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20 March 2023
Fast Food Cook Sentenced to 90 Months in Prison for Possessing Firearm at WorkRead the Press Release
EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – A U.S. District Judge sentenced a man to 90 months in federal prison after he was found by police with a loaded weapon while working as a cook at the Collinsville Jack in the Box in April 2022.
Tony Ross, 27, pled guilty to one count of felon in possession of a firearm. In addition to the prison sentence, he received three years of supervised release, a $100 fine, and $100 in special assessments.
“In an effort to keep guns out of the hands of dangerous individuals, convicted felons forgo their right to lawfully possess a firearm,” said U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe. “This offender had a lengthy criminal history related to gun violence, and I appreciate the diligent work by ATF agents and troopers with ISP to remove this defendant and his firearm from the Metro East.”
“At the core of ATF’s mission to protect the public, is holding accountable those who violate federal firearms laws,” said Butch Hansen, Special Agent in Charge of ATF’s Kansas City Field Division. “As this case demonstrates, we will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to ensure the safety of the communities we serve.”
“Getting repeat criminal offenders who threaten the safety of our communities off the streets is a top priority for the Illinois State Police Public Safety Enforcement Group,” said ISP Zone 6 Commander Mike Lewis. “Aggressive investigation and prosecution of criminals are vital to reducing violence in our neighborhoods.”
According to court documents, law enforcement personnel with the Illinois State Police Public Safety Enforcement Group entered Jack in the Box in April 2022 to question Ross about an unrelated investigation. When Ross saw police enter the restaurant, he tried to conceal his gun by removing it from his waistband and hiding it under the deep fryer.
At the time of this incident, Ross was on parole with the Missouri Department of Corrections for a felony conviction of 2nd Degree Robbery from 2018.
The investigation was conducted by ISP’s Public Safety Enforcement Group and ATF. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ali Burns prosecuted the case.
Ex-Federal Correction Officer Pleads Guilty to Taking Bribes in Exchange for Smuggling Contraband into the Metropolitan Detention Center in BrooklynRead the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, former federal correction officer Jeremy Monk pleaded guilty to receiving bribes in exchange for providing contraband to prison inmates detained at the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) in Brooklyn. Today’s proceeding was held before United States Magistrate Judge James R. Cho. When sentenced, the defendant faces a maximum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, announced the guilty plea.
“The defendant has admitted to violating his duty as a federal correction officer by taking bribes in exchange for smuggling contraband into the Metropolitan Detention Center, a serious betrayal of his fellow correction officers and staff, incarcerated individuals, and the trust placed in him by the government,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “This Office is focused on rooting out corruption that threatens the safety and security of our federal and local jails.”
Mr. Peace expressed his thanks to the Department of Justice, Office of Inspector General, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office, for their investigative work on the case.
According to court documents and facts presented at the guilty plea proceeding, Monk worked as a correction officer at the MDC from May 2020 until he voluntarily resigned on April 18, 2022. On multiple occasions, Monk smuggled contraband into the MDC in exchange for bribes. For example, on December 5, 2020, MDC staff members conducted a search of the cell of an incarcerated individual (Inmate-1) because they suspected that Inmate-1 was in possession of marijuana due to an odor coming from his cell. Although no marijuana was found, MDC staff recovered a cellular telephone, which is contraband in a federal correctional facility. Financial records show that three days before MDC staff recovered the cellular telephone, the romantic partner of Inmate-1 attempted to make seven payments to Monk via Cash App in amounts ranging from $750 to $4,000. All seven transactions were blocked by Cash App. On April 15, 2022, three days before Monk resigned, MDC staff learned that Monk had agreed to accept $10,000 from inmates in exchange for his smuggling contraband into the MDC and leaving it in a staff restroom. That afternoon, Monk was observed entering the staff restroom consistent with the information MDC staff received. After Monk left the restroom, MDC staff found more than nine ounces of marijuana hidden on a shelf under floor buffing pads.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Public Integrity Section. Assistant United States Attorney Philip Pilmar is in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendant:
JEREMY MONK
Age: 32
Brooklyn, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 22-CR-442
Ewa Beach Couple Pleads Guilty to Tax FraudRead the Press Release
A Hawaii couple has pleaded guilty to conspiring to defraud the United States by obtaining a fraudulent tax refund and then thwarting IRS efforts to recoup it.
According to court documents, Michael and Brigida Chock of Ewa Beach conspired with a third individual to prepare a false 2014 amended individual income tax return (Form 1040X) and a false miscellaneous income form (Form 1099-MISC) purportedly issued by a mortgage lender to Michael Chock. The tax return falsely reported an inflated tax withholding amount based on the fraudulent Form 1099-MISC, resulting in a refund of $225,327. The defendants knowingly filed these false forms with the IRS in March 2016.
The Chocks took several steps to obstruct IRS efforts to recover the fraudulently obtained refund, including depositing the refund check into a bank account in the name of a trust they created to conceal the refund and by paying the coconspirator $73,500 for assistance in obtaining and concealing the refund. They also falsely claimed to the IRS that they had prepared the false tax return themselves.
Each faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, a period of supervised release, restitution and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Clare E. Connors for the District of Hawaii made the announcement.
IRS-Criminal Investigation, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA), and the FBI are investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Sarah Kiewlicz and Meredith Havekost of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregg Paris Yates of the District of Hawaii are prosecuting the case.
Essex County Man Convicted for Gunpoint Robbery of East Orange Cell Phone StoreRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – An Essex County, New Jersey, man was convicted today for his role in a January 2021 gunpoint robbery of a cell phone store in East Orange, New Jersey, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Kenneth Graham, 50, of Newark, was convicted of one count of Hobbs Act robbery and one count of using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Graham was convicted following a one-week trial before Senior U.S. District Court Judge William J. Martini in Newark federal court.
According to court documents and the evidence presented at trial:
On Jan. 18, 2021, Graham was in the cell phone store when he pulled out a gun and pointed it at a store employee. He ordered the employee to place several cell phones from the display case and cash from the register into a bag. Video surveillance footage near the store showed Graham enter a black Nissan Altima after the robbery and drive away. A witness confirmed that Graham was the person entering the Nissan Altima after robbing the store.
Historical cell phone records indicate that Graham’s cellular telephone was in East Orange near the store around the time of the robbery, and photographs on Graham’s cell phone showed Graham wearing a sweatshirt with a distinct logo. In the video surveillance footage from the robbery, Graham wore that same sweatshirt.
The Hobbs Act robbery charge carries a statutory maximum of 20 years in prison. The count of using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence carries a maximum potential penalty of life in prison and in this case, a mandatory minimum sentence of 25 years in prison because Graham was previously convicted in 2007 in connection with three gunpoint bank robberies in New Jersey. The sentence on this charge must be consecutive to any other sentence imposed. Each count carries a potential $250,000 fine.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents and task force officers of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark, and members of the East Orange Police Department, under the direction of Chief Phyllis Bindi, with the investigation leading to today’s conviction.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Benjamin Levin and Jennifer S. Kozar of the Criminal Division in Newark.
Elizabethtown Woman Pleads Guilty to CARES Act Fraud in the Amount of $1,318,955Read the Press Release
Louisville, KY – Kelly Woods, 43, of Elizabethtown, Kentucky, pleaded guilty in federal court today to three counts of wire fraud related to a CARES Act financial assistance program.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Kathy Enstrom of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General, and Special Agent in Charge Jodi Cohen of the FBI Louisville Field Division made the announcement.
During the plea hearing, Woods admitted that between May 1, 2020, and March 31, 2021, she filed three fraudulent applications for Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans, resulting in the theft of $1,318,955. Woods utilized the entities Philips Healthcare LLC and LB Acquisitions LLC. Woods organized LB Acquisitions LLC after the onset of the Covid 19 pandemic. She then exaggerated the number of employees and payroll expenses of those entities in the fraudulent applications.
The Small Business Administration (SBA) PPP loans were designed to provide a direct incentive for small businesses who were in operation on February 15, 2020, to keep their workers on the payroll. PPP loan proceeds were required to be used by the business on certain permissible expenses. Interest and principal on PPP loans could be entirely forgiven if the business spent the loan proceeds on the allowable expenses within a designated period and used a certain percentage of the PPP loan proceeds on payroll expenses.
Woods is scheduled to be sentenced on June 22, 2023. Pursuant to the terms of the plea agreement, Woods will also forfeit certain real property and a vehicle. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FDIC Office of Inspector General and FBI are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicole Elver and David Weser are prosecuting the case.
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.
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Eagle Butte Man Sentenced for LarcenyRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced an Eagle Butte, South Dakota, man convicted of Larceny. The sentencing took place on March 14, 2023.
True Clark, age 28, was sentenced to 13 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Clark was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $395, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Clark was indicted for Larceny by a federal grand jury in October of 2022. He pleaded guilty on December 19, 2022.
Late on September 3, 2022, or in the early morning hours of September 4, 2022, Clark stole a 2017 Buick Enclave valued in excess of $20,000 from a residence in Eagle Butte. The vehicle’s owner discovered the car missing on the morning of September 4, 2022. The vehicle was equipped with OnStar. The vehicle’s owner and law enforcement contacted OnStar and were able to pinpoint the vehicle’s location as being at a specific residence in Cherry Creek, South Dakota. OnStar disabled the vehicle, and law enforcement responded to Cherry Creek. Clark was still inside the vehicle when law enforcement arrived and took him into custody.
This case was investigated by the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay Miller prosecuted the case.
Clark was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Drug User Sentenced for Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont - The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that Paul Lachapelle, Jr., 27, of Springfield, Vermont, was sentenced by United States District Judge Christina Reiss to time served followed by 3 years of supervised release for being a drug user in possession of a firearm. Lachapelle, Jr. previously pleaded guilty to the offense.
According to court records, Lachapelle Jr. was arrested on May 30, 2022, in Springfield, Vermont. That evening, Springfield Police responded to a possible burglary in progress at a residence. The report stated that the burglary suspect had a handgun holstered to his hip. Springfield Police encountered Lachapelle, Jr. and another person at the residence. After a brief conversation, law enforcement determined that Lachapelle, Jr. threw a handgun into a tall grassy area nearby. Springfield Police searched that area and recovered a .22 caliber revolver.
Police interviewed Lachapelle, Jr. who admitted, among other things, that he walked onto the property and onto the breezeway of the house. Lachapelle, Jr. claimed he knew the homeowner, and that the homeowner would have approved of Lachapelle, Jr.’s actions. Lachapelle, Jr. initially denied possessing a handgun while admitting that he had a knife, but after police confronted him with the homeowner’s reports of seeing the handgun on Lachapelle Jr.’s person via the residence’s surveillance video, Lachapelle, Jr. admitted to police that he threw the handgun into the tall grass near his vehicle. Additionally, the investigation demonstrated that Lachapelle, Jr. consumed controlled substances on a daily basis from September 2021 through May 30, 2022.
The case was investigated by the Springfield Police Department, Vermont State Police, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Lachapelle, Jr. was represented by Michael Straub, Esq. The prosecutors were Assistant United States Attorneys Joseph Perella and Zachary Stendig.
