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22 May 2023
Joint State and Federal Operation Seizes Kilograms of Drugs, Multiple Firearms, and Arrests Five in Southeastern N.C.Read the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – Today, U.S. Attorney Michael Easley, along with federal and local law enforcement, provided information related to ongoing and coordinated efforts to target drug distribution in Sampson and Duplin Counties. Last week, a joint operation took place with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the N.C. State Bureau of Investigation (NCSBI), the Sampson, Duplin and New Hanover County Sheriffs’ Offices, and the Jacksonville, Goldsboro, and Wilmington Police Departments. A primary objective of this operation was to target suspected armed drug dealers.
As part of the operation, search warrants and arrest warrants were executed at multiple locations in Duplin and Sampson counties and the following items were seized:
- Approximately eight pounds of suspected cocaine;
- Over four ounces of suspected fentanyl;
- Over an ounce of suspected crack cocaine;
- Drug packing materials;
- Drug distribution materials;
- Approximately $10,000 cash; and
- Multiple firearms and ammunition.
“Our office is working closely with our state and local partners to get illegal drugs and guns off the streets and put those fueling the drug epidemic behind bars,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “We are using every tool available to make our communities safer.”
Sampson County Sheriff Jimmy Thornton stated, “I am thankful for the cooperation of our federal and state partners in combating the drug epidemic. While these seizures don’t solve the problem, they send the message that this activity is not welcomed or tolerated in our community.”
“Drug trafficking too often fuels the violent crime law enforcement is working hard to address,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Bennie Mims. “Disrupting these networks has a major impact on fighting violent gun crime.”
“Dangerous drugs have taken a terrible toll on our communities,” said Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division. “Drug traffickers should know they will face the consequences of their actions.”
According to court documents, on the same day the search warrants were executed, the following individuals were arrested on federal charges:
- Christopher Hill, 42, of Sampson County, distribution of methamphetamine;
- Cheri Boyette, 45, of Duplin County, distribution of methamphetamine;
- Peyton McBride, 42, of Sampson County distribution of cocaine;
- Rashawn Ray McDuffie, 43, of Duplin County, conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine;
- Dennis Ray Taylor, 57, of Duplin County, distribution of methamphetamine.
An indictment/criminal complaint is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
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Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Craig Alexander Halstead, 36, of Huntington, pleaded guilty today to receipt of child pornography.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Halstead admitted to receiving 87,993 digital media files of child pornography via peer-to-peer file sharing programs from about August 2, 2019, until about August 18, 2022. Halstead further admitted that one of the digital media files was a video of an adult male sexually assaulting a prepubescent female.
On May 20, 2021, Halstead possessed 3,970 images and 443 videos on his laptop and external hard drive depicting minor children subjected to sexually explicit conduct. Halstead admitted that many of the images and videos depict prepubescent minors and that several of the images and videos depict known child victims.
On or about August 30, 2022, Halstead possessed 3,188 images and videos of child pornography in Huntington. Over 400 of those images and videos depict known child victims. Halstead admitted that the images included infants subjected to sadistic or masochistic conduct. Halstead further admitted to accessing and receiving digital media files of child pornography using peer-to-peer programs on November 29, 2022.
Halstead is scheduled to be sentenced on August 21, 2023, and faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 20 years in prison, five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the Huntington Police Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Julie M. White is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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. 3:22-cr-231.
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Hacker Sentenced to 51 Months in Prison for Stealing Customer Credit Card NumbersRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Chirag Patel, 38, most recently of Norfolk, Virginia, was sentenced on May 8, 2023, by United States District Judge G. Murray Snow to 51 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. He also was ordered to pay $87,522.25 in restitution. Patel pleaded guilty to Computer Fraud.
On numerous occasions between August 2017 and July 2020, Patel hacked into the Phoenix-based computers of an international hospitality company. Patel fraudulently transferred and redeemed customer reward points from the company’s customer loyalty program. He also stole credit card numbers and other personally identifying information (PII) from customers and loyalty program members, which were stored in the company’s computers. Patel took screenshots of customers’ and members’ information, which included credit card numbers and other PII, and saved the screenshots to a Google Drive he controlled. In total, between August 2017 and July 2020, Patel stole and possessed more than 1,200 credit card numbers. Patel used some of the stolen credit card numbers to make unauthorized purchases and also tried to sell some of the stolen credit card numbers.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, National Security Section, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-21-00699-PHX-GMS
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-073_Patel# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Four KC Metro Men Indicted for Illegally Trafficking Machineguns, Other FirearmsRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Three Kansas City, Mo., men and an Independence, Mo., man have been indicted by a federal grand jury for illegally selling machine guns and other firearms, some of which have been linked to prior shootings.
Antonio Manning, 21, his brother, Sheron Lamont Manning, 20, and Michael Dewayne Hardy, 20, all of Kansas City, Mo., and Dejohuan Mietz Huntley, 25, of Independence, Mo., were charged in a 23-count indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo., on Wednesday, May 17. That indictment was unsealed and made public today upon the arrest and initial court appearance of Antonio Manning.
The federal indictment alleges that all four defendants participated in a conspiracy to illegally traffic in firearms from May 24, 2022, to April 20, 2023. The 22 firearms included five Glock 9mm handguns, five Glock .40-caliber handguns, nine Anderson Manufacturing AR-15 style, multi-caliber pistols, a Romar/Cugir Mini Draco 7.62 x 39 caliber pistol, a Century Arms 7.62 x 39 caliber pistol, and a Glock .45-caliber pistol. Nine of the firearms allegedly were altered into machineguns.
In addition to the conspiracy, they are each charged with engaging in firearm sales without a license.
According to a detention motion filed by the government, the firearms allegedly were sold to a confidential informant monitored by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Investigators have linked several of the firearms identified in the trafficking conspiracy to other crimes of violence by utilizing the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (“NIBIN”). For example, according to the government’s detention motion, a Glock .45-caliber sold by Sheron Manning to the confidential informant was linked to a shooting at the Winnwood Skate Center, 4426 N.E. Winn Road in Kansas City, Mo., on Nov. 13, 2022. A Glock .40-caliber pistol sold by Sheron Manning was linked to an occupied residence that was struck with gunfire on Feb. 5, 2022, and another Glock .40-caliber pistol sold by Sheron Manning was linked to a shooting at North 59th and Cemech Road in Kansas City, Kansas, on Jan. 20, 2023.
A Glock 9mm pistol sold to the confidential informant by Huntley was linked to a homicide that occurred on April 9, 2019. In that incident, witnesses reported that two or three young black males armed with handguns and an AK-47-type rifle began shooting at a residence while individuals were sitting on the front steps of the house. One victim was shot and died at the hospital as a result of the gunshot wound. The same firearm was also involved in shooting the rear passenger window of a vehicle on Oct. 16, 2019.
Antonio Manning is also charged with three counts of trafficking firearms and one count of possessing an unregistered machinegun.
Sheron Manning is also charged with five counts of trafficking firearms and four counts of possessing unregistered machineguns.
Hardy is also charged with one count of trafficking a firearm and one count of possessing an unregistered machinegun.
Huntley is also charged with two counts of trafficking firearms, two counts of possessing unregistered machineguns and two counts of being a felon in possession of firearms.
The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Trey Alford. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
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.
Former Naval Police Officer Sentenced for Making Threats in Interstate CommerceRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A former naval police officer at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in New Hampshire was sentenced on May 18, 2023 in federal court in Boston for making threatening communications to his ex-wife and her mother in Iowa.
Luis De Leon, 30, of Middleton, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young to 18 months in prison and three years of supervised release. On March 8, 2023, De Leon pleaded guilty to three counts of making threats in interstate commerce.
On or about April 30, 2022, De Leon made a threatening phone call to his ex-wife in Iowa from a mobile telephone belonging to another individual. Specifically, during the call, De Leon made several threatening statements including, “You’re gonna f****** pay! Do you understand!? There will be death! There will be war in the street! You wanna to go war!? I’ll take you to f****** war!”
Between May and June 2022, De Leon sent two letters containing threats to his ex-wife’s mother in Iowa. In the letters, De Leon wrote, among other things, “I’ll be heading over there soon […] God help you and your dysfunctional family if you try and stop me. I won’t be alone either just so you know and that’s for your safety NOT MINE!!! […] If you don’t believe me just look where I’m sending this from. I don’t really have much else to lose, and do you know what men with nothing left to lose usually do?”
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy H. Kistner of Levy’s National Security Unit prosecuted the case.
Federal Grand Jury Indicts Morganfield Felon for Methamphetamine Trafficking and Illegal Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
Owensboro, KY – A federal grand jury in Bowling Green, Kentucky, returned an indictment on May 10, 2023, charging a Morganfield, Kentucky, felon with illegal possession of a firearm and methamphetamine trafficking.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge R. Shawn Morrow of the ATF Louisville Field Division, and Sheriff Jason Thomas of the Union County Sheriff’s Office made the announcement.
According to the indictment, on August 19, 2022, James W. Harris Jr., 56, possessed with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Harris also possessed a Helwan Brigadier, nine-millimeter semiautomatic pistol. Harris was prohibited from possessing a firearm because he had previously been convicted of the following felony offenses. On August 6, 2004, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky, Harris was convicted of possessing with intent to distribute, within 1000 feet of public housing, 500 grams to 2 kilograms of powder cocaine, and he was convicted of being an unlawful user of a controlled substance, and knowingly possessing a firearm.
Harris made his initial appearance last week before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. If convicted, he faces a minimum sentence of 10 years and a maximum sentence of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is being investigated by the ATF Bowling Green Field Office and the Union County Sheriff’s office with assistance from the FBI Owensboro Resident Agency, the Kentucky State Police, the Daviess County/Owensboro Appalachia High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (AHIDTA) Drug Task Force, and the Henderson Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark J. Yurchisin II, of the U.S. Attorney’s Bowling Green Branch Office, is prosecuting this case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (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.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Federal Grand Jury Indicts Jefferson Parish Man for Violating the Federal Controlled Substances ActRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that a federal grand jury indicted TIMOTHY BLAYLOCK, age 51, a resident of Marrero, Louisiana, for violating the Federal Controlled Substances Act.
According to court documents, TIMOTHY BLAYLOCK, is charged in Count 1 with possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(B).
If convicted of Count 1, BLAYLOCK faces a minimum of 5 years up to a maximum of 40 years imprisonment, up to a $5,000,000 fine, at least 4 years of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.
U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that the indictment is merely a charging document and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and St. James Parish Sherriff’s Office. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant United States Attorneys Rachal Cassagne and J. Benjamin Myers.
El Departamento de Justicia llega a un acuerdo con una empresa de reclutamiento en el sector informático con sede en New Jersey que resuelve unas acusaciones de discriminación relacionada con la inmigraciónRead the Press Release
El Departamento de Justicia anunció hoy que ha llegado a un acuerdo conciliatorio con Secureapp Technologies LLC (Secureapp), una compañía de reclutamiento y contratación laboral en el sector informático, cuya sede se encuentra en New Jersey. El acuerdo resuelve la determinación del Departamento que Secureapp vulneró la ley de Inmigración y Nacionalidad («INA», por sus siglas en inglés) al publicar anuncios de trabajo que pedían solicitudes únicamente de personas no ciudadanas de los EE. UU. que buscaban un patrocinador para una visa laboral temporal o que tenían un estatus migratorio asociado con ciertas visas temporales basadas en el empleo.
