plea agreement:
- A Spikes Tactical AR-Style Pistol with an extended magazine;
- A Glock, Model 23, .40 caliber semi-automatic handgun fitted with an extended magazine and laser sight;
- 100 total rounds of ammunition, including ammunition for 9mm and .45 caliber firearms;
- Approximately twenty-four pounds, or 11.328.5 grams, of marijuana and THC-infused products;
- 52 Oxycodone pills not prescribed to Barnes;
- Six bottles of Promethazine with Codeine syrup not prescribed to Barnes;
- Three ledger books;
- $18,377 in United States Currency; and
- A Range Rover Sports Utility Vehicle which had been reported stolen in Prince George’s County, Maryland in May 2020.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves, Special Agent in Charge Jacobs, Acting Special Agent in Charge Weddel, and Chief Contee commended the work of those who investigated the case, including FBI, ATF, and MPD. Finally, they cited the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, including Assistant U.S. Attorney James B. Nelson, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
Detroit Street Gang Leader Sent to Prison for 25 Years for Murdering Two People as Part of a Racketeering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
DETROIT – A leader of a Detroit street gang was sentenced today to 25 years in prison for murdering two people, one of them an innocent 13-year-old bystander, as part of a racketeering conspiracy, United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced.
Ison was joined in the announcement by Special Agent in Charge James A. Tarasca, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Detroit Division.
Edwin Mills, aka “Edboy,” age 33, of Detroit, was sentenced by United States District Judge Mark A. Goldsmith. Mills had pleaded guilty to his crimes before Judge Goldsmith in October 2022.
Mills and ten other members of the “6 Mile Chedda Grove” gang were indicted in 2016 for racketeering offenses. According to court records, Mills admitted to being a member of the street gang, which operated on the eastside of Detroit. 6 Mile Chedda Grove was a violent organization responsible for murders, assaults, robberies, and narcotics trafficking in the Detroit metropolitan area and in other states. All eleven charged members of the gang have now been convicted and sentenced.
As a part of his guilty plea, Mills admitted to participating in the 2015 murder of two people. According to plea documents, Mills was with another gang member, Carlo Wilson, when they saw an individual with whom they had been feuding in a car outside of a market on the eastside of Detroit. Mills and Wilson then shot into the car, killing the individual and a 13-year-old passenger. Mills and Wilson also seriously injured two children who had been sitting on the hood of the car. Wilson pled guilty to the murders, and he was previously sentenced by Judge Goldsmith to 25 years in prison.
“Today’s sentence closes the book on a violent gang that terrorized an entire neighborhood,” U.S. Attorney Ison said. “The community is safer with these men off the streets.”
“Guns and drugs take the lives of far too many people in our communities, and Edwin Mills - as a leader of the ‘6 Mile Chedda Grove’ gang - contributed to the devastating impact of both on Detroit’s Eastside,” said James A. Tarasca, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Detroit Field Office. "The FBI is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to address the threat of gang violence in our neighborhoods. The lengthy sentence Mills received today sends a strong message that we will not tolerate criminal enterprises using violence to further their agendas.”
The case was investigated by special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert Moran and Andrew R. Picek.
Derry Man Pleads Guilty to Unlawful Possession of a Molotov CocktailRead the Press Release
CONCORD – A Derry man pleaded guilty today in federal court to unlawfully possessing a destructive device known as a “Molotov cocktail,” U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces.
Zachary Tringali, 28, pleaded guilty to an indictment charging him with receipt and possession of an unregistered destructive device. U.S. District Court Judge Steven McAuliffe scheduled sentencing for August 22, 2023. Tringali was charged on April 11, 2022.
On August 6, 2021, Derry Police Department officers were investigating a reported burglary from Tringali’s commercial storage unit. The officers uncovered 12 assembled Molotov cocktails in the storage unit. A Molotov cocktail is an incendiary weapon consisting of a flammable liquid with a wick in a breakable container. Tringali admitted to knowingly possessing these weapons and failing to register them in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record, as required by federal law.
The charging statute provides a sentence of no greater than 10 years in prison, 3 years of supervised release, and a fine of $10,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division, led the investigation. Valuable assistance was provided by the Derry Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jarad E. Hodes is prosecuting the case.
###
DOJ Recognizes National Fentanyl Awareness DayRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that today, May 9, is National Fentanyl Awareness Day.
One year ago, on the first National Fentanyl Awareness Day, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) opened the Faces of Fentanyl exhibit at DEA Headquarters—a wall that displays the photos of those who have lost their lives to fentanyl poisoning. The memorial started with 100 photos; over the past year, Americans from across the country have sent DEA more than 5,000 photos. It reflects the reality that fentanyl is killing Americans from all walks of life, in every state and community in this country. The youngest person on the wall is 17-months old. The oldest is 70 years old.
“Fentanyl is the greatest threat to Americans today. It kills more Americans between the ages of 18 to 45 than terrorism, than car accidents, than cancer, than COVID. It kills nearly 200 Americans every day. And the number of children under 14 dying from fentanyl poisoning has increased at an alarming rate,” said DEA Administrator Anne Milgram. “The two drug cartels responsible for bringing fentanyl into the United States—the Sinaloa and Jalisco cartels—are intentionally driving addiction by selling fake pills and hiding fentanyl in other drugs, and they are reaching our kids through using social media platforms. I encourage you to use this day to talk to your families about the dangers of fentanyl and have an important conversation with your kids about who they are communicating with on social media.”
DEA urges the public to be vigilant about fentanyl and the deadly threat it poses:
- Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is approximately 50 times more potent than heroin and 100 times more potent than morphine. Just two milligrams—the equivalent of a few grains of salt—can kill a person.
- Fentanyl comes in two forms: pills and powder. The Sinaloa and Jalisco cartels are hiding fentanyl in fake pills that look like oxycodone, Xanax, and Percocet. The cartels are also mixing fentanyl powder in with cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine. This is why many of the people poisoned by fentanyl had no idea they were even taking it.
- The cartels and their members and associates are using social media applications—including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat—and encrypted platforms—including WhatsApp, Telegram, Signal, Wire, and Wickr—to sell pills and powders that are advertised as something else but actually have fentanyl inside.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Dakota works in conjunction with its state, local, tribal, and federal law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute drug offenses, including distribution resulting in overdose or serious bodily injury. We are committed to identifying the sources of these life-threatening drugs and aggressively pursuing charges that carry a mandatory minimum sentence of twenty years in federal prison.
For additional facts about fentanyl, visit One Pill Can Kill.
Convicted Felon Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Armed Meth DistributionRead the Press Release
ALBANY, Ga. – A South Georgia resident with a lengthy criminal history who led law enforcement on a high-speed motorcycle chase while in possession of a large quantity of methamphetamine and an illegally possessed firearm was sentenced to prison for his crime.
Uriah Wade Hall, 46, of Adel, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 240 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release by U.S. District Court Judge Louis Sands on May 5. Hall previously pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. There is no parole in the federal system.
“This defendant endangered himself, law enforcement and many other motorists during his reckless attempt to evade justice for armed methamphetamine trafficking,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “I appreciate the brave efforts of our law enforcement partners who run towards danger to keep our community safe.”
“Hall put not only himself but countless others at risk by his escape attempt as he carried a large amount of meth and illegally carried a weapon. I would like to thank our law enforcement partners who brought his dangerous actions to an end,” said Keri Farley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta “The FBI will not stop in finding and bringing to justice those who repeatedly break the law.”
According to court documents, a Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO) deputy observed Hall riding his silver Suzuki Busa motorcycle with a skull decal at speeds more than 20 miles above the posted limit on Nov. 6, 2021, on Shiloh Road in Hahira, Georgia. Hall increased his speed when the deputy attempted to pull him over, then slowed down near the interstate ramp. Hall made a motion with two fingers indicating he was continuing to flee, and entered the southbound ramp onto I-75, increasing his speed up to 145 mph for more than 20 miles.
Two Georgia State Patrol (GSP) units joined the pursuit and attempted to execute a rolling roadblock. Hall was able to accelerate and evade the first attempt; the second attempt was successful. Hall lost control of the motorcycle, coming to rest on the ground in the far-left lane of travel. EMS was called and deputies rendered medical aid to Hall.
