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Friday 27 January 2023
Davenport Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possessing a Firearm as a FelonRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, IA – A Davenport man, Derik Ashley Otero, age 35, was sentenced on January 25, 2023, to seven years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a felon. Following his prison term, Otero will serve a three-year term of supervised release.
According to court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, in June 2020, the Johnson County Sherriff’s Office responded to a report of a wanted person in possession of a firearm in an Oxford home. Officers found Otero, a convicted felon, in that home in possession of a stolen Smith & Wesson nine-millimeter handgun with an extended magazine. Otero attempted to conceal the firearm in the air vent of the bathroom.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Johnson County Sheriff’s Office investigated 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. In May 2021, the Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities and measuring the results.
Davenport Man Sentenced to 235 Months in Federal Prison for Sex Trafficking of a Minor and Distribution of MarijuanaRead the Press Release
Davenport, IA – A Davenport man, Keith Deshon Euring, Sr. (also known as “Sweat”), age 54, was sentenced on Wednesday, January 25, 2023, to 235 months in federal prison for sex trafficking of a minor and distribution of marijuana to a person under age 21. Euring was found guilty of these offenses following a jury trial in September 2022. Following his prison term, Euring was ordered to serve a five-year term of supervised release.
According to trial testimony, on November 6, 2018, a missing persons report was filed at the Bettendorf Police Department regarding a minor victim. The investigation revealed that Euring had taken the minor victim to Chicago, Illinois for the purposes of sex trafficking the victim on multiple weekends in October and November 2018. While in Chicago, Euring supplied marijuana and other drugs to the minor victim while engaging in commercial sex acts.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Bettendorf Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigations investigated the case.
This case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa as part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Childhood” initiative, which was started in 2006 as a nation-wide effort to combine law enforcement investigations and prosecutions, community action, and public awareness in order to reduce the incidence of sexual exploitation of children. Any persons having knowledge of a child being sexually abused are encouraged to call the Iowa Sexual Abuse Hotline at 1-800-284-7821.
Convicted Felon Sentenced to 48 Months in Federal Prison for Felon in Possession of FirearmsRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, Del. – David C. Weiss, U.S. Attorney for the District of Delaware, announced that Raymere Broomer, age 30, a convicted felon from Wilmington was sentenced yesterday to 48 months in prison for two counts of felon in possession of a firearm. U.S. District Richard G. Andrews pronounced the sentence.
According to court documents, on January 12, 2022, during the execution of a search warrant, Wilmington Police Department recovered a loaded semiautomatic handgun on Broomer’s person and a loaded assault rifle and fentanyl within Broomer’s Wilmington apartment.
U.S. Attorney Weiss stated, “Drugs and guns are a dangerous cocktail, which represent a danger to our community. My office and our law enforcement partners strive to identify and prosecute those contributing to illegal gun possession and violence in our community. This sentence serves as a warning to those who unlawfully possess firearms.”
“This is another great example of the dedication of our police officers, who work each day to help make our City safer and hold gun offenders accountable,” said Wilmington Police Chief Wilfredo Campos. “I appreciate the support of the ATF and the United States Attorney’s Office in our efforts to send a clear message that illegal firearm possession will not be tolerated in our community.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin P. Pierce prosecuted the case, which was investigated by Wilmington Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the District of Delaware or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:22-CR-56.
Conshohocken Woman Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Distribute and Possess MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A former resident of Conshohocken, PA pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of violating federal narcotics laws, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
Gina Petrucci, age 52, pleaded guilty to Count One of the Superseding Indictment before Senior United States District Judge Kim R. Gibson.
In connection with the guilty plea, from on or about April 2019, to on or about July 2021, Petrucci did conspire to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine.
Judge Gibson scheduled sentencing for May 31, 2023. The law provides for a minimum sentence of 5 years in prison and a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison, a fine of $5,000,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Maureen Sheehan-Balchon is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Laurel Highlands Resident Agency and Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Petrucci. Additional agencies participating in this investigation include the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, the United States Postal Inspection Service, Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General, Pennsylvania State Police, Cambria County District Attorney’s Office, Indiana County District Attorney’s Office, Cambria County Sheriff’s Office, Cambria Township Police Department, Indiana Borough Police Department, Johnstown Police Department, Upper Yoder Township Police Department, Richland Police Department, Ferndale Police Department and other local law enforcement agencies.
This prosecution is a result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles high-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten communities throughout the United States. OCDETF uses a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Colombian National Sentenced to More Than 17 Years for Trafficking Narcotics on the High Seas and Endangering the Lives of U.S. Coast Guard MembersRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Charlene E. Honeywell today sentenced Eduardo Quinones-Rodriguez (57, Colombia) to 17 years and 6 months in federal prison for conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute 464 kilograms of cocaine and 217 kilograms of marijuana – approximately 1,500 pounds of narcotics. Quinones-Rodriguez had pleaded guilty on August 11, 2022.
According to court documents and information presented in court, in the middle of the night on February 21, 2022, Quinones-Rodriguez and his two co-conspirators were trafficking narcotics on the high seas in the Eastern Pacific Ocean, approximately 70 miles south of Panama. The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Cutter Legare was patrolling in the vicinity and deployed its helicopter and 26-foot small boat to interdict the suspected drug traffickers. When the Legare’s small boat team approached Quinones-Rodriguez’s 30-foot boat, a high-speed pursuit commenced in rough waters, with both vessels traveling at speeds over 30 knots. Given the nighttime occurrence, the only lighting in the immediate area was the USCG vessel’s flashing law enforcement lights, yellow spotlights, and mast light. The defendants failed to heed the Coast Guard’s repeated verbal directives to halt. Warning shots were fired from both the USCG helicopter and its small boat; this did not deter the drug traffickers. For more than 20 minutes, the mariners continuously attempted to ram their vessel into the USCG small boat, seriously endangering the lives and safety of the five United States servicemembers on board.
After an hours-long pursuit, the USCG successfully interdicted the defendant’s vessel, which was laden with over $14 million of cocaine and marijuana.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Coast Guard and the Panama Express Strike Force, a standing Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) Strike Force comprised of agents and analysts from the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, and the U.S. Southern Command's Joint Interagency Task Force South. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Pardo.
Child pornography possession sends Great Falls man to prison for 40 monthsRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS — A Great Falls man who admitted to possessing child pornography images and videos was sentenced on Jan. 26 to 40 months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
Benjamin Thomas Urry, 30, pleaded guilty in August 2022 to possession of child pornography.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.
In court documents, the government alleged that in February 2020, the Great Falls Police Department, which is a member of the Montana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, received a CyberTip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. The tip led to Urry’s residence, where law enforcement seized cellular phones from Urry’s bedroom. Urry told law enforcement that he had used his phones and an online account to download child pornography. In a search of Urry’s phones, law enforcement located images and videos depicting child pornography, including images of prepubescent minors.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cyndee L. Peterson and Jeffrey K. Starnes prosecuted the case, which was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Great Falls Police Department.
This case was initiated under the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood initiative, which was launched in 2006 to combat the proliferation of technology-facilitated crimes involving the sexual exploitation of children. Through a network of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies and advocacy organizations, Project Safe Childhood attempts to protect children by investigating and prosecuting offenders involved in child sexual exploitation. It is implemented through partnerships including the Montana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. The ICAC Task Force Program was created to assist state and local law enforcement agencies by enhancing their investigative response to technology facilitated crimes against children.
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Charleroi Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison for Receiving Sexual Images of a Minnesota MinorRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A former resident of Charleroi, Pennsylvania, has pleaded guilty and been sentenced in federal court to 25 years’ incarceration and 12 years of supervised release on his conviction for two counts of receipt of material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
United States District Judge William S. Stickman, IV imposed the sentence on Joey Leroy Barton, age 52.
According to information presented to the court, on March 28, 2019 and April 11, 2019, Barton, while located within the Western District of Pennsylvania, received and attempted to receive digital images depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor who was located in Minnesota. Barton contacted the minor via Facebook Messenger and conversed with the minor online through at least November of 2019. During their conversation, Barton sent to the minor sexually explicit images of himself, as well as adult pornography. Barton also began planning to meet up with the minor in person to engage in sexual activity. In his messages to the minor, Barton acknowledged the minor’s young age and that he knew that his conduct with the minor was illegal.
In imposing sentence, Judge Stickman underscored the seriousness of Barton’s criminal conduct, stating that it “falls below the minimal standards of decency.” Judge Stickman stated that the 25-year incarceration sentence will protect the public while promoting deterrence for Barton and others who may choose to engage in similar criminal activity.
Assistant United States Attorney Heidi M. Grogan prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Chung commended the Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations, the Roseville (Minnesota) Police Department, and the North Strabane Police Department for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Barton.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Cedar Rapids Man Found Guilty in Federal Court of Unlawfully Possessing AmmunitionRead the Press Release
A Cedar Rapids man who shot a Marion man eight times in February 2021 was convicted by a jury on January 26, 2023, after a four‑day trial in federal court in Cedar Rapids.
Anthony Fisher, age 23, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was convicted of one count of possession of ammunition by a felon. The verdict was returned yesterday evening after about two hours of jury deliberations.
The evidence at trial showed that, on February 16, 2021, Fisher and two other men broke into a home in Marion with the intent of stealing money and possibly marijuana. Immediately after the three men entered the residence, Fisher shot the victim eight times. The three men, including Fisher, fled the scene. Emergency personnel responded quickly and provided aid to the victim, who survived. Law enforcement never recovered the firearm Fisher used to shoot the victim; however, the jury found Fisher unlawfully possessed the eight rounds of ammunition used to shoot the victim. At the time of the shooting, Fisher was prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition because he was a felon. Fisher had previously been convicted of interference with official acts – dangerous weapon, a felony offense, in state court in April 2020.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Fisher remains in the custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Fisher faces a possible maximum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and not more than three years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Dillan Edwards and Tony Morfitt and was investigated by the Marion Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 22-CR-00013-LTS.
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Burlington Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, IA – A Burlington man was sentenced yesterday to 10 years in federal prison for drug trafficking.
Shawn Henry Lewis, age 37, possessed over 380 grams of cocaine and 2,200 grams of marijuana with intent to distribute them. Lewis has multiple prior felony convictions related to drug trafficking offenses. Following his prison term, Lewis will have to serve seven years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Southeast Iowa Narcotics Taskforce, Burlington Police Department, Des Moines County Sheriff’s Office, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Henry County Sheriff’s Office, Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Bremerton, Washington, couple sentenced to long prison terms for distributing significant amounts of fentanyl and methamphetamineRead the Press Release
Tacoma – A Bremerton, Washington couple was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Tacoma to lengthy prison terms for possession of narcotics with intent to distribute, announced U.S. Attorney Nick Brown. David Berryhill, 46, was sentenced to 90 months in prison and his fiancé Jamie Kelly, 50, was sentenced to 72 months in prison. The pair were arrested on June 14, 2022, with eight pounds of methamphetamine and two pounds of fentanyl pills in the rental car they were using to transport the drugs from Arizona. Both have been detained at FDC SeaTac since their arrest.
At sentencing Chief U.S. District Judge David G. Estudillo said, “Here we are dealing with significant quantities of narcotics…fentanyl is real and causing real damage in a lot of our communities… there has been a lot of death caused by it. . . I am charged with being the voice of society.”
According to records filed in the case, in 2021, workers at a UPS store reported to law enforcement that Berryhill was shipping what appeared to be narcotics from their store. Berryhill was obtaining drugs from a supplier in Phoenix, Arizona. Berryhill would fly or drive to Arizona to pick up meth and fentanyl pills.
On June 10, 2022, Berryhill and Kelly rented a car a Sea-Tac airport and drove to Phoenix to pick-up drugs. On June 12, 2022, they drove the first leg of the trip to Las Vegas and on June 14, 2022, they crossed from Oregon into Washington where they were ultimately arrested following a traffic stop.
The investigation revealed that Berryhill or Kelly would ship multi-pound quantities of the drugs to contacts in North Dakota. Berryhill also traveled to North Dakota to distribute the drugs, sometimes in tribal communities.
In asking for a 110-month sentence for Berryhill, Assistant United States Attorney Hillary Stuart wrote to the court, “Mr. Berryhill also chose to traffic in fentanyl, which is incredibly dangerous and deadly. Just one pill can kill someone, and Mr. Berryhill had thousands. Two of his clients were previously arrested in North Dakota and named Mr. Berryhill as their supplier. Mr. Berryhill’s target areas in North Dakota and Montana were near tribal communities and in a rural county. Knowing the hazards of the drugs, Mr. Berryhill still chose to export them to other states and sell to individuals.”
Both defendants pleaded guilty on October 7, 2022.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Bremerton Special Operations Group, and the Olympic Peninsula Narcotic Enforcement Team (OPNET).
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hillary Stuart.
Blackfoot Man Sentenced to Life in Federal Prison for Trafficking Methamphetamine and HeroinRead the Press Release
POCATELLO – Adam Lee Vallely, 46, of Blackfoot, was sentenced to life in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, and possession with the intent to distribute heroin, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Vallely engaged in a drug trafficking conspiracy with others in southeast Idaho from December 2017 to August 2018. Evidence established that Vallely participated in trafficking large quantities of methamphetamine and heroin from a source of supply based in Mexico. Evidence further established that Vallely had a source of supply in Salt Lake City that provided methamphetamine and heroin, and that Vallely and his co-conspirators attempted to get large quantities of cocaine from the Salt Lake City source of supply. In May 2018, during the search of a residence where Vallely was known to reside, law enforcement agents found methamphetamine, heroin, $15,000 in United States currency, and a money counting machine. At the time of the search Vallely was found hiding in an attic. Once in jail, Vallely continued to participate in the conspiracy, arranging for the collection of drug debts with the use of force.
Vallely has a lengthy and violent criminal history that includes convictions for attempted strangulation, assault with a dangerous weapon, domestic violence, and possession with intent to distribute heroin. Vallely was on state supervision at the time of the instant offense.
