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18 January 2023
Las Vegas Man Pleads Guilty in Connection with Sending White Powder LettersRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Brent Carter, age 73, of Las Vegas, Nevada, pled guilty on Friday, January 13 to conveying a hoax and false information in connection with his sending white powder letters to the New York State Gaming Commission.
United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Janeen DiGuiseppi, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement.
Carter admitted that between October 2017 and November 2018, he left numerous voicemails for employees at the New York State Gaming Commission in Schenectady, New York, in which he used threatening language. Carter also admitted that between 2019 and 2021, he mailed four letters containing white powder and other substances to the Commission. He further admitted that he sent the letters and voicemails to the Commission as revenge for suspending his license for horse racing.
If United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino accepts the parties’ joint sentencing recommendation, Carter will receive time served and face up to 3 years of supervised release, when he is sentenced on May 17, 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 the FBI, Schenectady Police Department, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ashlyn Miranda and Richard Belliss.
Justice Department Secures Agreement with Broadway Ticket Services Company to Resolve Immigration-Related Discrimination ClaimsRead the Press Release
Note: The Spanish version can be found here.
The Justice Department announced today that it has secured a settlement agreement with Nederlander Marketing, Inc., dba Broadway Direct (Broadway Direct), a ticket services company based in New York. The agreement resolves the department’s determination that Broadway Direct violated the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) by discriminating against non-U.S. citizen workers based on citizenship status when it advertised and hired for a position in New York.
“Job advertisements that unlawfully limit jobs to U.S. citizens create barriers for non-U.S. citizens who have permission to work in the United States,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department will continue to ensure that all workers have a fair shot at job opportunities, and will hold employers accountable for discriminating against workers because of citizenship, immigration status, or national origin.”
The department began its investigation in July 2022, after learning that Broadway Direct may have posted a job advertisement limiting its hiring for a position to only U.S. citizen applicants. The department’s investigation determined that Broadway Direct had posted at least one job advertisement with unlawful citizenship status restrictions. Under the INA, employers cannot generally discriminate based on citizenship, immigration status, or national origin at any stage of the hiring process.
Under the terms of the settlement, Nederlander will pay a civil penalty to the United States, train staff on the INA’s anti-discrimination provision, review and revise their employment policies, and be subject to departmental monitoring for a two-year period.
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 prohibitions against citizenship status discrimination.
Find more information on how employers can avoid discrimination in hiring and recruiting on IER’s website. Learn more about how IER protects workers’ rights in this video. For more information about protections against employment discrimination under immigration laws, 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); sign up for a free webinar; email [email protected]; or visit IER’s English and Spanish websites. Subscribe to GovDelivery to receive updates from IER.
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Justice Department Announces New Director of the U.S. Trustee ProgramRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that Attorney General Merrick B. Garland has selected Tara Twomey to serve as Director of the U.S. Trustee Program (USTP) at the Department of Justice.
“The United States Trustee Program plays a critical role in ensuring the fairness of the bankruptcy process — including by providing impartial oversight and protecting consumer debtors from fraud and abuse,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “I am confident that Ms. Twomey’s leadership will advance USTP’s mission to promote the integrity and efficiency of the bankruptcy system for debtors, creditors, and the public.”
Ms. Twomey has over 20 years of experience working on bankruptcy and consumer credit issues. She currently serves as the Executive Director of the National Consumer Bankruptcy Rights Center, which advances the rights of consumer bankruptcy debtors. She is Of Counsel at the National Consumer Law Center, and serves as a member of the Judicial Conference Advisory Committee on Bankruptcy Rules. She is the author of numerous books and articles on bankruptcy law and practice, and has served as an instructor at Boston College Law School, Harvard Law School, and Stanford Law School. Ms. Twomey is a fellow of the American College of Bankruptcy, a conferee of the National Bankruptcy Conference, and a director of the National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of California, San Diego, and her Juris Doctor, summa cum laude, from Boston College Law School.
“Throughout her career as a practitioner, scholar, and teacher, Tara Twomey has been a leader in the bankruptcy bar and a passionate voice for making the bankruptcy system accessible to all,” said Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta. “She will bring energy, experience, and judgment to her new role as USTP Director. I look forward to working with her in this new role.”
USTP is the only neutral party in the bankruptcy process, and brings a national perspective to every bankruptcy matter. USTP also plays a critical role in protecting consumer debtors against fraud and abuse. USTP consists of the Executive Office for U.S. Trustees, located in Washington, D.C., and 21 regions with 90 field offices throughout the country. The Director of USTP is responsible for leading approximately 1000 employees to implement USTP’s core mission to protect the integrity of the bankruptcy system.
Ms. Twomey will assume her duties on Feb. 27.
Jury Finds District Man Guilty of Voluntary Manslaughter in the Death A 75-Year-Old ManRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Clifton Browne, 57, of Washington, D.C., has been found guilty by a jury of voluntary manslaughter for the beating death of 75-year-old Luther Brooks, in September of 2021, on Kalmia Road, Northwest. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for May 5, 2023.
According to evidence presented at trial, on September 28, 2021, Browne went over to the scene of the attack to do some handiwork for the homeowner, whom he knew through a relative. Mr. Brooks, the decedent, was a tenant in a basement apartment in the home. The homeowner was planning to sell the home, and the work was being done in preparation for the sale. During the course of his work, Browne was outside the door to the decedent’s apartment door. He and Mr. Brooks started arguing through the door until Mr. Brooks opened the door with a stick in his hand and struck Browne in the chest with the stick, knocking him down. Browne then charged at the elderly victim and beat him inside the apartment until the victim was babbling incoherently. Browne then dragged Mr. Brooks outside where he dumped him in a concrete stairwell. Unable to sit up on his own, Mr. Brooks fell back and struck his head on the concrete. He was taken to GW Hospital where he was nonresponsive within hours. He had suffered fractures of his skull, ribs, and other injuries. He never regained consciousness. The family of Mr. Brooks took him off life support 10 days later, and he died.
In announcing the verdict, U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Metropolitan Police Department Chief Contee commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialists Stephanie Gilbert and Rachel Leriche, Victim/Witness Advocate Jenn Allen, Victim/Witness Service Coordinator Maenylie Watson, and Investigative Analyst Zach McMenamin.
Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dennis Clark and Lisa Lindhorst, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
Individual Sentenced to 30 Months in Prison for Laundering Unemployment Benefits and Pandemic Unemployment Assistance FundsRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, P.R. – Martín Scamaroni-Cintrón was sentenced on January 18, 2023 by United States District Court Judge Aida Delgado-Colón to 30 months in prison for laundering Unemployment Benefits and Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) Funds from his bank account in Puerto Rico.
Scamaroni-Cintrón pleaded guilty on November 15, 2022 to sixteen violations of 18 U.S.C. § 1596(a)(1)(B)(i) and admitted to withdrawing in excess of $87,000 in fraudulently obtained funds from his bank account from September 2020 to December 2021. As alleged in the Indictment, the funds were fraudulently obtained from the Unemployment Insurance and Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Program from multiple states as well as the proceeds of U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) loans that he was not qualified and authorized to receive. The applications for Unemployment Insurance UI and PUA were fraudulently submitted in the names of other persons, who never applied for UI and PUA benefits or SBA loans, but the applications utilized the defendant’s bank account and routing numbers.
Scamaroni-Cintrón was also ordered to pay restitution to all the agencies involved in his scheme:
- SBA- $204,800.00
- Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services- $51,543.00
- Maine Department of Labor- $10,295.00
- Arizona Department of Jobs and Family Services- $13,257.00
- Washington State Employment Security Department- $10,710.00
- Illinois Department of Employment Security- $71,078.00
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the United States Department of Labor Office of Inspector General (USDOL-OIG), and the Puerto Rico Department of Treasury (Hacienda).
Assistant U.S. Attorneys (AUSA) Victor Acevedo and Manuel Muñiz Lorenzi handled the prosecution of the case.
To report a COVID-19-related fraud scheme or suspicious activity, contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) by calling the NCDF Hotline at 1-866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form
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Indian Brotherhood Gang Member Sentenced for Murder, Assault and Firearm Charges Resulting in Bodily HarmRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Matthew Onesimo Armstrong, age 33, of Seminole, Oklahoma, was sentenced for his role in two separate homicides. Armstrong was sentenced to life in prison for Murder and Kidnapping and 10 years imprisonment for Possession and Distribution of Methamphetamine, to run concurrently, in connection with the murder of Nicole Owl. Armstrong was also sentenced to 10 years imprisonment for Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country and 10 years imprisonment for Use, Carry, and Discharge of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence, to run consecutively, in connection with the murder of Scotty Candler.
The charges arose from investigations by the Seminole Nation Lighthorse Police Department, Seminole County Sheriff’s Office, Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
On October 20, 2021, Matthew Onesimo Armstrong, 33, of Seminole, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to Murder in Indian Country, Kidnapping, and Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine for the 2017 murder of Nicole Owl. According to court documents, in 2017, Armstrong was involved in the smuggling of methamphetamine and other contraband for the Indian Brotherhood into various prisons. Sometime during the weekend of April 14-16, 2017, Armstrong had a dispute with Nicole Owl who was staying with Armstrong at his residence. On April 16, Armstrong and another individual took Owl into a wooded area behind Armstrong’s residence and Armstrong tied Nicole Owl to a tree. Armstrong and the other individual then left Nicole Owl tied to the tree for several hours into the evening. Armstrong, with a rifle, and the other individual then returned to the tree where Nicole Owl was tied. Armstrong asked the other individual if he wanted to shoot Nicole Owl. The other individual said “No.” Armstrong then shot Nicole Owl twice, killing her.
On October 20, 2021, Armstrong also pleaded guilty to a two count Information charging him with Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country and Use, Carry, and Discharge of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence, for his role in the 2015 murder of Scotty Candler. According to court documents, in May 2015, Armstrong received orders from the Indian Brotherhood to question Scotty Candler about an unrelated homicide. Armstrong and another individual went to Scotty Candler’s residence carrying firearms. Scotty Candler opened the door to his residence and his two dogs ran out. Armstrong fired two shots outside Scotty Candler’s home. According to Armstrong, the other individual then went inside and shot Scotty Candler, killing him.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, along with the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section, prosecuted these cases because the defendant is a member of a federally recognized Indian tribe and the crimes occurred in Seminole County, within the boundaries of the Seminole Nation Reservation and within the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
“Today’s sentencing of Matthew Armstrong to life imprisonment ensures that a violent member of the Indian Brotherhood will be held accountable for his involvement in the deaths of two victims and that he will never step outside the confines of a federal penitentiary to victimize others in the Eastern District of Oklahoma or elsewhere,” said United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson.
“Matthew Armstrong is a callous and violent criminal who left permanent scars on his community and the families of his victims,“ said FBI Oklahoma City Special Agent in Charge in Edward J. Gray. “Thanks to the partnership and hard work of all law enforcement agencies involved in this investigation, he will spend the rest of his life in prison.”
“OSBI Agents, Analysts, and Criminalists worked tirelessly with our partners at the FBI,U.S. Attorney’s Office, and the Justice Department’s Criminal Division to ensure justice for Ms. Owl,” said OSBI Director Aungela Spurlock. “The investigation and prosecution of Armstrong is an example of law enforcement in Oklahoma, post the Supreme Court McGirt ruling, working together on behalf of victims of violent crime. We look forward to the success of these continued partnerships.”
The Honorable Ronald A. White, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Muskogee, presided over the hearings. Armstrong will remain in custody pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve his non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Trial Attorneys Rami Badawy and Brian Morgan of the Criminal Division’s Human Right and Special Prosecution Section and Assistant United States Attorney Zack Parsons represented the United States.
Henry County Man Sentenced to 17 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – Gary Osborne, 50, of Buchanan, Tennessee, has been sentenced to 210 months in federal prison for drug trafficking and firearms charges. United States Attorney Kevin G. Ritz announced the sentence today.
According to the information presented in court, on August 15, 2018, members of the Metro Crime
Unit, in Henry County, Tennessee, executed a search warrant at Osborne's residence. Officers located methamphetamine, digital scales, and more than $5200 in cash and a .243 rifle. As a result of his extensive felony history, Osborne is prohibited by federal law from possessing firearms and ammunition.Osborne pled guilty to ownership of the narcotics and the rifle.
On January 17, 2023, United States Chief District Judge S. Thomas Anderson sentenced Osborne to 210 months in federal prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by the Henry County Sheriff’s Department, Paris Police Department, and the Puryear Police Department.
United States Attorney Kevin Ritz thanked Assistant United States Attorney Matt Wilson, who prosecuted this case, as well as law enforcement partners who investigated the case.
###For more information, please contact Public Information Officer Cherri Green at (901) 544-4231 or [email protected]. Follow @WDTNNews on Twitter for office news and updates.
