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Tuesday 29 November 2022
Kalamazoo Shooter Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN —U.S. Attorney Mark Totten announced today that U.S. District Court Judge Jane M. Beckering sentenced Deshay Malory, age 30, of Kalamazoo, to 120 months in federal prison for possessing a loaded, stolen firearm as a convicted felon in connection with cocaine dealing, one week after he fired at a car with two children inside, and all while he was on parole from an earlier drug conviction. In imposing the maximum sentence permitted by law, Judge Beckering emphasized the “seriousness of the offense,” and concluded that a “lengthy sentence” was “called for.”
“Malory’s actions put innocent lives in danger,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten. “While no one was injured, all shootings cause harm. The sudden crack of gunfire drives people to live in fear. It especially harms those present, who are all too often haunted by the jarring realization of what might have happened. My office will prosecute shooters to the fullest extent of the law.”
On April 4, 2022, police responded to a shooting in a Kalamazoo parking lot and learned that Malory had shot at a car with two adults and two children inside, striking a passenger door. Surveillance video from a nearby business confirmed Malory’s responsibility for the shooting. One week later, police arrested Malory in a Kalamazoo convenience store with a loaded, stolen pistol and two plastic baggies of cocaine. In Malory’s car, police found more plastic bags and a digital scale with white residue on it.
“Through strong relationships with our federal partners, the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety stands firm in pursuing violent offenders through targeted enforcement actions,” said Deputy Chief Dave Boysen of the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety. “Today’s sentencing will send a message that gun violence will not be tolerated in Kalamazoo.”
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Kalamazoo Valley Enforcement Team, and the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick J. Castle.
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Justice Department Secures Settlement with National Bakery Chain to Resolve Immigration-Related Discrimination ClaimsRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that it has secured a settlement agreement with New York-based Lady M Confections Co. Ltd. and its West Coast affiliate, Lady M West Third LLC (together, Lady M), companies that operate bakeries and retail boutiques selling confections under the Lady M brand. The settlement resolves the department’s determination that Lady M violated the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) by discriminating against non-U.S. citizens when checking their permission to work in the United States.
“Employers must verify that their employees have permission to work in the United States but cannot discriminate against them based on citizenship, immigration status or national origin when doing so,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Civil Rights Division will continue to fight to remove unlawful barriers in the workplace.”
The department’s investigation began when a non-U.S. citizen complained that Lady M refused to accept his valid documentation proving his permission to work and requested additional unnecessary documentation. The department determined that for at least two years starting in January 2020, Lady M discriminated against non-U.S. citizens by demanding that they present specific documentation to prove they had permission to work in the United States. In particular, the department found that Lady M demanded lawful permanent residents show their permanent resident cards (sometimes known as “green cards”) to prove they could work, instead of allowing them to choose from among various acceptable documents to demonstrate their permission to work, as the company did with U.S. citizens.
Federal law allows all workers to choose which valid, legally acceptable documentation to present to demonstrate their identity and permission to work, regardless of citizenship, immigration status or national origin. The INA’s anti-discrimination provision prohibits employers from asking for specific documents because of a worker’s citizenship, immigration status or national origin. Indeed, many non-U.S. citizens, including lawful permanent residents, refugees and asylees, are eligible for several of the same types of documents to prove their permission to work as U.S. citizens (such as driver’s licenses and unrestricted Social Security cards). Employers must allow workers to present whatever acceptable documentation the workers choose and cannot reject valid documentation that reasonably appears to be genuine.
The settlement requires Lady M to pay civil penalties to the United States, train staff on the INA’s anti-discrimination provision, change its policies and be subject to departmental monitoring for a period of two years.
The Civil Rights Division’s Immigrant and Employee Rights Section (IER) is responsible for enforcing the anti-discrimination provision of the INA. Among other things, the statute prohibits discrimination based on citizenship status and national origin in hiring, firing, or recruitment or referral for a fee; unfair documentary practices; retaliation; and intimidation.
Find more information on how employers can avoid discrimination when verifying permission to work 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.
Applicants or employees who believe they were subjected to discrimination based on their citizenship, immigration status or national origin in hiring, firing, or recruitment or referral for a fee; or discrimination in the employment eligibility verification process (Form I-9 and E-Verify) based on their citizenship, immigration status or national origin; or retaliation can file a charge or contact IER’s worker hotline for assistance.
Jury convicts repeat offender for once again being in the United States illegallyRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas - A 34-year-old from Tanlacut, San Luis Potosi, Mexico, has been convicted of illegal reentry after deportation, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
The jury deliberated for 20 minutes following a one-day trial before returning a guilty verdict against Laureano Mar-Peres.
At trial, the jury heard how authorities found Mar-Peres in Kenedy County as he attempted to circumvent the United States checkpoint located near Sarita. Mar-Peres previously had been removed from the United States twice before, most recently on Oct. 22, 2021.
The defense attempted to convey to the jury that with the amount of illegal aliens processed, there was no way to prove beyond a reasonable doubt Mar-Peres was the same person who had been ordered removed previously.
The jury was not convinced and found him guilty as charged.
U.S. District Judge David Morales presided over the trial and set sentencing for Feb. 22, 2023 at which time Mar-Peres faces up to 20 years in federal prison. He has been and will remain in custody pending sentencing.
Customs and Border Protection conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patrick Overman and Tyler Foster prosecuted the case.
Houston Men Sentenced to Federal Prison for Bowie County ATM BurglariesRead the Press Release
TEXARKANA, Texas – Three Houston men have been sentenced to prison for federal violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston today.
Marvin Charles Collins, 33; Aqunis Marquis Green, 23; and Antonio Thomas Foster, 21; each pleaded guilty on July 19, 2022, to conspiracy to commit bank theft. Today, Collins was sentenced to 29 months in federal prison and ordered to pay restitution of $257,789; Green was sentenced to 46 months in federal prison and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $70,324; and Foster was sentenced to 21 months in federal prison and ordered to pay restitution of $70,324. The sentencing hearings were held in front of U.S. District Judge Robert W. Schroeder, III.
According to information presented in court, Collins, Green, and Foster, along with four other co-conspirators, conspired to burglarize ATMs (automated teller machines) in the Bowie County area. On Jan. 26, 2021, an ATM located at the Texar Federal Credit Union on Gibson Lane in Texarkana, Texas, was burglarized and approximately $127,654.00 was stolen. On Feb. 2, 2021, an ATM located at the Texar Federal Credit Union on W. 7th Street in Wake Village, Texas, was also burglarized and approximately $10,513.00 was stolen. In each burglary, one of the co-conspirators stole a pickup truck and then the defendants attached chains to the ATM and used the stolen truck to break open the ATM. There was approximately $60,000 in damage done to each ATM.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Wake Village Police Department, the Texarkana Police Department, and the Queen City Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan R. Jackson.
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Houma Man Pleads Guilty in Staged Automobile Collision SchemeRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that on November 28, 2022, JOSEPH BREWTON (“BREWTON”), age 56, of Houma, Louisiana, pled guilty to a count one (1) of his indictment, charging him with Conspiracy to Commit Mail Fraud in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371. In exchange for his plea of guilty, the government has agreed to dismiss five counts of Mail Fraud in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1341 and 2. In pleading guilty to Count 1, the defendant faces a maximum penalty of five (5) years’ imprisonment; a term of supervised release of up to three (3) years; and a fine up to $250,000.00, as well as a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00. Today’s guilty plea brings the total number of defendants convicted in Operation Sideswipe to 42.
According to court documents, BREWTON served as a passenger in a staged automobile collision in August of 2015. Thereafter, he recruited family members and friends to participate in staged automobile collisions with tractor-trailers on March 27, 2017 and May 11, 2017. The passengers in these collisions filed fraudulent lawsuits that falsely claimed that the tractor-trailers were at fault. Through this scheme, BREWTON caused a loss of approximately $392,742.77. The Honorable Jane Triche Milazzo set sentencing in this matter for March 1, 2023.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office would like to acknowledge the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Louisiana State Police, and the Metropolitan Crime Commission with this matter. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Maria M. Carboni; Brian M. Klebba, Chief of the Financial Crimes Unit; Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward Rivera; and Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon S. Long.
Holland Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney Mark Totten today announced that Jonathon Thomas Burgett, 37, of Holland, Michigan was sentenced to 30 years in the Bureau of Prisons for the sexual exploitation of a child. In imposing sentence, U.S. District Judge Jane M. Beckering noted that Burgett “engaged in conduct that will, for a lifetime, severely impact” the victim. Burgett will be on supervised release for 5 years when he gets out of prison.
“This type of predation harms some of the most vulnerable members of our society and can cause lasting damage,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten. “My office will always pursue people who create child pornography and we will seek penalties to help protect other children from being victimized.”
Burgett was caught taking photographs through an adult female’s window in Allegan County. When law enforcement searched his phone, they found hundreds of images of child pornography, including sexually explicit images he had taken of a four-year-old. Judge Beckering noted that Burgett had “a long history” of similar offenses and despite treatment starting at an early age, “this was an addiction” for him.
“The images Burgett created are not merely pictures but are a permanent record of his sexual abuse and exploitation of a child,” said James A. Tarasca, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan. “I struggle to think of behavior more reprehensible, and that is why investigating child predators is a priority for the FBI. I would like to thank the Allegan County Sheriff’s Office for bringing this defendant to our attention and for its assistance in obtaining some measure of justice for this victim.”
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan; county prosecutor’s offices; HSI; ICAC; the West Michigan Based Child Exploitation Task Force (WEBCHEX); and federal, state, and local law enforcement are working closely together to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children. Anyone with information or concerns about possible child exploitation should contact local law enforcement. For more information about Project Safe Childhood in West Michigan, including resources for children and parents, please visit: https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdmi/project-safe-childhood
This matter was investigated by the Allegan County Sheriff’s Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s WEBCHEX task force.
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High-level drug distributor sentenced to ten years in prisonRead the Press Release
Seattle – A 36-year-old resident of Bothell, Washington, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to ten years in prison for conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, announced U.S. Attorney Nick Brown. Gabriel Vasquez-Ruiz has been in custody since a major drug ring takedown on December 16, 2020. At today’s sentencing hearing, U.S. District Judge John C. Coughenour imposed five years of supervised release to follow the prison term.
According to records filed in the case, Vasquez-Ruiz was a high-volume drug distributor, able to order up pound quantities of methamphetamine for his customers. On multiple occasions in early 2019, Vazquez-Ruiz sold a total of more than three pounds of methamphetamine to a person working with law enforcement. Conversations intercepted by police in November 2020 established that Vazquez-Ruiz agreed to trade a half kilo of cocaine for an SUV and later ordered 5 pounds of meth.
The investigation of the drug ring resulted in the seizure of more than 247 pounds of methamphetamine, 35 pounds of heroin, 42,000 fentanyl pills, 24 firearms and more than $625,000 in cash and bank accounts.
Vazquez-Ruiz pleaded guilty on May 3, 2022, and in his plea agreement resolved both the federal charges and serious state charges.
