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Tuesday 8 November 2022
Suburban Chicago Man Sentenced to Seven Years in Federal Prison for Laundering Drug Trafficking ProceedsRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A federal judge has sentenced a suburban Chicago man to seven years in federal prison for laundering illegal narcotics proceeds on behalf of drug traffickers in Mexico.
In the summer and fall of 2017 and the spring of 2018, HUAZHI HAN, 43, of North Riverside, Ill., schemed with other individuals in the United States and Mexico to facilitate the receipt of approximately $1.5 million in narcotics proceeds in the United States. Han picked up the drug money from others in the Chicago area and used the cash to purchase and then re-sell electronic devices. Han and another individual then caused the laundered money to be sent back to drug traffickers in Mexico.
In November 2017, Han attempted to receive approximately $100,000 in narcotics money from a drug dealer. At the time, Han was in possession of approximately $200,000 in cash, a firearm, and two loaded magazines. Law enforcement then searched Han’s residence and discovered a money counter, multiple firearms, more than $1.1 million in cash concealed in cookie tins inside of a drop ceiling in the basement, and approximately $200,000 in cash in vacuum-sealed packaging in the basement closet. In June 2018, law enforcement arrested Han after he received approximately $192,000 in money that was represented to Han to be drug money. At that time, Han was again in possession of a loaded firearm and extra magazine.
After a two-week trial in March, 2022, a federal jury convicted Han on all four charges against him, including one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, one count of attempted concealment money laundering, one count of conducting a financial transaction with funds represented to be drug proceeds, and one count of operating an unlicensed money transmitting business. In addition to the guilty verdicts, the jury returned a special verdict as to the forfeiture of criminally derived property, finding that Han should forfeit approximately $1.5 million in cash, four handguns, a 2016 Mercedes-Benz automobile, a 2015 Dodge Grand Caravan, and an iPhone.
U.S. District Judge Andrea R. Wood sentenced Han on November 4, 2022, to 84 months on Counts I-III, and 60 months on Count IV, to run concurrently. She also imposed a three-year term of supervised release.
The conviction was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois and Robert J. Bell, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. Substantial assistance was provided by the IRS Criminal Investigation Division in Chicago, Chicago Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, and the U.S. Department of Treasury, Financial Crimes Enforcement Network. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Richard M. Rothblatt and Alexandra Morgan.
Substitute Teacher Arrested on 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 Marc Hoffman, 25, of Fairport, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with possession and receipt of child pornography. The charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum of 20 years, and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard A. Resnick, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, on September 19, 2022, the Fairport School district received information that Hoffman, a substitute teacher in the district at the time, contacted a minor on social media asking for sexually explicit photos. The minor was not a Fairport student. The district alerted law enforcement officers and terminated Hoffman. Subsequent investigation determined that Hoffman allegedly communicated online with multiple minor victims, one as young as 13-years-old. Those communications included the exchange of sexually explicit photos. Investigators seized Hoffman’s cell phone, which was found to contain some of these alleged communications, as well as images of child pornography.
Hoffman made an initial appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Marian W. Payson and was released on conditions.
The complaint is the result of an investigation by the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Todd Baxter, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Michael Stansbury.
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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St. Louis Man Sentenced to 30 Months in Prison for Threatening to Blow up a St. Louis SynagogueRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey on Tuesday sentenced a man to 30 months in prison for threatening to blow up a St. Louis synagogue in 2021.
Cody Steven Rush, 30, pleaded guilty in August to use of a telephone and instrument of interstate commerce to make a threat. He admitted calling the St. Louis office of the FBI multiple times on Nov. 5, 2021 and threatening to blow up the Central Reform Congregation in St. Louis. Rush said he would take action the next morning, when people were inside. Rush said he hated Jewish people.
In a third call, Rush gave his location, which was on the same street as the CRC. When authorities called Rush back, he again made threats.
Officers with the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, the St. Louis County Police Department and the FBI found Rush, who told them, “I am feeling suicidal and homicidal. I just feel like killing Jews.” He was arrested without incident.
Rush’s lawyer, Lucille Liggett, said in Tuesday’s sentencing hearing that Rush has mental health issues, suffered a brain injury and has PTSD.
Judge Autrey ordered Rush to undergo a mental health evaluation in prison and upon his release.
“Cody Steven Rush has already proven he is capable of violence with his criminal history. He attempted to burn down his own family’s home and a neighbor’s home on separate occasions,” said Special Agent in Charge Jay Greenberg of the FBI St. Louis Division. “Today’s sentencing is a clear warning that anyone who threatens the civil rights of others stands to lose his or her own freedom.”
The case was investigated by the FBI, the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the St. Louis County Police Department.
Springfield Man Sentenced for Money Laundering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Springfield man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for his role in a scheme to launder the proceeds of various telephone fraud scams.
Utkarsh Thakur, 29, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Douglas P. Woodlock to two years in prison and three years of supervised release. Thakur was also ordered to pay restitution of $1,535,518. On April 25, 2022, Thakur pleaded guilty to one count of money laundering conspiracy.
Between January and August 2021, Thakur’s co-conspirators called victims over the phone pretending to be individuals in positions of authority, such as law enforcement, and threatening the victims in order to obtain money. For example, Thakur’s co-conspirators threatened that the victims would be arrested or lose public assistance benefits if they did not mail cash to fictitious individuals at addresses in Massachusetts. Thakur obtained fake identification cards in the names of those fictitious individuals, retrieved the cash mailed by the victims and transported the cash to others involved in the scheme. In total, Thakur laundered more than $1.5 million in victim funds and kept a portion of those funds for himself.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins and Matthew B. Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement today. Valuable assistance in the investigation was provided by many local law enforcement partners, including the Norfolk County District Attorney’s Office and the Sharon and Bellingham Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Markham of Rollins’ Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit prosecuted the case.
Springfield Man Pleads Guilty to Sexual Exploitation of a ChildRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield, Mo., man pleaded guilty in federal court today to the sexual exploitation of a 14-year-old victim.
Jared Neal Gonzales, 25, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to one count of using a minor to produce child pornography.
By pleading guilty today, Gonzales admitted he was in a sexual relationship with a 14-year-old girl. Gonzalez also admitted they used a cell phone to record themselves having sexual intercourse. On at least two occasions, at Gonzales’s request, the child victim used her cell phone to send him videos of the couple engaged in sexual intercourse.
Under federal statutes, Gonzales is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of 30 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 Stephanie L. Wan. It was investigated by the FBI and the Springfield, Mo., Police Department.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
South Florida Man Charged with COVID-19 Relief Fraud Allegedly Spends Loan Money on Exotic Sport CarsRead the Press Release
MIAMI — Andre Lorquet, 38, of Miami made his first appearance today in federal magistrate court and was charged with fraudulently obtaining COVID-19 relief loans and grants under the Paycheck Protection Program, the Economic Injury Disaster Relief Program, and the Shuttered Venue Operator Grant.
According to allegations in the indictment, Lorquet submitted fraudulent applications seeking more than $4.7 million in COVID-19 relief funds. In the applications, Lorquet falsified his revenue and payroll and submitted fraudulent IRS tax forms. In addition, Lorquet is alleged to have submitted documents pretending to be, and in the name of, a certified tax preparer.
According to the charges, Lorquet received approximately $4.4 million in COVID-19 relief funds from the fraudulent scheme and is alleged to have used the proceeds to purchase—among other things—a Tesla Plaid, a Tesla Model S, a Lamborghini Urus, and a Porsche Panamera GTS.
The indictment charges Lorquet with four counts of wire fraud, four counts of money laundering, and one count of aggravated identity theft. If convicted, he faces up to 22 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Juan Antonio Gonzalez, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and Michael E. Buckley, acting Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Miami Field Office, made the announcement.
HSI, Miami Field Office, investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Bailyn is prosecuting it and Assistant U.S. Attorney G. Raemy Charest-Turken is handling asset forfeiture.
An Indictment is only an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
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SnapChat Sale of Fentanyl-Laced Pills Leads to Federal Prison Term for Harrisonburg ManRead the Press Release
HARRISONBURG, Va. – Abdallah Amer Ali, 21, of Harrisonburg, Virginia, was sentenced today to 13 years in federal prison after selling a fatal dose of fentanyl to a 16-year-old in Harrisonburg.
Ali pleaded guilty in June 2022 to one count of distributing a measurable quantity of fentanyl.
