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Thursday 4 May 2023
Colorado Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Hate Crime for Church ArsonRead the Press Release
A Colorado man pleaded guilty today to a hate crime charge in connection with a fire he set to a church in Loveland, Colorado.
According to court documents and admissions during the plea hearing, Darion Ray Sexton, 22, intentionally set fire to the church in the evening hours of Jan. 19. Sexton admitted that he set this fire by throwing two Molotov cocktails at the church – one at the front door and the other at the basement. Sexton further admitted that he was motivated to set this fire due to the religious character of the church and that he intended to destroy the church.
“Protecting religious freedom and observance is a top priority for the Department of Justice,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “We will continue to vigorously prosecute those who attack houses of worship and target religious communities.”
“We all have a right to feel safe and secure in our houses of worship – no matter our religion or belief,” said U.S. Attorney Cole Finegan for the District of Colorado. “An act of violence in one of our sacred places is especially serious, and we will work with our law enforcement partners to vigorously prosecute all such offenses.”
“The FBI treats hate crimes as the highest priority of our civil rights program because everyone deserves to feel safe to exercise their religion without fear of violence from others,” said Special Agent in Charge Mark Michalek of the FBI Denver Field Office. “FBI Denver is committed to protecting those rights, and we will continue to aggressively work with our law enforcement partners to bring justice to all communities that have been targeted.”
"Arson, especially when motivated by hatred, should never be tolerated, and often leads to deadly consequences," said ATF Special Agent in Charge Brent Beavers. "Denver Fire Department Accelerant Detection Canine Peaches responded with our Certified Fire Investigators, who provided expertise and guidance while working in tandem with law enforcement partners to investigate and determine the origin and cause of the arson, making a substantial contribution to this investigation."
The sentencing hearing is scheduled for July 21. Sexton faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The FBI, ATF, and the Loveland Police and Fire Departments investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Bryan D. Fields for the District of Colorado and Trial Attorney Maura White of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section are prosecuting the case.
Clarksville Man Convicted of Drug Trafficking & Firearms CrimesRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE – A federal jury in Nashville has convicted a Clarksville, Tennessee, man of drug trafficking and firearms offenses, announced United States Attorney Henry C. Leventis.
Mark Ellis, 29, was convicted after a two-day trial of conspiracy to distribute, and possession with intent to distribute, more than 400 grams of fentanyl; being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm; and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Ellis and his wife, Yennifer Angeles, 23, were indicted by a federal grand jury in February 2022 after their arrests by Clarksville Police Department (CPD) officers in January 2022.
"We will relentlessly pursue violent drug dealers like this one to hold them accountable for their crimes," said U.S. Attorney Leventis. "I commend the trial team, the Clarksville Police Department and ATF for their work investigating and prosecuting this important case. The citizens of Clarksville are safer because of their efforts."
According to evidence and testimony introduced at trial, CPD officers, using a confidential informant, made a controlled purchase of fentanyl from Ellis while seated in his car at a residence on Mark Spitz Drive in Clarksville. During the transaction, Ellis’ wife exited the car, went into the house, and returned with a baggie of fentanyl which was sold to the informant. A 9mm handgun was visible in the car during the transaction. The resulting investigation and subsequent search of Ellis’ vehicle led to the recovery of a Ruger 9mm pistol and the seizure of almost a pound of fentanyl from the residence, where Ellis lived.
During this investigation, and at the time of his arrest, Ellis was under electronic monitoring and out on bond from an unrelated murder charge in Montgomery County.
While in the Montgomery County Jail, Ellis called his wife and directed her to continue selling fentanyl. That same day, Angeles was stopped by CPD officers in the same vehicle used to make the drug deal the previous day. Further investigation led to the execution of a search warrant on South Lancaster Road in Clarksville, where more than 40 grams of fentanyl was recovered.
“ATF and our law enforcement partners work tirelessly to disrupt the illegal possession of firearms, distribution of narcotics and other acts of violence within our community,” said Marcus Watson, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF Nashville Field Division. “The outcome of this case is the result of extremely great work done by the individuals that took part in this investigation.”
"I would like to commend the detectives and agents with the Clarksville Police Department’s Special Operations Unit, agents with the ATF, and the federal prosecutors who spent countless hours on this investigation,” said Chief David Crockarell. “Their relentless pursuit of justice culminated with the guilty verdict ensures the citizens of Clarksville are much safer today.”
Ellis faces a minimum of 15 years, and up to life in prison when he is sentenced on December 8, 2023. Yennifer Angeles pleaded guilty in March 2023 to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and faces up to 20 years in prison. She will be sentenced on August 9, 2023.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, and the Clarksville Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert E. McGuire is prosecuting the case.
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Citizen of Dominican Republic Sentenced to 78 Months in Prison for Role as Leader of International Money Laundering OrganizationRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – The leader of an international money laundering organization in the Dominican Republic was sentenced today to 78 months in prison and ordered to pay $80 million in forfeiture for his role in a conspiracy to commit money laundering. Luis Velazquez-Cordero, aka El Pequeño, 38, a citizen of the Dominican Republic, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Brian R. Martinotti on May 4, 2022, to Count One of an indictment charging him with conspiring to commit money laundering. Velazquez-Cordero was extradited to the United States after his arrest the Dominican Republic on July 28, 2020.
Charleston Woman Sentenced for COVID-19 Relief Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Tiffany Bowlin, 33, of Charleston, was sentenced today to five years of federal probation, including four months on home detention, and ordered to pay $20,833 in restitution for wire fraud. Bowlin admitted a scheme to defraud the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) of $20,833 in COVID-19 relief loans guaranteed by the Small Business Administration (SBA) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act).
According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 27, 2021, Bowlin applied for a PPP loan for her purported sole proprietorship, a hair salon operating under the business name “Tiffany Bowlin.” Bowlin admitted that she falsely stated that “Tiffany Bowlin” was established in 2019, when it in fact was not a legitimate business and had not engaged in substantial business activities on or before February 15, 2020. Bowlin further admitted that she submitted a false IRS Form 1040 stating that “Tiffany Bowlin” received $106,600 in gross income in 2020.
The CARES Act, enacted in March 2020, offered emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering from the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. This assistance included forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses through the Paycheck Protection Program. Businesses applying for PPP loans had to certify that the business was in operation on February 15, 2020, and were required to provide documentation showing their prior gross income from either 2019 or 2020.
Bowlin submitted the loan application electronically from West Virginia and it was uploaded to servers in Kansas for processing. Bowlin’s loan application was approved and she received $20,833 via an electronic transfer to her personal bank account on May 13, 2021. Bowlin admitted that she spent the fraudulently obtained money to benefit herself personally and not for authorized business expenses.
On March 2, 2022, Bowlin applied to have the PPP loan forgiven even though she had not spent the loan proceeds on permissible business expenses. The SBA forgave Bowlin’s PPP loan on or about March 9, 2022.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the West Virginia State Police-Bureau of Criminal Investigations (BCI), and the Litigation Financial Analyst with the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Ryan Blackwell prosecuted the case.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-cr-205.
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Centreville Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute FentanylRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – A Centreville man pled guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Brad L. Byerley of the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Phillip Montgomery, 41, pled guilty in U.S. District in Gulfport on May 3, 2023.
According to court records, in late 2021, the DEA conducted an investigation involving a large drug trafficking organization trafficking large quantities of fentanyl in Moss Point, Mississippi. The investigation revealed that individuals were selling fentanyl that was brought to them by Phillip Montgomery. Montgomery admitted in court to bringing 3 kilograms of fentanyl into Jackson County and furnishing it to the individuals involved in the drug trafficking organization in Moss Point so that it could be sold.
Montgomery will be sentenced on August 3, 2023 and faces a minimum of 10 years to life in prison. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Erica Rose.
Cartel member imprisoned for drug trafficking in local neighborhoodRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 32-year-old Mexican citizen who illegally resided in Houston has been ordered to federal prison following his conviction for conspiracy to distribute meth during a transaction that occurred in a Houston residential neighborhood, announced US Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Ismael Salas Navarro pleaded guilty Nov. 17, 2022.
Today, U.S. District Judge David Hittner sentenced Navarro to a total of 135 months in federal prison. Not a U.S. citizen, he is expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment.
“Mexican cartels and their drugs are not welcome in our cities,” said Hamdani. “Cartels, like the Gulf Cartel, endanger the lives of our citizens and loved ones. Today’s sentence sends a strong message to criminals like Navarro that our communities will not tolerate the scourge of drug traffickers.”
Navarro’s arrest and ultimate conviction stems from an investigation into individuals affiliated with the Gulf Cartel operating in Houston. On Jan. 25, 2021, law enforcement recorded Navarro ordering two kilograms of crystal meth from a co-conspirator. Authorities then watched as the narcotics were delivered to Navarro in a quiet Houston neighborhood.
They took him into custody before he could drive off with the narcotics.
Navarro has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, Houston Police Department, Harris County Precinct 5 Constable’s Office and the Harris County Sheriff’s Office conducted this investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Shelley J. Sullivan prosecuted the case.
Camden Registered Sex Offender Admits Sex Trafficking MinorsRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A Camden man admitted trafficking three minors to engage in commercial sex acts, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Semaj A. Gilmore, 33, pleaded guilty before U.S. Chief District Judge Renée Marie Bumb on May 3, 2023, to three counts of a superseding indictment charging him with sex trafficking minors.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From September 2020 to April 2021 Gilmore transported, at various times, three minor victims from Philadelphia to New Jersey knowing they would engage in a commercial sex act at Gilmore’s direction. Each of the victims was under age 18 at the time.
Each count of sex trafficking of a minor is punishable by a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum of life in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 5, 2023.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of FBI’s South Jersey Resident Agency, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jacqueline Maguire in Philadelphia, with the investigation leading to the guilty plea. He also thanked members of the Mount Laurel Police Department and the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office for their assistance.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Bender and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Katelyn Waegener of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Camden.
gilmore.sindictment.pdfCalifornia pair indicted for retail theft scheme; more than $800,000 in equipment stolen from home improvement chainRead the Press Release
Seattle – A man and woman from Southern California were arrested this week on an indictment charging them with conspiracy and ten counts of wire fraud related to an organized retail theft scheme, announced U.S. Attorney Nick Brown. Jalen Amir Thomas, 27, of Santa Monica, California, and Armia Ta’Jae Timmons, 25, of Los Angeles, were arrested on the eleven-count indictment. They appeared in U.S. District Court in the Central District of California yesterday. Prosecutors will ask that they be detained and transported to the Western District of Washington for arraignment.
“Organized retail theft has exploded across the country, due in large part to the growth of an online resale marketplace,” said U.S. Attorney Nick Brown. “In this case, we allege the coconspirators hatched a scheme to rent high-value construction equipment and then fail to return it. They allegedly sold the stolen goods on websites such as OfferUp and Facebook Marketplace. They traveled through 23 different states and hit nearly 200 stores causing more than $800,000 in losses. We are putting a stop to it here in Western Washington.”
“As the US retail sector faces increasing challenges such as layoffs and store closings, it becomes more difficult for stores to absorb the impact of retail fraud, which amounts to billions of dollars in losses,” said SAC Robert Hammer, who oversees HSI operations in the Pacific Northwest. “HSI is proud to have started a strategic initiative with the Seattle Police Department and various corporate partners in 2023 to hold those involved in organized retail theft accountable for their actions.”
According to the indictment, as early as March 2022, Thomas led a group including Timmons, that traveled the U.S., stopping at home improvement stores and renting two types of expensive construction equipment: jumping jack tampers and vibratory plate compactors valued between $1,500 and $2,000 each. The group used debit cards to make a small rental deposit for each machine and signed an agreement that if the equipment was not returned on time, they would pay mounting fees. They used false identities and ruse telephone numbers to rent the equipment. They transported stolen goods in vans and rental trucks.
In all, some 480 pieces of equipment were stolen from the home improvement stores. When a store tried to charge the debit account for the value of the equipment or the penalties incurred, it learned there was insufficient funds to cover the debt. Thomas and Timmons then attempted to sell the stolen equipment at a steep discount on various online marketplaces.
The group stole multiple items of equipment from stores in Federal Way, Tacoma, Vancouver, Covington, Longview, Bothell, Everett, Redmond, and Seattle.
Because the deposits traveled by wire outside the state of Washington, the pair is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and ten counts of wire fraud and/or aiding and abetting wire fraud.
The conspiracy count and the wire fraud counts are each punishable by up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The charges contained in the indictment are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The investigation is being led by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lauren Watts Staniar.
California man sentenced to five years in prison for assisting in the transportation a person to Billings for prostitutionRead the Press Release
BILLINGS — A California man who was convicted in a commercial sex investigation in which a woman brought a minor girl to Billings to engage in prostitution was sentenced today to five years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
Cecil Jerome Hatchett, 32, of Carmichael, California, pleaded guilty in January to transportation of a person with intent to engage in prostitution.
Co-defendant, Ashley Stella, of Reno, Nevada, was sentenced previously to eight years in prison for transportation of a minor to engage in prostitution.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.
In court documents, the government alleged that Hatchett arranged and aided the transportation of Stella and a minor girl, identified as Jane Doe, to travel to Montana and elsewhere to engage in commercial sex. In April 2021, law enforcement responded to a call by Quality Inn staff in Billings about possible commercial sex activity. Upon arrival, officers found an individual emerging from the motel room while buttoning up his shirt and Stella and Jane Doe in the room. Law enforcement interviewed all three individuals and determined that the individual had responded to an ad in setting up the meeting and that Stella and the individual had corresponded about the potential sex encounter before he arrived in the room. Stella later admitted that when law enforcement arrived, she was in the midst of a commercial sex encounter.
