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12 June 2023
Massachusetts Drug Courier Sentenced to 4 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Massachusetts man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for his role in a conspiracy to traffic fentanyl and cocaine from Lawrence, Mass. to the Sanford area, where it was further distributed by other members of the conspiracy.
U.S. District Judge George Z. Singal sentenced Franklin Frias, 58, to 48 months of imprisonment followed by three years of supervised release. Frias pleaded guilty on November 29, 2022.
According to court records, in November 2019, Frias was tasked by a drug dealer in Lawrence, Mass. known as “Junior,” to collect a drug debt from a local dealer in Sanford. Both Frias and “Junior” were unaware that the previous couriers had been intercepted by law enforcement, who had seized the most recent shipment to the Sanford dealer—approximately 50 grams of fentanyl and 107 grams of powder cocaine. When Frias arrived at the pre-determined location and stated that he was there to collect “Junior’s” money, he was arrested by agents of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
In imposing sentence, Judge Singal reflected on the gravity of the fentanyl epidemic, and how corrosive it has been to community and families in Maine.
The DEA, in partnership with the Maine State Police, investigated the case.
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Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office Joins with State Agencies and Non-Profits to Combat Financial Exploitation of Older AdultsRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland - The U.S. Attorney’s Office has partnered with AARP Maryland, the Maryland Attorney General, the Comptroller of Maryland, the Maryland Department of Aging, the Maryland Department of Human Services, and the Office of Financial Regulation in the Maryland Department of Labor, as well as businesses and consumer groups to sponsor PROTECT Week to raise awareness and help prevent financial fraud targeting older adults. A press conference was held today to kick-off PROTECT Week, held June 12-16, 2023. PROTECT Week offers opportunities to learn about the many forms of abuse, neglect, and financial exploitation of older Marylanders. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is participating in events all month, including public outreach events such as a tele-town hall, and educational programming.
“Targeting vulnerable elderly victims is unconscionable and PROTECT Week is a great time to learn about scams targeting older adults and how to avoid them,” said Erek L. Barron, United States Attorney for the District of Maryland. “But if you, or someone you know, is a victim of financial fraud, I urge you to report it. Help is available through the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311) and you could prevent someone else from becoming a victim.”
PROTECT WEEK EVENTS:
Interview with Shawn Perry of the Senior Zone – airing June 12 at 10:00 a.m.
Maryland U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron will participate in an interview with Shawn Perry of the Senior Zone AM radio program to promote PROTECT Week. The interview will discuss tips for recognizing and avoiding scams, the importance of reporting fraud, and the Department of Justice’s Elder Fraud Hotline.
Tele-town Hall – June 15 at 11:30 a.m.
U.S. Attorney Erek Barron, Maryland Comptroller Brooke Lierman, and Karen Straughn with the Maryland Office of the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division will participate in an AARP tele-town hall. The tele-town hall will discuss Maryland’s new Transnational Elder Fraud Strike Force, trends in fraud schemes, and resources for reporting fraud. The tele-town hall reaches thousands of Marylanders in every county throughout the state.
Now in its sixth year, PROTECT Week 2023 includes World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, observed on June 15. More information on World Elder Abuse Awareness Day can be found here. For a list of PROTECT Week coalition members and to register for events, visit www.aarp.org/md.
Reporting from consumers about fraud and fraud attempts is critical to law enforcement’s efforts to investigate and prosecute schemes targeting older adults. If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is available through the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This Department of Justice Hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, is staffed by experienced professionals who provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting or connect them with agencies, and provide resources and referrals on a case-by-case basis. The hotline is staffed from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. English, Spanish, and other languages are available. More information about the Department’s elder justice efforts can be found on the Department’s Elder Justice website, www.elderjustice.gov.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help older adults, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/elder-justice-initiative.
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Madill Resident Sentenced for Assault in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Michael Paul Blagg, age 44, of Madill, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 51 months in prison for intentionally assaulting another individual with a dangerous weapon.
The charges arose from investigations by the Bryan County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
On July 20, 2022, Blagg pleaded guilty to one count of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with the Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country. According to court documents, on August 12, 2020, Blagg entered another individual’s residence and struck the victim multiple times with the stock of a shotgun. The crime occurred in Bryan County, within the boundaries of the Chickasaw Nation Reservation and within the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The Honorable Timothy D. DeGiusti, Chief Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearings in Oklahoma City. Blagg will remain in custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant United States Attorney Jordan Howanitz represented the United States.
Luzerne County Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Eric Hill, age 34, of Plymouth, Luzerne County, pleaded guilty on June 8, 2023, before U.S. District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani, to the charge of conspiracy to distribute more than 400 grams of fentanyl.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Hill admitted to conspiring with other individuals to distribute between 400 grams and 1.2 kilograms of fentanyl in the Luzerne County area between 2019 and 2020. Hill was indicted by a grand jury in August 2020 for fentanyl trafficking.
The charge against the defendants resulted from an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF), the Kingston Police Department, the Luzerne County Drug Task Force, and the Pennsylvania State Police. Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. O’Hara is prosecuting 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.
Under federal law, the carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison, a maximum sentence of up to life in prison, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
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Leader of Human Smuggling Organization Sentenced to 96 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Manuel Ochoa-Vasquez, 39, of Paso Hondo, Mexico, was sentenced last week by United States District Judge John C. Hinderaker to a term of 96 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for his management role in a criminal conspiracy to harbor and transport thousands of undocumented non-citizens. Ochoa-Vasquez pleaded guilty on December 15, 2022, to Conspiracy to Transport Illegal Aliens for Profit and Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering.
Agents from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) conducted a year-long court-approved wiretap after discovering that people were being smuggled from the United States border to a mechanic’s shop and several residences in the Phoenix Metro area. During the execution of search warrants, 54 undocumented non-citizens were found in the primary stash house operated by Ochoa-Vasquez and his co-conspirators. The investigation revealed that the people being smuggled were detained at the stash house until their smuggling fees were paid. Additionally, wire communications revealed that Ochoa-Vasquez and his co-conspirators sometimes threatened the families or sponsors of the people being smuggled if the smuggling fees were late.
During search warrants executed at the residences of Ochoa-Vasquez and co-conspirator Carlos Barron-Arredondo, agents located guns, ammunition and over $1.4 million in cash. Ledgers recovered at their residences documented the smuggling of more than 7,000 people. Further investigation by HSI and the Internal Revenue Service also identified the ways in which co-conspirators had laundered the money gained from the smuggling operations.
In addition to Ochoa-Vasquez’s sentence, Barron-Arredondo received a sentence of 57 months in prison, followed by 36 months of supervised release. The remaining 13 co-conspirators, all of whom pleaded guilty and who had various levels of culpability in the organization, were given sentences ranging from time served to as much as 63 months in prison.
This prosecution resulted from the coordinated efforts of Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA). The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona is part of JTFA, which was established by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland in June 2021 to marshal the investigative and prosecutorial resources of the Department of Justice, in partnership with the Department of Homeland Security, to enhance U.S. enforcement efforts against the most prolific and dangerous human smuggling and trafficking groups operating in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras. The Task Force focuses on disrupting and dismantling smuggling and trafficking networks that abuse, exploit, or endanger migrants, pose national security threats, and are involved in organized crime.
The investigation in this case was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations – Sells Office, in coordination with IRS Criminal Investigation. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBERS: CR-21-01042-TUC-JCH
CR-21-01601-TUC-JCH
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-091_Ochoa-Vasquez# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Las Cruces Man Sentenced to Five Years in Prison on Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
EL PASO, Texas – A New Mexico man was sentenced in a federal court in El Paso on Thursday to 60 months in prison for receipt and distribution of a visual depiction involving the sexual exploitation of a minor.
According to court documents, Robey Lynn Humphrey, 58, of Las Cruces, received child sexual abuse material (CSAM) from other individuals on the internet in October 2022. He was arrested on October 25, 2022, on a criminal complaint alleging Humphrey coerced and enticed a minor via a social messaging app. FBI agents executed a search warrant of Humphrey’s residence on November 2, 2022, seizing four tablet computers, one of which revealed the illicit files. Humphrey has remained in federal custody since his arrest.
“My office is committed to protecting our children and will continue to prosecute those who prey on them,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas. “I am grateful to the FBI for their diligent investigation, providing key evidence that contributed to this just decision and holding yet another child predator accountable.”
"The exploitation of innocent children is a heinous crime and demands our relentless focus on bringing these terrible subjects to justice," said Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey R. Downey for the FBI El Paso Field Office. "Thanks to the hard work of the FBI El Paso’s Child Exploitation & Human Trafficking Task Force, this sentencing sends a message that these horrible crimes will not be tolerated in our community."
The FBI investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Mallory Rasmussen prosecuted 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 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.
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Kenner Man Pleads Guilty to Misprision of a FelonyRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – RYAN MOREAU, age 30, a resident of Kenner, Louisiana, pled guilty on June 7, 2023, before United States District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo to a one-count superseding bill of information charging him with misprision of a felony, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 4, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.
According to court documents, on November 19, 2020, a Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Deputy learned than an individual was traveling eastbound on Interstate 10 after having purchased narcotics from his source of supply. Agents establishing surveillance along Interstate 10 and locating the vehicle, agents conducted a traffic stop of the vehicle. As the agents approached the vehicle, the front seat passenger gave a bag containing several ounces of methamphetamine to MOREAU, who was seated in the back seat of the truck, to put into a container of bleach also located on the back seat of the truck. As one of the agents approached MOREAU, he observed a torn plastic bag with methamphetamine next to MOREAU, who acknowledged that he placed the methamphetamine in the container of bleach to avoid detection from law enforcement.
For the misprision count, MOREAU faces a maximum term of imprisonment of three (3) years, a fine of up to $250,000.00, a term of supervised release of one (1) year, and a mandatory special assessment fee of 100.00. MOREAU is scheduled to be sentenced on October 11, 2023.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney André Jones.
KC Man Sentenced in $1.1 Million Insurance Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for his role in a $1.1 million insurance fraud scheme that involved false claims of injuries suffered in car accidents.
Michael Stuart Smith, also known as “Black Mike,” 36, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark to four years in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Smith to pay $40,836 in restitution to his victims.
On April 26, 2022, Smith pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to commit wire fraud and to participating in a conspiracy to commit mail fraud.
This case stems from a long investigation by the FBI into co-defendant Lawrence Courtney Lawhorn, 35, of Kansas City, Mo. (formerly of Columbia, Mo.), for a series of automobile accidents throughout Missouri. All but one of those accidents were staged.
Lawhorn recruited friends, acquittances, family, and friends of friends to participate in the staged accidents. Conspirators went to various medical providers, claiming injuries from the staged accidents and requesting various testing, such a MRIs, CT scans, and/or X-rays. Conspirators then submitted false claims to insurance companies that they had suffered bodily injuries and that they would be personally liable for any medical bills related to insurance claims. Conspirators, some of whom were involved in multiple incidents, received thousands of dollars, and in some cases tens of thousands of dollars, based on these false claims. However, none of the conspirators made any payments to medical providers and instead used the funds for their personal expenses.
Smith admitted that he participated in two of the staged automobile accidents on May 12, 2018, and Feb. 27, 2019.
