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Monday 13 March 2023
Illinois Attorney Found Guilty of Embezzlement, Bankruptcy Fraud, and Tax FraudRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A federal jury has found a former Illinois attorney and real estate developer guilty on two counts of embezzlement, six counts of bankruptcy fraud, and eight counts of tax fraud following a nearly four week-long trial in Chicago.
Evidence at trial revealed that ROBERT KOWALSKI, 61, of Chicago was a close associate of John Gembara, the former President of Washington Federal Bank for Savings (“WFBS”), a small bank in Chicago’s Bridgeport neighborhood which was closed in December 2017 after the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency determined that the bank was insolvent and had at least $66 million in nonperforming loans. Kowalski served a key role in the embezzlement scheme, specifically diverting from the bank more than $8 million, plus property which was rightly the collateral of the bank for other loans. The embezzled funds that Kowalski received from WFBS were concealed by entering them on the bank’s records as loan disbursements. However, WFBS never required Kowalski to repay these fraudulent loans. Along with his co-conspirators, Kowalski was involved in the falsification of bank records and the recording of false financial transactions to shift real estate interests into his own name for financial benefit. After the collapse of WFBS, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation attempted to collect on the money and properties that Kowalski obtained as part of the embezzlement scheme. To avoid losing the assets, Kowalski filed a fraudulent bankruptcy case, in which he attempted to concealed numerous assets. To substantiate the financial claims made within his bankruptcy filings, and avoid paying taxes, Kowalski filed false corporate returns in 2014 and 2015, and false personal returns in 2015, 2016, and 2017. Kowalski failed to file returns in 2013 and 2014.
Sentencing has been set for June 2, 2023 before U.S. District Court Judge Virginia M. Kendall. Kowalski could face a sentence of up to 82 years in federal prison.
The verdict was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Kathy A. Enstrom, Special Agent in Charge of the Chicago Region of the FDIC’s Office of Inspector General; Machelle L. Jindra, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's Office of Inspector General in Chicago; Justin Campbell, Special Agent-in-Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation in Chicago; Catherine Huber, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Central Region of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, Office of Inspector General; Robert W. Wheeler, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI; Andrea Peacock, Special Agent in Charge of the of the Department of the Treasury, Office of Inspector General; Deborah Witzburg, City of Chicago Inspector General; and Kathryn Richards, Chicago Housing Authority Inspector General. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Trustee Program. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeremy Daniel, Kristin Pinkston, and Brian Netols, along with Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Snell.
Houma Man Indicted for Mail Fraud and Making False Statements to Federal AgentsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced today that DONDRE MORGAN, (“MORGAN”), age 31, of Houma, LA, was indicted on March 10, 2023 on two (2) counts of Mail Fraud in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1341 and one (1) count of Making False Statements to Federal Agents in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1001(a)(2).
According to the indictment, MORGAN, Sharnae Every, MORGAN’S girlfriend, and others defrauded the SBA and other designated financial institutions of approximately $1,142,041.00 through the submission of approximately 110 fraudulent PPP loan applications. As part of the scheme to defraud , Every recruited friends and family members primarily via Facebook to send Every their personal and bank information in exchange for "free money." MORGAN also assisted in recruiting various friends and family members by speaking with them in person or texting them, telling them to contact Every.
Every charged the individuals she recruited anywhere from $45.00 to $120.00 to prepare and submit the fraudulent PPP application. Every primarily used Cash App. to receive the initial payments. Every then charged $3,500.00 once the loans were funded and received these funds into her Current account, her Cash App account, or into MORGAN’s Current account.
On September 9, 2022, Every was indicted by a federal grand jury for Conspiracy to Commit Mail Fraud and Mail Fraud. On March 2, 2023, Every pled guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Mail Fraud and is scheduled to be sentenced on June 8, 2023 by U.S. District Judge Carl J. Barbier.
If convicted, MORGAN faces a maximum penalty of twenty (20) years per count for Counts 1 and 2 and five (5) years for Count 3, followed by a term of supervised release for up to three (3) years, a fine up to $250,000.00 per count, or twice the gross gain to the defendant, or twice the gross loss to any victim, and a $100.00 mandatory special assessment fee per count.
U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
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. The Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of the Inspector General, is an active member of the PRAC Fraud Task Force.
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.
The United States Attorney’s Office would also like to acknowledge the assistance of the Department of Veteran Affairs, Office of the Inspector General; United States Department of Labor, Office of the Inspector General; United States Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations; and the United States Secret Service’s Cyber Fraud Task Force, consisting of the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office, Thibodeaux Police Department, and the Louisiana Bureau of Investigation with this matter. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Brian M. Klebba, Chief of the Financial Crimes Unit; Assistant United States Attorney Edward Rivera, COVID-19 Fraud Coordinator; and Assistant United States Attorney Mary Katherine Kaufman of the Civil Division.
Home Health Provider and Two Executives Agree to Pay $1 Million to Resolve Kickback and Pandemic-Relief Fraud AllegationsRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Fairfax-based home health care company and two executives agreed to pay $1 million to resolve claims arising from an alleged kickback scheme designed to obtain referrals for home health and hospice patients.
The United States alleged that from 2012 to 2021, Pro Healthcare Servicing, LLC (Pro Health), its Chief Executive Officer, Erwin Cheng, and its Chief Administrator, Gloria Jiang, both of Ashburn, paid kickbacks to employees at various assisted living facilities and skilled nursing facilities throughout northern Virginia to induce those facilities to refer patients to Pro Health for home health and hospice services. Pro Health then billed Medicare for services rendered to those patients.
The United States further alleged that while Pro Health was engaged in the kickback scheme, the company fraudulently obtained pandemic-relief loans through the Small Business Administration’s Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program by falsely certifying that the company was not engaged in any illegal activity when applying for the loans.
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General.
The matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney William Hochul and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Ilene Albala.
The civil claims are allegations only; there has been no admission of liability.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.
Hammond Woman Charged for Theft of More Than $44,000 in Social Security FundsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that MELISSA KING (“KING”), age 53, of Hammond, Louisiana, was indicted on March 10, 2023 for Theft of Government Funds, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 641.
According to the indictment, beginning in or around December 2016, and continuing until in or around March 2020, KING collected approximately $44,696.00 in Social Security Administration funds to which she was not entitled.
If convicted, KING faces a maximum penalty of ten (10) years of imprisonment, followed by up to three (3) years of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000.00, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.
U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Maria Carboni of the Financial Crimes Unit.
Georgia Couple Sentenced for Paycheck Protection Program FraudRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Steven Russell announced that Jeremy D. Sanders, 32, and Lakeda R. Sanders, 27, husband and wife, both of Newnan, Georgia, were sentenced on March 10, 2023, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, by Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. Jeremy Sanders was sentenced to four years of probation, including three months of home confinement, and was ordered to pay restitution of $21,304.88. Lakeda Sanders was sentenced to four years of probation, including six months of home confinement, and was ordered to pay restitution of $27,793.79. Both pled guilty in December 2022 to Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud.
During 2020 and 2021, both Jeremy Sanders and Lakeda Sanders submitted or caused to be submitted applications for Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) loans. The PPP loan program was created by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act, which was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Both Jeremy and Lakeda Sanders worked with others to prepare and submit loan applications that misrepresented payroll for their purported businesses and sole proprietorship. The businesses in fact had no employees, and the PPP applications were supported by false tax documents. Jeremy Sanders and an Omaha-based co-conspirator submitted fraudulent applications for loans totaling approximately $41,290, and he obtained $20,690. Lakeda Sanders and a co-conspirator submitted fraudulent applications for loans totaling approximately $220,000, and she obtained $24,166.
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.
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Former Raleigh Police Officer Pleads Guilty to Drug Trafficking and Firearms Charges, Barred from Law Enforcement CertificationRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, N.C. – Keven Rodriguez, a former Raleigh Police Department officer, pled guilty today to three drug trafficking and firearms charges for distributing cocaine while working on duty in his position as a Field Operations Division Officer. He also pled guilty to possession of contraband while in prison after a search of his jail cell found smoking paraphernalia. As a condition of his plea, Rodriguez has agreed to permanently surrender his law enforcement certification and will be permanently barred from any law enforcement certification in the State of North Carolina from either the Criminal Justice Commission or the Sheriffs’ Commission. Rodriguez faces at least ten years in prison when sentenced later this year.
“Keven Rodriguez violated his sworn oath to protect and serve,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “He will never again wear the badge and never again tarnish the honorable profession of policing to which countless brave men and women have committed their lives. I commend the Raleigh Police Department for taking quick action when they first learned of the allegations against this rogue officer. That enabled us to move quickly to get a criminal off the streets and behind bars where he belongs.”
“Mr. Rodriguez’s actions betrayed public trust, dishonored the oath he swore to uphold, and discredited his character,” said Raleigh Police Chief Estella D. Patterson. “I am pleased to see that justice was served and appropriately administered in this case. I am extremely grateful for the strong relationships with our local, state, and federal partners. Together, we will continue to remove individuals, such as Mr. Rodriquez, from our community and the law enforcement profession.”
Robert J. Murphy, the Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division commented, “This officer violated his oath to protect and serve. His actions do not reflect the honest and hardworking men and women of law enforcement.”
According to court documents and other information presented in court, Rodriguez was on duty and employed as a patrol officer with the Raleigh Police Department when he sold cocaine to a confidential informant on January 24, 2022. Rodriguez sold 56 grams of cocaine while in uniform with his duty issued firearm. Rodriguez then sold cocaine to the confidential informant on two other occasions, February 2, 2022 and February 8, 2022 while still employed with the Raleigh Police Department. Rodriguez was arrested on February 23, 2022.
While awaiting trial on the drug and gun charge, Rodriguez was being held at the Sampson County Jail when his jail cell was searched and corrections officers located smoking paraphernalia in his jail cell.
Today, Rodriguez pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute five hundred (500) grams or more of cocaine, distribution of a quantity of cocaine, use of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense and possession of contraband while in prison.
The prosecution of Rodriguez was a part of an Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force Operation (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launders, 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
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after arraignment today by Chief United States District Judge Richard E. Myers II. The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Raleigh Police Department led the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelly L. Sandling 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-00049-M
Former Nurse Sentenced for Stealing Opioids from Kansas HospitalRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A Kansas man was sentenced to 18 months in prison and his nursing license forfeited after stealing controlled substances from his employer.
According to court documents, in March 2021, Alec Ramirez, 32, of Overland Park removed vials of fentanyl and hydromorphone from an automated dispensing cabinet at Menorah Medical Center in Overland Park and replaced the substances with an alternate liquid before returning the vials to the cabinet.
In December 2022, Ramirez pleaded guilty to one count of tampering with a consumer product and one count of possession of fentanyl by deception and subterfuge.
The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Food and Drug Administration – Office of Criminal Investigations investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Faiza Alhambra and Trent Krug prosecuted the case.
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Former Niskayuna Surgeon to Pay $42,000 for Defrauding MedicareRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Steven A. St. Lucia has agreed to pay $42,000 to the United States to resolve allegations that he caused Union Foot Solutions, LLC, d/b/a Union Orthotics and Pedorthics (Union Foot Solutions), to submit false claims for payment to Medicare in violation of the False Claims Act, announced United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman. St. Lucia has pled guilty to state health care fraud charges and is scheduled for sentencing on March 17, 2023.
