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Thursday 10 November 2022
Orange County Man Sentenced for Federal Drug Trafficking and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas– A Bridge City man has been sentenced to federal prison for drug trafficking and firearms violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston today.
Rian Blayke Savoy, 32, pleaded guilty on June 14, 2022, to possession with intent to distribute five grams or more of methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Savoy was sentenced to 137 months in federal prison for the drug trafficking violation and 60 months in federal prison for the firearms violation today by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone. He sentences were ordered to served consecutively for a total of 197 months in federal prison.
According to information presented in court, in the early morning hours of Jan. 30, 2022, Savoy led officers from multiple Orange County, Texas law enforcement agencies on a high-speed chase for several miles through Orange County before eventually being pulled over near the border of Orange and Newton Counties. During the chase, law enforcement officers observed Savoy discarding several objects out of the window of the vehicle as he was driving. Officers were dispatched to the area where Savoy was observed to have thrown objects out of the vehicle during the police pursuit and discovered plastic baggies containing methamphetamine and a firearm. Savoy was indicted by a federal grand jury on April 6, 2022.
This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case was investigated by the Bridge City Police Department, the Orange Police Department, the Pinehurst Police Department, the West Orange Police Department, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph R. Batte.
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Ohio State University Pays over $875,000 to Resolve Allegations that It Failed to Disclose Professor’s Foreign Government SupportRead the Press Release
The Ohio State University (OSU), a public university in Columbus, Ohio, has paid $875,689 to resolve civil allegations that it failed to disclose an OSU professor’s affiliations with and support from a foreign government in connection with federal research funding.
This settlement relates to Army, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), and National Science Foundation (NSF) grants and research support agreements that provided funding to OSU from November 2012 to August 2020. In the funding application process, the Army, NASA the NSF require disclosures of, among other things, foreign government support received by any principal investigator (PI) or co-PI on the grant or agreement. The settlement resolves allegations that an OSU professor failed to disclose funding that he was receiving from a foreign government in connection with: (1) employment at a foreign public university; (2) participation in a foreign talent plan, a program established by the foreign government to recruit individuals with knowledge or access to foreign technology intellectual property; and (3) a grant from the foreign government’s natural science foundation. As part of its settlement, OSU has agreed to cooperate with the United States government’s investigation of others involved in the alleged violations of law.
“Universities, institutions and researchers are required to make certain disclosures when applying for federal grants so that the government can assess whether to fund their research and development,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The department will hold accountable applicants who undermine the integrity of the grant process by knowingly failing to submit complete and truthful applications.”
“Failing to comply with federal disclosure obligations is not tolerable. Period,” said U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker for the Southern District of Ohio. “Institutions, agencies, and researchers who do so will be held accountable.”
“The Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division uses all available resources to see that those who attempt to bypass full disclosure rules when working with foreign governments are held accountable,” said Special Agent in Charge Scott Moreland of the Major Procurement Fraud Field Office.
“This settlement demonstrates NASA Office of Inspector General (OIG)’s commitment to identifying and holding accountable those who conceal affiliations with foreign entities to obtain research funding,” said Assistant Inspector General Robert Steinau of Investigations for NASA-OIG. “I am proud of the exceptional teamwork of our law enforcement partners, the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Ohio, that resulted in securing this settlement and ensuring aggressive oversight of taxpayer funds awarded for academic research.”
The settlement was the result of a coordinated effort between the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Ohio, with assistance from the FBI, Army, NASA-OIG and NSF.
This matter was handled by Senior Trial Counsel Christopher Terranova of the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch (Fraud Section) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J.T. Downey for the Southern District of Ohio.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
Ohio Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Scott Edward Snook, 47, of Mechanicsburg, Ohio, was sentenced today to five years and six months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, admitted to possessing a Hi-Point, Model C, 9mm semi-automatic pistol in Charleston on August 3, 2020. Snook further admitted to possessing a .22-caliber rifle that had been modified to be less than 26 inches in length on the same date.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Snook knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his felony conviction for possession with intent to deliver heroin in Kanawha County Circuit Court on November 14, 2017.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Putnam County Sheriff’s Department and the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office.
Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Ryan Blackwell prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-10.
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North Carolina Man Pleads Guilty to Sex Offense Against A MinorRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Brian Mathew Wittmann, 33, of Madison, North Carolina, pleaded guilty today to traveling in interstate commerce to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on May 11, 2022, Wittmann contacted an individual he believed to be a minor female on Instagram after finding her profile. Wittmann admitted that he asked for the minor female’s phone number and began sending her text messages that included a photo of his genitals. Wittmann further admitted that he continued to text the minor female for about a week, seeking to entice her into engaging in illicit sexual conduct with him.
On May 19, 2022, Wittmann arranged by text message to meet the minor female the following day at a location in Nicholas County, West Virginia, to engage in illicit sexual conduct. Wittmann admitted to driving the next day from North Carolina to Nicholas County, where he was met by law enforcement officers. Wittmann admitted that he told the officers that he had sent sexually explicit messages to the minor female as well as to other minor females on Instagram. Officers searched Wittmann’s vehicle and found condoms, blankets, a pillow and a morning-after pill, a type of emergency birth control. Wittmann admitted to buying the morning-after pill to prevent pregnancy.
Wittmann is scheduled to be sentenced on February 2, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine. Wittmann must also register as a sex offender.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Violent Crime Against Children (VCAC) Task Force.
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Julie M. White is prosecuting the case.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative of the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-cr-120.
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North Carolina Man Indicted for Committing Child Sexual Exploitation OffensesRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging David Wayne Hogle, Jr. (29, Cherry Point, North Carolina) with one count of attempted online enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity, one count of online transportation of depictions involving the sexual abuse of children, and two counts of attempted production of child sexual abuse materials. If convicted of attempted online enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity, Hogle faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. If convicted of online transportation of depictions involving the sexual abuse of children, Hogle faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 5 years, up to 20 years, in federal prison. If convicted of attempted production of child sexual abuse materials, Hogles faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 15 years, up to 30 years, in federal prison on each count.
According to court documents, Hogle committed the charged criminal offenses between July 13 and July 27, 2022. He was arrested in Cherry Point, North Carolina by FBI agents and had his initial appearance in federal court in Greenville, North Carolina. He was subsequently transported to Jacksonville by the United States Marshals Service for prosecution in this case. His detention hearing is scheduled for November 14, 2022, at 3:30 p.m. in Jacksonville.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Jacksonville and Greenville, North Carolina, and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.
This is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
New York Woman Faces up to 20 Years in Federal Prison, $1M Fine Following Conviction for Fentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A federal jury convicted a New York woman today for possessing fentanyl with intent to distribute following a four-day jury trial in U.S. District Court in Portland. The announcement was made by United States Attorney Darcie N. McElwee
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, on December 26, 2018, Jenny Santana-Vasquez, 36, was stopped by a Maine State Trooper on I-95 northbound near Biddeford for exceeding the speed limit. Santana-Vasquez’s license was suspended as was the vehicle registration. Following an alert from a drug detection dog, Santana-Vasquez admitted to the trooper that she had something hidden on her person. Further investigation revealed approximately 99 grams of fentanyl.
Santana-Vasquez faces up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $1,000,000 fine. She will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.
The investigation was conducted by the Maine State Police, and the United States Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from the Maine Health and Environmental Testing Laboratory (HETL) Forensic Chemistry Section.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case as part of the Department of Justice’s Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge, a program designed to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids.
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New Jersey Woman Sentenced to Prison for Immigration Marriage FraudRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that on AUDREY BONET JOHNSON, 34, of Irvington, New Jersey, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to seven months of imprisonment, followed by two years of supervised release, for an immigration marriage fraud offense. Judge Shea also ordered Johnson to serve 45 days in a halfway house when she is released from prison.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 1, 2012, Johnson, a U.S. citizen, and Shanon St. Aubyn Stephenson, a citizen of Jamaica, entered into a fraudulent marriage. Shortly thereafter, Johnson and Stephenson applied to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (“USCIS) for Stephenson to become a lawful permanent resident of the U.S., often called a “green card.” Following an interview with the USCIS in 2012, Stephenson was issued a temporary, two-year green card. In subsequent submissions and statements to the USCIS, Johnson and Stephenson claimed to be married and living together in Brooklyn, New York. In fact, Stephenson married Jodian Stephenson, also known as Jodian Gordon, in 2010, and lived with her, and not Johnson, in Bridgeport, Connecticut.
This investigation revealed that Jodian Stephenson, a citizen of Jamaica, operated Stephenson Immigration and Legal Services, LLC, in Bridgeport. Between 2011 and 2017, she conspired with others to arrange 28 sham marriages between U.S. citizens and non-citizens residing in the U.S. for the purpose of the non-citizens’ applying for and obtaining green cards. One of the sham marriages was between Johnson and Shanon Stephenson, and another was between Jodian Stephenson and a U.S. citizen.
On October 1, 2021, Johnson pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit immigration marriage fraud. Johnson, who was released on bond, was remanded to custody at the conclusion of the sentencing proceeding.
Jodian Stephenson and Shanon Stephenson pleaded guilty to the same charge. On August 26, 2021, Jodian Stephenson was sentenced to six months of imprisonment. Shanon Stephenson awaits sentencing.
Ten individuals were charged as a result of this investigation, and all pleaded guilty. Removal proceedings have been or are being commenced against all individuals whose green card applications were found to have been based on sham marriages.
This investigation has been conducted by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service’s Office of Fraud Detection and National Security. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine E. Boyles.
New Jersey Man Sentenced to Three Years in Federal Prison for Defrauding Investors Out of up to $1.5 MillionRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — An investment manager has been sentenced to three years in federal prison for swindling clients out of up to $1.5 million.
EUGENE Z. NOWAK, 57, of Jersey City, New Jersey, represented himself as the president of Global Funding Partners, a Nevada corporation that purported to be an investment firm with complex business dealings with large multinational banking and financial services institutions. Nowak pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois on May 10, 2022. In his plea agreement, Nowak admitted that, between 2013 and 2016, he falsely represented to investors, including Chicago-based investors, that their funds would be used to provide “bridge funding,” or temporary funding, for Global Funding Partners to close a $33 million financial transaction involving a large international bank. Nowak admitted to falsely promising that investors would receive high-yield returns in a short amount of time, and that they could cancel their investment at any time for a full refund with interest.