Hall was in possession of a loaded 9mm caliber semiautomatic pistol, 829 grams of methamphetamine, a small quantity of heroin, digital scales with white powder residue and $1,610 cash. Hall had previously been convicted of several felony offenses, including burglary, possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and giving a false name to law enforcement. It is illegal for a convicted felon to possess a firearm.
The case was investigated by FBI and the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office with assistance from the Georgia State Patrol.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sonja Profit prosecuted the case for the Government.
Construction Business Operator Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Failing to Pay More Than $4.4 Million of Payroll TaxesRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that CHRISTIAN VARELA, a former owner of a construction firm, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Philip M. Halpern to two years in prison for failing to pay to the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) more than $4.4 million of payroll taxes he collected from his employees. VARELA pled guilty to one count of failure to pay payroll taxes in September 2022.
According to the Information to which VARELA pled guilty and statements made in court:
VARELA owned and operated Gibraltar Contracting, Inc. (“Gibraltar”), a contracting firm with more than 55 employees that handled federal and state government construction contracts. VARELA was responsible under federal law for collecting, truthfully accounting for, and paying to the IRS federal income tax and contributions to Social Security and Medicare withheld from Gibraltar’s employees’ pay. In 10 different quarters from 2015 through 2018, VARELA failed to pay to the IRS a total of more than $4.4 million of these payroll taxes.
* * *
In addition to his prison term, VARELA, 48, of Staten Island, New York, was sentenced to three years of supervised release and 12 months of home confinement. The Court also imposed restitution to the IRS of $4,404,564.60.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the IRS-Criminal Investigation in this case.
The case is being prosecuted by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeffrey C. Coffman and James McMahon are in charge of the prosecution.
California man who allegedly trafficked women through multiple states using force, fraud, and coercion arrested and indicted in SeattleRead the Press Release
Seattle – A 30-year-old California man who allegedly forced women into prostitution using assaults, threats, and manipulation was arrested in Seattle last week on a grand jury indictment, announced U.S. Attorney Nick Brown. Brandon Denzel Washington appeared today, in U.S. District Court in Seattle, and was ordered detained pending trial. Washington is charged with four federal felonies related to human trafficking. He has pleaded “Not Guilty,” and trial is currently scheduled for July 2023.
According to the indictment, Washington is charged with two counts of Sex Trafficking through Force, Fraud, and Coercion. Count One charges the forced trafficking of an adult female in Seattle from 2014 to 2020. Count Three charges Sex Trafficking through Force, Fraud, and Coercion for a second victim in Seattle from 2017 to 2019. In each case, Washington transported the victims to engage in prostitution. The transportation is charged in Counts Two and Four. One victim was transported from California to Washington State and elsewhere to engage in commercial sex acts. The second victim was transported from Washington to Hawaii and elsewhere to engage in commercial sex acts.
The sex trafficking scheme was first uncovered when a retired Bellevue Police Officer working security noticed a high number of men visiting a Bellevue luxury apartment building over a period of just a few weeks. The investigation took off from there with law enforcement investigators analyzing financial records, travel records, ads for commercial sex posted in online forums, and social media posts to identify victims of Washington’s sex trafficking activities and to gather evidence of the offenses. Washington uses the name “Bentley” online and allegedly had women under his control tattoo the emblem of the luxury car company on their bodies to show his ownership.
According to records filed in the case, two different women have provided law enforcement with detailed accounts of the brutal assaults Washington used to keep the victims in his control and earning money for him through commercial sex acts. Washington is alleged to have trafficked multiple women through California, Washington, Nevada, Hawaii, Florida, New York, and other states. Evidence in the case reveals Washington allegedly forced one victim to sign a “contract” in blood spelling out that she had to earn $200,000 per year for him and “submit completely to him” – even asking permission to leave the house.
Washington’s social media posts indicate he remains active in human trafficking bragging about his luxury residences, vehicles, and wealth.
Sex trafficking through force, fraud and coercion is punishable by a mandatory minimum 15 years in prison. Transporting a victim for prostitution is punishable by up to 20 years in prison.
The case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Erin H. Becker.
California Man Convicted of Health Care Kickback ConspiracyRead the Press Release
TEXARKANA, Texas – A Temecula, California, man has been found guilty of federal violations related to a health care kickback scheme in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs today.
Steven Donofrio, 49, was found guilty by a jury on May 5, 2023, following a two-week trial before U.S. District Judge Robert W. Schroeder, III.
“This is the last of many defendants in this case who abused our healthcare system for the sake of stealing taxpayer dollars and in the process caused unnecessary medical procedures,” said U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs. “Protecting citizens from physical and financial harm is always a top priority for law enforcement and parasites like Donofrio, who prey on vulnerable citizens, will be brought to justice.”
“The reach of HHS/OIG is far and wide. Our agents and law enforcement partners will not be deterred by the scope of a healthcare fraud investigation or the location of its defendants,” said Jason E. Meadows, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, Dallas Region. “Donofrio and others stole millions from American taxpayers for medically unnecessary services and all to line the pockets of greedy individuals across the country. HHS/OIG and our partners remain laser-focused in our pursuit of those who use the Medicare trust fund as their own personal piggy bank.”
“Illegal kickback schemes corrupt the healthcare system by causing billions of dollars in losses each year. They also directly affect patients who expect to receive quality care and to be billed for legitimate services from their health care providers,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge Chad Yarbrough. “We will continue to work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to hold those who commit healthcare fraud accountable and seek justice for the patients that are harmed as a result of these schemes.”
According to information presented in court, Donofrio conspired with others to pay and receive kickbacks in exchange for the referral of, and arranging for, health care business, specifically pharmacogenetic (PGx) tests. Pharmacogenetic testing, also known as pharmacogenomic testing, is a type of genetic testing that identifies genetic variations that affect how an individual patient metabolizes certain drugs. The illegal arrangement concerned the referral of PGx tests to clinical laboratories in Fountain Valley, California; Irvine, California; and San Diego, California. More than $28 million in illegal kickback payments were exchanged by those involved in the conspiracy.
In December 2019, twelve individuals from three states were charged for their roles in the kickback conspiracy. A federal grand jury in the Eastern District of Texas returned an indictment against Philip Lamb, 48, of Eagle, Colorado; Nicolas Arroyo, 41, of Tempe, Arizona; Vincent Marchetti, Jr., 58, of Coronado, California; William Flowers, 58, of Houston, Texas; Steven Donofrio; James J. Walker, Jr. a/k/a Jimmy Walker, 49, of Frisco, Texas; Timothy Armstrong, deceased, formerly of Frisco, Texas; Virginia Blake Herrin, 57, of Frisco, Texas; Patrick Ridgeway, 53, of Jackson, Mississippi; Chismere Mallard, 42, of McAllen, Texas; Dr. Ray W. Ng, 65, of Dallas, Texas; and Ashley Kretzschmar, 37, of Aledo, Texas; for conspiring to commit illegal remunerations in violation of the Anti-Kickback Statute.
Philip Lamb, Nicolas Arroyo, Jimmy Walker, Timothy Armstrong, Virginia Blake Herrin, Patrick Ridgeway, Chismere Mallard, and Ashley Kretzschmar pleaded guilty prior to trial. Kimberly Willette, 61, of Friendswood, Texas, and Edwin Chad Isbell, 50, of Atascocita, Texas also pleaded guilty to related charges.
Vincent Marchetti, Jr., was found guilty by a jury on December 16, 2021, following a month-long trial. He was sentenced to 48 months in federal prison on August 30, 2022.
On April 25, 2022, Nicolas Arroyo was sentenced to 21 months in federal prison. On August 23, 2022, Kimberly Willette was sentenced to one year and one day in federal prison, and Patrick Ridgeway was sentenced to a three-year term of probation and ordered to pay a $100,000 fine.
The Anti-Kickback Statute prohibits offering, paying, soliciting, or receiving remunerations in exchange for the referral of or arranging for or recommending the ordering of items or services payable under federal health care programs. Under federal statutes, violations of the Anti-Kickback statute are punishable by up to five years in federal prison.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, and the FBI Dallas – Frisco Resident Agency. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nathaniel C. Kummerfeld, Lucas Machicek, and Adrian Garcia, with assistance from Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephan E. Oestreicher, Jr., Brent Andrus, and L. Frank Coan, Jr., and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Laurel E.P. Simmons.
