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27 January 2023
Four men sentenced for hate crime and false statement charges after racially motivated assault in Lynnwood, WashingtonRead the Press Release
Seattle – Four men who assaulted a Black man because of the man’s actual and perceived race at a bar in Lynnwood, Washington, were sentenced today in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington.
Jason DeSimas, 45, Jason Stanley, 46, Randy Smith, 42, and Daniel Dorson, 27, had each pleaded guilty to one crime of committing a hate crime, as well as one count of making false statements to investigators about their role in the assault.
Speaking at the sentencing hearings, U.S. District Judge Richard A. Jones said, “Protecting the public is the primary concern of the court… Your crew was nothing more than a modern day, unhooded, KKK taking out hate on a Black man…. What you did demonstrated hate and ignorance.”
DeSimas and Stanley were each sentenced to four years in prison; Randy Smith was sentenced to 42 months in prison; and Dorson was sentenced to 28 months in prison.
“The defendants subjected a Black man to a brutal and racially-motivated assault,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Racially-motivated hate crimes terrorize entire communities, and they have no place in our society. The Department of Justice will continue to investigate and prosecute individuals who commit these abhorrent crimes.”
“The myth of white supremacy is alive and well, and can foment dangerous behavior and violence. These particular defendants are deeply steeped in racial hatred, expressed through their Nazi tattoos, white supremacist symbols on their clothing, and their use of racist slurs. They came to our area to honor a man who died leading a racist and violent gang, and thought they could act on their beliefs with impunity,” said U.S. Attorney Nick Brown. “But the victims and witnesses of their brutal assault have proved they are far stronger than these four. And today our justice system is holding them accountable for the damage they did not only to the people they assaulted, but to the community that recoils when presented with their despicable hatred.”
“Imagine being attacked by four men purely because of the color of your skin.” said Special Agent in Charge Richard A. Collodi of the FBI Seattle Field Office. “The victim in this case does not have to imagine. Tragically, he lived it. With today’s sentences, my hope is the victim feels some sense of justice has been served. However, until all citizens are safe from threats and violence based on their race, ethnicity, gender, or beliefs, the FBI’s work protecting victims of hate will continue.”
In their respective plea agreements, DeSimas, Stanley, Smith and Dorson each admitted that, on Dec. 8, 2018, they entered a bar in Lynnwood, with a large group that included fellow members of Crew 38 and the Hammerskins. Crew 38 is a support group for the Hammerskins, which is a white supremacist organization. The majority of the men in the group were similarly dressed in dark jeans or pants, black boots, black “bomber” jackets, and dark-colored t-shirts and had crew-cut hairstyles. Some wore jackets with either Crew 38 patches or other patches aligned with white supremacist beliefs. In addition, many wore shirts with phrases, numbers or logos that expressed white supremacist beliefs and/or memberships, including Crew 38. Many in the group also had visible tattoos, including swastika tattoos, that expressed their views on white race superiority. Members of the group, including defendants Stanley and Smith, repeatedly gave the Nazi salute as they danced.
While in the bar, all four defendants assaulted T.S, a Black man who was serving as the disc jockey at the bar, when T.S. attempted to move defendant Stanley away from his music equipment. All four defendants punched and kicked T.S., even after he fell to the floor, while some in the group called T.S. racial slurs. Two bystanders attempted to intervene to help T.S. and stop the assault. The defendants and other assaulted both bystanders, causing them to sustain injuries. As a result of the defendants’ actions, T.S. suffered serious physical injuries, including extreme pain, loss of consciousness, bleeding and swelling in his eye and bruising on his back, chest and legs.
In their plea agreements four defendants each admitted that they were members of Crew 38 and/or prospective members of the Hammerskins, and that they had traveled to the Lynnwood area with others to attend events related to “Martyr’s Day,” an annual gathering honoring a white supremacist who died in a shootout with federal agents on Whidbey Island in the 1980s.
In their plea agreements, defendants DeSimas and Stanley each admitted that they knew that the Hammerskins had used a tactic known as “mutual combat” against members of groups whose beliefs they opposed. Members believed that, using this tactic, they could go to bars frequented by groups whose beliefs they opposed and have one or more members initiate a fight. When the fight began, other members of the group could jump in and assault their perceived antagonists, and later claim a defense of “mutual combat” as a way to avoid accountability.
In addition to the hate crime charge, each defendant pleaded guilty to one count of making false statements to federal agents who were investigating the assault. Specifically, Stanley falsely claimed to the agents that he was not even present in the State of Washington during the weekend of the assault. Stanley made this false claim in order to cover up his participation in the assault of T.S.
DeSimas falsely claimed to the agents that neither he nor anyone else called T.S. a racial slur during the assault, while Smith falsely claimed to the agents that he did not remember anyone calling T.S. a racial slur during the assault. Dorson falsely told agents that he had not traveled to Washington State during the weekend of the assault to attend a white supremacist’s “Martyr’s Day” observance and that he had not owned a jacket associated with a white supremacy hate group prior to the weekend of Dec. 8, 2018. In their respective plea agreements, these defendants each admitted that they made these false statements in order to cover up the motive for the assault, which was the bias that he and others had against T.S.’s race.
The four defendants were charged in an indictment that was unsealed on Dec. 18, 2020.
Defendant Smith was charged in the District of Oregon in an unrelated case for illegal possession of a firearm. That charge was resolved today with a concurrent 16-month sentence.
Assistant Attorney General Clarke, and U.S. Attorney Brown, and FBI Special Agent in Charge Richard A. Collodi made the announcement.
The FBI investigated the case, with the support of the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office. The Smith firearms matter was investigated by the FBI Portland Field Office and the Eugene, Oregon, Police Department.
Trial Attorney Christine M. Siscaretti of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section and Assistant United States Attorney Rebecca Cohen for the Western District of Washington are prosecuting the case. The Smith firearms matter was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney William McLaren for the District of Oregon.
Former Soldier Stationed at Fort Polk Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal Prison for Abusive Sexual Contact with a MinorRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, La. - United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced that Gjamale Demonte Kaver, 37, has been sentenced by United States District Judge David C. Joseph on charges of abusive sexual contact with a minor under the age of 12. Kaver was sentenced to 240 months (20 years) in prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release.
A federal grand jury in Lafayette returned an indictment in March 2022 charging Kaver with abusive sexual contact with a minor under the age of 12 and he pleaded guilty to the charge on August 18, 2022. According to evidence presented to the court, Kaver was enlisted in the United States Army and stationed at the Fort Polk Military Reservation. While stationed there in 2007, and continuing upon his return to Fort Polk in 2009, Kaver engaged in abusive sexual misconduct with the minor victim who was under the age of 12.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Louisiana has jurisdiction over federal crimes that occur at Fort Polk Military Reservation,” said U.S. Attorney Brandon B. Brown. “Abusive sexual conduct with children is an intolerable crime and we will continue to prosecute those who commit these crimes to the fullest extent that the law will allow.”
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel J. McCoy and J. Luke Walker.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a U.S. Department of Justice nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood combines 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.
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Former Louisville, Kentucky Department of Corrections Officer Sentenced to 36 Months in Prison for Violent Assault on Pretrial DetaineeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Darrell Taylor, 32, a former officer with the Louisville Metro Department of Corrections, in Louisville, Kentucky, was sentenced to 36 months in federal prison for using unreasonable force against a detainee, thereby violating the detainee’s civil rights.
In October 2022, a jury heard evidence proving that the defendant, while working as a correctional officer, assaulted B.R., a pretrial detainee being detained in the Louisville Metro Department of Corrections. On December 15, 2020, Taylor was serving breakfast to detainees in the Louisville Metro Department of Corrections. During the breakfast service, B.R., a detainee with reported mental health issues, used insulting language in a conversation with Taylor, after which Taylor followed B.R. back to B.R.’s bunk, grabbed him, threw him to the ground, and punched him repeatedly in the face. After the fourth punch, B.R. went limp and lost consciousness. Taylor then lifted B.R. and slammed him face-first into the ground. B.R.’s jaw and cheekbone were broken during the assault.
“The defendant abused his authority as a law enforcement officer and betrayed the public’s trust when he violently assaulted a detainee in his custody,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Officials working inside jails and prisons who abuse inmates and detainees are not above the law, and we will continue to vigorously prosecute those who deprive people of their Constitutional rights.”
“The defendant’s violent assault in this case was a blatant disregard of the civil rights and physical well-being of a Metro Department of Corrections’ detainee,” said Michael A. Bennett, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Kentucky. “This office will continue to thoroughly investigate and aggressively prosecute corrections officials who violate the civil rights of individuals through the use of unreasonable force.”
“Corrections officers are tasked with the difficult job of maintaining a safe and secure environment in our prison facilities. When one officer abuses the authority placed in them by violating the civil rights of an inmate, it undermines the trust placed in all law enforcement officers,” said Special Agent in Charge Jodi Cohen of the FBI Louisville Field Office. “This sentence should be a reminder that the FBI takes all allegations of civil rights violations seriously and will vigorously investigate and seek prosecution for these abuses of power.”
The FBI Louisville Field Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda Gregory for the Western District of Kentucky and Trial Attorney Andrew Manns of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section prosecuted the case.
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Former IRS Employee Found Guilty on All Counts in Scheme to Defraud IRS and Commit Identity TheftRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — After a three–day trial, a federal jury found Deena Vang Lee, 41, of Fresno, guilty yesterday of three counts of wire fraud, two counts of aggravated identity theft, five counts of preparing and presenting false and fraudulent returns, and three counts of making and subscribing a false and fraudulent tax return, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to evidence presented at trial, from 2012 through 2016, Lee willfully prepared and filed tax returns for other individuals that contained materially false and fraudulent statements and underreported her taxable income on her personal tax returns. In her role as a tax preparer, Lee would put false information on the customer’s tax return without their knowledge or consent and submit the returns to the IRS. As part of this scheme, Lee obtained the identification of multiple individuals and falsely listed these individuals as child care providers on multiple customer’s tax returns without their knowledge or consent.
Lee also underreported her own income related to the payments she received for tax preparation services on her personal tax returns for tax years 2013, 2014, and 2015.
“The jury found that this defendant who operated a tax preparation business willfully prepared and filed tax returns for her clients that were false and underreported her own taxable income,” said U.S. Attorney Talbert. “Her scheme to use the tax system to generate larger refunds than deserved came to an end. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to work with the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) and the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) to use all lawful means to identify and prosecute unscrupulous tax returns preparers like the defendant.”
“Our absolute priority at the IRS is to serve the taxpayers in a manner that fosters confidence in the tax system and compliance with the law,” said Darren Lian, Special Agent in Charge with IRS Criminal Investigation’s Oakland Field Office. “We hold our employees to an even higher standard of expectations and compliance. Unfortunately, Deena Lee betrayed her duty and the trust the American public gave her and suffered the appropriate consequences. We are 100% committed to our tax administration and enforcement mission and will pursue anyone who break the law.”
“Taxpayers put trust in tax preparers to prepare their tax returns in accordance with the law. It is unacceptable for tax preparers to break this confidence by submitting fraudulent returns in their clients’ names,” said J. Russell George, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration. “The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration is committed to bringing to justice tax preparers who betray their clients’ trust for their personal gain.”
This case is the product of an investigation by the IRS-CI and TIGTA. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alex Dempsey and Henry Carbajal are prosecuting the case.
Lee is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Ana de Alba on May 8, 2023. Lee faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each of the wire fraud counts; three years in prison and a $250,0000 fine for each of the preparing and presenting false returns counts; three years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each of the making and subscribing a false tax return counts; and a two-year consecutive mandatory minimum sentence for the aggravate identity theft counts. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
Former Fugitive Wanted in Oregon for Real Estate Scam Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO—On January 26, 2023, a California man who evaded federal authorities for more than two decades after being convicted at trial and who was wanted in District of Oregon for perpetrating a real estate scam while a fugitive pleaded guilty in San Diego.
Robin James McPherson, a former resident of San Diego, pleaded guilty to failing to appear, willfully attempting to evade income taxes, and wire fraud, resolving three separate pending criminal cases.
According to court documents, in December 2000, McPherson and two co-conspirators were found guilty at trial in the Southern District of California of conspiring to defraud the IRS and tax evasion. Prior to being sentenced in March 2001, McPherson fled the U.S.
In early August 2019, special agents from FBI’s office in Eugene, Oregon began investigating McPherson after several individuals reported being the victims of a Costa Rican real estate fraud scheme with ties to the Eugene area. McPherson used a variety of marketing techniques, including cold calls, promotional websites, and Facebook advertisements, to find potential investors for an alleged Costa Rican real estate development opportunity called the Carara Parque Resort Corporation. After victims showed interest in the faux investment opportunity, McPherson would conduct sales calls, from Costa Rica, to explain the project.
McPherson directed victims to wire investment funds to a bank account in Oregon and then had the funds transferred to a bank account he controlled in Costa Rica. Between December 2015 and August 2019, approximately $1.2 million dollars were transmitted to the Oregon bank account. McPherson used many different excuses to explain to his investors why no resort villas had been constructed. He did not disclose to his investors that their contracts had not been honored and no villas were slated for construction. McPherson used his investors’ funds to pay for various personal expenses including his own mortgage.