Lawhorn pleaded guilty on Thursday, June 8, to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud, and one count of aggravated identity theft. Lawhorn also pleaded guilty in a separate and unrelated case to commit wire fraud. His sentencing date has not yet been scheduled.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron M. Maness. It was investigated by the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Justice Department Secures Settlement with Dayton, Ohio, Police Department to Ensure Non-Discriminatory Treatment of People with DisabilitiesRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that it entered into a settlement agreement with the City of Dayton, Ohio, and the Dayton Police Department (DPD) under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to resolve allegations that DPD discriminated against a driver during a traffic stop.
The ADA requires that cities, law enforcement agencies and other public entities provide individuals with disabilities an equal opportunity to participate in their services, including policing. The ADA also requires a police department or other public entity to reasonably modify its practices when necessary to avoid discrimination.
This agreement resolves a complaint by a driver who is paraplegic and uses a wheelchair who was pulled over by DPD officers. The officers ordered him to get out of his car, but he did not have his wheelchair with him. He told the officers that he could not get out safely without his wheelchair. Over his protests, the officers ordered him out, and refused his request that they call a supervisor. The officers also did not call for assistance or equipment to enable the driver to safely exit. Instead, they pulled him out of his car onto the ground, handcuffed him and dragged him to a police car.
“No one should be subjected to discriminatory treatment during police interactions and that includes people with disabilities,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Law enforcement agencies and their officers are required to make reasonable modifications to their policies and procedures when interacting with people with disabilities and failure to do so may violate federal civil rights law. The Justice Department will vigorously enforce the ADA to ensure that police officers are not discriminating against people with disabilities.”
“Ensuring that law enforcement officers understand the scope of the ADA will only positively impact their connection with the people in the communities they serve,” said U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker for the Southern District of Ohio. “There are so many people with different disabilities whom officers may find themselves interacting with on even a daily basis, so having them trained in this area is imperative.”
The two-year agreement requires DPD to modify its policies to be consistent with the ADA, provide training for police about how to better interact with individuals with disabilities, and to report on its progress to the Justice Department.
This matter was handled by the Civil Rights Division’s Disability Rights Section in conjunction with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Ohio.
The Justice Department plays a central role in advancing the nation’s goal of equal opportunity, full participation, independent living, and economic self-sufficiency for people with disabilities. For more information on the Civil Rights Division, please visit the ADA website at www.justice.gov/crt. For more information on the ADA, please call the department’s toll-free ADA Information Line at 800-514-0301 (TDD 800-514-0383) or visit www.ada.gov. ADA complaints may be filed online at www.ada.gov/complaint/.
Justice Department Secures Settlement with Dayton, Ohio, Police Department to Ensure Non-Discriminatory Treatment of People with DisabilitiesRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that it entered into a settlement agreement with the City of Dayton, Ohio, and the Dayton Police Department (DPD) under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to resolve allegations that DPD discriminated against a driver during a traffic stop.
The ADA requires that cities, law enforcement agencies and other public entities provide individuals with disabilities an equal opportunity to participate in their services, including policing. The ADA also requires a police department or other public entity to reasonably modify its practices when necessary to avoid discrimination.
This agreement resolves a complaint by a driver who is paraplegic and uses a wheelchair who was pulled over by DPD officers. The officers ordered him to get out of his car, but he did not have his wheelchair with him. He told the officers that he could not get out safely without his wheelchair. Over his protests, the officers ordered him out, and refused his request that they call a supervisor. The officers also did not call for assistance or equipment to enable the driver to safely exit. Instead, they pulled him out of his car onto the ground, handcuffed him and dragged him to a police car.
“No one should be subjected to discriminatory treatment during police interactions and that includes people with disabilities,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Law enforcement agencies and their officers are required to make reasonable modifications to their policies and procedures when interacting with people with disabilities and failure to do so may violate federal civil rights law. The Justice Department will vigorously enforce the ADA to ensure that police officers are not discriminating against people with disabilities.”
“Ensuring that law enforcement officers understand the scope of the ADA will only positively impact their connection with the people in the communities they serve,” said U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker for the Southern District of Ohio. “There are so many people with different disabilities whom officers may find themselves interacting with on even a daily basis, so having them trained in this area is imperative.”
The two-year agreement requires DPD to modify its policies to be consistent with the ADA, provide training for police about how to better interact with individuals with disabilities, and to report on its progress to the Justice Department.
This matter was handled by the Civil Rights Division’s Disability Rights Section in conjunction with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Ohio.
The Justice Department plays a central role in advancing the nation’s goal of equal opportunity, full participation, independent living, and economic self-sufficiency for people with disabilities. For more information on the Civil Rights Division, please visit the ADA website at www.justice.gov/crt. For more information on the ADA, please call the department’s toll-free ADA Information Line at 800-514-0301 (TDD 800-514-0383) or visit www.ada.gov. ADA complaints may be filed online at www.ada.gov/complaint/.
Justice Department Secures Consent Decree in Louisiana School Desegregation CaseRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that it has secured an agreement to desegregate student enrollment and expand academic opportunities for students in the St. Martin Parish, Louisiana, public schools. The consent order was approved by U.S. District Court Judge Elizabeth Erny Foote of the Western District of Louisiana as part of a longstanding desegregation case.
Under the consent decree, the school district will promote student transfers to advance desegregation and work with the Justice Department and private plaintiffs to develop a robust magnet school, with the goal of attracting a diverse student body and desegregating a historically Black school zone.
“All students deserve the opportunity to attend desegregated schools,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “It is now nearly 70 years after the Supreme Court issued its historic decision in Brown v. Board, and long past time for school districts to comply. The Justice Department will continue fighting to dismantle the prior system of segregation, in St. Martin Parish and wherever it persists.”
The department presented evidence at district court hearings in April 2021, August 2022 and March 2023 showing that St. Martin Parish has long maintained a dual system of racially identifiable elementary schools in the St. Martinville and Catahoula attendance zones. Under the terms of the consent order, the district will, among other requirements:
- Enhance educational opportunities in the historically Black attendance zone of St. Martinville by creating a robust magnet program to attract students from across the district;
- Work with the department, private plaintiffs and community members to develop and implement a robust magnet program;
- Hire and train the staff necessary to support these students and ensure the success of the magnet program; and
- Advertise and grant student transfers to promote opportunities and further desegregation in all district schools.
The order requires regular reporting to the court, the department and private plaintiffs represented by the NAACP Legal Defense Fund. Several other areas of this case remain open and are subject to the court’s continuing jurisdiction, including possible attendance zone modifications, the desegregation of faculty and the issues of discipline and graduation pathways. The court will retain jurisdiction over the consent order during its implementation, and the department will monitor the district’s compliance.
Last month marked the 69th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Brown v. Board of Education. The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division continues to prioritize enforcement of desegregation orders in school districts formerly segregated by law, to ensure that all children can access the building blocks of educational success. Additional information about the Civil Rights Division is available on its website at www.justice.gov/crt, and additional information about the work of the Educational Opportunities Section is available at www.justice.gov/crt/educational-opportunities-section.
Members of the public may report possible civil rights violations at www.civilrights.justice.gov/.
Justice Department Secures Agreement to Remedy Racial Harassment of Black and Multi-Racial Students in Kentucky School DistrictRead the Press Release
The Justice Department today announced a settlement agreement with Madison County Schools in Kentucky to resolve its investigation into complaints of serious and widespread racial harassment of Black and multi-racial students. The department opened its investigation in October 2021 under Title IV of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
The department’s investigation uncovered numerous incidents of race-based harassment in which Black and multi-racial students were called the N-word, among other racial epithets, and subjected to other derogatory racial comments by their peers. The school district did not consistently or reasonably address the harassment, which included racial taunts and intimidation, and was at times reinforced by use of Confederate flags and imagery. When the district did respond, it often failed to follow its own racial harassment policies and its actions were ineffective in addressing the broader hostile environment. This inaction deprived Black and multi-racial students of equal access to the district’s educational opportunities and led them to conclude that the district either condoned the behavior or would not take any action to help them.
“No student should be subject to racial harassment, including racist taunts with the Confederate flag that are clearly intended to surface some of the harshest and most brutal periods of our country’s history. Racial harassment inflicts grievous harm on young people and violates the Constitution’s most basic promise of equal protection,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This agreement will create the institutional changes needed to keep Black and multi-racial students safe and to provide them with a supportive educational environment. We look forward to Madison County Schools demonstrating to its students and school community that it will no longer tolerate racial discrimination in its schools.”
“The principles underpinning this investigation and settlement are straightforward,” said U.S. Attorney Carlton S. Shier IV for the Eastern District of Kentucky. “All young people are entitled to seek their educational opportunities without facing racial harassment and abuse, and schools simply must adequately protect those entrusted to their care and instruction from that offensive, harmful behavior. With this settlement, Madison County Schools are now taking an important step consistent with those basic principles.”
The department’s investigation also raised concerns about racially disproportionate discipline for Black students at some district schools and inadequate systems for recordkeeping and analysis of discipline data. Under the agreement, Madison County Schools will undertake significant institutional reforms, including:
- Retaining a consultant to review and revise anti-discrimination policies and procedures and support the school district in implementing the agreement;
- Creating three new central office positions to oversee effective handling of complaints of race discrimination;
- Updating its racial harassment and discipline policies to more accurately track and consistently respond to complaints of race-based harassment;
- Training staff on how to identify, investigate and respond to complaints of racial harassment and discriminatory discipline practices;
- Informing students and parents of how to report harassment and discrimination;
- Updating its centralized, electronic reporting system to track and manage complaints and the district’s response to complaints;
- Implementing focus groups, surveys, training and educational events on identifying and preventing race discrimination, including discriminatory harassment; and
- Analyzing and reviewing discipline data and amend policies to ensure non-discriminatory enforcement of discipline policies.
Protecting public school students from harassment and other discrimination is a top priority of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. In March 2023, for example, the division secured a settlement to address harassment based on students’ race, sex, sexual orientation and sex stereotypes in the Twin Valley School District in Vermont. In October 2021, the division reached a settlement with the Davis School District in Utah to remedy harassment of Black and Asian American students. Additional information about the Civil Rights Division is available on its website at www.justice.gov/crt, and additional information about the work of the Educational Opportunities Section is available at www.justice.gov/crt/educational-opportunities-section.
Members of the public may report possible civil rights violations at www.civilrights.justice.gov/.
Justice Department Reaches Agreement to Remedy Racial Harassment of Black and Multi-Racial Students in Kentucky School DistrictRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The Justice Department today announced a settlement agreement with Madison County Schools in Kentucky to resolve its investigation into complaints of serious and widespread racial harassment of Black and multi-racial students. The department opened its investigation in October 2021 under Title IV of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
The department’s investigation uncovered numerous incidents of race-based harassment in which Black and multi-racial students were called the N-word, among other racial epithets, and subjected to other derogatory racial comments by their peers. The school district did not consistently or reasonably address the harassment, which included racial taunts and intimidation, and was at times reinforced by use of Confederate flags and imagery. When the district did respond, it often failed to follow its own racial harassment policies and its actions were ineffective in addressing the broader hostile environment. This inaction deprived Black and multi-racial students of equal access to the district’s educational opportunities and led them to conclude that the district either condoned the beavior or would not take any action to help them.