As part of the Settlement Agreement, St. Lucia admitted to the following:
In early 2000, the New York State Board of Professional Medical Conduct revoked St. Lucia’s medical license based on findings that he had committed conduct demonstrating moral unfitness and gross incompetence. Later that year, the Office of Inspector General for the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS-OIG) excluded St. Lucia from participating in all Federal health care programs, including Medicare. The effect of an exclusion is that no Federal health care program may make payment for items or services furnished by an excluded person, or at the medical direction or on the prescription of an excluded person.
St. Lucia subsequently opened Schenectady-based Union Foot Solutions, a medical supply company, and applied to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) for Union Foot Solutions to participate in Medicare. That enrollment application falsely represented both that St. Lucia had never had a revocation or suspension of a license to provide health care and that he had never faced suspension or exclusion from Federal health care programs. CMS denied the application, explaining that St. Lucia was “excluded from the Medicare program” and, therefore, Union Foot Solutions “cannot receive Medicare payment.” St. Lucia later transferred his ownership interest in Union Foot Solutions to a third party, and Union Foot Solutions’ new owner reapplied for and obtained authorization to participate in Medicare. St. Lucia continued to work for Union Foot Solutions and rendered orthotic and prosthetic care to patients.
The United States alleges that, from December 1, 2016 through February 28, 2018, St. Lucia caused Union Foot Solutions to present false claims for payment to Medicare for services that he furnished to and ordered for Medicare beneficiaries. The United States further alleges that, to conceal his involvement in the treatment of Medicare beneficiaries and to circumvent the effect of his exclusion, St. Lucia caused Union Foot Solutions to bill services that he furnished to and items that he ordered for Medicare beneficiaries in the name of another pedorthist.
The investigation and settlement were the result of a coordinated effort among the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York, HHS-OIG, and the New York State Offices of the Inspector General. The United States was represented by Assistant United States Attorney Adam J. Katz.
Former Iowa State Patrol Trooper Sentenced for Civil Rights ViolationRead the Press Release
CEDAR RAPIDS, IA – A former Iowa State Patrol trooper was sentenced on March 7, 2023, to two years of probation for deprivation of rights under color of law.
According to court documents, on September 25, 2017, Robert James Smith, 58, was on patrol and observed an individual traveling on a motorcycle on Interstate 80 at a speed above the posted speed limit. Smith attempted to catch up to the motorcycle. The motorcyclist exited Interstate 80 in Cedar County, stopped the motorcycle and dismounted. In his marked squad car, Smith exited behind the motorcycle, engaged the overhead lights and siren on his patrol vehicle, parked near and quickly approached the victim with his pistol drawn and pointed at the victim. As the victim was standing next to the motorcycle with hands in the air, Smith delivered an open palm strike to the victim’s chin area. The force of the strike caused the victim to fall back over the motorcycle, after which Smith knelt on and handcuffed the victim, then stood the victim up. In a report about the incident, Smith wrote that he reached with his hand intending to take hold of the victim’s shoulder but instead inadvertently came into contact with the front side of his helmet. In his plea agreement, Smith admitted that his open hand palm strike was intentional, done with a bad purpose or improper motive to disregard the law, and was an unreasonable use of force.
Smith plead guilty in September 2022. Smith was also ordered to pay a fine of $7500.00.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case.
Final defendant sentenced in prosecution of middle Georgia methamphetamine-trafficking conspiracyRead the Press Release
DUBLIN, GA: The final defendant from a Laurens County methamphetamine trafficking ring has been sentenced to prison, wrapping up an operation that dismantled a major middle Georgia drug conspiracy and took more than 75 illegally possessed firearms off the streets.
Robert Anthony Justice, 40, of Chester, Ga., was sentenced to 21 months in prison after previously pleading guilty to using a cell phone to conduct illegal drug trafficking activity, said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. With Justice’s plea, 25 of 30 indicted defendants in Operation Monroe Doctrine have been sentenced after pleading guilty to felony charges related to the conspiracy, and four defendants entered Pre-Trial Diversion. One defendant passed away during the pendency of the case.
“Whether it’s in big cities or small towns, methamphetamine and other dangerous drugs fuel an addiction crisis that generates crime and misery,” said U.S. Attorney Steinberg. “Operation Monroe Doctrine demonstrates the success of law enforcement agencies working together to protect these communities.”
The July 2021 indictment of 30 defendants in USA v. Monroe et. al, dubbed Operation Monroe Doctrine, was the culmination of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation that identified a methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy throughout Laurens and Telfair counties and beyond, operating from at least January 2020 through January 2021.
As described in court documents and testimony, the defendants coordinated to import and distribute illegal drugs throughout the greater Dublin and Laurens County community. Key sentences in the operation include:
- David Alex Monroe, 34, of Dexter, Ga., the leader of the conspiracy, is serving 84 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Methamphetamine. As part of his plea agreement, Monroe forfeited a machine gun, an illegal short-barrel rifle, and two silencers, and abandoned his interest in 54 additional firearms.
- Jorge Hernandez-Pena, 48, of Atlanta, Ga., the conspiracy’s source of supply, is serving 240 months in prison, followed by deportation, after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Methamphetamine.
- Fredi Ramirez-Garcia, 44, of Decatur, Ga., another of the conspiracy’s drug distributors, is serving 120 months in prison, followed by deportation, after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime.
- David Kates, 48, a Jamaican citizen, is serving 108 months in prison, followed by deportation, after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Methamphetamine.
- Christopher Forbes, 33, of Dublin, Ga., is serving 97 months in prison after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Methamphetamine. As part of his plea agreement, Forbes forfeited his interest in 21 firearms and two silencers.
- Carl Davis, 50, of Jacksonville, Fla., is serving 88 months in prison after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Methamphetamine.
“Prior to the people of Laurens County electing me as sheriff, I promised I would work hard to eliminate the dangerous drug dealers from our community,” said Laurens County Sheriff Larry Dean. “I have and will continue to do so. My deputies will continue to work with other agencies on the local, state and federal level to ensure strong, swift convictions to the ones who choose to peddle dope here. My hat goes off to everyone who had a role in this case, from my staff all the way to the DEA and the U.S. Attorney's Office. I thank you all.”
“The insidious drug methamphetamine destroys families and communities,” said Robert J. Murphy, the Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division. “DEA and its law enforcement partners are committed to protect and serve those communities. This investigation was a success because of the collective effort between DEA, and its local, state and federal law enforcement counterparts.”
“There is no initiative more critical to ATF than increasing the safety of our communities. Cases which result in the arrests and prosecution of criminals are fundamental to continuing this initiative while simultaneously shows criminals that ATF and its law enforcement partners will not falter in this mission.” said Beau Kolodka, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. “We will pursue criminals such as these wherever they may operate, and they will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States, using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach.
The case was investigated by the Laurens County Sheriff’s Office and the Ocmulgee Drug Task Force, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorneys John P. Harper III, Frank M. Pennington II, and Southern District of Georgia OCDETF Coordinator Marcela C. Mateo.
District Man Found Guilty of Charges for Shooting Four People in Northeast Washington D.C.Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON - Travis Littlejohn, 38, of Washington, D.C., was found guilty by a jury of the July 5, 2019, shooting of three men and a woman in Northeast Washington, D.C., announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department. The verdict was returned late in the day on March 10, 2023. The Honorable Maribeth Raffinan scheduled sentencing for June 2, 2023.
Littlejohn was found guilty following a two-week trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, of all charges in the 28-count indictment, including four counts of assault with intent to kill while armed, one count of aggravated assault while armed, and three counts of assault with significant bodily injury, along with related firearms offenses.
According to the government’s evidence, on the night of July 5, 2019, after getting into a verbal and physical altercation with a group of people gathered in the 3800 block of Minnesota Avenue NE, Washington, D.C., Littlejohn drove to an apartment two blocks away. Littlejohn drove back to the block minutes later, and after exchanging words with the group again, fired at least seven rounds at them from a semiautomatic firearm from a short distance away. Littlejohn shot four people before two members of the group returned gunfire. Three of the victims suffered significant injuries, but one victim was more seriously injured.
This case was investigated by Metropolitan Police Department Detective Kurt Hansen with assistance of Sixth District Officer Keith Cyphers. The case was prosecuted and tried by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Toogun and Samuel White, and indicted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael McCarthy of the Major Crimes Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. Valuable assistance was provided by Paralegal Specialists Renee Prather, Debra McPherson & Crystal Waddy, SA Nelson Rhone of the Criminal Investigation Unit, and Litigation Technology Specialist Leif Hickling.
Detroit Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Damon Shawn Bailes Jr., also known as “Paper,” 31, of Detroit, Michigan, pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on May 3, 2022, law enforcement officers arrested Bailes in the area of 19th Street and Rural Road in Huntington on a warrant for a parole violation. Officers found 76 grams of fentanyl, $365 and a loaded SIG Sauer SP2022 handgun on Bailes’ person. Bailes admitted that he possessed the fentanyl and intended to sell it.
Bailes is scheduled to be sentenced on June 21, 2023, and faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 40 years in prison, four years of supervised release, and a $5 million fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Huntington Violent Crime and Drug Task Force, and the Huntington Police Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Courtney L. Cremeans is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:22-cr-114.
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Denver Man Sentenced to 17 Years in Prison for Violent Armed RobberiesRead the Press Release
DENVER - The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces the Dionte Jelks, age 22, of Denver, was sentenced to 17 years in federal prison for armed robbery and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence.
According to the plea agreement, from January 11, 2021, through February 11, 2021, the defendant participated with his co-defendants in takeover style robberies of pharmacies in Denver and Aurora. The defendant's role for each robbery was to jump pharmacy counters and aid in the robbery of pharmacists at gunpoint. The defendant would yell at pharmacy employees to get them to give him the drugs. In one robbery, he forced the employees to lie face down on the ground and in others he followed the employees around the pharmacy, demanding controlled substances. During the January 25, 2021, robbery, the defendant threatened to shoot an employee. After the robberies on January 15, 2021, and January 25, 2021, the defendant used social media to sell the controlled substances taken from the pharmacy during the robbery. He sent a Facebook friend a picture of Oxycodone and Alprazolam pills, followed by a video, as proof that the stolen pills were not fake. The defendants only stopped their armed robberies when they were disrupted by law enforcement on February 11, 2021.
Judge R. Brooke Jackson sentenced the defendant on March 9, 2023.
“The defendant’s aggressive and violent actions will forever impact the victims of these robberies. No one should fear that they will be shot and killed simply because they showed up for work,” said United States Attorney Cole Finegan. “This sentence should send a clear message that this type of behavior will not be tolerated.”
"ATF and local law enforcement successfully disrupted this violent string of armed robberies,” said Acting ATF Special Agent in Charge Kirk Howard. “We are hopeful this 17-year sentence in federal prison will serve as a deterrent to those who might choose to bring violence to our communities.”
“The Denver Police Department thanks our partners for their roles in holding Mr. Jelks and other violent criminals accountable for their dangerous crimes,” said Denver Police Chief Ron Thomas. “We hope this arrest, conviction, and sentencing demonstrate to our community that gun violence and drug crimes are not tolerated.”
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Denver Division investigated this case, with assistance from the Denver Police Department and the Aurora Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Celeste Rangel handled the prosecution.
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.
