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3 April 2023
Jacksonville Convicted Felon Sentenced to More Than Five Years in Federal Prison for Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Brian J. Davis has sentenced Terry Lenard Shipman (48, Jacksonville) to five years and five months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Shipman had pleaded guilty in December 2022.
According to court documents, on February 5, 2022, an officer from the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office observed Shipman steal two alcoholic beverages from a RaceTrac gas station in Jacksonville. Shipman hid the beverages in his coat pocket and was confronted by the officer as he exited the store. Once detained, the officer retrieved the stolen merchandise from Shipman’s pocket, along with a Smith and Wesson .38 caliber revolver. At the time, Shipman had multiple prior felony convictions and had recently been released from prison for selling narcotics. As a previously convicted felon, he is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Jacksonville Sherriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John Cannizzaro. The forfeiture will be handled by Assistant United States Attorney Mai Tran.
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.
Indian Citizen Indicted for Multiple Counts of Alien Smuggling and ConspiracyRead the Press Release
PLATTSBURGH, NEW YORK – Simranjit Singh, a/ka/ “Shally” Singh, age 40, a citizen of India residing in Canada, was extradited to the United States last week on an indictment charging him with alien smuggling and conspiracy to commit alien smuggling. At the request of the United States, Singh was taken into custody on June 28, 2022, in Ontario, Canada. Singh was extradited from Canada to the United States on March 30, 2023.
United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; Chief Patrol Agent Robert N. Garcia, United States Border Patrol, Swanton Sector; and Matthew Scarpino, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), made the announcement.
A June 2022 indictment charges Singh with three counts of conspiracy to commit alien smuggling for profit and six additional counts of alien smuggling for profit, all of which allege his involvement and facilitation of the smuggling of Indian nationals from Canada into the United States, via Cornwall Island and the Akwesasne Mohawk Indian Reservation in the St. Lawrence River region, from at least March 2020 through March 2021. The charges in the indictment are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Singh was arraigned on March 31, in Albany, before United States Magistrate Judge Daniel J. Stewart; he is detained pending a detention hearing scheduled for April 7.
If convicted on all charges, Singh faces at least 5 years and up to 15 years in prison, as well as at least 3 years of post-imprisonment supervised release. 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 is being investigated by United States Border Patrol, Homeland Security Investigations, the Ontario Provincial Police, the Canadian Border Services Agency, and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Stitt is prosecuting this case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided substantial assistance in securing the arrest and extradition of Singh.
Huntington Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – David Frazier, also known as “Dae Dae,” 43, of Huntington, was sentenced today to two years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on June 9, 2022, law enforcement officers conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle in which Frazier was a passenger on the 100 block of Cedar Street in Huntington. Officers searched the vehicle and found a Taurus, model G2C, 9mm pistol. Frazier admitted to possessing the firearm.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Frazier knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony convictions for aggravated robbery in Wayne County Circuit Court on April 14, 2000, and for being a felon in possession of a firearm in Cabell County Circuit Court on March 2, 2018.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Huntington Police Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Taylor 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. 3:22-cr-222.
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Greenville Man Sentenced to Prison for Gun and Drug CrimesRead the Press Release
Oxford, MS – A Greenville man was sentenced today to more than 5 years in prison for drug trafficking and illegal firearm possession.
According to court documents, Bobby Buchanan, 44, previously pled guilty to one count of distribution of narcotics and one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The narcotics charge arose out of Buchanan’s sale of 100 ecstasy pills to a confidential informant. Buchanan, who is a prior convicted felon, was found in possession of a handgun when he was arrested on drug charges. Buchanan was subsequently charged with possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.
Buchanan was sentenced today by United States District Judge Glen Davidson to 67 months in prison. Buchanan will serve a three-year term of supervision upon his release from prison. Following sentencing, Buchanan was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals.
“Today’s sentence is another step towards making our neighborhoods and communities safer for all,” stated U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner. “We will continue to work with the Greenville Police Department and our law enforcement partners to make sure that individuals who choose to commit gun crimes or distribute illicit drugs are held accountable for their criminal acts and the damage they do to their community.”
Commenting on the sentence, Greenville Police Chief Marcus Turner remarked, “We would first like to thank the Special Operations Division, officers of the Greenville Police Department, and the U. S. Attorney’s Office for a job well done. This conviction is only a small portion of the body of work that we have ahead of us in fighting drug and gun violence in our community. As we move forward, we will continue to diligently work together to ensure the safety of all citizens.”
This case was investigated by the Greenville Police Department. AUSA Robert Mims prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Four Miami Residents Indicted for their Alleged Role in a Wire Fraud Scheme to Defraud the Federal GovernmentRead the Press Release
MIAMI – A federal grand jury has indicted, Maylin Salado Garcia, “Salado Garcia,” 34, Niubis Garcia, “Niubis Garcia,” 52, Oscar Enrique Pujadas, “Pujadas,” 32, and Sirce Rodriguez Rosales, “Rosales,” 38, residents of Miami, Fla., for their alleged participation in a wire fraud scheme to defraud the federal government out of more than $250,000 of funds intended for workforce development programs. The charges include conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit theft of government funds, theft of government funds, theft concerning programs receiving federal funds, and aggravated identity theft.
According to the indictment, the defendants and their co-conspirators allegedly executed a scheme to enrich themselves by obtaining reimbursement of monies from federally funded programs and depositing the reimbursed federal funds into personal and corporate bank accounts they controlled for their own personal use. In furtherance of the scheme, the defendants and their co-conspirators used stolen personal identifying information (PII) to create false and fraudulent employee files (“participant files”) and wage records. These fake participant files and wage records were used as proof of employment showing that individuals were employed at companies the defendants and their co-conspirators owned and controlled, as well as other companies.
According to court documents, Salado Garcia worked at Transition, Inc., a not-for-profit corporation located in Miami-Dade County; first as a program supervisor, and then as executive director. Transition received federal grants of money through the state of Florida, which were used to provide job training and placement services in the community. Transition worked with, for example, the Miami-Dade County Corrections and Rehabilitation Department’s (MDCR) Boot Camp Reentry Program, a federally funded program designed to provide education and training to inmates transitioning out of prison. From around April 2017 and February 2019, while employed at Transition, Salado Garcia allegedly created participant files and wage records using stolen PII to obtain federal funds for work that was never performed and, in some cases, to employees who were not employed at listed companies, and the few that did, received lower hourly wages than what Salado Garcia recorded in the participant files.
It is also alleged that Salado Garcia represented in the participant files that the employees purportedly worked at companies owned by her co-conspirators; her mother, Niubis Garcia, and her significant other, Pujadas. Additionally, Salado Garcia entered false payroll information into the Transition’s web-based payroll processor, including bank accounts owned by her and her co-conspirator, Rosales, to receive direct deposit payments from the federally funded programs which were intended for the purported employees. In addition, Rosales provided Salado Garcia with stolen PII to create the fraudulent participant files, while Pujadas also cashed the fraudulently obtained reimbursement checks at a check cashing store.
Salado Garcia, Niubis Garcia, and Rosales made their initial appearances last week before U.S. Magistrate Judge Otazo-Reyes. If convicted, Salado Garcia faces a maximum sentence of up to 87 months in addition to 24 months consecutively in prison, Niubis Garcia faces a maximum sentence of up to 51 months in prison, and
Rosales faces a maximum sentence of up to 57 months in prison.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida and Special Agent in Charge Mathew Broadhurst of the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG), Southeast Region, announced the charges.
DOL-OIG investigated the case, with assistance from Miami-Dade County Office of the Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Yisel Valdes is prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Annika Miranda 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.
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 case number 23-cr-20116.
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Former St. Louis Police Employee Admits Injuring Jail InmateRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A former police department employee in St. Louis, Missouri on Monday admitted injuring a handcuffed jail inmate.
Edward Lamar Barber, 42, was a prisoner processing clerk at St. Louis’ City Justice Center at the time. On July 11, 2019, after an inmate, “M.J.,” struck another clerk, a corrections officer used pepper spray and placed M.J. on the floor, Barber’s plea agreement says.
M.J. became compliant, was handcuffed and then Barber and the corrections officer took M.J. to a cell. M.J. did not have any injury to his face when he went into the cell, Barber admitted in his plea. While in the cell, Barber “put his hands on M.J. and forced him to the ground. As a result, M.J. suffered fractures to his nose and orbital wall,” the plea agreement says.
Barber pleaded guilty Monday in front of U.S. District Judge Sarah E. Pitlyk to one felony count of deprivation of rights under color of law, a civil rights charge. Barber admitted willfully violating M.J.’s right to be free from unreasonable force.
Barber is scheduled to be sentenced July 6. The crime carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both.
The case was investigated by the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Krug is prosecuting the case.
Former Oregon Securities Broker Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A former Oregon securities broker was sentenced to federal prison today for willfully evading payment of more than $2.5 million in personal income taxes and using the excess cash to fund a lavish lifestyle.
James W. Millegan, aka JW Millegan, 65, of McMinnville, Oregon, was sentenced to 51 months in federal prison and three years’ supervised release. Millegan was also ordered to pay more than $2.5 million in restitution to the IRS and more than $1.4 million to 12 former clients.
“Tax evasion is a crime of greed that trivializes the duty all Americans share to pay their taxes. We take these crimes seriously and will continue working with our partners at the IRS to hold criminal tax evaders accountable,” said Ethan Knight, Chief of the Economic Crimes Unit for the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
“It’s been said that the difference between tax avoidance and tax evasion…is the thickness of a prison wall. Mr. Millegan is learning that firsthand today,” said Bret Kressin, Special Agent in Charge of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS:CI) Seattle Field Office. “While everyone is entitled to use legal means to reduce their tax liabilities, Mr. Millegan actively attempted to evade his taxes for many years. Instead of paying his fair share, Mr. Millegan lived lavishly at the expense of honest taxpayers. Today, he is answering for those crimes.”
According to court documents, Millegan owned and operated J.W. Millegan, Inc. (JWMI), a small, commission-based securities broker-dealer business that served clients in the Portland and Salem, Oregon metropolitan areas. From 1996 to 2016, the firm was Millegan’s only significant source of income. Millegan closed JWMI at the end of 2016, in part because a Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) arbitration panel determined he had churned the investment accounts of several clients and fined him $450,000. Millegan filed for Chapter 13 bankruptcy almost immediately.
Over a seven-year period from July 2009 through September 2016 while operating JWMI, Millegan evaded payment of $2.5 million in income taxes due from 2006 through 2015. Millegan filed tax returns each year reflecting his true income, which sometimes exceeded $1 million, and the taxes he owed on that income, which typically ranged from $125,000 to $350,000. Despite these returns, Millegan usually paid almost no taxes when due.
Millegan was described as a prolific spender by personal assistants hired to pay his bills. He used the proceeds of his tax evasion to fund an extravagant lifestyle that included a $4.5 million home in Portland’s Dunthorpe neighborhood, a $1.3 million beach house in Gleneden Beach, Oregon, Rolls Royce and Bentley automobiles for everyday use, equestrian expenses like stabling and lessons, and an attempt to establish Wallace Bridge, a world-class equestrian competition center and resort near Sheridan, Oregon.
In 2003, Millegan bought a classic 1938 Rolls Royce Phantom III touring car at a classic car auction. From 2004 to 2006, while owing hundreds of thousands of dollars in past due taxes, Millegan spent $800,000 restoring his Phantom III, including shipping it to a restoration specialist in the United Kingdom, so that he could show it at classic car shows. In 2006 and 2007, Millegan paid to show his Phantom III at multiple premier car shows in the United States, United Kingdom, and Europe.
