Latest Records
Newest first across public DOJ and U.S. Attorney press releases.
Tuesday 10 January 2023
Three Plead Guilty in OCDETF Operation: Return to SenderRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA – Three Pennsylvania men have pleaded guilty in federal court to violation of federal narcotics laws related to a nine-month Title III wiretap investigation into drug trafficking in and around the counties of Jefferson, Clearfield, and Allegheny, United States Attorney Cindy Chung announced today.
Jeffrey Peters, age 66, of Hyde, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possesses with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine before United States District Judge Christy Criswell Wiegand.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that Peters was a methamphetamine distributor who obtained between 500 grams and 1.5 kilograms of methamphetamine as part of a large-scale methamphetamine distribution conspiracy and redistributed it to methamphetamine users. Peters also conspired with two other individuals to retrieve parcels containing methamphetamine and marijuana that were shipped from Nevada and transported them to Derek Hillebrand, the head of the drug trafficking organization.
Terrence Dougherty, age 28, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possesses with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine before Judge Wiegand.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that intercepted communications revealed that Dougherty ordered at least 60 pounds of methamphetamine from George Charlan, a methamphetamine distributor based in Oregon. Individuals working for Charlan shipped from Nevada to Dougherty, and approximately 4.5 kilograms of methamphetamine intended for Dougherty was interdicted by federal agents. Agents seized approximately half of a pound of methamphetamine, a large amount of marijuana, a firearm, and approximately $18,840 in United States currency during a search of Dougherty’s residence.
Yusuf Adekunle, age 27, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine, one count of possession with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine, and one count of conspiracy to distribute a quantity of marijuana before Judge Wiegand.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that on Oct. 22, 2020, Adekunle and three other individuals chartered a private plane and transported six kilograms of cocaine from Houston to Pittsburgh International Airport. Investigators obtained a search warrant for the plane and seized the cocaine from two pieces of luggage. The court was further advised that the defendant obtained and distributed between 20 kilograms and 40 kilograms of marijuana between July of 2020 and August of 2021. Agents seized approximately 700 grams of marijuana and a firearm during a search of Adekunle’s residence.
Judge Wiegand scheduled sentencing for Peters on May 11, 2023, at 10:00 a.m.; for Judge Dougherty on May 3, 2023, at 10:00 a.m.; and for Adekunle on May 2, 2023, at 10:00 a.m. The law provides for a sentence of not less than ten years to a maximum of life in prison, a fine not to exceed $10,000,000, or both for all defendants. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense(s) and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
The court ordered that Peters and Dougherty remain on bond pending sentencing. The court ordered that Adekunle remain detained pending sentencing.
Assistant United States Attorneys Jonathan D. Lusty and Michael R. Ball are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Drug Enforcement Administration led the multi-agency investigation of this case, which also included the Homeland Security Investigations, United States Postal Service – Office of Inspector General, United States Postal Inspection Service, Internal Revenue Services, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, Allegheny County Police, and Pennsylvania State Police. Also assisting were the Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office, Clearfield County District Attorney’s Office, and the Clarion Borough Police Department.
This prosecution is a result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles high-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten communities throughout the United States. OCDETF uses a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Texas Chicano Brotherhood general sent to prisonRead the Press Release
VICTORIA, Texas – A 53-year-old resident of Harlingen has been ordered to prison for his role in a cocaine conspiracy, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Tony “Klownman” Torres, a general within the Texas Chicano Brotherhood criminal organization, pleaded guilty Nov. 8 , 2022, to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Today, Senior U.S. District Judge John D. Rainey ordered Torres to prison for 10 years to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release.
The Texas Chicano Brotherhood is a prison gang operating primarily in the Rio Grande Valley. Many members of the criminal organization have been convicted of crimes that include murders, home invasions, kidnappings and drug trafficking.
“Gangs like the Texas Chicano Brotherhood often rely on trafficking deadly narcotics to fund their operations and other illicit criminal activities,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Mario Trevino of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Corpus Christi. “By working alongside our federal, state and local law enforcement partners to disrupt their drug trafficking operations, we are able to keep these deadly poisons from destroying countless lives and prevent the gang from raising the criminal proceeds that they need to reign terror on our local communities.”
The investigation began in 2016 and revealed the drug trafficking operation involved the distribution of over five kilograms of cocaine. It led to the identities of at least 70 Texas Chicano Brotherhood members and exposed the organization’s rank and structure.
Torres was one of two generals and oversaw the groups criminal activities in the “free world” after they were released from prison. Torres was found to have distributed cocaine in the Harlingen area as his part of the overall conspiracy.
Ultimately, law enforcement conducted a search warrant at his residence which resulted in the seizure of a .357 Smith & Wesson revolver. As a convicted felon, he is prohibited per federal law of possessing a firearm or ammunition.
Torres has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Torres is the third high-ranking member of the gang to be sentenced in the case. In 2020, Judge Rainey sentenced Ricardo Garcia, Rio Grande City, to a 20-month-term of imprisonment, while Rafael Diaz, also of Rio Grande City, received a sentence of 145 months. Garcia and Diaz are a major and captain, respectively, in the Texas Chicano Brotherhood organization.
HSI conducted the investigation along with Texas Department of Public Safety; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Border Prosecution Unit from the Starr County and Hidalgo County District Attorney’s Office and Texas Office of the Attorney General. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patti Hubert Booth and David Paxton prosecuted the case.
Stonington Man Pleads Guilty to Child Exploitation OffenseRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that MATTHEW X. SMITH, 28, of Stonington, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Jeffery A. Meyer in New Haven to soliciting child pornography.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on August 12, 2021, Smith, using the Kik social media application, initiated contact with an FBI Online Covert Employee (“OCE”) who was posing as a 14-year-old girl. Smith sent sexually explicit messages to the OCE, requested the OCE send him sexually explicit pictures, and discussed meeting the OCE to engage in sexual conduct. The Kik communication continued in the following days, and investigators also determined that Smith, using a different Kik user account, had engaged in sexually explicit exchanges with the OCE in 2020. Smith and the OCE agreed to meet on August 18, 2021.
On August 18, 2021, Smith was arrested by New London Police on state charges after he arrived at the agreed upon meeting location. He was charged by federal criminal complaint in February 2022.
Judge Meyer has scheduled sentencing for April 4, 2023, at which time Smith faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. Smith is released on a $100,000 bond pending sentencing.
This matter has been investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with the assistance of the New London Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patricia Stolfi Collins.
This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com.
Stilwell, Oklahoma Resident Sentenced to Life Imprisonment for Murder in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Earl McAlister, age 55, of Stilwell, Oklahoma, was sentenced to life imprisonment and 5 years of supervised release for Murder in Indian Country – Second Degree. The charges arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Adair County Sheriff’s Office.
The defendant previously entered a guilty plea to an Information filed in August 2022 alleging that on or about November 17, 2019, within the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Indian Country, the defendant, Earl McAlister, a non-Indian, with malice aforethought, did unlawfully kill Randolph England, an Indian, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1111(a), 1151, 1152, and 2. The investigation revealed that McAlister shot England two times. After which, McAlister along with others drove to his “compound,” placed the victim’s body on a burn pile with tires and set him on fire until nothing was left but bone fragments and teeth. McAlister then dumped the victim’s remains down a ravine in a plastic container. Investigators were able to identify the victim by comparing dental records.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma prosecuted the case because the victim in this case was a member of a federally recognized Indian tribe and the crime occurred in Adair County, within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation Reservation and within the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
“The life sentence imposed by the Court is fitting punishment for the defendant’s vicious acts,” said United States Attorney Christopher Wilson. “I am thankful for the cooperative efforts of local, state, and federal law enforcement in working this case. Investigating and prosecuting violent crimes like this one will continue to be a priority for the United States Attorney’s Office.”
“The murder of Randolph England was senseless and horrific, but today’s sentencing ensures the defendant will remain safely away from the public for the rest of his life,” said FBI Oklahoma City Special Agent in Charge Edward J. Gray. “The FBI will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to investigate the most serious crimes in Indian Country.”
The Honorable David Cleveland Joseph, U.S. District Judge from the United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana, temporarily assigned to the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. McAlister will remain in custody pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve his non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant United States Attorney Cameron McEwen represented the United States.
St. Paul Felon Charged with Illegal Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A St. Paul man has been charged in a federal indictment for illegal possession of a firearm as an armed career criminal, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, on October 4, 2022, Torrence Ricardo Finley, 33, was found in possession of a Taurus, G3X, 9mm semi-automatic handgun. Because Finley has prior felony convictions, including multiple domestic assault convictions, in Chisago, Dakota, and Ramsey Counties, he is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time.
The indictment charges Finley with one count of possession of a firearm as an armed career criminal. He was arraigned yesterday in U.S. District Court before Magistrate Judge Tony N. Leung. Finley was ordered to remain in detention pending further court proceedings.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Minneapolis Police Department, and the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily A. Polachek is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
St. Louis Man Caught with Two Fully Automatic Glocks Charged with Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A man from St. Louis, Missouri caught with two illegally modified, fully automatic Glock handguns and suspected narcotics has been charged with a federal gun crime.
Courtlend D. Green, 25, was charged by complaint in U.S. District Court in St. Louis with being a felon in possession of a firearm. He is in custody and is scheduled to appeal in federal court Tuesday.
An affidavit filed in support of the complaint says St. Louis Metropolitan Department officers were told that Green, a documented gang member, was selling narcotics. Police spotted Green and surrounded him in his parked car, deploying spike strips. Green drove off and crashed into an occupied vehicle a short distance away and then fled on foot before he was arrested, the affidavit says.
Police found two Glock handguns modified with conversion devices, also known as switches, that make them fully automatic, the affidavit says. One had a drum magazine containing 41 rounds and the other had a 20-round extended magazine. Police also found suspected narcotics. Green was convicted of involuntary manslaughter in St. Louis Circuit Court in 2022 and is therefore not permitted to possess a firearm, the affidavit says.
Federal and state officials at a news conference Thursday warned of Glock switches and the dangerous trend of an increase in conversion devices being used and found in the St. Louis area and around the country.
Christopher Beavers, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, said Thursday that the ATF has seen a 500% increase in the number conversion devices recovered as part of criminal investigations across the country.
Lt. Col. Michael Sack of the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, said the crime lab has seen a similar large increase in the number of Glock switches seized and analyzed, with one in 2019, one in 2020, 27 in 2022 and three in the first five days of 2023 alone.
Courtesy of the U.S. Attorney's office.U.S. Attorney Sayler Fleming said, “Our office is taking this extremely seriously and we will use all of the statutes and all the punishment provisions that we have available to us.”
“Under federal law, the mere possession of the device is punishable by up to 10 years in prison,” Fleming said, even if not installed in or on a firearm.
But Fleming also cautioned that if a firearm with a conversion device is used while committing a serious drug offense or a crime of violence as defined by federal law, “you’re going to be looking at… not less than 30 years imprisonment. And let me add that that is consecutive to any other sentence you may receive.”
Fleming said a Glock with a conversion device was used to fatally shoot 16-year-old Terrion Smith in downtown St. Louis in March.
Officers are also seeing more high-capacity magazines being used with the firearms.
“These things are dangerous to our officers because of the rate of fire of these weapons,” Sack said. “They are also dangerous to everybody in the neighborhood because of their inaccuracy.”
A fully automatic pistol is difficult to control and “inherently dangerous,” he said.
