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Wednesday 15 March 2023
Edwardsville Contractor Sentenced to 14 Months in Prison for False Statements in BankruptcyRead the Press Release
EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – In a U.S. District courtroom on Wednesday, a judge sentenced a man formerly from Edwardsville to 14 months in prison, a $50,000 fine, and two years’ supervised release after he pled guilty to making false statements in a 2018 bankruptcy case.
Kevin Kahrig, 49, a former building contractor, concealed assets from his creditors by transferring those assets to his girlfriend-turned-spouse, Catharine Kahrig, prior to filing for bankruptcy.
“Individuals who hide assets and deliberately make false statements on bankruptcy pleadings defraud their creditors and disgrace the federal court system,” said U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe. “It’s a serious offense to abuse the bankruptcy system, and anyone seeking to discredit this process will be held accountable.”
“To avoid paying his debt, Kevin Kahrig attempted to defraud his creditors by abusing the bankruptcy process,” said FBI Springfield Field Office Special Agent in Charge David Nanz. “Because this type of fraud can threaten the integrity of a program designed to help honest individuals with legitimate financial crises, the FBI takes our responsibility to pursue bankruptcy fraud very seriously. This sentence serves as a reminder of the consequences associated with financial crime.”
“Together with U.S. Attorney Crowe and our law enforcement partners, we will continue to pursue those who commit fraud and abuse in bankruptcy cases for their own personal gain,” said Nancy J. Gargula, U.S. Trustee for Indiana and Central and Southern Illinois (Region 10).
According to court documents, Kevin Kahrig admitted to transferring $277,850 in cash and checks to Catharine Kahrig in 2016 and then closed the bank accounts the next year. Kevin Kahrig hid those cash transfers and many of the closed accounts in his later filings with the bankruptcy court. He also took his name off a lakefront home he owned with Catharine and hid the transfer from the bankruptcy court.
In addition, he sold a boat before bankruptcy and gave the $395,000 he got from the sale to Catharine Kahrig. Kevin Kahrig disclosed the boat sale to the bankruptcy court but lied about the amount he received and did not disclose that he had given the proceeds to Catharine Kahrig.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter T. Reed prosecuted the case.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI's Springfield Field Office in collaboration with the Southern District of Illinois Bankruptcy Fraud Working Group coordinated by the U.S. Trustee for Region 10, after referral by the U.S. Trustee. The U.S. Trustee Program is the component of the Justice Department that protects the integrity of the bankruptcy system by overseeing case administration and litigating to enforce the bankruptcy laws. Region 10 is headquartered in Indianapolis, with additional offices in Peoria, Illinois, and South Bend, Indiana.
Eastern Idaho Farmers Pay $500,000 to Resolve Allegations They Defrauded the Coronavirus Food Assistance ProgramRead the Press Release
BOISE – U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced today that Merrill Hanny, Roger Burke, and Robert Sollis, three farmers in Eastern Idaho, have paid a total of $500,000 to settle allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by submitting fraudulent Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) applications. CFAP was intended to provide direct support to farmers and ranchers to offset losses caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The settlement resolves allegations that Hanny, Burke, and Sollis knowingly and impermissibly included millions of pounds of potatoes on Burke’s and Sollis’ CFAP applications that were actually owned by Hanny. In this way, Burke and Hanny obtained CFAP funds that they were not eligible to receive, and Hanny was able to circumvent the $250,000 cap on CFAP funds they he could receive.
“The vast majority of Idahoans who applied for CFAP funds played by the rules,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “Unfortunately, some individuals have sought to line their pockets by defrauding taxpayer-funded pandemic relief programs like USDA’s CFAP program. We will continue to use all tools at our disposal to pursue and hold such individuals accountable.”
The settlement is a result of a coordinated effort between the U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Idaho.
For more information on the Department of Justice’s response to the pandemic fraud, please visit www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone who suspects fraud or other wrongdoing related to the pandemic should report it to the COVID-19 Pandemic Fraud Hotline at www.pandemicoversight.gov/contact/about-hotline, by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721, or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Idahoans are also encouraged to report COVID-19 fraud directly to the U.S. Attorney’s Office at (208) 334-1211.
The claims resolved by the settlement described above are allegations only; there has been no determination of liability.
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Drug Supplier for Gangster Disciples Sentenced in Counterfeit Prescription Pill Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Chelmsford man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston to trafficking counterfeit oxycodone and Adderall pills that contained fentanyl and methamphetamine.
Vando Gvozdarevic, 30, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Douglas P. Woodlock to 10 years in prison and five years of supervised release. On July 7, 2022, Gvozdarevic pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
“Communities across our Commonwealth and beyond are plagued by the chaos and harm caused by the opioid epidemic that manifests itself in overdose deaths, violence, and crime. Mr. Gvozdarevic trafficked this poison into our neighborhoods in the form of tens of thousands of counterfeit pills. The risk of overdose was increased for those seeking diverted pharmaceutical pills and people unfamiliar with street narcotics who thought they were illicitly getting prescription pills when in fact they had potentially deadly and addicting opioid or stimulant,” said United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins.
“The Gangster Disciples are a ruthless gang that preyed upon our communities, and Vando Gvozdarevic was a driving force and prolific pill pusher, who supplied them with deadly narcotics disguised as prescription pills,” said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. “Today’s sentence should be a warning to other bad actors. The FBI’s North Shore Gang Task Force will stop at nothing to identify, investigate, and disrupt those who insist on bringing their harmful business to our neighborhoods.”
Gvozdarevic was charged in November 2021 along with 12 others in connection with a large drug conspiracy centering around the Gangster Disciples in Lawrence, Haverhill and Methuen. The investigation, which began in August 2020, intercepted communications between Gangster Disciples’ leaders, members and drug suppliers pertaining to their alleged distribution of fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamine and suboxone in Massachusetts, Maine and southern New Hampshire as well as into the Essex County Jail. The investigation identified Gvozdarevic as a supplier of methamphetamine and fentanyl disguised as counterfeit Adderall and oxycodone pills. 12,556 counterfeit Adderall pills containing methamphetamine and 3,717 counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl were seized from Gvozdarevic’s apartment during the execution of a federal search warrant.
Gvozdarevic was previously sentenced to five years in state prison for drug distribution and firearm offenses.
U.S. Attorney Rollins, FBI SAC Bonavolonta and John E. Mawn Jr., Interim Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Chelmsford Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip C. Cheng of Rollins’ Organized Crime & Gang 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.
This case is also a 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.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Detroit-area Software Developer Sentenced to Prison for Employment Tax CrimesRead the Press Release
A Michigan business owner was sentenced today to 12 months and one day in prison for failing to collect and pay over to the IRS employment taxes withheld from his employees’ wages.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Yigal Ziv of West Bloomfield owned and operated Multinational Technologies, Inc. (MTI), a software development firm based in Walled Lake. Ziv was responsible for filing MTI’s quarterly employment tax returns and collecting and paying to the IRS payroll taxes withheld from employees’ wages. From the first quarter of 2014 through the first quarter of 2018, Ziv collected approximately $691,000 in employment taxes from MTI’s employees, but did not file employment tax returns or pay the withheld taxes to the IRS. Even after learning of the IRS’s ongoing criminal investigation in May 2018, Ziv did not file MTI’s employment tax returns from the fourth quarter of 2019 through the fourth quarter of 2020 and did not pay the IRS approximately $199,000 in payroll taxes withheld from MTI’s employees. During that same period, Ziv directed MTI to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars for his personal benefit, including home mortgage payments, luxury auto lease payments and department store purchases. In total, Ziv caused a tax loss to the IRS of $1,169,000.
In addition to the term of imprisonment, U.S. District Judge David M. Lawson for the Eastern District of Michigan ordered Ziv to serve one year of supervised release and to pay a $5,000 fine and $897,271.80 in restitution to the United States.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Charles Miller of IRS-Criminal Investigation Detroit Field Office made the announcement.
IRS-Criminal Investigation investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Kenneth C. Vert and George Meggali of the Justice Department’s Tax Division prosecuted the case.
Crime Stoppers Tip Leads to Convicted Murderer Going Back to Prison for 15 yearsRead the Press Release
DETROIT – A Detroit man, who has five prior felony convictions, including for murder, assault with a dangerous weapon, and two drug trafficking offenses, was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison today as an Armed Career Criminal for his illegal possession of a firearm, announced United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison.
Ison was joined in the announcement by Orville O. Greene, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration, Detroit Division.
Eric T. Walker, 46, had previously pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Judge Gershwin A. Drain.
According to court records, after receiving Crime Stoppers complaints that Walker was selling drugs from his home, and that one person nearly overdosed after buying his drugs, the Detroit Police Department executed a search warrant at his home. DPD recovered 136 grams of cocaine, 23.5 grams of heroin laced with fentanyl, 672 grams of marijuana, 93 oxycodone pills, 4.5 amphetamine pills, scales, drug packaging materials, and over $8,000 in cash. Officers also recovered a 9mm semiautomatic pistol loaded with 13 rounds of ammunition. Walker was arrested at his home, and the case was adopted for federal prosecution.
“Taking any and all violent offenders, including armed drug dealers, off our streets is a top priority of my office. Today’s sentence reflects my commitment to aggressively prosecute violent offenders of all kinds to make our neighborhoods safer for law abiding citizens. The citizens responsible for working to improve the quality of life in their neighborhood by reporting Walker’s conduct to Crime Stoppers should be commended,” U.S. Attorney Ison said.
“Mr. Walker continued his criminal activities despite being a convicted felon. While his lengthy sentence has removed a dangerous person from the neighborhood, it should also send a strong message to anyone who chooses to terrorize our communities with violence and illicit drugs,” said Special Agent in Charge Orville.
This case was investigated by the DEA. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Moran.
Convicted Drug Dealer Sentenced to 27.5 Years for Trafficking More Drugs and Laundering the ProceedsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH – Noah Landfried was sentenced to 330 months in prison for committing drug trafficking and money laundering crimes while on federal supervised release from a prior prison sentence for drug trafficking, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
Landfried, age 38 of Moon Township (Allegheny County), was sentenced by United States District Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan. Landfried was also ordered to serve ten years of supervised release following his prison sentence. Landfried’s prison sentence is a combination of 300 months for the drug trafficking and money laundering convictions and 30 months for the supervised release violation.
Landfried was convicted at the conclusion of a jury trial in December 2021. He was convicted at Count 1/conspiracy to distribute a Schedule I or II controlled substance, including at least 5 kilograms of cocaine, between 40 and 400 grams of fentanyl, and between 100 and 1,000 grams of heroin; at Count 2/conspiracy to launder drug trafficking proceeds; and at Count 8/possession with intent to distribute at least 40 grams of fentanyl. The conduct occurred in 2017 and 2018.
Landfried was early released in 2017 from his prior federal prison sentence for international marijuana trafficking. Landfried’s prior sentence was retroactively reduced by nearly 200 months as a result of an across-the-board reduction of the sentencing guidelines for convicted federal drug dealers. Following his release in 2017, he re-established a direct connection to a Mexican source of supply and received tractor-trailer shipments of kilograms of cocaine that were transported across the U.S./Mexico border. Landfried supplemented his cocaine trafficking by distributing thousands of oxycodone pills and large quantities of fentanyl and heroin, in addition to the K2/synthetic cannabinoids he was surreptitiously trafficking into prisons.
Assistant United States Attorneys Rebecca L. Silinski and Craig W. Haller prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, the federal Bureau of Prisons, and the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General led the multi-agency investigation that also included the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Beaver County District Attorney’s Office, the Department of Homeland Security/Homeland Security Investigations, the Pittsburgh Police Department, the United States Marshals Service, the Pennsylvania State Police, the Munhall Police Department, the Robinson Township Police Department, the McKees Rocks Police Department, the Stowe Township Police Department, the Etna Police Department, and the Erie County District Attorney’s Office.
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.
Columbia Man Sentenced to 77 Months in Prison on Federal Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA —Ernest Durane Mack, a/k/a “Marcus Mack,” 35, of Cayce, was sentenced to 77 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that on July 26, 2019, a trooper with the South Carolina Highway Patrol initiated a lawful traffic stop on St. Andrews Road in Columbia on a car Mack was driving after recognizing it to be a car that had fled after he attempted to stop it a week earlier. After a short chase, Mack pulled into a nearby apartment complex, where he stopped the car and fled on foot. Officers located Mack in a nearby apartment complex breezeway and saw him with a handgun, which he then threw towards an officer. Mack told officers that he fled from troopers because he had the handgun in the car. The investigation revealed that the handgun had previously been reported stolen in Spartanburg County.
Mack, who was on state probation at the time of the offense, has prior state convictions for trafficking cocaine (2 separate convictions), forgery, possession of a controlled substance, failure to stop for blue light and siren, and criminal domestic violence 1st degree (2 separate convictions). Mack is currently serving a 7-year sentence for criminal domestic violence 1st degree.
United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis sentenced Mack to 77 months in prison, to be followed by a 3-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
This investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the South Carolina Highway Patrol is 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.
Assistant United States Attorney Stacey D. Haynes prosecuted the case.