To evade the payment of his taxes, Millegan concealed his income from the IRS by transferring it to six bank accounts he controlled, including transferring $1.4 million to the bank account of his deceased mother’s trust, which he used to pay his personal expenses. From July 2009 through September 2016, Millegan transferred $3.7 million to these accounts. To further conceal his income, Millegan submitted false financial statements to the IRS.
On November 21, 2019, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a 13-count indictment charging Millegan with tax evasion and investment churning. Later, on February 17, 2022, he was charged by superseding indictment with wire fraud and tax evasion.
On November 14, 2022, Millegan was convicted at trial on one count of tax evasion. Millegan’s wire fraud charges were dismissed at sentencing.
This case was investigated by IRS:CI. It was prosecuted by Seth D. Uram and Meredith D.M. Bateman, Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Oregon. Assistant U.S. Attorney Hannah Horsley assisted the trial team.
The referenced media source is missing and needs to be re-embedded.Former Middle School Teacher Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Distributing on Social Media Sexually Explicit Material of ChildRead the Press Release
RIVERSIDE, California – A former middle school mathematics teacher in San Bernardino was sentenced today to 120 months in federal prison for distributing an image of a child engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
Josue Gamaliel Vidal Quintanilla, 31, of Fontana, was sentenced by United States District Judge Jesus G. Bernal, who also ordered Vidal to pay $9,000 in restitution.
Vidal, who formerly taught mathematics at Shandin Hills Middle School in San Bernardino, pleaded guilty in October 2021 to one count of distribution of child pornography.
Vidal has been in federal custody since his arrest in this case in September 2020. He will be placed on supervised release for 20 years upon his release from prison.
In September 2019 and January 2020, law enforcement received information from the Kik and Snapchat internet messaging applications that one of their users had uploaded material that was suspected to show sexually explicit material involving children. The Internet Protocol (IP) address for the Kik and Snapchat accounts was assigned to Vidal’s residence in Fontana.
Law enforcement executed a search warrant at Vidal’s home in September 2020. Vidal agreed to speak with law enforcement and admitted to viewing child pornography since early 2019. He also admitted to sending people internet links to sexually explicit material involving children as young as infants.
In total, law enforcement recovered approximately 1,500 images and 724 videos of child pornography from Vidal’s Kik and Snapchat accounts and digital devices.
Vidal pleaded guilty to distributing to another Snapchat user in August 2020 a visual depiction of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Vidal was employed as a middle school teacher during this time, but his employment later was terminated.
“This conduct is abhorrent in and of itself, but it is especially disturbing and unacceptable considering defendant’s role in the community as a teacher,” prosecutors argued in a sentencing memorandum.
Homeland Security Investigations and the Fontana Police Department investigated this matter. The San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department provided assistance with this investigation.
Assistant United States Attorney Sonah Lee of the Riverside Branch Office prosecuted this case.
Former Idaho Transportation Department Skills Tester Pleads Guilty to Receiving Bribes in Exchange for Passing Scores on Commercial Driver’s License Skills TestsRead the Press Release
BOISE – Kelly Nathaniel Goodman, 71, of Gooding, Idaho, pleaded guilty to honest services wire fraud, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced today.
According to court records, to obtain a commercial driver’s license (CDL) in Idaho, an applicant must, among other requirements, receive a passing score from a CDL skills test examiner. The Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) contracts with third-party CDL skills test examiners to administer CDL skills tests in Idaho. Since the 1990s until late 2021, Goodman was an Idaho CDL skills test examiner.
Goodman, however, engaged in a scheme and artifice to defraud ITD’s right to honest services while serving as an Idaho CDL skills tester. Without the knowledge or permission of ITD, Goodman accepted bribes in return for providing passing scores on Idaho CDL skills tests. Goodman specifically pleaded guilty to receiving a bribe on August 31, 2021, in return for giving an individual a passing score on an Idaho CDL skills test.
Between December 2017 and May 2020, Goodman accepted numerous bribes in exchange for giving passing scores on Idaho CDL skills tests. During that time, Goodman received at least $38,000 in bribes in exchange for giving passing scores on Idaho CDL skills tests.
Goodman is scheduled to be sentenced on June 22, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine. As part of a plea agreement, Goodman agreed to pay restitution to the Idaho Transportation Department and U.S. Department of Transportation, and to pay a forfeiture money judgment of at least $38,000. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Hurwit credited the cooperative efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and U.S. Department of Transportation—Office of Inspector General, which led to the charges.
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Former Fresno Bank Employee Pleads Guilty to Stealing More Than $70,000 from Customers’ AccountsRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Lladira Hernandez, 23, of Fresno, pleaded guilty today to stealing more than $70,000 from multiple customers’ accounts at a Fresno-based bank where she was previously employed, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, in April 2022, Hernandez was hired by the bank as a customer service representative. She began stealing the bank account information for customers she helped over the phone and used it to pay bills for herself and her associates. This included mortgage payments, car payments, and phone bills. In August 2022, Hernandez transferred more than $45,000 from two customers’ accounts into her own account and abruptly quit her job at the bank. She proceeded to withdraw that money from her account and was captured doing so on surveillance video.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Barton is prosecuting the case.
Hernandez is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Ana de Alba on Sept. 5, 2023. Hernandez faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
Former Clarksville School Nurse Sentenced to Federal Prison for Child Pornography CrimesRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE – Leon B. Hensley, 42, a former Clarksville, Tennessee, school nurse, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 293 months in federal prison on child pornography charges, announced U.S. Attorney Henry C. Leventis.
Hensley, a former nurse at Northeast High School (NEHS) in Clarksville, was charged and arrested in May 2021, following an investigation into allegations that he sent a digital image, via text message, of a nude adult female to a minor female in the Clarksville area. Hensley had been communicating with the minor female via text and asked her to help him with a photo shoot by posing for photos.
The subsequent investigation resulted in a superseding indictment being returned in June 2022 charging Hensley with 25 counts of attempting to produce child pornography and enticing or coercing a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing child pornography. Hensley pleaded guilty to all charges in September 2022, prior to a trial which was scheduled to begin the same day.
The investigation, including a search of Hensley’s phone led to the discovery of nude images which were later identified as minor female students at NEHS. A search of Hensley’s house resulted in the seizure of numerous electronic devices, including a small covert video camera. The devices also contained image files depicting unidentified females in hospital rooms, airports, and tanning beds, plus video files that appeared to be upskirt videos of adult and minor females.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations; the U.S. Secret Service; the FBI; and the Clarksville Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Monica Morrison prosecuted the case.
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Five Men Sentenced in Conspiracy to Distribute Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
MIAMI – Anthony Wayne Santiago, 28, of Novi, Mich.; Jacob Dominic VanDyke, 25, of Muskegon, Mich.; Johnathan Scott Fleak, 32, of Pryor, Okla.; Aaron Ray Iuliano, 27, of Ravenna, Ohio; and Michael Paul Gianfrancesco, 39, of Livingston, Tenn., all have pled guilty and been sentenced to conspiracy to distribute child sexual abuse material and distribution of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) of children under the age of 13 years.
From September to October 2021, the five defendants entered and participated in a private chat room within a social networking application. Each had to distribute CSAM of children under the age of 13 to enter the chat room. These defendants all distributed and solicited CSAM and discussed the sexual abuse of children among more than 50 other individuals. The children in the images and videos were as young as 4 years old.
Today, Judge Donald M. Middlebrooks sentenced the last of three defendants charged in the conspiracy. Michael Paul Gianfrancesco, who had previously distributed CSAM through multiple other social networking accounts, was sentenced to 17.5 years in prison. Aaron Ray Iuliano was sentenced to 15 years in prison. Jacob Dominic Vandyke to 13.3 years in prison. Previously, Judge Middlebrooks sentenced Johnathan Scott Fleak, who distributed CSAM through another online message boards, to 15 years in prison. Anthony Wayne Santiago, a registered sex offender who was on a GPS monitor at the time of his arrest, had been sentenced to 30 years in prison.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida, acting Special Agent in Charge Michael E. Buckley of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Miami, and Sheriff Ric Bradshaw of the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office made the announcement.
HSI West Palm Beach Office and the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case as part of a joint effort of the South Florida Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gregory Schiller and Brian Ralston prosecuted it.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), 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 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 the Project Safe Childhood initiative and for information regarding Internet safety, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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 case number 22-cr-80127.
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Federal Grand Jury Indicts Former Louisville Man for Possessing and Trafficking Machine GunsRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – A federal grand jury in Louisville returned a two-count indictment on March 22, 2023, charging a Louisville man with possession of and trafficking in machine guns.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Acting Special Agent in Charge Robert Maynard of the ATF Louisville Field Division, and Special Agent in Charge Rana Saoud of the Homeland Security Investigations Nashville made the announcement.
According to the indictment, Colin H. Billups, 20, of Louisville, Kentucky, was charged with one count of illegal possession of a machine gun, a Glock switch, and one count of trafficking in a firearm, a Glock switch. A Glock Switch device allows a semi-automatic handgun to function as an automatic and is defined as a machine gun under federal law.
The defendant made his initial court appearance on March 31, 2023, before a U. S. Magistrate Judge of the U. S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky in Louisville. If convicted, Billups faces a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is being investigated by ATF and HSI with assistance from the Louisville Metro Police Department, the Shively Police Department, and the Kentucky State Police.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Frank Dahl 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.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Fayetteville Man Sentenced to More Than 8 Years in Prison for Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – A Fayetteville man was sentenced today to 105 months imprisonment followed by 36 months of supervised release. Kevin Anthony Harmer, 32, of Fayetteville, North Carolina pled guilty on December 22, 2022, to Possession of a Stolen Firearm.
According to court documents and other information presented in court, on May 5, 2021, officers with the Fayetteville Police Department responded to a domestic violence call. Harmer was found near the residence with a loaded 9mm firearm in his waistband. While out on bond for that offense, Harmer was engaged in a verbal altercation with another man at a tobacco store in Fayetteville. During the altercation, Harmer shot the other man in the foot. That firearm was reported stolen by Harmer’s fiancé’s father.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after the sentencing was concluded. U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III presided over the sentencing. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosions along with the Fayetteville Police Department investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Charity Wilson prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:22-CR-00085-D.
False Statements During an Attempted Gun Purchase and History of Threatening Conduct Send Man to Federal Prison on Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
A man that made false statements during an attempted purchase of a firearm was sentenced March 29, 2023, to more than 2 years in federal prison.
Dean Kohler, age 56, from Remsen, Iowa, received the prison term after an October 3, 2022, guilty plea to making false statements during the purchase of a firearm.
Evidence in the case showed Kohler knowingly made false statements and representations to a Federal Firearms Licensee in Sioux City, Iowa, in the attempted acquisition of a rifle. Kohler represented that, 1) he had never been adjudicated as a mental defective or committed to a mental institution when, in fact, he had been subject to two court orders adjudicating him as mental defective; and 2) that he was not subject to a court order restraining him from harassing, stalking, or threatening a child or an intimate partner or the child of such partner when, in fact, at the time of the attempted acquisition, he was then the subject of a protective order with an intimate partner. When the federal background check prevented the sale, Kohler found a private party willing to sell him a firearm.
Kohler’s criminal history includes Operating While Intoxicated, Carrying Weapons, Violation of Protective Order, Disorderly Conduct, Assault With a Dangerous Weapon – where he threatened people in a Walmart parking lot with a chainsaw, and Harassment – where Kohler told a person "…time was running out for [him] and [his] stupid mother” and Kohler repeatedly drove by the victims’ home honking his horn.
