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Tuesday 17 January 2023
Mexican women sent to prison for smuggling heroin balls in potato chip bagsRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – Two women residing in Monterrey, Mexico, have been ordered to federal prison for their roles in importing nearly 1000 grams of heroin, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Maria Luisa Hernandez-Alanis, 41, and Tania Melissa Coutino-Hernandez, 40, pleaded guilty Nov. 1, 2022.
Today, U.S. District Judge Marina Garcia Marmolejo imposed a 36-month term of imprisonment for both women. Not U.S. citizens, they will be expected to face removal proceedings following their sentences. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence regarding their roles in the crime, determining that they each agreed equally to participate in the scheme. In handing down the prison terms, Judge Marmolejo noted heroin is a very serious problem in the United States, resulting in thousands of overdose deaths every year.
At the time of their pleas, they admitted that on Sept. 4, 2022, they arrived at the Juarez-Lincoln Bridge Port of Entry in Laredo in a vehicle. They applied for entry into the United States by presenting B1/B2 tourist visas.
At secondary inspection, law enforcement discovered two yellow bags of potato chips inside of Coutino-Hernandez’s purse. The bags appeared to be sealed and unopened. However, the contents felt like a heavy ball. Further inspection revealed the bags contained heroin bundles weighing 983.9 grams.
The investigation revealed the pair were both aware of the drugs and were going to be paid $300 each to cross into the country with them. The co-conspirators planned on returning to Mexico with a large amount of cash.
Both have been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation with the assistance of Customs and Border Protection. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul A. Harrison prosecuted the case.
Leader of Trenton Drug Trafficking Conspiracy Sentenced to 19 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – A Trenton man was sentenced today to 228 months in prison for his role as the leader of a significant drug trafficking conspiracy that distributed more than one kilogram of heroin in Trenton and the surrounding area, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Jakir Taylor, aka “Jak,” 32, previously pleaded guilty before Chief U.S. District Judge Freda L. Wolfson to Counts One and Seven of the first superseding indictment charging him with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Chief Judge Wolfson imposed the sentence today in Trenton federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From October 2017 to October 2018, Taylor and others engaged in a large narcotics conspiracy that operated in the areas of Martin Luther King Boulevard, Sanford Street, Middle Rose Street, Southard Street, Hoffman Avenue, and Coolidge Avenue in Trenton, and which sought to profit from the distribution of heroin and numerous other controlled substances. Taylor and conspirator Jerome Roberts obtained regular supplies of hundreds of “bricks” of heroin from conspirator David Antonio, whom they referred to as “Papi.” Taylor and Roberts agreed to obtain from Antonio a “motherlode” supply of as many as 1,500 bricks – approximately 1.5 kilograms of heroin – in a single delivery. Taylor said that he intended to “flood the streets” of Trenton with this large supply. Taylor also admitted that he and his conspirators possessed at least one firearm to assist his drug trafficking operations, and on multiple occasions during the conspiracy Taylor actively sought to obtain additional firearms from other sources. During coordinated arrests on Oct. 25, 2018, law enforcement arrested Taylor, Roberts, Antonio, and other defendants, and recovered more than 1.4 kilograms of heroin from Antonio’s residence.
In addition to the prison term, Chief Judge Wolfson sentenced Taylor to five years of supervised release.
In October 2018, Taylor, and 25 other individuals were charged by criminal complaint with conspiracy to distribute heroin. On Apr. 11, 2019, a grand jury returned a nine-count superseding indictment charging Taylor and eight other defendants with conspiracy to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin and various other drug and firearm offenses. Twenty-three of the 26 defendants charged in the complaint have pleaded guilty. The remaining three were convicted after trial in October 2021.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, Newark Division, Trenton Resident Agency, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark; special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Newark Field Division, Trenton Field Office, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Bryan Miller; officers of the Trenton Police Department, under the direction of Acting Police Director Steve Wilson; officers of the Princeton Police Department, under the direction of Chief of Police Nicholas Sutter; officers of the Ewing Police Department, under the direction of Chief of Police John P. Stemler III; officers of the Burlington Township Police Department, under the direction of Police Director Bruce Painter; and detectives of the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor LaChia L. Bradshaw, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing.
He also thanked officers of the N.J. State Police, under the direction of Superintendent Col. Patrick J. Callahan; detectives of the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Angelo Onofri; officers of the Mercer County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff John A. Kemler; and members of the N.J. State Board of Parole for their assistance in the case.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys J. Brendan Day and Alexander Ramey of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Criminal Division in Trenton.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The charges and allegations against the remaining defendants are merely accusations and those defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Las Vegas Man Sentenced to More than 14 Years in Prison for Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Raymond Jaquette Howard, 34, of Las Vegas, Nevada, was sentenced today to 14 years and eight months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Howard admitted to selling approximately 1.01 grams of fentanyl to a confidential informant at a Huntington motel on September 22, 2021. On November 16, 2021, law enforcement officers searched Howard’s motel room and found approximately 4.6 pounds of fentanyl and a loaded Glock 43x pistol hidden in the ceiling. Howard admitted that he intended to sell the fentanyl.
Howard further admitted to directing co-defendant David Anthony Wellman to sell quantities of fentanyl between September 2021 and December 2021. Wellman pleaded guilty to distribution of fentanyl on September 28, 2022.
On December 24, 2021, law enforcement officers conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle in which Howard was a passenger. Officers searched the vehicle and found approximately 399.6 grams of fentanyl in a backpack. Howard admitted that he intended to sell the fentanyl or direct others to sell the fentanyl on his behalf.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Violent Crime and Drug Task Force West, and the West Virginia State Police.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie S. Taylor prosecuted the case.
This case was prosecuted as part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (SOS), an enforcement surge that has sought to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids in high impact areas.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:22-cr-102.
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Kissimmee Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Possessing Ricin in Plot to Kill Former PartnerRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Wendy W. Berger has sentenced Kevin Deane Jones (50, Kissimmee) to 10 years in federal prison for unlawfully possessing ricin, a biological toxin, and for possessing two firearms as a convicted felon. Jones was also ordered to forfeit the two firearms. Jones had pleaded guilty on May 10, 2022.
According to court documents and evidence presented during the sentencing hearing, on December 6, 2021, the FBI received a complaint that Jones had manufactured ricin intending to use it to kill his former partner. Law enforcement officers then learned that Jones had ordered numerous items from the internet to produce ricin, had reportedly tested water guns to see which ones leaked, and had said that he would go on vacation immediately after spraying his former partner in the face with the ricin, so that he would have an alibi when she died.
On December 17, 2021, law enforcement officers learned that Jones intended to travel to another state, where his former partner lived. Officers stopped Jones, and he admitted to manufacturing ricin. Officers found a plastic water gun in Jones’s truck, as well as five tubes filled with liquids that later tested positive for ricin. A search of Jones’s residence revealed additional tubes containing ricin, along with castor beans, documents pertaining to ricin, and approximately 200 rounds of various types of ammunition.
Additional investigation revealed that on December 6, 2021, Jones, a convicted felon who is prohibited from possessing firearms, was questioned by agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) regarding his possession of weapons. Following the ATF visit, Jones removed multiple firearms and ammunition and took them to a storage unit rented in his name. Law enforcement later searched the storage unit and found a rifle, handgun, silencer, and approximately 3,000 rounds of various types of ammunition.
“This investigation demonstrates the strength of our law enforcement partnerships and the determination of the special agents and officers who risk their lives every day to rid our communities of dangerous individuals like Mr. Jones,” said FBI Tampa Division Special Agent in Charge David Walker.
“We appreciate the efforts of our partners in federal law enforcement for helping to bring Mr. Jones to justice,” said Sheriff Marcos Lopez. “He is a dangerous individual who put not only the victim, but the community at risk. He deserves to be in prison for a long time.”
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer M. Harrington.
Kenmore Man Pleads Guilty to Mail Fraud and Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y.- U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Michael MacPherson, 56, of Kenmore, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara to mail fraud and tax evasion. The charges carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles M. Kruly, who is handling the case, stated that in January 2017, MacPherson solicited an individual from Kansas to invest in a bulk cigarette deal, telling the individual that he had an agreement with a Native American tribe in New York State to purchase cigarettes at a discounted rate and resell them at a significant markup. MacPherson claimed that, in exchange for a $75,000 investment, the individual would receive a 15-20% return within 90 to 120 days. The individual sent MacPherson a check made payable to Paget Trust, LLC, the company through which MacPherson primarily operated his business activities. MacPherson, however, did not buy cigarettes, instead spending the money on payments to the Niagara Falls Country Club and Canisius High School, airline flights, hotels, car rental, utilities, retail purchases, gas, clothing, groceries, restaurants, and other merchants.
In December 2017, MacPherson contacted the individual again to solicit a $20,000 investment for the purchase of carbon fiber, representing that the individual would receive his principal investment, in addition to a 30% return, within 180 days. The individual sent MacPherson a check for $20,000, made payable once again to Paget Trust, LLC. Once again, MacPherson did not use the money as stated, instead using it to pay a defaulted business loan, cash withdrawals, airline flights, car rental, utilities, retail purchases, gas, groceries, restaurants, hockey tickets, and other merchants.
In addition, between 2015 and April 15, 2019, MacPherson attempted to evade income taxes for calendar years 2015 and 2017. For tax year 2015, he failed to file a federal income tax return despite receiving gross income totaling approximately $265,254, including approximately $232,500 from a second individual. Once again, MacPherson used the money on personal expenses. For the 2017 tax year, MacPherson omitted approximately $80,156 in gross business receipts. The amount of tax loss to the United States is $93,815.00.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Boston Division, under the direction of Inspector in Charge Ketty Larco-Ward, and the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Thomas Fattorusso.
Sentencing is scheduled for May 25, 2023, before Judge Arcara.
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Kansas Man Charged with Smuggling Firearms into MexicoRead the Press Release
DEL RIO, Texas – A federal grand jury in Del Rio returned an indictment last week charging a Kansas man with smuggling firearms, ammunition and other firearm accessories from the United States into Mexico.
According to court documents, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers conducting outbound inspections at the Eagle Pass Camino Real Bridge II on Dec. 16, 2022, searched a pickup and utility trailer operated by Jose Guadalupe Martinez-Ortiz, 28, of Garden City, Kansas. CBP officers found three handguns, four magazines, three gun scopes, and more than 1,000 rounds of ammunition. Martinez-Ortiz appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Victor R. Garcia of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas on Dec. 19, 2022.
