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27 April 2023
Convicted Child Molester Sentenced for Attempted Naturalization FraudRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – Armando Marinero-Garcia, age 49, a permanent resident of the United States, born in Mexico and residing in Johnston County, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Terrence W. Boyle to five months in prison following a guilty plea to attempted naturalization fraud.
According to court records, on June 1, 2018, Marinero attempted to fraudulently obtain U.S. citizenship by making materially false statements under penalty of perjury regarding his naturalization application. In response to the question “Were you EVER involved in any way with any of the following:…Forcing, or trying to force, someone to have any kind of sexual contact or relations?” he answered “No.” Also, in response to the question “Have you EVER committed, assisted in committing, or attempted to commit, a crime or offense for which you were NOT arrested?” he answered “No.”
On June 14, 2022, in the Superior Court of North Carolina in Wake County, Marinero was convicted of four counts of indecent liberties with a child and one count of crime against nature. He was sentenced to a combined term of imprisonment of 100 months and ordered to register as a sex offender. According to the transcript of plea and judgments issued by the court, Marinero committed the crimes on August 1, 2016. Therefore, the statements he made on his naturalization application were false.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement. Agents with ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations and Homeland Security Investigations, assigned to the Document Benefit Fraud Task Force, investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sebastian Kielmanovich prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:22-cr-252-1BO-RN.
Citrus County Man Arrested for Receiving Stolen Benefit Payments from the Department of Veterans AffairsRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Robert Howard Lawrence II (55, Citrus County) with one count of receiving stolen government property. If convicted, Lawrence faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison and the forfeiture of at least $364,000.
According to court records, the Veterans Affairs (“VA”) Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (“DIC”) program furnishes a monthly benefit paid to eligible survivors of deceased military service members. If the surviving spouse remarries, however, they are no longer eligible to receive DIC benefits. Lawrence was a surviving spouse of a military service member who died in 1994. Lawrence remarried in November 1995. Beginning in November 1995, and continuing through approximately April 1, 2023, Lawrence received DIC benefits to which he was not entitled because he repeatedly told the VA that he had not remarried. In fact, Lawrence had remarried twice – once in 1995 and again in 2023. By failing to report his subsequent marriages, Lawrence illegally received a total of $364,497.80 in stolen VA DIC benefit payments.
An indictment is merely an allegation that a defendant has committed a federal criminal offense. Every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case is being investigated by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hannah Nowalk.
Charleston Man Sentenced to Serve 12 Years in Federal Prison for Selling MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
CAPE GIRARDEAU – The United States Attorney's Office announced that Darwin L. Craig, 34, of Charleston, Missouri, was sentenced to serve 12 years in federal prison for distributing methamphetamine.
Craig appeared for his sentencing hearing Wednesday before U.S. District Judge Stephen N. Limbaugh, Jr. at the federal courthouse in Cape Girardeau, Missouri.
According to court documents, Craig made arrangements to sell approximately five ounces of methamphetamine to an individual in Charleston last May. Craig met the individual and provided the methamphetamine in exchange for $1,200 in cash. Unbeknownst to Craig at the time, however, the individual was an undercover agent with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). At his guilty plea hearing earlier this year, Craig admitted that he knowingly distributed the methamphetamine. After serving his 12-year sentence, Craig will be placed on supervised release for a period of three years.
This case was investigated by the DEA and the SEMO Drug Task Force. Assistant United States Attorney Jack Koester handled the prosecution for the government.
Cedar Rapids Man Sentenced to Prison for Drug and Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, IA – A Cedar Rapids man was sentenced on April 25, 2023, to 270 months in prison for charges of possession with intent to distribute 50 grams of methamphetamine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
According to court documents, Ricky Timothy Williams, 41, engaged law enforcement in a high-speed chase along the interstate in Scott County before leaving the road and driving to the edge of a cornfield. Williams attempted to flee but was apprehended by officers a short distance from the vehicle. A search of Williams’ vehicle revealed a loaded pistol and more than 50 grams of methamphetamine. Williams was convicted of the charges against him by a federal jury on November 15, 2022, following a two-day trial.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Iowa State Patrol, the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Cedar Rapids Felon Who Possessed a Sawed-off Shotgun Sentenced to over Four Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
A convicted felon who possessed a sawed-off shotgun in his truck was sentenced April 26, 2023, to more than four years in federal prison.
Joseph John Senger, age 34, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a November 9, 2022 guilty plea to unlawfully possessing a destructive device.
In a plea agreement and at the guilty plea hearing, Senger admitted he was driving his truck in Cedar Rapids on April 29, 2022. Cedar Rapids Police officers stopped the truck after it drove over a curb and onto a sidewalk. As they approached the truck, officers saw a methamphetamine pipe. Officers then searched the truck and found four grams of methamphetamine, more methamphetamine pipes, seventeen shotgun shells, and a set of brass knuckles. Finally, officers found a weapon made from a Revelation shotgun. Both the barrel and the stock of the shotgun had been shortened. Senger had four shotgun shells on his person.
Senger was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Senger was sentenced to 51 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
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.
Senger is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Morfitt and investigated by the Cedar Rapids Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 22-cr-78.
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California-Based Company, Company President Sentenced in Scheme to Violate the Export Control ActRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – Tao Jiang, the president and owner of Broad Tech System, Inc., a California-based electronics distribution company, and his company were both sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Rhode Island for concealing information from the U.S. Department of Commerce and from U.S. Customs and Border Protection as part of a scheme to illegally export chemicals manufactured and/or distributed by a Rhode Island-based company to a technology company in China with ties to the Chinese military, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.
Tao Jiang, aka Jason Jiang, 53, of Riverside, CA, and Broad Tech Systems pleaded guilty on January 11, 2023, to charges of conspiracy, violation of the Export Control Act, and money laundering conspiracy. Jiang was ordered by U.S. District Court Chief Judge John J. McConnell, Jr., to serve one year of federal probation, to pay a fine of $5,500, and to perform 100 hours of community service; Broad Tech Systems was placed on federal probation for one year and ordered to pay a fine of $120,000.
Additionally, Jiang and Broad Tech Systems were ordered to implement ethics and training programs for all officers and employees of Mr. Jiang and his companies; and to hire an employee whose responsibility is to monitor Broad Tech, and all companies owned by Mr. Jiang, to ensure that his companies and his employees are in full compliance with U.S. laws and regulations.
In pleading guilty, Jiang and Broad Tech System admitted to a federal judge that they conspired together, as well as with Bohr Winn-Shih, an engineer employed at Broad Tech System, to order the chemicals Photoresist and HPRD (Developer) from a North Kingstown-based manufacturer, and then knowingly submitted false and misleading documentation to the U.S. Government and to shipping companies in an effort to have those products illegally shipped to a company in China, in violation of the Export Control Reform Act.
The intended recipient of the shipment, a state-owned Chinese entity in Nanjing, China, mainly engages in the manufacturing of electronic components and research, development and production of core chips and key components that are used in China’s military strategic early warning systems, air defense systems, airborne fire control systems, manned space systems, and other large-scale national projects. Photoresist and HPRD are essential to the chip manufacturing process.
The Chinese company that was intended to receive these products is on a U.S. government list of businesses that are not permitted to receive products manufactured in the United States.
In October 2018, the Customs and Border Protection National Targeting Center alerted the U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) of an intended export of 58 gallons of Photoresist to the China-based company. The product was returned to the manufacturer. Several days after the shipment was halted, the Rhode Island manufacturer received a call from Jiang, acting on behalf of Broad Tech System, seeking to purchase 94 gallons of Photoresist, and asking that it be shipped to a different China-based company. The manufacturer communicated to DOC agents that they found this to be suspicious because they had not done business with Broad Tech in the past; the quantity of Photoresist ordered was unusually significant; and the request came just days after the first shipment had been recalled. It was determined by DOC agents that Jiang, Shih and Broad Tech concealed the intended recipient, and that the shipment’s final destination was actually the Nanjing-based company controlled by the Chinese government.
On January 29, 2019, Broad Tech received a wire transfer of $65,984 to its bank account within the United States, representing payment for the 58 gallons of Photoresist. It was determined that the wire transfer originated from an account controlled by the Nanjing, China-based company.
Bohr Winn-Shih, 65, of Ontario, CA, pleaded guilty on May 11, 2021. Winn-Shih was sentenced on August 3, 2021, to one year of probation.
The cases were prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul F. Daly, Jr.
The matter was investigated by the U.S. Department of Commerce and U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
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California Man Pleads Guilty to Bringing over 65,000 Fentanyl Pills to Syracuse for DistributionRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Jose Orozco Acosta, age 22, of Bakersfield, California, pled guilty today to possessing over 65,000 fentanyl pills with the intent to distribute them.
United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) New York Division Frank A. Tarentino III, Acting Special Agent in Charge of U.S. DEA California Division Bob Beris, and New York State Police (NYSP) Acting Superintendent Steven A. Nigrelli made the announcement.
As part of his plea, Acosta admitted that, on April 4, 2022, he travelled from Bakersfield, CA to a storage unit in Syracuse, NY. Acosta transferred the contents of his storage unit, which included a black plastic tote, to a different storage unit in the city of Syracuse. The black plastic tote that Acosta transported contained over 65,000 fentanyl pills, weighing approximately 7.2 kilograms. The defendant possessed the fentanyl pills with the intent to distribute them throughout the Central New York area.
The investigation, which was coordinated primarily by NYSP Investigators in conjunction with DEA Special Agents in Bakersfield, CA, revealed that Acosta was transporting fentanyl and other narcotics from his home in Bakersfield to drug dealers in the Central New York area for further distribution. As part of the investigation, many of the local dealers that Acosta was supplying were arrested in August 2022 during what authorities called the largest drug seizure in Cayuga County in over 10 years.
As a result of his plea, Acosta faces a minimum of 10 years and a maximum of life in prison, a fine of up to $10,000,000, and a term of supervised release of at least 5 years and up to life. He is scheduled to be sentenced on August 22, 2023 by Chief United States District Judge Brenda K. Sannes in Syracuse, New York. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.
NYSP Violent Gang and Narcotics Enforcement Team (NYSP-VGNET) and DEA Resident Offices in Syracuse, NY and Bakersfield, CA are investigating the case with assistance from the Finger Lakes Drug Task Force, Auburn Police Department, Cayuga County Sheriff’s Office, United States Marshal Service, United States Army National Guard Counterdrug Program, Cayuga County District Attorney’s Office, Cortland City Police Department, Bakersfield Police Department, Kern County Sheriff’s Office, and Kern County Probation Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica N. Carbone is prosecuting the case.
Burlington Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Drug, Firearm, and Cyberstalking ChargesRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, IA – A Burlington man was sentenced on Wednesday, April 26, 2023, to 264 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession of an unregistered firearm, and cyberstalking.
Law enforcement identified Kevin Arthur Andries, 32, following a traffic stop in September 2021 when Andries fled from law enforcement at speeds in excess of 100 miles per hour. Andries eventually crashed the vehicle into the backyard of a residence. Andries then fled on foot and was apprehended nearby. Law enforcement located a backpack, that contained two pounds of methamphetamine, on the ground outside of the driver’s door of the vehicle. There was also a sawed-off shotgun in the trunk.
In November 2021, the Burlington Police Department investigated Andries for stalking. Andries appeared at the victim’s children’s bus stop and school. When Burlington police officers attempted to apprehend Andries, he drove at high rates of speed in a stolen vehicle. When apprehended and arrested, Andries was in possession of methamphetamine and ammunition. A search of Andries’ residence revealed two additional firearms.