“In 2021, more than 100,000 Americans died from drug poisonings, with nearly three-fourths of those deaths involving opioids, and we are on pace to surpass that this year,” said United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh. “Our country is in the midst of a staggering crisis and we must approach it comprehensively by prosecuting those who poison our communities and providing support and services to those fighting drug addiction disorder. Fighting this epidemic from both ends is the only way forward.”
“Many of the people who died from fentanyl had no idea they even took it. The drug cartels are using social media to relentlessly expand their business and deceptively sell fake pills directly to young people,” said Jarod Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Washington Division. “We will not stand for criminals such as this, who are duping our youth and fueling the overdose crisis in our area. This case is an example of how the DEA and our law enforcement partners are working to put an end to such unscrupulous criminal behavior and keep our communities safe.”
According to court documents, in October 2019, using the messaging app SnapChat, Ali arranged to sell what the teenage victim believed were Percocet pills, also known as “percs.” Although he advised the teenager to not ingest all of them at once, Ali stopped short of letting him know that the pills also contained the lethal opioid, fentanyl. Unaware that his pills were fentanyl-laced, the teenager ingested the pills, overdosed, and died early the next morning.
United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh and Special Agent in Charge of the DEA’s Washington Division, Jarod Forget, announced the sentence today.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew Bassford and Jonathan Jones prosecuted the case.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, the Harrisonburg Police Department, and the Rockingham County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.
San Jose Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Traffic Methamphetamine in Solano CountyRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Esteban Gerardo Ramirez, 32, of San Jose, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to possess and distribute methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, between Sept. 13, 2021, and March 8, 2022, Ramirez conspired with his co-defendant, Marsha Garma Phillips, 46, of Fairfield, to distribute methamphetamine in Solano County. Supplied by Ramirez, Phillips sold over 5 pounds of methamphetamine to a confidential source. Ramirez and Phillips were arrested in Fremont on March 8, 2022, when they were found in possession of an additional 2 pounds of methamphetamine.
This case is the product of an investigation by the FBI’s Solano County Violent Crimes Task Force and the Fairfield Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrian T. Kinsella is prosecuting the case.
Ramirez faces a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $10 million fine. Any sentence, however, would 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.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
San Antonio Couple Sentenced in Restaurant Investment Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – A Mexican national man and his wife, both residing in San Antonio, were sentenced in federal court today for a scheme to defraud business investors of over $1 million and failing to properly declare their income to the Internal Revenue Service.
Juan Enrique Kramer, 46, was sentenced to three years in prison, forfeiture of $59,589 in proceeds, restitution of $1,171,497 payable to the victims of his wire fraud, and restitution of $727,936 to the IRS. Adriana Pastor, 47, was sentenced to 18 months in prison and is also liable for the $727,936 to the IRS. Both Kramer and Pastor were also sentenced to three years of post-release supervision.
According to court documents, Kramer and other co-conspirators promoted a “turn-key” business venture to Mexican nationals, consisting of a chain of Mexican food restaurants throughout the United States and Mexico known as “Las Quesadillas.” Kramer charged buyers a set fee ranging from $105,000 to $250,000 and promised to perform all tasks necessary for establishing a fully functional restaurant, including finding and renting a suitable location; obtaining all permits; providing assistance in obtaining visas for buyers; completing construction; training employees; and handling all legal fees and incorporation issues.
The defendants took funds from buyers but failed to provide the promised services. Instead, they used the funds for personal gain or to provide partial payments to previous customers who were demanding their money back. In addition to partial refunds, Kramer would also offer stakes in other businesses as an alternative to repayment. If buyers refused, Kramer would threaten to sue them for breach of contract. The defendants perpetrated their scheme on at least eight different victims resulting in a total loss of more than $1 million.
“Investment fraud schemes such as what Kramer and Pastor engaged in are specifically designed to take advantage of vulnerable, trusting individuals,” said U.S. Attorney Ashley C. Hoff. “Today’s sentences underscore that this is unacceptable criminal conduct and violators will be held accountable.”
Kramer and Pastor did not declare any of the investor income to the IRS. In 2016, Pastor signed a tax return which falsely stated a net income loss. In 2017 and 2018, the couple did not file any tax returns whatsoever, despite still running restaurants and taking in investor money.
On February 1, 2022, Kramer pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of failure to file an individual tax return. On February 22, 2022, Pastor pleaded guilty to one count of aiding or assisting in filing a false tax return. Two co-defendants who remain are pending sentencing.
“With Kramer and Pastor came a scheme that caused harm and created victims to citizens in two nations. Our efforts to coordinate with our law enforcement partners at home and abroad help ensure justice is served and criminals pay the price regardless of international borders,” said Special Agent in Charge Ramsey E. Covington, of IRS Criminal Investigation’s Houston Field Office. “These two are con artists who swindled people out of money.”
The IRS-CI and the FBI investigated the case with assistance from the Texas State Securities Board.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin Chung, Matthew W. Kinskey and Antonio Franco Jr. prosecuted the case.
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Residential Builder Pleads Guilty to Defrauding CustomersRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Centreville man pleaded guilty today to defrauding customers who hired his company to build or remodel their residences.
According to court documents, from at least May 2017 through about April 2018, Pedro Felipe Valdes Sanchez, 57, devised and executed a scheme to defraud homeowners in and around McLean. Valdes contracted with several couples to build custom homes for them at a fixed price. He induced his customers to make payments to him by falsely representing that he would use the money to perform specific work on the customers’ properties. In the end, Valdes performed minimal work on these customers’ homes, sometimes only demolishing the existing residence on the customers’ property. Valdes also convinced one customer to lend him money by misrepresenting his company’s financial situation. He sometimes used client funds for personal expenses and routinely used funds from one client to fund another client’s projects.
Valdes is scheduled to be sentenced on February 14, 2023. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 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.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Heidi B. Gesch and Russell L. Carlberg 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-194.
Prison Killer Who Stomped on Victim’s Head and Threw Him Down the Stairs Sentenced to 28 YearsRead the Press Release
DETROIT – A federal prison inmate was sentenced to 28 years in prison today for murdering a fellow inmate at the Milan Correctional Facility, in Milan, Michigan, United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced.
Ison was joined in the announcement by James A. Tarasca, Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Jonathan Hemingway, Warden, Milan Federal Correctional Institution.
United States District Court Judge Paul D. Borman sentenced Jason Dale Kechego, 41, formerly of Detroit, Michigan, following his conviction for Second Degree Murder after a jury trial. The 28-year sentenced was imposed to run consecutively to the ten-year sentence of imprisonment he was already serving for possessing a stolen firearm.
According to court records, on January 2, 2019, Kechego, along with co-defendant Adam Taylor Wright, 42, killed fellow inmate Christian Maire. Kechego and Wright repeatedly kicked and stomped Maire in the head, and Wright prevented corrections officers from intervening while Maire was allegedly being repeatedly stabbed by co-defendant Alex Albert Castro. Court records further allege, that Kechego, along with his two co-defendants, then threw Maire’s body down a flight of stairs. They then celebrated his death. Maire died from multiple stab wounds (28 total) and blunt force trauma to the head from being thrown down the stairs. Kechego and his co-defendants also assaulted and seriously injured three other Milan inmates during their rampage.
Wright pleaded guilty to second degree murder in February 2022 and was recently sentenced to 292 months for his role in the killing. Co-defendant Alex Castro, 42, is currently awaiting trial set for February 2023.
“We are committed to protecting the public, prisoners, and correctional staff from dangerous people like Jason Kechego. This lengthy additional sentence will not only keep him off the streets for decades, but also sends a message that we will hold individuals accountable for the crimes they commit both inside and outside of prison walls,” said U.S. Attorney Ison.
"The safety and security of employees and inmates are undermined whenever a violent act occurs in federal prison," said James A. Tarasca, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's Detroit Field Office. "The length of Mr. Kechego's sentence is a warning to anyone who commits a violent act in prison that they will be held accountable for their crimes."
This case was investigated by special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Frances Lee Carlson and Andrew R. Picek.
Previously Convicted Evansville Child Sexual Abuser Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Receipt of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
EVANSVILLE – Wesley Owen Bowles, Jr., 59, of Evansville, Indiana, was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to receipt of child sexual abuse material.