«Cuando los empleadores convocan solicitudes únicamente de candidatos con cierto estatus migratorio, disuaden a otros individuos de presentar una solicitud y les niegan una oportunidad justa de ser considerados para el puesto» afirmó Kristen Clarke, la Fiscal General Auxiliar de la División de Derechos Civiles del Departamento de Justicia. «La División de Derechos Civiles está comprometida a eliminar estas barreras discriminatorias ilegales».
La investigación del Departamento determinó que, comenzando en enero del 2019 y durante más de un año después, Secureapp publicó al menos 12 anuncios de trabajo facialmente discriminatorios que buscaban solamente a personas no ciudadanas de los EE. UU. que necesitaban un patrocinador para poder trabajar o que ya poseían una visa laboral. Al hacerlo, Secureapp disuadió a ciudadanos de los EE. UU. y a otros trabajadores con permiso para trabajar en los Estados Unidos sin patrocinio (entre ellos asilados, refugiados y residentes permanentes legales) de presentar solicitudes a los anuncios de trabajo y de ser considerados de manera justa para las oportunidades de empleo. Por lo general, la disposición antidiscriminatoria de la INA prohíbe que los empleadores recluten o se nieguen a contratar a trabajadores con base en su estatus migratorio o ciudadanía.
Conforme el acuerdo, Secureapp pagará una sanción civil a los Estados Unidos que asciende a $26,000. Asimismo, el acuerdo requiere que Secureapp capacite a sus reclutadores en cuanto a los requisitos de la INA, que revise sus políticas de empleo y que se someta a los requisitos de supervisión y declaración del Departamento.
La Sección de Derechos de Inmigrantes y Empleados de la División de Derechos Civiles es responsable de hacer cumplir la disposición antidiscriminatoria de la INA. Entre otras cosas, la ley prohíbe la discriminación con base en el estatus de ciudadanía y la nacionalidad de origen en los procesos de contratación, despido o reclutamiento o recomendación por comisión; las prácticas documentales injustas; las represalias o la intimidación.
Para aprender más sobre la labor de la IER y cómo conseguir ayuda, vea este vídeo corto. Aprenda más sobre cómo los empleadores pueden evitar la discriminación por motivos de estatus de ciudadanía en el sitio web de la IER. Aquellos aspirantes o empleados que creen haber sido discriminados por motivos de su estatus migratorio, ciudadanía o nacionalidad de origen en los procesos de contratación, despido, reclutamiento o verificación de la elegibilidad para trabajar (Formulario I-9 e E-Verify) o sujetos a represalias pueden presentar una denuncia. El público también puede llamar a la línea directa de la IER para trabajadores al 1-800-255-7688 (1-800-237-2515, TTY para personas con discapacidades auditivas); llamar a la línea directa de la IER para empleadores al 1-800-255-8155 (1-800-237-2515, TTY para personas con discapacidades auditivas); enviar un correo electrónico a [email protected]; inscribirse a un seminario en línea gratuito; o visitar los sitios web de la IER en inglés o español. Para recibir las últimas noticias de la IER, inscríbase a GovDelivery.
Dominican National Admits Role in Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A Dominican National, who has resided in both Rhode Island and New Jersey, today admitted to a federal court judge in Providence that he participated in a drug trafficking conspiracy that trafficked cocaine into Rhode Island via the U.S. Postal Service, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.
Patri Hiciano Felix, 25, admitted that, as a member of a criminal drug conspiracy, he worked with others to have parcels of cocaine shipped via U.S. Priority Mail from Puerto Rico to addresses in Rhode Island. Hiciano also admitted that he coordinated with co-conspirators for the retrieval of the parcels of cocaine, including a parcel that contained 1,070 grams of cocaine that was sent to a residence in Johnston and was scheduled for delivery in March 2022.
Appearing in U.S. District Court, Hiciano pleaded guilty to a charge of conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute cocaine. He is scheduled to be sentenced on August 22, 2023. The defendant’s sentences 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 Denise M. Barton, with the assistance of Assistant U.S. Attorney Milind M. Shah.
The matter was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service.
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Detroit Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Desmond Devon Magee, also known as “Rich,” 27, of Detroit, was sentenced today to four years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for distribution of a quantity of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on October 18, 2022, Magee sold approximately 29 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant inside an Eighth Street business in Huntington.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Cabell County Sheriff’s Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams 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. 3:22-cr-210.
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Dallas Man Sentenced to 14 years in Federal Prison for Supplying Fentanyl in Rowlett OverdoseRead the Press Release
PLANO, Texas – A Dallas man has been sentenced to 14 years in federal prison for drug trafficking violations related to a 2021 overdose death, announced Eastern District of Texas U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs today.
Robel Habtemariam, 20, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to manufacture and deliver fentanyl and was sentenced to 168 months in federal prison on May 19, 2023, by U.S. District Judge Sean D. Jordan.
According to information presented in court, on March 16, 2021, law enforcement authorities responded to a parking lot regarding an unconscious person. Upon arrival, they found the victim lying on the ground just outside of a vehicle with two teenagers attempting to move him into the vehicle. The victim was administered Narcan and was transported to a hospital where he died. An investigation revealed that Habtemariam provided the victim with a pill and had left the scene before law enforcement arrived. Habtemariam returned to the scene at the request of officers and granted consent to search his vehicle. Officers located 25 pills that appeared to be Oxycodone but were later determined to be “pressed” pills containing Fentanyl. The investigation determined that Habtemariam provided one of the pills to the victim which caused his overdose. Instead of calling 911, Habtemariam called the victim’s girlfriend and left the scene. Habtemariam ultimately identified his original source of supply as Antonio Havis. Havis was previously convicted and sentenced to 20 years in federal prison by Judge Jordan on December 9, 2022.
“Fentanyl overdose deaths are tragic and heartbreaking,” said U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs. “As long as fentanyl plagues our community and causes tragic, unnecessary deaths, we will continue to aggressively investigate and prosecute overdose cases. Friday’s sentencing of Robel Habtemariam sends a clear message that this Office and our state and federal law enforcement partners will continue to prosecute and hold accountable dealers who distribute this poison, exploit addictions, and cause senseless deaths in the Eastern District of Texas.”
“Today’s sentence is just another consequence of deadly illicit fentanyl in our neighborhoods,” said Eduardo A. Chávez, Special Agent in Charge of DEA Dallas. “Mr. Habtemariam will spend the next 14 years in federal prison because of one deadly pill. Because of that same pill, a life was lost and families have been forever changed. DEA Dallas and our law enforcement partners throughout the region will continue to investigate overdose and poisoning deaths and bring those responsible to justice; however, every one of us must do our part to prevent and educate others that truly One Pill Can Kill.”
This case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Rowlett Police Department and the Rowlett Fire and Emergency Services and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew T. Johnson.
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Court-Ordered Consent Decree Allows for Sale and Redevelopment of Port Jefferson Superfund SiteRead the Press Release
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, announced today that the United States District Court has approved a consent decree that ends litigation against Lawrence Aviation Industries, Inc. (LAI) and its former CEO and owner for violations of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA), commonly known as the Superfund statute. The resolution will allow for the redevelopment of the Port Jefferson Station, New York property where LAI operated.
The Superfund statute protects human health and the environment, while safeguarding taxpayer dollars, by holding parties that contributed to contamination responsible for cleaning it up. Since 1980, the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Superfund program has managed the cleanup of the nation’s high-priority hazardous sites and has responded to environmental emergencies, oil spills, and natural disasters.
The LAI Superfund Site includes an area approximately 125 acres in size located off Sheep Pasture Road in Port Jefferson in Suffolk County, New York. Pursuant to the terms of the Consent Decree, which was approved by United States District Judge Joan M. Azrack, the six parcels comprising the Site will be enhanced in value and sold for redevelopment by a company established by the Suffolk County Landbank Corporation. The Consent Decree provides that the possible future uses of the property will include a regionally significant infrastructure project and an industrial park.
“This settlement will enable a previously contaminated property to be put to uses that will benefit Port Jefferson and the greater Suffolk County community,” said United States Attorney Breon Peace. “In the process, the EPA will recover at least some of the enormous costs expended in remediating the LAI Superfund Site and protecting our environment from hazardous substances.”
Mr. Peace expressed his gratitude to the EPA for its partnership in litigating and resolving the Government’s claims.
“This settlement that will not only recover some of the costs of cleaning up the LAI Superfund site but also pave the way for its redevelopment and revitalization," said Regional Administrator Lisa F. Garcia. "This is a win-win situation for the environment and the community of Port Jefferson Station, which will benefit from new infrastructure and economic opportunities long into the future.”
LAI conducted titanium sheet metal manufacturing operations at the Site, mostly for the aeronautics industry, from 1959 to approximately 2004. The EPA determined that LAI’s operations resulted in releases of a number of hazardous substances and contaminants into the environment, including trichloroethene (TCE), acid wastes, oils, sludge, metals, and other plant wastes. As a result, the Site was placed on the Superfund National Priorities List and the EPA has since conducted a number of response actions at the Site. These actions have included construction of treatment systems designed to capture, treat, and prevent further migration of TCE, a known carcinogen, in groundwater beneath the Site. It is the EPA’s intention to treat the groundwater to the point that the water can again be used as part of the drinking water supply. In addition, the EPA has remediated soil at the Site by removing polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), another known carcinogen, removed asbestos from buildings at the Site, and installed soil vapor mitigation systems in several nearby locations which are inspected annually.
In order to recover EPA’s response costs, the United States filed suit against LAI and its owner and CEO, Gerald Cohen, asserting five claims for relief pursuant to CERCLA. See United States v. Lawrence Aviation Industries, Inc, No. CV-06-04818 (JMA). After trial on the merits, the Court ruled in favor of the Government by Order dated March 19, 2019, finding LAI and Cohen liable to the EPA for $48,116,024.31 in costs and $750,000 each in penalties. The Court also found that the EPA had valid liens on the LAI property.
Following the trial, the only remaining question was the relative priority of claims of interest filed against the property by other federal agencies, New York State, Suffolk County, and several private parties as well as the EPA. The Consent Decree resolves this remaining issue by allocating recoveries from the sale of the property among the EPA and other claimants.
The case is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Richard K. Hayes, with the assistance of EPA Region 2 attorneys James Doyle, Leilani Davis and Andrea Leshak.
Ceres Man Pleads Guilty to Cyberstalking Two VictimsRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Kevin James Strutz, 51, of Ceres, pleaded guilty today to two counts of cyberstalking, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, Strutz secretly made a video recording of an adult female who stayed, as an Airbnb tenant, at the residence where Strutz was living in Ceres in February 2020. The victim ended her stay at the residence when she discovered a message on a cellphone that Strutz had left in a shared bathroom. Over the next several months, Strutz continued to contact the victim through multiple Facebook accounts. The messages became increasingly aggressive, and one included an image of the victim exiting a shower at the Airbnb residence that had been taken without her knowledge or consent. Strutz sent the image to her with a demand that she send him a sexually explicit video or he would send the photo to her friends and family.
When investigators reviewed evidence, they learned that Strutz previously had sent a series of electronic messages and handwritten letters to a different female victim. More specifically, from approximately September 2018 through late December 2018, Strutz left 15 handwritten letters that the defendant had placed on the victim’s vehicle. Many of the letters contained threats designed to coerce the victim into engaging in sexual acts with Strutz. He also sent messages to the victim from five different Facebook accounts and attempted to contact the victim using phone calls and messages.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Ceres Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Gappa is prosecuting the case.
