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17 April 2023
Manchester Man Pleads Guilty to Drug Trafficking More Than 2 lbs. of Fentanyl in New HampshireRead the Press Release
CONCORD – A Manchester man pleaded guilty in federal court to drug trafficking in New Hampshire, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces.
Zachary Janas, 40, pleaded guilty to distributing fentanyl and unlawfully possessing with the intent to distribute fentanyl. U.S. District Court Judge Joseph LaPlante scheduled sentencing for July 27, 2023. Janas was charged on September 27, 2021.
On September 21, 2021, the Federal Bureau of Investigation agents arranged to purchase approximately one-half kilogram of fentanyl from Janas at his Manchester residence. On September 24, 2021, federal law enforcement seized an additional one-half kilogram of fentanyl packaged for distribution, approximately $7,000 cash, several firearms, and ammunition.
The charging statute provides a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, 3 years of supervised release, and a fine of $1,000,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Major Offender Task Force led the investigation Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer C. Davis is prosecuting the case.
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Man Who Carjacked a FedEx Truck in Greenville Sentenced to 7 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, N.C. – A Kinston man was sentenced today to 84 months in prison for carjacking a FedEx truck, crashing it into a vehicle and a business, and trying to kidnap a child from the car he hit. On November 1, 2022, Dequan Martail Boone, also known as “Day Day,” pled guilty to one count of interfering with interstate commerce by robbery.
According to court documents and other information presented in court, Boone, 33, stole a FedEx truck by force from a driver delivering packages around 10:30 a.m. in Greenville. Boone sped away from the scene, crashing head-on into another vehicle and then into a commercial building. Upon exiting the FedEx truck, Boone ran to the vehicle he hit and tried to take a young child from inside. The child’s mother, who was driving the car, had to fight Boone off to make him release her child. Boone was subdued by bystanders and held until law enforcement arrived on scene.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Greenville Police Department investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lori B. Warlick and Aakash Singh 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. 4:22-cr-44-M.
Maine Resident Sentenced to 3 Years in Prison for Fraud and Tax Offenses Stemming from $1.8 Million Embezzlement SchemeRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that EDWARD F. ZIEGLER II, 64, of Bridgton, Maine, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to 36 months of imprisonment, followed by two years of supervised release, for fraud and tax offenses stemming from a 15-year embezzlement scheme.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Ziegler, who formerly resided in New Britain, was employed as the office manager for a small, family-owned business, identified in court documents in “Company A,” based in Berlin, Connecticut. In approximately 2006, Ziegler opened a bank account in his name and with the qualifying language “Doing Business As [Company A].” Over the course of approximately 15 years, Ziegler diverted more than 400 checks from Company A’s customers and deposited them into the secret bank account he had established. Ziegler also made fraudulent entries in Company A’s books and record keeping system to cover up the fact that he had diverted the checks and used the funds for his own benefit. Through this scheme, Ziegler embezzled $1,880,280.54 from Company A.
In addition, Ziegler failed to pay $173,003 in federal income taxes on his embezzled income for the 2015 through 2019 tax years.
Judge Dooley ordered Ziegler to pay full restitution to Company A and the IRS
Ziegler was arrested on March 16, 2022. On November 10, 2022, he pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of tax evasion.
Ziegler, who is released on a $100,000 bond, is required to report to prison on June 20.
This investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division, with the assistance of the Bridgton (Maine) Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael S. McGarry.
Louisville Man Sentenced to 5-Plus Years in Federal Prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl and Illegal Possession of FirearmsRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – A Louisville, Kentucky man was sentenced today to 63 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge J. Todd Scott of the DEA Louisville Field Division and Special Agent in Charge R. Shawn Morrow of the ATF Louisville Field Division made the announcement.
According to court documents, on September 8, 2022, Deonta Degroat, 34, possessed with the intent to distribute 149 grams of fentanyl. Degroat also possessed a DPMS, Model A15, multi-caliber rifle, a Sharps Brothers, Model Hellbreaker, multi-caliber AR-pistol, an Apache Armament, Model AA15, multi-caliber rifle, and an ARMSCOR, Model M1911-A1, .45 caliber pistol. Degroat was prohibited from possessing a firearm because he had previously been convicted of the following felony offense. On March 20, 2013, in the Third Judicial Circuit of Michigan, Wayne County, Michigan, Degroat was convicted of home invasion in the second degree (attempt).
After the 63-month prison sentence, Degroat was ordered to serve 4 years on supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
The case was investigated by the DEA and the ATF with the assistance from the Kentucky State Police.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alicia P. Gomez prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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Lee County Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Unlawfully Possessing Firearm as A Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber has sentenced Clayton Mack Rhodes (45, Fort Myers Beach) to seven years and six months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a previously convicted felon. The court also ordered Rhodes to forfeit the firearm and ammunition he possessed during the offense. Rhodes had pleaded guilty on August 9, 2022.
According to court records, in the early morning hours of January 22, 2021, deputies from the Lee County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO) responded to an emergency call for service at a residence in Fort Myers Beach and located an unconscious male in the living room of the home. It was later determined that the individual died as the result of a drug overdose. The deputies also located Rhodes inside the home, who was identified as the roommate of the decedent. When deputies searched the residence, they located a loaded Glock handgun in Rhodes’s bedroom. As a convicted felon who had previously served more than a decade in federal prison for a drug trafficking crime, Rhodes is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.
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.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Simon R. Eth.
Kenner Man Indicted for Federal Gun and Drug OffensesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – ALTON GRAYSON, age 37, a resident of Kenner, Louisiana, was charged on April 14, 2023 in a three-count indictment for violating the Federal Gun Control Act and the Federal Controlled Substances Act, announced United States Attorney Duane A. Evans.
GRAYSON is charged in Count 1 with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(1). For Count 2, GRAYSON is charged with possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a substance containing methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(B). For Count 3, GRAYSON is charged with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A).
If convicted of Count 1, GRAYSON faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 15 years, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to three years of supervised release. If convicted of Count 2, GRAYSON faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years up to a maximum sentence of 40 years imprisonment, up to a $5,000,000 fine, and at least four years of supervised release. If convicted of Count 3, GRAYSON faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years up to life imprisonment, to run consecutively to all other sentences, up to a $250,000 fine and up to 5 years of supervised release. As to each count, GRAYSON faces payment of a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.
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.
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.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Kenner Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney David Berman of the Violent Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
Kankakee, Illinois, Man Sentenced to 207 Months in Prison for Carjacking, Discharge of FirearmRead the Press Release
URBANA, Ill. – A Kankakee, Illinois, man, Anycco M. Rivers, 25, of the 1100th block of E. Merchant Street, was sentenced today to an aggregate term of 207 months’ imprisonment for carjacking and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
The sentencing follows a four-day jury trial where the government presented evidence showing that Rivers and an accomplice stole a vehicle at gunpoint and that Rivers discharged a firearm at bystanders as the men fled the scene. In finding Rivers guilty, the jury further found that he had the intent to cause death or serious bodily harm to another during his theft of the vehicle.
At the sentencing hearing, the government presented evidence demonstrating that Rivers fired the gun in a populated area near a park and baseball fields. The bullets struck several vehicles in the area of the carjacking. One image admitted at the hearing showed that a bullet fired by Rivers lodged mere inches away from a child’s car seat.
Also at the hearing, U.S. District Judge Colin S. Bruce found that Rivers’s actions recklessly created a substantial risk of death or serious bodily injury to another person. Judge Bruce weighed Rivers’s troubled upbringing versus the need to protect the public from his dangerous actions. In counseling against future violent behavior, Judge Bruce told Rivers, “You only get one life. You don’t want to squander it.”
At the conclusion of the hearing, Judge Bruce sentenced Rivers to an aggregate term of 207 months’ imprisonment, comprised of consecutive terms of 87 months’ imprisonment for the carjacking and 120 months’ imprisonment for discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Judge Bruce also imposed concurrent terms of supervised release – three years for the carjacking and five years for the firearm discharge. Additionally, Judge Bruce ordered Rivers to pay restitution to the victim of his crime following his release from prison.
Rivers faced statutory penalties of up to 15 years in prison for carjacking. And he faced a consecutive term of 10 years to life imprisonment for discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
The case investigation was conducted by Bourbonnais Police Department; Bradley Police Department; Kankakee Police Department; Kankakee County Sheriff’s Office; and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rachel Ritzer and William Lynch represented the government at trial.
Rivers’s co-defendant, Ladonta A. Tucker, 30, of the 7400th block of E. Second Street in Sun River Terrace, Illinois, is set to be sentenced on June 12, 2023, at 1:30 PM in Courtroom A of the Urbana, Illinois, federal courthouse.
The 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.
Justice Department Secures Agreement with Washington School District to Remedy Discriminatory Seclusion and Restraint PracticesRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today a settlement agreement with Spokane Public Schools in Spokane, Washington, to address the discriminatory use of seclusion and restraint against students with disabilities. The settlement agreement, which resolves the department’s investigation under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), will protect students with disabilities by eliminating seclusion and reforming the district’s restraint practices.
The department’s investigation concluded that the school district inappropriately and repeatedly secluded and restrained students with disabilities and did not limit its use of restraint and seclusion to emergency situations, as required by state law and the district policy. Instead, the district restrained and secluded students with disabilities to address noncompliant behavior, even when those actions appeared to escalate the behavior or when students showed clear signs of trauma. As a result, students with disabilities missed hundreds of hours of instructional time. Under the settlement agreement, Spokane Public Schools has agreed to end the use of seclusion, overhaul its restraint practices and better train staff on how to anticipate, address and de-escalate students’ disability-related behaviors through effective and appropriate interventions and supports.
“When schools discriminate against students with disabilities through improper restraints and seclusion, they unjustly deprive those students of equal access to education and the opportunity to succeed,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Schools need the tools and the training to appropriately serve all students, including students with disabilities. This agreement will put Spokane Public Schools firmly on a path to systemic reforms that will protect students with disabilities and provide them with a safe and supportive learning environment. The Civil Rights Division will continue to fight discrimination against children with disabilities in public schools across the country.”
“Each and every child deserves a fair and equal opportunity to learn and thrive,” said U.S. Attorney Vanessa R. Waldref for the Eastern District of Washington. “Our office, in partnership with the department’s Civil Rights Division, will vigorously investigate allegations of discrimination on the basis of disability in all settings, including in our public schools. We are heartened by the school district’s commitment to this sweeping agreement, which will undoubtedly improve the education and everyday lives of many of our students in the Spokane community.”
The district fully cooperated throughout the investigation, and before entering the agreement, began steps to voluntarily reform its practices. Among other actions, under the agreement, the district will:
- Prohibit the use of seclusion (referred to in the agreement as “isolation”) at all district schools;
- Only restrain students when their behavior poses an imminent likelihood of serious harm to the student or another person;
- Improve data collection efforts and establish review protocols following the use of restraint;
- Review and improve behavioral intervention plans;
- Create classroom-wide behavior management plans that promote positive behaviors and de-escalate noncompliant behaviors to support teachers and students in classrooms serving students with high-intensity behaviors;
- Deliver appropriate training and resources to help schools implement the agreement and respond appropriately to student behavior;
- Create a complaint procedure through which families can file a complaint with the district regarding the use of seclusion or restraint;
- Offer counseling and compensatory education services to students with disabilities who were subjected to the district’s discriminatory practices; and
- Appoint an Intervention Coordinator to ensure the district’s compliance with the agreement and Title II of the ADA.
Enforcement of Title II of the ADA is a priority of the Civil Rights Division. This agreement is the most recent in a series of division settlements to address and prevent unlawful seclusion and restraint of students with disabilities in public schools. On Feb. 16, for example, the division reached a settlement with the Anchorage School District in Alaska to address the discriminatory use of seclusion and restraint against students with disabilities. The division reached similar agreements in December 2022 with the Okaloosa County School District in Florida, in September 2022 with the Cedar Rapids Community School District in Iowa, in December 2021 with the Frederick Public School District in Maryland and in December 2020 with the North Gibson School Corporation in Indiana.
Additional information about the Civil Rights Division is available on its website at www.justice.gov/crt, and additional information about the Educational Opportunities Section’s work is available at www.justice.gov/crt/educational-opportunities-section. To learn more about the section’s work under the ADA to combat improper seclusion in schools, visit this website: www.justice.gov/schoolseclusion.
Members of the public may report possible civil rights violations at www.civilrights.justice.gov/.
Justice Department Secures Agreement with Washington School District to Remedy Discriminatory Seclusion and Restraint PracticesRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today a settlement agreement with Spokane Public Schools in Spokane, Washington, to address the discriminatory use of seclusion and restraint against students with disabilities. The settlement agreement, which resolves the department’s investigation under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), will protect students with disabilities by eliminating seclusion and reforming the district’s restraint practices.
The department’s investigation concluded that the school district inappropriately and repeatedly secluded and restrained students with disabilities and did not limit its use of restraint and seclusion to emergency situations, as required by state law and the district policy. Instead, the district restrained and secluded students with disabilities to address noncompliant behavior, even when those actions appeared to escalate the behavior or when students showed clear signs of trauma. As a result, students with disabilities missed hundreds of hours of instructional time. Under the settlement agreement, Spokane Public Schools has agreed to end the use of seclusion, overhaul its restraint practices and better train staff on how to anticipate, address and de-escalate students’ disability-related behaviors through effective and appropriate interventions and supports.
“When schools discriminate against students with disabilities through improper restraints and seclusion, they unjustly deprive those students of equal access to education and the opportunity to succeed,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Schools need the tools and the training to appropriately serve all students, including students with disabilities. This agreement will put Spokane Public Schools firmly on a path to systemic reforms that will protect students with disabilities and provide them with a safe and supportive learning environment. The Civil Rights Division will continue to fight discrimination against children with disabilities in public schools across the country.”