Both Beavers and Sack said the devices also frequently malfunction.
Sack also said that there were 66 ShotSpotter reports of fully automatic gunfire in St. Louis in 2021 and 339 through December 12th of 2022. St. Louis County has seen similar increases, as the weapons move frequently between jurisdictions.
Green also faces drug, weapon and other charges in St. Louis Circuit Court.
Charges set forth in a criminal complaint are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The case was investigated by the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
St. Louis County Business Owner Admits $231,100 Pandemic Loan FraudRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A business owner from St. Louis County, Missouri on Tuesday admitted a role in fraudulently applying for pandemic-related loans totaling $231,100.
Joe C. Cohen Jr., 66, of Bel Ridge, pleaded guilty in front of U.S. District Judge Catherine D. Perry to two felony counts of theft of government property.
Cohen admitted providing his personal information to someone who submitted applications for Economic Injury Disaster Loans for two of Cohen’s businesses with falsified information, overstating the revenue and number of employees for the businesses. The loans were intended to help business owners struggling with the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Cohen knew that this person was going to submit the applications, and deposited the resulting loan money, $110,000 in one loan and $121,100 in the other, into his checking accounts, according to his guilty plea. He then transferred a portion of the money to the man who applied for the loans.
Cohen was indicted in October. He is scheduled to be sentenced April 14 and could face up to 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both. He will also be ordered to repay the money.
The case was investigated by the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Diane Klocke is prosecuting the case.
South Florida Doctor Sentenced to Prison for Unlawfully Dispensing NarcoticsRead the Press Release
MIAMI – Dr. Ronald Lubetsky was sentenced today to five years in prison by U.S. District Judge Donald M. Middlebrooks for unlawfully dispensing narcotics—specifically oxycodone and morphine.
Lubetsky was convicted at trial in November on seven counts of unlawfully dispensing narcotics. Trial evidence showed that law enforcement learned of Lubetsky’s operation and practices over the course of more than two years. They learned that Lubetsky prescribed large doses of opioid pain medication that were not supported by any demonstrable medical need and were therefore without any legal basis.
An expert medical witness called by the government testified that Lubetsky’s prescribing practices were far outside the scope of generally accepted medical practices, were not prescribed for any legitimate medical purpose, and could have had dangerous effects on the patients.
On two different occasions, law enforcement discovered that a patient had told Lubetsky that she had sold or given away some of her oxycodone pills. When hearing this, the doctor simply issued her more prescriptions. Even an expert medical witness called to testify on behalf of the doctor conceded that some of the doses of opioids Lubetsky prescribed could have sent his patient to the emergency room had she taken them.
At sentencing, the United States also provided evidence that during the course of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) investigation, four of Lubetsky’s patients had been arrested for drug deals they set up while in the waiting room of the doctor’s office.
Markenzy Lapointe, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter, DEA, Miami Field Division, made the announcement.
DEA, Miami Field Division, investigated this case with assistance from City of Miami Police Department; Miami Gardens Police Department; Miami-Dade Police Department; and Aventura Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Frank Tamen prosecuted it.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 21-CR-20485.
Sioux City Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Escape from Federal CustodyRead the Press Release
A man who walked out of a residential reentry center in Sioux City was sentenced on January 6, 2023, to more than one year in federal prison.
Paul Marvin Cooper, age 25, from Sioux City, received the prison term after an October 14, 2022, guilty plea to one count of escape from federal custody.
In a plea agreement, Cooper admitted that he knowingly escaped from custody of Dismas Charities Residential Reentry Center in Sioux City, Iowa, where he was lawfully confined by virtue of a conviction for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance in the District of South Dakota.
On July 7, 2022, Cooper signed out of Dismas Charities to attend a treatment program in downtown Sioux City. At approximately 6:20 p.m. on July 7th, Dismas was alerted of a tampering alarm on Cooper’s GPS device along with its location. Dismas staff tried contacting Cooper’s personal phone several times but there was no answer. The GPS was later located in the trash at a retail store on Floyd Boulevard in Sioux City and appeared to have been cut off. Cooper’s whereabouts were unknown until he was arrested on July 12, 2022, by the United States Marshals Service at a retail store located on Pierce Street in Sioux City.
Cooper was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Cook was sentenced to 12 months’ and one-day imprisonment. He must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Cooper is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Fletcher and investigated by the United States Marshal’s Service.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is 22-CR-4056.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Shreveport Man Sentenced for Illegal Possession of a Firearm and DrugsRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – Denell Linn Lee, 44, of Shreveport, Louisiana, was sentenced today on drug and firearms charges, United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced. United States District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote sentenced Lee to 115 months (8 years, 7 months) in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release. Lee pleaded guilty on September 27, 2022, to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
According to information presented to the court, on the evening of February 27, 2020, agents with the Caddo-Shreveport Street Level Interdiction Unit and agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) stopped Lee for driving a car without a license plate. As agents approached the vehicle, they detected a strong odor of marijuana coming from inside the vehicle. Law enforcement officers lawfully searched the vehicle and found a small amount of marijuana on the driver’s side floorboard where Lee had been sitting. In addition, agents found a bag containing a .22 caliber revolver, a digital scale, and approximately 565 tablets of a substance containing methamphetamine. The combined weight of the tablets was over 100 grams.
Lee has a lengthy criminal history, including convictions for simple kidnapping, simple burglary, attempted possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, domestic abuse battery, and domestic abuse with strangulation. As a convicted felon, Lee is prohibited from possessing any firearm or ammunition.
The case was investigated by the ATF and Shreveport Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike Shannon.
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.
# # #
Shiprock woman sentenced to five years and 10 months in prison for assault in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced that Faith Nicholle Sullivan was sentenced on Jan. 9 to five years and ten months in prison. Sullivan, 28, of Shiprock, New Mexico, and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, pleaded guilty on July 12 to assault with a dangerous weapon in Indian Country.
On June 8, 2021, Navajo Police responded to a report of a fight involving Sullivan at her residence in Shiprock on the Navajo Nation. As one of the responding officers was speaking with Sullivan outside the residence, Sullivan, who was intoxicated, pulled a knife and began to swing it at the officer. The officer tackled Sullivan and took away the knife. A second officer deployed a taser and the officers subdued Sullivan.
During the assault, Sullivan stabbed the first officer in the leg. The officer was transported to the Northern Navajo Medical Center for care.
Upon her release from prison, Sullivan will be subject to three years of supervised release.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Department of Criminal Investigation and the Navajo Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Alexander F. Flores prosecuted the case.
# # #
Scott County Man Sentenced for Wire FraudRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. – A Georgetown, Ky., man, Ralph Tackett, 66, was sentenced to 33 months in federal prison on Monday, by Chief U.S. District Judge Danny C. Reeves, for wire fraud.
According to the agreed facts presented, Tackett was the treasurer of a church in Georgetown, who embezzled a total of $512,042.00, in part through the commission of wire fraud. Tackett admitted, among other facts, that from December 2015 until July of 2019, he stole money directly from the church, by transferring funds to pay on his personal credit cards, by issuing checks which he deposited into his own personal and business accounts for his own benefit, and by unlawfully transferring money in other ways, to meet the demands of a third-party. Throughout this time, Tackett concealed the true nature of the church’s expenditures from the church Pastor and Board members, by exploiting his position of trust and the access he wielded as the organization’s treasurer. The church endured substantial financial hardship as a result of Tackett’s theft.
As part of his sentence, Tackett was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $532,807.46 to the church. This amount includes the amount of money he embezzled directly, as well as the additional costs the church was found to have incurred as a direct result of Tackett’s crime.
Under federal law, Tackett must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence; and upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for three years.
Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI. The United States was represented by Assistant United States Attorney Tashena A. Fannin.
###
San Antonio Man Sentenced to 13 Years for Receiving Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – A San Antonio man was sentenced Thursday to 160 months in prison for the receipt of child sexual abuse material.
According to court documents, Dustin Kotara, 42, participated in a messaging group dedicated to child abuse and exploitation. Through the phone app, Kotara sent child sexual abuse material to an undercover agent. In addition to his 13-year prison sentence, Kotara received 25 years of supervised release and was ordered to pay a total of $45,000 in restitution to nine child victims.
“Individuals who traffic child pornography further victimize those children by enabling the production of child sexual abuse material,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas. “This results in the direct abuse of children. Our office will continue to identify and prosecute those who prey on the most vulnerable members of our society.”
“This is a horrible crime, and our agents and law enforcement partners are working to prevent these types of crimes every single day,” said Special Agent in Charge Oliver E. Rich Jr. of the FBI San Antonio Division. “The FBI will remain vigilant in our efforts to rescue children from those who seek to exploit or prey upon them.”
The FBI investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracy Thompson prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and 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.
###
Sacramento Area Home Health Care and Hospice Agencies Owner Sentenced to 25 Months in Prison for Conspiring to Defraud MedicareRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Akop Atoyan, 51, of Glendale, was sentenced today to 25 months in prison for one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and one count of conspiracy to pay and receive health care kickbacks, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
In addition, Atoyan was ordered to pay $2,525,363 in restitution to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and to forfeit that same amount to the United States.
According to court documents, Atoyan and his wife, Liana Karapetyan, owned and controlled home health care and hospice agencies in the greater Sacramento area: ANG Health Care Inc., Excel Home Healthcare Inc., and Excel Hospice Inc. On behalf of the agencies, Atoyan and Karapetyan certified to Medicare that they would not pay kickbacks in exchange for Medicare beneficiary referrals to the agencies.
Despite their certifications, from at least July 2015 through April 2019, Atoyan and Karapetyan paid and directed others to pay kickbacks to multiple individuals for beneficiary referrals, including employees of health care facilities, as well as employees’ spouses. The kickback recipients included John Eby, a registered nurse who worked for a hospital in Sacramento; Anita Vijay, the director of social services at a skilled nursing and assisted living facility in Sacramento; Jai Vijay, Anita Vijay’s husband; and Mariela Panganiban, the director of social services at a skilled nursing facility in Roseville.
In total, Atoyan, Karapetyan, and others caused the agencies to submit over 8,000 claims to Medicare for the cost of home health care and hospice services. Based on those claims, Medicare paid the agencies approximately $31 million. Of that amount, Medicare paid the agencies at least $2.5 million for services purportedly provided to beneficiaries referred in exchange for kickbacks paid to, among others, Eby, Anita Vijay, Jai Vijay, and Panganiban. Because the agencies obtained the beneficiary referrals by paying kickbacks, the agencies should not have received any Medicare reimbursement.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Thuesen prosecuted the case.
In separate cases, Eby and Panganiban await sentencing after pleading guilty for their roles in the kickback scheme. On Jan. 20, 2022, Anita Vijay was sentenced to one month in prison, and Jai Vijay was sentenced to two years’ probation. On July 21, 2022, Karapetyan was sentenced to 18 months in prison.
Richmond Man Sentenced for Using a Firearm while Trafficking DrugsRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Richmond man was sentenced to five years in prison today for using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a serious felony drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents, on March 10, 2022, Deshan Harris, 21, possessed a concealed semiautomatic pistol while he possessed a half ounce of crack cocaine with intent to distribute it. Police encountered Harris after observing him leaving the area of the Carolina Express convenience store located in the North Highland Park area of Richmond.
