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Monday 19 December 2022
D.C. Corrections Officer Charged with EmbezzlementRead the Press Release
Defendant Accused of Stealing from Labor Union while Serving as its Chairman
WASHINGTON – A District of Columbia Department of Corrections Officer was arrested today after being charged in federal court with embezzling tens of thousands of dollars from a D.C. Department of Corrections Labor Union.
Andra Parker, 64, of Capitol Heights, Maryland, is charged with wire fraud in a criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. He was arrested this morning at the District’s Central Detention Facility and will make his initial appearance this afternoon before Magistrate Judge Moxila A. Upadhyaya.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Special Agent in Charge Wayne A. Jacobs, of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Criminal Division, and Acting Special Agent in Charge Troy W. Springer, of the Washington Regional Office, U.S. Department of Labor - Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG) .
Charging documents allege that between June 2018 and May 2019, Parker served as chairman of the D.C. Department of Corrections Labor Committee, a labor organization that represents all members of the D.C. Department of Corrections. As chairman, Parker had full access to the Labor Committee’s bank accounts and was issued a debit card. He is accused of defrauding the Labor Committee by using Committee funds to pay for personal travel, lodging, and entertainment expenses. For example, charging documents allege that he spent more than $7,000 on a trip to New York city for his friends and him, including $4,000 on rooms and expenses at a Times Square hotel, more than $370 on tickets to a New York Knicks game, and an additional $616 on tickets to Summer: The Donna Summer Musical.
A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct for purposes of establishing probable cause, but it is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office and the DOL-OIG. Assistance was also provided by the DOL - Office of Labor-Management Standards.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kondi Kleinman and Gauri Gopal of the Fraud, Public Corruption, and Civil Rights Section, with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Michon Tart.
Cut Bank woman admits involuntary manslaughter, assault charges in vehicle crash on Blackfeet Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS — A Cut Bank woman today admitted to charges stemming from the death of a passenger and the injury of another individual when the vehicle she was driving crashed head on into another vehicle in East Glacier, on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
Feather Lynn Stillsmoking, 32, pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter and to assault resulting in serious bodily injury. Stillsmoking faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for May 11, 2023. Stillsmoking was detained pending sentencing.
In court documents, the government alleged that on March 12, Stillsmoking was driving a 2003 Oldsmobile west on US 2 into East Glacier at a high rate of speed when the vehicle crossed the centerline and collided head on with an eastbound Nissan. A passenger, identified as John Doe, who was in the Oldsmobile, died at the scene of blunt force injuries. Another individual, identified as Jane Doe, who was the driver of the Nissan, suffered serious injuries. An analysis of Stillsmoking’s blood found alcohol, amphetamine and methamphetamine. Stillsmoking told investigators that she drank a fifth of vodka prior to the crash. Investigators determined that the Oldsmobile was traveling at 102 mph five seconds before impact. The speed limit at the crash location is a 25-mph restricted speed zone.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case, which was investigated by the FBI, Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services, Glacier County Sheriff’s Office and Montana Highway Patrol.
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Convicted Felon Sentenced to 10 Years for Possession with the Intent to Distribute Marijuana and Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – Curtis Boyd, 28, has been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for possession with the intent to distribute marijuana and possession of a firearm. United States Attorney Kevin Ritz announced the sentence today.
According to information presented in court, on March 8, 2021, Memphis Police officers initiated a traffic stop at Jackson and North Watkins and observed a 2012 Infiniti M37x traveling at a high rate of speed. The license plate was registered to a different vehicle.
Upon approaching the vehicle, officers saw Boyd, the driver, reaching between his legs. An officer asked Boyd what he was reaching for, to which he responded, “My gun.” As Boyd was removed from the car, a Glock 9mm pistol fell to the ground.
Officers recovered 181.6 grams of marijuana, a digital scale, a box of plastic baggies, two 10mg oxycodone pills, and $1,650 in cash. The gun was loaded with one live round in the chamber and 9 live rounds in the magazine.
As a result of a prior felony conviction, Boyd is prohibited by federal law from possessing firearms and ammunition.
Boyd pled guilty on June 16, 2022.
On December 7, 2022, United States District Judge Sheryl H. Lipman sentenced Boyd to 120 months in federal prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by the ATF and DEA.
United States Attorney Kevin Ritz thanked Assistant United States Attorney Raney Irwin, who prosecuted this case.
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For more information, please contact Public Information Officer Cherri Green at 901-544-4231 or [email protected]. Follow@WDTNNews on Twitter for office news and updates.
Convicted Felon Indicted for Drug and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A repeat convicted felon has been indicted by a federal grand jury for allegedly possessing a firearm, multiple rounds of ammunition and fentanyl intended for distribution while on federal supervised release.
Francisco Gabriel Diaz, 32, of Boston, was indicted on one count of possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl, one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. Diaz was charged by criminal complaint in December 2021.
According to the charging documents, on June 24, 2021, a search of the residence where Diaz was staying resulted in the recovery of a black Taurus G2S 9mm firearm, a 9mm magazine containing seven live 9mm rounds, a 9mm magazine containing one live 9mm round, over 40 grams of fentanyl, several plastic bags containing crack cocaine, a box of sandwich bags and a digital scale. Diaz is prohibited from possessing a firearm due to prior felony convictions, including an October 2017 conviction for possession with intent to distribute a Class B Substance. Diaz was on federal supervised release at the time of the search.
The charge of possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl provides for a sentence of at least five years and up to 40 years in prison, at least four years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $5 million. The charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug offense provides for a sentence of at least five years and up to life in prison 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 Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Boston Field Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives and the Boston Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin A. Saltzman of Rollins’ Criminal Division is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Chinese National Sentenced to Five Years for Cyberstalking and Identity TheftRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Chinese national was sentenced to 60 months in prison for cyberstalking a female Minnesota college student, and a concurrent 54 months’ imprisonment sentence for stealing the victim’s identity as a part of his cyberstalking scheme, followed by three years of supervised release, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, between January 2020 and November 2021, Ki Cheung Yau, 28, created multiple online accounts on various websites, including social media platforms, dating websites and pornography websites, using the name, photos, and personally identifying information of the victim. Yau used these accounts to communicate with strangers on the internet while posing as the victim. Yau falsely portrayed the victim on social media, dating and sexually focused websites as a young woman soliciting submissive or violent sexual relationships.
Yau then communicated with strangers online and tried to help them locate the victim and follow through on his invitations for dominating and violent sexual encounters. According to court documents, on two separate occasions in January 2021, a man went to the victim’s residence and asked for the victim by name, presumably because he believed he was meeting the victim for a sexual encounter. Also, Yau’s cyberstalking resulted in strangers directly messaging the victim in response to explicit accounts and posts made by Yau posing as the victim. Further, the victim’s family and friends’ names, photos, and contact information were also included in Yau’s stalking scheme. The victim was forced to move to a new residence and change her phone number.
On June 23, 2022, Yau pleaded guilty to one count of cyberstalking and one count of identity theft. As part of his plea agreement, Yau admitted to cyberstalking seven additional victims outside of Minnesota, in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom from 2017 to 2021.
Yau was sentenced on December 16, 2022, before U.S. District Judge Wilhelmina M. Wright. During the sentencing hearing, Judge Wright stated that Yau’s “actions are predatory and purely evil,” showing “a disregard for the safety and well-being of the victims and disregard for the law.” In imposing the statutory maximum sentence for cyberstalking, Judge Wright reflected on the impact of Yau’s cyberstalking on victims and told Yau, “The injuries you cause do not heal easily.”
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI and the St. Paul Police Department.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Hillary A. Taylor prosecuted the case.
Chinese Manufacturer and U.S. Companies Admit Scheme to Evade U.S. Customs DutiesRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A company based in the People’s Republic of China, along with three businesses located in New Jersey and New York, entered into settlement agreements with the United States, admitting they took steps to avoid paying customs duties, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
According to the admissions and contentions of the United States in the settlement agreements:
United Silica Products Inc. (USP) is a company based in Franklin, New Jersey. From July 22, 2015, and Oct. 6, 2020, USP purchased certain merchandise that was manufactured by Noble Brand Holdings Ltd. (Noble) in China. In connection with the sale of its products, Noble generated two sets of invoices – one that showed the amount actually paid by USP and another, false invoice, that undervalued the products sold to USP. Noble provided USP with the invoices showing the amount actually paid and sent the false invoices to Argos Express Ltd., a New York-based freight forwarding company. Argos then provided the false invoices to USP’s New York-based customs broker, United Way International Inc. for purposes of making customs declarations on USP’s behalf.
In entering goods into the United States, customs brokers and importers of record are required to provide true and accurate disclosures concerning the value of the goods being imported. In the settlement agreements, the companies admitted that the false statements on the customs forms reduced the customs duties paid to the United States.
In the settlement agreements announced today, Noble agreed to pay $500,000; USP and its owner, Lynnmarie Boccuzzo, agreed to pay $20,000 and $5,000, respectively; Argos and United Way agreed to pay $15,000 each. The payments resolve the parties’ potential liability under, among other statutes, the False Claims Act.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents with the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel in Newark, with the investigation leading to the settlement.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney David V. Simunovich of the Health Care Fraud Unit in Newark.
Chandler Man Sentenced to 33 Months for Defrauding InvestorsRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – On December 12, 2022, Jeffrey D. McHatton, 68, of Chandler, Arizona, was sentenced by United States District Judge Rosemary Márquez to 33 months in prison. McHatton was previously found guilty by a jury on 10 counts of Securities Fraud.
One of McHatton’s co-defendants at trial, Robert Sproat, 60, of Mesa, Arizona, was previously sentenced to 30 months in prison. Prior to trial, a third co-defendant, Robert Moss, 56, of Gilbert, Arizona, pleaded guilty to his involvement in the scheme and was sentenced to 30 months in prison.
Evidence presented at trial demonstrated that, between 2012 and 2014, McHatton, Sproat, and Moss used a religious charitable organization as a front to entice victims to invest over $1.2 million. Several of the victims targeted in the scheme were elderly. McHatton, Sproat, and Moss fraudulently promoted investments in the recovery of low alpha lead from Central America, gold from the Philippines, and diamonds from Africa, though none of the items were ever produced. McHatton, Sproat, and Moss used large portions of the investment funds for their own personal use. The victims never received a return on investments other than minimal “interest” payments derived from other victims’ money.
The FBI and the Arizona Corporation Commission conducted the investigation in this case. The Financial Crimes and Public Corruption Section of the United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-18-2220-TUC-RM
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-224_McHatton et al.# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.
Bộ Tư Pháp Công Bố Chính Sách Mới Về Việc Cơ Quan Thực Thi Pháp Luật Chủ Động Trong Việc Tiếp Cận Ngôn NgữRead the Press Release
Bộ Tư Pháp công bố việc ban hành chính sách về việc Cơ Quan Thực Thi Pháp Luật Chủ Động Trong Việc Tiếp Cận Ngôn Ngữ, một nỗ lực trên toàn quốc nhằm hỗ trợ các cơ quan thực thi pháp luật hoàn thành nghĩa vụ của mình trong việc cung cấp sự hỗ trợ có ý nghĩa về ngôn ngữ cho những người có trình độ Anh ngữ hạn chế (Limited English Proficient, LEP). Chính sách này dựa trên những nỗ lực từ bấy lâu nay của bộ nhằm đảm bảo rằng các cơ quan thực thi pháp luật đều tuân thủ theo những nghĩa vụ về tiếp cận ngôn ngữ của mình.
“Việc cung cấp cho các cơ quan thực thi pháp luật những công cụ cần thiết để đảm bảo sự tiếp cận ngôn ngữ hữu hiệu và có ý nghĩa đẩy mạnh và nâng cao sự an toàn cho những người có trình độ Anh ngữ hạn chế,” Trợ Lý Tổng Chưởng Lý phụ trách Ban Dân Quyền của Bộ Tư Pháp, Bà Kristen Clarke đã nói. “Thông qua Chính Sách này, chúng ta có thể chia sẻ với các cơ quan thực thi pháp luật trên cả nước những phương pháp hay nhất trong vấn đề tiếp cận ngôn ngữ và những thông tin tương tự.”
Chính Sách này sẽ do Bộ Phận Tuân Thủ và Phối Hợp Liên Bang (Federal Coordination and Compliance Section) của Ban Dân Quyền hợp tác với các Văn Phòng Chưởng Lý Hoa Kỳ cùng hướng dẫn thực hiện. Nói một cách cụ thể, Chính Sách này sẽ:
- Phát triển những nguồn tài nguyên và các công cụ hỗ trợ kỹ thuật có thể trợ giúp những cơ quan thực thi pháp luật địa phương và tiểu bang trong việc nỗ lực cung cấp sự tiếp cận ngôn ngữ có ý nghĩa cho LEP và những cộng đồng thuộc phạm vi thẩm quyền của mỗi cơ quan.
- Ủng hộ những cơ quan thực thi pháp luật muốn xem lại, cập nhật, và/hoặc củng cố các chính sách, kế hoạch, và chương trình huấn luyện về vấn đề tiếp cận ngôn ngữ của mình.
- Thúc đẩy sự hợp tác với các Văn Phòng Chưởng Lý Hoa Kỳ để các cơ quan thực thi pháp luật thực hiện những chương trình huấn luyện trong các cộng đồng trên cả nước nhằm nâng cao nhận thức về nghĩa vụ trong việc tiếp cận ngôn ngữ và khuyến khích việc áp dụng rộng rãi những phương pháp hay nhất.