Kohler was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand to 33 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Kohler is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was investigated by USDOJ-ATF and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Forde Fairchild.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 22-4038.
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Estranged wife of former deputy constable heads to prison for cocaine conspiracyRead the Press Release
HOUSTON - A 46-year-old Huffman resident has been sent to prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Priscella Yvette Cervantes is the estranged wife of a former Harris County Precinct 1 deputy constable. A federal jury convicted her Oct. 25, 2022, following a four day-trial and approximately two hours of deliberations.
Today, U.S. District Judge David Hittner sentenced her to a total of 121 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard additional argument about the sufficiency of the evidence that detailed the criminal investigation.
On or about Dec. 5, 2020, Cervantes escorted a tractor-trailer in a “ghost” police vehicle – which is a vehicle that has lights and sirens and a police decal. Her co-defendant and now estranged husband, Alexsandar S. Reyes, met her off Interstate 10 in his marked constable vehicle and then continued to escort the tractor trailer through the Houston area on I-10.
After the drug escort, Reyes received a total of $6000 in cash which Cervantes believed would be split with her.
At trial, the defense attempted to convince the jury that Cervantes did not know anything about the drug proceed monies or the cocaine. The jury did not believe those claims and found her guilty as charged.
Reyes, 49, also of Huffman, had previously pleaded guilty and is pending sentencing.
Cervantes has been in custody since the return of the verdicts where she will remain pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The FBI conducted the investigation with assistance of Harris County Precinct 1 Constable’s Office, Houston Police Department and Texas Department of Public Safety.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carolyn Ferko and Heather Winter prosecuted the case.
Essex County Postal Employee Admits Mail TheftRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – An Essex County man today admitted stealing credit cards and checks from the mail while employed as a U.S. Postal Service letter carrier, Attorney for the United States Vikas Khanna announced.
Parrish Brookins, 30, of East Orange, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Claire C. Cecchi to an information charging him with one count of mail theft by a U.S. Postal Service officer or employee.
According to the documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From January 2021 to September 2021, Brookins was employed as a U.S. Postal Service letter carrier with delivery routes in Montclair and Verona, New Jersey. Certain credit cards addressed to third-party victims and mailed to addresses in Verona and Montclair were stolen on numerous dates from routes worked by Brookins. These credit cards subsequently were activated and used to make and attempt to make fraudulent purchases in New Jersey and elsewhere. Numerous stimulus checks issued by the U.S. Department of Treasury also addressed to third-party victims and mailed to addresses in Verona covered by Brookins were also stolen along these same postal routes.
Brookins admitted in court that he had stolen numerous items of mail containing credit cards addressed to individuals living at residences on his postal delivery routes, activated some of these cards and attempted to make purchases with them. He admitted that he provided some of the stolen cards to other individuals in exchange for a fee. Brookins admitted stealing more than a dozen stimulus checks in March of 2021, which were being mailed to recipients along his postal delivery routes, and to providing these checks to other individuals for a fee, knowing that these checks would be fraudulently negotiated by others.
The mail theft charge is punishable by a maximum potential penalty of five years in prison and a maximum $250,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled for Aug. 15, 2023.
Attorney for the United States Khanna credited special agents with the U.S. Postal Service – Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Matthew Modafferi, Northeast Area Field Office, and postal inspectors of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service in Newark, under the direction of Inspector Christopher A. Nielsen, Philadelphia Division, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea. He also thanked IRS - Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Tammy L. Tomlins, for its assistance.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark J. McCarren of the Office’s Special Prosecutions Division in Newark.
brookins.information.pdfDistrict of Columbia Man Pleads Guilty to Bribing Correctional Officer to Smuggle Drugs into D.C. JailRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON –A District of Columbia man pleaded guilty today to bribing a public official to smuggle drugs into the D.C. jail. Andre Gregory, 31, pleaded guilty in United States District Court to one count of bribery. U.S. District Court Judge Dabney L. Friedrich scheduled a sentencing hearing for June 12, 2023. U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves for the District of Columbia and FBI Special Agent in Charge Wayne A. Jacobs of the Washington Field Office made the announcement.
According to court documents, in June of 2022, Gregory contacted Keywaune McLeod, 28, via jail telephone. Specifically, Gregory recruited McLeod to act as a conduit outside of D.C. jail to package narcotics and manage payments from the sale of those narcotics from inside the jail. As a part of this conspiracy, McLeod would package and provide drugs to a public official, Beverly Williams, 52, a Correctional Officer working at the jail, who would smuggle them into the facility by concealing them on her body. Once inside the D.C. Jail, Williams would transfer the drugs to Gregory who would then distribute the drugs for a profit. McLeod would accept and manage the proceeds from such distribution using CashApp and make bribe payments to the Williams for the drug smuggling.
Previously in September and October of 2022, Williams was charged as part of a three-co-defendant complaint, later followed by an indictment. Specifically, McLeod, Williams and Andre Gregory were charged with conspiracy, bribery and smuggling.
The bribery charge carries a statutory maximum sentence of 15 years in prison, as well as potential financial penalties. The federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Special Agent in Charge Jacobs commended the work of those who investigated the case from the FBI and the District of Columbia Department of Corrections Office of Investigative Services.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gauri Gopal and Ahmed Baset with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Lisa Abbe, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia’s Fraud, Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section.
Department of Justice Applies More Than Five Million Dollars from Forfeited Property to Reimburse Fraud Loss of the North Carolina Medicaid ProgramRead the Press Release
GREENSBORO, N.C. - The Department of Justice recently secured $5,245,640.02 in restitution to the North Carolina Medicaid system, which provides access to health care services for millions of North Carolina, United States Attorney Sandra Hairston announced today. The restitution resulted from a 2018 case involving a Greensboro medical transportation provider convicted of defrauding Medicaid.
According to court records, the Greensboro-based medical transport company Gate City Transportation, Inc., misrepresented their services on reimbursement applications from November 2010 until February 2015, stealing over five million dollars from the Medicaid program. The investigation revealed that Gate City Transportation deliberately submitted false claims in order to receive higher reimbursements than were appropriate by coding their services as if they were an ambulance provider despite not being authorized to do so.
Gate City Transportation pleaded guilty to one count of health care fraud in September 2018, and was sentenced on August 15, 2019, and ordered to pay restitution. A total of $5,553,486.62 will be paid to the victim which includes principal of $5,245,640.02 plus interest of $307,846.60. The funds were obtained through seizure and forfeiture of Gate City Transportation assets.
“Securing this restitution means that millions across the state of North Carolina will be able to get the healthcare they need,” said U.S. Attorney Sandra Hairston. “I am very happy that we are able to return the money that was stolen and thankful to the agencies that worked so hard to secure justice in this case.”
The 2018 criminal case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and the North Carolina Attorney General’s Medicaid Investigations Unit.
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Deceased female leads to hostage taking investigation and subsequent sentenceRead the Press Release
VICTORIA, Texas – A 32-year-old non-U.S. citizen illegally residing in Houston has been sent to prison for conspiracy commit hostage taking, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Urbino Garcia-Bahena pleaded guilty Aug. 22, 2022.
Today, Senior U.S. District Judge John D. Rainey ordered Garcia-Bahena to serve 151 months in federal prison. Not a U.S. citizen, he is expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence of how he and his co-conspirators operated the stash house in Houston using threats, intimidation and starvation to hold people there.
The investigation began when authorities found a young woman discarded and deceased on the side of the road in Victoria County. In a search for those responsible for her death, law enforcement learned of Garcia-Bahena and his co-conspirators. They were holding and mistreating another undocumented person who they had illegally transported into the country.
The man’s family had already paid $10,000. However, Garcia-Bahena and others were demanding and additional $3,500 for the victim’s release.
The investigation revealed the group had discarded the young woman after she died in their care. Law enforcement had rescued the second victim after he had been held for five days without food and been mistreated.
Garcia-Bahena has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Victoria Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation along with the Victoria County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Patti Hubert Booth prosecuted the case.
Council Bluffs Man Sentenced for a Child Sexual Exploitation OffenseRead the Press Release
COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA – A Council Bluffs man was sentenced on March 16, 2023, to 295 months in prison following his plea of guilty to sexual exploitation of a child.
The investigation into Brandon Scott Holmes, 43, started in 2021 after law enforcement found evidence that an IP address linked to Holmes was receiving child pornography from a peer-to-peer program. In October 2021, FBI executed a search warrant at Holmes’ residence. Forensic analysis of several seized devices identified thousands of images and videos of child pornography. Holmes also produced images and videos of child pornography. Holmes must serve a 10-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case.
This case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa as part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Childhood” initiative, which was started in 2006 as a nationwide effort to combine law enforcement investigations and prosecutions, community action, and public awareness in order to reduce the incidence of sexual exploitation of children. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc and click on the resources tab.
Convicted Felon Sentenced to 120 Months in Federal Prison for Multiple Drug and Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that U.S. District Judge Brian A. Jackson sentenced Dionseus Wilkins, age 29, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to 120 months in federal prison following his convictions for possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The Court further sentenced Wilkins to five years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment and ordered that the firearm involved be forfeited.
According to admissions made as a part of his guilty plea, between February 22, 2018 and February 13, 2019, Wilkins sold a total of seventy (70) grams of methamphetamine to confidential informants in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, during controlled purchases monitored by law enforcement agents.
On September 24, 2019, Louisiana State Police narcotics detectives executed a search warrant on Wilkins’ residence as well as on his vehicles. Prior to the warrants' execution, detectives observed Wilkins enter the complex's parking garage where he was then detained. During the search of the residence, detectives located nitrile gloves, protective masks, a bag of powdered sugar, strainers, and a small electric blender inside the dishwasher. Detectives also located fifty-one (51) dosage units of alprazolam in a dresser drawer in the Wilkins’ bedroom.
Prior to executing the search of one of Wilkins’ vehicles, an LSP trooper utilized a K-9 detection dog around the perimeter of the vehicle, at which time the K-9 alerted to the presence of drugs. Detectives located $10,000 in U.S. Currency (100 $100 dollar bills) located in a black bag inside of the vehicle's glove compartment and a backpack located in the vehicle's trunk. A search of the backpack revealed a Glock Model 27, .40 cal. handgun with an extended magazine containing 25 rounds of ammunition, approximately 297 grams of methamphetamine, approximately 237 grams of heroin, approximately 847 grams of marijuana, and two digital scales.
In 2015, prior to possessing the firearm, Wilkins was convicted of simple burglary in East Baton Rouge Parish.
This matter was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Louisiana State Police, with assistance from the Zachary Police Department and the Tangipahoa Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Eli J. Abad.
Convicted Drug Trafficker Sentenced to 30 Years for Trafficking Nearly 150 Pounds of Drugs, Including Heroin, Fentanyl, and MarijuanaRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Linwood Douglas Thorne, 51, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced to 30 years in prison for his role in a large-scale drug trafficking conspiracy that resulted in one of the largest seizures of heroin in the District of Columbia’s history. The sentence, handed down March 31, 2023, by U.S. District Court Judge Beryl A. Howell, was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, FBI Special Agent in Charge Wayne A. Jacobs, of the Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Divisions, and Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Weddel, of the Washington Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF).
On March 25, 2022, a jury found Thorne guilty of conspiracy, possession with intent to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute marijuana, and a firearms charge.
“This sentence should send a clear message to all those who would even consider operating a large-scale drug network: doing so will result in you possibly spending the rest of your life in jail,” said U.S. Attorney Graves. “We have zero tolerance for those looking to poison our communities with massive amounts of drugs—particularly when the drug trafficking involves firearms.”