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Clearwater Drug Dealer Sentenced to More Than 3 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida - U.S. District Judge Steven D. Merryday today sentenced Terrel Lewis (26, Largo) to 3 years and 10 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute cocaine. Lewis had pleaded guilty on December 21, 2022.
According to court documents, in 2021, the Clearwater Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration received information that Lewis was distributing cocaine in Clearwater. On August 24, 2021, Lewis met with a confidential source (CS) and delivered a brown paper bag containing 250.75 grams of cocaine. On March 9, 2022, Lewis met again with the CS and delivered 248.97 grams of cocaine to the CS in a plastic bag. In total, Lewis distributed 499.72 grams of cocaine in both transactions.
This case was investigated by the Clearwater Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Maria Guzman.
Clayton Man Sentenced to 11 Years in Prison for Soliciting Child Pornography from 11-year-oldRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A man from Clayton, Missouri who sought and received nude pictures of minors, including pictures of an 11-year-old from Kentucky, was sentenced Wednesday to 11 years in federal prison followed by the remainder of his lifetime on supervised release.
U.S. District Judge Ronnie L. White also ordered Jason W. Fine, 50, to pay a $50,000 fine and special assessments of $45,000 that will go into a fund for victims and prevention programs. Judge White called Fine’s case the worst case of its type that he’d encountered.
Fine pleaded guilty in November to two felonies: soliciting child pornography and receiving child pornography.
Fine admitted as part of his plea that between July 1, 2021 and Sept. 2, 2021, while pretending to be an 11-year-old girl, he requested and received nude pictures of the 11-year-old Kentucky girl on Kik Messenger.
In an interview with law enforcement on June 14, 2022, Fine said he had communicated online with multiple minors and that a few had sent him child pornography.
In court Wednesday, the victim’s mother told Judge White what it was like to discover that Fine preyed on her daughter by posing as a girl “doing horrific things and asking our daughter to do those same things,” the mother said.
The discovery of his crime wreaked “absolute devastation” on the victim and her family, the mother said, asking for serious prison time for Fine. “Knowing he is behind bars ensures that he can’t take advantage of young girls. He can't prey upon them and use them as toys. He can't manipulate them, solicit or use them,” she wrote in a letter to Judge White.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jillian Anderson pointed out that Fine used his undergraduate degree in psychology to manipulate children into sending him pictures and videos, and did not assist law enforcement in identifying his other victims so they could be helped. Anderson said Fine’s supporters described his crime as pornography addiction, but “It is pedophilia. It is sadistic child abuse.”
The St. Louis County Police Department the Campbell County (Kentucky) Police Department and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jillian Anderson prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice 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 www.justice.gov/psc.
City Felon Sentenced to 9 Years in Prison for Possessing Stolen FirearmRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced to nine years’ imprisonment and three years of supervised release on charges of violating federal firearms laws, and a consecutive 1 year of imprisonment for committing the offense while on federal pretrial release, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon imposed the sentence on Joshua Lowry, 32, formerly of the City’s Brookline neighborhood.
According to information presented to the Court, on January 15, 2021, members of the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police and the Drug Enforcement Administration executed a search warrant on at an apartment in the Brookline section of the City of Pittsburgh. During the search of the residence, investigators recovered drug evidence along with multiple stolen firearms attributable to the target of the investigation, Joshua Lowry. During an interview with investigators, Lowry admitted to possession of at least one of the recovered stolen firearms. Lowry is precluded from possessing firearms and ammunition based upon several prior felony convictions.
Assistant United States Attorneys Michael R. Ball prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police and the Drug Enforcement Administration for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Joshua Lowry.
Christian County Man Sentenced to 70 Months in Prison for Illegal Possession of FirearmsRead the Press Release
Paducah, KY – A Christian County, Kentucky man was sentenced today to 70 months in federal prison, followed by a 3-year term of supervised release, for possessing a firearm after having previously been convicted of felony offenses, illegal possession of a machinegun, and possession of an unregistered firearm. There is no parole in the federal system.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Acting Special Agent in Charge Robert Maynard of the ATF Louisville Field Division, and Sheriff Tyler DeArmond of the Christian County Sheriff’s Office made the announcement.
According to court documents, on February 23, 2022, agents executed a search warrant at the residence of Shaun Powers, 43 of Hopkinsville. They located a privately manufactured firearm that was designed to function as a fully automatic machinegun. Agents also located a short-barreled rifle and other firearms parts and accessories. Powers was not allowed to possess these firearms because he had previously been convicted of the following felonies. On April 15, 2015, in Christian Circuit Court, Powers was convicted of first-degree promoting contraband, third-degree assault, second-degree burglary, and third-degree burglary.
The case was investigated by the ATF Bowling Green Field Office and the Christian County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Leigh Ann Dycus, of the U.S. Attorney’s Paducah Branch Office, 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.
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Chicago Man Sentenced for Mail Fraud Scheme Involving Fraudulent Tax Returns to the IRSRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge William Jung has sentenced Elvin Marks to 41 months in federal prison for mail fraud and fraudulent claims to an agency of the United States government. As part of his sentence, the court also entered an order of forfeiture in the amount of $606,309.35, the proceeds of the charged criminal conduct. Marks had pleaded guilty on November 1, 2022.
According to court documents, beginning in January 2016, and continuing through December 2018, Marks devised a scheme to defraud the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to obtain money using the United States Postal Service (USPS). To accomplish the fraudulent scheme, Marks prepared IRS Tax Forms 1040 and/or 1040X that included fraudulent information concerning wages, earnings, and deductions to obtain tax refunds for himself or others, which he was not entitled to, and were mailed through the USPS to the IRS. These fraudulent tax forms caused the IRS to issue refunds that Marks received in the Middle District of Florida.
For instance, on December 20, 2016, Marks knowingly made and sent to the IRS a falsified IRS Tax Form 1040X for calendar year 2015, claiming a tax refund for $99,960 in the name of another person, which the IRS rejected. In addition, Marks knowingly made and sent to the IRS a falsified IRS Tax Form 1040 for calendar year 2017 in his own name requesting a refund of $4,606,144. The IRS subsequently mailed Marks’ tax refund to a residence in the Middle District of Florida, which he later obtained. The IRS recovered $3,994,611.85 from the Marks, resulting in a loss of $606,309.35.
“With filing season underway, the financial penalties and significant prison term handed down against Mr. Marks is a timely reminder of the importance of ensuring your tax return is an honest account of your income and tax obligations. This sentencing should also put unscrupulous preparers on notice about the consequences that await those who do not play by the rules,” said IRS-CI Acting Special Agent in Charge Ronald A. Loecker.
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Greg Pizzo and Maria Guzman.
Box Elder woman sentenced to five years in prison for shooting woman in the face over drug dealRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS — A Box Elder woman who admitted to shooting a woman in the face over a drug deal on the Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation was sentenced today to five years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said today.
Tricia Friede Gardipee, 51, pleaded guilty in September 2022 to assault resulting in serious bodily injury.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.
The government alleged in court document that on Aug. 13, 2021, Gardipee shot the victim, identified as Jane Doe, in the face with a .22-caliber rifle over a drug deal on the Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation. Gardipee confronted Doe and some of her friends earlier that day in Havre. Doe picked up a brick and said she didn’t want any problems. The confrontation was because another woman ripped off Gardipee by selling her anxiety medication instead of fentanyl, and Gardipee was trying to get her money back. The government further alleged that Doe later drove with friends to a Box Elder residence. As Doe pulled into the driveway, Gardipee, along with others, pulled in behind them, blocking the car. Gardipee and her son, both armed, walked up to Doe’s car. Gardipee then shot Doe in the face. Doe was treated for injuries.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda L. Myers prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the FBI and Rocky Boy’s Police Department.
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Ashland man sentenced to 37 months in prison for sexually abusing minor girl on Northern Cheyenne Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
BILLINGS — An Ashland man was sentenced today to 37 months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for sexually abusing a minor girl on the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
Jordan Cody Washee, 30, pleaded guilty in October 2022 to abusive sexual contact.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.
The government alleged in court documents that the victim, identified as Jane Doe, reported that starting in 2011 and continuing through 2012, Washee sexually assaulted her on multiple occasions at her house. The victim was between the ages of 11 and 13 at the time.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the FBI and Big Horn County Sheriff’s Office.
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Armed Leader of Fentanyl and Cocaine Distribution Conspiracy Sentenced to 40 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Roy B. Dalton Jr. has sentenced Carlos Roman (57, Orlando) to 40 years in federal prison for possession of cocaine and possession of a firearm equipped with a silencer in furtherance of drug trafficking. Judge Dalton also sentenced three individuals who conspired with Roman to distribute fentanyl and cocaine: James Richard Howell (37, Silver Springs) to 57 months; Kenneth Angel Vera (31, Orlando) to 27 months; and Joely Manuel Burgos (39, Orlando) to 51 months. Roman and Vera had pleaded guilty on December 6, 2022. Howell and Burgos had pleaded guilty on December 5, 2022, and December 28, 2022, respectively.
According to court documents, Roman supplied cocaine and fentanyl to Howell, Burgos, and Vera for resale and regularly communicated with each of them on a cellular telephone that was monitored by law enforcement pursuant to court-ordered authorization. On August 9, 2022, Roman was arrested at his home with 19 firearms, 6 silencers, 3 flash-bang grenades, and thousands of rounds of ammunition. See related press release: https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdfl/pr/members-drug-trafficking-conspiracy-plead-guilty-drug-and-gun-charges-operation-titan
“Illicit fentanyl is highly addictive and incredibly destructive. The individuals who bring this poison into our communities must be held accountable for their actions,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter. “The success of this investigation is a direct result of the hard work and dedication of these investigators as well as the cooperation and collaboration between DEA and our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners. DEA remains committed to these partnerships to continue to keep our communities safe and healthy.”
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Secret Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Florida Highway Patrol, the Winter Garden Police Department, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, the Kissimmee Police Department, the Winter Park Police Department, the Clermont Police Department, the Orlando Police Department, the Apopka Police Department, the Ocoee Police Department, the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office, and the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dana E. Hill.
Operation Titan Fall is a multi-agency Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCEDTF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Area man who claimed to be African prince sentenced to 20 years in prison for several fraud crimesRead the Press Release
DAYTON, Ohio – A Dayton man, who as part of his fraud scheme purported he was a Ghanaian prince, was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to the statutory maximum of 240 months in prison.
Daryl Robert Harrison, also known as Prince Daryl R. Attipoe and Prophet Daryl R. Attipoe, 44, was found guilty of 10 counts of various federal fraud crimes following a jury trial in September 2022. Harrison defrauded at least 14 victims of more than $800,000. He was convicted of mail and wire fraud, conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, and witness tampering.
According to court documents and trial testimony, from January 2014 until September 2020, Harrison defrauded victims who thought they were investing in African trucking and mining companies.
Harrison – falsely holding himself out to be a royal prince from the African national of Ghana – told investors he had direct connections with these companies, and that they could expect an investment return of 28 to 33 percent.
Harrison solicited prospective investors at local Starbucks coffee shops, IHOP restaurants, Kroger grocery stores, carwashes and fitness centers.
Harrison and his stepfather claimed to be ministers with Power House of Prayer Ministries, which sponsored religious services in various church facilities and private residences throughout the Greater Dayton area, Southwestern Ohio area and Parker, Colorado. Many investor victims were members of the congregation.
Harrison routinely withdrew thousands of dollars in cash from the Ministries bank accounts shortly after receiving investments. Harrison and his stepfather used the investment funds to rent a house in Colorado, purchase luxury vehicles, airplane tickets, hotel accommodations and rental cars.
The defendant was indicted by a federal grand jury in September 2020.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Jaime Carazo, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Secret Service, announced the sentence imposed today by U.S. District Judge Michael J. Newman. Assistant United States Attorneys Dwight K. Keller and Ryan A. Saunders are representing the United States in this case.
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Tuesday 14 March 2023
Vancouver Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Planning Armed Robbery that Resulted in a Shoot-OutRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A Vancouver, Washington man was sentenced to federal prison today for orchestrating an armed robbery of a drug dealer that ended in an exchange of gunfire outside an apartment complex on Hayden Island in Portland.
Seth Kamaile Teig, 38, was sentenced to 92 months in federal prison and five years’ supervised release.
According to court documents, in the early morning hours of September 30, 2021, Teig and an accomplice, Anthony James Pastorino, 43, also of Vancouver, traveled from Vancouver to an apartment complex on Hayden Island in Portland. At Teig’s direction, Pastorino waited outside the apartment complex in anticipation of robbing a known drug dealer. When the drug dealer arrived, Pastorino discharged his firearm and stole the drug dealer’s backpack. Pastorino and the drug dealer exchanged gunfire and both sustained serious injuries. Soon after, Pastorino and Teig fled the scene and traveled back to Washington.
Officers from the Portland Police Bureau responded to the scene and found 18 shell casings, a trail of blood, and Pastorino’s wallet. Later that day, a resident of the apartment complex found a handgun in some nearby bushes. Further investigation revealed that it was the gun used by Pastorino during the robbery. A later search of Pastorino’s phone revealed text messages wherein Teig directed Pastorino during the robbery and provided information about their target.
