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4 May 2023
Zuni Man Pleads Guilty to Voluntary ManslaughterRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, announced that Brian Wallace pled guilty to voluntary manslaughter. Wallace, 44, of Zuni, New Mexico, and an enrolled member of the Zuni Pueblo, will remain in custody pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled.
In his plea agreement, Wallace admitted that he killed the victim, identified as John Doe, sometime between July 5, 2022, and August 9, 2022, and buried him in a shallow grave in the backyard of a friend’s house. In October of 2022, Wallace informed law enforcement of what had happened and where John Doe’s body was located. The body was recovered and the Office of Medical Investigator determined that John Doe had died from blunt force trauma to his chest.
By the terms of the plea agreement, Wallace faces up to 12 years in prison.
The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from Zuni Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas J. Marshall is prosecuting the case.
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Warren County man sentenced to 12 years in prison for trafficking methamphetamineRead the Press Release
AUGUSTA, GA: A Warren County man was sentenced to federal prison after pleading guilty to trafficking methamphetamine into the Southern District.
Michael Shane Jenkins, 44, of Warrenton, Ga., was sentenced to 144 months in prison after pleading guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. U.S. District Court Judge Dudley H. Bowen also fined Jenkins $2,000 and ordered him to serve five years of supervised release upon completion of his prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Methamphetamine and other illegal and highly addictive drugs are a scourge to our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Steinberg. “With the help of our law enforcement partners, we will hold accountable those who bring these deadly substances into the Southern District of Georgia.”
As described in court documents and testimony, Jenkins came to the attention of the FBI in November 2021 when investigators learned that Jenkins was distributing methamphetamine in Warren and McDuffie counties, making frequent trips to the Atlanta area to resupply. In March 2022, Jenkins was arrested during a traffic stop while returning from one of those trips when Georgia State Patrol troopers found a quantity of methamphetamine in his vehicle that later tested at a high level or “ice” purity.
During a subsequent search of Jenkins’ residence, investigators found more methamphetamine, along with multiple firearms, ammunition, and high-capacity magazines.
“The FBI is dedicated to protecting the people of Georgia from the dangers of drug trafficking and the related crimes that result from it,” said Keri Farley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “This lengthy sentence demonstrates how seriously we take drug trafficking, and that we will do everything in our power to hold accountable those who are delivering dangerous drugs into our neighborhoods.”
The case was investigated by the FBI, with assistance from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Georgia State Patrol, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremiah L. Johnson.
Virginia Woman Sentenced to Prison for Fraudulently Ordering Cell Phones on Behalf of Her Non-Profit Employer and Reselling Them for CashRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Celeste Santifer, 56, of Alexandria, Virginia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to 41 months in prison for committing wire fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Special Agent in Charge Wayne A. Jacobs of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division.
Santifer was a former employee of the YMCA of Metropolitan Washington (“YMCA-DC”), which is a non-profit organization with 16 branches and program centers in the District of Columbia and greater Washington, D.C. area. Santifer worked as an office manager at YMCA-DC from approximately 2007 until her termination in May of 2019. While working at the YMCA-DC, Santifer devised a scheme to defraud by taking advantage of an arrangement with Verizon Wireless (“Verizon”) to sell YMCA-DC, as a non-profit organization, cell phones for its employees at a discounted price. From at least January 2016 through April 2019, Santifer placed online orders for discounted cell phones from Verizon that she personally received, disconnected from service, and sold to companies that buy and sell new or slightly used phones. Santifer ultimately ordered over 1,000 phones purportedly for YMCA-DC employees that she sold to third-party companies for money. The value of the phones to Verizon was $618,090.
Santifer pleaded guilty on October 3, 2022 before U.S. District Court Judge Royce C. Lamberth. In addition to the prison term, Judge Lamberth ordered restitution of $618,090, and three years of supervised release.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Special Agent in Charge Jacobs commended the work of those from the FBI’s Washington Field Office who investigated the case. They also expressed appreciation to Paralegal Specialist Michon Tart. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christine Macey, who prosecuted the case, and Kathryn Rakoczy, who investigated the case.
Veterans Affairs Medical Center doctor accused of sexually assaulting female veteran patientsRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Rajesh Motibhai Patel, a primary care physician at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Decatur, Georgia, has been indicted on multiple counts of violating his patients’ constitutional right to bodily integrity while acting under color of law and for engaging in unwanted sexual contact.
“Our Veterans have made incredible sacrifices for our country and deserve the best medical treatment and highest quality of care,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “Patel allegedly sexually abused his female patients and violated his oath to do no harm to patients under his care.”
“Veterans and their families expect and deserve the highest quality of health care delivered in a safe and accountable setting,” said VA Inspector General Michael J. Missal. “The VA Office of Inspector General is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to ensure the safety of those who entrust their health care to the providers and staff at VA’s 1,200 medical facilities.”
According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, the charges, and other information presented in court: Between 2019 and 2020, Rajesh Motibhai Patel, a physician at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center, allegedly assaulted four of his female patients during routine exams, groped their breasts, and improperly touched their vaginal area.
Investigators believe that Dr. Rajesh Motibhai Patel, 68, of Lilburn, Georgia, may have victimized additional patients. If you have information related to Dr. Patel that could further the investigation, or if you suspect that a particular person may have been one of his victims, please call the VA-OIG tipline at (770) 758-6646.
Members of the public are reminded that the indictment only contains charges. The defendant is presumed innocent of the charges and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
This case is being investigated by the Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Erin N. Spritzer and Jennifer Keen are prosecuting the case.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
University Professor Indicted for Trafficking Images of Child Sex AbuseRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned an indictment today against Rodger Githens, 45, of West Sacramento, charging him with receipt and distribution of images of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, in late March 2023, Githens, using the profile “Tall laid back,” initiated contact with an account on the Grindr app controlled by an undercover FBI agent. Githens encouraged the undercover FBI agent to establish an account with the Telegram app, since it was considered more secure. Githens several times discussed traveling to Fresno to meet the agent and a supposed 7-year-old niece for sexual purposes, but law enforcement served a search warrant at Githens’s residence on April 19, 2023, and seized multiple electronic devices. Agents discovered numerous Telegram chats on Githens’s phone, including several in which he was exchanging and commenting on videos of young children being sexually abused.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the West Sacramento Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Gappa is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Githens faces five to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, a lifetime of supervised release, and forfeiture of any property used to facilitate commission of the offense. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet-safety education.
United States Secret Service Seizes More Than $290,000 in Elder Fraud ScamRead the Press Release
Spokane, Washington – Vanessa R. Waldref, the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced today the seizure of $290,399.73 by the U.S. Secret Service in an alleged elder fraud scam.
The seizure arises from an alleged online scam which targeted an elderly couple residing in the Wenatchee area. The alleged perpetrator befriended the couple through “WhatsApp” and claimed to be a 35-year old traveling musician. Over the course of two years, the alleged perpetrator persuaded the couple to send more than $20,000. Then, in February 2023, the alleged perpetrator convinced the couple to do a “cash out refinance” of their residence. The alleged perpetrator told the couple the funds would be used to participate in a real estate investment, with a promise of big investment returns.
The alleged perpetrator was able to induce the couple to obtain the cash out refinance mortgage for their residence, transfer the funds to a title company, and attempted to have the funds sent to the alleged perpetrator’s bank account. However, when one of the victims went to a local Wenatchee title company to complete the transaction, the CEO of the title company became suspicious and contacted law enforcement. The U.S. Secret Service subsequently seized the entirety of the funds, $290,399.73, before the alleged perpetrator was able to access the account. The forfeited property will be returned to the victim through a process known as remission. No criminal charges have been filed at this time related to the seizure.
“Financial fraud schemes targeting the elderly are reprehensible. With our increasing use and dependency on technology, fraudsters have found new ways to target and scam unsuspecting Americans,” said U.S. Attorney Vanessa R. Waldref. “The public can be assured that our office is committed to investigating and prosecuting financial fraud scams, especially those that impact the elderly. We will continue to work diligently with our law enforcement partners to vigorously prosecute those who engage in financial fraud, and to strengthen our communities by protecting our elderly and vulnerable citizens.”
“This case represents a significant result in our continuing efforts to combat elder fraud and the victimization of the most vulnerable members of the U.S. public,” said Greg Ligouri, Resident Agent in Charge of the Spokane Office of the U.S. Secret Service. “The U.S. Secret Service is proud to have contributed to this result and will be relentless in protecting American citizens from fraud.”
“I commend the members of the Wenatchee community who took it upon themselves to look out for the elderly and vulnerable and affirmatively reached out law enforcement to protect them from fraud,” said U.S. Attorney Waldref. “I also commend the stellar investigative work and quick intervention by the U.S. Secret Service.”
This case was investigated by the U.S. Secret Service, Spokane Resident Office, and Assistant United States Attorney Brian M. Donovan is prosecuting this case on behalf of the United States.If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has experienced financial fraud, experienced professionals are standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This U.S. Department of Justice hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, can provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies, and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET. English, Spanish and other languages are available.
More information about the Department’s efforts to help American seniors is available at its Elder Justice Initiative webpage at https://www.justice.gov/elderjustice. For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit its website at https://www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. The Department of Justice provides information about a variety of resources relating to elder fraud victimization through its Office for Victims of Crime, which are available at https://www.ovc.gov.
The allegations set forth herein are merely allegations, and all potential defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Union County Man Admits Receiving Child PornographyRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Union County, New Jersey, man today admitted receiving videos and images of child sexual abuse, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Joshua Cremosnik, 49, of Rahway, New Jersey, pleaded guilty by videoconference before U.S. District Judge Julien Xavier Neals to an information charging him with one count of receipt of child pornography.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From April to August 2021, Cremosnik received videos of child sexual abuse via a publicly available online peer-to-peer (P2P) file-sharing program. Subsequent to a lawful search of his residence, law enforcement officers recovered numerous videos and images of child sexual abuse on Cremosnik’s laptop and electronic storage media. Cremosnik acknowledged using the P2P network to request and receive child pornography materials and stored those materials on his laptop and electronic storage media.
The count of receipt of child pornography carries a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and a fine of $250,000. Sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 5, 2023.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Farhana C. Melo of the Criminal Division in Newark.
cremosnik.information.pdfU.S. Attorney’s Office Observes National Police Week 2023: Honoring and Remembering Our Fallen Law Enforcement OfficersRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Again this year, communities across the United States will come together during National Police Week to honor and remember those law enforcement officers who made the ultimate sacrifice, as well as the family members, friends and fellow officers they left behind.
This year, the names of 556 officers killed in the line of duty are being added to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, DC. These 556 officers include 224 officers who were killed during 2022, plus 332 officers who died in previous years, but whose stories of sacrifice had been lost to history until now.
The fallen officers honored this year include Officer Tyler Lenehan of the Elk Grove Police Department and Officer Gonzalo Carrasco Jr. of the Selma Police Department. On Jan. 21, 2022, Officer Lenehan, while riding his department-issued motorcycle, was struck and killed by a wrong-way driver on Highway 99 near 47th Avenue in Sacramento. On Jan. 31, 2023, Officer Carrasco was shot and killed in the line of duty when he was flagged down by a homeowner regarding a suspicious man on her property. As Carrasco approached, the 23-year-old man immediately fired several shots, striking and killing Officer Carrasco.