CASE NUMBER: 21-cr-00140
Dennis Duffy Sentenced to Prison for Pandemic FraudRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont - The District of Vermont announced that Dennis Duffy II, 40, of South Burlington, was sentenced today in United States District Court in Burlington to 12 months and one day of imprisonment following his guilty plea to loan fraud and money laundering. U.S. District Judge William K. Sessions III also ordered that Duffy serve two years of supervised release following completion of his prison term, pay restitution in the amount of $191,000 and forfeit a Ford truck that he purchased with fraud proceeds. The court ordered that Duffy surrender to the Federal Bureau of Prisons on May 16, 2023 to begin serving his sentence.
On July 8, 2021, a federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment that charged Duffy with fraud and money laundering. The first fraud charge accused Duffy of making false statements and providing forged documents to North Country Federal Credit Union in the summer of 2020 in connection with Duffy’s application for a $416,000 Paycheck Protection Plan (PPP) loan for his commercial cleaning business, Night Owl Cleaning, Inc. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act contained many provisions that were intended to address the medical, economic, and social impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, including the PPP loan program established by Congress in the spring of 2020. The PPP loan program was an economic stimulus program intended to help small businesses keep employees on payroll during the pandemic. It provided billions of dollars in low-interest, unsecured loans that were to be administered through and guaranteed by the U.S. Small Business Administration. Applicants had to certify that the loan proceeds would be used to maintain payroll and pay other business-related expenses. If applicants were able to demonstrate that proceeds were used to keep workers employed, some or all of a loan could be forgiven. Applicants had to provide the lending financial institution with certain documentation demonstrating their entitlement to and qualifications for a PPP loan.According to the indictment, in late June 2020, Duffy applied for and received a $416,000 loan for Night Owl Cleaning from North Country Federal Credit Union. As part of the application process, Duffy gave NCFCU tax records, rent invoices and utility bills that purported to be for Night Owl. For example, Duffy gave the credit union what purported to be a federal corporate tax return for 2019 that indicated Night Owl had gross revenues that year that exceeded $7.3 million and had taxable income of about $382,000. In fact, the actual returns Duffy filed with the IRS that year reported gross revenues of $79,000 and taxable income of only $15,700. According to the indictment, other Night Owl financial information that Duffy submitted to North Country in support of the loan application was similarly fraudulent.
In early July 2020, NCFCU funded the PPP loan by depositing the $416,000 into a Night Owl Cleaning account. Instead of using those funds for Night Owl payroll, however, Duffy used more than $390,000 to buy a house in Milton. In connection with the PPP loan fraud, Duffy pled guilty to credit union fraud and money laundering.
The indictment accused Duffy of committing an unrelated fraud against American Express in 2017. In April 2017, Duffy applied for and obtained an American Express credit card for Night Owl Cleaning. Between May and August 2017, Duffy used the AMEX card to make three fraudulent purchases, totaling $125,000, from a business purportedly named Vermont Aerial. In fact, the transactions were fraudulent transfers of AMEX funds to another company Duffy owned named Pet Stop. Immediately after the AMEX funds were deposited into the Pet Stop account, Duffy retransferred the money to a Night Owl Cleaning account, then used those monies for his own benefit. Among other things, Duffy purchased a truck with proceeds of the AMEX fraud. Although the charge of wire fraud was dismissed as part of Duffy’s plea agreement, Duffy agreed to forfeit the truck, to pay full restitution to American Express, and that the fraud against AMEX would be included in the loss calculation under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Duffy’s case was the first pandemic-related fraud prosecution to be filed in Vermont federal court. This case was investigated by the Burlington office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Duffy is represented by Mark Kaplan, Esq. The prosecutor is Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory Waples.Davenport Man Sentenced to More than 19 Years in Federal Prison for Methamphetamine DistributionRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, IA – A Davenport man was sentenced on March 8, 2023, to 235 months in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
According to court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, David Terrell Parrow, 47, sold a pound of methamphetamine on two separate occasions to a confidential informant. In January 2022, the Davenport Police Department then executed a search warrant on Parrow’s residence and recovered marijuana and cocaine base. Following his prison term, Parrow will serve five years of supervised release.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Davenport Police Department investigated 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. In May 2021, the Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities and measuring the results.
California Men Admit Conspiring to Distribute Fentanyl and MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – Two California men admitted conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine in New Jersey and elsewhere, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Erik Eduardo Velazquez Bautista, 25, of San Diego, California, pleaded guilty by videoconference today before U.S. District Judge Brian R. Martinotti to an information charging him with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine. Jesus Alejandro Rodriguez Velasquez, 27, also of San Diego, California, pleaded guilty on March 2, 2023, to the same offense before Judge Martinotti by videoconference.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On Dec. 2, 2021, Velazquez Bautista and Rodriguez Velasquez were driving across the country to deliver narcotics to a purchaser in New York when they were stopped by law enforcement. Law enforcement seized approximately 20 kilograms of methamphetamine and approximately five kilograms of fentanyl.
Velazquez Bautista and Rodriguez Velasquez each face a maximum punishment of 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of up to $1 million. Sentencing for Rodriguez Velasquez is scheduled for July 11, 2023; sentencing for Velazquez Bautista is scheduled for July 18, 2923.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New Jersey Division, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Daniel J. Kafafian, with the investigation.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine M. Romano of the Health Care Fraud Unit in Newark.
rodriguez.information.pdf bautista.information.pdfBridgeport Man Charged with Illegal Gun TraffickingRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division, announced that DAQUAN LAMONT WRIGHT, 26, of Bridgeport, was arrested today on a federal criminal complaint charging him with illegal gun possession and trafficking offenses.
Following his arrest, Wright appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge S. Dave Vatti in Bridgeport and was ordered detained.
As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, an investigation determined that Wright was illegally selling firearms without a license. Wright was previously convicted in state court of theft of a firearm, and possession with intent to sell narcotics. It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.
It is alleged that, in January and February 2023, investigators made three controlled purchases of handguns from Wright. One of the handguns had been reported stolen in North Carolina. During the investigation, Wright indicated that he possessed, and had access to, other firearms and firearm parts. A search of Wright’s Bridgeport residence today revealed a Glock Model 43 handgun, ammunition, and various gun parts.
The complaint charges Wright with unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years, and with dealing in firearms without a license, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of five years.
U.S. Attorney Avery stressed that a criminal complaint is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This investigation has been conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Connecticut State Police, and the Bridgeport, Fairfield and Stamford Police Departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jocelyn Courtney Kaoutzanis through the Justice’s Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) program.
PSN, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts, is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta Issues Statement on the FBI’s Supplemental 2021 Hate Crime StatisticsRead the Press Release
The Justice Department issued following statement from Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta on the FBI’s announcement of the 2021 hate crime statistics supplement:
“Preventing, investigating and prosecuting hate crimes are top priorities for the Justice Department, and reporting is key to each of those priorities. The FBI’s supplemental report demonstrates our unwavering commitment to work with our state and local partners to increase reporting and provide a more complete picture of hate crimes nationwide. We will not stop here: We are continuing to work with state and local law enforcement agencies across the country to increase the reporting of hate crime statistics to the FBI. Hate crimes and the devastation they cause communities have no place in this country. The Justice Department is committed to every tool and resource at our disposal to combat bias-motivated violence in all its forms.”
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Additional information on hate crime statistics collection:
The FBI’s 2021 Hate Crime Statistics Supplemental Report released in December 2022, was the first year using annual hate crimes statistics reported entirely through the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS). Compared to the previous crime data collection system, NIBRS collects significantly more detailed data for each individual criminal incident. Since 2016, the Justice Department has worked with law enforcement agencies to assist in their transition to reporting crime data through NIBRS, including allocating over $120 million in grants to support agencies’ transition.
As a result of the shift to NIBRS-only data collection, law enforcement agency participation in submitting all crime statistics, including hate crimes, fell significantly from 2020 to 2021. Several of the nation’s largest law enforcement agencies, as well as some states, did not make the transition to NIBRS in time to submit data prior to the reporting deadline, and were not included in the 2021 Hate Crime Statistics.
In order to increase agency participation for the 2021 data year, the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting Program accepted hate crime data submissions from the summary reporting data collection system and additional NIBRS hate crime reports from 3,025 agencies that covered a combined population of 87,239,467 to help compile this supplemental report. As a result, 14,859 agencies covering 91.1% of the population are represented in this report compared to the 11,834 agencies representing 64.8% represented in the December 2022 report. Nationally, reported hate crime incidents increased 11.6% from 2020 to 2021.
Steps taken by the Justice Department since January 2021 in response to a rise in hate crimes and hate incidents include:
- Aggressively investigating and prosecuting hate crimes – the department has charged more than 70 defendants in over 60 different cases and secured more than 60 convictions of defendants;
- Designating a Deputy Associate Attorney General as the department’s first-ever Anti-Hate Crimes Resources Coordinator;
- Designating the chief of the Criminal Section of the Civil Rights Division to serve in role of facilitating the expedited review of hate crimes;
- Designating an inaugural Language Access Coordinator to improve knowledge, use and expansion of the department’s language resources;
- Announcing that by September 2023 all 94 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices will host a United Against Hate program to help improve the reporting of hate crimes by teaching community members how to identify, report and help prevent hate crimes and to provide an opportunity for trust building between law enforcement and communities;
- Elevating civil rights violations and hate crimes enforcement for prioritization among the FBI’s 56 field offices;
- Designating at least one Assistant U.S. Attorney as a Civil Rights Coordinator in every U.S. Attorney’s Office (USAO);
- Facilitating FBI-hosted regional conferences across the country with state and local law enforcement agencies regarding federal civil rights and hate crimes laws; to encourage reporting; strengthen relationships between law enforcement and local civil rights organizations; and build trust within the diverse communities they serve;
- Launching an FBI-led National Anti-Hate Crimes Campaign involving all 56 FBI field offices to encourage reporting. The campaign includes outdoor advertising, billboards and radio streaming in addition to social media;
- Revitalizing the Community Relations Service (CRS) by, among other things, facilitating nearly a dozen Protecting Places of Worship forums to provide interfaith communities with resources and information on securing their places of worship, help faith leaders build relationships with law enforcement;
- Adding information to the department’s website on reporting hate crimes in 24 languages, including 18 of the most frequently spoken AAPI languages in the United States;
- Awarding over $32 million in grant funding, including through the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Program, which supports state, local and Tribal law enforcement and prosecution, victim assistance and public awareness; the Community Based Approaches to Prevent and Address Hate Crimes initiative, which promotes community awareness, preparedness and responsiveness; the Jabara-Heyer NO HATE Act State-Run Hate Crime Reporting Hotlines Program; and the Community IMPACT program, which supports community organizations in their efforts to serve and support victims of hate crimes; and
- With the Department of Education, issuing facts sheets addressing harassment and discrimination in school, including harassment based on COVID-19 related issues, harassment of LGBTQI+ students and discrimination based on national origin and immigration status.
More information about the department’s response to hate crimes is available here.
Sunday 12 March 2023
New Orleans Man Sentenced for Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – SEAN BRIGGS, a resident of New Orleans, was sentenced on February 28, 2023 by U.S. District Court Judge Wendy B. Vitter to fifty-one (51) months of incarceration after pleading guilty as charged to a one-count indictment, announced United States Attorney Duane A. Evans. Judge Vitter ordered that BRIGGS be placed on supervised release for three (3) years following his release from imprisonment. BRIGGS was also ordered to pay a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
Count 1 charged BRIGGS with possession with the intent to distribute controlled substances, including fentanyl, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C), and 841(b)(1)(D).
