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Thursday 16 February 2023
Hate-fueled Robbery and Kidnapping Spree Ends in Federal Convictions for Miami ManRead the Press Release
MIAMI – A 21-year-old Miami man who carjacked, kidnapped, and robbed five victims has pled guilty in South Florida federal court to 17 counts of violence. Stevenson Charles faces up to life in prison.
As part of his guilty plea, Charles admitted that from October 23 to November 6, 2022, he targeted gay men on Grindr, a social networking application for gay and bisexual people. In October 2022, Charles invited a man he met online to Charles’s Miami home for sex. After the man arrived, Charles pulled a gun on him. Charles then had the victim drive to two automated teller machines, withdraw over $1,000, and give it to him.
The following month, Charles invited a man he met on Grindr to a Miami location for sex. When the man arrived, Charles pulled a gun on him and demanded his cellular telephone. Charles scrolled through the pictures on the victim’s phone, some of which showed the victim with other men. Charles hit the victim with a gun several times, saying that he would kill everyone like the victim. Then, Charles forced the man to drive him to retail pharmacy stores, where Charles purchased items with the victim’s credit card.
Also, in November 2022, Charles met a different man on Grindr and arranged to meet him in Dania Beach for sex. Once there, Charles pulled a gun on the man and told him that he hated gay people and believed they should be punished. Charles forced the victim to drive to a home in Aventura, where the victim had been living with a couple. When they arrived, Charles pointed a gun at the couple and demanded money from them. Charles then forced the group into the victim’s car and instructed them to drive to automated teller machines, withdraw over $1,500, and give it to him.
Charles had the group drive back to the Aventura home, where he stole the couple’s phones. Charles left with the man he had met on Grindr, instructing the victim to drive to their initial meeting spot in Dania Beach. When they neared a secluded area by some railroad tracks, Charles shot the man several times, including once in the head. Despite the injuries, the victim was able to call 911 and survived. Law enforcement officers located Charles in Georgia and arrested him.
U.S. District Judge Paul C. Huck will sentence Charles on April 24, in Miami. Charles faces up to life in prison and may be subject to a hate crime enhancement under the federal sentencing guidelines.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida and acting Special Agent in Charge Maged Behnam of FBI Miami announced the conviction.
This was a joint investigation between the FBI Miami Field Office, the City of Miami Police Department, the Miami-Dade Police Department, the Aventura Police Department, and the Broward Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elena Smukler and Dayron Silverio of the Special Prosecutions Section are 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.
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-20596.
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Grand Rapids Man Sentenced to Ten Years in Prison for Illegally Possessing and Selling GunsRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten announced today that Anthony Darnell Patterson, 29, of Grand Rapids was sentenced to ten years in federal prison for illegally possessing and selling guns. Chief U.S. District Judge Hala Y. Jarbou also ordered Patterson to spend three years on supervised release following his confinement.
“My office is committed to improving the safety of our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten. “We will continue to get guns off of our streets by prosecuting the unlawful possession of firearms and disrupting networks of illegal gun sales.”
On four occasions between October and December 2021, Patterson—a convicted felon with a history of drug and firearm convictions—sold or coordinated the sale of guns, for cash, to a confidential informant working for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (“ATF”). Several of those firearms had been reported stolen. The ATF also determined, based on ballistics analyses, that two of the guns Patterson sold were involved in shootings in Grand Rapids in October 2020 and July 2021.
In announcing Patterson’s sentence, Chief Judge Jarbou noted that Patterson’s conduct contributed to an “epidemic of guns.” Chief Judge Jarbou said that the “action of selling guns to people that should not have them quickly and automatically leads to violent incidents.” Chief Judge Jarbou also said that those who sell guns are “perpetrators of the violent acts” that their buyers commit.
“Today’s sentencing is an important component to the reduction in violent firearms related crimes,” said, Acting Special Agent in Charge Craig Kailimai, “We are proud of the collaborative effort with the U.S. Attorney’s office, our federal, state of Michigan, and local partners ultimately protecting our communities from violent threats.”
This case was 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.
ATF investigated this case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Townshend prosecuted it.
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Former Wethersfield Resident Pleads Guilty to Meth, Fentanyl and Cocaine Distribution ChargeRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England, Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division, and Wethersfield Police Chief Rafael Medina, announced that SHANE J. SAWICKI, 28, formerly of Wethersfield, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty today in Hartford federal court to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, an investigation revealed that Sawicki was connected to a drug trafficking organization in Illinois that was coordinating the sale and shipment of Xanax and crystal methamphetamine from California, and that he was receiving mailed packages containing Farmapram, which is a Mexican brand of alprazolam (Xanax). In April 2022, investigators conducted a court-authorized search of a package that was mailed from California to Sawicki’s Wethersfield address. The package contained two bottles containing a total of 180 Farmapram pills. Investigators also identified four similar parcels that had been mailed to Sawicki’s address prior to April 2022.
On April 29, 2022, investigators conducted a court authorized search of Sawicki’s apartment and seized thousands counterfeit Adderall pills containing methamphetamine, a small quantity of counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl, a distribution quantity of cocaine, numerous other bags and containers of assorted pills of different colors and shapes, a container of MDMA, and three bottles of Farmapram pills. A subsequent search of Sawicki’s cell phone revealed photographs of large quantities of pills, a large amount of U.S. currency, and numerous text message conversations regarding the sale of illicit substances.
Sawicki was arrested on a federal criminal complaint on July 7, 2022. He is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea on May 17.
Sawicki is released on a $100,000 bond and residing in Farmington pending sentencing.
This investigation is being conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Hartford Task Force, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Wethersfield Police Department. The DEA Task Force includes personnel from the DEA Hartford Resident Office, the Connecticut State Police, and the Bristol, Hartford, East Hartford, Enfield, Manchester, New Britain, Rocky Hill, Wethersfield, Windsor Locks and Willimantic Police Departments.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney A. Reed Durham.
Former Oregon Dentist Sentenced to Federal Prison for Stealing Millions in Covid-Relief Funds and Illegally Distributing Controlled SubstancesRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A former Oregon dentist was sentenced to federal prison today for attempting to steal more $170 million in Covid-relief funds and illegally distributing thousands of doses of prescription drugs.
Salwan Wesam Adjaj, 44, of West Linn, Oregon, was sentenced to 70 months in federal prison and three years’ supervised release. He was also ordered to pay more than $10.5 million in restitution to the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and multiple private lenders.
“Salwan Adjaj’s crimes showed both his indifference to those enduring the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and his disregard for the health and safety of those to whom he unlawfully dispensed prescription drugs. We appreciate all the investigative agencies that worked diligently to uncover Adjaj’s crimes and build the two criminal cases that brought him to justice,” said Natalie Wight, U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
“Our investigative efforts will expose criminal activity that spans SBA’s programs,” said Weston King, Western Region Special Agent in Charge of the SBA Office of Inspector General (SBA OIG). “This sentence demonstrates that those who defraud the nation’s vital economic programs will be held accountable. I want to thank the U.S. Department of Justice and our law enforcement partners for their dedication and pursuit of justice.”
“The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration aggressively pursues those who misuse IRS online systems to further fraudulent schemes and those who fraudulently obtain relief from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act and its Paycheck Protection Program,” said J. Russell George, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration. “We appreciate the efforts of our law enforcement partners and the United States Attorney’s Office to ensure this criminal activity is held to account.”
“Salwan Adjaj executed an elaborate ruse to take advantage of federal emergency assistance in a time when so many businesses were struggling to stay afloat. Even after several fraudulent loan applications were denied, Adjaj’s greed grew. He made up businesses, lied about employees and in the end stole more than 11 million dollars of Covid relief funds,” said Kieran L. Ramsey, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Portland Field Office. “The FBI and our partners will continue to find those who commit pandemic-related fraud and hold them accountable for their crimes.”
According to court documents, beginning no later than September 2020 and continuing until at least May 2021, Adjaj submitted dozens of fraudulent loan applications to SBA in an attempt to obtain Economic Impact Disaster Loan (EIDL) and Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) funds. The EIDL and PPP programs were among several economic relief programs originally authorized by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES). They enabled SBA to issue low-interest loans to small businesses adversely impacted by the pandemic and associated mitigation measures.
Adjaj used the names and employer identification numbers (EIN) of fictitious business entities on his fraudulent applications. He further provided false information about the business start dates, number of employees, and locations, and the identities of the purported applicants and business owners. Most of the fraudulent applications were submitted in other peoples’ names, but with Adjaj’s personal residence as the business mailing address. In the spring of 2021, Adjaj purchased a collection of stolen identities online and began using the personally identifiable information acquired to register dozens of straw companies and obtain additional EIN.
After SBA rejected most of Adjaj’s initial EIDL applications, he began focusing primarily on the PPP program as well as on the Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF), a pandemic relief program authorized by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) to support restaurants, bars, and other food- and drink-related businesses. Adjaj had substantially greater success stealing PPP and RRF funds than he did EIDL. In May 2021, Adjaj submitted three RRF applications for restaurants allegedly located Sarasota, Miami, and Daytona Beach, Florida. Like his fraudulent EIDL and PPP applications, Adjaj’s RRF applications contained false business information and all listed his personal residence as the business mailing address.
In total, Adjaj submitted more than 100 fraudulent Covid-relief program applications, stole the identities of more than 40 victims, and caused the SBA to pay out more than $11.5 million in loans, grants, and associated lender fees. Adjaj used the stolen funds to speculate in stocks and cryptocurrencies through online brokerage accounts. He continued this speculation with stolen funds even after his arrest and purported cooperation with the government.
For at least four years prior to engaging in Covid-relief program fraud, Adjaj also knowingly and intentionally distributed and possessed with intent to distribute thousands of doses of prescription drugs. In August 2020, investigators from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office searched Adjaj’s dental practice and home and found a wide array of Schedule III and Schedule IV controlled substances, including Tramadol, anabolic steroids, injectable testosterone, Phendimetrazine, Diazepam, Alprazolam (Xanax), Lorazepam, Carisoprodol (Soma), and Zolpidem.
Further investigation by DEA and the Oregon Board of Dentistry (OBOD) revealed that Adjaj used his position as a dentist and DEA registration numbers to obtain some of the drugs acquired from a pharmaceutical manufacturer. Adjaj obtained additional drugs, including steroids and human growth hormone, from the dark web. All the drugs acquired were distributed by Adjaj without a legitimate medical purpose. Shortly after searching his residence and dental practice, the OBOD issued an emergency order suspending Adjaj’s dental license.
On October 14, 2021, Adjaj was charged by criminal complaint with aggravated identity theft and wire fraud. Later, on July 13, 2022, a federal grand jury in Portland indicted him on the same charges.
