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5 January 2023
Acton Man Pleads Guilty to Using Stolen Identities to Obtain COVID Relief FundsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – An Acton man pleaded guilty today in connection with a conspiracy to use stolen identities to fraudulently obtain disaster loan funds from the Small Business Administration (SBA) and to launder the funds.
Edwin Acevedo, 36, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of wire fraud. U.S. District Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton scheduled sentencing for May 16, 2023. Acevedo was arrested and charged along with co-conspirator Hector Garcia in August 2021.
According to charging documents, Acevedo’s co-conspirators used stolen identity information of United States citizens to apply for SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loans. It is alleged that Garcia used stolen identity information of a United States citizen to open a fraudulent bank account, which was then linked to other fraudulent bank accounts set up to receive the SBA funds. Acevedo coordinated co-conspirators’ receiving some of the debit cards associated with fraudulent bank accounts into which SBA funds were deposited. Acevedo and co-conspirators laundered the SBA funds by using the debit cards to purchase iPhones, which Acevedo and others then re-sold for cash. It is also alleged that Garcia and other co-conspirators wired a portion of the funds to co-conspirators in the Dominican Republic.
It is alleged that over $452,000 in SBA funds were fraudulently obtained in connection with the scheme. Approximately $250,000 of this money was used to purchase iPhones in Massachusetts and New Hampshire.
On Dec. 8, 2022, Garcia was indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston on one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, three counts of wire fraud and two counts of aggravated identity theft. He has since pleaded not guilty and is awaiting trial.
The charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and of wire fraud each provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins and Matthew B. Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement. Valuable assistance was also provided by Homeland Security Investigations in Orlando, Fla.; Small Business Administration, Office of the Inspector General; Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of the Inspector General; Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General; Department of Labor, Office of the Inspector General; Department of State; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Massachusetts State Police; New Hampshire State Police; and the Acton, Nashua (N.H.), Manchester (N.H.) and Ocala (Fla.) Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elianna Nuzum and Adam Deitch of Rollins’ Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
4 January 2023
Wyoming man charged in commercial sex investigation in Billings admits prostitution crimeRead the Press Release
BILLINGS — A Wyoming man accused of soliciting sex in a Billings motel room during an investigation into commercial sex activity in 2021 today admitted to a prostitution crime, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
Mark Jay Albrecht, 65, of Gillette, Wyoming, pleaded guilty to a superseding information charging him with prostitution near military and navy establishments, a misdemeanor. Albrecht faces a maximum of one year in prison, a $100,000 fine and one year of supervised release.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for May 4. The court continued Albrecht’s release pending further proceedings. If accepted by the court at sentencing, a plea agreement reached by the parties recommends that Albrecht serve a sentence of no less than six months imprisonment.
The government alleged in court documents that Albrecht knowingly solicited a person for prostitution. On April 21, 2021, law enforcement responded to a call concerning possible commercial sex activity at the Quality Inn in Billings. Officers knocked on the door of the suspect room and announced themselves. Co-defendant Ashley Stella, another female identified as Jane Doe 1, a minor, and Albrecht emerged. Albrecht was witnessed buttoning up his shirt as he exited the room. Law enforcement interviewed Stella and Jane Doe 1 multiple times. Stella acknowledged that Albrecht was in the room for the purpose of commercial sex. Electronic communications recovered by law enforcement reflected discussions between Albrecht and Stella from earlier that day involving a possible commercial sex meeting. The Quality Inn is located approximately two miles from a military recruitment center, and, at the time, prostitution was illegal in the State of Montana.
Stella, of Reno, Nevada, was sentenced to eight years in prison for conviction of transportation of a minor to engage in prostitution. A third co-defendant charged in the case, Cecil Jerome Hatchett, of Las Vegas, Nevada, is scheduled for a change of plea hearing on Jan. 6.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Zeno B. Baucus and Bryan T. Dake are prosecuting the case, which was investigated by the FBI, Montana Division of Criminal Investigation, Billings Police Department, the Reno, Nevada, Police Department and IRS.
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Wilmot Man Sentenced to 115 Months in Prison on Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. – United States Attorney Jane E. Young announced that Corey Donovan, 40, previously of Wilmot, was sentenced to 115 months of imprisonment on Tuesday following his conviction at trial last year for the unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon.
According to trial exhibits and witness testimony presented during the four-day jury trial in October 2021, Donovan was prohibited from possessing firearms due to prior felony convictions. In March 2021, law enforcement received a tip that Donovan possessed firearms. After analyzing the information received and employing other investigative techniques, search warrants were obtained to search Donovan’s property and vehicles associated with him. Located in Donovan’s Jeep, strapped to the Jeep’s roll bar, was a loaded 20-gauge shotgun, with several rounds of ammunition on and in the weapon. Additional ammunition was located in the Jeep’s center console. In addition, a companion 20-gauge shotgun barrel, several shotgun parts, multiple rounds of ammunition, two homemade silencers and various gun accessories were located in other locations on Donovan’s property.
Donovan has been detained since his March 2021 arrest. He was on supervised release at the time of the offense following an earlier federal conviction for conspiracy to commit bank robbery and related firearms charges arising out of the February 2007 armed robbery of the Franklin Savings Bank where he and several compatriots initially escaped by snowmobile. The sentence imposed by the Court consists of 110 months for the new firearms offense and 5 months for the violation of supervised release, to be served consecutively. Donovan will be on a new term of supervised release of 3 years following his release from Bureau of Prisons custody.
After the sentencing, U.S. Attorney Young stated, “Convicted felons, like the defendant, who illegally possess weapons and ammunition will be prosecuted and upon conviction, the government will seek significant periods of incarceration to ensure the safety of our communities and to deter felons from committing these crimes.”
“ATF will continue the fight against violent crime in our communities.” Said James M. Ferguson Special Agent in Charge of the ATF Boston Field Division. “We will continue to work alongside our law enforcement partners keeping guns out of the hands of convicted of felons.”
This matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, United States Marshals Service, New Hampshire State Police, New Hampshire Information and Analysis Center, New Hampshire Fish and Game Department, and Andover Police Department. Special assistance was also provided by the Somersworth Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Anna Krasinski and Charles L. Rombeau.
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Wexford Woman Sentenced for Failing to File Business and Personal TaxesRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA A resident of Wexford, PA, has been sentenced in federal court to three years' probation and 180 days home confinement on her conviction of various violations of the Internal Revenue Code, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
United States District Judge W. Scott Hardy imposed the sentence on Shelley L. Fant, 52.
According to information presented to the court, Fant both failed to collect and to pay over FICA taxes to the Internal Revenue Service, in violation of Title 26, United States Code, Section 7202, and also failed to file personal income tax returns, in violation of Title 26, United States Code, Section 7203.
The Court also ordered restitution payable to the IRS totaling $658,895.
Assistant United States Attorney Gregory C. Melucci prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Chung commended the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Fant.
Waterbury Man Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison for Trafficking CocaineRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that FELIX ORTEGA-PAGAN, 41, of Waterbury, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to 60 months of imprisonment, followed by four years of supervised release, for trafficking cocaine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, an investigation led by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Bulk Cash Trafficking Task Force determined that Ortega-Pagan’s associate, Pierre Joshwan Rodriguez, headed a cocaine trafficking operation in which parcels containing kilogram quantities of cocaine were shipped through the U.S. mail from Puerto Rico to multiple addresses in Waterbury. Rodriguez distributed the cocaine in the Waterbury area and mailed money parcels back to Puerto Rico. Ortega-Pagan assisted Rodriguez by frequently picking up the cocaine parcels and delivering them to Rodriguez at various stash locations. Alejandra Santiago-Miranda was a frequent mailer of cocaine parcels from Puerto Rico to Waterbury and was also the recipient of multiple money parcels.
Investigators seized approximately 28 kilograms of cocaine and $216,000 in cash during the investigation.
Ortega-Pagan was arrested on November 20, 2020. On September 6, 2022, he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute, and to possess with intent to distribute, 500 grams or more of cocaine.
Ortega-Pagan, who is released on bond, is required to report to prison on February 17.
Rodriguez, also known as “Ochy” of Waterbury, and Santiago-Miranda, of Toa Baja, Puerto Rico, pleaded guilty to related charges. Rodriguez awaits sentencing and, on December 6, 2022, Santiago-Miranda was sentenced to three years of probation.
This matter has been investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Narcotics and Bulk Cash Trafficking Task Force, which 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. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Natasha M. Freismuth.
Wanblee Man Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Wanblee, South Dakota, man convicted of Assaulting a Federal Officer. The sentencing took place on December 20, 2022.
Steven James Quiver, 46, was sentenced to one year and one day in federal prison, followed by one year of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Quiver was indicted for Assaulting a Federal Officer by a federal grand jury in April of 2021. He pleaded guilty on August 19, 2022.
The conviction stems from Quiver assaulting an Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety Officer, who had been dispatched to Quiver’s residence on February 11, 2020. Quiver strangled and threatened to shoot the officer. After ignoring repeated commands to comply, Quiver was tased by the officer and taken into custody.
This case was investigated by the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Sazama prosecuted the case.
Quiver was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Waco Return Preparer Pleads Guilty to Tax Conspiracy and PPP FraudRead the Press Release
A Texas return preparer pleaded guilty to engaging in a multi-year conspiracy to prepare and file false tax returns on behalf of clients and obtaining a fraudulent loan under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). The proceeding was held before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeffrey C. Manske.
According to court documents and statements made in court, between 2012 and 2017 Labanda Loyd, of Waco, managed two tax return preparation businesses and also worked as a return preparer. Loyd conspired with others at both businesses to prepare and file false returns that fraudulently claimed refunds the clients were not entitled to receive. As a manager, Loyd personally instructed some of her co-conspirators how to prepare false tax returns. For some clients, Loyd and her co-conspirators completely fabricated wage and tax withholdings. For others, they altered the wages and withholdings legitimately reported to the IRS by their employers. Loyd’s co-conspirators include Lashamekwa Alexander, Deidra Brandon, Melissa Johnson, Shaterian Parr, Jaleesia Sais, and Tevin Thompson, all of whom have pleaded guilty to the tax conspiracy or other crimes. In all, the co-conspirators caused a tax loss exceeding $1.8 million.
Loyd also pleaded guilty to wire fraud stemming from her false application in 2021 for a PPP loan. On the application, Loyd falsified her business’s actual gross income and included false documents to corroborate the fabricated income. As a result, Loyd received approximately $18,000 in PPP funds.
Loyd faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison for the conspiracy charge and twenty years in prison for wire fraud. She and her co-conspirators are all scheduled to be sentenced on March 15, 2023. A federal district court judge will determine any sentences after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement.
IRS-Criminal Investigation is investigating the case. Trial Attorneys Patrick Elwell, Matthew Hicks, and Wilson Stamm of the Tax Division are prosecuting the case.
United States Attorney Ritz Announces Appointment of Four Assistant United States AttorneysRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – Kevin G. Ritz, United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, is pleased to announce the appointment of four new Assistant United States Attorneys for the district: Mary Morris, Jermal Blanchard, Courtney Lewis, and Bryce Phillips. All four of the new AUSAs will work out of the Memphis office.