The one-count indictment charges Martinez-Ortiz with smuggling goods from the United States. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas and Acting Special Agent in Charge Craig Larrabee of the Department of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) San Antonio Division made the announcement.
HSI and CBP are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Brown is prosecuting it.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Huntington Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Shawn Anthony Graves, 29, of Huntington, was sentenced today to one year and one day in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute cocaine and cocaine base, also known as “crack.”
According to court documents and statements made in court, Graves admitted to possessing approximately 15.4 grams of crack and 4.5 grams of cocaine found by law enforcement officers when they executed a search warrant at a 14th Street residence on November 7, 2019. Graves admitted he intended to distribute the controlled substances, and further admitted to selling additional quantities of crack at the 14th Street residence on September 26, 2019 and October 28, 2019, each time to a confidential informant.
During the November 7, 2019, search of the 14th Street residence, officers also found three loaded firearms: an Eagle Arms AR15 .223-caliber rifle; a Springfield XDS 9mm pistol; and a Taurus Judge Public Defender, .45/.410-caliber pistol. Co-defendant Marshall Lee Graves II was sentenced to six years and four months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm on August 24, 2022.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Huntington Violent Crime and Drug Task Force, and the Huntington Police Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Courtney L. Cremeans prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:21-cr-181.
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Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Kameron I. Ziegler, 23, of Huntington, pleaded guilty today to aiding and abetting the distribution of 5 grams or more of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on May 6, 2022, Kilan Nicks, also known as “Low,” sold approximately 29 grams of methamphetamine and 3 grams of fentanyl to a confidential informant at a Roby Road residence in Huntington. Ziegler admitted to being at the residence and providing the methamphetamine to Nicks in advance of the sale to the informant.
Ziegler is scheduled to be sentenced on April 17, 2023, and faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 40 year in prison, four years of supervised release, and a $5 million fine.
Nicks pleaded guilty on November 21, 2021, to distribution of 5 grams or more of methamphetamine and a quantity of fentanyl and to possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Nicks is scheduled to be sentenced on March 6, 2023, and faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison, five years of supervised release, and a $5 million fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Cabell County Sheriff’s Office.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams is prosecuting the case.
The investigation was part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). OCDETF was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and is the keystone of the Department of Justice’s drug reduction strategy. Today, OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations, and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:22-cr-118.
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Hilton Man Going to Prison for CyberstalkingRead 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 David Guest, 25, of Hilton, NY, who was convicted of cyberstalking, was sentenced to 27 months in prison by U.S. District Judge David G. Larimer.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle P. Rossi, who handled the case, stated that in 2019, Guest began threatening and harassing an acquaintance (victim) through various social media accounts. Guest posted nude photographs of the victim to various porn websites with the victim’s full name and sent nude photographs of the victim to the victim’s family members, colleagues, former classmates, and friends. Guest also used fake online accounts in an attempt to extort the victim into producing additional sexually explicit content. As a result of Guest’s conduct, the victim suffered extreme emotional distress.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Rochester Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Darren Cox.# # # #
Hawaii Couple Charged with Fraud and Money Laundering for Selling Counterfeit ArtRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced the unsealing of an indictment charging Earl Marshawn Washington, age 60, and his wife, Zsanett Nagy, age 31, both residents of Honolulu, HI, with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, mail fraud, and money laundering, and charging Washington separately with bank fraud and conspiracy to commit bank fraud.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that from 2018 to 2021, Washington and Nagy sold counterfeit artistic goods known as “woodblocks” or “woodcuts” to various buyers and then laundered the proceeds from the sale of those goods. According to the indictment, xylography is the art of making “woodcuts,” or engravings made from wooden blocks, especially for printing using historical techniques. In traditional xylography, an artist uses a sharpened tool to carve a design into the surface of a woodblock. The raised areas that remain after the block has been cut are inked and printed, while the recessed areas that are cut away do not retain ink and will remain blank in the final print. Woodblock images can be printed onto paper, fabrics, textiles, or other materials. The technique has been used in different geographic regions at different times. One woodblock tradition stems from Germany starting around the 14th century and continuing for several hundred years thereafter.
The indictment also alleges that Washington and Nagy sold inauthentic woodblocks and prints made from woodblocks that they advertised as being from between the 15th and early 20th centuries. The buyers included a pair of woodblock collectors residing in France, as well as a buyer of a woodblock print who then resided in Hummelstown, PA. The buyers of the woodblocks in France allegedly made $84,350.91in PayPal payments to Nagy before learning that the woodblocks they purchased were not from the 15th and 16th centuries, as advertised. According to the indictment, Nagy received these payments through PayPal, moved the proceeds to a bank account in her name, and then quickly converted the proceeds to cash through withdrawals of several thousand dollars at a time. It is alleged that Washington admitted to one of the French buyers as being the creator of the woodblocks sold to the French buyers.
Washington is also charged with defrauding a collector of woodblocks from York, PA. The indictment alleges that this collector paid Washington, who used the alias “River Seine,” and his then girlfriend, $118,810 from 2013 to 2016 in exchange for approximately 130 woodblocks, again advertised as being several centuries old. The indictment alleges that at least some of these woodblocks were, in fact, made in the second half of the twentieth century.
“If you promise people one thing and sell them another, that’s fraud, plain and simple,” said Jacqueline Maguire, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia Division. “Here we had collectors paying for what they believed were old, rare, and valuable woodblocks and prints, but what they allegedly received were none of the above. The FBI’s Art Crime Team is uniquely positioned to investigate matters like this and committed to holding art fraudsters accountable.”
The indictment contains forfeiture allegations seeking over $200,000 from Washington and Nagy collectively, which is allegedly the amount they received from buyers of their counterfeit artistic goods.
This case was investigated by members of the FBI's Art Crime Team assigned to the Philadelphia Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ravi Romel Sharma is prosecuting the case.
The maximum penalty under federal law for conspiracy to commit wire fraud, mail fraud, and money laundering is 5 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. The maximum penalty under federal law for wire fraud is 20 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. In addition, Washington faces a maximum penalty under federal law for conspiracy to commit bank fraud and bank fraud of 30 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.
Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Grand Jury Returns Indictment Charging Two Michigan Men with Stealing Vehicles from Butler County DealershipsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA - A federal grand jury returned a superseding indictment charging two residents of Michigan with Conspiracy and Interstate Transportation of Stolen Motor Vehicles, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
The three-count Superseding Indictment named Dorale Leshawn Doyle, age 40, of Southfield, MI 40833, and Ladon Richard Rogers, age 39, of Allen Park, MI 48101, as defendants.
According to the Superseding Indictment, from Nov 1, 2021, to Aug. 3, 2022, Doyle and Rogers engaged in a scheme in which they would travel from Michigan to various locations in the Western District of Pennsylvania to steal Dodge Challenger Hellcats. Two of the victim dealerships were located in Butler County, Pennsylvania.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of 15 years in prison, a fine of $500,000 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 Shaun E. Sweeney is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Western Regional Auto Theft Task Force, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Butler Township Police, Southfield Michigan Police Department, Livingston County Michigan Sheriff’s Office, Michigan State Police and DEA Detroit Group 15 conducted the investigation leading to the Superseding Indictment in this case.
A Superseding Indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Fugitive in Fraud Conspiracy Extradited from FranceRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – A former Memphis resident, Ocho Edi Monso, 59, charged in a fraud conspiracy was
recently arrested in France and extradited to Memphis. In September 2016, Monso was charged in a
three-count indictment. United States Attorney Kevin G. Ritz announced the charges and extradition
today.According to the indictment, between July 2013 and January 2014, Monso conspired with Dasse Romain
Yobo and other persons to defraud Regions Bank and other financial institutions. The indictment
alleges the conspiracy was carried out in some instances by obtaining customer account information
and causing fraudulent transfers to be made from customer accounts to accounts controlled by the
conspirators. In other instances, the indictment alleges that the conspirators carried out the
scheme by depositing altered or counterfeit checks to accounts they opened at financial
institutions and then withdrawing or transferring funds from the account of deposit to accounts
they controlled at other financial institutions.In December 2013, Monso provided co-conspirator Yobo with fraudulent identification to open an
account at Regions Bank under the name KEM Construction. On December 30, 2013, the indictment
alleges that a check payable in the amount of $130,949.96 with an altered payee name was deposited
to the account. On January 9, 2014, the conspirators requested that $77,023.83 be wire-transferred
from the KEM Construction account to an account styled "Peniel Energy" in Lawrenceville, GA. Monso
was also charged in two other counts with possession of 15 or more counterfeit and unauthorized
access devices and device-making equipment with intent to defraud.Monso was arrested in France in early December 2021, where he had been awaiting extradition. Monso
made his initial appearance in the Western District of Tennessee on January 17, 2023, before United
States Magistrate Judge Annie T. Christoff, who ordered him temporarily detained pending a
detention hearing currently set for 10:00 a.m. on Friday, January 20, 2023.Monso faces a maximum sentence of 30 years’ imprisonment, $1,000,000 fine and five
years’ supervised release on the conspiracy charge and ten years imprisonment, $250,000 fine and three years’ supervised release on the access device fraud charge and 15 years’
imprisonment, $250,000 fine, and three years’ supervised release for possession of access device
making equipment. Each charge also carries a $100.00 mandatory assessment.The case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service and the United States
Secret Service. The United States Department of Justice Office of International Affairs assisted in
the extradition proceedings and the U.S. Marshals Service carried out the extradition of Monso from
France.An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
United States Attorney Kevin Ritz thanked Assistant United States Attorney Carroll Andre’, who
prosecuted this case, as well as the law enforcement partners who investigated the case, including
the U.S. Marshals who carried out the extradition.
###For more information, please contact Public Information Officer Cherri Green at (901) 544-4231 or
[email protected]. Follow @WDTNNews on Twitter for office news and updates.
Fresno Man Sentenced to over 5 Years in Prison for Illegal Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Edward Page, 33, of Fresno, was sentenced today to five years and three months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, on June 24, 2021, law enforcement officers were dispatched to a Holiday Inn Express in Fresno, regarding an armed subject. Responding officers located a car in which Page and co-defendant Trayvon Smith, 32, of Fresno, were seated. Smith exited and fled on foot and was detained after a foot chase. Page attempted to flee but was held at gunpoint and complied. Officers searched the car and found two loaded, semi-automatic firearms, one of which had a corresponding a high-capacity magazine attached. Both Page and Smith are convicted felons who are prohibited from possessing firearms.