“Schools should be safe and supportive environments for all students, not places where they face racist harassment and abuse. Racial harassment inflicts grievous harm on young people and violates the Constitution’s most basic promise of equal protection,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This agreement will create the institutional changes needed to keep Black and multi-racial students safe and to provide them with a supportive educational environment. We look forward to Madison County Schools demonstrating to its students and school community that it will no longer tolerate racial discrimination in its schools.”
“The principles underpinning this investigation and settlement are straightforward,” said United States Attorney Carlton S. Shier, IV for the Eastern District of Kentucky. “All young people are entitled to seek their educational opportunities without facing racial harassment and abuse, and schools simply must adequately protect those entrusted to their care and instruction from that offensive, harmful behavior. With this settlement, Madison County Schools are now taking an important step consistent with those basic principles.”
Under the agreement, Madison County Schools will retain a consultant to review and revise anti-discrimination policies and procedures and support the school district as it undertakes significant institutional reforms. Among other steps, Madison County Schools will:
- Create a new central office position to process complaints of race discrimination;
- Update its racial harassment and discipline policies to more accurately track and consistently respond to complaints of race-based harassment;
- Train staff on how to identify, investigate, and respond to complaints of racial harassment and discriminatory discipline practices;
- Inform students and parents of how to report harassment and discrimination;
- Update its centralized, electronic reporting system to track and manage complaints and the district’s response to complaints;
- Implement focus groups, surveys, training and educational events on identifying and preventing race discrimination, including discriminatory harassment; and
- Analyze and review discipline data and amend policies to ensure non-discriminatory enforcement of discipline policies.
Protecting the constitutional rights of public school students is a top priority of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. Additional information about the Civil Rights Division is available on its website at www.justice.gov/crt, and additional information about the work of the Educational Opportunities Section is available at www.justice.gov/crt/educational-opportunities-section.
Members of the public may report possible civil rights violations at www.civilrights.justice.gov/.
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Isleta Pueblo Man Charged with Two Counts of AssaultRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced today that Ryan Jacob Garcia was arraigned on an indictment charging him with assault with a dangerous weapon and assault resulting in serious bodily injury. Garcia, 28, of Isleta and an enrolled member of the Isleta Pueblo, will remain on conditions of release pending trial, which has not been scheduled.
A federal grand jury indicted Garcia on May 24, 2023. According to the indictment and other court records, on December 23, 2022, Isleta Police Department officers responded to an alert of a drunk driver entering the Isleta Pueblo reservation. Officers located that car at a residence within the exterior boundaries of the Isleta Pueblo. Family members had already detained the driver, identified as Garcia, who was intoxicated, belligerent, and physically aggressive. Officers detained Garcia and began to move him towards a police truck, at which point Garcia bit an Isleta Police Department officer on the shoulder, through the officer’s long-sleeved shirt. The officer worked through the pain to detain Garcia but had to seek medical intervention for his injury immediately afterwards.
An indictment is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Garcia faces up to 10 years in prison.
The Isleta Police Department investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Zachary C. Jones is prosecuting the case.
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Iowa Sex Offender Sentenced to 15 Years for Online Harassment of MO TeenRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Corydon, Iowa, man was sentenced in federal court today for attempting to produce child pornography following his online harassment of a Calloway County, Mo., teenager over five years.
David Jonathon Dodds, 61, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark to 15 years in federal prison without parole. The court also sentenced Dodds to 10 years of supervised release following incarceration.
On Sept. 29, 2022, Dodds pleaded guilty to one count of attempting to produce child pornography. Dodds is a registered sex offender in Iowa due to his conviction for the exhibition of obscene materials to minors. In that case, Dodds sent a pornographic Snapchat video of himself to a 16-year-old victim. Dodds has been in federal custody since his arrest.
Dodds admitted that he initially contacted the child victim through her Instagram account when she was 13 years old, disguising himself as a teenage male, and continued contacting her through Facebook Messenger and her cell phone until she was 18 years old. Her father contacted the Calloway County Sheriff’s Department in February 2020 to report that his 18-year-old daughter had been the victim of harassment and sexual enticement for several years.
Dodds admitted to having similar conversations with several other unidentified underage victims.
After Dodds contacted the child victim through Instagram, his behavior escalated to messaging her numerous times a day and sending her pornographic images of himself. Dodds also asked her to send nude photographs of herself, and the child victim sent several nude photos of herself in 2015, when she was 14 years old.
The child victim told investigators she became uncomfortable with the ongoing conversations with Dodds and attempted to cut off communications. He became agitated with her and he began threatening to text her parents or friends if she didn’t communicate with him. Dodds messaged her parents and left three voicemail messages on her boyfriend’s phone telling him she had been cheating on both of them. The child victim told investigators she began hiding in photos taken with friends or family that may end up on social media to avoid being seen. She began receiving contact on Facebook Messenger and her cell phone. She turned off her cell phone for durations to avoid any contact.
The child victim reported this continued harassment led to significant anxiety and caused her to quit several jobs. It became apparent that Dodds was monitoring her parents’ public posts on Facebook, harassing her about going to prom or noting how they had been at Wal-Mart looking for her. His behavior caused her to trade cell phones and delete Instagram and Facebook accounts.
The child victim eventually disclosed the harassment to her family, who contacted law enforcement.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley S. Turner. It was investigated by the Callaway County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Boone County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, and the FBI.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 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.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
Illegal Alien Sentenced to Prison for Unlawful Possession of a Firearm and Document FraudRead the Press Release
A Mexican man who illegally possessed a firearm was sentenced today to more than one year in federal prison.
Juan Gonzalez-Matias, age 46, a citizen of Mexico illegally present in the United States and residing in Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after a January 5, 2023, guilty plea to two counts of unlawful use of identification documents, two counts of misuse of a social security number, and one count of possession of a firearm by an alien.
At the guilty plea, Gonzalez-Matias admitted he used a fraudulent Social Security card and a fraudulent Permanent Resident Card, also known as a “green card,” both bearing his name, to prove his authorization to work in the United States when he completed employment and tax forms in May 2021 and March 2022 at businesses in Cedar Falls and Waterloo, Iowa. The number on the Social Security card was assigned to another person and the number on the Permanent Resident Card was assigned to a Pakistani female.
Gonzalez-Matias also admitted that he unlawfully possessed a firearm in September 2022 while being illegally present in the United States. Gonzalez-Matias was previously removed from the United States in January 1998, April 2004, and March 2012. On September 23, 2022, Waterloo police officers were called to Gonzalez-Matias’s residence after a report of shots fired. It was learned from a witness that Gonzalez-Matias, while under the influence of alcohol and methamphetamine, fired shots into the air outside the house. During the execution of a search warrant, officers found a loaded Taurus, PT709, 9mm semi-automatic pistol, a small bag of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia in the residence.
Gonzalez-Matias was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Gonzalez-Matias was sentenced to 21 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Gonzalez-Matias is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel C. Tvedt and investigated by the Waterloo Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 22-CR-2066.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Honduran National Charged with Being Illegal Alien in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – JOSE SANCHEZ-MORADEL, age 35, a native of Honduras, was indicted on June 9, 2023, for being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(5)(A), announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.
According to the indictment, on or about April 26, 2023, SANCHEZ-MORADEL, an alien illegally present in the United States, was found in possession of a 22 caliber Glock Model G44 handgun.
SANCHEZ-MORADEL faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 15 years, a fine of up to $250,000, up to three (3) years of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00.
U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that an indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Carter K.D. Guice, Jr.of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
Hollis Man on Release for Possessing Child Sexual Abuse Material Sentenced to 4 Years for Violating Conditions of ReleaseRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Hollis man who was previously convicted of possessing child sexual abuse material and perjury in 2014 was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for violating his conditions of supervised release.
U.S. District Judge George Z. Singal sentenced Joel Dudley, 39, to 48 months in prison and supervised release for life after finding that Dudley had violated previously imposed conditions of release by committing new crimes.
In 2014, Dudley was sentenced to eight years in prison followed by ten years of supervised release for possessing child sexual abuse materials and testifying falsely under oath during a court hearing. According to court records, while on supervised release in the spring of 2022, Dudley showed another convicted sex offender sexually explicit photographs of a minor victim. Dudley also fondled that same child in the parking lot of the Maine Mall. Finally, according to court records, the U.S. Probation Office discovered that he had been exchanging graphic sexual messages with the child over Facebook using an alias and having unapproved contact using electronic devices that he was prohibited from possessing. The U.S. Probation Office filed a petition to revoke Dudley’s term of supervised release in the fall of 2022.
A hearing was held over the course of three days. At the hearing’s conclusion, Judge Singal found that there was sufficient evidence to establish each of the charged violations. He also found that Dudley had perjured himself when he testified during the hearing, as well as during the sentencing phase of the hearing.
The sentence imposed by the Court was the maximum possible sentence that could be imposed for the charged violations. At sentencing, Judge Singal noted that he was imposing the maximum possible sentence because he “needed to protect the public from this defendant.”
The case was handled by U.S. Probation and Pretrial Services, with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations.
To report an incident involving the possession, distribution, receipt or production of child pornography: Child sexual abuse material – “child pornography” – captures the sexual abuse and exploitation of children. These images document victims’ exploitation and abuse, and they suffer re-victimization each time the images are viewed. File a report with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at https://report.cybertip.org/ or 1-800-843-5678. Your report will be forwarded to a law enforcement agency for investigation and action. If you have an emergency that requires an immediate law enforcement response, call 911 or contact your local police or sheriff’s department.
Project Safe Childhood: 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’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, visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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Great Falls meth, heroin dealer sentenced to five years in prisonRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS — A Great Falls woman who admitted to dealing methamphetamine and heroin for a drug trafficking organization in Mexico was sentenced today to five years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
Katie Marie Marceau, 38, pleaded guilty in March to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.
The government alleged in court documents that Marceau was a significant drug dealer in Great Falls and had direct connections to a drug trafficking ring in Mexico. Leaders of the organization sent workers to Great Falls to distribute meth and heroin and to recruit local workers, like Marceau, to distribute drugs. The workers typically distributed the drug in Great Falls for a few months, and then the leaders rotated to the next worker to avoid law enforcement detection. In late 2020, Marceau became the new designated worker for the drug organization and sold meth and heroin to undercover officers. Marceau also was on state supervision at the time when she engaged in this drug activity.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica A. Betley prosecuted the case. The Great Falls Police Department, Drug Enforcement Administration, Montana Division of Criminal Investigation and Russell Country Drug Task Force conducted the investigation.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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Gloucester County Man Admits Healthcare FraudRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A Gloucester County, New Jersey, man today admitted defrauding his employer’s health insurance plan out of more than $4 million by submitting fraudulent claims for medically unnecessary compounded medications, Attorney for the United States Vikas Khanna announced.
Christopher Gualtieri, 50, of Franklinville, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Robert B. Kugler to one count of an indictment charging him with conspiracy to commit health care and mail fraud and one count charging him with obtaining oxycodone through fraud.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Compounded medications are specialty medications mixed by a pharmacist to meet the specific medical needs of an individual patient. Compounded drugs can be properly prescribed when a physician determines that an FDA-approved medication does not meet the health needs of a particular patient, such as if a patient is allergic to a dye or other ingredient.