Meanwhile, the Iowa City Police Department had a separate investigation into Andries for cyberstalking the same victim from May 2020 until his arrest in November 2021. Andries obtained approximately 25 TextNow phone numbers that he used to call and send text messages to the victim, which at times were hundreds of contacts within one day. Andries also used the numbers to “spoof” people or businesses known to the victim, to induce her to answer the phone. Andries hacked the victim’s email, social media, cell phone, and bank accounts. He added himself to her cell phone plan and wiped the contents of her phone remotely. Andries used the access he gained to her financial accounts to make purchases for himself. Additionally, Andries locked the victim out of all her accounts which prevented her access to the accounts and their contents. Andries coupled his cyberstalking with physical stalking and showed up at the victim’s and the victim’s family’s residences. Andries’ conduct caused the victim substantial emotional distress.
Following his prison term, Andries must also serve seven years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Muscatine Police Department, Burlington Police Department, and Iowa City Police Department investigated the case.
Bureau of Prisons Corrections Officer Charged with Sexually Abusing Two Female InmatesRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A federal grand jury returned an indictment charging a Bureau of Prisons Corrections Officer with two counts of sexually abusing two female inmates at the Federal Correctional Institution in Aliceville, Alabama.
Specifically, the indictment alleges Robert D. Smith sexually abused two incarcerated persons – T.M. and R.-R-L. The indictment further alleges that Smith knowingly engaged in sexual acts with both persons who were, at the time, in official detention and under Smith’s custodial, supervisory, and disciplinary authority.
If convicted, Smith faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison on each charge, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000.
Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona for the Northern District of Alabama made the announcement.
The Justice Department’s Office of the Inspector General investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert O. Posey for the Northern District of Alabama and Trial Attorney Anna Gotfryd of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Baytown woman admits embezzling millions from her employerRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 54-year-old Baytown woman has pleaded guilty to wire fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Judy M. Green admitted to embezzling over $3 million from her employer for approximately 10 years.
Green worked as an account manager for a Houston-based building and maintenance supply company. As part of the scheme, she submitted fraudulent invoices to induce payment from the company and pocketed the funds for personal expenses. Ultimately, the scheme was uncovered when one of the business owners noticed a large payment to an unknown credit card company in the summer of 2022. An audit revealed the fraud had been ongoing since 2012.
U.S. District Judge Alfred Bennett accepted the plea and set sentencing for Aug. 3. At that time, Green faces up to 20 years in federal prison as well as a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
Green was permitted to remain on bond pending sentencing.
The FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Carter prosecuted the case.
26 April 2023
Zuni Man Pleads Guilty to Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, announced that Nicholas Pinto has pled guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon resulting in serious bodily injury and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence in Indian Country. Pinto, 24, of Zuni, New Mexico, and an enrolled member of the Pueblo of Zuni, will remain in custody pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled.
According to the plea agreement, on Sept. 18, 2022, while at the home of the victim, identified as John Doe, Pinto started an argument with another guest at which point Doe asked him to leave. As Pinto left the residence, he told Doe that he would be “coming back.” Pinto returned to Doe’s house later that day with a sawed-off shotgun and knocked on the front door. When Doe answered, Pinto fired the shotgun at Doe with the intent to cause great bodily harm, striking Doe in the right leg. As Doe was laying on the ground, Pinto racked another shell in the shotgun, pointed the gun at Doe, and attempted to fire a second time, but the gun jammed. At that time, Pinto fled the scene and attempted to hide the firearm. John Doe suffered great bodily harm, including a large 12-inch gunshot wound to the right thigh. The incident occurred on the Zuni Pueblo.
Under the terms of the agreement, Pinto faces 10 years in prison followed by up to five years of supervised release.
The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Zuni Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Matthew J. McGinley is prosecuting the case.
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Woodstock Man Sentenced to Prison for Tax FraudRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that MARIUSZ KALINOWSKI, 48, of Woodstock, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Vanessa L. Bryant in Hartford to seven months of imprisonment, followed by one year of supervised release, for a tax fraud offense. Judge Bryant also ordered Kalinowski to pay a $16,500 fine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Kalinowski owns and operates Kalinowski General Construction, Inc., based in Webster, Massachusetts, which provides residential and commercial construction services in Connecticut and Massachusetts. For the 2010 through 2013 tax years, Kalinowski failed to report on his personal federal tax returns $927,828 in income from his business and, as a result, failed to pay approximately $174,746 in taxes on that income.
On November 29, 2022, Kalinowski pleaded guilty to one count of filing a false tax return.
Kalinowski has paid the IRS the $174,746 in taxes he owed.
Kalinowski, who is released on bond, is required to report to prison on June 20.
This investigation was conducted by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer R. Laraia and Peter S. Jongbloed.
Wood County Man Pleads Guilty After Unlawfully Obtaining Unemployment and COVID-19 BenefitsRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Daniel Satow, 33, of Davisville, pleaded guilty today to mail fraud. Satow admitted he unlawfully obtained unemployment benefits, including supplementary funds provided by the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation Program (FPUC) of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on December 20, 2020, Satow logged on to the WorkForce West Virginia website and applied for unemployment compensation. Satow admitted he was employed at the time and that he falsely claimed when he applied that he had not been gainfully employed since September 9, 2020, and that the coronavirus pandemic prevented him from working.
Satow’s fraudulent application was approved and he received a debit card loaded with unemployment compensation benefits through the mail at his Davisville residence on January 5, 2021. Satow admitted that he used the debit card to make purchases for himself while knowing he had obtained the benefits fraudulently.
Satow further admitted that he continued to access the WorkForce West Virginia website for 26 consecutive weeks and each time falsely certified that he remained entitled to unemployment compensation benefits. WorkForce West Virginia relied on Satow’s false answers and loaded additional benefits onto the debit card weekly. These benefits included supplementary funds provided by the FPUC program. Satow admitted that he continued to use the debit card to make personal purchases.
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act provided for a temporary emergency increase in unemployment compensation benefits, referred to as the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation Program (FPUC). Although these benefits are administered by the states, they are funded in part by the federal government.
Satow is scheduled to be sentenced on August 10, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. Satow also owes $21,238 in restitution.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the WorkForce West Virginia Integrity Section and the Litigation Financial Analyst with the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Chief United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Ryan Blackwell is prosecuting the case.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it 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: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-56.
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Weston Man Sentenced to 137 Months for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Ryan P. Murray, 45, Weston, Wisconsin was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 137 months in federal prison for possessing with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. The prison term will be followed by 8 years of supervised release. Murray pleaded guilty to this charge on January 31, 2023.
On January 10, 2022, Lincoln County Sheriff’s Department deputies responded to a report of a one vehicle crash. The driver, Murray, had left the scene of the crash and was found some distance away. Next to Murray, deputies located a bag that contained 291 grams of methamphetamine. Deputies located a loaded Glock 9mm handgun along the path Murray had travelled leaving the crash scene. Within Murray’s crashed vehicle, deputies found a Kel-Tec rifle, ten loaded extended magazines, and a suppressor.
At the time of this incident, Murray had five active arrest warrants and had nine open state criminal cases, including four involving possessing a firearm as a felon and another involving substantial battery. Murray has since been convicted and sentenced in many of his state cases and is currently serving multiple state prison sentences with an anticipated release date of February 16, 2028. As it relates to the firearms involved in this case, Murray was convicted of possession of a firearm by a felon in Lincoln County Circuit Court Case No. 2022CF14 on April 11, 2022, and was sentenced to 180 days in county jail. Judge Peterson ordered Murray’s 137-month federal sentence run concurrently to the remainder of his state prison sentences and to any sentences imposed on his still pending cases.
At sentencing, Judge Peterson noted that the protection of the public was the primary driver of the sentence in this case. He highlighted Murray’s nearly unrelenting pattern of criminality for over 25 years and that Murray was a drug dealer who goes heavily armed. Murray’s history of guns, violence, and drug trafficking represented a clear danger to the community.
The charge against Murray was the result of an investigation conducted by the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven P. Anderson prosecuted this case.
United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Mississippi Commemorates National Crime Victims’ Rights Week April 23-29, 2023Read the Press Release
Oxford, Miss. – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Mississippi is commemorating National Crime Victim’s Rights Week (NCVRW) from April 23-29, 2023. In commemoration of this year’s NCVRW, the office will hold a tree-planting ceremony to honor crime victims on Thursday, April 27, 2023, and will recognize victim advocates within the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
According to a report from the Bureau of Justice Statistics, in 2021, there were more than 4. 6 million violent victimizations and 11.7 million property crimes.
“It is imperative that we support crime victims to ensure that they are adequately informed, their rights are protected, and that they have an opportunity to be heard,” remarked U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner. “Crime victims come from all walks of life, but regardless of their background or circumstances, they deserve support throughout the criminal justice process and beyond. This week, we pause to honor crime victims from our District and across our Nation and affirm our commitment to engaging with them and advocating for them at each step of the criminal justice proceedings.”
The Federal Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) leads communities throughout the country in their annual observances of National Crime Victims Rights Week by raising awareness of victims’ rights and honoring crime victims and those who advocate on their behalf. This year’s theme is “Survivor Voices: Elevate. Engage. Effect Change.” Partner organizations are committed to engaging with victims of crime, learning from their lived experiences, amplifying their voices, and fostering an environment where they are heard, believed, and supported.
For additional information about this year’s National Crime Victims’ Rights Week and how to assist crime victims, please contact Jorge Torres, Victim Assistance Specialist, or Paul Roberts, Victim Rights Coordinator at (662) 234-3351. For more information about how to support all victims of crime, visit OVC’s website at ovc.ojp.gov.
United States Attorney’s Office Observes National Crime Victims’ Rights WeekRead the Press Release
DETROIT, MI – In observance of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, April 23-29, 2023, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan will be recognizing crime victims and those who have dedicated their lives to serve and assist victims of crime.
“My office affirms our unwavering commitment to serving victims of crime,” stated United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison. “Our staff of professionals are dedicated to ensuring that victims’ rights are protected, and that their voices are heard in every case.”
“The rights of crime victims are critically important. They have been victimized, traumatized, injured, and some are surviving family members of a loved one that has been killed,” said Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy. “Hopefully, National Crime Victims’ Rights Week will not only bring awareness of crime survivors and will make others think about their plight beyond this week.”
Each year in April, the federal Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) leads communities throughout the country in their annual observances of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week by raising awareness of victims' rights and honoring crime victims and those who advocate on their behalf. This year’s theme is “Survivor Voices: Elevate. Engage. Effect Change.” Partner organizations are committed to engaging with victims of crime; learning from their lived experiences; amplifying their voices; and fostering an environment where they are heard, believed, and supported.
This year Crime Stoppers of Michigan, in partnership with the Detroit Crime Victims Action Team (DCVAT), which is comprised of special agents and victim advocates from federal and local law enforcement agencies in the Detroit area, will honor the YWCA of Metropolitan Detroit-Interim House Domestic Violence Shelter for their work with domestic violence victims and their children. For years, the YWCA has provided safe housing and counseling for women and children who are seeking shelter from an abusive situation.
This year’s Crime Victims’ Rights Week event will be held on Thursday, April 27, 2023, from noon to 1 p.m. at the Frank Murphy Hall of Justice, 1441 St. Antoine, Detroit, Michigan. Katrina Carmichael, Founder/CEO of Sister2Sister Connection, LLC, a mentoring program for young women and Founder/Executive Director of SADA’s House, a non-profit organization providing assistance for victims of domestic violence, will be the guest speaker and share her emotional story of how she lost her sister as a result of an act of domestic violence. There will also be a butterfly release following the presentation to honor those who have been victimized by crime.
Following the event, the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office will be hosting a Wellness Event featuring vendors, food trucks, resources, and more. For more information about the wellness event, contact Mechelle Donahoo at 313-224-5626 or Pat Little at 313-559-6624.
All are welcome to attend this event.
According to a report from the Bureau of Justice Statistics, in 2021, there were more than 4.6 million violent victimizations and 11.7 million property crimes, the latest year for which such information is available. President Ronald Reagan proclaimed the first National Crime Victims’ Rights Week in 1981 to bring greater sensitivity to the needs and rights of victims of crime.
For more information about how to support all victims of crime, visit OVC’s website at www.ovc.ojp.gov.