“Each and every child deserves a fair and equal opportunity to learn and thrive,” said U.S. Attorney Vanessa R. Waldref for the Eastern District of Washington. “Our office, in partnership with the department’s Civil Rights Division, will vigorously investigate allegations of discrimination on the basis of disability in all settings, including in our public schools. We are heartened by the school district’s commitment to this sweeping agreement, which will undoubtedly improve the education and everyday lives of many of our students in the Spokane community.”
The district fully cooperated throughout the investigation, and before entering the agreement, began steps to voluntarily reform its practices. Among other actions, under the agreement, the district will:
- Prohibit the use of seclusion (referred to in the agreement as “isolation”) at all district schools;
- Only restrain students when their behavior poses an imminent likelihood of serious harm to the student or another person;
- Improve data collection efforts and establish review protocols following the use of restraint;
- Review and improve behavioral intervention plans;
- Create classroom-wide behavior management plans that promote positive behaviors and de-escalate noncompliant behaviors to support teachers and students in classrooms serving students with high-intensity behaviors;
- Deliver appropriate training and resources to help schools implement the agreement and respond appropriately to student behavior;
- Create a complaint procedure through which families can file a complaint with the district regarding the use of seclusion or restraint;
- Offer counseling and compensatory education services to students with disabilities who were subjected to the district’s discriminatory practices; and
- Appoint an Intervention Coordinator to ensure the district’s compliance with the agreement and Title II of the ADA.
Enforcement of Title II of the ADA is a priority of the Civil Rights Division. This agreement is the most recent in a series of division settlements to address and prevent unlawful seclusion and restraint of students with disabilities in public schools. On Feb. 16, for example, the division reached a settlement with the Anchorage School District in Alaska to address the discriminatory use of seclusion and restraint against students with disabilities. The division reached similar agreements in December 2022 with the Okaloosa County School District in Florida, in September 2022 with the Cedar Rapids Community School District in Iowa, in December 2021 with the Frederick Public School District in Maryland and in December 2020 with the North Gibson School Corporation in Indiana.
Additional information about the Civil Rights Division is available on its website at www.justice.gov/crt, and additional information about the Educational Opportunities Section’s work is available at www.justice.gov/crt/educational-opportunities-section. To learn more about the section’s work under the ADA to combat improper seclusion in schools, visit this website: www.justice.gov/schoolseclusion.
Members of the public may report possible civil rights violations at www.civilrights.justice.gov/.
download_doj_cover_letter.pdf download_settlement_agreement.pdf download_settlement_agreement_summary.pdfJustice Department Files Sexual Harassment Lawsuit Against Kentucky Rental Property OwnerRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that it has filed a lawsuit against the owner and operator of rental properties in the Pulaski County, Kentucky, area for engaging in sexual harassment and retaliation in violation of the Fair Housing Act.
The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky, alleges that Danny T. Bell sexually harassed numerous female tenants since at least 2010. According to the complaint, Bell made repeated and unwelcome sexual comments to female tenants, entered the homes of female tenants without their consent, touched female tenants’ bodies without their consent, offered reduced or free rent in exchange for sexual contact and took adverse housing-related actions against female tenants who refused his sexual advances.
“Everyone deserves to feel safe at home, and sexual harassment in housing destroys that feeling of security,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department will continue to vigorously enforce the Fair Housing Act to protect tenants from harassment and retaliation by their landlords.”
“Whenever sexual harassment in housing erodes the security and sanctity of a person’s home, it is more than a shame – it is a violation of the law,” said U.S. Attorney Carlton S. Shier IV for the Eastern District of Kentucky. “We are committed to doing our part to enforcing the law and ensuring the protections of the Fair Housing Act.”
The lawsuit seeks monetary damages to compensate persons harmed by the alleged harassment, a civil penalty to vindicate the public interest and a court order barring future discrimination.
The Justice Department launched its Sexual Harassment in Housing Initiative in October 2017. The department’s initiative is led by the Civil Rights Division, in coordination with U.S. Attorneys’ Offices across the country. The initiative seeks to address and raise awareness about sexual harassment by landlords, property managers, maintenance workers, loan officers and other people who have control over housing. Since launching the initiative, the department has filed 30 lawsuits alleging sexual harassment in housing and recovered over $9.8 million for victims of such harassment.
The Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in housing based on sex, race, color, religion, national origin, disability and familial status. Individuals who believe that they may have been victims of sexual harassment or other types of housing discrimination at rental dwellings owned or managed by Bell, or who have other information that may be relevant to this case, may contact the Housing Discrimination Tip Line at 1-833-591-0291, select a language, and select option number 2, then option number 8 to leave a message. Individuals may also e-mail the department at [email protected] or submit a report online. Reports also may be made by contacting the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development at 1-800-669-9777 or by filing a complaint online.
The complaint contains allegations of unlawful conduct. The allegations must be proven in federal court.
Jackson, Mississippi Drinking Water and Sewer Overflow Issues - Request for Community StatementsRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. - The U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency want to ensure that all community members have an opportunity to comment on long-term solutions for drinking water and sewer overflow issues in Jackson, Mississippi. Therefore, we are asking Jackson residents and workers to submit Community Statements. The Federal Government, the City of Jackson, and the State of Mississippi will consider comments in the Community Statements when developing long-term solutions.
Please submit Community Statements online (available in both English and Spanish) at https://dojenrd.gov1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0cbGlkoP7ik3eZg.
Illinois Man Sentenced to 75 Years for Online Sextortion of MinorsRead the Press Release
BENTON, Ill. – A U.S. District Court judge sentenced an Illinois man to 75 years in federal prison on Monday after he was found guilty of conducting a sextortion scheme on Facebook with multiple victims ranging in ages from 11 to 17 years old.
Michael A. Ferris, 44, of Mill Shoals, Illinois, was convicted by a jury in November 2022 on 25 felony counts of extortion, cyberstalking, and production, distribution, and possession of child pornography. Following his prison sentence, he will serve the rest of his life on supervised release.
“Michael Ferris intentionally sought out young girls with exploitable past trauma for his own callous pleasure, and his coercive crimes caused devastating and long-lasting suffering for his victims,” said U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe. “I appreciate the work by the investigative agencies to offer justice to the defendant’s victims.”
“Combating child exploitation is a team effort and requires cooperation at the federal, state and local levels,” said HSI Chicago Special Agent in Charge Sean Fitzgerald. “The efforts to bring this individual to justice have resulted in one less predator on the streets who would look to victimize our children and endanger our communities.”
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Ferris targeted teenage girls on Facebook and engaged in a pattern of extortion, commonly known as “sextortion” from at least March 2020 until November 2020.
As part of his scheme, Ferris created fake Facebook personas appearing to be teenage girls. He joined Facebook groups for teenagers or young survivors of sexual abuse. Ferris sent unsolicited messages to teenage girls under the guise of being a peer looking to make a new friend. If the teens responded, Ferris tried to convince them to send a nude photograph or answer personal questions about themselves. Ferris then used that information as leverage to coerce them into sending more explicit photos, answering more sexual questions, or performing sexual acts while Ferris watched on video chat. If his victims refused to comply, or pleaded to stop, Ferris harassed and threatened them until they kept going, usually threatening to send the girls’ photos or answers to personal questions to their friends, parents, police, or child protective services. Even after Ferris’ victims complied with his demands, he would often still distribute their sexually explicit images to friends and family.
The investigation was conducted by agents from Homeland Security Investigations—Springfield with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations domestic and international offices, Jackson County Oregon Sheriff’s Office, Jefferson County Illinois Sheriff’s Office, Illinois State Police, and Aurora Missouri Police Department. Victim and Witness Support was provided by the U.S. Attorneys’ Office from the Southern District of Illinois, the Eastern District of Missouri, and Homeland Security Investigations.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ali Burns and Luke Weissler prosecuted the case.
Huntington Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Kameron I. Ziegler, 23, of Huntington, was sentenced today to five years in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release, for aiding and abetting the distribution of 5 grams or more of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on May 6, 2022, Kilan Nicks, also known as “Low,” sold approximately 29 grams of methamphetamine and 3 grams of fentanyl to a confidential informant at a Roby Road residence in Huntington. Ziegler admitted to being at the residence and providing the methamphetamine to Nicks in advance of the sale to the informant.
Nicks was sentenced to 12 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, on March 6, 2023, for distributing 5 grams or more of methamphetamine and a quantity of fentanyl, and for possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Cabell County Sheriff’s Office.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams prosecuted the case.
The investigation was part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). OCDETF was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and is the keystone of the Department of Justice’s drug reduction strategy. Today, OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations, and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States.
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-118.
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Hopkinton Man Sentenced to Six Years in Prison on Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A Hopkinton man who previously admitted to a federal judge that he possessed and shared child pornography while he was awaiting trial in Rhode Island state court in two unrelated child pornography cases was sentenced today to six years in federal prison, announced United States attorney Zachary A. Cunha.
Christopher Leherissier, 34, admitted that in February 2021, he uploaded video files of child pornography involving prepubescent children via an account on the online messenger application Kik that he managed and that he used to store child pornography.
Members of the Rhode Island State Police Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force identified an IP address, email address, and a Kik screenname Leherissier untilized to upload images of child pornography. Task Force members identfied 160 images and 124 videos of child pornography stored on a mobile device and a hard drive seiezed from Leherisser at the time of his arrest; and 80 images and 101 videos of child pornography stored in two email accounts he controlled.
At the time of his arrest in this matter, Leherissier was on pre-trial on two different cases pending in Rhode Island state court involving charges of allegedly solicitating a minor and disseminating indecent matter to that minor in early 2020; and, in a separate matter dated from the fall of 2020, for allegedly being in possession of child pornography stored in a DropBox account as well as on his electronic devices.
Related to his most recent arrest, Leherisser pleaded guilty in federal court on November 15, 2022, to charges of distribution of child pornography and possession of child pornography. He was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Judge William E. Smith to seventy-two months of incarceration to be followed by ten years of federal supervised release. Additionally, Leherisser is ordered to pay a statutory mandated restitution in the amount of $3,000 to each of eight identified victims who appear in images and videos shared by Leherisser and who sought restitution.
The matter prosecuted in U.S. District Court was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dulce Donovan.
Homeland Security Investigations assisted the ICAC Task Force in the investigation of this matter.
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Greenbrier County Woman Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
BLUEFIELD, W.Va. – Arica L. Anderson, 37, of Lewisburg, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on January 2, 2022, a law enforcement officer conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle in which Anderson was a passenger in the Pickaway area of Monroe County. The officer saw Anderson try to conceal an Acier Comprime, .25-caliber pistol. Anderson admitted to possessing the firearm.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Anderson was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of her prior felony conviction for conspiracy to commit a felony offense: robbery in the first degree, in Monroe County Circuit Court on September 16, 2013.
Anderson is scheduled to be sentenced on July 31, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the West Virginia State Police.
Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew D. Isabell 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. 1:22-cr-104.
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Fresno Fentanyl and Methamphetamine Dealer Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Bobby Hood, 65, of Fresno, pleaded guilty today to possessing with intent to distribute over 40 grams of fentanyl and over 500 grams of methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, on Jan. 14, 2021, investigators executed a warrant and searched Hood’s residence, car, and person and seized over a pound of methamphetamine and over 40 grams of powdered fentanyl.
This case is the product of an investigation by FORT, a multi-agency team composed of Homeland Security Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Clovis Police Department, and the Fresno Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin J. Gilio is prosecuting the case.
Hood is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 7, 2023, by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston. Hood faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years up to life in prison and a $10 million fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
This case is part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (S.O.S.) a program designed to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids in high impact areas as well as identifying wholesale distribution networks and international and domestic suppliers. In July 2018, the Justice Department announced the creation of S.O.S., which is being implemented in the Eastern District of California and nine other federal districts.
Fresno Area Man Arrested for Operating Business to Buy and Sell Stolen Catalytic ConvertersRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury has indicted George Thomas, 70, of Clovis, for selling thousands of stolen catalytic converters to a company in Oregon for over $2.5 million, and then withdrawing the proceeds from his bank accounts in increments under $10,000 to avoid federal reporting requirements, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. The indictment was unsealed today following Thomas’s arrest.
According to court records, between January 2021 and November 2022, Thomas purchased stolen catalytic converters from thieves in the Fresno area who cut the converters off people’s vehicles. The thieves called or texted Thomas to arrange the sales, and the sales occurred in parking lots and behind buildings during all hours of the day and night. Thomas paid the thieves significantly below market rates and paid them in cash to conceal the source of the converters.
Thomas gave the thieves instructions on the types of catalytic converters that he was looking for and how to best cut the converters off of vehicles. Thomas also helped some of the thieves buy new saws to use after the thieves’ saws were confiscated by the police or were stolen.
Thomas took photographs of the thieves, and he required them to provide their identification cards and the Vehicle Identification Numbers (VIN) for the vehicles from which the catalytic converters were supposedly cut off. Thomas told the thieves that it did not matter where they got the VINs. For example, in one instance, Thomas said, “It’s supposed to come off the one you got it off of, but it’s up to you what you do. All I need is a VIN number is all.” In other instances, Thomas altered the VINs that thieves gave him to make the VINs look better. Many of the VINs were later determined to be fake or from stolen vehicles.
Thomas drove the stolen catalytic converters to Oregon where he sold the converters to a company that extracted the valuable metals and sold the metals for further processing. Thomas made several misrepresentations to the Oregon company, including that he had purchased the converters from legitimate businesses and that the VINs he provided were for the vehicles from which the converters had been removed.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Clovis Police Department, and the Fresno Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph Barton and Justin Gilio are prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Thomas faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Anyone with knowledge of Thomas activities is encouraged to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or tips.fbi.gov.
Franklin Man Sentenced to over 21 Years in Federal Prison for Drug Trafficking and Illegal Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Rana Saoud of Homeland Security Investigations Nashville, Director Jacky Hunt of the Appalachia High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (AHIDTA) South-Central Kentucky Drug Task Force, and Sheriff Jere Dee Hopson of the Simpson County Sheriff’s Office made the announcement.