In asking for a ten-year sentence prosecutors noted that Vazquez -Ruiz had been involved in drug dealing for many years. “…he did not simply sell small amounts of drugs to support his own habit. Rather, he worked alongside high-ranking members of a large transnational drug organization, selling significant quantities of drugs and at points supplying the organization with cocaine,” prosecutors wrote in their sentencing memo.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Tacoma Residence Office in partnership with Tahoma Narcotics Enforcement Team (TNET), Kent Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, SeaTac Police Department, Tacoma Police Department, Snohomish Regional Drug Task Force (SRDTF), the Skagit County Sheriff's Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys C. Andrew Colasurdo and Amy Jaquette.
Hartford Man Sentenced to 42 Months in Federal Prison for Cocaine Trafficking OffenseRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JAVIER ACEVEDO, 42, of Hartford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to 42 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for a cocaine trafficking offense.
According to court documents and statements made in court, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Narcotics and Bulk Cash Trafficking Task Force has been investigating the shipment of parcels containing controlled substances from Puerto Rico to Connecticut. In May 2021, investigators identified a suspicious package that was destined for an address on Giddings Street in Hartford. On May 15, 2021, investigators made a controlled delivery of the package. Approximately one hour after it was delivered, Acevedo picked up the package and then drove it to his residence on South Street, where he was encountered by law enforcement. A subsequent court-authorized search of the package revealed approximately two kilograms of cocaine.
The investigation revealed that Acevedo regularly received packages of cocaine that were shipped from Puerto Rico to his home address or other addresses associated with him, and held the packages until they were picked up by another individual. Acevedo received at least $500 for each package he received.
Acevedo was arrested on July 7, 2021. On April 27, 2022, he pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine.
Acevedo, who is released on a $200,000 bond, is required to report to prison on January 17.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Narcotics and Bulk Cash Trafficking Task Force includes members from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Postal Service – Office of the Inspector General, the Connecticut Army National Guard, and the Hartford, New Britain, Meriden and Town of Groton Police Departments.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert S. Ruff.
Greenwood Man Sentenced to Six Years in Federal Prison for Embezzling $14 Million from his Former Employer to Fund His Lavish LifestyleRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS– Daniel Fruits, 47, of Greenwood, Indiana, was sentenced to six years in federal prison after pleading guilty to wire fraud and money laundering.
According to court documents, Fruits, who was hired to manage and run a Greenwood, Indiana-based trucking company, defrauded his employer out of more than $14 million over a 4.5-year period. From January 2015 through June 2019, a Kentucky-based entity invested over $14 million into the trucking company. Fruits used that money to fund his own lavish lifestyle including purchasing: real estate; several vehicles including two Ferraris and a Corvette; farm equipment including a horse trailer; a show horse; expensive jewelry including multiple Rolex watches; firearms; private jet flights; and high-end escort services. Fruits hid his theft by creating false and misleading financial statements. He then sent those statements to his employer to induce additional investments into the trucking company.
In mid-2019, Fruits’ employer asked Fruits to have an accountant review the trucking company’s financial statements and provide a report. Rather than comply, Fruits fabricated a letter, purportedly written by a Greenwood-based accountant. When the employer contacted the accountant to follow up, they learned that the accountant’s letter was false and fictitious. Fruits was fired the next day and the victims contacted law enforcement officers.
The investigation also revealed that Fruits attempted to defraud Fifth Third bank out of $432,000 by providing false documents to secure a mortgage. Finally, the investigation revealed that Fruits perpetrated a title wash scheme that fraudulently removed Ally Financial’s lien from a $69,607 truck.
Fruits was arrested on December 16, 2020. On August 18, 2021, a federal magistrate judge revoked Fruits’ conditions of pretrial release and ordered him detained in the custody of the U.S. Marshal, after finding that Fruits had committed several violations including being charged with new fraud offenses in state court.
“Mr. Fruits stole an outrageous sum of money to fuel an extravagant lifestyle, concealing his crimes with years of lies and false documents,” said Zachary A. Myers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Complex economic crimes such as these devastate the finances and security of businesses and individuals. The serious prison sentence imposed today demonstrates that this U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI, IRS-CI, and all our law enforcement partners will work tirelessly to hold these criminals accountable.”
“Mr. Fruits put his personal greed ahead of loyalty to a company that had entrusted him with its money and used funds that were not his to finance a lavish lifestyle. Even after his arrest, the defendant still was intent on defrauding others for his personal gain,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Herbert J. Stapleton. “The FBI and our partners will continue to investigate those who engage in these types of financial fraud and ensure they are held accountable.”
“The role of IRS Criminal Investigation becomes even more important in embezzlement and fraud cases due to the complex financial transactions that can take time to unravel,” said Justin Campbell, Special Agent in Charge, Chicago Field Office. “We, along with our law enforcement partners, will vigorously pursue those who victimize their employers and violate the public trust, as demonstrated in today’s sentencing of Mr. Fruits.”
The FBI and IRS-Criminal Investigation investigated the case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Sara Evans Barker. As part of the sentence, Judge Barker ordered that Fruits be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for three years following his release from federal prison and ordered Fruits to pay $14,339,252.04 in restitution to his victims and a $14,270,000 money judgment.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn E. Olivier who prosecuted this case.
Government Contractor Agrees to Pay $8.4 Million to Resolve Claims Related to its Failure to Disclose Cost or Pricing DataRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice announced today that PowerSecure, Inc. (PowerSecure), located in Durham, North Carolina, has agreed to pay $8.4 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act arising from its failure to provide certified cost or pricing data when negotiating rates with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) in connection with a sole source contract for the repair and restoration of Puerto Rico’s power grid following the damage caused by Hurricane Maria in September 2017.
The Truth in Negotiations Act (TINA) was enacted in 1962 to help level the playing field in sole source contracts – where there is no price competition – by making sure that government negotiators have access to the cost or pricing data that the offeror used when developing its proposal. Here, the United States alleged that PowerSecure violated the False Claims Act by knowingly failing to disclose cost or pricing data, as required by the TINA, regarding the rates that PowerSecure had used for “basecamp services” on a recent restoration project in Florida and Georgia following Hurricane Irma. The United States further alleged that PowerSecure failed to disclose cost or pricing data relating to labor and equipment costs in violation of TINA. The settlement resolves allegations that PowerSecure’s failures to disclose this information caused USACE to agree to inflated rates for labor, equipment and basecamp services.
“Where government contractors seek the award of a sole source contract, they have an obligation to be fully transparent with the government regarding the basis for their proposed pricing,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “This settlement demonstrates the department’s commitment to holding accountable those who knowingly violate this important safeguard against the misuse of taxpayer funds.”
“With the recent passage and destruction of Hurricane Fiona serving as a backdrop, this settlement demonstrates our resolve to ensure that individuals and companies fully comply will all laws and regulations relating to the provision of disaster relief,” said U.S. Attorney Stephen Muldrow for the District of Puerto Rico. “This settlement also underscores the Justice Department’s use of all enforcement remedies at its disposal, including not only criminal and administrative penalties, but also civil enforcement actions as reflected by the settlement in this case.”
“This settlement is an example of the need for transparency and accountability in proposed pricing when negotiating sole source contracts,” said Acting Inspector General Sean O’Donnell for the Department of Defense. “Our auditors and investigators are committed to protecting the integrity of the procurement process through cooperation with our partners at the Department of Justice.”
“I appreciate the continued partnership with our law enforcement partners and the Justice Department’s Civil Division,” said Inspector General Joseph V. Cuffari for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. “DHS OIG is committed to robust oversight of the federal acquisition process, and this settlement sends a strong message to individuals intent on procurement fraud.”
“DCAA appreciates the opportunity to support the Justice Department and our law enforcement partners by providing expert financial assistance regarding enforcement of the Truth in Negotiations Act,” said Defense Contract Audit Agency Investigative Support Division Chief Michael Mandolfo. “This interagency cooperation provides a strong safeguard for the warfighter and taxpayer.”
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico, with assistance from the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, the Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General, and the Defense Contract Audit Agency.
The matter was handled by Trial Attorney Jason M. Crawford of the Civil Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney David O. Martorani-Dale for the District of Puerto Rico.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
Goldsboro Man Sentenced to 18 Years for Trafficking Multi-Kilogram Quantities of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – Chris Montreal Davis, 42, of Goldsboro, North Carolina was sentenced to 216 months in prison for trafficking methamphetamine.
According to court documents and information presented at the sentencing hearing, in May of 2018, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office and the Winston-Salem Police Department, received information that Davis was part of a large-scale drug trafficking organization operating in Goldsboro which distributed large quantities of crystal methamphetamine and that Davis maintained several “trap houses” or “stash houses” in Goldsboro and employed runners, often times drug users, to hand deliver drugs.
On August 8, 2019, and September 12, 2019, law enforcement executed residential search warrants at the Goldsboro “trap houses” during which the following items were located and seized: drug paraphernalia, two .45 caliber handguns, a .40 caliber handgun, marijuana, $7,185.28 in U.S. currency, 52 grams of cocaine base, 57.5 grams of cocaine hydrochloride, 45 grams of heroin, an SKS assault rifle, a .38 caliber handgun, and a crossbow.
Davis was named in an Indictment filed on March 12, 2020, charging him with Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute 50 Grams or More of Methamphetamine and 500 grams or more of Cocaine, from 2018 to March 12, 2020, (Count One) and Distribution of 50 Grams or More of Methamphetamine and Aiding and Abetting, (Count Two). On March 3, 2021, Davis entered a plea of guilty to both counts.
Over the course of the conspiracy, Davis was conservatively responsible for assisting in the distribution more than 15 kilograms of cocaine, 15 kilograms of methamphetamine, and 45 grams of heroin.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office and the Winston-Salem Police Department investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer C. Nucci prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for case number 5:21-CR-00198-M-1.
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Gilmer County man sentenced for child pornography chargeRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Thomas Reed Ratliff, of Glenville, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 66 months of incarceration for a child pornography charge, First Assistant United States Attorney Randolph J. Bernard announced.
Ratliff, 27, pleaded guilty to one count of “Possession of Child Pornography.” Ratliff admitted to having child pornography videos from August to November 2020 in Gilmer County.
Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. Perri prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The FBI and the West Virginia State Police investigated.
Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.
Fresno Man Sentenced to More than 5 years in Prison for Being a Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Marquis Hawkins, 30, of Fresno, was sentenced Monday to five years and 10 months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, on March 7, 2019, law enforcement officers conducted a traffic stop on a car that Hawkins was driving. During the traffic stop, the officers searched Hawkins and found a loaded .38‑caliber revolver inside his sweatshirt pocket. Hawkins is prohibited from possessing firearms because he has previously been convicted of two crimes of domestic violence.
This case was the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Fresno Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin J. Gilio 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 U.S. Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Former federal probation officer sentenced to prison for extorting individuals under her supervisionRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A former federal probation officer was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to six months in prison for extortion.
During her time as a probation officer, Helwa H. Qasem, 45, of Bexley, Ohio, accepted cash, pills, goods and services from individuals under her supervision.
According to court documents, from 2016 through 2018, Qasem accepted Xanax, cash, a sweater, a bag and below-market personal services in exchange for official actions as a probation officer.
In her role as a U.S. Probation Officer, Qasem supervised offenders who had been sentenced to terms of probation by the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio or who were serving terms of supervised release after release from prison. It was part of her duties to report individuals who violated their terms of probation or supervised release.