Smith is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Ana de Alba on Feb. 27, 2023.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Fresno Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin J. Gilio is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Former FedStar Federal Credit Union CEO Pleads Guilty to Federal ChargeRead the Press Release
ROANOKE, Va. – The former CEO of the FedStar Federal Credit Union, which operated branches in both Roanoke and Salem, Virginia, pled guilty last week in federal court to charges related to her use of credit union funds for personal purchases from 2018 and 2020.
Kelly Givens, 37, of Salem, Virginia, waived her right to be indicted and pled guilty last week to a one-count Information charging her with misapplication of credit union funds in excess of $1,000.
According to court documents, Givens was the CEO of FedStar beginning in 2016. Between 2018 and 2020 she used the FedStar credit card and FedStar business Amazon account for personal purchases totaling more than $12,000. Givens purchased running shoes, hiking shoes, tickets for sporting events, and electronic devices, among other personal purchases.
As part of an effort to conceal her theft, Givens provided false information to FedStar’s Board of Directors and the National Credit Union Administration.
At sentencing, Givens faces a maximum, statutory penalty of 30 years in prison and/or a fine of up to $250,000.
United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh and Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Richmond Division, Stanley M. Meador made the announcement today.
The investigation of the case was conducted by Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Virginia State Police, and the National Credit Union Administration – Office of the Inspector General.
Assistant United States Attorneys Kristin B. Johnson and Michael Baudinet are prosecuting the case for the United States.
Former CEO of Los Angeles-Based Anti-Poverty Nonprofit Agrees to Plead Guilty to Embezzling and Misusing Funds and Tax OffenseRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – The former president and CEO of a Hollywood-based anti-poverty nonprofit agency has agreed to plead guilty to federal criminal charges for embezzling money from the nonprofit for his personal benefit and intentionally misapplying more than $600,000 in grant money to pay for unauthorized expenses and lying on his tax returns, the Justice Department announced today.
Howard Dixon Slingerland, 53, of Studio City, has agreed to plead guilty to a two-count information charging him with conversion and intentional misapplication of funds from an organization receiving federal money, and subscribing to a false federal income tax return.
Both the information and plea agreement were filed today in United States District Court. Slingerland is expected to make his initial court appearance in the coming weeks.
According to his plea agreement, from 1996 until he was fired in September 2019, Slingerland was the president and CEO of Youth Policy Institute Inc. (YPI), a Hollywood-based nonprofit agency that worked to eradicate poverty in some of the highest needs neighborhoods in Los Angeles with a comprehensive approach addressing education, youth development, safety, job training, and health and wellness. In these roles, Slingerland had check-signing authority over YPI’s bank accounts and was the personal guarantor of YPI’s credit card.
From January 2015 to February 2019, Slingerland caused at least $71,533 of YPI funds to be spent on unauthorized expenditures, including Slingerland’s personal property tax bill that exceeded $14,000, more than $6,000 for a family dinner at a New York City restaurant, nearly $11,000 for a family member’s tutoring, and nearly $2,000 on a home computer and software.
In July 2019, Slingerland caused approximately $401,561 in funds YPI had received from a federal grant to be used for the unauthorized payment of YPI payroll. That same month, he also caused approximately $201,466 in federal grant money to be illegally used to pay off YPI’s credit card bill, including for expenses Slingerland had incurred.
Slingerland further admitted in his plea agreement that he underreported on his individual federal income tax returns more than $100,000 in income each year for the tax years 2015 through 2018 by not reporting money he obtained from YPI including through the embezzlement. Slingerland admitted to owing the United States Treasury a total of approximately $147,398 in unpaid taxes – not including penalties and interest – for these years.
After Slingerland enters his guilty plea, he will face a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison on the conversion count and three years in federal prison on the tax count.
IRS Criminal Investigation; the FBI; the United States Department of Labor Office of Inspector General; the United States Department of Education Office of Inspector General; the United States Department of Justice Office of Inspector General; and the Los Angeles Unified School District investigated this matter. The Office of the United States Trustee provided substantial assistance.
Assistant United States Attorney Ranee A. Katzenstein, Chief of the Major Frauds Section, is prosecuting this case.
Former Bangor Resident Faces up to 20 Years for Role in Penobscot and Aroostook County Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A former Bangor resident pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Bangor to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl.
According to court records, between January 2018 and December 2021, Shelby Loring, 27, along with others, trafficked methamphetamine and fentanyl in Penobscot and Aroostook counties. Loring’s participation in the conspiracy resulted in contacts with local law enforcement that led to the seizure of drugs, firearms, drug paraphernalia, and other items.
Loring faces up to 20 years imprisonment. She will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigative report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. Assistance was provided by the Orono, Bangor, Brewer, Caribou, Presque Isle, and Houlton police departments. U.S. Attorney Darcie N. McElwee also recognized the cooperation and coordination provided by the Maine State Attorney General’s Office and the Aroostook County District Attorney’s Office.
Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces: This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
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Fentanyl traffickers admit guilt, forfeit more than $200,000Read the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA - A Cleveland man and a Wheeling woman pled guilty today to fentanyl trafficking charges, admitting that they conspired to distribute significant quantities of the lethal drug.
Solomon Eli Watters, 27, of Cleveland, and Chelsea Marion Banks, 26, of Wheeling, appeared in federal court today and admitted to a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and cocaine base. According to the evidence presented, Watters was stopped by the Wheeling Police Department in February 2022 during which officers executed a search warrant on an Audi A7 that he was driving. During the search, officers located $3,556 in cash and a Walther .380 caliber pistol, which had been reported stolen. Officers then executed a search warrant at a residence shared by Watters and Banks in Wheeling wherein they located two more pistols, ammunition, digital scales, and cocaine base.
Additional search warrants were obtained for storage units located in Washington, Pennsylvania, rented by Banks. The searches yielded 1.26 kilograms of fentanyl and an additional $208,860 in cash.
“Fentanyl continues to be the greatest threat to public safety facing the Northern Panhandle,” said United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld. “By seizing such a large quantity of the drug, the officers in this case prevented potential overdoses and removed a major distributor from the supply chain.”
In addition to the firearms and ammunition, $212,416 in United States currency and the Audi A7 will be forfeited.
Watters faces a minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison. Banks faces up to 20 years in prison. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
The Wheeling Police Department; the Ohio Valley Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives; and the Pennsylvania State Police investigated.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Shawn M. Adkins is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.
U.S. Magistrate Judge James P. Mazzone presided.
Felon and Drug User Who Threatened Bar Patrons with a Gun Sent to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A Sioux City man who threatened two women by pointing a loaded gun at them, thereby alarming other pub patrons, was sentenced today to more than 4 years in federal prison.
Luis Gomez, age 37, from Sioux City, Iowa, received the prison term after a September 1, 2022, change of plea hearing.
Evidence in the case revealed Gomez was a drug user and felon in unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition on December 9, 2021. Gomez’s criminal possession of a firearm was discovered when he threatened two patrons at a Sioux City, Iowa bar by pointing a loaded gun at them, threatening to shoot them, and saying, among other things, "I'm going to air this place out." When the police were called, Gomez and another person, fled the scene at a high rate of speed.
While driving, Gomez repeatedly instructed the passenger to throw the weapon out of the window. Officers observed an object thrown out of the passenger side window during the chase. Officers deployed stop sticks which ultimately ended the pursuit. A firearm and a magazine were separately recovered from the path of the chase. The firearm contained 7 live rounds. Marijuana and other ammunition were also found in the car and/or on Gomez.
Gomez has a lengthy criminal history. He has committed over 34 offenses. His crimes include threats, weapons, drugs, violence, and other dangerous conduct.
Gomez was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand to 49 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN 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.
Gomez is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was investigated by the Sioux City, Iowa Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Forde Fairchild.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 22-04012.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Federal Jury Finds Milwaukee Man Guilty of Bank Robberies, Illegal Firearm Possession, and Conspiracy to Retaliate Against an InformantRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Gregory J. Haanstad of the Eastern District of Wisconsin announced that on January 11, 2023, a federal jury found Antoine L. Jackson (age 29) of Milwaukee guilty of all counts with which he was charged, including conspiracy to commit bank robbery, three bank robberies, possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, and conspiracy to retaliate against an informant.
The evidence presented at trial showed that between September 15, 2021, and December 23, 2021, the defendant was part of a robbery crew that committed multiple bank robberies in Milwaukee. The defendant was directly involved in three bank robberies, all at the Wells Fargo Bank located at 7600 West Hampton Avenue. During the robberies, the defendant and his co-actors passed notes to tellers, threatening that unless they were given money, they would blow up the building or kill everyone inside the bank. Among other evidence, the government presented forensic evidence recovered from two of the crime scenes tying the defendant to the robberies.
The evidence also showed that the defendant possessed a firearm—and left his DNA on three parts of the firearm—when he was not legally allowed to possess a firearm due to having previously been convicted of a felony crime. Finally, the evidence also showed that after the defendant was arrested on January 26, 2022, he made calls from jail in which he provided instructions to have a suspected informant seriously injured.
Sentencing has been scheduled for April 13, 2023, before United States District Judge Lynn Adelman. At sentencing, Mr. Jackson faces up to 20 years in prison for each of the bank robberies, up to 20 years in prison for conspiring to retaliate against a suspected informant, up to 10 years in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm, and up to 5 years in prison for the overall conspiracy to commit bank robberies.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Milwaukee Area Violent Crimes Task Force and the Milwaukee Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Deputy Criminal Chief Margaret B. Honrath and Assistant United States Attorney Kate M. Biebel.
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Federal Jury Convicts Jacksonville Man for Distributing Child Sex Abuse MaterialsRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that a federal jury has found James Wayne Houck (65, Jacksonville) guilty of seven counts of distributing child sex abuse materials. Houck faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 5 years, up to 20 years, in federal prison on each count and a potential life term of supervised release. He was remanded into custody pending his sentencing hearing on May 1, 2023.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, on June 13, 2020, a user named “jimboleg” distributed multiple images of child sex abuse materials in the group “Everything goes #yggirls” on a particular social media application. An FBI investigation into the social media app account identified Houck as the person using the “jimboleg” account. FBI agents interviewed Houck multiple times about his activity on the app and he initially admitted to having the “jimboleg” account but did not recall sharing the child sex abuse materials. However, he later admitted to sharing the child sex abuse material on the app. FBI agents attempted to review Houck’s cellphone as part of their investigation, but he turned his phone into the phone carrier service provider to obtain a new phone and provided that new phone to the FBI for review. The service provider’s records confirmed that the phone that Houck turned in was the phone he had at the time he distributed the child sex abuse materials, despite Houck telling the FBI it was a different phone.
