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Wednesday 12 April 2023
U.S. Attorney Announces Agreement with the City University of New York to Remedy the Exclusion of A Student with Visual ImpairmentsRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced a voluntary compliance agreement under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”) with the City University of New York (“CUNY”) pursuant to which CUNY will provide individual relief to a student with visual impairments who was excluded from full participation in their academic courses and implement systemwide policies to ensure future compliance with the ADA across CUNY’s 25 colleges in the five boroughs of New York City, which collectively serve 243,000 students.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “It is simply unacceptable that any student should be denied equal access to an education because of a disability. We are pleased that CUNY has agreed to provide relief to the student whose education was compromised and that CUNY is committed to improving the accessibility of its courses, including online and digital content, for all future students.”
Title II of the ADA prohibits public entities from discriminating against any individual on the basis of disability by excluding the individual from participation in services, programs, and activities. The ADA requires public entities to make reasonable modifications to avoid such discrimination and to administer their services, programs, and activities in the most integrated setting appropriate to the needs of qualified individuals with disabilities, including by furnishing appropriate auxiliary aids and services to ensure effective communication.
The out-of-court agreement resolves an investigation during which the U.S. Attorney’s Office determined that CUNY failed to provide reasonable accommodations required under the ADA for a student with visual impairments at CUNY’s John Jay School of Criminal Justice and identified shortcomings in CUNY’s accessibility and reasonable accommodation policies and procedures. Specifically, the investigation found, among other things, that CUNY failed to make qualified learning assistants available to ensure an integrated learning setting for the student in numerous science and mathematics courses. Additionally, John Jay instructors required students to use WebAssign, a third-party online learning product, to complete assignments, but that digital platform was not fully capable of reading out mathematical and scientific symbols and equations. Furthermore, John Jay repeatedly failed to make usable versions of required textbooks and other course materials available to the student by the start of courses. The student made a number of attempts to bring the deficiencies to the attention of staff at John Jay and CUNY, but neither John Jay nor CUNY had adequate policies and procedures to ensure that reasonable accommodation requests and related complaints are addressed in a timely and appropriate manner. As a result, the student received unduly poor grades and was forced to forgo taking other desired and required advanced courses for a number of academic years.
CUNY has agreed to prepare and implement systemwide policies to ensure improved accessibility of educational content to visually impaired students, including digital learning content, proper training of staff and faculty, and effective reasonable accommodation and complaint procedures.
Under the agreement, CUNY will permanently purge all of the affected student’s grades in the relevant courses in which reasonable modifications were not provided and pay the student $10,000 in compensatory damages. CUNY will also adopt systemwide policies and procedures to ensure:
- The prompt availability of qualified learning assistants, including by initiating an appropriate and timely search process, involving the relevant affected students in that process, and setting a reasonable level of compensation likely to attract qualified candidates;
- The prompt availability of accessible course materials by the start of the relevant course or as soon as practicable based upon early consultations with affected students;
- Reasonable accommodation and complaint mechanisms based on clear, short deadlines by which accommodation requests and complaints must be addressed and remaining concerns are promptly escalated to higher-level administrators as necessary;
- Information Technology accessibility consistent with the latest Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, including via verification of the accessibility of third-party learning products and of instructors’ awareness of accessibility requirements for instructor-created content; and
- Training of faculty and accessibility-services staff on ADA requirements.
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This case is being handled by the Office’s Civil Rights Unit in the Civil Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Cha-Kim is in charge of the case.
Two Minneapolis Men Indicted for Armed Carjacking, KidnappingRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – Two Minneapolis men have been indicted for violently carjacking, kidnapping, and holding a victim at gunpoint for several hours, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, on the evening of February 14, 2023, a man called 911 to report that he had been kidnapped and robbed by three individuals, later identified as Jamal Timothy Funchess, 18, T’Shawn Teon Palton, 21, and a juvenile. The victim reported that he had made arrangements over Facebook Marketplace to buy a cell phone. The victim and the purported seller arranged to meet at a location in Columbia Heights. When the victim arrived at the location and was still in the car, Funchess and Palton approached, and one pointed a firearm at the victim. The men ordered the victim to the backseat of the car. The men then got into the victim’s car, drove a few blocks, and picked up the juvenile. The three individuals held the victim at gunpoint for the next several hours. Each of the three at some point held the firearm and pointed it at the victim. During this time, they demanded that the victim surrender his cell phone, wallet, credit cards, and banking information. They drove to several gas stations around the Twin Cities in an attempt to use the victim’s cards to withdraw money. At one point, one of the men struck the victim in the face with the firearm. Toward the end of the ordeal, the three men discussed what to do with the victim and openly talked about murdering him. Eventually, they dropped the victim on a road in St. Paul and drove away in the victim’s car. The victim ran to a nearby gas station and borrowed an employee’s cell phone to call 911.
Officers were able to use the location of the victim’s stolen cell phone to find Palton, Funchess, and the juvenile kidnapper, along with the victim’s stolen car and possessions.
The indictment charges Funchess and Palton with kidnapping, carjacking, and two counts of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. The defendants, who are currently in federal custody, previously made initial appearances on a related complaint in U.S. District Court before Magistrate Judge John F. Docherty.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, the Bloomington Police Department, and the Anoka County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah E. Hudleston and Matthew D. Forbes are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Two Chicago Men Sentenced to Prison After Coming to Iowa Numerous Times to Acquire GunsRead the Press Release
Two men from Chicago were sentenced to prison terms after coming to Iowa to purchase firearms illegally.
Artin Thomas, age 29, from Chicago, Illinois, received a prison term after a November 7, 2022 guilty plea to making a false statement during the purchase of a firearm. In a plea agreement, he admitted buying firearms in May, June, and July 2022 in Iowa and lying about his address at each purchase. He also admitted that he was a marijuana user at the time he purchased the firearms, which he did not disclose at the time of the purchases. He also admitted that he purchased the guns to resell them.
Thomas was sentenced on April 3, 2023, to 41 months’ imprisonment.
Javon Jones, age 27, from Chicago Illinois, received a prison term after a November 7, 2022 guilty plea to two counts of possession of a firearm by a felon. In his plea agreement, Jones admitted possessing firearms following felony convictions on two separate dates in July 2022. Thomas was previously convicted of mob action - fail to withdraw, simple assault, aggravated battery/peace officer, aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, unlawful use or possession of a weapon by a felon, resisting a peace officer/correctional officer/firefighter, and felon in possession or use of a firearm.
Jones was sentenced on April 11, 2023, to 46 months’ imprisonment.
Both Thomas and Jones were sentenced by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. They were each ordered to serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Thomas and Joes are being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until they can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Emily K. Nydle and investigated by the Dubuque Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 22-cr-1025.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Two Arizona Residents Sentenced in South Dakota Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that District Court Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced Sean Gross, of Phoenix Arizona, and Brandie Rinnet, of Bullhead City, Arizona, on charges of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance and Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering. The sentencings took place on April 10, 2023.
Sean Richard Gross, age 40, was sentenced to 26 years and eight months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release on Count 1, Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. Additionally, he was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release on Count 2, Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering. These sentences to run concurrently to one another. He was also ordered to pay a $200 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Brandie Rinnet, age 41, was sentenced to 21 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, on the charge of Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering. She was also ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Gross and Rinnet were indicted together, along with three others, by a federal grand jury in December of 2021. Gross pleaded guilty on January 17, 2023, and Rinnet pleaded guilty on January 18, 2023.
Gross, along with others, came to an understanding to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine in the District of South Dakota, and elsewhere. During Gross’ involvement, he reached an agreement to provide methamphetamine to Christopher Daniels in South Dakota. Daniels was previously sentenced to 30 years in federal prison for his involvement in this conspiracy. Gross sent Daniels methamphetamine to South Dakota through the mail and also delivered it to him in person, so that Daniels could further distribute the methamphetamine throughout South Dakota.
Daniels would then send the proceeds of his meth sales in South Dakota to Brandie Rinnet in Arizona, who accepted and attempted to conceal these transactions on behalf of Sean Gross. Gross instructed Daniels, and others, on the manner in which they should wire the money for the purpose of concealing the fact that the money sent was acquired from the sale of methamphetamine and to avoid implicating Gross’ involvement. Gross had multiple conversations with Daniels and Rinnet regarding the movement of funds derived from the sale of methamphetamine on behalf of the conspiracy.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, IRS Criminal Investigation team, Sioux Falls Police Department, Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Office, Moody County Sheriff’s Office, and the South Dakota Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Hodges prosecuted the case.
Gross and Rinnet were immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Ten Defendants Charged with Decade-Long, Multi-Million-Dollar Scheme to Defraud International Cargo AirlineRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Michael J. Driscoll, the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), and Thomas Fattorusso, the Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (“IRS-CI”), announced the unsealing of a four-count Indictment charging LARS WINKELBAUER, ABILASH KURIEN, CARLTON LLEWELLYN, ROBERT SCHIRMER, SKYE XU, BENJAMIN WEI, a/k/a/ “Ben Wei,” ALVARO LOPEZ, FABIOLA CINO, ORLANDO WONG, and PATRICK LAU, a/k/a “Pat Lau,” in connection with a massive scheme to defraud Polar Air Cargo Worldwide, Inc. (“Polar”), a leading cargo airline, of tens of millions of dollars in revenue and the honest services of its employees. Nine defendants were arrested today. KURIEN, LLEWELLYN, SCHIRMER, and LAU will be presented in federal court in Manhattan this afternoon. WEI and WONG will be presented later today in federal court in the Central District of California. LOPEZ and CINO will be presented later today in federal court in the Southern District of Florida. WINKELBAUER was arrested today in Thailand and is pending extradition to the United States. SKYE XU remains at large.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As alleged, the 10 defendants charged today conducted a widespread scheme that tainted nearly every aspect of Polar Air Cargo Worldwide’s operations and that cost the company an estimated $52 million in losses. The defendants, all of whom were either employed in high-level positions by Polar or were vendors reliant on business arrangements with Polar, allegedly showed a blatant disregard for the integrity of their companies in favor of lining their own pockets. Their pervasive fraud ends today, and each defendant now faces substantial prison time for their alleged crimes.”
FBI Assistant Director Michael J. Driscoll said: “For more than a decade, the defendants allegedly utilized a complex set of schemes at the expense of Polar Air to line their own pockets. The indictments today serve as a reminder to any unscrupulous actors attempting complex frauds – the FBI will hold you accountable in the criminal justice system.”
IRS-CI Special Agent in Charge Thomas Fattorusso said: “Today’s charges are the opening salvo against a decade-long scam by a small group of Polar’s executives and others that allegedly tainted every aspect of its business operations. These arrests and charges today will hopefully begin the process of righting the alleged wrongs of those charged and put the company on a path to integrity, which its hardworking employees and legitimate customers deserve.”
As alleged in the Indictment:[1]
From at least in or about 2009 through in or about July 2021, LARS WINKELBAUER, ABILASH KURIEN, CARLTON LLEWELLYN, ROBERT SCHIRMER, SKYE XU, BENJAMIN WEI, ALVARO LOPEZ, FABIOLA CINO, ORLANDO WONG, and PATRICK LAU participated in a massive scheme to defraud Polar. At all relevant times, WINKELBAUER, KURIEN, LLEWELLYN, and SCHIRMER (collectively, the “Executive Defendants”) were senior executives of Polar. XU, WEI, LOPEZ, CINO, WONG, and LAU (collectively, the “Vendor Defendants”) owned and operated various Polar vendors and customers. The Executive Defendants agreed to accept millions of dollars in kickbacks from the Vendor Defendants and also reaped substantial financial benefits as a result of their secret ownership interests in certain Polar vendors, in exchange for ensuring that those vendors received favorable business arrangements with Polar. The fraud they perpetrated — which involved a substantial portion of Polar’s senior management and at least 10 customers and vendors of Polar — led to pervasive corruption of Polar’s business, touching nearly every aspect of the company’s operations, for over a decade.