Gualtieri and others learned that certain compound medication prescriptions were reimbursed by their health insurance plan for up to thousands of dollars for a one-month supply. Gualtieri recruited co-workers who were covered by their employer’s self-funded health insurance plan to agree to receive medically unnecessary compounded medications for themselves and their family members. Gualtieri and others caused the submission of fraudulent prescriptions to compounding pharmacies, which filled the prescriptions and billed the health insurance plan’s pharmacy benefits administrator. The pharmacy benefits administrator paid the compounding pharmacies more than $4 million for compounded medications arranged by Gualtieri and two conspirators for themselves, their dependents, and other family members. Gualtieri received a portion of the amount paid by the pharmacy benefits administrator to the compounding pharmacies. Gualtieri admitted to paying cash to his conspirators for their participation in the scheme. When questioned by special agents of the FBI, Gualtieri falsely denied recruiting others to receive compounded medications and falsely denied paying cash to others for their participation in the scheme.
During the same time period as the conspiracy involving compounded medications, Gualtieri also prepared and caused the filling of fraudulent prescriptions for oxycodone for himself and a family member.
The charge of conspiracy to commit health care and mail fraud is punishable by a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison; the charge of obtaining drugs by fraud is punishable by a maximum potential penalty of four years in prison. Both counts are also punishable by a fine of up to $250,000, or twice the gross gain or gross loss from the offense, whichever is greatest. Sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 18, 2023.
Attorney for the United States Khanna credited agents of the FBI, Philadelphia Field Office, Health Care Fraud Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jacqueline Maguire; task force members from the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office, Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General; the Philadelphia Police Department; and diversion investigators of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New Jersey Division, Camden Resident Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Cheryl Ortiz, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea. Attorney for the United States Khanna also thanked U.S. Postal Service – Office of Inspector General, for its assistance in the investigation.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Bender of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Camden.
gualtieri.indictment.pdfFormer St. Louis Alderman Indicted, Accused of Insurance FraudRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A grand jury has indicted former St. Louis Alderman Brandon Bosley on charges accusing him of committing insurance fraud while in office.
Bosley was indicted on three felony wire fraud charges Wednesday. The indictment was sealed until his appearance in court Monday, when he pleaded not guilty.
The indictment accuses Bosley of orchestrating a scheme to obtain money from his insurance company by falsely inflating the cost of repairs to a Prius that he was driving. The car had been obtained by Bosley from a businessman who owned a convenience store in Bosley’s ward as well as a used car lot and an auto repair business elsewhere.
Bosley paid $500 cash for the Prius, which had an approximate value of nearly $10,000, but he did not register or title the car in his name, the indictment says. The Certificate of Title listed the purchase price as $3,000.
On Sept. 16, 2021, another driver struck the Prius while it was parked in front of Bosley’s office. After the other driver’s insurance company contacted Bosley about the damages, Bosley offered a bribe to the businessman to prepare an inflated estimate of the repair costs so the insurance company would total the car, the indictment says.
He also asked the businessman to prepare a second, legitimate repair estimate in case he wanted to buy the car back from the insurance company, the indictment says. Based upon the falsely inflated repair estimate which Bosley submitted to the insurance company, the insurance company paid Bosley $7,978.90 for the vehicle, and Bosley then asked the businessman to offer the insurance company $2,000 to buy the car back, the indictment says.
Each wire fraud charge is punishable by up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or both.
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 FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Hal Goldsmith is prosecuting the case.
Former Registered Broker Sentenced to Prison for Wire FraudRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – Thomas H. Hissong, 58, of Akron, Ohio, was sentenced Friday to 12 months and a day in prison by U.S. District Solomon Oliver, Jr. after Hissong pleaded guilty to a five count indictment that charged him with wire fraud. Hissong was also ordered to pay $552,850 in restitution to the victim investors and a fine of $2,000.
According to court documents and today’s sentencing hearing, Hissong was a former registered broker. From in or around May 2016 to in or around May 2018, Hissong pitched an investment opportunity to investors to buy shares in Plasma Ignitor, a new spark plug technology, but failed to disclose that he would receive a commission on the sales of the shares. Hissong wrongfully withheld $552,850 of the investors’ monies.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian M. McDonough.
Former New Philadelphia, Ohio Resident Sentenced to 70 Months Imprisonment for Conspiring to Distribute and Distributing 50 Grams of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
A former resident of New Philadelphia, Ohio, has been sentenced in federal court to 70 months of imprisonment and 4 years of supervised release on his conviction of conspiring to distribute and distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
On June 9, 2023, United States District Judge Robert J. Colville imposed the sentence on Phillip Bonanno, 56, who is currently incarcerated at the Northeast Ohio Correctional Center.
According to information presented to the court, the Greater Pittsburgh Safe Streets Task Force, led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, conducted a long-term investigation, which included obtaining authorization for a federal wiretap, into drug-trafficking activity occurring in the Western District of Pennsylvania.
Bonanno (aka “Guido”, “Ohio Guido”) was a “fully-patched” member of the PMC, reportedly from 2020 until 2022, and a close associate of co-defendants Bill Rana, who is pending sentencing, and Eric Armes, who was also sentenced to 70 months’ imprisonment. Bonanno and his nephew, co-defendant Cody Bonanno, who was already sentenced, lived in Ohio and were identified as methamphetamine sources of supply for among others, Rana, Armes and co-defendant Dominic Quarture, pending sentencing.
Intercepted communications confirmed that Bonanno facilitated drug trafficking activity at a residence located in New Philadelphia, Ohio, where drug customers, including members of the conspiracy, traveled to conduct drug transactions with his nephew. Additionally, Bonanno and his nephew would travel to the Western District of Pennsylvania also for their drug-trafficking activity.
Assistant United States Attorney Rebecca L. Silinski prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Postal Inspection Service, Drug Enforcement Administration, Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office, Pennsylvania State Police, and Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General Bureau of Narcotics Investigations, for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Bonanno.
This sentencing was the result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles high-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten communities throughout the United States. OCDETF uses a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Federal Jury Convicts Former Midland Teacher, Lacrosse Coach of Five Counts Related to Wire FraudRead the Press Release
MIDLAND, Texas – A federal jury in Midland convicted a Midland man Thursday for one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and four counts of aiding and abetting wire fraud.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, William Logsdon, 54, used the trust he had built with community members during his time as a lacrosse coach and teacher in the Midland area, and even the trust he had established with members of his own family, to convince them to “invest” in a Ponzi scheme. Logsdon conducted the scheme in concert with his mother-in-law, Jamie Thompson, a former geologist in the oil and gas industry who had previously pleaded guilty.
Together, Thompson and Logsdon told their victims that the money they were “investing” was being used to purchase royalty interests for various oil, gas and mineral projects located in Texas and New Mexico. The royalty interests were allegedly being purchased through an entity called the National Royalty Group, or NRG. In actuality, the National Royalty Group did not exist, and rather than purchasing royalty interests, Thompson and Logsdon used the money to primarily pay for personal expenses, as well as to advance the Ponzi scheme by providing some “distributions” back to earlier “investors.”
In total, Logsdon and Thompson are believed to have defrauded their victims out of more than $1,500,000.
U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas made the announcement.
The Midland Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney John Fedock prosecuted the case.
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Fayette County Couple Plead Guilty to Federal Drug CrimesRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Valerie A. Angel, 58, of Mount Carbon, pleaded guilty today to distribution of a quantity of cocaine and Christopher Lee Miller, 61, of Mount Carbon, pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting the distribution of a quantity of cocaine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Angel admitted to distributing three packages each containing 3.5 grams of cocaine to a confidential informant at the Mount Carbon residence she shared with Miller on July 11, 2019. Miller admitted to arranging the transaction by telephone earlier that day and accepting $600 from the confidential informant in exchange for the cocaine distributed by Angel.
Angel and Miller further admitted to selling cocaine to the confidential informant on 10 other occasions between July 15, 2019, and October 24, 2019, at their residence. Angel or Miller arranged each of these transactions over the telephone with the confidential informant, and shared the responsibilities and benefits of distributing the cocaine.
Angel and Miler are scheduled to be sentenced on September 6, 2023, and each faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the West Virginia State Police-Bureau of Criminal Investigations (BCI).
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Joshua Hanks 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 Nos. 2:23-cr-76 and 2:23-cr-77.
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Evansville Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal Prison After Engaging in Sexually Explicit Conduct with a 14-Year-Old via Facebook Video ChatRead the Press Release
EVANSVILLE- Stacy Ryan Goldman, 32, of Evansville, Indiana, has been sentenced to 20 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to sexual exploitation of a child.
According to court documents, between August of 2016 and March of 2017, Stacy Goldman communicated with a 14-year-old girl via Facebook video chat sessions. The child lived in Wisconsin and Goldman lived in Evansville, Indiana. During the video chat sessions, Goldman discussed sexual activity with the girl and sent her videos of himself in sex acts. Goldman also asked the child to send him sexually explicit material.
In an interview with FBI agents, Goldman admitted that he knew the girl was a minor. Goldman also admitted that on at least one occasion he threatened to publicly post intimate pictures of the child online.
U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, Zachary A. Myers and Herbert J. Stapleton, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Indianapolis Field Office made the announcement.
“Through social media networks and mobile devices, predators like this defendant can gain access to our children’s bedrooms from hundreds of miles away,” said U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, Zachary A. Myers “Those who might seek to engage in sexual contact with children online should take notice of the federal prison sentence imposed today. Child sexual exploitation is a heinous crime and will be met with serious punishment. Our office, alongside the FBI and our law enforcement partners, are committed to keeping our children safe and holding child sex offenders accountable.”
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with valuable assistance provided by the Wisconsin Rapids Police Department. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Richard L. Young. Judge Young also ordered that Goldman be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for 15 years following his release from federal prison. Goldman must also register as a sex offender wherever he lives, works, or goes to school.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorney Todd S. Shellenbarger, who prosecuted this case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the 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
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Drug Dealer Who Sold Fentanyl-Laced Crack Sentenced to More Than 16 Years After Four People Died in a Single DayRead the Press Release
ELIZABETH CITY, N.C. – A Beulaville man was sentenced today to 200 months in prison for conspiracy and distribution of cocaine base (crack) and fentanyl. Four people died from overdoses after consuming drugs sold by Marshall Ray Scarborough on a single day in April 2021. Scarborough was also ordered to pay the funeral expenses for all the victims. On February 7, 2023, Scarborough, age 65, pled guilty to the charges.
"Drug dealers who lace fentanyl into their supply are killing Americans at record rates, and families across Eastern North Carolina are feeling the pain of burying their loved ones far too early,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “Four of this fentanyl dealer’s customers had their lives snuffed out in a single day. Dealers should know, the U.S. Attorney’s Office is partnering local Sheriffs Offices to send fentanyl dealers to federal prison for the death and sorrow they sow."