On October 22, 2020, McPherson was charged by criminal complaint in the District of Oregon with wire fraud and money laundering. In May 2022, he was apprehended in Costa Rica and returned to San Diego.
Today, McPherson waived indictment and venue and pleaded guilty to wire fraud, a charge pending in the District of Oregon. He also pleaded guilty to failing to appear and willfully attempting to evade income taxes, charges pending in the Southern District of California. On April 28, 2023, McPherson will be sentenced in San Diego on all three charges of conviction.
Wire fraud is punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison. Tax evasion and failure to appear are each punishable by up to five years in federal prison. All three charges also carry maximum fines of up to $250,000 or twice a defendant’s gross gains or losses and three years’ supervised release.
This case was investigated by the FBI and IRS-Criminal Investigation. It was prosecuted in the District of Oregon by Assistant U.S. Attorney Gavin W. Bruce.
Former Everett Man Sentenced to Prison for Wire Fraud, Social Security Misuse and Identity TheftRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A former Everett man was sentenced yesterday in connection with multiple schemes to fraudulently obtain an apartment as well as pandemic-related relief funds from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program made available under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act.
Tedje Menard, 28, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs to 28 months in prison and three years of supervised release. In September 2022, Menard pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud, one count of false representation of a Social Security number and one count of aggravated identity theft.
In or around November 2020, Menard applied to rent an apartment in East Boston using the name and identity of another person. As part of the application and screening process, Menard falsely claimed to be the victim by providing the company overseeing the property with, among other things, the victim’s name, social security number, date of birth and a copy of a purported North Carolina driver’s license containing the victim’s information but depicting a photograph of Menard. Menard also submitted an EIDL application in the amount of $40,000 using the victim’s name and personal identifiable information in June 2021.
Additionally, in April 2021, Menard used his own name to apply for a PPP loan in the amount of approximately $20,833. In the loan application, Menard falsely represented his business’ total gross income in 2019 and his criminal history.
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. Valuable assistance was provided by the Department of Labor and the U.S. Secret Service, Boston Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys J. Mackenzie Duane and Meghan C. Cleary of Rollins’ Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Former Employee of Beaver County Health Care Facility Sentenced to 17 Years in Prison Following His Conviction on Federal Hate Crime Charges Related to Assaults Against Disabled ResidentsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA – A former resident of Beaver County, Pennsylvania, was sentenced in federal court yesterday for committing federal hate crimes and related offenses involving numerous severely disabled victims, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
United States District Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan sentenced Zachary Dinell, 29, formerly of Freedom, Pennsylvania, to 204 months’ imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release. Dinell previously pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy, ten counts of violating the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, and one count of concealing material facts in a health care matter.
“Zachary Dinell committed egregious assaults against some of our community’s most vulnerable members,” said U.S. Attorney Chung. “His victims could not speak up and were forced to suffer in silence. Hopefully, the significant sentence imposed will bring some measure of closure to the victims’ families and serve as a reminder that this Office will continue to seek justice for victims of hate crimes.”
“No one should have to experience the torture and pain the victims in this case went through,” said FBI Pittsburgh Special Agent in Charge Mike Nordwall. “Mr. Dinell was trusted to care for them; Instead, he targeted them because of their disability. Even worse, the victims were not able to sound the alarm to anyone who could help. This sentencing sends a clear message that individuals like Mr. Dinell will be held accountable for their actions. Protecting the rights of everyone in our communities is among the highest priorities of the FBI.”
According to admissions made during Dinell’s plea hearing, he and co-defendant Tyler Smith were employees of an in-patient health care facility located in New Brighton, Pennsylvania. Residents of the facility suffered from a range of severe physical, intellectual, and emotional disabilities, and required assistance with all activities of daily life, including bathing, using the bathroom, oral hygiene, feeding, and dressing. As members of the facility’s Direct Care Staff, Dinell admitted that he and Smith were responsible for providing this daily assistance to residents.
From approximately June 2016 to September 2017, Dinell further admitted that he and Smith engaged in a conspiracy to commit hate crimes against residents of the facility because of the residents’ actual or perceived disabilities. Dinell and Smith carried out assaults in a variety of ways, including by punching and kicking residents, jumping on residents, rubbing hand sanitizer in their eyes, spraying liquid irritants, including mouthwash, in their eyes and mouths, and in one instance removing a resident’s compression stocking in a manner intended to inflict pain. Several of these assaults were recorded on Dinell’s cell phone. As part of the conspiracy, Dinell acknowledged that he and Smith exchanged text messages in which they expressed their animus toward the disabled residents, shared pictures and videos of residents, described their assaults, and encouraged each other’s continued abuse of residents.
Dinell further admitted that he and Smith were able to avoid detection by, among other things, exploiting their one-on-one access to residents of the facility and the fact that the victims were non-verbal and could not report the defendant’s alleged abuse. Due to their physical disabilities, the residents also were not able to defend themselves against the alleged assaults.
As part of his sentence, Dinell is prohibited from seeking employment following his release from prison at any facility that provides care for juveniles, the disabled, or both.
The case against Smith remains pending, and he is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Assistant United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.
Five Men Guilty in Conspiracy to Distribute Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
MIAMI – Anthony Wayne Santiago, 28, of Novi, Mich.; Jacob Dominic VanDyke, 25, of Muskegon, Mich.; Johnathan Scott Fleak, 32, of Pryor, Okla.; Aaron Ray Iuliano, 27, of Ravenna, Ohio; and Michael Paul Gianfrancesco, 39, of Livingston, Tenn., all have pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute child sexual abuse material and distribution of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) of children under the age of 13 years.
According to Court records, from September to October 2021, the five defendants entered and participated in a private chat room within a social networking application. Each had to distribute CSAM of children under the age of 13 to enter the chat room. These defendants all distributed and solicited CSAM and discussed the sexual abuse of children among more than 50 other individuals. The children in the images and videos were as young as 4-years-old.
Johnathan Scott Fleak, who also was distributing CSAM through another online message board, has been sentenced to 15 years in prison. Anthony Wayne Santiago, a registered sex offender who was on a GPS monitor at the time of his arrest, has been sentenced to 30 years in prison. Aaron Ray Iuliano is to be sentenced February 16, 2023. Michael Paul Gianfrancesco and Jacob Dominic VanDyke will be sentenced March 31, 2023.
U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida Markenzy Lapointe, acting Special Agent in Charge Michael E. Buckley, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Miami Field Office, and Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw made the announcement.
HSI, West Palm Beach Office, and Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case as part of a joint effort of the South Florida Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gregory Schiller and Brian Ralston are prosecuting it.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about the Project Safe Childhood initiative and for information regarding Internet safety, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 22-cr-80127.
Fentanyl Courier Charged After Agent Seizes 6,000 PillsRead the Press Release
A fentanyl dealer who sold roughly 6,000 pills laced with fentanyl to an undercover agent has been federally charged, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.
Richard Daniel Gomez, 22, was charged on Thursday via criminal complaint with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. He made his initial appearance before Magistrate Judge Renee Harris Toliver on Friday.
According to the complaint, an undercover DPS agent negotiated with a drug trafficker to buy 6,000 “blues” for $15,000 cash. (“Blues,” which often resemble oxycodone, are often manufactured illicitly and laced with fentanyl, an opioid 75 - 150 times more potent than oxy.)
The trafficker directed the agent to meet with his courier in a parking lot in Dallas’ Turtle Creek neighborhood. When the agent arrived, the undercover met with Mr. Gomez inside a pickup truck. Mr. Gomez allegedly handed over a vacuum-sealed bag containing a large number of blue pills and was promptly arrested.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation of wrongdoing, not evidence. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
If convicted, Mr. Gomez faces 10 years to life in federal prison.
The Texas Department of Public Safety and the Dallas Police Department are conducting the investigation with the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Dallas Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rick Calvert and George Leal are prosecuting the case.
Federal, State, and Local Law Enforcement Statement on the Death of Tyre NicholsRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Federal, state, and local law enforcement partners offer their sincere condolences and support to the family of Tyre Nichols, a native of Sacramento, after his death earlier this month in Memphis, Tennessee.
Making the announcement are U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert, FBI Special Agent in Charge Sean Ragan, Sacramento County District Attorney Thien Ho, Sacramento County Sheriff Jim Cooper, and Sacramento Chief of Police Katherine Lester.
Local authorities in Tennessee announced that charges have been brought by the Shelby County District Attorney against the five former Memphis police officers. The United States Attorney for that district has also opened a federal civil rights investigation into Mr. Nichols’ death.
Peaceful protest is a time-honored tradition in our country, and we in law enforcement strive to protect these important First Amendment rights and want people to express their right to be heard in a peaceful and nonviolent way. Federal, state, and local law enforcement will continue to work together to protect the community’s First Amendment rights.
“As part of the community, we are deeply saddened at and share the concerns about the death of Tyre Nichols,” said U.S. Attorney Talbert. “Together with our law enforcement partners, we have reached out to our community leaders to address the real and legitimate concerns about what happened to Mr. Nichols and to identify positive steps we can take going forward. Please join me in a call for unity and peace as we work together during this difficult time.”
“The FBI Sacramento Field Office offers our sincere condolences to former Sacramento resident Tyre Nichols’ family and friends. Our team has reached out to our community partners, many of whom are deeply affected by Nichols’ death,” said Special Agent in Charge Sean Ragan of the FBI Sacramento Field Office. “The FBI is deeply committed to ensuring the rights of all Americans are protected, and we continue to work with law enforcement and community partners to ensure any threat to public safety or the exercise of Constitutional rights is promptly investigated.”
“I am truly saddened and troubled by the tragic death of Tyre Nichols,” said District Attorney Thien Ho. “As a former resident of Sacramento, Mr. Nichols’ death has hit home. Understandably, there is deep pain and anger within our community. We have learned that violence and destruction only harms and divides us. With charges filed in the death of Mr. Nichols, I ask that our community respect the Shelby County criminal justice process. Be assured, I am working together with all of our diverse communities to ensure our local justice system seeks the truth and renders justice for everyone, because justice and public safety are a matter of fairness and equality.”
Sheriff Jim Cooper said, “As we await further updates from Tennessee, we ask everyone that chooses to exercise their lawful right to protest, to express their feelings peacefully. We will work together with our Law Enforcement partners to protect everyone’s First Amendment rights, while keeping the peace and protecting our community.”
Sacramento Police Chief Katherine Lester said, “I share the same concerns as those echoed throughout our nation and our law enforcement community. The right to protest peacefully is sacred and will be protected. I know we can have tough conversations while finding a path forward together.”
Federal Indictment Accuses Suburban Chicago Man of Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A suburban Chicago man has been arrested on federal child pornography charges for allegedly enticing a minor to produce sexually explicit images.
TERCALO E. THOMAS, 32, of Park Forest, Ill., is charged with two counts of production of child pornography and one count of possession of an electronic device containing child pornography, according to an indictment returned in U.S. District Court in Chicago. Thomas is currently detained in law enforcement custody. He pleaded not guilty to the charges during his arraignment today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Gabriel A. Fuentes.
According to the indictment, Thomas produced the child pornography after inducing and enticing the minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct. He also possessed a cell phone that contained images of a prepubescent minor who had not attained 12 years of age, the indictment states.
The indictment was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; and Robert W. “Wes” Wheeler, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elly Peirson.
The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Each production count is punishable by a minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison and a maximum of 30 years. The possession count carries a maximum sentence of ten years. If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
If you believe you are a victim of sexual exploitation, you are encouraged to contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children by logging on to www.missingkids.com or by calling 1-800-843-5678. The service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Federal Grand Jury Indicts Man for Attempted CarjackingRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced today that KYREN WASHINGTON, age 19, a resident of Orleans Parish, was charged on January 26, 2023 in a one-count indictment for an attempted carjacking that occurred on October 20, 2022.
The indictment charged WASHINGTON with attempted carjacking in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2199(1). If convicted, WASHINGTON faces a sentence of up to 15 years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000.00, up to 3 years of supervised release and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00.
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.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the New Orleans Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Inga Petrovich of the Violent Crime Unit of the U.S. Attorney's Office.
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Federal Court Permanently Enjoins Tax Return Preparer in FloridaRead the Press Release
The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida has permanently enjoined a Miami-based tax return preparer from preparing returns for others and from owning, managing, or working at any tax return preparation business in the future.
The court entered judgment against Arnold Zio after he failed to respond to the government’s suit. The terms of the order require that Zio, individually and doing business as Platinum Citizens Financial, LLC and FTP Tax Services, send notices of the injunction to each person for whom he prepared federal tax returns after January 1, 2016, and post the injunction in places where he conducts business, including social media accounts and websites. The order also provides that the United States may monitor Zio’s compliance with the injunction.
The civil complaint filed against Zio alleged that he prepared tax returns claiming fabricated business income and expenses, as well as claiming various false tax deductions, including charitable contributions. It also alleged that Zio, without authorization, diverted customer refunds into his own bank account and failed to return COVID-19 stimulus funds that were improperly deposited into his account. According to the civil complaint, Zio claimed over $850,000 in falsified or inflated deductions on his customers’ tax returns, claimed at least $545,000 in falsified or inflated business losses, and diverted at least $188,000 from his customers’ refunds into his own bank account.
