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19 January 2023
Swansea Man Sentenced for Child Pornography OffenseRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Swansea man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
Todd Miozza, 52, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Judge William G. Young to 10 years in prison and five years of supervised release. In September 2022, Miozza pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography.
Miozza obtained and traded CSAM over the internet via a messaging platform. During a search of Miozza’ s residence in June 2022, his iPhone and laptop were seized and found to contain child sexual abuse material. In total, 411 videos and 331 images constituting CSAM were found across Miozza’s devices and electronic storage media, depicting children ranging from infants to approximately 12 years old.
Miozza was previously convicted of possession of child pornography in the District of Massachusetts in 2002.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins and Matthew Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge for Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement. The Swansea Police Department provided valuable assistance to the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elianna J. Nuzum of Rollins’ Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Southwest Baltimore “NFL” Gang Member Sentenced to 25 Years in Federal Prison for a Racketeering Conspiracy, Including Committing a MurderRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Julie R. Rubin today sentenced D’Andre Preston, age 26, of Baltimore, to 25 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for participating in a violent racketeering conspiracy, specifically, the NFL Criminal Enterprise, including committing a murder. The term NFL stands for Normandy, Franklin, and Loudon, which are three adjacent streets that run through the Edmondson Village. Members of NFL have social and family ties to the Edmondson Village neighborhood in southwest Baltimore.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Washington Division; Chief Marcus Jones of the Montgomery County Police Department; and Commissioner Michael Harrison of the Baltimore Police Department.
According to his guilty plea, from at least 2016 through March 2020, D’Andre Preston was an associate of the NFL Criminal Enterprise, which engaged in a pattern of criminal racketeering activity including murder, narcotics trafficking and smuggling, illegal firearms possession, bribery, witness intimidation, and witness retaliation. Preston admitted that he participated in illegal activities with other NFL Enterprise members, including committing a murder on the enterprise’s behalf. As detailed in Preston’s plea agreement, in October 2018, a co-conspirator solicited co-defendant Darran Malik Butler to murder Leonard Shelley so that members of the NFL enterprise could collect a bounty that had been placed on Shelley. On October 31, 2018, Preston and co-defendant Darran Butler followed Shelley into a convenience store and shot Shelley numerous times, killing him. Following the murder, Darran Butler posted a picture on Instagram of himself holding the bounty proceeds for Shelley’s murder.
On November 9, 2022, co-defendant Darran Malik Butler, age 23, of Baltimore, was also sentenced to 25 years in federal prison. More than 30 defendants in this and related cases have pleaded guilty to their roles in the racketeering conspiracy.
This case was made possible by investigative leads generated from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives’ (ATF) National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN). NIBIN is the only national network that allows for the capture and comparison of ballistic evidence to aid in solving and preventing violent crimes involving firearms. NIBIN is a proven investigative and intelligence tool that can link firearms from multiple crime scenes, allowing law enforcement to quickly disrupt shooting cycles. For more information on NIBIN, visit https://www.atf.gov/firearms/national-integrated-ballistic-information-network-nibin.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case is also part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI, the DEA, the Montgomery County Department of Police and the Baltimore Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron commended the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; the City of Rockville Police Department; the Baltimore County and Howard County Police Departments; the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office; the Maryland State Police; the West Virginia State Police; the Virginia State Police; the Warren County (VA) Sheriff’s Department; the Winchester (VA) and Front Royal (VA) Police Departments; and the Frederick County and Howard County State’s Attorney’s Offices for their assistance in the investigation and prosecution. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys John W. Sippel, Jr., James T. Wallner, and Robert I. Goldaris, who are prosecuting the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-neighborhoods-psn and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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South Texas woman sentenced for trafficking over $1M in crystal meth and black tar heroinRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 28-year-old Mission woman has been sent to prison following her conviction of possession with the intent to distribute more than 31 kilograms of meth, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Cristina Inez Marquez pleaded guilty April 28, 2022.
Today, U.S. District Judge David S. Morales ordered Marquez to serve 190 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release.
At the time of her plea, Marquez admitted that on Dec. 29, 2021, she drove a gray Ford Explorer northbound on Highway 281 near Alice. She also admitted to knowingly transporting and possessing over 31 kilograms of meth and five kilograms of heroin.
Law enforcement conducted a traffic stop and conducted an inspection. At that time, they discovered the fuel tank had been tampered with and removed. Upon examining the contents, authorities found 12 concealed bundles of what appeared to be crystal meth and black tar heroin. The weight of the bundles exceeded 85 pounds.
Analysis later confirmed the substances in the bundles were in fact crystal meth at 95% purity with a net weight of 31.41 kilograms and black tar heroin with a net weight of 5.95 kilograms. The drugs had an estimated street value of more than $1.3 million.
Marquez will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Marck prosecuted the case.
Sioux City Middle School Teacher Pleads Guilty in Federal Court to Child Sex CrimeRead the Press Release
A Sioux City teacher pled guilty January 13, 2023, in federal court in Sioux City.
Andrew John Heller, age 39, from Sergeant Bluff, Iowa, was convicted of attempted enticement of a minor.
The FBI and Sioux City Police Department were conducting an undercover investigation to identify subjects engaged in human trafficking in Sioux City, Iowa. As part of the operation, law enforcement posted an advertisement for sex services on a frequently used dating website.
Andrew Heller, a middle school teacher and high school baseball coach, contacted an undercover phone number, responding to an ad purporting to be from a 19-year-old female offering sexual services on the website in exchange for money. What Heller did not know was that an undercover FBI agent was responding. The FBI agent immediately posed as a 14-year-old girl. Heller agreed to pay $200 cash and bring some Trulys in exchange for sex with someone he thought was an underage female. The meeting date was scheduled, and Heller showed up, as previously arranged, in his vehicle. He was searched by police, who found the cash and Trulys, along with condoms.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Heller was taken into custody by the United States Marshal after the guilty plea and will remain in custody pending sentencing. Heller faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of up to life imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and 5 years up to life of supervised release following any imprisonment.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ron Timmons and was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Sioux City Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 22-4059.
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Ship Owner and Operator Sentenced for Environmental CrimesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Empire Bulkers Limited and Joanna Maritime Limited, two related companies based in Greece, were sentenced today for committing knowing and willful violations of the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships (APPS) and the Ports and Waterways Safety Act related to their role as the operator and owner of the Motor Vessel (M/V) Joanna.
The prosecution stems from a March 2022 inspection of the M/V Joanna in New Orleans that revealed that required pollution prevention equipment had been tampered with to allow fresh water to trick the sensor designed to detect the oil content of bilge waste being discharged overboard. The ship’s oil record book, a required log presented to the U.S. Coast Guard, had been falsified to conceal the improper discharges..
During the same inspection, the Coast Guard also discovered an unreported safety hazard. Following a trail of oil drops, inspectors found an active fuel oil leak in the engine room where the pressure relief valves on the fuel oil heaters, a critical safety device necessary to prevent explosion, had been disabled. In pleading guilty, the defendants admitted that the plugging of the relief valves in the fuel oil purifier room and the large volume of oil leaking from the pressure relief valve presented hazardous conditions that had not been immediately reported to the Coast Guard in violation of the Ports and Waterways Safety Act. Had there been a fire or explosion in the purifier room, it could have been catastrophic and resulted in a loss of propulsion, loss of life, and pollution, according to a joint factual statement filed in court.
“Make no mistake, willful tampering with required pollution control equipment and falsifying official ship logs to conceal illegal discharges are serious criminal offenses,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “In concealing major safety problems from the Coast Guard, the defendants here not only violated the law, but also recklessly risked the lives of the crew and the environment.”
“This ship owner and manager operated their foreign flagged vessel in U.S. waters in deliberate violation of the environmental and safety laws designed to protects our ports and waters,” said U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans for the Eastern District of Louisiana. “Illegal, deceitful and dangerous conduct will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.”
U.S. District Court Judge Mary Ann Vial Lemmon sentenced the two related companies to pay $2 million ($1 million each) and serve four years of probation subject to the terms of a government approved environmental compliance plan that includes independent ship audits and supervision by a court-appointed monitor.
The U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service investigated the case with assistance from Coast Guard Sector New Orleans and the Eighth Coast Guard District
Senior Litigation Counsel Richard A. Udell of the Environment and Natural Resources Division’s Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney G. Dall Kammer for the Eastern District of Louisiana prosecuted the case
Attachment: Joint Factual Statement
Ship Owner and Operator Sentenced for Environmental CrimesRead the Press Release
Empire Bulkers Limited and Joanna Maritime Limited, two related companies based in Greece, were sentenced today for committing knowing and willful violations of the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships (APPS) and the Ports and Waterways Safety Act related to their role as the operator and owner of the Motor Vessel (M/V) Joanna.
The prosecution stems from a March 2022 inspection of the M/V Joanna in New Orleans that revealed that required pollution prevention equipment had been tampered with to allow fresh water to trick the sensor designed to detect the oil content of bilge waste being discharged overboard. The ship’s oil record book, a required log presented to the U.S. Coast Guard, had been falsified to conceal the improper discharges..
During the same inspection, the Coast Guard also discovered an unreported safety hazard. Following a trail of oil drops, inspectors found an active fuel oil leak in the engine room where the pressure relief valves on the fuel oil heaters, a critical safety device necessary to prevent explosion, had been disabled. In pleading guilty, the defendants admitted that the plugging of the relief valves in the fuel oil purifier room and the large volume of oil leaking from the pressure relief valve presented hazardous conditions that had not been immediately reported to the Coast Guard in violation of the Ports and Waterways Safety Act. Had there been a fire or explosion in the purifier room, it could have been catastrophic and resulted in a loss of propulsion, loss of life, and pollution, according to a joint factual statement filed in court.
“Make no mistake, willful tampering with required pollution control equipment and falsifying official ship logs to conceal illegal discharges are serious criminal offenses,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “In concealing major safety problems from the Coast Guard, the defendants here not only violated the law, but also recklessly risked the lives of the crew and the environment.”
“This ship owner and manager operated their foreign flagged vessel in U.S. waters in deliberate violation of the environmental and safety laws designed to protects our ports and waters,” said U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans for the Eastern District of Louisiana. “Illegal, deceitful and dangerous conduct will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.”
U.S. District Court Judge Mary Ann Vial Lemmon sentenced the two related companies to pay $2 million ($1 million each) and serve four years of probation subject to the terms of a government approved environmental compliance plan that includes independent ship audits and supervision by a court-appointed monitor.
The U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service investigated the case with assistance from Coast Guard Sector New Orleans and the Eighth Coast Guard District
Senior Litigation Counsel Richard A. Udell of the Environment and Natural Resources Division’s Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney G. Dall Kammer for the Eastern District of Louisiana prosecuted the case.