Polar’s business involved numerous outside vendors and customers. Polar relied heavily on third-party, general sales agents (“GSAs”) in the United States to sell cargo space on its planes. In turn, the GSAs hired by Polar often sold available cargo space to freight forwarding vendors, which had been hired by downstream customers to coordinate transportation logistics for large quantities of goods. Polar also contracted with ground handling vendors to load and unload cargo and with trucking vendors to transport cargo from domestic locations to the appropriate airports. In addition, Polar contracted with other partners for a variety of business reasons, including to secure cargo space on airline routes not serviced by Polar flights. The scheme to defraud Polar touched on each aspect of these operations.
Together, the Executive Defendants and the Vendor Defendants defrauded Polar by corrupting Polar’s relationships with GSAs, freight forwarders, and other vendors, including those providing ground handling and trucking services. Unbeknownst to Polar, the Executive Defendants utilized their positions within Polar to secure, among other things, favorable contracts, valuable cargo space, favorable shipping rates, and enrollment in various incentive programs for the Vendor Defendants and their entities. In return, the Vendor Defendants paid the Executive Defendants kickbacks in various forms, including, for example, in payments calculated per kilo of cargo shipped with Polar or as a percentage of the revenue earned as a result of a vendor’s relationship with Polar. In addition, the Executive Defendants, in various combinations, held concealed ownership positions in certain companies which contracted with Polar and that were, in at least one case, associated with the Vendor Defendants. As a result, the Executive Defendants received ownership distributions based, in large part, on revenue derived from contracts with Polar — contracts that had been secured and, often times, renewed due to, in large part, the recommendation of the Executive Defendants with conflicts of interest.
To conceal the kickbacks and conflicted ownership interests from Polar, and thereby to continue the fraud scheme, WINKELBAUER, KURIEN, LLEWELLYN, and SCHIRMER often directed the kickbacks and ownership distributions be paid to limited liability companies with non-descript names that they, in fact, controlled. Additionally, the Executive Defendants communicated amongst themselves and with the Vendor Defendants about the scheme primarily using personal email accounts, while the Vendor Defendants conducted official Polar business with the Executive Defendants primarily using their professional email accounts.
As a result of the scheme, the Executive Defendants, along with two co-conspirators who also worked as senior executives at Polar, received unlawful payments, either directly or through various limited liability companies they controlled, in excess of approximately $23 million in kickback payments or disbursements received as a result of their ownership of conflicted companies. Additionally, a financial analysis conducted at Polar’s direction estimates that, as a result of the fraudulent scheme, Polar suffered at least approximately $52 million in losses between in or about 2009 and in or about July 2021.
In the Summer of 2021, Polar discovered documentary evidence of the conflicted ownership arrangements and kickback agreements. Shortly thereafter, Polar terminated the employment of WINKELBAUER, KURIEN, LLEWELLYN, and SCHIRMER, and reported the conduct to law enforcement authorities. Polar has continued to cooperate with law enforcement authorities through the investigation.
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WINKELBAUER, 47, of Bangkok, Thailand, KURIEN, 45, of Wilton, Connecticut, LLEWELLYN, 55, of Highland Mills, New York, SCHIRMER, 58, of Port Jefferson Station, New York, XU, 40, of West Covina, California, WEI, 58, of San Marino, California, LOPEZ, 50, of Aventura, Florida, CINO, 45, of Aventura, Florida, WONG, 60, of Manhattan Beach, California, and LAU, 43, of Flushing, New York, are each charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and honest services wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; one count of wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. WINKELBAUER, KURIEN, LLEWELLYN, and SCHIRMER are also charged with one count of honest services wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
The maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by a judge.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding work of the FBI and IRS-CI. Mr. Williams also thanked the United States Attorney’s Offices for the Central District of California and the Southern District of Florida as well as the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and Thai authorities for their assistance in the investigation.
The case is being prosecuted by the Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Katherine Reilly and Danielle Kudla are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the description of the Indictment set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described therein should be treated as an allegation.
Superseding Indictment Charges 5 New Haven Men with Fentanyl Trafficking OffensesRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Robert Fuller, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, today announced that a federal grand jury in New Haven has returned a superseding indictment charging LUIS SALAMAN, a.k.a. “Bebe,” 41; CHRISTIAN LOPEZ, a.k.a. “Face,” 38; MELVIN SANTIAGO, a.k.a. “Pina,” 34; JESUS SEGUINOT, a.k.a. “Chuchi,” 33; and KELLY QUINONES-ADORNO, 27, all of New Haven, with fentanyl trafficking offenses.
The indictment, which was returned on April 6, 2023, was unsealed on April 10 when Lopez, Santiago, Seguinot, and Quinones-Adorno were arrested. On that date, these four defendants appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Maria E. Garcia in New Haven and were ordered detained pending the submission of bond proposals. Salaman has been detained since his arrest on the original indictment on April 5, 2022.
As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, in October 2021, the FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force learned that Salaman was distributing large quantities of narcotics throughout New Haven. The investigation revealed that Salaman worked with Lopez, Santiago, Seguinot, and Quinones-Adorno to distribute fentanyl. Between November 2021 and March 2022, investigators made multiple controlled purchases of distribution quantities of heroin/fentanyl from these individuals.
The indictment charges Salaman with conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl. If convicted of this offense, he faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of life. The indictment charges Lopez, Santiago, Seguinot, and Quinones-Adorno with conspiracy to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl. If convicted of this offense, each faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 40 years.
The indictment also charges each defendant with one or more counts of possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of, 40 grams or more of fentanyl, an offense that carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 40 years.
In addition, the indictment alleges that Salaman is eligible for enhanced penalties because of a prior conviction for a serious violent felony, which potentially increases his mandatory minimum prison sentence to 15 years.
U.S. Attorney Avery stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This investigation is being conducted by FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force, which includes members from the FBI, the Connecticut State Police, the Connecticut Department of Correction, and the New Haven, Milford, East Haven, West Haven, and Wallingford Police Departments.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Conor M. Reardon and Robert S. Ruff.
St. Louis County Man Admits Possession of Tens of Thousands of Child Pornography Videos, PicturesRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A man from St. Louis County, Missouri pleaded guilty Wednesday to a federal charge and admitted possessing more than 63,000 images and videos containing child pornography.
Christopher D. Cotton, 32, admitted uploading files containing child pornography to Dropbox, which triggered a report to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and an investigation.
On July 13, 2022, law enforcement officers executed a court-approved search warrant at Cotton’s home in St. Louis County near Florissant. Cotton admitted both viewing and collecting child pornography. He also told officers that he'd received child pornography from “maybe fifteen or more” minors with whom he had contact via social media, the youngest of which Cotton said was 13 years old.
Investigators would later find a total of at least 16,677 images and 46,414 videos of child pornography stored online and on Cotton’s electronic devices, including a laptop and three cell phones.
Cotton pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis Wednesday to one count of receiving child pornography. The charge carries a potential penalty of from five years to 20 years in prison. Cotton could also be fined up to $250,000.
The case was investigated by the Maryland Heights Police Department, the St. Louis County Special Investigations Unit and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jillian Anderson prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Springfield Man Indicted for Sexual Exploitation of Two Child VictimsRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield, Mo., man was indicted by a federal grand jury today for the sexual exploitation of two child victims.
Yevgeniy Dudko, 51, was charged in a three-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Springfield. Today’s indictment replaces a federal criminal complaint that was filed against Dudko on March 16, 2023, and includes additional charges.
The indictment charges Dudko with two counts of using minors, identified in court documents as Jane Doe 1 and Jane Doe 2, to produce child pornography from Nov. 20, 2021, to March 14, 2023. Dudko is also charged with one count of receiving and distributing child pornography.
According to an affidavit filed in support of the original criminal complaint, investigators found approximately 1,000 images of Jane Doe 1 and potentially other minor victims on Dudko’s cell phone. Some of these images appeared to have been created by a hidden camera.
The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ami Harshad Miller. It was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Southwest Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force, and the Greene County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department.
South Florida Resident Sentenced to Prison for COVID-19 Paycheck Protection Program FraudRead the Press Release
MIAMI – Damian Davis, 41, has been sentenced in federal district court to 24 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for bank and wire fraud as part of a scheme to defraud the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) out of loan proceeds. These loans are guaranteed by the Small Business Administration (SBA) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act. Additionally, the Honorable William P. Dimitrouleas ordered Davis to pay over half a million dollars in restitution.
In June and July 2020, Davis applied for PPP loans in the name of the following three companies, which he owns; Wolf of Flagler, LLC, in the amount of $128,400; Crates Tavern, LLC, in the amount of $183,780, and Fifth Marketing Group, LLC, in the amount of $274,365. As a result of these loan applications, Davis received a total of $586,545 in PPP funds, which he used for his personal benefit.
For example, in one of the companies’ loan applications, Davis listed a loan amount of $274,365 and an average monthly payroll of $109,746, he falsely certified the companies’ number of employees and payroll payments. Also, he falsely certified that the funds would be used to support the ongoing operations of the company. After receiving the PPP loan proceeds, Davis did not make any payroll, rent, utility, or mortgage interest payments. Instead, he used the PPP funds to purchase a car. On August 28, 2020, Davis wired $31,000, from the PPP loan proceeds for the alleged purchase of “equipment.” However, Davis did not buy any equipment, he purchased a 2001 Blue BMW M3.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe of the Southern District of Florida and Special Agent in Charge Matthew D. Line of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Miami Field Office, announced the sentence imposed by U.S. District Judge Dimitrouleas.
IRS-CI Miami investigated the case, with assistance from the U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General (SBA-OIG), Investigations Division’s Eastern Region. Assistant U.S. Attorney Bertila Lilia Fernandez prosecuted the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Stone is handling asset forfeiture.
In March 2020, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act was enacted. It was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Among other sources of relief, the CARES Act authorized and provided funding to the SBA to provide Economic Injury Disaster Loans (“EIDLs”) to eligible small businesses, including sole proprietorships and independent contractors, experiencing substantial financial disruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic to allow them to meet financial obligations and operating expenses that could otherwise have been met had the disaster not occurred. EIDL applications were submitted directly to the SBA via the SBA’s on-line application website, and the applications were processed and the loans funded for qualifying applicants directly by the SBA.
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.
On September 15, 2022, the Attorney General selected the Southern District of Florida’s U.S. Attorney’s Office to head one of three national COVID-19 Fraud Strike Force Teams. The Department of Justice established the Strike Force to enhance existing efforts to combat and prevent COVID-19 related financial fraud. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please click here.
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.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 22-cr-60186.
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Sioux Falls Man Charged with Transportation of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a federal grand jury has indicted a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man for two counts of Transportation of Child Pornography.
Matthew Richard Hainje, age 44, was indicted in March of 2023. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Veronica L. Duffy on April 11, 2023, and pleaded not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 40 years in federal prison per count and/or a $250,000 fine, life of supervised release, and up to $200 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment alleges that on December 20, 2022, and again between December 22, 2022, and January 13, 2023, Hainje knowingly transported child pornography. It is alleged that Hainje uploaded graphic images and video files depicting one or more minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct into his Dropbox and Google accounts.
The charges are merely accusations and Hainje is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the Sioux Falls Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey C. Clapper is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Hainje was remanded to the custody of the State pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
Shiprock woman pleads guilty to involuntary manslaughterRead 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 Evelyn Bustamante pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter. Bustamante, 59, of Sanostee, New Mexico, and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, will remain on conditions of release pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled.
According to the plea agreement and other court documents, on July 1, 2021, Bustamante lost control of the vehicle she was driving, causing it to crash and ejecting both Bustamante and her two children from the vehicle. Neither of the children were seat belted or in car-seats. One of the children died from their injuries. The second suffered a skull fracture and subdural hemorrhaging but recovered. Tests showed that Upshaw’s blood alcohol concentration was .18 at the time of the accident, which is more than twice the legal limit in New Mexico. The crash occurred near Hogback, New Mexico. Bustamante admitted to drinking alcohol that morning. During a routine toxicological examination, doctors determined that she had methamphetamine and amphetamine in her system.
Under the terms of the agreement, Bustamante can be sentenced between 5 and 8 years in prison followed by up to 3 years of supervised release.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Nation Police Department and New Mexico State Police. Assistant United States Attorney Matthew McGinley is prosecuting the case.
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23-77
Shiprock woman pleads guilty to involuntary manslaughterRead 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 Evelyn Bustamante pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter. Bustamante, 59, of Sanostee, New Mexico, and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, will remain on conditions of release pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled.