“This joint investigation, which resulted in one of the largest seizures of heroin in our city's history, is a testament to the strength of our federal and local partnerships,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Jacobs. “The Washington Field Office's Safe Streets Task Force remains committed to pursuing criminals who traffic in drugs and guns. Let the defendant's sentence serve as a reminder of the consequences traffickers face for putting people's lives in danger.”
“Today’s announcement sends an accountability message not only to those who traffic deadly drugs and illegal firearms, but to the families of victims as well. ATF stands with our law enforcement partners to say, violent acts will cost and will be addressed accordingly,” said ATF Acting Special Agent in Charge Weddel. “We reaffirm our commitment to holding those that attempt to destroy our communities responsible for their illegal and dangerous actions.”
In 2018, the FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force began investigating Thorne, as a major heroin supplier. On Dec. 19, 2018, the FBI and ATF executed simultaneous search warrants on Thorne’s Maryland business and D.C. residence, finding 44 kilograms of heroin laced with fentanyl; 55 pounds of marijuana; five firearms; and significant drug paraphernalia. In addition to the search warrants, the task force’s investigation—which began in July of 2018—has led to the recovery of eight additional firearms, approximately 1.5 additional kilograms of marijuana, 260 additional grams of heroin, and several firearms magazines and accessories.
During trial, the government presented over a dozen civilian and law enforcement witnesses, along with digital and business records establishing and corroborating the defendant’s guilt.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves, Special Agent in Charge Jacobs, and Acting Special Agent in Charge Weddel commended the work of those who investigated the case from the FBI and ATF, as well as those from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) who were on the Safe Streets Task Force, and the United States Marshals Service. They also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by joint law enforcement and prosecution partners, including the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Georgia, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland. They also acknowledged the efforts of those who handled the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory Rosen, as well as Paralegal Specialist Alexis Spencer-Anderson of the Capitol Siege and Federal Major Crimes Section, and former Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brandon Regan, Samuel Frey, and Andrea Duvall.
Committing a Drug Crime While on Supervised Release Results in Prison SentenceRead the Press Release
A man who was found in possession of cocaine in 2022 while he was federal supervised release from a 2002 drug offense was sentenced today to more than six years in federal prison.
Vachon Robertson, age 48, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a November 3, 2022 guilty plea to one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance after having been previously convicted of a felony drug offense.
At the guilty plea and during the sentencing hearing, Robertson admitted he was in possession of 364 grams of cocaine and 28 grams of cocaine base, commonly called crack cocaine, on April 25, 2022, when he was stopped by Cedar Rapids police officers. At that time, Robertson was still on supervised release from his 2002 federal drug conviction for possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine within 1000 feet of a public playground in Cedar Rapids.
Robertson was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Robertson was sentenced to a total sentence of 74 months’ imprisonment comprised of 46 months’ imprisonment for the new crime and a consecutive sentence of 28 months imprisonment for the supervised release violation. He must also serve a 6-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Robertson is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until {he; she} can be transported to a federal prison.
These cases were prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Adam Vander Stoep and Assistant United States Attorney Patrick Reinert and was investigated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program of the United States Department of Justice through a cooperative effort of Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Task Force consisting of the DEA; the Linn County Sheriff's Office; the Cedar Rapids Police Department; the Marion Police Department; and the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number are 02-CR-00029 and 22-CR-00057.
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Collin County Woman Guilty in Theft SchemeRead the Press Release
SHERMAN, Texas– A Melissa woman has pleaded guilty to federal violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston today.
Nnenna Mary Jones, 39, pleaded guilty to wire fraud today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Christine A. Nowak.
According to information presented in court, the Texas Muslim Women’s Foundation, a 501(c)(3) public charity in Plano, Texas, serves Muslim women and their families who are survivors of domestic and family violence. The Foundation offers its clients in-house legal assistance with the immigration process, among other services. The Foundation advertises that it offers its services—including immigration legal assistance—free of charge. Jones worked for the Foundation as a paralegal and was a Department of Justice Accredited Representative, which allowed her to represent clients in court in immigration matters with the Department of Homeland Security. She was also a licensed attorney in Nigeria before moving to the United States.
The Foundation’s legal team routinely requests waivers of certain fees its clients incur during the immigration process, and most of its clients qualify for these waivers. If the Foundation’s clients do not qualify for a waiver of the immigration fees, then at times the Foundation pays the fee. However, Jones represented to clients of the Foundation that they were required to pay certain fees to the government in relation to their immigration proceedings. In reality, the clients’ fees had either been waived by the government or paid by the Foundation. Clients wrote checks and obtained money orders in the amounts of the fees Jones told them they owed to the government. However, Jones instructed the clients to leave the “pay to” line on the checks and money orders blank. Jones photocopied the clients’ checks and money orders, wrote “U.S. Department of Homeland Security” on the “pay to” line of the photocopied checks and money orders, and placed the photocopies in the clients’ files. Jones then wrote her own name in the “pay to” line of the clients’ original checks and money orders and cashed them or deposit them into her own accounts.
Jones stole approximately $17,000 from at least nine of the Foundation’s clients.
Jones was indicted by a federal grand jury on Oct. 19, 2022. She faces up to 20 years in federal prison. The maximum statutory sentence prescribed by Congress is provided here for information purposes, as the sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean J. Taylor.
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Clinton Man Sentenced to Serve 24 Years in Federal Prison for Bank Robbery and Being a Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – Last week, a federal judge sentenced RONALD DEYOUNG ALLEN, 44, of Clinton, Oklahoma, to serve a total of 288 months in federal prison for bank robbery and illegally possessing a firearm after a prior felony conviction, announced United States Attorney Robert J. Troester.
On June 15, 2021, a federal grand jury sitting in the Western District of Oklahoma returned a one-count Indictment against Allen, charging him with being a previously convicted felon in possession of a firearm. Federal law prohibits convicted felons from possessing a firearm. Then, on March 9, 2022, a separate one-count Information filed against Allen charged him with robbing the Security State Bank in Hammon, Oklahoma, on July 22, 2020.
According to public records, on July 22, 2020, Allen walked into the Security State Bank in Hammon, Oklahoma, wielding a firearm and disguised as a woman. During the robbery, Allen dropped a Kleenex-type tissue, and law enforcement collected it for DNA testing. More than six months later, on February 7, 2021, in Snyder, Oklahoma, Allen was involved in a vehicle collision where law enforcement found Allen, a convicted felon, in possession of a firearm. After the vehicle collision, the FBI collected a sample of Allen’s DNA and sent it to the FBI laboratory. The examination confirmed Allen’s DNA was on the tissue recovered in the Security State Bank robbery.
At the sentencing hearing on March 29, 2023, U.S. District Court Judge Jodi W. Dishman sentenced Allen to serve 100 months in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm and 188 months in federal prison for the bank robbery. Judge Dishman ordered those sentences to run consecutively to each other. Additionally, those sentences were ordered to run consecutively to a separate, unrelated federal Armed Robbery conviction from 2021 in Oklahoma County District Court case CF-2019-3970, for which Allen is serving a 12-year sentence in state prison.
In support of Allen’s federal sentence, Judge Dishman cited, among other things, the serious nature of the offense, Allen’s lengthy criminal history involving armed robberies, and the significant impact the robbery had on the three tellers involving in the bank robbery. Judge Dishman also ordered Allen to serve three years of supervised release when released from federal prison. The Court ordered Allen to pay $194,500 in restitution to the victim bank. Allen has been detained in federal custody since August 10, 2021.
These cases were the result of investigations by the Oklahoma City FBI Field Office, Oklahoma Highway Patrol, and Snyder Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Wilson D. McGarry prosecuted the cases.
Reference is made to public filings for more information.
Clinton Man Sentenced to 7 Years in Prison for Being a Convicted Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A Clinton man was sentenced to 84 months in federal prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Kurt Thielhorn of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearm and Explosives (ATF).
According to court documents, Stanley Cavett Jr., 35, was found in possession of a firearm by officers of the Clinton Police Department on November 4, 2019. Cavett has several prior felony convictions. As a convicted felon, it is contrary to federal law for Cavett to possess a firearm.
Cavett pled guilty on January 6, 2023 to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
The ATF and the Clinton Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica S. Terrill prosecuted the case.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Charles City Man Sentenced to More than 11 Years Prison for Distributing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
A man who distributed methamphetamine in the Charles City and Mason City areas was sentenced on March 31, 2022, to more than 11 years in federal prison.
Brandon Glaser, age 43, from Charles City, Iowa, received the prison term after an October 7, 2022, guilty plea to possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance.
Glaser was getting pound quantities of methamphetamine in Missouri and redistributing it in and around North Central Iowa. On November 21, 2021, Glaser’s car was stopped in Cerro Gordo County, Iowa, and he was found in possession of approximately 2 pounds of pure methamphetamine and over $3500 in cash.
Glaser was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Glaser was sentenced to 134 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 5-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Glaser 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 Jack Lammers and investigated by the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, the Cerro Gordo Sheriff’s Department, Mason City Police, Charles City Police, Clear Lake Police, and the Iowa State Patrol.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is 22-CR-3009.
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California Man Charged in $23 Million Fraudulent Investment SchemeRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A California man has been charged with wire fraud in federal court in Chicago for defrauding multiple investors out of more than $23 million dollars as part of a fake investment scheme.
Per the information, from February 2021 through December 2022, SEAN GRUSD, 31, of California, is alleged to have devised and carried out a scheme to defraud investors in Dylan Ventures LLC, November Acquisitions SPV LLC, and December Acquisitions SPV LLC (collectively, "the Grusd Entities") out of more than $23 million dollars. Grusd falsely represented that the victims’ money would be used to make investments in privately owned businesses. Instead of making those investments, Grusd misappropriated the victims’ funds, using the money to pay personal expenses and purchase luxury items, including expensive cars, vacations, and real estate.
As part of his scheme, Grusd provided victims with false and forged documents, including fraudulent stock certificates that showed November Acquisitions had paid $50 million for shares in Company A; and that December Acquisitions had paid $100 million for shares in Company B; when, in fact, neither of those Grusd Entities purchased shares in either of those companies. Additionally, Grusd provided one victim with a fabricated bank statement for December Acquisitions that he knew falsely reflected a balance of $133 million, when, in fact, the balance in that account was zero.
The charge is 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 government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey B. Rubenstein.
The public is reminded that an information contains only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. The charge of wire fraud carries a possible sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison. If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
Boston Man Convicted of Money Laundering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A federal jury convicted a Boston man on March 30, 2023 for his role in a money laundering conspiracy.
Mark Anthony Figueroa, 49, was convicted following a three-day trial of one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns scheduled sentencing for Aug. 16, 2023. Figueroa was indicted by a federal grand jury in November 2021.
Evidence at trial established that Figueroa used clandestine deliveries of cash to currency couriers to launder the proceeds of drug trafficking on behalf of Mexican drug cartels. Between February 2019 and May 2020, Figueroa conducted or attempted to conduct six money laundering transactions totaling more than $580,000 in cash. Once the couriers received the laundered cash from Figueroa, the organization Figueroa was working with transferred the funds via the U.S. banking system to Mexican accounts and exchange it for pesos which could be used by cartels to pay for narcotics sold in the United States.
