Latest Records
Newest first across public DOJ and U.S. Attorney press releases.
Monday 6 February 2023
Taylor County Man Sentenced to 57 Months in Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing FirearmsRead the Press Release
Bowling Green, KY – A Taylor County, Kentucky man was sentenced today to 57 months in prison followed by a 3-year term of supervised release for illegally possessing two firearms in Campbellsville, Kentucky.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge R. Shawn Morrow of the ATF Louisville Field Division, and Sheriff Allen Newton of the Taylor County Sheriff’s Office made the announcement.
According to court documents, on March 18, 2021, Jeffrey R. Beard, 62, a convicted felon, possessed a New England Firearms 12-gauge shotgun, a Winchester 20-gauge shotgun, and a Marlin .22 caliber rifle. Beard had previously been convicted of the following felony offenses. On July 13, 2016, in Green Circuit Court, Beard was convicted of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. On July 12, 2016, in Taylor Circuit Court, Beard was convicted of first-degree wanton endangerment. On April 6, 2004, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky, Beard was convicted of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession of a machine gun, possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, and possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine.
The case was investigated by the ATF Bowling Green Field Office and the Taylor County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark J. Yurchisin II, of the U.S. Attorney’s Bowling Green Branch Office, prosecuted the case.
###
Tampa Man Sentenced for Role in Fraudulent Tax Preparation SchemeRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge William F. Jung has sentenced Thomas Johnson to three years in federal prison for his role in the preparation of well over a thousand false and fraudulent income tax returns. The court also ordered Johnson to pay restitution to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) in the amount of $1,688,931.90. Johnson had pleaded guilty on October 20, 2022.
According to court documents, Johnson owned and operated a tax preparation business located in Seffner, Florida. Between 2015 and 2017, Johnson aided in the preparation of false and fraudulent income tax returns on behalf of his clients. The fraudulent returns that Johnson helped to prepare contained false entries as to education credits that his clients were supposedly owed and Schedule C business losses for businesses that his clients denied having. The filing of these false tax returns led to the overpayment of tax refunds to his clients and the loss to the IRS of $1,688,931.90.
Johnson often concealed his activity by listing other persons as the preparers of most of the false returns that he created and filed. The false education credits and Schedule C business losses that Johnson submitted on behalf of his taxpayer clients generated large refunds that were unjustified. Johnson also required that his clients split those large refund amounts with him after the IRS processed these tax returns and paid those refunds.
“While most tax return preparers provide excellent service to their clients, it only takes a few dishonest return preparers to negatively impact thousands. IRS-CI works year-round to investigate fraudulent return preparers and protect the American taxpayers’ money,” said IRS-CI Acting Special Agent in Charge Ronald A. Loecker. “Return preparers must comply with the same tax obligations as the clients they serve. No one is above the law.”
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service- Criminal Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jay L. Hoffer.
Sex Offender Sentenced for Child PornographyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Steven Russell announced that Adam Frederick Juenemann, 44, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced today to 210 months’ incarceration by United States District Court Judge Brian C. Buescher for transportation of child pornography with a prior conviction. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release, Juenemann will serve a lifetime term of supervised release. Juenemann will continue to have to register as a sex offender.
In October 2020, law enforcement located a sexually explicit video and photograph depicting a known 15-year-old female and a 14-year-old male engaging in sexually explicit conduct on a motherless.com account. The video had been posted by user “sole_t.” The videos of the known 15-year-old and 14-year-old were uploaded to the account on January 7, 2020. The IP address associated with the “sole_t” motherless.com account was a Cox Communications address. The IP address was assigned to Adam Juenemann’s residence and the account was in the name of Juenemann’s ex-wife.
On December 22, 2020, a search warrant was executed at Juenemann’s residence. During the execution of that warrant, officers recovered several electronic devices which were reviewed. During the review of Juenemann’s devices, officers found 62 images containing children being subjected to sexually explicit conduct. On Juenemann’s phone were still images from the video of the 15-year-old female and 14-year-old male that had been posted on motherless.com. Juenemann was interviewed on December 22, 2020, and admitted to using Cox for his internet services and admitted to using the email address associated with the motherless.com account.
Juenemann was previously convicted of three counts of Sexual Exploitation of a Child in violation of K.S.A. 21-5510(a)(2) in the District Court of Ellis County, Kansas, in case number 15CR35.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation as part of the FBI’s Child Enticement and Human Trafficking Task Force and was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and 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.
Serial Rapist Convicted by Jury for 2010 Home Invasion Sexual Assault of Woman in Northwest D.C.Read the Press Release
Defendant Had Been Convicted in Previous Sexual Assaults in D.C. and Virginia
WASHINGTON – Ronald P. Berton, Jr., 48, of the District of Columbia, was found guilty by a jury today for sexually assaulting a 30-year-old woman in June of 2010, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Robert J. Contee, III, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Berton was found guilty of first degree burglary, kidnapping, first degree sexual abuse with aggravating circumstances, assault with intent to commit first degree sexual abuse, and attempted first degree sexual abuse with aggravating circumstances. The verdict followed a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The Honorable Marisa Demo scheduled sentencing for March 3, 2023. Berton faces a maximum sentence of life in prison for the crimes. He will be required to register as a sex offender for life.
According to the government’s evidence presented at trial, on June 12, 2010, at approximately 7:30 a.m., the victim was at home sleeping in her ground level apartment in Adams Morgan. Berton, who was a stranger to the victim, entered her home and proceeded into her bedroom where he stood over her. The victim woke up and the defendant restrained her and sexually assaulted her. The victim fought back, ultimately collecting the defendant’s DNA underneath the fingernails of both her hands. After the assault, Berton stole the victim's phone and fled. The defendant used the victim’s stolen SIM card, which he placed into a different handset, to call an acquaintance five hours later.
The victim ran to a firehouse immediately after the assault and reported the offenses. MPD responded promptly and a crime scene technician swabbed under her fingernails for possible DNA. The fingernail swabs were tested in 2010 and resulted in a partial DNA profile of the defendant under her left hand fingernails and a more complete profile under her right hand fingernails.
Berton was developed as a suspect in this case in approximately 2017, when detectives with MPD’s Cold Case Sexual Assault Unit identified him as the suspect in a 2007 home invasion sexual assault. In that case, Berton had entered the ground level Adams Morgan apartment of a 27 year-old woman who was sleeping. The defendant restrained and sexually assaulted her and then stole her phone and fled. The victim obtained an immediate Sexual Assault Examination and reported the offenses to police. Berton was later identified as the perpetrator of this offense by his DNA profile. He was convicted of the 2007 crimes in a March 2020 trial, in which the jury found him guilty of kidnapping and first degree sexual abuse with aggravating circumstances.
Berton also has a 2014 rape conviction in the Commonwealth of Virginia, Arlington County. In that case, in September 2010, Berton entered the ground level apartment of a woman who was sleeping and sexually assaulted her. After the assault, the defendant stole two cell phones and a laptop and fled. He was later identified as the perpetrator through DNA.
In announcing the verdict, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Contee commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the U.S. Marshals Service, the FBI's Seattle Field Office, and the FBI CAST team. They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stuart Allen, Dan Lenerz, Nick Coleman, Bryan Han, Chrisellen Kolb, and Sharon Donovan; Lisa Kreeger-Norman, Special Counsel for DNA and Forensic Evidence Litigation; Paralegal Specialists Cynthia Muhammad, Garcia Clarke, and Tiffany Jones; Lead Paralegal Specialist Michelle Wicker; and Victim/Witness Coordinator Katina Adams-Washington.
Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Katie Kern and Amy Zubrensky, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
Selma, N.C. Crips Gang Member Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for Cocaine and Crack PossessionRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. –A verified Crips gang member residing in Selma, N.C., was sentenced Friday to 360 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute a quantity of cocaine and twenty-eight (28) grams or more of cocaine base (“crack”) and possession with intent to distribute a quantity of cocaine and cocaine base (“crack”). On July 19, 2022, Deondre Montreal Russell, 34, also known as “Poo Bear,” was convicted by a federal jury of the charges.
According to court documents and other information presented in court, Russell, 33, sold cocaine and crack to a confidential informant utilized by the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office in January of 2020. Upon leaving the meeting, Russell committed a traffic violation and was stopped by police. The stop resulted in an altercation between Russell and the officer, and Russell was arrested and found to be carrying 26.51 grams of cocaine base (“crack”), 27.62 grams of cocaine, and $650 in cash.
Over the course of the investigation, a confidential informant notified investigators that they met Russell during the summer of 2018 and stated that Russell sold them approximately 3,628.8 grams of crystal methamphetamine and 453.7 grams of cocaine base (“crack”) during an eight-to-nine-month period. The confidential informant observed Russell carrying and possessing at least two firearms. In October of 2020, when Russell was on state probation, officers federally arrested him and found a digital scale with apparent cocaine residue, as well as 10 grams of marijuana. After the arrest, additional confidential informants confirmed drug purchases from Russell and told investigators that Russell made credible threats to use violence against witnesses in his trial.
In September of 2005, Russell pled guilty to second degree murder and was released from prison in 2016. The defendant was originally charged as a juvenile, but his case was bound over to superior court and he was tried as an adult. Following his release from prison, Russell was convicted of possession of cocaine and other controlled substances, as well as selling marijuana in 2018.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III. The Johnson County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelly L. Sandling prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:20-cr-00459-D.
St. Croix Felon Sentenced to 186 Months on Home Invasion and Carjacking ConvictionsRead the Press Release
St. Croix, VI – United States Attorney Delia L. Smith announced today that Luis Davis, 34, of St. Croix, was sentenced to 186 months of incarceration by District Court Judge Wilma A. Lewis, after being convicted of carjacking, using a firearm during a violent crime and felon in possession of a firearm. Judge Lewis also sentenced Davis to 5 years of supervised release, a fine of $1,000.00, a special assessment of $300.00 and $1,600.00 in restitution.
According to court documents, in the early morning hours of September 10, 2017, Davis, along with two assailants, broke into a couple’s home in Estate Rust Op Twist while brandishing a firearm. The group physically assaulted the male victim by punching him in the head and threatened to kill the couple while demanding money. Thereafter, at gunpoint, Davis and his assailants forced the couple into the rear passenger seat of their Toyota Tacoma pick-up truck and drove to the shoreline location where the male victim had left his wallet. After retrieving the wallet, Davis and his assailants fled in the Toyota Tacoma pick-up truck and a Jeep Wrangler. In addition to the vehicles, Davis stole $200.00 cash, two iPhones valued at $600 each and an iPad valued at $200.00. In 2011, Davis was convicted of first degree assault in the Superior Court of the Virgin Islands.
This case was investigated by the Virgin Islands Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigations and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel H. Huston. This case is part of the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods Initiative. Project Safe Neighborhoods is a nationwide initiative that brings together federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement officials, prosecutors, and community leaders to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in a community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. For more information on the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods, please see: https://www.justice.gov/psn.
Paw Paw Man Sentenced to 60 Months in Prison for Setting Fire at Kalamazoo Planned ParenthoodRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney Mark Totten announced today that U.S. District Judge Paul L. Maloney sentenced Joshua Brereton of Paw Paw, Michigan to 60 months in prison, followed by two years’ supervised release, for maliciously setting fire to the Planned Parenthood clinic in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Maloney also ordered Brereton to pay $32,699.45 in restitution for the damage he caused.