On November 17, 2021, special agents from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) located and arrested Teig at a hotel in Gresham, Oregon. During a search of Teig’s person, the agents located and seized a handgun. A second firearm was found in Teig’s hotel room and body armor, ammunition, and drug paraphernalia were found inside his vehicle.
On December 15, 2021, Teig was charged by criminal information with one count each of interfering with commerce by robbery, using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, and possessing an unregistered firearm. On October 19, 2022, Teig pleaded guilty to using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
On November 22, 2021, Pastorino was charged by criminal information with one count each of interfering with commerce by robbery and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. On February 2, 2023, Pastorino pleaded guilty to the latter charge. He will be sentenced on May 3, 2023.
This case was investigated by HSI and the Portland Police Bureau with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). It was prosecuted by Cassady A. Adams, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
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.
United States Attorney’s Office Directed to Withdraw Death Penalty Notice in Rodriguez CaseRead the Press Release
FARGO – United States Attorney Mac Schneider, District of North Dakota, announced today that the United States Attorney General has directed him to withdraw the notice of intent to seek a sentence of death in the case of the United States of America v Alfonso Rodriguez, Jr. This morning, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of North Dakota followed that directive by filing a withdrawal notice indicating that the United States will no longer seek the death penalty in that case.
“My thoughts today are with Dru Sjodin’s family, particularly her parents, Linda Walker and Allan Sjodin,” said Mac Schneider. “They are genuinely good people and loving parents who in the wake of an unimaginable loss have worked closely with our office for nearly twenty years. We continue to wish them the greatest measure of peace possible.”
“I also want to commend the trial team, including former United States Attorney Drew Wrigley, as well as our office’s appellate attorneys and support staff. Over the last two decades, they have continuously upheld the high standards of the Department of Justice through their work on this tragic case. As a result of their efforts, Mr. Rodriguez is – and will remain – a convicted murderer.”
“The directive to withdraw the death notice has changed how the United States Attorney’s Office will proceed with this case. What will not change is that Mr. Rodriguez will draw his last breath in a federal prison.”
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U.S. Attorney’s Office Charges 9 Defendants with Child Exploitation Offenses in Ongoing Program to Prevent Victimization of ChildrenRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – Federal authorities today announced a series of child sexual exploitation cases alleging the victimization of minors – sometimes by convicted sex offenders – and charging a range of crimes that include sex trafficking, enticing a minor to engage in criminal sexual activity and producing child pornography.
United States Attorney Martin Estrada, FBI Assistant Director in Charge Donald Alway, and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Acting Special Agent in Charge Eddy Wang made the announcement.
In eight new cases filed in recent weeks – five resulting from FBI-led investigations, and three from investigations led by Homeland Security Investigations – nine defendants are accused of exploiting children in person and on the internet. There have been significant recent developments in other child exploitation cases being prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office, including a life sentence imposed on an offender who filmed his sexual assaults of disabled children.
The cases announced today are part of Project Safe Childhood, which is the Justice Department’s longstanding initiative to combat the ongoing epidemic of child exploitation crimes.
“Protecting our children from sexual exploitation is some of the most important work my office does,” said United States Attorney Estrada. “For years, we have vigorously prosecuted child sexual predators, and we have only increased those efforts in recent times. To those who would seek to victimize our youth, let me be clear: We will use every tool in our arsenal to bring you to justice and thereby stop you from causing further irreparable harm to others.”
“The various cases being announced today are a reminder of the constant threat of sexual extortion minors face, as well as the persistent demand for child pornography,” said FBI Assistant Director Alway, who runs the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office. “Whether an offender sexually abuses a child in person or online, or continues to exploit children by producing or sharing images of sexual abuse, the FBI and our partners will continue to seek justice for innocent victims by holding offenders accountable.”
“HSI Los Angeles is committed to removing sexual predators from our streets and working aggressively to hold them accountable for their heinous actions,” said HSI Acting Special Agent in Charge Wang.
The new cases announced today are:
United States v. Griffin
Dakota R. Griffin, 33, of Benton, Illinois, was arrested on March 8 for allegedly coercing a 16-year-old girl he encountered online to produce child sexual abuse material (CSAM) by making her believe he was holding one of her online friends captive and that he was associated with the Ku Klux Klan. The complaint alleges that Griffin further demanded that the victim travel to Illinois to have sex with him. During their communications, Griffin allegedly threatened to kill her and her family. After learning that the victim suffered from seizures, Griffin told her that he had always wanted to sexually abuse “a girl while she had a seizure,” according to court documents. During his initial appearance in a federal court in Illinois, Griffin was ordered detained pending trial. The FBI is investigating this case. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremiah Levine from the Violent and Organized Crime Section is prosecuting this matter.
United States v. Lozano
A criminal complaint filed Friday charges Ivan Lozano, a 36-year-old resident of Long Beach, with enticing a minor victim to commit sexual acts and possession of child pornography. Over the course of nearly two years, starting when the victim was 14, Lozano allegedly encouraged and enticed a girl a residing in Tanzania to repeatedly send him videos and photos of a sexual nature using the WhatsApp social media application. In October 2021, according to the complaint affidavit, Lozano traveled to Tanzania for the purpose of having sex with the girl, which he recorded on video. Lozano is currently a fugitive being sought by the FBI, which conducted the investigation in this matter together with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant United States Attorney Bruce Riordan from the Violent and Organized Crime Section is prosecuting case.
United States v. Sheehan
Dustan David Sheehan, 45, of Hollywood, surrendered on Friday after being named in a criminal complaint that accuses him of distributing child pornography and possession of and access with intent to view child pornography. In an August 2020 conversation with an undercover agent on the Kik internet messaging platform, Sheehan discussed his desire to meet and sexually abuse the undercover’s fictitious 9-year-old daughter, according to the complaint affidavit. Sheehan allegedly also shared sexually explicit images with the undercover agent. During a subsequent search of Sheehan’s residence, investigators FBI identified approximately 2,919 CSAM images and 21 CSAM videos on Sheehan’s digital devices, the affidavit states. During his initial appearance Friday afternoon, Sheehan was released on a $100,000 bond and was ordered to reside at a residential rehabilitation center. The FBI is investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorneys Jeffrey Chemerinsky and Hava Mirell from the Violent and Organized Crime Section are prosecuting this case.
United States v. Kicyla
A federal grand jury on March 8 returned a three-count indictment charging Nathan Kicyla with coercing a 10-year-old girl he encountered online to engage in sexually explicit conduct. The indictment charges Kicyla with sexual exploitation of a child for the purpose of producing a sexually explicit visual depiction, enticement of a minor to engage in criminal sexual activity, and commission of a felony offense involving a minor while required to register as a sex offender. If convicted, Kicyla would face a mandatory minimum sentence of 35 years in federal prison.
Kicyla, 39, of Van Nuys, whose screen name was “Nathan-Bert-2,” is currently in federal custody on a supervised release violation stemming from a 2007 conviction of sexually exploitation of minors in the Eastern District of California.
The FBI field offices in Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. are investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Kevin Butler from the Violent and Organized Crimes Section is prosecuting this case.
United States v. Johnson
Ian Nathanial Johnson, 36, of Santa Clarita, was arrested Friday after prosecutors filed a criminal complaint charging him with distribution and possession of child pornography. The investigation into Johnson was launched after the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received information that Johnson had uploaded CSAM to a Dropbox account, according to the complaint affidavit. Pursuant to a search warrant, agents seized Johnson’s digital devices and discovered over 200 images of child pornography and chats on Telegram, several of which included images of prepubescent children and children in bondage, the affidavit states. Johnson is scheduled to make his initial appearance on Wednesday in United States District Court. Homeland Security Investigations is conducting the investigation into Johnson. Assistant United States Attorney Catharine Richmond from the Violent and Organized Crime Section is prosecuting this case.
United States v. Anderson and Thomas
Norrell Alan Anderson, 24, of San Francisco, and Raeonnah Raina Thomas, 20, of Santa Rosa, were named in a criminal complaint filed on March 3, alleging they conspired to transport minors across state lines for the purpose of prostituting them. Anderson and Thomas are currently in state custody on charges that have been brought by the Orange County District Attorney’s Office. Homeland Security Investigations and the Orange County Human Trafficking Task Force – which includes the Irvine, Anaheim and Santa Ana police departments, as well as the California Highway Patrol – are investigating this case. Assistant United States Attorneys Lyndsi Allsop from the Violent and Organized Crime Section and Kristin Spencer from the Santa Ana Branch Office are prosecuting this matter.
United States v. Gissell
Thomas Gissell, 27, of Moorpark, was arrested on March 6 on charges of attempted enticement of a minor to engage in criminal sexual activity for allegedly soliciting sexually explicit photos from two individuals he thought were 14-year-old girls, but who were actually undercover agents. Gissell is scheduled to be arraigned on April 11. The newly formed, FBI-led Ventura County Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force is investigating this case. Assistant United States Attorney Kellye Ng from the Violent and Organized Crime Section is prosecuting this matter. AUSA Ng is the office’s Project Safe Childhood coordinator.
United States v. White
Parker William White, 22, of Johnsonville, New York, a former Army private based at Fort Irwin, was indicted by a federal grand jury on Friday on charges of possession of child pornography. White was arrested on February 24 pursuant to a criminal complaint that alleges White used Instagram and other social media platforms to find minor “girlfriends” as young as 14. White would groom these minor girls by telling them that he would treat them like “queens,” according to the complaint’s affidavit. Homeland Security Investigations and the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Lyndsi Allsop from the Violent and Organized Crime Section is prosecuting this matter.
There have been developments recently in other child exploitation cases being prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office. Those cases are:
United States v. Dorame
Francisco Anthony Dorame, 41, of Echo Park, was sentenced on March 8 to 20 years in federal prison for using an online messenger app last year to attempt to sexually traffic two children – ages 7 and 9 – and for distributing sexually explicit images of children. Dorame was also sentenced to a lifetime period of supervised release and ordered to pay $33,000 in restitution to 11 victims. Dorame pleaded guilty in October 2022 to one count of attempted sex trafficking of a child under 14 years old and one count of distribution of child pornography.
During a conversation on the Kik platform, Dorame made two payments totaling $100 to a person who had access to the victims. Among other things, Dorame requested photographs of the victims, expressed his desire to “play with them right away” upon meeting up, and set a specific date, time and location for the meeting. In April 2022, Dorame used Kik to distribute sexually explicit images of children between 4 and 6.
“[Dorame’s] lifelong and dangerous obsession with girls has manifested in an extensive collection of child sex abuse material, several attempts to procure girls for sex acts, and inappropriate relationships with then-minors,” prosecutors argued in a sentencing memorandum. “[Dorame’s] possession and dissemination of child sex abuse material are not victimless crimes, either. Here, the real victims portrayed in the child sex abuse material defendant possessed and distributed provide heartbreaking accounts of the harm they have suffered, and continue to suffer.”
The FBI investigated this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Kathy Yu from the Violent and Organized Crime Section prosecuted this case.
United States v. Rodriguez, Bocardo and Banguguilan
Two men who were found guilty by a jury last year of receiving and possessing videos of sexual assaults of severely disabled children were sentenced on February 24 to lengthy prison terms. Miguel Bocardo, 23, of Baldwin Park, was sentenced by United States District Judge John W. Holcomb to 18 years in federal prison. Cyr Dino Banguguilan, 36, of Azusa, was sentenced to 12 years in prison.
Their co-defendant – Steve Rodriguez, 38, of Pomona – systematically raped at least three disabled children for years while working as a certified nursing assistant at a group home facility in San Bernardino County. Rodriguez filmed these repeated attacks and sent some of these child pornography films to others, including Bocardo and Banguguilan.
Rodriguez pleaded guilty to eight child exploitation offenses and in January 2023 was sentenced to life in federal prison.
Homeland Security Investigations investigated this matter as part of the Los Angeles Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. The United States Postal Inspection Service, the FBI, the Baldwin Park Police Department, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, the Los Angeles Police Department, the Pomona Police Department, and the Burbank Police Department provided assistance. Assistant United States Attorneys Catharine Richmond and Scott Lara from the Violent and Organized Crime Section prosecuted this case.
United States v. Schmitt
Matthew Timothy Schmitt, 36, of Fontana, was sentenced on March 6 to 135 months in federal prison for attempted enticement of a minor for sexual purposes. Schmitt was arrested after communicating with an undercover agent, whom Schmitt believed was a 13-year-old girl, and travelling to Riverside for sex with the minor. The court also ordered that Schmitt serve a lifetime period of supervised release. The Riverside County District Attorney’s Office investigated this matter with assistance from the Fontana Police Department. Special Assistant United States Attorney Kaitlyn Lasater from the Riverside Branch Office prosecuted this case.
United States v. Bradford
Donavin Dwayne Bradford, 31, of South Los Angeles, was charged in a superseding indictment filed on February 24 with sex trafficking four victims, including three minors (ages 15 to 17), and an adult victim, whom Bradford allegedly trafficked using threats of force, fraud and coercion. Bradford is also charged with producing and possessing child pornography featuring his trafficking victims. Bradford allegedly advertised his victims on the internet and instructed them to walk “blades,” areas commonly known for prostitution, to make money for him. He also allegedly used violence and threats of violence to control his victims. Bradford is detained pending a trial scheduled to begin on April 11.
