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7 April 2023
Former U.S. Navy Ship Department Head Pleads Guilty to Attempted Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Chesapeake man pleaded guilty today to attempted production of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
According to court documents, around October 2022, Christopher Paul Hetherington, 33, initiated sexually explicit conversation over the Internet with who he believed to be a 14-year-old girl, but who was actually an undercover law enforcement officer. Hetherington used a screen name of “sw0daddy” in his communications with the girl, referencing his then-employment as a Surface Warfare Officer for the U.S. Navy. Hetherington repeatedly asked the girl to send him sexually explicit photos of her and asked for reassurance that she was not affiliated with law enforcement. Over the phone, Hetherington detailed the sexual acts he wished to perform on and with her. After the call concluded, Hetherington encouraged the girl to show him her genitals over the Internet. In December 2022, Hetherington made plans to meet with the girl for sex. Instead, Hetherington was arrested at his home on December 21, 2022.
Hetherington is scheduled to be sentenced on August 9, 2023. He faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years and a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Mack Hickman, Special Agent in Charge of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) Norfolk Field Office, made the announcement after U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert J. Krask accepted the plea.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Victoria Liu is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
In 2021, EDVA launched “UnMasked,” a community-based educational outreach and prevention program in Virginia dedicated to raising awareness and educating the community about the prevalence of online sexual exploitation involving children and young adults. UnMasked is a multi-disciplinary partnership of local, state, federal, and non-profit stakeholders. The core curriculum is provided by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children’s (NCMEC) NetSmartz program. To report an incident involving online sexual exploitation, call 1-800-843-5678 or submit a report at report.cybertip.org. To request an UnMasked event at your school or organization, please contact EDVA’s Community Outreach Coordinator at [email protected].
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-26.
Former Reserve Deputy Sheriff Sentenced a Dozen Years in Federal Prison for Receiving Child PornographyRead the Press Release
A man who spent over 20 years as a reserve deputy sheriff who amassed a large collection of child pornography over seven years was sentenced today to 12 years in federal prison.
Gordon Grabau, age 51, from Marion, Iowa, received the prison term after an October 17, 2022 guilty plea to receiving child pornography.
Information from a plea agreement and information disclosed at sentencing showed Grabau collected child pornography using peer-to-peer software from 2014 to 2021. In July 2021, law enforcement agencies searched Grabau’s home, seizing numerous electronic devices such as computers and hard drives. While examining those devices, law enforcement found 168,780 files containing child pornography. The files included both still images and videos. The files depicted children as young as infants and included prepubescent children involved in sadistic and masochistic conduct, some involving an adult.
Grabau had no prior criminal history. He had previously served as a volunteer reserve deputy sheriff for Linn County beginning in 2000. The Linn County Sheriff terminated his ability to serve as a reserve deputy on the same day law enforcement searched Grabau’s home.
Grabau was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Grabau was sentenced to 144 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
Grabau is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Morfitt and investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Marion Police Department, and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 22-CR-53.
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Former North Kingstown Man Sentenced for Transferring Obscene MaterialRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A former North Kingstown man who transferred sexually explicit material to another person online, after the other person represented that he was a 10-year-old child, has been sentenced to five years of federal probation, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.
Neil Streich, 60, whose currently resides in West Warwick, pleaded guilty in October 2020 to a charge of importation or transportation of obscene material.
Streich admitted that in March 2020, he transferred three sexually explicit videos of himself via Kik, an Internet-based text and social media platform, to a person who was posing as a 10-year-old girl. Streich made the transfer after approximately one week of communications with the person who was, in fact, an FBI undercover agent based in Pennsylvania who was assigned to the FBI Violent Crimes Against Children Task Force.
At the time of Streich’s arrest, FBI agents, with the assistance of the North Kingstown Police Department and the United States Marshals Service, executed a court-authorized search of Streich’s residence and seized electronic devices owned by Streich. A forensic examination of the devices revealed images and videos from Streich’s communications with the undercover agent.
Streich was sentenced on Thursday by U.S. District Court Judge William E. Smith to a term of five years of probation and ordered to pay a $5,000 fine.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Milind M. Shah and G. Michael Seaman.
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Florida Man Faces 15-30 Years for Production, Distribution of Child Sexual Abuse Material After Exploiting Child He Met on InstagramRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Florida man pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Bangor today to one count of sexually exploiting a child and two counts of distributing child pornography.
According to court records, in August 2020, Wesley Deal, 42, began communicating with an 11-year-old child on Instagram. He sent multiple messages requesting sexually explicit images, and the victim responded by sending multiple sexually explicit photos and videos to Deal. Deal threatened to post the images on the internet if the victim did not provide him with additional images. He sent the victim screenshots of the images that child had previously sent to prove that he had the ability to carry out his threats.
Deal faces a minimum of 15 years and a maximum of 30 years in prison for the sexual exploitation count and a minimum of 5 years and a maximum of 20 years for each of the distribution of child pornography counts. He also faces a $250,000 fine and up to a lifetime of supervised release on each count. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Homeland Security Investigations, the Penobscot County Sheriff’s Office, the Bangor Police Department and the Lake County Sheriff’s Office in Florida investigated the case.
To report an incident involving the possession, distribution, receipt or production of child pornography: Child sexual abuse material – "child pornography" – captures the sexual abuse and exploitation of children. These images document victims’ exploitation and abuse, and they suffer re-victimization every time the images are viewed. File a report with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at https://report.cybertip.org/ or 1-800-843-5678. If you are in Maine and you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted or abused, you can get help by calling the free, private 24-hour statewide sexual assault helpline at 1-800-871-7741.
Project Safe Childhood: This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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Ferndale, Washington woman sentenced to six months for trafficking hundreds of “knock-off” designer goodsRead the Press Release
Seattle – A 42-year-old Ferndale, Washington woman was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to three months in prison and three months home confinement for trafficking in counterfeit goods, announced U.S. Attorney Nick Brown. Kara Suneva Allen, aka Kara Suneva Mitchell, pleaded guilty in October 2022. At the sentencing hearing, U.S. District Judge Richard A. Jones said, “We cannot tolerate a robin hood mentality in the community…even though you thought you were helping other mothers afford luxury goods, you were actually helping them participate in criminal activity.”
According to records filed in the case, Allen operated a business named ‘Keepin Up With Kara’ LLC. The business was located in a warehouse space in Ferndale, Washington. As of March 2022, a website associated with the business advertised 467 different items for sale that appeared to be products made by Adidas, Burberry, Cartier, Chanel, Christian Dior, Fendi, Gucci, Hermès, Louis Vuitton, MCM, Nike, Prada, Saint Laurent, Tiffany & Co., Tory Burch, and UGG. All the products were priced substantially below the suggested retail price for the genuine items.
An investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office revealed that in August and September 2021, three shipments destined for Allen and her company were seized from the mail in Oakland, California. The shipments, which originated in China and Hong Kong, contained a wide variety of counterfeit goods, including handbags, wallets, and jewelry. Allen was notified of these seizures, but never petitioned to have the goods in the shipments released. An analysis of shipping records revealed that between September 2021 and March 2022, approximately 46 shipments from China and Hong Kong had been sent to the Ferndale warehouse where ‘Keepin Up With Kara’ operated.
To document Allen’s sale of counterfeit goods, an undercover agent made online purchases from the company’s website. In one instance, the agent made an undercover purchase of a Louis Vuitton-branded handbag for $110. The suggested retail price for that specific authentic Louis Vuitton handbag is $1,690.00. A Louis Vuitton representative confirmed the handbag purchased from the website was counterfeit.
On May 2, 2022, law enforcement executed search and seizure warrants at Allen’s place of business, home, and vehicle. Over 1,800 items of suspected counterfeit merchandise were seized, including purses, scarves, belts, luggage tags, sunglasses, tumblers, and other accessories.
In total, between June 2021 and May 2022, Allen acquired, attempted to acquire, or sold more than 1,900 counterfeit items with an estimated retail value of $185,842. Her profit over that time was approximately $43,430.
As noted in the government’s sentencing memorandum, before the search warrant was executed, Allen was told more than once that what she was doing was illegal. Allen “received several letters from CBP and Louis Vuitton’s counsel putting her on notice that her business activities were unlawful. It is an aggravating factor that, despite these numerous opportunities to cease … operations, Allen nonetheless persisted in obtaining and selling counterfeit merchandise, and even instructed an employee to describe that merchandise using coded language to avoid detection,” Special Assistant United States Attorney Jessica M. Ly wrote in her sentencing memorandum.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations with assistance from U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Ferndale Police Department, and the National Intellectual Property Rights Center.
The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Jessica M. Ly.
Federal Jury Convicts Timothy Carver on Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
GREENEVILLE, Tenn. – On April 7, 2023, following a four-day trial in the United States District Court, Greeneville, Tenn., a jury convicted Timothy Carver, 53, of Jonesborough, Tenn., of knowingly producing child pornography, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2251(a), knowingly distributing child pornography, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2252A(a)(2)(A), and knowingly possessing child pornography involving a child less than 12 years of age, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2252A(a)(5)(B).
Sentencing is set for August 10th at 9:00am before the Honorable Clifton L. Corker, in United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Greeneville. Carver faces a minimum mandatory 15 years’ imprisonment for production of child pornography, a minimum mandatory five years for distribution of child pornography. Carver will also be subject to lifetime supervision and placement on the sex offender registry.
Evidence presented at trial proved the defendant videoed and photographed himself engaged in sexual acts with a 2-year-old. The proof further showed that he distributed a child pornography video to an FBI Online Covert Agent using a messaging application. FBI agents searched the defendant’s cellular phone and discovered 1,735 photo and video files containing child pornography.
U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton, III of the Eastern District of Tennessee, made the announcement.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, including agents from the Johnson City, Tennessee, and Pittsburgh Pennsylvania Field Offices, led the investigation that resulted in the indictment and subsequent conviction of Carver. The Washington County Sheriff’s Office assisted in the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Emily Swecker and Thomas McCauley represented the United States.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, PSC marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about PSC, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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Eleven Washington and California Residents Plead Guilty in Connection with Staged Automobile Accident SchemeRead the Press Release
Spokane, Washington – Vanessa R. Waldref, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced today that eleven Washington and California residents have pleaded guilty for their participation in a staged automobile accident scheme to defraud insurance companies, or for obstructing official proceedings.
Defendants have pleaded guilty as follows:
Ali Abed Yaser, age 52 of Kennewick, Washington - conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, conspiracy to commit health care fraud, conspiracy to obstruct official proceedings, making a false statement to the FBI, and two counts of mail fraud;
Hussein A. Yasir, age 41 of Kennewick, Washington - conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, conspiracy to commit health care fraud, five counts of wire fraud, and five counts of mail fraud;
Maria Elena Sanchez, age 42 of Kennewick, Washington - conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, conspiracy to commit health care fraud, seven counts of wire fraud, and three counts of mail fraud;
Jesus George Sanchez, age 57 of Pasco, Washington - conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, conspiracy to commit health care fraud, two counts of mail fraud, and one count of wire fraud;
Ali F. Al-Himrani, age 41 of Temecula, California - conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, conspiracy to commit health care fraud;
Mohammed F. Al-Himrani, age 34 of Kennewick, Washington - conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, conspiracy to commit health care fraud;
Khalil Abdul-Razaq, age 40 of Kennewick, Washington - conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, conspiracy to commit health care fraud;
Ameer R. Mohammed, age 46 of Kennewick, Washington - conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, conspiracy to commit health care fraud;
Sinan Akrawi, age 44 of La Mesa, California - conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud;
Mohammed Naji Al-Jibory, age 55 of Kennewick, Washington – conspiracy to obstruct official proceedings;
Noor Tahseen Al-Maarej, age 33 of El Cajon, California – misprision (concealment) of a felony.