A jury found Vallely guilty after a week-long jury trial in June 2022. Vallely was sentenced by Senior U.S. District Judge Billy Roy Wilson from the Eastern District of Arkansas, sitting by designation, who also presided over the trial.
U.S. Attorney Hurwit commended the cooperative efforts of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco Firearms, and Explosives, Idaho State Police, Pocatello Police Department, Bannock County Sherriff’s Office, Blackfoot Police Department, Bingham County Sheriff’s Office, and Idaho Department of Correction, which led to the charges.
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Armed Robber Who Used Fake Car Ads on OfferUp to Rob Family Sentenced to More than 15 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, N.C. – A Goldsboro man was sentenced today to 181 months in prison, five years of supervised release and more than $1500 in financial restitution for charges associated with multiple successful and attempted armed robberies between the months of August and September of 2019, sometimes using fake ads on the online application, “OfferUp,” to bring victims to a location where they were robbed and assaulted. On October 19, 2022, Daekwon Sample, 25, also known as “Kwon,” pled guilty to the firearm and robbery charges.
“This robber and his accomplices used fake online car ads to lure victims to a location where they robbed the victims at gunpoint, even firing shots at one victim who had his minor child with him while another victim and minor child were threatened at gunpoint in the car,” said. U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “The members of this robbery crew have hitched a ride to a lengthy stay in federal prison. But this case is a reminder for consumers to be cautious when arranging meetings to retrieve goods purchased online. You should only arrange to meet in public, well-lit locations where there will be other people around. And make sure a friend or family member knows where you are going and who you are meeting.”
According to court documents and information presented in court, officers with the Goldsboro Police Department (GPD) responded to a report of an assault and robbery in August 2019. A couple contacted an unknown subject through OfferUp at a Mimosa Street residence in Goldsboro, with the intention of purchasing a vehicle. The couple arrived at the location with their two minor children and the seller, later identified as Sample, and co-defendant Jaquan Melvin, robbed the victims at gunpoint of more than $1,300. Shots were fired at the feet of one of the victims before fleeing the scene. Approximately a month later near the same residence, a pizza delivery driver was assaulted and robbed by Sample and another individual, later identified as co-defendant Isaiah Kornegay.
The same evening of the pizza robbery at the Mimosa Street residence, the robbery crew struck again, in a similar, fake transaction initiated through OfferUp assaulting the interested buyer. The victim told police that Kornegay brandished a firearm as he fled from the assault.
On September 11, 2019, undercover officers with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) posed as buyers of a vehicle posted from the OfferUp account used in the previous robberies. The seller directed the agents to meet at the Mimosa Street residence. When agents arrived at the residence, they immediately arrested Sample. Kornegay fled but was found nearby and arrested the same night. Melvin fled the scene and was found and arrested the next month. Further investigation revealed that Kornegay created the “Offer Up” account used in the robberies.
Kornegay previously pled guilty and was sentenced to 97 months in custody, three years of supervised release and financial restitution. Melvin previously pled guilty and was sentenced to 171 months in custody, five years of supervised release and financial restitution.
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 Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives as well as the Goldsboro Police Department investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brandon Boykin and Bryan M. Stephany prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:21-cr-00319-M.
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275 Convicted in Four Separate Investigations Concluded Within Last Nine Months of Drug Trafficking Networks Directed from Oklahoma State Prisons Using Contraband Cell PhonesRead the Press Release
1,061 Pounds of Drugs and 393 Firearms Removed Off Streets and $1.3 Million Taken Away from Drug Traffickers
OKLAHOMA CITY – Over the last nine months, numerous federal, state, and local investigators and prosecutors have concluded their fourth unrelated long-term investigation and prosecution of separate drug trafficking networks being directed from inside Oklahoma state prisons using contraband cell phones, announced United States Attorney Robert J. Troester. Details of the four investigations are described more completely in the following press releases:
- January 25, 2023 – 60 Southside Locos Gang Members and Associates Convicted for Drug Trafficking Operation Directed from Oklahoma State Prisons
- January 9, 2023 - 69 Universal Aryan Brotherhood Gang Members and Associates Convicted During Multi-Year Investigation into Their Drug Trafficking of Methamphetamine
- July 15, 2022 - 21 Defendants Convicted During Three-Year Investigation Into Drug Trafficking and Criminal Activities Led by Inmates Inside State Prison Walls Using Contraband Cell Phones
- April 5, 2022 - 125 Convicted During Five-Year Investigation That Functionally Dismantled the Irish Mob Gang’s Drug Trafficking and Criminal Activities
Together, these four investigations have yielded the following combined results:
- 275 defendants were convicted, including multiple defendants who either ordered or participated in acts of violence, such as witness retaliation, witness tampering, shootings, kidnappings, and death threats against prosecutors, as a part of these conspiracies;
- 30 of the defendants were incarcerated in Oklahoma Department of Corrections (ODOC) facilities while directing these often-violent drug trafficking networks through use of contraband cell phones;
- Four corrections workers at the ODOC and county level were prosecuted for crimes including conspiring to distribute drugs inside correctional facilities, possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, and conspiring to launder drug money;
- 1,061 pounds of methamphetamine, heroin, and cocaine were removed from the streets;
- 393 firearms were seized; and
- $1.335 million in cash was seized by law enforcement.
"Being behind bars did not stop state inmates in four separate criminal organizations from accessing contraband cell phones to continue directing their drug trafficking and violent networks through associates outside prison walls," said United States Attorney Robert J. Troester. "Now, 275 dangerous criminals have been held accountable, more than a half-ton of poisonous drugs and 393 firearms have been removed from the streets, and $1.3 million in cash has been taken away from drug traffickers. I commend the dedicated efforts by law enforcement and the prosecutors who worked these investigations and cases."
"The FBI and our law enforcement partners have worked relentlessly over the last several years to disrupt the violence and drug trafficking activity plaguing our state," said FBI Oklahoma City Special Agent in Charge Edward J. Gray. "We are all committed to eliminating the threat of gang activity, regardless of where it takes place, to make Oklahoma communities safer for our citizens."
"Drug trafficking, directed from inside our prisons systems, impacts the safety and security of all Oklahomans," said Eduardo A. Chávez, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA’s Dallas Field Division, who oversees operations in Oklahoma. "These joint federal investigations should send a strong message that DEA and our federal partners will continue to identify, disrupt and destroy these criminal groups from wherever they operate."
"The collaborative efforts of the law enforcement agencies involved in these investigations are another step in the right direction to eradicate the trafficking of illicit drugs and violent crime involving transnational criminal gangs in Oklahoma," said Robert Melton, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the HSI Dallas - Oklahoma and Texas Panhandle Division. "Our intent is clear; we will aggressively pursue prosecution for anyone who pushes these deadly substances to keep them from poisoning and destroying our communities."
"The financial expertise of IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agents was critical in detecting and tracing money laundering transactions of the various criminal organizations during the four separate investigations," said Christopher J. Altemus Jr., IRS-CI Special Agent in Charge of the Dallas Field Office. "The men and women of IRS-CI worked with federal and state agencies to expose the profits of these organizations, helping seize more than $1.3 million. This joint effort demonstrates our resolve to hold criminals accountable for their actions and disrupt their ability to conduct illegal activities."
"ATF is proud to stand next to our partners as we all continue the fight against violent crime across Oklahoma. These cases highlight what can be done when we all work together to go after the worst of the worst. Whether you are playing gangster on the inside or the outside of a jail, you will be caught. Our network is bigger than yours," stated ATF Dallas Field Division Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey C. Boshek II.
"The United States Marshals Service is committed to join forces with federal, city, and state law enforcement partners to hold offenders accountable and protect public safety," said Johnny Kuhlman, United States Marshal for the Western District of Oklahoma.
Oklahoma City Police Chief Wade Gourley said, "This case demonstrates that an incarcerated violent offender can still present a threat to public safety. We are honored to be a part of operations such as these, that serve to better protect the citizens of our community."
These investigations were led by the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and Homeland Security Investigations, which received valuable assistance from the Oklahoma City Police Department; the United States Marshals Service; Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the Oklahoma Department of Corrections Office of Inspector General; the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics; the Oklahoma County District Attorney’s Office; the Oklahoma Highway Patrol; the District 2 Drug Task Force; the District 6 Drug Task Force; the Sallisaw Police Department; the Moore Police Department; and the Edmond Police Department.
The prosecutions arising out of these four investigations were handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys David McCrary, Tom Snyder, Jason Harley, Chelsie Pratt, Nick Coffey, Travis Leverett, Steven Creager, David Petermann, Nick Patterson, and Kerry Blackburn, with assistance from Paralegals Jenifer Rowe and Linda Nixon.
These prosecutions are also part of multiple Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigations. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational 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.
21 Year-Old Moxee Gang Member Sentenced to 12 Years in Federal Prison for Possessing Firearms in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking CrimeRead the Press Release
Yakima, Washington – On January 24, 2023, United States District Judge Mary K. Dimke
sentenced Alexis Sanchez-Gomez, 21, of Moxee, Washington, to 12 years in federal prison after
his guilty plea to Possession of Firearms in Furtherance of a Drug-Trafficking crime. Sanchez-
Gomez, a documented member of the Lower Valley Locos (“LVL”) street gang, will also begin
five years of court supervision after he is released from custody.According to information disclosed during court proceedings, on October 21, 2021, there was a
gang related drive-by shooting in the City of Yakima. A 34-year old man was killed while
simply walking down the sidewalk wearing red colored clothing. As in communities up and
down the West Coast, the color red is associated with some Norteno street gangs in the Yakima
Valley, while the color blue is associated with some Sureno street gangs. The Yakima Police
Department immediately began an investigation. Law enforcement gathered evidence that
established that the shooter was likely a member or associated with a Sureno street gang. As the
investigation progressed, the lead detective discovered that after the drive-by shooting, the
shooter fled to Sanchez-Gomez’s residence in Moxee, Washington. The Yakima Police
Department coordinated with the Moxee Police Department and gathered additional information.On November 19, 2021, the Yakima Police Department and other law enforcement agencies
executed a search warrant at the Sanchez-Gomez residence. Officers entered the residence and
discovered a marijuana grow operation and a quantity of methamphetamine. Officers entered the
Defendant’s bedroom and observed that it was decorated with gang-related graffiti. The officers
also discovered three firearms, including an AK-47 style rifle. As the search continued, the
officers discovered magazines and ammunition. DEA was contacted and began an investigation,
which revealed that Sanchez-Gomez had been selling methamphetamine. DEA also discovered
that Sanchez-Gomez had repeated contacts with law enforcement in recent years. The DEA
discovered that in October 2019, Sanchez-Gomez attempted to elude a police vehicle and was
involved in a hit-and-run. Two months later, in December 2019, Sanchez-Gomez was again
arrested after being found in possession of a firearm. In September 2020, Sanchez-Gomez was
sentenced to 90 days in jail for the three felony offenses.Vanessa R. Waldref, the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington,
commended the joint efforts of law enforcement: “Gang-related violence is a scourge in the
Yakima Valley and elsewhere. My office will continue to work with law enforcement professionals from multiple agencies to investigate and prosecute armed individuals who are
involved with drugs and criminal street gangs. Removing these individuals from society will
make all of our neighborhoods and communities safer and stronger.”According to DEA, the drive-by shooting investigation was completed, and resulted in the
Yakima Police Department arresting both the suspected driver and suspected shooter. The cases
are currently pending in Yakima County Superior Court. “This investigation demonstrates how
seriously DEA takes its obligations to its state, local, and federal partners. We are committed to
bringing our investigative expertise whenever necessary against individuals who seek to harm
our communities,” said Jacob D. Galvan, Acting Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field
Division.Matt Murray, Chief of the Yakima Police Department, highlighted the close working relationship
between YPD, DEA, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office. “Meaningfully addressing violent crime –
and the drug and gun crimes that so often turn violent – requires a collaborative effort between
all of our local and federal partners. This case is just one example of the ways we work together
to reduce and address crime and improve the lives and safety of the people in this community.”
Chief Murray also urged anyone involved in lives of violence and crime to change what they are
doing: “STOP now. Take the assistance that is available through our community partners to
change your life. If you do not stop engaging in violence, we will engage to stop you. As this
case shows, the result may be a lengthy sentence in state or federal custody.”This case was prosecuted under the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) program. PSN is a
federal, state, and local law enforcement collaboration to identify, investigate, and prosecute
individuals responsible for violent crimes in our neighborhoods. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is
partnering with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement to specifically identify the
criminals responsible for violent crime in the Eastern District of Washington and pursue criminal
prosecution.This case was investigated by the Yakima Police Department, the Moxee Police Department, and
the Drug Enforcement Administration. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States
Attorney Tom Hanlon.1:22-CR-2012-MKD-2
Thursday 26 January 2023
Woman Who Trafficked Guns is SentencedRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that BRANDI WIGGINS, 36, of Hartford, formerly of Glastonbury, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey A. Meyer in New Haven for a firearm trafficking offense. Judge Meyer ordered Wiggins to serve three years of supervised release and pay a $3,000 fine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Wiggins came to the attention of the ATF after several firearms that she purchased in North Carolina were recovered in Connecticut, New York and Massachusetts. The investigation revealed that, between April 2016 and November 2019, Wiggins purchased seven firearms in North Carolina. She later sold the firearms at pawn shops and also through a website that specializes in firearm sales.
With the government’s consent, Judge Meyer sentenced Wiggins below the recommended sentencing guidelines range based on Wiggins’ extraordinary family circumstances, including her prior involvement in an abusive relationship with her former husband.
On August 18, 2022, Wiggins pleaded guilty to engaging in the business of dealing in firearms without a license, a felony offense.
This matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan Keefe.
This prosecution 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. In May 2021, the Justice 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.
Washington man sentenced to 33 months in prison for trafficking meth, fentanyl to Rocky Boy’s Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS — A Washington man who admitted to bringing methamphetamine and fentanyl pills to the Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation for distribution was sentenced today to 33 months in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
Hugo Gutierrez Rodriguez, aka Victor aka Juice, 42, of Yakima, Washington, pleaded guilty in September 2022 to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.