According to court records, on May 4, 2022, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents were conducting surveillance near the intersection of Reverend John Raphael and Josephine Streets, in New Orleans, LA. Agents observed BRIGGS engaging in suspected hand-to-hand drug transactions. A New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) Real Time Crime Camera (RTCC) was also operational in the area and surveilled BRIGGS. The RTCC camera captured BRIGGS holding a bag of narcotics and dealing fentanyl to a passenger of a vehicle.
BRIGGS had previously plead guilty to possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime at the same intersection in 2018 and received an eighty (80) month federal sentence. BRIGGS was dealing drugs in 2022 only months after his release while under supervision by Federal Probation and Parole Agents.
As agents began driving towards BRIGGS, he noticed them and walked away briskly. Agents saw BRIGGS tuck a bag with a white substance under his arm and run. As agents approached BRIGGS, they saw him throw a baseball sized bag of drugs from his person.
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.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Orleans Police Department in this matter. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mike Trummel of the Violent Crime Unit .
Honduran National Indicted for Illegal Re-EntryRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – DARLIN AMINADAK BANEGAS-CRUZ, a/k/a “Darlis Mindak Banegas-Cruz,” age 28, was indicted on March 10, 2023 for illegal reentry of a removed alien in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a), announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.
According to the indictment, DARLIN AMINADAK BANEGAS-CRUZ, (“BANEGAS-CRUZ”) reentered the United States after being previously deported on October 30, 2019. If convicted, BANEGAS-CRUZ faces a maximum term of imprisonment of two years, a maximum fine of up to $250,000, a maximum term of supervised release of up to one year, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee. He faces a sentencing enhancement of 10 years because of a prior felony conviction.
U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that an indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carter K. D. Guice, Jr. of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
Friday 10 March 2023
Wise County Pair Sentenced for Distributing Fentanyl PillsRead the Press Release
ABINGDON, Va. – A pair of Southwest Virginia men, who distributed pressed pills containing fentanyl purchased from various social media platforms, were sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court in Abingdon.
Paul Mason Perkins, 21, of Big Stone Gap, Virginia, was sentenced yesterday to 42 months. Austin Jeremiah Lane, 23, of Norton, Virginia, was sentenced to 36 months.
Perkins and Lane pleaded guilty in June 2022 to one count each of conspiring to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl. A third defendant, Cheyenne Cassie Carico, also pled guilty to the same charge last year and will be sentenced in April.
According to court documents, between February 2021 and February 2022, Perkins purchased thousands of pressed pills containing fentanyl online through a source located in California. Perkins ordered 1,000 pills at a time from the California source on the social media platforms Snapchat and Instagram, making purchases every few weeks. He had the pills mailed to his residence in Big Stone Gap. Perkins then distributed the pills to other individuals in Wise County, including multiple sales to co-conspirators Lane and Carico.
United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh, Michael Weddel, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and Tommy D. Coke, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Atlanta Division made the announcement.
The Wise County Sheriff’s Office, the Norton Police Department, the Southwest Drug Task Force, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, and the United States Postal Inspection Service investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lena Busscher is prosecuting the case.
West Tennessee Man Sentenced to 35 Years for Trafficking MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Jackson, TN – Preston Antwan McNeal, 36, of Jackson, Tennessee, was found guilty on four counts of a seven-count indictment and sentenced to 35 years for trafficking methamphetamine. United States Attorney Kevin G. Ritz announced the sentence today.
According to U.S. Attorney Ritz and information presented in court, from 2016 to 2019, McNeal formed, and was the leader, of a large methamphetamine trafficking operation in West Tennessee. In 2017, as the Lexington Police Department conducted a traffic stop on McNeal’s vehicle, he threw a bag containing 44 grams of methamphetamine, 16 grams of cocaine, and one gram of crack cocaine into a nearby yard. A total of $1,281 in cash, a drug ledger, and a digital scale were found in the car.
In 2019, the Chester County Sheriff’s Department arrested McNeal at a traffic stop. The deputy searched the vehicle and found a baggie under the driver’s seat containing 14.3 grams of methamphetamine, plus $3,000 in cash in the front passenger floorboard. A total of 57.34 grams of methamphetamine was recovered. The passenger of the car testified at trial that McNeal gave her four baggies of methamphetamine to hide on her person. One of McNeal’s co-conspirators also testified that from late 2017 until February 2019, McNeal provided the witness with over 5 kilograms of methamphetamine for redistribution.
United States District Judge S. Thomas Anderson sentenced McNeal to 420 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by 10 years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by the Lexington Police Department, the Henderson County Sheriff’s Department, and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
United States Attorney Kevin Ritz thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Adam Davis and Josh Morrow, who prosecuted this case for the government, as well as the law enforcement partners who investigated the case.
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For more information, please contact Public Information Officer Cherri Green at (901) 544-4231 or [email protected]. Follow @WDTNNews on Twitter for office news and updates
Waterville Man Faces up to 20 Years, $250K Fine for Possessing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Waterville man pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Bangor today to possessing child sexual abuse material.
According to court records, Terrence Talbot, 56, used a government computer to search for and obtain child sexual abuse material. He stored downloaded still and video files on removable digital media devices.
Talbot faces up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and up to a lifetime of supervised release. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The U.S. Department of the Interior, Office of the Inspector General investigated this case.
To report an incident involving the possession, distribution, receipt or production of child pornography: Child sexual abuse material – "child pornography" – captures the sexual abuse and exploitation of children. These images document victims’ exploitation and abuse, and they suffer re-victimization every time the images are viewed. File a report with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at https://report.cybertip.org or 1-800-843-5678. If you are in Maine and you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted or abused, you can get help by calling the free, private 24-hour statewide sexual assault helpline at 1-800-871-7741.
Project Safe Childhood: 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’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, visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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Waterloo Man Sentenced for Possessing a Firearm as a Drug UserRead the Press Release
A man who possessed a firearm as an illegal user of a controlled substance was sentenced today to almost five years in federal prison.
Adaris Hawkins, age 23, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after an August 29, 2022 guilty plea to one count of possession of a firearm by a drug user.
In a plea agreement, admitted that, on December 6, 2021, he knowingly possessed a firearm, a Glock G19 pistol, as a drug user. Specifically, police went to Hawkins’ residence in Waterloo to execute a search warrant. Police officers located Hawkins outside the residence in possession of the Glock pistol. The firearm was equipped with an extended magazine and 33 rounds of ammunition. Police obtained a sample of Hawkins’ urine which subsequently tested positive for marijuana. Inside the home, police located marijuana and drug paraphernalia belonging to Hawkins. Prior to the search, police officers located various social media posts depicting Hawkins using marijuana. In addition, between July 2021 and April 2022, Hawkins purchased at least ten firearms. On the ATF paperwork he completed when purchasing the firearms, Hawkins falsely claimed that he was purchasing the guns for himself and that he was not a drug user. Several of the guns Hawkins purchased were on behalf of other persons who could not lawfully obtain firearms.
Hawkins was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Hawkins was sentenced to 57 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.
Hawkins 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 Attorneys Lisa C. Williams and Daniel C. Tvedt and investigated by the Waterloo Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
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.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 22-CR-2020.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Reaches ADA Settlement with SingleSpeed Brewing Co.Read the Press Release
SingleSpeed Brewing Co., an Iowa corporation that owns and operates a facility at 325 Commercial Street in Waterloo, Iowa (the “Facility”), has agreed to settle a dispute with the United States regarding an allegation that it violated the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”).
The settlement agreement resolves allegations that the Facility was noncompliant with the ADA’s accessibility requirements for public accommodations. As part of the settlement agreement, SingleSpeed has agreed to provide additional accessible seating to its seating spaces, standing spaces, and other dining surfaces. In addition, SingleSpeed has agreed to a number of additional alterations to its dining areas, entrances, and restrooms to come into compliance with ADA accessibility standards.
Under federal law, private entities that own or operate places of “public accommodation,” including restaurants and bars, are prohibited from discriminating on the basis of disability. The ADA authorizes the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate complaints and undertake reviews of compliance of covered entities. The Justice Department is also authorized to commence a civil lawsuit in federal court in any case that involves a pattern or practice of discrimination or raises an issue of general public importance, and to seek injunctive relief, monetary damages, and civil penalties.
U.S. Attorney Timothy T. Duax noted that SingleSpeed cooperated throughout this investigation. “The steps agreed to by SingleSpeed will give individuals with disabilities the same opportunity to enjoy what SingleSpeed has to offer, as required by the ADA. We hope others will continue to take their ADA obligations seriously as our office remains committed to ensuring that individuals with disabilities have full and equal access to places of public accommodation in the Northern District of Iowa.”
This matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Gillespie.
Any member of the public who wishes to file a complaint alleging that any place of public accommodation or public entity in the Northern District of Iowa is not accessible to persons with disabilities may file a complaint online at www.ada.gov or directly with the U.S. Attorney’s Office at https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndia/civil-rights-environmental-justice.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Two Men Plead Guilty in Wide-Ranging Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Two men pleaded guilty today in federal court in Worcester to their roles in a wide-ranging fentanyl, heroin, crack, and cocaine trafficking conspiracy.
Ivan Torres, 32, of Fitchburg, and Abel Rodriguez Rivera, 35, of Ponce, Puerto Rico, pleaded guilty to one count each of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 280 grams or more of cocaine base (commonly known as crack cocaine), and 500 grams or more of cocaine. U.S. Senior District Court Judge Timothy S. Hillman scheduled sentencings for Sept. 7, 2023. Torres and Rivera were indicted on July 22, 2020, along with 15 other defendants.
According to court documents, following a fatal fentanyl overdose in September 2018, an investigation began into a drug trafficking organization in the Fitchburg area. Beginning in July 2019, court authorized interceptions of wire and electronic communications to and from telephones used by members of the drug trafficking organization and its suppliers revealed that Torres and Rivera were both cocaine dealers.
Over the course of the investigation, over 1.8 kilograms of a heroin/fentanyl mixture, over 3.6 kilograms of cocaine, over 50 grams of crack cocaine, a stolen, loaded handgun, drug manufacturing equipment and over $376,000 in U.S. currency were seized.
Torres and Rivera are the 16th and 17th defendants to be convicted in this case – either by guilty plea or jury conviction following trial.United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Commissioner Carol Mici of the Massachusetts Department of Correction; and John E. Mawn Jr., Interim Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police, made the announcement today. The Fitchburg and Lunenburg Police Departments, U.S. Postal Inspection Service and Massachusetts State Police provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alathea Porter of Rollins’ Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The remaining defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Two Individuals Indicted on Gun Charges Appear in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
BIRMIGHAM, Ala. -- Yesterday, two individuals were arrested by FBI agents and appeared in federal court, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Carlton L. Peeples.
Charles Edward Kilgore, 31, of Heflin, and Thomas Austin Griffith, 24, of Anniston, were arraigned before U.S. Magistrate Judge Nicholas A. Danella on charges of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Kilgore and Griffith are being held in the custody of the U.S. Marshal until their detention hearings which are set for March 14.
According to the indictments, Kilgore illegally possessed a Glock .40 caliber pistol on January 6, 2023, in Cleburne County. Griffith illegally possessed a Glock .40 caliber pistol on December 9, 2022, in Calhoun County.
The maximum penalty for being a felon in possession of a firearm is 15 years in prison.
