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23 May 2023
Anchorage Man Indicted on Federal Guns and Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
ANCHORAGE – A federal grand jury in Alaska returned an indictment charging an Anchorage man with possession of fentanyl, heroin, methamphetamine, and multiple firearms.
According to the indictment, Paul Thomas Baldwin Jr., 32, possessed with the intent to distribute over 40 grams of fentanyl and 100 grams of heroin in September 2022. Between March 22 and April 21, 2023, he again possessed with the intent to distribute over 40 grams of fentanyl, 100 grams or more of heroin, and more than 50 grams of methamphetamine. It is alleged that Baldwin also possessed over $25,000 in cash that was involved in the drug offenses. Baldwin, who has a prior serious drug felony conviction and is prohibited from possessing firearms, was also charged with possessing two pistols.
The defendant is scheduled for his court appearance on May 24, 2023, before United States Magistrate Judge Kyle F. Reardon of the United States District Court of Alaska. If convicted, based on his prior conviction for a serious drug felony, he faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker of the District of Alaska made the announcement.
The Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Anchorage Police Department (APD), and Alaska State Troopers (AST) are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney George Tran is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Anchorage Inmate Indicted for Orchestrating Purchase of Firearms with Oregon WomanRead the Press Release
ANCHORAGE – A federal grand jury in Alaska returned an indictment last week, charging an Oregon man and woman with conspiracy to straw purchase firearms while the man was in prison.
According to the indictment, Dominique Kyle James Swain, 25, was arrested in Oregon in January 2022 for violating his supervised release from a previous federal criminal case in the District of Alaska. He was transported from Oregon to Alaska following his arrest. As a convicted felon, Swain was prohibited from purchasing and possessing firearms. While he was in custody in Anchorage, Swain orchestrated and directed Abigail Corinne Elaine Sturdevant, 25, who was in Oregon at the time, to purchase firearms on his behalf. Sturdevant agreed and throughout July and August 2022, she purchased several specific models of firearms at Swain’s direction, falsely claiming she was the actual buyer when they both knew the firearms were purchased for Swain. It is alleged that Swain was on the phone with Sturdevant as they made the firearm purchases. Sturdevant then stored the purchased firearms at her residence for Swain.
Swain and Sturdevant are each charged with one count of conspiracy to straw purchase firearms. Swain is further charged with one count of being a felon in possession of firearms. If convicted, each faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker of the District of Alaska made the announcement.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), with the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) and Eugene Police Department, are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney George Tran is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Amite Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Dogfighting ChargeRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – On May 17, 2023, DAVID GUIDRY, age 48, a resident of Amite, Louisiana, pled guilty to Count Three of a seven-count indictment, charging him with possession of an animal for an animal fighting venture, in violation of Title 7, United States Code, Section 2156(b), Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2 and 49(a), announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.
GUIDRY faces a maximum sentence of 5 years imprisonment, a fine up to $250,000.00, a period of supervised release up to 3 years, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00.
According to court records, in 2017, federal and state law enforcement investigated narcotics-trafficking in the Eastern and Middle Districts of Louisiana. In the summer of 2017, an investigation led law enforcement to information that GUIDRY was hosting dogfights at his residence in Independence, Louisiana.
On October 24, 2017, law enforcement executed a federal search warrant at GUIDRY’s residence, in Independence, Louisiana. During the search, law enforcement discovered that GUIDRY possessed seven pit bull-type dogs that were restrained using heavy chains and isolated from one another, a “break stick,” a device used by dogfighters to pry open the jaw of a dog involved in a dogfight, a veterinary antibiotic intended for large farm animals, and a syringe. After being advised of his legal rights, GUIDRY consented to an interview and admitted ownership of the seven, pit bull-type dogs. GUIDRY forfeited ownership of the dogs.
United States District Judge, Jane Triche Milazzo, will sentence GUIDRY on September 6, 2023.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. It is being prosecuted by Matthew Evans of the U.S. Department of Justice, Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant United States Attorney Brittany Reed of the Public Integrity Unit .
22 May 2023
Woman Guilty of Using Threats and Intimidation to Bilk Elderly Victim Out of More Than $1.6 MillionRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A woman has admitted in federal court that she used a series of threats and intimidation to bilk an elderly victim out of more than $1.6 million.
LEE TURNER, also known as “Ashley Turner,” 40, of Joliet, Ill., pleaded guilty on May 16, 2023, to one count of using a facility of interstate commerce to promote and carry on unlawful activity, namely theft and intimidation. The conviction is punishable by a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison and a fine of up to $250,000. U.S. District Judge Manish S. Shah set sentencing for Sept. 8, 2023.
Turner admitted in a plea agreement that from 2018 to 2021 she communicated numerous threats and fraudulent statements to the victim, who was in his seventies and had limited vision. Turner’s communications threatened to expose the victim’s purported criminal activity, even though Turner had no knowledge of any such activity committed by the victim. Turner took on false personas to convey false statements purportedly from others, including alleged gang members, individuals involved in organized crime, prosecutors, journalists, and corrupt law enforcement officers.
In one example cited in the plea agreement, Turner, using the alias “Big Joe,” sent a series of messages to the victim, claiming that the victim had to pay $30,000 to prevent law enforcement from raiding the victim’s residence and a relative’s residence. On June 13, 2019, the victim paid Turner $30,000 to avoid the purported raids, the plea agreement states. The money was one of dozens of similar payments, ranging in value from $5,000 to $66,000, that the victim made to Turner. In all, Turner received $1,611,975 from the victim as a result of the scam, the plea agreement states.
The guilty plea was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Robert W. “Wes” Wheeler, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Office of the FBI, and Eric Rossi, Chief of the Orland Park Police Department. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney David B. Green.
Woman Admits Aiding in St. Louis County ATM Worker RobberyRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A woman pleaded guilty Monday and admitted helping to steal a bag of cash from workers servicing an ATM in St. Louis County, Missouri.
Gregreonia Hampton, 21, pleaded guilty in front of U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey to one count of aiding and abetting a robbery. Hampton admitted helping Mark Anthony Diggs rob two employees of ATM Solutions on May 31, 2022 at a Vantage Credit Union.
Hampton drove a white Kia Optima to the ATM, and Diggs then got out of Kia’s back seat with a fully automatic Anderson Manufacturing AM-15 firearm. He demanded and received a bag of cash before Hampton drove off. The robbery was captured on video.
Hampton admitted having enough foreknowledge of the robbery that she could have walked away.
The robbery charge carries a potential penalty of up to 20 years in federal prison, a $250,000 fine or both. Hampton is scheduled to be sentenced August 23.
Diggs, 21, pleaded guilty in April to charges of robbery and possession and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.
The St. Louis County Police Department, the FBI, the Missouri State Highway Patrol and the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Linda Lane is prosecuting the case.
Wetumka Resident Sentenced for Possession with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Joseph Anthony Paxton, age 31, of Wetumka, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 58 months in prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine.
The charges arose from investigations by the Hughes County Sheriff’s Department, the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics, the District 22 Drug and Violent Crime Task Force, and the United States Drug Enforcement Administration.
On March 15, 2022, Paxton pleaded guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine.
On November 28, 2020, law enforcement executed a search warrant on Paxton’s residence in Wetumka. Officers discovered approximately 12 grams of methamphetamine, baggies, digital scales, a .380 pistol, and ammunition.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearings in Muskogee. Paxton will remain in custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Watertown Father and Son Sentenced to Prison for Decade-Long Lottery and Tax Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A father and son were sentenced today in federal court in Boston for orchestrating an elaborate “ten-percenting” scheme involving dozens of convenience stores across Massachusetts. The defendants unlawfully claimed more than 14,000 winning lottery tickets, laundered over $20 million in proceeds, and then lied on their tax returns. The result was more than $6 million in federal tax loss. As a direct result of this case, the Massachusetts State Lottery Commission is in the process of revoking or suspending the licenses of more than 40 of its lottery agents.
Ali Jaafar, 63, and Yousef Jaafar, 29, both of Watertown, were sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to five years and 50 months in prison, respectively, in addition to orders of restitution in the amount of $6,082,578 and forfeiture of their profits from the scheme. In December 2022, Ali and Yousef Jaafar were convicted by a federal jury of one count of conspiracy to defraud the Internal Revenue Service, one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering and one count each of filing a false tax return.
Mohamed Jaafar, another of Ali Jaafar’s sons who was also involved in the scheme, previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud the Internal Revenue Service on Nov. 4, 2022 and is scheduled to be sentenced on July 25, 2023.
In 2019 alone, Ali Jaafar was the top individual lottery ticket casher for Massachusetts. Mohamed Jaafar was the third highest individual ticket casher and Yousef Jaafar was the fourth highest individual ticket casher. The scheme also resulted in federal tax losses of over $6 million, more than $1.2 million of which went directly to the defendants in the form of fraudulent tax refunds.
“This case is, at its core, an elaborate tax fraud. Over the course of a decade, this father-and-son team defrauded the Massachusetts State Lottery Commission and the IRS to pocket millions of hard-earned taxpayers’ dollars. These defendants worked together to recruit a wide network of co-conspirators and spread their lottery scam across Massachusetts, avoiding detection by repeatedly lying to government officials. In total, the Jaafars laundered more than $20 million in proceeds, and their scheme resulted in more than $6 million in tax loss. These defendants pocketed $1.2 million from fraudulent taxpayer refunds,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “I commend the Massachusetts State Lottery Commission and the IRS for their exceptional collaboration and partnership. As a direct result of this case, the Commission is in the process of revoking or suspending the licenses of more than 40 of its lottery agents. This case should serve as a warning to those who think they can cheat the system for their own financial gain: you will be identified, prosecuted and held accountable.”
“Instead of using business savvy and skill to build a legitimate multi-generational family business, the Jaafars carried out a complex decade-long tax and lottery scam, building a vast network of coconspirators to further their illegal activities. Tax violations have been erroneously referred to as victimless crimes, but it's the honest law-abiding citizen who is harmed when someone tries to manipulate our nation's tax system,” said Joleen Simpson, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston.“This case is an example of the extensive efforts the Lottery will take in partnering with law enforcement to assist in the prevention of illegal activities. This decision is the culmination of years of hard work to maintain the integrity of the Lottery,” said Deborah B. Goldberg, Massachusetts State Treasurer & Receiver General, and Chair of the Massachusetts State Lottery Commission.
“The outcome of this case sends a clear message that anyone complicit in the avoidance of financial obligations through fraudulent Lottery prize claims faces real and severe consequences. We commend the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Massachusetts State Police and the IRS for their efforts in assisting us in confronting these illegal activities and securing the public’s trust in the Lottery,” said Mark William Bracken, Interim Executive Director, Massachusetts State Lottery.
Between 2011 and 2020, the defendants purchased winning lottery tickets from individuals across Massachusetts who wanted to sell their winning tickets for a cash discount instead of claiming their prizes from the Massachusetts State Lottery Commission. This allowed the real winners to avoid identification by the Commission, which is legally required to identify lottery winners and withhold any outstanding taxes, back taxes and child support payments before paying out prizes. The defendants recruited and paid the owners of dozens of convenience stores to facilitate the transactions. After purchasing tickets from the lottery winners at a discount, using the convenience stores as go-betweens, the defendants lied to the Commission, claiming the full amount of the prize money as their own. The defendants then further profited by reporting the winnings on their income tax returns and claiming equivalent fake gambling losses as an offset, thereby avoiding federal income taxes and receiving fraudulent tax refunds.
Acting U.S. Attorney Levy; IRS SAC Simpson; Treasurer & Receiver General Goldberg; and Interim Executive Director Bracken made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher J. Markham and Kristen A. Kearney of Levy’s Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit prosecuted the case.
Warwick Woman Admits Role in Methamphetamine Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A thirty-eight-year-old Warwick woman today admitted to a federal judge that she participated in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine during which, on at least ten occasions, she sold crystal meth to others, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.
According to information presented to the court, between March and June 2021, Wendy Greene sold a total of 447 grams of crystal meth to various individuals. Greene personally sold the drugs on nine occasions while being surveilled by members of the FBI’s Rhode Island Safe Streets Gang Task Force. On at least one occasion, she enlisted another individual to make the delivery.
Appearing in U.S. District Court, Greene pleaded guilty to a charge of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. She is scheduled to be sentenced on August 22, 2023. The defendant’s sentence will be determined by a federal judge after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine D. Lowell.
The matter was investigated by the Rhode Island FBI Safe Streets Gang Task Force, with significant assistance provided by the Warwick Police Department.
The Rhode Island FBI Safe Streets Gang Task Force consists of agents and law enforcement officers from the FBI, United States Marshals Service, Central Falls Police Department, Cranston Police Department, Pawtucket Police Department, Providence Police Department, West Warwick Police Department, Woonsocket Police Department, and Rhode Island State Police.
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Unrepentant Gang Member Who Led Police on High-Speed Chase Receives 10 Years in Federal Prison for Drug Trafficking and Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
NEW BERN, N.C. – Veshon Lendell Shaw, aka “Play Maker”, 29, of Wilmington, was sentenced to 120 months in prison for possession of a firearm by a felon and possession with intent to distribute MDMA (Ecstasy) and marijuana. He pled guilty to the charges on February 13, 2022.
“This defendant led law enforcement on a high-speed chase and crashed into a police vehicle,” said U.S. Attorney Easley. “When apprehended, he bragged that he wasn’t afraid to spend time in prison. Today’s sentence makes the Wilmington community safer by putting him behind bars for the next 10 years.”
“Violent criminals have no place on our streets. We will continue to do everything we can to ensure that those who are responsible for criminal activity are held accountable for their actions. We appreciate the partnerships we have with various agencies who helped us bring this case to a close. I am also grateful to the women and men of the Wilmington Police Department for their continued pursuit of justice to ensure a safe community for all,” said Chief Donny Williams.
