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Friday 28 April 2023
Suburban Chicago Couple Plead Guilty to Child Labor Trafficking and Are Sentenced to More Than Six Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — Two Aurora residents have pleaded guilty to two counts each of forced labor and have been sentenced to six and a half years in prison by a federal judge in Chicago.
Per their plea agreements, between February 2019 and February 2020, SANTOS TEODORO AC-SALAZAR, 27, and OLGA CHOC LAJ, 34, who are both Guatemalan citizens, conspired to unlawfully enter the United States with two children who were not their own in order to more easily be allowed entry into the United States and to avoid prolonged detention by U.S. immigration authorities. Once in the United States, Ac-Salazar and Choc Laj harbored the two children (ages 15 and 10 at the time) in a residence in Aurora by, among other things, failing to enroll the children in school, prohibiting them from leaving the residence except in limited circumstances, and instructing them to provide false information to third parties, including law enforcement authorities. Ac-Salazar and Choc Laj also forced the two children to work as their domestic servants and childcare providers and would physically strike and threaten to strike the children if the children did not do as they were told. Ac-Salazar and Choc Laj also forced the older child to work various paying jobs outside the Aurora residence and took nearly all of the earnings from the jobs the child worked.
U.S. District Court Judge Sara L. Ellis imposed the 78-month sentence, with a time served credit of 8-months, for Choc Laj on January 27, 2023, and imposed the identical sentence to Ac-Salazar on April 25, 2023. In addition to the 78-month prison sentence, the Court also ordered Ac-Salazar and Choc Laj to pay $98,364 in restitution to the victims.
The sentences are announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Sean Fitzgerald, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Office of Homeland Security Investigations; and Irene Lindow, Special Agent-in-Charge of the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, Great Lakes Region. Substantial assistance in the investigation has been provided by the Kane County State’s Attorney’s Office, the Aurora Police Department, and the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Prashant Kolluri.
“This case outlines the extent to which many will go in order to enter and stay within this country, and the prevalence of child trafficking and labor trafficking occurring throughout our country on a daily basis” said Acting U.S. Attorney Pasqual. “The abuses suffered by the victims in this case are unforgivable. Our Office remains committed to investigating and prosecuting those who engage in all forms of trafficking and forced labor, and to bringing justice to the victims in these cases”.
“Those responsible for committing these heinous crimes sought to benefit financially by abusing the most vulnerable members of our community,” said HSI Chicago Special Agent in Charge Sean Fitzgerald. “Homeland Security Investigations will continue to work with our partners to prioritize the safety of children across the state of Illinois and beyond.”
“Santos Teodoro Ac-Salazar and Olga Choc Laj trafficked two children who they forced to work for them against their will. We are committed to working with our law enforcement partners to investigate those who engage in labor trafficking and involuntary servitude, particularly when children are involved,” said Irene Lindow, Special Agent in Charge, Great Lakes Region, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General.
Statement from U.S. Attorney Jason M. Frierson on National Child Abuse Prevention MonthRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada today issued the following statement from United States Attorney Jason M. Frierson:
“During National Child Abuse Prevention Month, we remain committed to protecting young people who are abused or exploited. Through our Project Safe Childhood initiative we work with our law enforcement partners to investigate crimes against children, provide services to victims, and bring perpetrators to justice. Together, we can help children thrive and support families before they reach a crisis.
“For information on how to recognize and report child abuse or neglect, as well as on how to support families and safe communities, visit www.childwelfare.gov/preventionmonth.”
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St. Louis County Woman Accused of Sex TraffickingRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A woman from St. Louis County, Missouri has been accused of prostituting a minor online.
Carrie Little, 43, of Olivette, was indicted by a federal grand jury on April 19 and now faces three felonies: sex trafficking of a minor, coercion and enticement and a violation of the Mann Act.
She appeared in U.S. District Court in St. Louis Thursday and pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The enticement count in the indictment accuses Little of using interstate commerce (a computer, tablet and smartphone) from at least July 2018 through July 2020 to persuade and coerce the minor to engage in prostitution. The Mann Act charge accuses her of using the internet to promote, manage and facilitate prostitution from March 2019 through June 2022. The sex trafficking charge accuses her of recruiting, enticing and/or advertising the minor to participate in a commercial sex act from at least July 2018 through July 2020.
The sex trafficking and coercion charges each carry a potential penalty of 10 years to life in prison. The Mann Act charge carries a penalty of up to five years in prison.
On Thursday, Little waived a detention hearing, meaning she will be held in jail until trial.
Little also faces charges in St. Louis County Circuit Court.
Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The case was investigated by the St. Louis County Police Department and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dianna Collins 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 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
St. Louis County Man Admits Buying, Re-selling Checks Stolen from the U.S. MailRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A man from St. Louis County, Missouri on Friday admitted buying and then re-selling business and personal checks stolen from U.S. Postal Service collection boxes.
Dennis Cooperwood Jr., 19, of Country Club Hills, pleaded guilty in front of U.S. District Judge John A. Ross to one felony count of possession of stolen mail matter. Cooperwood admitted being in possession of about 179 business and personal checks on April 12 that had been taken from collection boxes.
That night, St. Louis County Police Department officers on patrol in the Spanish Lake area spotted a vehicle stopped in the middle of the road with multiple people standing at the windows. After the crowd dispersed and the vehicle drove away, officers stopped the vehicle and found Cooperwood in the back seat wearing a shoulder bag containing a gun and the checks. Cooperwood told officers that he bought stolen checks for $5 to $10 each and would scratch off the writing on the checks before re-selling them for $20 to $25.
Cooperwood is scheduled to be sentenced July 31. The possession of stolen mail matter charge carries a penalty of up to five years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both.
The case was investigated by the St. Louis County Police Department and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Clow is prosecuting the case.
South Florida Residents Arrested for Building “Ghost Guns” and Machine Gun Conversion DevicesRead the Press Release
MIAMI – This week, Marshal Vivian Harris, 37, of Davie, Florida, and Wisler Majeure Jacques, 40, of Margate, Florida, appeared in federal court in Miami following their arrests for dealing firearms without a license and possession or transfer of a machine gun.
According to court documents, special agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) began investigating Harris and Jacques in February 2023. During the investigation, Jacques sold approximately 27 “ghost guns” and 48 auto sears to investigators. Ghost guns are unserialized and untraceable firearms that can be bought online and assembled at home. Auto sears are devices that turn handguns into machine guns.
Jacques obtained these “ghost guns” from Harris before selling them to law enforcement. On April 25, law enforcement executed a federal search warrant at Harris’ residence. During the search, agents found 3D printing equipment and a computerized mill machine that was designed to manufacture firearms parts. Agents also found several partially completed ghost guns. Harris later admitted to possessing the firearm manufacturing equipment and admitted that he attempted to use the 3D printer to manufacture auto sears.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida and Special Agent in Charge Christopher A. Robinson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Miami Field Division, announced the charges.
ATF Miami Field Division investigated this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Gerarde is prosecuting it.
This case and prosecution was carried out by members of the South Florida High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force. The South Florida HIDTA, established in 1990, is made up of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies who, cooperatively, target the region’s drug-trafficking and money laundering organizations. The South Florida HIDTA is funded by the Office of National Drug Control Policy, which sponsors a variety of initiatives focused on the nation’s illicit drug trafficking threats.
An indictment contains mere allegations, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case numbers 23-mj-02790 and 23-mj-02789.
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Seven persons arraigned on charges in meth trafficking investigation on Crow and Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservations, three countiesRead the Press Release
BILLINGS — Seven persons accused in a large methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy on the Crow and Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservations and in Yellowstone, Big Horn and Rosebud counties appeared for arraignment this week on various charges, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said today.
Six of the defendants face charges in a multi-count indictment alleging meth trafficking, firearms and money laundering crimes. A seventh defendant faces drug trafficking charges in a companion indictment.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan presided. All defendants were detained pending further proceedings.
Agents with the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Drug Enforcement Administration and FBI arrested the defendants, along with co-defendants, in a recent coordinated takedown involving multiple law enforcement officers at various locations on the Crow and Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservations, and in Yellowstone, Big Horn and Rosebud counties.
A 13-count indictment alleges that multiple defendants conspired to possess with intent to distribute meth from January 2022 through March 2023 in Billings, in Yellowstone County; Hardin, in Big Horn County; Crow Agency, Wyola and Lodge Grass, in Big Horn County and on the Crow Indian Reservation; and at Lame Deer, in Rosebud County and on the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation. The indictment further alleges possession and distribution trafficking crimes, firearms crimes and conspiracy to commit money laundering. The meth conspiracy count carries a penalty of a mandatory minimum of 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release.
Two of the defendants, Daniel Jiminez-Chavez, aka Raton, 40, of Lodge Grass, and Darlon Richard Lefthand, 37, of Hardin, pleaded not guilty on April 24 to various charges in the indictment, while Roderick Plentyhawk, 39, of Billings; Ranita Roselle Redfield, 47, of Lodge Grass; Carly Joy James, 42, of Billings; and Frederica Lefthand, 52, of Lodge Grass, pleaded not guilty on April 26 to various counts. PACER case reference. 23-41.
Seven additional co-defendants named in the same indictment pleaded not guilty on April 21 to various counts. Those defendants include Wendell Lefthand, 54, of Lodge Grass; Melanie Rose Bloodman, 54, a transient; Jeffrey Prettypaint, 30, of Crow Agency; Keilee Shambrae Diaz, 35, of Crow Agency; Zachary Douglas Bacon, 35, of Garryowen; Morgan Luke Hugs, 34, of Lodge Grass; and Anthony Springfield, 23, of Hardin.
In a companion indictment, Adrienne Dawn LaForge, 35, of Lame Deer, pleaded not guilty on April 26 to three meth trafficking crimes. If convicted of the most serious crime, LaForge faces a mandatory minimum of five years to 40 years in prison, a $5 million fine and at least 4 years of supervised release. Co-defendant Jacklyn Marcel Garcia-Littlebird, 58, of Lame Deer, pleaded not guilty on April 21 to the indictment. The indictment alleges that from January 2022 until October 2022, at Lame Deer, in Rosebud County; and at Crow Agency, in Big Horn County; LaForge and Garcia-Littlebird conspired with others to traffic meth. PACER case reference. 23-38.
The indictments are merely accusations, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
The Bureau of Indian Affairs, Drug Enforcement Administration and FBI investigated the cases.
The progress of cases may be monitored through the U.S. District Court Calendar and the PACER system. To establish a PACER account, which provides electronic access to review documents filed in a case, please visit http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. To access the District Court’s calendar, please visit https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl
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San Diego Man Sentenced to Prison for Tax Evasion, Fraud and Failing to Appear for his 2001 Sentencing HearingRead the Press Release
A California man was sentenced to 63 months in prison today for criminal conduct spanning three decades, consisting of failing to appear for sentencing, conspiracy to defraud the IRS, evading the proper assessment of income tax and wire fraud.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Robin J. McPherson, formerly of San Diego and who was apprehended in Costa Rica and returned to the United States last year, failed to appear for his sentencing in March 2001 following a December 2000 bench trial convicting him and two co-defendants of conspiring to defraud the IRS and collectively evading over $1 million in income taxes for 1993 and 1994.
McPherson also engaged in additional criminal conduct. In 1999 and 2000, he earned income from individuals whom he and a codefendant induced into investing in an internet shopping mall and attempted to evade taxes due on this income proceeds by cashing the checks he received and directing the income to a bank account he controlled in Canada. McPherson did not file income tax returns with the IRS for those years, causing a tax loss of approximately $79,367.
Later, between 2016 and 2020, McPherson, using the name Raymond James, defrauded individuals out of approximately $1.5 million by inducing them to invest in villas in Costa Rica that were never built.