United States Attorney’s Office Hosts United Against Hate Meeting in Cedar RapidsRead the Press Release
CEDAR RAPIDS, IA – As part of the Department of Justice’s United Against Hate (UAH) initiative, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Iowa invited the citizens of Cedar Rapids to participate last night in a forum to discuss hate crimes and bias incidents.
UAH is an initiative launched by the Department of Justice focused on improving the prevention of hate crimes and hate incidents by building relationships at the local level. Through this initiative, the Justice Department seeks to create and strengthen partnerships among law enforcement, community leaders and residents.
Joining in the forum were representatives from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Linn County Attorney’s Office, the Department of Justice’s Community Relations Service, and the Cedar Rapids’ Civil Rights Commission.
United States Attorney Timothy T. Duax emphasized the importance of citizens reporting hate crimes to law enforcement. “In civil rights cases, enforcement begins with regular reporting of potential civil rights violations. The reporting of hate crimes is vital because these crimes have a devastating impact not just on the victims, but their families and communities as well. That’s why the Department of Justice has engaged communities through the United Against Hate initiative, bringing together citizens, law enforcement, and prosecutors. However, we cannot investigate and prosecute unless such crimes are reported. Therefore, we encourage citizens to report to the Federal Bureau of Investigation or local law enforcement whenever they witness conduct they believe to be a hate crime.”
To report a hate crime to the FBI, please call 1-800-CALL-FBI, submit a tip at tips.fbi.gov, or contact your local field office.
U.S. Entertainer Convicted of Engaging in Foreign Influence CampaignRead the Press Release
A federal jury convicted a U.S. entertainer and businessman today for orchestrating an unregistered, back-channel campaign beginning in or about 2017 to influence the then-administration of the President of the United States and the Department of Justice to drop the investigation of Jho Low and others for embezzlement and other offenses in connection with the international strategic and development company known as 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), and to send a Chinese national back to China, as well as conspiring to make and conceal foreign and conduit campaign contributions during the 2012 U.S. presidential election.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Prakazrel “Pras” Michel, 50, of Coconut Creek, Florida, conspired with Low Taek Jho, aka Jho Low, of Malaysia; Elliott Broidy; Nickie Lum Davis; George Higginbotham; and others to engage in undisclosed lobbying campaigns at the direction of Low and the Vice Minister of Public Security for the People’s Republic of China, respectively, to have the 1MDB embezzlement investigation and forfeiture proceedings involving Low and others dropped and to have a Chinese national sent back to China.
“As proven at trial, the defendant engaged in an extensive conspiracy to use millions of dollars in foreign funds to engage in illegal back-channel lobbying and make unlawful campaign contributions,” said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Today’s verdict demonstrates that anyone who engages in unlawful foreign-sponsored efforts to influence American officials, our elections, or the criminal justice system will be brought to justice.”
“Mr. Michel sought to use his celebrity and access to influence U.S. government officials on behalf of undisclosed foreign interests,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “This is an affront to the rule of law, and we will use the full range of tools at our disposal to hold accountable those who would covertly aid foreign actors seeking to interfere with our democratic system of government.”
Michel also conspired with Low to orchestrate and conceal a foreign and conduit contribution scheme in which they funneled millions of dollars of Low’s money into the 2012 U.S. presidential election as purportedly legitimate campaign contributions, all while concealing the true source of the money. Michel received Low’s money and contributed it both personally and through approximately 20 straw donors. Michel also caused a presidential joint fundraising committee and an independent expenditure committee to submit false reports to the Federal Election Commission (FEC). In addition, Michel personally submitted a false declaration to the FEC, conspired to commit money laundering and make false statements to financial institutions related to the foreign influence campaigns, and attempted to cause witnesses to make false statements to and withhold information from law enforcement officials about the scheme.
“Michel played a central role in a wide-ranging conspiracy to improperly influence top government officials, including the then-President of the United States and the then-Attorney General,” said Special Agent in Charge Harry A. Lidsky of the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General (DOJ-OIG) Cyber Investigations Office. “The DOJ-OIG uncovered this activity in 2017 and led an exhaustive investigation which culminated today with the conviction of the fourth charged conspirator. I would like to thank the members of the jury for their time and careful deliberation of the facts.”
“The defendant brazenly conspired to help a foreign national launder millions of dollars in illegitimate campaign contributions into the 2012 U.S. presidential election,” Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “The FBI and our partners are dedicated to uncovering even the most sophisticated schemes which could undermine our fair and transparent democratic process.”
Michel was convicted of conspiracy, concealment of material facts, making false entries in records, witness tampering, and serving as an unregistered agent of a foreign power. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on the top counts. A sentencing date has not yet been set. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Broidy pleaded guilty for his role in the scheme on Oct. 20, 2020, in the District of Columbia. He received a full presidential pardon on Jan. 19, 2021.
Higginbotham pleaded guilty for his role in the scheme on Nov. 30, 2018, in the District of Columbia. He will be sentenced at a later date.
Lum Davis pleaded guilty for her role in the scheme on Aug. 31, 2020, in the District of Hawaii. She was sentenced to two years in prison on Jan. 19.
Low was previously indicted and is a fugitive.
The DOJ-OIG and the FBI Los Angeles Field Office and International Corruption Squad in New York investigated the case.
Principal Deputy Chief John D. Keller, Election Crimes Branch Director of Enforcement and Litigation Sean F. Mulryne, and Trial Attorney Nicole R. Lockhart of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely a charge. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Honors Law Enforcement Partners in Fourth Annual “Excellence in the Pursuit of Justice” Awards CeremonyRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – The United States Attorney’s Office recognized members of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies at its fourth annual “Excellence in the Pursuit of Justice” Awards ceremony. The ceremony, held on April 25, 2023, honored law enforcement professionals who have gone above and beyond their duties to safeguard Minnesota’s communities.
“It is a great honor to recognize the exceptional work and unwavering dedication put forth by the law enforcement officials and victim advocates with whom we are fortunate to work on a daily basis,” said U.S. Attorney Andrew Luger. “In conjunction with National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, I applaud our law enforcement partners for their outstanding service to our communities and their pursuit of justice for the victims as well as the offenders.”
The honorees are members of the following agencies:
- Bloomington Police Department
- U.S. Department of Labor – Office of the Inspector General
- Burnsville Police Department
- U.S. Postal Inspection Service
- Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation
- U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development – Office of the Inspector General
- Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
- Drug Enforcement Administration
- Federal Bureau of Investigation
- Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office
- Brooklyn Park Police Department
- Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension
- Albert Lea Police Department
- Minnesota Department of Corrections
U.S. Attorney's Office Hosts Annual Distinguished Victim Services Award CeremonyRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – To commemorate National Crime Victims’ Rights Week (NCVRW),
the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of North Carolina hosted its annual Distinguished Victim Services Award ceremony, recognizing 11 recipients for their significant support, advocacy, and services to crime victims and their contributions to the cause of justice.
National Crime Victims’ Rights Week is April 23-29, 2023. The Justice Department’s Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) has selected this year’s NCVRW theme, “Survivor Voices: Elevate. Engage. Effect Change,” to emphasize the importance of engaging with victims of crime; learning from their lived experiences; amplifying their voices; and fostering an environment where they are heard, believed, and supported.
“National Crime Victims’ Rights Week is an opportunity to honor and recognize outstanding individuals and organizations for their efforts to advocate on behalf of crime victims, and for their exceptional commitment to the pursuit of justice for victims and their families,” said U.S. Attorney Dena J. King. “This year’s recipients were selected for their professionalism, their advocacy, their superior service to crime victims, and their unwavering commitment to making sure that crime victims, crime survivors and their families have equal access to the resources and services they are entitled to on their path to recovery.”
The 11 award recipients recognized for their work are:
Outstanding Law Enforcement Award
- Deputy David Coffman – Catawba County Sheriff’s Office
- Special Agent Timothy Kyle Thiel – Homeland Security Investigations
Outstanding Criminal Justice Professional Award
- Assistant U.S. Attorney William Bozin
- Assistant U.S. Attorney Lambert Guinn
Outstanding Support Staff Award
- Supervisory Legal Assistant Pamela Burgess
- Student Intern Marim Habib
Outstanding Victim Advocate Award
- Adelaide Auman – Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department
- Migdalia Cortes – Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department
- Present Age Ministries – Concord, North Carolina
Outstanding USAO Partner
- Tracey Bernstein – Holiday Inn City Center
- Demetria Brittingham - U.S. Marshals Service
In presenting the awards today, U.S. Attorney King thanked the recipients for their outstanding dedication and service in working with crime victims and noted the important role each honoree has played in delivering justice and providing victims with the support they need in the aftermath of crime.
Throughout the nation and in the Western District of North Carolina, victim advocacy organizations, community groups, and state, local, and Tribal agencies host rallies, candlelight vigils, and other events during NCVRW, to raise awareness of victims’ rights and services.
The Office for Victims of Crime leads communities in their annual observances of NCVRW. On Wednesday, April 26, 2023, a candlelight vigil will be held on the National Mall from 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. eastern time, to pay tribute to victims of crime and the many dedicated professionals and volunteers who advocate on their behalf. Attendees will also observe a moment of silence to honor all crime victims. Use this link to register for the event. For more information about how to support all victims of crime, visit OVC’s website at ovc.ojp.gov.
Additional information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office Victim/Witness Assistance Program can be found here.
U.S. Attorney Emphasizes Commitment to Survivors of Crime During National Crime Victims’ Rights WeekRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas joins the rest of the nation in commemorating National Crime Victims’ Rights Week (NCVRW) April 23-29. NCVRW is an annual week of recognition to honor victims of crime and ensure their rights are upheld.
This year’s theme is “Survivor Voices: Elevate. Engage. Effect Change.” It calls upon communities to amplify the voices of survivors and create environments where survivors have the confidence that they will be heard, believed, and supported.
“Survivors of crime often face physical, emotional and psychological trauma that can have long-lasting effects. They deserve our support, our compassion and our protection,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas. “As U.S. Attorney, I am committed to ensuring that criminals are held accountable for their actions, and that victims are treated with dignity and respect. This week, we stand in solidarity with survivors and remain focused on working toward a society in which all victims are treated with dignity and respect so that they can heal and rebuild their lives.”
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas has a dedicated team of prosecutors and victim assistance professionals who work together to ensure victims of crime receive the services and support they need.
In 2022, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas obtained a default judgement against Samantha Mueting and her company, iCORE Global. Mueting led a real estate scam, perpetrating a series of frauds upon couple nearing retirement. One of the victim couples lost approximately $600,000 to Mueting and iCORE Global when they sent wire transfers to Mueting’s bank accounts in San Antonio. Immediately after the wire transfers were deposited, Mueting made a large cash withdrawal. Suspecting fraud, bank officials closed the account and issued a check to Mueting who then deposited the funds into another bank account in San Antonio under the name of iCORE Global LLC and ICG Secure Deposit Funds LLC. Working with the United States Secret Service, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas filed a civil forfeiture case against the funds, which then totaled $482,194.05. The funds were returned to the victims in or about Oct. 2022.
On Aug. 4, 2022, Jose Gomez III was sentenced in Midland to 25 years in prison on hate crime charges for attacking an Asian family he believed was Chinese and therefore responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic. Gomez further admitted that he had attempted to kill the family’s six-year-old child. In addition to the prison sentence, Gomez was ordered to pay the victims $16,782.74 in restitution.
On Aug. 24, 2022, two men were sentenced in Waco for robbing five area merchants at gunpoint, causing severe harm to each of their victims through violent crime. Roosevelt Jones IV is now serving a 20 year prison sentence, while co-defendant Christopher Teon Fults is serving 10 years. Combined, Jones and Fults were ordered to pay more than $21,000 in restitution to the victims.