Later in their investigation, the FBI learned from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that there was an investigation by another federal law enforcement agency about an upload of child sex abuse material to the social media app by user “jimleg6969” in 2019. The IP address from that investigation was the same as the one for “jimboleg.” Both social media app accounts had email addresses used by Houck.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ashley Washington.
It is another 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.
Federal Grand Jury Indicts Thibodaux Man for Drug Trafficking OffenseRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – On January 12, 2023, a federal grand jury in New Orleans, Louisiana returned a one-count indictment, on January 12, 2023, charging a man for violations of the Federal Controlled Substances Act.
According to court documents, GREGORY ROBINSON, age 30, is charged with possession with intent to distribute a quantity of a mixture of methamphetamine, a quantity of a mixture of cocaine, and a quantity of marijuana, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(A), 841(b)(1)(B), and 841(b)(1)(D).
If convicted, ROBINSON faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and up to life imprisonment, up to a $10,000,000 fine, and at least 5 years of supervised release as it relates to methamphetamine, a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years and up to 40 years imprisonment, up to a $5,000,000 fine, and at least 4 years of supervised release as it relates to cocaine, and up to 5 years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and at least 2 years of supervised release as it relates to marijuana. Additionally, ROBINSON must pay a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.
U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that the indictment is merely a charging document and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case was investigated by the Thibodaux Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Lynn E. Schiffman.
Federal Agent Arrested for Receiving Gratuity and Making False StatementRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – A federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned an indictment on Friday January 13, 2023, charging Javier Delgado-Padín, a special agent of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Homeland Security Investigations, with receiving and accepting something of value in exchange for him performing his official duties and making a false statement.
According to court documents, in March of 2020, Delgado-Padín, a federal agent with approximately 19 years of service, accepted money because of his assistance with the immigration status of F.A. in the United States, who was a national of the Dominican Republic residing in the United States.
Count two of the indictment alleges that, in September of 2018, the defendant willfully and knowingly made a materially false, fictitious, and fraudulent statement in a loan application submitted to the Federal Employee Retirement Thrift Savings Plan (known as the TSP) by stating and representing he was not married in a loan application for approximately $49,140, when he knew he was legally married at the time, which required his spouse’s consent to receive a loan from his TSP account.
“Investigating and prosecuting government officials who abuse their positions of trust to receive illegal gifts and gratuities or who commit fraud will continue to be a top priority in the Justice Department and this office,” said W. Stephen Muldrow, U.S. Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico.
“DHS OIG will continue to work with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners to identify and aggressively investigate allegations of corruption to protect our borders and the integrity of DHS personnel, programs, and operations,” said Dr. Joseph V. Cuffari, Inspector General of the Department of Homeland Security.
Delgado-Padín made his initial court appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Giselle López-Soler of the U.S. District Court for the District of Puerto Rico. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Department of Homeland Security -- Office of Inspector General is investigating the case and the FBI, San Juan Field Office, Public Corruption Unit collaborated during the arrest.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Marie Christine Amy is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Farnhamville, Iowa Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Marcus Urelius, 36, from Farnhamville, Iowa, plead guilty January 10, 2023, in federal court to Possession of Child Pornography.
In a plea agreement, Urelius admitted that between April 2021, and January 2022, he used an Internet-based, peer-to-peer (P2P) network known as “Freenet” to knowingly receive and attempt to receive visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. He further admitted to using the network to share child pornography with others.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set for a later date after a presentence report is prepared. Urelius remains in the custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Urelius faces a sentence of up to 20 years imprisonment without the possibility of parole, a fine of not more than $250,000, a mandatory special assessment of $100 and a term of supervised release of at least 5 years to life.
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.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
The case was investigated by the FBI and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kraig R. Hamit.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 22-3017. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Eye Surgery Practices Agree to Pay $1 Million and End Discriminatory Policies Towards People with DisabilitiesRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that it has filed a proposed consent decree with Barnet Dulaney Perkins Eye Centers (BDP) and American Vision Partners (AVP), to resolve its lawsuit alleging that the eye care practices violated the Americans with Disabilities Act. The lawsuit alleged that BDP and AVP refused to operate on certain patients who needed assistance transferring from their wheelchairs for surgery and required other such patients to pay for third-party medical transport and transfer assistance. Medical providers routinely offer this type of assistance to patients who need help transferring from a wheelchair to an examination or surgical table for surgery and exams.
“The Americans with Disabilities Act requires health care providers to offer equal access to their services,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Patients with disabilities must not be denied crucial medical services or forced to pay surcharges because they need transfer assistance. The Justice Department is fully committed to protecting the civil rights of individuals with disabilities to get the medical care they need.”
“This agreement reflects an important step in obtaining equal access to health care services for Arizonans with disabilities,” said U.S. Attorney Gary Restaino for the District of Arizona. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to work closely with the Civil Rights Division to ensure that all Arizonans are afforded equal opportunity to access health care services in our state.”
Under the decree, BDP and AVP will end their policies of denying surgery and prohibiting staff from providing transfer assistance to people with mobility disabilities. BDP operates eye care facilities throughout Arizona, and AVP, one of the largest eye care practice management organizations in the country, partners with eye care providers in Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada and Texas, including BDP, Southwestern Eye Center, M & M Eye Institute, Retinol Consultants of Arizona, Abrams Eye Institute, Southwest Eye Institute, Aiello Eye Institute, Havasu Eye Center, Visage Aesthetics and Plastic Surgery and Moretsky Cassidy Vision Correction. These eye care providers will also train staff on the new policy requirements and on safe transfer techniques, and pay $950,000 to patients and prospective patients who were harmed by its policies and a civil penalty of $50,000.
For more information on the Civil Rights Division, please visit http://www.justice.gov/crt. For more information on the ADA, please call the department’s toll-free ADA information line at 800-514-0301 (TDD 800-514-0383) or visit www.ada.gov. ADA complaints may be filed online at http://www.ada.gov/complaint.
Evergreen Man Arrested for Making Threats of Violence to Law Enforcement Agencies and a Performing Arts GroupRead the Press Release
DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces Kyle William Staebell, age 33, of Evergreen, has been arrested and charged by criminal complaint with making threats to commit mass violence.
According to the criminal complaint, in the early morning hours of January 16, 2023, the defendant allegedly made threats of violence to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) office in Denver, an office of the Department of Homeland Security, and a Colorado-based performing arts group. Staebell made one such threat directly to FBI’s offices using the FBI’s National Threat Operations Center online tip line. He made another series of threats using a social media account. He also used email to make a threat of violence to the performing arts group.
The defendant made his initial appearance before Magistrate Judge James P. O’Hara on January 17, 2023.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office takes very seriously any threat to commit mass violence. We commend our law enforcement partners for taking swift action to investigate this case. We specifically want to thank the FBI, the Denver Police Department, the Lakewood Police Department, and the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office,” said United States Attorney Cole Finegan.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Denver Division. Assistant United States Attorneys Andrea Surratt and Laura Cramer-Babycz are handling the prosecution.
The charges in the complaint are allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
CASE NUMBER: 23-mj-00016
El Paso Man Pleads Guilty to Operating Ponzi Scheme Disguised as Crypto Investment FirmRead the Press Release
EL PASO, Texas – An El Paso man pleaded guilty in federal court here last week to five counts of wire fraud.
According to court documents, Abner Tinoco, 27, operated a Ponzi scheme through his business by soliciting millions of dollars of investments from clients and claiming he would invest their money into funds dealing with cryptocurrency and foreign exchange markets. Out of approximately $9 million worth of investments deposited into his business accounts, Tinoco spent more than half on personal expenses to include luxury cars, private jets, real estate and jewelry. Tinoco furthered the deception by providing some of the misappropriated funds as profits to his clients.
Tinoco faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison plus restitution and a maximum fine of $250,000 on each count. A sentencing date has not yet been decided. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
In a separate civil case stemming from the above scheme, the Commodities Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) secured a civil consent decree against Tinoco and his business, imposing a ban relating to trading activities. The Department of Justice will work to achieve restitution for any additional victims of Tinoco’s scheme.
U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas and Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey R. Downey of the FBI El Paso Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shane Romero and Chris Skillern are prosecuting the case.
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Disbarred California Attorney Sentenced to Five and A Half Years in Prison for Long-Running Multi-Million-Dollar Investment Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that DEREK JONES, a disbarred California attorney, was sentenced today to five and a half years in prison. JONES ran fraudulent investment funds, including real-estate investment firms and a venture-capital firm, through which he defrauded investors of over $8.6 million over a period of more than seven years, from at least 2012 through 2019. JONES previously pled guilty to one count of wire fraud and was sentenced today before United States District Judge Loretta A. Preska.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “When investors purchase shares in real-estate funds and other investment funds, those investors have every right to expect that the people promoting and selling those investments are treating them honestly and telling them the truth about their investments. Today, Derek Jones, a disbarred attorney, was held accountable for violating this right over an extended period of time, selling interests in real estate that he falsely claimed to own and defrauding his investors out of millions of dollars.”
According to the Indictment, statements made in court, and other publicly filed documents in this case:
From at least 2012 through at least 2019, JONES deceived his victims into investing in various companies and investment funds that he controlled, including purported real-estate development and investment firms using variations of the names “BlueRidge,” “Living City,” and “Atiswin,” and the purported venture capital firm Realize Holdings (“Realize”).
In fraudulently inducing victims to invest in his funds, JONES routinely lied to investors, including in glossy brochures and legal documents that contained misrepresentations about real estate that JONES falsely claimed was owned or otherwise controlled by BlueRidge, Living City, and Atiswin. For example, JONES falsely told investors and prospective investors that BlueRidge was developing a “resort village” on land it controlled on Semiahmoo Spit in Washington State and, separately, that BlueRidge had purchased an existing hotel in that same location, when in fact neither BlueRidge nor JONES owned or controlled any of that property. In other cases, JONES falsely claimed that his companies were under contract to purchase a ranch in Colorado and that his companies had secured long-term leases for various pieces of property slated for development, including California properties in Santa Monica, Hermosa Beach, and Los Angeles. Instead of using investors’ money as he promised, JONES misappropriated investors’ money, using much of it to make Ponzi-style payments to other investors to whom he owed money in connection with earlier transactions and for personal and family expenses, including the private-school tuition of his children.