- Thắt chặt quan hệ và sự tương tác giữa bộ với các cơ quan hữu quan và cộng đồng LEP.
Ngoài việc công bố Chính Sách của ngày hôm nay, Bộ Tư Pháp và Văn Phòng Chưởng Lý Hoa Kỳ Quận Colorado còn công bố thỏa thuận giải quyết cuộc điều tra về những cáo buộc nói rằng Sở Cảnh Sát Denver (Denver Police Department, DPD) có hành vi phân biệt đối xử với những người LEP dựa trên nguồn gốc quốc gia, vi phạm Tiêu Đề VI của Đạo Luật Dân Quyền năm 1964. Tiêu Đề VI nghiêm cấm sự phân biệt đối xử về chủng tộc, màu da, và nguồn gốc quốc gia của những người nhận hỗ trợ tài chính của liên bang.
“Thỏa thuận này với Sở Cảnh Sát Denver sẽ giúp các nhân viên cảnh sát thi hành nhiệm vụ của mình,” Ông Matthew Kirsch, Chưởng Lý Hoa Kỳ tại Quận Colorado, thực thi thẩm quyền được trao chiếu theo mục 515 Bộ Luật Hoa Kỳ 28 (28 U.S.C. §515), đã nói. “Dù là trong quá trình tiếp cận cộng đồng hay bắt giữ những kẻ bị buộc tội vi phạm pháp luật, sự tiếp cận các dịch vụ ngôn ngữ chuẩn xác luôn sẵn có sẽ giúp các viên chức phục vụ và bảo vệ tất cả các thành viên trong cộng đồng, bất kể trình độ ngôn ngữ của họ.”
Cuộc điều tra DPD của Bộ Tư Pháp khởi đầu sau khi các thành viên trong cộng đồng bày tỏ quan ngại về các biến cố liên quan đến những cư dân LEP nói tiếng Miến Điện và Rohingya sống tại vùng East Colfax thuộc Denver. Cuộc điều tra cho thấy nhiều trường hợp các viên chức của DPD đã không cung cấp sự hỗ trợ ngôn ngữ cho những cá nhân LEP hoặc cung cấp sự hỗ trợ ngôn ngữ không có hiệu quả hay không phù hợp. Ví dụ, cuộc điều tra phát hiện ra những trường hợp phải trông cậy vào con cái, người trong gia đình và người ngoài để được sự hỗ trợ ngôn ngữ, bao gồm những tình huống mà lẽ ra phải được sự hỗ trợ ngôn ngữ đáng tin cậy và khách quan hơn.
Theo thỏa thuận dàn xếp này, DPD đồng ý thực hiện một loạt các thay đổi trong chính sách, thủ tục và huấn luyện về tiếp cận ngôn ngữ, bao gồm:
- Cập nhật Chính Sách và Kế Hoạch Tiếp Cận Ngôn Ngữ nhằm thiết lập các thủ tục giao tiếp với những người LEP, bao gồm các nhân chứng và nghi can, và nghiêm cấm việc sử dụng con cái, người trong gia đình, hoặc người ngoài để giao tiếp với những người LEP, trừ trường hợp khẩn cấp;
- Bổ nhiệm Nhân Viên Điều Phối LEP đầu tiên và thiết lập các Điểm Liên Lạc về Tiếp Cận Ngôn Ngữ (Language Access Points of Contact, LAPCs) tại mỗi quận của DPD;
- Huấn luyện tất cả các nhân viên của DPD và những người vừa được tuyển mộ cách nhận biết, giao tiếp với, và ghi chép lại các cuộc trao đổi với những người LEP; và
- Lập nên một Ủy Ban Tiếp Cận Ngôn Ngữ bao gồm các đối tượng hữu quan đại diện cho lợi ích của cộng đồng LEP.
Những thông tin khác về Ban Dân Quyền được đăng tại trang mạng www.justice.gov/crt và thông tin về trình độ Anh ngữ hạn chế và Tiêu Đề VI được đăng tại www.lep.gov. Công chúng có thể trình báo những vụ việc có khả năng là hành vi vi phạm dân quyền tại https://civilrights.justice.gov/report/.
English
Amharic: አማርኛ
Arabic: العربية
Burmese: မြန်မာဘာသာ
Chinese, Simplified: 简体字
Chinese, Traditional: 簡體字
Farsi: فارسی
French: Français
Karen: ကညီ
Nepali: नेपाली
Rohingya: Ruáingga
Russian: Pусский
Somali: Soomaaliga
Spanish: Español
Vietnamese: Tiếng Việt
Brookfield Counselor Admits Defrauding Medicaid of More Than $1 MillionRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that GREGORY C. BANKS, 50, of Brookfield, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to health care fraud.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Banks owned and operated North East Counseling & Trauma Services and Gregory Banks Counseling, LLC. North East Counseling & Trauma Services, which had an office in Danbury, provided counseling services to individual patients, including those with mental health and trauma issues. Banks was enrolled individually as a Behavioral Health Clinician provider in the Connecticut Medicaid Program (“Medicaid”), but North East Counseling & Trauma Services and Gregory Banks Counseling LLC were never enrolled as providers in Medicaid.
Between January 2018 and July 2022, Banks submitted and caused to be submitted fraudulent claims to Medicaid for counseling services that were purportedly provided to Medicaid clients. Specifically, Banks submitted claims for dates of service when no services of any kind had been provided to the Medicaid clients identified in the claims.
In October 2020, the Connecticut Department of Social Services (DSS) audited Banks and his businesses and requested documentation from Banks for six sample clients. In response, Banks made multiple false statements for the purpose of delaying the progress of DSS’s audit and to conceal his offense. For example, in February 2021, Banks sent an email to DSS in which he falsely represented that one of the files DSS requested was destroyed by a water leak above his office when, in fact, no such water leak had occurred.
Through this scheme, Banks defrauded Medicaid of $1,044,387.08. As part of his plea, Banks has agreed to pay full restitution.
Judge Shea scheduled sentencing for March 13, 2023, at which time Banks faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years.
Banks is released on a $100,000 bond pending sentencing.
This investigation has been conducted by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. U.S. Attorney Avery acknowledged the valuable cooperation of the Connecticut Department of Social Services in the investigation.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David T. Huang.
People who suspect health care fraud are encouraged to report it by calling 1-800-HHS-TIPS.
Bronx Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Delivery of More Than 1,000 Bricks of Fentanyl to SyracuseRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Marvin Antonio Lantigua, age 32, of the Bronx, New York, was sentenced today to serve 10 years in federal prison for possessing with intent to distribute a kilogram of fentanyl, announced United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman, Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division, and Syracuse Police Chief Joseph Cecile.
As part of his previous guilty plea, Lantigua admitted that in early November 2021, he was in contact with a drug dealer in Syracuse via Facebook. After discussion, Lantigua agreed to deliver 1,000 bricks (50,000 bags) of fentanyl from New York City to Syracuse for $75,000.00. On November 8, 2021, DEA Special Agents, Syracuse Police Detectives, and Syracuse Police Patrol Officers stopped two vehicles on the Court Street exit of Route 81 North, one of which was being driven by Lantigua. A subsequent search of one of the vehicles located two large bags that were found to contain 1,007 bricks (50,350 bags) containing fentanyl that totaled approximately one kilogram in weight. After waiving his Miranda rights, Lantigua admitted that he was delivering the fentanyl to Syracuse from New York City as part of a drug deal. At the time of his arrest, Lantigua was under New York State Parole supervision in connection with a prior New York State drug felony conviction.
Lantigua was also sentenced to a 5-year term of supervised release following his release from federal prison.
This case was investigated by United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Syracuse Police Department-Special Investigations Division (SPD-SID), with assistance from Investigators of the Onondaga County District Attorney’s Office, Detectives of the Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office, and U.S. Border Patrol Agents, and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Southwick.
Bronx Man Arrested for Fentanyl DistributionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Bronx man has been arrested for travelling to the Worcester area to distribute approximately one kilogram of fentanyl.
Jose Luis Lopez Genao, 30, of Bronx, N.Y., was charged with one count of distribution of and possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl. Genao was arrested on Dec. 8, 2022 and, following an initial appearance in federal court in Springfield before U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Katherine A. Robertson, was detained pending a hearing set for Dec. 20, 2022.
According to the charging document, Genao travelled from New York to the Worcester area to deliver approximately one kilogram of fentanyl. Genao was arrested on site and the kilogram of fentanyl was seized by law enforcement.
The charge of distribution of and possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years and up to a lifetime of supervised released, and a fine of up to $1 million. 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. The investigation was led by the FBI with its law enforcement partners including members of the OCDETF Strike Force and Western Massachusetts Gang Task Force. Valuable assistance was provided by the Easthampton Police Department and the Hampden and Berkshire County Sheriff's Offices. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Mazur and Neil L. Desroches of Rollins’ Springfield Branch Unit are prosecuting the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Bogalusa Resident Indicted for Being a Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that JEROME SHAQUILLE WILSON, aka “Rome,” age 27, a resident of Bogalusa, Louisiana, was indicted by a federal grand jury on December 15, 2022 for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Federal law prohibits individuals who have been convicted of certain crimes from possessing firearms after being convicted.
If convicted, WILSON faces up to 15 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, a period of supervised release of not more than 3 years, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00.
U. S. Attorney Evans reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the United States Drug Enforcement Administration, and the New Orleans Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Maurice Landrieu.
Bisaror Difármén e Kanun Soñloíyallá Nuwa Zuban Lootfaíbar Monsubar Élan GoíjjeRead the Press Release
Audio fileBisaror Difármén e kanun soñloíyallá nuwa zuban lootfaíbar monsuba salúgorar élan goíjje, zíyan oílde furá decollá kanun soñloíya éjensi ókkolore iítarar zimmadari adaí goítto hom Ingilíc zanoya (LEP) maincore hamdefan zubani modot díbar kucíc. É monsuba gan difárménor daíman hamot taíbo zéne kanun soñloíya éjensi ókkole iítarar zuban lootfaídíbar zimmadari adaí gorágan tagit gorazá.
Bisaror Difárménor Jomhuri Hokukor Divícon ór Nayeb Ethorni General Kristen Clarke hoíyede, “Kanun soñloíya éjensi ókkolore munasef ar hamdefan zuban lootfa tagit goítto iítarar zorurot oóde thúl (saman) díle hom Ingilíc zanoya maincollá becí hefazoti báríbo”. “É monsubar zoríya, añára e zuban loótfaíbar béhtor toriká ar endhillá sáman ókkol kanun soñloíya éjensi ókkolor hase cíiar gorí faíjjum.”
E monsuba gan Amerikar Ethorni ókkolor Ofís ókkolor Jomhuri Hokukor Divícon ór Fedherél Koórdhinécon ar Komplaíns Sekcon or matahte solíbo. Khásgori, monsuba yían zin goríbo:
- Teknikél modot or saman ar thúl ókkol toíyar goribó zin elakaíyi ar estheíth ór kanun soñloíya éjensi ókkolore kucícot modot gore zéne tara nizor matahátor (hom Ingilíc zanoya mainuíc) LEP illá hamdefan zuban loótfaíbar entezam gorífare.
- Kanun soñloíya éjensi ókkolore sóiyi báfe córik gore zara hítarar zuban loótfaíbar polísi, plan, arde thénning foríkka, apdheith, ar/yá mozbut goítto saá.
- Amerikar Ethorni ókkolor Ofís ór fúañti ham gorar moukare estemal gori zuban loótfaíbar zimmar baabote hucíari baraíbollá furá decot comaj ókkolor maze thénning do ar kanun soñloíya éjensi ókkolor torfottú aambafe béhtor toríka ektíarir rokbot doo.
- LEP comajor hossádoya arde LEP maincolloi difárménor rabeta ar cirkotore mozbut goró.
Aíjjar monsuba yíanor élanor baadeyó, Bisaror Difármén arde Colorado District ór Amerikar Ethorni ókkolor Ofís e ekkan razinama élan goíjje zeçe en cekáyotor tahákik goítto faísela loíbo zeçe Denver Police Department (DPD) e 1964 cónor Jomhuri Hokukor Kanun or Title VI (Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964) tajawuz goríyore zaator asól saíyore LEP maincore forók goijje. Title VI ye zaat, rong, ar zaator asól loí fedheralor mali modot foyare forók gorá maná gore.
“Denver Police Department loí e razinama gan fulic ofísar ókkolore hítarar zimmadari adaí goítto modot goríbo,” hoíyede Matthew Kirsch ye, zíba Colorado District ólla 28 U.S.C. §515 mozin kémota faíya Amerikar Ethorni, Toítta. “Comajor hase fóilon oók yá kanun amol nogórar cekáyot loí oók, sohí zubani hédmot loótfa tagit goílle ofísar ókkole Ingilíc ór mehéri sinta no gorí comajor har membórore hédmot di ar hefazot gorifaríbo.”
Bisaror Difármén ór torfottú DPD re tahákik gorá cúru oíye zehon comajor maince gothónar baabote mockil tulí doijje zeçe Denver ór East Colfax ót takoíya Bormar arde Ruhaínggya-zubanwala LEP bacinda camel ase. Tahákik ót beci háalot ókkol zana gíye zeçe DPD ofísar ókkol LEP maincor hase zubani modot dí nófare yáto bémunsef yá nakam zubani modot díye. Mesál hísafe, tahákík ót en háalot zana gíye zeçe baícca, fémli membór, ar gobá ókkolor oure zubani modot ólla bórusa gorágil, zeçe en háalot ókkol camel ase zeçe aró bórusa gorífarede arde zaheri zubani modot díya foítto.
