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25 May 2023
Former Employee of Taste of Brazil Restaurant in Woburn Pleads Guilty to Transferring False Identification DocumentsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Salvadoran national and former employee of the Taste of Brazil – Tudo Na Brasa restaurant in Woburn has pleaded guilty in connection with providing false identification documents to Brazilian employees of the restaurant who lacked work authorization.
Marcos Chacon Gil, 39, pleaded guilty on May 23, 2023 to one count of transferring false identification documents. U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs scheduled sentencing for July 17, 2023.
Chacon Gil worked at Taste of Brazil for three years beginning in 2014. Beginning in approximately 2018, Chacon Gil provided false identification documents to Brazilian employees of the restaurant who lacked work authorization in the United States. Chacon Gil did so in order for the employees to secure work authorization. On Feb. 20, 2020, Chacon Gil met with an employee and provided the employee with a fake green card and a fake social security card.
The charge of knowing transfer of a false identification document knowing that such document was produced without lawful authority provides for a sentence of up to 15 years in prison, up to 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; Jonathan Mellone, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General; Joleen D. Simpson, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston; and Woburn Police Chief Robert F. Rufo, Jr. made the announcement today. Valuable assistance in the investigation was provided by the Norwood Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys James D. Herbert, Kelly Lawrence and Samuel R. Feldman of Levy’s Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.
Former Bangor Man Faces up to 20 Years for Role in Penobscot and Aroostook County Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A former Bangor man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Bangor to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl.
According to court records, between January 2018 and December 2021, Christopher Coty, 42, conspired with others to traffic methamphetamine and fentanyl in Penobscot and Aroostook counties. Coty knowingly and intentionally joined and participated in the conspiracy.
Coty is the tenth defendant to plead guilty in this case; four other participants in the conspiracy were sentenced in prior related cases. Coty faces up to 20 years imprisonment. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and Maine Drug Enforcement Agency investigated the case. Assistance was provided by the police departments in Orono, Bangor, Brewer, Caribou, Presque Isle and Houlton. U.S. Attorney Darcie McElwee also recognized the cooperation and coordination provided by the Maine State Attorney General’s Office and the Aroostook County District Attorney’s Office.
Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces: This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
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Florida Woman Sentenced to 40 Years for Producing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Virginia M. Hernandez Covington has sentenced Brooke Sparks (38, St. Petersburg) to 40 years in federal prison for producing child sex abuse material. The court also ordered Sparks to serve 15 years of supervised release after her prison term and to register as a sex offender for life. Sparks had pleaded guilty on January 30, 2023.
According to court documents, in April 2021, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) received a tip from the Australian Federal Police and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that Sparks was sharing child sexual abuse material via Facebook. A federal search warrant was executed on Sparks’s home on April 28, 2021, and investigators discovered text messages between Sparks and an Australian man discussing sexually abusing a three-year-old child. Sparks’s cellphone also revealed that Sparks had produced videos of child sexual abuse material of a nine-year-old child and shared them with the Australian man. The investigation further revealed that Sparks had used multiple platforms to send and receive images and videos of child sexual abuse material.
“The internet and social media have made it easier for predators to exploit children and disseminate their abuse around the world,” said Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Tampa Assistant Special Agent in Charge Kristopher Pagitt. “Thanks to the support of the Australian Federal Police and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, we were able to stop her from continuing to create and share child sexual abuse material.”
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Tampa, with substantial assistance from St. Petersburg Police Department and the Australian Federal Police. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Erin Claire Favorit.
This is another case 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.justice.gov/psc.
Florida Mortgage Loan Officer Pleads Guilty to Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
Orlando, FL – A Florida man pleaded guilty today to evading his federal income taxes.
According to court documents and statements made in court, between 2015 and 2018, Jeffrey Donaldson of Orlando worked as a loan officer for two mortgage companies and made over $750,000 in wages. He submitted to each of his employers false employee withholding certificates (Forms W-4) claiming that he was exempt from any federal income tax withholding. During that same period, Donaldson willfully did not file personal tax returns even though he earned enough income requiring him to do so. As a result, Donaldson caused a tax loss to the IRS of over $150,000.
Donaldson will be sentenced at a later date and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. He also faces a period of supervised release, restitution and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division, U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg for the Middle District of Florida and Special Agent in Charge Brian Payne of IRS-Criminal Investigation Tampa Field Office made the announcement.
IRS-Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Isaiah Boyd and Brian Flanagan of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Terry Livanos of the Middle District of Florida are prosecuting the case.
Florida Mortgage Loan Officer Pleads Guilty to Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
A Florida man pleaded guilty today to evading his federal income taxes.
According to court documents and statements made in court, between 2015 and 2018, Jeffrey Donaldson of Orlando worked as a loan officer for two mortgage companies and made over $750,000 in wages. He submitted to each of his employers false employee withholding certificates (Forms W-4) claiming that he was exempt from any federal income tax withholding. During that same period, Donaldson willfully did not file personal tax returns even though he earned enough income requiring him to do so. As a result, Donaldson caused a tax loss to the IRS of over $150,000.
Donaldson will be sentenced at a later date and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. He also faces a period of supervised release, restitution and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division, U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg for the Middle District of Florida and Special Agent in Charge Brian Payne of IRS-Criminal Investigation Tampa Field Office made the announcement.
IRS-Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Isaiah Boyd and Brian Flanagan of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Terry Livanos for the Middle District of Florida are prosecuting the case.
Florida Business Owner Sentenced to 65 Months in Prison for Defrauding Medicare of $7 MillionRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that CHRISTOPHER MARGAIT was sentenced today to 65 months in prison for conspiracy to commit health care fraud by fraudulently trafficking in orders for durable medical equipment such as back, knee, and wrist braces. MARGAIT previously pled guilty to the charge and was sentenced today before United States District Judge Denise Cote.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Christopher Margait faced justice today for illegally selling orders for durable medical equipment and thus defrauding Medicare of at least $7 million. Such fraud schemes do real harm to Medicare—a vital, taxpayer-funded program that provides affordable health care to people over 65 or with disabilities.”
According to statements made in court and publicly filed documents in this case:
From at least August 2019 through May 2021, MARGAIT and his co-defendant, Matthew Taylor Witkowski, engaged in a scheme to defraud Medicare by illegally obtaining and selling fraudulent orders for durable medical equipment (“DME”) paid for by Medicare. Using a business that he jointly owned and operated with Witkowski, and a call center that Witkowski operated in the Dominican Republic, MARGAIT illegally generated and purchased fraudulent orders for DME and then sold those fraudulent orders to pharmacies and DME suppliers, including suppliers in New York City. Those pharmacies and DME suppliers then used those fraudulent orders as the basis for at least $7 million in fraudulent claims to Medicare. Many of these fraudulent orders used names and personal health information of actual Medicare beneficiaries, without the beneficiaries’ authorization or prior knowledge. Many of these fraudulent orders also contained professional information of doctors and other health-care providers enrolled in the Medicare program, as well as the purported electronic signatures of these providers, which were falsified and created without the authorization or knowledge of these providers.
During the course of the scheme, MARGAIT and Witkowski received more than $3.8 million in illegal kickbacks from DME suppliers, who made these payments to True Prospects Marketing, Inc., a company controlled by MARGAIT and Witkowski.
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MARGAIT, 45, of West Palm Beach, Florida, pled guilty on June 2, 2022, to a single count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud. In addition, MARGAIT was sentenced to three years of supervised release and ordered to pay forfeiture of $3,853,442 and restitution of $7,000,000 to the Medicare program.
Witkowski, 38, a U.S. citizen who resided in the Dominican Republic since he was in college, was sentenced on April 20, 2023 to 60 months in prison and three years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay forfeiture of $4,065,995 and restitution of $8,131,990 to the Medicare program.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the Office of the Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Raymond Lewis is in charge of the prosecution.
Fitchburg Man Charged with Illegally Possessing Firearms & AmmunitionRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – A Fitchburg, Wisconsin man is charged with being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition in a one-count indictment returned on May 17, 2023, by a federal grand jury sitting in Madison, Wisconsin. The indictment is announced by Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin.
The indictment charges Calvin M. Henderson, Sr., 45, with possessing three handguns and ammunition on January 26, 2023, knowing that he previously had been convicted of a felony.
Henderson was arrested on Monday, May 22, in Madison by Fitchburg police officers and the U.S. Marshals Service. He made an initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Madison that day and remains in federal custody. His trial has been scheduled for August 21, 2023.
If convicted, Henderson faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. The charge against him is the result of an investigation by the Fitchburg Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey Stephan is handling the prosecution.
You are advised that a charge is merely an accusation and that a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
Fentanyl Dealer who Threatened Law Enforcement Officer Sentenced to More than 12 Years ImprisonmentRead the Press Release
NEW BERN, N.C. – A fentanyl trafficker who threatened a Wilson Police Department officer was sentenced to more than 12 years imprisonment.
Michael Jarrell Chapman, age 40, pleaded guilty on February 14, 2022 to Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Quantities of Heroin, Fentanyl, and Cocaine Base (Crack) (Count One), and Distribution of Quantities of Heroin and Fentanyl (Count Two).
“Fentanyl is a deadly drug that is killing thousands of people,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “We are proud to partner with the Wilson Police Department to investigate and prosecute those pushing deadly fentanyl into our communities. And our office will always prioritize cases against those who threaten violence against the brave men and women of law enforcement who serve and protect us.”
On December 30, 2020, a traffic stop was conducted, and Chapman was found in possession of 91 bindles of fentanyl and more than $1,300 in currency.
During the course of this investigation, Chapman placed a call to his state probation officer and indicated that he was going to find the detective who investigated him. Chapman then indicated that he was going to get the detective—either outside the courtroom or inside the courtroom.
According to court records and evidence presented in court, members of the Wilson Police Department learned that Chapman was distributing various controlled substances in the Wilson area. Officers conducted controlled purchases of fentanyl, cocaine base (crack), and heroin from Chapman on several dates in 2020.
At sentencing, Judge Flanagan determined that Chapman was a Career Offender due to his history of prior drug trafficking convictions.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan issued the sentence on May 24, 2023. The Wilson Police Department investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Lemmon prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on our website. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No.5:21-CR-257-FL-1.
Felon Serving Time for Illegally Possessing a Firearm Sentenced to Additional 33 Months in Federal Prison for Escape from Residential Reentry FacilityRead the Press Release
EVANSVILLE- Austin R. Pam, 28, of Evansville, Indiana has been sentenced to an additional 33 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to escape from custody.
According to court documents, on January 4, 2019, Pam was sentenced to 33 months’ imprisonment for illegally possessing a firearm and a consecutive 21 months’ imprisonment for violating the terms of his supervised release in a different case.
