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9 May 2023
Bronx Man Convicted of Sex Trafficking A MinorRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that MICHAEL PASCHAL was found guilty of all four counts at trial, including sex trafficking a minor and conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of a minor. The verdict followed a seven-day trial before U.S District Judge Vernon S. Broderick.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Michael Paschal targeted a vulnerable teenager and prostituted her with others for his own profit. He induced the minor victim with promises of food and shelter and then immediately exploited her. The jury’s guilty verdict and the Court’s immediate remand of the defendant send a clear message to the public that those who prostitute minors will be held accountable. We thank and commend the brave victim who came forward to law enforcement and testified at trial. Her testimony was critical in holding the defendant accountable and ensuring that he cannot harm other victims, including minors, again.”
According to the Indictment, documents previously filed in the case, and the evidence admitted at trial:
In or around July 2020, PASCHAL and a co-conspirator (“CC-1”) met a 17-year-old minor victim (“Minor Victim-1”) in another state. PASCHAL and CC-1 induced Minor Victim-1 to travel with him from another state to his house in the Bronx with promises of food and shelter and with the intent to prostitute Minor Victim-1 from his Bronx residence.
PASCHAL operated a prostitution business from his residence in the Bronx. Minor Victim-1 stayed at PASCHAL’s residence for several weeks in July 2020, during which time PASCHAL prostituted Minor Victim-1.
When Minor Victim-1 became sick, PASCHAL transported Minor Victim-1 to a children’s hospital for medical care. PASCHAL communicated with employees of the Administration for Children’s Services while Minor Victim-1 was in the hospital in an attempt to have Minor Victim-1 released into his custody.
That effort was unsuccessful, and Minor Victim-1 was returned to her home state. However, several weeks later, PASCHAL again began prostituting Minor Victim-1 from his residence in the Bronx. PASCHAL posted prostitution ads with sexually explicit photographs of Minor Victim-1 and communicated with sex buyers to facilitate commercial sex with Minor Victim-1.
PASCHAL prostituted Minor Victim-1, and worked with others to prostitute Minor Victim-1, for weeks until she was recovered from PASCHAL’s residence in or about December 2020. When confronted, PASCHAL told law enforcement, in substance, “what’s the big deal, she’s about to turn 18 anyway.”
* * *
PASCHAL, 52, of the Bronx, New York, was convicted of one count of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of a minor, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison; 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; one count of transporting a minor for the purpose of prostitution, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison; and one count of enticing an individual to travel interstate for the purpose of prostitution, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. The defendant was remanded into custody after the guilty verdict.
The 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 would be determined by the judge. PASCHAL is scheduled to be sentenced on September 6, 2023.
Any individuals who believe they have information that may be relevant to this case should contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office at 1-866-874-8900 and reference this case.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding work of Homeland Security Investigations.
The case is being prosecuted by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin Mead, Jackie Delligatti, and Jane Kim are in charge of the prosecution, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Isabel Loftus.
Armed Carjacking and Other Charges Filed Against D.C. Man for String of Armed Robberies at Convenience Stores and Gas StationsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Shamell Joyner, 35, of the District of Columbia, has been charged by superseding criminal complaint in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia for an April 13, 2023, armed carjacking and a series of armed robberies committed between April 12 and May 2, 2023.
U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Special Agent in Charge Wayne A. Jacobs, of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division, and Chief Robert J. Contee III, of the Metropolitan Police Department announced the charges.
The superseding criminal complaint describes an armed carjacking from April 13, and eight robberies of commercial establishments from April 12 through May 2, at locations in Northeast and Northwest Washington, as well as in Alexandria, Virginia, and Hanover, Maryland. As alleged in the complaint, Joyner brandished a firearm during all of the robberies. He discharged a firearm during the April 12 armed robbery of a Northwest Washington gas station and the April 17 armed robbery of an Alexandria, Virginia convenience store. A store employee working at the time of the Alexandria robbery sustained a non–life threatening gunshot wound to his leg.
Joyner is also alleged to have carjacked a man at gunpoint in the Mount Vernon Triangle neighborhood on April 13, and to have used that car to commit subsequent armed robbery offenses. In addition, Joyner is alleged to have robbed a Hanover, Maryland gas station at gunpoint on May 2, during which he also stole a station employee’s vehicle. The Metropolitan Police Department found Joyner in the stolen vehicle’s driver’s seat later that day and arrested him. At the time of his arrest, Joyner was in possession of a firearm used in several of the robberies, as well as clothing and other evidence that tied him to numerous offenses.
Joyner has been detained since his May 2, 2023, arrest pending further court proceedings.
Joyner is charged with 16 counts under the United States and District of Columbia Codes. Under the U.S. Code, Joyner is charged with six counts of Interference with Interstate Commerce by Robbery (also known as “Hobbs Act” robbery), which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; six counts of Using, Carrying, and Possessing a Firearm During a Crime of Violence, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of up to 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison; two counts of Interstate Transportation of Stolen Vehicles, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison; and one count of Unlawful Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition by a Person Convicted of a Crime Punishable by Imprisonment for a Term Exceeding One Year, which carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. Under the D.C. Code, Joyner is charged with one count of Armed Carjacking, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison and a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison. The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and the Council of the District of Columbia and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentence imposed in this case will be determined by a federal district court judge after considering applicable sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
This case is being investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office’s Violent Crime Task Force and the Metropolitan Police Department’s Carjacking Task Force. Valuable assistance was provided by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Alexandria City, Anne Arundel County, Fairfax County, and Prince George’s County Police Departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul V. Courtney and Special Assistant United States Attorney Lauren E. Renaud of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
The investigation into these offenses and potentially related armed robberies of commercial establishments located in the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia remains ongoing. Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.
Ardmore Residents Sentenced for Use and Carry of A Firearm in Furtherance of A Crime of ViolenceRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announces that Shawn Braiden Hickman, age 19, of Ardmore, Oklahoma, and Christopher Hunter Skolarski, age 20, of Ardmore, Oklahoma, have been sentenced to 60 months in prison for Use and Carry of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Crime of Violence.
On March 9, 2022, Skolarski pled guilty to one count of Use and Carry of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Crime of Violence, and on April 12, 2022, Hickman pled guilty to one count of Use and Carry of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Crime of Violence. The guilty pleas stemmed from an incident September 27, 2021, wherein Hickman and Skolarski attempted to rob a pedestrian at gunpoint on a city street in Ardmore.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Ardmore Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
“Prosecuting criminals who use firearms to commit violent crimes is a priority of the Department of Justice," said United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson. “Gun crime will not be tolerated.”
"This case serves as a reminder to violent offenders who are a menace in our communities, that the FBI continues to protect the public and hold accountable those who have such bold disregard for the law and for the safety of others,” said FBI Oklahoma City Special Agent in Charge Edward J. Gray.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma prosecuted this case because Hickman and the victim are members of federally recognized Indian tribes and the crime occurred in Carter County, which is within the boundaries of the Chickasaw Nation Reservation and the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The Honorable Charles B. Goodwin, United States District Judge for the Western District of Oklahoma, presided over the case and sentenced Hickman and Skolarski in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Hickman and Skolarski were remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshal at the conclusion of their sentencing. They will remain in custody pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve their sentence of incarceration.
Assistant United States Attorney Cameron McEwen represented the United States.
Albany Woman and Troy Man Plead Guilty to Money Laundering and Marijuana TraffickingRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Latrice Mumphrey, age 42, of Albany, and Victor Turner, age 68, of Troy, New York, pled guilty today to conspiracy to commit money laundering and conspiracy to distribute marijuana, respectively.
United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; John B. DeVito, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF); Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division; Chief Daniel DeWolf of the Troy Police Department; and Matthew Scarpino, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), made the announcement.
In pleading guilty, Mumphrey and Turner admitted to being members of a marijuana/THC and money laundering organization that shipped marijuana and THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) from Fresno, California, to locations throughout the United States, including the Capital Region.
Mumphrey admitted to conspiring with Dwight A. Singletary, aka “Nutt” and “Mike Jones,” and her husband, Lawrence Mumphrey, aka “L,” to launder the proceeds of marijuana and THC sales by purchasing cashier’s checks with cash drug proceeds.
Federal law requires financial institutions to complete a currency transaction report for cash transactions over $10,000.
To avoid the reporting requirement and otherwise conceal the cash drug proceeds, Walker purchased four cashier’s checks in amounts slightly below the reporting threshold with $37,150 in cash drug proceeds. The cashier’s checks were payable to Dwight Singletary; a law firm used by Singletary; a company from which Dwight Singletary and McKenzie Merrialice Coles, aka “Kenzie,” purchased real estate; and to a person from whom Dwight Singletary and his company, DAS Empire, Inc., purchased real estate.
Turner admitted to regularly receiving packages of marijuana shipped from Fresno by Dwight Singletary and McKenzie Coles at his residence in Troy. Turner was notified of the shipments by Rosemary Coles, who texted Turner tracking information and shipping receipts for the packages of marijuana. The marijuana in the packages, which were often sealed with eBay packing tape, was concealed in dog food containers and suitcases. At times, Rosemary Coles and David Singletary, aka “DB,” picked up the marijuana from Turner at his residence; at other times, Turner delivered the marijuana to Rosemary Coles at her residence in Troy. Turner was paid between $300 and $400 for each package of marijuana he received.
Mumphrey faces up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $500,000, and may also be required to serve up to 3 years of supervised release. Turner faces up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $1 million, and will be required to serve at least 3 years of supervised release.
A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
Mumphrey and Turner were charged in an indictment with Dwight and David Singletary, McKenzie and Rosemary Coles, Lawrence Mumphrey and 17 other people charging marijuana distribution and money laundering conspiracies, firearms offenses, and other crimes. Dwight Singletary, David Singletary, McKenzie Coles, Rosemary Coles, and Lawrence Mumphrey have pled not guilty and are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. The charges in the indictment are merely accusations.
Two other defendants, Kristle Walker and Sammy Olague, previously pled guilty and are pending sentencing.
The ATF, DEA, Troy Police Department, and HSI are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cyrus P.W. Rieck and Dustin C. Segovia are prosecuting the case.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Advanced Practice Registered Nurse Pleads Guilty to Unlawful Distribution of Controlled Substances and Health Care FraudRead the Press Release
A Tennessee woman pleaded guilty today to unlawfully distributing controlled substances and health care fraud.
According to court documents, Kelly McCallum, 41, of Dyersburg, was an advance practice registered nurse who operated Convenient Care Clinic and held a registration from the DEA, which allowed her to prescribe controlled substances. From January 2017 until early 2021, McCallum had sexual relationships with two patients for whom she was their medical provider. She was aware that another patient fatally overdosed after she prescribed them controlled substances but nevertheless continued to prescribe controlled substances outside the usual course of professional practice and not for a legitimate medical purpose. McCallum also billed Medicare and Medicaid for examinations and other services that she did not personally render, resulting in Medicare and Medicaid paying her approximately $16,234 for services she did not provide.
McCallum pleaded guilty to two counts of unlawful distribution of controlled substances and one count of health care fraud. She is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 3 and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each controlled substance count, and a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison on the health care fraud count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
In June 2021, the Tennessee Board of Nursing summarily suspended McCallum’s registered nurse license and advance practice registered nurse certificate and ordered her to cease and desist from practicing in the state of Tennessee.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Kevin G. Ritz for the Western District of Tennessee, Special Agent in Charge Chris Ramage of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation’s Medicaid Fraud Control Division for West Tennessee, Special Agent in Charge Tamala Miles of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG), Acting Special Agent in Charge Douglas S. DePodesta of the FBI Memphis Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge J. Todd Scott of the DEA Louisville Division made the announcement.
The HHS-OIG, FBI, DEA, and Tennessee Bureau of Investigation are investigating the case.
Assistant Chief Jillian Willis and Trial Attorney Kathryn Furtado of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Christie Hopper for the Western District of Tennessee are prosecuting the case.
Since its inception in late 2018, the Appalachian Regional Prescription Opioid (ARPO) Strike Force has partnered with federal and state law enforcement agencies and U.S. Attorneys’ Offices throughout Appalachia to prosecute medical professionals and others involved in the illegal prescription and distribution of opioids. Over the past four years, ARPO has charged over 115 defendants, collectively responsible for issuing prescriptions for over 115 million controlled substance dosage units. As a result, to date, more than 70 defendants have been convicted. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
Information about available treatment programs is available as follows:
Tennessee patients receiving care from this practice that wish to obtain information on how to find treatment for mental and substance use disorders, where to access naloxone and other harm reduction services, and information about crisis helplines can utilize these Tennessee resources:
- Search for substance use treatment facilities at www.findtreatment.gov/.
- Call 855-CRISIS-1 (855) 274-7471 or Text “TN” to 741-741, a crisis service and suicide prevention hotline.
- The Tennessee REDLINE is the 24/7/365 resource for substance abuse treatment referrals. Anyone can call or text (800) 889-9789 for confidential referrals.
- Naloxone Public Overdose Response Programs in Tennessee supply naloxone and may be found using this list.
Visit www.tn.gov/behavioral-health/substance-abuse-services/prevention/rops.html to see a locator map. Naloxone may also be found in your local pharmacy and billed to insurance and Medicaid.
In addition, those needing access to opioid treatment service can contact the Department of Health and Human Services’ Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration 24/7 National Helpline for referrals to treatment services at 1-800-662-4359.
Medications obtained illicitly are very dangerous as they are often not what they appear, and frequently contain contaminants and extremely potent substances such as fentanyl that greatly increase the risk of overdose and death.
12 New Federal Cases Filed as Law Enforcement Continues Vigorous Response to Deadly Fentanyl EpidemicRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – Law enforcement officials today announced a dozen new federal cases targeting fentanyl dealers who, in all but one case, allegedly sold fentanyl and fake pills containing fentanyl that directly resulted in the death of at least one victim. The 12th case charges an alleged dealer who distributed fentanyl to teenage girls who suffered overdoses and required hospitalization.
In another matter announced today, a man who sold fentanyl through several dark web marketplaces has agreed to plead guilty to federal charges, admitting that his products caused the death of three individuals and that he sold fentanyl-laced pills to two others who died soon after.
The announcement was made at a news conference in which federal authorities, joined by a host of local law enforcement leaders, discussed their ongoing efforts to combat the proliferation of fentanyl, the extremely powerful synthetic opioid that is found in many illicit drugs and is killing approximately 70,000 Americans every year.
“We are fully committed to combating the fentanyl crisis, which is wreaking so much destruction across this nation,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. “Those who traffic in fentanyl should be on notice that our office will hold you accountable and the consequences will be severe. The deadly risks of fentanyl are well known. The cases announced today charge drug dealers who have caused the death or injury of others, and thereby prioritized greed over human life. These cases that focus on fentanyl distribution resulting in death are the result of an unprecedented level of cooperation between federal agents and local authorities throughout our district.”