In reality, Nowak and Global Funding Partners were not parties to a transaction with any large international bank. Nowak instead diverted investor funds to cover his personal expenses, including payments to a car dealership and pawn shop in Naples, Fla. Nowak further admitted that he thereby caused multiple investors to suffer losses up to $1,500,000.
On November 9, 2022, at Nowak’s sentencing hearing, U.S. District Judge Matthew F. Kennelly imposed a 36-month prison sentence, to be followed by 2 years’ supervised release, and ordered that Nowak pay restitution to the defrauded investors.
The sentence was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Kai Pickens, Acting Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Chicago Division; and John S. Morales, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kartik K. Raman.
Mt. Olive Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison for Conspiracy to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Hattiesburg, Miss. – A Mt. Olive man was sentenced to 300 months in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Darren LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Brad Byerley of the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Stokes Marque Wells, 30, was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Hattiesburg. Wells was also ordered to serve a five-year term of supervised release following completion of his prison term and pay a $10,000 fine.
According to court documents, in April 2020, DEA agents intercepted communications of Stokes Marque Wells and his co-defendants conspiring to distribute methamphetamine. Specifically, on April 24, 2020, agents intercepted methamphetamine related communications leading to the seizure of approximately 3 pounds of methamphetamine. Wells was responsible for the possession and distribution of approximately 20 pounds of methamphetamine to the Hattiesburg, Mississippi and surrounding areas.
The case is the result of an extensive investigation, dubbed “Don’t Tell On Me Bro,” which began as an operation targeting illegal drug trafficking in the Hattiesburg, Mississippi area. “Don’t Tell On Me Bro” is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Lamar County Sheriff’s Office, Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, Hattiesburg Police Department, Forrest County Sheriff’s Office, and the Columbia Police Department.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Keesha Middleton.
Monongalia County man sentenced for drug chargeRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Robert Woody, of Morgantown, West Virginia, weas sentenced today to 136 months of incarceration for a drug charge, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
Woody, 43, pleaded guilty in March 2022 to one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine.” Woody admitted to distributing methamphetamine in April 2020 in Monongalia County.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Zelda E. Wesley and Sarah E. Wagner prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The FBI's Northern West Virginia Drug Task Force in partnership with the Mon Metro Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated. The Task Forces have members from the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Drug Enforcement Administration; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; West Virginia State Police; Monongalia County Sheriff's Office; and, the Morgantown, WVU, Granville and Star City Police Departments. The investigation was also assisted by the following law enforcement partners: the Monongalia County Prosecutor’s Office, the FBI in Houston, Texas; the Houston Police Department's Multi Agency Gang Initiative; the United States Postal Inspection Service in Houston; and, the FBI and DEA in Los Angeles, California.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Chief U.S. District Court Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.
Middlesex County Man Charged with Communicating Threat to Attack SynagogueRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Middlesex County, New Jersey, man was arrested today for transmitting via the internet a manifesto containing threats to attack a synagogue and Jewish people, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Omar Alkattoul, 18, of Sayreville, New Jersey, was arrested this morning and is charged by complaint with one count of transmitting a threat in interstate and foreign commerce on or about Nov. 1, 2022. He is scheduled to appear this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jessica S. Allen in Newark federal court.
“No one should be targeted for violence or with acts of hate because of how they worship,” U.S. Attorney Sellinger said. “According to the complaint, this defendant used social media to send a manifesto containing a threat to attack a synagogue based on his hatred of Jews. Along with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners, we acted swiftly to respond to the alleged threat. There is nothing the U.S. Attorney’s Office takes more seriously than threats to our communities of faith and places of worship. Protection of these communities is core to this office’s mission, and this office will devote whatever resources are necessary to keep our Jewish community and all New Jersey residents safe.”
“When we learn of credible threats to our community – whether based in hate toward religion, race, sexual orientation, or gender – we call on law enforcement and community partners to assist in identifying and mitigating that threat,” Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy said. “Thanks to the collaborative efforts among our Joint Terrorism Task Force Members, a potentially harmful situation was averted. I would like to commend and show our appreciation for the resources from the District of New Jersey’s U.S. Attorney’s Office, New Jersey State Police, the New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness, the New Jersey Attorney General's Office, the Sayreville Police Department, and the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office. Let it be known that when a threat of violence comes to our attention, the FBI and our partners will respond to keep the public safe.”
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On Nov. 1, 2022, Alkattoul used a social media application to send an individual a link to a document entitled “When Swords Collide” and admitted to this individual that he wrote the document, stating: “It’s in the context of an attack on Jews.” According to a second individual, Alkattoul also sent the document to at least five other people using another social media application. In the document, Alkattoul wrote the following:
I am the attacker and I would like to introduce myself. . . I am a Muslim with so many regrets but I can assure you this attack is not one of them and Insha’Allah many more attacks like these against the enemy of Allah and the pigs and monkeys will come.
I will discuss my motives in a bit but I did target a synagogue for a really good reason according to myself and a lot of Muslims who have a brain. Let’s be aware of the fact that the Jews promote the biggest hatred against Muslimeen even in the west. The Jews are in fact a very powerful group in the west which is why western countries today shill for them on top of the murtadeen in Saudi Arabia and every Arab country.
This attack was just to remind the Jews that as long as 1 Muslim remains in this world they will never live a pleasant life until the Muslims in Palestine, Syria, West Africa, and South Asia are living a pleasant life. The Jews support terror against the muslimeen and they always have . . . . So the motive of this attack is hatred towards Jews and their heinous acts and I don’t want anyone to tell me for a second that “not all Jews support terror against Muslims” yes they do! They have since day one. Their Torah justifies their acts and let’s keep in mind it was a Jew that tried to kill the nebi SAW.
The charge of transmitting a threat in interstate and foreign commerce is punishable by a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI and task force officers of the Joint Terrorism Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Dennehy in Newark, with the investigation leading to today’s arrest. He also thanked agents of the FBI Field Office in Tampa, Florida, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge David Walker; the FBI Field Office in New York, under the direction of Assistant Director in Charge Michael J. Driscoll; and the FBI Washington Field Office, under the direction of Assistant Director in Charge Steven D’Antuono; as well as the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General, under the direction of Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin; the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone; and officers of the Sayreville Police Department, under the direction of Chief Daniel Plumacker.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan Peck, Christopher Amore, and Benjamin Levin of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s National Security Unit, with assistance from the U.S. Department of Justice’s Counterterrorism Section of the National Security Division.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Mexican National Residing in Bakersfield Pleads Guilty to Illegal Cockfighting in Violation of the Animal Welfare ActRead the Press Release
Horacio Ortega-Martinez, 35, a Mexican national residing in Bakersfield, pleaded guilty today to unlawful possession of animals for an animal fighting venture, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, in February 2022, Ortega-Martinez communicated frequently with Jorge Calderon-Campos, 41, (charged separately) about illegal cockfighting events, including an event Calderon-Campos attended on February 12 at which 15 roosters fought to win a $5,000 purse. On April 26, 2022, numerous law enforcement agencies served a search warrant at Ortega-Martinez’s residence and discovered approximately 250 roosters, approximately 250 “gaffs” (razor-sharp steel blades that are tied to the birds’ legs), training mitts commonly used for training and fighting roosters, and miscellaneous antibiotics, vitamins, and supplements that are commonly used for breeding and training roosters for fighting.
Ortega-Martinez and Calderon-Campos were arrested on April 26, 2022, along with six other Kern County residents who were also charged with various drug trafficking offenses.
This case is the product of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Kern County Sheriff’s Office, the Kern County High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, the U.S. Marshals Service, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Bakersfield Police Department, the Kern County Probation Department, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the U.S. Secret Service, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General and the California Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen A. Escobar is prosecuting the case.
Ortega-Martinez is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 3, 2023, by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston. Ortega-Martinez faces a statutory maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
Charges are pending against Calderon-Campos. The charges are only allegations; he is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This effort 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 www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Metairie Man Pleads Guilty to Receiving Files Depicting the Sexual Victimization of ChildrenRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that MICHAEL GERALD MARCHESE, age 45, a resident of Metairie, Louisiana, pleaded guilty on November 8, 2022 before United States District Judge Wendy Vitter after previously being charged in a one-count indictment with receiving images and videos depicting the sexual exploitation of children, including children as young as approximately one (1) year old, in violation of 18 U.S.C. ' 2252(a)(2).
According to court documents, in about July 2021, law enforcement authorities received information that an unidentified individual, subsequently determined to be MARCHESE, was using an internet-based peer-to-peer network that allows users to anonymously share files, chat on message boards, and access websites within the network, to view, download, and store computer files depicting the sexual victimization of children. FBI agents executed a search warrant on MARCHESE’S residence on December 9, 2021 and seized several electronic items, including four (4) portable external hard drives. A review of the items revealed that MARCHESE used the internet and peer-to-peer platforms numerous times throughout 2020 and 2021 to download depictions of children being sexually exploited. The review further confirmed that MARCHESE downloaded at least approximately 4,201 images and 339 videos depicting the sexual victimization of children, including prepubescent minors as young as less than one (1) year old, and that some of the images and videos portrayed sadistic or masochistic conduct or other depictions of violence.
MARCHESE faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five (5) years and a maximum term of twenty (20) years in prison. MARCHESE also faces a lifetime of supervised release, up to a $250,000 fine, a mandatory $100 special assessment fee and can be required to register as a sex offender. Sentencing before Judge Vitter is scheduled for February 14, 2023, at 1:00 pm.
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.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Jordan Ginsberg is in charge of the prosecution.
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Meridian Man Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute CocaineRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. - A Meridian man was sentenced today to 5 years in prison for possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Kurt H. Thielhorn of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
According to court documents, on May 24, 2021, during the execution of a search warrant of the residence of Kerwin Ronriquez Dawson, 42, officers of the Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Office found over a half of kilogram of cocaine. The cocaine was intended for distribution in the Lauderdale County area.
The Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Office and the ATF investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles W. Kirkham prosecuted the case.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Merced Man Pleads Guilty to $60,000 Credit Card FraudRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Ruben Chavez III, 36, of Merced, pleaded guilty today to committing credit card fraud and related identity theft, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, from April 2021 through March 2022, Chavez used or attempted to use more than 20 victims’ credit cards to make over $60,000 in fraudulent purchases at retail stores, including home appliances. He also changed the victims’ mailing addresses to his own address and created fake identification cards in their names to help further his fraud.
This case is the product of an investigation by U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Barton is prosecuting the case.
Chavez is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston on Feb. 10, 2023. Chavez faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and fine of up to $250,000 for the credit card fraud, and a mandatory two-year consecutive sentence for the identity theft. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
Member of Large Drug Trafficking Organization Sentenced to 360 Months in Federal Prison for Gun and Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced the sentencing of Travis R. James, age 38 of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, as part of Operation Hidden Fee, an extensive federal, state, and local investigation by the Middle District Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) aimed at a drug trafficking network based and operating in Baton Rouge.
Chief Judge Shelly D. Dick sentenced James to 360 months in federal prison following his convictions of conspiracy to distribute cocaine, crack cocaine, and heroin, conspiracy to launder monetary instruments, and possession of firearms by a convicted felon. James must also serve five years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment. In imposing James’ prison term, the Court found that for years, James was a leader and organizer of a drug trafficking group consisting of thirteen individuals. It found that this group was generating large amounts of drugs and drug trafficking proceeds. His significant criminal history, in large part, consisting of criminal conduct committed while on supervision, and his history of violence were also factors militating in favor of the sentence it imposed. The Court further ordered that the firearms involved be forfeited and ordered James to pay a personal money judgment of $139,632 equal to the combined value of the proceeds and property used to facilitate the drug trafficking conspiracy.
According to admissions made as part of his guilty plea, James led a group of individuals consisting of Troy James, Joshua Mansion, Kim Murphy, Yascia LaFrance, Belinda Carter, Cornelius Carter, and others in a venture to obtain kilograms of cocaine from various sources in Houston, Texas, transporting those amounts of cocaine to stash houses located in Baton Rouge and Prairieville, where amounts where some amounts of cocaine were broken down for distribution to others, and other amounts converted by James into crack cocaine, for sale to others.
In many instances, the amounts transported by this group into the Middle District involved five or more kilograms of cocaine per trip. During this investigation authorities seized and forfeited over $500,000 in drug trafficking proceeds from James as well as approximately eight firearms, two kilo presses, and heroin and cocaine testing kits. The investigation also revealed that James was making plans to branch out into heroin trafficking using the money he had accumulated from the sale of crack and powder cocaine. He was planning to commence that enterprise by purchasing a kilogram of heroin.
Earlier, Chief Judge Dick imposed a 115 month term of imprisonment upon Troy James; a 120 month term of imprisonment upon Joshua Mansion; a 168 month term of imprisonment upon Kim Murphy; a 90 month term of imprisonment upon Yascia LaFrance; a 120 month term of imprisonment term upon Cornelius Carter; and 19 months for Belinda Carter.
This operation 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.
This investigation was led by the Drug Enforcement Administration with invaluable assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, the Internal Revenue Service, the East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office, the Baton Rouge City Police Department, and the Louisiana State Police. Other agencies also assisted in apprehending the defendants, including the U.S. Marshal’s Service, and the Sheriffs’ Offices in Ascension, Iberville, and West Baton Rouge Parishes. These cases were prosecuted Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert Piedrahita and Lyman E. Thornton III.
Maryland Man Pleads Guilty to “DMV Board” Dogfighting ConspiracyRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Today a Forestville, Maryland, man pleaded guilty to conspiring to engage in dogfighting.
According to court documents, from at least May 2015 through August 2020, Laron Mecco “Frog” West, 46, and other conspirators from Virginia, D.C., and Maryland, used a messaging app private group, which they generally referred to as "The DMV Board" or "The Board," as a place where they and their associates could discuss training fighting dogs, exchange videos about dogfighting, and arrange and coordinate dog fights, away from the view of law enforcement authorities. Members of The DMV Board also used the messaging app to compare methods of killing dogs that lost fights, as well as to circulate media reports about conspirators who had been caught by law enforcement and discuss methods to minimize the likelihood that they would be caught themselves.
According to court documents, in June 2017, West posted on the DMV Board that “we kill” fighting dogs that quit. In October 2018, West posted on the DMV Board that dogs that failed to fight aggressively enough had been killed. West wrote that he “loves to throw [the dogs] over the bridge and into the water.”
Court documents further reflect that, in March 2018, West drove coconspirator Charles Edward Williams, III, of Capitol Heights, Maryland, to a warehouse in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where Williams entered his dog into a dogfight attended by dozens of people. In November 2018, Williams warned members of the DMV Board to be sure to confirm the death of the dogs that they try to kill upon losing a fight.
In April 2019, Williams and coconspirator Michael Roy Hilliard, 37, of Fort Washington, drove to Bunnlevel, North Carolina, with a dog belonging to Williams, so that he could enter the dog in a dog fight. The fight lasted less than 10 minutes before being won by the dog belonging to Williams. An unindicted conspirator shot and killed the dog that lost the fight.
In August, West, Williams, Hilliard, and four others were indicted for a dogfighting conspiracy involving the “DMV Board.” Earlier this month, Williams and Hilliard pleaded guilty to the same conspiracy as West. Trial for three of the remaining defendants is set for December 6.
West, Williams, and Hilliard are each scheduled to be sentenced on February 21, 2023. Each faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema accepted the plea.
Significant assistance was provided by The U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cristina Stam and Gordon Kromberg are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:22-cr-154.
Marion County man admits to drug chargeRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Randall Richard Stebbins, of Monongah, West Virginia, has admitted to distributing methamphetamine, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
Stebbins, 36, pleaded guilty today to one count of “Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine.” Stebbins admitted to having methamphetamine in April 2021 in Marion County.
Stebbins faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $1 million. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon S. Flower is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Marion County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.
Manchester Man Sentenced to 72 Months for Possession of Powder and "Crack" Cocaine with Intent to Distribute and Being a Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
CONCORD – Kevin Scott, 46, of Manchester was sentenced today to 72 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute powder cocaine and cocaine base (“crack” cocaine), and for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, United States Attorney Jane E. Young announced.
According to court documents and statements made in court, officers of the Litchfield Police Department received information from a confidential source that the defendant, Mr. Scott, was using an apartment in Litchfield to cook crack cocaine. Surveillance revealed Mr. Scott coming in and out of the apartment, carrying a fanny pack from the apartment into his car. A traffic stop of Scott’s car was conducted, and a subsequent search of his car revealed a Glock 9 mm pistol, lactose powder (a known cutting agent for cocaine), and $10,982 in cash inside the fanny pack. Litchfield police officers also found a baggie near where Mr. Scott had been standing prior to his arrest, which contained 5.83 grams of crack cocaine and 5.86 grams of powder cocaine. Text messages from Mr. Scott’s phone confirmed his involvement in drug trafficking.
“Felons like the defendant who carry guns and deal drugs pose a unique threat to the safety of our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Young. “Due to the efforts of the Litchfield Police Department, working in collaboration with ATF and the DEA, the defendant’s efforts to distribute dangerous narcotics were thwarted and he has been held accountable for his crimes.”
“DEA is committed to investigating individuals involved in drug trafficking like Mr. Scott in Litchfield, New Hampshire,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Brian D. Boyle. “As we all know, drug trafficking in our communities, along with the gun violence that often accompanies it, is a serious threat to our families and communities. DEA and its local, state and federal partners are dedicated to bringing to justice those that commit these crimes.”
“ATF remains dedicated in our efforts to keep firearms out of the hands of those who are prohibited from possessing them” said James M. Ferguson Special Agent in Charge of the ATF Boston Field Division. “ATF will continue to work with our state, local and federal, law enforcement partners to combat violent crimes that occur within our communities.”
This matter was investigated by the Litchfield Police Department in conjunction with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Aaron Gingrande and Cam Le.
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Man who stole revolver sentenced to 8 years in prison for illegally possessing firearmRead the Press Release
DAYTON, Ohio – A convicted felon was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 96 months in prison for illegally possessing a firearm that he stole.
Timothy Crider, 29, of Dayton, stole a pink revolver and a gold Jaguar vehicle from a victim in Dayton, Ohio.
According to court documents, on March 13, 2021, Dayton police officers responded to a suspected overdose at the intersection of Watts Street and Burkhart Avenue, where they discovered Crider in the stolen Jaguar. Crider had an active warrant for grand theft auto and theft of a firearm, specifically the pink revolver.
Officers discovered the pink revolver under the driver’s seat, where Crider had been sitting. DNA lab reports confirmed his DNA on the weapon.
Crider has prior convictions for robbery resulting in injury and aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon, both felony offenses. As a previously convicted felon, Crider is prohibited from possessing firearms.
Crider pleaded guilty to the instant offense in July 2022.
Crider’s federal sentence will be served after he is released from his current term of imprisonment in Shelby County, Ohio. Crider was sentenced to 30 months in prison in Shelby County Common Pleas Court for spitting on a corrections officer while in pre-trial detention for the instant offense, when he knew he was hepatitis C positive.
This case was prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). Through the violent-crime reduction program, a broad spectrum of stakeholders works together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Daryl S. McCormick, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF); and Dayton Police Chief Kamran Afzal announced the sentence imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Michael J. Newman. Assistant United States Attorney Ryan A. Saunders is representing the United States in this case.
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Man Charged for Participation in LockBit Global Ransomware CampaignRead the Press Release
A criminal complaint filed in the District of New Jersey was unsealed today charging a dual Russian and Canadian national for his alleged participation in the LockBit global ransomware campaign.
Mikhail Vasiliev, 33, of Bradford, Ontario, Canada, is in custody in Canada and is awaiting extradition to the United States.