On September 23, 2021, Pam was transferred to the Volunteers of America (“VOA”) in Evansville, Indiana, to complete his sentence. The Bureau of Prisons contracts with residential reentry centers, also known as halfway houses, to aid inmates who are nearing release. Inmates serving a portion of their sentence at a residential reentry center are only authorized to leave through sign-out procedures for approved activities.
Pam was to remain in and abide by the rules of the facility until his projected release date of March 21, 2022. On November 27, 2021, VOA staff noticed that Pam had not returned from his place of employment. Staff unsuccessfully attempted to contact Pam and reached out to his shift supervisor, who stated Pam never showed up for his shift. Pam was arrested in Evansville in an unrelated case on May 25, 2022.
Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, and Dan McClain, U.S. Marshal for the Southern District of Indiana, made the announcement.
U.S. Marshals Service investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Richard L. Young.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorney Matthew B. Miller, who prosecuted this case.
Federal Grand Jury Returns Indictment Against Louisville Woman for CARES Act FraudRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – A federal grand jury in Louisville, Kentucky, returned an indictment on May 17, 2023, charging a Louisville woman with three counts of wire fraud, two counts of bank fraud, and two counts of money laundering related to fraud involving the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) financial assistance program.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky and Special Agent in Charge Kelly Moening of the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) Great Lakes Field Division made the announcement.
According to the indictment, between April 9, 2020, and August 11, 2022, Rachel Finley, 54, filed two fraudulent applications for Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans, resulting in the theft of $117,990. Finley utilized the entity Private Label Vintage & Spirits, a Kentucky Limited Liability Company, to file the applications. Finley falsely exaggerated the number of employees and payroll expenses of the entity in the fraudulent applications. Finley further applied for forgiveness for one of the loans, falsely stating the amount that had been spent on payroll.
The Small Business Administration (SBA) PPP loans were designed to provide a direct incentive for small businesses who were in operation on February 15, 2020, to keep their workers on the payroll. PPP loan proceeds were required to be used by the business on certain permissible expenses. Interest and principal on PPP loans could be entirely forgiven if the business spent the loan proceeds on the allowable expenses within a designated period and used a certain percentage of the PPP loan proceeds on payroll expenses.
Finley made her initial court appearance today before a U.S. Magistrate Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. If convicted, Finley faces a maximum penalty of 140 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. There is no parole in the federal system.
TIGTA is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Elver is prosecuting the case.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Essex County Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Drug Trafficking and Possessing Two Loaded Firearms in Furtherance of Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – An Essex County, New Jersey, man was sentenced to 120 months in prison for drug trafficking and firearms possession in furtherance of drug trafficking, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Tyree Thomas, aka “Hellboy,” 29, of Irvington, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Susan D. Wigenton to nine counts of an indictment charging him with drug distribution, possessing drugs with the intent to distribute, and possessing two firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking. Judge Wigenton imposed the sentence on May 24, 2023, in Newark federal court.
According to documents in this case and statements made in court:
From May 1, 2019, to Aug. 21, 2019, Thomas sold Phencyclidine (PCP) to an undercover law enforcement agent on multiple occasions. He also maintained an apartment in Orange, New Jersey, as a location where he stored the PCP that he was distributing. Thomas kept two loaded firearms as this location to protect the drugs and drug proceeds he had at the apartment.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Wigenton sentenced Thomas to five years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Bryan Miller; members of the New Jersey State Police, under the direction of Superintendent Col. Patrick Callahan; and the New Jersey Department of Corrections, under the direction of Commissioner Victoria L. Kuhn, with the investigation leading to the sentence.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Olta Bejleri and Megan Linares of the Organized Crime/Gangs Unit in Newark.
Elementary School Students Polish up Resumes/Interview Skills for Career Day 2023Read the Press Release
MIAMI – Three classes of fifth-grade students—dressed in their Sunday best—recently brought their resumes and interview skills to “prospective employers” from various community stakeholders during Career Day 2023 at Rock Island Elementary School in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Staff from the Law Enforcement Coordination and Community Outreach Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida participated in multiple rounds of mock job interviews. The interviews consisted of 10 scripted questions which the students saw ahead of time. However, interviewers were given free rein to go off script.
“I thought the kids did an amazing job,” said Community Outreach Specialist Robin McCowen. “They were so young yet so well prepared for the interview. They were ready for anything and I threw plenty of questions at them that were not on the list.”
Why get them started so early? According to Rock Island Elementary School staff, it was so they’d be able to compete in the job market...that years down the road they would reflect on this experience and remember lessons learned.
Some of those lessons may seem basic, but many children are not taught them. However, during a job interview they become of paramount importance.
“Future employers will seek out candidates that look them in the eye and have a firm handshake,” said Law Enforcement Coordination and Community Outreach Section Chief J.D. Smith. “That was part of what I emphasized with them. It’s more than just what you say. Sit up straight, gesture with your hands periodically, be engaged, and show enthusiasm for the job. Speak up. I’ve hired a lot of people during my time as a supervisor and that’s what I look for in a candidate. That said, I was highly impressed with the young men and women I spoke with.”
Many of the students had the handshake and eye contact down, but there are always areas in which to improve. Interviewing is a skill that requires practice. It can be a nerve-wracking experience to speak about oneself in front of a four-person panel, which is why these skills are good to acquire early.
“It’s fortunate that these students got to participate in this training,” said Law Enforcement Coordination Specialist Mark McKinney. “Not everyone gets this type of opportunity.”
Exercises like these challenge students to get out of their comfort zones and give them an idea of what’s to come.
“The situation for these students is changing,” said McKinney. “They are moving from elementary school to middle school and it’s important to give them an idea that more will be required from them moving forward. Exercises like these help them prepare for that.”
In addition to Smith, McCowen, and McKinney, three others from the U.S. Attorney’s Office participated in the mock interviews. Those included Re-entry & Community Outreach Specialist Keisha Bazile, Public Affairs Specialist Todd Goodman, and Community Outreach Specialist Jorge Lorente.
Law Enforcement Coordination and Community Outreach Section staff from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida participate in mock job interviews for fifth graders at Rock Island Elementary School in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
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Convicted Felon from Eufaula Sentenced to 160 Months in Prison for Illegally Possessing FirearmsRead the Press Release
Montgomery, Alabama – Today, United States Attorney Sandra J. Stewart announced that Robert Skyler White, 27, from Eufaula, Alabama, received a sentence of 160 months in prison after pleading guilty to federal firearms charges.
According to his plea agreement and other court records, on July 9, 2021, law enforcement in Henry County, Alabama, stopped a vehicle for speeding. Officers identified White as the driver and discovered that he had outstanding warrants. While arresting White, law enforcement found a bag of marijuana in one of his pockets. Officers then looked inside the vehicle and discovered a scale, 50 small baggies containing marijuana, and a handgun. White is a convicted felon and is prohibited from possessing a firearm.
Later, on March 18, 2022, White had an argument with his brother after they left a bar in Eufaula, then both men went to their mother’s house. White went inside and retrieved a rifle, pointed it at his brother’s head, and threatened to kill him. Finally, on July 31, 2022, White was stopped by law enforcement for a traffic violation and was again found to be in possession of a firearm and controlled substances.
White pleaded guilty to two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime on February 16, 2023. During the sentencing hearing on May 24, 2023, the federal judge also ordered that White serve three years of supervised release following his prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, the Abbeville Police Department, the Eufaula Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney B. Chelsea Phillips prosecuted the case.
Convicted Felon Indicted for Gadsden Armed Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A federal grand jury yesterday indicted a convicted felon on an armed bank robbery charge, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Carlton L. Peeples.
A two-count indictment filed in U.S. District Court charges Edward Aliji Muhammed Brown, 41, of Gadsden, with armed bank robbery and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to the indictment, Brown used a firearm during the robbery of Exchange Bank in Gadsden in March 2023. Brown is prohibited from possessing a firearm because of a prior felony conviction. Brown was convicted on August 24, 1999, in the Circuit Court of Etowah County, Alabama, of the offense of Robbery, First Degree.
The maximum penalty for armed bank robbery is 25 years in prison. The maximum penalty for being a felon in possession of a firearm is 15 years in prison.
The FBI investigated the case along with the Gadsden Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Royster is prosecuting the case.
An indictment contains only charges. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Columbia Man Sentenced to 70 Months in Federal Prison for Felon in Possession of a Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA —Jae’Kwon Rumph, 23, of Columbia, was sentenced to 70 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition.
Evidence presented to the Court showed that on March 2, 2022, the City of Columbia Police Department (CPD) received a ShotSpotter Alert on Colleton Street. CPD officers responded to the location and found four 9mm shell casings. CPD investigators recovered surveillance video of the incident, which displayed Rumph shooting at a moving vehicle. At the time of the shooting, Rumph was a known gang member, and he was identified by members of law enforcement.
After the shooting, Rumph was arrested wearing the same clothing that he had on in the surveillance video from the shooting incident.
On April 23, 2022, West Columbia Police Department recovered a firearm during a traffic stop. The recovered firearm had a NIBIN link to the shell casings from the shooting on March 2, 2022. A firearm and tool mark analyst with the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division confirmed the link and determined the recovered firearm fired the shell casings found at the shooting scene.
Federal law prohibits Rumph from possessing a firearm due to his prior convictions for Domestic Violence First Degree and Strong Arm Robbery.
United States District Court Judge Cameron McGowan Currie sentenced Rumph to 70 months in prison to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was made possible by investigative leads generated from the ATF’s National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN). NIBIN is the only national network that allows for the capture and comparison of ballistic evidence to aid in solving and preventing violent crimes involving firearms. NIBIN is a proven investigative and intelligence tool that can link firearms from multiple crime scenes, allowing law enforcement to quickly disrupt shooting cycles. For more information on NIBIN, visit https://www.atf.gov/firearms/national-integrated-ballistic-information-network-nibin.
The case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
The case was investigated by the City of Columbia Police Department, the West Columbia Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lamar J. Fyall is prosecuting the case.
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Chinese National Arrested in Federal Case Alleging Massive Scheme that Shipped Millions of Packages with Counterfeit PostageRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – An Inland Empire resident is expected to be arraigned this afternoon on federal charges alleging the use of counterfeit postage to ship millions of parcels as part of a fraudulent scheme that caused the United States Postal Service (USPS) to suffer losses over the past six months estimated to be more than $60 million.
Lijuan “Angela” Chen, 50, of Walnut, was taken into custody Tuesday afternoon by inspectors with the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) and IRS Criminal Investigation.