On Jan. 23, 2023, Jaycob Andrew Bustamante was sentenced to 204-months imprisonment, a 30 year term of supervised release, and $13,500 restitution, for cyberstalking, distribution of child sexual abuse material and extortion. Between January 2021 and September 2021, he created multiple social media accounts posing as the victim, through which he posted the sexually explicit images and sent the child pornography to her friends and family. Over the course of Bustamante’s constant harassment, he repeatedly threatened and stalked the victim through social media, placing her and her family in fear of violence, while demanding more sexually explicit images.
On Feb. 8, 2023, Connor Flores Jimenez, of the Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas Reservation near Eagle Pass, was sentenced in Del Rio to 20 years in prison after he severely injured his two-month-old baby and choked his wife unconscious.
On April 4, 2023, Alberto Jimenez Pastrana was sentenced in Pecos to 15 years in prison for possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. Pastrana had shot at a vehicle containing his children and their mother, then crashed into it with this own vehicle and drove away, fleeing numerous law enforcement vehicles from various agencies. Pastrana was a convicted felon with four prior felony convictions and received the statutory maximum sentence.
Visit ovc.ojp.gov/ncvrw2023/overview for more information on National Crime Victims’ Rights Week.
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Two Sentenced to Prison for ‘We Build the Wall’ Online Fundraising Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that BRIAN KOLFAGE and ANDREW BADOLATO were sentenced today by United States District Judge Analisa Torres. KOLFAGE was sentenced to 51 months in prison, and BADOLATO was sentenced to 36 months in prison, for their respective roles in carrying out a scheme to defraud hundreds of thousands of donors in connection with an online crowdfunding campaign known as “We Build The Wall” by soliciting donations using false statements and then stealing the resulting donations.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Brian Kolfage and Andrew Badolato abused the trust of donors to We Build the Wall and stole hundreds of thousands of dollars in donations to line their own pockets. The defendants have now been held accountable for their criminal conduct.”
According to court filings and evidence introduced during court proceedings:
Starting in approximately December 2018, BRIAN KOLFAGE, ANDREW BADOLATO, their co-defendant TIMOTHY SHEA, and others orchestrated a scheme to defraud hundreds of thousands of donors, including donors in the Southern District of New York, in connection with an online crowdfunding campaign ultimately known as “We Build The Wall” that raised more than $25,000,000 to build a wall along the southern border of the United States. In particular, to induce donors to donate to the campaign, KOLFAGE repeatedly and falsely assured the public that he would “not take a penny in salary or compensation” and that “100% of the funds raised…will be used in the execution of our mission and purpose.”
Those representations were lies. In truth, KOLFAGE, BADOLATO, SHEA, and others received hundreds of thousands of dollars in donor funds from We Build the Wall, which they each used in a manner inconsistent with the organization’s public representations. For example, KOLFAGE covertly took for his personal use more than $350,000 in funds that donors had given to We Build the Wall. To conceal the payments to KOLFAGE from We Build the Wall, KOLFAGE, BADOLATO, SHEA, and others devised a scheme to route those payments through entities and bank accounts that they controlled. They took various steps to obscure or conceal these payments, including by using fake invoices and sham contracts — conduct for which SHEA was convicted at trial of obstruction of justice.
In imposing today’s sentences on KOLFAGE and BADOLATO, Judge Torres noted that “this was no ordinary financial fraud,” because when victims donated to We Build the Wall, “they were expressing their views about a political issue that was important to them.” Noting that the offense cast doubt on the efficacy of political involvement and that the scheme would “undoubtedly have a chilling effect” on political donations, Judge Torres remarked that “the fraud perpetrated by Mr. Kolfage and Mr. Badolato went well beyond defrauding individual donors. They hurt us all.”
* * *
KOLFAGE, 41, of Miramar Beach, Florida, and BADOLATO, 58, of Cocoa, Florida, each pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. KOLFAGE also pled guilty to tax and wire fraud charges originally filed by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida.
SHEA, 52, of Castle Rock, Colorado, was convicted after trial of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and obstruction of justice, and is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Torres on June 13, 2023.
In addition to the prison terms, KOLFAGE was sentenced to three years of supervised release and ordered to forfeit $17,872,106 and pay restitution in the amount of $2,877,414. BADOLATO was sentenced to three years of supervised release and ordered to forfeit $1,414,368 and pay restitution in the amount of $1,414,368. Judge Torres also separately ordered forfeiture of $1,376,597.39 of funds held by We Build the Wall and real property located in Sunland Park, New Mexico, on which We Build the Wall had constructed a portion of a wall.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the United States Postal Inspection Service and the Special Agents of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York.
The case is being handled by the Office’s Public Corruption Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mollie E. Bracewell, Alison G. Moe, Nicolas Roos, Robert B. Sobelman, and Derek Wikstrom are in charge of the prosecution.
Two New Orleans Men Sentenced to over 40 Years in Federal Prison for Violent CarjackingsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – HAROLD FOSTER, age 31, and MARC DALTON, age 31, of New Orleans, Louisiana were sentenced on April 25, 2023 by United States District Judge Jay C. Zainey, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. After a federal jury trial, the defendants were convicted of two counts of carjacking in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2119(1) and two counts of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A)(ii). FOSTER was sentenced to a total of 44 years imprisonment and DALTON was sentenced to a total of 41 years and 6 months imprisonment.
Testimony at trial established that FOSTER and DALTON carjacked the driver of a white Chevrolet Equinox on April 10, 2020 at the Eastside Cash and Carry convenience store on Chef Menteur Highway in New Orleans. The defendants held the victim at gunpoint with a revolver in furtherance of the offense. After forcing him into his car, the pair briefly kidnapped, then abandoned him on the side of the road.
The evidence at trial also showed that on April 12, 2020, FOSTER and DALTON were caught immediately after a second carjacking. In that event, two victims were sitting in a Mercedes C300 vehicle on St. Peter Street in New Orleans when the defendants held them at gunpoint with a semi-automatic Taurus handgun. Like the previous offense, the defendants kidnapped then abandoned the victims on the side of the road. The New Orleans Police Department located the defendants in the stolen Mercedes immediately after the carjacking and arrested them following a high-speed pursuit on Downman Road.
FOSTER’s 44-year sentence consists of 180 months for each count of carjacking and 84 months for each count of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, all to run consecutively. He was further ordered to pay $400.00 in mandatory special assessment fees and serve a term five years on supervised release. DALTON’s 41 year and 6-month sentence consists of 165 months for each count of carjacking and 84 months for each count of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence, all to run consecutively. He was further ordered to pay $400.00 in mandatory special assessment fees and serve a term five years on supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, New Orleans Police Department, and Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorneys Charles D. Strauss, David E. Haller of the Violent Crime Unit, and J. Benjamin Myers of the Narcotics Unit are in charge of the prosecution.
Trigg County Man Sentenced to over 3 Years in Prison for Federal Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
Paducah, KY – A Trigg County man was sentenced yesterday to 3 years and 4 months in federal prison followed by a 3-year term of supervised release for possessing a firearm after having been previously convicted of a felony offense and possessing the firearm in violation of the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. There is no parole in the federal system.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky and Special Agent in Charge R. Shawn Morrow of the ATF Louisville Field Division made the announcement.
According to court documents, Chanz Outing, 41, of Cadiz, Kentucky, possessed a shotgun having a barrel length of less than 18 inches that was not registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. Outing was prohibited from possessing a firearm because he had previously been convicted of the following felony offenses. On October 15, 2002, in Trigg Circuit Court, he was convicted of first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance (cocaine). On January 15, 2009, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky, Paducah Division, Outing was convicted of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person and aiding and abetting the distribution of marijuana.
The case was investigated by the ATF Bowling Green Resident Agency and the Trigg 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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Three Nevada Men Convicted in Multimillion Dollar Prize Notice SchemeRead the Press Release
A federal jury convicted three Nevada men yesterday for perpetrating a prize-notification scheme that stole more than $6 million from victims. The notices led victims to believe that they could claim a large cash prize if they paid a fee of $20 to $30. This was false; victims who paid the fees did not receive anything of value. Many of the schemes’ victims were retirees or other older adults.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Mario Castro, 55, and Miguel Castro, 58, of Las Vegas, and Jose Luis Mendez, 49, of Henderson, Nevada, produced the fraudulent prize notices at their business in Las Vegas. The three defendants also were partners in companies that sent the fraudulent prize notices. The defendants used money from victims to print and mail prize notices and also received a share of the profits.
“This verdict demonstrates the Department of Justice’s commitment to pursuing and holding accountable those who participate in scams that defraud consumers,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The department is committed to protecting consumers from deceptive mass-mailing schemes.”
“The defendants mailed fraudulent prize notices to prey upon and trick victims, many of them elderly, out of millions of dollars,” said U.S. Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada. “This guilty verdict should be a warning to individuals who commit fraudulent acts. We are committed to working together with the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service to identify and hold fraudsters accountable. We will continue to protect older Americans and prosecute individuals who seek to carry out fraudulent schemes targeting seniors.”
“Vulnerable and older Americans have been victimized for far too long by individuals who hide in the shadows to commit their crimes,” said Inspector in Charge Eric Shen of U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s (USPIS) Criminal Investigations Group. “This verdict unmasks these criminals and holds them to account for their conduct. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is proud to have contributed to this result and will be relentless in protecting American consumers from fraud through the U.S. Mail.”
The defendants operated the scheme from 2010 to February 2018, when postal inspectors executed multiple search warrants and the Department of Justice obtained a court order shutting down the fraudulent mail operation. Mario Castro, Miguel Castro, and Jose Luis Mendez worked at the printing and mailing businesses that sent the fraudulent mail and shared the profits from the fraudulent prize notices. The defendants and their co-conspirators ignored multiple cease and desist orders from the U.S. Postal Service that prohibited their companies from sending fraudulent mail. The defendants responded by changing the names of their companies and using straw owners to hide their continuing fraud.
Mario Castro was convicted of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and seven counts of mail fraud. He was found not guilty of five counts of mail fraud.
Miguel Castro was convicted of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and five counts of mail fraud. He was found not guilty of seven counts of mail fraud.
Jose Luis Mendez was convicted of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and eleven counts of mail fraud. He was found not guilty of one count of mail fraud.
A fourth defendant, Salvador Castro, was acquitted by the jury on all charges.
The convicted defendants are scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 23 and face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each count of mail fraud and conspiracy to commit mail fraud. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Four other people previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud in connection with this prize notice scheme: Patti Kern, 65, of Henderson, Nevada; Andrea Burrow, 43, of Las Vegas; Edgar Del Rio, 45, of Las Vegas; and Sean O’Connor, 54, of Las Vegas.
The USPIS investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Timothy Finley and Daniel Zytnick of the Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch and Assistant U.S. Attorney Mina Chang for the District of Nevada are prosecuting the case.
The Department urges individuals to be on the lookout for lottery, prize notification, and sweepstakes scams. If you receive a phone call, letter, or email promising a large prize in exchange for a fee, do not respond. Fraudsters often will use official-sounding names or the names of real lotteries or sweepstakes, or pretend to be a government agent purportedly helping to secure a prize.
If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has experienced financial fraud, experienced professionals are standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This U.S. Department of Justice hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, can provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies, and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET. English, Spanish and other languages are available. The Federal Trade Commission also provides a hotline at 877-FTC-HELP_and a website at www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov_to receive consumer complaints.
More information about the Department’s efforts to help American seniors is available at its Elder Justice Initiative webpage. For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit its website at https://www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. The Department of Justice provides information about a variety of resources relating to elder fraud victimization through its Office for Victims of Crime, which are available at https://www.ovc.gov.
Three Nevada Men Convicted in Multimillion Dollar Prize Notice SchemeRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – A federal jury convicted three Nevada men yesterday for perpetrating a prize-notification scheme that stole more than $6 million from victims. The notices led victims to believe that they could claim a large cash prize if they paid a fee of $20 to $30. This was false; victims who paid the fees did not receive anything of value. Many of the schemes’ victims were retirees or other older adults.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Mario Castro, 55, and Miguel Castro, 58, of Las Vegas, and Jose Luis Mendez, 49, of Henderson, Nevada, produced the fraudulent prize notices at their business in Las Vegas. The three defendants also were partners in companies that sent the fraudulent prize notices. The defendants used money from victims to print and mail prize notices and also received a share of the profits.