Qasem extorted property from at least four individuals under her supervision and, in return, did not report violations committed by those individuals. For example, at least two individuals under supervision and the spouse of a third provided Xanax to Qasem for her personal use.
Qasem also unlawfully received several personal services, including moving services to help her relocate to a new home, and repairs to blinds, a dryer, a dishwasher, a washing machine and a vehicle. A person under Qasem’s supervision arranged for workers to provide these personal services for her.
Finally, Qasem shared confidential information she received from a Columbus police officer to an individual under her supervision. Qasem had received a police report detailing that an officer had met with a person who was attempting to become a confidential informant. The individual had provided information that a person under Qasem’s supervision was a drug trafficker. The report contained a photograph of the potential informant. Qasem showed that photograph to the person under her supervision and told him to stay away from the potential informant.
Qasem pleaded guilty in June 2022 to a bill of information charging her with extortion under color of official right.
As part of her sentence, Qasem was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release, with the first six months to be served under home detention.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; J. William Rivers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI); Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant and other members of the FBI’s Southern Ohio Public Corruption Task Force announced the sentence imposed today by U.S. District Judge Sarah D. Morrison. Assistant United States Attorneys Peter K. Glenn-Applegate and Elizabeth A. Geraghty are representing the United States in this case.
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Former Rochester Housing Authority Chair Going to Prison for Fraud, Money Laundering and Lying to the FBIRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that George H. Moses, 53, of Rochester, NY, who was convicted by a federal jury for his role in defrauding three nonprofit organizations; Rochester Housing Charities (RHC), which provides housing to the elderly and disabled; the North East Area Development (NEAD), which assists low-income residents in the northeast quadrant of Rochester; and Quad A for Kids, which provided after-school and extended-day learning programs at some elementary schools in the Rochester City School District, was sentenced to serve 78 months in prison by Chief U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford. Moses, who was also the Chairman of the Board of Commissioners of the Rochester Housing Authority (RHA), was convicted of mail, wire, and tax fraud, federal program fraud, money laundering, and lying to the FBI.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Richard A. Resnick, Melissa M. Marangola, and Meghan K. McGuire, who handled the prosecution of the case, stated that Moses used money from the RHC and grant funds earmarked for the community for his own personal use, including to purchase a vehicle, a time share in Florida, a cruise, tickets to a New York Knicks game at Madison Square Garden, health products, car repairs for his family’s vehicles, personal credit card payments, and multiple trips to Canada to visit his girlfriend at the apartment they had in Canada. Moses also paid wages to approximately 17 family members employed by NEAD and RHC.
In addition to defrauding Rochester Housing Charities and the Rochester Housing Authority, Moses was also convicted of:
• Lying to the FBI regarding his hiring of Adam McFadden as a subcontractor for RHC in 2015. McFadden, a former city councilmember, pleaded guilty to defrauding RHC with respect to the subcontract and is awaiting sentencing. Moses concealed the fact that he hired McFadden after McFadden was forced to resign as the Interim Executive Director of the RHA.
• Defrauding the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York (DASNY). As Executive Director of the NEAD, Moses applied for a $125,000 grant for renovation of the Freedom Market, owned by Freedom Community Enterprise Inc., a subsidiary of NEAD. After receiving the grant, Moses and a co-conspirator Shirley Boone tricked DASNY into believing that NEAD paid Freedom Community $45,000 for construction work which never occurred. As a result, DASNY reimbursed NEAD $45,000 to which it was not entitled. Moses used the funds to pay wages to his family members employed by NEAD.
• Filing false tax returns for the years 2014 through 2018. He failed to report income he received from NEAD and the RHC, as well as took false deductions with respect to his wife’s cleaning business and falsely claimed childcare expenses.The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Michael Stansbury, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Acting Special Agent-in-Charge, Jerome Winkle, and Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division, under the direction of Thomas Fattorusso, Special Agent-in-Charge.
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Former Police Officer Sentenced to 25 Years of Imprisonment for Stealing 125 Firearms from the Puerto Rico Police Bureau Shooting Range at Isla De CabraRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – United States District Court Judge Silvia Carreño Coll sentenced José Padilla-Galarza to a total of 25 years’ imprisonment and five years of supervised release for the theft of 125 firearms. Specifically, the defendant will be serving 20 years of imprisonment for his conviction on May 6, 2022, for counts One and Six, conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act), concurrent with 10 years of imprisonment for his conviction on counts Three and Five, stealing firearms and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He will also serve 5 years of imprisonment, consecutive to the 20-year sentence, for his conviction under count Two, carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
“As proven at trial, the defendant, a former Puerto Rico Police Bureau (PRPB) officer, used his specialized knowledge of the PRPB to enrich himself by stealing and selling firearms,” said W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. “The sentence imposed demonstrates the seriousness of defendant’s crimes and the Justice Department’s determination to investigate and prosecute such a blatant abuse of trust. Thanks to the diligent work of ATF, ICE-HSI, the FBI, and our trial team, the defendant will spend decades in federal prison for his crimes.”
During the trial, the government presented evidence that showed that Padilla-Galarza visited the PRPB Isla de Cabra Shooting Range on multiple occasions over a one-year period to become familiar with the personnel, their shifts, and the layout of the facility. Padilla-Galarza, as mastermind of the October 26, 2010, robbery at the range, took this time to plan how he and his co-conspirators would take 125 firearms from this PRBP facility, including two pistols taken from duty officers, 40 AR15 rifles, 24 shotguns, nine 9mm carbines, one MP3 rifle, and 49 pistols.
During the robbery, the co-conspirators used a white Ford Crown Victoria with fake PRPB decals to give it the appearance of an official PRPB patrol car and dressed as PRPB police officers, some in regular police uniforms and others in tactical uniforms. The co-conspirators assaulted, subdued, and bound the duty police officers at the range and stole the firearms stored in the vault to subsequently sell them for significant pecuniary gain and profit. This was the biggest firearms robbery in the history of Puerto Rico.
Padilla-Galarza’s 25-year sentence of imprisonment in this Hobbs Act case is also to be served consecutive to the 228-month term of imprisonment imposed by United States District Judge Daniel R. Dominguez on October 15, 2018, for conspiracy to commit bank robbery and bank robbery by force.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) lead the investigation with the collaboration of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations (ICE HSI), and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
The case was prosecuted and tried by Assistant United States Attorneys Max Pérez-Bouret and Jawayria Z. Auchter.
Former Long Island School Official Pleads Guilty in Kickback SchemeRead the Press Release
Earlier today, at the federal courthouse in Central Islip, Sharon Gardner, the former Director of Food Services for the Hempstead Union Free School District (“HUFSD”), pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud in connection with her participation in a kickback scheme. Gardner’s co-defendant, Maria Caliendo, the owner of food service providers Smart Starts NY, Inc. (“Smart Starts”) and Prince Umberto’s restaurant in Franklin Square, previously pleaded guilty on October 27, 2022 to the same offense and is awaiting sentencing. Today’s proceeding was held before United States District Judge Joanna Seybert. When sentenced, the defendants each face up to 20 years in prison. As part of their respective pleas, Gardner has agreed to forfeit approximately $120,000 and Caliendo has agreed to forfeit approximately $160,000.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Michael J. Driscoll, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI); Bethanne M. Dinkins, Special Agent-in-Charge, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General (USDA-OIG); Terry Harris, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Education Office of Inspector General, Eastern Regional Office; Thomas Fattorusso, Special Agent-in-Charge, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, New York; Anne T. Donnelly, Nassau County District Attorney; and Thomas P. DiNapoli, New York State Comptroller, announced the guilty plea.
“Gardner abused her position of trust as a school official in order to enrich herself with kickbacks she used to pay for overseas vacations and home furnishings. Now she will face the consequences for her greed,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “This Office will continue to vigorously investigate and prosecute corrupt officials who illegally profit from our public institutions.”
“As today's guilty plea demonstrates, the defendant exploited her role in order to take advantage of the taxpayers for her own personal enrichment. The FBI and our Law Enforcement partners are committed to fighting public corruption and ensuring that those officials who abuse the trust placed in them are held accountable for their actions in the criminal justice system,” stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Driscoll.
USDA-OIG Special Agent-in-Charge Dinkins stated, “The School Breakfast Program (SBP) was created to provide food and nutrition to those who truly need this assistance. Those who are involved in fraud and abuse of USDA feeding programs will be investigated by our office to the fullest extent. This joint investigation identified individuals who sought to profit from the SBP through illegal schemes. The USDA Office of Inspector General will continue to dedicate investigative resources, working with our law enforcement and prosecutorial partners, in order to protect the integrity of these programs and bring to justice those who commit fraud.”
“I am proud of the work of OIG Special Agents and our law enforcement partners in holding Ms. Gardner accountable for her criminal actions,” stated DOE-OIG Special Agent-in-Charge Harris. “We will continue to aggressively pursue those who misappropriate federal funds for their own selfish purposes. America’s students and taxpayers deserve nothing less.”
“This defendant leveraged her power as a Hempstead School District official to line her own pockets and those of her co-defendant for nearly two years,” stated Nassau County District Attorney Donnelly. “Gardner orchestrated the scheme, shirking her responsibilities to follow a legitimate bidding process and handing over the contract to Maria Caliendo, a local restaurant owner who had previously hosted Gardner’s holiday parties. Public funds are precious and finite. Individuals who exploit their positions to access those funds for their own financial gain will be found and prosecuted. I thank our law enforcement partners for their diligent work ensuring these defendants are now held accountable for their crimes.”
“Gardner exploited her position and betrayed the students, parents and taxpayers of the Hempstead School District to enrich herself,” stated Comptroller DiNapoli. “I thank United States Attorney Breon Peace, Nassau County District Attorney Anne Donnelly, the FBI and the Inspectors General for the Departments of Agriculture and Education for their partnership in holding Gardner accountable for her actions.”
According to court filings and facts presented at the plea proceeding, Gardner, in her capacity as the Director of Food Services for HUFSD, helped secure lucrative contracts for Caliendo’s company, Smart Starts, to provide prepackaged breakfast meals for Hempstead public school students. In exchange, Caliendo kicked back a portion of the contract proceeds totaling more than $100,000 to Gardner through fraudulent payroll deposits and other payments. To conceal the illegal nature of the arrangement, those payments were deposited into a bank account that was created in the name of one of Gardner’s family members. The kicked back funds were spent by Gardner on international vacations, a leased vehicle, and home furnishings. Approximately $13,000 in kicked back funds were also withdrawn by Gardner in cash from ATMs located near her home and workplace.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Long Island Criminal Division. Assistant United States Attorneys Anthony Bagnuola and Charles P. Kelly are in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendants:
SHARON GARDNER
Age: 56
Lindenhurst, New YorkMARIA CALIENDO
Age: 57
Elmont, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 22-CR-229 (JS)
Former Cook County Land Bank Authority Employee Charged in Scheme to Fraudulently Purchase and Resell PropertiesRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A former employee of the Cook County Land Bank Authority used “straw buyers” to fraudulently purchase and resell properties from the agency on his behalf, according to a federal fraud charge filed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Chicago.
MUSTAFAA SALEH, 36, of Chicago, is charged with one count of wire fraud. The charge carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison. Arraignment in U.S. District Court in Chicago has not yet been scheduled.