These eleven defendants face the following possible maximum statutory sentences: 20 years for each count of mail fraud and wire fraud, each count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud, and each count of conspiracy to obstruct official proceedings; 10 years for conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud; 5 years for making a false statement to the FBI; and 3 years for misprision of a felony. United States District Judge Mary K. Dimke will determine sentences for each defendant after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
“Staged accidents make our streets dangerous and distract police from responding to legitimate distress calls,” said Vanessa R. Waldref, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington. “Moreover, efforts to hinder federal criminal proceedings will not be tolerated. We will continue to work closely with our federal and state law enforcement, and private industry, partners to investigate fraud schemes.”
“The number of people and the amount of planning involved in this fraudulent scheme make this crime even more shocking and unacceptable,” said Richard A. Collodi, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Seattle Field Office. “Deliberate, staged accidents increase the risk to the public, increase rates for drivers with legitimate claims, and we are committed to holding these subjects accountable for their actions, including their fabricated stories against FBI agents.”
According to court documents, between approximately July 2017 and April 2020, members of the conspiracy staged automobile accidents and thereafter caused the submission of false insurance claims for property damage, wage loss and personal injury. In some of the staged accidents, Maria Elena Sanchez, who worked as a case manager at a personal injury law firm in Washington, used her position to help members of the conspiracy submit their fraudulent insurance claims and collect settlement payments totaling approximately $657,812.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, and the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, with the assistance of the National Insurance Crime Bureau. This case is being prosecuted by George J.C. Jacobs, III, Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington. Other defendants have been named in an Indictment and are awaiting trial. An Indictment is merely an allegation and all remaining defendants who have not entered into guilty pleas are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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East St. Louis Doctor Pleads Guilty to Health Care FraudRead the Press Release
EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – A podiatrist practicing in East St. Louis pled guilty in a U.S. District courtroom on Thursday to committing health care fraud from 2016 to 2020.
Howard Jackson, 69, of Florissant, Missouri, admitted he routinely billed Medicare and Medicaid for procedures he did not perform.
“Health care providers who commit fraud for financial gain threaten the integrity of our health care system and the basic expectation of competent, available care,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Jim Cutchin. “I appreciate our partnership with the Illinois State Police and the Office of the Inspector General to bring this offender to justice.”
"Providers who submit fraudulent claims to Medicare and Medicaid undermine the integrity of federal health care programs and waste valuable taxpayer dollars," said Special Agent in Charge Mario M. Pinto at the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). "Working closely with our law enforcement partners, HHS-OIG remains committed to investigating and holding accountable bad actors who defraud programs meant to address the legitimate needs of patients."
“Medical professionals are in a position of trust and when they break that trust by stealing thousands of tax payer dollars for personal gain, ISP will be there to investigate,” said ISP Director Brendan F. Kelly.
Dr. Jackson was a podiatrist with a practice in East St. Louis, Illinois. Between January 2016 and December 2020, he engaged in a health care fraud scheme by submitting claims to Medicare and Medicaid for “nail avulsions” he did not perform. A “nail avulsion” is a surgical procedure that involves the separation and removal of all or part of a toenail from the tip of the nail back to the base of the nail. The procedure typically requires the use of anesthesia to avoid causing extreme discomfort to the patient.
Dr. Jackson admitted in court papers that, on many occasions when he billed for a nail avulsion, he had not used anesthesia and had provided only routine foot care like trimming and clipping nails. Jackson cheated Medicare and Medicaid out of at least $144,694.69 as a result of the fraud.
Jackson’s offenses carry a maximum sentence of ten years’ imprisonment and a fine of up to $250,000. His sentencing is set for July 27, 2023.
The Illinois State Police and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General, are conducting the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter T. Reed is prosecuting the case.
Detroit Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Kristopher D. Thomas, also known as “Rio,” 22, of Detroit Michigan, pleaded guilty today to distribution of fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on Oct. 14, 2021, Thomas sold a quantity of fentanyl to a confidential informant at an Amigo residence where Thomas was staying in Raleigh County, West Virginia. Thomas admitted to that transaction and further admitted to selling fentanyl to a confidential informant in Daniels, Raleigh County, on April 12 and April 22, 2021. The West Virginia State Police Forensic Laboratory confirmed the controlled substances from all three transactions contained fentanyl.
Thomas is scheduled to be sentenced on July 28, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit. The Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit consists of officers from the West Virginia State Police, the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Department, and the Beckley Police Department.
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew D. Isabell is prosecuting the case.
The case is a result of “Operation Wolverine Carousel,” a months-long investigation into the widespread distribution of heroin and fentanyl in Raleigh and Fayette counties.
The investigation was part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The program 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. 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. 5:22-cr-28.
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Dealing Drugs and Buying Stolen Firearms While on Supervised Release Sends Man Back to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A man who was selling drugs and bought stolen firearms while he was on supervised release from a 2020 firearm conviction was sentenced on April 6, 2023, to more than seven years in federal prison.
Timothy Rabineau, age 48, from Oxford Junction, Iowa, received the prison term after a November 1, 2022 guilty plea to possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance and possession of a firearm by a felon.
Information from the sentencing hearing showed that on July 1, 2022, law enforcement officers searched Rabineau’s residence and found a drug ledger that showed Rabineau was distributing marijuana, THC vape cartridges, Xanax, Valium, and acid. Officers also found two mason jars that held approximately thirty-five baggies containing 78.8 grams of marijuana. Six days later, officers searched Rabineau’s residence again after receiving information that he had bought two handguns that were stolen from Theisen’s in Maquoketa by another individual on July 3, 2022. Officers recovered a case containing the two stolen firearms and an additional firearm. Rabineau admitted he bought the two stolen firearms. At the time, Rabineau was still on supervised release from his 2020 conviction for possession of a firearm by a felon.
Rabineau was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Rabineau was sentenced to a total of 88 months’ imprisonment comprised of 64 months’ imprisonment for the new crimes and a consecutive sentence of 24 months’ imprisonment for the supervised release violations. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Rabineau is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
These cases were prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kyndra Lundquist and Lisa Williams and investigated by the Jones County Sheriff’s Office and the Maquoketa Police Department.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file numbers are 22-CR-0069 and 19-CR-0102.
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DeKalb Man Sentenced for Robbery of Jimmy John’s and Heartland BankRead the Press Release
ROCKFORD — A DeKalb man was sentenced on Thursday for the robbery of a Jimmy John’s in DeKalb and Heartland Bank and Trust in Sycamore.
U.S. District Judge Iain D. Johnston sentenced KEVIN HAGEMEIER, 26, to almost eight and a half years in prison. Hagemeier pleaded guilty in December of 2022 to two counts of Hobbs Act Robbery.
According to the guilty plea, Hagemeier entered the Jimmy John’s and presented a note to the employee that stated “This Is A Robbery I have a gun in my waist Don’t make me use it and You’ll be able to go home. Give me all the money in the drawer or else some bad thing may happen.” After receiving the money in the register, Hagemeier entered a car driven by an accomplice and left the scene of the robbery. A couple days later, Hagemeier entered Heartland Bank with a similar note stating “I have a weapon. Get $1,400 out of your drawer and give it to me. If I think you told someone or pushed a button, people will get hurt.” Hagemeier received the money and left with the same accomplice from the Jimmy John’s robbery.
The sentence was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; and Robert W. Wheeler, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The DeKalb Police Department assisted in the investigation. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert S. Ladd.
Davenport Man Found Guilty of Drug Charges Related to Fentanyl Overdose of ChildRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, IA – A federal jury convicted a Davenport man on Wednesday following a two-day trial on drug charges stemming from a fentanyl overdose of an 18-month-old child.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, in 2021 Davenport Police Department investigated an influx of pressed fentanyl pills into the area, which resulted in numerous overdoses. On October 30, 2021, emergency personnel were dispatched to a residence on 4th Street in Davenport, for a child ingesting pills. When first responders arrived, they found the child unresponsive, with shallow breathing. The child eventually stopped breathing. First responders performed CPR on the child and administered Narcan. The child was revived and transported to Genesis Medical Center. While at Genesis, the child required additional doses of Narcan, and was eventually transferred to the University of Iowa pediatric intensive care unit for further care. Toxicology testing revealed fentanyl in the child’s system.
During the investigation of the child’s overdose, officers learned that Kathan Daniel Wiley, 23, had been distributing fentanyl. The fentanyl had been pressed into pills resembling prescription Percocet pills—blue pills stamped with “M30”—which the child had ingested and caused the overdose. Officers located evidence that Wiley had been obtaining and distributing the fake Percocet pills in the Quad Cities area, along with other individuals. Wiley was charged with conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, along with co-conspirators Linder Kai Divos (a.k.a. Lindo), Jordan Thomas Hopper, Austen Michael Thomas (a.k.a. Waynski, a.k.a. Mitch), and Marshall Matthew James Carver.
On April 5, 2023, the jury found Wiley guilty of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, as well as possession with intent to distribute fentanyl resulting in serious bodily injury, relating to the overdose of the child on October 30, 2021.
Wiley faces a mandatory minimum prison sentence of 20 years with a maximum of life in prison for the possession with intent to distribute fentanyl resulting in serious bodily injury charge. Wiley faces a maximum of 20 years in prison for the conspiracy charge. There is no parole in the federal system. Wiley’s sentencing is scheduled for September 27, 2023, at 10:30 a.m.
The other charged co-conspirators have pled guilty and are pending sentencing.
Linder Kai Divos pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of a substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl and being a felon in possession of a firearm. On February 21, 2023, Divos was sentenced to 14-and-a-half years in federal prison.
Jordan Thomas Hopper pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, distribution of fentanyl resulting in serious bodily injury, relating to an April 2021 overdose which occurred in Bettendorf, and distribution of fentanyl resulting in death, relating to a June 2021 overdose which occurred in Davenport. Hopper faces a mandatory minimum prison sentence of 20 years with a maximum of life in prison for each of the overdose charges, and a mandatory minimum prison sentence of five years with a maximum of 40 years in prison for the conspiracy charge. Hopper’s sentencing is scheduled for September 26, 2023, at 1:30 p.m.
Austen Michael Thomas pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and felon in possession of a firearm. Thomas faces a mandatory minimum prison sentence of five years with a maximum of 40 years in prison for the conspiracy charge, and a maximum of 10 years in prison for the firearm charge. Thomas’ sentencing is scheduled for September 26, 2023, at 2:30 p.m.