###
Brooklyn, New York Drug Trafficker Sentenced to Five Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont – The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont stated that Jazzmeek Johnson, 31, of Brooklyn, New York was sentenced today to serve 60 months in prison after he pleaded guilty to distributing controlled substances, specifically cocaine base and fentanyl. United States District Judge Christina Reiss ordered that after Mr. Johnson’s release from custody, he must serve a 3-year term of supervised release. Mr. Johnson has been detained since his arrest in July 2022.
According to court records, law enforcement began investigating Jazzmeek Johnson in August 2021. During the course of the investigation, Mr. Johnson sold controlled substances to a confidential informant on five separate occasions. On one of those occasions, May 31, 2022, Mr. Johnson sold cocaine base and fentanyl to a confidential informant in Rutland, Vermont. Mr. Johnson was arrested on July 17, 2022, during a traffic stop. Following his arrest, Mr. Johnson confessed to selling drugs out of the Highlander Motel in Rutland.
United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest commended the investigatory efforts of Homeland Security Investigations, Rutland City Police Department, and the Vermont State Police.
Assistant United States Attorneys Jonathan Ophardt, Corinne Smith, and Zachary Stendig handled the prosecution. Heather Ross, Esq. represented Jazzmeek Johnson.Bronx Man Convicted of Sex Trafficking A MinorRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that MICHAEL PASCHAL was found guilty of all four counts at trial, including sex trafficking a minor and conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of a minor. The verdict followed a seven-day trial before U.S District Judge Vernon S. Broderick.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Michael Paschal targeted a vulnerable teenager and prostituted her with others for his own profit. He induced the minor victim with promises of food and shelter and then immediately exploited her. The jury’s guilty verdict and the Court’s immediate remand of the defendant send a clear message to the public that those who prostitute minors will be held accountable. We thank and commend the brave victim who came forward to law enforcement and testified at trial. Her testimony was critical in holding the defendant accountable and ensuring that he cannot harm other victims, including minors, again.”
According to the Indictment, documents previously filed in the case, and the evidence admitted at trial:
In or around July 2020, PASCHAL and a co-conspirator (“CC-1”) met a 17-year-old minor victim (“Minor Victim-1”) in another state. PASCHAL and CC-1 induced Minor Victim-1 to travel with him from another state to his house in the Bronx with promises of food and shelter and with the intent to prostitute Minor Victim-1 from his Bronx residence.
PASCHAL operated a prostitution business from his residence in the Bronx. Minor Victim-1 stayed at PASCHAL’s residence for several weeks in July 2020, during which time PASCHAL prostituted Minor Victim-1.
When Minor Victim-1 became sick, PASCHAL transported Minor Victim-1 to a children’s hospital for medical care. PASCHAL communicated with employees of the Administration for Children’s Services while Minor Victim-1 was in the hospital in an attempt to have Minor Victim-1 released into his custody.
That effort was unsuccessful, and Minor Victim-1 was returned to her home state. However, several weeks later, PASCHAL again began prostituting Minor Victim-1 from his residence in the Bronx. PASCHAL posted prostitution ads with sexually explicit photographs of Minor Victim-1 and communicated with sex buyers to facilitate commercial sex with Minor Victim-1.
PASCHAL prostituted Minor Victim-1, and worked with others to prostitute Minor Victim-1, for weeks until she was recovered from PASCHAL’s residence in or about December 2020. When confronted, PASCHAL told law enforcement, in substance, “what’s the big deal, she’s about to turn 18 anyway.”
* * *
PASCHAL, 52, of the Bronx, New York, was convicted of one count of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of a minor, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison; one count of sex trafficking of a minor, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison; one count of transporting a minor for the purpose of prostitution, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison; and one count of enticing an individual to travel interstate for the purpose of prostitution, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. The defendant was remanded into custody after the guilty verdict.
The minimum and maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant would be determined by the judge. PASCHAL is scheduled to be sentenced on September 6, 2023.
Any individuals who believe they have information that may be relevant to this case should contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office at 1-866-874-8900 and reference this case.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding work of Homeland Security Investigations.
The case is being prosecuted by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin Mead, Jackie Delligatti, and Jane Kim are in charge of the prosecution, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Isabel Loftus.
Armed Carjacking and Other Charges Filed Against D.C. Man for String of Armed Robberies at Convenience Stores and Gas StationsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Shamell Joyner, 35, of the District of Columbia, has been charged by superseding criminal complaint in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia for an April 13, 2023, armed carjacking and a series of armed robberies committed between April 12 and May 2, 2023.
U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Special Agent in Charge Wayne A. Jacobs, of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division, and Chief Robert J. Contee III, of the Metropolitan Police Department announced the charges.
The superseding criminal complaint describes an armed carjacking from April 13, and eight robberies of commercial establishments from April 12 through May 2, at locations in Northeast and Northwest Washington, as well as in Alexandria, Virginia, and Hanover, Maryland. As alleged in the complaint, Joyner brandished a firearm during all of the robberies. He discharged a firearm during the April 12 armed robbery of a Northwest Washington gas station and the April 17 armed robbery of an Alexandria, Virginia convenience store. A store employee working at the time of the Alexandria robbery sustained a non–life threatening gunshot wound to his leg.
Joyner is also alleged to have carjacked a man at gunpoint in the Mount Vernon Triangle neighborhood on April 13, and to have used that car to commit subsequent armed robbery offenses. In addition, Joyner is alleged to have robbed a Hanover, Maryland gas station at gunpoint on May 2, during which he also stole a station employee’s vehicle. The Metropolitan Police Department found Joyner in the stolen vehicle’s driver’s seat later that day and arrested him. At the time of his arrest, Joyner was in possession of a firearm used in several of the robberies, as well as clothing and other evidence that tied him to numerous offenses.
Joyner has been detained since his May 2, 2023, arrest pending further court proceedings.
Joyner is charged with 16 counts under the United States and District of Columbia Codes. Under the U.S. Code, Joyner is charged with six counts of Interference with Interstate Commerce by Robbery (also known as “Hobbs Act” robbery), which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; six counts of Using, Carrying, and Possessing a Firearm During a Crime of Violence, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of up to 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison; two counts of Interstate Transportation of Stolen Vehicles, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison; and one count of Unlawful Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition by a Person Convicted of a Crime Punishable by Imprisonment for a Term Exceeding One Year, which carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. Under the D.C. Code, Joyner is charged with one count of Armed Carjacking, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison and a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison. The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and the Council of the District of Columbia and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentence imposed in this case will be determined by a federal district court judge after considering applicable sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
This case is being investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office’s Violent Crime Task Force and the Metropolitan Police Department’s Carjacking Task Force. Valuable assistance was provided by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Alexandria City, Anne Arundel County, Fairfax County, and Prince George’s County Police Departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul V. Courtney and Special Assistant United States Attorney Lauren E. Renaud of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
The investigation into these offenses and potentially related armed robberies of commercial establishments located in the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia remains ongoing. Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.
Ardmore Residents Sentenced for Use and Carry of A Firearm in Furtherance of A Crime of ViolenceRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announces that Shawn Braiden Hickman, age 19, of Ardmore, Oklahoma, and Christopher Hunter Skolarski, age 20, of Ardmore, Oklahoma, have been sentenced to 60 months in prison for Use and Carry of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Crime of Violence.
On March 9, 2022, Skolarski pled guilty to one count of Use and Carry of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Crime of Violence, and on April 12, 2022, Hickman pled guilty to one count of Use and Carry of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Crime of Violence. The guilty pleas stemmed from an incident September 27, 2021, wherein Hickman and Skolarski attempted to rob a pedestrian at gunpoint on a city street in Ardmore.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Ardmore Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
“Prosecuting criminals who use firearms to commit violent crimes is a priority of the Department of Justice," said United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson. “Gun crime will not be tolerated.”
"This case serves as a reminder to violent offenders who are a menace in our communities, that the FBI continues to protect the public and hold accountable those who have such bold disregard for the law and for the safety of others,” said FBI Oklahoma City Special Agent in Charge Edward J. Gray.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma prosecuted this case because Hickman and the victim are members of federally recognized Indian tribes and the crime occurred in Carter County, which is within the boundaries of the Chickasaw Nation Reservation and the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The Honorable Charles B. Goodwin, United States District Judge for the Western District of Oklahoma, presided over the case and sentenced Hickman and Skolarski in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Hickman and Skolarski were remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshal at the conclusion of their sentencing. They will remain in custody pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve their sentence of incarceration.