According to the plea agreement and other court documents, on July 1, 2021, Bustamante lost control of the vehicle she was driving, causing it to crash and ejecting both Bustamante and her two children from the vehicle. Neither of the children were seat belted or in car-seats. One of the children died from their injuries. The second suffered a skull fracture and subdural hemorrhaging but recovered. The crash occurred near Hogback, New Mexico. Bustamante admitted to drinking alcohol that morning. During a routine toxicological examination, doctors determined that she had methamphetamine and amphetamine in her system.
Under the terms of the agreement, Bustamante can be sentenced between 5 and 8 years in prison followed by up to 3 years of supervised release.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Nation Police Department and New Mexico State Police. Assistant United States Attorney Matthew McGinley is prosecuting the case.
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23-77
Seven Arrested for Stealing Catalytic Converters from over 470 Vehicles and Targeting ATMs and Jewelry StoresRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Seven members of an organized theft crew were arrested today and charged in federal court in Boston in connection with thefts across the region, including catalytic converters stolen from over 470 vehicles, automatic teller machines and jewelry stores. Over 70 local police departments from across New England contributed to this investigation.
The following defendants have been charged with conspiracy to transport stolen property in interstate commerce; interstate transportation of stolen property; conspiracy to commit bank theft; bank theft; and money laundering conspiracy. They will make an initial appearance in federal court in Boston at 1:30 p.m. today:
1. Rafael Davila, a/k/a “Robin Hood,” 35, of Feeding Hills, Mass.;
2. Jose Torres, a/k/a “Goldy,” a/k/a “Goldy Tech,” 37, of Springfield, Mass.;
3. Nicolas Davila, 25, of Springfield, Mass.;
4. Carlos Fonseca, a/k/a “Charlito,” 26, of Springfield, Mass.;
5. Zachary Marshall, 26, of Holyoke, Mass.;
6. Santo Feliberty, 34, of Springfield, Mass.; and
7. Alexander Oyola, a/k/a “Dirty,” 37, of Springfield, Mass.Catalytic converters are a component of a vehicle’s exhaust device that reduce the toxic gas and pollutants from a vehicle’s internal combustion engine into safe emissions, and are required on all combustion engine automobiles in the United States. Catalytic converters use precious metals in their center or ‘core’ and are targeted for theft due to the high value of these metals – including palladium, platinum and rhodium. Some of these precious metals are more valuable per ounce than gold and their value has been increasing in recent years, with black-market prices being more than $1,000 each.
Catalytic converters thieves conduct searches in residential neighborhoods, parking lots and other locations to steal the most high-value catalytic converters. Located in a vehicle’s undercarriage, the theft of a vehicle’s catalytic converter results in damage that renders the vehicle inoperable – both mechanically and legally under EPA regulations – until properly replaced.
According to the charging documents, law enforcement throughout Massachusetts and New Hampshire identified a large number of catalytic converter thefts for which a maroon Acura was identified as having been involved. These incidents involved at least two suspects wearing dark clothing, who would target residential and commercial vehicles. The suspects were skilled and able to locate and cut away the catalytic converter from a vehicle within a minute in most instances. The suspects utilized battery operated power-tools, specifically a fast-cutting reciprocating saw. Some vehicles needed to be jacked up in order to access the catalytic converters and the suspects would promptly place the jack under the vehicle, raise it, cut the catalytic converter, stow it in the rear of the maroon Acura and move on.The investigation revealed that the maroon Acura belonged to Rafael Davila, the alleged theft crew leader who planned and participated in each of the thefts. It is alleged that Rafael Davila engages in catalytic converter thefts and burglaries on a full-time basis, committing thefts multiple nights per week for upwards of eight hours a night. Additionally, cell phone data allegedly revealed that Rafael Davila maintained meticulous notes accounting for the locations that he and his co-conspirators had targeted and the number of catalytic converters that had been stolen, including the makes and models and when they were dropped off.
It is alleged that Rafael Davila would undertake the thefts with a group of individuals, including his brother Nicolas Davila, Fonseca, Feliberty and Marshall. Rafael Davila was allegedly responsible for the planning of and transportation to each targeted theft – using his vehicle, determining price values for stolen converters and purchasing needed materials. Specifically, Rafael Davila allegedly regularly purchased large quantities of bi-metal saw blades designed to be used with a reciprocating power saw as well as cut resistant gloves which, according to surveillance footage, appear identical to those worn by the thieves.
Surveillance footage, communications and location monitoring data obtained from the defendants’ cell phones and Davila’s vehicle, identified that the defendants were allegedly involved in the theft of catalytic converters from at least 471 vehicles across Massachusetts and New Hampshire in 2022 and 2023 alone. It is believed that a significant number of additional thefts have not been identified or were not ever reported to law enforcement, however. It is alleged that, on numerous occasions, the defendants targeted more than 10 vehicles in a single night, with one night reporting thefts from 26 vehicles.
Once in possession of the stolen catalytic converters, the crew would then allegedly sell them to Torres, who would accumulate stolen catalytic converters from multiple theft crews and then in turn sell them to scrap dealers in the Northeast. In particular, Torres allegedly sold stolen catalytic converters to scrap dealers who have since been charged federally for interstate transportation of stolen property and money laundering, including Alexander Kolitsas and Downpipe Depot charged in the District of Connecticut, as well as DG Auto, a New Jersey based company charged in the Eastern District of California and Northern District of Oklahoma. Torres is alleged to have transacted approximately $30,000 to $80,000 in stolen catalytic converters per week to these entities.
Through use of digital pricing applications, and communication with the core buyers, Torres allegedly provided prices to Davila and other theft crews based of the make and model of the vehicle and by the code on the catalytic converter. Knowing the prices of the most valuable converters, Davila and his crew would seek out those makes and models to target. Torres then negotiated with the core buyer and delivered the catalytic converters to their facility. It is alleged that Torres is known to have sold and transported thousands of stolen catalytic converters to scrap dealers in the Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York and New Jersey areas.
In addition to the prolific number of catalytic converter thefts, it is alleged that Rafael Davila, Feliberty and Oyola also conspired to steal from ATMs of federally insured banks in Massachusetts on three separate occasions in December 2022. It is alleged that this conspiracy involved date use of stolen trucks that they would use to rip the ATMs from the ground and gain access to the vault. Davila, Feliberty and Oyola also are alleged to have committed burglaries of two New Hampshire jewelry stores on Jan. 12, 2023. The combined total value of the jewelry stolen during the burglaries was determined to be over $137,000, with each store facing approximately $10,000 in costs to repair the resulting damage.
The charge of conspiracy to transport stolen property in interstate commerce provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of interstate transportation of stolen property provides for a sentence of up to 10 years, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of conspiracy to commit bank theft provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of bank theft provides for a sentence of up to 10 years, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of conspiracy to commit money laundering provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $500,000 or twice the value of the proceeds, whichever is greater. 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.
Seventy local police departments in Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Connecticut contributed to this investigation through the submission of their investigations of catalytic converter thefts in their jurisdiction. The Massachusetts Police Departments contributing to the investigation were Abington, Acton, Andover, Auburn, Bedford, Bellingham, Beverly, Billerica, Burlington, Bridgewater, Canton, Carver, Chelmsford, Concord, Cranston, East Hampton, Easton, Fitchburg, Framingham, Franklin, Hampton, Hanover, Haverhill, Hingham, Holliston, Holyoke, Hudson, Ipswich, Lawrence, Leominster, Lynn, Malden, Medford, Marlborough, Methuen, Middleton, Milford, Millbury, Newton, Northborough, Norwell, Norwood, Peabody, Pembroke, Plymouth, Randolph, Rockland, Sharon, Shrewsbury, Springfield, Sterling, Sturbridge, Sudbury, Tyngsborough, Walpole, Waltham, Watertown, West Bridgewater, Weymouth, Wilmington, Woburn and Worcester. The New Hampshire Police Departments contributing to the investigation were Bow, Concord, Derry, Hooksett, Hudson, Londonderry, Manchester, Salem and Windham. The Connecticut Police Departments contributing to the investigation were South Windsor and Windsor.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and John E. Mawn, Interim Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police; and Kevin Gallagher, Director of Operations for the National Insurance Crime Bureau, Northeast Region made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was also provided by the United States Attorney’s Offices for the District of Connecticut, the Northern District of Oklahoma and the Eastern District of California; Homeland Security Investigations; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives; and the Plymouth County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip A. Mallard of Rollins’ Organized Crime & Gang Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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APPENDIX
Date
Location
Number of Vehicles Stolen From
3/7/2022
Sturbridge, Mass.
6
3/8/2022
Milford, Mass.
8
3/10/2022
Norwell, Mass.
5
3/25/2022
Wilmington, Mass.
6
3/27/2022
Millbury, Mass.
22
5/5/2022
Leominster, Mass.
10
5/10/2022
Holliston, Mass.
10
5/12/2022
Norwood, Mass.
11
5/12/2022
Walpole, Mass.
3
5/12/2022
Sharon, Mass.
7
5/17/2022
Randolph, Mass.
12
5/19/2022
Watertown, Mass.
1
5/19/2022
Medford, Mass.
14
5/19/2022
Malden, Mass.
6
7/21/2022
Lynn, Mass.
3
7/21/2022
Wilmington, Mass.
12
7/26/2022
Easton, Mass.
6
7/28/2022
Norwood, Mass.
2
7/28/2022
Woburn, Mass.
3
8/4/2022
Beverly, Mass.
2
8/16/2022
Woburn, Mass.
26
8/18/2022
Carver, Mass.
2
8/18/2022
Plymouth, Mass.
6
8/23/2022
Canton, Mass.
3
8/25/2022
Middleton, Mass.
1
8/30/2022
Peabody, Mass.
3
8/30/2022
Waltham, Mass.
10
9/1/2022
Hingham, Mass.
3
9/1/2022
Norwell, Mass.
1
9/6/2022
Easton, Mass.
1
9/8/2022
Chelmsford, Mass.
1
9/13/2022
Hanover, Mass.
1
9/13/2022
Hingham, Mass.
2
9/13/2022
Pembroke, Mass.
12
9/15/2022
Bellingham, Mass.
2
9/15/2022
Franklin, Mass.
5
9/15/2022
Hudson, Mass.
6
9/20/2022
Sudbury, Mass.
1
9/21/2022
Wilmington, Mass.
5
9/22/2022
Woburn, Mass.
5
10/2/2022
Ipswich, Mass.
10
10/2/2022
Methuen, Mass.
8
10/2/2022
Billerica, Mass.
10
10/4/2022
Londonderry, NH
13
11/24/2022
Hooksett, NH
14
11/27/2022
Wilmington, Mass.
10
11/27/2022
Millbury, Mass.
3
12/6/2022
Bow, NH
1
12/6/2022
Concord, NH
14
12/21/2022
Manchester, NH
1
12/29/2022
Easthampton, Mass.
2
12/29/2022
Holyoke, Mass.
1
1/5/2023
Framingham, Mass.
9
1/9/2023
Worcester, Mass.
13
1/19/2023
Fitchburg, Mass.
8
1/19/2023
Leominster, Mass.
1
1/26/2023
Abington, Mass.
10
1/26/2023
Weymouth, Mass.
2
1/30/2023
Shrewsbury, Mass.
16
2/9/2023
Wilmington, Mass.
1
2/9/2023
Woburn, Mass.
13
2/16/2023
Marlborough, Mass.
1
2/16/2023
Northborough, Mass.
4
2/28/2023
Auburn, Mass.
2
2/28/2023
Millbury, Mass.
7
3/7/2023
Wilmington, Mass.
3
3/7/2023
Woburn, Mass.
2
3/7/2023
Hudson, Mass.
1
3/7/2023
Burlington, Mass.
4
3/9/2023
Auburn, Mass.
3
3/9/2023
Bedford, Mass.
2
3/9/2023
Billerica, Mass.
4
3/16/2023
Sterling, Mass.
20
3/21/2023
Leominster, Mass.
13
Total
471
Serial Carjacker who Shot and Pistol-Whipped Victims Sent to PrisonRead the Press Release
DETROIT – A Detroit man was sentenced today to 25 years in prison for charges relating to three separate violent carjackings in June and July 2020, United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison and Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy announced today.