According to court documents and other information presented in court, on July 29, 2021, a Wilmington Police Officer attempted to stop a car driven by Shaw for a revoked license and a traffic violation. Shaw pulled into a parking lot in the Creekwood area of Wilmington then sped off at a high rate of speed onto North 30th street. Shaw’s car struck a law enforcement van on Market Street, and law enforcement was then able to box in Shaw’s car following this collision. Shaw exited the car and fled on foot but was ultimately apprehended. At the time of his arrest, Shaw was in possession of an ounce of MDMA and $1,200 cash. Law enforcement found a stolen 9mm handgun and marijuana in the car.
Following Shaw’s arrest, he told officers that he was not afraid to “sit down.” Law enforcement knew this to mean that Shaw was claiming that he was not afraid to serve a prison sentence. Shaw said that it would give him a chance to meet a new “plug” (a source of supply for drugs). According to law enforcement, Shaw was a member of the 720 Folk Nation Gang. Shaw has prior convictions for Selling a Controlled Substance (2012), Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon (2013), Common Law Robbery (2015), and Selling Heroin (2015).
This is part of operation “Golfer” which is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launders, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the New Hanover and Brunswick County Sheriffs’ Offices and the Wilmington Police Department investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Severo and Gabe Diaz prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 7:21-cr-00103-FL-1.
United States Attorney’s Office Seeks to Forfeit Homes Connected to Murder of Police OfficerRead the Press Release
Big Stone Gap, Va. – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Virginia has filed a civil complaint to forfeit a pair of Big Stone Gap homes connected to the November 2021 murder of Big Stone Gap Police Officer Michael Chandler.
In a complaint for forfeiture unsealed last week in U.S. District Court, the United States Attorney’s Office brought a civil action against both 2505 Orr Street and 2512 Orr Street in Big Stone Gap, Virginia, asking the court to forfeit the properties to the custody of the United States on the grounds that they were used to commit or facilitate criminal activities. Upon filing of the action, United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh made the following statement:
"On November 13, 2021, Officer Michael Chandler was responding to provide a welfare check on one of these homes at approximately 4:00 AM, where he was shot and killed. Our criminal investigation into Officer Chandler’s death resulted in federal charges against Michael White for the murder, as well as federal narcotics charges against White and 18 co-conspirators.
Our investigation also revealed that these two homes were hubs for a narcotics conspiracy that funneled narcotics to Southwest Virginia, and the owners knew about it and allowed it to proceed. In just the 15-month period prior to White’s death, there were approximately 78 calls for service for local police to respond to these two homes, including 911 calls. The United States Attorney’s will continue to use all the federal laws and tools at our disposal to protect our communities and our citizens."
This investigation is being conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Virginia State Police, the United States Marshal’s Service, the Wise County Sheriff’s Office, the City of Norton Police Department, the Kingsport Tennessee Police Department, the Big Stone Gap Police Department, the Wise County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office, the East Tennessee Drug Task Force, and the Southwest Virginia Drug Task Force, which is comprised of investigators from the Virginia State Police, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, the Scott County Sheriff’s Office, the Wise County Sheriff’s Office, the City of Norton Police Department, and the Big Stone Gap Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lena L. Busscher is prosecuting the criminal case. Assistant United States Attorney Krista Consiglio Frith is handling the civil forfeiture litigation.
United States Attorney’s Office Announces 20th Annual Project Safe Neighborhoods Logo Contest WinnersRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA --- United States Attorney Adair F. Boroughs announced today the winners of the United States Attorney’s Office’s 20th Annual Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Logo Contest.
The theme was “Preventing Gun Violence in Our Schools,” and the contest was open to all SC grade school students. Judges sought logos that demonstrated a successful collaboration between schools, communities, and law enforcement to reflect (1) warning signs that students should be looking for related to gun violence; (2) resources to help students who have concerns about gun violence; and (3) general messages to prevent gun violence in South Carolina schools. The overall winning logo will be displayed on our website and used in various presentations.
“Every year, we look forward to the entries submitted by SC students and gathering their input on how to curb gun violence in our schools. These students are important voices that we all need to listen to in addressing this national issue,” said U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs. “We hope that the winning artwork will capture the attention of other students and inspire them to use their voices in combatting gun violence.”
The winner from each grade division and the overall winner, along with their schools, are named below. Media should contact the respective schools to determine details of any award presentations to be held:
K–2ND GRADE DIVISION
Winner - Harlem Foster, 2nd grade
Fairfield Magnet School for Math & Science, Winnsboro, SC
Honorable Mention - Rocco Fuhr, 2nd grade
Memminger Elementary, Charleston, SC
3RD–5TH GRADE DIVISION/OVERALL WINNER
Winner/Overall Winner - Andrea Gaston, 5th grade
Wallace Elementary Middle School, Wallace, SC
Honorable Mention - Kaylee Summers, 5th grade
Fairfield Magnet School for Math & Science, Winnsboro, SC
6TH–8TH GRADE DIVISION
Winner - Ky’Mari Johnson, 8th grade
William J. Clark Middle School, Orangeburg, SC
Honorable Mention - Abryelle Bignal, 6th grade
Fairfield Magnet School for Math & Science, Winnsboro, SC
9TH–12TH GRADE DIVISION
Winner - Samantha Morales, 9th grade
C. A. Johnson High School, Columbia, SC
Honorable Mention - Paige Shea, 11th grade
Battery-Creek High School, Beaufort, SC
The winning entries were chosen by “The Insiders,” a select group of young leaders at the South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice who act as role models for the other youth. The South Carolina Sheriffs’ Association is providing $50.00 awards to each division winner, as well as an additional $50 to the overall winner. Additionally, all students who participated will receive a Certificate of Appreciation for their submissions.
The annual logo contest is a long-running part of the district’s PSN program and an important prevention initiative to engage our students in meaningful conversation about preventing gun crimes amongst our young people and ensuring a safe learning atmosphere for our children. PSN focuses on reducing violent crime in our communities through prevention, enforcement, and re-entry initiatives.
View this year’s winning submissions and learn more about the contest at https://www.justice.gov/usao-sc/programs/ceasefire/project-sentry/contest-winners.
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United States Attorney Ritz Announces Recent Prosecutions for “Switches” and Releases Public Service Announcement about Illegal Machine Gun Conversion DevicesRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – Today, United States Attorney Kevin G. Ritz, along with federal and local law enforcement partners, announced the prosecution of 26 individuals for crimes involving machine gun conversion devices, also known as “switches” or auto sears. These switches transform a semiautomatic firearm into a machine gun capable of firing dozens of rounds of ammunition in a couple of seconds.
United States Attorney Ritz also released a 60-second public service announcement, available here, about the danger posed by switches. The PSA features a trained agent demonstrating how these illegal devices turn a firearm into a machine gun that is essentially impossible to control. In the
PSA, United States Attorney Ritz also explains that simply possessing a switch can result in significant penalties—up to 10 years in federal prison.United States Attorney Ritz said: “Switches are illegal and highly dangerous devices that convert semiautomatic firearms into machine guns. These devices threaten public safety and make the gun violence problem even worse. As our recent prosecutions show, we are vigorously enforcing the federal laws prohibiting machine gun conversion devices. I encourage the public to watch our new public service announcement and spread the word: anyone with a switch will face significant time in federal prison.”
The U.S. Attorney’s Office has made prosecution of crimes involving switches a top priority. In recent months, Assistant United States Attorneys in both Memphis and Jackson have prosecuted 26 individuals for illegally possessing switches. These cases, which are detailed below, were investigated by federal and local law enforcement partners, including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Homeland
Security Investigations (HSI), the Memphis Police Department (MPD), and the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO).“These illegal machine gun conversion devices more commonly referred to as ‘switches’ can significantly enhance the rate of fire of a semi-automatic firearm. This enhancement adds to the potential lethality of the weapon. Our communities are experiencing an unacceptable increase in firearm related violence and these devices have no place on our streets,” said Marcus Watson, Special Agent in Charge, ATF, Nashville.
Memphis Police Chief, Cerelyn “CJ” Davis said, "Gun violence has increasingly plagued our city in recent years, causing death and trauma throughout. Switches and similar devices have only exacerbated these urgent issues in our community, prompting the need for stronger enforcement. We are grateful for U.S. Attorney Kevin Ritz and his team of prosecutors for aggressively seeking the maximum penalties for individuals who brazenly commit violence."
“The illegal importation and use of switches create a significant threat to public safety. As simple to manufacture as they are quick to install, conversion devices turn regular firearms into a machine gun capable of inflicting tremendous harm in a split second. Homeland Security
Investigations (HSI) is committed to stopping the transnational criminal organizations that conspire to import these illegal firearm conversion kits used for violent criminal acts and harming the communities we serve,” said Special Agent in Charge Rana Saoud, HSI Nashville.“The United States Marshals Service always stands ready to assist our local, state, and federal partners in executing arrest warrants for suspects who possess weapons with ‘switches’ or modifications. These suspects pose a consequential threat to our communities and will be a priority for our fugitive task forces,” said Tyreece Miller, United States Marshal, Western District of
Tennessee.The following defendants have been convicted and sentenced for federal crimes involving switches.
There is no parole in the federal system.• Prenagio Baines, 21. Baines was a member of AOB, a violent hybrid street gang operating in
Memphis. On March 13, 2022, MPD officers encountered a vehicle parked on the wrong side of the road. Baines got out of the vehicle. Officers discovered a .40 caliber pistol with a machine gun conversion device attached. Baines admitted that he left the gun in the vehicle. He pled guilty to possessing a machine gun and was sentenced on February 27, 2023, to 24 months in prison.• Daniel Banks, 23. Banks fled from officers on foot during a traffic stop. He dropped a firearm with a switch after he jumped over a fence. Banks pled guilty to drug and gun crimes, including possession of a machine gun, and was sentenced on March 24, 2023, to 84 months.
• Justin Hardaway, 23. Hardaway was a member of the Grape Street Crips, a violent street gang operating in Memphis. In March 2022, officers followed Hardaway driving a stolen Dodge Charger into the parking lot of a convenience store. The officers placed Hardaway into custody and recovered a
.40 caliber Glock handgun with a machine gun conversion device attached. Hardaway pled guilty to possessing a machine gun and was sentenced on February 14, 2023, to 30 months.• Terrance Jones, 24. ATF learned that Jones was selling drugs, which led to a search warrant executed on his trap house. Jones had a home camera system that recorded him selling drugs with firearms. The switch charge derived from a separate incident—a shooting at Young Dolph’s memorial.
Jones was in the car that fled the scene, and the evidence showed that he discarded a firearm with the switch. Jones pled guilty. He was sentenced on October 27, 2022, to 30 months on the switch charge and a consecutive 60 months on a separate firearm charge.• Daniel Kirtman, 25. Kirtman, a convicted felon, sold a short-barreled rifle. Agents arrested
Kirtman and seized a Glock pistol equipped with an extended magazine and a machinegun conversion device. Kirtman pled guilty to firearm crimes and was sentenced on December 7, 2022, to 102 months in prison.• Michael Thomas, 24. Thomas sold and possessed multiple machine gun conversion devices. Thomas pled guilty to possessing the switches and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. He was sentenced on December 1, 2022, to 84 months.
• Michael Naylor, 26. Investigators discovered Naylor worked at a gun store and was selling machine guns, switches, and other firearms. During the investigation, agents met with Naylor on two different occasions to purchase switches. In the first meeting, undercover ATF agents purchased three switches, and in the second meeting agents purchased one switch. On the final occasion, Naylor brought twenty switches to sell. ATF agents arrested him. Naylor pled guilty and was sentenced on March 3, 2023, to 27 months.
The following defendants have been convicted of federal crimes involving switches and are awaiting sentencing. Under federal law, the penalty for possession of a machine gun is up to 10 years in prison.
• Kameron Chatman, 20. Chatman was seen in a Facebook video with a switch. On March 9, 2023, he pled guilty in federal court in Jackson, Tennessee, to firearm crimes, including possession of a machine gun.
• Avonta Gregory, 21. Gregory, a member of the AOB violent hybrid street gang in Memphis, pled guilty on May 1, 2023, to possessing a Glock firearm with a 22- round magazine and a machine gun conversion device.
• Martavious Hodges, 23. Hodges, a member of the Fast Cash violent hybrid street gang in Memphis, sold firearms with switches on January 7, 2022, and January 26, 2022. On February 9, 2022, officers arrested Hodges with six switches before the third controlled delivery. He pled guilty on March
22, 2023, to possession of a machine gun.• Cameron Person, 20. Law enforcement executed a search warrant on Person’s residence and located four switches, materials to put together another one, and two firearms. He pled guilty in federal court in Jackson, Tennessee, on March 7, 2023, to possession of a machine gun.
• Michael Rimmer, Jr., 21. Law enforcement recovered five firearms possessed by Rimmer. Two had switches. Rimmer pled guilty on March 20, 2023, to a drug crime and possession of machine guns.
• Mitchell Shaw, 23. Shaw pled guilty on September 28, 2022, in federal court in Jackson, Tennessee, to possessing a machine gun.
• Maurice Wilson, 38. Defendant possessed a switch and pled guilty on March 14, 2023, to firearm crimes.
• Dionco Lowe, 25. During the investigation into Lowe, law enforcement recovered four firearms and a machine gun conversion device. Lowe pled guilty on May 9, 2023, to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
The following defendants have been charged with federal crimes involving switches. Members of the public are reminded that an indictment is an accusation and only contains charges. Each defendant is presumed innocent of the charges and it is the government’s burden to prove each defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
• Nakiel Addison, 25. Addison was indicted on March 30, 2023, for federal gun crimes, including possessing a firearm with a switch.