According to court documents, on December 31, 2019, Adrian Nolan, 42, possessed with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, 28 grams or more of cocaine base (crack cocaine) and a mixture of cocaine. Nolan also possessed a Glock 23, .40 caliber semiautomatic pistol in furtherance of his drug trafficking. Nolan was prohibited from possessing a firearm because he had been convicted of the following felony offenses. On January 5, 2009, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky, Nolan was convicted of possession with the intent to distribute cocaine base and aiding and abetting. On March 17, 2009, in the Simpson Circuit Court, Nolan was convicted of first-degree possession of a controlled substance. On March 16, 2009, in Simpson Circuit Court, Nolan was convicted of first-degree possession of a controlled substance, second offense. On December 19, 2005, in Simpson Circuit Court, Nolan was convicted of first-degree possession of a controlled substance. On February 21, 2000, in Simpson Circuit Court, Nolan was convicted of first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance.
After the 260-month prison sentence, Nolan was ordered to serve five years on supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
The case was investigated by HSI Bowling Green, the Appalachia High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (AHIDTA) South-Central Kentucky Drug Task Force, and the Simpson County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark J. Yurchisin II, of the U.S. Attorney’s Bowling Green Branch Office, prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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Fort Myers Felon Sentenced After Brandishing A Firearm on Social MediaRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge Thomas Barber has sentenced Terry Kristopher Flournoy (23, Fort Myers) to two years and six months in federal prison for possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. The court also ordered Flournoy to forfeit the firearm and ammunition he illegally possessed. Flournoy had pleaded guilty on December 21, 2022.
According to court documents, on April 27, 2020, officers from the Fort Myers Police Department arrested Flournoy on an active warrant after he had posted a video on Instagram of food items at a Fort Myers area restaurant. When arrested, officers located a loaded Glock pistol. Flournoy’s fingerprint was later located on the magazine of the firearm. Officers further noted that Flournoy had posted a video on social media pointing what appeared to be a Glock pistol at the camera on the same evening of his arrest. Flournoy is a convicted felon, and as a result, 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 Fort Myers Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Morgan.
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 out 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 first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Former Oakland Police Chief Pleads Guilty to Misuse of Public FundsRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Steven Russell announced that Terry A. Poland, 33, of Fremont, Nebraska, was arraigned and pleaded guilty today before the Honorable Michael D. Nelson, United States Magistrate Judge, to Misuse of Public Funds. Poland further agreed that he has or will surrender his law enforcement certification before the date set for sentencing, and that he will not work as a law enforcement officer in the future. Sentencing is scheduled for July 25, 2023 before Magistrate Judge Nelson.
During February 2020 to January 2021, Poland purchased about 27 gift cards in four transactions from a sporting goods store operating in Nebraska, using the charge account that the City of Oakland had at the store. The total value of the gift cards that Poland acquired with Oakland’s funds was $14,631.00.
Poland used the gift cards to acquire items for the use of himself and family members. Poland purchased among other things women’s and children’s clothing, an ice fishing house, an auger, fishing equipment and a basketball backboard. Poland acquired the basketball backboard on or about March 22, 2020, in the amount of $949.99. Poland made most purchases using the gift cards at store locations in Nebraska but made at least one purchase online.
An outside auditor questioned the acquisition of the gift cards. At the request of the outside auditor, the Oakland City Clerk requested additional receipts from Poland. Poland stated that all the gift cards were used to purchase ammunition for the Oakland Police Department and provided to the City Clerk five purported receipts, each captioned “Purchase Statement.” Each Purchase Statement was purportedly from the store and reflected the purchase of ammunition on a particular date during August 2020 to January 2021.
The Purchase Statements that Poland provided to the City Clerk were phony. They were not issued by the store, and the transactions, item numbers and item descriptions did not match the store’s records.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Former Bristol Woman Sentenced for Theft of Federal FundsRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – A former Bristol woman who perpetrated a scheme to fraudulently collect more than $42,000 in Social Security Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits earmarked for a disabled child who was no longer in her care or custody was sentenced today to three years of federal probation and ordered to reimburse the Social Security Administration, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.
Sonia Pimentel, 44, formerly of Bristol, RI, now residing in Norwich, CT, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Providence on December 1, 2022, to a charge of theft of public funds.
Pimentel admitted that, from December 2011 through October 2016, she continued to receive, and to keep for her own personal use, monthly SSI payments totaling $42,346.73; those funds were earmarked for the care of a disabled child who was no longer in her custody or care at the time. The child was, in fact, in the custody and care of his father at that time Pimentel fraudulently and willfully collected and retained the SSI payments.
At sentencing today, U.S. District Court Judge Mary S. McElroy sentenced Pimentel to three years of federal probation and ordered her to pay restitution in the amount of $42,346.73 to the Social Security Administration.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Denise M. Barton.
The matter was investigated by the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General.
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Former Administrative Manager for Covington Public Works Department Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud and Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
COVINGTON, Ky. – The former administrative manager for the City of Covington Public Works Department, Allison Donaldson, 50, of Covington, pleaded guilty on Friday, before U.S. District Judge David Bunning, to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft.
Donaldson was employed as an administrative manager for the Public Works Department, from 2005 until 2022, and had access to credit card information for the department. Her plea agreement explains that starting in February 2020 and continuing until February 2022, Donaldson knowingly defrauded the City of Covington, by using employee credit cards and making over $150,000 in purchases for herself and her home. Some of the purchases listed in the plea agreement include repairs for a Mercedes Benz, a Louis Vuitton agenda, a Chanel tote, Crate & Barrel furniture, and a remodel to her master bedroom and garage.
Donaldson was indicted in September 2022.
“Any time public servants turn to greed and misappropriate public funds, it does serious damage,” said Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky. “Not only does it deprive communities of necessary – and often very limited – resources, but it severely erodes the trust that communities place in their government. Her conduct was an egregious betrayal, for which she now faces the consequences. The dedicated efforts of our law enforcement partners made this important prosecution possible, and was the first step in repairing the damage to the Covington community.”
United States Attorney Shier; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office; Daniel Cameron, Kentucky Attorney General; and Spike Jones, Chief of the Kenton County Police Department, jointly announced the guilty plea.
The investigation preceding the indictments was conducted by the FBI, the Kentucky Attorney General’s Department of Criminal Investigation, and the Kenton County Police Department. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Winslow.
Donaldson is scheduled to be sentenced on September 8. She faces up to 20 years for the wire fraud charge; she faces up to two years, run consecutively on the aggravated identity theft charge; and she faces criminal judgments for restitution and forfeiture of the property attained through the fraud. Any sentence, however, will be imposed by the Court, after its consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal sentencing statutes.
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Federal Grand Jury Indicts Level III Sex Offender for Receipt and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A level III sex offender, charged and convicted three times in Rhode Island state court on child pornography charges, has been in indicted by a federal grand jury on additional, and unrelated, child pornography charges, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.
The grand jury returned an indictment charging Patrick K. Beattie, 37, of Charlestown, with two counts of receipt of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography.
It is alleged in court documents that in February 2023, a state probation officer received information that Beattie, while serving a terms of state probation related to previous state child pornography convictions, was allegedly violating the terms of his state probation. It was alleged that Beattie possessed an internet-connected smartphone in violation of the terms of his court-imposed probation.
Court documents allege that, on February 10, 2023, during an unannounced home visit of Beattie’s residence, as was permitted by the terms of his state probation, Beattie was found to be in possession of a smartphone. A subsequent, court-authorized search of the phone revealed child pornography involving prepubescent minors.
Beattie was arraigned on Friday in federal court and ordered detained in federal custody. A federal indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
According to court documents, Beattie was previously convicted in Rhode Island State Court in April 2017, March 2022, and in January 2023, on child pornography charges.
The current case, charged by way of a federal grand jury indictment, is being prosecuted in federal court by Assistant U.S. Attorney Denise M. Barton.
The matter was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, Charlestown Police, and Rhode Island State Police, with the assistance of the Rhode Island Department of Corrections Probation and Parole Unit.
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Federal Grand Jury Indicts Man for Illegally Possessing Two Machine GunsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – XAVIER DUHON, age 20, a resident of New Orleans, Louisiana, was charged on April 14, 2023 in a one-count indictment for possession of machine guns, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.
If convicted, DUHON faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years, up to a $250,000 fine, up to 3 years of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.
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.
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.
The case was investigated by Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the New Orleans Police Department, and the Louisiana State Police. Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Dawkins of the Violent Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
Eight Chinese Government Officials Charged with Directing Employee of a U.S. Telecommunications Company to Remove Chinese Dissidents from Company's PlatformRead the Press Release
Today, an amended complaint was unsealed charging a total of 10 defendants, including a former executive of a U.S. telecommunications company (Company-1) who worked in the People’s Republic of China (PRC), six officers of the PRC Ministry of Public Security (MPS), two officials with the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC), and one other civilian with conspiracy to commit interstate harassment and unlawful conspiracy to transfer means of identification. All the defendants are believed to reside in the PRC and remain at large.
Carolyn Pokorny, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York[1]; Matthew G. Olsen, Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s National Security Division; and David Sundberg, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Washington Field Office (FBI), announced the charges.
“The amended complaint charging a former PRC-based employee of a U.S. telecommunications company illustrates the insider threat faced by U.S. companies operating in the PRC,” stated First Assistant United States Attorney Pokorny, who thanked Company-1 for its cooperation in the government’s investigation. “As alleged, Julien Jin and his co-conspirators in the Ministry of Public Security and Cyberspace Administration of China weaponized the U.S. telecommunications company he worked for to intimidate and silence dissenters, and enforce PRC law to the detriment of Chinese activists in New York, among other places, who had sought refuge in this country to peacefully express their pro-democracy views.”
“These cases demonstrate the lengths the PRC government will go to silence and harass U.S. persons who exercise their fundamental rights to speak out against PRC oppression, including by unlawfully exploiting a U.S.-based technology company,” stated Assistant Attorney General Olsen. “These actions violate our laws and are an affront to our democratic values and basic human rights.”
“These cases demonstrate that the Chinese Communist Party, once again, attempted to intimidate, harass, and suppress Chinese dissidents in the United States,” stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Sundberg. “In the U.S., freedom of speech is a cornerstone of our democracy, and the FBI will work tirelessly to defend everyone's right to speak freely without fear of retribution from the CCP. These complex investigations revealed an MPS-wide effort to repress individuals by using a U.S. communications platform and fake social media accounts to censor political and religious speech.”
As alleged in the amended complaint, ten individuals, including a former PRC-based Company-1 executive, six MPS officers, and two officials with the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC), are charged with conspiracy to commit interstate harassment and unlawful conspiracy to transfer means of identification.
In December 2020, the Department first announced charges against Julien Jin in connection with his efforts to disrupt a series of meetings on the Company-1 platform held in May and June 2020 commemorating the 1989 Tiananmen Square Massacre. Julien Jin served as Company-1’s primary liaison with PRC government law enforcement and intelligence services. In that capacity, he regularly responded to requests from the PRC government to terminate meetings and block users on Company-1’s video communications platform.
As detailed in the original complaint, Jin and others conspired to use Company-1’s U.S. systems to censor the political and religious speech of individuals located in the United States and elsewhere at the direction of the PRC government. For example, Jin and others disrupted meetings held on the Company-1 platform to discuss politically sensitive topics unacceptable to the PRC government – including the Tiananmen Square Massacre. Jin and his co-conspirators fabricated evidence of purported misconduct to cause U.S.-based employees of Company-1 to terminate the meetings.
The allegations in the amended complaint reveal that Jin worked directly with and took orders from defendants at the MPS and the CAC to disrupt meetings on the Company-1 platform and that the co-defendants had targeted U.S.-based dissidents’ speech on Company-1’s platform since 2018.
Starting in 2018, Jin and his co-defendants repeatedly sought to terminate video chat meetings organized by a Chinese dissident residing in New York City who has been a vocal critic of the PRC government and the Chinese Communist party. After the CAC requested that Company-1 terminate the dissident’s meetings on the Company-1 platform, Jin worked to identify all accounts associated with the dissident, caused meetings related to the dissident to be hosted in a “quarantine zone” – that is, on a server with known lags in response time – and later worked to block all accounts associated with the dissident. Similarly, in 2019, Jin collaborated with the MPS and CAC to block accounts seeking to commemorate the Tiananmen Square Massacre.
The charges in the amended complaint are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and Cybercrime Section. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexander A. Solomon, Ian C. Richardson, Nicholas J. Moscow and Jessica K. Weigel of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York, with Trial Attorney Scott A. Claffee of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are in charge of the prosecution.
The FBI has created a website for victims to report efforts by foreign governments to stalk, intimidate, or assault people in the United States. Please visit: www.fbi.gov/investigate/counterintelligence/transnational-repression.
The Defendants:
JIN XINJIANG (also known as “Julien Jin”)
Age: 42
PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINACHEN YUANYUAN (陈媛媛)
Age: Unknown
PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINAFU YIBIN (傅一彬)
Age: 39
PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINAHUANG YIWEN (黄奕雯) also known as “Nicole Huang”
Age: 25
PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINAJIN TAO (金涛)
Age: Unknown
PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINALIU ZHIYANG (刘智洋)
Age: 43
PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINASHEN ZHENHUA (沈振华)
Age: 41
PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINASONG GUORONG (宋国荣)
Age: 43
PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINATIAN XINNING (田心宁)
Age: Unknown
PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINAXU WEI (徐威)
Age: 35
PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA[1] U.S. Attorney Breon Peace for the Eastern District of New York is recused from and has not participated in this case.
Drug Enforcement Administration Announces Spring Take Back DayRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – The Drug Enforcement Administration has announced the date of its 24th National Prescription Drug Take Back Day. On Saturday, April 22, DEA, and its partners will collect tablets, capsules, patches, and other solid forms of prescription drugs.
For more than a decade, DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day has helped Americans easily rid their homes of unneeded medications—those that are old, unwanted, or expired—that too often become a gateway to addiction.