On June 23, 2022, Adjaj was charged by criminal information with distribution and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. Three weeks later, on July 13, 2022, he pleaded guilty to the single drug charge.
On September 13, 2022, Adjaj pleaded guilty to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft.
Adjaj’s Covid-relief fraud case was investigated by TIGTA, SBA OIG, FBI, and the U.S. Secret Service and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan W. Bounds. His drug case was investigated by DEA, the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office, and OBOD and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter D. Sax.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Justice Department’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.
Former High School Dean Charged with MurderRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Frank A. Tarentino III, the Special Agent-in-Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”), and Keechant Sewell, the Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), announced today that a grand jury in Manhattan federal court returned a Superseding Indictment charging ISRAEL GARCIA a/k/a “Shorty Rock,” the former leader of the Get Money Gunnaz set of the Young Gunnaz street gang (the “GMG YGz”) with murder in aid of racketeering and other charges in connection with the October 11, 2010, murder of Alfonso “Joey” McClinton. GARCIA and 12 others had previously been charged in July 2021 with engaging in a conspiracy to distribute narcotics and with possessing firearms during that conspiracy in connection with their involvement with the GMG YGz.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As a former high school dean, Israel Garcia was trusted with guiding children towards a bright future, but we allege that Garcia himself was participating in the drug trafficking activity that a high school dean should be protecting his students from. In addition, as alleged, the defendant shot and murdered Alfonso McClinton as part of the defendant’s gang membership and drug dealing. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to weed out violent gang activity from every corner of our community.”
DEA Special Agent in Charge Frank A. Tarentino III said: “This superseding indictment exemplifies law enforcement’s commitment to bringing justice to victims of violent crime. I commend the dedicated agents, detectives, and prosecutors whose dogged work led to murder charges for Israel Garcia, one of the leaders of the Young Gunnaz.”
NYPD Commissioner Keechant L. Sewell said: “The NYPD and our law enforcement partners ceaselessly pursue all violent criminals who terrorize our neighborhoods. True to form, our officers were relentless in investigating this murder – despite it occurring more than a decade ago – to ensure that all of those allegedly involved are held responsible. I want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New York Division, and all who sought justice for this victim and his family.”
As alleged in the Indictment, court filings, and statements made in federal and New York state court:[1]
For more than a decade, the defendant controlled the sale of narcotics in the vicinity of East 184th Street and Morris Avenue in the Bronx as the leader of the GMG YGz. As part of their narcotics operation, GMG YGz members carried firearms and engaged in back-and-forth shootings with neighboring, rival crews. This violence resulted in, among other acts, the 2010 murder of Alfonso “Joey” McClinton (“McClinton”). The State of New York arrested and prosecuted GMG YGz member Joseph (“Juice”) Johnson for the killing.[2] Ballistics, video evidence, and eyewitness testimony, however, reveal that there was a second shooter involved in Mr. McClinton’s murder. Today’s Indictment charges GARCIA with being that second shooter.
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GARCIA, 32, of the Bronx, New York, is charged with (i) murder in aid of racketeering, which carries a maximum sentence of death or life in prison and a mandatory minimum sentence of life in prison; (ii) narcotics conspiracy, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison and a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison; (iii) murder while engaged in a narcotics conspiracy, which carries a maximum sentence of death or life in prison and a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in prison; (iv) murder through the use of a firearm, which carries a maximum sentence of death or life in prison and a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison; (v) firearms use, carrying, and possession in connection with a drug trafficking crime, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison and a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison, which must be served consecutively to any other sentence imposed; (vi) witness tampering, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; and (vii) conspiracy to commit witness tampering, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
The minimum and maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge.
Mr. Williams praised the investigative work of the DEA, the NYPD, the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, the United States Marshals Service, and the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces. This prosecution 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.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Maggie Lynaugh, Micah Fergenson, Jacob Gutwillig, Matthew Hellman, and Kaylan Lasky are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the descriptions of the Indictment set forth in this release constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
[2] Johnson was convicted at trial of second-degree murder in The People of the State of New York v. Joseph Johnson, Index Number 4311/2010. On February 3, 2022, the verdict against Johnson was vacated. Johnson subsequently pled guilty to manslaughter and is serving a 17-year sentence.
Former Direct Support Professional Sentenced for Financial Exploitation of Three District Vulnerable AdultsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON –Joseph Oluwatobi Adebanwo, 26, of Laurel, Maryland, pleaded guilty and was sentenced today to 90 days in prison, suspended, three years of probation and $1,700 restitution on one misdemeanor count of exploitation of a vulnerable adult. The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Inspector General for the District of Columbia Daniel W. Lucas.
According to the information presented in court, Adebanwo admitted that on or about July 29, 2021, while employed as a Direct Support Professional for the Community Living Services Program at the National Children’s Center (NCC), he made three separate ATM withdrawals totaling $1,700 dollars from the bank accounts of three vulnerable adults under NCC’s care. The funds in the victims’ bank accounts were intended to support their personal needs. Adebanwo did so without the victims’ knowledge and used the monies for his own benefit. Upon discovery, NCC reimbursed the victims’ bank accounts, leaving it at a financial loss.
Adebanwo entered his guilty plea in the U.S. Superior Court for the District of Columbia and was sentenced by the Honorable Peter Krauthamer.
This matter was initially reported to the District’s Department of Disability Services and subsequently investigated by the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department’s Financial and Cyber Crimes Unit. In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Inspector General Lucas commended the work of those who investigated and prosecuted the case from the Office of Inspector General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, the Major Crimes Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, and the Metropolitan Police Department. They also acknowledged the efforts of Special Assistant United States Attorney Jason Facci, on detail from the Office of the Inspector General, who prosecuted the case.
Former Correctional Officer Sentenced to 12 Months in Prison for Accepting A Bribe to Smuggle A Cellphone into Dauphin County PrisonRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Addie Reid, age 27, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment by United States District Court Judge Sylvia Rambo for accepting a bribe in exchange for smuggling a cellphone into the Dauphin County Prison.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Reid was a correctional officer at the Dauphin County Prison when caught in an undercover sting operation conducted by local and federal law enforcement. On September 13, 2019, Reid accepted $2,000 in cash from an undercover police officer who was purportedly a family member of an inmate who wanted a cellular telephone smuggled into the prison. After he accepted the cash, police arrested Reid. On April 11, 2022, Reid entered a guilty plea to the federal offense of using a means in interstate communication to commit the crime of bribery.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Dauphin County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Consiglio is prosecuting the case.
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Former Beulah Bank President Sentenced to Two Counts of Bank FraudRead the Press Release
BISMARCK – United States Attorney Mac Schneider announced that on February 15, 2023, U.S. District Court Judge Daniel M. Traynor sentenced Brady Daniel Torgerson, age 35, from Beulah, North Dakota, to serve 24 months in federal prison, three years of supervised release, and $200.00 special assessment. On November 4, 2022, law enforcement arrested Torgerson for these offenses and, on August 12, 2022, Torgerson pleaded guilty to two separate counts of bank fraud against financial institutions located in Beulah, North Dakota, namely, First Security Bank-West and the Union Bank.
Between 2019 and 2021, while employed at separate times as the President of First Security Bank-West and as a loan officer at the Union Bank, Torgerson conducted banking transactions, which caused harm to both these banks and the banks’ individual customers. Specifically, while employed at First Security Bank-West, Torgerson funded loans without obtaining: 1) necessary financial information; 2) security interest documents; or 3) promissory notes. Additionally, Torgerson engaged in deceptive banking transactions by entering false information into the bank’s computer system, increasing loans so that they exceeded the original loan amounts, and extending loan maturity dates to conceal his activities. Most notably, while employed at the Union Bank, Torgerson created fraudulent loan obligations in the amounts of $225,487.44 and
$225,487.45 in the names of three separate individuals who neither knew about the creation of these loans nor received the funds described in these obligations.“Bank fraud is a serious crime that harms the honest financial institutions we have in North Dakota,” US Attorney Mac Schneider said. “This sentence is a credit to the skillful efforts of our career prosecutors and partners in law enforcement. It is also a reminder that there is a high price to pay for white-collar crime.”
“The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation-Office of Inspector General (FDIC-OIG) continues to investigate allegations of fraud by bank executives and others in order to preserve the integrity of the banking system,” said Justin Bundy, Special Agent in Charge of the FDIC-OIG Kansas City Regional Office. “We are proud to have joined the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of North Dakota, as well as our law enforcement partners in conducting this investigation.”
“We are committed to investigating allegations of fraud committed against the Federal Home Loan Banks or their members, especially in cases where we find flagrant criminal conduct by officials at member banks,” said Catherine Huber, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Housing Finance Agency-Office of Inspector General’s (FHFA-OIG) Central Region Office. “Thank you to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of North Dakota and our federal partners for helping us bring swift justice in this case.”
Co-Defendants for this investigation received the following sentences:
• Brent D. Torgerson (61 years old from Beulah, ND) received a sentence of time served (1 day in custody), 1-year supervised release, $5,000 fine, and a ban from participating in banking on a charge of Misapplication of Bank Funds
• Kelly Huffman (34 years old, from Beulah, ND) received a sentence of time served (1 day in custody), 1-year supervised release, and a $5,000 fine on a charge of Misapplication of Bank Funds
• Tyler Steven Hofland (35 years old, Rapid City, SD) received a sentence of time served (1 day of processing), 1-year of supervised release, and $98,163.40 in restitution on a charge of Aiding and Abetting Bank FraudThis case was investigated by the FDIC-OIG, the FHFA-OIG, and the Federal Reserve Board-Office of Inspector General and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan J. O’Konek.
######Former Active-Duty Soldier sentenced to 22 years in prison for child sex trafficking, producing child pornography, and traveling to the Philippines to sexually assault young childrenRead the Press Release
Tacoma – A former Staff Sergeant stationed at Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM) was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Tacoma to 22 years in prison for sex trafficking children, producing images of child sexual abuse, and traveling to sexually abuse children. Moeun Yoeun, 40, of Steilacoom, Washington, pleaded guilty in August 2022, admitting that young girls in the Philippines were threatened with death if they refused his sexual assaults. At the sentencing hearing U.S. District Judge Benjamin H. Settle called the crimes “vicious, heinous, and cruel.”
“Mr. Yoeun weaponized his position of trust as a noncommissioned officer in the United States Army, to sexually exploit and cause irreversible trauma to impoverished girls in the Philippines,” said U.S. Attorney Nick Brown. “He cruelly threatened their lives if they tried to flee from his violent sexual assaults. This lengthy sentence is necessary to deter Mr. Yoeun and others who prey on children.”