• Khamron Roberts, 25. Roberts was indicted on April 27, 2023, for federal gun crimes, including possessing a firearm with a switch.
• Roosevelt Wilson, 42. Wilson was indicted on April 27, 2023, for federal gun crimes. His alleged crime involved ordering 25 switches from China.
• Jaquan Bridges, 22. Bridges was indicted on April 27, 2023, for possessing a machine gun. His alleged crime involved shooting at a SCSO deputy on the interstate. Investigators recovered a gun with a switch.
• Jaqerious Conner, 25. Conner was indicted on November 10, 2022, for drug and gun crimes, including possession of a machine gun. Conner was investigated for trafficking drugs and switches.
Officers recovered multiple firearms, one of which was a Glock with a machine gun conversion device.• Quatavious Doggett, 23. Doggett was indicted on March 16, 2023, for being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession of a machine gun. His alleged crime involved possession of a firearm with a switch.
• Pariss Johnson, 36, Paris Brown, 22, and Leroy Cloyd, 22. These three defendants were indicted on February 16, 2023, for possessing machine guns. During the investigation, law enforcement performed undercover purchases of machine gun conversion devices.
• Timothy Williams, 25. Williams was indicted on February 7, 2023, for being a felon in possession of firearms and other crimes. During the investigation, law enforcement recovered four firearms and a machine gun conversion device.
• Eddie Martinez, 25. Martinez was indicted on January 26, 2023, for possession of a machine gun.
During the investigation agents recovered a Glock 9mm pistol with a switch and loaded with 23 rounds.Several defendants charged in this series of indictments are alleged to be convicted felons. Under federal law, is it illegal for an individual convicted of a felony to possess a firearm or ammunition.
Anyone with information about switches or other federal gun crimes can call 1-800-ATF- GUNS
(1-800-283-4867).United States Attorney Ritz offered his gratitude to the Assistant United States Attorneys who are prosecuting these cases, as well as the law enforcement partners who investigated cases.
U.S. Law Enforcement Disrupts Networks Used to Transfer Fraud Proceeds, Taking over 4,000 Actions in Fifth CampaignRead the Press Release
The Justice Department, FBI, U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), and other federal law enforcement agencies announced today the completion of a three-month campaign that disrupted networks used by foreign fraudsters to obtain fraud proceeds. Multiple law enforcement actions addressed conduct by individuals sometimes referred to as “money mules,” who have been providing critical services to fraudsters by receiving money from fraud victims and forwarding the fraud proceeds to the perpetrators (many of whom are based overseas). Some individuals knew they were facilitating fraud, while others first interacted with fraudsters as victims and may have been unaware that their activity furthered criminal activity.
Over approximately the last three months, law enforcement took over 4,000 actions against individuals responsible for facilitating a range of fraud schemes. These schemes included those that targeted consumers, such as lottery fraud and romance scams, as well as those that targeted businesses or pandemic funds.
The thousands of actions taken by law enforcement — which ranged from criminal prosecutions to civil actions, to warning letters — were designed to punish those who knowingly assisted fraudsters and to advise those who may have been unknowingly helping fraudsters that their conduct furthered crime. These actions are intended to deter overseas fraudsters from relying on U.S.-based individuals to facilitate schemes and thereby reduce the harm caused by foreign fraud operations.
This year’s effort marked the fifth U.S. law enforcement campaign disrupting these money transmitting networks. Since the first campaign, during which approximately 400 actions were taken by law enforcement, agencies have collectively taken over 12,000 actions. Investigations have shown that disrupting money transmitting networks has impeded fraudsters’ abilities to receive funds, thereby reducing fraud victimization. These campaigns are part of a global effort to tackle money transmitting networks linked to illegal activity.
“Law enforcement is committed to reducing fraud using every tool at our disposal. Our efforts to disrupt networks used to transfer fraud proceeds, to educate the public about elder fraud, and to prosecute those involved in these schemes have stymied fraudsters,” said Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta. “This initiative demonstrates what can be achieved through focused efforts and vigorous enforcement.”
“The money mule campaign was an effort to educate the public, disrupt criminal enterprises, and provide feedback to financial institutions who go to great lengths to implement anti-money laundering programs,” said Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “The FBI values the partnership of the Justice Department's Consumer Protection Branch, USPIS, and other federal agencies who work together to disrupt criminal enterprises conducting fraud and money laundering schemes.”
“Anyone can be approached to be a money mule, but criminals often target students, those looking for work, and those on dating websites,” said USPIS Inspector in Charge Eric Shen of the Criminal Investigations Group. “When those individuals use the U.S. Mail to send or receive funds from fraudsters, postal inspectors are quick to step in and put a stop to money mule activities.”
This year’s effort was coordinated by the Justice Department's Consumer Protection Branch, FBI and USPIS, which were joined by Homeland Security Investigations, the Department of Labor Office of Inspector General and the Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General. Participating agencies collectively served over 4,000 letters warning individuals that their activities are facilitating fraud. These letters outlined the potential consequences for continuing to transmit illegally acquired funds. Participating agencies also filed 12 civil or administrative actions. Additionally, more than 25 individuals were criminally charged for knowingly receiving and forwarding victim funds or otherwise laundering fraud proceeds.
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The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District Massachusetts charged a defendant for using his accounting and “virtual CFO” business as a front to launder the proceeds of internet fraud schemes. As part of the alleged conspiracy, the defendant created dozens of shell companies and used those shell companies to open business bank accounts in Rhode Island and Massachusetts, through which the defendant laundered the criminal proceeds for his clients in exchange for fees. In total, since 2019, the defendant is alleged to have opened approximately 80 bank accounts (purportedly on behalf of 65 different companies), laundering approximately $35 million.
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The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of North Carolina charged an individual for facilitating an international, multimillion-dollar tech support fraud. The indictment alleged that the defendant agreed to obtain payment-processing services in his name to process victim payments and laundered the proceeds domestically and internationally to bank accounts located in India, receiving 3% of the revenue in return.
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The U.S. Attorneys' Offices for the Central District of California and the District of Nebraska charged individuals who, despite warnings from law enforcement, continued facilitating fraud. In the Central District of California, an individual was charged for her role in receiving funds from fraud victims, including victims of business email compromises. According to the charges, the defendant opened 11 bank accounts at seven separate financial institutions in furtherance of the scheme. In the District of Nebraska, two individuals were charged for facilitating a lottery fraud scheme, including by receiving cashier’s checks in the mail.
As in past years, participating agencies are working to raise awareness about how fraudsters recruit and use individuals to assist their fraud operations. Federal agencies conducted outreach to the public and industry, and also expanded partnerships with local, state, and foreign law enforcement agencies. The Commodities Futures Trading Commission released a public awareness message about how fraudsters use and recruit people to facilitate romance fraud and “wrong number” text message scams, where fraudsters strike up conversations touting their wealth and success in trading crypto assets, over-the-counter foreign currency, or gold contracts to try and convince consumers to “invest” in crypto assets.
The agencies involved in this effort urge consumers to be on the lookout for signs someone is trying to recruit them to receive and transmit fraud proceeds. Do not agree to receive money or checks mailed to you or sent to your bank account for someone you have met over the phone or online. Do not open a bank or cryptocurrency account at someone else’s direction. Fraudsters will lie to persuade you to help them. They may falsely tell you that they are helping you get a lottery prize, initiate a purported romantic relationship and then tell you that they need money, or pretend to offer you a job, an opportunity to invest in a business venture, or the chance to help in a charitable effort.
For more information on this initiative, please visit www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch/money-mule-initiative.
Information about the Department of Justice’s Elder Fraud Initiative is available at www.justice.gov/elderjustice. If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is available at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311).
Information about the Justice Department's COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force is available at www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit its website at www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch.
A criminal indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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U.S. Law Enforcement Disrupts Networks Used to Transfer Fraud Proceeds, Taking over 4,000 Actions in Fifth CampaignRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – The Department of Justice, FBI, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and other federal law enforcement agencies announced today the completion of a three-month campaign that disrupted networks used by foreign fraudsters to obtain fraud proceeds. Multiple law enforcement actions addressed conduct by individuals sometimes referred to as “money mules,” who have been providing critical services to fraudsters by receiving money from fraud victims and forwarding the fraud proceeds to the perpetrators (many of whom are based overseas). Some individuals knew they were facilitating fraud. Others first interacted with fraudsters as victims and may have been unaware that their activity furthered criminal activity.
Over approximately the last three months, law enforcement took over 4,000 actions against individuals responsible for facilitating a range of fraud schemes. These schemes included those that targeted consumers, such as lottery fraud and romance scams, as well as those that targeted businesses or pandemic funds.
The thousands of actions taken by law enforcement—which ranged from criminal prosecutions, to civil actions, to warning letters—were designed to punish those who knowingly assisted fraudsters and to advise those who may have been unknowingly helping fraudsters that their conduct furthered crime. These actions are intended to deter overseas fraudsters from relying on U.S.-based individuals to facilitate schemes, and thereby reduce the harm caused by foreign fraud operations.
This year’s effort marked the fifth U.S. law enforcement campaign disrupting these money transmitting networks. Since the first campaign, during which approximately 400 actions were taken by law enforcement, agencies have collectively taken over 12,000 actions. Investigations have shown that disrupting money transmitting networks has impeded fraudsters’ abilities to receive funds, thereby reducing fraud victimization. These campaigns are part of a global effort to tackle money transmitting networks linked to illegal activity.
“Law enforcement is committed to reducing fraud using every tool at our disposal. Our efforts to disrupt networks used to transfer fraud proceeds, to educate the public about elder fraud, and to prosecute those involved in these schemes have stymied fraudsters,” said Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta. “This initiative demonstrates what can be achieved through focused efforts and vigorous enforcement.”
“The money mule campaign was an effort to educate the public, disrupt criminal enterprises, and provide feedback to financial institutions who go to great lengths to implement anti-money laundering programs,” said Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “The FBI values the partnership of DOJ Consumer Protection Branch, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and other federal agencies who work together to disrupt criminal enterprises conducting fraud and money laundering schemes.”
“Anyone can be approached to be a money mule, but criminals often target students, those looking for work, and those on dating websites,” said Eric Shen, Inspector in Charge of the Criminal Investigations Group. “When those individuals use the U.S. Mail to send or receive funds from fraudsters, Postal Inspectors are quick to step in and put a stop to money mule activities.”
This year’s effort was coordinated by the Department of Justice’s Consumer Protection Branch, the FBI, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, which were joined by Homeland Security Investigations, the Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, and the Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General. Participating agencies collectively served over 4,000 letters warning individuals that their activities are facilitating fraud. These letters outlined the potential consequences for continuing to transmit illegally acquired funds. Participating agencies also filed twelve civil or administrative actions. Additionally, more than 25 individuals were criminally charged for knowingly receiving and forwarding victim funds or otherwise laundering fraud proceeds.
- The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District Massachusetts charged a defendant for using his accounting and “virtual CFO” business as a front to launder the proceeds of internet fraud schemes. As part of the alleged conspiracy, the defendant created dozens of shell companies and used those shell companies to open business bank accounts in Rhode Island and Massachusetts, through which the defendant laundered the criminal proceeds for his clients in exchange for fees. In total, since 2019, the defendant is alleged to have opened approximately 80 bank accounts (purportedly on behalf of 65 different companies), laundering approximately $35 million.
- The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of North Carolina charged an individual for facilitating an international, multi-million-dollar tech support fraud. The indictment alleged that the defendant agreed to obtain payment-processing services in his name to process victim payments and laundered the proceeds domestically and internationally to bank accounts located in India, receiving three percent of the revenue in return.
- The U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Central District of California and the District of Nebraska charged individuals who, despite warnings from law enforcement, continued facilitating fraud. In the Central District of California, an individual was charged for her role in receiving funds from fraud victims, including victims of business email compromises. According to the charges, the defendant opened 11 bank accounts at seven separate financial institutions in furtherance of the scheme. In the District of Nebraska, two individuals were charged for facilitating a lottery fraud scheme, including by receiving cashier’s checks in the mail.
Criminal charges are merely allegations. Defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
As in past years, participating agencies are working to raise awareness about how fraudsters recruit and use individuals to assist their fraud operations. Federal agencies conducted outreach to the public and industry, and also expanded partnerships with local, state, and foreign law enforcement agencies. The Commodities Futures Trading Commission released a public awareness message about how fraudsters use and recruit people to facilitate romance fraud and “wrong number” text message scams, where fraudsters strike up conversations touting their wealth and success in trading crypto assets, over-the-counter foreign currency, or gold contracts to try and convince consumers to “invest” in crypto assets.
The agencies involved in this effort urge consumers to be on the lookout for signs someone is trying to recruit them to receive and transmit fraud proceeds. Do not agree to receive money or checks mailed to you or sent to your bank account for someone you have met over the phone or online. Do not open a bank or cryptocurrency account at someone else’s direction. Fraudsters will lie to persuade you to help them. They may falsely tell you that they are helping you get a lottery prize, initiate a purported romantic relationship and then tell you that they need money, or pretend to offer you a job, an opportunity to invest in a business venture, or the chance to help in a charitable effort.
For more information on this initiative, please visit www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch/money-mule-initiative.
Information about the Department of Justice’s Elder Fraud Initiative is available at www.justice.gov/elderjustice. If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is available at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311).
Information about the Department of Justice’s COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force is available at https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit its website at https://www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch.
U.S. Attorney’s Office to receive four additional prosecutors, including two for Indian Country casesRead the Press Release
BILLINGS — The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Montana will be receiving four new full-time federal prosecutor positions, including two positions dedicated to addressing cases arising in Indian Country, one position for violent crime and one position for eLitigation work, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said today.
