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12 May 2023
Construction Company Principal Sentenced to Three Months in Prison in Connection with Worker Death on Construction Site in PoughkeepsieRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that ONEKEY, LLC, a New Jersey construction company, was sentenced to three years of probation and ordered to pay a $218,417 fine and its principal, FINBAR O’NEILL, was sentenced to three months in prison today by U.S. Magistrate Judge Paul E. Davison, following their guilty plea to willfully violating Occupational Safety and Health Administration (“OSHA”) regulations, resulting in the death of a construction worker (“Victim-1”) in Poughkeepsie, New York, on or about August 3, 2017.
According to statements and filings in federal court:
In 2017, ONEKEY and O’NEILL implemented a soil compaction plan at a construction site at 1 Dutchess Avenue in Poughkeepsie. The soil compaction plan involved piling large quantities of dirt, called “surcharges,” on top of the sites of three future buildings. An engineering firm designed a plan for the use of the surcharges. ONEKEY and O’NEILL did not follow this plan. Instead, they built a wall to hold back one of the surcharges, so workers could get started on the buildings next to it. ONEKEY and O’NEILL did not consult with any qualified person to see if the wall could withstand the weight to be placed on it by the surcharge.
While people were working next to the wall, ONEKEY kept using construction machinery to add dirt to the surcharge pressing up against the wall. The people working near the wall were not warned about the dangers it created. ONEKEY and O’NEILL heard from people working at the site that the wall was not safe. They did not fix the wall.
On August 3, 2017, workers complained that construction machines were driving on top of the surcharge, adding dirt to it. Later that day, the wall collapsed. As it fell, Victim-1 ran away from the wall, but he could not get away in time and was killed.
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In addition to the prison term, O’NEILL, 57, of Paramus, New Jersey, was sentenced to one year of supervised release.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding work of OSHA and the Department of Labor, Office of the Inspector General.
The case is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Steven J. Kochevar and Stephanie Simon are in charge of the prosecution.
Concord Man Sentenced for Defrauding InvestorRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Concord man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for defrauding an investor of $72,000.
Eric Lyons, 52, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Angel Kelley to six months of home confinement and 100 hours of community service. Lyons was also ordered to pay $72,000 in restitution and placed on probation for two years during which he is prohibited from working as an investment advisor. On Nov. 2, 2022, Lyons pleaded guilty to one count of investment advisor fraud.
Between 2015 and 2017, Lyons participated in the operation of multiple investment funds, including the Synchrony Value Fund LP. Lyons defrauded an investor by allowing for the distribution of that investor’s gains, as well as a portion of their underlying investment, to other investors. The defrauded investor eventually liquidated their position in the fund, receiving approximately $72,000 less than the amount to which they were entitled.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins and Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Boston Division made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Markham of Rollins’ Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit prosecuted the case.
Columbus Man Convicted of Mail Fraud and Making False StatementsRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Steven Russell announced that Jerald Schreiber, 66, of Columbus, Nebraska, was found guilty today following a four-day jury trial in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for mail fraud and two counts of making false statements to a government entity. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. scheduled Schreiber’s sentencing for August 4, 2023, at 3:00 p.m.
The case arose out of fraudulent applications Schreiber made to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) as part of the Farm Service Agency’s 2018 market facilitation program. The evidence at trial showed that Schreiber falsified on two applications the number of hogs he had at his farms. On an application for one of his farms, he stated that he had 9,079 hogs. This application resulted in the USDA mailing Schreiber approximately $72,631. On an application for a different farm, he stated he had 8,194 hogs. This resulted in the USDA mailing Schreiber approximately $65,682. Both of these farms had substantially fewer hogs than Schreiber claimed. By inflating the number of hogs, Schreiber received more money than he was entitled. Once he received the inflated payments, he deposited them into checking accounts.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Cleveland Man Convicted of Armed Bank Robbery, Brandishing a Firearm and Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND - First Assistant United States Attorney Michelle M. Baeppler announced that a federal jury convicted Randall Hines, 32, of armed bank robbery, brandishing a firearm during the bank robbery, and for being a felon in possession of a firearm on May 11, 2023 in Cleveland following a four-day trial before Judge David A. Ruiz.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Hines entered the Huntington Bank in Brooklyn, Ohio dressed in a turtleneck, covid mask, beanie, and hoodie in an attempt to conceal his identity and distinct neck tattoos. However, video surveillance from the bank and a nearby business captured Hines’ car parked a few blocks from the bank. Hines was arrested three days later and a search of his car revealed, tucked under the bench backseat, the gun Hines’ used in the bank robbery, loaded with ten rounds of ammunition.
The jury also was resented with additional evidence obtained from Hines’ cellular telephone which established his movements before and after the bank robbery.
Hines will be sentenced on September 7, 2023 before Judge David A. Ruiz.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Cleveland, Ohio, the Brooklyn, Ohio Police Department, the Parma Police Department and the Orange Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bryson N. Gillard and Aaron P. Howell.
Chinese Real Estate Developer’s L.A. Company Fined $4 Million for Providing over $1 Million in Benefits to Corrupt City CouncilmanRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A downtown Los Angeles-based company was sentenced today to five years of probation and was fined $4 million – the maximum penalty under the law – for the actions of its billionaire Chinese real estate developer owner and others who provided more than $1 million in benefits – including luxury trips and a sham loan – to bribe then-Los Angeles City Councilman José Huizar to obtain city approval to build a 77-story skyscraper.
Shen Zhen New World I LLC was sentenced by United States District Judge John F. Walter, who noted that this criminal case exposed the “crushing costs of public corruption.”
At the conclusion of an 11-day trial that ended in November 2022, a jury found Shen Zhen guilty of three counts of honest service wire fraud, four counts of interstate and foreign travel in aid of bribery, and one count of bribery.
Shen Zhen’s owner – Wei Huang, 57, a resident of Shenzhen, China, who also maintains a residence in San Marino – is also charged in this case, but he has yet to make a court appearance in this matter. He is a fugitive believed to be in China.
In 2010, Shen Zhen – on Huang’s behalf – purchased the L.A. Grand Hotel in downtown Los Angeles. The property was located in the 14th City Council District, whose representative at that time was Huizar.
As part of his roles on the Los Angeles City Council, Huizar, 55, of Boyle Heights, was the chairman of the Planning and Land Use Management Committee, commonly referred to as the PLUM Committee, which oversaw major commercial and residential development projects in the city.
In June 2018, Shen Zhen filed an application with the Los Angeles City Planning Department to redevelop the L.A. Grand Hotel into a skyscraper featuring a mix of residential and commercial uses.
From February 2013 to November 2018, Shen Zhen, acting through Huang, provided Huizar with cash, casino gambling chips, flights on private jets and commercial airlines, stays at luxury Las Vegas hotels and casinos, expensive meals, spa services, prostitution services, political contributions, and a $600,000 collateral for Huizar to confidentially settle a pending sexual harassment lawsuit against Huizar by a former staffer that threatened his career.
At the time Shen Zhen provided these items, it did so intending to influence Huizar to take official acts to benefit the L.A. Grand Hotel redevelopment project, a project that would have transformed Shen Zhen’s hotel into a 77-floor mixed use skyscraper that would have been the tallest such structure west of the Mississippi River.
Specifically, Shen Zhen intended that Huizar benefit the project by presenting motions and resolutions in various city committees; voting on the project in the PLUM Committee and City Council; acting in the PLUM Committee to expedite the approval process of the project; exerting pressure on other city officials to influence the approval process of the project; and introducing and voting on city resolutions to enhance the professional reputation and marketability of Wei Huang.
Other defendants charged in this indictment are:
- Huizar, who pleaded guilty on January 20 to one count of racketeering conspiracy and one count of tax evasion. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for September 25. As part of his plea agreement, Huizar has agreed to seek a sentence of no less than nine years in prison.
- Dae Yong Lee, a.k.a. “David Lee,” 57, of Bel Air, a real estate developer who along with one of his companies, 940 Hill LLC, was found guilty in June 2022 of providing $500,000 in cash to Huizar in exchange for his help in resolving a labor organization’s appeal of their downtown Los Angeles development project. Both defendants are scheduled for sentencing on July 21.
- Raymond She Wah Chan, 67, of Monterey Park, a former Los Angeles deputy mayor, has pleaded not guilty to charges of RICO conspiracy, bribery, honest services fraud and lying to federal agents. His retrial is expected in March 2024.
Other defendants in related cases stemming from the Huizar corruption matter are:
- George Chiang, 44, of Granada Hills, a real estate development consultant who pleaded guilty in June 2020 to one count of racketeering conspiracy and is scheduled for sentencing on October 20.
- Justin Jangwoo Kim, 56, of Mar Vista, a political fundraiser who pleaded guilty in June 2020 to one count of bribery and is scheduled for sentencing on October 23.
- George Esparza, 36, José Huizar’s former special assistant, who is scheduled for sentencing on October 27. Esparza pleaded guilty in July 2020 to one count of racketeering conspiracy.
- Morris Roland Goldman, 60, of Porter Ranch, a lobbyist who pleaded guilty in September 2020 to one count of conspiracy to commit bribery and honest services fraud and is scheduled for sentencing on November 3.
- Salvador Huizar, 56, of Boyle Heights, José Huizar’s brother, who testified as a witness for the prosecution in the Shen Zhen trial, pleaded guilty in October 2022 to a felony charge of making false statements to federal investigators. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for November 3.
The FBI investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorney Mack E. Jenkins, Chief of the Criminal Division, Assistant United States Attorneys Susan S. Har and J. Jamari Buxton, of the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section, and Assistant United States Attorney Patrick Castañeda of the International Narcotics, Money Laundering, and Racketeering Section, prosecuted this defendant.
Cheyenne Man Convicted of Unlawful Possession of FirearmRead the Press Release
Devon Jonathan Souza, a/k/a/ Devon Jonathan Swan, age 29, of Cheyenne, Wyoming, was convicted on May 10, 2023, by a federal jury for being a felon and a drug user in unlawful possession of a firearm. The trial was held before U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, on September 1, 2021, Wyoming Highway Patrol troopers attempted to pull defendant Swan over based on known warrants. Swan led troopers, police officers, and sheriff’s deputies on a high-speed chase through Cheyenne and then attempted to flee on foot. He was apprehended and taken into custody. Law enforcement returned to the vehicle and found a loaded Ruger pistol in a bag. While in custody, Souza tested positive for methamphetamine.
Souza faces up to 10 years’ imprisonment with three years of supervised release, up to a $250,000 fine, and a $100 special assessment. Judge Johnson will determine the sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing is scheduled for June 26, 2023 at 10:30 in Cheyenne.
This crime was investigated by the Wyoming Highway Patrol, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, Cheyenne Police Department, Laramie County Sheriff’s Office, and the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys T.J. Forwood and Seth Griswold.
Cedar Rapids Man Charged with Being a Prohibited Person in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
Ethan Porter, age 33, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, has been charged with being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm. The charge is contained in an Indictment unsealed on March 13, 2023, in United States District Court in Cedar Rapids.
The Indictment alleges that, in June 2022, Porter possessed a Taurus pistol while being an unlawful drug user and after having been convicted of three felonies and a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence.
If convicted, Porter faces a possible maximum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and three years on supervised release following any imprisonment.
Porter appeared for a detention hearing today in federal court in Cedar Rapids and was held without bond. Porter’s next appearance for trial is set for July 10, 2023.
As with any criminal case, a charge is merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Tremmel and is being investigated by the High Risk Unit of the Sixth Judicial District Department of Correctional Services, the Cedar Rapids Police Department, the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is CR 23-6.
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Cape Coral Man Sentenced to 46 Months in Federal Prison for FraudRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber has sentenced Johnny Fior (48, Cape Coral) to 46 months in federal prison for wire fraud and illegal monetary transactions. As part of his sentence, the court also entered an order of forfeiture in the amount of $1,404,169.74, which were the proceeds of the wire fraud and illegal monetary transaction offenses. Fior had pleaded guilty on January 18, 2023.