Assistant United States Attorney Cameron McEwen represented the United States.
Albany Woman and Troy Man Plead Guilty to Money Laundering and Marijuana TraffickingRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Latrice Mumphrey, age 42, of Albany, and Victor Turner, age 68, of Troy, New York, pled guilty today to conspiracy to commit money laundering and conspiracy to distribute marijuana, respectively.
United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; John B. DeVito, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF); Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division; Chief Daniel DeWolf of the Troy Police Department; and Matthew Scarpino, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), made the announcement.
In pleading guilty, Mumphrey and Turner admitted to being members of a marijuana/THC and money laundering organization that shipped marijuana and THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) from Fresno, California, to locations throughout the United States, including the Capital Region.
Mumphrey admitted to conspiring with Dwight A. Singletary, aka “Nutt” and “Mike Jones,” and her husband, Lawrence Mumphrey, aka “L,” to launder the proceeds of marijuana and THC sales by purchasing cashier’s checks with cash drug proceeds.
Federal law requires financial institutions to complete a currency transaction report for cash transactions over $10,000.
To avoid the reporting requirement and otherwise conceal the cash drug proceeds, Walker purchased four cashier’s checks in amounts slightly below the reporting threshold with $37,150 in cash drug proceeds. The cashier’s checks were payable to Dwight Singletary; a law firm used by Singletary; a company from which Dwight Singletary and McKenzie Merrialice Coles, aka “Kenzie,” purchased real estate; and to a person from whom Dwight Singletary and his company, DAS Empire, Inc., purchased real estate.
Turner admitted to regularly receiving packages of marijuana shipped from Fresno by Dwight Singletary and McKenzie Coles at his residence in Troy. Turner was notified of the shipments by Rosemary Coles, who texted Turner tracking information and shipping receipts for the packages of marijuana. The marijuana in the packages, which were often sealed with eBay packing tape, was concealed in dog food containers and suitcases. At times, Rosemary Coles and David Singletary, aka “DB,” picked up the marijuana from Turner at his residence; at other times, Turner delivered the marijuana to Rosemary Coles at her residence in Troy. Turner was paid between $300 and $400 for each package of marijuana he received.
Mumphrey faces up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $500,000, and may also be required to serve up to 3 years of supervised release. Turner faces up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $1 million, and will be required to serve at least 3 years of supervised release.
A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
Mumphrey and Turner were charged in an indictment with Dwight and David Singletary, McKenzie and Rosemary Coles, Lawrence Mumphrey and 17 other people charging marijuana distribution and money laundering conspiracies, firearms offenses, and other crimes. Dwight Singletary, David Singletary, McKenzie Coles, Rosemary Coles, and Lawrence Mumphrey have pled not guilty and are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. The charges in the indictment are merely accusations.
Two other defendants, Kristle Walker and Sammy Olague, previously pled guilty and are pending sentencing.
The ATF, DEA, Troy Police Department, and HSI are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cyrus P.W. Rieck and Dustin C. Segovia are prosecuting the case.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Advanced Practice Registered Nurse Pleads Guilty to Unlawful Distribution of Controlled Substances and Health Care FraudRead the Press Release
A Tennessee woman pleaded guilty today to unlawfully distributing controlled substances and health care fraud.
According to court documents, Kelly McCallum, 41, of Dyersburg, was an advance practice registered nurse who operated Convenient Care Clinic and held a registration from the DEA, which allowed her to prescribe controlled substances. From January 2017 until early 2021, McCallum had sexual relationships with two patients for whom she was their medical provider. She was aware that another patient fatally overdosed after she prescribed them controlled substances but nevertheless continued to prescribe controlled substances outside the usual course of professional practice and not for a legitimate medical purpose. McCallum also billed Medicare and Medicaid for examinations and other services that she did not personally render, resulting in Medicare and Medicaid paying her approximately $16,234 for services she did not provide.
McCallum pleaded guilty to two counts of unlawful distribution of controlled substances and one count of health care fraud. She is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 3 and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each controlled substance count, and a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison on the health care fraud count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
In June 2021, the Tennessee Board of Nursing summarily suspended McCallum’s registered nurse license and advance practice registered nurse certificate and ordered her to cease and desist from practicing in the state of Tennessee.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Kevin G. Ritz for the Western District of Tennessee, Special Agent in Charge Chris Ramage of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation’s Medicaid Fraud Control Division for West Tennessee, Special Agent in Charge Tamala Miles of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG), Acting Special Agent in Charge Douglas S. DePodesta of the FBI Memphis Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge J. Todd Scott of the DEA Louisville Division made the announcement.
The HHS-OIG, FBI, DEA, and Tennessee Bureau of Investigation are investigating the case.
Assistant Chief Jillian Willis and Trial Attorney Kathryn Furtado of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Christie Hopper for the Western District of Tennessee are prosecuting the case.
Since its inception in late 2018, the Appalachian Regional Prescription Opioid (ARPO) Strike Force has partnered with federal and state law enforcement agencies and U.S. Attorneys’ Offices throughout Appalachia to prosecute medical professionals and others involved in the illegal prescription and distribution of opioids. Over the past four years, ARPO has charged over 115 defendants, collectively responsible for issuing prescriptions for over 115 million controlled substance dosage units. As a result, to date, more than 70 defendants have been convicted. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
Information about available treatment programs is available as follows:
Tennessee patients receiving care from this practice that wish to obtain information on how to find treatment for mental and substance use disorders, where to access naloxone and other harm reduction services, and information about crisis helplines can utilize these Tennessee resources:
- Search for substance use treatment facilities at www.findtreatment.gov/.
- Call 855-CRISIS-1 (855) 274-7471 or Text “TN” to 741-741, a crisis service and suicide prevention hotline.
- The Tennessee REDLINE is the 24/7/365 resource for substance abuse treatment referrals. Anyone can call or text (800) 889-9789 for confidential referrals.
- Naloxone Public Overdose Response Programs in Tennessee supply naloxone and may be found using this list.
Visit www.tn.gov/behavioral-health/substance-abuse-services/prevention/rops.html to see a locator map. Naloxone may also be found in your local pharmacy and billed to insurance and Medicaid.
In addition, those needing access to opioid treatment service can contact the Department of Health and Human Services’ Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration 24/7 National Helpline for referrals to treatment services at 1-800-662-4359.
Medications obtained illicitly are very dangerous as they are often not what they appear, and frequently contain contaminants and extremely potent substances such as fentanyl that greatly increase the risk of overdose and death.
12 New Federal Cases Filed as Law Enforcement Continues Vigorous Response to Deadly Fentanyl EpidemicRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – Law enforcement officials today announced a dozen new federal cases targeting fentanyl dealers who, in all but one case, allegedly sold fentanyl and fake pills containing fentanyl that directly resulted in the death of at least one victim. The 12th case charges an alleged dealer who distributed fentanyl to teenage girls who suffered overdoses and required hospitalization.
In another matter announced today, a man who sold fentanyl through several dark web marketplaces has agreed to plead guilty to federal charges, admitting that his products caused the death of three individuals and that he sold fentanyl-laced pills to two others who died soon after.
The announcement was made at a news conference in which federal authorities, joined by a host of local law enforcement leaders, discussed their ongoing efforts to combat the proliferation of fentanyl, the extremely powerful synthetic opioid that is found in many illicit drugs and is killing approximately 70,000 Americans every year.
“We are fully committed to combating the fentanyl crisis, which is wreaking so much destruction across this nation,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. “Those who traffic in fentanyl should be on notice that our office will hold you accountable and the consequences will be severe. The deadly risks of fentanyl are well known. The cases announced today charge drug dealers who have caused the death or injury of others, and thereby prioritized greed over human life. These cases that focus on fentanyl distribution resulting in death are the result of an unprecedented level of cooperation between federal agents and local authorities throughout our district.”
“The two main drivers that are causing fentanyl related deaths in our community and throughout the nation are accessibility and deception,” said DEA Los Angeles Special Agent in Charge Bill Bodner. “Social media platforms have made fentanyl widely available to anyone with a smartphone and made every neighborhood an open-air drug market. The deceptive marketing tactics used by the Sinaloa and Jalisco New Generation cartels have created a vast pool of victims who unknowingly ingested fentanyl and did not make a choice to be harmed or die. Through the DEA Overdose Justice Task Force we continue to send a strong message to individuals who engage in drug trafficking resulting in death or great bodily injury that selling even one fentanyl pill will have significant consequences in the federal criminal justice system.”