The government alleged in court documents that in the spring of 2021, Rodriguez was working with a group of men from Yakima to bring drugs to Montana and to the Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation. Law enforcement in Montana confronted Rodriguez about drug trafficking in October 2021. Nonetheless, in early February 2022, Rodriguez sold meth and 400 fentanyl pills to an informant. A short time later, Rodriguez was traveling to Montana with more than 300 fentanyl pills and 152 grams of meth when he was stopped and arrested.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ethan R. Plaut prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, Drug Enforcement Administration, Tri-Agency Task Force, Rocky Boy’s Police Department and Idaho State Police.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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Virginia Beach Man Sentenced for Possessing Unregistered SilencersRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Virginia Beach man was sentenced today to 37 months in prison for unlawfully possessing unregistered firearm silencers.
According to court documents, George Pickard, 23, built homemade silencers, but did not register them with the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. On December 29, 2020, during a lawfully obtained search warrant, agents found at least four firearms at his residence, including an AR-15-style rifle, and the silencers equipped to two of the firearms. He also loaded two firearms with large-capacity magazines. Pickard kept LSD in the same residence as his firearms. He did all this while maintaining ties to extremist organizations, including Identity Evropa, the American Identity Movement, the Right Stuff, and the Patriot Front. Pickard also cohosts a podcast called “White Phosphorus” that depicts women, African Americans, Jews, and other current events in a negative and derogatory manner. In February 2020, Pickard brought the AR-15-style rifle and suppressor to a militia camp and made online threats against several minority groups, including that he wanted to “use a belt fed machine gun” on one minority group.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Brian Dugan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth Wilson Hanes.
U.S. Marshal Services provided significant assistance in this case as part of the Norfolk Joint Terrorism Task Force.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys William Jackson and Joe DePadilla, as well as former Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Bosse, prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-cr-87.
Virginia Beach Man Convicted of Attempted Sex Trafficking of a MinorRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A federal jury convicted a Virginia Beach man today on charges of attempted coercion and enticement, attempted sex trafficking of a minor, obstruction of justice, and false statement to law enforcement officer.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Daniel Alan Puff, 38, negotiated to receive a sex act from a 13-year-old female, believing he was speaking to her mother. In fact, he was communicating with an undercover law enforcement agent (UC). The investigation began on March 29, 2022, when Puff contacted the UC and agreed to pay $60 in exchange for oral sex from what he believed was a 13-year-old female. On March 30, 2022, the UC directed Puff to the meeting location in Chesapeake. Puff arrived at the agreed-upon meeting location in Chesapeake and surveilled the area to check for the presence of law enforcement. Puff gave the $60 to the UC and stated the sex act he wished to engage in with the child. He was then arrested and taken into custody. While handcuffed in the back of a police vehicle, he deleted the text application from his phone and falsely claimed to a law enforcement agent that he was attempting to text someone.
Puff faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison when sentenced on June 22. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Brian Dugan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Arenda Wright Allen accepted the verdict.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Montoya and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Victoria Liu are prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-cr-44.
Utah Man Arrested and Charged with Possession of Fentanyl with the Intent to DistributeRead the Press Release
Salt Lake City, Utah – A Taylorsville man was arrested in Salt Lake County and indicted on criminal charges related to his alleged possession with the intent to distribute illicit drugs, specifically fentanyl.
According to court documents, Jesse Wood, 51, allegedly intentionally possessed with the intent to distribute forty (40) grams or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl, a schedule II controlled substance. Fentanyl is an incredibly dangerous synthetic opioid that is 50 times more potent than heroin and 100 times more potent than morphine. The fentanyl seized during the investigation was contained in brightly colored pills, known as “rainbow fentanyl,” and may be made by drug traffickers to look like candy to entice young people. The investigation is likely the first seizure of “rainbow fentanyl” in Utah and represents a significant safety risk to the public. (Picture of the rainbow fentanyl seized during the investigation are attached).
Wood is charged by indictment with possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute. He will have a detention hearing at a later date.
U.S. Attorney Trina A. Higgins for the District of Utah made the announcement.
Assistant U.S. Attorney, Stephen L. Nelson, for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is investigating the case.
Learn more about the danger of illicit fentanyl at https://www.dea.gov/fentanylawareness or www.dea.gov/onepill.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Drug Enforcement AdministrationUnited States Obtains Temporary Restraining Order Against Firearm Companies Illegally Selling Machine GunsRead the Press Release
On January 19, 2023, the United States filed a civil complaint in federal court in Brooklyn against two firearm companies, and two individuals associated with these companies (collectively, “Defendants”), alleging that Defendants have conspired to defraud the United States and consumers, and have engaged in the ongoing commission of mail fraud and wire fraud, by unlawfully selling machine gun conversion devices. The devices, called FRT-15s, are specifically designed and intended to be used to convert AR-15 type rifles into machineguns and are therefore themselves “machineguns” under federal law. With limited exceptions not applicable to Defendants’ conduct, the manufacture, sale and possession of machine guns is illegal under the National Firearms Act and the Gun Control Act of 1968. The Government’s complaint seeks injunctive relief under the Anti-Fraud Injunction Act. The United States also sought a temporary order immediately halting any sales of the FRT-15 or any forced reset trigger until and unless otherwise ordered by the Court. On January 25, 2023, United States District Judge Nina R. Morrison entered a temporary restraining order against Defendants.
Merrick B. Garland, United States Attorney General; Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Steven Dettelbach, Director, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF); and John B. DeVito, Special Agent-in-Charge, ATF, New York Field Division, announced the filing of the complaint.
“The Justice Department has filed a complaint against two firearm companies and two individuals who we allege are illegally selling machineguns, conspiring to violate federal firearm laws, and committing mail and wire fraud” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “Today, we obtained a temporary restraining order that immediately stops the defendants from illegally selling their machineguns. The Justice Department will continue to do everything in its power to protect the American people from gun violence and to hold accountable those that flood our communities with illegal guns.”
“The defendants are illegally selling machine guns, plain and simple, with conversion devices that transform AR-15 type rifles into even more lethal weapons suited for battlefields, not our communities,” said United States Attorney Peace. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to stop the flow of illegal and deadly weapons onto our streets. The United States will be relentless in employing every means available, including all civil tools, to end violence in New York and across the nation.”
ATF Director Dettelbach stated: “Decades ago, Congress determined that machine guns are illegal, yet, despite repeated warnings, the defendants in this case are alleged to be flouting the law. Machine guns are unlawful because they pose a threat to the public and they are increasingly a risk to law enforcement. Ensuring that individuals and companies comply with the prohibition on selling machine guns is just one of many steps ATF is taking to address violent crime and protect our communities.”
“These machine gun conversion devices—which are machine guns under federal law—can turn any semi-automatic AR-type firearm into a weapon capable of shooting at a rate of fire similar to or exceeding that of an M16 machine gun manufactured for military use. Since 1934, machineguns have been subject to strict federal controls, and since 1986, machineguns have been subject to an outright prohibition. These defendants are believed to have earned millions at the expense of the public’s safety and are alleged to have conspired to undermine these very federal laws which are intended to keep the public safe. I would like to thank the United States Attorney’s Office and ATF personnel for their hard work and commitment in securing the temporary restraining order,” stated ATF Special Agent-in-Charge DeVito.
Defendants are Rare Breed Triggers, LLC and Rare Breed Firearms, LLC (collectively, “RBT”) and their owner/operators Lawrence DeMonico, also known as “Larry R. Lee, Jr.” and Kevin Maxwell. As alleged in the complaint, Defendants have unlawfully sold thousands of FRT-15s to the general public. In the process, Defendants have sought to obstruct ATF’s mandate to enforce laws prohibiting the sale of machine guns and ensure public safety. Defendants have also allegedly misled consumers about the legality of FRT-15s.
As set forth in the January 25, 2023 temporary restraining order (“TRO”), among other things, the Court found that “[t]here is probable cause to believe that Defendants’ fraudulent conduct is ongoing and imminent,” that “Defendants failed to register FRT-15s for the purpose of concealing from ATF the sale and transfer of these items,” and that the TRO is necessary to prevent “a continuing and substantial injury to the United States, as well as to past and future purchasers of FRT-15s who have been or may be misled into believing that their possession of FRT-15s is lawful when it is not.”
This action is part of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York’s Civil Initiative to Reduce Gun Violence. The EDNY’s Civil Initiative to Reduce Gun Violence was created in 2022. The EDNY’s Civil Initiative to Reduce Gun Violence aims to work with federal, state, and local officials, as well as community stakeholders, to address the root causes of gun-related crime, and supports reform efforts made across the government. The EDNY’s Civil Initiative to Reduce Gun Violence complements the EDNY Criminal Division’s prosecution of gun-related crimes. The Office also works collaboratively on the Initiative with the Consumer Protection Branch of the Department of Justice.
The government’s case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Blume, Joseph Marutollo and Paulina Stamatelos of the Office’s Civil Division with assistance from ATF’s Deputy Associate Chief Counsel Matthew Myerson.
E.D.N.Y. Civil Docket No.: 23-CV-369 (NM) (RML)
United States Attorney Commends Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office for Combating Violent CrimeRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announced today the results of the United States Attorney’s Office’s ongoing efforts to fight violent crime through a partnership with the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO). In 2022, federal prosecutors and HCSO worked together to prosecute 69 individuals for federal crimes, including firearms and drug offenses. In total, these prosecutions removed 53 firearms from our streets. The prosecutions supported by HCSO include:
- United States vs. Keon Moore – Moore, a high-ranking member of the Money Power Respect gang, was sentenced to 17 years and 6 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm or ammunition as a convicted felon and for possessing controlled substances with an intent to distribute them. Prior to being apprehended, Moore stored guns and drugs for use by himself and others, sold guns and drugs, and threatened violence to collect drug debts. In one of Moore’s private Facebook communications, a person to whom Moore had provided drugs on consignment, but who failed to pay on time, begged Moore not to kill him via drive-by shooting over the $90 he owed Moore.
- United States vs. Jy’Quale Grable – A federal jury found Grable guilty of conspiracy, robbery, and first-degree premeditated murder. Grable, along with his co-conspirators, drove to the Valrico Station Apartments in Brandon to conduct a robbery. During the robbery, Grable shot one victim in the neck, severing his spinal cord and killing him instantly. Grable also shot another victim in the chest, perforating his heart and lung, leading to his death. Grable faces a mandatory minimum sentence of life in federal prison.
- United States vs. Ma’at Malik Darius Lee – A federal grand jury returned a seven-count indictment charging Lee with carjacking, brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, two counts of aggravated identity theft, two counts of attempted wire fraud, and possessing a stolen firearm. The indictment alleges that from July 9 to October 27, 2021, Lee robbed three individuals at gunpoint and carjacked a fourth. When an HCSO deputy located Lee in the stolen vehicle and attempted to make a traffic stop, Lee responded by firing at least eight rounds and fleeing the scene. If convicted, Lee faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
“Fighting violent crime is one of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s core goals,” said U.S. Attorney Handberg. “Fortunately, we are not alone in striving to eradicate violent crime. The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, under the leadership of Sheriff Chronister, stands shoulder-to-shoulder with us and continues to play a key role in prosecuting violent criminals. We look forward to continuing to join with HCSO and our other law enforcement partners to make Hillsborough County safer for its citizens.”
“Our duty is to ensure the residents of Hillsborough County are safe and protected against anyone wishing to commit violent crimes,” said Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister. “We have no tolerance for those who want to victimize our community. We are thankful for our partnership with the U.S Attorney’s Office; it’s relationships like these that make our county a strong, safe, and welcoming environment.”
The cases listed above were investigated by HCSO, with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. They are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Cal Albritton, Samantha Beckman, Charlie Connally, Michael Gordon, Maria Guzman, Michael Kenneth, Christopher Murray, Samantha Newman, Diego Novaes, James Preston, Michael Sinacore, Ilyssa Spergel, and David Sullivan.
The majority of these cases are a 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.
U.S. Department of Justice Disrupts Hive Ransomware VariantRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today its months-long disruption campaign against the Hive ransomware group that has targeted more than 1,500 victims in over 80 countries around the world, including hospitals, school districts, financial firms, and critical infrastructure.
Since late July 2022, the FBI has penetrated Hive’s computer networks, captured its decryption keys, and offered them to victims worldwide, preventing victims from having to pay $130 million in ransom demanded. Since infiltrating Hive’s network in July 2022, the FBI has provided over 300 decryption keys to Hive victims who were under attack. In addition, the FBI distributed over 1,000 additional decryption keys to previous Hive victims. Finally, the department announced today that, in coordination with German law enforcement (the German Federal Criminal Police and Reutlingen Police Headquarters-CID Esslingen) and the Netherlands National High Tech Crime Unit, it has seized control of the servers and websites that Hive uses to communicate with its members, disrupting Hive's ability to attack and extort victims.
“Last night, the Justice Department dismantled an international ransomware network responsible for extorting and attempting to extort hundreds of millions of dollars from victims in the United States and around the world,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “Cybercrime is a constantly evolving threat. But as I have said before, the Justice Department will spare no resource to identify and bring to justice, anyone, anywhere, who targets the United States with a ransomware attack. We will continue to work both to prevent these attacks and to provide support to victims who have been targeted. And together with our international partners, we will continue to disrupt the criminal networks that deploy these attacks.”
“The Department of Justice’s disruption of the Hive ransomware group should speak as clearly to victims of cybercrime as it does to perpetrators,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco. “In a 21st century cyber stakeout, our investigative team turned the tables on Hive, swiping their decryption keys, passing them to victims, and ultimately averting more than $130 million dollars in ransomware payments. We will continue to strike back against cybercrime using any means possible and place victims at the center of our efforts to mitigate the cyber threat.”
“The coordinated disruption of Hive’s computer networks, following months of decrypting victims around the world, shows what we can accomplish by combining a relentless search for useful technical information to share with victims with investigation aimed at developing operations that hit our adversaries hard,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “The FBI will continue to leverage our intelligence and law enforcement tools, global presence, and partnerships to counter cybercriminals who target American business and organizations."