According to court documents, Fior committed the fraud by engaging in two different fraud schemes. With the first scheme, Fior convinced two individuals, by false and fraudulent pretenses, to serve as private investors/lenders for short-term balloon loans that were secured by mortgages on real properties in Lee County. To accomplish the scheme and give the investors the impression that their funded loans were secured by real property, Fior fraudulently filed fictitious mortgage deeds, promissory notes, and mortgage satisfactions. Additionally, Fior provided the investors interest-only payments to further delay repayment of the loans and requested loan repayment extensions to further prolong the scheme. Fior diverted the investors’ funds for his own personal use and none of the funds were used for their intended purpose.
In the second scheme, Fior, in his role as a real estate closing agent, diverted funds intended to be used to pay off property sellers’ existing mortgages to himself during real estate closings. In furtherance of the scheme, Fior created and caused the creation of real estate settlement statements that falsely represented a seller’s mortgage was repaid during the real estate closing process. Additionally, Fior created fake and fictitious bank statements, lender correspondence, wire transfer records, cashier’s checks, deposit records, and shipment records that fraudulently represented a seller’s mortgage had been paid or that the mortgage pay-off funds were submitted. As a result of the second scheme, two separate title insurance companies suffered a total loss of approximately $977,330.23.
This case was investigated by the FBI. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Trent Reichling.
Burnsville Felon Charged with Illegal Possession of MachinegunsRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Burnsville man has been charged in a criminal complaint for illegal possession of machinegun conversion devices, or switches, and for possessing firearms as a felon, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, in March 2023, federal agents received information that Benjamin Jehle Zwack, 29, an employee at a Federal Firearms Licensee (FFL) business, was selling 3D-printed machinegun conversion devices, commonly known as “switches” or “auto sears.” These devices enable firearms to be fired as a fully automatic weapon by a single function of the trigger and qualify as machineguns under federal law.
According to court documents, on March 7, 2023, an undercover agent went to the FFL business and purchased eleven 3D-printed machinegun conversion devices designed to convert a semiautomatic AR-Type weapon to shoot automatically from Zwack. During the purchase, the undercover agent observed a firearm in Zwack’s waistband.
According to court documents, on March 30, 2023, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant on Zwack’s residence and vehicle. Officers recovered a Girsan-Regard, 9mm semi-automatic pistol from the center console of Zwack’s vehicle and a shotgun and ammunition from his residence. A search of Zwack’s storage locker revealed additional firearms, suspected homemade silencers, ammunition, and a suspected destructive device.
Because Zwack has a prior felony conviction he is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time.
The complaint charges Zwack with one count of possession of machineguns and one count of possession of a firearm as a felon. Zwack made his initial appearance yesterday before Magistrate Judge Dulce J. Foster. He was ordered to remain in detention pending further court proceedings.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Dakota County Drug Task Force.
Assistant U.S. Attorney David P. Steinkamp is prosecuting the case.
A complaint is merely an allegation and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Bronx, New York Man Sentenced for Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud and Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Steven Russell announced that Felix Pena, 34, of Bronx, New York, was sentenced today in Omaha, Nebraska, by Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. Pena was sentenced to 60 months in prison and will also serve 3 years on supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Additionally, Pena was ordered to pay $404,069 in restitution.
This case began in 2017 when Pena, along with others, conspired and agreed together to devise a scheme to defraud Verizon Wireless. Members of the conspiracy did so by acquiring stolen identities of real United States citizens including at least three individuals from Nebraska. The conspiracy members would use the victims’ information to create Verizon accounts. Once accounts were created, they would purchase cellphones and accessories that would be billed to the accounts, causing financial loss to Verizon and potential credit damage to the individual whose identity was used. Once purchased, the phones would be shipped back to New York or New Jersey where they would be sold on the black market. In February of 2019, two of the conspirators were arrested after attempting to purchase cellphones using the stolen identity of a Nebraska resident in Kearney, Nebraska thus beginning the investigation of this matter.
Pena’s main role in the conspiracy was to run credit reports for the stolen identities so they could determine the credit worthiness of the victim whose identity was being used to open a Verizon account. Pena would also distribute money to the other members of the conspiracy for their roles in the conspiracy. Pursuant to the scheme, Verizon Wireless suffered a loss of $528,002.33.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Kearney Police Department.
Bronx Man Charged with Sex Trafficking of A Minor and Distribution of FentanylRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today the arrest of VIRGIL WARDLOW for paying for sex with a minor with fentanyl-laced pills. WARDLOW was arrested yesterday evening in the Bronx, New York, and will be presented today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Valerie Figueredo.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “The defendant’s alleged conduct is reprehensible: He allegedly used pills laced with fentanyl to pay for sex with a 16-year-old minor victim. The victim’s 19-year-old friend ingested one of those pills and died shortly thereafter. Worse, the defendant’s conduct was allegedly part of a pattern of similar behavior in which he exchanged or attempted to exchange dangerous narcotics for sex. This Office will be relentless in its efforts to seek justice for victims of child sexual exploitation and for the families facing the horrific tragedy of losing a loved one to fentanyl poisoning.”
According to the allegations contained in the Complaint:[1]
WARDLOW engaged in a pattern of paying for sex with illicit pills laced with fentanyl. On or about March 25, 2023, at a hotel room in the Bronx, New York, WARDLOW provided two of those pills to a 16‑year-old female (“Victim-1”) in exchange for sex. After Victim-1 had sex with WARDLOW and WARDLOW left the hotel room, Victim-1 and her 19-year-old female friend (“Victim-2”) ingested the pills he provided. Thereafter, Victim-1 and Victim-2 became ill, and Victim-2 died.
Between at least on or about February 8, 2023, and on or about April 7, 2023, WARDLOW exchanged multiple messages with other individuals in which WARDLOW offered to provide pills in exchange for sex and otherwise sell pills. WARDLOW sent these messages using an anonymized cellphone number that masked his identity from his intended victims.
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WARDLOW, 31, of the Bronx, New York, is charged with one count of sex trafficking of a minor, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison, and one count of unlawful distribution of narcotics, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
The mandatory minimum and maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the New York State Police, the New York City Police Department, and Special Agents from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York.
This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit and Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey W. Coyle is in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint and the description of the Complaint set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Bogue Chitto Woman Pleads Guilty to Murder on Choctaw Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A Bogue Chitto woman pleaded guilty on May 11, 2023, to the murder of a tribal member on the Choctaw Indian Reservation, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Jermicha Fomby of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Mississippi.
According to court documents, Bethany Thomas, 27, of the Bogue Chitto Community of the Choctaw Indian Reservation, stabbed the victim with a knife which resulted in his death.
In November of 2021, a federal grand jury indicted Thomas on the charge of murder in the second degree. Thomas pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and is scheduled to be sentenced on August 10, 2023. Thomas faces a maximum possible penalty of 15 years in prison. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney LaMarca commended the work of the Choctaw Police Department of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation 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.
Arizona Man Sentenced to 108 Months for Transporting Victim for ProstitutionRead the Press Release
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – May 12, 2023
SAN DIEGO – Ashton Jordan was sentenced in federal court today to 108 months in prison for transporting a woman from Nevada to Arizona to California in order to cause her to engage in prostitution.
Jordan was arrested in Arizona in November 2021 on sex trafficking charges following his indictment by a federal grand jury. He first came to the attention of law enforcement in July 2021 when the victim escaped from Jordan at a hotel in downtown San Diego. She reported at the time that Jordan had used violence against her to cause her to stay with him and prostitute herself for his financial benefit. Jordan was on probation at the time of his offense.
Jordan pleaded guilty in November 2022. In his plea agreement, Jordan admitted that he brought the victim to San Diego with the intent that she would be engaging in prostitution. During the time that Jordan was with the victim, he further admitted that he was physically violent with her on multiple occasions in order to cause her to engage in prostitution.
“I applaud the bravery of this victim,” said U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman. “The defendant’s reprehensible actions have forever impacted her life, and for that he will pay a high price. We will never relent in our pursuit of justice for victims.” Grossman thanked the prosecution team and the San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force for their excellent work on this case.
“Human trafficking and sexual exploitation destroy lives,” said California Attorney General Rob Bonta. “Today’s sentencing is another example of our commitment to hold perpetrators accountable and help survivors get a fresh start. I’m thankful to all of our partners on the San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force for their collaboration and I’m proud of our office’s work to help uplift vulnerable Californians. When we work together, we get results. At the California Department of Justice, we’re always ready to answer the call when it comes to standing up for public safety.”
“Jordan preyed on, manipulated, and exploited his victim for his own financial gain—he showed zero regard for human life,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Houtan Moshrefi. “Sex trafficking happens every day, and it often occurs in plain sight. When you see something that doesn’t feel right, report it to law enforcement. FBI San Diego will continue to collaborate with our partners at every level to hold accountable all who believe a living being can be reduced to a dollar amount.”
Jordan has been detained in custody since his arrest in November 2021.
At the sentencing hearing today, U.S. District Court Judge Dana M. Sabraw not only imposed the 108-month prison sentence, but also ordered Jordan to serve 10 years of supervised release following his release from custody.
DEFENDANTS Case Number 22cr2649-DMS
Ashton Tylon Amir Jordan Age: 28 Phoenix, AZ
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Transportation for Purposes of Prostitution – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 2421
Maximum penalty: Ten years in prison and $250,000 fine
AGENCY
San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force, which consists of:
Federal Bureau of Investigation
California Department of Justice
California Department of Corrections & Rehabilitation – Parole
California Highway Patrol
ICE/Homeland Security Investigations
National City Police Department
San Diego City Attorney’s Office
San Diego County District Attorney’s Office
San Diego County Probation Department
San Diego County Sheriff’s Department
San Diego Police Department
United States Attorney’s Office, Southern District of California
Arizona Man Indicted for Shipping Fentanyl to Southern OregonRead the Press Release
MEDFORD, Ore.—A federal grand jury in Medford has returned an indictment charging a Phoenix, Arizona man with mailing large quantities of fentanyl to Southern Oregon.
Luke Austin Montgomery, 24, has been charged with three counts of attempting to distribute fentanyl.
According to court documents, in late 2022, law enforcement learned Montgomery had been shipping counterfeit oxycodone pills suspected to contain fentanyl from Phoenix to Southern Oregon. Soon after, investigators arranged the purchase of 1,000 counterfeit pills from Montgomery. The same day Montgomery fulfilled the order, he shipped an additional 10,000 pills to a second Southern Oregon address. Montgomery concealed the counterfeit pills in over-the-counter pill bottles packaged among various toiletries. Investigators later obtained videos Montgomery had allegedly created and used to sell the counterfeit pills on social media.
On May 9, 2023, Montgomery was arrested in Arizona. Today, he was ordered detained pending transfer to the District of Oregon.
Attempting to distribute more than 40 grams of fentanyl is punishable by up to 40 years in federal prison with a five-year mandatory minimum sentence, five years’ supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and U.S. Postal Inspection Service. It is being prosecuted by Marco A. Boccato, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
An indictment is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Appraiser in Billion-Dollar Conservation Easement Fraud Scheme Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
A North Carolina land appraiser pleaded guilty today to conspiring to defraud the United States as part of a syndicated conservation easement tax shelter scheme – involving inflated charitable contribution deductions based on a fraudulent appraisal value of a conservation easement on land – that claimed more than $1.3 billion in fraudulent tax deductions.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from 2008 to 2019, Walter “Terry” Douglas Roberts II of Shelby, North Carolina, conspired with others to defraud the United States by fraudulently inflating the value of the conservation easements upon which the tax deductions were based.
Roberts became a licensed appraiser in 2007 and began providing appraisals of conservation easements that same year. From 2008 through 2019, as part of the scheme, Roberts fraudulently inflated the values of at least 18 conservation easements by, among other things, not following normal appraisal methods, making false statements, and either personally manipulating or relying on knowingly manipulated data, in order to reach a targeted appraisal value – communicated to him by coconspirators – that would result in the desired tax deduction amount.
Roberts inflated some of his appraisals by at least 70%. The 18 conservation easements Roberts fraudulently appraised claimed approximately $466,961,000 in tax deductions, resulting in a tax loss to the IRS exceeding $129,000,000.
Roberts is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 14 and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, as well as a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division, U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan for the Northern District of Georgia, and IRS Criminal Investigation Chief James C. Lee made the announcement.