“This arrest is the result of over two-and-a-half-years of investigation into the LockBit ransomware group, which has harmed victims in the United States and around the world,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco. “It is also a result of more than a decade of experience that FBI agents, Justice Department prosecutors, and our international partners have built dismantling cyber threats. Let this be yet another warning to ransomware actors: working with partners around the world, the Department of Justice will continue to disrupt cyber threats and hold perpetrators to account. With our partners, we will use every available tool to disrupt, deter, and punish cyber criminals.”
“Yesterday's successful arrest demonstrates our ability to maintain and apply relentless pressure against our adversaries,” said FBI Deputy Director Paul Abbate. “The FBI's persistent investigative efforts, in close collaboration with our federal and international partners, illustrates our commitment to using all of our resources to ensure we protect the American public from these global cyber threat actors.”
According to court documents, LockBit is a ransomware variant that first appeared in or around January 2020. It has become one of the most active and destructive ransomware variants in the world. Since first appearing, LockBit has been deployed against at least as many as 1,000 victims in the United States and around the world. LockBit members have made at least $100 million in ransom demands and have extracted tens of millions of dollars in actual ransom payments from their victims. The FBI has been investigating the LockBit conspiracy since in or around March 2020.
According to court documents, Vasiliev allegedly participated in the LockBit campaign. He is charged with conspiracy to intentionally damage protected computers and to transmit ransom demands. If convicted, he faces a maximum of five years in prison. 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 Philip R. Sellinger for the District of New Jersey, Assistant Director Bryan Vorndran of the FBI’s Cyber Division, and Special Agent in Charge James Dennehy of the FBI Newark Field Office made the announcement.
Trial Attorneys Jessica C. Peck and Jorge Gonzalez of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew M. Trombly and David E. Malagold of the Cybercrime Unit for the District of New Jersey are prosecuting the case, with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania.
The case is being investigated by the FBI Newark Field Office, Newark Cyber Crimes Task Force, with assistance from the FBI Atlanta Field Office, the FBI Pittsburgh Field Office, the FBI Miami Field Office, the FBI’s Legal Attaché-Ottawa, the Jersey City Police Department, the New Jersey State Police, and the New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs has also provided valuable assistance.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Maine Resident Pleads Guilty to Fraud and Tax Offenses Stemming from $1.8 Million Embezzlement SchemeRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that EDWARD F. ZIEGLER II, 63, of Bridgton, Maine, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to fraud and tax offenses stemming from a 15-year embezzlement scheme.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Ziegler was employed as the office manager for a small, family-owned business, identified in court documents in “Company A,” based in Berlin, Connecticut. In approximately 2006, Ziegler opened a bank account in his name and with the qualifying language “Doing Business As [Company A].” Over the course of approximately 15 years, Ziegler diverted more than 400 checks, totaling approximately $1.8 million, from Company A’s customers and deposited them into the secret bank account he had established. Ziegler also made fraudulent entries in Company A’s books and record keeping system to cover up the fact that he had diverted the checks and used the funds for his own benefit.
In addition, Ziegler failed to pay $173,003 in federal income taxes on his embezzled income for the 2015 through 2019 tax years.
Ziegler was arrested on March 16, 2022.
Ziegler pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years, and one count of tax evasion, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of five years. Judge Dooley scheduled sentencing for February 3.
Ziegler is released on a $100,000 bond pending sentencing.
This investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division, with the assistance of the Bridgton (Maine) Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael S. McGarry.
Madison Man Sentenced to 4 Years for Illegal Receipt of a FirearmRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Ka’Toine Richardson (a.k.a. Kado), 20, Madison, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 4 years in federal prison for receiving a handgun while facing state felony charges. This prison term will be followed by three years of supervised release.
On March 18, 2022, Richardson faced eleven felony charges in Dane County, Wisconsin cases. Charges included burglary armed with a dangerous weapon and burglary to building or dwelling, bail jumping felonies, possession of a firearm after being adjudicated delinquent, resisting an officer, and 1st and 2nd degree recklessly endangering safety. These charges are pending, and Richardson is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
Despite these charges, Richardson obtained a firearm on March 18, 2022, by stealing it from another person. Richardson possessed the firearm until March 23, 2022, when he was arrested.
In imposing the four-year sentence, Judge Peterson reflected on Richardson’s criminal history, his pending state charges, and the threat he posed to public safety. In addressing Richardson, Judge Peterson stated that he “makes people unsafe” and that the “community reasonably perceives [Richardson] as a threat.“ The four-year sentence, Judge Peterson concluded, specifically deterred Richardson from endangering the public, and, with three years of federal supervision, gave Richardson on opportunity to turn his life around.
The charge against Richardson was the result of an investigation conducted by the Fitchburg Police Department with assistance from the Madison Police Department, the Dane County Sheriff’s Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. U.S. Attorney Timothy M. O’Shea prosecuted this case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
MS-13 Clique Leader Sentenced to over 13 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
BOSTON –The leader of a local MS-13 clique was sentenced on Nov. 8, 2022 in federal court in Boston.
Manuel Adan Yanez Cruz, a/k/a “Rocky,” a/k/a “Flaco,” 22, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin to 162 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Yanez Cruz is an El Salvadoran citizen and will be subject to deportation proceedings upon completion of his sentence. On March 18, 2022, Yanez Cruz pleaded guilty to conspiracy to conduct enterprise affairs through a pattern of racketeering activity, more commonly referred to as RICO or racketeering conspiracy.
MS-13 is a transnational street gang operating in Massachusetts and numerous other states, as well as countries such as El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala who often commit acts of extreme violence against suspected rivals, those suspected of cooperating with law enforcement and others whom the gang views as a threat. In recent years, dozens of MS-13 members have been convicted of RICO conspiracy and other serious felonies in the District of Massachusetts.
MS-13 is organized in Massachusetts and elsewhere in the form of so-called “cliques” or smaller groups that operate under the larger mantle of MS-13. Yanez Cruz was a member and local leader of the Huntington Locos Salvatrucha (HLS) clique, which operated in the cities of Boston, Lynn, Everett, Chelsea, Somerville and other parts of Massachusetts.
On Dec. 24, 2016, Yanez Cruz was involved in the murder of a teenage boy in East Boston. Specifically, Yanez Cruz informed at least one individual of the murder before it occurred and participated in the planning of the victim’s murder, which was based on the belief that the victim may have been associated with a rival gang. Yanez Cruz was present at the murder along with other MS-13 members to serve as both a witness for El Salvador leaders and to assist as needed. At the time the murder was committed, Yanez Cruz was a juvenile.
Following the murder, Yanez Cruz boasted about his involvement in the murder to help recruit others, including minors, into the MS-13 gang and to earn elevated gang status. Intercepted communications showed that Yanez Cruz communicated with both national and international MS-13 leaders and members about MS-13 gang matters, including the transmission of fees to El Salvador.
Although Yanez Cruz was not charged with the 2016 murder, as part of the Nov. 8, 2022 sentence for federal RICO conspiracy, the Court held him responsible for his involvement in the murder.
In April 2018, Yanez Cruz was also involved in the attempted murder of a victim whom he, along with other MS-13 members, suspected of being a gang rival. MS-13 members lured the victim to the Belle Isle Marsh where a member shot the victim in the head. The gun malfunctioned, however, and the victim survived.
In September 2018, Yanez Cruz was arrested for an assault on a rival gang member in which he possessed a knife on a public street in broad daylight. In phone communications following the incident, another MS-13 member present at the incident told an associate about the violent nature of the event and that they had almost killed the victim.
Yanez Cruz had entered into the United States unlawfully in 2015 and, following his arrest and conviction on the state knife offense, was transferred into the custody of immigration authorities for deportation proceedings. Authorities sought to remove Yanez Cruz from the United States and pointed to his association with MS-13 as part of the reasons to oppose his petition for asylum and other relief. Yanez Cruz testified under oath at his removal proceedings and made a number of false statements, telling the Court that he was not associated with MS-13 and was unfamiliar with HLS. The immigration judge found Yanez Cruz’s testimony to be credible. However, Yanez Cruz was federally indicted in this case before any ultimate ruling was issued on his immigration status.
First Assistant United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Matthew B. Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; Colonel Christopher Mason, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Essex County District Attorney Jonathan W. Blodgett; Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden; Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox; and Lynn Police Chief Christopher Reddy made the announcement.
This effort 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.
Lower Brule Man Found Not Guilty of Sexual AbuseRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a Lower Brule, South Dakota, man was acquitted of Sexual Abuse of a Person Incapable of Consent as a result of a federal jury trial in Pierre, South Dakota, on November 10, 2022.
Darren Flute, age 45, was indicted by a federal grand jury in July of 2021.
The charge related to an alleged incident that occurred on August 15 or 16, 2020, in Lyman County, South Dakota.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI and the Bureau of Indian Affairs – Office of Justice Services, Lower Brule Agency. The U.S. Attorney's Office prosecuted the case.
Lincoln Man Sentenced to More Than 7 Years in Prison for Receipt of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Steven Russell announced that Ismael R. Cuevas, 32, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was sentenced today in Lincoln by United States District Judge John M. Gerrard for receipt of child pornography. Cuevas was sentenced to 7 years and 3 months in prison and 7 years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Cuevas was additionally ordered to pay $3,000 which will contribute to funds established for victims of these types of cases.
On October 3, 2020, a Nebraska State Patrol investigator used peer-to-peer software to connect to an IP address (later identified to be Cuevas’s residence) and downloaded four files containing child pornography. On January 7, 2021, a federal search warrant was executed at Cuevas’s residence. During the search, Cuevas’s cellphone was seized. The agents unlocked his phone using the biometric access permission within the search warrant. Immediately upon looking at the phone, the investigators saw an application on the phone and witnessed that it was in the middle of downloading multiple child pornographic files.
Several devices were seized during the execution of the search warrant. A laptop computer used by Cuevas, a USB drive belonging to Cuevas, and his cellphone. A forensic download and examination were completed for each of those devices. The examination of his cellphone revealed more than 100 video files of child pornography and 17,430 images of child pornography, the laptop revealed 24 images of child pornography, and the USB drive revealed more than 50 files of child pornography.
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 Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
This case was investigated by the Nebraska State Patrol.