“This verdict demonstrates the Department of Justice’s commitment to pursuing and holding accountable those who participate in scams that defraud consumers,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The department is committed to protecting consumers from deceptive mass-mailing schemes.”
“The defendants mailed fraudulent prize notices to prey upon and trick victims, many of them elderly, out of millions of dollars,” said U.S. Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada. “This guilty verdict should be a warning to individuals who commit fraudulent acts. We are committed to working together with the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service to identify and hold fraudsters accountable. We will continue to protect older Americans and prosecute individuals who seek to carry out fraudulent schemes targeting seniors.”
“Vulnerable and older Americans have been victimized for far too long by individuals who hide in the shadows to commit their crimes,” said Inspector in Charge Eric Shen of U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s (USPIS) Criminal Investigations Group. “This verdict unmasks these criminals and holds them to account for their conduct. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is proud to have contributed to this result and will be relentless in protecting American consumers from fraud through the U.S. Mail.”
The defendants operated the scheme from 2010 to February 2018, when postal inspectors executed multiple search warrants and the Department of Justice obtained a court order shutting down the fraudulent mail operation. Mario Castro, Miguel Castro, and Jose Luis Mendez worked at the printing and mailing businesses that sent the fraudulent mail and shared the profits from the fraudulent prize notices. The defendants and their co-conspirators ignored multiple cease and desist orders from the U.S. Postal Service that prohibited their companies from sending fraudulent mail.
The defendants responded by changing the names of their companies and using straw owners to hide their continuing fraud.
Mario Castro was convicted of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and seven counts of mail fraud. He was found not guilty of five counts of mail fraud.
Miguel Castro was convicted of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and five counts of mail fraud. He was found not guilty of seven counts of mail fraud.
Jose Luis Mendez was convicted of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and eleven counts of mail fraud. He was found not guilty of one count of mail fraud.
A fourth defendant, Salvador Castro, was acquitted by the jury on all charges.
The convicted defendants are scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 23 and face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each count of mail fraud and conspiracy to commit mail fraud. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Four other people previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud in connection with this prize notice scheme: Patti Kern, 65, of Henderson, Nevada; Andrea Burrow, 43, of Las Vegas; Edgar Del Rio, 45, of Las Vegas; and Sean O’Connor, 54, of Las Vegas.
The USPIS investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Timothy Finley and Daniel Zytnick of the Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch and Assistant U.S. Attorney Mina Chang for the District of Nevada are prosecuting the case.
The Department urges individuals to be on the lookout for lottery, prize notification, and sweepstakes scams. If you receive a phone call, letter, or email promising a large prize in exchange for a fee, do not respond. Fraudsters often will use official-sounding names or the names of real lotteries or sweepstakes, or pretend to be a government agent purportedly helping to secure a prize.
If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has experienced financial fraud, experienced professionals are standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This U.S. Department of Justice hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, can provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies, and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET. English, Spanish and other languages are available. The Federal Trade Commission also provides a hotline at 877-FTC-HELP_and a website at www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov_to receive consumer complaints.
More information about the Department’s efforts to help American seniors is available at its Elder Justice Initiative webpage. For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit its website at https://www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. The Department of Justice provides information about a variety of resources relating to elder fraud victimization through its Office for Victims of Crime, which are available at https://www.ovc.gov.
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Three Companies and Eleven Individuals Charged in Major Clean Air Act CaseRead the Press Release
Defendants Accused of Disabling Emissions Controls on Semi-Trucks; Some Plea Agreements Signed, Investigation Ongoing in One of the Largest Cases of Its Kind
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten today announced that three companies and eleven individuals have been charged with violating the Clean Air Act in an aftermarket scheme to disable the emissions control systems of semi-trucks. While the investigation is ongoing, even now this case is one of the largest of its kind ever charged in the United States. The corporate defendants are Diesel Freak LLC, of Gaylord, and Accurate Truck Service, LLC, and Griffin Transportation, Inc., of Grand Rapids.
“Today’s criminal charges send a loud message of accountability to polluters who flout our environmental laws,” said U.S. Attorney Totten. “These rules not only protect the planet; they also protect people – especially the most vulnerable. They safeguard the water we drink, the lakes we fish, and the air we breathe. To the owners and drivers of the vehicles that participated in this scheme and are now spewing harmful pollutants: get them fixed now.”
The individual defendants are:
Defendant
Age
City
Ryan Lalone
47
Gaylord
Wade Lalone
44
Gaylord
Dustin Rhine
32
Indian River
James Sisson
42
Mt. Pleasant
Douglas Larsen
51
Wayland
Craig Scholten
58
Byron Center
Ryan Bos
45
Grandville
Robert Swainston
50
Hopkins
Randy Clelland
33
Grand Rapids
Scott DeKock
45
Hudsonville
Glenn Hoezee
55
Howard City
The three companies, Ryan Lalone, Wade Lalone, Douglas Larsen, Craig Scholten, Ryan Bos, Robert Swainston, Randy Clelland, Scott DeKock, and Glenn Hoezee have all signed plea agreements indicating their intent to plead guilty to a felony information. Dustin Rhine and James Sisson were indicted by a federal grand jury. Arraignments and change of plea hearings will occur on dates to be set by the U.S. District Court.
According to public records filed in the case, Ryan Lalone owns Diesel Freak LLC and Wade Lalone, Rhine, and Sisson were employed there. Accurate Truck Service, LLC, is owned by Larsen, Scholten, and Bos, and Swainston and Clelland were employed there. Griffin Transportation, Inc., is owned by Scholten and Bos. DeKock used to own a shipping company, at which Hoezee was employed.
Accurate Truck Service, LLC, removed or altered the hardware components of vehicles with heavy-duty diesel engines, which components controlled the vehicles’ emissions. Diesel Freak LLC reprogrammed the engine computers of the vehicles so that they would continue to function even after the hardware was removed or altered. This process is sometimes referred to as a “deletion,” that is, “deleting” the emissions controls from the vehicles. “Deleting” emissions controls from the vehicles can improve performance and fuel economy and save maintenance costs. Tampering with or removing emissions controls can drastically increase the emissions of nitrogen oxides, particulate matter, carbon monoxide, and non-methane hydrocarbons found in vehicle exhaust. Exposure to and inhalation of these chemicals at greater levels is associated with serious health risks.
Griffin Transportation, Inc., and the company DeKock formerly owned engaged Accurate Truck Service, LLC, and Diesel Freak LLC to “delete” trucks owned, operated, or leased by the companies. During the conspiracy, Diesel Freak LLC was involved in at least 362 deletions; Accurate Truck Service, LLC, in at least 83 deletions; Griffin Transportation, Inc., in at least 12 deletions; and DeKock’s former company in at least 4 deletions. Accurate Truck Service, LLC, and Griffin Transportation, Inc., have agreed to pay a combined $1 million fine. Diesel Freak LLC has agreed to pay a $750,000 fine subject to defense arguments regarding inability to pay. Any fine is a part of the criminal sentence and ultimately within the discretion of the sentencing judge.
“By illegally tampering with emissions controls on diesel trucks operating throughout the United States and Canada, defendants caused the excessive release of diesel exhaust containing toxic gases and impurities harmful to public health and the environment,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Richard Conrad of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Criminal Investigation Division (“EPA-CID”). “This case highlights EPA and our law enforcement partners’ continued efforts to prosecute those who violate environmental and public health laws in the U.S. for financial gain.”
The charges in an indictment are merely accusations and are not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law. The government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. A conviction for conspiracy is subject to a prison term of up to five years and a fine of up to $250,000 for an individual, $500,000 for an organization, or twice the gain from the offense, among other penalties. A conviction for violating the Clean Air Act carries a prison term of up to two years and the same fines, among other penalties.
The purpose of the Clean Air Act is, among other things, “to protect and enhance the quality of the Nation’s air resources so as to promote the public health and welfare and the productive capacity of its population.” In passing the Act, Congress found that “the increasing use of motor vehicles[] has resulted in mounting dangers to the public health and welfare.”
U.S. Attorney Totten also noted that those with information about other companies and individuals involved in tampering with emissions controls in connection with this investigation can contact EPA-CID at (734) 214-4913. General environmental violations can be reported to EPA through the website https://echo.epa.gov/report-environmental-violations.
EPA-CID is investigating the matter with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Department of Transportation, Office of Inspector General, and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Environmental Investigation Section. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin M. Presant is prosecuting the cases.
Diesel Freak LLC - Felony Information - File Stamped Copy
Plea Agreement - Accurate Truck Service and Griffin Transportation
Plea Agreement - Craig Scholten
Plea Agreement - Diesel Freak LLC
Plea Agreement - Douglas Larsen
Plea Agreement - Glenn Hoezee
Plea Agreement - Randy Clelland
Plea Agreement - Robert Swainston
Plea Agreement - Ryan Bos
Plea Agreement - Ryan Lalone
Plea Agreement - Scott Dekock
Plea Agreement - Wade Lalone###
Special Police Officer Pleads Guilty to Civil Rights Violation and is SentencedRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - Brandon T. Greenfield-Logan, 33, of Oxon Hill, Maryland, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to one misdemeanor count of deprivation of rights under color of law for violating the constitutional rights of a handcuffed prisoner. The plea was entered before United States District Judge Jia M. Cobb, who sentenced Greenfield-Logan to one year of probation and ordered him to perform 50 hours of community service.
According to the plea documents and as discussed in the plea hearing, on September 27, 2021, the defendant was working as a Special Police Officer. On that date, while in full uniform and vested with police powers, Greenfield-Logan was called to assist other Special Police Officers at the Trinity Tower Apartments, located on 14th Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. At approximately 12:30 a.m., an individual identified as W.S. was in the custody of Special Police Officers at the Trinity Tower Apartments. W.S. was seated in a chair with his hands handcuffed behind his back. Defendant Greenfield-Logan slapped W.S. across the face without warning or legal justification in violation of the individual’s constitutional rights
This matter was investigated by the Internal Affairs Bureau of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael Truscott.
The U.S. Attorney's Office remains committed to investigating allegations of excessive force by law enforcement officers and will continue to devote the resources necessary to ensure that all allegations of serious civil rights violations are investigated fully and completely.
South Georgia man with lengthy criminal history of drug offenses sentenced to federal prisonRead the Press Release
WAYCROSS, GA: A Lowndes County man who sold cocaine from a Waycross, Ga., residence has been sentenced to more than 10 years in federal prison.
Benjamin Godwin, 36, of Remerton, Ga, was sentenced to 151 months in prison after previously pleading guilty to Distribution of Cocaine, said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. The sentence for Godwin is consecutive to a 41-month drug-trafficking sentence in state court in Florida for which Godwin had failed to report to custody, and to any additional time he could be ordered to serve for violating state parole in Georgia. After completion of his prison terms, Godwin must serve three years of federal supervised release, and there is no parole in the federal system.
“Benjamin Godwin’s extensive criminal record makes it clear that a substantial period of incarceration is warranted,” said U.S. Attorney Steinberg. “We hope that the sentence in this case will finally deter him from future criminal conduct and ensure the safety of the community.”
As described in court, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation initiated an investigation in 2021 after identifying Godwin as a drug trafficker in Ware County. The investigation led to his federal indictment in September 2022, and he pled guilty in December 2022 to Distribution of Cocaine.
Godwin, who has multiple prior convictions for drug trafficking, faced an outstanding state warrant after failing to report for incarceration after a methamphetamine trafficking conviction in Hillsborough, Fla., in January 2021. After sentencing in the federal case, U.S. District Court Judge Lisa Godbey Wood ordered Godwin remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
“Removing this repeat offender from the Waycross, Ga., community will effectively disrupt one of the primary supply chains for cocaine in south Georgia,” said Robert J. Murphy, the Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Division of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. “This defendant will now spend well-deserved time in prison instead of selling poison in our community.”