IRS-CI and U.S. Postal Inspection Service are investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Richard M. Rolwing, Grace Albinson, Parker Tobin, Jessica Kraft, and Nicholas J. Schilling Jr., of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Huber, Deputy Chief of the Complex Frauds Section for the Northern District of Georgia are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brittney Campbell for the District of Idaho, formerly of the Tax Division, also previously worked on this case.
Adair County Resident Pleads Guilty to Aggravated Sexual Abuse in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Bryan Udale Jones, 63, of Stillwell, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to Aggravated Sexual Abuse in Indian Country, which is punishable by not less than thirty years imprisonment.
Government prosecutors alleged that beginning in 2003 and continuing until 2010, the defendant engaged in sexual acts with a child who had not yet attained the age of 12. As a part of the plea allocution, the defendant also admitted to sexually assaulting three other children, all less than 12 years old at the time of the abuse.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Adair County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma prosecuted the case because the defendant is a member of a federally recognized Indian tribe and the crimes occurred in Adair County, within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation Reservation, and within the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The Honorable Jason A. Robertson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Muskogee, accepted the pleas and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. Sentencing will be scheduled following completion of the report. Jones was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshal pending the imposition of sentencing.
Assistant United States Attorneys Nicole Paladino and Anthony C. Marek represented the United States.
11 May 2023
West Haven Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Trafficking Cocaine through the U.S. MailRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JEAN MANGUAL-CASTRO, also known as “Mangui,” 35, of West Haven, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Sarala V. Nagala in Hartford to 120 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, for trafficking cocaine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, an investigation headed by the FBI’s New Haven Safe Streets/Gang Task Force and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Narcotics and Bulk Cash Trafficking Task Force revealed that Mangual-Castro was orchestrating shipments of cocaine through the U.S. Mail from Puerto Rico. On December 20, 2021, after investigators identified a suspicious package that had been delivered to the West Haven residence of Mangual-Castro’s mother, Enid Castro, investigators conducted a court-authorized search of the residence and seized approximately two kilograms of cocaine, a Rolex watch, more than $200,000 in jewelry, and approximately $2,900 in cash. During the investigation, law enforcement also found at another location approximately three kilograms of cocaine that had been mailed from Puerto Rico to Connecticut at Mangual-Castro’s direction. Investigators identified numerous other suspicious parcels that had been shipped from Puerto Rico to addresses connected to Mangual-Castro in Connecticut.
Judge Nagala ordered the forfeiture of the Mangual-Castro’s interest in the watch, jewelry and cash that were seized.
Mangual-Castro has been detained since his arrest on December 20, 2021. On September 12, 2022, he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine.
Enid Castro pleaded guilty to a related charge and awaits sentencing.
The FBI’s New Haven Safe Streets/Gang Task Force includes participants from the New Haven Police Department, Milford Police Department, East Haven Police Department, West Haven Police Department, Connecticut State Police and the Connecticut Department of Correction. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Narcotics and Bulk Cash Trafficking Task Force includes members from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Postal Service – Office of the Inspector General, the Connecticut Army National Guard, and the Hartford, New Britain, Meriden and Town of Groton Police Departments.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anthony E. Kaplan and Kenneth L. Gresham 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.
Waterbury Man Admits Theft of Pandemic Unemployment BenefitsRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that OLAJUWON HARRINGTON, also known as “OJ Harrington” 31, of Waterbury, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty yesterday before U.S. District Judge Omar A. Williams in Hartford to a fraud offense related to his theft of pandemic unemployment benefits.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in March 2020, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (“CARES Act”) was signed into law. The CARES Act created a new temporary federal unemployment insurance program for pandemic unemployment assistance (“Pandemic Unemployment Assistance”). Pandemic Unemployment Assistance provided unemployment insurance (“UI”) benefits for employed individuals who are not eligible for other types of UI due to their employment status. The CARES Act also created a new temporary federal program called Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (“FPUC”) that provided additional weekly benefits to those eligible for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance or regular UI. The Connecticut Department of Labor (CT-DOL) administers UI benefits for residents of Connecticut.
Using identifying information of real persons (“victims”) without their knowledge, Harrington submitted to CT-DOL numerous fraudulent applications for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance. Relying on the applications, CT-DOL awarded unemployment assistance in the form of debit cards in the names of the victims and mailed the debit cards to addresses provided in the applications. Thereafter, Harrington obtained the debit cards issued in victims’ names and unlawfully used the cards for his own benefit.
The government contends that the loss attributable to Harrington through this scheme is as much as $793,254.
Harrington was arrested on a criminal complaint on November 30, 2022.
Harrington pleaded guilty to access device fraud, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 15 years. Judge Williams scheduled sentencing for August 23.
Harrington is released on a $50,000 bond pending sentencing.
This investigation is being conducted by the U.S. Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General; U.S. Department of Homeland Security – Office of Inspector General; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Social Security Administration – Office of Inspector General and the Connecticut Department of Labor. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher W. Schmeisser.
Individuals with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 are encouraged to 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.
U.S. District Court Holds Inaugural Alternative Treatment Court Graduation CeremonyRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia held a ceremony today for two inaugural graduates of the Alternative Treatment Court (ATC) program. The two graduates received congratulations and words of encouragement from Chief United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston, who presided over the ceremony, United States Magistrate Judge Omar J. Aboulhosn, who presides over the ATC program, and United States Attorney Will Thompson.
The ATC program is a collaborative partnership between the U.S. District Court, the U.S. Probation Office, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Federal Public Defender’s Office, and various community-based treatment providers and organizations. The ATC program is a pre-plea, pre-sentence alternative to conviction or imprisonment for certain individuals charged with federal crimes. The ATC program provides a blend of treatment that focuses on drug and mental health treatment, and alternative sanctions to effectively address offender behavior, rehabilitation, and education and jobs skills training. The U.S. Probation Office performs oversight and monitoring roles that are integral to the ATC program’s success.
Thompson emphasized the value of second chances as he congratulated and encouraged the two graduates.
“I think honesty is the cornerstone of your continuing recovery,” Thompson said. “You need to be honest with your families, with your friends, your co-workers, court personnel, recovery coaches, whoever it might be. But do you know the most important person you need to be honest with? You need to be honest with yourself.”
Participants must be individuals whose criminal conduct is believed to be motivated by substance abuse issues, mental health, or other underlying causes that appear to be amenable to treatment through programs available as part of the ATC. Defendants with a history of violent offenses, involved in child exploitation offenses or subject to removal by immigration authorities are among those excluded from participating.
Eligible defendants must participate for at least 12 months, but may be required to participate for up to 24 months.
The inaugural graduates each successfully completed Track One of the program, which allows for the dismissal of charges against them. Participants in Track Two of the program receive a term of probation upon their successful completion of the ATC program.
“We are losing multiple generations in this state to drug addiction. I don’t like to give up on people. I do believe in second chances,” Thompson said. “The Alternative Treatment Court and similar programs give people who suffer from addiction or other issues a chance to learn how to control and combat their substance use disorder.”
Information about the Alternative Treatment Court, including the program’s Memorandum of Understanding, is available on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia: https://www.wvsd.uscourts.gov/programs-services/alternative-treatment-court.
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.
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U.S. Border Patrol Agent Charged with Attempting to Distribute Methamphetamine and Receiving BribesRead the Press Release
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY—May 11, 2023
SAN DIEGO—U.S. Border Patrol Agent Hector Hernandez made his initial appearance in federal court today on charges that he agreed to accept $25,000 in bribes to distribute methamphetamine and to open a restricted border gate to allow unauthorized migrants to illegally enter the United States.
The complaint alleges that on May 8, 2023, Hernandez opened a restricted border gate while on duty as part of an agreement to allow an unauthorized migrant to enter the United States from Mexico in exchange for a $5,000 cash payment to Hernandez. Hernandez was unaware that he’d made that agreement with an undercover federal agent.
Then, on May 9, 2023, in exchange for another cash payment, Hernandez arranged to pick up a duffle bag loaded with methamphetamine from a storm drain near the border fence while on duty. According to the complaint, Hernandez put the bag into his Border Patrol vehicle and drove it to his house in Chula Vista, where he stored it for the remainder of his shift.
In the morning on May 10, 2023, Hernandez retrieved the bag and met with the undercover agent intending to deliver the drugs in return for an expected $20,000 cash payment, the complaint said. At that meeting, after delivering the drugs, Hernandez was arrested.
A detention hearing is scheduled for May 16 at 1:30 p.m. before U.S. Magistrate Judge Bernard G. Skomal.
DEFENDANT Case Number 23mj1663-BGS
Hector Hernandez Age: 55 Chula Vista, CA
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Attempted Distribution of Methamphetamine – 21 U.S.C., Sections 841(a)(1) and 846
Maximum penalty: Life in prison with a 10-year mandatory minimum
Receiving Bribe by Public Official – 18 U.S.C., Section 201(b)(2)
Maximum penalty: Fifteen years in prison
AGENCIES
Department of Homeland Security, Office of the Inspector General
Drug Enforcement Administration
Federal Bureau of Investigation, Border Corruption Task Force
*The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Two Men Indicted for Environmental Crimes Committed in the Jobos Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve and Las Mareas Community of Salinas, Puerto RicoRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On May 10, 2023, a Federal Grand Jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned two separate indictments charging Luis Enrique Rodríguez Sánchez and Pedro Luis Bones Torres with violations of the Clean Water Act and the Rivers and Harbors Act, announced W. Stephen Muldrow, U.S. Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico, and Todd Kim, Assistant Attorney General of the Environment and Natural Resources Division of the U.S. Department of Justice. The charges relate to the illegal construction and deposit of material into the wetlands and waters of the United States in the Jobos Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (the “Jobos Estuarine Reserve”) and Las Mareas community of Salinas, Puerto Rico.
Various federal agencies are involved in this ongoing investigation into environmental crimes in the Jobos Estuarine Reserve and Las Mareas community, including the Environmental Protection Agency Criminal Investigation Division (EPA-CID), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), U.S. Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division (Army-CID), U.S. Department of Commerce, Office of Inspector General (DOC-OIG), National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration Office of Law Enforcement (NOAA-OLE), and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement (FW‑OLE).
According to the indictments, from approximately January 2020 through October 2022, Luis Enrique Rodríguez Sánchez (Rodríguez Sánchez) and Pedro Luis Bones Torres (Bones Torres) knowingly discharged fill material from excavation and earth moving equipment into the wetlands and waters of the United States in violation of the Clean Water Act. Rodríguez Sánchez and Bones Torres are also charged with building structures within the navigable waters of the United States without authorization of the Secretary of the Army, in violation of the Rivers and Harbors Act.
The Clean Water Act was enacted by Congress in 1972 to protect and maintain the integrity of the waters of the United States. The Clean Water Act’s main purpose is to ensure the restoration and maintenance of the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the nation’s waters. It prohibits the discharge of any pollutant and fill material into waters of the United States except when a permit is obtained from the United States.
The Rivers and Harbors Act was originally enacted in 1899 and is generally considered the oldest environmental law in the United States. It serves to regulate and protect the navigable waters of the United States and prohibits the un-permitted construction of structures within those waters.
Both the Clean Water Act and the Rivers and Harbors Act protect the coastal waters within the JBNERR.
The Jobos Estuarine Reserve was designated as a National Estuarine Research Reserve by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in 1981 and is comprised of approximately 2,800 acres of coastal ecosystems in the Southern coastal plain of Puerto Rico. The Jobos Estuarine Reserve contains mangrove islands, mangrove forests, tidal wetlands, coral reefs, lagoons, salt flats, dry forest, and seagrass beds. It is also home to the endangered brown pelican, peregrine falcon, hawksbill turtle, and West Indian manatee. The Jobos Estuarine Reserve is owned and operated by the Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources (PR‑DNER).
Both Rodríguez Sánchez and Bones Torres were arrested and are scheduled to appear today before Magistrate Judge Marshal D. Morgan of the U.S. District Court for the District of Puerto Rico for their respective initial appearances. If convicted, the defendants are facing up to a total of four years of imprisonment, fines, and injunctive relief to remove violative structures.
“These cases demonstrate our commitment to protecting wetland ecosystems, which have many public and environmental benefits,” said Todd Kim, Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “Coastal wetlands protect communities from storm surges and hurricanes, protect vulnerable species from exploitation, stabilize estuaries, and provide natural water filtration that improves water quality.”