“While Americans may disagree strongly on matters of law and policy, violence is never an acceptable means to settle our disputes,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten. “Today and every day, my office will hold wrongdoers accountable for political violence.” He continued: “This particular act of violence was an attack on a health care clinic. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan is committed to protecting access to reproductive services and we will continue to use every tool at our disposal to defend those rights protected by federal law.”
“Using an act of violence like arson to express one’s anger toward an individual or business is never acceptable,“ said ATF Acting Special Agent in Charge Craig Kailimai, “Today’s sentencing best represents ATF’s tireless commitment to work with our Federal, State, and Local partnerships to bring to justice those who seek to prey upon our communities.”
“It is crucial that those individuals who desire reproductive health services be able to obtain them in an environment that is free of interference, intimidation, and fear,” said James A. Tarasca, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan. “We will continue to work closely with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to hold responsible anyone who engages in criminal activity to address their differences of opinion.”
"The Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety appreciates the partnership with our federal partners. Today, that partnership helped bring along justice in our city,” said KDPS Chief Dave Boysen. "Thank you to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Michigan for helping bring Joshua Brereton to justice after his attempt to light a Planned Parenthood on fire. Acts of violence, whether they are politically motivated or not, cannot be allowed to happen in our community."
At sentencing, Judge Maloney noted the serious nature of the crime and found that Brereton “engaged in a concentrated effort to commit the arson.” Judge Maloney also focused on the need for general deterrence in cases like this, noting that others who might commit a similar violent crime need to understand that a substantial sentence will be meted out upon conviction.
Brereton’s conviction followed a joint investigation by multiple law enforcement agencies, including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety (KDPS). The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Carowan.
###
OraPharma, Inc. Agrees to Pay $100,000 to Resolve Allegations of False Claims Act ViolationsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – OraPharma, Inc. has agreed to pay $100,000 to resolve allegations that the incentive compensation it paid to certain account managers, who also practiced as dental hygienists, resulted in the submission of false claims to the Medicare program.
Headquartered in Bridgewater, N.J., OraPharma sells oral health products, including Arestin, a sustained-release antibiotic that dental providers administer locally as an adjunct to treatment for periodontal disease.
OraPharma admits in the settlement agreement that from June 2012 through December 2020, they employed account managers – including individuals who practiced as dental hygienists – to promote Arestin to dental practices. Following their retention as account managers by OraPharma, some of these dental hygienists occasionally worked in a dental office or offices in their assigned sales territories but did not disclose in certain instances this occasional hygiene practice to OraPharma as required under the company’s conflicts-of-interest policies. The account managers may have received, or were eligible to receive, incentive compensation for Arestin prescriptions that they may have recommended to Medicare beneficiaries when the account managers were performing dental hygienist duties in a dental office—i.e., while operating outside the scope of their employment with OraPharma. As a result, the United States contends that OraPharma’s payment of incentive compensation to account managers for any prescriptions reimbursed by Medicare in the offices where the account managers practiced as dental hygienists violated the Anti-Kickback Statute and thereby caused false claims to Medicare.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Phillip M. Coyne, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General; and Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lindsey Ross and Charles Weinograd of Rollins’ Affirmative Civil Enforcement Unit handled the matter.
One More Sentenced for Conspiring to Stage Automobile Accidents in Order to Defraud Insurance and Trucking CompaniesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced DASHONTAE YOUNG (“YOUNG”), age 28, of Houma, Louisiana, was sentenced today for Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371, arising out of a staged automobile accident with a tractor-trailer occurring in New Orleans.
According to documents filed in federal court, on June 6, 2017, YOUNG and co-defendant’s Lucinda Thomas (“Thomas”), Mary Wade (“Wade”) and Judy Williams (“Williams”) drove from Houma, LA, to meet with Damian Labeaud (“Labeaud”), for the purpose of staging an automobile accident in order to obtain money through fraud. After their meeting, Thomas, Wade, Williams, and YOUNG agreed to allow Labeaud to drive Thomas’ 2009 Chevrolet Avalanche vehicle. The defendants then drove around the vicinity of Chef Menteur Highway and Downman Road of New Orleans until they located a 2017 Freightliner tractor-trailer. At approximately 12:30 P.M., Labeaud intentionally collided with the tractor-trailer. Labeaud then exited Thomas’ vehicle and instructed Thomas to get behind the wheel of Thomas’ Avalanche to make it appear that Thomas was driving the vehicle at the time of the staged accident.
Thomas, Wade, Williams, and YOUNG contacted the NOPD and falsely reported that Thomas had been the driver of the Avalanche and that the tractor-trailer had struck her vehicle. Labeaud then returned to the scene and also made false statements to the NOPD that he had witnessed the accident and that the driver of the tractor-trailer had been at fault.
Before and after the staged accident, Labeaud contacted attorney Patrick Keating (“Keating”) and arranged a meeting with Thomas, Wade, Williams, and YOUNG at a fast food restaurant on Chef Menteur Highway. Keating then filed two lawsuits in state court that were removed to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana.
Thomas, Wade, and Williams each admitted to providing false testimony in various depositions taken in conjunction with the lawsuits filed by Keating. Ultimately, but only after a year of pursuing their fraudulent lawsuits, did Thomas, Wade, and Williams settle their cases for $7,500.00 each.
U.S. District Judge Eldon E. Fallon sentenced YOUNG to five (5) years probation, $43,000.00 in restitution, and $100.00 mandatory special assessment fee.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office would also like to acknowledge the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Louisiana State Police, and the Metropolitan Crime Commission with this matter. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian M. Klebba, Chief of the Financial Crimes Unit; Assistant U.S. Attorney Maria Carboni; Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward Rivera; and Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon Long.
* * *
Omaha Man Sentenced to more than 7 Years’ Imprisonment for MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Steven A. Russell announced that Juan Diaz-Diaz, 27 of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on February 3, 2023, in federal court in Omaha for distribution of methamphetamine. Chief United States District Court Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Diaz-Diaz to 87 months’ imprisonment. After completing his term of imprisonment, Diaz-Diaz will be required to serve a 3-year term of supervised release as there is no parole in the federal system.
On three separate occasions in 2020, Omaha police narcotics officers utilized a confidential informant (CI) to purchase methamphetamine from Diaz-Diaz at different Omaha locations. The CI was able to purchase a total of more than a half-pound of methamphetamine during the three transactions.
This case was investigated by the Omaha Police Department.
Omaha Man Sentenced in Methamphetamine Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Steven Russell announced that Carlos Rios-Alonso, 36, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on January 3, 2023, in federal court in Omaha for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Rios-Alonso to a term of imprisonment of 29 months. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, he will begin a 4-year term of supervised release.
On November 21, 2021, the Drug Enforcement Administration intercepted a FedEx package that contained 2,000 fentanyl pills. The package was delivered to the listed address and Rios-Alonso took possession of the package. After Rios-Alonso was arrested, he admitted that he was to receive the package.
This case was investigated primarily by the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Omaha Man Sentenced for Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl AnalogueRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Steven Russell announced that Robert Rush, 29, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on February 3, 2023, in federal court in Omaha for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute ten grams or more of an analogue of fentanyl. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Rush to 180 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, he will begin a 4-year term of supervised release.
On March 1, 2020, the Omaha Police Department executed a search warrant on Rush’s residence in Omaha and seized 1,029 fentanyl pills. Rush and his co-defendant, Ja’Hvont Payne, were selling the fentanyl pills for $35 to $40 a pill. Rush sold at least one of the pills to a woman who overdosed and died.
February 11, 2022, Ja’Hvont Payne was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment followed by a 4-year term of supervised release. Payne was not responsible for providing fentanyl to the deceased.
This case was investigated by the Omaha Police Department.
Nicholas County Man Sentenced to More than 19 Years in Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Lester Taylor Barnhouse, 43, of Craigsville, was sentenced today to 19 years and seven months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 13, 2022, Barnhouse fled from law enforcement officers trying to arrest him. During the pursuit, Barnhouse hid a backpack under a waterfall in the woods near Nallen, Nicholas County. An officer following Barnhouse’s tracks in the snow found the backpack, which contained approximately 646.6 grams of methamphetamine, 129 grams of fentanyl, a loaded Taurus Millennium G2 pistol, and $6,740. Barnhouse admitted that he intended to sell the methamphetamine and fentanyl, and that the cash was proceeds from drug transactions.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the West Virginia State Police and the Nicholas County Sheriff’s Department.
Chief United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys R. Gregory McVey and Julie M. White prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-cr-85.
###
New prosecutor added to U.S. Attorney’s Office in MartinsburgRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA — A new prosecutor has joined the U.S. Attorney’s Office to assist with the increasing criminal caseload in the Eastern Panhandle.
United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced the addition of Daniel Salem to his Martinsburg office. Salem has been a prosecutor for nine years, first with Harford County (MD), then with the Baltimore City State’s Attorney, and finally with the Maryland Office of the Attorney General. He handled a heavy caseload of homicides, drug trafficking, and organized crime, and led wiretap investigations in collaboration with the Mid-Atlantic OCDETF Task Force.
“Dan Salem is a tremendous addition to the Martinsburg team,” said U.S. Attorney Ihlenfeld. “His experience in Maryland handling violent crime and drug trafficking cases allows him to step right in and assist with our busy criminal docket. I’ll continue to add Federal resources in the Eastern Panhandle to meet the threat and protect the community.”
Salem is an honors graduate of the Fordham University School of Law.
New Orleans Woman Sentenced in Staged Automobile Collision SchemeRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that, on February 1, 2023, U.S. District Judge Sarah S. Vance sentenced ASHLEY McGOWAN (“McGOWAN”), age 36, to serve 24 months in prison, to be followed by one year of supervised release, for Conspiracy to Commit Mail Fraud in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371. Judge Vance also imposed restitution in the amount of $545,000 and a mandatory special assessment of $100.
According to Court documents, McGOWAN admitted to being in a conspiracy to commit mail fraud in connection with a staged automobile collision. In the scheme, McGOWAN falsely claimed that she was a passenger in a car that was struck by a tractor-trailer on June 8, 2016. In fact, the government’s evidence showed that McGOWAN conspired with Damien Labeaud (“Labeaud”), Keishira Robinson (“K. Robinson”), Lertrice Johnson (“L. Johnson”), Davienque Johnson (“D. Johnson”), and others to intentionally collide K. Robinson’s Mazda with a tractor-trailer in the area of Chickasaw Street and Louisa Street in New Orleans. McGOWAN later lied in her civil deposition, falsely claiming that K. Robinson was driving the car that collided with the tractor-trailer, when in fact Labeaud was driving the car and intentionally hit the tractor-trailer. McGOWAN also falsely claimed that she was in the car at the time of the collision, even though she had been riding in a separate getaway car and entered the “slammer” car only after the collision occurred. Through her false statements and acts of deception, McGOWAN and her co-conspirators were able to secure a $545,000 monetary settlement from the owner and insurer of the tractor-trailer.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office would like to acknowledge the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Louisiana State Police, and the Metropolitan Crime Commission with this matter. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon S. Long; Brian M. Klebba, Chief of the Financial Crimes Unit; Assistant U.S. Attorney Maria M. Carboni; and Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward Rivera.