The charge was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Machelle L. Jindra, Special Agent-in-Charge of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's Office of Inspector General in Chicago; and John S. Morales, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. Valuable assistance was provided by the Office of Special Inspector General for Troubled Asset Relief Program, IRS Criminal Investigation Division, Cook County Office of Independent Inspector General, and the Federal Housing Finance Agency’s Office of Inspector General. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sean J.B. Franzblau, Brian Netols, and Kirsten Moran.
Saleh worked as an asset manager for the CCLBA, a governmental entity that promoted the redevelopment and reuse of vacant, foreclosed, abandoned, and tax delinquent real estate by acquiring and transferring the property to private ownership. The CCLBA sold the real estate at below-market rates and prohibited the buyers from selling or renting a property until the CCLBA was satisfied that the buyer had adequately improved it. CCLBA employees were prohibited from purchasing a property from the agency unless it would be used for the employee’s primary residence.
According to the criminal information, Saleh from 2016 to 2021 used nominee or “straw” buyers to fraudulently purchase six properties from the CCLBA on Saleh’s behalf and thereafter redeveloped, resold, and otherwise used the properties for Saleh’s financial benefit. The properties were located in Chicago and the nearby suburbs of Oak Lawn and Midlothian, the information states.
In addition to the alleged property fraud, the information also accuses Saleh of fraudulently obtaining maintenance work from the CCLBA. Saleh in 2016 formed a property maintenance company called Evergreen Property Services and directed another individual to pose as its owner, the information states. Over the next three years, Saleh caused the CCLBA to contract with Evergreen and pay it more than $1 million for property maintenance services. CCLBA employees were prohibited from having a financial interest in property maintenance companies contracting with the agency.
The public is reminded that a charge is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
Florida Man Pleads Guilty to Lewd Behavior on a Flight from Newark to BostonRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Florida man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to performing a lewd act aboard an aircraft in flight from Newark to Boston on Friday, April 8, 2022.
Donald Edward Robinson, 76, of Bonita Springs, Fla., pleaded guilty to one count of lewd, indecent and obscene acts while in the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States. U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Marianne B. Bowler scheduled sentencing for March 2, 2023. Robinson was arrested and charged on April 10, 2022.
On or about April 8, 2022, Robinson engaged in masturbation and exposed himself to a 21-year-old female passenger seated next to him while onboard a flight from Newark to Boston. Robinson then placed his hand on top of the victim’s thigh without her consent.
Shortly after departure, the victim recorded a 24-second video of Robinson fondling and manipulating his penis through his pants. A short time later, the victim looked over and saw that Robinson had exposed his penis. Approximately five minutes before landing, Robinson placed his hand on the victim’s thigh, prompting the victim to ask why he was touching her, to which Robinson withdrew his hand and looked out the window. The victim then got the attention of another passenger and displayed a message on her phone, “Hi, this man assaulted me and touched my leg and is masturbating.”
During the deplaning process, the victim approached a flight attendant about the incident but was unable to point Robinson out due to the volume of passengers deplaning. Security footage captured Robinson, upon exiting the secure area of the terminal, repeatedly looking back in the direction from which he came while proceeding to the baggage carousel level.
The charge of lewd, indecent and obscene acts while in the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States provides for a sentence of up to 90 days in prison, up to one year of supervised release and a fine of up to $5,000. 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; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Colonel Christopher Mason, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Dell’Anno of Rollins’ Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
Firearm Possession Results in Prison Time for South Florida Man with a Violent PastRead the Press Release
MIAMI – Markeith West, 28, of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., has been sentenced to 120 months in prison and three years of supervised release for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
According to the court record, on May 30, 2021, a Fort Lauderdale Police officer conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by West and detained him on outstanding warrants. Before the vehicle was towed, an inventory search was conducted revealing a black 9mm Masada pistol loaded with ten rounds of ammunition in the vehicle’s center console. The firearm was processed for DNA evidence which linked West to it.
Prior to May 2021, West had been convicted of several felony offenses including aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, strongarm robbery, felony battery, aggravated assault, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. West was placed under arrest and later released on bond.
In June 2022, a special agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) learned that West had an Instagram account where he posted photographs and streamed live videos of himself in possession of firearms and ammunition magazines. Agents began monitoring the account and were able to determine the location depicted in the images. On June 28, 2022, a search warrant was executed on that location and agents found an American Tactical, Omni Hybrid, multi-caliber rifle and a Glock model G45, 9x19 (9mm) caliber pistol equipped with a loaded thirty-round magazine.
In August 2022, West pled guilty to two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm or ammunition.
Juan Antonio Gonzalez, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and Special Agent in Charge Christopher A. Robinson, ATF, Miami Field Division, made the announcement.
ATF, Fort Lauderdale Field Office, investigated the case with assistance from Fort Lauderdale Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anita White prosecuted it.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
Felon Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Methamphetamine Trafficking, Money Laundering, and Firearm Offenses in Terre HauteRead the Press Release
TERRE HAUTE – Steven Francis, 56, of Indianapolis, was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, illegal possession of a firearm by a previously convicted felon and laundering of monetary instruments.
According to court documents, in or around July 2020, the Vigo County (Indiana) Drug Task Force began investigating Francis for methamphetamine distribution. On January 19, 2021, Francis attempted to mail a parcel containing approximately $20,000 in U.S. currency to California. The cash came from Francis’ methamphetamine sales.
On February 17, 2021, investigators executed a search warrant at two addresses associated with Francis. Prior to doing so, officers stopped Francis as they saw him approaching one of the two properties. Francis had approximately $26,900 cash in his pocket. The money was drug proceeds. During the subsequent search of the building, investigators found approximately 295 grams of methamphetamine, a digital scale, a loaded semi-automatic firearm, and a safe containing approximately $27,960.
Investigators also searched Francis’ residence. Under the bed in Francis’s room, officers found five handguns, two AR-style rifles, and a loaded 100-round drum magazine. Elsewhere in the residence, investigators recovered approximately $86,060 in U.S. currency.
Francis admitted to selling pound-quantities of methamphetamine and storing the drug at the two properties.
Francis was convicted in state court in 2003 for possession of cocaine and possession of methamphetamine in two separate cases. Francis is prohibited from possessing firearms by federal law due to these felony convictions.
Zachary A. Myers, U.S. 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.
DEA investigated the case in conjunction with the Vigo County Drug Task Force. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Jane Magnus-Stinson. As part of the sentence, Judge Stinson ordered that Francis be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for four years following his release from federal prison. Judge Magnus-Stinson also ordered that the 8 seized firearms, ammunition, and $160,920 in seized cash all be forfeited as proceeds and instruments of the defendant’s crimes.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Lindsay E. Karwoski who prosecuted this case.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Federal Grand Jury in Louisville Indicts New York Man for His Role in "Grandparent Scam" Targeting Senior VictimsRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – A federal grand jury in Louisville returned an indictment in October charging a New York man with conspiracy to commit mail fraud for his role in a “grandparent scam” that impacted senior victims around the country, including a Meade County individual who lost tens of thousands of dollars to the scam. “Grandparent scams,” also known as “person-in-need scams,” involve perpetrators making false claims to victims that their loved one is in jeopardy and in need of money that the perpetrator will use to assist the loved one.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky and U.S. Postal Inspector in Charge Lesley Allison of the Pittsburg Division made the announcement.
According to court documents, Juan Carlos Arcena Cabrera, 28, of Yonkers, New York, conspired with others to trick seniors into sending cash payments under the false pretense that a grandchild or loved one had been in a car accident or was facing legal trouble. Scam callers would reach out to victims repeatedly, claiming more money was needed to cover additional emergency expenses. As part of this conspiracy, Cabrera posed as the grandson of a Kentucky victim and attempted to pick up a parcel full of cash that the victim had shipped from Kentucky to a FedEx store in New York.
Cabrera was arraigned yesterday in U.S. District Court. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. There is no parole in the federal system. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the United States Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The United States Postal Inspection Service is investigating the case with assistance from the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, the Department of Homeland Security Investigations, the United States Secret Service, and the New York Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Corinne E. Keel is prosecuting the case.
This case was investigated and prosecuted as part of the National Elder Justice Task Force and the Kentucky Elder Justice Task Force. The Department of Justice’s mission of its Elder Justice Initiative is to support and coordinate the Department’s enforcement and programmatic efforts to combat elder abuse, neglect and financial fraud and scams that target our nation’s older adults. In response to the growing need and targeting areas of greatest concern, the Department of Justice initially stood up 10 task forces made up of 11 federal districts to combat a variety of elder abuse, including elder financial exploitation. Kentucky’s federal districts make up two of the 11 districts under the Initiative. Kentucky’s task force is comprised of investigators, prosecutors, and others at the local, state, and federal level with a common objective of protecting seniors across Kentucky.
In October, the Department announced that as part of its continuing efforts to protect older adults and bring perpetrators of fraud schemes to justice it is expanding the Transnational Elder Fraud Strike Force, adding 14 new U.S. Attorney’s Offices. Expansion of the Strike Force will help to coordinate the Department’s ongoing efforts to combat largest and most harmful fraud schemes that target or disproportionately impact older adults.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Eight Trey Gangster Crip Sentenced to 420 Months in Prison for Drug Trafficking and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – Troy Davis, aka “G-Trip” and “Trip” was sentenced yesterday to 420 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fifty (50) grams or more of methamphetamine, five (5) kilograms or more of cocaine and a quantity of marijuana and conspiracy to commit money laundering. On August 9, 2022, Davis pled guilty to all charges. Davis resided in Los Angeles, California, and traveled to Raleigh, North Carolina where he trafficked drugs.
“Our efforts to disrupt and dismantle dangerous drug organizations through this investigation has led to more than twenty indictments, and this prosecution resulted in removing a high-ranking national gang leader from our streets for 35 years,” stated U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “Raleigh is a safer place now that Davis, and many of his coconspirators are facing time behind bars.”
“An incredible amount of work went into building this case and taking this very dangerous individual off our streets,” said Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) Special Agent in Charge Bennie Mims. “Through a collaborative effort with local, state, and federal partners, we brought a high-ranking gang member and one of the area’s main suppliers of illegal narcotics to justice and bettered public safety across the community.”
According to court documents and other information presented in court, Davis was the Los Angeles based source of supply for Dexter Maxwell, the leader of the Eight Tray Gangster Crips (ETGC) for North and South Carolina prior to his arrest. Maxwell has also pleaded guilty to drug trafficking charges and is awaiting sentencing.
Davis held the rank of “G”, which is one of the highest levels of leadership in the ETGC organization. Davis used his influence to direct members of his gang in distributing and selling methamphetamine, cocaine and marijuana in Raleigh. Davis personally flew from Los Angeles to Raleigh and lived for a month on Glenwood Avenue to help the local Raleigh ETGC learn how to cut the narcotics to increase profits for the organization. Davis was heavily involved in the day-to-day operations of the Raleigh ETGC.