E sulánamar hissá hísafe, DPD ye hítarar zuban loótfaíbar polisí, toríka, arde thenning ót kessú tobdil aníto razi oíye, zeçe ase:
- Zuban loótfaíbar Polisí arde Plan apdheith gorá zéne LEP maincolloí rabeta goríbar toríka kayem goráza, zeçe gobá arde cóndogoíjja manuíc camel taíbo, ar baícca, fémli membór yá gobá ókkolore LEP manuíc loi rabetagorá maná goríbo, emarjensi háalot sára.
- Foítto DPD district ót foílabar hísafe LEP Kóordhinéthar mutaíyen gorá ar Rabetagoríbar Zuban Loótfaíbar Hédmotor Zaga (LAPCs) kayem gorá;
- Har DPD hamgoroya arde noya aiccede hamgoroyare LEP manuícor forísoi gorar, rabeta gorar, ar hótabattra dokúmen goríbar baabote thenning díya;
- Uggwá Zuban Loótfaíbar Komithí banon zeçe LEP comajor fáaída tulídoroya hossádoya ókkol camel ase.
Jomhuri Hokukor Divícon ór baabote aró maalumat websaíth ót fazaíbo eçe www.justice.gov/crt ar hom Ingilic ór máheri arde Title VI baabote maalumat fazaíbo eçe www.lep.gov. Aam membór ókkole mumken jomhuri hokukor tajawuzi repouth gorí faríbo eçe https://civilrights.justice.gov/report/.
English
Amharic: አማርኛ
Arabic: العربية
Burmese: မြန်မာဘာသာ
Chinese, Simplified: 简体字
Chinese, Traditional: 簡體字
Farsi: فارسی
French: Français
Karen: ကညီ
Nepali: नेपाली
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Bennington Man Sentenced to 30 Months for Unlawfully Possessing a Stolen FirearmRead the Press Release
The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced today that Gavin Wilcox, 31, of Bennington, Vermont was sentenced today to 30 months of imprisonment for unlawfully possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. United States District Judge William K. Sessions III ordered Wilcox to begin his sentence today, without credit for time served, due to Wilcox having been on furlough from the Vermont Department of Corrections at the time of the federal offense. Judge Sessions also ordered Wilcox to serve a 2-year term of supervised release after his incarceration.
According to court records, on March 31, 2022, while investigating an unrelated report of violent crime, Bennington Police observed Wilcox engage in a suspected drug transaction in the Dollar General parking lot. Officers knew Wilcox to have an active arrest warrant for violations of his furlough, and therefore approached Wilcox to detain him. When Wilcox was handcuffed, he dropped 11 white bags wrapped in a rubber band, which contained fentanyl. Wilcox’s backpack was seized and a subsequent search of the backpack revealed a stolen Smith & Wesson .357 magnum Pro Series revolver and drug paraphernalia. Before his March 31, 2022 arrest, Wilcox had sustained felony convictions for DUI-3 (2013) and heroin possession (2020). These felony convictions prohibited Wilcox from possession of a firearm under federal law.
United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest commended the investigatory efforts of Department of Homeland Security’s Homeland Security Investigations and the Bennington Police Department.
The prosecutor was Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan Ophardt. Wilcox was represented by Kevin Henry, Esq.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psn
Bay St Louis Man Pleads Guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute FentanylRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – A Bay St Louis man pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Brad L. Byerley of the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Joseph Henry, 45, pled guilty on December 15, 2022, in U.S. District Court in Gulfport.
According to court records, On December 2, 2021, Hancock County Sheriff's Deputies served an outstanding warrant on Joseph Henry at his residence in Bay St Louis. While serving the warrant, deputies observed two digital scales in plain view along with a strong odor of marijuana inside the residence. During a subsequent search of the residence, narcotics agents over one pound of marijuana, 848 dosage units of MDMA, and 312 dosage units of counterfeit Oxycodone which later was tested at the lab and found to be 41.77grams of Fentanyl.
Henry will be sentenced on March 16, 2023. He faces a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison and a $5M fine. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Erica Rose.
Baton Rouge Woman Sentenced to 75 Months in Federal Prison for Wire Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft in Connection with Fraudulent Scheme to Obtain Unemployment BenefitsRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that U.S. District Judge Brian A. Jackson sentenced Shawnda Augustus, age 41, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to 75 months in federal prison following her convictions for wire fraud and aggravated identity theft in connection with fraudulent scheme to obtain unemployment benefits. The Court further sentenced Augustus to serve three years of supervised release following her term of imprisonment and ordered her to pay restitution in the amount of $361,074 to state unemployment agencies in Louisiana, Arizona, Alabama, Georgia, New Jersey, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont and New Mexico.
According to admissions made as a part of her guilty plea, following the floods of 2016, Augustus engaged in a scheme to defraud and to obtain money from FEMA by submitting fraudulent applications for disaster unemployment assistance (DUA) benefits to the Louisiana Workforce Commission, both in her own name, and in the names of other victims, without their knowledge or consent. As a result of the scheme, Augustus submitted or caused to be submitted approximately forty (40) fraudulent DUA claims.
Beginning in March 2020 and continuing through at least January 2021, Augustus engaged in multi-state fraud scheme to obtain pandemic unemployment assistance (PUA) benefits to which she was not entitled. Augustus submitted fraudulent applications for PUA benefits in Louisiana, and in multiple other states, including Arizona, Georgia, Tennessee, Hawaii, and Nebraska, among others. Augustus also obtained the personal identifying information of victims, including names, dates of birth, and Social Security numbers. Using these stolen identities, Augustus submitted approximately twenty-nine (29) false and fraudulent applications for PUA benefits to state unemployment agencies in the names of those victims both in Louisiana and in multiple other states.
According to the plea agreement, Augustus received approximately $123,908 in false claims for PUA benefits. Augustus withdrew the funds as cash, or used the funds to pay for hotels, airline tickets, and purchases at restaurants and retail stores.
This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and U.S. Department of Labor and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kristen L. Craig.
Baltimore Man Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud for Submitting Fraudulent COVID-19 CARES Act Relief Loan ApplicationsRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Dana Lamar Antonio Hayes, Jr., age 37, of Baltimore, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to a federal wire fraud charge related to a scheme to obtain a fraudulent Economic Injury Disaster Relief loan application (EIDL loan) and several Paycheck Protection Plan loan applications (PPP loans), under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, from two financial institutions (Bank1 and Bank 2).
The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Darrell J. Waldon of the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, Washington, D.C. Field Office.
According to his plea agreement, between March 2020 and October 2021, Hayes submitted a fraudulent EIDL loan application and PPP loan applications to the Small Business Administration (SBA) and two financial institutions (Bank1 and Bank 2).
Specifically, in March 2020, Hayes submitted a fraudulent EIDL loan application on behalf of his previously forfeited and recently revived company, D&L Investment Properties Inc. The EIDL loan application contained false statements regarding the number of D&L employees and the payroll expenses of D&L. In addition, the application asked: “For any criminal offense…have you ever been convicted plead guilty, plead nolo contendere, been placed on pretrial diversion, or been placed on any form of parole or probation (including probation before judgment)?” Hayes answered “No,” even though Hayes knew that, on April 30, 2019, Hayes was placed on probation for a firearm offense, specifically for possession of a stolen firearm. Hayes also claimed to have company expenses of $15,000 and equipment costs of $35,000, when in fact, the company had been inactive since 2019.
The SBA initially denied Hayes’ EIDL application, and for the next 18 months, Hayes regularly contacted the SBA to have his EIDL application approved. On the basis of false and fraudulent information, the SBA ultimately approved Hayes’s EIDL application and provided Hayes $15,000 in COVID-19 CARES Act loan funds on behalf of D&L. Once the funds were deposited into D&L’s bank account, Hayes transferred all of the loan proceeds from D&L’s bank account into his personal savings account.
As detailed in the plea agreement, in June 2020 and January 2021, Hayes applied for PPP loans with Bank 1 and Bank 2 on behalf of D&L. In these PPP loan applications, Hayes included false statements regarding the number of employees for his business, falsified tax forms, lied about his probation status, and provided false payroll expenses of D&L. On the basis of fraudulent information, Bank 1 and Bank 2 each approved a PPP loan for D&L, depositing a total of $35,036, in D&L’s bank account. Hayes quickly transferred the loan proceeds into his personal savings account.
In preparing the January 2021 PPP loan for Bank 2, Hayes admitted that he used the name and Preparer Tax Identification number of Victim 1 to submit a fraudulent tax form to Bank 2 without Victim 1’s knowledge or consent. Victim 1 had been previously hired by Hayes to prepare D&L and Hayes’ personal tax returns, however, Victim 1 claims that they have never prepared Form 941’s for D&L, and federal records indicate no such form was ever filed. Hayes admitted that he applied for a second fraudulent PPP loan to Bank 1 in January 2021, but that loan was not approved.
On November 4, 2021, Hayes applied on behalf of D&L to Bank 1 for PPP loan forgiveness for the first draw loan, falsely stating that D&L had spent the entire loan amount, $12,500, on payroll costs. Hayes’s forgiveness application was not approved.
In February 2022, while the alleged COVID-19 relief scheme was ongoing, Hayes applied to become the Chief of Fiscal Services for the Baltimore City Police Department. Hayes was subsequently hired for the position in April 2022 and terminated shortly thereafter.
“The defendant’s guilty plea should reflect our continued resolve to investigate and prosecute those who try to exploit a national emergency to steal taxpayer-funded resources by using the global pandemic as an opportunity to defraud the United States Government,” said Darrell J. Waldon, IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge of the Washington D.C. Field Office. “IRS Special Agents are committed to working with our law enforcement partners to aggressively uncover and disrupt criminals who conspire to abuse these programs for personal gain.”
Hayes faces a maximum sentence of twenty years in federal prison for wire fraud. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. U.S. District Judge George L. Russell, III has scheduled sentencing for Hayes on April 17, 2023, at 2:00 p.m.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form. An indictment is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI and the IRS- CI for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron S.J. Zelinsky, who is prosecuting the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Auburn Man Sentenced to 50 Years for Sexually Exploiting 2 Children and Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Devin Nau, age 28, of Auburn, New York, was sentenced today to serve 50-years in federal prison for sexually exploiting 2 children and distributing child pornography, announced United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman, Matthew Scarpino, Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Buffalo, New York Field Office, and New York State Police Acting Superintendent Steven A. Nigrelli.
As part of his guilty plea, Nau admitted to engaging in sex acts with two minor victims that he filmed and photographed using his cellular telephone. Nau further admitted that after recording the sex acts, he used a social media messaging application on his cellular telephone to distribute the depictions to other individuals over the internet.
United States District Judge David N. Hurd also imposed a 20-year term of supervised release, which will start after Nau is released from prison, and a $400 special assessment. Nau will also be required to register as a sex offender.
Nau’s case was investigated by U.S. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Investigators of the New York State Police-Computer Crimes Unit (NYSP-CCU), the Cayuga County District Attorney’s Office, and the Auburn City Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey J.L. Brown as part of Project Safe Childhood.
Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), and is designed to marshal 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 https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Akron Man Sentenced to More Than 10 Years in Prison for Dog Fighting, Drug Trafficking, and Illegal Possession of FirearmsRead the Press Release
AKRON – Ronald Smith, 39, of Akron, Ohio, was sentenced today to more than 10 years – or 123 months – in prison by U.S. District Judge John R. Adams after he pleaded guilty to a 22-count indictment charging him with dog fighting, drug trafficking, and illegal possession of a firearm.
In addition to the prison sentence, Judge Adams ordered Smith to pay $233,367.70 in restitution to K2 Solutions, located in North Carolina, for the care and rehabilitation of the impacted dogs.
Smith was charged in May 2022 with 15 counts of possession and training of dogs for the purposes of an animal fighting venture; conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance; distribution of a controlled substance; possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance and felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents, Smith owned and maintained two residential properties in Akron, one on Fultz Street and the other on Herman Avenue.
In April and May of 2022, authorities found Smith to be in possession of items used to train and prepare dogs for participation in dog fighting, including two treadmills designed for dogs; a caged rabbit placed in front of a treadmill; performance-enhancing and first-aid-related dog medication; numerous "break sticks" spattered with blood and baring teeth marks and a walled pit spattered with blood at the Fultz Street and Herman Avenue residence.
Authorities recovered eight pit bull-type dogs from the Fultz Street residence and seven pit bull-type dogs from the Herman Avenue residence.
Smith was also found to have illegally possessed three firearms and participated in a conspiracy to distribute and possess oxycodone, fentanyl, and fentanyl analogues.
Smith is prohibited from possessing a firearm due to previous convictions of aggravated assault, burglary, possession of cocaine, trafficking heroin, having weapons under disability, and disrupting public services in the Summit and Medina County Courts of Common Pleas.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General (USDA OIG), Akron Police Department, and the Summit County Sheriff's Office. Assistance was provided by the United States Marshals Service (USMS) and the Humane Society of Summit County (HSSC).
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brad J. Beeson and Marc D. Bullard.
Sunday 18 December 2022
Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office Announces the Seizure of 23 More Domain Names that Allegedly Violated Copyrights by Illegally Live Streaming the World CupRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland has announced the seizure of 23 websites for allegedly live streaming the World Cup games, an infringement of the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) copyrights. Individuals visiting the sites will now see a message that the site has been seized by the federal government and be redirected to another site for additional information. This is the second round of seizures. On December 10, 2022, 55 websites were seized and these additional sites were seized on December 16, 2022.