The U.S. Department of Justice allocated additional resources for U.S. Attorney’s Offices throughout the country from funding within the President’s budget passed last year.
“These new Assistant United States Attorney positions are a significant investment from the Justice Department and will strengthen our ability to address public safety across the state, especially in Indian Country,” U.S. Attorney Laslovich said.
One of the new Indian Country prosecutors will be located in either the Great Falls or Helena branch office, while the second new position will be in the Billings branch office. Duties will include prosecuting assaults, burglaries, sexual assaults, murders, and drug cases, and serving as a liaison between the reservation and the U.S. Attorney. Prosecutors assigned to Indian Country, which is a legal term in federal law, prosecute major crimes arising in six Montana Indian reservations within federal jurisdiction, including the Blackfeet, Rocky Boy’s, Fort Belknap, Fort Peck, Crow and Northern Cheyenne.
The new violent crime prosecutor will be assigned to the Billings branch office, while the eLitigation prosecutor will be assigned to either Missoula, Helena or Billings. The eLitigation position will be the district’s first lawyer assigned to this field and will focus on enhancing the District’s electronic litigation efforts, particularly in the intake, processing, and production of discovery in criminal and civil cases.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Montana currently has 31 Assistant U.S. Attorneys working in its criminal and civil divisions in branch offices located in Missoula, Helena, Great Falls, and Billings. The hiring process is underway and expected to take several months. When the four positions are added, the office will have a total of 35 assistant U.S. attorneys.
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Two Minneapolis Men Plead Guilty to Armed CarjackingRead the Press Release
ST PAUL, Minn. – Two Minneapolis men have pleaded guilty to 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, Jamal Timothy Funchess, 18, T’Shawn Teon Palton, 21, and a juvenile posted an advertisement on Facebook Marketplace to purportedly sell an iPhone. The victim responded and made arrangements to buy the phone. The victim and the purported seller agreed to meet at a location in Columbia Heights. When the victim arrived at the location and was still in the car, Palton and the juvenile approached. The juvenile had a gun and hit the victim in the face with the firearm. 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 Funchess.
For several hours, the three men drove the victim’s car around the Twin Cities, holding the victim at gunpoint in the backseat. Each of the three men 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. 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, along with the victim’s stolen car and possessions.
Funchess and Palton pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court before Senior Judge Susan Richard Nelson to one count each of carjacking. Sentencing hearings will be scheduled at a later date.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, the Anoka County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bloomington Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew D. Forbes is prosecuting the case.
Two Indicted for Narcotics Offenses Involving 20 Kilograms of CocaineRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Two men have been indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston in connection with a traffic stop in Littleton on March 29, 2023, that resulted in the seizure of 20 kilograms of cocaine.
Cornelio Hernandez, 51, of Fort Worth, Texas; and Erasmo Lira-Mendez, 38, a citizen of Mexico, have been indicted on one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and one count of possession with intent to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine. Hernandez and Lira-Mendez were arrested on March 29, 2023, on related state charges. The defendants were detained following an initial appearance in federal court in Worcester today before U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge David H. Hennessy.
According to court documents, Hernandez and Lira-Mendez were arrested after a traffic stop in Littleton resulted in the seizure of 20 kilograms of cocaine from a duffle bag on the back seat of their car. The driver, Lira-Mendez, lacked a driver’s license. The passenger, Hernandez, also lacked a driver’s license and had a pending warrant for his arrest in Texas.
The charges of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances (involving 5 kilograms or more of cocaine) and possession with intent to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine provide for a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years incarceration and a maximum of life, at least five years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $10 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Samuel R. Feldman of Levy’s Narcotics & Money Laundering 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.
Tulare County Man Sentenced to over 17 Years in Prison for Gun and Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Jonathan Gallegos, 32, of Ivanhoe, was sentenced to 17 years and seven months in prison for trafficking methamphetamine and marijuana and using a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, the charges arose from a long-term investigation that uncovered evidence of a scheme involving the trade of illegal drugs sourced in Mexico and California for firearms sourced in Texas. In 2021, a team of local, state, and federal law enforcement officers partnered in an investigation into the Tulare County Surenos Street Gang. Part of the investigation focused on Gallegos and his associates, who were involved in shipping illegal drugs and firearms across state lines.
Between April 6, 2021, and Dec. 17, 2021, Gallegos and associates shipped kilograms of methamphetamine and marijuana from post offices in Central California to residences in San Antonio, Texas. Gallegos’s drug-buying customers shipped firearms back to Gallegos and his associates in California, as payment for the narcotics they had received.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office, the Tulare County Area Regencies Gun Enforcement Team, the Visalia Police Department, the California Department of Justice’s Bureau of Investigation, the California Highway Patrol’s Special Operations Unit, and the Tulare County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin J. Gilio and Antonio J. Pataca are prosecuting the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
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 U.S. Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Third Superseding Indictment Charges 22 Members and Associates of Violent Gang with Racketeering, Murder, Attempted Murder, Robbery and Drug and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – In a 42 count third superseding indictment, 22 members and associates of the Boston-based Cameron Street gang have been charged with various crimes including racketeering (RICO) conspiracy, gun and drug trafficking, illegal possession of firearms, and possessing firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking.
According to court documents, the Cameron Street gang is a violent criminal enterprise whose members and associates are involved in a variety of criminal activities – including murders, attempted murders, armed robberies, carjackings, home invasions, human trafficking, as well as drug and firearms trafficking, among other offenses – in the Dorchester neighborhood of Boston and surrounding areas. While the gang is primarily based in Boston, Cameron Street criminal activity has spanned other communities, including Brockton, Cambridge, Somerville, Quincy, Everett, Randolph, Taunton and elsewhere in Massachusetts.
It is alleged that Cameron Street members use violence against rival gangs and witnesses, typically with the use of firearms, to maintain and enhance their status and the overall reputation of the gang, as well as to protect the gang’s power, reputation and territory. Cameron Street members are allegedly responsible for assisting one another with obtaining and accessing firearms, forming and maintaining drug trafficking connections, resolving territorial disputes with rival gangs and providing safe havens for fellow members who are wanted by law enforcement. It is further alleged that Cameron Street gang members regularly post videos or use social media to promote Cameron Street, denigrate gang rivals and to celebrate murders and other violent crimes committed by the gang. To identify themselves as members of the gang, members obtain tattoos, use hand signs and wear jewelry and clothing involving the letters “C,” “A” and “M,” or numbers corresponding with the letters’ places in the alphabet, “3-1-1-3.” Members engage in drug trafficking activity and distributed kilograms of cocaine, cocaine base (crack cocaine), oxycodone and marijuana throughout Massachusetts. During the investigation, 21 firearms and hundreds of rounds of ammunition were allegedly seized from 11 of the defendants.
The third superseding indictment adds three Cameron Street members to the RICO conspiracy count: Takari Elliot, a/k/a “T-Paper”; Daronde Bethea, a/k/a “Freeze”; and Michael Nguyen, a/k/a “Asian.” The third superseding indictment alleges that, as part of the Cameron Street enterprise, Elliot was paid to commit the Oct. 13, 2020 murder of a gang rival in Brockton. It is further alleged that Cameron Street members committed previously uncharged attempted murders, including Eric Correia and Clayton Rodrigues’ attempted murder of a gang rival in Boston as well as the June 11, 2018 attempted murder of a gang rival in Boston by Betha and Anthony Centieo. Additionally, the indictment alleges that Bethea and Nguyen worked with Cameron Street associate Brendan Amado to commit a home invasion robbery of a Canton home in July 2018.
The charge of RICO conspiracy provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Because Elliot is alleged to have committed a murder during the Cameron Street enterprise, Elliot faces an increased penalty of life in prison on the RICO conspiracy count. The charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm and/or ammunition provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime provides a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up to life in prison, up to five of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charges of conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine or 50 grams or more of methamphetamine provide for a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years in prison, up to 40 years in prison, supervised release of at least 4 years, and a fine of up to $5 million. The charges of conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances each provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $1 million. The charge of conspiracy to interfere with commerce by threat or violence provides for a sentence of up to 20 years, a fine of up to $250,000, and supervised release for three years. 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.
This operation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. 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.
Acting U.S. Attorney Joshua S. Levy; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; Michael J. Krol, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police; Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office; Suffolk, Plymouth, Norfolk and Bristol County District Attorney’s Offices; and the Canton, Quincy, Randolph, Somerville, Brockton, Malden, Stoughton, Rehoboth and Pawtucket (R.I.) Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Pohl and Alathea E. Porter of Levy’s Criminal Division are 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
1. Kenny Romero, a/k/a “KG,” 28, charged with RICO conspiracy, felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, possession with intent to distribute cocaine, distribution of cocaine base and cocaine; 2. Anthony Centeio, a/k/a “Wheezy,” a/k/a “Taliban Wheeze,” 33, charged with RICO conspiracy, felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine; 3. Felisberto Lopes, a/k/a “Phil,” a/k/a “CheeB,” 36, charged with RICO conspiracy, felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, possession of 500 grams or more of cocaine with intent to distribute; 4. Keiarri Dyette, a/k/a “Kemo,” 24, charged with RICO conspiracy, dealing in firearms without a license, and conspiracy to distribute cocaine; 5. Eric Correia, a/k/a “Bubba,” 24, charged with RICO conspiracy and distribution of marijuana; 6. Paulo Santos, a/k/a “Bucky,” 33, charged with RICO conspiracy, possession of 500 grams or more of cocaine with intent to distribute, felon in possession of a firearm, and possession of a firearm during a drug trafficking offense; 7. Devante Lopes, a/k/a “D-Lopes,” 27, charged with RICO conspiracy, conspiracy to distribute marijuana, and possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine; 8. Charod Taylor, a/k/a “Pachino,” 33, charged with RICO conspiracy and conspiracy to distribute cocaine base and cocaine; 9. Jose Afonseca, a/k/a “Zay,” 30, charged with RICO conspiracy, dealing in firearms without a license, and conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine; 10. James Rodrigues, a/k/a “Bummy,” 32, charged with RICO conspiracy and conspiracy to distribute cocaine base; 11. Jonathan Darosa, a/k/a “Jeezy,” 29, charged with RICO conspiracy, felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, and distribution of cocaine and oxycodon; 12. Clayton Rodrigues, a/k/a “Loo,” a/k/a “C-Loo,” 26, charged with RICO conspiracy and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number; 13. Wilter Rodrigues, a/k/a “Walt,” a/k/a “Wo-Wo,” 35, charged with conspiracy to distribute cocaine base; 14. Michael Lopes, a/k/a “Meech,” 34, charged with conspiracy to distribute cocaine base and cocaine; 15. Victor Nunez, a/k/a “Tito,” 41, charged with conspiracy to distribute cocaine base and cocaine; 16. FNU LNU, a/k/a “Smoke,” charged with conspiracy to distribute cocaine base and cocaine; 17. Jamaal Davis, a/k/a “Marley,” 29, charged with distribution of cocaine and possession of a firearm during a drug trafficking offense; 18. Michael Nguyen, a/k/a “Asian,” 22, charged with RICO conspiracy, possession with intent to distribute marijuana and possession of a firearm during a drug trafficking offense; 19. Steve Depina, a/k/a “Stizz,” 35, charged with felon in possession of a firearm and distribution of cocaine base and cocaine; 20. Daronde Bethea, a/k/a “Freeze,” 30, charged with RICO conspiracy, conspiracy to interfere with commerce by threat or violence, and being a felon in possession of a firearm; 21. Takari Elliot, a/k/a “T-Paper,” 31, charged with RICO conspiracy; and
22. Brendon Amado, 27, charged with conspiracy to interfere with commerce by threat or violence.Third Defendant Pleads Guilty in Conspiracy to Steal USDA-Mortgaged HousesRead the Press Release
Natchez, Miss. – A Jayess woman pleaded guilty to conspiring to steal houses from the United States Department of Agriculture, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Dax Roberson of United States Department of Agriculture, Office of the Inspector General.
According to court documents, Ella Martin, 69, conspired with others to identify and steal USDA-mortgaged properties. The targeted properties were mortgaged through the Brookhaven office of USDA Rural Development, an agency which helps rural residents buy or rent safe, affordable housing, especially low and very-low income individuals. As an employee of that office, Martin had access to a list of abandoned, foreclosed, nearly-foreclosed, or similarly distressed USDA-mortgaged properties and would create fraudulent warranty deeds designed to convey ownership of those properties to co-conspirators and others. The fraudulent deeds included forged signatures from former homeowners, including at least one deceased individual. The fraudulent deeds were then filed in Chancery Courts around Mississippi with the intent to deprive the actual owners of the use and benefit of the properties and to deprive the United States Government of the actual value of the properties.
Martin pleaded guilty to a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371, which criminalizes conspiracies against the laws of the United States. She is scheduled to be sentenced on September 19, 2023 and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Co-defendants Barry Martin and Fiesta Kagler entered guilty pleas last year and are scheduled to be sentenced on June 15, 2023.
The USDA OIG and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly T. Purdie is prosecuting the case.
Stonington Man Sentenced to 5 Years in Federal Prison for Child Exploitation OffenseRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that MATTHEW X. SMITH, 29, of Stonington, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jeffery A. Meyer in New Haven to 60 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, for a child exploitation offense.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on August 12, 2021, Smith, using the Kik social media application, initiated contact with an FBI Online Covert Employee (“OCE”) who was posing as a 14-year-old girl. Smith sent sexually explicit messages to the OCE, requested the OCE send him sexually explicit pictures, and discussed meeting the OCE to engage in sexual conduct. As the Kik communication continued in the following days, investigators also determined that Smith, using a different Kik user account, had engaged in sexually explicit exchanges with the OCE in 2020. Smith and the OCE agreed to meet on August 18, 2021.