Marshall Matthew James Carver pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and distribution of fentanyl resulting in serious bodily injury, relating to an April 2021 overdose which occurred in Bettendorf. Carver faces a mandatory minimum prison sentence of 20 years with a maximum of life in prison for the distribution resulting in serious bodily injury charge, and a maximum of 20 years in prison for the conspiracy charge. Carver’s sentencing is scheduled for September 26, 2023, at 12:30 p.m.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Davenport Police Department investigated this case.
Darknet Vendor Sentenced for Distribution of Fentanyl-Laced PillsRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Scottsdale, Arizona, man was sentenced today to 78 months in prison for distributing fentanyl on the darknet.
According to court documents, from August 2021 through May 2022, John McKernan, 32, ran the darknet moniker “KingofKeys” on a darknet market. On this market, he advertised and sold pressed pills that he marketed as oxycodone, but that in fact contained fentanyl. In his profile on the market, McKernan told customers that the pressed pills tested negative for fentanyl. He also advertised pressed Xanax, Cialis, and MDMA. In addition to his distribution on the darknet, McKernan sold fentanyl-laced pills via encrypted messaging applications.
Between May 2022 and July 2022, law enforcement made controlled purchases from the defendant, which included over 450 counterfeit pills that the defendant purported to be oxycodone. The defendant received payment for the controlled substances in Bitcoin. Once received, law enforcement tested the pills, and all came back positive for the presence of fentanyl.
The darknet, also called the darkweb, is a portion of the Internet that hosts darknet markets or hidden commercial websites. A darknet market operates as a black market, selling or brokering transactions involving legal products as well as drugs, weapons, counterfeit currency, stolen credit card details, forged documents, unlicensed pharmaceuticals, steroids, and other illicit goods.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal Division; and Damon E. Wood, Inspector in Charge of the USPIS Washington Division, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge T. S. Ellis, III.
The FBI Phoenix Division, USPIS Phoenix Division, and Scottsdale Police Department provided valuable assistance in this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Call prosecuted the case.
This investigation was conducted by the FBI Washington Field Office’s Hi-Tech Opioid Task Force, which is composed of FBI agents and task force partners, including special agents and officers of the Food and Drug Administration’s Office of Criminal Investigations, DEA, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and detectives from local assisting police agencies. The task force is charged with identifying and investigating the most egregious darknet markets, and the vendors operating on the marketplaces who are engaged in the illegal acquisition and distribution of controlled substances, to include fentanyl, methamphetamine, and other opioids.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:22-cr-234.
Convicted Felon Who Unlawfully Possessed Five Firearms Sentenced to Six Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
A convicted felon who possessed five firearms, including two that were stolen, was sentenced today to six years in federal prison.
Jordan Johnson, age 24, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a December 20, 2022 guilty plea to felon in possession of firearms.
Information from the case showed that on September 22, 2020, Johnson was on probation following a conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm in state court. Officers of the High Risk Unit from the Sixth Judicial District’s Department of Correctional Service visited Johnson at his apartment. The officers believed Johnson was hiding something and Johnson eventually left the apartment while the officers were looking around.
After Johnson left, the Cedar Rapids Police Department responded and conducted a search of the apartment. They found four handguns hidden in a clothes’ hamper in a child’s bedroom. They also found a rifle in another part of the apartment. One of the handguns and the rifle had previously been reported stolen. One of the handguns also had a serial number that someone had attempted to scratch off.
Johnson has multiple prior criminal convictions, including convictions involving violence and firearms. He had also previously been convicted in state court of carrying weapons and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Johnson was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Johnson was sentenced to 72 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Johnson is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Morfitt and investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Cedar Rapids Police Department, and Sixth Judicial District’s Department of Correctional Service’s High Risk Unit.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 22-CR-97.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Chicago Man Receives Two Sentences Totaling over Eight Years for Possession of a Firearm and Switch Device While on Supervised ReleaseRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — Two federal judges have sentenced DESHAWN DANZELR, 28, of Chicago to a combined eight years in federal prison for possessing a handgun with an extended magazine and a “switch” that converted the firearm into a fully automatic machinegun.
Less than six months after his discharge from prison on supervised release for a federal contempt conviction, Chicago Police Officers stopped Danzler while driving in the Auburn-Gresham neighborhood of Chicago. Danzler, who had a handgun hidden in his crotch, attempted to flee and struggled with the officers for over two minutes before the officers recovered the firearm. Danzler pled guilty to one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon in October 2022.
At the time of his sentencing, Danzler had four previous felonies, including the contempt of court conviction. In 2015, a rival gang member shot Danzler in the head, wrist, and thigh, and killed Danzler’s neighbor. Danzler could identify the shooter but did not cooperate in the police investigation. Four years later, Danzler refused to testify about the shooting in a federal grand jury investigation and was convicted of criminal contempt of court in proceedings before U.S. District Court Judge Ronald A. Guzman.
A sentence of 62-months was imposed by U.S. District Court Thomas M. Durkin on February 24, 2023 for the firearms charge. On April 6, 2023 Danzler was back in court before Judge Guzman for sentencing on his supervised release violation. Judge Guzman sentenced Danzler to 37-months to run consecutive to the sentence given by Judge Durkin, for a total of eight years and three months of imprisonment.
The sentences are announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Christopher Amon, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; and Eric Carter, Acting Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Mulaney and Albert Berry III.
“Although he was a victim in the 2015 shooting, that is no longer a basis for lenience” argued Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Mulaney in the government’s sentencing memo. “Rather than find other ways to protect himself, defendant squandered the ‘last chance’ that Judge Guzman gave to him. By carrying a machinegun on supervised release, and resisting the officers’ efforts to recover it safely, defendant demonstrated that he is a danger to the community.”
California Resident Sentenced to Four Years in Prison for Conspiring to Violate U.S. Sanctions Against IranRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that NILOUFAR BAHADORIFAR, a/k/a “Nellie Bahadorifar,” was sentenced to four years in prison for conspiring to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (“IEEPA”) by providing services, including financial services, to Iran and the Government of Iran, in violation of U.S. sanctions against Iran, and for structuring. BAHADORIFAR pled guilty on December 15, 2022, before U.S. District Judge Ronnie Abrams, who imposed today’s sentence.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Niloufar Bahadorifar willfully violated sanctions and knowingly provided financial support to Iranian intelligence assets, who in turn were engaged in a plot to kidnap an Iranian human rights activist living in the United States whom the Iranian Government has sought to silence for years. Assisting malign foreign governments by violating sanctions can have devastating consequences, including for those targeted by hostile regimes for retribution. This Office will continue to prosecute efforts to subvert sanctions and is proud to protect victims from repressive regimes.”
According to the Indictment and other documents in the public record, as well as statements made in public court proceedings:
The IEEPA confers upon the President authority to deal with unusual and extraordinary threats to the national security and foreign policy of the United States. Since 1979, the President has found that the situation in Iran constitutes an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States. Among the Government of Iran’s malign practices, it has targeted and sought to repress, including through harassment, intimidation, and violence, those who defend human rights and criticize the regime. Pursuant to the IEEPA, and applicable Executive Orders and regulations, U.S. persons are prohibited from exporting any services, including financial and banking services, to Iran or the Government of Iran without a license from the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”).
For years, the Government of Iran has targeted a prominent Iranian dissident living in New York City (“the Victim”). The Victim is a journalist, author, and human rights activist who has publicized the Government of Iran’s human rights abuses and suppression of political expression. Beginning in at least 2020, Iranian intelligence officials and assets, including co-defendant Mahmoud Khazein, plotted to kidnap the Victim from within the United States for rendition to Iran in an effort to silence the Victim’s criticism of the regime. As part of that plot, on multiple occasions in 2020 and 2021, agents of the Government of Iran procured the services of private investigators to surveil, photograph, and video record the Victim and the Victim’s household members. These agents of the Government of Iran, including Khazein, procured the surveillance by misrepresenting their identities and the purpose of the surveillance to the investigators and laundered money into the United States from Iran in order to pay for the surveillance, photos, and video recordings of the Victim.
Beginning in approximately 2015, BAHADORIFAR, a U.S. citizen residing in California and originally from Iran, provided financial and other services, including access to the U.S. financial system and U.S. financial institutions, to Iranian residents and entities, including to Khazein. BAHADORIFAR, who is not charged with participating in the kidnapping conspiracy, provided financial services that ultimately supported the plot. Among other things, BAHADORIFAR caused a payment to be made to a private investigator for surveillance of the Victim on behalf of Khazein. BAHADORIFAR’s payment obscured the origin of those who had hired the private investigator, who surveilled the Victim without knowing it was on behalf of Iranian intelligence services. At no time did BAHADORIFAR obtain permission from OFAC to provide services to Iran.
Beginning in approximately 2019, BAHADORIFAR also structured cash deposits totaling hundreds of thousands of dollars. In total, BAHADORIFAR structured at least approximately $476,100 in more than 120 individual deposits. All but two of the deposits were less than $10,000.
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In addition to the prison term, BAHADORIFAR, 48, of Irvine, California, was sentenced to three years of supervised release.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (“FBI”) New York Field Office Counterintelligence-Cyber Division and the New York FBI Iran Threat Task Force. Mr. Williams also thanked the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”) and the NYPD Intelligence Bureau, the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office Orange County Resident Agency, and the Department of Justice’s National Security Division, Counterintelligence and Export Control Section for their assistance.
This prosecution is being handled by the Office’s National Security and International Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael D. Lockard, Jacob H. Gutwillig, and Matthew J.C. Hellman are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Trial Attorney Christopher Rigali of the Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.
Boston Man Pleads Guilty to Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Boston man pleaded guilty today to his role in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and cocaine.
London Lee, 29, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and cocaine. U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton scheduled sentencing for July 13, 2023. Lee was arrested and charged along with co-defendant Josiah Watkins in April 2021.
In February 2021, an investigation began into drug trafficking activities conducted by Lee and Watkins. The investigation revealed that Lee and Watkins were actively selling cocaine and fentanyl in the Boston area. Between February and April 2021, Watkins sold or arranged the sale of fentanyl and cocaine in at least 10 separate controlled purchases.
On Nov. 28, 2022, Watkins pleaded guilty to his role in the conspiracy and is scheduled to be sentenced on March 28, 2023.
The charge of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and cocaine provides for a sentence of a mandatory minimum term of five years and up to 40 years in prison, up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $5 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Dawley, Jr. of Rollins’ Organized Crime & Gang Unit is prosecuting 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.
Beckley Woman Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Kamaria J. Mitchell, 33, of Beckley, was sentenced today to four years and seven months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for distributing 5 grams or more of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Mitchell admitted to selling more than 5 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant outside of her Beckley residence on November 16, 2020. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Mid-Atlantic Laboratory confirmed the methamphetamine weighed 27.9 grams and was 98 percent pure.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit, which is composed of officers from the West Virginia State Police, the Beckley Police Department, and the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Department.
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy D. Boggess prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:22-cr-49.
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Beckley Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Travis John Miller, 40, of Beckley, was sentenced today to seven years and three months in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release, for distributing 5 grams or more of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Miller admitted to selling approximately 26.94 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant at his Beckley residence on October 19, 2021. Miller further admitted to selling quantities of methamphetamine to a confidential informant on October 20 and October 27, 2021.
On October 29, 2021, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Miller’s residence and found methamphetamine, fentanyl, cocaine, and a Hi-Point .380-caliber semi-automatic pistol.