Deputy Assistant Attorney General David A. Hubbert of the Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement.
Taxpayers seeking a return preparer should remain vigilant against unscrupulous tax preparers. The IRS has information on its website for choosing a tax return preparer and has launched a free directory of federal tax preparers. The IRS also offers 10 tips to avoid tax season fraud and ways to safeguard their personal information.
In the past decade, the Department of Justice Tax Division has obtained injunctions against hundreds of unscrupulous tax preparers. Information about these cases is available on the Justice Department’s website. An alphabetical listing of persons enjoined from preparing returns and promoting tax schemes can be found on this page. If you believe that one of the enjoined persons or businesses may be violating an injunction, please contact the Tax Division with details.
Duquesne Man Pleads Guilty to Escaping from Reentry CenterRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A former resident of Duquesne, PA, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of escape from custody, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
Keenan Williams, age 25, pleaded guilty to one count before United States District Judge David S. Cercone.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that on Sept. 26, 2022, without authorization, Williams knowingly left the Renewal Incorporated Residential Reentry Center, where he was serving a federal sentence pursuant to a conviction for conspiracy to distribute heroin. On Oct. 4, 2022, Williams was arrested by the Monroeville Police Department. At no time between Sept. 26 and Oct. 4, 2022, did Williams return to Renewal Inc. to continue serving his sentence.
Judge Cercone scheduled sentencing for May 25, 2023, at 11:00 a.m. The law provides for a total sentence of not more than 5 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history of the defendant.
Pending sentencing, Williams remains detained.
Assistant United States Attorney Heidi M. Grogan is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The United States Marshals Service conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Williams.
Dubuque Fentanyl Dealer Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A woman who sold fentanyl to drug users in Dubuque was sentenced today to 28 months in federal prison. Fallon Christina Murphy, age 25, from Dubuque, Iowa, received the prison sentence after a November 30, 2022 guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances.
Evidence at prior hearings established that between March and June 2022, Murphy supplied heroin users in the Dubuque area with fentanyl. Murphy and Jose Miguel Soto-Guzman, also charged in the case, regularly traveled to La Crosse, Wisconsin, to purchase fentanyl from Soto-Guzman’s source. Murphy and Soto‑Guzman then sold the fentanyl around Dubuque. Between March and June 2022, investigators conducted five controlled purchases from Soto‑Guzman and Murphy. The drugs purchased contained fentanyl, but some of the fentanyl was mixed with heroin and some with methamphetamine. After Soto‑Guzman’s arrest, Murphy continued to obtain fentanyl from the La Crosse source for distribution in Dubuque. In late July 2022, Murphy traveled to La Crosse to purchase drugs, and upon her return to Dubuque, officers stopped the vehicle in which she was riding. When the police stopped her vehicle, Murphy concealed the drugs inside her body to avoid detection. Officers later recovered the drugs, which were determined to be nearly 10 grams of fentanyl.
Murphy was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. She was sentenced to 28 months’ imprisonment. She must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Murphy is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until she can be transported to a federal prison.
Soto-Guzman has not yet been sentenced. He faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 1 year in prison and a possible maximum sentence of 60 years’ imprisonment, a $4,000,000 fine, and a term of supervised release of at least six years and up to life following any imprisonment.
The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Nicole L. Nagin and Assistant United States Attorney Dan Chatham and was investigated by the Dubuque Drug Task Force as part of the Northern Iowa Heroin Initiative.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 22-CR-1022.
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DeWitt Man Pleads Guilty to Sending Interstate ThreatsRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Marcus Fuller, age 38, of the Town of DeWitt, New York, pleaded guilty yesterday to transmitting an interstate threat to injure another person. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman, Janeen DiGuiseppi, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and Chase L. Bilodeau, Chief of the Town of DeWitt Police Department, made the announcement.
As part of his guilty plea, Fuller admitted that in April 2022, he sent dozens of communications via Instagram directed to a musical performing artist, using multiple different accounts that he created for that purpose. The communications contained threats to harm the victim, up to and including death. Fuller further admitted that in one of those Instagram communications, he sent the victim a photograph of a firearm and ammunition. Fuller admitted that he possessed an identical firearm (a Ruger, .338 caliber bolt-action rifle) at his residence in DeWitt, along with 4 boxes of ammunition.
At sentencing, Fuller faces up to 5 years in prison, a maximum fine of $250,000, and a term of post-imprisonment supervised release of up to 3 years. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Town of DeWitt Police Department, and the New York State Police are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew J. McCrobie is prosecuting the case.
David J. Miller and Minnesota Independent Cooperative, Inc., Convicted in Multi-Million-Dollar Prescription Drug Diversion SchemeRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – A federal jury convicted David Jess Miller and his company, Minnesota Independent Cooperative (“MIC”), of a wide array of charges relating to the unlicensed and fraudulent distribution of prescription drugs, announced United States Attorney Stephanie M. Hinds; Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Robert K. Tripp; Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Special Agent in Charge of the Oakland Field Office Darren Lian; U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) Pittsburgh Division Inspector in Charge Lesley Allison; and U.S. Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigations (FDA-OCI) Special Agent in Charge of the Metro Washington Field Office George A. Scavdis. The verdicts were handed down after a two-week trial before the Hon. Charles R. Breyer, Senior U.S. District Judge.
“The health and safety of American patients are critical, and Americans are entitled to trust that the prescription drugs they take are safe,” said U.S. Attorney Hinds. “Those who undermine the safety of the prescription drug supply chain for their own gain by laundering diverted drugs put those patients at risk, and they will be prosecuted.”
“FDA is responsible for oversight of the prescription drug supply chain; when criminals breach the security around that chain, patients can no longer be assured of the safety or effectiveness of the stolen drugs that are returned illegally to the legitimate supply pipeline,” said Special Agent in Charge Scavdis. “We will continue to pursue and bring to justice those who would put the public health at risk through their criminal actions.”
“When medical practitioners prescribe and patients receive medication, their focus should be on the effectiveness of the medication for the intended treatment and not the authenticity or legitimacy of the pills they get from pharmacies. The speedy guilty verdict shows the community’s intolerance of those who betray this basic trust in our healthcare system for greed and personal enrichment. IRS Criminal Investigation is committed to work with our law enforcement partners to dismantle and disrupt these criminal schemes and to instill trust and confidence in the system,” said Special Agent in Charge Lian. “I truly commend the case agents and the trial team who worked tirelessly on this case to bring justice to light.”
"The illegal conduct of David Miller was reprehensible," said FBI Special Agent In Charge Robert Tripp. "He and his co-conspirators undermined safeguards designed to protect the public, reintroduced diverted prescription drugs into the supply chain, and compromised patient safety for personal gain.”
The trial was the result of indictments filed in two separate districts—the Northern District of California and the Southern District of Ohio. The convictions included charges handed down in a second superseding indictment by a grand jury in the Northern District of California on February 11, 2016, and by a separate indictment handed down on May 6, 2015, in the Southern District of Ohio. Both indictments involved additional defendants and charges that were not presented at the trial.
The evidence at trial established that Miller, 58, of Santa Ana, Calif., was at the center of a vast racketeering enterprise responsible for the fraudulent distribution of hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of diverted prescription drugs, including instances in which Miller and his co-conspirators distributed tampered medication that posed a health risk to consumers. The scheme targeted brand-name prescription drugs designed to treat HIV, hepatitis C, mental disorders, and various other serious conditions. Miller and MIC lied to their customers about the nature and sources of the prescription drugs being sold, falsely claiming that the drugs had been maintained in the safe, federally and state-regulated supply chain. The evidence at trial established that Miller and his company agreed with many others, including Mihran Stepanyan, 37, and Artur Stepanyan, 45, to conduct the affairs of their wide-ranging and long-lasting criminal enterprise. The evidence established that the enterprise, operating primarily out of Southern California and Minnesota, was responsible for distributing diverted prescription drugs to unsuspecting pharmacies throughout the county. In finding Miller guilty, the jury concluded that he played a role in promoting the racketeering conspiracy. For example, as the owner and operator of MIC between 2007 and 2015, Miller bought approximately $157 million of diverted prescription drugs from codefendants Mihran Stepanyan and Artur Stepanayan. Miller and MIC also knew that the Stepanyans were not licensed to sell prescription drugs and that the Stepanyans procured their drugs from street suppliers. Miller and MIC nevertheless purchased the diverted drugs from the Stepanyans and lied to their customers about the sources and nature of those drugs.
Further, the jury concluded Miller engaged in a money laundering conspiracy. The evidence established that Miller and others laundered hundreds of millions of dollars between approximately 2007 and 2015 to promote their criminal activities and to conceal the nature of their scheme. For example, to hide the fact Miller was paying the Stepanyans for the illegally sourced drugs they were distributing, Miller made payments to the Stepanyans’ company GC National Wholesale through companies in Puerto Rico he controlled. As to another supplier, Miller authorized payments to accounts held in the names of various front companies at banks in multiple countries. In this way, Miller and his co-conspirators sought to obscure the illicit sources of MIC drugs and to conceal the true identities of the suppliers.
In sum, at the conclusion of the trial, Miller was convicted of one count of racketeering conspiracy, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1962(d); one count of conspiracy to commit mail, wire, and bank fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1349; one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1956(h); ten counts of mail fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1341; and one count of conspiracy to engage in the unlicensed wholesale distribution of drugs and making false statement to the FDA, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 331(t), 333(b)(1)(D), 353(e)(2)(A), and 18 U.S.C. § 371.
Miller remains out of custody pending sentencing. Miller faces a maximum statutory term of life in prison; however, any sentence will be imposed by the court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
The Stepanyans and 38 other defendants have pleaded guilty to their respective roles in the conspiracies.
Assistant United States Attorneys Claudia Quiroz, Andrew Dawson, and Chris Kaltsas are prosecuting the case with the assistance of Kevin Costello. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI, the IRS, the FDA, and USPIS. The United States Attorney’s Office notes the extraordinary contributions and commitment of IRS-CI Special Agent Bryan Wong in this case.
Davenport Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Production of Child Pornography and Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
Davenport, IA – A Davenport man, Juan Dontae Shelton, age 39, was sentenced on Monday, January 23, 2023, to 330 months in federal prison for production of child pornography, possession of child pornography, and felon in possession of a firearm. Shelton was found guilty of these offenses following jury trials on August 8th and August 15th, 2022. Following his prison term, Shelton was ordered to serve a seven-year term of supervised release.
According to trial testimony, multiple witness identified Shelton’s vehicle as involved in a June 1, 2021 hit-and-run accident in Davenport. One witness told law enforcement that Shelton was arguing with passengers in the car when he got out and retrieved a rifle and body armor from the trunk. Shelton then got back into the vehicle and left the scene. Officers soon found Shelton’s vehicle and conducted a traffic stop. Officers searched the vehicle and found three firearms, one of which was stolen, and methamphetamine and marijuana, all belonging to Shelton. Shelton’s fingerprints were found on the rifle and on the magazine of one of the other firearms. Upon further investigation, Shelton was found to be in possession of multiple child pornography videos on his phone in which he had recorded himself and a minor victim engaged in sexual acts.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Davenport, Iowa Police Department’s Tactical Operations Bureau investigated the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. In May 2021, the Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Davenport Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possessing a Firearm as a FelonRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, IA – A Davenport man, Derik Ashley Otero, age 35, was sentenced on January 25, 2023, to seven years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a felon. Following his prison term, Otero will serve a three-year term of supervised release.
According to court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, in June 2020, the Johnson County Sherriff’s Office responded to a report of a wanted person in possession of a firearm in an Oxford home. Officers found Otero, a convicted felon, in that home in possession of a stolen Smith & Wesson nine-millimeter handgun with an extended magazine. Otero attempted to conceal the firearm in the air vent of the bathroom.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Johnson County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. In May 2021, the Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities and measuring the results.
Davenport Man Sentenced to 235 Months in Federal Prison for Sex Trafficking of a Minor and Distribution of MarijuanaRead the Press Release
Davenport, IA – A Davenport man, Keith Deshon Euring, Sr. (also known as “Sweat”), age 54, was sentenced on Wednesday, January 25, 2023, to 235 months in federal prison for sex trafficking of a minor and distribution of marijuana to a person under age 21. Euring was found guilty of these offenses following a jury trial in September 2022. Following his prison term, Euring was ordered to serve a five-year term of supervised release.
According to trial testimony, on November 6, 2018, a missing persons report was filed at the Bettendorf Police Department regarding a minor victim. The investigation revealed that Euring had taken the minor victim to Chicago, Illinois for the purposes of sex trafficking the victim on multiple weekends in October and November 2018. While in Chicago, Euring supplied marijuana and other drugs to the minor victim while engaging in commercial sex acts.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Bettendorf Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigations investigated the case.
This case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa as part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Childhood” initiative, which was started in 2006 as a nation-wide effort to combine law enforcement investigations and prosecutions, community action, and public awareness in order to reduce the incidence of sexual exploitation of children. Any persons having knowledge of a child being sexually abused are encouraged to call the Iowa Sexual Abuse Hotline at 1-800-284-7821.