Worthy and Ison were joined in the announcement by James A. Tarasca, Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Detroit Police Chief James E. White.
Rayquan Sturgis, 23, had previously pleaded guilty in federal court to two counts of carjacking, one count of carjacking causing serious bodily injury, one count of discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, and one count of using or carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Sturgis was sentenced by United States District Judge Sean F. Cox.
Sturgis was initially charged with one of the carjackings by the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office. However, Wayne County dismissed the carjacking charge so that it could be included with federal gun and carjacking charges in the federal case. “This is an example of the excellent collaboration between Prosecutor Worthy’s office and my office,” U.S. Attorney Ison said. “This collaboration was critical in obtaining this significant federal sentence that was handed down today and will be critical in our approach to violent crime going forward.”
According to the court documents, in three separate incidents, Sturgis carjacked three people after each of them had tried to help him in different ways. On June 10, 2020, the first victim offered him a ride after he was in a crash. After she drove him 15 minutes away, Sturgis pointed a gun at her and forced her out of her car and drove away. On June 18, 2020, Sturgis approached the second victim and asked for help jumpstarting his car. After driving Sturgis a few blocks, Sturgis got out of the car, walked around to the driver’s side and shot the victim multiple times without even giving him a chance to surrender. The victim suffered permanent injuries from the gunshot wounds. And on July 7, 2020, Sturgis was given a ride by the third victim from Inkster to Detroit. When they arrived in Detroit, Sturgis pistol whipped the victim while he was driving, stole his sunglasses, and then pistol whipped him again and forced him out of the car and drove off.
Two of the carjackings, including where Sturgis shot the victim, went unsolved for nearly a year. The U.S. Attorneys Office, FBI, and Detroit Police continued to investigate the case and were able to identify Sturgis as the perpetrator after interviewing additional witnesses and collecting evidence from Sturgis’s social media accounts and phone records linking him to the crimes.
“Individuals who assault and carjack the citizens of this district will not escape the dedicated and persistent employees of the Department of Justice, the Detroit Police Department, and the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office. This case is a prime example of how my office and our federal and local law enforcement partners will work tirelessly to prosecute those who use firearms to terrorize the citizens of our community,” U.S. Attorney Ison said.
“Sometimes it takes a village working together collaboratively to keep the community safe. These cases are a good example of this. A dangerous predator will no longer be free to prey on others,” said Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy.
“Armed carjacking poses an unacceptable danger to public safety and creates a climate of fear for residents in our community,” said James A. Tarasca, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Detroit Field Office. “This case serves as an example of the collaboration between the FBI and the Detroit Police Department to bring justice to bear upon violent criminals like Rayquan Sturgis who use firearms to victimize innocent people.”
The investigation of the case was conducted by special agents and task force officers of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and officers with the Detroit Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew Picek prosecuted this case for the United States.
Second Orlando Man Sentenced for Burglarizing ATMRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States District Judge Roy B. Dalton, Jr. has sentenced Wendell Harp (24, Orlando) to 30 months in federal prison for bank burglary and bank theft in connection with the destruction of an ATM. Harp had pleaded guilty on December 16, 2022. He is the second defendant sentenced in this case. Judge Dalton previously sentenced Carlos Tawan Reed, Jr. (23, Orlando) to four years and three months in federal prison for the same offense. A third individual, Deontrae Walden (23, Orlando), has pleaded guilty and is awaiting sentencing.
According to court records, Harp, Reed, and Walden wrapped a chain around an ATM at a Chase Bank on Colonial Drive in Orlando. Using a stolen F-250 truck, the men then destroyed the casing of the ATM and stole the cash boxes inside, containing $116,650. The three men fled in a rental car driven by Reed. Deputies from the Orange County Sheriff’s Office pursued them on the ground and in the air. Reed failed to stop and led police on a high-speed chase, which ended when deputies deployed spike strips and disabled the car. All three men then attempted to flee on foot but were quickly apprehended. Inside the vehicle, police recovered all of the stolen money.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael P. Felicetta.
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.
San Jose Group Homes Owner Sentenced to A Year in Prison for Scheme to Divert Foster Care FundsRead the Press Release
SAN JOSE – Annie Corbett, the owner of a company that provided group homes, primarily in San Jose, for foster children, was sentenced today to spend 12 months and a day in prison for wire fraud and failure to pay over employment taxes, announced United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey, FBI Special Agent in Charge Robert K. Tripp, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Special Agent in Charge Darren Lian, and U.S. Department Health and Human Services—Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) Special Agent in Charge Steven J. Ryan. The sentence was handed down by the Hon. Beth L. Freeman, United States District Judge.
Corbett pleaded guilty to the charges on September 15, 2022. Corbett was the owner, CEO and President of Corbett Group Homes, Inc. (CGH), a company that provided foster care for children and adolescents in group homes located primarily in San Jose. According to her plea agreement, Corbett admitted that from 2011 through mid-2018, she was the sole signatory on CGH’s bank accounts and was solely responsible for hiring employees, firing employees, and processing employee payroll. During this time, CGH employed about 60 employees a year. In her plea agreement, Corbett acknowledged she knowingly failed to pay employment taxes. After contracting with payroll processing companies to determine the tax withholdings for CGH employees and issuing paychecks and W-2s to the employees, she never paid the employment taxes nor filed W-2s with the IRS. Corbett also admitted that she deceived her bookkeeper and CPA into believing these employment taxes had been paid. Corbett admitted in her plea agreement that from 2014 through 2017 she failed to pay employment taxes to the IRS in an amount totaling more than $752,000.
In addition, Corbett also admitted in her plea agreement that she fraudulently diverted for her own personal use funds CGH received from local county governments and private charities to support CGH’s care of foster children. Corbett admitted she controlled multiple CGH bank accounts—including an account that she concealed from CGH’s accountant and auditor—from which she diverted CGH funds to her and her husband’s personal bank accounts. Corbett used the diverted funds for her and her family’s personal enrichment, including making her own credit card payments, her personal retail business payments, and her payments on a vacation timeshare. As noted in the government’s sentencing memorandum, Corbett’s conduct impacted not only over 44 identified victim-donors (county governments, charities, and individuals who provided CGH over $13.2 million in foster care funds over the course of seven years), but also her own employees and the many foster children who were deprived of the benefit of the funds that should have been used for their care. Judge Freeman described Corbett’s crimes as “very serious” and found that the loss resulting from her embezzlement scheme exceeded $2.5 million.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Freeman ordered Corbett to serve 36 months of supervised release to begin after the expiration of her prison term. Judge Freeman also scheduled a hearing for June 27, 2023, to determine the amount of restitution Corbett will be ordered to pay. Judge Freeman ordered Corbett to surrender on or before September 5, 2023, to begin serving her prison term.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Anne Hsieh is prosecuting the case, with the assistance of Laurie Worthen. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI, IRS-CI, and HHS-OIG.SWGA Man Guilty of Drug Distribution Resulting from Investigation into Methamphetamine Trafficking in Cordele, GeorgiaRead the Press Release
ALBANY, Ga. – A Cordele, Georgia, resident with prior serious felony drug convictions pleaded guilty to distribution of methamphetamine resulting from an investigation into drug trafficking in the community.
Alexis Sylvester Holton, 43, of Cordele, pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of methamphetamine on April 11 before U.S. District Judge Leslie Abrams Gardner. Holton faces a minimum of five years to a maximum of 40 years in prison to be followed by at least four years of supervised release and a $5,000,000 fine. Sentencing has not yet been scheduled.
“The GBI and Crisp County Sheriff’s Office continue their tireless efforts to prevent the lethal spread of some of the most deadly and addictive drugs in Southwest Georgia,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office is working with our law enforcement partners at every level to bring federal charges against the flagrant repeat offenders whose crimes damage our communities.”
“This investigation has resulted in the disruption of a significant methamphetamine supply to the Cordele area. We are grateful for our partnership with the other investigative agencies and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for seeing this case through successfully,” said GBI Director Mike Register.
According to court documents and other public information, Holton sold a total of 279.51 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant (CI) working with GBI and Crisp County Sheriff’s Office investigators during nine exchanges, beginning in Oct. 2021, until his arrest on Feb. 9, 2022, in Cordele. Holton has several prior convictions, including two prior serious felony drug convictions in the Superior Court of Crisp County, Georgia.
This case was investigated by GBI, DEA and the Crisp County Sheriff’s Office.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Redavid.
Quincy, Illinois, Man Sentenced to 120 months in Prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute HeroinRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A Quincy, Illinois, man, Derrick Phillips, 42, was sentenced on April 10, 2023, to 120 months in prison, to be followed by eight years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of a substance containing heroin.
At the sentencing hearing in front of U.S. District Judge Colleen R. Lawless, the government proffered evidence that in October 2017 Phillips was detained after getting off an Amtrak train that had just arrived in Quincy from the Chicago area. Law enforcement then discovered almost two hundred grams of heroin and $730.00 in cash on his person.
Phillips was arrested in March 2019 and pleaded guilty in December 2022. He has been detained by the United States Marshals Service since his arrest.
Because Phillips had a previous federal conviction for distributing controlled substances, the statutory penalties for possession with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of a substance containing heroin were not less than 10 years and up to life in prison, not more than an $8,000,000 fine, and not less than eight years of supervised release.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office; West Central Illinois Task Force; and Quincy Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Z. Weir represented the government in the prosecution.
The case against Phillips 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.
Providence Man Sentenced on Federal Drug and Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – A Providence man found to be in possession of more than 500 grams of cocaine and 100 fentanyl pills, and who, as a previously convicted felon, was illegally in possession of several magazines of ammunition that he was legally prohibited from possessing, was sentenced today to twenty-six months in federal prison, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.
Henry Arnaut, 27, pleaded guilty on February 8, 2022, to possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine; possession with intent to distribute fentanyl; and possession of ammunition by a person convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year.
In November 2020, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), with the assistance of the FBI’s Rhode Island Safe Streets Gang Task Force, began a Project Safe Neighborhoods Investigation into the shipment of packages to Arnuat’s residence. A search warrant was obtained for a suspicious package addressed to Arnaut and it was found to contain a significant quantity of cocaine. Arnaut was arrested on February 8, 2021, shortly after claiming the package at the U.S. Post Office. A court-authorized search of Arnaut’s residence that day resulted in the seizure of an additional quantity cocaine, approximately 100 fentanyl pills, $1,180 in cash, several magazines, and ammunition.
The total amount of cocaine seized from the package and from Arnaut’s residence exceeded 500 grams. Arnaut, previously convicted of a felony and sentenced to a term exceeding one year, was legally prohibited from possessing ammunition.
U.S. District Court Chief Judge John J. McConnell, Jr., today sentenced Arnaut to twenty-six months of incarceration to be followed by three years of federal supervised release.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stacey A. Erickson.
This case was investigated and 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.
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President of Brisbane Recycling Company and Its Former Counsel Convicted of Tax Fraud ChargesRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – Joseph Nubla and Henry Ku were convicted of conspiracy to defraud the United States, and Nubla was convicted of an additional charge of tax evasion, all in connection with a scheme to evade taxes on millions of dollars of income derived from a rock crushing business, announced United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey and Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Special Agent in Charge Darren Lian. The verdicts followed a two-week jury trial before the Hon. Richard Seeborg, Chief U.S. District Judge.
Joseph Nubla is the President of Brisbane Recycling Company, Inc. (hereafter “Brisbane”), a rock crushing business located in Brisbane, Calif. Henry Ku was counsel for Brisbane and Nubla during the relevant time. Nubla ran the daily operations at Brisbane, and Ku owned and controlled separate businesses including Pegasus Aggregate, Inc. (“Pegasus”), Jupiter Prime Monarch (“JP Monarch”), and JPM Energy, Inc. (“JPM Energy”) (collectively, “Ku’s entities”). The evidence at trial demonstrated that between February 20, 2009, and March 30, 2015, Ku and his entities deposited checks written by Nubla from Brisbane, totaling more than $18,000,000. To avoid Brisbane paying corporate income taxes, Nubla then expensed Brisbane’s payments to Ku’s entities as royalties for the use of heavy equipment purportedly owned by Ku’s entities. In reality, Ku had used the funds from Brisbane’s checks to purchase that equipment. Ku also returned the funds from Brisbane’s checks to Nubla in a variety of ways: (1) by regular money transfers from 2009 through 2016; (2) by purchasing Nubla three homes; and (3) by writing Nubla cashier’s checks totaling $7 million pursuant to a fake loan. Nubla did not declare the funds given to him by Ku as personal income, even though they originated from Brisbane and thus were taxable, constructive dividends. In year 2014 alone, Nubla failed to report more than $5.8 million of income.