In his plea agreement, Yoeun admitted to, over the course of several years, using adult and child residents of the Philippines to recruit more than a dozen other children to produce pornography. Yoeun further admitted to travelling to the Philippines and engaging in sexual acts with at least 6 children in exchange for nominal amounts of money.
Prosecutors cited numerous studies showing the long-term damage suffered by child sex abuse victims, concluding, ”[f]urther research only confirmed and expanded upon this emerging understanding of these insidious effects of childhood sexual trauma. Studies now tell us that the numerous child victims in this case, as a direct consequence of the Defendant’s violent sexual attacks, will face an elevated risk of alcohol abuse, illicit drug use, sexual promiscuity, and suicide.”
Yoeun will be required to register as a sex offender after he is released from prison and will be on federal supervision for 15 years.
The FBI and U.S. Army CID, with the assistance of the Philippine National Police, investigated this case as part of the South Sound Child Exploitation Task Force. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Grady J. Leupold and Matthew P. Hampton.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc
Former Account Manager for Two Churches in Belleville Sentenced for Embezzling FundsRead the Press Release
BENTON, Ill. – A U.S. District Court judge sentenced a Freeburg woman to 15 months in prison after she admitted to committing bank fraud while employed by St. Teresa and St. Luke Catholic parishes in Belleville.
Michelle N. Miller, 45, pled guilty to one count of falsely obtaining money owned by a financial institution. In addition to her prison sentence, she will receive two years of supervised release and is ordered to pay $153,940.38 in restitution.
“The defendant selfishly chose to put herself and her greed over the needs of the students, parishioners and the religious community at St. Teresa and St. Luke,” said U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe. “She decided to embezzle more than $150,000 from her employer, friends and neighbors. It’s shameful, and I’m relieved she was brought to justice.”
“The U.S. Secret Service and our law enforcement partners remain committed to identifying, investigating, and pursuing those who attempt to enrich themselves through fraudulent means,” said Stephen Webster, the Resident Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service. “We are proud of our partnerships with the federal, state, and local agencies who work collectively to hold this individual accountable for their actions.”
According to court documents, Miller worked from September 2017 to February 2020 as a business manager for St. Teresa Catholic Church as well as St. Luke Catholic Church. During her time as an employee, she was an authorized signatory on both bank accounts and wrote numerous checks payable to herself. In total, she stole an estimated $153,940.38. To conceal her fraud, Miller forged signatures and made false bookkeeping entries.
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Secret Service and the Belleville Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter T. Reed.
Florida man sentenced for manslaughter, assault on the Laguna PuebloRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, announced today that Alexis Riego was sentenced to 70 months in prison and a five thousand dollar fine. A federal jury convicted Riego, 50, of Merritt Island, Florida, on Sept. 28, 2022, of four counts of involuntary manslaughter and two counts of assault resulting in serious bodily injury committed in 2019.
According to the indictment and other court records, on Sept. 7, 2019, Riego, a commercial motor vehicle driver, recklessly crashed into a line of stationary traffic in a construction zone on Interstate 40 within the Laguna Pueblo. At the time of the crash, Mr. Riego was speeding and using his cellular telephone. The crash caused a six-car pile-up that killed four people and seriously injured two. The crash caused the closure of interstate 40 for several hours.
“When we take the wheel, we take on a collective responsibility for the families who share our highways,” said United States Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez. “The consequences for failing in that responsibility are grave and irrevocable. While this sentence will not restore the lives that were lost, it serves as a sobering reminder that a moment on video chat can forever change your life, and end the lives of others.”
“The impact of Mr. Riego’s reckless decisions and actions will remain for a long time,” said Raul Bujanda, FBI Special Agent in Charge. “I would like to commend our partners at the Laguna Police Department, New Mexico State Police, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for working with us to investigate this crime and bringing justice to the victims and their loved ones.”
Upon his release from prison, Riego will be subject to 3 years of supervised release.
The FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Laguna Police Department and the New Mexico State Police. Assistant United States Attorneys Joseph M. Spindle, Elisa Dimas and Matthew Nelson are prosecuting the case.
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Five Idaho Men Indicted for Distribution of Methamphetamine and FentanylRead the Press Release
BOISE – A federal grand jury in Boise returned an eight-count indictment on February 15, 2023, charging five Idaho men with distribution of methamphetamine and fentanyl, aiding and abetting the distribution of methamphetamine, and conspiracy to do the same, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced today.
The indictment alleges that:
- Ernesto Antonio Diaz Gaspar, 32, of Boise, distributed fentanyl to another person on four different occasions, distributed methamphetamine to another person on two different occasions, and conspired to do the same;
- Hector Manual Ojeda Aponte, 42, of Meridian, distributed methamphetamine to another person on two different occasions and aided and abetted in its distribution;
- Jose DeJesus Loera, 43, of Caldwell, conspired to distribute methamphetamine to another person;
- Cevin Alfonza Martinez, 29, of Boise, aided and abetted in the distribution of methamphetamine to another person; and
- Wilkin Rolando Martinez Munguia, 30, of Meridian, aided and abetted in the distribution of methamphetamine to another person.
If convicted, each of the defendants will face sentences ranging from a minimum of ten years and up to life in federal prison. Under the Sentencing Reform Act of 1984, Congress has eliminated parole for defendants convicted of federal crimes committed after November 1, 1987.
U.S. Attorney Hurwit commended the Drug Enforcement Administration, Nampa Police Department, and Idaho Department of Correction for the near year-long investigation and applauded the assistance received from Immigration and Customs Enforcement, United States Marshals Service, Ada County Sheriff’s Office, Boise Police Department, Caldwell Police Department, Canyon County Sheriff’s Office, and the Meridian Police Department, which led to the arrest of all five individuals.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Fish Hatchery Sentenced to Pay $1 Million in Fine and RestitutionRead the Press Release
ANCHORAGE – A Cordova corporation was sentenced today to a $450,000 fine, $550,000 in restitution, and 5 years of probation.
According to court documents, Prince William Sound Aquaculture Corporation (“PWSAC”) illegally disposed of hazardous waste at one of its hatcheries. On June 27, 2018, the maintenance manager at the Cannery Creek Hatchery instructed an employee to burn several 50-gallon drums containing hazardous waste, causing serious injury to the employee. Cannery Creek and other hatcheries had been accumulating hazardous waste for many years without an appropriate method of storage or disposal.
As part of its probation, PWSAC will follow an environmental compliance plan requiring it to prepare an environmental compliance manual and undergo site visits by a third-party auditor, among other requirements. In handing down the sentence, Chief U.S. District Court Judge Sharon L. Gleason noted it was “regrettable that it took such a serious injury to bring about this change.”
“This crime caused lifelong consequences for the victim, not to mention the harmful impact to the environment,” said S. Lane Tucker, United States Attorney for the District of Alaska. “This office will continue to investigate and prosecute crimes affecting Alaska’s people and environment.”
“The defendant ignored environmental regulations for disposing of hazardous waste, resulting in an explosion on their property and injuries to their employee,” said Scot Adair of EPA’s criminal enforcement program in Alaska. “EPA and its law enforcement partners are committed to holding responsible parties accountable for actions that put people’s lives and the environment in danger.”
“The health of Alaska’s National Forests depends on all of us working together to do what is right for the environment and the many who call it home,” said Alaska Region Special Agent in Charge Tim Walther of the U.S. Forest Service. “We appreciate the value our federal, state, and local partners bring to help care for the land and protect the resources our forests provide.”
The EPA Criminal Investigation Division, U.S. Forest Service, and Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Ivers and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Gwendolyn Russell prosecuted the case.
Final Defendant in Anderson and Indianapolis Drug Trafficking Conspiracy, “Operation Glass Box,” Found Guilty on All CountsRead the Press Release
Indianapolis- A federal jury has found Charles House, 40, of Anderson, Indiana, guilty on all twelve counts, including attempting to traffic methamphetamine, trafficking in over 100 kilograms of marijuana, and illegally possessing twelve firearms.
According to court documents and evidence introduced at trial, in October 2018, the Madison County Drug Task Force initiated an investigation into Charles House’s drug trafficking organization. House traveled to California to purchase narcotics and then mailed the narcotics to multiple addresses in Anderson, Indiana. The drugs were then redistributed by co-conspirators Sean Brown and Marcus Hayes-Patterson in Anderson. Tommy Compton was House’s Indianapolis source of supply for marijuana. Defendants facilitated their drug trafficking activities through the use of cellular phones and often used code words to try to conceal their illegal activities.
“Armed traffickers of deadly drugs are a menace to our communities and fuel our crisis of substance use disorders,” said Zachary A. Myers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Anderson and Indianapolis residents are safer today because this drug trafficking organization has been dismantled and its participants are off our streets. I commend our federal and local law enforcement partners for their efforts to hold these drug dealers accountable and get their drugs and guns out of our neighborhoods.”
“Any time large amounts of illegal drugs can be removed from the streets in order to keep our communities safe, it is a win,” said FB Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Herbert J. Stapleton. “This clearly demonstrates that through agencies working together to target those engaged in drug trafficking, criminal organizations such as this can be identified and shut down.”
“Local law enforcement has had many interactions with Charles House stemming back several years,” said Chief Michael Lee of the Anderson Police Department. “We appreciate and value our relationship with the FBI, which has allowed us to remove Charles House and his criminal associates from our Anderson and Madison County communities.”
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, United States Postal Inspection Service, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Anderson Police Department, Madison County Drug Task Force, and Muncie Police Department.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Lindsay Karwoski and Barry D. Glickman, who prosecuted this case.
U.S. District Court Judge Sarah Evans Barker presided over the trial. House faces up to life in federal prison. A sentencing date has yet to be determined. A federal district court judge will determine the actual sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Previous press release here.
Federal Prisoner in Yazoo City Pleads Guilty to Assault on a Federal OfficerRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A federal prisoner in the Federal Correctional Complex in Yazoo City pled guilty to assault on a federal officer, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca.
Michael Beasley, 49, pled guilty in U.S. District Court in Jackson.
According to court documents, Beasley assaulted a federal officer who was in the performance of his duties. Beasley was subsequently questioned and admitted to his illegal actions.
Beasley is scheduled to be sentenced on May 18, 2023, and faces a sentence of up to 8 years in prison that can be consecutive to the present federal sentence he is serving. A federal district judge will determine the sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The United States Bureau of Prisons investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lynn Murray and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael FiggsGanter prosecuted the case.