The government further alleged that these events triggered a federal investigation into allegations of sex trafficking. Investigators found electronic messages between Hatchett and Stella discussing commercial sex appointments, including those that involved Jane Doe. Hatchett also had rented the car that Stella and Jane Doe used to travel to Montana.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Zeno B. Baucus and Bryan T. Dake prosecuted the case. The FBI, Montana Division of Criminal Investigation, Billings Police Department, Reno, Nevada., Police Department and IRS conducted the investigation.
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Buffalo Woman Sentenced for Setting Fire That Injured A Buffalo FirefighterRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced that Jade Smart, 34, of Buffalo, NY, who was convicted of unlawfully damaging or destroying property by means of fire or explosive causing personal injury to a public safety officer, was sentenced to serve 51 months in prison by U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr.
Assistant U.S. Attorney P. Richard Antoine, who handled the case, stated that in the early evening hours of January 28, 2020, the Buffalo Fire Department responded to the scene of a fire at 79 Kilhoffer Street in Buffalo, and found the building engulfed in flames. Ultimately, the building burned completely to the ground. A firefighter injured his back fighting the fire and subsequently went on medical leave to address the injuries. Investigators recovered a firebomb, and a red gas can nearby and ruled the fire an arson. Video footage recovered from a nearby gas station shows Smart filling up a red plastic gas can. Smart then went to 79 Kilhoffer Street, where she poured gasoline from the plastic gas can into a used iced tea bottle and used it to set the residence on fire. 79 Kilhoffer Street was a building owned by the Buffalo Peacemakers and under renovation and possessed by Habitat for Humanity.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge John B. DeVito, New York Field Division, and the Buffalo Fire Department, under the direction of Commissioner William Renaldo.
Buffalo Man Pleads Guilty to Drug and Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Rayshawn Miller, 40, of Buffalo, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr. to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and acetyl-fentanyl, and possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes. The charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum of life, and a $10,000,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Evan K. Glaberson, who is handling the case, stated that on July 20, 2021, the DEA executed a search warrant at Miller’s Broadway Street residence and seized 167 grams of a mixture containing fentanyl and acetyl fentanyl, 21 grams of crack cocaine, 124 grams of cocaine, two pistols, ammunition, $15,380 in cash, and drug packaging materials.
The plea is the result of an investigation by Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Frank A. Tarentino III, New York Field Division, and the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia.
Sentencing is scheduled for July 11, 2023, at 9:00 a.m. before Judge Sinatra.
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Buffalo Man Going to Prison for COVID Relief FraudRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. – U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Christian Johnson, 25, of Buffalo, NY, who was convicted of wire fraud, was sentenced to serve 30 months in prison by U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr.
Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. Rudroff, who handled the case, stated that Johnson submitted multiple fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program loan applications on behalf of a company called Million Man LLC (Million Man) to at least three financial institutions. The applications contained numerous false and misleading statements about Million Man’s business and operations, including the number of employees and average monthly payroll. Johnson submitted falsified federal tax documents and payroll records in support of the applications.
The CARES Act is a federal law enacted on March 29, 2020, designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans who are suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. One source of relief provided by the CARES Act was the authorization of up to $349 billion in forgivable loans, guaranteed by the Small Business Administration (SBA), to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses, through the PPP. In April 2020, Congress authorized over $300 billion in additional PPP funding, and in December 2020, Congress authorized another $284 billion in additional funding.
The PPP allows qualifying small businesses and other organizations to receive loans with a maturity of two years and an interest rate of 1%. PPP loan proceeds must be used by businesses for payroll costs, interest on mortgages, rent and utilities. The PPP allows the interest and principal to be forgiven if businesses spend the proceeds on these expenses within a set time period and use at least a certain percentage of the loan towards payroll expenses.
This case was investigated by the FDIC-OIG, TIGTA-OIG, FBI, and SBA-OIG. Trial Attorneys Matthew Reilly and Jennifer Bilinkas of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. Rudroff of the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Western District of New York are prosecuting the case.
The Fraud Section leads the Department’s prosecution of fraud schemes that exploit the PPP. In the nine months since the PPP began, Fraud Section attorneys have prosecuted more than 100 defendants in more than 70 criminal cases. The Fraud Section has also seized more than $60 million in cash proceeds derived from fraudulently obtained PPP funds, as well as numerous real estate properties and luxury items purchased with such proceeds. More information can be found at: https://www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/ppp-fraud.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
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Billings man admits sexual abuse crimeRead the Press Release
BILLINGS — A Billings man today admitted to sexually abusing a girl in Busby, on the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation, between 2009 and 2010, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
Travis Ridenour, aka Travis Lamere, 34, pleaded guilty to abusive sexual contact. Ridenour faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and not less than five years of supervised release.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for Aug. 31. Ridenour was detained pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents that Jane Doe 1 disclosed that when she approximately 13 years old, in 2009, she was sleeping in the same bed as another female. Ridenour also was in the bed. At some point, Jane Doe 1 woke up, and Ridenour’s hand was underneath her underwear on her vaginal area.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The FBI conducted the investigation.
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Attorney General Merrick Garland Honors Three Spokane Federal Prosecutors for their Outstanding Government ServiceRead the Press Release
Spokane, Washington – U.S. Attorney Vanessa R. Waldref announced today that three members of her team – Special Assistant United States Attorney (SAUSA) Frieda Zimmerman as well as Assistant United States Attorneys (AUSAs) Tyler Tornabene and Dan Fruchter – were honored for their service to the United States and the citizens of Eastern Washington. SAUSA Zimmerman received the Director’s Award for Superior Performance as a Special Assistant United States Attorney. AUSAs Tornabene and Fruchter were awarded with the Director’s Award for Superior Performance by Civil AUSAs. Each was honored by Attorney General Merrick Garland at the Annual Director’s Awards Ceremony in Washington D.C. earlier today. Attorney General Garland himself is a past recipient of a Director’s Award.
SAUSA Zimmerman, who serves as a SAUSA for the Department of Energy Office of Inspector General, was honored for her incredible contributions to the Department of Justice, including in the areas of white-collar crime, False Claims Act cases, health care fraud, civil rights, and COVID-19 fraud. She is universally respected throughout the Department for her unique expertise in procurement fraud, and she is beloved by agents for her skill, dedication, breadth of expertise, and poise. SAUSA Zimmerman embodies not only the best qualities in a federal prosecutor and SAUSA, but the critically important relationships between the U.S. Attorney’s Office and its law enforcement partners.
AUSAs Tornabene and Fruchter were honored for their work to protect innocent patients, who were being defrauded by their medical providers. AUSAs Tornabene and Fruchter resolved allegations against two neurosurgeons, who performed medically unnecessary spinal surgeries and falsely billed federal and state health programs in Eastern Washington. Not only did AUSAs Tornabene and Fruchter – along with their state and federal partners – stop the appalling conduct, but their team secured the Eastern District of Washington’s largest-ever health care fraud settlement of $22,690,458. As part of the settlement, Providence Health and Services not only admitted that their doctors endangered patient safety for profit, Providence also entered into a five-year Corporate Integrity Agreement requiring Providence to implement and maintain quality-of-care and patient safety obligations. Beyond this trailblazing case, AUSAs Tornabene and Fruchter have prosecuted numerous nation-wide fraud cases, built a successful COVID-19 Relief Fraud Strike Force, and significantly contributed to the District’s expanded civil rights efforts.
In announcing today’s awards, U.S. Attorney Waldref thanked SAUSA Zimmerman and AUSAs Tornabene and Fruchter for their incredible service. “Today’s awards are a reflection of the amazing work being done in the Eastern District of Washington by our entire team. The AUSAs in our District often face daunting and sometimes dangerous challenges. Yet, Frieda, Tyler, and Dan have dedicated their leadership, time, expertise, and energy to the service of their nation. And they, like each of the members of my office, are devoted to the high ideals and deeply-held values that define our great nation and our mission to ensure justice is meted out fairly and swiftly. Each member of our office routinely sacrifices their time and energy to keep Eastern Washington safe and strong. I am honored to serve alongside such talented government servants, whose commitment to justice is beyond reproach. I am also so grateful for the support and administrative staff, without whom our mission could not be possible.”
SAUSA Zimmerman works at the Department of Energy Office of Inspector General, and serves as a SAUSA at the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Spokane, Washington. Through her work at the Department of Energy, SAUSA Zimmerman is able to take on additional cases combating fraud and supporting environmental remediation at the Hanford Cleanup Site.
AUSA Tornabene leads the Civil Rights Unit for the Eastern District of Washington and serves as an AUSA in the Civil Division. AUSA Fruchter leads the office’s Fraud and White Collar Unit and serves as a Deputy Chief in the Criminal Division. He handles both criminal and civil fraud matters.
Armed Meth Dealer Sentenced to over 11 Years in Federal Prison After Fleeing Officers with Children Inside His VehicleRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS- Nathaniel Bradley, 41, was sentenced to 135 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to possession 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, with intent to distribute.
According to court documents, on March 16, 2021, agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration and officers with the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department initiated a traffic stop on Nathaniel Bradley near his home on Rural Street in Indianapolis. Bradley refused to stop and fled from officers with two children inside his car. Officers stopped their pursuit because of the children in Bradley’s vehicle. They later saw him park in a driveway on Nicholas Avenue on the East side of Indianapolis. Bradley ran into the backyard of the residence, leaving the two children in the car alone.
Bradley was apprehended and taken into custody. He admitted that he had approximately one pound of methamphetamine, pills, seven grams of crack, and an AR-style firearm at his home. Investigators executed a search warrant at Bradley’s residence that evening, and located 406 grams of methamphetamine, 7.03 grams of cocaine base, 3 grams of heroin, a loaded AR .223 rifle, two AR magazines, and a loaded Smith and Wesson pistol. Bradly was prohibited from possessing firearms under federal law, due to a prior felony conviction in West Virginia for possession with intent to deliver cocaine.
U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, Zachary A. Myers, Michael Gannon, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the DEA’s Indianapolis Field Office, and Randall Taylor, Chief of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department made the announcement.
“This defendant chose to traffic in deadly drugs, illegally arm himself with a weapon of war, and flee from police with children in his car,” said U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Myers. “Criminals who demonstrate an utter disregard for the safety of our neighborhoods and the sanctity of our laws must face consequences. I am grateful to the DEA and IMPD for their ongoing efforts to help hold dangerous criminals accountable in federal court. The federal prison sentence imposed here should serve as a warning to any who choose to menace our streets—serious crimes warrant serious consequences.”
The DEA and IMPD investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Jane Magnus-Stinson. Judge Stinson also ordered that Bradley be supervised by the U.S Probation Office for 5 years following his release from federal prison.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorney Michelle P. Brady, who prosecuted this case.
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Administrative Team at R.I. U.S. Attorney’s Office Receives National Award from Department of Justice LeadershipRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – On Wednesday of this week, at a Washington, D.C. ceremony attended by Attorney General Merrick Garland, Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco, U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Cunha, and other senior Department of Justice leadership, seven members of the Rhode Island U.S. Attorney’s Office Administrative Division were honored with a Director’s Award for their exceptional service to this Office and the United States.
“I am intensely proud of the quality and impact of the work that this Office does on behalf of the people of Rhode Island, and the nation, every day,” said U.S. Attorney Cunha. “But while much of our legal work receives public attention, many of the dedicated public servants in this Office, without whom our mission would be impossible, often do not. I am delighted to see our exceptional administrative team receive this well-deserved honor from the Department, and honored to serve alongside these dedicated professionals.”
Presented annually, the Director’s Awards recognize excellence throughout the U.S. Attorney community, honoring exceptional contributions to the Department’s mission by Assistant United States Attorneys in criminal and civil cases, appellate work, litigation in Indian Country, and other programmatic areas, across the 94 federal Districts that comprise the United States. Two Administrative teams were also recognized, one of them from the District of Rhode Island, where Administrative Officer Lynn Danchuk, Executive Assistant Sheila Grant, Contracting Officer Ryan Crotty, Budget Officer Vincent Onorato, Paralegal Supervisor (Ret.) Sandra Mascola, and Litigation Technology Support Specialists Nicole Williams and Michael Ward were each honored with a Director’s Award.
The awards were presented by Monty Wilkinson, Director of the Executive Office for United States Attorneys, in the two-story Great Hall of the Department of Justice, located in the Robert F. Kennedy Building that serves as the Department’s headquarters in Washington, D.C.
Administrative Division Director's Award recipients with United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha (center) at the Department of Justice (left to right) Contracting Officer Ryan Crotty, Administrative Officer Lynn Danchuk, Litigation Technology Support Specialist Nicole Williams, Litigation Technology Support Specialist Michael Ward, Paralegal Supervisor (Ret.) Sandra Mascola, Executive Assistant Sheila Grant, not shown Budget Officer Vincent Onorato20 now serving sentences in combined massive drug operationsRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 34-year-old Houston resident has been handed a significant sentence for his role in a meth distribution conspiracy, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Abril Pineda-Ortiz aka Carlos Raudel Pineda-Ortiz pleaded guilty May 13, 2021.
Today, U.S. District Judge Lee H. Rosenthal ordered Pineda-Ortiz to serve a 130-month-term of imprisonment to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. In imposing the sentence, the court found that Pineda-Ortiz was the source of supply in transactions involving significant amounts of meth. In handing down the sentence, the court noted the devastating effects that meth has had on people and communities.
To date, more than 30 people have been convicted in the related drug conspiracies involving meth, cocaine and heroin. With the sentence today, 20 have now been sent to prison.
“These traffickers will pay with their freedom,” said Hamdani, “to the tune of a combined sentence of more than 2000 months in federal prison for infecting our communities with hundreds of kilograms of meth, fentanyl, cocaine and heroin.”