According to information presented at sentencing, when the police stopped Harris’s vehicle, Harris failed to comply with the officers’ lawful requests during the traffic stop as Harris concealed the loaded, 9mm semiautomatic pistol under his leg. A subsequent search of Harris’ vehicle resulted in the seizure of 15.9 grams of cocaine, oxycodone pills, over an ounce of marijuana, a digital scale, packaging materials, $852 in U.S. currency and an extended magazine loaded with 9mm ammunition. A search of Harris’s person resulted in the recovery of $1,714 in U.S. currency.
Just eight days earlier, police had seized another loaded, concealed pistol from Harris. According to ballistic evaluations submitted to the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN), Ti’Eric Brooks (Case No. 3:22-cr-79) straw purchased the pistol 28 days earlier. From the time of the pistol’s purchase until its recovery from Harris on March 2, 2022, that pistol had been used in a shooting at the Homewood Suites by Hilton in the City of Richmond and the shooting of a young man off Porter Street.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Christopher Amon, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division made the announcement after U.S. District Judge David J. Novak imposed the sentence.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Olivia Norman and Jessica Wright are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:22-cr-80.
Retired St. Louis Priest Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison for Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Matthew T. Schelp on Tuesday sentenced a retired St. Louis priest who created PowerPoint presentations containing child pornography to five years in prison.
Judge Schelp also ordered James T. Beighlie, 72, to pay $4,750 in restitution to one of the victims portrayed in the child pornography, and $22,000 in special assessments that will go towards other victims of crimes involving children. After his release from prison, he will be on supervised release for life.
Beighlie possessed 6,000 images containing child sexual abuse material on one computer, including about 3,000 images containing child pornography and 2,992 images of child erotica. Beighlie created two PowerPoint presentations with graphic titles that linked to thousands of the images, and often visited and edited the presentations over a period of years. Another computer had 236 images and 40 videos containing child sexual abuse material.
“It’s depressing and sickening to know that people were looking at images and videos of my online sexual abuse when I was a little girl and that they were getting pleasure from it – my abuse,” wrote one of the victims in a letter to Judge Schelp.
Beighlie had been looking at child sexual abuse material since at least 2008, Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen Lang said in court, and revised his PowerPoint presentations more than 200 times. “This criminal conduct was part of his daily life,” Lang said.
On May 17, 2021, while he was working at the Congregation of the Mission in St. Louis, colleagues found compromising images of Beighlie on a church printer.
The church launched an internal investigation. When a private IT support company found what appeared to be videos of minors engaging in sex acts, an attorney for the church contacted the FBI.
Beighlie pleaded guilty in October to two counts of possession of child pornography.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen Lang is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Repeat offender sent to prison againRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas - A 37-year-old member of the Texas Syndicate prison gang has been ordered to federal prison for possessing firearms as a convicted felon, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
John Henry Jimenez aka Joker, Corpus Christi, pleaded guilty Sept. 28, 2022.
Today, U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos ordered Jimenez to serve 40 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release.
At the hearing, Judge Ramos heard evidence of his extensive criminal history involving narcotics, firearms, burglary and assaults. She also heard evidence that Jimenez is an active member in the Texas Syndicate Prison Gang.
On March 2, 2022, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle Jimenez was driving, at which time they found a handgun with an obliterated serial number under his seat.
A traffic stop two months later led to his arrest again. While officers were taking him into custody, they discovered a handgun in his waistband.
Jimenez had been on supervised release since 2020 after serving a 77-month-term for being a felon in possession of a firearm. As a convicted felon, he is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition per federal law.
Jimenez has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Corpus Christi Police Department’s Gang Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Barbara J. De Pena prosecuted the case.
Renton, Washington, resident sentenced to ten years in prison for drug trafficking while armed with a stolen handgunRead the Press Release
Seattle – A Renton, Washington resident who continued to deal drugs and possess firearms after many of his coconspirators were arrested and charged federally, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to ten years in prison, announced U.S. Attorney Nick Brown. Gerson Alberto Flores-Rivera, 28, pleaded guilty in May 2022 to distribution of methamphetamine, possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute, possession of methamphetamine, heroin, and fentanyl with intent to distribute and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime. At the sentencing hearing U.S. District Judge John C. Coughenour said, “Fentanyl is the worst we’ve seen – meth was the worst before fentanyl came along…. The other tragic thing about fentanyl that really bothers me is that it tends to be focused on younger people. It’s the young people that are dying.”
Fentanyl pillsFlores-Rivera had been heard on the wire-tap involving a drug trafficking organization related to the CJNG cartel. When members of that group were arrested in July 2020, Flores-Rivera’s identity was not fully known. His full identity and role in the CJNG related cartel came into focus in the spring of 2021, as Flores-Rivera continued to sell drugs. On five different dates between February and May 2021, Flores-Rivera sold methamphetamine and fentanyl to a person working with law enforcement. Following the last drug deal, Flores-Rivera was arrested with 500 fentanyl pills and a loaded stolen Glock 9mm semi-automatic handgun with an extended magazine.
Stolen handgunA court authorized search of Flores-Rivera’s apartment turned up 24 kilos of methamphetamine hidden in his couch, 2 kilos of heroin, 16,000 fentanyl pills, another firearm, and more than $45,000 in cash.
Drugs hidden in couchIn asking the court to impose a ten-year sentence prosecutors wrote, “After working alongside members of one of the most violent drug trafficking organizations our District has prosecuted, Flores-Rivera continued to serve as an armed drug trafficker for others…. After many of his coconspirators were arrested in July 2020, and despite widespread publicity about their arrests, Flores-Rivera missed an opportunity to extricate himself from the dangerous and illegal world of drug trafficking. Instead, he doubled down and continued unabated – stealing cars, dealing drugs, and carrying guns.”
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. The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Tacoma Resident Office in partnership with Tahoma Narcotics Enforcement Team (TNET), Kent Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, SeaTac Police Department, Thurston County Narcotics Team (TNT), the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Amy Jaquette and C. Andrew Colasurdo.
Red Lake Man Sentenced to 37 Years in Prison for the Murder of a Red Lake Tribal Police OfficerRead the Press Release
BEMIDJI, Minn. – A Red Lake man has been sentenced to 37 years in prison for fatally shooting a Red Lake Tribal Police Officer, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
“The tragic and violent events of July 27, 2021, that claimed the life of Officer Ryan Bialke brought an incalculable loss to his family and to his community,” said U.S. Attorney Andrew Luger. “Although the 37-year sentence handed down today represents justice under the law, the harm can never be undone. We honor the memory of Officer Bialke and commend the officers of the Red Lake Tribal Police Department for their continued courage and commitment in serving their community.”
“When David Brian Donnell opened fire at officers on July 27, 2021, our community lost a husband, a father, a son, and a hero,” said Alvin M. Winston, FBI Special Agent in Charge, Minneapolis Division. Officer Bialke paid the ultimate price for his dedication to public safety, and today's sentence is a testament to the tireless efforts of our state and local partners and the Headwaters Safe Trails Task Force to ensure that violent criminals are held accountable for their heinous crimes. We are unwavering in our commitment to safeguarding our indigenous communities with our tribal partners, and our thoughts are with Officer Bialke's family and colleagues as they heal from this tragedy.”
According to court documents, on July 27, 2021, officers with the Red Lake Tribal Police Department (“RLTPD”) responded to a call to conduct a welfare check on David Brian Donnell, Jr., 30, at his residence in Redby, Minnesota. Five RLTPD officers responded to Donnell’s residence. Upon arrival, the officers found Donnell standing outside on the porch and attempted to have him walk towards the officers, but Donnell instead went inside the residence. Because Donnell had an active tribal warrant and was refusing to comply, the officers made the decision to breach the door. As soon as the door was breached, Donnell opened fire on the officers. Officer Ryan Bialke was immediately struck by gunfire and fell. Donnell continued shooting, firing several rounds from an Izhmash Saiga 7.62 caliber rifle at the four other officers on the scene. One RLTPD officer returned fire to allow the officers to escape into the woods. Donnell continued firing at the officers as they fled into the woods. Donnell fired at least 22 shots at Officer Bialke and the four other RLTPD officers. Officer Bialke succumbed to his injuries and died on the scene. Donnell then fled the scene, taking the rifle with him. Shortly thereafter, officers arrested Donnell at a nearby residence.
Donnell, who pleaded guilty on April 1, 2022, to one count of murder in the second degree, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge John R. Tunheim. During the hearing, Judge Tunheim stated that the 37-year sentence was “justified by a senseless crime,” and extended condolences to the family of Officer Bialke, who gave his life in the line of duty, “he was a fine man, I wish I had known him.”
This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the Red Lake Tribal Police Department, the FBI Headwaters Safe Trails Task Force, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Beltrami County Sheriff’s Office, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Melinda A. Williams and Joseph S. Teirab prosecuted the case.
Portland Man with 18 Prior Felony Convictions Sentenced to Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—On January 9, 2023, a Portland man with a criminal history spanning decades was sentenced to federal prison after he was arrested for discharging a firearm into the air outside a local restaurant during an altercation with his girlfriend.
Tyrone Lamont Allen, 53, was sentenced to 77 months in federal prison and three years’ supervised release.
According to court documents, on November 9, 2021, officers from the Portland Police Bureau (PPB) responded to a disturbance and reports of shots fired near a restaurant and bar in southeast Portland. Witnesses reported Allen, who was on post-prison supervision for committing multiple bank robberies, and his girlfriend were involved in an altercation inside the restaurant that escalated as the couple moved outside. When the woman threatened to call 911, Allen fired a single shot from a handgun into the air and drove off. Responding officers viewed surveillance footage of the incident and observed Allen arguing with and hitting his girlfriend. The video also showed Allen’s girlfriend hiding behind vehicles in the restaurant’s parking lot while he drove around looking for her.
While conducting their investigation, officers observed Allen drive by the restaurant. The officers quickly stopped his vehicle and detained him. Allen admitted to the officers that he “got a little hot” in his altercation with his girlfriend, but denied firing or possessing a firearm. Officers found a .38 caliber revolver with five spent casings in the cylinder underneath the driver’s seat of Allen’s vehicle. Allen claimed the firearm belonged to his girlfriend.
On October 3, 2022, Allen was charged by criminal information with illegally possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. On October 12, 2022, he pleaded guilty to the single charge.
This case was investigated by the FBI and PPB. It was prosecuted by Parakram Singh, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Port of Long Beach Dockworker Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy Count for Fraudulently Billing Union’s Health Plan for Sexual ServicesRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A dockworker at the Port of Long Beach pleaded guilty today to participating in a scheme that submitted fraudulent bills to his labor union’s health insurance plan for sexual services or for physical therapy that never was provided.
Cameron Rahm, 39, of Pico Rivera, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud.
According to his plea agreement, Rahm obtained sexual services from women employed at three businesses: Back to Life Wellness Center LLC and The Chiroman Wellness Center – both based in San Pedro – and the Wilmington-based Waterfront Wellness Center Inc. These companies offered patients chiropractic services and acupuncture treatments, in addition to sexual services.
In exchange for receiving sexual services, Rahm authorized the conspiracy’s leader – Sara Victoria, 46, of San Pedro – to submit false claims to Rahm’s health plan run by his union, the International Longshore and Warehouse Union – Pacific Maritime Association. The ILWU-PMA benefit plan provided coverage for chiropractic services and generally covered all of the cost with no deductible and without requiring plan members receiving the services to contribute any copay amount or incur any other out-of-pocket costs.