In addition to the term of imprisonment, U.S. District Judge Janis L. Sammartino sentenced McPherson to three years of supervised release and ordered him to pay approximately $4.7 million in restitution to the victims of his fraud scheme and to the United States.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division, U.S. Attorney Randy S. Grossman for the Southern District of California and U.S. Attorney Natalie K. Wight for the District of Oregon made the announcement.
IRS-Criminal Investigation and the FBI investigated the cases.
Trial Attorney Charles A. O’Reilly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division prosecuted the cases.
Rutland Man Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont – The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont stated that Reinaldo Davis, 48, of Rutland, Vermont, was sentenced today to serve 18 months in prison after Davis pleaded guilty to distribution of cocaine base. United States District Judge Christina Reiss ordered that after Davis’ release from custody, Davis must serve a 3-year term of supervised release.
According to court records, Homeland Security Investigations and the Rutland City Police Department began investigating Reinaldo Davis in late 2020. On three occasions, Davis sold cocaine base to a confidential informant assisting law enforcement. In one specific instance, on May 26, 2022, inside of a house in Rutland, Davis sold approximately one ounce of cocaine base to the confidential informant. The investigation also demonstrated that Davis possessed weapons and used violence to further his drug trafficking.
United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest commended the investigatory efforts of Homeland Security Investigations and the Rutland City Police Department.
Assistant United States Attorneys Jonathan A. Ophardt and Zachary B. Stendig handled the prosecution. Devin McLaughlin, Esq. represented Davis.
Rhode Island Man Pleads Guilty to Unemployment Fraud Scheme Related to COVID-19 PandemicRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Rhode Island man pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston in connection with a fraudulent scheme to obtain over $450,000 in COVID-19-related unemployment assistance.
Dquintz Alexander, 36, of Cranston, R.I., pleaded guilty to five counts of wire fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft. U.S. District Court Judge Angel Kelley scheduled sentencing for Aug. 10, 2023. Alexander was charged and arrested in November 2021.
In March 2020, in response to the global coronavirus pandemic, Congress passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), which among other things, created a temporary federal unemployment insurance program called Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA). The PUA program, which in Massachusetts was administered by the Department of Unemployment Assistance, provided unemployment insurance benefits for individuals who are not eligible for other types of unemployment benefits.
Alexander participated in a scheme that obtained over $450,000 in proceeds from fraudulent PUA claims submitted between April and June 2020 in Massachusetts. Alexander and co-conspirator Norman Higgs opened bank accounts to receive payments on the fraudulent PUA claims. Alexander and Higgs also used various methods to conceal their involvement in the scheme, including Virtual Private Network (VPN) services, overseas email accounts and phone numbers from Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services.
In September 2021, Higgs pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud conspiracy and is scheduled to be sentenced on June 15, 2023.
The charges of wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud each provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. The charge of aggravated identity theft provides for a mandatory sentence of two years in prison to be served consecutively to any other sentence imposed. 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; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Jonathan Mellone, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Labor Racketeering and Fraud Investigations, made the announcement today. The Massachusetts Department of Unemployment Assistance provided valuable assistance with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Markham of Rollins’ Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting 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.Readout of Pardon Attorney Elizabeth Oyer’s Visit to United States Penitentiary LewisburgRead the Press Release
On April 27, Pardon Attorney Elizabeth Oyer and members of her team visited United States Penitentiary (USP) Lewisburg, a medium-security Bureau of Prisons (BOP) facility, and its adjacent minimum-security satellite camp. The Pardon Attorney and her team provided an overview of the federal clemency process and answered questions from inmates and staff. The Pardon Attorney and her team met with over 300 inmates and staff in three different housing units, including the Reintegration Unit, the Camp and the Residential Drug and Alcohol Program.
The visit to USP Lewisburg was the second in a series of quarterly educational events that the Pardon Attorney is providing to inmates and staff in the BOP. The first took place at FCI Ft. Dix, a low-security institution, in January 2023. During that visit, the Pardon Attorney and her team met with over 700 inmates and staff in a day-long series of trainings throughout the facility.
The Pardon Attorney’s visit to USP Lewisburg is one of a series of outreach and education events conducted by the Office of the Pardon Attorney in recognition of Second Chance Month. Other events have included:
- An educational webinar on the pardon application process, presented in connection with the ACLU on April 26.
- An informational session on the pardon application process for D.C. residents, hosted by the Mayor’s Office on Returning Citizens Affairs.
- A Celebration of Second Chances, highlighting clemency recipients and their advocates within and outside the Department of Justice, on April 21.
These April outreach events are part of a year-round initiative by the Office of the Pardon Attorney to increase the accessibility and transparency of the clemency process through education and community engagement.
Puyallup, Washington man pleads guilty to conspiring to attack power substationsRead the Press Release
Tacoma – A 32-year-old Puyallup, Washington man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Tacoma to Conspiracy to destroy energy facilities, announced U.S. Attorney Nick Brown. Matthew Greenwood admits in his plea agreement that he and co-defendant Jeremy Crahan, 40, vandalized four power substations and plotted to fell trees to take out power lines. Both men were arrested before the tree plan was put into action. Greenwood faces up to twenty years in prison when sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge David G. Estudillo on July 21, 2023.
According to the facts in the plea agreement, Greenwood and Crahan hatched the scheme to disrupt power so they could break into ATMs and businesses and steal money. On December 25, 2022, they damaged four substations:
- Hemlock Substation in Puyallup, Washington, owned by Puget Sound Energy. Here, the two cut through a fence and Greenwood manipulated a switch damaging equipment and cutting power for 8,000 customers.
- Elk Plain substation in Spanaway, Washington, owned by Tacoma Power. The men cut padlocks on the gate and Greenwood manipulated breakers to damage equipment and cause an outage
- Graham substation in Graham, Washington, operated by Tacoma Power. The men cut through a perimeter fence and Greenwood manipulated a switch to damage equipment. This outage, combined with the Elk Plain substation outage, caused more than 7,500 customers to lose power.
- Kapowsin Substation in Graham, Washington, operated by Puget Sound Energy. The men cut through a fence and Greenwood tampered with a switch causing sparks, flame, and a power outage.
Following the December 25, 2022, substation vandalism, the men spent time looking for additional ways to cause power outages by felling trees. The goal was to cut power so that they could burglarize businesses and steal from ATMs. Law enforcement arrested them before they could put the tree plan into action.
Prosecutors have agreed to recommend the low end of the guidelines range when Greenwood is sentenced. Since his arrest, Greenwood has been in intensive drug treatment while awaiting resolution in this case.
Co-defendant Jeremy Crahan remains charged with conspiracy to attack energy facilities.
The FBI is investigating the case with assistance from the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF), Tacoma Police Department, the Washington State Department of Corrections, and the Federal Protective Service.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Todd Greenberg.
Prince George’s County Felon Sentenced to Seven Years in Federal Prison for Two Counts of Illegal Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Deborah J. Boardman sentenced Sean Christopher Henderson, age 36, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, yesterday to seven years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, after Henderson pleaded guilty to two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
The guilty plea and sentence were announced by Erek L. Barron, United States Attorney for the District of Maryland; Special Agent in Charge Toni M. Crosby of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Baltimore Field Division; Chief Malik Aziz of the Prince George’s County Police Department (“PGPD”); and Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Aisha Braveboy.
“We are successfully reducing and preventing crime by removing guns and repeat offenders from the streets by any legal means necessary,” said U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron. “But our comprehensive violence prevention strategy also includes reaching out to at-risk youth and sponsoring reentry fairs to provide resources to returning citizens to help them succeed. We remain laser-focused on reducing crime in Maryland.”
According to his guilty plea, Henderson had a previous felony conviction, which he knew prohibited him from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Despite this, Henderson admitted that on November 9, 2020 and October 3, 2021, he possessed two separate loaded firearms.
Specifically, in the early morning hours of November 9, 2020, PGPD officers responded to an address in District Heights, Maryland, for a reported shooting and located an individual matching the description of the shooter, later identified as Sean Henderson. Due to the nature of the call, Henderson was patted down for weapons. Officers recovered a clear glass vial containing 0.5 ounces of phencyclidine, commonly known as PCP, with an approximate street value of $800 and a plastic baggie containing approximately 12.7 grams of marijuana, with a street value of about $254. In the area where Henderson was detained, officers located a black 9x19mm semi-automatic pistol, loaded with one round in the chamber and eight rounds in the magazine. Additional searching recovered a 9mm spent shell casing. Investigation revealed that the gun had been reported stolen in Virginia on March 29, 2020. Henderson admitted that he possessed the firearm and ammunition in connection with another offense, specifically possession with intent to distribute PCP.
As detailed in the plea agreement, in the early morning hours of October 3, 2021, a PGPD officer responded to an address on Walter Lane in District Heights, Maryland. While approaching the scene, the officer was advised by a PGPD helicopter unit that someone was slumped over in the driver’s seat of a vehicle at that address, with the driver’s door open. When officers arrived, Henderson was found slumped over in the driver’s seat, with one foot hanging out the door. When officers approached the vehicle, they could see the end of a handgun magazine protruding from underneath a towel on the front passenger seat in plain view. Before waking Henderson, officers removed the gun, a 9x19mm semi-automatic pistol, which contained 31 rounds of ammunition in the large capacity magazine and one round in the chamber. After the gun was removed from the vehicle, Henderson woke up on his own and was also removed from the vehicle and placed under arrest. After his arrest, a search of the vehicle located 246 grams of marijuana on the floor of the front passenger area of the vehicle, packaged in 32 baggies that were held together in one lager bag and two ounces of PCP located in the driver side door compartment. Henderson admitted that he possessed the gun in furtherance of drug trafficking.
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.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the ATF, the Prince George’s County Police Department and the Prince George’s County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation and prosecution. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joel Crespo and William Moomau, who prosecuted the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-neighborhoods-psn and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Pennsylvania Man Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison for Fentanyl Trafficking OffenseRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that PEDRO DIAZ, 45, of Red Lion, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Vanessa L. Bryant in Hartford to 60 months of imprisonment, followed by four years of supervised release, for trafficking fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, this matter stems from an investigation led by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Bridgeport High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force of a drug trafficking network led by Landdy Rodriguez, also known as “Oso,” of Waterbury. In August 2021, investigators intercepted phone calls during which Rodriguez arranged for Ramon Oquendo, also known as “Mimo,” of Waterbury, to supply fentanyl to other drug distributors, including Diaz. After Diaz engaged in a drug transaction with Rodriguez and Oquendo in Waterbury in August 2021, a Pennsylvania State Trooper stopped Diaz’s car in Pennsylvania and seized 48 grams of fentanyl.
Diaz was arrested on November 14, 2021. On January 6, 2023, he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute, and to possess with intent to distribute, 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
Rodriguez and Oquendo are awaiting sentencing.
This investigation has been conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Bridgeport High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force, with the assistance of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Connecticut State Police and the Waterbury Police Department. The Task Force includes personnel from the DEA Bridgeport Resident Office, the Connecticut State Police, and the Bridgeport, Danbury, Milford, Norwalk, Stamford and Stratford Police Departments.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kenneth L. Gresham, John T. Pierpont, Jr., and Brendan J. Keefe through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Passaic County Man Sentenced to 23 Years in Prison for Conspiracy and Two Armed Bank RobberiesRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Passaic County, New Jersey, man was sentenced to 276 months in prison for his role as the gunman in two armed bank robberies, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Jose Soto, 53, of Passaic, New Jersey, was previously convicted of two bank robberies, conspiracy to commit bank robbery, and brandishing a firearm during those robberies following a six-day jury trial before U.S. District Judge William J. Martini, who imposed the sentence on April 27, 2023, in Newark federal court.