The charging statute provides a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $500,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; and Michael J. Krol, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Leah B. Foley, Deputy Chief of Rollins’ Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit and Evan D. Panich of Rollins’ Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit are prosecuting the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Billings man admits armed robbery charges in carjackingRead the Press Release
BILLINGS — A Billings man admitted to robbery and firearms crimes today after he was accused of stealing a car at gunpoint in Billings and leading law enforcement on a chase into Big Horn County, where he was arrested, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
Joseph Wayne Cantrell, 29, pleaded guilty to a superseding information charging him with Hobbs Act Robbery and with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. Cantrell faces a maximum of 20 years in prison, a $1 million fine and at least three years of supervised release on the robbery charge and a mandatory minimum seven years to life in prison, consecutive to any other sentence, a $250,000 fine and five years of supervised release on the firearm charge.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for Aug. 2. Cantrell was detained pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents that on Jan. 8, 2022, the victim was sitting in his 2017 Subaru Outback in a parking lot in Billings when Cantrell approached his driver’s side door. The victim told Cantrell to go away. Cantrell then pulled out a black handgun, and the victim immediately surrendered his car to Cantrell, who drove off in it. Less than an hour later, law enforcement found Cantrell with the car. Cantrell fled and led law enforcement on a chase from Yellowstone County into Big Horn County. Law enforcement deployed spike strips to stop Cantrell and could hear gunshots coming from the car. The car wrecked a short time later and Cantrell fled with the firearm into a nearby field. The car’s passenger side window had been shot out. After a standoff lasting several hours, Cantrell threw the firearm away and was arrested. The firearm was a 9mm semi-automatic pistol.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas K. Godfrey and Lori Harper Suek are prosecuting the case, which was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with assistance from the Billings Police Department, Yellowstone County Sheriff’s Office, Big Horn County Sheriff’s Office and Montana Probation and Parole.
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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Baltimore County Police Officer Pleads Guilty to Accepting Bribes in Exchange for Firearms Training CertificationsRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – William R. Johnson, Jr., age 33, of Baltimore, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to a federal charge of honest services wire fraud, for seeking and accepting bribes and kickbacks, totaling at least $16,804, to falsely certify that applicants for Maryland handgun qualifying licenses (HQL) and wear and carry permits (CCW) had completed the required training.
The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), Baltimore Field Office; and Interim Chief Dennis J. Delp of the Baltimore County Police Department (“BCPD”).
“We’re taking a hardline on any and all firearms-related violations,” said U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron. “These requirements are in place for good reasons and we’re trusting law enforcement officials to ensure compliance.”
As detailed in court documents, Johnson joined the Baltimore County Police Department in August 2008, and obtained a qualified handgun instructor certificate (QHIC) from the Maryland State Police on April 29, 2019. In order to purchase, rent, or receive a handgun in Maryland, residents must have a handgun qualification license (HQL), which requires, among other things, that an applicant complete four hours of instruction by a qualified handgun instructor, including classroom training, a firearms orientation, and a “live fire” exercise in which the applicant safely shoots the weapon. Similarly, to obtain a license to wear and carry a firearm (referred to as a wear and carry permit or “CCW”) residents must undergo a minimum of 16 hours of instruction for an initial CCW application, and a minimum of eight hours of instruction for a renewal CCW application which is administered by a qualified handgun instructor. Part of the training course for obtaining a CCW is a firearms qualification exercise in which the applicant must shoot a specific course, scoring at least 70 percent accuracy, to demonstrate their proficiency and use of the firearm.
According to his guilty plea, from May 2019 through September 2021, Johnson solicited and accepted bribes and kickbacks, paid through interstate electronic funds transfer services like Venmo, CashApp and Zelle, from applicants seeking HQLs and CCWs in exchange for Johnson falsely certifying to the Maryland State Police that the applicant had completed the training required by law. Johnson communicated with applicants and arranged the payments using a messaging application. Johnson charged approximately $100 for an HQL certification and between $150 and $200 for a CCW certification. In conversations with the applicants, Johnson made clear that once they paid the money, Johnson would send them the required documentation and they did not need to attend the required classes. After receiving payment from the applicants, Johnson sent the applicants a “Certified Qualification Score Sheet” falsely certifying that the applicant completed the required training. The applicants then submitted those falsified forms as part of their application. Based on the falsified documentation provided by Johnson and submitted by the applicants, the applicants received an HQL and/or CCW from MSP.
Johnson further admitted that in January 2021, he provided information to A.F. regarding a BCPD investigation into A.F. during a text message conversation about Johnson signing off on A.F.’s required HQL training. The information Johnson provided included details which led A.F. to determine the probable identity of the individual who provided the confidential information, the fact that the individual stopped providing information to the Narcotics Unit, and that the Narcotics Unit closed out the investigation.
Johnson faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for honest services wire fraud. As part of his plea agreement, Johnson will be required to pay a money judgment of at least $16,804, representing the proceeds he obtained from the scheme. U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett has scheduled sentencing for Johnson on July 13, 2023.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI and the Baltimore County Police Department for their work in the investigation and thanked Homeland Security Investigations Baltimore, the Maryland State Police, and the Food and Drug Administration - Office of Investigations for their assistance. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christine Goo and Leo J. Wise, who are prosecuting the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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31 March 2023
York County Man Charged with Assaulting Federal Air MarshalRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Zachary William Easterly, 38, of Etters, Pennsylvania, was charged by Information with misdemeanor assault of a federal officer. Specifically, the Information alleges that on August 30, 2022, Easterly assaulted a Special Agent of the Federal Air Marshal Service who was engaged in the performance of his official duties.
If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of one year in prison, one year of supervised release, and a $100,000 fine.
The case was investigated by the Federal Air Marshal Service, an agency of the Department of Homeland Security, Transportation Security Adminstration.
An indictment, information, or criminal complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Worcester Man Pleads Guilty to Illegal Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Worcester man pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
Lawrence Rutherford, 37, pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni scheduled sentencing for July 7, 2023. Rutherford was indicted by a federal grand jury in October 2019.
On June 5, 2019, two guns and more than 600 rounds of ammunition were found in Rutherford’s home while executing a federal search warrant. Rutherford is prohibited from possessing a firearm due to prior convictions punishable by more than one year in person.
The charging statute provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; and Worcester Police Chief Steven M. Sargent made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Greg A. Friedholm and John T. Mulcahy of Rollins’ Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.
West Virginia Woman Sentenced for Role in Beckley-to-Philadelphia Firearms Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. –Stephanie Cohernour, 33, of Fayetteville, West Virginia, was sentenced today to five years of federal probation for making false statements in acquisition of firearms. Cohernour admitted to a role in a conspiracy to traffic over 140 firearms from the Beckley area to Philadelphia.
According to court documents and statements made in court, conspiracy ringleader Bisheem Jones, also known as “Bosh,” and other co-defendants traveled from Philadelphia to Beckley to oversee the purchase of firearms at Beckley-area stores. The conspirators took the firearms back to Philadelphia to sell for profit. Cohernour was one of several straw purchasers who bought firearms for the conspirators in exchange for money or drugs. Jones or an intermediary would tell the straw purchasers which firearms to buy, and provide the money for the purchases.
Cohernour admitted to straw purchasing a Glock Model 19 Gen 5, 9mm pistol and a Glock, Model 19X, 9mm pistol for Jones on April 12, 2021. Cohernour further admitted that she falsely certified on the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Federal Firearms Transaction Record Form 4473 that she was the buyer of the firearms when she knew she was purchasing the firearms for Jones and his trafficking conspiracy.
Of the over 140 firearms trafficked by the conspirators between early 2020 and mid-2021, approximately 45 were recovered at crime scenes primarily in Philadelphia and have been connected to two homicides, crimes of domestic violence, and other violent offenses. Cohernour straw purchased at least five firearms for the conspirators, including three recovered at crime scenes in Philadelphia.
Cohernour is among 18 defendants who pleaded guilty in connection with the firearms trafficking. After five days of trial, a federal jury found Jones, 37, of Philadelphia, guilty on December 16, 2022, of conspiracy to travel interstate with the intent to deal in firearms without a license, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and interstate travel with the intent to deal in firearms without a license. Jones is scheduled to be sentenced on April 28, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of 35 years in prison.
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 Philadelphia Police Department.
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Negar M. Kordestani and Steve Loew prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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-46.
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Vashon Island, Washington resident indicted for labor trafficking offensesRead the Press Release
Seattle – A 44-year-old Vashon Island, Washington resident was arrested yesterday on a superseding indictment charging him with ten federal felonies related to human trafficking in the form of forced labor, announced U.S. Attorney Nick Brown. Jesus Ruiz-Hernandez, aka Christo Jesus Escobar Solares, was originally indicted in November 2022 for transporting, harboring, and bringing an alien to the United States for financial gain. The superseding indictment, returned this week, adds seven federal counts including two counts of forced labor and additional counts of transporting, harboring, and bringing an alien to the U.S. for financial gain.
“Undocumented people are particularly vulnerable to forced labor schemes because they believe they do not have the same basic rights as U.S. citizens,” said U.S. Attorney Nick Brown. “In this case the grand jury found that Mr. Ruiz-Hernandez sought to enrich himself by forcing undocumented workers to labor for him, and that he benefitted financially by bringing undocumented workers to Western Washington.”
Specifically, the indictment states that in the spring of 2017, Ruiz-Hernandez used force, threats of force, and physical violence to force an adult victim to work for him (count 1). That count also alleges the victim suffered aggravated sexual abuse. Ruiz-Hernandez is charged with transporting that victim for financial gain (count 2), harboring that victim for financial gain (count 3), and bringing that victim to the United States for financial gain (count 4).
The superseding indictment also charges that in July 2018, and continuing until August 2021, a second victim was forced to work for Ruiz-Hernandez and was threatened with harm (count 5). That victim was also transported for financial gain (Count 6). The indictment also charges that the victim was harbored for financial gain (count 7) and was brought to the U.S. for financial gain (count 8).
Finally, Ruiz-Hernandez is charged with transporting and harboring a third victim for financial gain between May 2020 and August 2021(counts 9 and 10).
When Ruiz-Hernandez was arrested on the first indictment in November 2022, the Magistrate Judge determined there were conditions under which he could safely be released, and he had been out of custody until yesterday.
Following his arrest yesterday, law enforcement determined that he was harboring five additional workers who do not appear to have status in the United States. The investigation into how those non-citizens came to be employed by Ruiz-Hernandez is under investigation. After hearing argument, Magistrate Judge Mary Alice Theiler determined there are no conditions under which Ruiz-Hernandez can be safely released in the community, and that he poses a risk of flight.
The charges contained in the indictment are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Trial in this matter is set for May 15, 2023, in front of U.S. District Judge James L. Robart.
Forced labor is punishable by up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, and up to life imprisonment if the jury determines that the offense involved aggravated sexual abuse. Transporting an alien for financial gain and harboring an alien for financial gain are each punishable by up to ten years in prison. Bringing an alien to the United States for financial gain is punishable by a mandatory minimum three years in prison and up to ten years in prison.
The case is being investigated by the Seattle Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kate Crisham. Ms. Crisham is the Western District of Washington coordinator of our efforts to stop human trafficking.
United States Files Forfeiture Action Against over One Million Rounds of Ammunition Enroute from Iran to YemenRead the Press Release
The Justice Department today announced the filing of a forfeiture complaint against over one million rounds of ammunition, thousands of proximity fuses for rocket-propelled grenades, and thousands of pounds of propellant for rocket-propelled grenades that the U.S. Navy seized in transit from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to militant groups in Yemen.
“The United States disrupted a major operation by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to smuggle weapons of war into the hands of a militant group in Yemen. The Justice Department is now seeking the forfeiture of those weapons, including over one million rounds of ammunition and thousands of proximity fuses for rocket-propelled grenades,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The Justice Department will be relentless in holding accountable those who break our laws and threaten our national security.”