Take Back Day offers free and anonymous disposal of unneeded medications at more than 4,000 local drop-off locations nationwide.
What: National Prescription Drug Take Back Day
When: Saturday, April 22 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. local time
Who: State and local law enforcement partners across Kentucky, Tennessee, and West Virginia
Where: For a complete list of collection sites, visit www.DEATakeBack.com
In Memphis, the “Street Team for Overdose Prevention” (S.T.O.P.), a collaboration of several agencies, encourage citizens to turn in unused medications safely and anonymously at 2811 Clarke Road.
In partnership with local law enforcement, Take Back Day has removed more than 8,300 tons of medication from circulation since its inception.
Collection sites will not accept syringes, sharps, and illicit drugs. Liquid products, such as cough syrup, should remain sealed in their original container. The cap must be tightly sealed to prevent leakage.
To find a collection site near you, visit www.DEATakeBack.com.
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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.
Credit Card Processors Ordered to Pay $650,000 in Consumer Redress for Assisting in Fraudulent Computer Repair Telemarketing SchemesRead the Press Release
The Justice Department, together with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), today announced that the government will collect $650,000 in consumer redress from corporate defendants Nexway, SASU, Nexway Group AG, Nexway, Inc., asknet Solutions AG, asknet, Inc., (collectively Nexway), and individual defendants Casey Potenzone and Victor Iezuitov. The defendants’ payment of the $650,000 will result in the suspension of the total monetary judgment of $49.5 million granted by the court.
In a complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, the government alleges that, since at least August 2016, the defendants violated the FTC Act and the Telemarketing Sales Rule (TSR) by processing credit card payments for India-based Tech Live Connect and other foreign clients that commit telemarketing fraud via tech support scams. The complaint alleges that Nexway helped its clients open and use merchant accounts to process credit card charges. In a typical scam, Nexway’s client caused deceptive pop-up notifications to appear on a consumer’s computer screen, warning that the computer was infected with a virus or freezing the screen and displaying a phone number to call for help. Consumers who called reached call centers in India and were convinced to pay for “repairs.” The consumers’ credit card charges were processed by Nexway’s credit card merchant account. Nexway received a commission for each charge. The complaint alleges that Nexway and its principals worked with TLC and other fraudster clients despite knowing or consciously avoiding knowing that they were engaged in fraudulent telemarketing and other deceptive practices. The government also asserts that Nexway engaged in “credit card laundering” by allowing its clients to use Nexway’s credit card merchant accounts for their telemarketing scam even though Nexway was not the merchant on those transactions.
“The Department of Justice will not hesitate to pursue and hold accountable payment processors who facilitate tech support scams that defraud consumers,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The department is committed to protecting consumers from companies that engage in or support deceptive practices.”
“Companies like Nexway that knowingly launder charges for scammers are breaking the law and helping scammers cheat money from consumers,” said Director Samuel Levine of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. “The FTC will not hesitate to use its law enforcement powers to stop them.”
This matter is being handled by Claude Scott of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch and Russell Deitch and J. Ronald Brooke of the FTC.
For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit its website at www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. For more information about the FTC, visit its website at www.FTC.gov.
Construction Company Owner Sentenced to 78 Months in Prison and Ordered to Pay Nearly $1 Million in Restitution for Rigging Bids and Bribing a Public OfficialRead the Press Release
A construction company owner in California was sentenced to 78 months in prison and ordered to pay $984,699.53 in restitution for his role in a bid-rigging and bribery scheme involving California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) improvement and repair contracts.
According to a guilty plea entered on Nov. 14, 2022, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California in Sacramento, Bill R. Miller engaged in a conspiracy from April 2015 through as late as December 2019. As part of the conspiracy, Miller recruited others to submit sham bids on Caltrans contracts, including co-conspirator William D. Opp, a former business partner who pleaded guilty in the case on Oct. 3, 2022.
In addition to pleading guilty to bid rigging, Miller also pleaded guilty to paying bribes to Choon Foo “Keith” Yong, the former Caltrans contract manager who managed the contracts involved on behalf of Caltrans, a California state agency that receives significant federal funding. On April 11, 2022, Yong pleaded guilty for his role in the bid-rigging and bribery scheme. According to Yong’s plea agreement, Yong received the bribes in the form of cash payments, wine, furniture and remodeling services on his home. The total value of the bribes that Miller paid to Yong was nearly $1 million. Miller is the first defendant to be sentenced in the case.
“This sentence sends a strong message that criminals who corrupt the competitive bidding process will face stern consequences,” said Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “Protecting infrastructure spending and taxpayer dollars remains a top priority for the Antitrust Division and our Procurement Collusion Strike Force partners.”
“A lengthy investigation and a series of guilty pleas has led to the sentencing today for a bid-rigging and bribery conspiracy,” said U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert for the Eastern District of California. “But our work is not done. Anticompetitive practices harm taxpayers and legitimate businesses alike. My office will continue to investigate and prosecute such conduct.”
“Fair and free competition is essential to ensure taxpayer money is only obligated and spent on essential services and contracts,” said Special Agent in Charge Sean Ragan of the FBI Sacramento Field Office. “The FBI is committed to working with our partners to investigate such allegations, and bringing to justice those who conspire to enrich themselves by cheating the American public as a whole. We hope this sentence serves as ample warning to anyone contemplating a scheme to falsely influence a government bidding process for personal gain.”
Today’s sentencing is the result of a joint investigation that was conducted by the Antitrust Division’s San Francisco office, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California and the FBI Sacramento Field Office as part of the Justice Department’s Procurement Collusion Strike Force (PCSF).
Trial Attorneys Christopher J. Carlberg and Tai S. Milder of the Antitrust Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Lee S. Bickley for the Eastern District of California prosecuted the case.
In November 2019, the Department of Justice created the Procurement Collusion Strike Force, a joint law enforcement effort to combat antitrust crimes and related fraudulent schemes that impact government procurement, grant, and program funding at all levels of government — federal, state and local. To contact the Procurement Collusion Strike Force, or to report information on market allocation, price fixing, bid rigging and other anticompetitive conduct related to construction or infrastructure, go to www.justice.gov/procurement-collusion-strike-force.
Construction Company Owner Sentenced to 78 Months in Prison and Ordered to Pay Nearly $1 Million in Restitution for Rigging Bids and Bribing a Public OfficialRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A construction company owner in California was sentenced to 78 months’ imprisonment and ordered to pay $984,699 in restitution for his role in a bid-rigging and bribery scheme involving California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) improvement and repair contracts.
According to a guilty plea entered on Nov. 14, 2022, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California in Sacramento, Bill R. Miller engaged in a conspiracy from April 2015 through as late as December 2019. As part of the conspiracy, Miller recruited others to submit sham bids on Caltrans contracts, including co-conspirator William D. Opp, a former business partner who pleaded guilty in the case on Oct. 3, 2022.
In addition to pleading guilty to bid rigging, Miller also pleaded guilty to paying bribes to Choon Foo “Keith” Yong, the former Caltrans contract manager who managed the contracts involved on behalf of Caltrans, a California state agency that receives significant federal funding. On April 11, 2022, Yong pleaded guilty for his role in the bid-rigging and bribery scheme. According to Yong’s plea agreement, Yong received the bribes in the form of cash payments, wine, furniture and remodeling services on his home. The total value of the bribes that Miller paid to Yong was nearly $1 million. Miller is the first defendant to be sentenced in the case.
“This sentence sends a strong message that criminals who corrupt the competitive bidding process will face stern consequences,” said Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “Protecting infrastructure spending and taxpayer dollars remains a top priority for the Antitrust Division and our Procurement Collusion Strike Force partners.”
“A lengthy investigation and a series of guilty pleas has led to the sentencing today for a bid-rigging and bribery conspiracy,” said U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert for the Eastern District of California. “But our work is not done. Anticompetitive practices harm taxpayers and legitimate businesses alike. My office will continue to investigate and prosecute such conduct.”
“Fair and free competition is essential to ensure taxpayer money is only obligated and spent on essential services and contracts,” said Special Agent in Charge Sean Ragan of the FBI Sacramento Field Office. “The FBI is committed to working with our partners to investigate such allegations, and bringing to justice those who conspire to enrich themselves by cheating the American public as a whole. We hope this sentence serves as ample warning to anyone contemplating a scheme to falsely influence a government bidding process for personal gain.”
Today’s sentencing is the result of a joint investigation that was conducted by the Antitrust Division’s San Francisco office, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California, and the FBI’s Sacramento Division as part of the Justice Department’s Procurement Collusion Strike Force (PCSF). Trial Attorneys Christopher J. Carlberg and Tai S. Milder and Assistant U.S. Attorney Lee S. Bickley prosecuted the case.
In November 2019, the Department of Justice created the Procurement Collusion Strike Force, a joint law enforcement effort to combat antitrust crimes and related fraudulent schemes that impact government procurement, grant, and program funding at all levels of government — federal, state and local. To contact the Procurement Collusion Strike Force, or to report information on market allocation, price fixing, bid rigging and other anticompetitive conduct related to construction or infrastructure, go to https://www.justice.gov/procurement-collusion-strike-force.
Columbia Man Sentenced After Attempting to Bring Stun Guns, Smoke Grenades, Knives, and Pepper Spray into Columbia AirportRead the Press Release
Columbia, SOUTH CAROLINA — David Lee Angell, 51, was sentenced to 12 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to knowingly and willfully entering into an airport area in violation of security requirements.
Evidence obtained in the investigation showed that Angell was stopped at a TSA screening before attempting to board a plane the Columbia Metropolitan Airport. While at TSA screening, his carry-on baggage alerted on prohibited items. A search of his carry-on revealed that he was carrying three smoke grenades, one set of plastic stun knuckles, three stun batons, two knives, and two cans of capsaicin spray in his carry-on bag. All of these items are prohibited from being in a passenger’s carry-on baggage.
Angell has prior convictions for carrying a concealed weapon in vehicle, possession of a dangerous weapon, burglary, and resisting a public officer.
As a result of the federal conviction, United States Magistrate Judge Paige J. Gossett sentenced Angell to the maximum term imprisonment of one year, to be followed by a one-year term of court-ordered supervision.
The case was investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Transportation Security Administration (TSA).
Assistant United States Attorney Elle E. Klein prosecuted the case.
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Citrus County Man Found Guilty of Possessing A Short-Barrel RifleRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – Senior U.S. District Judge Gregory A. Presnell has found David Robinson, Jr. (24, Tampa) guilty of possessing an unregistered National Firearms Act (NFA) firearm. Robinson faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for July 20, 2023. Robinson had been indicted on October 11, 2022.
According to evidence presented at trial, deputies from the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office encountered Robinson in September 2022. Robinson had in his possession a loaded short barrel rifle. The barrel length was approximately 12.5 inches long. The rifle was not registered to Robinson in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer record.
This case was investigated by the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.
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.
Choctaw County Resident Sentenced for Abusive Sexual Contact in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jimmy Ray Robinson, age 55, of Choctaw County, Oklahoma, was sentenced to the statutory maximum 24 months in federal prison for one count of Abusive Sexual Contact in Indian Country. Robinson pleaded guilty to the offense in August 2022.
The evidence in this case established that in September of 2020, Robinson intentionally touched a child over the clothing in a sexual manner. The victim disclosed the abuse and provided details during a forensic interview.
On August 24, 2022, Robinson pleaded guilty to one count of Abusive Sexual Contact in Indian Country. Robinson was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshal to await sentencing.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation.
“Let today’s sentence send the message that those who prey on Oklahoma’s children will be found and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” said FBI Oklahoma City Special Agent in Charge Edward J. Gray. “The FBI and our law enforcement partners remain committed to ensuring the safety of our communities, especially our most vulnerable citizens."
“Cases like this are especially troubling and heart-wrenching,” said United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson. “I am thankful for the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the United States Attorney’s Office to see to it the defendant was brought to justice.”
Prosecutors brought this case as part of Project Safe Childhood. Project Safe Childhood is a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood draws on federal, state, and local agencies to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma prosecuted this case because the defendant is a member of a federally recognized Indian tribe and the crimes occurred in Choctaw County, within the boundaries of the Choctaw Nation Reservation and the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The Honorable Bernard M. Jones, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma, presided over the sentencing in Muskogee. Robinson will remain in custody pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve his non-paroleable sentence of incarceration. Upon completion of his term of imprisonment, Robinson will serve a life term of supervised release under Federal supervision.
Assistant United States Attorney Edith Singer represented the United States.
Cherry Hill Gang Member Sentenced to 21 Years in Federal Prison for a Racketeering Conspiracy, Including Murdering a Rival Gang MemberRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge George L. Russell, III today sentenced Deaven Cherry, age 35, of Baltimore, Maryland to 21 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for a conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise.
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; Commissioner Michael Harrison of the Baltimore Police Department; and Interim Chief Dennis J. Delp of the Baltimore County Police Department.
According to his guilty plea, Cherry was an associate of a gang known as “Hillside” which operated in part of Cherry Hill in Baltimore, Maryland. Members of Hillside distributed powder and crack cocaine, heroin, oxycodone and marijuana, primarily in a local shopping center, in other locations throughout Cherry Hill, and in west and southwest Baltimore City. The members of Hillside used the proceeds of their narcotics sales to purchase firearms, to enrich themselves, and to further the narcotics trafficking and other activities of the organization. Hillside members also committed acts of violence, including robberies, non-fatal shootings and homicides.
As stated in his plea agreement, Hillside members and associates have been in a long-running dispute with rival gang members, including Up Da Hill (“UDH”), the Lakebrook Circle Boys, and others. Members and associates of Hillside have routinely engaged in murder and other acts of violence directed at members of these rival gangs, or persons in the territories controlled by these rival gangs. Cherry knew members of Hillside sold narcotics and committed violent acts against rival gangs or others who impeded on Hillside’s territory. Further, Cherry admitted that he participated in Hillside’s racketeering enterprise, including the murder of a UDH member (Victim 1). On May 22, 2010, Cherry shot and murdered Victim 1 in the 2900 block of Denham Circle. Later that day, Cherry was in possession of a loaded 9mm semi-automatic pistol with an extended magazine containing 21 rounds. Ballistic evidence confirmed that Cherry’s firearm was used to murder Victim 1. Cherry also admitted that it was reasonably foreseeable to him that Hillside was responsible for the distribution of between one and three kilograms of heroin, between five and 15 kilograms of cocaine, between 280 and 840 grams of crack cocaine, as well as marijuana and oxycodone.