United States Attorney Ritz said: “With the hiring of Mary, Jermal, Courtney, and Bryce, we have recruited top legal talent to fulfill the Department’s mission of upholding the rule of law, protecting civil rights, and keeping Americans safe. These four attorneys are already hard at work promoting and defending the interests of our great country. I’m thankful for their commitment to a career in federal public service.”
Mary Morris joins the office from the University of Memphis School of Law, where she was a professor for several years. Mary was previously a member at Burch, Porter & Johnson in Memphis, where she had a broad litigation practice with a focus on federal cases, including federal criminal and habeas matters. Mary clerked for Judge Julia Gibbons of the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit and Judge Samuel H. Mays, Jr. of the United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee. She graduated from the University of Alabama and Yale Law School. Mary has been appointed Appellate Chief and Special Counsel.
Jermal Blanchard joins the office from the Shelby County District Attorney General’s Office, where he was a prosecutor for over six years. Jermal has extensive courtroom experience and has handled a variety of complex criminal matters, including murder, human trafficking, and sexual abuse cases. He graduated from the University of Memphis and Florida Coastal School of Law. Jermal is assigned to the office’s Firearms and Violent Crimes Unit.
Courtney Lewis joins the office from the United States Navy, where she has had a decorated career. She served as a Judge Advocate for 16 years and is also certified as a military judge. Courtney is an experienced prosecutor who has litigated several dozen criminal jury trials and supervised thousands of additional investigations and trials. She graduated from Villanova University and Suffolk University Law School. Courtney is assigned to the office’s General Crimes Unit.
Bryce Phillips joins the office from the Shelby County District Attorney General’s Office, where he served as a prosecutor for more than a decade. Bryce has managed all sorts of criminal investigations and has tried dozens of cases. He was a Special Assistant United States Attorney in the U.S. Attorney’s Office from 2017 to 2019. Bryce graduated from Middle Tennessee State University and the University of Memphis School of Law. Bryce is assigned to the office’s Organized Crime and Narcotics Unit.
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For more information, please contact Public Information Officer Cherri Green at (901) 544-4231 or [email protected]. Follow @WDTNNews on Twitter for office news and updates.
United States Attorney Recognizes the Tampa Police Department’s Efforts in Fighting Violent CrimeRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announced today the results of the United States Attorney’s Office’s ongoing efforts to fight violent crime through its partnership with the Tampa Police Department (TPD). During 2022, federal prosecutors and TPD worked together to charge and prosecute 91 defendants for federal crimes, including firearms and drug offenses. In total, these prosecutions removed 74 firearms from our streets. The prosecutions supported by TPD include:
- Robles Park Criminal Enterprise - The prosecution of the “Robles Park” criminal enterprise involved members and associates who engaged in murder, assault, intimidation, narcotics trafficking, unemployment insurance fraud, identity theft, obstruction of justice, and other crimes. Among other acts of violence, on July 19, 2020, Robles Park members committed a shooting outside the Truth Lounge in Tampa, starting a shootout that left eight people injured, including minors. In retaliation for the Truth Lounge shooting, rival gang members initiated an armed confrontation with members of the Robles Park organization in the parking lot of the International Plaza retail establishment in Tampa near several witnesses. The ensuing gun fight left behind 25 spent shell casings and several damaged vehicles. As a result, four individuals associated with the Robles Park enterprise have been charged with federal firearms and violent offenses; three of those individuals have pleaded guilty.
- United States vs. Jeffrey Davis and Tyee Spike – Davis and Spike received prison sentences of 24 years and 26 years and 3 months, respectively, following their convictions. According to court documents, Davis and Spike committed a series of commercial armed robberies in Tampa, Fishhawk, and Riverview. They brandished firearms during each of the robberies. During one of the robberies, Spike shot a victim in the stomach.
- United States vs. Antonio Phillips – Phillips received a sentence of 8 years in prison for possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. On December 1, 2020, in Tampa, Phillips and others conducted a drive-by shooting on an occupied vehicle. After the shooting, law enforcement air support tracked Phillips’ vehicle, which had fled the scene. Video surveillance captured muzzle flashes coming from the passenger side of the car where Phillips was sitting. Numerous bullet holes were observed on the other vehicle. Phillips and others fled from their car, discarded weapons, and jumped over fences and across yards before they were ultimately apprehended. Law enforcement recovered 3 guns, a 50-round drum-style magazine, and trigger-mounted laser.
- United States vs. Javeon Jacobs – A court sentenced Javeon Jacobs to 21 years’ imprisonment after he pleaded guilty to three counts of brandishing a firearm while committing carjackings. According to court documents, Jacobs committed three separate carjackings. In one of the carjackings, Jacobs kidnapped two victims, one of whom he also pistol-whipped.
- United States vs. Natwan Callaway – On January 30,2021, officers responded to reports of shots being fired and observed two men running away from the scene. Natwan Callaway, who was standing next to another male, was observed with the imprint of a firearm and extended magazine on his front right hip and apprehended with an empty holster. Nearby, officers found two loaded semi-automatic 9 mm pistols. Ammunition from one of the pistols (Glock 17 9mm) matched that used in a homicide in October 2020, an aggravated battery in December 2020, and an aggravated assault in January 2021, all in Tampa. Callaway’s DNA was found on that pistol. In May 2021, officers found several Instagram videos of Callaway possessing and utilizing several firearms, many of which were loaded. Callaway pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm as a felon on December 13, 2022. He faces a maximum of 10 years’ imprisonment.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to doing our part to reduce violent crime,” said U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg. “That goal cannot be accomplished without the hard work and dedication of our law enforcement partners. In 2022, the Tampa Police Department (TPD) has played a critical role in investigating and prosecuting violent crimes. We look forward to continuing to work with TPD and our other local and federal law enforcement partners to further our goal of making the Tampa Bay area a safer place for its citizens.”
“Violent crime, in any form, negatively affects the quality of life of every person impacted, whether directly or indirectly,” said Interim Tampa Police Chief Lee Bercaw. “Every community member has the absolute right to feel safe in their homes and in their neighborhoods. The Tampa Police Department will continue to work alongside our federal, state, and local partners in our tireless efforts to hold those who would harm or threaten the public accountable, prosecute them to the full extent of the law, and make every community member feel safe in our city.”
These cases were investigated by the Tampa Police Department, with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the United States Marshals Service, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. They are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Risha Asokan, Samantha Beckman, David Chee, Charlie Connally, Tiffany Fields, Craig Gestring, Michael Gordon, Michael Kenneth, Maria Guzman, Daniel Marcet, Christopher Murray, Samantha Newman, Diego Novaes, James Preston, Candace Rich, Michael Sinacore, Ilyssa Spergel, David Sullivan, Callan Albritton, and Jay Trezevant.
The majority of these cases are a part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Collects $36,913,638 in Civil and Criminal Actions in Fiscal Year 2022Read the Press Release
Charlottesville, Va.- United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh announced today that the Western District of Virginia collected $36,913,638 in criminal, civil and joint actions in Fiscal Year 2022. Of this amount, $7,628,635 was collected in criminal actions in the Western District and $8,933,648 was collected in local civil actions.
Additionally, the Western District of Virginia worked with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices and components of the Department of Justice to collect an additional $20,351,355 in cases pursued jointly by these offices.
“The Western District of Virginia’s substantial recoveries last year demonstrate our serious commitment to seeking restitution for the victims of crime and forfeiting the assets of those who profit from criminal activity,” United States Attorney Kavanaugh said today. “In the next year, we expect that this number will grow as we continue to hold defendants – both individuals and corporations – accountable for their crimes.”
The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, along with the Department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the United States and criminal debts owed to federal crime victims. The law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss. While restitution is paid to the victim, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the Department’s Crime Victims Fund, which distributes the funds collected to federal and state victim compensation and assistance programs.
Additionally, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Western District of Virginia, working with partner agencies and divisions, collected $22,168,509 in asset forfeiture actions in fiscal year 2022. Forfeited assets deposited into the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund are used to restore funds to crime victims and for a variety of law enforcement purposes.
U.S. Attorney's Office to Host Several Protecting Houses of Worship Training Seminars Across the StateRead the Press Release
The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces it will co-host several Protecting Houses of Worship (PHOW) events in Grand Junction, Fort Collins and Boulder in the coming weeks. These interfaith events are open to the public and will focus on providing faith-based institutions with information from law enforcement and faith-related security experts about the threats of violence facing houses of worship and responsive measures to counter potential risks.
Grand Junction: January 9, 2023 from 6-8 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church at 3940 27½ Road
Fort Collins: January 19,2023 from 6-8 p.m. at Plymouth UCC Church, UCC at 916 W. Prospect Road
Boulder: February 21, 2023 from 6-8 p.m. at the Boulder Jewish Community Center at 6007 Oreg Avenue
If interested in attending one of these seminars, please RSVP to Jillian Dardani at [email protected].
The PHOW programs are interfaith events hosted at a community center, church, mosque, synagogue or other faith-based facility for participation by all interested faith-based organizations in the city or region.
The upcoming events are sponsored by The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado, Community Relations Service, Rocky Mountain Region, and the Mesa County Sheriff’s Office, the Fort Collins Police Department and the Boulder County District Attorney’s Office.
Tulsa Man Pleads Guilty to January 2022 KillingRead the Press Release
A man who initiated a January 2022 shooting in north Tulsa that caused the death of an 18-year-old and seriously injured a second teenager pleaded guilty in federal court, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
Sir Michael Morgan Jr., 19, of Tulsa, pleaded guilty to second degree murder in Indian Country.
Morgan admitted that on Jan. 29, 2022, he shot and killed victim Isaiah Jones because he believed Jones was involved in the shooting of his friend in a previous incident. Prosecutors contended that Morgan initiated the incident in which he also shot a 17-year-old, seriously injuring him. During an exchange of gunfire, Morgan was also shot.
An individual who knew the two victims said he heard the gunshots from inside his home and transported the victims to the hospital. Once there, Jones was pronounced dead from multiple gunshot wounds. The second victim survived.
Morgan was transported by ambulance to the hospital where he was treated for two gunshot wounds.
The FBI and Tulsa Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stacey P. Todd is prosecuting the case.
Texas man convicted of armed bank robbery during violent crime spree that left one deadRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 43-year-old Corpus Christi man is facing life in prison after robbing a bank during a 45-minute crime spree that left one person dead and another seriously injured, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Anthony Dwayne Carrington pleaded guilty to one count of bank robbery and one count of brandishing a firearm during the commission of a crime of violence.
On Aug. 8, 2022, Carrington entered the American Bank – Corpus Christi South branch on South Padre Island Drive in Corpus Christi. He approached the teller station while holding a silver pistol in his hand, pointed it directly at a bank employee and demanded he give Carrington all the money from the drawer. Carrington further warned the employee not to press the alarm or make a scene. Fearing for his life, the teller complied with Carrington’s demands.
Further investigation revealed two shootings that occurred a short distance from the bank within 45 minutes of the robbery - an attempted murder in a private residence and a homicide at P.F. Chang’s restaurant.
Carrington was an employee at that restaurant and matched the description of both shooters.
Law enforcement conducted a traffic stop later the same day, identified Carrington and took him into custody. Carrington had discarded the firearm used during the robbery and both shootings. Authorities also recovered it from an empty grass lot.
Carrington ultimately admitted to shooting the individual at the private residence, shooting a co-worker at P.F. Chang’s, robbing American Bank and being in possession of the firearm despite being a previously convicted felon.
