Latest Records
Newest first across public DOJ and U.S. Attorney press releases.
28 April 2023
Justice Department Commemorates National Crime Victims’ Rights WeekRead the Press Release
The Justice Department joined communities across the nation this week for the 52nd commemoration of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week. Department leaders and staff, victim advocates and allied professionals, and crime survivors together marked decades of progress in improving the legal standing of crime victims and expanding access to victim services.
The Office for Victims of Crime in the department’s Office of Justice Programs led the observance, which included a candlelight vigil on the National Mall and a survivor voices symposium. Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta also highlighted the department’s commitment to crime victims at an event hosted by the Office on Violence Against Women marking National Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month, where she featured guidance to law enforcement on responding to sexual assault and domestic violence. She also addressed a summit on environmental crimes co-hosted by the department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division and the Environmental Protection Agency, describing the update of the Attorney General’s Guidelines for Victim and Witness Assistance as a department commitment to “taking a victim-centered, trauma-informed, culturally responsive approach to advancing criminal justice” and emphasizing the need to support survivors of environmental crimes. Before her remarks, the Associate Attorney General met with three survivors of environmental offenses.
“National Crime Victims’ Rights Week is an opportunity for all of us to reflect on the importance of making the justice system work for survivors of crime,” said Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta. “We are grateful for the countless victims who have come forward to lend their voices to the vital project of reform and to creating a more just and humane society.”
“Many people think justice equals a conviction or an arrest, but for survivors, justice sometimes means being heard and believed,” said Director Kristina Rose of the Office for Victims of Crimes (OVC). “It means reading a victim impact statement in court. It means being treated with dignity and respect. Justice is about options and choices and opportunities to give voice to one’s experience. During National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, we honor those voices.”
The candlelight vigil on Wednesday night featured three speakers who recounted their experiences as crime victims, underscoring this year’s theme — “Survivor Voices: Elevate. Engage. Effect Change.” Anna Nasset, a stalking survivor who runs a victim services organization called Stand Up Resources; Jerome Brown, statewide training director of the SNUG Outreach Program at the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services; and Roberta Roper, a long-time victim rights champion who founded what is now the Maryland Crime Victims Resource Center, all gave testimony to the impact of victims’ voices. Singer-songwriter Kelly Jackson of the Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians sang Gaawiin Niiwii Izhaasiin (I Don't Want to Go), her tribute to tribal children and youth who were traumatized by the boarding school experience.
On Thursday, OVC Assistant Attorney General Amy L. Solomon and Director Rose convened seven survivors for a symposium on the role of survivors in advancing criminal justice reform. Participants discussed strategies for elevating victims’ voices in conversations about responses to gun violence, alternatives to incarceration and long sentences. Federal leaders, criminal justice professionals and victim advocates were on hand for the discussion.
In addition to events held this week in the nation’s capital, Director Rose participated in a commemoration organized by the Los Angeles District Attorney Bureau of Victim Services and traveled to Albuquerque for the launch of the Youth Advocacy Corps, an OVC-funded program that provides pathways to victim service and advocacy for marginalized youth. In addition, U.S. Attorneys across the country participated in commemorative activities in their districts, and other Department components, including the FBI, honored survivors and victim-serving professionals.
National Crime Victims’ Rights Week has been observed at the federal level since 1981. Through Victims of Crime Act funding, the OVC supports thousands of local victim assistance programs — which served nearly over 9.7 million new and returning crime victims in fiscal year 2022 — and victim compensation programs in every state and territory and the District of Columbia.
Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta Delivers Remarks at the EPA’s Environmental Crimes Event OVC Director Kristina Rose speaking at the NCVRW Candlelight VigilJustice Department Announces National Human Trafficking Coordinator and National Coordinator for Child Exploitation Prevention and InterdictionRead the Press Release
The Justice Department today announced the designation and appointment of a National Human Trafficking Coordinator and a National Coordinator for Child Exploitation Prevention and Interdiction.
The Attorney General has designated Hilary Axam, Director of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit (HTPU), to serve as the Department’s National Human Trafficking Coordinator, and has designated Steven J. Grocki, Chief of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), as the Department’s National Coordinator for Child Exploitation Prevention and Interdiction.
“Human trafficking and child exploitation are devastating crimes that prey on some of the most vulnerable members of society, and the Department of Justice is committed to preventing and prosecuting these cases and to vindicating the rights of victims and survivors,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “Hilary Axam and Steven Grocki bring critical experience to their roles as National Coordinators, and I am grateful for their continued dedication to the Department’s fight against these crimes and to strengthening our capacity to protect victims and hold perpetrators accountable.”
The Attorney General’s designation of the National Human Trafficking Coordinator is made pursuant to the Abolish Human Trafficking Act, while his designation of the National Coordinator for Child Exploitation Prevention and Interdiction is made pursuant to the PROTECT Our Children Act of 2008. Both Coordinators are responsible for developing and implementing Department-wide and interagency national strategies, coordinating efforts throughout the Department, and representing the Department in significant interagency and external stakeholder engagements. As widely recognized subject matter experts in their respective fields, each will play a central role in guiding Departmental-level policies, strategies, and priorities.
“Human trafficking inflicts unspeakable harm on some of the most vulnerable members of society. We must do everything in our power to combat these grave violations of victims’ civil rights and bring human traffickers to justice,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Under Hilary Axam’s leadership, the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit has been widely recognized, both nationally and globally, as leading experts in victim-centered, trauma-informed approaches to seeking justice for human trafficking survivors. Her extensive experience and specialized expertise will be critical as we continue advancing our whole-of-Department fight against human trafficking.”
“Child exploitation is one of the most reprehensible and destructive offenses confronting our nation today” said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The Criminal Division’s Chief of the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Steven J. Grocki, has extensive experience in investigating and prosecuting child exploitation cases and leads our campaign to combat the sexual exploitation of children. As National Coordinator for Child Exploitation Prevention and Interdiction, he will guide Department-level policies, strategies, and priorities in this area. The National Coordinator will also draw directly upon the specialized expertise within the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section and work to ensure proper coordination with subject matter experts within and outside of the Department.”
Hilary Axam has served as the Director of the HTPU in the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division since 2009. She previously served as the Unit’s Senior Litigation Counsel. Since joining the Department as a federal prosecutor in 2001, she has prosecuted and supervised human trafficking cases of national significance involving sex trafficking, compelled farm and factory labor, domestic servitude, and forced labor in restaurants, bars, and cantinas. As HTPU’s Director, Axam serves as one of the Department’s preeminent anti-trafficking subject matter experts.
Steven Grocki was selected to serve as Chief of the Criminal Division’s CEOS in October 2015. Grocki first joined CEOS in 2004 and has since served as a Trial Attorney, Assistant Deputy Chief, Deputy Chief, and now Chief. CEOS and its High Technology Investigative Unit are the nation´s experts in prosecuting federal child exploitation cases, including online child exploitation crimes, extraterritorial offenders, and child sex trafficking. CEOS also develops national and global policy seeking to eradicate the sexual exploitation of children and builds national and global response capacity through training and outreach.
Joint Statement from 2023 US-Canada Cross Border Crime Forum (CBCF)Read the Press Release
The United States and Canada have an enduring partnership guided by a shared commitment to security, prosperity, and advancing democratic values. Today, Canada’s Minister of Public Safety Marco Mendicino and Minister of Justice and Attorney General David Lametti hosted Attorney General of the United States Merrick B. Garland and U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas in Ottawa, for the second meeting of the Canada–U.S. Cross-Border Crime Forum (CBCF) since it was reestablished by President Biden and Prime Minister Trudeau’s 2021 Roadmap for a Renewed U.S.-Canada Partnership. The meeting allowed Ministers to assess progress on collaborative efforts to counter cross-border crime, examine how to make our communities safer, and share experiences on efforts to ensure that our criminal justice systems are fair and effective.
Building on the success of the March 2022 CBCF in Washington, D.C., as well as commitments made by President Biden and Prime Minister Trudeau in Mexico in January 2023 and in Ottawa in March 2023, Ministers discussed ways to enhance collaboration in the following areas:
Fentanyl / Opioids
The opioid overdose crisis, fueled by a toxic illicit drug supply, has taken a tragic toll on communities across our countries and around the world. The United States and Canada are committed to combatting the opioid epidemic together through attacking each link of the illicit production and distribution of synthetic opioids – including by preventing the importation of illicit precursor chemicals from China and elsewhere. Efforts will build on initiatives from the U.S.-Canada Opioids Action Plan and the newly established Trilateral Fentanyl Commission. To this end, Ministers instructed their officials to expand intelligence sharing to support interdictions and investigations, counter transnational organized crime, build a global coalition against synthetic drugs, disrupt the supply chain by identifying chemical and equipment diversion, address illicit finance, and engage with Canada and U.S.-based chemical, lab equipment, and shipping companies.
They also confirmed the importance of considering all available options for reducing demand, improving health outcomes, and saving lives.
Reducing Firearms Trafficking and Violence
Both the United States and Canada share a strong commitment to combatting firearms violence. To keep our communities safe, Ministers emphasized ongoing actions to address the smuggling of firearms across our shared border. Noting recent success on coordinated firearms investigations, Ministers plan to deepen cooperation in tackling gun violence in several key areas, including timely and actionable information sharing, investigations and enforcement.
In particular, Ministers decided to continue advancing both domestic and bilateral efforts to reduce firearms violence – including through the Cross Border Firearms Task Force (CBFTF) – to trace and seize guns used in crime, disrupt cross-border firearms smuggling, and to identify and target shippers and receivers through the coordination of joint operations and investigations. Ministers also decided to advance collaborative work related to stemming the proliferation of privately manufactured firearms (“ghost guns”) and strengthen cooperation with state, provincial, Indigenous and tribal partners.
In addition, they highlighted the Memorandum of Understanding between the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), signed in March 2023; as well as a Memorandum of Understanding between the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), signed in November 2022. These arrangements will be pivotal in helping both countries interdict firearms and drugs through enhanced information sharing.
Anti–Money Laundering / Virtual Currency
Money laundering threatens the integrity and stability of the financial sector and broader economy, and harms citizens’ safety, security, and quality of life.
Ministers took note of how quickly and easily criminals can move the proceeds of serious crimes across our borders in the form of virtual currencies, and the challenges that this growing phenomenon presents to our law enforcement officials and prosecutors. Increasingly, virtual currencies are being used illicitly to fund the smuggling of fentanyl, other narcotics, human beings, and firearms, as well as to launder the proceeds of these criminal activities, as documented in a recent Financial Action Task Force report that our officials were instrumental in supporting.
Through joint efforts, the United States and Canada can provide actionable information to law enforcement, regulators, and the private sector on both sides of the border. Ministers called on officials to explore additional opportunities to collaborate on countering the criminal use of virtual currencies.
Human Smuggling
The United States and Canada share the world’s longest undefended border and are committed to maintaining its integrity. Both countries recognize that it will take a concerted, unified effort to counter the cross-border human smuggling that is occurring in both directions across our shared border and undermining both countries’ legal immigration systems. All too often, these incidents result in tragic outcomes, as individuals lose their lives attempting to cross between ports of entry in remote areas or under dangerous conditions.
Ministers called on their officials to work with other agencies and external partners, including cross-border communities, to strengthen efforts to gather and share information for the detection and investigation of organized crime groups and networks that engage in human smuggling and prey upon vulnerable individuals.
They asked officials to review recent incidents along the border to identify opportunities to improve intelligence, detection, and interdiction to disrupt cross-border smuggling and investigate and hold accountable those involved. They recognized the importance of enhancing and leveraging sensor technology, personnel, and information-related resources, with an emphasis on timely and actionable information sharing and engagement with state, provincial, Indigenous and tribal partners in support of dismantling smuggling networks.
Sex Offender Travel
Notification of intended travel by registered sex offenders is a tool that supports a country’s ability to make informed admission decisions.
Ministers discussed foreign partner notification regarding impending cross-border travel by sex offenders, including with respect to the threshold required to permit RCMP notification of intended travel by Canadian offenders. Canada noted the introduction of legislation on April 26, 2023, to strengthen reporting and notification for registered sex offenders intending to travel domestically or internationally. The United States shared that, in 2022, the Angel Watch Center, a collaboration between the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Justice’s U.S. Marshals Service, sent 4,527 sex-offender travel notifications to 130 countries, including 149 notifications to Canada.
Both countries re-committed to ensure law enforcement officials in both countries have the information necessary to make informed admission decisions and continue to work on other measures to ensure public safety in accordance with their respective laws.
Criminal Justice Reform / Access to Justice
Ministers discussed criminal justice reform, as well as each country’s ongoing efforts to address root causes of crime and implement effective, equitable, and inclusive approaches to promoting community safety, criminal justice, and law enforcement. They noted the importance of continuing our work regarding groups already overrepresented in the criminal justice system, to guard against reversing the strong progress made on this front.
They welcomed the outcome of the collaboration of their respective Access to Justice Offices over the past year on strategies to overcome systemic inequality and discrimination, as part of efforts to increase access to and strengthen confidence in the justice system.
They also reiterated their commitment to the United Nations 2030 Agenda and the full realization of the Sustainable Development Goal 16, promoting effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels and equal access to justice for all.