The FBI North Alabama Violent Crime Task Force investigated the case, along with the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office and the Oxford Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael A. Royster is prosecuting the case.
An indictment contains only charges. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Twelve Years in Federal Prison for California Man Who Tried to Take Five Pounds of Ice Methamphetamine on a Plane to IowaRead the Press Release
A man who was arrested in Los Angeles while trying to transport five pounds of methamphetamine to Iowa was sentenced today to twelve years in federal prison.
Kiyonte Levell Sowell, age 22, from Los Angeles, California, received the prison term after a September 14, 2022 guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance.
Evidence at prior hearings and court records reflect that in late 2021, the Cedar Rapids Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) conducted a wiretap investigation into a drug organization being primarily run by David Belton (a/k/a “Blood”). In February 2022, intercepted communications indicated that a shipment of 60 pounds of ice methamphetamine was going to be coming to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, from California. Investigators tracked a courier driving a rental truck from Los Angeles to Nebraska, where the truck was stopped. During a search of the cargo area of the truck, officers found a plastic tote containing 60 pounds of ice methamphetamine.
Following the seizure of the 60 pounds of ice methamphetamine, Belton continued to purchase additional methamphetamine from his source in California. On February 27, 2022, Belton was intercepted speaking with Sowell, who is a relative of Belton’s. Belton told Sowell that he was booking Sowell a flight, instructed Sowell to “pack you a big ass suitcase, you already know you ain’t going to stay for that many days” and then said, “You already know what the rest is so we gonna, I’m gonna book you out a ticket in the morning.” The next day, Sowell went to Los Angeles International Airport, taking a large roller bag with him through airport security as carry‑on luggage. Airport security conducted an X‑ray of the roller bag and observed multiple bags of an unknown substance underneath the clothes inside the bag. During a secondary search of the bag, security found five vacuum‑sealed bags containing ice methamphetamine. Sowell admitted that the bag was his but said his brother had packed it. When asked if he was aware of the contents of the bag he shrugged and said, “It looks like cocaine or meth, I don’t know.” He then said he was going to Iowa, “but all I know is that I’m missing my flight and I’m going to jail.” Airport security eventually searched the bag, found that it contained approximately five pounds of ice methamphetamine, and arrested Sowell. Later testing determined the substance in Sowell’s bag was approximately 2,208 grams of 99% pure methamphetamine.
The following ten co‑defendants charged in the same indictment had previously pled guilty or been found guilty in federal court and are pending sentencing:
David Poitier Belton
Derek Michael Mims
Phillip Lanell Rogers
Robert Lee Michael Bates
Anton Tarrice Whitney, Jr.
Christopher Eric Curley
Calub Joseph Storlie
Elmer Mims
Timothy Michael Webber
Jesus Vera
“Methamphetamine is a highly dangerous drug that continues to threaten the safety of our communities,” said United States Attorney Timothy T. Duax. “We remain committed to working with the DEA and all of our law enforcement partners to protect the public from dangerous drug dealers and hold accountable those who bring methamphetamine into our communities.”
Sowell was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Sowell was sentenced to 144 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a five‑year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Sowell is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was investigated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program of the United States Department of Justice through a cooperative effort of the DEA Task Force in Cedar Rapids and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The DEA Task Force in Cedar Rapids consists of the DEA; the Linn County Sheriff's Office; the Cedar Rapids Police Department; the Marion Police Department; and the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement. Also assisting in the investigation were the Transportation Security Administration and Los Angeles International Airport Police, and DEA LAX Group 3 in Los Angeles. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dan Chatham.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 22‑CR‑39‑CJW‑MAR.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Tulsa Man Convicted of Carjacking Resulting in DeathRead the Press Release
A defendant who took part in multiple carjackings that resulted in the murder of a Tulsa man in 2016 pleaded guilty in federal court, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
Emmitt Graywolf Sam, 24, pleaded guilty to carjacking resulting in death.
In his plea agreement, Sam admitted that in the early morning hours of June 25, 2016, he and another individual carried firearms and committed several carjackings and robberies. Afterward, the two men drove a stolen black Ford Focus to the 8500 block of East 26th St. in Tulsa. Sam admitted that the men then attempted to carjack victim Jonathan Stephens who was standing next to his Chrysler Pacifica. He further stated that during the attempted carjacking, Stephens was shot and killed by the other individual. The two men then fled the scene in the stolen black Ford Focus and committed several more armed robberies and carjackings.
Sam will be sentenced at a later date.
The FBI and Tulsa and Broken Arrow Police Departments conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney John E. Brasher is prosecuting the case.
Tribe Member Sentenced to Prison for Shooting at Police OfficerRead the Press Release
RENO – A Winnemucca Indian Colony tribe member was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Larry R. Hicks to 78 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for shooting at a law enforcement officer and pointing his firearm at a second officer.
Martin Williams (39) pleaded guilty in November 2022 to two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon within Indian Country.
According to court documents and admissions made in court by Williams, on April 2, 2020, he fired a shot at a law enforcement officer while on the Winnemucca Indian Colony reservation and pointed his firearm at a second officer.
United States Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Spencer L. Evans for the FBI made the announcement.
The FBI, Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office, Winnemucca Police Department, and the Elko Police Department investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorneys Penelope Brady and Andrew Keenan prosecuted the case.
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Tracy Thibodeau Pleads Not Guilty to Credit Union FraudRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont - The United States Attorney’s Office stated that Tracy Thibodeau, 46, of Windsor, Vermont, pleaded not guilty today in United States District Court in Burlington to a charge of credit union fraud. United States Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle released Thibodeau on conditions pending trial, which has not been scheduled.
According to court records, on February 22, 2023, a federal grand jury in Rutland returned a one-count indictment charging Thibodeau, who at the time was known as Tracy Hill, with defrauding her former employer, the Vermont VA Federal Credit Union. The VVAFCU is a small credit union that has one office in White River Junction. Thibodeau began working at the credit union in 2015 and was promoted to branch manager in around 2016. The credit union offered VVAFCU VISA credit cards to members and employees.
The indictment charges that in April 2019, Thibodeau misused her authority at the bank to open a personal VVVAFCU credit card account without proper authorization from her superiors. Later in 2019, it is alleged, Thibodeau again misused her access to the credit union’s credit card processing software to grant herself, without authorization, privileged statuses on her card account. Those privileges eliminated maximum account limits; excused her from paying late fees and penalties on overdue balances; and also eliminated monthly minimum payments. Between April 2019 and February 2021, Thibodeau used her credit card to make purchases in excess of $140,000. During that period, Thibodeau made only small monthly payments toward her large account balance. The indictment further alleges that Thibodeau concealed her procurement and misuse of the credit card by manipulating internal credit card journal reports to hide from her superiors the existence of a large balance in her account. The credit union discovered the fraud in April 2022 and promptly fired Thibodeau. At that time, the outstanding balance on her account was more than $137,000. That loss has been absorbed by the credit union and its insurer.
The United States Attorney emphasizes that the charge in the indictment is merely an accusation and that Thibodeau is presumed innocent unless and until she is proven guilty.
If convicted, Thibodeau faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a fine of up to $1,000,000. The actual sentence would be determined with reference to federal sentencing guidelines.This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service and the Hartford, Vermont Police Department.
Thibodeau is represented by Robert Katims, Esq. The prosecutor is Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory Waples.
Three Bowling Green Residents Sentenced for Methamphetamine Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Bowling Green, KY – This week, the third and final member of a Bowling Green federal drug trafficking conspiracy was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Acting Special Agent in Charge Robert Maynard of the ATF Louisville Field Office, and Director Tommy Loving of the Bowling Green/Warren County Appalachia High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (AHIDTA) Drug Task Force made the announcement.
On March 7, 2023, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky, Bowling Green Division, Glenn Budd, 41, was sentenced to 10 years in prison followed by 5 years of supervised release for conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a methamphetamine mixture.
On February 1, 2023, Rickshard Collins, 31, was sentenced to 10 years in prison followed by 5 years of supervised release for conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute 1,286.6 grams of methamphetamine.
On January 17, 2023, Paige Russell, 22, was sentenced to time served followed by 4 years of supervised release for conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a methamphetamine mixture.
“Illegal drug trafficking and the addiction which accompanies it often causes death, decimates lives, families, and even entire communities,” said U.S. Attorney Bennett. “We will continue, in partnership with the ATF and Kentucky’s AHIDTA drug task forces, to identify, arrest, and prosecute those responsible for trading their poison in our communities.”
“So many families have endured pain and suffering due to the drug epidemic here and across the country,” said ATF Acting Special Agent in Charge Maynard. “ATF is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to pursue those who exploit the vulnerabilities that addiction creates and threaten the safety of our communities. I commend ATF’s Bowling Green Field Office, the Bowling Green/Warren County AHIDTA Drug Task Force and the prosecution team for their hard work in bringing these offenders to justice.”
“Drugs are killing our citizens daily in the Commonwealth,” said AHIDTA Director Loving. “Complex investigations and prosecutions like this help make our community a safer place to live by removing these traffickers from the streets. The Bowling Green/Warren County Drug Task consists of state, local and federal partners working together as a team which is the key to successful investigations. Working with our local U.S. Attorney’s Bowling Green Branch Office brings these major drug traffickers to justice.”
There is no parole in the federal system.
The ATF Bowling Green Field Office and the Bowling Green/Warren County AHIDTA Drug Task Force investigated the case.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark J. Yurchisin II of the United States Attorney’s Bowling Green Branch Office.
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Three Alleged Gang Members Indicted for Murder in Aid of RacketeeringRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – A superseding indictment has been returned by a federal grand jury charging three men, Michael Hobson, 30, and Tomarcus Baskerville, 34, of Somerville, Tennessee, and Christopher Peeler, 31, of Moscow, Tennessee, with committing murder in aid of racketeering and causing death using a firearm. The charges arise from a 2015 Hardeman County murder.
“This is another great example of the diligent work of the law enforcement community to rid our communities of the violence that gang members inflict upon our citizens. This indictment should serve as notice that we will use every available resource to bring those who engage in organized crime to justice,” said U.S. Attorney Kevin Ritz.
“We applaud the diligent and thorough work of our special agents and law enforcement partners and are grateful for the continued work of the U.S. Attorney in ensuring the individuals responsible for this deadly and devastating string of organized crime, throughout West Tennessee, will be held accountable for every criminal act they have committed,” said TBI Director David Rausch.
According to U.S. Attorney Ritz, as well as the charges and information presented in court, in 2022, a federal grand jury indicted 14 alleged members and associates of the Traveling Vice Lord/Junk Yard Dog gang on various racketeering charges, including murder, attempted murders, and narcotic trafficking. This superseding indictment adds charges for a second murder and includes Michael Hobson as an alleged gang member and offender.
The indictment includes charges for six separate shootings, two murders, and four attempted murders in Hardeman County. As a result of these crimes, nine individuals were shot, and two of those victims died. Each of the defendants are being detained.
The RICO conspiracy charge carries a maximum sentence of life. The charge of murder in aid of racketeering charge carries a sentence of life imprisonment. Each of the acts of brandishing and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence carries a penalty of not less than 10 years consecutive to its related attempted murder (Violent Crime in Aid in Racketeering).
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI), the Fayette County Sheriff’s Department, and the Hardeman County Sheriff’s Department.
Members of the public are reminded that an indictment only contains charges. The defendants are presumed innocent of the charges and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Assistant United States Attorneys Neal Oldham and Beth Boswell are prosecuting the case.