According to documents in this case and the evidence at trial:
On Feb. 6, 2020, Soto and his conspirator, while wearing face coverings and holding umbrellas, entered the PNC Bank in Passaic. Soto pointed a silver and black handgun at customers and employees and began ordering everyone down on the floor. His conspirator entered the bank and jumped over the teller counter, demanding that the teller turn over all cash in the drawers. Soto and his conspirator took approximately $35,000 from the PNC Bank.
On Feb. 27, 2020, Soto and the same conspirator entered the Valley Bank in Little Falls, New Jersey. Soto again pointed a silver and black gun at customers and employees and his conspirator jumped over the teller counter and began rifling through various drawers. Soto and his conspirator, at gunpoint, forced the bank employees to open the vault, and began retrieving cash from the bank vault. They then forced all employees and customers into the bank vault and fled through the rear door of the Valley Bank. Soto and his conspirator took approximately $45,000 from the Valley Bank.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Martini sentenced Soto to three years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited the FBI Newark Violent Incident Crimes Task Force, Garrett Mountain Resident Agency, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark; the Passaic Police Department, under the direction of Chief Luis A. Guzman; the Passaic County Sheriff’s Department, under the direction of Sheriff Richard H. Berdnik; the Little Falls Police Department, under the direction of Chief Robert A. Thomas III; and the Paterson Police Department, under the direction of Interim Officer in Charge, Maj. Frederick P. Fife, with the investigation leading to the sentencing.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Emma Spiro and Mark J. Pesce of the Criminal Division in Newark.
Panama City Couple on State Probation for Passing Counterfeit Federal Reserve Notes Indicted for Manufacturing and Passing Counterfeit Federal Reserve NotesRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Neal Evan Pollman (42, Panama City) with one count of manufacturing counterfeit Federal Reserve notes and nine counts of passing counterfeit Federal Reserve notes, and Lyndsey Rhea Markland (41, Panama City) with four counts of passing counterfeit Federal Reserve notes. If convicted, each faces up to 20 years in federal prison on each count and payment of restitution to the victims they defrauded.
According to court documents and public records, Pollman manufactured counterfeit Federal Reserve notes. Thereafter, he and Markland defrauded multiple businesses throughout the Middle District of Florida by passing the counterfeit currency. Pollman and Markland appeared in federal court on April 27, 2023, pursuant to a writ bringing them to Jacksonville from the Bay County Jail where they are serving time for violating their state probation on charges related to passing counterfeit Federal Reserve notes. The Court ordered Pollman and Markland detained pending trial. Pollman and Markland are currently on State of Florida felony probation for multiple crimes related to the passing of counterfeit Federal Reserve notes in 2022. Their trial is set for June 2023.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Orange Park Police Department, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, and the United States Secret Service - Jacksonville Field Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Frein.
Orlando Restaurateur Pleads Guilty for Failing to Pay $2 Million in Employment TaxesRead the Press Release
Orlando, FL –United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Manuel Tato has pleaded guilty to three counts of failing to truthfully account for and pay over employment taxes. Tato faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to court documents, Tato owned and operated multiple restaurants in the Orlando area from at least 2010 to 2017, including Spice Modern Steakhouse. Tato was the owner and operator of an entity called Core Food Group, an affiliated company for Tato’s restaurants that was responsible for processing payroll for the employees of Tato’s restaurants. Through Core Food Group, Tato employed approximately 645 restaurant workers between 2010 and 2017, and had a duty to collect and pay over employment taxes on behalf of those employees. Employment taxes include Federal Income Tax, Medicare and Social Security.
While Tato withheld employment taxes from his employees’ paychecks and informed his employees that he was doing so on their paystubs, he never actually paid those taxes to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). During the charged time frame, July 2016 to March 2017, Tato failed to pay the IRS $93,690.66. Throughout the entire time Core Food Group existed, Tato failed to pay over $2 million in taxes that he had withheld from his employees and owed in relation to their employment.
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorneys Rachel S. Lyons and Assistant United States Attorney Dana Hill.
Omaha Man Sentenced to 102 Months in Prison for Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Steven Russell announced that Jeremy M. Boyd, 25, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha for receipt and distribution and of child pornography. Chief United States District Court Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Boyd to imprisonment for 102 months. There is no parole in the federal system. After completing his term of imprisonment, Boyd will begin a 5-year term of supervised release. Boyd must also pay an assessment of $1,500 to victims of child pornography offenses.
On April 6, 2020, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) forwarded a CyberTip to the Nebraska Internet Crimes against Children (ICAC) Task Force in Lincoln, Nebraska. The CyberTip was received by NCMEC from MediaLab/Kik on February 27, 2020. Kik is a freeware instant messaging mobile app available for use on cell phones. According to the report, a Kik user uploaded several video files depicting child pornography. An investigator reviewed the video files and confirmed they depicted child pornography.
Investigators used the Kik account information to obtain the suspect’s internet protocol (IP) address, which led them to Boyd’s residential address. Investigators obtained a warrant and searched the residence on July 2, 2020. Three devices (a black gaming computer, an LG Tribute smartphone, and a Lexar USB flash drive) were seized. Investigators interviewed Boyd, who made admissions about receiving and viewing child pornography and having previously used the Kik app. A forensic examination of the gaming computer yielded 16 additional digital videos depicting child pornography. At least one video depicts the sexual abuse or exploitation of a 3- to 5-year-old female.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
The case was investigated by the Nebraska Internet Crimes against Children (ICAC) Task Force.
North Liberty Woman Sentenced to 12 Months in Prison Related to False Statements During the Purchase of FirearmsRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, IA – A North Liberty woman was sentenced on Wednesday, April 26, 2023, to 12 months and one day in federal prison after pleading guilty to making false statements during the purchase of firearms.
According to court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, Miracle Star Vaughn, 27, purchased seven handguns from Scheels, in Coralville, over a period of 18 months. During the firearms purchases, Vaughn provided false information regarding her address and her drug use. One of the firearms Vaughn purchased was recovered in Chicago in the possession of Dimione Walker. Walker was a felon prohibited from possessing firearms, and also had a federal warrant for his arrest. One of the other guns Vaughn purchased was recovered in the possession of her significant other and co-defendant, Michael Haythorn, also a felon prohibited from possessing firearms.
At sentencing, the District Court found that when law enforcement confronted her, Vaughn continued to provide false statements. The District Court considered the danger to the community created by Vaughn’s conduct and noted that Vaughn’s lack of criminal history allowed her to purchase these firearms.
After completing the prison term, Vaughn will be required to serve three years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
Haythorn pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm as a felon. His sentencing is currently scheduled for May 23, 2023.
“Straw purchasing is a serious crime that contributes to the epidemic of gun violence,” United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa said. “We will continue to partner with federal and local law enforcement to hold accountable those who illegally purchase firearms.”
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and the Iowa City Police Department.
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. In May 2021, the Department of Justice 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.
If you have information pertaining to illegal firearms activity such as a straw purchase, please contact the ATF at 1-800-ATF-GUNS (1-800-283-4867). Anonymous tips may also be submitted to ATF through the ReportIt mobile app.
New Jersey Man Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud Kickback Conspiracy and Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Juller Perez Salcedo, age 44, of Garfield, New Jersey, pled guilty today to conspiring to commit wire fraud and honest services fraud, and also to tax evasion.
United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; Janeen DiGuiseppi, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); and Tammy L. Tomlins, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Newark Field Office of Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), made the announcement.
Perez Salcedo admitted that from at least 2015 to 2019, he co-owned a trucking company in New Jersey that transported products as a third-party contractor for a bedding company with a distribution facility in West Coxsackie, New York. As part of the fraudulent scheme, Perez paid kickbacks to the transportation manager of the bedding company in exchange for the use of the bedding company’s trucks and drivers to transport merchandise from West Coxsackie to Perez’s truck yard in Clifton, New Jersey, which allowed Perez to avoid certain transportation costs. Perez then fraudulently invoiced and received payment from the bedding company as if his trucking company had transported and delivered the merchandise from West Coxsackie when Perez and his trucking company did not in fact transport the merchandise from West Coxsackie. As a result of the scheme, the defendant caused $422,170.86 in losses to the bedding company.
Perez also evaded taxes between January 2014 and April 2018 by cashing gross receipts checks on behalf of his trucking business, providing false and incomplete information to tax preparers and omitting the cashed checks, and filing false federal income tax returns. Perez Salcedo evaded a total of $477,090 in taxes.
Perez Salcedo faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to 3 years when he is sentenced by United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino on September 5, 2023. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors. Perez Salcedo also agreed to a forfeiture money judgment, and to pay restitution to the bedding company and the IRS.
The FBI and IRS-CI investigated this case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Wentworth-Ping is prosecuting this case.
New Britain Man Involved in Drug Ring Sentenced to 6 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that EDWIN REYES, 40, of New Britain, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in Bridgeport to 72 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, for trafficking heroin and fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in October 2016, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Hartford Task Force began an investigating an organization that was trafficking large quantities of heroin, fentanyl and other narcotics in Connecticut and western Massachusetts. The investigation, which included court-authorized wiretaps, controlled purchases of narcotics and physical surveillance, revealed that Reyes and other members of the organization were receiving bulk quantities of heroin and fentanyl from out-of-state suppliers. They then stored, processed and packaged the heroin/fentanyl in multiple locations, including apartments located at 280 Collins Street in Hartford where some members of the organization also resided, and then distributed the drug in the Hartford area, and also the Springfield and Holyoke, Massachusetts area. A significant amount of drug trafficking activity occurred at the Neighborhood Supermarket, located at 316 Farmington Avenue in Hartford.
The investigation also revealed that members of the drug trafficking organization possessed and used firearms in connection with their drug trafficking activity.
During the investigation, law enforcement executed 12 search warrants in Connecticut and Massachusetts and seized approximately 10 kilograms of heroin and fentanyl, much of which was packaged for resale in hundreds of thousands of bags. Investigators also seized numerous vials of Xylazine, which is a horse tranquilizer used by narcotics traffickers as a heroin/fentanyl additive. Seven firearms, gun magazines, numerous rounds of ammunition, and a bullet proof vest were also seized.
Fourteen individuals were charged with various narcotics, firearms and immigration offenses as a result of this investigation.
Reyes was arrested on June 29, 2017, and was released on a $200,000 bond in December 2017. On October 15, 2021, he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl. He failed to appear for his sentencing on September 19, 2022, and was located and arrested by U.S. Customs and Border Patrol in Texas on November 22, 2022. He has been detained since that date.
The DEA’s Hartford Task Force includes personnel from the DEA Hartford Resident Office, the Connecticut State Police, and the Bristol, Hartford, East Hartford, Enfield, Manchester, New Britain, Rocky Hill, Wethersfield, Windsor Locks and Willimantic Police Departments. Agencies assisting the investigation include the Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, U.S. Marshals Service and Connecticut State Police.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey M. Stone through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Nacogdoches Man Sentenced for Federal Drug Trafficking, Firearms ViolationsRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – A Nacogdoches man has been sentenced to federal prison for drug trafficking and firearms violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston today.
Angel Aguilar, 25, pleaded guilty on July 12, 2022 to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Aguilar was sentenced to 180 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia Crone on April 27, 2023.
According to information presented in court, Aguilar was a member of a drug trafficking organization distributing large quantities of methamphetamine and other narcotics in the Nacogdoches area. During the investigation, law enforcement agents were able to purchase methamphetamine from Aguilar on multiple occasions. During Aguilar's distribution of methamphetamine, he provided a stolen firearm as collateral towards the future purchase of methamphetamine.
This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, 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. The defendant faced up to life at sentencing.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Nacogdoches Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Donald S. Carter.