“The success of these investigations and the corresponding sentences serve as an example of the impact multiple agencies can have when they join forces,” said Special Agent in Charge Daniel C. Comeaux of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). “This operation dismantled the activities of a dangerous criminal organization that was responsible for smuggling and distributing hundreds of pounds of illicit narcotics throughout the State of Texas. The DEA will continue to focus our resources on drug trafficking organizations that oversee, coordinate and facilitate the distribution of illegal drugs in our communities.”
At the time of the plea, Pineda-Ortiz admitted she supplied meth in multiple drug transactions involving co-conspirators Juan Carlos Salinas, 41, and Crystal Lynn Harrold, 42, both of Houston.
Authorities also executed a search warrant at the residence of Pineda-Ortiz where they found and seized a firearm, an additional 1,857 grams of meth and drug sale paraphernalia.
The investigation into these three individuals began in 2015. Over the next two years, law enforcement was able to execute operations aimed at curtailing the organization’s sale of meth, cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl.
As a result of the investigations, law enforcement seized 82.3 kilograms of meth, 16.4 kilograms of fentanyl, 176.7 kilograms of marijuana, 83.9 kilograms of cocaine, 31 kilograms of heroin and one kilogram of GHB as well as $586,706.61 in assets.
The combined sentences in the related cases thus far have exceeded 2000 months in federal prison with several receiving sentences well in excess of 10 years. One was ordered to serve 222 months.
The DEA conducted the initial investigations along with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; FBI; police departments in Houston and Huntsville; sheriff’s offices in Fort Bend and Harris counties; and Texas Department of Public Safety.
The subsequent DEA-led Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigations were dubbed Operation Goody Two Shoes and Beverly Hills 90210.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sharad Khandelwal, Carolyn Ferko and Michael Day are prosecuting the cases.
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 on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage.
Wednesday 3 May 2023
Webster Man Appears in Federal Court in Connection with Two Pipe Bomb ExplosionsRead the Press Release
CONCORD – Dale Stewart, 54, appeared before Magistrate Judge Andrea K. Johnstone for an initial appearance in federal court in connection with two pipe bomb explosions in Weare, New Hampshire, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces.
Stewart, 54, was charged with possessing an unregistered firearm, a destructive device, and possessing a destructive device unidentified by a serial number on April 28, 2023. Stewart remains in custody on state charges.
According to the charging documents, Stewart allegedly constructed and detonated two destructive devices in Weare, New Hampshire on April 26, 2023 and April 27, 2023. In response to the explosions, law enforcement obtained a search warrant for Stewart’s vehicle and retrieved an additional destructive device, constructed of white PVC pipe, with glued end caps, wrapped in black electrical tape, with a green hobby fuse protruding from one of the end caps. The destructive device found in the vehicle contained more than 4 ounces of an explosive material, consistent with the manufacturing of the two recovered suspected pipe bombs from the two separate detonation scenes in Weare, New Hampshire.
The charges of possessing an unregistered destructive device and possessing a destructive device unidentified by serial number provide for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, and a fine of up to $ 10,000.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the Weare Police Department; and the Federal Protective Service led the investigation. Valuable assistance was provided by Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the New Hampshire State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cesar Vega is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Vessel Operator, Captain and Chief Engineer Convicted of Environmental CrimesRead the Press Release
Zeus Lines Management S.A. (Zeus), a vessel operating company, pleaded guilty on Monday in Providence, Rhode Island, to maintaining false and incomplete records relating to the discharge of oily bilge and for failing to report a hazardous condition on board the oil tanker Galissas. The company’s chief engineer, Roberto Cayabyab Penaflor, and Captain Jose Ervin Mahigne Porquez also pleaded guilty today for their roles in those crimes. The defendants are scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 8.
According to court documents, Zeus and Penaflor admitted that oily bilge water was illegally dumped from the Galissas directly into the ocean without being properly processed through required pollution prevention equipment. Oily bilge water typically contains oil contamination from the operation and cleaning of machinery on the vessel. They also admitted that these illegal discharges were not recorded in the vessel’s oil record book as required by law.
Specifically, on three separate occasions between November 2021 and February 2022, Penaflor ordered crew members working for him in the engine room to discharge a total of approximately 9,544 gallons of oily bilge water from the vessel’s bilge holding tank directly into the ocean using the vessel’s emergency fire pump, bypassing the vessel’s required pollution prevention equipment. In addition, in preparation for the U.S. Coast Guard’s inspection of the Galissas, Penaflor instructed crew members on several occasions to not tell the Coast Guard about bypassing the pollution prevention equipment resulting in illegal discharges.
“This prosecution demonstrates our commitment to ensuring the health and safety of the marine environment, and to safeguarding coastal communities against hazardous conditions,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “The Department of Justice will continue to work with our partner agencies to ensure those who pollute and endanger our coastal communities are held fully accountable.”
“A critical mission of this office is protecting our environment from pollution and polluters, whether they impact our neighborhoods or precious natural resources like the Narragansett Bay, one of the crown jewels of Rhode Island,” said U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Cunha for the District of Rhode Island. “In this case, a foreign company decided it could ignore its obligation under American law, putting our waters and coastal communities at risk. Today’s guilty pleas are a reminder that this office will enforce our environmental laws to hold violators – individuals and corporate – accountable and protect our vital natural resources and our citizenry.”
“This case demonstrates the U.S. government’s resolve to ensure the safety of life at sea and protect our ports from rogue and negligent actors,” said Rear Admiral John Mauger, Commander of the First Coast Guard District. “Every day, thousands of ships safely call on U.S. ports and handle nearly 95% of U.S. trade that drives our economy and provides for our national security. By sailing into a major U.S. port with a known faulty inert gas generator, the operator, and senior officers of the Galissas endangered not only their shipmates but also the people of Rhode Island. The Coast Guard will continue to train and deploy our vessel examiners to protect mariners and our nation's ports by deterring and detecting unsafe and illegal activity. We appreciate the strong resolve from the Justice Department in holding these rogue actors accountable.
In addition to the illegal discharges of oily bilge water, on Feb. 2, 2022, while the Galissas was conducting cargo operations in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, crew members became aware that the vessel’s inert gas system was inoperable. This system is necessary to ensure that oxygen levels within the vessel’s cargo tanks remain at safe levels – at or below 8% – and do not pose a hazardous condition that could lead to an explosion or fire. Rather than remaining in Rotterdam until the inert gas system could be repaired, shore side management of Zeus and Captain Porquez determined that the vessel should instead sail to the United States, where a spare part would be delivered upon the vessel’s arrival for the crew to repair the system.
On Feb. 11, 2022, while the Galissas was transiting the Atlantic Ocean from the Netherlands to the United States, Porquez submitted a required notice of arrival to the U.S. Coast Guard informing the Coast Guard of, among other things, the vessel’s last port of call, planned arrival in the United States and the type of cargo onboard the vessel. In this notice of arrival, Porquez did not report that a hazardous condition existed onboard the vessel (the inoperable inert gas system).
On Feb. 19, 2022, the Galissas arrived off the coast of Rhode Island and although the vessel’s crew received and installed the spare part, the inert gas system remained inoperable. The following day, the U.S. Coast Guard measured the oxygen levels within the vessel’s cargo tanks and found levels ranged between 15 and 17%, well beyond the maximum allowable 8%. The Coast Guard then ordered that the vessel be moved further offshore so as to not endanger the port of Newport, Rhode Island.
Porquez had a logbook created that indicated the cargo tanks were at safe oxygen levels when the vessel left the Netherlands and remained at safe levels during the majority of the vessel’s transit of the Atlantic Ocean. In reality, the crew had not taken any readings of the oxygen levels in the cargo tanks during the vessel’s voyage. Porquez had tasked the vessel’s chief officer with creating this fraudulent logbook that was then presented to the U.S. Coast Guard during its inspection.
Zeus and Penaflor each pleaded guilty to a felony violation of the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships for failing to accurately maintain the oil record book for the Galissas. Zeus and Porquez also pleaded guilty to a felony violation of the Ports and Waterways Safety Act for failing to report the vessel’s hazardous condition to the U.S. Coast Guard. Under the terms of the plea agreement Zeus will pay a total monetary penalty of $2.25 million, consisting of a fine of $1,687,500 and a community service payment of $562,500. The community service payment will go to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to fund projects to benefit marine and coastal natural resources located in the State of Rhode Island. Additionally, Zeus will serve a four-year term of probation, during which any vessels operated by the company and calling on U.S. ports will be required to implement a robust environmental compliance plan.
The U.S. Coast Guard Southeastern New England Sector and the U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service are investigating the case.
Senior Trial Attorney Stephen Da Ponte of the Environment and Natural Resources Division’s Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney John P. McAdams for the District of Rhode Island are prosecuting the case with assistance from Lieutenant Commander Paul J. Milliken of the U.S. Coast Guard District One Legal Office.
Vancouver Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Armed Robbery of Drug Dealer in PortlandRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A Vancouver, Washington man was sentenced to federal prison today for his role in an armed robbery of a drug dealer that ended in an exchange of gunfire outside an apartment complex on Hayden Island in Portland.
Anthony James Pastorino, 43, was sentenced to 77 months in federal prison and five years’ supervised release.
According to court documents, in the early morning hours of September 30, 2021, Pastorino, acting on the instructions of an accomplice, Seth Kamaile Teig, 38, also of Vancouver, traveled from Vancouver to an apartment complex on Hayden Island in Portland. At Teig’s direction, Pastorino waited outside the apartment complex in anticipation of robbing a known drug dealer. When the drug dealer arrived, Pastorino discharged his firearm and stole the drug dealer’s backpack. Pastorino and the drug dealer exchanged gunfire and both sustained serious injuries. Soon after, Pastorino and Teig fled the scene and traveled back to Washington.
Officers from the Portland Police Bureau responded to the scene and found 18 shell casings, a trail of blood, and Pastorino’s wallet. Later that day, a resident of the apartment complex found a handgun in some nearby bushes. Further investigation revealed that it was the gun used by Pastorino during the robbery. A later search of Pastorino’s phone revealed text messages wherein Teig directed Pastorino during the robbery and provided information about their target.
On October 27, 2021, special agents from Homeland Security Investigations arrested Pastorino for his role in the robbery. Pursuant to a court-authorized search warrant, the agents observed gunshot wounds on Pastorino’s arm and thighs.
On November 22, 2021, Pastorino was charged by criminal information with interfering with commerce by robbery and using, carrying, brandishing, and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. On February 2, 2023, he pleaded guilty to the latter charge.
On March 14, 2023, Teig was sentenced to 92 months in federal prison and five years’ supervised release for orchestrating the robbery.
This case was investigated by HSI and the Portland Police Bureau with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). It was prosecuted by Cassady A. Adams, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
United States Attorney’s Office Paralegal Receives Department of Justice Award for Exceptional ServiceRead the Press Release
Montgomery, Alabama – This morning, during a ceremony in the Great Hall at the Robert F. Kennedy Main Justice Building in Washington, D.C., Debbie Shaw, a supervisory paralegal specialist at the United States Attorney’s Office, received the Executive Office for United States Attorneys Director’s Lifetime Exceptional Service Award, announced United States Attorney Sandra J. Stewart. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland, Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco, and other senior Department of Justice leaders participated in the awards ceremony.
Ms. Shaw has worked for the United States Attorney’s Office since 1982, serving at various times as a receptionist, criminal division legal assistant, and assistant to the United States Attorney. During that time, she has supported the work of the office and the Department of Justice in virtually every way imaginable. She has assisted in preparing and presenting nearly every significant case brought by the office over the past four decades. She has, on a near daily basis, coordinated with court personnel, law enforcement agents, and other officials, resolving every logistical issue that might arise in the office’s work. She has trained incoming legal support employees (and helped to train younger attorneys), always passing along the lessons she has learned and knowledge she has gained over the years. She has carefully read and edited attorney work product, ensuring that the work of the office is concise, professional, and persuasive. Although Ms. Shaw would likely describe her service as simply “doing her job,” the award issued today reflects the fact that Ms. Shaw is a cornerstone of the United States Attorney’s Office, the Montgomery legal community, and the Department of Justice at large.
“No award or honor could ever capture all that Ms. Shaw has meant to the United States Attorney’s Office over the years,” stated United States Attorney Stewart. “Everyone who has worked at the office has benefitted from her work, her guidance, and her wisdom. I am delighted that the Department chose to recognize her and that I was able to be present as she received this award.”
For almost 30 years, Ms. Shaw worked closely with Louis V. Franklin, Sr., Deputy Director of Enforcement for the Alabama Securities Commission and a former United States Attorney and Chief of the office’s Criminal Division. Mr. Franklin said, “Debbie is the office’s central nervous system, integrating information received from the public, client agencies, and the courts, then coordinating the response of the various office working components. To every employee, she offers institutional knowledge, warnings of danger, and a welcoming presence. She is the personification of support and cannot be replicated. She is so deserving of this award!”
The United States Attorney’s Office congratulates Ms. Shaw on this high honor and expresses its deepest gratitude for her years of service.
U.S. Attorney's Office Resolves Sexual Harassment Lawsuit Against Massachusetts LandlordRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts announced today that it has secured a settlement resolving allegations that Salazar Dos Santos, a Chicopee, Massachusetts landlord, violated the Fair Housing Act by sexually harassing female tenants for at least 11 years. The settlement also resolves claims against the Trusts of Salazar Dos Santos and America Dos Santos, which held the properties where the harassment occurred.
The United States’ lawsuit alleged that, from 2008 through 2019, Dos Santos subjected multiple female tenants to unwelcome sexual contact, which included coercing them to engage in sex acts, physically sexually assaulting them, exposing himself and locking them in his office to sexually assault them. The lawsuit asserted that Dos Santos implicitly offered to provide relief from rental payment obligations in exchange for engaging in sexual acts with him, and threatened tenants who resisted or objected to his unwelcome sexual harassment. It is further alleged that some victims were sexually harassed dozens of times for months (one tenant on more than 40 occasions), and that Dos Santos evicted some tenants after they refused his advances.