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. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psn
District of Columbia Man Pleads Guilty to Bribing Correctional Officer to Smuggle Drugs into D.C. JailRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A District of Columbia man pleaded guilty today to bribing a public official to smuggle drugs into the D.C. jail. Keywaune McLeod, 28, of Washington D.C., pleaded guilty in United States District Court to one count of bribery. The plea was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves for the District of Columbia and Special Agent in Charge Wayne A. Jacobs of the FBI Washington Field Office. U.S. District Court Judge Dabney L. Friedrich scheduled a sentencing hearing for June 12, 2023.
According to court documents, as part of his plea, McLeod admitted that, in June of 2022, McLeod was contacted via jail telephone by an inmate being housed at D.C. Jail. Specifically, McLeod was recruited by the inmate to act as a conduit outside of D.C. jail to package narcotics and manage payments from the sale of those narcotics from inside the jail. As a part of this conspiracy, McLeod would package and provide drugs to a public official, a Correctional Officer working at the jail, who would smuggle them into the facility by concealing them on her body. Once inside the D.C. Jail, the Correctional Officer would transfer the drugs to the inmate who would then distribute the drugs for a profit. McLeod would accept and manage the proceeds from such distribution using CashApp and make bribe payments to the Correctional Officer for the drug smuggling.
Previously, in September and October 2022, McLeod was charged as part of a three-co-defendant complaint, later followed by an indictment. Specifically, D.C. Jail Correctional Officer Beverly Williams, 52, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, and Andre Gregory, 31, an incarcerated inmate at the D.C. Jail’s CDF awaiting trial, along with McLeod, were charged with conspiracy, bribery, and smuggling. All charges as to Williams and Gregory remain pending. A complaint and an indictment are merely allegations, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The bribery charge to which McLeod pleaded guilty carries a statutory maximum sentence of 15 years in prison, as well as potential financial penalties. The federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI Washington Field Office is investigating the case.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gauri Gopal and Ahmed Baset with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Lisa Abbe, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia’s Fraud, Public Corruption, and Civil Rights Section.
Defendants Sentenced in a $217,200 Gift Card Conspiracy and Wire Fraud Scheme that Cheated Victims, Including the Elderly, Out of Thousands of DollarsRead the Press Release
Salt Lake City, Utah – Two foreign nationals, were sentenced today after pleading guilty to their participation in a wire fraud scheme, where victims were deceived into purchasing prepaid gift cards and providing that information to the defendants for their own personal gain.
Chaohui Chen, 46, was sentenced to 21 months imprisonment followed by 36 months supervised release and ordered to pay $217,200.00 in restitution. Wenyi Zheng, 46, was sentenced to 36 months imprisonment followed by 36 months supervised release and ordered to pay $217,200.00 in restitution.
According to court documents, in June 2019, Chen and Zheng were involved in a Walmart gift card conspiracy and wire fraud scheme within the District of Utah and elsewhere. The purpose of the scheme was to defraud individuals and obtain money and property for the personal gain of the defendants and others. According to the plea statement, a typical execution of the scheme involved unnamed third parties who would make false and fraudulent telephone calls, sometimes claiming to the victims they were part of the Social Security Administration. Using false pretenses, the callers would convince victims to purchase prepaid gift cards and provide to them the 16-digit gift card numbers and unique pins for the gift cards, in return for a cashier’s check in the amount of the gift card purchased. Once in control of the gift cards, Chen and Zheng would redeem the gift cards at various stores by purchasing household items and additional prepaid gift cards, which they would convert and use for their own personal gain, and neglect to return any of the money to the victims. Throughout the scheme, the defendants used or caused another to use interstate wire communications facilities for the purpose of carrying out the crime.
“The United States Attorney’s Office is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to investigate people who prey on vulnerable members of our community,” said United States Attorney Trina A. Higgins. “It is our job to pursue justice for victims, some of whom are elderly and trusted those who committed this crime.”
The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
Assistant U.S. Attorney, Ruth Hackford-Peer, of the District of Utah prosecuted the case.
Connecticut Man Sentenced to 27 Months’ Imprisonment for Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont - The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that Tan Prazeres, 43, of Danbury, Connecticut, was sentenced by United States District Judge William K. Sessions III to 27 months of imprisonment followed by 3 years of supervised release for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Prazeres had previously pled guilty to the offense.
According to court records, on February 10, 2022, Prazeres, a previously convicted felon, possessed a gun in Bennington, Vermont. That day, members of the Bennington Police Department responded to a report of suspected drug overdoses by a man and a woman inside of a car on Main Street. When an officer tapped on the driver’s side window, he saw a woman inside of the vehicle holding a glass pipe in her hand. The officer also saw a man seated in the passenger seat, later identified as Prazeres, struggling to remain conscious. Prazeres identified himself with a fake name and appeared to be under the influence of drugs. Prazeres later exited the car and was transported to a local hospital. The next day, investigators obtained a State of Vermont warrant to search the vehicle and found a Raven .25 caliber pistol in a men’s jacket that covered the center console of the vehicle. The responding officer’s body worn camera video footage showed Prazeres grabbing at the jacket that contained the firearm during Prazeres’ encounter with the police.
The case was investigated by the Bennington Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Prazeres was represented by Assistant Federal Public Defender Steven Barth, Esq. The prosecutors were Assistant United States Attorneys Kimberly Ang and Zachary Stendig.
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. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psn
Clackamas Man Sentenced to 14 Years in Federal Prison for Armed Robbery of Local PubRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A Clackamas, Oregon man was sentenced to federal prison today for robbing a local pub with a gun.
Dustin Lee Henderson, 42, was sentenced to 168 months in federal prison and five years’ supervised release.
According to court documents, on November 22, 2019, Henderson robbed the Lighthouse Pub, a public house and deli located on 82nd Avenue in Clackamas. In video surveillance of the robbery, Henderson was seen handing the pub clerk a bag, brandishing a firearm, and taking five cartons of cigarettes. The pub’s owner chased Henderson through the parking lot when Henderson discharged a single round from his firearm, prompting the owner to stop the chase. Law enforcement later recovered a .22 caliber cartridge case near the site of the shooting.
Law enforcement later observed Henderson in a nearby mobile home lot and arrested him. Investigators executed a state search warrant on a mobile home where Henderson resided and recovered the stolen cigarette cartons, clothes worn by Henderson during the robbery, and a .22 pistol. DNA analysis later linked Henderson to the seized firearm.
On March 17, 2022, Henderson was charged by superseding indictment with interfering with commerce with threats or violence, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, and illegally possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.
On April 27, 2022, after a three-day trial, Henderson was found guilty on all counts.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office with assistance from Oregon State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cassady Adams, Craig Gabriel, and Suzanne Miles prosecuted the case.
Cheektowaga Man Who Traveled to Rochester to Have Sex with A 13 Y/O Girl Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
ROCHESTER, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Mohammed Uddin, 34, of Cheektowaga, NY, pleaded guilty to attempted receipt of child pornography before U.S. District Judge Frank P. Geraci, Jr. The charge carries a minimum penalty of five years prison, a maximum of 20 years, a lifetime term of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle P. Rossi, who is handling the case, stated that Uddin engaged in sexually explicit online and text communications with an undercover law enforcement officer, who he believed was a 13-year-old girl. Over a period of approximately three weeks, Uddin discussed engaging in sexual relations with the child, sent pornography to the child, talked about taking the child’s virginity, attempted to induce the child to produce and send him sexually explicit photos and videos, and formed a plan to meet the child at her Rochester home for sex. On August 18, 2022, Uddin traveled from Cheektowaga to an address in Rochester that he believed was the child’s residence and was immediately taken into custody, at which time investigators located Uddin’s cell phone and candy that he purchased as a gift for the child.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Child Exploitation Human Trafficking Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia.
Sentencing is scheduled for June 29, 2023, at 3:00 p.m. before Judge Geraci.
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Cascade woman admits charges in Great Falls College student loan fraudRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS — A Cascade woman accused of illegally receiving approximately $126,000 in federal student aid through a scheme in which she enrolled others in courses at Great Falls College, Montana State University, admitted to charges today, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
Ricci Lea Castellanos, 34, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and to aggravated identity theft. Castellanos faces a maximum of 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release on the conspiracy crime, and a mandatory minimum two years in prison, consecutive to any other sentence, a $250,000 fine and one year of supervised release on the aggravated identity theft crime.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for Aug. 3. Castellanos was released pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court document that between January 2016 and December 2019, Castellanos enrolled unwitting family members and others in online classes at Great Falls College, Montana State University. When doing so, Castellanos, and others, applied for and received federal student aid totaling approximately $126,219, none of which was allowed. In addition, Castellanos and others fraudulently used and submitted multiple American Indian Tuition Waivers. Castellanos and others created and used false tribal enrollment forms from Native American Tribes, all of which were designed to result in larger student living expense refunds. Castellanos and others then diverted the money. In addition, Castellanos and others used the identify of a person, Jane Doe 1, to apply for enrollment with Great Falls College in August 2017. When applying, Castellanos forged Jane Doe 1’s signature and received $2,378 in financial aid into her bank account, Castellanos then immediately withdrew the money in cash. Jane Doe 1 had reported her identity stolen to the Great Falls Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ryan G. Weldon and Benjamin D. Hargrove prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Inspector General.
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Browning man convicted of sexually abusing two girls sentenced to more than 18 years in prisonRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS — A Browning man convicted of sexually abusing two girls approximately 20 years ago on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation was sentenced today to 18 years and nine months in prison, to be followed by 10 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
A federal jury convicted Michael James Burke, 43, on Oct. 22, 2022 of two counts of aggravated sexual abuse of a child and of abusive sexual contact of a child following a two-day trial.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.
The government alleged in court documents and at trial that Burke committed numerous sexual acts against victims Jane Doe 1 and Jane Doe 2 over an extended period of time in Browning. Burke sexually abused Jane Doe 1 between 2000 and 2003 and Jane Doe 2 between 1999 and 2002. Both victims were under the age of 12 at the time. Burke threatened the victims and told them both that no one would believe them. The victims ultimately disclosed the sexual abuse to officials in 2017.
The government said in its sentencing memo that the victims sustained significant emotional trauma and included a statement from Jane Doe 1 about how the sexual abuse has affected her life. In her statement, Jane Doe 1 said she grew up with depression, anxiety, PTSD and low self-esteem.
“For a good majority of my pre-teens I was afraid for my life and my family’s life because of the threats that were made. If I said anything or told anyone about what happened I was afraid of someone or myself getting severely injured, which is why it took me so long to get help,” Jane Doe 1 said in her statement. “I do my best to avoid anything that triggers all of the horrible memories, which is quite stressful. Having gone through all of this I’m very physically, emotionally, and mentally exhausted. …I’m still healing from all of this and know I will unfortunately be dealing with this for the rest of my life.”
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the FBI and Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services.
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Brother of former Gulf Cartel leader sent to prisonRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 39-year old South Texas man has been handed a significant sentence for his role in a cocaine distribution conspiracy, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
A federal jury deliberated for approximately four hours following an eight-day trial before returning a guilty verdict July 22, 2019, against Lee Roy Villareal, Rio Grande City, on conspiracy to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine.
Today, U.S. District Judge Andrew S. Hanen imposed a 180-month-term of imprisonment be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. In handing down the sentence, the court found Villarreal ran a large-scale cocaine distribution network that spanned nearly five years. During that time, Villarreal and his associates distributed 150-450 kilograms of cocaine from Mexico and Panama to a large number of cocaine distributors based throughout the country to include cities in Texas, Georgia, Illinois and Indiana.