From January 2017 to April 2021, Rahm authorized Victoria to submit false claims to the union’s health benefit plan under the name of his wife, who was a plan beneficiary. Rahm’s false and fraudulent claims that Victoria submitted to the ILWU-PMA plan were for services that were not actually rendered, including chiropractic and physical therapy services.
Rahm also requested $240 in cash per month from Victoria in exchange for his authorization for Victoria to submit additional false claims for reimbursement to the ILWU-PMA plan for services not rendered using his and his wife’s insurance information.
Victoria, aided and abetted by Rahm, submitted approximately $178,495 in fraudulent claims to the ILWU-PMA plan for services purportedly rendered to Rahm’s wife, for which for which the plan paid approximately $30,243.
United States District Judge Stanley Blumenfeld Jr. scheduled an April 25 sentencing hearing, at which time Rahm will face a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison.
In December 2022, Victoria pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft. In total, Victoria submitted approximately $2,110,920 in claims to the ILWU-PMA plan, for which the plan paid approximately $551,810. Her sentencing hearing is scheduled for April 14.
Four other dockworkers at the Port of Long Beach pleaded guilty to one felony count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and face up to 10 years in federal prison at their sentencing hearings:
- Rodolpho Bojorquez, 68, of Carson, who is to be sentenced on April 11;
- Cesar Delgadillo, 49, of Wilmington, who has a January 31 sentencing date;
- Joel Lizarraga, 55, of Palmdale, whose sentencing hearing is scheduled for February 28; and
- Simon Ramirez, 50, of Wilmington, who is scheduled for sentencing on January 24.
Three additional defendants – also dockworkers at the Port of Long Beach – each pleaded guilty to one misdemeanor count of theft in connection with health care. Each defendant faces a statutory maximum sentence of one year in federal prison:
- Clifford Hopson, 65, of the Willowbrook area of South Los Angeles, who is scheduled for sentencing on January 24;
- Rogelio Martinez, 53, of Torrance, whose sentencing hearing is scheduled for February 14; and
- Lawrence Robles, 42, of San Pedro, who is to be sentenced on February 28.
The FBI and the United States Department of Labor – Employee Benefits Security Administration investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorney Jason C. Pang of the Major Frauds Section is prosecuting this case.
Pompano Beach Man Sentenced to Prison for Enticing a 10-Year-Old Child into Engaging in Criminal Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
MIAMI – Michael E. Simpson Jr., 24, of Pompano Beach, Fla., has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Rodney Smith to 20 years in prison for enticing a 10-year-old child into criminal sexual activity.
In 2021, while sitting in a parked vehicle with his then fiancé’s 10-year-old daughter, Simpson began playing a sexually explicit video on his phone. He intentionally positioned it so the child could see it. While the video played, Simpson exposed himself to the child, touched himself, and solicited the child to have inappropriate contact with him.
The child reported the incident and law enforcement began an investigation into Simpson and discovered he possessed approximately 264 videos and 1,146 images of child sexual abuse material of prepubescent children to include infants and toddlers. In addition, law enforcement found evidence that Simpson attended events in which grown adults dressed up in infant attire and engaged in sexual activity.
On October 17, 2022, Simpson pled guilty to one count of enticing a minor to engage in criminal sexual activity. In addition to his prison sentence, he will have 15 years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe of the Southern District of Florida and acting Special Agent In Charge Michael E. Buckley of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) made the announcement.
HSI Fort Lauderdale investigated the case with assistance from Broward Sheriff’s Office Special Victims Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ajay Alexander and Brooke Latta prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice and led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
You may find related court documents and information on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 21-cr-60332.
Pharr woman sentenced for trafficking cocaine with husband and othersRead the Press Release
VICTORIA, Texas – A 47-year-old South Texan has been ordered to prison after admitting to trafficking cocaine from Hidalgo County to other states across the country, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Idalia Guzman pleaded guilty Feb. 6, 2019.
Today, Senior U.S. District Judge John D. Rainey imposed a 96-month sentence to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard additional testimony from the prison ministries representative and learned that Guzman had received a theology degree while awaiting sentencing.
The narcotics investigation began in 2017 which led to the discovery that a group was planning to smuggle an undetermined amount of cocaine from Hidalgo County past the Falfurrias Border Patrol checkpoint.
Authorities stopped a vehicle Guzman was driving in Premont. Her husband Victor Del Toro, Pharr, was the passenger. Law enforcement found approximately a half kilogram of cocaine concealed in the vehicle.
Further investigation revealed the Texas Chicano Brotherhood was responsible for smuggling 10 similar size loads of cocaine to San Diego, Texas, and the states of Michigan and Florida.
At the time of her plea, Guzman admitted her involvement and acknowledged she had transported over 10 times in the same manner.
She has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Del Toro was sentenced in 2019 to 120 months incarceration.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation along with the Texas Department of Public Safety; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; District Attorney Offices in Starr County and Hidalgo Counties and Texas Office of the Attorney General. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patti Hubert Booth and David Paxton prosecuted the case.
People’s Republic of China Citizen Indicted for Allegedly Stalking, Threatening Individual Promoting Democracy in ChinaRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Berklee College of Music student, who is citizen of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston in connection with allegedly stalking and threatening an individual who posted fliers in support of democracy in China around the Berklee campus area.
Xiaolei Wu, 25, was indicted today on one count of cyberstalking and one count of interstate transmissions of threatening communication. Wu was previously arrested and charged by criminal complaint with one count of stalking on Dec. 13, 2022. At the time of the events alleged in the Indictment, Wu was living in Boston while attending the Berklee College of Music.
According to the charging documents, on Oct. 22, 2022, an individual posted a flier on or near the Berklee College of Music campus in Boston which said, “Stand with Chinese People,” as well as, “We Want Freedom,” and “We Want Democracy.” It is alleged that, beginning on or about Oct. 22, 2022, and continuing until Oct. 24, 2022, Wu made a series of communications via WeChat, email and Instagram directed towards the victim who posted the flier. Among other things, Wu allegedly said, “Post more, I will chop your bastard hands off.” He also allegedly told the victim that he had informed the public security agency in China about the victim’s actions and that the public security agency in China would “greet” the victim’s family. It is further alleged that Wu solicited others to find out where the victim was living and publicly posted the victim’s email address in the hopes that others would abuse the victim online.
The charge of cyberstalking provides for a sentence up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of interstate transmissions of threatening communication provides for a sentence up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins and Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy H. Kistner of Rollins’ National Security Unit is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Counterintelligence and Export Control Section Trial Attorney Menno Goedman.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
People’s Republic of China Citizen Indicted for Allegedly Stalking, Threatening Individual Promoting Democracy in ChinaRead the Press Release
A Berklee College of Music student, who is a citizen of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston in connection with allegedly stalking and threatening an individual who posted fliers in support of democracy in China.
Xiaolei Wu, 25, was indicted on one count of cyberstalking and one count of interstate transmissions of threatening communication. Wu was previously arrested and charged by criminal complaint with one count of stalking on Dec. 13, 2022. Wu has lived in Boston while attending the Berklee College of Music.
According to the charging documents, on Oct. 22, 2022, an individual posted a flier on or near the Berklee College of Music campus in Boston which said, “Stand with Chinese People,” as well as, “We Want Freedom,” and “We Want Democracy.” It is alleged that, beginning on or about Oct. 22, 2022, and continuing until Oct. 24, 2022, Wu made a series of communications via WeChat, email, and Instagram directed towards the victim who posted the flier. Among other things, Wu allegedly said, “Post more, I will chop your bastard hands off.” He also allegedly told the victim that he had informed the public security agency in China about the victim’s actions and that the public security agency in China would “greet” the victim’s family. It is further alleged that Wu solicited others to find out where the victim was living and publicly posted the victim’s email address in the hopes that others would abuse the victim online.
The charge of cyberstalking provides for a sentence up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of interstate transmissions of threatening communication provides for a sentence up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000.
Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, U.S. Attorney Rachael S. Rollins for the District of Massachusetts, Assistant Director Alan E. Kohler Jr. of the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division, and Special Agent in Charge Joseph R. Bonavolonta of the FBI Boston Division made the announcement.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy H. Kistner for the District of Massachusetts is prosecuting the case, with valuable assistance provided by Trial Attorney Menno Goedman of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.
A complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Oklahoma Inmate Pleads Guilty to Running a Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
An Oklahoma inmate who used contraband cell phones to lead a methamphetamine distribution operation pleaded guilty this week in federal court, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
Richard Dale Deeter, Jr., 45, pleaded guilty to drug conspiracy. Deeter admitted that he directed other members of the conspiracy to obtain kilogram amounts of methamphetamine and to distribute the drug in Tulsa. He conducted the conspiracy while incarcerated for a state drug trafficking conviction.
“Richard Deeter and his five coconspirators have now pleaded guilty to drug trafficking crimes in federal court,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “Homeland Security Investigations led the investigation in partnership with the Drug Enforcement Administration, Tulsa Police Department, Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. These critical partnerships are force multipliers, and the convictions are indicative of what happens when local, state, and federal law enforcement join together to fight large scale criminal activity. I’m proud of the agents, officers and federal prosecutor David Nasar for their work in identifying, investigating and disrupting this drug trafficking organization.”
“HSI will never relent in prosecuting those who peddle illicit drugs within our communities,” said Robert Melton, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the HSI Dallas - Oklahoma and Texas Panhandle Division. “This defendant’s guilty plea and those of his cohorts should send a clear message that we will hold drug traffickers accountable for their crimes, whether in prison or on the street.”
According to court documents, Deeter directed the purchase and pick up of bulk quantities of methamphetamine from Oklahoma City for the purpose of redistributing the drug within the Northern District of Oklahoma. Deeter and his coconspirators utilized Facebook messenger, video calls, text messaging, encrypted instant messaging, and other methods to conduct operations. Deeter communicated with his coconspirators and others about where to pick up the methamphetamine, drug pricing, and to whom the drug would be sold. He accepted payment from coconspirators and drug customers through the use of Green Dot cards and Cash App. He was also alleged to have directed the use of firearms to further the drug operation and the collection of drug debts. The conspirators kept residences in Tulsa for storing the guns and methamphetamine.
Deeter’s five codefendants have also pleaded guilty for their roles in the drug conspiracy.
-Nicole Cox, 27, of Mountain Home, Arkansas: drug conspiracy
-Izabella Marie Boling, 26, of Broken Arrow: possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute
-Donnie B. Pearson, 37, of Sand Springs: possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute
-Jonna Elisa Steele, 38, of Tulsa: use of a communication facility in committing, causing, and facilitating the commission of a drug trafficking felony
-John Wesley Boyd Sparks, 35, of Tulsa: possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute
Deeter, Pearson, and Sparks are members of the Universal Aryan Brotherhood.
See indictment press release here.
The prosecution was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Homeland Security Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, Tulsa Police Department, Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney David A. Nasar prosecuted the case.
New York Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Fraud CrimesRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Julio Hisael Almonte, 31, of the Bronx, New York, was sentenced today to one year and three months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for his role in the fraudulent purchase of new trucks from a pair of Charleston dealerships. Almonte was also ordered to pay $42,375.03 in restitution.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Almonte and a co-conspirator obtained two forged Ohio driver’s licenses by using the information of actual Ohio residents and the co-conspirator’s photo. On June 28, 2018, the co-conspirator used one of the stolen identities and forged licenses to purchase a Ford F-150 Raptor for $76,196.76 from a Charleston dealership. On June 29, 2018, the co-conspirator used the other stolen identity and forged license to purchase a Toyota Tacoma for $42,375.03 from a different Charleston dealership.