Convicted Felon Sentenced to 48 Months in Federal Prison for Felon in Possession of FirearmsRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, Del. – David C. Weiss, U.S. Attorney for the District of Delaware, announced that Raymere Broomer, age 30, a convicted felon from Wilmington was sentenced yesterday to 48 months in prison for two counts of felon in possession of a firearm. U.S. District Richard G. Andrews pronounced the sentence.
According to court documents, on January 12, 2022, during the execution of a search warrant, Wilmington Police Department recovered a loaded semiautomatic handgun on Broomer’s person and a loaded assault rifle and fentanyl within Broomer’s Wilmington apartment.
U.S. Attorney Weiss stated, “Drugs and guns are a dangerous cocktail, which represent a danger to our community. My office and our law enforcement partners strive to identify and prosecute those contributing to illegal gun possession and violence in our community. This sentence serves as a warning to those who unlawfully possess firearms.”
“This is another great example of the dedication of our police officers, who work each day to help make our City safer and hold gun offenders accountable,” said Wilmington Police Chief Wilfredo Campos. “I appreciate the support of the ATF and the United States Attorney’s Office in our efforts to send a clear message that illegal firearm possession will not be tolerated in our community.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin P. Pierce prosecuted the case, which was investigated by Wilmington Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the District of Delaware or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:22-CR-56.
Conshohocken Woman Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Distribute and Possess MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A former resident of Conshohocken, PA pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of violating federal narcotics laws, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
Gina Petrucci, age 52, pleaded guilty to Count One of the Superseding Indictment before Senior United States District Judge Kim R. Gibson.
In connection with the guilty plea, from on or about April 2019, to on or about July 2021, Petrucci did conspire to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine.
Judge Gibson scheduled sentencing for May 31, 2023. The law provides for a minimum sentence of 5 years in prison and a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison, a fine of $5,000,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Maureen Sheehan-Balchon is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Laurel Highlands Resident Agency and Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Petrucci. Additional agencies participating in this investigation include the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, the United States Postal Inspection Service, Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General, Pennsylvania State Police, Cambria County District Attorney’s Office, Indiana County District Attorney’s Office, Cambria County Sheriff’s Office, Cambria Township Police Department, Indiana Borough Police Department, Johnstown Police Department, Upper Yoder Township Police Department, Richland Police Department, Ferndale Police Department and other local law enforcement agencies.
This prosecution is a result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles high-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten communities throughout the United States. OCDETF uses a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Colombian National Sentenced to More Than 17 Years for Trafficking Narcotics on the High Seas and Endangering the Lives of U.S. Coast Guard MembersRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Charlene E. Honeywell today sentenced Eduardo Quinones-Rodriguez (57, Colombia) to 17 years and 6 months in federal prison for conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute 464 kilograms of cocaine and 217 kilograms of marijuana – approximately 1,500 pounds of narcotics. Quinones-Rodriguez had pleaded guilty on August 11, 2022.
According to court documents and information presented in court, in the middle of the night on February 21, 2022, Quinones-Rodriguez and his two co-conspirators were trafficking narcotics on the high seas in the Eastern Pacific Ocean, approximately 70 miles south of Panama. The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Cutter Legare was patrolling in the vicinity and deployed its helicopter and 26-foot small boat to interdict the suspected drug traffickers. When the Legare’s small boat team approached Quinones-Rodriguez’s 30-foot boat, a high-speed pursuit commenced in rough waters, with both vessels traveling at speeds over 30 knots. Given the nighttime occurrence, the only lighting in the immediate area was the USCG vessel’s flashing law enforcement lights, yellow spotlights, and mast light. The defendants failed to heed the Coast Guard’s repeated verbal directives to halt. Warning shots were fired from both the USCG helicopter and its small boat; this did not deter the drug traffickers. For more than 20 minutes, the mariners continuously attempted to ram their vessel into the USCG small boat, seriously endangering the lives and safety of the five United States servicemembers on board.
After an hours-long pursuit, the USCG successfully interdicted the defendant’s vessel, which was laden with over $14 million of cocaine and marijuana.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Coast Guard and the Panama Express Strike Force, a standing Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) Strike Force comprised of agents and analysts from the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, and the U.S. Southern Command's Joint Interagency Task Force South. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Pardo.
Child pornography possession sends Great Falls man to prison for 40 monthsRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS — A Great Falls man who admitted to possessing child pornography images and videos was sentenced on Jan. 26 to 40 months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
Benjamin Thomas Urry, 30, pleaded guilty in August 2022 to possession of child pornography.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.
In court documents, the government alleged that in February 2020, the Great Falls Police Department, which is a member of the Montana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, received a CyberTip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. The tip led to Urry’s residence, where law enforcement seized cellular phones from Urry’s bedroom. Urry told law enforcement that he had used his phones and an online account to download child pornography. In a search of Urry’s phones, law enforcement located images and videos depicting child pornography, including images of prepubescent minors.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cyndee L. Peterson and Jeffrey K. Starnes prosecuted the case, which was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Great Falls Police Department.
This case was initiated under the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood initiative, which was launched in 2006 to combat the proliferation of technology-facilitated crimes involving the sexual exploitation of children. Through a network of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies and advocacy organizations, Project Safe Childhood attempts to protect children by investigating and prosecuting offenders involved in child sexual exploitation. It is implemented through partnerships including the Montana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. The ICAC Task Force Program was created to assist state and local law enforcement agencies by enhancing their investigative response to technology facilitated crimes against children.
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Charleroi Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison for Receiving Sexual Images of a Minnesota MinorRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A former resident of Charleroi, Pennsylvania, has pleaded guilty and been sentenced in federal court to 25 years’ incarceration and 12 years of supervised release on his conviction for two counts of receipt of material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
United States District Judge William S. Stickman, IV imposed the sentence on Joey Leroy Barton, age 52.
According to information presented to the court, on March 28, 2019 and April 11, 2019, Barton, while located within the Western District of Pennsylvania, received and attempted to receive digital images depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor who was located in Minnesota. Barton contacted the minor via Facebook Messenger and conversed with the minor online through at least November of 2019. During their conversation, Barton sent to the minor sexually explicit images of himself, as well as adult pornography. Barton also began planning to meet up with the minor in person to engage in sexual activity. In his messages to the minor, Barton acknowledged the minor’s young age and that he knew that his conduct with the minor was illegal.
In imposing sentence, Judge Stickman underscored the seriousness of Barton’s criminal conduct, stating that it “falls below the minimal standards of decency.” Judge Stickman stated that the 25-year incarceration sentence will protect the public while promoting deterrence for Barton and others who may choose to engage in similar criminal activity.
Assistant United States Attorney Heidi M. Grogan prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Chung commended the Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations, the Roseville (Minnesota) Police Department, and the North Strabane Police Department for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Barton.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Cedar Rapids Man Found Guilty in Federal Court of Unlawfully Possessing AmmunitionRead the Press Release
A Cedar Rapids man who shot a Marion man eight times in February 2021 was convicted by a jury on January 26, 2023, after a four‑day trial in federal court in Cedar Rapids.
Anthony Fisher, age 23, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was convicted of one count of possession of ammunition by a felon. The verdict was returned yesterday evening after about two hours of jury deliberations.
The evidence at trial showed that, on February 16, 2021, Fisher and two other men broke into a home in Marion with the intent of stealing money and possibly marijuana. Immediately after the three men entered the residence, Fisher shot the victim eight times. The three men, including Fisher, fled the scene. Emergency personnel responded quickly and provided aid to the victim, who survived. Law enforcement never recovered the firearm Fisher used to shoot the victim; however, the jury found Fisher unlawfully possessed the eight rounds of ammunition used to shoot the victim. At the time of the shooting, Fisher was prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition because he was a felon. Fisher had previously been convicted of interference with official acts – dangerous weapon, a felony offense, in state court in April 2020.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Fisher remains in the custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Fisher faces a possible maximum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and not more than three years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Dillan Edwards and Tony Morfitt and was investigated by the Marion Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 22-CR-00013-LTS.
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Burlington Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, IA – A Burlington man was sentenced yesterday to 10 years in federal prison for drug trafficking.
Shawn Henry Lewis, age 37, possessed over 380 grams of cocaine and 2,200 grams of marijuana with intent to distribute them. Lewis has multiple prior felony convictions related to drug trafficking offenses. Following his prison term, Lewis will have to serve seven years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Southeast Iowa Narcotics Taskforce, Burlington Police Department, Des Moines County Sheriff’s Office, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Henry County Sheriff’s Office, Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Bremerton, Washington, couple sentenced to long prison terms for distributing significant amounts of fentanyl and methamphetamineRead the Press Release
Tacoma – A Bremerton, Washington couple was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Tacoma to lengthy prison terms for possession of narcotics with intent to distribute, announced U.S. Attorney Nick Brown. David Berryhill, 46, was sentenced to 90 months in prison and his fiancé Jamie Kelly, 50, was sentenced to 72 months in prison. The pair were arrested on June 14, 2022, with eight pounds of methamphetamine and two pounds of fentanyl pills in the rental car they were using to transport the drugs from Arizona. Both have been detained at FDC SeaTac since their arrest.
At sentencing Chief U.S. District Judge David G. Estudillo said, “Here we are dealing with significant quantities of narcotics…fentanyl is real and causing real damage in a lot of our communities… there has been a lot of death caused by it. . . I am charged with being the voice of society.”
According to records filed in the case, in 2021, workers at a UPS store reported to law enforcement that Berryhill was shipping what appeared to be narcotics from their store. Berryhill was obtaining drugs from a supplier in Phoenix, Arizona. Berryhill would fly or drive to Arizona to pick up meth and fentanyl pills.
On June 10, 2022, Berryhill and Kelly rented a car a Sea-Tac airport and drove to Phoenix to pick-up drugs. On June 12, 2022, they drove the first leg of the trip to Las Vegas and on June 14, 2022, they crossed from Oregon into Washington where they were ultimately arrested following a traffic stop.
The investigation revealed that Berryhill or Kelly would ship multi-pound quantities of the drugs to contacts in North Dakota. Berryhill also traveled to North Dakota to distribute the drugs, sometimes in tribal communities.
In asking for a 110-month sentence for Berryhill, Assistant United States Attorney Hillary Stuart wrote to the court, “Mr. Berryhill also chose to traffic in fentanyl, which is incredibly dangerous and deadly. Just one pill can kill someone, and Mr. Berryhill had thousands. Two of his clients were previously arrested in North Dakota and named Mr. Berryhill as their supplier. Mr. Berryhill’s target areas in North Dakota and Montana were near tribal communities and in a rural county. Knowing the hazards of the drugs, Mr. Berryhill still chose to export them to other states and sell to individuals.”
Both defendants pleaded guilty on October 7, 2022.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Bremerton Special Operations Group, and the Olympic Peninsula Narcotic Enforcement Team (OPNET).
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hillary Stuart.
Blackfoot Man Sentenced to Life in Federal Prison for Trafficking Methamphetamine and HeroinRead the Press Release
POCATELLO – Adam Lee Vallely, 46, of Blackfoot, was sentenced to life in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, and possession with the intent to distribute heroin, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Vallely engaged in a drug trafficking conspiracy with others in southeast Idaho from December 2017 to August 2018. Evidence established that Vallely participated in trafficking large quantities of methamphetamine and heroin from a source of supply based in Mexico. Evidence further established that Vallely had a source of supply in Salt Lake City that provided methamphetamine and heroin, and that Vallely and his co-conspirators attempted to get large quantities of cocaine from the Salt Lake City source of supply. In May 2018, during the search of a residence where Vallely was known to reside, law enforcement agents found methamphetamine, heroin, $15,000 in United States currency, and a money counting machine. At the time of the search Vallely was found hiding in an attic. Once in jail, Vallely continued to participate in the conspiracy, arranging for the collection of drug debts with the use of force.
Vallely has a lengthy and violent criminal history that includes convictions for attempted strangulation, assault with a dangerous weapon, domestic violence, and possession with intent to distribute heroin. Vallely was on state supervision at the time of the instant offense.
A jury found Vallely guilty after a week-long jury trial in June 2022. Vallely was sentenced by Senior U.S. District Judge Billy Roy Wilson from the Eastern District of Arkansas, sitting by designation, who also presided over the trial.
U.S. Attorney Hurwit commended the cooperative efforts of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco Firearms, and Explosives, Idaho State Police, Pocatello Police Department, Bannock County Sherriff’s Office, Blackfoot Police Department, Bingham County Sheriff’s Office, and Idaho Department of Correction, which led to the charges.
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Armed Robber Who Used Fake Car Ads on OfferUp to Rob Family Sentenced to More than 15 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, N.C. – A Goldsboro man was sentenced today to 181 months in prison, five years of supervised release and more than $1500 in financial restitution for charges associated with multiple successful and attempted armed robberies between the months of August and September of 2019, sometimes using fake ads on the online application, “OfferUp,” to bring victims to a location where they were robbed and assaulted. On October 19, 2022, Daekwon Sample, 25, also known as “Kwon,” pled guilty to the firearm and robbery charges.