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to enforcing federal environmental protection laws and to holding violators responsible for the harm caused. These laws protect the animals, resources, and habitats within Puerto Rico, the Jobos Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, and the Las Mareas community. The unpermitted construction, pollution, and fill within these protected waters of the United States also poses flooding and hurricane mitigation concerns for surrounding communities. As such, they are a priority for federal environmental enforcement efforts,” said W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico.
“The coastal wetlands of Puerto Rico are an important resource, providing habitat for numerous endangered species and serving as a natural buffer from the effects of hurricanes and flooding, events which are only increasing with climate change,” said Special Agent in Charge Tyler Amon for the U.S. EPA Criminal Investigation Division. “Coastal habitats in Puerto Rico have been habitually exploited and abused by developers and illegal tenants, but today’s indictments show that EPA and our federal law enforcement partners are actively working to stop these illegal activities and to protect these areas for future generations.”
“The preservation and protection of the world which we all share is both our collective and individual responsibility. What you see today is the result of that collective responsibility taken to heart by those of us who are called to serve and protect,” said Joseph González, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI San Juan Field Office. “Our commitment in the FBI is to investigate and curtail threats to our public safety and national security to the fullest extent, and we are fully engaged with our local and federal partners to make that happen. Wherever violations of federal law may take place, expect to see the FBI working hand in hand with our partners. The message should be clear, environmental protection laws will be enforced and violators should expect consequences.”
“Today’s actions send a clear signal that the Department of Commerce, Office of Inspector General (DOC-OIG) is dedicated to investigating potential fraud, waste and abuse in projects receiving funding from the NOAA. DOC-OIG greatly appreciates the cooperative efforts of our prosecutorial and law enforcement partners as we seek to enforce laws protecting the environment and natural beauty of Puerto Rico,” said Jeffrey Lysaght, Special Agent in Charge, U.S Department of Commerce, Office of Inspector General.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement Southeast Special Agent in Charge Stephen Clark stated, “We continue to work with our partners in the protection of fragile ecosystems that serve as home for native wildlife species and will continue to bring to justice those who seek to exploit these resources with complete disregard of the consequences it brings to the people and natural resources of Puerto Rico.”
“We are dedicated to enforcing the laws that conserve and protect our nation’s marine resources and their natural habitat,” said Manny Antonaras, Assistant Director of NOAA’s Office of Law Enforcement, Southeast Division. “This case highlights the importance of our ongoing collaborations with law enforcement partners working together to hold those who break the rules accountable.”
“We are very pleased with today’s announcement,” said Special Agent in Charge L. Scott Moreland, from the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division’s Major Procurement Fraud Field Office. “This is a true testament to our continued commitment to work closely with our fellow law enforcement agencies to investigative violations of Federal law.”
The case is being prosecuted by Senior Trial Attorney Patrick M. Duggan of the Environmental Crimes Section of the U.S. Department of Justice and Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth A. Erbe, Environmental Litigation Coordinator for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico.
These indictments are part of an ongoing investigation. If you have any information related to this investigation or environmental crimes in the area, please contact enforcement officials, which may be done anonymously. The EPA can be contacted at (787) 977-5821 or at https://echo.epa.gov/denuncie-violaciones-ambientales. The FBI can be contacted at (787) 987-6500 or https://tips.fbi.gov/.
For more information on the Jobos Bay National Estuarine Reserve, please visit https://www.drna.pr.gov/jbnerr/ or https://coast.noaa.gov/nerrs/reserves/jobos-bay.html.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Two Men Indicted for Environmental Crimes Committed in the Jobos Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve and Las Mareas Community of Salinas, Puerto RicoRead the Press Release
Today, in the District of Puerto Rico, a federal grand jury returned two separate indictments charging Luis Enrique Rodriguez Sanchez and Pedro Luis Bones Torres with violations of the Clean Water Act and the Rivers and Harbors Act related to the illegal construction and deposit of material into the wetlands and waters of the United States in the area of the Jobos Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (JBNERR) and Las Mareas community of Salinas, Puerto Rico.
According to the indictments, from approximately January 2020 through October 2022, Luis Enrique Rodriguez Sanchez (Rodriguez Sanchez) and Pedro Luis Bones Torres (Bones Torres) knowingly discharged fill material from excavation and earth moving equipment into the wetlands and waters of the United States in violation of the Clean Water Act. Further, both Rodriguez Sanchez and Bones Torres are charged with building structures within the navigable waters of the United States without authorization of the Secretary of the Army, in violation of the Rivers and Harbors Act. These activities occurred in the coastal waters and wetlands of the Las Mareas community and JBNERR in Salinas, Puerto Rico.
“These cases demonstrate our commitment to protecting wetland ecosystems, which have many public and environmental benefits,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “Coastal wetlands protect communities from storm surges and hurricanes, protect vulnerable species from exploitation, stabilize estuaries and provide natural water filtration that improves water quality.”
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to enforcing federal environmental protection laws and to holding violators responsible for the harm that they cause,” said U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow for the District of Puerto Rico. “These laws play an important role in protecting the animals, resources, and habitats within Puerto Rico, the Las Mareas community, and the Jobos Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. The unpermitted construction, pollution, and fill within the protected waters of the United States also poses flooding and hurricane mitigation concerns for surrounding communities. As such, they are a priority for federal environmental enforcement efforts.”
“Today’s actions send a clear signal that the Department of Commerce Office of Inspector General (DOC-OIG) is dedicated to investigating potential fraud, waste and abuse in projects receiving funding from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),” said Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey Lysaght of the DOC-OIG. “DOC-OIG greatly appreciates the cooperative efforts of our prosecutorial and law enforcement partners as we seek to enforce laws protecting the environment and natural beauty of Puerto Rico.”
The Clean Water Act was enacted by Congress in 1972 to protect and maintain the integrity of the waters of the United States. The Clean Water Act’s main purpose is to ensure the restoration and maintenance of the chemical, physical and biological integrity of the nation’s waters. It prohibits the discharge of any pollutant and fill material into waters of the United States except when a permit is obtained from the United States.
The Rivers and Harbors Act was originally enacted in 1899 and is generally considered the oldest environmental law in the United States. It serves to regulate and protect the navigable waters of the United States and prohibits the un-permitted construction of structures within those waters. Both the Clean Water Act and the Rivers and Harbors Act protect the coastal waters within the JBNERR.
The JBNERR was designated as a National Estuarine Research Reserve by the NOAA in 1981 and is comprised of approximately 2,800 acres of coastal ecosystems in the Southern coastal plain of Puerto Rico. The JBNERR contains mangrove islands, mangrove forests, tidal wetlands, coral reefs, lagoons, salt flats, dry forest and seagrass beds. It is also home to the endangered brown pelican, peregrine falcon, hawksbill turtle and West Indian manatee. The JBNERR is owned and operated by the Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources (PR-DNER).
Both Rodriguez Sanchez and Bones Torres were arrested and are scheduled to appear today before Magistrate Judge Bruce J. McGiverin of the U.S. District Court for the District of Puerto Rico for their respective initial appearances. If convicted, the defendants face up to four years in prison, as well as fines and injunctive relief to remove violative structures.
Various federal agencies are involved in this ongoing investigation related to environmental crimes in the JBNERR and Las Mareas community, including the Environmental Protection Agency Criminal Investigation Division (EPA-CID), FBI, U.S. Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division (Army-CID), DOC-OIG, NOAA’s Office of Law Enforcement (NOAA-OLE), and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement (FW-OLE).
The case is being prosecuted by Senior Trial Attorney Patrick M. Duggan of the Environment and Natural Resources Division’s Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth A. Erbe, Environmental Litigation Coordinator for the District of Puerto Rico.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Two Arrested for Armed Robberies of Postal WorkersRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Two Massachusetts individuals have been arrested and charged in connection with the armed robberies of United States Postal Service (USPS) letter carriers that took place on Nov. 29, 2022 in Mattapan, Mass., and Dec. 16, 2022 in Hyde Park, Mass.
Myesha Lewis, 22, of Boston, and Kenneth Demosthene, 22, of Stoughton, were charged with two counts each of robbery of any person having lawful charge, control, or custody of any mail matter or of any money or other property of the United States, aiding and abetting; two counts each of assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers or employees, aiding and abetting. Following an initial appearance today in federal court in Boston, the defendants were released on special conditions.
According to the charging documents, USPS has seen a rise in the use of arrow keys to facilitate the theft of U.S. Mail. An arrow key is a specific key designed to open designated blue USPS collection boxes in a specific area. These arrow keys are the property of USPS and it is a federal offense for an unauthorized person to possess one. Since July 2022, there have been at least 13 assaults on USPS letter carriers while in the performance of their official duties in Boston and surrounding cities and towns. These incidents included the attempted or successful robbery of USPS arrow keys from letter carriers in at least 10 instances. Additionally, of these 10, six of the robberies were instances where the perpetrators were reportedly armed with a knife, firearm, or both.
On Nov. 29, 2022, in Mattapan, it is alleged that Demosthene and Lewis followed and then forcibly robbed a USPS letter carrier of an arrow key. Demosthene allegedly approached the letter carrier and said, “I’m going to need your master key,” before reaching into the letter carrier’s mail satchel and grabbing the arrow key. The key was secured around the letter carrier’s belt with a brass chain. It is alleged that the force used to physically break the brass chain caused the letter carrier to be pulled off the front steps. Demosthene and Lewis allegedly fled the scene in a rental vehicle.
It is further alleged that, on Dec. 16, 2022 in Hyde Park, Demosthene and Lewis followed and then robbed another USPS letter carrier of an arrow key at knife point. Demosthene allegedly approached the USPS letter carrier and said, “Give me your f****** arrow key.” It is alleged that the letter carrier put their hands in the air as the defendants attempted to remove the arrow key, at first by force pulling at the chain. Demosthene and Lewis then allegedly attempted to cut it with the knife, eventually breaking it loose, and fled the scene on foot.
The charges of robbery of any person having lawful charge, control, or custody of any mail matter or of any money or other property of the United States each provide for a sentence of up to 25 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charges of assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers or employees each provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins and Darnell Edwards, Acting Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Postal Service, Office of the Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke A. Goldworm of Rollins’ Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Thirty-Month Sentence for EscapeeRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Glynn Ford, 35, Jackson, Mississippi, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 30 months in federal prison for escaping from a federal correctional institution, specifically, FCI-Oxford located in Oxford, Wisconsin. Ford pleaded guilty to this offense on January 26, 2023.
On March 26, 2019, Ford was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison after being convicted of bank fraud and aggravated identity theft in the Northern District of Illinois. Ford was in custody at FCI-Oxford’s Satellite Camp and on April 23, 2022, was missing during a regular count of inmates. Ford was arrested in Chula Vista, California on October 12, 2022, in connection with a retail theft offense. Ford will serve the 30-month sentence consecutively to the remainder of his previous federal sentence.
The charge against Ford was the result of an investigation by the U.S. Marshals Service, with the assistance of local authorities in California. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Altman prosecuted this case.
Texas Man Who Sexually Abused a Minor and Attempted to Influence the Victim’s Testimony at Trial Pleads Guilty in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
A Brownsville, Texas man who coerced a minor to engage in live stream sessions featuring sexually explicit conduct, and retained digital images from the sessions, pled guilty on May 10, 2023, in federal court in Sioux City. Isaac Herrera, age 22, from Brownsville, Texas was convicted of sexual exploitation of a minor.
In a plea agreement, and at the plea hearing, Herrera admitted that he sexually abused a minor child who was between the ages of 12 and 16 at the time, and possessed child pornography depictions of the victim and other minors on his phone. Herrera further admitted to contacting the victim in order to influence his testimony at trial, while Herrera was in jail pending trial in this case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Herrera remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Herrera faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of 30 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and 5 years up to life of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ron Timmons and was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigations and the Sioux City Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 22-4060.
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Tennessee Man Sentenced to 600 Months for Child Production OffensesRead the Press Release
GREENEVILLE, Tenn. – On May 11, 2023, Cameron Ty Bolyard, 35, of Greeneville, Tennessee, was sentenced to 600 months in federal prison, by the Honorable Clifton L. Corker, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Greeneville.