According to court documents, on March 20, 2020, law enforcement investigators learned about the transmission of suspected child pornography using Google applications. An investigation eventually led law enforcement officers to Bowles. Between March 1, 2019, and October 13, 2020, Bowles received and downloaded more than 600 images to his Google accounts depicting minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct including images depicting a prepubescent minor or a minor under the age of twelve years and images involving sadistic or masochistic conduct or other depictions of violence. The Court also imposed a sentencing enhancement because of the defendant’s pattern of sexually abusing or exploiting children. In 1999, Bowles was convicted of sexual abuse of a child in Dubois County, Indiana.
Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, and Herbert J. Stapleton, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Indianapolis, made the announcement.
The FBI investigated the case. The Evansville Police Department provided invaluable assistance. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Richard L. Young following Bowles’ guilty plea. As part of the sentence, Judge Young ordered that Bowles be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for five years following his release from prison. Bowles must also register as a sex offender wherever he lives, works, or goes to school, as required by law.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd Shellenbarger who prosecuted this case.
This investigation was conducted by the Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, a partnership of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies led by the Indiana State Police. The Task Force is dedicated to investigating and prosecuting crimes involving the technology-facilitated sexual exploitation of children and the trafficking of child sexual abuse material. Each year, Indiana ICAC investigators evaluate thousands of tips, investigate hundreds of cases, and rescue dozens of children from ongoing sexual abuse. In fiscal year 2019, the most recent year for which data is available, the Southern District of Indiana was second out of the 94 federal districts in the country for the number of child sexual exploitation cases prosecuted.
Powell County Man Sentenced to 120 Months for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. – A Beattyville, Ky., man, Byron Wathen, 47, was sentenced in federal court on Tuesday, to ten years in prison, by U.S. District Judge Karen Caldwell, for possession with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
According to his plea agreement, on March 11, 2022, law enforcement found Wathen passed out, laying on his steering wheel at a car wash. During the incident, law enforcement located a pill pocket that contained a crystal substance and, elsewhere in his vehicle, a black bag containing 70 grams of methamphetamine, scales, and $6,613 in cash.
Wathen pleaded guilty in August 2022.
Under federal law, Wathen must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release, his three-year term of supervision by the U.S. Probation Office will commence.
Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; J. Todd Scott, Special Agent in Charge, DEA, Louisville Field Division; and Grant Faulkner, Chief of Police, Stanton Police Department, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the DEA and the Stanton Police Department. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Greenfield.
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Portland Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Trafficking Large Quantities of Methamphetamine and Counterfeit Fentanyl PillsRead the Press Release
MEDFORD, Ore.—A Portland, Oregon man with a prior drug trafficking conviction was sentenced to federal prison today after he was found driving on Interstate 5 in Southern Oregon with more than ten pounds of methamphetamine, nearly three pounds of counterfeit pills containing fentanyl, and two firearms.
Jonathan James Lawson, 29, was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison and five years’ supervised release.
According to court documents, on March 6, 2021, law enforcement learned Lawson was traveling from Southern California to Josephine County, Oregon with a large quantity of drugs. The next day, law enforcement spotted Lawson driving northbound on Interstate 5 near Grants Pass, Oregon and conducted a traffic stop. Inside Lawson’s vehicle, officers located a large tool case containing approximately ten pounds of methamphetamine, 700 grams of counterfeit pills containing fentanyl, body armor, and a revolver. Officers located an additional 480 grams of fentanyl pills, ammunition, drug paraphernalia, and a second firearm elsewhere in the vehicle.
On May 4, 2021, Lawson was charged by criminal complaint with possessing with intent to distribute controlled substances and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Later, on March 15, 2022, Lawson was charged by criminal information with possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine. On May 9, 2022, he pleaded guilty to the single charge.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the Rogue Area Drug Enforcement (RADE) task force, Grants Pass Police Department, and Oregon State Police. It was prosecuted by Marco Boccato, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
Pontiac Man Arrested in ICE Enforcement Action Convicted of Armed Cocaine TraffickingRead the Press Release
DETROIT – A Pontiac man was convicted yesterday by a federal jury in Detroit on charges of possessing cocaine and marijuana with the intent to distribute those drugs, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possession of a firearm by a person who is unlawfully in the United States, announced United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison.
Joining Ison in the announcement was James A. Tarasca, Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit Field Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Robert Lynch, Field Office Director ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Detroit.
A four-day trial, conducted before United States District Judge Nancy G. Edmunds, resulted in the conviction of Edgar Rangel-Tapia, 27. Tapia faces a minimum of five years in prison and a maximum of life when he is sentenced, likely early next year.
According to the evidence presented at trial, ICE ERO deportation officers were executing a search warrant for documents in April 2021. Tapia was the only person home at the time. During a protective sweep, agents saw a safe full of drugs and cash, and a shotgun behind a dresser. They then contacted the FBI, who secured a second search warrant for drugs, firearms, and related materials. The FBI recovered additional ammunition and a firearm, as well as over $9,000 cash in and around the safe in defendant’s bedroom. Investigators also found two hand-held scales (commonly used to weigh drugs for street sale), materials for packaging drugs for sale, and Tapia’s cellphone, which contained text messages relating to drug transactions.
Tapia entered the United States unlawfully and therefore cannot legally possess firearms.
“Our office will vigorously pursue armed drug dealers who traffic cocaine and other drugs into our community,” said Ison. “We will do all we can to stop them from continuing to destroy the lives of our friends, neighbors, and loved ones who suffer from their illegal conduct.”
“This case is an excellent example of how federal law enforcement agencies work together to fulfill our joint mission to free our communities from criminals who use firearms and trafficking illegal drugs,” said James A. Tarasca, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Detroit Field Office. “We remain committed to working with law enforcement agencies at all levels to disrupt drug trafficking and to remove illegal guns from the streets of Southeast Michigan."
“I’m incredibly proud of these officers and their commitment to public safety,” said ICE ERO Detroit Field Office Director Robert Lynch. “They, along with the other members of U.S. Immigration and Custom Enforcement Detroit Field Office, work tirelessly to identify and remove individuals, like Rangel-Tapia, from the community who disregard our laws and endanger the public.”
This investigation was led by agents of the FBI Oakland County Gang and Violent Crimes Task Force which includes Oakland County Sheriff's Office, Troy Police Department, Southfield Police Department, Bloomfield Township Police Department, Michigan State Police, Franklin-Bingham Farms Police Department, with the assistance of ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Trevor Broad and David Portelli.
Philadelphia man admits to role in drug trafficking enterpriseRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Brian Jones, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, has admitted to his role in a drug distribution enterprise, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
Jones, also known as “B,” 63, pleaded guilty today to one count of “Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Heroin, Fentanyl, Cocaine Base, and Cocaine Hydrochloride.” Jones admitted to working with others in a drug distribution operation in Berkeley County and elsewhere from June 2019 to October 2020.
Jones faces up to 20 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The FBI; the Department of Homeland Security Investigations; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the U.S. Marshals Service; the West Virginia State Police; the Eastern Panhandle Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; and the West Virginia Air National Guard investigated. The Eastern District of Pennsylvania U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Kent County Sheriff’s Office assisted.
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.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Trumble presided.
Find the related case here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndwv/pr/22-people-indicted-drug-trafficking-enterprise-spanned-several-states
Pennsylvania Man Admits Bank Fraud Conspiracy that Operated in South Jersey and Southeastern PennsylvaniaRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A Pennsylvania man today admitted his role in a bank fraud conspiracy that targeted 12 different financial institutions in southern New Jersey and southeastern Pennsylvania, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Muritala Adeowo, 57, of Lansdowne, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty before U.S. district Judge Noel L. Hillman in Camden federal court to an indictment charging him with one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Adeowo was part of a multi-defendant, Nigerian-based, multi-layered criminal organization that engaged in a bank fraud conspiracy in several states, including New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Rhode Island, between June 2016 and March 2020. Members of the group acquired numerous business checks that were stolen from the United States mail, altered the payee on the checks to a fraudulent name and deposited the checks into bank accounts that had been opened with forged foreign passport documents and fraudulent U.S. visas that matched the names on the stolen checks. Once the banks credited all or a portion of the funds to the accounts, but before the checks had cleared, the defendants withdrew the funds from ATMs or purchased money orders, using debit cards associated with the fraudulent accounts. Members of the organization have used over 400 fraudulent accounts opened with fake identity documents to defraud the victim banks. To date, the total loss to the victim banks is approximately $7 million.