“This repeat offender has chosen a life of crime and now must pay the consequences by serving this lengthy sentence,” said Mike Register, Director of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. “We will continue to work with our federal partners to investigate drug trafficking and make our communities safer.”
The case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorney Marcela C. Mateo.
Soap Lake, Washington Physician’s Assistant Pleads Guilty to Lying to the FBIRead the Press Release
Spokane, Washington – Vanessa R. Waldref, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of
Washington, announced that Eldon L. Leinweber, age 72 of Waterville, Washington pleaded guilty to making a materially false statement to the FBI. Leinweber faces a maximum sentence of five years imprisonment, a three-year term of court supervision, and a $250,000 fine. Senior Judge
William Fremming Nielsen will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing
Guidelines and other statutory factors. Leinweber is scheduled to be sentenced on July 26, 2023, at 9:00 a.m. in Spokane, Washington.According to court documents, Leinweber was a practicing Physician’s Assistant who held a
Physician’s Assistant License in the State of Washington and U.S. Drug Enforcement
Administration registration number. As such, he was authorized to prescribe controlled substances for legitimate medical purposes and in the usual course of professional practice. He owned and operated Mansfield Family Medicine in Soap Lake, Washington. The FBI and the U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General (“HHS-OIG”), opened an investigation of Leinweber regarding the potential violation of federal criminal law with respect to his prescribing of controlled substances. The FBI and HHS-OIG were investigating, in part, allegations that the Mansfield Family Clinic was overbilling Medicare and Medicaid. In a billing investigation, one of the material questions relates to the amount of time a medical professional, such as Leinweber, spends with a patient and the nature of the examination performed, which directly affect the bill’s amount and whether it is lawfully paid.When the FBI and HHS-OIG interviewed Leinweber during its investigation, he falsely stated that
“99.99%” of the time he checked the vital signs of a patient before prescribing an opioid medication. In truth and in fact, as Leinweber well knew, that statement was materially false, when made, because he did not check the vital signs of a patient “99.99%” of the time before prescribing an opioid medication. Indeed, the rate at which the Mansfield Family Clinic performed complete physicals was materially lower. Further, for multiple patients, the Mansfield Family
Clinic updated opioid prescriptions with minimal physical examinations. Leinweber’s false statement was made to mislead the FBI in its investigation.Vanessa R. Waldref, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington said, “Lying to federal agents is a serious offense. Lying about core aspects of patient safety when prescribing opioids impacts the health of our entire community. The integrity of our Nation’s criminal justice system depends on people telling the truth and those who fail to abide by this fundamental principle must face the consequences.”
“Integrity is a core value of the FBI and absolutely fundamental in our investigative work. The public expects the same from those given the privilege of providing medical care,” said Richard A.
Collodi, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Seattle Field Office. “This case serves as an example of the importance of honesty and that we will hold those who lie accountable, no matter their profession.”“This provider endangered the safety of his patients by recklessly prescribing opioid medications and lying to federal investigators about doing so,” said Steven J. Ryan, Special Agent in Charge at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG).
“HHS-OIG will not tolerate those who attempt to subvert our investigations, particularly when they concern undermining critical efforts to end the opioid crisis.”This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the United States
Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General. This case is being prosecuted by George J.C. Jacobs, III, Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of
Washington.2:19-CR-209-WFN
Slidell Man Sentenced After Pleading Guilty to Violating the Federal Controlled Substance ActRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – OLIVER PIERRE, age 40, a resident of Slidell, Louisiana, was sentenced to time served, followed by three years of supervised release and a $100.00 mandatory special assessment fee after pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute a quantity of cocaine base (“crack”), in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(C), announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.
According to court documents, in October 2015, agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration learned of the drug trafficking activities of James Bickham, a Houston-based drug trafficker who used PIERRE as a drug courier to deliver drugs from Houston to Slidell, Louisiana. Through a court-approved telephone wiretap, from October 6 to October 8, 2015, Agents intercepted telephone calls between Bickham and a customer discussing the delivery of 7.5 ounces of crack from Bickham to the customer in Slidell, Louisiana. In the conversations, Bickham informed the customer that PIERRE would deliver the drugs to him on October 8.
Aware of the pending drug transaction, on October 8, 2015, agents established surveillance outside of the customer’s residence in Slidell. Agents also intercepted calls between Bickham, the customer, and PIERRE regarding the delivery of the crack. At approximately 3:40 p.m., the customer exited an apartment and drove to the Quick E-Z, 35220 Hwy 433 in Slidell and parked next to a silver colored SUV driven by PIERRE. PIERRE, who was delivering the drugs supplied by Bickham, threw the drugs into the customer’s vehicle. While PIERRE was throwing the drugs into the customer’s vehicle, Bickham, who was on the phone with the customer, told the customer that PIERRE gave the customer two bags containing a total of 7.5 ounces of crack. After PIERRE threw the drugs into the customer’s vehicle, the customer and PIERRE left the area in their separate vehicles. Agents attempted to stop the customer but the customer drove away and threw the drugs out of the window. Eventually, Agents caught and arrested the customer and retrieved the two bags of drugs that he threw from his vehicle. In total, agents recovered 158 grams of crack that PIERRE delivered to the customer.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office. The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorney André Jones of the Narcotics Unit.
Sex Offender Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal Prison for Child Pornography OffenseRead the Press Release
FORT SMITH – A Green Forest man was sentenced today to 240 months in prison without the possibility of parole on one count of Transportation of Child Pornography. The Honorable Judge P.K. Holmes, III presided over the sentencing hearing, which was held in the U.S. District Court in Fort Smith.
According to court documents, in February of 2019, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) received information from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that an individual in Green Forest had posted images of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) to the social media platform Twitter. The resulting investigation identified the individual who had posted the CSAM files as Pedro Saldivar, Jr, age 46. In a subsequent interview, Saldivar admitted to trading items of CSAM with other users. Saldivar is a sex offender out of the State of Texas.
Saldivar was indicted by a Grand Jury in the Western District of Arkansas in September of 2022 and entered a plea of guilty in December of 2022.
U.S. Attorney David Clay Fowlkes of the Western District of Arkansas made the announcement.
Homeland Security Investigations Fayetteville, Green Forest Police Department, Eureka Springs Police Department, Fayetteville Police Department, and Springdale Police Department participated in the investigation of this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Carly Marshall and Assistant U.S. Attorney Devon Still prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
This case was prosecuted 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.
Scott County Man Indicted for Producing and Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky.— A Georgetown, Ky., man, Tyler Brady Lawson, 26, has been indicted by a federal grand jury on two counts of production of child pornography, one count of possession of child pornography, and one count of possession of visual representations of the sexual abuse of children.
The indictment alleges that on March 9, 2023, Lawson knowingly possessed visual depictions that involved minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct, as well as visual representations (e.g., computer-generated images) of the sexual abuse of children. The indictment also alleges that, in February 2022 and again in June 2022, Lawson coerced two minor victims to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing visual depictions of that conduct.
Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office; and Chief Darin Allgood, Georgetown Police Department, jointly announced the indictment.
The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by FBI Louisville and Georgetown Police Department. The indictment was presented to the grand jury by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Melton.
Lawson appeared in court for his arraignment on Wednesday. For each production charge, he faces a minimum of 15 years in prison and a maximum of 30 years. For each possession charge, he faces up to 20 years in prison. However, any sentence following a conviction would be imposed by the Court, after its consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal sentencing statutes.
Any indictment is an accusation only. A defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which government must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
— END —
St. Croix Woman Charged with Sexual Assault of a MinorRead the Press Release
St. Croix, VI – United States Attorney Delia L. Smith announced today that the District Court unsealed an indictment charging Cherise King, age 39, of St. Croix with a single count of sexual abuse of a ward or minor. If convicted, King faces a maximum of 15 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
According to court documents, King served as a paraprofessional teacher at the St. Croix Youth Rehabilitation Center (YRC), a youth detention facility. The indictment charges that between September 9, 2022, and September 15, 2022, King engaged in sexual acts with a juvenile male detainee, over the age of 12, but under the age of 16, who had been incarcerated at YRC.
The case is being investigated jointly by Homeland Security Investigations and the Virgin Islands Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Evan Rikhye.
This case is 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 CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children through the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc.
United States Attorney Delia L. Smith reminds the public that an indictment is merely an allegation and that all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
St. Croix Man Charged with Possession of 50 Kilograms of CocaineRead the Press Release
St. Croix, VI – United States Attorney Delia L. Smith announced today that Leroy Roebuck, Jr., 36, of St. Croix, appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Emile A. Henderson, III, for his initial appearing hearing after being charged with possession with intent to distribute five or more kilograms of cocaine. Roebuck was ordered detained pending a detention hearing on April 28, 2023. If convicted, Roebuck faces a minimum of 10 years and a maximum of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
According to court documents, on April 25, 2023, Roebuck agreed to sell 60 kilograms of cocaine at a price of $900,000.00 to an undercover Drug Enforcement Administration agent. On April 26, 2023, Roebuck contacted the undercover agent to advise that he was only willing to sell 50 kilograms of cocaine as the remaining 10 kilograms were of poor quality. After arriving at the location of the exchange, Roebuck showed the undercover agent four containers located inside his 2019 Jeep Wrangler and filled with 50 individually wrapped bricks of cocaine. Roebuck was immediately arrested and taken into custody by federal and local agents.
The Drug Enforcement Administration and Virgin Islands Police Department are jointly investigating the case and Assistant United States Attorney Melissa Ortiz is prosecuting the case. This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
United States Attorney Delia L. Smith reminds the public that an indictment is merely an allegation and that all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Retired General Sentenced for Wire Fraud, Falsifying Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – A retired Air Force brigadier general was sentenced in a federal court in San Antonio today to 12 months and one day in prison with three years of supervised release for wire fraud and filing a false tax return.
According to court documents, Scott A. Bethel, 59, of Spring Branch began working as a government contractor and advisor to the Air Force upon his active duty retirement in 2012. During that time, he launched his own business, working directly with government staffing contracts, which he tended to simultaneously with the work he conducted for his contract employer. Bethel would seek hotel reimbursement from both his employer and the government. Bethel also submitted false hotel invoices for instances when he stayed with personal acquaintances rather than at hotels. In total, Bethel received approximately $15,140.50 from the Air Force to which he was not entitled.
An examination of Bethel’s work laptop revealed that he had also falsified charitable deductions and business expenses from 2015 to 2019, resulting in a government tax loss of approximately $139,687.00.
In addition to the prison sentence, Bethel was also ordered to pay $154,827.50 in restitution.
“Our commitment to upholding the rule of law and safeguarding the public trust remains unwavering,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas. “No one is above the law, and my office will relentlessly prosecute those who abuse their positions for personal gain and undermine the integrity of our financial systems, regardless of their status or background.”
“Today, the sentencing of retired U.S. Air Force Brigadier General Scott Allen Bethel serves as a reminder that those in positions of authority and trust are expected to uphold higher standards of integrity and accountability,” said Special Agent in Charge Ramsey E. Covington of IRS Criminal Investigation’s Houston Field Office. “Bethel’s fraudulent actions, which included fabricating invoices, claiming false deductions, and attempting to enlist others in his criminal activities, not only tarnished his distinguished career but also undermine the very foundations of our tax and government systems. We are committed to enforcing the law and ensuring that individuals, regardless of their rank or status, are held accountable for their actions as we continue to work with our law enforcement partners to uphold the values of justice and fairness.”
IRS-CI, General Services Administration Office of Inspector General, and the U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigation investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Harris and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay Porier prosecuted the case.