The judge found Villarreal was directly involved in the importation of cocaine.
Villarreal’s brother is Michael Villarreal aka Gringo Mike, a former Gulf Cartel plaza boss whom rival Gulf Cartel members killed in March 2013.
“Drug cartels like Gulf Cartel aka Cartel del Golfo (CDG) flood our communities with drugs that cause death and destruction, but high-ranking CDG leaders like Villarreal are not immune from stiff punishments,” said Hamdani. “This prosecution dealt a tough blow to the CDG’s operations. Villarreal brought poison to our communities, and collaborative efforts with our partners brought him to justice.”
At trial, the jury heard Villarreal was in charge of running drug trafficking operations on the U.S. side in South Texas on behalf of Gringo Mike and the Gulf Cartel.
Testimony revealed Villarreal was directly involved in the importation of cocaine from Mexico and Panama. He directed the activities of his workers who imported, stashed and transported cocaine to cities across the United States. Villarreal was also in charge of repatriating proceeds from the sale of cocaine back to Gringo Mike and Gulf Cartel members in Mexico. Villarreal used at least one stash house in Mission to store cocaine and drug proceeds.
Villarreal testified at trial and claimed he was never involved in drug trafficking, had no illegal association with his brother, Gringo Mike, and merely operated a legitimate auto mechanic business. The jury did not believe the defense claims and found him guilty of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine.
To date, 12 other individuals have been convicted in relation to the conspiracy.
Lee Roy Villareal has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The FBI led the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation dubbed Operation La Hermandad, along with the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, Border Patrol, Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office, Starr County High Intensity Drug Task Force Area Task Force and the Mission Police Department. 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 on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anibal J. Alaniz and Casey N. MacDonald of the Southern District of Texas are prosecuting the case.
Bakersfield Resident Pleads Guilty to Drug Sales from Smoke ShopRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Abraham Eduardo Navarro Mendez, 39, of Bakersfield, pleaded guilty today to possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, in 2019, Navarro Mendez was suspected to be selling large quantities of methamphetamine from the Havana Smoke Shop in Bakersfield. On two occasions, law enforcement officers conducted two separate undercover drug transactions with Navarro Mendez, who delivered a total of 2.5 pounds of methamphetamine for $3,750.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Homeland Security Investigations and the Bakersfield Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Escobar is prosecuting the case.
Navarro Mendez is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Ana Isabel de Alba on July 17, 2023. Navarro Mendez faces a mandatory minimum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum penalty of life in prison, and a fine up to $10 million. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
Bakersfield Man Sentenced to 57 Months in Prison for Role in Fraudulent Transfer of Funds from a Victim’s Brokerage AccountRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Ramon Armendariz Jr., 35, of Bakersfield, was sentenced today to four years and nine months in prison for wire fraud, bank fraud, and aggravated identity theft, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, Armendariz unlawfully obtained personally identifiable information and bank account information of a victim, which he used to open a brokerage account in the victim’s name. Armendariz used the personal bank accounts to fund the brokerage account. Armendariz listed himself as an authorized check writer on the brokerage account in order to access the funds when the transfers to the brokerage account were completed. Armendariz’s scheme unraveled when the victim discovered the unauthorized transfers and notified the bank, resulting in a freeze of the funds in the brokerage account.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexandre Dempsey prosecuted the case.
Bakersfield Brothers Sentenced for Roles in Multiple Fraud SchemesRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — For their roles in a conspiracy to commit wire fraud, today, Charles Abieanga, 31, of Bakersfield, was sentenced to five years and five months in prison and his brother Simon Abieanga, 28, of Bakersfield, was sentenced to three years and five months in prison, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. Charles Abieanga was ordered to pay $505,695 in restitution, and Simon Abieanga was ordered to pay $326,832 in restitution.
According to court documents, Charles Abieanga was sentenced to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft for his role in three different fraud schemes. The first scheme involved submitting false claims to the California Employment Development Department and obtaining benefits associated with those claims. The second scheme involved impersonating a supplier of personal protective equipment (PPE) and defrauding hospitals by selling non-existent medical supplies including surgical gowns and N-95 protective masks. The third scheme involved the sale of non-existent pets, horses, and vehicles to victims online.
Simon Abieanga was sentenced for his role in one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud for his role in two separate, but similar, fraud schemes. The first scheme involved submitting false claims to the California Employment Development Department and obtaining benefits associated with those claims. Simon Abieanga’s second scheme involved the sale of non-existent pets, horses, and vehicles to victims online.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Secret Service, the California Employment Development Department, and the Bakersfield Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexandre Dempsey and Joseph D. Barton are prosecuting the case.
Athens, Georgia, Pain Medicine Owner, Practice Manager Agree to $5 Million Settlement Resolving Violations Under the False Claims ActRead the Press Release
ATHENS, Ga. –A $5,000,000 civil settlement has been reached with Mark A. Ellis, M.D., and his practice, Ellis Pain Center (EPC), a pain management practice in the Athens area. Part of the civil settlement includes EPC’s practice manager, Patsy Allen.
The case that was resolved by this settlement agreement—U.S. v. Mark A. Ellis, M.D., Patsy Allen, Mark A. Ellis, M.D., P.C., and Ellis Practice Management, LLC, 3:19-cv-107—was filed on Nov. 27, 2019. The settlement was finalized on Friday, March 17, 2023.
The defendants agreed to pay $5,000,000 to the United States to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act (FCA) by submitting bills to the Medicare program for urine drug tests that were not performed, urine drug tests that were not medically necessary and for diagnostic tests that were not medically necessary for the treatment of its pain patients. The settlement resolves a civil investigation initiated by the Northern District of Georgia in the throes of the opioid epidemic. In 2015, the Middle District of Georgia joined the investigation and the two offices worked together to bring about today’s announced resolution.
“Together with our colleagues at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia, our attorneys have successfully concluded years of hard-fought litigation on behalf of the citizens,” U.S. Attorney Peter Dr. Leary. “This office will continue to relentlessly pursue allegations of false billing for services not actually rendered to patients, particularly where opioids are involved.”
“We will not allow health care providers to engage in schemes designed to enrich themselves and deplete the funds intended for the government’s federal health care programs,” said Ryan K. Buchanan, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia. “Our partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Georgia resulted in a just resolution on behalf of the Medicare Program and the taxpayers.”
“Providers that bill Medicare for medically unnecessary procedures waste taxpayer dollars while drawing down on funds intended to support critical services for vulnerable patients,” stated Tamala Miles, Special Agent in Charge with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “With our law enforcement partners, HHS-OIG is committed to investigating potentially fraudulent billing that can compromise the integrity of our federal health care programs.”
The FCA is a federal law that imposes civil liability on any persons or entities who submit, or cause to be submitted, false claims for payment on the federal government or its contractors. The liability that can be imposed under the statute is treble damages (that is, three times the loss caused by the false claims) and a civil penalty between $12,537 to $25,076 per false claim. The FCA is the primary authority used by the United States Attorney’s Office’s Civil Division to redress fraud, waste, and abuse within federal programs, including, but not limited to, Medicare, Medicaid, and TRICARE.
The United States alleges that Dr. Ellis, Patsy Allen and EPC billed Medicare for individual and expensive quantitative urine drug tests that it did not actually conduct and, in fact, could not have conducted on its immunoassay analyzer. Additionally, Dr. Ellis, Ms. Allen and EPC allegedly billed Medicare for the same urine drug tests and diagnostic tests on its patients without regard to the patients’ individual signs, symptoms and medical needs and simply in a desire to increase EPC’s revenue.
The claims resolved by this settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination or admission of liability.
This case was investigated by Special Agent Michael Britton and Investigator Shaketia Morgan of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services-Office of the Inspector General (HHS OIG).
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Todd P. Swanson and Bowen Shoemaker of the Middle District of Georgia and Assistant U.S. Attorney Neeli Ben-David for the Northern District of Georgia represented the United States in civil action and settlement agreement.
Armed Drug Trafficker with Prior Federal Conviction Is Sentenced to 25 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Lance Richardson Pagan, 52, of Gastonia, N.C., was sentenced to 25 years in prison today, followed by six years of supervised release for drug and gun offenses, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Robert M. DeWitt, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Charlotte Division, and Chief Trent Conrad of the Gastonia Police Department (GPD) join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.
According to filed court documents and evidence presented at trial, law enforcement learned that Pagan was trafficking narcotics in Gaston County. At the time, Pagan was on supervised release for a previous federal drug conviction for which he was sentenced to seven years in prison. On January 12, 2022, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Pagan’s residence and seized a trafficking amount of cocaine and cocaine base, and three firearms. Due to Pagan’s prior convictions, he is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition.
A federal jury convicted Pagan of possession with intent to distribute cocaine base and cocaine and possession of firearm by convicted felon. Pagan is currently in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons.
U.S. Attorney King credited today’s sentence to investigations led by the Western District’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF), which have resulted in the conviction of more than 70 individuals, and the seizure of over 567 kilograms of cocaine, more than six kilograms of cocaine base, more than 17 kilograms of methamphetamine, more than four kilograms of heroin, over 30 kilograms of fentanyl, 127 firearms, and more $437,000 in cash and other property.
OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles criminal organizations using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King thanked the FBI and GPD. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven R. Kaufman, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte, prosecuted the case.
Anoka Man Pleads Guilty to Possession of a Machine Gun, MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – An Anoka man has pleaded guilty to illegal possession of a machinegun and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, in April 2022, the FBI began investigating Darrian Mitchell Nguyen, 50, based on a tip from a Confidential Human Source (CHS) that Nguyen was in possession of explosive devices, firearms, and methamphetamine, and had expressed a desire to join the Three Percenter militia group, a loosely organized anti-government extremist movement. The CHS told law enforcement that Nguyen kept weapons, including rifles, shotguns, handguns, a grenade launcher, and pipe bombs in “secret” rooms built within the walls of his residence.
According to court documents, to correct a debt owed to the defendant, Nguyen asked the CHS to provide him with firearms, specifically a short-barreled rifle equipped with an auto sear. Through text messages, Nguyen arranged to meet with the CHS to receive four auto sears and a short-barreled rifle equipped with an auto sear. During conversations with the CHS about obtaining firearms, Nguyen discussed interest in a revolution or coup-d’état. At the arranged meeting on October 4, 2022, after Nguyen took possession of the machine gun and the auto sears, law enforcement arrested Nguyen and executed a search warrant at his residence. Law enforcement recovered several firearms from a hidden room and elsewhere inside the residence, including an additional short-barreled rifle and a short-barreled shotgun that Nguyen was not registered to possess.
Nguyen pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court before Senior Judge Donovan W. Frank to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of unlawful possession of a machinegun.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Manda M. Sertich and Department of Justice Trial Attorney Justin Sher are prosecuting the case.
Acute Care Hospital and Radiology Imaging Practice to Pay More Than $2 Million to Resolve a False Claims Act Case Regarding the Billing of Services to Medicare and MedicaidRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Luminis Health Doctors Community Medical Center, Inc., (“DCMC”), and Diagnostic Imaging Associates, LLC (“DIA”), both located in Lanham, Maryland, have agreed to pay the United States $2,002,052.17 to resolve allegations that they violated the federal False Claims Act.