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 Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit. The Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit consists of officers from the West Virginia State Police, the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Department, and the Beckley Police Department.
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew D. Isabell prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:22-cr-107.
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Beckley Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Steven Marvin Lawson Jr., 29, of Beckley, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Lawson admitted to possessing a Springfield Armory model XD .45-caliber pistol at a Beagle Club Road residence in Jumping Branch, Summers County, on September 28, 2020.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Lawson was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony convictions for two counts of theft by receiving stolen property in Gwinnett County, Georgia, Superior Court on May 13, 2016.
Lawson is scheduled to be sentenced on July 28, 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 U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (AFT), and the West Virginia State Police-Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI).
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorneys Kathleen Robeson and Kristin F. Scott are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:22-cr-217.
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Alamogordo firefighter pleads guilty to production of child pornographyRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced that Jason Ross-Lattion Fleming pled guilty to production of a visual depiction of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct and providing child pornography to a minor. Fleming 36, of Piñon, New Mexico will remain in custody pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled.
According to the plea agreement and other court documents, from Feb. 2021 until Dec. 2013, Fleming persuaded a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing an image of that conduct with his cellphone. Beginning in January 2021 and continuing until March 2021, Fleming engaged in sexual contact with a nine-year-old he was babysitting. Fleming exposed himself to the child and provided her access to pornographic videos on his cellphone, including child pornography. Fleming offered the child Reese’s candy to entice her to engage in sexual acts.
On Dec. 9, 2021, New Mexico State Police (NMSP) executed a search warrant and seized two cellphones from Fleming. On April 18, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) obtained and executed a federal warrant to search the contents of Fleming’s phones. Investigators found child pornography on Fleming’s personal cellphone.
Fleming was a firefighter in Alamogordo, New Mexico, at the time of the offenses. The City of Alamogordo has terminated his employment.
Fleming faces a minimum of five years and up to 20 years in prison for providing child pornography to a minor, and up to 30 years in prison for the production of a visual depiction of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Upon his release from prison, Fleming will be subject to at least five years of supervised release and must register as a sex offender.
HSI investigated this case with assistance from NMSP, the Las Cruces Police Department, New Mexico State Police, and the Otero County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Marisa A. Ong and Matilda McCarthy Villalobos are prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice (DOJ) to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and DOJ’s Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/.
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Alamogordo firefighter pleads guilty to production of child pornographyRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced that Jason Ross-Lattion Fleming pled guilty to production of a visual depiction of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct and providing child pornography to a minor. Fleming 36, of Piñon, New Mexico will remain in custody pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled.
According to the plea agreement and other court documents, from Feb. 2021 until Dec. 2013, Fleming persuaded a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing an image of that conduct with his cellphone. Beginning in January 2021 and continuing until March 2021, Fleming engaged in sexual contact with a nine-year-old he was babysitting. Fleming exposed himself to the child and provided her access to pornographic videos on his cellphone, including child pornography. Fleming offered the child Reese’s candy to entice her to engage in sexual acts.
On Dec. 9, 2021, New Mexico State Police (NMSP) executed a search warrant and seized two cellphones from Fleming. On April 18, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) obtained and executed a federal warrant to search the contents of Fleming’s phones. Investigators found child pornography on Fleming’s personal cellphone.
Fleming was a firefighter in Alamogordo, New Mexico, at the time of the offenses. The City of Alamogordo has terminated his employment.
Fleming faces a minimum of five years and up to 20 years in prison for providing child pornography to a minor, and up to 30 years in prison for the production of a visual depiction of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Upon his release from prison, Fleming will be subject to at least five years of supervised release and must register as a sex offender.
HSI investigated this case with assistance from NMSP, the Las Cruces Police Department, New Mexico State Police, and the Otero County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Marisa A. Ong and Matilda McCarthy Villalobos are prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice (DOJ) to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and DOJ’s Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/.
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Alamogordo firefighter pleads guilty to production of child pornographyRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced that Jason Ross-Lattion Fleming pled guilty to production of a visual depiction of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct and providing child pornography to a minor. Fleming, 36, of Piñon, New Mexico will remain in custody pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled.
According to the plea agreement and other court documents, from Feb. 2021 until Dec. 2013, Fleming persuaded a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing an image of that conduct with his cellphone. Beginning in January 2021 and continuing until March 2021, Fleming engaged in sexual contact with a nine-year-old he was babysitting. Fleming exposed himself to the child and provided her access to pornographic videos on his cellphone, including child pornography. Fleming offered the child Reese’s candy to entice her to engage in sexual acts.
On Dec. 9, 2021, New Mexico State Police (NMSP) executed a search warrant and seized two cellphones from Fleming. On April 18, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) obtained and executed a federal warrant to search the contents of Fleming’s phones. Investigators found child pornography on Fleming’s personal cellphone.
Fleming was a firefighter in Alamogordo, New Mexico, at the time of the offenses. The City of Alamogordo has terminated his employment.
Fleming faces a minimum of five years and up to 20 years in prison for providing child pornography to a minor, and up to 30 years in prison for the production of a visual depiction of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Upon his release from prison, Fleming will be subject to at least five years of supervised release and must register as a sex offender.
HSI investigated this case with assistance from NMSP, the Las Cruces Police Department, New Mexico State Police, and the Otero County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Marisa A. Ong and Matilda McCarthy Villalobos are prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice (DOJ) to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and DOJ’s Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/.
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Alamogordo firefighter pleads guilty to production of child pornographyRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced that Jason Ross-Lattion Fleming pled guilty to production of a visual depiction of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct and providing child pornography to a minor. Fleming, 36, of Piñon, New Mexico, will remain in custody pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled.
According to the plea agreement and other court documents, from Feb. 2021 until Dec. 2013, Fleming persuaded a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing an image of that conduct with his cellphone. Beginning in January 2021 and continuing until March 2021, Fleming engaged in sexual contact with a nine-year-old he was babysitting. Fleming exposed himself to the child and provided her access to pornographic videos on his cellphone, including child pornography. Fleming offered the child Reese’s candy to entice her to engage in sexual acts.
On Dec. 9, 2021, New Mexico State Police (NMSP) executed a search warrant and seized two cellphones from Fleming. On April 18, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) obtained and executed a federal warrant to search the contents of Fleming’s phones. Investigators found child pornography on Fleming’s personal cellphone.
Fleming was a firefighter in Alamogordo, New Mexico, at the time of the offenses. The City of Alamogordo has terminated his employment.
Fleming faces a minimum of five years and up to 20 years in prison for providing child pornography to a minor, and up to 30 years in prison for the production of a visual depiction of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Upon his release from prison, Fleming will be subject to at least five years of supervised release and must register as a sex offender.
HSI investigated this case with assistance from NMSP, the Las Cruces Police Department, New Mexico State Police, and the Otero County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Marisa A. Ong and Matilda McCarthy Villalobos are prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice (DOJ) to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and DOJ’s Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/.
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6 Sentenced for Illegally Trafficking Corals from the PhilippinesRead the Press Release
ANCHORAGE – On April 4, 2023, a Colorado man was sentenced on charges related to violations of the Lacey Act and smuggling protected marine corals from the Philippines into the United States for retail sale.
Veleriy V. Gorbounov, 45, of Morrison, Colorado was sentenced this week by U.S. District Court Judge Joshua Kindred to a term of probation of two years, the payment of a fine of $4,000 to a Philippines based organization dedicated to coral reef restoration and being prohibited from engaging in the sale of marine corals for his role in illegally importing endangered coral from the Philippines for sale. Gorbounov is one of 8 defendants charged in the District of Alaska for illegally importing corals from the Philippines for retail sale.
In April, 2022, prosecutors charged Jerome Anthony Stringfield, 43, of Kissimmee, Florida; Albert B. Correira, 35, of Westport, Massachusetts; and Allen William Ockey, 35, of Long Beach, California, with felony violations of conspiracy, violations of the Lacey Act and smuggling of corals from the Philippines. Ockey pleaded guilty to Wildlife Trafficking felony charges and was sentenced to a term of two years’ probation and required to pay a donation to a Phillipines organization dedicated to coral reef restoration in the amount of $5,000. Defendant Stringfield and Correira’s cases remains pending.
In separate filings, the following individuals were each charged with misdemeanor offenses related to violations of the Lacey Act: Derek M. Kelley, 31, of Elkhart, Indiana; James Knight, 47, of Newaygo, Michigan; Valeriy V. Gorbounov, 46, of Morrison, Colorado; Nathan C. Meisner, 35, of Rapid City, South Dakota; and Ricky A. Sprires, 34, of Gilbert South Carolina. Each of these defendants have plead guilty to Wildlife Trafficking under the Lacey Act and were sentenced to terms of probation of two years, required to pay contributions to a Philippine-based coral reef restoration organization in amounts varying from $2,000 to $4,000 and conditions that they do not import or sell corals for the term of probation.
The indictment and separate filings all alleged that between July 2017 and August 2018, the defendants paid a Philippine national to dive for and collect protected marine corals which they would then sell online to coral collectors and hobbyists. They further alleged that some corals were illegally sold in violation of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) which is an international treaty implemented to prevent species from becoming endangered or extinct because of international commercial trade. Additionally, Philippine law prohibits any person to gather, possess, commercially transport, sell or export corals commercially regardless of CITES status. In total, the defendants, through their Philippine supplier, illegally purchased and transported for sale more than 3,000 separate pieces of coral in violation of Philippines and United States law.
The charging documents in all cases states that the Republic of the Philippines is one of six countries straddling the Coral Triangle, a 5.4 million-square-kilometer stretch of ocean that contains 75% of the world’s coral species, one-third of the Earth’s coral reefs and more than 3,000 species of fish. Poaching for corals and other factors have left only 5% of coral reefs in the Philippines in “excellent” condition, with only 1% in a “pristine” state.
The supplier in the Philippines, Glenn Albert Binoya, a Philippines national, was charged by the Republic of the Philippines after the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service contacted Philippine authorities about their investigation. Binoya, 47, died of unrelated medical issues prior to resolution of his case.
“This office and the Department of Justice will pursue state, national and transnational wildlife trafficking regardless of location,” said United States Attorney S. Lane Tucker, District of Alaska. “Through our partnership with the Fish and Wildlife Service these traffickers have been brought to justice.’
U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker of the District of Alaska made the announcement.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of Law Enforcement is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Skrocki is prosecuting the cases.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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28 Year Old Sentenced on Drug and Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Steven A. Russell announced that Eduardo Marquez, 28, was sentenced April 6, 2023, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and as an addict in possession of a firearm. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter Jr. sentenced Marquez to 84 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, he will begin a 4-year term of supervised release.
On April 27, 2021, the Drug Enforcement Administration arranged to purchase 1,000 fentanyl pills from a Mexico-based source of supply using a confidential source. The source of supply provided the confidential source with Marquez’s phone number.
The confidential source, under the direction of law enforcement, successfully purchased the fentanyl from Marquez. Following the purchase, DEA Agents searched Marquez’s residence and recovered 573 grams of cocaine, 139 grams of fentanyl, an AK-47 rifle and a .45 caliber handgun. Marquez was arrested at the residence. He admitted selling cocaine and possessing the .45 caliber handgun.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration.