Hazleton Man Sentenced to 37 Months in Prison for Drug Trafficking and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Joshua Sweet, age 32, of Hazleton, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 37 months in prison by United States District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani for drug trafficking and money laundering charges.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Sweet previously entered a guilty plea to two felony counts charging money laundering and drug trafficking. Between October 2016 and May 2018, Sweet manufactured, distributed, and possessed with the intent to manufacture and distribute oxycodone, methylphenidate, tramadol, fentanyl, methamphetamine, alprazolam, lysergic acid diethylamide, cocaine, marijuana, and psilocin. Sweet also engaged in money laundering during the same period by engaging in transactions intended to promote his drug trafficking and conceal the nature, location, source, and ownership of the proceeds of the illegal sales of controlled substances. Sweet exchanged over $200,000 in bitcoin, proceeds from the sale of controlled substances, for cash through an unlicensed remitter. Investigators also seized bitcoin, gold bars, and cash from Sweet, totaling approximately $100,000 in value.
The case was investigated by the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Hazleton Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean A. Camoni 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.
This case was also brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the Heroin Initiative targets heroin traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit heroin related offenses.
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Gulf Cartel Member Sentenced to 15+ Years for Cocaine TraffickingRead the Press Release
A drug trafficking cartel member was sentenced Tuesday to more than 15 years in federal prison, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.
Ruben Salazar Vasquez, 51, pleaded guilty in August 2022 to possession with intent to distribute cocaine. He was sentenced Tuesday to 188 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Ada Brown, who ordered him to forfeit $28,481 along with four firearms.
At the sentencing hearing, prosecutors said, based on information provided by the DEA, Mr. Vasquez was a member of the Gulf Cartel and distributed cocaine to Tennessee and Illinois as well as Texas.
In plea papers, Mr. Vasquez admitted that on April 22, 2021, he delivered drugs to the residence of a known drug dealer in Grand Prairie and then fled the scene.
Shortly thereafter, law enforcement found 3,862 grams of cocaine in a vehicle that departed the home and 1,937 grams of cocaine stashed inside a grill on the premises.
The dealer, Jorge Adalberto Cavazos, and his associate, Darwin Lamont Conwright, were also charged. Both pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute cocaine. Mr. Cavazos was sentenced to 108 months in prison and Mr. Conwright is slated to be sentenced later this month.
The investigation was led by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Dallas Division along with the Texas Department of Public Safety, the Grand Prairie Police Department, the Garland Police Department, IRS – Criminal Investigations, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney George Leal is prosecuting the case.
The case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations.
Four Individuals Indicted in Relation to Murder of Postal EmployeeRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Gregory J. Haanstad of the Eastern District of Wisconsin announced that on January 18, 2023, a federal grand jury returned an indictment against two Milwaukee men for their involvement in the murder of an on-duty United States Postal Service letter carrier on December 9, 2022, and against two Milwaukee women for providing false statements to law enforcement investigating that murder.
The indictment contains seven counts. Count One alleges that Kevin McCaa (age 36) and Charles Ducksworth Jr. (age 26) murdered or aided and abetted the murder of A.C., an employee of the United States Postal Service, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1111, 1114, and 2(a). If convicted of Count One as charged, each individual would face a mandatory life sentence.
Count Two alleges that McCaa and Ducksworth Jr. discharged a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, namely First-Degree Murder, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 924(c) and 2(a). If convicted of Count Two, each individual would face a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years and up to life in prison, consecutive to any other sentence.
Count Three alleges that on or about December 12, 2022, Shanelle McCoy (age 34) provided material false statements to law enforcement officers investigating the murder, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1001(a)(2). The indictment alleges that McCoy falsely claimed to have been in possession of and using her vehicle for work on the day of the murder when, in fact, she had allowed McCaa to use her vehicle that day. If convicted of Count Three, McCoy faces up to five years in prison.
Count Four alleges that on or about December 27, 2022, McCaa unlawfully possessed ammunition after having been convicted of a felony, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8). On this count, McCaa faces up to 15 years in prison.
Count Five alleges that on or about December 27, 2022, Ducksworth Jr. possessed marijuana with the intent to distribute it, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(D), a charge which carries up to a five-year prison sentence.
Count Six alleges that Ducksworth Jr. possessed a firearm during and in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c), which triggers a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison, consecutive to any other sentence.
Finally, Count Seven alleges that on or about December 28, 2022, and again on or about January 4, 2023, Lakisha Ducksworth (age 38) provided material false statements to law enforcement agents investigating the murder, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1001(a)(2). The indictment alleges that Lakisha Ducksworth falsely stated that her residential surveillance equipment was not functioning and that she had not sent Ducksworth Jr. video footage from that system, when, in fact, the equipment was functioning, and she had sent Ducksworth Jr. video footage from her surveillance system (three days before the murder) showing A.C. delivering mail to her residence. If convicted, Lakisha Ducksworth faces up to five years in prison.
The defendants were indicted based on an investigation by the Milwaukee Police Department, United States Postal Inspection Service, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with the assistance of the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office, the Wauwatosa Police Department, and the Nevada Department of Public Safety Highway Patrol Division. Assistant United States Attorneys Margaret Honrath and Abbey Marzick are prosecuting the case.
The public is cautioned that an indictment contains mere charges and the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Four Hawaii Correctional Officers Sentenced for Abusing Inmate and Conspiring to Cover up AbuseRead the Press Release
Four former correctional officers at the Hawaii Community Correctional Center have been sentenced for their roles in the assault of an inmate and participation in a multi-year conspiracy to cover-up the abuse.
Jordan DeMattos, 30, the youngest of the four officers involved, previously accepted responsibility for his crimes by pleading guilty, and testified against his co-defendants at a trial last Summer. He was sentenced to 12 months and one day in prison.
DeMattos’s co-defendants were found guilty during a joint trial of violating the rights of an inmate by assaulting him and lying to cover up the incident afterwards. The co-defendants have already been sentenced. Jonathan Taum, 50, the officer who supervised the beating and orchestrated the conspiracy to cover it up, was sentenced to 144 months in prison. Jason Tagaloa, 31, the officer who delivered the most vicious punches and kicks to the victim’s head, was sentenced to 96 months in prison. Craig Pinkney, 39, who struck the victim and held him down as Tagaloa punched and kicked him, was sentenced to 60 months in prison.
“Physical abuse and corruption by officials working inside jails and prisons is unacceptable, no matter where it occurs,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department will vigorously prosecute abusive officers to ensure that the civil rights of all people, including those in custody, are protected.”
According to court documents and evidence introduced at trial, on June 15, 2015, Sergeant Taum supervised Tagaloa, Pinkney and DeMattos while they transported an inmate across the facility. The inmate became frightened in the course of the transfer, and Taum’s fellow officers took the non-violent inmate to the ground and repeatedly punched and kicked him in the face, head, and body — breaking the inmate’s jaw, nose, and orbital socket. Thereafter, Taum led the officers in a cover-up conspiracy that included writing false reports, submitting false statements to internal affairs, and providing false testimony to disciplinary board members.
“This vicious assault on an incarcerated person justifies both the convictions and sentences,” said U.S. Attorney Clare E. Connors for the District of Hawaii. “As illustrated by this prosecution, we are committed to enforcing our nation’s civil rights laws.”
“These correctional officers were in a position of public trust and violated that trust not only by acts of violence against an inmate but also by attempting to cover it up,” said Special Agent in Charge Steven Merrill of the FBI Honolulu Field Office. “The FBI will stop at nothing when investigating allegations of civil rights violations.”
The FBI Honolulu Field Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Craig Nolan for the District of Hawaii and Special Litigation Counsel Christopher Perras and Trial Attorney Thomas Johnson of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section prosecuted the case.
Founder and Majority Owner of Cryptocurrency Exchange Charged with Processing over $700 Million of Illicit FundsRead the Press Release
The founder and majority owner of a cryptocurrency exchange, Bitzlato Ltd. (Bitzlato), was arrested last night in Miami for his alleged operation of a money transmitting business that transported and transmitted illicit funds and that failed to meet U.S. regulatory safeguards, including anti-money laundering requirements.
Anatoly Legkodymov, 40, a Russian national who resides in Shenzhen, People’s Republic of China, is scheduled to be arraigned this afternoon in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida. French authorities and the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) are taking concurrent enforcement actions.
“Today the Department of Justice dealt a significant blow to the cryptocrime ecosystem,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco. “Overnight, the Department worked with key partners here and abroad to disrupt Bitzlato, the China-based money laundering engine that fueled a high-tech axis of cryptocrime, and to arrest its founder, Russian national Anatoly Legkodymov. Today’s actions send the clear message: whether you break our laws from China or Europe – or abuse our financial system from a tropical island – you can expect to answer for your crimes inside a United States courtroom.”
“As alleged, the defendant helped operate a cryptocurrency exchange that failed to implement required anti-money laundering safeguards and enabled criminals to profit from their wrongdoing, including ransomware and drug trafficking,” said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team’s tremendous efforts to disrupt Bitzlato and arrest the defendant demonstrate that we will continue to work with our partners – both foreign and domestic – to combat cryptocurrency-fueled crimes, even if they transcend international borders.”
According to court documents, Legkodymov is a senior executive and the majority shareholder of Bitzlato, a Hong Kong-registered cryptocurrency exchange that operates globally. Bitzlato has marketed itself as requiring minimal identification from its users, specifying that “neither selfies nor passports [are] required.” On occasions when Bitzlato did direct users to submit identifying information, it repeatedly allowed them to provide information belonging to “straw man” registrants.
“Institutions that trade in cryptocurrency are not above the law and their owners are not beyond our reach,” said U.S. Attorney Breon Peace for the Eastern District of New York. “As alleged, Bitzlato sold itself to criminals as a no-questions-asked cryptocurrency exchange, and reaped hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of deposits as a result. The defendant is now paying the price for the malign role that his company played in the cryptocurrency ecosystem.”
As a result of these deficient know-your-customer (KYC) procedures, Bitzlato allegedly became a haven for criminal proceeds and funds intended for use in criminal activity. Bitzlato’s largest counterparty in cryptocurrency transactions was Hydra Market (Hydra), an anonymous, illicit online marketplace for narcotics, stolen financial information, fraudulent identification documents, and money laundering services that was the largest and longest running darknet market in the world. Hydra users exchanged more than $700 million in cryptocurrency with Bitzlato, either directly or through intermediaries, until Hydra was shuttered by U.S. and German law enforcement in April 2022. Bitzlato also received more than $15 million in ransomware proceeds.
“The FBI will continue to pursue actors who attempt to mask their criminal activity behind keyboards and use means such as cryptocurrency to evade law enforcement,” said Associate Deputy Director Brian Turner of the FBI. “We, along with our federal and international partners, will work relentlessly to disrupt and dismantle these types of criminal enterprises. Today’s arrest should serve as a reminder the FBI will impose risk and consequences upon those who engage in these activities.”
“As alleged today, Legkodymov knowingly allowed Bitzlato to become a perceived safe haven for funds used for and resulting from a variety of criminal activities,” said Assistant Director in Charge Michael J. Driscoll of the FBI New York Field Office. “The FBI and our partners remain steadfast in our commitment to keeping cryptocurrency markets – as with any financial market – free from illicit activity. Today’s action should serve as an example of this commitment as Legkodymov will now face the consequences of his actions in our criminal justice system.”
As alleged in the complaint, Bitzlato’s customers routinely used the company’s customer service portal to request support for transactions with Hydra, which Bitzlato often provided, and admitted in chats with Bitzlato personnel that they were trading under assumed identities. Moreover, Legkodymov and Bitzlato’s other managers were aware that Bitzlato’s accounts were rife with illicit activity and that many of its users were registered under others’ identities. For instance, on May 29, 2019, Legkodymov used Bitzlato’s internal chat system to write to a colleague that Bitzlato’s users were “known to be crooks,” using others’ identity documents to register their accounts. Legkodymov was repeatedly warned by colleagues that Bitzlato’s customer base consisted of “addicts who buy drugs at [] Hydra” and “drug traffickers,” with one senior executive even stressing that Bitzlato should combat drug dealers only “nominally,” to avoid hurting the company’s bottom line. An internal spreadsheet saved in Bitzlato’s shared management folder encapsulated the company’s view of itself: “Positives: No KYC. . . . Negatives: Dirty money. . . .”
As alleged in the complaint, although Bitzlato claimed not to accept users from the United States, it did substantial business with U.S.-based customers, and its customer service representatives repeatedly advised users that they could transfer funds from U.S. financial institutions. Moreover, Legkodymov – who himself administered Bitzlato from Miami in 2022 and 2023 – received reports reflecting substantial traffic to Bitzlato’s website from U.S.-based Internet Protocol addresses, including over 250 million such visits in July 2022.
Legkodymov is charged with conducting an unlicensed money transmitting business. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison.