In executing his scheme, JONES also sent falsified and counterfeit documents to investors and others. For example, on repeated occasions, JONES provided doctored bank statements showing that he had millions of dollars in various corporate accounts, when in fact he had little or no money in such accounts. On other occasions, he provided counterfeit financial statements that falsely purported to be based on internal audits of companies that he controlled. He also sent investors and others falsified contracts with key pages removed, forged land-leases, and fictional statements of asset allocation. JONES also used the names of other individuals — without those individuals’ authorization or knowledge — to communicate via email with investors and thus foster the illusion that JONES’s businesses were viable operations with real employees.
In total, JONES defrauded investors out of more than $8.6 million.
During the commission of the fraud charged in this case, JONES was suspended from the practice of law by the State Bar Court of California for earlier fraudulent conduct. JONES was ultimately disbarred in July 2022 based on findings by the State Bar Court that he had intentionally misappropriated money belonging to a client in 2011 and that he had made misrepresentations to the client, to the court, and to others.
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JONES, 48, of San Marino, California, pled guilty on November 1, 2021, to a single count of wire fraud. He was sentenced today to five and a half years in prison, three years of supervised release, forfeiture of $8,679,787.66, and restitution to his victims in an amount to be determined within the next 90 days.
Mr. Williams praised the excellent work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Raymond Lewis and David M. Abramowicz are in charge of the prosecution.
Daphne Woman Sentenced to More Than 6 Years for Fraud Scheme and Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – A Daphne woman was sentenced last week to 81 total months imprisonment for one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, four counts of wire fraud, and three counts of aggravated identity theft.
According to court documents, Roseanna Taylor, 41, worked for a medical professional staffing company based in Mobile, Alabama from about May 2017 through January 2019. By virtue of her employment, Taylor obtained personal information, including means of identification of certain medical professionals. Beginning around 2018, Taylor began creating fake identification documents using this information, along with fraudulent documents, to be used to obtain fraudulent loans. Taylor provided both means of identification and fraudulent loan documents to other members of the conspiracy to assist them in obtaining fraudulent loans. Taylor was ordered to pay restitution to her victims in the amount of $127,663.26. Taylor was also ordered to serve a supervised release term of three years.
U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement.The Mobile Police Department and the United States Secret Service investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Bishop Ravenel and Justin D. Kopf prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
Curtis Bay Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Charges for Illegally Possessing a Loaded Firearm in a School ZoneRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – On January 12, 2023, Malachi Carter-Bey, age 38, of Baltimore, Maryland, pleaded guilty to federal charges of illegally possessing a loaded firearm within 1,000 feet of a school, specifically Curtis Bay Elementary-Middle School.
The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Toni M. Crosby of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Baltimore Field Division; and Commissioner Michael Harrison of the Baltimore Police Department.
According to his guilty plea, in the early morning hours of December 26, 2020, a Baltimore Police officer found what he thought was an abandoned Acura SUV running at the corner of Elmtree Street and Pennington Avenue in the Curtis Bay neighborhood of Baltimore. The officer approached the car and saw that Carter-Bey and a passenger were asleep in the car. Using a flashlight, the officer saw a large black revolver entirely exposed on the driver’s seat between the driver-side door and Carter-Bey. Once back-up arrived, Carter-Bey and the passenger were removed from the car and the revolver, a .357-caliber revolver loaded with six rounds of ammunition, was also recovered.
Carter-Bey admitted that he knew that he possessed the firearm within 1,000 feet of the grounds of a school zone, specifically, Curtis Bay Elementary-Middle School.
U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett has scheduled sentencing for February 22, 2023 at 2:30 p.m.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the ATF and the Baltimore Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Logan Hayes and Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon Moore, who are prosecuting the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-neighborhoods-psnexile and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Convicted felon imprisoned for firearms conviction after fleeing from policeRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 40-year-old Falfurrias resident has been ordered to federal prison following his conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Hector Hernandez pleaded guilty Sept. 21, 2022.
Today, U.S. District Judge Drew B. Tipton ordered him to serve 66 months in federal prison. At the hearing, the court heard additional information regarding Hernandez’s history of possessing firearms in vehicles as a convicted felon which includes two incidents in the year proceeding his arrest. The court also heard details of Hernandez’s flight from police and that the firearm he possessed was previously reported stolen.
On June 22, 2022, authorities attempted a traffic stop on a vehicle Hernandez was driving. He failed to stop and continued through several neighborhood streets at a high rate of speed. Even though two tires became disabled, he continued to drive on the rims. When the vehicle finally stopped, law enforcement discovered a firearm inside the waistband of Hernandez’s pants.
There were also two passengers in the car found to be illegally present in the United States.
Hernandez has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program. In May 2021, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland announced a new effort to reduce violent crime, including the gun violence that is often at its core. Integral to that effort was the reinvigoration of PSN, a two-decade old, evidence-based and community-oriented program focused on reducing violent crime. The updated PSN approach, outlined in the department’s Comprehensive Strategy for Reducing Violent Crime is guided by four key principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities and measuring the results of our efforts. The fundamental goal is to reduce violent crime, not simply to increase the number of arrests or prosecutions.
Homeland Security Investigations; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Brooks County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Liesel Roscher prosecuted the case.
Convicted Sex Offender Sentenced to More Than 27 Years for Distribution of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Thomas Barber has sentenced Christian Kline (32, Moore Haven) to 27 years and 3 months in federal prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release, for distribution of child sex abuse material. The court also ordered Kline to forfeit the electronic devices used in the commission of the offense and entered an order of restitution to the victims in the amount of $24,000. Kline had pleaded guilty on August 3, 2022.
According to court documents, in 2016, Kline was convicted in the Middle District of Florida for transportation of child sex abuse material. He was sentenced to 5 years and 10 months’ imprisonment, followed by 20 years of supervised release. While on supervised release, Kline was subject to routine polygraph examinations. During one such examination with U.S. Probation, Kline revealed that he had been downloading images and videos of child sexual abuse from the dark web. Further investigation revealed that Kline possessed numerous electronic devices which contained images and videos of child sexual abuse, including images and videos that Kline had distributed to another individual.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ilyssa Spergel.
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 United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to 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.
Connecticut Man Pleads Guilty to Trafficking Fentanyl on the DarknetRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Winsted, Connecticut, man pleaded guilty today to participating in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl over the darknet.
According to court documents, from at least April 2020 through February 2021, Colby John Kopp, 23, and his co-conspirators used darknet marketplaces to conduct drug trafficking business. Kopp created, maintained, and controlled darknet marketplace accounts to further the Connecticut-based fentanyl distribution operation. As a darknet marketplace vendor, Kopp and other members of the conspiracy used the moniker “MadHatterPharma” to engage in the sale of counterfeit pressed pills containing fentanyl that the conspirators pressed themselves and then shipped to customers all over the country, including in the Eastern District of Virginia.
Kopp is scheduled to be sentenced on April 18. He faces a mandatory minimum of five 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, and Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal Division, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema accepted the plea.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachael Tucker is prosecuting 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. 1:22-cr-109.
Chicago-Area Businesswoman Charged with COVID-Relief FraudRead the Press Release
CHICAGO – A Chicago-area businesswoman has been indicted on federal charges for allegedly fraudulently obtaining more than $440,000 in small business loans and grants under the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act and a State of Illinois pandemic-relief program.
KIMBERLY RAY-DUNCAN, 54, of South Holland, Ill., allegedly engaged in fraud related to the federal Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program (EIDL), and the Illinois Back to Business Grant Program. An indictment returned in the Northern District of Illinois alleges that Ray-Duncan used the fraud proceeds to purchase, among other things, a Regal 35 Sport Coupe yacht, purses by Prada, Gucci, and Saint Laurent, red leather dog collars by Gucci, sunglasses by Burberry, Gucci, Giorgio Armani, and Prada, and scarves by MCM, Louis Vuitton, Saint Laurent, Gucci, and Prada.
The indictment charges Ray-Duncan with six counts of wire fraud, three counts of money laundering, and two counts of engaging in monetary transactions involving criminally derived property. Arraignment is set for Jan. 19, 2023, at 1:00 p.m., before U.S. Magistrate Judge Heather K. McShain.
The indictment was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; and Justin Campbell, Special Agent-in-Charge of the IRS Criminal Investigation Division in Chicago. The U.S. Small Business Administration participated in the investigation. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Maureen Merin and Anne L. Yonover.
Pursuant to the CARES Act, a PPP loan allows the interest and principal to be forgiven if businesses spend a certain amount of the proceeds on essential expenses, such as payroll and rent, while the EIDL Program provides loan assistance or grants to cover working capital and other operating expenses. Under the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity’s Back to Business Grant Program, small businesses could apply for grants to cover lost revenue due to economic disruptions related to the Covid-19 pandemic.
According to the indictment, Ray-Duncan applied for and obtained loans and grants for numerous companies that she purportedly operated, including the K Ray-Duncan Assembly Company and An AlKymAri Production LLC. Ray-Duncan made various false representations in her applications regarding the companies’ operations, number of employees, or revenue figures, the indictment states. Some of the purported businesses did not actually exist, the charges allege. Ray-Duncan attempted to substantiate the fraudulent representations by falsely preparing IRS forms and bank statements, the indictment states.
The public is reminded that an indictment contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Each count of wire fraud and money laundering is punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison, while the maximum sentence for each monetary transaction count is ten years. If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
Anyone with information about attempted fraud involving Covid-19 can report it to the Department of Justice by calling the National Center for Disaster Fraud at (866) 720-5721, or by filing an online complaint at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Chicago Man Found Guilty of Heroin Conspiracy Charge in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
DES MOINES, IA – On Thursday, January 12, 2023, a federal jury convicted a Markham, Illinois man of conspiracy to distribute 1,000 grams or more of heroin for his role in a large-scale heroin and fentanyl conspiracy.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, over the course of a 14-month investigation that included the use of wiretaps, law enforcement identified Carl Murphy, age 53, as a heroin/fentanyl supplier for numerous street-level dealers in the Des Moines Metro from 2019 through July 2021. In July 2021, over 20 members of the conspiracy were arrested and federally indicted.
Evidence at trial showed that Murphy is a member of the Black P Stone Nation, a criminal street gang based in Chicago, Illinois. Murphy had a large distribution network consisting of lower ranking gang members, which he helped run and control. The street-level dealers traveled to and from Murphy’s residence in Illinois to purchase large quantities of heroin/fentanyl for redistribution in Des Moines. In 2011, Murphy was previously convicted of distribution of a controlled substance in the Northern District of Illinois. While awaiting trial, Murphy threatened individuals he believed to be cooperating against him.