“This is a time for all of us as Americans to honor and pay tribute to our law enforcement heroes who gave the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty protecting our communities and our country. We keep the families, friends and fellow officers of these heroes in our hearts and minds,” said U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert. “We will never forget their sacrifice.”
May 7 Candlelight Vigil, May 8 Enrollment Ceremony in Sacramento
All fallen California law enforcement officers will be remembered during the California Peace Officers’ Memorial Ceremonies. A Candlelight Vigil will be held on Sunday, May 7 at 8:30 p.m., and the Enrollment Ceremony will take place on the next morning at 10:30 a.m. U.S. Attorney Talbert and many law enforcement officers from around the state will be in attendance during the Enrollment Ceremony on Monday. Both events will be held at the California Peace Officers’ Memorial Monument at 10th Street and Capitol Mall in Sacramento. Individual agencies will also be conducting their own ceremonies during this time period to remember their fallen heroes.
May 11 CHP Unveiling Ceremony in Fresno
U.S. Attorney Talbert will also attend the unveiling ceremony of the Central Division Officer Down Memorial in Fresno on May 11 at 11:00 a.m. This event is hosted by the California Highway Patrol.
In addition to Officers Lenehan and Carrasco, nine California peace officers who gave the ultimate sacrifice in 2022 will be honored and enrolled during this year’s ceremony. For more information on the California memorial events go to www.camemorial.org.
May 13 Candlelight Vigil in Washington, DC with live webcast
The names of fallen officers nationwide will be formally dedicated on the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, DC, during the 35th Annual Candlelight Vigil on the evening of May 13, 2023. So that people across the country can experience this unique and powerful ceremony, the vigil will be webcast live over the internet beginning at 5:00 p.m. (PDT).
U.S Attorney Will Thompson Invites Survivors and Loved Ones to Crime Victims Assistance Awards Ceremony on May 9, 2023Read the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Will Thompson is inviting survivors and their loved ones to the 2023 Crime Victims Assistance Awards Ceremony on Tuesday, May 9, 2023, at 10 a.m. at the West Virginia State Capitol.
The ceremony is part of Operation Reach Out and follows up on National Crime Victims’ Rights Week. This year’s theme is “Survivor Voices: Elevate. Engage. Effect Change,” which calls upon communities to amplify the voices of survivors and commit to creating an environment where survivors have the confidence that they will be heard, believed, and supported.
The May 9 ceremony will feature a special Tree of Remembrance. Victims and survivors are encouraged to sign cards and place them on the tree as part of the ceremony in remembrance of a loved one or for themselves as a survivor. Cards will be available at the ceremony and are also on the National Crime Victims’ Rights Week resource page of the Southern District of West Virginia website: https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdwv/national-crime-victims-rights-week.
The ceremony’s featured speakers include Kanawha County Circuit Judge Tera Salango, whose brother was murdered when she was 16, and Angie Conn, a human trafficking survivor, victim advocate and founder of SheWhoDares Consulting LLC. Several individuals and organizations will be honored for their service, support and advocacy on behalf of crime victims and survivors.
The ceremony will be held on the south steps of the West Virginia Capitol, near Kanawha Boulevard, or outside the Senate Chamber in the event of inclement weather.
Operation Reach Out is a collaborative effort involving local advocacy programs that raise awareness of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week and of the various organizations that provide services to crime victims. The Department of Justice’s Office for Victims of Crime, within the Office of Justice Programs, leads communities across the country in observing National Crime Victims’ Rights Week. In 1981, President Ronald Reagan proclaimed the first National Crime Victims’ Rights Week to bring greater sensitivity to the needs and rights of victims of crime.
More information about the Office of Justice Programs and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov. More information about Crime Victim’s Rights Week can be found at https://ovc.ojp.gov/program/national-crime-victims-rights-week/overview.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia.
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Two Men Indicted for Assaulting Correctional Officers at U.S. Penitentiary AtwaterRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned an indictment today against Daniel Higgins, 38, of Morro Bay, and Austin Noblitt, 33, of Portland, Oregon, charging each with two counts of assault on a federal officer, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, on Nov. 21, 2022, Higgins and Noblitt assaulted two Federal Bureau of Prisons correctional officers at U.S. Penitentiary (USP) Atwater in Merced County. Higgins and Noblitt punched the officers repeatedly on their heads and torsos, causing bodily injuries to both officers.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Chan Hee Chu and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey A. Spivak are prosecuting the case..
If convicted, Higgins and Noblitt face a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine on each count. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Texas trucker tampers with truthful testimonyRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 48-year-old Edinburg resident has been ordered to federal prison following his conviction for obstruction of justice, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Jose Manuel Gutierrez pleaded guilty Jan. 26.
Today, U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos ordered Gutierrez to serve 14 months in federal prison followed by two years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence regarding Gutierrez’s criminal history which includes convictions for assault, money laundering and aiding and abetting the entry of illegal aliens. In handing down the sentence, the court noted the concerning nature and circumstances of the crime.
“This human smuggler tried to get witnesses to lie,” said Hamdani. “My office is not going to stand by and let intimidation replace the truth. The seriousness of his threats to justice merit the sentence imposed today.”
At the time of his plea, Gutierrez admitted he attempted to influence an official proceeding knowingly and dishonestly, with intent to undermine the proceeding.
On April 11, 2022, Gutierrez arrived at the Falfurrias Border Patrol (BP) checkpoint. There, authorities ultimately found 10 people, illegally present in the United States, concealed in the sleeper portion of the tractor he was driving. Two of them described how they were transported and identified Gutierrez in a photo-lineup as the driver who instructed them to get into the vehicle and covered them with blankets.
However, the two witnesses later changed their accounts, reporting they did not know Gutierrez and had no contact with them.
The investigation revealed Gutierrez had provided the names of the two witnesses to a family member after their initial statements to authorities. He instructed the individual to give the names to another person who could then “work” them. The witnesses later claimed they had changed their statements because Gutierrez had told them to do so. While there were no direct threats, both reported they were afraid something might happen to them if they had not done so.
Gutierrez will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
BP conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Liesel Roscher and John Marck prosecuted the case.
Tampa Men Sentenced for Armed Robbery of A Mail CarrierRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Kimberly Mizelle today sentenced Omar Rochester Miller, Jr. (23, Tampa) and Christopher Diaz, aka “Chico,” (27, Tampa) for the armed robbery of a postal mail carrier. Specifically, Miller was sentenced to 9 years and 2 months in federal prison for armed robbery of a postal mail carrier, theft of postal keys, and brandishing a firearm during the commission of the robbery. Diaz was sentenced to 8 years in federal prison for armed robbery of a postal mail carrier and theft of postal keys. Diaz had pleaded guilty on January 10, 2023. A federal jury found Miller guilty on January 25, 2023.
According to evidence presented at trial, Miller robbed a letter carrier at gunpoint while she was delivering mail at an apartment complex. Miller approached the letter carrier from behind, pointed a firearm at her, threatened to shoot her, and demanded her postal keys. After Miller stole the postal keys, he pushed the mail carrier to the ground and ran to a waiting getaway car, driven by Edwin Betancourt Vega. This robbery was organized through phone calls and text messages between Betancourt Vega and Diaz, to coordinate the robbery and sale of the postal keys in exchange for cash. Law enforcement recovered the postal keys, as well as proceeds from the sale of the key from both Miller and Betancourt Vega. They recovered the firearm used in the robbery, which contained Miller’s DNA.
Betancourt Vega was also charged for his role in the robbery as a getaway driver. He pleaded guilty to armed robbery of a postal mail carrier and theft of postal keys. On February 3, 2023, Betancourt Vega was sentenced to four years and three months in federal prison.
“Employee safety is a top priority for the U.S. Postal Inspection Service,” said Juan Vargas, Inspector in Charge of the Miami Division. “These convictions and sentences demonstrate the commitment of the Inspection Service, as well as our partners at the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, to bring justice to anyone who would endanger the public servants of the Postal Service.”
This case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Ilyssa M. Spergel and Stacie B. Harris.
Three Ecuadorians Charged with Possession of 800 Kilograms of CocaineRead the Press Release
St. Croix, VI – United States Attorney Delia L. Smith announced today that Luis Menocal-Mero, alias “Luis Menoscal”, 38, Carlos Anchundia-Mero, 22, and Carlos Baque-Pincay, 21, were charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine while on board a vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the United States.
According to court documents, on March 8, 2023, during a routine patrol in international waters in the Eastern Pacific, United States Coast Guard Cutter Farragut intercepted a go-fast vessel after it was sighted approximately 110 nautical miles southeast of the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador. The vessel displayed no indicia of nationality, and no flag was flown. Coast Guard officers boarded the vessel to conduct an inspection and discovered 30 bales containing approximately 800 kilograms of individually wrapped, brick-shipped packages of cocaine on the deck and fish hold areas of the vessel. One of the occupants of the vessel claimed Ecuadorian nationality, but Ecuador could neither confirm nor deny nationality of the vessel. The vessel was therefore deemed to be one without nationality, thus subject to the jurisdiction of the United States. If convicted, the defendants face a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and a maximum of life imprisonment. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This case is being investigated by the United States Coast Guard and Drug Enforcement Administration and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Melissa P. Ortiz. The 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.
United States Attorney Delia L. Smith reminds the public that an indictment is merely an allegation and that all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Statement by U.S. Attorney Rachael S. Rollins on National Crime Victims’ Rights WeekRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Each year, we set aside time to honor crime victims and recognize the work of those who serve and advocate for survivors. The 2023 National Crime Victims’ Rights Week theme—“Survivor Voices: Elevate. Engage. Effect Change.”—called upon communities to amplify the voices of survivors and commit to creating an environment where survivors have the confidence that they will be heard, believed and supported.
At the U.S. Attorney’s Office, we are committed to highlighting that theme in our work not just one week a year, but every day. We take a trauma-informed approach to our prosecution and enforcement work that centers the experience of survivors. We seek to elevate and engage survivors to lift their voices, inform policy and practice and effect change. We also stand firmly with families who have lost their loved ones to violent crime by seeking justice, amplifying their voices and ensuring that their loved ones will never be forgotten.It is equally as important that we honor the resilience, courage and love of survivors and their families, who have suffered devastating loss. Some of these moments are well known. For example, as we recognized the 10th anniversary of the tragic events at and following the April 2013 Boston Marathon, we bore witness to the capacity of survivors to conquer the unimaginable. We publicly honored law enforcement, first responders and the medical community, while privately uplifting and acknowledging the bravery and strength of the hundreds of victims. Of course, there are countless other victims whose names are never forgotten, such as Philip McCloskey, Jonathan Rizzo and Robert Whitney; and the 19 known murder victims of James “Whitey” Bulger, just to name a few.
However, many acts of inspiration and strength are not as publicized or documented. I am moved, for example, by families like those of Jeremiah Hurley and Francis Foley, two Boston Police Officers who were killed and maimed, respectively, by a bomb when they responded to a call to investigate a suspicious device in 1991. These families not only endured the initial and continuing devastation and trauma caused by those responsible for the bombing, but also bravely weathered the challenges of the legal system as the case progressed through investigation, trial and the post-conviction process. Members of both families continue to serve as first responders – a testament to the enduring legacy of Officers Hurley and Foley.