Concurrent with the arrest announced today, French authorities, working with Europol and partners in Spain, Portugal, and Cyprus, dismantled Bitzlato’s digital infrastructure, seized Bitzlato’s cryptocurrency, and took other enforcement actions.
In addition, the Treasury Department’s FinCEN announced an Order pursuant to section 9714(a) of the Combating Russian Money Laundering Act, as amended, identifying Bitzlato as a “primary money laundering concern” in connection to Russian illicit finance. The order imposes a special measure prohibiting certain transmittals of funds involving Bitzlato by any covered financial institution.
National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team (NCET) Trial Attorneys Alexander Mindlin, Scott Meisler, and Matthew Blackwood of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Artie McConnell for the Eastern District of New York are prosecuting the case, with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Mary Clare McMahon.
The Justice Department investigated this case in close coordination with French law enforcement authorities and the Treasury Department’s FinCEN, both of which took separate enforcement actions today under their respective authorities. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the FBI’s Legal Attaché in France provided critical assistance in this case, with significant support from the department’s Cyber Operations International Liaison. The NCET and U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York also extend their appreciation to the Cyber Division of the Paris Prosecution Office and to France’s Gendarmerie Nationale Cyberspace Command (Cyber Crime Investigation Unit / C3N). Assistance was also provided by the Customs and Border Protection, the Transportation Safety Administration, and the New York City Police Department. EUROPOL and Dutch and Belgian authorities have contributed to the overall investigation with respect to operational expertise, coordination, and information-sharing.
The NCET was established to combat the growing illicit use of cryptocurrencies and digital assets. Under the Criminal Division, the NCET conducts and supports investigations into individuals and entities that enable the use of digital assets to commit and facilitate a variety of crimes, with a particular focus on virtual currency exchanges, mixing and tumbling services, and infrastructure providers. The NCET also sets strategic priorities regarding digital asset technologies, identifies areas for increased investigative and prosecutorial focus, and leads the department’s efforts to collaborate with domestic and foreign government agencies as well as the private sector to aggressively investigate and prosecute crimes involving cryptocurrency and digital assets.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Founder and Majority Owner of Bitzlato, a Cryptocurrency Exchange, Charged with Unlicensed Money TransmittingRead the Press Release
Defendant Wrote on Bitzlato’s Internal Chat Room That its Users Were “Known to be Crooks”
BROOKLYN, NY – A complaint was unsealed this morning in federal court in Brooklyn charging Anatoly Legkodymov, a Russian national and senior executive of Bitzlato Ltd. (Bitzlato), a Hong Kong-registered cryptocurrency exchange, with conducting a money transmitting business that transported and transmitted illicit funds and that failed to meet U.S. regulatory safeguards, including anti-money laundering requirements. Legkodymov was arrested last night in Miami and is scheduled to be arraigned this afternoon in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida. French authorities and the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) are taking concurrent enforcement actions.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Lisa O. Monaco, Deputy Attorney General for the Department of Justice; Kenneth A. Polite, Assistant Attorney General for the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division; Brian C. Turner, Associate Deputy Director, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); and Michael J. Driscoll, Assistant Director-in-Charge, FBI, New York Field Office, announced the arrest and charge.
“Institutions that trade in cryptocurrency are not above the law and their owners are not beyond our reach,” stated U.S. Attorney Breon Peace. “As alleged, Bitzlato sold itself to criminals as a no-questions-asked cryptocurrency exchange, and reaped hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of deposits as a result. The defendant is now paying the price for the malign role that his company played in the cryptocurrency ecosystem.”
“Today the Department of Justice dealt a significant blow to the cryptocrime ecosystem,” stated Deputy Attorney General Monaco. “Overnight, the Department worked with key partners here and abroad to disrupt Bitzlato, the China-based money laundering engine that fueled a high-tech axis of cryptocrime, and to arrest its founder, Russian national Anatoly Legkodymov. Today’s actions send the clear message: whether you break our laws from China or Europe—or abuse our financial system from a tropical island—you can expect to answer for your crimes inside a United States courtroom.”
“As alleged, the defendant helped operate a cryptocurrency exchange that failed to implement anti-money laundering safeguards and enabled criminals to profit from their wrongdoing, including ransomware and drug trafficking,” stated Assistant Attorney General Polite. “The National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team’s tremendous efforts to disrupt Bitzlato and arrest the defendant demonstrate that we will continue to work with our partners – both foreign and domestic – to combat cryptocurrency-fueled crimes, even if they transcend international borders.”
“The FBI will continue to pursue actors who attempt to mask their criminal activity behind keyboards and use means such as cryptocurrency to evade law enforcement,” stated FBI Assistant Deputy Director Turner. “We, along with our federal and international partners, will work relentlessly to disrupt and dismantle these types of criminal enterprises. Today’s arrest should serve as a reminder the FBI will impose risk and consequences upon those who engage in these activities.”“As alleged today, Legkodymov knowingly allowed Bitzlato to become a perceived safe haven for funds used for and resulting from a variety of criminal activities. The FBI and our partners remain steadfast in our commitment to keeping cryptocurrency markets – as with any financial market – free from illicit activity. Today’s action should serve as an example of this commitment as Legkodymov will now face the consequences of his actions in our criminal justice system,” stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Driscoll.
According to court documents, Legkodymov is a senior executive and the majority shareholder of Bitzlato Ltd. (Bitzlato), a Hong Kong-registered cryptocurrency exchange that operates globally. Bitzlato has marketed itself as requiring minimal identification from its users, specifying that “neither selfies nor passports [are] required.” On occasions when Bitzlato did direct users to submit identifying information, it repeatedly allowed them to provide information belonging to “straw man” registrants.
As a result of these deficient know-your-customer (KYC) procedures, Bitzlato allegedly became a haven for criminal proceeds and funds intended for use in criminal activity. Bitzlato’s largest counterparty in cryptocurrency transactions was Hydra Market, an anonymous, illicit online marketplace for narcotics, stolen financial information, fraudulent identification documents, and money laundering services that was the largest and longest running darknet market in the world. Hydra Market users exchanged more than $700 million in cryptocurrency with Bitzlato, either directly or through intermediaries, until Hydra Market was shuttered by U.S. and German law enforcement in April 2022. Bitzlato also received more than $15 million in ransomware proceeds.
As alleged in the complaint, Bitzlato’s customers routinely used the company’s customer service portal to request support for transactions with Hydra, which Bitzlato often provided, and admitted in chats with Bitzlato personnel that they were trading under assumed identities. Moreover, Legkodymov and Bitzlato’s other managers were aware that Bitzlato’s accounts were rife with illicit activity and that many of its users were registered under others’ identities. For instance, on May 29, 2019, Legkodymov used Bitzlato’s internal chat system to write to a colleague that Bitzlato’s users were “known to be crooks,” using others’ identity documents to register their accounts. Legkodymov was repeatedly warned by colleagues that Bitzlato’s customer base consisted of “addicts who buy drugs at [] Hydra” and “drug traffickers,” with one senior executive even stressing that Bitzlato should combat drug dealers only “nominally,” to avoid hurting the company’s bottom line. An internal spreadsheet saved in Bitzlato’s shared management folder encapsulated the company’s view of itself: “Positives: No KYC. . . . Negatives: Dirty money. . . .”
As alleged in the complaint, although Bitzlato claimed not to accept users from the United States, it did substantial business with U.S.-based customers, and its customer service representatives repeatedly advised users that they could transfer funds from U.S. financial institutions. Moreover, Legkodymov – who himself administered Bitzlato from Miami in 2022 and 2023 – received reports reflecting substantial traffic to Bitzlato's website from U.S.-based Internet Protocol addresses, including over 250 million such visits in July 2022.
The charge in the complaint is an allegation and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted of operating an illegal money transmitting business, he faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison.
Concurrent with the arrest announced today, French authorities, working with Europol and partners in Spain, Portugal, and Cyprus, dismantled Bitzlato’s digital infrastructure and took enforcement actions.
The investigation is being jointly prosecuted by the National Security and Cybercrime Section of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York and the National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team (NCET). NCET Trial Attorneys Alexander Mindlin, Scott Meisler, and Matthew Blackwood of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Artie McConnell of the Eastern District of New York are prosecuting the case, with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Mary Clare McMahon.The Justice Department investigated this case in close coordination with French law enforcement authorities and the Treasury Department’s FinCEN, both of which took separate actions today under their respective authorities. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the FBI’s Legal Attaché in France provided critical assistance in this case, with significant support from the department’s Cyber Operations International Liaison.
The NCET and U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York also extend their appreciation to the Cyber Division of the Paris Prosecution Office and to France’s Gendarmerie Nationale Cyberspace Command (Cyber Crime Investigation Unit / C3N). Assistance was also provided by the Customs and Border Protection, the Transportation Safety Administration, and the New York City Police Department. EUROPOL and Dutch and Belgian authorities have contributed to the overall investigation with respect to operational expertise, coordination, and information-sharing.
The NCET was created in October 2021 to combat the growing illicit use of cryptocurrencies and digital assets. Under the supervision of the Criminal Division, the NCET conducts and supports investigations into individuals and entities that enable the use of digital assets to commit and facilitate a variety of crimes, with a particular focus on virtual currency exchanges, mixing and tumbling services, and infrastructure providers. The NCET also sets strategic priorities regarding digital asset technologies, identifies areas for increased investigative and prosecutorial focus, and leads the department’s efforts to collaborate with domestic and foreign government agencies as well as the private sector to aggressively investigate and prosecute crimes involving cryptocurrency and digital assets.
The Defendant:
ANATOLY LEGKODYMOV (also known as “Anatolii Legkodymov”, “Gandalf”, and “Tolik”)
Age: 40
Residence: Shenzen, People’s Republic of China; RussiaE.D.N.Y. Docket No.: 23-MJ-17
Fort Wayne Man Sentenced to 192 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
FORT WAYNE –Orlando Rodriguez, 41 years old, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Holly A. Brady after pleading guilty to 8 counts charged in an Indictment, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.
Rodriguez was sentenced to 192 months in prison followed by 5 years of supervised release.
According to documents in the case, between March and October 2021, Rodriguez distributed methamphetamine and/or possessed methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it on six separate occasions. During this same period, Rodriguez, knowing that he was a felon, possessed a firearm and knowingly possess a firearm in furtherance of his drug trafficking activities.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives with the assistance of the Fort Wayne Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lesley J. Miller Lowery.
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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Fort Myers Felon Sentenced for Selling Firearm and Drugs to Undercover ATF AgentRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell has sentenced Ronald Dale Perkins (45, Fort Myers) to four years and nine months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon and for distributing methamphetamine. The court also ordered Perkins to forfeit a shotgun, which was involved in the offenses. Perkins had pleaded guilty on September 7, 2022.
According to court documents, on April 5, 2022, Perkins, a nine-time convicted felon, sold a sawed-off .410 caliber shotgun gun and methamphetamine to an undercover ATF special agent.
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.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Morgan.
Former West Virginia Man Sentenced to Prison for Stealing Expensive Mining EquipmentRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA - A former resident of Beckley, West Virginia, has been sentenced in federal court to four years’ imprisonment and three years’ supervised release and ordered to pay approximately $2.9 million in restitution on his conviction for stealing specialized mining equipment, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
Chief United States District Judge Mark R. Hornak imposed the sentence on David Stanley, 48, following his Nov. 15, 2019, guilty plea to conspiring to transport across state lines specialized mining equipment from the Commonwealths of Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Kentucky to West Virginia and transporting this equipment from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to West Virginia.
According to information presented to the court, five break-ins and thefts occurred in and around February 2017 through May 2017, at mining sites located in the Indiana and Armstrong counties, in the Western District of Pennsylvania. Stanley admitted, in conjunction with his guilty plea, that he and other individuals, including his co-defendant Eudell Dickerson, stole high-value mining equipment, valued at approximately $2.9 million, from these sites and sold it to a company in the business of selling new and/or used mining equipment in Beckley, West Virginia. Special Agents, the court was informed, located some of the stolen equipment at the reseller’s facility and also identified trucks operated by Dickerson and Stanley as those involved in the thefts. Stanley also admitted that he, and other individuals, were involved in additional thefts at mining sites in Virginia and Kentucky.
The Court noted that the sentence in this case, four years, was sufficient but not greater than necessary to achieve the goals of sentencing. Judge Hornak emphasized the seriousness of Stanley’s conduct – that it was a considerable theft, executed with specificity for only the high-value mining equipment. The Court also recognized that the defendant, who has a substantial criminal history, including a felony federal conviction for witness tampering, which occurred after he pled guilty in this case, has “difficulty following rules” and the sentence also reflected the need to deter the defendant from committing crimes.
Assistant United States Attorney Rebecca L. Silinski prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Chung commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Stanley.