Strutz is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston on Nov. 4, 2023. Strutz faces a maximum statutory penalty for each count of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
Campbellsville Man Indicted by Federal Grand Jury for Methamphetamine Trafficking and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
Bowling Green, KY – A federal grand jury in Bowling Green returned an indictment on May 10, 2023, charging a Campbellsville, Kentucky, man with methamphetamine trafficking and firearms offenses.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge R. Shawn Morrow of the ATF Louisville Field Division, and Chief Mitch Bailey of the Campbellsville Police Department made the announcement.
According to the indictment, on November 13, 2022, Nicholas Zunker, 35, possessed with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Zunker also possessed an SCCY CPX-1, nine-millimeter semiautomatic pistol, and an SCCY CPX-2, nine-millimeter semiautomatic pistol. He was prohibited from possessing a firearm because he had previously been convicted of the following felony offense. On September 13, 2010, in San Joaquin Superior Court in California, he was convicted of illegal possession of a firearm and battery on spouse/cohabitant/parent of child.
Zunker made his initial appearance last week before a U.S. Magistrate Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. If convicted, he faces a minimum sentence of 10 years and a maximum sentence of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is being investigated by the ATF and the Campbellsville Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Yurchisin, of the U.S. Attorney’s Bowling Green branch office, is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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California Woman Sentenced for Violating the Federal Controlled Substances ActRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – LORRAINE SANCHEZ VALDEZ, age 31, of Covina, California, was sentenced on May 17, 2023, to 57 months imprisonment, 3 years of supervised release, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee by U.S. District Judge Ivan L. R. Lemelle, after pleading guilty to a one-count superseding bill of information that charged her with conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute a quantity of methamphetamine in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(C), and 846, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.
According to court documents, SANCHEZ VALDEZ conspired with others to distribute a quantity of methamphetamine within the Eastern District of Louisiana and elsewhere on or about May 15, 2021 and continuing to on or about June 7, 2021.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Louisiana State Police, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office. The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Lynn E. Schiffman of the Narcotics Unit.
Busby man admits armed meth trafficking on Northern Cheyenne Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
BILLINGS —A Busby man today admitted to armed methamphetamine trafficking on the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation after law enforcement found the drug and three firearms in a car in which he was traveling, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
Ivan Eaglefeathers, 20, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute meth and to possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime as charged in a superseding information. Eaglefeathers faces a maximum of 20 years in prison, a $1 million fine and at least three years of supervised release on the drug crime and a mandatory minimum five years to life in prison, consecutive to any other sentence, a $250,000 fine and a mandatory minimum of five years of supervised release.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan presided. A sentencing date will be set before U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Eaglefeathers was detained pending further proceedings.
In court documents, the government alleged that on Sept. 12, 2021 on the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation, law enforcement officers stopped a car that had run two stop signs, was traveling at a high rate of speed and was believed to have been seen at an earlier shooting. Four people in the car, including Eaglefeathers, and were engaged in distributing meth. Officers detained all four persons. A federal search warrant was served on the car and officers found approximately 48 grams of meth, $2,000 in cash, a scale and drug paraphernalia, ammunition and three firearms. The guns were a .17-caliber rifle, an AR-style 5.56mm rifle and a 9mm handgun. A video of Eaglefeathers and a co-defendant shows Eaglefeathers outside of the vehicle on the same day with a gun in his hand. Eaglefeathers admitted to having one of the rifles in the car and to having shot it in the air.
Co-defendant Jamesey Maria Jefferson of Busby pleaded guilty to charges in the case and is pending sentencing.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The FBI and Bureau of Indian Affairs conducted the investigation.
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Baton Rouge Woman Pleads Guilty to Filing Numerous PPP and EIDL Loan Applications Totaling More than $1 Million and Laundering the Fraudulent ProceedsRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that Tiera R. Lands, age 30, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, pled guilty before U.S. District Judge Brian A. Jackson to wire fraud and money laundering in connection with numerous false and fraudulent applications that she filed to obtain funds from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program in 2020 and 2021.
According to admissions made as part of her guilty plea, Lands owned and operated several businesses in Baton Rouge, including Virtuous Credit Solutions (“VCS”), and Virtuous Call Center, and through her businesses, she offered a variety of services, including credit counseling, tax preparation, and assistance obtaining business financing and loans. Beginning in or about March 2020, and continuing through April 2021, she devised a scheme to defraud the United States, through the United States Small Business Administration, and two participating PPP lenders, by filing numerous false and fraudulent applications for EIDL and PPP funds, both in the names of her own businesses and the names of other individuals and businesses located in the Baton Rouge area.
With respect to the EIDL program, after submitting one application the name of VCS and receiving $7,000, Lands submitted two additional applications for the same company, knowing that these applications contained false representations intended to induce the SBA to release approximately $300,000 in additional funds to which she was not entitled. Then, between June 30, 2020 and July 9, 2020, she submitted false EIDL applications in the names of three other businesses. All three of these applications contained false representations, which caused the SBA to disburse approximately $450,000 in funds to which neither Lands nor the named applicants were entitled.
Similarly, with respect to the PPP program, after submitting one application in the name of VCS and receiving approximately $20,000, Lands submitted two additional applications in which she made numerous false representations about her business. Lands also submitted at least seven more false PPP applications in the names of other individuals and businesses in which she inflated the businesses’ gross sales and payroll amounts, among other false statements. In connection with these applications, Lands submitted numerous fraudulent tax documents and payroll records, and she caused an authorized PPP lander to disburse nearly $250,000 in funds to which neither she nor the named applicants were entitled. In total, the false and fraudulent applications Lands admitted filing caused a total actual and intended loss of more than $1.1 million.
Lands also admitted that she would receive proceeds from her fraudulent activity in cash, and as she did so, she would deposit the cash into her business bank account and structure the deposits so as to conceal the source of the funds and avoid triggering transaction reporting requirements. For instance, on July 3, 2020, after receiving proceeds from fraudulent conduct, Lands deposited $5,900 in cash into VCS’ bank account, and, two minutes later, deposited another $5,100 in cash into the same account. Ten days later, between approximately 11:45 p.m. on July 14, 2020 and 1:17 a.m. on July 15, 2020—a span of approximately 92 minutes— Lands made five separate cash deposits into VCS’ bank account, totaling $11,000.
This matter is being investigated by the United States Secret Service, the Internal Revenue Service—Criminal Investigation, and the East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office. The matter is prosecuted by AUSA Alan Stevens, who also serves as Senior Litigation Counsel for the United States Attorney’s Office, AUSA Brad Casey, and AUSA April Leon Johnson.
Activity in the U.S. Attorney's OfficeRead the Press Release
Firearm Offenses
Danny Lee Jimenez, age 38, of Cheyenne, Wyoming, was sentenced on May 18, 2023, for being a felon in possession of a firearm. U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson sentenced Jimenez to 15 months in prison with three years of supervised release and a $100 special assessment. The crime was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Elmore prosecuted the case.
Paul King, age 64 of Cheyenne, Wyoming, was sentenced on May 22, 2023, for being a felon in possession of a firearm. U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson sentenced King to 21 months’ imprisonment with three years of supervised release and a $100 special assessment. The crime was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kerry J. Jacobson.
Civil Rights
Argel Sierra, age 39, of San Antonio, Texas, was sentenced on May 16 for felony deprivation of civil rights. Chief U.S. District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl sentenced Sierra to five years’ probation, a $750 fine, and a $100 special assessment. Judge Skavdahl also ordered Sierra to pay $1,646.10 in restitution. According to court records, while serving as a police officer with the Mills (Wyo.) Police Department in 2019, Sierra unlawfully arrested a man without probable cause, and used excessive force to make the unlawful arrest. This crime was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Heimann prosecuted the case.
20 May 2023
Rapid City Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Jeffrey L. Viken has sentenced a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of Robbery and Assault with a Dangerous Weapon. The sentencing took place on May 18, 2023.
Eric Blue Bird, 31, was sentenced to two ten-year terms in federal prison, to run consecutively, followed by three years of supervised release. Blue Bird was also ordered to pay restitution and a $200 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Blue Bird was indicted for Kidnapping, Assault on a Federal Officer, and Assault with a Dangerous Weapon by a federal grand jury in January of 2022. He pleaded guilty on November 14, 2022.
The conviction stems from Blue Bird robbing and assaulting a federal law enforcement officer on January 16, 2022, while he was incarcerated at the Oglala Sioux Tribe Adult Offender Facility.
This case was investigated by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah B. Collins prosecuted the case.
Blue Bird was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Alcester Woman Charged with Wire FraudRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a federal grand jury has indicted an Alcester, South Dakota, woman for ten counts of Wire Fraud.
Michelle Warner, age 56, was indicted in May of 2023. She appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Veronica L. Duffy on May 18, 2023, and pleaded not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 20 years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, three years of supervised release, and up to $1,000 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment alleges that beginning on or about June 1, 2018, and continuing through May 17, 2022, Warner, who was employed as a bookkeeper/accountant, and later as a business administrator, devised and intended to devise a scheme and artifice to defraud and obtain money and property from others by means of false and fraudulent pretenses, representations, and promises.
The Indictment alleges that Warner, in her capacity as bookkeeper/accountant and business administrator, falsely and fraudulently paid herself additional and unauthorized payroll payments and then used the funds for her own purposes. Warner also caused her employer to remit payroll tax to the Internal Revenue Service on her behalf. Such funds purportedly came from withholding from Warner’s payroll check, when in fact, as Warner then and there knew, she did not actually withhold those funds from her payroll check. Additionally, Warner used her employer’s credit card without authority for her own personal use.
The charges are merely accusations and Warner is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the FBI, U.S. Attorney’s Office, Union County Sheriff’s Office, and the South Sioux City (NE) Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ann M. Hoffman is prosecuting the case.
Warner was released on bond pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
19 May 2023
Wendell Armed Robber Targeting Aldi Grocery Stores Sentenced to Nearly 30 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. –Lionel Robinson, 43, of Wendell, was sentenced to 356 months in prison for a string of armed robberies targeting Aldi stores across Eastern North Carolina between January and March of 2019. In October of 2022, a jury convicted Robinson for two counts of Hobbs Act robbery, two counts of using a firearm during a crime of violence, and possession of ammunition by a convicted felon.
“This defendant engaged in violent behavior in a grocery store where families do their shopping,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “Through a collaborative investigation between state, local and federal partners, we took a dangerous criminal off the street, and placed him behind bars for nearly 30 years. This sentence should serve as a deterrent to those that are engaged in violence in our communities.”
From January 2019 until March 2019, Robinson, sometimes with an accomplice, targeted Aldi stores in Lexington, Rocky Mount, Fayetteville, Winterville, Indian Trail, and Kernersville, North Carolina. Robinson would ring the back doorbell to the Aldi pretending to be a delivery driver. When an employee would answer the door, he would force his way inside, holding the employee at gunpoint and make them take him to the manager’s office where the store’s safe was located. He would keep the gun pointed at the employee while giving directions to open the safe. Robinson wore disguises, including masks, gloves, and reflective vests. When law enforcement identified Lionel Robinson as a suspect, they executed a search warrant at his residence and recovered evidence relevant to the robberies, including gloves and clothing consistent with what was used in the robbery, rolled coins similar to what Aldi stores would have, and the suspect vehicle that was observed on camera. They also recovered a large quantity of ammunition.