Often, as time passes, attention shifts away from survivors. For us at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the victims and their families will always remain the center of our focus and the motivation for our work. As we recognize all crime victims, we recommit ourselves to ensuring that our approach and services to victims and survivors are meaningful, responsive and centered on their individual needs.
For assistance locating community based services for victims of crime, please see the U.S. Department of Justice Office for Victims of Crime resource directory and the Massachusetts Office for Victim Assistance resource directory at https://ovc.ojp.gov/directory-crime-victim-services/search and https://www.mass.gov/orgs/askmova.
St. Louis County Felon Indicted for Store RobberyRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A convicted felon from St. Louis County, Missouri was indicted by a federal grand jury here Wednesday and accused of robbing a convenience store at gunpoint.
Richard E. Barber, 51, is now facing three felonies: robbery, possession and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
The indictment alleges that Barber used a firearm to rob a Gas Mart in north St. Louis County on Feb. 11, 2023. Barber is a convicted felon and is barred from possessing a gun.
A detention motion says Barber entered the store and took a beer from the refrigerator before pulling a pistol and calmly ordering the cashier to empty the cash register. Two days later, a pistol resembling the one used in the robbery was recovered after Barber wrecked his car. The robbery was captured on video, the motion says.
The robbery charge carries a potential penalty of up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both and the felon in possession of a firearm charge carries a penalty of up to 15 years and the same fine. The firearm brandishing charge carries a penalty of at least seven years in prison.
Barber was on supervised release at the time of the robbery after having been sentenced in 2014 to serve 100 months in federal prison on a charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm. He is also facing charges of robbery and armed criminal action in St. Louis County Circuit Court.
Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The case was investigated by the St. Louis County Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Hayes is prosecuting the case.
St. Bernard Man Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Student Aid Fraud of over $74,000Read the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that ROBERT JOHN, age 48, from St. Bernard, Louisiana, was sentenced on May 3, 2023 for conspiring to commit student aid fraud.
According to court documents, JOHN conspired with others to submit fraudulent applications for student loans and grants to two local community colleges, using the names of seven different applicants. In total, the Department of Education paid over $74,000 in loan and grant funds in connection with the fraudulent applications. The applications contained false information for all applicants, and several of the applicants did not even qualify for community college because they had not graduated from high school or obtained GEDs.
United States District Court Judge Lance M. Africk sentenced JOHN to five years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, $74,576.10 in restitution to the Department of Education, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.
“I’m proud of the work of OIG special agents and our law enforcement colleagues for shutting down yet another student aid fraud ring and holding the ringleader accountable for his criminal actions,” said Edd Cole, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Education Office of Inspector General’s Southwestern Regional Office. “The OIG is committed to fighting student aid fraud and we will continue to aggressively pursue those that participate in these types of crimes.”
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Department of Education Office of Inspector General and the United States Postal Inspection Service. Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas D. Moses, Health Care Fraud Coordinator, is in charge of the prosecution.
Spring Hill Man Pleads Guilty to Tampa Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that John Charles Anderson (39, Spring Hill) has pleaded guilty to bank robbery. Anderson faces a maximum penalty of 25 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to court records, on January 14, 2022, Anderson entered the SunTrust Bank located at 12902 North Dale Mabry Highway in Tampa armed with a Crossman BB pistol, a dangerous weapon. Anderson brandished the BB pistol while demanding money from the teller. The pistol appeared to be a functioning handgun, which caused fear in the mind of the teller, who complied with Anderson’s demand and gave him $941 in cash from the cash drawer.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Samantha Beckman.
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.
Shelbyville Woman Sentenced to Two Years in Federal Prison for Embezzling more than $600,000 in Company Funds over Nearly a DecadeRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS- Tammy J. Scudder, 52, of Shelbyville, Indiana, was sentenced to 2 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to four counts of wire fraud.
According to court documents, from 2012 to December of 2021, Tammy Scudder devised and participated in a scheme to defraud her employer of more than $600,000. Scudder served as the Controller for a company located in Shelbyville, Indiana for nine years. As Controller, Scudder was the company’s top accountant and maintained its accounting ledgers, managed payroll, and had access to online bank accounts. Scudder also had access to the company’s accounting software, which she used to generate checks in Plymate’s name.
Scudder abused her position of trust as Controller to exploit a vulnerability in the company’s accounting system. Scudder knew that the company’s Group Health Plan bank account was difficult to double-check because it was funded based upon the total amount of the weekly claims on the list it received from another company, rather than by each claim individually. Scudder accessed the victim company’s accounting software to generate and print a company check to herself, signed using another employee’s signature stamp. After Scudder printed the check, she concealed the theft by altering and falsifying the victim company’s accounting records.
Scudder used the stolen money to take vacations, pay off personal debts, fund her children’s educational expenditures, and by make improvements to her Shelbyville residence. Between February 2, 2012, and December 17, 2020, Scudder generated 154 false and fraudulent checks totaling $693,708.75.
United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, Zachary A Myers, Herbert J. Stapleton, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Indianapolis Field Office made the announcement.
“The defendant abused her position of trust and stole hundreds of thousands of dollars intended to pay for the health care of her colleagues,” said U.S. Attorney, Zachary A. Myers. “This incessant greed, spanning nearly a decade, has been quashed thanks to our dedicated partners at the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Our office will continue to identify and prosecute individuals who scheme and steal to satisfy their own greed.”
The FBI investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by Chief U.S. District Court Judge Tanya Walton Pratt. Judge Pratt also ordered that Scudder by supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for 2 years following her release from federal prison and pay the full $693,708 in restitution to Plymate.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorney Tiffany J. Preston, who prosecuted this case.
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St. Croix Jury Convicts 65 Year Old Man of Sex Trafficking and Transporting a Minor for ProstitutionRead the Press Release
St. Croix, VI – United States Attorney Delia L. Smith announced today that a St. Croix jury convicted James Phillip, 65, of St. Croix, of sex trafficking and transporting a minor for prostitution. The jury returned the guilty verdict after hearing a week of testimony. District Court Judge Wilma Lewis ordered Phillip to surrender to the custody of the U.S. Marshal Service on May 15, 2023, to begin serving his sentence.
“Sexual abuse impacts our entire community and exposes its victims to a lifetime of trauma. It is particularly heinous when sexual predators exploit our young children. I am therefore committed to prosecuting sex offenders to the fullest extent of the law in hopes of creating a safe community for our children”, said United States Attorney Delia L. Smith.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Phillip and his co-defendant Zayvon Acoy aided and abetted each other in the sex trafficking and transporting of the minor victim for the purpose of engaging in prostitution. At trial, the victim testified that in 2017, when she was 17, she had a sexual relationship with Acoy, who was 27. The victim testified that during their short relationship, Acoy physically abused her and forced her into prostitution because he needed money. The victim further testified that on two occasions, Acoy took her to Phillip’s house where she had sex with Phillip as Acoy waited outside in his vehicle. After both encounters, Phillip paid Acoy $250.00 for having sex with the victim. The victim testified that she got tired of Acoy’s abuse and decided to report the encounters to local and federal law enforcement. On July 7, 2021, Acoy pleaded guilty to sex trafficking of a minor and was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment on February 14, 2022. For his conviction, Phillip faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years, and a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
The case investigated by Homeland Security Investigation and the Virgin Islands Police Department and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Everard Potter and Evan Rikhye. “Homeland Security Investigations is committed to protecting the victims of sexual exploitation in our community. In this instance, HSI brought the violator to justice after investigating a delicate but complex case by demonstrating our expertise in victim advocacy which is required in handling minor victims of sexual assaults,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Eugene Thomas.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and 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 http://www.justice.gov/psc.
Riverview Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Two Armed RobberiesRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber has sentenced Jamaal Black (21, Riverview) to 15 years in federal prison for two armed robberies and discharging a firearm during one of the robberies. Black had pleaded guilty on January 26, 2023.
According to court documents, on January 30, 2021, Black entered a gas station in Riverview, pulled out a pistol with an extended magazine, aimed it at a clerk, and demanded money. Black attempted to go behind the counter when the clerk refused to give Black the money. Black engaged in an altercation with the clerk and shot the clerk in the arm during the struggle. The clerk fell to the ground. Black approached the clerk, aimed the firearm at the clerk, and repeated the demand for money. The clerk, bleeding profusely from the gunshot wound, complied. The clerk gave Black the contents of the cash register and Black escaped the gas station with $200.
Two months later, on March 14, 2021, Black committed another robbery. Black used a juvenile girl to arrange for a marijuana transaction. The girl went to a local drug dealer’s home under the guise of purchasing marijuana. Black approached the dealer when the dealer retrieved the marijuana for the sale. Black pressed a firearm to the drug dealer’s head and demanded the marijuana. The drug dealer threw the marijuana at Black and retreated back into the home.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Charlie D. Connally.
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.
Remaining Defendants in Middle Georgia Armed Drug Trafficking Organization Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. – The leaders of an armed drug trafficking ring centered in Warner Robins, Georgia, were sentenced to federal prison this week for their crimes.
Antoine Riley aka “Bear,” 45, of Warner Robins, was sentenced as a career offender to serve 180 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release to run consecutively to any term of imprisonment imposed in a pending case in Taylor County Superior Court, after he previously pleaded guilty to distribution of cocaine base. Co-defendant Antonio Raines, 39, of Warner Robins, was sentenced to serve 97 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release, after he previously pleaded guilty to distribution of cocaine base. The sentences were handed down by Chief U.S. District Judge Marc Treadwell on May 3. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Armed repeat felons will face federal consequences for their continued criminal activity,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “Thanks to the efforts of the local, state and federal agencies with the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force, another armed criminal group has been held accountable.”
“These career criminal drug traffickers posed a significant threat to the quality of life in our communities. The dismantling of this organization makes our communities a safer place today,” said Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division.
The following codefendants have pleaded guilty and been sentenced:
- Brittany Smith, 29, of Warner Robins, was sentenced to serve 135 months in prison on Jan. 4, after previously pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine;
- Emanuel Ivey, 36, of Warner Robins, was sentenced to serve 87 months in prison on Feb. 9, after previously pleading guilty to distribution of cocaine base;
- Joseph Day, 49, of Warner Robins, was sentenced to serve 46 months in prison on Feb. 27, 2023, after previously pleading guilty to distribution of cocaine base;
- Desmond Griffin, 30, of Warner Robins, was sentenced to serve 24 months in prison on April 6, 2023, after previously pleading guilty to distribution of cocaine base;
- Obie Wright, 67, of Warner Robins, was sentenced to serve 18 months in prison on April 6, 2023, after previously pleading guilty to distribution of cocaine base; and
- Latanya Williams, 41, of Warner Robins, was sentenced to serve three years of probation on April 6, 2023, after previously pleading guilty to making false statements.