Former Human Resources Manager Sentenced to Federal Prison for Defrauding EmployerRead the Press Release
A former human resources manager who stole over $95,000 from her employer and two state unemployment agencies was sentenced on January 11, 2023, to four months in federal prison. Holly Marie Jacobi, formerly known as Holly Marie Bemis, of Epworth, Iowa, received the prison term after pleading guilty on July 20, 2022, to one count of wire fraud and two counts of theft of government funds.
In a plea agreement, and at her sentencing hearing, it was established that Jacobi was the human resources manager for a Peosta, Iowa, manufacturing company. Between June 2019 and July 2020, Jacobi falsified payroll expenses and health care reimbursements in the names of ten employees and directed the company’s payroll system to wire over $65,000 in falsified payments to two bank accounts that she controlled. Jacobi also filed a false and fraudulent application for federally funded COVID-19 unemployment insurance benefits with the State of Iowa. Jacobi stated that she was unemployed from the company due to “[l]ayoff . . . lack of work,” when in truth she was still employed as the company’s human resources manager. As a result, Jacobi received over $17,000 in fraudulent unemployment benefits from the State of Iowa. The company discovered Jacobi’s fraud and terminated her employment.
Jacobi also admitted that she later obtained and lost employment at a cheese company in Wisconsin. After losing that second job, Jacobi applied for federally funded unemployment benefits from the State of Wisconsin. Jacobi then obtained a job from a California-based company. From May 2021 through October 2021, Jacobi falsely certified to the State of Wisconsin on weekly reporting forms that she had received no weekly wages when, in truth, she was receiving weekly wages totaling between $1,100 and $6,000 from the California-based company. As a result, Jacobi fraudulently received more than $12,000 in federally funded unemployment benefits paid through the State of Wisconsin. Jacobi previously pled guilty in 2001 to felony forgery and misdemeanor theft charges in Scott County, Iowa.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department's response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice's National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Jacobi was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Jacobi was sentenced to four months’ imprisonment and four months’ home confinement. Jacobi was also ordered to repay $6,000 in court-appointed attorney fees. She was ordered to make $95,567.69 in restitution to her former employer and the States of Iowa and Wisconsin. She must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Jacobi was released on the bond previously set and is to surrender to the Bureau of Prisons on a date yet to be set. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Timothy L. Vavricek and investigated by the Peosta Police Department and the United States Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file numbers are 22-CR-1008 and 22-CR-1026.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Former CEO of Texas Beverage Company Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Fraudulent Scheme Targeting Elderly InvestorsRead the Press Release
The former CEO of a Texas beverage company was sentenced today to ten years in prison for his role in a high-yield investment scheme in which he and his co-conspirators fraudulently sold more than $12 million of stock in Dallas-based EarthWater Limited to elderly and other vulnerable victims. Four other individuals have also been sentenced to prison for their roles in the scheme.
According to court documents, Cengiz Jan “CJ” Comu, 62, of Dallas, formerly EarthWater’s Chief Executive Officer; John Mervyn Price, 67, of Dallas, formerly EarthWater’s Chief Operating Officer; Richard Laurence Kadish, 61, of Del Ray Beach, Florida; Richard Lawrence Green, 71, of Deerfield Beach, Florida; and Suzanne Aileen Gagnier, 68, of Huntington Beach, California, and others conspired to defraud victims and made false representations about how EarthWater would use investors’ money. Comu, Price, Kadish, Green, Gagnier, and their co-conspirators falsely represented that more than 90% of money raised from investors would be re-invested in the company, when in fact a substantial majority of the funds were used for the conspirators’ personal benefit.
Comu pleaded guilty to 23 counts including conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud, mail fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering. Price pleaded guilty to 22 counts including conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud, mail fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering, and was sentenced to six years in prison. Kadish and Green each pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud and one count of mail fraud and were each sentenced to six years in prison. Gagnier pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and was sentenced to two years in prison.
Six other defendants charged in the scheme have also pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing: Harley E. “Buddy” Barnes, III, 64, formerly of Plano, Texas, formerly EarthWater’s Chief Financial Officer; Russell Filippo, 72, of Oklahoma City; Daniel Thomas Broyles Sr., 65, formerly of Malibu, California; Joe Edward Duchinsky, 67, of Norwalk, California; Joseph Lucien Duplain, 81, of Murrieta, California; and Donald Andrew Rothman, 75, of Coral Springs, Florida. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Leigha Simonton for the Northern District of Texas; and Inspector in Charge Eric Shen of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Criminal Investigations Group made the announcement.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Christopher Fenton and Theodore M. Kneller of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mary F. Walters and Beverly Chapman of the Northern District of Texas are prosecuting the case.
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.
Former Bellevue, Washington resident pleads guilty to securities fraud for defrauding investors and marijuana businessesRead the Press Release
Seattle – A 42-year-old Las Vegas man, who previously lived in Bellevue, Washington, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to securities fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Nick Brown. Justin Costello admits in his plea agreement that he victimized marijuana business owners, private investors and investors who purchased stock in the public market. Under the terms of the plea agreement, both the prosecutors and the defense will recommend a ten-year prison sentence when Costello is sentenced on April 21, 2023. U.S. District Judge Ricardo S. Martinez is not bound by the recommendation and can impose any sentence allowed by statute.
While Costello pleaded guilty to one count of securities fraud, the plea agreement specifies that the court can take into account all of Costello criminal conduct as relevant conduct for sentencing purposes. Costello not only defrauded investors, he stole from three marijuana business who trusted him for banking services.
As part of his securities fraud scheme, Costello purchased two companies that were trading for pennies on the over-the-counter market and renamed them GRN Holding Corporation and Hempstract Inc. Costello recruited investors in these companies, allegedly making numerous false statements. Costello told potential private investors that he had an MBA from Harvard, that his personal wealth was significantly larger than it was, and that GRN Funds LLC, a private equity and hedge fund he owned, had over $1 billion in assets under management. None of that is true.
With these falsehoods, Costello convinced various investors across the country to invest in his companies. Costello also had press releases and securities filings made with multiple false representations. Between July 1, 2019, and May 18, 2021, over 7,500 investors purchased and sold GRN Holding Corp. securities while Costello was making, and causing to be made, material misrepresentations concerning GRN Holding Corp. Collectively, these investors lost approximately $25 million. Similarly, with Hempstract Inc., he made false statements and defrauded investors. Between November 2018 and June 2021, 29 private investors lost about $6 million.
Between October 2019, and January 2021, Costello hired an unindicted coconspirator to use Twitter in a pump and dump stock scheme. Costello would acquire the penny stock of a company and then instruct his prolific Twitter user to tweet falsehoods about the company that would drive up the stock price. The coconspirator would tweet about the stock as often as 90 times a day. In one instance Costello didn’t just use Twitter, he also instructed some of his “investors” to purchase stock in the company, driving the share price from a nickel to $2 per share. After driving the share price up, Costello sold the shares for a profit of more than $355,000. The prolific Twitter user was given a share of Costello’s profits from the pump and dump scheme. In all Costello made $625,092 in the pump and dump scheme.
Along with the securities fraud, in 2017 Costello owned and operated a company called Pacific Banking Corp that provided banking services to marijuana businesses in Washington, Colorado, California, Illinois, and Alaska. Costello sent false account statements to the marijuana businesses, so that they were lulled into thinking their money was secure. However, between 2019 and 2021, Costello diverted money from three marijuana business to benefit himself and his other companies. The three marijuana businesses lost about $3.7 million.
Costello was apprehended October 6, 2022, by law enforcement in Southern California. He had fake identification documents, cash and valuables indicating he hoped to flee to Mexico to avoid prosecution.
In the plea agreement Costello agrees to pay at least $35 million in restitution. He is also forfeiting assets that were seized at the time of his arrest including $60,000 in cash, gold bars, Mexican pesos, two designer watches, and gem encrusted jewelry.
The case was investigated by the FBI.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Justin Arnold and Michael Dion.
Former Arkansas State Senator and Representative Sentenced for Role in Multimillion-Dollar Bribery ConspiracyRead the Press Release
LITTLE ROCK—Former Arkansas State Senator and State Representative Henry (Hank) Wilkins IV was sentenced today to 12 months and one day in prison for conspiring to accept over $95,000 in bribes in exchange for influencing Arkansas state legislation and transactions, including steering approximately $245,000 in Arkansas General Improvement funds to his co-conspirators, which included executives at a Missouri-based health care charity.
As part of the conspiracy, Wilkins also admitted to devising a scheme to conceal the bribe payments as donations to St. James United Methodist Church in Pine Bluff, where Wilkins also served as a pastor.
United States District Court Judge Brian S. Miller sentenced Wilkins today. In addition to the federal prison sentence, Judge Miller ordered Wilkins to serve three years of supervised release and repay $123,000 in restitution. Wilkins must report to prison by March 7, 2023.
Wilkins, 68, previously pleaded guilty on April 30, 2018, to a federal Information charging him with conspiracy to commit bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds, and conspiracy to devise a scheme and artifice to defraud and deprive the citizens of Arkansas of their right to honest services.
According to court documents, Wilkins admitted as part of his plea that from 2010 to 2014, while serving in the Arkansas General Assembly, he accepted a series of bribes from lobbyists and non-profit organizations that were transmitted both in the form of cash and checks funneled from lobbying firms to a discretionary fund held in St. James’ name where Wilkins had access to the deposited funds. In exchange for the cash and check bribes, Wilkins performed, and agreed to perform, official acts in his capacity as an Arkansas legislator including filing shell bills, sponsoring full bills, voting in favor of specific legislation, and steering approximately $245,000 in General Improvement funds to entities that funneled bribes to Wilkins through his church.
Several of Wilkins’s co-conspirators, including former Arkansas State Senator Jeremy Hutchinson and two executives at the Missouri-based health care charity, pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing.
The FBI investigated this case. Senior Litigation Counsel Marco A. Palmieri and Trial Attorney Jacob Steiner of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section; Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Mazzanti, and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick C. Harris of the Eastern District of Arkansas; and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Ben Wulff of the Western District of Arkansas prosecuted the case. This is a combined investigation with the Public Integrity Section of the Department of Justice, the Eastern District of Arkansas, Western District of Arkansas, and the Western District of Missouri.
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This news release, as well as additional information about the office of the
United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at
https://www.justice.gov/edar
Twitter:
@EDARNEWS
Federal Jury Convicts DeShawn Whited of Multiple Hobbs Act Robberies, Carjacking, and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – On January 18, 2023, a federal jury convicted DeShawn Whited, 25, of Knoxville, Tennessee, of four counts of Hobbs Act Robbery, one count of Attempted Hobbs Act Robbery, one count of carjacking, four counts of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, and one count of felon in possession of a firearm, following a four-day trial. The Honorable Katherine A. Crytzer, United States District Judge, presided over the trial. Whited faces a sentence of over 100 years in prison.
The armed robberies and the armed carjacking all occurred in Knoxville between January 12th, 2021, and January 20th, 2021. The evidence presented at trial included witness testimony, surveillance footage from multiple businesses across the Knoxville area, and physical, forensic and digital evidence, including items of clothing, firearms, cell phone information, and DNA.
“This prosecution is part of the Department of Justice’s comprehensive strategy to reduce violence and increase safety in our community by aggressively prosecuting criminals who engage in violent crime,” said United States Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III.
“The collaborative effort between the FBI and the Knoxville Police Department ensured this defendant was brought to justice and will no longer be able to threaten or harm the citizens and businesses in our community. We will continue to aggressively seek out those who prey upon innocent victims and hold them accountable,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Joseph E. Carrico.
“Preventing violent crime and addressing it after it occurs will always be the top priority of the Knoxville Police Department. I am proud of the many members of our department who were involved in this investigation from the beginning and helped see it through to this conclusion. Their efforts and contributions ensured the removal of a violent individual from the streets of Knoxville,” said Chief Paul Noel, Knoxville Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alan S. Kirk and Brent N. Jones represented the United States at trial.
Law enforcement agencies participating in the joint investigation and prosecution of Whited include the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Safe Streets Task Force and the Knoxville Police Department’s Violent Crime Unit and Organized Crime Unit, as well as Knoxville Police Department Patrol Officers and Forensic Crime Scene Technicians.
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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Evansdale Nurse Sentenced to Federal Prison for Stealing Pain Medication from Elderly Nursing Home Resident in WaterlooRead the Press Release
An Evansdale nurse who stole pain medication from an elderly nursing home resident in Waterloo was sentenced on January 4, 2023, to federal prison. Kelsey Ann Baxter, age 33, received the prison term after a July 19, 2022 guilty plea to one count of acquiring a controlled substance by means of misrepresentation, fraud, deception, and subterfuge.