18-Year-Old Sentenced to Prison for Flight from Immigration CheckpointRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. –Derek Ira Pablo Jr., 18, of Tucson, Arizona, was sentenced on Tuesday by United States District Judge John C. Hinderaker to 10 months in prison, followed by 36 months of supervised release. Pablo pleaded guilty to one count of High-Speed Flight from Immigration Checkpoint.
On November 3, 2022, Pablo drove his vehicle through a United States Border Patrol checkpoint on Arizona State Route 86 near Robles Junction, Arizona. He did not slow down or stop as directed by the speed bumps and signage. Pablo accelerated and operated his vehicle at speeds up to 100 mph in a 45 mile per hour zone during the chase, but would not stop as agents pursued him. He finally stopped his vehicle because of a flat tire and then tried to flee on foot, but was apprehended and arrested.
Customs and Border Protection’s United States Border Patrol conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant United States Attorney Brandon M. Bolling, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-22-2593-TUC-JCH AS (BGM)
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-051_Pablo# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.
6 April 2023
Wolf Point woman admits trafficking methamphetamine and fentanyl on Fort Peck Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS — A Wolf Point woman today admitted to allegations that she trafficked methamphetamine and fentanyl on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
Jordan Paige Day, 24, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. Day faces a mandatory minimum of five years to 40 years in prison, a $5 million fine and at least four years of supervised release.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The court set sentencing for Aug. 30. Day was released pending further proceedings.
In court documents, the government alleged that in January 2022, the Idaho State Police stopped a vehicle Day was driving toward Montana. During a search of the vehicle, officers located methamphetamine and fentanyl pills. In April 2022, Fort Peck officers searched a residence based on information that Day was at the house and was selling drugs. Officers seized a large bag of meth from the couch and approximately 140 fentanyl pills from under a couch cushion. Day later admitted to selling meth. Regarding the April incident, Day said that she and another person had picked up multiple pounds of meth and several hundred fentanyl pills and that the meth seized was a portion of those drugs.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ethan R. Plaut is prosecuting the case, which was investigated by the FBI, Idaho State Police, Roosevelt County Sheriff’s Office and Fort Peck Department of Law and Justice.
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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Wilmington-Area Felon Who Sold Illegal Machine Gun, Cocaine, and Other Weapons Sentenced to over 10 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
NEW BERN, N.C. – Devonte Lewis, of Navassa, was sentenced to 130 months in prison for armed drug trafficking uncovered through an undercover operation focused on curbing gang violence in the Wilmington and Brunswick County Areas. Lewis pled guilty on December 8, 2022 to possession of a firearm not registered with the National Firearms Registry, possession of a firearm by a felon, distribution of a quantity of crack cocaine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
“Those selling illegal machine guns and carrying firearms in furtherance of their drug dealing endanger our communities and will face significant consequences,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “The public needs to know that we will not allow criminals to use and deal in machine guns and ‘switches’ that convert Glocks into fully-automatic machine guns.”
According to court documents, evidence presented in court, and other documents, between November 16, 2021, and December 10, 2021, Lewis sold a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) undercover agent the following: a 9mm handgun with an extended magazine ad a 50-round drum, two rifles, one that was stolen, a Glock 45 caliber handgun, a “switch” that converted a Glock 9mm handgun from a semiautomatic into a fully functioning machine gun, a semiautomatic handgun with an extended magazine, and a .38 caliber handgun. Additionally, Lewis sold the undercover agent a quantity of cocaine on at least two occasions. On one of those occasions Lewis was armed with a handgun.
On March 2, 2022, ATF contacted Ernest Robinson, a co-conspirator, about purchasing a firearm. Robison and Lewis arrived together to meet the undercover agent, and Lewis brought in an AR-10 rifle with a large capacity magazine and a revolver. The agent paid Robinson for the guns after he said they belonged to him. Robinson is a validated Blood gang member and, like Lewis, a convicted felon.
This is part of “Operation Golfer,” which is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launders, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Wilmington Police Department, and the Duplin, New Hanover and Brunswick County Sheriffs’ Offices investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Timothy Severo and Gabe Diaz 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. 7:22-CR-00038-FL.
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Westford Man Sentenced for Bank Fraud and Possessing an Unregistered FirearmRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Westford man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for conspiring to commit bank fraud and possessing an unregistered short-barreled rifle.
Bin Lu, 51, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge George A. O’Toole Jr. to one year of supervised release. In June 2021, Lu pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and one count of possession of an unregistered firearm. Lu cooperated with the government’s investigation.
Lu was arrested and charged in January 2021 along with co-conspirator Daniel Whitman, a former police officer with the Tyngsborough Police Department and the owner of Hitman Firearms, LLC, a retail gun shop in Tyngsborough.
Lu and Whitman created Freedom Alley Shooting Sports LLC, which they envisioned as a large indoor shooting range that would serve regional and international customers and offer shooting clinics and other services. Lu and Whitman brought in a Chinese investor who contributed several million dollars to Freedom Alley in exchange for a majority interest in the company. However, in applying for loans from federally insured financial institutions, Lu and Whitman hid the true source of their initial funding and the investor’s ownership interest from the banks, and filed false documents in connection with their loan applications.
Lu also possessed a short-barreled rifle that was not registered in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record, as required by the National Firearms Act.
On March 22, 2023, Whitman was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris to one year and one day in prison and two years of supervised release after previously pleading guilty to his role in the conspiracy. Whitman was also ordered to pay a $20,000 fine.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Michael J. Krol, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; Jonathan Davidson, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, Boston Field Office; Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service in Boston; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; and Joleen D. Simpson, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston made the announcement today. The Tyngsborough and Westford Police Departments provided valuable assistance in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Evan D. Panich of Rollins’ Criminal Division and Eugenia M. Carris, Deputy Chief of Rollins’ Public Corruption & Special Prosecutions Unit prosecuted the case.
West Virginia Truck Driver Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Attempted Sex Trafficking of a Minor in Morton, IllinoisRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – A West Virginia over-the-road truck driver, Michael Leonard, 53, has been sentenced to fifteen years in prison, to be followed by a lifetime of supervised release, for attempted trafficking of a minor. Leonard will also be required to register as a sex offender and pay restitution totaling $49,000 to victims of child pornography, whose images were stored on his phone.
At the sentencing hearing before U.S. District Judge James E. Shadid, the United States presented evidence that Leonard initiated a conversation on an advertising website in August 2020 with an individual he believed to be a mother offering sex with her 9-year-old daughter. In August 2021, Leonard again initiated a text conversation, agreeing to pay $50 for sex with the minor girl. He planned to meet the girl and her mother at an agreed upon location in central Illinois, FBI agents then arrested Leonard upon his arrival. He admitted he was there to meet the minor girl and her mother and that he intended to have sex with the girl. He also admitted that his phone contained images of child pornography. Agents searched the phone and found hundreds of images and videos of child pornography.
Leonard was indicted in September 2021 and pleaded guilty in September 2022. He has remained in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service since his arrest.
The statutory penalties for attempted sex trafficking of a minor are fifteen years to life imprisonment, followed by five years to life of supervised release.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Keith Hollingshead-Cook represented the United States in the prosecution.
The case against Leonard was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
U.S. Attorney’s Office and Justice Department File Complaint Against SunSetter Products LP Alleging Delay in Reporting Dangerous Awning CoversRead the Press Release
BOSTON –A complaint has been filed against Massachusetts-based SunSetter Products LP (SunSetter), alleging that the company delayed reporting a hazardous defect involving protective vinyl covers for its retractable awnings. The announcement was made by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts, the Department of Justice and the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).
SunSetter is a limited partnership based in Malden, Mass. that manufactures motorized, retractable awnings for outdoor use. The complaint, filed in federal court in Boston, alleges that SunSetter knowingly failed to immediately report to the CPSC that when bungee tie-downs securing its protective awning covers were removed, the retractable awnings could spring open unexpectedly with enough force to strike consumers and cause them to fall and suffer death or serious injury. The complaint alleges that between 2012 and 2017, SunSetter received 14 reports of its motorized awnings springing open, which resulted in several injuries and one death. Despite notice of these incidents, the company did not report the problems with its awning covers to the CPSC until October 2017.
According to the complaint, the protective covers at issue were sold separately or given away as a promotional item with the company’s motorized awnings between June 1999 and January 2019. The covers were recalled in August 2019.
“Prompt reporting of potentially dangerous defects or problems with products is vital to impactful and immediate consumer protection. CPSC cannot do its job without strict compliance by industry. The defect in this matter, as alleged, can cause serious injury up to and including death,” said United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins. “Manufacturers must be held accountable for failing to comply with this important obligation which jeopardizes the safety of consumers.”
“Companies must report safety issues in consumer products immediately, as the law requires, to prevent unnecessary injury or death,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The Department of Justice will continue to work closely with the CPSC to hold accountable manufacturers that put profits over the safety of consumers.”
“SunSetter knew for years that its product was hazardous, yet failed to tell CPSC as required by federal law,” said Chair Alex Hoehn-Saric of the CPSC. “It took a tragic death and numerous other injuries before they finally took action – which is unacceptable. When a company continues to sell dangerous products – knowing they can cause injuries and death – it must be held accountable.”
The Consumer Product Safety Act requires manufacturers, distributors and retailers of consumer products to report “immediately” to the CPSC information that reasonably supports the conclusion that a product contains a defect which could create a substantial product hazard or creates an unreasonable risk of serious injury or death.
This matter is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin E. Brizius of Rollins’ Civil Division and Senior Litigation Counsels Christina Parascandola and Claude Scott and Trial Attorney Nicole Frazer of the Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch, with the assistance of Harriet Kerwin and Renee H. McCune of the CPSC’s Office of the General Counsel.
The claims made in the complaint are allegations that, if the case were to proceed to trial, the government would be required to prove by a preponderance of the evidence.
Additional information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts may be found at http://www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch.
U.S. Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey Hosts “Unite Against Hate” Forum to Connect Asian-American Pacific Islander Community Groups to Federal, State, and Local Law EnforcementRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO - United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey hosted the first of several planned forums to combat unlawful acts of hate. U.S. Attorney Ramsey partnered with The Asian American Foundation (TAAF) to organize the meeting arranged to build trust between law enforcement and nonprofit advocates and to create and strengthen coordination between government partners—including law enforcement—and community-based organizations. The first meeting occurred Wednesday, March 29, 2023, at the Deb Colloquium Room of the University of California Law San Francisco and featured leaders from Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) community and federal, state, and local law enforcement.
The theme of “united against hate” was initiated by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. Attorney General Garland announced the initiative during a White House visit last year and encouraged all 94 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices to host local forums. Program participants engage in robust interaction on topics such as defining hate crimes versus hate incidents; the importance of reporting unlawful acts of hate; providing options for responding to hate incidents when situations do not constitute a federal or state crime; and distinguishing unlawful conduct from protected First Amendment activity, including identifying protected speech versus speech that advocates violence or encourages people to commit hate crimes. Several offices of the Department of Justice provided critical assistance in developing the program, including the Community Relations Service, the Community Oriented Policing Services Office, the FBI, and the Office of Justice Programs.