According to court records, federal agents began investigating Riley for distributing large quantities of crack cocaine out of several stash houses in the Warner Robins community; he was known to be armed. Recorded conversations and text messages between Riley and his codefendants revealed Riley and Raines as the leaders of the criminal operation. Several controlled purchases of cocaine were made, including a multi-kilogram transaction involving Riley while he was under surveillance. Riley was taken into custody on Feb. 12, 2021, by Bibb County Sheriff’s Office deputies after attempting to flee while in possession of a large amount of cocaine. A search warrant was executed that same day at Riley’s residence at McCall Circle in Warner Robins, and agents recovered a stolen Glock 9mm handgun, an extended Glock magazine, a .357 caliber revolver and a large quantity of cocaine. Riley told agents he was running another stash house on Vinson Drive in Warner Robins. Riley is being held accountable for at least 4.717 kilograms of cocaine, 45.68 grams of cocaine base and two firearms. Riley has a lengthy criminal history to include two prior convictions for possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and obstruction of an officer.
Raines was named in a separate armed drug distribution and dog fighting investigation in the Middle District of Georgia; for more information about that case, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdga/pr/final-defendant-multi-state-dog-fighting-drug-conspiracy-case-pleads-guilty.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The case was investigated by the DEA, FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the United States Marshals Service, the Monroe County Sherriff’s Office, the Bibb County Sherriff’s Office and the Warner Robins Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alex Kalim prosecuted the case.
Port St. Lucie Tattoo Artist Pleads Guilty to Producing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
MIAMI – Dustin Singleton, 42, of Hobe Sound, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Aileen M. Cannon to three counts of producing child sexual abuse material, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and possession of a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon.
On April 29, 2022, following a traffic stop in Stuart, Fla., Martin County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) detectives found 32.86 grams of methamphetamine with a purity level of 98%, approximately 5 grams of cocaine, less than a gram of fentanyl, approximately 195 grams of marijuana, several glass pipes, hypodermic needles, a loaded Smith & Wesson, Bodyguard .380 caliber semi-automatic pistol, a loaded Glock type 9mm pistol built from a Polymer80 PF940C kit (“Glock clone”), several unused baggies, several pill bottles with various controlled substances, $1,104.00 in U.S. currency, 10 cellphones, and three tablets in Singleton’s vehicle. Singleton is a convicted felon and prohibited by law from possessing firearms.
In July 2022, a Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agent and two MCSO detectives received information that tattoo artist Singleton aka “Greenhouse” exchanged narcotics and tattoos for sexual activity with minor females at his Port St. Lucie tattoo shop. Two rounds of search warrants were obtained – the first one for narcotics and the second one for child sexual abuse material, which targeted Singleton’s electronic devices. Forensic examinations of the devices revealed numerous images of Singleton and Elijah Daniel Shaw, both engaging in sexually explicit activity with a freshly tattooed 13-year-old minor female victim—recorded inside the tattoo shop.
On August 2, 2022, law enforcement arrested Shaw who identified images/videos of himself, Singleton, and the 13-year-old minor female victim and confirmed that the video was recorded inside Singleton’s tattoo parlor. A HSI special agent applied for additional search warrants for Singleton’s and Shaw’s social media and iCloud accounts. Forensic Examiners located numerous videos of child sexual abuse material, spanning six hours, including videos of Singleton tattooing the 13-year-old, and later holding a smoking glass pipe for the victim, while he and Shaw both engaged in sexually explicit activity with her. Investigators located videos revealing two additional minor victims, each 17 years of age, engaging in sexually explicit activity with Singleton. Singleton had secretly recorded himself having sex with the minors, using his tattoo shop’s video surveillance system, which he saved in his iCloud.
For each of the three counts of producing child sexual abuse material, Singleton faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison and up to 30 years in prison followed by a lifetime of supervised release. In addition, he will be required to register as a sex offender.
For the drug distribution charge, Singleton faces up to 20 years in prison, followed by at least 3 years of supervised release.
For the firearm charge, Singleton faces up to 10 years in prison, followed by supervised release for up to 3 years.
Elijah Daniel Shaw, on January 25, pleaded guilty to producing and possessing child sexual abuse material, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Melissa Damian, sitting in Miami. Shaw is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Aileen M. Cannon on June 27, in Fort Pierce.
United States Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida and acting Special Agent in Charge Michael E. Buckley, HSI, Miami, announced the guilty plea.
HSI Fort Pierce Office investigated the case, with assistance from Martin County Sheriff’s Office, St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office, and Port St. Lucie Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carmen Lineberger and Michael Porter are prosecuting it.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, PSC marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about the PSC initiative and for information regarding Internet safety, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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-14048.
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Podiatrist Sentenced for Fraudulently Billing Medicare Nearly $2M Under False IdentityRead the Press Release
A Michigan podiatrist was sentenced today to seven years in prison for orchestrating a health care fraud conspiracy that resulted in almost $2 million in false and fraudulent claims being submitted to Medicare, as well as for falsifying records and identity theft.
According to court documents, Dr. Kenneth Mitchell, 61, of Wayne County, owned and operated a podiatry practice in Michigan specializing in on-site foot care provided to adult foster home residents. Mitchell had previously been suspended by Medicare for suspicious billing practices, banning him from receiving any Medicare funds while the suspension remained in place.
After his own Medicare suspension went into effect, Mitchell created a new entity called Urban Health Care Group PLLC (Urban). Mitchell then convinced another doctor – one who was not subject to suspension and therefore could bill Medicare – to enroll in the Medicare program and place her name on corporate and banking documents relating to Urban. Under this arrangement, Mitchell submitted bills to Medicare falsely stating that the other doctor provided the services to patients. Mitchell’s deception enabled him to bill Medicare through Urban for nearly $2 million in services that were false or fraudulent.
After Mitchell was indicted, Medicare suspended Urban’s billing privileges. Mitchell then created false statements, even going so far as to forge at least one signature on a fraudulent letter sent to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), to impede the government’s ongoing investigation and contradict the government’s case against him.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Christian J. Schrank of the HHS Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG) made the announcement.
HHS-OIG investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Kathleen Cooperstein and Shankar Ramamurthy of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section prosecuted the case.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, comprised of 15 strike forces operating in 25 federal districts, has charged more than 5,000 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $24 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at https://www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
Plymouth Man Indicted on Federal Civil Rights, Arson ChargesRead the Press Release
ST PAUL, Minn. – A Plymouth man has been indicted on one count of arson and one count of damage to religious property, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, on April 23, 2023, at approximately 7:00 p.m., Little, 36, started a fire in the bathroom of the Masjid Omar Islamic Center. On April 24, 2023, just before 7:00 p.m., Little was captured on surveillance video entering the Masjid Al Rahma. Shortly thereafter, a fire broke out on the third floor of the mosque, and the building was evacuated.
According to court documents, prior to the arson incidents, on January 5, 2023, Little was captured on surveillance video entering the Minneapolis district office of a U.S. Representative. Little spray-painted the text “500” on the front door of the U.S. Representative’s office and photographed the graffiti. Later that same day, Little spray-painted the same text (“500”) on the side of a patrol vehicle assigned to a Somali Minneapolis Police Department officer as well as in an entryway at a marketplace, colloquially referred to as the “Somali Mall.”
Little, who was arrested in Mankato on April 29, was arraigned this morning in U.S. District Court before Magistrate Judge Elizabeth Cowan Wright. He was ordered to remain in detention pending further court proceedings.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Minneapolis Police Department, the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Justice Department’s Civil Rights and National Security Divisions, the Blue Earth County Sheriff’s Office, and the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Manda M. Sertich is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Puerto Rican Man Sentenced to 108 Months on Cocaine Possession ConvictionRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, VI – United States Attorney Delia L. Smith announced today that Sammy Monell-Osorio, 31, of Puerto Rico, was sentenced by Chief District Court Judge Robert A. Molloy to 108 months of imprisonment on his conviction of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance while on board a vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the United States. Judge Molloy also sentenced Monell-Osorio to five years of supervised release and ordered him to pay a special assessment of $100.00.
According to court documents, in the early morning hours of February 28, 2023, Customs and Border Protection Marine Interdiction officers detected a vessel traveling without navigational lights on the west side of St. Thomas heading towards Puerto Rico. Osorio, the captain of the vessel, attempted to evade the officers when they ordered him to stop. The occupants of Osorio’s vessel then threw a black bag overboard before the vessel was disabled for failure to heave to the officer’s commands. The black bag containing 18 kilograms of cocaine was later retrieved from the ocean.
The U.S. Customs and Border Protection Marine Interdiction Unit and Homeland Security Investigations investigated this case and Assistant United States Attorneys Everard Potter and Natasha Baker prosecuted the case.
The 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.
Oklahoma City Woman Pleads Guilty to Embezzling from Local CompanyRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – Yesterday, STEPHANIE FANNIN, 45, of Oklahoma City, pleaded guilty to a one-count felony information charging her with wire fraud, announced United States Attorney Robert J. Troester.
The information was filed against Fannin in federal court on April 12, 2023. It alleges that from 2018 until April 2021, Fannin served as the office manager of General Lighting and Sign Services (GLSS). In her role as the office manager, Fannin had complete access to GLSS’s operating account and managed accounts payable and receivable for GLSS’s business transactions. She also created and disbursed invoices, tracked licenses of employed contracted workers, and managed the payroll of GLSS employees.
Yesterday, Fannin pleaded guilty to the information before U.S. District Judge Joe Heaton. At the hearing, Fannin admitted that between early 2018 and April 2021, she issued approximately 294 unauthorized checks made payable to her drawn on GLSS’s operating account, and deposited each of these checks into her personal bank account to pay for personal items and services. She further admitted that she used computer software to make it appear that the unauthorized checks had been made to GLSS’s vendors. Fannin admitted that she embezzled approximately $1,432,260.03 from GLSS.
At sentencing, Fannin faces up to 20 years in federal prison, a $250,00.00 fine, and 3 years of supervised release. She will also be ordered to pay restitution to the victim company. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled in approximately 90 days.
This case is a result of an investigation by the United States Secret Service and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Brown.
Reference is made to court filings for further information.
Oklahoma City Woman Convicted of Federal Drug Trafficking, Money Laundering, and Financial Crimes in Eastern District of TexasRead the Press Release
SHERMAN, Texas – An Oklahoma City, OK woman has been convicted of various federal crimes related to an international drug trafficking conspiracy in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston today.
Debra Lynn Mercer-Erwin, 60, was found guilty by a jury following a two-week trial before U.S. District Judge Amos Mazzant. Mercer-Erwin was convicted of money laundering; wire fraud; conspiracy to manufacture and distribute cocaine; and conspiracy to manufacture and distribute cocaine knowing it would be imported into the United States.
“In the aircraft world, planes registered in the United States and displaying a ‘N’ tail-number, are coveted as being properly vetted and trusted to legally operate around the world. Mercer-Erwin found ways to exploit the registration process in order to profit from illegally obtained money being paid for her services,” said U. S. Attorney Featherston. “Mercer-Erwin became a drug dealer when she became aware of planes she had registered were being used to transport large quantities of cocaine. Mercer-Erwin knew that many of her clients were in the illegal drug business and she hid their identities and the sources of their money in order to reap a large profit. She became a money launderer when she created fake sales of planes that were not actually for sale in order to hide and move drug money. Transnational criminal organizations require assistance to operate in the U.S. and Mercer-Erwin facilitated the drug dealing by exploiting the plane registration process.”