The seizure of the domain names was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Special Agent in Charge James C. Harris of Homeland Security Investigations – Baltimore; and Director James R. Mancuso of the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center.
According to the affidavit filed in support of the seizures, FIFA is the international governing body of association football and holds the exclusive rights to sanction and stage the FIFA World Cup 2022, which is being hosted in multiple cities in Qatar. Beginning in September 2022, HSI received information from a representative of FIFA identifying a number of sites being used to distribute and transmit copyright-infringing content, without FIFA’s authorization. After the initial round of seizures executed on December 10, HSI Agents in Maryland observed public internet messages and social media posts identifying additional, alternative sites offering illicit streams of World Cup matches. Agents then reviewed World Cup games and other infringing content being offered through these sites and confirmed a list of additional domain names subject to seizure.
As detailed in the affidavit, free access to live sports-related copyright-protected content can attract heavy viewing traffic, which makes websites offering such content a potentially lucrative way to serve advertisements. Based on the pervasive use of advertising on each site, the affidavit alleges that the purpose for distributing the infringing content is the private financial gain to these websites’ operators. By seizing the subject domain names, the government prevents third parties from acquiring the name and using it to commit additional crimes, or from continuing to access the websites in their present forms.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron and Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite commended HSI for its work in this investigation and thanked the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center and the National Cyber-Forensics and Training Alliance for their assistance. Mr. Barron and Mr. Polite thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Aaron S.J. Zelinsky and Stephanie Williamson and Trial Attorneys Jason Gull and Bryce Rosenbower of the Justice Department’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, who are handling the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao/md.
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Colorado Man Shares Warnings about Ghost GunsRead the Press Release
DENVER - The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado, the ATF and the Denver Police Department, are joining forces to raise awareness about gun violence that is taking innocent lives. Illegally owned, privately made firearms or “ghost guns” are part of the problem. “Ghost guns” are guns that do not have serial numbers, making them harder to trace if used in a crime. These guns are often purchased without a background check, even though such purchases are illegal. “Untraceable firearms are being used to commit crimes. People who wouldn’t otherwise be able to get a gun because of their age or background, are getting ahold of these weapons,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge David S. Booth. The Department of Justice reports 45-thousand privately made firearms are known, including 692 guns linked to murder or attempted homicide investigations. One defendant is warning others about the dangers of getting caught up in this criminal activity.
Saul Ramirez Escobedo used to build ghost guns. Escobedo said a close relative recruited him to buy parts, make the weapons, and sell them. Escobedo said, “When COVID hit, my job slowed down a lot. I was struggling to pay my bills. He taught me how to build firearms. You construct your own firearm, you go out, shoot it, it works. I’ve never been in trouble with the law before. Never done this kind of stuff before. The way he explained it to me, you won’t get in trouble. It was more cause like it was cheaper selling it from outside than going to the store and going through the whole process.” But Escobedo did get in trouble. He was arrested and pleaded guilty in federal court to conspiracy to deal firearms without a license. Escobedo received leniency for his willingness to accept responsibility and Judge Christine M. Arguello sentenced Escobedo to four years of probation, and he is now a convicted felon. “Right now, you look at the media, there’s a lot of killings going on, you see a lot of people shooting each other, mass killings and stuff. I started looking into that and thought, ‘man that could be one of the guns I put out on the streets’, and it’s really scary,” Escobedo said.
Co-defendant, Luis Daniel Marquez, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to deal firearms without a license and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Judge Arguello sentenced Marquez to 90 months in federal prison.
“We will use all available tools to tackle gun violence. We remain committed to saving innocent lives by enforcing federal firearms laws,” said United States Attorney Cole Finegan.
Denver Police Chief Ron Thomas said, “In Denver, it is illegal to possess or manufacture non serialized firearms. And the Denver Police Department is committed to recovering illegal guns, to include ghost guns, to keep people safe and prevent gun violence in our community.“
Dealing firearms without a license is illegal. Call the ATF at 888-ATF-TIPS to report illegal firearms activity.
Ghost Gun Public Service Announcement
Ghost Gun PSA "In His Own Words"
This public service announcement 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.
On April 11, 2022, the Attorney General signed ATF final rule, Definition of “Frame or Receiver” and Identification of Firearms, which modernizes the definition of a firearm. This rule went into effect late this summer and clarifies that parts kits that are readily convertible to firearms are subject to the same regulations as traditional firearms. These regulatory updates will help curb the proliferation of “ghost guns,” which are often assembled from kits, do not contain serial numbers, and are sold without background checks, making them difficult to trace and easy to acquire by criminals. More information can be found here: ATF Definition of “Frame or Receiver” and Identification of Firearms
CASE NUMBER: 21-cr-0014
Friday 16 December 2022
Youth Rehabilitation Center Agrees to Pay over $3.4 Million to Resolve Allegations of False Claims Act ViolationsRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – Pathway, Inc. and Pathway of Baldwin County, LLC have agreed to pay $3,496,331.92 to resolve allegations that Pathway of Baldwin County, LLC wrongfully billed Medicaid for services it did not actually provide, in violation of the False Claims Act.
Pathway, Inc. is a private corporation that operates Pathway of Baldwin County, LLC. Pathway of Baldwin County, LLC provides services to certain Medicaid-eligible youth recipients through a contractual arrangement with the Alabama Department of Youth Services, which in turn contracts with the Alabama Medicaid Agency. Pathway of Baldwin County billed Medicaid for individual basic living skills services that it did not actually provide.
“Ensuring that taxpayer money is spent appropriately is a responsibility the Justice Department takes seriously,” said U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello. “The False Claims Act is an important tool that we and our agency partners rely on to stop practices that misuse public funds.”
“Submitting false claims to Medicaid undermines the integrity of federal health care programs and wastes valuable taxpayer dollars,” said Special Agent in Charge Tamala E. Miles, at the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “Working closely with our law enforcement partners, HHS-OIG remains committed investigating and holding accountable bad actors who attempt to defraud federal health care programs.”
The civil settlement includes the resolution of claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act against Pathway, Inc. and Pathway of Baldwin County, LLC. Under the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of the settlement if the government takes over the case and reaches a monetary agreement with the defendant. The qui tam case is captioned U.S. ex rel. Richard Sheppard v. Pathway of Baldwin County, LLC and Pathway, Inc., No. 1:17-cv-00355-KD-N (S.D. Ala).
The resolution obtained in this matter were the result of a coordinated effort between the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Alabama and the Department of Health and Human Services – Office of the Inspector General.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Gray investigated the matter on behalf of the United States.
Watertown Man Pleads Guilty to Possession of a Sawed-Off ShotgunRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK - Rafael Rondon, age 25, of Watertown, New York pled guilty today in federal court in Syracuse to possession of an unregistered sawed-off shotgun, announced United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Janeen DiGuiseppi, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
As part of his guilty plea today, Rafael Rondon admitted that on June 29, 2021, he possessed an unregistered sawed-off shotgun hidden at a relative’s property in Lewis County, New York. The sawed-off shotgun was recovered after FBI Agents, U.S. Capitol Police, and New York State Police executed a federal search warrant at Rondon’s residence in Watertown, New York on June 29, 2021, for evidence related to criminal activity at the United States Capitol Building on January 6, 2021. During the search of the Rondon residence in Watertown, the cut barrel of a 12-gauge shotgun was discovered. While being questioned, Rondon admitted that he possessed a sawed-off shotgun, and later took Agents to a relative’s property in nearby Lewis County where the unregistered short-barreled 12-gauge firearm was recovered from an outbuilding.
Sentencing for his conviction for possession of an unregistered sawed-off shotgun is scheduled for April 21, 2023, in Syracuse, New York, at which time Rafael Rondon faces a maximum sentence of up to 10-years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000.00, and a term of supervised release of up to 3 years. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.
Rafael Rondon also pled guilty December 5, 2022, in United States District Court for the District of Columbia to Obstruction of an Official Proceeding (felony), for his activities inside the U.S. Capitol Building on January 6, 2021. Sentencing on that case is scheduled for March 13, 2023, in Washington, D.C., at which time he faces a maximum sentence of up to 20-years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000.00, and a term of supervised release of up to 3 years.
The Northern District of New York case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the United States Capitol Police, and the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), with assistance from the New York State Police. The indictment charging Rafael Rondon in United States District Court for the Northern District of New York is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephen Green and Richard Southwick. The case involving the January 6, 2021, Capitol breach charge is being prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
Waterloo Woman Who Abused a Power of Attorney to Steal from a Victim Suffering from Dementia Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
A woman who abused her position as an elderly victim’s power of attorney was sentenced on December 9, 2022, to more than three years in federal prison.
Shanan Smith, age 56, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after a March 30, 2022 guilty plea to one count of wire fraud.
Information from the plea and sentencing hearings showed that Smith became the victim’s power of attorney after the victim began to suffer from dementia. Smith eventually began to steal the victim’s money and use it for her own purposes. This included gambling with the victim’s money. Smith’s misspending of the victim’s money caused the victim’s nursing home bill to become thousands of dollars in arrears. Smith eventually sold the victim’s house to bring the nursing home bill current. Smith then spent the remainder of the proceeds from the sale of the house on her own expenses. Smith has three prior felony convictions and fourteen theft convictions.
Smith was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Smith was sentenced to 37 months’ imprisonment. She was ordered to make $51,000 in restitution to relatives of the victim. She must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Smith was released on the bond previously set and is to surrender to the Bureau of Prisons on a date yet to be set.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kyndra Lundquist and investigated by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 22-CR-2014.
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Wallace, Nebraska Man Sentenced to 50 Months in Prison for Armed Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Steve Russell announced that Wesley S. Cassidy, 27, of Wallace, Nebraska, was sentenced today in Lincoln, Nebraska, by Judge John M. Gerrard for armed bank robbery. Cassidy was sentenced to 50 months in prison, 5 years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment fee. There is no parole in the federal system.
On August 19, 2021, Wesley Cassidy entered Flatwater Bank in Gothenburg, Nebraska and demanded money from a bank teller using a bladed knife. The teller provided Cassidy money from two teller drawers. Cassidy left the bank with the money on foot and was apprehended shortly thereafter. He later admitted to robbing the bank during a Mirandized interview.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Valliant, Oklahoma Couple Sentenced to Thirty Months in Federal Prison for Failing to Pay Payroll TaxesRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Valliant, Oklahoma residents, Joseph Barton Milligan, (a/k/a Jody Milligan), age 52, and Kerensa Chantay Milligan, age 47, were each sentenced to 30 months in the U.S. Bureau of Prisons after they entered guilty pleas to an Information charging them with twenty counts each of Failure to Account and Pay Over Employment Tax.
The Information to which the defendants pled guilty alleged that beginning in January 2015, they collected payroll taxes from the employees of their jointly operated trucking company, Joseph Milligan Trucking, Inc. The defendants were jointly responsible for filing the employment tax returns and paying over the taxes due to the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”), including federal income, Medicare, and Social Security taxes. The defendants willfully chose not to pay the taxes collected from their employees to the IRS for the years 2015 through 2019. As part of the plea agreement, the defendants admitted the total unpaid amount to the IRS was more than $1.8 million.
The criminal charges arose from an investigation by the IRS-Criminal Investigations after the defendants had previously been assessed a civil penalty by the IRS for failing to pay over more than $346,000 in payroll taxes in 2007 and 2008.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Muskogee, presided over the sentencing hearing.
United States Sues Michigan-Based NH Learning Solutions Corporation for Submitting False Claims for Inflated Post 9/11 GI-Bill Tuition BenefitsRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that the United States has filed a complaint under the False Claims Act (FCA) against NH Learning Solutions Corp (NHLS). The complaint, filed in the Eastern District of Michigan, alleges that NHLS violated the FCA by knowingly submitting false claims to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for inflated tuition benefits under the Post-9/11 GI-Bill. Michigan-based NHLS provides technology education courses at approximately 15 locations in the Midwest and Northeast.
“The Post-9/11 GI Bill is an important part of our promise to support our nation’s veterans,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Today’s complaint demonstrates our commitment to hold accountable companies that improperly seek to profit from this promise and the women and men who have served our country.”
“The U.S. government provides veterans with access to programs for higher education through the Post-9/11 GI Bill,” said U.S. Attorney Dawn N. Ison for the Eastern District of Michigan. “Our office is prepared to pursue those who flout the rules that safeguard the integrity of important veterans’ programs.”
Under the Post-9/11 GI Bill, the VA pays tuition and fees directly to qualifying schools on behalf of enrolled students. The VA pays the actual net cost for tuition and fees charged by the school after it has applied any scholarships, waivers, grants or other assistance designed to defray the cost of tuition and fees. This requirement is commonly referred to as the “Last Payer Rule,” and ensures that the VA is the payer of last resort and receives the benefit of any tuition-based, financial support available to a student.
The government’s complaint alleges that NHLS knowingly submitted false claims for inflated tuition and fees in violation of the Last Payer Rule at five of its school locations in Illinois, Ohio and Michigan. More specifically, the complaint alleges that NHLS repeatedly reported tuition and fees to the VA on student invoices where it failed to deduct the tuition scholarships, grants or waivers it provided to certain veterans, thereby causing the VA to overpay NHLS for educational assistance benefits under the Post-9/11 GI-Bill for these veterans.
“Safeguarding Post-9/11 GI Bill education benefit funds is a top priority,” said Special Agent in Charge Gregory Billingsley of Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General (VA-OIG)’s Central Field Office. “The VA-OIG is committed to investigating allegations of fraud that would impact VA’s programs and services.”