Under the proposed consent decree agreed upon by all parties, subject to approval by the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts, the defendants are required to pay a total of $425,000 to compensate individuals harmed by the harassment and a $25,000 civil penalty. The consent decree also bars future discrimination and retaliation, requires that property management responsibilities be turned over to an independent manager, mandates the implementation of a sexual harassment policy, complaint procedure, and Fair Housing Act training and requires detailed reporting regarding property management activities and compliance with the terms of the consent decree. The consent decree permanently bars Dos Santos from participating in any property management responsibilities at any residential rental property.
“Sexual harassment and the conduct alleged here is repugnant and completely unacceptable. Stable and safe housing is fundamental for positive outcomes in life. Insidiously, sexual harassment and violations in the context of housing often target vulnerable tenants who fear eviction and homelessness. Although not present in this case, there are also times that immigration status is the manipulation utilized to target and victimize vulnerable tenants,” said United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins. “Under the Fair Housing Act, the federal government has the authority to investigate and hold to account predatory landlords and property managers who engage in this despicable conduct. The District of Massachusetts is committed to actively and aggressively investigating these types of cases. Last, but certainly not least, I want to commend the brave women who came forward in this matter.”
“Coercing tenants to engage in sex acts and retaliating against those who resist are among the most egregious forms of sexual harassment that we see today,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department remains committed to combating sexual harassment in housing, and securing relief for those whose lives have been upended by such dehumanizing and unlawful conduct.”
U.S. Attorney Rollins and AAG Clarke made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Torey B. Cummings, Christopher Morgan and Hillary Harnett handled the matter.
The Civil Rights Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office was established in 2015 with the mission of enhancing federal civil rights enforcement. For more information on the Office’s civil rights efforts, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-ma/civil-rights. For information specific to the Fair Housing Act and the Department of Justice’s Sexual Harassment in Housing Initiative, please visit this website, which also includes information on how to report a violation.
U.S. Attorney Kavanaugh Urges Residents to Stay Vigilant Against Cyber FraudRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh released a video public service announcement today to news media throughout the Western District of Virginia that urges residents to stay vigilant against cyber fraud, investment schemes, and other forms of online deception.
“Fraudsters are using high-pressure tactics and promises of low or no risk investments in an attempt to steal the hard-earned money of our citizens, especially our seniors,” U.S. Attorney Kavanaugh said today. “The United States Attorney’s Office, along with our law enforcement partners at the federal, state and local levels, are committed to protecting you.”
These scammers often reach out by phone, text message or email, claiming high returns on investments, often in the form of crypto-currency. They are becoming more creative, sophisticated, and aggressive.
“To protect yourself, never send money to anyone you do not know and research who you are investing your hard-earned money with,” U.S. Attorney Kavanaugh added. “If you feel rushed, or if you are told not to discuss the investment opportunity with others, you are being scammed.”
For more information about these scams, or what to do if you feel you have been a victim of a scam, please visit FBI.gov.
In addition to being sent to local media stations, the PSA has also been posted to the Western District of Virginia’s newly-launched YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/@usao_wdva.
Two Shreveport Men Guilty of Illegal Possession of Drugs and Firearms Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. - United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced that two men from Shreveport were sentenced today by United States District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote for illegally possessing drugs and firearms.
Eric Lamar Wimbley, 51, was sentenced to 168 months (14 years) in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release. On April 13, 2022, officers with the Louisiana Division of Probation and Parole and the Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office conducted a parole search of a vehicle being used by Wimbley. While searching the vehicle, officers found approximately 1.320 grams of cocaine, 107.7 grams of cocaine base, and 125.67 grams of methamphetamine-based tablets, all packaged for distribution. Also inside the vehicle was a bag containing digital scales, razor blades with cocaine residue, packaging material, and a loaded 9mm handgun. Officers also found Wimbley to be in possession of the key fob to the vehicle. He was arrested and charged with possession with intent to distribute cocaine and possession of a firearm. Wimbley pleaded guilty in December 2022 to possession with intent to distribute cocaine.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike Shannon.
In a separate case, Demetrius Johnson, Jr., 23, was sentenced to 66 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release for illegal possession of marijuana and a firearm. On March 14, 2022, officers with the Shreveport Police Department conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle being driven by Johnson. When approaching the vehicle, the officer detected the smell of marijuana coming from inside the vehicle and detained Johnson. A K-9 unit was called and alerted to the front driver’s seat and a search of the vehicle was conducted. During the search, officers located a Century Arms Draco pistol under the passenger seat of his vehicle, as well as a backpack containing approximately 200 grams of marijuana in separate bags, packaging material, and a digital scale. A 9mm Glock magazine was also found in the vehicle. The narcotics were sent to the crime laboratory for testing and was confirmed to be marijuana. Agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF) tested the firearm and it was determined to be a functional firearm which had traveled in interstate commerce.
The case was investigated by the ATF and Shreveport Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Aaron Crawford.
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Two Lawyers and Two Others Charged in Conspiracy that Defrauded Distressed Homeowners Looking for HelpRead the Press Release
Fraud Scheme Involved Multiple Law Firms
WASHINGTON – An indictment was unsealed today charging four people, including two lawyers, with conspiring to defraud thousands of distressed homeowners who thought they were hiring a legal firm to help them avoid foreclosure. The defendants, some of whom were licensed to practice law in Washington, D.C., New Jersey, and Florida, allegedly reaped millions of dollars in ill-gotten gains.
The indictment charges: David Maresca, 48, of Manassas, Virginia, Scott Marinelli, 51, of Mountainside, New Jersey, Sam Babbs, III, 41, of Orlando, Florida, and Terrylle Blackstone, 35, of Woodbridge, Virginia, with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and mail fraud for charging clients on the false and fraudulent promise to help them avoid foreclosure but never providing any of those legal services. The indictment further charges Maresca, Marinelli, and Blackstone with five counts of mail fraud; Maresca, Babbs, and Blackstone with three counts of wire fraud and two counts of mail fraud; and Maresca with five counts of monetary transactions in criminally-derived property, and two counts of falsification of bankruptcy records. Maresca was arrested today and made an initial appearance in Washington, D.C.; Marinelli was arrested today and made an initial appearance in New Jersey.
The charges were announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Special Agent in Charge Wayne A. Jacobs, of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division, and Acting Special Agent in Charge Kareem A. Carter of the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation (“IRS-CI”) Washington, D.C. Field Office.
Maresca formed Synergy Law LLC (“Synergy”), in Washington DC, in 2016, and Themis Law PLLC (“Themis”) in 2019. Marinelli, who was licensed in New Jersey, owned 10 percent of Synergy; Babbs, who was licensed in Florida and D.C., owned his own firm – Babbs Law Firm P.L. (“Babbs”) - and 10 percent of Themis. Blackstone worked for all three firms.
According to the indictment, the scheme involved marketing Synergy Law and Themis Law through telephone, television, and Internet advertising which told homeowners that attorneys could help them avoid foreclosure. The defendants, through the law firms, operated call centers, where workers used scripts during calls with homeowners falsely promising that an attorney would review the homeowner's case file; that this attorney knew their lender's “internal guidelines,” for a “mortgage resolution”; and that an assigned “legal team” would contact the homeowner’s lender to negotiate a resolution.
The conspirators knew these representations were false and fraudulent. Synergy Law and Themis Law never operated a “national law firm,” and never provided legal services to homeowners. Neither Synergy Law nor Themis Law had attorneys review homeowner files, and neither Synergy Law nor Themis Law had attorneys contact a client’s lender to discuss a mortgage resolution. The homeowners signed agreements in which the law firms promised to provide “legal representation,” “attorney services” and “legal services” to the homeowner-client. Synergy Law required homeowner-clients to pay an initial retainer amount (often between $995 and $1,750), followed by a monthly recurring amount (often between $595 and $1,200), for as long as Synergy Law represented the homeowner. Once victim funds were in that account, Maresca, Marinelli, and Blackstone used the funds for their personal benefit, and continued to collect monthly payments from the clients. When the clients faced imminent foreclosure, Synergy Law provided non-legal bankruptcy petition preparation services and directed clients to file pro se bankruptcy petitions to stop foreclosure. Synergy Law directed clients not to disclose that the clients had worked with Synergy Law to prepare their bankruptcy petition. Themis Law clients, who were considering filing for bankruptcy to save their homes, were referred to Babbs Law where they signed a new retainer agreement and paid additional fees.
When bankruptcy judges, Synergy Law clients, and the U.S. Trustee's Program raised concerns about Synergy Law's practices in bankruptcy matters, Blackstone attended court hearings on behalf of Synergy Law and made false statements to the court about Synergy Law's operations. When Marinelli's law license was suspended in New Jersey in 2017, and the District of Columbia in 2018, Maresca, Marinelli, and Blackstone continued to operate Synergy Law and collect monthly payments purportedly for legal services.
Maresca is also charged with falsely filing for bankruptcy on behalf of Synergy Law. According to the indictment, in answering a question on the bankruptcy forms about financial affairs, which required Synergy Law LLC to list transfers of money or other property that was not in the ordinary course of business, Maresca falsely stated “None,” when he knew he had withdrawn S315,083.42 from Synergy Law accounts to purchase his personal residence.
The indictment includes a notice of forfeiture for all illegally derived proceeds from the fraud scheme.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office and the FBI urge anyone who did business with these law firms, and who think they were defrauded, to visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/mortgage-fraud and/or contact the Mega Victim Case Assistance Program (MCAP) at 1-844-527-5299. You can also send an email to [email protected].
This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office and the Washington, D.C. Field Office of the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations.
It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John Borchert.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Trafficker Arrested with $1 - $2 Million in Meth Inside Duffel Bag Sentenced to 30 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
A drug trafficker who retrieved methamphetamine from a stash house in Dallas was sentenced today to 30 years in federal prison, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.
Omar Jorge Valle Estrada, a 37-year old citizen of Mexico, was convicted at trial of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine in December 2022. He was sentenced Tuesday by U.S. District Judge Brantley Starr, who presided over the trial.
According to evidence presented at trial, law enforcement conducting surveillance at a stash house on Holcomb Road in Dallas observed Mr. Estrada drive up to the residence in a white Chevy Malibu. He used a code word to gain access to the property, which was being used by a transnational criminal organization as storage for nearly $10 million worth of Mexican methamphetamine.
Two men emerged from inside the home carrying duffel bags, which they placed in Mr. Estrada’s passenger seat.
After he departed the home, law enforcement pulled him over for operating with an expired registration and discovered 120 pounds of crystal methamphetamine inside the duffel bags. Experts put the street value of the methamphetamine, which was 99% pure, between $1.1 and $2.2 million.
Codefendants Angel Cabrera and Joaquin Salinas – who admitted they were concealing millions of dollars of methamphetamine inside boxes of cauliflower – pleaded guilty prior to trial. Mr. Salinas received a life sentence; Mr. Cabrera received a sentence of more than 21 years.
At Mr. Salinas’ sentencing hearing, testimony showed that the Salinas had ties to Sureños XIII criminal street gang and the Puro Tango Blast street and prison gang.
The Drug Enforcement Administration’s Dallas Field Division conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Dallas Police Department, the Hickory Creek Police Department, the Fort Worth Police Department, and the Dallas County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys George Leal and John Kull prosecuted 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.
Tobacco Wholesaler Sentenced in Tax Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The owner of tobacco wholesale businesses in Massachusetts was sentenced today in federal court in Springfield for defrauding the Commonwealth of Massachusetts of substantial tobacco tax revenue.
Khalid Siddique, 67, of Attleboro, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni to one year probation. Siddique was also ordered to pay forfeiture of $120,536 as well as restitution to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in an amount that will be determined as a later date. Earlier in the hearing, Siddique pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
Between 2006 and 2012, Siddique defrauded Massachusetts by failing to pay excise taxes on smokeless tobacco and cigars he purchased from co-conspirator Syed Bokhari, as well as other tobacco wholesalers, which he received at his Attleboro warehouse. In connection with the fraud scheme, Siddique filed false tobacco tax returns with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts which vastly under-stated the amount of tax he owed.On Aug. 11, 2022, Bokhari was sentenced to one year of probation. The government recommended a sentence of 18 months in prison. In a related civil forfeiture action, Bokhari agreed to forfeit seized tobacco, currency, and other assets, which resulted in the recovery of $2,197,985 by the government.
In addition, seven other co-conspirators of Bokhari were previously sentenced by the Court to one year probation. To date, Judge Mastroianni has ordered three of those co-conspirators to pay restitution. On April 11, 2023, the Court ordered Harbhajan Singh to pay $19,507 in restitution to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. On April 26, 2023, the Court ordered Sukhdev Singh to pay $1,378,876 in restitution to the State of Connecticut. On April 27, 2023, Judge Mastroianni ordered Satish Kumar to pay $1,736,623.92 to the State of Connecticut. The issue of restitution remains pending before the Court as to the remaining four co-conspirators of Bokhari’s fraud who have been sentenced.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; Joleen D. Simpson, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation in Boston; Michael J. Krol, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; Commissioner Geoffrey E. Snyder of the Massachusetts Department of Revenue; and Commissioner Mark D. Boughton of the Connecticut Department of Revenue Services made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher L. Morgan and Michael J. Mazur of Rollins’ Springfield Branch Office prosecuted the case.
Three Nigerian Men Awaiting Extradition for Committing Sexual ExtortionRead the Press Release
Charge for causing the death of a 17-year-old Marquette boy
MARQUETTE, MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten today announced the unsealing of a federal indictment charging three Nigerian men with sexually extorting numerous young men and teenage boys in the Western District of Michigan and across the United States and charging one of them with causing the death of Jordan DeMay, of Marquette, Michigan. On March 25, 2022, 17-year-old DeMay was found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. His death prompted an investigation by the Marquette County Sheriff’s Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, which culminated in the indictment unsealed today.