U.S. District Judge David S. Morales will impose sentencing March 29. At that time, Carrington faces up to 25 years for the robbery as well as another seven years to life for the firearms charge which must be served consecutively to any other prison term imposed.
Carrington has been and will remain in custody pending that hearing.
The FBI conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Corpus Christi Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Marck is prosecuting the case.
South Texan sent to prison for concealing meth under clothingRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A 42-year-old Raymondville man has been ordered to federal prison for drug trafficking, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Ricardo Garcia Jr. pleaded guilty July 29, 2022, admitting he imported three kilograms of meth into the United States from Mexico.
Today, U.S. District Judge Randy Crane ordered him to serve a 120-month sentence to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard about Garcia’s various gang affiliations before imposing the sentence. Judge Crane noted Garcia was not in a leadership position of control within a drug trafficking organization, but did transport narcotics into the United States.
On May 18, 2022, Garcia attempted to make entry into the United States through the Hidalgo Port of Entry. During inspection, Garcia changed his story several times regarding his purpose of entering the country. A narcotics K-9 alerted to the vehicle and to Garcia himself.
Law enforcement referred him to secondary inspection where they soon found 12 packages of meth concealed under his clothing and inside of his boots. Lab results indicated the meth had a purity level of 95%.
Garcia subsequently admitted he was importing the meth from Mexico into the United States and was to be paid $2,000 for delivery of the drugs to McAllen.
He has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Devin V. Walker prosecuted the case.
Sharon Man Sentenced to Prison for Distributing CrackRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH – Jeronte Robinson was sentenced to 24 months in prison for conspiring to distribute crack cocaine, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
Robinson, age 27 of Sharon, Pennsylvania, was sentenced by United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon. Judge Bissoon ordered Robinson to serve three years of supervised release after his prison sentence.Robinson’s sentence is a result of conduct between June 2020 and June 2021. During that time period, Robinson and co-conspirators frequently distributed crack cocaine from Robinson’s residence on Euclid Avenue in Sharon, Pennsylvania. Robinson’s sentencing guideline range was increased because he possessed a gun when he was conspiring to distribute crack cocaine.
Assistant United States Attorney Craig W. Haller prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Pennsylvania State Police, the Lawrence County Drug Task Force, the Mercer County Drug Task Force, the New Castle Police Department, the Sharon Police Department, the Hermitage Police Department, and the Farrell Police Department led the investigation in this case.
This prosecution is a result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles high-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten communities throughout the United States. OCDETF uses a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Restaurant Owner Sentenced to Prison for $2 Million Tax Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that WILLIAM CHEN, 49, of West Hartford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to 18 months of imprisonment, followed by one year of supervised release, for operating an extensive tax fraud scheme involving Connecticut and Massachusetts restaurants that he owned and operated. Judge Underhill also ordered Chen to pay a $20,000 fine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Chen was a part owner of several restaurants, including Ginza Japanese Restaurant in Bloomfield, Ginza Japanese Cuisine in Wethersfield, Kaliubon Ramen in Wethersfield and West Hartford, and Feng Asian Bistro in Hartford and Canton, and Millbury, Massachusetts. Chen was responsible for purchasing and using the Point-of-Sale (POS) system for restaurant orders, and for training staff on the use of the POS system. In connection with the POS system, Chen paid an additional fee to activate “zapper” software, which is a commercial computer program designed to deliberately delete transactions from the POS system to create fraudulent sales records. From approximately 2013 to 2020, Chen and others who worked at the restaurants deleted cash transactions with the intent to reduce the gross receipts and the amount of sales tax collected reported by the POS. As a result, Chen intentionally suppressed the restaurants’ taxable income that he disclosed to his accountant who prepared his and his restaurants’ income tax returns.
Chen was also responsible for the accounting and financial records at the restaurants, for the collection and withholding of employment taxes for the restaurants at which he worked, and for signing the restaurants’ tax returns. For the 2013 through 2020 tax years, Chen failed to withhold, account for, and pay to the IRS federal income taxes, Federal Insurance Contributions Act taxes (“FICA”), and federal unemployment taxes for multiple employees that he paid, or that he knew were paid, in cash.
The tax loss attributable to Chen’s criminal conduct is $2,092,926.94. To date, Chen has paid $600,000 in restitution.
On July 29, 2022, Chen pleaded guilty to two counts of filing a false tax return.
Chen is required to report to prison on April 5.
This matter was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David T. Huang.
Removed Alien Charged with Illegally Re-entering the U.S.Read the Press Release
ERIE, Pa. - A former resident of Guatemala has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of reentry of removed alien, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
The one-count Indictment named Milton Arnoldo Montenegro-Rodas, 40, as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment presented to the court, on or about October 2, 2022, Montenegro-Rodas was found to be unlawfully present within the United States. Montenegro-Rodas had been previously ordered deported and removed from the United States on March 26, 2013 and was removed from the United States on April 30, 2013. The defendant subsequently reentered the United States and was found to be present in this country without the permission of the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of 2 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Molly W. Anglin is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Registered Sex Offender Sentenced to 15 Years for Sexual Exploitation of ChildrenRead the Press Release
DETROIT - A registered sex offender living in Dearborn who sought and obtained a sexually explicit image from a minor was sentenced to fifteen years in Federal prison for sexual exploitation of children, announced United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison.
Ison was joined in the announcement by James A. Tarasca, Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Anthony John-Hamernik Girard, 32, of Dearborn, Michigan, was sentenced by United States District Judge Mark A. Goldsmith. Girard admitted that, while online, he requested that a 16-year-old minor create and send him an image of the minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct, and that he received a sexually explicit image from the same minor. In that same chat, he told the 16-year-old that he “kinda” wished that she was younger.
Police in Perrysburg, Ohio investigated Girard after he began sending sexually explicit messages to a minor Girard believed was a 14-year-old girl but was actually an undercover police officer. From this investigation, law enforcement discovered that Girard had other contacts with minors, including telling a 13-year-old that she was “beautiful” before she told him that she wanted no further contact with him.
“A prior conviction that resulted in a designation as a sex offender did not prevent this offender from lurking online and exploiting a minor. This sentence demonstrates that recidivist offenders who engage in online exploitation will receive significant penalties to keep our children safe.” U.S. Attorney Ison stated.
“Sexual exploitation is one of the most depraved crimes committed, and this case is especially disturbing because the defendant engaged in this behavior following a conviction that put him on the sex registry,” said James A. Tarasca, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Detroit Field Office. “The FBI will continue to work tirelessly to protect the most vulnerable members of our community from harm and exploitation.”
This case was investigated by the Southeast Michigan Trafficking and Exploitation Crimes Task Force of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Perrysburg Police Department and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Christopher Rawsthorne and Lisandra Fernandez-Silber.
Queens Man Sentenced to 39 Months for Pandemic-Related FraudRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Melvin Ansong, age 27, of Corona, New York, was sentenced today to 39 months in prison for mail fraud, wire fraud and aggravated identity theft in connection with schemes in which he obtained more than $190,000 in unemployment insurance benefits and government-backed loans meant to provide relief from the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; Jonathan Mellone, Special Agent in Charge, New York Region, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General (USDOL-OIG); Matthew Scarpino, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); and Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the Boston Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS).
As part of his July 25, 2021 guilty plea, Ansong admitted that he fraudulently obtained $165,182 in unemployment insurance benefits from the New York State Department of Labor (NYSDOL) in the names of 13 other people and an additional $18,480 in benefits from the Arizona Department of Economic Security in the name of another person. Ansong further admitted that he fraudulently obtained an $8,000 Economic Injury Disaster Loan from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) by claiming that he owned a pet grooming company when in fact no such company existed.
United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino also sentenced Ansong to 1 year of supervised release, to begin following his term of imprisonment, and ordered him to pay restitution in the amounts of $165,182 to the State of New York, $18,480 to the State of Arizona, and $8,000 to the SBA.
The case was investigated by USDOL-OIG, USPIS, and HSI, with assistance from U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s New York Field Office and the NYSDOL’s Office of Special Investigations. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexander P. Wentworth-Ping and Joshua R. Rosenthal.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Owensboro Doctor Pays $931,500 to Resolve Allegations He Received Kickbacks from a Laboratory in Exchange for Ordering Genetic TestsRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – Kishor Vora, M.D., of Owensboro, KY, has entered into a settlement with the United States Department of Justice to resolve allegations that he referred patients for genetic testing in exchange for kickbacks, announced Michael A. Bennett, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Kentucky. Dr. Vora has paid $931,500 to resolve the allegations.
“Our office will continue to investigate and hold accountable medical professionals who undermine our healthcare system and programs by accepting illegal kickbacks,” said U.S. Attorney Bennett. “I commend HHS-OIG and AUSAs Malloy and Weyand for their outstanding work in this case.”
“Providers who aid in the submission of false claims to Medicare undermine the integrity of federal health care programs,” said Tamala E. Miles, Special Agent in Charge with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG is proud to work alongside our law enforcement partners to ensure that all health care providers who misuse their medical professional status for financial gain are held accountable.”
The United States’ complaint alleged that Dr. Vora executed an elaborate and extensive scheme to maximize profits at the expense of both patients and Medicare. In particular, the complaint alleged that, between May 2012 and March 2013, Dr. Vora violated the False Claims Act and the Anti-Kickback Statute by accepting illegal kickbacks from a laboratory, National Molecular Testing Corporation (NMTC), in exchange for sending Medicare-reimbursed orders for pharmacogenomics testing (tests that show how genes affect a person’s response to particular drugs). The complaint also alleged that Dr. Vora ordered and submitted medically unnecessary and unreasonable tests to NMTC in exchange for these illegal kickbacks.
The case is styled United States of America v. Kishor N. Vora et al., Case No. 4:20-cv-66-BJB (WDKY).
The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica R. C. Malloy and A. Matthew Weyand.
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Omaha Repeat Offender Sentenced to 450 Months for Drug and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Steven Russell announced that Prince L. Spellman, 39, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, cocaine, and phencyclidine (PCP), possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and felon in possession of a firearm. On September 30, 2022, Spellman was convicted by a federal jury. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Spellman to imprisonment for a term of 450 months. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, Spellman will begin a 5-year term of supervised release.
On the evening of March 8, 2021, Omaha police officers responded to a ShotSpotter alert in the area of 2877 Fort Street in Omaha. The officers observed a silver Jeep Cherokee in the area which appeared to be consistent with 911 callers’ descriptions of a suspect vehicle involved in the shots fired incident. The officers followed the Jeep and obtained the license plate number and registration information but did not have sufficient information to stop it at that time. Thereafter, they returned to the area of 5628 N. 29th Street, where they obtained additional information from witnesses and collected 9mm bullet casings from the street. The witnesses’ information regarding the suspect vehicle confirmed that the Jeep Cherokee they observed earlier was, in fact, the correct vehicle.
On the following day, March 9, 2021, at about 9:00 p.m., an Omaha Police Department gang unit detective was on patrol in an unmarked police vehicle near 40 Bedford Avenue and observed the vehicle traveling northbound. The Jeep Cherokee was stopped at a McDonald’s restaurant in the area of 30 Taylor Street. Three occupants were ordered from the Jeep. In plain view, on the floorboard behind the driver’s seat, officers observed a pink and black Tanfoglio Witness P-Compact 9mm handgun.