Serial Fraudster Sentenced to Nine Years in Federal Prison for Participating in Elder Fraud “Grandparent” Scheme and a COVID-19 CARES Act Unemployment Benefit SchemeRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett sentenced Medard Ulysse, age 38, most recently of Miami, Florida, today to nine years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for wire fraud and conspiracy to commit mail fraud in relation to multiple fraud schemes, including an elder fraud “grandparent” scam and a COVID-19 CARES Act fraud related to unemployment benefits. Judge Bennett also ordered Ulysse to pay restitution totaling $2,485,512. Of that amount $1,866,745 is for the elder fraud scam and $618,767 is for the unemployment benefits scheme.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; and Acting Special Agent in Charge Troy W. Springer, of the National Capital Region, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General.
“This is a despicable crime causing fear and emotional turmoil for some of the most vulnerable members of our society,” said Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the FBI's Baltimore field office. “Ulysse used fraud and deceit to prey upon grandparents’ trust and love. The FBI is committed to combatting elder fraud and financial exploitation and ensuring our seniors are protected.”
“As a part of multiple fraud schemes, Medard Ulysse conspired with others to use stolen identities to defraud pandemic Unemployment Insurance programs established under the CARES Act to unlawfully obtain over $618,000, which deprived those who were truly in need of assistance during the pandemic,” said Troy W. Springer, Acting Special Agent in Charge, National Capital Region, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General. “I am grateful for the strong partnerships with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland, the FBI, and our state workforce agency partners, as we continue focused efforts to hold accountable those who undermine the integrity of unemployment assistance programs.”
According to his guilty plea, from January 2018 to November 2019, Ulysse and others executed an elder fraud scam, called a “grandparent scam,” in which they persuaded elderly victims to send thousands of dollars in cash by posing as a police officer, lawyer, or other person in law enforcement and convincing victims that their grandchild needed money for bail or legal fees. If the victims sent money, conspirators asked for more cash claiming that additional funds were needed for legal expenses, fines, or damages. Conspirators called the elderly victim pretending to be the victim’s grandchild or other troubled relative to convince the victims to send cash. To conceal the scheme, the conspirators told the victims that a gag order had been placed on the case or that the situation was embarrassing for the grandchild, and that the victim should not share the information with others.
The victims were directed to send cash to residential addresses, that were either vacant or for sale, so no one would be at those locations at the time of the deliveries. Ulysse recruited people to assist in retrieving the packages. Co-conspirators opened the packages, counted the cash inside and sent Ulysse video recordings of the packages being opened and counted, then delivered the fraud proceeds to Ulysse and to other people involved in the scheme. Ulysse distributed, and directed co-conspirators to distribute, cash payments to other members of the conspiracy for their participation in the scheme.
As a result of the execution of the elder fraud scheme, Ulysse and his co-conspirators convinced at least 83 different victims to send a total of at least $2,420,280. Ulysse’s criminal actions resulted in substantial financial hardship to at least five victims.
From April 2020 to November 2020, Ulysse conducted an COVID-19 CARES Act unemployment benefit scheme to fraudulently obtain unemployment funds, including Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC) and Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) established under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act. As part of the scheme, Ulysse and his conspirators used the identities of numerous victims to submit fraudulent unemployment claims to multiple state workforce agencies, including the Maryland Department of Labor and the California Employment Development Department. The fraudulent applications listed individual victims’ names, social security numbers, and dates of birth. The Maryland Department of Labor and other state workforce agencies disbursed benefits through debit cards issued in the names of the applicants and mailed to addresses provided in the applications, which were locations accessible to Ulysse and other members of the conspiracy. Once conspiracy members obtained the funds on state issued debit cards, they used the funds for their personal benefit.
In total, between April 2020 and November 2020, Ulysse and his co-conspirators submitted at least 143 fraudulent applications in the names of identity theft victims and obtained approximately $618,767 in fraudulent funds.
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.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI and the DOL-OIG for their work in the investigation, and thanked the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Department for its assistance. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sean R. Delaney and Christine Goo, who prosecuted the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/elder-justice-initiative.
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Schuylkill County Man Sentenced to 70 Months’ Imprisonment for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on January 13, 2023, Jorgelis Torres-Figueroa, age 25, of McAdoo, PA, was sentenced to 70 months’ imprisonment to be followed by a 3-year term of supervised release by United States District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani for conspiracy to distribute over 50 grams of methamphetamine.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, from September through November 2018, along with a coconspirator, Torres-Figueroa distributed approximately 490 grams of methamphetamine at locations in and around Hazleton, PA.
This matter was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP). Assistant United States Attorney Jeffery St John prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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Schenectady Man Pleads Guilty to Drug and Gun Manufacturing ChargesRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Daniel Scotsross, age 30, of Schenectady, New York, pled guilty today to attempted possession with intent to distribute N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT), a hallucinogen similar to lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), and making firearms in violation of the National Firearms Act.
United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Matthew Scarpino, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), made the announcement.
Scotsross admitted that he accepted a package addressed to him at his Schenectady residence that contained what Scotsross expected to be over 10 kilograms of bark containing DMT. After a search warrant was executed at his residence, Scotsross was found with quantities of liquid DMT. He admitted that he possessed the DMT because intended to distribute it to others.
Scotsross also admitted to possessing two firearms, specifically, a combination of parts designed and intended for use in converting firearms into machine guns. He also possessed a 3-D printer and instructions for manufacturing firearms using the printer.
Scotsross faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $1 million, and a term of post-imprisonment supervised release of at least 3 years when he is sentenced before United States District Glenn T. Suddaby on June 8, 2023. 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.
This case was investigated by HSI, United States Postal Inspection Service, and Customs and Border Protection, with the assistance of the Schenectady Police Department, Albany County Sheriff’s Department, and the New York State Police Crime Scene Emergency Response Team, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashlyn Miranda.
Satsuma Postal Carrier Indicted on Theft of Mail ChargeRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Sara Brady (47, Satsuma), formerly a postal carrier in St. Johns County, with theft of mail by a postal employee. If convicted, Brady faces up to 5 years in federal prison and payment of restitution to the victims in the case. Brady was arrested on January 18, 2023, by the United States Postal Service – Office of Inspector General.
An indictment 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 United States Postal Service – Office of Inspector General. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David B. Mesrobian.
IndictmentSanilac County Trucker Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for Transporting a Minor Across State Lines for Illegal Sex ActsRead the Press Release
DETROIT – A Sanilac County trucker was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison for transporting a minor across state lines to engage in unlawful sexual activity, announced United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison.
Ison was joined in the announcement by James A. Tarasca, Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Kenneth George Zehnder, 37, of Lexington, Michigan, was sentenced by United States District Judge Terrence G. Berg. Zehnder, an interstate truck driver, pleaded guilty to taking a 15-year-old girl out of the state of Michigan with the intent to sexually assault her.
In August 2019, Zehnder took the 15-year-old girl on an interstate trucking trip, where he sexually assaulted her nearly every night. After being assaulted in the cabin of the semi-truck, the victim texted 911, and police found the truck using information she provided. Video from Zehnder’s truck showed him leaving the driver’s area of the truck at the time of the assault and later emerging from the sleeping area pulling up and buttoning his pants. Zehnder was arrested and charged with sexually assaulting the victim in Minnesota. After Zehnder’s arrest, a 12-year-old girl who Zehnder took on a different out-of-state truck trip earlier that summer also reported to police that Zehnder sexually assaulted her on numerous occasions in different states during that trip. Both minors reported that Zehnder had assaulted them for years prior to his arrest.
“This sentence holds this offender responsible for the damage and terror he inflicted on this minor. I applaud her bravery for notifying the police and bringing him to justice. This office will continue to aggressively prosecute those who seek to harm children.” U.S. Attorney Ison stated.
“The defendant in this case sexually abused his victims for years,” said James A. Tarasca, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan. “Those same victims demonstrated remarkable courage, bravely reporting the crimes in the face of their abuser and helping to bring an end to the perpetrator’s abusive actions. The FBI and its law enforcement partners across the nation will continue working to protect our communities from predators like Mr. Zehnder whose actions cause incalculable damage to their young victims.”
This case was investigated by the Northeast Michigan Trafficking and Exploitation Crimes Task Force of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Clay County Sheriff’s Department, the Stearns County Sheriff’s Department, and the Michigan State Police, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Christopher Rawsthorne in a cooperative effort with the Stearns County Attorney’s Office.
River Falls Man Indicted for Forced LaborRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – An indictment was unsealed today in the Western District of Wisconsin charging a Wisconsin man with one count of labor trafficking.
According to the indictment, between August 2020 and Aug. 5, 2022, Austin Koeckeritz, 29, River Falls, Wisconsin, used force, threats of force and coercion, to cause an adult woman to engage in forced labor for nearly two years.
The charge of forced labor carries a maximum of 20 years in prison, up to five years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin Timothy M. O’Shea and Special Agent in Charge Michael E. Hensle of the FBI Milwaukee Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI Milwaukee Field Office and the River Falls Police Department conducted the investigation. The Pierce County District Attorney’s Office provided assistance.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Taylor Kraus for the Western District of Wisconsin and Trial Attorneys Slava Kuperstein and Julie Pfluger of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit are prosecuting the case.
The FBI is asking anyone with information about Austin Koeckeritz to contact the FBI Milwaukee Field Office at (414) 276-4684. If you or someone you know is a victim of human trafficking, please call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Raleigh County Man Sentenced to Prison for Child Pornography CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Austin Michael Light, 21, of Beaver, was sentenced today to eight years and one month in prison, to be followed by 25 years of supervised release, for possession of prepubescent child pornography.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on January 27, 2021, law enforcement officers received a CyberTipline report from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) regarding possible child pornography uploaded to a Google Mail account. The investigation led officers to Light. On August 18, 2021, investigators executed a search warrant at Light’s residence and seized several electronic devices including Light’s cell phone.
A forensic analysis of Light’s cell phone revealed nine images and 49 videos of minors and prepubescent minors, including infants, engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Several of the videos were of adults sexually assaulting infants and toddlers as well as prepubescent minors, and of minors engaged in sadistic or masochistic conduct. Light admitted to downloading the child pornography from the internet from January 2020 until at least August 18, 2021. Light further admitted to attempting to upload a video depicting child pornography to the internet on January 26, 2021.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Violent Crimes Against Children Task Force.
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Julie White prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:21-cr-259.