The criminal complaint filed May 22 charges Chen with two counts: conspiracy to defraud the United States, and possession and use of counterfeit postage.
“The evidence obtained in the investigation shows that Chen is operating a business which provides shipping and postage services to businesses, including e-commerce vendors operating out of China, that seek discounted USPS rates for mailing their products within the United States,” according to the affidavit in support of the complaint. “Multiple examinations conducted by USPS and USPIS staff have revealed that the vast majority of the postage used by Chen and her business to ship goods within the United States is counterfeit.”
Chen’s business, which is based in City of Industry, received parcels from the vendors and others, applied shipping labels showing postage purportedly paid, and then arranged for the parcels to be transferred to USPS facilities to be shipped across the nation. The investigation in this case has revealed that the shipping labels were fraudulent and that they included, among other red flags, “intelligent barcode data” from previously mailed items. Investigators also determined that the meter numbers on many of the shipping labels, all of which indicated that they had been purchased and printed in 2023, related to postage meters known to have been discontinued in 2020, according to the complaint. On yet other postage labels used by Chen’s business, information contained in the tracking barcode was inconsistent with other items of information on the label.
A USPS analyst estimates that between November 1, 2022, and April 30, 2023, Chen and her employees shipped over 9 million mail parcels containing counterfeit postage, resulting in estimated revenue losses to the USPS of over $60 million, the complaint states.
Chen’s shipping business was previously operated by her husband, who left for China two days after being interviewed by Postal inspectors in November 2019, according to the complaint.
A complaint contains allegations that a defendant committed a crime. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The two charges in the complaint each carry a statutory maximum sentence of five years in federal prison.
The United States Postal Inspection Service and IRS Criminal Investigation are conducting the investigation in this matter.
Assistant United States Attorney James C. Hughes of the Major Frauds Section is prosecuting this case.
Charleston Man Sentenced to Prison for Fentanyl and Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Doran King Burroughs Jr., 23, of Charleston, was sentenced today to six years in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release, for distribution of 40 grams or more of fentanyl and being a felon in possession of firearms.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on August 10, 2022, Burroughs sold approximately 102 grams of fentanyl to a confidential informant while outside a Charleston business in the informant’s vehicle. Burroughs admitted to that transaction and to an additional sale of approximately 51 grams of fentanyl to a confidential informant on May 4, 2022, in the informant’s vehicle in Charleston.
On August 11, 2022, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Burroughs’ residence. Burroughs admitted that during the search, officers found approximately 76 grams of fentanyl, a drum magazine loaded with 7.62x39mm ammunition, a Spartan Armor System body armor carrier, and four firearms: a Glock, model 17, 9mm pistol; a PAP, model M92PV, 7.62mm-caliber pistol; a Glock, model 43X, 9mm pistol; and a Bushmaster model xm15-e25, .223-caliber rifle. Burroughs admitted to possessing the firearms and to possessing the fentanyl with the intent to distribute it.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Burroughs knew he was prohibited from possessing firearms because of his conviction for first-degree possession of a controlled substance, first offense, in Boone County, Kentucky, Circuit Court on March 7, 2022.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT).
Chief United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew D. Isabell prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-cr-172.
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Charleston County Woman Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Health Care FraudRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA —Deeana Burr, 54, of Charleston, South Carolina, has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud.
Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that Burr, a licensed nurse practitioner who became a 15% co-owner of Atlantic Coast Integrated Medicine (ACIM) in September 2017, participated in scheme to defraud Medicare and TRICARE by submitting claims to Medicare for medically unnecessary durable medical equipment (DME) and certain procedure codes.
The evidence revealed that ACIM generally had a standardized treatment plan for all patients that lasted 12 weeks, with the expectation that the patient receive care three times a week. Followed by an initial evaluation consisting of a head to feet musculoskeletal exam and more than a dozen x-rays ordered by an ACIM clinician, the treatment plan, authorized by an ACIM clinician, included the issuing of multiple DME. Much of the DME issued, and subsequently billed to Medicare and/or TRICARE, was determined to be medically unnecessary throughout the investigation.
Burr faces a maximum penalty of 5 years in federal prison. She also faces a fine of up to $250,000, restitution, and 3 years of supervision to follow the term of imprisonment. United States District Judge David Norton accepted the guilty plea and will sentence Burr after receiving and reviewing a sentencing report prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.
This case was investigated by Agent Ryan Schubert with the Department of Health and Human Services – Office of the Inspector General, the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Bower is prosecuting the case.
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Chalmette Pharmacist Sentenced to 72 Months in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – KEITH WILKINSON, a pharmacist who owned and operated Wilkinson Family Pharmacy located in St. Bernard Parish, was sentenced to serve 72 months in custody for his role in a conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and money laundering.
According to the bill of information, beginning prior to 2014 and continuing until the filing of the bill of information on September 14, 2018, WILKINSON and others conspired to dispense, outside the scope of his professional practice and not for a legitimate medical purpose, quantities of controlled substances. WILKINSON also committed money laundering using criminally derived proceeds.
At his sentencing on Wednesday May 24, 2023, WILKINSON was sentenced to 72 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, and a $200 mandatory special assessment fee.
This prosecution was part of an investigation by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). OCDETF is a joint federal, state, and local cooperative approach to combat drug trafficking and is the nation’s primary tool for disrupting and dismantling major drug trafficking organizations, targeting national and regional level drug trafficking organizations and coordinating the necessary law enforcement entities and resources to disrupt or dismantle the targeted criminal organization and seize their assets.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, St. Bernard Parish Sheriff’s Office, Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, U.S. Marshals Service, and the Louisiana State Police. The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Kathryn McHugh of the Financial Crimes Unit.
Canadian Man Pleads Guilty to Trafficking Large Quantities of Cocaine by Tractor TrailerRead the Press Release
UTICA, NEW YORK – Guillaume Latour-Laitre, age 26, of Prevost, Quebec, pled guilty yesterday to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance.
United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Matthew Scarpino, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), made the announcement.
Latour-Laitre admitted that from November 2019 through December 7, 2019, as vice president of a commercial trucking company in Quebec, he trafficked cocaine from the United States to Canada via tractor trailer. On December 7, 2019, Latour-Laitre’s co-conspirator and employee at the trucking company, Jason Nelson, attempted to leave the United States for Canada at the Derby Line, Vermont Port of Entry. At the border, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Officers performed an outbound inspection on Nelson’s tractor trailer and discovered approximately 142 kilograms of cocaine hidden in a secret compartment in the trailer. Latour-Laitre was extradited from Canada in December 2022 to face the charges.
Nelson was sentenced on April 27, 2022, to 72 months in prison and 5 years of supervised release.
At sentencing, scheduled for October 12, 2023, Latour-Laitre faces at least 10 years and up to life in prison, a term of supervised release of between 5 years and life, and a maximum fine of $10 million. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statutes the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.
HSI and CBP investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Douglas Collyer is prosecuting the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided substantial assistance in securing the arrest and extradition of Latour-Laitre.
Cambridge Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute Drugs and Possession of FirearmsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Cambridge man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to federal drug and firearm charges.
Ahsan Arty, a/k/a/ “Hass,” 24, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, and conspiracy to possess and use firearms during and in relation to a drug offense. U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns scheduled sentencing for Oct. 4, 2023. Arty was charged by criminal complaint in May 2022.
In February 2021, Arty conspired to sell crack cocaine to an undercover officer and was captured on recording brokering the drug deal. Intercepted communications revealed that Arty also conspired with others to distribute cocaine.
In August 2021, Arty travelled to California as part of a promotional tour for an associate. While in California, Arty went to the residence of an associate and stole approximately four kilograms of cocaine. Text messages recovered during the investigation showed that Arty sent the kilograms of cocaine to Massachusetts and later began distributing them upon his return.
In December 2021, Arty and another man traveled to Lawrence to rob an individual who they suspected of having drugs and valuables in their residence. During this incident, Arty was armed with a handgun. They entered the residence and pistol-whipped a woman and demanded the whereabouts of drugs and cash. Ultimately, the drugs and cash were not present. Arty was identified through surveillance video of the vehicle utilized in the incident and text messages proved his involvement.
In February 2022, Arty and two other individuals broke into the residence of an individual he suspected of having drugs and cash. The individual was not present. While inside the residence, Arty stole car keys and clothing and recorded a livestream video that he published on the internet. The next morning, associates of Arty attempted to rob the occupants of the same apartment and multiple rounds of gunfire were discharged during the incident. According to text messages recovered in the case, Arty came to pick up the robbers and drove them on a high-speed flight from responding law enforcement. Text messages also captured Arty and the robbers developing an alibi for the vehicle’s use in the robbery and chase. The vehicle was later located and impounded.
In April 2022, Arty was arrested outside of a Boston nightclub due to a report of him having a firearm. When law enforcement responded to the scene, Arty drove his vehicle at the officers and struck a nearby vehicle. Arty and another passenger were immediately taken into custody. Two firearms, including a 9mm firearm that was equipped with a selector switch, rendering it capable of firing fully automatic, were located in Arty’s vehicle. It was learned during the investigation that the target of the February 2022 burglary and robbery was believed to be inside of the nightclub and that Arty was outside of the premises waiting for an opportunity to rob him.
At the time of the offense, Arty was on pretrial release for multiple pending state firearm offenses. These included a January 2019 arrest for possessing a firearm in Boston and a July 2019 arrest for possessing a firearm in Revere. During the Revere incident, Arty fled the scene of an accident and later attempted to flee law enforcement.
The charge of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. The charge of conspiring to possess firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to 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; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; John E. Mawn Jr., Interim Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police; Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin R. Hayden; Middlesex County District Attorney Marian T. Ryan; Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox; Cambridge Police Commissioner Christine Elow; and Revere Police Chief David J. Callahan made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip A. Mallard of Levy’s Organized Crime & Gang Unit is prosecuting the case.
California meth trafficker sentenced to more than eight years in prisonRead the Press Release
BILLINGS — A man who admitted to bringing pounds of methamphetamine to the Billings area community for distribution was sentenced today to eight years and six months years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
Alex Valladares, 25, of Fresno, California, pleaded guilty in September 2022 to possession with intent to distribute meth.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.