For approximately two decades, ETGC has operated in North Carolina, including in the North Carolina prison system. The ETGC is recognized as a national criminal street gang originating out of Los Angeles and has a reputation for a propensity for violence that includes several homicides, aggravated assaults, and robberies. Members and associates of ETGC have been involved in numerous violent crimes that have resulted in the loss of life, decrease in quality of life, and damage to societal norms in and around the City of Raleigh. The ETGC members committed acts of violence to maintain membership and discipline, both within the gang and against non-gang members. Davis has a long history of violence and began committing acts of violence at age thirteen (13) and continued committing acts of violence against cooperators while in custody after pleading guilty in this case. Because of his violent acts, he is currently in solitary confinement.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launders, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. To date, more than 20 individuals have been indicted because of this investigation, including Deandre Earp, who was sentenced in January 2022 to 40 years in prison. Most of the defendants have pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Raleigh Police Department led the investigation with assistance from the Los Angeles Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Raleigh/Wake City-County Bureau of Identification and United States Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelly L. Sandling prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:19-cr-00395-D-6.
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Edmund Thornton Pleads Not Guilty to Failing to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
The United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that Edmund Thornton, 65, who until recently lived in East Calais, pleaded not guilty today in United States District Court in Burlington to a charge that he failed to register as a sex offender after moving to Vermont. U.S. Magistrate Judge Kevin Doyle ordered that Thornton be detained pending trial, which has not been scheduled.
According to court records, on October 27, 2022, a federal grand jury in Vermont returned a one count indictment alleging that Thornton violated the Sex Offender Registration And Notification Act (SORNA). Thornton was arrested in Pennsylvania on the charge on October 31 and has been held pending his transfer to Vermont.
Records indicate that in 1999, Thornton pleaded guilty in Pennsylvania to charges that included attempted deviate sexual intercourse with a ten-year-old girl. Thornton served several years in prison. Under Pennsylvania law, Thornton was required to register in that state as a convicted sex offender upon his release from custody. The federal Sex Offender Registration And Notification Act also required Thornton to promptly register with authorities in any state to which he moves. According to the indictment, Thornton moved to Vermont in about June 2020 but failed to register with authorities here, as required by SORNA.
The United States Attorney emphasizes that the charge in the indictment is merely an accusation and that Thornton is presumed innocent unless and until he is proven guilty.
If convicted, Thornton faces up to ten years of imprisonment and a fine of up to $250,000. The actual sentence would be determined with reference to federal sentencing guidelines.
This case was investigated by the United States Marshals Service.
Thornton is represented by the Office of the Federal Defender. The prosecutor is Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory Waples.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and Child Exploitation Obscenity Section, Criminal Division (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc
Drug Dealing Husband and Wife Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
EUGENE, Ore.—A Douglas County couple known for distributing drugs was sentenced to federal prison today after they were linked to the overdose death of man to whom they had sold drugs to for more than a year.
Brian Joseph Ramos, 49, and Christine Marie Ramos, 41, residents of Yoncalla, Oregon, were sentenced to 70 and 51 months in federal prison, respectively. The Ramoses must also serve five-year terms of supervised release following the completion of their prison sentences.
According to court documents, in May 2018, detectives from the Douglas Interagency Narcotics Team (DINT) learned that an adult male stopped by the Ramoses home in Yoncalla after his release from a residential drug treatment program. Later the same day, the man tragically died of fentanyl poisoning. The next day, investigators interviewed the Ramoses who confirmed the man was at their residence the day prior, but denied giving him drugs. Christine Ramos, who was at work when the man stopped by their residence, admitted to selling the man pills for up to two years prior to his overdose. At one point after learning the man was injecting the pills she sold him, Christine Ramos stopped selling him drugs, but resumed thereafter.
Detectives searched the Ramoses’ residence and found several dozen grams of methamphetamine, 260 pills, drug paraphernalia, and digital scales. Several pills that later tested positive for fentanyl were found in the Ramoses’ vehicles. Evidence recovered from Brian Ramos’s phone revealed that he had in fact sold a pill to the man who succumbed to the fatal overdose.
On August 30, 2018, the Ramoses were charged by criminal complaint with conspiring with one another to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, oxycodone, and hydromorphone. On March 29, 2021, both waived indictment and pleaded guilty.
This case was investigated by DINT and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. It was prosecuted by Jeffrey S. Sweet, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
Formed in October 1989, the Douglas Interagency Narcotics Team is a special investigative unit formed to combat illegal narcotics activity in Douglas County. DINT member agencies include Douglas County, including the Douglas County Sheriff and District Attorney’s Offices, the Oregon National Guard, Oregon State Police, and Roseburg Police Department.
Dominican Man Charged with Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dominican man has been charged with illegally reentering the United States after deportation.
Jonathan Alcequiez-Sanchez, 35, was charged with one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. Alcequiez-Sanchez is currently in the custody of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement and will appear in federal court in Boston at a later date.
According to the charging documents, Alcequiez-Sanchez was deported from the United States on Sept. 18, 2018, after being arrested in the Bronx, N.Y. for unlawful entry. It is alleged that sometime after his September 2018 removal, Alcequiez-Sanchez illegally reentered the United States.
On or about Dec. 27, 2021, Alcequiez-Sanchez was convicted in Lawrence District Court of drug distribution and weapons charges for which he was sentenced to serve jail time at the Essex County House of Corrections. Alcequiez-Sanchez was taken into federal custody upon his release on Nov. 15, 2022.
The charge of unlawful reentry of a deported alien provides for a sentence of up to 20 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 Todd Lyons, Field Office Director, Boston, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke A. Goldworm of Rollins’ Major Crimes Unit is 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.
District Woman Sentenced to 18 Months in Prison for Assaulting Deputy United States Marshal in CourthouseRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON –Annabelle Liebsch, 38, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 18 months in prison for assaulting a Deputy United States Marshal during a court proceeding in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Robert Dixon, U.S. Marshal for the U.S. Marshals Service for the Superior Court of the District of Columbia.
Liebsch was found guilty by a jury in September 2022, of felony assault of a law enforcement officer. She was sentenced by the Honorable Jason Park to a total of 36 months of incarceration; however, all but 18 months of that sentence was suspended pending the successful completion of an 18-month term of probation that will begin after Liebsch’s incarceration.
According to the government’s evidence, on May 2, 2022, the defendant was physically present in a Superior Court courtroom, before the Honorable Judge Thomas J. Motley, in a criminal hearing. At the conclusion of that hearing, Judge Motley ordered that she would remain detained. In response, Liebsch stated that she would like to “defect.”
She then got up from the defense table and walked towards a door at the back of the courtroom. Judge Motley ordered Liebsch to sit back down. When she refused, a Deputy U.S. Marshal and a Court Security Officer in the courtroom attempted to calm her down and restrain her. Their efforts continued into a small vestibule immediately behind the courtroom at which point Liebsch repeatedly head-butted the Deputy Marshal, striking the top of his head with such force that it caused a severe laceration that bled profusely. The Deputy Marshal subsequently had to be taken to a hospital, where five staples were required to close the wound.
Liebsch has been in custody ever since.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Marshal Dixon commended the work of those who investigated the case from the United States Marshals Service. They expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by 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 Richard Cheatham and Theresa Nelson.
Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alec Levy and Shakinah Douglas, who investigated and prosecuted the matter.
Detroit Area Software Developer Pleads Guilty to Employment Tax ViolationsRead the Press Release
A Michigan business owner pleaded guilty today to willful failure to collect and pay over employment taxes on behalf of his employees.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Yigal Ziv owned and operated Multinational Technologies, Inc. (MTI), a software developer based in Walled Lake. Ziv was responsible for filing MTI’s quarterly employment tax returns and collecting and paying to the IRS payroll taxes withheld from employees’ wages. From the first quarter of 2014 through the first quarter of 2018, Ziv collected approximately $691,000 in employment taxes from MTI’s employees, but did not file employment tax returns or pay the withheld taxes to the IRS. Even after learning of the IRS’s ongoing criminal investigation in May 2018, Ziv did not file MTI’s employment tax returns from the 4th quarter of 2019 through the 4th quarter of 2020 and did not pay over to the IRS approximately $199,000 in payroll taxes withheld from MTI’s employees. During the same period he did not pay over taxes to the IRS, Ziv caused MTI to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars for his personal benefit, including home mortgage payments, luxury auto lease payments and department store purchases.
Ziv is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 22, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. He also faces a period of supervised release, monetary penalties and restitution. A federal district 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, U.S. Attorney Dawn N. Ison for the Eastern District of Michigan, and Acting Special Agent in Charge Charles Miller of IRS-Criminal Investigation Detroit Field Office made the announcement.
IRS Criminal-Investigation is investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Kenneth C. Vert and George Meggali of the Justice Department’s Tax Division are prosecuting the case.
Defendant in Murder-For-Hire Conspiracy Sentenced to Life in PrisonRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis sentenced Jose David Navarro Cervellon, age 41, of Norcross, Georgia, today to life in federal prison, on charges related to a murder-for-hire that occurred on November 30, 2016, in Hyattsville, Maryland. On July 20, 2022, after an eight-day trial, a federal jury convicted Navarro for a murder-for-hire conspiracy. Navarro was also convicted for the use of interstate commerce facilities in the commission of a murder-for-hire and for murder resulting from the use, carrying, brandishing and discharging of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Postal Inspector in Charge Damon E. Wood of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service - Washington Division; and Chief Malik Aziz of the Prince George’s County Police Department.
According to court documents and the evidence presented at his trial, Navarro was an associate of co-defendant Miguel Angel Ayala Rivera, the leader of the Pinos Locos Salvatrucha clique La Mara Salvatrucha, also known as the MS-13 gang (“MS-13”) and co-defendant Miguel Antonio Renderos, whom Navarro knew from El Salvador. In November 2016, Renderos was looking for someone to murder Victim 1 in exchange for $10,000. Navarro introduced Renderos to Ayala Rivera, who agreed to commit the murder.
The evidence presented at trial proved that Renderos wanted Victim 1 to be killed because in 2012, after Renderos allowed the victim to move into the basement of Renderos’s home, Victim 1 began to have a romantic relationship with Renderos’s wife. With Navarro serving as the middleman between Renderos and Ayala Rivera, the defendants exchanged phone calls to arrange the murder.
As detailed at trial and in court documents, between November 1 and November 30, 2016, Navarro paid for a hotel room for Ayala Rivera and another MS-13 member, Luis Cruz Hernandez, at a hotel in College Park. During that time, Ayala Rivera, Navarro and Cruz Hernandez conducted surveillance of Victim 1 in and around Victim 1’s residence. On November 30, 2016, Navarro drove Ayala Rivera and Cruz Hernandez to Victim 1’s residence, where Ayala Rivera shot and killed Victim 1. After the murder, Navarro drove Ayala Rivera and Cruz Hernandez to collect payment from Renderos for the murder of Victim 1.
Co-defendants Miguel Angel Ayala Rivera, age 28, of Silver Spring, Maryland, and Miguel A. Renderos, age 48, of Hyattsville, Maryland, each pleaded guilty to their roles in the murder-for-hire and are awaiting sentencing. In a related case, Luis Cruz Hernandez, age 28, of Silver Spring, Maryland, previously pleaded guilty to his role in the murder-for-hire and was sentenced to 51 years in federal prison.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Prince George’s County Police Department for their work in the investigation and thanked the Montgomery County Police Department and the Prince George’s County State’s Attorney’s Office for their assistance. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys William D. Moomau and Leah B. Grossi, who are prosecuting the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Cross-Country Meth Dealer Sentenced to 30 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
ABINGDON, Va. – A former California man, who recently relocated to Meadowview, Virginia, was sentenced yesterday to 30 years in federal prison for his participation in a cross-country drug conspiracy that brought hundreds of pounds of crystal ice methamphetamine into the Southwest Virginia region.