“The two main drivers that are causing fentanyl related deaths in our community and throughout the nation are accessibility and deception,” said DEA Los Angeles Special Agent in Charge Bill Bodner. “Social media platforms have made fentanyl widely available to anyone with a smartphone and made every neighborhood an open-air drug market. The deceptive marketing tactics used by the Sinaloa and Jalisco New Generation cartels have created a vast pool of victims who unknowingly ingested fentanyl and did not make a choice to be harmed or die. Through the DEA Overdose Justice Task Force we continue to send a strong message to individuals who engage in drug trafficking resulting in death or great bodily injury that selling even one fentanyl pill will have significant consequences in the federal criminal justice system.”
“Drug traffickers operating on the darknet use encrypted communications and decentralized currency in an attempt to conceal their illicit trade, but the joint efforts announced today are evidence that their perceived anonymity is a myth,” said Donald Alway, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office. “We will continue to use every tool at our disposal to identify drug trafficking on the darknet, including sales of pills pressed with fentanyl, a poisonous ingredient that’s led to an unprecedented number of deaths in the United States each year.”
The 12 new cases being announced today are a result of the ongoing efforts of the Overdose Justice Task Force, a DEA-led project designed to investigate fatal fentanyl poisonings and identify the individuals who provided the fentanyl that directly caused the deaths. Under the Overdose Justice program for the DEA’s Los Angeles Field Division, DEA agents have established collaborative relationships with local law enforcement agencies across the seven counties that make up the Central District of California. Local authorities are almost always the first to respond to an overdose death, and DEA agents have provided training to dozens of local agencies to help them analyze evidence to determine if there are circumstances that might lead to a federal criminal prosecution.
Since the project’s launch in 2018, and including the cases announced today, the United States Attorney’s Office has filed charges against 64 defendants who allegedly sold drugs that resulted in a fatal fentanyl poisoning.
OVERDOSE JUSTICE TASK FORCE CASES
The United States Attorney’s Office and the DEA today announced 12 cases that charged 13 defendants. Most of the defendants discussed below have entered not guilty pleas to the charges containing in indictments issued by federal grand juries.
- U.S. v. Benavides-Schorgi
Adrian Benavides-Schorgi, 22, of the Jefferson Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, is accused of selling counterfeit pills containing fentanyl that led to life-threatening overdoses of two 15-year-old girls in Santa Monica who thought they were buying ecstasy. Benavides-Schorgi was charged by a federal grand jury with one count of distribution of fentanyl resulting in serious bodily injury for the alleged narcotics sale on May 24, 2022. Benavides-Schorgi was arrested on April 27, and he was ordered held without bond at a hearing the following day. A trial in this matter is scheduled for June 20. The DEA and the Santa Monica Police Department are investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy Beecher of the General Crimes Section is prosecuting this case.
- U.S. v. Galvan
Heriberto Galvan, 24, of North Hollywood, was arrested last week on charges of distribution of fentanyl resulting in death, distribution and possession with the intent to distribute controlled substances, possession of a firearm and a short-barrel rifle in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes, and possession of an unregistered firearm. The indictment alleges that Galvan distributed fentanyl on December 4, 2021 to a 19-year-old man from La Cañada Flintridge who was found dead in his car the next day. Galvan allegedly distributed fentanyl in another transaction on January 19, 2022. A subsequent search of Galvan’s residence led to the discovery of more fentanyl and cocaine, along with a short-barrel AR-type “ghost gun.” Galvan was named in a six-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury on May 5, and he was arrested later that day. Galvan was arraigned on Monday and was ordered held in custody without bond pending a trial scheduled for July 11. The DEA and the Glendale Police Department are investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Alix McKenna of the General Crimes Section is prosecuting this case.
- U.S. v. Gutierrez
Juan Carlos Gutierrez, 32, of Montebello, was arrested on May 2 after being indicted on a charge of distribution of fentanyl resulting in death. On December 9, 2022, Gutierrez distributed fentanyl that resulted in the death of a 34-year-old man at a Long Beach drug treatment facility the next day. At his arraignment on May 5, Guiterrez was ordered held without bond, and a trial was scheduled for June 27. The DEA and the Long Beach Police Department are investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorneys Amanda B. Elbogen of the Terrorism and Export Crimes Section and Jeremy Beecher of the General Crimes Section are prosecuting this case.
- U.S. v. Wendel and Villapania
Kaelen Jacobkeali Wendel, 31, of Lompoc, and Michael Villapania, 35, of Santa Barbara, were indicted on a charge of distributing fentanyl that led to the death of one jail inmate and serious bodily injury to a second. Early on October 20, 2022, two male inmates at the Santa Barbara Northern County Jail overdosed on fentanyl. Custody deputies and medical personnel at the jail administered CPR and Narcan on both inmates. They were able to save one inmate, “J.V.,” however, the second inmate, “E.E.,” did not survive. The investigation revealed that Wendel, a new inmate at the facility, brought fentanyl into the unit, and Villapania, who knew both Wendel and J.V., brokered a deal with J.V. in which Villapania allegedly sold some of the drugs in exchange for commissary items. J.V., in turn, allegedly shared some of the drugs with his cellmate, E.E., the inmate who died after ingesting the fentanyl. The indictment was filed on February 10, Villapania was arraigned on March 23, and Wendel was arraigned on April 24. Both men are being held without bond pending trial. The DEA and the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office are investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Suria M. Bahadue of the Criminal Appeals Section is prosecuting this case.
- U.S. v. Cruz
Javier Carlos “Juvy” Cruz, 22, of Ontario, was arrested April 21 after being indicted on drug distribution and weapons charges. The five-count indictment alleges that Cruz sold fentanyl to an Ontario man on November 11, 2022. The 26-year-old victim died the next day, and a toxicologist determined that fentanyl toxicity was the cause of death. During the subsequent investigation by the DEA and the Ontario Police Department, Cruz was the subject of a search on December 27, 2022, which led to the discovery of fentanyl on his person and nearly 1,500 counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl. Investigators also seized three semiautomatic handguns from Cruz’s residence. The indictment charges Cruz with distribution of fentanyl resulting in death, possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine, and possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes. Cruz is currently detained pending his June 13 trial date. Assistant United States Attorneys Pete Dahlquist and Miles J. Robinson of the Riverside Branch Office are prosecuting this case.
- U.S. v. Diaz
Luis Enrique Diaz, 22, of Victorville, was arrested April 21 after being indicted on charges of distributing fake oxycodone pills containing fentanyl that resulted in the death of a 28-year-old Hesperia man. When contacted by law enforcement on April 10, 2021 – the day after the victim died – authorities allegedly recovered additional fake pills from Diaz’s person. The indictment charges Diaz with distribution of fentanyl resulting in death and possession with the intent to distributed fentanyl. Diaz is currently detained pending a trial scheduled for June 13. This case is being investigated by the DEA and the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant United States Attorney Pete Dahlquist of the Riverside Branch Office is prosecuting this case.
- U.S. v. Alvarado
Dominick Kingdiamond Alvarado, 22, of Tarzana, was arrested May 3 on charges of distributing fentanyl in form of fake Percocet pills that caused the deaths of an 18-year-old man and a 17-year-old girl. Alvarado allegedly sold fake pills laced with fentanyl to a group of young people in a transaction in Valencia on July 11, 2022. Two days later, an 18-year-old Santa Clarita resident was found dead by his brother. Ten days after the first death, Alvarado allegedly sold fake pills containing fentanyl to another group of teenagers at the same mall in Valencia where the prior transaction took place. Following this second sale, a 17-year-old girl died of fentanyl poisoning after ingesting the narcotics and suffering an overdose in a Santa Clarita park. Following his arrest, Alvarado was ordered held without bond, and a trial was scheduled for June 27. The DEA and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department are conducting the investigation this matter. Assistant United States Attorneys Alix McKenna and J'me K. Forrest of the General Crimes Section are prosecuting this case.
- U.S. v. Brunfman
Kimber Brunfman, 26, of East Brunswick, New Jersey, was arrested on May 2, after being charged by a grand jury with distribution of fentanyl resulting in death. The indictment alleges that Brunfman, in the days after Thanksgiving 2022, distributed fentanyl that resulted in the death of a 26-year-old Thousand Oaks man. The investigation in this case revealed that Brunfman allegedly mailed the fentanyl from Philadelphia to the victim in California. Brunfman was ordered detained in New Jersey, and he is expected to be arraigned in Los Angeles in the coming weeks. The DEA and the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office are investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Laura A. Alexander of the General Crimes Section is prosecuting this case.
- U.S. v. Villegas
Joshua Villegas, 25, of Torrance, was arrested April 21 pursuant to a federal grand jury indictment charging him with one count of distribution of fentanyl resulting in death. On May 30, 2020, Villegas allegedly distributed fentanyl, which resulted in the death of a person who lived in the same apartment complex. The investigation revealed that Villegas used Instagram to negotiate the drug deal. Following the arrest, a United States magistrate judge ordered Villegas jailed without bond. A jury trial in this matter is scheduled for June 13. The DEA and the Torrance Police Department are investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Declan T. Conroy of the General Crimes Section is prosecuting this case.
- U.S. v. Campos
Edgar Arturo Campos, 27, of Coachella, was arrested March 13 on a federal grand jury indictment charging him with one count of distribution of fentanyl and cocaine resulting in death. On December 12, 2020, Campos allegedly sold cocaine and fentanyl to the 23-year-old victim, who ingested the drugs the next morning. The victim’s parents found her body in her bedroom in La Quinta. Evidence shows the victim and Campos allegedly negotiated a drug deal in the hours prior to her death. Campos is free on $35,000 bond. His trial is scheduled to start on August 15 in United States District Court in Riverside. The DEA and Riverside County Sheriff’s Department are investigating this matter. Special Assistant United States Attorney Stephen T. Merrill of the Riverside Branch Office is prosecuting this case.
- U.S. v. Maya
Sergio Maya, 32, of Lake Elsinore, was indicted on March 29 and charged with one count of distribution of fluorofentanyl and fentanyl resulting in death. During the early morning hours May 26, 2022, the victim allegedly met with Maya to purchase fentanyl. The victim’s body was discovered by his roommate, who notified law enforcement. Toxicology tests indicated the presence of fentanyl and fluorofentanyl – a fentanyl analogue chemically similar to fentanyl – in the victim’s body. Maya is currently in state custody for an unrelated state criminal case. He will make his initial appearance in United States District Court in Riverside at the conclusion of the state criminal case. The DEA and the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department are investigating this matter. Special Assistant United States Attorney Stephen T. Merrill of the Riverside Branch Office is prosecuting this case.
- U.S. v. Varvara
John Nicholas Varvara, 31, of Mission Viejo, was arrested March 1 pursuant to a grand jury indictment that accuses him of distributing fentanyl resulting in death. The charge stems from a December 5, 2021 sale to a 27-year-old man who died at his father’s Huntington Beach residence two days later. A trial in this matter is scheduled for March 24, 2024. This matter is being investigated by the DEA and the Huntington Beach Police Department. Special Assistant United States Attorney Nikki Elkerton of the Santa Ana Branch Office is prosecuting this case.
In relation to the pending cases noted above, indictments contain allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Joint Criminal Opioid and Darknet Enforcement (JCODE) Team
The final case being announced is the product of an investigation by the FBI under auspices of the FBI-led JCODE team, which the Justice Department established to lead and coordinate government efforts to detect, disrupt and dismantle major criminal enterprises reliant on the darknet for trafficking opioids and other illicit narcotics.
- U.S. v. Srinivasan
Rajiv Srinivasan, 37, of Houston, has agreed to plead guilty to distribution of fentanyl resulting in death and conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute controlled substances, acknowledging that his drug trafficking activities caused at least three deaths.
In a plea agreement filed April 20, Srinivasan operated the account “redlightlabs” on multiple marketplaces on the dark web, where he advertised and sold fake oxycodone pills containing fentanyl. In addition to operating under the greater anonymity offered on the dark web, Srinivasan further admitted he tried to evade law enforcement by using encrypted messaging applications and asked for payment to be made in cryptocurrency.
Srinivasan admitted in the plea agreement that over approximately nine months in 2022, he and his co-defendant “engaged in at least 3,800 drug transactions with approximately 1,500 customers across the country, selling at least 123,688 pills resembling M30 pills which in fact contained fentanyl,” in addition to approximately 20 pounds of methamphetamine and lesser quantities of fentanyl powder, black tar heroin, and cocaine.
Srinivasa admitted that the drug sales in 2022 directly led to fatal overdoses of three individuals who resided in Fort Collins, Colorado; The Villages, Florida; and Fayetteville, Arkansas. In the plea agreement, Srinivasan further admitted he and his co-defendant distributed fake pills to two other individuals – one in Livonia, Michigan; the other in Santa Cruz – “who died of drug overdoses shortly after receiving the fentanyl-laced pills.”
Srinivasan is scheduled to formally plead guilty on June 5 in United States District Court in Los Angeles. Following the entry of his guilty pleas to the two charges, Srinivasan will face a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in federal prison and a potential sentence of life without parole.
The second defendant charged by a federal grand jury in this case – Michael Ta, 24, of Westminster – is currently scheduled to go on trial on November 14.
Assistant United States Attorney Gregg E. Marmaro of the International Narcotics, Money Laundering, and Racketeering Section is prosecuting this case.
12 KC-Area Residents Indicted for $250,000 Covid Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A dozen Kansas City metropolitan residents have been indicted for their roles in a conspiracy that resulted in nearly $250,000 in fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans being issued under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
Renetta Golden-Larimore, 54, Don A. Baker, 47, Stephan Booth, 40, Candace E. Hill-Williams, 25, Reisjon Larimore, 25, Teiara M. Mercer, 23, Padgit L. Smith, 48, Joseph Valdivia III, 45, Salvadore Valdivia, 41, and Mone’y C. Woods, 21, all of Kansas City, Mo.; Cameron P. Henderson, 27, of Independence, Mo.; and Roger Larimore, 27, of Raytown, Mo., were charged in a 13-count indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo., on April 26, 2023. The indictment was unsealed and made public today upon the arrests and initial court appearances of several defendants.
According to the indictment, Golden-Larimore prepared and filed fraudulent PPP loan applications on behalf of the other co-conspirators. She allegedly received payments between $2,000 and $7,000 from the loan proceeds for her assistance in filing false and fraudulent PPP loan applications. Golden-Larimore created counterfeit IRS forms for nonexistent businesses, the indictment says, and inflated income for existing businesses in order to qualify the borrower for a PPP loan.
Each of the defendants received a PPP loan of either $20,832 or $20,833.
In addition to the conspiracy, Golden-Larimore is charged with 12 counts of wire fraud. Each of the remaining defendants are also charged with aiding and abetting her in one of those wire fraud counts for the fraudulent loan they received.