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Multi-Convicted Felon Sentenced to More Than Eleven Years in Federal Prison for Possession with the Intent to Distribute Cocaine and for Violating Terms of Supervised ReleaseRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – Chief U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Corrigan has sentenced Corinthian King (32, Jacksonville) to 11 years and 8 months in federal prison for possessing with the intent to distribute cocaine. King has also agreed to the forfeiture of a Glock 9mm pistol and ammunition, possessed during his commission of the offense. King had pleaded guilty on September 21, 2022, and admitted to violating his supervised release on April 25, 2023.
According to court documents, in April 2022, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office conducted a traffic top of King as he was departing a Southside motel. During the traffic stop, the officer learned that King had a suspended driver license. During a search of the vehicle, officers recovered a digital scale with cocaine residue, plastic baggies, and a loaded Glock 9mm semi-automatic pistol under the rear passenger seat. As the officers prepared to transport King, they discovered a plastic baggie in his pants containing more than 50 grams of powder cocaine, more than 40 grams of methamphetamine, and fentanyl and oxycodone pills.
This case was investigated by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kelly S. Karase. The forfeiture was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Mai Tran.
Moline Man Sentenced to Twenty Years in Prison for Heroin Distribution and Related Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – A Moline, Illinois, man, Cordero Harris, 34, was sentenced on April 26, 2023, to 240 months in federal prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute heroin, possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, and possession of a firearm as a felon.
At the sentencing hearing in front of Chief United States District Judge Sara L. Darrow, the government proffered evidence that in January 2021 Harris sold heroin in both Iowa and Illinois. A search of his residence found multiple firearms near heroin. Harris’s fingerprints were on the weapons found at his residence. He was previously convicted of multiple offenses in state court. Harris has been in the custody of the United States Marshals Service since his arrest in January 2021.
Harris faced statutory penalties for possession with intent to distribute heroin of at least five years and up to 20 years’ imprisonment; five years consecutive and up to life imprisonment for possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking; and up to ten years’ imprisonment for possession of a firearm as a felon.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Moline, Illinois Police Department; Bettendorf, Iowa Police Department; and the Illinois State Police investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Z. Weir represented the government in the prosecution.
The case against Harris 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.
Mobile Man with Illegally Modified Machinegun Sentenced in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – A Mobile man was sentenced in federal court today on the charge of Possession of an Unregistered Firearm, described as a Glock .40 caliber pistol loaded with a magazine containing eighteen rounds of .40 caliber ammunition modified with a machinegun-conversion device, which had not been registered to him as required by federal law. Sidney Rashard Collins, 21, pled guilty to the charge in August of 2022.
According to court documents, Mobile police officers were on routine patrol on Dauphin Street in downtown Mobile on May 15, 2022, when they saw bouncers at a nightclub there searching patrons prior to their entry into the club. They observed struggle when bouncers attempted to search Collins, and Collins fled the area, jumping a nearby gate. Officer approached him, and Collins ran west on Dauphin Street, failing to stop in spite of officers’ commands to do so. The officers chased Collins and observed him pull a firearm from his waistband that throw it into the intersection at Conception and Dauphin Streets while continuing to run. Collins finally tripped and fell, and officers detained him. They also recovered the gun he had thrown into the intersection. The police observed that the firearm was a loaded Glock .40 caliber pistol, which had been modified by the addition of a machinegun-conversion device, commonly referred to as a “Glock chip” or a “Glock switch.” This device enables a Glock pistol to shoot automatically, more than one shot, without manual reloading by a single function of the trigger. This device is designed to convert a Glock-style firearm to fire automatically, effectively creating a machinegun A firearm equipped with this device is regulated under federal law and must be registered to be possessed legally. Collins’ device was not registered as required. In a statement to police made after Collins was advised of his constitutional rights and agreed to waive his rights, Collins admitted that knew the manner in which the firearm operated with the device.
United States District Court Judge Terry F. Moorer imposed a sentence of 70 years in Collins’ case, to be followed by three years of supervised release to follow his imprisonment. As conditions of supervision, Collins will undergo testing and treatment for drug and/or alcohol abuse, and he will be subject to a search of his person and premises upon reasonable suspicion. No fine was imposed but the judge ordered that Collins pay $100 in special assessments.
Collins’ case was investigated by the Mobile Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michele O’Brien and Gloria Bedwell prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
Medical Practice and its Owners to pay $1 Million to Resolve False Claims Act AllegationsRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – Two doctors and their medical practice have agreed to pay $1 million to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by allegedly performing and billing for medically unnecessary procedures on Medicare and Medicaid patients, U.S. Attorney Philip Sellinger announced today.
According to the contentions of the United States contained in the settlement agreement:
From Jan. 1, 2013, to Aug. 31, 2022, Drs. Fadi El-Atat and Sarah Abdul-Sater and their medical practice, FA CV Consultants P.C., violated the False Claims Act by knowingly seeking reimbursement for medically unnecessary balance tests, pulmonary function tests, allergy tests, autonomic nervous tests, and cardiology ultrasound tests that were performed on Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries.
The allegations were originally made in a lawsuit filed under the whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act brought by Jennifer Jean. The act permits private parties to sue for false claims on behalf of the United States and to share in any recovery. Jean will receive approximately $180,000 from the proceeds of the settlement.
The government’s pursuit of this lawsuit illustrates its efforts to combat healthcare fraud. One of the strongest tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services, at 800‑HHS‑TIPS (800-447-8477).
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – Office of the Inspector General, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Naomi Gruchacz, with the investigation leading to the settlement.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kruti D. Dharia of the Opioid Abuse Prevention and Enforcement Unit.
The claims settled by this agreement are allegations only, and there has been no admission of liability.
The case is captioned United States and the State of New Jersey ex rel. Jean v. FA CV, et al. Civ. No. 19-10555 (D.N.J.).
facv.settlement.pdfManchester Man Pleads Guilty to Unlawful Possession, Manufacture, and Sale of FirearmsRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division, today announced that ANDREW FRANCOEUR, 36, of Manchester, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty yesterday in Hartford federal court to offenses related to his illegal possession, manufacture, and sale of firearms.
According to court documents and statements made in court, as part of an ongoing investigation into the proliferation of privately made firearms (“PMFs” or “ghost guns”) in Connecticut, ATF investigators determined that Francoeur was buying firearm parts from a Missouri company, having the parts shipped to him, and manufacturing guns inside a shipping container on a property in Suffield. Francoeur sold some of the firearms he manufactured.
In August 2022, while Francoeur was incarcerated in state custody for drug and firearm offenses, investigators retrieved two storage bins used by Francoeur that contained firearm parts, a .22 caliber rifle, more than 1,000 rounds of ammunition, 25 high-capacity magazines, M-80 explosives, firearm gear, and other items.
Francoeur’s criminal history includes felony convictions for firearm, drug, burglary, and failure to appear offenses. It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.
Francoeur pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 15 years, and one count of manufacturing and dealing in firearms without a license, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of five years. He is scheduled to be sentenced on September 6, 2023.
This investigation is being conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney A. Reed Durham.
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.
Man Charged in Miami with Diamond Smuggling Arrested by Federal AgentsRead the Press Release
MIAMI – Guilherme Cipriani, 41, of Scottsdale, Arizona, has been arrested on federal charges of smuggling diamonds into the United States and providing a false statement to a federal agency.
As alleged in a Miami federal grand jury’s indictment, on November 10, 2022, Cipriani tried to smuggle 14 loose cut diamonds and 53 rough uncut diamonds into the U.S. through Miami International Airport (MIA). It is also alleged that Cipriani lied when he told a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agent at MIA that he was not transporting commercial merchandise into the country and had spent zero dollars on commercial merchandise while abroad.
Agents from Homeland Security Investigations arrested Cipriani in Arizona, where he made his first court appearance to face the Miami federal indictment.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida and acting Special Agent in Charge Michael E. Buckley of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Miami made the announcement.
HSI Miami and HSI Brasilia investigated the case. HSI Arizona; CBP; the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Prosecutorial Development, Assistance, and Training (OPDAT) Resident Legal Advisor in Brasilia and Office of International Affairs; and Brazil Federal Police provided significant assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stefan Diaz Espinosa is prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney William T. Zloch is handling asset forfeiture.
An indictment contains mere allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 23-cr-20123.
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Malvern Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal Prison for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
HOT SPRINGS – A Malvern man was sentenced today to 240 months in prison followed by 5 years of supervised release on one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine. The Honorable Chief Judge Susan O. Hickey presided over the sentencing hearing in the U.S. District Court in Hot Springs.
According to court documents, Jadadire Lashawn Nellums, age 46, was identified by law enforcement to be distributing methamphetamine in the Malvern, Arkansas, geographical area.
Between the months of July 2020 and August 2020, investigators were able to conduct multiple controlled purchases of methamphetamine from Nellums.
On August 17, 2020, searches were conducted at multiple properties associated with Nellums, resulting in investigators locating and seizing over 1,400 grams of pure methamphetamine.
U.S. Attorney David Clay Fowlkes of the Western District of Arkansas made the announcement.
The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Bryan Achorn and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Trent Daniels prosecuted the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Related court documents may be found on the Public Access to Electronic Records website @ www.pacer.gov.
Leader of Calhoun County-based Drug Trafficking Ring Sentenced to over 30 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
ANNISTON, Ala. – A federal judge yesterday sentenced the leader of a methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy based in Calhoun County, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge Brad L. Byerley, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Special Agent in Charge Marcus Watson.
U.S. District Court Judge R. David Proctor sentenced Antonio Franchester Orr, aka Lil T, aka Tony, 47, of Eastaboga, to 372 months in prison. In January 2023, Orr pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin, and marijuana, possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and distribution of methamphetamine and attempt to possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, along with fifty-five counts of use of a telephone to commit a drug trafficking crime.
According to the plea agreement, Orr coordinated with a Mexican source of supply, using a broker out of an Alabama state prison, to obtain methamphetamine and other controlled substances and distribute them in the Calhoun County area. According to plea documents, Orr was responsible for possessing or attempting to possess over 30 kilograms of methamphetamine, and overseeing the distribution of various other substances, including cocaine, heroin, and marijuana. Over the course of the investigation, agents seized over 20 kilograms of methamphetamine, 1 kilogram of cocaine, multiple firearms, and bulk currency from members from Orr and other members of his drug trafficking organization.
“Armed drug traffickers will go to extreme lengths to profit from deadly drugs with no regard to the pain and devastation they cause our communities, and we will not tolerate it,” said U.S. Attorney Escalona. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to target individuals who illegally possess firearms and push illegal and dangerous drugs in our communities.”
“This outstanding collaboration between federal and local law enforcement agencies illustrates the continuing unified goal to keeping our community safe,” said DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge Thorne-James. “We are committed to investigating drug trafficking organizations that profit from the distribution of methamphetamine and other illegal and dangerous narcotics. The sentence imposed should be a warning to those thinking of polluting our communities with these addictive substances.
“The ATF worked collaboratively and tirelessly with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to arrest and charge the members of this criminal organization,” said ATF SAC Watson. “We will continue to use all of our resources to disrupt the illegal possession of firearms, distribution of narcotics, and other acts of violence within the communities that we serve.”
A total of 11 defendants have pleaded guilty to charges in the indictment returned in July 2022. The indictment was a result of a year-long Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (“OCDETF”) investigation into the drug-trafficking enterprise based in Calhoun County. The task force identified acts in furtherance of the conspiracy committed by members of the organization over a period of six months. Six of the defendants have now been sentenced, and five remaining defendants await sentencing.
The DEA and the ATF investigated the case, along with assistance from the Anniston Police Department, Oxford Police Department, 7th Judicial Circuit Major Crimes Unit, Calhoun County District Attorney’s Office, Talladega County Drug and Violent Crime Task Force, Pell City Police Department, West Alabama Narcotics Task Force, Blount County Sheriff’s Department, and the Alabama National Guard Joint Counter Drug Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Allison Garnett and Blake Milner are prosecuting the case.