“Drug traffickers operating on the darknet use encrypted communications and decentralized currency in an attempt to conceal their illicit trade, but the joint efforts announced today are evidence that their perceived anonymity is a myth,” said Donald Alway, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office. “We will continue to use every tool at our disposal to identify drug trafficking on the darknet, including sales of pills pressed with fentanyl, a poisonous ingredient that’s led to an unprecedented number of deaths in the United States each year.”
The 12 new cases being announced today are a result of the ongoing efforts of the Overdose Justice Task Force, a DEA-led project designed to investigate fatal fentanyl poisonings and identify the individuals who provided the fentanyl that directly caused the deaths. Under the Overdose Justice program for the DEA’s Los Angeles Field Division, DEA agents have established collaborative relationships with local law enforcement agencies across the seven counties that make up the Central District of California. Local authorities are almost always the first to respond to an overdose death, and DEA agents have provided training to dozens of local agencies to help them analyze evidence to determine if there are circumstances that might lead to a federal criminal prosecution.
Since the project’s launch in 2018, and including the cases announced today, the United States Attorney’s Office has filed charges against 64 defendants who allegedly sold drugs that resulted in a fatal fentanyl poisoning.
OVERDOSE JUSTICE TASK FORCE CASES
The United States Attorney’s Office and the DEA today announced 12 cases that charged 13 defendants. Most of the defendants discussed below have entered not guilty pleas to the charges containing in indictments issued by federal grand juries.
- U.S. v. Benavides-Schorgi
Adrian Benavides-Schorgi, 22, of the Jefferson Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, is accused of selling counterfeit pills containing fentanyl that led to life-threatening overdoses of two 15-year-old girls in Santa Monica who thought they were buying ecstasy. Benavides-Schorgi was charged by a federal grand jury with one count of distribution of fentanyl resulting in serious bodily injury for the alleged narcotics sale on May 24, 2022. Benavides-Schorgi was arrested on April 27, and he was ordered held without bond at a hearing the following day. A trial in this matter is scheduled for June 20. The DEA and the Santa Monica Police Department are investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy Beecher of the General Crimes Section is prosecuting this case.
- U.S. v. Galvan
Heriberto Galvan, 24, of North Hollywood, was arrested last week on charges of distribution of fentanyl resulting in death, distribution and possession with the intent to distribute controlled substances, possession of a firearm and a short-barrel rifle in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes, and possession of an unregistered firearm. The indictment alleges that Galvan distributed fentanyl on December 4, 2021 to a 19-year-old man from La Cañada Flintridge who was found dead in his car the next day. Galvan allegedly distributed fentanyl in another transaction on January 19, 2022. A subsequent search of Galvan’s residence led to the discovery of more fentanyl and cocaine, along with a short-barrel AR-type “ghost gun.” Galvan was named in a six-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury on May 5, and he was arrested later that day. Galvan was arraigned on Monday and was ordered held in custody without bond pending a trial scheduled for July 11. The DEA and the Glendale Police Department are investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Alix McKenna of the General Crimes Section is prosecuting this case.
- U.S. v. Gutierrez
Juan Carlos Gutierrez, 32, of Montebello, was arrested on May 2 after being indicted on a charge of distribution of fentanyl resulting in death. On December 9, 2022, Gutierrez distributed fentanyl that resulted in the death of a 34-year-old man at a Long Beach drug treatment facility the next day. At his arraignment on May 5, Guiterrez was ordered held without bond, and a trial was scheduled for June 27. The DEA and the Long Beach Police Department are investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorneys Amanda B. Elbogen of the Terrorism and Export Crimes Section and Jeremy Beecher of the General Crimes Section are prosecuting this case.
- U.S. v. Wendel and Villapania
Kaelen Jacobkeali Wendel, 31, of Lompoc, and Michael Villapania, 35, of Santa Barbara, were indicted on a charge of distributing fentanyl that led to the death of one jail inmate and serious bodily injury to a second. Early on October 20, 2022, two male inmates at the Santa Barbara Northern County Jail overdosed on fentanyl. Custody deputies and medical personnel at the jail administered CPR and Narcan on both inmates. They were able to save one inmate, “J.V.,” however, the second inmate, “E.E.,” did not survive. The investigation revealed that Wendel, a new inmate at the facility, brought fentanyl into the unit, and Villapania, who knew both Wendel and J.V., brokered a deal with J.V. in which Villapania allegedly sold some of the drugs in exchange for commissary items. J.V., in turn, allegedly shared some of the drugs with his cellmate, E.E., the inmate who died after ingesting the fentanyl. The indictment was filed on February 10, Villapania was arraigned on March 23, and Wendel was arraigned on April 24. Both men are being held without bond pending trial. The DEA and the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office are investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Suria M. Bahadue of the Criminal Appeals Section is prosecuting this case.
- U.S. v. Cruz
Javier Carlos “Juvy” Cruz, 22, of Ontario, was arrested April 21 after being indicted on drug distribution and weapons charges. The five-count indictment alleges that Cruz sold fentanyl to an Ontario man on November 11, 2022. The 26-year-old victim died the next day, and a toxicologist determined that fentanyl toxicity was the cause of death. During the subsequent investigation by the DEA and the Ontario Police Department, Cruz was the subject of a search on December 27, 2022, which led to the discovery of fentanyl on his person and nearly 1,500 counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl. Investigators also seized three semiautomatic handguns from Cruz’s residence. The indictment charges Cruz with distribution of fentanyl resulting in death, possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine, and possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes. Cruz is currently detained pending his June 13 trial date. Assistant United States Attorneys Pete Dahlquist and Miles J. Robinson of the Riverside Branch Office are prosecuting this case.
- U.S. v. Diaz
Luis Enrique Diaz, 22, of Victorville, was arrested April 21 after being indicted on charges of distributing fake oxycodone pills containing fentanyl that resulted in the death of a 28-year-old Hesperia man. When contacted by law enforcement on April 10, 2021 – the day after the victim died – authorities allegedly recovered additional fake pills from Diaz’s person. The indictment charges Diaz with distribution of fentanyl resulting in death and possession with the intent to distributed fentanyl. Diaz is currently detained pending a trial scheduled for June 13. This case is being investigated by the DEA and the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant United States Attorney Pete Dahlquist of the Riverside Branch Office is prosecuting this case.
- U.S. v. Alvarado
Dominick Kingdiamond Alvarado, 22, of Tarzana, was arrested May 3 on charges of distributing fentanyl in form of fake Percocet pills that caused the deaths of an 18-year-old man and a 17-year-old girl. Alvarado allegedly sold fake pills laced with fentanyl to a group of young people in a transaction in Valencia on July 11, 2022. Two days later, an 18-year-old Santa Clarita resident was found dead by his brother. Ten days after the first death, Alvarado allegedly sold fake pills containing fentanyl to another group of teenagers at the same mall in Valencia where the prior transaction took place. Following this second sale, a 17-year-old girl died of fentanyl poisoning after ingesting the narcotics and suffering an overdose in a Santa Clarita park. Following his arrest, Alvarado was ordered held without bond, and a trial was scheduled for June 27. The DEA and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department are conducting the investigation this matter. Assistant United States Attorneys Alix McKenna and J'me K. Forrest of the General Crimes Section are prosecuting this case.
- U.S. v. Brunfman
Kimber Brunfman, 26, of East Brunswick, New Jersey, was arrested on May 2, after being charged by a grand jury with distribution of fentanyl resulting in death. The indictment alleges that Brunfman, in the days after Thanksgiving 2022, distributed fentanyl that resulted in the death of a 26-year-old Thousand Oaks man. The investigation in this case revealed that Brunfman allegedly mailed the fentanyl from Philadelphia to the victim in California. Brunfman was ordered detained in New Jersey, and he is expected to be arraigned in Los Angeles in the coming weeks. The DEA and the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office are investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Laura A. Alexander of the General Crimes Section is prosecuting this case.
- U.S. v. Villegas
Joshua Villegas, 25, of Torrance, was arrested April 21 pursuant to a federal grand jury indictment charging him with one count of distribution of fentanyl resulting in death. On May 30, 2020, Villegas allegedly distributed fentanyl, which resulted in the death of a person who lived in the same apartment complex. The investigation revealed that Villegas used Instagram to negotiate the drug deal. Following the arrest, a United States magistrate judge ordered Villegas jailed without bond. A jury trial in this matter is scheduled for June 13. The DEA and the Torrance Police Department are investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Declan T. Conroy of the General Crimes Section is prosecuting this case.