The indictment also contains a forfeiture allegation, which would require each of the defendants to forfeit to the government any property obtained from the proceeds of the alleged offenses, including a money judgment of $20,832 for each defendant.
In a separate case that arose from the federal investigation, Theresa R. Griswold, 42, of Olathe, Kansas, has pleaded guilty to wire fraud after obtaining a fraudulent PPP loan during this conspiracy. Griswold admitted she received a fraudulent $20,832 PPP loan.
The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul S. Becker. It was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation and the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.
8 May 2023
Wellesley Man Sentenced to More Than Four Years in Prison for Fentanyl, Heroin and Cocaine TraffickingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Wellesley man was sentenced in federal court in Boston for trafficking fentanyl, heroin and cocaine.
Charialdi Tejeda-Lara, 25, was sentenced on May 4, 2023, by U.S. District Court Judge Judge Leo T. Sorokin to 54 months in prison and five years of supervised release. In November 2022, Tejeda-Lara pleaded guilty to three counts of possession with the intent to distribute cocaine, 400 or more grams of fentanyl and 100 or more grams of heroin.In May 2022, law enforcement opened an investigation into Tejeda-Lara’s distribution of fentanyl. During a search of his residence, approximately 5 kilograms of fentanyl, 327 grams of heroin and 46 grams of cocaine was seized.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Michael J. Krol, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; John E. Mawn, Colonel Massachusetts State Police; and Wellesley Police Chief Jack Pilecki made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan D. O’Shea of Rollins’ Worcester Branch Office prosecuted the case.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
United States Attorney Statement on Death of St. Croix County Deputy Kaitie LeisingRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – “My entire office and I join with all Wisconsinites in expressing our deepest sympathy to the family, friends, and law enforcement colleagues of St. Croix County Deputy Kaitie Leising,” said Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin. “Deputy Leising gave her life to protect and serve the people of St. Croix County. Her sacrifice will not be forgotten.”
“This tragic loss comes just four weeks after we mourned the deaths of Chetek Police Officer Emily Breidenbach and Cameron Police Officer Hunter Scheel,” U.S. Attorney O’Shea said. “Every day, law enforcement officers throughout Wisconsin selflessly answer the call to service, knowing that at any moment they may be in harm’s way. They deserve our respect, our gratitude, and our support.”
The death of Deputy Leising has occurred at the beginning of National Police Week, a series of remembrances and events from May 9 through May 15. Attorney General Merrick Garland and leaders of federal law enforcement agencies will lay wreaths at the National Law Enforcement Memorial in Washington, D.C. There will be a candlelight vigil at the Memorial on Saturday, May 13, and the National Peace Officers’ Memorial Service will take place on Monday, May 15. The annual Wisconsin Law Enforcement Memorial Ceremony will take place at the Wisconsin Law Enforcement Memorial on the State Capitol Grounds on Friday, May 19, 2023.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Joins National Prevention Week Celebrations Across the Country, May 7-13Read the Press Release
Salt Lake City, Utah – Today, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah joins communities across the country in celebrating the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Prevention Week 2023. The goal of this annual recognition is to increase public awareness and action around mental and substance misuse disorders.
Focusing on reducing recidivism, U.S. Attorney Trina A. Higgins is focused on making Utah communities safer by focusing on prevention efforts within the district’s reentry courts. Within the District of Utah there are five specialty courts, Drug Court, Behavioral Health Court, Tribal Court (TCRC), Alternative Conviction (UACT), and Veterans Court. Reentry is the transition period when a person is under supervision following release from incarceration and placed back into the community. During this transition, a probation officer is assigned to supervise, monitor, and develop a plan that addresses the clients’ needs and satisfies the conditions of their release.
Charlie Wiscaver, a recent graduate of Veterans Court, shares his story after he was indicted by a federal grand jury and prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for financial fraud in 2020.
“I believe it changed my life around 100 percent,” said Wiscaver. “VA Court was so centralized and individualized I was able to address everything that was getting to me along with my substance abuse.”
Watch Wiscaver’s full story here: https://youtu.be/TGulNkbtVTg
Each year, SAMHSA’s National Prevention Week showcases the work of communities and organizations across the country dedicated to raising awareness about the importance of substance misuse prevention and positive mental health. For more information about SAMHSA, visit https://www.samhsa.gov/prevention-week.
U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania Recognizes the Second Annual National Fentanyl Awareness DayRead the Press Release
SCRANTON – The safety and wellbeing of our community is always of utmost importance, which is why the U.S. Attorney’s Office is publicizing the second annual National Fentanyl Awareness Day on Tuesday, May 9, 2023. This day is an effort to educate individuals around the dangerous threat that fentanyl poses to the safety of our communities.
United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam is raising public awareness about an urgent problem: people are dying at alarming rates due to illicitly manufactured fentanyl, a potent synthetic opioid that is up to 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, over 150 people die every day from overdoses related to synthetic opioids like fentanyl.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is working every day to shut down drug traffickers and remove these drugs from our communities. Most recently, our office prosecuted Tarik Wilson, age 24, of Bensalem, PA, who was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for conspiring to distribute fentanyl in Burks and Lebanon Counties, and for distributing fentanyl that resulted in the deaths of two individuals.
The Middle District also recently prosecuted brothers Jose Raymer Tejeda, age 38, and Edwin Tejeda, age 32, both of Wilkes-Barre, PA, who were sentenced to 188 months of imprisonment each, for running a drug trafficking conspiracy that distributed significant quantities of fentanyl and cocaine in the Wilkes-Barre region. One of the brother’s coconspirators distributed fentanyl to an individual who subsequently sold it to an individual who shortly after ingesting the fentanyl, overdosed, and died.
To mark National Fentanyl Awareness Day, a coalition of businesses, nonprofits and experts came together to create a series of one-hour virtual webinars with issue-area experts that will speak on an array of topics related to the illicit fentanyl crisis. All sessions are free of charge and open to the public. The series will include:
- What Parents Need to Know About Fentanyl Poisonings and Overdoses Time: 12-1p ET
- Fentanyl in Party Drugs: Harm Reduction Strategies Time: 1:30-2:30p ET
- The Illicit Fentanyl Crisis: Different Paths to Common Ground Time: 3-4p ET
- How Fentanyl Really Shows Up in Our Communities Time: 4:30-5:30p ET
- Predictable Patterns of Drug Overdose Deaths: Does Fentanyl Follow the Rules? Time: 6-7p ET
If you if you or someone you know is struggling with addiction there is help. Please contact the National Rehab Hotline at 1-866-210-1303 that is available around the clock, 365 days a year to help you through a substance abuse or mental health crisis.
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Three Men Indicted for Conspiracy Involving Fentanyl, Fentanyl Analogs and CocaineRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Three Essex County men have been indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston in connection with a drug conspiracy involving distribution of fentanyl, fentanyl analog and cocaine.
Daniel Lopez-Gonzalez, 27, of Methuen; Erickson Castro Perez, 30, of Lawrence; and Gustavo Adolfo Reyes Gonzalez, 21, of Haverhill, have been indicted on one count each of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. Castro Perez was also indicted on three additional counts: one count of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute para-fluorofentanyl; one count of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine; and one count of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
Reyes Gonzalez was arrested on May 4, 2023 and was released on conditions following an initial appearance in federal court in Worcester that day. Lopez-Gonzalez was arrested on state charges on Jan. 23, 2023 and remains in state custody. Castro Perez is in state custody on an unrelated matter. Lopez-Gonzalez and Castro Perez will appear in federal court in Worcester at a later date.
According to the charging document, between June 2022 and January 2023, Lopez-Gonzalez, Castro Perez and Reyes Gonzalez conspired to distribute controlled substances. Lopez-Gonzalez is allegedly responsible for distributing 400 grams of more of fentanyl and 100 grams or more of substances that are chemically analogous to fentanyl known as acetyl fentanyl and para-fluorofentanyl. It is further alleged that, on June 30, 2022, Castro Perez distributed para-fluorofentanyl in Haverhill; that on July 20, 2022, Castro Perez distributed fentanyl and cocaine in Haverhill; and that on Aug. 25, 2022, Castro Perez distributed fentanyl in Haverhill.
The charges of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, distribution of and possession with intent to distribute para-fluorofentanyl, distribution of and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine, and distribution of and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $1 million. The charge of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, 100 grams or more of acetyl fentanyl, and 100 Grams or more of para-fluorofentanyl provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $10 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins and Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Samuel R. Feldman of Rollins’ Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in the District of New Hampshire Receives a Superior Performance Award in WashingtonRead the Press Release
CONCORD – Philip A. DeVincent, the Administrative Officer at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, was honored in Washington D.C. with a Director’s Award for his service to the District of New Hampshire, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces.
“Phil DeVincent was the standard-bearer for office administration during an unprecedented period in our nation,” said U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young. “His leadership skills and creative thinking ensured that the daily operations of the office continued during the pandemic, so that the people of the District of New Hampshire had the highest level of performance and response from the United States Attorney’s Office.”
Mr. DeVincent received the Superior Performance in Administration award for his exceptional leadership in managing staff and for providing excellent customer service through the COVID-19 pandemic. Mr. DeVincent enabled the U.S. Attorney’s Office to continue to function at the highest level during the pandemic. Among other efforts, Mr. DeVincent facilitated remote work to keep federal prosecutors and support staff healthy and developed a system to test out-of-state witnesses for COVID before their court appearances. Mr. DeVincent’s administrative skills served as a model for all federal employees.
The ceremony took place on Wednesday, May 3, 2023, in the Great Hall of the U.S. Department of Justice, and was attended by the Attorney General Merrick Garland, Deputy Attorney General Lisa M. Monaco, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young, and other U.S. Attorneys from across the country.
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Stoughton Man Pleads Guilty to Social Security and Passport FraudRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Stoughton man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to charges in connection with using the identifying information of another person to apply for a driver’s license and United States passport.
Wilfrido Baez Villar, 49, pleaded guilty to one count of false representation of a Social Security number and one count of making a false statement in an application for a passport. U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young scheduled sentencing for Sept. 12, 2023.
In January 2019, Baez Villar falsely represented another individual’s Social Security number as his own on a renewal application for a Massachusetts driver’s license. Additionally, in December 2019, Baez Villar used the victim’s name, date of birth and Social Security number on an application for a U.S. passport.
The charge of false representation of a Social Security number provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. The charge of making a false statement in an application for a passport provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Sharon B. MacDermott, Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, Boston Field Office; Michael J. Krol, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; and Philip M. Coyne, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Office of the Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Boston Regional Office, made the announcement. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney James J. Nagelberg and Assistant U.S. Attorney Mackenzie A. Queenin of Rollins’ Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
St. Petersburg Man Indicted for Possessing A Controlled Substance with Intent to Distribute and Possessing A Firearm as A Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL - United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Jason Washington (42, St. Petersburg) with three counts of distribution of a controlled substance, one count of possession of a controlled substance with the intent to distribute it, and one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. If convicted, Washington faces up to 20 years in federal prison on each of the controlled substance charges and up to 15 years on the firearm charge.
According to court documents, on several dates throughout February and March 2023, Washington sold cocaine to a confidential informant working with law enforcement. On April 13, 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant at the residence where the sales had taken place and found six firearms in the room in which Washington was located, including an AR-15 type semiautomatic pistol and an AK-47 type semi-automatic pistol. The indictment further alleges that Washington has prior felony convictions.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the St. Petersburg Police Department. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Samantha Newman.
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.
Springfield, Massachusetts Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont – The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont stated that Zahir Allah, 42, of Springfield, Massachusetts was sentenced today to serve 34 months in prison after he pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, specifically cocaine, cocaine base and fentanyl. United States District Judge Christina Reiss ordered that after Mr. Allah’s release from custody, he must serve a 3-year term of supervised release.
According to court records, law enforcement began investigating Zahir Allah in early 2022. In May of 2022, inside of an apartment in Winooski, Vermont, Mr. Allah sold heroin to a confidential informant. On June 23, 2022, investigators executed a search warrant on the Winooski apartment. When police tried to open the front door of the apartment, they were unable to do so because Mr. Allah leaned against the door from the inside to keep it closed. After law enforcement finally made entry, they found Zahir Allah in the apartment and placed him under arrest. Investigators searched Mr. Allah and found a distinct blue bundle of fentanyl on his person. They then searched the apartment and found packages of glassines of fentanyl, matching the distinctive blue color packaging of the drugs found on Mr. Allah’s person, inside of a dresser drawer. From inside of a backpack within that same dresser, law enforcement found approximately 190 grams of cocaine base and approximately 301 grams of cocaine. In total, 999 glassines containing fentanyl weighing more than 20 grams were found in the apartment.
United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest commended the investigatory efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Vermont State Police, South Burlington Police Department, and Winooski Police Department.
Assistant United States Attorney Zachary B. Stendig handled the prosecution. Assistant Federal Public Defender Sara Puls, Esq. represented Zahir Allah.
Sixteen Individuals Sentenced in Operation “Titan Fall”Read the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Roy B. Dalton has sentenced sixteen individuals for their respective roles in a multi-kilogram cocaine and fentanyl distribution operation dubbed “Operation Titan Fall.” Each of the defendants charged in the case pleaded guilty and were sentenced on the dates set forth below:
Name
Drugs, Drug Quantities, Other Charges
Date of Plea
Sentencing Date
Sentence Imposed
Alexander Acosta-Zapata
5 kilograms cocaine; 400 grams fentanyl
12/13/22
4/10/23
16 years
Frank Cadiz
5 kilograms cocaine
12/14/22
3/20/23
10 years, 1 month
Adal Antonio Navas-Feliciano
400 grams fentanyl
1/18/23
4/10/23
15 years
Jonathan Andres Marte-Rodriguez
5 kilograms cocaine
2/8/23
5/8/23
10 years
Juan Felipe Sanchez
40 grams fentanyl
2/7/22
4/24/23
4 years, 3 months
Nimesh Rashmikant Patel
500 grams cocaine
2/9/23
5/1/23
4 years, 6 months
Joseph Juan Torres-Torres
500 grams cocaine
9/7/22
12/21/22
5 years
Gabriel Isaac Irizarry-Aponte
500 grams cocaine
2/10/23
5/1/23
2 years
Jacob Nelson
500 grams cocaine
1/25/23
4/17/23
7 years
Carlos Alberto Roman
cocaine, firearm w/silencer possessed in furtherance of drug offense
12/6/22
3/14/23
40 years
James Richard Howell
cocaine, fentanyl
12/5/22
3/14/23
4 years, 9 months
Joely Manuel Burgos
40 grams fentanyl
12/28/22
3/13/23
4 years, 3 months
Kenneth Angel Vera
cocaine
12/6/22
3/14/23
2 years, 3 months
James Mirabal
5 kilograms cocaine
12/27/23
3/20/23
15 years
Jonathan Beharry
5 kilograms cocaine
11/29/22
2/13/23
9 years
Vilnarie Figueroa-Matos
5 kilograms cocaine
1/30/23
4/17/23
1 year, 6 months
According to the plea agreements and other court documents, during the course of this investigation, the DEA seized approximately 110 kilograms of cocaine and multiple kilograms of fentanyl through the mail, traffic stops, and search warrants. A search warrant executed on Carlos Alberto Roman’s home on August 9, 2022, yielded 19 firearms, 6 silencers, 3 flash-bang grenades, and thousands of rounds of ammunition. Mirabal and his conspirators were linked to a seizure of 50 kilograms of cocaine in April 2022, and the seizure of 20 kilograms of cocaine seized in Beharry’s apartment in the Baldwin Park area in October 2022.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Secret Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Florida Highway Patrol, the Winter Garden Police Department, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, the Kissimmee Police Department, the Winter Park Police Department, the Clermont Police Department, the Orlando Police Department, the Apopka Police Department, the Ocoee Police Department, the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office, and the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dana E. Hill.