As part of the plea agreement filed with the court, Bolyard pleaded guilty pursuant to a Federal Rule 11(c)(1)(C) plea agreement to counts one and two of an indictment charging him with use of a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of such conduct in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2251 (a) and (e) and being a parent of a minor, knowingly permitted such minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of such conduct in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2251 (b) and (e). Upon his release from prison, Bolyard will be on supervised release for 10 years. Bolyard will be required to register with state sex offender registries and comply with special sex offender conditions during his supervised release.
According to the written plea agreement filed with the court, investigators received multiple CyberTips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children where Bolyard uploaded multiple images and videos to his Google Account of child pornography. Multiple images and videos were created by Bolyard where he recorded a minor victim engaged in sexually explicit conduct with Bolyard. Additionally, Bolyard uploaded over a hundred videos and images of child sexual abuse material, unrelated to the minor victim, to his account.
“This 50-year prison sentence sends a clear message that preying upon and sexually victimizing the most innocent and vulnerable victims, our children, will not be tolerated,” said U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III for the Eastern District of Tennessee. “We are grateful for the work of the Homeland Security Investigations- Johnson City Office and the Knoxville Police Department’s Internet Crimes against Children Group.”
“This significant sentence is a testament to the outstanding collaboration among HSI and our law enforcement partners, including the Knoxville Police Department, the Internet Crimes Against Children, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office. This investigation into Mr. Bolyard’s criminally abhorrent conduct is a prime example of our commitment to protect the most innocent and vulnerable population from exploitation by predators. No child should ever fall prey to victimization or endure its trauma,” stated HSI Nashville Special Agent in Charge Rana Saoud.
“Our Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force is relentless in its mission to protect innocent kids and expose those who prey on children,” Knoxville Chief of Police Paul Noel said. “This sentence is a reflection of great collaboration with our state and federal partners, and the hard work and dedication of our ICAC investigators and digital forensics analysts. I am grateful to those who are willing to do the unimaginable investigative work necessary to hold these predators accountable for their actions.”
The criminal indictment was the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations- Johnson City Office and Knoxville Police Department’s Internet Crimes against Children Group. This investigation was led by TFO HSI John Williams.
Assistant United States Attorneys Meghan L. Gomez represented the United States.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), 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, PSC 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 PSC, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc/resources.html and click on the tab "resources.”
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Tennessee Man Sentenced to 600 Months for Child Production OffensesRead the Press Release
GREENEVILLE, Tenn. – On May 11, 2023, Cameron Ty Bolyard, 35, of Greeneville, Tennessee, was sentenced to 600 months in federal prison, by the Honorable Clifton L. Corker, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Greeneville.
As part of the plea agreement filed with the court, Bolyard pleaded guilty guilty pursuant to Federal Rule 11(c)(1)(C) plea agreement to counts one and two of an indictment charging him with use of a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of such conduct in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2251 (a) and (e) and being a parent of a minor, knowingly permitted such minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of such conduct in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2251 (b) and (e).
According to the written plea agreement filed with the court, investigators received multiple CyberTips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children where Bolyard uploaded multiple images and videos to his Google Account of child pornography. Multiple images and videos were created by Bolyard where he recorded a minor victim engaged in sexually explicit conduct with Bolyard. Additionally, Bolyard uploaded over a hundred videos and images of child sexual abuse material, unrelated to the minor victim, to his account.
“Victimization of children is particularly heinous when sexual predators knowingly exploit the most innocent and vulnerable.” “Our office remains relentless in the pursuit to ensure the safety of our children.” “Anyone who suspects a child is being victimized is urged to contact their local law enforcement agency or child protective services,” said United States Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III.
“This significant sentence is a testament to the outstanding collaboration among HSI and our law enforcement partners, including the Knoxville Police Department, the Internet Crimes Against Children, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office. This investigation into Mr. Bolyard’s criminally abhorrent conduct is a prime example of our commitment to protect the most innocent and vulnerable population from exploitation by predators. No child should ever fall prey to victimization or endure its trauma,” stated HSI Nashville Special Agent in Charge Rana Saoud.
The criminal indictment was the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations- Johnson City Office and Knoxville Police Department’s Internet Crimes against Children Group. This investigation was led by TFO HSI John Williams.
Assistant United States Attorneys Meghan L. Gomez represented the United States.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), 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, PSC 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 PSC, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc/resources.html and click on the tab "resources.”
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Statement from U.S. Attorney Jason M. FriersonRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada today issued the following statement from United States Attorney Jason M. Frierson:
“On this day one year ago, I had the honor of taking an oath to serve as the United States Attorney for the District of Nevada.
“Over the past 12 months, the dedicated, talented Assistant United States Attorneys and professional staff have worked diligently with our law enforcement partners to support and advance the Justice Department’s mission of upholding the rule of law, keeping our communities safe, and protecting civil rights.
“I have traveled throughout the Silver State to meet with and talk to law enforcement, community groups, victim service providers, and Tribal Governments to strengthen our partnerships.
“As we move forward in 2023, the District of Nevada is building on these partnerships and following our strategic plan to prevent and reduce violent and gun crimes; combat human trafficking and child sex trafficking; fight the opioid and fentanyl crisis; protect Nevada’s environmental resources; seek justice for victims; defend the United States in civil matters; and keep our neighborhoods safe for all to live and work. Additionally, the District of Nevada continues to provide trainings to law enforcement and engage in community outreach opportunities at schools, community centers, and events.
“Last but certainly not least, I want to extend my gratitude to each Assistant United States Attorney and professional staff in our Las Vegas and Reno offices; to all levels of state, local, federal, and Tribal law enforcement; to Tribal Governments; and to the various community and victim advocate groups for working in the joint pursuit of Justice for all. I look forward to seeing what we can accomplish together for Nevada.”
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Springfield, Illinois, Man Sentenced to 96 months in Prison for Distributing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A Springfield, Illinois, man, Christopher Rudolph, 35, was sentenced on May 8, 2023, by U.S. District Judge Colleen R. Lawless to 96 months in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release, for distributing 5 grams or more of actual methamphetamine.
The statutory penalties for distributing 5 grams or more of methamphetamine (actual) are not less than 5 years and up to 40 years in prison, not more than a $5,000,000 fine, and not less than four years of supervised release.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office, and Illinois State Police investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Z. Weir represented the government in the prosecution.
The case against Rudolph 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.
Springfield Woman Sentenced for Reselling Stolen Goods and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Springfield woman was sentenced today in federal court in Springfield for reselling stolen goods on eBay and money laundering.
Mimi Mai, 50, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni to 18 months in prison and two years of supervised release. Mai was also ordered to pay $3,472 in restitution and to forfeit $1.5 million to the United States. On Dec. 20, 2022, Mai pleaded guilty to one count of interstate transportation of stolen goods, four counts of money laundering, and two counts of engaging in monetary transactions in property derived from specified unlawful activity.
Mai owned and operated a pawn shop in Holyoke, Mass., called EZ Exchange. Mai purchased stolen goods from people she knew had stolen the items and resold them on eBay at a price well above what she had paid the sellers. The stolen goods included a variety of household goods, including power tools, electronic devices, sunglasses, and beauty and personal care products. Between 2018 and 2021, Mai earned more than $2.1 million from the sale of items she had listed for sale as “new” on eBay. Mai then used her eBay earnings to buy property in Florida.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Joleen D. Simpson, Special Agent in Charge of Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston; and Holyoke Police Chief David Pratt made the announcement today. Assistance was provided by the Springfield Police Department, New England State Police Information Network and investigators from Home Depot, CVS, Target and Stop & Shop. Assistant U.S. Attorney Catherine G. Curley of Rollins’ Springfield Branch Office prosecuted the case.
South Georgia Resident Pleads Guilty to Illegally Possessing FirearmsRead the Press Release
ALBANY, Ga. – A Bainbridge, Georgia, resident with a criminal history pleaded guilty to illegally possessing multiple firearms after he was arrested on gun charges during an on-going death investigation.
Derius Raoule Green, 32, of Bainbridge, Georgia, pleaded guilty to illegal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon today before U.S. District Judge Leslie A. Gardner. Green faces a maximum of ten years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release and a maximum $250,000 fine. Sentencing is expected to occur within 90 days. There is no parole in the federal system.
“The safety of our citizens is at risk when violent, repeat offenders pick up a gun,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “In collaboration with our law enforcement partners, we will continue to use every resource available to make our communities more secure."
“Convicted felons cannot possess guns and will face serious consequences for having them,” said Special Agent in Charge Beau Kolodka. “Today’s guilty plea ensures that Derius Green is removed from the community for a long time, where he will not be able to harm others.”
According to court documents, Decatur County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO) deputies found a deceased male with two gunshot wounds on Aug. 30. 2021, and that the victim may have been in a recent feud with Green. Green was wanted on three outstanding warrants. Deputies executed a search warrant at Green’s Bainbridge property, finding a shotgun, a .22 caliber rifle and ammunition. On Sept. 2, 2021, Green was located and taken into custody in Port Saint Joe, Florida. Green told officers that the gun-shot victim owed him money for an AR-15 rifle. Green is not facing criminal charges in that local investigation.
Green has prior felony convictions to include interference with government property and reckless conduct and possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute in Decatur County, Georgia, Superior Court. It is illegal for a convicted felon to possess a firearm.
The case was investigated by the Decatur County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF).
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Redavid is prosecuting the case for the government.
South Florida Resident Pleads Guilty to Threatening Election WorkersRead the Press Release
MIAMI – Yesterday, Joshua David Lubitz, 38, of Sunrise, Florida, pleaded guilty in federal district court to threatening election workers during a federal primary election held in August 2022.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on August 17, 2022, Lubitz entered a polling station located within the Sunrise Senior Center. While inside, Lubitz was heard counting election workers and saying, “should I kill them one by one or should I blow the place up.” He was also heard saying, “my dad would love this. It would be easy” and “this would be nice and sweet.” Lubitz left the center, walked to the parking lot, and entered his car. As he drove past the polling site entrance, Lubitz extended his arm toward two poll workers and made a threatening gesture toward them with his hand.
Lubitz is scheduled for sentencing on July 25, before U.S. District Judge Rodolfo A. Ruiz. He faces up to five years in prison.
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, made the announcement.
FBI Miami investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorneys Harry C. Wallace and Jeremy Thompson are prosecuting it.
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-60205.
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Siskiyou County Woman Indicted for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned an indictment today against Shasta Lea Schnittker, 41, of Montague, charging her with possessing visual depictions of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, on Feb. 22, 2022, law enforcement officers searched the home where Schnittker lived with her boyfriend during an investigation into her boyfriend. The boyfriend was arrested on state charges for lewd and lascivious acts with a child under 14 years of age. A forensic review of the digital devices, computers, and electronic storage media seized during the search revealed Schnittker and her boyfriend had met online and discussed child sexual abuse material. Schnittker was found to have numerous videos and images depicting child sexual abuse material saved on her laptop.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office, and the Siskiyou County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily G. Sauvageau is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Schnittker faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and restitution to the victims of the offense. Any sentence, however, would 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. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet-safety education.
Silk Road Drug Vendor Who Claimed to Commit Murders-For-Hire for Silk Road Founder Ross Ulbricht Charged with Narcotics and Money Laundering ConspiraciesRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Thomas M. Fattorusso, the Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (“IRS-CI”), announced the unsealing today of an Indictment charging JAMES ELLINGSON, a/k/a “redandwhite,” with narcotics trafficking and money laundering offenses in connection with his sale of large quantities of narcotics on the “Silk Road” online marketplace. In connection with his drug trafficking on Silk Road, ELLINGSON claimed to have arranged for the murder of five people for Silk Road founder Ross Ulbricht, a/k/a “Dread Pirate Roberts,” for which he was paid hundreds of thousands of dollars in Bitcoin. Law enforcement does not possess any evidence that the purported murders actually took place. ELLINGSON was previously arrested in Canada. The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Rochon.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As alleged, Ellingson used the Dark Web to ship dangerous drugs around the world, including to New York City. He discussed with Silk Road’s founder a plot to kill five people and received hundreds of thousands of dollars in Bitcoin in exchange. Others who would try to hide in the shadows of the Internet should know that federal law enforcement will continue to uncover crime, wherever and however committed.”