“Sextortion is a horrible crime that can leave especially younger victims feeling ashamed with nowhere to turn,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten. “My heart goes out to the family of Jordan DeMay. Nothing can bring Jordan back, but my office is committed to securing justice and, alongside Jordan’s family, sending an urgent warning so others can protect themselves and their families. We will travel the world to hold the perpetrators of these crimes accountable.”
“Financial sextortion is a global crisis that impacts teens in our country and around the globe,” said James A. Tarasca, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan. “That’s why the FBI is working hand in hand with our domestic and international law enforcement partners to prevent youth from becoming victims of this tragic crime and to hold those who target our teens in this manner accountable – no matter where in the world they may be.”
“Our focus going forward is to bring more awareness to children, young adults, and parents. Our family has forever been changed by this heinous crime and our objective is to prevent another individual from being victimized,” said the DeMay family. “Kids, teenagers, and even adults can be a target of sextortion. We urge you to have discussions about this and have a plan for your children to reach out if it does happen to them.” The family added, “Jordan will never be forgotten. He will forever be in our hearts and will drive us forward to share his story and help others.
Click here for a copy of the full statement by the DeMay family.Overview of Federal Charges
Click here for a copy of the indictmentThe defendants, Samuel Ogoshi, 22, Samson Ogoshi, 20, and Ezekiel Ejehem Robert, 19, all of Lagos, Nigeria, are charged in a four-count indictment:
- Count 1 charges Samuel Ogoshi with Sexual Exploitation and Attempted Sexual Exploitation of a Minor Resulting in Death in association with the death of Jordan DeMay. The charge carries a maximum penalty of life in prison and a statutory mandatory minimum of 30 years in prison.
- Count 2 charges all three men with Conspiracy to Sexually Exploit Minors by causing the minors to produce child pornographic images that the defendants then used to blackmail the minors. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison.
- Count 3 charges all three men with Conspiracy to Distribute Child Pornography for sending the child pornography images to the minors, as well as their families and friends. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a mandatory minimum penalty of 5 years in prison.
- Count 4 charges Conspiracy to Commit Stalking Through the Internet for engaging in this sextortion scheme as it relates to both minors and young adults. The charge has a maximum penalty of 5 years in prison.
All charges have provisions for fines, restitution, and supervised release after their release from prison.
Additional Allegations in the Federal Indictment
The grand jury alleges that the defendants bought hacked social media accounts and used the accounts to pose as young women to lure teenage and young adult males into sexual chats. One of the accounts used was an Instagram account bearing the user name “dani.robertts”, which communicated with Jordan DeMay shortly before his death. After initiating chat conversations with the victims, the defendants simultaneously used Google and other online applications to research information about the victims, including where the victims lived, where they went to school or worked, and who their family and friends were.
The grand jury alleges that the defendants then solicited their victims to produce and send sexually explicit images of themselves. Once the defendants received sexually explicit images, they created collages that included the sexually explicit image alongside other images of the victims from social media, including images of the victims’ school, family, and friends. The defendants then threatened to disclose the collages to others, including the family, friends, and classmates, of their victims via social media unless the victims paid money. The grand jury alleges the defendants engaged in this extortion and attempted extortion of more than 100 people.
The grand jury alleges that on March 25, 2022, after DeMay was induced to send a naked picture of himself, Samuel Ogoshi used the dani.robertts account to extort him:
dani.robertts: I have screenshot all ur followers and tags can send this nudes to everyone and also send your nudes to your Family and friends Until it goes viral… All you’ve to do is to cooperate with me and I won’t expose you
dani.robertts: Are you gonna cooperate with me
dani.robertts: Just pay me rn [Just pay me right now]
dani.robertts: And I won’t expose you
Victim 1: How much
dani.robertts: $1000
After DeMay paid $300, Samuel Ogoshi made more threats.
dani.robertts: Goodbye
dani.robertts: Enjoy your miserable life
Victim 1: I’m kms rn [I’m kill myself right now]
Victim 1: Bc of you [Because of you]
dani.robertts: Good
dani.robertts: Do that fast
dani.robertts: Or I’ll make you do it
dani.robertts: I swear to God
The grand jury alleges that also on March 25, 2022, after Victim 2 was induced to send naked picture of himself, the following messages were exchanged with Victim 2:
dani.robertts: Pay me rn [Pay me right now]
dani.robertts: $800
dani.robertts: And I’ll end this
dani.robertts: Deal or no deal
Victim 2: I don’t have that kind of money
dani.robertts: Haha
dani.robertts: I love this
. . .
Victim 2: I have $50 in venmo and a $100 cash
dani.robertts: Dude
dani.robertts: Now goodbye
dani.robertts: Enjoy your miserable life
Victim 2: Why
dani.robertts: I’ll make this go viral
On March 26, 2022, the following messages were exchanged with Victim 2:
dani.robertts: I will make you regret you life
dani.robertts: I will make u commit suicide
dani.robertts: I promise you I swear
Coordination with Nigerian Law Enforcement
Earlier this year, agents from FBI Michigan travelled to Nigeria to conduct a cooperative investigation with Nigerian law enforcement officials. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), a Nigerian law enforcement agency, arrested Samuel Ogoshi, Samson Ogoshi and Ezekiel Robert. The three men are facing extradition to the United States to face prosecution. The timeline for their extradition and a date for their appearance in the United States is unknown. The FBI referred information to the EFCC regarding three additional Nigerian males involved in this same sextortion ring. These individuals were arrested by the EFCC. The EFCC is one of Nigeria’s national investigative agencies and is responsible for the investigation of all financial crimes, including extortion, fraud, money laundering, and corruption. The cooperation and assistance of the EFCC was essential in apprehending the defendants. U.S. Attorney Totten extends his appreciation and thanks to the EFCC and the Nigerian authorities for their important partnership in this case.
“International cooperation is critical. In the last two years, this coordination has strengthened efforts connected with the extradition, deportation, and mutual legal or other assistance between Nigeria and the United States involving Economic and Financial Crimes,” said EFCC Chairman Abdulrasheed Bawa. “We wish to express our sincere and immense appreciation to the EFCC and the Cyber Crime Team for the cooperation and significant contribution towards the prevention and detection of trans-national crimes.”
U.S. Attorney Totten and SAC Tarasca thanked the following Nigerian partners and institutions for their assistance with this case: Honorable Chairman Chief Executive Abdulrasheed Bawa, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission; Assistant Director and Head of the International Cooperation Department Antoinette Oche-Obe, Central Authority Unit, Office of the Attorney General - Ministry of Justice; Director of Operations Abdulkarim Chukkol, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission; and Principle Prosecutor Pius Akutah, Central Authority Unit, Office of the Attorney General - Ministry of Justice; Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Justice, Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC); the Central Authority Unit of Nigeria’s Ministry of Justice; and the Attorney General of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
What is Sexual Extortion?
Sexual extortion or “sextortion” can take many forms. Through various ruses and exploits, victims are lured to share compromising images or engage in compromising conversations. Girls and women are often extorted to produce more sexually explicit pictures, while boys and men are commonly extorted for money. In all cases, the perpetrators use embarrassment and shame with the threat of disclosure to leverage what they want. The sextortion can cause enormous stress and crisis for victims.
Meta Platforms, Inc., the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has been a good partner in this investigation, providing important information in a timely manner.
“We want teens to have safe, positive experiences online, and we work to help prevent and stop criminals from targeting them with sextortion schemes. This includes cooperating with law enforcement to help protect vulnerable teens from these horrific crimes and bring their perpetrators to justice. In addition to the work we do to protect teens from sextortion, we also helped found NCMEC’s TakeItDown, which allows teens to stop the spread of their intimate images online,” said Antigone Davis, Global Head of Safety at Meta.
Meta offers the following safety tips if you are a teen or the parent of a teen who finds themself in this situation, you can take quick steps to protect yourself:
- Stop engaging with the person harassing you
- Block their account to limit further interactions
- Report them within the app immediately
- Tell a trusted friend or parent what’s happening
- Go to TakeItDown.NCMEC.org to prevent your intimate images from being spread online
- Talk to law enforcement if you feel you’ve been taken advantage of.
Safety Tips and Resources for Victims, Teens, and Parents
To kids and teens experiencing sexual extortion or something like it: this is not your fault. You can get through this, even if it seems scary and overwhelming. The FBI provides the following tips on how people can protect themselves from sextortion schemes:
- Be selective about what you share online. If your social media accounts are open to everyone, a predator may be able to figure out a lot of information about you.
- Be wary of anyone you encounter for the first time online. Block or ignore messages from strangers.
- Be aware that people can pretend to be anything or anyone online. Videos and photos are not proof that people are who they claim to be. Images can be altered or stolen. In some cases, predators have even taken over the social media accounts of their victims.
- Be suspicious if you meet someone on one game or app and that person asks you to start talking on a different platform.
- Be in the know. Any content you create online—whether it is a text message, photo, or video—can be made public. And nothing actually “disappears” online. Once you send something, you don’t have any control over where it goes next.
- Be willing to ask for help. If you are getting messages or requests online that don’t seem right, block the sender, report the behavior to the site administrator, or go to an adult. If you have been victimized online, tell someone. Being a victim of sextortion is not your fault. You can get through this challenge, even if it seems scary and overwhelming. There are people who want to help.
If you have information about or believe you are a victim of sextortion, contact your local FBI field office, call 1-800-CALL-FBI, or report it online at http://tips.fbi.gov. This FBI PSA and National Center for Missing and Exploited Children PSA share survivor stories and resources for individuals to get help. More FBI sexual extortion resources are available here.
Law Enforcement Coordination
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, county prosecutor's offices, the Internet Crimes Against Children task force (ICAC), federal, state, tribal, and local law enforcement are working closely together to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children. The partners in Project Safe Childhood work to educate local communities about the dangers of online child exploitation, and to teach children how to protect themselves. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit the following web site: www.projectsafechildhood.gov. Individuals with information or concerns about possible child exploitation should contact local law enforcement officials.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel Mekaru and Davin Reust, and investigated by the FBI, the Marquette Sheriff’s Department, and the Michigan State Police Cybercrimes Unit in Marquette with the cooperation and assistance of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission of Nigeria. The U.S. Department of Justice, Office of International Affairs, and the U.S. Department of State assisted in seeking the extradition of the defendants.
The charges in an indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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Three MS-13 Gang Members Convicted of Racketeering and Violent Crime ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A federal jury convicted three La Mara Salvatrucha, or MS-13, members yesterday of RICO conspiracy, murder in aid of racketeering, attempted murder in aid of racketeering, drug trafficking, and destruction of evidence.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, from 2014 until 2021, Jorge Flores, 30, aka Peluche, Kevin Tidwell, 29, aka Miklo, both of Nashville, Tennessee; and Jose Pineda-Caceres, 24, aka Demente, a Honduran national, were members of MS-13. MS-13 is a national and transnational gang composed largely of individuals of Salvadoran or Central American descent. Branches or “cliques” of MS-13 operate throughout the United States. MS-13 dedicates its members to preserving and protecting the power, territory, reputation, and profits of the gang through the use of intimidation and violence, including murder and promoting the gang through acts of murder, robbery, drug trafficking, and other criminal activities.
MS-13 members are required to follow various rules, chief among them being that cooperation with law enforcement is strictly prohibited, and it is understood within the gang that anyone who assists police will be punished with death. Members are also required to confront, fight, and/or kill rival gang members and to retaliate quickly and viciously against anyone who disrespects or threatens the gang’s authority, power, reputation, or control of a neighborhood. By committing murders, the defendants gained entrance into MS-13 or earned respect among the other members.
On April 6, 2016, Pineda-Caceres, along with several other MS-13 members and associates, murdered a victim because they believed the victim was a rival gang member. Pineda-Caceres lured the victim to a field where he and other members and associates shot the victim to gain entrance into MS-13. On July 31, 2016, Pineda-Caceres also murdered another victim. After leaving a nightclub in Nashville, Pineda-Caceres followed the victim’s car and, while attempting to kill the victim’s brother, shot and killed the victim. In addition, Tidwell and Flores murdered a victim on May 21, 2017, outside of a bar in Nashville because they believed the victim was associated with a rival gang. Tidwell and Flores shot the victim 11 times while the victim was sitting in the victim’s car. Tidwell and Flores also shot and killed a victim on May 27, 2017, because the victim insulted MS-13. They chased down the victim’s car and shot the victim while the victim attempted to flee. On Sept. 24, 2017, Flores murdered a victim and other MS-13 members and associates lured the victim to a secluded location in Nashville, shot the victim, and placed the victim’s body in the trunk of a car. Flores then burned the car with the victim’s body in the trunk in Cheatham County, Tennessee.
The defendants were convicted of RICO conspiracy, five murders, multiple attempted murders in aid of racketeering, conspiracies to commit murder in aid of racketeering, firearms offenses, tampering with evidence, and drug distribution. They will be sentenced at a later date and each face a mandatory minimum sentence of life in prison.
The three trial defendants were among the nine defendants charged in the indictment. The other six defendants previously pleaded guilty to RICO conspiracy and related offenses, as follows:
- Carlos Ochoa, 33, of Nashville, Tennessee
- Jason Sandoval, 37, of Nashville, Tennessee
- Gerson Serrano-Ramirez, 35, of El Salvador
- Franklin Hernandez, 23, of Honduras
- Juan Melendez, 24, of El Salvador
- Luis Colindres, 26, of Honduras
As part of this multi-year investigation, MS-13 members and associates were also convicted of five additional murders that occurred between 2016 and 2017 in the Nashville area.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Acting U.S. Attorney Thomas J. Jaworski for the Middle District of Tennessee, Special Agent in Charge Marcus Watson of the ATF Nashville Field Division, Special Agent in Charge Rana Saoud of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Nashville, Special Agent in Charge J. Todd Scott of the DEA Louisville Field Division, U.S. Marshal for the District of Tennessee Denny King, Metropolitan Nashville Police Chief John Drake, and Director David Rausch of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation made the announcement.