Murphy’s sentencing is scheduled for May 8, 2023. Murphy faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison. A federal district court judge will determine the sentence after considering the United States Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. There is no parole in the federal court system.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The investigation was conducted by the Mid-Iowa Narcotics Enforcement Task Force (MINE) and the Central Iowa Gang Task Force (CIGTF).
This investigation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Castro Valley Resident Pleads Guilty to Illegally Exporting American Aviation Technology to Beijing UniversityRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – Jonathan Yet Wing Soong pleaded guilty today to violating export control laws in connection with a scheme to secretly funnel sensitive aeronautics software to a Beijing university, announced United States Attorney Stephanie M. Hinds; Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Robert K. Tripp; Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security, Office of Export Enforcement (BIS), Special Agent in Charge John D. Masters; Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) Special Agent in Charge Bryan D. Denny. The plea was accepted by the Hon. Susan Illston, United States District Judge.
Between August 2016 and September 2020, Soong, 35, of Castro Valley, Calif., was employed as a program administrator by Universities Space Research Association (USRA), a nonprofit research corporation focusing on advancing space science and technology. In April of 2016, USRA contracted with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to, among other things, license and distribute aeronautics-related Army flight control software for a fee. Soong’s duties included, among other things, conducting and servicing software license sales, conducting export compliance screening of customers, generating software licenses, and exporting software pursuant to purchased licenses. As part of his duties, Soong was responsible for vetting customers to ensure they did not appear on certain restrictive lists—including the Department of Commerce’s Entity List and other U.S. government lists—that placed limitations on the transfer of products to identified entities. In pleading guilty, Soong admitted that he willingly exported and facilitated the sale and transfer of restricted software to Beihang University knowing that the university was on the Department of Commerce’s Entity List. According to government filings in the case, Beihang University was added to the Entity List due to the University’s involvement in People’s Republic of China military rocket systems and unmanned air vehicle systems. In his plea agreement, Soong acknowledged he used an intermediary to complete the export of the program to avoid detection that the real purchaser was on the Entity List.
At issue in the case is a software package referred to as CIFER, a tool that allows a user to develop a dynamic model of an aircraft, based on collective flight test data using system identification techniques. According to government filings, the package could be used to analyze and design aircraft control systems. According to his plea agreement, Soong was aware in April of 2017 that the CIFER software was subject to Export Administration Regulations and that Beihang University was on the Entity List thus making it necessary to obtain a license prior to exporting the CIFER software to the university. Soong acknowledged that he nonetheless arranged to sell and transfer the CIFER software package to the entity without obtaining a license.
The plea agreement describes how, on May 1, 2017, a representative of the university communicated with Soong and expressed an interest in exploring an arrangement in which rather than use Beihang University as the purchaser of the CIFER software, the purchase would be made in the name of a third-party small company. For the next several months, Soong communicated with the representative and then, in late 2017, Soong communicated with a representative from Beijing Rainbow Technical Development Ltd. (Beijing Rainbow), identified as being the third-party intermediary for the sale of the CIFER software to Beihang University. Soong ultimately exported directly to Beihang University. In July 2018, Soong also arranged to have the passcodes for the CIFER software package forwarded to Beihang University with payment coming from Beijing Rainbow.
On September 26, 2022, Soong was charged by information with one count of violating the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), in violation of 50 U.S.C. §§ 1702 and 1705. Pursuant to today’s agreement, Soong pleaded guilty to the count.
The IEEPA violation carries a statutory maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine. In addition, as part of any sentence, the court may order restitution and up to three years of supervised release. However, any sentence after conviction will be imposed by the court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
Soong remains out of custody pending sentencing. Judge Illston scheduled Soong’s sentencing hearing for April 28, 2023. Assistant United States Attorney Barbara Valliere of the United States Attorney’s Office’s Special Prosecutions Section is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Maddi Wachs and Kathy Tat. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the BIS, DCIS, and the FBI with assistance from the NASA Office of Inspector General; U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division; the U.S. Army Counterintelligence; and the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations.
Cary Man Indicted on 23 Counts of Wire Fraud and Money Laundering in Ponzi SchemeRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – Kumar Arun Neppalli, 56, was arrested today upon the unsealing of a 23-count indictment in connection with an investment fraud scam. Neppalli faces up to twenty years in prison per count and potential fines.
According to the indictment, Neppalli allegedly relied on his good standing within the Indian-American community in Cary, North Carolina to defraud at least 12 victims or sets of victims into giving him funds under the false pretense that he would be investing their money in a legitimate real estate development in the Orange County, North Carolina area. Neppalli allegedly used the funds from these victims to pay back earlier investors who believed that he was returning their original investment and legitimate capital gains. Returning capital to earlier investors by defrauding new investors is commonly known as a “Ponzi” scheme.
“We are committed to protecting the investing public from financial schemes,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office is working closely with the FBI to identify, investigate, and pursue those who cheat people out of their hard-earned money.”
As further alleged in the indictment, Neppalli would typically contact the victims telephonically or in person to describe a local real-estate investment opportunity, usually in Orange County. Neppalli allegedly leveraged his employment with the town of Chapel Hill to convince victims that he had insider knowledge of development plans with respect to the purported real estate. The indictment alleges that, Neppalli would then request a specific amount of money within a short timeframe, sometimes the same day, to facilitate closing the transaction. Neppalli would allegedly promise a return of the principal investment plus a profit within a few months and sometimes ask his victims not to discuss the transaction with other members of the community or reference a non-disclosure agreement.
“Our investigation shows Neppalli abused the trust and confidence placed in him by fellow Indian-American community members. He promised to invest their money in property. Instead, Neppalli used the funds to pay back other people he swindled as part of his scheme; now, multiple victims are left without their much-needed savings," said Michael C. Scherck, FBI Acting Special Agent-in-Charge. “Fraud can have an immediate and direct impact on people and communities, and the FBI remains determined to bring those who commit it to justice.”
Neppalli was indicted on 17 counts of Wire Fraud in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1943 and 6 counts of Conducting Transactions in Criminally Derived Property in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1957. Arraignment before United States District Judge Terrence W. Boyle is expected to occur later this year.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after United States Magistrate Judge Robert T. Numbers II presided over Neppalli’s Initial Appearance. The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Triangle Fraud Taskforce is leading the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney David G. Beraka is prosecuting the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:22-cr-00347-BO-BM.
An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Cabell County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Child Pornography CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Jason Robert Henthorne, 47, of Milton, pleaded guilty today to possession of prepubescent child pornography.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in June 2021, Henthorne possessed more than 1,000 images and videos of child pornography stored on electronic devices at the Milton residence where he was staying. Henthorne admitted that some of the images and videos depict infants and prepubescent children subjected to sadistic or masochistic conduct. Henthorne further admitted that one of the images depicts adult males sexually assaulting a prepubescent female.
Henthorne is scheduled to be sentenced on April 17, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Julie M. White is prosecuting the case.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative of the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:22-cr-234.
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Buffalo Man Sentenced for Defrauding MedicaidRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y.- U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Saleh Mozeb, 67, of Buffalo, NY, who was convicted of health care fraud, was sentenced to serve one year probation, and pay restitution totaling $12,619.12 by U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr.
Assistant U.S. Attorney John D. Fabian, who handled the case, stated that Mozeb was a one-third owner in, and a driver for, Great Lake Transportation, which offered transportation services to Medicaid recipients. Between September 2016, and December 31, 2020, drivers for Great Lake Transportation, including Mozeb, submitted false and fraudulent attestation records to Medical Answering Service, a Medicaid transportation management company that scheduled transportation services for Medicaid recipients. Mozeb claimed that covered transportation services had been provided to Medicaid recipients, when in truth and in fact, no such transportation services had been provided.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Darren Cox; the New York State Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, under the direction of New York State Attorney General Letitia James; the New York State Police, Special Investigation Unit, under the direction of Major Eugene Staniszewski; the New York State Department of Financial Services, under the direction of Superintendent Adrienne Harris; the New York State Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Inspector General Lucy Lang; the New York State Comptroller’s Office, under the direction of Thomas DiNapoli, and U.S. Border Patrol, under the direction of Chief Patrol Agent Buffalo Sector Thomas G. Martin.
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Buffalo Man Going to Prison on Fentanyl ChargeRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Sherron Kye, 39, of Buffalo, NY, who was convicted of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and 4-ANPP, was sentenced to serve 40 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy C. Lynch, who handled the case, stated that on March 5, 2020, Buffalo Police and the Erie County Sheriff's Office arrived at a residence on Mills Street in Buffalo to execute a search warrant, at which time they observed Kye and co-defendant Torrance Bailey walking on the street. Recognizing law enforcement, Kye and Bailey attempted to flee. Bailey threw a set of keys prior to being taken into custody and Kye was observed discarding a bag as he attempted to enter a parked vehicle on Mills Street. Both the keys and bag were recovered. One of the keys fit the lock at the target residence of the search warrant, while the bag contained suspected fentanyl. Both men were arrested. During the execution of the search warrant, investigators recovered approximately five ounces of suspected fentanyl, a hydraulic press with suspected fentanyl residue, a metal press with suspected fentanyl residue, a digital scale with suspected fentanyl residue, and packaging material for narcotics distribution.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Chief Joseph Gramaglia, the Erie County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff John Garcia, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Michael Stansbury, the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Frank A. Tarentino III, New York Field Division, and Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Scarpino.
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Bronx Man Admits Role in Nationwide Credit Card Fraud Affecting Thousands of Account HoldersRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A manager for a conspiracy that used stolen credit card information to make fraudulent retail purchases around the United States pleaded guilty today, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Trevor Osagie, 31, of the Bronx, New York, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge William Martini in Newark federal court to an information charging him with one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From at least 2015 through November 2018, Osagie conspired with a network of individuals based in the New Jersey/New York area who made trips around the United States in order to use stolen credit card information to purchase gift cards, flights, hotels, rental cards, and other goods and services. Other participants in the conspiracy obtained stolen credit card information through the “dark web” and other sources. In addition to recruiting at least one individual to create the fraudulent credit cards, Osagie managed the individuals who traveled around the United States conducting the fraudulent transactions. The conspirators made over $1.5 million in fraudulent purchases using over 4,000 stolen credit card accounts.