The FBI’s Los Angeles Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force investigated this matter in coordination with the Los Angeles Police Department, the Inglewood Police Department, the Pomona Police Department, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office, the Santa Maria Police Department, and the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services. Assistant United States Attorneys Chelsea Norell and Kathy Yu from the Violent and Organized Crime Section are prosecuting this case.
Indictments and criminal complaints contain allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
The charges of enticing a minor victim to commit sexual acts and producing child pornography carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison and a statutory maximum penalty of 30 years in prison.
The charges of distributing and receiving child pornography carry a five-year mandatory minimum sentence and a statutory maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
Possession of child pornography does not carry a mandatory minimum sentence, but a conviction on this charge can bring a sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison.
The charge of conspiracy to transport minors across state lines for the purpose of prostitution carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison and a statutory maximum penalty of life imprisonment.
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These cases are being prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood program, which combats the sexual exploitation of children through impactful federal criminal investigations and prosecutions. The goal of the program is to provide children with a childhood safe from sexual exploitation and with resources if they become victims.
In addition to the efforts of prosecutors and investigators in bringing child exploitation offenders to justice, authorities are engaging in public outreach efforts designed to prevent children from being victimized in the first place. Educational efforts aimed at teens encourage them to reject online solicitations, warning young people that you don’t really know someone online, especially if you have not engaged in video chats with them. Those warnings include typical “red flags” that include requests for “nudes,” to talk about sex, to meet in real life, or for money.
When any problems arise, teens are encouraged to get help from a trusted adult, to block the other person from contacting them, and to get help removing any unwanted images from the internet. If you believe you or someone you know are the victim of child sexual exploitation, please visit our website, which contains information about reporting, education, services and how to submit a request to remove child exploitation images posted online.
Two charged with stealing $650,000 from Morgantown medical practiceRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – The former chief operating officer of a Morgantown medical practice and one of its physicians have been charged with stealing more than $650,000 from their employer.
Francisco Ortiz, age 48, of Vacaville, California, and James Brooks Mersing, 35, of Morgantown, have been indicted on charges of defrauding Wedgewood Physicians, Inc. According to the indictment, Ortiz used his position as COO to divert funds over a three-year period for his personal benefit and for the benefit of Mersing, a physician formerly employed by Wedgewood.
Ortiz is alleged to have used the funds to pay for personal travel, home improvements, and various items from Amazon, among other things. Ortiz is also alleged to have caused unauthorized bonuses to be paid to Mersing, who then returned a portion of the money to Ortiz as a kickback.
“White-collar crime costs the United States hundreds of billions of dollars each year,” said United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld. “The Department of Justice will continue to pursue white-collar wrongdoers and hold them accountable for their misconduct.”
Ortiz faces thirty-one counts of bank fraud and Mersing faces eleven counts. Each count carries a penalty of up to thirty years in prison.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Wagner is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and each defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law.
Two Men Plead Guilty to Federal Drug CrimesRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Two out-of-state men pleaded guilty today to charges arising from the January 5, 2022, raid on a Huntington storage unit.
Phillip Antoine Rucker, also known as “Chocolate,” 43, of Proctorville, Ohio, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and a quantity of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine.
Marshall Luther Williams, also known as “Chuck” and “Chubs,” 41, of Chicago, Illinois, pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting the possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and a quantity of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on January 5, 2022, law enforcement officers arrested Rucker on an active warrant at a Riverside Drive storage facility in Huntington. Officers found approximately $5,080 and a Taurus, Model Spectrum, .380-caliber pistol in Rucker’s vehicle and seized a key for a unit at the storage facility from Rucker.
Officers obtained a search warrant for the unit, where they found approximately 42.24 grams of a substance containing fentanyl, 27.92 grams of methamphetamine, 929 grams of a purple powder, a Glock 9mm pistol, and $8,591.
Rucker and Williams each admitted to renting the storage unit and keeping controlled substance there for distribution. Rucker and Williams further admitted that the purple powder found during the search was intended to cut or be mixed with the fentanyl prior to distribution.
Rucker and Williams are scheduled to be sentenced on July 10, 2023, and face a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 40 years in prison, four years of supervised release, and a $5 million fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the Huntington Police Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams 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. 3:22-cr-34.
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Two Men Plead Guilty to $1.3 Million Penny-Stock SchemeRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Two men pleaded guilty yesterday to conspiracy to commit securities and wire fraud in connection with a penny-stock manipulation scheme.
According to court documents, from at least November 2016 through October 2018, Phillip W. Offill, Jr., 64, of Dallas, Texas; Justin Wallace Herman, 52, of Canonsburg, Pennsylvania; and others conspired to misappropriate millions of shares of a publicly traded company that held mining claims in Arizona and Idaho. The defendants then fraudulently marketed the shares for sale through third parties, including call centers, who made materially false statements to potential investors, while manipulating the market so that the stock falsely appeared to be trading more actively than it actually was. As a result of the scheme, victim investors lost approximately $1.3 million.
Over a decade ago, in January 2010, Offill, a former attorney with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, was convicted during a jury trial in the Eastern District of Virginia for participating in multimillion-dollar pump-and-dump stock manipulation schemes. Offill was sentenced on April 23, 2010 to eight years in prison in connection with that case. Offill was serving a three-year term of supervised release when he committed the new offense to which he pleaded guilty yesterday.
Offill and Herman are scheduled to be sentenced on June 21, 2023. They each face a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Kenneth A. Polite, Jr., Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; and Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal Division, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Rossie D. Alston, Jr. accepted the guilty pleas.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Pedersen of the Eastern District of Virginia, and Trial Attorneys Andrew Tyler and Amanda Fretto Lingwood of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section at the Justice Department, are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:22-cr-152.
Two Men Charged for Breaching Federal Law Enforcement Database and Posing as Police Officers to Defraud Social Media CompaniesRead the Press Release
A criminal complaint was unsealed today in federal court in Brooklyn charging Sagar Steven Singh and Nicholas Ceraolo with wire fraud and conspiracy to commit computer intrusions. The charges stem from Singh’s and Ceraolo’s efforts to extort victims by threatening to release their personal information online. Singh was arrested this morning in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, and will make his initial appearance this afternoon in federal court in Providence, Rhode Island. Ceraolo remains at large.
In pursuit of victims’ personal information, Singh and Ceraolo unlawfully used a police officer’s stolen password to access a restricted database maintained by a federal law enforcement agency that contains (among other data) detailed, nonpublic records of narcotics and currency seizures, as well as law enforcement intelligence reports. Ceraolo (with Singh’s knowledge) also accessed without authorization the email account of a foreign law enforcement officer, and used it to defraud social media companies by making purported emergency requests for information about the companies’ users.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and Ivan J. Arvelo, Special Agent-in-Charge, Homeland Security Investigations, New York (HSI), announced the charges.
“Singh and Ceraolo aptly belonged to a group called, as their crime was, ‘Vile.’ That conduct ends today,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “As alleged, the defendants shamed, intimidated and extorted others online. This Office will not tolerate those who impersonate law enforcement officers and misuse the public safety infrastructure that exists to protect our citizens.”
“As these charges make clear, the alleged unauthorized access of a US federal law enforcement system and impersonation of law enforcement officials are serious offenses, and the criminals who perpetrate these schemes will be held accountable for their crimes.” stated HSI New York Special Agent-in-Charge Arvelo. “HSI and its law enforcement partners are committed to safeguarding public safety infrastructure from cyber criminals and ensuring that those seeking to compromise these systems face the fullest extent of the law.”
As alleged in the criminal complaint, Singh and Ceraolo belonged to a group called “ViLE,” whose logo is the body of a hanging girl, as depicted below in the group’s official roster:
Members of ViLE sought to collect victims’ personal information, such as names, physical addresses, telephone numbers, social security numbers and email addresses. ViLE then posted that information (or threatened to post it) on a public website administered by a ViLE member – an action known as “doxxing.” Victims could pay to have their information removed from or kept off the website.
ViLE members acquired victims’ information by various means, including by impersonating law enforcement officers and sending forged requests or orders purporting to be from law enforcement to social media companies, often demanding victim information on the pretense that loss of life was imminent.
As alleged in the complaint, in pursuit of victims’ personal information. Singh and Ceraolo used a police officer’s credentials to access without authorization a nonpublic, password-protected web portal (the “Portal”) maintained by a U.S. federal law enforcement agency, whose purpose is to share intelligence from government databases with state and local law enforcement agencies. After both Singh and Ceraolo accessed the Portal, Ceraolo wrote to Singh: “were all gonna get raided one of these days i swear.” Later that day, Singh wrote to a contact that the “portal [] i accessed i was not supposed to be there not one bit.” Singh said he had “jacked into a police officer’s account” and “that portal had some fucking potent tools.” Singh continued: “it gave me access to gov databases,” followed by the names of five search tools accessible through the Portal.
Within one day of this unauthorized access, Singh was using his access to the Portal to extort victims. Singh wrote to a victim (Victim-1) that he would “harm” Victim-1’s family unless Victim-1 gave Singh the credentials for Victim-1’s Instagram accounts – and appended Victim-1’s social security number, driver’s license number, home address, and other personal details. During the conversation, Singh told Victim-1 that he had “access to [] databases, which are federal, through [the] portal, i can request information on anyone in the US doesn’t matter who, nobody is safe.” Singh added: “you’re gonna comply to me if you don’t want anything negative to happen to your parents.” Singh ultimately directed Victim-1 to sell Victim-1’s accounts and give the proceeds to Singh.
In addition to accessing the Portal without authorization, Ceraolo posed as a police officer to obtain subscriber information from various online service providers. For example, between February 2022 and May 2022, Ceraolo accessed without authorization an official email account belonging to a Bangladeshi police official. Ceraolo used the account to pose as a Bangladeshi police officer in communication with U.S.-based social media platforms. In one instance, Ceraolo induced a social media platform (Platform-1) to provide information about one of its subscribers, including the subscriber’s address, email address and telephone number, by asserting that the subscriber had participated in “child extortion” and blackmail and had threatened officials of the Bangladeshi government. Ceraolo shared the information with another ViLE member, who sent the information to Singh. Ceraolo also used the Bangladeshi police account to attempt to purchase a license from a facial recognition company whose services are not available to the general public.
Similarly, between March 2022 and May 2022, Ceraolo targeted a company (Platform-2) that operates an online gaming platform. Ceraolo used the Bangladeshi police account to request data about one of Platform-2’s users. Employees of Platform-2 detected Ceraolo’s fraud and publicly discussed the attempted fraud. Ceraolo told an associate that he would “hack” Platform-2 in retaliation for “acting like their [sic] untouchable,” that he would “handle dumping and defacing everything for trying to snitch to homeland security” and that he could “easily get 6 figs” for selling Platform-2’s information “on one of the dark web markets.” At Ceraolo’s behest, an associate posed as a U.S. local police officer and sent a forged subpoena to one of Platform-2’s vendors, seeking registration details about Platform-2’s administrators. The vendor did not provide the information.
If convicted, Ceraolo faces up to 20 years’ imprisonment for conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and both Ceraolo and Singh face five years’ imprisonment for conspiracy to commit computer intrusions. The charges in the complaint are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The Office extends its appreciation the New York City Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation for their assistance on this case.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and Cybercrime Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Alexander Mindlin, Ellen Sise and Adam Amir are in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendants:
NICHOLAS CERAOLO (also known as “Convict,” “Anon” and “Ominous”)
Age: 25
Queens, New YorkSAGAR STEVEN SINGH (also known as “Weep”)
Age: 19
Pawtucket, Rhode IslandE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 23-MJ-213
Two Individuals Charged in Federal Criminal Complaint for Violent CarjackingRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – Two individuals have been charged in a federal criminal complaint for carjacking involving a robbery and holding a victim at gunpoint, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, on February 14, 2023, in Anoka County, Jamel Timothy Funchess, 18, and T’Shawn Teon Palton, 21, took a motor vehicle from the vehicle’s owner, by force, violence, and intimidation, with the intent to cause death and serious bodily harm.
According to a law enforcement affidavit, the victim had made arrangements over Facebook Marketplace to buy a cell phone. The victim and the purported seller arranged to meet at a location in Columbia Heights. When the victim arrived at the location and was still in the car, two men approached and one pointed a firearm at the victim. The men ordered the victim to the backseat of the car. The men then got into the victim’s car, drove a few blocks, and picked up a third male. The three individuals held the victim at gunpoint for the next several hours. During this time, the men demanded that the victim surrender their cell phone, wallet, and credit cards, and provide banking information. They drove to several gas stations around the Twin Cities in an attempt to use the victim’s cards to withdraw money. Each of the three men held the firearm during this time and pointed it at the victim. At one point, one of the men struck the victim in the face with the firearm. Toward the end of the ordeal, the three men discussed what to do with the victim and openly talked about murdering the victim. Eventually, they dropped the victim on a road in St. Paul and drove away in the victim’s car. The victim ran to a nearby gas station and borrowed an employee’s cell phone to call 911.