On April 6, 2021, a federal grand jury indicted Nubla and Ku, charging both with one count of conspiring to defraud the United States in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371. In addition, the grand jury charged Nubla with one count of tax evasion in violation of 26 U.S.C. § 7201 for his 2014 federal income tax return. Pursuant to the trial jury’s verdict, the defendants were found guilty of all counts with which they were charged.
Chief Judge Seeborg has not yet scheduled the defendants’ sentencing hearing. The defendants each face a statutory maximum of five years in prison and a fine of $250,000 for the conspiracy charge. Nubla also faces a statutory maximum of five years in prison and a $100,000 fine for the tax evasion charge. In addition, the court may order the defendants to serve an additional term of supervised release and restitution as part of any sentence; however, any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
Assistant United States Attorney Daniel N. Kassabian and Special Assistant United States Attorney Christopher J. Carlberg are prosecuting the case with the assistance of Helen Yee, Veronica Hernandez, and Amala James. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the IRS-CI.
Plant City Man Sentenced to over Three Years in Federal Prison for Bank Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Mary Scriven has sentenced Cameron Porter (35, Plant City) to three years and one month in federal prison for conspiracy to commit bank fraud. As part of his sentence, the court also entered an order of forfeiture in the amount of $5,000, the proceeds of the charged criminal conduct. Porter had pleaded guilty on guilty on January 9, 2023.
According to court documents, in March 2019, Porter conspired with Christopher Alholm and others to defraud an FDIC insured bank (“Bank 1”) with branches located throughout the Middle District of Florida. Bank 1 was a member institution of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta. During the conspiracy, Porter obtained a victim bank customer’s (“Customer 1”) stolen Home Equity Line of Credit (“HELOC”) account number and personally identifying information (“PII”), including name, signature, date of birth and Social Security number from a co-conspirator, and passed that information to Alholm. Alholm subsequently used the stolen PII and impersonated Customer 1 at a Bank 1 branch located in Spring Hill to conduct a fraudulent $495,000 advance of funds from the Customer 1’s HELOC account to an intermediary account at Bank 1. After Alholm had completed the fraudulent advance of funds, another conspirator subsequently wired the stolen HELOC funds from the intermediary account to offshore bank accounts. Porter then received a share of the stolen proceeds for his role in the conspiracy.
Alholm previously pleaded guilty to his role in this case. In November 2022, he was sentenced to five years and six months in federal prison for conspiracy to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft.
This case was investigated by the Federal Housing Finance Agency – Office of Inspector General and Florida Department of Law Enforcement. It is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Chris Poor.
Physician and Clinic Office Manager Convicted of Unlawfully Distributing over 600,000 Opioid PillsRead the Press Release
A federal jury convicted a Texas physician and clinic office manager yesterday for operating a pill-mill clinic that unlawfully prescribed over 600,000 opioid pills in exchange for cash.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Dr. Oscar Lightner, 73, and Andres Martinez Jr., 29, both of Laredo, operated Jomori Health and Wellness (Jomori), a purported Houston pain management clinic, as a pill mill. Lightner, who was the owner of and physician at Jomori, unlawfully prescribed dangerous combinations of controlled substances including hydrocodone, carisoprodol, and alprazolam to his patients without a legitimate medical purpose, in exchange for cash payments ranging from $250 to $500 per patient. Martinez, who was Jomori’s office manager and Lightner’s stepson, coordinated with “crew leaders” to bring multiple people – including individuals living in homeless shelters – into Jomori to pose as patients. Jomori received over $1.2 million in cash over fourteen months through its scheme that resulted in the unlawful distribution and dispensing of over 600,000 Schedule II opioids – including hydrocodone – and other controlled substances.
Lightner was convicted of one count of conspiracy to distribute and dispense controlled substances and two counts of unlawfully distributing and dispensing controlled substances. Martinez was convicted of one count of conspiracy to distribute and dispense controlled substances and one count of unlawfully distributing and dispensing controlled substances. Lightner and Martinez face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each count and are both are scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 8. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani for the Southern District of Texas, and Special Agent in Charge Daniel C. Comeaux of the DEA made the announcement.
The DEA investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Monica Cooper and Andrew Tamayo of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, comprised of 15 strike forces operating in 25 federal districts, has charged more than 5,000 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $24 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at https://www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
Philipsburg Woman Sentenced to 60 Months in Prison for Conspiring to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A resident of Philipsburg, PA, has been sentenced in federal court to a total of 60 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release on her conviction of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
Senior United States District Judge Kim R. Gibson imposed the sentence on Kierston Bell, age 34, of Philipsburg, Pennsylvania.
According to information presented to the court, from July 2019 to June 2020, Bell did conspire to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine.
Assistant United States Attorney Maureen Sheehan-Balchon prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Acting U.S. Attorney Rivetti commended the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Pennsylvania State Police for the investigation that led to the successful prosecution of Bell. Additional agencies participating in this investigation include the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, the United States Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations, Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General, Clearfield County District Attorney’s Office, Erie County District Attorney’s Office, Millcreek Police Department, Erie Bureau of Police, and other local law enforcement agencies.
This prosecution is a result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles high-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten communities throughout the United States. OCDETF uses a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Pharmacy Student and Pharmacist Indicted by Grand JuryRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. - United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced that a federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging a pharmacy student and a licensed pharmacist with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, obtaining controlled substances by fraud, and distribution of a controlled substance.
The indictment charges Blair Guillory, 25, a pharmacy student at a university located in Monroe, Louisiana, and Brian Miller, 37, a licensed pharmacist who worked in pharmacies in Monroe and Ruston, Louisiana. The indictment alleges that beginning on or about June 11, 2022 and continuing until December 16, 2022, in the Western District of Louisiana, Guillory and Miller knowingly and intentionally conspired together to distribute Adderall and Vyvanse, both Schedule II controlled substances.
It is alleged in the indictment that Guillory received part of his education and training while working at Monroe area pharmacies, including one where Miller worked, and that is where they met. According to the indictment, Miller would see a medical provider to obtain prescriptions for Adderall and Vyvanse and would sell all or a portion of the drugs to Guillory, knowing that Guillory was going to sell the drugs to other individuals. In addition, it is alleged that Guillory would also see a medical provider to obtain prescriptions for Adderall and would sell all or a portion of the drugs to other individuals.
The indictment further alleges that Guillory would obtain prescription drugs from others and sell those drugs to students at the university where he attended pharmacy school in Monroe. Guillory would allegedly use Venmo and other mobile payment services to purchase and sell Schedule II controlled substances.
"Americans rely on pharmacies every day to legally dispense prescription medication to whom it is intended,” stated U.S. Attorney Brandon B. Brown. “This region is also blessed to have a pharmacy school. Persons who are fortunate enough to work as pharmacists and those who have the chance to study pharmacy should not abuse these privileges. We allege that these persons acted illegally and look forward to proceeding with this case through the judicial process."
An indictment is merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
If convicted, Guillory and Miller face a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, 3 years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and is being prosecuted by Alexander C. Van Hook, Special Counsel to the U.S. Attorney.
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Pharmaceutical Distributer Agrees to Pay $765,000 to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations Relating to Failure to Pay Customs DutiesRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that Danco Laboratories, LLC (Danco), located in New York, has agreed to pay $765,000 to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by failing to pay certain customs duties, known as marking duties, on imported pharmaceutical products that lacked markings to identify their country of origin.
The Tariff Act of 1930 requires companies that import foreign products into the United States to mark the country of origin on those products. Importers that fail to mark their products are subject to a 10% ad valorem duty. The settlement resolves allegations that, during the period 2011 through 2019, Danco failed to mark imported pharmaceutical products with the appropriate country of origin, and thereafter violated the False Claims Act by knowingly avoiding the marking duties owed to the United States for those imports.
“The False Claims Act protects the public fisc by imposing liability not only on those who knowingly submit false claims to the United States, but also on those who knowingly avoid obligations owed to the United States,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “This settlement demonstrates the department’s commitment to ensure that importers properly pay all amounts due under our customs laws.”
“Our office is committed to ensuring that importers are transparent with consumers and comply with customs laws and the False Claims Act,” said U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston. “We will continue to pursue aggressively those who seek to avoid their duties and obligations under the law.”
“The United States has required imported goods to be marked with their country of origin for generations, so American consumers can use that information in their purchasing decisions,” said Director Frank Russo of the U.S. Customs and Broder Protection (CPB) New York Field Office. “CBP takes the marking laws very seriously, and is pleased to work with our partners to ensure importers adhere to all customs laws.”
The civil settlement includes the resolution of claims brought by the Life Legal Defense Foundation under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims. These provisions allow a private party, known as a relator, to file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. The qui tam action is captioned U.S. ex rel. Life Legal Defense Foundation v. ASD Specialty Healthcare, LLC, et al., No. 21-cv-0088 (E.D. Tex.). As part of today’s resolution, the whistleblowers will receive approximately $115,000.
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Texas with assistance from CPB.
The matter was handled by Trial Attorney Daniel W. Kastner of the Justice Department’s Civil Division and Assistant U.S. Attorneys James Gillingham and Adrian Garcia for the Eastern District of Texas.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
Palm Beach Resident Headed to Federal Prison for Defrauding Cystic Fibrosis NonprofitRead the Press Release
MIAMI – A West Palm Beach federal district judge has sentenced 34-year-old fraudster Elizabeth Genna Suarez (formerly known as “Elizabeth Mirson Suit”) to 18 months in federal prison followed by two years of supervised release. The sentence comes after a jury’s verdict finding Suarez guilty of wire fraud and the trial judge’s later ruling that Suarez had lied on the stand and submitted fake character letters to the court.
From August 2018 to November 2019, Suarez executed a scheme to defraud Piper’s Angels Foundation, Inc., a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting individuals with cystic fibrosis and their families. During that time, Suarez was married to the foundation’s executive director and used her access to the foundation money to divert it to herself. For example, Suarez used her copy of the foundation’s corporate credit card in July 2019 to make an $8,000 deposit on a cosmetic surgical procedure, pay $1,680 for a cosmetic laser procedure, and spend $800 on a necklace.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida and Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri of the FBI, Miami Field Office, announced the sentence imposed by U.S. District Judge Donald M. Middlebrooks.
FBI Miami investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexandra Chase prosecuted it. Assistant U.S. Attorney G. Raemy Charest-Turken is handling asset forfeiture.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 22-cr-80185.
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Owensboro Man Sentenced to 12-Plus Years in Federal Prison for Illegal Firearm Possession, Drug Trafficking, and Supervised Release ViolationRead the Press Release
Owensboro, KY – An Owensboro, Kentucky man was sentenced yesterday to a total of 153 months in prison. The sentence included 120 months for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and drug trafficking and 33 months for violation of his federal supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Acting Special Agent in Charge Robert Maynard of the ATF Louisville Field Division, and Chief Art Ealum of the Owensboro Police Department made the announcement.
According to court documents, on October 2, 2021, Steven Boehman, 38, possessed with the intent to distribute 63.771 grams of methamphetamine. Boehman, a convicted felon, also possessed a Glock .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol. He was prohibited from possessing a firearm because he had previously been convicted of the following felony offenses. On January 29, 2015, in Ohio Circuit Court, Boehman, was convicted of receiving stolen property. On January 31, 2017, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky, Boehman was convicted of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
When Boehman committed the October 2, 2021, offenses, he was on supervised release for his January 31, 2017, federal firearm conviction. He received an additional 33-month sentence for violating his supervised release. Following the153-month prison sentence, Boehman will serve 5 years on supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
The case was investigated by the ATF Owensboro Field Office and the Owensboro Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark J. Yurchisin II, of the U.S. Attorney’s Bowling Green Branch Office, prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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Osceola County Mortgage Loan Officer Convicted of Bank Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft Charges Involving Forging of Judges’ SignaturesRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that a federal jury has found Omayra Ujaque (52, St. Cloud) guilty of three counts of bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft. Ujaque faces a maximum penalty of 30 years’ imprisonment for each bank fraud count and a mandatory 2-year sentence for the aggravated identity theft county. Her sentencing hearing is scheduled for July 5, 2023. Ujaque had been indicted on February 15, 2023.