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 Rocky Mount Police Department, Fayetteville Police Department, Greenville Police Department, Lexington Police Department, Kernersville Police Department, Union County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Chad Rhoades and Yasir Sadat prosecuted and tried 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. 5:21-cr-00017-FL.
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Waynesboro Man Found Guilty of Murder of Three IndividualsRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Torey White, age 32, of Waynesboro, Pennsylvania, was found guilty yesterday on three counts of murdering three individuals after a three-week trial before United States District Court Judge Christopher C. Conner.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, White’s conviction was the result of an almost seven-year investigation into murders of three individuals that occurred on June 25, 2016, on a property along Welsh Run Road in Mercersburg, Franklin County. When Pennsylvania State Police officers were called to the crime scene, they found the bodies of Wendy Ann Chaney, 39, Hagerstown, Md, Brandon Cole, 47, Fayetteville, PA, and Phillip Matthew Jackson, 36, Mercersburg, PA, in a barn on victim Jackson’s property. All were shot. The three victims had their hands zipped-tied behind their backs and had been set on fire. Jackson and Cole were shot once in the head. Chaney was shot twice, once in the back and once in the neck. Wendy Chaney and Brandon Cole were already dead when the police responded to the scene. Phillip Jackson was transported to York Hospital where he died shortly after arrival.
The evidence presented at trial established that Wendy Chaney was in a relationship with Torey White and a coconspirator and had been previously assisting both with their drug distribution operations. White and co-coconspirator Kevin Coles learned that Chaney was cooperating with federal authorities and contracted for her to be murdered. Co-defendants Jerell Adgebesan and Kenyatta Corbett recruited members of a Baltimore based gang known as the Black Guerilla Family and others from Baltimore to travel to the Jackson property to kill Wendy Chaney. The killers were promised that they could take as payment $20,000 that was to be in a safe in the barn and any drugs and firearms that they could locate on the Jackson property. Once there, the killers encountered not only Wendy Chaney but also Brandon Cole and Phillip Jackson. Chaney was killed to protect the drug trafficking activities of Coles, and his co-conspirators. Jackson and Cole were murdered to prevent them from being witnesses to the crimes of violence that were committed at the Jackson property. The killers never found any money on the property but stole some drugs and firearms.
The following individuals were charged along with White as a result of the investigation:
- Kevin Coles, age 37, of New York and Hagerstown, Maryland, was sentenced to three consecutive terms of life imprisonment for multiple crimes, including murder for hire, robbery, and drug trafficking;
- Jerell Adgebesan, age 35, of Baltimore and Hagerstown, Maryland, pled guilty in June 2022 to Hobbs Act robbery and to being an accomplice to the use of a firearm during Hobbs Act robbery. Judge Conner sentenced Adgebesan in February 2023 to life imprisonment and a consecutive 10-year term of imprisonment;
- Mark Johnson, 35, Baltimore, Maryland, pled guilty to obstructing the grand jury’s investigation and was sentenced to 110 months’ imprisonment;
- Terrance Lawson, age 31, Baltimore, sentenced to time served for attempting to intimidate a witness;
- Tyrone Armstrong, age 30, Baltimore, sentenced to time served for attempting to intimidate a witness;
- Devin Dickerson, age 31, Hagerstown, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute heroin and crack cocaine and is awaiting sentencing;
- Kenyatta Corbett, age 38, Hagerstown, pleaded guilty to Hobbs Act robbery and to being an accomplice to the use of a firearm during Hobbs Act robbery and is awaiting sentencing;
- Michael Buck, age 30, Hagerstown, pleaded guilty to Hobbs Act robbery and to being an accomplice to the use of a firearm during Hobbs Act robbery and is awaiting sentencing;
- Nicholas Preddy, age 29, Baltimore, pleaded guilty to attempting to kill a witness and is awaiting sentencing;
- Johnnie Jenkins-Armstrong, age 22, Baltimore, pleaded guilty to Hobbs Act robbery and to being an accomplice to the use of a firearm during Hobbs Act robbery and is awaiting sentencing;
- Christopher Johnson, age 31, Baltimore, Maryland, pleaded guilty to multiple counts including murder for hire and is awaiting sentencing;
- Llesenia Woodard, 46, Hagerstown, Maryland, pled guilty to providing false testimony to the grand jury investigating the murders and is awaiting sentencing; and
- Yolanda Diaz, 31, Hagerstown, was indicted on multiple counts of perjury and obstruction of justice based upon her testimony at the Coles trial. Her trial is currently scheduled for May 2023.
Joshua Davis, age 30, previously pled guilty to participating in the conspiracy to locate and kill an individual believed to be cooperating with federal authorities in the investigation of the triple murders. Davis was sentenced to serve 100 months’ imprisonment.
White faces three mandatory life sentences, one for each count of conviction. Each count dealt with a separate victim.
The following federal, state and local law enforcement agencies participated in the investigation: Drug Enforcement Administration Harrisburg Resident Office; Pennsylvania State Police, Chambersburg; Pennsylvania State Police, Troop H; Franklin County Drug Task Force; Franklin County Adult Probation; Pennsylvania State Probation and Parole; Hagerstown Police Department, Criminal Investigation Division; Drug Enforcement Administration, Hagerstown Resident Office; Washington County Narcotics Task Force; Drug Enforcement Administration, Baltimore District Office, Strike Force Group 1; Maryland State Police Homicide Unit; Baltimore Police Department Narcotics, Fugitive And Homicide Units; Baltimore County Police Department Narcotics and Gang Unit; Federal Bureau of Investigation Evidence Management Unit, Quantico, VA; US Marshal’s Service Harrisburg, PA and Phoenix, AZ; Franklin County District Attorney’s Office; United States Attorney’s Office, District Of Maryland; and the Washington County State’s Attorney’s Office.
Judy Fernandez, Manager of Analytic Services at LexisNexis Special Services, Inc., (LNSSI) provided expert assistance to investigators and the prosecutors in the areas of analysis, support, and the rendering of her expert opinion.
Assistant United States Attorney William A. Behe, Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force, and Senior Litigation Counsel Michael Consiglio 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.
This prosecution is also part of an extensive investigation by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) identified as “Retribution for Welsh Run.” OCDETF is a joint federal, state, and local cooperative approach to combat drug trafficking and is the nation’s primary tool for disrupting and dismantling major drug trafficking organizations, targeting national and regional level drug trafficking organizations and coordinating the necessary law enforcement entities and resources to disrupt or dismantle the targeted criminal organization and seize their assets.
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Wayne County Man Charged with Committing $1.5 Million in Covid-19 Pandemic FraudRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Christopher J. Miller, age 35, formerly of Newfoundland, Pennsylvania, was charged in an indictment with 54 combined counts of wire fraud, bank fraud false statements, identity theft, and unlawful monetary transactions.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that Miller owned and operated multiple corporate entities in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, and Florida. Miller allegedly filed, and helped others to file, dozens of fraudulent applications for pandemic stimulus funds, including under the Payment Protection Program (PPP), for Economic Injury and Disaster Loans (EIDLs), and for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) benefits. Miller was charged with 16 counts of wire fraud, two counts of bank fraud, two counts of false loan applications, and 17 count of making false statements to the United States Small Business Administration, for the fraudulent applications. Miller also is charged with one count of aggravated identity theft, for using a stolen identity to file an application.
The applications allegedly submitted by Miller were filed on behalf of corporate entities that did not, in fact, have actual business operations, and that bore false addresses, false IRS-issued Employee Identification Numbers, false dates of business establishment and operation, false employee headcount information, and fabricated gross income, gross receipts and payroll obligation information. The applications also included forged IRS income tax returns, and federal employment tax documents. Miller allegedly failed to disclose in the applications that he was previously convicted of a felony.
Miller and his associates allegedly obtained approximately $1,500,000 in PPP, EIDL, and PUA funds through filing the fraudulent applications. In addition to the personal funds that he received, Miller also allegedly received cash kickbacks from other individuals on whose behalf he filed the fraudulent applications. Instead of using the funds on business expenses, Miller allegedly used them to purchase automobiles, vacations, and real estate, among other personal expenses. Miller is charged with 16 counts of making unlawful monetary transactions with the proceeds of his fraud.
The PPP and EIDL programs, both funded by the March 2020 CARES Act, were designed to help small businesses facing financial difficulties during the COVID-19 pandemic. PPP funds were offered in forgivable loans, provided that certain criteria are met, including use of the funds for employee payroll, mortgage interest, lease, and utilities expenses. EIDL funds are offered in low-interest rate loans, designated for specific business expenses, such as fixed debts, payroll, and business obligation. The PUA program was created by the CARES Act, as part of the United States government’s efforts to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the public’s health and economic well-being. The PUA program was designed to provide unemployment benefits to individuals not eligible for regular unemployment compensation or extended unemployment benefits.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and by the Department of Labor, Office of the Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Phillip J. Caraballo is prosecuting the case.
The maximum penalty under federal law for the most serious charges are 30 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. The aggravated identity theft offense carries a mandatory two-year sentence of imprisonment that is to run consecutive to any other term of imprisonment imposed. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Waterbury Man Who Trafficked Cocaine and Fentanyl Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that LANDDY RODRIGUEZ, also known as “Oso,” 37, of Waterbury, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Janet C. Hall in New Haven to 120 months of imprisonment, followed by four years of supervised release, for trafficking cocaine and fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Bridgeport High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force and the Connecticut State Police determined that a drug trafficking organization headed by Rodriguez was obtaining kilogram-quantities of cocaine through the U.S. Mail from Puerto Rico. In the summer of 2021, investigators also intercepted phone calls during which Reinaldo Colon Oliveras, while incarcerated in a federal prison in Atlanta and using a smuggled cell phone, arranged the shipment of cocaine to Rodriguez and his associate, Thomas Marra. Rodriguez and Marra further distributed the drug to a network of associates.
During the investigation, Rodriguez also directed his cousin, Jaime Rodriguez, to deliver to him five kilograms of cocaine from Florida. Landdy Rodriguez was also supplied with cocaine from Salvador Crespo, who ran an underground bar in Bridgeport.
The investigation further revealed that Landdy Rodriguez facilitated multiple transactions of fentanyl.
Landdy Rodriguez has been detained since his arrest on October 18, 2021. On December 21, 2022, he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute cocaine.
Colon, Marra, Jaime Rodriguez and Crespo pleaded guilty to related charges. On March 7, 2023, Colon, of Kissimmee, Florida, was sentenced to 78 months of imprisonment. On May 18, 2023, Marra, of Ansonia, was sentenced to 60 months of imprisonment. On December 22, 2022, Jaime Rodriguez, of Red Lion, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 60 months of imprisonment. Crespo awaits sentencing.
This investigation has been conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Bridgeport High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force, and the Connecticut State Police, with the assistance of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Waterbury Police Department. The Task Force includes personnel from the DEA Bridgeport Resident Office, the Connecticut State Police, and the Bridgeport, Danbury, Milford, Norwalk, Stamford, and Stratford Police Departments.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kenneth L. Gresham, John T. Pierpont, Jr., and Brendan J. Keefe through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Wakonda Man Sentenced for Theft in Connection with Health CareRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Wakonda, South Dakota, man convicted of Theft in Connection with Health Care. The sentencing took place on May 15, 2023.
Cody Carstensen, age 47, was sentenced to two years of probation and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100. Carstensen was also ordered to pay restitution.
Carstensen was indicted by a federal grand jury in October of 2022. He pleaded guilty on January 23, 2023.