Operation Titan Fall is a multi-agency Organize Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCEDTF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
San Bernardino County Woman Sentenced to 40 Years in Prison for Making Child Sexual Abuse Material of Children, Including an InfantRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A San Bernardino County woman was sentenced today to 480 months in federal prison for committing child sexual abuse material crimes, including that she obtained custody of an infant for the purpose of producing sexually explicit videos.
Stefani Kasey Marie Stevens, 31, of Yucaipa, was sentenced by United States District Judge Virginia A. Phillips, who scheduled a restitution hearing for July 31 in this case. Stevens will be placed on supervised release for the rest of her life upon her release from prison.
After a four-day bench trial, Judge Phillips in November 2022 found Stevens guilty of one count of obtaining custody of a minor with intent to produce child pornography, six counts of production of child pornography, one count of distribution of child pornography, and one count of possession of child pornography.
From August 2019 to November 2019, law enforcement received information that two Kik online messaging application accounts later found to be associated with Stevens uploaded child sexual abuse material. Law enforcement also determined that a Google account associated with Stevens had uploaded seven sexually explicit images of the same victim, who was under the age of 12.
In November 2019, federal agents executed a search warrant at Stevens’ home. During subsequent interviews, Stevens admitted to making sexually explicit videos of herself performing oral sex on the infant victim and that she took eight to 10 nude photographs with a second victim under the age of 12.
Following the interviews, law enforcement accessed Stevens’ online accounts and learned that, the day before creating the sexually explicit videos of the infant in May 2019, Stevens and a like-minded user had online discussions about how Stevens was excited to take custody of the infant the next day so that she could create videos of herself engaging in sexual activity with the victim.
Law enforcement also learned that, in addition to the sexually explicit videos of the infant created in May 2019, Stevens took sexually explicit photographs of the infant in June 2019 and of a second victim under the age of 12 in October and November 2018, all of which she stored in an online account, along with hundreds of other child pornography images and videos.
“This defendant has been punished for acting out her vile sexual fantasies on two children – one of them an infant,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. “Sexual exploitation of children is intolerable, and my office will aggressively prosecute these horrific crimes. Today’s significant sentence is yet another example of my office’s determination to hold accountable those criminals whose abhorrent conduct causes immeasurable trauma upon those who are among the most vulnerable people in our district.”
“Individuals that victimize innocent children will be aggressively pursued and held accountable for the heinous offenses they commit,” said Eddy Wang, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Los Angeles Acting Special Agent in Charge. “This case and its prosecution should send a clear message, if you come after children, HSI and our partners will come after you.”
“The San Bernardino Sheriff's Department appreciates the work of all the investigators and prosecuting attorneys who worked on behalf of the victims to obtain justice,” said the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department in a statement. “Anyone who suspects a child is being victimized is urged to contact their local law enforcement agency or child protective services.”
Homeland Security Investigations and the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department investigated this matter.
Special Assistant United States Attorney Robert S. Trisotto of the District of Oregon and Assistant United States Attorney Sonah Lee of the Riverside Branch Office prosecuted this case.
Roanoke-Area Heroin and Fentanyl Dealer Sentenced to 10 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
ROANOKE, Va. – A Roanoke-area heroin dealer, whose product contained fentanyl, was sentenced last week to 126 months in federal prison.
Norman Wayne Harrison, 34, pleaded guilty in February 2023 to one count of distributing heroin and one count of distributing 40 grams or more of fentanyl for conduct that occurred in 2020.
According to court documents, on December 1, 2020, Harrison sold a confidential informant 58.74 grams of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl. On December 18, 2020, using a female companion, Harrison sold 3.622 grams of heroin to a different informant. During their investigation, law enforcement ultimately obtained over 250 combined grams of heroin and fentanyl from Harrison.
As a result of these controlled purchases, law enforcement obtained a search warrant for an apartment in Roanoke that was connected to Harrison. On January 29, 2021, they seized four firearms and approximately $55,000 in U.S. Currency. Law enforcement also seized two vehicles belonging to Harrison that were used to facilitate his drug trafficking.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Virginia State Police, and members of the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force (HIDTA), including the Roanoke City, Roanoke County, and Salem Police Departments participated in 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.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Coleman Adams prosecuted the case.
Recidivist Felon Sentenced for Illegal Reentry into the United StatesRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Hermelindo Velazquez-Rivera, 45, of Sonora, Mexico, was sentenced on April 18, 2023, by United States District Judge Raner C. Collins to a total of 90 months in prison. Velasquez-Rivera pleaded guilty to Reentry of a Removed Alien and admitted to violating conditions of supervised release.
In May 2022, Velazquez-Rivera illegally returned to the United States while on a term of supervised release, less than three months after he was deported. Velazquez-Rivera had been deported following a prior illegal reentry conviction. His criminal history includes two prior federal convictions for alien smuggling (one that resulted in a crash, and another that involved erratic driving), and a state felony conviction in North Carolina for a fatality he caused while driving under the influence. Velazquez-Rivera was apprehended by a Border Patrol agent near the border in southern Arizona.
Customs and Border Protection’s United States Border Patrol conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBERS: 22-CR-01352-RCC-MSA
22-CR-50092-RCC-MSA
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-065_Velazquez-Rivera# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Puyallup, Washington, wound treatment firm settles allegations it submitted false bills to government health care programsRead the Press Release
Seattle – The U.S. Department of Justice, the Washington State Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Division, and United Wound Healing P.S., today resolved allegations that United Wound Healing (UWH) of Puyallup, Washington, had improperly billed Medicare and Medicaid for services provided in nursing homes and care facilities in Washington, Oregon, Utah, and Idaho. UWH will pay $292,132 to resolve the matter. The company is settling the matter but admits no wrongdoing.
UWH partners with long-term care facilities, including skilled nursing facilities, assisted living facilities, and adult family homes, to provide wound care to patients residing in those facilities. UWH providers travel to the partner facilities, where they conduct rounds to identify and treat patients with wounds, including wounds caused by pressure, dermatitis, vascular disease, diabetes, and surgery.
Between 2015 and 2022 UWH allegedly submitted false claims to the Medicare and Medicaid programs for evaluation and management (E&M) services. Medicare generally prohibits healthcare providers from separately billing for E&M services provided on the same day as another medical procedure, unless the E&M services are significant, separately identifiable, and above and beyond the usual pre- and post-operative care associated with the medical procedure.
The settlement resolves allegations in a lawsuit filed in the Western District of Washington by Dena Walker, a former employee of UWH. The lawsuit was filed under the qui tam, or whistleblower, provisions of the False Claims Act, which permit private individuals to sue on behalf of the government for false claims and to share in any recovery Ms. Walker will receive approximately $58,426 as part of the resolution.
“Providers have a responsibility to submit accurate claims to Medicare and Medicaid that are driven by patient needs,” said Steven J. Ryan, Special Agent in Charge at the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “As this case demonstrates, HHS-OIG is committed to investigating those who threaten the integrity of federal health care programs and recovering valuable taxpayer dollars so they can be used for their intended purposes.”
Of the settlement amount, $273,711 will go to the federal government and $18,420 will go to the state of Washington. Of those amounts, $130,136 is restitution to federal healthcare programs, and $15,929 is restitution to the state. The False Claims Act allows for increased damages to discourage improper billing to federal programs.
The matter was investigated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG).
This resolution was negotiated by Assistant United States Attorney Ashley Burns. Senior Counsel Carrie L. Bashaw handled the matter for the Washington State Attorney General’s Office.
Piatt County Farmer Pleads Guilty to Bank FraudRead the Press Release
URBANA, Ill. – A Piatt County man, James R. R. Williams, 63, of rural Cisco, Illinois, pleaded guilty to four counts of bank fraud on May 2, 2023. Sentencing for Williams has been scheduled for September 7, 2023, at the U.S. Courthouse in Springfield, Illinois.
In court before U.S. District Judge Collen R. Lawless, Williams admitted that for the 2016 growing season he obtained a loan of approximately $4.6 million from First Security Bank and Gifford State Bank on behalf of his farming operation, RJW Williams Farms, Inc. The loans were collateralized by Williams’s assets, including grain. Williams acknowledged under oath that, beginning in October 2016, he defrauded both banks by concealing his grain sales from the banks by instructing employees of Archer Daniels Midland grain elevators in Niantic and Weldon, Illinois, to issue four checks to another individual, which were then deposited into an account held jointly by Williams and that individual and then used by Williams for his own benefit. The government alleges that between October 20, 2014, and February 1, 2017, Williams caused ADM to issue approximately twenty-two checks totaling $540,505.35 in the name of his son for grain that was actually sold by Williams and was collateral for Williams’s outstanding loan.
Williams was released on bond pending sentencing.
For each of the four counts of bank fraud, Williams faces statutory penalties of a maximum twenty-year term of imprisonment, a maximum $1 million fine, and a maximum five-year term of supervised release.
The case investigation was conducted by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation -- Office of Inspector General. Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Eugene L. Miller is currently representing the government in the prosecution.
Phoenix Man Sentenced to 48 Months in Prison After Assaulting Federal OfficerRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. –Brandon Hall, 33, of Phoenix, Arizona, was sentenced last week by United States District Judge Jennifer G. Zipps to 48 months in custody, followed by three years of supervised release. Hall was convicted of Assaulting a Federal Officer with a Deadly Weapon.
On July 8, 2022, United States Border Patrol agents received information that seven suspected undocumented non-citizens had entered a silver 2011 Ford Edge near Naco, Arizona. Agents responded to the area and located the vehicle suspected of transporting the group. After initially yielding to law enforcement, Hall, who was driving the Ford Edge, sped up and drove directly at a Border Patrol agent approaching on foot. Hall narrowly missed hitting the agent, as the agent had leapt onto his service vehicle’s hood. Hall then proceeded to drive at nearly 90 miles per hour on State Route 92, passing vehicles on the shoulder, driving through a stop sign, and barely avoiding colliding with other vehicles on the road. Border Patrol agents later found Hall and arrested him, along with his co-defendant, Martina Vega, who was riding in the vehicle’s front seat.
Vega, Hall’s co-defendant, pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Transport Illegal Aliens for Profit While Placing in Jeopardy the Life of Another Person. Judge Zipps sentenced Vega on February 8, 2023, to 15 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release.
Customs and Border Protection’s United States Border Patrol conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: 22-CR-01695-JGZ-BGM
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-067_Hall# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Operation Smoke and Mirrors Update: Charleston Woman Pleads Guilty to Role in Methamphetamine Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Telisa Rene McCauley, 31, of Charleston, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, admitting to a role in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that operated in the Charleston area.
According to court documents and statements made in court, McCauley admitted to conspiring with a co-defendant to obtain methamphetamine on or about February 4, 2023. McCauley attempted to obtain methamphetamine from her co-defendant prior to that date, but was told that the co-defendant was out of methamphetamine. The co-defendant then offered McCauley a discount if she would travel to obtain the methamphetamine on the co-defendant’s behalf. McCauley agreed, traveled to the designated located, and obtained the methamphetamine. Law enforcement officers conducted a traffic stop of McCauley’s vehicle as she traveled back to the Charleston area, searched her car, and recovered approximately 7 pounds of methamphetamine in the back seat.
McCauley is scheduled to be sentenced on August 23, 2023, and faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison, five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a $10 million fine.
McCauley is among 30 individuals indicted as a result of Operation Smoke and Mirrors, a major drug trafficking investigation that has yielded the largest methamphetamine seizure in West Virginia history. Law enforcement seized well over 200 pounds of methamphetamine as well as 28 pounds of cocaine, 20 pounds of fentanyl, 18 firearms and $747,000 in cash.
Six other co-defendants have pleaded guilty. Indictments against the other defendants are pending. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), the West Virginia State Police, the West Virginia National Guard Counter Drug program, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Charleston Police Department, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office and the Raleigh County Sheriff's Office. MDENT is composed of the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Nitro Police Department, the St. Albans Police Department and the South Charleston Police Department.
Chief United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe is prosecuting the case.
The investigation was part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The program was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and is the keystone of the Department of Justice’s drug reduction strategy. OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-31.
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North Carolina Man Arrested, Charged with Threatening to Carry Out Shootings at A Church and Grocery Store, and to Attack A FamilyRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced that Daniel Parson, 33, of Charlotte, NC, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with making threats in or affecting interstate commerce. The charge carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel L. Violanti, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, in the early morning hours of May 3, 2023, an individual, later identified as Parson, called the Buffalo Police Department A-District, and stated that he was going to “shoot up” a “fellowship church” on May 7, 2023. Parson also stated that “they knew who he was, and they had it coming.” Later that morning, at approximately 7:50 a.m., Parson called the Buffalo Police Department D-District and stated that he was going to “slaughter” a specific family located in Buffalo at 2:30 p.m. And shortly before 9:00 a.m., Parson called the Buffalo Police Department C-District and stated that he would conduct a mass shooting at an unspecified Tops grocery store.
Parson was arrested in Las Vegas, Nevada and ordered held following a detention hearing in Federal Court in the District of Nevada. He will be returned to the Western District of New York at a later date.
The complaint is the result of an investigation by the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Nine Indicted in Multi-State Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging nine individuals with a drug trafficking conspiracy and other charges as a result of a joint investigation dubbed “Operation Ice Man.” According to the indictment and court documents, since early 2022, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office, the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office, the DeLand Police Department, and the Daytona Police Department have been involved in an investigation into a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that was transporting methamphetamine and cocaine from Phoenix, Arizona and Los Angeles, California to central Florida.
See chart below for details on the defendants and charges. One additional defendant remains unnamed pending their arrest.