In court documents, the government alleged that between July 2021 and March 2022, the Drug Enforcement Administration and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives learned that Valladares was a source of supply for meth in Billings area and acted as a go between for local Montana distributors and larger suppliers in Mexico. Valladares also was identified as being the supplier of approximately 5.8 pounds of meth seized in a March 2021 traffic stop. The government alleged that Valladares was bringing large quantities of meth to Montana as part of a larger criminal conspiracy, and Valladares described receiving pound quantities for distribution. In addition, the government alleged Valladares possessed firearms and described transporting guns to California to eventually make their way to Mexico.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas K. Godfrey prosecuted the case. The Drug Enforcement Administration and ATF 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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Businessman Charged with Conspiring to Own Unlicensed Money Transmitting BusinessRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A businessman and former resident of Utah has been charged with illegally operating an unlicensed money transmitting business, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Christopher James Scanlon, 43, originally from Utah and now residing in the United Kingdom, is charged by complaint with one count of conspiring to control and own an unlicensed money transmitting business. Scanlon was arrested at Miami International Airport today and is expected to have his initial appearance in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida on Friday.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Scanlon was the president, chief executive officer, and founder of the brands Aurae Lifestyle and Club Swann. From as early as 2015 through 2019, Scanlon controlled a series of legal entities – PMA Media Group Inc.; AU Card LLC; AU Card Ltd., and Nvayo Ltd., (collectively, the “AU Entities”) – that he operated as a money transmitting business to provide fiat and cryptocurrency financial services to customers of Aurae Lifestyle. Scanlon served as a customer service representative for several high-net-worth Aurae Lifestyle customers. He often communicated with customers about financial transactions using encrypted messaging applications and directed the AU Entities to conduct financial transactions for customers through U.S.-based banks and cryptocurrency companies. Scanlon operated Aurae Lifestyle during this time without appropriately registering as a money transmitting business with the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCen), a bureau of the U.S. Treasury Department.
The conspiracy count carries a maximum term of imprisonment of five years, a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the pecuniary gain to the defendant or loss to the victims, whichever is greatest.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of IRS - Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Tammy Tomlins, and special agents of the U.S. Attorney’s office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Thomas Mahoney, with the investigation leading to the charges.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jamie Hoxie Solano and Sophie E. Reiter of the Cybercrime Unit in Newark.
The charge and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
scanlon.complaint.pdfBuffalo Man Sentenced for His Role in Credit Union RobberyRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.- U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Carl Wilson, 38, of Buffalo, NY, who was convicted of aggravated bank robbery, was sentenced to serve 72 months in prison and pay restitution totaling $148,793.90 by U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua A. Violanti, who handled the case, stated that on October 31, 2019, co-defendant Adrian Applewhite entered the Clarence Community and School Federal Credit Union on Sheridan Drive in Clarence, NY, approached the teller and asked whether the credit union had an ATM. Applewhite’s sole purpose was to “case” the credit union and facilitate a future effort to rob it. On November 7, 2019, Carl Wilson, and co-defendant Ronald Morris, armed with a pistol and donning masks and gloves, entered the credit union, and conducted a bank robbery while Applewhite, the getaway driver, sat in a car nearby. Wilson and Morris ordered all the employees to the ground and demanded money. Wilson went behind the teller line and went through teller’s drawers. Morris went to the vault. A total of $148,793.90 in United States currency was taken.
Ronald Morris and Adrian Applewhite were previously convicted.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Eugene Staniszewski; the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia; the Lackawanna Police Department, under the direction of Chief Mark Packard; the Evans Police Department, under the direction of Chief Gregory Szarowicz; and the Tonawanda Police Department, under the direction of Chief James P. Stauffiger.
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Brothers Sentenced in Gun Trafficking Conspiracy After Investigation of Firearms Recovered at Indianapolis and Chicago Crime ScenesRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS- Brothers Jacob Tomlin, 28, and Ryan White, 21, of Indianapolis, have both been convicted of federal felony offenses for their scheme to illegally sell straw-purchased firearms. Tomlin was sentenced to two years of probation after pleading guilty to two counts of making a false statement to a federally licensed firearms dealer. White was sentenced in January of 2023 to 18 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to dealing firearms without a license.
According to court documents, during the summer of 2021, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) investigated the source of firearms that were located at crime scenes in Indianapolis and Chicago. These gun traces investigations multiple crime guns purchased by Tomlin from federally licensed firearms dealers in Indiana.
The ATF’s investigation revealed that from May 19 through June 8, 2021, Tomlin lied on federal firearms purchase documents to illegally purchase 15 handguns for White, his brother. White was too young to legally buy the guns from a federally licensed dealer. This form of gun trafficking is frequently referred to as “straw purchasing,” when a person who is allowed to legally purchase a gun from a federally licensed dealer falsely states that they are purchasing a firearm for themselves, when they know that the gun is actually intended for someone else—frequently someone who is legally prohibited from making the purchase.
ATF agents interviewed Tomlin and White, who admitted that Tomlin lied on the federal forms to illegally purchase the guns for White. White then illegally resold some of the guns for a profit.
U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, Zachary A. Myers and Daryl S. McCormick, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Columbus Field Division made the announcement.
“This investigation demonstrates exactly how straw-purchases of firearms help to fuel gun violence in Indianapolis, Chicago, and elsewhere,” said Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Gun traffickers help arm criminals who should never have had access to deadly weapons in the first place, increasing the bloodshed on our streets. Our office is committed to working closely with the ATF to address the sources of crime gun to reduce gun violence—and to hold gun traffickers accountable in federal court.”
ATF investigated this case. The sentences were imposed by U.S. District Court Judge James R. Sweeney. Judge Sweeney also ordered that White be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for 2 years following his release from federal prison.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Abhi Kambli and Samantha Spiro, who prosecuted this case.
This case was part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Chicago Gun Trafficking Strike Force. On July 22, 2021, the Department of Justice launched five cross-jurisdictional strike forces to help reduce gun violence by disrupting illegal firearms trafficking in key regions across the country. These gun trafficking strike forces are designed to ensure coordination across jurisdictions and help stem the supply of illegally trafficked firearms from source cities, through other communities, and into five key market regions: New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, the San Francisco Bay Area/Sacramento Region and Washington, D.C.
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Bridge City Man Pleads Guilty to Possession of a Machine Gun and Obstruction of JusticeRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced today that RENE LADMIRAULT, age 21, a resident of Bridge City, Louisiana, pled guilty to a two-count federal indictment .
In Count 1, LADMIRAULT was charged with Possession of a Machine Gun, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 922(o)(1) and 924(a)(2). For this charge, LADMIRAULT faces a maximum sentence of 10 years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000.00, and a period of supervised release of up to 3 years.
In Count 2, LADMIRAULT was charged with Obstruction of Justice, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1512(c)(1). For this charge, LADMIRAULT faces a maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000.00, and a period of supervised release of up to 3 years. For each count, LADMIRAULT faces payment of a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00.
According to court records, beginning in January 2022, the Federal Bureau of Investigation New Orleans Violent Crime Task Force (“FBI NOVCTF”) and the New Orleans Police Department Violent Crime Abatement Investigation Team (“NOPD VCAIT”) initiated an investigation into the proliferation of machine gun conversion devices. These devices are commonly referred to as “Glock switches” or “auto sears.”
Law enforcement officers initially identified LADMIRAULT as a manufacturer of machine gun conversion devices in February 2022 through the execution of a search warrant of LADMIRAULT’s Instagram account. While reviewing LADMIRAULT’s account, officers located numerous text messages referencing the sale of the machine gun conversion devices.
On August 10, 2022, a federal search warrant was executed at LADMIRAULT’s residence. LADMIRAULT was inside the residence when FBI agents arrived and, in response, LADMIRAULT flushed a conversion device down the toilet to conceal the device from the FBI. During the search, agents located, a vertical CNC milling machine, and a box containing two black pieces of plastic, items believed to be used in the manufacturing of machine gun conversion devices. LADMIRAULT admitted to manufacturing 3D printed machine gun conversion devices, which he sold for approximately $100.00. LADMIRAULT also admitted to having manufactured the broken conversion device located inside of his residence.
United States District Judge, Carl J. Barbier, will sentence LADMIRAULT on September 14, 2023.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Orleans Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brittany Reed of the Public Integrity Unit.
Boston Man Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Benefit FraudRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Hyde Park man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for using a stolen identity to fraudulently obtain government assistance benefits.
Fernando Mateo Valenzuela, 69, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin to two years and one day in prison and three years of supervised release. Valenzuela was also ordered to pay restitution of $29,051 to the Department of Unemployment Assistance and $7,230 to the Department of Transitional Assistance. On Feb. 27, 2023, Valenzuela pleaded guilty to three counts of mail fraud, two counts of unlawfully using another person’s Social Security number, and two counts of aggravated identity theft.
In 2020, Valenzuela applied for and received a total of $29,051 in unemployment payments using the name and Social Security number of a United States citizen. In 2019, Valenzuela used the same stolen identity to apply for and receive $7,230 in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits from the Massachusetts Department of Transitional Assistance.
Valenzuela’s prior criminal record includes four drug convictions and a sex conviction involving a 13-year-old victim.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Michael J. Krol, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by U.S. Department of Labor, Office of the Inspector General, Office of Investigations – Labor Racketeering & Fraud; U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations – Northeast Region; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General, Office of Investigations; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; and the Massachusetts State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney David G. Tobin of Levy’s Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
The investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigation’s Document and Benefit Fraud Task Force (DBFTF), a specialized investigative group comprising personnel from various state, local, and federal agencies with expertise in detecting, deterring, and disrupting organizations and individuals involved in various types of document, identity, and benefit fraud schemes.
Bethel Park Man Indicted for Transporting an Illegal AlienRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A resident of Bethel Park, PA, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of transporting an illegal alien within the United States, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
The one-count Indictment named Blake Thomas Babin, 59, of Bethel Park, PA, as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment presented to the Court, Babin, from on or about October 20, 2022, through on or about December 30, 2022, transported and attempted to transport within the United States an alien who had illegally entered the country, knowing that the alien was illegally in the country and to assist the alien in remaining in the United States illegally.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of 5 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Carolyn J. Bloch is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation in Pittsburgh conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Bay Area Physician Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO– Joseph Andrew Mollick was sentenced today to 24 months in prison for being in possession of child pornography, announced United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Special Agent in Charge Tatum King. The sentence was handed down by the Hon. Vince Chhabria, U.S. District Judge.
Mollick, 60, of Menlo Park, pleaded guilty to the charge on January 9, 2023. Mollick identifies himself in a filing with the court as a medical doctor who has worked as a hospitalist at San Francisco Bay Area hospitals. According to his plea agreement, Mollick admitted that in August of 2019, he used the social media application Kik to upload a visual depiction of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct. The image depicted a prepubescent female wearing a red shirt in a sex act with an adult male. Mollick admitted he knew the image was of a prepubescent minor and that its production involved the use of a prepubescent minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Mollick also possessed on his personal laptop at least 2000 images and videos depicting minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
A federal grand jury indicted Mollick on November 16, 2021, charging him with one count possession of child pornography, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2252(a)(4)(B). Mollick pleaded guilty to the charge.