“This forfeiture action prevents ammunition and dangerous weapons from falling into the wrong hands and highlights the importance of our investigative work to deny criminal and terrorist networks their instruments of violence and destruction,” said Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas. “I am extremely proud of the critical investigative role played by Homeland Security Investigations alongside our law enforcement and Department of Defense partners in a collaborative whole-of-government effort.”
“This forfeiture action aims to stop in its tracks yet another attempt by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and its proxies to fuel violence and conflict around the globe,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves for the District of Columbia. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia will use all our tools, including our jurisdiction to seize and forfeit assets, located abroad, to disrupt the IRGC’s efforts to sow discord.”
“Today’s outcome should serve as a stark reminder to individuals and entities seeking to illicitly traffic in armaments that could potentially be used in a manner that is contrary to our nation’s interests,” said Principal Deputy Director James R. Ives of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), the investigative arm of the Department of Defense’s Office of Inspector General. “DCIS and our law enforcement partners will work tirelessly to bring to justice those who engage in unlawful weapons proliferation that serves to destabilize communities and countries, and contributes to a range of nefarious activities, including terrorism, organized crime, and violent conflicts.”
According to court documents, on or about Dec. 1, 2022, U.S. Central Command forces seized the weapons from a flagless vessel in the Arabian Sea. The seizure included 1.063 million rounds of 7.62mmx54mm ammunition; 24,000 rounds of 12.7mmx99mm ammunition; 6,960 proximity fuses for rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs), and 2,000 kg of propellant for rocket-propelled grenades.
The government’s forfeiture action is part of a larger investigation of an Iranian weapons-smuggling network. The network was involved in the illicit trafficking of advanced conventional weapons systems and components by sanctioned Iranian entities that directly support military action by the Houthi movement in Yemen and the Iranian regime’s campaign of terrorist activities throughout the region. The forfeiture complaint alleges a sophisticated scheme by the IRGC to clandestinely ship weapons to entities that pose grave threats to U.S. national security.
This forfeiture action is a product of the U.S. government’s coordinated effort to enforce U.S. sanctions against the IRGC and the Iranian regime and are merely allegations.
The HSI Washington Field Office and the DCIS Mid-Atlantic Field Office are leading the larger investigation of the Iranian weapons-smuggling network, with substantial assistance from the U.S. Naval Forces Central Command in conducting the seizure.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stuart D. Allen, Brian P. Hudak, Rajbir S. Datta, and Anna D. Walker for the District of Columbia and Trial Attorney S. Derek Shugert of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are litigating the case, with support from Paralegal Specialists Brian Rickers and Angela De Falco.
The burden to prove forfeitability in a forfeiture proceeding is upon the government.
United States Files Forfeiture Action Against More Than One Million Rounds of Ammunition Enroute from Iran to YemenRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - The Justice Department today announced the filing of a forfeiture complaint against more than one million rounds of ammunition, thousands of proximity fuses for rocket-propelled grenades, and thousands of pounds of propellant for rocket-propelled grenades that the U.S. Navy seized in transit from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to militant groups in Yemen.
“The United States disrupted a major operation by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to smuggle weapons of war into the hands of a militant group in Yemen. The Justice Department is now seeking the forfeiture of those weapons, including over one million rounds of ammunition and thousands of proximity fuses for rocket-propelled grenades,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The Justice Department will be relentless in holding accountable those who break our laws and threaten our national security.”
“This forfeiture action aims to stop in its tracks yet another attempt by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and its proxies to fuel violence and conflict around the globe,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves of the District of Columbia. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia will use all our tools, including our jurisdiction to seize and forfeit assets, located abroad, to disrupt the IRGC’s efforts to sow discord.”
“This forfeiture action prevents ammunition and dangerous weapons from falling into the wrong hands and highlights the importance of our investigative work to deny criminal and terrorist networks their instruments of violence and destruction,” said Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas. “I am extremely proud of the critical investigative role played by Homeland Security Investigations alongside our law enforcement and Department of Defense partners in a collaborative whole-of-government effort.”
According to court documents, on or about December 1, 2022, U.S. Central Command forces seized the weapons from a flagless vessel in the Arabian Sea. The seizure included 1.063 million rounds of 7.62mmx54mm ammunition, 24,000 rounds of 12.7mmx99mm ammunition, 6,960 proximity fuses for rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs), and 2,000 kg of propellant for rocket-propelled grenades.
“Today’s outcome should serve as a stark reminder to individuals and entities seeking to illicitly traffic in armaments that could potentially be used in a manner that is contrary to our nation’s interests,” said Principal Deputy Director James R. Ives of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), the investigative arm of the Department of Defense’s Office of Inspector General. “DCIS and our law enforcement partners will work tirelessly to bring to justice those who engage in unlawful weapons proliferation that serves to destabilize communities and countries, and contributes to a range of nefarious activities, including terrorism, organized crime, and violent conflicts.”
The government’s forfeiture action is part of a larger investigation of an Iranian weapons- smuggling network. The network was involved in the illicit trafficking of advanced conventional weapons systems and components by sanctioned Iranian entities that directly support military action by the Houthi movement in Yemen and the Iranian regime’s campaign of terrorist activities throughout the region. The forfeiture complaint alleges a sophisticated scheme by the IRGC to clandestinely ship weapons to entities that pose grave threats to U.S. national security.
This forfeiture action is a product of the U.S. government’s coordinated effort to enforce U.S. sanctions against the IRGC and the Iranian regime and are merely allegations.
HSI’s Washington Field Office and DCIS’s Mid-Atlantic Field Office are leading the larger investigation of the Iranian weapons-smuggling network, with substantial assistance from the U.S. Central Command Forces in conducting the seizure.
The case is being litigated by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the National Security Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stuart D. Allen, Brian P. Hudak, Rajbir S. Datta, and Anna D. Walker and National Security Division Trial Attorney S. Derek Shugert are litigating the case, with support from Paralegal Specialist Brian Rickers and Angela DeFalco.
On December 1, 2022, U.S. authorities seized:
Alt. text: Picture displays large amount of ammo subject to forfeiture spread across a gray surface. 1.063 million rounds of 7.62 mm ammunition: 24,000 rounds of 12.7 mm ammunition; 6,960 proximity fuses for rocket-propelled grenades; and 2,000 kg (800 boxes/2,500 g) of propellant used to launch rocket-propelled grenades.
1.063 million rounds of 7.62mm ammunition
24,000 rounds of 12.7mm ammunition
6,960 proximity fuses for rocket-propelled grenades (see pdf)
2,000kg (800 boxes/2,500g) of propellant used to launch rocket propelled grenades (see pdf).
U.S. Attorney Releases Recorded Statement in Celebration of Transgender Day of Visibility TodayRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: Today, March 31, is Transgender Day of Visibility, a day of recognition and celebration that will be marked by events across the country, including here in Maine. The U.S. Attorney joins in the marking of the occasion with the release of a recorded statement and wishes all of today’s celebrants a safe and joyful day.
Ensuring that all Mainers are treated fairly and with respect, and in accordance with federal law, is among the highest priorities for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine. The U.S. Attorney is committed to engaging in a meaningful dialogue with the transgender community in Maine to show support and to increase public safety, with an aim to build trust in the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Department of Justice, and in law enforcement to foster an environment where the reporting of hate crimes feels safe and meaningful.
View and/or download the U.S. Attorney’s recorded statement: https://youtu.be/Fq5eEcimLCM
Text of the recorded statement: “As U.S. Attorney, I have had the privilege of meeting several transgender Mainers. I want to thank you all for sharing your stories and challenges with me. I am hopeful that I can use my position to spread awareness on transgender issues throughout Maine in order to help remove barriers and address matters that are important to you. I want to affirm my commitment to doing what I can to ensure that you feel seen, heard, and respected when you interact with law enforcement, including with my office and the Department of Justice. I hope you will continue to work with me to develop trust. Today, as we celebrate Transgender Day of Visibility, please know that I see you. I celebrate you. And I am committed to making Maine a safer place for you.”
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U.S. Attorney Dena J. King to Host Meeting of Attorney General's Advisory Committee's Subcommittee on Native American Issues in Cherokee, N.C.Read the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – United States Attorney Dena J. King will host a meeting of the U.S Attorney General’s Advisory Committee’s Subcommittee on Native American Issues from April 4 to April 6, 2023, in Cherokee, North Carolina.
U.S. Attorney King serves as Chair of the NAIS, the longest standing subcommittee of the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee (AGAC). The NAIS consists of 18 U.S. Attorneys from across the United States, serving in districts that include Indian Country or one or more federally recognized Tribes within their jurisdiction.
The NAIS focuses exclusively on Indian Country matters, and it is tasked with advising the AGAC and Department of Justice leadership and components with developing and implementing comprehensive federal efforts and initiatives related to Indian Country and making policy recommendations on issues affecting American Indian and Alaska Native communities.
“As Chair of the NAIS, I am honored to host our subcommittee meeting in the Western District of North Carolina,” said U.S. Attorney King. “The NAIS meeting is an important opportunity for United States Attorneys, Justice Department officials, Tribal liaisons, law enforcement, and representatives of federal agencies to discuss a range of topics that are critical to the health and safety of American Indian and Alaska Native communities, share best practices, and hold important discussions on enhancing our partnerships with our Tribal counterparts.”
The agenda for the NAIS meeting includes multiple panel discussions with experts on Indian Country matters, on the topics of crime deterrence and intervention, criminal legal and legislative updates, federal response to missing or murdered indigenous people, drug enforcement and substance use disorder prevention efforts, reentry courts, assistance and provision of services to victims of crime, outreach and education initiatives, and implementation or enhancement of programs related to community safety and public health and wellness.
Participants will travel to the Museum of the Cherokee Indian for a guided tour on Cherokee Indian history, culture, and artifacts, followed by a visit to Cherokee High School for a panel discussion with student leaders and school administrators on topics of concern to young people, including juvenile crime prevention, bullying, mental health, equity in the criminal justice system, and building trust with law enforcement.
The meeting will conclude with an in-depth discussion of NAIS members centered on existing and emerging public safety issues in Tribal communities, policy recommendations to the AGAC, and federal funding opportunities to support the Justice Department’s initiatives in Indian Country.
“U.S. Attorneys’ Offices play an integral role in implementing the Justice Department’s policies and strategies to address the public safety concerns of Tribal communities,” said U.S. Attorney King. “The NAIS meeting is an opportunity for U.S. Attorneys to discuss ongoing efforts in our respective districts to combat crime in Indian Country, share best practice, identify areas of improvement, and advance engagement and collaboration with Tribal leadership to achieve these goals.”
In addition to U.S. Attorney King, the U.S. Attorneys of the following districts are attending the NAIS meeting: District of Alaska, District of Arizona, District of Connecticut, District of Maine, District of Massachusetts, District of Montana, District of Nevada, District of North Dakota, District of South Dakota, District of Utah, District of Wyoming, Northern District of California, Northern District of Indiana, Northern District of Oklahoma, Eastern District of Michigan, Eastern District of Oklahoma, Eastern District of Washington, Southern District of Mississippi, Western District of Louisiana, Western District of Oklahoma, and Western District of Washington. Other Department of Justice leaders and component agencies will be attending the NAIS meeting as well.
U.S. Attorney Dena J. King Joins Panel Discussion on “Diversifying the Criminal Justice Landscape ” at Johnson C. Smith UniversityRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Today, U.S. Attorney Dena J. King joined professionals in the criminal justice field for a panel discussion at Johnson C. Smith University (JCSU) on the topic of “Diversifying the Criminal Justice Landscape.”