* * *
New Orleans Man Sentenced to 5 Years for Being a Felon in Possession of a GunRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – On February 1, 2023 Senior United States District Judge Ivan L.R. Lemelle sentenced JOSHUA REED, age 24, a resident of New Orleans, Louisiana, to five years in prison for illegally possessing a gun after having been convicted of a felony offense, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.
According to court records, New Orleans Police Department officers approached REED at a gas station in New Orleans East. During a search of his vehicle, the officers found a Glock pistol, which REED admitted that he possessed. REED also acknowledged that he had previously been convicted of burglary, which is a felony offense.
REED’s imprisonment will be followed by three years of supervised release. Judge Lemelle also ordered REED to pay a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The case was investigated by the New Orleans Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigations. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Haller of the Violent Crime Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
* * *
New Orleans Man Pleads Guilty for Violation of the Federal Gun Control ActRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – RONNIE DAVIS, a resident of New Orleans, pleaded guilty on January 31, 2023 to being a felon in possession of a firearm before United States District Judge Susie Morgan.
According to public records, on May 4, 2022, the New Orleans Police Department (“NOPD”) was attempting to ascertain the location of a gray colored Nissan Kicks SUV vehicle. On that day, NOPD detectives utilizing the NOPD Real Time Crime Camera (“RTCC”) near Monroe Street and Belfast Street in New Orleans, observed DAVIS driving the vehicle.
NOPD uniformed officers positioned their fully marked NOPD vehicles behind the Nissan Kicks and activated their lights and sirens. DAVIS stopped his vehicle in the 8700 block of Belfast Street. Officers subsequently observed a black and tan semi-automatic pistol with an extended magazine on the driver's side floorboard, and a "Draco" style rifle on the front passenger's side floorboard.
On June 23, 2016, DAVIS plead guilty in Orleans Parish Criminal District Court, under case number 527-901, to illegal carrying of a weapon with a controlled dangerous substance, in violation of LA-RS 14:95(E), possession of cocaine, in violation of LA-RS 40:967(C), possession of heroin, in violation of LA-RS 40:966(C), and possession with the intent to distribute marijuana, in violation of LA-RS 40:966(A)(2).
DAVIS faces a maximum term of imprisonment of ten (10) years, a fine of up to $250,000.00, up to three (3) years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Louisiana State Police and the New Orleans Police Department.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike Trummel of the Violent Crime Unit.
* * *
Nebraska Man Sentenced for Assaulting a Flight AttendantRead the Press Release
ANCHORAGE, ALASKA – A Nebraska man was sentenced on February 3, 2023, for assaulting a flight attendant during a commercial airline flight.
According to court documents, on January 29, 2023, Denis McCarville, 70, of Omaha, Nebraska was a passenger aboard Delta Flight 2236 with service from Minneapolis, Minnesota to Anchorage, Alaska. While the aircraft was in flight, McCarville assaulted a flight attendant by striking her with his hand. Agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation arrested McCarville when the plane landed at Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport.
Five days after his arrest, on February 3, 2023, McCarville pleaded guilty to an Information charging Assault in the Special Aircraft Jurisdiction of the United States, in violation of 49 U.S.C. § 46506 and 18 U.S.C. § 113. He was sentenced to time served.
U.S. Attorney Lane Tucker of the District of Alaska made the announcement.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport Police investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Brickey prosecuted the case.
###
Naval Captain Charged with CyberstalkingRead the Press Release
For Further Information, Contact:
Assistant U. S. Attorney Sabrina L. Fève (619) 546-6786SAN DIEGO – U.S. Navy Capt. Theodore E. Essenfeld was arraigned in federal court today on an indictment charging him with cyberstalking a civilian woman.
According to the indictment, over an 18-month period, Essenfeld registered fake Facebook, LinkedIn, email, and cellular phone accounts using the woman’s name, biographical information, and photographs without her knowledge or consent. Essenfeld posted erotic and sexually-explicit content to the Facebook account, including photos and videos of the woman that she had previously privately shared with him, as well as graphic media files, or “memes.”
Essenfeld also used the imposter Facebook account to engage with Facebook-related dating services, which falsely made it appear that the woman was seeking dates, the indictment said. The imposter LinkedIn account that Essenfeld created in the woman’s name falsely advertised her as professional pole dancer.
“The indictment alleges a disturbing campaign of betrayed trust, harassment, and intimidation,” said U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman. “This Office is committed to protecting victims of cyberstalking and holding perpetrators accountable for malicious internet activity.” Grossman thanked the prosecution team and Naval Criminal Investigative Service agents for their excellent work on this case.
“The alleged behavior outlined in this indictment is reprehensible,” said Special Agent in Charge Joshua Flowers of the NCIS Southwest Field Office. “NCIS and our law enforcement partners remain committed to fully investigating and rooting out criminality within the ranks that threatens Department of the Navy readiness.”
This case was investigated by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service with assistance provided by the Department of Justice’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section.
If you or someone you know has experienced cyberstalking by an active duty service member, please contact the following anonymous tip lines: www.ncis.navy.mil (Navy and Marines), https://www.cid.army.mil/report-a-crime.html (Army), and https://www.osi.af.mil/Submit-a-Tip/ (Air Force), or call the Department of Defense Hotline at (800) 424-9098. Victims of cyberstalking by non-active duty members should contact local law enforcement or the FBI or HSI field office.
DEFENDANT Case Number 23cr0177-RSH
Theodore E. Essenfeld Age: 51 Chula Vista, CA
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Cyberstalking – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 2261A(2)(B)
Maximum penalty: Five years in prison and $250,000 fine
AGENCY
Naval Criminal Investigative Service
*The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Naples Felon Pleads Guilty to Unlawfully Possessing Firearm in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking CrimesRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Giovanni Francois (23, Naples) has pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon, possessing with the intent to distribute fentanyl and MDMA, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes. Francois faces up to 10 years in federal prison for possessing the firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon, and up to 20 years’ imprisonment for possessing with the intent to distribute MDMA and fentanyl. He faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 5 years, up to life, in federal prison for possessing the firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. A sentencing date has not been scheduled yet.
According to court documents, in January 2022, a deputy from the Collier County Sheriff’s Office initiated a traffic stop for routine traffic violations on a vehicle in which Francois was a passenger. After the lights and sirens were activated, the driver continued driving without pulling over. During that time, Francois, a convicted felon, threw items from the car two different times. The first time, Francois discarded a white and yellow bag containing various items including a chamber-loaded 9mm pistol and a large clear bag containing multiple empty packages consistent with narcotics sales. The second time, Francois discarded a rectangular box containing various types and quantities of drugs, including 33 units of suspected MDMA, more than 28 grams of cocaine, and a bag of powder containing suspected fentanyl. Inside the car’s rear floorboard, on the passenger side, deputies located a plastic bottle with additional suspected fentanyl powder and two small clear plastic baggies containing cocaine base.
This case was investigated by the Collier County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Morgan.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make 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.
Missouri Woman Admits Selling 7 Machine Gun Conversion DevicesRead the Press Release
CAPE GIRARDEAU – A woman from Stoddard, County, Missouri on Monday admitted selling seven devices that turn AR-15-style semiautomatic rifles into machine guns.
Sidney Brianne Scowden, 41, pleaded guilty in front of U.S. District Judge Stephen N. Limbaugh, Jr. to one count of conspiracy to transfer a machine gun and three counts of transfer of a machine gun.
In her plea, Scowden admitted that on Aug. 11, 2022, she sold three “lightning links” for $500 each to someone working with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. She sold another three on Sept. 19, 2022 and a final one on Oct. 19, 2022.
Lightning links, also known as drop-in auto sears, convert a semiautomatic AR-15-style rifle into an automatic weapon. Even if not installed in a firearm, they are considered machine guns under federal law.
Scowden had reached out to the person working with the ATF on Snapchat, asking “You know anyone who wants to buy a lightning link for an AR to go fully automatic,” her plea says.
Scowden is scheduled to be sentenced on May 9. The conspiracy charge carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both. The charge of transfer of a machine gun carries a maximum sentence of 10 years and the same fine.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Willis is prosecuting the case.
Mexican Citizen Sentenced for Methamphetamine DistributionRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Steven Russell announced that Hugo Martha-Mejia, 45, of Mexico, was sentenced on February 3, 2023, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for distributing methamphetamine. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Martha-Mejia to 78 months in the Bureau of Prisons. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, he will begin a 5-year term of supervised release.
On February 11, 2020, a Drug Enforcement Administration confidential source met Martha-Mejia at a BP gas station near 24th and Martha streets in Omaha to buy one pound of methamphetamine. The controlled buy was audio and video recorded and monitored by law enforcement agents. After the deal was completed, Martha-Mejia was arrested and subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury.
The methamphetamine was sent to a forensic laboratory for analysis, and testing showed it to have a purity of 94%.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Maryland Woman and Florida Man Face Federal Charges for Conspiring to Destroy Energy FacilitiesRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Erek L. Barron, United States Attorney for the District of Maryland, and Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski, of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office, announced the filing of a federal criminal complaint charging Sarah Beth Clendaniel, of Catonsville, Maryland, and Brandon Clint Russell, of Orlando, Florida, with conspiracy to destroy an energy facility.
The criminal complaint was unsealed upon the arrests of the defendants. An initial appearance for Clendaniel is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. today in the U.S. District Court in Baltimore before U.S. Magistrate Judge J. Mark Coulson. Russell will have his initial appearance at 1:30 today in U.S. District Court in Orlando, Florida.
“This alleged planned attack threatened lives and would have left thousands of Marylanders in the cold and dark,” said Maryland U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron. “We are united and committed to using every legal means necessary to disrupt violence, including hate-fueled attacks.”
“The threat posed by domestic violent extremists is evolving and persistent,” said Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the FBI's Baltimore field office. “The FBI will continue to work closely with our law enforcement and private sector partners to identify and disrupt any potential threat to the safety of our citizens.”
“Driven by their ideology of racially-motivated hatred, the defendants allegedly schemed to attack local power grid facilities,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security Matthew G. Olsen. “The Justice Department will not tolerate those who threaten critical infrastructure and imperil communities in the name of domestic violent extremism.”
As alleged in the affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint:
From at least June 2022 to the present, Russell conspired to carry out attacks against critical infrastructure, specifically electrical substations, in furtherance of Russell’s racially or ethnically motivated violent extremist beliefs.
Russell posted links to open-source maps of infrastructure, which included the locations of electrical substations, and he described how a small number of attacks on substations could cause a “cascading failure.” Russell also discussed maximizing the impact of the planned attack by hitting multiple substations at one time.
A Maryland-based woman identified as Sarah Beth Clendaniel, collaborated on a plan to carry out the attacks. Clendaniel conspired to secure a weapon and identified five substations she planned to target. Clendaniel allegedly stated that if they hit a number of them all in the same day, they “would completely destroy this whole city,” and that a “good four or five shots through the center of them . . . should make that happen.” She further added, “[i]t would probably permanently completely lay this city to waste if we could do that successfully.”