The conspiracy to commit bank fraud charge carries a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison and a maximum fine of $1 million. Sentencing is scheduled for May 25, 2023.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the U.S. Secret Service, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jose Riera, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Shawn Barnes, Chief of the OCDETF/Narcotics Unit in Newark.
Bowmar Bowhunting LLC and Owners Josh and Sarah Bowmar Sentenced for Conspiracy to Violate the Lacey ActRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Steven Russell announced that Josh T. Bowmar, 32, Sarah E. Bowmar, 33, and Bowmar Bowhunting LLC, all of Ankeny, Iowa, were sentenced on January 12, 2023 in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, by United States Magistrate Judge Michael D. Nelson for Conspiracy to Violate the Lacey Act. The Lacey Act prohibits the trafficking in interstate commerce "tainted" (i.e., taken in violation of a law or regulation) wildlife, fish, or indigenous plants. Josh and Sarah Bowmar, and their corporate entity, Bowmar Bowhunting LLC, (collectively referred to as the Bowmars) were convicted after previously pleading guilty to Conspiring to Violate the Lacey Act and sentenced each to three years’ probation and 40 hours of community service each. Magistrate Judge Nelson ordered the Bowmars to pay a $75,000 fine ($25,000 each), a $44,000 money judgment in lieu of forfeiting certain property, and $13,000 restitution. As part of the probation terms, the Bowmars shall not hunt or engage in any activities associated with hunting within the District of Nebraska during the period of probation.
The investigation determined that beginning in September 2015, and continuing through November 2017, the Bowmars conducted approximately five hunts per year at Hidden Hills Outfitters (HHO), a commercial big game guiding and outfitting business, near Broken Bow, Nebraska. During the course of commercially guided hunting activity, the Bowmars conspired to transport wildlife, or parts thereof, from Nebraska to Ohio, when the Bowmars should have known that the wildlife was attempted to be taken, possessed, and transported contrary to Nebraska state law. The Bowmars, utilizing various internet and social media platforms including their Bowmar Bowhunting website, Instagram site, and YouTube channel, published and broadcasted hunting activities that occurred at HHO.
This sentencing hearing marks the completion of all foreseen prosecutions of numerous defendants related to violations committed by owners, guides, and clients of Hidden Hills Outfitters. Violations associated with 52 individuals have been resolved throughout this investigation. A total of 39 defendants have pleaded guilty and have been sentenced and ordered to pay a total of $759,732 in fines, restitution, and forfeiture, serve 30 months of incarceration, 47 years of probation, and 72 years of hunting and guiding restrictions for underlying violations related to at least 97 unlawfully-taken big game animals or wild turkey including deer taken within baited areas; deer, pronghorn, and wild turkeys taken with weapons or firearms prohibited during their respective hunting seasons; deer taken during closed season hours, from the road, or without a valid permit; and mule deer taken within the Mule Deer Conservation Area. An additional 13 individuals resolved their cases through administrative abandonment of various wildlife trophies originating from unlawful hunts at Hidden Hills Outfitters.
The operation was a joint investigation conducted by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of Law Enforcement and the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, Law Enforcement Division.
Birmingham Store Manager Sentenced for Wire Fraud and Tax FraudRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A federal judge today sentenced a manager of a Birmingham grocery store on charges of wire fraud and tax fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General, Investigations, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Salina Walker, and Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge James Dorsey.
U.S. District Court Judge Karon O. Bowdre sentenced Omar Motley, 42, of Birmingham, to 46 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release and ordered him to pay $847,001 in restitution to the IRS and $4,750,000 to the USDA. USDA administers the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Motley pleaded guilty to one count of tax fraud and one count of wire fraud in July 2022.
"This defendant used his position and took advantage of a program intended to help families in need," said U.S. Attorney Escalona. "Together with our law enforcement partners, we will continue to investigate and hold accountable those who defraud the SNAP program."
“This investigation and prosecution should send a strong zero-tolerance message to those individuals engaged in the practice of defrauding the taxpayer-funded SNAP program,” said Salina Walker, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge, USDA-Office of Inspector General. “It should also serve as a warning to all stores that participate in the SNAP program as vendors that fraud and trafficking (purchasing those benefits for cash) will be vigorously investigated and prosecuted by the USDA-OIG, the U.S. Attorney's Office, and all its federal, state, and local partners that have a stake in ensuring that fraud is eliminated from taxpayer-funded programs.
“Motley’s actions enabled himself and others to defraud the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which is in place to supplement needy families’ food budgets,” said James E. Dorsey, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Atlanta Field Office. “Store owners who participate in SNAP should take note that defrauding any government program will carry consequences.”
According to court documents, Motley was the manager of the Big B Food Mart located on 24th Street North, in Birmingham, which was authorized to accept SNAP benefits. Between November 2014 and March 2017, Motley unlawfully redeemed SNAP EBT benefits for cash and ineligible items. During this time, SNAP benefits redeemed at Big B Food Mart were 52 times greater than at similarly sized stores in the area. Motley’s manipulation of the SNAP program resulted in illegal gains of over $4.6 million. Also, in 2015, Motley under-reported to IRS the income he received from redeeming SNAP benefits.
The USDA-OIG and IRS-CI investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Catherine Crosby prosecuted the case.
Bank Robber with 14 Prior Felony Convictions Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
DETROIT – An Inkster resident with 14 prior felony convictions was sentenced to 86 months in prison for bank robbery in federal court this afternoon in Detroit on charges stemming from his robbery of the Dearborn Federal Savings Bank, announced United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison. This defendant had been apprehended by police after fleeing the bank and hiding out in a port-a-potty.
Joining United States Attorney Dawn Ison in the announcement was Special Agent in Charge James A. Tarasca, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Detroit Division and Issa Shahin, Chief, Dearborn Police Department.
Charles William Woolery, age 52, was sentenced to 86 months by U.S. District Judge Mark A. Goldsmith.
According to court records, on the afternoon of March 2, 2022, Woolery entered the Dearborn Federal Savings Bank wearing a black facemask. He approached a victim teller, handed her a note, and gestured to his hip as if he had a weapon. The note demanded the teller to “smile” and put money in a bag or Woolery would “kill everyone.” The teller, fearing for her safety, placed $1,690 in cash in a black bag and handed it to Woolery. Woolery then fled the bank on foot. He was later arrested by Dearborn police officers hiding out in a port-a-potty located in the parking lot of the Hampton Inn on Michigan Avenue near the bank. Officers found the $1,690 cash in the front pocket? of a Detroit Lions’ hoodie that Woolery was wearing. Officers also recovered Woolery’s facemask and paper like that of the robbery note in the port-a-potty where Woolery was hiding.
“Today’s sentence appropriately takes this defendant’s long criminal history into account,” stated U.S. Attorney Ison. “Our office stands ready to prosecute individuals who use violence or threats of violence to threaten our community.”
“Criminals who use threats of violence during robberies and other crimes create a level of fear and risk to life that are unacceptable,” said James A. Tarasca, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Detroit Division. “This case is an example of the FBI’s commitment to working collaborative with our law enforcement partners to combat violent crime across Southeast Michigan. I commend the Dearborn Police Department for quickly apprehending this defendant and thank them for their continued partnership.”
“The Dearborn Police Department would like to thank the FBI and US Attorney’s Office for the continued partnership in working to keep dangerous criminals off the streets of Southeast Michigan," said Chief of Police Issa Shahin. "The Dearborn Police Department will continue to use all of our available resources to keep our residents safe."
This case is being investigated by special agents of the FBI along with the assistance of the Dearborn Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Rosemary Gardey is prosecuting the case.
Baltimore Man Sentenced for Illegally Possessing a Loaded Firearm in a School ZoneRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Ellen L. Hollander today sentenced Turrell Davis, age 25, of Baltimore, Maryland for possessing a firearm within 1,000 feet of a school. Davis has served more than 14 months and as part of his sentence Judge Hollander ordered that Davis be on federal supervised release for three years and participate in the Roca, Inc. - Baltimore’s community violence intervention and response services.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Toni M. Crosby of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); and Baltimore Field Division; and Commissioner Michael Harrison of the Baltimore Police Department.
According to his guilty plea, on November 9, 2020, Davis was arrested after police, using CCTV to monitor suspected drug activity in the 300 block of South Catherine Street, one block north of Frederick Elementary School, saw Davis, who appeared to be armed. Officers in a marked car were sent to the location to investigate. When Davis noticed the officers, he ran. As he ran, Davis threw a .45-caliber handgun, loaded with 13 rounds of ammunition. Body-worn camera, CCTV, and Foxtrot helicopter footage captured the firearm sliding across the street, stopping near the curb. Davis also tossed a clear bag, later found to contain fentanyl, under a parked car and surrendered to police. A search of Davis recovered additional fentanyl, a digital scale, and $623 in cash. The quantity and packaging of the drugs indicated that Davis intended to distribute the fentanyl.
Davis admitted that he knowingly possessed the firearm and that he had reason to believe he was within 1,000 feet of a school zone, specifically, Frederick Elementary School.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the ATF and the Baltimore Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Logan Hayes and Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon Moore, who prosecuted the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-neighborhoods-psn and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Bakersfield Man Sentenced to 3 Years and 10 Months in Prison for Being a Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Duwayne Payton, 26, of Bakersfield, was sentenced today to three years and 10 months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, Payton is a documented and active member of the East Side Crips criminal street gang in Bakersfield. On March 11, 2021, Payton possessed in his residence a stolen Glock Model-17 9 mm handgun. Payton may not lawfully possess firearms because of his prior felony convictions, including convictions in Bakersfield in 2014 for first degree burglary and vehicle theft.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Bakersfield Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Arin Heinz prosecuted the case.
Arizona Man Pleads Guilty to Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Telleson, Arizona, man pleaded guilty today to production of child sexual abuse material.
According to court documents, Ethan Roberts, 28, met a then 14-year-old juvenile online in January 2022. The juvenile lived in Norfolk. Roberts engaged in sexually explicit conversations with the minor for a seven-month period, repeatedly asking her to create and send sexually explicit images of herself to him. In August 2022, Roberts traveled by bus from Arizona to Norfolk. He picked up the minor and the pair traveled back to Roberts’ apartment in Arizona. The FBI was able to locate and rescue the juvenile through her use of her Nintendo Switch account.