On August 18, 2021, Smith was arrested by New London Police on state charges after he arrived at the agreed upon meeting location. He was charged by federal criminal complaint in February 2022. On January 10, 2023, he pleaded guilty to soliciting child pornography.
Smith, who is released on a $100,000 bond, is required to report to prison on June 26.
This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with the assistance of the New London Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patricia Stolfi Collins.
This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com.
South Georgia Man Sentenced as Career Offender for Armed Meth DistributionRead the Press Release
VALDOSTA, Ga. – A Valdosta, Georgia, resident with a lengthy criminal drug distribution history was sentenced as a federal career offender after admitting to distributing methamphetamine from a motel room in South Georgia.
Thomas Charles Singletary, 45, was sentenced to serve 130 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Hugh Lawson on May 17, after he previously pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Armed convicted felons distributing highly dangerous drugs in the Middle District of Georgia will face the possibility of federal prosecution for repeatedly breaking the law and putting our citizens at risk,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “We are collaborating with our law enforcement partners at every level to make our communities safer.”
According to court documents, a confidential source tipped off Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO) investigators about illegal drugs being sold from a motel room in Lake Park, Georgia. On Feb. 4, 2021, LCSO investigators found Singletary, a known convicted felon, in the room with a handgun and drug paraphernalia visible. Singletary admitted the firearm—a .380 caliber, semi-automatic pistol—was his for protection. It is illegal for a convicted felon to possess a firearm. A search of the room recovered the firearm, multiple ammunition rounds and a bag of methamphetamine. Text messages found on the cell phone of an individual with Singletary revealed evidence that they were involved in distributing methamphetamine in Adel, Georgia.
Singletary has at least six felony convictions in the Superior Courts of Tift County, Georgia, Berrien County, Georgia, and Lowndes County, Georgia, to include possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
The case was investigated by the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert McCullers is prosecuting the case for the government.
South Bay Man Found Guilty of Selling Fentanyl-Laced Pills That Caused Fatal Poisoning of 15-Year-Old Rolling Hills Estates BoyRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A South Bay man has been found guilty by a jury of distributing pills laced with the powerful opioid fentanyl to a 15-year-old boy who ingested them and died in May 2020, the Justice Department announced today.
Alexander Declan Bell Wilson, 22, of Rolling Hills, was found guilty late Friday of one count of distribution of fentanyl resulting in death, an offense that carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.
According to evidence presented at a five-day trial, on the evening on May 14, 2020, Wilson agreed to distribute five “percs” –slang for pills typically laced with fentanyl – to the victim, Nathan Young-Nichols, 15, of Rolling Hills Estates. Evidence seized from Young-Nichols’ cellular phone shows he believed the pills were authentic pharmaceutical pills that contained the opioid oxycodone.
At around 11:30 p.m. that night, the victim’s 13-year-old brother met Wilson outside the family’s house to pick up the five pills. Wilson then handed a plastic bag containing the pills to the victim’s brother through the window of Wilson’s vehicle. The victim’s brother took the bag from Wilson, went back inside the house, and gave the pills to the victim. Shortly afterward, Young-Nichols posted a photograph of the pills on his Snapchat social media account and then ingested the pills.
From approximately 1:50 a.m. to 5:30 a.m. on May 15, 2020, Wilson and the victim argued on Snapchat about the proper way to consume the pills Wilson had sold to the victim. During those chats, Wilson chastised Young-Nichols for chewing the pills, and then shared screenshots of their conversation with his Snapchat followers.
On the morning of May 15, 2020, the victim’s grandmother found him dead in his bedroom. Expert testimony at trial confirmed the victim’s death was caused solely due to fentanyl poisoning.
United States District Judge Fernando L. Aenlle-Rocha scheduled an October 20 sentencing hearing, at which time Wilson will face a mandatory sentence of 20 years and a potential sentence of life imprisonment. Wilson has been in federal custody since May 2021.
The Drug Enforcement Administration’s Overdose Justice Task Force and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department investigated this matter.
The Overdose Justice Task Force is a project designed to investigate fatal fentanyl poisonings and identify the individuals who provided the fentanyl that directly caused the deaths. Under the Overdose Justice program for the DEA’s Los Angeles Field Division, DEA agents have established collaborative relationships with local law enforcement agencies across the seven counties that make up the Central District of California. Local authorities are almost always the first to respond to an overdose death, and DEA agents have provided training to dozens of local agencies to help them analyze evidence to determine if there are circumstances that might lead to a federal criminal prosecution.
Assistant United States Attorneys Ian V. Yanniello and Daniel H. Weiner of the General Crimes Section are prosecuting this case.
Slidell Man Indicted for Violations of the Federal Gun Control ActRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LA – RODERICK WILLIAMS, age 27, of Slidell, Louisiana, was charged on May 19, 2023 in a three-count indictment for being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(1), announced United States Attorney Duane A. Evans.
According to the indictment, WILLIAMS possessed firearms on three separate occasions. WILLIAMS was prohibited from possessing a firearm due to previous felony convictions. If convicted as to Count 1, WILLIAMS faces a maximum term of imprisonment of ten (10) years, a fine of up to $250,000.00, and up to three (3) years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment. If convicted as to Counts 2 and 3, WILLIAMS faces a maximum term of imprisonment of fifteen (15) years, a fine of up to $250,000.00, and up to three (3) years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment as to each count. Each count also requires payment of a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.
U. S. Attorney Evans reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
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.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Orleans Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas Rayburn of the Violent Crimes Unit.
Santa Clarita Man Found Guilty of Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A federal jury has convicted a Canyon Country man and former Navy SEAL of producing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) for surreptitiously filming nude minor victims with hidden cameras in a residential setting.
Robert Quido Stella, 50, was found guilty Friday afternoon of three counts of producing child pornography, each of which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and a maximum of 30 years in federal prison.
According to court documents, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) received a tip two years ago that Stella had accessed a dark web child pornography website.
On July 15, 2021, agents found collections of CSAM on Stella’s computer and two external hard drives. Stella concealed some of the collections in digital folders structures bearing misleading titles such as “federal contracts” and “tax returns.” During the course of their investigation, HSI agents also found hidden cameras that Stella placed, including one disguised as a USB charging block. According to evidence presented at trial, Stella used that hidden camera to film his minor victims as they undressed to shower and used the bathroom.
HSI later located approximately 17 videos and over 100 screenshots from those videos of minor victims naked and partially undressed. Stella hid these images under multi-level digital folder structures on a hard drive bearing misleading titles such as “course work.”
A federal grand jury returned an indictment on July 27, 2021, that charged Stella with the three counts of production of child pornography, one count of access with intent to view child pornography for logging on to the child pornography dark web site, and two counts of possession of child pornography. Stella pleaded guilty to access with intent to view child pornography and two counts possession of child pornography, each of which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in federal prison and a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years.
The federal jury convicted Stella of the three counts of production of child pornography on Friday after a four-day trial.
United States District Judge George H. Wu has scheduled an August 24 sentencing hearing on all six counts.
Stella has been in custody since his arrest.
This investigation in this case was conducted by HSI.
Assistant United States Attorneys Catharine A. Richmond and Lyndsi C. Allsop of the Violent and Organized Crime Section are prosecuting this case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Justice Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Rush City Woman Pleads Guilty to $1.8 Million Scheme Involving Romance Fraud and Federal Pandemic ProgramsRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Rush City woman has pleaded guilty to mail fraud after participating in multiple schemes that defrauded individuals throughout the United States, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, from 2017 through April 2022, Gayle Joyce Ferngren, 69, and others participated in a scheme to launder proceeds that were fraudulently obtained from victims throughout the United States, including the proceeds of romance fraud scams and schemes to defraud Federal Pandemic Assistance Programs.
According to her guilty plea, from approximately June 2020 through December 2020, Ferngren acknowledges that she received at least 68 debit cards containing approximately $1.3 million in fraudulent unemployment benefits from California and Nevada to which she was not entitled. After receiving the fraudulent proceeds, Ferngren kept a portion for herself and transmitted most of the funds to other scheme participants, including to individuals located overseas. In total, Ferngren laundered at least $1.8 million in fraud proceeds.
According to her guilty plea, on or about May 27, 2021, a scheme participant—not Ferngren—submitted an application in Ferngren's name seeking a PPP loan in the amount of approximately $20,833.00. Among other falsehoods, the PPP application claimed that Ferngren had worked as an independent contractor doing residential remodeling since 2017 and included falsified tax records and income claims. Ferngren did not sign this application or fill out the information contained within it. Based on the false information presented by another scheme participant, the fraudulent PPP loan application was approved and approximately $20,833 in fraudulent PPP proceeds were deposited into Fergren’s bank account in May 2021, which she knew she was not entitled to receive.
Ferngren pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court before Judge John R. Tunheim to one count of mail fraud. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later time.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Department of Labor–Office of Inspector General, and the FBI.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew S. Ebert and Allison K. Ethen are prosecuting the case.
Registered Sex Offender Arrested on Child Pornography ChargeRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A registered sex offender living in Woonsocket made an initial appearance in federal court on Friday, charged by way of a criminal complaint with possessing and accessing with intent to view child pornography, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.
According to documents filed with the court, a member of the Rhode Island State Police Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force received information from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that an IP address, later determined to originate from a Woonsocket residence where Matthew S. Hathaway, 25, resided, was allegedly being used to possess and transfer child pornography.
On March 16, 2023, members of the ICAC Task Force executed a court-authorized search warrant at Hathaway’s residence and seized a desktop computer and cell phone belonging to Hathaway. A forensic audit of the electronic devices by Homeland Security Investigations determined that the devices allegedly contained 7,984 images and 192 videos of child sexual abuse material.
A federal criminal complaint is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Dulce Donovan.
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Registered Sex Offender Arrested for Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Harwich man has been arrested on child pornography offenses.
Jonathan Fleischmann, 35, was charged with one count of possession of child pornography. Fleischmann was arrested on May 16, 2023 and remains federal custody following a detention hearing today before U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge David H. Hennessey.
According to the charging documents, Fleischmann’s co-workers reported to law enforcement that, between March 17 and March 18, 2023, Fleischmann’s cellphone was allegedly observed downloading suspected child pornography media files while his phone was left open and charging on a counter at their workplace. During a subsequent search of Fleischmann’s cellphone allegedly identified approximately 255 image files and 55 video files that contained suspected child pornography.
Fleischmann is currently facing separate state charges in Barnstable Superior Court for allegedly invading a Yarmouth home and forcibly taking a 16-year-old female at gunpoint into her house as she arrived home from school in 2020.
Fleishmann is a Level 3 sex offender due to prior convictions in Barnstable District Court of Indecent Assault and Battery on a Child Under 14 in 2006 and Open and Gross Lewdness in 2017.
Members of the public who have questions, concerns or information regarding this case should call 617-748-3274.
The charge of possession of child pornography provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and up to 20 years in prison, at least five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Michael J. Krol, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke A. Goldworm of Levy’s Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Picayune Man Sentenced to over 6 Years in Prison for Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute FentanylRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – A Picayune man was sentenced to 77 months in federal prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Brad Byerley of the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Jourdan Rayshade Bolton, 20, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Gulfport.
According to court records, in December 2021, law enforcement became aware of a possible drug trafficking organization in Pearl River County involving Bolton and a co-conspirator. On February 8, 2022, a controlled purchase of fentanyl pills was conducted with Bolton and his co-conspirator at a Picayune residence in Pearl River County. On July 8, 2022, a search warrant was executed at the defendant’s residence. 60 fentanyl pills were recovered as well as four firearms.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Erica Rose.
Orange County Man Sentenced to 7 Years in Prison for Using Stolen Identities to Apply for over $1 Million in COVID Jobless BenefitsRead the Press Release
SANTA ANA, California – An Orange County man was sentenced today to 84 months in federal prison for fraudulently applying for more than $1.2 million in COVID-19 pandemic unemployment insurance (UI) benefits – and receiving more than $400,000 of the same – by using the stolen identities of two dozen victims.
Nhan Hoang Pham, 37, of Santa Ana, was sentenced by United States District Judge James V. Selna, who also ordered him to pay $408,496 in restitution.
Pham pleaded guilty on January 23 to one count of wire fraud in relation to benefits connected to a presidentially declared emergency.
From July 2020 to April 2021, Pham acquired without authorization or permission the personal identifying information (PII) – including names, dates of birth and Social Security numbers – of people living in California, Texas and Michigan, people he had never met.
Pham then created and submitted fraudulent online applications to the California Employment Development Department (EDD), which administers the state’s unemployment insurance program. Pham’s fraudulent applications sought federally funded pandemic benefits intended for the jobless and represented that the victims whose PII was unlawfully used received mail at Anaheim addresses that, in fact, Pham controlled.
Upon receipt of the applications, EDD transmitted the claimant information to Bank of America, which caused the issuance and mailing of debit cards to Anaheim addresses that Pham controlled.
Pham then took the fraudulently obtained debit cards and used them to withdraw money at ATMs throughout Orange County.
While Pham tried to obtain approximately $1,255,350 through fraudulent applications containing the PII of 24 identity theft victims, he received approximately $408,496.
The United States Secret Service; the United States Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General; the California Employment Development Department Investigation Division; the Orange County District Attorney’s Office Bureau of Investigation; and the Santa Ana Police Department investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorney Lawrence E. Kole of the Santa Ana Branch Office prosecuted this case.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at (866) 720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
One-Time ‘Shot-Caller’ of MS-13 in Los Angeles, Second Senior Member of Gang Found Guilty of Federal RICO and Drug OffensesRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – Two senior members of Mara Salvatrucha, a transnational criminal street gang commonly called MS-13, including the one-time shot-caller of all MS-13 in Los Angeles, have been found guilty of federal racketeering and drug trafficking charges, the Justice Department announced today.