The event was organized by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), in collaboration with JCSU’s Criminology Program and the College of Arts, as part of ATF’s “Law Enforcement Leaders of America,” or LELA initiative, which aims to advance diversity in the criminal justice profession.
U.S. Attorney King has supported the LELA initiative from its inception and has participated on multiple LELA events held on college campuses of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in North Carolina, including at Livingstone College, Winston Salem State University, and at North Carolina Central University, U.S. Attorney King’s alma mater.
“I am pleased and honored to be a part of this important initiative, centered on promoting diversity in the criminal justice field. These events are a remarkable opportunity to engage directly with undergraduate students and spark their interest in careers they may not have explored up to this point,” said U.S. Attorney King. “Looking back to when I was in college, there were limited opportunities for minority students to be exposed to and learn about professional opportunities in this field. I am excited be a part of the LELA program and I am looking forward to participating in future events.”
U.S. Attorney King was joined in this panel discussion by criminal justice professionals representing federal, state and local government agencies, who shared valuable perspectives on career paths, job preparation, obstacles, and lessons learned. College students who attended the event also received information on a broad range of topics related to career options, internship opportunities, and practical tips, such as preparing for a job interview. Following the panel discussion, students had an opportunity to ask questions and network with the panelists.
Three Men Indicted for Multimillion-Dollar Accounting Fraud Scheme at U.S. Navy ShipbuilderRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury returned an indictment yesterday charging three Alabama men with orchestrating an accounting fraud scheme at Austal USA LLC, a Mobile-based shipbuilder that constructs vessels for the U.S. Navy, including the Independence-class Littoral Combat Ship (LCS). Austal USA is a wholly owned subsidiary of Austal Limited, an Australian company that is traded over-the-counter in the United States via American Depositary Receipts, as well as on the Australian Securities Exchange.
According to court documents, from at least in or around 2013 through at least in or around July 2016, Craig Perciavalle, 52, Joseph Runkel, 54, and William Adams, 63, all of Mobile, and their co-conspirators allegedly conspired to mislead Austal Limited’s shareholders and the investing public about Austal USA’s financial condition. Specifically, the defendants are alleged to have artificially reduced and suppressed an accounting metric known as “estimate at completion” (EAC) in relation to multiple LCS ships that Austal USA was building for the U.S. Navy. Suppressing the EACs allegedly falsely overstated Austal Limited’s reported earnings in its public financial statements.
The defendants and their co-conspirators allegedly manipulated the EAC figures in part by using so-called “program challenges” – ostensibly cost-savings goals – but which in reality were “plug” numbers and fraudulent devices to hide growing costs that should have been incorporated into Austal USA’s financial statements, and ultimately reflected in Austal Limited’s reported earnings. The defendants allegedly did this, among other reasons, to maintain and increase the share price of Austal Limited’s stock. When the higher costs were eventually disclosed to the market, the stock price was significantly negatively impacted and Austal Limited wrote down over $100 million.
Perciavalle, Adams, and Runkel are each charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud affecting a financial institution, five counts of wire fraud, and two counts of wire fraud affecting a financial institution. If convicted, they each face a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison for the conspiracy count and each count of wire fraud affecting a financial institution, and 20 years in prison for each count of wire fraud.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Sean Costello for the Southern District of Alabama, Special Agent in Charge Darrin K. Jones of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) Southeast Field Office, and Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael D. Butler II of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) Economic Crimes Field Office made the announcement.
DCIS and NCIS are investigating the case.
Assistant Chief Kyle Hankey, Acting Assistant Chief Christopher Jackson, and Trial Attorney Laura Connelly of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Bodnar for the Southern District of Alabama are prosecuting the case.
If you believe you are a victim in this case, please contact the Fraud Section’s Victim Witness Unit toll-free at (888) 549-3945 or by email at [email protected]. Victims can find case updates and additional information at www.justice.gov/criminal-vns/case/united-states-v-craig-d-perciavalle-et-al.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Three Men Indicted for Multimillion-Dollar Accounting Fraud Scheme at U.S. Navy ShipbuilderRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury returned an indictment yesterday charging three Alabama men with orchestrating an accounting fraud scheme at Austal USA LLC, a Mobile-based shipbuilder that constructs vessels for the U.S. Navy, including the Independence-class Littoral Combat Ship (LCS). Austal USA is a wholly owned subsidiary of Austal Limited, an Australian company that is traded over-the-counter in the United States via American Depositary Receipts, as well as on the Australian Securities Exchange.
According to court documents, from at least in or around 2013 through at least in or around July 2016, Craig Perciavalle, 52, Joseph Runkel, 54, and William Adams, 63, all of Mobile, and their co-conspirators allegedly conspired to mislead Austal Limited’s shareholders and the investing public about Austal USA’s financial condition. Specifically, the defendants are alleged to have artificially reduced and suppressed an accounting metric known as “estimate at completion” (EAC) in relation to multiple LCS ships that Austal USA was building for the U.S. Navy. Suppressing the EACs allegedly falsely overstated Austal Limited’s reported earnings in its public financial statements.
The defendants and their co-conspirators allegedly manipulated the EAC figures in part by using so-called “program challenges” – ostensibly cost-savings goals – but which in reality were “plug” numbers and fraudulent devices to hide growing costs that should have been incorporated into Austal USA’s financial statements, and ultimately reflected in Austal Limited’s reported earnings. The defendants allegedly did this, among other reasons, to maintain and increase the share price of Austal Limited’s stock. When the higher costs were eventually disclosed to the market, the stock price was significantly negatively impacted and Austal Limited wrote down over $100 million.
Perciavalle, Adams, and Runkel are each charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud affecting a financial institution, five counts of wire fraud, and two counts of wire fraud affecting a financial institution. If convicted, they each face a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison for the conspiracy count and each count of wire fraud affecting a financial institution, and 20 years in prison for each count of wire fraud.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Sean Costello for the Southern District of Alabama, Special Agent in Charge Darrin K. Jones of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) Southeast Field Office, and Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael D. Butler II of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) Economic Crimes Field Office made the announcement.
DCIS and NCIS are investigating the case.
Assistant Chief Kyle Hankey, Acting Assistant Chief Christopher Jackson, and Trial Attorney Laura Connelly of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Bodnar for the Southern District of Alabama are prosecuting the case.
If you believe you are a victim in this case, please contact the Fraud Section’s Victim Witness Unit toll-free at (888) 549-3945 or by email at [email protected]. Victims can find case updates and additional information at www.justice.gov/criminal-vns/case/united-states-v-craig-d-perciavalle-et-al.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Texas Man Sentenced in Nationwide Cocaine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A commercial truck driver from Texas was sentenced today in federal court in Worcester for transporting large amounts of cocaine and drug proceeds to and from Massachusetts on behalf of a drug trafficking organization based in Mexico and Texas.
Carlos Alfredo Longoria, 33, of Laredo, Texas, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni to 34 months in prison and two years of supervised release. In September 2022, Longoria pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and one count of distribution and possession with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine.
In November 2021, Longoria was charged in a five-count superseding indictment along with co-defendants Javier Robledo Perez, Vicente Castro III and Francis Jose Perez-Baez. Longoria was a commercial truck driver who transported kilograms of cocaine, and hundreds of thousands of dollars in drug proceeds across state lines on behalf of a drug trafficking organization based in Mexico and Texas. In July 2020, Longoria collected nearly $280,000 in drug proceeds in Massachusetts and transported that money back to Texas to be sent back to the drug suppliers in Mexico. In September and October 2020, Longoria traveled to Massachusetts to deliver and/or pick up vehicles that had hidden compartments installed in them for the drug trafficking organization to use to hide drugs and drug proceeds. In January 2021, Longoria delivered nearly eight kilograms of cocaine to a cooperating witness in Massachusetts. In February 2021, Longoria’s co-conspirators made arrangements for Longoria and his co-defendant Castro to deliver an additional 10 kilograms of cocaine to Massachusetts. On Feb. 8, 2021, agents stopped Longoria and Castro and seized nearly 10 kilograms of cocaine from the truck they were driving.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and John E. Mawn, Interim Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement today. The Drug Enforcement Administration, Dallas and Laredo (Texas) Divisions provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alathea Porter of Rollins’ Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The details contained in the complaint are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Texas Man Sentenced for Multi-State Drug Trafficking OperationRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Houston, Texas, man was sentenced today to 10.5 years in prison for distributing more than five kilograms of cocaine hydrochloride.
According to court documents, Elvis Elias Lopez, 28, along with his co-defendant Jamane Arvis Greene, 45, of Farmville, conspired to operate a multi-state drug trafficking operation to distribute large amounts of cocaine hydrochloride into the Richmond community.
As a result of this investigation, officers seized 18.9 kilograms of cocaine that were intended for distribution into the community, three firearms, and $1,127,835. Lopez and Greene forfeited the following items, either judicially or administratively: three firearms, all accompanying magazines and ammunition, $1,127,835 in U.S. Currency, 18kt yellow gold and stainless-steel Rolex wristwatch, 14kt yellow gold “Success Addictz” pendant, and a yellow gold large pave diamond “We Paid L*O Success Addictz" necklace.
On February 24, Greene was sentenced to 17 years in prison for his role in the conspiracy.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Jarod Forget, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Field Division; and Colonel Jeffrey S. Katz, Chesterfield County Police Department, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Janet Jin Ah Lee and Stephen E. Anthony prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:22-cr-118.
Tennessee Man Sentenced to Life Plus 10 Years in Prison for First-Degree Murder in the Death of His U.S. Army Soldier Wife at Fort CampbellRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – A Clarksville, Tennessee man, formerly of Jacksonville, Florida, was sentenced yesterday to life, plus 10 years, in prison for the October 14, 2018, murder of his wife and shooting of another man at Fort Campbell, Kentucky.
Victor E. Silvers, 33, was sentenced in the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky, to life in prison, plus an additional consecutive 10 years in prison, for first-degree murder, attempted murder, domestic violence resulting in death, violation of a protective order resulting in death, possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, and two counts of discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. There is no parole in the federal system.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Jodi Cohen of the FBI Louisville Field Office, Acting Special Agent in Charge Robert Maynard of the ATF Louisville Field Division, and Special Agent in Charge Ronald Yeatts of the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division (CID), Midcentral Field Office, made the announcement.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Silvers drove from his Clarksville, Tennessee, residence to the Fort Campbell, Kentucky military installation on October 14, 2018. Silvers then shot his estranged wife, Brittney Silvers, three times, killing her. Silvers also shot another man, James Keating. Five days before the murder, Brittney Silvers had been granted a Domestic Violence Order of Protection that prohibited Silvers from being within 300 feet of her or committing violent acts against her. Due to the Domestic Violence Order of Protection entered against him, Silvers was prohibited from possessing a firearm. Brittney Silvers was a U.S. Army Soldier assigned to Fort Campbell, Kentucky, at the time of her murder.
“I commend the work of the FBI, ATF, and Army CID during the investigation of this matter as well as the prosecution team for their outstanding presentation of the case at trial,” stated U.S. Attorney Bennett. “Fort Campbell is home to numerous military units and organizations to include, the 101st Airborne Division, the 5th Special Forces Group, and the 160th Special Aviation Operations Regiment. The Soldiers assigned to Fort Campbell, their family members, and those who live and work on the installation were accustomed to feeling safe and secure within its boundaries. Silvers shattered the sense of security when he violently murdered his wife and shot another victim in October 2018. As a result of his brutal actions, he will justifiably spend the remainder of his life in a federal prison cell.”