According to evidence presented at trial, Ujaque, in her capacity as a licensed mortgage loan officer, created and executed a mortgage fraud scheme targeting the financial institution where she worked. To ensure that otherwise unqualified borrowers were approved for mortgage loans, Ujaque falsified the borrowers’ income by fabricating or inflating the amounts of their monthly child support payments on mortgage loan applications that she signed and certified to the financial institution’s underwriting department. In furtherance of her scheme, Ujaque created fictitious Final Judgments of Dissolution of Marriage and Final Orders Modifying Child Support that fraudulently represented that the borrowers were entitled to receive non-existent monthly child support payments. Ujaque then used the names of judges from the Circuit Court of the Ninth District of Florida and forged their signatures on the fabricated Final Judgments of Dissolution of Marriage or Final Orders Modifying Child Support.
Ujaque also created bogus Florida Department of Revenue Statements listing fraudulent monthly child support payments, as well as phony prepaid debit card statements listing fake borrower withdrawals of the non-existent monthly child support payments. In most cases, the borrowers did not, in fact, have the listed children and/or had never been married. Ujaque submitted bogus paperwork to the financial institution to support the false monthly income on the loan applications. Based on Ujaque’s misrepresentations, the financial institution approved and funded the mortgage loans.
This case was investigated by Federal Housing Finance Agency – Office of Inspector General, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development – Office of Inspector General, and the Florida Office of Financial Regulation. It is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Chris Poor.
New Haven Fentanyl Trafficker Sentenced to 5 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that NELSON SANTINI, 28, of New Haven, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to 60 months of imprisonment, followed by four years of supervised release, for distributing fentanyl. Judge Shea ordered that Santini must serve the first six months of his supervised release in home confinement.
According to court documents and statements made in court, law enforcement identified Santini as a heroin and fentanyl trafficker in the New Haven. On August 13, 2021, members of the FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force made a controlled purchase of approximately 50 grams of fentanyl from Santini.
Santini was arrested on state charges on December 10, 2021. On that date, a search of a car he had been driving revealed 93 individual dose bags of heroin, more than 100 bags of cocaine, and a loaded 9mm handgun.
Santini has been detained since his federal arrest on April 6, 2022. On December 22, 2022, he pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of 40 grams or more fentanyl.
This investigation was conducted by the FBI's Safe Streets Task Force, which includes members from the FBI, the Connecticut State Police, the Connecticut Department of Correction, and the New Haven, Milford, East Haven, West Haven, and Wallingford Police Departments. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Conor M. Reardon and Robert S. Ruff.
Nebraska Man Sentenced in Methamphetamine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Steven Russell announced that Douglas Schmidt, 40, of Nebraska, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Schmidt to 180 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, he will begin a four-year term of supervised release.
On April 20, 2021, Hastings Police Department conducted a traffic stop. Schmidt’s co-defendant, Raquel Bloom, was the driver, and the passenger initially said his name was “Doug Wilson” but was later identified as Douglas Schmidt. Schmidt had an active warrant out of Merrick County and was detained. Law enforcement could smell a distinct odor of marijuana coming from a backpack from behind the driver’s seat. Bloom claimed the backpack was Schmidt’s. A search of the backpack located 426 grams of methamphetamine, 80 grams of marijuana, and numerous items of drug paraphernalia.
Bloom has pleaded guilty to the same conspiracy and is scheduled for sentencing on May 17, 2023.
This case was investigated by the Nebraska State Patrol and the Hastings Police Department.
National Crime Victims’ Rights Week Is April 23-29, 2023Read the Press Release
St. Thomas, VI – In observance of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, April 23-29, 2023, United States Attorney Delia L. Smith, on behalf of the U.S. Department of Justice, recognizes crime victims, law enforcement agencies, community organizations and faith-based institutions that are dedicated to serving and assisting victims of crime. “Acknowledging the rights of crime victims and supporting them with services are essential parts of the work of the U.S. Attorney’s Office. We work with our law enforcement and community partners to pursue justice, collect restitution, and identify resources needed to compensate those who suffer the consequences of crime.” United States Attorney Smith said.
Each year in April, the Department of Justice and United States Attorney’s Offices observe National Crime Victims’ Rights Week nationwide by taking time to honor victims of crime and those who advocate on their behalf. In addition, the Department of Justice organizes events to honor crime victims and advocates, as well as to bring awareness to services available to victims of crime. This year’s theme is, “Survivor Voices: Elevate. Engage. Effect Change.” Partner organizations are committed to engaging with victims of crime; learning from their lived experiences; amplifying their voices; and fostering an environment where they are heard, believed, and supported.
The U.S Department of Justice, Office for Victims of Crime, leads communities across the country in observing National Crime Victims’ Rights Week each year. In 1981, President Ronald Reagan proclaimed the first National Crime Victims’ Rights Week to bring greater sensitivity to the needs and right of victims of crime. Here, in the District of the Virgin Islands, we have a dedicated Victim Witness Coordinator who supports federal crime victims by providing notification of significant case events through the DOJ Victim Notification System (VNS). Through VNS, victims learn of upcoming court proceedings and the outcome of those proceedings. Victims can also use the VNS to participate in court proceedings and to make their voices heard. In fact, in 2022, the District’s Victim Witness Coordinator Antoinette James-Alleyne provided several thousand notices to crime victims and provided victims with essential services, including referrals to counseling, securing temporary housing, assisting with access to victim’s compensation funds, and accompanying victims to court proceedings to provide support and guidance. These services provide victims with tools to reshape their futures.
The U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, provides innovative leadership to federal, state, local, and tribal justice systems, by disseminating state-of-the art knowledge and practices across the United States, and providing grants for the implementation of these crime-fighting strategies. Because most of the responsibility for crime control and prevention falls to law enforcement officers in states, cities, and neighborhoods, the federal government can be effective in these areas only to the extent that it can enter partnerships with these officers. More information about the Office of Justice Programs and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov. More information about National Crime Victims’ Rights Week can be found at https://ovc.ncjrs.gov/ncvrw/. You may also contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office Victim Witness Program at [email protected].
Morristown Man Sentenced to 210 Months Imprisonment for Possession of A Firearm by A FelonRead the Press Release
GREENEVILLE, Tenn. – On April 7, 2023, Robert Lee Allen, Jr., also known as “Skeeter,” 55 of Morristown, Tennessee, was sentenced to 210 months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm by the Honorable Clifton L. Corker, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Greeneville.
As part of the plea agreement filed with the court, Allen agreed to plead guilty to an indictment charging him with possession of a firearm by a felon, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §922(g)(3). Upon release from his imprisonment, Allen will be on supervised release for 5 years.
As set forth in the plea agreement filed with the court, Allen has prior, violent felony convictions for Second Degree Murder, Aggravated Assault, Aggravated Robbery, and Aggravated Burglary. Allen agreed that, on February 14, 2022, he struck his spouse with a firearm and was arrested the next day for domestic assault. During a search of his vehicle, the firearm he used to assault his spouse was located. The firearm was stolen from Cocke County, TN. Allen admitted that he had acquired the firearm from another felon through a trade of methamphetamine and heroin in exchange for the firearm.
This case was the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
“This sentence sends a powerful message to those with a violent, felony history who continue to arm themselves,” said United States Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III. “This case is part of the Department of Justice’s comprehensive strategy to target and prosecute the most serious offenders who pose the greatest threats to safety and peace within the community.”
“This was extremely great work done by the individuals that took part in this investigation. There is one less criminal off our streets. The ATF will continue to use all of our resources to disrupt the illegal possession of firearms, distribution of narcotics and other acts of violence within our community,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Marcus Watson.
Assistant U.S. Attorney B. Todd Martin represented the United States.
This case also was 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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Morganfield Man Sentenced to 15 Months in Federal Prison for Threatening to Commit a Mass ShootingRead the Press Release
Owensboro, KY – A Morganfield man was sentenced yesterday to 15 months in federal prison for threatening to commit a mass shooting.
United States Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Jodi Cohen of the FBI’s Louisville Field Office, and Sheriff Jason Thomas of the Union County Sheriff’s Office made the announcement.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on May 20, 2022, Dennis R. Rigdon, 54, of Morganfield, Kentucky, sent a text message to another person that stated, “Mass shooting at Jim David’s or zebryy up to you.”
In addition to the 15-month prison sentence, Rigdon was sentenced to a 3-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
The case was investigated by the FBI Owensboro Satellite Office and the Union County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark J. Yurchisin II, of the U.S. Attorney’s Bowling Green Branch Office, prosecuted the case.
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Maryland Heights Man Who Had Sex with 16-Year-Old Sentenced to 11 ½ Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A man from Maryland Heights, Missouri who engaged in sexual activity with a 16-year-old he met online was sentenced Wednesday to 11 ½ years in federal prison.
Terry E. Kuehnel, 48, met the girl, who was then 15, in 2021 while playing an online game. She initially represented herself to be a young adult, but later told Kuehnel she was 15. He admitted in a guilty plea in December to a felony charge of coercion and enticement of a minor that he knew or had reason to know that the girl was a minor and it was not reasonable for him to believe she was older than 16.
The two began corresponding via text and audio and video communications, including 246 phone calls, one lasting 14 hours, Assistant U.S. Attorney Jillian Anderson said in court Wednesday. Kuehnel also requested pornographic images of the victim.
On June 5, 2021, ten days after she turned 16 and obtained her driver’s license, the victim and Kuehnel arranged for her to travel from her home to Missouri. Kuehnel met her in a department store parking lot and took her to his home, where he subjected her to unlawful sexual activity.
After her family reported her missing, law enforcement found the girl at Kuehnel’s home on June 6.
In a letter to U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey, the victim’s parents said she has “distanced herself from almost all of her friends at school,” has suffered from anxiety and is in counseling with a licensed clinical social worker specializing in sexual abuse and trauma. The parents also thanked law enforcement, writing, “It is very possible that our daughter would still be missing if it were not for the hard-working Law Enforcement officials who stepped up to the plate that night and are still stepping up today.”
The case was investigated by the Maryland Heights Police Department and the St. Louis County Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jillian Anderson is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Man Who Robbed Bank in Laurel, Delaware Under Federal IndictmentRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, Del. – A federal grand jury returned an indictment last week charging a New Jersey man with one count of bank robbery.
According to the indictment, during the afternoon of June 24, 2022, Justin Cabot, 50, robbed the Bank of Delmarva in Laurel, Delaware by presenting a note to the bank teller demanding cash. The indictment alleges that Cabot made off with $1,806.00 and a GPS device valued at $796.00.
If convicted, Cabot faces a maximum of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
David C. Weiss, U.S. Attorney for the District of Delaware, made the announcement. The Laurel Police Department is investigating this case with assistance from the FBI Violent Crime and Safe Streets Taskforce. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eli H. Klein is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the District of Delaware or on PACER.
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
Man Sentenced for Bribery Schemes Involving Millions of Dollars in U.S.-Funded Military Contracts and Visa FraudRead the Press Release
A Georgia man was sentenced today to three years and 10 months in prison for his roles in two bribery conspiracies – one related to a U.S. military contracts fraud scheme and one related to a Department of State visa fraud scheme.
According to court documents, Orlando Clark, 57, of Smyrna, was a manager of projects who deployed to Afghanistan to evaluate bids for U.S.-funded reconstruction contracts awarded by the U.S. military in 2011 and 2012. At that time, Clark and co-conspirator Todd Coleman, an analyst at a different U.S. company who also deployed to Afghanistan, received approximately $400,000 in bribes from an Afghan company. The bribes were paid in return for Clark and Coleman assisting the company in obtaining millions of dollars through at least 10 contracts that involved the construction of an Afghan police station and a security checkpoint for U.S. forces.