Name
Crimes
Potential Penalties
Luis Miguel Hernandez (36, Phoenix, AZ)
Drug trafficking conspiracy
Mandatory minimum of 10 years up to life in prison
Saul Sandoval
(39, Phoenix, AZ)
Drug trafficking conspiracy
Mandatory minimum of 10 years up to life in prison
Tyrone James Jones
(55, Palm Coast, FL)
Drug trafficking conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute
Mandatory minimum of 10 years up to life in prison
Zara Adriana Mascarella (20, Palm Coast, FL)
Drug trafficking conspiracy
Mandatory minimum of 10 years up to life in prison
Jimmie Lee Bizzell
(53, Green Cove Springs, FL)
Drug trafficking conspiracy
Mandatory minimum of 10 years up to life in prison
Alfred Lamar Shavers
(48, Bunnell, FL)
Drug trafficking conspiracy and possession of firearms by a convicted felon
Maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and mandatory minimum of 15 years up to life in prison
Camarie Dontre Shavers (23, Bunnell, FL)
Drug trafficking conspiracy
Mandatory minimum of 5 years up to 40 years in prison
Alfred Lamar Shavers, Jr.
(26, Bunnell, FL)
Drug trafficking conspiracy
Mandatory minimum of 5 years up to 40 years in prison
During the investigation, federal agents and task force officers identified several members of the conspiracy and the methods used by the DTO to ship methamphetamine and cocaine from Mexico across the United States to central Florida using commercial trucks. Law enforcement tracked the drugs from Phoenix and Los Angeles gathering vital intelligence on the DTO. Bizzell was one of the commercial truck drivers who transported the drugs from Phoenix to Florida.
On October 31, 2022, search warrants were executed at six locations in Palm Coast, Bunnell, and Daytona Beach. As a result, 44.54 kilograms of methamphetamine and 2.72 kilograms of cocaine were seized. In addition, nine guns and hundreds of rounds of ammunition were seized from a location where Alfred Shavers resided. Jones, Mascarella, Alfred Shavers, Alfred Shavers, Jr., and Camarie Shavers, were all identified as drug distributers in central Florida.
Upon further investigation, law enforcement determined that Sandoval and Hernandez were the sources of the methamphetamine and cocaine from Phoenix and Los Angeles. Agents learned that Sandoval and Hernandez had brokered deals with co-conspirators in Mexico who were sending drugs across the border for Sandoval and Hernandez to sell. Law enforcement also discovered that Sandoval possessed multiple illegal firearms at his residence including fully automatic firearms, short-barrel firearms, and auto switches designed to be installed on Glock handgun slides to render the handguns fully automatic. Authorities believe that since 2021, Sandoval and Hernandez distributed more than 300 kilograms of drugs that were shipped to central Florida.
On April 25, 2023, Sandoval was arrested in Phoenix and a search warrant was executed at his residence. Inside his home, agents located 1,114 grams of fentanyl pills, 18 firearms, 4 firearm suppressors, and more than $5,000 in cash. Sandoval was detained and is currently in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transport to the Middle District of Florida for further proceedings. Hernandez was arrested in Los Angeles on the same day. He was in the middle of conducting a new drug trafficking deal for approximately 36 kilograms of methamphetamine at the time of his arrest. Hernandez was also detained and placed in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending his transport to the Middle District of Florida.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
The indictment also notifies Alfred Lamar Shavers that the United States intends to forfeit four pistols, two rifles, and one shotgun which are alleged to be traceable to the offense.
This case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office, and the Volusia Bureau of Investigation which includes the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office, the Daytona Beach Police Department, and the DeLand Police Department. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney AUSA John M. Gardella.
Download Superseding IndictmentNigerian Man Sentenced for Online Fraud SchemesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Nigerian man has been sentenced in federal court in Boston for his role in online fraud schemes.
Happy Chukwuma, 30, was sentenced on May 5, 2023 by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Douglas P. Woodlock to eight months in prison (time served). On April 10, 2023, Chukwuma pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud conspiracy. Chukwuma was indicted by a federal grand jury in August 2019. He was arrested and detained in the United Kingdom in September 2022 and extradited to the United States in March 2023.
Between November 2015 and January 2019, Chukwuma and his co-conspirators participated in a variety of online fraud schemes, including “phishing” and romance scams. They exchanged victims’ personally identifiable information, including identification and financial documents, and engaged in financial transactions with that information. Several of the victims whose information was compromised were from Massachusetts.
Phishing schemes mimic the appearance of legitimate websites to gather victims’ online credentials, including usernames, passwords, financial account information, social security numbers and other types of personal identifiable information. In romance scams, perpetrators generally create fictitious online personas to develop online romantic relationships with individuals in the United States, and then leverage those relationships to obtain money and property.
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 today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mackenzie A. Queenin of Rollins’ Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit prosecuted the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and the United Kingdom’s Metropolitan Police National Extradition Unit provided critical assistance in securing the arrest and extradition of Chukwuma.
New Orleans Man Indicted for Receipt of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – JOYCE JOSEPH BANERJEE (“BANERJEE”), age 56, of New Orleans, Louisiana, was indicted on May 5, 2023 for receipt of child pornography in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2252(a)(2) and (b)(1), announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. If convicted, BANERJEE faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five (5) years and a maximum sentence of twenty (20) years imprisonment, and/or a fine of up to $250,000.00, or the greater of twice the gross gain to the defendant or twice the gross loss to any person of the offense under Title 18, United States Code, Section 3571. In addition, BANERJEE faces a term of supervised release of no less than five (5) years and up to life after his release from prison as well as a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.
According to court documents , the case against BANERJEE stemmed from an online child sexual abuse material investigation by the Bossier Parish Sheriff’s Office. Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”) then took over the investigation and special agents executed a federal search warrant at BANERJEE’s New Orleans home in April of 2023. HSI’s investigation determined BANERJEE received images and videos depicting the sexual exploitation of minors.
U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations; the Bossier Parish Sheriff’s Office; and the Louisiana Bureau of Investigation in investigating this matter. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian M. Klebba, Project Safe Childhood Coordinator and Chief of Financial Crimes Unit.
New Jersey man sentenced for role in drug conspiracyRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – A Blackwood, New Jersey, man was sentenced today to 12 years in prison for being the supplier in a drug conspiracy that stretched from New Jersey to Maryland to West Virginia.
Aquilino Javier Lorenzo-Rivera, 39, previously pled guilty to distribution of fentanyl. Lorenzo-Rivera admitted that he distributed nearly 34 grams of acetyl fentanyl (synthetic fentanyl) and more than 241 grams of a fentanyl mixture.
During today’s sentencing hearing, U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh heard about Lorenzo-Rivera’s travels to and from the Eastern Panhandle to supply drugs to another dealer. During the investigation, officers found nearly 200 grams of fentanyl and nearly 300 grams of cocaine base that Lorenzo-Rivera had transported to a dealer in Harpers Ferry, as well as more than $12,000 in cash seized from a traffic stop. The judge discussed Lorenzo-Rivera’s continuous pattern of criminal conduct, which includes 14 felony convictions.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation; Homeland Security Investigations; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives and the Eastern Panhandle Drug and Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.
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.
Multiple defendants sentenced or enter guilty pleas on federal firearms chargesRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: At least 20 defendants have been sentenced to federal prison or await further proceedings after pleading guilty to federal charges including illegal possession of firearms.
The cases were investigated as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods in collaboration with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the FBI, to reduce violent crime with measures that include targeting convicted felons who illegally carry guns.
“In collaboration with our law enforcement partners, we are committed to the safety and security of our communities,” said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. “Removing guns from the hands of violent criminals and convicted felons makes all of us safer.”
In the past four years, more than 830 defendants have been federally prosecuted in the Southern District of Georgia for illegal firearms offenses – most often for possessing a firearm after conviction for a previous felony. That charge carries a statutory penalty of up to 15 years in prison, and there is no parole in the federal system.
Defendants recently adjudicated on federal firearms charges include:
- Deon Brown, 31, of Augusta, was sentenced to 130 months in prison and fined $1,500 after pleading guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute Heroin, Cocaine, Crack Cocaine, and Methamphetamine, and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Agents from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration arrested Brown in August 2021 at his residence and found drugs and multiple handguns in his vehicle. Brown has prior convictions for drug and gun possession.
- Christopher Fitzgerald Jones, 35, of Augusta, was sentenced to 120 months in prison and fined $1,500 after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Richmond County Sheriff’s deputies arrested Jones in October 2021 on a felony warrant resulting from a series of domestic altercations. Jones, who was carrying a pistol at the time of his arrest, has a substantial criminal history that includes violence and illegal gun possession.
- Jamar Lavelle Alexander, 35, of Crawfordville, Ga., was sentenced to 63 months in prison and fined $1,500 after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Taliaferro County Sheriff’s deputies arrested Alexander in November 2020 after finding him passed out behind the wheel of a car parked in the middle of a county highway with a loaded pistol in his lap. Alexander previously was convicted on state charges of weapons possession.
- Windsor Hodge, 64, of Martinez, Ga., was sentenced to 60 months in prison after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Columbia County Sheriff’s deputies searched Hodge’s residence on a warrant in January 2022 and found 13 firearms. Hodge previously was convicted of Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime, a felony.
- Dontrell Kydreek Mathis, 30, of Augusta, was sentenced to 60 months in prison and fined $1,000 after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Richmond County Sheriff’s deputies found two pistols in Mathis’ vehicle after an attempted traffic stop and subsequent vehicle and foot chase in August 2022.
- Christopher Donnell Crumbley, 34, of Waynesboro, was sentenced to 84 months in prison and fined $1,500 after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Burke County sheriff’s deputies arrested Crumbley on outstanding criminal warrants and found three pistols in his possession.
- David Alexander Harris, 43, of Augusta, was sentenced to 51 months in prison and fined $1,500 after pleading guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute Eutylone and Cocaine, and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Richmond County Sheriff’s deputies arrested Harris in March 2020 after finding him asleep at the wheel of his vehicle at a traffic light. A pistol was lying in Harris’ lap.
- Diemond Dajion Wimberly, 25, of Augusta, was sentenced to 46 months in prison and fined $1,500 after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Richmond County Sheriff’s deputies arrested Wimberly during an April 2022 traffic stop after finding a pistol with a high-capacity magazine in the vehicle.
- Ra’ann Michell Coleman, 49, of Eastman, Ga., was sentenced to 33 months in prison after pleading guilty to two counts of False Statement During the Purchase of a Firearm. In her plea agreement, Coleman admitted that when she purchased two firearms in October and December 2020, she lied about being the actual purchaser of the guns when she in fact was buying the firearms on behalf of someone else.
- Ephelius Artavis Brinson Jr., 28, of Hephzibah, Ga., was sentenced to 30 months in prison after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Richmond County Sheriff’s deputies arrested Brinson in June 2022 after he fled from a traffic stop, leaving behind a backpack containing a loaded pistol and drugs.
- Deontre Hubert, 28, of Augusta, was sentenced to 24 months in prison after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Hubert had a pistol in his waistband in June 2022 when pulled over by Richmond County Sheriff’s deputies for a traffic violation. He previously was convicted in state court of Involuntary Manslaughter, a felony.
- Ryan Nickolus Smiley, a/k/a “Nick Smiley,” 39, of Clyo, Ga., was sentenced to 10 months in prison after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition by a Convicted Felon. Smiley was on supervised release from a prior federal firearms conviction when the U.S. Marshal’s Service served an arrest warrant for a violation of supervised release and found ammunition and photos of Smiley in possession of firearms.
- Derrick Drurell Long, 32, of Augusta, awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Georgia Department of Community Supervision officers arrested Long in June 2020 after finding a pistol in his apartment during a search.
- Carl Williams, 52, of Savannah, awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Investigators from the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division conducted a warrant search of Williams’ residence as part of an investigation into stolen military equipment and found three semiautomatic pistols in Williams’ possession. Williams previously pled guilty and was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Connecticut on a felony charge of Conspiracy to Traffic in Stolen Government Property for receiving and reselling gun sights and night-vision equipment stolen from the U.S. Navy.
- Shannan Barnwell, 24, of Savannah, awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon; Interference with Interstate Commerce by Robbery; and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Crime of Violence. Barnwell’s plea is in connection with an armed robbery of a vendor restocking a South State Bank automatic teller machine.
- Jonathan Bennett Capece II, 53, of Dublin, Ga., awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Dublin Police officers arrested Capece in April 2020 after finding drugs and two pistols in his vehicle during a traffic stop.
- Horatio Trimane Bynes, 65, of Augusta, awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime. Richmond County Sheriff’s deputies arrested Bynes at a DUI checkpoint after a deputy smelled marijuana and a drug-sniffing dog alerted to the presence of drugs in his vehicle. Deputies searched the car and found drugs, cash, and a .357 caliber revolver.
- Dequan Dante Payne, 31, of Augusta, awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Richmond County Sheriff’s investigators arrested Payne in March 2022 after finding drugs and guns during a search of his residence as part of a drug investigation. Payne previously served nearly 10 years in state prison for armed robbery.
- Donald D. Walker, 28, of Hinesville, Ga., awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to False Statement During Attempted Purchase of a Firearm. Walker made a false statement about being under indictment when he signed forms required for buying a gun at a Hinesville gun store. Walker’s criminal history includes convictions for assault and family violence.
- Tyrique Marquez Mills, 25, of Waycross, Ga., awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Mills was wanted on felony warrants related to a shooting when he was arrested by Waycross Police officers who found a loaded pistol in his pocket.
- James Travon Walker, 22, of Savannah, awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Stolen Firearm. Chatham County Police officers arrested Walker while responding to a report of a vehicle break-in and found a backpack belonging to Walker containing two pistols stolen from the vehicle.
- Lear A. Williams, 33, of Savannah, awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition by a Convicted Felon. Savannah Police officers in September 2022 were investigating reports of a man selling drugs when they found a pistol and ammunition in Williams’ possession.
- Olajuwon Raheem Williams, 25, of Augusta, awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Richmond County Sheriff’s deputies arrested Williams after he threatened to shoot up his ex-girlfriend’s home and fled from police while firing at the pursuing officer with an AR-style pistol. Williams previously served a state prison sentence for armed robbery.
- Tony Lavardo Blount Jr., 32, of Augusta, awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Columbia County Sheriff’s deputies were called to a Grovetown, Ga., home to investigate a report of domestic violence and arrested Blount after a brief foot chase when he pulled a pistol from his pocket.
Agencies investigating these cases include the ATF, the FBI, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, the Savannah Police Department, the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office, and the Georgia State Patrol.
The cases are being prosecuted for the United States by the Southern District of Georgia U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Under federal law, it is illegal for an individual to possess a firearm if he or she falls into one of nine prohibited categories including being a felon; illegal alien; or unlawful user of a controlled substance. Further, it is unlawful to possess a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense or violent crime. It is also illegal to purchase – or even to attempt to purchase – firearms if the buyer is a prohibited person or illegally purchasing a firearm on behalf of others. Lying on ATF Form 4473, which is used to lawfully purchase a firearm, also is a federal offense.