The conviction stemmed from incidents between June of 2019 and February of 2022, when Carstensen, who was a registered pharmacist in Scotland, South Dakota, knowingly and willfully embezzled, stole, and converted without authority several drugs valued at more than $100.
Carstensen, in his capacity as pharmacist, received deliveries of controlled substances intended for a hospital and pharmacy. Instead of placing all of the delivered controlled substances in the inventory for the hospital and pharmacy, he stole the substances from several deliveries and used them for his own purposes.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ann M. Hoffman prosecuted the case.
United States Army National Guardsman and Former Rockville, Maryland Police Officer Sentenced to 42 Months in Federal Prison for Possessing over 12,000 Depictions of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland - U.S. District Judge Stephanie A. Gallagher today sentenced Daniel Morozewicz, age 38, of Frederick, Maryland, to 42 months in federal prison, followed by lifetime supervised release, for possession of child pornography. Judge Gallagher also ordered that Morozewicz must pay $14,000 in restitution.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge James C. Harris of Homeland Security Investigations ("HSI") Baltimore; Frederick County State's Attorney J. Charles Smith; and Colonel David Benjamin, Chief Deputy of the Frederick County Sheriff's Office.
According to his guilty plea, from September 2020 to January 2021, while employed as a Rockville Police Officer and an Army National Guardsman, Morozewicz received, possessed, and distributed child pornography on the BitTorrent file sharing network. Morozewicz also used multiple electronic devices to download and distribute child pornography involving prepubescent minors.
During that time, Morozewicz repeatedly distributed child pornography to undercover law enforcement officers. On at least four instances in 2020, investigators determined that the devices associated with Morozewicz’s IP address downloaded and shared child pornographic files on the BitTorrent; including eight packages of child pornography.
As stated in his guilty plea, on March 4, 2021, Morozewicz received a tip that federal law enforcement wished to conduct an in-person interview with him. The next day, on March 5, 2021, law enforcement executed a series of search and seizure warrants on Morozewicz’s residence, vehicle, and his person. As a result of the search of Morozewicz’s person, law enforcement seized a smartphone which had been recently factory reset and erased in light of the impending visit from federal law enforcement. He also admitted that he discarded his computer in anticipation of a visit from law enforcement. Morozewicz’s actions were viewed as an attempt to impede the investigation and prosecution of his child pornography offenses.
Multiple electronic devices were seized in connection the warrants executed at Morozewicz’s residence and in his vehicle. A forensic examination of Morozewicz’s devices revealed that he possessed over 12,300 depictions of child pornography and erotica, including over 200 depicts involving the sexual abuse of infants and toddlers, and over 90 child pornographic images involving sado-masochistic conduct.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc and click on the "Resources" tab on the left of the page.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended HSI, the Frederick County State’s Attorney’s Office, and the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul A. Riley and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Joyce King, Chief Counsel with the Frederick County State’s Attorney’s Office, who prosecuted the federal case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-childhood and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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U.S. Office of Personnel Management Employee Pleads Guilty to Conflict of Interest ViolationRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - Sheron Spann, 54, of Washington, D.C, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to steering government contracts to companies under her control and the control of her spouse. The plea was entered before United States District Judge Royce C. Lamberth, who scheduled sentencing for September 21, 2023.
According to court documents, starting as early as 2011, Spann, a former employee, began to steer U.S. Office of Personnel Management information technology contracts to companies under control of Spann and her husband without disclosing the nature or extent of her relationship to the companies. In sum, between 2011 and 2023, companies associated with Spann or her husband received over $10 million from the U.S. Office of Personnel Management.
Spann pleaded guilty to one felony count of taking acts affecting a personal financial interest. She faces up to five years in prison.
This case is being investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and the Office of the Inspector General for the U.S. Office of Personnel Management.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Aloi, with assistance from former Assistant U.S. Attorney Molly Gaston.
Two Prominent Hells Angels Members Convicted of Racketeering Conspiracy and Murder Conspiracy in Second TrialRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – A federal jury found Raymond Foakes, a/k/a Ray Ray, and Christopher Ranieri, a/k/a Rainman, guilty of racketeering conspiracy, murder conspiracy and related crimes for their participation in the criminal enterprise of the Sonoma County charter of the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club (HASC), announced United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Special Agent in Charge Robert K. Tripp. The verdicts follow a two-month trial before the Honorable Edward M. Chen, United States District Judge. A third defendant, Brian Burke, was acquitted of a single count of witness intimidation.
“Foakes and Ranieri followed a malicious code of conduct that permitted—and sometimes encouraged—the beating, maiming, and even killing of anyone who dared to cross their criminal enterprise,” said U.S. Attorney Ramsey. “The defendants now will be sentenced for their conduct and face the consequences of their violent racketeering activities.”
“This criminal enterprise tried to intimidate the community through fear into silence,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Robert Tripp. “The prosecution of a dozen members and associates of the Sonoma County Hells Angels brings an end to that fear and keeps our community safe. I commend the witnesses who did not succumb to this group's intimidation tactics and came forward to law enforcement. I am proud of the collaboration of the FBI with our partners at the United States Attorney's Office, California Highway Patrol, and Santa Rosa Police Department. All of us stand committed to removing violent criminals from our neighborhoods.”
The trial is the second following the October 10, 2017, indictment from a federal grand jury. The indictment described the Hells Angels as a violent transnational outlaw motorcycle gang and the HASC as a subset of the gang whose members primarily operate in Sonoma County, California. The indictment charged eleven members and associates of the HASC with being part of the criminal conspiracy that engaged in a broad swath of criminal activity including murder, conspiracy to commit murder, narcotics distribution, assault, robbery, extortion, illegal firearms possession, obstruction of justice, and witness intimidation. With yesterday’s jury verdict, nine of the eleven defendants, one of whom became deceased, have been convicted of crimes related to HASC activities, five by jury verdicts. The convicted defendants include five former Presidents of three Hells Angels charters: Sonoma County, Fresno, and Salem (Boston).
The first trial in 2022 centered on the murder of former HASC members, Joel Silva, a/k/a Doughboy. The jury convicted Jonathan Nelson, a/k/a Jon Jon, 46, of Santa Rosa; Brian Wayne Wendt, 45, of Tulare; and Russell Taylor Ott, a/k/a Rusty, 69, of Santa Rosa, each of whom played a role in carrying out the July 15, 2014, murder of Silva.
In the second trial, Christopher Ranieri, President of the Salem charter of the Hells Angels, was convicted for his role in hatching the plan to murder Silva, along with Wendt, President of Fresno charter of the Hells Angels, and Nelson, President of the Sonoma charter of the Hells Angels. In 2014, at a motorcycle event in Laconia, New Hampshire, Silva threatened a member of the Salem charter close to Ranieri, which was perceived to be disrespectful to Ranieri, Wendt, and Nelson. The three agreed that Silva had to be killed. On July 15, 2014, Silva was lured to the Fresno Hells Angels clubhouse and shot in the back of the head by Wendt. The next morning, Silva’s body was incinerated at a local crematory and his truck set on fire. Ranieri met with Wendt and others at Ranieri’s home in Lynn, Massachusetts, after the Laconia event, where they decided to kill Silva. Ranieri also met with Wendt and Nelson two days before the murder and was in frequent phone contact with Wendt and Nelson the day before and following Silva’s murder. Ranieri returned to Fresno, California for a party to celebrate the successful killing of Silva afterwards.
Foakes, former President of the Sonoma charter of the Hells Angels, was convicted of assault with a firearm in aid of racketeering, in connection with the multi-hour beating of a former HASC member by Foakes and other HASC members to expel the former member from the enterprise. The former member had an affair with Foakes’ then common law wife, which was a violation of HASC rules. During the expulsion, among other acts of violence, Foakes beat the victim with a baseball bat, forcibly tattooed the victim’s forehead, and induced Nelson to pistol-whip the victim in the face. Foakes was also convicted of witness intimidation, in connection with his sexual assault of the victim’s wife while the victim was still being beaten at the HASC clubhouse and threatening her to comply with his demands and not report to the authorities.
Ranieri and Foakes were additionally convicted of racketeering conspiracy for their agreement to conduct the affairs of the HASC through a pattern of racketeering activity, to include conspiracy to commit murder, robbery, drug dealing, witness intimidation, obstruction of justice, and arson. Ranieri was found to have understood that murder was a part of the pattern of racketeering activity.
In sum, the jury convicted both Ranieri and Foakes of participating in a racketeer influenced and corrupt organizations (RICO) conspiracy, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1962(d). In addition, the jury convicted Foakes of assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1959(a)(2), and witness intimidation, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §1512(b)(1). Further, Ranieri also was convicted of conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1959(a)(5).
Ranieri faces a statutory maximum prison term of life. Foakes faces a statutory maximum prison term of 60 years. Further, additional fines, forfeitures, and restitution may be ordered; however, any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
Both defendants are in federal custody pending sentencing. Judge Chen has not yet scheduled the defendants’ sentencing hearings.Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lina Peng and Kevin Barry conducted the trial with the assistance of paralegal specialist Kevin Costello. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI, the Santa Rosa Police Department, the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Department, and the California Highway Patrol.
Two Men Plead Guilty to Large Scale Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that HAKIM SHABAZZ, age 46, of New Orleans, and RENE WASHINGTON, age 54, of Houston, pleaded guilty on May 16, 2023 before United States District Judge Jay C. Zainey to violating the Controlled Substances Act.
According to court records, law enforcement officers stopped WASHINGTON in Calcasieu Parish as he traveled from New Orleans to Houston on Interstate 10. Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office officers seized $948,174 from WASHINGTON’S vehicle, in addition to several cell phones. Those phones contained text messages about drug trafficking, as well as ledgers. DEA agents in New Orleans executed a search warrant at a business where Washington visited shortly before leaving for Houston and found almost 250 grams of crack cocaine and another $84,803 in cash. By analyzing text messages and phone records, agents determined that SHABAZZ, who operated an auto body shop, was receiving the shipments of cocaine. Both men admitted that their conspiracy involved between 50 and 150 kilograms of cocaine.
Sentencing is set for September 5, 2023. SHABAZZ and WASHINGTON each face a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years, up to life imprisonment, a fine of up to $10,000,000, and at least 5 years of supervised release. The count also carries a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney David Haller of the Violent Crime Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
Two Honduran Nationals Residing in Gresham Indicted for Roles in Fentanyl Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—Two Honduran Nationals residing in Gresham, Oregon have been indicted in federal court for transporting hundreds of thousands of counterfeit prescription pills containing fentanyl and several pounds of powdered fentanyl from California to Portland for resale.
Kevin Martinez-Avila, 27, and Allen Moya-Vargas, 29, have been charged with conspiring with one another and others to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl.
According to court documents, in February 2023, investigators from the Westside Interagency Narcotics Team (WIN) learned a drug courier from California was transporting a large load of fentanyl to somewhere in or around Portland. On February 22, 2023, WIN investigators located the courier’s vehicle and followed it to a residence in Gresham. Soon after, investigators observed Martinez-Avila drive away from the residence. They stopped his vehicle, searched it pursuant to a state search warrant, and located 47 grams of powdered fentanyl.
Inside the Gresham residence, investigators located Moya-Vargas, 150,000 counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl and more than seven pounds of powdered fentanyl. Investigators believe the residence was being used by Martinez-Avila and Moya-Vargas’ drug trafficking organization to unload and store fentanyl brought to the Portland area before it was distributed to others.