In addition to the prison term, judge Chhabria ordered Mollick to serve 60 months of supervised release, to begin after his prison term, and to pay a fine of $25,000. Judge Chhabria scheduled a hearing to decide issues regarding restitution for July 26, 2023.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth Chambers is prosecuting the case. This case is a result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations.
Atoka Resident Sentenced for Sexually Abusing Minors in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jimmy Dean Altom, age 56, of Atoka, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 94 months imprisonment on two counts of Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country. The sentences were ordered to run consecutively for a total of 188 months in the United States Bureau of Prisons.
The charges arose from investigations by the Atoka County Sheriff's Office, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
On December 20, 2021, Altom pleaded guilty to two counts of Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country. At the plea hearing Altom admitted he sexually abused two victims under the age of sixteen between 2013 and 2020.
“It is unthinkable that someone would sexually abuse another – especially a child,” said United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson. “Unfortunately, it happens far too often. I am thankful for the work of the county, state, and federal investigators, and the members of my staff in this case. The prosecution of the defendant will ensure Altom is punished for his heinous crimes, and the victims receive the justice they deserve.”
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma prosecuted these cases because the victims are members of federally recognized Indian tribes and the crimes occurred in Atoka County, within the boundaries of the Choctaw Nation Reservation and the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
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. Altom 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 Edith A. Singer represented the United States.
Appeals Court Upholds Verdict Awarding $74,400 in Damages to Victims of St. Louis Landlord’s DiscriminationRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced today that the Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit has affirmed a jury verdict against a St. Louis, Missouri landlord for violating the federal Fair Housing Act by evicting a family because of the birth of their second child.
The Fair Housing Act prohibits terminating a lease, evicting tenants or refusing to sell or rent because of race, color, religion, familial status or national origin.
After their eviction in 2017, Laura Erwin and Mack Teal filed a complaint with the Department of Housing and Urban Development (“HUD”). HUD conducted an investigation, issued a charge of discrimination against Rupp and referred the case to the Justice Department, which filed suit in 2019.
On May 28, 2021, U.S. District Judge Sarah E. Pitlyk ruled in response to motions for summary judgment that Louis A. Rupp II’s conduct violated the Fair Housing Act. On Aug. 19, 2021, a jury awarded the family of Laura Erwin and Mack Teal a total of $74,400 in damages, consisting of $14,400 in compensatory damages and $60,000 in punitive damages.
“The Rupp case shows how victims of civil rights violations in this district can find redress through the nation’s civil rights laws,” said U.S. Attorney Sayler Fleming. “Ms. Irwin knew something was wrong when Rupp evicted her and her family from their home, conducted her own research under the housing laws and decided to challenge his actions. In the end, the appeals court agreed with Ms. Irwin and her family that Rupp’s conduct was ‘reprehensible’ for evicting them shortly after Ms. Irwin’s emergency C-section. The court also ruled that punitive damages were appropriate because Rupp, a long-time landlord, showed ‘indifference to or reckless disregard of’ the housing laws and the Irwin family’s health and safety.”
The court also ruled that the size of the award did not violate the Rupp’s constitutional right to due process of law.
The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division enforces the Fair Housing Act. More information about the Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces is available at http://www.justice.gov/crt. Individuals may report housing discrimination by calling the Justice Department at 1-833-591-0291, emailing [email protected], or submitting a report online. Individuals also may report discrimination by contacting HUD at 1-800-669-9777, or by filing a complaint online.
Anchorage Man Guilty of Felon in Possession of FirearmsRead the Press Release
ANCHORAGE – A federal jury convicted an Anchorage man on May 23, 2023, on one count for being a felon in possession of firearms following a two day trial.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, on January 16, 2019, Zachary Lawrence Torres, 35, of Anchorage, Alaska sold three firearms to a confidential source working for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
Torres sold the three firearms for $1,100 to the ATF confidential source through a deal brokered by another convicted felon who pleaded guilty to the same charges in 2019. Torres is a convicted felon and prohibited from possessing firearms under federal law. Torres’ felony conviction is for a 2011 assault during which Torres and another individual instigated a street brawl outside of an Anchorage bar, leaving the victim with a fractured jaw and orbital socket.
According to the evidence presented at trial, on January 16 Torres drove his Cadillac to a parking lot on Northern Lights Boulevard in Anchorage, Alaska. Before arriving, Torres told his partner, “All right, I am coming over. If anything happens, I’m shooting everybody.” Inside of his Cadillac, Torres possessed a Romarm/Cugir WASR-10 7.62x39mm semiautomatic rifle, a Legion Izhevsk Saiga 5.45x39mm semiautomatic rifle, and an AR-15-style .223 semiautomatic rifle with a 9-inch barrel and no serial number.
Torres was indicted in August 2019 but remained at large until he was located and arrested in Arizona in December 2021.
Senior U.S. District Judge Ralph Beistline, who presided over the trial, scheduled sentencing for September 13, 2023. Torres faces a potential sentence of 10 years imprisonment. He will be held in the custody of the U.S. Marshals pending sentencing.
“Zachary Torres’ conviction should serve as a warning to felons who are considering illegally trafficking in dangerous weapons that their plans to endanger our community will fail,” said U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker of the District of Alaska. “Our office and law enforcement partners are committed to protecting Alaskan communities from the threat of armed criminals.”
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas C. Bradley and Ainsley McNerney prosecuted the case.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) conducted the investigation and controlled buy leading to the charges in this case.
Albuquerque Man Sentenced to Seven Years for Multiple Armed RobberiesRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, announced today that Justin Bryant Koch was sentenced to 84 months in prison. Koch, 34, of Albuquerque, pleaded guilty on Feb. 1, 2023, to one count of armed robbery and one count of attempted armed robbery. Upon his release from prison, Koch will be subject to 3 years of supervised release.
According to the plea agreement and other court records, on April 7, 2020, at 5:00 pm, Koch entered the Oasis Convenience Store on Carlisle Blvd. NE in Albuquerque and while brandishing a firearm, approached the clerk and demanded that the clerk give him money. The clerk pulled his own firearm in self-defense and Koch fled the store. Approximately one hour and 40 minutes later, Koch entered the Casa Taco Restaurant on Academy Rd. NE in Albuquerque and repeated his previous behavior, approaching the clerk while armed with a firearm and demanding that the clerk give him money. The clerk gave Koch $331.63 and Koch fled the scene.
After an investigation, it was determined that Koch was the main suspect, and he was later arrested.
The FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with the Albuquerque Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Thomas J. Aliberti prosecuted the case.
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23-109
Albuquerque Man Sentenced to 25 Years for Firearms Offenses and CarjackingRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Brendan Iber, Special Agent in Charge of the Phoenix Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), announced today that Freddie Granger was sentenced to 25 years in prison. Granger, 42, of Albuquerque, pleaded guilty on March 20, 2023, to one count of being a felon in possession of firearm and ammunition, one count of carjacking, and one count of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.
According to the plea agreement and other court records, on June 9, 2022, Granger sold two firearms to an undercover agent with the ATF, one of which was an AR-style rifle, along with high-capacity magazines. Granger indicated to the undercover agent that he had been unlawfully selling firearms for a “long time” and he would be open to doing “package deals” in the future. At the time, Granger had been convicted of seven felonies including involuntary manslaughter, kidnapping, and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. In his plea, Granger admitted that he knew that as a previously convicted felon he could not legally possess firearms or ammunition.
Days later, on June 13, 2022, an officer with the Carlsbad Police Department pulled Granger over because the car he was driving was missing a license plate and was swerving. Granger gave the officer false identification information before fleeing. Granger crashed his car near a marijuana dispensary, where he encountered John Doe as Doe was exiting his vehicle. Granger pointed a firearm at him, demanded his keys and took his vehicle after Doe safely removed a 7-year-old minor from the backseat.
When Granger was apprehended on July 8, 2023, he was still in possession of Doe’s car, which he had spray painted a different color.
Upon his release from prison, Granger will be subject to 5 years of supervised release.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Jaymie L. Roybal prosecuted the case.
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35-year prison sentence for Colerain Township man convicted at trial of taking sexually explicit photographs of victims ages 9 & 12 while they sleptRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – A registered sex offender was sentenced in federal court here today to 420 months in prison and a lifetime of supervised release for sexually exploiting children and possessing child pornography.
Nicholas J. Veerkamp, 32, of Colerain Township, Ohio, was convicted following a jury trial in October 2022. Veerkamp sexually exploited a 9-year-old victim and a 12-year-old victim and kept images of the exploitation.
“This defendant has shown a consistent pattern of sexually abusing children,” said U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker. “In his current federal case, Veerkamp creeped into the bedrooms of minor girls and took sexually explicit photos of them. There is no place in society for someone engaging in this conduct that’s so harmful to our children.”
According to court documents and trial testimony, in August 2017, Veerkamp sexually exploited a 12-year-old victim to create three images of child pornography.
In October 2017, Veerkamp sexually exploited a 9-year-old child for the purpose of making child pornography. Veerkamp created 19 images of the victim, including images in which he exposed the child’s genitals while the victim slept.
The defendant also possessed other images of minor females on his electronic devices.
Veerkamp was convicted of sexual imposition in 2016 for having sex with a 13-year-old girl, and as a result, was required to register as a sex offender.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; J. William Rivers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; Colerain Township Police Chief Edwin C. Cordie III; Hamilton County Sheriff Charmaine McGuffey’s Regional Electronics Crimes Investigations unit and other members of the FBI’s Violent Crimes Against Children task force announced the sentence imposed today by Senior U.S. District Judge Michael R. Barrett. Assistant United States Attorney Kyle J. Healey is representing the United States in this case.
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24 May 2023
Youngstown man sentenced to 12 years for drug traffickingRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – A Youngstown, Ohio, man was sentenced today to more than 12 years in prison for supplying methamphetamine and fentanyl to northern West Virginia.
Kamron Eugene Miller, Sr., 36, will serve 152 months of incarceration for his role as a leader in a drug conspiracy. The investigation revealed that Miller supplied a co-conspirator nearly a kilogram of crystal methamphetamine along with 21 grams of fentanyl which was then redistributed in Hancock County. When agents searched Miller’s Youngstown residence, they found more than 300 grams of cocaine, 206 grams of fentanyl, a loaded assault rifle, a loaded pistol, and over $60,000 in cash. In total, agents seized more than $310,000 in cash during the investigation.
The Hancock-Brooke-Weirton Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; the Drug Enforcement Administration (Wheeling and Youngstown); and the Ohio State Highway Patrol investigated.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Shawn M. Adkins prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.