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Raleigh County Man Pleads Guilty to Child Exploitation CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – James Edward Cook, 43, of Arnett, pleaded guilty today to attempted enticement of a minor.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in December 2021, Cook began communicating with an individual on Facebook he believed to be a 9-year-old girl living in Beckley. Cook admitted that he discussed sexually explicit topics with the minor female, offered to teach her about sex, and told the minor female he wanted to be the first person with whom she had sexual intercourse. Cook further admitted that he told the minor female he would make a video of them having sexual intercourse for the first time, and discussed getting the minor female pregnant in the future.
On December 28, 2021, Cook arranged to meet the minor female outside a Raleigh County school. When Cook arrived at the location that evening, he was arrested by law enforcement.
Cook is scheduled to be sentenced on May 5, 2023, and faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) West Virginia Human Trafficking and Child Exploitation Task Force, the West Virginia Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, and the West Virginia State Police.
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Julie M. White is prosecuting the case.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative of the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:22-cr-43.
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Quincy Man Sentenced to Six Years in Prison for Child Pornography OffenseRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Quincy man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for receiving and possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
Andre Tilahun, 29, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris to six years in prison and five years of supervised release. In October 2022, Tilahun pleaded guilty to one count of receipt and one count of possession of child pornography.
Following a search of Tilahun’s residence in April 2021, approximately 350 images of CSAM were found on the Tilahun’s computer and approximately 230 images of CSAM on his phone. The investigation determined that Tilahun used the Kik Messenger platform to receive and engage in communications about CSAM with others. In all, Tilahun participated in six Kik chatrooms where participants shared CSAM.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins and Matthew B. Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Quincy Police Department and Weymouth Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin A. Saltzman of Rollins’ Criminal Division prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Quincy Man Sentenced for Social Security FraudRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Quincy man was sentenced today for fraudulently receiving Social Security disability benefits.
Charles Reid, 68, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young to time served (approximately one day in prison) and three years of supervised release. Reid was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $38,601 to the Social Security Administration. Earlier in the hearing, Reid pleaded guilty to one count of theft of government money. Reid was indicted by a federal grand jury in October 2021.
From approximately April 2013 through September 2017, Reid stole approximately $38,601 in Social Security disability benefits.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins and Sharon MacDermott, Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Boston Field Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin A. Tolkoff and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney James J. Nagelberg of Rollins’ Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
Quincy Man Sentenced for Counterfeiting over $467,000 in U.S. CurrencyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Quincy man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for counterfeiting hundreds of thousands of dollars in U.S. currency.
Victor Cardona, 34, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV to 41 months in prison, two years of supervised release and a fine of $5,000. In October 2022, Cardona pleaded guilty to one count of counterfeiting U.S. currency, specifically, forged older-style $100 bills.
During a search of Cardona’s residence in October 2019, a counterfeit currency manufacturing facility was discovered, including equipment and materials used to create counterfeit bills, specifically, inkjet printers, a paper shredder containing counterfeit bills that had been discarded, a “counterfeit buster” detection pen and counterfeit bills, including one fake $100 bill in Cardona’s wallet. Several authentic $100 bills with serial numbers which were tied to counterfeit currency recovered from across the country were also found. Burned remains of counterfeit currency were also located in Cardona’s backyard.
According to court documents, Cardona admitted that he procured the materials to create the counterfeit currency and hosted one or more other individuals at his home on a weekly basis for the purpose of creating the fake bills. In total, Cardona produced, or participated in the production of, over 4,000 fake $100 bills that were identified as counterfeit and traced by serial number to the authentic bills found at Cardona’s residence. To date, the government has recovered over $467,000 in counterfeit $100 bills traced back to the authentic bills found at Cardona’s residence.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins and Andrew Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service, Boston Field Office made the announcement. Many local police departments, including the Quincy Police Department and Salem Police Department, provided valuable assistance with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam W. Deitch of Rollins’ Public Corruption & Special Prosecutions Unit prosecuted the case.
Queens Man Sentenced to 36 Months in Prison for Multi-Million Dollar Prize Notice Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
CENTRAL ISLIP, NY – Earlier today, in federal court in Central Islip, Scott Gammon was sentenced by United States District Judge Joan M. Azrack to 36 months in prison for participating in a mass mailing scheme that tricked consumers into paying fees for falsely promised cash prizes. As part of the sentence, Gammon was also ordered to forfeit $139,611.97.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Brian M. Boynton, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Civil Division, and Daniel B. Brubaker, Inspector-in-Charge, United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), announced the sentence.
“Financially exploiting the elderly and other victims through fraudulent prize schemes is a form of abuse and deserving of punishment as today’s sentence demonstrates,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “A term in prison should deter others from preying on the vulnerable.”
“Participants in fraud schemes face the prospect of federal prison,” stated Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Boynton. “The Department of Justice is committed to protecting elderly and vulnerable Americans and to prosecuting individuals who engage in such schemes.”
“Today’s sentencing brings to a close the investigation of Mr. Gammon, who devised a fake prize promotion scheme designed to defraud older Americans and steal from those who believed they had won a prize. Unfortunately, for those who participated, they realized too late that they had been swindled. When a prize did not materialize, and their money was not returned, they became victims. Postal Inspectors remind consumers to be ever vigilant and play an active role in protecting their money. If you’re asked to pay for a prize you didn’t enter to win, it’s a scam,” stated USPIS Inspector-in-Charge Brubaker.
From August 2014 through August 2019, Gammon engaged in a direct-mail scheme that sent fraudulent prize notification mailings to thousands of consumers. The mailings induced consumers to pay a fee, purportedly in return for a large cash prize. None of the consumers who sent a fee ever received such a prize. Co-defendants Christopher King and Natasha Khan also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud and are awaiting sentencing.The U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigated the case.
Assistant United States Attorney Charles P. Kelly of the Eastern District of New York’s Long Island Criminal Division is prosecuting the case with Trial Attorneys Daniel Zytnick and Timothy Finley of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch. Assistant United States Attorney Tanisha Payne of the Eastern District’s Asset Recovery Section is handing forfeiture matters.
The department seeks to prevent the widespread losses seniors and other consumers suffer from fraud schemes. The best method to prevent fraud is to share information about the various types of elder fraud schemes with relatives, friends, neighbors and other seniors who can use that information to protect themselves.
If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is available at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This Department of Justice hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, is staffed by experienced professionals who provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies, and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud, and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is staffed seven days a week from 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. ET. English, Spanish and other languages are available.
Additional information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts may be found at www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. Information about the Department of Justice’s Elder Fraud Initiative is available at www.justice.gov/elderjustice.
The Defendant Sentenced Today:
SCOTT GAMMON
Age: 48
Howard Beach, QueensThe Defendants Awaiting Sentencing
CHRISTOPHER KING
Age: 37
Oceanside, New YorkNATASHA KHAN
Age: 39
Elmont, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No.: 22-CR-85 (JMA)
Previously Removed Felon and Mexican National Sentenced to Two and a Half Years for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – A Mexican national and previously convicted felon was sentenced to 30 months in prison for illegal reentry on January 9, 2023.
According to court documents, Adan Leija-Gutierrez, 36, of Mexico was arrested by the Mobile Police Department (MPD) for burglary first degree on July 16, 2022. United States Immigration Customs and Enforcement (ICE), Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) were alerted to the arrest and confirmed that Leija-Gutierrez had been previously removed from the United States in 2012 and 2017 following separate felony convictions.Leija-Gutierrez had been previously convicted in 2012 in North Carolina for indecent exposure by a defendant over the age of 18 with the victim being under the age of 16. In 2017, Leija-Gutierrez was convicted of illegal reentry in North Carolina. ICE/ERO confirmed that Leija-Gutierrez did not have legal permission to be in the United States at the time of his arrest for burglary by MPD.
Upon release from prison, Leija-Gutierrez was ordered to be delivered to an immigration official for deportation consideration.
U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement.The United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations and the Mobile Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin D. Kopf prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl Lands Broward County Dealer in PrisonRead the Press Release
MIAMI – Cast Lucas, 36, of Deerfield Beach, Fla., has been sentenced to 10 years in prison as a career offender by Federal District Judge William P. Dimitrouleas for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
Lucas received an enhanced sentence for having at least two prior felony convictions for controlled substance offenses. On two separate occasions he had been convicted of possession of cocaine with intent to distribute.
On August 18, 2022, Lucas went to a Deerfield Beach gas station to sell fentanyl to a confidential informant. Prior to the attempted sale, law enforcement followed Lucas to the gas station and arrested him. At the time of his arrest, law enforcement recovered fentanyl from Lucas.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe of the Southern District of Florida and Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Miami Field Division, made the announcement.
DEA, West Palm Beach Office, investigated this case with assistance from Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office and Broward Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Shannon O’Shea Darsch prosecuted it.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
Peru Man Convicted of Firearm OffenseRead the Press Release
SOUTH BEND – Curtis Birner, 37 years old, of Peru, Indiana, was found guilty following a two-day jury trial presided over by United States District Court Judge Robert L. Miller, Jr., announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.
Birner was found guilty of the single-count Indictment charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm in October 2021.
Birner will be scheduled for sentencing by separate order of the Court. Any specific sentence to be imposed will be determined by the District Court Judge after consideration of federal statutes and the United States Sentencing Guidelines.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with the assistance of the Peru Police Department and the Miami County Sheriff’s Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jerome W. McKeever and Katelan Doyle.
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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Partner in Mumbai-Based Prescription Drug Company Sentenced for $3.5 Million Drug Smuggling ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A partner in a Mumbai-based prescription drug company was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for operating an overseas pharmacy that sold unapproved prescription drugs and controlled substances, including opioids, and shipped them from Asia into the United States.
Manish Kumar, 34, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mark L. Wolf to 87 months in prison and three months of supervised release. Manish was also ordered to pay a fine of $100,000. In October 2022, Kumar pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to import misbranded prescription drugs and controlled substances; conspiracy to distribute Schedule II and Schedule IV controlled substances; and one count of making false statements to federal officers.
Kumar was a partner in Mihu Business Solutions Pvt., Ltd., a Mumbai-based drug company which he operated through multiple entities, including “All Herb Distributors,” “365 Life Group,” and “Health Life 365 Co.” From at least 2015 until 2019, when Kumar was arrested on unrelated charges, Kumar used these entities to ship millions of illegal and unapproved prescription pills into the United States to individuals who did not have prescriptions. Specifically, Kumar trafficked prescription drugs including generic erectile dysfunction drugs, and Schedule II controlled substances, such as hydrocodone, oxycodone and tapentadol, and Schedule IV controlled substances, such as tramadol.