A criminal complaint is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by criminal complaint is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings. If convicted, Russell and Clendaniel each face a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for conspiracy to damage an energy facility. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the Baltimore FBI Field Office for its outstanding work in the investigation and praised the Joint Terrorism Task Force, the Maryland State Police, the Baltimore County Police Department and the Tampa, Washington, and New York Field Offices of the FBI for their valuable assistance. Mr. Barron also thanked the Department of Justice’s National Security Division and the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida for their assistance. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathleen O. Gavin, who is prosecuting the case and thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Christina Hoffman for her assistance. For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach. To report a Maryland-based hate crime, contact the FBI Baltimore field office at (410) 265-8080 or www.tips.fbi.gov.
# # #
Maryland Woman and Florida Man Charged Federally for Conspiring to Destroy Energy FacilitiesRead the Press Release
A federal criminal complaint was unsealed charging Sarah Beth Clendaniel, 34, of Catonsville, Maryland, and Brandon Clint Russell, 27, of Orlando, Florida, with conspiracy to destroy an energy facility.
The defendants were arrested on Feb. 3. Clendaniel will make her initial court appearance today in the U.S. District Court in Baltimore before U.S. Magistrate Judge Brendan Hurson. Russell will make his initial appearance today in U.S. District Court in Orlando, Florida, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Embry Kidd.
“Driven by their ideology of racially-motivated hatred, the defendants allegedly schemed to attack local power grid facilities,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security Matthew G. Olsen. “The Justice Department will not tolerate those who threaten critical infrastructure and imperil communities in the name of domestic violent extremism.”
“This alleged planned attack threatened lives and would have left thousands of Marylanders in the cold and dark,” said U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron for the District of Maryland. “We are united and committed to using every legal means necessary to disrupt violence, including hate-fueled attacks.”
“Attacks on multiple electrical substations in Maryland would have caused suffering to thousands of Americans going about their everyday lives, but the FBI and our partners put a stop to that threat,” said Assistant Director Robert R. Wells of the FBI's Counterterrorism Division. “According to the criminal complaint, the defendants allegedly were taking specific steps to carry out their plans, including selecting targets and trying to illegally acquire a rifle. The FBI and our partners will hold accountable all those who commit criminal acts that threaten the safety of those in our communities, regardless of their motivations.”
“The threat posed by domestic violent extremists is evolving and persistent,” said Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the FBI Baltimore Field Office. “The FBI will continue to work closely with our law enforcement and private sector partners to identify and disrupt any potential threat to the safety of our citizens.”
As alleged in the affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint:
From at least June 2022 to the present, Russell conspired to carry out attacks against critical infrastructure, specifically electrical substations, in furtherance of Russell’s racially or ethnically motivated violent extremist beliefs. As alleged, Russell encouraged the use Mylar balloons to short out a power transformer and, in a conversation on Oct. 25, 2022, Russell encouraged an attack be carried out “when there is greatest strain on the grid,” like “when everyone is using electricity to either heat or cool their homes.”
In his conversations on encrypted communications applications, Russell posted links to open-source maps of infrastructure, which included the locations of electrical substations, and he described how a small number of attacks on substations could cause a “cascading failure.” Russell also discussed maximizing the impact of the planned attack by hitting multiple substations at one time.
A Maryland-based woman identified as Sarah Beth Clendaniel, collaborated on a plan to carry out the attacks. Specifically, Clendaniel discussed her desired rifle for the attack. In later conversations, Clendaniel allegedly stated that if they hit a number of electrical substations all in the same day, they “would completely destroy this whole city,” and that a “good four or five shots through the center of them . . . should make that happen.” She further added, “[i]t would probably permanently completely lay this city to waste if we could do that successfully.”
If convicted, Russell and Clendaniel each face a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for conspiracy to damage an energy facility. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI Baltimore Field Office is investigating the case, with valuable assistance provided by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force and Tampa, Washington and New York Field Offices as well as the Maryland State Police and the Baltimore County Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathleen O. Gavin for the District of Maryland is prosecuting the case, with valuable assistance provided by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christina Hoffman for the District of Maryland and the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.
A complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Lincoln Man Sentenced for Machine Gun PossessionRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Steven Russell announced that Alejandro Alvarado, 24, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was sentenced on February 2, 2023, in Lincoln for possession of a machine gun and for possessing the machine gun in furtherance of drug trafficking and crimes of violence. United States District Judge John M. Gerrard sentenced Alvarado to 210 months in federal prison and noted the defendant’s past was littered with violence. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, Alvarado will begin a five-year term of supervised release.
Alvarado admitted to trafficking guns, to include Glock switches intended to convert handguns into fully automatic machineguns from the State of Kansas to the State of Nebraska. The investigation revealed that one of those guns ended up in the hands of a Trip Set gang member, and ballistics identified that handgun was used in a homicide committed in Lincoln. Alvarado was also conspiring with others to do home invasions in Lincoln. At arrest, Alvarado was in possession of the machinegun, a distributable amount of marijuana, and M30 pills that contained fentanyl.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Lincoln Police Department.
Lincoln Man Sentenced for Being a Drug User in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Steven Russell announced that Dekevious Riley, 22, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was sentenced on February 3, 2023, by United States District Court Judge John M. Gerrard to a term of 30 months’ imprisonment following his conviction for being a marijuana user in possession of a firearm. After he completes his prison sentence, Riley will also serve three years on supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
On March 24, 2022, investigators spoke with Riley who was a passenger in a car parked in a parking lot in Lincoln. The car smelled of marijuana prompting a search. Investigators found a partially smoked marijuana blunt, a rolling tray, and a bag of marijuana weighing 2.6 grams. Riley had an outstanding warrant for marijuana possession at the time and was arrested. Investigators then searched a Lincoln apartment where Riley had been staying. In the bedroom police found a 24-round-capacity handgun extended magazine, a 16-round-capacity handgun magazine, and a speed loader for a Glock handgun. In the bedroom closet, investigators located a Glock 9mm pistol. Investigators searched Riley’s social media account and found numerous images and videos showing Riley’s narcotic usage and firearm possession between April 16, 2021, and March 4, 2022. Riley told investigators that he regularly used marijuana and that the Glock pistol was his.
This case was investigated by the Lincoln Police Department and the FBI. 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.
Leaders of Jacksonville Armed Drug Trafficking Organization Sentenced to 25 Years in Federal Prison, Ten Other Members Also SentencedRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Corrigan has sentenced Kimberly Michelle Claridy Walker (46) and Neal Merrell Walker (51), both of Jacksonville, to 25 years in prison for conspiracy to distribute narcotics and conspiracy to commit money laundering. The Walkers were also ordered to forfeit over $167,000 in cash, a .38 caliber pistol, a 2015 BMW 5501, a 2015 Lexus IS 250, a 2013 Audi AS L Quattro, a 2020 Ryker Rally Edition motorcycle, and numerous other items, such as Rolex watches, gold and diamond jewelry, and designer clothing and shoes.
According to court documents and statements made during the sentencing hearing, the Walkers, a married couple, were the leaders of an armed drug trafficking organization that distributed synthetic stimulant drugs, known as “flakka,” and other narcotics out of “trap” houses in Jacksonville. The organization distributed the drugs beginning no later than July 2018 through April 2021.
The Walkers employed sellers at the trap house who worked in regular shifts, usually three per day. The trap house was almost always staffed by at least one seller, 24 hours a day. Over the period of the conspiracy, the Walkers sold kilogram quantities of drugs each week.
In April 2019, July 2019, and January 2020, the Walkers, with the assistance of co-defendants, laundered approximately $120,000 by making numerous cash deposits into financial institutions—in amounts of less than $10,000, to avoid federal reporting requirements—and then obtaining cashier’s checks that they used to buy six properties in Jacksonville, five through Duval County tax deed auctions.
On April 13, 2021, law enforcement agents searched the Walkers’ residence and found more than $148,000 in cash, approximately two kilograms of synthetic narcotics, drug packaging material, digital scales, a .38 caliber pistol under the mattress in the Walkers’ bedroom, and numerous luxury items.
Ten other members of the organization were also sentenced for their roles in the conspiracy, as follows:
Name
Age
Role
Sentence
Marcus Antonio Peterson
37
Supplier
7 years, 11 months
David Lee Geathers
26
Seller
6 years, 8 months
Mar’Quez Maurice Mickler
22
Seller
5 years, 6 months
Ramone Lazai Astin
37
Seller
5 years
Eugene Antwonn Farmer
25
Seller
4 years, 2 months
Alfred Eugene Bell
38
Seller
3 years, 4 months
Michael Shaquille Lee
25
Seller
3 years, 4 months
Antwan Le’Queze Major
25
Seller
4 years’ probation
Porschee Laneal Walker
30
Bagger/Transporter
4 years’ probation
Brandiesa Tylese Williams
26
Bagger/Transporter
4 years’ probation
Geathers and Williams were ordered to forfeit more than $18,000 and four firearms that were seized during a search of their apartment. Bell was ordered to forfeit $5,654 seized from him when he was arrested.
“We share our partners’ unwavering commitment to help keep Florida’s communities safe,” said ATF Tampa Field Division’s Acting Special Agent in Charge Richard Coes. “These individuals earned steep sentences for committing serious federal crimes.”
“These sentencings are important victories for the American public. The role of IRS-CI in narcotics investigations is to follow the money to financially disrupt and dismantle drug trafficking organizations,” said Ronald A. Loecker, IRS-CI Acting Special Agent in Charge. “One of our most powerful weapons is our ability to work hand-in-hand with law enforcement partners to unravel intricate money laundering schemes and seize associated assets.”
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, and the Lake City Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Arnold B. Corsmeier. The forfeiture was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Mai Tran.
This case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
KC Man Sentenced for Kidnapping ConspiracyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for his role in a kidnapping conspiracy that resulted in the victim’s murder.
Marco A. Sosa-Perea, 27, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark to 10 years in federal prison without parole.
On Jan. 4, 2022, Sosa-Perea pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit kidnapping. Co-defendants Jonathan M. Bravo-Lopez (also known as “Jonathan Vravo,” and “Shadow”), 28, and Juan D. Osorio (also known as “Spexx”), 29, both of whom are citizens of Mexico illegally residing in Kansas City, Mo., were found guilty at trial on Dec. 16, 2022, of conspiracy to commit kidnapping and kidnapping resulting in death. Osorio was also found guilty of being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm. Bravo-Lopez was also found guilty of illegally reentering the United States after having been deported in 2016. Sentencing hearings have not yet been scheduled for Bravo-Lopez and Osorio.
Evidence introduced during the trial indicated that Bravo-Lopez and Osorio conspired to kidnap Cristian Escutia in an attempt to rob him of money. They transported Escutia across state lines from Missouri to Kansas before fatally shooting him on April 3, 2017.
Bravo-Lopez and Osorio arranged to purchase $300 of marijuana from Escutia as a ruse to lure him into their kidnapping plan. On April 3, 2017, Sosa-Perea drove Bravo-Lopez and Osorio in his girlfriend’s car, a Chrysler Pacifica, to Escutia’s residence. When Escutia came out of his residence and approached the vehicle, Bravo-Lopez and Osorio got out of the vehicle and confronted him. Escutia was forced into their vehicle at gunpoint. Sosa-Perea, who had remained in the car, drove them away from the scene of the kidnapping. The kidnapping was captured by the video surveillance system outside a nearby residence.