“This robber and his accomplices used fake online car ads to lure victims to a location where they robbed the victims at gunpoint, even firing shots at one victim who had his minor child with him while another victim and minor child were threatened at gunpoint in the car,” said. U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “The members of this robbery crew have hitched a ride to a lengthy stay in federal prison. But this case is a reminder for consumers to be cautious when arranging meetings to retrieve goods purchased online. You should only arrange to meet in public, well-lit locations where there will be other people around. And make sure a friend or family member knows where you are going and who you are meeting.”
According to court documents and information presented in court, officers with the Goldsboro Police Department (GPD) responded to a report of an assault and robbery in August 2019. A couple contacted an unknown subject through OfferUp at a Mimosa Street residence in Goldsboro, with the intention of purchasing a vehicle. The couple arrived at the location with their two minor children and the seller, later identified as Sample, and co-defendant Jaquan Melvin, robbed the victims at gunpoint of more than $1,300. Shots were fired at the feet of one of the victims before fleeing the scene. Approximately a month later near the same residence, a pizza delivery driver was assaulted and robbed by Sample and another individual, later identified as co-defendant Isaiah Kornegay.
The same evening of the pizza robbery at the Mimosa Street residence, the robbery crew struck again, in a similar, fake transaction initiated through OfferUp assaulting the interested buyer. The victim told police that Kornegay brandished a firearm as he fled from the assault.
On September 11, 2019, undercover officers with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) posed as buyers of a vehicle posted from the OfferUp account used in the previous robberies. The seller directed the agents to meet at the Mimosa Street residence. When agents arrived at the residence, they immediately arrested Sample. Kornegay fled but was found nearby and arrested the same night. Melvin fled the scene and was found and arrested the next month. Further investigation revealed that Kornegay created the “Offer Up” account used in the robberies.
Kornegay previously pled guilty and was sentenced to 97 months in custody, three years of supervised release and financial restitution. Melvin previously pled guilty and was sentenced to 171 months in custody, five years of supervised release and financial restitution.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives as well as the Goldsboro Police Department investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brandon Boykin and Bryan M. Stephany prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:21-cr-00319-M.
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275 Convicted in Four Separate Investigations Concluded Within Last Nine Months of Drug Trafficking Networks Directed from Oklahoma State Prisons Using Contraband Cell PhonesRead the Press Release
1,061 Pounds of Drugs and 393 Firearms Removed Off Streets and $1.3 Million Taken Away from Drug Traffickers
OKLAHOMA CITY – Over the last nine months, numerous federal, state, and local investigators and prosecutors have concluded their fourth unrelated long-term investigation and prosecution of separate drug trafficking networks being directed from inside Oklahoma state prisons using contraband cell phones, announced United States Attorney Robert J. Troester. Details of the four investigations are described more completely in the following press releases:
- January 25, 2023 – 60 Southside Locos Gang Members and Associates Convicted for Drug Trafficking Operation Directed from Oklahoma State Prisons
- January 9, 2023 - 69 Universal Aryan Brotherhood Gang Members and Associates Convicted During Multi-Year Investigation into Their Drug Trafficking of Methamphetamine
- July 15, 2022 - 21 Defendants Convicted During Three-Year Investigation Into Drug Trafficking and Criminal Activities Led by Inmates Inside State Prison Walls Using Contraband Cell Phones
- April 5, 2022 - 125 Convicted During Five-Year Investigation That Functionally Dismantled the Irish Mob Gang’s Drug Trafficking and Criminal Activities
Together, these four investigations have yielded the following combined results:
- 275 defendants were convicted, including multiple defendants who either ordered or participated in acts of violence, such as witness retaliation, witness tampering, shootings, kidnappings, and death threats against prosecutors, as a part of these conspiracies;
- 30 of the defendants were incarcerated in Oklahoma Department of Corrections (ODOC) facilities while directing these often-violent drug trafficking networks through use of contraband cell phones;
- Four corrections workers at the ODOC and county level were prosecuted for crimes including conspiring to distribute drugs inside correctional facilities, possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, and conspiring to launder drug money;
- 1,061 pounds of methamphetamine, heroin, and cocaine were removed from the streets;
- 393 firearms were seized; and
- $1.335 million in cash was seized by law enforcement.
"Being behind bars did not stop state inmates in four separate criminal organizations from accessing contraband cell phones to continue directing their drug trafficking and violent networks through associates outside prison walls," said United States Attorney Robert J. Troester. "Now, 275 dangerous criminals have been held accountable, more than a half-ton of poisonous drugs and 393 firearms have been removed from the streets, and $1.3 million in cash has been taken away from drug traffickers. I commend the dedicated efforts by law enforcement and the prosecutors who worked these investigations and cases."
"The FBI and our law enforcement partners have worked relentlessly over the last several years to disrupt the violence and drug trafficking activity plaguing our state," said FBI Oklahoma City Special Agent in Charge Edward J. Gray. "We are all committed to eliminating the threat of gang activity, regardless of where it takes place, to make Oklahoma communities safer for our citizens."
"Drug trafficking, directed from inside our prisons systems, impacts the safety and security of all Oklahomans," said Eduardo A. Chávez, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA’s Dallas Field Division, who oversees operations in Oklahoma. "These joint federal investigations should send a strong message that DEA and our federal partners will continue to identify, disrupt and destroy these criminal groups from wherever they operate."
"The collaborative efforts of the law enforcement agencies involved in these investigations are another step in the right direction to eradicate the trafficking of illicit drugs and violent crime involving transnational criminal gangs in Oklahoma," said Robert Melton, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the HSI Dallas - Oklahoma and Texas Panhandle Division. "Our intent is clear; we will aggressively pursue prosecution for anyone who pushes these deadly substances to keep them from poisoning and destroying our communities."
"The financial expertise of IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agents was critical in detecting and tracing money laundering transactions of the various criminal organizations during the four separate investigations," said Christopher J. Altemus Jr., IRS-CI Special Agent in Charge of the Dallas Field Office. "The men and women of IRS-CI worked with federal and state agencies to expose the profits of these organizations, helping seize more than $1.3 million. This joint effort demonstrates our resolve to hold criminals accountable for their actions and disrupt their ability to conduct illegal activities."
"ATF is proud to stand next to our partners as we all continue the fight against violent crime across Oklahoma. These cases highlight what can be done when we all work together to go after the worst of the worst. Whether you are playing gangster on the inside or the outside of a jail, you will be caught. Our network is bigger than yours," stated ATF Dallas Field Division Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey C. Boshek II.
"The United States Marshals Service is committed to join forces with federal, city, and state law enforcement partners to hold offenders accountable and protect public safety," said Johnny Kuhlman, United States Marshal for the Western District of Oklahoma.
Oklahoma City Police Chief Wade Gourley said, "This case demonstrates that an incarcerated violent offender can still present a threat to public safety. We are honored to be a part of operations such as these, that serve to better protect the citizens of our community."
These investigations were led by the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and Homeland Security Investigations, which received valuable assistance from the Oklahoma City Police Department; the United States Marshals Service; Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the Oklahoma Department of Corrections Office of Inspector General; the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics; the Oklahoma County District Attorney’s Office; the Oklahoma Highway Patrol; the District 2 Drug Task Force; the District 6 Drug Task Force; the Sallisaw Police Department; the Moore Police Department; and the Edmond Police Department.
The prosecutions arising out of these four investigations were handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys David McCrary, Tom Snyder, Jason Harley, Chelsie Pratt, Nick Coffey, Travis Leverett, Steven Creager, David Petermann, Nick Patterson, and Kerry Blackburn, with assistance from Paralegals Jenifer Rowe and Linda Nixon.
These prosecutions are also part of multiple Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigations. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
21 Year-Old Moxee Gang Member Sentenced to 12 Years in Federal Prison for Possessing Firearms in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking CrimeRead the Press Release
Yakima, Washington – On January 24, 2023, United States District Judge Mary K. Dimke sentenced Alexis Sanchez-Gomez, 21, of Moxee, Washington, to 12 years in federal prison after his guilty plea to Possession of Firearms in Furtherance of a Drug-Trafficking crime. Sanchez-
Gomez, a documented member of the Lower Valley Locos (“LVL”) street gang, will also begin five years of court supervision after he is released from custody.According to information disclosed during court proceedings, on October 21, 2021, there was a gang related drive-by shooting in the City of Yakima. A 34-year old man was killed while simply walking down the sidewalk wearing red colored clothing. As in communities up and down the West Coast, the color red is associated with some Norteno street gangs in the Yakima
Valley, while the color blue is associated with some Sureno street gangs. The Yakima Police
Department immediately began an investigation. Law enforcement gathered evidence that established that the shooter was likely a member or associated with a Sureno street gang. As the investigation progressed, the lead detective discovered that after the drive-by shooting, the shooter fled to Sanchez-Gomez’s residence in Moxee, Washington. The Yakima Police
Department coordinated with the Moxee Police Department and gathered additional information.On November 19, 2021, the Yakima Police Department and other law enforcement agencies executed a search warrant at the Sanchez-Gomez residence. Officers entered the residence and discovered a marijuana grow operation and a quantity of methamphetamine. Officers entered the
Defendant’s bedroom and observed that it was decorated with gang-related graffiti. The officers also discovered three firearms, including an AK-47 style rifle. As the search continued, the officers discovered magazines and ammunition. DEA was contacted and began an investigation, which revealed that Sanchez-Gomez had been selling methamphetamine. DEA also discovered that Sanchez-Gomez had repeated contacts with law enforcement in recent years. The DEA discovered that in October 2019, Sanchez-Gomez attempted to elude a police vehicle and was involved in a hit-and-run. Two months later, in December 2019, Sanchez-Gomez was again arrested after being found in possession of a firearm. In September 2020, Sanchez-Gomez was sentenced to 90 days in jail for the three felony offenses.Vanessa R. Waldref, the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, commended the joint efforts of law enforcement: “Gang-related violence is a scourge in the
Yakima Valley and elsewhere. My office will continue to work with law enforcement professionals from multiple agencies to investigate and prosecute armed individuals who are involved with drugs and criminal street gangs. Removing these individuals from society will make all of our neighborhoods and communities safer and stronger.”According to DEA, the drive-by shooting investigation was completed, and resulted in the
Yakima Police Department arresting both the suspected driver and suspected shooter. The cases are currently pending in Yakima County Superior Court. “This investigation demonstrates how seriously DEA takes its obligations to its state, local, and federal partners. We are committed to bringing our investigative expertise whenever necessary against individuals who seek to harm our communities,” said Jacob D. Galvan, Acting Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field
Division.Matt Murray, Chief of the Yakima Police Department, highlighted the close working relationship between YPD, DEA, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office. “Meaningfully addressing violent crime – and the drug and gun crimes that so often turn violent – requires a collaborative effort between all of our local and federal partners. This case is just one example of the ways we work together to reduce and address crime and improve the lives and safety of the people in this community.”
Chief Murray also urged anyone involved in lives of violence and crime to change what they are doing: “STOP now. Take the assistance that is available through our community partners to change your life. If you do not stop engaging in violence, we will engage to stop you. As this case shows, the result may be a lengthy sentence in state or federal custody.”This case was prosecuted under the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) program. PSN is a federal, state, and local law enforcement collaboration to identify, investigate, and prosecute individuals responsible for violent crimes in our neighborhoods. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is partnering with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement to specifically identify the criminals responsible for violent crime in the Eastern District of Washington and pursue criminal prosecution.
This case was investigated by the Yakima Police Department, the Moxee Police Department, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States
Attorney Tom Hanlon.1:22-CR-2012-MKD-2
26 January 2023
Woman Who Trafficked Guns is SentencedRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that BRANDI WIGGINS, 36, of Hartford, formerly of Glastonbury, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey A. Meyer in New Haven for a firearm trafficking offense. Judge Meyer ordered Wiggins to serve three years of supervised release and pay a $3,000 fine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Wiggins came to the attention of the ATF after several firearms that she purchased in North Carolina were recovered in Connecticut, New York and Massachusetts. The investigation revealed that, between April 2016 and November 2019, Wiggins purchased seven firearms in North Carolina. She later sold the firearms at pawn shops and also through a website that specializes in firearm sales.
With the government’s consent, Judge Meyer sentenced Wiggins below the recommended sentencing guidelines range based on Wiggins’ extraordinary family circumstances, including her prior involvement in an abusive relationship with her former husband.
On August 18, 2022, Wiggins pleaded guilty to engaging in the business of dealing in firearms without a license, a felony offense.
This matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan Keefe.
This prosecution is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. In May 2021, the Justice Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: Fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Washington man sentenced to 33 months in prison for trafficking meth, fentanyl to Rocky Boy’s Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS — A Washington man who admitted to bringing methamphetamine and fentanyl pills to the Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation for distribution was sentenced today to 33 months in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
Hugo Gutierrez Rodriguez, aka Victor aka Juice, 42, of Yakima, Washington, pleaded guilty in September 2022 to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.