According to the settlement agreement, DCMC and DIA entered into a long-standing arrangement whereby DIA billed Medicare and Medicaid under its assigned number for both the professional services provided by DIA and for the technical services rendered by DCMC’s outpatient cancer screening facility (the “Center”). DIA then paid the Center a portion of the Medicare or Medicaid reimbursed global fee for the technical services provided by the Center. The Center was not enrolled in Medicare and Medicaid during that time, so it did not have a billing number and was not eligible for reimbursement from those programs.
The civil settlement was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland, Erek L. Barron and Special Agent in Charge Maureen Dixon, Office of Investigations, Office of Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services.
“The resolution in this matter demonstrates the commitment of the United States Attorney’s Office to rigorously protect Medicare and Medicaid from those who would flout the regulations prescribed by those programs for the reimbursement of medical care,” said United States Attorney Erek L. Barron.
“Health care providers have a responsibility to follow the law, and exploiting insurers for personal gain defies that objective,” stated Maureen Dixon, Special Agent in Charge with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG is committed to safeguarding the integrity of our federal health care programs. We thank the tireless efforts of our agents and law enforcement partners to fight fraud that targets these programs and to protect taxpayer dollars that fund them.”
DCMC owns and operates a hospital (“Hospital”) that provides acute care services, including radiation oncology and breast health care services. Specifically, the Hospital provides biopsy and mammography services and bone density screenings to diagnose and treat breast cancer and other diseases through an outpatient cancer screening facility (the Center). DIA provides diagnostic and interventional radiology services. DIA executed a written agreement with the Hospital to provide diagnostic and interventional radiology services to the Center, as well as the interpretation of such tests. The Center, through the Hospital, provided the imaging equipment, office space, technicians and supplies to facilitate the performance of the radiology-related tests. The contract between the Hospital and DIA specified that tests performed at the Center would be billed by the Center on a global fee basis under the Center’s provider number, with DIA being paid a percentage of the Medicare or Medicaid reimbursed global fee for performing the professional component, that is, interpreting the tests. A global fee reflects payment for both the technical and professional components of a medical service billed together as a unit.
However, the Center did not obtain its own number under which it could bill Medicare and Medicaid for the services provided to beneficiaries insured by those programs. Between March 15, 2010, and October 19, 2020, by agreement between the Hospital and DIA, DIA submitted claims to Medicare and Medicaid using DIA’s supplier number to bill those programs for both the professional and technical components of the services rendered in the Center even though the Hospital performed the technical component of the Center’s services. Both the Hospital and DIA knew that the Center did not have a billing number as required by Medicare and Medicaid to be eligible for reimbursement for rendered medical services.
The claims resolved by this settlement are allegations. The settlement is not an admission of liability by DCMC and DIA, nor a concession by the United States that its claims are not well founded. The case arose from DCMC’s and DIA’s reporting of the billing arrangement to the United States Department of Health and Human Services Provider Self-Disclosure Protocol; DCMC and DIA cooperated throughout the ensuing federal investigation conducted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the DHHS-OIG for its work in this investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Tarra DeShields who handled this case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/report-fraud.
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26-Year-Old Man Pleads Guilty to Assaulting Two Border Patrol AgentsRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Miguel Angel Acatzihua-Temoxtle, 26, of Mexico, pleaded guilty Wednesday before United States Magistrate Judge Jacqueline Rateau to one count of Assault on a Federal Officer Resulting in Bodily Injury and one count of Assault on a Federal Officer with the Use of a Deadly or Dangerous Weapon.
On May 31, 2022, near Newfield, Arizona, on the Tohono O'odham Nation, United States Border Patrol agents, as part of their official duties, were assigned to Border Patrol operations at the San Miguel Forward Operating Base. While on duty, the agents received information that several groups of undocumented non-citizens were passing though the Baboquivari Mountain range. Agents inspected the area where one of the subjects, later identified as Acatzihua-Temoxtle, was located.
Acatzihua-Temoxtle fled from the agents by running up the side of a wash while kicking several large boulders above one of the agents to slow his pursuit. While Border Patrol was trying to detain him, Acatzihua-Temoxtle physically assaulted two agents, which included the use of an agent’s flashlight and use of an agent’s lanyard which held night vision goggles. The agents ultimately detained and arrested Acatzihua-Temoxtle.
A conviction for assault on a federal officer resulting in bodily injury carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and up to a $250,000 fine. A conviction for assault on a federal officer with the use of a deadly or dangerous weapon carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and up to a $250,000 fine.
Customs and Border Protection’s United States Border Patrol conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant United States Attorney Raquel Arellano, District of Arizona, Tucson, is handling the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-22-01420-TUC-JCH-JR
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-038_Acatzihua-Temoxtle# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.
18 March 2023
Schenectady Felon Admits to Possessing Fentanyl and Cocaine Base for Distribution, and Possessing Firearms in Furtherance of Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Charles Whorley, age 35, formerly of Schenectady, New York, pled guilty yesterday to possessing and intending to distribute fentanyl and cocaine base, and to possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; John B. DeVito, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF); and New York State Police (NYSP) Acting Superintendent Steven A. Nigrelli made the announcement.
Whorley admitted to distributing fentanyl on several dates in June 2020, and to possessing 94 grams of fentanyl and 77 grams of cocaine base, which he intended to distribute, at his residence in Schenectady on June 25, 2020. Whorley, a previously convicted felon, further admitted to possessing three loaded handguns at his residence, which allowed him to better protect the drugs and the cash proceeds from the sale of drugs.
Whorley faces at least 5 years and up to life in prison, a fine of up to $1 million, and a term of post-imprisonment supervised release of at least 3 years and up to life when he is sentenced on July 19, 2023, by United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.
The NYSP and ATF investigated this case with assistance provided by the Schenectady County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Emmet O’Hanlon is prosecuting this case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
17 March 2023
Wilmington Gang Member Armed with “Ghost Gun” Sentenced to More Than 11 Years for Trafficking MethRead the Press Release
NEW BERN, N.C. – Shamar Keaton, also known as “Sleeze” and “Sleeze Ru Gambino,” 32, of Wilmington, was sentenced to 135 months in prison for drug trafficking. According to law enforcement, Keaton was a member of the United Blood Nation in Wilmington.
According to court documents, evidence presented in court, and other documents, on December 15, 2021, an individual working at the direction of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) purchased more than 20 grams of methamphetamine from Keaton. Keaton was wearing an ankle monitor that he had been ordered to wear by the North Carolina State Court system. Keaton had a prior state conviction for possession of a stolen firearm.
On March 5, 2022, the same individual made another controlled purchase, this time for approximately two ounces of pure methamphetamine. During the deal, Keaton said that he had a 9mm “ghost gun” (a term for a privately manufactured firearm without serial numbers or other identifying marks that cannot be traced by law enforcement). Keaton said that he had a source for ghost guns. Keaton explained that it would cost $600 to get all the parts and then his source charges $200 to assemble the gun. Keaton was arrested by ATF on March 16, 2022.
This is part of “Operation Golfer,” which is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launders, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Wilmington Police Department, and the Duplin, New Hanover and Brunswick County Sheriffs’ Offices investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Timothy Severo and Gabe Diaz prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 7:22-cr-00049-FL-001.
Whitley County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Murder ChargeRead the Press Release
LONDON, Ky. - A Woodbine, Ky., man, Daniel Scott Nantz, 33, entered a guilty plea on Thursday, before U.S. District Judge Robert E. Wier, to the intentional murder of a federal witness, Geri D. Johnson.
According to the investigation and plea agreement, Nantz was engaged in methamphetamine trafficking throughout Whitley County from March of 2017 through March of 2019. In the Spring of 2019, some of Nantz’s methamphetamine sources of supply and co-conspirators were indicted by a federal grand jury. One of these co-conspirators was Johnson, who was pregnant, and with whom Nantz had a romantic relationship.
Prior to the murder, Nantz learned that Johnson had provided a statement to law enforcement and had been offered the opportunity to cooperate against him. Nantz discussed the fact he was a target of the federal methamphetamine trafficking investigation with Johnson. A handwritten note, written by Nantz, was recovered from the murder scene, which read “Funeral/fed’s pulled geri out asking questions.” Nantz had grown increasingly concerned that he too would be indicted for methamphetamine trafficking and that Johnson would cooperate against him. He also sent text massages to Johnson in the days leading up to the murder. On March 13, 2019, Nantz texted Johnson “I’ll kill you [expletive].” And on March 14, 2019, Nantz texted Johnson, “Your very dangerous for me. Very very dangerous.”
Then, on March 16, 2019, Johnson was home, with Nantz’s minor children, at Nantz’s trailer in Woodbine. Nantz arrived, ordered his children into their bedroom, and followed Johnson outside the residence. Nantz then shot the victim twice with a .38 revolver. One round struck the victim in the back right shoulder and the other pierced the victim’s neck. The autopsy revealed the round through the victim’s neck ultimately caused her to asphyxiate on her blood.
After the shooting, Nantz drove Johnson to the hospital in Corbin, Kentucky, where she was pronounced dead. Johnson’s daughter was born, via emergency Cesarean section, at seven months gestation. The child died several days later, due to the damage she suffered from the loss of oxygen and blood caused by her mother’s injuries.
Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Shawn S. Morrow, Special Agent in Charge, ATF, Louisville Field Division; and Commissioner Phillip Burnett, Kentucky State Police, jointly announced the guilty plea.
The investigation was conducted by the ATF and KSP. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jenna E. Reed.
Nantz is scheduled to be sentenced on July 17, 2023. Nantz faces a mandatory minimum of Life in prison and a $250,000 fine.
This case was prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” Program (PSN), which is a nationwide, crime reduction strategy aimed at decreasing violent crime in communities. It involves a comprehensive approach to public safety — one that includes investigating and prosecuting crimes, along with prevention and reentry efforts. In the Eastern District of Kentucky, U.S. Attorney Shier coordinates PSN efforts in cooperation with various federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.
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U.S. Attorney Announces Arrest of Yonkers Man for Threatening to Kill Yonkers Police OfficersRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Michael J. Driscoll, Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), Keechant L. Sewell, the Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), and Christopher Sapienza, Commissioner of the City of Yonkers Police Department (“YPD”), announced that RIDON KOLA was arrested today based on a criminal Complaint filed in White Plains federal court charging KOLA with making threatening interstate communications, in which KOLA threatened to kill officers of the YPD and the Mayor of Yonkers. KOLA will be presented in White Plains federal court later today before United States Magistrate Judge Paul E. Davison.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As alleged, Ridon Kola posted threats on social media against law enforcement, stating his support for ISIS and his intention to murder numerous police officers. Undeterred after questioning from law enforcement, Kola’s conduct escalated, as he continued to assure police his threats would be carried out. Threatening violence against police or to undermine public safety will not be tolerated, as Kola now stands charged and faces prison time for his threats against our dedicated law enforcement partners tasked with keeping us safe.”
FBI Assistant Director Michael J. Driscoll said: “As we allege today, Kola, who has demonstrated support for radical Islamic extremism and terrorist attacks, made a series of threats to the lives of law enforcement and others, and now he will be forced to face the consequences of his actions. Counterterrorism remains the FBI’s top priority, and through our NY JTTF, we remain committed to keeping all New Yorkers safe from acts of terror.”