“This investigation required cooperation between our international partners, investigating agents and our prosecutors,” added U.S. Attorney Featherston. “They did an amazing job putting the case together, and they are to be commended for their work.”
“This guilty verdict stems from the collaborative efforts of our trusted international, federal, state and local law enforcement partners,” said Lester R. Hayes Jr., Special Agent in Charge HSI Dallas. “Disrupting the illegal activities of transnational criminal organizations is one of HSI ‘s highest priorities and is enhanced by our partnerships at all levels. After listening to testimony of high-ranking leaders of the Columbian and Nicaraguan governments, I am convinced this investigation has significantly decreased the flow of narcotics smuggled into the U.S.”
“This investigation and successful prosecution serves as an example of how federal, state, and international law enforcement agencies work together to take down those involved in large scale money laundering in support of international drug trafficking organizations,” said Special Agent in Charge Trey McClish of the Dallas Field Office of the Department of Commerce’s Office of Export Enforcement (OEE). “OEE and our law enforcement partners will continue to identify, investigate, and dismantle transnational criminal organizations who pose a threat to our national security.”
According to information presented in court, between 2010 and 2020, Mercer-Erwin conspired with others to enable the distribution of cocaine in the United States by purchasing and illegally registering aircraft under foreign corporations and other individuals for export to other countries. Non-US citizens are allowed to register an aircraft with the FAA if the aircraft is placed in a trust that is managed by a U.S. trustee. Mercer-Erwin was the owner of Wright Brothers Aircraft Title (WBAT) and Aircraft Guaranty Corporation (AGC). WBAT often served as an escrow agent for transactions involving AGC and was the designated party responsible for FAA filings related to AGC aircraft. AGC, a corporation at that time operating out of Onalaska, Texas, an east Texas town in the Eastern District of Texas, without an airport. AGC acted as trustee to over 1,000 aircrafts with foreign owners. This allowed the foreign nationals to receive an “N” tail number for their aircrafts. The “N” tail number is valuable because foreign countries are less likely to inspect a U.S.-registered aircraft for airworthiness or force down an American aircraft.
According to prosecutors, several of the illegally registered and exported aircraft were used by transnational criminal organizations in Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Belize, Honduras, Guatemala, and Mexico to smuggle large quantities of cocaine destined for the United States. The illicit proceeds from the subsequent drug sales were then transported as bulk cash from the United States to Mexico and used to buy more aircraft and cocaine. Aircraft purchases were typically completed by foreign nationals working for transnational criminal organizations who came to the United States with drug proceeds and purchased aircraft valued in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Mercer-Erwin exploited her position as trustee to circumvent U.S. laws by disguising the true identity of the foreign owners, failing to conduct due diligence as to the identity of the foreign owners, providing false aircraft locations, and falsifying and forging documents. Trial testimony revealed the investigation was initiated after aircraft filing irregularities were discovered in tandem with numerous AGC aircraft found carrying substantial amounts of cocaine. The testimony further revealed additional aircraft in AGC’s trust were not seized but found by foreign officials destroyed or abandoned near clandestine landing strips in several South American countries. Some of these wrecked or abandoned aircraft still contained muti-ton kilos of cocaine onboard, and few, if any, of the seized or destroyed aircraft were in the location they were reported to be located. When authorities confronted Mercer-Erwin as the representative of AGC, she refused to comply and each time law enforcement would seize an AGC registered aircraft laden with drugs, Mercer-Erwin attempted to distance herself from the narcotic’s trafficking by transferring ownership of the aircraft using fictitious information to conceal the nature, location, source, ownership, and control of the aircraft.
Additionally, Mercer-Erwin and co-defendants participated in a series of bogus aircraft sales transactions in order to conceal the movement of illegally obtained funds. The co-defendants would provide buyers and investors with fabricated documents and supply false representations regarding the bogus sale of an unsellable aircraft. The aircraft was unsellable because, unbeknownst to the buyers, the true owners of the aircraft had no knowledge or intention of selling the aircraft. Other bogus sales presented to buyers consisted of aircraft that was owned by a commercial airline and previously decommissioned and inoperable. None of the aircraft presented to the buyers were for sale.
The defendants would convince the buyer to place a deposit into an escrow account with WBAT, the title company owned by Mercer-Erwin, pending the completion of the sale. Once the money was placed in WBAT’s escrow account, the buyers were responsible for the interest accrued, and an escrow fee would be charged. In a typical sale, the deposit would remain in the escrow account. However, Mercer-Erwin would transfer the money from the escrow account to bank accounts controlled by the co-conspirators.
Since the aircraft was not truly for sale, the purchase of the aircraft would inevitably fall through, and the deposit would have to be returned. The co-conspirators would repeat the process by luring another buyer for the purchase of another unsellable aircraft. Each transaction would pay for the previous one, and Mercer-Erwin would receive an escrow fee ranging from $25,000 to $150,000 for her participation in the scheme.
Mercer-Erwin was the only defendant to proceed to trial. Co-defendants Kayleigh Moffett and Carlos Rocha Villaurrutia pleaded guilty on April 10, 2023. Moffett pleaded guilty to wire fraud and conspiracy to commit export violations, and Villaurrutia pleaded guilty to conspiracy to manufacture and distribute cocaine knowing it would be unlawfully imported into the United States; conspiracy to commit money laundering; and conspiracy to commit export violations. Four other defendants have active arrest warrants but are not in custody and are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Mercer-Erwin was indicted by a federal grand jury in February 2021. She faces up to life in federal prison. The maximum statutory sentence prescribed by Congress is provided here for information purposes, as the sentencing 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 U.S. Probation Office.
This is an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) case and is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (Dallas, Brownsville, Laredo, Guatemala, Colombia, Honduras, Mexico, and Transnational Criminal Investigative Units); Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security (Dallas and Houston offices); Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General (DOT-OIG); Office of Export Enforcement; Polk County Constable Precinct 1; Southeast Texas Export Investigations Group; Internal Revenue Service; Federal Aviation Administration (FAA); Estado Mayor De La Defensa Nacional Guatemala; Fuerza Aerea Guatemalteca; and Fuerza Aerea Colombiana. 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.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ernest Gonzalez, Heather Rattan, and Lesley Brooks.
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Ohio Man Pleads Guilty to Drug and Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Thomas Matthew Blankenship, 39, of Akron, Ohio, pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and a quantity of methamphetamine, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on June 10, 2022, law enforcement officers arrested Blankenship on a warrant as he left a residence in the Pecks Mill area of Logan County, West Virginia. After handcuffing Blankenship, officers found approximately 95 grams of fentanyl, 11 grams of methamphetamine, and a loaded Smith and Wesson, model M&P 9 Shield, 9mm semi-automatic pistol on his person. Blankenship admitted that he possessed the drugs and intended to distribute them. Blankenship further admitted that he possessed the pistol to protect himself, the drugs, and any money from selling the drugs.
Blankenship has an extensive criminal history that includes numerous prior felony convictions for felonious assault, improperly discharging a firearm at or into a habitation, tampering with evidence, trafficking in heroin, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and failure to comply with an order or signal of a police officer.
Blankenship is scheduled to be sentenced on August 3, 2023, and faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison, four years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a $5.25 million fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the West Virginia State Police and the Logan County Sheriff’s Office.
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-cr-197.
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New Hampshire Man Sentenced for Using Stolen Identities to Fraudulently Purchase VehiclesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A New Hampshire man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for his role in a scheme to use the stolen identities of United States citizens from Puerto Rico to fraudulently purchase vehicles and apply for and utilize credit cards.
Ricardo Acevedo, 34, of Manchester, N.H., was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris to six years in prison and three years of supervised release. On Jan. 13, 2023, Acevedo pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, aggravated identity theft and false representation of a Social Security number.
Acevedo and multiple co-defendants were charged by criminal complaint in September 2020 and subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury in October 2020. The defendant was also charged in the State of New Jersey.
According to court documents, between October 2017 and January 2019, Acevedo visited Massachusetts car dealerships to purchase late-model vehicles and applied for 100% financing. In support of the applications, Acevedo provided stolen biographical information of real United States citizens, fraudulent Puerto Rico driver’s licenses and Social Security cards in those identities, as proof of identification. Acevedo used the stolen identities to illegally open bank accounts and credit cards and to purchase vehicles, many of which were exported out of the United States. Acevedo used stolen identities to obtain car loans and purchase at least 19 vehicles, resulting in losses between $550,000 and $1.5 million.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Michael J. Krol, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; John E. Mawn, Jr., Interim Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police; and Brockton Police Chief Brenda Perez made the announcement today. Assistance was provided by the Lowell, Lawrence, Methuen, Haverhill, Woburn and Dartmouth Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elianna J. Nuzum and Adam W. Deitch of Rollins’ Criminal Division prosecuted the case.
The District of Massachusetts investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigation’s Document and Benefit Fraud Task Force (DBFTF), a specialized investigative group comprising personnel from various state, local, and federal agencies with expertise in detecting, deterring, and disrupting organizations and individuals involved in various types of document, identity and benefit fraud schemes.
The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
New Bedford Man Pleads Guilty to Child Exploitation ChargesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A New Bedford man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to receiving and possessing over 1,500 files of child pornography.
Robert David Austin, 42, pleaded guilty to receipt and possession of child pornography. U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton scheduled sentencing for Aug. 16, 2023. Austin was arrested and charged in December 2021.
Austin engaged with a number of groups on messaging applications through which child pornography is disseminated. Austin also possessed child pornography on two cell phones and a tablet. Approximately 1,252 images and 450 videos depicting child pornography were located across all three of the devices. Overall, the child pornography files depicted victims as young as infants through approximately 12 years old, with some files depicting bondage and vaginal and oral penetration of the victims.
The charge of receipt of child pornography provides for a sentence of at least five years and up to 20 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of possession of child pornography provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins and Michael J. Krol, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys J. Mackenzie Duane, Meghan C. Cleary and Suzanne Sullivan Jacobus of Rollins’ Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Multiple Men Indicted in Utah for Firearm Offenses, Including Allegedly Attempting to Smuggle 34 Guns into MexicoRead the Press Release
Salt Lake City, Utah – A federal grand jury in Utah returned an indictment charging five Salt Lake County residents, including two foreign nationals, with firearm offenses after speaker boxes full of guns were confiscated at the Mexico border in Eagle Pass, Texas.
Today’s announcement includes charges enacted as part of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act signed into law last year.
According to court documents, between October 2022 and March 2023, in the District of Utah, Javier Catalan Bahena, 34, of Salt Lake City, Utah, Erasmo Martinez, 43, of Salt Lake City, Utah, Alvaro Martinez, 23, of Magna, Utah, Filiberto Tapia Ocampo, 50, of West Valley City, Utah, and Oscar Martinez, 24, of West Valley City, Utah, conspired with each other, and against the United States to deceive a licensed firearm dealer during the illegal purchasing of firearms. As charged in the indictment, in January 2023, Ocampo purchased two Beretta M9 pistols and a Ruger rifle using Catalan Bahena’s credit card and stated on an ATF form he was the actual purchaser of the firearms. Between February 3, 2023, and March 16, 2023, Erasmo Martinez purchased a Zastava ZPA M70 rifle from Oscar Martinez, which was later recovered at the border. In February 2023, Alvaro Martinez purchased a Beretta M9 using Catalan Bahena’s credit card and stated on an ATF form he was the actual purchaser of the firearm. The Beretta M9 was also later recovered at the border. In March 2023, Alvaro Martinez purchased an Escort Rifle and stated on an ATF form that he was the actual purchaser of the firearm. Approximately nine days later, the Escort Rifle was recovered at the border in Eagle Pass, Texas. Between March 7, 2023, and March 16, 2023, in the District of Utah, Catalan Bahena and Erasmo Martinez arranged for drivers in Salt Lake City, Utah, to transport speaker boxes full of firearms to Mexico. Subsequently, the drivers were stopped in Eagle Pass, Texas, and 34 firearms were discovered and seized.