- U.S. v. Campos
Edgar Arturo Campos, 27, of Coachella, was arrested March 13 on a federal grand jury indictment charging him with one count of distribution of fentanyl and cocaine resulting in death. On December 12, 2020, Campos allegedly sold cocaine and fentanyl to the 23-year-old victim, who ingested the drugs the next morning. The victim’s parents found her body in her bedroom in La Quinta. Evidence shows the victim and Campos allegedly negotiated a drug deal in the hours prior to her death. Campos is free on $35,000 bond. His trial is scheduled to start on August 15 in United States District Court in Riverside. The DEA and Riverside County Sheriff’s Department are investigating this matter. Special Assistant United States Attorney Stephen T. Merrill of the Riverside Branch Office is prosecuting this case.
- U.S. v. Maya
Sergio Maya, 32, of Lake Elsinore, was indicted on March 29 and charged with one count of distribution of fluorofentanyl and fentanyl resulting in death. During the early morning hours May 26, 2022, the victim allegedly met with Maya to purchase fentanyl. The victim’s body was discovered by his roommate, who notified law enforcement. Toxicology tests indicated the presence of fentanyl and fluorofentanyl – a fentanyl analogue chemically similar to fentanyl – in the victim’s body. Maya is currently in state custody for an unrelated state criminal case. He will make his initial appearance in United States District Court in Riverside at the conclusion of the state criminal case. The DEA and the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department are investigating this matter. Special Assistant United States Attorney Stephen T. Merrill of the Riverside Branch Office is prosecuting this case.
- U.S. v. Varvara
John Nicholas Varvara, 31, of Mission Viejo, was arrested March 1 pursuant to a grand jury indictment that accuses him of distributing fentanyl resulting in death. The charge stems from a December 5, 2021 sale to a 27-year-old man who died at his father’s Huntington Beach residence two days later. A trial in this matter is scheduled for March 24, 2024. This matter is being investigated by the DEA and the Huntington Beach Police Department. Special Assistant United States Attorney Nikki Elkerton of the Santa Ana Branch Office is prosecuting this case.
In relation to the pending cases noted above, indictments contain allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Joint Criminal Opioid and Darknet Enforcement (JCODE) Team
The final case being announced is the product of an investigation by the FBI under auspices of the FBI-led JCODE team, which the Justice Department established to lead and coordinate government efforts to detect, disrupt and dismantle major criminal enterprises reliant on the darknet for trafficking opioids and other illicit narcotics.
- U.S. v. Srinivasan
Rajiv Srinivasan, 37, of Houston, has agreed to plead guilty to distribution of fentanyl resulting in death and conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute controlled substances, acknowledging that his drug trafficking activities caused at least three deaths.
In a plea agreement filed April 20, Srinivasan operated the account “redlightlabs” on multiple marketplaces on the dark web, where he advertised and sold fake oxycodone pills containing fentanyl. In addition to operating under the greater anonymity offered on the dark web, Srinivasan further admitted he tried to evade law enforcement by using encrypted messaging applications and asked for payment to be made in cryptocurrency.
Srinivasan admitted in the plea agreement that over approximately nine months in 2022, he and his co-defendant “engaged in at least 3,800 drug transactions with approximately 1,500 customers across the country, selling at least 123,688 pills resembling M30 pills which in fact contained fentanyl,” in addition to approximately 20 pounds of methamphetamine and lesser quantities of fentanyl powder, black tar heroin, and cocaine.
Srinivasa admitted that the drug sales in 2022 directly led to fatal overdoses of three individuals who resided in Fort Collins, Colorado; The Villages, Florida; and Fayetteville, Arkansas. In the plea agreement, Srinivasan further admitted he and his co-defendant distributed fake pills to two other individuals – one in Livonia, Michigan; the other in Santa Cruz – “who died of drug overdoses shortly after receiving the fentanyl-laced pills.”
Srinivasan is scheduled to formally plead guilty on June 5 in United States District Court in Los Angeles. Following the entry of his guilty pleas to the two charges, Srinivasan will face a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in federal prison and a potential sentence of life without parole.
The second defendant charged by a federal grand jury in this case – Michael Ta, 24, of Westminster – is currently scheduled to go on trial on November 14.
Assistant United States Attorney Gregg E. Marmaro of the International Narcotics, Money Laundering, and Racketeering Section is prosecuting this case.
12 KC-Area Residents Indicted for $250,000 Covid Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A dozen Kansas City metropolitan residents have been indicted for their roles in a conspiracy that resulted in nearly $250,000 in fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans being issued under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
Renetta Golden-Larimore, 54, Don A. Baker, 47, Stephan Booth, 40, Candace E. Hill-Williams, 25, Reisjon Larimore, 25, Teiara M. Mercer, 23, Padgit L. Smith, 48, Joseph Valdivia III, 45, Salvadore Valdivia, 41, and Mone’y C. Woods, 21, all of Kansas City, Mo.; Cameron P. Henderson, 27, of Independence, Mo.; and Roger Larimore, 27, of Raytown, Mo., were charged in a 13-count indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo., on April 26, 2023. The indictment was unsealed and made public today upon the arrests and initial court appearances of several defendants.
According to the indictment, Golden-Larimore prepared and filed fraudulent PPP loan applications on behalf of the other co-conspirators. She allegedly received payments between $2,000 and $7,000 from the loan proceeds for her assistance in filing false and fraudulent PPP loan applications. Golden-Larimore created counterfeit IRS forms for nonexistent businesses, the indictment says, and inflated income for existing businesses in order to qualify the borrower for a PPP loan.
Each of the defendants received a PPP loan of either $20,832 or $20,833.
In addition to the conspiracy, Golden-Larimore is charged with 12 counts of wire fraud. Each of the remaining defendants are also charged with aiding and abetting her in one of those wire fraud counts for the fraudulent loan they received.
The indictment also contains a forfeiture allegation, which would require each of the defendants to forfeit to the government any property obtained from the proceeds of the alleged offenses, including a money judgment of $20,832 for each defendant.
In a separate case that arose from the federal investigation, Theresa R. Griswold, 42, of Olathe, Kansas, has pleaded guilty to wire fraud after obtaining a fraudulent PPP loan during this conspiracy. Griswold admitted she received a fraudulent $20,832 PPP loan.
The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul S. Becker. It was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation and the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.
Monday 8 May 2023
Wellesley Man Sentenced to More Than Four Years in Prison for Fentanyl, Heroin and Cocaine TraffickingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Wellesley man was sentenced in federal court in Boston for trafficking fentanyl, heroin and cocaine.
Charialdi Tejeda-Lara, 25, was sentenced on May 4, 2023, by U.S. District Court Judge Judge Leo T. Sorokin to 54 months in prison and five years of supervised release. In November 2022, Tejeda-Lara pleaded guilty to three counts of possession with the intent to distribute cocaine, 400 or more grams of fentanyl and 100 or more grams of heroin.In May 2022, law enforcement opened an investigation into Tejeda-Lara’s distribution of fentanyl. During a search of his residence, approximately 5 kilograms of fentanyl, 327 grams of heroin and 46 grams of cocaine was seized.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Michael J. Krol, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; John E. Mawn, Colonel Massachusetts State Police; and Wellesley Police Chief Jack Pilecki made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan D. O’Shea of Rollins’ Worcester Branch Office prosecuted the case.
This case 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.
United States Attorney Statement on Death of St. Croix County Deputy Kaitie LeisingRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – “My entire office and I join with all Wisconsinites in expressing our deepest sympathy to the family, friends, and law enforcement colleagues of St. Croix County Deputy Kaitie Leising,” said Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin. “Deputy Leising gave her life to protect and serve the people of St. Croix County. Her sacrifice will not be forgotten.”
“This tragic loss comes just four weeks after we mourned the deaths of Chetek Police Officer Emily Breidenbach and Cameron Police Officer Hunter Scheel,” U.S. Attorney O’Shea said. “Every day, law enforcement officers throughout Wisconsin selflessly answer the call to service, knowing that at any moment they may be in harm’s way. They deserve our respect, our gratitude, and our support.”