To conceal their conduct, Clark and Coleman registered fictitious companies in Georgia and opened bank accounts to which bribes were sent via wire transfers from Afghanistan. Clark and Coleman also created false invoices to make it appear as though they were involved in a car-exporting business in the United Arab Emirates. In reality, Clark and Coleman used the bribe payments to purchase personal items, such as BMW cars. During the scheme, Coleman and Clark also travelled to the United Arab Emirates to receive cash bribes, which they smuggled into the United States without declaring the currency.
In addition, between 2015 and 2020, Clark also received bribes to sign false letters of recommendation for visas authorized for Afghan nationals who worked as translators with U.S. forces in Afghanistan. Clark signed over 10 letters in which he falsely claimed to have supervised the applicants and in which he stated, without any factual basis, that he had no reason to be believe that they posed a threat to U.S. national security.
On Feb. 9, Coleman was sentenced to two years and nine months in prison for his role in the U.S. military contracts bribery scheme.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan for the Northern District of Georgia, Inspector General John F. Sopko of the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR), Inspector General Robert P. Storch of the Department of Defense, Special Agent in Charge Stanley A. Newell of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) Transnational Operations Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge Greg Gross of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) Economic Crimes Field Office made the announcement.
The SIGAR, DCIS, and NCIS investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Matt Kahn of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Russell Phillips for the Northern District of Georgia prosecuted the case.
Man Pleads Guilty to Coercing Children to Engage in Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A District of Columbia man pleaded guilty today to coercing multiple children to engage in unlawful sexual activity, including through online sextortion.
According to court documents, Glenn Matthews, 33, used his Instagram account to communicate with multiple minors over several months in 2020. During that time, Matthews sent , sexually explicit images and videos of himself to at least 10 different minors, who were between the ages of 9 and 16 years old. He enticed at least one of the minors to create images of themselves engaged in sexual activity. Matthews also sought to meet up with the minors to engage in sexual activity. In some instances, Matthews took screenshots of his conversations with the minor victims and threatened to expose the minors to their friends if they did not comply with his demands.
Matthews pleaded guilty to coercion and enticement of a minor and second degree child sexual abuse in violation of D.C. law. He is scheduled to be sentenced on September 6, 2023, and faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The plea was announced by Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves for the District of Columbia, and FBI Special Agent in Charged Wayne A. Jacobs the Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division.
The FBI Washington Field Office’s Child Exploitation & Human Trafficking Task Force is investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Rachel L. Rothberg of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Meredith Mayer-Dempsey for the District of Columbia are prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Man Pleads Guilty to Coercing Children to Engage in Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
A District of Columbia man pleaded guilty today to coercing multiple children to engage in unlawful sexual activity, including through online sextortion.
According to court documents, Glenn Matthews, 33, used his Instagram account to communicate with multiple minors over several months in 2020. During that time, Matthews sent sexually explicit images and videos of himself to at least 10 different minors, who were between the ages of 9 and 16. He enticed at least one of the minors to create images of themselves engaged in sexual activity. Matthews also sought to meet up with the minors to engage in sexual activity. In some instances, Matthews took screenshots of his conversations with the minor victims and threatened to expose the minors to their friends if they did not comply with his demands.
Matthews pleaded guilty to coercion and enticement of a minor and second‑degree child sexual abuse in violation of D.C. law. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 6 and faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves for the District of Columbia, Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division, and Assistant Director in Charge David Sundberg of the FBI Washington Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI Washington Field Office’s Child Exploitation & Human Trafficking Task Force is investigating the case. The task force is composed of FBI agents, along with other federal agents and detectives from northern Virginia and the District of Columbia. The task force is charged with investigating and bringing federal charges against individuals engaged in the exploitation of children and those engaged in human trafficking.
Trial Attorney Rachel L. Rothberg of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Meredith Mayer-Dempsey for the District of Columbia are prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Lake Forest Man Pleads Guilty to Defrauding Buyers of Medical-Grade Gloves Out of $3.2 Million During COVID-19 Pandemic ShortageRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – An Orange County man pleaded guilty today to defrauding companies who in mid-2020 paid for COVID-related medical protective equipment that was never delivered, causing more than $3 million in losses.
Christopher John Badsey, 62, of Lake Forest, pleaded guilty to four counts of wire fraud.
According to his plea agreement, in June and July of 2020, Badsey lied to three victim companies when he told them he had access to millions of boxes of nitrile gloves through his Irvine-based company, First Defense International Security Services Corp. (FDI). This type of personal protective equipment was in high demand and short supply during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Badsey agreed by contract to sell millions of boxes of gloves to each of the three companies. But Badsey told the companies’ representatives that before they could inspect the gloves, which he claimed were stored in a warehouse in Los Angeles, the companies would be required to pay deposits of upwards of $1 million to FDI. In fact, Badsey did not have any gloves stored in any warehouse.
Badsey instructed the companies to wire the deposits to accounts controlled by himself, FDI or a co-schemer. Relying on Badsey’s false statements, the companies wired a total of $3,231,990 to these accounts.
As part of his plea agreement, Badsey has agreed to forfeit all title and interest in money or items derived from his crimes, including a yacht, a pontoon boat, two Mercedes-Benz automobiles, two Ford pickup trucks, an RV, a tractor, three ATVs, miscellaneous fishing equipment, and $58,923 in cash.
United States District Judge Josephine L. Staton scheduled a September 15 sentencing hearing, at which time Badsey will face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for each wire fraud count.
The FBI investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorneys Melissa S. Rabbani and Kristin N. Spencer of the Santa Ana Branch Office are prosecuting this case.
Justice Department Announces Major Milestones Achieved in Policing Reform Efforts for the City of Albuquerque and Albuquerque Police DepartmentRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that it has joined with the City of Albuquerque in filing a motion seeking changes to the requirements of the consent decree regarding the Albuquerque Police Department (APD) after achieving compliance with a vast majority of the consent decree.
The proposed modifications are based on the city and APD’s notable progress in implementing the consent decree and continued self-assessment of certain provisions of the decree. According to the Independent Monitor, APD has achieved compliance with 80% of the consent decree.
These proposed changes will help APD improve how it investigates low-level uses of force; improve its process for investigating allegations that officers committed misconduct – a crucial component for APD to enforce the requirements of the consent decree in its day-to-day operations; and build on the successes of Albuquerque Community Safety, a city agency that sends trained civilians instead of police officers to 911 calls for mental health, substance abuse, and homelessness issues. This approach allows officers to focus on addressing violent crime, while also connecting people with the services they need.
The Justice Department and the city agreed to critically consider areas where APD has not achieved full compliance in key areas – such as officers’ use of force – and develop strategies for improvement.
“The Justice Department’s consent decree has provided the strong medicine necessary to remedy problems and improve the way policing is carried out across Albuquerque,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “After almost a decade of meaningful reform called for by our consent decree, we are ushering in a new day for people across the city. We are recognizing the progress that the Albuquerque Police Department has made towards achieving compliance with this consent decree for both the court and the public. Though challenges remain, the Justice Department is committed to supporting city leaders, community stakeholders and the police department as we work together to implement lasting institutional reform that makes constitutional policing a reality for everyone across Albuquerque.”
“Together, we are building the effective and constitutional police department the Albuquerque community deserves,” said U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez for the District of New Mexico. “This is apparent both in technical compliance and in actual overall reductions in serious uses of force, which showed a 30% reduction last year. This is a credit to the hard work of the City of Albuquerque, the men and women of the Albuquerque Police Department and the relentless involvement of our community partners. We can now focus our efforts on the central mission of this journey: ensuring that APD conducts thorough, timely and reliable investigations of officers’ use of force. Our staunch commitment to this goal, as a community, will deliver a change in the culture of policing that centers the safety of all members of the public.”
Over the past eight years, APD has made significant strides towards achieving compliance with the requirements of the consent decree. For example:
- Equipped All Officers with Body-Worn Cameras: APD provided all officers with body worn cameras, which must be activated during all law enforcement contact with community members.
- Created New Civilian Investigative Unit: APD launched a centralized unit of civilian investigators responsible for investigating low-level uses of force as part of a pilot program.
- Increased Crisis Intervention Training: The city and APD instituted programs and initiatives to minimize the use of force against individuals in crisis due to behavioral health issues. Approximately 54% of patrol officers serve as trained crisis intervention certified responders – far more than APD’s initial goal of 40% of patrol officers.
- New Data Collection Efforts: APD hired a Director of Analytics who oversees APD’s data collection and analysis efforts and develops evidence-based recommendations for policy and management strategies.
- New Policing Reform Office: APD created the Bureau of Police Reform to accelerate reform efforts, provide oversight for internal investigations of officers and ensure that officers receive discipline that is fair, consistent and commensurate with their misconduct.
- Successful Training Academy: The APD Training Academy has received consistently high ratings from the Monitor.
The District Court for the District of New Mexico entered the consent decree in June 2015. The decree, as well as information about the Civil Rights Division, are available on its website at Special Litigation Section Cases and Matters. Additional information about implementation of the consent decree is also available on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office at Investigation into Albuquerque Police Department.
Jury Convicts Felon for Illegally Possessing a Firearm Brandished at Wal-Mart CustomersRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. –A Macon resident with a lengthy criminal history who carried a gun into a Macon Wal-Mart and waved it aggressively at customers was convicted by a federal jury for illegally possessing a firearm.
Selma Oliver-Smith, 45, of Macon, was convicted on April 11 of illegal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon following a two-day trial that began on April 10 before U.S. District Judge Tilman E. “Tripp” Self III. Oliver-Smith faces a maximum of ten years in prison, to be followed by at least three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine for illegally possessing a firearm. Sentencing is scheduled for July 11.
“Not only is it illegal for a convicted felon to possess a firearm anytime and anywhere, Mr. Oliver-Smith chose to walk into a neighborhood store and wave a gun at customers. Thankfully, no shots were fired, and no one was hurt,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “Our office will prosecute convicted felons caught illegally with firearms, especially those who brandish them in public places.”
“When offenders such as this use firearms to threaten individuals, ATF takes this very seriously,” said ATF Assistant Special Agent in Charge Beau Kolodka. “ATF remains on the frontline of preventing violent crime along with our law enforcement partners and will continue to pursue those who violate the law.”
“Selma Oliver-Smith’s arrest and conviction shows that the justice system will not tolerate dangerous career criminals using a firearm to menace innocent shoppers in a busy Walmart,” said Bibb County Sheriff David Davis.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Bibb County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a call from the Wal-Mart on Harrison Rd. in Macon on Aug. 17, 2021, about a man aggressively waving a gun at people who approached him inside the store. Because of Oliver-Smith’s criminal record, he was known to officers, and he was located thereafter at a nearby motel. Oliver-Smith was found inside his hotel room, where officers found two firearms hidden inside the toilet bowl tank. One of the firearms, a Jennings Firearms Bryco .380, looked identical to the one in the photo provided by Wal-Mart. Oliver-Smith has a lengthy criminal history to include convictions for burglary, theft by taking and second-degree criminal damage. It is illegal for a convicted felon to possess a firearm.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
The case was investigated by the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF).
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sean S. Deitrick and Sonja Profit are prosecuting the case for the Government.
Iowa Man Sentenced to 9 Years in Federal Prison for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
A Carrol, Iowa man that utilized Kik, an online messaging app, to receive and distribute visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct was sentenced April 7, 2023, to 9 years in federal prison.
Wyant Unruh, 37, received the prison term after a November 7, 2022, guilty plea to Possession of Child Pornography.
In the plea agreement, Unruh admitted that between November 2019, and July 2021, that he knowingly possessed child pornography, and that he used the messaging app Kik to knowingly receive and attempt to receive visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. He further admitted to using the app to distribute child pornography to others.
Unruh was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand to 108 months’ imprisonment and fined $500. He was also ordered to pay $8,500 in restitution to the victims. Unruh must also serve a 5-year term of supervised released following the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
The case was investigated by the Iowa Department of Public Safety and the Federal Bureau of Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kraig R. Hamit.
Unruh is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 22-3016.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
High Level Member of Chicago Gang Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Conspiring to Distribute HeroinRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A high-level member of the Four Corner Hustlers street gang has been sentenced to 120 months, plus eight years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute wholesale quantities of heroin on the West Side of Chicago.