###
Readout of Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta’s Meeting with Uvalde FamiliesRead the Press Release
On Wednesday April 26, Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta traveled to Uvalde, Texas, where she and members of the Critical Incident Review team from the Justice Department’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) met with families and community members to hear from them and provide an update on the department’s review of the law enforcement response to the horrific mass shooting that took place at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde last May. Earlier in the day, she also met with the mayor.
In the days following the tragedy in Uvalde, the mayor reached out to the Justice Department seeking an independent after-action review. In response to the mayor’s request and in order to provide the families and community members of Uvalde the full accounting they deserve, the department has been conducting a Critical Incident Review of the law enforcement, school, victim services, and other stakeholders’ response to the incident, which will culminate in a written report to be delivered in the next few months. The goal of the review is to provide (1) an independent account of law enforcement and other stakeholder actions and responses; (2) identify lessons learned and best practices to help first responders prepare for and respond to active shooter events; and (3) provide a roadmap for community safety before, during, and after such incidents. This review is consistent with the COPS Office’s Collaborative Reform Initiative and is not a criminal or civil investigation.
Progress Made in the Department’s Review
Since the department officially launched the review on June 8, 2022, a team from the department’s COPS Office has been working closely with ten subject-matter experts with extensive experience in emergency management and active shooter response, school safety, incident command and management, tactical operations, officer safety and wellness, and victim and family support. The review team is examining policies, training, communications, deployment and incident command, tactics, and practices as they relate to preparing for and responding to active shooter events, as well as the post-incident response, including a review of survivor and victim and family support and resources.
In the course of their work thus far, the review team has visited Uvalde nine times, and has spent a total of 30 days there over the past 11 months. They have conducted, viewed, or participated in interviews of over 200 individuals, from more than 30 organizations and agencies, including personnel from the law enforcement agencies involved in the response to the mass shooting, as well as other first responders and medical personnel; family members; victim services providers; communications professionals and public information officers; school personnel; government officials; witnesses; and hospital staff. The team has collected and is analyzing almost 13,000 pieces of evidence, including policies, procedures and training materials from the responding agencies; manuals; many hours of video; photographs; interview transcripts; and other materials relevant to the review. The team has also conducted walkthroughs of Robb Elementary School and observed multiple active-shooter training sessions and meets regularly as a full group and in sub-teams on different topic areas in preparing the forthcoming written report.
Extensive, detailed reviews such as this one take time, and the department is committed to taking that time to provide an accurate and detailed examination of the events, as well as guidance to other agencies and communities moving forward. The department will make its full findings and recommendations publicly available at the completion of the review, which is expected in the coming months.
Resources to Support the Uvalde Community
During the Wednesday meeting, Department of Justice leadership also shared with families and community members that, in advance of the one-year commemoration next month, the Justice Department is offering additional technical assistance and support to the Uvalde community. These additional resources are designed to help the community and local government prepare for and manage the time around the one-year mark, including: (1) intentional and systematic trauma therapy for victims and families, school district staff, and first responders; (2) appropriate, victim-centered, trauma-informed crisis communications; and (3) assistance with operations and planning for large gatherings. The COPS Office will be coordinating with the department’s Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) on counseling and trauma related services.
In addition to these new resources, OVC has been providing no cost expert mass violence training and technical assistance to the Uvalde community, and in October 2022, the COPS Office awarded the Uvalde Independent School District a grant through the School Violence Prevention Program, which includes funding for security training, secured doors and protective gear for law enforcement.
Readout from the Symposium for Returning Citizens Hosted by the United States Attorney’s Office and Wayne State UniversityRead the Press Release
DETROIT – Transitioning formerly-incarcerated individuals back into their communities requires a team effort, which is why the United States Attorney’s Office, along with Wayne State University, the Michigan Department of Corrections, and other community partners organized a symposium that brought together returning citizens and support networks to share ideas and best practices for improving the success for citizens returning to the community. The symposium was part of Second Chance Month where we raise awareness of the collateral consequences of a criminal conviction and help individuals who have completed their sentences make the best of their second chance.
“Our justice system must be vigilant in holding individuals accountable when they commit crimes, but we must be equally vigilant in helping those who want to take advantage of their second chance by becoming contributing members of society,” stated U.S. Attorney Dawn N. Ison. “Helping returning citizens effectively reintegrate into society is a matter of public safety. This work helps us carry out our obligation to make our community safer. I salute the individuals who are here today making the best of their second chance and helping others to successfully reenter our communities.”
“This is a full circle moment for me to be a part of helping to empower the lives of our brothers and sisters returning back to our community,” said Darryl Woods, Founder and CEO of Fighting the Good Fight.
“While preventing recidivism and crime remains a key priority for the MDOC, under the direction of Director Heidi Washington, the department has been focused on supporting the success of those impacted by this system with goals such as fostering employment and self-sufficiency,” said Kyle Kaminski, Offender Success Administrator. “Access to high quality vocational and post-secondary programs is just one way that we are working to prepare people for success, and that work continues in the community with our reentry, education, and community partners. The value of this type of event is the ability to bring all those groups together, along with men and women impacted by the criminal justice system, to have an open dialogue about how we can have a great impact.”
Raising awareness of and finding solutions for the barriers that exist for individuals who have either served time in prison or have otherwise been impacted because of criminal convictions was the focus of today’s symposium at Wayne State University.
Detroit Pistons Assistant Coach Jerome Allen spoke about his own experience in the criminal justice system and how taking responsibility for his own mistakes helped him find peace and take advantage of his second chance. Coach Allen directly addressed the returning citizens in the audience and offered them an inspirational message that you do not have to be defined by your mistakes.
More than 115 returning citizens attended the symposium, along with parole and probation officers, law enforcement officials, service providers, and other community leaders. Vendors from Project Clean Slate, City of Detroit Skills for Live, Blast Detroit, Recovery 4 Detroit, Goodwill Industries, Genesis House, Team Wellness, and Detroit Rescue Mission were in attendance to provide guidance, resources, and assistance to symposium participants.
The symposium addressed breaking through the obstacles to successful re-entry, such as housing barriers, employment, mental health and trauma, child support debt, and family obligations. Speakers addressed how each of these issues impact successful reintegration into society.
Additional speakers included U.S. Attorney Dawn N. Ison; Shirley Stancato, Vice Chair of the Wayne State University Board of Governors; Darryl Woods, Founder and CEO of Fighting the Good Fight; and, Kyle Kaminski, Offender Success Administrator for Michigan Department of Corrections.
Providence Man Sentenced for Bank FraudRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A citizen of Liberia residing in Providence who participated in a fraud scheme to create and deposit fraudulent checks and then quickly withdraw the funds from banks before the fraud was discovered was sentenced today to forty-one months in federal prison, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.
Maximillian Mwah, 39, previously admitted to a federal judge that he conspired with others to create and deposit numerous counterfeit checks drawn on the accounts of individuals and businesses, including local law firms.
As part of the scheme, conspirators recruited individuals with bank accounts who were willing to deposit the counterfeit checks and then quickly withdraw the resulting funds. Court records show that Mwah often communicated via Facebook messenger with a leader of the fraud scheme, and with others, about effectuating the fraud.
Mwah pleaded guilty on December 20, 2022, to a charge of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and a charge of bank fraud. He was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Chief judge John J. McConnell, Jr., to forty-one months in federal prison to be followed by three years of federal supervised release. Mwah was ordered to pay restitutions to banks defrauded totaling $8,404.24.
An immigration detainer has been lodged against Mwah by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement; he faces removal from the United States.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ly T. Chin.
The matter was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, with the assistance of the FBI, United States Secret Service, ATF, Rhode Island State Police, Providence Police Department, and Delaware State Police.
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Presque Isle Man Faces up to 20 Years for Role in Penobscot and Aroostook County Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Presque Isle man pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Bangor today to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl.
According to court records, between January 2018 and December 2021, Joshua Young, 32, conspired with others to traffic methamphetamine and fentanyl in Penobscot and Aroostook counties. Young knowingly and intentionally joined and participated in the conspiracy.
Young faces up to 20 years imprisonment. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and Maine Drug Enforcement Agency investigated the case. Assistance was provided by the police departments in Orono, Bangor, Brewer, Caribou, Presque Isle and Houlton. U.S. Attorney Darcie McElwee also recognized the cooperation and coordination provided by the Maine State Attorney General’s Office and the Aroostook County District Attorney’s Office.
Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces: This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
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Pinedale Woman Sentence to 37 Months for Fatal CrashRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, announced today that Betrina Harry Grey was sentenced to 37 months in prison. Grey, 31, of Pinedale, New Mexico, and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, pleaded guilty on Oct. 11, 2022, to one count each of involuntary manslaughter and assault resulting in serious bodily injury. Upon her release from prison, Grey will be subject to 3 years of supervised release.
According to the plea agreement and other court records, on Oct. 14, 2017, Grey was driving while intoxicated when she lost control of her vehicle on State Road 118 near the Fort Wingate Army Depot turnoff on the Navajo Nation. As the vehicle rolled, two passengers, identified as John Doe 1 and John Doe 2, were ejected from the vehicle. John Doe 1 died on the scene, while John Doe 2 suffered a significant brain injury and was airlifted to a hospital for emergency care. Both victims were enrolled members of the Navajo Nation. In her plea agreement, Grey acknowledged that her blood alcohol content, measured after the incident, was .16.
The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the New Mexico State Police and McKinley County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas J. Marshall is prosecuting the case.
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Pigeon Township Trustee and Two Co-Conspirators Charged with Stealing Thousands of Dollars from Local Taxpayers in Kickback SchemeRead the Press Release
EVANSVILLE- A federal grand jury indicted Mariama Wilson, 50, William Payne, 49, and Terrance Hardiman, 32, all of Evansville, on five counts of wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Hardiman was also charged with one count of money laundering. The indictment was unsealed on April 26, 2023, following the three defendants’ arrests and initial appearances.
As alleged in the indictment, in Indiana, a township is a local governmental entity within a county that uses public funds to provide certain services to residents. A township is administered by an elected official called a Township Trustee. Pigeon Township is one of eight townships in Vanderburgh County. The mission of the Trustee’s Office is to provide emergency financial relief to individuals residing in Pigeon Township who need assistance paying for essentials such as rent, utilities, and prescriptions. Wilson is the elected Pigeon Township Trustee and Payne works in the Trustee’s Office as the Director of Community Relations and Shelter Coordinator.
In February 2020, Wilson and Payne agreed to hire Hardiman and his business, Hardiman Construction LLC, to remodel a homeless shelter and develop a food pantry, in exchange for Hardiman agreeing to kick back a portion of the funds that he received from the Trustee’s Office to Wilson and Payne.
As alleged in the indictment, Wilson and Payne caused the Trustee’s Office to pay inflated invoices that were submitted by Hardiman for the construction projects, and then pocketed the inflated amounts. Wilson, Payne, and Hardiman visited the homeless shelter and food pantry together, and during those visits, they identified specific projects that needed to be completed. Wilson, Payne, and Hardiman discussed how much the projects should cost and by how much Hardiman should inflate those costs to cover the kickbacks to Wilson and Payne. In general, they agreed to inflate the total amount billed in each invoice by $1,000 to $2,000.
Hardiman prepared invoices with fraudulently inflated charges to include the kickbacks, as agreed, and submitted them to Wilson and Payne for payment. Wilson or Payne approved the inflated invoices and caused the Trustee’s Office to issue checks to Hardiman Construction.
Hardiman deposited the checks and then withdrew all or nearly all the deposited amount in cash, for the purpose of kicking back a portion of the proceeds to Wilson and Payne. Hardiman placed cash in an envelope and hand-delivered the envelope to Wilson or Payne. Wilson and Payne then divided the kickbacks.
In total, between February 11, 2020, and May 16, 2022, the Trustee’s Office paid Hardiman approximately $215,371 for the homeless shelter and food pantry projects. As a result of the kickback scheme, Wilson and Payne received approximately $38,000 in total, or approximately $19,000 each.