For more information from the ATF on the lawful purchasing of firearms, please see: https://www.atf.gov/qa-category/atfw-form-4473
Miami Companies and Owners Sentenced for Conspiring to Tamper with Diesel Truck Monitoring Devices Required by the Clean Air ActRead the Press Release
MIAMI – Defendants Vivian Machado, 62, Eric Flaquer, 39, and the Miami-based companies Quick Tricks Automotive Performance, Inc., and Kloud9Nine, LLC were sentenced Friday in federal district court for conspiring to tamper with environmental monitoring devices on diesel vehicles, in violation of the Clean Air Act (CAA).
Flaquer was sentenced to three months imprisonment followed by three years of supervised release, with a special condition of six months home detention with electronic monitoring. Machado was sentenced to time served followed by three years of supervised release, with a special condition of ten months of home detention with electronic monitoring. Both companies, Quick Tricks and Kloud9Nine, were sentenced to probation. The defendants were further sentenced to publish a public apology and statement regarding their crimes at the 2023 Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) trade show.
The purpose of the CAA, among other things, is “to protect and enhance the quality of the Nation’s air resources so as to promote the public health and welfare and the productive capacity of its population.” Motor vehicles, including those with heavy duty diesel engines, cause or contribute to air pollution which may endanger public health or welfare and are thus regulated, including the requirement that manufacturers design and install emissions control systems to treat their exhausts. Those systems are monitored by an on-board diagnostic system (OBD). The OBD is software and sensors that monitor emissions-related engine systems and components. It is a felony to tamper with CAA-required monitoring devices.
Between January 2018 and December 2020, defendants Machado, Flaquer, and Quick Tricks were paid approximately $230,830.61 for 1,100 transactions for the sale of “delete tune files” that tamper with or disable the OBDs on heavy-duty diesel motor vehicles that were required under the CAA to have OBD systems to monitor their emissions control systems. Similarly, between October 2019 and March 2021, Machado, Flaquer, and Kloud9Nine were paid $141,162.70 for an additional 657 “tuner” transactions. The defendants would customize the delete tune files based on the vehicle identification number and desired parameters, and would conduct active customer service for the device customers. Knowing the conduct was illegal, the defendants would often warn customers by e-mail not to tell anyone about the purchases and to take steps to avoid detection by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and “stay under the radar.”
The vehicles at issue in this case were driven in the Southern District of Florida and throughout the United States on public roads and highways. Diesel exhaust contains a mix of acidic and hydrocarbon gases that are harmful to human health. Excess emissions from illegally tampered vehicles can have important environmental justice implications for overburdened communities near major roads and highways. A 2021 study concluded that communities within high vehicle traffic areas are at greater risk of adverse health effects from exposure to diesel emissions. A 2020 study by EPA showed that an average fully deleted diesel truck emits approximately one ton of extra NOx in its lifetime and is equivalent to roughly 16 additional diesel trucks being driven on the road; or put another way, the over 1,700 trucks and engines in this case were akin to approximately 27,000 additional trucks on the road.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida and Special Agent in Charge Charles Carfagno of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Criminal Investigation Division, Southeast Area Branch, announced the sentence.
EPA, Criminal Investigation Division investigated the case. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jodi A. Mazer prosecuted it.
If you have any information regarding this investigation, or other environmental crimes, you may contact the EPA, Criminal Investigation Division Hotline at (800) 962-6215; the NOAA Office of Law Enforcement Hotline: (800) 853-1964; and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service at 1-800-344-9453. Locally, environmental crimes, including wildlife violations and environmental justice matters may be reported to the U.S. Attorney’s Office at 305-961-9001 or [email protected] .
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-20516.
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Mexican National Sentenced to over 5 Years in Prison for Distributing Fentanyl and Fentanyl-Related SubstanceRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Oscar Arturo Salomon Perez, 48, a citizen of Mexico, was sentenced today to five years and three months in prison for distributing fentanyl and p-fluorofentanyl, an analogue of fentanyl, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, in October 2021, Perez negotiated the sale of 10,000 counterfeit oxycodone pills laced with fentanyl and a kilogram of “Chinese food,” believed to be synthetic heroin laced with fentanyl. After confirming the prices with his supplier in Mexico, Perez advised that it would cost $3 per pill for the 10,000 counterfeit oxycodone pills and $22,000 for the “Chinese food.” Perez requested an additional $1,000 for making the delivery in Fresno for a total of $53,000. An undercover agent agreed to the terms. A couple hours later, Perez met with and showed the agent a large clear plastic bag containing 10,004 blue pills marked “M-30” containing fentanyl and another clear plastic bag containing about 2 pounds of p-fluorofentanyl in powder form. When the agent advised that another car was bringing the money, Perez fled and was eventually stopped by law enforcement officers. Another 219 blue pills containing fentanyl marked “M-30” were found in Perez’s vehicle.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Fresno High Impact Investigation Team (HIIT), which is a High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Initiative (HIDTA) composed of law enforcement personnel from the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Drug Enforcement Administration; the California Department of Justice; the California Highway Patrol; the Fresno, Tulare, and Kings Counties Sheriff’s Offices; and the Fresno Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Escobar prosecuted the case.
Man Sentenced to Almost Six Years in Prison for Illegally Distributing FentanylRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Gary Vaughn, 55, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 70 months in prison for Unlawful Distribution of Fentanyl, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, and Chief Robert J. Contee, III, of the Metropolitan Police Department. In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Trevor N. McFadden ordered 36 months of supervised release.
According to court documents, on six different occasions between December 2021 and February 2022, an undercover officer (“UC”) with the Metropolitan Police Department (“MPD”) met with Vaughn at various locations in SE Washington, DC – including a park and Vaughn’s home – to purchase narcotics. On each of the six occasions, Vaughn sold the UC multiple Ziplock baggies that each contained a white powdery substance containing fentanyl. In total, Vaughn sold 415 Ziploc bags containing fentanyl. Vaughn was arrested on August 31, 2022, with an additional 139 Ziploc baggies that contained fentanyl.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Contee commended the work of the detectives and patrol officers of the Metropolitan Police Department’s Narcotics Enforcement Unit. They expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Mid-Atlantic Laboratory. They also commended those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andy Wang and Nihar Mohanty from the Violence Reduction and Trafficking Offenses Section (VRTO).
Long-Term Drug Trafficking Investigation Secures Fifteenth Guilty PleaRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A 15th defendant has entered a guilty plea in United States District Court in connection with a wide-ranging investigation centered on the area of 7th and O Streets, in Northwest, Washington, D.C. These guilty pleas stem from a series of arrests and indictments filed in May and June of 2022, following a long-term investigation led by the FBI and MPD.
Elliot Johnson, 43, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty May 5, 2023 to possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and conspiracy to distribute fentanyl. U.S. District Court Judge Reggie B. Walton scheduled sentencing for August 3, 2023.
According to court documents, in or around late 2021, members of the Metropolitan Police Department (“MPD”), in conjunction with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), began investigating violent crime and drug trafficking activities occurring in or around the corner of 7th Street and O Street in Northwest, Washington, D.C. Investigation revealed that the individuals charged gathered in this area on a regular basis to sell controlled substances.
Law enforcement identified several residences that the group used for storing drugs and for processing and packaging drugs for resale. Further investigation revealed the defendants were engaged in hand-to-hand drug sales on the sidewalk. Undercover officers began purchasing crack cocaine and fentanyl from members of the drug trafficking group. The quantities of crack cocaine purchased by law enforcement ranged from one gram to over 28 grams at a time. The charged members of this group, in total, sold law enforcement approximately 158 grams of cocaine base. The quantities of fentanyl purchased by law enforcement from members of this drug trafficking group ranged from less than one gram up to 65 grams at a time. The charged members of this group, in total, sold law enforcement approximately 470 grams of fentanyl. Through the executed searches, four firearms were also seized.
The following defendants have entered guilty pleas in connection with this series of indictments:
Defendant
Case Number
Guilty Plea
Plea Date
Sentencing Date
Elliot Johnson, 43,
22-CR-164
Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime, Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl
May 5, 2023
TBD
Jeremy Young, 37,
22-CR-164
Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl
March 1, 2023
Scheduled for June 7, 2023
William Proctor, 55
22-CR-164
Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl and Crack Cocaine
November 7, 2022
Sentenced to Five Years in Prison on February 27, 2023
Andre Williams, 33
22-CR-164
Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl and Crack Cocaine
March 22, 2023
Scheduled for July 7, 2023
Ako Handy, 50
22-CR-164
Conspiracy to Distribute Crack Cocaine and possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person
April 11, 2023
Sentenced to Five Years in Prison on April 11, 2023
Keith Gliss, 37
22-CR-164
Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime and Conspiracy to Distribute Crack Cocaine
May 4, 2023
TBD
Stanley Hood, 27
22-CR-164
Conspiracy to Distribute Crack Cocaine
January 12, 2023
Scheduled for May 24, 2023
Thomas Shelton, 26
22-CR-164
Conspiracy to Distribute Crack Cocaine and Fentanyl
January 10, 2023
Sentenced to Two Years in Prison on April 10, 2023
Tyrone Wade, 30
22-CR-164
Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl
April 10, 2023
Scheduled for July 26, 2023
Christion Cooper, 22
22-CR-164
Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime
February 23, 2023
Sentenced to Five Years in Prison n February 23, 2023
Kenneth Watts, 25
22-CR-164
Conspiracy to Distribute Crack Cocaine
December 22, 2022
Sentenced to Two Years in Prison on April 6, 2023
Brandon Benson, 24
22-CR-164
Conspiracy to Distribute Crack Cocaine
January 11, 2023
Scheduled for May 16, 2023
Burnell Smith, 33
22-CR-164
Conspiracy to Distribute Crack Cocaine
December 2, 2022
Sentenced to Probation on March 21, 2023
Kelfa Kamara, 39
22-CR-196
Possession with the Intent to Distribute Crack Cocaine
December 9, 2022
Sentenced to 46 Months in Prison on March 29, 2023
Samuel Hall, 41
22-cr-195
Possession with the Intent to Distribute Fentanyl
February 1, 2023
Scheduled for May 30, 2023
Jonathan Brown
22-cr-114
Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person
October 7, 2022
Pending
This investigation additionally led to an indictment being filed against Jonathan Brown in Case Number 23-CR-79, related to the July 31, 2021 homicide of Kervin Sanchez at the corner of 7th and O street, NW.
The prosecutions followed a joint investigation by the Violence Reduction Unit (VRU) of MPD’s Violent Crime Suppression Division, the FBI Washington Field Office’s Cross Border Safe Streets Task Force, and the Washington Division of the DEA. The Cross Border Safe Streets Task Force targets the most egregious and violent street crews operating in the District of Columbia.
This investigation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin Rosenberg and Solomon Eppel of the Violence Reduction and Trafficking Offenses section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, with valuable assistance provided by Assistant United States Attorney Steven Wasserman and former Special Assistant United States Attorney Shaunik Panse.
Leader of Sex Trafficking and Drug Conspiracy Pleads Guilty, Faces up to Life in PrisonRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced that Lairon Graham a/k/a Shah a/k/a Uncle Shah a/k/a Unc, 65, of Buffalo, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, 400 grams or more of fentanyl and sex trafficking by force or coercion. The charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison, a maximum of life, and a $20,000,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicholas T. Cooper and Aaron J. Mango, who are handling the case, stated that between 2013 and August 2021, Graham coerced four victims to engage in commercial sex acts by exploiting their addictions, by providing the victims with crack cocaine or heroin. Graham also used physical violence and threats of physical violence to get the victims to engage in commercial sexual activity. Graham brutally beat one victim on a near-daily basis.
In addition, between June 2020, and Spring 2021, Graham organized and led a drug conspiracy, selling cocaine, crack cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl out of a residence on Swinburn Street in Buffalo. In the Spring of 2021, Graham moved his drug dealing operation into a Liddell Street residence. Graham was the primary source of supply of heroin and fentanyl to multiple individuals. Between January and August 2021, Graham resided on Davey Street in Buffalo, where on August 25, 2021, investigators executed a search warrant at the residence, seizing 43 grams of fentanyl, 37 grams of crack cocaine, $2,500 in cash, and assorted drug paraphernalia. Graham also used this residence to sell drugs and possessed a firearm inside the residence.
“This defendant not only sold dangerous and illegal drugs in our community, he used the addiction of vulnerable women to prey upon them and force them to commit sex acts for his financial benefit” stated U.S. Attorney Ross. “We as a society cannot, and will not, tolerate this type of criminal activity. With the work of our law enforcement partners, we have convicted this defendant, along with others who’ve engaged in this reprehensible behavior, and we will continue to investigate and prosecute anyone who commits these offenses in our community.”
FBI Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia stated, “As today’s plea details, Lairon Graham showed zero regard for human life by deceiving, manipulating, and profiting off those grappling with addiction for his benefit. The FBI’s focus is, and always will be, on protecting our communities from these violent offenders. The FBI and our law enforcement partners will continue our collaborative efforts to identify and dismantle violent gangs found to be dealing in the deadly drug trade.”
“Graham used violence and addiction to coerce and control the women he victimized—a technique all too common among human traffickers. After today’s guilty plea, Graham will be off the streets and looking at a significant federal sentence for his crimes,” said Matthew Scarpino, Special Agent-in-Charge for Homeland Security Investigations in Buffalo. “HSI works every day with our law enforcement and non-governmental organizational partners to make our communities safer. It is only through partnerships and collaboration that we can achieve this goal.”
Buffalo Police Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia stated, “These arrests and convictions bring an end to a level of violence that plagued the Broadway area of the City of Buffalo for far too long. Human trafficking, drug dealing, and shootings brought on a significant response from the Buffalo Police Department in partnership with law enforcement of all levels. These convictions were made possible by the dedicated work of the patrol officers and detectives of the Buffalo Police Department working side by side with all of our law enforcement partners. I thank all of our law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney's office for obtaining these convictions.”
Sheriff John C. Garcia stated, “We are delighted about the investigation and outcome. This case demonstrates the tremendous partnership between all levels of law enforcement throughout Western New York to remove this deadly poison from our streets and to end the leader’s reign of brutality and coercion by forcing his victims to engage in sex acts.”
Graham is the last of 10 defendants to be convicted in this case. Also convicted are Kimberly Udrea, Patrick Schrecengost a/k/a Country, Cornelius Truesdale a/k/a Big Corn, Anthony Graham, Johnny Williams, Jordan Davis, Thomas Degree, Joseph Ward, and Jamie Washington.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia; Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Scarpino; the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia; the Erie County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff John Garcia; the Lancaster Police Department, under the direction of Chief William Karn, Jr.; and the Lackawanna Police Department, under the direction of Chief Mark Packard.
Sentencing is scheduled for September 11, 2023, at 9:30 a.m. before Judge Vilardo.
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Lead Defendant in Multimillion-Dollar Boiler Room Scam that Targeted Timeshare Owners Pleads Guilty to Wire FraudRead the Press Release
SANTA ANA, California – A former Long Beach resident pleaded guilty today to a federal criminal charge for leading a telemarketing scheme in which boiler room tactics were used to scam dozens of timeshare owners out of more than $3.5 million by giving them false promises of financial relief.