“Our efforts in this case saved victims over a hundred million dollars in ransom payments and likely more in remediation costs,” said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “This action demonstrates the Department of Justice’s commitment to protecting our communities from malicious hackers and to ensuring that victims of crime are made whole. Moreover, we will continue our investigation and pursue the actors behind Hive until they are brought to justice.”
“Cybercriminals utilize sophisticated technologies to prey upon innocent victims worldwide,” said U.S. Attorney Roger Handberg for the Middle District of Florida. “Thanks to the exceptional investigative work and coordination by our domestic and international law enforcement partners, further extortion by HIVE has been thwarted, critical business operations can resume without interruption, and millions of dollars in ransom payments were averted.”
Since June 2021, the Hive ransomware group has targeted more than 1,500 victims around the world and received over $100 million in ransom payments.
Hive ransomware attacks have caused major disruptions in victim daily operations around the world and affected responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. In one case, a hospital attacked by Hive ransomware had to resort to analog methods to treat existing patients and was unable to accept new patients immediately following the attack.
Hive used a ransomware-as-a-service (RaaS) model featuring administrators, sometimes called developers, and affiliates. RaaS is a subscription-based model where the developers or administrators develop a ransomware strain and create an easy-to-use interface with which to operate it and then recruit affiliates to deploy the ransomware against victims. Affiliates identified targets and deployed this readymade malicious software to attack victims and then earned a percentage of each successful ransom payment.
Hive actors employed a double-extortion model of attack. Before encrypting the victim system, the affiliate would exfiltrate or steal sensitive data. The affiliate then sought a ransom for both the decryption key necessary to decrypt the victim’s system and a promise to not publish the stolen data. Hive actors frequently targeted the most sensitive data in a victim’s system to increase the pressure to pay. After a victim pays, affiliates and administrators split the ransom 80/20. Hive published the data of victims who do not pay on the Hive Leak Site.
According to the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), Hive affiliates have gained initial access to victim networks through a number of methods, including: single factor logins via Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP), virtual private networks (VPNs), and other remote network connection protocols; exploiting FortiToken vulnerabilities; and sending phishing emails with malicious attachments. For more information about the malware, including technical information for organizations about how to mitigate its effects, is available from CISA, visit https://www.cisa.gov/uscert/ncas/alerts/aa22-321a.
Victims of Hive ransomware should contact their local FBI field office for further information.
The FBI Tampa Field Office, Orlando Resident Agency is investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Christen Gallagher and Alison Zitron of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Chauncey Bratt for the Middle District of Florida are prosecuting the case.
The Justice Department also recognizes the critical cooperation of the German Reutlingen Police Headquarters-CID Esslingen, the German Federal Criminal Police, Europol, and the Netherlands Politie, and significant assistance was provided by the U.S. Secret Service, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, and U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the Cyber Operations International Liaison also provided significant assistance. Additionally, the following foreign law enforcement authorities provided substantial assistance and support: the Canadian Peel Regional Police and Royal Canadian Mounted Police, French Direction Centrale de la Police Judiciaire, Lithuanian Criminal Police Bureau, Norwegian National Criminal Investigation Service in collaboration with the Oslo Police District, Portuguese Polícia Judiciária, Romanian Directorate of Countering Organized Crime, Spanish Policia Nacional, Swedish Police Authority, and the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Secures Settlement with Kenton County Officials to Ensure Polling Place AccessibilityRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky.— The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Kentucky, in partnership with the Justice Department’s Disability Rights Section, has secured an agreement. under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), with the Kenton County Board of Elections to ensure that the Board’s polling places are accessible to individuals with disabilities.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office identified architectural barriers at numerous polling places after it reviewed the Kenton County Board’s voting program for compliance with the ADA. These barriers included inaccessible parking, ramps that were too steep, walkways that had steep cross slopes or had gaps and bumps in the path of travel, and voting machines that could not be accessed by voters with mobility disabilities. The Office also identified instances where the Kenton County Board did not provide voters with disabilities privacy and independence while voting.
Under the ADA, state and local governmental entities that conduct elections may not select polling places that are inaccessible to individuals with disabilities for use during elections, and they must make reasonable modifications to ensure that voters with disabilities have equal opportunity to participate in voting programs.
Under the terms of the agreement, the Kenton County Board of Elections will begin remediating its voting program. The Board will employ measures such as portable ramps, signage, and propped-open doors to ensure that its selected polling places are accessible to voters with disabilities. In addition, the Board will train its poll workers and other elections staff on the requirements of the ADA and how to use temporary measures to ensure each polling place is accessible during elections. The Board will also survey polling locations for accessibility and maintain the accessibility of each polling place it uses on election days. When selecting future polling places, the Board will select locations that will be accessible during elections.
This settlement is part of the department’s ADA Voting Initiative, which focuses on protecting the voting rights of individuals with disabilities. A hallmark of the ADA Voting Initiative is its collaboration with jurisdictions to increase accessibility at polling places. Through this initiative, the Department of Justice has surveyed more than 2,500 polling places and increased polling place accessibility in more than 50 jurisdictions, including Jefferson County, Kentucky; Newton County, Arkansas; St. Louis, Missouri; Travis County, Texas; and Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania.
For more information about the ADA, please visit http://www.ada.gov or call the toll-free ADA Information Line at (800) 514-0301 or (800) 514-0383 (TTY). For information about the Eastern District of Kentucky’s civil rights enforcement efforts, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-edky/civil-rights
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U.S. Attorney's Office Collects over $3.9 Million in Civil and Criminal Actions in Fiscal Year 2022Read the Press Release
LAS VEGAS - U.S. Attorney Jason M. Frierson announced today that the District of Nevada collected more than $3.9 million in criminal and civil actions in Fiscal Year 2022. Of this amount, $3,355,703.29 was collected in criminal actions and $593,501.29 was collected in civil actions.
Additionally, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada worked with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices and components of the Department of Justice to collect an additional $3,906.46 in criminal actions pursued jointly by these offices.
“This total amount demonstrates our commitment to ensuring the successful collection of funds in civil matters and criminal cases,” said U.S. Attorney Frierson. “The dedicated Assistant U.S. Attorneys and support personnel in our Financial Litigation Program and Asset Forfeiture Unit worked tirelessly with partners in Fiscal Year 2022 to enforce and recover debts owed to the United States and crime victims.”
Highlights of the District of Nevada’s Fiscal Year 2022 collection efforts include:
- Following a guilty plea to one count of making and subscribing a false tax return, Graciela Alvarez agreed to pre-pay her restitution in advance of sentencing. Alvarez paid $458,728.52 towards the satisfaction of her restitution obligation to the IRS.
- In 2002, Ronda Hubbard pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a counterfeited security. In addition to five years’ probation, Hubbard was ordered to pay restitution to Bank of America in the amount of $208,752.74. In February 2022, Financial Litigation staff was advised that Hubbard was selling her home. The U.S. Attorney’s Office was able to secure the funds from the sale of the property. In March 2022, the remainder of Hubbard’s restitution obligation was paid in full.
The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, along with the department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the U.S. and criminal debts owed to federal crime victims. The law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss. While restitution is paid to the victim, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the department’s Crime Victims Fund, which distributes the funds collected to federal and state victim compensation and victim assistance programs.
Additionally, the U.S. Attorney’s office in the District of Nevada, working with partner agencies and divisions, collected $1,878,306 in asset forfeiture actions in Fiscal Year 2022. Forfeited assets deposited into the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund are used to restore funds to crime victims and for a variety of law enforcement purposes.
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U.S. Attorney Breon Peace Speaks at a Naturalization Ceremony in BrooklynRead the Press Release
Remarks as Delivered:
“Good morning. My name is Breon Peace and I am the United States Attorney here in the Eastern District of New York, which covers Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island and all of Long Island and is home to more than 8 million people. Welcome!
It is my honor to speak to you all today, a day that you will surely treasure for the rest of your lives. Let me be among the first to congratulate you on this wonderful milestone! I am proud to be united with you today in a bond of citizenship that transcends all racial, religious, ethnic, cultural, gender-based, political, language and economic boundaries and proud that we have found a common purpose in being called American citizens.
As the United States Attorney, I have the privilege of leading an office that is responsible for prosecuting all federal criminal cases and for handling federal civil cases in this vast district in which you live. So my job is to keep the community safe and enforce the law on behalf of the United States to improve the lives of the people of the district, particularly our most vulnerable residents.
One of the best parts of my job is being able to work on behalf of and interact with the citizens of this great district—a district that was created in 1865 by President Abraham Lincoln. This district has a long and storied history, but to me, it is perhaps best characterized by its rich and vibrant diversity. This diversity is exemplified by the people in this room. People born on continents around the globe. People of different races and religions, ethnicities and educations. People from widely disparate walks of life.
With all of these differences, how does America come together? To me, the answer is clear. We, as Americans, are united by the philosophy that all people are created equal, and with a goal to make this country better, a more perfect union.
You should have received a packet that contains the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution. These documents speak to the origin of American citizenship and the country’s founding principles in establishing its democratic form of government.
The Declaration of Independence states that all men are created equal. But at the time it was drafted in 1776, neither the Declaration of Independence nor the later drafted United States Constitution recognized all people as equal. These documents, despite their central role in structuring a government of, by and for the people, did not contemplate that I, a black man and descendant of slaves, would one day be responsible for: protecting the 8.5 million residents of this district from crime; promoting civil rights, justice and equality for all; and safeguarding the very ideals of democracy and the rule of law enshrined in these documents.
Yet, we are together today as U.S. citizens. How did we move from the exclusion of the past to the welcoming inclusion reflected in the present moment?
History teaches that it took generations, as well as strength, determination and sustained, unyielding courage to ensure that the nation’s promise of equality was extended to all of its people.
A week and a half ago as we do every January, we honored Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. We commemorate the day of Dr. King’s birth and his legacy with a day of service in our communities, in recognition of his unshakeable faith and unrelenting quest for human dignity and civil rights.
On August 28, 1963, Dr. King stood before the largest crowd ever gathered in support of civil rights at the Lincoln Memorial and boldly talked about his dream in the iconic “I Have A Dream” speech. Sixty years ago, he dreamed of today, where we sit shoulder-to-shoulder basking in the joy and excitement of being citizens from all walks of life, blending cultures, religions, races and gender in celebration of the promise, hope, and yes, future of democracy. In an Independence Day sermon he delivered on July 4, 1965, Dr. King spoke poignantly of this dream, saying “... America is essentially a dream. It is a dream of a land where men of all races, of all nationalities, and of all creeds, can live together as brothers. The substance of the dream is expressed in these sublime words, ‘we hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain inalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.’” With your sworn oath this morning, these timeless words now belong to you.
In the fight for civil rights, Dr. King identified the precursor to the American dream as the Emancipation Proclamation, which he referred to as the “offspring” of the Declaration of Independence. Although I do not intend to give a history lesson here, President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863 to end the Civil War and unify the nation. Dr. King wrote eloquently that the Emancipation Proclamation, “resurrected and restated the principle of equality upon which the founding of the nation rested.”
It could not be more fitting for us to join in pledging our allegiance to this great country in a proud district created by President Lincoln and rooted in his proclamation of freedom.
I will close with this: Dr. King, former Presidents John F. Kennedy and Barack Obama, often spoke of audacity and hope; the audacity to believe that each of us can make this country greater and stronger, and hope for a better and brighter tomorrow for all Americans.
I share the audacity and hope, and trust that you do too. In my life and career as a lawyer, and as United States Attorney today, I’ve had the audacity to believe that I could bend the “arc of the moral universe” towards justice, fairness and freedom, especially for the vulnerable and the marginalized. And that I can, “keep making our streets safer and our criminal justice system fairer – our homeland more secure, our world more peaceful and sustainable for the next generation,” as President Obama once implored.
I urge you to make today your day of audacity, your day to use the voice you’ve been given to further our democracy and give meaning to its founding principles. Each of you, have journeyed to this country, you have joined this country, you have judged its ideals your ideals. You have elected to become citizens in a land of opportunity and dreams as proud heirs of the Declaration of Independence. Hold fast to the belief that all men and women are created equal and pay it forward by bending the moral arc of this district and country towards justice, fairness, equity and inclusion. Never forget what brought you here and made you Americans.
I congratulate you once again on your becoming American citizens and welcome each and every one of you to share in our vibrant democracy.”
Two Sentenced in Wiretap Investigation into Meth TraffickingRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA – A California resident and a Pennsylvania resident have been sentenced in federal court on their convictions for violating federal narcotics laws related to a nine-month Title III wiretap investigation into drug trafficking in and around the counties of Jefferson, Clearfield, and Allegheny, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
United States District Judge Christy Criswell Wiegand sentenced Marco Armenta, age 37, of Stockton, California, to 188 months of imprisonment followed by five years of supervised release. According to information presented to the court, Armenta supplied at least 160 pounds of methamphetamine that was shipped from California and Nevada to Jefferson County, Clearfield County, and Allegheny County.
Judge Wiegand also sentenced Travis Williams, age 30, of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, to 51 months of imprisonment followed by three years of supervised release. According to information presented to the court, Williams was a methamphetamine distributor who obtained between 350 grams and 500 grams of methamphetamine as part of a large-scale methamphetamine distribution conspiracy and redistributed it to methamphetamine users.
Assistant United States Attorneys Jonathan D. Lusty and Michael R. Ball prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
The Drug Enforcement Administration led the multi-agency investigation of this case, which also included the Homeland Security Investigations, United States Postal Service – Office of Inspector General, United States Postal Inspection Service, Internal Revenue Services, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, Allegheny County Police, and Pennsylvania State Police. Also assisting were the Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office, Clearfield County District Attorney’s Office, and the Clarion Borough Police Department.
This prosecution is a result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles high-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten communities throughout the United States. OCDETF uses a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Two Men Plead Guilty to Five-Hour Armed Robbery SpreeRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Chesapeake and a Suffolk man pleaded guilty today and earlier this week to their roles in a series of armed robberies of 7-Eleven establishments in the Cities of Newport News, Norfolk, and Virginia Beach.