The government alleged in court documents that in the spring of 2021, Rodriguez was working with a group of men from Yakima to bring drugs to Montana and to the Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation. Law enforcement in Montana confronted Rodriguez about drug trafficking in October 2021. Nonetheless, in early February 2022, Rodriguez sold meth and 400 fentanyl pills to an informant. A short time later, Rodriguez was traveling to Montana with more than 300 fentanyl pills and 152 grams of meth when he was stopped and arrested.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ethan R. Plaut prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, Drug Enforcement Administration, Tri-Agency Task Force, Rocky Boy’s Police Department and Idaho State Police.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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Virginia Beach Man Sentenced for Possessing Unregistered SilencersRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Virginia Beach man was sentenced today to 37 months in prison for unlawfully possessing unregistered firearm silencers.
According to court documents, George Pickard, 23, built homemade silencers, but did not register them with the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. On December 29, 2020, during a lawfully obtained search warrant, agents found at least four firearms at his residence, including an AR-15-style rifle, and the silencers equipped to two of the firearms. He also loaded two firearms with large-capacity magazines. Pickard kept LSD in the same residence as his firearms. He did all this while maintaining ties to extremist organizations, including Identity Evropa, the American Identity Movement, the Right Stuff, and the Patriot Front. Pickard also cohosts a podcast called “White Phosphorus” that depicts women, African Americans, Jews, and other current events in a negative and derogatory manner. In February 2020, Pickard brought the AR-15-style rifle and suppressor to a militia camp and made online threats against several minority groups, including that he wanted to “use a belt fed machine gun” on one minority group.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Brian Dugan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth Wilson Hanes.
U.S. Marshal Services provided significant assistance in this case as part of the Norfolk Joint Terrorism Task Force.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys William Jackson and Joe DePadilla, as well as former Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Bosse, prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-cr-87.
Virginia Beach Man Convicted of Attempted Sex Trafficking of a MinorRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A federal jury convicted a Virginia Beach man today on charges of attempted coercion and enticement, attempted sex trafficking of a minor, obstruction of justice, and false statement to law enforcement officer.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Daniel Alan Puff, 38, negotiated to receive a sex act from a 13-year-old female, believing he was speaking to her mother. In fact, he was communicating with an undercover law enforcement agent (UC). The investigation began on March 29, 2022, when Puff contacted the UC and agreed to pay $60 in exchange for oral sex from what he believed was a 13-year-old female. On March 30, 2022, the UC directed Puff to the meeting location in Chesapeake. Puff arrived at the agreed-upon meeting location in Chesapeake and surveilled the area to check for the presence of law enforcement. Puff gave the $60 to the UC and stated the sex act he wished to engage in with the child. He was then arrested and taken into custody. While handcuffed in the back of a police vehicle, he deleted the text application from his phone and falsely claimed to a law enforcement agent that he was attempting to text someone.
Puff faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison when sentenced on June 22. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Brian Dugan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Arenda Wright Allen accepted the verdict.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Montoya and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Victoria Liu are prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-cr-44.
Utah Man Arrested and Charged with Possession of Fentanyl with the Intent to DistributeRead the Press Release
Salt Lake City, Utah – A Taylorsville man was arrested in Salt Lake County and indicted on criminal charges related to his alleged possession with the intent to distribute illicit drugs, specifically fentanyl.
According to court documents, Jesse Wood, 51, allegedly intentionally possessed with the intent to distribute forty (40) grams or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl, a schedule II controlled substance. Fentanyl is an incredibly dangerous synthetic opioid that is 50 times more potent than heroin and 100 times more potent than morphine. The fentanyl seized during the investigation was contained in brightly colored pills, known as “rainbow fentanyl,” and may be made by drug traffickers to look like candy to entice young people. The investigation is likely the first seizure of “rainbow fentanyl” in Utah and represents a significant safety risk to the public. (Picture of the rainbow fentanyl seized during the investigation are attached).
Wood is charged by indictment with possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute. He will have a detention hearing at a later date.
U.S. Attorney Trina A. Higgins for the District of Utah made the announcement.
Assistant U.S. Attorney, Stephen L. Nelson, for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is investigating the case.
Learn more about the danger of illicit fentanyl at https://www.dea.gov/fentanylawareness or www.dea.gov/onepill.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Drug Enforcement AdministrationUnited States Obtains Temporary Restraining Order Against Firearm Companies Illegally Selling Machine GunsRead the Press Release
On January 19, 2023, the United States filed a civil complaint in federal court in Brooklyn against two firearm companies, and two individuals associated with these companies (collectively, “Defendants”), alleging that Defendants have conspired to defraud the United States and consumers, and have engaged in the ongoing commission of mail fraud and wire fraud, by unlawfully selling machine gun conversion devices. The devices, called FRT-15s, are specifically designed and intended to be used to convert AR-15 type rifles into machineguns and are therefore themselves “machineguns” under federal law. With limited exceptions not applicable to Defendants’ conduct, the manufacture, sale and possession of machine guns is illegal under the National Firearms Act and the Gun Control Act of 1968. The Government’s complaint seeks injunctive relief under the Anti-Fraud Injunction Act. The United States also sought a temporary order immediately halting any sales of the FRT-15 or any forced reset trigger until and unless otherwise ordered by the Court. On January 25, 2023, United States District Judge Nina R. Morrison entered a temporary restraining order against Defendants.
Merrick B. Garland, United States Attorney General; Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Steven Dettelbach, Director, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF); and John B. DeVito, Special Agent-in-Charge, ATF, New York Field Division, announced the filing of the complaint.
“The Justice Department has filed a complaint against two firearm companies and two individuals who we allege are illegally selling machineguns, conspiring to violate federal firearm laws, and committing mail and wire fraud” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “Today, we obtained a temporary restraining order that immediately stops the defendants from illegally selling their machineguns. The Justice Department will continue to do everything in its power to protect the American people from gun violence and to hold accountable those that flood our communities with illegal guns.”
“The defendants are illegally selling machine guns, plain and simple, with conversion devices that transform AR-15 type rifles into even more lethal weapons suited for battlefields, not our communities,” said United States Attorney Peace. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to stop the flow of illegal and deadly weapons onto our streets. The United States will be relentless in employing every means available, including all civil tools, to end violence in New York and across the nation.”
ATF Director Dettelbach stated: “Decades ago, Congress determined that machine guns are illegal, yet, despite repeated warnings, the defendants in this case are alleged to be flouting the law. Machine guns are unlawful because they pose a threat to the public and they are increasingly a risk to law enforcement. Ensuring that individuals and companies comply with the prohibition on selling machine guns is just one of many steps ATF is taking to address violent crime and protect our communities.”
“These machine gun conversion devices—which are machine guns under federal law—can turn any semi-automatic AR-type firearm into a weapon capable of shooting at a rate of fire similar to or exceeding that of an M16 machine gun manufactured for military use. Since 1934, machineguns have been subject to strict federal controls, and since 1986, machineguns have been subject to an outright prohibition. These defendants are believed to have earned millions at the expense of the public’s safety and are alleged to have conspired to undermine these very federal laws which are intended to keep the public safe. I would like to thank the United States Attorney’s Office and ATF personnel for their hard work and commitment in securing the temporary restraining order,” stated ATF Special Agent-in-Charge DeVito.
Defendants are Rare Breed Triggers, LLC and Rare Breed Firearms, LLC (collectively, “RBT”) and their owner/operators Lawrence DeMonico, also known as “Larry R. Lee, Jr.” and Kevin Maxwell. As alleged in the complaint, Defendants have unlawfully sold thousands of FRT-15s to the general public. In the process, Defendants have sought to obstruct ATF’s mandate to enforce laws prohibiting the sale of machine guns and ensure public safety. Defendants have also allegedly misled consumers about the legality of FRT-15s.
As set forth in the January 25, 2023 temporary restraining order (“TRO”), among other things, the Court found that “[t]here is probable cause to believe that Defendants’ fraudulent conduct is ongoing and imminent,” that “Defendants failed to register FRT-15s for the purpose of concealing from ATF the sale and transfer of these items,” and that the TRO is necessary to prevent “a continuing and substantial injury to the United States, as well as to past and future purchasers of FRT-15s who have been or may be misled into believing that their possession of FRT-15s is lawful when it is not.”
This action is part of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York’s Civil Initiative to Reduce Gun Violence. The EDNY’s Civil Initiative to Reduce Gun Violence was created in 2022. The EDNY’s Civil Initiative to Reduce Gun Violence aims to work with federal, state, and local officials, as well as community stakeholders, to address the root causes of gun-related crime, and supports reform efforts made across the government. The EDNY’s Civil Initiative to Reduce Gun Violence complements the EDNY Criminal Division’s prosecution of gun-related crimes. The Office also works collaboratively on the Initiative with the Consumer Protection Branch of the Department of Justice.
The government’s case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Blume, Joseph Marutollo and Paulina Stamatelos of the Office’s Civil Division with assistance from ATF’s Deputy Associate Chief Counsel Matthew Myerson.
E.D.N.Y. Civil Docket No.: 23-CV-369 (NM) (RML)
United States Attorney Commends Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office for Combating Violent CrimeRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announced today the results of the United States Attorney’s Office’s ongoing efforts to fight violent crime through a partnership with the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO). In 2022, federal prosecutors and HCSO worked together to prosecute 69 individuals for federal crimes, including firearms and drug offenses. In total, these prosecutions removed 53 firearms from our streets. The prosecutions supported by HCSO include:
- United States vs. Keon Moore – Moore, a high-ranking member of the Money Power Respect gang, was sentenced to 17 years and 6 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm or ammunition as a convicted felon and for possessing controlled substances with an intent to distribute them. Prior to being apprehended, Moore stored guns and drugs for use by himself and others, sold guns and drugs, and threatened violence to collect drug debts. In one of Moore’s private Facebook communications, a person to whom Moore had provided drugs on consignment, but who failed to pay on time, begged Moore not to kill him via drive-by shooting over the $90 he owed Moore.
- United States vs. Jy’Quale Grable – A federal jury found Grable guilty of conspiracy, robbery, and first-degree premeditated murder. Grable, along with his co-conspirators, drove to the Valrico Station Apartments in Brandon to conduct a robbery. During the robbery, Grable shot one victim in the neck, severing his spinal cord and killing him instantly. Grable also shot another victim in the chest, perforating his heart and lung, leading to his death. Grable faces a mandatory minimum sentence of life in federal prison.
- United States vs. Ma’at Malik Darius Lee – A federal grand jury returned a seven-count indictment charging Lee with carjacking, brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, two counts of aggravated identity theft, two counts of attempted wire fraud, and possessing a stolen firearm. The indictment alleges that from July 9 to October 27, 2021, Lee robbed three individuals at gunpoint and carjacked a fourth. When an HCSO deputy located Lee in the stolen vehicle and attempted to make a traffic stop, Lee responded by firing at least eight rounds and fleeing the scene. If convicted, Lee faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
“Fighting violent crime is one of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s core goals,” said U.S. Attorney Handberg. “Fortunately, we are not alone in striving to eradicate violent crime. The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, under the leadership of Sheriff Chronister, stands shoulder-to-shoulder with us and continues to play a key role in prosecuting violent criminals. We look forward to continuing to join with HCSO and our other law enforcement partners to make Hillsborough County safer for its citizens.”
“Our duty is to ensure the residents of Hillsborough County are safe and protected against anyone wishing to commit violent crimes,” said Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister. “We have no tolerance for those who want to victimize our community. We are thankful for our partnership with the U.S Attorney’s Office; it’s relationships like these that make our county a strong, safe, and welcoming environment.”
The cases listed above were investigated by HCSO, with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. They are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Cal Albritton, Samantha Beckman, Charlie Connally, Michael Gordon, Maria Guzman, Michael Kenneth, Christopher Murray, Samantha Newman, Diego Novaes, James Preston, Michael Sinacore, Ilyssa Spergel, and David Sullivan.
The majority of these cases are a part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
U.S. Department of Justice Disrupts Hive Ransomware VariantRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today its months-long disruption campaign against the Hive ransomware group that has targeted more than 1,500 victims in over 80 countries around the world, including hospitals, school districts, financial firms, and critical infrastructure.
Since late July 2022, the FBI has penetrated Hive’s computer networks, captured its decryption keys, and offered them to victims worldwide, preventing victims from having to pay $130 million in ransom demanded. Since infiltrating Hive’s network in July 2022, the FBI has provided over 300 decryption keys to Hive victims who were under attack. In addition, the FBI distributed over 1,000 additional decryption keys to previous Hive victims. Finally, the department announced today that, in coordination with German law enforcement (the German Federal Criminal Police and Reutlingen Police Headquarters-CID Esslingen) and the Netherlands National High Tech Crime Unit, it has seized control of the servers and websites that Hive uses to communicate with its members, disrupting Hive's ability to attack and extort victims.
“Last night, the Justice Department dismantled an international ransomware network responsible for extorting and attempting to extort hundreds of millions of dollars from victims in the United States and around the world,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “Cybercrime is a constantly evolving threat. But as I have said before, the Justice Department will spare no resource to identify and bring to justice, anyone, anywhere, who targets the United States with a ransomware attack. We will continue to work both to prevent these attacks and to provide support to victims who have been targeted. And together with our international partners, we will continue to disrupt the criminal networks that deploy these attacks.”