Federal Prison Inmate Sentenced to 24 Months After Pleading Guilty to Attempting to Obtain ContrabandRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – An inmate at the Federal Correctional Institution (“FCI”) in Sandstone has been sentenced to an additional 24 months in prison for attempting to obtain contraband in prison, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to the defendant’s guilty plea and court documents, on two separate dates in February and March 2022, Nickolas William Mihelic, 39, an inmate at FCI Sandstone, attempted to obtain methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance. In order to bypass security protocols, Mihelic conspired with another individual to mail pieces of paper to him at FCI Sandstone that were saturated with liquid methamphetamine. When the methamphetamine-saturated papers arrived at FCI Sandstone, Bureau of Prisons officials seized the contraband.
Mihelic was sentenced today before U.S. District Judge Nancy E. Brasel. Mihelic pleaded guilty on September 26, 2022, to two counts of attempting to obtain contraband in prison.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by Federal Bureau of Prisons and the FBI.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Hillary A. Taylor prosecuted the case.
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Federal Jury Finds Minneapolis Felon Guilty of Possession of a Machinegun and Illegal Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Minneapolis man has been found guilty by a federal jury of possession of a machinegun and illegal possession of a firearm, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
Following a four-day trial before Senior U.S. District Judge Donovan W. Frank, Marques Dwell Armstrong Jr, 28, was convicted on one count of possession of a machinegun and one count of possessing a firearm as a felon. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later date.
According to evidence presented at trial and court documents, on October 12, 2021, Armstrong was found in possession of a 9mm-caliber Glock pistol, with an attached loaded high-capacity magazine and equipped with a device commonly known as a “switch” or “auto sear,” enabling it to be fired as a fully automatic machinegun. Because Armstrong has previous federal and state felony convictions, he is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition at any time.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Minneapolis Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Benjamin Bejar and Albania Concepcion tried the case.
Federal Jury Finds Convicted Felon Guilty of Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
OXFORD, MS – A federal jury convicted a Marshal County man on Wednesday of illegally possessing a firearm after having been convicted of a felony.
According to court documents and evidence presented at the three-day trial, Charles Derryberry, 46, robbed a victim of a .40 caliber Smith & Wesson pistol in February of 2022, and used the gun to shoot at the victim. Afterwards, Derryberry used this firearm to commit a second robbery. A few days later, on February 27, 2022, deputies with Lafayette County Sheriff’s Office stopped a vehicle with Derryberry riding in the backseat. Derryberry possessed the .40 caliber Smith & Wesson pistol at the time of the traffic stop and attempted to hide the firearm under his seat. Law enforcement found the gun during a search of the truck and Derryberry was arrested. Records reflect that at the time Derryberry possessed the firearm, he had multiple prior felony convictions, including convictions for manslaughter, burglary, and drug trafficking.
Sentencing is scheduled for May 17, 2023. Derryberry faces a mandatory minimum sentence of fifteen years imprisonment and up to life imprisonment.
”This office is committed to protecting our community from violent convicted felons like this defendant who illegally possess firearms,” stated US Attorney Clay Joyner. “We are grateful to our state and federal law enforcement partners whose hard work allowed him to be taken off the streets.”
“Investigating and prosecuting repeat offenders is another example of our commitment to fight violence and how the collaborative efforts of the federal, state, and local law enforcement can make our streets safer,” said ATF New Orleans Special Agent in Charge Kurt Thielhorn. “The conviction today sends a message to individuals who are prohibited from possessing firearms that we will continue to work to keep our neighborhoods safe as the top priority for ATF.”
The Lafayette County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sam Stringfellow and Julie Addison 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.
Federal Jury Convicts Charleston Man of Drug and Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – After three days of trial, a federal jury convicted Mark Bolling, 55, of Charleston, today of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute 50 or more grams of methamphetamine, being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition, and illegal possession of a firearm silencer.
Evidence at trial proved that on September 19, 2020, a law enforcement officer in Fayette County conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle driven by Bolling and recovered approximately 100 grams of methamphetamine, 30 grams of fentanyl, a pistol magazine containing .45-caliber ammunition, and $7,000 from the vehicle.
On September 21, 2020, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Bolling’s property on Keystone Drive in Charleston and seized a Rock River Arms, model LAR-15, 5.56mm rifle, a Bryco Arms, model 38, .380-caliber pistol, and a Gemtech, Model HALO, 5.56mm silencer.
The silencer was not registered to Bolling in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Bolling was prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition because of prior felony convictions including possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine on September 30, 2019, and transferring and receiving stolen property on September 24, 2018, both in Kanawha County Circuit Court.
Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber presided over the jury trial. Bolling is scheduled to be sentenced on June 6, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of life in prison.
“This offender posed a significant risk to the Kanawha County community because of his involvement in both illegal drugs and firearms,” said United States Attorney Will Thompson. “I thank the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office and the Fayetteville Police Department for their excellent work in this case. I also commend Assistant United States Attorneys Nowles Heinrch and Steve Loew and our trial team.”
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-87.
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Federal Grand Jury Indicts Louisville Man for Methamphetamine DistributionRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – A Federal Grand Jury returned an indictment on February 7, 2023, charging a local man with distributing methamphetamine.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge J. Todd Scott of the DEA Louisville Field Division, and Chief Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel of the Louisville Metro Police Department made the announcement.
According to the indictment, Bennie Thomas, 29, was charged with three counts of distributing methamphetamine. On October 5 and October 20, 2022, Thomas distributed 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. On November 17, 2022, Thomas distributed 50 grams or more of a mixture containing methamphetamine.
The defendant made an initial court appearance today before a United States Magistrate Judge in the Western District of Kentucky. If convicted, Thomas faces a minimum sentence of 10 years and a maximum sentence of life 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 the DEA and the Louisville Metro Police Department.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Josh Porter.
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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Federal Court Imposes Life Sentences on Man who Murdered Two, Shot a Third, and Set Crime Scene AblazeRead the Press Release
The defendant also sentenced for two other home invasion robberies.
ANCHORAGE – A federal district court judge in Alaska sentenced a Palmer man to two consecutive terms of life imprisonment. In August 2022, a federal jury convicted John Smith of 10 felony charges including two counts of murder as well as robbery, drug, and firearm related charges following an eleven-day trial. The charges relate to a series of armed robberies in 2015 and 2016 that culminated in Smith murdering two people, attempting to kill a third, and burning the crime scene.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, John Pearl Smith, II, 36, developed a plan to rob people he believed were involved in trafficking drugs and carried out these crimes in September 2015, May 2016 and June 2016. He carried and brandished firearms during each of the three robberies.
In 2015, Smith identified a house off Knik Goose Bay Road in Wasilla as the location of a marijuana growing operation. Smith arrived at the house with a rifle, kicked in the door, fired a shot to frighten the resident, and stole drugs, firearms and jewelry.
In May 2016, Smith identified another house in Wasilla as the residence of a drug dealer. Smith forced his way in with a rifle, restrained the occupants with duct tape, and stole valuables including heroin, cash, and a .22 caliber revolver.
In June 2016, Smith traveled to a property on Cloudy Lake in Wasilla that was owned by Ben Gross, who was in a detached garage with Crystal Denardi and a second man. Smith kicked open the door and fired warning shots into the ceiling. When Gross threw a beer bottle at Smith, he shot Gross four times, killing him.
Holding the other victims at gunpoint, Smith searched the garage for drugs or other valuables. Smith then murdered Denardi by shooting her in the back of the head. The third victim was shot in the chest and in the head while trying to escape but managed to paddle a kayak to a nearby home across Cloudy Lake. Smith poured gasoline around the bodies of the victims and set the garage on fire.
Smith was arrested on June 28, 2016. In August, investigators were able to recover the murder weapon from a marshy area off Johnson Road in Wasilla where Smith buried it after the killings.
Investigators also recovered a map to the location of the weapon that Smith had drawn while in prison. A forensic document examiner confirmed that the handwriting on the map was Smith’s.
Smith was convicted of two counts of using a firearm to commit murder in relation to drug trafficking, two counts of interference with commerce by robbery, one count of attempted interference with commerce by robbery, three counts of attempted possession of controlled substance with intent to distribute, and two counts of brandishing a firearm in relation to a drug trafficking crime.
“John Pearl Smith’s senseless and selfish choices caused untold harm to his victims and resulted in the tragic loss of two innocent lives.” said U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker for the District of Alaska. “This sentence ensures that Smith will never have the opportunity to harm another innocent person again.”
“This comprehensive investigation and the resulting two consecutive life sentences for Mr. Smith affirm the DEA’s commitment to hold those who traffic illegal narcotics — and use violence to further their illicit schemes—accountable for their actions,” said Jacob D. Galvan, Acting Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division. “The DEA will work relentlessly with all of our partners to protect our communities against the likes of Mr. Smith.”
“Mr. Smith’s premeditated, compounding crimes were heinous in nature,” said ATF Seattle Field Division Special Agent in Charge Jonathan T. McPherson. “While this sentence will not bring the victims back to their families it is warranted for his vicious actions and will remove a clear danger from the community.”
U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker of the District of Alaska made the announcement.
The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case, with extensive support from the Alaska State Troopers.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Karen Vandergaw, James Klugman, and Chris Schroeder prosecuted the case.
Father and Son Arrested, Charged with Kidnapping Conspiracy in an Attempt to Force Their Daughter/Sister to Marry in YemenRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Khaled Abughanem, 50, and Waleed Abughanem, 32, both of Lackawanna, NY, were arrested and charged by criminal complaint with conspiracy to kidnap persons in a foreign country. The charge carries a maximum penalty of life in prison.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Charles M. Kruly and Maeve E. Huggins, who are handling the case, stated that according to the criminal complaint, in December 2022, the FBI began investigating the travel of an adult American citizen (Victim), who investigators believe was tricked into traveling from the Buffalo area to Yemen in an attempt to force her into an arranged marriage. The complaint states that defendant Khaled Abughanem, the Victim’s father, and her brother, Waleed Abughanem, discussed killing her if she did not abide by their wishes.
Subsequent investigation determined that in September 2021, without her family’s knowledge, the Victim traveled to Mexico. After learning where she was, the Victim’s family traveled to Mexico and physically forced her, involuntarily, to return to the United States. According to the Victim, her father stated, “she would be traveling outside the United States whether she liked it or not, or he would bury her in the backyard.” The Victim attempted to flee her residence only to find that all doors had been locked. She was also forced to withdraw as a student from the University at Buffalo, lost all access to the internet and social media, and was under constant threat of harm. The Victim was told if she did not comply and agree to an arranged marriage, she would be locked up in her home without contact with the outside world forever and her fiancé, who her family disapproved of, would be killed.