According to court documents, just before midnight on July 24, 2019, and into the early morning hours of July 25, 2019, Deric Breon Simons, 23, Ronald Lee Brookins, Jr., 22, and a third individual conducted a series of armed robberies at 7-Eleven convenience stores. Beginning in Newport News, the three men entered the stores armed with a firearm, a knife, and a BB gun that resembled a real firearm. While brandishing their weapons, they demanded U.S. currency and commercial products from frightened employees. They committed three additional robberies, moving between Norfolk and Virginia Beach. During the fifth and final robbery, Brookins and the third co-conspirator entered the convenience store, while Simons remained in the getaway vehicle. In addition to the store employee, there were three customers inside the store at the time of the robbery. Fearing for everyone’s safety, an armed customer discharged his personal weapon, killing one co-conspirator and injuring Brookins.
Brookins pleaded guilty to his role in the robberies on January 24. Simons and Brookins are scheduled to be sentenced on June 1. They both face a mandatory minimum of 21 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Brian Dugan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office; Steve R. Drew, Chief of Newport News Police; Mike Goldsmith, Interim Chief of Norfolk Police; and Paul Neudigate, Chief of Virginia Beach Police, made the announcement after U.S. Magistrate Judge Douglas E. Miller accepted the plea.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kristin Bird and Megan Montoya are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:19-cr-168.
Two Men Arrested in Marion County for Stealing MailRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the filing of a complaint and arrest of Jordan Jax (23, Newberry) and Tarod Goodman, Jr. (23, Gainesville) for theft of mail and possession of a stolen or reproduced postal key. If convicted, Jax and Goodman each face up to 5 years in federal prison for theft of mail and up to 10 years’ imprisonment for possession of the postal key.
According to court documents, between October 2022 and January 24, 2023, Jax and Goodman used a postal key on multiple occasions to access U.S. Postal Service (USPS) collection boxes in Marion County and steal mail. Deputies from the Marion County Sheriff’s Office and the U.S. Postal Inspector conducted surveillance and caught the pair after they had loaded mail into Jax’s vehicle. Agents also recovered a postal key that had been used to open the collection boxes.
A complaint is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Marion County Sheriff’s Office and its Aviation Unit, as well as the United States Postal Inspection Service. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.
Download Criminal ComplaintTwo Leaders of Violent Drug Cartel Sentenced to Life and 50 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that JULIO MARQUEZ ALEJANDRO, a/k/a “Chino,” was sentenced to life in prison, and LUIS BLONDET was sentenced to 50 years in prison, each for their leading roles in a brutal drug cartel that is responsible for dozens of murders, the bribery of corrupt police officers in Puerto Rico, and the distribution of thousands of kilograms of cocaine in New York, Puerto Rico, and elsewhere. In April 2022, a jury convicted MARQUEZ ALEJANDRO and BLONDET of racketeering and murder-related charges after a three-week trial before U.S. District Judge Jesse M. Furman, who sentenced MARQUEZ ALEJANDRO yesterday and BLONDET earlier today.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “For years, Julio Marquez Alejandro and Luis Blondet repeatedly resorted to heinous murder for their own benefit. Dozens of people died as a result of the reign of terror their organization carried out. But this Office is committed to seeking justice for otherwise forgotten victims, no matter how long it takes. Thanks to outstanding work from our law enforcement partners, Marquez Alejandro and Blondet will rightly spend decades in prison.”
According to the evidence at trial and other filings in the case:
MARQUEZ ALEJANDRO was one of the founding fathers of “La Organizacion de Narcotraficantes Unidos,” or “La ONU,” a criminal enterprise whose members and associates engaged in, from in or about 2004 to in or about 2016, dozens of murders, the bribery of corrupt police officers in Puerto Rico, and the distribution of thousands of kilograms of cocaine, including the shipment of cocaine from Puerto Rico to New York. Cocaine supplied by La ONU was distributed in New York City, including out of a children’s daycare center in the Bronx. BLONDET was also a member and leader of La ONU and one of MARQUEZ ALEJANDRO’s closest allies.
The evidence at trial established that MARQUEZ ALEJANDRO personally ordered, authorized, or otherwise helped facilitate the murders of at least 15 people to maintain or expand his power and profits. The evidence also showed that BLONDET personally participated in or helped facilitate the murders of seven people. For example:
On or about April 9, 2005, BLONDET murdered Crystal Martinez Ramirez at a party in San Juan, Puerto Rico. After Martinez Ramirez refused BLONDET’s sexual advances, BLONDET shot Martinez Ramirez in the head twice and dumped her body on a street corner.
On or about December 28, 2006, Israel Crespo Cotto was murdered on the orders of MARQUEZ ALEJANDRO because Crespo Cotto was believed to be cooperating with law enforcement. MARQUEZ ALEJANDRO’s assassins killed Crespo Cotto, a double amputee, while he was sitting in his wheelchair in the Manuel A. Perez public housing projects in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Crespo Cotto was shot 24 times.
On or about May 9, 2007, members of La ONU, including MARQUEZ ALEJANDRO, hired corrupt Puerto Rico police officers to participate in the murder of Anthony Castro Carrillo in Carolina, Puerto Rico, in exchange for a cash bonus. Members of La ONU and two corrupt cops stormed Castro Carrillo’s residence while dressed as police officers and shot and killed him.
MARQUEZ ALEJANDRO, BLONDET, and other members of La ONU arranged for the murder of Hommysan Cariño Bruno, a leader of a rival drug organization, paying a driver to kill Cariño Bruno and providing the murder weapon. Cariño Bruno was shot and killed while inside a van on or about April 29, 2008, in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
On or about March 20, 2009, Carlos Barbosa was murdered on the orders of MARQUEZ ALEJANDRO because Barbosa was believed to be plotting to seize power from MARQUEZ ALEJANDRO. Barbosa was shot over a dozen times while getting his hair cut at a barbershop in Levittown, Puerto Rico.
On or about November 27, 2009, Emanuel Correa Romero, a/k/a “Oreo,” was murdered on the orders of MARQUEZ ALEJANDRO. Members of La ONU beat Correa Romero until he appeared dead. After the assault, members of La ONU placed Correa Romero’s body into a suitcase and later reported back that they shot the suitcase dozens of times and then lit it on fire.
At the sentencing of MARQUEZ ALEJANDRO, Judge Furman emphasized MARQUEZ ALEJANDRO’s “stunning disrespect for the value of other human life” and “the scale of human suffering for which he is responsible.”
When sentencing BLONDET, Judge Furman underscored that BLONDET’s murder of Crystal Martinez Ramirez was “grotesque and inhumane.”
* * *
In addition to their prison terms, MARQUEZ ALEJANDRO, 52, of San Juan, Puerto Rico, and BLONDET, 48, of San Juan, Puerto Rico, were ordered to forfeit $11.52 million and $212,000, as proceeds of their crimes, respectively.
Mr. Williams praised the investigative work of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
The prosecution is being handled by the Office’s Violent and Organized Crime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jamie E. Bagliebter, Peter J. Davis, Jacob R. Fiddelman, and Justin V. Rodriguez are in charge of the prosecution and represented the Government at trial with the assistance of Paralegal Specialists William Coleman and Christopher Sykes. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jordan Estes, Andrew Thomas, Lara Pomerantz, Allison Nichols, and Dina McLeod also participated in the investigation and prosecution of the case.
Two Individuals Admit Participating in Health Care Fraud and Kickback SchemesRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – An Indiana man and an Arizona man yesterday admitted their roles in a health care fraud conspiracy in which they received payment for doctors’ orders for durable medical equipment (DME), namely orthotic braces, and genetic test referrals, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Scott Wohrman, 50, of Florence, Arizona, pleaded guilty by videoconference before U.S. District Judge Kevin McNulty to an information charging him with one count of conspiracy to violate the Federal Anti-Kickback statute and one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud. On Jan. 24, 2023, David Heneghan, 53, of Indianapolis, Indiana, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to violate the Federal Anti-Kickback statute and conspiracy to commit health care fraud.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:Heneghan and Wohrman operated American Health Screening (AHS), a company that purportedly provided marketing services to laboratories. From July 2020 through January 2021, Heneghan, Wohrman, and others agreed to engage in a scheme to provide DME orders and genetic testing referrals for Medicare beneficiaries in exchange for kickbacks of approximately $1,500 per patient or for each test that resulted in a reimbursement from Medicare. Heneghan and Wohrman entered into a sham contract and utilized fraudulent invoices to make it appear that AHS was being paid for legitimate services and to conceal their fraudulent kickback scheme. Heneghan and Wohrman received kickbacks of at least $547,310 for durable medical equipment and at least $18,319 for genetic testing. Heneghan and Wohrman’s scheme resulted in an actual loss to Medicare of at least $565,629.
Heneghan and Wohrman previously pleaded guilty in the Northern District of Texas to an information charging them with conspiracy to defraud the Federal Anti-Kickback statute.The count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud carries a maximum potential punishment of 10 years in prison. The count of conspiracy to violate the Anti-Kickback Statute carries a maximum potential penalty of five years in prison. Both offenses are also punishable by a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense. Sentencing for Heneghan and Wohrman is scheduled for September 6, 2023.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark; the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Naomi Gruchacz; the U.S. Department of Defense, Office of the Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Northeast Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Patrick Hegarty; the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, Northeast Field Office under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Christopher Algieri with the investigation leading to the guilty pleas.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ray Mateo of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Opioid Abuse Prevention and Enforcement Unit in Newark.
Defense counsel:
Heneghan: Aaron M. Cohen Esq., Delray Beach, Florida
Wohrman: Michael Hursey Esq., and Paul Molle Esq., Ft. Lauderdale, FloridaTulsa Man Pleads Guilty to Assaulting Two Victims with a CrowbarRead the Press Release
A 31-year-old Tulsa man pleaded guilty in federal court to striking two victims with a metal pry bar in a violent assault, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
Christopher Travon Brown was convicted of two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm in Indian Country.
According to court documents, on June 19, 2022, Broken Arrow police officers responded to a 911 call related to the assault. Upon arrival, officers discovered two victims at the residence. A male victim sustained serious injuries to his arm and head and displayed a significant altered mental state consistent with a head injury. A female victim had blunt force trauma to her left forearm. She reported to officers that Brown had forced his way through a bedroom door. He then entered the room wielding a 24-inch, steel crowbar and started striking the male victim with it. She stated that in the process, he struck her on the forearm.
The male victim was transported to Saint Francis Hospital, where he was placed in intensive care for life threatening head injuries.
When apprehended and interviewed by police, Brown initially claimed self-defense. He later admitted that he was the aggressor, stating that he took a crowbar from the garage, broke down the bedroom door with his shoulder and committed the assaults.
Brown faces a maximum federal sentence of 10 years in prison. He is currently in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service and will be sentenced at a later date.
The FBI and Broken Arrow Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Niko A. Boulieris is prosecuting the case.
Tucson Man Pleads Guilty to Sexual AbuseRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – On Monday, Orlando Miguel Valenzuela, 28, of Tucson, Arizona, pleaded guilty to Abusive Sexual Contact. Sentencing is scheduled for April 10, 2023, before United States District Judge Cindy K. Jorgenson.
Valenzuela, an enrolled member of the Pascua Yaqui Tribe, admitted that when he was 18 or 19 years old and living on the Pascua Yaqui reservation, he engaged in sexual acts with a minor who was 11 or younger.
The plea agreement requires Valenzuela to serve 5-10 years in federal prison. After completing his prison sentence, Valenzuela will be placed on lifetime supervised release and be required to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.
The Pascua Yaqui Police Department and the FBI conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Micah Schmit, District of Arizona, Tucson, is handling the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-22-0682-TUC-CKJ (DTF)
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-009_Valenzuela# # #
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.Three More Indicted in Drug-trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Three more defendants have been indicted as part of an investigation into an armed and violent drug-trafficking organization operating in the Kansas City, Mo., metropolitan area.
Anthony D. Harris, 40, and Latrell O. Dean, 19, both of Grandview, Mo., and Seville S. Gardner, 37, address unknown, were charged in a 112-count superseding indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury on Tuesday, Jan. 24. The indictment, which was unsealed today following Gardner’s arrest, replaces an indictment returned on March 1, 2022, with three additional defendants and 28 additional counts. Dean was already in law enforcement custody on a separate, but related, matter.
In addition to Harris, Dean and Gardner, the superseding indictment retains 24 defendants charged in the original indictment: Kevin C. Cokes, also known as “Big K” and “Uncle,” 61, Mercedez M. Gardner, also known as “Twin,” 37, November D. Gardner, also known as “October” and “Nuttie,” 24, Idella Gardner, also known as “Lupi,” 35, Delmar L. Hatcher, 52, Nathaniel B. Chapple, 25, Treandre R. Walker, 25, Hazel M. Berymon, 65, Carlton L. Burns, also known as “Pooder,” 25, Christopher J. Hicks-Berry, 36, Kyeir C. Theus, 36, Tony L. Davis, 53, Michael R. Parks, 63, Brian T. Boxly, 46, Parris J. Walker, 28, Jachobette J. Gardner, 43, Reginald L. Mitchem, 43, Martell C. Cratch, 31, Matthew Rogers, 60, Gloria Hutchinson, 38, Eddie L. Nicholson, Jr., also known as “Junior,” 55, Toneisha R. Blackmon, 30, and Shania N. Bailey, 24, all of Kansas City, Mo., and Deone D. Gardner, also known as “Twin,” 29, of Belton, Mo.
Two defendants charged in the original indictment, Eliot E. Cox, 33, and Anthony D. Stuckey, 67, both of Kansas City, Mo., are omitted from this week’s superseding indictment as they already have pleaded guilty to charges contained in the original indictment.
Among the charges added to the superseding indictment is one count of conspiracy to tamper with a witness. November Gardner and Deone Gardner allegedly conspired to use physical force against an undercover agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to influence or prevent the undercover agent from testifying at their trial.
The superseding indictment alleges that 26 of the 27 defendants participated in a conspiracy to distribute cocaine, fentanyl, and marijuana in Jackson County. Cokes is charged with participating in a separate, but related, conspiracy to distribute cocaine.