Cherry and co-defendant Travis Alewine fled after their indictment and were fugitives until their arrests in 2020 and 2019, respectively. Nineteen other Hillside co-defendants pleaded guilty and were sentenced to up to 23 years in federal prison. Travis Alewine has also pleaded guilty and is scheduled to be sentenced on April 20, 2023, at 9:30 a.m.
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.
This case was made possible by investigative leads generated from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives’ (ATF) National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN). NIBIN is the only national network that allows for the capture and comparison of ballistic evidence to aid in solving and preventing violent crimes involving firearms. NIBIN is a proven investigative and intelligence tool that can link firearms from multiple crime scenes, allowing law enforcement to quickly disrupt shooting cycles. For more information on NIBIN, visit https://www.atf.gov/firearms/national-integrated-ballistic-information-network-nibin.
This case is also part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron praised the ATF, the Baltimore County Police Department, and the Baltimore City Police Department for their work in the investigation and the U.S. Marshals Service for their assistance. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Patricia C. McLane and Brandon K. Moore, who are prosecuting 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/community-outreach and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-neighborhoods-psn
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Carjackers Each Sentenced to More than a Decade in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
DENVER – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Brian Armando Diaz Montellano, age 29, was sentenced to 14 years in prison for carjacking and for discharging a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. Co-defendant Alexis Michele Ruder-Iturrino, age 27, was sentenced to 11 years in prison.
According to the terms of the plea agreement, Douglas County deputies pursued Diaz Montellano and Ruder-Iturrino on June 19, 2022, while they were driving in a stolen Dodge truck at speeds of approximately 100 miles per hour. After fleeing from law enforcement, Diaz Montellano drove the truck directly in front of a moving 2022 Subaru Cross Trek, forcing the Subaru to stop. Diaz Montellano and Ruder-Iturrino got out of the truck and approached the Subaru, demanding the two occupants get out of the car. Ruder-Iturrino held an AR-15 rifle, pointed it at the victims, and then fired a round into the ground. Diaz Montellano opened the driver’s side door as Ruder-Iturrino screamed at the driver to get out. The co-defendants then got into the Subaru and drove away. Diaz Montellano was later arrested in possession of a loaded 9mm pistol.
“The defendants terrorized their carjacking victims, making them afraid for their lives,” said U.S. Attorney Cole Finegan. “Based on their conduct they will each have more than ten years in federal prison to consider their actions.”
United States District Court Judge Raymond P. Moore pronounced the sentences for both defendants on April 17, 2023.
This case was investigated by the FBI Denver Rocky Mountain Safe Streets Task Force, the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, and the Denver Police Department. The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Brian Dunn.
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 No. 22-cr-0260
For more information about the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Colorado, visit: https://www.justice.gov/usao-co/pr
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California Man Sentenced for Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl and Fentanyl AnalogueRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Steven Russell announced that Alejandro Berrelleza-Bojorquez, 25, of Los Angeles, California, was sentenced on April 14, 2023, in federal court in Lincoln, Nebraska. Senior United States District Judge John M. Gerrard sentenced Berrelleza-Bojorquez to 76 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and 100 grams or more of fentanyl analogue. After completing his sentence, Berrelleza-Bojorquez will be placed on supervised release for 4 years. Berrelleza-Bojorquez faces deportation from the United States following the service of his sentence. There is no parole in the federal system.
On March 7, 2022, a Nebraska State Patrol trooper stopped a vehicle driven by Berrelleza-Bojorquez on Interstate 80 in Dawson County for speeding. His co-defendant, Orlando Castro-Gutierrez, was the passenger. The trooper smelled marijuana odor emanating from the vehicle, and the vehicle was searched. In the trunk, law enforcement found 10 triple-wrapped bags under clothing. Those bags contained about 10,000 pills. Law enforcement also found in the trunk 15 zip-lock baggies in a paper sack that contained about 15,000 pills. The vehicle was towed, and both men were arrested. Upon further search after the tow, law enforcement found a 1 kilogram-sized brick in a box in the trunk. Sample pills from the 10 wrapped bags were tested at the state lab, and the lab confirmed that they contained fentanyl. The pills in those ten wrapped bags weighed over one kilogram. Sample pills from the 15 zip-lock baggies were tested at the lab, and the lab determined they contained para-fluorofentanyl, a schedule I substance and analogue of fentanyl. The pills from those 15 baggies weighed about one and a half kilograms. The brick was tested at the lab as well, and the lab confirmed it contained fentanyl.
Castro-Gutierrez is scheduled to plead guilty on May 3, 2023, in Lincoln.
This case was investigated by the Nebraska State Patrol.
Cabell County Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Child Pornography CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Jason Robert Henthorne, 48, of Milton, was sentenced today to nine years and two months in prison, to be followed by 20 years of supervised release, for possession of prepubescent child pornography. Henthorne must also register as a sex offender.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in June 2021, Henthorne possessed videos and more than 1,000 images of child pornography stored on electronic devices at the Milton residence where he was staying. Henthorne admitted that some of the images and videos depict infants and prepubescent children subjected to sadistic or masochistic conduct. Henthorne further admitted that one of the images depicts adult males sexually assaulting a prepubescent female.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the West Virginia State Police.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Julie M. White prosecuted the case.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative of the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:22-cr-234.
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Burrillville Man Sentenced for Illegally Possessing More Than 200 Firearms, Making False Statements on ATF Firearm Purchase FormsRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A 39-year-old Burrillville man who falsely claimed on federal documents that he was not an unlawful user of controlled substances, including cocaine, when he purchased and possessed more than 200 firearms and tens of thousands of rounds of ammunition was sentenced today to more than five years in federal prison, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.
In February 2022, when Burrillville Police responded to reports of shots fired at the home of Ronald Andruchuk, numerous gunshots could be heard – with some bullets passing overhead of responding officers. Andruchuk was found wearing a Commando-style multipurpose vest and was carrying four firearms and methamphetamine. After Andruchuk was taken into custody, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) agents and Burrillville Police executed a federal search warrant and seized 219 firearms strewn unsecured within Andruchuk’s home. Among the items seized were an AR-style privately-made firearm; assorted firearm ammunition magazines and accessories; and approximately 25,390 rounds (1,555.8lbs) of assorted boxed and loose ammunition of various calibers.
Additionally, an ATF investigation determined that Andruchuk previously admitted to law enforcement that he was a user of controlled substances and that he had a substance abuse problem. Further investigation determined that when attempting to purchase firearms from federally licensed firearms dealers, Andruchuk falsely claimed on federal forms that he was not “an unlawful user of, or addicted to, marijuana or any depressant, stimulant, narcotic drug, or any other controlled substance.”
“By repeatedly violating federal law to acquire an arsenal of firearms – firearms that he stored and used in a way that is the antithesis of responsible gun ownership, Ronald Andruchuk put his family, his neighbors, and our communities at risk,” said U.S. Attorney Cunha. “Today’s sentence should make crystal clear that we and our law enforcement partners intend to vigorously enforce federal gun laws to keep our communities safe.”
"Individuals who illegally use controlled substances are prohibited from possessing firearms,” said James M Ferguson Special Agent in Charge of the ATF Boston Field Division “ATF will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to ensure these offenders do not have the opportunity to illegally possess firearms. In this case, we were able to recover 219 guns and thousands of rounds of ammunition from Ronald Andruchuk”
“Ronald Andruchuk’s child-like infatuation with weapons, recklessness and illegal drug use posed an extreme threat to the lives and safety of his neighbors, his family and the Burrillville Police, added Burrillville Police Chief Colonel Stephen J. Lynch. “The Burrillville Police is appreciative of the collaborative work with ATF, its Task Force members, and the US Attorney’s Office in bringing Andruchuk to justice.”
According to court documents, during a routine review of multiple sales reports of firearms, ATF learned that between July and November of 2021, Andruchuk had purchased 169 firearms. Agents began to investigate further to ensure that Andruchuk was not involved in illegal firearms-trafficking activities. During that review, agents learned that Andruchuk had previous contact with the Cranston Police Department, during which he admitted to being a medical marijuana user. During a later contact with Cranston Police, Andruchuk was arrested on controlled substance offenses and admitted to having a substance abuse problem.
Further investigation by ATF determined that, in December 2021, two firearms, drugs, and other items were located in the drop ceiling of a bathroom inside a Millbury, MA, retail store shortly after Andruchuk vacated the restroom. Both firearms were traced to Andruchuk as the purchaser. He did not have a license to carry a firearm in Massachusetts.
Andruchuk pleaded guilty on January 18, 2023, to two charges of making a false statement of material fact during a firearm purchase and possession of a firearm by an unlawful user of a controlled substance. At sentencing today, U.S. District Court Judge Mary S. McElroy sentenced Andruchuk to sixty-three months in federal prison to be followed by three years of federal supervised release, and to pay a $10,000 fine.
At the request of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the court ordered the 219 firearms and more than 25,000 rounds of ammunition seized from the defendant to be forfeited to the Government to be destroyed.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United Sates Attorney Ronald R. Gendron.
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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Bronx, New York, Man Sentenced to 43 Years in Prison for Multistate Kidnapping, Assault, and Arson RampageRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Bronx, New York, man was sentenced today to 516 months in prison for a multistate crime spree during which he kidnapped and sexually assaulted his former girlfriend, assaulted a federal employee, set fire to a used car dealership, and rammed multiple police vehicles before being apprehended, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Luis Figueroa, 42, was convicted in May 2022 of kidnapping; criminal sexual abuse; possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence; and assaulting an employee of the United States following a two-week trial before U.S. District Judge John Michael Vazquez. Figueroa had previously pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a previously convicted felon and arson. Judge Vazquez imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court.
“Figueroa is a danger to the public,” U.S. Attorney Sellinger said. “Figueroa deliberately engaged in a premeditated crime spree to extract revenge on the mother of his son. Fueled with anger, he kidnapped, assaulted and raped her. Along the way, he assaulted a federal employee, stole his car, burned down a car dealership office and endangered law enforcement officers and members of the public who were in his way. We are committed to protecting the community from such violent criminals and bringing them to justice.”
“ATF will never waver in our commitment to protecting the communities we serve and public safety,” Special Agent in Charge Bryan Miller of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives said. “Figueroa was undoubtedly a clear and present danger to the community with his willingness to engage in this lawless behavior and commit these malicious, criminal, and violent acts. I am proud of the collaborative efforts and successful partnership of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, ATF, and our local and state partners involved in this investigation and prosecution. Justice has been served with this sentence and reflects ATF’s commitment to hold violent offenders accountable.”
According to court documents filed in this case and the evidence at trial:
On the morning of June 6, 2014, Figueroa, armed with a shotgun, waited outside the Hazleton, Pennsylvania, apartment of his former girlfriend. When she emerged from the apartment, Figueroa struck the victim in the face with the shotgun and said: “I told you I was going to kill you.” Figueroa then proceeded to physically assault both the former girlfriend and her sister, who, at the time, was eight months pregnant. As Figueroa attacked the women, another family member took Figueroa’s and the ex-girlfriend’s young child into a bedroom to shield the child from the violence.
After struggling with the pregnant woman and causing her to fall down a flight of stairs, Figueroa collected the shotgun from the apartment and led his former girlfriend to a red SUV, where he forced her into the backseat. Figueroa then drove the victim across state lines to New Jersey. Figueroa eventually stopped at the Kittatinny Point Visitor’s Center, which is located on federal property, and sexually assaulted his former girlfriend.
After the assault, the victim convinced Figueroa to dispose of the shotgun. When Figueroa went to do so, the former girlfriend climbed into the driver’s seat of the red SUV and drove away to safety.
After returning and discovering both his former girlfriend and the red SUV were no longer there, Figueroa approached a National Park Service employee, and led the employee to a nearby storage room, where he slammed the victim’s head against a door and threatened to harm the victim if he did not hand over the keys to his car. The employee complied and Figueroa fled the scene in the victim’s car.
Figueroa drove to Paterson, New Jersey, where he entered a used car dealership operated by a person with whom Figueroa had a business relationship. Figueroa asked an employee for a portable gas canister, which he filled shortly thereafter at a nearby gas station, and then returned to the dealership and doused the office with gasoline. After a brief struggle with an employee, Figueroa ignited a match and set the building on fire, engulfing the structure in flames and setting himself on fire in the process. Figueroa then fled the scene in another vehicle.
Law enforcement officers spotted Figueroa’s vehicle driving erratically towards the George Washington Bridge heading into New York. Figueroa ignored officers’ commands to stop, leading to a high-speed chase in which Figueroa rammed his vehicle into multiple police vehicles, injuring a police officer. Figueroa then got out of his vehicle and fled on foot. Officers placed Figueroa under arrest shortly thereafter.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Vazquez sentenced Figueroa to five years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the ATF, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Miller in Newark, for the investigation leading to today’s sentencing. He also thanked the Hazelton City, Pennsylvania, Police Department; the Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, District Attorney’s Office; the Pennsylvania State Police; the New Jersey State Police; the Warren County Prosecutor’s Office, the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office, the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Police Department, and the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office for their assistance.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Vera Varshavsky of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Criminal Division and Bruce P. Keller, Special Counsel to the U.S. Attorney.