Adeowo admitted that he obtained fraudulent foreign passports for some of the conspirators that were used to open fraudulent accounts at the victim banks. Adeowo also admitted that he obtained stolen business checks from other conspirators that were then altered to change the payee on the check to match the fraudulent identity documents of the conspirator who would be depositing the check. On Aug. 25, 2020, Adeowo was arrested at his residence. Federal agents executed a federal search warrant and seized several stolen business checks that were found in Adeowo’s bedroom.
The bank fraud conspiracy charge carries a maximum potential penalty of 30 years in prison and a maximum fine of $1 million. Sentencing is scheduled for March 16, 2023.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Bellmawr office and Philadelphia Division Office, under the direction of Acting Inspector in Charge Raimundo Marrero; U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Washington, D.C., Division Office, under the direction of Inspector in Charge Damon Wood; Homeland Security Investigations, Cherry Hill Office and Newark Division Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel; Homeland Security Investigations, Philadelphia Division Office, under the Direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge William S. Walker; Homeland Security Investigations, Maryland Division Office, under the direction of James R. Mancuso, Special Agent in Charge, Baltimore, Maryland; Homeland Security Investigations Rhode Island Office, under the direction of Matthew Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge, Boston Division Office; and the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS), under the direction of R. Mike Escott, Resident Agent in Charge, Philadelphia Resident Office, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.
Six other conspirators have previously pleaded guilty, and one conspirator was convicted in a trial before Judge Hillman in June 2022. Five of these defendants have pending sentencing hearings before Judge Hillman. Charges against four other defendants remain pending – the charges against them are merely accusations, and they are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patrick C. Askin and Daniel Friedman of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Camden.
Out of state trucker ordered to prison for carrying cocaineRead the Press Release
BROWNSVILLE, Texas – A 54-year-old man has been sent to federal prison following his conviction of trafficking 75 kilograms of cocaine, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
Legusta Juaquim Rodan, De Valls Bluff, Arkansas, pleaded guilty Aug. 1.
Today, U.S. District Judge Fernando Rodriguez Jr. ordered Rodan to serve 87 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release. In handing down the sentence, the court noted that Rodan participated in a pattern of conduct in narcotics trafficking as opposed to being caught up in a one time event.
On Sept. 10, 2020, law enforcement inspected Rodan’s vehicle at the Falfurrias Border Patrol (BP) checkpoint. At that time, they discovered 75.5 kilograms of cocaine and 400 kilograms of marijuana in his tractor trailer.
The trailer contained wooden pallets full of cartons of raspberries. After a K-9 alerted to a drug scent, authorities found 43 bundles of drugs hidden below the pallets and cartons of fruit.
Rodan will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations and BP conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney David A. Lindenmuth prosecuted the case.
Omaha Man Sentenced to Life for Sex Trafficking MinorsRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Steven Russell announced that Carney Turner, 42, of Omaha, Nebraska, and Julisha Biggs, 20, of Omaha, Nebraska, were sentenced today in federal court in Omaha for a conspiracy to sex traffic minors. Chief Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Turner to life imprisonment on one count of conspiracy to sex traffic minors, three counts of sex trafficking of a minor, and two counts of enticement of a minor.
Chief Judge Rossiter sentenced Biggs to 87 months’ imprisonment for her role in the sex trafficking conspiracy. There is no parole in the federal prison system. After her release from prison, Biggs will serve 5 years of supervised release and will be required to register as a sex offender.
Co-Defendant Sidney Marker is scheduled to be sentenced for her role in the conspiracy on November 14, 2022, at 10:00 AM.
Law enforcement began investigating in September 2020 after discovering electronic messages between a minor female and Turner during a separate sex trafficking investigation. The minor female was interviewed and reported that she had been sex trafficked by Turner for approximately three months and that Turner had kept money from the sex sales. In October 2020, a second minor female reported that she had been sexually assaulted by a man in a hotel room after Turner brought her to the hotel and paid her to meet with the man. In November 2020, a third minor female was reported missing from her foster home and law enforcement observed that she was being posted in online sex advertisements by a phone number associated with Turner.
Evidence uncovered by law enforcement showed that Turner, Marker, and Biggs resided together in an apartment in Ralston, Nebraska. Turner recruited, advertised, and arranged commercial sex sales for minors between approximately January 2020 and February 2021. The sex sales took place at hotels in and around Omaha, as well as at the apartment, which had been leased by Marker. At least one of the minors also stayed at the apartment for a period of time. Marker provided vehicles to transport the minors to hotels for commercial sex acts and assisted with renting hotel rooms. The minor who had been reported missing in November 2020 had been recruited by Biggs to come work for Turner.
“Criminals, like these sentenced today, are more concerned with their own greed than the horrific circumstances they seek to expose minors to,” said Special Agent in Charge of HSI Kansas City Katherine Greer. “This sentencing should send a strong message that HSI and our law enforcement partners are committed to seeking, dismantling and bringing to justice those who seek to perpetrate sex trafficking and child exploitation crimes against minors.”
A spokesperson for the Omaha Police Department stated that they are pleased to see such strong sentences against sex trafficking. “It is important to send the message that sex trafficking will not be tolerated and the criminals who participate in it will be severely punished. The Omaha Police Department will continue to work with their federal partners to rescue the survivors of trafficking and will tirelessly pursue their traffickers.”
Acting U.S. Attorney Russell added, “I appreciate the commitment and effort of Homeland Security Investigations, the Omaha Police Department and my staff in working together on these difficult and important cases while bringing justice to those who prey and traffic upon vulnerable children.”
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Omaha Police Department, and the Nebraska Attorney General’s Office.
Oklahoma Doctor Sentenced to Serve More Than Four Years in Federal Prison for Illegal Drug Distribution and Health Care FraudRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – On October 25, 2022, MELVIN LEE ROBISON, 68, of Lake City, Colorado, was sentenced to serve 54 months in federal prison for illegal drug distribution and health care fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester for the Western District of Oklahoma, U.S. Attorney Juan Antonio Gonzales for the Southern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Eduardo A. Chávez for the Drug Enforcement Administration – Dallas Field Office, and Acting Special Agent in Charge Jason E. Meadows for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General’s Dallas Regional Office.
"Medical doctors take an oath to help those in times of need," said U.S. Attorney Troester. "Dr. Robison prescribed addictive, dangerous, and powerful controlled substances without a legitimate medical purpose and abused the medical system to line his pockets for financial gain. This conduct violated his oath and federal law. My office remains committed to working with our law enforcement partners to hold accountable doctors who fuel the opioid crisis and exploit their oath for money."
"Health care fraud continues to be one of the most widespread and common forms of fraud our nation faces," said Juan Antonio Gonzalez, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida. "It is shameful how Mr. Robison recruited patients to join him in his fraudulent scheme by offering them kickbacks from his illegal profits. We will continue to go after perpetrators like this with every resource available to us."
"As we continue to lose lives by the misuse and abuse of prescription drugs, we look to our medical professionals for sound guidance, professionalism, and integrity," stated Special Agent in Charge Chávez. "Dr. Robison broke that oath for one sole purpose: greed. Today’s conviction is a testament to the work of our investigators, prosecutors, and law enforcement partners who will continue to protect the lives of our loved ones."
"It is particularly egregious that Dr. Robison used stolen taxpayer money to travel abroad and then furthered his scheme by fraudulently billing Medicare while he was there," said Acting Special Agent in Charge Meadows. "HHS/OIG and our law enforcement partners will relentlessly pursue those who steal from the American taxpayers to afford their own selfish lifestyles on the backs of honest Americans."
On June 20, 2018, a federal grand jury returned a 159-count Indictment against Robison, who during the relevant time period ran the Robison Family Clinic in Sayre, Oklahoma. Robison was charged with numerous counts of drug distribution—specifically, dispensing opioids and other drugs outside the usual course of professional practice and not for a legitimate medical purpose—along with multiple counts of Medicare/Medicaid fraud based on, amongst other things, services he billed for while out of the country and services he billed for related to care of patients in nursing homes without performing the services or supervising those who provided them. On December 19, 2019, a Superseding Indictment was filed, charging Robison with five additional counts.
During the pendency of Robison’s prosecution on these drug and health care fraud charges, he was also charged in the Southern District of Florida on June 11, 2021, with one count of conspiracy to pay healthcare kickbacks.