“This is a great example of what happens when we work together, and I commend the men and women who worked relentlessly in conducting a thorough investigation,” said Duplin County Sheriff Stratton Stokes. “Today, Marshall Scarborough was sentenced to a lengthy prison sentence in federal court, which ensures that he will no longer spread poison in our community, or other communities. I hope this brings some form of comfort and closure to the victims’ families. Let this be a notice to anyone actively dealing narcotics or planning to deal narcotics in Duplin County. Our Office will continue to work diligently with our local, state, and federal allies to rid our communities of these issues.”
According to court documents and other information presented in court, deputies with the Duplin County Sheriff’s Office responded to three separate residences with unresponsive individuals, and the Columbus County Sheriff’s Office responded to a fourth. Efforts to revive individuals were unsuccessful. In three of the four cases, autopsies were performed, and the cause of death was listed as acute fentanyl and cocaine intoxication. In the fourth case, no autopsy was performed, but a blood test revealed fentanyl, cocaine and diazepam. The investigation determined that Scarborough was the source of supply for the crack that all four victims had ingested.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Terrence W. Boyle. The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Duplin County Sheriff’s Office, the Wallace Police Department, and the Columbus County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Tyler Lemons prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 7:22-CR-116-BO-001.
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District Man Found Guilty of Voluntary Manslaughter and Related Charges for Killing Cousin in the Intersection of 29th and S Streets SoutheastRead the Press Release
Defendant Shot Victim Following a Series of Arguments Started by an Instagram Post
WASHINGTON – Lewkus Turner, 29, of Washington, D.C., was found guilty by a jury of voluntary manslaughter while armed and related charges stemming from a mid-afternoon shooting on December 11, 2020, at 29th and S Streets Southeast, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Interim Chief Ashan M. Benedict, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Turner was found guilty by a jury, on June 9, 2023, following a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, of voluntary manslaughter while armed, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and unlawful possession of a firearm. The Honorable Maribeth Raffinan scheduled sentencing for August 25, 2023.
According to the government’s evidence, just before 4:00 p.m. on December 11, 2021, the victim—and Turner’s first cousin—Vincent Gyamfi, drove to the 1600 block of 29th Street SE to speak to Turner regarding an Instagram post Turner had made earlier in the week. Shortly after arriving in the area, an argument broke out and Turner left the area. Turner returned shortly thereafter armed with a gun and the two men argued again before leaving in separate directions, with Mr. Gyamfi stopping his vehicle near the intersection of 29th and S Streets SE. At 4:07 p.m., Turner drove to the intersection and confronted his cousin for a final time. Mr. Gyamfi ran at Turner’s car, and Turner shot Mr. Gyamfi three times with a large caliber weapon. Turner then dragged Mr. Gyamfi’s body into the street, got into his vehicle, and fled the scene without calling for aid.
Turner was arrested in the murder case on December 29, 2021. He has been in custody ever since.
In announcing the verdict, U.S. Attorney Graves and Interim Chief Benedict commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the U.S. Marshals Service and FBI CAST team. They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Dan Lenerz and Bryan Han of the Appellate Section; Investigative Analyst Zachary McMenamin; Victim/Witness Advocate Karina Hernandez; Special Agents Mark Crawford and Durand Odom of the Criminal Investigations Unit; Supervisory Victim/Witness Service Coordinator Katina Adams-Washington, Victim/Witness Service Coordinators Tonya Jones and Maenylie Watson; Supervisory Budget Analyst Nikiya Burnette and Accounting Technician Evelyn Miles; Paralegal Specialist Meridith McGarrity; and Litigation Technology Specialist Charlie Bruce.
Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gregory Kimak, Christopher Carson, and Gauri Gopal, who investigated, indicted, and prosecuted the case.
Danvers Man Arrested for Money Laundering and Operating Unlicensed Money Transmitting BusinessRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Danvers man has been arrested and charged with money laundering in connection with allegedly running an unlicensed, “no questions asked” money transmitting business that converted more than $1 million in cash to the digital currency Bitcoin, including on behalf of scammers and drug dealers.
Trung Nguyen, a/k/a “DCS420”, 46, was indicted on one count of conducting an unlicensed money transmitting business, one count of concealment money laundering, and one count of money laundering. Nguyen was arrested on June 9, 2023 and, following an initial appearance in federal court in Boston, was released on $250,000 unsecured bond with conditions.
According to the indictment, between September 2017 and October 2020, Nguyen owned and operated National Vending, LLC. Through National Vending, Nguyen accepted cash from customers and, in exchange for a fee, sent them Bitcoin in return. Exchangers of virtual currency, including Bitcoin exchangers, were money transmitters under federal law and were subject to federal anti-money laundering (AML) regulations, which, among other things, required them to register as money service businesses with the Department of Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) and to maintain effective AML programs, including by filing Suspicious Activity Reports with FinCEN, and by filing Currency Transaction Reports for Bitcoin-for-cash exchanges of more than $10,000.
It is alleged that Nguyen purposely failed to register National Vending with FinCEN, despite being required to do so. In approximately 15 transactions in 2018, Nguyen allegedly accepted a total of $200,000 to $300,000 in cash from an individual who identified himself to Nguyen as a methamphetamine dealer. In another series of transactions between October 2018 and September 2019, Nguyen allegedly accepted cash from an undercover law enforcement agent who told Nguyen that his business was delivering the controlled substance Adderall to gamblers at a Massachusetts casino. In a third series of transactions in 2020, Nguyen allegedly accepted approximately $60,000 from a 59-year old romance scam victim who believed she was sending cash to a romantic partner overseas. It is alleged that Nguyen failed to file Suspicious Activity Reports or Currency Transaction Reports on any of these transactions, including cash transactions of more than $10,000.
Nguyen allegedly concealed his money transmitting business by, among other ways, holding National Vending out to banks, cryptocurrency exchanges, and state authorities as a vending machine business, using encrypted messaging apps to communicate with customers, using technologies that made it more difficult to trace Bitcoin transactions, and breaking cash deposits of more than $10,000 into smaller cash deposits of less than $10,000 over consecutive days or at different branches of the same bank. Nguyen also allegedly enrolled in a paid course on concealing his business that recommended, among other things, that Nguyen purport to operate “a business for which cash deposits from around the country make sense” and that he “develop [his] cover story”, “create a list or your suppliers Fictitious of course”, and “Don’t say the word ‘Bitcoin’”.
The charges of money laundering each provide for a sentence of up to 20 years, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $500,000 or twice the value of the property involved in the transaction. The charge of conducting an unlicensed money transmitting business provides for a sentence of up to five 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.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Michael Krol, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; Joleen Simpson, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations, and Ketty Larco Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Boston Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth B. Kosto, Deputy Chief of Levy’s Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit, is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Commercial Fisherman Pleads Guilty to Illegal Harvesting of Striped BassRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Saxis man pleaded guilty today to violating the Lacey Act related to his illegal harvest of striped bass.
According to court documents, Keith J. Martin, 52, was a commercial fisherman licensed in the Commonwealth of Virginia to harvest striped bass. Between 2018 and 2020, Martin routinely violated Virginia state law in the harvesting of striped bass from Virginia waters. Martin took bass in excess of his quota, failed to report the amount of bass he took, and completed at least one sale of striped bass with a commercial purchaser without using a properly certified scale.
For instance, in 2018 and 2019 Martin had a quota of 4,010 pounds of striped bass. Investigators learned that Martin sold over 6,000 pounds of striped bass to a single seafood company in Maryland in 2018 and over 4,300 pounds to the same company in 2019. Martin’s harvesting of the striped bass in violation of Virginia law, coupled with transporting it in interstate commerce to Maryland, constitutes a violation of the Lacey Act. During the relevant period, Martin illegally harvested and sold at least 12,663 pounds of striped bass, constituting a commercial value of at least $36,988.25.
Martin is scheduled to be sentenced on October 26. He faces a maximum penalty of 5 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Edward Grace, Assistant Director of Law Enforcement for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, made the announcement after U.S. Magistrate Judge Lawrence R. Leonard accepted the plea.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph L. Kosky is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-40.
Chief Engineer Convicted for Obstruction of Justice and Oil Record Book Offenses; Operating Company Pleads Guilty for Oil Record Book OffenseRead the Press Release
On June 9, vessel Chief Engineer Denys Korotkiy was convicted of conspiracy to obstruct justice, obstruction of justice, and failure to maintain an accurate oil record book for the vessel Donald in San Diego, California, following a five-day jury trial. Interunity Management (Deutschland) GMBH, a vessel operating company, previously pleaded guilty for maintaining false and incomplete records relating to the discharge of oily bilge water.
The evidence showed that oily bilge water was illegally dumped from the Donald directly into the ocean through the vessel’s sewage tank without being properly processed through required pollution prevention equipment. Oily bilge water typically contains oil contamination from the operation and cleaning of machinery on the vessel. These illegal discharges were not recorded in the vessel’s oil record book as required by law. The evidence also showed that Korotkiy made false and fictitious entries in the oil record book claiming transfers of oily bilge had been made from the vessel’s engine room bilge wells to the vessel’s Bilge Holding Tank when, in fact, those transfers had not been made. Finally, the evidence showed that Korotkiy conspired with others to obstruct the U.S. Coast Guard’s inspection and investigation into the mishandling of oily bilge water onboard the motor vessel Donald.
At the conclusion of the trial, the court remanded Chief Engineer Korotkiy to custody. Sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 1.
“The illegal discharge of oily bilge water at sea and the falsification and destruction of records in order to obstruct the United States’ ability to investigate those discharges are crimes we take seriously,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “The Department of Justice will continue to work with our partner agencies to ensure polluters are held fully accountable.”
“Unlawful oil discharges can cause immeasurable harm to the marine environment,” said U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman for the Southern District of California. “We will continue to work closely with our agency partners to safeguard our oceans by vigorous enforcement of environmental laws. This case is a reflection of that commitment.”
“This prosecution highlights the Department of Justice and the U.S. Coast Guard’s dedication in safeguarding our oceans against those that seek to deliberately harm our natural resources,” said Captain James Spitler, Sector Commander, Coast Guard Sector San Diego. “Illegal dumping of oil and falsification of oil record books are egregious violations. This guilty verdict should serve as a reminder that the Coast Guard and our partners at the Department of Justice will work tirelessly to hold accountable those that seek to deliberately discharge oil and falsify records.”
In the same matter, Interunity pleaded guilty to a felony violation of the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships, for failing to accurately maintain the Donald’s oil record book. Under the terms of the plea agreement and subject to court approval, Interunity will pay a total monetary penalty of $1.25 million and serve a four-year term of probation, during which any vessels operated by the company and calling on U.S. ports will be required to implement a robust Environmental Compliance Plan. The monetary penalty includes $312,500 to fund projects, activities, or initiatives intended to benefit marine and coastal natural resources located in or around the Tijuana River National Estuarine Research Reserve.
The U.S. Coast Guard Sector San Diego and the U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Melanie K. Pierson for the Southern District of California and Senior Trial Attorney Stephen Da Ponte of the Environment and Natural Resources Division’s Environmental Crimes Section are prosecuting the case.
Chester County Man Charged with Sexually Assaulting a Minor on Cross Country FlightRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Edward Decker, 45, of West Chester, Pennsylvania, was charged by indictment with two counts of abusive sexual contact on an aircraft.