The lawsuit is captioned United States v. NH Learning Solutions Corp., No. 22-cv-13045 (E.D. Mich.), and is being handled by the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch (Fraud Section) and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan. The Department of VA-OIG provided substantial assistance in the investigation.
The United States is represented in this matter by Senior Trial Counsel Christopher Wilson of the Civil Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney John Spaccarotella for the Eastern District of Michigan.
The claims asserted against defendants are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
United States Sues Michigan-Based NH Learning Solutions Corporation for Submitting False Claims for Inflated Post 9/11 GI-Bill Tuition BenefitsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON –The Justice Department announced today that the United States has filed a complaint under the False Claims Act (FCA) against NH Learning Solutions Corp (NHLS). The complaint, filed in the Eastern District of Michigan, alleges that NHLS violated the FCA by knowingly submitting false claims to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for inflated tuition benefits under the Post-9/11 GI-Bill. Michigan-based NHLS provides technology education courses at approximately fifteen locations in the Midwest and Northeast.
“The Post-9/11 GI Bill is an important part of our promise to support our nation’s veterans,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Today’s complaint demonstrates our commitment to hold accountable companies that improperly seek to profit from this promise and the women and men who have served our country.”
“The U.S. government provides veterans with access to programs for higher education through the Post-9/11 GI Bill,” said U.S. Attorney Dawn N. Ison for the Eastern District of Michigan. “Our Office is prepared to pursue those who flout the rules that safeguard the integrity of important veterans’ programs.”
Under the Post-9/11 GI Bill, the VA pays tuition and fees directly to qualifying schools on behalf of enrolled students. The VA pays the actual net cost for tuition and fees charged by the school after it has applied any scholarships, waivers, grants or other assistance designed to defray the cost of tuition and fees. This requirement is commonly referred to as the “Last Payer Rule,” and ensures that the VA is the payer of last resort and receives the benefit of any tuition-based, financial support available to a student.
The government’s complaint alleges that NHLS knowingly submitted false claims for inflated tuition and fees in violation of the Last Payer Rule at five of its school locations in Illinois, Ohio, and Michigan. More specifically, the complaint alleges that NHLS repeatedly reported tuition and fees to the VA on student invoices where it failed to deduct the tuition scholarships, grants, or waivers it provided to certain veterans, thereby causing the VA to overpay NHLS for educational assistance benefits under the Post-9/11 GI-Bill for these veterans.
“Safeguarding Post-9/11 GI Bill education benefit funds is a top priority,” said Special Agent in Charge Gregory Billingsley of Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General (VA-OIG)’s Central Field Office. “The VA-OIG is committed to investigating allegations of fraud that would impact VA’s programs and services.”
The lawsuit is captioned United States v. NH Learning Solutions Corp., No. 22-cv-13045 (E.D. Mich.), and is being handled by the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch (Fraud Section) and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan. The Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General provided substantial assistance in the investigation.
The United States is represented in this matter by Senior Trial Counsel Christopher Wilson of the Civil Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney John Spaccarotella for the Eastern District of Michigan.
The claims asserted against defendants are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
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Two women sentenced to prison for armed robbery of Billings casinoRead the Press Release
BILLINGS — Two women who admitted to stealing liquor at gunpoint from a Billings casino, firing a warning shot while fleeing and discarding two loaded firearms on elementary school property were sentenced this week to prison terms, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
Makyla Shayd Fetter, 28, of Harlem, was sentenced on Dec. 14 to 10 years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $745 restitution. Fetter pleaded guilty in August to robbery affecting commerce, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence and possession of a firearm in a school zone.
Co-defendant Taliah Jeneane Ramirez, 22, of Billings, was sentenced today to seven years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $745 restitution. Ramirez pleaded guilty in August to robbery affecting commerce, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence and possession of a firearm in a school zone.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.
“As we continue to combat gun violence in Billings, everyone should take notice that if you use a gun while committing a crime, you will be aggressively prosecuted by the United States Department of Justice. Not only did one of these defendants discharge a gun during this robbery, but the defendants unconscionably used a playground to ditch the guns while trying to evade law enforcement. As shown by these sentences to prison, they did not succeed,” U.S. Attorney Laslovich said.
The government alleged in court documents that on March 20, Fetter and Ramirez entered the Magic Diamond Casino in the Billings Heights, and Fetter removed five bottles of Southern Comfort liquor from a shelf. When an employee asked to see Fetter’s identification, Fetter pulled out a loaded pistol, pointed it at the clerk and said, “here’s your (obscenity) ID.” As the defendants escaped in a vehicle, Ramirez took out a pistol and fired a round into the air. A high-speed pursuit with law enforcement ensued before officers stopped to avoid risks to civilians. The defendants’ vehicle crashed after going through a fence at Ponderosa Elementary School, and both women discarded their loaded guns on the school grounds. Officers found one of the firearms. The next day, a student found the second firearm and notified a faculty member. Both firearms were determined to have been stolen.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Colin M. Rubich prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the FBI, Billings Police Department and Yellowstone County Sheriff’s Office.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a U.S. Department of Justice initiative to reduce violent crime. Through PSN, federal, tribal, state and local law enforcement partners in Montana focus on violent crime driven by methamphetamine trafficking, armed robbers, firearms offenses and violent offenders with outstanding warrants.
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Two Tennessee Men Arrested for Planning Attacks on Law Enforcement Personnel and the FBI’s Knoxville Field OfficeRead the Press Release
A criminal complaint was unsealed today charging Edward Kelley, 33, of Maryville, Tennessee, and Austin Carter, 26, of Knoxville, Tennessee, with conspiracy, retaliating against a federal official, interstate communication of a threat, and solicitation to commit a crime of violence. Kelley and Carter made their initial appearance in federal court today in Knoxville before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jill E. McCook. Both defendants have been detained. Carter has a detention hearing scheduled for Dec. 21.
According to court documents, Kelley, who is facing charges in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia related to his assault on a law enforcement officer during the breach of the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, obtained a list of law enforcement personnel who participated in that criminal investigation. In conversations with a cooperating witness, Kelley and Carter discussed collecting information and plans to kill the individual law enforcement personnel on the list that included an attack on the FBI’s Knoxville, Tennessee Field Office.
Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, U.S. Attorney Francis M. (Trey) Hamilton III for the Eastern District of Tennessee and Assistant Director Robert R. Wells of the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division made the announcement.
The FBI is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Casey Arrowood and Kyle Wilson for the Eastern District of Tennessee, and Trial Attorneys David Smith and Jacob Warren of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case.
A complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Two Tennessee Men Arrested for Planning Attacks on Law Enforcement Personnel and the FBI's Knoxville Field OfficeRead the Press Release
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — A criminal complaint was unsealed today charging Edward Kelley, 33, of Maryville, TN, and Austin Carter, 26, of Knoxville, TN, with conspiracy, retaliating against a federal official, interstate communication of a threat, and solicitation to commit a crime of violence. Kelley and Austin made their initial appearance in federal court in Knoxville, TN, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jill E. McCook. Both defendants have been detained. Carter has a detention hearing scheduled for December 21, 2022.
According to court documents, Kelley, who is facing charges in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia related to his assault on a law enforcement officer during the breach of the Capitol on January 6, 2021, obtained a list of law enforcement personnel who participated in that criminal investigation. In conversations with a cooperating witness, Kelley and Carter discussed plans to kill the individual law enforcement personnel on the list. Those plans included an attack on the FBI’s Knoxville, Tennessee Field Office.
“Federal law enforcement agents put their lives on the line every day to protect the public,” said United States Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III. “Planning and threatening violence against them is among the most serious of crimes. It is absolutely unacceptable and will be vigorously investigated and prosecuted,” said United States Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III.
“The FBI continually assesses the full spectrum of potential threats that come to our attention and that includes those whose intent is to harm bureau employees. The arrests were a result of an amazing team effort across the division along with our local, state, and federal partners. The partnership with the FBI Counterterrorism Division, the Department of Justice’s Counterterrorism Section, and the U.S. Attorney’s Offices in the Eastern District of Tennessee and the District of Columbia were instrumental in the success of the operation. We remind the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity regardless of the intended target,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Joseph E. Carrico.
The case is being investigated by the FBI. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Casey Arrowood and Kyle Wilson of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Tennessee, and Trial Attorneys David Smith and Jacob Warren from the Counterterrorism Section of the Justice Department’s National Security Division.
Members of the public are reminded that these are only charges and that every person is presumed innocent until their guilt has been proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
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Two Tennessee Individuals Charged in Manhattan Federal Court with Violating the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances ActRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Michael J. Driscoll, the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced today the unsealing of an Indictment charging BEVELYN BEATTY WILLIAMS and EDMEE CHAVANNES (together, the “Defendants”) with violating the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act (the “FACE Act”) and conspiring to do the same in connection with a multi-year campaign to interfere with individuals seeking to obtain and provide lawful reproductive health services in New York and in several other states. WILLIAMS and CHAVANNES surrendered today and will be presented in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee. The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Rochon.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As alleged, the defendants repeatedly attempted — including by using threats, and on at least one occasion, force — to prevent individuals from accessing their legal right to reproductive health services. This Office will remain committed to ensuring that healthcare facilities, their staff, and those seeking to obtain reproductive health services can continue to do so without unlawful interference.”
FBI Assistant District in Charge Michael J. Driscoll said: “As we allege today, Ms. Williams and Ms. Chavannes violated the FACE Act by willfully interfering with individuals seeking to obtain or provide lawful reproductive health services. In one instance, Ms. Williams injured a health-center employee while obstructing access to the reproductive health center. The FBI will continue to investigate these types of allegations to ensure individuals who seek legal reproductive health services may do so without fear or intimidation.”
According to the allegations in the Indictment unsealed today in Manhattan federal court:[1]
From at least in or about 2019 up to and including at least in or about 2022, WILLIAMS and CHAVANNES agreed to and did use unlawful means — including force, threats of force, and physical obstruction — to injure, intimidate, and interfere with individuals because those individuals were seeking to obtain lawful reproductive health services or were providing such services.
As part of that agreement, on or about June 19, 2020, and June 20, 2020, WILLIAMS and CHAVANNES threatened and used force against patients and staff members at a reproductive health center located in lower Manhattan (the “Health Center”), and blocked patients and staff members from accessing the Health Center. In one instance, WILLIAMS pressed her body against the door of the Health Center’s patient entrance and refused to move, preventing a Health Center volunteer from entering the Health Center. As a Health Center staff member (“Victim-1”) attempted to open the door for the volunteer, WILLIAMS purposefully leaned against the door, crushing Victim-1’s hand. Victim-1 yelled, “She’s crushing my hand,” but WILLIAMS remained against the door, trapping Victim-1’s hand and injuring it.
At various times on June 19 and 20, 2020, WILLIAMS and CHAVANNES stood directly in front of the Health Center entrances. WILLIAMS and CHAVANNES initially blocked the main entrance used by patients, causing the Health Center to have to divert patients to enter through the staff entrance. WILLIAMS and CHAVANNES responded by moving in front of the staff entrance and directing others to do so as well. In addition, on or about June 19, 2020, CHAVANNES threatened Victim-1 by leaning her body toward Victim-1 at close range, forcing Victim-1 against metal barricades, while yelling “do not touch me” within inches of Victim-1’s face.
WILLIAMS and CHAVANNES livestreamed some of their conduct on June 19 and 20, 2020, on a social media account. On the livestream on June 19, 2020, WILLIAMS stated, in part, “This is going to be a wonderful day. We are going to terrorize this place. And I want the manager to hear me say that. We are going to terrorize this place. More people are coming.” The following day, WILLIAMS stated, in part, “We gonna stand here and we ain’t moving. We not moving. We’re standing here, so I guess no women will be coming in for abortions today. It’s a warzone.”
In addition to the defendants’ conduct in Manhattan, New York, WILLIAMS and CHAVANNES’ unlawful agreement to use prohibited means to injure, intimidate, and interfere with individuals because those individuals were seeking to obtain or provide reproductive health services has extended to other locations, including Florida, Tennessee, Georgia, and Brooklyn, New York. For example, in January 2022, WILLIAMS and CHAVANNES travelled to and were present outside a health center in Fort Myers, Florida, where they directed other individuals to block health center entrances. In addition, in July 2022, WILLIAMS and CHAVANNES blocked patient access to a health center in Atlanta, Georgia, by standing inside the center’s vestibule and yelling threatening comments at individuals believed to be health center patients.
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WILLIAMS, 31, and CHAVANNES, 41, both of Ooltewah, Tennessee, are charged with conspiracy to violate the FACE Act, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison. In addition, WILLIAMS is charged with violating the FACE Act through force, threats of force, and physical obstruction, resulting in bodily harm, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. CHAVANNES is charged with violating the FACE Act through threats of force and physical obstruction, which carries a maximum sentence of one year in prison.
The maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as the sentencing of the defendants will be determined by a judge.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI.