Both men made their initial appearances in federal court today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jolie A. Russo. They were arraigned, pleaded not guilty, and ordered detained pending a jury trial scheduled to begin on June 27, 2023.
If convicted, Martinez-Avila and Moya-Vargas face maximum sentences of life in federal prison with 10-year mandatory minimum sentences.
This case was investigated by WIN. It is being prosecuted by Scott M. Kerin, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
An indictment is only an accusation of a crime, and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
WIN includes representatives from the Washington County Sheriff's Office, Beaverton and Hillsboro Police Departments, Oregon National Guard Counter Drug Program, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, and Homeland Security Investigations.
Two Georgians indicted for pandemic-related fraudRead the Press Release
ATLANTA – A federal grand jury has indicted individuals in two separate cases for fraud related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Kenneth Wilkerson was indicted for his fraudulent acquisition of several Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans and Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) for small businesses as well as his illegal possession of multiple firearms. Jeremy Graves was indicted for filing multiple fraudulent applications for unemployment insurance benefits using victims’ stolen personal identifying information.
“While communities suffered from the effects of the pandemic, the federal government worked to help small businesses and individuals avoid catastrophic economic disaster through the CARES Act,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “We will continue to investigate and prosecute those who illegally obtained these loans and work diligently to recover these funds intended to support struggling business owners and families.”
Robert J. Murphy, the Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division stated, “No matter how much Wilkerson tried to conceal his money laundering activities behind Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) funds, this was a drug trafficking operation, generating hundreds of thousands of dollars in illicit proceeds.”
“The defendant allegedly chose to illegally possess firearms,” said Alisha Jones, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of ATF’s Atlanta Field Division. “We will continue to pursue those who seek to circumvent the law.”
“An important part of the mission of the Office of Inspector General is to investigate allegations of fraud related to unemployment insurance programs. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to aggressively investigate these types of allegations,” said Mathew Broadhurst, Special Agent-in-Charge, Southeast Region, U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General.
According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, the indictments, and other information presented in court: Kenneth Wilkerson allegedly submitted at least nine loan applications to financial institutions, authorized lenders, and the Small Business Administration that contained fraudulent information regarding gross revenues and fake employees at his various companies. He also allegedly submitted fraudulent tax forms and bank statements to support his loan applications. Wilkerson allegedly received more than $383,000 from Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans and Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) that he failed to spend on authorized business purposes.
Jeremy Graves allegedly used stolen identification documents to apply for and obtain unemployment insurance (UI) benefits – a program that was expanded during the COVID-19 pandemic with CARES Act funds, in multiple states, including Georgia, California, Maryland, and Nevada. In his applications, Graves listed various addresses, including his own, as the applicant’s mailing address. Debit cards loaded with UI benefits were then mailed to those addresses. Graves allegedly called the bank associated with the debit cards to activate the cards, request new cards, and make other inquiries. The individuals whose identities were stolen and used to apply for the UI benefits did not apply, or give anyone permission to apply, for UI benefits on their behalf. Graves allegedly received over $230,000 in UI benefits to which he was not entitled.
Kenneth Wilkerson, 39, of Atlanta, Georgia, was charged in a 16-count superseding indictment with two counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, two counts of bank fraud, eleven counts of wire fraud, and one count of money laundering. Wilkerson allegedly submitted fraudulent applications seeking more than $800,000 in PPP and EIDL funds for various, seemingly defunct businesses.
Jeremy Graves, 38, of Atlanta, Georgia, was charged in a 26-count indictment with 11 counts of wire fraud, eight counts of aggravated identity theft, and seven counts of theft of government funds. Graves allegedly applied for and obtained UI benefits in multiple states using stolen identities.
Members of the public are reminded that the indictment only contains charges. The defendants are presumed innocent of the charges and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendants’ guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
The Kenneth Wilkerson case is being investigated by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
The Jeremy Graves case is being investigated by the Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rebeca M. Ojeda and Mary Webb are prosecuting Kenneth Wilkerson. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Diane C. Schulman is prosecuting Jeremy Graves.
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.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Two Defendants Charged in Nationwide Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (“PUA”) SchemeRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Ardavan Alamoutinia, 33, of Hummelstown, PA, and Aryanah Davison, 23, of Harrisburg, PA, were charged by Indictment with one count of conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud, ten counts of mail fraud, one count of theft of government money, and eight counts of aggravated identity theft, all stemming from their scheme to fraudulently obtain emergency funds meant for those affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Indictment alleges that Alamoutinia and Davison used stolen identities to file over 500 fraudulent PUA applications. These over 500 fraudulent applications were filed using at least 375 identities of current or former employees of Company 1. A co-conspirator stole these identities from Company 1 and transferred them to Davison. After receiving the identities, Alamoutinia and Davison filed or caused to be filed the fraudulent PUA applications in 27 different states resulting in a loss of at least $2,886,876.
According to the Indictment, after the fraudulent applications were filed, the respective state workforce agencies responsible for administering the PUA benefits dispersed funds based upon the fraudulent PUA applications either by direct deposits or mailing checks and PUA debit cards. Defendants then cashed the checks, deposited the checks, received the direct deposits into bank accounts controlled by them, and collected and possessed the PUA debit card issued on the applications. Defendants also made direct expenditures using the PUA debit cards, withdrew the money from those cards at ATMs, and transferred the money to financial accounts controlled by them.
The Indictment also alleges that Alamoutinia and Davison converted at least $2,500,000 of the fraudulent proceeds in this case. Alamoutinia and Davison spent the fraudulent proceeds, in part, on hundreds of thousands of dollars in cryptocurrency purchases and on a luxury sports vehicle.
The case was investigated by the Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General, Department of Homeland Security – Office of Inspector General, United States Postal Inspection Service, National Aeronautics and Space Administration – Office of Inspector General, and the Social Security Administration – Office of Inspector General, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Timothy Lanni.
An indictment, information, or criminal complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Three Individuals Sentenced to Lengthy Prison Terms for the Carjacking Murder of a College Student in Utuado, Puerto RicoRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On May 18, 2023, U.S. District Judge Raúl Arias-Marxuach sentenced Richard Montalvo-Otero, Yabdier Hernández-Camacho, and Luis Rodríguez-Otero to serve prison sentences of 360 months, 262 months, and 240 months, respectively, announced W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. All three defendants had previously pleaded guilty to federal offenses relating to the carjacking and killing of Álvaro Torres-De Jesús.
Specifically, on October 1, 2019, Montalvo-Otero, Hernández-Camacho, and Rodríguez-Otero traveled to the Bar de Hery, a commercial establishment near the University of Puerto Rico campus in Utuado, Puerto Rico. Once there, the three men met with Torres, a classmate of Rodríguez-Otero. After socializing with Torres for a while, Montalvo-Otero, Hernández-Camacho, and Rodríguez-Otero, aiding and abetting each other, forced Torres into his Toyota Rav4 at gunpoint.
Montalvo-Otero and Hernández-Camacho then drove Torres to an alleyway where they met with Rodríguez-Otero. At the alleyway, Montalvo-Otero and Hernández-Camacho opened fire on Torres, shooting and killing him as Rodríguez-Otero recorded the incident. After the shooting, Montalvo-Otero and Hernández-Camacho drove the Toyota Rav4 to a separate location, where they abandoned it. The following evening, Montalvo-Otero and Hernández-Camacho set the Toyota Rav4 on fire and shot and wounded Rodríguez-Otero in an attempt to kill him.
“Although today’s sentences cannot undo the devastation that these men inflicted upon Torres’ family, they reflect our resolve to ensure that those who menace our communities with senseless acts of violence face the consequences of their actions,” said United States Attorney Muldrow.
The FBI and the Puerto Rico Police Bureau investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. States Attorneys Alexander L. Alum and Daynelle M. Álvarez Lora prosecuted the case.
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Three Cass County Residents Sentenced for Distributing Fentanyl Causing Serious Bodily Injury or DeathRead the Press Release
COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA –Three Cass County (Iowa) residents were sentenced on May 16, 2023 for conspiring to distribute fentanyl causing serious bodily injury or death.
Cam Christopher Jahnke, 33, was sentenced to 193 months in prison. Chase Daniel Jahnke, 29, was sentenced to 204 months in prison. Kelsi Thurman, 27, was sentenced to 156 months in prison. There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court documents, each defendant plead guilty to agreeing to obtaining fentanyl pills from sources in Omaha, Nebraska, and selling those pills in and around Cass County, Iowa. The investigation determined that between August 2019 and June 2022, the group obtained and distributed over 10,000 pills containing fentanyl. Fentanyl distributed by the group caused two fentanyl overdose deaths.
Two additional co-defendants, Colby Clarken, 20, and Collin Clarken, 25, have also plead guilty to the same charge of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl causing serious bodily injury or death. Both are scheduled to be sentenced in August 2023.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa stated the convictions disrupted a major source of supply of fentanyl in Western Iowa and was accomplished through the cooperation of numerous law enforcement agencies. Agencies involved in this investigation included the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Atlantic Police Department, Cass County Sheriff’s Office, Shelby County Sheriff’s Office, Southwest Iowa Narcotics Enforcement Task Force (SWINE) Task Force, Council Bluffs Police Department, Iowa Division of Intelligence, Iowa State Patrol, Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation Crime Lab, United States Postal Inspection Service, and Omaha Police Department.
Fentanyl has become the leading cause of drug overdose deaths in the United States. Counterfeit, fentanyl-laced pills often resemble pharmaceutical pills, but contain potentially lethal doses of fentanyl. Visit the Drug Enforcement Administration’s website to learn more about One Pill Can Kill.
Terrebonne Parish Meth Dealer Sentenced to Serve 192 Months in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – SPENCER ROUNDS, JR., a/k/a “BoBoy,” age 29, of Gray, La., was sentenced on May 17, 2023 to serve 192 months imprisonment followed by five years of supervised release by the Honorable Judge Lance M. Africk announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. ROUNDS and two co-defendants were charged in 2019, in a multi-count indictment by a federal grand jury with several narcotics offenses, including conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing methamphetamine, distribution and possession with intent to distribute a mixture or substance containing methamphetamine, and felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court records, on May 13, 2019, the DEA Task Force in New Orleans learned that ROUNDS and a co-conspirator were in Los Angeles, California, preparing to ship methamphetamine via United Parcel Service (UPS). Task Force officers identified two UPS parcels in the mail stream that arrived in Louisiana, one had been sent by ROUNDS. Officers seized the parcel pursuant to a federal search warrant. Inside, officers located vacuum sealed packages containing approximately 50 pounds of methamphetamine. The vacuum sealed packages were further wrapped in dryer fabric softener sheets in an attempt to mask the methamphetamine’s odor. A search of ROUNDS’s car revealed a Taurus Model PT111 G2 A, nine-millimeter caliber, semi-automatic firearm. ROUNDS is a convicted felon and is prohibited from possessing firearms.
This prosecution was part of an extensive investigation by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). OCDETF is a joint federal, state, and local cooperative approach to combat drug trafficking and is the nation’s primary tool for disrupting and dismantling major drug trafficking organizations, targeting national and regional level drug trafficking organizations and coordinating the necessary law enforcement entities and resources to disrupt or dismantle the targeted criminal organization and seize their assets.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the St. Charles Parish Sheriff’s Office, the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office, the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office, the St. James Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office. The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Maurice E. Landrieu, Jr. of the Narcotics Unit.