Spellman was the driver of the Jeep and was searched. Officers located a vial of brown liquid in Spellman’s groin that was later determined to contain PCP. Officers also recovered a bag containing approximately 55 grams of white powder, later confirmed as cocaine through lab testing. Lastly, officers found a bottle containing 100 blue pills stamped "M”, which were later determined to contain fentanyl. Spellman, who has an extensive record of felony convictions, was arrested. His prior felony convictions include Robbery, Possession of a Controlled Substance, Criminal Impersonation (False Information), Strangulation, all in the District Court of Douglas County, Nebraska, and multiple offenses involving firearms including a prior conviction for Felon in Possession of a Firearm in the U.S. District Court for the District of Nebraska.
Employees of the Omaha Police Department later examined the firearm recovered from the Jeep and casings recovered on March 8, 2021 and determined that the firearm Jeep was the same firearm used during the shots fired call requiring the police response on the evening of March 8, 2021.
This case is part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. The United States Attorney’s Office has prosecuted this case with the support of and investigation by the following Project Guardian partners: the Omaha Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms. For more information about Project Guardian, please see https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/attorney-general-william-p-barr-announces-launch-project-guardian-nationwide-strategic-plan.
Obregon, Mexico Man Sentenced for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that U.S. District Judge Jeffrey L. Viken has sentenced an Obregon, Mexico, man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencing took place on December 15, 2022.
Noel Rivera, 44, was sentenced to 17.5 years in federal prison, followed by five years supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Rivera was indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance by a federal grand jury in August of 2021. He pleaded guilty on April 25, 2022.
As part of his role within the drug trafficking organization, Rivera coordinated with other co-conspirators and would transport large quantities of methamphetamine from Arizona and other places outside of South Dakota into South Dakota. Rivera also coordinated with others regarding the storage and distribution of the methamphetamine once it arrived in South Dakota. The conspiracy lasted more than a year’s time frame. In August of 2021, agents conducted a search warrant of multiple locations in the Rapid City area tied to the conspiracy and located over 70 pounds of methamphetamine, multiple pounds of heroin and cocaine, as well as thousands of fentanyl pills, approximately $144,000, and thirteen firearms. One co-conspirator has pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance and is awaiting sentencing. The second co-conspirator is awaiting trial.
This case was investigated by the Unified Narcotics Enforcement Team (UNET), Drug Enforcement Agency, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. UNET is comprised of law enforcement from the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, Rapid City Police Department, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, South Dakota Highway Patrol, and the South Dakota National Guard. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gina Nelson prosecuted the case.
Rivera was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Mexican citizen admits to concealing drugs near vehicle consoleRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – A 23-year-old man from Monterrey, Mexico, has pleaded guilty to conspiring to possess with intent to distribute 6.15 kilograms of cocaine, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
On Oct. 2, 2022, Luis Carlos Rodriguez-Elizondo attempted to drive through the Lincoln Juarez Port of Entry in Laredo. At that time, he told authorities he was visiting Six Flags and planned an overnight trip. However, he did not have luggage and did not have a believable travel itinerary.
An X-ray scan also revealed anomalies near the center console of his vehicle. Upon further inspection, law enforcement discovered several bundles containing cocaine.
The drugs had an estimated street value of $150,000.
U.S. District Judge Marina Garcia Marmolejo will impose sentencing April 11. At that time, Rodriguez0-Elizondo faces up to life in prison and a possible $10 million maximum fine.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew Isaac and Michael Makens are prosecuting the case.
Mentmore man sentenced to seven and a half years in prison for carjacking and assaultRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced that Nathan Singer Lee was sentenced on Dec. 22, 2022, to seven and a half years in prison. On Aug. 25, 2021, Lee, 28, of Mentmore, New Mexico, and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, pleaded guilty to an indictment charging him with assault resulting in serious bodily injury, obstructing justice by retaliating against a witness, victim, or informant resulting in bodily harm, and carjacking resulting in serious bodily injury.
Lee had been staying at the home of the victim, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, identified in court records as Jane Doe, in Ramah, New Mexico, since Jan. 26, 2020. On Jan. 28, Jane Doe and her boyfriend traveled to Albuquerque, where they had been summoned to testify before a grand jury in a matter involving an individual known by Lee. Jane Doe and her boyfriend told Lee that they were both witnesses in the case against the other individual, and Lee travelled to Albuquerque with them.
On Jan. 31, 2020, Lee and Jane Doe’s boyfriend were arrested in connection with a dispute with a neighbor. Lee was released from custody around 1:30am on Feb. 1, 2020, and returned to Jane Doe’s home. Jane Doe provided Lee with blankets to sleep, then proceeded to clean her room before going to bed.
Around 3:00am, Jane Doe went to the kitchen for a mop and encountered Lee, who told her he had been waiting for her. Lee threw Jane Doe to the floor and punched and kicked her repeatedly. When she tried to get up, he threw her to the floor again, causing an injury to her head. She asked Lee why he was doing this, and he told her it was because she and her boyfriend were “snitches.” At another point during the assault, Lee also said, “I don’t care, I’ll [expletive] kill you.”
As Lee continued to assault Jane Doe, she attempted to call the police. Lee took her cell phone and tried to break it with his hands, then used a hatchet to break it. Lee reached into Jane Doe’s pockets and took her EBT card and her keys. After recovering some of his belongings, Lee fled in Jane Doe’s vehicle.
Upon his release from prison, Lee will be subject to three years of supervised release.
The FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Ramah Navajo Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Alexander F. Flores prosecuted the case.
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Maryland Drug Dealer Sentenced to Life in Federal Prison for the Murder of a Woman and Her Seven-Year-Old Child in Relation to Federal Drug Trafficking CrimesRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett today sentenced Andre Ricardo Briscoe, a/k/a “Poo”, age 39, of Baltimore and Cambridge, Maryland, to life in federal prison for federal drug distribution charges, use of a firearm to commit murder in relation to drug trafficking crimes, killing a witness to prevent communication with law enforcement and being a felon in possession of firearm and ammunition. Defendant Briscoe was convicted of those charges on June 8, 2022, after a 12-day jury trial.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Toni M. Crosby of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Baltimore Field Division; Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Commissioner Michael Harrison of the Baltimore Police Department; and Chief Justin Todd of the Cambridge Police Department.
According to the facts proven at his trial, from March through October 2015, Briscoe conspired with others to distribute heroin. On May 25, 2015, Briscoe traveled from his home in Cambridge, Maryland, to the home of co-defendant Kiara Haynes, with whom he was romantically involved. He told Haynes that he planned to steal heroin from Jennifer Jeffrey, a long-time friend of Haynes. According to trial testimony, during the course of the evening, Briscoe explained that Ms. Jeffrey had heroin and he planned to rob and kill Ms. Jeffrey to get the heroin. Haynes told Briscoe she would help him get a gun.
Haynes subsequently contacted a relative whom she knew to have a gun. The relative was incarcerated at the time. Haynes told the relative on a recorded jail line that she needed the gun so Briscoe could rob Ms. Jeffrey of her drugs. In exchange for allowing Haynes to use the gun, Haynes promised to give the inmate “like 30 [grams]” of the stolen heroin and give him the gun back. The inmate agreed to loan Haynes the gun. After the call, Haynes and Briscoe met with the inmate’s brother, who gave Haynes a .45 caliber firearm. Briscoe and Haynes returned to Haynes’s apartment with the gun.
Later that night, Briscoe left Haynes’s apartment and went to visit Ms. Jeffrey at her nearby home. As detailed during trial testimony, after Briscoe returned to Haynes’s apartment on the morning of May 27, 2015, Briscoe told Haynes that Ms. Jeffrey had shown him a large amount of heroin and that Ms. Jeffrey’s child did not feel well and had not gone to school that day. At approximately 11:41 a.m. Haynes overheard Briscoe on the phone with Ms. Jeffrey, who was talking about making breakfast for Briscoe. Briscoe retrieved the .45-caliber gun from Haynes’s bedroom and told her that he was going to Ms. Jeffrey’s to get the drugs.
Briscoe then went to Ms. Jeffrey’s home, where he carried out his plan by robbing her of at least 80 grams of drugs and murdered Ms. Jeffrey, shooting her in the wrist, shoulder, chest, and back of the head. Briscoe also killed Ms. Jeffrey’s child while he was in his bed by shooting the child multiple times in the head.
Briscoe returned to Haynes’s apartment and told her that Jennifer Jeffrey and her child were dead and gave Haynes a bag of heroin as her “cut.” As detailed in Haynes’s plea agreement, she returned the gun to the inmate’s relative along with the heroin given to her by Briscoe, as payment for the use of the gun. On May 28, 2015, after a receiving a call for assistance, the Baltimore Police Department discovered Ms. Jeffrey and her child dead in their home.
Co-defendant Kiara Haynes, age 38, of Baltimore, was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison for two counts of aiding and abetting the use and discharge of a firearm in relation to a drug trafficking crime and crime of violence, causing the death of Jennifer Jeffrey and her seven-year-old child.
This case was made possible by investigative leads generated from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives’ (ATF) National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN). NIBIN is the only national network that allows for the capture and comparison of ballistic evidence to aid in solving and preventing violent crimes involving firearms. NIBIN is a proven investigative and intelligence tool that can link firearms from multiple crime scenes, allowing law enforcement to quickly disrupt shooting cycles. For more information on NIBIN, visit https://www.atf.gov/firearms/national-integrated-ballistic-information-network-nibin.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and 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.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended ATF, the FBI, the Baltimore Police Department, and the Cambridge Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul E. Budlow, who prosecuted the case and thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael C. Hanlon and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Sandra Wilkinson for their assistance.
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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Man Sentenced to Decade in Federal Prison Following Shootout with Nash County Deputies on I-95Read the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – Jarred Javon Ford was sentenced today to 10 years imprisonment followed by 3 years of supervised release for possession of a firearm by a felon after being involved in a shootout with Nash County Deputies on I-95. This is the statutory maximum sentence available for this offense. Ford also faces attempted murder charges in state court.
“This case was a violent shooting of a law enforcement officer that, thankfully, did not result in a loss of life,” stated U.S. Attorney Michel Easley. “Due to the quick reaction of the deputy who was able to return fire, this felon was apprehended. My office stands by law enforcement, and we will continue to vigorously prosecute those who attack the men and women to put their lives on the line to protect us.”
“During a traffic stop in Nash County, Ford fired over a dozen rounds at Deputies Shelby Smith and William Toney,” said Nash County Sheriff Keith Stone. “With the training the Deputies had received, they were able to bring Ford into custody after a gun battle which left Deputy Toney shot four times and bleeding badly. Deputy Smith and Deputy Toney are true heroes. As noted by Franklin D. Roosevelt ‘Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the assessment that something else is more important than fear.’ Men and women of law enforcement don a badge each and every day willing to lay down their life. I am grateful for the ongoing partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s office, working together with law enforcement at every level, to protect our communities from violence. We remain vigilant and dedicated to our duty to protect and serve.”
According to court documents and other information presented in court, Ford was speeding on Interstate 95 and Nash County deputies conducted a traffic stop based on the speeding violation. One of the deputies noticed a strong odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle as she interacted with Ford and asked Ford step out of the vehicle. The second deputy arrived on the scene as back up and stood by Ford as the first deputy explained to Ford, she had smelled marijuana. Ford indicated there was marijuana in the car. She explained to Ford that she was going to search him, and his car, and Ford began to struggle with the deputies. Ford pulled a gun out of his pocket and discharged it multiple times, striking one of the deputies in both arms and his hip. The other deputy was able to return fire and struck Ford multiple times.