José Balmore Romero, 49, a.k.a. “Porky,” the case’s lead defendant, and Erwin Alexander Melgar, 45, a.k.a. “Snoopy,” each were found guilty late Friday of one count of conspiracy to violate the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act and one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. Melgar also was found guilty of two counts of distribution of methamphetamine.
According to evidence presented at a four-day trial, Balmore was the overall shot-caller for MS-13 in Los Angeles in 2013 and 2014. As the leader of the gang, Balmore oversaw MS-13’s activities in Los Angeles, serving as the leader for the more than 20 cliques of MS-13 in Los Angeles. In this role, Balmore oversaw MS-13’s drug trafficking activities and the collection of extortionate “taxes” and “rent,” some of which was then distributed to Mexican Mafia members.
Balmore also conducted gang leadership meetings, where he brought together leaders from the various Los Angeles-based MS-13 cliques to discuss coordinated efforts in strengthening and organizing the gang in Los Angeles. He also disseminated gang orders, including authorizing the initiation of new members and the assault of members who were in bad standing.
As for Melgar, evidence at trial showed he was the shot-caller of the Normandie clique of MS-13 in Los Angeles, a clique based in the Koreatown area of Los Angeles. In this role, Melgar controlled and gave orders to the clique members, including to engage in acts of violence. Melgar also directed the clique’s extortion and drug sales.
In addition to narcotics trafficking and violent crimes, members of MS-13 also engaged in a wide range of criminal conduct that includes the extortion of street-level drug dealers and innocent business owners who were threatened with death if they did not make payments to the gang. Under Melgar, the gang also operated illegal after-hours clubs, commonly known as “casitas,” where it generated profits from illegal narcotics and alcohol sales.
United States District Judge Otis D. Wright II scheduled an October 16 sentencing hearing, at which time Balmore and Melgar will face statutory maximum sentence of life in federal prison and a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison.
Federal prosecutors have secured 28 convictions so far in this case, which targeted the leadership of MS-13 in Los Angeles.
The investigation into MS-13 was conducted by the Los Angeles Metropolitan Task Force on Violent Gangs and was led by the FBI and the Los Angeles Police Department.
The LAMTFVG includes personnel from the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Southern California Drug Task Force pursuant to the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) program; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department; U.S. Customs and Border Protection; and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the United States Bureau of Prisons participated in the investigation.
Other agencies provided substantial assistance during the investigation, including the Los Angeles Regional Criminal Information Clearinghouse (LA CLEAR), the Los Angeles City Attorney's Office, the Los Angeles County Probation Department, and the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services.
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.
Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey M. Chemerinsky, Chief of the Violent and Organized Crime Section, and Assistant United States Attorneys Shawn T. Andrews and Amy E. Pomerantz, also of the Violent and Organized Crime Section, are prosecuting this case.
Ohio Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Brandon Ellis Gates, 37, of Akron, Ohio, pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute a mixture containing methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on July 12, 2022, a law enforcement officer conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle driven by Gates on Interstate 77 in Jackson County. Gates admitted to possessing approximately four pounds of methamphetamine found during the officer’s search of the vehicle.
Gates is scheduled to be sentenced on August 24, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), United States Marshals Service and the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office.
Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorneys Julie M. White and J.C. MacCallum are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-cr-146.
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Nurse Who Stole Painkillers, Replacing Them with Saline and Putting Surgical Patients at Risk, Sentenced to Four YearsRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – A former Fuquay-Varina nurse was sentenced today to 48 months in prison and three years of supervised release for tampering with painkillers intended for surgery patients. On March 9, 2022, Melissa Elizabeth Chacona pled guilty to the charges.
“Surgical patients trust healthcare providers to give them the medicines they need. Ms. Chacona abused her position of trust to steal powerful prescription pain medications intended for surgical patients and replace them with saline,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “In delivering today’s sentence the judge noted that these patients were in the most vulnerable position. My office will continue to pursue healthcare providers whose crimes jeopardize public safety.”
According to court documents and other information presented in court, Chacona, 45, worked as a nurse at a Raleigh-area surgical practice. In early 2019, she began extracting the medication from vials of fentanyl, morphine, and meperidine and replacing it with saline. She did this for several months, compromising at least seventy-eight vials, including those intended for surgical patients. Testing revealed that compromised vials contained less than 15% of the actual medication and that the tampering had rendered multiple vials unsterile.
Chacona has also been convicted at the state level for diverting medication earlier in her nursing career. Her plea agreement requires permanent surrender of her nursing license.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III. The Drug Enforcement Administration, Food and Drug Administration, Raleigh Police Department, and North Carolina Board of Nursing investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lucy Partain Brown and Dennis Duffy prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:19-CR-488-D.
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Norfolk Man and Woman Convicted for Series of Armed RobberiesRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A federal jury convicted a man and woman last Friday night for their roles in a series of armed commercial robberies.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, between October 1, 2021, and November 15, 2021, Norfolk residents, Brandon D. Chavis, 36, and Melissa E. Beasley, 43, robbed 7-Elevens, Subway Sandwich Shops, and gas stations armed with a firearm. The jury received evidence related to 12 robberies or attempted robberies committed by Chavis and Beasley throughout the cities of Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Newport News, Yorktown, and Portsmouth.
Beasley drove Chavis in her gray Volvo SUV to each robbery. Chavis wore a black hoodie, black mask, black gloves, dark jeans, brown work boots, and sometimes an orange reflective vest. Chavis entered the stores, brandished a firearm at the clerks, and fled to Beasley waiting in the getaway car. On one occasion, Beasley cashed one of the stolen lottery tickets just 33 minutes after Chavis robbed it from a Speedway. On November 15, 2021, during an interaction with Chavis and Beasley, Norfolk Police recovered the firearm Chavis used in the robberies and seized Beasley’s gray Volvo SUV.
Chavis and Beasley will be sentenced on September 27. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Ramin Fatehi, Norfolk Commonwealth’s Attorney; Brian Dugan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office; Mark G. Solesky, Chief of Chesapeake Police; Orin Gallop, Interim Chief of Hampton Police; Steve R. Drew, Chief of Newport News Police; Mark Talbot, Chief of Norfolk Police; Paul Neudigate, Chief of Virginia Beach Police; and Stephen Jenkins, Chief of Portsmouth Police, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Elizabeth Wilson Hanes accepted the verdict.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Graham Stolle and Assistant United States Attorney Joe Depadilla are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which 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.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-cr-83.
New Orleans Man Sentenced for Role in Federal Car Theft RingRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – GREGORY BUTLER (“BUTLER”), age 37, was sentenced on May 18, 2023, for conspiring to transport and sell stolen vehicles in violation of Title 18 United States Code, Section 371, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.
According to court documents, BUTLER and his co-conspirators stole cars from car dealerships and rental car facilities in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and George. After the cards were stolen, BUTLER and his co-conspirators retitled the cards under fraudulent Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINS) with the Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles. After the cars were retitled and cloned with fraudulent VINS, the defendants resold the cars to buyers in the New Orleans metro area at discounted prices.
U.S. District Court Judge Nanette Jolivette Brown sentenced BUTLER to serve one year and one day in prison, to be followed by three (3) years of supervised release and imposed a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. The court also set a restitution hearing for June 15, 2023.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Department of Homeland Security, the Louisiana State Police, the D’Iberville Police Department, and the New Orleans Police Department in investigating this matter. Assistant U. S. Attorneys Spiro G. Latsis and Jon Maestri of the General Crimes Unit are in charge of the prosecution.
New Orleans Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun and Drug OffensesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – KEITH BOURGEOIS pled guilty on May 18, 2023 to violating the Federal Controlled Substances and Gun Control Acts before United States District Judge Eldon Fallon, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.
According to court records, on April 21, 2022, law enforcement executed a search warrant of BOURGEOIS’s residence. During the search, agents seized drug paraphernalia from the apartment, including scales, packaging material, and razor blades. Agents also seized 27.054 grams of cocaine base and .645 grams of fentanyl from inside the apartment. Law enforcement also seized four firearms, several boxes of ammunition, and several thousand dollars in cash.
BOURGEOIS pled guilty to Count 1 of the superseding bill of information, that charged him with possession with intent to distribute cocaine base in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(C). BOURGEOIS also pled guilty to Count 2, that charged him with being a felon in possession of a firearm in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2).
For Count 1, BOURGEOIS faces a maximum sentence of 20 years of imprisonment, a fine of up to $1,000,000, and a period of at least 3 years of supervised release. For Count 2, BOURGEOIS faces a maximum sentence of 10 years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000 and a period of up to 3 years of supervised release. For each count, BOURGEOIS also faces payment of $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The case was investigated by agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Louisiana State Police. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jonathan L. Shih, Melissa Bücher, Rachal Cassagne, and Lynn Schiffman of the Narcotics Unit.
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New Orleans Man Pleads Guilty to Drug and Weapons ViolationsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that on May 17, 2023, KENDALL THEARD, age 26, resident of Orleans Parish, pled guilty to one count of a four-count indictment for drug violations. Count 1 charges THEARD with possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance. THEARD’s sentencing is set for September 6, 2023.
In Count 1 of the indictment, THEARD is charged with possession with the intent to distribute marijuana in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(D). THEARD faces a maximum sentence of 5 years of imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000.00, a period of at least 2 years of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00. Additionally, in Count 1, THEARD is charged with possession with the intent to distribute cocaine in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(C). THEARD faces a maximum sentence of 20 years of imprisonment, a fine of up to $1,000,000, a period of at least 3 years of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00.
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.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, as well as the New Orleans Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Inga Petrovich of the Violent Crime Unit.
New Jersey Man Sentenced to 6.75 Years in Prison for Schemes to Steal California Unemployment Insurance Benefits and Economic Injury Disaster LoansRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Eric Michael Jaklitsch, 40, of Elizabeth, New Jersey, was sentenced today to six years and nine months in prison for two related COVID-19 fraud cases, one case alleging wire fraud and aggravated identity theft in California and the other case alleging wire fraud in New Jersey, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
“This defendant carried out two separate wire fraud schemes to bilk the federal government out of millions of dollars during the Covid-19 pandemic,” U.S. Attorney Talbert said. “Today’s sentence reflects the seriousness of the defendant’s conduct that has harmed the federal government along with all the individuals whose information was used in the fraudulent applications. Our office is proud to be included as a part of the California COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Strike Force, and we remain committed to leading investigations and vigorously prosecuting those who commit COVID-19 fraud.”
“Eric Jaklitsch used stolen identities to fraudulently obtain millions of taxpayer dollars meant to help unemployed workers make ends meet during the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result of prompt action by federal law enforcement, Jaklitsch’s scheme was curtailed. Today’s sentencing sends a clear message that those who defraud the unemployment insurance system will be held accountable for their actions. We remain fully committed to investigating these types of crimes with our law enforcement partners,” said Quentin Heiden, Special Agent-in-Charge, Western Region, U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General.
“The FBI, in collaboration with our state and federal partners, exposed and dismantled this major fraud scheme. This scheme aimed to defraud the United States Government, the State of California, and unsuspecting residents of our state. Eric Jaklitsch represents one of several individuals who sought to take advantage of vulnerable victims during the recent pandemic,” said FBI Sacramento Special Agent in Charge Sean Ragan. “Today’s sentencing of Jaklitsch marks a significant milestone in the joint efforts of the FBI, the United States Attorney’s Office, and our partners within the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Strike Force.”
DHS Inspector General, Dr. Joseph V. Cuffari, stated, “Eric Jaklitsch defrauded government programs meant to help Americans at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. DHS OIG will continue to prioritize pandemic-related fraud investigations and work with our law enforcement partners to bring perpetrators to justice.”
The California EDD Case
According to court documents, between October 2020 and December 2021, Jaklitsch executed his first fraud scheme by filing at least 180 fraudulent unemployment insurance claims with California Employment Development Department (EDD), seeking Pandemic Unemployment Assistance and other benefits under the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. During the scheme, Jaklitsch collected personally identifiable information (PII) of numerous individuals from the dark web — including names, birth dates, and Social Security numbers — and used their identities to file fraudulent unemployment insurance claims. Typically these unemployment insurance claims were fraudulent because the claimants were not unemployed, they were not eligible for California unemployment insurance benefits, or Jaklitsch never had authority to file claims on their behalf.
Since at least October 2020, EDD has partnered with ID.me — a private company used by the EDD for ID verification of claimants — to implement a system for verifying claimant identities before EDD can process unemployment insurance claims. An internal investigation conducted by ID.me identified Jaklitsch as a person conducting a possible fraud scheme and referred the case to federal law enforcement.
In executing his fraudulent scheme, Jaklitsch submitted false information to ID.me. Jaklitsch requested that the unemployment insurance benefits be mailed to various addresses under his control. EDD approved dozens of the fraudulent claims and authorized Bank of America to mail out debit cards containing unemployment insurance benefits. Jaklitsch then activated the debit cards and used them to withdraw the benefits at ATMs. The scheme sought over $7.5 million in unemployment insurance benefits and caused EDD and the United States to incur actual losses of at least $3.4 million.
The New Jersey SBA Case
For the second case, according to court documents, between July 2020 and August 2020, Jaklitsch executed a scheme to defraud the Small Business Administration (SBA) by fraudulently acquiring COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL), which were loans meant to provide low-interest financing and grants to small businesses, renters, and homeowners in regions affected by declared disasters, like the COVID-19 pandemic.