Laveen Man Sentenced to Five Years for Possessing Methamphetamine with Intent to DistributeRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – On October 31, 2022, Sherwin Tracy Lewis, 48, of Laveen, Arizona, was sentenced by United States District Judge Douglas L. Rayes to five years in prison, followed by four years of supervised release.
Between June 7, 2021, and June 21, 2021, Lewis possessed 152 grams of methamphetamine within the confines of the Gila River Indian Community. Lewis pleaded guilty on April 28, 2022, to Possession with Intent to Distribute five grams or more of Actual Methamphetamine.
The Gila River Police Department and the Bureau of Indian Affairs conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Raynette Logan, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-21-01016-01-PHX-DLR
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-206_Lewis# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.
Large-Scale Drug Traffickers Convicted by Federal JuryRead the Press Release
EL PASO, Texas – A federal jury convicted two men Tuesday of multiple counts of drug trafficking. Additionally, one of the defendants was convicted of domestic and international money laundering.
Jorge Sanchez-Morales aka “Capulina,” 47, was convicted of two counts of Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute; two counts of Conspiracy to Import a Controlled Substance; one count of Conspiracy to Commit International Money Laundering; and one count of Conspiracy to Commit Domestic Money Laundering.
Luis Reyes-Perez aka “Cubano,” 51, was convicted of one count of Conspiracy to Possess a Controlled Substance with Intent to Distribute, and one count of Conspiracy to Import a Controlled Substance.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Sanchez-Morales ran a large-scale drug trafficking organization, spanning from Mexico to El Paso and on to Atlanta, from 2002 to 2019. In the early 2000s, Sanchez-Morales worked out of Atlanta, trafficking cocaine and other drugs with Sinaloa Cartel operatives.
In 2014, Sanchez-Morales returned to Mexico to run his organization, which would then primarily traffic methamphetamine, often in liquid form. The liquid methamphetamine would cross the border from Juarez, Mexico into El Paso, and then was transported to Atlanta in semi tractors. The liquid methamphetamine would be poured into one of the semi-tractor’s fuel tanks that had been disconnected from the truck’s fuel system and then converted to crystalline form once it arrived in Atlanta. Sanchez-Morales was at this time affiliated with Jalisco New Generation Cartel, or CJNG, and oversaw the operation.
Reyes-Perez was one of the truck drivers who transported the liquid methamphetamine from El Paso to Atlanta and was responsible for the delivery of several hundred gallons of the highly addictive substance.
U.S. Attorney Ashley C. Hoff of the Western District of Texas; Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge Greg Millard; and Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge Frank Burrola made the announcement.
The DEA, HSI, United States Border Patrol, El Paso Sheriff’s Office, Texas Department of Public Safety and Socorro Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Steven Spitzer and Nathan Brown prosecuted the case.
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Lansing, Illinois Man Sentenced and Ordered to Pay $210,000 in RestitutionRead the Press Release
HAMMOND- Shaquiel Seaton, 29 years old, of Lansing, Illinois, was sentenced by United States District Court Senior Judge James T. Moody after pleading guilty to wire fraud, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.
Seaton was sentenced to 24 months in prison, 2 years of supervised release and was ordered to pay $210,000 in restitution to the victim of the offense, the Small Business Administration (SBA). A $6,000 forfeiture money judgment was also imposed.
According to documents in the case, between June 10 and July 17, 2020, Seaton filed 44 fraudulent applications for $10,000 grants from the SBA pursuant to the COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) Program. As a result of his fraudulent scheme, the SBA paid out $10,000 grants from 21 of those applications. The investigation revealed that Seaton typically charged a $3,000 fee to fraudulently prepare and file applications for other people. Since applications were only to be submitted by businesses, Seaton fabricated business information on the applications to include revenue, costs, type of business, and the number of employees.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Alexandra McTague.
Korean National Sentenced to 7 Years and 9 Months in Prison for “Bust Out” Bank Fraud Scheme in Sacramento Area and ElsewhereRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Kyung Min Kong, 55, a citizen and national of South Korea, was sentenced today to seven years and nine months in prison for bank fraud, money laundering and aggravated identity theft, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, between March 2014, and March 2018, Kong participated in a nationwide check kiting “bust out” scheme in order to obtain cash from banks. The scheme’s participants obtained a real Republic of Korea passport that was altered to bear a new photograph and name, which they used to open bank accounts with a small amount of cash. The accounts were dormant until a time the participants believed the bank would allow the account holder to deposit a check and make withdrawals before the check actually cleared. At that time, the participants wrote checks from a different bank account with non-sufficient funds, deposited those checks into the dormant account, and then withdrew cash from the dormant account before the checks cleared. The participants would access funds by purchasing a money order and then deposit the money order into yet another bank account associated with the scheme.
Kong is associated with opening source accounts or draining victim accounts from at least 25 different financial institutions. These bust-outs resulted in an actual loss of $2,574,161 to the banks, and an intended loss of $3,698,465 based on additional, unsuccessful bust-out attempts.
Kong is the first defendant to be sentenced in this case. Co-defendant Jeffrey Kim is scheduled to be sentenced Jan. 26, 2023, and co-defendant Jong Eun Lee is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 1, 2022. Charges are pending against the remaining co-defendants: Ki Jang, Hee Soung Oh, and Bon Soke Hong, who were all indicted on Oct. 21, 2021. The charges against them are only allegations; they are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is the product of an investigation by the IRS Criminal Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Audrey B. Hemesath is prosecuting the case.
Kanawha County Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Mark Jason Pearson, 32, of Dunbar, was sentenced today to 10 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Pearson sold quantities of methamphetamine to a confidential informant on four occasions between June 6, 2022, and July 8, 2022. On July 13, 2022, officers executed a search warrant at Pearson’s Dunbar home and found approximately five pounds of methamphetamine. Pearson admitted to possessing the methamphetamine and to planning to sell it. Pearson further admitted to traveling outside of West Virginia on at least six separate occasions over the previous eight months to obtain approximately 18 pounds methamphetamine for distribution in the Dunbar area.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT).
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-cr-156.
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KC Pediatrician Pleads Guilty to $300,000 Medicare FraudRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City-area pediatrician pleaded guilty in federal court today to his role in causing fraudulent Medicare claims to be submitted for more than 1,000 beneficiaries for medications and equipment they didn’t need, which was part of a larger nationwide scheme to defraud Medicare.
“A physician abused his position of trust to cause fraudulent claims to be filed for more than 1,000 Medicare beneficiaries,” said U.S. Attorney Teresa Moore. “This theft of public funds was part of a larger nationwide scheme that includes prosecutions in other districts where additional perpetrators are being held accountable for their criminal actions.”
“To help protect the federal health care system, doctors participating in the Medicare program are obligated to provide medically appropriate services and prescriptions to their patients and bill the program properly,” stated Special Agent in Charge Curt L. Muller with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General. “Our agency and law enforcement partners are dedicated to identifying and pursuing providers who disregard these vital responsibilities in exchange for personal enrichment.”
Frederick Scott Dattel, 57, of Leawood, Kansas, waived his right to a grand jury and pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes to a federal information that charges him with making a false statement related to a health care matter.
Dattel, a licensed medical doctor with a specialty in pediatrics, owns and operates his own medical practice, Kansas City Pediatrics, L.L.C., in Kansas City, Mo.
Between August 2017 and February 2018, Dattel worked as a physician for RediDoc, L.L.C., a commercial telemedicine company. RediDoc’s owners unlawfully profited by paying kickbacks and bribes to doctors so those doctors would sign high volumes of expensive prescriptions and durable medical equipment orders that were not medically necessary.
National Health Care Fraud Conspiracy
RediDoc owners Stephen Luke and David Laughlin have pleaded guilty in the District of New Jersey to conspiracy to commit health care fraud. In this scheme, marketers identified Medicare beneficiaries to target for expensive medications and durable medical equipment, and persuaded beneficiaries to try the medications and medical equipment – even when the beneficiary’s need for those items was not clear and was not discussed with the beneficiary’s doctor. The marketers then transmitted the beneficiaries’ medical information to RediDoc along with the proposed prescriptions or doctors’ orders for medical equipment that included pre-marked check-off boxes for particular drugs or equipment that would yield large reimbursements.
The marketers paid reimbursement proceeds to RediDoc and its owners. These orders were then filled by providers and pharmacies around the country who received lucrative reimbursements from federal health care benefit programs, including Medicare. In many circumstances, the providers and pharmacies then returned a portion of the health insurance reimbursements as kickbacks to the telemedicine companies, who, in turn, paid the doctors who had prescribed or ordered the unnecessary medical equipment and compounds. RediDoc ensured doctors would sign a high volume of expensive beneficiary prescriptions or medical equipment orders by paying the doctors bribes and kickbacks.
Dattel’s Guilty Plea
By pleading guilty today, Dattel admitted that, while working as a physician for RediDoc, he unlawfully caused false and fraudulent Medicare claims to be submitted for prescriptions for durable medical equipment and compounds without examining or speaking to patients and without any physician-patient relationship.
Between August 2017 and February 2018, while practicing telemedicine for RediDoc, Dattel reviewed 1,077 patient files. He issued orders or prescriptions for 1,075 beneficiaries for durable medical equipment, orthotics, and/or compounds. Dattel issued the orders and prescriptions without seeing, speaking to, or otherwise communicating or examining the beneficiaries, and without regard to whether the beneficiaries actually needed the durable medical equipment and compounds. These orders and prescriptions, as Dattel knew, were used to submit false and fraudulent claims to Medicare.
Almost the entirety of Dattel’s completed, signed prescriptions and orders for durable medical equipment and compounds, as he knew, were not legitimately prescribed, not needed, and not used.
As a result of Dattel’s RediDoc prescriptions and orders, between Aug. 28, 2017, and Feb. 26, 2018, Medicare was billed at least $312,392 for durable medical equipment and compounds, and paid at least $211,542 for these orders. Under the terms of today’s plea agreement, Dattel must pay restitution in the full amount of $211,542.
During the same timeframe, RediDoc deposited a total of $22,270 in 13 payments into Dattel’s bank accounts.