In a plea agreement, Baxter admitted she was working at a Waterloo nursing home as a licensed practical nurse in the State of Iowa. In April 2021, Baxter was caught stealing and consuming two morphine pills that were intended for an elderly resident of the nursing home. The nursing home investigated and discovered that Baxter had diverted 43 morphine pills to her own use over a two-week period in April 2021. The elderly resident of the nursing home, who suffered pain from physical ailments, indicated that she had not received pain medication even though Baxter had documented in the elderly resident’s handwritten and electronic medical records that the resident had received the pain medication. The nursing home terminated Baxter’s employment after she tested positive for opiates without having a prescription for them. The nursing home had previously suspected Baxter of drug diversion as she was noticeably slurring her speech and disoriented while on the job. Baxter admitted she falsified the elderly nursing home resident’s physical and electronic medical records and the nursing home’s narcotics logs.
While this case was pending, Baxter repeatedly violated the terms of her pretrial release. Ultimately, a federal judge ordered Baxter confined in her home while awaiting her sentencing hearing, because she repeatedly used controlled substances while on pretrial release. In July 2022, Baxter was convicted in state court of making a false report to law enforcement before she was charged in federal court.
Baxter was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Baxter was sentenced to one month imprisonment. She must also serve a one-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Baxter also agreed to forfeit her State of Iowa nursing license to the United States.
In 2016, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Iowa was selected as one of 10 districts in the nation to form an Elder Justice Task Force (http://go.usa.gov/cSngj). The task force was assembled to foster a collaborative working relationship among all levels of government officials, advocacy groups for the elderly and the disabled, and others charged with the care and protection for these vulnerable groups. The goals include ensuring the integrity of all government expenditures by eliminating fraud, waste, and abuse in health programs, and protecting some of the state’s most vulnerable citizens from harm, whether it occurs in nursing homes or other institutions or involves financial fraud schemes. To learn more about the Department of Justice’s Elder Justice Initiative, visit: https://www.justice.gov/elderjustice/.
Baxter was released on the bond previously set and is to surrender to the Bureau of Prisons on a date yet to be set. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Timothy L. Vavricek and investigated by the Iowa Medicaid Fraud Control Unit.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 22-CR-2040.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
El Departamento de Justicia llega a un acuerdo con una empresa de servicios de boletos de Broadway que resuelve unas acusaciones de discriminación relacionadas con la inmigraciónRead the Press Release
El Departamento de Justicia anunció hoy que ha llegado a un acuerdo conciliatorio con Nederlander Marketing, Inc., que opera como Broadway Direct (Broadway Direct), una empresa de servicios de boletos con sede en Nueva York. El acuerdo resuelve la determinación del Departamento que Broadway Direct vulneró la ley de Inmigración y Nacionalidad («INA», por sus siglas en inglés) al discriminar a trabajadores no ciudadanos de los EE. UU. con base en su estatus de ciudadanía cuando publicó anuncios y contrató para un puesto en Nueva York.
«Los anuncios de trabajo que limitan ilegalmente los trabajos a ciudadanos de los EE. UU. crean barreras para los no ciudadanos de los EE. UU. que cuentan con permiso para trabajar en los Estados Unidos», manifestó Kristen Clarke, la Fiscal General Auxiliar de la División de Derechos Civiles del Departamento de Justicia. «El Departamento de Justicia seguirá garantizando que todos los trabajadores cuenten con una oportunidad justa para las oportunidades de trabajo y hará responsable a los empleadores por discriminar a los trabajadores por motivos de ciudadanía, estatus migratorio o nacionalidad de origen».
El Departamento inició su investigación en julio de 2022, al enterarse de que Broadway Direct puede haber publicado un anuncio de trabajo que limitaba la contratación para el puesto a postulantes ciudadanos de los EE. UU. únicamente. La investigación del Departamento determinó que Broadway Direct había publicado al menos un anuncio de trabajo con restricciones ilegales de estatus de ciudadanía. En virtud de la INA, los empleadores generalmente no pueden discriminar por motivos de ciudadanía, estatus migratorio o nacionalidad de origen en ninguna etapa del proceso de contratación.
Según los términos del acuerdo, Nederlander pagará una sanción civil a los Estados Unidos, capacitará al personal sobre la disposición antidiscriminatoria de la INA, revisará y actualizará sus políticas de empleo y se someterá a la supervisión del Departamento durante dos años.
La Sección de Derechos de Inmigrantes y Empleados (IER) de la División de Derechos Civiles es responsable de hacer cumplir la disposición antidiscriminatoria de la INA. La ley prohíbe la discriminación por motivos de estatus de ciudadanía y nacionalidad de origen en los procesos de contratación, despido, reclutamiento o recomendación por comisión; las prácticas documentales injustas; y las represalias y la intimidación.
Encuentre más información en el sitio web de la IER sobre cómo los empleadores pueden evitar la discriminación durante la contratación y el reclutamiento. Aprenda más sobre cómo la IER protege los derechos de los trabajadores en este vídeo. Para más información sobre las protecciones contra la discriminación en virtud de las leyes de inmigración, llame a la línea directa de la IER para trabajadores al 1-800-255-7688 (1-800-237-2515, TTY para personas con discapacidades auditivas); llame a la línea directa de la IER para empleadores al 1-800-255-8155 (1-800-237-2515, TTY para personas con discapacidades auditivas); inscríbase en un seminario en línea gratuito; envié un correo electrónico a [email protected]; o visite los sitios web de la IER en inglés o español. Para recibir las últimas noticias de la IER, inscríbase a GovDelivery.
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East Boston Man Arrested for Child Pornography OffensesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – An East Boston man has been arrested for possessing and distributing child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
Cristopher Vladimir Pineda Martinez, 23, was charged with one count of possession of child pornography and one count of distribution of child pornography. Following an initial appearance in federal court in Boston yesterday before U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Judith G. Dein, Pineda was detained pending a hearing scheduled for Feb. 3, 2023.
According to the charging documents, law enforcement identified Pineda as member of several private communities and/or groups involved in the distribution of CSAM on an online chat platform. It is alleged that, on Dec. 12, 2022, Pineda distributed six videos depicting CSAM in three online chat groups. It is further alleged that an additional 54 videos depicting CSAM, depicting children as young as six years old, were found on Pineda’s personal cell phone.
The charge of possession of child pornography provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a mandatory minimum of five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of distribution of child pornography provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up to 20 years in prison, a mandatory minimum of five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins and Matthew B. Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the United States Postal Inspection Service and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan C. Cleary of Rollins’ Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by 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.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Dallas Sex Trafficker Sentenced to 25 YearsRead the Press Release
A Dallas trafficker was sentenced Wednesday to 25 years in federal prison for spending nearly two decades running a brutal sex trafficking ring, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.
Anthony Johnson, 45, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit sex trafficking through force, fraud, and coercion, and sex trafficking on May 10, narrowly avoiding his trial, which was scheduled to begin the same day. He was sentenced Wednesday by U.S. District Judge Ada Brown, who also ordered a lifetime of supervised release following the completion of his sentence.
“Human trafficking is happening under our noses – and the heartbreaking 911 call in this case illustrates just how brutal these situations can be for victims. We hope that during Mr. Johnson’s time behind bars, his victims can begin to heal from the pain – both mental and physical – he inflicted on them,” said U.S. Attorney Leigha Simonton. “Please, if you even suspect someone you know is being trafficked, reach out to the National Human Trafficking Hotline. Your call could save a life.”
“This defendant coerced, manipulated and brutalized numerous human trafficking victims, for financial gain and self-gratification,” said Lester R. Hayes Jr., Special Agent in Charge of HSI Dallas. “While a lengthy prison sentence can never erase the physical and psychological abuse his victims endured, it does remove the reason for their fear, allowing the healing process to begin. HSI will never relent in pursuing those who commit these inhumane crimes.”
In plea papers, Mr. Johnson, aka “Macc Bucc,” admitted he forced numerous women to engage in commercial sex acts and turn the proceeds over to him. He set “quotas,” compelled the women to work for hours on end, and brutally beat them with an extension cord when they came up short, “disrespected” him, or did not follow his rules. He also required the women to steal from commercial sex customers, instructing them to rifle through customers’ pockets for cash or jewelry and check their cars for valuables.
One woman, identified in court documents as “Adult Victim 7,” endured his abuse for several years. The night he recruited AV7, Mr. Johnson directed his second-in-command, Demetrice Deckard, to take her to Harry Hines and teach her how to solicit commercial sex customers. She engaged in commercial sex with her first customer just a few days later. Throughout her time in his trafficking organization, AV7 was forced to travel cross-country to engage in commercial sex and was routinely beaten when she tried to leave the organization.
In a pretrial filing, prosecutors indicated they were prepared to introduce into evidence a 911 call placed by a different victim’s mother after her daughter called her in tears from a passerby’s phone.
“She said, ‘mamma, I wanna come home, they won’t let me come home,’ she said, ‘they got everything I got,’” the woman told the dispatcher. “‘Mamma, he got me by gunpoint, he’s got these girls following me, he beat me up real bad.’”
In another pretrial filing, prosecutors indicated that they were also prepared to introduce evidence that Mr. Johnson obtained a contraband cell phone while in jail awaiting trial and used the phone to continue running his organization. According to prosecutors, text messages obtained from the cell phone showed that Mr. Johnson continued to instruct women where to work, which hotels to use, how to steal from customers, and when they could finish work for the night. Mr. Johnson also directed women to send him videos of themselves having sex with commercial sex customers. In plea papers, Mr. Johnson admitted that he also ran his trafficking organization from behind bars from 2014 to 2019, following a conviction for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
Ms. Deckard pleaded guilty in April to conspiracy to engage in trafficking through force, fraud, and coercion and is set to be sentenced in April. Another co-defendant, Ashley Neice, pled guilty to conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding and admitted to conspiring with Mr. Johnson to contact a victim in the criminal case in order to tell her not to cooperate with law enforcement.
Homeland Security Investigations’ Dallas Field Division conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Dallas Police Department, Miami Police Department, and the Miami Office of Attorney General. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Renee Hunter and Melanie Smith (fmr.) prosecuted the case with the help of appellate liaison Brian McKay.
If you believe you or someone you know is a victim of human trafficking, call local law enforcement or the 24/7 confidential National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888.
Cumberland County, Tennessee Agrees to End Discrimination Based on Opioid Use DisorderRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that it filed a complaint and proposed consent decree with the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee, to resolve allegations that Cumberland County, Tennessee violated Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which prohibits employers from discriminating based on disability. Among other things, it requires them to make reasonable accommodations to qualified employees with disabilities.
The lawsuit alleges that the County Sheriff’s Department discriminated against a correctional officer on the basis of his disability, opioid use disorder (OUD), by failing to make reasonable accommodations to permit his continued employment while taking prescribed medication for OUD. The Sheriff’s Department also constructively discharged him by forcing him to resign. The lawsuit also alleges that the Sheriff’s Department violated the ADA by preventing employees who are taking legally prescribed medications from having them present in their system while at work. This is the Justice Department’s first ADA settlement resolving claims of employment discrimination based on opioid use disorder.
“Employees with opioid use disorder or other disabilities should not face termination for taking lawfully prescribed medications needed to treat their disabilities,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department remains committed to ensuring equal employment opportunities for people with opioid use disorder and other disabilities.”
Under the terms of the consent decree, which must be approved by the Court, the County will implement policies and procedures regarding non-discrimination in employment, and train personnel on the requirements of Title I of the ADA. The County will also pay a total of $160,000 to the former correctional officer.
This matter is based on a referral from the Nashville Area Office of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, which conducted the initial investigation.
For more information on the Civil Rights Division, please visit www.justice.gov/crt. For more information on the Civil Rights Division’s Disability Rights Section, please call the department’s toll-free ADA Information Line at 800-514-0301 (TDD 800-514-0383) or visit www.ada.gov.
Crawford County Couple Sentenced to Prison for Committing Identity Theft, Bank FraudRead the Press Release
BENTON, Ill. – An Oblong man and a Robinson woman were sentenced to prison in a U.S. District Court this week after admitting to breaking into vehicles, stealing checks and IDs and committing identity theft in order to fraudulently obtain thousands of dollars from banks.
Zachary Patrick, 31, and Briana Blair, 31, each pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit financial institution fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft. Patrick received a 60-month sentence with an additional five years of supervised release, and Blair received a 25-month sentence with an additional three years of supervised release.
“Committing identity theft threatens the financial security of victims,” said U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe. “This couple disregarded the lives they were hurting, and I commend our law enforcement partners and investigators for bringing justice to the affected families.”
“FBI Springfield extends our appreciation to the Oblong Police Department and the Clay County Sheriff’s Office for their excellent work which laid the foundation for significant charges in this case,” said Springfield Field Office Acting Special Agent in Charge Shannon Fontenot. “These sentences provide some justice for victims whose lives were turned upside down by criminals who stole personal information and used it for their own gain with no regard for the consequences of their actions.”
According to court documents, the couple stole checks and personal identifying information from multiple victims often by breaking into vehicles. The pair then used the victims’ information to write and deposit fraudulent checks, forge signatures and withdraw thousands of dollars as they traveled around eastern Illinois and western Indiana. In addition, they opened a bank account using one victim’s stolen information.