Harris and Gardner are solely charged in the drug-trafficking conspiracy. Dean is also charged with one count of participating in a robbery conspiracy with Walker, one count of the armed robbery of a Dollar General store in Raytown, Mo., one count of the use of a firearm during a crime of violence (the Dollar General robbery), one count of possessing marijuana with the intent to distribute, and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime. Dean allegedly possessed a Glock 9mm pistol in furtherance of the drug-trafficking conspiracy and in furtherance of the possession of marijuana with the intent to distribute.
In total, in addition to the two drug-trafficking conspiracy counts and the witness tampering conspiracy, various defendants are charged in two armed robbery conspiracy counts, three business robbery counts (two Family Dollar robberies in Kansas City and the Dollar General robbery in Raytown), 23 drug-trafficking counts, 30 counts related to illegally possessing firearms, one count of destroying a motor vehicle in a drive-by shooting, and 50 counts of illegally using a telephone to facilitate a drug-trafficking conspiracy.
According to court documents, the ATF began investigating an armed drug trafficking organization operating primarily in east Kansas City, Mo., in April 2021. Members are known to sell marijuana, crack cocaine, powder cocaine, purported ecstasy pills, purported Percocet pills (believed to be counterfeit pills made with fentanyl), and purported OxyContin pills. Members are known to carry firearms and commit acts of violence. Court documents allege the organization is connected to at least two shootings in which three victims were wounded.
As a result of that year-long investigation and subsequent indictment, more than 200 law enforcement officers from the ATF, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department and the Independence, Mo., Police Department participated in an operation on March 8 and 9, 2022, that led to the arrests of 25 of the defendants. Officers seized 27 firearms, 1,877 rounds of ammunition, more than 11.1 kilograms of marijuana, 300.9 grams of cocaine, 278.91 grams of other illegal drugs, and $34,439 in cash.
The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Byron H. Black and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie C. Bradshaw. They were investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Independence, Mo., Police Department, Missouri State Highway Patrol, the Buchanan County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Johnson County, Kan., Sheriff’s Department and the St. Joseph, Mo., Police Department.
KC Metro Strike Force
This prosecution was brought as a part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Co-located Strike Forces Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations against a continuum of priority targets and their affiliate illicit financial networks. These prosecutor-led co-located Strike Forces capitalize on the synergy created through the long-term relationships that can be forged by agents, analysts, and prosecutors who remain together over time, and they epitomize the model that has proven most effective in combating organized crime. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations, and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States.
Texan gets big sentence after attempting to sell narcoticsRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 41-year-old Pharr resident has been ordered to federal prison following his conviction of conspiring to sell narcotics to undercover law enforcement, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Paublo Rueben pleaded guilty July 27, 2022.
Today, U.S. District Judge David S. Morales ordered Rueben to serve 240 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard about Rueben’s extensive criminal history and the fact that he was on state probation for a narcotics charge at the time of this offense.
During an undercover operation in February 2022, authorities negotiated the purchase of three kilograms of meth and two kilograms of cocaine from a narcotics supplier located in Mexico. They set a time and location to meet with Rueben and his co-defendant, Hector Vasquez Garcia, 46, Alamo, who would be delivering the drugs.
On Feb. 18, 2022, Rueben met with undercover authorities. At that time, they discussed how the narcotics were to be transported and compensation of the supplier.
Shortly after, law enforcement located a vehicle in which Rueben had traveled, conducted a search and located the meth and cocaine in a hidden compartment. Authorities then took Rueben and Garcia into custody.
Rueben will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Garcia is set for sentencing March 29. He remains in custody pending that hearing.
The Drug Enforcement Administration and Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Live Oak County Sheriff’s Office, George West Police Department and Texas Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Barbara J. De Peña prosecuted the case.
Tampa Man Sentenced to over Three Years in Prison for Fraudulently Using Federal GSA Smartpay Account NumbersRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – Senior United States District Judge John Antoon II has sentenced Darius Lopez (27, Tampa) to 3 years and 10 months in federal prison for access device fraud and aggravated identity theft. The court also ordered the forfeiture of $27,008.50, which represents the proceeds Lopez obtained from the fraud. Lopez had pleaded guilty on September 1, 2022.
According to court records, on April 13, 2021, Lopez purchased more than $27,0000 in landscaping equipment from a tractor dealer in Citrus County. During the transactions, Lopez used the unauthorized account numbers of four Department of Agriculture General Services Administration (GSA) Smartpay charge cards. The account numbers were fraudulently embossed on prepaid debit cards. GSA SmartPay provides services to more than 560 federal agencies, organizations, and Native American tribal governments and enables authorized government employees to make purchases on behalf of the federal government in support of their agency or organization’s mission.
This case was investigated by the U.S. General Services Administration - Office of Inspector General, with assistance from the following agencies and financial institutions: U.S. General Services Administration - Office of Inspector General’s Southeast and Caribbean Regional Investigations Office, U.S. Department of Agriculture - Office of Inspector General, Southeast Region, Amtrak - Office of Inspector General, Central Region, U.S. Secret Service Orlando Cyber Fraud Task Force, Citrus County Sheriff's Office, U.S. Bank, Synchrony Bank Special Investigations Team, and Morgan Stanley Corporate Security. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Hannah Nowalk and Tyrie K. Boyer.
St. Joseph Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Illegal FirearmRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A St. Joseph, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for illegally possessing a firearm.
Earl B. Penn, 31, was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips to 15 years in federal prison without parole. Penn was sentenced as an armed career criminal due to his prior felony convictions.
On Aug. 31, 2022, Penn was found guilty at trial of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Evidence introduced during the trial indicated that Penn was in possession of a Taurus 9mm semi-automatic pistol on June 22, 2020.
A St. Joseph Police Department detective and a patrol officer contacted Penn, who had an outstanding warrant for violations of his federal supervised release, on June 22, 2020. Penn provided a false name and attempted to flee before he struggled with the officers and resisted being arrested. Penn struck the officer in the face with the back of his head multiple times and managed to pull the OC spray from the officer’s vest. The detective had to physically remove the OC spray from Penn’s hand in order to prevent him from discharging it.
After Penn was restrained, the detective saw the loaded handgun in Penn’s sweatshirt pouch. Testimony at trial indicated during nearly the entire struggle with law enforcement, Penn’s right hand was under his body where his handgun was stored.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Penn has prior felony convictions for residential burglary, arson, conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine and cocaine, and unlawfully carrying a loaded handgun.
This case was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon E. Gibson, who is a cross-designated prosecutor from the Missouri Attorney General’s office as part of the Safer Streets Initiative to combat violent crime, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph M. Marquez. It was investigated by the St. Joseph, Mo., Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
St. Joseph Man Sentenced for Making Bomb ThreatRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A St. Joseph, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for making a bomb threat against the Social Security Administration field office in St. Joseph.
James C. Curtman, 32, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes to 18 months in federal prison without parole.
On Aug. 11, 2022, Curtman pleaded guilty to one count of influencing a federal officer by threat. Curtman admitted that he threatened to blow up the field office building of the Social Security Administration in St. Joseph.
During a phone appointment on June 3, 2021, Curtman began cursing and yelling at a Social Security Administration employee. While the employee continued to try and help him, Curtman used demeaning and offensive language to refer to the employee and her co-workers. He told the employee he was going to make a bomb and blow up the building. The employee got the attention of the building guard and placed the call on speaker. Curtman continued to curse at the employee, who eventually said she was terminating the call because of the bomb threat and cursing.
The field office was closed early that day and the next day due to concerns over the bomb threat.
The employee told investigators she is accustomed to abusive language, but the bomb threat really concerned her. She was concerned for her co-workers. The employee said it was concerning how Curtman “went from 1 to 100 at the drop of a dime” and she was worried because of his tone of voice, rage, and close location of his address. She said she was worried he would come to the Social Security Administration office and commit violence.
Curtman has a prior conviction for issuing a terrorist threat in August 2020. Curtman called the Department of Social Services in Rolla, Mo., and expressed his frustration with the fact he had been unsuccessfully trying to get food stamps. He used offensive and demeaning language to refer to the state employees handling his food stamp case and referred to his past threats to blow up the food stamp office. Curtman also has a history of threat-related conduct for which he was not criminally charged, including a threat in May 2017 to blow up U.S. Bank, as well as a series of misdemeanor convictions for property damage and threatening the peace.
This case was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Courtney R. Pratten. It was investigated by the Federal Protective Service and the Office of Inspector General, Social Security Administration.
Southwest Georgia Man with Violent Criminal History Pleads Guilty to Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
ALBANY, Ga. – A Southwest Georgia resident with a violent criminal history including convictions for aggravated assault and gang participation pleaded guilty to illegally possessing a firearm in federal court today.
Omar Malik Miller, 35, of Albany, pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon before U.S. District Judge Leslie Gardner. Miller faces a maximum of ten in years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release and a maximum $250,000 fine. Sentencing has not been scheduled. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Repeat offenders with violent criminal histories have no business possessing a firearm and will face federal consequences for this crime,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “Federal agencies are working closely with our local law enforcement partners to identify the most disruptive and violent individuals in the communities we serve and hold them accountable for their crimes at the federal level.”
“The safety of our community is paramount and those who refuse to conduct themselves in a peaceful and lawful manner will be held accountable at the highest level. Gun and gang violence is harming our community and we as a whole must be involved to prevent further destruction of our future generations,” said Chief Michael Persley, Albany Police Department.
According to court documents, Miller was wanted on outstanding local warrants in June 2021. Albany Police Department officers, working with the U.S. Marshals, went to a residence where Miller was staying on Ridgemont Road on June 11, and located a .40 caliber pistol. Miller told officers he had found the firearm in an alley and was planning to sell it.
Miller has prior convictions for aggravated assault, participation in gang activity and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime in Dougherty County, Georgia, Superior Court.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
The case was investigated by the Albany Police Department, the U.S. Marshals and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF).
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Redavid is prosecuting the case for the Government.
South Florida Man Pleads Guilty to Producing and Possessing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
MIAMI – Port St. Lucie, Fla., resident Elijah Daniel Shaw, 22, has pled guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Melissa Damian to producing and possessing child sexual abuse material.
According to Court records, in July, 2022, a Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agent and Martin County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) detectives received information that tattoo artist Dustin Singleton aka “Greenhouse” exchanged narcotics and tattoos for sexual activity with minor females while at his Port St. Lucie tattoo shop.
Two rounds of search warrants were obtained—the first for narcotics and the second for child sexual abuse material, which targeted Singleton’s electronic devices. Forensic examinations of the devices revealed numerous images of Singleton and Shaw engaging in sexually explicit activity with a freshly tattooed minor female victim—recorded inside the tattoo shop.
On August 02, 2022, law enforcement arrested Shaw who identified images/videos of himself, Singleton, and the minor female victim and confirmed that the video was recorded at the tattoo parlor. Shaw’s iCloud account also contained numerous videos, including one of Singleton holding a smoking glass pipe for the minor female victim while he and Shaw engaged in sexually explicit activity with her.
Shaw faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison and up to 30 years in prison followed by a lifetime of supervised release. In addition, he will be required to register as a sex offender.
Singleton, who also was arrested, has a trial date set for April 10, 2023. Singleton, who also was arrested, has a trial date set for April 10, 2023. An indictment is only an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida Markenzy Lapointe and acting Special Agent in Charge Michael E. Buckley, HSI, Miami Field Office, made the announcement.
HSI Fort Pierce Office along with the Martin County Sheriff’s Office, St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office, and Port St. Lucie Police Department investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carmen Lineberger and Michael Porter are prosecuting it.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, PSC marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about the PSC initiative and for information regarding Internet safety, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
Seventh Defendant Pleads Guilty in Large-Scale Sacramento Cocaine and Heroin Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Jerome Adams, 56, of North Highlands, pleaded guilty today to two counts of using a cellphone to facilitate a drug trafficking offense, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, Adams is among the 15 federal defendants arrested in 2021 and charged in a 45-count indictment for trafficking narcotics as part of a DEA-led multi-agency operation targeting cocaine and heroin traffickers in North Sacramento. Adams was intercepted during a 30-day wiretap trafficking crack cocaine, powder cocaine, and heroin.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration; the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Homeland Security Investigations; the U.S. Marshals Service; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the U.S. Forest Service; the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; the Bureau of Land Management; the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation; the California Department of Justice; the California Highway Patrol; the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office; and the Sacramento Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cameron L. Desmond and Aaron D. Pennekamp are prosecuting the case.
Adams is scheduled to be sentenced on May 4, 2023, by U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley. Adams faces a maximum statutory penalty of eight years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
On Dec. 8, 2022, Michael Hampton, 57, of Vallejo, was sentenced to five years in prison for to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute at least 500 grams of cocaine.
On Nov. 17, 2022, Charles Carter, 36, of Sacramento, was sentenced to 70 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute at least 500 grams of cocaine.
On Sept. 29, 2022, Jason Tolbert, 45, of Sacramento, was sentenced to 57 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute cocaine
On Dec. 1, 2022, Bobby Conner, 51, of Sacramento, pleaded guilty to two counts of using a communication facility to facilitate a drug trafficking offense. Conner is scheduled to be sentenced on March 2, 2023.
On Nov. 17, 2022, Arlington Caine, 48, of Rio Linda, and Andre Hellams, 40, of North Highlands, each pleaded guilty to two counts of using a communication facility to facilitate a drug trafficking offense. Hellams is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 9, 2023. Caine is scheduled to be sentenced on March 16, 2023.