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For more information, please contact Public Information Officer Cherri Green at (901) 544-4231 or [email protected]. Follow @WDTNNews on Twitter for office news and updates.
Tampa Bowling Arcade Shooter SentencedRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber has sentenced Cedric Durham, Jr. (22, Tampa) to four years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Durham had pleaded guilty on November 28, 2022.
According to court documents, on March 6, 2022, a shooting occurred at the Pin Chasers Bowling Arcade in Tampa. Durham was the initial target and after being shot at, returned fire. Law enforcement arrived on scene as individuals were dispersing from the area in fear. Durham was arrested shortly after the shooting, after law enforcement observed him leaving the scene. The vehicle in which Durham was traveling was stopped and a firearm was found in Durham’s possession. The firearm matched the forensic evidence at the scene indicating that Durham had returned fire using 30 rounds of ammunition.
Durham was previously convicted of a felony offense and, therefore, is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Tampa Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Maria Guzman.
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, 2021m the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Springfield, Illinois, Woman Sentenced to Three Years of Probation for Pandemic Benefit Related Wire FraudRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A Springfield, Illinois, woman, Amber Bolen, 43, of the 200 block of South Durkin Drive was sentenced today to three years of probation, to include three months’ home confinement, for three counts of wire fraud related to fraudulently obtaining pandemic related benefits.
At Bolen’s sentencing hearing, Senior U.S. District Judge Sue E. Myerscough found that Bolen’s action deprived actual small businesses of receiving loan funds. Judge Myerscough also noted that some of those businesses had to close due to the effects of the pandemic and the depletion of funds.
At the sentencing hearing, the government presented evidence that Bolen submitted false information to the Small Business Association to obtain an Economic Injury Disaster Loan. Bolen claimed that she operated a limousine and transportation business that employed 11 people, had over $90,000 in gross revenue in the prior year, and had operated since 2013. The information was false, as Bolen never operated any such business.
Bolen pleaded guilty to the charges in October 2022 and has remained free on bond.
The Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations Division investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sierra Senor-Moore represented the government in the prosecution.
COVID-19 disaster relief benefits are intended to help people and businesses suffering as a result of the pandemic. If members of the public suspect that anyone fraudulently obtained or misused benefits, they should contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NDCF) Hotline at 1-866-720-5721 or submit the NCDF Web Complaint Form. The NCDF is a national coordinating agency within the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division dedicated to improving the detection, prevention, investigation, and prosecution of criminal conduct related to natural and man-made disasters and other emergencies, such as the coronavirus (COVID-19). Hotline staff will obtain information regarding complaints, which will then be reviewed by law enforcement officials. More information is available at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud.
Springfield, Illinois, Man Sentenced to 100 Months for Distributing HeroinRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A Springfield, Illinois, man, Kenneth Neal, 32, of the 1800 block of Stanhope Road, was sentenced today by Senior U.S. District Judge Sue E. Myerscough to 100 months in prison, to be followed by six years of supervised release, for distributing 110 grams of heroin between December 2019 and February 2020.
Neal has been detained since his arrest and is presently serving a previously imposed state sentence in the Illinois Department of Corrections.
The statutory penalties for distribution of heroin after having previously been convicted of a qualifying prior offense are: not more than 30 years in prison, not more than a $2,000,000 fine, and not less than six years of supervised release.
The Drug Enforcement Administration and Springfield Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Z. Weir represented the government in the prosecution.
The case against Neal 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.
Springdale Man Sentenced to 33 Years in Federal Prison for Sexually Exploiting a Minor and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
FAYETTEVILLE – A Springdale man was sentenced yesterday to 396 months in prison without the possibility of parole on one count of Sexual Exploitation of a Minor via Production of Child Pornography and one count of Possession of Child Pornography. The Honorable Judge Timothy L. Brooks presided over the sentencing hearing in the U.S. District Court in Fayetteville.
According to court documents, in early 2022, the Springdale Police Department initiated a sexual assault investigation after a 13-year-old female disclosed to a counselor that, Pearson Pete Patrick, age 39, had been sexually abusing her over the past two years. During the ensuing investigation, Springdale Officers located Patrick, who during a post-Miranda interview, admitted to abusing the minor.
Law enforcement then obtained a residential search warrant for Patrick’s Springdale residence. A forensic examination of the electronic devices taken from the residence revealed multiple homemade videos depicting the sexual abuse of the 13-year-old victim. Further analysis revealed that Patrick had also recorded other minors via a hidden camera staged in the bathroom of his residence.
Patrick was indicted by a Grand Jury in the Western District of Arkansas in September 2022 and entered a plea of guilty in October 2022.
U.S. Attorney David Clay Fowlkes of the Western District of Arkansas made the announcement.
Homeland Security Investigations Fayetteville, the Springdale Police Department and the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Tyler Williams prosecuted the case.
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.
South Bend Man Sentenced to 48 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
SOUTH BEND – George L. Howell, 55 years old, of South Bend, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Damon R. Leichty after pleading guilty to aiding and abetting the making of false statements in the straw purchase of a firearm, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.
Howell was sentenced to 48 months in prison followed by 1 year of supervised release.
According to documents in the case, in January 2020, Howell had another person buy a firearm for him at a pawn shop in South Bend, Indiana. The buyer lied on a form saying that they were the actual buyer, but both Howell and the buyer knew that the gun was really for Howell. Howell could not legally buy the gun because he was a convicted felon and thus prohibited from making the purchase. Howell’s prior felony convictions include battery resulting in serious bodily injury, burglary, and residential entry. The firearm was ultimately recovered from a truck Howell was driving.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with the assistance of the South Bend Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jerome W. McKeever.
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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Source of Supply for Carrollton Fentanyl Trafficker ChargedRead the Press Release
A Flower Mound man who supplied fentanyl to a trafficker linked to at least one juvenile overdose has been federally charged, announce U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.
Stephen Paul Brinson, 18, was arrested in Flower Mound on Wednesday, charged via criminal complaint with conspiracy to distribute a schedule II controlled substance. He made his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Rene Toliver Friday.
“In just four weeks, we have charged five adults accused of trafficking deadly fentanyl to children. The Justice Department will deploy every investigative technique, pursue every lead, and exhaust every legal avenue available to eradicate counterfeit fentanyl pills,” said U.S. Attorney Leigha Simonton. “In the meantime, we urge the community to remind our young people: Any pill not prescribed by a doctor could be lethal. One pill can kill.”
“The latest arrest of Mr. Brinson shows that our determination to reduce the threat of illicit fentanyl and save lives will not stop,” said Eduardo A. Chavez, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Dallas Field Division. “Let me be clear to those who still continue to traffic fentanyl pills: DEA Dallas and our law enforcement partners such as Carrollton PD will find you and hold you accountable for your selfish actions. The safety of our families and community depend on it.”
“Taking this dealer out of the network puts a significant dent in the dealers’ ability to sell drugs to all DFW-area children. We remain committed to arresting those who put the lives of our children in danger,” said Carrollton Police Chief Roberto Arredondo.
According to the complaint, Mr. Brinson acted as the source of supply for fentanyl to Donovan Jude Andrews, the Carrollton dealer who allegedly capitalized on the arrest of Luis Navarrete and Magalo Cano to advertise his pill business. (Mr. Andrews is allegedly tied to at least one juvenile fentanyl overdose, and Mr. Navarrete and Ms. Cano, along with their supplier, Jason Villanueva, are allegedly tied to ten others.)
Law enforcement identified Mr. Brinson shortly after they arrested Mr. Andrews and his juvenile driver, identified in court documents as “DC,” a Hebron high school student who allegedly chauffeured the dealer around in exchange for fentanyl pills.
In DC’s phone, DEA agents found text messages identifying the Instagram user “superstarxs” – later identified as Mr. Brinson – as a “plug,” or source, for fentanyl pills. A few days later, another young woman also identified Mr. Brinson, whom she called “Steve-O,” as the “main plug” for fentanyl.
On March 8, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Mr. Brinson’s house in Flower Mound, where they encountered his 19-year-old girlfriend apparently under the influence of fentanyl. She told officers that there were crushed-up fentanyl pills near the nightstand in the room that she and Mr. Brinson shared and advised that Brinson had two safes in the bedroom. Inside one of the safes, Carrollton police officers found multiple bags containing more than 1,000 blue counterfeit M/30 pills that field tested positive for fentanyl:
Officers also found a digital scale covered in drug residue, small drug baggies used for repackaging for sale, and bulk U.S. currency. On a console table at the bottom of the stairs, they also found a note from Mr. Brinson’s parents outlining chores they wanted him to do and warning him, “don’t meet people in front of the house or in view of the house.” (Mr. Brinson’s father later told law enforcement he and his wife knew Stephen used fentanyl but claimed they did not know he was dealing pills in front of the home.)
Meanwhile, law enforcement observed Mr. Brinson load a large bag into his Lexus and followed him to a nearby parking lot, where cooperating defendants claimed he often conducted drug transactions. Inside the car, officers found an FN 5.7 pistol, commonly referred to a “cop killer,” and an AR-15 platform rifle; inside Brinson’s sock, they found a small baggy containing an M/30 pill. When he arrived at the Carrollton Jail for processing, Mr. Brinson began kicking his cell door and shouting. He later insisted he was “minding his own [expletive] business in my white-[expletive] house in Flower Mound,” and advised agents and officers that because he was white and living in Flower Mound, Texas, that was going to help him in his case.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence. Like all defendants, Mr. Brinson is presumed innocent until proven guilty, as are Mr. Andrews, Mr. Navarrete, Ms. Cano, and Mr. Villarreal.
If convicted, Mr. Brinson faces up to 20 years in federal prison.
The Drug Enforcement Administration’s Dallas Field Division and the Carrollton Police Department conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Flower Mound Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rick Calvert and Phelesa Guy are prosecuting the case.
Note: Illicitly produced, fentanyl-laced pills often look similar to legitimate prescription pills like Oxycontin or Percocet, but can pose significantly more danger. On the street, these pills are often referred to as “M30s” (a reference to the markings on some of the pills), “blues,” “perks,” “yerks,” “china girls,” or “TNT.” DEA research shows that six out of ten pills laced with fentanyl contain a potentially lethal dose. One pill can kill. For resources, visit https://www.dea.gov/onepill.
Six Houston gang members charged with using firearm in racketeering murderRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A federal grand jury in Houston has returned an indictment charging five men and one woman with aiding and abetting the use of a firearm to commit murder in aid of racketeering.
The six defendants are alleged members of the 100% Third Ward (103) Gang, which operates in and around the Third Ward area of Houston.
This is the first indictment returned as part of the Department of Justice Criminal Division’s Violent Crime Initiative conducted in partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas (SDTX) and local, state and federal law enforcement. This joint effort, first announced in September 2022, concentrates on addressing violent crime by employing, where appropriate, federal racketeering laws to prosecute gang members in the southwest and southeast areas of Houston. As part of the initiative, the Criminal Division has dedicated attorneys and other resources to prosecute violent offenders and to assist intervention, prevention and reentry efforts to address the root causes of violent crime, including through funding provided by the department’s Office of Justice Programs.
“Since we announced the Violent Crime Initiative less than six months ago, our dedicated prosecutors and agents have been working tirelessly to target the ‘worst of the worst’ violent gang members that are terrorizing Houston residents,” said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “These efforts have led to today’s announcement of an indictment charging half a dozen 103 Gang members with murder as part of their war with a rival gang. But we recognize that the fight against violent crime requires more than just enforcement actions and we are continuing to engage directly with the community to build trust and allow for meaningful and sustained change.”