The ATF, HSI, DEA, U.S. Marshals Service, Metropolitan Nashville Police Department, and Tennessee Bureau of Investigation investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Matthew Hoff of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ahmed Safeeullah and Brooke Farzad for the Middle District of Tennessee are prosecuting this case.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force’s (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The United States Attorney for Puerto Rico, FBI San Juan, and HHS-OIG Announce Redoubling and Focus of Investigative Efforts to Detect and Deter Fraud, Waste, and Abuse of Medicare FundsRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – The United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico, W. Stephen Muldrow, the Special Agent in Charge (SAC) of the San Juan Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Joseph González, and the Assistant Special Agent in Charge (ASAC) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), José Luis Soto, are redoubling efforts and focus to investigate, detect, and deter Medicare fraud.
According to estimates from the National Health Care Anti-Fraud Association, Medicare fraud costs taxpayers over $100 billion a year in a wide range of fraud schemes that involve beneficiaries, health care providers, and organizations operating Medicare Advantage (Medicare Part C) plans. All Medicare beneficiaries in Puerto Rico, as well as the doctors and other healthcare providers who serve those beneficiaries, deserve an affordable, effective, efficient, and transparent health care system.
“Typical fraud schemes committed in the health care area include cases where healthcare providers bill for services not actually provided or lie about and inflate the nature of the actual services rendered (known as “upcoding”). However, together with our law enforcement partners, our investigative and prosecutorial focus will continue to look to any fraudulent activities occurring within organizations managing Medicare Advantage programs, including payments of illegal incentives and the submission of false information related to patient risk assessments,” said United States Attorney Muldrow.
“Healthcare is a basic need and improper use of healthcare systems can turn this basic necessity into a luxury,” said Special Agent in Charge of the FBI San Juan Field Office, Joseph González. “The FBI will not stand by while this type of abuse is taking place. We ask that anyone who believes they have been a victim or witness to a healthcare fraud scheme to report it by calling the FBI San Juan number 787-987-6500 or leave a tip online through tips.FBI.gov. The people can rest assured that we will follow each lead and investigate each case to its ultimate consequence.”
ASAC José Luis Soto of the HHS-OIG Puerto Rico Field Office said, “HHS-OIG will continue to investigate any conduct by Medicare Advantage plans that may result in violation of federal law and will work jointly with our law enforcement partners to ensure that entities that execute business with federal health care programs do so in an honest manner.”
What can you do?
Please contact the FBI and HHS-OIG hotlines below to provide information and leads of any fraud scheme concerning Medicare funds. Such fraud schemes include but are not limited to: billing for services that are not provided, billing for more expensive services than were actually provided, also known as “upcoding”, fraudulent attempts to tamper with patient risk factors or providing incentives to undergo medical testing or procedures that are not medically necessary.
Hotline Contacts:
HHS-OIG Email: [email protected]
HHS-OIG Telephone: 787-758-3752
FBI tips online: tips.FBI.gov
FBI Telephone: 787-987-6500
Public media complaints:
https://m.facebook.com/wkaq580/videos/898068291246958/
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Texas Man Sentenced for Extortion and Cyberstalking a Utah Woman for Sexually Explicit Photographs and VideosRead the Press Release
Salt Lake City, Utah – A Texas man was sentenced Tuesday to five years imprisonment for multiple counts of extortion and cyberstalking a Utah victim and her family.
According to court documents, for over a year, Jordy Julian Alvarez, 28, a Texas resident, repeatedly harassed and intimidated the female victim to provide an explicit video or he would release to the public compromising photos and videos of the victim already in his possession. Alvarez further identified, threatened, intimidated, and harassed the victim’s father, brother, and grandmother to extort more explicit videos of the victim and threatened to further ruin her reputation. Additionally, Alvarez admitted to multiple counts of cyberstalking that caused the victim and her family fear of death or serious bodily injury, and emotional distress. Alvarez’s criminal behavior took place via interstate commerce. In addition to his sentence of 60 months’ imprisonment, Alvarez was ordered to serve three years of supervised release after his prison sentence.
“I want to be clear; I would impose the same sentence if the sentencing guidelines were lower,” said U.S. District Court Judge Howard C. Nielson Jr.
“The defendant’s criminal actions in this case were heinous,” said U.S. Attorney Trina A. Higgins of the District of Utah. “I commend the victim in this case for coming forward. Our office will continue to work with law enforcement to prosecute offenders that prey on our vulnerable and young via the internet.”
“Jordy Alvarez is a cyber predator who relentlessly harassed, bullied, and extorted the victim for an extended amount of time, causing substantial emotional harm,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Cheyvoryea Gibson of the Salt Lake City FBI. “Cyberstalking is a serious federal crime. The FBI’s Cyber Task Force which includes a strong partnership with the Utah Department of Public Safety, has the tools to hold criminals like Alvarez, who hide behind the internet, accountable.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney, Jennifer K Muyskens, of the District of Utah prosecuted the case.
Team from Western Washington honored for investigation and prosecution of major cybercrime group Fin7Read the Press Release
Seattle – The Department of Justice investigative team in a major cybercrime case, pursued in the Western District of Washington, was honored today with an Executive Office of U.S. Attorney’s Director’s award for Outstanding Litigative Team, announced U.S. Attorney Nick Brown. The prosecutors, paralegals, and cyber investigators from the FBI broke up the hacking group Fin7. The award was presented today in Washington DC.
“Investigating and prosecuting cybercrime is uniquely challenging –the offenders hide behind keyboards, often overseas, but can do untold billions of dollars in damage,” said U.S. Attorney Brown. “With Fin7, the tireless work by our team saw three of the defendants arrested and brought to the United States to face charges. All three have been held accountable with significant prison sentences. Fin7 as an entity is no more.”
Those recognized today with the Director’s Award include: Former Assistant United States Attorneys Frances Franze-Nakamura and Steven Masada, and DOJ Trial Attorney Anthony Teelucksingh for their work prosecuting the case; Paralegals Anna Chang and Salee Porter for their critical work organizing records and discovery from companies, foreign governments, and law enforcement so that we could successfully petition for the extradition of the three defendants who were arrested while traveling in Germany, Spain, and Thailand; and FBI special agents who all performed outstanding investigative and analytic work that was critical to the successful prosecution.
According to records filed in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington, between 2015 and 2018, FIN7 members engaged in a highly sophisticated malware campaign to attack more than 100 U.S. companies, predominantly in the restaurant, gaming, and hospitality industries. FIN7 hacked into thousands of computer systems and stole millions of customer credit and debit card numbers which were used or sold for profit.
In the United States alone, FIN7 successfully breached the computer networks of businesses in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, stealing more than 15 million customer card records from over 6,500 individual point-of-sale terminals at more than 3,600 separate business locations. Additional intrusions occurred abroad, including in the United Kingdom, Australia, and France. Companies that have publicly disclosed hacks attributable to FIN7 include such familiar chains as Chipotle Mexican Grill, Chili’s, Arby’s, Red Robin and Jason’s Deli.
Fedir Hladyr, 38, a Ukranian national, who played a managerial role in FIN7, was arrested in Dresden, Germany and was sentenced in April 2021 to ten years in prison. Andrii Kolpakov, 35, who served as a high-level hacker, was arrested in Lepe, Spain, and was sentenced to seven years in prison June 2021. Denys Iarmak, 33, who also served as a high-level hacker was arrested in Bangkok, Thailand and was sentenced to five years in prison in April 2022.
The Director’s Awards are awarded annually by the Executive Office of U.S. Attorneys to recognize outstanding work by U.S. Attorney’s Offices across the United States.
Tallahassee Couple Sentenced to Federal Prison for Wire Fraud Conspiracy, Money Laundering Conspiracy, and Making False Statements Relating to COVID-19 Relief ProgramsRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Wilbert Jean Stanley, III, 43, and Felicia Jackson Stanley, 43, both of Tallahassee, Florida, were sentenced, after previously pleading guilty to one count each of wire fraud conspiracy, money laundering conspiracy, and making false statements in connection to COVID-19 pandemic relief. Wilbert Stanley was sentenced to 40 months in federal prison, and Felicia Stanley was sentenced to 24 months in prison. Jason R. Coody, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida announced the sentences.
“The theft of any amount of taxpayer funds is inexcusable but stealing over $4.8 million dollars from honest, hardworking Americans truly in need of pandemic relief is simply abhorrent,” said U.S. Attorney Coody. “Today’s sentences both punish the defendants’ criminal conduct and should serve as a significant deterrent to others who would steal from their fellow citizens to unlawfully enrich themselves. With our law enforcement partners, we remain committed to investigating and vigorously prosecuting those who engage in acts of covid-related fraud.”
Court documents reflect that between March 1, 2020, and September 1, 2021, the Stanleys made false and fraudulent representations in applications to the Small Business Administration (SBA), financial institutions, and other lenders, for three different federal COVID-19 relief programs: Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans, Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs), and Shuttered Venue Operators Grants (SVOGs). The false representations included inflated average monthly payroll expenses and the use of false tax forms as supporting documentation. The Stanleys submitted a total of 166 false and fraudulent EIDL applications, of which 50 were funded, in their names for businesses that they owned and in the names of other individuals (whom they recruited). The Stanleys also submitted 20 false and fraudulent PPP loan applications, and 3 false and fraudulent SVOG applications in their names for businesses that they owned and in the names of other individuals (whom they recruited). For most of the applications that the Stanleys submitted (which were not in their names), the Stanleys had an arrangement with the named applicants to receive a kickback from the named applicants, which was paid from the PPP, EIDL, and SVOG proceeds.
“Diverting federal funds intended to provide critical relief from the effects of a pandemic steals resources from those who need it most,” said Brian Payne IRS-CI Special Agent in Charge. “These sentences reinforce our commitment to stopping criminals so every American taxpayer can maintain confidence in our system of taxation.”
“These sentences bring justice to the defendants who fraudulently obtained millions from Federal programs that were created to provide assistance to businesses struggling during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Special Agent in Charge Kyle A. Myles of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General (FDIC-OIG). “The FDIC-OIG will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to hold those accountable who steal from such programs and threaten to undermine the integrity of the banking system.”
In total, through their false applications for federal COVID-19 relief funds, the Stanleys attempted to obtain over $7 million for themselves and others, to which they were not entitled. The Stanleys were successful in fraudulently obtaining over $4.8 million in such funds.
Additionally, the Stanleys engaged in multiple monetary transactions that involved at least $10,000 of fraudulently obtained PPP loan, EIDL, or SVOG proceeds that they obtained through their scheme. Many of these transactions included payments for the purchase of real estate and to invest in virtual currency.
“These sentences demonstrate that those that steal taxpayer dollars will face the consequences for their actions,” said SBA OIG’s Eastern Region Special Agent in Charge Amaleka Brathwaite-McCall. “I want to thank the U.S. Department of Justice and our law enforcement partners for their dedication and pursuit of justice.”
The Stanleys’ imprisonment will be followed by 3 years of supervised release. Additionally, the Stanleys were ordered to pay restitution to the SBA in the amount of $2,802,690.76, and the Court entered an order of forfeiture with respect to several parcels of real property and accounts at financial institutions.
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation-Office of Inspector General (FDIC-OIG), Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA), and the U.S. Small Business Administration-Office of Inspector General (SBA-OIG. Assistant United States Attorney Justin M. Keen prosecuted the case.
This case was prosecuted as part the Department of Justice’s prosecution of fraud schemes that exploit the CARES Act relief programs. The CARES Act is a federal law enacted in March 2020, designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. One of the two programs that were developed through CARES Act is the PPP. It provides funding to businesses through PPP loans for payroll costs, interest on mortgages, rent and utilities. PPP allows the interest and principal on loans to be forgiven if the business spends proceeds on certain expense items within a designated time and uses a certain percentage of the loan on payroll expenses. The SVOG program was established by the Economic Aid to Hard-Hit Small Businesses, Nonprofits, and Venues Act, and amended by the American Rescue Plan Act. The program included over $16 billion in grants to shuttered venues, to be administered by SBA. The SVOG program’s mission is to support the ongoing operations of eligible live venues and operators, live venue promoters, theatrical producers, talent representatives, live performing arts organization operators, museums, and motion picture theaters during the uncertain economic conditions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Department of Justice remains vigilant in detecting, investigating, and prosecuting wrongdoing related to the crisis.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Summerset Man Indicted for Illegal Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a federal grand jury has indicted a Summerset, South Dakota, man for Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition by a Prohibited Person and Possession of an Unregistered Firearm.
Jason Johnston, age 36, was indicted in April of 2023. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Daneta L. Wollmann on April 28, 2023, and pleaded not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is 15 years in custody and/or a $250,000 fine, three years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The charges relate to Johnston, a previously convicted felon who is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition, knowingly being in possession of a Mossberg rifle and ammunition in Summerset in January of 2023. Johnston was also in possession of a privately made silencer.
The charges are merely accusations and Johnston is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The investigation is being conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Summerset Police Department, and the Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelsey Blair is prosecuting the case.
Johnston was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial. A trial date has been set for June 27, 2023.
Statement of U.S. Attorney Damian Williams on the Conviction of Nathaniel ChastainRead the Press Release
“Nathaniel Chastain exploited his advanced knowledge of which NFTs would be featured on OpenSea’s website to make profitable trades for himself. Although this case involved trades in novel crypto assets, there was nothing particularly innovative about his conduct — it was fraud. A jury has found that Chastain is guilty of using inside information for his own personal gain, and he now faces time in federal prison.”