IRS-CI Special Agent in Charge Thomas M. Fattorusso said: “Ellingson’s alleged criminal actions are far more egregious than just money laundering or the large quantities of narcotics trafficked through the ‘Silk Road’ online marketplace. He also claimed to have acted as the middleman between the Silk Road founder and murderers-for-hire. Now, Ellingson will face the consequences of his actions.”
According to the allegations in the Indictment:[1]
ELLINGSON is a Canadian citizen who lived in the vicinity of Vancouver, Canada. From 2011 to 2013, ELLINGSON sold large quantities of narcotics through the Silk Road online marketplace under the usernames “MarijuanaIsMyMuse” and “Lucydrop.” Through his Silk Road usernames, ELLINGSON sold more than four kilograms of methamphetamine, more than 100 grams of heroin, more than two kilograms of cocaine, more than six grams of LSD, approximately seven kilograms of the drug commonly known as “ecstasy” or “MDMA,” and more than 19 kilograms of marijuana, among other narcotics, to Silk Road customers in exchange for Bitcoin, including to customers in New York City.
In March 2013, ELLINGSON, using the Silk Road username “redandwhite,” contacted Ulbricht, Silk Road’s founder, regarding a purported Silk Road user who had threatened to release personal identifying information of Silk Road drug vendors and customers. In these messages, Ellingson claimed to have control over most drug trafficking in Western Canada.
In one message, Ulbricht informed ELLINGSON that “[the murder target] is a liability and I wouldn't mind if he was executed.” In another message, Ulbricht stated: “[the murder target] is causing me problems . . . I would like to put a bounty on his head if it’s not too much trouble for you. What would be an adequate amount to motivate you to find him?” ELLINGSON responded, “[the p]rice for clean is 300k+ USD,” and the “[p]rice for non-clean is 150-200k USD depending on how you want it done.” ELLINGSON further explained, in part, that “[t]hese prices pay for 2 professional hitters including their travel expenses and work they put in.”
Ulbricht later sent ELLINGSON $150,000 worth of Bitcoin to pay for the purported murder. ELLINGSON and Ulbricht agreed on a code to be included with a photograph to prove that the murder had been carried out. In April 2013, ELLINGSON and Ulbricht exchanged messages reflecting that ELLINGSON had sent Ulbricht photographic proof of the murder. A thumbnail of a deleted photograph purporting to depict a man lying on a floor in a pool of blood with tape over his mouth was recovered from Ulbricht’s laptop after his arrest. A piece of paper with the agreed-upon code written on it is shown in the photograph next to the head of the purportedly dead individual.
Later in April 2013, ELLINGSON and Ulbricht exchanged additional messages regarding a plot to kill four additional people in Canada. Ulbricht sent ELLINGSON an additional $500,000 worth of Bitcoin for the murders. ELLINGSON claimed to Ulbricht in online messages that the murders had in fact been committed.
Law enforcement does not possess any evidence that the purported murders ELLINGSON claimed to have arranged actually took place.
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ELLINGSON, 47, of Vancouver, British Colombia, Canada, is charged with one count of narcotics trafficking conspiracy and one count of narcotics importation conspiracy, which each carry a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison, and one count of money laundering conspiracy, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
The statutory minimum and maximum penalties are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant would be determined by a judge.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of IRS-CI’s New York Field Office and thanked the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs for their assistance in the extradition proceedings.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Complex Frauds & Cybercrime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sagar Ravi and Drew Skinner are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the description of the Indictment set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Savage Life Boys Gang Member Sentenced to Federal Prison for Drug and Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, IA – A Davenport man was sentenced on Tuesday, May 9, 2023, to 130 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents, law enforcement officers arrested Darion Lemont Thomas, 22, at a local hospital in September 2021 on outstanding state arrest warrants. At the time of his arrest, Thomas, a Savage Life Boys gang member, possessed a loaded, stolen firearm in his waistband and 66 ecstasy pills and marijuana in a backpack. Thomas knew he was prohibited from possessing firearms due to his status as a felon.
Thomas’s cell phone and social media records revealed evidence of drug trafficking, including Thomas’s use of a minor to distribute drugs. The cell phone and social media records also uncovered photos and videos of Thomas illegally possessing firearms.
Following his prison term, Thomas must also serve four years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Davenport and Bettendorf Police Departments investigated the case.
Santa Barbara County Man Who Deliberately Crashed Airplane for YouTube Video Admits to Obstructing Federal InvestigationRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A YouTuber pilot has agreed to plead guilty to a felony charge for obstructing a federal investigation by deliberately destroying the wreckage of an airplane that he intentionally crashed in Santa Barbara County to gain online views, the Justice Department announced today.
Trevor Daniel Jacob, 29, of Lompoc, agreed to plead guilty to one count of destruction and concealment with the intent to obstruct a federal investigation, a crime that carries a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.
A plea agreement and a one-count information charging Jacob were filed Wednesday in United States District Court in Los Angeles. He is expected to make his initial court appearance in the coming weeks.
According to his plea agreement, Jacob is an experienced pilot and skydiver who had secured a sponsorship from a company that sold various products, including a wallet. Pursuant to the sponsorship deal, Jacob agreed to promote the company’s wallet in a YouTube video that he would post.
On November 24, 2021, Jacob took off in his airplane from Lompoc City Airport on a solo flight purportedly destined for Mammoth Lakes. Jacob did not intend to reach his destination, but instead planned to eject from his aircraft during the flight and video himself parachuting to the ground and his airplane as it descended and crashed, he admitted in the plea agreement
Prior to taking off, Jacob mounted several video cameras on different parts of the airplane and equipped himself with a parachute, video camera and selfie stick. Approximately 35 minutes after taking off, while flying above the Los Padres National Forest near Santa Maria, Jacob ejected from the airplane and videoed himself parachuting to the ground.
Using the video camera mounted on the selfie stick and the video cameras he mounted on the airplane, Jacob was able to record the airplane as it descended and crashed into a dry brush area in Los Padres National Forest. After parachuting to the ground, Jacob hiked to the location of the wreck and recovered the data containing the video recording of his flight and the crash of the airplane, the plea agreement states.
On November 26, 2021, Jacob informed the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) about the plane crash. The NTSB, which launched an investigation into the crash on or about that same day, told Jacob that he was responsible for preserving the wreckage so the agency could examine it. Jacob agreed to determine the crash location and provide both the coordinates of the downed plane and videos of the crash to NTSB investigators. Three days later, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) launched its own investigation into the plane crash.
In the weeks following the plane crash, Jacob lied to investigators that he did not know the wreckage’s location, according to the plea agreement. In fact, on December 10, 2021, Jacob and a friend flew by helicopter to the wreckage site. There, Jacob used straps to secure the wreckage, which the helicopter lifted and carried to Rancho Sisquoc in Santa Barbara County, where it was loaded onto a trailer attached to Jacob’s pickup truck.
Jacob drove the wreckage to Lompoc City Airport and unloaded it in a hangar. He then cut up and destroyed the airplane wreckage and, over the course of a few days, deposited the detached parts of the wrecked airplane into trash bins at the airport and elsewhere, which he admitted in his plea agreement was done with the intent to obstruct federal authorities from investigating the November 24 plane crash.
On December 23, 2021, Jacob uploaded a YouTube video titled, “I Crashed My Airplane,” that contained a promotion of the wallet and depicting him parachuting from the plane and the aircraft’s subsequent crash. Jacob admitted in his plea agreement that he intended to make money through the video.
Jacob further admitted he lied to federal investigators when he submitted an aircraft accident incident report that falsely indicated that the aircraft experienced a full loss of power approximately 35 minutes after takeoff. Jacob also lied to an FAA aviation safety inspector when he said the airplane’s engine had quit and, because he could not identify any safe landing options, he had parachuted out of the plane.
The FAA revoked Jacob’s pilot license in April 2022.
The United States Department of Transportation – Office of Inspector General investigated this matter. The NTSB and FAA provided substantial assistance.
Assistant United States Attorney Mark A. Williams, Chief of the Environmental and Community Safety Crimes Section, and Assistant United States Attorneys Dennis Mitchell and Dominique Caamano, also of the Environmental and Community Safety Crimes Section, are prosecuting this case.
Rockford Woman Sentenced to Federal Prison for “Straw Purchasing” FirearmsRead the Press Release
ROCKFORD — A Rockford woman has been sentenced to federal prison for "straw purchasing” multiple firearms for a convicted felon whom she knew could not legally purchase the guns.
U.S. District Judge Philip G. Reinhard on Wednesday sentenced FELICYA KNOX, 31, to five months in federal prison and seven months of home confinement.
Knox pleaded guilty last year to federal charges of misrepresenting to federally licensed firearms dealers that she was the actual transferee/buyer of three firearms, when, in fact, she was not the actual transferee/buyer of the firearms. In a written plea agreement, Knox admitted that on multiple dates she knowingly made false and fictitious written statements to the firearms dealers, and later transferred the guns to a known felon whom Knox knew could not legally purchase or possess them.
The sentence was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Christopher Amon, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives. The Freeport Police Department and Stephenson County Sheriff’s Department assisted in the investigation. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Maveus.
Disrupting illegal firearms trafficking is the focus of the Department of Justice’s Chicago Firearms Trafficking Strike Force. As part of the strike force, the U.S. Attorney’s Office collaborates with ATF and other federal, state, and local law enforcement partners in the Northern District of Illinois and across the country to help stem the supply of illegally trafficked firearms and identify patterns, leads, and potential suspects in violent gun crimes.
Holding firearm offenders accountable through federal prosecution is also a centerpiece of Project Safe Neighborhoods. In the Northern District of Illinois, the U.S. Attorney's Office and law enforcement partners have deployed the PSN program to attack a broad range of violent crime issues facing the district, particularly firearm offenses.
Retired Special Education Teacher Sentenced for Traveling Overseas to Sexually Abuse ChildrenRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Craig Alex Levin, 67, of King of Prussia was sentenced to 35 years in prison and a lifetime of supervised release by United States District Court Judge Harvey Bartle, III for for traveling to the Philippines to engage in sex with children as young as 12 years old.
According to court documents, between 2016 and 2019, Levin was a retired special education teacher who traveled to the Philippines nine times, each time for the purpose of engaging in sex with disadvantaged minors who, by Levin’s own words, were hungry or needed money for medicine for family members. In May 2019, the Philippines National Police arrested Levin as he was about to enter the elevator at his hotel with a 15-year-old girl. Upon search of his hotel room, police located several notebooks containing the names and ages of hundreds of girls, scored on a rating system of 1 to 10 in five categories: Face, Body, Sex, Personality, Age. Only girls under the age of 18 received a top score of 10. There were multiple children as young as 12 listed in the notebooks.
"At the time of Levin's arrest in the Philippines, he was escorting a 15-year-old girl to his hotel room. Levin's sentencing effectively takes a dangerous predator who targeted vulnerable children in a foreign country off the streets indefinitely," said U.S. Attorney Romero. "No matter their role in society or where they prey on children, child sex offenders must be held accountable."
“This predator with a passport traveled halfway around the world, multiple times a year, solely to sexually abuse children,” said Jacqueline Maguire, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia Division. “He took eager advantage of situations of extreme poverty to gain access to the young girls he victimized, apparently thinking he’d just continue to fly under the radar. This lengthy sentence proves him wrong, and should send a message to anyone else sexually exploiting children: whether you commit your crimes here at home or travel to do so abroad, the FBI will investigate, hold you accountable, and ensure your destination is federal prison.”
This case is 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 Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc.
The case was investigated by the FBI and Philippine National Police and Women and Children Protection Center - Visayas Field Unit. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Rotella and Trial Attorney Austin M. Berry of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section.
Raleigh Woman Pleads Guilty to Using Her Real Estate Business to Fraudulently Obtain PPP LoanRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – Shakeerah Kaneisha Yvette Vinson, 32, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to commit wire fraud for fraudulently obtaining a Paycheck Protection Act (“PPP”) COVID-19 loan for her real estate broker business. She faces up to 20 years in prison.
“This defendant, along with her network of co-conspirators, took taxpayer money meant to help struggling small businesses during a global pandemic,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “We are investigating and prosecuting those who steal from public programs intended to keep legitimate businesses afloat.”