In July 2022, Decker allegedly engaged in sexual contact with a minor on an American Airlines flight, departing San Diego, California, arriving in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of 5 years in prison, one year of supervised release, a $500,000 fine, and a $200 special assessment.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Josh A. Davison.
An indictment, information, or criminal complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Central City Woman Sentenced to Five Years in Federal Prison for Elder Financial Abuse and Identity Theft SchemeRead the Press Release
A Central City, Iowa, woman who stole over $400,000 from two elderly relatives was sentenced today to five years in federal prison. Carrie April Martin, age 44, received the prison term after a September 26, 2022 guilty plea to one count of bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft.
Evidence at Martin’s plea and sentencing hearings established that Martin had two elderly relatives, Victim-1 and Victim-2, in the Cedar Rapids area. Victim-1 was an elderly widow who was indigent, lived in a nursing home, and suffered from dementia and various physical ailments. Victim-2 was also an elderly widow in poor physical and mental health but had significant assets and lived in an assisted living facility. Victim-1 died at the age of 89 in December 2014, and Victim-2 died at the age of 96 in October 2017.
Between April 2014 and July 2017, Martin stole checks drawn on accounts at a credit union from Victim-1 and Victim-2. Another one of Martin’s relatives was the power of attorney for the two elderly widows and had full legal authority to act for them. From time to time, Martin stole the power of attorney’s identity and wrote checks to herself from her victims’ accounts at the credit union. Martin also leveraged her friendship with the office administrator at the local branch of a national investment firm to access an account that Victim-2 held at the firm. Martin also sold over $100,000 worth of stock that Victim-2 held in an energy company, which Victim-2 intended to bequeath to a church in Elkader. In total, Martin stole over $416,000 from Victim-1 and Victim-2.
Victim-2 went into hospice care less than a week after learning of defendant’s theft, which left Victim-2 with minimal assets. When informed that Martin lacked funds to repay Victim-2, Victim-2 asked that Martin be charged and held accountable for her scheme. Victim-2 died within a month’s time.
Evidence at Martin’s sentencing also established that Martin made false statements to a fraud specialist at her credit union and law enforcement to cover up her crimes. In May 2022, Martin told two witnesses to “just watch what you say” and, “If they don’t specifically ask, don’t give information.”
Martin was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Martin was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment. She was ordered to make $416,910.82 in restitution to her victim’s heirs, including the power of attorney and the church. She must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
In 2016, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Iowa was selected as one of 10 districts in the nation to form an Elder Justice Task Force (http://go.usa.gov/cSngj). The task force was assembled to foster a collaborative working relationship among all levels of government officials, advocacy groups for the elderly and the disabled, and others charged with the care and protection for these vulnerable groups. The goals include ensuring the integrity of all government expenditures by eliminating fraud, waste, and abuse in health programs, and protecting some of the state’s most vulnerable citizens from harm, whether it occurs in nursing homes or other institutions or involves financial fraud schemes. To learn more about the Department of Justice’s Elder Justice Initiative, visit: https://www.justice.gov/elderjustice/
This week, the Department of Justice joins millions around the world in commemorating World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD), a day intended to raise public awareness of the fight against elder abuse, neglect, and financial exploitation. Research sponsored by the Department’s National Institute of Justice finds that millions of older Americans experience some form of elder abuse, neglect, and financial exploitation every year, often by someone they love. The harms resulting from mistreatment of older Americans drives our work every day. Today, the Department of Justice is proud to announce 10 new resources to train, inform, and support elder justice professionals across the country.
Martin was released on the bond previously set and is to surrender to the Bureau of Prisons on a date yet to be set. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Timothy L. Vavricek and investigated by the Cedar Rapids Police Department. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is 22-CR-51.
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Cedar Rapids Man Sentenced to More than 15 Years’ Imprisonment for Possessing Methamphetamine, a Loaded Firearm, and over $135,000 in Drug MoneyRead the Press Release
A man who possessed methamphetamine with intent to distribute it and who possessed a firearm as an unlawful drug user, was sentenced today to more than 15 years in federal prison.
Joshua Ryan Gorrell, age 37, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a November 23, 2022 guilty plea to one count of possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute it within 1,000 feet of a protected location, and one count of possession of a firearm as an unlawful drug user.
In a plea agreement, Gorrell admitted that, on July 22, 2022, he made a 911 call regarding an overdose that occurred at his home in Cedar Rapids. When first responders arrived, they found a deceased overdose victim. Officers searched Gorrell’s home and found $123,038 in U.S. Currency and over two pounds of actual (pure) methamphetamine, 43 grams of fentanyl, 56 grams of a mixture of fentanyl and heroin, 68 grams of marijuana, and 238 grams of THC wax. Evidence at the sentencing hearing showed that Gorrell stored these items throughout his house, in air ducts, laundry dryer vents, ceiling insulation, pipes, a fake plant, the freezer, and elsewhere.
Gorrell also admitted that on August 22, 2022, officers searched his home again and found a firearm, $15,253 in U.S. Currency, approximately 28 grams of ice methamphetamine, and approximately 252 grams of marijuana. Later that day, Gorrell’s urine tested positive for methamphetamine and fentanyl. Evidence at the sentencing hearing demonstrated that the firearm was loaded.
Gorrell was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Gorrell was sentenced to 188 months’ imprisonment and must also serve a 10-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Devra T. Hake and Assistant United States Attorney Dan Chatham. It was investigated as part of the Northern Iowa Heroin Initiative and the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program of the United States Department of Justice through a cooperative effort of the Cedar Rapids Police Department, United States Drug Enforcement Administration, Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Marion Police Department, and Linn County Sheriff’s Office.
This case is also part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 22-CR-59.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Byram Woman Sentenced to over 20 Years in Prison for Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine and Falsification of Records in a Federal InvestigationRead the Press Release
Jackson, Mississippi – A Byram woman was sentenced to 250 months in federal prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, as well as a concurrent sentence of 21 months for falsification of records in a federal investigation, announced U.S. Attorney Darren LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Brad Byerley of the Drug Enforcement Administration.
According to court documents, beginning as early August 1, 2017, and continuing until April 2019, communications between Kristy Dier, 37, and her codefendants were intercepted wherein they negotiated and conducted the sale of ice-methamphetamine throughout the state of Mississippi from as far as Aberdeen to Biloxi, Mississippi. In total, Dier is responsible for the distribution of approximately 22 pounds of ice-methamphetamine.
During the conspiracy, from December 1, 2017, through December 19, 2017, Dier also elicited help from a codefendant to falsify income and business records and file the records with the Hinds County Court to obstruct the forfeiture of drug proceeds seized from Dier by law enforcement.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives, U.S. Marshals Service, Hinds County Sheriff’s Office, Jones County Sheriff’s Office, Jackson Police Department, Richland Police Department, Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, and the Internal Revenue Service.
The case is the result of an extensive investigation, dubbed “Drama Queen,” which began as an operation targeting illegal methamphetamine distribution in central Mississippi. “Drama Queen” is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Keesha Middleton and Chris Wansley.
Boyd County Man Sentenced to 262 Months for Armed Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
ASHLAND, Ky. — An Ashland man, Gary R. Rowe, 49, was sentenced on Monday to 262 months in federal prison, by U.S. District Judge David Bunning for armed drug trafficking charges.
Rowe pleaded guilty in November 2022, to possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, 2 counts; possession of methamphetamine less than 50 grams; possession with intent to distribute 10 grams or more of a fentanyl analogue (fluorofentanyl); possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl, 3 counts; possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, 2 counts; and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. Rowe qualifies as an Armed Career Criminal and a Career Offender.
In September 2021, law enforcement received information that Rowe was distributing large quantities of narcotics in Boyd County. During the investigation, law enforcement seized 163 grams of methamphetamine, 165 grams of a fentanyl analogue (fluorofentanyl), and 91 grams of fentanyl from Rowe. Law enforcement also seized two firearms and Rowe admitted that he possessed a firearm in furtherance of his drug trafficking crimes. Rowe is a convicted felon and since 2001 has been convicted on eight occasions of trafficking in a controlled substance.
Rowe pleaded guilty in November 2022.
Under federal law, Rowe must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for eight years.
Carlton S. Shier IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky and Shawn Morrow, Special Agent in Charge, ATF, Louisville Field Division, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by ATF and the Northeast Kentucky Drug Task Force. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cynthia Rieker.
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Armed Drug Trafficker Pleads Guilty to Possessing Firearm and Distribution Quantities of FentanylRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Eugene Washington, Jr. (36, Bradenton) has pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm as a convicted felon and possession with the intent to distribute 40 grams more of fentanyl. Washington faces a maximum penalty of 55 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been scheduled.
According to the plea agreement, on the morning of August 12, 2022, officers from the Bradenton Police Department (BPD) responded to a call for service from a concerned citizen regarding an unresponsive man at the steering wheel of his Ford Focus vehicle in the 700 block of 9th Street East in Bradenton. The vehicle was stopped in traffic and facing the traffic light in the median lane.
Once at the scene, BPD officers asked Washington to exit the vehicle, and when he did, the officers noticed a silver and black Smith and Wesson SD40 .40 caliber pistol on the driver’s seat. Washington turned back into the car and appeared to reach for the firearm. The firearm was loaded with 11 rounds of ammunition. Officers also found a backpack inside the vehicle, located on the passenger floorboard. The backpack contained a variety of controlled substances, including approximately 44 grams of fentanyl, 35 grams of methamphetamine, 106 grams of cocaine, 36 grams of hydrocodone, 10 grams of oxycodone, 433 grams of dimethylpentylone (a substituted cathinone), and 21 grams of cannabis. Washington admitted to the officers that he was a convicted felon.
Washington was previously convicted in federal court for distribution of heroin and served a prison sentence for that offense. As such, he is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Bradenton Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David W.A. Chee.
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.
Arizona man sentenced to nine years in prison for “massive” tax fraud schemeRead the Press Release
Seattle – A 57-year-old Paradise Valley, Arizona man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to nine years in prison and a $1 million fine for an eight-year tax fraud scheme that resulted in more than $50 million in illegal tax refunds, announced U.S. Attorney Nick Brown.
Charles St. George Kirkland pleaded guilty in January 2023 to three counts of aiding or assisting the filing of fraudulent tax documents. At the sentencing hearing, U.S. District Judge John H. Chun rejected the defense request for a sentence of home confinement, commenting that Kirkland’s fraud was “a massive tax fraud scheme.” Judge Chun said he was struck by the “outrageous nature of the fraudulent scheme” and Kirkland’s “fraudulent and deceitful behavior.”
“This tax fraud scheme is an affront to all the taxpayers who honestly file tax returns and pay what they owe. These funds that Mr. Kirkland stole from the U.S. Treasury could have gone for infrastructure improvements, social services, and other programs aimed at community safety,” said U.S. Attorney Brown. “This is a significant sentence, and an example of the price to be paid for such dishonesty and deceit.”
According to records in the case, Kirkland falsely claimed in tax filings that he had lost more than $135 million by investing in solar equipment. Kirkland then “sold” those made-up losses to taxpayers through a network of tax preparers, telling the preparers that their clients could use Kirkland’s losses to claim refunds on their own tax returns. Taxpayers would file amended returns claiming that, because of the losses transferred from Kirkland, they were entitled to a refund of all the tax payments they had made in a prior tax year. After receiving the fraudulent refunds taxpayers paid 90% of the proceeds to Kirkland.