Ford testified in his own defense at his trial and admitted to possessing the firearm and to shooting the Nash County Deputy. Ford said he discharged his firearm at least 4-5 times until his gun jammed.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after the sentencing was concluded. U.S. District Judge Terrence W. Boyle presided over the sentencing. Nash County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Aakash Singh and Charity Wilson prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:21-CR-105.
Man Pleads Guilty to Bribery and Visa Fraud ConspiraciesRead the Press Release
A Georgia man pleaded guilty today for his roles in two bribery conspiracies — one related to U.S. government reconstruction contracts in Afghanistan and one related to a U.S. Department of State visa fraud scheme.
According to court documents, Orlando Clark, 57, of Smyrna, managed reconstruction projects in Afghanistan on behalf of a U.S. company. In 2011 and 2012, Clark conspired with an analyst at a different U.S. company, who evaluated bids for U.S.-funded reconstruction contracts that were awarded by the U.S. military, to receive approximately $400,000 in bribes from an Afghan company in return for assisting it in obtaining millions of dollars in contracts. To conceal his criminal conduct, Clark registered fictitious companies and bank accounts in Georgia – to which he sent bribe payments via wire transfers from Afghanistan – and created invoices to make it appear as though he was involved in a car-exporting business. In reality, Clark used the bribe payments funneled through these accounts to enrich himself and purchase personal items, including two BMWs.
In addition, between 2015 and 2020, Clark also received bribes to sign false letters of recommendation for visas authorized for Afghan nationals who worked as translators with U.S. forces in Afghanistan. Clark signed over 10 letters in which he falsely claimed to have supervised the applicants and in which he stated, without any factual basis, that he had no reason to believe that they posed a threat to U.S. national security.
Clark pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bribery of a public official and conspiracy to commit visa fraud. He is scheduled to be sentenced on April 12 and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison on each charge. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan for the Northern District of Georgia; Inspector General John F. Sopko of the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR); Special Agent in Charge Peter Tolentino of the Economic Crimes Field Office of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS); Special Agent in Charge Stanley A. Newell of the Transnational Operations Field Office of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS); and Supervisory Special Agent Gregory Batman, Chief of the Criminal Investigations Division of the U.S. Department of State Diplomatic Security Service (DOS-DSS) made the announcement.
SIGAR, NCIS, DCIS, and DOS-DSS are investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Matt Kahn of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Russell Phillips for the Northern District of Georgia are prosecuting the case.
MEDIA ADVISORY Marion County Man to be Sentenced in Federal Court for Kidnapping, Carjacking, and Murder of 80-Year-Old VictimRead the Press Release
FLORENCE, SOUTH CAROLINA — Dominique Brand, 31, of Marion, is scheduled to be sentenced in federal court on Friday, January 6, for kidnapping resulting in death, carjacking resulting in death, and using or carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence in a manner constituting murder.
Brand was convicted following a multi-day bench trial in September 2022. Evidence presented at trial established that on Sunday, March 28, 2021, Brand entered Mary Ann Elvington’s home in Nichols, South Carolina. At about 6:11 p.m. that Sunday, Brand forced Ms. Elvington to drive him from her house to Lake Waccamaw, North Carolina, and back into South Carolina. During this trip, Mr. Brand sat behind Ms. Elvington with a shotgun.
Later that evening, Brand drove Ms. Elvington to a remote crossroads in Marion County and walked her behind the abandoned Zion Grocery store. He held the shotgun to the back of her head and pulled the trigger, executing her. Brand then drove Ms. Elvington’s car to Marion, where he hid it behind an abandoned club. Ms. Elvington’s body was located the following evening, March 29, 2021. After learning he was a suspect, Brand turned himself in to authorities on March 31, 2021.
United States District Judge Sherri A. Lydon presided over the trial and will impose the sentence. Brand faces a penalty of life imprisonment on each count.
WHEN: Friday, February 3, 2023, at 10:00 am
WHERE: McMillan Federal Building
Courtroom 1
401 West Evans Street
Florence, South Carolina
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KC Man Sentenced to 20 Years for Meth Conspiracy, Illegal FirearmsRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for his role in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and for illegally possessing firearms.
Richard Maples, 38, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to 20 years in federal prison without parole.
On April 25, 2022, Maples pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Maples admitted that he was involved in the distribution of at least five kilograms of methamphetamine during his involvement in the drug-trafficking conspiracy from 2017 to 2019.
Maples sold large quantities of methamphetamine to an undercover law enforcement officer on three separate occasions in March and April 2018. After selling 111 grams of methamphetamine to a co-defendant on March 26, 2018, law enforcement officers attempted to stop Maples but he fled at a high rate of speed and eluded them.
On May 14, 2018, Maples was arrested during a car stop while he was in possession of 251 grams of methamphetamine, a Springfield Armory XD-40, a Taurus PT-145, a Vulcan, and $2,330 in cash that must be forfeited to the government. Maples was arrested again on June 18, 2019, at a hotel in Kansas City, Mo. He attempted to flee from officers in a stolen vehicle and struck light fixtures and a fence before disabling the vehicle. One of the pursuing police vehicles struck a parked vehicle. Inside the stolen vehicle, officers found methamphetamine, a firearm, and drug paraphernalia. Law enforcement officers also found 18 grams of methamphetamine, marijuana, and drug paraphernalia in his hotel room.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who is convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Maples has prior felony convictions for possessing a cocaine, resisting arrest, receiving stolen property, and burglary. He was on felony parole when he committed the crimes in this case. Maples also has 20 misdemeanor convictions that include stealing and stolen property offenses, traffic offenses, fleeing, and assault.
Maples is the fifth defendant to be sentenced in this case. Six co-defendants have pleaded guilty and await sentencing.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Moeder. It was investigated by the FBI and the Jackson County Drug Task Force.
Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Justice Department Awards over $567,000 to State of Louisiana in Continued Support of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency PreventionRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that the State of Louisiana has received $567,366 from the Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs and its component, the Office of Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention, to increase the availability of delinquency prevention and intervention programs for at risk youth, juvenile justice system improvements, and to maintain compliance with the four core requirements of the JJDP Act. This project plans to support both state and local efforts.
The recipient of this award, the Louisiana Commission on Law Enforcement, is a foundation located in Baton Rouge dedicated to improving the operations of the criminal justice and juvenile justice systems and to promoting public safety by providing progressive leadership and coordination within the criminal justice community.
Jet Medical and Related Companies Agree to Pay More Than $700,000 to Resolve Medical Device AllegationsRead the Press Release
Pennsylvania-based medical device distributor Jet Medical Inc. (Jet) agreed to pay $200,000 to resolve criminal allegations relating to a migraine headache treatment, and Jet and two related companies agreed to pay another $545,000 in a civil settlement involving the same device.
In a criminal information filed today in the Southern District of Illinois, the government alleged that between April 2014 and April 2019, Jet introduced into interstate commerce devices that were misbranded under the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (FDCA) because Jet did not obtain approval or clearance from the FDA prior to distributing the devices. Jet’s device, the Allevio SPG Nerve Block Catheter (Allevio), was intended to treat migraine headaches by administering nerve blocks to the sphenopalatine ganglion (SPG), a collection of nerves located deep in the midface of the skull. The information alleges that Jet never sought approval or clearance from FDA to distribute the Allevio for this intended use, nor did Jet conduct an investigational study regarding the Allevio’s safety and effectiveness when used as intended.
The resolution announced today includes a deferred prosecution agreement and criminal penalties totaling $200,000. As part of the deferred prosecution agreement, which must be approved by the court, Jet admitted that it distributed misbranded devices in violation of the FDCA and agreed to implement enhanced compliance measures. The resolution also includes a civil settlement with the federal government under the False Claims Act (FCA) totaling $545,133. Along with Jet, related companies Medical Components Inc. (MedComp) and Martech Medical Products Inc. (Martech) are parties to the civil settlement.
“The FDA approval and clearance process serves an important role in ensuring that devices used to treat patients are safe, effective, and medically appropriate,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “We will not permit companies to circumvent that process and put profits over patient safety.”
“Medical device companies put vulnerable patients at risk when they fail to follow FDA’s standards and requirements,” said U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe for the Southern District of Illinois. “This resolution reflects our commitment to holding companies accountable for violating the integrity of the FDA approval process and placing profits over people.”
“Doctors and their patients rely on FDA oversight to ensure that the medical devices they depend upon are safe and effective for their intended uses. Device manufacturers who circumvent the proper regulatory path in bringing their products to market endanger patients and put the public health at risk,” said Assistant Commissioner for Criminal Investigations Catherine A. Hermsen of the FDA Office of Criminal Investigations. “We will continue to investigate and bring to justice companies that ignore the law and jeopardize the public health.”
“This medical device distributor undermined the integrity of the FDA approval process and disregarded patient safety for personal profit,” said Special Agent in Charge Curt L. Muller of the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “Working closely with our law enforcement partners, we will continue to investigate and hold accountable those who put the health and safety of patients at risk and waste valuable taxpayer dollars.”
The civil settlement resolves a lawsuit filed under the qui tam or whistleblower provision of the False Claims Act in the Southern District of Illinois. That lawsuit alleged that Jet, MedComp, and Martech violated the FCA by causing medical providers to submit false claims to the Medicare Program for procedures using the Allevio. The lawsuit alleged the Allevio was not approved or authorized by the FDA for use in SPG nerve blocks for the treatment of headaches, and that the procedure was not covered by Medicare. The suit alleged that Jet, MedComp, and Martech instructed, coached, and encouraged medical providers to submit improper billing codes to Medicare for reimbursement of services using the Allevio device.
The resolution of this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating health care fraud. The FCA is one of the most powerful tools in this effort. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services at 900-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).
The FDA’s Office of Criminal Investigations conducted the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke Weissler for the Southern District of Illinois and Trial Attorney David Hixson of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch, with assistance from the FDA’s Office of Chief Counsel, represented the government in the criminal case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura Barke for the Southern District of Illinois represented the government in the civil case.
Except as to conduct admitted in connection with the deferred prosecution agreement, the claims settled by the civil agreement are allegations only and there has been no determination of civil liability.
For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit its website at http://www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. For more information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Illinois, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdil.
Jefferson City Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Meth TraffickingRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Jefferson City, Mo., man has been sentenced in federal court for possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute.
Ashanti Terrell Roberson, 43, was sentenced by U.S. District Jude Roseann Ketchmark on Tuesday, Jan. 3, to 15 years in federal prison without parole. The sentence is an upward variance from the federal sentencing guidelines.
On March 3, 2022, Roberson pleaded guilty to possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute.
Law enforcement officers saw Roberson, who had outstanding warrants for his arrest, leaving a Jefferson City hotel on Feb. 11, 2019. Jefferson City police officers stopped his vehicle and arrested him. Roberson had $1,000 in his possession, all in $20 bills.
Investigators searched Roberson’s hotel room and found pill bottles that contained Xanax and other unidentified pills as well as drug paraphernalia. Several of the pills were packaged into small plastic bags, with 10 pills in each bag. Officers also found a small metal safe that contained a loaded Taurus 9mm semi-automatic pistol, 32.32 grams of methamphetamine, and drug paraphernalia.