Officers were able to use the victim’s cell phone location to find Palton, Funchess, and the third kidnapper, along with the victim’s stolen car and items.
Both defendants are charged with one count of carjacking. They made their initial appearances today in U.S. District Court before Magistrate Judge John F. Docherty.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, the Bloomington Police Department, and the Anoka County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas Calhoun-Lopez and Sarah Hudleston are prosecuting the case.
A complaint is merely an allegation and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Two Business Owners Plead Guilty to Illegally Tampering with Emissions ControlsRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – The owner of a Kirbyville, Mo., towing company, and the owner of a Springfield, Mo., business have pleaded guilty in federal court to their roles in a conspiracy to illegally tamper with the emissions controls of the company’s diesel towing vehicles.
Dennis Cleveland, 73, of Kirbyville, waived his right to a grand jury and pleaded guilty before U.S. Chief Magistrate Judge David P. Rush on Thursday, March 9, to a federal information that charges him with one count of conspiracy to violate the Clean Air Act and one count of tampering with a Clean Air Act monitoring device.
Robert Dyche, 67, of Springfield, waived his right to a grand jury and pleaded guilty on Monday, March 13, to a federal information that charges him with one count of conspiracy to violate the Clean Air Act.
Cleveland is the owner of Affordable Towing, a roadside, recovery, hauling, and mobile repair provider for commercial and private automobiles and vehicles throughout southwest Missouri. Affordable Towing utilized heavy-duty, commercial diesel trucks to tow and haul away vehicles to repair facilities.
By pleading guilty, Cleveland admitted that, since 2011, he has directed his employees to physically disable emissions control components on multiple heavy-duty diesel tow trucks.
Cleveland conspired with Dyche, the owner and operator of Full Flash Tuning, which specializes in illegally tampering with the on-board diagnostic systems on these vehicles. Cleveland caused the Affordable Towing trucks to be tampered with to save money by avoiding maintenance expenses on emissions control systems and by spending less money on fuel.
This tampering is frequently referred to as “tuning” or “flashing” an on-board diagnostic system. One purpose for “tuning” is to allow the vehicles to continue to seemingly operate normally while the emissions control system is disabled, rather than forcing the vehicle’s engine into a state known as “limp mode,” which greatly limits the maximum speed of the vehicle, incentivizing the driver or owner to repair the malfunction. The use of “tuning” thereby serves to reduce the high costs associated with maintaining or repairing components of the emissions control systems on heavy-duty diesel trucks.
As a consequence of “tuning,” tampered vehicles spew substantially more deleterious pollutants such as nitrogen oxides (Nox), carbon monoxide (CO), non-methane hydrocarbons (NMHC), and particulate matter (PM) into the air, presenting a risk to the environment and public health.
Cleveland, through Affordable Towing, contracted with Dyche on multiple occasions to “tune” or “flash” the emissions control systems of Affordable Towing vehicles, thereby causing multiple fleet vehicles to be altered in such a way that the vehicles released pollutants into the air that far exceeded the legally allowable amounts under the Clean Air Act. Each diesel truck would continue to operate normally, as if the vehicle were operating in accord with existing Clean Air Act restrictions, rather than go into limp mode.
In addition to personally tuning Affordable Towing vehicles, Dyche, on multiple occasions, would take the vehicles to an unidentified entity in Rogersville, Mo., to “tune” the vehicles, for which he was compensated by Affordable Towing.
Under federal statutes, Cleveland is subject to a sentence of up to seven years in federal prison without parole Dyche is subject to a sentence of up to five years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Carney. They were investigated by the Environmental Protection Agency.
Two Arrested for Trying to Send over 90 Firearms to Drug Cartel Members in MexicoRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL –United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the arrests of Yuendry Rodriguez Hilario (28, Cleveland, OH) and Saleh Yusuf Saleh (24, Cleveland, OH) on a criminal complaint charging conspiracy to transfer firearms to commit a felony and/or drug trafficking crime; possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking, illegal transfer of firearms, unlicensed firearm dealing, and conspiracy to violate federal gun laws. If convicted on all counts, each defendant faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. The defendants were arrested in Cleveland, Ohio on March 2, 2023, and both were recently ordered detained pending the outcomes of their cases.
According to the complaint, since 2021 undercover agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), posing as Mexican cartel members, were introduced to Rodriguez Hilario as a trafficker of firearms that could be smuggled into Mexico. Undercover communications with Rodriguez Hilario and others discussed the purchase of AR-15s and rocket-propelled grenade launchers. One of the coconspirators described that he sold AR-15s and AK-47s to El Salvadorans and had cocaine available for distribution. Rodriguez Hilario further offered fentanyl to one of the agents to make pills.
Beginning in late-2021, members of the conspiracy sold or arranged for the sale of at least 90 rifles and one Mac-10-type machine gun with a silencer to undercover agents in the Middle District of Florida and Cleveland. In November 2022, an undercover agent told Rodriguez Hilario that his associates in Mexico were “battling and losing” and needed to purchase more firearms. On March 2, 2023, Rodriguez Hilario arranged to deliver 40 AM-15 multi-caliber firearms to the agents. Saleh, who acquired and assembled the parts to make the firearms, arrived at the meeting with Rodriguez Hilario and the agents. After an undercover agent inspected one of the boxes of firearms, both Rodriguez Hilario and Saleh were arrested. In post-arrest interviews with agents, both admitted to trafficking firearms.
A complaint is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in collaboration with the Panama Express Strike Force, an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) comprised of agents and analysts from the United States Coast Guard Investigative Service, Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, and U.S. Southern Command's Joint Interagency Task Force South. The Cleveland Division of Police, the Ohio State Highway Patrol, the Ohio Adult Parole Authority, and the Great Lakes Air and Marine Branch of U.S. Customs and Border Protection also provided assistance. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF. It is being prosecuted by Dan Baeza.
Twelve indicted on federal charges for crimes including drugs and illegal firearms possessionRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: Twelve defendants are among those facing federal charges including illegal possession of firearms and drug charges after separate indictments by a grand jury in the Southern District of Georgia, while recent actions in U.S. District Court include guilty pleas and criminal sentences related to illegal gun possession.
The indicted cases are being investigated as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods in collaboration with federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the FBI, to reduce violent crime with measures that include targeting convicted felons who illegally carry guns.
“Getting guns out of the hands of criminals is an essential element of the fight against violent crime and the disruption of our neighborhoods,” said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. “We commend the hard work of our law enforcement officers as they continue to identify and apprehend those who illegally possess firearms.”
In the past four years, more than 800 defendants have been federally charged in the Southern District of Georgia for illegal firearms offenses – most often for possessing a firearm after conviction for a previous felony. Federal law increased the maximum penalty for illegal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon to 15 years, up from 10, for those found in possession after June 25, 2022.
Defendants named in federal indictments from the March 2023 term of the U.S. District Court grand jury include:
- Jovonn Courtney Stokes, 26, of Springfield, Ga., charged with three counts of Interference with Commerce by Robbery and three counts of Possession of a Firearm During a Crime of Violence for a string of armed robberies of Chatham County convenience stores in November and December 2022.
- Stacey Vincent, 45, and Felicia Sherrod, 54, both of Douglas, Ga., each charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute, and to Distribute, 50 Grams or More of Methamphetamine, and Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine. Vincent also is charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon.
- Tavarres L. Freeman Jr., 22, of Augusta, charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon.
- Todd Joseph Harbuck, 47, of Augusta, charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, and Possession of a Stolen Firearm.
- Daquan Minor, 32, of Savannah, charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon.
- Calvin Polite, 35, of Savannah, charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon.
- Arthur Singleton, 46, of Savannah, charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, and Possession of Ammunition by a Convicted Felon.
- Desirae Heinsler, 37, of Eastman, Ga., charged with six counts of making false statements during the purchase of firearms.
- Stephan DeWaine Jackson, 27, of Brunswick, Ga., charged with Possession with Intent to Distribute Crack; Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime; and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon.
- Alvin York, 47, of Swainsboro, Ga., charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon.
- Kenneth Oliver Riley, 60, of Savannah, charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon.
Criminal indictments contain only charges; defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Additional defendants recently have been adjudicated on federal charges that include illegal firearms possession:
- Seth Patrick Anderson, a/k/a “Shane Anderson,” a/k/a “AB,” 37, of Hinesville, Ga., was sentenced to 63 months in prison after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Long County sheriff’s deputies arrested Anderson in October 2021 at a license checkpoint after finding a pistol in the vehicle he was driving. Anderson is a member of the Aryan Brotherhood white supremacist street gang.
- Reginald DeMarco Smith, a/k/a “Gunslinger,” 49, of Augusta, was sentenced to 60 months in prison and fined $2,500 after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime. Smith sped away from an attempted traffic stop in February 2021 by a Richmond County Sheriff’s deputy, then abandoned his vehicle and ran into the woods. Investigators found a loaded pistol, a significant amount of drugs, and more than $18,000 in cash at the scene, and Smith was located and arrested nine months later. Smith has multiple prior felony convictions for drug trafficking offenses and was on federal supervised release at the time of his arrest.
- Diallow Akpan Johnson, a/k/a “Kevin Williams,” 50, of Savannah, was sentenced to 60 months in prison after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime. Savannah Police officers were called to Johnson’s apartment in January 2021 to investigate a report of domestic violence and found a pistol and drugs in the residence.
- Tareem Burgess, 39, of Hephzibah, Ga., was sentenced to 60 months in prison and fined $1,500 after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Richmond County Sheriff’s deputies arrested Burgess after a traffic stop in August 2020 when they found a pistol in his vehicle. Burgess has prior convictions for robbery and family violence.
- Dwight Eady, 40, of Milan, Ga., was sentenced to 54 months in prison after pleading guilty to Possession of Ammunition by a Convicted Felon. Eady was arrested in September 2020 after running from a Georgia State Patrol traffic stop in Telfair County. Telfair County Sheriff’s deputies and a Georgia Department of Natural Resources warden later found Eady in a wooded area, along with drugs, ammunition and a semi-automatic pistol. Eady has prior federal and state felony convictions for drug trafficking.
- Rondell Smith, a/k/a “Rondal Smith,” 27, of Hephzibah, was sentenced to 42 months in prison and fined $1,500 after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Richmond County Sheriff’s deputies arrested Smith in February 2022 after finding a pistol in his vehicle during a traffic stop. At the time of his arrest, Smith was on supervised release from a 2017 federal conviction for Possession of a Stolen Firearm.
- Joshua Jerome Russell, 27, of Swainsboro, Ga., was sentenced to 13 months in prison after pleading guilty to Discharging a Firearm in a School Zone. A Johnson County Sheriff’s office investigator arrested Russell in August 2022 after seeing Russell exit his vehicle at a Johnson County High School football game, point a pistol in the air and fire multiple times, causing a panic at the stadium.
- Amir Dontell Foreman, 27, of Augusta, awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Richmond County Sheriff’s deputies arrested Foreman in August 2022 after finding a pistol in his vehicle during a traffic stop as part of Operation Grace.
- Kevon Quantae Davis, 23, of Augusta, awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Richmond County Sheriff’s deputies arrested Davis in January 2022 as part of Operation Grace, a gang-focused investigation in coordination with the FBI. A member of the Bolt Alley Drive Boyz street gang, Davis dropped a pistol while running on foot from deputies.
- Reco Casey, a/k/a “Rico,” 33, of Augusta, awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. In September 2021, Richmond County Sheriff’s deputies found a pistol in the vehicle where Casey was a passenger. Casey was on state felony probation at the time of his arrest.
- Nicholas Robinson, 22, of Savannah, awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Savannah Police officers arrested Robinson in March 2022 after finding two pistols in Robinson’s pockets while investigating a domestic disturbance at a motel.
- Ricky Maurice Johnson, 35, of Swainsboro, Ga., awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Johnson was arrested in June 2022 after a car and foot chase by Georgia State Patrol troopers and Savannah Police officers.
- Kenneth Sallen, 42, of Savannah, awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Sallen was arrested in July 2022 when Pooler Police officers found a pistol in Sallen’s waistband during a traffic stop. Sallen previously was convicted of armed robbery and was on probation for a firearms charge at the time of his arrest.
- Taipai La’Don Brewer, 43, of Augusta, awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Richmond County Sheriff’s deputies arrested Brewer in July 2022 after finding a pistol and drugs in his car during a traffic stop as part of the Operation Grace investigation of gang-related crimes in the Augusta area.
- Terrance Webster Dunn, 32, of Augusta, awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. A previously convicted felon, Dunn was arrested in October 2022 when Richmond County Sheriff’s deputies found him riding a bike in a shopping center parking lot, taking photos of himself with a pistol in his waistband.
Agencies investigating these cases include the ATF, the FBI, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, the Savannah Police Department, the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office, and the Georgia State Patrol.
The cases are being prosecuted for the United States by the Southern District of Georgia U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Under federal law, it is illegal for an individual to possess a firearm if he or she falls into one of nine prohibited categories including being a felon; illegal alien; or unlawful user of a controlled substance. Further, it is unlawful to possess a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense or violent crime. It is also illegal to purchase – or even to attempt to purchase – firearms if the buyer is a prohibited person or illegally purchasing a firearm on behalf of others. Lying on ATF Form 4473, which is used to lawfully purchase a firearm, also is a federal offense.