In a measure that crosscuts all these discussions, Ministers also committed to develop guidance and deliver training to support a common understanding among law enforcement personnel in both countries, of the laws and policies regarding permissible information sharing for law enforcement and investigative purposes, and to encourage all appropriate sharing in service to public safety.
Finally, Ministers also signed a Statement of Partnership to Prevent, Investigate, Prosecute, and Disrupt Cross-Border Crime.
Regular updates will be provided to evaluate progress in each of these areas.
Ministers also took stock of other priority issues, including transnational repression and foreign interference, and the situations in Ukraine and Haiti. Our countries share a strong commitment to promoting democratic resilience and will continue to bolster our information sharing to combat transnational threats to democracy, including foreign interference.
The United States and Canada firmly deplore Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine. The United States and Canada will continue to collaborate with their allies and the international community to safeguard Ukrainian sovereignty, seize and freeze assets subject to sanctions, counter state-sponsored disinformation, and support accountability mechanisms for war crimes and other atrocities.
Ministers also reinforced their respective countries’ commitments to provide aid to Haiti to combat gang violence and shore up the Police Nationale d’Haïti. They shared their appreciation for the close collaboration among various departments and agencies to coordinate capacity building and equipment procurement efforts for the safety and security of citizens in Haiti. Both countries remain committed to exploring joint law enforcement actions in Haiti.
Jefferson County Man Sentenced for Federal Firearms OffenseRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – A Jefferson County man was sentenced this week to 3 years and 4 months in federal prison followed by a 3-year term of supervised release for possessing a firearm after having been previously convicted of a felony offense. There is no parole in the federal system.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge R. Shawn Morrow of the ATF Louisville Field Division, and Chief Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel of the Louisville Metro Police Department made the announcement.
According to court documents, Alpintino A. Johnson, Jr., 26, of Louisville, Kentucky, possessed a Romarm/Cugir, model Micro Draco, 7.62 caliber pistol. Johnson was prohibited from possessing a firearm because he had previously been convicted of the following felony offenses. On April 20, 2018, in Hardin Circuit Court, Johnson was convicted of trafficking in marijuana under eight ounces, gun enhanced, and first degree promoting contraband.
The case was investigated by the ATF and Louisville Metro Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Judd prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
###
Jacksonville Registered Sex Offender Indicted for Committing Multiple Child Sexual Exploitation OffensesRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Andrew David Salas (35, Jacksonville) with interstate travel with the intent to engage in sexual conduct with a child, interstate transportation of a child to engage in sexual activity, production, attempted production, and possession of child sexual abuse materials, and committing felony offenses involving a child while required to register as a sex offender. If convicted, Salas faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 25 years, up to life, in federal prison, and a lifetime of supervised release. Salas was arrested at his residence on November 3, 2022, and has been in custody since that time. He is scheduled for arraignment on May 4, 2023.
Salas is a registered sex offender, having been convicted of carnal knowledge of a minor child in Virginia in 2008.
An indictment is only an allegation and every defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Carroll County (Georgia) Sheriff’s Office, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, the Georgia State Attorney General’s Office, the United States Marshals Service, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Atlanta and Jacksonville. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys D. Rodney Brown and Kelly S. Karase.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Jackson Man Sentenced to 46 months in Prison for Being a Convicted Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A Jackson man was sentenced to 46 months in federal prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Jermicha Fomby of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
According to court documents, Earnest Guise, 41, was found in possession of a firearm by a Jackson Police Officer on June 6, 2021, during an investigation into a reported shooting. Guise has multiple prior felony convictions and is prohibited from possessing a firearm.
Guise pled guilty on November 8, 2022 to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Jackson Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jessica S. Terrill.
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.
Inmate Sentenced to 51 Months in Prison for Aggravated AssaultRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Judge Malachy E. Mannion sentenced Louis Borrero, age 39, an inmate at United States Penitentiary, Canaan, in Waymart, Pennsylvania, to 51 months in prison for assault on another inmate.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Borrero assaulted the inmate by slashing his face with a razor blade on July 16, 2021, at USP Canaan. The victim’s injuries required nine sutures. At the time of the assault, Borrero was serving a 324-month sentence for drug trafficking, robbery, and firearms violations.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Prisons Special Investigation Section (SIS) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean A. Camoni prosecuted the case.
# # #
Inmate Pleads Guilty to Possessing Weapon at FCI BeckleyRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Iglesias McEntyre, 34, an inmate at the Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) Beckley, pleaded guilty today to possession of a weapon by an inmate of a federal prison.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on October 14, 2022, McEntyre failed to clear a metal detector after numerous attempts. An FCI Beckley staff member conducted a visual search of McEntyre and found a handcrafted weapon commonly known as a “shank” in McEntyre’s underwear. The shank was a piece of metal approximately 5 3/4 inches long, sharpened to a point, with a toothbrush for a handle and thread wrapped around the handle to secure it. McEntyre admitted to possessing the shank, and further admitted that it was designed and intended to be used as a weapon.
McEntyre is scheduled to be sentenced on August 11, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy D. Boggess 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. 5:23-cr-50.
###
Informational: Federal Court arraignmentsRead the Press Release
The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced that the following persons were arraigned or appeared recently before U.S. Magistrate judges on indictments handed down by the Grand Jury or on criminal complaints. The charging documents are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt:
Appearing in Missoula before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto and pleading not guilty on April 28 was:
Brittany Nicole Lewis, 32, of Corvallis, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute meth and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. If convicted of the most serious crime, Lewis faces a mandatory minimum 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release on the drug offense and a mandatory five years to life in prison, consecutive to any other sentence, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release on the firearms crime. Lewis was released pending further proceedings. The Missoula High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force and Ravalli County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. PACER case reference. 23-20.
Appearing in Billings before U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan and pleading not guilty on April 25 was:
James Faddis Kennedy, 73, of Red Lodge, on charges of possession of unregistered firearm and illegal possession of a machine gun. If convicted of the most serious crime, Kennedy faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Kennedy was released pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. PACER case reference. 23-25.
Appearing on April 26 was:
Nathaniel James Jansen, 35, of Billings, on charges of prohibited person in possession of a firearm and ammunition and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number. If convicted of the most serious crime, Jansen faces a maximum of 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Jansen was detained pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Yellowstone County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. PACER case reference. 23-47.
Elmer Brady, 67, a transient, on charges of bank robbery. If convicted of the most serious crime, Brady faces a maximum of 25 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and five years of supervised release. Brady was detained pending further proceedings. The FBI and Billings Police Department investigated the case. PACER case reference. 23-42
Appearing on April 27 was:
Scott Francis Richardson, 44, of Billings, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. If convicted of the most serious crime, Richardson faces a maximum of 20 years in prison, a $1 million fine and at least three years of supervised release. Richardson was detained pending further proceedings. The Billings Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, Yellowstone County Sheriff’s Office, Montana Highway Patrol and Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case. PACER case reference. 23-40.
Appearing in Great Falls before U.S. Magistrate Judge John T. Johnston and pleading not guilty on April 21 was:
Martaveon Makei Scott, aka Lo, 25, of Williston, North Dakota, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. If convicted of the most serious crime, Scott faces a mandatory minimum of five years to 40 years in prison, a $5 million fine and at least four years of supervised release. Scott was detained pending further proceedings. The Havre Police Department and Tri-Agency Task Force investigated the case. PACER case reference. 22-86.
Dustin Alan Robbins, 37, a transient, on charges of robbery, assault with intent to commit a felony and intimidation. If convicted of the most serious crime, Robbins faces a maximum of 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Robbins was detained pending further proceedings. The FBI and Fort Belknap Law Enforcement investigated the case.
PACER case reference. 23-25.
The progress of cases may be monitored through the U.S. District Court Calendar and the PACER system. To establish a PACER account, which provides electronic access to review documents filed in a case, please visit http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. To access the District Court’s calendar, please visit https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl.
XXX
Indianapolis Dermatologist Convicted for Filing False Tax Returns, Concealing over $1.2 Million in Unreported IncomeRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS- David Gerstein, 63, of Hamilton County, Indiana, has been convicted after pleading guilty to submitting a false income tax return.
According to court documents, between 2017 and 2020 willfully underreported his taxable income by at least $1,200,000, as a result evaded $360,669 in income taxes that he owed.
Since 1997, Gerstein has been the sole owner of a dermatology practice in Indianapolis, Indiana, and reported his business income to the Internal Revenue Service on his personal tax return.
During his tax evasion scheme, Gerstein used several different methods to conceal his true income. Gerstein lied to his accountant and told them that all income from his medical practice flowed into a single business bank account, and only provided them with records from that account. In fact, Gerstein had other hidden accounts that he used to deposit business income, including checks from patients, payments from insurance providers, and payments via Venmo. He further concealed the existence of his hidden bank accounts by routinely breaking up cash deposits of more than $10,000 and making multiple cash deposits on the same day. This illegal practice, known as “structuring transactions,” was intended to avoid the banks reporting these large cash deposits to the IRS. Gerstein continued to attempt to conceal the existence of some of his bank accounts even when interviewed by IRS- Criminal Investigation Agents.
“Every year, millions of Americans pay all the taxes they owe while criminals like this defendant lie and scheme to avoid paying their fair share,” said Zachary A. Myers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Wealthy tax cheats drive up taxes for law-abiding people and deprive us of the government services to which we are entitled. Willfully falsifying tax returns is not a victimless crime, and the sentence imposed today demonstrates that those who break the law will be held accountable. I applaud the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation for their efforts to uncover these schemes and we will continue to work together to enforce our laws on behalf of the American people.”
“We hope that this conviction reinforces public confidence in our nation’s tax system,” said Justin Campbell, Special Agent in Charge of IRS-Criminal Investigation, Chicago Field Office. “The tax laws apply equally to everyone regardless of their income level. IRS-CI will continue to seek prosecution of high-income taxpayers that evade our tax laws. We would like to express our gratitude to the United States Attorney’s Office for their support in the prosecution of this case.”
IRS- Criminal Investigation investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Judge James P. Hanlon. Judge Hanlon also ordered that Gerstein be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for 3 years, the first 6 months of which must be served at a residential re-entry center. Gerstein must also pay a fine of $95,000.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorney James Warden, who prosecuted this case.
###
INTERPOL Washington Addresses World Border Security Congress in North MacedoniaRead the Press Release
This week, INTERPOL Washington participated in the World Border Security Conference in Skopje, North Macedonia, to highlight INTERPOL’S unique role in border security and to enhance critical law enforcement partnerships.
“The transnational criminal and terrorist threats we face today are increasingly lethal, diverse, invasive, and present in communities of all sizes across the world,” said INTERPOL Washington Director Michael A. Hughes. “Our efforts at home and abroad rely on international partnerships to dismantle the transnational criminal organizations that exploit border security vulnerabilities to commit heinous acts. At INTERPOL Washington, we are committed to working with our foreign and domestic law enforcement partners on programs that increase the security of American communities and build a safer world.”
The World Border Security Congress is a high-level, three-day forum for discussion and debate on current and future border policies, implementation issues, and other related challenges. Attendees also discuss new and developing border security technologies and share best practices. The conference provides a unique platform for sharing information and promoting cooperation among border management and security professionals from around the world. An INTERPOL Washington delegation spoke at the event, emphasizing the agency’s work in strengthening domestic and international border security.
INTERPOL Washington maintains numerous programs that strengthen border security at home and abroad. In the United States, INTERPOL Washington shares global criminal investigative data with U.S. Customs and Border Protection and more than 18,000 other domestic law enforcement agencies to ensure the frontline officers know the criminal history of foreign nationals they may encounter. Through Project Terminus, INTERPOL Washington also extends secure police communications systems to select nations, delivering solid, actionable criminal intelligence in a secure manner around the world.
A component of the U.S. Department of Justice co-managed by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, INTERPOL Washington—the U.S. National Central Bureau (USNCB)—is the designated U.S. representative to INTERPOL. It serves as the national point of contact and coordination for all INTERPOL matters, coordinating international investigative efforts among member countries and the more than 18,000 local, state, federal, tribal, and territorial law enforcement agencies.
Houston man sent to prison for $3M PPP loan fraud schemeRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 47-year-old man has been ordered to federal prison following his conviction of wire fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani along with Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division.
Scott Jackson Davis pleaded guilty May 26, 2022.
Today, U.S. District Judge David Hittner sentenced Davis to a total of 102 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. The court also ordered him to pay restitution in the amount of $3,002,655.13.
At the hearing, the court heard evidence that at the time of the offense, Davis was on supervised release for another wire fraud conviction and had only been out of prison for just over four months when he began submitting the fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) applications. As such, Judge Hittner noted Davis presented a danger to the community during the hearing.
In 2020, Davis fraudulently received $3.3 million in PPP funds through three fraudulent loan applications submitted to multiple financial institutions. Davis fabricated ownership of three businesses - Skilled Trade Investments LP, Skilled Trade Staffing LLC and Skilled Trade Investments Group - which he claimed staffed numerous employees and had significant payroll.
However, the businesses actually had few, if any, employees and little to no payroll if it existed at all. Davis used forged IRS documentation to corroborate the vastly inflated business expenses.