Slync Founder Chris Kirchner IndictedRead the Press Release
The founder of Slync, a supply-chain management software startup, has been indicted for defrauding investors out of at least $25 million, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.
Christopher Kirchner, 35, was charged via criminal complaint in February. On Tuesday, a federal grand jury indicted him on five counts of wire fraud and eight counts of money laundering.
“Rather than focus on growing his fledgling business, Christopher Kirchner allegedly swindled investors out of millions of dollars he used to fund a splashy lifestyle – then allegedly attempted to cover his tracks by conning even more investors and by firing employees who dared question him,” said U.S. Attorney Leigha Simonton. “Investors deserved honesty; instead they got chicanery. We will not allow businesspeople to treat their stockholders this way. We look forward to proving our case against Mr. Kirchner in court.”
“As the indictment alleges, Mr. Kirchner chose to enrich himself by diverting corporate assets away from Slync in order to fund his lavish lifestyle. Deceptive acts of corporate greed not only erode investor confidence and employee trust, but also financial market integrity,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge Chad Yarbrough. “If you deceive and defraud your investors and employees, the FBI will persist in our efforts to bring you to justice.”
According to the indictment, Mr. Kirchner – who served as Slync’s CEO from 2017 until 2022, when he was terminated by the Board of Directors due to allegations of misconduct – allegedly converted at least $25 million in investor money to his own personal use.
Records indicate that Slync raised roughly $7 million in its Series A investment round and roughly $50 million in its Series B investment round. All investor funds, which were supposed to be used for “product development and other general corporate purposes,” were wired into the company’s account at Silicon Valley Bank.
Mr. Kirchner allegedly misappropriated the investor funds in various ways: Between April 2020 and March 2022, Mr. Kirchner allegedly initiated nearly 100 wire transfers moving money from Slync’s Silicon Valley Bank account into the company’s account at JPMorgan Chase Bank – an account only he had access to. He then allegedly wired much of the money from the Chase account to his personal bank accounts. In addition, Mr. Kirchner allegedly wired $20 million directly from Slync’s Silicon Valley Bank account into his personal checking account. He used some of those funds to buy a $16 million private jet and to secure a luxury suite at the stadium of a Dallas-area professional sports team.
When Slync, drained of funds, struggled to make payroll in the spring of 2022, Mr. Kirchner allegedly attempted to replace some of the money he had allegedly misappropriated by convincing at least four investors to wire approximately $850,000 to Slync as part of a purported Series C investment round. Slync’s Board of Directors never authorized this Series C investment round.
In the meantime, Mr. Kirchner offered various explanations for Slync’s payroll issues. He first claimed that the company’s cash was invested in illiquid assets that were difficult to divest. Later, he said that the U.S. government had frozen the company’s accounts because he had transacted in his personal capacity with sanctioned entities in Russia. Neither explanation was true.
In June 2022, Mr. Kirchner allegedly fired two Slync employees who expressed concern about his management of the company. One of the employees had reported that Mr. Kirchner may have falsely exaggerated Slync’s financial performance to investors.
Immediately following his suspension by the Board in late July 2022, Mr. Kirchner removed certain IT administrator privileges from key Slync employees, preventing the employees from accessing Slync’s computer systems. He then allegedly attempted to delete approximately 18 gigabytes of Slync data, including emails.
An indictment is merely an allegation of wrongdoing, not evidence. Mr. Kirchner is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in federal prison per count of wire fraud and up to 10 years in prison per count of money laundering.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua D. Detzky, Blake J. Ellison, and John de la Garza are prosecuting the case.
Sidney meth trafficker sentenced to 15 years in prisonRead the Press Release
BILLINGS — A Sidney man who admitted to trafficking large quantities of methamphetamine in the community after law enforcement seized more than six pounds of the drug from his car was sentenced today to 15 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
Markel Dean Brown, 60, pleaded guilty in January to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute meth, possession with intent to distribute meth and distribution of meth.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.
The government alleged in court documents that in January 2022, law enforcement learned that Brown was distributing meth in Sidney and coordinated a controlled purchase of a half-pound of meth from Brown for $1,500. Investigators further learned that Brown would be traveling out of state to pick up a supply of meth and that Brown went to Texas. The Montana Highway Patrol conducted a traffic stop of Brown’s vehicle when it returned to Montana and ultimately served a search warrant on the vehicle. Law enforcement seized three packages of 100 percent pure meth totaling 6.6 pounds. Agents also searched Brown’s cell phone and found messages that discussed the coordination of Brown picking up meth in Texas. The total amount of meth seized from Brown was 7.1 pounds, which is the equivalent of 25,730 doses.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie R. Patten prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and Montana Division of Criminal Investigation.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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Ship’s Operator, Captain, and Chief Engineer Admit to Environmental Crimes Aboard a Rhode Island-Bound Oil TankerRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE –The Greek company that owned and operated the Galissas: a tanker carrying diesel oil from Rotterdam, the Netherlands, to Providence, RI, in February 2022, pled guilty in U.S. District Court in Rhode Island to federal environmental crimes carried out by its captain and chief engineer. In addition, the vessel’s captain pled guilty to failing to report a hazardous condition in the vessel’s cargo tanks to the United States Coast Guard prior to the tanker entering the port of Newport, Rhode Island. The vessel’s chief engineer pled guilty to knowingly discharging untreated oily bilge water directly from the tanker into the sea during the transatlantic voyage.
During proceedings in U.S. District Court in Providence, Zeus Lines Management S.A., (Zeus) owner/operator of the Gallissas, admitted violating The Ports and Waterways Safety Act and The Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships. The Galissas’ captain Jose Ervin Mahinge Porquez, a resident of the Philippines, admitted to violating The Ports and Waterways Safety Act. The Galissas’ Chief Engineer Roberto Cayabyab Penaflor, also a resident of the Philippines, admitted violating the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships.
Under the terms of the plea agreement Zeus will pay a total monetary penalty of $2.25 million, consisting of a fine of $1,687,500 and a community service payment of $562,500. The community service payment will go to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to fund projects to benefit marine and coastal natural resources located in the State of Rhode Island. Additionally, Zeus will serve a four-year term of probation, during which any vessels operated by the company and calling on U.S. ports will be required to implement a robust environmental compliance plan.
“A critical mission of this office is protecting our environment from pollution and polluters, whether they impact our neighborhoods or precious natural resources like the Narragansett Bay, one of the crown jewels of Rhode Island,” said United States Attorney for the District of Rhode Island Zachary A. Cunha. “In this case, a foreign company decided it could ignore its obligation under American law, putting our waters and coastal communities at risk. Today’s guilty pleas are a reminder that this Office will enforce our environmental laws to hold violators – individuals and corporate – accountable and protect our vital natural resources and our citizenry.”
“This prosecution demonstrates our commitment to ensuring the health and safety of the marine environment,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “The reckless actions of these defendants not only threatened the marine environment, but also the safety of this coastal community. The Department of Justice will continue to work with our partner agencies to ensure those who pollute and endanger our coastal communities are held fully accountable.”
“This case demonstrates the U.S. government’s resolve to ensure the safety of life at sea and protect our ports from rogue and negligent actors,” said Rear Adm. John Mauger, Commander of the First Coast Guard District. “Everyday thousands of ships safely call on U.S. ports and handle nearly 95% of US trade that drives our economy and provides for our national security. By sailing into a major U.S. port with a known faulty inert gas generator, the operator, and senior officers of the Galissas endangered not only their shipmates but also the people of Rhode Island. The Coast Guard will continue to train and deploy our vessel examiners to protect mariners and our nations ports by deterring and detecting unsafe and illegal activity. We appreciate the strong resolve from DOJ in holding these rogue actors accountable.”
According to information presented in court, while the Galissas was conducting cargo operations in Rotterdam, the Netherlands in February 2022, crew members became aware that the vessel’s inert gas system became inoperable. The inert gas system is necessary to ensure that oxygen levels within the vessel’s cargo tanks remain at safe levels and do not pose a hazardous condition. Rather than remaining in Rotterdam until the inert gas system could be repaired, Zeus and the ship’s captain, Porquez, decided to instead sail to the United States, where a spare part would be delivered upon the vessel’s arrival. On February 11, 2022, while crossing the Atlantic, Porquez submitted a “Notice of Arrival” to the U.S. Coast Guard which failed to report the hazardous condition. On February 15, 2022, the Coast Guard sent an email in preparation for inspection which inquired about the vessel’s inert gas system. Porquez responded to the email but did not disclose the inoperable inert gas system. Upon arrival off the coast of Rhode Island February 19, 2022, the vessel embarked a local ship’s pilot to sail the vessel closer to shore and take delivery of the spare part. Although the crew installed the spare part, the inert gas system remained inoperable. Porquez failed to report to the Coast Guard the hazardous condition that the vessel’s inert gas system was inoperable while the tanks were not gas free.
The following day, February 20, the U.S. Coast Guard boarded the Galissas to conduct an inspection. Only then did Porquez inform the Coast Guard that the inert gas system was inoperable. The Coast Guard immediately took measurements of the oxygen levels within the vessel’s cargo tanks, which were registered more than double the maximum allowable levels. The Coast Guard then ordered that the vessel be moved further offshore so as to not endanger the port of Newport, Rhode Island. Zeus’ Operations Manager directed Porquez to create a logbook showing oxygen levels during the transatlantic voyage. Porquez had a logbook created that falsely indicated the cargo tanks were at safe oxygen levels when the vessel left the Netherlands and remained at safe levels during the majority of the vessel’s transit of the Atlantic Ocean. In reality, the crew had not taken any readings of the oxygen levels in the cargo tanks during the vessel’s voyage. Porquez had tasked the vessel’s Chief Officer with creating this fraudulent logbook that was then presented to the U.S. Coast Guard during its inspection.
Additionally, Zeus and chief engineer Penaflor admitted that throughout the transatlantic voyage, oily bilge water was illegally dumped from the Galissas directly into the ocean without being properly processed through required pollution prevention equipment. Oily bilge water typically contains oil contamination from the operation and cleaning of machinery on the vessel. They also admitted that these illegal discharges were not recorded in the vessel’s oil record book as required by law.
Specifically, on three separate occasions between November 2021 and February 2022, Penaflor ordered crew members working for him in the engine room to discharge a total of approximately 9,544 gallons of oily bilge water from the vessel’s bilge holding tank directly into the ocean using the vessel’s emergency fire pump, bypassing the vessel’s required pollution prevention equipment. In addition, in preparation for the U.S. Coast Guard’s inspection of the Galissas, Penaflor instructed crew members on several occasions to not tell the Coast Guard about bypassing the pollution prevention equipment resulting in illegal discharges.
A sentencing hearing in this matter is scheduled to be held on August 8, 2023. The defendants’ sentences will be determined by a federal judge after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Senior Trial Attorney Stephen Da Ponte of the Department of Justice’s Environment and Natural Resources Division’s Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney John P. McAdams for the District of Rhode Island are prosecuting the case with assistance from Lieutenant Commander Paul J. Milliken from the U.S. Coast Guard District One Legal Office. The U.S. Coast Guard Sector Southeastern New England and the U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service investigated the case.
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Seattle man sentenced to four years in prison for dealing fentanyl in downtown Seattle while armed with a handgunRead the Press Release
Seattle – A 37-year-old Seattle man was sentenced this week to four years in federal prison and three years of supervised release for Possession of Controlled Substances with Intent to Distribute, announced U.S. Attorney Nick Brown. Joseph Johnson was prosecuted federally as part of Seattle’s Operation New Day – a concerted effort by Seattle Police and federal partners to remove open air drug markets in key hotspots in the city of Seattle.
“We are committed to prosecuting appropriate federal cases from the efforts to stop drug trafficking on Third Avenue and in the International District,” said U.S. Attorney Nick Brown. “In this case, Mr. Johnson did not learn from his first arrest in the International District and was arrested a second time, less than a month later, selling fentanyl at 3rd and Pike. In both instances he was armed with semi-automatic pistols. Such a case is appropriate for federal sanctions.”
Johnson was arrested on February 4, 2022, near 12th and Jackson in the International District, when an undercover law enforcement officer approached him and purchased fentanyl pills. At the time of the arrest Johnson had additional pills, $165 cash, and a semi-automatic 9 mm pistol. Johnson was released from custody. Before charges were filed on that arrest, Johnson was contacted again by law enforcement – this time at 3rd and Pike. On March 2, 2022, law enforcement officers saw Johnson engage in hand-to-hand sales of fentanyl pills. Johnson had 184 fentanyl pills in his pocket as well as nearly $1,100 in cash drug proceeds. He also had a loaded Polymer80 semi-automatic pistol.
In imposing the four-year prison sentence and the three years of supervised release to follow, Judge John C. Coughenour said “the involvement of the firearms and the significant amount of fentanyl is very troubling for the court.”
Assistant United States Attorney Cecelia Gregson noted the case was slated for federal prosecution, because of Johnson’s quick return to dealing after the first arrest. “The rapid rate of recidivism the defendant demonstrated by engaging in the very same conduct weeks later leaves little question about the threat he poses to community safety. Fentanyl is highly addictive and incredibly lethal. Packing firearms while dealing fentanyl adds another layer of dangerousness and increases the risk of violence occurring when addicted consumers and unruly rivals are factored into the mix,” AUSA Gregson wrote in her sentencing memo.
The case was investigated by the Seattle Police Department with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Cecelia Gregson.