On October 25, 2022, Robison pled guilty to two counts of the Superseding Indictment, charging him with the illegal distribution of controlled substances and health care fraud. As to the health care fraud, Robison admitted to fraudulently billing Medicare at a higher rate for services that were performed by a nurse practitioner instead of himself. Robison also pled guilty to a single count of conspiracy to pay healthcare kickbacks in his Florida case, as well. U.S. District Judge Timothy DeGiusti then sentenced Dr. Robison to serve a 54-month sentence on his two Oklahoma-based charges, and another 24 months on his Florida case, to be run concurrent to his Oklahoma sentences. Robison was also ordered to pay a fine of $13,362.00, to pay restitution of $112,384.61 to the Centers of Medicare & Medicaid Services, and to forfeit $202,597.18. In imposing the sentence, Judge DeGiusti specifically noted the detriment to the community in that the number of prescriptions from controlled substances far exceeded the population of Sayre, Oklahoma, where Robison practiced medicine.
Pursuant to the plea agreement, the remaining counts against Robison were dismissed at sentencing.
This case was the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Oklahoma State Board of Osteopathic Examiners, the Board of Medicolegal Investigations – Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – Office of the Inspector General’s Dallas Regional Office, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation – Oklahoma City Field Office. The Florida case was the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation – West Palm Beach Field Office, as well as the Florida Department of Financial Services-Division of Investigative and Forensic Services, Bureau of Insurance Fraud.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Anderson prosecuted the case on behalf of the Western District of Oklahoma. Alexandra Chase prosecuted the case on behalf of the Southern District of Florida.
Reference is made to public filings for additional information.
New Jersey Woman Pleads Guilty to Possessing and Distributing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A resident of Camden, NJ pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of violating federal narcotics laws, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
Beatrice Ortiz, age 34, pleaded guilty to a lesser-included offense at Count Two of the Indictment before Senior United States District Judge Kim R. Gibson.
In connection with the guilty plea, on or around October 25, 2018, Ortiz possessed with the intent to distribute a quantity of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine.
Judge Gibson scheduled sentencing for April 5, 2023. The law provides for a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine of $1,000,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Maureen Sheehan-Balchon is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation- Laurel Highlands Resident Agency and the Cambria County Drug Task Force conducted the investigation that led to the successful prosecution of Ortiz.
Minneapolis Felon Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Possession of a Stolen FirearmRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Minneapolis man was sentenced today to 120 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for possessing a stolen firearm, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, on August 27, 2021, Michael James Jackson, 39, was speeding through red lights in a vehicle with his girlfriend in North Minneapolis when officers with the Minneapolis Police Department spotted and pursued the speeding vehicle. Jackson abandoned the vehicle and fled on foot while his girlfriend remained in the front passenger seat on the side of the road. Jackson fired 15 shots into the air from a stolen Smith & Wesson .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol approximately 50 yards from the stopped vehicle and the responding officers.
Prior to August 27, 2021, Jackson had been convicted of several felonies, including terroristic threats, aggravated robbery, and assault.
On July 8, 2022, Jackson pleaded guilty before Senior Judge Michael J. Davis to one count of possession of a stolen firearm.
This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the Minneapolis Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Chelsea A. Walcker prosecuted the case.
Michigan City Man Sentenced to 52 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
SOUTH BEND – Sergio Adams, 33 years old, of Michigan City, Indiana was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Robert L. Miller, Jr., on his plea of guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.
Adams was sentenced to 52 months in prison followed by 2 years of supervised release.
According to documents in this case, in November 2021, police responded to an alert and recovered a handgun that had been possessed by Sergio Adams . At the time of this offense, he was on supervised release. A search of Adams’ criminal history revealed he has three prior felony convictions, any one of which prohibit him from possessing a firearm or ammunition.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with the assistance of the Michigan City Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Frank E. Schaffer.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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Mexican Springs man sentenced to six and a half years in prison for manslaughterRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced that Quinten Smith, 22, of Mexican Springs, New Mexico, and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, was sentenced on Nov. 7 to six years and six months in prison for manslaughter in Indian Country. Smith pleaded guilty on May 16.
On Sept. 24, 2021, Smith and other family members went to the home of the victim, identified as John Doe, to confront him for allegedly assaulting Smith’s mother. When they arrived at the home, a physical altercation ensued. During the fight, Smith stabbed the victim multiple times in the back with a pocketknife. Smith and the others fled the home immediately.
John Doe, who was also an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, was found deceased in his home later that day. The killing occurred on the Navajo Nation.
Upon his release from prison, Smith will be subject to three years of supervised release.
The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office and the Navajo Police Department investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Marshall prosecuted the case.
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Massachusetts Man Charged in Rhode Island After Federal Agents Seize More Than Three Pounds of Crystal MethRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A Lawrence, MA, man has been ordered detained in federal custody on drug trafficking charges after DEA Task Force agents and Boston Police detectives allegedly interrupted the delivery of more than three pounds of crystal methamphetamine, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.
It is alleged in charging documents that Rhode Island DEA Task Force agents developed information that Hector Gonzalez Michel, 31, was preparing to deliver a substantial quantity of crystal meth to a person in Boston who allegedly supplied the drug to others. Gonzalez Michel was approached by Rhode Island and Boston DEA task force agents and Boston Police Detectives as he arrived outside a Boston residence where, it is alleged, he was to have delivered the drugs. It is alleged that he was found to be carrying 3.4 lbs. of crystal methamphetamine stored inside a small cooler.
Gonzalez Michel made an initial appearance in federal court in Providence on Friday, charged by way of a criminal complaint with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances in excess of 500 hundred grams and distribution of controlled substances in excess of 500 grams. A federal criminal complaint is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stacey P. Veroni.
The Rhode Island DEA Drug Task Force is comprised of personnel from the DEA; Rhode Island State Police; the East Providence, Cranston, Coventry, Newport, North Kingstown, Pawtucket, Providence, South Kingstown, Warwick, West Warwick, and Woonsocket and Amtrak Police Departments; and the Rhode Island Attorney General’s Office Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation.
Members of the DEA Boston Task Force Group 5 assisted in the investigation and arrest of Gonzalez Michel.
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Maryland Heights Man Admits Sex with Teen He Met OnlineRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A man from Maryland Heights, Missouri on Tuesday pleaded guilty to a federal crime and admitted having sexual contact with a 15-year-old that he’d met online.
Daniel J. Todd, 33, pleaded guilty in front of U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey to one count of coercion and enticement of a minor. Todd, who was then 32, communicated over social media with a 15-year-old girl between October of 2021 and February of 2022. After they arranged to meet, Todd picked up the victim from her home in St. Charles County on Dec. 4, 2021 and took her to his home, where he committed statutory sodomy. Todd admitted lying to the victim, telling her that he was 24. He also admitted acknowledging in communications with her afterwards that sexual contact between them is “technically rape and I could be arrested.”
Todd initially lied to law enforcement in an April 5, 2022 interview, denying any sexual contact with the girl. When confronted with their communications, he admitted having sexual contact with the minor despite knowing it was against the law.
As part of Todd’s plea, both prosecutors and Todd’s lawyer agreed to ask for 10 years in prison and a lifetime term of supervised release when he’s sentenced on February 9, 2023, but the decision is ultimately up to Judge Autrey.
The case was investigated by the St. Charles County Cybercrime Task Force, the Maryland Heights Police Department and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jillian Anderson is prosecuting the case.
Martinsburg woman sentenced for firearms chargeRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Kristin Leanne Price, of Martinsburg, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 87 months of incarceration for her role in a firearms trafficking conspiracy, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
Price, 28, pleaded guilty in April 2022 to one count of “False Statements During Purchase of Firearm.” Price admitted to falsifying forms to purchase a 9mm pistol from a licensed dealer in Berkeley County in June 2020.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated.
U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.
Man Sentenced to Ten Years in Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing Two Loaded Firearms as a Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A man who illegally possessed two loaded firearms and an extended magazine as a convicted felon, fled from police, and then punched a police officer in the head has been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison.
On March 29, 2020, JONATHAN KNOX, 26, of Chicago, was a passenger in a vehicle engaged in a traffic stop with Chicago Police Department officers. Knox exited the vehicle and fled from law enforcement with one firearm in his hand and another concealed in the lining of his jacket. During the pursuit, Knox threw the firearm in his hand into the backyard of a nearby residence. Knox punched the officer multiple times in the back of the head while the officer was trying to detain Knox in the yard of that same residence. Officers recovered both firearms a short time later. Knox pleaded guilty earlier this year to a federal charge of illegal possession of a firearm.