Michael McDonagh, 42, who currently resides in Lowell, Massachusetts, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud. The other four defendants charged with along with McDonagh also have pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud,
McDonagh, this criminal case’s lead defendant, founded and/or controlled several telemarketing companies – Irvine-based Global Transfer Inc., Costa Mesa-based Global Transfer SoCal Inc., Santa Ana-based Nationwide Transfer Inc., and Signal Hill-based Nationwide Exit Specialist Inc. – that purported to offer timeshare relief. Once one telemarketing company became inundated with consumer complaints, McDonagh would form a new telemarketing company to perpetuate the fraud.
According to court documents, from 2015 to May 2019, “openers” who worked for the McDonagh-controlled telemarketing companies contacted timeshare owners and offered to help them terminate their timeshare interest for a fixed fee. If the timeshare owner expressed interest in the telemarketing companies’ services, the call was transferred to a “closer” who convinced victims to sign contracts with the telemarketing companies to get them out of their timeshare for a “one-time fee.”
Within weeks of the victim paying the fee, the victims were contacted and told a series of lies to induce them to pay more money. For example, some victims were falsely told that they would obtain – for an additional fee – a large settlement payment based on purported litigation against the victim’s timeshare company.
McDonagh and his co-schemers also made false promises of securing – for an additional fee – a large “restitution” payment from the victim’s timeshare company because the timeshare company had purportedly rented out the victim’s timeshare property without the victim’s permission.
McDonagh admitted in his plea agreement that more than $3.5 million in actual losses were caused by him or his co-schemers whom he employed at his telemarketing companies.
United States District Judge David O. Carter scheduled an October 30 sentencing hearing, at which time McDonagh will face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.
The United States Secret Service and the Huntington Beach Police Department investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorneys Thomas F. Rybarczyk of the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section and Ian V. Yanniello of the General Crimes Section are prosecuting this case.
Lawyer Sentenced to Nine Years in Prison for $8 Million Escrow FraudRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that BRIAN O’NEILL, a Maryland attorney and escrow agent, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Valerie Caproni to nine years in prison for defrauding his clients of funds he was holding for them in escrow. O’NEILL pled guilty to two counts of wire fraud in November 2022.
According to the allegations contained in the Complaint and matters included in public filings:
Beginning at least as early as August 2020, O’NEILL engaged in two related fraudulent schemes.
First, O’NEILL engaged in a scheme to defraud a medical equipment company (“Victim-1”) by falsely promising to hold over $5 million of the company’s funds in escrow. Specifically, in August 2020, Victim-1 entered into an agreement with a Florida-based medical wholesale company (“Seller-1”) for the purchase of personal protective equipment (“PPE”). In connection with the transaction, Victim-1 and Seller-1 entered into an escrow agreement (the “Escrow Agreement”) with O’Neill & Partners, the firm at which O’NEILL was the managing partner. Pursuant to the Escrow Agreement, O’Neill & Partners was to act as escrow agent for the transaction and hold $5.1 million deposited by Victim-1 in escrow. Instead of holding that money as required, however, O’NEILL secretly used the funds to execute personal deals for the purchase of PPE and completely dissipated the funds by approximately November 2020.
In November 2020, Victim-1 cancelled the transaction and sent a letter to O’Neill & Partners requesting that the $5.1 million in escrowed funds be returned to Victim-1. When O’Neill & Partners refused to return Victim-1’s money, Victim-1 filed a civil action in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York (the “Civil Action”). In connection with the Civil Action, the Court ordered O’Neill & Partners to deposit the $5.1 million with the Clerk of the Court. On September 22, 2021, O’NEILL deposited $3.3 million with the Clerk.
The $3.3 million deposited with the Clerk, however, formed the basis of O’NEILL’s second scheme to defraud. That money was neither part of the $5.1 million Victim-1 had deposited nor was it O’NEILL’s own money. Instead, it consisted of funds being held by O’NEILL in escrow for a separate transaction. In other words, O’NEILL stole $3.3 million from a separate set of escrow clients in an attempt to satisfy the Court’s order in the Civil Action and repay Victim-1.
* * *
In addition to his prison term, O’NEILL, 49, of Chevy Chase, Maryland, was sentenced to three years of supervised release.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Maggie Lynaugh, Amanda C. Weingarten, and Aline Flodr are in charge of the prosecution.
Las Vegas Man Sentenced to 13 Years in Prison for Methamphetamine Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – A Las Vegas resident was sentenced to 13 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release for his involvement in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
Gregorio Godinez, 40, pleaded guilty in May 2022 to conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. United States District Judge Andrew P. Gordon presided over the sentencing hearing on May 3, 2023.
According to court documents and admissions made in court by Godinez, on multiple occasions in 2019, he conspired to sell methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance. On July 2, 2019, he possessed and attempted to sell 880 grams of methamphetamine. During that drug sale, Godinez possessed a 9mm pistol. In total, Godinez sold 1,935 grams of methamphetamine.
Co-defendant Jonathan Garcia pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 40 months in prison; and co-defendant Elio Ramirez-Guerro pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 80 months in prison.
United States Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada and Assistant Special Agent in Charge Kevin Adams for the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Las Vegas District Office made the announcement.
The DEA investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Kimberly Sokolich prosecuted the case.
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Justice Department Seeks to Shut Down Nine Florida Tax PreparersRead the Press Release
The United States filed a complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida seeking to bar nine Florida tax return preparers and their associated business from assisting in the preparing of federal income tax returns for others.
The complaint alleges that Richard Louis, Teddy Davis, James Merrill, Daniel Ouku, Demetrius Knowles, Harold Bornelus, Joseph Garrett, Marlyne Wah and Romeo Davis prepared and filed thousands of federal income tax returns for customers through or in connection with the unincorporated entity known as Taxman. According to the complaint, one scheme used by the defendants was to claim fraudulent Residential Energy Credits on their customers’ tax returns. Louis and Taxman also allegedly falsified and overstated business and itemized deductions on their customers’ tax returns and prepared tax returns for customers claiming the incorrect filing status. As alleged in the complaint, defendants’ pattern of preparing returns that understate their customers’ taxes or that overstate their customers’ refunds has resulted in defendants’ customers receiving refunds to which they are not entitled. As further alleged in the complaint, based on the returns it has examined, the IRS estimates that the United States has lost millions of dollars in tax revenue as a result of defendants’ actions.
Deputy Assistant Attorney General David A. Hubbert of the Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement.
Taxpayers seeking a return preparer should remain vigilant against unscrupulous tax preparers. The IRS offers tips on how to accurately file returns and how to choose a tax return preparer, as well as steps taxpayers can take to get a jumpstart on filing.
Taxpayers seeking assistance can access the IRS’s free directory of federal tax preparers. The IRS also has programs offering free basic return preparation for qualifying seniors and individuals with low to moderate income). In addition, IRS Free File, a public-private partnership, offers free online tax preparation and filing options on IRS partner websites for individuals whose adjusted gross income is under $72,000. For individuals whose income is over that threshold, IRS Free File offers electronical federal tax forms that can be filled out and filed online for free.
In the past decade, the Department of Justice Tax Division has obtained injunctions against hundreds of unscrupulous tax preparers. Information about these cases is available on the Justice Department’s website. An alphabetical listing of persons enjoined from preparing returns and promoting tax schemes can be found on this page. If you believe that one of the enjoined persons or businesses may be violating an injunction, please contact the Tax Division with details.
Jury Convicts KC Man of Leading Cyberstalking Conspiracy That Resulted in MurderRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man has been convicted by a federal trial jury of leading a cyberstalking conspiracy that utilized GPS tracking devices to carry out the murder of another Kansas City, Mo., man by tracking him and shooting him to death in front of his minor daughter.
Lester E. Brown, 36, was found guilty on Friday, May 5, of one count of conspiracy to commit cyberstalking, one count of cyberstalking resulting in death, and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Co-defendants Michael Young, 32, and Ronell Pearson, 36, have each pleaded guilty to their roles in the cyberstalking conspiracy. Young also pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting cyberstalking resulting in death. Both co-defendants are currently in custody awaiting sentencing.
Murder of Christopher Harris
Brown, Young, and Pearson participated in a conspiracy from Nov. 1, 2017, to March 19, 2018, to engage in the cyberstalking of Christopher Harris. Brown deployed multiple GPS devices on vehicles used by Harris and his associates to track their locations.
On March 14, 2018, Brown tracked Harris to a dance studio in Raytown, Mo. With Brown driving and Young and Pearson passengers, they followed Harris’s vehicle as he drove his daughter home from dance class and dropped her off at her mother’s residence in Independence. Brown pulled up behind Harris’s vehicle; Brown and Young got out of the car and shot a firearm multiple times into Harris’s vehicle, causing Harris to scream, “My daughter’s in the car! My daughter is in the car!” Brown fired several rounds into the vehicle, and then several more rounds at Harris as he ran to the door. Harris’s daughter was able to make it inside the house unharmed but Harris fell to the ground before he reached the house. Brown stood over him and fired two last rounds at him while he lay on the ground.
Prior to his murder, conspirators had been sending threatening messages to Harris using the social media service Snapchat. These messages included photographs of GPS devices, and demanded a payment to Brown of $10,000 per month.
In January 2018, conspirators surveilled Harris’s girlfriend at her place of employment, and followed her to the residence she shared with Harris. In February 2018, they deployed a GPS tracking device on Harris’s black Nissan Altima, and used a tracking service to determine his real-time location. Another tracking device was deployed on Harris’s vehicle on March 12, 2018.
Brown’s conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm is related to him illegally possessing the Glock .45-caliber pistol used to murder Harris. Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Brown, who was on supervised release following his conviction and incarceration for being a felon in possession of a firearm, also has a prior felony conviction for receiving stolen property.
Murder of Ryan Cobbins
Evidence was also presented regarding the murder of Ryan Cobbins, a friend and associate of Harris. One of the Snapchat messages sent to Harris threatened, “Man, you … are gonna end up like Ryan,” which Harris took to be a reference to the murder of his friend Ryan Cobbins in 2013.
Cobbins went missing on Oct. 24, 2013, following a haircut appointment. In November 2013, Brown accepted $20,000 from Harris and another person as “ransom” payment for the return of Cobbins. Brown claimed he could act as the middleman between the kidnappers and Harris, and that he could arrange the safe return of Cobbins. On Dec. 31, 2014, Cobbins was found dead from multiple gunshot wounds.
Following the presentation of evidence, the jury in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo., deliberated for three and a half hours before returning guilty verdicts to U.S. District Judge Greg Kays, ending a trial that began Monday, May 1.
Under federal statutes, Brown is subject to a sentence of up to life in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew P. Wolesky and Nicholas P. Heberle. It was investigated by the Independence, Mo., Police Department, the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, and the FBI.
Jacksonville Man Sentenced to More Than 13 Years for Attempted Enticement of A Minor to Engage in Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Marcia Morales Howard today sentenced Gregory James White (45, Jacksonville) to 13 years and 9 months in federal prison for attempted coercion or enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity. The Court also ordered White to serve a 10-year term of supervised release and to register as a sex offender. He also forfeited a cellphone that had been used in the commission of the offense. White had pleaded guilty on November 17, 2022.
According to court documents, in 2021, White spent more than three weeks communicating with an undercover agent, who was posing as a 14-year-old girl, over a social media platform and via text message. During these conversations, White engaged the fictitious child in sexual conversations and requested that the child send him explicit sexual images. On June 25, 2021, White traveled to a residence in Jacksonville for the purpose of committing a sexual battery on the child and was subsequently arrested.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David B. Mesrobian. The forfeiture was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Mai Tran.
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 United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Indictment Charges Brothers with Fentanyl Trafficking OffensesRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England, today announced that DAVID QUINTANA, 35, of East Hartford, and EDGAR QUINTANA, 33, of Hartford, have been charged by indictment with fentanyl distribution offenses. The indictment also charges David Quintana with possession of a firearms by a felon.
As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, in March and April, investigators made multiple controlled purchases of fentanyl from David Quintana, and his brother, Edgar Quintana. David and Edgar Quintana were arrested on April 17, 2023. On that date, a search of David Quintana’s residence revealed two .40 caliber handguns that had been reported stolen, and one 9mm handgun with an obliterated serial number. A search of Edgar Quintana’s residence revealed distribution quantities of fentanyl, cocaine and crack cocaine.
David Quintana’s criminal history includes felony convictions for narcotics offenses. It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.
On April 25, 2023, a federal grand jury in New Haven returned an indictment charging David and Edgar Quintana with one count of conspiracy to distribute, and to possess with intent to distribute, 40 grams or more of fentanyl, an offense that carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 40 years. The indictment also charges them with multiple counts of possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of, fentanyl, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. David Quintana is also charged with possession of firearms by a felon, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 15 years.
David and Edgar Quintana appeared today before in Hartford federal court and pleaded not guilty to the charges. David Quintana is detained and Edgar Quintana is released on a $150,000 bond.
U.S. Attorney Avery stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This investigation is being conducted by the DEA’s Hartford Task Force, which includes personnel from the DEA Hartford Resident Office, the Connecticut State Police, and the Bristol, Hartford, East Hartford, Enfield, Manchester, New Britain, Rocky Hill, Wethersfield, Windsor Locks and Willimantic Police Departments.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan J. Keefe and Robert S. Dearington 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.
Human Smuggling Stash House Coordinators Sentenced to Combined 220 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Angelico Roa-Joachin, age 43, of Mexico, was sentenced on April 21, 2023, by United States District Judge Jennifer G. Zipps to 78 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Roa-Joachin was convicted of Conspiracy to Transport and Harbor Illegal Aliens for Profit and Reentry of a Removed Alien.
Judge Zipps sentenced three other co-conspirators in 2022. Co-conspirator Rafael Hernandez-Garcia, age 35, of Mexico, was also sentenced to 78 months in federal prison. Additional co-defendants Luis Alberto Calixto-Pegueros, age 25, and Alexis Mejia-Zamora, age 26, both of Mexico, were sentenced to 37 months, and 27 months in prison, respectively, for their roles in the conspiracy.
On April 22, 2021, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents executed a search warrant at two human smuggling stash houses in Phoenix, Arizona, and apprehended Roa-Joachin, Hernandez-Garcia, Calixto-Pegueros, and Mejia-Zamora, along with over 30 undocumented non-citizens. Agents seized firearms, cash, and ledgers detailing smuggling activities. The HSI investigation revealed that the organization regularly moved hundreds of undocumented non-citizens through the two stash houses. The individuals were often held in overcrowded conditions and were not permitted to leave until their families or sponsors paid the smuggling organization for their release. Judge Zipps further found that Roa-Joachin, Hernandez-Garcia, and Calixto-Pegueros sexually coerced or sexually assaulted at least one female undocumented non-citizen who was being held at the stash houses, which resulted in a sentence enhancement.