On September 17, 2021, the Victim’s fiancé called the Lackawanna Police Department stating he had not been able to contact the Victim for over a week. Lackawanna Police responded to the Abughanem residence and advised the family to contact the Victim’s fiancé. Subsequently, The Abughanem family, with the Victim, left Lackawanna and traveled to Sanaa, Yemen, where the Victim is currently being held by family. According to the Victim, her father stated that “you are no longer in the West, you are in the Middle East, women like you are killed.” The Victim stated that her father proposed a marriage for which he would be paid $500,000, but she refused, and as a result was physically assaulted. The Victim’s fiancé continued to call the Lackawanna Police, who responded to the Abughanem residence but were told the Victim is fine and to stop making welfare checks. In April 2022, some members of the family left Yemen and returned to the United States, leaving the Victim in Yemen, under the supervision of two of her brothers.
The defendants made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge H. Kenneth Schroeder, Jr. and are being held pending a detention hearing on February 17, 2023.
The complaint is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Darren Cox, Customs and Border Protection, under the direction of Director of Field Operations Rose Brophy. Additional assistance was provided by CPB in Boston, Massachusetts, and the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Detroit Man Who Threatened to “Shoot up” the Detroit Job Corps Center Pleads Guilty to Making ThreatsRead the Press Release
DETROIT – A Detroit man who made phone calls threatening to kill students at the Detroit Job Corps Center pleaded guilty today to making threats in interstate commerce, United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced.
Ison was joined in the announcement by Acting Special Agent in Charge Craig Kailimai, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and Irene Lindow, Special Agent-in-Charge, Great Lakes Region, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG).
Elroy Knott, 24, pleaded guilty to threatening the Detroit Job Corps Center before United States District Judge Denise Page Hood. The Detroit Job Corps Center (“DJCC”) is a United States Department of Labor program that provides job training to individuals between the ages of 16-24. Besides providing free tuition, the DJCC offers room and board to students, with the majority of students residing at the campus. The DJCC houses approximately 300 students.
On April 24, and 26, 2022, Knott made multiple telephone calls to the DJCC during which he threatened to “shoot up” the place and to kill residents. He also threatened to shoot one employee in the back of the head. Following the threats on April 26, 2022, the DJCC campus was locked down for forty-eight hours, and its activities were substantially disrupted. Knott was in a relationship with one of the students at the DJCC, and he had previously made threats and been in the possession of firearms.
Knott faces a maximum of five years in prison for making the threats.
“The defendant terrorized students and staff at the Detroit Job Corps Center,” U.S. Attorney Ison said. “We will not tolerate such conduct, and we will do everything in our power to protect schools from the threat of violence.”
“Threats to terrorize the safety of our community will never be acceptable,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Craig Kailimai, “ATF will remain vigilant in our commitment to public safety, whether by threat or actions, we will collaborate with the U.S. Attorney’s office, our federal, state, and local partners to bring those responsible to justice.”
“Elroy Knott threatened to harm Job Corps students and staff. His conduct caused significant disruption to learning at the Detroit Job Corps. Ensuring that Job Corps students can learn in a safe environment is a high priority for the Department of Labor. The Office of Inspector General will work with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners to vigorously pursue those who threaten DOL students, employees, and contractors,” said Irene Lindow, Special Agent-in-Charge, Great Lakes Region, DOL-OIG.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, with the assistance of the Detroit Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rosemary Wummel Gardey.
Detroit Man Sentenced to Prison for Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Eddie E. Kellom, also known as “Ace,” 23, of Detroit, Michigan, was sentenced today to three years and six months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for distribution of fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Kellom admitted to selling quantities of fentanyl to confidential informants in Raleigh County on four separate occasions between May 21, 2021, and November 1, 2021.
On January 11, 2022, law enforcement officers conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle driven by Kellom in Putnam County. The officers found approximately 250 grams of fentanyl in the vehicle. Kellom admitted that he had traveled from Michigan with the fentanyl and planned to distribute it in the Southern District of West Virginia.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit.
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy D. Boggess prosecuted the case.
The investigation was part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). OCDETF was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and is the keystone of the Department of Justice’s drug reduction strategy. Today, OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations, and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:22-cr-31.
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Customer Service Rep Charged with Stealing over $1.1 Million from Bank CustomersRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – A federal grand jury has returned a sixteen-count indictment charging Ashley Miller, 36, of Akron, Ohio, with four counts of mail fraud, four counts of wire fraud, four counts of bank fraud, and four counts of aggravated identity theft related to her involvement in a scheme to steal approximately $1.1 million from U.S. Bank customers.
According to court records, from May 2021 to October 2021, the defendant was employed as a customer service agent for Dial American, a third-party vendor for U.S. Bank contracted to do various customer service duties over the telephone.
Court documents state that during this timeframe, Miller allegedly devised a scheme to obtain funds from U.S. Bank customers by changing an account holder’s original mailing address for debit cards issued by U.S. Bank, causing debit cards to be mailed to a residential address in Akron owned by the defendant.
It is alleged that the defendant then used these debit cards for personal use by making fraudulent withdrawals from various ATMs. In total, court documents state that Miller compromised approximately 299 accounts for about $1,118,391.82.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after a review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal records, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense, and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum; in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.
This investigation was conducted by the United States Secret Service (USSS) and the Fairlawn (OH) Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Bryson N. Gillard.
Convicted Sex Offender Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Dana Michael Russell, also known as “Anthony Roberts,” 36, of Griffithsville, Lincoln County, pleaded guilty today to possession of prepubescent child pornography.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on January 20, 2021, Russell possessed two images of child pornography on his cell phone depicting prepubescent minor females subjected to sexually explicit conduct. Russell admitted that one of the images depicted a known child victim.
Russell further admitted to using his cell phone on June 25, 2020, to distribute and attempt to distribute an image containing child pornography using the Snapchat social media platform. Russell also admitted to distributing images containing child pornography using multiple Snapchat and Facebook accounts in June, August and December 2020. One of the Facebook accounts that Russell used had “Anthony Roberts” as the account username.
Russell faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to 20 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
Russell is a registered sex offender as a result of his conviction for distribution and exhibiting of material depicting minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct in Kanawha County Circuit Court on February 19, 2015.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the West Virginia State Police Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force.
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Julie M. White is prosecuting the case.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative of the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-cr-25.
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Conehatta Man Sentenced to 30 Months in Prison for Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A Conehatta man was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, announced United States Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Kurt Thielhorn of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
According to court records, Adrian Farmer, 37, possessed two shotguns in July of 2021. Farmer had been previously convicted of a felony in Neshoba County Circuit Court and was prohibited from possessing a firearm.
In March of 2022, a federal grand jury returned an indictment against Farmer for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Farmer subsequently pled guilty to the charge.
The case was investigated by the Choctaw Police Department of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin J. Payne and Special Assistant United States Attorney Brian K. Burns.
Clarksville Man Sentenced to over 23 Years in Federal Prison for Drug Trafficking and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
FORT SMITH – A Clarksville man has been sentenced to federal prison for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The Honorable Judge P.K. Holmes, III, presided over the sentencing hearing in the United States District Court in Fort Smith.
Over the course of a period spanning all of 2021 and until April of 2022, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) conducted an investigation regarding drug trafficking in the Clarksville, Arkansas area. The investigation revealed that multiple co-defendants were being supplied methamphetamine and cocaine from the organization’s leader, Victor Leon-Moya. During the investigation, DEA was able to conduct multiple controlled purchases of methamphetamine and cocaine from the organization. After identifying multiple stash houses, DEA executed search warrants resulting in the location and seizure of approximately 2 kilograms of cocaine, approximately 3 kilograms of methamphetamine, over 60 firearms and $48,844 in cash derived from the sale of methamphetamine and cocaine.
Victor Leon-Moya, age 46, of Clarksville, Arkansas, was sentenced yesterday to 280 months in prison followed by 5 years of supervised release on one count of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance and one count of Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering.
U.S. Attorney David Clay Fowlkes of the Western District of Arkansas made the announcement.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, State of Arkansas 5th Judicial District Drug Task Force, Fort Smith Police Department, Arkansas State Police, Conway Police Department, Greenwood Police Department, and the Crawford County, Logan County & Sebastian County Sheriff’s Departments investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon Carter prosecuted the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Chicopee Man Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography OffensesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Chicopee man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Springfield to creating and distributing child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
Michael Geoffroy, 36, pleaded guilty to three counts of sexual exploitation of a child, three counts of distribution of child pornography and one count possession of child pornography. U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni scheduled sentencing for June 8, 2023. Geoffroy was indicted by a federal grand jury in January 2021.
In December 2020, Geoffroy used a minor to create two videos and two images of CSAM. Geoffroy then distributed the videos and images in a chat group that same day. Geoffroy was arrested the following day and, during a search of his cellphone, was found in possession of more than 100 videos and images that depicting CSAM.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Chicopee Police Chief Patrick Major made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Neil L. Desroches of Rollins’ Springfield Branch Unit is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Canton Gambling Business Co-Owner Sentenced to Prison for Tax Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – A Canton woman was sentenced to 24 months in prison on Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2023, by U.S. District Judge Donald C. Nugent after pleading guilty to conspiring to defraud the IRS in connection with her ownership and operation of illegal gambling businesses in the Canton, Ohio area.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from 2009 through 2018, Rebecca Kachner, along with other co-conspirators, owned and operated two illegal gambling businesses in the Canton area, namely Skilled Shamrock and Redemption.
As part of the guilty plea, Kachner admitted to conspiring with the other owners to defraud the IRS by filing false tax returns that omitted cash income she received from the operation of the illegal gambling businesses. Kachner also admitted to attempting to hide substantial portions of her unreported cash income. Court documents say that in January 2018, Kachner rented a locker at a local YMCA and stored $241,266 of her illegal gambling proceeds. Law enforcement authorities seized that currency during the investigation.
In addition to the prison sentence, Judge Nugent ordered Kachner to forfeit the $241,266 recovered from the locker and to pay $1,184,668.37 in restitution to the IRS for individual income taxes and interest owed between tax years 2012 and 2017.
This case was investigated by IRS Criminal Investigation (CI), U.S. Department of Treasury, Office of the Inspector General (OIG), and the Ohio Casino Control Commission. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and an Investigator from the Stark County Prosecutor’s Office provided substantial assistance in the investigation.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Robert Patton, David Toepfer, and Aaron Howell of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio, along with Trial Attorneys Richard Rolwing and Sam Bean of the Department of Justice Tax Division.