For more information from the ATF on the lawful purchasing of firearms, please see: https://www.atf.gov/qa-category/atfw-form-4473
Triangle CEO Sentenced for Filing False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
NEW BERN, N.C. – Raleigh business owner Alton Perkins, was sentenced today to 24 months in prison for failing to account for approximately $3 million diverted from his companies for his own personal use between 2015 and 2018. Perkins was also ordered to make restitution to the Internal Revenue Service in the amount of $520,344 for taxes owed from 2015-2018.
“We are holding accountable tax cheats who avoid paying their fair share,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “This CEO diverted company money to fund vacations, expensive jewelry and private school tuition. His attempts to defraud the government have led to time in federal prison.”
According to evidence summarized in court, Perkins moved large amounts of money from his business accounts into his personal bank accounts. These funds were then used for personal expenditures, including the purchase of a Wake Forest home, Rolex watches, vacations, and private school tuition. None of the approximately three million dollars spent by Perkins on these personal items was accounted for in his taxes filed with the Internal Revenue Service.
Perkins is the chairman and CEO of AmericaTowne, a company, according to its website, focused on increasing exports of American products to China. AmericaTowne, which was funded by investor dollars, included a plan to build an American-style community in China that would include hotels, small businesses, and a theme park. Perkins is currently involved in a civil lawsuit with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (Case No. 5:19-CV-00243-FL) over the unregistered private placement offerings and the sale of securities for AmericaTowne and other business entities controlled by Perkins.
Perkins pled guilty on December 12, 2022 to a felony charge of Making and Subscribing a False Tax Return Under Penalty of Perjury, for his failure to account for his personal expenditures on his 2016 personal income tax return. According to evidence presented in court, for tax year 2016, Perkins stated that his total income was $21,933. However, banking records show that Perkins spent $1,208,394 that year on personal items including, a golf cart, a family trip to Hawaii, private high school tuition, and a Rolex – all with funds taken from his corporate bank accounts.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after United States District Judge Louise W. Flanagan pronounced the sentence. The Internal Revenue Service investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorneys William M. Gilmore and Karen Haughton prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information are located on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No 5:22-CR-00265-FL.
Todd County Man Sentenced for Sexual Abuse of a MinorRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced a Todd County, South Dakota, man convicted of Sexual Abuse of a Minor. The sentencing took place on March 13, 2023.
Fremont Menard, a/k/a Fremont Menard, Jr., age 20, was sentenced to four years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Menard was indicted by a federal grand jury in August of 2022. He pleaded guilty on December 8, 2022.
The conviction stems from conduct that occurred in September of 2021 in Todd County, wherein Menard engaged in a sexual act with a minor who had attained the age of 12 years but had not attained the age of 16 years.
This case was investigated by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson prosecuted 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.
Menard was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Thibodaux Man Pleads Guilty to Failing to Account for and Pay TaxesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that CORNEL MARTIN, SR. (“MARTIN”), age 63, of Thibodaux, Louisiana, pled guilty today to failing to account for and pay over federal income taxes and Federal Insurance Contributions Act (“FICA”) taxes, in violation of Title 26, United States Code, Section 7202.
According to court documents, MARTIN operated several businesses in Terrebonne Parish that provided temporary labor to shipyards and offshore oil rigs. MARTIN was the sole owner of each of the companies and controlled the companies’ finances. From 2012 to 2021, MARTIN’s various businesses withheld taxes from its employees’ paychecks, but MARTIN failed to pay over the withheld taxes to the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) as required. All told, MARTIN’s willful failure to account for and pay trust fund and other taxes associated with his businesses between 2012 and 2021 resulted in a loss amount to the IRS between $1,500,000 and $3,500,000.
MARTIN faces a maximum prison sentence of five (5) years. Upon release from prison, MARTIN faces a term of supervised release up to (3) three years, and/or a fine of $250,000 or the greater of twice the gross gain to the defendant or twice the gross loss to any person under Title 18, United States Code, Section 371. MARTIN also faces payment of a mandatory $100 special assessment fee. U.S. District Judge Susie Morgan set his sentencing for June 15, 2023.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office would also like to acknowledge the work of the IRS on this matter. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon Long of the Financial Crimes Unit.
Texas Man Indicted in Western Pennsylvania on Money Laundering ChargeRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA - A resident of Houston, Texas, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh for money laundering, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
The one-count Indictment, returned on Feb. 28, 2023, and unsealed today, named Oluseyi Jeremiah Olagoke Adebayo, 48, as the sole defendant. The defendant was arrested today in Houston. The government will be seeking his detention pending trial.
According to the Indictment, from June 2022 through October 2022, Adebayo conspired to launder over $400,000 of fraudulent proceeds of a business email compromise scam that victimized a Pittsburgh-based company. Adebayo utilized aliases to register shell companies and open bank accounts for those shell companies. He then transferred portions of the fraudulent proceeds into those bank accounts to conceal their true nature, location, source, ownership, and control.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not more than 20 years in prison, a fine of not more than $500,000.00 or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Mark V. Gurzo is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.Tampa Felon Sentenced to More Than 6 Years in Federal Prison for Possessing A Loaded Firearm Months After Release from PrisonRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge William F. Jung has sentenced Dallas Robinson, Jr. (22, Tampa) to six years and six months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Robinson had pleaded guilty on December 14, 2022.
According to court documents, on December 26, 2021, in the Rivergrove neighborhood of Tampa, near the intersection of East Sligh Avenue and Rowlett Park Drive, Robinson was traveling as a passenger in a stolen vehicle being driven by another convicted felon. Both men were armed with fully loaded, semi-automatic pistols. Police officers followed the stolen vehicle until Robinson and the driver exited the vehicle. When ordered to stop, both men fled the stolen vehicle on foot, leaving behind their fully loaded pistols. During a search of the vehicle, officers recovered a loaded black SCCY CPX-1 9mm pistol on the driver’s seat, and a loaded black Springfield XDS (HS Produkt) .45 caliber pistol in the passenger side footwell. Latent fingerprints were lifted from the .45 caliber pistol and analyzed by a fingerprint examiner. One latent fingerprint was a match for Robinson. Additionally, officers recovered Robinson’s wallet and Florida identification card that had been left on the passenger seat near the pistol bearing Robinson’s latent print. Robinson and the driver were subsequently arrested.
At the time of the incident, Robinson had recently served 30 months in federal prison for convictions under the National Firearms Act in a prior federal criminal case and had been released 4 months prior to his arrest in this case.
This case was investigated by the Tampa Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David W.A. Chee.
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.
Tacoma man pleads guilty to producing images of child sexual abuseRead the Press Release
Tacoma – A 37-year-old Tacoma man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Tacoma to production of child pornography and possession of child pornography announced U.S. Attorney Nick Brown. William Alexander Crisolo was arrested October 1, 2021, after an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations. Crisolo admitted today that he made sexually explicit images of two young children. One set of images was traded via the internet application KIK for other images of child sexual abuse. Crisolo faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison when sentenced on July 16. 2023.
According to records filed in the case, Homeland Security Cyber Crimes Center received a tip from a foreign law enforcement agency that Crisolo was claiming, via internet chats, that he was abusing two different minor children and filming the abuse. Law enforcement moved to search Crisolo’s residence and electronic devices. On his custom-built computer, investigators found more than 4,000 child sexual abuse images and 100 child sexual abuse videos. On Crisolo’s phone, law enforcement identified sexually explicit images of the two young child victims.
Under the terms of the plea agreement, both the prosecution and defense will recommend a 16-and-a-half-year sentence. Chief U.S. District Judge David G. Estudillo is not bound by the recommendation and can impose any sentence allowed by law.
The plea in federal court also resolves state court charges for child molestation.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations with assistance from the Tacoma Police Department.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Zachary Dillon and Matthew Hampton.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc
Stockton Drug Trafficker Sentenced to over 16 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Miguel Castellanos Huitron, (aka Efrain Tavarez Lopez) 52, of Stockton, was sentenced today to 16 years and six months in prison for conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, Huitron operated a drug trafficking organization in the Stockton-Tracy area. At Huitron’s direction, members of the conspiracy distributed more than 4 kilograms of methamphetamine to confidential sources between April 2009 and December 2009. Huitron employed at least five people to deliver methamphetamine on his behalf. In late 2009, Huitron left the United States to spend the Christmas holiday in Mexico and remained there until 2017. Huitron continued directing and receiving money from the organization while in Mexico, until his drug trafficking organization was ultimately dismantled in 2010. He was arrested in September 2017.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Heiko P. Coppola prosecuted the case.
Springfield Sex Offender Sentenced to 20 Years for Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield, Mo., man who is a registered sex offender was sentenced in federal court today for receiving and distributing child pornography.
Rodney Shawn Henry, 51, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to 20 years in federal prison without parole. The court also sentenced Henry to spend the rest of his life on supervised release following incarceration, and ordered Henry to pay $48,000 in restitution to the identified victims. Henry will be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison and will be subject to federal and state sex offender registration requirements, which may apply throughout his life.
On Aug. 16, 2022, Henry pleaded guilty to receiving and distributing child pornography. Henry was a registered sex offender prior to this federal case due to his conviction for sexually abusing a 9-year-old child.
Springfield police officers arrested Henry on Jan. 21, 2019, for failing to comply with sex offender registration requirements by not reporting his home address. Law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Henry’s residence the next day and seized his cell phone and digital storage devices. A forensic investigation of the cell phone and digital storage devices resulted in the discovery of well over 100,000 videos and images of child pornography. The images included children as young as toddlers being sexually brutalized.
Prior to Henry’s arrest, investigators had received a Cybertip Report after Dropbox, Inc., discovered images of child pornography that Henry had uploaded to his account.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney James J. Kelleher. It was investigated by the Southwest Missouri Cyber Crime Task Force and the Springfield, Mo., Police Department.
Project Safe Childhood
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."
Sioux Falls Man Sentenced to Nine Years in Federal Prison for Role in Fraud & Money Laundering SchemesRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man, convicted of Conspiracy to Launder Monetary Instruments. The sentencing took place on March 13, 2023, in Sioux Falls.
Marvin Antuan Williams, age 32, was sentenced to nine years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. He was ordered to pay $584,250.24 in restitution, to forfeit his interest in money and personal property, as well as to pay a $100 statutorily required special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Williams was indicted for Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud and Conspiracy to Launder Monetary Instruments by a federal grand jury in April of 2022. He pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Launder Monetary Instruments on November 9, 2022.
According to court documents, from 2020 to April 2022, Williams, along with his co-defendants, conspired with others to commit bank fraud. The scheme impacted multiple financial institutions throughout the Sioux Falls area were and elsewhere, as the defendants obtained money from those banks by means of false or fraudulent pretenses, representations, and promises.
After obtaining funds through fraud, Williams and his co-conspirators engaged in depositing, transferring, wiring, and withdrawing currency and funds at financial institutions to conceal and disguise the proceeds of the fraud scheme.
This case was investigated by IRS Criminal Investigation; Homeland Security Investigations; Sioux Falls Police Department; U.S. Postal Service; and the South Dakota Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy R. Jehangiri prosecuted the case.
Williams was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service to continue serving his sentence.
Sioux City Woman Sentenced to 15 Months in Federal Prison for Escaping from Halfway HouseRead the Press Release
A woman who escaped from custody was sentenced March 8, 2023, to more than one year in federal prison.
Karen Rose Merrick, age 39, from Sioux City, received the prison term after a December 13, 2022, guilty plea to one count of escape from custody, and revocation of her supervised release.
At the guilty plea, Merrick admitted that on August 2, 2022, she signed out of Dismas Charities Residential Reentry Center (RRC) to report for work at a company in Sioux City. RRC staff called the company to verify Merrick had arrived at work on August 1 and 2, 2022. The company advised she had not arrived at work. She did not return to the RRC on August 2, 2022, or after. Defendant’s whereabouts were unknown until her arrest on September 9, 2022, by the Minneapolis, Minnesota, Police Department.
In January 2020, Merrick was convicted of Accessory After the Fact to Bank Robbery in the United States District Court of the Northern District of Iowa, where she was sentenced to 30 months in prison and a term of supervised release of 2 years after her term of imprisonment. On January 27, 2021, defendant started her original supervised release term. In July 2022, she was placed at the RRC located in Sioux City for a period of 90 days.
Merrick was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Merrick was sentenced to 15 months’ imprisonment. She must also serve a 1-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Merrick is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until she can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Fletcher and investigated by United States Marshal’s Service.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 22-CR-4088.
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Sioux City Man Pleads Guilty to Unlawfully Possessing Firearms Twice in One MonthRead the Press Release
A man with a lengthy criminal history entered a plea of guilty March 13, 2023, after seating a jury in federal court in Sioux City.
Marlo Harper, aka Umar Amir Al-Sayyaad Allahdheen, age 46, from Sioux City, Iowa, plead guilty to two counts of possession of a firearm by a felon and drug user.