Kumar’s operation directly marketed drugs to customers in the United States through advertising and calls to prospective customers from call centers in India. As part of the conspiracy, Kumar personally directed and managed shipments of drugs from drug suppliers in Singapore and India into Massachusetts and other states. In total, Kumar’s drug business generated more than $3.5 million in revenue and shipped millions of illegal and unapproved pills into the United States to individuals who did not have prescriptions. After his arrest, Kumar made false statements to law enforcement in February 2020 about his involvement in the sale of controlled substances.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division; and Joleen D. Simpson, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Office of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kriss Basil of Rollins’ Securities, Financial, & Cyber Fraud Unit prosecuted the case.
Owner of Two Northeast Ohio Businesses Sentenced to Prison for PPP Loan FraudRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – The owner of two corporations in Solon and Highland Heights, Ohio, was sentenced on Friday, Jan. 13, 2023, to 15 months in prison and ordered to pay $195,900.34 in restitution to the Small Business Administration (SBA) by U.S. District Judge Pamela A. Barker after he pleaded guilty to his role in a conspiracy to unlawfully obtain Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) loans.
According to court documents, Deon D. Levy, 52, of Bedford, Ohio, was part of a larger, nationwide scheme in which co-conspirators submitted to the SBA fraudulent PPP loan applications, including applications for Levy’s businesses in Solon and Highland Heights. Court documents state that the loan applications submitted by Levy and the other co-conspirators included falsified bank statements and payroll tax forms, among other things, and falsely and fraudulently represented the borrowing entities’ operations and finances, including the number of employees and amount of monthly payroll.
Court records show that the loan application for Levy’s business were submitted by co-conspirators James Richard Stote and Ross Charno. In return for their work on the application, Levy sent a kickback of approximately 25% of the amount of the PPP loan secured. As a result, Levy and the other co-defendants caused the SBA to issue two loans worth approximately $875,000 to accounts controlled by Levy.
James Richard Stote was sentenced to 10 years in prison, and Ross Charno was sentenced to two years in prison for their roles in the scheme to submit fraudulent applications for more than $35 million in PPP loans.
This case was investigated by the Cleveland FBI, IRS CI (Criminal Investigation), and the SBA Office of the Inspector General (SBA OIG). This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elliot Morrison for the Northern District of Ohio.
North Augusta man sentenced to prison for drug traffickingRead the Press Release
AUGUSTA, GA: A South Carolina man with a substantial history of drug-trafficking convictions has been sentenced to more than a decade in federal prison.
Maurice Antwain Diggs, 43, of North Augusta, S.C., was sentenced to 151 months in prison after previously pleading guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, Heroin, and Marijuana, and Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine and Heroin, said David H. Estes, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. U.S. District Court Chief Judge J. Randal Hall also ordered Diggs to pay a $2,000 fine and to serve three years of supervised release after completion of his prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Maurice Diggs’ long history of illegal activity is encapsulated in this case in which he was arrested on drug and gun charges while awaiting trial from a previous arrest for guns and drugs,” said U.S. Attorney Estes. “It is abundantly clear that he isn’t interested in obeying the law, so the community is safer with him behind bars.”
As described in court documents and proceedings, Richmond County Sheriff’s deputies searched an Augusta apartment occupied by Diggs in October 2019 and found large amounts of drugs and drug-use paraphernalia, along with several thousand dollars in cash and multiple firearms. Diggs was awaiting trial on state charges from that search when a subsequent search in October 2020 of his Augusta motel room found more drugs, guns and cash. Diggs later was indicted on federal charges related to both searches, and subsequently entered a guilty plea on two of the felony charges.
“The Richmond County Sheriff’s Office is committed to working with our federal partners in the prosecution of cases where subjects do not take advantage of opportunities of rehabilitation that are afforded to them when they make the choice to break the law,” said Sheriff Richard Roundtree. “We hope these prosecutions will be a deterrent to any subjects who are in Richmond County or travel to our county for the purpose of distributing illegal drugs. If you are discovered, you will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
“This case exemplifies our commitment to prevent drug violence and criminal activity from poisoning our communities,” said Beau Kolodka, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. “It also sends a clear message that we will relentlessly pursue and prosecute the leaders and members of these violent drug enterprises.”
The case was investigated by the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant District Attorneys Jennifer A. Stanley and Tara M. Lyons.
New York Man Sentenced in Fraudulent Prize Notice Mail Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
A Queens man was sentenced for participating in a scheme to mail fraudulent prize notices that tricked consumers into paying fees for falsely promised cash prizes.
Scott Gammon, 48, of Broad Channel, New York, was sentenced today to 36 months in prison, followed by two years of supervised release. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Joan M. Azrack, who also ordered Gammon to forfeit $139,611.97.
According to court documents, from August 2014 through August 2019, Gammon engaged in a direct-mail scheme that sent fraudulent prize notification mailings to thousands of consumers. The mailings induced consumers to pay a fee, purportedly in return for a large cash prize. None of the consumers who sent a fee ever received such a prize.
“Participants in fraud schemes face the prospect of federal prison,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The Department of Justice is committed to protecting elderly and vulnerable Americans and to prosecuting individuals who engage in such schemes.”
“Financially exploiting the elderly and other victims through fraudulent prize schemes is a form of abuse and deserving of punishment as today’s sentence demonstrates,” said U.S. Attorney Breon Peace for the Eastern District of New York. “A term in prison should deter others from preying on the vulnerable.”
“Today’s sentencing brings to a close the investigation of Mr. Gammon, who devised a fake prize promotion scheme designed to defraud older Americans and steal from those who believed they had won a prize,” said Inspector in Charge Daniel B. Brubaker of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) New York Division. “Unfortunately, for those who participated, they realized too late that they had been swindled. When a prize did not materialize, and their money was not returned, they became victims. Postal Inspectors remind consumers to be ever vigilant and play an active role in protecting their money. If you’re asked to pay for a prize you didn’t enter to win, it’s a scam.”
Two other defendants also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud for participating in the scheme. Christopher King, 37, of Oceanside, New York, and Natasha Khan, 39, of Elmont, New York, are scheduled to be sentenced at a later date.
The USPIS investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Daniel Zytnick and Timothy Finley of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch and Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles P. Kelly for the Eastern District of New York are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tanisha Payne for the Eastern District of New York's Asset Recovery Section is handling forfeiture matters.
The department’s extensive and broad-based efforts to combat elder fraud seek to halt the widespread losses seniors suffer from fraud schemes. The best method for prevention, however, is by sharing information about the various types of elder fraud schemes with relatives, friends, neighbors, and other seniors who can use that information to protect themselves.
If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is available at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This Department of Justice hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, is staffed by experienced professionals who provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies, and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud, and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is staffed seven days a week from 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. ET. English, Spanish and other languages are available.
Additional information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts may be found at www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. Information about the Department of Justice’s Elder Fraud Initiative is available at www.justice.gov/elderjustice.
New Jersey Man Sentenced to Prison for Transporting Stolen Vehicles from PA to New JerseyRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA - A resident of Mount Laurel, New Jersey, has been sentenced in federal court to three years imprisonment followed by three years of supervised release on his conviction of interstate transportation of stolen motor vehicles, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
Senior United States District Judge David S. Cercone imposed the sentence on Herbert Lee White, age 51.
According to information presented to the court, on several occasions between January of 2016 and December of 2018, White traveled from New Jersey to retail dealerships in Pennsylvania and Maryland for the purpose of stealing heavy equipment and utility vehicles from those dealerships and then transported the stolen items to New Jersey to be sold there.
Judge Cercone also ordered restitution in the amount of $145,000 to be paid to victims and their insurance companies.
Assistant United States Attorney Shaun E. Sweeney prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Chung commended the Pennsylvania State Police Western Regional Auto Theft Task Force and the Federal Bureau of Investigation for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of White.
New Haven Man Who Crashed Minivan into DEA Special Agents Charged with Narcotics Distribution OffenseRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England, and New Haven Police Chief Karl Jacobson announced that a federal grand jury in Hartford returned an indictment today charging DERRICK BROCK, also known as “Dereck Brock,” 36, of New Haven with a fentanyl and crack cocaine distribution offense.
As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, on January 10, 2023, at approximately 5:20 a.m., members of the DEA’s New Haven Task Force and New Haven Police Department conducting surveillance encountered Brock in a minivan that was parked on Elliott Street in New Haven. Brock was suspected of distributing narcotics from the minivan, and a registration query of the license plate information on the vehicle revealed no record. When a law enforcement vehicle activated its siren and emergency lights in an attempt to stop him, Brock drove away at a high-rate of speed through stop sticks that successfully deflated the minivan’s tires before he crashed head-on into a vehicle being operated by two DEA special agents. Brock exited the minivan and ran from the scene, but was apprehended in the backyard of a residence on Orchard Street. A search of Brock’s person and vehicle revealed distribution quantities of fentanyl and crack cocaine.
The two DEA special agents, and Brock, were transported to the hospital for injuries sustained in the crash.
The indictment charges Brock with one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine base (“crack”), an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.
Brock has been detained since January 10.
U.S. Attorney Avery stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This matter is being investigated by the DEA’s New Haven Task Force, the New Haven Police Department, ATF and the Connecticut State Police. The DEA Task New Haven Task Force includes personnel from the DEA, U.S. Marshals Service, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division, Connecticut State Police and the New Haven, Hamden, West Haven, North Haven, East Haven, Branford, Ansonia, Meriden, Derby, Middletown, Naugatuck and Waterbury Police Departments. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan Keefe.
New Cumberland Woman Sentenced to 6 Months’ Imprisonment for CyberstalkingRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG—The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Amy Kruleski, age 40, of New Cumberland, Pennsylvania, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Court Judge Jennifer P. Wilson to 6 months’ imprisonment for cyberstalking.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Kruleski previously admitted to harassing and intimidating two individuals in May 2018 through an electronic communication service. Over three days, Kruleski made numerous phone calls to those individuals, pretending to be a family member, and claiming to have been kidnapped. During the calls, Kruleski claimed that she had been drugged, beaten, and sexually assaulted. Law enforcement confirmed relatively quickly, however, that the person Kruleski was purporting to be had not been kidnapped and was safe.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carlo D. Marchioli prosecuted the case.
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N.Y. Man Pleads Guilty for Role in $4 Million Extortion SchemeRead the Press Release
Defendant’s Brothers, Father and Mother Already Have Been Sentenced
WASHINGTON –Corry Blue Evans, 30, of New York, N.Y., pleaded guilty today to one count of bank fraud, stemming from a $4 million fraud, extortion, and money laundering scheme that involved multiple members of the defendant’s family. The guilty plea was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Special Agent in Charge Wayne A. Jacobs, of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division.