Members of a dozen AAPI community groups, including TAAF, participated in the program. Several government officials also attended. Government participants included officials having leadership roles such as San Francisco City Attorney David Chiu, District Attorney Brooke Jenkins, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Robert Tripp, UC Law San Francisco Dean of Students Grace Hum, and U.S. Attorney Ramsey, who provided opening remarks for the event.
Special thanks are given to UC Law San Francisco for providing technical assistance and the venue for the event and to TAAF for co-hosting and providing invaluable assistance at every stage of organizing the event.
Two Los Angeles Men Sentenced for Drug Conspiracy that Led to MurderRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK –Two men from Los Angeles, California, were sentenced yesterday for their roles in a conspiracy to acquire methamphetamine in California and distribute it in the Cortland, New York area, announced United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman, Janeen DiGuiseppi, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Sheriff Mark E. Helms, Cortland County (New York) Sheriff’s Office, and Chief Andrew Espinoza Jr., City of Barstow (California) Police Department. Edgar Arrendondo, 31, was sentenced to serve 240 months (20 years), and Jose Pimentel, 35, was sentenced to serve 151 months (12 years and seven months) in federal prison for conspiring to provide more than 50 grams of methamphetamine to co-defendant Kyle Leeper, who intended to distribute it in Cortland. Arredondo was also sentenced based on his possession in the Central District of California of a shotgun and ammunition as a convicted felon, and for possession of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Both men were also sentenced to serve 5-year terms of post-incarceration supervised release.
Co-defendant Kyle Leeper was at the center of the conspiracy that trafficked methamphetamine from Indiana and Southern California to Cortland County, New York, where Leeper distributed it to local residents and drug dealers. In the fall of 2018, co-defendant Crystal Stephens, of Groton, New York, who was incarcerated in Indiana on burglary charges, contacted Leeper by telephone with contact information for co-defendant John Rice, an Indiana-based methamphetamine dealer. Leeper communicated with Rice by telephone and then travelled to and from Indiana twice in late 2018 and early 2019, where he obtained crystal methamphetamine and a .380 caliber pistol from Rice. Leeper distributed this methamphetamine in the Cortland area.
After Rice was arrested in Indiana in early January 2019, Leeper arranged to travel to the Los Angeles area to purchase more methamphetamine. From jail Crystal Stephens provided Leeper with telephone numbers for possible methamphetamine sources in East Los Angeles. In mid-January 2019, Leeper and an associate, co-defendant Ramon Nieves-Cotto, drove from Cortland to Los Angeles, where Leeper contacted one of these sources. The source sought assistance from co-defendant Arlene Rodriguez, who introduced Leeper to a middleman. On January 17, 2019, this middleman arranged for Leeper to buy three pounds of crystal methamphetamine for $5,000 from co-defendant Jose Pimentel. But after the methamphetamine was delivered to a motel in El Monte, California, Leeper realized that he had been shortchanged on the quantity delivered. Leeper abducted the middleman and Arlene Rodriguez at gunpoint. Later that day, Nieves-Cotto purchased zip ties, which Leeper used to bind the middleman. On the night of January 17, 2019, in the desert in Barstow, California, Leeper shot the bound middleman eight times from behind with the .380 caliber pistol, killing him. Leeper and Nieves-Cotto, along with Rodriguez, then drove to Cortland, where Leeper distributed the methamphetamine he obtained on this trip to California.
In early February 2019, Leeper, Nieves-Cotto, and Rodriguez returned to Los Angeles, where Leeper purchased an additional six to eight pounds of methamphetamine and a 9 mm pistol from co-defendant Edgar Arredondo. Upon his return to Cortland, Leeper, assisted by Rodriguez, began to distribute this methamphetamine. On February 19, 2019, officers from the Cortland County Sheriff’s Office stopped Leeper and Rodriguez while they were driving in Leeper’s pickup truck, which had an expired registration and cracked windshield. Inside the truck, the officers found four pounds of high-purity methamphetamine, the loaded .380 caliber pistol Leeper had used to commit the murder, and ammunition. They arrested Leeper, who previously had been convicted of state and federal felony offenses in Pennsylvania, and Rodriguez.
Five (5) other co-defendants previously pled guilty to participating in the drug trafficking conspiracy, and/or aiding and abetting the murder.
Kyle Leeper, 38, of Palmyra, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on November 18, 2022, to serve 40 years in federal prison for a murder committed during a drug trafficking conspiracy, conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, and possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon
Ramon Nieves-Cotto, 30, of DeRuyter, New York, pled guilty to aiding and abetting a murder during a drug conspiracy, and conspiracy to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. He was sentenced on October 7, 2022, to serve 156 months in federal prison, and a four-year term of supervised release.
Crystal J. Stephens, 34, of Groton, New York, pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. She was sentenced on November 15, 2022, to serve 100 months in federal prison, and a four-year term of supervised release.
Arlene N. Rodriguez, 38, of Montebello, California, pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, and possession of a firearm in connection with a drug trafficking crime. She was sentenced on October 6, 2022, to serve 94 months in prison, to be followed by four-year term of supervised release.
John Rice, 57, of Crawfordsville, Indiana, pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and was sentenced on January 12, 2023, to 63 months in federal prison and a four-year term of supervised release after incarceration.
A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Cortland County (New York) Sheriff’s Office, the Barstow (California) Police Department, and the San Bernadino (California) County Sheriff’s Department, with assistance from the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the Cortland County (New York) District Attorney’s Office, the Montgomery County (Indiana) Sheriff’s Department, the Montgomery County (Indiana) District Attorney’s Office, the Pomona (California) Police Department, and the El Monte (California) Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Steven D. Clymer, Richard R. Southwick, and Thomas R. Sutcliffe, with assistance provided by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California (Assistant U.S. Attorney Benedetto Balding).
Toledo Men Sentenced to Prison for Their Roles in Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
TOLEDO – Three Toledo men were sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Jack Zouhary after they were convicted at trial in November 2022 of various drug trafficking offenses. They were the last of 26 defendants charged in a 2020 indictment.
Antuan Wynn, who has a previous federal drug conspiracy conviction in the Northern District of Ohio, was sentenced to 224 months imprisonment; Marquise Figures was sentenced to 70 months imprisonment; and Christopher Simpson, who has a previous federal felon in possession of a firearm conviction in the Northern District of Ohio and was on supervised release at the time of this indictment, was sentenced to 300 months.
According to court documents, Wynn, Figures, Simpson, and other co-defendants conspired to traffic large amounts of cocaine, cocaine base, and fentanyl in the Toledo area. Court documents indicate that Wynn supplied substantial amounts of cocaine to another co-defendant, Anthony Duff, who then distributed ounce quantities to various distributors including Figures. Additionally, court documents state Simpson supplied fentanyl to Jackie Green and others.
Court records also show that members of the conspiracy used multiple cell phones that were obtained under other names, fictious names, or in no name at all. They also used code words to conceal their activity and used multiple residences in the Toledo area to store, break down, package, and distribute their narcotics and proceeds.
On December 16, 2020, federal, state, county, and local law enforcement authorities participated in an extensive takedown operation which included arrests and search warrants of those involved in the drug trafficking conspiracy. This effort was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF)operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
This case was investigated by the FBI Safe Streets Task Force, Toledo Metro Drug Task Force, and the Northwest Ohio Interdiction Task Force.
The FBI Safe Streets is comprised of the FBI, Toledo Police Department, Sylvania Township Police Department, and the Oregon Police Department. The Toledo Metro Drug Task Force is comprised of the FBI, Toledo Police Department, Bureau of Criminal Investigations, Lucas County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). The Northwest Ohio Interdiction Task Force is comprised of the FBI, Toledo Police Department, and the Lucas and Wood County Sheriff’s Offices. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alissa M. Sterling and Robert N. Melching.
Ten People Charged for their Involvement in the Illegal Trafficking of Migratory BirdsRead the Press Release
MIAMI – A federal magistrate judge has unsealed indictments brought against 10 defendants in 10 separate cases for their alleged involvement in the illegal trafficking of migratory birds under Operation Ornery Birds II.
The cases brought against the 10 defendants are:
United States v. Alain Armando Hernandez, case no. 22-cr-20535.
United States v. Daniel Hernandez Matos, case no. 22-cr-20536.
United States v. Alejandro Hernandez Valero, case no. 23-cr-20119.
United States v. Julio Cesar Santana Menduina, case no. 22-cr-20537.
United States v. Andres Hernandez Rivera, case no. 22-cr-20538.
United States v. Felix Yoan Diaz Montesinos, case no. 23-cr-20120.
United States v. Yoander Cruz Sardina, case no. 22-cr-20589.
United States v. Conrado Torres Aleman, case no. 23-cr-20121.
United States v. Armando Espino Gonzalez, case no. 22-cr-20590.
United States v. Onelio Rene Hernandez, Jr., case no. 22-cr-20591.
In 1918, Congress enacted the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA) for the protection of migratory birds. Now in its 100th year, the MBTA prohibits, among other things, the pursuit, hunting, taking, capture, killing, possession, sale, barter, purchase, shipping, exportation, and importation of migratory birds. Migratory birds are listed at Title 50, Code of Federal Regulation, Section 10.13.
According to the indictments, the defendants acquired the protected wildlife through a variety of means, including the employment of baited bird traps spread throughout the region as collection points and the barter, purchase, and sale of specimens among like-minded individuals employing internet sales sites frequented by traffickers. They also unlawfully transported the captured wildlife between buyers and sellers across the country.
According to the allegations contained in the indictments, the various defendants offered to buy, sell, or barter a variety of MBTA protected birds, including specimens of Indigo Buntings (Passerina cyanea), Blue Grosbeaks (Passerina caerulea), Rose-breasted Grosbeaks (Pheucticus ludovicianus), Painted Buntings (Passerina ciris), Northern Cardinals (Cardinalis cardinalis), and Lazuli Buntings (Passerina amoena), all highly prized for their colorful plumage and singing abilities.
Federal agents from the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) recovered more than 500 illegal specimens from the defendants. After a determination that the release of the seized wildlife was safe and appropriate, the USFWS returned as many of the birds to the wild as possible. Some of the birds did not survive.
If convicted of the charges, the defendants each face a possible maximum statutory sentence of 2 years in prison for each count of trafficking migratory birds and criminal fines of up to $250,000 per count.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida, Assistant Director Edward Grace of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), Office of Law Enforcement, acting Special Agent in Charge Michael E. Buckley of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Miami, Major Alberto Maza, Regional Commander of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), Division of Law Enforcement, South B Region, announced the charges.
USFWS, HSI Miami, and FWC investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Watts-FitzGerald is prosecuting it. Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Stone is handling asset forfeiture.
An indictment contains mere allegations, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
The public is encouraged to report any instances of illegal wildlife trapping and trafficking to the United States Fish & Wildlife Service at 305-526-2620 or the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) at 888-404-3922 or by email or text to [email protected].
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under the case numbers listed above.
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Stevens Point Man Sentenced to 6 Years for Unlawful Possession of FirearmRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Lorenzo Miner, 30, Stevens Point, Wisconsin was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to six years in federal prison for possessing a firearm after previously being convicted of a felony. Miner pleaded guilty to this charge on November 21, 2022.