“The Department of Justice’s disruption of the Hive ransomware group should speak as clearly to victims of cybercrime as it does to perpetrators,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco. “In a 21st century cyber stakeout, our investigative team turned the tables on Hive, swiping their decryption keys, passing them to victims, and ultimately averting more than $130 million dollars in ransomware payments. We will continue to strike back against cybercrime using any means possible and place victims at the center of our efforts to mitigate the cyber threat.”
“The coordinated disruption of Hive’s computer networks, following months of decrypting victims around the world, shows what we can accomplish by combining a relentless search for useful technical information to share with victims with investigation aimed at developing operations that hit our adversaries hard,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “The FBI will continue to leverage our intelligence and law enforcement tools, global presence, and partnerships to counter cybercriminals who target American business and organizations."
“Our efforts in this case saved victims over a hundred million dollars in ransom payments and likely more in remediation costs,” said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “This action demonstrates the Department of Justice’s commitment to protecting our communities from malicious hackers and to ensuring that victims of crime are made whole. Moreover, we will continue our investigation and pursue the actors behind Hive until they are brought to justice.”
“Cybercriminals utilize sophisticated technologies to prey upon innocent victims worldwide,” said U.S. Attorney Roger Handberg for the Middle District of Florida. “Thanks to the exceptional investigative work and coordination by our domestic and international law enforcement partners, further extortion by HIVE has been thwarted, critical business operations can resume without interruption, and millions of dollars in ransom payments were averted.”
Since June 2021, the Hive ransomware group has targeted more than 1,500 victims around the world and received over $100 million in ransom payments.
Hive ransomware attacks have caused major disruptions in victim daily operations around the world and affected responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. In one case, a hospital attacked by Hive ransomware had to resort to analog methods to treat existing patients and was unable to accept new patients immediately following the attack.
Hive used a ransomware-as-a-service (RaaS) model featuring administrators, sometimes called developers, and affiliates. RaaS is a subscription-based model where the developers or administrators develop a ransomware strain and create an easy-to-use interface with which to operate it and then recruit affiliates to deploy the ransomware against victims. Affiliates identified targets and deployed this readymade malicious software to attack victims and then earned a percentage of each successful ransom payment.
Hive actors employed a double-extortion model of attack. Before encrypting the victim system, the affiliate would exfiltrate or steal sensitive data. The affiliate then sought a ransom for both the decryption key necessary to decrypt the victim’s system and a promise to not publish the stolen data. Hive actors frequently targeted the most sensitive data in a victim’s system to increase the pressure to pay. After a victim pays, affiliates and administrators split the ransom 80/20. Hive published the data of victims who do not pay on the Hive Leak Site.
According to the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), Hive affiliates have gained initial access to victim networks through a number of methods, including: single factor logins via Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP), virtual private networks (VPNs), and other remote network connection protocols; exploiting FortiToken vulnerabilities; and sending phishing emails with malicious attachments. For more information about the malware, including technical information for organizations about how to mitigate its effects, is available from CISA, visit https://www.cisa.gov/uscert/ncas/alerts/aa22-321a.
Victims of Hive ransomware should contact their local FBI field office for further information.
The FBI Tampa Field Office, Orlando Resident Agency is investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Christen Gallagher and Alison Zitron of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Chauncey Bratt for the Middle District of Florida are prosecuting the case.
The Justice Department also recognizes the critical cooperation of the German Reutlingen Police Headquarters-CID Esslingen, the German Federal Criminal Police, Europol, and the Netherlands Politie, and significant assistance was provided by the U.S. Secret Service, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, and U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the Cyber Operations International Liaison also provided significant assistance. Additionally, the following foreign law enforcement authorities provided substantial assistance and support: the Canadian Peel Regional Police and Royal Canadian Mounted Police, French Direction Centrale de la Police Judiciaire, Lithuanian Criminal Police Bureau, Norwegian National Criminal Investigation Service in collaboration with the Oslo Police District, Portuguese Polícia Judiciária, Romanian Directorate of Countering Organized Crime, Spanish Policia Nacional, Swedish Police Authority, and the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Secures Settlement with Kenton County Officials to Ensure Polling Place AccessibilityRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky.— The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Kentucky, in partnership with the Justice Department’s Disability Rights Section, has secured an agreement. under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), with the Kenton County Board of Elections to ensure that the Board’s polling places are accessible to individuals with disabilities.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office identified architectural barriers at numerous polling places after it reviewed the Kenton County Board’s voting program for compliance with the ADA. These barriers included inaccessible parking, ramps that were too steep, walkways that had steep cross slopes or had gaps and bumps in the path of travel, and voting machines that could not be accessed by voters with mobility disabilities. The Office also identified instances where the Kenton County Board did not provide voters with disabilities privacy and independence while voting.
Under the ADA, state and local governmental entities that conduct elections may not select polling places that are inaccessible to individuals with disabilities for use during elections, and they must make reasonable modifications to ensure that voters with disabilities have equal opportunity to participate in voting programs.
Under the terms of the agreement, the Kenton County Board of Elections will begin remediating its voting program. The Board will employ measures such as portable ramps, signage, and propped-open doors to ensure that its selected polling places are accessible to voters with disabilities. In addition, the Board will train its poll workers and other elections staff on the requirements of the ADA and how to use temporary measures to ensure each polling place is accessible during elections. The Board will also survey polling locations for accessibility and maintain the accessibility of each polling place it uses on election days. When selecting future polling places, the Board will select locations that will be accessible during elections.
This settlement is part of the department’s ADA Voting Initiative, which focuses on protecting the voting rights of individuals with disabilities. A hallmark of the ADA Voting Initiative is its collaboration with jurisdictions to increase accessibility at polling places. Through this initiative, the Department of Justice has surveyed more than 2,500 polling places and increased polling place accessibility in more than 50 jurisdictions, including Jefferson County, Kentucky; Newton County, Arkansas; St. Louis, Missouri; Travis County, Texas; and Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania.
For more information about the ADA, please visit http://www.ada.gov or call the toll-free ADA Information Line at (800) 514-0301 or (800) 514-0383 (TTY). For information about the Eastern District of Kentucky’s civil rights enforcement efforts, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-edky/civil-rights
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U.S. Attorney's Office Collects over $3.9 Million in Civil and Criminal Actions in Fiscal Year 2022Read the Press Release
LAS VEGAS - U.S. Attorney Jason M. Frierson announced today that the District of Nevada collected more than $3.9 million in criminal and civil actions in Fiscal Year 2022. Of this amount, $3,355,703.29 was collected in criminal actions and $593,501.29 was collected in civil actions.
Additionally, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada worked with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices and components of the Department of Justice to collect an additional $3,906.46 in criminal actions pursued jointly by these offices.
“This total amount demonstrates our commitment to ensuring the successful collection of funds in civil matters and criminal cases,” said U.S. Attorney Frierson. “The dedicated Assistant U.S. Attorneys and support personnel in our Financial Litigation Program and Asset Forfeiture Unit worked tirelessly with partners in Fiscal Year 2022 to enforce and recover debts owed to the United States and crime victims.”
Highlights of the District of Nevada’s Fiscal Year 2022 collection efforts include:
- Following a guilty plea to one count of making and subscribing a false tax return, Graciela Alvarez agreed to pre-pay her restitution in advance of sentencing. Alvarez paid $458,728.52 towards the satisfaction of her restitution obligation to the IRS.
- In 2002, Ronda Hubbard pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a counterfeited security. In addition to five years’ probation, Hubbard was ordered to pay restitution to Bank of America in the amount of $208,752.74. In February 2022, Financial Litigation staff was advised that Hubbard was selling her home. The U.S. Attorney’s Office was able to secure the funds from the sale of the property. In March 2022, the remainder of Hubbard’s restitution obligation was paid in full.
The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, along with the department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the U.S. and criminal debts owed to federal crime victims. The law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss. While restitution is paid to the victim, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the department’s Crime Victims Fund, which distributes the funds collected to federal and state victim compensation and victim assistance programs.
Additionally, the U.S. Attorney’s office in the District of Nevada, working with partner agencies and divisions, collected $1,878,306 in asset forfeiture actions in Fiscal Year 2022. Forfeited assets deposited into the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund are used to restore funds to crime victims and for a variety of law enforcement purposes.
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U.S. Attorney Breon Peace Speaks at a Naturalization Ceremony in BrooklynRead the Press Release
Remarks as Delivered:
“Good morning. My name is Breon Peace and I am the United States Attorney here in the Eastern District of New York, which covers Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island and all of Long Island and is home to more than 8 million people. Welcome!
It is my honor to speak to you all today, a day that you will surely treasure for the rest of your lives. Let me be among the first to congratulate you on this wonderful milestone! I am proud to be united with you today in a bond of citizenship that transcends all racial, religious, ethnic, cultural, gender-based, political, language and economic boundaries and proud that we have found a common purpose in being called American citizens.
As the United States Attorney, I have the privilege of leading an office that is responsible for prosecuting all federal criminal cases and for handling federal civil cases in this vast district in which you live. So my job is to keep the community safe and enforce the law on behalf of the United States to improve the lives of the people of the district, particularly our most vulnerable residents.
One of the best parts of my job is being able to work on behalf of and interact with the citizens of this great district—a district that was created in 1865 by President Abraham Lincoln. This district has a long and storied history, but to me, it is perhaps best characterized by its rich and vibrant diversity. This diversity is exemplified by the people in this room. People born on continents around the globe. People of different races and religions, ethnicities and educations. People from widely disparate walks of life.
With all of these differences, how does America come together? To me, the answer is clear. We, as Americans, are united by the philosophy that all people are created equal, and with a goal to make this country better, a more perfect union.
You should have received a packet that contains the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution. These documents speak to the origin of American citizenship and the country’s founding principles in establishing its democratic form of government.
The Declaration of Independence states that all men are created equal. But at the time it was drafted in 1776, neither the Declaration of Independence nor the later drafted United States Constitution recognized all people as equal. These documents, despite their central role in structuring a government of, by and for the people, did not contemplate that I, a black man and descendant of slaves, would one day be responsible for: protecting the 8.5 million residents of this district from crime; promoting civil rights, justice and equality for all; and safeguarding the very ideals of democracy and the rule of law enshrined in these documents.
Yet, we are together today as U.S. citizens. How did we move from the exclusion of the past to the welcoming inclusion reflected in the present moment?
History teaches that it took generations, as well as strength, determination and sustained, unyielding courage to ensure that the nation’s promise of equality was extended to all of its people.
A week and a half ago as we do every January, we honored Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. We commemorate the day of Dr. King’s birth and his legacy with a day of service in our communities, in recognition of his unshakeable faith and unrelenting quest for human dignity and civil rights.
On August 28, 1963, Dr. King stood before the largest crowd ever gathered in support of civil rights at the Lincoln Memorial and boldly talked about his dream in the iconic “I Have A Dream” speech. Sixty years ago, he dreamed of today, where we sit shoulder-to-shoulder basking in the joy and excitement of being citizens from all walks of life, blending cultures, religions, races and gender in celebration of the promise, hope, and yes, future of democracy. In an Independence Day sermon he delivered on July 4, 1965, Dr. King spoke poignantly of this dream, saying “... America is essentially a dream. It is a dream of a land where men of all races, of all nationalities, and of all creeds, can live together as brothers. The substance of the dream is expressed in these sublime words, ‘we hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain inalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.’” With your sworn oath this morning, these timeless words now belong to you.
In the fight for civil rights, Dr. King identified the precursor to the American dream as the Emancipation Proclamation, which he referred to as the “offspring” of the Declaration of Independence. Although I do not intend to give a history lesson here, President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863 to end the Civil War and unify the nation. Dr. King wrote eloquently that the Emancipation Proclamation, “resurrected and restated the principle of equality upon which the founding of the nation rested.”
It could not be more fitting for us to join in pledging our allegiance to this great country in a proud district created by President Lincoln and rooted in his proclamation of freedom.
I will close with this: Dr. King, former Presidents John F. Kennedy and Barack Obama, often spoke of audacity and hope; the audacity to believe that each of us can make this country greater and stronger, and hope for a better and brighter tomorrow for all Americans.
I share the audacity and hope, and trust that you do too. In my life and career as a lawyer, and as United States Attorney today, I’ve had the audacity to believe that I could bend the “arc of the moral universe” towards justice, fairness and freedom, especially for the vulnerable and the marginalized. And that I can, “keep making our streets safer and our criminal justice system fairer – our homeland more secure, our world more peaceful and sustainable for the next generation,” as President Obama once implored.
I urge you to make today your day of audacity, your day to use the voice you’ve been given to further our democracy and give meaning to its founding principles. Each of you, have journeyed to this country, you have joined this country, you have judged its ideals your ideals. You have elected to become citizens in a land of opportunity and dreams as proud heirs of the Declaration of Independence. Hold fast to the belief that all men and women are created equal and pay it forward by bending the moral arc of this district and country towards justice, fairness, equity and inclusion. Never forget what brought you here and made you Americans.
I congratulate you once again on your becoming American citizens and welcome each and every one of you to share in our vibrant democracy.”