In April 2018, a federal grand jury indicted Evans and his older brothers Tony John Evans and Robert Evans, parents Archie Kaslov and Candy Evans, and Robert Evans’ common-law ex-wife Gina Rita Russell on various charges.
As part of the scheme, a New York woman conspired with Russell, Tony John Evans, Robert Evans, Corry Blue Evans, and Kaslov to extort money and gold bars from a Maryland man, which caused the man to embezzle funds from his employer between January 2017 and March 2017. The man converted embezzled funds to cash and gold bars. He delivered the money and gold bars to New York drop-off locations, including a hotel room, believing the funds were going to mobsters to whom the New York woman owed money. At one point during the scheme, Tony John Evans spoke to the man on the phone and threatened him by asking if he needed to remind the man where his kids went to school and where the man lived.
In reality, all of the funds the man embezzled and delivered to New York went to members of the Evans-Kaslov family. Among other things, in January 2017, Corry Evans helped facilitate the cashing of hundreds of thousands of dollars in cashier’s checks obtained with stolen funds. He admitted that he called a check cashing store employee multiple times for the purpose of convincing him that the New York woman, who was attempting to cash the checks, wanted money for her own purposes even though Corry Evans knew that was false and that he and his family members would ultimately take the cash. Indeed, after the New York woman successfully cashed hundreds of thousands of dollars in checks at the check cashing store, she provided all of the money to the Evans brothers. Archie Kaslov then drove the brothers to the New York diamond district where Kaslov and others used criminal proceeds to purchase luxury watches.
In late January 2017, the Maryland man traveled to New York to deliver approximately $500,000 in cash. In conjunction with that delivery, members of the Evans/Kaslov family briefly followed the Maryland man’s vehicle and took a photo of it, which was then shared with the Maryland man to terrify him into believing he was being actively surveilled by the mafia. After the Maryland man delivered the $500,000 in cash to a hotel room, some of the money ended up being transported to Corry Evans’ residence.
Towards the end of March 2017, the Maryland man delivered well over one million dollars in gold bars to a hotel room in New York. Corry Evans, his brothers, and father all discussed the need to sell the gold. Corry Evans subsequently went to a jewelry store in New York with a sample of the gold, trying to sell it. Later, his brothers, father, and he all sold gold to that jeweler.
In May 2017, Corry Evans and his father traveled to Texas, where Kaslov used proceeds from the crime to pay $315,000 in cash for a Rolls Royce Phantom Drophead.
The Honorable Tanya S. Chutkan accepted Corry Evans’ guilty plea and scheduled sentencing for June 9, 2023. As part of the plea agreement, the parties estimated that federal sentencing guidelines will recommend that Corry Evans be sentenced to between 33 and 41 months in prison. He also faces financial penalties.
Corry Evans is the last Evans/Kaslov family member to plead guilty. Gina Russell, Tony John Evans, and Robert Evans all pleaded guilty to interference with interstate commerce by extortion. The Honorable Emmet G. Sullivan, who presided over this case before it was transferred to Judge Chutkan, sentenced Tony John Evans, 34, and Robert Evans, 35, to five years in prison. Russell, 34, has not yet been sentenced.
Archie Kaslov, 56, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Judge Sullivan sentenced him to 30 months in prison.
Candy Evans, 53, pleaded guilty to tampering with a witness by corrupt persuasion or misleading conduct. Judge Sullivan sentenced her to one year and a day in prison.
In announcing the guilty plea, U.S. Attorney Graves and Special Agent in Charge Jacobs commended the work of those who investigated the case from the FBI’s Washington Field Office Criminal Division. They expressed appreciation for assistance provided by the U.S. Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General. They also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorneys Diane Lucas and Arvind Lal, who assisted with forfeiture issues, Assistant U.S. Attorneys Oliver McDaniel and Melissa Goforth Koenig, who assisted with restraining funds that Candy Evans attempted to dissipate between the date of her guilty plea and sentencing, Forensic Accountant Bryan Snitselaar, and former Paralegal Specialists Jessica Mundi, Brittany Phillips, Stephanie Frijas, Kristy Penny, and Joshua Fein.
Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Kondi Kleinman and former Assistant U.S. Attorney David Kent for investigating and prosecuting the case.
Middletown Man Enters Guilty Plea to Tampering with Clean Air Act Devices in Diesel TrucksRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, Del. – David C. Weiss, U.S. Attorney for the District of Delaware, announced today that a Middletown man entered a guilty plea yesterday to tampering with devices required by the federal Clean Air Act. The Honorable Richard G. Andrews, U.S. District Judge for the District of Delaware, accepted the plea.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Gordon W. Lindamood, 47, tampered with the onboard diagnostic systems (OBDs) of diesel trucks. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has established maximum air pollutant emission standards for motor vehicles. In order to meet those standards and in compliance with the Clean Air Act, manufacturers equip motor vehicles with emission control devices that are monitored by computer software in the vehicles’ OBDs. This software, often referred to as a “tune,” detects and identifies malfunctions, illuminating a light on the vehicle’s dashboard.
Emission control devices operate to protect the environment at the expense of horsepower and fuel efficiency. Ordinarily, when a diesel truck owner removes a factory-installed emission control device, the truck’s OBD automatically renders the truck inoperable. Defendant Lindamood illegally solved this problem.
Operating from his home, Lindamood custom-altered software tunes for trucks where the owner previously removed a factory-installed emission control device, and he sold these tunes to customers throughout the United States. Lindamood’s tunes enabled diesel trucks to operate without emission control devices.
The EPA Air Enforcement Division (AED) estimates that the installation of such software results in ten to one hundred times more air pollution emissions from each altered diesel truck. These pollutants are harmful to human health and the environment.
U.S. Attorney Weiss stated, “The criminal conduct here is not insignificant. EPA estimates that over 550,000 diesel truck owners have disabled vehicle emissions controls in the past decade – leading to over 575,000 tons of excess air pollutants over the lifetime of those trucks. Everyone suffers when our air quality is degraded. I wish to recognize EPA’s efforts in investigating this case.”
“The defendant knowingly tampered with and rendered inaccurate emissions control devices required under the Clean Air Act, which affected the air quality of nearby communities,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge, Richard Conrad, EPA, Criminal Investigation Division, Mid Central Area Branch. EPA continues to hold accountable those parties who willingly violate environmental regulations for profit.”
The case was investigated by the EPA-CID and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Edmond Falgowski.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the District of Delaware or on PACER by searching for Case No. 22-124 RGA.
McKean County Man Sentenced for Impersonating a United States MarshalRead the Press Release
-ERIE, Pa. – A resident of Smethport, Pennsylvania pleaded guilty and was sentenced in federal court to 6 months of probation on his conviction of possessing a fake United States Marshal badge and impersonating a Deputy United States Marshal, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
United States District Judge Susan Paradise Baxter imposed the sentence on Ernest Lathrop, Sr., 60.
According to information presented to the court, Lathrop falsely portrayed himself as a Deputy United States Marshal and during his false impersonation possessed a fake United States Marshal badge.
Assistant United States Attorney Christian A. Trabold prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Chung commended the United States Marshal’s Service and the Pennsylvania State Police for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Lathrop.
Massachusetts Man Sentenced to 12 Months for Conspiracy to Steal FirearmsRead the Press Release
CONCORD – William Guerrero, 21, of Brighton, Massachusetts was sentenced to 12 months in federal prison today for conspiring to steal firearms from a New Hampshire Federal Firearm Licensee, United States Attorney Jane E. Young announced.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on January 23, 2022, Guerrero drove a stolen vehicle into the parking lot of Shooters Outpost, a Federal Firearm Licensee in Hooksett, New Hampshire. Surveillance footage shows Guerrero and three other men attempting to get into the store by smashing a window by the rear door. The previous day, using the same stolen vehicle, three of the four men attempted to gain access to three other Federal Firearm Licensees in New Hampshire. Following his arrest, a search of Guerrero’s telephones revealed a conversation in which he and his co-conspirators discussed breaking into gun stores.
“Those who conspire to come to New Hampshire to commit serious crimes such as these involving firearms, will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” said U.S. Attorney Young. “Stopping the flow of stolen firearms into our communities remains a priority for this office.”
“When criminals break into licensed gun dealers, or even attempt to break into a licensed gun dealer, so that they can steal firearms, ATF will laser focus on these criminals to ensure that they are brought to justice. These stolen firearms are often used to fuel the gun violence in our communities and ATF, along with its partner agencies, will do whatever it takes to end the cycle of violence.”, said ATF Special Agent in Charge James Ferguson.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with assistance from the Andover Police Department, the Brentwood Police Department, the Haverhill Police Department, the Lawrence Police Department, the Massachusetts State Police, the Methuen Police Department, the Milford Police Department, the New Hampshire State Police, the Rockingham County Sheriff’s Office, the Salem (NH) Police Department, the Somersworth Police Department, the Saugus Police Department, the Wellesley Police Department, and the Windham Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anna Z. Krasinski and John J. Kennedy
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Man Pleads Guilty to Committing Multi-Million-Dollar Fraud Against Medicare by Selling Bogus Orders for Medical EquipmentRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that MATTHEW TAYLOR WITKOWSKI pled guilty today to a one-count criminal Information charging him with conspiracy to commit health care fraud. WITKOWSKI is scheduled to be sentenced on April 20, 2023, before United States District Judge Denise Cote.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Medicare is a valuable, taxpayer-funded program designed to provide affordable health care to people over 65 or with disabilities, not to enrich those who would seek to benefit themselves through fraud. Today, Matthew Taylor Witkowski admitted to illegally selling orders for durable medical equipment, which were used to bilk Medicare out of millions of dollars.”
According to the Information, statements made in court, and other publicly filed documents in this case:
From at least August 2019 through the date of his arrest in July 2022, WITKOWSKI and a co-conspirator (“CC-1”) engaged in a scheme to defraud Medicare by illegally obtaining and selling fraudulent written orders for goods and services paid for by Medicare, including for durable medical equipment (“DME”). Using a call center that he owned and operated in the Dominican Republic, WITKOWSKI illegally generated and purchased fraudulent written orders for DME and then sold those fraudulent orders to pharmacies and DME suppliers, including in New York City. Those pharmacies and DME suppliers then used those fraudulent orders as the basis for more than $8 million in fraudulent claims to Medicare. Many of these fraudulent orders used names and personal health information of actual Medicare beneficiaries, without the beneficiaries’ authorization or prior knowledge. Many of these fraudulent orders also contained professional information of doctors and other health-care providers enrolled in the Medicare program, as well as the purported electronic signatures of these providers, which were falsified and created without the authorization or knowledge of these providers.