Bowling Green Federal Grand Jury Returns Two Indictments Charging Franklin, KY and Nashville, TN Men with Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
-Drug Trafficking Offenses Involve Fentanyl, Cocaine, and Heroin
-One Man Also Indicted for Illegally Possessing a Firearm as a Convicted FelonBowling Green, KY – A federal grand jury in Bowling Green returned two indictments yesterday separately charging two men with drug trafficking. One of the men was also charged with illegally possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Jerry C. Templet, Jr. of the Department of Homeland Security Investigations, and Sheriff Jere Dee Hopson of the Simpson County Sheriff’s Office made the announcement.
According to court records:
Dameon Rigsby, age 41, of Franklin, Kentucky, was charged with one count of possession with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. Rigsby had previously been convicted of the felony offense of trafficking in a controlled substance – first degree – first offense, in case number 09-CR-00080 in the Simpson Kentucky Circuit Court. If convicted, he faces a minimum sentence of 10 years and a maximum sentence of life in prison.
Bennett Christian, age 37, of Nashville, Tennessee, was charged with one count of possession with the intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. There is no parole in the federal system.
The Department of Homeland Security Investigations and the Simpson County Sheriff’s Office are investigating the cases.
The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark J. Yurchisin II of the U.S. Attorney’s Bowling Green Branch Office.
These cases are 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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Barrington Tax Return Preparer Charged with Falsifying Clients’ Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in Chicago returned an indictment on Feb. 16, charging an Illinois man with assisting in the preparation of false tax returns.
According to the indictment, from 2016 to 2018, Gary Sandiego of Barrington owned a tax return preparation business, G. Sandiego and Associates, and prepared and filed false returns for his clients. The false returns allegedly reported fictitious or inflated unreimbursed employment-related expenses and false residential energy credits, which resulted in a significant reduction of Sandiego’s clients’ total tax liability.
Sandiego will appear for his initial court appearance before a U.S. Magistrate Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of three years in prison on each count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.
Assistant Chief Andrew Kameros and Trial Attorney Sara Henderson of the Justice Department’s Tax Division are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Armed Bank Robber Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that BOMANI AFRICA, 62, last residing in Philadelphia, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey A. Meyer in New Haven to 120 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for committing armed bank robberies.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Africa met his associate, George Bratsenis, when they were both incarcerated on robbery convictions in a New Jersey state prison. On April 20, 2014, Africa and Bratsenis robbed a People’s United Bank branch located on Old Kings Highway Road in Darien, Connecticut. Bratsenis, driving his pick-up truck, dropped Africa off in downtown Darien. Africa then entered the bank, pulled out a gun, jumped over the teller counter and ordered a teller to open drawers, saying “I will shoot you if you don’t give me all your money!” Africa took a substantial amount of cash and then left the bank. Bratsenis picked up Africa a short distance away and they left the scene.
In September 2014, Africa, Bratsenis, and Africa’s son, Randi Feliciano, conspired to rob another bank. In the early morning hours of September 25, 2014, Feliciano drove Africa from Philadelphia to a parking lot in Trumbull, Connecticut, where, at approximately 8:30 a.m., Africa stole a car from a victim a gunpoint. The next morning, Africa and Bratsenis, both wearing masks and brandishing firearms, robbed a People’s United Bank branch located on Madison Avenue in Trumbull, taking nearly $30,000 in cash. After they drove from the scene in the car Africa had carjacked, they parked in a nearby parking lot and set fire to the car. Feliciano drove Africa from the scene and followed Bratsenis to a Norwalk restaurant where the three men divided the proceeds of the robbery. Feliciano then drove Africa back to Philadelphia.
On December 13, 2014, Africa and Feliciano, both wearing masks and brandishing firearms, robbed a First Niagara Bank branch located on Hawley Lane in Stratford, taking more than $15,000 in cash.
Africa, who has a lengthy criminal history that includes multiple convictions for robbery offenses, has been detained since his arrest on May 28, 2015. On December 16, 2015, he pleaded guilty to one count of armed bank robbery.
Bratsenis and Feliciano pleaded guilty to the same charge. On April 5, 2022, Bratsenis was sentenced to 96 months of imprisonment and, on February 21, 2017, Feliciano was sentenced to 51 months of imprisonment.
In addition to this prosecution, Africa and Bratsenis have each pleaded guilty to murder-for-hire charges in the District of New Jersey for committing a contract killing of an individual in New Jersey on May 22, 2014. They await sentencing in that case.
This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Darien, Trumbull, Stratford, and Bridgeport Police Departments. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rahul Kale.
Another Straw Purchaser Sentenced for Role in Beckley-to-Philadelphia Firearms Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Kyla Gilbert, 26, of Beckley, was sentenced today to three years of federal probation in connection with a conspiracy to traffic more than 130 firearms from the Beckley area to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Gilbert was recruited to purchase firearms for the trafficking conspiracy, which took place from around June 2020 to around July 2021. Gilbert admitted to purchasing two Ruger, Model Ruger 57, 5.7x28-caliber pistols in Beckley on May 10, 2021, for the firearms trafficking ring. Gilbert further admitted to buying at least four firearms for the trafficking conspiracy in April and May, 2021.
Gilbert pleaded guilty to making false statements in acquisition of firearms. Gilbert 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 buying the firearms for someone else.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Negar M. Kordestani and Timothy D. Boggess prosecuted the case.
Gilbert is among 18 defendants who pleaded guilty in connection with the firearms trafficking. Of the over 140 firearms trafficked in the conspiracy, approximately 45 have been recovered at crime scenes primarily in Philadelphia and have been connected to two homicides, crimes of domestic violence, and other violent offenses.
After five days of trial, a federal jury found ringleader Bisheem Jones, also known as “Bosh,” 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 7, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of 35 years in prison.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
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-127.
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Amery Woman Sentenced to 18 Months for Stealing More Than $500,000 from Special Needs TrustRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Sarah Anne Tischer, 43, Amery, Wisconsin was sentenced yesterday by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 18 months in federal prison for wire fraud. Tischer’s term of imprisonment is to be followed by a three-year period of supervised release. Judge Peterson also ordered Tischer to pay $526,416 in restitution. Tischer pleaded guilty to four counts of wire fraud on November 4, 2022.
In June 2017, Tischer established a special needs trust for a beneficiary who suffered from severe medical and developmental disabilities. As trustee, Tischer had full discretion to make payments from the trust on behalf of the beneficiary. Tischer regularly withdrew money from the investment account and deposited the funds into various bank accounts. Once in these accounts, Tischer spent the money and documented the expenditures in the trust’s ledger.
In January 2020, bank employees notified the Polk County Human Services Department that someone was spending money from the special needs trust at a casino in Turtle Lake, Wisconsin. Based on this complaint, Polk County officials held an injunction hearing that resulted in Tischer being removed as trustee.
Following this hearing, the FBI opened a criminal investigation and examined the trust’s financial records. At the end of the review, an FBI forensic accountant determined that Tischer fraudulently withdrew $526,413 from the special needs trust and spent the money at casinos, on personal items, and on home improvement projects. Tischer also forged numerous ledger entries in an effort avoid detection.
In sentencing Tischer, Judge Peterson pointed out the particularly horrible nature of Tischer’s crimes. Judge Peterson specifically noted the long-term pattern of Tischer’s wrongdoing, as well as the lasting financial impact Tischer’s actions had on the trust’s beneficiary.
The charges against Tischer were the result of an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chadwick M. Elgersma prosecuted this case.
Admitted Child Rapist Sentenced to 50 Years for Child PornographyRead the Press Release
A Dallas man who repeatedly raped a 7-year-old child was sentenced Wednesday to 50 years in federal prison, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.
Luis Humberto Rodriguez, 30, plead guilty in January 2021 to one count of production of child pornography and one count of transportation of child pornography. He was sentenced Wednesday by U.S. District Judge Brantley Starr to 30 years in prison on the production count plus 20 years in prison on the transportation count to run consecutively, for a total of 50 years behind bars.
In plea papers, Mr. Rodriguez admitted that he filmed himself sexually abusing a seven-year-old Jane Doe on multiple occasions, then shared the images with others over the social media application Kik.
At Wednesday’s sentencing hearing, an agent testified that the defendant also admitted to sexual contact with four additional victims – including a one-year-old toddler and a special needs child.
Per court documents, the investigation into Mr. Rodriguez began when agents in Olympia, Washington seized an iPad from a registered sex offender and discovered conversations between the offender and Mr. Rodriguez. In it, the defendant discussed a child porn “trade” and offered up his email address.
Law enforcement tracked Mr. Rodriguez to Dallas and searched his home, where they seized a smartphone containing videos of the defendant sexually abusing a child and a collection of child pornography that Mr. Rodriguez estimated exceeded 20 gigabytes.
In plea papers, Mr. Rodriguez admitted that he possessed more than 600 videos and images of child pornography, including “sadistic” imagery.
“The sexual exploitation of children is unconscionable. It is the mission of HSI Dallas to secure the safety of all children. Now that justice has prevailed, our hope is that the victims, their families, and the community will now begin their journey of recovery with this predator behind bars,” said HSI Dallas Special Agent in Charge Lester R. Hayes Jr.
Homeland Security Investigations’ Dallas and Olympia Field Offices conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Camille Sparks prosecuted the case.
Wednesday 15 February 2023
Yankton Man Sentenced to over 10 Years in Fentanyl ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Yankton, South Dakota, man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencing took place on February 7, 2023.
Justin Duane Langen, 38, was sentenced to 10 years and one month in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Langen was indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance by a federal grand jury in June 2021. He pleaded guilty on November 14, 2022.
In June of 2021, Langen reached an agreement to distribute over 400 grams fentanyl, a Schedule II controlled substance, in the District of South Dakota. During his involvement, he obtained Fentanyl pills from a co-conspirator and sold them to drug customers in South Dakota.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Hodges prosecuted the case.
Langen was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Wilmington Felon Receives 90 Months for Fourth Conviction of Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, N.C. – Michael Kwame Hines, 31, of Wilmington, NC, was sentenced today to 90 months in federal prison for two counts of felon in possession of a firearm. On August 11, 2022, Hines pled guilty to the charges.
“Through our ongoing partnership and collaboration with federal, state and local law enforcement, we are able to put dangerous criminals behind bars and make our communities safer,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “This defendant has decided to illegally possess guns again and again. Felons in Wilmington and beyond should take warning from Mr. Hines’ case – possessing a gun will get you federal time.”
“I am very proud of our officers for making this arrest and for their continued effort to reduce violent crime on our streets,” said Wilmington Police Chief Donny Williams. “I would like to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Department of Justice, the ATF, and our other partner agencies both local, state, and federal who continue to work with us to incarcerate violent individuals. We remain committed to combatting gun crime within the Wilmington community and keeping firearms out of the hands of criminals.”