To obtain an EIDL, a qualifying business applied to the SBA and provided certain information about its operations through an online portal. The EIDL approval process required applicants to supply minimal eligibility documentation and to affirm that the information in the application was true and correct under the penalty of perjury and applicable criminal statutes. The amount of an EIDL was based, in part, on the information provided by the applicant, including the business’s gross revenue and cost of goods sold. Qualifying entities could use EIDL funds only on certain expenses, including fixed debts, payroll, and accounts payable.
Jaklitsch or one or more co-schemers knowingly submitted fraudulent EIDL loan applications to the SBA in the names of entities that did not authorize the applications. The false information included, among other things, that (a) the schemers had the authority to submit the loan applications on behalf of the applying entities, (b) the entities’ gross revenues; (c) the entities’ costs of goods sold; and (d) bank account information purportedly belonging to the entities. These fraudulent applications sought and received over $1.2 million in EIDL loan funds that were sent to at least 14 separate bank accounts. Jaklitsch used a cellphone application to withdraw over $777,000 in cash out of the $1.2 million.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Department of Labor – Office of the Inspector General, the Department of Homeland Security – Office of the Inspector General – Covid Fraud Unit, and the California Employment Development Department (EDD) – Investigation Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Denise N. Yasinow prosecuted the case.
This effort is part of a California COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Strike Force operation, one of three interagency COVID-19 fraud strike force teams established by the U.S. Department of Justice. The California Strike Force combines law enforcement and prosecutorial resources in the Eastern and Central Districts of California and focuses on large-scale, multistate pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors. The strike forces use prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds.
Montana Man Sentenced for Assault on Flight Crew on Flight to Juneau, AlaskaRead the Press Release
JUNEAU – A Montana man was sentenced on May 19, 2023, for assaulting a flight crew member on a commercial airline flight while the plane was landing at the Juneau airport.
According to court documents, on April 1, 2023, Eric Richard Bruns, 42, was a passenger aboard Alaska Airlines Flight 67 with service from Sitka, Alaska to Juneau, Alaska. While the aircraft was in flight, Bruns started acting erratically and refused crew members instructions to remain seated while the plane was on approach to the Juneau airport. Bruns remained standing in the aisle and began moving towards the front of the aircraft and was physically obstructed by the flight crew member. Bruns made verbal threats to assault the flight crew member and physically tried to shove his way past the flight crew member, striking the crew member with his hands. At that time, while the aircraft was landing at the Juneau airport, two federal law enforcement officers and a civilian assisted the flight crew member and physically restrained Bruns in an unoccupied seat until the plane arrived at the gate.
The defendant pled guilty on May 17, 2023, before Chief U.S. Magistrate Judge Matthew S. Scoble to an Information charging Assault in the Special Aircraft Jurisdiction of the United States, in violation 49 U.S.C. § 46506 and 18 U.S.C. § 113. He was sentenced to time served.
“The safety and security of air travel is paramount, and we will continue to prosecute offenders in order to ensure that all passengers are able to travel without fear of assault or harm,” said U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker. “We hope that this case will serve as a warning to others who may consider committing similar acts in the future, and that it will encourage everyone to follow the rules and regulations designed to keep our skies safe and secure.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jack Schmidt prosecuted the case.
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Minnesota Man Sentenced to a 300 Months Prison Sentence Following Shooting with Utah Law Enforcement OfficersRead the Press Release
Salt Lake City, Utah – A Minnesota man was sentenced today to 25 years’ imprisonment following a 2021 shooting incident with Utah Highway Patrol troopers. The defendant admitted that he discharged a firearm during and in relation to carjacking and possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute offenses.According to court documents, on May 19, 2021, James Howard Klein, 35, of Chaska, Minnesota, was stopped by deputies in Juab County off Interstate-15 for a traffic violation. During a search of the Klein’s vehicle, deputies found nine pounds of methamphetamine and a loaded Hi-Point C9 9mm handgun. As deputies continued their search, Klein was placed in the front passenger side of a Juab County Sheriff deputy’s vehicle. Unhandcuffed, Klein slid to the driver’s side of the deputy’s vehicle and took off at a high rate of speed until losing control and disabling the vehicle at the next exit. UHP troopers, who were following Klein and signaling him to stop the vehicle, arrived behind the deputy’s stolen vehicle. Klein exited the vehicle and pulled out a secured Colt Defense 5.56 rifle and started shooting at UHP troopers who returned fire. Klein flagged down two bystanders in a white Ford Escape while holding the rifle. Threatening the bystanders with the gun, he attempted to take their vehicle and shoot them. As the bystanders escaped, Klein fired shots at their vehicle several times, eventually striking the passenger in the leg. Klein continued to shoot at troopers before he was struck by a bullet in the leg. Attempting to escape on foot, Klein hid by a nearby river. Additional law enforcement units arrived, located Klein and took him into custody. In addition to his 300 month’s imprisonment, Klein was ordered to serve five years of supervised release after his prison sentence.
“You engaged in some of the most egregious offenses I have ever seen during my time on the bench,” said United States District Court Judge Jill N. Parrish.
“The valiant UHP troopers engaged in a harrowing firefight with Mr. Klein that could have turned deadly at any point. Mr. Klein’s carjacking activities could have resulted in deadly consequences for the victims in this case as well,” said Assistant United States Attorney, Stewart M. Young, during sentencing. “We are grateful that no one perished because of Mr. Klein’s actions.”
“Mr. Klein’s brazen actions demonstrate how desperate he was to evade arrest at the expense of law enforcement and public safety,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Cheyvoryea Gibson of the Salt Lake City FBI. “This sentencing is an example of how the FBI and our partners work together to ensure violent offenders like Mr. Klein are not free to roam our streets for a long time.”
Utah County Officer Involved Critical Incident Response Team (OICI)U.S. Attorney, Trina A. Higgins, of the District of Utah made the announcement.
The case was investigated jointly by The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Utah Highway Patrol, Juab County Sheriff’s Office, and the Utah County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys, Stephen L. Nelson and Stewart M. Young of the District of Utah 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.
Michigan Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Monroe Avant, 33, of Inkster, Michigan, was sentenced today to three years and six months in prison, to be followed by three years years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on September 13, 2021, law enforcement officers responded to a shooting on the 1600 block of 11th Avenue in Huntington. Officers encountered a vehicle with two men passed out in the driver and front passenger seats. Officers saw that the passenger had a semi-automatic pistol in his waistband. Avant admitted that he was the passenger and possessed a Taurus Model 709 9mm handgun.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Avant is prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his felony conviction for first-degree robbery in Cabell County Circuit Court on May 6, 2014.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Huntington Police Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie S. Taylor prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:21-cr-245.
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Mexican National Sentenced to over 11 Years in Prison for Drug Lab in MaderaRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Jose Monge-Ponce, 33, of Mexico, was sentenced today to 11 years and four months in prison for conspiring to manufacture, to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin, and marijuana, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, in January 2019, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at an unoccupied residence in Madera and found Ponce and his co-defendants, Oscar Rene Marrot-Garcia, 30, of Chowchilla and Francisco Alcantar-Miranda, 34, of Mexico. Inside the residence, the detectives found a methamphetamine lab, along with 22.4 pounds of methamphetamine in solution, 17 pounds of finished methamphetamine, 4 pounds of heroin, 1 pound of cocaine, 24 pounds of marijuana, and $18,000 in cash. Ponce was in possession of a loaded unregistered firearm, three cellphones, and pay-owe sheets. On Feb. 13, 2023, Ponce pleaded guilty to the conspiracy.
Alcantar and Marrot also previously entered guilty pleas and were sentenced to 10 years and six and a half years in prison, respectively.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Madera County Sheriff’s Office Narcotic Enforcement Team (MADNET) and the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) High Impact Investigation Team (HITT), consisting of agents of Homeland Security Investigations, the California Department of Justice, the California Highway Patrol, the Sheriff’s Offices of Fresno, Tulare, and King Counties, and the Fresno Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen A. Escobar prosecuted the case.
Mexican National Found at Massive Merced County Marijuana Cultivation Operation Sentenced for Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Roberto Carlos Leon-Garcia (Leon), 49, a citizen of Mexico, was sentenced today to 18 months in prison for being in possession of a firearm while being in the United States without lawful status, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, on Nov. 5, 2018, Leon was encountered during the execution of a federal search warrant related to a marijuana grow in Dos Palos. Leon indicated he resided on the property, which was leased by someone else. Inside his residence, agents found a New England Westinghouse rifle, along with three 7.62 mm caliber rounds that Leon was not authorized to possess because he did not have lawful status in the United States. Leon had previously been removed from the United States to Mexico on three occasions.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration with assistance from the Merced County Sheriff’s Office and the Chowchilla Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Escobar prosecuted the case.
Methuen Man Pleads Guilty to Disaster Fund Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Methuen man pleaded guilty on May 18, 2023 in federal court in Boston to using stolen identities to fraudulently obtain Economic Injury Disaster Loan funds from the Small Business Administration (SBA) and to launder the funds.
Ramon Joseph Cruz, Jr., 27, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and four counts of wire fraud and aiding and abetting. U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns scheduled sentencing for Aug. 20, 2023. Cruz was arrested and charged by criminal complaint in December 2020 along with alleged co-conspirator Darwyn Joseph. The defendants were subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury in January 2021.According to the charging documents, the defendants were involved in a conspiracy to use stolen identity information of United States citizens to apply for SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loans. Specifically, Cruz and, allegedly, Joseph used stolen identity information of U.S. citizens to open fraudulent bank accounts which were then linked to other fraudulent bank accounts set up to receive the SBA funds. Cruz and, allegedly, Joseph also received some of the debit cards associated with fraudulent bank accounts into which SBA funds were deposited, and then laundered those funds by using them to purchase large numbers of iPhones for re-sale. Cruz and, allegedly, Joseph also wired a portion of the funds to the Dominican Republic in furtherance of the scheme.
Over $452,000 in SBA funds were fraudulently obtained in connection with this scheme. Approximately $250,000 of this money was used allegedly to purchase iPhones in Massachusetts and New Hampshire.
The charges of wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Michael J. Krol, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elianna Nuzum and Adam Deitch of Levy’s Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare Agrees to Settle Allegations That It Violated the Americans with Disabilities ActRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE – Memphis-based Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare has agreed to resolve allegations that it violated the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by failing to provide effective communication to individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing, announced United States Attorney Henry C. Leventis. As part of the settlement, Methodist will pay $5,000 in penalties to the United States and $18,000 to the complainant.
“We are committed to enforcing the rights of persons with disabilities in Tennessee,” said United States Attorney Henry C. Leventis. “It is vital that individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing can communicate with health care professionals and the Americans with Disabilities Act requires as much.”
The United States alleged that on multiple occasions, Methodist failed to provide the complainant, a deaf individual, with an on-site American Sign Language (ASL) interpreter, and in one incident Methodist used the complainant’s minor child to interpret on her behalf, which the United States contends violates the ADA. The United States also alleged that the use of an interpreter was necessary for effective communication and the lack of a requested interpreter resulted in the complainant either rescheduling medical care for her children or proceeding without the assistance of an interpreter or using other auxiliary aids.
During the investigation, the United States also became aware of additional complaints concerning Methodist’s failure to provide effective communication to several other individuals who are deaf at various Methodist locations. Under the terms of the Settlement Agreement, Methodist has agreed to provide effective communication to its patients and companions on a timely basis and will train its personnel and physicians as to effective communication at multiple hospital locations. Methodist also will designate an ADA liaison who can be contacted 24 hours a day, seven days a week, by patients and/or companions who are deaf or hard of hearing. Significant reporting requirements have also been instituted during the two-year term of the Settlement Agreement, including a requirement to notify the United States of any complaints related to the failure to provide effective communication to deaf or hard of hearing patients and their companions.
The civil claims settled by this Settlement Agreement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kara F. Sweet investigated the complaint and negotiated the Settlement Agreement.
The Department of Justice has a number of publications available to assist entities in complying with the ADA including a Technical Assistance Publication entitled: ADA Requirements: Effective Communication and a Business Brief on Communicating with People Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing in Hospital Settings. For more information on the ADA and to access these publications, visit http://www.ada.gov or call the Justice Department’s toll-free ADA information Line at 800-514-0301 or 800-514-0383 (TDD). ADA complaints may be filed by email to [email protected].
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Man Convicted of Torture and Exporting Weapons Parts and Related Services to IraqRead the Press Release
A federal jury convicted a Pennsylvania man on May 19 for numerous crimes, including the torture of an Estonian citizen in 2015 in the Kurdistan region of Iraq, in connection with the operation of an illegal weapons manufacturing plant in Kurdistan.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Ross Roggio, 54, of Stroudsburg, arranged for Kurdish soldiers to abduct and detain the victim at a Kurdish military compound where Roggio suffocated the victim with a belt, threatened to cut off one of his fingers, and directed Kurdish soldiers to repeatedly beat, tase, choke, and otherwise physically and mentally abuse the victim over a 39-day period. The victim was employed at a weapons factory that Roggio was developing in the Kurdistan region of Iraq that was intended to manufacture M4 automatic rifles and Glock 9mm pistols.
In connection with the weapons factory project, which included Roggio providing training to foreign persons in the operation, assembly, and manufacturing of the M4 automatic rifle, Roggio also illegally exported firearm parts that were controlled for export by the Departments of State and Commerce.
“Roggio brutally tortured another human being to prevent interference with his illegal activities,” said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Thanks to the courage of the victim and other witnesses, the hard work of U.S. law enforcement, and the assistance of Estonian authorities, he will now be held accountable for his cruelty.”