On November 4, 2022, U.S. District Judge Ronald A. Guzman imposed a 120-month prison sentence.
“The unlawful possession of firearms has crippled communities across the Chicagoland region. The consequences of picking up an illegal firearm must be severe enough such that a convicted felon who decides to do so understands the serious consequences that this decision entails,” argued Assistant U.S. Attorney Julia Schwartz in the government’s sentencing memorandum.
The sentence was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; John S. Morales, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI; and David Brown, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department. Assistance was provided by the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office.
Holding illegal firearm possessors accountable through federal prosecution is a centerpiece of Project Safe Neighborhoods, the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction strategy. 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.
Man Awaiting Murder Trial Sentenced to Almost Nine Years for Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
The man accused by the state of murdering rapper Mo3 was sentenced today to 105 months in federal prison for a firearm crime, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad E. Meacham.
Kewon Dontrell White, 23, pleaded guilty in May to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He was sentenced Tuesday by U.S. District Judge Karen Gren Scholer.
In to plea papers, Mr. White, who had been previously convicted of felony offenses involving unauthorized use of motor vehicles and evading arrest and detention, possessed a 9mm semi-automatic pistol.
Law enforcement discovered the pistol in his pants pocket on Aug. 16, 2020.
When they observed Mr. White commit a traffic violation on his dirt bike while driving down West Pleasant Run Road in Lancaster, Texas, officers attempted to pull him over. The defendant ignored their lights and sirens and fled the scene. Officers gave chase. Mr. White then crashed his dirt bike and fled on foot. Officers pursued and detained him a short time later.
Mr. White has also been charged by Dallas County with the murder of 28-year-old rapper Melvin Nobel, also known as M03. That case remains pending. Mr. White is presumed innocent on the state charges until proven guilty in a court of law.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives and the Dallas Police Department conducted the investigation with assistance from the Duncanville and Lancaster Police Departments. The U.S. Marshal’s Service assisted in the arrest. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Myria Boehm and Abe McGlothin prosecuted the case.
Man Admits Stealing Dozens of Catalytic Converters from Around St. LouisRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A man from East St. Louis on Tuesday admitted stealing 39 catalytic converters from trucks and vans around the St. Louis area.
Matthew Jennings, 31, pleaded guilty in front of U.S. District Judge Rodney W. Sippel to one felony count of conspiracy to transport and sell stolen goods. He admitted that beginning in December of 2019, he and his co-defendant, D’Ante Carter, stole catalytic converters from vehicles in the St. Louis area and sold them for scrap.
Jennings admitted stealing a total of 39 catalytic converters and trying to steal three more, primarily from pickup trucks and vans parked overnight at landscaping companies, other commercial businesses and an organization that helps those with disabilities.
Carter acted as lookout and Jennings used a reciprocating saw to cut the converters, which contain trace amounts of precious metals, free from the vehicles. The men then sold the converters to a recycling company in Illinois, their plea agreements say.
Jennings is scheduled to be sentenced February 10. The charge carries a penalty of up to five years in prison.
Carter, 38, of Florissant, was sentenced to nine months in prison in September and ordered to pay $46,001 in restitution to victims. He also pleaded guilty to a conspiracy charge.
The FBI and the St. Louis County, St. Charles County, Creve Coeur, Bridgeton, Maryland Heights, O’Fallon, Missouri and Webster Groves police departments investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Ware prosecuted the case.
Man Admits Involvement in 21-Carjacking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A man pleaded guilty to five felony charges Monday and admitted being involved in a conspiracy believed responsible for 21 carjackings in the St. Louis area.
Detrich Lamon Williams Jr., 20, pleaded guilty in front of U.S. District Judge Sarah E. Pitlyk to all five charges he is facing: carjacking conspiracy, two counts of carjacking, brandishing of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence and discharge of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.
Williams admitted as part of his plea that he was among a group of teenagers from the Castle Point neighborhood in St. Louis County that was involved in a series of carjackings in St. Louis and St. Louis County between July and October of 2020. Police believe the group committed a total of 21 carjackings, Williams’ plea says.
In many of the carjackings, Williams got out of a car driven by someone else and stole the victims’ vehicles at gunpoint. Several victims said the carjacker used a pistol with a green laser sight.
In his plea, Williams admitted stealing a Toyota Camry at gunpoint on Aug. 17, 2020, and then leading police on a high-speed chase that began in St. Louis and ended near Castle Point only after police used spike strips to disable the Camry.
On Sept. 26, 2020, Williams and another person, who was armed with a pistol, stole a 2017 Volvo S60 sedan from a pizza delivery driver.
On Oct. 11, 2020, Williams approached a woman who had just parked and exited her vehicle at the South County Mall, fired a shot in the air and stole the woman’s purse and 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee, he admitted in his plea.
Later that same day, Williams was with three others in St. Louis when they spotted a Jeep Cherokee. Williams and the driver stayed in the vehicle while the others confronted the owner of the Jeep, and one of the others shot the Jeep’s owner before the group fled, Williams’ plea says.
Williams’ sentencing has been set for January 31. He faces at least 17 years in prison for the brandishing and discharge counts, due to their mandatory minimum sentences, that will be consecutive to the other three charges.
The case was investigated by the Webster Groves Police Department, the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, the St. Louis County Police Department, the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Donald Boyce is prosecuting the case.
Major indictment targets southeastern drug trafficking conspiracyRead the Press Release
STATESBORO, GA: A newly unsealed federal indictment charges nearly three dozen defendants for their involvement in a drug trafficking conspiracy centered in south Georgia and reaching into the Caribbean.
The primary conspiracy charge in USA v. Morales-Jimenez et. al, dubbed Operation Carpet Ride, carries a statutory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, up to life, said David H. Estes, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. Conviction on the charge also carries a minimum of five years of supervised release following any prison term, and there is no parole in the federal system.
“The painstaking investigation in Operation Carpet Ride spans nearly six years and thousands of miles as it tracked illegal drugs flowing into the United States to the Southern District of Georgia and beyond,” said U.S. Attorney Estes. “Our law enforcement partners have done outstanding work in identifying, investigating and disrupting this drug trafficking organization.”
Operation Carpet Ride, investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF), identified drug trafficking operations in Bulloch, Burke, Candler, Effingham, Evans, Liberty, Richmond, and Tattnall counties, and elsewhere, from as early as January 2016. As described in the 49-count indictment, the conspiracy is alleged to have imported large quantities of cocaine, methamphetamine and other drugs for distribution in the Southern District.
Each defendant in USA v. Morales-Jiminez et. al is charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute, and to Distribute, 5 Kilograms or More of Cocaine; 50 Grams or More of Methamphetamine; 28 Grams or More of Crack Cocaine; Hydrocodone; Oxycodone; and Marijuana. Other individual charges in the indictment include drug possession and distribution, maintenance of a drug-involved premises, and illegal firearms possession and use.
Those named in the indictment include:
- Daniel Morales-Jimenez, a/k/a “Danny Hill,” 45, of Puerto Rico;
- Pedro Castro-Vasquez, a/k/a “Chipo,” 50, of Puerto Rico;
- Sonic Torres-Garcia, 24, of Kissimmee, Fla.;
- Kristine Albright-Ramos, 35, of Puerto Rico;
- Alexys Rivera-Cuevas, 28, of Gainesville, Fla.;
- Luis Diaz-Albright, 20, of Puerto Rico;
- Paola Morales Rosario, 24, of Kissimmee, Fla.;
- Clarence Bess, a/k/a “Cash,” 41, of Jacksonville, Fla.;
- Laverne Pullins Jr., 70, of Jacksonville, Fla.;
- Demarr Clayton Lee, 52, of Miami, Fla.;
- Tony Deshawn Slater, 51, of Claxton, Ga.;
- Domanek Laquan Mincey, 44, of Glennville, Ga.;
- Anthony Craig Johnson, a/k/a “Pookie,” 56, of Claxton, Ga.;
- Andre Delerrain Anderson, 48, of Claxton, Ga.;
- Phillip Dwayne Walden, 45, of Statesboro, Ga.;
- Corey Ontavious Hendrix, 44, of Claxton, Ga.;
- Enrique Humbra Denson Sr., 49, of Statesboro, Ga.;
- Enrique Humbra Denson Jr., 29, of Reidsville, Ga.;
- Kevin Derrell Ponder, 45, of Claxton, Ga.;
- Terran Harvel Tigner, 35, of Glennville, Ga.;
- Troy Sinclair Tigner, 35, of Glennville, Ga.;
- Nicholas Rashon Fillmore, 42, of Hinesville, Ga.;
- Marquese Shavel Palmer, 30, of Claxton, Ga.;
- Michael Lynn Jinks, 47, of Glennville, Ga.;
- Tony Anthony Warren, 38, of Claxton, Ga.;
- Lance Boyette Ford, 39, of Glennville, Ga.;
- Heather Elaine Barbee, 43, of Sylvania, Ga.;
- Sean Christopher Brown, 43, of Savannah;
- Jarvis Charles Hagan, 31, of Claxton, Ga.;
- Kenneth Bacon Hall, 51, of Glennville, Ga.;
- Caleb Earl Riggs, 37, of Claxton, Ga.; and,
- Gerald Walter Dasher, 52, of Glennville, Ga.