Javier Catalan Bahena, Erasmo Martinez, Alvaro Martinez, Filiberto Ocampo, and Oscar Martinez are charged with conspiracy to make false statements during acquisition of firearms. Additional individual charges include but are not limited to; smuggling goods from the United States; straw purchase of a firearm; and false statement during the acquisition of firearms. The defendants had their initial court appearances before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in Salt Lake City, Utah.
U.S. Attorney Trina A. Higgins for the District of Utah made the announcement.
The case is being investigated jointly by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and West Valley City Police Department.
An Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Missouri Nurse Admits Taking Leftover Fentanyl from HospitalRead the Press Release
CAPE GIRARDEAU – A registered nurse on Thursday admitted illegally obtaining and using fentanyl from the hospital where she worked.
Lindsey M. Francis, now 35, was a nurse at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau at the time of the crime. On Jan. 15, 2022, a colleague discovered a used syringe in a locker room in the hospital’s emergency department. A subsequent investigation revealed that a vial of fentanyl had been tampered with. Confronted by hospital staff, Francis said that on that occasion and others since June or July of 2021, she had taken and injected leftover fentanyl due to work and personal stress, her plea agreement says. The total amount of fentanyl diverted was determined to be less than 4 grams.
Francis pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Cape Girardeau to one count of unlawfully acquiring a controlled substance, a felony. The charge is punishable by up to four years in prison, a $250,000 fine or both.
Francis is scheduled to be sentenced August 1.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Willis is prosecuting the case.
Missouri Felon Sentenced to 66 Months in Prison for Selling 7 Machine GunsRead the Press Release
CAPE GIRARDEAU – A man from Dunklin County, Missouri, was sentenced Thursday to five and one-half years in prison for selling seven devices that convert AR-15-style rifles into fully automatic weapons.
U.S. District Judge Stephen N. Limbaugh, Jr. ordered the sentence for Lamad Cross, 24, of Kennett, Missouri, to run consecutive to any sentence he receives for violating his probation in a Dunklin County Circuit Court case. Cross pleaded guilty in 2021 in that case to resisting arrest by fleeing.
“We’ve seen a dramatic increase in the use of these devices on firearms in our area,” said U.S. Attorney Sayler A. Fleming. “They are incredibly dangerous, and anyone contemplating their purchase or use needs to know that we will vigorously prosecute these cases.”
“The possession and use of machine gun conversion devices is an emerging threat to the safety of our communities and the law enforcement officers who are sworn to protect them. This investigation and today’s sentencing send a very clear message that the use of these devices will not be tolerated,” said Bernard Hansen, Special Agent in Charge of ATF’s Kansas City Field Division.
The investigation began when police in Cape Girardeau recovered a Glock pistol that had a “switch” installed that converted it to an automatic weapon. Investigators learned that a straw purchaser bought the pistol for Cross, who is a convicted felon and barred from purchasing or possessing firearms, Cross’ plea agreement says. He was also on probation from two state criminal cases at the time.
A confidential informant working with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives contacted Cross via social media and asked about buying a Glock switch. Cross instead offered a drop-in “auto sear” that converts an AR-15-style rifle into an automatic weapon. On Sept. 19, 2022, Cross’ girlfriend delivered the device in exchange for $800. Cross later said he would send videos showing how to install the auto sear and said he could offer a lower price for bulk purchases.
On Sept. 27, 2022, Cross met with the informant in Cape Girardeau and sold three auto sears for $650 each. Cross also said that he was thinking about obtaining AR-15s so he could install the auto sears and then sell automatic rifles.
On Oct. 12, 2022, Cross agreed to sell three more auto sears for a total of $1,900 and used a different woman to deliver them to an undercover ATF agent.
He also said he’d sold two of the devices to someone else, although that claim has not been verified.
Although most of the devices were recovered by law enforcement, “Cross’s conduct posed a tremendous risk to the public,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Willis wrote in a sentencing memo.
Glock switches and auto sears, even if not installed in a firearm, are considered machine guns under federal law.
Cross pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Cape Girardeau in January to one felony charge of unlawful transfer of a machine gun.
During a January 5 press conference in St. Louis, local and federal officials warned of an increase in the recovery and use of Glock switches and auto sears, which make firearms difficult to control and “inherently dangerous.”
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Willis is prosecuting the case.
Middlesex County Man Sentenced to 97 Months in Prison for Role in Heroin and Fentanyl Drug Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Middlesex County, New Jersey, man was sentenced today to 97 months in prison and four years of supervised release for leading a drug trafficking organization that operated out of a drug mill located in the Bronx, New York. Luis Cabrera, 38, of Perth Amboy, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Claire C. Cecchi in Newark federal court on Aug. 24, 2022, to an information charging him with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin, fentanyl, and methamphetamine.
Mexican citizen admits trafficking fentanyl in Kalispell areaRead the Press Release
MISSOULA —A Mexican citizen admitted today to allegations that he trafficked fentanyl in the Kalispell area after law enforcement seized 12,000 fentanyl pills, more than $72,000 in U.S. currency and a pistol from his vehicle, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
Cuauhtemoc Cervantes Samaniego, 30, pleaded guilty to a superseding information charging him with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. Samaniego faces a mandatory minimum of five years to 40 years in prison, a $5 million fine and at least four years of supervised release.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto presided. A sentencing date was set for Sept. 21 before U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Samaniego was detained pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents that Samaniego trafficked fentanyl in the Kalispell community from about May 2022 through Oct. 5, 2022. Investigators received information in October that Samaniego was in Kalispell with a large amount of fentanyl to distribute. At about 2:50 a.m. on Oct. 5, law enforcement officers located Samaniego at a gas station in Kalispell and searched his vehicle. Officers found 12,000 fentanyl pills, $72,687 in U.S. currency and a 9mm pistol. An individual later told an agent that Samaniego had met with a person prior to law enforcement stopping him and that Samaniego had provided the person fentanyl pills. The person gave Samaniego a firearm.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer S. Clark is prosecuting the case. Homeland Security Investigations and the Montana Highway Patrol conducted the investigation.
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Mexican National Sentenced to More than 12 Years for Drug Trafficking in the Tri CitiesRead the Press Release
Richland, Washington – United States District Judge Mary K. Dimke sentenced Jose Mendoza-Ruelas, 38, to 150 months in federal prison after his guilty plea to Conspiracy to Distribute 50 Grams or More of Actual (Pure) Methamphetamine, 400 Grams or More of Fentanyl, and 5 Kilograms or More of Cocaine. Mendoza-Ruelas, who is from Mexico, also will serve 5 years of federal supervision after he is released from federal custody.
According to information disclosed in court documents and proceedings, Mendoza-Ruelas was part of a large drug trafficking organization that involved a legitimate landscaping business used to cover up the organization’s drug trafficking activities. During the course of the investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration recovered large quantities of methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cash. Mendoza-Ruelas further made statements that the drug trafficking organization would give him 50,000 to 60,000 fentanyl laced pills in addition to large quantities of methamphetamine. Mendoza Ruelas was negotiating a 30 pound methamphetamine delivery when he was taken into custody. Around that time, DEA, in partnership with local law enforcement, executed numerous search warrants to include at the landscaping compound. There, law enforcement recovered over $160,000 in U.S. currency secreted inside a compartment in the wall. Law enforcement also recovered several automatic rifles armed with loaded barrel drums hanging on the wall. This compound was utilized to intake and process large drug shipments for distribution.
Vanessa R. Waldref, the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, stated “Drug distribution continues to be a scourge in the Tri-Cities and elsewhere.” U.S. Attorney Waldref continued: “I commend the collaborative efforts of state, local, and federal law enforcement to identify Mr. Mendoza-Ruelas’s drug trafficking activities and to prevent him from further distributing this poison in our communities. The Tri-Cities area and Eastern Washington are safer and stronger as a result of today’s sentence.”
Mr. Mendoza-Ruelas will spend a significant amount of time in prison due to the dedication of our state, local and federal partners who continue to work to keep our communities safe, healthy and free of individuals like him,” said Jacob D. Galvan, Acting Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division.
This case was investigated by the DEA Tri-Cities, Border Patrol, the METRO Drug Task Force, Richland Police Department, Kennewick Police Department, Pasco Police Department, and West Richland Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Van Marter.
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Mexican National Charged with Fentanyl and Methamphetamine Distribution in Madera CountyRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment today against Jesus Cota Verdugo, 21, of Mexico, charging him with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, on April 11, 2023, Verdugo crashed his vehicle into another vehicle in Chowchilla and then fled from the scene. Law enforcement officers recovered his vehicle on the side of the road with the keys in the ignition and running. Inside the vehicle, officers recovered methamphetamine, fentanyl, an FN Scar rifle, an Aero Precision AR rifle, an Anderson rifle, an HK AR pistol, and a Springfield XD-9 pistol.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Chowchilla Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Arin C. Heinz is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Verdugo faces a maximum statutory penalty of a mandatory minimum of five years in prison, a maximum of 40 years in prison and a $5 million fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (S.O.S.) a program designed to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids in high impact areas as well as identifying wholesale distribution networks and international and domestic suppliers. In July 2018, the Justice Department announced the creation of S.O.S., which is being implemented in the Eastern District of California and nine other federal districts.
Massachusetts and Connecticut Men Sentenced for Ponzi and Tax Fraud SchemesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Two men were sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for a multi-year fraud scheme that caused more than $6 million in losses to investors.
Thomas D. Renison, 69, of South Glastonbury, Conn., was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge George A. O’Toole, Jr. to four years in prison and three years of supervised release. Renison was also ordered to pay forfeiture of $526,120 and restitution of $6,240,983. In October 2020, Renison pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and two counts of filing false tax returns.Timothy J. Allcott, 65, of Peabody, Mass., was sentenced by Judge O’Toole to 30 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Allcott was also ordered to pay forfeiture of $5,052,661 and restitution in the amount of $6,098,173. In July 2020, Allcott pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. In January 2020, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) charged Allcott and Renison with fraudulently misleading investors in connection with the same conduct.
Renison was the former owner of ARO Equity LLC, a privately-held investment company that purportedly pooled money from investors and then invested it in various New England-based businesses. Between 2015 and 2018, Renison and Allcott fraudulently raised and solicited funds for ARO Equity LLC by misrepresenting to victims how their money would be invested, ARO’s investment track record and the safety of the investments. Allcott and Renison also concealed Renison’s ownership interest and affiliation with ARO because the SEC and regulators in Maine had previously barred Renison from working in the securities industry.