“Domestic violence oftentimes cripples extended families and even entire communities,” stated FBI Special Agent in Charge Cohen. “Brittney’s family, friends, and the Fort Campbell community will never be rid of the pain from this senseless murder, but hopefully this sentence gives everyone some sense of resolve knowing Silvers will spend the remainder of his life in a cell.”
“I commend the efforts of the ATF agents, our law enforcement partners, and the prosecution team who worked diligently on this investigation to bring this killer to justice,” said ATF Acting Special Agent in Charge A.J. Gibes of the Louisville Division. “We hope this sentence brings some sense of healing to the victims’ families and sends a very clear message that ATF and our law enforcement partners will not stand by and allow these acts of violence."
This case was investigated by the FBI, ATF, and U.S. Army CID.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Seth Hancock, Leigh Ann Dycus, and Raymond McGee of the U.S. Attorney’s Paducah Branch Office prosecuted the case with the assistance of paralegal Christy Crockett.
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Sussex County Man Charged with Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Sussex County, New Jersey, man was arrested and charged with distributing videos and images of child sexual abuse, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Gaetano Lapegna, 64, of Franklin, New Jersey is charged by complaint with one count of distribution of child pornography. He appeared on March 30, 2023, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Cathy L. Waldor in Newark federal court and was released on $100,000 unsecured bond.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From December 2022 to March 2023, Lapegna distributed videos and images of child sexual abuse via a publicly available online peer-to-peer (P2P) file-sharing program. An undercover law enforcement officer conducted online sessions using the P2P program, during which a user shared hundreds of videos and images of child sexual abuse from an IP address traced to Lapegna’s address.
Subsequent to a lawful search of his residence on March 30, 2023, law enforcement officers recovered at least two videos and 100 images depicting child sexual abuse on Lapegna’s thumb drive. Law enforcement also found that Lapegna’s computer was running the same version of the P2P program from which law enforcement downloaded child pornography from Lapegna.
The count of distribution of child pornography carries a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and a fine of $250,000.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, New Jersey Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel, with the investigation leading to the charges. He also thanked the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Sussex County Prosecutor’s Office, and Franklin Borough Police Department for their assistance.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Farhana C. Melo of the General Crimes Unit in Newark.
The charge and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
lapegna.complaint.pdfSt. Clair Shores Physician Convicted of Causing Patient’s Drug Overdose Death and Prescription Drug OffensesRead the Press Release
DETROIT – Former St. Clair Shores physician Bernard Shelton, 66, was convicted today by a federal jury in Detroit on twenty-one charges related to the unlawful distribution of prescription drugs. He was also convicted of a patient’s overdose death that resulted from his unlawful prescribing, announced United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison.
Ison was joined in the announcement by Special Agent in Charge Orville O. Greene, Drug Enforcement Administration, Detroit Field Division.
The trial began on February 28, 2023 and was conducted before United States District Judge Denise Page Hood.
The evidence demonstrated that Shelton prescribed over 5.5 million doses of controlled substances between April 2013 and December 2016. Shelton prescribed over 2.7 million doses of Schedule II controlled substances such as oxycodone and hydrocodone, usually prescribing the types and strengths of drugs most valuable on the street market. When an undercover patient made an initial visit to Dr. Shelton complaining of back stiffness, Dr. Shelton did not examine the patient’s back, but instead asked “What can I give you today” before prescribing the requested narcotics. The jury found that Dr. Shelton issued twenty-one prescriptions to seven different patients outside the usual course of professional practice and for no legitimate medical purpose so he could charge for office visits and tests. Shelton received over $1.4 million from Medicare, Medicaid, and Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Michigan during the same time period.
Shelton began prescribing opioid pain relievers in 2010 to a patient whose pain was previously treated by prescription strength Motrin. Shelton prescribed increasingly stronger controlled substances over the next six years, and the patient became addicted to the drugs. On January 14, 2016, Shelton unlawfully prescribed an increased dosage of oxycodone to the 54-year-old patient. The patient filled the prescription on January 18, 2016. The patient suffered an overdose two days later, but received Narcan and survived. A second oxycodone overdose four days later, on January 24, 2016, was fatal.
Based on the jury’s verdict, Shelton will be sentenced to a mandatory minimum sentence of twenty years in prison, with a maximum sentence of life. Shelton will be sentenced in July, 2023.
Due to licensure actions, Shelton has been unable to prescribe controlled substances since January 2017.
“Doctors who dangerously prescribe opiates for their own profit endanger the community just like other drug dealers. When a doctor causes an overdose death with an illegitimate prescription, we will not hesitate to hold the doctor accountable,” stated U.S. Attorney Ison. “My office is committed to keeping highly addictive opioids off the street, and we will aggressively investigate and prosecute medical professionals or anyone else who illegally distribute controlled substances.”
“The DEA, through regulation and enforcement, will continue to collaborate with our law enforcement and regulatory partners to investigate and eventually prosecute medical professionals who use their position to conceal the unlawful diversion and distribution of prescription drugs,” said Special Agent in Charge Greene.
The case was investigated by agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from the St. Clair Shores police department and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan. The trial was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Wayne F. Pratt and Lisandra Fernandez-Silber.
Social Media Influencer Douglass Mackey Convicted of Election Interference in 2016 Presidential RaceRead the Press Release
Douglass Mackey, also known as “Ricky Vaughn,” was convicted today by a federal jury in Brooklyn of the charge of Conspiracy Against Rights stemming from his scheme to deprive individuals of their constitutional right to vote. The verdict followed a one-week trial before United States District Judge Ann M. Donnelly. When sentenced, Mackey faces a maximum of 10 years in prison.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and Michael J. Driscoll, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the verdict.
“Mackey has been found guilty by a jury of his peers of attempting to deprive individuals from exercising their sacred right to vote for the candidate of their choice in the 2016 Presidential Election,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “Today’s verdict proves that the defendant’s fraudulent actions crossed a line into criminality and flatly rejects his cynical attempt to use the constitutional right of free speech as a shield for his scheme to subvert the ballot box and suppress the vote.”
In 2016, Mackey established an audience on Twitter with approximately 58,000 followers. A February 2016 analysis by the MIT Media Lab ranked Mackey as the 107th most important influencer of the then-upcoming Presidential Election.
As proven at trial, between September 2016 and November 2016, Mackey conspired with other influential Twitter users and with members of private online groups to use social media platforms, including Twitter, to disseminate fraudulent messages that encouraged supporters of presidential candidate Hillary Clinton to “vote” via text message or social media which, in reality, was legally invalid. For example, on November 1, 2016, in or around the same time that Mackey was sending tweets suggesting the importance of limiting “black turnout,” the defendant tweeted an image depicting an African American woman standing in front of an “African Americans for Hillary” sign. The ad stated: “Avoid the Line. Vote from Home,” “Text ‘Hillary’ to 59925,” and “Vote for Hillary and be a part of history.” The fine print at the bottom of the deceptive image stated: “Must be 18 or older to vote. One vote per person. Must be a legal citizen of the United States. Voting by text not available in Guam, Puerto Rico, Alaska or Hawaii. Paid for by Hillary For President 2016.” The tweet included the typed hashtag “#ImWithHer,” a slogan frequently used by Hillary Clinton. On or about and before Election Day 2016, at least 4,900 unique telephone numbers texted “Hillary” or some derivative to the 59925 text number, which had been used in multiple deceptive campaign images tweeted by Mackey and his co-conspirators.
Several hours after tweeting the first image, Mackey tweeted an image depicting a woman seated at a conference room typing a message on her cell phone. This deceptive image was written in Spanish and mimicked a font used by the Clinton campaign in authentic ads. The image also included a copy of the Clinton campaign’s logo and the “ImWithHer” hashtag.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Public Integrity Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Erik D. Paulsen and F. Turner Buford of the Office’s Public Integrity Section, and Trial Attorney William J. Gullotta of the Department of Justice’s Public Integrity Section are in charge of the prosecution, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Shivani Parshad.
The Defendant:
DOUGLASS MACKEY
Age: 33
West Palm Beach, FloridaE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 21-CR-80 (AMD)
Smyrna resident sentenced for $3.3 million multi-state covid-19 Unemployment Insurance fraud schemeRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Rowlando Hatter, Jr. has been sentenced for conspiring to submit false claims for COVID-related Unemployment Insurance benefits using the personal identifying information of more than 100 victims and causing state workforce agencies in five states to pay a combined $3,300,000 in fraudulently obtained benefits.
“The CARES Act provided vital assistance to unemployed Americans at the height of the pandemic,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “Hatter diverted funds from this federal program and removed potential assistance crucial for citizens fighting to survive and to support their families.”
"Rowlando Hatter Jr. engaged in a scheme with his co-defendant, Clyde Parker Jr., to defraud multiple state workforce agencies, including the California Employment Development Department, by filing Unemployment Insurance (UI) claims in the names of unwitting individuals to fraudulently obtain UI benefits. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to safeguard the UI system from those who exploit these benefit programs,” said Mathew Broadhurst, Special Agent-in-Charge, Southeast Region, U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General.
"It is disgraceful that unscrupulous individuals used a public health emergency and global pandemic for their own financial gain,” said HSI Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Katrina Berger. “HSI and our partners will continue to work diligently to prevent these crimes and hold the criminals accountable.”
“The defendant took advantage of a federal program designed to provide relief to those who were in need of economic assistance,” said Tommy D. Coke, Inspector in Charge of the Atlanta Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. “The sentencing demonstrates our commitment to investigate and bring to justice individuals that choose to defraud others for their own financial gain.”According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, the charges and other information presented in court: The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act was signed into law on March 27, 2020. The CARES Act was designed to mitigate the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic in a variety of ways. One way was the inclusion of a provision that provided temporary benefits for individuals who had exhausted their entitlement to regular Unemployment Insurance (“UI”) benefits. The Act also aided those who were ineligible for regular UI payments and were self-employed or had limited recent work history. Individuals applied for regular and pandemic-related UI benefits by submitting an online application to their state workforce agency.
Rowlando Hatter obtained the personal identifying information (“PII”) of unwitting victims. He used that information on applications that fraudulently requested COVID-related UI benefits. Hatter electronically submitted those applications to several states, including Georgia, California, Arizona, Maryland, and Michigan.
The state workforce agencies paid approved claims by issuing debit cards that were mailed to addresses in the metro-Atlanta area and in Michigan, and that were controlled by Hatter and co-conspirator Clyde Parker. Some of those addresses included UPS mailboxes opened by Hatter and Parker. Hatter and Parker used the debit cards at various ATMs to withdraw cash. Hatter kept the proceeds after paying Parker a fee.
As a result of the scheme, more than 200 claims were submitted to the various state workforce agencies between May 2020 and October 2020 using the PII of approximately 124 individuals who had no knowledge of the fraud. In total, the state workforce agencies paid approximately $3,300,000 on the bogus claims submitted in this fraud scheme.
Rowlando Hatter Jr., 32, of Smyrna, Georgia, has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Steve C. Jones to five years, nine months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. Judge Jones also ordered Hatter to pay restitution in the amount of $2,930,410.50. Hatter was convicted of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft, after pleading guilty to those charges on December 13, 2022.
Clyde Parker, 32, of Troy, Michigan, was sentenced on January 20, 2023, to four years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $596,348.50.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Labor Office of the Inspector General, Homeland Security Investigations, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Special assistance was provided by the Federal Bureau of Investigation – Sacramento, California and the Georgia Department of Labor.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tracia M. King and Thomas J. Krepp prosecuted the case.
This case was sponsored by the Georgia Unemployment Insurance Task Force. The Task Force is comprised of federal and state agencies throughout Georgia that are dedicated to combat COVID-related Unemployment Insurance Benefits Fraud.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.