On June 30, 2018, Almonte was arrested by the West Virginia State Police in Braxton County as he attempted to drive the Ford F-150 back to the New York area. Almonte pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the West Virginia State Police, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service which provided assistance during the investigation.
Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Nowles Heinrich prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-160.
###
New Haven Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that TYRIQ MARTIN, 22, of New Haven, pleaded guilty yesterday before U.S. District Judge Omar A. Williams in Hartford to possession of ammunition by a felon.
According to court documents and statements made in court, a court-authorized search of Martin’s Snapchat account in the spring of 2022 revealed numerous photos of Martin in possession of firearms. On June 15, 2022, New Haven Police arrested Martin in the area of Ferry Street and Chatham Street on an outstanding state warrant for firearm and narcotics offenses. At the time of his arrest, Martin possessed a loaded Polymer 80 privately made firearm. A subsequent search of the car Martin was seen driving revealed 11 rounds of 9mm ammunition.
In July 2021, Martin was convicted in state court of conspiracy to commit first-degree assault, for which he was sentenced to five years of incarceration, execution suspended after 16 months, and three years of probation.
It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.
At sentencing, which is not scheduled, Martin faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years.
Martin has been detained since his arrest.
This investigation has been conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the New Haven Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jocelyn Courtney Kaoutzanis and Rahul Kale through the Justice’s Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) program.
PSN, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts, 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.
NYSP Sergeant Charged with Tipping Off Targets of Gambling InvestigationRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051ROCHESTER, NY--U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Thomas J. Loewke, 51, of Rochester, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with obstruction of a state or local law enforcement investigation and obstruction of an official proceeding. The charges carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan K. McGuire, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, in October of 2020, Homeland Security Investigations joined an ongoing joint federal, state, and local law enforcement investigation into illegal gambling businesses. One of the businesses was an illegal bookmaking operation, which was managed through accounts on the website sport700.com. Multiple members of the business had access to the website in order to manage and operate the business, violating multiple New York State laws.
During the course of the investigation, investigators intercepted a series of calls and text messages between targets of the investigation, sub-agents and individual bettors discussing the placement of bets, collection of winnings, and payment of losses. Investigators also monitored accounts on sport700.com.
On January 3, 2021, a search warrant was executed on one account belonging to an individual identified as Target 1 of the investigation. A review of the account indicated that Target 1 had 16 sub-agents, who collectively managed 221 individual bettor accounts. Throughout the duration of the account, April 25, 2019, through January 3, 2021, Target 1 generated $1,241,172 in gambling profits. In February 2021, a search warrant was executed on an account belonging to a second target (Target 2) of the investigation. Target 2’s account was created on April 25, 2016, had 128 sub-agent accounts managing 1,789 individual bettors, and profits totaling $8,945,629.
During the investigation, investigators overheard a phone call between Target 1 and Target 2, during which Target 1 said that a member of the New York State Troopers named “TJ” had tipped him off to the ongoing investigation. The Targets then discussed changing the passwords and domain name of the website and erasing the betting history in order to avoid detection. At the time, Loewke was a Sergeant with the New York State Police.
Subsequent investigation determined that, on December 17, 2020, a uniformed New York State Trooper performing maintenance on the computer of an NYSP Senior Investigator involved in the investigation observed a draft affidavit, which included Target 1’s name in plain view at the top of the document. Access to the Senior Investigator’s office was controlled by a swipe card system. Records indicate that on December 17, 2020, the Trooper accessed the office three times in the morning. A review of the Trooper’s cell phone shows that during those times, the Trooper sent an outgoing text message and made two calls to a cellular phone number registered to Loewke. Two additional calls were made to Loekwe’s cell phone that afternoon. The text message stated “Call me ASAP.” The Trooper subsequently confirmed that he had disclosed the existence of the investigation to Loewke. A search of Loewke’s phone also uncovered evidence that he engaged in illegal sports betting by placing numerous bets with another individual.
Loewke made an initial appearance this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Marian W. Payson and was released on conditions.
The criminal complaint is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Scarpino, the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Thomas Fattorusso, the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Brian Ratajczak, the Greece Police Department, under the direction of Chief Michael Wood, and Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Chief David Smith. Additional assistance was provided by the Monroe County District Attorney’s Office.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
# # # #
Morris County Man Admits Defrauding Department of Veterans Affairs and Threatening Federal AgentRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Morris County, New Jersey, man today admitted defrauding the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) of more than $118,000 in disability benefits and sending an interstate text message threatening a federal agent with bodily injury, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Kamil Wakulik, 38, of Long Valley, New Jersey, pleaded guilty by videoconference before U.S. Magistrate Judge José R. Almonte to an information charging him with theft of government funds and interstate transmission of a threat of injury.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Wakulik was an active service member in the U.S. Marine Corps from 2003 to 2007. In 2018, during an assessment by the VA for disability benefits, Wakulik made false representations that he suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder based on his active-duty service. Wakulik claimed that he was assigned to and participated in active-duty missions that required him to recover human remains following natural disasters that occurred in the Philippines and Thailand – in fact, he was not involved in recovering human remains. Based on these false statements, the VA increased Wakulik’s disability rating and provided additional monthly disability benefit payments to him totaling over $118,000.
On Aug. 23, 2022, Wakulik sent an interstate text message to an agent of the VA, Office of Inspector General, threatening physical violence against the agent and any other agent involved in investigating Wakulik.
The charge of theft of government funds carries a maximum sentence of up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greatest. The charge of interstate transmission of a threat of injury carries a maximum sentence of up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greatest. Sentencing is scheduled for June 6, 2023.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General, Northeast Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Christopher F. Algieri, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Baker of the Opioid Abuse Prevention and Enforcement Unit in Newark.
Minneapolis Woman Pleads Guilty to Her Role in a Drug Money Laundering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL – A Minneapolis woman has pleaded guilty to running a drug money laundering operation on behalf of a large-scale fentanyl and marijuana dealer, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, between December 2018 and August 2019, Phouvanh Keokaythinh, 37, laundered cash drug proceeds to conceal the drug trafficking activities of a group of gang members who operated as a drug trafficking organization that distributed heroin, fentanyl, and marijuana in and around the Twin Cities. Keokaythinh kept large amounts of cash drug proceeds for Lyndon Swarn, a large-scale fentanyl and marijuana dealer, at her family residence in Bloomington. Swarn’s drug income was generated from the production and sale of illegal fentanyl-laced Oxycodone pills, as well as the production and sale of large amounts of marijuana.
According to court documents, Keokaythinh used cash from Swarn’s drug proceeds to purchase a farm property in Ironwood, Michigan. Swarn and his associates used this property to illegally grow large amounts of marijuana. Keokaythinh and others laundered drug proceeds into a bank account owned by L&S Management LLC, a shell company used for the purchase, maintenance, and upkeep of the property in Ironwood. Keokaythinh also directed others to maintain a credit card that was used for Swarn’s personal spending and other expenses related to the drug trafficking conspiracy. Between January 2017 and March 2019, Keokaythinh and others used drug proceeds to make approximately $117,782.72 in payments on the credit card.
Keokaythinh pleaded guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court before Senior Judge Susan Richard Nelson to one count of concealment money laundering. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later time.
On June 2, 2022, Swarn was convicted in Hennepin County of aiding and abetting first-degree murder in relation to the New Year’s Eve 2019 kidnapping and murder of a local real estate agent. On May 17, 2021, Swarn was convicted in U.S. District Court for possession with intent to distribute more than 33,000 fentanyl-laced Oxycodone pills.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Minneapolis Police Department, and the Hopkins Police Department, with assistance from the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Harry M. Jacobs is prosecuting the case.
Minneapolis Man Sentenced to 12.5 Years in Prison Child Sex TraffickingRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Minneapolis man was sentenced to 150 months in prison followed by 15 years of supervised release for sex trafficking a minor, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, in August 2020, Charles William Dexter III, 42, recruited a 14-year-old minor to engage in commercial sex acts for his benefit. Dexter arranged for these commercial sex acts using online advertisements, including ads posted on Megapersonals.com, to take place at hotels. He collected half of the proceeds from each of the appointments for commercial sex from the minor victim.
“January is National Human Trafficking Prevention Month and cases such as this represent our ongoing commitment to investigating and prosecuting those who exploit human beings, and in this case minor victims, for financial gain,” said U.S. Attorney Andrew Luger.
“Combatting sex trafficking is a top priority for Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) St. Paul,” said Jamie Holt, HSI St. Paul Special Agent in Charge. “Our agents will continue to focus on fostering safer communities by protecting and supporting sex-trafficking victims and bringing people like Dexter to justice.”
“The FBI is fully committed to combating human trafficking with our federal, state and local partners. Today’s sentence highlights the importance of this work in bringing justice to the victims and preventing human trafficking both in Minnesota and throughout the country,” said Alvin M. Winston, FBI Special Agent in Charge, Minneapolis Division.
Dexter, who pleaded guilty on September 6, 2022, to one count of sex trafficking of a minor, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Senior Judge Susan Richard Nelson.
This case was the result of an investigation conducted by Homeland Security Investigations, the Bloomington Police Department, and the FBI.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Manda M. Sertich and Chelsea A. Walcker prosecuted the case.
Mexican national admits role in transporting 29 pounds of meth to Bozeman, BillingsRead the Press Release
BILLINGS — A Mexican national today admitted her role in a methamphetamine trafficking scheme in which she transported 25 pounds of the drug to Billings and four pounds of meth to Bozeman from Denver, Colorado, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
Risela Anahid Heredia Soberanes, 32, pleaded guilty to a superseding information charging her with possession with intent to distribute meth. Soberanes faces a mandatory minimum of five years to 40 years in prison, a $5 million fine and at least four years of supervised release.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan presided. A sentencing date will be set before U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Soberanes was detained pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents that in mid-July 2022, law enforcement made a controlled purchase of cocaine in Bozeman from a person later identified as co-defendant Isidro Vega Carmona. Another co-defendant, identified at Victor Ocampo, was with Carmona during the purchase. About a month later, Carmona and another person, known as “Guero,” agreed to sell an undercover individual four pounds of meth for $18,000. In late August, the undercover went to Carmona’s residence to purchase the four pounds of meth. Prior to the purchase, law enforcement observed a white Honda Accord with a Colorado license plate arrive at Carmona’s residence. Soberanes got out of the Honda and retrieved items from the trunk. Later investigation confirmed that Soberanes had delivered the meth to Carmona on behalf of “Guero.”
The government further alleged that in October 2022, Carmona offered to sell the undercover 25 pounds of meth for $100,000 and that he would deliver it to Billings. On Oct. 12, 2022, Carmona contacted the undercover and confirmed that Soberanes was again driving the 25 pounds of meth to Billings from Denver and that he would meet the undercover in Billings. Law enforcement observed the Honda Accord at a residence on the 200 block of Broadwater Avenue, where Soberanes parked the vehicle and entered the residence. Carmona then contacted the undercover and ultimately gave instructions to meet him at the Northern Hotel in downtown Billings. Law enforcement observed Carmona and Ocampo get out of a truck and remove a large rolling suitcase from the trunk of the Honda. Carmona began walking with the suitcase in the direction of the Northern Hotel, while Ocampo drove the Honda toward the hotel. Law enforcement arrested Carmona on the street, while he was still in possession of the suitcase, and Ocampo as he was walking away from the Honda near a downtown intersection. Law enforcement arrested Soberanes at the Broadwater Avenue residence while she was sitting in Carmona’s pickup truck. Officers served a federal search warrant on the suitcase and found 25 pounds of meth in numerous plastic bags and several items of female clothing. Twenty-nine pounds of meth is the equivalent of approximately 105,000 doses. Soberanes admitted in an interview that she received the suitcase from “Guero,” who instructed her to deliver it to Billings.