During the course of the scheme, WITKOWSKI took more than $4 million in illegal kickbacks from DME suppliers, who made these payments to True Prospects Marketing, Inc., a company controlled by Witkowski and CC-1, and to Sales Drive Marketing LLC, a company owned and controlled by WITKOWSKI.
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WITKOWSKI, 37, an American citizen who has been residing in the Dominican Republic, and is currently on bail in Florida, pled guilty today to a single count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud. That charge carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.
The maximum potential sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the sentencing judge.
Mr. Williams praised the investigative work of the Office of the Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Raymond Lewis is in charge of the prosecution.
Madison Man Sentenced to 60 Months for Illegal Gun PossessionRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Alexander Jefferson-Cooper, 29, Madison, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 60 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a felon. This prison term will be followed by a 3-year term of supervised release.
The Fitchburg Police Department began its investigation into Jefferson-Cooper after he was named the suspect in a shooting that occurred in Fitchburg on September 29, 2021. The victim of this shooting, a former girlfriend of the defendant, reported her car had been shot after an online argument with the defendant. During the course of this investigation, officers executed a search warrant at a residence in Oregon, Wisconsin on October 5, 2021, where Jefferson-Cooper was residing at the time. Officers located a number of firearms in the residence, including a Walther 9mm handgun. Through ballistics testing, officers determined the Walther 9mm handgun had been used to commit the September 29 shooting. Further, a review of the defendant’s cellphone and public Facebook posts revealed that he had posted photos and videos of himself holding this handgun on September 7, 2021.
Jefferson-Cooper was charged in connection with the September 29, 2021 shooting in Dane County Case 2022CF811. He was sentenced in that case to 6 months in jail on November 29, 2022.
At the time of the offense in this case, Jefferson-Cooper was prohibited from possessing firearms as a result of multiple felony convictions, including a 2016 conviction for keeping a place of prostitution.
The charge against Jefferson-Cooper was the result of an investigation conducted by the Fitchburg Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Taylor L. Kraus prosecuted this case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Madison Man Receives 6-Year Prison Term for Distributing Heroin & Fentanyl and Possessing Firearms in Furtherance of Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Michael S. Murphy, 48, Madison, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 6 years for distributing heroin and fentanyl and possessing firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking. Murphy pleaded guilty to these offenses on October 11, 2022.
In October and November of 2021, law enforcement conducted several controlled buys of heroin using an undercover officer. Through surveillance, law enforcement determined that Murphy was the supplier for the dealer involved in these buys. Based on this information, law enforcement obtained a search warrant for Murphy’s home. There, they found over 100 grams of heroin laced with fentanyl, over 20 grams of cocaine, and a quantity of crack cocaine. They also found a 9 mm handgun with a loaded magazine inserted, a .45 caliber handgun, another 9 mm handgun with the serial number scratched off, and 94 unspent rounds of ammunition.
Judge Peterson said that a 6-year prison sentence was necessary to reflect the seriousness of Murphy’s conduct. He highlighted that the type of drugs involved, particularly fentanyl, are deadly and present grave risks to the community. He also noted that the firearms, one of which was loaded, presented additional dangers. Under statute, the firearms charge required a mandatory minimum 5-year prison sentence. Judge Peterson said additional time beyond the mandatory minimum was needed to address the entirety of the conduct involved.
The charges against Murphy were the result of an investigation conducted by the Dane County Narcotics Task Force and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Steven P. Anderson and Anita Marie Boor prosecuted this case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Lexington Man Sentenced to 480 Months for Production and Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky.— A Lexington man, Justin Tyler Ainslie, 25, was sentenced to 480 months in federal prison on Thursday, by U.S. District Judge Karen Caldwell, for the production and distribution of child pornography.
According to the Ainslie’s plea agreement, starting in June 2020, law enforcement received two cyber tips about an online user who had uploaded child sexual abuse material to social media platforms. A search of Ainslie’s residence resulted in the seizure of multiple electronic devices that contained 11,524 images and 1,501 videos of child sexual abuse material. The production charge was based upon a review of Ainslie’s phone that revealed photos that Ainslie admitted to taking. The photos depicted child sexual abuse material of minor females.
Ainslie was originally indicted in Eastern District of Kentucky (EDKY) for the distribution of child pornography charge and then charged in the Western District of Kentucky (WDKY) for production of child pornography. Ainslie consented to a transfer of the WDKY charges to the EDKY for his guilty plea and sentencing.
Ainslie pleaded guilty in March 2022.
Under federal law, Ainslie must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for life. Additionally, Ainslie will be required to pay $138,500 in restitution.
Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Jerry Templet, Special Agent in Charge, Department of Homeland Security - Homeland Security Investigations; and Chief Lawrence Weathers, Lexington Police Department, jointly announced the sentencing.
The investigation was conducted by the Department of Homeland Security - Homeland Security Investigations and Lexington Police Department. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Roth.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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Le ministère de la Justice résout la question d'accès linguistique concernant la Cour suprême de LouisianeRead the Press Release
Note : Ce communiqué de presse a été traduit dans différentes langues. Voir les pièces jointes ci-dessous.
Le Ministère de la Justice a annoncé aujourd’hui la résolution d’une affaire impliquant le Tribunal suprême de Louisiane (Louisiana Supreme Court, LASC) en se fondant sur les actions prises par le LASC pour améliorer l’accès aux procédures et opérations judiciaires des tribunaux d’État pour les personnes ayant une connaissance limitée de l’anglais (limited English proficiency, LEP).
En mai 2019, le Ministère de la Justice et le LASC avaient passé un Mémorandum d'accord (Memorandum of Agreement, MOA) dans le cadre d’une plainte déposée en vertu du chapitre VI de la Loi sur les droits civils de 1964 (Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, Title VI). Title VI est une loi fédérale qui interdit toute discrimination basée sur la race, la couleur, et l’origine nationale à tous les bénéficiaires d’une aide financière fédérale, y compris les tribunaux d’État. Depuis la signature du MOA, la LASC a pris un certain nombre de mesures correctives pour améliorer l’accès des usagers LEP des tribunaux dans toute la Louisiane.
« Les tribunaux de l’ensemble de notre pays doivent veiller à ce que leurs portes soient ouvertes à tous, y compris aux personnes ayant une connaissance limitée de l’anglais, » a déclaré Kristen Clarke, procureure générale adjointe du Département des droits civils du Ministère de la Justice. « Nous continuerons à travailler pour nous assurer que les tribunaux, tels que le Tribunal suprême de Louisiane, disposent des politiques, pratiques, interprètes et autres ressources indispensables pour garantir l’accès à la justice des personnes ayant une connaissance limitée de l’anglais. »
« Par ses actions, le Tribunal suprême de Louisiane a montré son engagement en faveur de l’accès aux tribunaux d’État de Louisiane des personnes LEP, » a affirmé Duane A. Evans, procureur des États-Unis pour le district est de la Louisiane. « Mon bureau s’engage à combattre toutes les formes de discrimination, y compris la discrimination à l’encontre des personnes LEP. »
Le LASC a pris un certain nombre de mesures pour élaborer et mettre en place un programme d’accès linguistique et pour élargir la disponibilité des services d’assistance linguistique pour les personnes LEP en Louisiane. Le LASC a établi un Office of Language Access (Bureau d’accès linguistique) et adopté le premier Language Access Plan (plan d’accès linguistique) pour les tribunaux de Louisiane. Le LASC a également créé et centralisé un système de plainte concernant l’accès linguistique avec un formulaire de plainte en ligne en plusieurs langues autres que l’anglais. Pour le personnel des tribunaux, le LASC a développé des programmes de formation sur l’accès linguistique, des directives axées sur l’accès aux interprètes judiciaires et d’autres ressources en matière d’accès linguistique. Par ailleurs, le LASC a milité avec succès en faveur de la modification d’une loi d’État qui autorisait les tribunaux à facturer aux personnes LEP le coût d’un interprète, puis a adopté un nouveau règlement du tribunal fondé sur ce changement de législation de l’État.
Cette affaire a été menée conjointement par la Civil Rights Division (Département des droits civils) du Ministère de la Justice et le Bureau du procureur des États-Unis du district est de la Louisiane. Des informations complémentaires sur la Civil Rights Division sont disponibles sur son site Web à l’adresse www.justice.gov/crt et des ressources sur la connaissance limitée de l’anglais et le Title VI sont disponibles à l’adresse www.lep.gov. Les citoyens peuvent signaler toute éventuelle violation des droits civils à l’adresse https://civilrights.justice.gov/report/.
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Lawrence Man Convicted of Threatening U.S. CongressmanRead the Press Release
TOPEKA, KAN. – A federal jury convicted a Kansas man today for making death threats against a United States congressman.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Chase Neill, 32, of Lawrence was found guilty of one count of threatening to murder U.S. Representative Jake LaTurner of Kansas.
Neill is scheduled to be sentenced on April 11, 2023 at 9 a.m. and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The U.S. Capitol Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Skip Jacobs and Steve Hunting are prosecuting the case.
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Laurel Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Hattiesburg, Miss. – A Laurel man was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Brad L. Byerley of the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Michael Anthony Brown, 50, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Hattiesburg.
According to court documents, in January of 2022, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Brown’s Laurel residence. Inside the home, they recovered 1.7 kilograms of methamphetamine.
Brown was indicted by a federal grand jury on February 8, 2022. He pled guilty on September 28, 2022, to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Agency, Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, and Jones County Sheriff’s Office.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Erica Rose.
La Quarenta gang drug dealers sent to prison for poly-drug conspiracyRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – Two Corpus Christi men have been ordered to federal prison for conspiring to possess with intent to distribute meth, heroin and cocaine, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Ricky Reyna, 36, and Jayden Wandell Coleman, 20, pleaded guilty Oct. 20, 2021, and Jan. 27, 2022, respectfully.
Today, U.S. District Judge David S. Morales ordered Reyna to serve a total of 300 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence that Reyna, a member of the La Quarenta street gang, ran a 24/7 narcotics storefront that sold heroin, meth, cocaine, crack-cocaine and synthetic marijuana.
Coleman was previously sentenced April 20, 2022, and was ordered to serve a 121-month term of imprisonment. A fourth member of the conspiracy, Fernando Martinez, 44, also pleaded guilty on Nov. 23, 2021, and is scheduled to be sentenced March 15.
“Today’s sentence sends a strong message that our office will relentlessly work toward dismantling and disrupting local street gangs such as La Quarenta,” said Hamdani. “Criminal activity in our community is all too often fueled by drug traffickers, particularly those affiliated with these such groups.”
The investigation began in September 2020. It revealed the narcotics trafficking organization used a Corpus Christi residence on Cortez Street to distribute meth, heroin, crack and marijuana. Authorities observed Reyna, Martinez, and Coleman entering and exiting the drug stash house as various times and directing people to the residence. The conspiracy spanned from Sept. 6, 2020 to Aug. 26, 2021.