This investigation is part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF), Operation “Lengua Doble.” OCDETF is an independent component of the U.S. Department of Justice. Established in 1982, OCDETF is the centerpiece of the Attorney General’s strategy to combat transnational-organized-crime and to reduce the availability of illicit narcotics in the nation by using a prosecutor-led, multi-agency approach to enforcement. OCDETF leverages the resources and expertise of its partners in concentrated, coordinated, long-term enterprise investigations of transnational organized crime, money laundering, and major drug trafficking networks.
Laurens County man is final defendant sentenced in middle Georgia drug trafficking conspiracyRead the Press Release
DUBLIN, GA: A Laurens County man who was involved in a now-dismantled drug-trafficking conspiracy has been sentenced to prison, joining the other seven defendants identified in the investigation.
Quaveris Leshaun Mims, a/k/a “Strong,” 51, of Dublin, Ga., was sentenced to 108 months in prison after previously pleading guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine and Cocaine, said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. U.S. District Court Judge Dudley H. Bowen also fined Mims $2,000 and ordered him to serve three years of supervised release upon completion of his prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
“A collaborative effort from multiple law enforcement agencies identified and shut down this prolific drug-trafficking network in middle Georgia,” U.S. Attorney Steinberg said. “These eight guilty pleas reflect the continued hard work and dedication of our law enforcement partners to make their communities safer.”
Operation “The Hole” was an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation coordinated by agents of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, along with the Laurens County Sheriff’s Office and the Ocmulgee Drug Task Force. The investigation targeted a drug-trafficking ring moving large quantities of methamphetamine, cocaine, crack cocaine and marijuana into the Laurens County area starting as early as 2017.
The investigation identified a small, secluded cinder-block building called “The Hole” that was being used as the “trap house,” or central distribution site, complete with a retail-like service counter for drug transactions.
During the execution of multiple federal search warrants, agents seized pounds of methamphetamine, cocaine and marijuana, along with two dozen firearms, nearly $37,000 in cash, silver bars with an estimated value of $73,000, devices for pressing bricks of cocaine, pill presses, a stolen vehicle, and two stolen generators with lights. Additional drugs, firearms and cash also were discovered during individual arrests of the eight defendants.
In addition to Mims, the seven co-defendants all are serving federal prison sentences after pleading guilty in the case:
- Rodney Jarrod Denson, a/k/a “RD,” 46, of Dublin, Ga., was sentenced to 262 months in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy charges. Denson was a drug supplier for other defendants.
- Anthony Michael Denson, 51, of Dublin, Ga., was sentenced to 92 months in prison after pleading guilty to a conspiracy charge. He is the brother of Rodney Denson.
- Nicholas Turner, 27, of East Dublin, Ga., was sentenced to 112 months in prison after pleading guilty to a conspiracy charge.
- Brandon Payne, a/k/a “Tre,” 28, of Dublin, Ga., was sentenced to 121 months in prison after pleading guilty to a conspiracy charge. Payne is a stepson of Rodney Denson.
- Constance Victoria Moore, 36, of McRae-Helena, Ga., was sentenced to 24 months in prison after pleading guilty to a conspiracy charge.
- Zandera Finney, 36, of Warner Robins, Ga., was sentenced to 120 months in prison after pleading guilty to a conspiracy charge.
- Desergio Kates, a/k/a “Serg,” 26, of Dublin, Ga., was sentenced to 14 months in prison after pleading guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute Marijuana. Kates is a stepson of Rodney Denson.
“The leader of this once-thriving drug trafficking organization has owned up to his crimes and now will pay the price,” said Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Division of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.
Operation The Hole was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF), the premier U.S. Department of Justice program to dismantle multi-jurisdictional drug trafficking organizations. Agencies involved in the investigation include the DEA; the Bureau of Alcohol, Firearms, Tobacco and Explosives (ATF); the FBI; the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; the Laurens County Sheriff’s Office; Ocmulgee Drug Task Force; the Twiggs County Sheriff’s Office; the Wilkinson County Sheriff’s Office; the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office; the Washington County Sheriff’s Office; the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office; and the Warner Robins Police Department, and is being prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patricia Rhodes, Henry W. Syms Jr. and Jeremiah L. Johnson.
Lake County Convicted Felon Sentenced to Two Years in Federal Prison for Conspiracy to Traffic More Than 130 Pounds of MarijuanaRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Brian J. Davis has sentenced Jack Protzman (74, Tavares) to two years in federal prison for conspiracy to traffic more than 130 pounds of marijuana. The court also ordered Protzman to forfeit $18,440, and an additional $32,800 was administratively forfeited, which amounts were traceable to proceeds of the offense. Protzman had pleaded guilty on August 16, 2022.
According to court documents, an individual working with law enforcement met with Protzman regarding his marijuana dealing. Protzman showed the individual THC oil cartridges he was trafficking and said he purchases 2,000 cartridges at a time. Protzman also advised that he cultivated marijuana out of state and could provide marijuana to the individual in 50-pound increments. Protzman also advised that he was looking for someone to assist him in transporting his marijuana across state lines in a concealed compartment in a specially-outfitted vehicle.
Protzman sold the individual hundreds of THC oil cartridges and pounds of marijuana, including one instance where Protzman delivered 110 pounds of marijuana in November 2019, which was seized by law enforcement. Agents seized $32,800 in cash from Protzman.
In 2004, Protzman was convicted of conspiracy to import 1,000 kilograms or more of marijuana into the United States and sentenced 5 years and 11 months in federal prison.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kelly S. Karase. The forfeiture was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Mai Tran.
This case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Justice Department Releases Strategic Plan for Supporting the Goals of the Federal Interagency Alternatives and Reentry CommitteeRead the Press Release
As part of an all-of-government strategy set forth in the May 2022 Executive Order on Advancing Effective, Accountable Policing and Criminal Justice Practices to Enhance Public Trust and Public Safety, the Justice Department’s newly released report, Rehabilitation, Reentry, and Reaffirming Trust: The Department of Justice Strategic Plan (Strategic Plan), represents its ongoing commitment to strengthening the safety of our communities, while advancing thoughtful, evidence-informed initiatives and reforms throughout the criminal justice system.
The Executive Order established the Federal Interagency Alternatives and Reentry Committee (ARC or Committee), chaired by the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy and comprised of the Attorney General and the secretaries of more than a dozen executive agencies. The Committee has been focused on three goals: safely reducing unnecessary criminal justice interactions, supporting rehabilitation during incarceration, and facilitating reentry into society of people with criminal records. As required by the Executive Order, the Strategic Plan outlines a department-wide vision for promoting the Committee’s goals at the federal level, as well as ways the department can support those goals in state and local justice systems through grantmaking, guidance, and technical assistance.
Safely Reducing Unnecessary Criminal Justice System Interactions: The Strategic Plan highlights a number of department initiatives aimed at safely reducing unnecessary criminal justice system interactions, including supporting community-based alternatives for addressing less serious offenses, promoting safe and effective interactions with state and local law enforcement for individuals with mental health and/or substance use conditions, supporting diversion and alternatives to incarceration where appropriate, and addressing the crack-to-powder sentencing disparity in the federal system.
Supporting Rehabilitation During Incarceration: The Strategic Plan emphasizes the myriad ways the department is supporting rehabilitation during incarceration, including by expanding access to correctional education and employment opportunities, providing treatment and other rehabilitative services in Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) facilities, launching a national training and technical assistance hub to guide jail administrators in establishing and maintaining safe and humane facilities, and encouraging access to the ballot box for eligible persons.
Facilitating Reentry Into Society of People With Criminal Records: Given the importance of preparing individuals for release after incarceration, the Strategic Plan outlines a number of department initiatives and programs designed to facilitate successful reentry, including reducing barriers to obtaining critical government-issued identification, promoting continuity of healthcare for individuals returning from incarceration to the community, identifying resources for record clearing and expungement, improving community supervision outcomes, and issuing a Dear Colleague Letter for state and local courts and juvenile justice agencies that addresses common practices around court-imposed fines and fees.
“This Strategic Plan represents the Justice Department’s comprehensive approach to strengthening public safety, advancing public trust, and promoting fairness, transparency, and accountability in our criminal justice system,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “We will continue to support our state and local partners as they undertake the critical work of safeguarding communities and strengthening the bonds of trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve.”
“Second Chance Month recognizes the promise presented by a new opportunity and a fresh start for individuals as they rejoin their communities,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco. “The Strategic Plan released today builds on the Justice Department’s commitment to ensuring a criminal justice system that is fair for all—and our obligation as federal law enforcement to lead by example—by promoting rehabilitation, reentry, and public trust.”
“Every day, the criminal justice system touches lives across the country in countless ways—from individuals who are arrested and incarcerated to police officers, victims, families, and communities,” said Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta. “This Strategic Plan sets forth the Justice Department’s priorities and vision for a better, fairer system for all stakeholders. It is a comprehensive outline of our work to advance public safety through more thoughtful approaches to criminal justice system interactions, rehabilitation and humane treatment during incarceration and detention, and ensuring the necessary supports for individuals to live healthy, productive lives despite a criminal record or past incarceration.”
The department will continue to support both the work of the Committee and the initiatives outlined in the Strategic Plan. In the months and years to come, the department will operationalize and build upon this Strategic Plan to ensure that justice systems nationwide embody the principles of equality, dignity, and justice for all.
The department’s full strategic plan is available here.
The department’s strategic plan fact sheet is available here.
Justice Department Commemorates National Crime Victims’ Rights WeekRead the Press Release
The Justice Department joined communities across the nation this week for the 52nd commemoration of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week. Department leaders and staff, victim advocates and allied professionals, and crime survivors together marked decades of progress in improving the legal standing of crime victims and expanding access to victim services.
The Office for Victims of Crime in the department’s Office of Justice Programs led the observance, which included a candlelight vigil on the National Mall and a survivor voices symposium. Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta also highlighted the department’s commitment to crime victims at an event hosted by the Office on Violence Against Women marking National Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month, where she featured guidance to law enforcement on responding to sexual assault and domestic violence. She also addressed a summit on environmental crimes co-hosted by the department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division and the Environmental Protection Agency, describing the update of the Attorney General’s Guidelines for Victim and Witness Assistance as a department commitment to “taking a victim-centered, trauma-informed, culturally responsive approach to advancing criminal justice” and emphasizing the need to support survivors of environmental crimes. Before her remarks, the Associate Attorney General met with three survivors of environmental offenses.
“National Crime Victims’ Rights Week is an opportunity for all of us to reflect on the importance of making the justice system work for survivors of crime,” said Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta. “We are grateful for the countless victims who have come forward to lend their voices to the vital project of reform and to creating a more just and humane society.”
“Many people think justice equals a conviction or an arrest, but for survivors, justice sometimes means being heard and believed,” said Director Kristina Rose of the Office for Victims of Crimes (OVC). “It means reading a victim impact statement in court. It means being treated with dignity and respect. Justice is about options and choices and opportunities to give voice to one’s experience. During National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, we honor those voices.”
The candlelight vigil on Wednesday night featured three speakers who recounted their experiences as crime victims, underscoring this year’s theme — “Survivor Voices: Elevate. Engage. Effect Change.” Anna Nasset, a stalking survivor who runs a victim services organization called Stand Up Resources; Jerome Brown, statewide training director of the SNUG Outreach Program at the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services; and Roberta Roper, a long-time victim rights champion who founded what is now the Maryland Crime Victims Resource Center, all gave testimony to the impact of victims’ voices. Singer-songwriter Kelly Jackson of the Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians sang Gaawiin Niiwii Izhaasiin (I Don't Want to Go), her tribute to tribal children and youth who were traumatized by the boarding school experience.