“To gang members and others infecting our streets with this type of crime – the power of the federal government is here. We will not stop. We will find you. No matter how long it takes, we will prosecute and ensure you pay the price for your actions,” said SDTX U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. “A priority of this office, every day, is for the Third Ward’s children to feel safe in their homes and on the streets from the terror of local gangs, and we will work with all partners and use all tools to make that priority a reality.”
The defendants are Shaquile O’Neal Richards, 29; Alexandra Elizabeth Nicks, 23; Deandre Watson, 24; Marcus Dewane Christopher, 26; Marquis Juwan Erskin, 29; and Mertroy Harris, 32.
The defendants, all from Houston, are charged with their involvement in a murder that occurred on London Street in the Third Ward in Houston in October 2017.
As alleged in the indictment, returned March 9, Richards was incarcerated in a state prison for aggravated robbery when he and Nicks ordered 103 Gang members to shoot members of a rival gang as part of an ongoing gang war. On Oct. 16, 2017, Watson, Christopher, Erskin and Harris allegedly saw someone they believed was a rival gang member. They allegedly opened fire at that individual, who was standing with another man. The suspected rival gang member was shot and injured, but the other victim, not part of any gang, was killed.
After the shooting, Watson, Christopher, Erskin and Harris allegedly attempted to flee in a stolen car but drove into a ditch. The four allegedly fled that car, and Watson, Christopher and Erskin then carjacked another vehicle by forcing a woman and child from it.
According to the indictment, the 103 Gang is an enterprise that engaged in criminal acts involving murder, robbery, narcotics distribution and assault. The 103 Gang allegedly recruits new members primarily from the neighborhoods within the Third Ward area. Gang members use violence, threats of violence and intimidation to protect the power, reputation and territory of the 103 Gang, according to the indictment.
“These indictments highlight he Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) commitment to investigating and bringing to justice those who use firearms to terrorize our communities,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Fred Milanowski. “Our streets are safer today because of the diligent work done on this case by ATF and our local, state and federal law enforcement partners that comprise the Violent Crime Initiative.”
“Gang violence impacts nearly every aspect of our communities, from the safety of our streets to the quality of life in our neighborhoods,” said Assistant Director Luis M. Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “The FBI will continue to work with our partners and use every available tool to combat the fear and violence caused by these gangs and bring them to justice.”
“The commitment to putting violent offenders in jail and getting guns off our streets is a high priority,” said Chief Troy Finner of the Houston Police Department (HPD). “I am so grateful and proud of this collaboration with our federal partners that allows us to continue to put criminals in jail and seek justice for those victimized by violent crime.”
If convicted, each defendant faces a maximum penalty of life in prison or death.
The ATF, FBI and HPD conducted the investigation the case with assistance from the Texas Anti-Gang Center.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Richard Hanes and Heather Winter are prosecuting the case along with Trial Attorneys Ralph Paradiso and Sheila Lafferty of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Six Houston Gang Members Indicted for Using a Firearm in Racketeering Murder of Innocent BystanderRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice today announced an indictment charging five men and a woman with aiding and abetting the use of a firearm to commit murder in aid of racketeering.
The six defendants are alleged members of the 100% Third Ward (103) Gang, which operates in and around the Third Ward area of Houston.
This is the first indictment returned as part of the Department of Justice Criminal Division’s Violent Crime Initiative conducted in partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas and local, state, and federal law enforcement. This joint effort, first announced in September 2022, concentrates on addressing violent crime by employing, where appropriate, federal racketeering laws to prosecute gang members in the southwest and southeast areas of Houston. As part of the initiative, the Criminal Division has dedicated attorneys and other resources to prosecute violent offenders and to assist intervention, prevention, and reentry efforts to address the root causes of violent crime, including through funding provided by the department’s Office of Justice Programs.
“Since we announced the Violent Crime Initiative less than six months ago, our dedicated prosecutors and agents have been working tirelessly to target the ‘worst of the worst’ violent gang members that are terrorizing Houston residents,” said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “These efforts have led to today’s announcement of an indictment charging half a dozen 103 Gang members with murder as part of their war with a rival gang. But we recognize that the fight against violent crime requires more than just enforcement actions and we are continuing to engage directly with the community to build trust and allow for meaningful and sustained change.”
“To gang members and others infecting our streets with this type of crime – the power of the federal government is here. We will not stop. We will find you. No matter how long it takes, we will prosecute and ensure you pay the price for your actions,” said U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani for the Southern District of Texas. “A priority of this office, every day, is for the Third Ward’s children to feel safe in their homes and on the streets from the terror of local gangs, and we will work with all partners and use all tools to make that priority a reality.”
The defendants are Shaquile O’Neal Richards, 29; Alexandra Elizabeth Nicks, 23; Deandre Watson, 24; Marcus Dewane Christopher, 26; Marquis Juwan Erskin, 29; and Mertroy Harris, 32.
The defendants, all from Houston, are charged with their involvement in a murder that occurred on London Street in the Third Ward in Houston in October 2017.
As alleged in the indictment, Richards was incarcerated in a state prison for aggravated robbery when he and Nicks ordered 103 Gang members to shoot members of a rival gang as part of an ongoing gang war. On Oct. 16, 2017, Watson, Christopher, Erskin, and Harris allegedly saw someone they believed was a rival gang member. They allegedly opened fire at that individual, who was standing with another man. The suspected rival gang member was shot and injured, but the other victim, not part of any gang, was killed.
After the shooting, Watson, Christopher, Erskin, and Harris allegedly attempted to flee in a stolen car but drove into a ditch. The four allegedly fled that car, and Watson, Christopher, and Erskin then carjacked another vehicle by forcing a woman and child from it.
“These indictments highlight the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) commitment to investigating and bringing to justice those who use firearms to terrorize our communities,” said Special Agent in Charge Fred Milanowski of the ATF. “Our streets are safer today because of the diligent work done on this case by ATF and our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners that comprise the Violent Crime Initiative.”
“Gang violence impacts nearly every aspect of our communities, from the safety of our streets to the quality of life in our neighborhoods,” said Assistant Director Luis M. Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “The FBI will continue to work with our partners and use every available tool to combat the fear and violence caused by these gangs and bring them to justice.”
“The commitment to putting violent offenders in jail and getting guns off our streets is a high priority,” said Chief Troy Finner of the Houston Police Department (HPD). “I am so grateful and proud of this collaboration with our federal partners that allows us to continue to put criminals in jail and seek justice for those victimized by violent crime.”
According to the indictment, the 103 Gang is an enterprise that engaged in criminal acts involving murder, robbery, narcotics distribution, and assault. The 103 Gang allegedly recruits new members primarily from the neighborhoods within the Third Ward area. Gang members use violence, threats of violence and intimidation to protect the power, reputation, and territory of the 103 Gang, according to the indictment.
If convicted, each defendant faces a maximum penalty of life in prison or death.
The ATF, FBI, and HPD investigated the case with assistance from the Texas Anti-Gang Center.
Trial Attorneys Ralph Paradiso and Sheila Lafferty of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Richard Hanes and Heather Winter for the Southern District of Texas 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.
Silver Spring Man Sentenced to Seven Years in Federal Prison for Gun and Drug Conspiracy ChargesRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Deborah L. Boardman sentenced Darryl Colton Frazer, age 34, of Silver Spring, Maryland, yesterday to seven years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release for gun and drug conspiracy charges and for violation of supervised release. Frazer was convicted of those charges on November 3, 2022, after a three-day trial.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Toni M. Crosby of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Baltimore Field Division; and Chief Marcus Jones of the Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD).
According to the evidence presented at trial, on July 25, 2019, MCPD officers approached Frazer and co-defendant Shamire Moore after noting that Moore appeared to match the description of an individual involved a recent shooting. When Frazer and Moore saw the officers, they ran into a nearby residential area. Officers followed them and found Frazer in a nearby apartment building’s open stairwell attempting to enter an apartment.
Witnesses testified that Frazer was ordered to stop and to drop a black bag that he was carrying. Instead, Frazer threw the black bag from the stairwell into an adjacent courtyard. The black bag was immediately recovered by police, and Frazer was arrested. The black bag contained: a loaded 9mm semi-automatic pistol; 103 grams of marijuana packaged into four separate plastic bags; a digital scale, and latex gloves.
At the time of his arrest, Frazer was on supervised release for a previous federal conviction for unlawful weapons possession and had only finished his sentence for that offense the month before. Frazer knew that as a result of his previous conviction, he was prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition.
Shamire Moore pleaded guilty just before trial. According to Moore’s plea agreement, officers found Moore lying on the ground in a nearby wooded area. They ordered Moore to stand up and surrender, but instead, Moore scaled a fence and jumped onto an adjacent government property. Moore was eventually caught and arrested after a struggle. The black bag that Moore was carrying contained a loaded .38 caliber revolver, 106 grams of marijuana packaged into four separate plastic bags inside a larger Ziploc bag, and a digital scale, among other items. During a search of Moore’s clothing and effects, law enforcement also recovered $579 in cash, which represented proceeds of Moore’s drug trafficking offense. Moore admitted that he possessed the marijuana with intent to distribute it and that the firearm was in furtherance of drug trafficking since it was intended, at least in part, to defend his drug inventory and drug proceeds.
Shamire Moore, age 31, of Bowie, Maryland, was sentenced on March 7, 2023, to five years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute marijuana and to possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.
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.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the ATF and the Montgomery County Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adam K. Ake, Joel Crespo and Patrick D. Kibbe, who prosecuted the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-neighborhoods-psn and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Seven Men Sentenced to Federal Prison for Attempting to Smuggle More Than $20 Million of Cocaine in International WatersRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – Senior U.S. District Judge Virginia M. Hernandez Covington has sentenced seven Mexican and Ecuadorian nationals to federal prison for their roles in a plan to smuggle more than $20 million of cocaine from South America to Central America in a vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the United States. The individuals were sentenced to the following prison terms:
Name Age, Residence Sentence Imposed Luis Alberto Bran-Lopez 43, Oaxaca, Mexico 21 years, 10 months Isaac Enriquez Oyando 34, Chiapas, Mexico 21 years, 10 months Romeo Santos Hernandez 37, Paredon, Mexico 20 years Juan Hernandez 45, Mexicali, Mexico 21 years, 10 months John Dario Macias Agua 34, Ecuador 21 years, 10 months Jaime Velez Arcentales 40, Manabi, Ecuador 21 years, 10 months Eddy Anchundia Velez 32, Jaramillo, Ecuador 21 years, 10 monthsBran-Lopez pleaded guilty on April 15, 2022. Enriquez-Oyando, Santos-Hernandez, Macias Agua, Velez Arcentales, and Anchundia Velez were convicted at trial on August 19, 2022. Juan Hernandez pleaded guilty on November 21, 2022.
According to court documents and trial evidence, these individuals were part of a seven-person crew smuggling 760 kilograms of cocaine from South America to Mexico. On January 14, 2021, aerial surveillance spotted a suspicious vessel in international waters more than 200 miles south of Huatulco, Mexico. A law enforcement detachment from the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Steadfast interdicted the vessel and found the seven crew members in the process of trying to throw bales of cocaine overboard. Evidence was presented that the vessel departed South America and rendezvoused with a boat from Mexico to transport the cocaine to shore. However, the Mexican vessel experienced engine troubles, and all seven conspirators had to travel in the slower South American vessel until the Coast Guard interdicted them.