NYPD Commissioner Keechant L. Sewell said: “The NYPD remains steadfast in its commitment to fight against the grave threat of violence and hate in every form. This arrest reinforces our work to protect people and ensure consequences for those who are charged with threatening our way of life. I want to thank the members of the FBI-NYPD Joint Terrorism Task Force, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, and everyone else who worked to interdict and stop this threat.”
YPD Commissioner Christopher Sapienza said: “The safety of our residents, our community, and the members of our Police Department is paramount; every threat is investigated to the fullest extent possible. Thankfully, due to the outstanding collaborative efforts of the FBI’s New York Joint Terrorism Task Force and our Yonkers Police Intelligence Division, our City will enjoy a safe Saint Patrick’s Day parade tomorrow free from intimidation by bad actors.”
As alleged in the Complaint unsealed today:[1]
KOLA has engaged in escalating threats of violence against, among others, law enforcement, culminating in recent online threats against the YPD in connection with the Yonkers St. Patrick’s Day parade scheduled for Saturday, March 18. KOLA’s posts demonstrate support for radical Islamic extremism and terrorist attacks. In a recent threatening post, KOLA displayed himself with an axe.
On November 19, 2021, KOLA posted to a YPD official social media account a message in Albanian that translated to the following: “I am going to slaughter you little girls.”
On December 5, 2021, KOLA posted to the same YPD social media account a message stating that: “Starting tomorrow I will start killing your officers just so u know who is doing it, Ridon Kola Albanian blood,” and that he would also kill the Mayor of Yonkers.
Following those threats, in December 2021, YPD detectives interviewed KOLA at his residence. KOLA admitted to making the threatening posts but claimed he had no plans to harm YPD officers or the Mayor. Based on his demeanor, YPD subsequently issued a warning to officers to exercise diligence and caution in any encounters with KOLA. Beginning in early 2023, and continuing in the days leading up to the planned St. Patrick’s Day parade, KOLA has escalated his threats against the YPD and other government officials and has expressed his support for violent Islamic extremism and terrorist attacks.
In January 2023, KOLA posted multiple statements expressing support for “jihad,” or “to war against non-Muslims,” and the establishment of a “caliphate,” and depicting the raised index finger gesture used by jihadist groups, including the terrorist organization the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (“ISIS”).
On March 6, 2023, appearing to reference YPD’s prior interview of KOLA, KOLA sent a direct message to the YPD social media account stating: “I’m looking for that officer that came to my house and threatened me and my family to kill us. I’m going to burn the world until I find him Vallahi [by God], no matter what happens to me there will never be peace in this country anymore! Allahu Ekberr.” The phrase “Allahu Ekberr” is one form of an Arabic phrase meaning “God is great,” which radical Islamic extremists have proclaimed in connection with the commission of terrorist attacks.
The next day, March 7, 2023, KOLA posted a statement praising Sayfullo Saipov, the recently convicted perpetrator of a terrorist attack for ISIS in which Saipov used a truck on Halloween in 2017 to murder eight victims and injure many more on a bike bath in lower Manhattan. KOLA referred to Saipov as “my BROTHER.”
As of March 9, 2023, KOLA’s social media account profile included the statement, “Now is personal America and the world!!!” and a threat to burn “cia fbi nsa police jud[g]es alive w their families too!”
Also on March 9, KOLA sent two direct messages to the YPD social media account stating: “First people to be crucified will be the Yonkers rats Vallahi. Allahu Ekberr”; and “I will crucify Yonkers cops and their bosses all along McLean ave. It will be a horror scene . . . Allahu Ekberr.” McLean Avenue in Yonkers is part of the route for the Yonkers St. Patrick’s Day Parade taking place on March 18, and numerous YPD officers will be posted to the parade route along that street. KOLA’s residence is in the area of the parade route.
Three days later, on March 12, 2023, KOLA posted to his social media feed a photograph of himself holding an axe with a statement in Albanian, translated to the following: “Come on Judas, I’m waiting for you.”
* * *
KOLA, 32, of Yonkers, New York, is charged with making threatening interstate communications, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.
The maximum potential penalty is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant would be determined by the judge.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative efforts of the FBI’s New York Joint Terrorism Task Force, which consists of investigators and analysts from the FBI, the NYPD, and over 50 other federal, state, and local agencies. Mr. Williams also thanked the YPD and the Yonkers Police Intelligence Division for their assistance.
The case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and International Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Sullivan is in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint and the descriptions of the Complaint set forth below constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Terry Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Sex Trafficking of a MinorRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A Terry man was sentenced to 10 years in prison for sex trafficking of a minor, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Jermicha Fomby of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
James Mickel Holman II, 34, was sentenced on March 16, 2023 in U.S. District Court in Jackson. In addition to his 10 year term of imprisonment, Holman must register as a sex offender.
In August of 2020, agents with the FBI and the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office received information that a minor was being used in commercial sexual activities in the Jackson Metro area. On August 17, 2020, James Mickel Holman II was arrested at the Econo Lodge Motel in Jackson. Holman had previously transported the minor from Memphis, Tennessee to Jackson with the intent of the minor performing sexual acts for money.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office investigated the case.
Assistant United States Attorney Glenda R. Haynes prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Ten Members and Associates of Marion Gardens Jersey City Gang Charged for Drug Trafficking ActivitiesRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – Ten members of the Jersey City gang associated with the Marion Gardens Housing Complex were charged today for their roles in a drug trafficking conspiracy, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Myron Williams, aka “Money,” aka “Tunchi,” 29, and Andre Alomar, aka “Dre8,” 21, both of Newark; and Herbert Thomas, 48; Roger Pickett, aka “Zy Gz,” 22; Anthony Rogers, aka “MG,” 22; Naim Richardson, aka “Ninicks,” 29; Quaseame Wilson, aka “Qua Gz,” 26; Javon Williams, aka “J45,” 21; Jawaad Davis, 20; and Keith Anderson, 21, all of Jersey City, New Jersey, are each charged by complaint with one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances.
The defendants are scheduled to appear this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael A. Hammer in Newark federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Myron Williams, Pickett, Alomar, Rogers, Richardson, Wilson, Javon Williams, Davis, and Anderson are all members and associates of the neighborhood street gang associated with the Marion Gardens Housing Complex. Since March 2021, members and associates of the Marion Gardens street gang have committed numerous acts of violence, including a murder on March 29, 2021; a murder on Nov. 20, 2021 and a murder on Nov. 1, 2022.
The murder on Nov. 1, 2022, was committed in furtherance of the gang’s drug trafficking activities, during an attempted robbery of controlled substances. Davis facilitated that murder by communicating with the victim to coordinate a narcotics transaction. When the victim and another associate arrived at the Marion Gardens Housing Complex to complete the narcotics transaction, Davis robbed the victim’s narcotics supply while Pickett and Wilson held the victim and his associate at gunpoint. Pickett shot and killed the victim while the victim’s associate fled. Pickett and Wilson then fled the Marion Gardens Housing Complex in Pickett’s vehicle.
The gang’s drug trafficking activities included hundreds of narcotics transactions that occurred within and around the Marion Gardens Housing Complex during the investigation. Thomas was the primary supplier of narcotics to the Marion Gardens drug trafficking organization.
All defendants are facing a mandatory minimum of five years in prison, a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison, and a fine of up to $5 million.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Bryan Miller; and investigators of the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Esther Suarez for the investigation leading to the charges. He also thanked the investigators of the Jersey City Police Department, under the direction of Director James Shea; investigators of the Newark Police Department, under the direction of Director Fritz Fragé for their assistance.
This investigation was conducted as part of the Jersey City Violent Crime Initiative (VCI). The VCI was formed in 2018 by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, and the Jersey City Police Department, for the sole purpose of combatting violent crime in and around Jersey City. As part of this partnership, federal, state, county, and city agencies collaborate to strategize and prioritize the prosecution of violent offenders who endanger the safety of the community. The VCI is composed of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI, the ATF, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) New Jersey Division, the U.S. Marshals, the Jersey City Police Department, the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, the Hudson County Sheriff’s Office, New Jersey State Parole, the Hudson County Jail, and the New Jersey State Police Regional Operations and Intelligence Center/Real Time Crime Center.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Desiree Grace, Deputy Chief of the Criminal Division in Newark.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
williamsetal.complaint.pdfSuperseding Indictment Charges Wisconsin Man with Sex and Labor Trafficking, Production of Child Pornography and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in the Western District of Wisconsin returned a superseding indictment charging a Wisconsin man with labor and sex trafficking, production of child pornography and money laundering.
The superseding nine-count indictment charges Austin Koeckeritz, 29, with forced labor, sex trafficking by force, sex trafficking of a minor, interstate travel with the intent to engage in a sexual act with a minor, transporting a minor with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity, producing child pornography and three counts of money laundering.
The indictment alleges that between August 2020 and August 2022, Koeckeritz used force to cause an adult to engage in forced labor and to engage in commercial sex acts. The indictment further alleges that he recruited, enticed, transported, and maintained a minor, knowing she would be caused to engage in commercial sex acts; that he traveled in interstate commerce to engage in illicit sexual conduct with the minor; and that he transported the minor from Minnesota to Wisconsin with the intent that the minor engage in sexual activity which constituted second degree sexual assault of a child under Wisconsin law. The indictment also alleges that Koeckeritz used the minor to produce child pornography. The offenses involving the minor are alleged to have occurred between October 2021 to January 2022. Finally, the indictment charges Koeckeritz with three counts of laundering the proceeds of the alleged forced labor and sex trafficking.
Koeckeritz was previously charged with one count of forced labor in an indictment returned by the grand jury on Jan. 12. He is being held in federal custody pending trial, which is scheduled for May 8 before U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson.
The forced labor charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years, and the sex trafficking by force charge and the production of child pornography charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years and a maximum of life. The charge of interstate travel with the intent to engage in a sexual act with a minor carries a maximum penalty of 30 years, and the sex trafficking of a minor and transporting a minor across state lines with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years and a maximum of life. The maximum penalty for each money laundering charge is 20 years.
Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Timothy M. O’Shea for the Western District of Wisconsin and Special Agent in Charge Michael E. Hensle of the FBI Milwaukee Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI Milwaukee Field Office and the River Falls Police Department investigated the case. The Pierce County District Attorney’s Office provided assistance.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Taylor Kraus for the Western District of Wisconsin and Trial Attorneys Slava Kuperstein and Julie Pfluger of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit are prosecuting the case.
The FBI is asking anyone with information about Austin Koeckeritz to contact the FBI Milwaukee Field Office at (414) 276-4684. If you or someone you know is a victim of human trafficking, please call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Superseding Indictment Charges River Falls Man with Sex and Labor Trafficking, Production of Child Pornography & Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – A federal grand jury in the Western District of Wisconsin returned a superseding indictment yesterday charging a River Falls, Wisconsin man with labor and sex trafficking, production of child pornography, and money laundering.
The superseding nine-count indictment charges Austin Koeckeritz, 29, with forced labor, sex trafficking by force, sex trafficking of a minor, interstate travel with the intent to engage in a sexual act with a minor, transporting a minor with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity, producing child pornography and three counts of money laundering.