Two Sentenced in Wiretap Investigation into Meth TraffickingRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA – A California resident and a Pennsylvania resident have been sentenced in federal court on their convictions for violating federal narcotics laws related to a nine-month Title III wiretap investigation into drug trafficking in and around the counties of Jefferson, Clearfield, and Allegheny, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
United States District Judge Christy Criswell Wiegand sentenced Marco Armenta, age 37, of Stockton, California, to 188 months of imprisonment followed by five years of supervised release. According to information presented to the court, Armenta supplied at least 160 pounds of methamphetamine that was shipped from California and Nevada to Jefferson County, Clearfield County, and Allegheny County.
Judge Wiegand also sentenced Travis Williams, age 30, of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, to 51 months of imprisonment followed by three years of supervised release. According to information presented to the court, Williams was a methamphetamine distributor who obtained between 350 grams and 500 grams of methamphetamine as part of a large-scale methamphetamine distribution conspiracy and redistributed it to methamphetamine users.
Assistant United States Attorneys Jonathan D. Lusty and Michael R. Ball prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
The Drug Enforcement Administration led the multi-agency investigation of this case, which also included the Homeland Security Investigations, United States Postal Service – Office of Inspector General, United States Postal Inspection Service, Internal Revenue Services, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, Allegheny County Police, and Pennsylvania State Police. Also assisting were the Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office, Clearfield County District Attorney’s Office, and the Clarion Borough Police Department.
This prosecution is a result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles high-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten communities throughout the United States. OCDETF uses a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Two Men Plead Guilty to Five-Hour Armed Robbery SpreeRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Chesapeake and a Suffolk man pleaded guilty today and earlier this week to their roles in a series of armed robberies of 7-Eleven establishments in the Cities of Newport News, Norfolk, and Virginia Beach.
According to court documents, just before midnight on July 24, 2019, and into the early morning hours of July 25, 2019, Deric Breon Simons, 23, Ronald Lee Brookins, Jr., 22, and a third individual conducted a series of armed robberies at 7-Eleven convenience stores. Beginning in Newport News, the three men entered the stores armed with a firearm, a knife, and a BB gun that resembled a real firearm. While brandishing their weapons, they demanded U.S. currency and commercial products from frightened employees. They committed three additional robberies, moving between Norfolk and Virginia Beach. During the fifth and final robbery, Brookins and the third co-conspirator entered the convenience store, while Simons remained in the getaway vehicle. In addition to the store employee, there were three customers inside the store at the time of the robbery. Fearing for everyone’s safety, an armed customer discharged his personal weapon, killing one co-conspirator and injuring Brookins.
Brookins pleaded guilty to his role in the robberies on January 24. Simons and Brookins are scheduled to be sentenced on June 1. They both face a mandatory minimum of 21 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Brian Dugan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office; Steve R. Drew, Chief of Newport News Police; Mike Goldsmith, Interim Chief of Norfolk Police; and Paul Neudigate, Chief of Virginia Beach Police, made the announcement after U.S. Magistrate Judge Douglas E. Miller accepted the plea.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kristin Bird and Megan Montoya are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:19-cr-168.
Two Men Arrested in Marion County for Stealing MailRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the filing of a complaint and arrest of Jordan Jax (23, Newberry) and Tarod Goodman, Jr. (23, Gainesville) for theft of mail and possession of a stolen or reproduced postal key. If convicted, Jax and Goodman each face up to 5 years in federal prison for theft of mail and up to 10 years’ imprisonment for possession of the postal key.
According to court documents, between October 2022 and January 24, 2023, Jax and Goodman used a postal key on multiple occasions to access U.S. Postal Service (USPS) collection boxes in Marion County and steal mail. Deputies from the Marion County Sheriff’s Office and the U.S. Postal Inspector conducted surveillance and caught the pair after they had loaded mail into Jax’s vehicle. Agents also recovered a postal key that had been used to open the collection boxes.
A complaint is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Marion County Sheriff’s Office and its Aviation Unit, as well as the United States Postal Inspection Service. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.
Download Criminal ComplaintTwo Leaders of Violent Drug Cartel Sentenced to Life and 50 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that JULIO MARQUEZ ALEJANDRO, a/k/a “Chino,” was sentenced to life in prison, and LUIS BLONDET was sentenced to 50 years in prison, each for their leading roles in a brutal drug cartel that is responsible for dozens of murders, the bribery of corrupt police officers in Puerto Rico, and the distribution of thousands of kilograms of cocaine in New York, Puerto Rico, and elsewhere. In April 2022, a jury convicted MARQUEZ ALEJANDRO and BLONDET of racketeering and murder-related charges after a three-week trial before U.S. District Judge Jesse M. Furman, who sentenced MARQUEZ ALEJANDRO yesterday and BLONDET earlier today.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “For years, Julio Marquez Alejandro and Luis Blondet repeatedly resorted to heinous murder for their own benefit. Dozens of people died as a result of the reign of terror their organization carried out. But this Office is committed to seeking justice for otherwise forgotten victims, no matter how long it takes. Thanks to outstanding work from our law enforcement partners, Marquez Alejandro and Blondet will rightly spend decades in prison.”
According to the evidence at trial and other filings in the case:
MARQUEZ ALEJANDRO was one of the founding fathers of “La Organizacion de Narcotraficantes Unidos,” or “La ONU,” a criminal enterprise whose members and associates engaged in, from in or about 2004 to in or about 2016, dozens of murders, the bribery of corrupt police officers in Puerto Rico, and the distribution of thousands of kilograms of cocaine, including the shipment of cocaine from Puerto Rico to New York. Cocaine supplied by La ONU was distributed in New York City, including out of a children’s daycare center in the Bronx. BLONDET was also a member and leader of La ONU and one of MARQUEZ ALEJANDRO’s closest allies.
The evidence at trial established that MARQUEZ ALEJANDRO personally ordered, authorized, or otherwise helped facilitate the murders of at least 15 people to maintain or expand his power and profits. The evidence also showed that BLONDET personally participated in or helped facilitate the murders of seven people. For example:
On or about April 9, 2005, BLONDET murdered Crystal Martinez Ramirez at a party in San Juan, Puerto Rico. After Martinez Ramirez refused BLONDET’s sexual advances, BLONDET shot Martinez Ramirez in the head twice and dumped her body on a street corner.
On or about December 28, 2006, Israel Crespo Cotto was murdered on the orders of MARQUEZ ALEJANDRO because Crespo Cotto was believed to be cooperating with law enforcement. MARQUEZ ALEJANDRO’s assassins killed Crespo Cotto, a double amputee, while he was sitting in his wheelchair in the Manuel A. Perez public housing projects in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Crespo Cotto was shot 24 times.
On or about May 9, 2007, members of La ONU, including MARQUEZ ALEJANDRO, hired corrupt Puerto Rico police officers to participate in the murder of Anthony Castro Carrillo in Carolina, Puerto Rico, in exchange for a cash bonus. Members of La ONU and two corrupt cops stormed Castro Carrillo’s residence while dressed as police officers and shot and killed him.
MARQUEZ ALEJANDRO, BLONDET, and other members of La ONU arranged for the murder of Hommysan Cariño Bruno, a leader of a rival drug organization, paying a driver to kill Cariño Bruno and providing the murder weapon. Cariño Bruno was shot and killed while inside a van on or about April 29, 2008, in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
On or about March 20, 2009, Carlos Barbosa was murdered on the orders of MARQUEZ ALEJANDRO because Barbosa was believed to be plotting to seize power from MARQUEZ ALEJANDRO. Barbosa was shot over a dozen times while getting his hair cut at a barbershop in Levittown, Puerto Rico.
On or about November 27, 2009, Emanuel Correa Romero, a/k/a “Oreo,” was murdered on the orders of MARQUEZ ALEJANDRO. Members of La ONU beat Correa Romero until he appeared dead. After the assault, members of La ONU placed Correa Romero’s body into a suitcase and later reported back that they shot the suitcase dozens of times and then lit it on fire.
At the sentencing of MARQUEZ ALEJANDRO, Judge Furman emphasized MARQUEZ ALEJANDRO’s “stunning disrespect for the value of other human life” and “the scale of human suffering for which he is responsible.”
When sentencing BLONDET, Judge Furman underscored that BLONDET’s murder of Crystal Martinez Ramirez was “grotesque and inhumane.”
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In addition to their prison terms, MARQUEZ ALEJANDRO, 52, of San Juan, Puerto Rico, and BLONDET, 48, of San Juan, Puerto Rico, were ordered to forfeit $11.52 million and $212,000, as proceeds of their crimes, respectively.
Mr. Williams praised the investigative work of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
The prosecution is being handled by the Office’s Violent and Organized Crime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jamie E. Bagliebter, Peter J. Davis, Jacob R. Fiddelman, and Justin V. Rodriguez are in charge of the prosecution and represented the Government at trial with the assistance of Paralegal Specialists William Coleman and Christopher Sykes. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jordan Estes, Andrew Thomas, Lara Pomerantz, Allison Nichols, and Dina McLeod also participated in the investigation and prosecution of the case.
Two Individuals Admit Participating in Health Care Fraud and Kickback SchemesRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – An Indiana man and an Arizona man yesterday admitted their roles in a health care fraud conspiracy in which they received payment for doctors’ orders for durable medical equipment (DME), namely orthotic braces, and genetic test referrals, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Scott Wohrman, 50, of Florence, Arizona, pleaded guilty by videoconference before U.S. District Judge Kevin McNulty to an information charging him with one count of conspiracy to violate the Federal Anti-Kickback statute and one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud. On Jan. 24, 2023, David Heneghan, 53, of Indianapolis, Indiana, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to violate the Federal Anti-Kickback statute and conspiracy to commit health care fraud.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:Heneghan and Wohrman operated American Health Screening (AHS), a company that purportedly provided marketing services to laboratories. From July 2020 through January 2021, Heneghan, Wohrman, and others agreed to engage in a scheme to provide DME orders and genetic testing referrals for Medicare beneficiaries in exchange for kickbacks of approximately $1,500 per patient or for each test that resulted in a reimbursement from Medicare. Heneghan and Wohrman entered into a sham contract and utilized fraudulent invoices to make it appear that AHS was being paid for legitimate services and to conceal their fraudulent kickback scheme. Heneghan and Wohrman received kickbacks of at least $547,310 for durable medical equipment and at least $18,319 for genetic testing. Heneghan and Wohrman’s scheme resulted in an actual loss to Medicare of at least $565,629.
Heneghan and Wohrman previously pleaded guilty in the Northern District of Texas to an information charging them with conspiracy to defraud the Federal Anti-Kickback statute.The count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud carries a maximum potential punishment of 10 years in prison. The count of conspiracy to violate the Anti-Kickback Statute carries a maximum potential penalty of five years in prison. Both offenses are also punishable by a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense. Sentencing for Heneghan and Wohrman is scheduled for September 6, 2023.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark; the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Naomi Gruchacz; the U.S. Department of Defense, Office of the Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Northeast Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Patrick Hegarty; the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, Northeast Field Office under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Christopher Algieri with the investigation leading to the guilty pleas.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ray Mateo of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Opioid Abuse Prevention and Enforcement Unit in Newark.
Defense counsel: Heneghan: Aaron M. Cohen Esq., Delray Beach, Florida
Wohrman: Michael Hursey Esq., and Paul Molle Esq., Ft. Lauderdale, FloridaTulsa Man Pleads Guilty to Assaulting Two Victims with a CrowbarRead the Press Release
A 31-year-old Tulsa man pleaded guilty in federal court to striking two victims with a metal pry bar in a violent assault, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
Christopher Travon Brown was convicted of two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm in Indian Country.
According to court documents, on June 19, 2022, Broken Arrow police officers responded to a 911 call related to the assault. Upon arrival, officers discovered two victims at the residence. A male victim sustained serious injuries to his arm and head and displayed a significant altered mental state consistent with a head injury. A female victim had blunt force trauma to her left forearm. She reported to officers that Brown had forced his way through a bedroom door. He then entered the room wielding a 24-inch, steel crowbar and started striking the male victim with it. She stated that in the process, he struck her on the forearm.
The male victim was transported to Saint Francis Hospital, where he was placed in intensive care for life threatening head injuries.
When apprehended and interviewed by police, Brown initially claimed self-defense. He later admitted that he was the aggressor, stating that he took a crowbar from the garage, broke down the bedroom door with his shoulder and committed the assaults.
Brown faces a maximum federal sentence of 10 years in prison. He is currently in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service and will be sentenced at a later date.
The FBI and Broken Arrow Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Niko A. Boulieris is prosecuting the case.
Tucson Man Pleads Guilty to Sexual AbuseRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – On Monday, Orlando Miguel Valenzuela, 28, of Tucson, Arizona, pleaded guilty to Abusive Sexual Contact. Sentencing is scheduled for April 10, 2023, before United States District Judge Cindy K. Jorgenson.
Valenzuela, an enrolled member of the Pascua Yaqui Tribe, admitted that when he was 18 or 19 years old and living on the Pascua Yaqui reservation, he engaged in sexual acts with a minor who was 11 or younger.
The plea agreement requires Valenzuela to serve 5-10 years in federal prison. After completing his prison sentence, Valenzuela will be placed on lifetime supervised release and be required to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.
The Pascua Yaqui Police Department and the FBI conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Micah Schmit, District of Arizona, Tucson, is handling the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-22-0682-TUC-CKJ (DTF)
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-009_Valenzuela# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
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