According to court documents and other information presented in court, in February of 2021, members of the Wilmington Police Department received several complaints regarding narcotics sales and people with firearms on the porch of a residence on Meares Street. Officers conducted surveillance on the residence over several days and it was apparent that drug transactions were being conducted. On February 27, 2021, officers approached the residence and made contact with Michael Hines, Quemar Wooten, and another individual on the front porch. During their investigation, officers located a stolen firearm in Wooten’s waistband and another firearm underneath a sweatshirt belonging to Hines. Officers searched Hines’ rental vehicle in the driveway and located a digital scale, approximately 41 grams of marijuana, and small Ziplock bags that are typically used to distribute narcotics. Hines was arrested on state charges and subsequently bonded out of jail.
On May 3, 2021, while out on bond for the charges from February 27, Wilmington Police Department officers were conducting surveillance on Hines and witnessed him park his rental car at a grocery store in Wilmington and leave in another vehicle. Officers executed a search warrant on the vehicle and located, a Glock 43 firearm, three magazines of ammunition, and a digital scale with marijuana residue on it. Hines was arrested the next day.
Hines has multiple prior felony convictions, including robbery with a dangerous weapon, and this sentence will represent his third and fourth conviction for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
On June 24, 2021, Wooten pled guilty to one count of possession of a firearm by a felon and on, October 12, 2022, he was sentenced to 72 months in federal prison.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the Wilmington Police Department’s Gun Crime Task Force, the Mobile Field Force Unit, and the Wilmington Police Department investigated the case and Special Assistant United States Attorney William Van Trigt prosecuted the cases. Special Assistant United States Attorney William Van Trigt represents the government. Van Trigt is a prosecutor with the New Hanover County District Attorney’s Office assigned to the U.S. Attorney’s Office to prosecute federal violent crimes and other criminal matters. This has been made possible by a grant funded by New Hanover County.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 7:22-cr-00055-FL.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Announces Launch of Gun Safe Storage InitiativeRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont – On February 15, 2023, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont announced the launch of a three-part campaign to promote safe gun storage in Vermont. The campaign consists of a public service announcement (PSA) aimed at encouraging gun owners to safely store weapons, as well as distribution of free cable gun locks to facilitate safe gun storage, and promotion of the Vermont State Police’s partnership with federal firearms licensees (FFL) around the state providing for temporary, off-site storage for firearms that cannot be maintained safely at home. All of the relevant information related to this safe storage initiative, including the locations to pick up free cable gun locks, the Vermont State Police/FFL website, and links to the PSA, is compiled on a new website – www.gunsafevt.org.
This gun safe storage initiative is the result of collaboration among many partners, including the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont, the UVM Medical Center, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Vermont State Police, the Vermont Attorney General’s Office, the Vermont Sheriffs’ Association, the Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife, and Vermont’s Office of the Director of Violence Prevention.
U.S. Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest thanked all of the initiative partners for their important contributions and also stated, “Storing guns securely protects children and adults by preventing unintentional shootings, gun suicides, gun thefts, and criminal discharges of firearms. Our slogan ‘Keep your gun safe. Keep your people safe,’ and this initiative, are designed to raise awareness and promote responsible gun storage and ownership. If guns are stored safely, we can help prevent personal crises from escalating to include gun violence.”
Two Men Indicted on Federal Charges Related to Drive-By Shooting in LakelandRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Nicholas Quinton Hanson (32, Lakeland) with possessing ammunition as a convicted felon and Marcus Dewonn Mobley, Jr. (22, Lakeland) with possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. If convicted, each faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison.
According to court documents and information presented in court, on January 30, 2023, Hanson, Mobley, and others shot 11 men in Lakeland from a blue Nissan Altima in a drive-by shooting. The victims all survived. Crime scene technicians recovered 9-millimeter, .40 caliber, and 5.56 millimeter spent shell casings from the crime scene. The evidence includes DNA collected from some of those shell casings, as well as from the Altima. Mobley’s DNA was recovered from a .40 caliber spent shell casing and the Altima. Hanson’s DNA was recovered from two spent 9-millimeter shell casings. Officers also subsequently seized a loaded, 9-millimeter handgun from Hanson’s home.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Strategic Pattern Armed Robbery Technical Apprehension (SPARTA) unit of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Lakeland Police Department, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, and the State Attorney’s Office for Florida’s 10th Judicial Circuit. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Christopher F. Murray
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.
Download Criminal Complaint (Hanson)
Download Indictment (Hanson/Mobley)Two Euclid Men Charged with Stealing COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Insurance BenefitsRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – A federal grand jury has returned a thirteen-count indictment charging Robert Nathaniel Andre Thomas III, 24, and Montareo Banks, 24, both of Euclid, Ohio, with engaging in a conspiracy to steal approximately $44,000 in pandemic unemployment insurance benefits from the federal government and the States of Ohio, Arizona, California, and New Jersey.
Thomas and Banks are charged in the indictment with one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud, two counts of mail fraud, five counts of wire fraud, and five counts of aggravated identity theft.
According to the indictment, from May through November 2020, the defendants and their co-conspirators are accused of engaging in a conspiracy to fraudulently obtain COVID-19 pandemic unemployment insurance benefits. These benefits were provided via the Department of Labor (DOL) to State Workforce Agencies under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act of 2020.
The indictment alleges that as part of their scheme, the defendants and their co-conspirators knowingly made false statements and omissions regarding employment history, residency, and other information on applications for pandemic unemployment insurance benefits to the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS), Arizona Department of Economic Security (DES), California Employment Development Department (EDD), and the New Jersey Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA).
Court documents state that as a result of the scheme, the defendants and their co-conspirators received approximately $40,000 in pandemic unemployment insurance benefits to which they were not entitled.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after a review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal records, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense, and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum; in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.
This case was investigated by the Cleveland FBI and the Department of Labor. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Bryson N. Gillard.
Three Men Indicted in Bank Robbery ConspiracyRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Luke Kenna a/k/a “Lt.,” age 43, of Johnstown, New York; Michael Brown, Jr. a/k/a “Russ,” a/k/a “Doc Grimson,” age 40, of Exton, Pennsylvania; and Brian Tierney, a/k/a “Wodanaz”, age 29, of North Bellmore, New York, were charged by indictment yesterday with conspiring to commit bank robbery. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Janeen DiGuiseppi, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement.
The indictment alleges that between November 14 and November 27, 2022, Kenna, Brown, and Tierney agreed to and planned to commit an armed bank robbery at a bank branch in Johnstown, New York. Kenna, as part of that conspiracy, conducted surveillance of the bank and purchased items, including weapons, with which to commit the robbery. The charges in the indictment are merely accusations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Kenna, Brown, and Tierney were previously charged by criminal complaints and arrested; all are presently detained.
The charge carries a maximum sentence of 5 years in prison. 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.
The FBI Albany Field Office’s Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF), which includes FBI Special Agents, and federal, state, and local investigators, including from the New York State Police, is investigating the case. The FBI’s Philadelphia Field Office, the FBI’s Richmond Field Office, and New York State Police Special Investigations Unit also provided assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Wentworth-Ping is prosecuting the case.
Third Georgia-Based “Romance Scam” Co-Conspirator Convicted in Federal Court in Rhode IslandRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A third member of an Atlanta-based conspiracy that bilked unsuspecting seniors in Rhode Island and several other states out of more than $3.2 million was convicted today in federal court in Rhode Island after pleading guilty to a charge of conspiracy to commit money laundering, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.
Sadae Mills, 28, of Houston, TX, admitted to a federal judge that for approximately three months, beginning in April 2018, she agreed to receive payments that she knew had been fraudulently obtained from women through internet and app-based romance scams. Mills would take these payments, mostly in the form of money orders, cash, or wire transfers, deposit the ill-gotten funds into her bank account, and would then withdraw or transfer the proceeds, as directed by a co-conspirator. In doing so, Mills acted with the intent to conceal and disguise the nature, location, source, ownership, and control of the funds.
Mills admitted that from approximately April 25, 2018, through June 7, 2018, she received a total of $34,710 in fraud proceeds and deposited them into her bank account. Mills also admitted that she spent some of the funds; transferred some of the proceeds to other banks, as directed by co-conspirator Dominique Golden, 31, of Houston, TX; and withdrew some of the funds in cash, which she then provided to Golden.
Golden, convicted on September 1, 2022, after pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud, was sentenced on January 25, 2023, to 78 months in federal prison to be followed by three years of federal supervised release, and to pay restitution in the amount of $1,263,822.54, romance scam proceeds she admitted to collecting and banking.
Co-conspirator Breauna Williams, 29, of Jacksonville, NC, is awaiting sentencing, having pleaded guilty on January 17, 2023, to charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Williams is scheduled to be sentenced on April 18, 2023.
Co-conspirators Wisdom Oghenekaro Onyobeno, 42, of Atlanta, GA. and Syretta Scherer, 41, of Atlanta, GA, are awaiting trial in U.S. District Court in Providence. The trial is scheduled to be begin on May 1, 2023. Onyobeno has been in custody since his arrest on November 19, 2019.
Mills is scheduled to be sentenced on May 23, 2023. The defendant’s sentence will be determined by a federal district judge after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Denise M. Barton and John P. McAdams.
The matter was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, with the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Department of Labor-Office of Inspector General, and U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration in Atlanta.
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Syracuse Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug and Firearm CrimesRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Tramond G. Wallace, Jr., age 28, of Syracuse, pled guilty today to possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance and possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime.
United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman, Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)-New York Division, and Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the Boston Division of the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) made the announcement.
As part of his guilty plea, Wallace admitted that at his apartment in the Town of DeWitt, he possessed a parcel containing 1,024 grams of pills containing fentanyl, which had been mailed through the U.S. Postal Service. Wallace admitted that he intended to distribute these pills, and other quantities of fentanyl that he possessed in his apartment, to others. Wallace further admitted that in the same apartment, he possessed two (2) Glock .40 caliber pistols, which he possessed in furtherance of his drug-trafficking.
At sentencing, Wallace faces at least 10 years and up to life in federal prison, a maximum fine of $5,000,000, and a term of post-imprisonment supervised release of at least 4 years and up to life. 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.
DEA and USPIS investigated the case, with assistance from the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), the Syracuse Police Department, the Onondaga County District Attorney’s Office, and the Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew J. McCrobie is prosecuting the case.
Supplier in Juvenile Fentanyl Overdoses Case Charged with Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A top source of supply in the Carrollton fentanyl overdoses case has been charged with a federal drug crime, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.
Jason Xavier Villanueva, 22, was charged via criminal complaint with conspiracy to distribute a Schedule II controlled substance. He was arrested on Tuesday and made his initial appearance in federal court Wednesday afternoon.