The Marshall County Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; the Ohio Valley Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; and the Mahoning County, Ohio, Sheriff’s Office assisted.
U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey presided.
Willie Junior Maxwell II, also known as "Fetty Wap" Sentenced to 6 Years' Imprisonment for Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Central Islip, United States District Judge Joanna Seybert sentenced William Junior Maxwell II, who is the rap artist known as “Fetty Wap,” to six years’ imprisonment and five years of post-release supervision for conspiracy to distribute cocaine. On March 7, 2023, Judge Seybert sentenced Maxwell’s co-defendant Anthony Cyntje, a New Jersey correction officer, to 72 months’ imprisonment for his role in the drug trafficking conspiracy. Maxwell’s remaining four co-defendants pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Michael J. Driscoll, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI); Raymond A. Tierney, District Attorney for Suffolk County; and Rodney K. Harrison, Commissioner, Suffolk County Police Department (SCPD), announced the sentence.
According to court filings, from approximately June 2019 through June 2020, the defendants distributed more than 100 kilograms of cocaine, heroin, fentanyl and crack cocaine across Long Island and New Jersey. The defendants obtained the narcotics on the west coast and used the United States Postal Service and drivers with hidden vehicle compartments to transport the controlled substances across the country to Suffolk County, where they were stored. The drugs were then distributed to dealers, who sold them on Long Island and in New Jersey. Five of the defendants also used firearms to protect their drug organization and distribution chain. Defendants Anthony Leonardi, Robert Leonardi, Brian Sullivan, and Kavaughn Wiggins participated in the purchase and transportation of the narcotics from the west coast to the east coast where they were processed, stored and ultimately resold. Maxwell was a kilogram-level redistributor for the trafficking organization, and Cyntje transported kilograms of cocaine from Long Island to New Jersey.
Search warrants executed during the investigation resulted in the recovery of approximately $1.5 million in cash, 16 kilograms of cocaine, 2 kilograms of heroin, numerous fentanyl pills, two 9mm handguns, a rifle, a .45 caliber pistol, a .40 caliber pistol, and ammunition.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Long Island Criminal Division. Assistant United States Attorneys Christopher C. Caffarone and Andrew P. Wenzel, and Special Assistant United States Attorney Jacob T. Kubetz are in charge of the prosecution, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Samantha Schroder.
The Defendants:
ANTHONY CYNTJE
Age: 25
Passaic, New JerseyANTHONY LEONARDI
Age: 49
Coram, Long IslandROBERT LEONARDI
Age: 28
Levittown, PennsylvaniaWILLIE JUNIOR MAXWELL II (also known as “Fetty Wap”)
Age: 31
Paterson, New JerseyBRIAN SULLIVAN
Age: 27
Lake Grove, Long IslandKAVAUGHN L. WIGGINS (also known as “KV”)
Age: 28
Coram, Long IslandE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 21-CR-452 (JS)
West Virginia man sentenced for COVID fraudRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – A Wheeling, West Virginia, man was sentenced today to 10 months in prison after fraudulently obtaining loans made available during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dalton Haas, also known as Dalton Nassar, 27, pled guilty to wire fraud in February 2023. Haas admitted to making false statements about the gross revenues, the cost of goods sold, and the number of employees for the Lebanese Restaurant & Bakery, the Wheeling Wine Festival, the West Virginia Hockey League, and the Wheeling Hockey Association. Haas obtained a total of $20,000 in CARES Act funding as part of his scheme. He attempted to fraudulently obtain loans on three other occasions but was unsuccessful.
Upon his release from prison, Haas will be under the supervision of federal probation officers for three years. Haas paid restitution in full prior to sentencing.
The United States Sentencing Guidelines called for a range of punishment for Haas of between 4 and 10 months, based upon the amount of loss and his criminal history. The sentence imposed was at the highest end of the Guidelines.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Conklin prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.
U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey presided.
Anyone who is aware of COVID fraud may report it via email to [email protected], by telephone to 304-234-0100, or via regular mail to the U.S. Attorney, P.O. Box 591, Wheeling, WV 26003, Attn: COVID Fraud Unit.
Washington Man Indicted for Failure to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
ANCHORAGE – A federal grand jury in Alaska returned an indictment charging a Washington man with failure to register as a sex offender and as a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents, Dylan Scott Valin, 31, fled active felony warrants issued in the State of Washington for Burglary in the First Degree and Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. According to the affidavit supporting the complaint, the United States Marshals Service learned of Valin’s whereabouts after he sent emails to friends in custody in Washington, advising them he was fleeing Washington to commercial fish in Alaska because “they don’t extradite.”
Deputy United States Marshals then searched for commercial fishing licenses issued by the State of Alaska and ascertained that Valin was residing in Craig, Alaska, where he was ultimately apprehended without incident.
Valin was indicted for one count of failure to register as a sex offender in violation of 18 U.S.C. §2250(a) and one count of being a felon in possession in violation of 18 U.S.C. §924(g). The defendant made his initial court appearance on May 23, 2023, before Chief U.S. Magistrate Judge Scoble of the U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker of the District of Alaska and United States Marshal Rob Heun made the announcement.
The United States Marshals are investigating the case with the assistance of the Alaska State Troopers. Law enforcement urges anyone with knowledge of Valin’s activities to contact the USMS.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Alexander is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Waco Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison for Role in Drug Trafficking OperationRead the Press Release
DEL RIO, Texas – A Waco man was sentenced Tuesday in a federal court in Del Rio to 300 months in prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
According to court documents, Jimmie Troy Palmer III, 32, and other co-conspirators were arrested on Aug. 1, 2020, after one of the co-conspirators, Bibiana Ira Ortiz, attempted to enter the U.S. through the Del Rio Port of Entry with 16 packages of methamphetamine hidden in her vehicle. Lab tests revealed the combined net weight of the packages contained approximately 7,864 grams of methamphetamine with a purity of 98%.
Palmer had escorted Ortiz to Piedras Negras, Mexico, where the methamphetamine was loaded into the vehicle Ortiz was driving. Palmer returned to the U.S. ahead of Ortiz, instructing her to call him upon her successful arrival in Del Rio. Homeland Security Investigations agents arrested Palmer and the other co-conspirators at the motel in Del Rio, where Ortiz was expected to rejoin them. Inside Palmer’s pickup truck, agents discovered drugs, drug paraphernalia, several cell phones, and approximately $9,869.06 in U.S. currency.
Palmer has been in federal custody since his arrest and pleaded guilty in July 2021. Co-defendants Ortiz, Joshua Ruben Olivencia, and David Ray Coplin have each pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing.
“The diligent efforts shown by both HSI and the U.S. Border Patrol in this case demonstrate their commitment to combating drug trafficking along our district’s border,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas. “This substantial penalty of 25 years in federal prison sends a very strong message that our judicial system does not tolerate the devastating impact illicit substances have on our communities. I am grateful to our dedicated law enforcement partners for their ongoing service in preserving the safety and well-being of our nation, and we will continue to fully prosecute these offenders.”
“As drug traffickers prey on communities, they often ignore the laws of this nation. It’s great to have the cooperation of our federal partners to aid in the arrest and prosecution of these offenders,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Craig Larrabee for HSI San Antonio. “Palmer’s lengthy prison sentence will be a deterrent to current and/or future drug traffickers. HSI will continue to pursue cross-border conspiracy investigations to target dangerous individuals who threaten the security of the United States.”
HSI investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Rex Beasley prosecuted the case.
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Violent Felon Sentenced to 46 Months in Federal Prison After Being Found Armed with a Machinegun and Unconscious in a Running Vehicle on I-465Read the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS- Michael Parham, 31, of Indianapolis, Indiana has been sentenced to 46 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to illegally possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.
According to court documents, on August 26, 2021, at approximately 9:36 a.m., Carmel Police Department (CPD) officers were alerted to a man slumped over the steering wheel of his vehicle at the I-465 Westbound exit to US-31 South.
When CPD officers arrived, they saw two men passed out in the driver and front passenger seats of a white Buick Regal. The driver was identified as Michael Parham. The Buick was running and in drive, with Parham’s foot on the brake. The windows of the Buick were all rolled down and the doors were locked. An officer reached into the Buick and put the vehicle in park. The officer then began shaking and yelling at Parham to wake him from his unconscious state.
Parham did not verbally respond to any questions about his medical status or whether he was under the influence of any narcotics. Officers removed the keys from the Buick and placed Parham under arrest. During the search of the vehicle, officers located a loaded 9-millimeter Glock semi-automatic pistol on the front driver floorboard in plain view. The Glock pistol was loaded and equipped with a machinegun conversion device.
Machinegun conversion devices, sometimes called “Glock switches” or “auto-sears,” are devices that convert ordinary semiautomatic firearms into fully automatic machineguns. Machinegun conversion devices are themselves considered machineguns under federal law, even when not installed, and are illegal to possess or sell without a special license.
Parham is prohibited from possessing any firearm due to his previous federal felony conviction for robbery. At the time of this arrest, Parham was still on supervised release after being released from federal prison for the robbery.
United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, Zachary A. Myers, Daryl S. McCormick, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Columbus Field Division, and Jim Barlow, Chief of the Carmel Police Department, made the announcement.
“Violent criminals who continue to illegally arm themselves pose a tremendous danger to our communities—especially when their handguns are illegally converted into machineguns” said U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, Zachary A. Myers. “This defendant demonstrated that he learned little from his prior sentence. He will now return to federal prison, ensuring that the public will again be protected from any of his further crimes while he is incarcerated. Our office will continue to work with our partners at ATF and the Carmel Police Department to disarm dangerous offenders and get them off our streets.”
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and Carmel Police Department investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Jane Magnus-Stinson. Judge Stinson also ordered that Parham be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for 3 years following his release from federal prison.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorney Peter A. Blackett, who prosecuted this case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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United States Attorney’s Office Awarded Several New Prosecutor and Support-Staff Positions, Including Additional Resources to Prosecute Violent Crime in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
Spokane, WA: U.S. Attorney Vanessa R. Waldref, the chief federal law enforcement officer for the Eastern District of Washington, announced today that her office has received authorization and funding from the Department of Justice to hire seven new full-time Assistant United States Attorneys (AUSAs) and two full-time support staff. The new positions – which will be spread throughout the District’s three offices in Spokane, Yakima, and Richland – will be dedicated to combating terrorism, fraud, drug trafficking, and violent crime, including in Indian Country. The U.S. Department of Justice allocated these positions to U.S. Attorney’s Offices throughout the country from funding approved in last year’s federal budget.