Davis also lied on each of the PPP applications, indicating he had never been convicted of a felony. In fact, he is a prior felon who was on supervised release for an unrelated 2017 wire fraud conviction.
Davis spent a large portion of the fraudulently acquired PPP loan funds on private jet travel, real estate, jewelry, guns and luxury vehicles.
Davis will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The FBI and Small Business Administration - Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Wakefield and Trial Attorney Edward Emokpae of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section prosecuted the case.
Holyoke Man Pleads Guilty to Being a Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Holyoke man pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Springfield to illegally possessing a firearm as a previously convicted felon.
Joe Anthony Montaner-Vazquez, 25, pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni scheduled sentencing for July 25, 2023. Montaner-Vazquez was indicted by a federal grand jury in August 2022.
On May 25, 2022, Montaner-Vazquez was found in possession of a Glock 9-millimeter caliber pistol and 20 rounds of ammunition after he attempted to flee from police. Montaner-Vazquez was previously convicted of a felony and is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition.
The charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm provides a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; and Holyoke Police Chief David Pratt made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Neil L. Desroches of Rollins’ Springfield Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Georgia Woman Pleads Guilty to Aggravated Identity Theft and Bank Fraud ChargesRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Kiana Fiona Alphonse (29, Covington, Georgia) has pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, seven counts of bank fraud, five counts of false representation of a Social Security number, and five counts of aggravated identity theft. Alphonse faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 2 years’ in federal prison on the aggravated identity theft charges, up to 30 years in federal prison for each count of bank fraud and conspiracy to commit bank fraud, up to 5 years in federal prison on each count of false representation of a Social Security number, and payment of restitution to the victims she and her co-defendant, Anthony Jermaine Robinson (31, Covington, Georgia), had defrauded. Her sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to court documents and public records, in 2019, the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) stopped a car Robinson was driving for a cracked windshield. Based on a probable cause search of the car, the CCSO located among other items, counterfeit Social Security cards and driver licenses in the identity of genuine individuals, genuine credit cards in the name of individuals, and multiple phones. Pursuant to a search warrant, the CCSO conducted a forensic examination of Robinson’s cellphone and determined that it contained among other things, text messages between Robinson and Alphonse. The text messages outlined instructions on how to fraudulently set up business accounts at banks using fraudulent business documents for non-existent businesses, identification documents, and Social Security numbers.
Follow up investigation by law enforcement determined that in 2019, Robinson and Alphonse obtained the personally identifiable information (PII) of multiple victims and then obtained counterfeit driver licenses purportedly from Washington state and Delaware in the identity of the victims. The counterfeit driver licenses contained the PII of the victims, but a photo of Alphonse. Using the PII including the Social Security numbers of the victims, the counterfeit driver licenses, and documents created for fictitious businesses, Alphonse visited multiple banks and set up fraudulent business bank accounts in the name of various victims. These bank accounts were then utilized as part of a scheme to defraud multiple victims involving the online purchase of nonexistent cars. Once the bank accounts received funds from the victims, Robinson, Alphonse, and co-conspirators withdrew the funds for their own personal use.
Alphonse appeared in federal court on April 26, 2023, pursuant to a writ bringing her to Jacksonville from Newton County Jail in Georgia where she is serving a jail sentence for violating probation on a firearm related crime.
Robinson appeared in federal court on November 3, 2022, pursuant to a writ bringing him to Jacksonville from Georgia State Prison where he is serving a prison sentence for violating parole on a fraud related crime. The Court ordered Robinson detained pending trial. On February 8, 2023, Robinson pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft. He faces a maximum penalty of 32 years in federal prison and payment of restitution to the victims he and Alphonse defrauded. Robinson is also wanted on violation of probation warrants from South Carolina and Columbia County, Florida on two unrelated financial crime cases.
This case was investigated by the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office and the United States Secret Service - Jacksonville Field Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Frein.
Gang Member Admits Racketeering and Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A member of a New Jersey street gang admitted his role in a racketeering conspiracy and possessing firearms and ammunition as a convicted felon, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Rahjon Cox, aka “Tsu Surf,” 32, of Newark, pleaded guilty by videoconference on April 27, 2023, before U.S. District Judge Susan D. Wigenton to two counts of a superseding indictment charging him with Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) conspiracy and possession of firearms and ammunition by a convicted felon.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From 2015 through Sept. 22, 2022, Cox was a member of the Rollin’ 60s Neighborhood Crips, a criminal enterprise responsible for acts of violence and the distribution of controlled substances in New Jersey and elsewhere. Cox held a leadership role within the enterprise. On March 18, 2017, Cox shot a firearm at a gang rival. On July 24, 2019, in Essex County, New Jersey, Cox, a convicted felon, knowingly possessed two loaded firearms.
The racketeering conspiracy count is punishable by a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; the charge of being a felon in possession of a weapon is punishable by a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. Both counts are also punishable by a fine of up to $250,000. Sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 12, 2023.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Daniel J. Kafafian; special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Tammy Tomlins; and special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Bryan Miller, with the investigation leading to the guilty plea. He also thanked investigators of the U.S. Marshals Service, under the direction of Marshal Juan Mattos; the Irvington Police Department, under the direction of Police Division Director Tracy Bowers; the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Acting Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens II; the Newark Police Department, under the direction of Public Safety Director Fritz Fragé; the Bloomfield Police Department, under the direction of Director of Public Safety Samuel A. DeMaio; the Essex County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Armando B. Fontoura; the East Orange Police Department, under the direction of Chief Phyllis L. Bindi; the Elizabeth Police Department, under the direction of Police Director Earl J. Graves; the Edison Police Department, under the direction of Chief of Police Tom Bryan; the New Jersey State Police, under the direction of Col. Patrick J. Callahan; the Union County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor William A. Daniel; the Spotswood Police Department, under the direction of Chief Philip Corbisiero; and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation Fugitive and Missing Person Task Force, which includes members of the FBI, for their assistance.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Francesca Liquori of the Special Prosecutions Unit.
cox.sindictment.pdfFruitland Man Pleads Guilty to Sexual AbuseRead 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 Derek Lorin Blackhorse pleaded guilty to sexual abuse. Blackhorse, 34, of Fruitland New Mexico, and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, will remain in custody pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled.
According to the plea agreement and other court documents, on May 28, 2021, Blackhorse engaged in sexual intercourse with the victim, Jane Doe, while she was sleeping in her bed at her home. The assault took place on the Navajo Nation.
Under the terms of his agreement, Blackhorse can be sentenced to between 6 and 8 years in prison and must register as a sex offender upon his release from prison.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas J. Marshall is prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice (DOJ) to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and DOJ’s Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/.
# # #
23-94
Four Additional Defendants in North Carolina Plead Guilty to National COVID-19 Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – Denise Coit Alston, 69; Monica Faye Barnes, 51; Terron Cortez Parker, 37; and Kami D. Woodard, 37; each pleaded guilty earlier this week to conspiracy to commit wire fraud for fraudulently obtaining Paycheck Protection Act (“PPP”) COVID-19 loans. The defendants requested relief for various companies they owned including companies listed as being engaged in catering, trucking and real estate. They all face up to 20 years in prison.
“These defendants, along with the broader network of co-conspirators, took taxpayer money meant to help struggling small businesses during a global pandemic,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “We are investigating and prosecuting those who steal from public programs intended to keep legitimate businesses afloat.”
According to the filed charges and information summarized in court, the defendants conspired with Edward Whitaker, Schunda Coleman, and others to obtain fraudulent PPP loans on behalf of their businesses. Whitaker and Coleman pled guilty on January 19, 2023 for their role in operating a nation-wide scheme to help people across the country commit millions of dollars of PPP fraud from their home in Texas.
Whitaker and Coleman created fraudulent supporting documents and applications for each PPP loan in exchange for 25% of the total loan proceeds. The fraudulent applications falsified the number of employees and gross wages being paid prior to the COVID-19 pandemic by backdating fraudulent IRS Forms 940 and 941, in order to help qualify for the PPP loans. Following the disbursement of the PPP loans, Whitaker gave each defendant, via text messages subsequently obtained by law enforcement, detailed instructions as to how to make it appear that the PPP loans were being paid out to employees. In reality, most or all of the money was transferred back to the defendants. The fraudulent payroll records were then submitted to the Small Business Administration (SBA) to obtain 100% loan forgiveness.
Late last year, Quentin Jackson pled guilty in the same conspiracy which included the recruitment of numerous individuals within the Eastern District of North Carolina to use Whitaker and Coleman to obtain fraudulent PPP funds.
“The Paycheck Protection Program was designed to help small businesses facing financial difficulties during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Donald “Trey” Eakins, Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge in the Charlotte Field Office. “Through our partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our federal law enforcement partners, IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agents will continue to aggressively pursue individuals who try to exploit federal relief programs for their personal gain.”
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans who were economically suffering from the COVID-19 pandemic. The CARES Act and additional appropriations authorized up to $649 billion in forgivable loans to small businesses through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). Financial institutions issued the PPP loans, which were guaranteed by the SBA.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after United States Magistrate Judge Robert T. Numbers II accepted the pleas. Sentencings will occur before United States District Judge James C. Dever III later this year. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Criminal Investigation is leading the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney David G. Beraka is prosecuting the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:23-CR-00027-D.
###
Former West Virginia Parole Officer Sentenced for Witness TamperingRead the Press Release
A former West Virginia regional director of parole for the West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation in Parkersburg, West Virginia, was sentenced yesterday in federal court in the Southern District of West Virginia to 87 months’ imprisonment and three years’ supervised release for witness tampering.
David Jones, 51, admitted that earlier this year, he deliberately withheld information and lied to state and federal investigators during their investigations of sexual misconduct by a state parole officer whom Jones supervised. Jones also admitted that, on multiple occasions from 2020 to this year, he repeatedly instructed a witness in the same investigation to lie to federal investigators and to destroy and withhold evidence. Specifically, Jones admitted both that he encouraged the witness to delete recordings she had of the parole officer sexually harassing her and he instructed the witness to delete evidence of his communications with her.
“The defendant interfered with state and federal investigations of egregious sexual misconduct by a state parole officer the defendant was supposed to supervise,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department will continue to vigorously investigate and hold accountable individuals who obstruct and interfere with federal criminal civil rights investigations.”
“David Jones’ attempt to cover up Anthony DeMetro’s reprehensible conduct makes the victim’s courage all the more commendable,” said U.S. Attorney Will Thompson for the Southern District of West Virginia. “Far too often, survivors of crime don’t seek justice because they are afraid that no one will believe them or that those in authority will betray them as David Jones tried to do in this case. We must be relentless in holding individuals like Mr. Jones accountable for their misconduct while ensuring that survivors are heard, believed, and supported.”
“Mr. Jones crossed a line and abused his position of public trust by asking a witness to lie and delete evidence in a criminal investigation,” said Special Agent in Charge Mike Nordwall of the FBI Pittsburgh Field Office. “As the Regional Director of Parole in West Virginia, he was entrusted to uphold the law. Instead, he attempted to use his official capacity to influence a sexual misconduct investigation. This sentencing is a reminder that the FBI is committed to ensuring those who violate the public’s trust are held accountable.”
The FBI Pittsburgh Field Office investigated the case.
Special Litigation Counsel Kathryn E. Gilbert and Trial Attorney Daniel E. Grunert of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Monica Coleman and Nowles Heinrich for the Southern District of West Virginia prosecuted the case.
Former West Virginia Parole Officer Sentenced for Witness TamperingRead the Press Release
A former West Virginia regional director of parole for the West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation in Parkersburg, West Virginia, was sentenced yesterday in federal court in the Southern District of West Virginia to 87 months’ imprisonment and three years’ supervised release for witness tampering.
David Jones, 51, admitted that earlier this year, he deliberately withheld information and lied to state and federal investigators during their investigations of sexual misconduct by a state parole officer whom Jones supervised. Jones also admitted that, on multiple occasions from 2020 to this year, he repeatedly instructed a witness in the same investigation to lie to federal investigators and to destroy and withhold evidence. Specifically, Jones admitted both that he encouraged the witness to delete recordings she had of the parole officer sexually harassing her and he instructed the witness to delete evidence of his communications with her.
“The defendant interfered with state and federal investigations of egregious sexual misconduct by a state parole officer the defendant was supposed to supervise,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department will continue to vigorously investigate and hold accountable individuals who obstruct and interfere with federal criminal civil rights investigations.”
“David Jones’ attempt to cover up Anthony DeMetro’s reprehensible conduct makes the victim’s courage all the more commendable,” said U.S. Attorney Will Thompson for the Southern District of West Virginia. “Far too often, survivors of crime don’t seek justice because they are afraid that no one will believe them or that those in authority will betray them as David Jones tried to do in this case. We must be relentless in holding individuals like Mr. Jones accountable for their misconduct while ensuring that survivors are heard, believed, and supported.”
“Mr. Jones crossed a line and abused his position of public trust by asking a witness to lie and delete evidence in a criminal investigation,” said Special Agent in Charge Mike Nordwall of the FBI Pittsburgh Field Office. “As the Regional Director of Parole in West Virginia, he was entrusted to uphold the law. Instead, he attempted to use his official capacity to influence a sexual misconduct investigation. This sentencing is a reminder that the FBI is committed to ensuring those who violate the public’s trust are held accountable.”