Charges are pending against the following defendants: Tyrone Anderson, 40, of Sacramento; Maurice Bryant, 51, of Antelope; Yovanny Ontiveros, 41, of Sacramento; Alex White, 61, of North Highlands; Steven Hampton, 61, of Sacramento; Wilmer Harden, 52, of Elk Grove; Dwight Haney, 49, of Sacramento; and Mark Martin, 62, of Sacramento. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This prosecution is part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. The Sacramento Strike Force is a co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. The specific mission of the Sacramento Strike Force is to identify, investigate, disrupt, and dismantle the most significant drug trafficking organizations (DTOs) and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) shipping narcotics, firearms, and money through the Eastern District of California, thereby reducing the flow of these criminal resources in California and the rest of the United States. The Sacramento Strike Force leads intelligence-driven investigations targeting the leadership and support elements of these DTOs and TCOs operating within the Eastern District of California, regardless of their geographic base of operations.
Seven Individuals Arrested in Connection with $7.5 Million Multi-State Paycheck Protection Program SchemeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Seven individuals, including three from Massachusetts, have been arrested in connection with their alleged involvement in a multi-state scheme to obtain millions of dollars in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) funds for themselves and others through the submission of dozens of fraudulent applications to PPP lenders.
The following individuals are charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit unlawful monetary transactions:
• Wallace Ford, 38, of Buford, Ga.;
• Erin Brown, 40, of Buford, Ga.;
• Adiana Pierre, 39, of Lookout Mountain, Tenn.;
• Gardy Alexandre, 51, of West Palm Beach, Fla.;
• Bill Dessaps, 46, of South Easton, Mass;
• Wens Herby Mathurin, 26, of Brockton, Mass.; and
• Richardson Rhau, 49, of Brockton, Mass.The defendants were released on conditions following initial appearances in federal court in the Northern District of Georgia, the Eastern District of Tennessee, the Southern District of Florida and the District of Massachusetts, respectively.
According to the charging documents, Ford, Brown, Pierre and Alexandre conspired to submit fraudulent PPP applications on behalf of numerous actual or purported businesses and non-profit organizations – including businesses operated by Dessaps and Mathurin – and to collect kickback payments from the borrowers for securing loan amounts.
It is alleged that Ford, who at the time operated three purported businesses or non-profits in Florida, submitted applications for PPP loans for those entities to several lenders in April and May 2020, shortly after PPP funds first became available in April 2020. Ford allegedly inflated the employee and payroll information about these entities on the applications. As a result, Ford obtained $168,121 in PPP funds for these entities.
Beginning in June 2020, Ford allegedly began submitting PPP applications on behalf of others, including Pierre and Alexandre. It is alleged that these applications misrepresented the number of employees and monthly payroll expenses of the applicants, and that Ford submitted these applications with falsified supporting documents. Alexandre and Pierre allegedly received PPP loans of $300,000 and $20,833, respectively, from these applications.
According to the charging documents, between June and August 2020, Ford fraudulently secured PPP funds for at least 27 borrowers. Pierre, Alexandre and others allegedly identified potential applicants and provided those applicants’ information to Ford and Ford’s spouse, Brown. Ford then submitted applications for those borrowers online, fabricating employee numbers and monthly payroll expenses. Ford also allegedly submitted false wage and tax forms in support of the misrepresentations on the applications and as a result, obtained approximately $7 million in PPP funds. It is further alleged that the borrowers who received PPP funds based on these fraudulent applications paid kickbacks to Ford and Brown, Pierre, Alexandre and others, commonly in amounts equal to 10 or 20 percent of the loan amount they received. Collectively, Ford, Brown, Pierre and Alexandre allegedly received over $1 million in kickback payments from borrowers – over $500,000 of which went to Ford and Brown.
The charging documents also allege that, in June 2020, Rhau connected Alexandre with both Dessaps, who operated a used car dealership in Abington, Mass., and Mathurin, who purportedly operated a warehouse and cargo delivery business. It is alleged that Alexandre and Pierre then forwarded information about Dessaps’ and Mathurin’s businesses to Brown and Ford, who submitted PPP applications to Kabbage. The application for Dessaps’ dealership falsely stated that the dealership had 40 employees and average monthly payroll expenses of $334,720. The application for Mathurin’s business falsely stated that the business had 25 employees and average monthly payroll expenses of $125,541. Ford also allegedly submitted falsified wage and tax forms with this application. As a result of the applications, Kabbage disbursed a PPP loan of $836,800 to Dessaps and a PPP loan of $313,852 to Mathurin.
After receiving these funds, both Dessaps and Mathurin allegedly made kickback payments to Alexandre, and Mathurin sent additional payments totaling $45,000 to Rhau. With the PPP funds he received, Dessaps allegedly issued sham payroll checks to himself and his relatives, purchased a new residence for himself in South Easton in his sister’s name, paid $32,000 to French Bulldog breeders and purchased a Rolls Royce. Mathurin allegedly made large payments to himself and two purported co-owners of his business.
The charging documents also allege that Rhau fraudulently obtained $104,166 in PPP funds and $94,800 in other pandemic relief funds as a result of applications containing misrepresentations that he submitted to lenders between April 2020 and April 2021.
The charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000, or twice the gross gain or loss from the scheme, whichever is greater. The charge of conspiracy to commit unlawful monetary transactions provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000, or twice the value of the criminally derived property. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins and Joleen D. Simpson, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney David M. Holcomb of Rollins’ Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexandra W. Amrhein of Rollins’ Asset Recovery Unit 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.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Scranton Police Officer Pleads Guilty to Federal Program Fraud in Connection with Overtime Patrol Shifts at Scranton Area Housing ComplexesRead the Press Release
SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Jeffrey J. Vaughn, age 50, a patrol sergeant in the Scranton Police Department, pleaded guilty before United States District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani to the offense of theft concerning programs receiving federal funds.
The criminal information to which Vaughn pleaded guilty alleges that from July 30, 2021 to April 22, 2022, Vaughn knowingly obtained by fraud over $5,000.00 in compensation that was paid to him for certain extra duty patrol shifts at local, Scranton-area, lower-income housing complexes that Vaughn claimed to work but did not in fact work.
Vaughn acknowledged that the monetary loss attributable to his conduct was between $6,500.00 and $15,000.00, and that he abused a position of public trust, namely, that of police patrol sergeant, in a manner that significantly facilitated the commission of his offense. Vaughn also agreed to make restitution to the affected housing complexes in the amount of $11,243.00.
This case was investigated by the Scranton Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Public Corruption Task Force, which consists of members of the Pennsylvania State Police and the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office, and federal agents from the FBI and Internal Revenue Service. Assistant United States Attorneys Jeffery St John and Philip J. Caraballo are prosecuting the case.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 10 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
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Savannah man faces prison after admitting to bank robberyRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: A Chatham County man faces up to 20 years in federal prison after admitting that he robbed a Savannah bank, just seven years after he was sent to state prison for a prior bank robbery.
Shawn Kelly, 45, of Savannah, awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to one count of Bank Robbery, said David H. Estes, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. The guilty plea subjects Kelly to a statutory penalty of up to 20 years in prison and substantial financial penalties, followed by up to three years of supervised release after completion of any prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Shawn Kelly is a repeat offender whose actions terrorized bank employees – exactly the type of criminal the city of Savannah sought the help of our office in removing from their streets,” said U.S. Attorney Estes. “Our partnership in bringing on board a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney dedicated to reducing violent crime in Savannah will continue to pay such dividends.”
As described in the plea agreement, Kelly admitted that on Sept. 15, 2022, he entered the Wells Fargo Bank at 136 Bull Street and demanded money from a teller. After receiving $2,200 in cash, he left the bank on foot. Responding officers from the Savannah Police Department located Kelly and found him inside a restroom at the Chatham Area Transit station changing clothes, with the cash from the robbery in his pocket.
Kelly previously was convicted on a state charge of robbery in Gwinnett County and sentenced to prison in 2015. He was on parole from that conviction at the time of the Wells Fargo robbery.
“State prison was apparently not enough of a teaching moment for Kelly because he returned to his bank-robbing ways while he was still on parole for the last bank robbery he committed,’ said Keri Farley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “Thanks to the assistance of our partners with the Savannah Police Department, he’ll have up to 20 years in federal prison to think about what he’ll do the next time he is released from prison.”
This investigation took place under the umbrella of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer.
The FBI and the Savannah Police Department investigated the case, which is being prosecuted for the United States by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Makeia Jonese and Assistant U.S. Attorney E. Gregory Gilluly Jr.
Savani Group Owners and Associates Charged in Racketeering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced today the unsealing of a sweeping 42-count indictment charging defendants Bhaskar Savani (56), Arun Savani (55), Niranjan Savani (51), Amen Dhyllon (45), Alesksandra Radomiak (44) - all of Montgomery County; and Sunil Phillip (56) of Bucks County, with a conspiracy under the Racketeering Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, or RICO as it is commonly called, alleging racketeering activity involving visa fraud, under 18 U.S.C. § 1546, related to a scheme to file false applications and petitions for H-1B visas; wire fraud, under 18 U.S.C. § 1343, related to a health care fraud scheme to fraudulently obtain Medicaid contracts and fraudulently bill Medicaid; money laundering, under 18 U.S.C. §§ 1956 and 1957, related to the laundering of the health care fraud proceeds; wire fraud, under 18 U.S.C. § 1343, related to a scheme to file false tax returns; and mail fraud, under 18 U.S.C. § 1341, related to the distribution and placement in human patients of prototype “Not For Human Use” dental implants that were not cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Bhaskar, Arun and Niranjan Savani, and defendants Vivek Savani (35), Bharatkumar Parasana (55), and Hiteshkumar Goyani (29), also of Montgomery County, PA and Piyusha Patel (41), a resident of Iowa, were charged with conspiracy to commit visa fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371. Bhaskar, Arun and Niranjan Savani, and Piyusha Patel were charged with visa fraud.
Bhaskar and Arun Savani, and defendant Susan Malpartida (26) of Passaic County, NJ were charged with conspiring to obstruct a grand jury investigation.
Bhaskar, Arun and Niranjan Savani, Amen Dhyllon and Aleksandra Radomiak were charged with conspiracy to commit health care fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1349, and various counts of health care fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1347.
Bhaskar and Arun Savani, Sunil Philip and Amen Dhyllon were charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1956(h). Bhaskar and Arun Savani were charged with various counts of money laundering, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1956 and 1957.
Bhaskar, Arun and Niranjan Savani and Sunil Philip were charged with a conspiracy to defraud the United States Treasury, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371, and wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343, for a scheme to file false tax returns.
Bhaskar and Niranjan Savani and defendant Jon Julian of South Carolina (70) were charged in a conspiracy to distribute adulterated and misbranded dental implants, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371.
As alleged in the indictment, the Savani brothers built a complex criminal enterprise (the “Savani Group”) that amassed millions of dollars through multiple fraud schemes. Bhaskar and Niranjan Savani were dentists by training. Defendant Arun Savani generally controlled the finances of the Savani Group. Through their criminal enterprise, the Savani brothers orchestrated long-running schemes to enrich themselves, including through:
- A visa fraud scheme to file false H-1B visa applications and petitions with the U.S. Department of Labor, U. S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, and the U.S. Department of State to exploit a workforce comprised of foreign nationals, mostly from India, who were dependent on the Savani Group, were forced to kickback wages and fees to the Savani Group.
- A health care fraud scheme to fraudulently obtain Medicaid contracts and fraudulently bill Medicaid using myriad of business entities and nominee business owners after Savani Group dental practices were terminated from Medicaid insurance contracts. The Savani Group defrauded Medicaid of more than $80 million through the scheme.
- A money laundering scheme to launder health care fraud proceeds through a complex web of financial transactions using numerous bank accounts at various banks.
- A wire fraud scheme involving false business expenses and the failure to report some taxable payroll to fraudulently decrease the amount of personal and payroll taxes due and owing. Through the scheme the Savani brothers and their companies failed to pay approximately $2 million in personal and payroll taxes, and fraudulently expensed through their businesses, among other personal expenses, improvements on a vacation property; payments to an elite private college preparatory school; college tuition payments; and car payments for personal cars of family members.
- A mail fraud scheme involving Osseolink USA LLC to place prototype “Not For Human Use” dental implants, not cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, in human patients without their knowledge or consent. Dental practices alleged to be involved in this scheme include AAA Signature Smile PC in Fort Washington, PA, and The Dental Retreat in Travelers Rest, SC.
If convicted, Bhaskar, Arun and Niranjan Savani, respectively, face a statutory maximum sentence of 430 years’ imprisonment, 425 years’ imprisonment, and 115 years’ imprisonment. Bhaskar and Arun Savani face fines of $10,750,000, and Niranjan Savani faces fines of $2,750,000. Other members of the RICO conspiracy face substantial sentences. Defendant Sunil Philip faces up to 105 years’ imprisonment and fines of $1,750,000; defendant Amen Dhyllon faces 110 years’ imprisonment and fines of approximately $2,500,000; and defendant Aleksandra Radomiak faces 50 years’ imprisonment and fines of approximately $1,000,000. The other defendants also face imprisonment and fines, as follows: defendants Vivek Savani, Bharatkumar Parasana, and Hiteshkumar Goyani each face 5 years’ imprisonment and fines of approximately $250,000 for their roles in the visa fraud conspiracy; Piyusha Patel faces 15 years’ imprisonment and a $500,000 fine for her visa fraud crimes; and defendants Jon Julian and Susan Malpartida each face 5 years’ imprisonment and fines of approximately $250,000 for conspiring to distribute adulterated and misbranded dental implants and obstruction of justice, respectively.
“This complex, multi-year investigation is an example of federal law enforcement at its best,” said U.S. Attorney Jacqueline Romero. “Through the coordinated efforts of almost a dozen state and federal law enforcement agencies, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section and Organized Crime and Gang Section of the Department of Justice, this group of dedicated public servants unraveled a tangled and complex web of alleged criminal activity designed to thwart justice. Through the unyielding work of all our law enforcement partners we were able to bring these charges and now will seek to hold persons accountable for these crimes.”
“Fraud and abuse take critical resources out of our healthcare system and cost taxpayers tens of billions of dollars each year,” said Jacqueline Maguire, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia Division. “The FBI has been working alongside our state and federal partners on this investigation, we’re proud of the collaboration that’s led to these charges, and we’ll continue our joint efforts to hold anyone fleecing the U.S. government accountable.”