Under federal statutes, Dattel is subject to a sentence of up to five years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Venneman and Nicholas P. Heberle. It was investigated by Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, the FBI, and the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, Office of Inspector General.
Justice Department, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and Department of Labor Issue Resource Document for Military Servicemembers Ahead of Veterans DayRead the Press Release
Ahead of Veterans Day, the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) and its Veterans’ Employment and Training Service (VETS), issued a resource document describing federal protections from unlawful employment discrimination against servicemembers and veterans.
The document details federal laws that provide workplace protections specific to servicemembers and veterans, such as the Uniformed Services and Employment and Reemployment Rights Act. The document also explains how additional federal laws prohibit discrimination against employees for other reasons that servicemembers and veterans may face, including discrimination on the basis of a disability or other protected characteristics.
This is the first time that these agencies have jointly authored a resource document to help veterans and servicemembers determine which laws and federal agencies are responsible for enforcing their workplace rights and where to seek assistance if they believe those rights have been violated.
“We owe our servicemembers, veterans and their families a deep debt of gratitude for their service to our country,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Through rigorous enforcement of federal civil rights laws, the Justice Department is working hard to ensure that the rights of the brave servicemembers and veterans are safeguarded from discrimination and unfair treatment.”
“Our military members sacrifice immensely to keep our country safe, and whether they are actively serving, reservists, or veterans, we must ensure they know their workplace rights and how to enforce them if they experience discrimination.” said EEOC Chair Charlotte A. Burrows. “This document clearly explains that they are protected from discrimination because of their military service, veteran status, disability or other reasons, such as their race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation or gender identity), age or genetic information.”
“OFCCP is pleased to release this important resource on employment discrimination protections for service members and veterans with VETS – at the Department of Labor – and our sister federal civil rights agencies,” said Director Jenny R. Yang of the Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs. “As the federal government makes historic investments in infrastructure, manufacturing and technology, OFCCP is playing a central role in ensuring that the nation is utilizing the full talents of all workers, including our nation’s protected veterans.”
On Wednesday, the Civil Rights Division and the Justice Department’s Office for Access to Justice (ATJ) partnered with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to host an event to highlight the work of VA-associated medical legal partnerships and discuss legal issues impacting veterans. The event also identified ways that federal attorneys and legal staff can be part of the solution by volunteering for pro bono assistance. The program featured remarks by Assistant Attorney General Clarke and ATJ Director Rachel Rossi, as well as Catherine Mitrano, Acting General Counsel for the VA and a number of veterans’ advocates.
The Civil Rights Division also houses the Justice Department’s Servicemembers and Veterans Initiative (SVI), which supports this legal work by conducting targeted outreach, training, policy development and coordination with other federal partners. In the last two years, SVI conducted 45 training and outreach programs, issued guidance to over 130 of businesses about servicemember financial rights and responded to hundreds of citizen requests for information. In addition, the division has assisted more than 3,450 servicemembers, veterans, and their families, securing more than $2 million in relief for them under federal civil rights law.
To learn more about the division’s Servicemembers and Veterans Initiative, please visit www.servicemembers.gov. To learn more about the Office for Access to Justice, please visit www.justice.gov/atj. More information about the laws the EEOC enforces and how to file a charge of discrimination is available at www.eeoc.gov. More information about the OFCCP is available at www.dol.gov/agencies/ofccp, and more information about VETS is available at www.dol.gov/agencies/vets.
Jury Convicts Lee’s Summit Man of $1 Million Extortion SchemeRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Lee’s Summit, Mo., man has been convicted by a federal trial jury of a $1 million extortion scheme against a Kansas City, Mo., victim.
Leon L. Dudley III, 24, was found guilty on Wednesday, Nov. 9, of one count of extortion.
Evidence introduced during the trial indicated that Dudley delivered an extortion note to a Kansas City, Mo., residence on Aug. 24, 2018. The victim reported to law enforcement that a contractor arrived at the residence that morning to complete some work and found an envelope containing a handwritten letter taped to the front of the house near the front door. The letter contained a threat to vandalize and burn down the residence if the victim did not pay $1 million by the next day. The note included a cell phone number for the victim to text when the money was ready, and warned against contacting law enforcement.
The next day, an unknown suspect broke several windows in the house. The homeowner hired a private security firm, but the suspect returned that evening and broke more windows and a sliding glass door.
Investigators traced the cell phone number on the extortion note to the residence where Dudley lives with his mother. Investigators also located Dudley’s Facebook account, which included a photograph of a handwritten note with similar handwriting to the extortion note, as well as photos of Dudley that matched the physical profile captured in surveillance video at the residence.
Investigators searched Dudley’s residence and found an Apple iPad in his bedroom. The iPad had been stolen during a burglary at the extortion victim’s residence while it was still under construction in June 2018. During a forensic examination of the iPad, investigators found it contained internet searches related to the victim, to burning down a house and purchasing explosive items, and two extortion notes similar to the handwritten note that was left at the victim’s residence.
Investigators also found fingerprints on the extortion note and on the envelope that matched to Dudley.
Following the presentation of evidence, the jury in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo., deliberated for two hours before returning a guilty verdict to U.S. Chief District Beth Phillips, ending a trial that began Monday, Nov. 7.
Under federal statutes, Dudley is subject to a sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregg R. Coonrod and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie C. Bradshaw. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department and the FBI.
Jamestown Woman Pleads Guilty for Her Role in Narcotics Conspiracy Which Resulted in Overdose DeathRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Rachelle N. Allison, 36, of Jamestown, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr. to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, heroin, fentanyl, and methamphetamine. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of $1,000,000.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua A. Violanti, who is handling the case, stated that between 2019, and June 2022, conspired with others, including her then boyfriend Ryan Bloom, to sell heroin, fentanyl, and methamphetamine. During the conspiracy, Allison bought and sold the illegal narcotics for profit and her own use, utilizing Facebook to conduct her drug trafficking activities and to assist Bloom, which included making drug deals with associates, suppliers, and customers. Allison and Bloom also utilized a Fairview Avenue residence in Jamestown to conduct their drug trafficking activities, which resulted in numerous overdoses occurred at that location.
On April 5, 2020, the Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office responded to Hoag Road residence in Ashville, NY, for a possible overdose death. Upon arrival, an individual identified as D.R., was found deceased. A search of D.R.’s cellular telephone revealed Facebook messages between D.R. and Bloom the previous day that were drug related. Allison admits that she and Bloom distributed heroin and fentanyl to D.R. the day before D.R.’s death. On July 19, 2020, Bloom sold heroin and fentanyl to an individual identified as A.R. at the Fairview Avenue residence, resulting in A.R. overdosing. After receiving two doses of Narcan, A.R. and was revived and regained consciousness. Allison called emergency services to revive and assist A.R.
Charges remain pending against Ryan Bloom.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff James Quattrone, the Jamestown Police Department, under the direction of Chief Timothy Jackson and the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Frank A. Tarentino III, New York Field Division.
Sentencing is scheduled for May 9, 2023, at 10:00 a.m. before Judge Sinatra.
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Jackson Man Sentenced to over Three Years in Prison for Attempted Hobbs Act RobberyRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A Jackson man was sentenced to 41 months in federal prison for attempted robbery in violation of the Hobbs Act, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Jermicha Fomby of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Myke Myers, 25, was sentenced on November 10, 2022, in U.S. District Court in Jackson.
According to court documents, Myers attempted robbery of a Family Dollar in Jackson on December 20, 2021. Myers was subsequently taken into custody and admitted to his illegal actions when he pled guilty on August 2, 2022.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Jackson Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jessica S. Terrill.
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.
Informational: Federal Court arraignmentsRead the Press Release
The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced that the following persons were arraigned or appeared this week before U.S. Magistrate judges on indictments handed down by the Grand Jury or on criminal complaints. The charging documents are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty:
Appearing in Missoula before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto on a criminal complaint for an initial appearance on Nov. 9 was:
Daniel August Meyer, 28, of Post Falls, Idaho, on charges of stalking, prohibited person in possession of a firearm and possession of illegal firearm. If convicted of the most serious crime, Meyer faces a maximum of 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Meyer was detained pending further proceedings. The FBI’s Montana Regional Violent Crime Task Force and Missoula Police Department investigated the case. PACER case reference. 22-83.
The progress of cases may be monitored through the U.S. District Court Calendar and the PACER system. To establish a PACER account, which provides electronic access to review documents filed in a case, please visit http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. To access the District Court’s calendar, please visit https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl.
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Illinois Woman Accused of Stealing $439,000 from BankRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A former bank employee from Morrisonville, Illinois was arrested by the FBI Thursday after an indictment accused her of embezzling about $439,000.
Samantha J. Cherry, 35, was indicted in U.S. District Court in St. Louis on October 26, 2022 on one felony count of theft or embezzlement by a bank officer. The indictment says she took the money from a UMB Bank branch in St. Louis between Jan. 1, 2021 and March 18, 2022.
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.
If convicted, the charge carries a potential penalty of up to 30 years in prison, a $1 million fine or both.
The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Roy is prosecuting the case.
Hardin County Man Sentenced to 40 years in Federal Prison for Child Pornography ViolationsRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – A Lumberton man has been sentenced to 40 years in federal prison for child pornography violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston today.
Stephen John Pieper, 26, pleaded guilty on Dec. 9, 2021, to three counts of production of child pornography and was sentenced to 480 months in federal prison today by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone.
According to court documents, an investigation into claims that Pieper had sexually exploited teen girls revealed Pieper had engaged in sexual activity with three victims, aged 15 and 16-years old. As part of the sexual contact with the victims, Pieper used his own cellular phone to record the minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Pieper admitted to uploading the videos and images he captured of the victims into Snapchat accounts. Pieper’s exploitation of the three victims spanned 2016 through 2018, during which time Pieper was an adult who was more than 5 years older than his victims. There is evidence that Pieper engaged in sexual activity with at least 11 other minor girls. Pieper was indicted by a federal grand jury on April 7, 2021.