On Thursday, OVC Assistant Attorney General Amy L. Solomon and Director Rose convened seven survivors for a symposium on the role of survivors in advancing criminal justice reform. Participants discussed strategies for elevating victims’ voices in conversations about responses to gun violence, alternatives to incarceration and long sentences. Federal leaders, criminal justice professionals and victim advocates were on hand for the discussion.
In addition to events held this week in the nation’s capital, Director Rose participated in a commemoration organized by the Los Angeles District Attorney Bureau of Victim Services and traveled to Albuquerque for the launch of the Youth Advocacy Corps, an OVC-funded program that provides pathways to victim service and advocacy for marginalized youth. In addition, U.S. Attorneys across the country participated in commemorative activities in their districts, and other Department components, including the FBI, honored survivors and victim-serving professionals.
National Crime Victims’ Rights Week has been observed at the federal level since 1981. Through Victims of Crime Act funding, the OVC supports thousands of local victim assistance programs — which served nearly over 9.7 million new and returning crime victims in fiscal year 2022 — and victim compensation programs in every state and territory and the District of Columbia.
Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta Delivers Remarks at the EPA’s Environmental Crimes Event OVC Director Kristina Rose speaking at the NCVRW Candlelight VigilJustice Department Announces National Human Trafficking Coordinator and National Coordinator for Child Exploitation Prevention and InterdictionRead the Press Release
The Justice Department today announced the designation and appointment of a National Human Trafficking Coordinator and a National Coordinator for Child Exploitation Prevention and Interdiction.
The Attorney General has designated Hilary Axam, Director of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit (HTPU), to serve as the Department’s National Human Trafficking Coordinator, and has designated Steven J. Grocki, Chief of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), as the Department’s National Coordinator for Child Exploitation Prevention and Interdiction.
“Human trafficking and child exploitation are devastating crimes that prey on some of the most vulnerable members of society, and the Department of Justice is committed to preventing and prosecuting these cases and to vindicating the rights of victims and survivors,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “Hilary Axam and Steven Grocki bring critical experience to their roles as National Coordinators, and I am grateful for their continued dedication to the Department’s fight against these crimes and to strengthening our capacity to protect victims and hold perpetrators accountable.”
The Attorney General’s designation of the National Human Trafficking Coordinator is made pursuant to the Abolish Human Trafficking Act, while his designation of the National Coordinator for Child Exploitation Prevention and Interdiction is made pursuant to the PROTECT Our Children Act of 2008. Both Coordinators are responsible for developing and implementing Department-wide and interagency national strategies, coordinating efforts throughout the Department, and representing the Department in significant interagency and external stakeholder engagements. As widely recognized subject matter experts in their respective fields, each will play a central role in guiding Departmental-level policies, strategies, and priorities.
“Human trafficking inflicts unspeakable harm on some of the most vulnerable members of society. We must do everything in our power to combat these grave violations of victims’ civil rights and bring human traffickers to justice,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Under Hilary Axam’s leadership, the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit has been widely recognized, both nationally and globally, as leading experts in victim-centered, trauma-informed approaches to seeking justice for human trafficking survivors. Her extensive experience and specialized expertise will be critical as we continue advancing our whole-of-Department fight against human trafficking.”
“Child exploitation is one of the most reprehensible and destructive offenses confronting our nation today” said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The Criminal Division’s Chief of the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Steven J. Grocki, has extensive experience in investigating and prosecuting child exploitation cases and leads our campaign to combat the sexual exploitation of children. As National Coordinator for Child Exploitation Prevention and Interdiction, he will guide Department-level policies, strategies, and priorities in this area. The National Coordinator will also draw directly upon the specialized expertise within the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section and work to ensure proper coordination with subject matter experts within and outside of the Department.”
Hilary Axam has served as the Director of the HTPU in the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division since 2009. She previously served as the Unit’s Senior Litigation Counsel. Since joining the Department as a federal prosecutor in 2001, she has prosecuted and supervised human trafficking cases of national significance involving sex trafficking, compelled farm and factory labor, domestic servitude, and forced labor in restaurants, bars, and cantinas. As HTPU’s Director, Axam serves as one of the Department’s preeminent anti-trafficking subject matter experts.
Steven Grocki was selected to serve as Chief of the Criminal Division’s CEOS in October 2015. Grocki first joined CEOS in 2004 and has since served as a Trial Attorney, Assistant Deputy Chief, Deputy Chief, and now Chief. CEOS and its High Technology Investigative Unit are the nation´s experts in prosecuting federal child exploitation cases, including online child exploitation crimes, extraterritorial offenders, and child sex trafficking. CEOS also develops national and global policy seeking to eradicate the sexual exploitation of children and builds national and global response capacity through training and outreach.
Joint Statement from 2023 US-Canada Cross Border Crime Forum (CBCF)Read the Press Release
The United States and Canada have an enduring partnership guided by a shared commitment to security, prosperity, and advancing democratic values. Today, Canada’s Minister of Public Safety Marco Mendicino and Minister of Justice and Attorney General David Lametti hosted Attorney General of the United States Merrick B. Garland and U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas in Ottawa, for the second meeting of the Canada–U.S. Cross-Border Crime Forum (CBCF) since it was reestablished by President Biden and Prime Minister Trudeau’s 2021 Roadmap for a Renewed U.S.-Canada Partnership. The meeting allowed Ministers to assess progress on collaborative efforts to counter cross-border crime, examine how to make our communities safer, and share experiences on efforts to ensure that our criminal justice systems are fair and effective.
Building on the success of the March 2022 CBCF in Washington, D.C., as well as commitments made by President Biden and Prime Minister Trudeau in Mexico in January 2023 and in Ottawa in March 2023, Ministers discussed ways to enhance collaboration in the following areas:
Fentanyl / Opioids
The opioid overdose crisis, fueled by a toxic illicit drug supply, has taken a tragic toll on communities across our countries and around the world. The United States and Canada are committed to combatting the opioid epidemic together through attacking each link of the illicit production and distribution of synthetic opioids – including by preventing the importation of illicit precursor chemicals from China and elsewhere. Efforts will build on initiatives from the U.S.-Canada Opioids Action Plan and the newly established Trilateral Fentanyl Commission. To this end, Ministers instructed their officials to expand intelligence sharing to support interdictions and investigations, counter transnational organized crime, build a global coalition against synthetic drugs, disrupt the supply chain by identifying chemical and equipment diversion, address illicit finance, and engage with Canada and U.S.-based chemical, lab equipment, and shipping companies.
They also confirmed the importance of considering all available options for reducing demand, improving health outcomes, and saving lives.
Reducing Firearms Trafficking and Violence
Both the United States and Canada share a strong commitment to combatting firearms violence. To keep our communities safe, Ministers emphasized ongoing actions to address the smuggling of firearms across our shared border. Noting recent success on coordinated firearms investigations, Ministers plan to deepen cooperation in tackling gun violence in several key areas, including timely and actionable information sharing, investigations and enforcement.
In particular, Ministers decided to continue advancing both domestic and bilateral efforts to reduce firearms violence – including through the Cross Border Firearms Task Force (CBFTF) – to trace and seize guns used in crime, disrupt cross-border firearms smuggling, and to identify and target shippers and receivers through the coordination of joint operations and investigations. Ministers also decided to advance collaborative work related to stemming the proliferation of privately manufactured firearms (“ghost guns”) and strengthen cooperation with state, provincial, Indigenous and tribal partners.
In addition, they highlighted the Memorandum of Understanding between the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), signed in March 2023; as well as a Memorandum of Understanding between the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), signed in November 2022. These arrangements will be pivotal in helping both countries interdict firearms and drugs through enhanced information sharing.
Anti–Money Laundering / Virtual Currency
Money laundering threatens the integrity and stability of the financial sector and broader economy, and harms citizens’ safety, security, and quality of life.
Ministers took note of how quickly and easily criminals can move the proceeds of serious crimes across our borders in the form of virtual currencies, and the challenges that this growing phenomenon presents to our law enforcement officials and prosecutors. Increasingly, virtual currencies are being used illicitly to fund the smuggling of fentanyl, other narcotics, human beings, and firearms, as well as to launder the proceeds of these criminal activities, as documented in a recent Financial Action Task Force report that our officials were instrumental in supporting.
Through joint efforts, the United States and Canada can provide actionable information to law enforcement, regulators, and the private sector on both sides of the border. Ministers called on officials to explore additional opportunities to collaborate on countering the criminal use of virtual currencies.
Human Smuggling
The United States and Canada share the world’s longest undefended border and are committed to maintaining its integrity. Both countries recognize that it will take a concerted, unified effort to counter the cross-border human smuggling that is occurring in both directions across our shared border and undermining both countries’ legal immigration systems. All too often, these incidents result in tragic outcomes, as individuals lose their lives attempting to cross between ports of entry in remote areas or under dangerous conditions.
Ministers called on their officials to work with other agencies and external partners, including cross-border communities, to strengthen efforts to gather and share information for the detection and investigation of organized crime groups and networks that engage in human smuggling and prey upon vulnerable individuals.
They asked officials to review recent incidents along the border to identify opportunities to improve intelligence, detection, and interdiction to disrupt cross-border smuggling and investigate and hold accountable those involved. They recognized the importance of enhancing and leveraging sensor technology, personnel, and information-related resources, with an emphasis on timely and actionable information sharing and engagement with state, provincial, Indigenous and tribal partners in support of dismantling smuggling networks.
Sex Offender Travel
Notification of intended travel by registered sex offenders is a tool that supports a country’s ability to make informed admission decisions.
Ministers discussed foreign partner notification regarding impending cross-border travel by sex offenders, including with respect to the threshold required to permit RCMP notification of intended travel by Canadian offenders. Canada noted the introduction of legislation on April 26, 2023, to strengthen reporting and notification for registered sex offenders intending to travel domestically or internationally. The United States shared that, in 2022, the Angel Watch Center, a collaboration between the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Justice’s U.S. Marshals Service, sent 4,527 sex-offender travel notifications to 130 countries, including 149 notifications to Canada.
Both countries re-committed to ensure law enforcement officials in both countries have the information necessary to make informed admission decisions and continue to work on other measures to ensure public safety in accordance with their respective laws.
Criminal Justice Reform / Access to Justice
Ministers discussed criminal justice reform, as well as each country’s ongoing efforts to address root causes of crime and implement effective, equitable, and inclusive approaches to promoting community safety, criminal justice, and law enforcement. They noted the importance of continuing our work regarding groups already overrepresented in the criminal justice system, to guard against reversing the strong progress made on this front.
They welcomed the outcome of the collaboration of their respective Access to Justice Offices over the past year on strategies to overcome systemic inequality and discrimination, as part of efforts to increase access to and strengthen confidence in the justice system.
They also reiterated their commitment to the United Nations 2030 Agenda and the full realization of the Sustainable Development Goal 16, promoting effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels and equal access to justice for all.
In a measure that crosscuts all these discussions, Ministers also committed to develop guidance and deliver training to support a common understanding among law enforcement personnel in both countries, of the laws and policies regarding permissible information sharing for law enforcement and investigative purposes, and to encourage all appropriate sharing in service to public safety.
Finally, Ministers also signed a Statement of Partnership to Prevent, Investigate, Prosecute, and Disrupt Cross-Border Crime.
Regular updates will be provided to evaluate progress in each of these areas.
Ministers also took stock of other priority issues, including transnational repression and foreign interference, and the situations in Ukraine and Haiti. Our countries share a strong commitment to promoting democratic resilience and will continue to bolster our information sharing to combat transnational threats to democracy, including foreign interference.
The United States and Canada firmly deplore Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine. The United States and Canada will continue to collaborate with their allies and the international community to safeguard Ukrainian sovereignty, seize and freeze assets subject to sanctions, counter state-sponsored disinformation, and support accountability mechanisms for war crimes and other atrocities.