On January 12, 2022, the Stevens Point Police Department was looking for Miner as part of a state investigation and observed him leaving a hotel and walking to a car, carrying an AR15 rifle partially concealed under a bathrobe. A detective drew his handgun, pointed it at the defendant, and told him that he was under arrest. Miner denied having a gun – he had already placed it in the vehicle - and refused to comply with the officer’s commands. The detective tried to gain control of him, but the defendant punched the detective in the face. After a very physical struggle the defendant was eventually taken into custody. Police searched the vehicle and recovered the unloaded AR15 in the backseat. The defendant had felony convictions for burglary, bail jumping, and drug trafficking.
At sentencing, Judge Peterson acknowledged both the aggravating facts of this case and the defendant’s significant criminal history, concluding that a long period of imprisonment was necessary to protect the public.
The charge against Miner was the result of an investigation conducted by the Stevens Point Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The prosecution of the case has been handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey Stephan.
This case has been brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the U.S. Justice Department’s program to reduce violent crime. The PSN approach emphasizes coordination between state and federal prosecutors and all levels of law enforcement to address gun crime, especially felons illegally possessing firearms and ammunition and violent and drug crimes that involve the use of firearms.
Statement of U.S. Attorney Damian Williams on the Conviction of Nicholas TartaglioneRead the Press Release
“Martin Luna, Miguel Luna, Urbano Santiago, and Hector Gutierrez were beloved fathers, husbands, brothers, and sons. In 2016, Nicholas Tartaglione, a former police officer-turned drug dealer, suspected that Martin Luna had stolen money from him. Tartaglione then devised a scheme to confront Martin at a meeting. Unaware he was being lured into a deadly trap, Martin tragically brought his two nephews — Miguel and Urbano — and a family friend — Hector — to the meeting. What occurred next could only be described as pure terror, as Tartaglione tortured Martin, then forced one of his nephews to watch as Tartaglione strangled Martin to death with a zip-tie. Tartaglione and two of his associates then transported Miguel, Urbano, and Hector — who were simply at the wrong place at the wrong time — to a remote wooded location, forced them to kneel, and executed them with gunshots to the back of the head. Tartaglione then buried all four victims in a mass grave. Tartaglione’s heinous acts represent a broader betrayal, as he was a former police officer who once swore to protect the very community he devastated. Today, a jury has found Tartaglione guilty of these heinous acts, sending a message that no one is above the law. We commend the career prosecutors and investigators for their relentless pursuit of justice in this case over the past seven years, and for ensuring that Nicholas Tartaglione faces a lifetime in federal prison for his unconscionable murder of four men. Most of all, we thank the victims’ families for trusting law enforcement to find their loved ones and see that justice was done.”
Six Sioux Falls Men Charged with Online Sex CrimesRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that Homeland Security Investigations, with the assistance of the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, Sioux Falls Police Department, Watertown Police Department, Tea Police Department, Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Office, Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, South Dakota Highway Patrol, and the FBI, conducted a joint online sex crimes operation that ran from March 3, 2023, through March 8, 2023.
As a result, the following six men from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, were arrested and charged with Attempted Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet:
Cole Bogen Bettin, age 27; Joshua David Catron, age 33; Jayden Debevec, age 28; Kody William Konechne, age 21; Michael Valleck, age 32; and Jonah Earl Severson, age 23.
The mandatory minimum penalty upon conviction is 10 years and a maximum of life in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, five years minimum of supervised release, up to life, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The charges are merely accusations and all six Defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
“Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents work tirelessly to protect children from exploitation,” said Jamie Holt, HSI St. Paul Special Agent in Charge. “This successful online sex crimes operation shows the threat child predators pose in our communities and the importance of working hand-in-hand with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to bring individuals and networks who prey on vulnerable populations to justice.”
The cases are being federally prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeffrey C. Clapper and Jeremy R. Jehangiri.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office would like to extend its appreciation to all law enforcement partners involved in the investigations for their efforts and continued cooperation.
- Shiprock man pleads guilty to involuntary manslaughter
Second Defendant Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – LANCE M. VALLO, age 38 and a resident of Gueydan, Louisiana, pleaded guilty today to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering before U.S. District Court Judge Jane Triche-Milazzo, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.
As according to court documents, VALLO conspired with RYAN MULLEN, DUANE DUFRENE, DILLON ARCENEAUX, GRANT MENARD, and ZEB SARTIN to use a number of shell Louisiana companies with no assets to defraud a merchant cash company based in Georgia. MULLEN and DUFRENE helped establish ARCENEAUX, VALLO, MENARD, and SARTIN as the owners of existing corporations. MULLEN and DUFRENE then created fake vendor accounts for the corporations, and MULLEN, with the aid of another person, created false bank records for the companies. Thereafter, VALLO used an alias to present himself as a broker for the companies he helped create.
Through the aid of another broker, MULLEN supplied the victim merchant cash advance company with the fake vendor accounts and false bank records in order to obtain funding. The victim cash advance company approved the advances and began to electronically wire ARCENEAUX, VALLO, MENARD, and SARTIN millions of dollars in advances. ARCENEAUX, VALLO, MENARD, and SARTIN laundered a portion of the funds by paying MULLEN and DUFRENE percentages of the funds. ARCENEAUX, VALLO, MENARD, and SARTIN then closed their non-existent businesses before fully repaying the victim merchant cash advance company, resulting in overall losses of approximately $6.4 million. VALLO alone, was responsible for approximately $876,000 in losses to the victim.
VALLO is set for sentencing on July 19, 2023 and faces a maximum sentence of five years on the wire fraud conspiracy, and a maximum sentence of up to twenty years on the money laundering conspiracy. After imprisonment, the defendant faces up to three years of supervised release, and up to a $250,000 fine on the wire fraud count, and up to three years of supervised release, and up to a $500,000 fine on the money laundering count. Each count also carries a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.
U.S. Attorney Evans commended the special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and IRS-Criminal Investigation for their handling of the matter. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Edward J. Rivera and Andre Lagarde of the Financial Crimes Unit.
Raleigh Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Sex Trafficking 14-Year OldRead the Press Release
NEW BERN, N.C. – Kevin Harold Rudolph, 28, of Raleigh, was sentenced yesterday to 180 months in prison for sex trafficking of a minor. Rudolph and co-defendant Marcus Gambrell were charged in a four-count superseding indictment on April 7, 2020. The indictment charged both men with sex trafficking of a minor and using the internet to promote prostitution, Gambrell with manufacturing child pornography, and Rudolph with possession of a firearm by a felon. Rudolph pled guilty to the sex trafficking charge on March 7, 2022.
According to court records and statements made during hearings, in December 2018, a Raleigh Police Department detective was conducting an online investigation when he came across an advertisement offering a minor for prostitution. Law enforcement identified the minor as a 14-year-old girl who left a temporary home six days earlier. The detective texted the phone number listed on the advertisement to set up prostitution sting date. He was directed to a room at a Motel 6 in Raleigh, where he located and rescued the victim. In the room, officers found condoms, an iPad, and a bookbag. The bookbag contained a firearm and paperwork in Rudolph’s name. On the iPad, officers found photos of the victim that had been used in the prostitution advertisements, as well as additional photos that showed the minor victim’s genitals. The hotel was registered to Marcus Gambrell.
The victim explained to officers that after running away—in slippers and with no coat, despite it being late December—she had ended up at the Raleigh Inn in Raleigh. There, on Christmas Day, she had met and socialized with Gambrell and Rudolph. The two men invited her to relocate with them to a nearby Motel 6 the next day. Once at the Motel 6, Gambrell took photos of the victim with the iPad. The two men used those photos to post and maintain prostitution advertisements for the victim on the internet. Over the next two days, they took turns supervising the prostitution and updated each other over Facebook Messenger. The victim estimated that Rudolph and Gambrell arranged around 10 to 15 “dates” per day, and they kept all the money. She stated that on one occasion Gambrell had vaginal sex with her, as Rudolph recoded a video with his cell phone. Law enforcement, however, did not recover the video. After his arrest, Rudolph provided law enforcement with the same number that has been listed in the prostitution advertisements.
Co-defendant Marcus Gambrell pled guilty on January 19, 2021, to manufacturing child pornography. On December 21, 2021, he was sentenced to a 210-month term of imprisonment.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan. The Raleigh Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jake D. Pugh prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:19-cr-0336-FL.
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Providence Man Indicted for Selling Oxycodone to Undercover OfficerRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Providence man has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Worcester for allegedly selling oxycodone on multiple occasions to an undercover officer.
Brandon Jones, 32, has been indicted on one count of possession with intent to distribute oxycodone and two counts of distribution of oxycodone. Jones was previously arrested and charged by criminal complaint on March 13, 2023. He has remained in custody since.
According to the charging documents, in July 2022, Jones was identified as an oxycodone and cocaine distributor in the Worcester area. Specifically, it is alleged that Jones traveled to Worcester in rental vehicles on a daily basis to sell drugs throughout the area in the afternoon before returning to Providence. On at least three occasions between October 2022 and January 2023, Jones allegedly distributed oxycodone pills to an undercover officer in controlled purchases. It is alleged that, at the time of his arrest on March 13, 2023, Jones was found in possession of approximately 1,500 oxycodone pills.
The charges each provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; and Southbridge Police Chief Shane D. Woodson made the announcement today. Valuable assistance in the investigation was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Rhode Island and the Rhode Island State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Greg Friedholm of Rollins’ Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Portsmouth Man Convicted of Sex Trafficking and Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A federal jury convicted a Portsmouth man today on seven charges of sex trafficking, production of child pornography, possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, and unlawful possession of a firearm.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, on April 30, 2022, Pierre De Romeo Smith, 40, met 16-year-old Jane Doe. The same day, he took sexually explicit photographs of her, as well as sexually suggestive photographs of her posed with the muzzle of a shotgun in her mouth. Several hours later, he posted these pictures of her on a commercial sex website, advertising her for commercial sex. For the following three weeks, the defendant continued to make her available for commercial sex—with as many as 30 “dates” a night—throughout the Hampton Roads area. He gave her amphetamines to keep her awake and confiscated the money from her dates.
On May 19, 2022, the Virginia Beach Police Department conducted an undercover commercial sex operation at a hotel in Virginia Beach where they encountered Jane Doe. When interviewing her at the hotel, detectives observed a text message on her phone from the defendant stating he was there. The defendant was observed arriving at the hotel’s parking garage and was arrested. In his car were multiple controlled substances, including fentanyl, cocaine and methamphetamine, and a Glock handgun, which the defendant was prohibited from possessing as a convicted felon.
Smith faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison up to a maximum penalty of life when sentenced on August 9, 2023. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Derek W. Gordon, Acting Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C.; and Paul Neudigate, Chief of Virginia Beach Police, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Elizabeth Wilson Hanes accepted the verdict.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Megan Montoya and Rebecca Gantt are prosecuting the case.
This case was investigated by the Hampton Roads Human Trafficking Task Force, a collaboration between federal, state and local law enforcement and prosecutors, as well as nongovernmental organizations, working together to combat human trafficking in the Hampton Roads, Virginia region.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-cr-122.