The FBI Pittsburgh Field Office investigated the case.
Special Litigation Counsel Kathryn E. Gilbert and Trial Attorney Daniel E. Grunert of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Monica Coleman and Nowles Heinrich for the Southern District of West Virginia prosecuted the case.
Former Greenfield Township Sewer Authority Plant Operator Sentenced to Prison for Clean Water Act ViolationsRead the Press Release
SCRANTON—The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that United States Judge Malachy E. Mannion sentenced Bruce Evans, Jr., age 41, of Greenfield Township, Pennsylvania to one year and one day in prison for violating the Clean Water Act, and for submitting a false statement to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP). Evans, Jr. was convicted after trial in December of 2021.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Evans, Jr. knowingly failed to operate and maintain the municipality’s wastewater treatment plant in accordance with regulations and limitations specified in a permit issued by the PADEP to the Greenfield Township Sewer Authority (GTSA). The permit required that the permittee maintain the plant in good working order, properly operate and maintain all facilities and systems installed and used by the permittee to achieve compliance with the terms and conditions of the permit, and meet specific numerical limits on pollutants discharged into a local waterway. As a result of the defendant’s failures, pollutants were discharged in violation of the permit on multiple occasions.
Prosecutors from the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the EPA presented testimony from 34 witnesses over the course of a trial that began on November 15, 2021 and ended on December 17, 2021. Evans, Jr, and his father, Bruce Evans, Sr. were tried together. Witnesses included GTSA board members, Greenfield Township Supervisors, FBI and EPA Special Agents, multiple PADEP inspectors and supervisors, and residents who lived near sewage system lift stations where sewage overflowed.
Throughout the time covered by the charges, Bruce Evans, Sr. was a Greenfield Township Supervisor, a Greenfield Township employee, a GTSA Board Member, and the paid Manager of the GTSA. Evans, Jr. was an employee of Greenfield Township and the GTSA. Evans, Sr. was convicted of twenty (20) counts of Clean Water Act violations; four (4) counts of wire fraud involving the misappropriation of GTSA funds for his personal benefit and the benefit of his family; and four (4) counts of obstruction of certified mail sent by the PADEP addressed to his fellow GTSA board members but intercepted by Evans, Sr. Evans, Jr. was convicted of four (4) counts of Clean Water Act violations, and one (1) count of submitting a false statement to the PADEP related to representations and certifications made by Evans, Jr. regarding his professional work experience.
Bruce Evans, Sr. is awaiting sentencing.
The investigation was jointly conducted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency - Criminal Investigations Division in Philadelphia, Pa., the Federal Bureau of Investigation – Scranton Field Office, and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection - Northeast Region. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle Olshefski and EPA Attorneys W. Martin Harrell and Patricia C. Miller prosecuted the case as Special Assistant United States Attorneys.
# # #
Former Enforcer of New Bedford Latin Kings Chapter Sentenced to More Than Twelve Years in Prison for Racketeering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A former member and Enforcer of the New Bedford Chapter of the Massachusetts Almighty Latin King and Queen Nation (Latin Kings) was sentenced yesterday on racketeering charges.
Orlando Santiago-Torres, a/k/a “King Landy,” 27, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Rya W. Zobel to 151 months in prison and three years of supervised release. On June 28, 2022, Santiago-Torres pleaded guilty to conspiracy to conduct enterprise affairs through a pattern of racketeering activity, more commonly referred to as RICO conspiracy, and conspiracy to manufacture and distribute controlled substances.
“The amount of teamwork required to indict and prosecute 62 individuals under racketeering conspiracy, drug conspiracy and firearms charges is hard to fathom. I commend my predecessor U.S. Attorney Lelling for spearheading this effort and I am proud to finish the job he started. Keeping the people of Massachusetts safe is my highest priority and the rampant violence and drug dealing spearheaded by criminal enterprises is a clear and present danger to our communities. Mr. Santiago Torres was the enforcer of this particular criminal enterprise. He actively led and promoted violence in order to instill fear among his adversaries and further the illicit influence of the New Bedford Chapter of the Latin Kings,” said United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins. “Mr. Santiago Torres not only engaged in multiple racketeering incidents, including shootings and gang beatings, he then proudly boasted about his actions online while threatening future violence. This has become commonplace and we are watching. Today’s sentence marks a critical step toward ensuring peace throughout our Commonwealth.”
“Guns and drugs take far too many lives in our communities, and Orlando Santiago Torres was contributing to the devastating impact of both. As a leader of the New Bedford Chapter of the Latin Kings, Santiago-Torres engaged in at least three shootings, two brutal gang beatings, and dealt drugs, destroying any sense of safety on this city’s streets,” said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. “Turf war gang violence is a serious threat to our communities, and the FBI is leveraging our law enforcement partnerships to thwart that threat. The lengthy prison sentence Mr. Santiago Torres received today sends a strong message that we will not tolerate criminal enterprises using violence to further their insidious needs.”
The Latin Kings are a violent criminal enterprise comprised of thousands of members across the United States. The Latin Kings adhere to a national manifesto, employ an internal judiciary and use a sophisticated system of communication to maintain the hierarchy of the organization. The gang uses drug distribution to generate revenue, and engages in violence against witnesses and rival gangs to further its influence and to protect its turf.
As Enforcer, Santiago-Torres was an officer in the New Bedford Chapter of the Latin Kings and was responsible for organizing violence against rival gang members and instilling discipline among Latin Kings members in the commission of violence. Santiago-Torres also organized security for the Latin Kings’ apartment buildings, or “trap houses,” from which the gang members distributed cocaine and cocaine base.Santiago-Torres participated in a series of violent acts and shootings that were committed in New Bedford in furtherance of the Latin Kings enterprise. In February 2019, Santiago-Torres assaulted a rival gang member and was captured on video chasing the rival gang member down, pushing him to the ground and kicking him. In May 2019, Santiago-Torres participated in the assault and shooting of a rival gang member and was captured on video surveillance with other Latin King members, one of whom engaged in a fight with the rival member and fired a handgun at him. In July 2019, Santiago-Torres fired multiple rounds of ammunition on a New Bedford street at rival gang members as they fled a fight with the Latin Kings. Later, in September 2019, Santiago-Torres participated in a shooting with other Latin Kings members in which a victim was struck with gunfire and casings from the scene were linked to a firearm recovered from Santiago-Torres’ apartment. Lastly, in November 2019, Santiago-Torres and other Latin Kings members assaulted a rival gang member, in which Santiago-Torres dragged the victim out of a vehicle to beat and kick him on the street.
In December 2019, a federal grand jury returned an indictment alleging racketeering conspiracy, drug conspiracy and firearms charges against 62 leaders, members and associates of the Latin Kings. In total, 60 defendants in the case have pleaded guilty. Of the 62 charged defendants in the indictment, two remain in warrant status. All of the remaining 60 defendants have pleaded guilty and have been sentenced or are awaiting sentencing. Santiago-Torres is the 58th defendant to be sentenced.
U.S. Attorney Rollins; FBI SAC Bonavolonta; Commissioner Carol Mici of the Massachusetts Department of Correction; and New Bedford Police Chief Paul Oliveira made the announcement. Valuable assistance was also provided by the FBI North Shore Gang Task Force and the Bristol County and Suffolk County District Attorney’s Offices. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip A. Mallard of Rollins’ Organized Crime & Gang Unit and Assistant U.S. Attorney Carol Head, Chief of Rollins’ Asset Forfeiture Unit, prosecuted the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The two remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law
Former Chief of Staff to Mayor of Lawrence Indicted for Child Pornography OffensesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The former Chief of Staff to the Mayor of Lawrence, Mass., has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston for transporting and possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
Jhovanny Martes-Rosario, 48, was indicted on one count of possession of child pornography and one count of transportation of child pornography. Martes-Rosario was previously arrested by state authorities on related charges and released on conditions. Martes-Rosario was released on conditions following an initial appearance in federal court in Boston today before U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge M. Page Kelley.
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. The charge of transportation of child pornography provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up to 20 years in prison, a mandatory minimum of 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 Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police and Essex County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan C. Cleary of Rollins’ Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Former Bank VP Admits to Arson and Bank FraudRead the Press Release
BENTON, Ill. – A former vice president and loan officer for Community First Bank of the Heartland in Mount Vernon admitted in federal court in Benton on Friday morning to multiple acts of arson and bank fraud.
Richard Pigg, 52, pleaded guilty to six counts of bank fraud and three counts of arson. The defendant currently resides in Texas, but he lived in Mount Vernon, Illinois, at the time of the charged conduct from May 2011 to December 2016.
“Richard Pigg not only used his professional position to deceive his victims and defraud the bank that employed him, he also risked the lives and safety of our heroic first responders when he chose to burn houses and apartment buildings to collect even more money he wasn’t entitled to,” said U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe. “In this proven pattern of conniving and hazardous actions, I appreciate the work by our federal law enforcement partners to put an end to the defendant’s dangerous financial ploys.”
“Arson is never a victimless crime, nor should we ever allow ourselves to think of it as such. The criminal use of fire, whether to conceal crime, intimidate, or as in this case, defraud others erodes trust in our institutions and endangers the lives of those who selflessly respond, day or night or extinguish the flames,” said Bernard Hansen, Special Agent in Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Kansas City Field Division.
The defendant used his position as vice president and a loan officer to defraud more than $600,000 from CFBH to purchase investment properties and to pay personal expenses.
According to court documents, Pigg convinced bank customers to buy rental properties in Centralia, Mount Vernon, Murphysboro, and West Frankfort on his behalf through mortgage loans financed at CFBH. Pigg concealed his personal financial interest from CFBH while facilitating the loans.
As part of the scheme, the defendant assured his victims that he would secure the tenants, collect the rent, and maintain the properties. The victims received income from the rental properties held in their names.
In addition, without the victims’ consent, the defendant at times increased the amount financed in the mortgage loan by thousands of dollars above the purchase price and redirected the excess loan proceeds to his own accounts and to pay his own debts.
In addition to bank fraud, Pigg also pleaded guilty to federal arson charges for burning the Centralia rental property twice—once in January when it was only partly damaged and again in February 2016, this time causing a total loss. He used the insurance benefits from the fires to pay off the mortgage loan on the property.
Pigg also burned a four-unit rental apartment complex in West Frankfort in January 2016 soon after renewing one insurance policy and less than two weeks after taking out a second insurance policy on the property.
Agents with ATF and the Federal Housing Financial Authority of the Office of the Inspector General contributed to the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Peter T. Reed and Kevin F. Burke are prosecuting the case.
Foreign National Sentenced for Using Stolen Identity During COVID-19 Relief ProsecutionRead the Press Release
MIAMI – A foreign national was sentenced today to an additional year and nine months in prison for using a stolen identity during her earlier prosecution for her role in the submission of fraudulent loan applications seeking more than $9.2 million in forgivable Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans guaranteed by the Small Business Administration under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
According to court documents, Tanika Candy Hospedales, 44, of Trinidad and Tobago, applied for and received a PPP loan in May 2020 on behalf of her company using the name and personal identifying information of another person, Keyaira Bostic, without authorization. Hospedales sought a fraudulent PPP loan of $84,515 on behalf of her company, I Am Liquid Inc., and referred other conspirators to the scheme who sought $3,345,895 in fraudulent loans, for a total intended loss of $3,430,410.
During an investigation into her involvement in PPP loans, Hospedales falsely identified herself to law enforcement as Keyaira Bostic. Hospedales was charged with wire fraud, bank fraud, and conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud in connection with fraudulent PPP loans, and the charging documents identified her as Keyaira Bostic. On Nov. 21, 2021, during her trial before a jury on the PPP fraud charges, Hospedales falsely testified that her name was Keyaira Bostic. The jury convicted Hospedales.
During these proceedings, Hospedales provided false information to the probation office regarding her identity and surrendered a U.S. passport in the name of Keyaira Bostic that she had fraudulently obtained in 2012. On Feb. 3, 2022, the court sentenced Hospedales on her trial conviction for PPP fraud to three years and eight months in prison, three years of supervised release, and entered a written judgment against Hospedales in the name of “Keyaira Bostic.” A subsequent investigation confirmed that Hospedales was not, in fact, Keyaira Bostic. Law enforcement obtained visa records that demonstrate that in March 2003, Hospedales entered the United States from Trinidad and Tobago on a temporary visa under her true name.
Hospedales pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice for using a false identity during her earlier prosecution. Her term of imprisonment, which will be served consecutively to her earlier sentence for PPP fraud, is followed by three years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida, Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Special Agent in Charge Matthew D. Line of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Miami Field Office, Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri of the FBI Miami Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge Philippe Furstenberg of the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) Miami Field Office made the announcement.
The IRS-CI, FBI, and DSS investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Turken for the Southern District of Florida and Trial Attorney Philip Trout of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section prosecuted the case.
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.