“Health care providers, who have a duty to practice in their patients’ best interests, are especially deceitful when they commit Medicaid fraud,” stated Special Agent in Charge Maureen R. Dixon with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “To assist in investigating the alleged illicit activity announced in today’s takedown, agents at HHS-OIG employed our suite of data analytics tools to identify and examine concerning trends. We will continue to work tirelessly with our partners to detect, investigate, and deter deception that jeopardizes the integrity of federal health care programs and services.”
“Criminal charges like the ones outlined in this indictment underscore the financial expertise and diligence of the IRS-CI special agents, who worked side-by-side with other federal law enforcement officers and the United States Attorney’s Office, to uncover these schemes and bring these charges against these defendants,” said IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge Yury Kruty.
“The synchronized efforts of the diligent investigators and prosecutors who teamed together on this years-long investigation have been extraordinary,” said William S. Walker, Special Agent in Charge of HSI’s Philadelphia office. “One of HSI’s primary missions is to detect and dismantle criminal organizations who exploit financial systems to fuel their greedy endeavors. Results like those obtained through these indictments are only realized through teamwork and information sharing. Without the dedication and tireless work of the multiple agencies involved in this investigation, this fraudulent conspiracy might still be active today.”
“This is a perfect illustration of DSS’ global reach with our network of DSS agents and investigative teams at U.S. embassies and consulates worldwide, and our skill in uncovering larger criminal enterprises while investigating visa fraud allegations,” said Mike Escott, Resident Agent in Charge at the DSS Philadelphia Resident Office. “When a United States-based business engages in a conspiracy to commit visa fraud to illegally bring workers to the United States to exploit that labor, DSS partners with our allies to bring them to justice, protecting American
“FDA takes seriously the requirement that devices have the proper approval or clearance before being introduced into interstate commerce,” said Special Agent in Charge George A. Scavdis, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations Metro Washington Field Office. “We will continue to pursue those who skirt these requirements and jeopardize the public health.”
“An important part of the mission of the Office of Inspector General is to investigate allegations of fraud related to the foreign labor certification programs administered by the U.S. Department of Labor,” stated Syreeta Scott, Special Agent in Charge, Mid-Atlantic Region, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate these types of allegations.”
The case was investigated by the following agencies: the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Health and Human Services-Office of Inspector General; Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations Division; Homeland Security Investigations; the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service; U.S. Food and Drug Administration-Office of Criminal Investigations; Department of Labor-Office of Inspector General; Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General; and State of Iowa Medicaid Fraud Control Unit.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Lesley Bonney, Kevin Jayne, and Meaghan Flannery, and Department of Justice Money Laundering Section Attorneys Darrin McCollough, Senior Policy Advisor, and Colin Trundle, Trial Attorney. The asset seizure and forfeiture is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Grieb.
An indictment, information, or criminal complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Rochester Man Sentenced to 70 Months for Distributing FentanylRead the Press Release
CONCORD – Justin Smith, 34, of Rochester was sentenced today to 70 months in federal prison for one count of distributing 40 grams and more of fentanyl, United States Attorney Jane E. Young announced.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on August 27, 2019, at the direction of Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents, a cooperating individual (CI) met with the defendant, Justin Smith, to purchase 200 grams of fentanyl. Smith explained that he had just sold off some of his supply and only had 100 grams available, which he agreed to sell to the CI the following day.
On August 28, 2019, at the direction of the FBI, the CI drove to Smith’s apartment wearing a recording device. After approximately 20 minutes, surveillance units observed Smith leave his apartment and enter the CI’s car with a second individual. Once inside the car, Smith produced the fentanyl from a pocket and completed the deal. The CI noticed that Smith had a firearm in another pocket. Smith explained that he had just obtained the gun prior to the deal. Smith handed the firearm to the second individual who unloaded it prior to handing it to the CI. After handling the gun briefly to examine it, the CI handed the gun back to Smith. The defendant and the other individual then left the car. After they departed, the CI provided the drugs to a control agent. Laboratory analysis later confirmed the drugs to be 100.8 grams of fentanyl.
“This office will prosecute criminals who carry guns and deal drugs to the fullest extent of the law,” said U.S. Attorney Young. “This defendant sold over 100 grams of fentanyl. Thanks to the efforts of the FBI, we were able to bring the defendant to justice.”
“Criminals like Justin Smith have no business possessing deadly firearms for any reason, let alone to facilitate trafficking deadly fentanyl,” said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. “Today’s sentence is another example of the FBI’s commitment to working with our law enforcement partners to take back our communities from violent drug traffickers and make our streets safer.”
This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Gingrande.
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Riverview Man Pleads Guilty to Two Armed RobberiesRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Jamaal Black (22, Riverview) today pleaded guilty to two counts of interference with commerce by robbery and one count of discharging a firearm during and in relation to one of the robberies. Black faces a maximum penalty of 20 years on each robbery count. The firearm offense carries a minimum mandatory penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison consecutive to any other term of imprisonment. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the plea agreement, on January 30, 2021, Black entered a gas station in Riverview, pulled out a pistol with an extended magazine, aimed it at the clerk, and demanded money. Black attempted to go behind the counter when the clerk refused to give Black the money. Black then engaged in an altercation with the clerk and shot the clerk in the arm during the struggle. The clerk fell to the ground. Black approached the clerk, aimed the firearm at the clerk, and repeated the demand for money. The clerk, bleeding profusely from his gunshot wound, complied, went to the cash register and gave Black the contents. Black escaped the gas station with $200.
Two months later, on March 14, 2021, Black committed another robbery using a minor female to arrange for a marijuana transaction. The girl went to a local drug dealer’s home under the guise of purchasing marijuana. Black approached the dealer when the dealer retrieved the marijuana for the sale. Black pressed a firearm to the drug dealer’s head and demanded the marijuana. The drug dealer threw the marijuana at Black and retreated into the home.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Charlie D. Connally.
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.
Registered Sex Offender Who Attempted to Have Sex with 11 Y/O Girl Pleads Guilty to New Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051ROCHESTER, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Mathew Schulman, 36, of Rochester, NY, pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography following a previous conviction before Chief U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford. The charge carries a minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum of 20 years, a lifetime period of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle P. Rossi, who is handling the case, stated that between May 2021, and June 2022, Shulman engaged in sexually explicit online communications with who he believed was an 11-year-old girl, but was actually an undercover New York State Police (NYSP) Investigator. During the conversations, Shulman asked the child produce and send to him child pornography, and tried to persuade the child to meet him for sex. Shulman also distributed child pornography depicting prepubescent minors in an attempt to groom the child for sexual activity. On June 7, 2022, the NYSP and Homeland Security Investigations executed a search warrant at Shulman’s Rochester residence and took him into custody. At the time of his arrest, Shulman was a registered sex offender on probation for a June 2016 conviction of possessing child pornography in Monroe County Court.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Brian Ratajczak and Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Scarpino.
Sentencing is scheduled for June 8, 2023, at 2:30 p.m. before Judge Wolford.
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Preston Man Charged with Child Exploitation OffensesRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Jean Pierre Njock, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, today announced that JOEL HUNTSMAN, also known as “Jay Huntsman, “Joel Feser,” and “Jay Blackburn”), 34, of Preston, was arrested yesterday on a federal criminal complaint charging him with child exploitation offenses.
After his arrest, Huntsman appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert M. Spector in New Haven and was ordered detained.
As alleged in court documents, in June 2022, the Kik mobile messenger application submitted a CyberTip to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (“NCMEC”) that a user, subsequently identified as Huntsman, had distributed child sex abuse images and videos to another Kik user. On November 2, 2022, the Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted a court-authorized search of Huntsman’s residence and seized multiple items, including two mobile phones. Analysis of the seized phones revealed images of child pornography.
The complaint charges Huntsman with distribution of child pornography, which carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years, and with possession of child pornography, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.
U.S. Attorney Avery stressed that a complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This matter is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Connecticut State Police. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel E. Cummings and Nancy V. Gifford.
This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com.
Pittsburgh Man Pleads Guilty to Distributing and Possessing Heroin and Fentanyl; Acknowledges Responsibility for Causing a DeathRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA -- A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of violating federal narcotic laws, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
Devontay Montaze Green, age 29, pleaded guilty to one count of distribution and possession with intent to distribute a mixture containing heroin and fentanyl before Senior United States District Judge Joy Flowers Conti. Green also acknowledged responsibility for distributing a mixture of heroin and fentanyl resulting in death.
In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that on the morning of Oct. 31, 2018, K.K. was found dead in the basement of an Alison Park, PA residence. Paramedics and the McCandless Police Department responded to the residence. Paramedics were unable to resuscitate K.K., and he was pronounced dead at the scene. The McCandless Police Department recovered drug use paraphernalia and ripped, empty stamp bags marked “Hurricane Harvey” in red ink and “Burger King” in blue ink near his body. Law enforcement also recovered K.K.’s cellular phone and provided all evidence to the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Opioid Task Force.
K.K.’s cellular phone contained text messages with a third-party from the evening of Oct. 30, 2018. The texts revealed that K.K. and the third-party sought to purchase bundles of a controlled substance from the third-party’s drug dealer. Using these text messages, the FBI contacted the third-party, who confirmed that he and K.K. had purchased four bundles of “Hurricane Harvey” and “Burger King” from an individual known to him as “Trey” on the evening of Oct. 30, 2018. A bundle is typically comprised of ten glassine bags containing controlled substances that are packaged together using a rubber band.
On Nov. 1, 2018, the FBI directed the third-party to text “Trey” to arrange for the controlled purchase of the same stamps recovered at K.K.’s death scene. When asked for “Hurricane Harvey,” “Trey” responded that he had Burger King, which he described as “blue” and “even better.” “Trey” also texted that he had “Hurricane” and that he would save some for the third-party. Subsequently, the third-party met “Trey” in the Carrick area of Pittsburgh. The third-party purchased approximately two bundles from “Trey” marked “Hurricane Harvey” in red ink and “Burger King” in blue ink. The third-party immediately provided the bundles to law enforcement and confirmed that he purchased them from “Trey.”
Following the controlled purchase operation, law enforcement conducted mobile surveillance of “Trey” as he entered a silver Lincoln sedan as a passenger. The Lincoln stopped in a high-drug trafficking area before re-entering traffic. Thereafter, a law enforcement officer detected the odor of marijuana emanating from the Lincoln and requested a marked unit conduct a traffic stop. A dashcam video recorded the Lincoln briefly stop before speeding away and crashing. Law enforcement detained both the driver and “Trey” as they fled on foot from the crash.
From outside the Lincoln, law enforcement observed a plastic bag containing packaged controlled substances in plain view on the floorboard. Law enforcement seized the bag and found 16 bricks, a majority of which bore the “Burger King” stamp in blue ink. A brick is typically comprised of fifty glassine bags containing controlled substances that are packaged together using a rubber band. In addition to the bricks, law enforcement recovered several cellular phones at the scene of the crash.
The FBI then transported “Trey,” who was identified as Green, to an FBI building for an interview. Following a written waiver of his rights, Green admitted to selling heroin prior to the vehicle pursuit, to obtaining about 15 bricks from his source of supply prior to the vehicle pursuit, and to previously obtaining the “Hurricane” stamp from his source of supply.
Also during his interview, Green identified which of the cellular phones recovered near the crash belonged to him. Additionally, Green provided written consent to search his cellular phone. The data extraction of the phone revealed communications between Green and the third-party. The communications reflect Green’s sale of controlled substances to the third-party on or about Oct. 30, 2018, and again on Nov. 1, 2018.
The FBI conducted historical cellular site analysis on the cellular phones used by K.K., the third party, and Green from the evening of Oct. 30, 2018. The analysis revealed that K.K. both communicated and traveled with the third-party to meet with Green. The cellular site analysis further revealed that the three individuals were briefly in the same area before K.K. returned to his Alison Park residence.
The Office of the Medical Examiner, Allegheny County, conducted a death investigation into the cause of K.K.’s death. The drug chemistry section confirmed that the “Hurricane Harvey” and “Burger King” purchased and seized from Green on Nov. 1, 2018, contained a mixture of heroin and fentanyl. The toxicology section determined that K.K.’s blood contained a lethal level of both fentanyl and morphine, which is indicative of heroin use. A forensic toxicologist further determined that K.K.’s toxicology report was consistent with the use of the substances found in “Hurricane Harvey” and “Burger King.” Finally, a forensic pathologist determined that K.K. died of a drug overdose. K.K. would be alive if it were not for the presence of fentanyl and morphine in his blood.
Judge Conti scheduled sentencing for May 18, 2023, at 1:30 pm. The law provides for a term of imprisonment not more than 20 years, a fine of $1,000,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Pending sentencing, the court continued Green on bond.
Assistant United States Attorney Brendan J. McKenna is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Opioid Task Force and the McCandless Police Department conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Green.
Pelahatchie Man Convicted of Trafficking HeroinRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – On January 25, 2023, a federal jury convicted a Pelahatchie man for trafficking heroin in Rankin and Hinds counties during 2017 and 2018.
U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca, Special Agent in Charge Brad L. Byerley of the Drug Enforcement Administration and Director Steve Maxwell of the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics made the announcement.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, John Moore, also known as “Mo Money,” age 55, conspired with and supplied heroin to Erica Rhodes, of Forest, Mississippi. Rhodes distributed and sold the heroin on multiple occasions in Pelahatchie and in the Jackson metropolitan area.
John Moore is scheduled to be sentenced on April 18, 2023, at 9:00 a.m. and faces a maximum penalty of life in prison. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Erica Rhodes was convicted in Rankin County Circuit Court in 2019, receiving a 15-year jail sentence for her role in the drug trafficking operation.
This case is the result of an extensive joint federal and state investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, the Rankin County District Attorney’s Office, the Rankin County Sheriff’s Office, the Scott County Sheriff’s Office, the Ridgeland Police Department, the Pearl Police Department, the Flowood Police Department, the National Guard Counter Drug Unit, the Hinds County Sheriff’s Office, and the Jackson Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carla J. Clark and Charles W. Kirkham prosecuted the case.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.