According to the charged criminal information, the defendant conspired with Edward Whitaker, Schunda Coleman, and others to obtain a fraudulent PPP loan on behalf of Vinson’s business. Whitaker and Coleman pled guilty on January 19, 2023 for their role in operating a nation-wide scheme to help people across the country commit millions of dollars of PPP fraud.
According to charging documents and information summarized in court, Whitaker and Coleman created fraudulent supporting documents and applications for the PPP loan which they provided to Vinson in exchange for 25% of the total loan proceeds. The fraudulent application falsified the number of employees and gross wages being paid prior to the COVID pandemic, in order to help qualify for the PPP loan. Following the disbursement of the PPP loans, Whitaker instructed Vinson as to how to make it appear that the PPP loans were being paid out to employees, when in reality the money was transferred back to Vinson. The fraudulent payroll records were then submitted to the Small Business Administration (SBA) to obtain 100% loan forgiveness.
Late last year, Quentin Jackson pled guilty in the same conspiracy which included the recruitment of numerous individuals in the Eastern District of North Carolina to use Whitaker and Coleman to obtain fraudulent PPP funds.
“The Paycheck Protection Program was designed to help small businesses facing financial difficulties during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Donald “Trey” Eakins, Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge in the Charlotte Field Office. “Through our partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our federal law enforcement partners, IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agents will continue to aggressively pursue individuals who try to exploit federal relief programs for their personal gain.”
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans who were economically suffering from the COVID-19 pandemic. The CARES Act and additional appropriations authorized up to $649 billion in forgivable loans to small businesses through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). Financial institutions issued the PPP loans, which were guaranteed by the SBA.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after United States Magistrate Judge Robert T. Numbers II accepted the plea. Sentencing will occur before United States District Judge James C. Dever III later this year. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Criminal Investigation is leading the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney David G. Beraka is prosecuting 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. 5:23-CR-00027-D.
Raleigh Man Receives More Than 10 years in Federal Prison for Distributing Kilograms of Methamphetamine to Eastern North CarolinaRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, N.C. – Alphonso Lewis, 47, of Raleigh, was sentenced to 121 months for conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine.
According to court documents, evidence presented in court, and other documents, on April 22, 2022, a Sampson County Sheriff’s deputy conducted a traffic stop on Lewis’s car for a traffic violation on Interstate 40. During the traffic stop, the deputy observed the odor of marijuana and a package that had been mailed from McAllen, Texas to Knightdale, North Carolina. The deputy knew from his training and experience in drug interdiction that McAllen, Texas was a source city for drugs. The deputy also observed the unusual behavior that Lewis continued to grab and eat chicken wings while he was speaking with him. The deputy had probable cause to open the package and found 901 grams of pure methamphetamine and 350 grams of marijuana. During the course of the investigation, it was uncovered that Lewis had distributed more than 5 kilograms of methamphetamine to Eastern North Carolina from 2021 until his federal arrest in August 2022. Law enforcement received information that some of the methamphetamine was being provided by a Blood gang member in Greensboro, North Carolina.
“Our office is proud to support our local law enforcement partners like Sampson County Sheriff’s Office in their battle to eliminate narcotics trafficking in their communities,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “This prosecution demonstrates our commitment to go after people peddling this poison and should serve as a warning to those considering doing the same.”
“The Sampson County Sheriff’s Office is proud of its partnership with many federal agencies, including the US Attorney Office. Our agency has been proactive in seeking out and apprehending drug criminals. Many such drug peddlers have been located along Interstate 40 in our county. These proactive efforts by our officers and the partnerships with federal agencies are proof that teamwork can help further rid our communities of dangerous drugs and criminals,” said Sampson County Sheriff Jimmy Thornton.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II. The Drug Enforcement Administration, Department of Homeland Security, and Sampson and Duplin County Sheriffs’ Offices investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Severo prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:22-cr-00051-M-KS-1.
Puerto Rico and USVI Environmental Crimes Task ForceRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – United States Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow for the District of Puerto Rico, United States Attorney Delia Smith for the District of the United States Virgin Islands (USVI), and Chief Deborah Harris of the Department of Justice’s Environmental Crime Section announced, along with multiple federal law enforcement Special Agents in Charge, the formation of a Puerto Rico and USVI Environmental Crimes Task Force (Task Force) to investigate and prosecute violations of federal law harming the environment, wildlife and human health, and associated fraud, waste, and abuse.
Today’s announcement further underscores each agency’s ongoing commitment to environmental justice - a principle that combines civil rights with environmental protection by examining whether all people, regardless of race, color, national origin, or income are receiving fair treatment and meaningful involvement with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies.
On May 5, 2022, the Attorney General announced actions to enhance and advance the U.S. Department of Justice’s environmental justice (EJ) work. These efforts include the issuance of a Comprehensive Environmental Justice Enforcement Strategy (Strategy), the creation of an Office of Environmental Justice (OEJ) within the Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD), and the issuance of both an interim final rule rescinding the Department’s regulations at 28 C.F.R § 50.28 and a policy allowing the Department’s components to enter into settlement agreements that include payments under limited circumstances to non-governmental persons or entities that are not parties to the underlying litigation.
The creation of this Task Force builds upon those efforts by the Justice Department and brings together federal law enforcement agencies in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Those federal agencies will continue to work closely with their local counterparts, including the Puerto Rico Department of Natural Resources, the Puerto Rico Department of Justice, the USVI Department of Planning and Natural Resources, and the USVI Attorney General’s Office.
Task Force Law Enforcement Agencies
Army - Criminal Investigation Division
Army Corps of Engineers
Department of Agriculture – Office of Inspector General
Department of Commerce – Office of Inspector General
Department of Homeland Security – Homeland Security Investigations
Department of Transportation – Office of Inspector General
Environmental Protection Agency – Criminal Investigation Division
Environmental Protection Agency – Office of Inspector General
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Food and Drug Administration – Office of Criminal Investigations
Housing and Urban Development – Office of Inspector General
Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration – Office of Law Enforcement
U.S. Coast Guard – Sector San Juan
U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
“Environmental justice and ensuring that all residents of Puerto Rico enjoy a healthy environment free of hazardous waste and other pollutants is a top priority of the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Justice Department,” said United States Attorney Muldrow. “This Task Force will combine and leverage resources from many federal agencies to aggressively enforce civil and criminal environmental laws.”
“The United States Attorney’s Office, along with our federal and local partners, is committed to enforcing environmental laws. Our goal is to ensure that all our citizens receive protection from environmental and health hazards and equal access to a healthy environment in which to live, learn, play and work”, United States Attorney Delia L. Smith said.
What Can You Do?
Reporting environmental, public health and safety concerns supports a safe community for all. U.S. Attorney Muldrow and U.S. Smith encourage Puerto Rico and USVI residents to use the following contact information to report violations to federal agencies.
If the violation concerns air quality, health, water, land, waste, chemicals and toxins (e.g. pesticides and lead paint), and/or a cleanup, contact the Environmental Protection Agency at www.epa.gov/report-violation to report violations.
Denuncie violaciones ambientales | US EPA
If the violation concerns fraud, waste and abuse of an EPA program, operation, grant or contract, contact Environmental Protection Agency Office of Inspector General at www.epa.gov/office-inspector-general/forms/epa-oig-hotline-complaint-form
If the violation concerns an oil or chemical spill, contact the National Response Center at 1-800-424-88022.
If the violation concerns a marine environment, contact the Coast Guard at www.p3tips.com/tipform.aspx?ID=878 and/or Sector San Juan Command Center: 787-729-2041.
If the violation concerns federal marine resources, you should contact the www.fisheries.noaa.gov/topic/enforcement or hotline at 1-800-853-1964.
If the violation concerns harm to wildlife (e.g. pesticide misuse), contact the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at 1-800-344-9453 or www.fws.gov/wildlife-crime-tips.
If the violation concerns wetlands or navigable waters, contact your local district branch of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at https://www.saj.usace.army.mil/Missions/Regulatory/Enforcement/.
If the violation concerns workplace conditions, such as chemicals or noxious fumes, contact the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) at 1-800-321-6742 or www.osha.gov/workers/file-complaint.
If the violation concerns housing conditions, contact the Department of Housing & Urban Development – Office of Inspector General (HUD-OIG) at 1-800-347-3735 or www.hudoig.gov/hotline/hotline-form.
If the violation concerns transportation of hazardous materials or a pipeline, contact the Department of Transportation – Office of Inspector General (DOT-OIG) at 1-800-424-9071 or www.oig.dot.gov/fraud-hotline
If the violation concerns medications, food products, devices, biological products, cosmetics, or other products for human consumption, contact the FDA at 1-800-332-0127 (toll-free) or https://www.fda.gov/safety/report-problem-fda.
If the violation concerns fraud, waste, and abuse related to U.S. Department of Commerce (including any entity receiving DOC funds) contact www.oig.doc.gov/Pages/Hotline.aspx
If the violation concerns discriminatory environmental and health impacts, contact DOJ Civil Rights at 1-855-856-1247 or https://civilrights.justice.gov/.
If the violation involves public corruption, contact the Federal Bureau of Investigation at https://tips.fbi.gov/.
For more information, please visit www.justice.gov/oej; www.epa.gov; www.justice.gov/usao/pr
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Plymouth Man Sentenced to Ten Years in Federal Prison for Arson of Apartment BuildingRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Gregory J. Haanstad of the Eastern District of Wisconsin announced that on May 10, 2023, Jonathan T. Lane (age: 32) of Plymouth, Wisconsin, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for arson to a building.
According to court filings, Lane admitted that on November 9, 2017, he started a fire in a small, two-story apartment building in Plymouth, Wisconsin. A mother of three children died in that fire, and a firefighter was injured attempting to extinguish the fire. The apartment building was destroyed by the fire and neighboring apartment buildings sustained fire related damage. Arson investigators ultimately determined that the fire was intentionally set and that Lane, who lived in one of the apartments, was the last individual around the fire origin minutes before the discovery of the smoke and fire.
At sentencing, United States District Judge Lynn Adelman noted the serious nature of the offense, the need for just punishment, and the need for protection of the public. Following his release from prison, Lane will spend three years on supervised release. He will also be ordered to pay restitution in an amount yet to be determined, but which could exceed $400,000.
“The arson of an occupied building endangers the safety of others and can easily result in the injury or death of an innocent occupant or firefighter,” said United States Attorney Haanstad. “The sentence in this case, which was the direct result of hard work by federal, state, and local law enforcement and their fellow first responders, makes clear that those responsible for such acts will receive substantial prison terms.”
“This tragic case is an example of how ATF and fire science technology, combined with our investigative skills and partnership with local law enforcement will solve arsons,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Christopher Amon of the Chicago Field Division. “We appreciate the commitment of the United States Attorney’s Office in dedicating their prosecutorial expertise to this important case.”
“Arson is an extremely dangerous crime that can lead to tragedy, as it did in this terrible case,” said Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul. “Thank you to Wisconsin Department of Justice’s State Fire Marshal’s Office, whose agents are highly skilled in arson investigations and work with local, state, and federal agencies to obtain justice.”
The investigation was led by the following law enforcement groups: Wisconsin Department of Justice, Division of Criminal Investigation, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and Plymouth Police Department. Numerous fire and rescue departments from the surrounding areas responded to assist putting out the fire.
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Passenger who discharged firearm at airport during Thanksgiving holiday travel season sentenced to federal prisonRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Kenny Wells has been sentenced to ten years in prison for possessing a firearm after having been previously convicted of multiple felony offenses. Wells made headlines when he recklessly discharged a firearm at Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport on the busy weekend before Thanksgiving in 2021. Wells created enormous panic throughout the airport and forced a lockdown of the airport and surrounding area for over two hours after he discharged a firearm detected inside a bag he had carried into an airport security screening area.
“Wells is a multi-convicted felon who should not have been in possession of a firearm,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “His behavior, particularly occurring at the world’s busiest airport, was especially dangerous. Fortunately, no one was injured when Wells discharged his firearm. He has now been held accountable for the consequences of his conduct.”
“Kenny Wells is a very violent individual who displays a total lack of concern for the lives of others. This sentence represents the seriousness of his crime,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Alicia Jones. “This sentence also ensures that Wells will not be able to hurt or terrorize anyone else for a very long time.”