Guy Benjamin Bowman, 57, was convicted following a jury trial in July 2022 of one count of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute and to distributing 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine as well as one count of distributing or possessing with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine.
According to evidence presented at trial, Bowman and Sally Mae Carr, 42, also of Meadowview operated their methamphetamine trafficking operation in Washington County, Virginia from January 2021 through April 2022 and conspired with Bowman’s sources in Chino Hills, California, to bring approximately 200 pounds of crystal methamphetamine into Southwest Virginia for redistribution. At the time of their arrests, over two pounds of crystal methamphetamine with a purity of over 98% and an estimated street value of $42,000, as well as over $7,000 in currency, were seized.
In October 2022, Carr was sentenced to 87 months in federal prison.
United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh, Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares, and Jarod Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA’s Washington Division made the announcement.
The investigation of this case was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, the Holston River Regional Drug Task Force, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, the Virginia State Police, and task force officers from both the Lebanon Police Department and Smyth County Sheriff’s Office.
Special Assistant United States Attorney M. Suzanne Kerney-Quillen, a Virginia Senior Assistant Attorney General assigned to the Attorney General’s Major Crimes and Emerging Threats Section, and Assistant United States Attorney Randy Ramseyer prosecuted the case for the United States.
Coraopolis Man Sentenced to 5 Years for Possessing Sexual Videos and Images of MinorsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A resident of Coraopolis, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court in Pittsburgh to 60 months’ imprisonment and eight years’ supervised release upon his conviction for possession of material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor.
U.S. District Judge Cathy Bissoon imposed the sentence on Christopher A. Sennett, age 34, of Coraopolis, Pennsylvania.
According to information presented to the court during the earlier guilty plea hearing, Sennett was found in possession, on Sept. 26, 2018, of 120 videos and nine still images depicting the sexual exploitation of minors and determined to have distributed one such video over “Motherless.com”, an infamous pornography website.
Prior to imposing sentence, Judge Bissoon emphasized the dangerous nature of Sennett’s conduct and stated that she hoped that he would take advantage of sex offender treatment while incarcerated. Judge Bissoon further ordered Sennett to pay a $5000 special assessment under the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act.
Assistant United States Attorney Carolyn J. Bloch prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Chung commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation and other members of the Western Pennsylvania Violent Crimes Against Children Task Force for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Sennett.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Convicted Felon Who Repeatedly Attacked Planned Parenthood Clinic with BB Guns and Possessed Multiple Firearms Agrees to Plead GuiltyRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – In court documents filed this morning, an Inland Empire man admitted firing BB guns at the Planned Parenthood facility in Pasadena nearly a dozen times and agreed to plead guilty to violating the federal Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act.
Richard Royden Chamberlin, 54, who currently resides in Ontario, but previously maintained a residence in Altadena, also admitted that he was carrying a loaded .22-caliber handgun during one of the attacks and agreed to plead guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, according to a plea agreement filed today in United States District Court.
Chamberlin acknowledged driving past the Planned Parenthood facility in Pasadena and fired his BB gun at the clinic on at least 11 occasions between June 2020 and May 2021. In his plea agreement, Chamberlin admitted that he intentionally conducted the attacks to intimidate and interfere with the clinic, its doctors, staff and patients specifically because the clinic was providing reproductive health services, including services related to the termination of pregnancies.
Beginning on June 27, 2020, Chamberlin’s attacks involved him firing BB pellets through the window of his car. The attacks caused physical damage to the clinic, including shattered windows, and also served to intimidate the staff of the clinic, Chamberlin admitted in the plea agreement.
On March 29, 2021, an employee of the clinic heard an object hit her office window, which caused her to fear for her physical safety and interfered with the performance of her job duties. The next day, at 8:30 a.m. while the clinic was open and receiving patients, defendant again drove by and fired his BB gun at the front entrance. During this attack, a patient’s support companion was seated on the front porch and was nearly hit when the BB gun pellets peppered the banners directly in front of where she was seated. No one was injured in any of the shootings.
On May 7, 2021, the Pasadena Police Department stopped Chamberlin while he was driving away from the clinic following yet another BB gun attack. At this time, Chamberlin possessed eight BB guns, including BB guns designed to look like assault rifles. On the front passenger seat of his vehicle, police found a backpack containing a .22-caliber pistol, which was loaded with 10 rounds of ammunition. In his plea agreement, Chamberlin admitted that he possessed this firearm and ammunition after being previously convicted in Arizona in 2012 of a felony offense of attempted transportation of a narcotic drug for sale.
Following his May 7, 2021, arrest, Chamberlin attempted to dispose of his remaining firearms by selling four firearms to a local consignment store and transferring ownership of eight additional firearms to a neighbor. During a subsequent search of his home, authorities recovered thousands of rounds of ammunition, gun powder, a dozen additional BB guns, a black cylinder resembling a suppressor, a Polymer 80 gun-making kit, various gun parts and multiple documents identifying and referring to Planned Parenthood.
Chamberlin agreed to plead guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, a felony offense that carries a statutory maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison, and one count of forcible interference with the obtaining and provision of reproductive health services, a misdemeanor offense punishable by up to one year in prison. A date for Chamberlin to appear in court to formally enter the guilty pleas has not yet been set.
The FBI and the Pasadena Police Department conducted the investigation in this matter.
Assistant United States Attorneys Frances S. Lewis of the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section is prosecuting this case.
Convicted Felon Sentenced for Illegal Firearms PossessionRead the Press Release
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – A federal judge yesterday sentenced a Eutaw man for being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Special Agent in Charge Marcus Watson.
Chief United States District Court Judge L. Scott Coogler sentenced Antawn Devonte Marshall, 25, of Eutaw, to 105 months in prison for illegally possessing a firearm and ammunition in February 2021. Marshall pleaded guilty to the charge in July. Marshall is prohibited from having a firearm because of prior felony convictions in Tuscaloosa County.
According to the plea agreement, on February 1, 2021, Tuscaloosa Police officers initiated a traffic stop and made contact with the driver, Antawn Devonte Marshall. As Marshall was gathering his driver’s license and proof of insurance, officers smelled marijuana coming from inside the vehicle. Officers found two boxes of Wolf brand 7.62x39mm ammunition in the center console of the vehicle. Underneath the driver’s seat, officers found a Sig Sauer 9mm pistol loaded with 15 rounds of 9mm ammunition.
According to the plea agreement, on June 5, 2021, Tuscaloosa Police officers attempted to pull over the driver of a silver 2004 Ford Mustang for having no functional tag light. Marshall was the driver. Marshall refused to stop when officers initiated a traffic stop, and a vehicle pursuit followed. As Marshall’s vehicle entered the 2600 block of 21st Street in Tuscaloosa, Marshall lost control and left the roadway, striking a tree. The vehicle bounced back onto the roadway and the officers were unable to avoid striking the vehicle with the front of their unmarked vehicle. As the vehicles were about to collide, the officer noticed a silver item fly from the driver’s window. Officers found a silver 9mm magazine that was loaded with ten rounds of 9mm ammunition outside the car next to the driver’s door. As the officers were ordering Marshall from the vehicle, they noticed a Diamondback 9mm pistol in the driver’s floorboard under Marshall’s feet. The Diamondback 9mm pistol was loaded with nine rounds of 9mm ammunition.
ATF investigated the case along with the Tuscaloosa Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristy Peoples prosecuted the case.
Concord Nursing Home to Pay $2.3 Million to Settle Allegations of Grossly Substandard CareRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – Tranquility Incorporated, a corporation doing business as San Miguel Villa (San Miguel Villa) which is a 190-bed nursing home located in Concord, Calif., has agreed to pay $2.3 million to settle allegations that it submitted false claims by billing the Medicare and Medi-Cal programs for grossly substandard nursing home services it provided to its residents between 2012 and 2017, announced United States Attorney Stephanie M. Hinds and Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) Special Agent in Charge Steven J. Ryan.
The settlement resolves allegations that from 2012 to 2017 San Miguel Villa submitted, or caused to be submitted, claims to the Medicare and Medi-Cal programs for payment of its services that were grossly substandard and failed to meet minimum required standards of skilled nursing care in multiple ways. The United States alleges that nursing home residents at San Miguel Villa were overmedicated with psychotropic drugs, suffered excessive falls, were exposed to resident-on-resident altercations, and experienced other mental and physical harm.
“Residents of nursing homes are among the most vulnerable in our community, and they rely on Medicare and Medi-Cal programs to provide the care and services they must have,” said United States Attorney Stephanie M. Hinds. “Nursing homes are entrusted to impart competent and quality care to their residents. This case demonstrates that when federal funds are provided but substandard care is delivered, this office is committed to seeking accountability.”
“Nursing homes are intended to be places of comfort and healing, but the provision of substandard care jeopardizes the residents’ health and safety,” stated Steven J. Ryan, Special Agent in Charge with HHS-OIG. “HHS-OIG and our law enforcement partners are staunchly dedicated to investigating allegations of inadequate care at Medicare- and Medicaid-certified nursing homes.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Gioconda Molinari investigated the matter with the assistance of Paralegal Lillian Do and Auditor Garland He. The United States Attorney’s Office initiated the investigation with assistance from HHS-OIG as part of its ongoing commitment to ensure that nursing home residents receive the necessary skilled nursing home services that they are entitled to and require. The United States Attorney’s Office acknowledges and thanks HHS-OIG as well as the California Department of Justice’s Division of Medi-Cal Fraud and Elder Abuse for their assistance in investigating this matter.
Working in conjunction with the United States Department of Justice Elder Justice Initiative, the United States Attorney’s Office runs an Elder Justice Task Force to identify and investigate nursing homes that provide grossly substandard care, and to support the efforts of state and local prosecutors, law enforcement, and other elder justice professionals who combat elder abuse, neglect and financial exploitation. If you or a loved one is experiencing abuse at a nursing home, please contact the California Long Term Care Ombudsman Crisis line at 1-800-231-4024, or the National Elder Fraud Hotline at 1-833–FRAUD–11 (or 833–372–8311).
Co-conspirator Sentenced to 33 Months for Hate Crime Against a Transgender WomanRead the Press Release
U.S. District Court Judge Aida Delgado Colón sentenced Anthony Steven Lobos-Ruiz to 33 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for a hate crime committed on Feb. 24, 2020, with a dangerous weapon against a transgender woman identified as A.N.L., because of her gender identity.
According to the court documents, Lobos-Ruiz acted in coordination with Jordany Rafael Laboy-García and Christian Yamaurie Rivera-Otero in perpetrating a hate crime. On Aug. 29, Lobos-Ruiz pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting others in the attempted assault of A.N.L. with a paintball gun because she was, and was perceived to be, transgender. Court records show that Lobos-Ruiz admitted to procuring a paintball gun with his co-defendants to cause bodily injury to A.N.L. after he and his friends spotted A.N.L. on the side of the road in Toa Baja and verbally harassed the victim. Lobos-Ruiz also admitted to video recording the assault with his iPhone and sharing the video with others.