Sosa-Perea drove his co-defendants and the kidnapping victim to the 200 block of Donovan Road in Kansas City, Kan.. They forced Escutia out of the vehicle. Escutia was shot three times in the head and left to die on the side of the road. Sosa-Perea then drove himself, Bravo-Lopez, and Osorio back into Missouri from Kansas.
Osorio, who is in the United States unlawfully, was in possession of an Action Arms Uzi .45-caliber semi-automatic pistol when he was arrested on April 7, 2017.
Under federal statutes, Bravo-Lopez and Osorio each are subject to a mandatory sentence of life in federal prison without parole. The sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing hearings will be scheduled after the completion of presentence investigations by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patrick C. Edwards and Matthew A. Moeder. It was investigated by the FBI, the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department and the Kansas City, Kan., Police Department.
Justice Department and Federal Partners Recognize Zero Tolerance Day for Female Genital MutilationRead the Press Release
The Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP) joined federal partners, including the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Center (HRVWCC), the FBI’s International Human Rights Unit, non-governmental organizations, and others today in recognizing the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation (FGM).
“The Department of Justice is committed to supporting efforts to end Female Genital Mutilation, including by prosecuting those who violate the federal law banning FGM and by providing support to survivors of this harmful practice,” said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “FGM is a form of gender-based violence and child abuse, which will not be tolerated in the United States.”
“The FBI hopes to empower community members and victims to come forward and report these acts of abuse so we can end the practice of FGM together” said Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “FGM is a horrific act of physical violence that undermines the equality of women and girls and the FBI will hold accountable anyone who commits this federal human rights violation.”
“International Day of Zero Tolerance for FGM is an opportunity to raise awareness of this global human rights issue,” said Acting Executive Associate Director Steve Francis of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). “HSI will continue to work with partners around the globe to end this abhorrent practice, advocate for victims, and bring perpetrators to justice.”
Federal law enforcement agencies have engaged in many initiatives aimed at protecting those in the United States who have been subjected to, or who may be at risk of, FGM. For example:
- The Justice Department’s Office of Victims of Crime awarded over $5 million in three-year grants through a grant program to support community projects designed to increase direct services, education, and community partner engagement to stop the victimization of women and girls through FGM. For more information see: DOJ announces nearly $3 million to address female genital mutilation and cutting (ojp.gov).
- Federal law enforcement authorities actively investigate allegations of FGM within the United States and, if a United States citizen is involved, abroad. The agencies collect tips and leads from the public and partner with non-governmental organizations that will relay information if they suspect a child is in imminent danger of being subjected to FGM or taken out of the country for purposes of FGM.
- The FBI now includes information on FGM in the annual mandatory child abuse training for all FBI employees in hopes of further educating the workforce. The FBI’s International Human Rights Unit released educational reports on FGM for pediatricians and for educators.
- HSI launched Operation Limelight USA in 2017, a premier FGM outreach and education program, which has been recognized domestically and internationally as a critical outreach effort to combat FGM by the Women in Federal Law Enforcement and the World Class Policing Awards.
- Examples of other agency initiatives aimed at protecting women and girls at risk of FGM can be found in the 2021 STOP FGM Act Report Annual Report of the Attorney General.
FGM is a form of child abuse, a serious human rights violation and, since 1996, a federal crime. In 2013, Congress amended the federal FGM statute, 18 U.S.C. § 116, to prohibit taking a girl out of the United States for the purpose of performing FGM. In 2021, the STOP FGM Act 2020 was signed into law, strengthening the law by expanding the scope of punishable acts, and increasing the maximum penalty. Violations of this law may result in imprisonment and potential removal from the United States.
Individuals suspected of FGM may be investigated by the HRVWCC and prosecuted by the Justice Department accordingly.
In January 2021, the Justice Department indicted a Houston woman for allegedly taking a minor out of the United States for the purpose of subjecting her to FGM in a foreign country. Her trial is scheduled for May 15 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas and will mark the first prosecution under the provision of the federal statute that prohibits taking a girl out of the United States for the purpose of FGM. The FBI Houston Field Office investigated the case with support from the HRVWCC.
According to UNICEF, more than 200 million women and girls have undergone FGM, which refers to procedures that injure the female genital organs for non-medical reasons. While primarily concentrated in north, west, and central Africa, as well as parts of the Middle East and Asia, FGM also occurs in the United States.
Established in 2008, the HRVWCC furthers HSI’s efforts to identify, locate, and prosecute human rights abusers in the United States, including those who are known or suspected to have participated in persecution, war crimes, genocide, torture, extrajudicial killings, FGM, and the use or recruitment of child soldiers. The HRVWCC leverages the expertise of a select group of agents, lawyers, intelligence and research specialists, historians, and analysts who direct the agency’s broader enforcement efforts against these offenders.
Members of the public who have information about victims or suspected perpetrators engaging in female genital mutilation or other human rights abuses are urged to call the FBI tip line at 1-800-CALL-FBI (800) 225-5324 or the HSI tip line at (866) 347-2423. To submit a tip online, visit tips.fbi.gov or the HSI online form. Tips may be provided anonymously.
Jury Finds Lexington Investment Advisor and Attorney Guilty of Charges Related to Investment FraudRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. - A Lexington investment advisor and attorney, Douglas Hawkins, of Richmond, Ky., was found guilty late Friday, by a federal jury sitting in Lexington, of investment advisor fraud, securities fraud, and two counts of mail fraud.
According to the evidence at trial, while operating as an investment advisor, Hawkins encouraged his clients to invest in securities, which were properties in Jackson, Mississippi. Clients invested over $2 million in the properties. Hawkins withheld vital information about the properties when advising his clients to invest, including that many were uninhabitable, rent collection was burdensome, and that the properties were often subject to theft and vandalism. He also failed to inform his clients that their investment money would be used for purposes other than their properties, including paying other investors and buying a Harley Davidson for an employee.
Hawkins was indicted in October 2021.
Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Kyle Erhardt, Special Agent in Charge, United States Postal Inspection Service; and Justin Malcom Burse, Acting Commissioner, Kentucky Department of Financial Institutions, jointly announced the guilty verdict.
The investigation was conducted by the United States Postal Inspection Service and Kentucky Department of Financial Institutions. The United States was represented in the case by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrea Mattingly-Williams and Will Moynahan.
Hawkins is scheduled to appear for sentencing on April 24, 2023. He faces up to five years in prison on the investment advisor count; up to 20 years in prison on the securities fraud count, and up to 20 years in prison on each count of mail fraud. However, the Court must consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the applicable federal sentencing statutes before imposing a sentence. Hawkins also faces potential fines and a judgment of restitution, as ordered by the Court.
— END —
Jeannette Man Sentenced to Prison for Role in Elder Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA – A resident of Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, was sentenced in federal court on his conviction for conspiring to commit wire fraud, U.S. Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
United States District Judge Stephanie L. Haines sentenced Michael Galanis, 34, of Jeannette, Pennsylvania, to 12 months of imprisonment followed by two years of supervised release. Galanis was also ordered to pay $7,500 in restitution.
In conjunction with the guilty plea and sentencing hearing, the Court was advised that, from in or around March 2016 to in or around August 2017, Galanis participated in an IRS impersonation fraud conspiracy. The IRS impersonation fraud conspiracy involved call centers located in India that would use phone numbers to make their calls appear to originate in the United States. The calls would provide recorded information to individuals in the United States and fraudulently claim that the call was from the IRS concerning the individual’s failure to pay taxes. The call would provide a U.S.-based telephone number for the individual to call in order to resolve the matter. Calls to these U.S.-based telephone numbers would be automatically forwarded to call centers in India, and those who answered would tell callers that they owed money to the IRS and demand immediate payment via gift card or other means.
As the Court was previously advised, Galanis was involved in activating cell phones in the United States to assist in this fraud scheme. Galanis knew that the cell phones that he programmed were used for a fraud scheme. The parties agreed that the total loss in this case is between $150,000 and $250,000.
Assistant United States Attorney Karen Gal-Or prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States.
The matter was investigated by United States Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, United States Department of Homeland Security, and the United States Postal Inspection Service.
Anyone with information about allegations of elder fraud can report it by calling the National Elder Fraud Hotline at 1-833-FRAUD-11 or 833–372–8311. More information about the Department’s efforts to help American seniors is available at its Elder Justice Initiative at https://www.justice.gov/elderjustice. For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit its website at https://www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. Elder fraud complaints may be filed with the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov/ or at 877-FTC-HELP. The Department of Justice provides a variety of resources relating to elder fraud victimization through its Office for Victims of Crime, which can be reached at https://www.ovc.gov.
Indianapolis Man Sentenced to 40 Years in Federal Prison After Killing One Victim and Injuring Another During Armed Robbery SpreeRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS- Angel Montano, 22, of Indianapolis, Indiana, was sentenced to 40 years in federal prison for armed robbery.
According to documents and evidence presented in court, between July 19 and July 28 of 2020, Angel Montano and co-conspirators committed four armed robberies in the Indianapolis area, one of which resulted in the death of a 26-year-old man. Montano facilitated and orchestrated the armed robberies through the online marketplaces, OfferUp and LetGo, by luring victims to his location to purchase a cell phone that he had listed for sale.
In the first three robberies, Montano and his co-conspirators arranged to sell an iPhone 11 Max Pro for $800 to a buyer who contacted him through the online marketplaces. When the victims arrived at the Pepper Mill Apartment complex, Montano and others brandished firearms and demanded money. In one incident, the victim drove to the address with her two children—ages 13 and 8—to purchase the phone. When she arrived at the meet location, Montano approached her vehicle, reached inside, placed the muzzle of his firearm against her thigh, and demanded “everything.” The woman gave Montano her iPhone, as well as the iPhone and Apple Air Pods that belonged to one of her children.
In the final robbery that resulted in Montano executing a 26-year-old man, the victim met Montano at a different Indianapolis residence, but was spooked by three masked men who approached his vehicle. The victim stated he would pay for the phone via PayPal and offered to drive to the nearest Wal-Mart to purchase a PayPal card to complete the transaction. The victim did not return. Later that evening, the victim decided to get cash and complete the purchase with Montano but asked his brother to accompany him due to fear of safety. When the two arrived at the transaction location, Montano prevented them from leaving by blocking their vehicle with his truck, tapped his firearm muzzle on the window of their vehicle, and fired multiple shots, striking both victims and killing the brother. The surviving brother required surgery and spent several days in the hospital healing from multiple gunshot wounds.
“The defendant’s crime spree demonstrated his utter disregard for human life. His choice to engage in senseless violence took an innocent man from his loving family forever,” said U.S. Attorney Myers. “A sentence of four decades in federal prison will protect the public from this murderous criminal and brings some measure of justice to the victims. Reducing gun violence is a top priority for our office, and we will continue to use our federal resources to hold violent offenders accountable.”
The FBI investigated this case with valuable assistance provided by IMPD. The sentence was imposed by Chief U.S. District Court Judge Tanya Walton Pratt. Judge Pratt also ordered that Montano be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for 5 years following his release from federal prison.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorney Lawrence D. Hilton, who prosecuted this 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.