Criminal indictments contain only charges; defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The case is investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach.
The case is being investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Homeland Security Investigations; the Georgia Bureau of Investigation; the Puerto Rico State Police; the Georgia State Board of Pardons and Paroles; the Georgia Department of Community Supervision; the Tattnall County Sheriff’s Office; the Bulloch County Sheriff’s Office; the Evans County Sheriff’s Office; the Barceloneta Police Department; the Claxton Police Department; and the Glennville Police Department; and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Frank M. Pennington II and OCDETF Coordinator Marcela C. Mateo.
Main Line Accountant Sentenced to More than Three Years for Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Michael Goldner, 52, of Paoli, PA, was sentenced to 40 months in prison and three years of supervised release by United States District Court Judge Mark A. Kearney for his scheme to use his cash and his employer’s business bank accounts to hide his actual income and assets and therefore avoid paying his legitimate tax obligations.
In June 2022, the defendant was convicted after trial of tax evasion and failing to file tax returns in connection with this years-long tax fraud. Evidence presented at trial showed that for the tax years 2013 through 2017, Goldner reported more than $4 million in income and $1.8 million in tax due, of which he paid less than $100,000. Further, from 2016 to 2020, the defendant evaded the payment of these outstanding taxes while earning a substantial income. Instead of depositing his paychecks into a personal bank account, he cashed the checks and used his employer’s business accounts to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars of personal expenses, including rent, a second home, groceries, private school and dance lessons for his child, country club dues, and restitution from a prior fraud conviction for which he was on federal probation. For the years 2016 and 2017, the defendant filed tax returns that failed to report this additional income from his employer. For tax years 2018 and 2019, the defendant failed to file a return altogether.
“The American tax system funds government services critical to our people,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “Every time someone cheats the system, the burden of providing vital services increases on taxpayers who pay their fair share. As a professional accountant, this defendant knew what his obligations were and willfully schemed to evade them; and for this fraud he will now spend time behind bars.”
“Our agents have the expertise and investigative tools to uncover tax and financial fraud schemes, no matter how sophisticated the scheme may be,” said IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge Yury Kruty. “Goldner’s scheme served no purpose other than to enrich himself, while cheating and stealing from the American public and the government. Anyone contemplating following Goldner’s footstep is urged to take a step back and consider the consequences”
The case was investigated by Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Ignall and Trial Attorney Jack Morgan of the Tax Division of the Department of Justice.
MS-13 Gang Members Charged with 2015 Murder in BrentwoodRead the Press Release
A two-count indictment was unsealed earlier today in federal court in Central Islip charging three members of La Mara Salvatrucha, also known as the MS-13, Roberto Antonio Abrego-Reyes, also known as “Splinter” and “Impaciente,” Miguel Angel Alfaro-Santos, also known as “Asesino,” and Jose Benedicto Baires-Novoa, also known as “Macabro,” with the murder of 24-year-old Kenneth Evans, Jr in Brentwood, New York on November 28, 2015.
Baires-Novoa, who is a member of the Guanacos Lil Cycos Salvatruchas (Guanacos) clique of the MS-13, was arrested in Brentwood, New York on November 7, 2022 by members of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Long Island Gang Task Force (FBI LIGTF) and was arraigned before United States Magistrate Judge James M. Wicks earlier this afternoon. Baires-Novoa was ordered detained pending trial. Additionally, earlier today, Alfaro-Santos, who is also a member of the Guanacos clique of the MS-13, appeared in federal court in the Middle District of Pennsylvania, and was ordered removed to the Eastern District of New York to face charges. The third defendant, Abrego-Reyes, a member of the Indios Locos Salvatruchas (ILS) clique of the MS-13, is presently in state custody at the Nassau County Correctional Center and will be transferred to federal custody and arraigned at a later date.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Michael J. Driscoll, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI) and Rodney K. Harrison, Commissioner, Suffolk County Police Department (SCPD), announced the charges.
“With these arrests, we are holding the defendants accountable for senselessly shooting two innocent bystanders, striking one in the head and killing the other, leaving fear and grief in their wake,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “This should serve as a warning, that there is no amount of time that will stop this Office from pursuing justice to keep our communities safe.”
United States Attorney Peace expressed his appreciation to the members of the FBI LIGTF, as well as to the Nassau County District Attorney’s Office, for their partnership in this case.
“The senseless and gruesome acts committed in the name of MS-13 are hard to comprehend,” Suffolk County Police Commissioner Rodney K. Harrison said. “This department, along with our law enforcement partners, will never stop pursuing justice for those killed at hands of gang members. Even though seven years have passed since this murder, investigators never gave up.”
"MS-13 raises the specter of violence for communities that have experienced the terror members leave in their wake. Our work has slowed and even stopped their criminal and deadly activity; however, we could see a resurgence if we get complacent. The FBI Long Island Gang Task Force and our law enforcement partners are continuing the work and maintaining our outreach with the public to thwart this ever-present threat," stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Driscoll.
According to court filings, on the evening of November 28, 2015, Abrego-Reyes, Alfaro-Santos and Baires-Novoa agreed with other MS-13 members to “put in work” for the gang – that is, to go out hunting for rival gang members to target and kill. The MS-13 members armed themselves with a .38 caliber handgun and a 9mm handgun, and drove around the Brentwood area looking for potential targets. While driving in the vicinity of Gibson Avenue in Brentwood, the three defendants and their fellow MS-13 co-conspirators observed three males, one of whom was Evans, walking along the street. Although the three males were not personally known to the MS-13 members, they were wrongly presumed to be members of a rival gang and were immediately targeted.
Alfaro-Santos and another MS-13 member, who were each armed with a handgun, got out of the car and approached the victims, while Abrego-Reyes, who was driving the vehicle, Baires-Novoa, and another MS-13 member remained in close proximity, watching for police presence in the area and waiting to drive the shooters away from the scene. Alfaro-Santos and the other MS-13 member walked just behind the three victims and began shooting. Evans was struck multiple times and died from his wounds. A second victim was shot in the head but survived the attack. The third man escaped injury. Following the shooting, the MS-13 members in the car picked up the two shooters, and all fled the scene.
If convicted, each defendant faces mandatory life in prison or the possibility of the death penalty.
This indictment is the latest in a series of federal prosecutions by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York targeting members of the MS-13, a violent, transnational criminal organization. The MS-13’s leadership is based in El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala and Mexico, but the gang has thousands of members across the United States. With numerous branches, or “cliques,” the MS-13 is the most violent criminal organization on Long Island. Since 2003, hundreds of MS-13 members, including dozens of clique leaders, have been convicted on federal felony charges in the Eastern District of New York. A majority of those MS-13 members have been convicted on federal racketeering charges for participating in murders, attempted murders and assaults. Since 2010, this Office has obtained indictments charging MS-13 members with carrying out more than 60 murders in the Eastern District of New York, resulting in the convictions of dozens of MS-13 leaders and members in connection with those murders. These prosecutions are the product of investigations led by the FBI LIGTF, which is comprised of agents and officers of the FBI, SCPD, Nassau County Police Department, Nassau County Sheriff’s Department, Suffolk County Probation Office, Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office, the New York State Police, the Hempstead Police Department, the Rockville Centre Police Department and the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Long Island Criminal Division. Assistant United States Attorneys Paul G. Scotti, Justina L. Geraci and Megan E. Farrell are in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendants:
ROBERTO ANTONIO ABREGO-REYES (“Splinter” and “Impaciente”)
Age: 28
Flushing and Hempstead, NYMIGUEL ANGEL ALFARO-SANTOS (“Asesino”)
Age: 26
Flushing, NYJOSE BENEDICTO BAIRES-NOVOA (“Macabro”)
Age: 26
Flushing and Brentwood, NYE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 22-CR-499 (JMA)
Local man convicted of conspiracy to transport people in truck bedRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A federal jury in Corpus Christi has returned a guilty verdict against a 44-year-old man for conspiring to transport illegal aliens, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
The Jury deliberated for approximately 30 minutes before convicting Ernest Mario Gutierrez following a two-day trial.