Taxpayers participating in Kirkland’s program filed nearly 3,200 fraudulent tax returns. In all, Kirkland’s scheme resulted in a loss to the U.S. Treasury of over $50 million. Kirkland collected $45 million.
Kirkland used a web of limited liability entities he controlled to claim both net operating losses and investment tax credits based on fake investments in solar equipment.
For example, in 2013 alone, Kirkland claimed his businesses lost more than $40 million through investments in solar equipment. In fact, the businesses spent only about $150,000 on solar equipment that year. From 2012 to 2018, Kirkland’s companies claimed to have lost more than $135 million on investments in solar equipment. The companies spent less than $6 million on solar equipment over that period.
Some of the taxpayers who participated in the program were Washington residents. For example, one Maple Valley, Washington couple claimed to be partners in Kirkland’s Solar Farm entity and amended their 2015 tax return to claim a net operating loss of $347,893. The couple got a tax refund of $17,759. In 2018, a Seattle couple claimed a 2017 tax loss from Solar Farm of $22,870 so that they could claim a refund of $28,180. In 2019, Grapeview, Washington resident claimed a 2018 solar energy credit of $10,341 so she could claim a refund of $10,704.
Kirkland owes $51,615,484 in restitution in addition to the $1 million fine imposed by Judge Chun.
Two days after agreeing to plead guilty, Kirkland and his wife began a divorce proceeding. In the proceeding, they agreed the wife would take ownership of approximately 100 parcels of real estate, five Tesla automobiles and the couple’s 10,000 square foot home in Arizona. Prosecutors noted in their filings that the government will continue to pursue the assets in order to satisfy the restitution obligation.
In asking for the nine-year sentence, prosecutors wrote to the court, “This is by far the largest loss in a tax case in this district in least a dozen years. Kirkland’s brazen fraud, his long history of professional misconduct, and his efforts to keep the stolen money make clear he will continue to engage in fraud as long as he is permitted to do so.”
“This sentence is a win for American taxpayers! All of Mr. Kirkland’s schemes served the sole purpose of making him very wealthy, and he cared little for those he manipulated,” said IRS Criminal Investigation Seattle Field Office’s Assistant Special Agent in Charge Carrie Nordyke. “The IRS relies on taxpayers to file accurate tax returns. If you observe something suspicious, go to IRS.gov and report it.”
The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI).
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Seth Wilkinson.
Alleged fraudster extradited to face charges in $7M international advance-fee scamRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 57-year-old Nigerian national has been extradited from France to face charges in the United States for his alleged leadership role in a conspiracy perpetrated against victims in more than 20 countries, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Uche Victor Diuno is set to appear today at 2 p.m. before U.S. Magistrate Judge Dena H. Palermo in Houston.
He arrived in the United States Friday, June 9.
The charges allege Diuno helped to orchestrate a scam involving false promises of investment funding by individuals who impersonated U.S. bank officials in person and over the internet to victims around the world. Those victims were allegedly told they had to make certain payments before they could supposedly receive their funding. Proceeds of the scheme were laundered through U.S. bank accounts and diverted back to the scheme’s perpetrators in Nigeria, according to the charges.
Diuno allegedly lead a criminal network of “catchers,” who sent phishing emails to potential victims falsely offering investment funding on behalf of BB&T Corporation and other U.S. banks. Victims in various countries were deceived into believing they would receive millions of dollars of investment funding as part of joint ventures with U.S. banks, usually BB&T or Chase,
according to the indictment. The perpetrators allegedly utilized false domain names to make it appear that senders of emails were actually affiliated with BB&T or Chase. The charges further allege that to convince victims the opportunities were authentic, the perpetrators recruited U.S. citizens to pose as bank “representatives” at in-person meetings with victims around the world. Further, if occurring abroad, they utilized sham visits to the local U.S. embassy or consulate and fabricated documents to make the victims believe the U.S. government was sponsoring the investment agreements, according to the indictment. The victims were then allegedly induced to pay tens of thousands, and often hundreds of thousands, of dollars to U.S.-based bank accounts on the belief that such payments were necessary to effectuate their investment agreements.
Diuno was originally charged in a second superseding indictment filed Oct. 3, 2018, with one count of wire fraud conspiracy, one count of money laundering conspiracy and one count of concealment money laundering.
As alleged in that indictment, Diuno was a “chairman” or leader in the scheme who operated his own network of catchers and money movers alongside other fraudsters, which he used in furtherance of the same BB&T investment scam.
Five other individuals have been charged as part of the same indictment.
The scheme allegedly resulted in losses of more than $7 million.
The FBI and Department of State – Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) Christian Latham of the Southern District of Texas and Trial Attorney Philip Trout of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
9 June 2023
Wagoner County Resident Sentenced for Manslaughter in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Lonnie Leonard Swarer, III, age 25, of Wagoner County, Oklahoma, was sentenced to probation for Manslaughter in Indian Country.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Oklahoma Highway Patrol and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
On May 17, 2022, Swarer entered a guilty plea to one count of Manslaughter in Indian Country. During the plea hearing, Swarer admitted that on June 13, 2020, he lost control of his vehicle while doing a burnout and crashed into another vehicle. A passenger in Swarer’s vehicle was killed in the collision. The crime occurred in the Eastern District of Oklahoma, within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation Reservation.
The Honorable John. F. Heil, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma in Muskogee, presided over the sentencing.
Wagoner County Homicide Sentencings CompletedRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Martha Christine Simpson, age 46, of Henryetta, Oklahoma, Jabaica Lee Tecumseh, age 43, of Morris, Oklahoma, and Tommy Glen Tecumseh, age 36, of Okmulgee, Oklahoma, were sentenced to federal prison for their roles in a 2019 homicide.
Simpson was sentenced to 99 months for Voluntary Manslaughter in Indian Country. Tommy Glen Tecumseh was sentenced to 120 months for one count of Murder in Indian Country. Jabaica Lee Tecumseh was sentenced to 169 months for one count of Murder in Indian Country.
The charges arose from investigations by the Broken Arrow Police Department, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
On May 4, 2022, a federal jury found Simpson guilty of one count of Voluntary Manslaughter in Indian Country. During the trial, the United States presented evidence that on July 15, 2019, Jabaica Lee Tecumseh and Tommy Glen Tecumseh beat the victim before Simpson fatally stabbed him in the neck. The crime occurred in Wagoner County, within the boundaries of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reservation.
Tommy Glen Tecumseh and Jabaica Lee Tecumseh each pleaded guilty to Murder in Indian Country in February of 2021.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearings in Muskogee. The defendants were remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve non-paroleable sentences of incarceration.
Assistant United States Attorney Joshua Satter represented the United States at the sentencing.
United States Issues Advisory to Industry on Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Activity Connected to IranRead the Press Release
The Departments of Justice, Commerce, State and Treasury today issued an advisory to alert the international community, private sector, and public to the threat posed by Iran’s procurement, development and proliferation of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
The advisory informs private industry of key components Iran seeks to develop its UAV program and entities involved in the procurement, production, and proliferation of Iranian UAVs. The advisory also provides recommendations to exporters, manufacturers, distributors, and financial institutions on implementing effective due diligence and internal controls – specifically, relevant to Iran’s UAV-related activities – to ensure compliance with legal requirements across the entire supply chain and to avoid unintentionally contributing to Iran’s UAV programs.
Today’s announcement complements ongoing work by the Justice Department, including its Task Force KleptoCapture and the Disruptive Technology Strike Force. Launched in March 2022, Task Force KleptoCapture enforces the sweeping sanctions, export controls, and other economic countermeasures imposed on Russia for its unprovoked military invasion of Ukraine, in order to disrupt the Russian war machine and hold its enablers accountable – including the transfer of UAVs from Iran being used against the Ukrainian people. Additionally, in February, the Justice Department and Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) created the Disruptive Technology Strike Force, an interagency effort focused on investigating and prosecuting the illicit transfer of sensitive technologies to foreign state adversaries, including Iran.
To encourage corporate disclosures of potential criminal violations of national security laws, including sanctions and export laws, the National Security Division updated its voluntary self-disclosure policy this past March. The Justice Department has also announced the hiring of 25 new prosecutors in the National Security Division to investigate and prosecute sanctions evasion, export control violations, and similar economic crimes.
It is critical the private sector be vigilant in meeting its compliance obligations due to the threat posed by the extensive overseas network of procurement agents, front companies, suppliers, and intermediaries Iran uses to obtain UAV components – all of which employ a variety of methods to evade export controls and sanctions.
The advisory is available here.
U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sotomayor Addresses Latin American Judges at Justice Department’s Judicial Studies InstituteRead the Press Release
Yesterday at the Judicial Studies Institute (JSI) in San Juan, Puerto Rico, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor virtually addressed 22 judges from Argentina, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, and Peru as part of a Department of Justice training program for the judiciaries of the Western Hemisphere. Justice Sotomayor stressed the importance of their contribution to the rule of law in the hemisphere and lauded them for their role in the transformation of Latin American justice.
JSI Program Manager Vivian Durieux Rodriguez (third row, far right, standing), Dean of Interamerican University School of Law Julio Fontanet (third row, first on the far left), and JSI Program Analyst Suzette Escamilla Morales (second row, far right, standing) with the 22 participant judges during the special session.With the support of Justice Sotomayor, and in partnership with the Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, the Justice Department’s Office of Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training (OPDAT) launched JSI in 2012 as a response to the wave of justice sector reforms in Latin America that saw many countries transition from an inquisitorial to an adversarial system of justice. Through Spanish instruction, practical exercises, and observations of courtroom proceedings, participating judges learned about evidentiary guidelines, the role of judges, courtroom management in an adversarial justice system, human smuggling, and judging without gender bias, among other important topics.
This capacity building is critical to the region as there are significant differences between the two judicial system models. For example, in an inquisitorial system, judges investigate charges and determine guilt through written deliberations behind closed doors. In an adversarial system, the judge acts as an impartial referee responsible for weighing evidence and guaranteeing the rights of both the victim and the accused in an open courtroom setting. JSI offers judges practical skills, and JSI alumni become agents of change within their judiciary. Many have been able to impart what they have learned through trainings within their own judiciary system and at OPDAT-sponsored events.
Since establishing JSI in 2012, OPDAT and its partners at the University of Puerto Rico and Inter-American University law schools, the Puerto Rico State Judiciary, and the U.S. Federal Judiciary have trained over 1,114 Latin American judges.
Please visit www.justice.gov/criminal-opdat for more information about OPDAT’s capacity building efforts around the world.
U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sotomayor Addresses Latin American Judges at Justice Department’s Judicial Studies InstituteRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - Yesterday at the Judicial Studies Institute (JSI) in San Juan, Puerto Rico, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor virtually addressed 22 judges from Argentina, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, and Peru as part of a Department of Justice training program for the judiciaries of the Western Hemisphere. Justice Sotomayor stressed the importance of their contribution to the rule of law in the hemisphere and lauded them for their role in the transformation of Latin American justice.