According to court documents, Roberson acquired his first felony conviction in 1998 for selling a controlled substance. Between 1998 and his arrest in this case, Roberson acquired eight felony convictions, including distribution of a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance, forgery, and sale of a controlled substance. Roberson also acquired at least 15 misdemeanor convictions, including possession of drug paraphernalia, stealing, and a multitude of driving while suspended convictions.
Roberson has an extensive history of drug abuse, including alcohol, marijuana, cocaine, heroin, opiates, Xanax, LSD, PCP, psilocin mushrooms, and synthetic cannabinoids. Roberson has used marijuana daily since age 30 until his arrest in this case.
This case was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather D. Richenberger. It was investigated by the Jefferson City, Mo., Police Department, the Cole County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, MUSTANG (the Mid-Missouri Unified Strike Team and Narcotics Group), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Honduran National Admits Illegally Reentering the U.S.Read the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that MARLON AMAYA-LOPEZ, also known as Elder Figueroa, 35, a citizen of Honduras last residing in Bridgeport, pleaded guilty yesterday before U.S. District Judge Janet Bond Arterton in New Haven to one count of illegally reentering the U.S. after being deported.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Amaya-Lopez was previously deported and removed from the U.S. to Honduras following a felony conviction in April 2007 in Connecticut Superior Court for attempted robbery in the second degree. He reentered the U.S. and returned to Connecticut without obtaining the consent of the Attorney General of the United States or his successor, the Secretary for the Department of Homeland Security, to reapply for admission into the U.S.
Judge Arterton scheduled sentencing for March 28, 2023, at which time Amaya-Lopez faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. The penalties in this matter are enhanced based on his prior conviction.
Amaya-Lopez has been detained since his arrest on November 30, 2022.
This matter is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Neeraj N. Patel, Anastasia E. King and Stephanie T. Levick.
High speed rollover lands Texan in federal prisonRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A 22-year-old Roma man has been ordered to federal prison following his conviction of conspiracy to transport undocumented aliens resulting in serious bodily injury, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Orlando Gonzalez pleaded guilty Aug. 1, 2022.
Today, Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane sentenced Gonzalez to serve 72 months in federal prison followed by three years supervised release. The court found Gonzalez’s actions to be a danger to the community, noting he led law enforcement agents on a 100 mph high speed chase which resulted in a tragic rollover. Several individuals suffered life altering injuries.
In May 20, 2022, law enforcement learned that several undocumented aliens had entered a blue GMC near Fronton. As authorities arrived on scene, Gonzalez began to drive the vehicle at a high rate of speed veering on and off the main roadway. In that process, he struck one of the responding law enforcement vehicles.
Gonzalez continued to drive at a high rate of speed until he struck a utility pole which caused the vehicle to roll over multiple times, coming to rest in a local church parking lot. Two of the three undocumented aliens who were in the vehicle were ejected approximately 50ft in the air. One suffered a traumatic brain injury and was placed on life support.
At the time of the incident, Gonzalez was on supervised release from a 2020 human trafficking conviction.
He has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Border Patrol and the Texas Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric D. Flores prosecuted the case.
Fremont Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Steven Russell announced that Jorgen Johannssen, 24, of Fremont, Nebraska, was sentenced today for distributing child pornography. United States District Court Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Johannssen to 10 years of imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, he will begin a 10-year term of supervised release and will be required to register as a sex offender. Johannssen was further ordered to pay $45,000 in restitution to a total of 15 victims.
In August of 2017 a federal search warrant was executed at Johannssen’s residence in Fremont. He was 19 and found to have uploaded more than 20,000 images of child pornography. In March of 2021 agents from Homeland Security Investigations returned to the residence with a second search warrant. Johannssen, now 22, was found to possess more than 290 videos and more than 400 images of child pornography. He admitted to downloading and distributing child pornography about a year after the first warrant.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations.
Franklin County Woman Sentenced to Two More Years in Prison for Committing Pandemic Loan Fraud After $727,000 EmbezzlementRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Matthew T. Schelp on Wednesday sentenced a woman from Franklin County, Missouri to two more years in prison for fraudulently applying for three Paycheck Protection Program loans after she had pleaded guilty to an unrelated $727,000 embezzlement case.
Judge Schelp on Wednesday called Christen Diane Schulte’s conduct “outrageous” and “very aggravating.”
Schulte, now 37, had pleaded guilty and was awaiting sentencing on the embezzlement case in the spring of 2021 when she fraudulently applied for three PPP loans, designed to help save small businesses and jobs from economic losses due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Schulte lied on the loans when asked if she was facing or had been convicted of a felony, and when asked the same question about a felony involving fraud, bribery, embezzlement or a false statement in an application for a loan or for federal assistance.
She also lied about the gross income for the “Mama Bear Cake Company.”
One application for a $13,691 loan was rejected due to her criminal history. A $13,566 loan was approved by a different financial institution. She then sought and received a “second draw” of $13,566 from that company, receiving the money on May 19, 2021.
Eight days later, Schulte was sentenced to six years and eight months in prison and ordered to repay $517,140 in the embezzlement case. She pleaded guilty in 2020 to two counts of wire fraud, two counts of bank fraud and one count of money laundering and admitted embezzling funds from her employer and other individuals and entities associated with her employer.
Schulte pleaded guilty in September to three more counts of bank fraud in the new case. She was also ordered on Wednesday to repay the loan money.
The FBI investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle T. Bateman is prosecuting the case.
Fourth sentenced in government impersonation call center scamRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 28-year-old Indian citizen who illegally resided in the United States has received his sentence following his conviction of conspiracy, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Moin Idrishbhai Pinjara pleaded guilty Nov. 30, 2021.
Today, U.S. District Judge Andrew S. Hanen imposed a 29-month sentence. Not a U.S. citizen, Pinjara is expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment. The court further ordered him to pay $635,103 in restitution to the victims of the conspiracy.
Between December 2019 and July 2020, Pinjara was a “runner” in an Indian-based call center scam. Callers in India would contact potential victims in the United States to extort money from them. Pinjara would then use aliases and fake identification documents to pick up parcels containing cash which the victims had mailed.
One common script used in the schemes involved coercing victims into believing federal agents were investigating them. The “agent” on the phone would convince the victim the only way to clear his or her name from investigation was to send cash in a parcel package shipped through FedEx to a name and address they provided. Runners like Pinjara in the United States would then pick up the parcels.
Throughout the course of the investigation, law enforcement identified hundreds of victims of this scheme, with total losses exceeding millions of dollars.
The Social Security Administration (SSA) consistently warns people of similar scams and encourages citizens to protect themselves.
Prior to Pinjara’s sentencing today, three other runners had been sentenced in Houston for their involvement in the same conspiracy. Viral Gandhi and Burhan Syed, both 33 and Indian citizens illegally residing in the United States, received 27 and 41 months, respectively. Myisha Carter, 33, Houston, was ordered to serve a 71-month sentence to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. All must also pay restitution.
The SSA - Office of Inspector General (OIG), FBI and the Department of Homeland Security – OIG conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Houston Police Department and the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) Stephanie Bauman and Special AUSA Benjamin Sandel prosecuted the cases.
Former United States Postal Service Employee Sentenced to 30 Months in Prison for Stealing Blank Money Orders Valued at over $4 MillionRead the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Jaleesa Wallace was sentenced by United States District Judge Carol Bagley Amon to 30 months in prison for postal theft. As part of her sentence, Wallace was also ordered to pay over $4 million in restitution.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and Matthew Modafferi, Special Agent-in-Charge, United States Postal Service, Office of the Inspector General, Northeast Area Field Office (USPS-OIG), announced the sentence.
“The defendant exploited her position with one of our most trusted institutions, the United States Postal Service, for her own personal gain and caused significant losses to financial institutions,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “Residents of the district need to be confident that postal employees carry out their duties honestly and that important documents can travel safely in the mail.”
Mr. Peace also expressed his thanks to the United States Postal Inspection Service, New York Division, and the New York City Police Department for their diligent efforts on the case.
“The Special Agents of the USPS OIG will vigorously investigate Postal Service employees who compromise their integrity for personal gain. The sentence imposed on the defendant will serve as a reminder that there are severe consequences when individuals utilize their Postal position to commit crimes,” stated USPS-OIG Special Agent-in-Charge Modafferi. “The U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General would like to thank our law enforcement partners and the Department of Justice for their dedication and efforts in this investigation.”
As set forth in court filings, in February 2021, 10,000 blank money orders were reported missing from a USPS post office on Utica Avenue in Brooklyn where Wallace worked. The money orders can be deposited with a financial institution for up to $1,000 each. Agents recovered over 3,000 of the stolen money orders from Wallace’s residence. Over $4 million worth of the stolen money orders have been cashed at various financial institutions throughout the country. Agents also recovered prepaid Department of Labor unemployment benefit cards and approximately $43,000 in cash from Wallace’s apartment. Additionally, Wallace was in possession of approximately 42 pieces of mail from the Department of Labor that were not in her name.
Wallace was terminated by the USPS in August 2021. She forfeited the cash seized from her apartment to the United States Postal Inspection Service. A related defendant, Willie Cook, pleaded guilty to mail theft in March 2022 and is awaiting sentencing.
The government’s case was handled by the Office’s General Crimes Section. Assistant United States Attorney Samantha Alessi is in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendant:
JALEESA WALLACE
Age: 31
Brooklyn, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 22-CR-153 (CBA)
Former St. Louis-Area Union Employee Indicted for EmbezzlementRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A former employee of a St. Louis, Missouri area union appeared in court Wednesday to face a federal charge accusing her of embezzling nearly $20,000 from her union.
Tina Metrolis, 54, was indicted September 28 on one felony count of embezzlement from a labor union. She was arrested December 16 in the Southern District of Mississippi and appeared in U.S. District Court in St. Louis Wednesday to plead not guilty to the charge.
The indictment alleges that Metrolis, while officer manager of Stage and Picture Operators IATSE Local 6, took the money from roughly February through December of 2019. She wrote about $19,533 worth of checks to herself and covered up the theft by altering accounting records, the indictment says. Her actions caused another $6,412 in losses due to penalties and interest on tax liabilities that were not paid during her tenure, the indictment says.
In 2020, Local 6 represented approximately 167 members who work for various theater production companies serving the greater St. Louis region and has collective bargaining agreements with approximately 30 employers.
The charge carries a penalty of up to five years in prison, a $10,000 fine, or both.
Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Labor-Management Standards. Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward Dowd III is prosecuting the case.
Former Portsmouth, New Hampshire Man Sentenced to 84 Months for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
CONCORD – Robert Corson, 34, formerly of Portsmouth, New Hampshire was sentenced to 84 months in federal prison for drug trafficking, United States Attorney Jane E. Young announced today.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in April and May 2021, Corson sold quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl to an undercover New Hampshire State Police Trooper and a cooperating individual. In July 2021, the Federal Bureau of Investigation arrested Corson for the drug sales outside of a storage unit Corson rented in Portsmouth. A search of the storage unit resulted in the seizure of approximately 200 grams of fentanyl and “ice” methamphetamine, small quantities of other narcotics, drug paraphernalia, and a firearm.