Hyattsville Man Pleads Guilty to Scheme to Fraudulently Obtain at Least $1.3 Million in COVID-19 CARES Act BenefitsRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Gladstone Njokem, age 36, of Hyattsville, Maryland, pleaded guilty on February 3, 2023, to federal charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, in connection with a scheme to fraudulently obtain more than $1.3 million in COVID-19 CARES Act unemployment insurance (UI) benefits.
The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Postal Inspector in Charge Damon E. Wood of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service - Washington Division; Acting Special Agent in Charge Troy W. Springer, of the National Capital Region, U.S. Department of Labor - Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG); Special Agent in Charge James C. Harris of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore; and Special Agent in Charge Andrea Peacock of the U.S. Department of the Treasury - Office of Inspector General.
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act was a federal law enacted in March 2020 to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering from the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. It expanded states’ ability to provide UI for many workers impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, including for workers who are not ordinarily eligible for unemployment benefits.
According to his guilty plea, from February 2020 through February 2021, Njokem, co-defendants, Martin Tabe and Sylvester Atekwane, and others conspired to impersonate victims in order to obtain money, including by submitting fraudulent claims for UI benefits. Njokem and his co-conspirators collected the personally identifiable information (PII) of victims, without the victims’ knowledge or consent, then shared the PII amongst themselves and with others to facilitate the fraud and then used the victims’ PII to submit fraudulent applications for UI benefits in Maryland, Arizona, District of Columbia, Georgia, Illinois, Michigan, Tennessee, and Virginia.
In total, at least $1,313,325 in UI benefits, applied for using the names and PII of over 183 victims, are traceable to Njokem’s conspiracy based on common IP addresses, mailing addresses and/or email addresses used for the fraudulent UI claims.
Njokem and the government have agreed that, if the Court accepts the plea agreement, Njokem will be sentenced to between 24 and 70 months in federal prison. U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett has scheduled sentencing for May 17, 2023 at 11:00 a.m.
Co-defendants Martin Tabe, age 34, of Bowie, Maryland and Sylvester Atekwane, age 33, of Hyattsville, Maryland previously pleaded guilty to their roles in the fraud scheme. Judge Bennett has scheduled sentencing for Atekwane on April 13, 2023 at 11:00 a.m. and for Tabe on May 2, 2023 at 11:00 a.m.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the USPIS, the DOL-OIG, HSI, and the U.S. Department of the Treasury – OIG for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked the Prince George’s County Police Department, the Baltimore County Police Department, and the Maryland Department of Labor for their assistance. Mr. Barron also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sean R. Delaney and Darryl L. Tarver, who are prosecuting the federal case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao/md.
# # #
Huntington Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Jeremy Lee Pettry, 39, of Huntington, was sentenced today to seven years in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release, for distributing 5 grams or more of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on July 29, 2020, Pettry sold 28.13 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant in Huntington. On August 6, 2020, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant of Pettry’s 25th Street residence. Officers found 2.21 grams of cocaine, 15.73 grams of heroin, 5.78 grams of methamphetamine and a revolver. Pettry admitted that he possessed the controlled substances and intended to sell them. Pettry further admitted to selling approximately 30 ounces of methamphetamine in the months leading up to the search of his residence.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie S. Taylor prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:21-cr-246.
###
Haverhill Woman Sentenced to More Than Two Years in Prison for Conspiracy to Use Stolen Identities to Obtain Fraudulent Credit CardsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Haverhill woman was sentenced on Feb. 3, 2023 for her role in a scheme to use stolen identities to fraudulently apply for and utilize bank accounts and credit cards.
Neida Lopez, 45, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Timothy Hillman to 28 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Lopez was also required to pay restitution of $20,000. In May 2022, Lopez pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft.
Lopez and multiple co-conspirators were charged by criminal complaint in September 2020. She was subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury later that month.
In furtherance of the scheme, in February 2020, Lopez appeared in person at a bank branch in South Portland, Maine and provided personal identifying information of a U.S. citizen on an application to open a checking account. She later used that same stolen identity to apply for and obtain a credit card which she and her co-conspirators maxed out the $20,000 limit.
At sentencing, Lopez was also held responsible for her role in a related conspiracy that used other stolen identities to apply for Economic Injury Disaster Loans, made available under the Small Business Administration (SBA). The co-conspirators used stolen identities to open fraudulent bank accounts, which were then linked to other fraudulent bank accounts set up to receive the SBA funds. Approximately $250,000 of the fraudulently obtained funds were then laundered through the purchasing of iPhones in Massachusetts and New Hampshire, which were then re-sold for cash. A portion of the funds was also wired to others in the Dominican Republic. In total, over $452,000 in SBA funds were fraudulently obtained in connection with the scheme. One of Lopez’s co-conspirators, Edwin Acevedo, pleaded guilty to his role in in the conspiracy on Jan. 5, 2023. He is scheduled to be sentenced on May 16, 2023.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Matthew B. Millhollin, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; Colonel Christopher Mason, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and Brockton Police Chief Brenda Perez made the announcement today. Assistance was provided by the Lowell, Lawrence, Methuen, Haverhill, Woburn and Dartmouth Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elianna Nuzum and Adam Deitch of Rollins’ Criminal Division are prosecuting the case. The investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigation’s Document and Benefit Fraud Task Force (DBFTF), a specialized investigative group comprising personnel from various state, local, and federal agencies with expertise in detecting, deterring, and disrupting organizations and individuals involved in various types of document, identity and benefit fraud schemes.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.Grandview Felon Pleads Guilty to Illegal FirearmRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Grandview, Mo., man who used explosives in two failed attempts to break into ATMs at Overland Park, Kan., businesses pleaded guilty in federal court today to illegally possessing a firearm.
Josiah Ronnell Lewis, also known as “Joey,” 44, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives discovered Lewis’s Ruger 9mm semi-automatic firearm at his residence during their investigation into the failed ATM robberies. The firearm was found in the upstairs living room under a couch. Federal agents also found four improvised explosive devices, marijuana, drug paraphernalia, burglary tools, and clothing, gloves, and masks that matched those worn in one of the failed burglary attempts.
On April 29, 2021, Lewis used a crowbar to force the door open at Minit Mart, a convenience store located on 135th Street in Overland Park. Lewis held the door to the closed store open for an unknown accomplice, who placed a device with a fuse in the slot of an ATM inside the store. They left the store as an explosion occurred, then reentered the store and ran to the ATM. The explosion destroyed the ATM but did not breach the vault, which held approximately $25,000. Lewis and his accomplice left the store empty-handed.
In-store surveillance video footage showed both suspects were wearing dark clothing and masks. Lewis had shoes with white laces and white soles. Traffic camera footage led to the identification of a car registered to Lewis’s wife that he used as the get-away car. Investigators also secured a copy of in-store video footage from a nearby 7-Eleven where Lewis went right after the burglary of Minit Mart. One of Lewis’s former parole officers was able to positively identify Lewis from the 7-Eleven video footage.
On July 4, 2021, Lewis shattered a patio glass door with a rock at Maloney’s Sports Bar and Grill on West 79th Street in Overland Park. Lewis placed an explosive device on the ATM. The device detonated and destroyed the ATM and damaged the interior of Maloney’s. However, Lewis was not able to retrieve any money from the ATM, which contained approximately $2,440. Some of the ATM’s cash was damaged or destroyed in the explosion.
A vehicle seen leaving the area matched the vehicle used during the Minit Mart burglary and arson. Certain clothing items worn by the suspect matched the clothing worn by Lewis during the Minit Mart burglary and arson.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Lewis has three prior felony convictions for burglary of a motor vehicle, as well as prior felony convictions for robbery, felon in possession of a firearm, and theft.
On Nov. 15, 2022, Lewis was sentenced to five years in federal prison without parole after pleading guilty in the District of Kansas to committing arson during the failed burglary at Maloney’s on July 4, 2021.
Under federal statutes, Lewis is subject to a sentence of up to 10 years in federal prison without parole in this case. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office. The court will determine whether the sentence in this case must be served consecutively or concurrently with his sentence in the District of Kansas.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Trey Alford. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
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.
Fresno Man Sentenced to over Five Years in Prison for Using Elderly Victim’s Identity to Steal to Steal Hundreds of Thousands of DollarsRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Brian Stoffel, 38, of Fresno, was sentenced today to five years and four months in prison for bank fraud and identity theft for stealing money from an elderly victim’s bank accounts and getting fraudulent loans in the victim’s name, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, between September 2020 and August 2021, Stoffel obtained the personally identifiable information for an elderly victim and used it to drain the victim’s savings and apply for loans in the victim’s identity. This included a Department of Homeland Security Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) loan for disaster assistance related to a wildfire. Stoffel’s scheme resulted in a loss of $420,000. He used the proceeds for personal expenses, including to buy a new motorcycle, attend an NFL playoff game, and make purchases at retail stores.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office Elder Abuse Unit and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Barton prosecuted the case.
Four Fresno Residents Sentenced as Part of Project Safe Neighborhoods Program to Reduce Violent Crime and Gun ViolenceRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Four Fresno men were sentenced today for drug and/or firearm offenses, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
Mike Marty Hernandez, 26, of Fresno, was sentenced to three years and one month in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents, on May 23, 2022, detectives arrested Hernandez after observing him in possession of a loaded firearm equipped with a large capacity magazine. Because of his criminal record, including a 2019 conviction for threatening a public official, Hernandez may not lawfully possess firearms or ammunition. This case was the product of an investigation by the FBI and the Fresno Police Department Multi-Agency Gang Enforcement Consortium (MAGEC).
Assistant U.S. Attorney Antonio J. Pataca prosecuted the case.
Oshay Laray Pullen, 26, of Fresno, was sentenced to three years and one month in prison for being a felon in possession of ammunition. According to court documents, on Oct. 21, 2020, Pullen was on parole for a prior conviction for assault with a firearm and found to be in possession of a firearm and a loaded magazine. Pullen is a felon who cannot lawfully possess firearms or ammunition. This case was the product of an investigation by the FBI and MAGEC.
Andres Nunez, 25, of Fresno, was sentenced today to seven years in prison for distributing fentanyl to a person under 21 years old and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. According to court documents, in February 2021, Nunez delivered counterfeit M30 pills, laced with fentanyl, to a juvenile. During a search of Nunez’s residence, several firearms, including an automatic handgun were found. This case was the product of an investigation by FORT, a multi-agency team investigating fentanyl trafficking composed of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), DEA, and the Fresno Police Department.
Leo Torres, 31, of Fresno, was sentenced to seven years and six months in prison for conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin and methamphetamine. According to court documents, in January 2021, Torres conspired to smuggle heroin and methamphetamine into the Fresno County Jail for further distribution among inmates. Recorded jail calls revealed the plan to sneak the drugs into the jail inside a pair of athletic shoes destined for an inmate. Officers at the jail intercepted the shoes and found heroin and methamphetamine in hidden compartments. This case was the product of an investigation by HSI, DEA, the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office, and the Fresno Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin J. Gilio prosecuted these three cases.
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 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.
Former City Clerk Admits Stealing $487,673 from Small North St. Louis County MunicipalityRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – The former city clerk of Flordell Hills, Missouri on Monday admitted stealing $487,673 from the small, struggling city.