The charges against Laboy-García and Rivera-Otero are still pending. If convicted, Laboy-García and Rivera-Otero face a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison for the hate crime charge, five years in prison for the conspiracy charge and a fine up to $250,000 with respect to each charge. If convicted with obstruction of justice, Rivera-Otero also faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a fine up to $250,000 for the obstruction of justice charge.
Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow for the District of Puerto Rico and Special Agent in Charge Joseph Gonzalez of the FBI San Juan Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI San Juan Field Office is investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Shan Patel and Laura Gilson of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney José A. Contreras for the District of Puerto Rico are prosecuting the case.
Chicago, Illinois Man Sentenced to 108 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
HAMMOND- Andrew Buchanan, 35 years old, of Chicago, Illinois, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Philip P. Simon, after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.
Buchanan was sentenced to 108 months in prison followed by 2 years of supervised release.
According to documents in the case, in March 2022, Buchanan was driving a stolen SUV southbound on Interstate 65 when law enforcement stopped him for committing multiple traffic violations. As an officer approached the SUV, Buchanan pulled away at a high rate of speed and fled several miles before crashing the vehicle. He then exited the vehicle, ran up an exit ramp, and attempted to conceal himself, but was apprehended. After he was taken into custody, law enforcement searched the SUV and recovered a loaded AR-15 assault rifle and two loaded semi-automatic pistols with obliterated serial numbers. Both pistols also had “auto sear” devices attached to them which converted them into fully automatic weapons. Buchanan’s criminal history revealed that he has five prior felony convictions and is therefore prohibited from possessing these firearms.
This case is the result of the investigation of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Lake County Drug Task Force. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Toth.
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.
California Drug Trafficker Arrested in Southern Oregon Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
EUGENE, Ore.—A California man with multiple prior felony drug trafficking convictions over more than two decades was sentenced to federal prison today after he was arrested transporting nearly two kilograms of methamphetamine from California to Oregon.
Jose Baldemar Izar, 42, of Lancaster, California, was sentenced to 84 months in federal prison.
According to court documents, in October 2020, investigators from the Douglas Area Interagency Narcotics Team (DINT) received a tip that Izar was trafficking drugs from California to Oregon for distribution in the Roseburg, Oregon area. Further investigation revealed that Izar was in frequent contact with several suspected methamphetamine dealers in the Roseburg area and that he was known to drive vehicles rented under another name.
On March 17, 2021, DINT officers learned Izar would be traveling from California to Douglas County. The same day, they stopped a rented vehicle in which Izar was a passenger. Investigators searched the vehicle and located more than 1,700 grams of methamphetamine, a small quantity of heroin, and drug packaging materials.
On March 18, 2021, Izar and a co-conspirator were charged by criminal complaint with possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Later, on August 19, 2021, Izar and his co-conspirator were charged by criminal information with conspiring with one another to possess with intent to distribute and distribute methamphetamine. On November 3, 2022, Izar waived indictment and pleaded guilty to the conspiracy charge.
This case was investigated by DINT and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. It was prosecuted by Jeffrey S. Sweet, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
Formed in October 1989, the Douglas Interagency Narcotics Team is a special investigative unit formed to combat illegal narcotics activity in Douglas County. DINT member agencies include Douglas County, including the Douglas County Sheriff and District Attorney’s Offices, the Oregon National Guard, Oregon State Police, and Roseburg Police Department.
California Attorney and Filer of ADA Lawsuits Pleads Guilty to Filing False Tax ReturnRead the Press Release
A California attorney and filer of thousands of disability discrimination lawsuits pleaded guilty today to filing a false tax return on which he underreported the income he earned from many of those lawsuits.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Scott Norris Johnson, 60, of Carmichael, owned and operated Disabled Access Prevents Injury Inc (DAPI), a legal services corporation. First using DAPI, and later a law firm, Johnson filed more than 4,000 lawsuits in the Eastern District of California and elsewhere under the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and related California statutes, naming himself as the plaintiff.
Under the Small Business Job Protection Act of 1996, payments related to lawsuit settlements or awards are taxable unless paid on account of personal physical injury or physical sickness. Johnson, who worked as an attorney at the IRS earlier in his career, was required to report the taxable portion of the lawsuit settlements and awards he received. He nonetheless intentionally underreported this income on his 2012, 2013, and 2014 tax returns. By understating the lawsuit settlements and awards, Johnson and DAPI paid little to no income tax for tax years 2012, 2013 and 2014. Johnson caused a loss to the IRS of more than $250,000.
Johnson is scheduled to be sentenced on March 7, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of three years in prison for filing a false tax return. He also faces 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 and U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert for the Eastern District of California made the announcement.
IRS-Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.
Assistant Chief Matthew J. Kluge of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine T. Lydon of the Eastern District of California are prosecuting the case.
Burlington Man Sentenced for Failing to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
Davenport, IA – Carlos Bhaiman Wesley, age 28, of Burlington, was sentenced to 21 months of imprisonment for failing to update his sex offender registration as required by the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). After he is released from prison, Wesley will serve five years of supervised release.
According to court documents, Wesley was required to register as a sex offender and comply with SORNA because of his 2013 Wisconsin conviction for Third-Degree Sexual Assault. Wesley absconded from supervision and moved to Burlington. Wesley did not register as a sex offender in the State of Iowa and did not register his out-of-state move with the Wisconsin sex offender registry, in violation of SORNA.
U.S. Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The U.S. Marshals Service and the West Burlington Police Department investigated the case.
SORNA is part of the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006 and provides a comprehensive set of minimum standards for sex offender registration and notification in the United States. SORNA seeks to strengthen the nationwide network of sex offender registration and notification programs, in part by requiring registered sex offenders to register and keep their registration current in each jurisdiction in which they reside, work, or go to school.
Armed New London Drug Dealer Sentenced to 5 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that GIOVANNI SIERRA, 29, of New London, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to 60 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 15, 2021, New London Police observed Sierra conducting what appeared to be a narcotics transaction from his car. Investigators subsequently stopped Sierra’s car for a motor vehicle violation. A search of the car revealed a privately made handgun (“ghost gun”) loaded with an extended magazine, distribution quantities of crack cocaine and fentanyl, two digital scales, and other narcotics paraphernalia.
Sierra has been detained since his federal arrest on May 11, 2021. On February 16, 2022, he pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
This investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the New London Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Natasha M. Freismuth through the Justice’s Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) program
PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Alabama Man Indicted for Violating U.S. Sanctions Against IranRead the Press Release
An indictment was unsealed today charging Ray Hunt, 69, of Madison County, Alabama, with federal offenses related to an illegal scheme to export U.S.-origin goods to Iran.
The 15-count indictment charges the defendant with conspiracy to defraud the United States, sanctions violations, smuggling goods from the United States and submitting false or misleading export information.
According to the indictment, since at least November 2017, the defendant conspired to export U.S.-origin parts used in the oil and gas industry, including control valves and oil tubing, through his Alabama-based company, Vega Tools LLC, to customers in Iran. The defendant transshipped the goods to Iran through Turkey and the UAE to evade U.S. sanctions.
Hunt was arrested and made his initial court appearance earlier today. If convicted, Hunt faces a maximum penalty of up to 20 years in prison and up to a $1 million fine for violating U.S. trade sanctions against Iran. In addition, he faces up to five years for the conspiracy charge, 10 years for the smuggling offense and up to five years for the false information offense. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona for the Northern District of Alabama and Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Carson of the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security, Office of Export Enforcement (OEE) Miami Office made the announcement.
The U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security investigated the case in coordination with the FBI.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Henry Cornelius and Jonathan “Jack” Harrington for the Northern District of Alabama and Trial Attorneys Emma Dinan Ellenrieder and Adam P. Barry of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Aguilar Pleads Guilty in Guillen CaseRead the Press Release
WACO, Texas – A Killeen woman pleaded guilty today to charges in connection with the disappearance of U.S. Army Specialist Vanessa Guillen.
Cecily Aguilar, 24, pleaded guilty to one count of accessory to murder after the fact and three counts of false statement or representation. A sentencing date has not yet been set. Aguilar faces a maximum possible penalty of 30 years in prison plus three years of supervised release and a $1 million fine. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
According to court documents, from April 22, 2020 through July 1, 2020, Aguilar assisted Army Specialist Aaron Robinson in corruptly altering, destroying, mutilating and concealing evidence—that is, the body of Vanessa Guillen—in order to prevent Robinson from being charged with and prosecuted for any crime. Aguilar also altered and destroyed information contained in a Google account of Robinson. During the investigation into the disappearance of Vanessa Guillen, Aguilar made four materially false statements to federal investigators.
U.S. Attorney Ashley C. Hoff of the Western District of Texas and FBI Special Agent in Charge Oliver E. Rich Jr. made the announcement.
The FBI; U.S. Marshals Service; Texas Rangers; Bell County Sheriff’s Office; Killeen Police Department; Texas Parks and Wildlife; and U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mark Frazier and Greg Gloff are prosecuting the case.
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Monday 28 November 2022
Wasilla Man Indicted on Federal Kidnapping and Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
ANCHORAGE – A federal grand jury in Alaska returned an indictment charging a Wasilla man with kidnapping and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
Anderson was arrested on November 3 by Alaska State Troopers and remains in custody at Anchorage Correctional Complex. He is a registered sex offender based on a 2001 conviction for sexual assault in the first degree in Kenai.
Anderson also faces State of Alaska charges of attempted murder, kidnapping, sexual assault, sexual abuse of a minor, robbery, assault, misconduct involving a controlled substance and tampering with evidence.
If the public has any further information regarding Anderson’s activities, please contact the FBI Anchorage Field Office at 907-276-4441.
If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker of the District of Alaska made the announcement.
The Alaska State Troopers and FBI are investigating the case, with assistance from the FBI's Joint Child Abduction Rapid Deployment (J-CARD) Team. The FBI’s J-CARD Team consists of specially trained investigators and intel personnel from the FBI, Alaska State Troopers and Anchorage Police Department who are experienced in child abduction cases and can rapidly deploy anywhere in the state. The team is designed to provide investigative, technical, and resource assistance to state and local law enforcement during the most critical time period following a child abduction.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Chris Schroeder and Adam Alexander are prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, Project Safe Childhood combines federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Violent Felon Sentenced to over 7 Years in Federal Prison for Illegal Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
EVANSVILLE –Roy L. Durham Jr., 37, of Evansville, Indiana, was sentenced to 92 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to illegal possession of a firearm by a previously convicted felon.
According to court documents, on June 6, 2020, an Indiana State Police Trooper initiated a traffic stop of Durham’s vehicle at an Evansville gas station and convenience store. As the trooper approached the vehicle, Durham reached for a handgun tucked inside the driver’s side door handle. The trooper drew his service weapon and commanded Durham to show his hands. Durham did not comply. Instead, he exited the vehicle and fled on foot, leaving the handgun behind.
The trooper inventoried Durham’s vehicle before having it towed and recovered five fully loaded firearms, three 9mm magazines, assorted ammunition, a gun holster, a laser sight for a firearm, 49 grams of synthetic marijuana, a digital scale, small plastic baggies, thirteen cellular telephones, three laptop computers, and $1,530 in U.S. currency from Durham’s vehicle.
Durham has prior felony convictions in state court for unlawful possession of a firearm by a serious violent felon in 2019 and for dealing methamphetamine in 2016. Durham is prohibited from possessing firearms by federal law due to these felony convictions.
Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, and Daryl S. McCormick, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Columbus Field Division, made the announcement.
ATF investigated the case in conjunction with the Indiana State Police. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Richard L. Young. As part of the sentence, Judge Young ordered that Durham be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for three years following his release from federal prison.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew B. Miller 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.
Two-Time Sex Offender Against Children Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Possession of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS– Christopher Gene Beke, 44, of Crawfordsville, Indiana, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to possession of child sexual abuse material with a prior conviction.
According to court documents, in December 2021, law enforcement officers received a report that child sexual abuse material, consisting of hundreds of photos depicting children engaged in sexually explicit conduct, were being stored in a Google account. Through investigation, officers learned that Beke was the Google account holder and a registered sex offender.
On January 25, 2022, a search warrant was executed at Beke’s residence in Crawfordsville. Officers seized several electronic devices including two USB thumb drives and a cellular telephone. The devices were examined and found to contain numerous images of children, including at least one pre-pubescent child engaged in sexually explicit conduct. The images were representative of the child sexual abuse material found in Beke’s Google account.
In 2011, Beke was convicted of child molesting in Indiana after sexually abusing a 10‑year‑old girl on multiple occasions. Beke was sentenced to 10 years in prison with 4 years suspended. In 2017, Beke was convicted of possession of child sexual abuse material in Indiana and sentenced to 16 months in prison. At his federal sentencing today, the sentencing judge found that Beke had engaged in a pattern of activity involving the sexual abuse or exploitation of a minor.
Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, and Herbert J. Stapleton, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Indianapolis Field Office, made the announcement.
The FBI investigated the case with the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Jane Magnus-Stinson. As part of the sentence, Judge Magnus-Stinson ordered that Beke be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for 12 years following his release from federal prison and ordered Beke to pay $13,000 in restitution to the child victims. Beke must also register as sex offender wherever he lives, works, or goes to school, as required by law.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristina M. Korobov and Trial Attorney Adam W. Braskich, of the Department of Justice’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, who prosecuted this case.
This investigation was conducted by the Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, a partnership of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies led by the Indiana State Police. The Task Force is dedicated to investigating and prosecuting crimes involving the technology-facilitated sexual exploitation of children and the trafficking of child sexual abuse material. Each year, Indiana ICAC investigators evaluate thousands of tips, investigate hundreds of cases, and rescue dozens of children from ongoing sexual abuse. In fiscal year 2019, the most recent year for which data is available, the Southern District of Indiana was second out of the 94 federal districts in the country for the number of child sexual exploitation cases prosecuted.
Two Southern Indiana Child Sex Offenders Sentenced to Federal Prison for Conspiring to Distribute Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
EVANSVILLE – Jason E. Jolley, 43, of Evansville, Indiana was sentenced to 70 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute and receive sexually explicit materials involving children and distribution of sexually explicit materials involving children. Scott J. Spear, 50, of Newburgh, Indiana pled guilty to conspiring with Spear to distribute the child sexual abuse materials and was sentenced on October 18, 2022, to 5 years in federal prison.
According to court documents, between January 15, 2016, and February 1, 2016, Jolley and Spear communicated with each other using email. During their communications, both Jolley and Spear discussed their mutual interest in finding and viewing sexually explicit material involving children. Jolley and Spear also sent images to each other depicting the sexual abuse of children.
On November 15, 2016, Jolley used the Kik Messenger application to distribute an image depicting a child engaging in sexually explicit conduct to an undercover law enforcement officer in Washington D.C. The images distributed and received by Jolley and Spear included depictions of the sexual abuse of pre-pubescent children.
Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, and Herbert J. Stapleton, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Indianapolis Field Office, made the announcement.
The FBI investigated the case. The Warrick County Sheriff’s Office provided valuable assistance. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Richard L. Young. As part of the sentence, Judge Young ordered that Jolley be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for 10 years following his release from federal prison. Spear was ordered to be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for 7 years following his release from prison. Both Jolley and Spear must also register as a sex offender wherever they live, work, or go to school, as required by law.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd Shellenbarger who prosecuted this case.
In fiscal year 2019, the most recent year for which data is available, the Southern District of Indiana was second out of the 94 federal districts in the country for the number of child sexual exploitation cases prosecuted.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc
Tioga County Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Timothy E. Deuel, age 64, of Tioga County, New York, was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for possessing child pornography. The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Janeen DiGuiseppi, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
As part of his prior guilty plea, Deuel acknowledged that in March 2015, he was sentenced to 87 months in prison and 10 years of supervised release for distribution of child pornography. Deuel admitted that during the term of supervised release that followed his term of imprisonment, he possessed, at his residence, three digital storage devices that contained a total of approximately 1,000 images of child pornography and more than 200 video files of child pornography.
United States District Judge Glenn T. Suddaby also imposed a 15-year term of post-imprisonment supervised release, ordered forfeiture of the devices used as part of the offense, and ordered Deuel to pay a total of $45,000 restitution to victims of the offense.
This case was investigated by the FBI Syracuse Mid-State Child Exploitation Task Force, comprised of FBI Special Agents and Investigators of the New York State Police, Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI), and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew J. McCrobie as part of Project Safe Childhood.
Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), and is designed to marshal federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Three Indicted for Involvement in Violent Crisis in CameroonRead the Press Release
Three defendants were arrested today and made their initial court appearances in connection with an indictment, unsealed today, charging them for their roles in a conspiracy to provide material support or resources to a conspiracy to kidnap persons and use weapons of mass destruction in a foreign country.
Claude N. Chi, 40, of Lee’s Summit, Missouri; Francis Chenyi, 49, of St. Paul, Minnesota; and Lah Nestor Langmi, 46, of Buffalo, New York, all of whom are U.S. citizens of Cameroonian origin, are charged in a four-count indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Missouri, on Nov. 18, 2022. The indictment was unsealed and made public today following their arrests and initial court appearances.
The federal indictment alleges that Chi, Chenyi and Langmi have supported and raised funds for separatist fighters in Cameroon since Jan. 1, 2018. As alleged, they each held senior level positions within an organization that supported and directed the militant separatist group known as the Ambazonian Restoration Forces and other separatist fighters in Cameroon’s Northwest Region.
Chi, Chenyi and Langmi allegedly solicited and raised funds for equipment, supplies, weapons and explosive materials to be used in attacks against Cameroonian government personnel, security forces and property, along with other civilians believed to be enabling the government. These funds were raised through online chat applications and payment platforms from individuals located in the United States and abroad. The funds were then transferred from various financial and cryptocurrency accounts controlled by the defendants through intermediaries to the separatist fighters to support attacks in Cameroon.
In addition to more than $350,000 the defendants raised through voluntary donations, the indictment alleges Chi, Chenyi and Langmi conspired with others to kidnap civilians in Cameroon and hold them for ransom. In some instances, U.S. citizens were extorted for ransom payments to secure the release of their kidnapped relatives living in Cameroon. The ransom payments were subsequently transferred to the separatist fighters to fund their operations.
According to the indictment, the defendants authored a document that included a list of expenditures related to improvised explosive devices (IEDs), firearms and ammunition. Other expenditures included funds related to the kidnapping of Cardinal Christian Tumi and of a Cameroonian traditional leader named Sehm Mbinglo II on Nov. 5, 2020.
Chi, Chenyi and Langmi are charged with one count of conspiracy to provide material support or resources intended to be used to carry out a conspiracy to kill, kidnap and maim persons in a foreign country and one count of providing material support or resources intended to be used to carry out a conspiracy to use a weapon of mass destruction outside the United States. They are additionally charged with one count of receiving money from a ransom demand and one count of participating in a money laundering conspiracy. If convicted, the defendants face a maximum statutory penalty of up to 15 years in prison for the material support charges, up to three years in prison for the receiving money from a ransom demand charge and up to 20 years in prison for the money laundering conspiracy charge.
Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, U.S. Attorney Teresa A. Moore for the Western District of Missouri, FBI Assistant Director Robert R. Wells and Special Agent in Charge Charles A. Dayoub of the FBI Kansas City Field Office made the announcement.
This is an ongoing investigation. Anyone with information related to this investigation is asked to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI or report a tip online at tips.fbi.gov. You can remain anonymous in reporting a tip.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Blackwood for the Western District of Missouri and Trial Attorney Dmitriy Slavin of the Justice Department’s National Security Division are prosecuting the case.
Texas man admits to role in drug distribution operationRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Kedrick Howard, of Dallas, Texas, has admitted to his role in methamphetamine, crack cocaine, fentanyl, and heroin drug distribution operation, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
Howard, age 29, pleaded guilty today to one count of “Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances.” Howard admitted to working with others to distribute methamphetamine, cocaine base, cocaine hydrochloride, and fentanyl from the Spring of 2018 until October 2020.
Howard faces up to 20 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $1,000,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Zelda E. Wesley and Sarah E. Wagner are prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The FBI's Northern West Virginia Drug Task Force in partnership with the Mon Metro Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated. The Task Forces have members from the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Drug Enforcement Administration; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; West Virginia State Police; Monongalia County Sheriff's Office; and the Morgantown, WVU, Granville and Star City Police Departments. The investigation was also assisted by the following law enforcement partners: the Monongalia County Prosecutor’s Office; the FBI in Houston, Texas; the Houston Police Department's Multi Agency Gang Initiative; the United States Postal Inspection Service in Houston; and the FBI and DEA in Los Angeles, California.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.
Related case here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndwv/pr/25-people-indicted-drug-trafficking-operation-spanned-several-states
Three Venezuelan Nationals Sentenced in Cocaine Conspiracy CaseRead the Press Release
St. Croix, VI – United States Attorney Delia L. Smith announced today that Algler Rodriguez-Boadas, 21, Johan J. Pacheco-Lezama, 34, and Henry Gonzalez-Noriega, 48, were sentenced by District Court Judge Wilma Lewis on one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine while on board a vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the United States Pacheco-Lezama was sentenced to 46 months of imprisonment, followed by two years supervised release, and Rodriguez-Boadas and Gonzalez-Noriega were sentenced to 41 months of imprisonment, followed by 2 years supervised release. The defendants were also ordered to pay a $100 special assessment fee and are subject to deportation after serving their sentences.
According to court documents, on September 25, 2019, the United States Coast Guard (USCG) Cutter Donald Horsley intercepted a suspicious 55-foot vessel displaying the name “La Gran Tormenta” with Venezuelan nationality at approximately 38 nautical miles south of St. Croix. The occupants of “La Gran Tormenta” failed to respond to USCG’s efforts to stop the vessel and later changed course and began jettisoning packages overboard. USCG crew members subsequently retrieved two bales from the ocean that contained packages of brick-shaped objects which tested positive for cocaine and weighed approximately 49 kilograms. After requesting and receiving permission to stop the vessel from Venezuela, USCG unsuccessfully attempted a right-of-visit boarding of the vessel. After gaining control of the “La Gran Tormenta” by disabling the vessel’s engine, USCG crew members detained 11 individuals, including Rodriguez-Boadas, Pacheco-Lezama and Gonzalez-Noriega.
This case was investigated by the United States Coast Guard, Drug Enforcement Administration and Customs and Border Protection, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Melissa P. Ortiz. This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.