Tehama County Man Indicted for Dealing in Firearms and Related OffensesRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a 39-count indictment Thursday against James Lane Winslett, 65, of Corning, charging him unlawful manufacturing and dealing in firearms, engaging in the business as a dealer in firearms without registering or paying tax, unlawful sales of firearms to prohibited persons, and multiple counts of possessing unregistered firearms, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. The indictment was unsealed today.
According to court documents, between Jan. 27, 2018, and Oct. 28, 2021, Winslett was manufacturing and dealing in firearms while he was not a licensed manufacturer or dealer. Winslett also had not registered or paid the taxes necessary to deal in firearms, and in June 2020 he sold a firearm to a person prohibited from possessing it. Winslett is additionally charged with 36 counts of possession of an unregistered firearm for the 36 silencers found at his residence. Silencers are firearms and are required to be registered under the National Firearms Act.
This case is the product of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with assistance from Customs and Border Protection and California Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Sauvageau is prosecuting the case.
If convicted of manufacturing and dealing in firearms, Winslett faces a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a fine up to $250,000. If convicted of any of the remaining counts, Winslett faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine up to $250,000. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after considering any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty 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 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.
Steinhatchee Man Indicted for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – A federal grand jury has returned a one-count indictment charging Ryan Tyler Newman, 29, of Steinhatchee, Florida, with distribution of methamphetamine. The indictment was announced by Jason R. Coody, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
The indictment alleges on or about August 17, 2022, Newman distributed a quantity of methamphetamine. Newman was identified through an ongoing, multi-agency investigation targeting illegal drug distribution in the Taylor County, Florida area.
If convicted, Newman faces up to 20 years in prison.
This case resulted from an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Taylor County Sheriff’s Office, and the Perry, Florida Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Eric K. Mountin is prosecuting the case.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. More information about OCDETF may be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
St. Petersburg Man Sentenced to Seven Years in Prison for Distributing and Possessing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Mary Scriven has sentenced David Blackmer (34, St. Petersburg) to 7 years in federal prison, to be followed by 20 years of supervised release, for distributing and possessing child sexual abuse material. The court also ordered Blackmer to register as a sex offender and pay $114,000 in restitution. Blackmer had pleaded guilty on February 7, 2023.
According to court documents, on September 7, 2021, Blackmer distributed child sexual abuse videos and images to an undercover computer belonging to Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) through a peer-to-peer program. Federal agents executed a search warrant at Blackmer’s residence and recovered electronic devices containing thousands of images and videos of children being sexually abused.
“This predator engaged in the collection and sharing of thousands of images and videos of children being sexually abused,” said Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Tampa Assistant Special Agent in Charge Kristopher Pagitt. “Our HSI Tampa special agents are proud to be a part of Project Safe Childhood to combat the epidemic of people exploiting our most vulnerable.”
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ilyssa M. Spergel.
This is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Siblings Convicted, Sentenced in Federal Court for COVID Relief FraudRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A Brandon woman was sentenced to two years of probation for theft of unemployment insurance benefits related to the COVID-19 pandemic, and her brother was convicted of conspiring with her to commit wire fraud in obtaining these benefits.
U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca, Mississippi State Auditor Shad White, and Special Agent in Charge Mathew Broadhurst of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Southeast Region made the announcement.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Aubrey D. Martinez assisted her brother, John Evans, Jr., in applying for benefits with the Mississippi Department of Employment Security. As an inmate in the Mississippi Department of Corrections, Evans was not entitled to receive unemployment insurance benefits. Evans is serving a 20-year sentence in MDOC custody for armed robbery and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
The unemployment insurance benefits were federally subsidized through the CARES Act in response to the pandemic.
Her brother, John Evans, is scheduled to be sentenced on August 21, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000. The pair will be required to pay restitution in the amount of $10,732.
The U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General and the Mississippi Office of the State Auditor investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly T. Purdie is prosecuting the case.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s National Unemployment Insurance Fraud Task Force (NUIFTF). In response to the unprecedented scope of Unemployment Insurance (UI) fraud, the Department of Justice established the NUIFTF. The NUIFTF is a prosecutor-led multi-agency task force with representatives from FBI, DOL-OIG, IRS-CI, HSI, DHS-OIG, USPIS, USSS, SSA-OIG, FDIC-OIG, and other agencies. Members of the NUIFTF are working with state workforce agencies, financial institutions, and other law enforcement partners across the country to fight UI fraud, and consumers should be vigilant in light of these threats and take the appropriate steps to safeguard themselves.
The CARES Act is a federal law enacted on March 29, 2020, designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans who are suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. One source of relief provided by the CARES Act is the authorization that expands states’ ability to provide unemployment insurance for many workers impacted by COVID-19, including for workers who are not ordinarily eligible for unemployment insurance benefits.
Anyone with information about 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.
Sex Offender Charged with Sexual Exploitation of a MinorRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Andrew Edick, age 36, of Mohawk, New York, was arrested and charged today with one count of sexual exploitation of a minor.
United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Matthew Scarpino, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), made the announcement.
Edick appeared today in Albany before United States Magistrate Judge Daniel J. Stewart and was ordered detained after reserving his right to seek a detention hearing at a later date.
According to a criminal complaint, Edick, who is a registered sex offender in the State of New York, videotaped the genital region of a child, and shared the video recording over an internet social networking application in August 2022. Edick also shared numerous additional videos containing depictions of child pornography using the same social networking application. The charges in the complaint are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The charge filed against Edick carries a sentence of at least 25 years and up to 50 years in prison. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.
HIS is investigating this case. Assistant United States Attorney Benjamin S. Clark is prosecuting this case as part of Project Safe Childhood.
Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), and is designed to marshal 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 https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Seven People Sentenced to Prison in COVID-19 Paycheck Protection Program Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
MIAMI – The last of seven defendants in a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) fraud scheme has been sentenced. Yunior Barrera Almaguer (Barrera) 39, of Miami, Florida was sentenced to 87 months in prison for leading a conspiracy to defraud the PPP out of loan proceeds. These loans are guaranteed by the Small Business Administration under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act.
Barrera was the leader of the conspiracy, who conspired with Jorge S. Alvarez, Dariel Garcia Carmona, Jose Raul Amaro, Leiner Pena Infante, Yandre Garcia Hernandez, Eduardo Ramos Leyva, and others to submit approximately 20 fraudulent PPP loan applications. According to facts admitted by the defendants as part of their guilty pleas, Barrera recruited his co-conspirators and others for necessary information to apply for the PPP loans, such as each business name and bank account routing number, and the business owner’s personal identifying information. Barrera then applied for the loans with an unindicted co-conspirator, causing approximately $9 million in fraudulently issued PPP loans. After each business received their PPP loans, Barrera instructed the co-conspirator business owners to give him blank, pre-signed checks drawn on the business so that Barrera could access the PPP funds. Barrera also instructed the co-conspirator business owners to write checks on the companies’ accounts at his direction. By doing so, Barrera and his co-conspirators laundered the fraudulently obtained loan funds by transferring the proceeds between their companies, to each other, and to others.
Barrera pled guilty on November 9, 2022, to one count of conspiracy to launder money. In addition to prison time, Barrera must pay $9,007,887 in restitution. Alvarez, Garcia Carmona, Amaro, Pena Infante, Garcia Hernandez, and Ramos Leyva also pled guilty for their roles in the conspiracy, were sentenced to imprisonment terms ranging from one year and one day to 36 months and must pay restitution in amounts ranging from $381,600 to $720,860.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida and Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri of the FBI, Miami Field Office, announced the sentence imposed by U.S. District Judge Donald M. Middlebrooks.
FBI Miami, West Palm Beach Resident Agency investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Susan Osborne prosecuted it. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Emily Stone and William T. Zloch are handling asset forfeiture.
In March 2020, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act was enacted. It was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Among other sources of relief, the CARES Act authorized and provided funding to the SBA to provide Economic Injury Disaster Loans (“EIDLs”) to eligible small businesses, including sole proprietorships and independent contractors, experiencing substantial financial disruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic to allow them to meet financial obligations and operating expenses that could otherwise have been met had the disaster not occurred. EIDL applications were submitted directly to the SBA via the SBA’s on-line application website, and the applications were processed and the loans funded for qualifying applicants directly by the SBA.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 22-cr-80118.
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Scrap Metal Reseller Pleads Guilty to Filing a False Corporate Tax ReturnRead the Press Release
A Texas businessman pleaded guilty today to filing a false 2015 corporate tax return for his company.
According to court documents, Martin Skolnik owned and operated Houston-based Spartan Metals Inc. (Spartan), a company that bought and resold scrap metal, for more than 30 years. On several occasions between 2014 and 2017, Skolnik directed customers to wire payments to his personal bank account rather than to Spartan’s business bank account. Skolnik intentionally did not record these payments as income in Spartan’s QuickBooks records, which he then provided to his accountant, willfully causing the accountant to prepare false corporate tax returns. As a result, Spartan’s corporate tax returns underreported more than $2.3 million of gross income for tax years 2014 through 2017.
Skolnik is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 24 and faces a maximum penalty of three years in prison for filing a false tax return, as well as a period of supervised release and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine the sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Alamdar Hamdani for the Southern District of Texas made the announcement.
IRS-Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.
Senior Litigation Counsel Sean Beaty and Assistant U.S. Attorney Shirin Hakimzadeh for the Southern District of Texas are prosecuting the case.
San Francisco Man Charged with Felony Violations for Firing Gun at U.S. Postal WorkerRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – A federal grand jury indicted Vo Nguyen, charging him with attempted murder and related crimes in connection with firing a gun at a U.S. Postal Service (USPS) employee who was delivering a package to his residence, announced U.S. Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey and San Francisco Division Postal Inspector in Charge Rafael Nuñez. Nguyen made his initial federal court appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Laurel Beeler.
The indictment, filed May 2, 2023, and unsealed earlier today, alleges that on April 1, 2023, Nguyen used a Sig Sauer 9mm pistol while assaulting and attempting to murder the letter carrier.
According to documents filed by the government in connection with its request to detain Nguyen prior to trial, the government alleges that Nguyen assaulted and attempted to murder a postal worker who was delivering mail to his residence on April 1, 2023. The USPS employee was attempting to deliver mail to a woman outside Nguyen’s residence when Nguyen allegedly came out of the house and started to yell at the USPS worker and aggressively approached him. The USPS employee escaped down the street, but Nguyen allegedly gave chase and caught up. The USPS employee used pepper spray to repel Nguyen. Nguyen returned to his home for a couple of minutes before allegedly leaving and getting into a Toyota Land Cruiser. Nguyen allegedly found the USPS employee on a nearby street and rapidly fired a pistol approximately seven to eight times at the USPS employee. As the USPS employee tried to run away, Nguyen allegedly fired an additional five shots. The government further alleges that the USPS employee took cover behind a parked SUV in a driveway, and Nguyen made a U-turn, drove back up the street, and fired three more shots at the USPS employee before running out of ammunition. Nguyen then allegedly briefly drove away, returned in the Land Cruiser, and attempted to fight the USPS employee. The USPS employee pepper sprayed the defendant again and SFPD arrived shortly after, placing Nguyen under arrest.
The indictment charges with one count of assault on a federal employee with a deadly or dangerous weapon, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 111(a) and (b); one count of attempted murder of an employee of the United States, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1114; and one count of using, carrying, and discharging a firearm in connection with a crime of violence, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c).