During the trial, the defendants from Mexico claimed that they were tricked into going on a drug trip and the defendants from Ecuador claimed they were adrift at sea and rescued shortly before the Coast Guard showed up. At trial, the jury heard evidence that investigators learned of a plan that one of the seven coconspirators would plead guilty and then provide false information to law enforcement exonerating the others. Bran-Lopez, who the evidence showed was the captain of the Mexican go-fast vessel that broke down during the smuggling operation, was the designated “fall guy.” He pleaded guilty and then testified for the defense that he tricked his codefendants into thinking they were going on a fishing trip because his family had been kidnapped. While at sea, his coconspirators found Macias Agua, Velez Arcentales, and Anchundia Velez adrift in another vessel. However, the timeline of events in Bran-Lopez’s testimony did not match evidence obtained from searches of cellphones and GPS data showing that he and his coconspirators were at sea days before he claimed the kidnapping happened. Trial evidence also showed that Juan Hernandez had a prior federal trafficking conviction, and at sentencing the court considered evidence of Anchundia Velez having a drug trafficking conviction in Ecuador that is pending appeal.
The Court found that each defendant obstructed justice through the scheme to have Bran-Lopez provide false information at trial. Bran-Lopez, specifically, obstructed justice when he gave false information to agents, and the codefendants obstructed justice when trying to benefit from Bran-Lopez’s trial testimony, knowing that it was false.
This case was investigated by the Panama Express Strike Force, an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) comprised of agents and analysts from the United States Coast Guard Investigative Service, Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, and U.S. Southern Command's Joint Interagency Task Force South. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David Pardo and Dan Baeza.
South Carolina Man Sentenced for Receiving Ammunition While Under Felony IndictmentRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Nicholas Vassallo announced today that CHRISTOPHER RAY EDWARDS, age 37, of Rock Hill, South Carolina, was sentenced on March 8, 2023, by Chief United States District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl to 70 months’ imprisonment with three years of supervised release and a $100 special assessment, for receiving ammunition while under a felony indictment.
Edwards was charged with being a felon in possession of ammunition, possession of firearm not registered in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record and receiving ammunition while under a felony indictment. As part of a plea agreement, Edwards pleaded guilty to the receiving-ammunition charge.
On June 4, 2022, Wyoming Highway Patrol pulled over Christopher Edwards while he was driving on Interstate 80 in Albany County for suspicion of driving under the influence. Troopers searched the vehicle and discovered a homemade AR-15 style rifle and multiple rounds of various ammunition. A subsequent criminal history check revealed that Edwards had several prior felony convictions and was under indictment in South Carolina for another felony.
This crime was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Wyoming Highway Patrol. Assistant United States Attorney T.J. Forwood prosecuted the case.
Case No. 22-CR-00054-ABJ
Rockland County Jail Inmates Charged with Production of Child Pornography While Awaiting Trial on Murder and Other ChargesRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Michael J. Driscoll, the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), and Louis Falco III, the Rockland County Sheriff, announced that DARIN PETERSON and ANTHONY MITCHELL were charged today with production of child pornography. According to the Complaints, PETERSON and MITCHELL enticed a child (the “Victim”) — while the Victim was 14 and 15-years-old and while the defendants were incarcerated, awaiting trial for murder and other serious charges — to send them digital content of herself engaged in sexually explicit activity. The defendants were transferred into federal custody today and presented on the charges in White Plains Federal Court.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “The harm that child sex abuse can inflict on the most innocent of victims is something no child should bear. That these defendants committed these crimes while awaiting trial for murder and other serious charges makes their conduct especially contemptible, and this Office and our FBI partners will continue to exhaustively detect, identify, and charge any individuals engaged in this sinister conduct.”
FBI Assistant Director Michael J. Driscoll said: “Petersen and Mitchell, while incarcerated awaiting trial for murder and additional violent crimes, allegedly preyed on a child, inducing them to send sexually explicit content to the defendants. The FBI and our partners in law enforcement will remain tireless in our efforts to protect children from violent predators.”
Rockland County Sheriff Louis Falco III said: “The Rockland County Sheriff’s Office and the Rockland County Intelligence Center were proud to assist the FBI Safe Streets Task Force in this investigation. Sexual predators who exploit children, who are among the most vulnerable members of society, will be investigated and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
As alleged in the Complaints:[1]
From on or about August 12, 2022, up to and including on or about September 25, 2022, in the case of MITCHELL, and from on or about December 7, 2022, up to and including on or about January 29, 2023, in the case of PETERSON, the defendants contacted the Victim and demanded that she take and send to them sexually explicit digital media depicting herself.
The defendants committed these crimes while PETERSON awaited trial for murder, assault, and criminal possession of a weapon, and while MITCHELL awaited trial for murder, attempted murder, and criminal possession of a weapon.
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MITCHELL, 23, of Haverstraw, New York, and PETERSON, 29, of West Haverstraw, New York, are charged with one count of production of child pornography, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison and a maximum potential sentence of 30 years in prison.
The minimum and maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by a judge.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding work of the FBI and the Rockland County Sheriff’s Office and thanked the Rockland County District Attorney’s Office for its assistance in this case.
The case is being prosecuted by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ben Arad is in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint, and the description of the Complaint set forth herein, constitutes only allegations, and every fact described therein should be treated as an allegation.
Repeat Methamphetamine Dealer Sentenced to 11 Years in Federal Prison for Meth Trafficking in KokomoRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS- Jerry Glenn, 36, of Kokomo, Indiana, was sentenced to 11 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute.
According to court documents, on July 18, 2021, at approximately 4 in the morning, Kokomo Police Department Officers found Jerry Glenn asleep in the driver seat of a parked vehicle. Officers offered Glenn a ride home. Before placing him in the squad car, officers searched Glenn and recovered 139 grams of methamphetamine in his back pocket. Glenn intended to sell and distribute the methamphetamine.
At the time of his arrest, Glenn had been previously convicted of multiple felonies related to possessing and dealing in methamphetamine and other controlled substances.
Zachary A. Myers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana and Michael Gannon, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the DEA’s Indianapolis Field Office made the announcement.
“Methamphetamine and other controlled substances are killing far too many Hoosiers and have devastating impacts on users, their loved ones, and our communities,” said Zachary A. Myers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Repeat drug dealers like this defendant must be held accountable for the suffering they cause in search of quick profits. I commend the efforts of the DEA and Kokomo Police Department to make our communities safer by getting meth and meth dealers off our streets.”
DEA and Kokomo Police Department investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Sarah Evans Barker. Judge Barker also ordered that Glenn be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for 5 years following his release from federal prison and pay a $500.00 fine.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorney Michelle P. Brady, who prosecuted this case.
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Repeat Child Pornography Defendant SentencedRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Chesapeake man was sentenced today to ten years in prison for possession of child pornography.
According to court documents, David Hooke, 48, previously was convicted in 2016 in Franklin (Virginia) Circuit Court for possession of child pornography. After serving a brief period in jail, Hooke moved into the Onesimus Transition Center (OTC), a residential facility in Chesapeake for men who have been released from prison. In March 2021, the FBI received information that a computer user at OTC was sharing images of child pornography. In September 2021, law enforcement executed a search warrant at OTC. Hooke, who was on state supervision at the time, admitted to sharing images of child pornography online, and an analysis of his computers revealed numerous images of child pornography.
During the execution of the search warrant, another OTC resident and convicted sex offender, Morris Guy Warren, was also found to be in possession of child pornography. Warren was sentenced in federal court to ten years’ imprisonment in December 2022.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Kenneth A. Polite Jr., Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Brian Dugan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office; and Mark G. Solesky, Chief of Chesapeake Police, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Yusi and Trial Attorney Adam Braskich of the Justice Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s 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.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-cr-61.
Randolph Woman Arrested for Hiding over $3.2 Million in PayrollRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Randolph woman was arrested today in connection with her involvement in a payroll tax avoidance scheme.
Lilian Giang, 53, was indicted by a federal grand jury with mail fraud and failure to collect and pay over taxes. Giang was released on conditions following an appearance in federal court in Boston this afternoon before U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Donald L. Cabell.
According to court records, between 2015 and 2019, Giang owned and operated Able Temp Agency, a temporary employment agency in Quincy that served client companies in Massachusetts. The client companies paid Able Temp Agency for the temporary employees’ work on an hourly basis. Giang deposited those payments into bank accounts in the name of Able Temp Agency that she controlled, and then allegedly paid the temporary employees through a combination of checks and cash. By using cash payments, Giang allegedly hid over $3.2 million in payroll and avoided paying more than $815,000 in required payroll taxes. It is further alleged that Giang also used her false payroll numbers to obtain worker’s compensation insurance at lower premium rates.
The charge of mail fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater, restitution and forfeiture. The charge of failure to collect or pay over taxes provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release, a fine of $10,000 and restitution. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Rachael S. Rollins and Joleen D. Simpson, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Markham of Rollins’ Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.Previously Convicted Felon Sentenced to More Than 12 Years in Federal Prison for Trafficking over Three Pounds of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
FAYETTEVILLE – A Pea Ridge man was sentenced yesterday to 150 months in prison without the possibility of parole followed by five additional years of supervised release on one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine. The Honorable Judge Timothy L. Brooks presided over the sentencing hearing in the United States District Court in Fayetteville.
According to court documents, on May 29, 2022, investigators with the Benton County Drug Unit, assisted by officers from Arkansas Probation and Parole, conducted a home compliance check with Dustin Vann, age, 33, who was on parole based on a previous felony conviction. Upon entry of his Pea Ridge residence, the investigators located Vann in his bedroom along with a backpack that contained 8 baggies of methamphetamine. The gross weight of the methamphetamine was approximately 3.6 pounds. The backpack also contained a drug ledger, clear plastic baggies, digital scales, and $764 in U.S. currency.
Vann was subsequently charged in federal court via Grand Jury and pleaded guilty to possessing and intending to distribute the approximate 3 pounds of methamphetamine.
U.S. Attorney David Clay Fowlkes of the Western District of Arkansas made the announcement.
The Benton County Drug Unit and Arkansas State Probation and Parole investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Tyler Williams prosecuted the case.
This case was prosecuted as 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 make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
Physician Convicted of $5M Health Care Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
A federal jury convicted a physician today for a $5 million health care fraud scheme.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Frederick Gooding, 71, of Wilmington, Delaware, owned and operated a now-shuttered physiatry and pain management practice in Washington, D.C. Between 2015 and 2018, Gooding fraudulently billed Medicare more than $5 million for injections he did not perform, or did not provide as billed, including complicated spinal injections for which he did not own the necessary equipment.
Gooding was convicted of 11 counts of health care fraud. He is scheduled to be sentenced on June 26 and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison on each count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Assistant Director in Charge David Sundberg of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge Maureen Dixon of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General’s (HHS-OIG) Philadelphia Regional Office made the announcement.
The FBI and HHS-OIG, with assistance from the Washington, D.C. Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Jil Simon and Emily Gurskis of the Justice Department’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case. Assistant Chiefs Jillian Willis and Scott Armstrong were also involved in the prosecution.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, comprised of 15 strike forces operating in 25 federal districts, has charged more than 5,000 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $24 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at https://www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.