The prosecution of this case is being handled by the Office’s Civil Rights Unit in the Criminal Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jamie Bagliebter is in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment, and the description of the Indictment set forth herein, constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Two Mexican Nationals Residing in Stockton and Sacramento Charged with Trafficking 260 Pounds of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a seven-count indictment yesterday against two defendants, charging them with drug trafficking offenses, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
Felix Ortiz-Plata, 41, a Mexican national residing in Stockton, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, five counts of distribution of methamphetamine, and one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Anuar Castaneda Ortiz, 26, a Mexican national residing in Sacramento, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, two counts of distribution of methamphetamine, and one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
According to court documents, between August 22, 2022, and December 5, 2022, Ortiz-Plata and Castaneda Ortiz conspired with one another to sell methamphetamine to a DEA confidential source. On Dec. 5, 2022, California Highway Patrol officers conducted a traffic stop on Castaneda Ortiz’s vehicle. During a subsequent search, officers located over 260 pounds of crystal methamphetamine packaged in 90 plastic bags in the backseat and trunk of the vehicle.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Forest Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Land Management, and the California Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alstyn Bennett is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Ortiz-Plata and Castaneda Ortiz face a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $10 million fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Two Men Sentenced to Federal Prison in $30 Million Pyramid SchemeRead the Press Release
Owensboro, KY – Richard G. Maike was sentenced this week to 10 years in prison for running a pyramid scheme in 2013 and 2014. Doyce G. Barnes was sentenced today to 4 years in prison for his role in the pyramid scheme. The defendants were convicted after a federal jury trial that started in Owensboro, Kentucky on July 12, 2022, and concluded with the jury’s verdict on September 7, 2022, after four hours of deliberation.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Jodi Cohen of the FBI Louisville Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge Bryant Jackson of the IRS Criminal Investigation, Cincinnati Field Office, made the announcement.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Richard G. Maike, 55, of Owensboro, Kentucky, and Doyce G. Barnes, 73, of Goldsboro, North Carolina sold positions in Infinity 2 Global, or I2G, purportedly a multi-level marketing company, which the United States proved at trial was operating as a pyramid scheme. Maike and Barnes were also convicted of conspiracy to commit securities fraud in connection with the sale of $5,000 Emperor positions in the company as a form of passive income. Maike was also convicted of money laundering and tax evasion in connection with his use of approximately $3.2 million in I2G funds, some of which were wired to and from an Infinity 2 Global bank account in Hong Kong and used by Maike to purchase 1800 acres of ranch land in Kansas for his personal use. The evidence at trial showed that in approximately 15 months, I2G sold nearly 5,000 of the $5,000 Emperor positions generating, along with other lower-priced positions, over $30 million in revenue, much of which went out in the form of commissions to the promoters at the top of the pyramid structure. Commissions were generated based on recruitment of new members into the company. Over 90% of the people who bought a membership in I2G lost money.
In addition to the prison sentence, Maike was ordered to pay a $100,000 fine. Maike and Barnes were each also ordered to serve a 3 term of supervised release after being released from prison. There is no parole in the federal system.
Both Maike and Barnes will be ordered to pay restitution to the victims of their crime. A restitution hearing will be held on February 2, 2023, at 10:00 a.m. C.S.T. in the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky in Owensboro, Kentucky. Victims wishing to submit a restitution claim who have not done so already should email the U.S. Attorney’s Office at [email protected].
One co-defendant, Faraday Hosseinipour, also convicted at trial, is scheduled for sentencing before a United States District Judge of the Western District of Kentucky in Owensboro, Kentucky on January 5, 2023. Another co-defendant, Richard Anzalone, previously entered a plea of guilty to the conspiracy to commit securities fraud and testified at trial. Anzalone’s charges were dismissed after he died in October of 2022. Two other co-defendants, Dennis Dvorin and Jason Syn, were severed for trial to be held at a later date. No trial date has been set for Dvorin and Syn.
The FBI and the IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Madison Sewell and Marisa Ford are prosecuting the case with the assistance of paralegal Cristy Crocket. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Sullivan is handling the asset forfeiture components of the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Bravo is handling the restitution components of the case.
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Two Idaho Men Sentenced to Prison for Crimes Against Federal OfficersRead the Press Release
POCATELLO and BOISE – Walter High Eagle, 51, of Fort Hall, and John Roger March, 60, of Boise, were each sentenced this week in U.S. District Court for separate crimes against federal officers, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced today.
Eagle was sentenced to 144 months in federal prison for assault on an officer and for the use of a firearm in furtherance of a violent crime. According to court records, on July 17, 2020, Fort Hall Police and special agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation had information that Eagle, a convicted felon, was unlawfully in possession of a firearm. Law enforcement sought and obtained a search warrant for Eagle’s residence on the Fort Hall Indian Reservation so they could enter to find the gun. As officers called out “police” and entered Eagle’s residence on the ground level floor, Eagle, on an upper level, began yelling down the stairs at the officers, stating that he had a gun and would shoot. Officers were at the bottom of the stairs and Eagle was standing in close proximity, nearly straight above them at the top of the stairs. Eagle told the officers to leave. They responded by asking him to come outside, and Eagle fired the gun. He then stated that he would shoot officers on the first level through the floor of the second level, where Eagle was located. One of the officers who Eagle shot at was a detective with the Fort Hall Police Department, who, under federal law, is a federal officer while engaged in the performance of her detective duties.
Some hours later, an FBI SWAT team arrived. As the team began to launch tear gas into Eagle’s residence to get him out of the house, Eagle fired a shot at the FBI armored vehicle, nearly striking an FBI Special Agent who was standing near the vehicle.
Eagle admitted knowingly and intentionally assaulting the detective and the agent by firing his gun. On February 16, 2022, Eagle pleaded guilty to the two charges of assault on an officer and to the separate crime of using the firearm while assaulting the officers.
Senior U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill sentenced Eagle to 24 months in federal prison for each of the assault convictions and ten additional years in federal prison for using the firearm in furtherance of the assault. Judge Winmill also ordered Eagle to serve three years of supervised release after he completes his prison sentence.
“The increase in assaults on federal law enforcement officers—and law enforcement in general—is disturbing and will not be tolerated,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “We will continue to send to prison those who commit crimes against the brave men and women who dedicate themselves to protecting our communities.”
March was sentenced to 37 months in federal prison for threatening a federal officer. According to court records, on January 20, 2021, March stole a rug from a post office in Boise. The next day, three postal inspectors from the United States Postal Inspection Service and a Boise Police officer went to March’s residence in Boise to question him about the theft. March became hostile with law enforcement.
A few moments later, a postal inspector observed March turn his vehicle around and drive back towards the postal inspector. March continued towards the postal inspector until March’s right-side mirror collided with the postal inspector’s government vehicle. Officers arrested March for assault.
The following day, March made a threatening telephone call from the Ada County Jail with intent to impede, intimidate, and interfere with the postal inspector’s performance of his official duties. Specifically, during the call, March made threatening statements against the postal inspector.
March was sentenced to 37 months in federal prison by Chief U.S. District Judge David C. Nye. Judge Nye also ordered March to serve three years of supervised release after he completes his prison sentence.
U.S. Attorney Hurwit credited the cooperative efforts of the FBI and Fort Hall Police Department, as well as the Boise Police Department and the United States Postal Inspection Service, for their work on these respective cases.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Idaho is committed to prosecuting those who harm or threaten to harm law enforcement and public officials. Additional recent cases involving threats to public servants prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Idaho are linked below:
Twin Falls Man Sentenced for Threatening to Kill a Prosecutor
Middleton Man Sentenced for Threatening an FBI Agent
Nampa Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearms Violation
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Two Charged with Submitting Fake COVID-19 Testing ClaimsRead the Press Release
Two individuals were charged with submitting fraudulent COVID-19 testing claims to multiple insurance agencies, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.
Terrance Barnard, 39, and Connie Jo Clampitt, 51, the owners of several alleged fake diagnostic laboratories, were indicted on Dec. 5 on one count each of conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud, ten counts each of healthcare fraud, seven counts each of aggravated identity theft, and one count each of conspiracy to commit money laundering. The defendants were arrested Thursday and made their initial appearances Friday morning.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has presented the most challenging circumstances our healthcare providers and insurers have faced in generations. Schemes to financially exploit the system when providers and insurers are facing these monumental challenges must be dismantled, and those responsible must be held to account,” said U.S. Attorney Leigha Simonton.
According to court documents, the pair allegedly received more than $7 million for fraudulent COVID-19 testing claims from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas, Cigna, United Healthcare, Aetna, Humana, and Molina Health Care.
Mr. Barnard allegedly used his position as a contract lab technician at various medical clinics to surreptitiously obtain patient names, addresses, dates of birth, and insurance subscriber information.
He and Ms. Clampitt then allegedly represented to the patients’ insurers that they had COVID-19 testing performed at sophisticated diagnostic laboratories, when no such testing was performed and no such labs existed.
They also allegedly opened bank accounts for their purported labs (TC Diagnostics, ME Diagnostics, and Rhine Enterprises dba PHR Diagnostics), deposited fraudulently-obtained reimbursement checks into those accounts, and then transferred the proceeds into personal bank accounts. They allegedly used the fraudulently-obtained funds to purchase real estate and luxury vehicles.
During the course of the investigation, law enforcement seized more than $1.5 million.
An indictment is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence. Mr. Barnard and Ms. Clampitt are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
If convicted, they face up to up to ten years in federal prison for each count of health care fraud, conspiracy to commit health care fraud, and conspiracy to commit money laundering, and up to two years in federal prison for each count of aggravated identity theft. They will also be required to forfeit any proceeds or property traceable to the commission of the offenses of which they’re convicted.
The Dallas Regional Office of the United States Department of Labor – Employee Benefits Security Administration, the Dallas office of the Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General, the Texas Department of Insurance Fraud Unit's Fort Worth Field Office, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Dallas Field Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Renee Hunter is prosecuting the case; Assistant U.S. Attorney Dimitri Rocha is helping handle the forfeiture.
Truck Driver Sentenced to 37 Years in Prison for Sex Trafficking a Minor Victim and Producing Videos of the AbuseRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA - A former resident of Hammond, Indiana, has been sentenced in federal court to 444 months in prison followed by lifetime supervision on his conviction of sex trafficking a minor and production of material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
United States District Judge Christy Criswell Wiegand imposed the sentence on Roderick King, 33, formerly of the suburbs of Chicago, Illinois.
According to information presented at trial and to the Court, the Minor Victim was just 14 years-old when King, an over-the-road truck driver, first paid her to have sex in the back of his semi-truck. He initially enticed the Minor Victim by offering to give her cash to “hang out” though his true interest was sexual abuse of the child.
Over a three-year period, King paid the Minor Victim hundreds of dollars in cash for sex on approximately 10 occasions and produced two videos of his sexual exploitation of the Minor Victim. In addition to paying the Minor Victim, King bought her shoes, clothes, and other items that teenage girls wanted, engaging in what is known as “grooming” behavior. King maintained control over the Minor Victim, when he was away from her, by using his social media accounts.
In imposing the sentence, the Court called King’s conduct “extraordinarily serious” and noted that of the “many disturbing facts” of the case, one of the most disturbing was King’s “lack of remorse.”
Assistant United States Attorney’s Rebecca L. Silinski and Jeffery R. Bengel prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
“This defendant will spend the next 37 years in prison for preying upon, exploiting and abusing a vulnerable young girl for his own sexual gratification,” said U.S. Attorney Chung. “This sentence sends a clear message that predatory crimes, such as child sex trafficking and exploitation offenses, will continue to be vigorously prosecuted by this office.”
U.S. Attorney Chung further praised the work of local, state and federal law enforcement involved in this investigation, which began in 2017 by the Butler Township Police Department and was reopened federally, in 2020, by special agents with the Department of Homeland Security Investigations, Human Trafficking and Child Exploitation Group, and special agents with the Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General Child Predator Section after the Minor Victim reported King’s conduct to law enforcement. Federal investigators were further assisted by the Butler Township Police Department, Butler City Police Department, Butler City School District, and Butler County Children and Youth Services.
The charges for which King has been sentenced concern a specific victim. Members of the public who may have additional information about King’s or other perpetrators’ involvement in sex trafficking and child exploitation are encouraged to call HSI’s tip-line at 866-347-2423.
This prosecution is part of Operation T.E.N. (Trafficking Ends Now), an umbrella coalition for law enforcement, community, and non-profit partners in the 25 counties in the Western District of Pennsylvania, formed and led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania. Asst. U.S. Attorney Rebecca Silinski serves as the Human Trafficking Coordinator for the U.S. Attorney’s Office and oversees Operation T.E.N. and community outreach. This coordinated effort aims to end human trafficking through education and improved cooperation among law enforcement partners, victim service providers and community members, thereby enhancing the Office’s ability to empower victims of human trafficking to become thriving survivors.
Three MS-13 Gang Members Convicted of Racketeering Conspiracy Involving a Murder in MarylandRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A federal jury convicted Jose Domingo Ordonez-Zometa, a/k/a “Felon,” age 33, of Landover Hills, Maryland; Jose Rafael Ortega-Ayala, a/k/a Impaciente,” age 30, of Greenbelt, Maryland; and Jose Henry Hernandez-Garcia, a/k/a “Paciente,” age 29, of Annandale, Virginia, for racketeering and murder in aid of racketeering conspiracies, for committing murder in aid of racketeering, and for conspiracy to destroy and conceal evidence connected to their participation in La Mara Salvatrucha, a transnational criminal enterprise also known as MS-13.
The convictions were announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Special Agent in Charge Wayne Jacobs of the Federal Bureau of Investigation - Washington Field Office Criminal Division; Special Agent in Charge James C. Harris of Homeland Security Investigations, Baltimore Office; Stafford County Sheriff David P. Decatur; Chief Malik Aziz of the Prince George’s County Police Department; and Chief Kevin Davis of the Fairfax County Police Department.
MS-13, one of the largest street gangs in the United States, is a national and international gang composed primarily of immigrants or descendants from El Salvador and other central American countries. Branches or “cliques” of MS-13, operate throughout the United States, including in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. The defendants were members and associates of the Los Ghettos Criminales Salvatruchas (“LGCS” or “Ghettos”) clique of MS-13.