Portland Man Sentenced to More than 17 Years in Federal Prison for Shooting Two People During Armed Marijuana RobberyRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A Portland man convicted at trial for shooting and robbing two illicit marijuana dealers was sentenced to more than 17 years in federal prison today.
Earnest Franklin Evans, also known as Ladarius Franklin Bolds, was sentenced to 210 months in federal prison and five years’ supervised release.
“Without hesitation, Earnest Evans shot two men with a sawed-off shotgun in a dense residential neighborhood in southeast Portland. We must put an end to violence like this is in our community,” said Steven T. Mygrant, Chief of the Narcotics and Criminal Enterprises Unit of the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon.
“There should be no doubt Evans is a violent felon who holds no regard for public safety,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert Hammer, who oversees HSI operations in the Pacific Northwest. “I commend our agents and our partners at PPB, FBI, and ATF for another successful joint investigation.”
According to court documents and trial testimony, on August 3, 2017, an associate of Evans set up a ruse to purchase 10 pounds of marijuana from two local illicit marijuana dealers. After arriving at an agreed upon location, the two dealers wheeled out a large black tote full of marijuana. Shortly thereafter, two masked men—Evans and a second associate—came out from behind the corner of a building with guns drawn. Evans had a sawed-off shotgun and his associate had a pistol. Evans shot one of the marijuana dealers in the arm and the second in the back as he was fleeing. Evans and his associates took the marijuana and divided it with one another. For his participation in the robbery, Evans received two pounds of marijuana.
Evans was arrested on November 19, 2018, following the execution of a federal search warrant on his Portland residence. Investigators located and seized a shotgun and ammunition from Evan’s residence.
On May 11, 2021, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a two-count superseding indictment charging Evans with robbery and using, carrying, and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence and drug trafficking crime. On June 17, 2021, he was found guilty on both charges.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) with assistance from the Portland Police Bureau, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and the FBI. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Peter D. Sax and Jeffrey S. Sweet.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Oakland Assassin Sentenced to Life Plus 78 Months in Prison After Jury Finds Him Guilty of Carrying Out Murder for Hire PlotRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – Burte Gucci Rhodes, a.k.a. Moeshawn, was sentenced today to life in prison plus 78 months for conspiring to commit a murder for hire, committing a murder for hire, and possession with intent to distribute heroin, announced United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey, Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Robert K. Tripp, and Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Special Agent in Charge Darren Lian. The sentence was handed down by the Hon. William H. Alsup, United States District Judge.
Rhodes, 41, of Oakland, was convicted of the charges after a week-long trial before Judge Alsup. The trial focused on the March 22, 2016, murder of Louisiana native Trince Thibodeaux, age 28. Trial evidence demonstrated that Marcus Etienne, a.k.a. Hitler, 41, of St. Martin Parish, La., was the leader of a racketeering enterprise based in St. Martin Parish near Lafayette, Louisiana. The criminal enterprise engaged in a wide range of crimes including narcotics distribution, assault, robbery, extortion, extortionate collection of extensions of credit, murder for hire, murder, money laundering, illegal firearms possession, gambling on dogfighting, and obstruction of justice. As early as 2009, the enterprise was led by Etienne and eventually, Thibodeaux became one of seven principal members of the enterprise. In 2016, Etienne tasked Thibodeaux with transporting several thousand dollars and drugs from Louisiana to California. Etienne suspected and then concluded that Thibodeaux had stolen money and narcotics from the enterprise and ordered that Thibodeaux be killed. Etienne offered Mario Robinson, 36, of Opelousas, La., and Oakland, Calif., $5,000 to murder Thibodeaux, and Robinson accepted. Robinson then contracted with Rhodes, a longtime friend of his from Oakland, to complete the murder in exchange for $5,000.
Evidence at trial showed that on the night of March 22, 2016, Robinson and another member of the organization lured Thibodeaux to a predetermined location near the intersection of 90th Avenue and International Boulevard in the eastern part of Oakland, where Rhodes was waiting. The evidence demonstrated that, once Thibodeaux arrived, Rhodes approached him from behind and shot him nine times. Thibodeaux was pronounced dead later that night.
One week after the murder, Robinson sent Rhodes a wire transfer of $1,250. In the months following the murder, Robinson had other associates in Louisiana send additional wire transfers to Rhodes.
The murder took place against the backdrop of a wide variety of criminal activity perpetuated by the criminal enterprise. For example, court documents, including plea agreements signed by Etienne and Robinson, describe how the enterprise purchased marijuana in California and used the United States Postal Service to ship the drugs to Louisiana and Texas. Robinson admitted he received packages containing between one and ten pounds of marijuana every one or two months. Robinson and Etienne used cash proceeds from the narcotics trafficking to purchase marijuana and other controlled substances in California. Robinson also purchased money orders in Louisiana to pay the enterprise’s marijuana suppliers in California. Both Etienne and Robinson admitted that they conducted financial transactions with proceeds of narcotics trafficking to conceal the nature, source, and ownership of the enterprise’s profits. In addition, Etienne admitted he purchased and maintained dogs used for fighting in Breaux Bridge, Louisiana, on a property owned by another member of the enterprise. At the property, Etienne and other members of the enterprise hosted dog-fighting events at which attendees would pay a cover fee and gamble on the dogfights. Dogs, including dogs owned by Etienne, were seriously injured and even killed either during the events or as a result of the training leading up to the events.
On December 18, 2018, a federal grand jury issued a Third Superseding Indictment charging Rhodes with murder for hire, in violation of 18 U.S.C § 1958, conspiracy to commit murder for hire, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371, and other crimes while Etienne and Robinson also were charged with several crimes related to the activities of the enterprise. On November 4, 2022, a federal jury convicted Rhodes of one count of murder for hire, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1958, and one count of conspiracy to commit murder for hire, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371. After the trial, Rhodes pleaded guilty to an additional charge of possession with intent to distribute heroin, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(B)(i). Today, Judge Alsup sentenced Rhodes for all three crimes.
Etienne and Robinson admitted their respective roles in the crimes and both defendants pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute marijuana, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(A)(vii), and 846; racketeering conspiracy, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1962(d); and conspiracy to launder monetary instruments, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1956(h). Judge Alsup sentenced both Etienne and Robinson on October 13, 2020, ordering Etienne to serve 34 years in prison and Robinson to serve 32 years in prison. In addition, Etienne and Robinson twice refused to testify at trial about the murder for hire scheme when lawfully subpoenaed by the government and ordered to testify by the court. Consequently, Judge Alsup held Etienne and Robinson in contempt of court and added 12 months of prison time to each defendant’s sentence.
The United States Attorney’s Office’s Organized Crime Strike Force is prosecuting the case. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Oakland Division, the Internal Revenue Service, and the Oakland Police Department, with assistance from the St. Landry Parish, Louisiana, Sheriff’s Office, and the Opelousas, Louisiana, Police Department.
Norwalk Business Owners Sentenced to Prison for Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
TOLEDO – Gerald E. Reichert, age 65, and Adam M. Reichert, age 36, were sentenced by Judge Jack Zouhary of the Northern District of Ohio, Western Division, on April 6, 2023, following their guilty pleas to Conspiracy to Commit Major Fraud Against the United States, Highway Project Fraud, and Wire Fraud. Gerald E. Reichert was sentenced to serve 16 months in prison, and to pay a fine of $90,000. Adam M. Reichert was sentenced to serve 8 months in prison, and to pay a fine of $70,000. Both men were ordered to pay total restitution of $579,014.
Gerald (father) and Adam (son) were owners and operators of Oglesby Construction, Inc., a pavement marking contractor based in Norwalk, Ohio, that performed paint-striping services for the States of Ohio, Kentucky, and West Virginia. The men participated in a scheme to defraud state and federal governments by contracting with state authorities to perform paint-striping of roads using a certain amount of paint and glass beads, but then under-applying those materials and falsely informing states that they had complied with contractual requirements. The scheme participants misled the states by either manipulating daily excel spreadsheet reports submitted to the states, or by attaching physical manipulation devices to application trucks including applicators and scales.
The case was investigated by the United States Department of Transportation, Office of Inspector General, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert N. Melching, Jody L. King, Suzana K. Koch, and Gene Crawford.
North Braddock Felon Indicted on Drug and Gun Possession ChargesRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A resident of North Braddock, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of violating various federal narcotics and firearms laws, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
The three-count Indictment named Roman Griffey, 28, as the sole defendant.
According to Indictment presented to the court, on July 24, 2022, Griffey allegedly possessed with intent to distribute 10 grams or more of fentanyl analog, a quantity of cocaine, and a quantity of cocaine base. Additionally, the defendant allegedly possessed a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. Griffey also allegedly possessed a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not less than 5 years in prison, a fine of not more than $8,000,000.00 or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Katherine C. Jordan is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Allegheny County Police Department conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
New Jersey Man Sentenced for Using Stolen Identities to Purchase VehiclesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A New Jersey man was sentenced today for his role in a scheme to use stolen identities to fraudulently apply for and utilize bank accounts and credit cards.
Jose Irizarry, 46, of Union City, N.J., was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris to five years in prison and three years of supervised release. On Jan. 6, 2023, Irizarry pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, aggravated identity theft and false representation of a Social Security number.
The Irizarry and multiple co-defendants were charged by criminal complaint in September 2020 and subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury in October 2020. In a coordinated multi-jurisdictional effort, Irizarry was also charged in the State of New Jersey.
According to charging documents, between October 2017 and January 2019, Irizarry visited Massachusetts car dealerships to purchase late-model vehicles and applied for 100% financing. In support of the applications, Irizarry provided stolen biographical information of real United States citizens, fraudulent Puerto Rico driver’s licenses and Social Security cards in those identities, as proof of identification. He used the stolen identities to illegally open bank accounts and credit cards and purchase vehicles, many of which were exported out of the United States. Irizarry used stolen identities to obtain car loans and purchase three cars worth $140,124, collectively, although at sentencing he was held responsible for losses of between $550,000 and $1.5 million.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Michael J. Krol, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; John E. Mawn, Jr., Interim Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police; and Brockton Police Chief Brenda Perez made the announcement today. Assistance was provided by the Lowell, Lawrence, Methuen, Haverhill, Woburn and Dartmouth Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elianna Nuzum and Adam Deitch of Rollins’ Criminal Division prosecuted the case.The District of Massachusetts investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigation’s Document and Benefit Fraud Task Force (DBFTF), a specialized investigative group comprising personnel from various state, local, and federal agencies with expertise in detecting, deterring, and disrupting organizations and individuals involved in various types of document, identity and benefit fraud schemes.
The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Murderer Sentenced to 30 YearsRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Brian Riggs, 51, of Jeddito, Arizona, was sentenced last week by United States District Judge Michael T. Liburdi to 30 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. Riggs, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, was convicted of Second Degree Murder following a seven-day jury trial.
On February 16, 2019, emergency medical services responded to a home on the Navajo Nation Indian Reservation. The victim was deceased and had sustained injuries over his entire body. Riggs was the only other person present at the home when the victim was killed. The victim and Riggs were involved in an intimate relationship.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Navajo Nation Department of Public Safety conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tracy Van Buskirk and Brian Kasprzyk, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR19-08091-PCT-MTL
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-050_Riggs# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.