“The Atlanta Police Department (APD) is committed to the safety of travelers and employees at Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport. The egregious actions of Kenny Wells, a convicted felon, are disturbing. He endangered the lives of multiple innocent travelers and airport personnel,” said Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum. “The conviction of Kenny Wells proves the effectiveness of our law enforcement partnerships, the dedication of the members of the various agencies that protect the world’s busiest airport, and our commitment to bringing criminals and repeat offenders to justice.”
According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, the charges and other information presented in court: On November 20, 2021, Wells traveled to Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport for a flight to New Orleans, Louisiana. This was the Saturday before Thanksgiving, so the airport was filled with passengers and traffic in the area was particularly high.
At approximately 1:30 p.m., Wells joined a security line to be screened by Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers. A TSA officer noticed something unusual inside a bag that Wells carried as the item went through an X-ray portal. The officer then moved the bag to a separate area for a closer inspection as Wells stood watching nearby. As the officer lifted a top layer of clothing inside the bag, Wells lunged forward and reached for a firearm concealed in the bag. Wells discharged the firearm as he grabbed the weapon and fled the area. People immediately panicked, with those nearby falling to the floor to protect themselves. Law enforcement officers responded by issuing an alert of a possible active shooter at the airport. Passengers in the domestic terminal area stampeded out of the airport, while passengers beyond the check-in kiosks were rushed to the concourse tunnels for protection.
The airport and surrounding area were placed in lockdown for more than two hours. This public safety precaution prevented passengers from boarding flights and pilots from allowing passengers to deplane from aircraft parked on the runways.
During the confusion, Wells escaped from the airport by blending in with the fleeing crowds. Surveillance cameras captured him at a nearby parking garage where he was seen discarding an object in a large metal trash can. Law enforcement officers later retrieved a firearm from the same trash can. Because Wells left his boarding pass at the TSA checkpoint, law enforcement was able to identify him as the person who discharged the firearm, discarded the firearm in the parking garage trashcan, and caused widespread panic in the airport.
Kenny Wells, 44, of Atlanta, Georgia, has been sentenced to ten years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. On January 4, 2023, Wells was convicted of the charge of possessing a firearm while being a convicted felon, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(1), after entering a guilty plea.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Atlanta Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul R. Jones prosecuted the case.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Owner of Closed Substance Use Treatment Facility in Florida Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Defraud Health InsurersRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Terrence Livorsi, 68, of Glenside, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to commit health care fraud arising from his operation of his company’s Employee Assistance Program (“EAP”) . Livorsi used the EAP to funnel patients to addiction treatment at facilities and programs that he owned in Florida in order to fraudulently bill patients’ medical insurance for treatment that was not medically necessary.
Livorsi offered his company’s EAP services free of charge and marketed its services mainly to public sector labor unions in New Jersey. Livorsi and his EAP encouraged union officials and representatives to call when a union member was in distress or facing workplace discipline. Upon referral of a union member for EAP services, Livorsi and/or an employee of the EAP collected information from the person, including asking the prospective patient about his or her use of alcohol or drugs. Many prospective patients did not have substance use disorders but were nevertheless fraudulently referred to Recovery Institute of South Florida (“RISF”), a substance use treatment facility that Livorsi also owned and operated. Patients were pressured to fly to Florida immediately for treatment at RISF, allegedly to save their jobs. The people that Livorsi and his staff members referred to RISF were not told that Livorsi owned RISF or that he would benefit financially by billing their health insurance.
From at least January 2014 until RISF closed in April 2018, it was the business of Livorsi’s EAP to send patients to treatment RISF. RISF depended on the EAP to refer patients for treatment, and made money by billing insurers for those referred patients. The EAP, which did not charge anyone for its services, depended on RISF to finance its operations. As the sole owner of both RISF and the EAP, Livorsi controlled every aspect of their operations, including the finances and bank accounts of both organizations. Livorsi directly profited when RISF profited. Livorsi directed RISF to pay bonuses to his staff, including himself, for admissions to RISF that the employee had procured. Although he was not a licensed caregiver and was infrequently present at RISF, Livorsi exercised control over when patients could be discharged from RISF, and would keep patients as long as possible to maximize the opportunities to bill insurance.
"Livorsi's guilty plea should send a clear message to those seeking to build their financial empire off the despair of individuals battling addiction by committing health care fraud," said U.S. Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero. “The defendant's actions were illegal and unconscionable. Moreover, healthcare fraud impacts all of us by raising costs and compromising quality.”
“Over the course of years, Terrence Livorsi defrauded insurers of big money by using patients as pawns,” said Jacqueline Maguire, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia Division. “He had no compunction about referring all of these people to his own faraway treatment facility, some of whom didn’t even have substance abuse issues. Health care fraud is a costly, consequential federal crime and the FBI will continue to make these investigations a priority as we work to deter such criminal behavior.”
Livorsi was charged by Information filed April 11, 2023, and entered a plea of guilty on May 8, 2023. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for September 6, 2023 at 10:00 a.m.
The cases were investigated by the Philadelphia FBI Healthcare Fraud Task Force, which includes agents from the Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office and the Philadelphia Police Department, and the Employee Benefit Security Administration of the United States Department of Labor, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Elizabeth Abrams.
New Bedford Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A New Bedford man pleaded guilty today to his role in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) operating in Southeastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
Jason Cruz, 42, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl. U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs scheduled sentencing for July 25, 2023. Cruz was indicted by a federal grand jury in August 2022 and has remained in custody since.
Between approximately April 2022 and approximately June 2022, Cruz purchased fentanyl from the DTO that he then redistributed to others. Intercepted communications depicted Cruz discussing purchasing fentanyl from the DTO. In addition, surveillance footage showed other members of the DTO visiting the Cruz’s residence for brief periods of times, which is consistent with illegal drug trafficking.
The charge of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; New Bedford Police Chief Paul Oliveira; and Fairhaven Police Chief Michael J. Myers made the announcement today. Special assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police; Homeland Security Investigations; Bristol County Sherriff’s Office; and Fall River, Taunton, Attleboro, Scituate, Yarmouth, Providence (R.I.) and West Warwick (R.I.) Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Mulcahy of Rollins’ Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Nevada Man Charged with Federal Hate Crimes for Irvine Taiwanese Presbyterian Church ShootingRead the Press Release
A Nevada man has been charged with 98 counts of federal hate crimes and weapons and explosives offenses, including the murder of one person and attempted murder of 44 others, for his actions during the shooting and attempted bombing at the Irvine Taiwanese Presbyterian Church on May 15, 2022.
David Chou, 69, of Las Vegas, killed one person and attempted to kill 44 others using firearms and explosive devices that he carried inside the Irvine Taiwanese Presbyterian Church in Southern California, according to the indictment returned Wednesday by a federal grand jury in Santa Ana, California. In addition to the victim who Chou fatally shot, five others were injured by gunfire. Chou allegedly acted because of the victims’ national origin and religion, and he intentionally obstructed the victims’ religious exercise.
Specifically, the indictment charges Chou with 98 violations of federal law:
- 45 counts of obstructing free exercise of religious beliefs by force, which resulted in the death of one person, included attempts to kill 44 others, and involved the use of a firearm and attempted use of explosives and fire;
- 45 counts of violating the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act by attacking the church congregants because of their actual or perceived Taiwanese national origin and Presbyterian faith;
- One count of attempting to damage or destroy a building used in interstate commerce by means of fire and explosives;
- One count of carrying explosives during the commission of a federal felony offense; and
- Six counts of using a firearm during the commission of a crime of violence.
If convicted, Chou faces a maximum penalty of death or life in prison without parole. He is currently in state custody pending state criminal charges.
Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada for the Central District of California and Los Angeles FBI Assistant Director in Charge Donald Alway made the announcement. The FBI would like to acknowledge the considerable assistance of the Orange County Sheriff's Department.
The FBI Los Angeles Field Office, the Orange County Sheriff’s Department and the ATF investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Greg Scally and Susan Har for the Central District of California and Special Litigation Counsel Michael J. Songer of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an accusation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Native of Colombia Indicted on Illegal Reentry ChargeRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG, The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Jair Alexander Peralta Vanegas, age 52, of Colombia, was indicted by a federal grand jury on a charge of Illegal Reentry.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that on or about April 27, 2023, Peralta Vanegas was found in Lebanon County Pennsylvania after previously having been removed from the United States. The indictment also alleges that Peralta Vanegas had been removed from the United States through Alexandria, Louisiana, and reentered without first obtaining legal permission to do so.
The case was investigated by U.S. Immigration Customs and Enforcement (ICE) and the Pennsylvania State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney David C. Williams is prosecuting the case.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is two years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Minneapolis Man Sentenced to over Seven Years in Prison for Violent Armed Robbery Spree of Minneapolis BusinessesRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Minneapolis man was sentenced to 88 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for his role in three armed robberies of Minneapolis businesses, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, on March 31, 2022, Matthew Dereck Howell, 23, entered Dollar City Plus, a retail store in Minneapolis, while an unidentified co-conspirator waited outside as a lookout. Howell pulled a handgun and aimed it at the store owner who was behind the counter and demanded money from the register. As Howell was ordering the employees to move faster, he fired the gun in the direction of the store owner causing a bullet to graze the store owner's neck. After firing the shot, Howell went behind the counter, opened the register, and took approximately $1,200. Howell left the store and fled on foot.
A few days later, on April 3, 2022, Howell borrowed a white Cadillac sedan to drive to Sam's Market and Meat, located in Minneapolis. Howell entered the market and approached the counter as if to pay for an item. Howell pulled out a black handgun and pointed it at the clerk, demanded money from the cash register, and threatened to shoot. Howell reached over the counter into the register and took approximately $50. Howell then fled back to the Cadillac and drove away.
Later that same day, Howell entered Minneapolis Market, approached the counter, pulled out a handgun and pointed it at an employee, and demanded money from the register. Howell then reached over the counter and took approximately $700 before fleeing.
Howell was sentenced today in U.S. District Court before Judge Katherine M. Menendez. On November 8, 2022, he pleaded guilty to two counts of Hobbs Act robbery.
This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Minneapolis Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura M. Provinzino and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah E. Hudleston prosecuted the case.
Meth trafficking sends Billings man to prison for five yearsRead the Press Release
BILLINGS — A Billings man who admitted to selling methamphetamine to an undercover agent was sentenced on May 10 to five years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said today.
Edward George Allen, 41, pleaded guilty in September 2022 to possession with intent to distribute meth.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.
In court documents, the government alleged that Allen trafficked methamphetamine in the Billings from April 2021 to about September 2021. Undercover agents purchased 2.5 ounces of meth from co-defendant Michael Brumfield and his source, Allen, for $1,600. Allen had three plastic baggies containing meth and gave them to Brumfield, who provided them to the undercover agents. Agents provided Brumfield and Allen the cash. Brumfield was previously sentenced to six years in prison for conviction in the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie R. Patten prosecuted the case. The Drug Enforcement Administration and Montana Division of Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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Massachusetts Man Sentenced to 9 ½ Years for York Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Massachusetts man was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Portland for robbing a Bangor Savings branch in York.
U.S. District Judge John A. Woodcock sentenced Brandon Simmons, 35, to 115 months of imprisonment followed by three years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $7,162 in restitution to Bangor Savings Bank. Simmons pleaded guilty on September 27, 2022.
According to court records, on November 1, 2021, Simmons entered a Bangor Savings Bank in York, telling a teller that he had a bomb and demanding money. Simmons then grabbed cash from the teller’s drawer, left the bank and fled in a white work van.
Simmons was quickly identified as a suspect through the combined efforts of the FBI, York Police Department and law enforcement agencies in Massachusetts. Simmons was also identified as the suspect in the October 30, 2021, robbery of a CVS Pharmacy in Newburyport, Massachusetts.
From November 1-3, 2021, Simmons led police on a series of high-speed chases in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. In his attempts to avoid apprehension, he assaulted a police officer, attempted to carjack a civilian bystander, stole multiple vehicles and crashed his van into a truck driven by a bystander. Simmons was apprehended by Massachusetts State Police on November 3, 2021 at a hotel in Peabody, Massachusetts.
On May 10, 2023, Simmons pleaded guilty to Commonwealth of Massachusetts charges in connection with the robbery in Newburyport, as well as multiple charges related to his conduct while fleeing from police.