Ministers also reinforced their respective countries’ commitments to provide aid to Haiti to combat gang violence and shore up the Police Nationale d’Haïti. They shared their appreciation for the close collaboration among various departments and agencies to coordinate capacity building and equipment procurement efforts for the safety and security of citizens in Haiti. Both countries remain committed to exploring joint law enforcement actions in Haiti.
Jefferson County Man Sentenced for Federal Firearms OffenseRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – A Jefferson County man was sentenced this week to 3 years and 4 months in federal prison followed by a 3-year term of supervised release for possessing a firearm after having been previously convicted of a felony offense. There is no parole in the federal system.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge R. Shawn Morrow of the ATF Louisville Field Division, and Chief Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel of the Louisville Metro Police Department made the announcement.
According to court documents, Alpintino A. Johnson, Jr., 26, of Louisville, Kentucky, possessed a Romarm/Cugir, model Micro Draco, 7.62 caliber pistol. Johnson was prohibited from possessing a firearm because he had previously been convicted of the following felony offenses. On April 20, 2018, in Hardin Circuit Court, Johnson was convicted of trafficking in marijuana under eight ounces, gun enhanced, and first degree promoting contraband.
The case was investigated by the ATF and Louisville Metro Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Judd prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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Jacksonville Registered Sex Offender Indicted for Committing Multiple Child Sexual Exploitation OffensesRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Andrew David Salas (35, Jacksonville) with interstate travel with the intent to engage in sexual conduct with a child, interstate transportation of a child to engage in sexual activity, production, attempted production, and possession of child sexual abuse materials, and committing felony offenses involving a child while required to register as a sex offender. If convicted, Salas faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 25 years, up to life, in federal prison, and a lifetime of supervised release. Salas was arrested at his residence on November 3, 2022, and has been in custody since that time. He is scheduled for arraignment on May 4, 2023.
Salas is a registered sex offender, having been convicted of carnal knowledge of a minor child in Virginia in 2008.
An indictment is only an allegation and every defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Carroll County (Georgia) Sheriff’s Office, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, the Georgia State Attorney General’s Office, the United States Marshals Service, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Atlanta and Jacksonville. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys D. Rodney Brown and Kelly S. Karase.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Jackson Man Sentenced to 46 months in Prison for Being a Convicted Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A Jackson man was sentenced to 46 months in federal prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Jermicha Fomby of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
According to court documents, Earnest Guise, 41, was found in possession of a firearm by a Jackson Police Officer on June 6, 2021, during an investigation into a reported shooting. Guise has multiple prior felony convictions and is prohibited from possessing a firearm.
Guise pled guilty on November 8, 2022 to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Jackson Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jessica S. Terrill.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, 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.
Inmate Sentenced to 51 Months in Prison for Aggravated AssaultRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Judge Malachy E. Mannion sentenced Louis Borrero, age 39, an inmate at United States Penitentiary, Canaan, in Waymart, Pennsylvania, to 51 months in prison for assault on another inmate.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Borrero assaulted the inmate by slashing his face with a razor blade on July 16, 2021, at USP Canaan. The victim’s injuries required nine sutures. At the time of the assault, Borrero was serving a 324-month sentence for drug trafficking, robbery, and firearms violations.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Prisons Special Investigation Section (SIS) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean A. Camoni prosecuted the case.
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Inmate Pleads Guilty to Possessing Weapon at FCI BeckleyRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Iglesias McEntyre, 34, an inmate at the Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) Beckley, pleaded guilty today to possession of a weapon by an inmate of a federal prison.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on October 14, 2022, McEntyre failed to clear a metal detector after numerous attempts. An FCI Beckley staff member conducted a visual search of McEntyre and found a handcrafted weapon commonly known as a “shank” in McEntyre’s underwear. The shank was a piece of metal approximately 5 3/4 inches long, sharpened to a point, with a toothbrush for a handle and thread wrapped around the handle to secure it. McEntyre admitted to possessing the shank, and further admitted that it was designed and intended to be used as a weapon.
McEntyre is scheduled to be sentenced on August 11, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy D. Boggess is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:23-cr-50.
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Informational: Federal Court arraignmentsRead the Press Release
The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced that the following persons were arraigned or appeared recently before U.S. Magistrate judges on indictments handed down by the Grand Jury or on criminal complaints. The charging documents are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt:
Appearing in Missoula before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto and pleading not guilty on April 28 was:
Brittany Nicole Lewis, 32, of Corvallis, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute meth and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. If convicted of the most serious crime, Lewis faces a mandatory minimum 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release on the drug offense and a mandatory five years to life in prison, consecutive to any other sentence, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release on the firearms crime. Lewis was released pending further proceedings. The Missoula High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force and Ravalli County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. PACER case reference. 23-20.
Appearing in Billings before U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan and pleading not guilty on April 25 was:
James Faddis Kennedy, 73, of Red Lodge, on charges of possession of unregistered firearm and illegal possession of a machine gun. If convicted of the most serious crime, Kennedy faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Kennedy was released pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. PACER case reference. 23-25.
Appearing on April 26 was:
Nathaniel James Jansen, 35, of Billings, on charges of prohibited person in possession of a firearm and ammunition and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number. If convicted of the most serious crime, Jansen faces a maximum of 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Jansen was detained pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Yellowstone County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. PACER case reference. 23-47.
Elmer Brady, 67, a transient, on charges of bank robbery. If convicted of the most serious crime, Brady faces a maximum of 25 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and five years of supervised release. Brady was detained pending further proceedings. The FBI and Billings Police Department investigated the case. PACER case reference. 23-42
Appearing on April 27 was:
Scott Francis Richardson, 44, of Billings, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. If convicted of the most serious crime, Richardson faces a maximum of 20 years in prison, a $1 million fine and at least three years of supervised release. Richardson was detained pending further proceedings. The Billings Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, Yellowstone County Sheriff’s Office, Montana Highway Patrol and Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case. PACER case reference. 23-40.
Appearing in Great Falls before U.S. Magistrate Judge John T. Johnston and pleading not guilty on April 21 was:
Martaveon Makei Scott, aka Lo, 25, of Williston, North Dakota, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. If convicted of the most serious crime, Scott faces a mandatory minimum of five years to 40 years in prison, a $5 million fine and at least four years of supervised release. Scott was detained pending further proceedings. The Havre Police Department and Tri-Agency Task Force investigated the case. PACER case reference. 22-86.
Dustin Alan Robbins, 37, a transient, on charges of robbery, assault with intent to commit a felony and intimidation. If convicted of the most serious crime, Robbins faces a maximum of 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Robbins was detained pending further proceedings. The FBI and Fort Belknap Law Enforcement investigated the case.
PACER case reference. 23-25.
The progress of cases may be monitored through the U.S. District Court Calendar and the PACER system. To establish a PACER account, which provides electronic access to review documents filed in a case, please visit http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. To access the District Court’s calendar, please visit https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl.
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Indianapolis Dermatologist Convicted for Filing False Tax Returns, Concealing over $1.2 Million in Unreported IncomeRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS- David Gerstein, 63, of Hamilton County, Indiana, has been convicted after pleading guilty to submitting a false income tax return.
According to court documents, between 2017 and 2020 willfully underreported his taxable income by at least $1,200,000, as a result evaded $360,669 in income taxes that he owed.
Since 1997, Gerstein has been the sole owner of a dermatology practice in Indianapolis, Indiana, and reported his business income to the Internal Revenue Service on his personal tax return.
During his tax evasion scheme, Gerstein used several different methods to conceal his true income. Gerstein lied to his accountant and told them that all income from his medical practice flowed into a single business bank account, and only provided them with records from that account. In fact, Gerstein had other hidden accounts that he used to deposit business income, including checks from patients, payments from insurance providers, and payments via Venmo. He further concealed the existence of his hidden bank accounts by routinely breaking up cash deposits of more than $10,000 and making multiple cash deposits on the same day. This illegal practice, known as “structuring transactions,” was intended to avoid the banks reporting these large cash deposits to the IRS. Gerstein continued to attempt to conceal the existence of some of his bank accounts even when interviewed by IRS- Criminal Investigation Agents.
“Every year, millions of Americans pay all the taxes they owe while criminals like this defendant lie and scheme to avoid paying their fair share,” said Zachary A. Myers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Wealthy tax cheats drive up taxes for law-abiding people and deprive us of the government services to which we are entitled. Willfully falsifying tax returns is not a victimless crime, and the sentence imposed today demonstrates that those who break the law will be held accountable. I applaud the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation for their efforts to uncover these schemes and we will continue to work together to enforce our laws on behalf of the American people.”
“We hope that this conviction reinforces public confidence in our nation’s tax system,” said Justin Campbell, Special Agent in Charge of IRS-Criminal Investigation, Chicago Field Office. “The tax laws apply equally to everyone regardless of their income level. IRS-CI will continue to seek prosecution of high-income taxpayers that evade our tax laws. We would like to express our gratitude to the United States Attorney’s Office for their support in the prosecution of this case.”
IRS- Criminal Investigation investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Judge James P. Hanlon. Judge Hanlon also ordered that Gerstein be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for 3 years, the first 6 months of which must be served at a residential re-entry center. Gerstein must also pay a fine of $95,000.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorney James Warden, who prosecuted this case.
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INTERPOL Washington Addresses World Border Security Congress in North MacedoniaRead the Press Release
This week, INTERPOL Washington participated in the World Border Security Conference in Skopje, North Macedonia, to highlight INTERPOL’S unique role in border security and to enhance critical law enforcement partnerships.
“The transnational criminal and terrorist threats we face today are increasingly lethal, diverse, invasive, and present in communities of all sizes across the world,” said INTERPOL Washington Director Michael A. Hughes. “Our efforts at home and abroad rely on international partnerships to dismantle the transnational criminal organizations that exploit border security vulnerabilities to commit heinous acts. At INTERPOL Washington, we are committed to working with our foreign and domestic law enforcement partners on programs that increase the security of American communities and build a safer world.”
The World Border Security Congress is a high-level, three-day forum for discussion and debate on current and future border policies, implementation issues, and other related challenges. Attendees also discuss new and developing border security technologies and share best practices. The conference provides a unique platform for sharing information and promoting cooperation among border management and security professionals from around the world. An INTERPOL Washington delegation spoke at the event, emphasizing the agency’s work in strengthening domestic and international border security.
INTERPOL Washington maintains numerous programs that strengthen border security at home and abroad. In the United States, INTERPOL Washington shares global criminal investigative data with U.S. Customs and Border Protection and more than 18,000 other domestic law enforcement agencies to ensure the frontline officers know the criminal history of foreign nationals they may encounter. Through Project Terminus, INTERPOL Washington also extends secure police communications systems to select nations, delivering solid, actionable criminal intelligence in a secure manner around the world.
A component of the U.S. Department of Justice co-managed by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, INTERPOL Washington—the U.S. National Central Bureau (USNCB)—is the designated U.S. representative to INTERPOL. It serves as the national point of contact and coordination for all INTERPOL matters, coordinating international investigative efforts among member countries and the more than 18,000 local, state, federal, tribal, and territorial law enforcement agencies.
Houston man sent to prison for $3M PPP loan fraud schemeRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 47-year-old man has been ordered to federal prison following his conviction of wire fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani along with Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division.
Scott Jackson Davis pleaded guilty May 26, 2022.
Today, U.S. District Judge David Hittner sentenced Davis to a total of 102 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. The court also ordered him to pay restitution in the amount of $3,002,655.13.
At the hearing, the court heard evidence that at the time of the offense, Davis was on supervised release for another wire fraud conviction and had only been out of prison for just over four months when he began submitting the fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) applications. As such, Judge Hittner noted Davis presented a danger to the community during the hearing.