This prosecution resulted from the coordinated efforts of Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA). The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona is part of JTFA, which was established by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland in June 2021 to marshal the investigative and prosecutorial resources of the Department of Justice, in partnership with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), to enhance U.S. enforcement efforts against the most prolific and dangerous human smuggling and trafficking groups operating in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras. The Task Force focuses on disrupting and dismantling smuggling and trafficking networks that abuse, exploit, or endanger migrants, pose national security threats, and are involved in organized crime.
Homeland Security Investigations – Douglas Office conducted the investigation in this case, with assistance from the Phoenix Police Department. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-21-01176-TUC-JGZ-BGM
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-066_Roa-Joachin# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.
Gun/Gamecock Dealing Results in Guilty PleaRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Pedro Gavino, 27, of Orosi, pleaded guilty today to selling firearms without a license and conspiring to violate the Animal Welfare Act by selling gamecocks and participating in cockfighting events, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, from February 2017 to October 2018, Gavino negotiated for the sale of 28 firearms at Gavino’s ranch in Orosi and at different gas stations in Selma. He actually sold 24, including AR-15 type pistols and AR-15 type short-barreled rifles that had been privately made using unfinished receivers, also known as “ghost guns.”
On Feb. 14, 2018, during one of the illegal gun transactions, Gavino sold two American Game Fowl type of birds commonly used for cockfighting and six Mexican slashers, or short knives, that are attached to the leg of a rooster for fighting.
On April 15, 2018, Gavino and his father, co-defendant Pedro Gavino-Robles, 62, brought five gamecocks to a large cockfighting event in an orchard in Orosi where 200 to 300 spectators gathered. After two of the defendant’s gamecocks fought and won there was a dispute, gunshots were fired, and the crowd dispersed. On Oct. 4, 2018, during the execution of a federal search warrant at Gavino’s ranch, agents found 128 gamecocks, 30 hens used for breeding gamecocks, and 278 Mexican slashers.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Office of Inspector General, with assistance from the California Highway Patrol and the Fresno Police Department Multi-Agency Gang Enforcement Consortium (MAGEC). Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen A. Escobar is prosecuting the case.
Gavino-Robles is awaiting trial, set for Nov. 7, 2023. The charges against him are only allegations; and he is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Gavino is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston on Sept. 18, 2023. Gavino faces a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine as to each offense. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Former Nurse Sentenced for Stealing Drugs from Two Boston-Area HospitalsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A former nurse was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for diverting opioids from two Boston-area hospitals.
Lisa Tarr, 33, of St. Petersburg, Fla., was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Douglas P. Woodlock to five years of probation, with the first year spent in home detention. In October 2022, Tarr pleaded guilty to four counts of unlawfully obtaining controlled substances by fraud, deception and subterfuge.
In August 2018, Tarr was a Student Nurse working at a Boston-area hospital. Tarr admitted to investigators at the hospital that she had stolen and self-injected fentanyl, a Schedule II controlled substance, from the hospital.
In 2020, while working for another Boston-area hospital, Tarr stole an infusion bag containing fentanyl that was being used to treat a patient. On another occasion in 2020, while still working at the second hospital, Tarr stole multiple syringes of hydromorphone, a Schedule II controlled substance, from a locked drug cabinet.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Fernando McMillan, Special Agent in Charge of the Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations, New York Field Office; and Robert H. Goldstein, MD, PhD, Commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelly Begg Lawrence, Chief of Rollins’ Health Care Fraud Unit, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Evan Panich of Rollins’ Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case.
Former Licensed Registered Nurse Agrees to Plead Guilty to Product Tampering ChargeRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. - Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced the filing of an information and plea agreement charging Dawn Drum, 54, Janesville, Wisconsin, with product tampering while employed as a Registered Nurse at SSM Health St. Mary’s Hospital in Janesville in November 2021.
According to the information and plea agreement filed today, Drum tampered with vials of fentanyl by withdrawing the drug from the vials and replacing it with saline and then resealing the vial stopper with what appeared to be superglue. Drum then put the tampered vials back into a Pyxis machine, an automated medication dispensing system, so that the tampered fentanyl vials would be available for use with other patients at the hospital. An audit of the Pyxis transactions in Drum’s name revealed that she had an excessive pattern of fentanyl overrides and wastes when compared to other employees in 2021. In November 2021, hospital management confronted Drum with this discrepancy and asked her to take a drug test. Drum refused and instead resigned from her position at the hospital.
According to the plea agreement, the parties are recommending the Court impose a sentence of 18 months imprisonment and a fine of $30,000 due and payable immediately at sentencing. A date for Drum’s plea hearing has not been scheduled. The statutory maximum penalties for the product tampering charge are 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The charges against Drum were the result of an investigation conducted by the Food and Drug Administration--Office of Criminal Investigations, and the Drug Enforcement Administration--Diversion Control Division. The prosecution of the case is being handled by Assistant U. S. Attorney Daniel J. Graber.
Former IRS Employee Sentenced to 4.5 Years in Prison for Scheme to Defraud IRS and Commit Identity TheftRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Deena Vang Lee, 41, of Fresno, was sentenced today to four years and six months in prison and ordered to pay $191,597 in restitution following her convictions for preparing and filing false tax returns for other individuals, underreporting her own taxable income on her personal tax returns, and committing wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
On Jan. 26, 2023, after a three-day trial, a jury found Lee guilty of 13 felony counts, including three counts of wire fraud, two counts of aggravated identity theft, five counts of preparing and presenting false and fraudulent returns, and three counts of making and subscribing a false and fraudulent tax return.
According to evidence presented at trial, from 2012 through 2016, Lee, in her role as a tax preparer, put materially false information on customers’ tax returns without their knowledge or consent and submitted the returns to the IRS. As part of the scheme, Lee obtained the identification of multiple individuals and falsely listed these individuals as child care providers on multiple customers’ tax returns without their knowledge or consent.
Lee also underreported her own income related to the payments she received for tax preparation services on her personal tax returns for tax years 2013, 2014, and 2015.
“This defendant was familiar with the tax laws and purposefully defrauded the United States, and even after overwhelming evidence was presented to the jury, she continued to deny her conduct,” said U.S. Attorney Talbert. “The repeated fraud, substantial loss, and need for deterrence justify today’s prison sentence. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to work with the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) and the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) to use all lawful means to identify and prosecute unscrupulous tax preparers like this defendant.”
“IRS Criminal Investigation is sworn to protect the tax system, and that includes uprooting unscrupulous tax return preparers and bad actors from within the agency,” said Darren Lian, Special Agent in Charge with IRS Criminal Investigation’s Oakland Field Office. “The sentence handed down today shows the seriousness of the defendant’s conduct and we will remain vigilant in identifying and investigating those who seek to defraud honest and hardworking American taxpayers.”
“Taxpayers put trust in tax preparers to prepare their tax returns in accordance with the law. It is unacceptable for tax preparers to break this confidence by submitting fraudulent returns in their clients’ names,” said J. Russell George, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration. “The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration is committed to bringing to justice tax preparers who betray their clients’ trust for their personal gain.”
This case was the product of an investigation by the IRS-CI and TIGTA. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alex Dempsey and Henry Carbajal prosecuted the case.
Former Federal Agent Sentenced to Life in Prison for Sexually Assaulting Two Women and Preventing Them from Reporting AttacksRead the Press Release
RIVERSIDE, California – A former special agent with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) was sentenced today to life in federal prison for sexually assaulting two women and abusing his official position to prevent them from reporting his violent conduct.
John Jacob Olivas, 48, of Riverside, was sentenced by United States District Judge Jesus G. Bernal, who also ordered Olivas to pay $17,125 in restitution.
At today’s hearing, Judge Bernal said, Olivas had engaged in “systematic torture of women” and was an individual whose “senseless” crimes would cause his victims to “live with this trauma for the rest of their lives.”
At the conclusion of an 11-day trial, Olivas was found guilty in December 2022 of three counts of deprivation of rights under color of law. Olivas was ordered remanded into federal custody after the verdict was read.
Olivas began his career with Immigration and Customs Enforcement in 2007 and resigned in September 2015 after working as an HSI special agent for just over six years. He sexually assaulted the two victims in 2012.
Olivas attempted to rape one woman in January 2012 after making it clear to her that the police would not be responsive to any report she would make about Olivas because he was “above a cop,” and “untouchable” and “invisible” to police due to his position as a federal agent, according to the victim’s trial testimony. Olivas also threatened the victim that he could make her “disappear,” have her children taken from her, and get her arrested on fake criminal charges, the victim testified.
Olivas raped another woman in September 2012 and then again in November 2012. Both times, Olivas made it clear to the victim that police would not respond to any report she might make about attacks by him, causing the victim to believe that he was “invincible” to the criminal justice system, the victim testified. She also testified at trial that Olivas pointed his HSI-issued service weapon into her back moments before he sexually assaulted her in September 2012.
Both victims endured Olivas’s “violent, escalating, controlling, and intimidating behavior, which included his repeated brandishing of HSI credentials to [them] and asserting that he was above the law,” prosecutors wrote in court documents. In all three sexual assaults, Olivas violated the victims’ constitutional rights to liberty and bodily integrity.
“Olivas is a sexual predator who willfully abused his power as a federal agent to torment his victims, causing them physical, emotional, and psychological pain,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. “Those who abuse their power as public officials must be held accountable. We hope the sentence imposed in this civil rights case eases the victims’ anguish and reminds would-be offenders that there is a stiff penalty for law enforcement officials who violate their vow to enforce and uphold the law.”
“John Jacob Olivas not only used the power of his position to commit horrific acts of violence and silence his victims, his actions while employed as a government agent served to undermine the efforts of honorable law enforcement officials,” said Donald Alway, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI's Los Angeles Field Office. “This significant sentence should not only deliver a measure of justice to his victims, but restore trust in government as we hold accountable individuals who use their position to violate civil rights.”
“Former SA Olivas willfully abused his position as a special agent and his acts were reprehensible,” said Jeffrey J. Gilgallon, Special Agent in Charge of ICE’s Office of Professional Responsibility’s Western Region. “Today’s sentencing sends a clear message that no law enforcement officer is above the law. OPR remains committed to working with our law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute instances of abuse of authority.”
The FBI and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Office of Professional Responsibility investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorneys Frances S. Lewis of the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section and Eli A. Alcaraz of the Riverside Branch Office prosecuted this case.
Foreign National Charged with Immigration Fraud and Human Smuggling ConspiracyRead the Press Release
An indictment was unsealed today charging an Iranian national with leading a visa fraud scheme to facilitate the illegal entry of individuals from Iran into the United States.
According to court documents, Hesam Fatehi Peykani, 38, allegedly organized, led, and worked with others in his Iranian-based smuggling network to facilitate the entry of Iranian citizens into the United States under false pretenses. Peykani allegedly carried out his scheme by charging Iranian citizens between $1,000 to $30,000 to submit or cause to be submitted tourist visa applications with false information on their behalf at a nearby U.S. consulate or embassy. The purportedly false information made the Iranian citizens appear to have strong ties to Iran to increase the likelihood of receiving a U.S. tourist visa, even when the applicants intended to remain in the United States permanently. Peykani allegedly coached the applicants to repeat the lies on their tourist visa application during their visa interview at a U.S. consulate or embassy. On one or more occasions, Peykani allegedly provided fraudulent documents to the Iranian citizens to support the lies in their visa application during their visa interview.
“Hesam Fatehi Peykani is alleged to have fraudulently facilitated the entry of Iranian citizens into the United States when they were not entitled to otherwise do so – enriching himself in the process, by charging large fees for his services,” said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “As this case demonstrates, the department continues to identify, investigate, and prosecute those who seek to profit from conduct that undermines our system of legal immigration.”
“Peykani allegedly exploited individuals and the U.S. immigration system through his visa scheme, trading on lies and fake documents to facilitate the illegal entry of Iranian citizens into the United States under false pretenses,” said U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Aber for the Eastern District of Virginia. “We are committed to holding accountable those who seek personal monetary gain by compromising and undermining the integrity of the immigration process.”
“This case represents the finest efforts of cooperative law enforcement,” said Supervisory Special Agent Gregory Batman of the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS). “DSS pursued investigative leads which led to disrupting and dismantling human smuggling operations. These crimes threaten the national security of the United States and the trustworthiness of our visa process.”
“Hesam Fatehi Peykani is allegedly part of a larger Iranian smuggling network that purportedly lined their own pockets by cheating Iranian citizens out of thousands of dollars and lying to the U.S. government,” said Special Agent in Charge Derek W. Gordon of the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C., Field Office. “They allegedly enabled Iranians to enter the U.S. under fictitious pretenses. HSI Washington cannot allow such breaches of security to happen without consequences. We are constantly looking to reinforce our nation’s security in order to provide safety for the American people.”
Peykani is charged with conspiracy to defraud the United States and commit visa fraud, visa fraud, conspiracy to encourage and induce an alien to come to the United States for profit, and encouraging and inducing an alien to come to the United States for profit. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.
The DSS Criminal Fraud Investigations Branch is investigating the case, with assistance from the HSI Washington D.C., Field Office, and is supported by the Extraterritorial Criminal Travel Strike Force (ECT) program, a joint partnership between the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and HSI. The ECT program focuses on human smuggling networks that may present national security or public safety risks, or present grave humanitarian concerns. ECT has dedicated investigative, intelligence, and prosecutorial resources. ECT coordinates and receives assistance from other U.S. government agencies and foreign law enforcement authorities.
Trial Attorney Clayton O’Connor of the Criminal Division's Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Raizza Ty for the Eastern District of Virginia are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Florissant Bank Manager Sentenced to 18 Months in Prison for Stealing $175,000Read the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A former bank branch manager from Florissant, Missouri was sentenced Monday to 18 months in federal prison for stealing $175,842 from customers.
U.S. District Judge Audrey G. Fleissig also ordered Andrea Nicole Hopkins, 29, to repay the money.
Hopkins actually took more than $328,000 from the accounts of 15 customers, Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Bateman said in court Monday, but returned some of the money to earlier victims to perpetuate the scheme. Hopkins stole from the accounts of some victims multiple times, he said. Some of her victims were elderly and had a diminished ability to understand their financial affairs. Among them are two 80-year-olds, one 95-year-old and one 82-year-old, her plea agreement says.
From Feb. 20, 2020 to May 25, 2021, while manager of the Commerce Bank branch on Natural Bridge Avenue in St. Louis, Hopkins logged into customer accounts and transferred funds out into either cashier’s checks or prepaid cards, her plea says. She changed the address on some account statements, forged signatures and transferred funds among customers to try and hide the thefts. The bank has since repaid customers.
She used the money to buy a motorcycle, to pay for living expenses and to pay personal debts.
Hopkins pleaded guilty in January to four felony counts of bank fraud.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle T. Bateman is prosecuting the case.