Carmona and Ocampo have pleaded not guilty to charges and are pending trial in the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Colin M. Rubich is prosecuting the case, which was investigated by the FBI, the Eastern Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force and the Missouri River Drug Task Force.
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.
XXX
Mexican National Sentenced to 96 Months in Federal Prison for Possession of Firearm and Distribution of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, Del. – David C. Weiss, U.S. Attorney for the District of Delaware, announced that Porfirio Jimenez-Arizmendi, age 31, a Mexican national unlawfully in the United States and residing in Lincoln, was sentenced today to 96 months in prison for being an unlawful alien in possession of a firearm and for distribution of methamphetamine. U.S. District Judge Maryellen Noreika pronounced the sentence. Mr. Jimenez-Arizmendi, who pled guilty on July 25, 2022, will face removal proceedings upon the completion of his federal prison sentence.
According to court documents, on February 18, 2021, Jimenez-Arizmendi sold approximately 9 ounces of crystal methamphetamine, with an approximate 97% purity, for $9,000. During his arrest for that crime, officers recovered a semiautomatic pistol and seven rounds of ammunition in the pocket of a jacket found on the front passenger seat of the car Jimenez-Arizmendi was driving.
U.S. Attorney Weiss stated, “On a daily basis law enforcement and our communities face the consequences of a gun and drug epidemic. Today’s sentence holds Mr. Jimenez-Arizmendi accountable for his dangerous and illegal behavior.
“Jimenez-Arizmendi sold multi-ounce quantities of extremely pure methamphetamine, which is an illicit stimulant drug that has had a devastating effect on our community,” said Thomas Hodnett, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Philadelphia Field Division. “Jimenez-Arimendi will justifiably face deportation once his federal prison sentence is done.”
The case was investigated by the Delaware State Police and the DEA and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Edmond Falgowski.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the District of Delaware or on PACER by searching for Case No. 22-CR-60.
Mercer County Man Sentenced to 27 Months in Prison for Interfering with Law Enforcement Officers During Civil DisorderRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Mercer County, New Jersey, man was sentenced today to 27 months in prison for attempting to interfere with law enforcement officers during a civil disorder when he attempted to set fire to a police vehicle during a riot in Trenton, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Kadeem A. Dockery, 31, of Trenton, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty by videoconference before U.S. District Judge Brian R. Martinotti to an information charging him with one count of attempting to obstruct, impede, or interfere with law enforcement officers during a civil disorder affecting commerce. Judge Martinotti imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On May 31, 2020, large-scale protests were held throughout the United States, including in Trenton, in response to the death of George Floyd. Although the May 31st protest in Trenton was peaceful earlier in the day, violence erupted later. A group of individuals proceeded down East State Street in downtown Trenton and began to riot, smashing store fronts, looting stores, and attacking multiple marked Trenton Police Department vehicles parked on the 100 Block of East State Street.
A city of Trenton street camera and other video footage taken by an individual present on the street recorded Dockery lighting an explosive device and throwing it through the open front driver’s side window of a Trenton Police Department vehicle, attempting to set the police vehicle on fire. The footage captured the sound of an explosion, and smoke emanating from the police vehicle. Law enforcement later identified Dockery through analysis of street camera and other video footage. Dockery was arrested on Aug. 5, 2020.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Martinotti sentenced Dockery to three years of supervised release.
Dockery is the last of four individuals sentenced in connection with the protest in Trenton. Earlja J. Dudley was sentenced in March of 2022 to 30 months in prison; Killian F Melecio was sentenced in June of 2021 to 28 months in prison; and Justin D. Spry was sentenced in September 2021 to 24 months in prison.
U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI and task force officers of the Joint Terrorism Task Force in Newark, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy, with the investigation leading to the sentence. He also thanked officers of the Trenton Police Department, under the direction of Police Director Steve E. Wilson; troopers of the New Jersey State Police, under the direction of Col. Patrick J. Callahan; and officers of the New Jersey Department of Corrections, under the direction of Commissioner Victoria L. Kuhn, for their assistance.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexander E. Ramey and Michelle S. Gasparian of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Criminal Division.
Maryland Man Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison for Child Sexual Abuse and Accessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A Maryland man was sentenced today to 14 years in prison for first-degree child sexual abuse of a minor, with aggravating circumstances, and accessing child pornography. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Special Agent in Charge Wayne A. Jacobs, of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division.
Sean Cortez Moses, 31, of Suitland, Maryland, pleaded guilty in July 2022, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Trevor N. McFadden ordered Moses to pay $100,000 in restitution to the victim, complete 10 years of supervised release, and register as a sex offender for life.
According to the government's evidence, Moses was identified during a law enforcement investigation into the sexual abuse of an eight-year-old girl. Moses entered a relationship with a woman who resided in the District of Columbia, and who had access to the little girl. Between June of 2017 and June of 2018, he traveled from Maryland into the District of Columbia, where he took advantage of this relationship to sexually abuse the child and to view child pornography.
Moses was arrested on March 4, 2021. He has remained in custody.
This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force. The task force is composed of FBI agents, along with other federal agents and detectives from northern Virginia and the District of Columbia. The task force is charged with investigating and bringing federal charges against individuals engaged in the exploitation of children and those engaged in human trafficking. Valuable assistance was provided by the FBI’s Baltimore Field Office, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Prince George’s County, Maryland Police Department.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Special Agent in Charge Jacobs commended the work of those who investigated 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 (MPD) Youth Investigations Division. They also commended the work of Yvonne Bryant, of the Victim and Witness Assistance Unit, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jocelyn Bond and Amy E. Larson, who prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of the Department of Justice's Project Safe Childhood initiative. In February 2006, the Attorney General created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorney's Offices, 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 identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Man Sentenced for Integral Role in Sophisticated International Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. – A Romanian national was sentenced on Monday to 89 months in prison for his role in a transnational, multimillion-dollar scheme to defraud American victims. He is the 24th member of the organized criminal group to be sentenced, of the 28 who were charged.
Ionut-Razvan Sandu, 35, of Romania, pleaded guilty in April 2022 to conspiracy to commit a Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) offense. Four other defendants pleaded guilty to this offense and were sentenced for their roles in the conspiracy between Nov. 16 and 18, 2022, including: Rafael-Liviu Cucu, 33, of Romania to 61 months; Alexandru-Catalin Calin, 40, of Romania, to 61 months; Ciprian-Ionut Filip, 37, of Romania to 70 months; and Gabriel Constantin Georgescu, 37, of Romania to 63 months.
“This highly organized and sophisticated syndicate stole directly from the pockets of hard-working Americans. The criminals then used digital currency to launder their ill-gotten gains,” said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Today’s result is proof that the Criminal Division and our law enforcement partners will never stop pursuing cybercriminals who target the American public—no matter where these criminals reside, and no matter what tools they use to hide.”
“Cybercrime is an increasingly prevalent means for criminals to prey on the public, causing victims, from across the United States, to lose millions of dollars,” said U.S. Attorney Carlton S. Shier IV for the Eastern District of Kentucky. “To continue to protect Americans against organized cybercrime, cooperation and coordination among law enforcement is essential. This case is the result of a massive, years-long effort by the U.S. Secret Service to coordinate the investigation of this crime and identify and apprehend the offenders. I commend the exceptional work done by all our law enforcement partners, and we are proud to have joined this cooperative effort to prosecute this significant cyber fraud scheme.”
“Financial crimes that take place in the cyber domain have a very real impact on everyday Americans and their families,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert Holman of the U.S. Secret Service Louisville Field Office. “The Secret Service remains committed to investigating such crimes, and we appreciate the continued support of our local, state, federal, and international law enforcement partners as we work together to bring those responsible to justice.”
According to plea documents, beginning as early as October 2014, Sandu and other members of the criminal organization collectively developed a process and offered a service by which co-conspirators based in the United States and abroad would launder the proceeds of online auction fraud.
According to court documents, Georgescu, Filip, and other co-conspirators posted false advertisements to popular online auction and sales websites, such as eBay, for goods that did not actually exist. Members of the conspiracy created fictitious online accounts to post these advertisements and communicate with victims, sometimes using the stolen identities of Americans to do so. The advertisements typically marketed the sale of used vehicles or similar goods and targeted working-class Americans.
Members of the conspiracy used several tactics to convince victims to send money for the advertised goods. For example, they impersonated a military member who needed to sell the advertised item before deployment. In furtherance of the scheme, the defendants delivered invoices to the victims bearing trademarks of reputable companies to make the transaction appear legitimate. The defendants also set up call centers to impersonate customer support, address questions, and alleviate concerns over the advertisements.
Once victims had sent payment, members of the conspiracy engaged in a complex money laundering scheme offered by Sandu and others wherein U.S.-based conspirators received victim funds, converted those funds to cryptocurrency, and transferred proceeds in the form of cryptocurrency to foreign-based money launderers. Those foreign-based money launderers, such as Cucu and Calin, would then work with other members of the conspiracy to convert the bitcoin back into fiat currency. Sandu was held responsible for laundering over $3.5 million worth of fraudulent proceeds. To date, law enforcement has identified over 900 victims of this scheme.
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Secret Service, Kentucky State Police, Lexington Police Department, IRS Criminal Investigation and U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and supported by the Justice Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) and the International Organized Crime Intelligence and Operations Center (IOC-2). Assistance was provided by the Romanian National Police (Service for Combating Cybercrime), the Romanian Directorate for Investigating Organized Crime and Terrorism (Agency for Prosecuting Organized Crime), and the Supreme Prosecutor’s Office of Cassation of the Republic of Bulgaria. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section provided significant support.
This case is being prosecuted by Senior Counsel Frank Lin of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn M. Dieruf of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Kentucky.
Individuals who believe they may be victims of the online auction fraud scheme described herein are encouraged to visit the following website to obtain more information: www.justice.gov/usao-edky/information-victims-large-cases.
— END —
Man Pleads Guilty to Assaulting Flight Attendant and Interfering with Flight CrewRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Miami, Florida, man pleaded guilty today to interfering with a flight crew and assaulting a flight attendant while onboard a United Airlines flight from Miami to Washington, D.C.
According to court documents, on October 4, 2022, Cherruy Loghan Sevilla, 24, was onboard United Airlines Flight 2116 flying from Miami International Airport (MIA) to Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD). About an hour into the flight, Sevilla began to exhibit disruptive and erratic behavior, including wandering around the plane, running up and down the aisle, clapping loudly near the cockpit, and yelling obscenities. Sevilla refused to remain seated and laid on the floor in the aisle of the plane, preventing a flight attendant from walking up the aisle to her jump seat to prepare for landing. Suddenly, the defendant jumped up and lunged at this flight attendant, grabbing and twisting her right breast. A passenger, another flight attendant, and an onboard law enforcement officer attempted to pull the defendant off and subdue him. The defendant resisted and, in the struggle, twisted the arm of the second flight attendant.
Sevilla faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison when sentenced on April 21. 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 Michael H. Glasheen, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office Counterterrorism Division, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Claude M. Hilton accepted the defendant’s guilty plea.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Stefanie Schwartz and Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura Withers are 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-218.