###
Foreign National Sentenced for Using Stolen Identity During COVID-19 Relief ProsecutionRead the Press Release
A foreign national was sentenced today to an additional year and nine months in prison for using a stolen identity during her earlier prosecution for her role in the submission of fraudulent loan applications seeking more than $9.2 million in forgivable Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans guaranteed by the Small Business Administration under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
According to court documents, Tanika Candy Hospedales, 44, of Trinidad and Tobago, applied for and received a PPP loan in May 2020 on behalf of her company using the name and personal identifying information of another person, Keyaira Bostic, without authorization. Hospedales sought a fraudulent PPP loan of $84,515 on behalf of her company, I Am Liquid Inc., and referred other conspirators to the scheme who sought $3,345,895 in fraudulent loans, for a total intended loss of $3,430,410.
During an investigation into her involvement in PPP loans, Hospedales falsely identified herself to law enforcement as Keyaira Bostic. Hospedales was charged with wire fraud, bank fraud, and conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud in connection with fraudulent PPP loans, and the charging documents identified her as Keyaira Bostic. On Nov. 21, 2021, during her trial before a jury on the PPP fraud charges, Hospedales falsely testified that her name was Keyaira Bostic. The jury convicted Hospedales.
During these proceedings, Hospedales provided false information to the probation office regarding her identity and surrendered a U.S. passport in the name of Keyaira Bostic that she had fraudulently obtained in 2012. On Feb. 3, 2022, the court sentenced Hospedales on her trial conviction for PPP fraud to three years and eight months in prison, three years of supervised release, and entered a written judgment against Hospedales in the name of “Keyaira Bostic.” A subsequent investigation confirmed that Hospedales was not, in fact, Keyaira Bostic. Law enforcement obtained visa records that demonstrate that in March 2003, Hospedales entered the United States from Trinidad and Tobago on a temporary visa under her true name.
Hospedales pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice for using a false identity during her earlier prosecution. Her term of imprisonment, which will be served consecutively to her earlier sentence for PPP fraud, is followed by three years of supervised release.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Matthew D. Line of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Miami Field Office, Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri of the FBI Miami Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge Philippe Furstenberg of the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) Miami Field Office made the announcement.
The IRS-CI, FBI, and DSS investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Philip Trout of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney David Turken for the Southern District of Florida prosecuted the case.
Florence Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Role in Fraudulent Scheme to Defraud Chain of Home Improvement StoresRead the Press Release
Charleston, South Carolina --- Caleb Hood, 31, was sentenced to 4 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to wire fraud for his role in a scheme to defraud a chain of home improvement stores.
Evidence presented to the court showed that Hood, while using fake identities, would go into home improvement stores throughout the District of South Carolina and steal merchandise. Once Hood had stolen the merchandise, he would then go to another of the store’s locations and return the merchandise. Hood would claim that he did not have the receipt for the merchandise, so the store would issue him credit in the form of a merchandise card. The funds on the merchandise card issued to Hood were not legitimately his because he never purchased the items he returned. From April 2019, up until the date of Hood’s arrest on March 2, 2022, Hood fraudulently obtained a total of $202,659.00.
“Caleb Hood used fake identities to steal over $200,000 from a chain of home improvement stores over a period of several years,” said U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs. “We appreciate the work of the Secret Service and Charleston Police Department in uncovering his scheme and helping to protect our local businesses from financial crimes.”
“The Secret Service and Charleston Police Department are committed to investigating fraudulent activity which is detrimental not just to our local businesses, but to our nation’s economic infrastructure as a whole,” said Ben Stafford, Resident Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service’s Charleston Resident Office. “We are thankful for the tireless efforts of our partners in the U.S. Attorney’s Office, as they worked to see that justice was served in this case.”
United States District Judge Richard M. Gergel sentenced Hood to 48 months in federal prison, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. Hood was also ordered to pay the home improvement chain $202,659.00 in restitution.
This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service and Charleston Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Amy Bower prosecuted the case.
# # #
Federal, State, and Local Law Enforcement Authorities Announce the Formation of a Peoria Area Task Force to Fight Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – United States Attorney Gregory K. Harris and representatives from six law enforcement agencies today highlighted the formation of the Peoria Area Federal Firearms (PAFF) Task Force, a collaborative effort between federal, state, and local law enforcement designed to combat and prevent violent firearm crimes. The PAFF is comprised of an assigned federal prosecutor and agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, as well as sworn federal task force officers from the Peoria Police Department, the Illinois State Police, the Peoria County Sheriff’s Department, and the Parole Division of the Illinois Department of Corrections. The PAFF has been operational since fall 2022, and its efforts have led to arrests and charges in numerous federal gun cases.
Those cases include indictments for possession of a firearm as a felon and additional indictments for unlawful possession of a machine gun. Multiple PAFF indictments arose from cases involving the discharge of fully-automatic machine guns within residential areas of Peoria. Further, an investigation conducted by the PAFF led to federal charges for possession of machinegun conversion devices printed locally on a 3D printer. Members of the public are reminded that indictments are merely accusations; the defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
Several other PAFF-referred cases are pending sentencing, including United States v. Johnson, No. 23-CR-10007, in which the defendant pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a machinegun, and United States v. Allison, No. 23-CR-10002, and United States v. Bailey, No. 22-10030, in which the defendants each pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm as a felon.
The PAFF uses various investigative techniques to target individuals who are actively involved in, or associated with, firearm-related violence in Peoria and surrounding counties. Individuals identified as being involved in firearm-related violence, including “straw purchasers” who buy guns on behalf of someone else, are referred to the United States Attorney’s Office for potential prosecution. The PAFF also directs its resources to investigate felons who unlawfully possess firearms, drug traffickers who possess and use firearms, and individuals that possess aftermarket devices that convert semi-automatic firearms into machineguns, commonly referred to as “switches”. The PAFF pools each of its respective agency resources and pursue strategies to disrupt perpetrators of gun violence.
Additionally, the PAFF will utilize the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) station located at the Peoria Police Department to assist in firearms investigations.
NIBIN, which is managed nationally by ATF, is the only interstate automated ballistic imaging network in operation in the United States. The NIBIN Program automates ballistics evaluations by comparing shell casing evidence collected from shooting scenes, enabling law enforcement to link shooting incidents within their jurisdiction, in neighboring jurisdictions, and to others across the country.
“Reducing gun violence in our communities requires cooperation, commitment, and determination,” said United States Attorney Gregory K. Harris. “Collaboration among federal, state, and local law enforcement partners is one of the most effective ways to combat violent gun crime.”
“Partnerships among law enforcement are vital to holding accountable the trigger pullers responsible for the violence in our communities,” said Special Agent in Charge Christopher Amon, of the ATF’s Chicago Field Division. “The men and women of ATF are committed to working closely with our local, state, and federal partners, which is a force multiplier in investigating gun crime.”
“Last year the Peoria Police Department was able to reduce gun violence by 28%, but that is not enough,” said Peoria Police Chief, Eric Echevarria. “The Peoria Area Federal Firearms Task Force is another example of how our Department is using every resource and partnership available to reduce gun violence. With the creation of this taskforce, we now have a team operating out of the Peoria Police Department streamlining the process of identifying, investigating, charging, and prosecuting violent offenders federally. I remind everyone that we will not tolerate any violent crimes in our community. For those wanting to continue to victimize our community, we will continue to focus on you and bringing an end to the violence.”
“Families in Peoria and the surrounding communities are at risk each day as violent criminals commit violations of firearms laws,” said Special Agent in Charge David G. Nanz, of the FBI’s Springfield Field Office. “The FBI is committed to working side-by-side with our law enforcement partners toward our shared goal of battling violent crime and making our communities safer.”
“The Illinois State Police is a committed member of the Peoria Area Task Force and is focused on getting illegal guns off the streets and out of the hands of criminals,” said ISP Director Brendan F. Kelly. “The collaborative effort between ISP, local and federal law enforcement agencies, and the justice system is helping make our communities safer.”
The PAFF 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.
Federal Jury Convicts Former Fayette County Law Enforcement Officer of Child Sex Trafficking and Obstruction CrimesRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – After four days of trial, a federal jury convicted Larry Allen Clay Jr., 57, of Fayetteville, today of sex trafficking a 17-year-old minor female.
Evidence at trial proved that on two separate occasions in June 2020, while Clay was an employee of the Fayette County Sheriff’s Department and the Chief of Police for the Gauley Bridge Police Department, Clay paid a total of $100 to co-defendant Kristen Naylor-Legg to have sex with a 17-year-old minor female relative of Naylor-Legg.
During each incident, Clay remained in his Gauley Bridge Police uniform for the entire sexual encounter. The first incident occurred at Clay’s Gauley Bridge-issued vehicle on a rural Fayette County road. The second incident took place inside the old Gauley Bridge High School, in a location accessible to a limited number of people including the Gauley Bridge Police Department. Law enforcement authorities were able to retrieve DNA evidence from a washcloth discarded in the room where the second incident took place.
In September 2020, Clay sought to persuade Naylor-Legg to lie to law enforcement about the incidents and also asked a law enforcement officer if his criminal conduct could be covered up.
The jury found Clay guilty of conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking of a minor and via coercion, sex trafficking of a minor and via coercion, and two counts of obstruction of justice.
Clay is scheduled to be sentenced on July 20, 2023, and faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years and up to life in prison. Clay will also be required to register as a sex offender.
Naylor-Legg pleaded guilty to conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking on September 21, 2021. Naylor-Legg faces up to life in prison when she is sentenced on May 11, 2023, and will be required to register as a sex offender.
“This defendant was a uniformed police officer, a chief of police, and the young victim had the courage and toughness to come forward and tell the jury about these horrific crimes. She is incredibly brave,” said United States Attorney Will Thompson. “This prosecution is the result of outstanding investigative teamwork by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the West Virginia State Police and the Fayette County Sheriff’s Department. I also commend Assistant United States Attorneys Jennifer Rada Herrald and Monica D. Coleman and our trial team for securing guilty verdicts on all four counts in the case.”
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the jury trial.
Members of the public are urged to report suspected instances of child sex trafficking through a toll-free hotline at 1-866-DHS-2ICE (1-866-347-2423) or online at www.ice.gov/tips.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative of the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-62.
###
Federal Charges Filed Against Washington State Man Caught Trafficking Fentanyl Powder and MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A Bothell, Washington man is facing federal drug charges after he was caught transporting large quantities of fentanyl powder and methamphetamine on Interstate 5 in Marion County, Oregon.
Edilio Abimael Giron-Rodas, 34, has been charged by criminal complaint with possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine.
According to court documents, at approximately 9:45am on April 27, 2023, an Oregon State Police (OSP) trooper conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle traveling north on Interstate 5 in Marion County. After Giron-Rodas, the driver, consented to a search of the vehicle, the trooper found large quantities of suspected powdered fentanyl, counterfeit oxycodone pills, and methamphetamine in several shopping bags on the backseat of the vehicle. Field tests later confirmed the bags contained approximately 11½ pounds of powdered fentanyl, 1,000 counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl, four pounds of methamphetamine, and a small quantity of cocaine.
Giron-Rodas made his first appearance in federal court today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Stacie F. Beckerman. He was ordered detained pending further court proceedings.
This case was investigated by OSP and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. It is being prosecuted by Scott M. Kerin, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
A criminal complaint is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Fatal Traffic Crash on Menominee Indian Reservation Leads to 12-Year Prison SentenceRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Gregory J. Haanstad of the Eastern District of Wisconsin announced that on April 27, 2023, U.S. District Judge William C. Griesbach sentenced Erin D. Schweitzer, a/k/a Erin D. Martin (age: 42), to a total sentence of 12 years’ imprisonment and three years’ supervised release after Schweitzer pled guilty to Involuntary Manslaughter and two counts of Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1112, 113(a)(6), & 1153(a).
According to court records, on April 18, 2019, officers, firefighters, and EMS were dispatched to a two-vehicle, head-on crash on CTH VV near St. Michael’s Cemetery on the Menominee Indian Reservation. When officials arrived at the scene, they found two SUVs—a Dodge Durango and a Kia Sorrento—with severe front-end damage and four total occupants. Erin Schweitzer/Martin, an enrolled member of the Menominee Tribe, was the sole occupant of the Durango. The Sorrento had three occupants, all enrolled members of the Menominee Tribe from the same family: 66-year-old W.M.B. in the driver’s seat, and W.M.B.’s two grandchildren, 27-year-old K.R.L. in the front-right passenger’s seat, and 16-year-old S.A.B. in the back seat.
K.R.L. was flown to ThedaCare Hospital in Neenah, where, despite the best efforts of medical personnel, he died of the blunt-force injuries sustained in the crash. Rear-seat passenger S.A.B. was taken by ambulance to ThedaCare, where she underwent surgery for a broken femur. S.A.B. continues to suffer from the lingering impact of her injuries. W.M.B., who was also taken by ambulance to ThedaCare, suffered head, torso, and limb injuries that required multiple surgeries and months-long efforts toward rehabilitation.
The investigation determined that Schweitzer—who had three prior drunk-driving convictions at the time of the crash—drove the Durango across the centerline and crashed head-on into the Sorrento. Schweitzer lied to officers at the scene, claiming that she had picked up an unknown male to drive the Durango because she was too drunk to drive. She later admitted that she was the driver and sole occupant. Schweitzer’s blood-test results revealed a .238 blood alcohol concentration, nearly four times the legal limit of .08 BAC; and 3.2 nanograms of Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinols, the active ingredient in marijuana, well above the legal limit of 1 nanogram of Delta-9-THC.