Maureen Woodson, 68, pleaded guilty in front of U.S. District Judge Rodney W. Sippel to one count of mail fraud and one count of wire fraud. Woodson admitted that from roughly February 2016 to April 2022, she and the former assistant city clerk, Donna Thompson, wrote about 614 checks to themselves without the authority or knowledge of the mayor, the treasurer or the board of aldermen. They forged the signature of the mayor and/or the treasurer on the checks, the plea agreement says.
Woodson and Thompson cashed some checks and deposited others into their personal bank accounts, the plea says. Woodson and Thompson used the money to gamble both in person and online, and for personal expenses, the plea agreement says.
They also used city checks or wire transfers of city funds to directly pay the rent for their home in Florissant as well as for entertainment, their federal taxes and expenses at restaurants and stores, the plea says.
In her plea, Woodson admitted fraudulently obtaining $487,673.
Thompson has pleaded not guilty but has scheduled a change of plea February 7, according to court records.
Woodson and Thompson, 75, were indicted in August.
Woodson is scheduled to be sentenced May 16 in U.S. District Court in St. Louis. Each charge carries a penalty of up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both. She will also be ordered to repay the money.
Woodson was hired in 2010 and Thompson in 2012. Both women were terminated in May.
Flordell Hills is roughly six blocks square, has an annual budget of about $400,000 and a population of about 800. Approximately 53.9% of those residents live below the poverty line, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Hal Goldsmith is prosecuting the case.
Former Caldwell Police Department Lieutenant Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
BOISE – Joseph Alan Hoadley, 42, of Caldwell, was sentenced to three months in federal prison for falsifying a record or document in a federal investigation, witness tampering by harassment, and destroying a record to impair its use in an official proceeding, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced today. The Honorable Scott W. Skavdahl, U.S. District Court Judge for the District of Wyoming, sitting by designation, also ordered Hoadley to serve 12 months of supervised release following his release from prison.
In September 2022, Hoadley, a former Caldwell Police Department Lieutenant, was convicted after a five-day jury trial before U.S. District Court Judge Skavdahl. The jury found Hoadley not guilty of willful deprivation of rights under color of law.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, while employed as a Lieutenant with the Caldwell Police Department, Hoadley used force against B.H. in Caldwell in 2017 while he was detained and handcuffed. Hoadley falsified a subsequent police report detailing his actions during the incident. In 2021, knowing that he was the target of an FBI investigation, Hoadley harassed and intimidated C.H. with the intent to dissuade him from cooperating with the FBI investigation. In April 2022, after being indicted by a federal grand jury, Hoadley destroyed data on his city issued laptop and cellphone one day before turning them over to the acting Caldwell Police Chief, who had placed Hoadley on administrative leave because of the charges.
“This case is about an officer who criminally violated the oath he took to uphold the law,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “In falsifying reports and tampering with a witness, the defendant offended the principles of the Caldwell Police Department and of law enforcement officers everywhere. This case shows that we will not hesitate to hold accountable police officers who violate the law—just like we do for everyone else. At the same time, it is important to emphasize that this investigation occurred because several Caldwell police officers refused to tolerate the defendant’s violations and stood up to his abuse of power. The integrity and bravery of these officers is something that the community can be proud of.”
“As law enforcement, we are bound by an oath to serve all citizens with equal compassion, professionalism, dignity, and respect,” said Special Agent in Charge Dennis Rice of the Salt Lake City FBI. “When a police officer commits a crime, it undermines the hard work of all officials and erodes the public’s trust. Today’s sentencing reinforces that no one is above the law.”
U.S. Attorney Hurwit commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation for its thorough investigation and thanked the Caldwell Police Department for its cooperation.
###
Former Bank Vice President Sentenced to Fifteen Months in Prison After Falsifying Documents in Hopes of Attaining Leniency from Federal JudgeRead the Press Release
SAN JOSE– Former Silicon Valley Bank vice president Mounir Gad was sentenced today to fifteen months in prison after having submitted several falsified letters of reference in connection with his sentencing for a previous securities fraud conviction, announced U.S. Attorney Stephanie M. Hinds and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Robert K. Tripp. Today’s sentence was handed down by the Hon. Edward J. Davila, United States District Judge.
Gad, 36, of Los Gatos, pleaded guilty to the document-falsification-related charges on October 27, 2022. In pleading guilty, Gad acknowledged he previously had been charged with, and pleaded guilty to, securities fraud violations in connection with an insider trading scheme. The securities case involved Gad’s decision as a trained investment banking professional to violate insider trading laws on two occasions. Gad made a federal court appearance on November 3, 2021, before United States District Judge Lucy H. Koh to be sentenced for his securities fraud crimes. At that time, Gad argued he should not be sent to prison, and instead should be sentenced only to probation, in part because “[Gad’s] friends and family—including his ex-fiancée—all roundly attest to Mr. Gad’s strength of character, loyalty, and dedication to his community.” In support of this argument, Gad submitted twelve letters of reference. Gad now acknowledges that six of the twelve letters he submitted to the judge in connection with his November 3, 2021, sentencing were not authentic. With respect to three of the letters, Gad made changes to the versions he had received from his references before submitting them to the court, without the references’ knowledge or permission. With respect to the three others, Gad submitted them on behalf of individuals who had not written any support letter in connection with his sentencing—two of the letters were written for reasons having nothing to do with the sentencing and were altered by Gad before they were submitted, and one, purportedly written by his ex-fiancée, was written by Gad in its entirety without the knowledge or permission of the purported author.
The inauthenticity of the letters came to light after Gad’s November 3, 2021, sentencing hearing. At the hearing, Judge Koh described on the record her thoughts regarding a story from a falsified portion of a letter—a letter purportedly written from someone who attended the hearing. The purported author later informed Gad’s attorney that she had not written the information that Judge Koh referenced at the hearing. A subsequent hearing took place on November 10, 2021, at which Judge Koh explained that the portions of the letter she found very compelling were “lies that Mr. Gad put in the letter.” Still, Gad did not admit during the November 10, 2021, hearing that six of his twelve reference letters were, in fact, falsified. Instead, he stated to Judge Koh, “I promise you, Your Honor, that was the only one. Every other letter is as it is.” A subsequent investigation revealed this statement was untrue.
On January 13, 2022, a federal grand jury indicted Gad, charging him with three counts of tampering with documents, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1512(c)(1); three counts of tampering, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1512(c)(2); six counts of identity theft, in violation of 18 U.S.C.§ 1028(a)(7) and (b)(2)(B); and one count of criminal contempt, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 401(1). Gad pleaded guilty to all the charges without a plea agreement.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Davila also ordered Gad to serve thirty-six months of supervised release and imposed a $10,000 fine and a $1,300 special assessment. Judge Davila ordered Gad to surrender on or before May 24, 2023 to begin serving his prison term.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney E. Wistar Wilson and Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Bostic and Sarah E. Griswold are prosecuting this case with assistance from Veronica Hernandez, Lynette Dixon, and Susan Kreider. The case is being investigated by the FBI.
Fishers Man Sentenced to 13 Years in Federal Prison for Trafficking Child Sexual Abuse Material via Omegle, Kik, and TelegramRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS- Robert Ficzner, 27, of Fishers, Indiana has been sentenced to 13 years in federal prison for distributing child sexual abuse material.
According to court documents, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received information from Omegle, a one-on-one random video chat application, that Robert Ficzner had displayed an image of a naked, prepubescent 5-year-old to other Omegle users. In March of 2022, Ficzner was approached by investigators and admitted that he showed the sexually explicit images of the child to elicit a “reaction” from other Omegle users. Additionally, Ficzner admitted to receiving and sharing child sexual abuse material via the Kik and Telegram instant messaging applications.
When investigators searched Ficzner’s cell phone, they found multiple files containing child sexual abuse material, as well as conversations between Ficzner and other participants discussing their desires and plans to kidnap and sexually abuse children.
Ficzner’s collection of child sexual abuse material contained well over 600 images and included depictions of the sexual abuse and torture of infants and toddlers, as well as sadistic and masochistic conduct.
“Civilized society will not tolerate the trafficking of images of the sexual torture of babies and toddlers,” said Zachary A. Myers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Even worse, this defendant discussed his desires and plans to kidnap and sexually abuse children with likeminded offenders online. The serious sentence imposed here demonstrates that federal, state, and local law enforcement will root out those criminals who pose a danger to our children, prosecute them, and get them off our streets.”
“This sentencing shows just how damaging Ficzner’s crimes against children are and emphasizes HSI’s dedication to hold perpetrators accountable,” said HSI Special Agent in Charge of the Chicago area of operations Sean Fitzgerald. “We, alongside our law enforcement partners, are committed to keeping the most vulnerable of our communities safe. Child predators like Ficzner cannot escape justice and there will be serious consequences for their heinous actions.”
Homeland Security Investigations, the Hamilton County Metropolitan Child Exploitation Task Force, and the Department of Justice’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Judge, Jane E. Magnus-Stinson. Judge Stinson also ordered that Ficzner be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for 15 years following his release from federal prison and pay $8,000 in restitution to the victims. Ficzner must also register as a sex offender wherever he lives, works, or goes to school, as required by law.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorney Kristina M. Korobov and Trial Attorney Adam Braskich of the Department of Justice’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, who prosecuted this case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc
Federal Jury Finds Pittsburgh Man Guilty of Robbery, Conspiracy and Firearms OffenseRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA - After deliberating for two days, a federal jury on Friday found Deon Reese guilty of three counts of robbery, conspiracy, and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
Reese, 47, of Pittsburgh, was tried before United States District Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
According to Assistant United States Attorney Doug Maloney, who prosecuted the case, the evidence presented at trial established that on March 23, 2017, Reese conspired with others, both known and unknown, to rob the victim of drugs and money. During the robbery, the victim was shot and critically injured, nearly dying from his wounds. Reese then engaged in efforts to prevent the witness from testifying at trial, including soliciting a coconspirator to bribe the victim not to come to court, and requesting others to contact and follow the victim.
Judge Ranjan scheduled sentencing for May 18, 2023, at 10:00 a.m. The law provides for a total sentence of up to life in prison, a fine of $750,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based on the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Pending sentencing, the court ordered the defendant to remain detained.The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearm, and Explosives, and the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Reese.
Evansville Man Sentenced to 8 Years in Federal Prison for Distributing Child Sexual Abuse Material via KikRead the Press Release
EVANSVILLE- Brandon Kyle Meredith Adcox, 39, of Evansville, Indiana, was sentenced to 8 years in federal prison for distribution of child sexual abuse material.
According to court documents, on August 30, 2021, the Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force and a detective with the Evansville Police Department (EPD) received a CyberTip stating that between June 10 and June 15, 2021, 36 files containing child sexual abuse material had been uploaded and distributed using Kik Messenger, an instant messaging app.
Kik provided investigators with the email address associated with the account. The email address associated with the Kik account was registered in Adcox’s name, and records indicated the account was accessed from the Evansville apartment complex where Adcox lived. EPD officers obtained and executed a warrant to search Adcox’s residence. During execution of the warrant, Adcox agreed to answer questions and provide the passcode to his iPhone. Adcox confirmed that he was the owner of the email and Kik accounts and admitted to distributing and receiving child sexual abuse material via Kik on several occasions. He also admitted that several images and videos depicting child sexual abuse material would be found on his cell phone.
Upon investigation of the files, detectives found child sexual abuse material, including a video of an adult female performing oral sex on an infant than one year old.