Over the course of the scheme, ARO took in over $6 million from investors but only invested half of that amount. Of the investments that ARO actually made, the substantial majority yielded significant losses. Despite these losses, Allcott and Renison failed to inform the victims of the poor performance of prior investments. Instead, they told the victims on many occasions that the investments were doing well and remained safe. ARO paid required monthly payments to earlier investors using funds raised from later investors.
The defendants generally told victims that ARO would use their investments to fund one of three different businesses. Instead, Renison and Allcott paid themselves exorbitant commission fees, satisfied monthly interest obligations to other investors and invested in different undisclosed businesses. As part of the scheme, Allcott and Renison disguised commissions paid to Renison as loans to Renison’s wife, which allowed them to continue to conceal Renison’s ownership stake in the company. In addition, Renison failed to declare more than half a million dollars of commission income and failed to pay over $150,000 in taxes.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Office; and Joleen D. Simpson, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin A. Saltzman of Rollins’ Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit prosecuted the case.
Man Sentenced to over 19 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – Jon Glover, 57, of Millington, was sentenced to federal prison for distribution of methamphetamine and for being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm. United States Attorney
Kevin Ritz announced the sentence today.According to U.S. Attorney Ritz, and the information presented in court, in 2021, the Drug
Enforcement Administration (DEA) began investigating the drug trafficking activities of Glover.
During the course of the investigation, officers seized approximately one-half kilogram of methamphetamine and a Smith & Wesson 9mm caliber pistol. After his arrest, Glover pleaded guilty.This week, United States District Court Judge John T. Fowlkes, Jr., sentenced Glover to 230 months in federal prison. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by DEA, the Shelby County Sheriff’s Department, and the West Tennessee
Drug Task Force.United States Attorney Kevin Ritz thanked Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Kimbril-Parks, who prosecuted this case, as well as law enforcement partners who investigated the case.
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For more information, please contact Public Information Officer Cherri Green at (901) 544-4231 or [email protected]. Follow @WDTNNews on Twitter for office news and updates.
Man Pleads Guilty to Dog Fighting OffensesRead the Press Release
An Ohio man pleaded guilty to two counts of raising and training dogs for the purpose of dog fighting.
Michael Valentine, 40, of Bidwell, Ohio, admitted to raising and training over fifty dogs near his home in Gallia County, Ohio. According to court documents, law enforcement first investigated Valentine for dog fighting offenses in 2019 following a dog attack on a small child living with the defendant. That investigation led to a search warrant of the defendant’s residence and the seizure of 40 dogs. The search also recovered numerous items of dog fighting paraphernalia, including treadmills, veterinary supplies, and dog fighting videos.
On March 8, 2022, a second search warrant was executed at the defendant’s residence as part of a fentanyl-distribution investigation. That search revealed substantial evidence of drug distribution, as well as two assault-style rifles. In addition, a search of a nearby parcel of land revealed an additional 11 dogs, which the defendant was keeping for purposes of dog fighting.
Senior Trial Attorney Adam Cullman of the Environment and Natural Resources Division’s Environmental Crimes Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Pakiz, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike Marous for the Southern District of Ohio are prosecuting this case.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of the Inspector General (USDA-OIG) and the FBI.
This investigation was conducted as part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) initiative. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles 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.
Man Charged with COVID-Relief Fraud and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – May 4, 2023
SAN DIEGO – Nasser Salman, a former San Diego resident living in Morocco, was arraigned in federal court today on charges that he fraudulently obtained more than $400,000 in COVID-relief loan funds on behalf of three companies.
According to the indictment, Salman submitted fraudulent applications to the federal Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program (EIDL) in connection with Lemon Grove Deli and Grill, Inc., Al Laith Trading and Construction Consulting Inc. and Alliance Security Consulting Services, Inc.
The indictment said that between April and August 2020, Salman successfully obtained five separate PPP and EIDL loans totaling $401,000 using applications that included false representations about the number of employees, the average monthly payroll, and the gross receipts earned by these purported businesses. Salman also submitted fictitious documents in support of the applications
According to the indictment, when Salman applied for the loans, he acknowledged the funds must be used to retain workers and maintain payroll, or to make mortgage interest payments, lease payments and utility payments. Instead, as alleged in the indictment, Salman engaged in a series of financial transactions, including international wire transfers to a Morocco-based bank account, that were designed to conceal and disguise the fact that the sources for the funds were the fraudulently obtained PPP and EIDL loans.
“These loan programs were designed to render economic relief to Americans during an unprecedented public health emergency,” said U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman. “This office is dedicated to investigating and prosecuting those who exploited the global pandemic to enrich themselves. We encourage anyone with information regarding individuals who have engaged in COVID-relief fraud to come forward.” Grossman thanked the prosecution team and the law enforcement agencies for their excellent work on this case.
“Covid relief fraud not only waste taxpayers’ dollars; it undermines the public trust of government programs,” said Chad Plantz, special agent in charge, HSI San Diego. “HSI will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate and bring to justice fraudsters who diverted financial relief away from Americans at a time when they need it the most.”
A detention hearing is scheduled for May 9, 2023, at 9:30 a.m. before U.S. Magistrate Judge Barbara L. Major.
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act is a federal law enacted on March 29, 2020 and is designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans who are suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. One source of relief provided by the CARES Act was the authorization of up to $349 billion in forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses, through the PPP. In April 2020, Congress authorized over $300 billion in additional PPP funding.
Anyone with general information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Justice Department’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
DEFENDANTS Case Number 23CR0821-LL
Nasser Salman Age: 60 United States
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Counts 1-5- Wire Fraud
Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1343
Maximum Penalty: Thirty years in prison and $1,000,000 fine
Counts 6-11 – Laundering of Monetary Instruments
Title 18, U.S.C., Sections 1956(a)(1)(a)(B)(i)Maximum Penalty: Twenty years in prison; a fine of $500,000 or twice the amount of the monetary instruments involved, whichever is greater
AGENCIES
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI)
Small Business Administration (SBA)
The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Malachi Crockett charged in Federal Court for Carjacking SpreeRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, announced today that Malachi Alan Crockett was arraigned on an indictment charging him with three counts of carjacking, one count of attempted carjacking, and using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Crockett, 18, of Albuquerque, will remain in custody pending trial.
A federal grand jury indicted Crockett on April 27. According to the indictment and other court records, on March 21, Crockett and accomplices allegedly approached the first victim, identified as Jane Doe 1, while she was stopped in her car, a white Nissan sedan, at the intersection of 86th St SW and Tower Road SW. One of the individuals brandished a handgun and pointed it directly at Doe 1. Doe 1 opened her car door and fled.
A second victim, identified in court documents as Jane Doe 2, was parked on the south side of the Westgate Community Park in a grey Chevrolet SUV, waiting for her children. Doe 2 observed the white Nissan pull in front of her vehicle, blocking her in. Two individuals got out of the car and approached her. Doe 2 observed one of the individuals pointing a handgun at her head. Doe 2 exited the vehicle and fled.
A witness at the park observed the second carjacking as she drove by the incident. The white Nissan then began to follow her and she observed the occupants pointing firearms at her. She accelerated away and heard multiple gunshots before observing the grey Chevrolet approaching her then striking a tree. An individual exited the Chevrolet with a handgun and she attempted to drive away and observed the white Nissan following her and the occupants shooting at her vehicle. The witness lost control of her vehicle and crashed into a residence. The white Nissan stopped behind her and the individuals exited the car with handguns and the witness fled her vehicle on foot.
A short time later, two victims identified as Jane Doe 3 and John Doe, were driving near Carlos Rey Elementary when they observed the white Nissan. A young male exited the vehicle with a handgun and ran towards Jane Doe 3 and John Doe, pointing the handgun at them. As he approached, Jane Doe 3 drove away at a high rate of speed.
A few minutes later, Jane Doe 4 was approaching the intersection of Barbados Ave SW and Gibson Blvd SW in a red Chevrolet hatchback. The white Nissan drove past her and parked in front of her, blocking her vehicle. Doe 4 thought the occupants of the white Nissan may need assistance, so she stopped her car, turned it off and exited the vehicle with her keys. Doe 4 then observed three masked males exit the white Nissan and approach her. All three were armed with handguns and dressed in dark-colored clothing. They yelled at her to give them the keys, at which point Doe 4 threw the keys to the ground. One of the individuals picked up the keys, got into her vehicle and drove away while the other two returned to the white Nissan and drove away.
Responding APD officers observed the red Chevrolet hatchback and initiated pursuit. The driver crashed the vehicle near the area of Atrisco Dr SW and Bridge Blvd SW. Officers managed to apprehend the fleeing occupants. Crockett was wearing a black hoodie and black pants and in possession of a black mask when he was apprehended. During his attempt to flee, Crockett allegedly disposed of a handgun. Upon observation of the handgun, APD personnel reported the backplate of the handgun appeared to have been modified.
An indictment is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Crockett faces imprisonment of up to 15 years for each carjacking count and a consecutive term of up to life in prison for using, carrying and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
The FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Albuquerque Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Thomas J. Aliberti is prosecuting the case.
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Local drug distribution network dismantledRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI – The final members of a Corpus Christi drug trafficking organization have been ordered to federal prison following their convictions of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and money laundering, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Gilbert DeLosSantos, 51, and his wife, Corina DeLosSantos, 56, pleaded guilty Nov. 7, 2022, while Lawrence Guevara, 52, and Amber Ramirez, 35, entered their pleas Sept. 29, 2022. All are from Corpus Christi.
Today, U.S. District Judge David Morales found Gilbert DeLosSantos to be a leader in the conspiracies and sentenced him to a total of 180 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by 10 years of supervised release. Corina DeLosSantos received a 54-month-term of imprisonment followed by three years of supervised release for her role in the money laundering conspiracy.
Judge Morales previously sentenced Guevara and Ramirez for their respective involvement in the drug conspiracy to 120 and 51 months, respectively.
As a result of the criminal convictions in this case, approximately $13,000 in U.S. currency and six pieces of real property have been forfeited to the United States.
In September 2019, a seizure of cocaine at the Sarita Border Patrol checkpoint sparked an investigation into a drug trafficking operation that Gilbert DeLosSantos ran in Corpus Christi. This resulted in the identification of drug distribution locations and multiple individuals ranging from street-level dealers to mid-level suppliers.
On May 10, 2022, authorities conducted four federal search warrants at locations in the Corpus Christi area. At one, they arrested Guevara and Ramirez who were workers at the residence and seized 634 grams of cocaine, 331 grams of heroin, 31 grams of crack cocaine, $1,170 U.S. currency and several drug ledgers.
Law enforcement later arrested DeLosSantos at his residence and seized approximately $12,000 in U.S. currency, multiple phones and electronic devices, Nueces County property tax statements and banking records.
The investigation led authorities to believe DeLosSantos and his organization were selling approximately one kilogram each of cocaine and heroin per week.
Previously released on bond, both were permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender at a later date.
Homeland Security Investigations and the Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation dubbed Operation New Trap on the Block with the assistance of Customs and Border Protection, Corpus Christi Police Department and Texas Department of Public Safety.
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. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lance Watt prosecuted the case.