Rochester Man Who Failed to Appear for Sentencing on Riot Charge Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
ROCHESTER, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Christopher Tindal, 29, of Rochester, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Charles J. Siragusa to failure to appear, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Cassie Kocher, who is handling the case, stated that while Tindal was awaiting sentencing on a riot charge, he was released with a Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) ankle bracelet and required to comply with other conditions of release, including appearing at all court proceedings as required. On March 28, 2022, without the permission of the Court, Tindal removed his GPS ankle bracelet and failed to appear for sentencing before Judge Siragusa on April 19, 2022.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge John B. DeVito, the Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Chief David Smith, and the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Todd Baxter.
Sentencing is scheduled for August 24, 2023, at 11:00 a.m. before Judge Siragusa.
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Repeat Armed Robber Found Guilty of Illegally Possessing Stolen HandgunRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS- A federal jury has found Kyree Bryce Harris, 25, of Indianapolis, Indiana, guilty of illegally possessing a firearm.
According to court documents and evidence introduced at trial, on the morning of June 17, 2022, IMPD officers were called to Ethel Avenue in Indianapolis, Indiana on a report of a suspicious vehicle parked in front of the Twenty Fifth Street Baptist church all night. When officers arrived, they encountered Harris asleep in the vehicle with a handgun tucked next to his leg, between the driver’s seat and center console. The gun had previously been reported stolen. On scene and at trial, Harris admitted he carried the gun for protection.
Because Harris was a convicted felon, federal law prohibited him from possessing firearms. His felony convictions stemmed from a string of six armed robberies of Indianapolis-area convenience stores and Family Dollar stores that he committed in January 2017, for which he was also convicted federally.
U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Myers, Daryl S. McCormick, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Columbus Field Division, and Randal Taylor, Chief of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department made the announcement.
“It is evident by this defendant’s criminal history that he has a willful disregard for the law,” said U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, Zachary A. Myers. “We are very thankful that officers intervened when they did, potentially preventing future robberies, violence, or even death. Any time a firearm can be taken out of the hands of a reckless individual, it is a win for our community.”
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeremy C. Fugate and Michelle P. Brady, who prosecuted this case.
U.S. District Court Judge Sarah Evans Barker presided over the trial and will sentence Harris at a later date. Harris faces a minimum of 15 years, up to life, in prison followed by up to five years of supervised release. Actual sentences are determined by a federal district court judge and are typically less than the maximum penalties.
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Registered Sex Offender Arrested for Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Beverly man was arrested today on child pornography offenses.
Robert Miller, 59, was charged with one count of possession of child pornography. Following an initial appearance in federal court in Boston this afternoon before U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Paul G. Levenson, Miller was detained pending a hearing set for May 10, 2023.
This case arose from an investigation of a secure online chat platform often used for, among other things, accessing and exchanging child pornography. According to the charging documents, Miller was identified as a member of a large-scale group chat trading child pornography on the platform. During a search of Miller’s residence today, approximately 15 electronic devices were seized and allegedly found to contain multiple videos depicting child pornography.
In September 2018, Miller was convicted of possession of child pornography in Essex County Superior Court, for which he received a three-year probationary sentence and was required to register as a sex offender in Massachusetts.
The charge of possession of child pornography provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up to 20 years in prison, at least five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins and Michael J. Krol, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Suzanne Sullivan Jacobus of Rollins’ Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
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.
Rapid City Man Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled SubstanceRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that U.S. District Judge Jeffrey L. Viken has sentenced a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencing took place on April 17, 2023.
Michael Wilson, 46, was sentenced to 14 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Wilson was indicted for Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance by a federal grand jury in June of 2022. He pleaded guilty on January 20, 2023.
On January 30, 2022, a South Dakota Highway Patrol Trooper observed Wilson traveling eastbound on Interstate 90, close to Spearfish, South Dakota. Wilson’s vehicle then slowed down, entered a median crossing and started traveling westbound toward Spearfish. When the trooper attempted to initiate a traffic stop, the vehicle fled and a pursuit ensued. The pursuit ended when Wilson crashed his car in a housing development and fled on foot. A search of the vehicle revealed over 1300 grams of methamphetamine, other illegal substances, and $11,400 in cash. The investigation showed that Wilson was the driver of the vehicle and he was later arrested.
This case was investigated by the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, South Dakota Highway Patrol, Spearfish Police Department, Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office, Deadwood Police Department, and the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gina S. Nelson prosecuted the case.
Wilson was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Queens Woman Charged with Fraudulently Obtaining Government FundsRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, John Gay, the Inspector General of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, Office of Inspector General (“PA-OIG”), Jonathan Mellone, the Special Agent in Charge of the Northeast Region of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General (“DOL-OIG”), and Ivan J. Arvelo, the Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”), announced today the unsealing of a Complaint charging JASMIN GADSON, an employee of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, with wire fraud and theft of government funds for submitting fraudulent applications to obtain unemployment insurance benefits from the New York State Department of Labor at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021. During that period, GADSON also allegedly submitted fraudulent applications for loans under the United States Small Business Administration’s (“SBA”) Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”). GADSON was arrested this morning and will be presented this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Stewart D. Aaron in Manhattan federal court.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Jasmin Gadson, an employee of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, allegedly stole government funds intended to help those who were struggling as a result of a national emergency. This Office will continue to prosecute those who used the COVID-19 pandemic as an opportunity to line their pockets with fraudulently obtained taxpayer money.”
PA-OIG Inspector General John Gay said: “We are appalled that a toll collector, on her own time, allegedly filed for fraudulent government benefits.”
DOL-OIG Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Mellone said: “An important part of the mission of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General is to investigate allegations of fraud related to Pandemic unemployment insurance programs. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate these types of allegations.”
HSI Special Agent in Charge Ivan J. Arvelo said: “As alleged, Jasmin Gadson not only fraudulently claimed unemployment benefits while actively employed by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, but this defendant also defrauded a program intended to assist hardworking Americans who were financially impacted due to the unprecedented COVID-19 health crisis. HSI will not abide those who engage in theft of federal funds destined to help the financially vulnerable. I am extremely grateful to our partners at the Port Authority of NY/NJ, Office of the Inspector General and the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of the Inspector General, as well as HSI New York’s Document & Benefit Fraud Task Force for uncovering and investigating Gadson’s criminal scheme that allegedly defrauded U.S. taxpayers out of $78,000.”
According to the Complaint unsealed today in Manhattan federal court and publicly available information:[1]
JASMIN GADSON is currently employed by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, where she has worked since 2015. Beginning in the summer of 2020 through the fall of 2021, she submitted fraudulent applications for unemployment insurance benefits to the New York State Department of Labor and fraudulent applications for PPP loans to the SBA. In support of her fraudulent unemployment insurance applications, GADSON falsely claimed, in an initial application and weekly verifications, that the last date that she worked was during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020. At all times from March 2020 through the present, GADSON was employed by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and received salary or paid sick leave or was on unpaid protected parental leave. During that period, she received full health benefits and was not eligible for unemployment insurance benefits. In addition, GADSON falsely claimed five-figure net revenues for a business that did not exist in support of her fraudulent PPP loan applications.
Between both of these schemes, GADSON stole more than $78,000 from the New York State Department of Labor, the SBA, and financial institutions that issued SBA-guaranteed loans.
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JASMIN GADSON, 29, of Queens, New York, is charged with wire fraud, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and theft of government funds, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.
The maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the PA-OIG, the DOL-OIG, and HSI. The investigation was conducted by HSI’s Document and Benefit Fraud Task Force (“DBFTF”), a specialized investigative group comprising personnel from various state, local, and federal agencies with expertise in detecting, deterring, and disrupting organizations and individuals involved in various types of document, identity, and benefit fraud schemes.
The case is being prosecuted by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda C. Weingarten is in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the Complaint and the descriptions of the Complaint set forth herein constitutes only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Puerto Rican Man Pleads Guilty to Cocaine ChargeRead the Press Release
ROCHESTER, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Michael Almonte Diaz, 30, of Puerto Rico, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute cocaine, before U.S. District Judge Charles J. Siragusa. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Cassie Kocher, who is handling the case, stated that on August 2, 2022, Diaz and another individual were transporting approximately 504 grams of cocaine from Rochester, eastbound on Interstate 90. The New York State Police conducted a traffic stop of the vehicle in the area of Exit 41 in Seneca County. The cocaine was concealed in a birthday gift-wrapped package. Officers also recovered $18,511 in United States currency.
The plea is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Scarpino and the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Brian Ratajczak.
Sentencing is scheduled for August 8, 2023, at 9:15 a.m. before Judge Siragusa.
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Prior Felon Pleads Guilty to Gun ChargeRead the Press Release
ROCHESTER, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Tyree D. Washington, 40, of Rochester, NY, pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of firearms before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark W. Pedersen. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Cassie Kocher, who is handling the case, stated that on November 26, 2022, New York State Police Troopers on patrol in Rochester attempted to stop Washington, who was operating a black BMW, for traffic violations, but Washington refused to stop. A vehicle pursuit ensued over several city streets and ended when Washington failed to stop at a stop sign and crashed into the front porch of a residence on South Plymouth Avenue in Rochester. After Washington was taken into custody, officers located two loaded pistols in the vehicle. In October 2009, Washington was convicted of a felony in Monroe County Court and is legally prohibited from possessing a firearm.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The plea is the result of an investigation by New York State Police, under the direction of Major Brian Ratajczak and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge John B. DeVito, New York Field Division.
Sentencing is scheduled for July 28, 2023, at 2:00 p.m. before Judge David G. Larimer.
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Previously convicted felon sentenced to more than 5 years in prison for possessing firearmRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – Markeith Ford, 32, of Cincinnati, was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 66 months in prison for illegally possessing a firearm.
As a previously convicted felon, Ford is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition.
According to court documents, on March 4, 2022, plain clothes officers from the Crime Gun Information Center (CGIC) identified Ford at the rear of a property on Race Street. Ford was wearing a black outfit, camouflage mask and latex gloves.
When a patrol vehicle arrived, Ford immediately fled on foot, carrying a firearm in his left hand. He threw the gun toward a fire escape on a building. Ford was eventually caught and placed into custody, and the firearm – which was loaded with 15 rounds of ammunition – was recovered. Ford also had a black magazine with 10 rounds of ammunition in a front pants pocket.
Ford pleaded guilty in June 2022 to illegally possessing a firearm after being convicted of a felony crime.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Daryl S. McCormick, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF); and Cincinnati Police Chief Teresa A. Theetge announced the sentence imposed by Senior U.S. District Court Judge Susan J. Dlott. Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Springer is representing the United States in this case.
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Portland Area Drug Trafficker Sentenced to 26 Years in Federal Prison for Role in Deadly Kidnapping of Washington State ManRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A Mexican National residing in Marion County, Oregon was sentenced to federal prison today for his role in the 2019 kidnapping and murder of a Washington State man and other drug trafficking crimes.
Marcos Alonso Castillo-Bernal, 48, was sentenced to 312 months in federal prison and 10 years’ supervised release.
According to court documents, in 2018, the Portland Police Bureau (PPB) began investigating a Mexican drug trafficking organization (DTO) responsible for distributing large quantities of methamphetamine, heroin, cocaine, and counterfeit OxyContin in the Portland area. The DTO was an intermediate source of supply to other organizations in Portland, on the Oregon coast, and in the Olympia, Washington area. In January 2019, Castillo-Bernal assumed control of the DTO and, along with various co-conspirators, was directly responsible for distributing large quantities of the illegal drugs in and around Portland.
From on or about April 9, 2019, until on or about April 13, 2019, Castillo-Bernal and others kidnapped, held hostage, and murdered Ricardo Corral-Moreno, of Olympia, Washington, and disposed of his body in a rural area near Molalla, Oregon. Castillo-Bernal and his co-conspirators targeted Corral-Moreno because of money he owed to Castillo-Bernal and others. Investigators identified ligature marks on Corral-Moreno’s wrists consistent with his having been tied up and determined he died of blunt force injuries to the back of his head. Castillo-Bernal’s DNA was also found on Corral-Moreno’s left cheek and ankle.
On January 6, 2022, a superseding indictment was unsealed charging Castillo-Bernal with various drug trafficking crimes and for his role in Corral-Moreno’s kidnapping and murder. He made his initial appearance in federal court the same day.
On January 18, 2023, Castillo-Bernal pleaded guilty to conspiring to possess with intent to distribute and distribute controlled substances, conspiring to commit kidnapping resulting in death, and illegally reentering the U.S.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, Portland Police Bureau, Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office, and Clackamas County Interagency Task Force (CCITF). It was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon.
This prosecution is the result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the U.S. 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.
Port Sulphur Man Pleads Guilty to Interstate Domestic ViolenceRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – VINCENT TURNER, age 39, a resident of Port Sulphur, Louisiana plead guilty on May 2, 2023 to Interstate Domestic Violence, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2261(a)(1), 2261(b)(5) and 7(8), announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.
On August 2, 2022, while within the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States, aboard the Carnival cruise ship, Valor, TURNER physically assaulted and battered his intimate dating partner. The Valor, a foreign vessel, departed and returned to New Orleans, after traveling to Costa Maya, Mexico. While aboard the ship, TURNER and the victim engaged in a verbal altercation that escalated into a physical altercation, resulting in TURNER striking the victim in her head with his hand.
TURNER faces a maximum sentence of 5 years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000.00, a period of supervised release of up to 3 years, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00.
United States District Court Judge Susie Morgan will sentence TURNER on August 17, 2023.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brittany Reed of the Public Integrity Unit.
Pittsburgh Man Sentenced to 30 Months in Prison for Violating Federal Firearms and Narcotic LawsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA - A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to a total of 30 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release on his conviction of violating federal firearms and narcotics laws, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
United States District Judge William S. Stickman IV imposed the sentence on Dajunatae Alston, 25, formerly of the East Liberty section of Pittsburgh.
According to information presented to the court, on April 22, 2020, Alston possessed with intent to distribute approximately 50 grams of marijuana while also possessing a firearm in a school zone.
Assistant United States Attorney Carl J. Spindler prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Alston.