“If this press release does not stop you in your tracks, something is wrong,” said U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston. “26-year-old Pieper will spend the next 40 years in federal prison for the evil crimes he committed. We must all takes steps to protect our most vulnerable population and keep an eye out for child sex abuse. It is our responsibility as citizens, parents, friends and family members to report abuse when it is suspected. The failure to do so is reprehensible.”
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Texas Attorney General’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel Grove.
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Greece Man Arrested on Multiple Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051ROCHESTER, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Jason Lane, 27, of Greece, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with production, receipt, and possession of child pornography. The charges carry a minimum penalty of 15 years, a maximum of 30 years, and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle P. Rossi, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, in July and August 2022, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received tips from Yahoo that a Yahoo user uploaded approximately 260 files of possible child pornography. NCMEC forwarded the information to the New York State Police. A subsequent investigation traced the files to an IP address belonging to Lane, a former Town of Greece police recruit, who was terminated following a probationary period. The files include an image of a partially nude preschool-aged child, which appears to have been taken at a childcare facility in the Rochester, NY, area. The files also include sexually explicit images of two minor victims (Victim 1 and Victim 2), that appear to have been taken by Lane.
On August 9, 2022, the NYSP executed a search warrant at a residence in Brighton, NY, and seized a cellular phone. A second search warrant was executed at a residence in Greece, NY. A forensic analysis of the phone recovered one file of child pornography, and two files of child erotica. A search warrant was also executed on Lane’s Yahoo account. That search recovered images of students at Spencerport High School that appear to have been take surreptitiously by Lane when he worked as a security guard at the school.
The complaint is the result of an investigation by the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Brian J. Ratajczak, and Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Scarpino.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Grand Jury Charges A Dozen New Bank Fraud Counts Against Former St. Bernard Parish Assistant District Attorney and Two AssociatesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that a grand jury returned a superseding indictment on November 4, 2022 against GLENN E. DIAZ, age 71, of Arabi; PETER J. “PETE” JENEVEIN, age 57, of Panama City, Florida; and MARK S. GRELLE, age 67, of Chalmette, for bank fraud and money laundering charges related to defrauding First NBC Bank, the New Orleans-based bank that failed in April 2017.
According to the 31-count superseding indictment, from at least April 2016 through December 20, 2016, DIAZ, JENEVEIN, and GRELLE conspired to defraud First NBC Bank through a series of false invoices for work purportedly done at a Florida warehouse owned by DIAZ. As set forth in the superseding indictment, DIAZ was a customer of First NBC Bank from 2006 through the bank’s closure in 2017. By late 2015, DIAZ had been overdrawing his checking account for purported business expenses, although DIAZ was depositing these overdrafts into his personal account at another bank. In April 2016, First NBC Bank officers were asking DIAZ for additional information about the use of the overdrafts. In June 2016, bank officers began requiring invoices as proof that DIAZ was spending bank funds on improving the Florida warehouse.
Thereafter, DIAZ had his associate JENEVEIN provide invoices for improvements on the Florida warehouse performed by GRELLE’s company, Grelle Underground Services LLC. Bank officers then approved the overdrafts based on these invoices. However, after DIAZ wrote the check to GRELLE’s company, GRELLE would then write a check back to DIAZ, which DIAZ would deposit into his personal account at JPMorgan Chase bank. DIAZ then used the money for expenditures unrelated to the Florida warehouse project. In total, DIAZ, JENEVEIN, and GRELLE executed a total of 17 round-trip transactions through GRELLE’s accounts. The superseding indictment adds twelve additional counts in which DIAZ, JENEVEIN, and GRELLE sent fraudulent documents to First NBC Bank to support disbursements of money from the Bank that purportedly reimbursed DIAZ for additional fraudulent business costs. The defendants’ fraud resulted in a loss of over a half million dollars to First NBC Bank.
DIAZ and JENEVEIN are all charged in each of the 31 counts of the superseding indictment, and GRELLE is charged in 20 of the counts. Count 1 charges all three defendants with conspiracy to commit bank fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1344 and 1349. The maximum penalties that may be imposed upon conviction are thirty years in prison, a maximum fine of the greater of $1,000,000.00 or twice the gross gain to the defendants or twice the gross loss; up to five years of supervised release; and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
In Count 2, DIAZ, JENEVEIN, and GRELLE are charged with conspiring to commit money laundering, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1956(a)(1)(B)(i) and 1956(h). If convicted, they face a maximum of 20 years in prison, a maximum fine of the greater of $500,000.00 or twice the value of the property involved in the transaction, up to three years of supervised release, and $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
In Counts 3 through 31, DIAZ and JENEVEIN are charged with bank fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1344, and GRELLE is also charged in Counts 3 to 6, 11, 14, 15, 18 to 25, and 28 to 30. As to each count, the defendants may receive a maximum of thirty years in prison, a maximum fine of the greater of $1,000,000.00 or twice the gross gain to the defendants or twice the gross loss, up to five years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that a superseding indictment is merely an accusation and that the guilt of the defendants must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. U.S. District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo has scheduled the trial in this case for April 17, 2023.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Office of Inspector General; and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew R. Payne, Nicholas D. Moses, J. Ryan McLaren, and Rachal Cassagne are in charge of the prosecution.
Georgia Woman Sentenced to Nine Years in Federal Prison for Bank Fraud, Identity Theft, and CARES Act FraudRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – An Austell, Georgia woman was sentenced to nine years in federal prison for bank fraud, aggravated identity theft, and committing COVID-relief fraud while on pretrial release, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Gail S. Ennis, Inspector General of the Social Security Administration.
Chrystal Miesha Slaughter (Thompson), 34, was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Jackson. Additionally, Slaughter was ordered to pay $205,262.89 in restitution to the victims in this case.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Slaughter used the personal identifying information of her victims to obtain loans from various banks, acquire lines of credit, purchase a luxury vehicle, and finance trips to locations such as South Beach, Florida. While on pretrial release after being indicted by a federal grand jury on eight counts for committing these offenses, Slaughter fraudulently applied for unemployment insurance benefits from the State of Mississippi and the State of Georgia. Slaughter was fraudulently claiming Mississippi and Georgia unemployment insurance benefits simultaneously. She was then named in a ten-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in September 2021.
The Social Security Administration-Office of Inspector General investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Purdie prosecuted the case.
The CARES Act is a federal law enacted on March 29, 2020, designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans who are suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. One source of relief provided by the CARES Act is the authorization that expands states’ ability to provide unemployment insurance for many workers impacted by COVID-19, including for workers who are not ordinarily eligible for unemployment insurance benefits.
Anyone with information about attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866‑720‑5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Former Trumbull County Clerk of Courts Employee Pleads Guilty to Distributing CocaineRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – Lisa Crusan, 41, of Warren, Ohio, pleaded guilty today to selling approximately four ounces of cocaine in transactions conducted by law enforcement authorities.
Crusan, a former employee of the Trumbull County Clerk of Courts, pleaded guilty to three counts of distribution of cocaine before U.S. District Judge Pamela A. Barker in Cleveland. Crusan is scheduled to be sentenced on March 15, 2023.
According to court documents, on three separate occasions in June and July 2022, Crusan sold a total of approximately four ounces of cocaine in controlled purchases conducted by the Mahoning Valley Law Enforcement Task Force (MVLETF). Crusan was arrested in September 2022.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the MVLETF. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Peter E. Daly.
Former Owner and Operator of Arlington Insurance Agency Sentenced for Stealing over $380,000 in Government BenefitsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The former owner and operator of an Arlington-based insurance agency was sentenced on Nov. 8, 2022 for fraudulently receiving disability benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Social Security Administration (SSA).
Patrick Quinn, 50, of Arlington, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns to one year and one day in prison followed by one year of supervised release. Quinn was also ordered to pay restitution of $98,940 to the VA. Quinn has already paid restitution in the amount of $281,439 to SSA. On April 12, 2022, Quinn was convicted by a federal jury of two counts of theft of public funds and two counts of making false statements.
Since January 2012, Quinn stole more than $380,000 in Veterans Affairs benefits and Social Security benefits by falsely telling the VA and SSA that he was unable to work due to a disability, when in reality, he owned and operated Quinn Insurance Group, Inc.
In October 1995, shortly after being discharged from the U.S. Marine Corps, Quinn applied and was approved for disability compensation benefits with the VA based on a series of physical injuries and, later, post-traumatic stress disorder. In March 2005, Quinn applied for Individual Unemployability benefits with the VA, which is paid to individuals who are unable to maintain substantially gainful employment as a result of their service-connected disabilities. In the application, Quinn claimed that his PTSD prevented him from securing or following any substantially gainful occupation and that he had become too disabled to work. In support of his application, Quinn submitted a letter from his purported final employer, Insurance Management Consultants, Inc., claiming Quinn was let go due to his erratic behavior and was no longer employed at the firm. While receiving IU benefits, Quinn completed and returned four VA employment questionnaires, in each of which he attested he had not worked during the previous year.
Similarly, in November 2005, Quinn applied and was approved for Disability Insurance Benefits with Social Security, this time claiming he had become unable to work due to his disabling condition in September 2004. In June 2006, Quinn applied for Child’s Insurance Benefits, which are paid to the dependent of a disabled individual receiving Disability Insurance Benefits, on behalf of his minor child. Social Security beneficiaries are obligated to report if they return to work to the SSA. In May 2018, Quinn reported to the SSA that he had not worked since May 2006. The SSA continued to pay benefits to Quinn and his son based on this report.
In actuality, however, Quinn was self-employed as the owner and operator of his own insurance agency, Shannon Francis & Quinn Insurance, which later became Quinn Insurance Group, Inc, since at least March 2003 – contrary to his claims to the VA and SSA. Quinn also served as the President, Treasurer, Secretary and Director of Insurance Management Consultants, Inc. from 2000 through 2007, despite telling the VA and SSA that the company fired him in 2005. While operating his own insurance company, Quinn regularly received payments ranging in amounts of $6,500 to $15,000 and grew his business significantly through acquisitions of nine smaller insurance companies at various times between 2012 through 2019. Additionally, Quinn was appointed by 65 insurance companies to conduct business on their behalf and renewed his insurance producer license on numerous occasions.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Christopher Algieri, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General, Northeast Field Office; and Joleen D. Simpson, Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Boston Field Division made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys J. Mackenzie Duane and Suzanne Sullivan Jacobus of Rollins’ Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
Former Head Coach of Women’s Soccer at Yale University Sentenced in College Admissions CaseRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The former Yale University women’s soccer coach was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for accepting bribes to facilitate the admission of students to Yale as purported athletic recruits.