Lawton Woman and Former Army Training Manager at Fort Sill Indicted on Public Corruption ChargesRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – Earlier this week, a federal grand jury returned an Indictment charging CANDY HANZA, 50, of Lawton, and ALFRED PALMA, 64, of Duncan, with bribery, announced Robert J. Troester, United States Attorney for the Western District of Oklahoma. Hanza is also charged with wire fraud and money laundering.
According to the publicly filed Indictment, Palma, a United States Army employee and public official, was the manager of the Institutional Training Directed Lodging and Meals (“ITDLM”) program at Fort Sill, through which he booked hotel rooms for soldiers who attended on-post trainings. Hanza, then the general manager of a local hotel in Lawton, paid Palma to direct soldiers to the hotel. The Indictment alleges that Hanza then personally profited through her own scheme to defraud the hotel owners and laundered the resulting proceeds.
Hanza and Palma will be arraigned in federal court on the charges. If found guilty of bribery, Hanza and Palma each face up to fifteen years in federal prison, a fine of $250,000.00 or three times the monetary value of the bribes, and up to three years of supervised release. Hanza additionally faces up to twenty years in prison, a $250,000.00 fine, and up to three years of supervised release if convicted of wire fraud, as well as up to ten years in prison, a $250,000.00 fine, and up to three years of supervised upon conviction for money laundering.
This case is the result of an investigation by the United States Army Criminal Investigation Division and the Department of Defense Contract Audit Agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Julia E. Barry is prosecuting the case.
The public is reminded that these charges are merely allegations, and that the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Reference is made to public records for more information.
Las Vegas Resident Sentenced to Prison for Million-Dollar Tax Refund Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – A Las Vegas man was sentenced today to 30 months in prison followed by one year of supervised release for claiming $989,031 in fraudulent income tax refunds from the IRS for himself and shell companies for tax years 2007 through 2011.
In December 2022, a federal jury convicted Anthony Uvari of four counts of making and subscribing false tax returns. United States District Judge Andrew P. Gordon presided over the four-day trial.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, between December 2008 and May 2013, Uvari filed tax returns that falsely claimed businesses — including numerous gaming companies and a bank — had paid him or his companies gambling winnings or other income, but withheld more than $900,000 of income tax on his behalf and paid it to the IRS. As a result, he requested from the IRS over $900,000 in fraudulent income tax refunds. The IRS paid out more than $300,000 in fraudulently requested refunds before detecting Uvari’s scheme and denying the remaining refund requests. After one such refund request was denied, Uvari provided the IRS with new false documents — including a fake log supposedly documenting his gambling — in a further effort to deceive the IRS into providing the fraudulently requested tax refund.
United States Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Albert Childress of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) made the announcement.
This case was investigated by IRS-CI. Assistant United States Attorneys Eric Schmale and Jessica Oliva prosecuted the case.
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Justice Department Seeks to Shut Down Florida Tax Return PreparerRead the Press Release
The United States has filed a complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida against Tyrone Johnson and TJ Professional Services, LLC. The civil complaint seeks to enjoin the defendants from preparing federal income tax returns for others. The complaint also requests that the court require Johnson and the business he controls to disgorge the fees they obtained by preparing federal tax returns that make grossly incompetent, negligent, reckless, and/or fraudulent claims.
The civil complaint alleges that since at least 2016, defendants prepared returns that claim fictitious businesses and fabricated business losses. As a result, the complaint alleges, defendants decreased the amount of taxable income reported to make it appear that their customers were entitled to a larger refund than they were in fact entitled to receive. The complaint further alleges that defendants do not identify themselves as paid preparers on their customer’s returns, but instead operate as “ghost preparers” that file returns using six-digit PINs affiliated with individual customers. According to the complaint, the defendants’ schemes have cost the Treasury millions of dollars in lost tax revenue.
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.
High-Ranking Wilmington Gang Leader Convicted for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – A federal jury convicted a high-ranking Bloods gang leader from Wilmington on charges of trafficking heroin, fentanyl and cocaine.
Don Eugene Nixon, Jr., age 48, was convicted on eight counts, including conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl, distribution of heroin and fentanyl, and possession with the intent to distribute heroin. Nixon faces a minimum term of imprisonment of 5 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 40 years on each count when sentenced later this year, for a total possible sentence of up to 320 years imprisonment.
“The gangs pushing deadly fentanyl in our community have a role in fueling the deadliest drug epidemic our country has ever seen,” said U.S Attorney Michael Easley. “Our office is partnering with law enforcement at every level to fight the fentanyl epidemic and put drug traffickers behind bars.”
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, a months-long investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Wilmington Police Department resulted in six controlled purchases of large quantities of drugs, including heroin and fentanyl, from Nixon. Nixon would deliver the drugs to the informant pressed into a square block shape, tightly wrapped with black electrical tape. In addition, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Nixon’s home and seized 131 grams of heroin and three handguns.
Trial testimony established that Nixon was a large-scale heroin dealer who operated well over a decade in Eastern North Carolina. Additionally, his rank in and reach within the Bloods gang made it difficult to investigate and prosecute his crimes. Witnesses refused to testify due to the threats they faced. Witnesses who did assist in the investigation have had to relocate and are receiving federal protection.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III accepted the verdict. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Wilmington Police Department are investigating the case and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brad Knott and Jimmie Bellamy are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on our website. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No.7:21-CR-00071.
Haitian National Found Guilty of Biting ICE Officers on Deportation AircraftRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – A federal jury convicted a Haitian national in a federal court in San Antonio Tuesday for two counts of assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers or employees and inflicting bodily injury and one count of assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers or employees involving physical contact.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers were loading 112 Haitian nationals onto a contract aircraft in San Antonio bound for Port Au Prince, Haiti in September 2021, when a disturbance involving several individuals occurred in the middle section of the aircraft. Jubenson Domenique was identified as the main instigator of the disturbance and a decision was made for three officers to remove him from the aircraft.
During Domenique’s extraction from the aircraft, he bit the officers, breaking the skin and leaving teeth marks on all three. Emergency Medical Services responded, and one officer was treated at a local hospital, provided prescriptions for medication and began treatment and testing for possible infections, including six months of HIV treatment.
Domenique faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each count of inflicting bodily injury and eight years in prison for the third count.
U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas and Special Agent in Charge Jennifer Huerta for the ICE Office of Professional Responsibility made the announcement.
ICE is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amanda Brown and Amy Hail are prosecuting the case.
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Greensboro Man Sentenced for Role in Two Greensboro Shootings and Drug Trafficking in the Middle DistrictRead the Press Release
WINSTON SALEM – A Greensboro man was sentenced today to 25 years in prison, after pleading guilty to firearms charges connected to two Greensboro shootings and drug trafficking in the Middle District of North Carolina (MDNC), announced United States Attorney Sandra J. Hairston.
LAJAUREN DAMITRI WIMBUSH, age 36, was indicted in February 2022 for two separate incidents, one involving possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and one in which he was charged with three counts of illegal firearm and/or ammunition possession by a felon. According to court records, in September 2020, Surry County Sheriff’s Deputies executed a search warrant on a residence in Mount Airy where they encountered WIMBUSH and confiscated multiple bags of suspected methamphetamine from his vehicle. During his arrest, WIMBUSH claimed ownership of the contents of the bags, which were later confirmed by the State Crime Lab to contain quantities of methamphetamine.
WIMBUSH was also indicted in another case with three counts of felon in possession of a firearm and/or ammunition stemming from two Greensboro shootings at the Four Seasons Mall on December 21, 2021, and at Studio Motel 6 on January 6, 2022. According to court documents, the Greensboro Police Department (GPD) responded to reports of a shooting at the Four Seasons Mall in Greensboro on the afternoon of December 21st and located a victim who had been shot multiple times. Mall security footage showed the exchange between the victim and assailant in the parking lot of the mall, and officers were able to locate additional footage tracing the assailant back to a motel room which WIMBUSH was staying in at the time.
On January 6, 2022, an officer with the GPD responded to reports of an aggravated assault at the same motel and located a victim who had been shot multiple times and beaten by WIMBUSH. Surveillance footage from the motel confirmed the victim’s account of events and showed WIMBUSH shooting at and attacking the victim. At the time of both shootings, WIMBUSH was a previously convicted felon and was aware that he was prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition. WIMBUSH is facing additional charges in these cases in state court.
WIMBUSH pleaded guilty on November 10, 2022, in a combined plea agreement to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and two counts of felon in possession of a firearm. WIMBUSH was sentenced today to 300 months imprisonment in case number 1:22CR44, and two 120-month terms of imprisonment in case number 1:22CR41 to run concurrent with his sentence in case number 1:22CR40 by the Honorable Loretta C. Biggs, United States District Judge in the United States District Court for the MDNC. In addition to prison time, WIMBUSH was ordered to serve concurrent five year terms of supervised release, pay a special assessment of $300.00, and pay $8,762.28 in restitution.
The cases were investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the Greensboro Police Department, and the Surry County Sheriff’s Department, and are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Cliff Barrett.
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Four People Charged for Roles in Bank Fraud, Identity Theft SchemeRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – Four people have been charged with conspiring to use and using victims’ personal identifiable information to defraud individuals and financial institutions, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Marc Lazarre, 37, of Secaucus, New Jersey: Fritzgerald Steide, 28, of Valley Stream, New York; Mohammed Khan, 32, of Elmont, New York; and Andrea Lewis, 29, of Inwood, New York, are each charged by indictment with one count of conspiracy to engage bank fraud. Lazarre is also charged with one count of bank fraud and three counts of aggravated identity theft.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From September 2021 through October 2022, Lazarre, Steide, Khan, and Lewis conspired to enrich themselves by fraudulently obtaining victims’ funds. Lazarre utilized unlawfully obtained bank account and personal identifiable information to open accounts in victims’ names without their knowledge, caused the transfer of funds from the victims’ actual financial accounts to the accounts he opened, and then withdrew the funds. Lazarre also unlawfully obtained or fabricated checks made out to victims, used fraudulent identification documents to open accounts in names almost identical to the victims’ names, and then cashed the unlawfully obtained or fabricated checks.
Lazarre also worked with Steide and Khan, both of whom were employees of an Oceanside, New York, branch of a victim financial institution. Lazarre sent victims’ personal identifiable information to Steide and Khan, who in turn used this information to determine whether those individuals had bank accounts with Steide and Khan’s employer. In Khan’s role as a customer service representative, he received documents that he knew reflected stolen personal identifiable information from Lazarre and subsequently opened bank accounts using that information. Steide advised Lazarre regarding how to avoid detection, including by telling him when a conspirator should arrive at the bank to meet with Khan. Lewis impersonated numerous victims using false forms of identification provided by Lazarre. On at least one occasion, Lewis communicated with Lazarre in real time for assistance with responding to a bank representative’s questions regarding her purported identity.
The conspiracy to commit bank fraud and bank fraud counts are punishable by a maximum of 30 years in prison and a maximum fine of up to $1 million or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense. The aggravated identity theft counts carry an additional consecutive mandatory minimum term of two years in prison and a maximum fine of up to $250,000, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark; and special agents of the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Andrew McKay with the investigation leading to the charges.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shawn Barnes, Chief of the OCDETF/Narcotics Unit, and Matthew Belgiovine of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Trenton.
The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
lazarreetal.indictment.pdf