Over the course of the investigation, law enforcement observed a high amount of foot traffic approach and enter the residence, stay for a few minutes and then exit the area. Traffic stops resulted in the seizure of narcotics they had obtained from the drug stash house.
Authorities also executed search warrants at four residences and a storage yard in August 2021. They ultimately found a total of over five kilograms of cocaine, over four kilograms of meth, more than two kilograms of heroin; nearly 200 grams of crack and 13 kilograms of marijuana and over a hundred thousand dollars, digital scales, a drug ledger, and loaded firearms and ammunition.
The investigation further revealed the men were in communication with each other regarding the purchase and sale of various narcotics for the duration of the conspiracy.
“The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) would like to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations, Corpus Christi Police Department’s Gang Unit and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) for their continued partnership and commitment to combating violent crime,” said Special Agent in Fred Milanowski. “As a result of our joint efforts, members of this criminal organization will no longer threaten our communities with their brazen acts of illegal activity.”
“Today’s sentencing is another step in the right direction in our collective effort to root out and eradicate the trafficking of illicit narcotics in the Corpus Christi community by gangs and other criminal elements, but there is much more work to do,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Mario Trevino, HSI - Corpus Christi. “HSI will continue to work alongside our law enforcement partners to aggressively pursue anyone who traffics these deadly substances to keep them from poisoning our children and destroying our local communities.”
Reyna will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Homeland Security Investigations and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation with the assistance of Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations and Corpus Christi Police Department’s Gang Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Marck prosecuted the case.
Justice Department Secures Agreement with Minnesota Staffing Agency to Resolve Immigration-Related Discrimination ClaimsRead the Press Release
Note: View the Spanish release here.
The Justice Department announced today that it has reached a settlement agreement with Corp IV Holdings Inc., doing business as Masterson Staffing Solutions (Masterson Staffing), a staffing company based in Minnesota. The agreement resolves the department’s determination that Masterson Staffing violated the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) by routinely discriminating against its non-U.S. citizen workers when checking their permission to work in the United States.
“When employees present legally acceptable documentation to demonstrate their permission to work, employers cannot demand different or additional documents because of the employees’ citizenship or immigration status,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department will continue the important work of ensuring that workers do not face unlawful barriers to employment.”
Under the terms of the agreement, Masterson Staffing will pay a civil penalty of $250,000 to the United States, and make $100,000 available for a back pay fund to compensate victims of Masterson Staffing’s alleged discriminatory practices. Additionally, Masterson Staffing will train staff on the INA’s anti-discrimination provision, modify its policies, and be subject to quarterly reporting requirements.
The department’s investigation determined that Masterson Staffing routinely required specific documents from newly-hired non-U.S. citizens to prove their permission to work in the United States even though Federal law allows workers to choose among legally acceptable documents, regardless of citizenship, immigration status, or national origin. Specifically, the department found that Masterson Staffing required lawful permanent residents to show their Permanent Resident Cards (sometimes known as green cards), and other non-U.S. citizens to show their Employment Authorization Documents (sometimes known as work permits). At least one asylee lost work because of this discriminatory practice. The department also found that Masterson Staffing routinely required certain lawful permanent residents to show unnecessary documents to prove their continued permission to work.
The INA’s anti-discrimination provision prohibits employers from asking for specific documents because of a worker’s citizenship, immigration status or national origin. Indeed, many non-U.S. citizens, including lawful permanent residents, refugees, and asylees, are eligible for several of the same types of documents to prove their permission to work as U.S. citizens (such as driver’s licenses and unrestricted Social Security cards). Employers must allow workers to present whatever acceptable documentation the workers choose and cannot reject valid documentation that reasonably appears to be genuine. In addition, if a lawful permanent resident provides an unexpired permanent resident card to prove their permission to work, employers must not request new documentation if the permanent resident card later expires. The INA prohibits employers from unnecessarily reverifying a worker’s permission to work.
The Civil Rights Division’s Immigrant and Employee Rights Section (IER) is responsible for enforcing the anti-discrimination provision of the INA. The statute prohibits discrimination based on citizenship status and national origin in hiring, firing or recruitment or referral for a fee; unfair documentary practices; and retaliation and intimidation.
Learn more about IER’s work and how to get assistance through this brief video. Find more information on how employers can avoid discrimination when verifying permission to work on IER’s website. Applicants or employees who believe they were discriminated against based on their citizenship, immigration status or national origin in hiring, firing, recruitment, or during the employment eligibility verification process (Form I-9 and E-Verify); or subjected to retaliation, may file a charge. The public can also call IER’s worker hotline at 1-800-255-7688 (1-800-237-2515, TTY for hearing impaired); call IER’s employer hotline at 1-800-255-8155 (1-800-237-2515, TTY for hearing impaired); email [email protected]; sign up for a free webinar; or visit IER’s English and Spanish websites. Subscribe to GovDelivery to receive updates from IER.
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Justice Department Resolves Language Access Matter Concerning Louisiana Supreme CourtRead the Press Release
Note: This press release has been translated into several languages. See the attached files.
The Justice Department announced today the resolution of a matter involving the Louisiana Supreme Court (LASC) based on actions LASC has taken to improve access to state court proceedings and operations for people with limited English proficiency (LEP).
In May 2019, the Justice Department and LASC entered into a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) to address a complaint under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VI). Title VI is a federal law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color and national origin by any recipients of federal financial assistance, including state courts. Since the MOA was signed, LASC has taken a number of remedial actions to improve access for court users across Louisiana who are LEP.
“Courts across our country must ensure that the courthouse door is open to all, including people with limited English proficiency,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “We will continue working to ensure that court systems, like the Louisiana Supreme Court, have the policies, practices, interpreters and other resources necessary to ensure access to justice for people with limited English proficiency.”
“With its actions, the Louisiana Supreme Court demonstrated a commitment to ensuring access to state courts in Louisiana for persons who are LEP,” said U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans for the Eastern District of Louisiana. “My office is committed to addressing all forms of discrimination, including discrimination against persons who are LEP.”
LASC has taken a number of actions to develop and implement a language access program and expand the availability of free language assistance services for people with LEP in Louisiana. LASC established an Office of Language Access and adopted the first Language Access Plan for Louisiana courts. LASC also created a centralized language access complaint system with an online complaint form in several non-English languages. For court staff, LASC developed training programs on language access, a judicial bench card focusing on access to court interpreters, and other language access resources. Further, LASC successfully advocated for a change to a state law that had allowed courts to charge people with LEP for the cost of an interpreter and then adopted new court rules based on that change in state law.
This matter was conducted jointly by the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana. Additional information about the Civil Rights Division is available on its website at www.justice.gov/crt, and information about limited English proficiency and Title VI is available at www.lep.gov. Members of the public may report possible civil rights violations at https://civilrights.justice.gov/report/.
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Justice Department Resolves Language Access Matter Concerning Louisiana Supreme CourtRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – The Justice Department announced today the resolution of a matter involving the Louisiana Supreme Court (LASC) based on actions LASC has taken to improve access to state court proceedings and operations for people with limited English proficiency (LEP).
In May 2019, the Justice Department and LASC entered into a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) to address a complaint under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VI). Title VI is a federal law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color and national origin by any recipients of federal financial assistance, including state courts. Since the MOA was signed, LASC has taken a number of remedial actions to improve access for court users across Louisiana who are LEP.
“Courts across our country must ensure that the courthouse door is open to all, including people with limited English proficiency,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “We will continue working to ensure that court systems, like the Louisiana Supreme Court, have the policies, practices, interpreters and other resources necessary to ensure access to justice for people with limited English proficiency.”
“With its actions, the Louisiana Supreme Court demonstrated a commitment to ensuring access to state courts in Louisiana for persons who are LEP,” said U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans for the Eastern District of Louisiana. “My office is committed to addressing all forms of discrimination, including discrimination against persons who are LEP.”
LASC has taken a number of actions to develop and implement a language access program and expand the availability of free language assistance services for people with LEP in Louisiana. LASC established an Office of Language Access and adopted the first Language Access Plan for Louisiana courts. LASC also created a centralized language access complaint system with an online complaint form in several non-English languages. For court staff, LASC developed training programs on language access, a judicial bench card focusing on access to court interpreters, and other language access resources. Further, LASC successfully advocated for a change to a state law that had allowed courts to charge people with LEP for the cost of an interpreter and then adopted new court rules based on that change in state law.
This matter was conducted jointly by the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana. Additional information about the Civil Rights Division is available on its website at www.justice.gov/crt, and information about limited English proficiency and Title VI is available at www.lep.gov. Members of the public may report possible civil rights violations at https://civilrights.justice.gov/report/.
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Justice Department Announces Colonel Hugh T. Clements, Jr. as Director of Office of Community Oriented Policing ServicesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Today, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland announced that Colonel Hugh T. Clements Jr. has been appointed to serve as the new Director of the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office). The COPS Office is the component of the Justice Department responsible for advancing the practice of community policing by the nation’s state, local, territorial, and Tribal law enforcement agencies through information and grant resources.
“The Department’s COPS Office is central to our efforts to strengthen the public trust between communities and law enforcement that is essential to public safety, and I am pleased to announce that Chief Hugh Clements, a nearly 40-year veteran of the Providence Police Department, will be serving as its next Director,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “I am confident that Chief Clements’s leadership will further enable the COPS Office to continue its important work to keep our communities safe and build trust and mutual respect between police and communities, and I look forward to working alongside him. I am deeply grateful to Rob Chapman for his leadership as Acting COPS Director, his contributions to community policing, and his continued service to the Justice Department.”
Mr. Clements joins the Justice Department after nearly 40 years with the Providence Police Department in Providence, Rhode Island. Mr. Clements started his distinguished public safety career as a night Patrol Officer in Providence’s Uniform Division. Over the next 17 years, he rose through the ranks, working in both the Special Investigations Bureau and the Detective Bureau, where he played active roles in several major investigations. He later served as Deputy Chief and was appointed as Acting Chief of Police in July 2011, and on Jan. 6, 2012, he was appointed as the 37th Chief of the Department and promoted to the rank of Colonel.
Mr. Clements has worked closely with major law enforcement, civil rights, and community organizations. He is the recipient of numerous commendations for outstanding police work and devotion to duty, including being recognized with the Providence Police Department Chief’s Award three times and the White House Champions of Change Award for Reducing Drug Use and Building a Healthier America.