The death of Deputy Leising has occurred at the beginning of National Police Week, a series of remembrances and events from May 9 through May 15. Attorney General Merrick Garland and leaders of federal law enforcement agencies will lay wreaths at the National Law Enforcement Memorial in Washington, D.C. There will be a candlelight vigil at the Memorial on Saturday, May 13, and the National Peace Officers’ Memorial Service will take place on Monday, May 15. The annual Wisconsin Law Enforcement Memorial Ceremony will take place at the Wisconsin Law Enforcement Memorial on the State Capitol Grounds on Friday, May 19, 2023.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Joins National Prevention Week Celebrations Across the Country, May 7-13Read the Press Release
Salt Lake City, Utah – Today, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah joins communities across the country in celebrating the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Prevention Week 2023. The goal of this annual recognition is to increase public awareness and action around mental and substance misuse disorders.
Focusing on reducing recidivism, U.S. Attorney Trina A. Higgins is focused on making Utah communities safer by focusing on prevention efforts within the district’s reentry courts. Within the District of Utah there are five specialty courts, Drug Court, Behavioral Health Court, Tribal Court (TCRC), Alternative Conviction (UACT), and Veterans Court. Reentry is the transition period when a person is under supervision following release from incarceration and placed back into the community. During this transition, a probation officer is assigned to supervise, monitor, and develop a plan that addresses the clients’ needs and satisfies the conditions of their release.
Charlie Wiscaver, a recent graduate of Veterans Court, shares his story after he was indicted by a federal grand jury and prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for financial fraud in 2020.
“I believe it changed my life around 100 percent,” said Wiscaver. “VA Court was so centralized and individualized I was able to address everything that was getting to me along with my substance abuse.”
Watch Wiscaver’s full story here: https://youtu.be/TGulNkbtVTg
Each year, SAMHSA’s National Prevention Week showcases the work of communities and organizations across the country dedicated to raising awareness about the importance of substance misuse prevention and positive mental health. For more information about SAMHSA, visit https://www.samhsa.gov/prevention-week.
U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania Recognizes the Second Annual National Fentanyl Awareness DayRead the Press Release
SCRANTON – The safety and wellbeing of our community is always of utmost importance, which is why the U.S. Attorney’s Office is publicizing the second annual National Fentanyl Awareness Day on Tuesday, May 9, 2023. This day is an effort to educate individuals around the dangerous threat that fentanyl poses to the safety of our communities.
United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam is raising public awareness about an urgent problem: people are dying at alarming rates due to illicitly manufactured fentanyl, a potent synthetic opioid that is up to 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, over 150 people die every day from overdoses related to synthetic opioids like fentanyl.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is working every day to shut down drug traffickers and remove these drugs from our communities. Most recently, our office prosecuted Tarik Wilson, age 24, of Bensalem, PA, who was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for conspiring to distribute fentanyl in Burks and Lebanon Counties, and for distributing fentanyl that resulted in the deaths of two individuals.
The Middle District also recently prosecuted brothers Jose Raymer Tejeda, age 38, and Edwin Tejeda, age 32, both of Wilkes-Barre, PA, who were sentenced to 188 months of imprisonment each, for running a drug trafficking conspiracy that distributed significant quantities of fentanyl and cocaine in the Wilkes-Barre region. One of the brother’s coconspirators distributed fentanyl to an individual who subsequently sold it to an individual who shortly after ingesting the fentanyl, overdosed, and died.
To mark National Fentanyl Awareness Day, a coalition of businesses, nonprofits and experts came together to create a series of one-hour virtual webinars with issue-area experts that will speak on an array of topics related to the illicit fentanyl crisis. All sessions are free of charge and open to the public. The series will include:
- What Parents Need to Know About Fentanyl Poisonings and Overdoses Time: 12-1p ET
- Fentanyl in Party Drugs: Harm Reduction Strategies Time: 1:30-2:30p ET
- The Illicit Fentanyl Crisis: Different Paths to Common Ground Time: 3-4p ET
- How Fentanyl Really Shows Up in Our Communities Time: 4:30-5:30p ET
- Predictable Patterns of Drug Overdose Deaths: Does Fentanyl Follow the Rules? Time: 6-7p ET
If you if you or someone you know is struggling with addiction there is help. Please contact the National Rehab Hotline at 1-866-210-1303 that is available around the clock, 365 days a year to help you through a substance abuse or mental health crisis.
# # #
Three Men Indicted for Conspiracy Involving Fentanyl, Fentanyl Analogs and CocaineRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Three Essex County men have been indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston in connection with a drug conspiracy involving distribution of fentanyl, fentanyl analog and cocaine.
Daniel Lopez-Gonzalez, 27, of Methuen; Erickson Castro Perez, 30, of Lawrence; and Gustavo Adolfo Reyes Gonzalez, 21, of Haverhill, have been indicted on one count each of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. Castro Perez was also indicted on three additional counts: one count of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute para-fluorofentanyl; one count of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine; and one count of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
Reyes Gonzalez was arrested on May 4, 2023 and was released on conditions following an initial appearance in federal court in Worcester that day. Lopez-Gonzalez was arrested on state charges on Jan. 23, 2023 and remains in state custody. Castro Perez is in state custody on an unrelated matter. Lopez-Gonzalez and Castro Perez will appear in federal court in Worcester at a later date.
According to the charging document, between June 2022 and January 2023, Lopez-Gonzalez, Castro Perez and Reyes Gonzalez conspired to distribute controlled substances. Lopez-Gonzalez is allegedly responsible for distributing 400 grams of more of fentanyl and 100 grams or more of substances that are chemically analogous to fentanyl known as acetyl fentanyl and para-fluorofentanyl. It is further alleged that, on June 30, 2022, Castro Perez distributed para-fluorofentanyl in Haverhill; that on July 20, 2022, Castro Perez distributed fentanyl and cocaine in Haverhill; and that on Aug. 25, 2022, Castro Perez distributed fentanyl in Haverhill.
The charges of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, distribution of and possession with intent to distribute para-fluorofentanyl, distribution of and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine, and distribution of and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $1 million. The charge of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, 100 grams or more of acetyl fentanyl, and 100 Grams or more of para-fluorofentanyl provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $10 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins and Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Samuel R. Feldman of Rollins’ Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in the District of New Hampshire Receives a Superior Performance Award in WashingtonRead the Press Release
CONCORD – Philip A. DeVincent, the Administrative Officer at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, was honored in Washington D.C. with a Director’s Award for his service to the District of New Hampshire, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces.
“Phil DeVincent was the standard-bearer for office administration during an unprecedented period in our nation,” said U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young. “His leadership skills and creative thinking ensured that the daily operations of the office continued during the pandemic, so that the people of the District of New Hampshire had the highest level of performance and response from the United States Attorney’s Office.”
Mr. DeVincent received the Superior Performance in Administration award for his exceptional leadership in managing staff and for providing excellent customer service through the COVID-19 pandemic. Mr. DeVincent enabled the U.S. Attorney’s Office to continue to function at the highest level during the pandemic. Among other efforts, Mr. DeVincent facilitated remote work to keep federal prosecutors and support staff healthy and developed a system to test out-of-state witnesses for COVID before their court appearances. Mr. DeVincent’s administrative skills served as a model for all federal employees.
The ceremony took place on Wednesday, May 3, 2023, in the Great Hall of the U.S. Department of Justice, and was attended by the Attorney General Merrick Garland, Deputy Attorney General Lisa M. Monaco, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young, and other U.S. Attorneys from across the country.
###
Stoughton Man Pleads Guilty to Social Security and Passport FraudRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Stoughton man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to charges in connection with using the identifying information of another person to apply for a driver’s license and United States passport.
Wilfrido Baez Villar, 49, pleaded guilty to one count of false representation of a Social Security number and one count of making a false statement in an application for a passport. U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young scheduled sentencing for Sept. 12, 2023.
In January 2019, Baez Villar falsely represented another individual’s Social Security number as his own on a renewal application for a Massachusetts driver’s license. Additionally, in December 2019, Baez Villar used the victim’s name, date of birth and Social Security number on an application for a U.S. passport.