Atlantic County Man Sentenced to 37 Months in Prison for Health Care Fraud Conspiracy Targeting State Health Benefits ProgramsRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – An Atlantic County, New Jersey, man was sentenced today to 37 months in prison, two years of supervised release and ordered to pay $2.77 million in restitution and 327,987 in forfeiture for his role in defrauding New Jersey state and local health benefits programs and other insurers by submitting fraudulent claims for medically unnecessary prescriptions. John Sher, 40, of Margate, New Jersey, pleaded guilty on July 28, 2022, before U.S. District Judge Robert B. Kugler to a superseding information charging him with one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud.
Arkansas Man Charged with Transportation of Unlawfully Killed WildlifeRead the Press Release
ANCHORAGE – An Arkansas resident was charged on April 11, 2023, relating to unlawfully transporting illegally taken wildlife from Alaska to his residence in Arkansas.
According to court documents, Edward A. Bundy, of Tuckerman, Arkansas, 54, was charged by the United States Attorney’s Office for transporting a bull caribou from Alaska to his home in Arkansas which he killed in violation of Alaska Fish and Game laws. It is alleged that Bundy falsely claimed Alaska residency when he was not a resident of the state of Alaska, making his take of the bull caribou illegal.
Bundy is charged with a violation of the Lacey Act, which prohibits transportation of unlawfully taken wildlife over state lines. If convicted, Bundy faces up to a year imprisonment and a fine of $100,000. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker of the District of Alaska; and Resident Agent in Charge David Rippeto made the announcement.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, with the assistance of the Alaska Wildlife Troopers is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Steve Skrocki is prosecuting the case.
An information is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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usao/ak/23-026
Ada, Oklahoma Podiatrist Agrees to Pay $7,000,000.00 to Resolve False Claims Act AllegationsRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced today that Dr. Bryan Andrew Blanck, a Doctor of Podiatric Medicine (DPM) who formerly owned and operated the Valley View Foot and Ankle Center, located in Ada, Oklahoma, has agreed to pay $7,000,000.00 to the United States to resolve allegations he violated provisions of the False Claims Act (FCA).
The settlement resolves allegations that Dr. Blanck submitted false claims to the VA Choice/Patient-Centered Community Care programs for excessive medical services and for higher levels of service than what were medically reasonable or necessary for veterans receiving bioengineered skin substitutes and skin substitute related treatment.
The Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration (VHA), provides integrated health care to U.S. Military Veterans in the United States through VA Medical Centers and VA Outpatient Clinics. VHA provides health care services similar to traditional hospitals. Veterans enrolled in VA health care have the option to receive care at the VA or at health care facilities within the local community. TriWest oversees the scheduling, claims processing and billing functions for veterans receiving care in the community. Dr. Blanck accepted and treated veterans at the Valley View Foot and Ankle Clinic.
An audit conducted by the VA revealed that from February 14, 2017 – June 14, 2018, Dr. Blanck was the #1 billing podiatrist out of 4,014 podiatrists nationwide in VA Choice and accounted for 23.7% of total podiatrist billings in the VA Choice program. During the same time period, Dr. Blanck was the #1 billing provider out of 280,073 individual providers in the entire VA Choice program across the nation. These high billing numbers sparked an investigation by the VA-Office of Inspector General. Based on the investigation, it was alleged Dr. Blanck misrepresented the seriousness of patients’ wounds to Tri-West in order to obtain authorization to administer bioengineered skin substitutes and copy and pasted medical notes as justification for his billing. For skin substitutes to be used, a detailed treatment history is required of standard wound care for a minimum of four weeks. At the end of the minimum four weeks, documentation must be shown as to why standard wound care has failed and it is necessary to use skin substitutes. It was alleged Dr. Blanck regularly administered skin substitutes without performing standard preliminary wound care and billed the VA Choice program for these medically unnecessary services.
“Protecting the citizens of our district against unscrupulous health care providers who do not play by the rules is a priority for my office,” said United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson. “Billing for and receiving payment for medically unnecessary and inappropriate levels of care is wrong and a waste of taxpayer dollars. The False Claims Act is a valuable weapon in the government’s arsenal to combat these types of abuses.”
“Subjecting veterans to unnecessary medical procedures at the expense of the taxpayer cannot be tolerated. Such activities put at risk VA’s ability to provide timely, quality health care within the local community,” said Special Agent in Charge Kris Raper with the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of the Inspector General’s South Central Field Office. “The VA OIG will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to ensure the integrity of VA’s programs and services.”
This civil settlement illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating health care fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Since January 2009, the Justice Department has recovered a total of more than $26.7 billion through False Claims Act cases, with more than $16.8 billion of that amount recovered in cases involving fraud against federal health care programs.
This case was a coordinated effort among the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma and the Office of the Inspector General of Veteran Affairs. The lawsuit is captioned United States v. Bryan Blanck, Case No. 6:23-cv-00003-JAR (E.D. Okla.).
Assistant United States Attorneys Michael O'Malley and Clay Compton represented the United States.
The claims settled or pursued by the government are only allegations; there has been no determination of liability.
Ada Resident Sentenced for Domestic Violence, Child Neglect, and Assault with A Dangerous WeaponRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announces that Terrell Eugene Delozier, age 39, of Ada, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 46 months for domestic violence, 46 months for assault with a dangerous weapon, and 57 months for child neglect on March 29, 2023. The sentences will run concurrently.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Ada Police Department, the Chickasaw Lighthorse Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
On February 15, 2022, Delozier pleaded guilty to one count of Domestic Violence in Indian Country, one count of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country, and one count of Child Neglect in Indian Country stemming from a single incident on April 28, 2021, where he assaulted and threatened a former intimate partner in front of her children.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma prosecuted this case because the victims are members of a federally recognized Indian tribe and the crimes occurred in Pontotoc County, which is within the boundaries of the Chickasaw Nation Reservation and the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
“Domestic violence is a scourge which impacts and destabilizes all segments of society, including our Tribal Nations. Today’s sentencing of Terrell Delozier for domestic violence affords safety to his victims and ensures that crimes against intimate partners and children continue to be taken seriously in the Eastern District of Oklahoma,” said United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson.
"The severe assault by Terrell Delozier will have long-lasting effects on his victims, including young children, who should never have to endure such violence,” said FBI Oklahoma City Special Agent in Charge Edward J. Gray. “The FBI will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to aggressively pursue these cases and ensure justice is met for violent offenders.”
The Honorable Bernard M. Jones, II, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearings in Muskogee. Delozier was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshal at the conclusion of sentencing. He will remain in custody pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve his sentence of incarceration.
Assistant United States Attorney Cameron McEwen represented the United States.
40 Officers of China’s National Police Charged in Transnational Repression Schemes Targeting U.S. ResidentsRead the Press Release
Two criminal complaints filed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York were unsealed today in federal court in Brooklyn charging 44 defendants with various crimes related to efforts by the national police of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) – the Ministry of Public Security (MPS) – to harass Chinese nationals residing in the New York metropolitan area and elsewhere in the United States. The defendants, including 40 MPS officers and two officials in the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC), allegedly perpetrated transnational repression schemes targeting U.S. residents whose political views and actions are disfavored by the PRC government, such as advocating for democracy in the PRC.
In the two schemes, the defendants created and used fake social media accounts to harass and intimidate PRC dissidents residing abroad and sought to suppress the dissidents’ free speech on the platform of a U.S. telecommunications company (Company-1). The defendants charged in these schemes are believed to reside in the PRC or elsewhere in Asia and remain at large.
“These cases demonstrate the lengths the PRC government will go to silence and harass U.S. persons who exercise their fundamental rights to speak out against PRC oppression, including by unlawfully exploiting a U.S.-based technology company,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “These actions violate our laws and are an affront to our democratic values and basic human rights.”
“China’s Ministry of Public Security used operatives to target people of Chinese descent who had the courage to speak out against the Chinese Communist Party – in one case by covertly spreading propaganda to undermine confidence in our democratic processes and, in another, by suppressing U.S. video conferencing users’ free speech,” said Acting Assistant Director Kurt Ronnow of the FBI Counterintelligence Division. “We aren’t going to tolerate CCP repression – its efforts to threaten, harass, and intimidate people – here in the United States. The FBI will continue to confront the Chinese government’s efforts to violate our laws and repress the rights and freedoms of people in our country.”
Disclosure: U.S. Attorney Breon Peace for the Eastern District of New York is recused from and has not participated in the case captioned United States v. Julien Jin et al., 20-mj-1103.
United States v. Yunpeng Bai, et al.
The two-count complaint charges 34 MPS officers with conspiracy to transmit interstate threats and conspiracy to commit interstate harassment. All the defendants are believed to reside in the PRC, and they remain at large.
As alleged, the officers worked with Beijing’s MPS bureau and are or were assigned to an elite task force called the “912 Special Project Working Group” (the Group). The purpose of the Group is to target Chinese dissidents located throughout the world, including in the United States.
“As alleged, the PRC government deploys its national police and the 912 Special Project Working Group not as an instrument to uphold the law and protect public safety, but rather as a troll farm that attacks persons in our country for exercising free speech in a manner that the PRC government finds disagreeable, and also spreads propaganda whose sole purpose is to sow divisions within the United States,” said U.S. Attorney Breon Peace for the Eastern District of New York. “I commend the investigative team for comprehensively revealing the insidiousness of a state-directed criminal scheme directed at residents of the United States.”
The complaint alleges how members of the Group created thousands of fake online personas on social media sites, including Twitter, to target Chinese dissidents through online harassment and threats. These online personas also disseminated official PRC government propaganda and narratives to counter the pro-democracy speech of the Chinese dissidents. As alleged, for example, Group members created and maintained the fake social media accounts through temporary email addresses, posted official PRC government content, and interacted with other online users to avoid the appearance that the Group accounts were “flooding” a given social media platform. The Group tracks the performances of members in fulfilling their online responsibilities and rewards Group members who successfully operate multiple online personas without detection by the social media companies who host the platforms or by other users of the platforms.
The investigation also uncovered official MPS taskings to Group members to compose articles and videos based on certain themes targeting, for example, the activities of Chinese dissidents located abroad or the policies of the U.S. government.
As alleged, the defendants also attempted to recruit U.S. persons to act as unwitting agents of the PRC government by disseminating propaganda or narratives of the PRC government. On several occasions, the defendants used online personas to contact individuals assessed to be sympathetic and supportive of the PRC government’s narratives and asked these individuals to disseminate Group content.
In addition, Group members took repeated affirmative actions to have Chinese dissidents and their meetings removed from the platform of Company-1. For example, Group members disrupted a dissident’s efforts to commemorate the Tiananmen Square Massacre through a videoconference by posting threats against the participants through the platform’s chat function. In another Company-1 videoconference on the topic of countering communism organized by a PRC dissident, Group members flooded the videoconference and drowned out the meeting with loud music and vulgar screams and threats directed at the pro-democracy participants.
United States v. Julien Jin, et al.
This amended complaint charges 10 individuals, including a former PRC-based Company-1 employee, six MPS officers, and two officials with the CAC, with conspiracy to commit interstate harassment and unlawful conspiracy to transfer means of identification. Nine of the defendants are believed to reside in the PRC and remain at large. The tenth defendant is believed to reside in Indonesia or the PRC and also remains at large.
“The amended complaint charging a former PRC-based employee of a U.S. telecommunications company illustrates the insider threat faced by U.S. companies operating in the PRC,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Pokorny for the Eastern District of New York, who thanked Company-1 for its cooperation in the government’s investigation. “As alleged, Julien Jin and his co-conspirators in the Ministry of Public Security and Cyberspace Administration of China weaponized the U.S. telecommunications company he worked for to intimidate and silence dissenters and enforce PRC law to the detriment of Chinese activists in New York, among other places, who had sought refuge in this country to peacefully express their pro-democracy views.”
“These cases demonstrate that the Chinese Communist Party, once again, attempted to intimidate, harass, and suppress Chinese dissidents in the United States,” said Assistant Director in Charge David Sundberg of the FBI Washington Field Office. “In the United States, the freedom of speech is a cornerstone of our democracy, and the FBI will work tirelessly to defend everyone's right to speak freely without fear of retribution from the CCP. These complex investigations revealed an MPS-wide effort to repress individuals by using the U.S. communications platform and fake social media accounts to censor political and religious speech.”
In December 2020, the Department first announced charges against Julien Jin in connection with his efforts to disrupt a series of meetings on the Company-1 platform held in May and June 2020 commemorating the 1989 Tiananmen Square Massacre. Jin served as Company-1’s primary liaison with PRC government law enforcement and intelligence services. In that capacity, he regularly responded to requests from the PRC government to terminate meetings and block users on Company-1’s video communications platform.
As detailed in the original complaint, Jin and others conspired to use Company-1’s U.S. systems to censor the political and religious speech of individuals located in the United States and elsewhere at the direction of the PRC government. For example, Jin and others disrupted meetings held on the Company-1 platform to discuss politically sensitive topics unacceptable to the PRC government – including the Tiananmen Square Massacre. Jin and his co-conspirators fabricated evidence of purported misconduct to cause U.S.-based employees of Company-1 to terminate the meetings.
The allegations in the amended complaint reveal that Jin worked directly with and took orders from defendants at the MPS and the CAC to disrupt meetings on the Company-1 platform and that the co-defendants had targeted U.S.-based dissidents’ speech on Company-1’s platform since 2018.
Starting in 2018, Jin and his co-defendants repeatedly sought to terminate video chat meetings organized by a Chinese dissident residing in New York City who has been a vocal critic of the PRC government and the Chinese Communist Party. After the CAC requested that Company-1 terminate the dissident’s meetings on the Company-1 platform, Jin worked to identify all accounts associated with the dissident, caused meetings related to the dissident to be hosted in a “quarantine zone” – that is, on a server with known lags in response time – and later worked to block all accounts associated with the dissident. Similarly, in 2019, Jin collaborated with the MPS and CAC to block accounts seeking to commemorate the Tiananmen Square Massacre.
The FBI Washington Field Office investigated the cases.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexander A. Solomon, Antoinette N. Rangel, Ian C. Richardson, Nicholas J. Moscow and Jessica K. Weigel of the Eastern District of New York, and Trial Attorney Scott A. Claffee of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the cases.