Mr. Clements received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology from the University of Rhode Island and a Bachelor of Science degree in the Administration of Justice from Roger Williams University. He holds a Master of Science degree in criminal justice from Boston University. He attended many specialty schools throughout his career, including the New York State Police Williams Homicide School, the Illinois State Police Supervisor’s School, and the ATF National Gang School in California, and in 2005 he graduated from the Senior Management Institute for Police put on by the Harvard Kennedy School at Boston University.
The COPS Office is the federal component of the Department of Justice responsible for advancing community policing nationwide. The only Department of Justice agency with policing in its name, the COPS Office was established in 1994 and has been the cornerstone of the nation’s crime fighting strategy with grants, a variety of knowledge resource products, and training and technical assistance. Through the years, the COPS Office has become the go-to agency for law enforcement agencies across the country and continues to listen to the field and provide the resources that are needed to reduce crime and build trust between law enforcement and the communities served. The COPS Office has been appropriated more than $20 billion to advance community policing, including grants awarded to over 13,000 state, local, and Tribal law enforcement agencies to fund the hiring and redeployment of more than 136,000 officers.
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Justice Department Announces Colonel Hugh T. Clements Jr. as Director of Office of Community Oriented Policing ServicesRead the Press Release
Today, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland announced that Colonel Hugh T. Clements Jr. has been appointed to serve as the new Director of the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office). The COPS Office is the component of the Justice Department responsible for advancing the practice of community policing by the nation’s state, local, territorial, and Tribal law enforcement agencies through information and grant resources.
“The Department’s COPS Office is central to our efforts to strengthen the public trust between communities and law enforcement that is essential to public safety, and I am pleased to announce that Chief Hugh Clements, a nearly 40-year veteran of the Providence Police Department, will be serving as its next Director,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “I am confident that Chief Clements’s leadership will further enable the COPS Office to continue its important work to keep our communities safe and build trust and mutual respect between police and communities, and I look forward to working alongside him. I am deeply grateful to Rob Chapman for his leadership as Acting COPS Director, his contributions to community policing, and his continued service to the Justice Department.”
Mr. Clements joins the Justice Department after nearly 40 years with the Providence Police Department in Providence, Rhode Island. Mr. Clements started his distinguished public safety career as a night Patrol Officer in Providence’s Uniform Division. Over the next 17 years, he rose through the ranks, working in both the Special Investigations Bureau and the Detective Bureau, where he played active roles in several major investigations. He later served as Deputy Chief and was appointed as Acting Chief of Police in July 2011, and on Jan. 6, 2012, he was appointed as the 37th Chief of the Department and promoted to the rank of Colonel.
Mr. Clements has worked closely with major law enforcement, civil rights, and community organizations. He is the recipient of numerous commendations for outstanding police work and devotion to duty, including being recognized with the Providence Police Department Chief’s Award three times and the White House Champions of Change Award for Reducing Drug Use and Building a Healthier America.
Mr. Clements received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology from the University of Rhode Island and a Bachelor of Science degree in the Administration of Justice from Roger Williams University. He holds a Master of Science degree in criminal justice from Boston University. He attended many specialty schools throughout his career, including the New York State Police Williams Homicide School, the Illinois State Police Supervisor’s School, and the ATF National Gang School in California, and in 2005 he graduated from the Senior Management Institute for Police put on by the Harvard Kennedy School at Boston University.
The COPS Office is the federal component of the Department of Justice responsible for advancing community policing nationwide. The only Department of Justice agency with policing in its name, the COPS Office was established in 1994 and has been the cornerstone of the nation’s crime fighting strategy with grants, a variety of knowledge resource products, and training and technical assistance. Through the years, the COPS Office has become the go-to agency for law enforcement agencies across the country and continues to listen to the field and provide the resources that are needed to reduce crime and build trust between law enforcement and the communities served. The COPS Office has been appropriated more than $20 billion to advance community policing, including grants awarded to over 13,000 state, local, and Tribal law enforcement agencies to fund the hiring and redeployment of more than 136,000 officers.
Jury Convicts Bush Man of Attempting to Entice a MinorRead the Press Release
BENTON, Ill. – In a U.S. District Court on Wednesday, a federal jury returned a guilty verdict for a man from Bush, Illinois, accused of traveling to entice a minor into sexual activity.
Aimen Garro, 38, was convicted of traveling to entice a minor after conversing online and attempting to meet with an alleged 15-year-old girl, during an operation conducted by agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation in August 2020.
“Individuals who lurk online and try to entice children have a special place in society, and it’s called federal prison,” said U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe. “I appreciate the work of the FBI, the Illinois State Police, the Herrin Police Department, and the Marion Police Department to prevent Garro from grooming any other minors online.”
“Every time the FBI’s proactive effort investigating child predators puts another offender behind bars, we prevent an unknown number of children from being lured into a dangerous trap,” said FBI Springfield Field Office Acting Special Agent in Charge Shannon Fontenot. “The FBI and our law enforcement partners will always work tirelessly to ensure the safety of children.”
According to court documents and evidence presented during the trial, Garro responded to an online dating application and began sending messages to an undercover FBI agent in July 2020. Garro believed he was speaking with a 15-year-old girl, asked for nude photographs and used sexually-explicit language to plan meeting arrangements for the purpose of engaging in illegal sexual activity.
On Aug. 28, 2020, Garro traveled to Marion from DeSoto, Illinois, where he lived at the time, to meet with the girl but was taken into custody upon arrival.
Sentencing is scheduled for May 3, 2023.
FBI-Springfield led the investigation with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service, the Illinois State Police, the Herrin Police Department, and the Marion Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Casey Bloodworth and David Sanders are prosecuting the case.
Johnstown Man Pleads Guilty to Distribution of Crack CocaineRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Diontae Underwood, age 21, of Johnstown, New York, pled guilty today to distributing cocaine base on February 23, 2021 in Schenectady, New York.
United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Frank A. Tarantino III, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division, made the announcement.
When Underwood is sentenced on June 8, 2023 by United States District Judge Glenn T. Suddaby, he faces up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $1 million, and a term of supervised release of at least 3 years and up to life. 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 DEA investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin S. Clark is prosecuting the case.
Jefferson County Chiropractor Admits $3.5 Million Dollar Health Care, Disability FraudRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A chiropractor from Jefferson County, Missouri on Thursday admitted that he falsely claimed to have a medical license and exaggerated patients’ medical conditions so they would fraudulently receive more than $3.5 million in disability payments from the Social Security Administration and private disability benefit insurers.
Thomas G. Hobbs, 65, pleaded guilty in front of U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey to a conspiracy charge and admitted conspiring to commit the crimes of health care fraud, making false statements, theft of government funds and Social Security fraud.
Hobbs, the co-owner of Power-Med Inc., a chiropractic clinic in Arnold, Missouri, admitted that he falsely claimed to have a medical license. Despite his lack of a medical license, between 2011 and 2019 he purchased and dispensed prescription medications, administered injections and dispensed medications intravenously to patients. Hobbs admitted in his plea agreement that he knew he was not permitted to administer injections because the Missouri Board of Chiropractic Examiners placed him on probation for five years for fraudulently billing insurance companies for unlawfully administering injections.
Beginning in 2011, Hobbs also fraudulently assisted patients in receiving disability benefit payments through the Social Security Administration’s Disability Trust Fund and through private disability benefit insurance providers.
Hobbs charged patients between $2,000 and $8,600 to prepare disability forms and coach them to lie to the Social Security Administration and insurers about their ability to perform basic activities such as lifting, standing, walking, sitting, remembering and taking care of their personal needs.
Hobbs also used a fictitious medical license number to buttress patients’ disability claims so that his medical determinations would be given greater weight than those of medical experts evaluating the claims on behalf of the Social Security Administration and private disability benefit insurers. To further bolster his misrepresentations, Hobbs submitted false and fraudulent medical reports to give the appearance that he had a long history with the patients. Hobbs submitted or caused to be submitted false and fraudulent claims for reimbursement to health care benefit programs for services that were not provided, medically unnecessary services or services provided by unqualified persons to make it appear that the disability patients had medical conditions. Those procedures included MRIs, CT scans and cardiovascular studies. He also submitted numerous claims for office visits when he had not provided the required face-to-face evaluation and management services to the patients.
Hobbs admitted the losses to the Social Security Administration and private insurers exceeded $3.5 million.
Hobbs is the seventh of ten individuals indicted in the case in 2020 to plead guilty.
Hobbs is scheduled to be sentenced April 19. The conspiracy charge carries a maximum penalty of five years imprisonment for each count, a fine of $250,000, or both. Both sides have agreed to recommend a four-year prison term. Hobbs will also be ordered to repay the money.
The cases were investigated by the Social Security Administration – Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tracy Berry, Dorothy McMurtry Diane Klocke and Gwendolyn Carroll are prosecuting the case.
Anyone who suspects fraud involving the Disability Insurance Benefit Program is asked to contact the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General Hotline at: 1-800-269-0271 or https://oig.ssa.gov/report/.
Jackson Man Sentenced to 37 Months in Prison for Possession of a Firearm by Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A Jackson man was sentenced to three years and one month in prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, announced U.S. Attorney Darren LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Jermicha Fomby of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
According to court documents, Don Cornelius Ward, 38, was found in possession of a firearm by officers of the Jackson Police Department on February 3, 2020. An individual alerted JPD officers that Ward was asleep in his car which was parked in her carport, and that she wanted Ward to leave her property. Two JPD officers responded and found that Ward had marijuana and a stolen firearm in his car. Ward has five prior felony convictions. As a convicted felon, it is contrary to federal law for Ward to possess any firearm.
The Jackson Police Department and the FBI investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles W. Kirkham prosecuted the case.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Harrisburg Man Sentenced to 139 Months in Prison for Drug Trafficking and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that United States District Court Judge Jennifer P. Wilson sentenced Heriberto Ortiz-Torres, age 34, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, to 139 months in prison for drug trafficking and was sentenced separately to 78 months in prison for possession of a firearm by a felon. The sentences are to run concurrently.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Ortiz-Torres pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute over 500 grams of cocaine. Ortiz-Torres was part of a conspiracy that brought kilogram size quantities of cocaine into the Harrisburg area from Puerto Rico. Ortiz-Torres was involved in several transactions involving multiple ounces of cocaine and was also overheard in conversations discussing procuring and storing firearms.
Ortiz-Torres was arrested by the Harrisburg Police Department on February 8, 2019, following a traffic stop in which he possessed a loaded .40 caliber Glock handgun. The handgun was modified to fire on fully automatic, and Ortiz-Torres had previously been convicted of a felony offense, prohibiting him from possessing firearms.
The cases were investigated by the Harrisburg Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daryl F. Bloom and Scott R. Ford prosecuted the cases.
These cases are 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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