“Criminals like this defendant use online platforms to share child sexual abuse materials and seek affirmation from others who share their sexual interest in children,” said Zachary A. Myers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “The dangerous predators who traffic in images of these horrific crimes re-victimize children for their own pleasure—and should take note of the sentence imposed today. The outstanding investigators and analysts at the Indiana ICAC, FBI, and EPD, will identify you and make our children safer by sending you to federal prison.”
“Those who sexually exploit children in this manner cause great harm to their young victims and deserve a strong punishment,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Herbert J. Stapleton. “The FBI and our law enforcement partners are dedicated to protecting children from offenders like him and will do everything we can to ensure such defendants are identified, investigated and prosecuted.”
The FBI and ICAC investigated this case with valuable assistance from the Evansville Police Department. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Judge, Richard L. Young. Judge Young also ordered that Adcox be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for 10 years following his release from federal prison. Adcox must also register as a sex offender wherever he lives, works, or goes to school, as required by law.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorney Todd Shellenbarger, who prosecuted this case.
This investigation was conducted by the Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, a partnership of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies led by the Indiana State Police. The Task Force is dedicated to investigating and prosecuting crimes involving the technology-facilitated sexual exploitation of children and the trafficking of child sexual abuse material. Each year, Indiana ICAC investigators evaluate thousands of tips, investigate hundreds of cases, and rescue dozens of children from ongoing sexual abuse.
In fiscal year 2019, the most recent year for which data is available, the Southern District of Indiana was second out of the 94 federal districts in the country for the number of child sexual exploitation cases prosecuted.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc
Detroit Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Sylvester Roosevelt McNeil, also known as “Juan,” 50, of Detroit, Michigan, pleaded guilty today to distribution of fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on August 27, 2022, McNeil sold approximately 1.3 grams of fentanyl to a confidential informant at a location on Nickel Plate Road in Huntington.
McNeil is scheduled to be sentenced on May 8, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Cabell County Sheriff’s Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams is prosecuting the case.
The investigation was part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). OCDETF was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and is the keystone of the Department of Justice’s drug reduction strategy. Today, OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations, and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:22-cr-165.
###
Detroit Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Desmond Devon Magee, also known as “Rich,” 27, of Detroit, Michigan, pleaded guilty today to distribution of a quantity of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on October 18, 2022, Magee sold approximately 29 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant inside an Eighth Street business in Huntington.
Magee is scheduled to be sentenced on May 8, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Cabell County Sheriff’s Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:22-cr-210.
###
Chicago Investment Advisor Indicted on Fraud Charges for Allegedly Swindling Clients Out of $683,000Read the Press Release
CHICAGO — A Chicago investment advisor has been indicted on federal fraud charges for allegedly swindling three clients out of approximately $683,000.
DAVID SHELDON WELLS, 32, of Chicago, was charged with three counts of wire fraud in an indictment returned Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Chicago. Arraignment is set for today at 2:00 p.m. before U.S. Magistrate Judge Heather K. McShain.
The indictment was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; and Douglas Zloto, Special Agent-in-Charge of the U.S. Secret Service Chicago Field Office. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Havey.
According to the indictment, Wells worked as an investment advisor in the Chicago branch of a subsidiary of a Midwestern bank. In 2020 and 2021, Wells falsely represented to three clients, including two elderly men suffering from dementia, that he would invest their money in publicly traded companies. Based on the false representations, the clients sent him checks made payable to “Wayne and Stark,” which Wells claimed was a publicly traded company. In reality, Wayne and Stark was a shell company set up and solely controlled by Wells, the indictment states.
Wells used the clients’ funds for his personal use, including rent and unauthorized trading in high-risk options contracts, the indictment states. Wells lost or otherwise spent all of the clients’ funds, the indictment states.
The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Each count of wire fraud is punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison. If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
Charlotte Duo Sentenced to Prison for Armed RobberiesRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – U.S. Attorney Dena J. King announced today that Keishaun Leroy Anderson, 20, and Kevin Matias Lopez, 29, both of Charlotte, were sentenced for robbing and attempting to rob multiple gas stations in Charlotte.
Michael C. Scherck, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Charlotte Division, and Chief Johnny Jennings, of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD), join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.
U.S. District Judge Robert J. Conrad Jr. sentenced Anderson to 111 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Anderson pleaded guilty to Hobbs Act robbery and possession and brandishing of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. Lopez was sentenced to 63 months in prison followed by three years of supervise release, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery and Hobbs Act robbery.
According to court documents and today’s court hearings, on November 1, 2020, Anderson and Lopez robbed and attempted to rob multiple gas stations in the Charlotte area in the span of a hour. Court records show that the first attempted robbery took place at a 7-Eleven on Nations Ford Road in Charlotte, at approximately 12:45 a.m. During this incident, the store clerk observed Anderson approach the store with what appeared to be rifle or a shotgun. The clerk was able to quickly activate the door’s remote control lock mechanism and call 911. Anderson and Lopez fled the scene in their vehicle.
The second attempted robbery took place at a Circle K on South Tryon Street in Charlotte at approximately 1:04 a.m. Court records show that, during this incident, Anderson attempted to enter the gas station which was closed at the time. The clerk who was inside the store observed Anderson attempting to enter the store and was able to further secure the closed doors with zip ties. Lopez then came to the door and attempted to cut the zip ties with a knife but was unsuccessful. Anderson and Lopez left the gas station in their vehicle.
According to court documents, at approximately 1:12 a.m., the defendants robbed a Circle K located on South Tryon Street. During this robbery, Anderson entered the store, pulled a shotgun and pointed it at the store clerk. Anderson then ordered the clerk to give him money from the safe and the register. Anderson and Lopez took the money and drove away in their vehicle.
The next robbery took place at a 7-Eleven on Steele Creek Road in Charlotte, at approximately 1:27 a.m. Court records show that Anderson came into the store with a shotgun and demanded money and other items from the store clerk. Anderson then cocked the shotgun and took money, cigarettes and cigars from the clerk before he fled the scene with Lopez.
While CMPD officers were responding to the most recent robbery incident, another CMPD officer anticipated the location of the next robbery and drove to a gas station on Steele Creek Road. While there, the officer observed Anderson and Lopez arrive in their vehicle at the gas station and leave shortly thereafter. Law enforcement followed the defendants’ vehicle into the parking lot of an apartment complex where Anderson and Lopez were arrested. Over the course of the arrest, law enforcement located the shotgun Anderson had used to carry out the spree of robberies and attempted robberies.
At today’s sentencing hearing, Judge Conrad noted that the crimes were committed in a “harrowing and menacing fashion.”
The defendants are currently in federal custody. They will be transferred to the custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King thanked the FBI and CMPD for their investigation of the case.
Assistant United States Attorneys Regina Pack and David Kelly of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.
Carrollton Pair Tied to as Many as 10 Juvenile Overdoses Charged with Fentanyl ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Two fentanyl dealers allegedly tied to as many as 10 juvenile overdoses, three of them fatal, have been federally charged, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.
Luis Eduardo Navarrete, 21, and Magaly Mejia Cano, 29, were charged via criminal complaint with conspiracy to distribute fentanyl. They were arrested at Mr. Navarrete’s residence in Carrollton on Friday and made their initial appearances Monday afternoon.
“To deal fentanyl is to knowingly imperil lives. To deal fentanyl to minors — naive middle and high school students — is to shatter futures. These defendants’ alleged actions are simply despicable. We can never replace the three teenagers whose lives were lost, nor can we heal the psychological scars of those who survived their overdoses. But we can take action to ensure these defendants are never allowed to hand a pill to a child again,” said U.S. Attorney Leigha Simonton.
“Selling drugs alone is a serious transgression, but to sell deadly fentanyl to a juvenile is one of the most shocking and callous ways to hurt a community,” said Eduardo A. Chavez, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Dallas Field Division. “DEA Dallas and our partners from the Carrollton Police Department will work to identify and hold accountable every individual who thinks they can profit by exposing our neighborhoods, and our children, to this deadly substance.”
“I am very appreciative of our partnerships with all federal agencies. I am proud of the Carrollton Police Department’s work in providing the necessary evidence to the DEA. We continue to work with the DEA and other federal partners to rid our great community of this poison. We take this very seriously; there is nothing more precious than our children,” said Carrollton Police Chief Roberto Arredondo.
According to the complaint, Mr. Navarrete and Ms. Cano allegedly dealt fake Percocet and Oxycontin pills laced with fentanyl, commonly known as “M30s,” to multiple juvenile drug dealers, mostly students at RL Turner High School, who in turn sold the drugs to their fellow students at R.L. Turner High School and to younger students at Dewitt Perry and Dan F. Long Middle Schools.
Nine students at those schools – ranging in age from 13 to 17 – suffered ten overdoses, three of which were fatal, between September 2022 and February 2023.
One victim, a 14-year-old girl who overdosed twice and suffered temporary paralysis, told law enforcement the pills she ingested came from juvenile dealers who obtained the drugs from Mr. Navarrete. (She also confirmed she had purchased pills directly from Mr. Navarrete in the past.)
Law enforcement conducting surveillance at Mr. Navarrete’s home observed him engage in a hand-to-hand transaction with another 16-year-old dealer on January 12, 2023. Officers followed the juvenile into a bathroom at R.L. Turner, where he holed up in a stall to snort the drugs. He later admitted that he’d obtained the pills – which he called “perc pills” – from Mr. Navarrete.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation of wrongdoing, not evidence. Both Mr. Navarrete and Ms. Cano are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
If convicted, they each face up to 20 years 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 Rick Calvert and Phelesa Guy are prosecuting the case.
Note: Illicitly produced, fentanyl-laced pills often look similar to legitimate prescription pills like Oxycontin or Percocet, but can pose significantly more danger. On the street, these pills are often referred to as “M30s” (a reference to the markings on some of the pills), “blues,” “perks,” “yerks,” “china girls,” or “TNT.” DEA research shows that six out of ten pills laced with fentanyl contain a potentially lethal dose. One pill can kill. For resources, visit https://www.dea.gov/onepill.California Man Sentenced for Mailing Marijuana to Western PennsylvaniaRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA – A resident of Seiad Valley, California, has been sentenced in federal court to 24 months of imprisonment followed by one year of supervised release on his conviction for violating federal narcotics laws related to a nine-month Title III wiretap investigation into drug trafficking in and around the counties of Jefferson, Clearfield, and Allegheny, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
United States District Judge Christy Criswell Wiegand imposed the sentence on James White, age 40.
According to information presented to the court, White transported over 250 pounds of marijuana from Oregon to various post offices located in Nevada. White then mailed parcels containing marijuana on behalf of George Charlan, a supplier living in Oregon, to distributors living in the Western District of Pennsylvania.
Assistant United States Attorneys Jonathan D. Lusty and Michael R. Ball prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
The Drug Enforcement Administration led the multi-agency investigation of this case, which also included the Homeland Security Investigations, United States Postal Service – Office of Inspector General, United States Postal Inspection Service, Internal Revenue Services, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, Allegheny County Police, and Pennsylvania State Police. Also assisting were the Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office, Clearfield County District Attorney’s Office, and the Clarion Borough Police Department.
This prosecution is a result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles high-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten communities throughout the United States. OCDETF uses a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.