The FBI has created a website for victims to report efforts by foreign governments to stalk, intimidate, or assault people in the United States. Please visit: www.fbi.gov/investigate/counterintelligence/transnational-repression.
34 Officers of People's Republic of China National Police Charged with Perpetrating Transnational Repression Scheme Targeting U.S. ResidentsRead the Press Release
Today, a complaint was unsealed in federal court in Brooklyn charging 34 officers of the national police of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) – the Ministry of Public Security (MPS) – with harassing Chinese nationals residing in the New York metropolitan area and elsewhere in the United States. The defendants allegedly perpetrated transnational repression schemes targeting U.S. residents whose political views and actions are disfavored by the PRC government, such as advocating for democracy in the PRC. All the defendants are believed to reside in the PRC, and they remain at large.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Matthew G. Olsen, Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s National Security Division; Kurt Ronnow, Acting Assistant Director, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Counterintelligence Division (FBI), and David Sundberg, Assistant Director-in-Charge, FBI, announced the charges.
“As alleged, the Chinese government deploys an elite task force of its national police—the 912 Special Project Working Group—as a troll farm to attack Chinese dissidents in our country for exercising free speech in a manner that the PRC government disfavors, and spread disinformation and propaganda to sow divisions within the United States,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “I commend the investigative team for comprehensively revealing the insidiousness of a state-directed criminal scheme directed at residents of the United States.”
“These cases demonstrate the lengths the PRC government will go to silence and harass U.S. persons who exercise their fundamental rights to speak out against PRC oppression, including by unlawfully exploiting a U.S.-based technology company,” stated Assistant Attorney General Olsen. “These actions violate our laws and are an affront to our democratic values and basic human rights.”
“China’s Ministry of Public Security used operatives to target people of Chinese descent who had the courage to speak out against the Chinese Communist Party – in one case by covertly spreading propaganda to undermine confidence in our democratic processes and, in another, by suppressing U.S. video conferencing users’ free speech,” stated FBI Acting Assistant Director Ronnow. “We aren’t going to tolerate CCP repression – its efforts to threaten, harass, and intimidate people – here in the United States. The FBI will continue to confront the Chinese government’s efforts to violate our laws and repress the rights and freedoms of people in our country.”
“These cases demonstrate that the Chinese Communist Party, once again, attempted to intimidate, harass, and suppress Chinese dissidents in the United States,” stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Sundberg. “In the U.S., the freedom of speech is a cornerstone of our democracy, and the FBI will work tirelessly to defend everyone's right to speak freely without fear of retribution from the CCP. These complex investigations revealed an MPS-wide effort to repress individuals by using the U.S. communications platform and fake social media accounts to censor political and religious speech.”
As alleged, the officers are or were assigned to a task force called the “912 Special Project Working Group” (the Group) and worked out of an MPS facility in Beijing. The purpose of the Group is to influence and shape public perceptions of the PRC government, the CCP, and its leaders in the United States and around the world. The Group carries out this mission by using a host of accounts created under false names on multiple social media platforms to promote narratives that portray the PRC government and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in a favorable light, while criticizing and attacking their perceived adversaries, including the United States, and Chinese pro-democracy activists located throughout the world, including in the United States. As alleged, the defendants carried out this mission in part through a campaign of threats, harassment and intimidation directed at critics of the PRC government and the CCP in the United States and around the world.
The complaint alleges that members of the Group created thousands of fake online personas on social media sites, including Twitter, to target Chinese democracy activists and critics of the CCP through online harassment and threats. These online personas also disseminate official PRC government propaganda and narratives to counter and overwhelm the critical speech of the Chinese activists. The topics of the propaganda and official narratives are directed by MPS headquarters, and have included the advantages of the PRC’s CCP-dominated political system over democracy, U.S. domestic and foreign policy, human rights issues in Hong Kong and Xinjiang Province, the Russian invasion of Ukraine, civil unrest following the murder of George Floyd and the COVID-19 pandemic.
As further alleged, the investigation has obtained a policy guide issued to new Group members for detailing how to create and maintain fake social media accounts through temporary email addresses; posting official PRC government content; and interacting with other online users to avoid the appearance that the Group accounts are “flooding” a given social media platform.
Some of these online personas purport to be U.S. persons, giving U.S. users of social media platforms the false impression that individuals located in the United States advocate positions and policies favored by the PRC government and the CCP. The Group tracks the performance of the MPS officers assigned to the Group and rewards Group members who successfully operate multiple online personas without detection by the social media companies who host the platforms or by other users of the platforms.
The investigation has also uncovered official MPS directions to Group members to compose articles and videos based on certain themes targeting, for example, the activities of Chinese pro-democracy activists located abroad or the policies of the U.S. government. As alleged, the Group executed a standing order from MPS headquarters to harass a well-known critic of the PRC government and the CCP (Victim-1) by using a host of Group-controlled social media accounts to, among other things, make death threats and demand that U.S. authorities arrest Victim-1.
In addition, Group members took repeated affirmative actions to have Chinese dissidents and their meetings interfered with on the platform of Company-1. For example, Group members disrupted a pro-democracy activist’s efforts to commemorate the Tiananmen Square Massacre through a videoconference meeting by posting threats against the participants through the platform’s chat function. In another Company-1 videoconference on the topic of countering communism organized by a Chinese pro-democracy activist, Group members flooded the videoconference and drowned out the meeting with loud music, vulgar screams and threats directed at the pro-democracy participants.
The charges in the complaint are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and Cybercrime Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Alexander A. Solomon, Ian C. Richardson, Nicholas J. Moscow, and Jessica K. Weigel of the Eastern District of New York with assistance from Trial Attorney Scott A. Claffee of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section, are in charge of the prosecution.
The FBI has created a website for victims to report efforts by foreign governments to stalk, intimidate, or assault people in the United States. If you believe that you are or have been a victim of transnational repression, please visit https://www.fbi.gov/investigate/counterintelligence/transnational-repression.
The Defendants:
BAI YUNPENG (白云鹏)
Age: 31CHEN ZHICHEN (陈之琛)
Age: 26GAO CAINAN (高彩楠)
GAO HONGTING (高宏亭)
Age: 35HU XIAOHUI (呼啸慧)
Age: 32HUANG CHUNHUI (黄春晖)
Age: 37JIN YI (金乙)
Age: 32JU QIANG (居强)
Age: 32LI BOLUN (李博伦)
Age: 42LI XUAN (李轩)
Age: 31LI XUEYANG (李雪阳)
Age: 31LI ZHEFENG (李哲峰)
LIANG SHUANG (梁爽)
Age: 39LIN YUQIONG (林玉琼) (also known as “Lin Huishan (林慧姗),”)
Age: 35LIU ZHAOXI (刘朝夕)
Age: 35MIAO SHIHUI (苗世辉)
Age: 34SHI LIANGTIAN (史粮田)
Age: 29SONG YANG (I) (宋杨)
Age: 43SONG YANG (II) (宋阳)
TAN JINYAN (覃金燕)
Age: 43WANG CHUNJIE (王春杰)
WANG SHIPENG (王士朋)
Age: 37WEN JIANXUN (温建勋)
XI SHUO (西硕)
Age: 34XI YUE (袭岳) (also known as “Qi Dong (齐栋),”)
Age: 36XU YANAN (徐亚楠)
Age: 32 or 33XU ZHEN (徐震)
Age: 29XUE WENFENG (薛文峰) (also known as “Feng Xu (徐丰),”)
Age: 41YANG DALIN (杨大林)
Age: 34YANG MIAO (杨淼)
Age: 30 or 31YIN YINA (尹贻娜)
Age: 33YU MIAO (余苗)
Age: 38 or 39ZHANG DI (张迪)
ZHOU GUOQIANG (周国强)
Age: 52
16 April 2023
Three Rhode Island Fisherman Among Seven Charged with Tax Evasion and Failing to File ReturnsRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE - Federal grand juries in Providence and Boston returned separate indictments charging seven commercial fishermen with tax evasion and failing to file returns.
According to the indictments, the commercial fishermen each worked for fishing companies operating primarily out of New Bedford, Massachusetts, or Point Judith, Rhode Island, and received substantial compensation. The companies allegedly paid the fishermen as independent contractors and documented that income by, among other things, filing Forms 1099 with the IRS that reported the funds paid to the fishermen. It is alleged that notwithstanding the receipt of this income, each fisherman did not file individual tax returns or pay all the taxes owed on that income – for some defendants, they allegedly failed to file and/or pay taxes for a decade or more. To conceal the source and disposition of their income, the fishermen allegedly cashed paychecks and then used the cash to fund their lifestyles. One of the defendants allegedly also used the name and Social Security number of another individual to conduct business as a further effort to hide income. In some instances, the fishermen allegedly filed false tax returns for certain years by either not reporting their fishing income or by reporting false business expense deductions to reduce the amount of taxes they owed. Each allegedly evaded tax on between $900,000 and $1.9 million in income.
The seven fishermen indicted are:
Jorge Cazarin of New Bedford, Massachusetts, was charged with five counts of tax evasion and five counts of willful failure to file tax returns for 2016 through 2020.
Christopher Garraty of Newport and East Greenwich, Rhode Island, was charged with three counts of tax evasion and three counts of willful failure to file for 2016 through 2018, and a fourth count of tax evasion related to taxes he allegedly owed for 2007 through 2011.
Wojciech Kaminski of West Warwick, Rhode Island, was charged with five counts of tax evasion for 2014 and 2016 through 2019 and four counts of willful failure to file tax returns for 2016 through 2019.
Brian Kobus of Durham, Connecticut, was charged with five counts of tax evasion for 2017 through 2021.
Rodolfo Membreno of Fall River, Massachusetts, was charged with six counts of tax evasion for 2012 and 2017 through 2021 and four counts of willful failure to file tax returns for 2017 through 2019 and 2021.
John Doe of New Bedford, Massachusetts, was charged with six counts of tax evasion for 2016 through 2021 and three counts of willful failure to file tax returns for 2016 through 2018.
Miguel Cruz Rubio of New Bedford, Massachusetts, and Elizabethtown, North Carolina, was charged with four counts of tax evasion for 2016 through 2019.
If convicted, each defendant faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison for each evasion count and one year in prison for each failure to file a tax return charge. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division thanked and U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Cunha for the District of Rhode Island and U.S. Attorney Rachael S. Rollins for the District of Massachusetts for their help and assistance in the investigation and prosecution of these cases.
IRS-Criminal Investigation is investigating these cases.
Assistant Chief John Kane and Trial Attorneys Samuel Bean, Matthew Cofer, Christina Grimes, and Ezra Spiro of the Justice Department’s Tax Division are prosecuting the cases.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Note: Indictments returned in this matter are available for review and/or download at https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/seven-new-england-fishermen-charged-tax-evasion-and-failing-file-returns
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15 April 2023
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins Honors First Responders in Commemoration of the Tenth Anniversary of the Boston Marathon BombingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – In commemoration of the 10th anniversary of the Boston Marathon Bombing, United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins held a private ceremony honoring the selflessness, commitment and bravery demonstrated by first responders and the medical community in the tragic events that occurred during the week of April 15, 2013.
“Ten years ago today, the City of Boston changed forever. On April 15, 2013 and the days following, four innocent lives were stolen and nearly three hundred others were maimed and wounded in a terrorist attack near the finish line of the 117th annual Boston Marathon. The tragedies of that day and the days that followed will forever remain as one of the most significant events in our Commonwealth’s – and our nation’s – modern history. We continue to honor and fight for the hundreds of victims and their families who were devastatingly affected by this act of terrorism,” said United States Attorney Rollins.
“The impact of this horrific event has been far reaching. However, so has that of the countless first responders who demonstrated momentous bravery and selflessness in response. It was medical professionals’ incredible expertise, commitment and round-the-clock care that served as our guiding light through the dark, devastating week. It was law enforcement’s courage, persistence, and unprecedented collaboration that unified the Cities of Boston, Cambridge and Watertown along with the campus of MIT during a time of uncertainty and fear. Now a decade past, they remain our heroes whose selfless service – both highly visible and behind the scenes – made Boston and our Commonwealth stronger than ever.
Inspired by the first responders and unsung heroes who brought our community together in the aftermath of April 2013, young artists from the YMCAs and Boys and Girls Clubs in six Project Safe Neighborhood cities have produced artwork depicting their view of peace, community, and love. The art exhibit is displayed in the John Joseph Moakley Federal Courthouse in Boston and is available for viewing now through June 30, 2023.”
Statement from Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco on the 10th Anniversary of the Boston Marathon BombingsRead the Press Release
The Deputy Attorney General is a native of Boston. On April 15, 2013, she was the Homeland Security and Counterterrorism Advisor to the President of the United States.
The Justice Department issued the following statement from Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco on the 10th anniversary of the Boston Marathon bombings:
“Today marks the 10th anniversary of the Boston Marathon bombings. We remember the innocent lives lost and the many survivors who were injured in a senseless act of terrorism. We also remember their loved ones, whose lives were forever changed that day. And we honor the dedication and heroism of the first responders whose swift actions saved many.
“Ten years ago we saw the very worst in the actions of two terrorists, but we also saw the very best in the resilience of a great city—and in the actions of the law enforcement officers, medical professionals, and bystanders who acted heroically in the wake of the attack. Their strength and resilience showed the world the true meaning of Boston Strong.
“This day, and every day, the professionals of the Department of Justice honor the memory of victims of terrorism by working tirelessly to prevent terrorist acts and by holding those who commit them accountable.”
14 April 2023
“Chapitos” Charged in Department’s Latest Actions to Disrupt Flow of Illegal Fentanyl and Other Dangerous DrugsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - The Justice Department today announced charges unsealed in the Southern District of New York, Northern District of Illinois, and District of Columbia, against several leaders of the Sinaloa Cartel, a transnational drug trafficking organization based in Sinaloa, Mexico, and its facilitators across the globe.