The indictment alleges that between August 2020 and August 2022, Koeckeritz used force to cause an adult to engage in forced labor and that he used force to cause this person to engage in commercial sex acts. The indictment further alleges that he recruited, enticed, transported, and maintained a minor, knowing she would be caused to engage in commercial sex acts, that he traveled in interstate commerce to engage in illicit sexual conduct with the minor and that he transported the minor from Minnesota to Wisconsin with the intent that the minor engaged in sexual activity which constituted second degree sexual assault of a child under Wisconsin law. The indictment also alleges that Koeckeritz used the minor to produce child pornography. The offenses involving the minor are alleged to have occurred between October 2021 to January 2022. Finally, the indictment charges Koeckeritz with three counts of laundering the proceeds of the alleged forced labor and sex trafficking.
Koeckeritz previously was charged with one count of forced labor in an indictment returned by the grand jury on January 12. He is being held in federal custody pending trial, which is scheduled for May 8 before U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson.
The forced labor charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years, and the sex trafficking by force charge and the production of child pornography charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years and a maximum of life. The charge of interstate travel with the intent to engage in a sexual act with a minor carries a maximum penalty of 30 years, and the sex trafficking of a minor and transporting a minor across state lines with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years and a maximum of life. The maximum penalty for each money laundering charge is 20 years.
Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin Timothy M. O’Shea and Special Agent in Charge Michael E. Hensle of the FBI Milwaukee Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI Milwaukee Field Office and the River Falls Police Department investigated the case. The Pierce County District Attorney’s Office provided assistance.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Taylor Kraus for the Western District of Wisconsin and Trial Attorneys Slava Kuperstein and Julie Pfluger of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit are prosecuting the case.
The FBI is asking anyone with information about Austin Koeckeritz to contact the FBI Milwaukee Field Office at (414) 276-4684. If you or someone you know is a victim of human trafficking, please call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
South L.A. Man Sentenced to Nearly 6½ Years in Prison for Armed Robberies of Half a Dozen Businesses Within Two-Week Crime SpreeRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A South Los Angeles man was sentenced today to 77 months in federal prison for committing six armed robberies of local businesses, mostly 7-Eleven stores, during a two-week crime spree in late 2021.
Colin Powell Lacey, 29, of the Hyde Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, was sentenced by United States District Judge Maame Ewusi-Mensah Frimpong.
Lacey pleaded guilty in August 2022 to one count of conspiracy to commit interference with commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act).
From November 13, 2021, to November 29, 2021, Lacey participated in the robbery of six businesses – five of which were 7-Eleven convenience stores. During the robberies, Lacey typically entered the stores, pointed a handgun at the store’s cashier and stole money – usually hundreds of dollars in cash belonging to the business.
For example, on November 29, 2021, Lacey and his co-conspirator, Kyle Richard Williams, 26, of Inglewood, traveled together to a smoke shop located in the Mid-City area of Los Angeles. Williams entered the store, pointed a handgun at the cashier and stole $442 while Lacey waited outside the store before fleeing with Williams.
That same night, Lacey and Williams robbed 7-Eleven stores in Hollywood and Mid-City, with Lacey pointing a handgun at the cashier at the Hollywood store and Williams pointing a handgun at the cashier at the Mid-City business, making off with $600 and $100, respectively. Lacey and Williams then fled in Lacey’s Hyundai.
On December 30, 2021, Lacey and Williams attempted to rob a 7-Eleven in El Segundo. Williams pointed a handgun at the store employee and demanded money. Lacey and Williams fled together after the employee showed Williams that the cash register was empty.
In total, Lacey participated in the armed robbery of six stores, including two other 7-Elevens in Hollywood and one 7-Eleven in West Hollywood. Lacey and Williams netted a total of $2,859 from the robberies.
Lacey and Williams have been in federal custody since March 2022.
Williams pleaded guilty in July 2022 to one count of conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery, two counts of Hobbs Act robbery, and one count of attempted Hobbs Act robbery. In December 2022, Judge Frimpong sentenced Williams to six years in federal prison.
The FBI, the Los Angeles Police Department, and the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorney Jeremiah M. Levine of the Violent and Organized Crime Section and Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey M. Chemerinsky, Chief of the Violent and Organized Crime Section, prosecuted this case.
Serial Rapist Sentenced for 2007 and 2010 Home Invasion Sexual Assaults of Women in Northwest D.C.Read the Press Release
Defendant Was Convicted in Separate Trials
WASHINGTON – Ronald P. Berton, Jr., 48, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced today to two life sentences for home invasion sexual assaults committed in 2007 and 2010. Berton was sentenced to life without the possibility of release plus 27 years for a June 2010 home invasion and sexual assault of an adult woman; and to life without the possibility of release for the October 2007 home invasion and sexual assault of another adult woman. Both victims were strangers to Berton. The sentences, which will run consecutively to each other, were announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Robert J. Contee, III, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
In the case from 2010, Berton was found guilty, in February of 2023, 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. In the 2007 case, Berton was found guilty, in March of 2020, of kidnapping and first-degree sexual abuse with aggravating circumstances.
“This sentence helps to ensure that a very dangerous sexual predator will not roam our streets,” said U.S. Attorney Graves. “This office truly appreciates the courage it took for each survivor to come forward and testify about their ordeal in a courtroom full of strangers, particularly after so many years had passed. Their strength has undoubtedly saved others from falling prey to this serial offender. The people in this office will do everything possible to get justice for victims of sexual assault.”
“Every survivor deserves justice, and I’m pleased that, through the hard work of our officers, detectives, attorneys, and other law enforcement partners, our criminal justice system has delivered it to these two women,” said Chief Contee. “The Metropolitan Police Department is committed to closing every case, no matter how long it takes.”
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 and 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 Kathleen Kern and Amy Zubrensky, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
Rockford Man Sentenced to Ten Years in Federal Prison for Robbing Banks in Rockford and BelvidereRead the Press Release
ROCKFORD — A federal judge has sentenced a Rockford man to a total of 10 years in federal prison for robbing banks in Rockford and Belvidere in 2021, and for violating his terms of supervised release. U.S. District Judge Iain D. Johnston imposed the sentence on Thursday after a hearing in federal court in Rockford.
DEMONTRION DESHAN PHILLIPS, 29, was convicted after a jury trial in November 2022 of stealing $5,930 in a robbery of Midland States Bank, 1700 N. Alpine Rd. in Rockford, on Apr. 7, 2021, and $4,408 in a robbery of Midland States Bank, 600 S. State St. in Belvidere, on May 3, 2021. Phillips committed the robberies while on court-supervised release following a prior federal conviction for robbing two banks in Rockford in 2017.
Phillips received an additional 24-month sentence for committing the robberies while on court-supervised release for his prior bank robbery conviction.
The sentence was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Robert W. Wheeler, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.; Carla Redd, Chief of the Rockford Police Department; and Shane Woody, Chief of the Belvidere Police Department. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Talia Bucci and Vincenza L. Tomlinson.
Rochester Woman Pleads Guilty to Making Internet Threats and Firearms PossessionRead the Press Release
ROCHESTER, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Gabygayl Cruz, 21, of Rochester, NY, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Charles J. Siragusa to transmitting a threat in interstate commerce and possessing and discharging a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. The charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum of life, and a fine of $250,000.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Moynihan, who is handling the case, stated that on the evening of June 7, 2021, on Facebook Live, Cruz threatened to shoot a man, stating at the end of the video, “Tune-in in five minutes.” Later that night, Cruz and another person went to an area of Rochester where Cruz knew the person she threatened spent time. In a second Facebook Live video, a black screen appeared but 11 gunshots could be heard followed by the sounds of Cruz running and giggling. In a third video, Cruz recounted the earlier shooting, imitated shooting a gun and continued to issue threats to others.
On July 1, 2021, Cruz again used Facebook Live to threaten to shoot a woman, displaying a .45 caliber firearm, while issuing the threat. Cruz then went to a Columbia Avenue address in Rochester to confront the woman, but she was not there. While leaving the area, Cruz struck a parked car and fired a shot in the air. Cruz was arrested the next day when she was stopped driving a car in which officers found a loaded .45 caliber semiautomatic pistol, which was the same firearm she displayed in one of the videos.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Chief David Smith and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge John B. DeVito.
Sentencing is scheduled for July 6, 2023, at 10:30 a.m. before Judge Siragusa.
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Queens Man Sentenced to 121 Months in Prison for Laundering Millions of Dollars of Fraud and Hacking Schemes and Committing Bank FraudRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that DJONIBEK RAHMANKULOV was sentenced today to 121 months in prison for laundering millions of dollars in criminal proceeds obtained from computer hacking, healthcare fraud, and Small Business Administration loan fraud, as well as operating an international unlicensed money transmitting business. The defendant was convicted at trial on September 1, 2022, of money laundering conspiracy, bank fraud, and conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money transmitting business. U.S. District Judge Ronnie Abrams imposed today’s sentence.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Djonibek Rahmankulov laundered money for a living. He exploited the financial system to launder millions of dollars from multiple fraudulent schemes and repeatedly lied to banks to operate his illegal enterprise. Once caught — and even after he was convicted — the defendant continued to show that he believed he was above the law by threatening a witness and submitting false information to the Court. Today’s sentence reflects that this Office will find and prosecute those who seek to abuse the U.S. financial system to launder dirty money.”
According to the superseding Indictment, evidence at trial, and statements made in Court:
Between 2017 and September 2020, RAHMANKULOV operated a network of shell companies that were used to launder millions of dollars of criminal proceeds from multiple types of criminal activity. RAHMANKULOV worked with computer hackers who fraudulently gained control of the bank accounts of victims located throughout the United States and executed millions of dollars in fraudulent wire transfers into bank accounts opened by RAHMANKULOV and his co-conspirators. RAHMANKULOV received wire transfers into bank accounts he created and bank accounts he instructed others to create and laundered these proceeds through multiple additional bank accounts to prevent the victims and the banks from recovering the stolen funds.
In addition, RAHMANKULOV worked with a network of pharmacies engaged in Medicare and Medicaid fraud. These pharmacies submitted millions of dollars of fraudulent billing for HIV medications that they did not dispense or obtained illegally, including by repurchasing medications from HIV patients who were Medicaid recipients. RAHMANKULOV created companies to receive these criminal proceeds from the pharmacies and laundered them through a variety of means, including by using them to fund an unlicensed money transmitting business that illegally moved money to and from multiple countries, including Iran.
In 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic began, RAHMANKULOV filed fraudulent applications for COVID relief loans from the Small Business Administration for multiple companies he controlled. He laundered the proceeds of loans and grants through these companies. RAHMANKULOV also made a number of materially false statements to financial institutions in connection with his money laundering schemes, both when opening bank accounts and when executing financial transactions with those bank accounts.
RAHMANKULOV sought to obstruct justice during the pendency of his case. In the months before trial, RAHMANKULOV instructed a witness to lie to law enforcement. When the witness later informed RAHMANKULOV that the witness would tell the truth to law enforcement, RAHMANKULOV threatened the witness, stating, among other things, that if he went to prison, “I will drag all of you with me, and once you are there, then I will have my revenge.” Nonetheless, the witness testified at trial. RAHMANKULOV continued seeking to obstruct justice after his conviction. In advance of his sentencing, he submitted multiple letters to the Court purporting to show support from members of the community, but two of these letters were in fact fraudulent and had not been written by the purported authors.
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In addition to the prison term, RAHMANKULOV, 35, of Queens, New York, was sentenced to three years of supervised release. RAHMANKULOV was further ordered to pay a forfeiture of $5,413,278 and a $40,000 fine.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s New York Money Laundering Investigation Squad.