The evidence at the two-week trial established that between August 2018 and April 2019, the defendants participated in the MS-13 criminal enterprise by engaging in acts of violence, including murder, the destruction of evidence, and witness tampering, among other crimes. The criminal acts were committed by gang members to increase MS-13’s power in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, including Maryland and Virginia.
At all times of this conspiracy, members of MS-13 were expected to protect the name, reputation, and status of the gang from rival gang members and other persons. To protect the gang and to enhance its reputation, MS-13 members were expected to use any means necessary to force respect from those who showed disrespect, including acts of intimidation and violence. MS-13 had mottos consistent with its rules, beliefs, expectations and reputation including “mata, viola, controla,” which translates as, “kill, rape, control,” and “ver, oir y callar,” which means, “see nothing, hear nothing and say nothing.” One of the principal rules of MS-13 is that its members must attack and kill rivals, often referred to as “chavalas,” whenever possible.
MS-13 members are required to commit acts of violence both to maintain membership and discipline within the gang, as well as against rival gang members. Participation in criminal activity by a member, particularly in violent acts directed at rival gangs or as directed by gang leadership, increases the respect accorded to that member, resulting in that member maintaining or increasing his position in the gang, and opens the door to promotion to a leadership position.
As detailed during the trial, Ordonez-Zometa was the leader of the LGCS clique. Ordonez-Zometa called a meeting of the LGCS clique at his house on March 8, 2019, to discuss clique matters, including recent contacts that an LGCS clique member (Victim 1) had with the police. The defendants, Victim 1, and other MS-13 members participated in the meeting, during which Ordonez-Zometa questioned Victim 1 about his/her cooperation with police.
During the questioning, the defendants and at least one other MS-13 member assaulted Victim 1, based on their incorrect suspicions that Victim 1 was cooperating with law enforcement. They also assaulted another MS-13 member who attempted to defend Victim 1. The assault culminated with Ordonez-Zometa, as LGCS clique leader, ordering that Victim 1 be killed. Ortega-Ayala, Hernandez-Garcia and other MS-13 members then stabbed and murdered Victim 1 in Ordonez-Zometa’s basement.
According to trial testimony, after the murder, Ordonez-Zometa ordered Ortega-Ayala, Hernandez-Garcia, and other LGCS clique members and co-conspirators, to conceal and destroy evidence of the murder. Ortega-Ayala and other MS-13 members transported the body of the victim to a secluded location in Stafford County, Virginia, and set the victim’s body on fire, then destroyed and concealed evidence of the murder from the vehicle used to transport the victim. Meanwhile, Ordonez-Zometa, Hernandez-Garcia, and another MS-13 member stayed at the crime scene and attempted to remove, destroy, and conceal evidence of the murder, including the blood of Victim 1.
The three defendants each face a mandatory sentence of life in prison. U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis has not yet scheduled a sentencing date for the defendants.
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 make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case is an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Anyone with information about MS-13 is encouraged to provide their tips to law enforcement. The FBI and Homeland Security Investigations both have nationwide tiplines that you can call to report what you know. You can reach the FBI at 1-866-STP-MS13 (1-866-787-6713), or you can call HSI at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron and Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. commended the FBI, HSI, the Stafford County Sheriff’s Office, the Prince George’s County Police Department, and the Fairfax County Police Department for their work in the investigation and thanked the Prince George’s County State’s Attorney’s Office for its assistance. Mr. Barron and Mr. Polite thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Morgan, Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared Engelking, and Trial Attorney Matthew Hoff of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division Organized Crime and Gang Section, who are prosecuting this case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-neighborhoods-psnexile and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Three Former Toledo City Council Members Plead Guilty to Conspiracy and Bribery ChargesRead the Press Release
TOLEDO - Three former Toledo City Council members pleaded guilty today to accepting bribery payments during their time in office in return for their support and votes on legislative matters.
Tyrone Riley and Larry Sykes both pleaded guilty to one count of Hobbs Act extortion under color of official right, and Yvonne Harper pleaded guilty to one count of Hobbs Act conspiracy.
Garrick Johnson was also charged in this matter and is scheduled to appear in front of a federal jury on Monday, Jan. 9, 2023.
According to court documents, on multiple occasions from May 2018 through February 2020, Riley, Harper, and Sykes accepted bribery payments in return for their official support and votes on legislative matters as members of the Toledo City Council.
Court documents state that Riley, Harper, and Sykes each accepted cash payments in return for their support and votes on zoning changes and “special use permits” (SUPs) for local businesses.
Court documents show that during this time, Riley accepted more than $5,000 in payments and meals in return for his support on five occasions related to zoning changes and SUPs for businesses. Additionally, on two occasions, Harper accepted more than $5,000 in return for her support of zoning changes and SUPs for businesses. Sykes accepted, on two occasions, approximately $1,500 for his support of SUPs.
Riley, Harper, and Sykes are scheduled to be sentenced in June 2023.
This case was investigated by the Cleveland Division of the FBI, Toledo Resident Agency. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael J. Freeman and Jody L. King.
Texas Man Convicted of Receiving and Possessing Images of Child Sexual AbuseRead the Press Release
A federal jury in Dallas convicted a Texas man today for receiving and possessing images of child sexual abuse.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Andrew Kasnetz, 59, of Dallas, used a peer-to-peer network to download images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of prepubescent children. Law enforcement in Dallas obtained a warrant to search Kasnetz’s residence and discovered Kasnetz actively downloading child sexual abuse material when they entered the home. A search of Kasnetz’s digital devices revealed tens of thousands of images and videos of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
Kasnetz was convicted of one count of receipt of child pornography and two counts of possession of prepubescent child pornography. He faces a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Leigha Simonton for the Northern District of Texas, Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division, and Acting Special Agent in Charge James J. Dwyer of the FBI Dallas Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI Dallas Field Office, Dallas Police Department, and Garland Police Department investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Eduardo Palomo of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Abe McGlothin and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Shane Read for the Northern District of Texas are prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Taunton Man Pleads Guilty to Illegally Dealing FirearmsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Taunton man pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to dealing firearms without license, including “ghost guns.”
William Viera, 33, pleaded guilty to dealing in firearms without a license. U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin scheduled sentencing for March 9, 2023. Viera was arrested and charged on April 18, 2022.
“Ghost guns are even more dangerous than firearms assembled by a licensed manufacturer. Although each are deadly and can kill someone, the PMF rarely has a serial number and is virtually untraceable. Often, people use them in an attempt to hide their criminal activity because the origin and use of the firearm is unknown,” said United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins.
“Prohibited persons who not only have direct access to firearms, but illegally manufacture firearms for other prohibited individuals is a significant threat to our community,” said James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division. “ATF is committed to identifying these individuals and bringing them to justice.”
Beginning in or around April 2022, Viera was identified as an illegal firearms dealer and ghost gun manufacturer. “Ghost guns,” or privately made firearms (PMFs), are firearms assembled or otherwise produced by a person other than a licensed manufacturer, often without a serial number. In April 2022, through the use of a cooperating witness, Viera was contacted about available firearms. During his communications, Viera stated he could manufacture PMFs, including a Glock-style PMF and an AR platform rifle or pistol receiver. Viera also made completed firearms from unfinished firearms kits and sold the completed firearms to other individuals. The cooperating witness subsequently met with Viera at his residence on multiple occasions, where Viera was observed in possession of a Glock-style PMF. Between July 15, 2022, and Aug. 8, 2022, Viera sold three Glock style PMFs and ammunition to the cooperating witness during three separate controlled purchases. Additionally, a search of Viera’s residence on Aug. 18, 2022, resulted in the recovery of one commercially manufactured AR platform firearm and two finished PMFs, as well as ammunition and parts and tools used for firearm making, among other things.
Viera does not possess a federal firearms license and is prohibited from possessing any firearms or ammunition due to prior felony convictions, including a 2012 conviction in Bristol County of armed robbery for which he was sentenced to two to five years in prison.
The charge of dealing in firearms without a license provides for a sentence of up to 5 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of $ 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.
U.S. Attorney Rollins and ATF SAC Ferguson made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Taunton Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Dell’Anno of Rollins’ Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
South Georgia Man with Violent Criminal Past Sentenced to Maximum Prison Term for Possessing Numerous Stolen GunsRead the Press Release
ALBANY, Ga. – A South Georgia resident with a violent criminal history found in possession of numerous stolen firearms and who released his dog to attack deputies before he fled arrest was sentenced to the maximum prison term allowed under law.
James Currin, 45, of Bainbridge, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 120 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Leslie Gardner on Dec. 15 after he previously pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Repeat offenders with violent criminal histories who broker illegal drugs for stolen guns unquestionably make our communities less safe,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “Decatur County Sheriff’s Office deputies put themselves in harm’s way to locate and arrest this defendant, successfully stopping a firearms trafficker from moving more guns into the hands of criminals.”
“There is no initiative more critical to ATF than increasing the safety of our communities. Cases which result in the arrests and prosecution of violent criminals are fundamental to continuing this initiative while simultaneously showing criminals that ATF and its law enforcement partners will not falter in this mission,” said ATF Assistant Special Agent in Charge Alicia Jones. “We will pursue violent criminals such as these wherever they may operate and they will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
“A maximum 120-month prison sentence in this case was justified; attacking a law enforcement officer should not be tolerated,” said Decatur County Sheriff Wiley Griffin. “I am very thankful for the help of ATF and the U.S. Attorney’s Office. I am satisfied to see justice was served in court, and that a repeat violent offender is off the streets.”
According to court documents, Currin, who is a convicted felon, was under investigation in Sept. 2019 for distribution of methamphetamine and illegal possession of numerous firearms. During this time period, Decatur County deputies were investigating a home burglary involving 20 stolen firearms. On April 1, 2020, deputies learned that the burglary suspect had traded six of the stolen firearms to Currin in exchange for methamphetamine. A search warrant was subsequently executed at Currin’s home. When deputies approached the defendant, who was armed and walking with a pit bull on a leash, Currin released the dog and ran into the woods. The dog attacked an officer while other responding officers ran after Currin but were initially unable to locate him.
During a search of Currin’s home, deputies found a total of 23 long guns and three handguns, as well as methamphetamine. Some of the firearms recovered from Currin’s home were confirmed stolen in the home burglary and some had obliterated or removed serial numbers. Currin was taken into custody on April 7 in possession of a semi-automatic pistol. Currin told investigators that he was planning “to do a suicide by cop.”
Currin has multiple prior felonies, including methamphetamine possession and felony battery-great bodily harm charges in Georgia and Florida. It is illegal for a convicted felon to possession firearms.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
The case was investigated by the Decatur County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF).
Assistant U.S. Attorney Melody Ellis prosecuted the case for the Government.
South Florida Man Convicted of Covid-19 Relief Fraud—Used Money for Lavish PurchasesRead the Press Release
MIAMI — Valesky Barosy, 27, of Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., has been convicted for fraudulent submission of COVID-19 relief loans under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).
Barosy submitted dozens of fraudulent PPP loan applications on behalf of himself and his accomplices that sought more than $4.2 million and successfully obtained more than $2 million. In each loan application, Barosy falsified the applicant’s prior year expenses, net profit or payroll, and submitted fraudulent Internal Revenue Service tax forms. Barosy’s fraudulent loan applications, and their accompanying fabricated tax documents, were found on his computer along with text messages soliciting information from prospective clients.
For each loan application, Barosy’s accomplices paid him a 20 to 30 percent kickback that he used to purchase a Lamborghini Huracán EVO, Rolex and Hublot watches, and designer clothing from Louis Vuitton, Gucci, and Chanel. Barosy posted photos on his Instagram account of the Lamborghini and watches, detailing his success as an entrepreneur. But his greatest success, according to one text message, was his ability to “max out ppp. I do them very good,” he boasted.
Barosy was convicted by a jury on five counts of wire fraud, three counts of money laundering, and aggravated identity theft. Sentencing is set for February 23, 2023. He is facing at least two years and up to 132 years in prison, as well as restitution and forfeiture of the loan proceeds.
Juan Antonio Gonzalez, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and Special Agent in Charge Brian Swain, U.S. Secret Service (USSS), Miami Field Office, made the announcement.
USSS, Miami Field Office, investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan Bailyn and Joseph Egozi are prosecuting it. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Grosnoff is handling asset forfeiture.
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (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 up to $349 billion in forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses, through PPP. In April 2020 Congress authorized over $300 billion in additional PPP funding.
PPP allows qualifying small businesses and other organizations to receive loans with a maturity of two years and an interest rate of 1%. PPP loan proceeds must be used by businesses on payroll costs, interest on mortgages, rent, and utilities. PPP allows the interest and principal on the loan to be forgiven if the business spends the loan proceeds on these expense items within a designated period of time after receiving the proceeds and uses at least a certain percentage of the PPP loan proceeds on payroll expenses.
On September 15, 2022, the Attorney General selected the Southern District of Florida’s U.S. Attorney’s Office to head one of three national COVID-19 Fraud Strike Force Teams. The Department of Justice established the Strike Force to enhance existing efforts to combat and prevent COVID-19 related financial fraud. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please click here.
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 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.
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-60345.