RAYMOND BETTS, 56, of Riverdale, a so-called “prince” of a nationwide violent street gang, was charged with conspiracy to possess a controlled substance with the intent to distribute in May of 2019. On eight occasions from December 2018 to March 2019, Betts or a co-conspirator acting on his behalf distributed 136.4 grams of heroin to a law enforcement confidential source. Seven of the distributions occurred in the Austin neighborhood of Chicago, while one deal was allegedly conducted in south suburban Riverdale. Throughout his interactions with the confidential source, Betts discussed his plans to expand his drug trafficking enterprise, specifically into Northern Indiana. Betts pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute heroin in January of 2023.
Betts’ fellow gang members and co-conspirators ANGELA BELL, 52, of Chicago, and MAURICE WILLIAMS, aka “Big Fella”, “Big Ride” and, “Naz”, 54, of Riverdale both pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute heroin. Williams’ sentencing date is set for July 14, 2023. Bell’s sentencing date is set for May 26, 2023.
The sentence is announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Christopher Amon, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Sheila G. Lyons, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; Thomas J. Dart, Cook County Sheriff; and Eric Carter, Acting Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan DeMarco represented the government.
The multi-year investigation that led to Betts’ arrest was conducted with the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) and the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force (HIDTA). The mission of the task forces, which are comprised of agents and officers from numerous federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations.
Heroin and Methamphetamine Dealers IndictedRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Ciera Anderson (28) and Tequan Ramsey (28), both of St. Petersburg, with conspiracy to distribute heroin and methamphetamine. If convicted on all counts, each faces a maximum penalty of life in federal prison.
According to the indictment, from December 8, 2022, through March 3, 2023, Anderson and Ramsey conspired to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin, and 50 grams of more of methamphetamine. The distributions occurred in Pinellas and Hillsborough Counties.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Clearwater Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Maria Guzman.
Download IndictmentGangster Disciples Member Pleads Guilty to Fraud, Money Laundering, and Drug Charges in Connection with Prison-Based Phone ScamRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala – A former inmate at the William E. Donaldson Correctional Facility (Donaldson) in Bessemer, Alabama pleaded guilty yesterday for his role leading a prison-based phone scam that targeted retailers throughout the country, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and U.S. Secret Service Special Agent in Charge Patrick Davis.
Ricardo Poole, Sr., aka “Raoul,” 48, of Bessemer, Alabama, entered a guilty plea before U.S. District Judge Karon O. Bowdre to one count of wire fraud conspiracy, one count of money laundering conspiracy, one count of conspiracy to unlawfully distribute controlled substances, and one count of aggravated identity theft. Poole Sr. is the seventh member of the conspiracy to plead guilty.
According to the plea agreement, between September 2020 and May 2022, Poole Sr. and others tricked retailers into activating gift cards under fraudulent pretenses and then used those fraudulently obtained gift cards to purchase merchandise and make other expenditures.
The plea agreement describes Poole Sr. as a high-ranking member of the Gangster Disciples at Donaldson, and the Gangster Disciples as a violent national criminal gang, founded in Chicago, and active across the U.S., including Alabama. According to court documents, Poole Sr.’s co-defendant, Terry Ray Bradshaw, was a “skit runner” who was housed at Donaldson for most of the period charged in the indictment. While at Donaldson, Bradshaw called retailers and used spoofing technology and social engineering techniques to pose as store executives so that he could trick employees into activating gift cards. During the relevant period, Bradshaw worked as a “skit runner” for Poole Sr. and other members of the Gangster Disciples at Donaldson. In exchange for his work as a “skit runner,” Poole Sr. provided Bradshaw with luxury items like Cartier glasses, protection from the Gangster Disciples, and controlled substances like methamphetamine.
The maximum punishment for the wire fraud conspiracy charge is 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The maximum penalty for the money laundering conspiracy charge is 20 years in prison and a fine of $500,000 or twice the amount laundered. The maximum penalty for the conspiracy to distribute a controlled substances charge is 20 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine. The penalty for aggravated identity theft is an additional two years in prison.
The U.S. Secret Service Cyber Fraud Task Force investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Edward J. Canter and John M. Hundscheid are prosecuting the case. The Alabama Department of Corrections Law Enforcement Services Division, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation have assisted in the investigation.
Fugitive financial advisor indicted for $10 million investment fraud schemeRead the Press Release
ATLANTA – Former Berkely Lake financial adviser Christopher Burns has been indicted for his role in an investment fraud scheme that defrauded dozens of investors of millions of dollars.
“Burns obtained then violated the trust of his clients to fund his lavish lifestyle,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “He betrayed investors and stole their savings with promises of safe investments that would yield high rates of return. Individuals who brazenly cheat their clients should expect to be held accountable. The authorities are continuing to search for Burns, and anyone with information about his whereabouts should contact the FBI.”
“Burns is charged for allegedly stealing millions of dollars from clients in an illegal investment fraud scheme. Financial crimes of this nature can cause significant disruptions to the lives of those who are victimized, and the FBI is dedicated to holding these criminals accountable,” said Keri Farley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “The FBI is still seeking the public’s help in locating Burns and will continue to pursue him no matter how long he tries to evade the law.”
“Ponzi schemes, such as the one Burns carried out, inflict emotional and financial damage on its victims,” said James E. Dorsey, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Atlanta Field Office. “IRS Criminal Investigation and our federal law enforcement partners are committed to removing unscrupulous financial advisors from our financial system and ensuring they are brought to justice.”
According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, the indictment, and other information presented in court: Burns, an Atlanta financial adviser, conducted business through several entities, including Investus Advisers, LLC, Investus Financial, LLC, Dynamic Money, and Peer Connect, LLC. Investors were promised that their money would be loaned to businesses that needed financing and with little to no risk. In some cases, Burns falsely described the investments as secured by the protection of collateral and personal guarantees. In other cases, he falsely claimed that he would pool investors’ money to lend it to startup businesses and charities. But in reality, he used investors’ money to repay prior investors and to fund his business and his lavish lifestyle. Burns is alleged to have defrauded dozens of victims of at least $10 million.
On April 11, 2023, a federal grand jury charged Christopher Burns, age 40, of Berkeley Lake, Georgia, with 10 counts of wire fraud, two counts of mail fraud, and four counts of money laundering. Burns was previously charged in a criminal complaint on October 23, 2020, with one count of mail fraud.
Burns has not been seen since he left his home on September 24, 2020, one day before he was scheduled to relinquish documents related to his businesses to the Securities and Exchange Commission. The vehicle he was driving was found abandoned in Dunwoody, Georgia. Inside the vehicle were copies of three cashier’s checks totaling more than $78,000. If you have any information about Burns’s location or if you think you were defrauded, please contact the FBI-Atlanta field office at 770-216-3000 or go to tips.fbi.gov
Members of the public are reminded that the indictment only contains charges. The defendant is presumed innocent of the charges and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alison B. Prout is prosecuting the case.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Four Springfield Men Sentenced for Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Four Springfield, Mo., men were sentenced in federal court today for their roles in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
Keith A. Ball, 38, Elshabazz M. Jackson, 32, Bryce S. Amador, 28, and Richard D. Sweaney, 38, were sentenced in separate hearings before U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips. Ball was sentenced to 14 years in federal prison without parole. Jackson and Amador were each sentenced to 11 years and three months in federal prison without parole. Sweaney was sentenced eight years in federal prison without parole.
According to court documents, conspirators transported a large amount of methamphetamine into Springfield for further distribution. Ball and Jackson were stopped by law enforcement officers in Lawrence County on Sept. 7, 2018, while in possession of nearly five kilograms of methamphetamine. Law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Ball’s residence the same day and found a Heritage .22-calibe revolver, a Colt .38-caliber revolver, and a Star Bonifacio Echeverria 9mm semi-automatic pistol.
Ball, Sweaney and Amador each pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in Greene and Lawrence counties from June 6, 2018, to Sept. 7, 2018. Ball, who was a leader of the conspiracy, also pleaded guilty to possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute.
Amador also pleaded guilty to possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime. Amador was a passenger in a vehicle stopped by law enforcement in Springfield on Sept. 7, 2018. The officer arrested the driver of the vehicle and saw a Davis Industries .380-caliber semi-automatic pistol on the floorboard near Amador’s foot. Amador also was in possession of a Jimenez Arms .380-caliber semi-automatic pistol during the execution of a search warrant at Ball’s residence on the same day.
Jackson pleaded guilty to possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute.
The fifth and final co-defendant, Amanda Henderson, 40, of Springfield, was sentenced on June 4, 2021, to five years of probation.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica R. Eatmon and Patrick Carney. It was investigated by the Springfield, Mo., Police Department, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Former Puerto Rico Mayor Pleads Guilty to Bribery SchemeRead the Press Release
A former mayor of Humacao, Puerto Rico, pleaded guilty today to engaging in a bribery scheme in which he received cash payments for awarding municipal contracts to two companies.
According to court documents, from January to July 2021, Reinaldo Vargas-Rodríguez, 49, was involved in a bribery conspiracy in which he accepted thousands of dollars in cash bribes from the owner of a construction company and the owner of a trash collection company. In exchange, Vargas-Rodríguez agreed to secure contracts for both companies.
Vargas-Rodríguez pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to solicit and accept bribes. He is scheduled to be sentenced on July 14 and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow for the District of Puerto Rico, and Special Agent in Charge Joseph González of the FBI San Juan Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI San Juan Field Office investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Nicholas Cannon of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Erbe for the District of Puerto Rico are prosecuting the case. Trial Attorney Ryan R. Crosswell of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott H. Anderson for the District of Puerto Rico assisted in the investigation.
This case is part of the Justice Department’s ongoing efforts to combat public corruption by municipal officials in Puerto Rico. In addition to the above matter, the Public Integrity Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico have recently obtained convictions against other former public officials and contractors in the district for soliciting and accepting bribes related to municipal contracts.
Former Puerto Rico Mayor Pleads Guilty to Bribery SchemeRead the Press Release
A former mayor of Humacao, Puerto Rico, pleaded guilty today to engaging in a bribery scheme in which he received cash payments for awarding municipal contracts to two companies.
According to court documents, from January to July 2021, Reinaldo Vargas-Rodriguez, 49, was involved in a bribery conspiracy in which he accepted thousands of dollars in cash bribes from the owner of a construction company and the owner of a trash collection company. In exchange, Vargas-Rodriguez agreed to secure contracts for both companies.
Vargas-Rodriguez pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to solicit and accept bribes. He is scheduled to be sentenced on July 14 and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow for the District of Puerto Rico, and Special Agent in Charge Joseph González of the FBI San Juan Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI San Juan Field Office investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Nicholas Cannon of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Erbe for the District of Puerto Rico are prosecuting the case. Trial Attorney Ryan R. Crosswell of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott H. Anderson for the District of Puerto Rico assisted in the investigation.
This case is part of the Justice Department’s ongoing efforts to combat public corruption by municipal officials in Puerto Rico. In addition to the above matter, the Public Integrity Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico have recently obtained convictions against other former public officials and contractors in the district for soliciting and accepting bribes related to municipal contracts.
Former Payroll Manager for Chicago Museum Admits to Misappropriating More Than $2 MillionRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — The former payroll manager for a Chicago museum pleaded guilty today in federal court to misappropriating more than $2 million in museum funds.
According to the written plea agreement, from 2007 to 2020, MICHAEL MAURELLO, 56, of Beach Park, siphoned money from the museum’s payroll account to his personal bank accounts by falsely designating the payments as legitimate compensation to other employees. In his plea agreement, Maurello admitted that he kept spreadsheets and notes to track the misappropriated money so that he could later make reversals within the payroll system to hide his fraudulent scheme. When the museum’s assistant controller asked Maurello in January 2020 about one of the payments, Maurello falsely stated that the transaction had been a test of the payroll system. Maurello then edited and altered a report from the payroll system to conceal information about the misappropriated funds.
Sentencing has been set for September 14, 2023. Maurello faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison followed by up to 3 years on supervised release. Maurello may also be sentenced to pay a fine of up to $250,000, or twice the gross gain or loss from his offense, whichever is greater, and he must be sentenced to pay restitution to the museum of $2,308,772.
The guilty plea was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Robert W. “Wes” Wheeler, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey B. Rubenstein.