“The sentence imposed on the defendant sends a strong message that those who sell drugs will be vigorously prosecuted and the government will seek significant periods of incarceration,” said U.S. Attorney Young. “Fentanyl kills members of our communities daily and the United States Attorney’s Office along with our federal partners will employ every asset available to stop the flow of these poisons onto our streets.”
“DEA is committed to investigating and dismantling Drug Trafficking Organizations and individuals like Mr. Corson who are responsible for distributing lethal drugs like fentanyl and methamphetamine to the citizens of New Hampshire,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Brian D. Boyle. “Today’s sentence not only holds Mr. Corson accountable for his crimes but serves as a warning to those traffickers who are fueling the opioid epidemic with deadly drugs in order to profit and destroy people’s lives. DEA’s top priority is combatting this epidemic by working with our local, county, state and federal partners to bring to justice anyone who distributes this poison.”
“Robert Corson has repeatedly demonstrated a lack of respect for the law with his lengthy record of criminal convictions and numerous violations of bail, probation, and parole. In fact, he was on parole when an undercover officer with the FBI’s Major Offender Task Force bought deadly fentanyl and methamphetamine from him,” said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. “Mr. Corson’s criminal conduct is well deserving of today’s significant prison sentence because trafficking in fentanyl and methamphetamine not only destroys lives and families but causes countless deaths of the very people ensnared in their addictions to these dangerous drugs.”
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s New Hampshire Major Offender Task Force, the United States Drug Enforcement Administration’s Tactical Diversion Squad, New Hampshire State Police, and the Portsmouth Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer C. Davis.
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.
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Former New Jersey Official Admits Defrauding New Jersey Health Care Benefit Program of More Than $4.5 MillionRead the Press Release
New Jersey Woman Also Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Defraud the New Jersey Traumatic Brain Injury Fund of Millions of Dollars
TRENTON, N.J. – The former manager of the New Jersey Traumatic Brain Injury Fund (TBI Fund) and one of his conspirators today admitted their roles in a long-running scheme to defraud the fund, a publicly funded health care benefit program, of more than $4.5 million, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Harry Pizutelli, 64, of Edison, New Jersey, pleaded guilty by videoconference before U.S. District Judge Zahid N. Quraishi to an information charging him with one count of conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud. Maritza Flores, 45, of Toms River, New Jersey, also pleaded guilty before Judge Quraishi in Trenton to an information charging her with conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud and tax evasion.
In January 2021, Pizutelli, Flores, and co-defendant C.R. Kraus were charged in a criminal complaint with conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud in connection with a scheme to defraud the TBI Fund of millions of dollars of public funds for their own personal benefit. The charges against Kraus remain pending.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
The TBI Fund is a publicly funded program run by the New Jersey Division of Disability Services, a component of the New Jersey Department of Human Services. The TBI Fund’s purpose is to provide New Jersey residents who have suffered a traumatic brain injury with services and support in order to maximize their quality of life when funding from insurance, personal resources, or other programs is unavailable to meet their needs. Services funded by the TBI Fund include physical, occupational, and speech therapy; service coordination; assistive technology; cognitive therapy; neuropsychological services; pharmaceuticals; wheelchair ramp installation and other home modifications; and general home management and maintenance.
After a prospective patient applies for services, TBI Fund personnel review the application and, if approved, the patient is authorized to secure designated services from a third-party vendor. Once a patient receives services approved by the TBI Fund, the vendor or service provider submits an invoice to the TBI Fund for payment. When an invoice is received, TBI Fund personnel review the invoice to ensure that the patient had been approved to receive the services. If the invoice is approved, an internal payment voucher is generated, authorized by TBI Fund personnel, and then submitted to the New Jersey Department of the Treasury for payment, which issues a check directly to the vendor.
Pizutelli was the manager of the TBI Fund and was responsible for its day-to-day operation. He supervised, managed, and oversaw the process by which third-party vendors were paid for services rendered to eligible TBI Fund patients. From 2009 through June 2019, Pizutelli, Kraus, Flores, and others conspired to defraud the TBI Fund by misappropriating more than $4.5 million in fraudulent vendor payments for purported services that were never actually provided. Pizutelli orchestrated the distribution of fraudulent vendor payments to Flores, Kraus, and others by generating and processing false invoices and internal payment vouchers. Pizutelli generated these invoices and vouchers to give the appearance that Flores, Kraus, and other conspirators had provided approved services to eligible patients when, in fact, they had not provided any services. Pizutelli then approved and transmitted the internal payment vouchers.
Pizutelli orchestrated these fraudulent payments to maintain and further romantic and/or sexual relationships with Flores and other conspirators. Pizutelli orchestrated the fraudulent payment of more than $4.5 million from the TBI Fund to members of the conspiracy, including more than $940,000 in fraudulent distributions to Flores and more than $3.245 million in fraudulent distributions to Kraus, which they used for their own personal benefit and enrichment. Flores and Kraus also evaded the payment of substantial amount of income taxes by making material misstatements and omissions on their federal income tax returns and significantly underreporting the income they had derived from the fraudulent scheme.
The healthcare fraud conspiracy charge to which Pizutelli and Flores each pleaded guilty carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000 or twice the gross receipts to the defendants or gross loss sustained by any victims, whichever is greater. The tax evasion charge to which Flores pleaded guilty carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000. Sentencing for Pizutelli is scheduled for May 8, 2023, and for Flores, May 9, 2023.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, Newark Division, Red Bank Resident Agency, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy; and special agents of the IRS, Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Tammy L. Tomlins, with the investigation leading to the charges. He also thanked the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office, Division of Law, and the New Jersey Department of Human Services, for their assistance.
The government is represented by J. Brendan Day, Deputy Chief of the Criminal Division in Newark, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Suggs of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Trenton Branch Office.
The charges and allegations against Kraus are merely accusations and he is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Defense counsel:
Pizutelli: Benjamin J. West Esq., Assistant Federal Public Defender
Flores: Aidan P. O’Connor Esq. Hackensack, New Jersey
Former Government Contractor Sentenced for Helping Himself to Electronic Devices That He Sold on eBayRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Dennis Gamarra, 53, of Woodbridge, VA, was sentenced today to one year of probation, to include six months of home confinement, for stealing government property from the Department of Commerce and the Library of Congress, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves.
Gamarra pleaded guilty on September 26, 2022, in the U.S. District Court of the District of Columbia, to one count of theft of government property. In addition to the term of probation and home confinement, U.S. District Court Judge Jia Cobb ordered $56,960 in restitution to the affected agencies and a forfeiture order for the same amount.
According to the government’s evidence and the defendant’s admissions when entering his guilty plea, Gamarra was employed as a contractor working at the United States Department of Commerce (“DOC”) within the International Trade Administration (“ITA”) beginning in October 2014, at an office in Washington, D.C. While there, Defendant Gamarra largely worked to provide information technology (“IT”) support to the ITA and through his employment had access to certain government-furnished equipment, including Microsoft Surface tablet devices belonging to DOC and issued to DOC employees. During his tenure, Defendant Gamarra stole at least one Microsoft Surface Tablet, worth USD $1,370, removing it from ITA’s offices, advertising it for sale online through his eBay account, and ultimately re-selling it to another individual through eBay. Defendant did so knowingly, with the intent to deprive the owner, in this case, DOC, of the right to use that property. Starting in November 2019, Defendant Gamarra began working as a contractor for the Library of Congress (“LOC”), at an office in Washington, D.C. While at LOC, he similarly worked to provide IT support services. As in his role at DOC, Defendant Gamarra had access to government-furnished equipment, including Dell Laptops that were the property of LOC and that were issued to LOC employees. While at LOC, Defendant Gamarra removed at least 29 separate Dell laptops from LOC that he knew to belong to LOC, cumulatively worth a total of approximately USD $55,590, advertised them on eBay, and ultimately resold them to different customers through that account. Defendant took these laptops knowingly, with the intent to deprive the owner, in this case, LOC, of the right to use them.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves commended the work of the relevant investigators from the Library of Congress Office of Inspector General and the Department of Commerce Office of Inspector General. They also expressed appreciation to those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialists Chad Byron and Michon Tart. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeffrey Nestler and Will Hart, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
Former Bolivian Minister of Government Sentenced for Bribery ConspiracyRead the Press Release
The former Bolivian Minister of Government was sentenced today to 70 months in prison for conspiracy to launder bribes he received in exchange for corruptly helping a U.S. company win a lucrative contract from the Bolivian government.
Arturo Carlos Murillo Prijic, 58, of Bolivia, pleaded guilty on Oct. 20, 2022, to one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering.
According to court documents, Murillo received at least $532,000 in bribe payments from a Florida-based company in exchange for helping that company secure an approximately $5.6 million contract in 2019 to provide tear gas and other non-lethal equipment to the Bolivian Ministry of Defense. Murillo and his co-conspirators laundered the proceeds of the bribery scheme through the U.S. financial system, including bank accounts in Miami. Murillo received approximately $130,000 in cash bribe payments at a family member’s home in Miami.
Murillo’s co-conspirators – Sergio Rodrigo Mendez Mendizabal, Luis Berkman, Bryan Berkman, and Philip Lichtenfeld – previously pleaded guilty to their roles in the same scheme and were each sentenced in June 2022.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Juan Antonio Gonzalez for the Southern District of Florida, and Special Agent in Special Agent in Charge Michael E. Buckley of the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Miami Field Office made the announcement.
HSI’s Miami Field Office (Fort Lauderdale Unit) investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Jil Simon and Assistant Chief Gerald M. Moody Jr. of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Eli S. Rubin for the Southern District of Florida prosecuted the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gabrielle Charest-Turken handled asset forfeiture.
The Fraud Section is responsible for investigating and prosecuting Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) matters. Additional information about the Justice Department’s FCPA enforcement efforts can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal/fraud/fcpa.
Former Airline Executive Sentenced to Prison for Willfully Failing to Pay $2.6 Million in Taxes Owed to the IRSRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – A former airline executive was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Gloria M. Navarro to two years in prison after pleading guilty to failing to pay over $2.6 million in employment taxes to the IRS.
William Acor pleaded guilty in March 2022 to willful failure to collect and pay over employment taxes. In addition to the prison term, Acor has also agreed to pay restitution in the amount of $1,667,290.46 to the IRS.
According to court documents, Acor had been the President and Chief Executive Officer of Vision Airlines Inc., an airline headquartered in North Las Vegas. On behalf of Vision Airlines, Acor was responsible for collecting, accounting for, and paying over to the IRS taxes withheld from employee wages, including federal income tax, Social Security tax, and Medicare tax. In addition, Vision Airlines was responsible for paying the employer matching share of Social Security taxes. From 2014 to 2016, Acor failed to pay over on behalf of Vision Airlines a total of $2,657,254.75 in combined employee tax withholdings and employer matching share of taxes. The government further alleged that Acor thwarted IRS collection efforts by transferring assets and income to a third party.
U.S. Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Albert Childress for the IRS-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) made the announcement.
IRS-CI investigated the case; and Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Schmale prosecuted the case.
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Federal Inmate Convicted of Indecent Exposure to a Prison Staff MemberRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – Last week, JAMES M. LYNCH, 46, of Washington, D.C., was convicted of one felony count of indecent exposure, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
Public records reflect that, on December 16, 2020, James M. Lynch was charged with one count of indecent exposure while he was an inmate at the Federal Transfer Center (FTC) in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. FTC is a penal institution operated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons, a division of the Department of Justice, that primarily houses offenders and parole violators who have yet to be assigned to a permanent prison facility.