Logan County Woman Sentenced for COVID-19 Relief Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Alexis Ransom, 25, of Logan, was sentenced today to five years of federal probation and ordered today to pay $42,250.00 in restitution for a scheme to defraud the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) of over $42,250.00 in COVID-19 relief loans guaranteed by the Small Business Administration (SBA) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act).
According to court documents and statements made in court, beginning on March 27, 2021, and continuing to August 16, 2021, Ransom applied for three PPP loans for her purported business, Alexis Renae Ransom, which she claimed did business under the tradenames of Renae’s Fashion Consulting LLC and Momma & Me Boutique. Ransom admitted that she falsely stated that Renae’s Fashion Consulting LLC was established in 2019, and had earned $66,900.00 in gross income in 2019 and 2020, and that Momma & Me Boutique earned $69,000.00 in gross income in 2019. The investigation revealed that Ransom’s purported business and its tradenames had not engaged in substantial business activity before February 15, 2020. Ransom further admitted that she submitted a false Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Form 1040 in connection with the first loan application she submitted for Renae’s Fashion Consulting LLC.
The CARES Act is a federal law enacted on March 29, 2020, designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans who are suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. One source of relief provided by the CARES Act was the authorization of forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain approved expenses, through the PPP. Businesses must use PPP loan proceeds for payroll costs, interest on mortgages, rent and utilities.
Ransom obtained two PPP loans worth $13,937.50 for Renae’s Fashion Consulting LLC, and one PPP loan worth $14,375.00 for Momma & Me Boutique. Ransom admitted that she later applied to have all three PPP loans forgiven even though she had not spent the loan proceeds on permissible business expenses. The SBA forgave her loans on August 16, 2021.
Ransom pleaded guilty to wire fraud. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the West Virginia State Police and the United States Secret Service.
Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Kathleen Robeson prosecuted the case.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-cr-122.
###
Logan County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Anthony Ryan Webb, 42, of Ethel, pleaded guilty today to distribution of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on May 3, 2021, Webb sold more than 50 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant in Ethel. At the time, Webb was an employee of the United States Postal Service. As a result of his job duties, Webb had access to packages that had been placed in the United States Mail and was responsible for sorting out packages that had been damaged in transit. Webb admitted that he stole approximately 1 pound of methamphetamine from a package, which he then sold to the informant.
Webb is scheduled to be sentenced on April 24, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison, four years of supervised release, and a $5 million fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the United States Postal Service-Office of Inspector General (OIG) and the West Virginia State Police.
Chief United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-cr-123.
###
Liberty County Felon Guilty of Federal Firearms ViolationRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – A Dayton man has pleaded guilty to a federal firearms violation in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston today.
Clifford Scott Oclair, 57, pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a prohibited person before U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on Jan. 9, 2023.
According to court documents, on July 11, 2022, Oclair was arrested by deputy U.S. Marshals and Liberty County law enforcement officers in Liberty County who were tracking him down in an attempt to arrest him for outstanding warrants. A few minutes prior to his arrest, Oclair was observed crossing through a fenced-off, open area into a pasture along Highway 321 near Dayton. Law enforcement officers set up a perimeter in the pasture and took positions in high grass on the ground, while observing the area. Within a few minutes, officers observed Oclair on the run moving toward them. When Oclair got close enough, the officers emerged from their positions with their weapons raised and arrested him, but not before he was observed discarding a firearm he had concealed in his pants. The loaded firearm was discovered in the grass nearby.
Oclair was indicted by a federal grand jury on Oct. 5, 2022. He faces up to 15 years in federal prison. The maximum statutory sentence prescribed by Congress is provided here for information purposes, as the sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case is being investigated by the Dayton Police Department, Liberty County Constable’s Office, Precincts 4 and 6, Port Arthur Police Department, U.S. Marshals Service and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph R. Batte.
###
Knott County Man Sentenced to 298 Months for Armed Fentanyl and Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
PIKEVILLE, Ky. – A Pippa Passes, Ky., man, Tony Minor, 44, was sentenced on Tuesday to 298 months in federal prison, by U.S. District Judge Robert Wier, for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.
According to Minor’s plea agreement, on February 10, 2022, law enforcement attempted to stop a vehicle in which Minor was an occupant. Minor ran from law enforcement, who eventually apprehended him and found baggies, a scale, and over 100 grams of methamphetamine on his person. Law enforcement then searched Minor’s residence and found additional drugs, including over 40 grams of fentanyl and a loaded firearm. Minor possessed this firearm to protect himself from the dangers of drug trafficking and was not legally permitted to possess the firearm because he was a convicted felon.
Minor pleaded guilty to the current charges in August 2022. Minor was previously convicted of a drug trafficking felony in the Knott County Circuit Court.
Under federal law, Minor must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. He will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for eight years after his release from prison.
Carlton S. Shier IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Louisville Field Office; and Sheriff Dale Richardson, Knott County Sheriff’s Office, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI, KSP, and Knott County Sheriff’s Office. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Trimble.
This case was prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” Program (PSN), which is a nationwide, crime reduction strategy aimed at decreasing violent crime in communities. It involves a comprehensive approach to public safety — one that includes investigating and prosecuting crimes, along with prevention and reentry efforts. In the Eastern District of Kentucky, U.S. Attorney Shier coordinates PSN efforts in cooperation with various federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.
— END —
Jamestown Woman Pleads Guilty for Her Role in Selling Fentanyl That Led to A DeathRead 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 Alisha Centi, 28, of Jamestown, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr. to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, heroin, fentanyl, and methamphetamine, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua A. Violanti, who is handling the case, stated that between March 2020, and June 2021, Centi and co-defendant Garson Butcher conspired with others to possess and sell heroin, fentanyl, and methamphetamine. On March 29, 2020, Centi and Butcher sold fentanyl which resulted in the death of an individual identified as T.R. On September 28, 2020, Centi and Butcher sold heroin to an individual identified as K.K., who overdosed but regained consciousness after receiving multiple doses of Narcan. In addition, Centi and Butcher used residences on Fairview Avenue and Roland Road to manufacture and distribute heroin, fentanyl, and methamphetamine.
Butcher was previously convicted and is awaiting sentencing.
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.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Frank A. Tarentino III, New York Field Division, the Jamestown Police Department, under the direction of Chief Timothy Jackson, and the Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff James B. Quattrone.
Sentencing is scheduled for June 30, 2023, at 10:00 a.m. before Judge Sinatra.
# # # #
Hebbronville resident admits to smuggling over a million in cocaineRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas - A 63-year-old man has pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute approximately 16 kilograms of cocaine, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
On Sept. 7, 2022, Ascencion Garza Jr. drove his truck into the primary inspection lane of a Border patrol (BP) checkpoint located near Falfurrias. There, authorities searched his vehicle and discovered 15 bricks of cocaine in concealed compartments within the rear quarter-panels.
The drugs weighed approximately 16 kilograms and have an estimated street value of more than $1.1 million.
U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzalez Ramos will impose sentencing April 11. At that time, Garza faces up to life in federal prison and a possible $10 million maximum fine.
Garza has been and will remain in custody pending that hearing.
Homeland Security Investigations and Customs and Border Protection conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tyler Foster is prosecuting the case.
Guam Seafood Store Owner Sentenced to 21 Months Imprisonment for Food Stamp FraudRead the Press Release
Hagatña, Guam – SHAWN N. ANDERSON, United States Attorney for the Districts of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, announced that defendant Basiano B. Joysa, age 47 from Dededo, Guam was sentenced in the United States District Court of Guam to 21 months imprisonment, with credit for time served, for Unauthorized Use of Food Stamp Benefits, in violation of 7 U.S.C. § 2024(b). The Court also ordered three years of supervised release following imprisonment, $250,000 in restitution, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee. In addition, defendants convicted of trafficking SNAP benefits are ineligible to receive SNAP benefits and may not participate in the program as vendors.
Basiano Joysa and Hilaria Willy owned and operated Angarap Fish Mart (“Angarap”), a small specialty seafood store in Dededo. On October 2001, Angarap was authorized by the USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service to participate in the agency’s program known as SNAP, formerly the Food Stamp Program. SNAP is a 100% federally funded program that provides financial aid to eligible recipients for use at authorized retail food stores. Under the program, SNAP recipients receive electronic benefits transfer (“EBT”) authorization cards that operate as debit cards. Each month authorized recipients are issued certain amounts of SNAP benefits that can be accessed only with their EBT cards and encrypted personal identification numbers. Under the program, Joysa and Willy knew that SNAP benefits could not be accepted or redeemed in exchange for credit or loans, and that SNAP recipients could not be discriminated against by charging them interest.
From January 1, 2010, to December 31, 2013, Joysa and Willy acquired SNAP benefits in exchange for extending credit to SNAP recipients and payment on their credit accounts. They also charged SNAP recipients who purchased merchandise on credit with a 1.2 percent fee for every credit transaction. Willy previously pled guilty and will be sentenced on February 21, 2023.
“Nutritional benefits provide essential support to low-income individuals nationwide,” stated United States Attorney Anderson. “Any unlawful fees and interest imposed by retailers diminishes the impact of this important program. We will continue to uphold the accountability and integrity of SNAP through targeted prosecutions in our districts.”
“SNAP is taxpayer-funded and intended to help the disadvantaged,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Steven Merrill. “The FBI, along with our partners in law enforcement, is committed to investigating the misuse or abuse of any government-funded program.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the USDA- Office of Inspector General (USDA) investigated this case. The case was prosecuted by Marivic P. David, First Assistant United States Attorney in the District of Guam.
Former insurance agent pleads guilty to defrauding customers by creating life insurance policies in their names without victims’ knowledgeRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – A former insurance agent pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to defrauding dozens of victims in the Cincinnati and Dayton area.
Specifically, Seneca Birchmore, 45, of Cincinnati, admitted to committing aggravated identity theft, a federal crime punishable by a mandatory two-year prison sentence. Birchmore also fraudulently obtained two COVID Paycheck Protection Program loans.
According to court documents, Birchmore lost his license as an insurance agent in 2019 because he was writing unauthorized insurance policies so that he could collect the commissions.
After losing his license, Birchmore then stole the identities of two other insurance agents and used those identities to write more life insurance policies for customers who did not want them. Birchmore had the commissions from dozens of local customer victims deposited into his own bank accounts.
Local law enforcement departments received complaints from victims that money was being automatically withdrawn from their bank accounts for insurance policies they never ordered. Many of the victims are senior citizens, and most reside in Dayton, Englewood, Middletown and Cincinnati.
The commissions for Birchmore’s original fraudulent insurance policies under his own name as an agent totaled more than $8,000. The commissions for policies created under the stolen identities of other agents totaled more than $93,000.
As part of his plea, Birchmore has agreed to pay the following restitution:
- Americo Financial Life and Annuity Insurance Company: $34,820.37
- Columbian Life Insurance Company: $16,604.01
- Transamerica Life Insurance Company: $4,671
- Mutual of Omaha: $2,104.65
- Great Western Insurance Company: $16,303.17
- Aetna Health and Life Insurance Company: $8,826.84
- American General Life Insurance Company: $158.82
- Guarantee Trust Life Insurance Company: $17,906.07
- U.S. Small Business Administration: $41,665
In a separate scheme, Birchmore fraudulently obtained two COVID Paycheck Protection Program loans totaling more than $40,000. Birchmore claimed on both loan applications that he owned a business in his name and stated his gross income for 2019 was more than $13 million. No such business exists.