The charge of false representation of a Social Security number provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. The charge of making a false statement in an application for a passport provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Sharon B. MacDermott, Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, Boston Field Office; Michael J. Krol, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; and Philip M. Coyne, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Office of the Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Boston Regional Office, made the announcement. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney James J. Nagelberg and Assistant U.S. Attorney Mackenzie A. Queenin of Rollins’ Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
St. Petersburg Man Indicted for Possessing A Controlled Substance with Intent to Distribute and Possessing A Firearm as A Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL - United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Jason Washington (42, St. Petersburg) with three counts of distribution of a controlled substance, one count of possession of a controlled substance with the intent to distribute it, and one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. If convicted, Washington faces up to 20 years in federal prison on each of the controlled substance charges and up to 15 years on the firearm charge.
According to court documents, on several dates throughout February and March 2023, Washington sold cocaine to a confidential informant working with law enforcement. On April 13, 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant at the residence where the sales had taken place and found six firearms in the room in which Washington was located, including an AR-15 type semiautomatic pistol and an AK-47 type semi-automatic pistol. The indictment further alleges that Washington has prior felony convictions.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the St. Petersburg Police Department. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Samantha Newman.
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.
Springfield, Massachusetts Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont – The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont stated that Zahir Allah, 42, of Springfield, Massachusetts was sentenced today to serve 34 months in prison after he pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, specifically cocaine, cocaine base and fentanyl. United States District Judge Christina Reiss ordered that after Mr. Allah’s release from custody, he must serve a 3-year term of supervised release.
According to court records, law enforcement began investigating Zahir Allah in early 2022. In May of 2022, inside of an apartment in Winooski, Vermont, Mr. Allah sold heroin to a confidential informant. On June 23, 2022, investigators executed a search warrant on the Winooski apartment. When police tried to open the front door of the apartment, they were unable to do so because Mr. Allah leaned against the door from the inside to keep it closed. After law enforcement finally made entry, they found Zahir Allah in the apartment and placed him under arrest. Investigators searched Mr. Allah and found a distinct blue bundle of fentanyl on his person. They then searched the apartment and found packages of glassines of fentanyl, matching the distinctive blue color packaging of the drugs found on Mr. Allah’s person, inside of a dresser drawer. From inside of a backpack within that same dresser, law enforcement found approximately 190 grams of cocaine base and approximately 301 grams of cocaine. In total, 999 glassines containing fentanyl weighing more than 20 grams were found in the apartment.
United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest commended the investigatory efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Vermont State Police, South Burlington Police Department, and Winooski Police Department.
Assistant United States Attorney Zachary B. Stendig handled the prosecution. Assistant Federal Public Defender Sara Puls, Esq. represented Zahir Allah.
Sixteen Individuals Sentenced in Operation “Titan Fall”Read the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Roy B. Dalton has sentenced sixteen individuals for their respective roles in a multi-kilogram cocaine and fentanyl distribution operation dubbed “Operation Titan Fall.” Each of the defendants charged in the case pleaded guilty and were sentenced on the dates set forth below:
Name
Drugs, Drug Quantities, Other Charges
Date of Plea
Sentencing Date
Sentence Imposed
Alexander Acosta-Zapata
5 kilograms cocaine; 400 grams fentanyl
12/13/22
4/10/23
16 years
Frank Cadiz
5 kilograms cocaine
12/14/22
3/20/23
10 years, 1 month
Adal Antonio Navas-Feliciano
400 grams fentanyl
1/18/23
4/10/23
15 years
Jonathan Andres Marte-Rodriguez
5 kilograms cocaine
2/8/23
5/8/23
10 years
Juan Felipe Sanchez
40 grams fentanyl
2/7/22
4/24/23
4 years, 3 months
Nimesh Rashmikant Patel
500 grams cocaine
2/9/23
5/1/23
4 years, 6 months
Joseph Juan Torres-Torres
500 grams cocaine
9/7/22
12/21/22
5 years
Gabriel Isaac Irizarry-Aponte
500 grams cocaine
2/10/23
5/1/23
2 years
Jacob Nelson
500 grams cocaine
1/25/23
4/17/23
7 years
Carlos Alberto Roman
cocaine, firearm w/silencer possessed in furtherance of drug offense
12/6/22
3/14/23
40 years
James Richard Howell
cocaine, fentanyl
12/5/22
3/14/23
4 years, 9 months
Joely Manuel Burgos
40 grams fentanyl
12/28/22
3/13/23
4 years, 3 months
Kenneth Angel Vera
cocaine
12/6/22
3/14/23
2 years, 3 months
James Mirabal
5 kilograms cocaine
12/27/23
3/20/23
15 years
Jonathan Beharry
5 kilograms cocaine
11/29/22
2/13/23
9 years
Vilnarie Figueroa-Matos
5 kilograms cocaine
1/30/23
4/17/23
1 year, 6 months
According to the plea agreements and other court documents, during the course of this investigation, the DEA seized approximately 110 kilograms of cocaine and multiple kilograms of fentanyl through the mail, traffic stops, and search warrants. A search warrant executed on Carlos Alberto Roman’s home on August 9, 2022, yielded 19 firearms, 6 silencers, 3 flash-bang grenades, and thousands of rounds of ammunition. Mirabal and his conspirators were linked to a seizure of 50 kilograms of cocaine in April 2022, and the seizure of 20 kilograms of cocaine seized in Beharry’s apartment in the Baldwin Park area in October 2022.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Secret Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Florida Highway Patrol, the Winter Garden Police Department, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, the Kissimmee Police Department, the Winter Park Police Department, the Clermont Police Department, the Orlando Police Department, the Apopka Police Department, the Ocoee Police Department, the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office, and the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dana E. Hill.
Operation Titan Fall is a multi-agency Organize Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCEDTF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
San Bernardino County Woman Sentenced to 40 Years in Prison for Making Child Sexual Abuse Material of Children, Including an InfantRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A San Bernardino County woman was sentenced today to 480 months in federal prison for committing child sexual abuse material crimes, including that she obtained custody of an infant for the purpose of producing sexually explicit videos.
Stefani Kasey Marie Stevens, 31, of Yucaipa, was sentenced by United States District Judge Virginia A. Phillips, who scheduled a restitution hearing for July 31 in this case. Stevens will be placed on supervised release for the rest of her life upon her release from prison.
After a four-day bench trial, Judge Phillips in November 2022 found Stevens guilty of one count of obtaining custody of a minor with intent to produce child pornography, six counts of production of child pornography, one count of distribution of child pornography, and one count of possession of child pornography.
From August 2019 to November 2019, law enforcement received information that two Kik online messaging application accounts later found to be associated with Stevens uploaded child sexual abuse material. Law enforcement also determined that a Google account associated with Stevens had uploaded seven sexually explicit images of the same victim, who was under the age of 12.
In November 2019, federal agents executed a search warrant at Stevens’ home. During subsequent interviews, Stevens admitted to making sexually explicit videos of herself performing oral sex on the infant victim and that she took eight to 10 nude photographs with a second victim under the age of 12.
Following the interviews, law enforcement accessed Stevens’ online accounts and learned that, the day before creating the sexually explicit videos of the infant in May 2019, Stevens and a like-minded user had online discussions about how Stevens was excited to take custody of the infant the next day so that she could create videos of herself engaging in sexual activity with the victim.
Law enforcement also learned that, in addition to the sexually explicit videos of the infant created in May 2019, Stevens took sexually explicit photographs of the infant in June 2019 and of a second victim under the age of 12 in October and November 2018, all of which she stored in an online account, along with hundreds of other child pornography images and videos.
“This defendant has been punished for acting out her vile sexual fantasies on two children – one of them an infant,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. “Sexual exploitation of children is intolerable, and my office will aggressively prosecute these horrific crimes. Today’s significant sentence is yet another example of my office’s determination to hold accountable those criminals whose abhorrent conduct causes immeasurable trauma upon those who are among the most vulnerable people in our district.”
“Individuals that victimize innocent children will be aggressively pursued and held accountable for the heinous offenses they commit,” said Eddy Wang, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Los Angeles Acting Special Agent in Charge. “This case and its prosecution should send a clear message, if you come after children, HSI and our partners will come after you.”
“The San Bernardino Sheriff's Department appreciates the work of all the investigators and prosecuting attorneys who worked on behalf of the victims to obtain justice,” said the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department in a statement. “Anyone who suspects a child is being victimized is urged to contact their local law enforcement agency or child protective services.”
Homeland Security Investigations and the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department investigated this matter.
Special Assistant United States Attorney Robert S. Trisotto of the District of Oregon and Assistant United States Attorney Sonah Lee of the Riverside Branch Office prosecuted this case.