In 2020, Davis fraudulently received $3.3 million in PPP funds through three fraudulent loan applications submitted to multiple financial institutions. Davis fabricated ownership of three businesses - Skilled Trade Investments LP, Skilled Trade Staffing LLC and Skilled Trade Investments Group - which he claimed staffed numerous employees and had significant payroll.
However, the businesses actually had few, if any, employees and little to no payroll if it existed at all. Davis used forged IRS documentation to corroborate the vastly inflated business expenses.
Davis also lied on each of the PPP applications, indicating he had never been convicted of a felony. In fact, he is a prior felon who was on supervised release for an unrelated 2017 wire fraud conviction.
Davis spent a large portion of the fraudulently acquired PPP loan funds on private jet travel, real estate, jewelry, guns and luxury vehicles.
Davis will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The FBI and Small Business Administration - Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Wakefield and Trial Attorney Edward Emokpae of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section prosecuted the case.
Holyoke Man Pleads Guilty to Being a Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Holyoke man pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Springfield to illegally possessing a firearm as a previously convicted felon.
Joe Anthony Montaner-Vazquez, 25, pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni scheduled sentencing for July 25, 2023. Montaner-Vazquez was indicted by a federal grand jury in August 2022.
On May 25, 2022, Montaner-Vazquez was found in possession of a Glock 9-millimeter caliber pistol and 20 rounds of ammunition after he attempted to flee from police. Montaner-Vazquez was previously convicted of a felony and is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition.
The charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm provides a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three 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; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; and Holyoke Police Chief David Pratt made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Neil L. Desroches of Rollins’ Springfield Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
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.
Georgia Woman Pleads Guilty to Aggravated Identity Theft and Bank Fraud ChargesRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Kiana Fiona Alphonse (29, Covington, Georgia) has pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, seven counts of bank fraud, five counts of false representation of a Social Security number, and five counts of aggravated identity theft. Alphonse faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 2 years’ in federal prison on the aggravated identity theft charges, up to 30 years in federal prison for each count of bank fraud and conspiracy to commit bank fraud, up to 5 years in federal prison on each count of false representation of a Social Security number, and payment of restitution to the victims she and her co-defendant, Anthony Jermaine Robinson (31, Covington, Georgia), had defrauded. Her sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to court documents and public records, in 2019, the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) stopped a car Robinson was driving for a cracked windshield. Based on a probable cause search of the car, the CCSO located among other items, counterfeit Social Security cards and driver licenses in the identity of genuine individuals, genuine credit cards in the name of individuals, and multiple phones. Pursuant to a search warrant, the CCSO conducted a forensic examination of Robinson’s cellphone and determined that it contained among other things, text messages between Robinson and Alphonse. The text messages outlined instructions on how to fraudulently set up business accounts at banks using fraudulent business documents for non-existent businesses, identification documents, and Social Security numbers.
Follow up investigation by law enforcement determined that in 2019, Robinson and Alphonse obtained the personally identifiable information (PII) of multiple victims and then obtained counterfeit driver licenses purportedly from Washington state and Delaware in the identity of the victims. The counterfeit driver licenses contained the PII of the victims, but a photo of Alphonse. Using the PII including the Social Security numbers of the victims, the counterfeit driver licenses, and documents created for fictitious businesses, Alphonse visited multiple banks and set up fraudulent business bank accounts in the name of various victims. These bank accounts were then utilized as part of a scheme to defraud multiple victims involving the online purchase of nonexistent cars. Once the bank accounts received funds from the victims, Robinson, Alphonse, and co-conspirators withdrew the funds for their own personal use.
Alphonse appeared in federal court on April 26, 2023, pursuant to a writ bringing her to Jacksonville from Newton County Jail in Georgia where she is serving a jail sentence for violating probation on a firearm related crime.
Robinson appeared in federal court on November 3, 2022, pursuant to a writ bringing him to Jacksonville from Georgia State Prison where he is serving a prison sentence for violating parole on a fraud related crime. The Court ordered Robinson detained pending trial. On February 8, 2023, Robinson pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft. He faces a maximum penalty of 32 years in federal prison and payment of restitution to the victims he and Alphonse defrauded. Robinson is also wanted on violation of probation warrants from South Carolina and Columbia County, Florida on two unrelated financial crime cases.
This case was investigated by the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office and the United States Secret Service - Jacksonville Field Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Frein.
Gang Member Admits Racketeering and Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A member of a New Jersey street gang admitted his role in a racketeering conspiracy and possessing firearms and ammunition as a convicted felon, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Rahjon Cox, aka “Tsu Surf,” 32, of Newark, pleaded guilty by videoconference on April 27, 2023, before U.S. District Judge Susan D. Wigenton to two counts of a superseding indictment charging him with Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) conspiracy and possession of firearms and ammunition by a convicted felon.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From 2015 through Sept. 22, 2022, Cox was a member of the Rollin’ 60s Neighborhood Crips, a criminal enterprise responsible for acts of violence and the distribution of controlled substances in New Jersey and elsewhere. Cox held a leadership role within the enterprise. On March 18, 2017, Cox shot a firearm at a gang rival. On July 24, 2019, in Essex County, New Jersey, Cox, a convicted felon, knowingly possessed two loaded firearms.
The racketeering conspiracy count is punishable by a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; the charge of being a felon in possession of a weapon is punishable by a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. Both counts are also punishable by a fine of up to $250,000. Sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 12, 2023.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Daniel J. Kafafian; special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Tammy Tomlins; and special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Bryan Miller, with the investigation leading to the guilty plea. He also thanked investigators of the U.S. Marshals Service, under the direction of Marshal Juan Mattos; the Irvington Police Department, under the direction of Police Division Director Tracy Bowers; the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Acting Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens II; the Newark Police Department, under the direction of Public Safety Director Fritz Fragé; the Bloomfield Police Department, under the direction of Director of Public Safety Samuel A. DeMaio; the Essex County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Armando B. Fontoura; the East Orange Police Department, under the direction of Chief Phyllis L. Bindi; the Elizabeth Police Department, under the direction of Police Director Earl J. Graves; the Edison Police Department, under the direction of Chief of Police Tom Bryan; the New Jersey State Police, under the direction of Col. Patrick J. Callahan; the Union County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor William A. Daniel; the Spotswood Police Department, under the direction of Chief Philip Corbisiero; and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation Fugitive and Missing Person Task Force, which includes members of the FBI, for their assistance.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Francesca Liquori of the Special Prosecutions Unit.
cox.sindictment.pdfFruitland Man Pleads Guilty to Sexual AbuseRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, announced today that Derek Lorin Blackhorse pleaded guilty to sexual abuse. Blackhorse, 34, of Fruitland New Mexico, and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, will remain in custody pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled.
According to the plea agreement and other court documents, on May 28, 2021, Blackhorse engaged in sexual intercourse with the victim, Jane Doe, while she was sleeping in her bed at her home. The assault took place on the Navajo Nation.
Under the terms of his agreement, Blackhorse can be sentenced to between 6 and 8 years in prison and must register as a sex offender upon his release from prison.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas J. Marshall is prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice (DOJ) to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and DOJ’s Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/.
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Four Additional Defendants in North Carolina Plead Guilty to National COVID-19 Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – Denise Coit Alston, 69; Monica Faye Barnes, 51; Terron Cortez Parker, 37; and Kami D. Woodard, 37; each pleaded guilty earlier this week to conspiracy to commit wire fraud for fraudulently obtaining Paycheck Protection Act (“PPP”) COVID-19 loans. The defendants requested relief for various companies they owned including companies listed as being engaged in catering, trucking and real estate. They all face up to 20 years in prison.
“These defendants, along with the broader network of co-conspirators, took taxpayer money meant to help struggling small businesses during a global pandemic,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “We are investigating and prosecuting those who steal from public programs intended to keep legitimate businesses afloat.”
According to the filed charges and information summarized in court, the defendants conspired with Edward Whitaker, Schunda Coleman, and others to obtain fraudulent PPP loans on behalf of their businesses. Whitaker and Coleman pled guilty on January 19, 2023 for their role in operating a nation-wide scheme to help people across the country commit millions of dollars of PPP fraud from their home in Texas.
Whitaker and Coleman created fraudulent supporting documents and applications for each PPP loan in exchange for 25% of the total loan proceeds. The fraudulent applications falsified the number of employees and gross wages being paid prior to the COVID-19 pandemic by backdating fraudulent IRS Forms 940 and 941, in order to help qualify for the PPP loans. Following the disbursement of the PPP loans, Whitaker gave each defendant, via text messages subsequently obtained by law enforcement, detailed instructions as to how to make it appear that the PPP loans were being paid out to employees. In reality, most or all of the money was transferred back to the defendants. The fraudulent payroll records were then submitted to the Small Business Administration (SBA) to obtain 100% loan forgiveness.
Late last year, Quentin Jackson pled guilty in the same conspiracy which included the recruitment of numerous individuals within the Eastern District of North Carolina to use Whitaker and Coleman to obtain fraudulent PPP funds.
“The Paycheck Protection Program was designed to help small businesses facing financial difficulties during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Donald “Trey” Eakins, Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge in the Charlotte Field Office. “Through our partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our federal law enforcement partners, IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agents will continue to aggressively pursue individuals who try to exploit federal relief programs for their personal gain.”
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans who were economically suffering from the COVID-19 pandemic. The CARES Act and additional appropriations authorized up to $649 billion in forgivable loans to small businesses through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). Financial institutions issued the PPP loans, which were guaranteed by the SBA.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after United States Magistrate Judge Robert T. Numbers II accepted the pleas. Sentencings will occur before United States District Judge James C. Dever III later this year. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Criminal Investigation is leading the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney David G. Beraka is prosecuting the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:23-CR-00027-D.
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Former West Virginia Parole Officer Sentenced for Witness TamperingRead the Press Release
A former West Virginia regional director of parole for the West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation in Parkersburg, West Virginia, was sentenced yesterday in federal court in the Southern District of West Virginia to 87 months’ imprisonment and three years’ supervised release for witness tampering.
David Jones, 51, admitted that earlier this year, he deliberately withheld information and lied to state and federal investigators during their investigations of sexual misconduct by a state parole officer whom Jones supervised. Jones also admitted that, on multiple occasions from 2020 to this year, he repeatedly instructed a witness in the same investigation to lie to federal investigators and to destroy and withhold evidence. Specifically, Jones admitted both that he encouraged the witness to delete recordings she had of the parole officer sexually harassing her and he instructed the witness to delete evidence of his communications with her.
“The defendant interfered with state and federal investigations of egregious sexual misconduct by a state parole officer the defendant was supposed to supervise,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department will continue to vigorously investigate and hold accountable individuals who obstruct and interfere with federal criminal civil rights investigations.”
“David Jones’ attempt to cover up Anthony DeMetro’s reprehensible conduct makes the victim’s courage all the more commendable,” said U.S. Attorney Will Thompson for the Southern District of West Virginia. “Far too often, survivors of crime don’t seek justice because they are afraid that no one will believe them or that those in authority will betray them as David Jones tried to do in this case. We must be relentless in holding individuals like Mr. Jones accountable for their misconduct while ensuring that survivors are heard, believed, and supported.”
“Mr. Jones crossed a line and abused his position of public trust by asking a witness to lie and delete evidence in a criminal investigation,” said Special Agent in Charge Mike Nordwall of the FBI Pittsburgh Field Office. “As the Regional Director of Parole in West Virginia, he was entrusted to uphold the law. Instead, he attempted to use his official capacity to influence a sexual misconduct investigation. This sentencing is a reminder that the FBI is committed to ensuring those who violate the public’s trust are held accountable.”
The FBI Pittsburgh Field Office investigated the case.
Special Litigation Counsel Kathryn E. Gilbert and Trial Attorney Daniel E. Grunert of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Monica Coleman and Nowles Heinrich for the Southern District of West Virginia prosecuted the case.