The pair was apprehended in a hotel parking lot in Brazil, Indiana, while breaking into a vehicle. Initially, the pair identified themselves to law enforcement using two of the identities they had previously stolen, but eventually admitted to their true identities. Law enforcement officers recovered several stolen IDs, credit cards and documents with financial information from victims.
The sentencing judge noted the severity of committing identity theft and highlighted the devastating impact and ongoing consequences for victims.
The FBI-Springfield led the investigation with assistance from the Clay County Sheriff’s Office and the Oblong Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter Reed prosecuted the case.
Convicted Felon Sentenced for Possession of Pistols, Ammunition, and Machine Gun Conversion DeviceRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Richmond man was sentenced today to 92 months in prison for his illegal possession of firearms, including a machine gun conversion device, and ammunition as a convicted felon.
According to court documents, on July 14, 2021, Marquis Bonhomme, 23, was arrested by the Richmond Police Department (RPD) during a traffic stop, in which officers discovered that Bonhomme had outstanding arrest warrants. Prior to leaving the arrest scene, RPD officers observed a firearm magazine in plain view inside of Bonhomme’s vehicle and obtained a state search warrant.
A search of Bonhomme’s vehicle revealed a loaded Glock, Model 26, 9mm semi-automatic pistol; a Glock “switch” conversion device, which renders a pistol fully automatic when inserted to the rear of the firearm; a loaded Century Arms International, VSKA, 7.62 caliber, semi-automatic pistol, with a 35 round magazine; a 50 round drum magazine; and assorted 7.62 caliber and 9mm caliber ammunition. Federal agents later applied for and obtained a federal search warrant for Bonhomme’s Instagram accounts, which revealed numerous photographs of Bonhomme possessing other firearms, photographs and discussions related to Glock “switch” conversion devices, and his active involvement in illegal marijuana trafficking
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Christopher Amon, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Division; and Richmond Police Department Acting Chief of Police Richard Edwards, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Hannah M. Lauck.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Erik S. Siebert prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:22-cr-62.
Construction Company Owner Sentenced for Fraud in Securing Millions of Dollars in Contracts Intended for Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small BusinessesRead the Press Release
The owner of several companies in the construction industry was sentenced to 27 months in prison and ordered to pay a $1.75 million fine for his role in a long-running scheme to defraud the United States.
Following a six-day trial in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas in June 2022, a jury convicted Michael Angelo Padron of conspiracy to defraud the United States and wire fraud for his role in obtaining valuable government contracts under programs administered by the Small Business Administration (SBA). The evidence showed that Padron conspired with others to install a service-disabled veteran as the ostensible owner of a general construction company held out as a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB). Padron, along with his business partners, exercised disqualifying financial and operational control over the construction company. According to court documents, the conspirators concealed that control in order to secure over $240 million in government contracts that were set aside for SDVOSBs and other small businesses in order to benefit their larger, nonqualifying businesses.
“The sentence reflects the seriousness of the offense and the long-running nature of the scheme,” said Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General for Criminal Enforcement Marvin Price of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “The Antitrust Division and its Procurement Collusion Strike Force remain committed to holding executives accountable when they choose to defraud federal procurement programs.”
“Conspiring to fraudulently use SBA program funds intended for service-disabled veteran’s is reprehensible,” said Special Agent in Charge Sharon Johnson of the Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General (SBA-OIG), Central Region. “This sentence demonstrates that those that defraud the nations vital economic programs will be held accountable. I want to thank the Antitrust Division and our law enforcement partners for their dedication and pursuit of justice.”
“Today's sentencing should serve as a stark reminder that our agents, and those of our partner law enforcement agencies, are relentless in our pursuit of those who choose to defraud the government," said Special Agent in Charge L. Scott Moreland of the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division’s (CID) Major Procurement Fraud Field Office. “We have a very robust group of highly-trained special agents and analysts who are masters at combating and uncovering fraud, deception, and other criminal acts associated with government contracting and purchasing.”
“A level playing field is vital to the procurement process,” said Special Agent in Charge Jamie Willemin of the General Services Administration Office of Inspector General (GSA-OIG) Southwest and Rocky Mountain Division. “Today’s sentencing signifies GSA OIG’s commitment to aggressively investigate fraudulent business practices that cheat legitimate small businesses and the taxpayer.”
“The VA-OIG is committed to identifying and stopping those individuals who misappropriate an opportunity meant solely for our nation’s veterans with disabilities,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Patrick Roche of the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General’s (VA-OIG) South Central Field Office. “The VA-OIG thanks the Department of Justice and our law enforcement partners for their joint efforts to achieve justice in this case.”
The Antitrust Division’s Washington Criminal II Section prosecuted the case, which was investigated by SBA-OIG, U.S. Army CID Major Procurement Fraud Unit, VA-OIG, DCIS, and GSA-OIG. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas and the Army Audit Agency also assisted with the investigation.
Anyone with information in connection with this investigation is urged to call the Antitrust Division’s Washington Criminal II Section at 202-598-4000, or visit https://www.justice.gov/atr/contact/newcase.html.
In November 2019, the Department of Justice created the Procurement Collusion Strike Force (PCSF), a joint law enforcement effort to combat antitrust crimes and related fraudulent schemes that impact government procurement, grant, and program funding at all levels of government – federal, state and local. To learn more about the PCSF, or to report information on market allocation, price fixing, bid rigging and other anticompetitive conduct related to defense-related spending, go to https://www.justice.gov/procurement-collusion-strike-force.
Church Point Man Sentenced for Trafficking NarcoticsRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. - United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced that a drug trafficker from Church Point, Louisiana, has been sentenced in federal court. United States District Judge David C. Joseph sentenced Ricky James Shepheard, 43, to 120 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
According to evidence presented to the court, law enforcement agents with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) executed a search warrant on Shepheard’s residence in Church Point on June 3, 2021. During their search, agents seized methamphetamine, heroin, and a large quantity of cash, as well as six firearms.
Shepheard pleaded guilty to a charge of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine on September 27, 2022 and admitted that he possessed 805 grams of a mixture of substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, as well as 230 grams of marijuana, 205 grams of synthetic marijuana, 10 grams of suspected heroin, and 7 Gabapentin pills. Shepheard also possessed 145 grams of an unknown white powdery substance and 130 grams of an unknown brown substance.
This case was investigated by the DEA and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John W. Nickel.
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Chinese Citizen Charged with Interstate Transportation of Stolen PropertyRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Wu Feng Zhang, age 53, a Chinese citizen residing in the Town of Colonie, New York, has been charged by criminal complaint for transporting stolen property across state lines.
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.
The criminal complaint alleges that between June and December 2022, Zhang stole merchandise from home improvement stores in states including Pennsylvania, South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia, Florida, and New York, and transported those stolen items to his residence in Colonie. On January 11, 2023, HSI searched his residence in Colonie and found more than $100,000 in merchandise stolen from home improvement and other stores. The charges in the complaint are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The charge carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to 3 years. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
Zhang appeared on January 12, 2023, in Albany, before United States Magistrate Judge Daniel J. Stewart, and was ordered detained pending trial.
HSI, with assistance from the Colonie Police Department, the Albany County Sheriff’s Office, and the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office, is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Wentworth-Ping is prosecuting the case.
CPA Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Promote Fraudulent Tax Shelter SchemeRead the Press Release
A Florida CPA pleaded guilty in the District of New Jersey today to conspiring to sell fraudulent tax deductions disguised as charitable deductions to high-income clients.
According to the Information and other court documents and statements made in court, Ralph B. Anderson of Naples, Florida, promoted and sold fraudulent syndicated conservation easement tax shelters that allowed high-income clients to buy tax deductions to illegally shelter their income from taxes. These illegal tax shelters facilitated high-income taxpayers in claiming inflated charitable contribution tax deductions in connection with the donation of a conservation easement over land. Between 2013 and 2019, while working as a CPA, Anderson, along with others, promoted and helped sell such fraudulent syndicated conservation easement tax shelters. To carry out the scheme, the conspirators obtained falsely inflated appraisals in order to achieve the desired amount of tax deductions. Anderson was paid more than $300,000 in commissions for his promotion and sale of the tax shelters. He also was given “free units” he could use to take false deductions for charitable contributions on his own tax returns. As a part of his guilty plea, Anderson admitted his conduct resulted in a loss of nearly $3.5 million.
Anderson is scheduled to be sentenced on June 7, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison for conspiring to defraud the United States. He also faces a period of supervised release, restitution and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement.
IRS-Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Christopher Magnani and Richard Rolwing of the Tax Division are prosecuting the case.
Burrillville Man Admits to Illegally Possessing More Than 200 Firearms, Making False Statements on ATF Firearm Purchase FormsRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A Burrillville man admitted today to a federal judge that he was an unlawful user of controlled substances, including cocaine, when he purchased and possessed more than 200 firearms, and that he made false statements when purchasing the firearms, claiming on the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) forms that he was not an unlawful drug user, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.
During a routine review of multiple sales reports of firearms in the fall of 2018, ATF learned that Ronald Andruchuk, 38, purchased 169 firearms between July 2021 and November 2021. Agents began to investigate further to ensure that the purchaser was not involved in illegal firearms-trafficking activities. During that review, agents learned that Andruchuk had previous contact with Cranston Police Department, during which he admitted being a medical marijuana user; during later contact with the Cranston Police when he was arrested on controlled substance offenses, Andruchuk admitted to having a substance abuse problem.
Further investigation determined that in December 2021 two firearms, as well as drugs, and other items were located in the drop ceiling of a bathroom inside a Millbury, MA, retail store shortly after Andruchuk vacated the restroom. Both firearms were traced to Andruchuk as the purchaser, who did not have a license to carry a firearm in Massachusetts.
ATF also reviewed ATF Firearm Transaction Records that Andruchuk filled out on November 17, 2021 and December 11, 2021 when attempting to purchase firearms at two different gun stores in Rhode Island and discovered that he had falsely claimed that he was not “an unlawful user of, or addicted to, marijuana or any depressant, stimulant, narcotic drug, or any other controlled substance."
On February 24, 2022, Burrillville Police were called to Andruchuk’s home to investigate reports of shots fired; this was the ninth such complaint the Department had received. As police arrived, numerous gunshots could be heard – with some passing overhead of responding officers. Andruchuk was found to be wearing a bulletproof vest and was carrying four firearms and methamphetamine. Burrillville Police arrested him on a state arrest warrant for Firing in a Compact area at that time. At the same time, ATF agents executed a federal search warrant at Andruchuk’s home and seized more than 200 unsecured firearms from the residence, in addition to various controlled substances.
Andruchuk today pleaded guilty to two charges of making a false statement of material fact during a firearm purchase and possession of a firearm by an unlawful user of a controlled substance. He is scheduled to be sentenced on April 17, 2023. The defendant’s sentence will be determined by a federal district judge after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
According to a plea agreement filed with the court, Andruchuk will forfeit all of the 219 firearms seized by ATF and Burrillville Police which included an AR-style privately-made firearm and a drilled lower receiver with functioning trigger assembly, in addition to assorted firearm magazines and accessories and approximately 25,390 (1,555.8lbs) rounds of assorted boxed and loose ammunition of various calibers. The forfeited firearms and ammunition will be destroyed.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United Sates Attorney Ronald R. Gendron.
The matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Burrillville Police Department.
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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Bronx Man Convicted in Connection with June 2022 Shooting of Man in ElevatorRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced the conviction in Manhattan federal court of STEPHEN SIMMONS, a/k/a “S-Dot,” for possessing ammunition that he used to shoot a man in the leg on June 16, 2022. The jury convicted SIMMONS following trial before U.S. District Judge Valerie E. Caproni.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Stephen Simmons possessed ammunition in furtherance of a violent shooting in the elevator of a residential apartment building. Residents of the Bronx should rest easier tonight knowing that this dangerous recidivist is off the streets.”
According to the allegations contained in the Indictment and the evidence presented during the trial:
On June 16, 2022, SIMMONS chased a man into the elevator of a large apartment building in the Bronx. SIMMONS stood just feet away and fired his gun into the elevator while three individuals stood trapped inside. SIMMONS’s shot hit the victim in the leg, and the victim was thereafter transported to the hospital for emergency medical attention. SIMMONS fled the scene and was subsequently arrested on July 22, 2022.
At the time of the June 16, 2022, shooting, SIMMONS had been previously convicted of a felony.
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SIMMONS, 37, of the Bronx, New York, was convicted of one count of being a felon in possession of ammunition, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.
The statutory maximum penalty is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant would be determined by the judge. SIMMONS is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Caproni on May 9, 2023.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the New York City Police Department, and Task Force Officers assigned to the United States Attorney’s Office.