In sentencing Schweitzer, Judge Griesbach highlighted that the crash had a devastating and rippling impact on the victims and their families; that Schweitzer’s reckless choice to drive with such high concentrations of alcohol and drugs meant that she was effectively an unguided missile and an accident waiting to happen; and that in addition to Schweitzer’s conduct in this case, her prior history of drunk driving made her a clear threat to the public. The judge also emphasized the need for just punishment, to promote respect for the law, and to deter others from driving drunk and/or while high on drugs.
This case was investigated by the Menominee Tribal Police Department, the Menominee County Sheriff’s Department, the Wisconsin State Patrol, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
# # #
For Additional Information Contact:
Public Information Officer
414-297-1700
Follow us on Twitter
Fairhope Woman Sentenced to More Than Five Years in Prison for Embezzlement and Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – A Fairhope woman was sentenced to 61 months in prison for wire fraud and aggravated identity theft in connection with her embezzlement of more than $286,000 from a real estate business where she worked.
According to court documents, Kelley Ann Kann, 57, was employed for several years as an office administrator and bookkeeper at a locally owned business in Mobile. Kann’s role, a position of financial trust, granted her access to the company’s financial information and payment mechanisms, allowing her to conduct financial transactions for the company and its affiliated businesses. In July 2018, Kann fraudulently obtained Capital One credit cards using the name, date of birth, and social security number of the spouse of the company’s owner. On recorded phone calls that Kann made to Capital One’s customer service line, Kann falsely represented herself as the spouse and provided the spouse’s personal identifiable information.
Between July 2018 and May 2021, Kann used the Capital One credit cards to make hundreds of unauthorized purchases of goods and services for her own personal benefit and without the company’s authorization. Kann’s fraudulent purchases included, among other things, clothing, electronics, food, furniture, streaming services, utilities payments, and vacations for herself and a personal associate. Kann then paid the credit card bills via dozens of unauthorized transfers from the bank accounts of the company and its affiliated businesses, causing a total loss of $286,307.73.
In May 2021, when the company’s owner confronted Kann about the theft, Kann wrote a handwritten statement admitting to stealing what she then claimed was only $20,000 and vowing to repay the money. Kann provided the owner with doctored bank statements that did not accurately reflect account balances and transactions. Kann later stopped reporting for work and did not repay any money.
At Kann’s sentencing hearing, the United States presented evidence that Kann had previously embezzled more than $50,000 from various employers in San Antonio, Texas. Additionally, the United States presented evidence that in December 2022 and January 2023, after pleading guilty and while on court-ordered conditions of pretrial release, Kann stole more money from an automotive repair shop where she worked in Pensacola, Florida.
In addition to the 61-month prison term, United States District Judge Kristi K. DuBose ordered Kann to serve a three-year term of supervised release upon her release from prison, during which time she will receive mental health evaluation and treatment and will be subject to credit restrictions. The court did not impose a fine, but Judge DuBose ordered Kann to pay $286,307.73 in victim restitution and $200 in special assessments. The court also entered a money judgment against Kann for the full amount of victim restitution that she owes.
U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello said, “Greedy, selfish criminals like Ms. Kann can’t hide when they abuse the trust of their innocent victims. Together with our law enforcement partners, we will bring to justice crooks who take advantage of their employers to enrich themselves.”
“By virtue of her position, and access to sensitive information, Ms. Kann violated the very trust that had been bestowed upon her by her employer,” said Patrick Davis, Special Agent in Charge, United States Secret Service, Birmingham Field Office. “The Secret Service will always seek prosecution of those who exploit their position of trust for their own enrichment.”
The United States Secret Service and the Mobile Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Roller prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
Fairfield County man pleads guilty to armed bank robberies in Athens, MariettaRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A career bank robber pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to armed bank robberies in Athens and Marietta in 2020. The plea includes an agreed-upon sentence of more than 13 years in federal prison.
William E. Johnson, 58, of Lancaster, admitted to committing armed robberies in August 2020 in Athens and October 2020 in Marietta.
Johnson’s plea agreement details that on Aug. 17, 2020, he brandished a firearm at Hocking Valley Bank on East State Street in Athens. Johnson wore a prosthetic forehead and nose, skin-toned arm sleeves/gloves, makeup and a COVID mask, all designed to disguise his appearance.
Johnson ordered employees to get on the floor and then emptied several drawers of cash. In total, he took more than $25,000. After stealing the cash, he tied the employees’ hands with zip ties. Johnson ordered the bank manager to give him the keys to the bank manager’s car and the manager complied. Johnson fled the bank in the stolen vehicle.
On Oct. 22, 2020, Johnson robbed the Citizens Bank on North Second Street in Marietta. Johnson was wearing a full-length Halloween-style mask that made him appear to be an old man and wore a red hood pulled up around his face.
Johnson possessed a gun and forced his way behind the tellers’ counter. He emptied several drawers, stealing $11,390.
At the time, Johnson had a warrant out for his arrest for a pending indictment for a bank robbery in Williamstown, West Virginia.
Law enforcement officers spotted Johnson driving in West Virginia on the evening of the Marietta bank robbery and pulled him over. Johnson attempted to flee on foot, telling officers they would have to kill him to take him into custody again. Officers tased Johnson and placed him under arrest.
Officers searched Johnson’s vehicle and located more than $9,000 in cash, a loaded handgun, zip ties and his disguises.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; J. William Rivers, Special Agent in Charge for the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Cincinnati Division; the Athens, Marietta, Williamstown, W.Va. and Parkersburg, W.Va. police departments; the Washington County and Wood County, W.Va. sheriff’s offices; and the West Virginia State Police announced the guilty plea entered on April 27 before U.S. District Judge Edmund A. Sargus, Jr. Assistant United States Attorneys Noah R. Litton and S. Courter Shimeall are representing the United States in this case.
# # #
Ethete Man Sentenced for Assault with FireRead the Press Release
Quentin Charles Lee, age 28, of Ethete, Wyoming, was sentenced to 30 months in prison with three years of supervised release and a $100 special assessment for assault with a dangerous weapon, namely fire, by means of using lighter fluid and a lighter. U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson imposed the sentence on April 21, 2023.
Based on court documents, a Bureau of Indian Affairs police officer was dispatched to a residence in Arapahoe, Wyoming, on September 20, 2022, in response to a reported assault. The victim was laying on a couch with apparent injuries from a fight. The victim explained that his injuries were caused by Lee, who set the victim on fire and hit him. The officer also noticed two couches and a blanket were burned, and there was lighter fluid nearby. Lee later admitted lighting the couches on fire, which he said occurred after he and the victim had an argument. Lee pleaded guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon.
This crime was investigated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Elmore prosecuted the case.
Case Number: 0:22-CR-000146-ABJ
Essex County Man Sentenced to 82 Months in Prison for Using Credit Cards Stolen from U.S. Mail to Defraud Banks and Commit Identity TheftRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – An Essex County, New Jersey, man was sentenced today to 82 months in prison, three years of supervised release and ordered to pay $330,391 in restitution for his role in scheming with at least one U.S. Postal Service (USPS) employee and others to steal credit cards from the mail and then steal victims’ identities in order to use the stolen cards to make hundreds of thousands of dollars of retail and online purchases. Dashaun Brown, 29, of Newark, was convicted on April 22, 2022, on four counts of the superseding indictment against him: conspiracy to commit bank fraud, bank fraud, receipt and possession of stolen mail, and aggravated identity theft in connection with bank fraud.
Eleventh Circuit Upholds Armed Career Criminal Sentence and Holds Florida Aggravated Assault A Violent FelonyRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Jason R. Coody, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced that on April 25, 2023, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit upheld the 211-month sentence of Fred Somers, age 46. That sentence was imposed by Senior U.S. District Court Judge Robert L. Hinkle in January of 2013 after Somers plead guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession of an unregistered firearm.
“The Armed Career Criminal Act (ACCA) mandates harsher sentences for armed felons who have at least three prior convictions for either ‘violent felonies’ or ‘serious drug offenses’,” said U.S. Attorney Coody. “With a 20-year-history full of drug and violent felony offenses, Somers is the exact type of dangerous, career criminal the ACCA was designed to keep off the streets.”
Somers’ criminal history includes felony convictions for burglary of a structure, conspiracy to distribute heroin, false imprisonment and battery, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and resisting an officer with violence. Based on those prior convictions, the government sought, and the district court imposed, an enhanced sentence under the ACCA.
In January of 2016, Somers filed a collateral motion challenging his ACCA sentence. The district court denied his motion, but Somers appealed, arguing that he was incorrectly sentenced under ACCA because his aggravated assault conviction did not meet ACCA’s definition of “violent felony.” After the United States Supreme Court’s decision in Borden v. United States, 141 S. Ct. 817 (2021), which held that ACCA’s violent felony definition excludes reckless crimes, the Eleventh Circuit sent the case to the Florida Supreme Court for clarification of whether Florida’s assault statue covers reckless threats.
After briefing and oral argument, the Florida Supreme Court rejected Somers’ argument that Florida assault can be committed recklessly. See Somers v. United States, 355 So.3d 887 (Fla. 2022). The Florida Supreme Court reasoned that the ordinary meaning of Florida’s assault definition “prohibits an intentional expression of an intent to use physical force to harm another’s person” and that such expression “cannot be accomplished via a reckless act.” With the benefit of the Florida Supreme Court’s clarification of Florida law, the Eleventh Circuit affirmed the district court’s denial of Somers’ motion in a published opinion, holding that Florida convictions for aggravated assault qualify as violent felonies under ACCA.
Assistant United States Attorney Jordane Learn represented the government before the Eleventh Circuit and the Florida Supreme Court.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Eight People Sentenced in Conspiracy to Distribute Crystal MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
MIAMI – The last of eight defendants involved in a crystal methamphetamine distribution ring has been sentenced.
U.S. District Judge Donald M. Middlebrooks sentenced Rudy Salinas, 31, of Rancho Bucamanca, California to over nine years in federal prison. During prior hearings, Judge Middlebrooks sentenced Salinas’s co-conspirators to the following federal prison sentences:
- Alexander McKay, 37, of West Palm Beach, Fla. – eight years;
- Daniel Armstrong, 39, of Oakland Park, Fla. – six and one half years;
- Stacy Boyd, 49, of Lake Worth Beach, Fla. – five years;
- Ryan Haughey, 37, of West Palm Beach, Fla – four years;
- Billy Rigney, 35, of West Palm Beach, Fla. –four years;
- Nikoli Moore, 30, of Fort Lauderdale, Fla. – two and one half years;
- Christopher Vega, 34, of Fort Lauderdale, Fla. – five years on this offense, plus one year for violating his supervised release in a separate drug case.
The eight defendants pleaded guilty earlier this year to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute crystal methamphetamine throughout Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties from April to November 2022.
Salinas served as the primary source of supply. He distributed multi-pound quantities of crystal methamphetamine to Armstrong and McKay who, in turn, distributed it to Boyd, Vega, Haughey, Rigney, and Moore, for further distribution across South Florida. Drug Enforcement Administration agents seized over five kilograms of crystal methamphetamine from the defendants.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida and Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Miami Field Division, announced the sentence imposed by Judge Middlebrooks.
DEA Miami Field Division, West Palm Beach District Office investigated the case, with assistance from West Palm Beach Police Department, Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, Broward County Sheriff’s Office, Fort Lauderdale Police Department, Boynton Beach Police Department, Miami-Dade Police Department, and Margate Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Ralston prosecuted it. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daren Grove is handling asset forfeiture.
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-80176.
###
East Peoria Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – An East Peoria, Illinois, man, George L. Guynn, 61, of the 800 block of Meadow Avenue, was sentenced on April 27, 2023, to 10 years in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute at least 5 grams of methamphetamine.
At the sentencing hearing in front of United States District Judge James E. Shadid, the government presented evidence that Guynn sold methamphetamine on two occasions in June and July of 2022. For the first sale, he provided 55.6 grams of 99% pure methamphetamine. For the second sale, he provided 28.1 grams of methamphetamine that was 96% pure.
Federal Bureau of Investigation agents then obtained a search warrant for Guynn’s apartment. When agents searched the apartment in August 2022, they found under Guynn’s bed 46.577 grams of methamphetamine that was 89% pure. They also found paraphernalia related to drug trafficking, including digital scales and plastic baggies.
A complaint was issued in August 2022, and Guynn was arrested on a federal warrant. He was later indicted. He pleaded guilty in November 2022. He has remained in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service since his arrest.
The statutory penalties for possession with intent to distribute at least 5 grams of methamphetamine (actual) are 5 to 40 years’ imprisonment, followed by a four-year to life term of supervised release.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office, and Western Illinois Transnational Organized Crime Task Force investigated the case, with assistance from the Monmouth Police Department, Knox County Sheriff’s Office, Galesburg Police Department, and U.S. Department of Justice Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Keith Hollingshead-Cook represented the United States in the prosecution.