Six Individuals Charged in Multimillion-Dollar Transnational Tech Support Scam Targeting Tens of Thousands of U.S. VictimsRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – Five men were charged in an indictment and a New Jersey woman pleaded guilty in connection with a transnational technical support scam that targeted more than 20,000 victims, many of whom were elderly, in the United States and Canada, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Gagan Lamba, 41, and Harshad Madaan, 34, both of New Delhi, India; Jayant Bhatia, 33, of Ontario, Canada, and Vikash Gupta, 33, of Faridabad, India, are all charged by indictment with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to commit computer fraud, and substantive violations of wire fraud and computer fraud. Lamba, Madaan, Bhatia, and a fifth defendant, Kulwinder Singh, 34, of Richmond Hill, New York, are also charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering, money laundering, and engaging in monetary transactions in property derived from specified unlawful activity. Bhatia has been charged with offenses related to his participation in a high-tech fraud scheme.
Authorities in India arrested Madaan on Dec. 14, 2022, and Gupta on Dec. 15, 2022, on local charges for their involvement in the tech support scheme. Lamba remains at large. Bhatia was arrested by Canadian authorities pursuant to a provisional arrest request from the United States. Singh was arrested at his home in New York. Singh made his initial appearance on Dec. 14, 2022, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael A. Hammer in Newark federal court and was released on $100,000 unsecured bond.
A sixth defendant, Meghna Kumar, 50, of Edison, New Jersey, pleaded guilty on Dec. 14, 2022, by videoconference before Judge Hammer to an information charging her with engaging in monetary transactions in property derived from specified unlawful activity, based on her role in the scheme.
“As alleged in the indictment, the defendants are charged with using access to personal computers to run a high-tech extortion scheme on a global scale,” U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger said. “They frequently preyed upon senior citizens and scared them into paying for unnecessary and useless computer repair services. Working with our partners here and abroad, we will remain vigilant in protecting our citizens from these kinds of schemes.”
“Tech-support scams, and other consumer fraud schemes that frequently target elderly or vulnerable citizens are particularly egregious crimes,” Acting Inspector in Charge Raimundo Marrero, Newark Field Office, Philadelphia Division, said. “Fraudsters, who often operate from outside the United States, may think they can anonymously infiltrate their victims’ homes and lives through the mail, telephone, or computer – without any consequences. However, let today’s enforcement actions put scammers on notice. Through the investigative efforts of U.S. federal law enforcement, and our international partners, we will work together to pursue those individuals who scam, harass, and steal from our older and respected members of society.”
“Scammers are changing tactics and finding new methods to steal hard-earned money from unsuspecting victims, but it boils down to the same well-worn crime,” FBI Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy said. “This investigation highlights the FBI's and our international partners' work in searching out and bringing these fraudsters to justice. It also shows victims that regardless of where the criminals are sitting, here or in a foreign country, we will hold them accountable using every tool we have.”
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:From 2012 through November 2022, the defendants and others were members of a criminal fraud ring that operated a technical support fraud scheme in the United States, India, and Canada. The scheme targeted victims across the United States and Canada, including New Jersey, many of whom were elderly.
The primary objective was to trick victims into believing that their personal computers were infected with a virus or malware and then convince the victims to pay hundreds or thousands of dollars to the fraud ring for phony computer repair services. Over the course of the conspiracy, the fraud ring generated more than $10 million in proceeds from at least 20,000 victims.
The fraud ring caused fraudulent pop-up windows to appear on victims’ personal computers. The pop-ups were designed, at times, to “freeze” the victims’ computers, which prevented the victims from using or accessing files on their computers. The pop-ups also claimed, falsely, that the victims’ computers were infected with a virus, or otherwise compromised, and directed the victims to call a telephone number to receive technical support. Sometimes the pop-ups warned victims to not shut down their computers. The pop-ups also included, without authorization, the names of well-known, legitimate technology and antivirus companies. In reality, the pop-ups were a hoax, designed to trick the victims into believing that their computers were infected with viruses that did not actually exist.
Victims who called the technical support phone numbers appearing on the pop-ups were connected to one or more call centers in India associated with the fraud ring. Fraud ring members at the call centers falsely repeated that the victims’ computers were infected with viruses and offered to fix the purported issue for a fee. The fraud ring members would then request permission to remotely access the victims’ computers. Once granted access, fraud ring members would, at times, download and run a freely available adblocker tool, advise the victim that the “issue” had been resolved, and then leave a text file on the desktop of the computer with payment instructions.
Victims were instructed to pay the fraud ring in amounts ranging from hundreds to thousands of dollars by: (a) electronically scanning checks made payable to one of several shell companies set up by the fraud ring and (b) sending, via FedEx, physical checks to addresses maintained by Singh and Kumar in New Jersey. The fraud ring often contacted certain victims again to offer additional services or lengthier service agreements that required victims to pay even more money to the fraud ring.
The wire fraud and computer fraud charges carry a maximum penalty of 20 years and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gross amount of gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greatest The money laundering charges carry a statutory maximum of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $500,000 or twice the value of the property involved, whichever is greater. The transacting in criminal proceeds charges carry a maximum of 10 years in prison and a fine of $250,000, or twice the value of the property involved in the transaction, whichever is greater.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger postal inspectors of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service in Newark, under the direction of Acting Inspector in Charge Raimundo Marrero, Philadelphia Division, and special agents of the FBI, including the FBI’s Cyber Crimes Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark, with the investigation. He also thanked the Department of Justice Office of International Affairs, the Indian Central Bureau of Investigation, and the Delhi Police for their assistance.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony P. Torntore of the U.S. Attorney’s Cybercrime Unit in Newark.
The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Shasta County Man Indicted for Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine and for Being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment yesterday against Anthony Alexander Basso, 44, of Cottonwood, charging him with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm, and one count of being a felon in possession ammunition, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, on Sept. 11, 2022, law enforcement officers stopped Basso for a pending arrest warrant and found Basso had with him in his car a handgun with no serial number (sometimes called a “ghost gun”), heroin, methamphetamine, AR-platform receivers, ammunition, AR-platform magazines, Narcan, tools for milling firearm components, a police scanner, and over $10,000 in cash. Search warrants were executed for a storage unit Basso used and additional AR-style rifles in various states of construction, thousands of rounds of ammunition, a Heckler & Koch handgun, and nearly a kilogram of methamphetamine were found.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Anderson Police Department, and the Shasta Inter-Agency Narcotics Task Force (SINTF). Assistant U.S. Attorney James Conolly is prosecuting the case.
If convicted of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, Basso faces a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $10 million fine. This charge also carries a ten-year mandatory minimum sentence. If convicted of being a felon in possession of ammunition, or a felon in possession of a firearm, Basso faces a maximum statutory penalty of 15 years and a fine of up to $250,000 on each count. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
San Francisco Man Indicted for Being a Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned an indictment yesterday against Rondell Cramer, 44, of San Francisco, charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, on June 1, 2022, while driving in Fairfield, Cramer was pulled over for driving a vehicle without a license plate. The officer arrested Cramer, who was then wanted on two outstanding felony warrants. A search of his vehicle resulted in the discovery of a Glock 9 mm caliber firearm, as well as a bill of sale for another firearm and stolen merchandise, much of which still had antitheft tags on them. A search of Cramer’s phones revealed multiple conversations showing that Cramer was buying firearms in Arizona under an alias, and then selling them in California. Cramer is not allowed to possess firearms or ammunition because he has previously been convicted of six felony offenses, including a prior conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
This case is the product of an investigation by the California Highway Patrol and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrian T. Kinsella is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Cramer faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The Sacramento Region/San Francisco Bay Area Cross-Jurisdictional Firearms Trafficking Strike Force is one of five cross-jurisdictional strike forces launched by the U.S. Department of Justice in July 2021 to disrupt illegal firearms trafficking in key regions across the country. Each strike force is led by designated United States Attorneys, who collaborate with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and with state and local law enforcement partners within their own jurisdiction as well as law enforcement partners in areas where illegally trafficked guns originate. The strike forces use the latest data, evidence, and intelligence from crime scenes to identify patterns, leads, and potential suspects in violent gun crimes, and are an important part of the Department’s Comprehensive Violent Crime Reduction Strategy.
Ridgefield Man Charged with Child Pornography OffenseRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Matthew B. Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Boston, today announced that NICHOLAS SKIRKANICH, 43, of Ridgefield, was arrested yesterday and charged by federal criminal complaint with possession of child pornography.
Following his arrest, Skirkanich appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge S. Dave Vatti in Bridgeport and was released on a $150,000 bond to home detention under electronic monitoring.
As alleged in court documents, in October 2022, an online service provider submitted a CyberTip to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (“NCMEC”) indicating that a TikTok video containing child sex abuse imagery was sent from Skirkanich’s email account to another email account. Subsequent investigation revealed that Skirkanich’s IP address and social media accounts were also used to facilitate Skirkanich’s possession of child pornography.
Possession of child pornography is an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.
U.S. Attorney Avery stressed that a complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This matter is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) with the assistance of the Ridgefield Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nancy V. Gifford with the assistance of the Danbury State’s Attorney’s Office.
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.
Raleigh-Area Physician Agrees to Pay $385,000.00 to Resolve Allegedly Fraudulent Medicare and Medicaid ClaimsRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. –United States Attorney Michael Easley announced today that Haritha Nadendla, M.D., and Triangle Women’s Center, P.C., (hereinafter referred to as “Triangle”), an OB/GYN practice that Dr. Nadendla owns and operates in the Raleigh, North Carolina area, have agreed to pay $385,000 to settle civil False Claims Act liability concerning allegations that Triangle submitted false claims to the Medicaid program for certain patient visits.
The Government contends that it has certain civil claims against Triangle arising from Triangle’s submission of claims to the North Carolina Medicaid Program for medical services from January 1, 2018, through December 31, 2021, including claims for CPT 99215 – Evaluation & Management for an established patient in an office or outpatient location, which the Government contends were not supported by the medical record and were not medically necessary. The Government contends that Triangle’s submission of such claims for payment to the North Carolina Medicaid Program violates the Federal and North Carolina False Claims Acts.
“This civil fraud case demonstrates our firm commitment to protect taxpayer money and to guard the integrity of federal programs,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “Our office will zealously pursue those who misuse or abuse government funds.”
“My office’s Medicaid Investigations Division is committed to holding accountable health care providers who waste taxpayer resources,” said North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein. “I thank U.S. Attorney Easley and his team for their continued partnership to protect Medicaid funds for North Carolinians.”
This matter was investigated by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina and the Medicaid Investigations Division of the North Carolina Attorney General’s Office (“MID”). Special Deputy Attorney General Michael M. Berger, who also serves as a Special Assistant United States Attorney, represented the United States and the State of North Carolina.
The allegations were originally made in a lawsuit filed under the whistleblower provisions of both the Federal and North Carolina False Claims Act by Hannah Turnbull. The respective False Claims Acts permit private parties to sue for false claims on behalf of the United States and the State of North Carolina, as well as potentially sharing in any recovery. As for the recovery, the False Claims Acts allow the United States and the State of North Carolina to recover triple the money falsely obtained, plus civil penalties for each false claim submitted.
The civil claims settled by this False Claims Act agreement are allegations only; there has been no determination of civil liability.
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Plaquemines Parish Man Pleads Guilty to Drug Trafficking OffensesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – THEODORE HOLMES, age 34, a resident of Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana, pled guilty on December 13, 2022, before U.S. District Judge Susie Morgan to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C), and 846, and use of a communication facility in causing or facilitating the commission of felonies under the Controlled Substances Act in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 843(b) and Title 18, United States Code, Section 2, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.
According to court documents, an investigation revealed that HOLMES was involved in a narcotics distribution conspiracy with several other co-conspirators between June 8, 2020, and June 5, 2021. As part of the conspiracy, HOLMES regularly distributed amounts of methamphetamine.
For the drug conspiracy charge, HOLMES faces up to twenty years imprisonment, a fine of up to $1,000,000.00, at least three years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee. For use of a communication facility in causing or facilitating the commission of felonies under the Controlled Substances Act, HOLMES faces up to 4 years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, up to 1 year of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and Plaquemines Parish Sheriff’s Office. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney J. Benjamin Myers.
Philadelphia Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for Forcibly Sex Trafficking a Minor on Backpage.comRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Rodney Kent a/k/a “Hott Rodd,” a/k/a “Hott,” 51, of Philadelphia, PA, was sentenced yesterday to 30 years in prison and 10 years of supervised release by United States District Judge Cynthia M. Rufe after being convicted of sex trafficking earlier this year.
In June 2022, the defendant was convicted at trial of sex trafficking, arising from his forcible coercion of a minor to engage in prostitution. After meeting the victim on social media in 2016, the defendant met the teenage victim in person and brought the victim to his home, where he manipulated the victim into posing for photographs. The defendant then advertised the minor victim for sex on Backpage.com for nearly two weeks. During this time, the defendant physically abused the victim, including using lit cigarettes to burn the victim. Law enforcement recovered the victim after the victim escaped from the defendant. In April 2018, the Justice Department seized Backpage.com, which was the Internet’s leading forum for prostitution ads, including ads depicting the prostitution of children.
“The crime that this defendant committed is one of the most devastating to victims that our Office prosecutes,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “Kent forced a teenager, a minor, to sell their body for his own greed and financial gain. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute these horrific crimes against the most vulnerable victims.”
“The cruelty and inhumanity displayed by Rodney Kent is staggering,” said Jacqueline Maguire, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's Philadelphia Division. “He forced a child into sexual servitude, unleashing physical and emotional abuse even as he profited from that child's exploitation. While the FBI can't erase the harm he's done, we've made him answer for it, bringing justice for his victim and ensuring he can't claim any more.”
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 United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to 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.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Tinicum Township Police Department, and Philadelphia Police Department, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Alexandra M. Lastowski and Vineet Gauri of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and Assistant United States Attorney Seth M. Schlessinger, now of the Eastern District of Virginia.