“Government officials who engage in corruption betray the public’s trust, for their personal gain,” said U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, Zachary A. Myers. “Inflated invoices and kickbacks rob the taxpayers of their hard-earned money and damage the trust that citizens are entitled to have in their government. The investigation and charges announced today demonstrate our office’s commitment to work with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to root out public corruption at all levels of government.”
“There are consequences when public officials illegally use public funds for their own personal benefit. In this case, the defendants prioritized their greed over the interests of the citizens they were supposed to serve,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Herbert J. Stapleton. “The FBI and our law enforcement partners will always work together to investigate allegations such as this and ensure perpetrators are held accountable.”
“We should all expect our public officials to act with integrity,” said Justin Campbell, Special Agent in Charge of the Chicago Field Office of Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation. “When these officials violate the trust we have placed in them, there should be consequences. IRS-Criminal Investigation will continue to support our law enforcement partners in ensuring that public funds are spent in the taxpayers’ best interests.”
“I’m proud that we have honest individuals willing to report corruption when they see it, knowing that silence in the face of misconduct is not an option,” said Vanderburgh County Sheriff Noah Robinson. “The alleged crimes committed by these officials are a slap in the face to the community in which we live. This corrupt behavior runs counter to the oath they took, and certainly not what was promised to this community.”
“As Law Enforcement Officers, we have to hold people accountable and keep them honest, regardless of their positions,” said Evansville Police Chief Billy Bolin. “Actions like these defendants cause the community to lose faith in those entrusted with positions of power.”
If convicted, Wilson, Payne, and Hardiman face up to 20 years in federal prison and up to 3 years of supervised release each, as well as a fine. A federal district court judge will determine the actual sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, Justin Campbell, Special Agent in Charge of IRS-Criminal Investigation’s Chicago Field Office, Chicago Field Office, Herbert J. Stapleton, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Indianapolis Field Office, Paul Joyce, State Examiner for the Indiana State Board of Accounts, Jeffrey R. Adams, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service’s Indianapolis Field Office, Billy Bolin, Chief of Evansville Police Department, and Noah Robinson, Vanderburgh County Sheriff made the announcement.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorney Matthew B. Miller, who is prosecuting this case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Pickerington man pleads guilty to setting fire to local churchRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A Pickerington man pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court here today to committing a civil rights violation by burning a house of worship.
Benjamin Darrell Ruckel, 25, pleaded guilty to violating the Church Arson Prevention Act.
A federal bill of information charges Ruckel with setting fire to the Mount Zion Church in Baltimore, Ohio, on Nov. 27, 2021. During an arraignment hearing this morning before U.S. District Judge Sarah D. Morrison, the defendant admitted to intentionally setting the fire because of the religious character of the church.
“The defendant in this case is being held accountable for the devastating church arson that impacted an entire community of worshipers,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department is committed to ensuring that religious practice is protected from forceful interference and will continue to prosecute those who commit acts of violence against houses of worship because of their religious character.”
“Every resident in the Southern District of Ohio should be free to worship without any criminal acts occurring against them or the place in which they come together to do so,” said U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker. “Combatting these types of unlawful acts is a priority for my office, and together with our law enforcement partners, we will continue to vigorously use every criminal enforcement tool at our disposal to address civil rights violations.”
“Religious freedom is a cornerstone of our nation, and the FBI will continue to protect the rights of Americans to worship safely,” stated FBI Cincinnati Special Agent in Charge J. William Rivers. “As the lead agency for investigating criminal violations of federal civil rights statutes, the FBI works closely with law enforcement, religious organizations, and community groups to reduce civil rights abuses.”
According to court documents, Ruckel broke the windows of the church and spread accelerant before setting the church ablaze, causing extensive damage.
Violating the Church Arson Prevention Act is punishable by up to 20 years in prison.
Assistant Attorney General Clarke, U.S. Attorney Parker and Special Agent in Charge Rivers announced today’s guilty plea. Deputy Criminal Chief Brian J. Martinez for the Southern District of Ohio and Trial Attorney Daniel E. Grunert of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section are prosecuting the case. The FBI Cincinnati Division investigated the case.
Information related to potential civil rights violations in the Southern District of Ohio can be submitted online here: /media/1227446/dl?inline.
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Pair Accused of More St. Louis CarjackingsRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – Two men from East St. Louis, Illinois who were already facing federal charges related to a carjacking in November have been accused of more.
Quinn Turner, 21, and Jaylen Mays, 25, pleaded not guilty in U.S. District Court Wednesday. Turner is facing four felonies from an April 19 superseding indictment: two carjacking charges and two charges of possession and brandishing of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. Mays is charged with three counts each of carjacking and firearms charge, as well as one count charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm.
The indictment accuses Mays, aided by others, of stealing a 2015 Chevrolet Malibu on Nov. 5, 2022 while brandishing a firearm. It says Mays and Turner, again aided by others, stole a 2007 Chevrolet Malibu at gunpoint six days later, and a 2017 GMC Terrain two days after that.
A detention motion says the GMC was stolen from a gas station at the northwest corner of Russell Boulevard and South 7th Street in the Soulard neighborhood by men who pulled up in a Nissan Rogue and the carjacked Malibu, which had been stolen in the downtown business district.
Detectives assigned to the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department's Anti-Crime Task Force utilized spike strips to stop the Malibu, finding Quinn, Mays and a juvenile that matched the description of one of the armed men inside, the detention motion says.
The carjacking and felon in possession charges carry a potential penalty of up to 15 years in prison. The firearm charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years in prison.
Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The case was investigated by the St. Louis Metropolitan police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Martin is prosecuting the case.
Omaha Man Sentenced for Fentanyl and Firearm ConspiracyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Steven Russell announced that Anthony Jose Franco, 21, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl. Franco received a sentence of 120 months’ imprisonment with a five-year term of supervised release to follow. There is no parole in the federal system.
In August 2022, Franco became the subject of a DEA investigation for his role in distributing fentanyl in Omaha. On August 5, 2022, an undercover agent purchased 21.3 grams of fentanyl directly from Franco. A second undercover buy on August 24, 2022, resulted in 29.3 grams of fentanyl being purchased. On September 9, 2022, Franco was arrested while delivering 58.7 grams of fentanyl to the undercover agent. That same day, a search warrant was executed at the residence in which Franco was staying. More than 326 fentanyl pills with venue to Franco and an AK-47 assault rifle were seized.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Ohio Man Pleads Guilty to Setting Fire to a ChurchRead the Press Release
An Ohio man pleaded guilty today to violating the Church Arson Prevention Act for setting fire to a house of worship.
Benjamin Ruckel, 25, of Pickerington, pleaded guilty to a single-count information charging him with setting fire to the Mount Zion Church in Baltimore, Ohio, on Nov. 27, 2021. According to court documents, Ruckel broke into the church and spread accelerant before setting the church ablaze, causing extensive damage. During the hearing, Ruckel admitted to intentionally setting the fire because of the religious character of the church.
“The defendant in this case is being held accountable for a devastating church arson that impacted an entire community of worshipers,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The freedom to congregate in churches across our nation and the liberty to exercise one’s religious beliefs must be shielded and protected. The Justice Department is committed to protecting our houses of worship and ensuring that all people are able to freely engage in religious practice free from violence and forceful interference.”
“Every resident in the Southern District of Ohio should be free to worship without any criminal acts occurring against them or the place in which they come together to do so,” said U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker for the Southern District of Ohio. “Combatting these types of unlawful acts is a priority for my office, and together with our law enforcement partners, we will continue to vigorously use every criminal enforcement tool at our disposal to address civil rights violations.”
“All Americans have the right to practice their religion without fear,” said Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “The FBI will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to defend that right and hold those individuals accountable who would prevent the free exercise of that right.”
The sentencing date has not yet been set. Ruckel faces up to 20 years in prison for the violation of the Church Arson Prevention Act.
The FBI Columbus Field Office investigated the case.
Deputy Criminal Chief Brian Martinez for the Southern District of Ohio and Trial Attorney Daniel E. Grunert of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section are prosecuting the case.
New Jersey Doctor Admits Health Care Fraud Targeting AmtrakRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A New Jersey doctor today admitted participating in a health care fraud scheme to defraud Amtrak, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Muhammad Mirza, 50, of Cedar Grove, New Jersey, pleaded guilty by videoconference before U.S. District Judge Madeline Cox Arleo to an information charging him with one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From April 2017 through June 2022, Mirza and his conspirators agreed to engage in a scheme to bill the Amtrak health care plan for fraudulent claims for services that either were never provided or were medically unnecessary. They would recruit Amtrak employees to participate in the scheme by paying them to allow the conspirators to use their patient and insurance information to submit false and fraudulent claims. Mirza and his conspirators submitted false and fraudulent claims that caused Amtrak losses of more than $1.3 million.
The charge of conspiracy to commit health care fraud carries a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greatest. Sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 13, 2023.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the Amtrak Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Waters; special agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Frank A. Tarentino III in New York; and the Amtrak Police Department, under the direction of Chief of Police Sam Dotson, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine M. Romano of the Health Care Fraud Unit in Newark.
mirza.information.pdfNYC Mother and Son Charged with Interstate Shipment of Misbranded Animal DrugsRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Bien King, 70, of Congers, NY and Khalil King, 36, of New York, NY were charged by indictment with conspiracy, distribution of unregistered and misbranded pesticides, and interstate shipment of misbranded animal drugs.
The indictment alleges that Bien King and her son, Khalil King, jointly operated a business called “Little City Dogs,” based in New York City. The defendants purchased unapproved animal drugs and pesticides, including ivermectin, nitenpyram, praziquantel, and fipronil, from various Chinese suppliers. The defendants’ Chinese suppliers routinely mislabeled the shipments to avoid inspection by United States Customs and Border Protection inspectors. According to the indictment, once the defendants received the shipments from China, they used various locations, including a Manhattan office, to mix and repackage these drugs and pesticides for resale to customers throughout the United States. According to the indictment, the defendants’ company received over $4,000,000 from the sale of these misbranded, unregistered, and unapproved pesticides and animal drugs.
If convicted, the defendants face a maximum possible sentence of 19 years in prison, up to 3 years of supervised release, a $1,450,000 fine, and a $550 special assessment.
The case was investigated by the Food and Drug Administration’s Office of Criminal Investigations, the Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Criminal Investigations, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Christopher E. Parisi.
An indictment, information, or criminal complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Missouri Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Raping Runaway TeenRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A man from Mexico, Missouri was sentenced Wednesday to 10 years in federal prison for repeatedly raping a 13-year-old runaway on a trip to Las Vegas.
Jacob D. Burney, now 24, became involved in a relationship with the 13-year-old victim in 2021. Sometime before Dec. 8, 2021, the victim ran away from home to be with Burney. The teen was reported missing, and Homeland Security Investigations received a National Hotline Tip on Dec. 14, 2021 about her.
Burney switched vehicles and left Missouri to prevent law enforcement officers from finding her. During the trip to Las Vegas, Burney provided drugs and alcohol to the teen and committed the crime of statutory rape repeatedly.
Burney pleaded guilty in January in front of U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey to a charge of transportation of a minor to engage in a criminal sex act.
“Only by joining together will we successfully eradicate child exploitation from our neighborhoods, therefore HSI is asking the community to pay attention to the signs of these abuses and ultimately report them," said Acting Special Agent in Charge Taekuk Cho for Homeland Security Investigations Kansas City.
The Missouri Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force at moicac.org and The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at missingkids.org both have resources on how to protect children.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Missouri State Technical Assistance Team. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dianna Collins is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by 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.
Middleburg Man Arrested for Possessing Child Sexual Abuse VideosRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the arrest and filing of a criminal complaint charging Sam David Harris, Jr. (37, Middleburg) with possession of videos depicting the sexual abuse of young children. If convicted, Harris faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. Harris has been ordered detained pending trial.
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 Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, and the Northeast Florida (NEFL) INTERCEPT Task Force. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kelly S. Karase.
This case is 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.justice.gov/psc.