Dauphin County Woman Charged with Child Pornography OffensesRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG- The United States Attorney for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, Gerard M. Karam, announced that a federal grand jury has returned an indictment on April 26, 2023 charging Tammie Jo Hooks, 60, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, with receiving, distributing, and possessing child pornography. The indictment also alleges that prior to committing the charged offenses, Hooks was convicted in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia of distributing child pornography, which may subject her to increased penalties if she is convicted of the federal offenses charged in indictment.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
The maximum penalty under federal law for these offenses is up to life imprisonment, a term of up to lifetime supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.
# # #
Daphne Man Sentenced to 17½ Years for Child Pornography OffensesRead the Press Release
Stephen Richey, 69, of Daphne, was sentenced to 210 months (17½ years) in prison for production of child pornography. Richey pled guilty to the offense on January 12, 2023. The sentence was imposed by United States District Judge Terry F. Moorer.
According to court documents filed in connection with his guilty plea, in April 2022, after finding inappropriate pictures of herself on Richey’s cell phone, the victim contacted law enforcement and an investigation began. The investigation revealed that Richey had taken numerous photographs of the victim. Based on the content of the images and age of the child depicted, these images constituted child pornography. Following this discovery, Richey was interviewed by law enforcement and admitted that he had taken the images of the child.
Judge Moorer imposed a 210-month sentence of incarceration and a 25-year term of supervised release upon his discharge from prison. Judge Moorer ordered that Richey pay $7,000 in restitution to the victim, $5,100 in special assessments, and $40,000 in fines. Richey will be required to register as a sex offender when he is released from prison and is to have no contact with minors.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Daphne Police Department investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorneys Kacey Chappelear, Beth Stepan, and Tandice Blackwood prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc/publications-resources.
Corpus man admits to trafficking methRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 23-year-old man residing in Corpus Christi has pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute 210 grams of meth, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
On Sept. 4, 2022, Jacob Soliz was a passenger in a sedan driving in Corpus Christi around 11:30 p.m. Authorities conducted a traffic stop after observing the vehicle was traveling without any headlights activated.
Law enforcement then observed the smell of burnt marijuana and ultimately conducted an inspection of the vehicle. At that time, they discovered multiple baggies of meth totaling 210 grams, baggies of marijuana totaling approximately 150 grams and a loaded AR-15 rifle. They also discovered approximately $2,500 located in Soliz’s pocket.
Soliz admitted the meth and rifle belonged to him.
U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos will impose sentencing Aug. 9. At that time, Soliz faces up to life in federal prison and a possible $10 million maximum fine.
Soliz was permitted to remain on bond pending sentencing.
Corpus Christi Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tyler Foster is prosecuting the case.
Convicted Felon Sentenced for Possessing FirearmsRead the Press Release
Patrick Charles Schutz, age 38, of Casper, Wyoming, was sentenced for being a felon in possession of firearms to 28 months in prison with three years of supervised release and a $100 special assessment. U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson imposed the sentence on April 24, 2023.
According to court documents, on October 19, 2022, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) agents executed a warrant on Schutz’s residence after witnesses had notified the ATF that Schutz had shot multiple firearms at a shooting range. Agents recovered several firearms, a substantial amount of ammunition, and two homemade suppressors. Schutz admitted to being a felon in possession of firearms and agreed to forfeit them as part of his sentence.
This crime was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Assistant United States Jonathan C. Coppom prosecuted the case.
Case No. 22-CR-00132
Convicted Felon Sentenced for Possessing FirearmRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Charlene Edwards Honeywell has sentenced Patraic Setzer (29, New Port Richey) to three years and five months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. The court also ordered Setzer to forfeit a Sig Sauer firearm, which is traceable to the offense. Setzer had pleaded guilty on February 7, 2023.
According to court documents, officers from the New Port Richey Police Department conducted a traffic stop on Setzer, a six-time convicted felon, on May 31, 2022. A police canine alerted on the vehicle and officers searched the car, locating a loaded Sig Sauer firearm. Setzer was on federal supervised release at the time of the incident, following a sentence in the Bureau of Prisons for being a felon in possession of a firearm. As such, he is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Port Richey Police Department. It was 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.
Clemency Recipient ListRead the Press Release
Today, President Joseph R. Biden Jr. is commuting the sentences of 31 individuals.
Chiquita Acker – Pearlington, Mississippi
Offense: Possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine (Southern District of Mississippi).
Sentence: 120 months of imprisonment, five-year term of supervised release, $5,000 fine (March 16, 2017).
Commutation Grant: Sentence commuted to expire on June 30, 2023, with the remainder to be served in home confinement, leaving intact and in effect the five-year term of supervised release and the unpaid remainder, if any, of the $5,000 fine.Kathy Alexander – Kennett, Missouri
Offense: Conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine (Western District of Missouri).
Sentence: 84 months of imprisonment, five-year term of supervised release (March 13, 2019).
Commutation Grant: Sentence commuted to expire on June 30, 2023, with the remainder to be served in home confinement, leaving intact and in effect the five-year term of supervised release.Camille Diane Armstrong – Corpus Christi, Texas
Offense: Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 84 grams of actual methamphetamine (Southern District of Texas).
Sentence: 120 months of imprisonment, five-year term of supervised release (January 5, 2017).
Commutation Grant: Sentence commuted to expire on June 30, 2023, with the remainder to be served in home confinement, leaving intact and in effect the five-year term of supervised release.Connie Avalos – Menifee, California
Offense: Conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine (Eastern District of Kentucky).
Sentence: Life imprisonment (November 30, 2009); commuted to 235 months of imprisonment (January 19, 2017).
Commutation Grant: Sentence commuted to expire on June 30, 2023, with the remainder to be served in home confinement.Lori Broadway – Winnfield, Louisiana
Offense: Possession with intent to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin (Eastern District of Louisiana).
Sentence: 120 months of imprisonment, five-year term of supervised release (September 8, 2016).
Commutation Grant: Sentence commuted to expire on June 30, 2023, with the remainder to be served in home confinement, leaving intact and in effect the five-year term of supervised release.Kevin Lee Burdock – Keswick, Iowa
Offense: Conspiracy to distribute at least 500 grams of methamphetamine; possession with intent to distribute marijuana (Southern District of Iowa).
Sentence: Life imprisonment, 10-year term of supervised release (February 2, 2009); amended to 240 months of imprisonment, 10-year term of supervised release (June 24, 2010).
Commutation Grant: Sentence commuted to expire on June 30, 2023, with the remainder to be served in home confinement, leaving intact and in effect the 10-year term of supervised release.Bongani Charles Calhoun – Houston, Texas
Offense: Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine; attempt to possess with intent to distribute cocaine; possession of a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime (Western District of Texas)
Sentence: 180 months of imprisonment, five-year term of supervised release (June 21, 2011).
Commutation Grant: Sentence commuted to expire on June 30, 2023, with the remainder to be served in home confinement, leaving intact and in effect the five-year term of supervised release.Jennifer Marie Chastain – Delhi, Iowa
Offense: Conspiracy to distribute a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine (Northern District of Iowa).
Sentence: 121 months of imprisonment, three-year term of supervised release (June 13, 2017).
Commutation Grant: Sentence commuted to expire on June 30, 2023, with the remainder to be served in home confinement, leaving intact and in effect the three-year term of supervised release.Aaron Courter – Evansville, Indiana
Offense: Conspiracy with intent to distribute and to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine (Southern District of Indiana).
Sentence: 87 months of imprisonment, three-year term of supervised release (October 20, 2017).
Commutation Grant: Sentence commuted to expire on June 30, 2023, with the remainder to be served in home confinement, leaving intact and in effect the three-year term of supervised release.Catherine Crotts – Mulberry, Florida
Offense: Distribution of five grams or more of methamphetamine (Middle District of Florida).
Sentence: 120 months of imprisonment, five-year term of supervised release (September 20, 2016).
Commutation Grant: Sentence commuted to expire on June 30, 2023, with the remainder to be served in home confinement, leaving intact and in effect the five-year term of supervised release.Scottie Ladon Dixon – Atmore, Alabama
Offense:- Supervised release violation (conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute crack cocaine);
- Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute crack cocaine (Southern District of Alabama).
Sentence:
- 33 months of imprisonment (concurrent) (May 18, 2010);
- Life imprisonment, 10-year term of supervised release (May 18, 2010); commuted to 221 months of imprisonment, 10-year term of supervised release (August 3, 2016).
Commutation Grant: Total sentence commuted to expire on June 30, 2023, with the remainder to be served in home confinement, leaving intact and in effect the 10-year term of supervised release.
Samuel Gemple – Fort Wayne, Indiana
Offense: Conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 100 kilograms or more of marijuana (Northern District of Indiana).
Sentence: 120 months of imprisonment, eight-year term of supervised release (February 2, 2018).
Commutation Grant: Sentence commuted to expire on June 30, 2023, with the remainder to be served in home confinement, leaving intact and in effect the eight-year term of supervised release.Mario Francisco Gomez, Jr. – Laredo, Texas
Offense: Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine; possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, aiding and abetting (Eastern District of Michigan).
Sentence: 120 months of imprisonment, five-year term of supervised release (January 30, 2017).
Commutation Grant: Sentence commuted to expire on June 30, 2023, with the remainder to be served in home confinement, leaving intact and in effect the five-year term of supervised release.Daniel Graap – Wausau, Wisconsin
Offense: Conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine (Western District of Wisconsin).
Sentence: 120 months of imprisonment, five-year term of supervised release (June 30, 2017).
Commutation Grant: Sentence commuted to expire on June 30, 2023, with the remainder to be served in home confinement, leaving intact and in effect the five-year term of supervised release.Lisa Gribble – La Fayette, Georgia
Offense: Conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine (Eastern District of Tennessee).
Sentence: 150 months of imprisonment, five-year term of supervised release (March 19, 2015).
Commutation Grant: Sentence commuted to expire on June 30, 2023, with the remainder to be served in home confinement, leaving intact and in effect the five-year term of supervised release.Andre Richard Harris – Detroit, Michigan
Offense: Possession with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine (Northern District of Alabama).
Sentence: 120 months of imprisonment, five-year term of supervised release (October 10, 2017).
Commutation Grant: Sentence commuted to expire on June 30, 2023, with the remainder to be served in home confinement, leaving intact and in effect the five-year term of supervised release.Bart Hyde – Clinton, Iowa
Offense: Conspiracy to manufacture and distribute methamphetamine (Southern District of Iowa).
Sentence: 235 months of imprisonment, five-year term of supervised release (November 4, 2011); amended to 188 months of imprisonment, five-year term of supervised release (September 18, 2015).
Commutation Grant: Sentence commuted to expire on June 30, 2023, with the remainder to be served in home confinement, leaving intact and in effect the five-year term of supervised release.Rebecca Lawrence – Omega, Georgia
Offense: Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine (Middle District of Georgia).
Sentence: 120 months of imprisonment, five-year term of supervised release (October 26, 2018).
Commutation Grant: Sentence commuted to expire on June 30, 2023, with the remainder to be served in home confinement, leaving intact and in effect the five-year term of supervised release.Rogelio Murillo – Riverview, Florida
Offense: Possession with intent to distribute a quantity exceeding 100 kilograms, that is, approximately 194 kilograms of marijuana (Southern District of Texas).
Sentence: 108 months of imprisonment, five-year term of supervised release, $5,000 fine (June 20, 2016).
Commutation Grant: Sentence commuted to expire on June 30, 2023, with the remainder to be served in home confinement, leaving intact and in effect the five-year term of supervised release and the unpaid remainder, if any, of the $5,000 fine.Ricky Lee Newton – Otisville, Michigan
Offense: Conspiracy to possess more than 100 kilograms but less than 1,000 kilograms of marijuana (with intent to distribute) (Eastern District of Michigan)
Sentence: 360 months of imprisonment, eight-year term of supervised release, $20,000 fine (December 19, 2002).
Commutation Grant: Sentence commuted to expire on June 30, 2023, with the remainder to be served in home confinement, leaving intact and in effect the five-year term of supervised release and the unpaid remainder, if any, of the $20,000 fine.Shawn Paaaina – Ewa Beach, Hawaii
Offense: Conspiracy to distribute and to possess 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and 500 grams or more of cocaine with intent to distribute (District of Hawaii).
Sentence: 78 months of imprisonment, five-year term of supervised release (September 24, 2019).
Commutation Grant: Sentence commuted to expire on June 30, 2023, with the remainder to be served in home confinement, leaving intact and in effect the five-year term of supervised release.Robert Raymond Palmer – Waynesboro, Mississippi
Offense: Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine (Southern District of Alabama).
Sentence: 89 months and 23 days of imprisonment, four-year term of supervised release (July 28, 2017).
Commutation Grant: Sentence commuted to expire on June 30, 2023, with the remainder to be served in home confinement, leaving intact and in effect the four-year term of supervised release.Gregory Todd Peasley – Onawa, Iowa
Offense: Conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of actual methamphetamine (Northern District of Iowa).
Sentence: 150 months of imprisonment, five-year term of supervised release (May 11, 2015).
Commutation Grant: Sentence commuted to expire on June 30, 2023, with the remainder to be served in home confinement, leaving intact and in effect the five-year term of supervised release.Maria Peterson – New York, New York
Offense: Conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin; distribution and possession with intent to distribute heroin (District of New Jersey).