Rudolph “Rudy” Meredith, 54, of Madison, Conn., was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Mark L. Wolf to five months in prison and one year of supervised release. Meredith was also ordered to pay a $19,000 fine and forfeiture of $557,774. This sentence was above the government’s recommendation of a non-incarceratory sentence. In March 2019, Meredith pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and honest services wire fraud and one count of wire fraud and honest services wire fraud.
From 1995 through November 2018, Meredith was employed as the head women’s soccer coach at Yale University. Beginning in April 2015, Meredith conspired with William “Rick” Singer to falsely designate the children of Singer’s clients as soccer recruits in exchange for bribes. Between 2015 and 2018, Meredith accepted a total of $860,000 from Singer in exchange for purporting to recruit the children of Singer’s clients to the Yale soccer team, or attempting to facilitate their admission to Yale by other means. In addition, separate and apart from his arrangement with Singer, Meredith agreed to accept a bribe of approximately $450,000 directly from a parent in exchange for designating his daughter as a soccer recruit to secure her admission to Yale.
Singer previously pleaded guilty and is awaiting sentencing.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; Joleen D. Simpson, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston; and Terry Harris, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Education Office of Inspector General Eastern Regional Office made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephen E. Frank, Leslie A. Wright, Kristen A. Kearney and Ian J. Stearns of Rollins’ Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit prosecuted the case.
Former Fresno Businessman Sentenced to Nearly 4 Years in Prison for a Classic Car Restoration SchemeRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Jeffrey Scott Hedges, 51, of Huntington Beach, was sentenced today to three years and 10 months in prison for committing wire fraud and money laundering in a scheme to defraud customers of his classic car business, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, between November 2015 and January 2019, Hedges carried out a scheme to defraud through his business, West Coast Chassis LLC. Hedges advertised that his business restored classic cars such as Corvettes. However, instead of providing certain customers the classic cars or car chassis they ordered, and instead of making custom modifications to the vehicle frames other customers shipped to him for repairs, Hedges kept the customers’ payments and failed to provide the promised products. In many instances, Hedges used customers’ funds for his personal expenses and for other unauthorized purposes. The court ordered Hedges to pay $811,694 in restitution to the victims of his fraud scheme.
This case was the product of an investigation by the IRS Criminal Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk E. Sherriff prosecuted the case.
Former Correctional Officer Pleads Guilty to Accepting Bribes to Smuggle Contraband into Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – KACIE DEYO, 30, formerly of Yukon, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty today to accepting bribes while serving as a Correctional Officer at a federal prison in El Reno, Oklahoma, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
Public records reflect that on September 28, 2022, Deyo was charged by Information with one count of accepting a bribe by a public official. Public records further reflect that from November 2016 through January 31, 2022, Deyo was employed by the Federal Bureau of Prisons as a Correctional Officer at the Federal Correctional Institution located in El Reno (FCI – El Reno). FCI – El Reno is a medium-security prison for male inmates from throughout the United States serving federal terms of imprisonment. As a Correctional Officer, Deyo’s job duties included guarding federal inmates and enforcing regulations.
Today, Deyo pleaded guilty to accepting thousands of dollars of bribes in exchange for smuggling contraband into FCI – El Reno between March 3, 2021, and May 7, 2021. Deyo will be sentenced in approximately 90 days. At sentencing, Deyo faces up to 15 years in federal prison, followed by up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.
This case is the result of an investigation by the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Oklahoma City Field Office. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Bow Bottomly.
Reference is made to the information and other public filings for further information.
Five Former Methodist Hospital Employees Charged with HIPAA ViolationsRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – A federal grand jury has indicted five former Methodist Hospital Employees for conspiring with Roderick Harvey, 40, to unlawfully disclose patient information in violation of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, commonly known as “HIPAA.” United States Attorney Kevin G. Ritz announced the indictment today.
HIPAA was enacted by Congress in 1996 to create national standards to protect sensitive patient information from being disclosed without a patient’s knowledge or consent. HIPAA’s provisions make it a crime to disclose patient information, or to obtain patient information with the intent to sell, transfer or use such information for personal gain.
According to the indictment, between November 2017 and December 2020, Harvey paid Kirby Dandridge, 38, Sylvia Taylor, 43, Kara Thompson, 30, Melanie Russell, 41, and Adrianna Taber, 26, to provide him with names and phone numbers of Methodist patients who had been involved in motor vehicle accidents. After obtaining the information, Harvey sold the information to third persons including personal injury attorneys and chiropractors.
The conspiracy charge carries a maximum penalty of five years imprisonment, a fine of $250,000 and three-year period of supervised release.
Harvey was also charged with seven counts of obtaining patient information with the intent to sell it for financial gain on various dates between November 12, 2017, and September 7, 2019. Each of those charges carries a maximum penalty of 10 years’ imprisonment, a fine of $250,000 and three years’ of supervised release.
Dandridge, Taylor, Thompson, Russell, and Taber were each charged with separate violations of disclosing the information to Harvey in violation of HIPAA. That charge carries a maximum penalty of one year imprisonment, a $50,000 fine and a one-year period of supervised release.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.
United States Attorney Kevin Ritz thanked Assistant United States Attorney Carroll L. André III, who is prosecuting the case.
The charges and allegations in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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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.
Firearms Trafficker Sentenced to Ten Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A man who illegally trafficked at least five firearms has been sentenced to ten years in federal prison.
In June of 2020 and July of 2021, ROBERTO PRIETO, 34, of Chicago offered firearms for sale via text message to a confidential law enforcement source on at least five different occasions, executing three of those sales. On April 19, 2022, a grand jury in Chicago returned a superseding indictment charging Prieto with three counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm. On June 16, 2022, Prieto pleaded guilty to all three counts.
On November 8, 2022, U.S. District Judge Harry D. Leinenweber imposed a 120-month prison sentence.
The sentence was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Jeffrey L. Matthews, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan DeMarco.
Disrupting illegal firearms trafficking is the focus of the Department of Justice’s Chicago Firearms Trafficking Strike Force. As part of the strike force, the U.S. Attorney’s Office collaborates with ATF and other federal, state, and local law enforcement partners in the Northern District of Illinois and across the country to help stem the supply of illegally trafficked firearms and identify patterns, leads, and potential suspects in violent gun crimes.
Holding firearm offenders accountable through federal prosecution is also a centerpiece of Project Safe Neighborhoods. In the Northern District of Illinois, U.S. Attorney Lausch and law enforcement partners have deployed the PSN program to attack a broad range of violent crime issues facing the district, particularly firearm offenses.
Fentanyl Dealers Plead Guilty in Relation to OK Man's Overdose DeathRead the Press Release
A Wichita Falls drug dealer and his ex-girlfriend who sold fentanyl to 27-year-old man who overdosed and died in June 2020 have plead guilty to drug crimes, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad E. Meacham.
Lionel DeSaun Henderson, 33, and his former girlfriend, Shameka Tanee Mason, 29, were first charged in July. Ms. Mason pleaded guilty in August to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance, and Mr. Henderson pleaded guilty Wednesday to possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance.
“Few drug traffickers dealing fentanyl-laced pills intend to take a life —but inevitably, some do. Just two milligrams of fentanyl can be deadly,” said U.S. Attorney Chad Meacham. “Nothing will ever make up for the loss of this young man’s future. We hope, however, that his family and friends will take comfort in the knowledge that these two dealers have been brought to justice.”
“The guilty pleas are yet another example of consequences of actions like those of Mr. Henderson and Ms. Mason,” said Eduardo A. Chavez, Special Agent in Charge of DEA’s Dallas Field Division. “They will now spend years in jail because of the excellent work by law enforcement throughout the region. Nothing can bring back the lives lost but we can work together to avoid future ones.”
In court documents, the pair admits they knowingly sold counterfeit oxycodone pills laced with fentanyl to an individual who later sold them to his 27-year-old cousin, J.D.K. J.D.K. split the drugs with his coworker. On June 12, 2020, both J.D.K. and his coworker overdosed; the coworker received medical attention and recovered, but J.D.K. died of drug toxicity.
During an interview at a Denton hospital, the coworker told investigators that he and J.D.K. split what appeared to be a 30mg oxycodone tablet. He said some of the remaining pills were stored at J.DK.’s home in Graham, Oklahoma. Agents searched the bedroom and recovered one round blue tablet marked M/30, three green rectangle tablets marked S/90/3, and one pink capsule with illegible markings. The blue M/30 – which appeared identical to brand name oxycodone – instead tested positive for butyryl fentanyl.
Agents then cultivated a confidential source who identified Lionel Henderson as the source of the blue M/30s. He went through Mr. Henderson’s girlfriend, Shameka Mason, to arrange a meeting with an undercover agent at Ms. Mason’s residence in Wichita Falls. On June 25, agents met with Mr. Henderson and Ms. Mason and purchased five M/30 tablets, which later tested positive for fentanyl and acetaminophen.
They then executed a search warrant of Mr. Henderson’s home, where they recovered 497 blue m/30s that later tested positive for fentanyl and acetaminophen, 1,035 multicolored tablets that later tested positive for ecstasy, and multiple firearms, including one that was stolen.
A month later, agents interviewed Ms. Mason, who admitted that she and Mr. Henderson had been dealing illicit substances in December 2018. They began with alprazolam, or “bars,” then escalated to ecstasy, and later to M/30s, which she called “percs,” in December 2019. She claimed she did not know where Mr. Henderson obtained the pills, but admitted they sold the pills for $25 apiece.
In plea papers, Mr. Henderson admitted that he had been selling fentanyl-laced counterfeit pills since March 2020.
The Drug Enforcement Administration’s Dallas Field Division, the Carter County Sheriff’s Office, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, and the Oklahoma City Medical Examiner’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney P.J. Meitl is prosecuting the case.