The charges presented in an indictment are merely allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
The assault with a deadly weapon and attempted murder charges both carry a statutory maximum of 20 years, and the firearm charge carries a minimum 10 years in prison and maximum term of life in prison In addition, as part of any sentence, the court may order a term of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000 for each count, restitution, and additional assessments. However, any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
Nguyen is scheduled to make his next federal court appearance on June 15, 2023, before Judge Orrick.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelsey Davidson is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Veronica Hernandez. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the US Postal Inspection Service and the San Francisco Police Department.
SW Georgia Resident Charged with Fentanyl Distribution Resulting from GBI-led InvestigationRead the Press Release
ALBANY, Ga. – A federal criminal complaint charging an Albany resident with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine was unsealed this week.
Larry Sparks aka “Detroit,” 45, had his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Court Judge Thomas Q. Langstaff at the U.S. Courthouse in Albany on May 18 and was ordered detained by the Court. Sparks is charged by criminal complaint with one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. If convicted, Sparks faces a maximum sentence of life in prison. Sparks is scheduled to have his detention hearing in Macon, Georgia, next week. The criminal complaint was unsealed on May 18.
According to court proceedings and the criminal complaint, in March 2023, a GBI-led wire-tap undercover investigation began into the defendant’s alleged distribution of fentanyl, heroin and methamphetamine in Southwest Georgia from his residence at 1501 Pinecrest Dr. in Albany and other locations in the city. Sparks is allegedly associated with several controlled substances overdoses resulting in deaths dating back to 2018. A federal search warrant was executed at the Pinecrest Dr. residence on May 16; agents seized 1,265 grams of fentanyl, 3,027 grams of methamphetamine and seven firearms. Sparks is a convicted felon.
The case was investigated by the GBI Southwestern Drug Enforcement Office in Albany, the DEA, the Albany Police Department, the Dougherty County Sheriff’s Office, the Dougherty County Police Department, the Dougherty County District Attorney’s Office, the Americus Police Department, the Colquitt County Sheriff’s Office and the Crisp County Sheriff’s Office.
Criminal Chief Leah McEwen is prosecuting the case.
A complaint is only an allegation of criminal conduct, and all defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt.
Readout of Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr.’s Trip to KenyaRead the Press Release
On May 15 to 18, Assistant Attorney General (AAG) Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division traveled to Nairobi, Kenya, to deliver remarks at the first colloquium bringing together 20 African countries to collaborate on pretrial detention issues. The colloquium was sponsored by the Criminal Division’s Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development Assistance and Training (OPDAT), the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Counterterrorism and Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement, and several other partners. He met with OPDAT’s Resident Legal Advisors in the region, numerous foreign law enforcement officials, and U.S. Embassy Nairobi staff to build closer partnerships and further the department’s mission to advance the rule of law and combat transnational crime.
AAG Polite delivers remarks at the Africa Regional Colloquium.On Tuesday, AAG Polite had separate bilateral meetings with the Honorable Chief Justice of the Kenya Supreme Court Martha Koome and Kenya Director of Public Prosecutions Noordin Haji. He also met with Idrissa Nibilma Bado, Chief Judge of the Anti-Terrorism Court of Burkina Faso; Justice Peter Kekemeke, High Court Judge and Chairman of the Remand Decongestion Committee of Federal Republic of Nigeria; Hafid Bahaddou, Chief, Division de la coopération judiciaire internationale, Ministère public of Morocco; and Augustin Yao Kouame, Senior Judge and Director of Civil and Criminal Affairs for the Ministry of Justice of Cote d’Ivoire. AAG Polite thanked foreign officials for their ongoing cooperation and affirmed continued support in extradition matters and mutual legal assistance requests.
AAG Polite stands with participants and other speakers at the Africa Regional Colloquium in Nairobi.On Wednesday, he met with U.S. Ambassador to Kenya Meg Whitman, Deputy Chief of Mission Mark Dillard, and embassy personnel from OPDAT, the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. He also had brief meetings with Senior State Attorney Judith Mwakyusa of Tanzania; Justice Afia Serwah Asare-Botwe of Ghana Court of Appeals; Dr. Moustapha Fall, Technical Advisor to the Minister of Justice of Senegal, as well as Julien Nguan Ndour, Director of Human Rights at the Ministry of Justice of Senegal; and Ibrahim Boukary Sally, President, Judgement Chamber for cases of Terrorism and Transnational Crime of Niger.
AAG Polite and U.S. Ambassador to Kenya Meg Whitman.In his meetings, AAG Polite discussed enhancing cooperation in the fight against transnational crime, including narcotics trafficking, financial fraud schemes, corruption, child sexual exploitation, and counterterrorism.
“Today, more than ever before, the security of each state increasingly depends on the security of all states – and we in the justice sector must therefore supplement national vigilance with international cooperation,” said AAG Polite. “I am committed to furthering our bilateral law enforcement relationships in Africa.”
On Thursday, AAG Polite visited Nairobi National Park with DEA personnel and met members of Kenyan law enforcement. He learned about environmental sustainability and wildlife trafficking and conservation. He concluded his visit by attending a working lunch organized by Kenyan Director of Public Prosecution Haji, along with Directors of Public Prosecution from Botswana, Democratic Republic of Congo, Malawi, and Uganda.
AAG Polite at Nairobi National Park with Criminal Division and DEA personnel and Kenyan law enforcement.AAG Polite is committed to enhancing cooperation between the United States and our judicial and law enforcement counterparts in the region.
Pittsburgh Resident Indicted on Violating Embezzlement and Fraud LawsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA - A resident of Pittsburgh PA, have been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of violating embezzlement and fraud laws, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
The five-count Indictment named Corey Mizell, of Pittsburgh, PA.
According to the indictment, on multiple occasions from in and around June 2020, October 2020, December 2020, January 2021 and February 2021, Mizell embezzled money from veterans as an employee of the United States. On or about June 5, 2020, Mizell also committed mail fraud.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of ten (10) years in prison, a fine of $250,000 or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Brendan J. McKenna is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General and Department of Veterans Affairs – Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Pineville Man Sentenced to 35 Years for Conspiracy to Commit Forced Labor and Transporting a Minor for Criminal Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, La. – Department of Justice Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke, United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown of the Western District of Louisiana, and Special Agent in Charge Douglas A. Williams, Jr. of the FBI New Orleans Field Office, announced that a Louisiana man was sentenced today to 35 years in prison for conspiracy to commit forced labor and transporting a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity. The defendant was also ordered to pay restitution of $979,800 to the victims.
Between June 2016 and May 2019, Darnell Fulton, 39, of Pineville, used violence, sexual abuse, withholding of food, degradation, and intimidation to coerce multiple minors to work for his brownie baking business and provide him the profits. The defendant required the victims to travel to as many as 20 to 30 locations a day, such as plazas, car dealerships, law firms, restaurants, and parking lots, to sell brownies. The victims worked late into the night either selling or baking the brownies and sold them during the day. In fact, the victims typically worked seven days a week with very few breaks and had to meet a daily sales quota the defendant set. The defendant regularly assaulted the victims because he was not satisfied with their daily work performance, especially if they did not meet his projected sales daily quota. For example, the defendant frequently required the victims to stay in a push up or plank position for hours, and he often whipped them with a belt if they got out of proper form. The defendant also made the minor victims perform sexual acts with him and transported them across state lines to engage in criminal sexual activity with him.
“Forced labor, especially when it involves sexual abuse of children, violence, and mental and physical anguish, is heinous conduct that has no place in our society today. The defendant mercilessly exploited children for his own financial gain and personal gratification, and we will not tolerate it,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This sentence demonstrates the Justice Department’s commitment to standing up for the survivors of forced labor schemes. We will not only pursue and prosecute human and child traffickers, but also seek restitution and use those funds to help survivors rebuild and reclaim their lives.”
“The defendant’s actions in this case were deplorable and despicable,” said U.S. Attorney Brandon B. Brown for the Western District of Louisiana. “Forced labor is a form of modern-day slavery and we have a duty to protect the most vulnerable of our society. He had no hesitation in torturing and demoralizing these victims, his own children. We are grateful for this sentence and hope that the victims can begin the healing process. This defendant is a danger to society, has no regard for human life, and we believe it is appropriate that he will be spending a long time in the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons.”
“Mr. Fulton’s guilty plea and the sentencing today should be of great comfort to the victims of his depravity,” said Special Agent in Charge Douglas A. Williams, Jr. of the FBI New Orleans Field Office. “We thank our partners, the Alexandria Police Department, United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Louisiana, and DOJ’s Civil Rights Division for their assistance in this case. We will continue the work of rooting out those who seek to target minors for their own bizarre obsessions.”
The case was investigated by the FBI and Alexandria Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John Luke Walker for the Western District of Louisiana and Trial Attorney Maryam Zhuravitsky of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit in Washington, DC.
Anyone who has information about human trafficking should report that information to the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free at 1-888-373-7888, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
For more information about human trafficking, please visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org. Information on the Justice Department’s efforts to combat human trafficking can be found at www.justice.gov/humantrafficking.
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Philipsburg Man Charged with Drug Trafficking and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Jeremy Stephen Heeman, age 46, of Philipsburg, Pennsylvania, was indicted on May 16, 2023, for drug trafficking and firearms offenses.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment charges Heeman with possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, possession of an unregistered firearm and felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, related to conduct that occurred on January 9, 2023, in Centre County.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luisa Honora Berti is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
The maximum penalty under federal law for these offenses is up to life imprisonment, a term of life supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
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Perry Woman Indicted for Large-Scale Drug Trafficking Conspiracy and Methamphetamine DistributionRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – A federal grand jury has returned a three-count indictment charging Miranda Stafford, 55, of Perry, Florida, with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribution of over 500 grams of methamphetamine, distribution of over 50 grams of methamphetamine, and possession with intent to distribute over 50 grams of methamphetamine. The indictment was announced by Jason R. Coody, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
The indictment alleges that between on or about March 1, 2023, and on or about April 11, 2023, Stafford conspired with other individuals to possess with intent to distribute and distribute over 500 grams of methamphetamine. The indictment further alleges that on or about April 4, 2023, Stafford distributed over 50 grams of methamphetamine, and on or about April 11, 2023, possessed with intent to distribute over 50 grams of methamphetamine.
Based on prior felony drug trafficking convictions, if convicted, Stafford faces not less than 25 years up to life in prison for all three charges.
This case resulted from a large-scale, regional investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Suwannee County Sheriff’s Office, Taylor County Sheriff’s Office, Madison County Sheriff’s Office, and the Perry Police Department, as well as members of the Northstar Drug Task Force, including the Wakulla, Bay, Gulf, and Leon County Sheriff’s Offices. Assistant United States Attorney Eric K. Mountin is prosecuting the case.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. More information about OCDETF may be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Pearl River Woman Sentenced for Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A Pearl River woman was sentenced to 46 months in prison for her role in a conspiracy to distribute hydrocodone and methamphetamine on the Choctaw Indian Reservation, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca, Special Agent in Charge Brad Byerley of the Drug Enforcement Administration, and Regional Agent in Charge Whitney Woodruff of the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
According to court documents, Joyce Cauthen, 55, of Pearl River, participated in a conspiracy to distribute hydrocodone and methamphetamine on the Choctaw Indian Reservation. She was indicted by a federal grand jury and pled guilty on February 10, 2023, to possession with intent to distribute hydrocodone.
U.S. Attorney LaMarca commended the work of the Choctaw Police Department of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Indian Affairs who investigated the case.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin J. Payne and Special Assistant United States Attorney Brian K. Burns.