Sentence: 60 months of imprisonment, three-year term of supervised release (March 20, 2019).
Commutation Grant: Sentence commuted to expire on June 30, 2023, with the remainder to be served in home confinement, leaving intact and in effect the three-year term of supervised release.Samuel Rivera – Utica, New York
Offense: Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute cocaine (Northern District of New York).
Sentence: 120 months of imprisonment, five-year term of supervised release (April 5, 2018).
Commutation Grant: Sentence commuted to expire on June 30, 2023, with the remainder to be served in home confinement, leaving intact and in effect the five-year term of supervised release.German Roman-Oliver – Grove City, Ohio
Offense: Conspiracy to distribute over 500 grams of cocaine (Southern District of Ohio).
Sentence: 192 months of imprisonment, five-year term of supervised release (March 8, 2012).
Commutation Grant: Sentence commuted to expire on June 30, 2023, with the remainder to be served in home confinement, leaving intact and in effect the five-year term of supervised release.Vickie Sanders – Olney, Illinois
Offense: Conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine; attempt to manufacture methamphetamine; possession of pseudoephedrine knowing it would be used to manufacture a controlled substance – methamphetamine (four counts) (Southern District of Illinois).
Sentence: 120 months of imprisonment, eight-year term of supervised release, $300 fine (May 9, 2018).
Commutation Grant: Sentence commuted to expire on June 30, 2023, with the remainder to be served in home confinement, leaving intact and in effect the eight-year term of supervised release and the unpaid remainder, if any, of the $300 fine.Phillip Steely – Morris Chapel, Tennessee
Offense: Conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of actual methamphetamine (Western District of Tennessee).
Sentence: 121 months of imprisonment, five-year term of supervised release (June 18, 2018).
Commutation Grant: Sentence commuted to expire on June 30, 2023, with the remainder to be served in home confinement, leaving intact and in effect the five-year term of supervised release.Ryan Vick – Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Offense: Conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of actual methamphetamine or 500 grams or more of a mixture containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine after having been previously convicted of a felony drug offense (Northern District of Iowa).
Sentence: 235 months of imprisonment, 10-year term of supervised release (March 1, 2012); amended to 211 months of imprisonment, 10-year term of supervised release (September 20, 2012).
Commutation Grant: Sentence commuted to expire on June 30, 2023, with the remainder to be served in home confinement, leaving intact and in effect the 10-year term of supervised release.Gregory Warrick – Capital Heights, Maryland
Offense:
- Conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine (District of Maryland);
- Attempted possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance (cocaine) (District of Columbia Superior Court).
Sentence:
- 168 months of imprisonment, five-year term of supervised release (April 28, 2014);
- 18 months of imprisonment (concurrent), five-year term of supervised release (June 13, 2014).
Commutation Grant: Total sentence commuted to expire on June 30, 2023, with the remainder to be served in home confinement, leaving intact and in effect the five-year term of supervised release.
Raymond Washington – Corinth, Texas
Offense: Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine (Eastern District of Texas).
Sentence: 276 months of imprisonment, 10-year term of supervised release (October 19, 2011); amended to 240 months, 10-year term of supervised release (May 25, 2016).
Commutation Grant: Sentence commuted to expire on June 30, 2023, with the remainder to be served in home confinement, leaving intact and in effect the 10-year term of supervised release.Chicago Man Indicted for Firearms Trafficking and Selling Machine Gun Conversion DevicesRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A Chicago man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for firearms trafficking and possession and sale of machine gun conversion devices, also known as a “switches,” which convert firearms into a fully automatic machinegun.
Per the indictment and a previously filed criminal complaint, from January 24 and continuing until on or about March 30, 2023, ROGELIO CASTANEDA, 29, of Chicago, willfully engaged in the business of dealing firearms when he was not licensed to do so, and possessed and sold “switch” devices. Specifically between February 7 and March 20, 2023, Castaneda is alleged to have sold four firearms and nine machine gun conversion devices to undercover ATF agents on four separate occasions.
The indictment is announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Christopher Amon, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; and Eric Carter, Acting Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department. The government is represented by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary McDonnell.
Disrupting illegal firearms trafficking is the focus of the Department of Justice’s cross-jurisdictional strike force. As part of the Chicago firearms trafficking strike force, the U.S. Attorney’s Office collaborates with the ATF and other federal, state, and local law enforcement partners in the Northern District of Illinois and across the country to help stem the supply of illegally trafficked firearms and identify patterns, leads, and potential suspects in violent gun crimes.
Holding illegal firearm possessors accountable through federal prosecution is also a centerpiece of Project Safe Neighborhoods (“PSN”), the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction strategy. In the Northern District of Illinois, Acting U.S. Attorney Pasqual and law enforcement partners have deployed the PSN program to attack a broad range of violent crime issues facing the district, particularly firearm offenses.
The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. The trafficking charge is punishable by up to five years in federal prison, while the possession of a machinegun carries up to 10 years. If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
Casper Man Sentenced for Possession with Intent to Distribute FentanylRead the Press Release
Tyler Scott Bressette, age 38, of Casper, Wyoming, was sentenced to 140 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson sentenced Bressette on April 27, 2023, and also imposed eight years of supervised release and a $100 special assessment.
According to court documents, the Casper Police Department executed a search warrant for Bressette’s home on January 21, 2022. There, officers found two jars containing over 800 blue-colored tablets stamped “M 30.” The pills contained fentanyl and had a total weight of approximately 87 grams. Bressette pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl on January 21, 2022.
This crime was investigated by the Casper Police Department and the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation.
Case No. 22-CR-00149-ABJ
Cape Coral Trio Convicted for Their Roles in A Multi-Million Dollar Credit Card Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that a federal jury has found Carlos Tejeda (62, Cape Coral), Juan Tejeda (35, Cape Coral), and Pedro Pelaez (59, Cape Coral) guilty in connection with their involvement in a large-scale credit card fraud scheme which operated in Cape Coral between late-2015 and mid-2018. Father and son ringleaders, Carlos and Juan Tejeda, were each convicted of 44 federal crimes, including conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, conspiracy to commit money laundering, production of counterfeit access devices, and possession of device-making equipment. For his role in the fraud, Pelaez was convicted of 11 federal crimes, including conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Each defendant faces a maximum penalty of more than 100 years in federal prison, including 2-year minimum mandatory sentences for each aggravated identity theft conviction. Their sentencing hearings are yet to be scheduled. All three defendants were remanded into custody pending sentencing.
According to evidence presented at trial, Carlos Tejeda recruited several friends and associates, including co-defendant Pedro Pelaez, to create shell companies, obtain credit card processing terminals for their shell companies, and then permit Carlos Tejeda to swipe counterfeit credit cards fraudulently encoded with stolen credit and debit card numbers using the shell company credit card terminals. Evidence showed that Juan Tejeda’s primary role was to encode the counterfeit cards for his father Carlos Tejeda, but that he personally swiped counterfeit cards on shell company terminals as well. Each fraudulent transaction was typically between $1,000 and $3,000, but the same stolen card number was often used several times across multiple shell companies before victim cardholders from across the United States even knew their card numbers had been compromised.
After the stolen funds were deposited into shell company bank accounts, the shell company owners would kickback a pre-determined percentage of the fraudulent proceeds to Carlos or Juan and keep the remainder for themselves. In total, nine shell companies were used to perpetrate the fraud, including those personally opened by Carlos Tejeda and Juan Tejeda. Credit card transaction data presented to the jury showed that during the duration of the fraud, more than $2.6 million dollars of credit card charges were attempted or conducted on the shell company terminals. In total, nine people have been convicted for their roles in this fraud, including the three above-named defendants and six others who previously pleaded guilty to their involvement and are awaiting sentencing.
This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service and the Cape Coral Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Simon R. Eth.
California Man Sentenced for Assaulting Police Officers with Pepper SprayRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A California man was sentenced today for felony and misdemeanor charges – including assaulting police officers – for his actions during the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol breach. His actions and the actions of others disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress convened to ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the presidential election.
Jeffrey Scott Brown, 56, of Santa Ana, California, was sentenced today to 54 months in prison for assaulting, resisting, or impeding law enforcements officers using a dangerous weapon, interfering with a law enforcement officer during a civil disorder, both felonies, entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds with a deadly or dangerous weapon, disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds with a deadly or dangerous weapon, engaging in physical violence in a restricted building or grounds with a deadly or dangerous weapon, disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds or buildings , and act of physical violence in the Capitol grounds or buildings. Brown and two co-defendants – Peter J. Schwartz and Markus Maly - were found guilty at trial on December 7, 2022.
According to the government’s evidence, on Jan. 6, 2021, Brown was with Schwartz and Maly at the area of the Lower West Terrace of the Capitol Building. Brown was handed an O.C. spray canister by Schwarts who had stolen it from an MPD duffle bags. As the crowd heaved against the makeshift police line, Brown tried to use the O.C. spray but couldn’t figure out the nozzle. He passed it back to Schwartz, who appears to have shown Brown how to use it and passed it back. Brown then dove towards the front of the police line, spraying them with yet more OC spray.
The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. Valuable assistance was provided by U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California.
The case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington and Los Angeles Field Offices. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department.
In the 27 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,000 individuals have been arrested in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including more than 320 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement. The investigation remains ongoing.
Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.
The case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office. Valuable assistance was provided by the FBI’s Jacksonville Field Office – Daytona Beach Resident Agency, the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Capitol Police.
In the 27 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,000 individuals have been arrested in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including more than 320 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement. The investigation remains ongoing.
Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.
California Man Found Guilty for Role in Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
DENVER - The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Jesse Cervantes of Merced, California, was found guilty by a federal jury for his role in a drug trafficking conspiracy.
According to facts established at trial, the defendant traveled over 1,000 miles to Colorado from California, making numerous intercepted telephone calls to set up a delivery of four kilos of heroin worth approximately $100,000. He was observed handing a backpack with the four kilos of heroin to a runner, and was subsequently caught by law enforcement a short distance away from the handoff. When asked to provide his phone number to State Troopers, he provided the same number that was intercepted by law enforcement.
United States District Court Judge William Martinez presided over the three day jury trial in Denver. Sentencing is scheduled for November 22, 2023.
The investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from the Colorado State Patrol. The trial was handled by Assistant United States Attorneys Robert Brown and Jeremy Sibert.
This prosecution is a result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles high-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten communities throughout the United States. OCDETF uses a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Case number 20-CR-292
California Man Arrested for Trafficking 91 Kilograms of Cocaine Worth $1.8 MillionRead the Press Release
ROCKFORD — A California man was arrested on a charge of possession with intent to distribute 91 kilograms of cocaine.
RONALD COLEMAN, 43, was stopped on Interstate 88 near Morrison, Ill. by Illinois State Police while driving a semi-truck. During the inspection and investigation, the trooper utilized a narcotics-detection K9, “Roman”, to perform an exterior sniff of the semi-truck. K9 Roman alerted to the presence of a controlled substance, leading to the search of the semi-trailer, where two suitcases were found containing approximately 91 kilograms of cocaine. The investigation revealed that the driver was knowingly transporting the cocaine from California to the Chicago area for further distribution.
Coleman faces a maximum potential penalty of up to life imprisonment and a fine of $10,000,000. If convicted, the Court must impose reasonable sentences under federal sentencing statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
The charge was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; and Sheila G. Lyons, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration. The Illinois State Police and the Blackhawk Area Task Force provided critical assistance in the investigation. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert S. Ladd.
CORRECTED NEWS RELEASE: South Florida Residents Arrested for Dealing Ghost Guns and SwitchesRead the Press Release
MIAMI – This week, Marshal Vivian Harris, 37, of Davie, Florida, and Wisler Majeure Jacques, 40, of Margate, Florida, appeared in federal court in Miami following their arrests for dealing firearms without a license and possession or transfer of a machine gun.
According to court documents, federal agents began investigating Harris and Jacques in February. It is alleged that during that time, Jacques sold about 27 “ghost guns” and 48 auto sears to investigators.
Ghost guns are untraceable firearms with no serial numbers. Ghost guns are often sold disassembled, requiring buyers to build them at home. Auto sears (also called switches) are small devices that, when added to a handgun, turns the handgun into a machine gun.
According to the charges, Jacques obtained the ghost guns from Harris before selling them to law enforcement. On April 25, law enforcement executed a federal search warrant at Harris’ home. During the search, agents found 3D printing equipment and a computerized mill machine that was designed to manufacture firearms parts, as well as several partially completed ghost guns, according to the charges.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida and Special Agent in Charge Christopher A. Robinson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Miami Field Division, announced the charges.
ATF Miami Field Division investigated this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Gerarde is prosecuting it.
This case and prosecution was carried out by members of the South Florida High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force. The South Florida HIDTA, established in 1990, is made up of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies who, cooperatively, target the region’s drug-trafficking and money laundering organizations. The South Florida HIDTA is funded by the Office of National Drug Control Policy, which sponsors a variety of initiatives focused on the nation’s illicit drug trafficking threats.
An indictment contains mere allegations, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
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 numbers 23-mj-02790 and 23-mj-02789.
###