According to the complaint, Mr. Villanueva allegedly worked through a juvenile dealer to supply fentanyl-laced pills to Luis Eduardo Navarrete, 21, and Magaly Mejia Cano, 29, the pair accused of peddling pills to teenage dealers in Carrollton. Mr. Villanueva also allegedly transacted with some of the teenage dealers directly.
Mr. Navarrete and Ms. Cano were charged via criminal complaint with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances last week and remain detained pending trial.
“Fentanyl is killing our kids. We are angry about it. We are heartbroken about it. And we are determined to do all we can about it,” U.S. Attorney Leigha Simonton said at a press conference Wednesday afternoon. “Make no mistake: Unless it comes from a licensed medical provider, that pill your child thinks is Percocet, or OxyContin, or Xanax, or Adderall, may actually be fentanyl. And if it is fentanyl, chances are, even a small part of one pill may be deadly.”
“Fentanyl does not discriminate by age, race, gender, or socio-economic status. Its addictive properties cannot be compared to anything else on the streets today. The overdose and poisoning margin of error between life or death is microscopic,” DEA Dallas Special Agent in Charge Eduardo Chávez said at the press conference. “We all have a role in this fight. Because it is a fight. It is a fight for our families, it is a fight to curb substance abuse, and it is a fight to hold criminal drug networks accountable for their actions.”
“We take this seriously in our community; we will leave no stone unturned to ensure the safety of our children,” said Carrollton Police Chief Roberto Arredondo.
All three defendants allegedly trafficked pills, mostly blue tablets inscribed “M-30,” to juvenile dealers in Carrollton, who went on to sell to friends and classmates.
The drugs led to as many as ten overdoses, three of them fatal, of nine teenagers in the Carrollton Farmer’s Branch Independent School District. The victims, all middle and high school students, ranged in age from 13 to 17 and usually referred to the pills with slang terms like “percs,” “yerks,” “blues,” or “M-30s.”
According to the complaint, three of the surviving overdose victims identified two juvenile dealers as their sources for pills. Evidence showed that both juvenile dealers corresponded with Mr. Villanueva over social media about drug purchases, and one even admitted to law enforcement that Villanueva was his supplier.
In an interview with law enforcement following his arrest, Mr. Navarrete allegedly revealed that he, too, obtained the drugs he allegedly dealt to minors from Mr. Villanueva through one of the juvenile dealers.
Mr. Villanueva allegedly posted photographs of “M30” pills, money, and firearms on social media. He used the message function on a popular social media app to negotiate drug transactions with juvenile dealers and described the quality of the pills he was selling to his customers.
Following Navarrete and Cano’s arrests last week, Mr. Villanueva posted on social media, “Only thing that’s gonna stop us is feds.”A criminal complaint is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence. Like Mr. Navarrete and Ms. Cano, Mr. Villanueva is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
If convicted, the defendants face up to 20 years each in federal prison.
The Drug Enforcement Administration’s Dallas Field Office and the Carrollton Police Department conducted the investigation with the assistance of School Resource Officers from the Carrollton – Farmer’s Branch Independent School. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Phelesa Guy and Rick Calvert are prosecuting the case.
Note: Illicitly produced, fentanyl-laced pills often look similar to legitimate prescription pills like Oxycontin or Percocet, but can pose significantly more danger. On the street, these pills are often referred to as “M30s” (a reference to the markings on some of the pills), “blues,” “perks,” “yerks,” “china girls,” or “TNT.” DEA research shows that six out of ten pills laced with fentanyl contain a potentially lethal dose. One pill can kill. For resources, visit https://www.dea.gov/onepill.Street Gang Member Pleads Guilty to RICO ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A Virgin Islands man pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to violate the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act.
According to court documents, Wahilli James, aka Dapa, of Frederiksted, St. Croix, was a member of the Paul Girard Criminal Enterprise (Enterprise), a local street gang in the Virgin Islands. Members and associates of the Enterprise engaged in narcotics distribution; money laundering; planned armed robberies of jewelry stores, racetracks, and banks; and ultimately, a violent struggle with a rival gang that led to three murders and several other shootings. James participated in two of the armed robberies and provided guns for his co-conspirators to use in criminal activity.
“This defendant is the eleventh and final Girard gang member to either plead guilty or be convicted at trial for their heinous crimes,” said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “These defendants victimized local residents by waging a bloody street war throughout St. Croix and robbing commercial establishments on both St. Croix and St. Thomas. As this case demonstrates, outstanding cooperation between federal and local law enforcement is vital to dismantling violent criminal enterprises and keeping our communities safe.”
“The Paul Girard Criminal Enterprise was a vicious and lawless gang that terrorized and victimized the people of the Virgin Islands for years,” stated U.S. Attorney Delia Smith for the District of the Virgin Islands. “The tremendous work of the FBI, the Virgin Islands Police Department, and attorneys from my office and the Justice Department’s Criminal Division delivered the ultimate reward to the people of our territory – just and lengthy sentences of imprisonment to those involved.”
“Criminal organizations like the one James took part in thrive by destabilizing governance through violence and intimidation,” said Special Agent in Charge Joseph Gonzalez of the FBI San Juan Field Office. “With this guilty plea, the FBI reiterates its commitment to the safety and wellbeing of the people of the U.S. Virgin Islands.”
James pleaded guilty to RICO conspiracy and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Paul Girard, the leader of the Enterprise, coordinated all of the gang’s activities while in prison. Girard and two other co-conspirators were convicted at trial in March 2022.
The FBI investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Marie Zisa and Christopher Taylor of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Meredith Edwards for the District of the Virgin Islands are prosecuting the case.
Stockton Man Sentenced for Being a Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Lawrence Macken, 45, of Stockton, was sentenced today to four years and nine months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, on Dec. 12, 2019, law enforcement officers stopped Macken’s vehicle and found a Bersa Firestorm .380 semi-automatic handgun in the dash compartment near the vehicle’s driver’s seat. Macken has several prior felony convictions—including two felon-in-possession-of-a-firearm convictions, two assault convictions, and multiple vehicle-theft convictions—which prohibit him from possessing a firearm.
This case was the product of an investigation by the San Joaquin County District Attorney’s Office; the Stockton Police Department; and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron D. Pennekamp 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 U.S. Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
South Dakota Man Sentenced to over 12 Years for Meth DistributionRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Harrison, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencing took place on February 13, 2023.
James Dean Houseman, 62, was sentenced to 12 years and seven months in federal prison, followed by four years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Houseman was indicted for Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance and Possession of a Firearm by Prohibited Person by a federal grand jury in March of 2022. He pleaded guilty on November 8, 2022.
In October of 2021, Houseman was pulled over by a South Dakota Highway Patrol Trooper. After a search of the vehicle, the trooper found more than five grams of pure methamphetamine, which Houseman had separated out into smaller baggies in order to distribute them into the community. In the vehicle, troopers also found a loaded magazine containing Ruger .22 ammunition. A later search of Houseman’s house revealed a loaded semiautomatic .22 caliber Phoenix pistol and an additional 15 pounds of methamphetamine.
This case was investigated by the South Dakota Highway Patrol, South Dakota Department of Criminal Investigation, and the FBI. This case was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Ebert, who also serves as a prosecutor with the South Dakota Attorney General’s Office.
Houseman was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Sioux Falls Man Sentenced for Transportation of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man convicted of Transportation of Child Pornography. The sentencing took place on February 13, 2023.
Terry Zoppe, age 49, was sentenced to 11 years and three months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
Zoppe was indicted by a federal grand jury in December of 2021. He pleaded guilty on November 8, 2022.
The conviction stemmed from incidents between September 19, 2017, and March 23, 2021, when Zoppe knowingly transported child pornography over the internet. After searching the internet for child pornography, he downloaded the files containing child pornography to his two e-mail accounts with Google domain. Zoppe also had child pornography on three cell phones. He knew the files contained child pornography before he chose to download them.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, SD Division of Criminal Investigation, SD Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, Sioux Falls PD, and the U.S. Marshal’s Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey C. Clapper prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Zoppe was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Sherman Oaks Man Found Guilty of Scheming with His Brother to Defraud Investors Through Business They Ran Out of Parents’ HouseRead the Press Release
SANTA ANA, California – A San Fernando Valley man has been found guilty by a jury of scheming with his brother to fraudulently obtain more than $6 million from at least 40 investors through an investment company they ran out of their parents’ house, the Justice Department announced today.
Sassi Mizrahi, 58, of Sherman Oaks, was found guilty late Tuesday of five counts of wire fraud. The jury found Mizrahi not guilty of one wire fraud count.
His brother, Motty Mizrahi, 51, of Encino, pleaded guilty on January 6 to six counts of wire fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft.
According to evidence presented at the six-day trial, Motty Mizrahi falsely portrayed himself as a licensed broker, a certified public accountant, and an experienced trader who employed sophisticated financial option- and insurance-hedging strategies through the brothers’ business, MBIG Company. Both Mizrahi brothers operated MBIG out of their parents’ home in Encino.
From June 2012 until March 2019, the Mizrahi brothers raised more than $6 million from investors, promised them “guaranteed” returns between 2% and 3% per month, promised annual rates of return ranging from 30% to 102%, and assured them that their funds could be withdrawn after an initial holding period on an on-demand basis.
Neither Mizrahi brother ever invested any victim-investor funds in an account under MBIG’s name. Instead, Motty Mizrahi transferred most of the victim-investor funds into his personal trading accounts at E*TRADE and TD Ameritrade, in which he accumulated persistent and extensive losses. As a result of their investments with MBIG, victim-investors sustained losses of at least $3.3 million. Sassi Mizrahi received hundreds of thousands of dollars of investor money, and helped his brother conceal the truth about the scheme from MBIG’s investors.
Sassi Mizrahi and his brother submitted phony monthly account statements that purported to show consistent monthly gains and falsely showed that MBIG’s account balances were between $6 million and $9 million. However, Motty Mizrahi instead lost the investors’ money – losses he and Sassi Mizrahi denied when confronted by victims who unsuccessfully demanded their money back.
United States District Judge Cormac J. Carney scheduled a June 26 sentencing hearing for Sassi Mizrahi, who will face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for each wire fraud count.
At his sentencing hearing that is scheduled for May 15, Motty Mizrahi will face up to 20 years in federal prison for each wire fraud count and a mandatory two-year prison sentence consecutive to his wire fraud prison term for the aggravated identity theft count.
In October 2020, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission obtained a judgment of more than $3 million against Motty Mizrahi and MBIG for perpetuating the fraud.
The FBI investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorneys Morgan J. Cohen and David Y. Pi of the Major Frauds Section are prosecuting this case.