The case is being supervised by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jamie Bagliebter, Courtney Heavey, and Lindsey Keenan, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Isabel Loftus, are in charge of the prosecution.
Bristol Man Facing Federal Charges After Threatening Incident at Federal CourthouseRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Anthony Lombardo, 44 of Bristol, PA has been charged by criminal complaint and warrant with attempting to murder and forcibly assault, intimidate, and interfere with, a federal law enforcement officer. Lombardo remains hospitalized and in federal custody.
This case is being investigated by the FBI’s Philadelphia Division and the United States Marshals Service. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Ashenfelter.
An indictment, information, or criminal complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Bridgeport Man Sentenced to More Than 3 Years in Federal Prison for Gun OffenseRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that LAMAIN HEARD, 33, of Bridgeport, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to 37 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for a federal firearm offense.
According to court documents and statements made in court, June 15, 2021, members of the FBI’s Bridgeport Safe Streets Task Force and Bridgeport Police Department investigating gang-related violence and the potential for a retaliation shooting attempted to stop a car in Bridgeport. The law enforcement vehicles had activated their lights and sirens, and officers exiting the vehicles wore vests bearing the letters “FBI” and “POLICE.” Instead of stopping, the car drove at the federal law enforcement officers and their vehicles, crashing into three different law enforcement officers’ vehicles and into a civilian motorist. One officer fired into the car as it headed toward the officer, causing the car to veer into another law enforcement vehicle and, ultimately, to crash into a pole. Heard, who was a passenger in the car, dropped a semiautomatic pistol in the car and then attempted to flee the scene before he was apprehended. Subsequent forensic analysis of the firearm revealed that it contained Heard’s DNA.
Heard has previously been convicted of a felony offense and he attended a Project Safe Neighborhoods presentation at which he was informed that a felon caught with a firearm could be prosecuted in federal court.
Heard has been detained since his federal arrest on January 21, 2022. On June 2, 2022, he pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon.
The driver of the car has been with assaulting, resisting, or impeding federal officers, and is awaiting trial. U.S. Attorney Avery stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This matter is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Bridgeport Safe Streets Task Force and the Bridgeport Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rahul Kale. the Justice’s Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) program and Project Longevity.
PSN, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts, is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Project Longevity is a comprehensive initiative to reduce gun violence in Connecticut’s major cities. Through Project Longevity, community members and law enforcement directly engage with members of groups that are prone to commit violence and deliver a community message against violence, a law enforcement message about the consequences of further violence and an offer of help for those who want it.
Boston Man Arrested for Engaging in Murder-for-Hire Targeting His Wife and Her BoyfriendRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Boston man was arrested yesterday and charged in connection with allegedly attempting to hire a contract killer – who was actually an undercover federal agent – to murder his wife and the wife’s boyfriend.
Mohammed Chowdhury, 46, was charged by criminal complaint with one count of murder-for-hire. Following an initial appearance in federal court in Boston yesterday, Chowdhury was detained pending a detention hearing scheduled for Jan. 20, 2023.
According to the charging documents, in November 2022, an individual notified federal law enforcement that Chowdhury was soliciting assistance in having his wife murdered. The individual said that Chowdhury had allegedly paid someone to conduct the murder for hire, but that they took the money and did not follow through with Chowdhury’s request. It is alleged that Chowdhury subsequently told the individual that he needed the murder done as soon as possible and that he would get the money to do so, even robbing a store if necessary to obtain the funds. The individual provided Chowdhury’s phone number to law enforcement, who thereafter used an undercover agent posing as a contract killer to communicate with Chowdhury about his alleged murder for hire plot.
It is alleged that on numerous occasions in December 2022 and January 2023, Chowdhury met with undercover agents posing as the contract killer and their associates, to seek help with killing his wife and her new boyfriend whom she left him for. It is alleged that during these meetings and communications, Chowdhury explained that his wife wouldn’t let him see his children and that he wanted the undercover agents to rob and beat his wife and her boyfriend so that he would not be a suspect. Chowdhury allegedly asked the agents, “So how we gonna disappear his, uh, body?” and stated, “No evidence. No evidence. No evidence from like, you know, that, uh, I did something, you know?” Chowdhury allegedly provided the undercover agents with photographs of his wife and her new boyfriend, where they lived, where they worked and their work schedules. It is alleged that Chowdhury ultimately agreed to pay $4,000 per murder, with a deposit of $500.
Chowdhury met with the undercover agents yesterday morning, allegedly provided the $500 deposit and confirmed that he wanted the murders committed. Chowdhury was then taken into federal custody.
In October 2019, Chowdhury was charged in Boston Municipal Court with violating an Abuse Prevention Order prohibiting him from abusing, contacting, or coming within a certain distance of his wife. Chowdhury pleaded to sufficient facts and received a continuance without a finding.
The charging statute provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins and Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. The Boston Police Department provided valuable assistance with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Luke A. Goldworm and John T. Dawley of Rollins’ Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Blytheville Man Sentenced to Eight Years in Federal Prison After Stealing Identities and CreditRead the Press Release
LITTLE ROCK—A Blytheville man’s pattern of identity theft and fraudulent credit applications will result in him spending more than eight years in federal prison. Palmer Stubblefield, 41, was sentenced today to 102 months in prison for stealing identifying information and using it to apply for more than $148,500 in fraudulently obtained credit. United States District Judge Lee P. Rudofsky handed down the sentence.
Since 2019, law enforcement had been investigating Stubblefield for multiple fraudulent credit cards, lines of credit, and bank accounts that used the personal information of more than 139 victims. Many of the fraudulent credit cards were through Military Star (Milstar), which is owned and operated by the Army and Air Force Exchange Service. In 2020, investigators interviewed a victim who was able to identify Stubblefield as the person responsible for his identity theft. The investigation revealed approximately $148,500 in losses to the various victims.
In July 2021, Stubblefield was indicted by a federal grand jury with 13 counts, including three counts of falsely representing a social security number, three counts of aggravated identity theft, four counts bank fraud, two counts of theft or receipt of stolen mail, and one count of access device fraud. In September 2022, Stubblefield pleaded guilty to access device fraud in exchange for dismissal of the remaining counts.
In addition to the prison sentence, Judge Rudofsky sentenced Stubblefield to three years of supervised release and ordered him to pay $147,500 in restitution. There is no parole in the federal prison system.
The case was investigated by the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, U.S. Secret Service, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations, U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, Little Rock Police Department, and Craighead County Sheriff’s Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Edward Walker.
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This news release, as well as additional information about the office of the
United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at
https://www.justice.gov/edar
Twitter:
@EDARNEWS
Belgrade man sentenced to five years in prison for attempted transfer of obscene material to minorRead the Press Release
MISSOULA — A Belgrade man who admitted to attempting to send obscene images to a minor during an undercover investigation was sentenced today to five years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
Aric Collin Normile, 42, pleaded guilty in September 2022 to attempted transfer of obscene material to a minor.
U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided.
The government alleged that during an undercover investigation in January 2022, law enforcement posed on social media as an uncle offering for others to have sex with his 12-year-old niece. Normile responded, agreeing to meet for the purpose of having sex with the minor girl and sending the undercover officer an explicit image of himself. After the undercover officer and Normile agreed to a meeting location, law enforcement arrested Normile when he arrived. Normile attempted to flee, but law enforcement deployed a flash bang grenade and blocked the exit of the meeting location.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Wendy A. Johnson, Cyndee L. Peterson and Ryan G. Weldon prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the FBI, Montana Division of Criminal Investigation, Montana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the FBI Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office and Bozeman Police Department.
This case was initiated under the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood initiative, which was launched in 2006 to combat the proliferation of technology-facilitated crimes involving the sexual exploitation of children. Through a network of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies and advocacy organizations, Project Safe Childhood attempts to protect children by investigating and prosecuting offenders involved in child sexual exploitation. It is implemented through partnerships including the Montana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. The ICAC Task Force Program was created to assist state and local law enforcement agencies by enhancing their investigative response to technology facilitated crimes against children.
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Armed, Drug-Dealing Felon Sentenced to 16 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS- Eugene Theard, 45, of Indianapolis, was sentenced to 16 years in federal prison for distributing methamphetamine and possessing five firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking.
According to court documents, on May 11, 2021, Eugene Theard became a target of a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) investigation after he sold 221 grams of a substance containing methamphetamine to another individual for $2,300.
On June 3, 2021, Theard made a deal to sell another 111 grams of methamphetamine for $1,400. At the time of this transaction, Theard was on parole for domestic battery and failure to return to lawful detention. Following the June 3 drug deal, parole agents with the Indiana Department of Correction conducted a compliance visit at Theard’s motel room in Indianapolis. The parole agents found 382 grams of methamphetamine and five firearms. Theard admitted to DEA agents that he intended to sell the drugs and possessed the guns to protect his drugs and profits.
Zachary A. Myers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana and Michael Gannon, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the DEA’s Indianapolis Field Office made the announcement.
“Armed trafficking of deadly drugs drives violence and fuels substance use disorders,” said Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “These crimes are even more unacceptable when committed by a felon who is still on parole, and clearly has not learned his lesson. I commend the outstanding work of the DEA, IMPD, ATF, and IDOC to take deadly drugs, deadly weapons, and another dangerous trafficker off our streets.”
DEA investigated this case. The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Indiana Department of Correction provided valuable assistance. The sentence was imposed by U.S District Court Judge James R. Sweeney. Judge Sweeney also ordered that Theard be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for 4 years following his release from federal prison.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorney Jayson W. McGrath, who 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.
Amazon Cited by OSHA Based on SDNY Referrals for Serious Violations That Exposed Workers to Safety HazardsRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Douglas L. Parker, Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health, announced that earlier today the United States Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (“OSHA”) issued citations for three facilities to AMAZON.COM SERVICE LLC (“AMAZON”) arising out of referrals received from the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York (the “Office”).
These citations are for serious violations of Section 5(a)(1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act (“OSH Act”) for AMAZON’s failure to furnish a place of employment which was free from recognized hazards that were causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm to employees. Specifically, the citations explained that employees at three AMAZON facilities were exposed to ergonomic hazards which put them at high risk for lower back injuries and other musculoskeletal disorders (“MSDs”). These hazards resulted from the high frequency with which workers are required to lift packages and other items; the heavy weight of the items; awkward postures, such as twisting, bending, and long reaches while lifting; and long hours required to complete assigned tasks. These facilities are located in New Windsor, New York, Waukegan, Illinois, and Deltona, Florida. Additionally, at the Deltona, Florida, warehouse, OSHA also cited AMAZON for exposing workers to the hazard of being struck by falling boxes with merchandise.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Amazon became the nation’s largest online retailer thanks, in no small part, to the hundreds of thousands of Americans who work each year in Amazon’s massive warehouses. Each of these workers has the right to a place of work free from severe safety hazards. These citations are a step toward protecting the hard-working people at Amazon’s warehouses who have been laboring under hazardous conditions. OSHA’s investigation regarding workplace safety hazards at Amazon warehouses continues. And our Office is investigating possible fraudulent conduct designed to hide injuries from OSHA and others. We ask that anyone who has information relevant to this investigation contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office.”
OSHA Assistant Secretary of Labor Douglas L. Parker said: “Each of these inspections found work processes that were designed for speed but not safety, and they resulted in serious worker injuries. While Amazon has developed impressive systems to make sure its customers’ orders are shipped efficiently and quickly, the company has failed to show the same level of commitment to protecting the safety and well-being of its workers. Our hope is that the findings of our investigations inspire Amazon and other warehouses to make the safety and health of their workers a core value.”
These citations arise out of workplace safety inspections at six AMAZON warehouses across the country that OSHA conducted beginning in mid-July and early August of last year in response to referrals received from the Office. OSHA’s investigation at three of AMAZON’s facilities — located outside of Albany, New York, Boise, Idaho, and Denver, Colorado — is ongoing. Per the OSH Act, OSHA has six months from a violation to issue citations. In mid-December, OSHA issued citations for AMAZON’s failure to appropriately log injuries for reporting to OSHA at all six facilities.
The Civil Division of the Office is also investigating worker safety hazards at AMAZON warehouses across the country, as well as whether AMAZON engaged in a fraudulent scheme designed to hide the true number of injuries to AMAZON workers and whether AMAZON made false representations to lenders about those injuries and its safety record to obtain credit.
Members of the public can report workplace safety and injury-related issues at AMAZON warehouses to this Office. Anyone who has information about safety issues — including safety issues related to the pace of work — or a failure to report injuries, or inadequate medical care at AMAZON’s onsite first-aid center or at a clinic recommended by AMAZON can share that information with this Office via the following link: https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/webform/sdny-amazon-warehouse-investigation.
The matter is being handled by the Office’s Civil Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jacob Lillywhite, Dominika Tarczynska, Elizabeth J. Kim, and Adam Gitlin are in charge of the investigation.