The prosecution is being handled by the Office’s Money Laundering and Transnational Criminal Enterprises Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cecilia Vogel, Thane Rehn, and Samuel Raymond, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Nerlande Pierre, are in charge of the prosecution.
Operator of Human Smuggling Stash House Sentenced to Combined Term of 67 MonthsRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Macario Ulises Barragan-Cisneros, 45, of Michoacán, Mexico, was sentenced last week by United States District Judge Scott H. Rash to 57 months in prison, followed by three years supervised release, consecutive to 10 months’ imprisonment for violation of supervised release due to a prior conviction. Barragan-Cisneros pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Transport and Harbor Illegal Aliens for Profit. Co-defendant Gustavo Bueno De-Haro was sentenced to 12 months and one day by Judge Rash on May 26, 2022.
On September 21, 2021, after several days of surveillance, special agents from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) discovered 30 undocumented non-citizens (UNCs) inside a trailer unit located in the Camino Vista Mobile Home Park, in Phoenix, Arizona. A ledger revealing human smuggling operations was located inside the trailer. Barragan-Cisneros was identified as a human smuggler coordinator, in addition to having recruited co-conspirator De-Haro to transport and conceal UNCs.
This prosecution resulted from the coordinated efforts of Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA). The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona is part of JTFA, which was established by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland in June 2021 to marshal the investigative and prosecutorial resources of the Department of Justice, in partnership with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), to enhance U.S. enforcement efforts against the most prolific and dangerous human smuggling and trafficking groups operating in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras. The Task Force focuses on disrupting and dismantling smuggling and trafficking networks that abuse, exploit, or endanger migrants, pose national security threats, and are involved in organized crime.
HSI – Nogales Office conducted the investigation in this case, with assistance from the United States Border Patrol. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-21-02672-TUC-SHR-MSA
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-037_Barragan-Cisneros# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.
Omaha Woman Sentenced for Marijuana Distribution Conspiracy and Straw Purchase of FirearmsRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Steven Russell announced that Rachel L. Stewart, 33, of Omaha, was sentenced on March 16, 2023, by the Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. to a total of 30 months’ imprisonment for Conspiracy to Distribute Marijuana and to False Statement During Purchase of a Firearm (straw purchase). After her release from prison, Stewart will begin a three-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Stewart also previously forfeited $6,310 cash, a gold Rolex watch, a diamond encrusted necklace, and a 2019 Audi Q8 vehicle, all of which were seized by law enforcement as proceeds of drug trafficking.
During approximately May 2019 to October 2021, Stewart conspired with others to distribute at least 80 kilograms but less than 100 kilograms of marijuana. During August 2020 to March 2021, Stewart also purchased three handguns for a confederate but falsely stated the firearms were for her. Law enforcement later recovered all three firearms.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Omaha Police Department.
North Philadelphia Man Sentenced to nearly 10 Years as Maker of Illegal M-1000 Style DevicesRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that David Perez 37, of Philadelphia, PA, was sentenced to 110 months’ imprisonment, three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $75,218.40 in restitution to the Philadelphia School District and $43,500 in restitution to Wells Fargo Bank by United States District Court Judge Michael M. Baylson for engaging in the business of manufacturing explosive devices, possession of explosives by a convicted felon, malicious damage to a building/institution receiving federal financial assistance, possession of firearm by a convicted felon, possession with intent to distribute a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of phencyclidine (PCP), and conspiracy to commit bank fraud.
Perez previously pled guilty to manufacturing illegal explosive devices for several years prior to his arrest in June 2021. Devices consistent with those made by Perez were found at numerous post-blast scenes, including at multiple scenes where explosive devices were used to attempt to access ATMs in the summer and fall of 2020.
Perez admitted to using some of his homemade illegal explosive devices on July 4, 2020 in the courtyard of the Honorable Luis Munoz-Marin Elementary School in Philadelphia. Use of these devices caused extensive damage to property inside and outside the school, and resulted in damage to numerous windows. Repairs to the school cost more than $75,000.
Upon arrest Perez was found in possession of multiple firearms and distribution-level quantities of PCP in his home. He also participated in a bank fraud conspiracy, which led to a loss of $43,500 to Wells Fargo Bank.
"Perez's Sentencing today should serve as a cautionary tale to others considering producing, possessing, or selling an illegal explosive device," said U.S. Attorney Romero. "Detonating powerful explosive devices on the grounds of an elementary school, and possession of firearms and distribution-quantity PCP, all by a convicted felon, is the very definition of a threat to public safety. The U.S. Attorney's office, with our law enforcement partners, will continue to pursue these cases relentlessly, and David Perez will spend nearly ten years in federal prison."
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Social Security Administration – Office of Inspector General, and the Philadelphia Police Department, with substantial assistance from the Philadelphia Fire Marshal’s Office, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Amanda R. Reinitz.
New Orleans Man Sentenced to 10 Years Imprisonment for Fentanyl Trafficking and Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – NICHOLAS WEBER, age 29, a resident of New Orleans, Louisiana, was sentenced on March 16, 2023, to 120 months imprisonment, 4 years of supervised release, and a $300 mandatory special assessment fee by U.S. District Judge Susie Morgan, after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possession of firearms by a convicted felon, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.
According to court documents, on March 29, 2022, FBI New Orleans and the New Orleans Police Department seized 143.5 grams of fentanyl, two fully loaded handguns, and $16,200 in cash from WEBER pursuant to a federal search warrant.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the New Orleans Police Department, and Louisiana State Police as part of NOPD’s Violent Crime Abatement Investigation Team (“VCAIT”). The prosecution of this case was handled by Assistant United States Attorneys J. Benjamin Myers of the Narcotics Unit and Alexandra Giavotella, Asset Forfeiture Coordinator of the Public Integrity/Monetary Penalty and Recovery Unit.
New Jersey Man Pleads Guilty in Mass-Mailing Elder Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
A New Jersey man pleaded guilty yesterday in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York to conspiracy to commit mail fraud, for operating a mass-mailing scheme that victimized older Americans.
According to court documents, Ryan Young, 40, of Upper Saddle River, New Jersey, operated a mail fraud scheme in which he mailed out letters falsely notifying recipients that they were entitled to receive unclaimed funds worth millions of dollars, a portion of a multi-million-dollar legal settlement, or a prize, in exchange for payment of a small fee of $30 to $40. The solicitation letters stated that they were sent by an organization tasked with providing notice and facilitating delivery of the funds or prize. Young did not deliver funds to any of the victims who sent payments in response to these letters. Instead, Young sent a booklet providing publicly available information regarding government Unclaimed Property Divisions in various states; a booklet providing publicly available information regarding a few class action settlements; or a flyer regarding online restaurant coupons. According to court documents, Young fraudulently obtained more than $1.6 million from victims of the scheme between March 2019 and May 2022.
The court documents further allege that Young operated this scheme while he was on pretrial release awaiting sentencing in a separate criminal case, in which he was charged with operating a similar fraud scheme. On Feb. 13, 2018, Young pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud, for his role in a large-scale international mail fraud scheme that took $50 million from victims between 2011 and 2016. As part of that scheme, Young sent fraudulent prize notification letters to victims in the United States and numerous other countries. The letters falsely claimed recipients had won money or valuable prizes, such as luxury cars. Victims were instructed to send small processing fees – typically $20 or $25 – to claim the prizes. Many victims received nothing; others received only a cheap piece of jewelry or a report listing unrelated sweepstakes.
“The defendant in this case operated multiple fraud schemes, collectively depriving vulnerable Americans out of more than $50 million,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The Justice Department and its federal law enforcement partners are committed to investigating and prosecuting those who target vulnerable American consumers for financial gain.”
“Mass marketing scams frequently target elderly or vulnerable citizens. Fraudsters may think they can anonymously siphon money from their victims but today’s guilty plea tells a different story,” said Inspector in Charge Chris Nielsen of United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS)’s Philadelphia Division. “Through the efforts of Postal Inspectors in Newark, New Jersey, and Washington, D.C.; DOJ prosecutors; and the Fort Lee, New Jersey Police Department, we have successfully unraveled a complex mail fraud operation.”
Young will be sentenced on July 19 before U.S. District Judge Joan M. Azrack in Central Islip, New York. He faces a maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment.
The USPIS investigated the case. Senior Trial Attorney Ann Entwistle and Assistant Director John W. Burke of the Consumer Protection Branch are prosecuting the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Tanisha Payne for the Eastern District of New York is handling asset forfeiture.
Additional information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its fraud enforcement efforts may be found at www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch.
New Bedford Man Sentenced for Firearm OffenseRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A New Bedford man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for unlawfully possessing a firearm and ammunition.
David Acosta, 27, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Alison D. Burroughs to 18 months in prison and three years of supervised release. In November 2022, Acosta pleaded guilty to one count of being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
On Oct. 22, 2020, Acosta was found in possession of a loaded Glock .45 caliber pistol and 10 rounds of assorted .45 caliber ammunition. Co-defendant, Marquise Thompson pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and was sentenced to three years of supervised release on Nov. 15, 2022.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; and New Bedford Police Chief Paul Oliveira made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth G. Shine of Rollins’ Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Mescalero man charged with assault in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, announced that Joshua Davis made an initial appearance in federal court on March 6 facing a charge of assault resulting in serious bodily injury in Indian Country. Davis, 40, of Mescalero, New Mexico, and an enrolled member of the Mescalero Apache Tribe, will remain in custody pending trial, which has not been scheduled.
According to the criminal complaint, in May of 2022, Davis allegedly assaulted a victim, identified as John Doe, in Otero County, New Mexico, on the Mescalero Apache reservation. The assault resulted in serious bodily injury to John Doe. The incident occurred in Otero County, New Mexico, within the bounds of the Mescalero Apache Tribe.
A complaint is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Dennis faces up to 10 years in prison.
The Las Cruces Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Assistant United States Attorney Eliot Neal is prosecuting the case.
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Mescalero man charged with assault in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, announced that Jaydyn Diamond Lester made an initial appearance in federal court on March 6 on a criminal complaint charging him with assault with a dangerous weapon with an intent to do bodily harm and assault resulting in substantial bodily injury of a spouse, intimate partner, or dating partner in Indian Country. Lester, 18, of Mescalero, New Mexico, and an enrolled member of the Mescalero Apache Tribe, will remain in custody pending trial, which has not been scheduled.
According to the criminal complaint, on Oct. 4, 2022, Lester allegedly assaulted a victim, identified as Jane Doe, by shooting at her and hitting her on the head with the butt of a BB gun. The assault resulted in serious bodily injury to Jane Doe. The incident occurred in Otero County, New Mexico, within the bounds of the Mescalero Apache Tribe.
A complaint is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Lester faces up to 10 years in prison.
The Las Cruces Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Assistant United States Attorney Eliot Neal is prosecuting the case.
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Madison Man Sentenced to 102 Months for Firearm & Drug Trafficking CrimesRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Sylvester Ray Gavins, Jr., 32, Madison, Wisconsin, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 102 months in prison for possessing cocaine with intent to distribute and possessing a firearm in furtherance of that drug crime. Gavins pleaded guilty to these charges on December 6, 2022.