Roberts is scheduled to be sentenced on April 19. He faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years and a maximum penalty of 30 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; and Mike Goldsmith, Interim Chief of Norfolk Police, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge Raymond A. Jackson accepted the plea.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Yusi is 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
In 2021, EDVA launched “UnMasked,” a community-based educational outreach and prevention program in Virginia dedicated to raising awareness and educating the community about the prevalence of online sexual exploitation involving children and young adults. UnMasked is a multi-disciplinary partnership of local, state, federal, and non-profit stakeholders. The core curriculum is provided by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children’s (NCMEC) NetSmartz program. To report an incident involving online sexual exploitation, call 1-800-843-5678 or submit a report at report.cybertip.org. To request an UnMasked event at your school or organization, please contact EDVA’s Community Outreach Coordinator at [email protected].
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-141.
Monday 16 January 2023
Texas Man Admits Role in Scamming Seniors in Rhode Island and Elsewhere in Online Romance ScamsRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – Fola Alabi, aka Folayemi Alabi, 52, of Richmond, Texas, pleaded guilty in federal court in Providence to charges of conspiracy and money laundering, admitting to a federal judge that he created companies and opened bank accounts that were used to launder more than $1.6 million in proceeds bilked from seniors in at least eleven states, including Rhode Island, in online romance scams, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.
To carry out these schemes, a member of the conspiracy befriended unsuspecting seniors online, often posing as a General in the U.S. military serving overseas. The conspirator feigned a personal, and sometimes romantic, interest in his victims, and convinced them to send substantial sums of money, usually in the form of bank checks or cash, to addresses and companies in Texas that were controlled by Alabi. Alabi received the money and either deposited or directed that it be deposited into one of several bank accounts that he controlled. He then quickly withdrew or transferred the funds to other accounts.
Among Alabi’s victims is a Rhode Island widow who was contacted by a member of the conspiracy claiming to be a “General Miller,” purportedly a four-star General, who convinced the victim to provide $60,000 to finance shipment of his personal belongings to the United States. At the purported “General Miller’s” direction, a check was made payable to Full Circle Import Exports, a company created by Alabi, and mailed to Alabi’s residence in Texas. The victim was prepared to send an additional significant sum of money to the purported “General Miller,” when it was determined by her bank and the Westerly Police Department that she was likely the victim of fraud.
According to court documents, in a cellphone seized from Alabi at the time of his arrest in May 2022, federal agents discovered photographs and videos of packages containing cash and checks received by Alabi from victims of the scam.
According to a plea agreement filed in this matter, for purposes of sentencing, the loss attributed to the romance scams perpetrated by Alabi and members of the conspiracy is $1,640,421. Under the terms of the plea agreement, Alabi will forfeit assets derived from his criminal conduct, to include his Texas residence and $31,773.22 contained in a bank account.
Alabi is scheduled to be sentenced on April 25, 2023. The defendant’s sentences will be determined by a federal district judge after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Ly T. Chin and Sara Bloom.
The matter was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service, FBI, United States Secret Service, and Homeland Security Investigations.
United States Attorney Cunha thanks the Westerly, RI, and Prescott Valley, AZ, Police Departments; Texas Department of Public Safety; West Virginia State Police; the Santa Clara, CA, County District Attorney’s Office; and Defense Criminal Investigative Service for their assistance in the investigation of this matter.
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Israeli Dual Citizen Sentenced to Seven Years in Prison for Transmitting Sexually Explicit Video of a MinorRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Nimrod Shalom, 41, a dual citizen of Israel and the United States, was sentenced, on January 13, 2023, to seven years in prison for transmission of a sexual performance by a minor.
He was sentenced today by the Honorable Beryl A. Howell, who also ordered 10 years of supervised release.
Shalom was arrested on July 23, 2021, after traveling on a plane from Israel to Los Angeles, California. Shalom pleaded guilty on Sept. 29, 2022, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
According to plea documents, on August 1, 2016, the defendant contacted an undercover law enforcement officer (UC) over an online messaging application. The defendant asked the UC whether the UC had a child, the child’s age, and whether the UC “played” sexually with the child. In response, the UC stated that he had a daughter. The defendant stated that he was sexually active with his own four-year-old daughter and sent the UC an image of a child who appeared to be approximately four years old. The defendant informed the UC that he was “not in the US” and that where he lived, “no one cares what you do.” The defendant sent the UC sexually explicit photos of a child he claimed was his four-year-old daughter.
On August 2, 2016, the defendant was detained by the Israeli National Police (INP) in relation to this offense. INP determined that the defendant did not have a four-year-old daughter and that the images that he had transmitted to the UC were believed to have been commercially produced. During an interview with INP, the defendant admitted to using the online application and pretending to be a father with access to a child, in order to persuade individuals to send him child sexual abuse material. INP performed a forensic analysis on the defendant’s iPhone and discovered 23 images depicting the sexual abuse of children, including the images that the defendant had sent to the UC.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Special Agent in Charge Wayne A. Jacobs, of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division commended the work of those who worked the case from the FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, which includes members of the FBI’s Washington Field Office and the Metropolitan Police Department’s Youth Investigations Division, and members of the Israeli National Police. They also expressed appreciation to those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorneys Caroline Burrell and Lindsay Suttenberg, and Paralegal Specialist Alexis Spencer-Anderson.
Four Sentenced in Gem and Gold Corner Jewelry Store Armed RobberyRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, VI – United States Attorney Delia L. Smith announced today that Tashawn T.A. Warner, 25, Shemar Webster, 23, and Jamari Benjamin, 25, all of St. Thomas, were sentenced by United States Chief District Judge Juan R. Sánchez to terms of imprisonment ranging from 135 to 36 months for their roles in the Hobb’s Act armed robbery of Gem and Gold Corner Jewelry Store in St. Thomas. Warner, the leader and organizer of the group, was sentenced to 135 months incarceration, while Webster was sentenced to 125 months incarceration and Benjamin was sentenced to 36 months incarceration. All three defendants were also sentenced to three years of supervised release and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $510,000.00 to Dorchester Insurance D/B/A Topa Insurance Services, Inc., and Gem and Gold Corner Jewelry Store.
According to court documents, on September 19, 2020, Warner, Webster and Benjamin robbed Gems and Gold Corner Jewelry Store located on the waterfront near Veteran’s Drive in St. Thomas. The group arrived at Gem and Gold Corner Jewelry Store at approximately 9:31 a.m., in a white Suzuki Vitara. Warner and Webster entered the jewelry store, both armed with an AK 47 rifle and a Glock 22 handgun and wearing face coverings, while Benjamin, the getaway driver, remained in the vehicle. Once inside the store, Webster and Warner pointed their firearms at five employees, two of whom were unarmed security officers, and ordered them to lie on floor with their hands up. Warner and Webster then used their firearms to smash glass cases and removed jewelry with a gross estimated value of approximately $1.1 million. Both men stuffed a large quantity of jewelry in a duffel bag, and when the bag was full, they stuffed more jewelry in their pants pockets. During the armed robbery, Webster physically assaulted the owner of Gem and Gold Corner with his firearm causing injury to his head. The three men later fled the scene and traveled to the Mafolie Hill area where Webster escaped in a second vehicle while Warner and Benjamin fled the area in the white Vitara. Virgin Islands Police Officers pursued Warner and Benjamin as they traveled to the Bovoni Housing Community and abandoned the Vitara and fled on foot. Forensic Officers collected masks, gloves and jewelry from the abandoned vehicle, and DNA collected from those items linked Warner and Webster to the armed robbery. Benjamin later turned himself in to law enforcement, while Webster fled to Altanta, GA, and Warner went into hiding. In November 2020, Webster was extradited back to St. Thomas, and Warner was arrested in December 2020.
During the execution of Warner’s arrest warrant, Shemelle Isaac, 31, was also arrested after federal agents observed Isaac driving a black Infiniti sedan at a high rate of speed toward Warner’s residence. Isaac stopped his vehicle next to Warner’s parked vehicle and opened the trunk of his Infiniti while still seated in the driver’s seat. Agents then observed Warner remove a duffel bag from his vehicle that matched the description of the bag used in the Gem and Gold Corner Jewelry Store armed robbery and place it in the trunk of Isaac’s vehicle. Isaac was charged as an accessory after the fact after federal agents found four firearms, including the Glock 22 used in the robbery, a large quantity of jewelry and $5,540.00 cash inside the duffel bag. Isaac admitted to the agents that he was aware that Warner was wanted by law enforcement in connection with Gem and Gold Corner’s armed robbery. For his role, Isaac was sentenced four days incarceration, and three years of supervised release.
“The effects of gun violence are felt far and wide in our small community. This vicious and senseless act left a permanent and traumatic impact on the victims of the robbery. The tremendous work of the Virgin Islands Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigations, however, delivered the ultimate reward to the victims and the people of our Territory – justice, lengthy terms of imprisonment and full restitution”, United States Attorney Delia L. Smith stated. The Customs and Border Protection, Homeland Security Investigations and the Drug Enforcement Agency investigated, and Assistant United States Attorney Daniel H. Huston prosecuted this case. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Cyril E. King Airport Employee and Florida Man Charged with Cocaine PossessionRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, VI – United States Attorney Delia L. Smith announced today that Shakari Francis, 26, of St. Thomas, and Ahkoy Smith, 24, of Daytona Beach, FL, appeared before U.S. Magistrate Ruth Miller for an initial appearance hearing after being charged with possession with intent to distribute cocaine.
According to court documents, on January 11, 2023, Customs and Border Protection Officers at Cyril E. King Airport were screening passengers on Spirit Airlines flight NK283 from St. Thomas to Orlando. During the screening, Smith, a ticketed passenger on flight NK283, attempted to flee but was apprehended by CBP officers. A CBP canine later alerted to Smith’s "Jordan" backpack which was on his back when he was apprehended. Smith admitted that he packed his backpack and that it belonged to him. CBP officers inspected Smith’s backpack and discovered two brick-shaped objects wrapped in black tape which later tested positive for the presence of cocaine and weighed approximately 2.25 kilograms. Also on January 11, 2023, CBP officers observed Francis, a Cape Air ramp agent, entering the men's restroom located in the departure terminal shortly after Smith entered the same restroom. Francis admitted that he entered the restroom with two bricks of cocaine which he later delivered to Smith. Francis and Smith both face a maximum penalty of 20 years imprisonment if convicted. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Homeland Security Investigations and Customs and Border Patrol are investigating, and Assistant United States Attorney Adam Sleeper is prosecuting this case. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
United States Attorney Delia L. Smith reminds the public that a criminal complaint is merely an allegation that a crime was committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.