JSI Program Manager Vivian Durieux Rodriguez (third row, far right, standing), Dean of Interamerican University School of Law Julio Fontanet (third row, first on the far left), and JSI Program Analyst Suzette Escamilla Morales (second row, far right, standing) with the 22 participant judges during the special session.
With the support of Justice Sotomayor, and in partnership with the Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, the Justice Department’s Office of Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training (OPDAT) launched JSI in 2012 as a response to the wave of justice sector reforms in Latin America that saw many countries transition from an inquisitorial to an adversarial system of justice. Through Spanish instruction, practical exercises, and observations of courtroom proceedings, participating judges learned about evidentiary guidelines, the role of judges, courtroom management in an adversarial justice system, human smuggling, and judging without gender bias, among other important topics.
This capacity building is critical to the region as there are significant differences between the two judicial system models. For example, in an inquisitorial system, judges investigate charges and determine guilt through written deliberations behind closed doors. In an adversarial system, the judge acts as an impartial referee responsible for weighing evidence and guaranteeing the rights of both the victim and the accused in an open courtroom setting. JSI offers judges practical skills, and JSI alumni become agents of change within their judiciary. Many have been able to impart what they have learned through trainings within their own judiciary system and at OPDAT-sponsored events.
Since establishing JSI in 2012, OPDAT and its partners at the University of Puerto Rico and Inter-American University law schools, the Puerto Rico State Judiciary, and the U.S. Federal Judiciary have trained over 1,114 Latin American judges.
Please visit www.justice.gov/criminal-opdat for more information about OPDAT’s capacity building efforts around the world.
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U.S. Attorney Ross Hosts AGAC Subcommittee Meeting in BuffaloRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. – This week, U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross, a member of Attorney General Merrick Garland’s Advisory Committee (AGAC) and Chair of the Law Enforcement Coordination, Victim Assistance and Community Relations Subcommittee (LEVC), hosted the LEVC meeting in the Western District of New York, which brought U.S. Attorneys from across the country to the Buffalo area for two days. The meeting included presentations and discussions on several issues:
- Members participated in detailed presentations from members of law enforcement and victim witness personnel regarding the May 14th tragedy. They also heard from Tops President John Persons and visited the Tops store on Jefferson Avenue.
- Members went to the Merriweather Library and spoke with community leaders who work with the U.S. Attorney’s Office on community outreach efforts.
- Members spoke with representatives of the business community, who work with the U.S. Attorney’s Office on multiple issues, including fraud and cybercrime.
- Members met with federal law enforcement who work on the front lines of international border issues.
“I was honored to host the LEVC meeting in Buffalo, which allowed my U.S. Attorney colleagues to spend time in this wonderful community and learn from our experiences. Over these two days, my colleagues from across the country were able to witness firsthand how our District works with law enforcement, the community and crime victims,” stated U.S. Attorney Ross. “In addition, these U.S. Attorneys witnessed the resiliency of our Buffalo community in the aftermath of the May 14th shooting and experienced the progress that the community has made.”
Members of the AGAC advise the Attorney General on matters of policy, procedure, and management impacting the Offices of the U.S. Attorneys and elevates the voices of U.S. Attorneys in Department policies. The LEVC is a subcommittee of the AGAC.
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Three Men Sentenced to a Collective 25 Years in Federal Prison for Armed Robbery of Lawrence Mobile Phone StoreRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS- Clifford Lewis, 20, Tyrese Turner, 22, and Calvin Johnson, 21, all of Indianapolis, have been sentenced to federal prison after pleading guilty to interference with commerce by robbery and using a firearm during a crime of violence. Lewis was sentenced to 8 years in federal prison. In November 2022, Tyrese Turner, 22, was sentenced to seven and a half years in federal prison. In June of 2022, Calvin Johnson was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison.
According to court documents, on November 12, 2020, at approximately 7:03 pm, Johnson and Lewis entered a T-Mobile store on Pendleton Pike in Lawrence, Indiana. Both men approached an employee at the display counter and inquired about switching a service plan. As the employee began to help them, he noticed that Lewis had a pistol secured in a holster in his waistband.
Johnson and Lewis then approached a second employee as Turner entered the business carrying a black backpack over his shoulders. Johnson brandished a semiautomatic pistol at the second employee and ordered him into the back room.
In the back room, the three men took turns removing electronic devices from the safe and placing them into Turner’s backpack. Johnson zip-tied the victims’ hands behind their backs as well as their ankles.
Once the defendants were satisfied with the number of cell phones in the backpack, Lewis began wrapping it in foil. As the robbery was still in progress, Lawrence Police Department officers arrived. All three men attempted to flee. Johnson and Turner were caught and arrested in the store. Lewis fled the scene and was arrested on a later date.
Officers conducted a search of Johnson’s person and found a Taurus 9mm caliber semiautomatic pistol in his right front jean pocket. Officers located the loaded Glock 19 9mm caliber semiautomatic pistol that was in Lewis’s waistband in a ravine behind the store.
The total amount of property taken during the robbery included over 50 devices and amounted to a value of $43,804.30.
“Everyone in the Southern District of Indiana deserves to feel safe where they live and work. These three violent criminals conspired not only to rob a store of thousands of dollars in merchandise, but also to traumatize innocent people just doing their jobs,” said U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Myers. “Gun-toting criminals are a menace to our communities and will be met with consequences, as demonstrated by the serious sentences imposed today. I commend the FBI and Lawrence Police Department for their quick action to protect the public in this case.”
“These convictions are the results of exemplary collaboration between Federal, State, & Local law enforcement agencies focusing their resources on those who engage in violent crime in our communities,” said Lawrence Police Deputy Chief Gary Woodruff. “The community is safer due to these collaborative efforts. We’re grateful to our law enforcement partners at the FBI & US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Indiana for their ongoing investment in these collaborations.”
Federal Bureau of Investigation and Lawrence Police Department investigated this case. The sentences were imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Richard L. Young. Judge Young also ordered Lewis to serve 5 years of supervised release and Turner and Johnson to serve 3 years following their release from federal prison.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorney Jayson W. McGrath, who prosecuted this case.
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Three Men Face Federal Charges After Portland Overdose DeathRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—Three Honduran nationals are facing federal drug trafficking charges today after their supply of illicit fentanyl was linked to a fatal overdose in Portland.
Manuel Velasquez-Estrejo, 38, Jorge Rivera-Nunez, 27, and Dennis Palma-Hurbina, 23, have been charged by federal criminal complaint with conspiring to possess and possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl.
According to court documents, on the morning of June 7, 2023, a sheriff deputy from the Washington Interagency Narcotics Team (WIN) responded to the scene of a fatal overdose on West Burnside Street in Portland where a deceased victim had been found by her adult son. The victim’s son told investigators that he and his mother had recently purchased around 100 fentanyl pills for $200 from a person later determined to be Velasquez-Estrejo. Later the same day, law enforcement arrested Velasquez-Estrejo in possession of approximately 1,000 multicolored fentanyl pills and two ounces of powdered fentanyl. They also located a motel room key on Velasquez-Estrejo’s person.
Further investigation revealed that Velasquez-Estrejo was staying at a motel on Northeast 82nd Avenue in Portland with two associates identified as Rivera-Nunez and Palma-Hurbina. Investigators surveilled the motel property and arrested Rivera-Nunez and Palma-Hurbina as they were leaving their room. A search of the room returned more than six pounds of powdered fentanyl, 11,295 multicolored counterfeit Oxycodone pills containing fentanyl, and half a pound of methamphetamine.
All three defendants made their first appearances in federal court today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Youlee Yim You. They were detained pending further court proceedings.
This case was jointly investigated by WIN, the Oregon-Idaho High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Interdiction Task Force (HIT), Portland Police Bureau, and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott M. Kerin and Certified Law Student Kara Blatt for the District of Oregon
WIN includes representatives from the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, Beaverton and Hillsboro Police Departments, Oregon National Guard Counter Drug Program, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, and HSI.
A criminal complaint is only an accusation of a crime, and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Tea Woman Charged with Tampering with Consumer Products and Obtaining Controlled Substances by FraudRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a federal grand jury has indicted a Tea, South Dakota, woman for Tampering with Consumer Products and Obtaining Controlled Substances by Misrepresentation, Fraud, Forgery, Deception, and Subterfuge.
Brittany Enstad, age 39, was indicted in June of 2023. She appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Veronica L. Duffy on June 7, 2023, and pleaded not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 10 years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, three years of supervised release, and up to $800 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment alleges that between on or about July 1, 2022, and December 30, 2022, Enstad, who was employed as a licensed registered nurse at a medical facility, tampered with blister packs containing OxyContin, Hydrocodone Bitartrate, Oxycodone Hydrochloride, and Oxycodone and Acetaminophen, by removing the medications from their blister packs and replacing them with different medications.
The Indictment also alleges that during the same period of time, Enstad knowingly and intentionally acquired and obtained OxyContin, Hydrocodone Bitartrate, Oxycodone Hydrochloride, and Oxycodone and Acetaminophen, which are all Schedule II controlled substances.
The charges are merely accusations and Enstad is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the FDA, DEA, HHS-OIG, and Canton Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ann M. Hoffman is prosecuting the case.
Enstad was released on bond pending trial, which has not been set.
Three Charged with Illegal Entry into the United StatesRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, VI – United States Attorney Delia L. Smith announced today that Randy Jimenez-Vargas and Irving Jhon Mendoza-Alcantara, both from the Dominican Republic, and Jonas Alberto Mendez-Garcia, of Venezuelan, were charged with illegally entering the United States.
According to court documents, Jimenez-Vargas, Mendoza-Alcantara and o Mendez-Garcia presented themselves for inspection at the Cyril B. King airport in St. Thomas prior to boarding a flight to Washington, DC. During their inspection, Customs and Border Patrol Officers determined that the three individuals were foreign nationals and were not in possession of any legal documents that would permit them to enter the United States. A review of the individuals’ passport stamps revealed that the last stamp in each passport were dated from between March 6, 2023, and May 20, 2023, which corresponded with their exit from a foreign country. Records checks also revealed that neither individual legally entered the United States. If convicted, each faces a maximum penalty of six months in prison. A federal judge will determine any sentence after considering the appropriate statutory factors.
United States Customs and Border Protection is investigating the case, and Assistant United States Attorney Adam Sleeper is prosecuting the case. United States Attorney Delia L. Smith reminds the public that a criminal complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Statement from United States Attorney Prim F. Escalona on Appearance of Joran van der Sloot in Federal Court in Birmingham, AlabamaRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Joran van der Sloot, 35, was arraigned today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Gray Borden in Birmingham, Alabama, on one count of extortion and one count of wire fraud for soliciting money from Beth Holloway, Natalee Holloway’s mother, on promises he would reveal the location of her daughter’s remains in Aruba and the circumstances of her 2005 death. Van der Sloot was brought to the United States to stand trial on these charges pursuant to the Extradition Treaty Between the United States of America and the Republic of Peru and will be returned to Peru after this case concludes pursuant to the terms of that same treaty.
Assistant United States Attorneys Lloyd C. Peeples, III and Catherine L. Crosby are prosecuting the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, FBI, and Peruvian law enforcement authorities have been instrumental in securing the temporary surrender of van der Sloot.
An indictment contains only charges. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.