After proceeding to a trial and seating a jury, Harper admitted that on two separate occasions, within the month of August 2021 he unlawfully possessed firearms.
On August 10, 2021, Harper was stopped by Sioux City Police for traffic infractions. Upon contact with the occupants in the vehicle, the officer detected an odor of marijuana emitting from the vehicle. The occupants were removed, and a subsequent search of the vehicle was conducted. When Harper exited the vehicle, he admitted having a firearm and a knife on his person. A loaded handgun – with a round in the chamber – was removed from his waistband. Officers also located a fanny pack in the trunk that contained ammunition. Harper also had an open container of alcohol.
On August 24, 2021, Harper was stopped for illegal window tint. When the Iowa State Trooper made contact with the occupants, he noted an odor of marijuana emitting from the vehicle. During the traffic stop investigation, approximately 2 grams of marijuana was found, along with a loaded handgun in the center counsel, which was positioned for easy access by Harper, who was driving the car. Harper also had a set of nunchucks between the driver seat and center counsel. Three additional firearms were found in the trunk as well as ammunition and a samurai sword.
Harper has a lengthy criminal history including: Assault in the 1st Degree, in Hennepin County, Minnesota; Assault in the Second Degree, in Ramsey County, Minnesota; Aggravated Assault (Family Violence), and one count of Terroristic Threats in Fulton County, Georgia; and Theft, in Tarrant County, Texas.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set for a later date, after a presentence report is prepared. Harper remains in the custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Harper faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and 5-years of supervised release following any imprisonment on each of the two counts of conviction.
This case was investigated by the Iowa State Patrol, the Iowa Department of Narcotics Enforcement, the O’Brien County Sheriff’s Office and the Sioux City Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Ron Timmons and Forde Fairchild.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 21-4085.
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Rhode Island Woman Sentenced to Federal Prison for Falsifying Military Service; False Use of Military Medals; Identity Theft; and Fraudulently Collecting More Than $250,000 in Veteran Benefits and Charitable ContributionsRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A Rhode Island woman who never served in the U.S. Military but perpetrated a massive fraud scheme by falsely masquerading as a Purple Heart and Bronze Star-decorated United States Marine who claimed to have been wounded by an IED in Iraq and to have developed service-related cancer was sentenced today to nearly six years in federal prison, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.
Sarah Jane Cavanaugh, 32, whose near-daily criminal conduct over a period of five years is described in court documents as being “among the more reprehensible seen in this District from a fraud defendant,” defrauded veterans, veterans’ organizations, veterans’ charities, friends, and co-workers in a “methodical and calculated manner.”
Cavanaugh previously admitted to a federal judge that, while employed as a civilian by the Department of Veterans Affairs at the Rhode Island Veterans Affairs Medical Center, a role in which she was supposed to help and support military veterans, she used her position to misappropriate veterans’ identities, their combat experiences, their diagnoses of illnesses, and their valor to devise schemes to enrich herself by using the stolen information to obtain more than $250,000 in cash, charitable donations, and services reserved for injured veterans.
“Sarah Cavanaugh’s conduct in the course of her scheme is nothing short of appalling,” remarked U.S. Attorney Cunha. “By brazenly laying claim to the honor, service, and sacrifice of real veterans, this defendant preyed on the charity and decency of others for her own shameless financial gain. I am grateful that, with today’s sentence, she has been brought to justice and will face the consequences of her actions.”
“Today’s sentencing sends a strong message to those who would represent themselves as something they’re not in order to profit from the kindness and respect shown to our nation’s deserving veterans,” said Special Agent in Charge Christopher Algieri of the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General’s Northeast Field Office. “The VA OIG thanks the United States Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners for their efforts in bringing this defendant to justice.”
"Individuals who falsely represent themselves as decorated veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces degrades the service of the men and women who selflessly serve our country," said Patrick J. Hegarty, Special Agent in Charge of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service Northeast Field Office, the law enforcement component of the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General. "Profiting from such an egregious scheme is an affront to the U.S. military's long-standing tradition of honoring and awarding its brave service members. Today's sentencing demonstrates our commitment to work with our law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney's Office to investigate allegations of stolen valor."
“Ms. Cavanaugh deserves to be held fully accountable for falsely claiming to be wounded Marine veteran as part of a reprehensible scheme to collect more than $250,000 in veterans benefits and charitable contributions that should have been directed to real veterans in need,” said Special Agent in Charge Michael T. Wiest of the NCIS Northeast Field Office. “NCIS and our partners remain committed to investigating all allegations of fraud that harms Department of the Navy service members and their families.”
“Sarah Cavanagh feigned having cancer, and falsely claimed valor where there was none, to gain hundreds of thousands of dollars in benefits and charitable donations. Her actions are an insult to every veteran who has served our country, and today she learned her fate for her criminal conduct,” said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. “Make no mistake, the FBI and our law enforcement partners are committed to seeking justice for anyone who lies about serving our country and illegally takes money from federal programs that help veterans who rightfully deserve it.”
Court documents detail Ms. Cavanaugh’s “repugnant” criminal activity: falsely purporting to be a combat-injured veteran allowed her to gain introduction to, and acceptance by, friends, charities, businesses, and organizations whom she then exploited and/or defrauded. Nine veterans’ charities combined to fund Cavanaugh’s travel to retreats, in-home care, gym memberships, physical therapy, paying electric bills, and provided donated gift cards for use in obtaining groceries and other essentials. Cavanaugh also used false documentation to fraudulently obtain months of paid leave from two federal employee benefit programs based on her cancer claims.
Even more brazenly, Cavanaugh exploited her purported experiences to assume leadership roles in the veteran community, including as commander of a VFW Post in North Kingstown, RI; gave public speeches while dressed in full U.S. Marine uniform, complete with a Purple Heart and Bronze Star that she purchased on the internet; and secured a spot in an arts program at the University of Southern California, a program she described to a U.S. Army veteran she met through the Wounded Warrior Program who was later accepted into the program. In a letter to the court, the Army veteran faulted Cavanaugh for taking “a spot [in the program] from another veteran who could have participated in the program and, ultimately, may not have committed suicide.”
Sarah Cavanaugh pleaded guilty on August 9, 2022, to wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, forged military discharge certificate, and fraudulent use of military medals. She was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Chief Judge John J. McConnell, Jr., to 70 months in federal prison to be followed by 3 years of federal supervised release. Additionally, the court ordered Cavanaugh to pay restitution to all victims perpetrated by her fraud totaling $284,796.82. The court also issued an order that the federal government reinstate a total of 261 hours of federal employee paid leave time they donated to Cavanaugh.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Ronald R. Gendron.
The matter was investigated by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General; U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Police Service; U.S. Defense Criminal Investigative Service; U.S. Naval Criminal Investigative Service; FBI; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; and Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations.
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Resident Doctor Arrested for Possessing Images and Videos of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A resident doctor in Western Massachusetts was arrested this morning for allegedly possessing child pornography.
Bradford Ferrick, 32, of Winchester, Mass., and Amherst, Mass., was charged with one count of possession of child pornography. Ferrick will make an initial appearance in federal court in Boston at 11:45 a.m. today via remote proceeding. At the time of his arrest today, Ferrick was on home confinement restrictions for pending related state charges.
According to the charging documents, Ferrick lived in Syracuse, N.Y., between approximately 2018 and 2022 while he attended State University of New York (SUNY) Upstate Medical University. After graduating from SUNY, Ferrick began a medical residency in July 2022 focused on Family Medicine with Baystate Franklin Family Medicine, including rotations at facilities in at least Greenfield, Deerfield and Springfield, Mass. It is alleged that during a search of Ferrick’s Winchester, Mass., residence on Feb. 13, 2023, approximately 61 devices – including external hard drives, computers, cell phones, hidden camera systems and SD cards – which state investigators allege contained thousands of images and videos of suspected child pornography were seized. Ferrick was arrested by state authorities and released on home confinement after posting bail in Woburn District Court. On Feb. 17, 2023, a second search of Ferrick’s residence in Winchester, Mass., resulted in the recovery of 11 additional devices by state investigators. A preliminary review of some of the devices seized allegedly revealed images and videos depicting child pornography of victims who appear to be between the ages of six and 11 years old.
During a search of a separate residence Ferrick was renting in Amherst, Mass., on Feb. 21, 2023, eight additional devices including multiple hidden camera devices and USB storage devices were seized. It is alleged that one of the hidden camera devices – which was designed to be worn as a bracelet – was found to contain at least two surreptitiously recorded videos of Ferrick administering medical exams. It is alleged that two minors who investigators believe to be patients could be heard and, at times, partially seen in the videos. Forensic review of the devices seized at both residences remains ongoing.
“I can think of no greater fear as a parent or guardian than potential harm coming to your child. Today we allege that this doctor, who held a position of trust with access to children, maintained child sexual abuse material. The investigation is active and ongoing,” said United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins. “Members of the public with questions, concerns or any information pertaining to this doctor are strongly encouraged to contact the FBI via the provided form. As members of law enforcement, the safety of children is our highest priority. Together, in close cooperation with the medical facilities where Dr. Ferrick was employed, we will do all that we can to identify the duration and scope of his alleged offenses and proceed accordingly and expeditiously.”
“Today, the FBI arrested Dr. Bradford Ferrick, a resident doctor with access to children, who now stands accused of extremely troubling behavior,” said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. “This is very much an active investigation and we urge anyone with information to contact us. Thanks to our close collaboration with our law enforcement partners, we are grateful to have been able to put a stop to Dr. Ferrick’s alleged conduct.”
Members of the public who have information, questions or concerns regarding this case should visit this link: https://forms.fbi.gov/FerrickInvestigation
The charge of possession of child pornography provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
U.S. Attorney Rollins; FBI SAC Bonavolonta; Winchester Police Chief Daniel O'Connell; John E. Mawn Jr., Interim Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police; and Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Catherine G. Curley and Michael Mazur of Rollins’ Springfield Branch Office are prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
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.
Readout of Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta and Access to Justice Director Rachel Rossi’s Trip to IowaRead the Press Release
Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta joined Director Rachel Rossi of the Office for Access to Justice (ATJ) in Des Moines, Iowa, today as part of the Department’s National Public Defense Day Tour to recognize the 60th anniversary of the landmark Supreme Court decision in Gideon v. Wainwright, which held that criminal defendants are entitled to counsel when facing felony charges and celebrate the role of public defenders in the American legal system.
Associate Attorney General Gupta and Director Rossi met with Iowa Supreme Court Justice Matthew McDermott, who is also the Chair of the Iowa Access to Justice Commission, about the Commission’s work to help individuals struggling with fully accessing Iowa’s justice system. They also met with Iowa State Public Defender Jeff Wright, who hosted the visit and helped lead a listening session with local leaders about the issues facing the indigent defense bar in Iowa, including high caseloads and low pay, recruitment and retention concerns, and particular challenges facing attorneys in rural areas. Associate Attorney General Gupta and Director Rossi were joined at the listening session by U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Iowa Richard Westphal.
The Associate Attorney General announced during the listening session an initiative to help the Justice Department connect with and address the needs of public defenders in communities across the country, with the creation of a new attorney position in ATJ dedicated to supporting, collaborating with, and engaging the state and local public defense community.
The department’s National Public Defense Day Tour has also made stops in Miami; Tulsa, Oklahoma; the Muscogee (Creek) Nation; Nashville, Tennessee; and Las Vegas. The tour will conclude on Friday at the Justice Department with an event recognizing federal, state and local public defenders that will be livestreamed for the public.
Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta (left center) with Access to Justice Director Rachel Rossi (left), Iowa State Public Defender Jeff Wright (right center) and Iowa Supreme Court Justice and Chair, Access to Justice Commission Matthew McDermott (right). Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta (mid, center), Access to Justice Director Rachel Rossi (left, center), U.S. Attorney Rich Westphal (right, center) and others participate in a listening session with members of the public defense community.Providence Man Arrested for Oxycodone SalesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Providence man has been charged with selling oxycodone in Worcester on multiple occasions to an undercover officer.
Brandon Jones, 32, was charged with distribution of oxycodone. Jones was arrested yesterday in Worcester and made an initial appearance in federal court in Worcester this morning before U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge David H. Hennessy.
According to the charging documents, in July 2022, Jones was identified as an oxycodone and cocaine distributor in the Worcester area. Specifically, it is alleged that Jones traveled to Worcester in rental vehicles on a daily basis to sell drugs throughout the area in the afternoon before returning to Providence. On at least three occasions between October 2022 and January 2023, Jones allegedly distributed oxycodone pills to an undercover officer in controlled purchases.
The charge of unlawful distribution of oxycodone provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division and Southbridge Police Chief Shane D. Woodson made the announcement today. Valuable assistance in the investigation was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Rhode Island and the Rhode Island State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Greg Friedholm of Rollins’ Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.Physician Indicted on Thirteen Counts of Healthcare FraudRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A suburban Chicago physician has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Chicago on thirteen counts of health care fraud for submitting fraudulent requests for reimbursement.