Alabama Resident Pleads Guilty to a Violation of the Federal Controlled Substances ActRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced today that QUINCY WHITE, age 41, and a resident of Mobile, Alabama, pled guilty on January 10, 2023 before United States District Judge Greg G. Guidry to a one-count bill of information charging him with possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(A).
According to court documents, on October 24, 2021, federal and local agencies investigated WHITE in LaPlace, Louisiana. After being arrested, WHITE admitted to purchasing packages of “methamphetamine” from inside a spare tire that was recovered from inside of the vehicle he was driving.
WHITE is scheduled to be sentenced on April 18, 2023. WHITE faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and up to life imprisonment, a fine of up to $10,000,000, at least five (5) years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the St. Charles Parish Sheriff's Office, and the St. John Parish Sheriff's Office. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Lynn E. Schiffman.
Activity in the United States Attorney's OfficeRead the Press Release
Assault
Chief United States District Court Scott W. Skavdahl sentenced LINDBURG SHONGUTSIE, age 69, of Riverton, Wyoming, for assault, resisting, or impeding a certain officer or employee, to eight months of home confinement with five years of supervised release and payment of a $100 special assessment. On March 4, 2022, Shongutsie assaulted a Bureau of Indian Affairs officer while the federal officer was on duty. The crime was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Assistant United States Attorney Kerry J. Jacobson prosecuted the case. Case No. 22-cr-00039-ABJ
Drug and Firearm Offenses
United States District Court Judge Nancy D. Freudenthal sentenced PETER JAMES HERNANDEZ, age 28, of Cheyenne, Wyoming, for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine. Hernandez was sentenced to 60 months in prison with seven years of supervised release and was ordered to pay $500 in restitution and a $100 special assessment. The crime was investigated by the Laramie County Sheriff’s Office and the Drug Enforcement Administration. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan C. Coppom. Case No. 22-cr-00085-NDF
United States District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson sentenced JONATHAN QUEEN, age 38, of Torrington, Wyoming, for being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, to 87 months’ imprisonment with four years of supervised release, and a $200 special assessment. This crime was investigated by the Gillette Police Department, the Campbell County Sheriff’s Office, the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Timothy J. Forwood. Case No. 21-cr-00030-ABJ
United States District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson sentenced CHRISTINE DIANE KENNEDY, age 41, of Cheyenne, Wyoming, for manufacturing, distributing, dispensing, and possessing methamphetamine, to 46 months’ imprisonment with three years of supervised release, and ordered her to pay $200 in restitution and a $100 special assessment. The crime was investigated by the Cheyenne Police Department and Drug Enforcement Administration. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Elmore. Case No. 22-00090-ABJ
Chief United States District Court Scott W. Skavdahl sentenced ANDREW DEAN ROGERS, age 59, of Riverton, Wyoming, for possession of a firearm not registered in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record, to 48 months’ imprisonment with three years of supervised release and payment of a $5,000 fine and a $100 special assessment. The crime was investigated by the Cody Police Department, the Park County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy W. Gist prosecuted the case. Case No. 22-cr-00082-SWS
About the United States Attorney’s Office
The United States Attorney’s Office is responsible for representing the federal government in virtually all litigation involving the United States in the District of Wyoming, including all criminal prosecutions for violations of federal law, civil lawsuits brought by or against the government, and actions to collect judgments and restitution on behalf of victims and taxpayers. The Office is involved in several programs designed to make our communities safer. They include:
Environmental Justice
The fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies.
Project Safe Childhood
Project Safe Childhood (PSC) is a DOJ initiative that combats the proliferation of technology-facilitated sexual exploitation crimes against children. The threat of sexual predators soliciting children for sexual contact is well-known and serious.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is a nationwide commitment to reducing gun and gang crime in America by networking existing local programs that target gun crime and providing these programs with additional tools necessary to be successful.
Victim Witness Assistance
The Victim Witness Coordinator for the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Wyoming is dedicated to making sure that victims of federal crimes and their family members are treated with compassion, fairness, and respect.To report a federal crime, go to: https://www.justice.gov/actioncenter/report-crime#trafficking
17 January 2023
Youngstown Man Sentenced to Prison for Using False IDs at East Coast CasinosRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA - A resident of Ohio has been sentenced in federal court to 10 months incarceration and three years of supervised release on his conviction of identity theft, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
United States District Judge Nora Barry Fischer imposed the sentence on Robert Lee Weaver, III, 38, of Youngstown, OH 44509.
According to information presented to the court, in 2017 Weaver used false identifications cards to negotiate counterfeit checks at casinos along the east coast, including Rivers Casino in Pittsburgh.
The Court also ordered restitution totaling $31,050 to be paid to DiTronics Corporation.
Assistant United States Attorney Gregory C. Melucci prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Chung commended Homeland Security Investigations and the Pennsylvania State Police for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Weaver.
Woman Convicted for Billing Claims as Part of $65 Million Pharmaceutical “Coupon” FraudRead the Press Release
A Dearborn woman was convicted on Friday by a federal jury on charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud, related to her participation in a multi-year scheme to obtain more than $65 million from numerous pharmaceutical co-pay assistance programs, announced U.S. Attorney Dawn N. Ison.
Joining Ison in the announcement was James A. Tarasca, Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit Field Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
A six-day trial, conducted before United States District Judge Nancy G. Edmunds, resulted in the conviction of Suzan Berro, 23. Berro’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for May 1, 2023, where she faces a maximum of twenty years in prison on each count.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Berro, engaged in a conspiracy to submit fraudulent reimbursement claims to numerous pharmaceutical manufacturer’s co-pay assistance programs. These manufacturer-sponsored “coupon” programs exist to assist real patients with the often-high costs associated with name brand prescription drugs. The evidence showed that Berro, who participated in the scheme for nearly a year, was a biller for multiple pharmacies. In that role, she created fake “prescriptions” for fake “patients” by taking addresses from real estate lists, making up names and birth dates, selecting expensive name brand, and then ultimately pairing them with real doctors’ names and credentials. The evidence showed that the conspiracy went to great lengths to make the supposed patients appear real, including ensuring that all three addresses—the real doctor, the fake pharmacy, and the made-up patient—were in close, geographic proximity. However, witness testimony revealed that the majority of pharmacies only existed on paper and never opened to the public, nor even ordered inventory. In total, Berro and her co-conspirators submitted fraudulent claims on behalf of more than 40 pharmacies, totaling over $65 million.
“This was a complicated scheme that abused dozens of programs established to help those who are legitimately unable to afford their medications, said U.S. Attorney Ison. Our office will continue to investigate and unravel these schemes, and will we vigorously pursue those who are responsible.
"The jury's verdict confirms an alarming and unacceptable trend of individuals attempting to exploit segments of the health care system designed to help those who legitimately need prescription assistance," said James A. Tarasca, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's Detroit Field Office. "The FBI will continue to work with our federal partners to identify fraudsters like this defendant and hold them accountable for their crimes."
The case was led by the FBI with the assistance of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG). The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ryan A. Particka and John K. Neal.
Westwego Woman Charged with Theft of Government FundsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that PENELOPE PASSERO (“PASSERO”), age 48, of Westwego, Louisiana, was indicted on January 12, 2023 for Theft of Government Funds, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 641.
According to the indictment, from February 2016 to December 2020, PASSERO knowingly accessed and converted approximately $59,320.97 in Social Security Administration and Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (“CARES ACT”) funds.
U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
On May 17, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources, and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of fraud related to COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office would also like to acknowledge the assistance of the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, with this matter. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian M. Klebba, Chief of the Financial Crimes Unit.
Two Suburban Chicago Police Officers Indicted on Federal Corruption ChargesRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — Two police officers in Phoenix, Ill., conspired to steal cash and drugs from occupants of vehicles during traffic stops in exchange for offering to withhold criminal charges or take other official actions, according to a federal indictment.
Patrol Officer ANTOINE LARRY and Sergeant JARRETT SNOWDEN served on the Phoenix Police Department. An indictment returned Thursday in U.S. District Court in Chicago alleges that Larry and Snowden engaged in a criminal conspiracy from 2020 to 2022. The pair conspired to steal cash, drugs, and other items from vehicle occupants by offering to reduce or withhold criminal charges, decline to tow the vehicles, or release the cars from impoundment, the indictment states. In some instances, Larry and Snowden agreed to sell stolen drugs to a dealer and then split the proceeds amongst themselves, the indictment states. To conceal their thefts, Larry and Snowden falsified police reports so that the reports did not reflect the seized items, the charges allege.
The indictment charges Larry, 46, of Bolingbrook, Ill., with conspiracy, extortion, and attempted extortion. Snowden, 34, of Lansing, Ill., is charged with conspiracy and attempted extortion. Arraignments in federal court in Chicago have not yet been scheduled.
The indictment was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; and Robert W. “Wes” Wheeler, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sean J.B. Franzblau and Alexandra Morgan.
The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
The conspiracy charge is punishable by a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison, while extortion and attempted extortion are each punishable by up to 20 years. If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
Three Women Sentenced to Probation for Interrupting Oral Arguments at the U.S. Supreme CourtRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Two Virginia women and an Arizona woman, who verbally interrupted oral arguments inside the United States Supreme Court, each pleaded guilty January 13, 2023, to a single count of Speeches and Objectionable Language in the Supreme Court Building. The defendants were sentenced to one-year terms of probation with stay-away orders from the U.S. Supreme Court.
According to court documents, on November 2, 2022, the Supreme Court held oral arguments the matter of Bittner v. United States. Emily Archer Paterson, 45, of McLean, VA, Nicole Elizabeth Enfield, 44, of Alexandria, VA, and Rolande Baker, 71, of Tucson, AZ, attended the argument. The women spread out in the courtroom, each sitting in a different area. Once arguments began, defendant Paterson stood up and loudly spoke out against the Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. Ms. Paterson’s conduct caused the attorney arguing before the Court to stop speaking so that Ms. Paterson could be escorted out of the room. After arguments resumed, Ms. Baker stood up and interrupted the Court in a similar manner. Following her removal, arguments resumed. Finally, Ms. Enfield stood up, causing a third interruption in the case at bar. Each defendant’s conduct required the attorney before the Court to stop his argument so the defendant speaking could be removed from the courtroom.
“The government must be able to conduct its business.” said U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves. “Interrupting Supreme Court proceedings, even non-violently and briefly, is not First-Amendment protected activity: it is a crime and must be treated as such.”
Each defendant was charged with one count of the federal misdemeanor offense of Speeches and Objectionable Language in the Supreme Court Building. Each defendant promptly accepted responsibility for her conduct and entered a guilty plea.
Ms. Paterson, Ms. Enfield, and Ms. Baker were sentenced by the Honorable Judge Amit P. Mehta to one year of probation, with an order to stay away from the U.S. Supreme Court building and grounds.
Texas Man Flew Victim to Florida for Commercial Sex, Now Serves Eight Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
AUSTIN, Texas – An Amarillo man was sentenced in federal court here on Thursday to serve eight years in prison and pay $30,000 in restitution for transportation for illegal sexual activity.
According to court documents, Jeremy Walton Hibbler, 37, transported a victim from Texas to Florida and back with the intent that she engage in illegal sexual activity. In addition to his prison sentence, Hibbler was sentenced to five years of supervised release. U.S. District Judge Robert Pitman ordered Hibbler remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals immediately after imposing his sentence.
“We, along with our law enforcement partners at all levels, remain focused in doing everything within our power to prosecute these predators and obtain justice for their victims,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas. “In addition to the Austin Police Department, I thank Austin’s SAFE Alliance and their SAFE CARES service, as well as New Friends New Life in the Dallas area, for providing invaluable support to the survivors of this man’s horrendous crime.”
The Austin Police Department Human Trafficking Unit investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Grant Sparks prosecuted the case.
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St. Louis Man Sentenced to 17.5 Years in Prison for Four Armed RobberiesRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Audrey G. Fleissig on Tuesday sentenced a man from St. Louis, Missouri to 17 ½ years in prison for four armed robberies during one month in the summer of 2020.
Louquincy Carr, 37, pleaded guilty in September to four robbery charges, one charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm and two counts of brandishing a firearm during a robbery. He admitted the armed robbery of the T-Mobile store at 3630 South Grand Boulevard on July 24 and August 4 of 2020, a Boost Mobile store at 3706 South Grand Boulevard on Aug. 14, 2020 and a Wingstop restaurant at 3626 South Grand Boulevard on Aug. 25, 2020.
During the July 24 robbery, Carr poured a bottle of hand sanitizer over the store’s counter and ordered the clerk to take off his shirt and wipe away any fingerprints, according to Carr’s guilty plea. But Carr’s fingerprints were later found by police on the sanitizer bottle.
During the August 14 robbery, he demanded money at gunpoint from two employees, stole cash from the register and took about 15 new cell phones from the store.
The case was investigated by the FBI and the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Szczucinksi.