“We are excited for these additional resources to further our mission to build safer and stronger communities in Eastern Washington,” U.S. Attorney Waldref said. “In the next month, we will have, for the first time ever, full-time AUSAs serving in our Richland branch office. With the addition of the nine new positions announced today, we will be able to further enhance our efforts to protect neighborhoods, families, and communities in the Tri-Cities, Spokane, Yakima, and throughout our beautiful district.”
U.S. Attorney Waldref continued, “With these new positions, we will have forty AUSAs serving in the Eastern District of Washington. This means that our team – which includes attorneys, critical support positions, administrative officers, victim witness advocates, forfeiture personnel, etc. – will grow to approximately ninety civil servants dedicated to DOJ’s mission to seek justice for all.”
“We’re especially grateful to have additional resources devoted to the important work we do in Indian Country, where we prosecute major crimes arising on the District’s four reservations – the Yakama Nation, the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, the Spokane Tribe, and the Kalispel Tribe. In fact, one of the AUSA positions is specifically devoted to cases involving Missing and Murdered Indigenous People. We recognize that indigenous communities suffer violence, especially domestic violence, at much higher rates than many other demographics. We are committed to addressing violent crimes in Indian country and elsewhere and holding perpetrators accountable.”
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Washington currently has more than thirty AUSAs serving in its Criminal and Civil Divisions in Spokane, Yakima, and Richland. The hiring process for the new positions is already underway and additional listings will be posted in the coming weeks. All of the Office’s openings will be made available at http://www.usajobs.gov.
United States Attorney's Office, in Conjunction with HSI Arizona, OFO Arizona and the Tucson and Yuma Border Patrol Sectors, Announces Drug Interdiction Results in Operations Blue Lotus and Four HorsemenRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – The United States Attorney’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and U.S. Customs and Border Protections, Office of Field Operations’ (OFO) Tucson Field Office and Border Patrol’s Tucson and Yuma Sectors announced today the results of drug interdiction operations along the border from March 6 through May 8. HSI and OFO’s Operation Blue Lotus, along with the Four Horsemen operation coordinated by the Border Patrol, seized substantial amounts of methamphetamine and interdicted more than a ton of fentanyl.
Representative drug cases referred federally for prosecution include the following:
- United States v. Guadalupe Trujillo-Quintana and Sabrina Renee Alaniz-Lopez: The driver and his passenger were each charged after their Dodge Challenger was referred to secondary inspection at the DeConcini Port of Entry in Nogales, and x-rayed. Customs and Border Protection Officers found 156 packages of pills that field-tested positive for fentanyl, with a total weight of 94 kilograms.
- United States v. Kevin Rodriguez-Ballesteros: The driver and sole occupant was charged after his Ford Lobo was referred to secondary inspection in Nogales, and x-rayed. Further inspection resulted in the seizure of 236 packages that field-tested positive for fentanyl, with a total weight of 188.56 kilograms.
- United States v. Adela Baez: The driver was accompanied by her two minor children. At the Lukeville Port of Entry, a canine alerted to the odor of narcotics emanating from her Chevrolet Traverse. Subsequent investigation resulted in the interdiction of 32 packages that field-tested positive for fentanyl, with a total weight of 33.12 kilograms.
- United States v. Elvia Canez: The driver and sole occupant was charged after her Dodge Grand Caravan was referred to secondary inspection at the Mariposa Port of Entry in Nogales, and subsequent x-ray showed packages in the quarter panels and seats of the vehicle. In total, 73 packages were interdicted that field-tested positive for fentanyl, with a total weight of 54.81 kilograms.
- United States v. Isidro Pantoja-Ramirez: The driver and sole occupant of a Ford F-150 presented at the immigration checkpoint located near Wellton, Arizona, and was referred to secondary inspection after a canine alerted to the vehicle. During the subsequent search, 16 vacuum sealed packages containing small blue pills were located in the inside of the tailgate and in the spare tire on the undercarriage of the vehicle. The pills field-tested positive for fentanyl, and had a total weight of 62.5 kilograms.
- United States v. Melody Karina Romero Quezada: The driver and her passenger, driving in a Honda HR-V, approached the Border Patrol Checkpoint on Interstate 19 outside Amado, Arizona. A Border Patrol canine alerted to the vehicle, and further investigation revealed a trap door to a hidden compartment. Inside the compartment, Border Patrol Agents located 114 bundles that field-tested positive for fentanyl, with a total weight of 14 kilograms.
- United States v. Zulma Corrales-Hernandez and Manuel Mendoza-Gonzalez: The driver and his passenger were charged after applying for entry into the United States at the Mariposa Port of Entry in Nogales. The defendants and their Mazda CX-7 were referred to secondary inspection where a Z-Portal x-ray scan led to the removal of 588 packages that field-tested positive for fentanyl, with a total weight of 73.90 kilograms.
- United States v. Rosio Lopez Carrillo: The driver, accompanied by a minor child, applied for entry into the United States at the DeConcini Port of Entry in Nogales. After a canine detected the odor of narcotics coming from his Volkswagen Touareg, the defendant was referred to secondary inspection. Following a search, 65 packages that field-tested positive for fentanyl were removed from the vehicle, with a total weight of 46.70 kilograms.
- United States v. Jeancarlos Reyes: The defendant, accompanied by his girlfriend and two children, applied for admission at the San Luis Port of Entry in his GMC Sierra. After a canine alerted to the odor of narcotics, he was referred to secondary inspection, resulting in the interdiction of 201 packages of suspected drugs in the doors of the vehicle, including 131 packages that field-tested positive for fentanyl, with a total weight of 38.54 kilograms.
Department of Homeland Security law enforcement personnel interdicted more than just drugs during these operations. The facts underlying United States v. Jesus Castillo Durazo reflect quick work by agents with HSI and the Casa Grande Border Patrol Station, with assistance from the Arizona Department of Public Safety and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in interdicting crates of .50 caliber ammunition bound for Mexico.
“Thanks to the efforts of our partners at the Department of Homeland Security, we prevented substantial amounts of fentanyl and other drugs from reaching Arizona neighborhoods,” said United States Attorney Gary Restaino. “These operations resulted in interdictions at four different ports of entry in addition to two checkpoints, and we appreciate the fine efforts of the law enforcement officers and their canine partners.”
“The success of this initiative is largely attributed to the federal, state and local partners that spent countless hours not just by responding to port calls but assisting HSI with seizures throughout Arizona,” said Scott Brown, special agent in charge for HSI Arizona. “Drugs, but especially fentanyl are decimating communities, but together and with education, we all can make a significant impact in curbing the senseless deaths associated with the sale of these deadly drugs. I thank every agent, officer, trooper and anyone else that stood alongside HSI throughout the surge to support many of our efforts.”
“The successes we’ve seen at our ports cannot be overstated. Our continued layered enforcement actions, our entire team’s dedication to protecting the homeland, and collaboration with our federal partners are key to fulfilling our mission,” said Guadalupe Ramirez, Director of Field Operations, Customs and Border Protection.
“Collaborative efforts like these are critical to protecting towns and cities across the country,” said Tucson Sector Border Patrol Chief John Modlin. “Border security is national security, and I am immensely proud of the men and women who performed these operations to keep drugs like fentanyl from reaching our communities.”
“The success of the Four Horsemen operation was due to the collaborative efforts and teamwork of multiple agencies. I am especially proud of the Yuma Sector Border Patrol agents who worked tirelessly during this operation to take deadly drugs off our streets and out of the communities we proudly serve,” said Chief Patrol Agent Yuma Sector Patricia McGurk-Daniel.
A complaint or indictment is simply a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
CASE NUMBERS: CR-23-00507-JCH; CR-23-00508-JGZ; CR-23-00574-JGZ; CR23-00689-SHR; CR-23-00594-MTL; CR-23-00690-JGZ; 23-08751MJ; 23-02741MJ; 23-01837MJ; CR-23-00596-PHX-JJT
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-074_Blue Lotus/Four Horsemen# # #
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.U.S. Marshals Locate 225 Missing Children in 16 Locations Across the United States During Operation We Will Find YouRead the Press Release
Spokane, WA – Today the United States Attorney’s Office and the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) announced that the USMS, along with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), working with several state and local agencies in 16 federal judicial districts, led a 10-week national operation resulting in the recovery or safe location of 225 endangered missing children.
Operation We Will Find You is one of the first nationwide missing children operations focused specifically on geographical areas with high clusters of critically missing children. In total, the operation resulted in the recovery of 169 children and the safe location of 56 more children. During the operation, the USMS referred 28 cases to law enforcement agencies for further investigation of alleged crimes such as drugs and weapons possession, sex trafficking, and failures to register as a sex offender.
During the operation, 42 children were located outside the city where they went missing, and 10 were found outside of the United States. The youngest child recovered was just 6 months old. While approximately 85 percent of the cases involved endangered runaways, approximately 9 percent involved family abductions. Approximately 40 of the cases involved allegations of reporting sex trafficking.Operation We Will Find You also had a direct impact on the Eastern District of Washington. It total, the operation investigated more than 20 cases arising from our District. These cases involved allegations of endangered missing children, runaways, and children abducted by non-custodial parents. Of these, 16 children were recovered. Additionally, the USMS arrested a Top 15 Most Wanted couple, who fled to Mexico from the Eastern District of Washington with their children. Each of the recovered children was safely reunited with family in Washington State.
“I commend law enforcement for locating so many missing children from our district and across the country,” stated U.S. Attorney Vanessa Waldref. “I am grateful for the leadership of the U.S. Marshals Service and their dedication to apprehending fugitives and reuniting the most vulnerable among us with their families. Our communities are safer and stronger as a result of the great service demonstrated through the joint efforts by the U.S. Marshals and their Federal, State, Local, and Tribal partners.”
United States Marshal Craig Thayer stated, “Reuniting missing children with loved ones and connecting them with appropriate services is a mission in which the United States Marshals Service takes great pride. The specialized skillset that the U.S. Marshals Service provides to our Local, State, and Tribal partners in locating and recovering missing, and oftentimes exploited children, provides these children a second chance for a better childhood by being reunited with their loved ones and connected with other necessary help.”
A number of Federal, State, Local, and Tribal agencies participated with the USMS in “Operation We Will Find You.” These agencies included the Adams County Sheriff’s Office, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Confederated Tribes Bands of Yakama Nation Police Department, Ephrata Police Department, Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, Grant County Sheriff’s Office, Moses Lake Police Department, Othello Police Department, U.S. Border Patrol, Washington Department of Child Youth and Families, Washington Department of Corrections and Yakima Police Department.