As alleged in the indictment, from February 2018 to April 2022, MONA GHOSH, 50, of Inverness, a licensed physician who owned and operated Progressive Women’s Healthcare, S.C. (Progressive) in Hoffman Estates, participated in a scheme to defraud the government programs of TRICARE and Medicaid, along with several private insurance companies. The indictment alleges that Ghosh knowingly submitted fraudulent claims for reimbursement for services that were not provided and for services that were not medically necessary. These included claims for purported telemedicine visits when Ghosh did not speak to the patient, claims for office visits and procedures when Ghosh did not see the patient, claims for procedures predicated on false diagnosis, and claims for medically unnecessary procedures and tests, including endometrial ablations and laboratory testing. Ghosh fraudulently obtained, and caused Progressive to obtain, approximately $796,000 in fraudulent payments from multiple health care benefit programs for services that were not provided as billed.
The indictment is announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Robert W. Wheeler, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; and Darrin K. Jones, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Defense, Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), Southeast Field Office; Mario Pinto, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General; and the Illinois Medicaid Fraud Control Unit. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Misty Wright and Kavitha Babu.
“Targeting government and private healthcare programs relied on by the public to maintain their well-being is a serious crime,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Pasqual. “In addition to submitting false claims, the allegation that defendant performed medically unnecessary procedures to enrich herself is particularly disturbing. This office will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to prosecute those who steal from healthcare programs and who needlessly put patients at risk.”
“When healthcare providers illegally manipulate our healthcare system, it diminishes the trust Americans have in vital programs. The FBI is proud to stand with our law enforcement partners and ensure justice is served” said Special Agent in Charge Wheeler.
“Health care providers who submit fraudulent claims for unnecessary and non-rendered services not only waste valuable taxpayer dollars, but also undermine the trust and confidence of their patients,” said Special Agent in Charge Pinto. “We will continue to work together with our law enforcement partners to ensure that individuals who commit fraud against our federal health care programs are held accountable.”
“Those who place profit before patient care, impacting the welfare of our service members and their families, must be held accountable,” said Special Agent in Charge Jones. “DCIS proudly stands together with our law enforcement partners and the Department of Justice to root out fraud, waste, and abuse in the healthcare industry.”
The public is reminded that an indictment contains only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Each count of health care fraud is punishable by up to 10 years in federal prison. If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
If you or someone you know is a victim of Dr. Mona Ghosh or if you have any information, please contact the FBI at [email protected].
Pennsylvania Man Admits Robbing Two Camden County BanksRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A Pennsylvania man today admitted robbing two banks in Camden County, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Leon I. Stanford, 54, of Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Joseph H. Rodriguez to an information charging him with two counts of bank robbery.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On Feb. 22, 2020, Stanford entered the TD Bank in Oaklyn, New Jersey and handed the bank teller a note which announced a robbery and demanded cash. The bank teller complied, and witnesses saw him depart in a white SUV. On Feb. 24, 2020, Stanford entered the Republic Bank in Cherry Hill, and handed the bank teller a note which announced a robbery and demanded cash. The bank teller complied, and witnesses saw Stanford depart in a white SUV.
Law enforcement officers were able to obtain a partial license plate number for the white SUV from surveillance videos in the area of both bank robberies, which generated a lead to a vehicle driven by Stanford, who was subsequently identified as the person in the bank surveillance videos.
At the time of these bank robberies, Stanford was on federal supervised release as a result of prior bank robbery convictions, for which he served a 10-year term of imprisonment. Sentencing is scheduled for July 18, 2023.
Each bank robbery charge carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jacqueline Maguire in Philadelphia; the New York/New Jersey U.S. Marshals Regional Task Force Camden Division, under the direction of U.S. Marshal Juan Mattos Jr.; the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Grace C. MacAulay; the Oaklyn Police Department, under the direction of Chief Jayne Jones; and the Cherry Hill Police Department, under the direction of Chief Robert Kempf, with the investigation leading to the guilty plea.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen M. Harberg in Camden.
stanford.information.pdfPanama City Physician Pays $225,000 to Settle Allegations That He Overprescribed Controlled SubstancesRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Dr. George Barrio, a pain management physician who formerly practiced medicine at the NeuroMedical Institute in Panama City, agreed to pay $225,000 to resolve allegations that he unlawfully prescribed opioids and other controlled substances to patients. The settlement was announced by Jason R. Coody, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
“We are holding physicians accountable for disregarding patient safety and violating federal law when they write prescriptions that lack a legitimate medical purpose,” said U.S. Attorney Coody. “Their actions not only violate the Controlled Substance Act but contribute to the opioid epidemic ravaging our communities. With our law enforcement partners, we remain committed to combating this epidemic at all levels. This settlement and the associated surrender of the physician’s DEA controlled substance registration are evidence of our resolve.”
The government alleged that Dr. Barrio wrote prescriptions that lacked a legitimate purpose and were issued outside the usual course of professional practice, in violation of the Controlled Substances Act. In addition to payment of the $225,000 monetary fine, Dr. Barrio also agreed to surrender his DEA registration for Schedule II and IIN controlled substances.
“One of DEA’s most important missions is to ensure physicians comply with the federal laws and regulations set forth in the Controlled Substance Act. Failing to comply with these laws increases the potential for the diversion of controlled substances, which puts the safety and health of our communities at risk,” said DEA Miami Field Division Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter. “The DEA remains committed to working with our local, state, and federal partners to ensure DEA registrants follow these laws and regulations.”
This civil settlement agreement is not an admission of any liability by Dr. Barrio, nor a concession by the United States that its potential claims were not well-founded.
Assistant United States Attorneys Mary Ann Couch, Kathryn Drey, and Marie Moyle represented the United States in this matter, which was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (Diversion Control Program), Bay County Sherriff’s Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and United States Department of Health and Human Services.
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.
Oregon Man Sentenced to over 34 Years in Federal Prison for Attempted Coercion and Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
BOISE – Brett Michael Malone, 31, of Adrian, Oregon, was sentenced to 412 months in federal prison for attempted coercion and enticement of a minor, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced today. Chief U.S. District Judge David C. Nye also sentenced Malone to a lifetime of supervised release and entered an order forfeiting the electronic device used to commit the offense. Malone was ordered to pay restitution to the victim of the offense and will be required to register as a sex offender as a result of the conviction.
Malone was convicted by a jury on October 24, 2022, after a four-day trial. Following the jury’s verdict, Malone admitted to a sentencing enhancement for committing the enticement offense while having a duty under state law to register as a sex offender. In 2013, Malone was convicted of rape in the third degree in Malheur County, Oregon.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Malone used Facebook to communicate with a 15-year-old girl in Idaho. During the communications, Malone sent the victim sexually explicit images and videos and enticed her to meet him for sexual contact. The victim’s mom located messages between Malone and the victim on the victim’s cellphone and reported the messages to Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). HSI assumed the victim’s online identity and began communicating with Malone in an undercover capacity. During the communications, Malone continued to engage in sexually explicit conversation with the undercover agent posing as the victim and arranged to meet the victim for sexual contact. When Malone traveled to meet the victim, he was apprehended by law enforcement.
“While nothing can make up for the trauma suffered by the victim in this case and all victims of child exploitation, this sentence sends a strong message that those who victimize children will be prosecuted and severely punished,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “In this case, we are glad that the community will be protected from further predation by this repeat offender. I am grateful to the federal, state, tribal, and local investigators, parents, teachers, and all others who take action to protect vulnerable minors.”
“Malone’s days of preying on and exploiting the minors of Idaho are hopefully over,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert Hammer, who oversees Homeland Security Investigations operations in the Pacific Northwest. “This sentence should serve as a warning to those engaged in this type of criminal behavior, if you seek to exploit our children HSI and our Idaho law enforcement partners will stop at nothing to hold you accountable. This outcome highlights the consequences of believing otherwise. The partnership with Idaho State police and Boise Police Department was tremendous on this case and was critical to its overall success."
U.S. Attorney Hurwit commended the cooperative efforts of Homeland Security Investigations, Idaho State Police, and Boise Police Department, which led to the charges.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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Omaha Man Sentenced to 77 Months for Being a Felon in Possession of FirearmRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Steven Russell announced that Kevin Gray, 28, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on March 10, 2023, in federal court in Omaha for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Gray to 77 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, he will begin a three-year term of supervised release.
On November 10, 2020, Gray sold a Ruger 5.7-caliber handgun to a cooperating witness working with law enforcement. Due to three previous felony convictions for robbery, Gray is prohibited from possessing firearms under federal law.
This case is part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. The United States Attorney’s Office has prosecuted this case with support from the following Project Guardian partners: the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Omaha Police Department. For more information about Project Guardian, please see www.justice.gov/archives/ag/about-project-guardian.
Oklahoma Man with Prior Felony Convictions Charged with Unlawful Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont – The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that Kewon Yarbrough, 37, of Tulsa, Oklahoma, was charged yesterday by criminal complaint for unlawfully possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Yarbrough was arrested Sunday evening in Rutland, Vermont. Yarbrough appeared yesterday for his initial appearance before United States Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle, and will appear again today for a detention hearing.
According to court records, on March 7, 2023, Yarbrough was involved in a car accident in Rutland County. Yarbrough was the sole occupant of his vehicle at the time of the crash. Yarbrough’s vehicle was towed to an auto shop in Killington after the accident. A person called the auto shop multiple times inquiring about property left in the vehicle. An employee of the auto shop checked the vehicle, and located a Taurus Model G3C 9x19mm semi-automatic pistol in the center console. The auto shop then called the Killington Police Department, who secured the firearm from the auto shop. On March 8, 2023, Yarbrough went to the auto shop looking for his handgun, and became upset when he learned that Killington Police had taken the firearm. Yarbrough thereafter emailed Killington Police asking that his weapon be returned. Yarbrough’s criminal history includes several prior felony convictions in the State of Oklahoma for which he received sentences exceeding one year.
The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that a criminal complaint contains allegations only and that Yarbrough remains presumed innocent until and unless he is convicted of a crime. Yarbrough faces a maximum sentence of 15 years of imprisonment if convicted. The actual sentence would be determined with reference to federal sentencing guidelines.
United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest commended the investigatory efforts of the Killington Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Vermont State Police.
The prosecutors are Assistant United States Attorneys Corinne Smith and Jonathan Ophardt. Yarbrough is represented by the Office of the Federal Public Defender.
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. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psn
Norfolk Man Sentenced for Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Steven Russell announced that Dallas Sherman Rhinehart, 53, of Norfolk, Nebraska, was sentenced March 10, 2023, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for his participation in a methamphetamine drug conspiracy. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Rhinehart to 130 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, Rhinehart will begin a five-year term of supervised release.
In May of 2020, Rhinehart was identified as someone distributing methamphetamine in the Norfolk area. On July 6, 2020, and July 22, 2020, law enforcement conducted controlled buys of methamphetamine from Rhinehart. The total amount of methamphetamine purchased included 52 grams of pure methamphetamine and 30 grams of a mixture of methamphetamine.
Rhinehart’s co-conspirators include Katherine Marie Tacheira, who has pleaded guilty and is pending sentencing, and Lindsey Ann Rokahr, who has pleaded not guilty and is pending trial.
This case was investigated by the Nebraska State Patrol.
Nonimmigrant visa holder convicted of violating US gun lawsRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A federal jury in Houston has convicted a 25-year-old citizen of Niger on firearms charges related to his status in the United States, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
The jury deliberated for approximately one hour following a one-day trial before returning guilty verdicts on all four counts as charged against Moctar Ahmadou Gouroudja Ahmadou.
Even though Ahmadou was lawfully present in the United States on a nonimmigrant visa, he violated the terms of that status by illegally using a firearm and ammunition.
“Thousands of people enter this country each year and honor and appreciate the terms of their presence in the United States,” said Hamdani. “This individual disrespected that privilege not once or twice, but four times by illegally possessing and using firearms and ammunition. We cannot allow non-citizens to violate our gun laws, and we thank the jury for returning the verdicts as they did today.”
Ahmadou entered the United States on March 24, 2016, from Niger. At the time, he had a nonimmigrant F1 visa, or student visa, to study at the North American University in Stafford. Under that status, he was not permitted to possess or use firearms or ammunition.
However, the jury heard that on or around May 17, 2021, Ahmadou participated in handling and firing a handgun at a Texas-based gun range. He purchased a course called “First Shot” which provided training on pistol shooting and range time. Immediately after completing the course, Ahmadou rented and later purchased a Glock 45. He was seen at the firing line at the gun range holding a pistol and shooting down range towards a target.
On May 18, 2021, Ahmadou returned to the same gun range to participate in handling and firing a rifle. The course consisted of firearms safety, manipulation and shooting a rifle. He also possessed and shot a Smith & Wesson, model MP15, .223 caliber rifle and purchased and possessed four boxes of Fiocchi .223 caliber ammunition which he used with the rifle.
U.S. District Judge Alfred H. Bennett presided over the trial and has set sentencing for June 22. At that time, Ahmadou faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
Ahmadou has been and will remain in custody pending that hearing.
The FBI; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Department of State - Diplomatic Security Service; Homeland Security Investigations; Customs and Border Protection; U.S. Customs and Immigration Service; and Texas Department of Fish and Wildlife conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Steven Schammel and Richard Bennett prosecuted the case along with Trial Attorney Michael Dittoe of the Justice Department’s Counter Terrorism Section.