“Today, the Justice Department is announcing significant enforcement actions against the largest, most violent, and most prolific fentanyl trafficking operation in the world – run by the Sinaloa Cartel, and fueled by Chinese precursor chemical and pharmaceutical companies,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “Families and communities across our country are being devastated by the fentanyl epidemic. Today’s actions demonstrate the comprehensive approach the Justice Department is taking to disrupt fentanyl trafficking and save American lives.”
“The fentanyl crisis in America – fueled in large part by the Sinaloa cartel – threatens our public health, our public safety, and our national security,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco. “Today’s indictments target every element of the Sinaloa Cartel's trafficking network and reflect the Justice Department's commitment to attacking every aspect of this threat: from the chemical companies in China that spawn fentanyl precursors, to the illicit labs that produce the poison, to the networks and money launderers and murderers that facilitate its distribution. Just as we have gone on offense against terrorists and cyber criminals around the globe, the Department is now waging a relentless campaign to disrupt the production and trafficking of fentanyl – before it can reach its victims.”
“Today’s indictments send a clear message to the Chapitos, the Sinaloa Cartel, and criminal drug networks around the world that the DEA will stop at nothing to protect the national security of the United States and the safety and health of the American people,” said DEA Administrator Anne Milgram. “The Chapitos pioneered the manufacture and trafficking of fentanyl – the deadliest drug threat our country has ever faced – flooded it into the United States for the past eight years and killed hundreds of thousands of Americans. Over the last year and a half, the DEA proactively infiltrated the Sinaloa Cartel and the Chapitos network, obtained unprecedented access to the organization’s highest levels, and followed them across the world. I am grateful to the men and women of the DEA for their exceptional work on this case, which is the beginning of our work as ‘One DEA’ to dismantle every part of the criminal cartels that are killing Americans at record rates.”
“Far too many Americans have become victims in the national fentanyl crisis. These cartels have shown us they will stop at nothing to manufacture, traffic, and push these dangerous drugs to every corner of our country,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “Today’s indictments show that the FBI and our law enforcement partners will never tire in our pursuit not only to shut down their criminal enterprises, but also to go after individuals in their network. I want to thank the FBI team continuing to work on these cases everyday as we join with our law enforcement partners to tackle this national epidemic.”
“This indictment is another example of how this administration is taking on the cartels and their transnational criminal networks, and sending a clear message that we are going to hold them accountable,” said Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas. “I commend our workforce at Homeland Security Investigations and our federal partners who are relentless in their efforts to stop the scourge of fentanyl. Today’s announcement exemplifies a whole-of-government approach to protecting our homeland that is yielding results.”
The Sinaloa Cartel is one of the most powerful drug cartels in the world and is largely responsible for the manufacturing and importing of fentanyl for distribution in the United States. Fentanyl is a dangerous synthetic opioid that is more than 50 times more potent than heroin. Fentanyl is now the leading cause of death for Americans ages 18 to 49, and it has fueled the opioid epidemic that has been ravaging families and communities across the United States for approximately the past eight years. Between 2019 and 2021, fatal overdoses increased by approximately 94%, with an estimated 196 Americans dying each day from fentanyl.
The Sinaloa Cartel operated as an affiliation of drug traffickers and money launderers who obtain precursor chemicals – largely from China – for the manufacture of synthetic drugs, manufacture drugs in Mexico, move those drugs into the United States, and collect, launder, and transfer the proceeds of drug trafficking. Once led by Joaquin Guzman Loera, aka El Chapo, and Ismael Zambada Garcia, aka El Mayo, the Sinaloa Cartel’s members and associates – allegedly including the sons of Guzman Loera, collectively known as the Chapitos – smuggled significant quantities of drugs through Mexico and into the United States. The Chapitos are Ivan Guzman Salazar, 40, Alfredo Guzman Salazar, 37, Joaquin Guzman Lopez, 36, and Ovidio Guzman Lopez, 33.
Following Guzman Loera’s arrest in January 2016 and extradition to the United States in January 2017, the Chapitos allegedly assumed their father’s former role as leaders of the Sinaloa Cartel, along with Zambada Garcia and Damaso Lopez Nunez, aka Licenciado. The Chapitos subsequently amassed greater control over the Sinaloa Cartel by allegedly threatening and causing violence against Lopez Nunez, his family, and his associates and, as a result, became principal leaders and drug traffickers within the Sinaloa Cartel.
The indictments being unsealed today demonstrate that the Sinaloa Cartel has been engaged in drug trafficking activities into the United States, and violence, spanning over a decade and a half. The Chapitos are alleged to have repeatedly and consistently transported lethal amounts of cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, and fentanyl.
The Chapitos allegedly used cargo aircraft, private aircraft, submarines and other submersible and semi-submersible vessels, container ships, supply vessels, go-fast boats, fishing vessels, buses, rail cars, tractor trailers, automobiles, and private and commercial interstate and foreign carriers to transport their drugs and precursor chemicals. They allegedly maintained a network of couriers, tunnels, and stash houses throughout Mexico and the United States to further their drug-trafficking activities. The Chapitos allegedly used these networks to import the drugs into the United States.
Southern District of New York
Fentanyl trafficking, weapons, and money laundering charges were unsealed today in the Southern District of New York against 28 defendants, including three of the Chapitos; top lieutenants and leadership of the Sinaloa Cartel; alleged manufacturers and distributors of the Sinaloa Cartel’s fentanyl; the managers of the violent armed security apparatus that protects the Sinaloa Cartel’s drug trafficking operations; the sophisticated money launderers who repatriate the Sinaloa Cartel’s drug proceeds back to Mexico; and multiple chemical precursor suppliers in China that fuel the Sinaloa Cartel’s fentanyl distribution operation.
According to court documents, Ivan Guzman Salazar, Alfredo Guzman Salazar, Ovidio Guzman Lopez, and their co-conspirators allegedly controlled extensive, multi-faceted, and international operations covering the fentanyl trade. Through these efforts, the Chapitos and the Sinaloa Cartel allegedly reaped hundreds of millions of dollars in profits by flooding the United States with fentanyl.
Seven defendants are in custody pending extradition proceedings.
Ovidio Guzman Lopez is charged in a separate indictment alleging the same offenses.
The DEA investigated the case with assistance from the Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control and the Department of State’s Rewards for Justice Program.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kyle A. Wirshba, Nicholas S. Bradley, Sarah L. Kushner, David J. Robles, and Alexander Li for the Southern District of New York are prosecuting the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs (OIA) provided substantial assistance.
Northern District of Illinois
Narcotics, money laundering, and firearms charges were unsealed today in the Northern District of Illinois against four of the Chapitos: Ivan Guzman Salazar, Alfredo Guzman Salazar, Joaquin Guzman Lopez, and Ovidio Guzman Lopez.
According to court documents, the charges stem from a decades-long, collaborative, multi-district effort between the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section (NDDS), the Northern District of Illinois, the Southern District of California, and their law enforcement partners. The indictment alleges that between May 2008 and April 5, 2023, the Chapitos operated a drug trafficking Continuing Criminal Enterprise (CCE), along with additional drug, money laundering, and firearms charges.
Ovidio Guzman Lopez is charged in a separate indictment alleging the same offenses, dating from May 2008 until October 2021, when Mexican authorities arrested him on Jan. 5 in Culiacan, Sinaloa, Mexico. Ovidio Guzman Lopez remains detained in Mexico pending extradition proceedings.
The FBI Washington Field Office and San Diego Field Office, Homeland Security Investigations Nogales Office, DEA’s Chicago Division and San Diego Division, and IRS Criminal Investigations Chicago Office are investigating the case.
Acting Deputy Chief Katharine Wagner and Trial Attorney Kirk Handrich of NDDS, Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew Erskine and Erika Csicsila for the Northern District of Illinois, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Sutton for the Southern District of California are prosecuting the case. OIA provided substantial assistance.
This case is supported by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF).
District of Columbia
Narcotics, firearms, and witness retaliation charges were unsealed today in the District of Columbia against Nestor Isidro Perez Salas, aka Nini, 31, allegedly one of the Chapitos’ lead sicarios, or assassins.
According to court documents, Perez Salas is allegedly a leader and commander of the “Ninis,” a violent group charged with providing security for the Chapitos. From at least 2012 until February 2021, Perez Salas allegedly conspired to distribute and manufacture cocaine and methamphetamine for unlawful importation into the United States, used a firearm in furtherance of the alleged drug-trafficking offense, and killed, attempted to kill, threatened, and caused bodily injury to another to intimidate a government witness and informant.
The FBI Washington Field Office is investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Kirk Handrich and Kate Naseef of the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section are prosecuting the case.
This case is supported by the OCDETF.
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The U.S. Department of State, through its Narcotics Rewards Program, is offering rewards of up to $10 million for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of Ivan Guzman Salazar, Alfredo Guzman Salazar, and Ovidio Guzman Lopez, and up to $5 million for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of Joaquin Guzman Lopez.
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland, Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco, FBI Director Christopher A. Wray, DEA Administrator Anne Milgram, Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Damian Williams for the Southern District of New York, U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman of the Southern District for California, Acting U.S. Attorney Morris Pasqual for the Northern District of Illinois, and HSI made the announcement.
Photos of the fugitives can be obtained at www.dea.gov/fugitives.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Zohannon Gang Member Sentenced to Prison for Illegally Possessing Firearms in ColumbusRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ga. – A confirmed member of the Columbus-based Zohannon criminal street gang who is also a convicted felon was sentenced to serve federal prison time this week for illegally possessing two semiautomatic weapons, one was stolen and the other had two loaded magazines attached with a brass catcher—a device designed to capture spent bullets.
Bernard Shaw, 23, of Columbus, was sentenced to serve 60 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release by U.S. District Clay Land on April 13 after he pleaded guilty to two counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon on Dec. 7, 2022. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Armed repeat criminals caught with guns in Columbus are facing federal prosecution—where the penalties include prison time without parole,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office is acutely aware of the pressing violent crime problems plaguing the Columbus community; alongside our law enforcement partners, we are tirelessly working to prevent more shooting deaths and reduce violent crime.”
“Despite prior felony convictions, Shaw continued his criminal lifestyle” said Keri Farley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “This sentence sends the message that the FBI and our law enforcement partners are determined to make our streets safer by removing violent felons and holding them accountable with prison terms and no opportunity for parole.”
According to court documents, on April 24, 2022, Columbus Police Department (CPD) officers were on uniform patrol when they observed a vehicle traveling on Dawson St. in Columbus with multiple traffic violations. The driver, Tyquerrius Ford, did not immediately stop and when he did, he did not have a license and attempted to walk away from the officers and was detained. Shaw, who was a passenger, leaned against the door to prevent the officer from accessing the vehicle, then got out of the car and fled the scene. Officers found a loaded Glock Model 17 pistol with an extended 31-round magazine in the driver’s seat. The firearm had been illegally modified with an automatic selector switch, allowing the operator of the firearm to continuously fire bullets with one pull of the trigger. In the passenger seat of the vehicle, there was a green bookbag containing a stolen Springfield XD semiautomatic pistol belonging to Shaw. Officers also found bags of marijuana, a scale and 100 small baggies.
On July 22, 2022, Muscogee County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) deputies and FBI agents located Shaw seated inside a car in the parking lot of the AutoZone on Buena Vista Road in Columbus. He was quickly detained; officers found a loaded Del-Ton 5.56 semiautomatic rifle with two 30-round magazines taped together containing a total of 37 rounds in both magazines belonging to Shaw. Additionally, a brass catcher was mounted on the firearm. Shaw was arrested and his cell phone and rifle were seized.
Shaw has prior convictions in Jefferson County Circuit Court, Louisville, Kentucky, to include theft by taking and fleeing police. Shaw is also a confirmed member of Zohannon, a Columbus-based criminal street gang. It is illegal for a convicted felon to possess a firearm.
The case was investigated by FBI, CPD and MCSO.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Williams is prosecuting the case for the government.
Yonkers Man Sentenced to 35 Years for March 2011 MurderRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that DARNELL KIDD, a/k/a “Black,” a/k/a “Donney,” a/k/a “Donney Black,” was sentenced today to 35 years in prison for the murder of Jonathan Johnson, 21, on March 18, 2011, in White Plains, New York. On November 16, 2022, KIDD was convicted of one count of murder through the use of a firearm, following a jury trial before U.S. District Judge Nelson S. Román, who imposed today’s sentence.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “This lengthy investigation is yet another example of this Office’s commitment to prosecuting those who perpetuate gun violence and rob residents of New York of their peace and safety. We will continue our all-hands-on-deck approach with our law enforcement partners to identify and punish those who commit violent and brutal gun offenses.”
According to the evidence at trial and statements made in public court proceedings and filings:
On March 18, 2011, DARNELL KIDD and his co-defendant MARCUS CHAMBERS murdered Jonathan Johnson by shooting him during an armed robbery for marijuana in White Plains. In advance of the robbery, CHAMBERS arranged by phone to purchase three ounces of marijuana from Johnson. Intending to instead rob Johnson, CHAMBERS and KIDD met with Johnson in or near Johnson’s car, which was parked on a suburban street in White Plains. During the course of the robbery, KIDD drew a loaded gun and fired it, killing Johnson. KIDD and CHAMBERS then fled from the scene of the murder.
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In addition to his prison term, KIDD, 31, of Yonkers, New York, was sentenced to five years of supervised release.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the White Plains Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) Westchester Safe Streets Task Force, which comprises Special Agents and Task Force Officers from the FBI, United States Probation Office, New York State Police, New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, Westchester County Department of Public Safety, Westchester County District Attorney’s Office, Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, New York City Police Department, Yonkers Police Department, Mount Vernon Police Department, Peekskill Police Department, Greenburgh Police Department, New Rochelle Police Department, White Plains Police Department, Clarkstown Police Department, and Ramapo Police Department. Mr. Williams also thanked the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office for its assistance in this matter.
This case is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Olga I. Zverovich, Christopher Brumwell, and Steven J. Kochevar, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Shannon Becker, are in charge of the prosecution.