The defendant was charged federally and arrested in June 2022.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, was joined by the Social Security Office of Inspector General, U.S. Secret Service, Ohio Department of Insurance, Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles, U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, U.S. Marshals Service, Butler County Sheriff’s Office and Cincinnati Police Department in announcing the guilty plea entered yesterday before Senior U.S. District Judge Susan J. Dlott. Special Assistant United States Attorney Timothy Landry is representing the United States in this case.
# # #
Former South Carolina Priest Indicted for the Sexual Abuse of a MinorRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA — A federal grand jury in Columbia returned a 3-count indictment against Jamie Adolfo Gonzalez-Farias, a/k/a “Father Gonzalez,” a/k/a “E,” 67, a former South Carolina priest, for the alleged sexual abuse of an 11-year-old minor.
The indictment charges three counts: Coercion and Enticement of a Minor, Transportation of a Minor with Intent to Engage in Criminal Sexual Activity, and Aggravated Sexual Abuse with a Child. The Grand Jury also identified Florida state statutes of Lewd or Lascivious Molestation and Lewd or Lascivious Exhibition as implicated by Gonzalez-Farias’s conduct.
The indictment alleges that Gonzalez-Farias has been ordained as a Priest since at least 1990, and that he has held various positions in the churches in which he served, including Pastor, Parochial Vicar, Administrator, Chaplain, and Priest. The indictment further alleges that Gonzalez-Farias began serving in South Carolina in 2015, and that he sexually abused a minor to whom he had access by virtue of his service as a Priest.
As indicated on the public docket (Criminal No. 3:22-cr-874), Gonzalez-Farias was arrested in Miami, Florida, on November 28, 2022, and placed in the custody of the United States Marshals. On January 9, 2023, he made his initial appearance in federal court in Columbia, South Carolina. At that hearing, the Government requested the defendant remain detained, and Gonzalez-Farias elected to not request a bond at this time. United States Magistrate Judge Shiva V. Hodges ordered that Gonzalez-Farias remain detained pending trial.
Gonzalez-Farias faces a mandatory sentence of at least 30 years in federal prison and a maximum of Life on the Aggravated Sexual Abuse With a Child count. He faces a mandatory sentence of at least 10 years and a maximum of Life on the remaining counts. He also faces fines of up to $250,000, a $5,000 special assessment, mandatory restitution payable to any victims, court-ordered supervision for life to follow any term of imprisonment, and requirements to register as a sex offender.
“The exploitation of children – particularly by those in positions of trust – will not be tolerated in our state,” said U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs. “Our commitment to victims and survivors is that when they are met with abuse, offenders will be met with a full measure of accountability.”
“The defendant’s alleged actions are deeply troubling,” said FBI Columbia Special Agent in Charge Susan Ferensic. “The FBI will not stand for crimes committed against children, and we are poised to use the full weight of our agency to protect minors and hold offenders accountable.”
The FBI is seeking the public’s help in identifying potential victims. If you believe you or your minor dependent(s) were victimized by Gonzalez-Farias, or if you have relevant information about Gonzalez-Farias the FBI should know, you are encouraged to contact the FBI at 803-551-4200.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices, 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 identify and rescue victims. For more information, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Laurens County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elliott B. Daniels and E. Elizabeth Major are prosecuting the case.
U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs stated that all charges in the indictment are merely accusations and that defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
###
Former San Francisco Resident Sentenced to More Than Three Years in Prison for Multi-Year Campaign of CyberstalkingRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – Ramajana Hidic Demirovic was sentenced to 37 months in prison for cyberstalking and conspiracy to commit cyberstalking in connection with a scheme to harass and intimidate victims, including teenagers who had romantic relationships with the defendant’s co-conspirator, announced United States Attorney Stephanie M. Hinds and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Robert K. Tripp. The sentence was handed down by the Hon. Vince Chhabria, U.S. District Judge after the defendant admitted she was guilty of the federal criminal charges.
Demirovic, 47, of San Francisco at the time she committed the offenses and currently of Brentwood, pleaded guilty to the charges on August 4, 2022. According to her plea agreement, Demirovic admitted she sent hundreds of malicious, deceptive, and abusive communications intended to sabotage the personal relationships, social reputation, academic life, and work prospects of her intended victims. In all, Demirovic pleaded guilty to seven counts of cyberstalking as well as an eighth count of conspiracy to commit cyberstalking. She acknowledged in her plea agreement that between 2016 and 2019 she and a co-conspirator attempted to cause and did cause substantial emotional distress to their victims. The principal targets of the scheme were persons with whom her co-conspirator (her daughter) had a falling out after a relationship or friendship. In each case, after the relationship ended, Demirovic engaged in a campaign to punish the victims.
Examples of Demirovic’s cyberstalking and additional conduct are described in her plea agreement and in the government’s sentencing memorandum. The descriptions are disturbing. Demirovic’s first victim was a 14-year-old high school student who dated Demirovic’s co-conspirator for only a few days in February 2016. Demirovic went to the victim’s school, located him, accosted him, and, in front of other students, threatened him. Demirovic also contacted the victim’s mother using text messages and falsely accused him of being violent against Demirovic’s co-conspirator.
A second victim was a close female friend of Demirovic’s daughter until the two teenagers had a falling out. In response, Demirovic began sending harassing text messages to her and leaving threatening voicemail messages. Demirovic threatened to send fabricated incriminating evidence to the police and to arrange to have this victim disciplined by her school.
A third victim became Demirovic’s target after he briefly “dated” her daughter in 2016. Demirovic sent vicious text messages to this victim and threatened to seek a restraining order against him that would prejudice his college applications. She made false reports to his employer accusing the victim of being physically abusive, using drugs, and having a problem with alcohol—leading the victim to quit his job. She contacted administrators at the victim’s school and repeated these false allegations. Demirovic also used Instagram spoof accounts that used the victim’s name and images of him.
Demirovic acknowledged in her plea agreement that her tactics escalated throughout the rest of 2016 and 2017; by May of 2018, Demirovic and her co-conspirator began a 17-month course of conduct that was intended to humiliate and destroy the social relationships of a fourth victim. This time, Demirovic created and used social media accounts—some that impersonated the victim and others that used pseudonyms—to systematically transmit hundreds of communications and postings about the victim. Messages were sent to the victim, his family, friends, school officials, and strangers. For example, Demirovic created social media postings suggesting, among other things, that the victim was high on drugs, that he was emotionally and psychologically abusive, and that he was engaged in online bullying and anonymous messaging. Demirovic also submitted a complaint about the victim to Title IX officers at his university, falsely alleging he had "harassed and stalked" girls. Demirovic’s harassing conduct continued even after a judicial officer issued a temporary restraining order directing Demirovic to refrain from harassing the victim and his family.
A more detailed description of the defendant’s conduct and the effect on her multiple victims is included in the government’s memorandum filed in connection with the defendant’s sentencing.
On March 10, 2022, a federal grand jury issued a superseding indictment charging Demirovic with seven counts of cyberstalking, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2261A(2), and one count of conspiracy to commit cyberstalking, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371. Pursuant to her plea agreement, Demirovic pleaded guilty to all counts.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Chhabria ordered Demirovic to serve a three-year term of supervised release to begin after her prison term. Judge Chhabria ordered the defendant to surrender on March 10, 2023, to begin serving her prison term rand scheduled a hearing for February 15, 2023, to determine issues regarding restitution.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph Tartakovsky and Lauren Harding are prosecuting the case with assistance from Lance Libatique. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI.
Former Pennsylvania Correctional Officer Pleads Guilty to Excessive ForceRead the Press Release
A former Philadelphia Department of Prisons sergeant pleaded guilty in federal court in Philadelphia to a civil rights charge and falsification of records related to the use of excessive force on a detainee.
During the plea hearing, Ronald C. Granville, 42, admitted that on Oct. 6, 2020, he was ordered by a senior officer to supervise a strip-search of an individual whose initials were V.H., a pre-trial detainee housed at the Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility (CFCF) in Philadelphia. At approximately 9:00 p.m., Granville and four correctional officers escorted V.H. to his cell to conduct the strip-search. After V.H. complied with the correctional officers’ orders and was naked, Granville and other officers physically assaulted V.H. As a result of the assault, V.H. was hospitalized with injuries to his face, ribs and scrotum, and had to undergo emergency surgery. Following the assault, the defendant and other officers submitted and helped submit false reports about the incident. The investigation into the other correctional officers’ actions is ongoing.
“This defendant is being held accountable for using excessive force and violating the Constitutional rights of a detainee under his care, custody and control,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department will continue to work with our federal, state and local partners to investigative and prosecute law enforcement officers who violate federal criminal civil rights laws.”
“A uniform and a badge do not provide a license to brutalize,” said U.S. Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. “The U.S. Attorney's Office and our partners at the FBI and DOJ’s Civil Rights Division will devote the personnel and resources necessary to ensure that excessive force cases are investigated and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. As law enforcement, we must maintain the highest standards of conduct to protect the integrity of our criminal justice system and the civil rights of all Americans, while recognizing with gratitude that the overwhelming majority of law enforcement officers do just that every day.”
“While those behind bars may have lost their freedom, they retain their humanity — and their civil rights,” said Special Agent in Charge Jacqueline Maguire of the FBI Philadelphia Field Office. “Battering a compliant detainee is indefensible, and the FBI is committed to seeking justice for the victims of such violence and other criminal misconduct.”
A sentencing date has been set for April 25. Granville faces up to 30 years of imprisonment and a fine of up to $500,000.
The FBI Philadelphia Field Office and the Philadelphia Department of Prisons investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nancy E. Potts and Everett R. Witherell for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and Trial Attorney Daniel E. Grunert of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section are prosecuting the case.
Former Old Forge Borough Council President Sentenced to One Year of Imprisonment for BriberyRead the Press Release
SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Robert Semenza, Jr., age 47, of Old Forge, Pennsylvania, was sentenced by United States District Judge Malachy E. Mannion, to 12 months of imprisonment for committing bribery.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Semenza, the former President of the Old Forge Borough Council, pleaded guilty to soliciting, demanding, and accepting cash payments in exchange for performing and promising to perform official acts, between January 2019 and February 2020. The official acts were in connection with a civil litigation filed by Old Forge Borough against a local business owner in a dispute over Old Forge zoning ordinances. Semenza agreed, in exchange for cash payments, to vote on the local business owner’s behalf in matters before the Old Forge Borough Council, to advocate on behalf of the local business owner with the Old Forge Borough Council, the Old Forge Borough Solicitor, and Old Forge zoning officials, and to propose a favorable resolution for the civil litigation to the Old Forge Borough Council and Solicitor, among other things.
Judge Mannion also imposed one year of supervised release on Semenza, following his term of imprisonment. In pronouncing the sentence, Judge Mannion highlighted the negative effect that the public corruption offense had on the public’s trust in its elected officials.
Semenza’s conspirator, James J. Peperno, Jr., was convicted following a jury trial, of conspiracy, federal program bribery, honest services wire fraud, Travel Act, false statement, and perjury offenses. Peperno is awaiting sentencing.
The case was investigated by the Scranton Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Public Corruption Task Force, which consists of members of the Pennsylvania State Police and the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office, and federal agents from the FBI and Internal Revenue Service. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Phillip J. Caraballo and Jeffrey St John prosecuted the case.
# # #