“Today’s guilty verdict demonstrates that Roggio’s brutal acts of directing and participating in the torture of an employee over the course of 39 days by Kurdish soldiers could not avoid justice,” said U.S. Attorney Gerard M. Karam for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. “We thank all the prosecutors and law enforcement agents who worked tirelessly to address these acts that occurred in Iraq.”
“Today’s milestone conviction is the result of the extraordinary courage of the victim, who came forward after the defendant inflicted unspeakable pain on him for more than a month,” said Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “Torture is among the most heinous crimes the FBI investigates, and together with our partners at the Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Center, we will relentlessly pursue justice.”
“U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is firmly dedicated to pursuing those who commit human rights violations, like Roggio, to ensure perpetrators face justice for their atrocities,” said Deputy Director and Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Director Tae D. Johnson of ICE. “Our investigators will continue to work tirelessly with government partners so these horrendous acts do not go without consequence.”
“The illegal export of firearms parts and tools from the United States often goes hand in hand with other criminal activities, such as the charge of torture on which the jury voted to convict the defendant,” said Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Carson of the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), Office of Export Enforcement, New York Field Office. “I commend our law enforcement colleagues for their dedication to bringing justice in this case.”
Roggio was convicted of torture, conspiracy to commit torture, conspiring to commit an offense against the United States, exporting weapons parts and services to Iraq without the approval of the Department of State, exporting weapons tools to Iraq without the approval of the Department of Commerce, smuggling goods, wire fraud, and money laundering. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 23 and faces a maximum sentence of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Roggio is the second defendant to be convicted of torture since the federal torture statute went into effect in 1994.
The FBI and HSI investigated the torture and were joined in investigating the export control violations related to the firearms manufacturing equipment by the Department of Commerce’s BIS Office of Export Enforcement.
Trial Attorney Patrick Jasperse of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section, Trial Attorney Scott A. Claffee of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd K. Hinkley for the Middle District of Pennsylvania are prosecuting the case. The Estonian Internal Security Service, the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, and the Pennsylvania State Police also provided valuable assistance.
Members of the public who have information about human rights violators in the United States are urged to contact U.S. law enforcement through the FBI tip line at 1-800-CALL-FBI or the HSI tip line at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE, or complete the FBI online tip form or the ICE online tip form.
Man Convicted of Torture and Exporting Weapons Parts and Related Services to IraqRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG – A federal jury convicted a Pennsylvania man on May 19 for numerous crimes, including the torture of an Estonian citizen in 2015 in the Kurdistan region of Iraq, in connection with the operation of an illegal weapons manufacturing plant in Kurdistan.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Ross Roggio, 54, of Stroudsburg, arranged for Kurdish soldiers to abduct and detain the victim at a Kurdish military compound where Roggio suffocated the victim with a belt, threatened to cut off one of his fingers, and directed Kurdish soldiers to repeatedly beat, tase, choke, and otherwise physically and mentally abuse the victim over a 39-day period. The victim was employed at a weapons factory that Roggio was developing in the Kurdistan region of Iraq that was intended to manufacture M4 automatic rifles and Glock 9mm pistols.
In connection with the weapons factory project, which included Roggio providing training to foreign persons in the operation, assembly, and manufacturing of the M4 automatic rifle, Roggio also illegally exported firearm parts that were controlled for export by the Departments of State and Commerce.
“Roggio brutally tortured another human being to prevent interference with his illegal activities,” said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Thanks to the courage of the victim and other witnesses, the hard work of U.S. law enforcement, and the assistance of Estonian authorities, he will now be held accountable for his cruelty.”
“Today’s guilty verdict demonstrates that Roggio’s brutal acts of directing and participating in the torture of an employee over the course of 39 days by Kurdish soldiers could not avoid justice,” said U.S. Attorney Gerard M. Karam for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. “We thank all the prosecutors and law enforcement agents who worked tirelessly to address these acts that occurred in Iraq.”
“Today’s milestone conviction is the result of the extraordinary courage of the victim, who came forward after the defendant inflicted unspeakable pain on him for more than a month,” said Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “Torture is among the most heinous crimes the FBI investigates, and together with our partners at the Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Center, we will relentlessly pursue justice.”
“U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is firmly dedicated to pursuing those who commit human rights violations, like Roggio, to ensure perpetrators face justice for their atrocities,” said Deputy Director and Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Director Tae D. Johnson of ICE. “Our investigators will continue to work tirelessly with government partners so these horrendous acts do not go without consequence.”
“The illegal export of firearms parts and tools from the United States often goes hand in hand with other criminal activities, such as the charge of torture on which the jury voted to convict the defendant,” said Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Carson of the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), Office of Export Enforcement, New York Field Office. “I commend our law enforcement colleagues for their dedication to bringing justice in this case.”
Roggio was convicted of torture, conspiracy to commit torture, conspiring to commit an offense against the United States, exporting weapons parts and services to Iraq without the approval of the U.S. Department of State, exporting weapons tools to Iraq without the approval of the U.S. Department of Commerce, smuggling goods, wire fraud, and money laundering. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 23 and faces a maximum sentence of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Roggio is the second defendant to be convicted of torture since the federal torture statute went into effect in 1994.
The FBI and HSI investigated the torture and were joined in investigating the export control violations related to the firearms manufacturing equipment by the Department of Commerce’s BIS Office of Export Enforcement.
Trial Attorney Patrick Jasperse of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section, Trial Attorney Scott A. Claffee of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd K. Hinkley for the Middle District of Pennsylvania are prosecuting the case. The Estonian Internal Security Service, the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, and the Pennsylvania State Police also provided valuable assistance.
Members of the public who have information about human rights violators in the United States are urged to contact U.S. law enforcement through the FBI tip line at 1-800-CALL-FBI or the HSI tip line at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE, or complete the FBI online tip form or the ICE online tip form.
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Louisville Men Sentenced in Federal Court for Multi-Drug Trafficking Conspiracy and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – Three members of a large-scale, multi-drug trafficking conspiracy were recently sentenced for their roles in the conspiracy and for firearms offenses. Two were also sentenced for using a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime resulting in murder.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge J. Todd Scott of the DEA Louisville Field Division, Special Agent in Charge Jodi Cohen of the FBI Louisville Field Office, Special Agent in Charge R. Shawn Morrow of the ATF Louisville Field Division, Special Agent in Charge Bryant Jackson of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, Cincinnati Field Office, Chief Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel of the Louisville Metro Police Department, Sheriff John E. Aubrey Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, and Chief Richard Sanders of the Jeffersontown Police Department made the announcement.
Dwayne C. Castle, 49, of Louisville, was sentenced on May 19, 2023, to 30 years in prison, followed by a 20-year term of supervised release, for conspiring to distribute controlled substances to include heroin and methamphetamine and for use of a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime resulting in murder.
Javier H. Rodriguez, 32, a citizen of Mexico, was sentenced on May 18, 2023, to 40 years in prison, followed by a lifetime term of supervised release, for conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances to include heroin, fentanyl, methamphetamine, and marijuana and for use of a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime resulting in murder.
Charles Orlando Cater, 47, of Louisville, was sentenced on April 11, 2023, to 21 years and 10 months in prison, followed by an 8-year term of supervised release, for conspiring to distribute controlled substances to include heroin and marijuana and for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court records, Rodriguez was the leader and organizer of a sophisticated drug trafficking organization distributing kilogram amounts of controlled substances, including heroin, fentanyl, methamphetamine, and marijuana, primarily in the Louisville Metro area. Castle was his “right-hand man” who operated multiple stash house locations storing and distributing controlled substances on behalf of the organization. Cater assisted the organization and primarily acted as a “bodyguard” for Rodriguez. On January 16, 2018, Rodriguez and his organization arranged the sale of a kilogram of heroin to individuals in the Victory Park neighborhood for $70,000. That sale, however, became a robbery and, following a shootout in broad daylight, the kilogram of heroin was stolen from Rodriguez, Castle, and Cater. In retribution for the stolen heroin, Rodriguez ordered the murder of Vincente Ramirez. On January 20, 2018, Rodriguez, Castle, and Cater all traveled together to a Newburg neighborhood where Ramirez was shot to death in his vehicle. Through a collaborative investigation between federal and state agencies lead by DEA and LMPD Homicide, Rodriguez, Castle, and Cater were all arrested on February 23, 2018, and subsequently federally indicted for drug trafficking and murder in furtherance of drug trafficking. At the time their arrests, Castle and Cater blamed the other as the actual shooter of Ramirez. On August 19, 2019, Castle, pursuant to a plea agreement, entered a guilty plea to all the indicted charges. On October 18, 2022, Rodriguez, without a plea agreement, entered a guilty plea to all the indicted charges. Following a nine-day jury trial in November 2022 Cater was convicted of the drug trafficking conspiracy and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon but acquitted of murder in furtherance of the conspiracy.
This case was investigated by the DEA, FBI, ATF, the IRS Criminal Investigation, the Louisville Metro Police Department, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, and the Jeffersontown Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mac Shannon and Rob Bonar prosecuted the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
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Justice Department’s Office on Violence Against Women Announces National Protocol for Intimate Partner Violence Medical Forensic ExaminationsRead the Press Release
The Justice Department today announced the release of the National Protocol for Intimate Partner Violence Medical Forensic Examinations. The protocol will guide the clinical practice of conducting comprehensive assessments for patients experiencing intimate partner violence (IPV) that prioritize the patient’s health and well-being. Acting Director Allison Randall of the Justice Department’s Office on Violence Against Women made the announcement at the 2023 Conference on Crimes Against Women in Dallas.
IPV is a significant issue that poses considerable health, social, and legal challenges within the United States. It impacts individuals of all ages, races, genders, sexual orientations, abilities and socioeconomic statuses.
Conducting medical forensic exams within a trauma-informed framework is crucial to our nation’s response to IPV. They play a vital role not just in providing immediate medical attention, but also in supporting the long-term recovery, safety and well-being of victims. These examinations offer prompt and necessary medical care to victims, identifying even non-apparent injuries. They also collect critical evidence that can be used in legal proceedings. During the exam, victims are also given access to essential resources such as counseling and safety planning services. This provides a crucial lifeline of support, aiding their journey toward recovery and safety.
“The protocol helps ensure that victims will be cared for with compassion and respect after an assault,” said Acting Director Randall. “Clinicians have the chance to offer patients experiencing IPV an assortment of choices, empowering them to make the most suitable decisions for their own welfare and that of their loved ones. The evidence collected in the exam can also strengthen criminal cases to hold offenders accountable.”
The protocol, developed in a collaborative effort with the International Association of Forensic Nurses (IAFN) and an array of project partners across disciplines – health care, justice, victim advocacy, law enforcement, victim services and leading national entities – provides comprehensive guidance for patient care. It emphasizes delivering trauma-informed, patient-centered care across various health care settings and supports a gender-affirming approach to care. The protocol underscores the crucial role of accessible language and effective communication, and advocates for the use of interpretation and translation services to guarantee equitable access. It outlines protocols for screening IPV patients in all settings and emphasizes the provision of care in different age groups, from adolescents to older adults.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 41% of women and 26% of men experienced contact sexual violence, physical violence and/or stalking by an intimate partner and reported an intimate partner violence-related impact during their lifetime. The protocol serves as an integral tool in bolstering the Justice Department’s endeavor to safeguard survivors of IPV as well as keeping communities nationwide safe.
Justice Department Secures Settlement with New Jersey IT Recruiting Firm to Resolve Immigration-Related Discrimination ClaimsRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that it has secured a settlement agreement with Infosoft Solutions Inc., a New Jersey IT recruiting and contracting company operating as KForce Tech LLC. The settlement resolves the department’s determination that Infosoft violated the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) by posting six discriminatory job advertisements that solicited applications only from non-U.S. citizens who needed visa sponsorship and, in one case, also sought applicants only from India.
“When employers advertise jobs only to applicants from a certain country or who need temporary visas, they discourage all other eligible workers and deny them a fair chance to be considered,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Civil Rights Division will not tolerate national origin or citizenship status discrimination and is committed to knocking down these unlawful discriminatory barriers.”
The department’s investigation determined that between July 2021 and August 2021, Infosoft posted at least six job advertisements inviting applications only from applicants who wanted sponsorship to work in the United States or who already had an employment-based temporary visa. One of the six advertisements also required the candidates to be from India. In doing so, the company deterred workers with permission to work in the United States without sponsorship (such as asylees, refugees, lawful permanent residents, U.S. nationals and U.S. citizens) from applying to the job advertisements and being fairly considered for the employment opportunities. The INA’s anti-discrimination provision generally prohibits employers from recruiting or refusing to hire workers based on their citizenship status or national origin.
Under the settlement, Infosoft will pay $25,500 in civil penalties to the United States. The agreement also requires the company to train its recruiters on the INA’s requirements, revise its employment policies and be subject to departmental monitoring and reporting requirements.
The Civil Rights Division’s Immigrant and Employee Rights Section (IER) is responsible for enforcing the anti-discrimination provision of the INA. Among other things, the statute prohibits discrimination based on citizenship status and national origin in hiring, firing or recruitment or referral for a fee; unfair documentary practices; retaliation; and intimidation.
Learn more about IER’s work and how to get assistance through this brief video. Find more information on how employers can avoid citizenship status discrimination on IER’s website. Applicants or employees who believe they were discriminated against based on their citizenship, immigration status or national origin in hiring, firing, recruitment or during the employment eligibility verification process (Form I-9 and E-Verify); or subjected to retaliation, may file a charge. The public can also call IER’s worker hotline at 1-800-255-7688 (1-800-237-2515, TTY for hearing impaired); call IER’s employer hotline at 1-800-255-8155 (1-800-237-2515, TTY for hearing impaired); email [email protected]; sign up for a free webinar; or visit IER’s English and Spanish websites. Subscribe for email updates from IER. View the Spanish translation of this press release here.
Spanish version