According to evidence presented at a bench trial held on December 13, 2022, Lynch willfully exposed his genitalia and engaged in masturbatory acts in front of a female FTC employee. The trial lasted four hours. On December 28, 2022, Chief U.S. District Court Judge Timothy DeGiusti found Griffin guilty of Indecent Exposure.
A sentencing hearing will take place in approximately 90 days. At sentencing, Lynch faces no less than 30 days and up to 10 years in prison, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to three years of supervised release.
This case was the result of an investigation by the Special Investigative Services at the Federal Transfer Center and the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mary E. Walters and D.H. Dilbeck prosecuted the case.
Reference is made to court filings for further information.
Federal Grand Jury A Indictments Announced- January 2023Read the Press Release
United States Attorney Clint Johnson today announced the results of the January 2023 Federal Grand Jury A.
The following individuals have been charged with violations of United States law in indictments returned by the Grand Jury. The return of an indictment is a method of informing a defendant of alleged violations of federal law, which must be proven in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt to overcome a defendant’s presumption of innocence.
Legreasha Junice Alexander. Wire Fraud (Counts 1-4). From April 11, 2021, to the date of the indictment, Alexander, 40, of Tulsa, devised a scheme to defraud the Small Business Administration (SBA) when she submitted two fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan applications and two PPP loan forgiveness applications to an SBA approved lender in Laguna Hills, California. The Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection Office of Inspector General and U.S. Department of Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard M. Cella is prosecuting the case. 22-CR-6
Edson Vladimir Bellefleur. Wire Fraud (Counts 1-4). From April 2, 2021, through the date of the indictment, Bellefleur, 36, of Tulsa, devised a scheme to defraud the Small Business Administration (SBA) by submitting two fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan applications and two PPP loan forgiveness applications to an SBA approved lender in Laguna Hills, California. The Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection Office of Inspector General and U.S. Department of Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard M. Cella is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-5
Jose Cruz-Perez. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Cruz-Perez, 29, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been removed on Aug. 2, 2018, at or near San Luis, Arizona. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cheryl L. Baber is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-4
Luis Fuentes-Martinez. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Fuentes-Martinez, 36, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been removed on Jan. 4, 2018, at or near Laredo, Texas. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney William Rubens is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-3
Tara Alvita-Gourd Gutierrez. Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute (Count 1) Distribution of Methamphetamine (Counts 2-3) Use of a Communication Facility in Committing, Causing, and Facilitating the Commission of a Drug Trafficking Felony (Counts 4-9) (superseding). Gutierrez, 46, of Tulsa, is charged with possessing with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine on Nov. 26, 2022. In this superseding indictment, she is also charged with distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine on Sept. 14, 2022, and on Oct. 4, 2022. She is also charged with coordinating the distribution of methamphetamine using a phone. The Drug Enforcement Administration and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Spencer Willson is prosecuting the case. 22-CR-407
Scotty Wayne Harjo. Second Degree Burglary in Indian Country (Counts 1-25). In the past year, Harjo, 38, of Tulsa, allegedly broke into and entered commercial buildings on 25 different occasions with the intent to steal property or cash. The Bureau of Indian Affairs and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam C. Bailey is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-2
Malcolm Andre Jones. Wire Fraud (Counts 1-6); Aggravated Identity Theft (Counts 7-10). Jones, 30, of Broken Arrow, allegedly devised a scheme to defraud the Small Business Administration (SBA) by submitting fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan applications and fraudulent PPP loan forgiveness applications to SBA approved lenders in Lake Mary, Florida, and Bedford, Texas. Jones fraudulently submitted one loan and one forgiveness application in his name. He further fraudulently submitted two loans and two forgiveness applications using another individual’s identity. The Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection Office of Inspector General and U.S. Department of Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard M. Cella is prosecuting the case. 22-CR-7
Noe Nava-Mata. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Nava-Mata, 34, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been removed on Jan. 20, 2013, at or near Calexico, California. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cheryl L. Baber is prosecuting the case. 22-CR-8
Yovanny Padilla-Aguilar. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Padilla-Aguilar, 39, a Mexican National, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been removed on June 24, 2019, at or near Hidalgo, Texas. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cheryl L. Baber is prosecuting the case. 22-CR-9
Desiree Rochelle Wofford. Child Neglect in Indian Country. From Aug. 15, 2022, to Sept. 30, 2022, Wofford, 26, of Tulsa, allegedly failed to get medical care for her child after he was injured. The delay in care resulted in further medical issues. Additionally, law enforcement executed a search warrant of the home and discovered that it was unfit to live in. The FBI and Muscogee Nation Lighthorse Tribal Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam C. Bailey is prosecuting the case. 22-CR-10
Renferio Yanez-Palacios. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Yanez-Palacios, 51, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been removed on Sept. 21, 2002, at or near Laredo, Texas. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert T. Raley is prosecuting the case. 22-CR-11
Erie Man Admits Setting Fire to Local Coffee Shop in May 2020Read the Press Release
ERIE Pa. - A former resident of Erie, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of malicious destruction of property by fire, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
Melquan Barnett, 30, pleaded guilty to one count before United States District Judge Susan Paradise Baxter.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that Barnett set fire to the Ember + Forge building located at 401 State Street in Erie on May 30, 2020.
Judge Baxter scheduled sentencing for May 2, 2023 at 1:30 p.m. The law provides for a total sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Pending sentencing, the court continued Barnett on bond.
Assistant United States Attorney Christian A. Trabold is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Erie Police Department conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Barnett.
DOJ settles tort claim over arrest and detention of Des Moines Washington “Dreamer”Read the Press Release
Seattle – The Department of Justice and attorneys for a Des Moines, Washington man have resolved a $450,000 tort claim against various government agencies because of the arrest and detention of a Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipient, announced U.S. Attorney Nick Brown. The settlement provides that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) will issue 29-year-old Daniel Ramirez Medina a four-year stay of removal from the United States. Mr. Ramirez Medina may apply for other immigration relief during that four-year period. ICE will not use any record or statement made before May 15, 2018, in evaluating any of Mr. Ramirez Medina’s applications and specifically will not consider any allegation that he is a gang member or a threat to public safety.
“This settlement essentially gives Mr. Ramirez Medina a clean slate as he works to obtain legal status in the United States,” said U.S. Attorney Nick Brown. “I am pleased that this settlement involves no monetary payment and yet goes to the core of what Mr. Ramirez Medina wants: a fair chance to obtain legal status in the U.S.”
On February 10, 2017, ICE agents arrested Mr. Ramirez Medina at the Des Moines, Washington apartment he shared with his father and brother. Mr. Ramirez Medina was detained at the ICE detention facility in Tacoma until an immigration judge ordered him released on March 29, 2017. In his tort claims for false arrest and false imprisonment, Mr. Ramirez Medina alleges that he was wrongly arrested and detained.
The settlement agreement states that it is not an admission of liability or fault by any of the parties including the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), ICE, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) or Mr. Ramirez Medina.
The agreement also states that should Mr. Ramirez Medina violate the law, the grant of deferred action can be terminated.
The resolution of this matter was negotiated by Assistant United States Attorneys Nickolas Bohl and Kristen Vogel.
Brooklyn, New York Man Sentenced for Drug Trafficking OffenseRead the Press Release
The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont stated that on December 27, 2022, Jermaine Dixon, 39, of Brooklyn, New York, was sentenced in United States District Court in Burlington, Vermont to serve 14 months in prison after his guilty plea to one count of distribution of cocaine base. U.S. District Judge Christina Reiss also ordered Dixon to serve a three-year term of supervised release and to pay a $100 special assessment.
According to court records and proceedings, in December 2021, Dixon sold crack cocaine to a confidential informant in the Burlington area on two occasions. On January 7, 2022, law enforcement responded to a residence in Burlington regarding a report of several men fighting. As police officers approached the residence, a detective on the perimeter of the building observed Dixon lean out of a broken window and throw two baggies onto the roof. The detective retrieved the baggies, which together contained over 50 grams of cocaine base. Dixon was arrested and has been detained since then.
U.S. Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest commended the efforts of the Burlington Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration in the investigation and prosecution of Dixon.Assistant United States Attorney John J. Boscia handled the prosecution of Dixon. Ian P. Carleton, Esq. and Devin T. McKnight, Esq. of Sheehey, Furlong & Behm P.C. represented Dixon.
Bronx Man Sentenced to 40 Months in Connection with COVID-19-Related Tax and Unemployment Fraud SchemesRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that JUAN CARLOS CASTRO GONZALEZ was sentenced yesterday to 40 months in prison in connection with his participation in COVID-19-related tax fraud and unemployment benefits fraud schemes that resulted in actual losses totaling over $570,000 and intended losses of over $3.3 million. On April 6, 2022, CASTRO GONZALEZ pled guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud before U.S. District Judge Paul A. Engelmayer, who imposed the sentence.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Juan Carlos Castro Gonzalez exploited the Government’s efforts to help individuals struggling to make ends meet during the COVID-19 pandemic in order to enrich himself and his co-conspirators. Castro Gonzalez’s sentence shows that this Office and our law enforcement partners will work tirelessly to prosecute those who sought to commit pandemic relief fraud.”
According to the allegations in the Information to which the defendant pled guilty, other public filings, and statements made in public court proceedings:
From 2019 to 2021, CASTRO GONZALEZ participated in a conspiracy to commit wire fraud by defrauding government agencies. Between July 2019 and August 2021, CASTRO GONZALEZ worked with others to obtain fraudulent tax refunds and Economic Impact Payments, which were authorized as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act, from the Internal Revenue Service (the “Tax Fraud Scheme”). Between June 2020 and August 2021, CASTRO GONZALEZ worked with others to obtain CARES Act unemployment insurance (“UI”) benefits as a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic (the “UI Benefits Fraud Scheme”).
With respect to the Tax Fraud Scheme, CASTRO GONZALEZ controlled several bank accounts under different identities. These accounts were used by CASTRO GONZALEZ to deposit and receive, among other things, U.S. Treasury payments in the names of other individuals. CASTRO GONZALEZ was observed on bank surveillance footage at several of these bank locations depositing U.S. Treasury checks into the accounts. CASTRO GONZALEZ is responsible for $56,648.01 in losses to the Internal Revenue Service.
With respect to the UI Benefits Fraud Scheme, CASTRO GONZALEZ verified CARES Act UI benefit applications to the New York Department of Labor (the “NY DOL”) that had been fraudulently submitted using the names and social security numbers of people who were unaware that such applications had been made using their personal information. Once the NY DOL received and approved the fraudulent UI benefit applications, the funds were sent to specified bank accounts or to pre-paid cards, at least some of which were controlled and received by CASTRO GONZALEZ. CASTRO GONZALEZ and his co-conspirators caused actual losses to the NYL DOL of $500,079 and intended losses of approximately $3,363,000.
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In addition to his prison term, CASTRO GONZALEZ, 35, of the Bronx, New York, was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $574,202.01 and to forfeit the same amount to the Government.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the United States Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General; the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation; and the United States Postal Inspection Service.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Olga I. Zverovich and Danielle M. Kudla are in charge of the prosecution.