U.S. Citizen and Two Mexican Nationals Charged in Failed Smuggling EventRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Karina Martinez, of New York, was charged yesterday with smuggling two citizens of Mexico from Canada into the United States across the St. Lawrence River in Clayton, New York. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Chief Patrol Agent Thomas G. Martin, United States Border Patrol, Buffalo Sector, made the announcement.
The criminal complaint filed in federal court alleges that on May 23, 2023, Martinez rented a boat from the Clayton Marina, in Clayton, and drove the boat illegally into Canadian waters where she picked up two Mexican citizens and returned with them to the United States illegally. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) notified U.S. law enforcement after they encountered the two Mexican citizens in Canada attempting to rent kayaks.
Upon conviction, the charges filed against Martinez carry a maximum term of 10 years in prison, a maximum fine of $250,000, as well as a post-incarceration term of supervised release of up to 3 years. The two Mexican citizens, Jose Guadalupe Martinez-Peralta, and Kevin Martinez-Toral, were each charged with unlawfully entering the United States and if convicted face up to six months in jail, a fine of up to $5,000, and possible deportation and future exclusion from the United States.[1] A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.
The charges in the criminal complaints are merely accusations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The case is being investigated by the United States Border Patrol—Wellesley Island Station including several operational teams and marine (boat) units, with assistance from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Stitt is prosecuting the case.
[1] Immigration proceedings related to removal or deportation are adjudicated in Immigration Court as a separate civil proceeding and not during the criminal prosecution described herein.
U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah Announces New Initiative Focusing on Environmental Justice and Public ReportingRead the Press Release
Salt Lake City, Utah – United States Attorney, Trina A. Higgins, has named Assistant United States Attorney, Melina Shiraldi, to lead the District of Utah’s Environmental Justice Initiative.
May marks the one-year anniversary since U.S. Attorney Higgins was sworn in as the first female presidentially appointed U.S. Attorney for the District of Utah. As part of her ongoing commitment to pursue justice and equity throughout Utah, prosecuting environmental crimes is part of that equation.
The role of the U.S. Attorney’s office is to investigate any civil or criminal matter that may involve a disproportionate and adverse environmental or human health effect on identifiable low income, minority, or tribal communities.
“We seek to ensure that all people of Utah have equal access to a healthy environment,” said U.S. Attorney Higgins.
A seasoned federal prosecutor, Shiraldi, has 14 years legal experience and five years with the U.S. Attorney’s Office. As the Environmental Justice Coordinator, AUSA Shiraldi will lead efforts along with the U.S. Attorney to enforce environmental laws in the District of Utah’s housing, communities, and land.
“We will protect environmental quality and human health in all Utah communities,” said AUSA Shiraldi.
More information about the environmental justice initiative can be found on the district’s website at USAO-UT. A public service announcement video on this initiative can be found on the USAO-Utah YouTube channel.
PixabayThe U.S. Attorney’s Office welcomes information from the public regarding possible environmental, health, and climate impacts on individuals and communities in Utah. You may submit information or concerns regarding Environmental Justice to the Environmental Justice Coordinator at [email protected] via phone at (801) 524-5682 or by mail at U.S. Attorney’s Office-District of Utah, Attn: Environmental Justice Coordinator, 111 South Main Street, Suite 1800, Salt Lake City, Utah 84111-2176
A focus of the Department of Justice, on May 5, 2022, the Attorney General announced actions to enhance and advance the Department’s environmental justice work. Among other EJ efforts, the Department issued a Comprehensive Environmental Justice Enforcement Strategy (the Strategy) and created the Office of Environmental Justice (OEJ) within the Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). The strategy requires USAO offices to track and report annually on environmental justice matters
U.S. Attorney Announces Application Process for Second Term of NYCHA MonitorshipRead the Press Release
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York (“SDNY”) and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (“HUD”) are soliciting applications from qualified individuals to serve as monitor for the New York City Housing Authority (“NYCHA”) under the January 31, 2019 settlement agreement (“Agreement”) between HUD, NYCHA, and the City of New York, for the second five-year term of the monitorship. The Agreement is available here.
The “primary purpose of the [Agreement] is to remedy the deficient physical conditions in NYCHA properties, ensure that NYCHA complies with its obligations under federal law, reform the management structure of NYCHA, and facilitate cooperation and coordination between HUD, NYCHA, and the City during the term of this Agreement.” Agreement ¶ 8. The monitor plays a significant role in providing strategic advice, technical support, and oversight necessary to achieve these purposes, in partnership with SDNY and HUD and in close collaboration with NYCHA’s own leadership, NYCHA’s residents and resident groups, and the City of New York. Together with these and other stakeholders, the monitor is responsible for ensuring the implementation of reform efforts currently underway; developing additional strategies necessary to further the goals of the agreement; and leading data-driven assessments of NYCHA’s progress, including with respect to the obligations and metrics contained in the Agreement.[1]
SDNY and HUD anticipate that this selection will be for a five-year term beginning in early 2024. Additional detail regarding SDNY and HUD’s expectations for the position is provided in Exhibit A to this notice.
Interested individuals should submit statements of interest for appointment to the monitorship position no later than July 22, 2023. Statements of interest should be no longer than 20 pages (exclusive of exhibits), should address the applicant’s qualifications and monitoring plan, including how the applicant will successfully meet the expectations in Exhibit A, and should identify the key individuals and firms anticipated to support the monitorship. Exhibits to the statement of interest should include a preliminary proposed budget for the first year of the monitorship term and an executed version of the form attached to this notice as Exhibit B.
Statements of interest should be submitted electronically to [email protected]; please do not submit paper copies.
[1] Materials related to NYCHA’s reform efforts are available on NYCHA’s website, at https://www.nyc.gov/site/nycha/about/reports.page
Two-Time Bank Robber Pleads Guilty, Targets Same Bank LocationRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. – A Macon resident recently released from federal prison for robbing a local bank in 2013 pleaded guilty this week to attempting to rob a bank at the same location, calling his probation officer to report his own crime.
William Jeffrey Lowder, Jr., 41, pleaded guilty to attempted bank robbery before U.S. District Judge C. Ashley Royal on May 23. Lowder faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing has not been scheduled. There is no parole in the federal system.
“The defendant’s choice to attempt to rob a community bank located near a busy university campus caused unnecessary panic in a peaceful place of business,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “As Mr. Lowder well knows, individuals who threaten the peace will face consequences. I want to thank the U.S. Probation Office, the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI for their quick response.”
“Lowder’s prior prison time was apparently not enough of a teaching moment for him because he returned to his bank robbing ways while he was still on supervised release for the last bank robbery he committed,” said Keri Farley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “Thanks to the assistance of our partners with the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office, he’ll have up to 20 years in federal prison to think about what he’ll do the next time he is released from prison.”
According to facts presented in court, Lowder walked into the Truist Bank on Mercer University Drive in Macon at approximately 11:00 a.m. on Jan. 27. He approached a teller and handed over a note that read, “Money out the register, no dye packs, Sorry!” Lowder reached behind his back, which the clerk believed meant that he had a firearm; Lowder did not have a weapon. When he was told that the clerk did not have a register, Lowder left the bank.
Lowder was recently released from federal prison for robbing a bank at the same location in 2013 and was serving a term of supervised release. An hour after leaving the bank, Lowder called his U.S. Probation officer to report his crime and his location. The defendant was quickly taken into custody in Macon. The bank robbery was captured on surveillance cameras.
The case was investigated by the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office, the U.S. Probation Office and FBI.
Deputy Criminal Chief Will Keyes is prosecuting the case for the government.
Two Raytown Residents Plead Guilty to Covid Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Two Raytown, Mo., residents have pleaded guilty in federal court to their roles in a conspiracy to obtain fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans being issued under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
Deanna N. Brand, 27, waived her right to a grand jury and pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes to a federal information that charges her with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. In a separate but related case, Jason Collins, 26, pleaded guilty on Thursday, May 18, to the same offense.
Brand and Collins each admitted they participated in a conspiracy to defraud the U.S. Small Business Administration from April 2021 through January 2022.
Both Brand and Collins provided their personal identification information to a co-conspirator, who then submitted fraudulent applications for PPP loans in their names. The applications falsely claimed business income in order to receive a $20,832 loan, although neither Brand nor Collins had a business during that time.
Brand admitted she paid her co-conspirator $2,000, and spent the rest of the loan proceeds on personal expenses not associated with any business. Collins admitted he paid his co-conspirator $5,000 and spent the rest of the loan proceeds on personal expenses not associated with any business.
Under the terms of their plea agreements, Brand and Collins each must pay $20,832 in restitution to the government.
Under federal statutes, Brand and Collins each are subject to a sentence of up to five years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing hearings will be scheduled after the completion of presentence investigations by the United States Probation Office.
These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul S. Becker. They were investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation and the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.
Two Plead Guilty to Federal Wire Fraud Connected to Scheme to Defraud the Department of Veteran AffairsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that JAMES “JAY” SINYARD, age 61, and MARY “GIGI” SINYARD, age 58, have each pled guilty in federal court relating to their roles in a wire fraud scheme to defraud the Department of Veterans Affairs.
JAMES SINYARD and MARY SINYARD pled guilty on May 18, 2023 before Chief U.S. District Judge Nannette Jolivette Brown to a one count bill of information charging them with wire fraud in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343.
According to the bill of information, VetAttend of Jackson was located in Jackson, Mississippi. Beginning on or about April 2013 and continuing until at least December 2020, the SINYARDS did knowingly devise a scheme to defraud the Department of Veterans Affairs by means of materially false and fraudulent pretenses, representations, and promises, by creating false affidavits claiming services had been provided by VetAttend to veterans in need of home aid and attendance.
To effectuate this scheme, the SINYARDs submitted over one hundred applications for veterans and/or their surviving spouses to the Department of Veterans Affairs, falsely indicating that VetAttend of Jackson was already providing services to these veterans. As a result of these fictitious affidavits, from approximately August 2014 to approximately December 2020, the VA issued funds to over 70 veterans and/or their surviving spouses from whom VetAttend of Jackson misappropriated approximately $2,136,329.68 in fraudulent funds relating to the false affidavits of services provided.
“Today’s guilty plea sends a clear message to those who would exploit veterans to commit fraud that they will be investigated and held accountable,” said Special Agent in Charge Kris Raper with the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General’s South-Central Field Office.
The Court set sentencing of JAMES SINYARD and MARY SINYARD for September 28, 2023.
Each defendant faces a possible maximum term of imprisonment of twenty years, up to a $250,000 fine, up to three (3) years supervised release, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee .
The U.S. Attorney’s Office praised the work of the Department of Veterans Affairs – Office of Inspector General.
The prosecution of the case is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Kathryn McHugh, Financial Crimes Unit.