On March 26, 2021, law enforcement agents arrested Gavins on state warrants as he was walking out of a hotel in Monona. Gavins was carrying two backpacks that contained 135 grams of a cocaine-fentanyl mixture, 26 grams of a heroin-fentanyl mixture, 659 grams of marijuana, $5,600 in cash, and a loaded .40 caliber handgun. Agents also seized and searched his cell phone, finding evidence that he was selling drugs.
At the time of this offense, Gavins was on supervision after being released from prison for a 2012 Wisconsin heroin trafficking conviction. Gavins’ criminal history dates back to 2007 when he was 17 years old and includes another 2012 heroin conviction in Indiana.
At sentencing, Judge Conley questioned how Gavins was able to rationalize selling drugs when he and his family had suffered from drug use and addiction. Noting Gavins’ criminal history, Judge Conley said that after he was released from prison that Gavins was smart enough to not use the stronger drugs that he still sold to others. Judge Conley also noted the “scourge of fentanyl” affecting the community.
The conviction for possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking carried a mandatory minimum penalty of five years to be served consecutive to the 42-month sentence on the drug charge.
The charges against Gavins were the result of an investigation conducted by the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The prosecution of the case has been handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey Stephan.
This case has been brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the U.S. Justice Department’s program to reduce violent crime. The PSN approach emphasizes coordination between state and federal prosecutors and all levels of law enforcement to address gun crime, especially felons illegally possessing firearms and ammunition and violent and drug crimes that involve the use of firearms.
Lincoln Man Enters Guilty Plea to Conspiracy to Distribute Drugs Resulting in Serious Bodily InjuriesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Steven Russell announced that George Lesley Weaver, Jr., 37, of Lincoln, Nebraska, entered a guilty plea today to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute five kilograms, (11 pounds), or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of cocaine, 400 grams, (approximately 14 ounces), or more of a mixture or substance containing fentanyl and 50 kilograms, (110 pounds), or more of marijuana in Lincoln and southeast Nebraska between June and September of 2021. Co-defendant, Anna Idigima, 37, of Lincoln, pleaded guilty to the same charge on February 14, 2023.
Beginning in about June of 2021, Idigima, at that time employed as a Nebraska State Patrol stored evidence room employee in Lincoln, began stealing drugs held as evidence in completed cases which were awaiting destruction orders. She provided these drugs to her boyfriend, Weaver, who then sold them in Lincoln. An audit of the State Patrol storage areas where Idigima had access showed the following approximate totals of drugs were missing: marijuana - 154 pounds; cocaine - 9 pounds; fentanyl - 6 pounds; heroin - 10 pounds; methamphetamine - 3 pounds; THC - 32 pounds; along with numerous THC vape cartridges and assorted prescription drugs. In August of 2021, investigators found drug-related conversations and a photo of several large bags of marijuana in Weaver’s SnapChat Account. One of the bags had a piece of red evidence tape on it which matched evidence tape used by the State Patrol. A Lincoln apartment rented by Weaver was also searched, resulting in the finding of residue containing cocaine, fentanyl, and marijuana.
Investigators were able to link overdoses suffered by three persons to cocaine and fentanyl stolen from the State Patrol by Idigima and sold to others by Weaver. All three victims required the administration of naloxone, commonly known as Narcan. Two required CPR, and all three were hospitalized. A physician specializing in emergency room medicine and toxicology found all three would have been at substantial risk of dying from the use of cocaine laced with fentanyl if they had not received the Narcan. The victims told investigators they bought what they believed to be cocaine just prior to their respective overdoses and provided the names of the persons they bought the drugs from. Those persons were arrested and told investigators they bought the drugs from Weaver. Information provided to law enforcement indicated Weaver sold large quantities of cocaine, marijuana, and other drugs in the summer of 2021, and Idigima was directly involved in the sale of pills.
Idigima is scheduled to be sentenced on May 25, 2023, and Weaver is scheduled for sentencing on June 16, 2023. Both face mandatory minimum prison sentences of 20 years in prison with a maximum of life. There is no parole in the federal system.
This matter was investigated by the Lincoln/Lancaster County Narcotics Task Force, the Nebraska State Patrol, the Nebraska City Police Department, the Saline County Sheriff’s Department, and the Phelps County Sheriff’s Department.
Leader of Southwest Baltimore “NFL” Gang Sentenced to 30 Years in Federal Prison for Participating in a Racketeering Conspiracy, Including Murder and a Drug Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Julie R. Rubin sentenced NFL gang leader Gregory Butler, a/k/a “Gotti,” “Sags,” and “Little Dick,” age 31, of Baltimore, Maryland, yesterday to 30 years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise related to his activities in the NFL gang, which operated in the Edmondson Village area in Southwest Baltimore.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Washington Division Office; Secretary Carolyn J. Scruggs of the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services; Chief Marcus Jones of the Montgomery County Police Department; and Commissioner Michael Harrison of the Baltimore Police Department.
According to his guilty plea, from 2016 to March 2020, Butler was a leader of the NFL enterprise and participated in its illegal activities with other members, including the NFL drug trafficking organization (“DTO”). The term “NFL” stands for Normandy, Franklin, and Loudon, three adjacent streets that run through the Edmondson Village in Baltimore. Members of NFL have social and familial ties to the Edmondson Village neighborhood in southwest Baltimore.
During the conspiracy, NFL members distributed large quantities of heroin, fentanyl and cocaine to drug customers and re-distributors from Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia and Pennsylvania. Butler admitted that he obtained narcotics from multiple sources of supply and stored the narcotics in stash houses that he controlled. Over the course of the charged conspiracy, Butler and his co-conspirators distributed over one kilogram of heroin and more than 280 grams of crack cocaine and more than 400 grams of fentanyl.
Butler admitted that the NFL enterprise sold heroin and fentanyl to multiple drug customers who subsequently overdosed and died. Butler agreed that these fatal overdoses were reasonably foreseeable to him, in light of his direct oversight of the enterprise’s drug trafficking activities. For example, on about August 16, 2016, Butler coordinated the sale of heroin to customer in Rockville, Maryland, who, later that day, used the heroin and died. In addition, Butler paid members and associates of the NFL enterprise to commit multiple murders on behalf of the enterprise and at least one of those murders was carried out by members of the NFL gang.
More than 30 defendants in this and related cases have pleaded guilty. Including Butler, 29 of the defendants have been sentenced to between 30 years and time served.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
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.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI, DEA, DPSCS, the Montgomery County Police Department, and the Baltimore Police Department for their work in the investigation and thanked the Frederick County, Maryland Sheriff’s Office and the Frederick County, Virginia Sheriff’s Office for their assistance. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys John W. Sippel, Jr., James T. Wallner and Robert I. Goldaris who are prosecuting the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Large-Scale Cocaine Supplier Pleads Guilty to Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Fitchburg man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Worcester for his role in a wide-ranging fentanyl, heroin, crack and cocaine trafficking conspiracy.
Pedro Villot-Santiago, 33, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin, 400 grams or more of fentanyl, 280 grams or more of cocaine base (commonly known as crack cocaine) and 500 grams or more of cocaine. U.S. Senior District Court Judge Timothy S. Hillman scheduled sentencing for Sept. 12, 2023. Villot-Santiago was indicted in July 2020 along with 17 others, including his brother and co-conspirator Jonathan Villot.
Following a fatal fentanyl overdose in September 2018, an investigation began into a drug trafficking organization (DTO) in the Fitchburg area. Beginning in July 2019, court authorized interceptions of wire and electronic communications between members of the DTO and its suppliers revealed Villot-Santiago as a large-scale cocaine supplier.
Over the course of the investigation, over 1.8 kilograms of a heroin and fentanyl mixture, over 3.6 kilograms of cocaine and over 50 grams of crack cocaine were seized, as well as a stolen, loaded handgun, drug manufacturing equipment and over $376,000. On the day of his arrest in July 2023, Villot-Santiago was found in possession of a stolen, loaded handgun, as well as over $252,000 in cash.
Villot-Santiago is the last of all 18 defendants to be convicted in this case – either by guilty plea or jury conviction following trial.United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Commissioner Carol Mici of the Massachusetts Department of Correction; and John E. Mawn Jr., Interim Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement today. The Fitchburg and Lunenburg Police Departments and U.S. Postal Inspection Service provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alathea Porter of Rollins’ Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Kittrell Man Sentenced to More Than 15 Years for Multiple Armed Bank RobberiesRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, N.C. – Cameron Evans, 27, of Kittrell was sentenced today to 185 months in prison for charges related to two bank robberies in Raleigh and Greenville.
According to court records and other information presented in court, On December 6, 2019, the SunTrust bank located at 7320 Creedmoor Road in Raleigh, was robbed at gunpoint by four men. The men left the bank with approximately $11,578.00 and witnesses saw them fleeing the scene in a white Hyundai Elantra. On December 30, 2019, around 4:30 p.m., the Branch Bank & Trust (BB&T) located 2475 Stantonsburg Road in Greenville was robbed at gunpoint by three men. They left the bank with $72,853 and witnesses saw them flee the scene in a white Hyundai Elantra. Law enforcement was able to obtain the registration number from the vehicle which enabled them to find Evans and his codefendants. In an interview with law enforcement, Evans would admit to committing the SunTrust and BB&T bank robberies. The codefendants in this case were Clifton Harris, Stanley Kearney Jr. and Joshua Bailey. All three have pled guilty. Harris was sentenced to 81 months and Kearney was sentenced to 190 months. Bailey is awaiting sentencing.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II. The Davie County Sheriff’s Office, the Raleigh, Greenville and Mebane Police Departments, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Leonard Champaign prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:20-CR-00071-M
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Kevin Neal Takes Oath as Acting U.S. Marshal for District of MaineRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: Kevin Neal was sworn in March 16, 2023 as the Acting U.S. Marshal for the District of Maine. Chief U.S. District Judge Jon D. Levy administered the oath of office.
Neal was designated Acting U.S. Marshal (USM) for the District of Maine by order of United States Attorney General Merrick Garland on March 10, 2023. He had been serving in that role since January 30, 2022 at the direction of U.S. Marshals Service Director Ronald L. Davis.
The history of the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) in Maine dates to 1789, more than 30 years before Maine became the 23rd state. It is the nation’s oldest law enforcement agency. The duties of the U.S. Marshals Service include protecting the federal judiciary, apprehending fugitives, managing and selling seized assets acquired by criminals through illegal activities, housing and transporting federal prisoners, and operating the Witness Security Program.
Acting USM Neal has been with the USMS for more than 20 years, serving in the Districts of Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Maine, most recently serving as the Chief Deputy United States Marshal in Maine. He joined the District of Maine from the District of Massachusetts where he earned the Attorney General’s Award for Exceptional Service for his management of the Boston Marathon Bombing trial. His work on the case was also recognized by the U.S. Attorney’s Office with an Investigative Achievement Award. He also earned a second Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service for his work during the prosecution and trial of the largest MS-13 case in the nation.
Acting USM Neal serves on the USMS District Chief’s Advisory Board and is responsible for addressing USMS-wide issues and developing national priorities while providing counsel and recommendations to the Director and executive staff on these topics. He is a member of the USMS National Incident Management Team and is actively involved in the DOJ mentoring program and recruitment efforts.
"For the last 13 months, during an incredibly difficult time, Acting U.S. Marshal Neal has been a collaborative and responsive partner to my office and our local, state, and federal law enforcement community,” U.S. Attorney Darcie N. McElwee said. “His designation to this role by the Attorney General is wonderful news for the entire District of Maine.”
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