On Aug. 5, 2020, law enforcement learned of a vehicle in which people were being loaded on Highway 281. Shortly thereafter, they found and began following a suspicious white pickup truck believed to be involved to a Stripes gas station.
There, they discovered two undocumented individuals in the bed of the truck and one in the cab.
At trial, the jury heard from law enforcement that Gutierrez has been a passenger of the vehicle and attempted to avoid detection by entering the gas station.
The defense attempted to convince the jury Gutierrez did not know that the driver of the truck was going to pick up aliens. The jury was not convinced and found him guilty as charged.
U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzalez Ramos presided over the trial and set sentencing for Feb. 1, 2023. At that time, Gutierrez faces up to 10 years in prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
Gutierrez was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Border Patrol conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Texas Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda L. Gould is prosecuting the case.
Lexington Man Sentenced to 100 Months for Fentanyl Trafficking and Possession of Firearm by Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Eyron Smith, 31, of Lexington, was sentenced in federal court on Monday, to 100 months in prison, by Chief U.S. District Judge Danny C. Reeves for possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
According to his plea agreement, on November 5, 2021, law enforcement executed a search warrant on Smith’s residence and vehicle and found him in possession of a loaded pistol and bags of heroin and fentanyl. Smith admitted that he possessed the drugs, and that he was a convicted felon and could not posses a firearm.
Smith pleaded guilty to the current charges in July 2022. Smith was previously convicted of complicity to wit reckless homicide in November 2016.
Under federal law, Smith must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release, he will be under supervision by the U.S. Probation Office for five years.
Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Shawn Morrow, Special Agent in Charge, ATF, Louisville Field Office; Lawrence Weathers, Chief of the Lexington Police Department; and Todd Justice, Chief of the Nicholasville Police Department, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by ATF, Lexington Police Department, and Nicholasville Police Department. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cynthia Rieker.
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Jury convicts truck driver of illegally transporting peopleRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A federal jury in Corpus Christi has convicted a 52-year-old Texan for transporting illegal aliens within the United States, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery today.
The jury deliberated for approximately two hours before convicting Rodolfo Cazares, San Juan, following a two-day trial
At trial, the jury heard on June 19, 2021, Cazares drove a tractor trailer to the Sarita Border Patrol (BP) checkpoint. At initial inspection, a K-9 alerted law enforcement to the tractor. They subsequently discovered four undocumented individuals hidden within various parts of the vehicle.
The individuals admitted to being in the country illegally. They also described to authorities how they were loaded into the trailer earlier that night.
Cazares attempted to convince the jury he did not know the individuals were in the tractor. The jury ultimately did not believe his claims and found Cazares guilty as charged.
U.S. District Judge David Morales presided over trial and set sentencing for Jan. 30, 2023. At that time, Cazares faces up to five years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
He was permitted to remain on bond pending that hearing.
BP conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Roland Swanson and Tyler Foster are prosecuting the case.
Indianapolis Man Sentenced to 151 Months in Federal Prison for Transporting Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS– Brian Greenlee, 36, of Indianapolis, was sentenced to 151 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to transportation of child sexual abuse material.
According to court documents, on January 15, 2021, law enforcement officers learned Greenlee was trafficking in child sexual abuse material. Greenlee had been arrested on an unrelated outstanding warrant in Hendricks County, Indiana and was in the custody of the Hendricks County Jail. Greenlee had a cellular telephone and a backpack containing multiple digital devices when he was arrested. On January 16, 2021, officers obtained a warrant to search Greenlee’s property at the jail and seized his smartphone and the backpack containing digital devices.
Law enforcement officers were able to execute the warrant and obtain access to the data stored on Greenlee’s devices. They found multiple images and videos of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct on his devices, some depicting the sexual abuse of infants as young as six months to 1 year old. Greenlee’s smartphone had the MEGA cloud-storage application installed, which also allows users to chat within the application. Law enforcement officers found thousands of sexually explicit videos of children on Greenlee’s smartphone and stored in his MEGA account. Greenlee discussed his sexual interest in children with others in conversations over text message, social media messaging, and the MEGA application. Greenlee sent others links to the child sexual abuse material he stored on his MEGA account during these conversations.
Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, and Herbert J. Stapleton, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Indianapolis Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI investigated the case. The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department provided valuable assistance. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Chief Judge Tanya Walton Pratt. As part of the sentence, Judge Pratt ordered that Greenlee be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for 10 years following his release from federal prison and ordered Greenlee to pay $76,000 in restitution the child victims. Greenlee must also register as sex offender wherever he lives, works, or goes to school, as required by law.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristina M. Korobov who prosecuted this case.
This investigation was conducted by the Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, a partnership of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies led by the Indiana State Police. The Task Force is dedicated to investigating and prosecuting crimes involving the technology-facilitated sexual exploitation of children and the trafficking of child sexual abuse material. Each year, Indiana ICAC investigators evaluate thousands of tips, investigate hundreds of cases, and rescue dozens of children from ongoing sexual abuse. In fiscal year 2019, the most recent year for which data is available, the Southern District of Indiana was second out of the 94 federal districts in the country for the number of child sexual exploitation cases prosecuted.
Indian national sentenced for government impersonation call center scamRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 38-year-old Indian citizen who was illegally residing in Houston has been ordered to prison for conspiracy to commit mail fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
Waseem Maknojiya pleaded guilty Sept. 13, 2021.
Today, U.S. District Judge U.S. District Judge Lynn N. Hughes ordered him to serve 60 months in federal prison. Not a U.S. citizen, Maknojiya is expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment.
Between April and October 2019, Maknojiya was involved in a telemarketing scheme via Indian call centers to extort money from victims in the United States. Maknojiya acted as a runner in these schemes, using aliases and fake identification documents to pick up more than 70 parcels containing cash the scheme’s victims had mailed.
One common script used in the scheme involved coercing victims into believing federal agents were investigating them. The “agent” on the phone would convince the victim the only way to clear his or her name from investigation was to send cash in a parcel shipped through FedEx to a name and address they provided. Runners in the United States like Maknojiya would then pick up the parcels.
At the time of his plea, Maknojiya agreed to pay restitution to the scheme’s identified victims.
Maknojiya will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The FBI, Social Security Administration - Office of Inspector General (SSA-OIG) and Department of Homeland Security - OIG conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Houston Police Department and the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephanie Bauman and Eun Kate Suh prosecuted the case.
The SSA consistently warns people of similar scams.
Houston Man Guilty of Attempting to Use Drone to Drop Contraband into Beaumont Federal Prison ComplexRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – A Houston man has pleaded guilty to federal violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston today.
Davien Phillip Turner, also known as Davien Phillip Mayo, 44, pleaded guilty to owning or operating a drone that is not registered, today before U.S. District Judge Marica A. Crone.
Prisons around the country have faced the problem of individuals using drones to fly over prison complexes and drop contraband items to the prison population. According to information presented in court, on May 19, 2022, law enforcement officials in Jefferson County, Texas were alerted that a person was operating a drone on the property of the Federal Correctional Complex in Beaumont. Law enforcement officers responded and eventually found Turner in the area where the drone was being operated. Near Turner, officers discovered a DJI Matrice 600 Pro Drone. Law enforcement officers also discovered several bags near the drone that Turner had planned to drop into the prison complex via the drone. Inside those bags were tobacco, cell phones, cell phone chargers, various tools, vape pens, and other items. Those items were to be sold by inmates within the prison. Under federal law, this type of drone was required to be registered with the Federal Aviation Administration, and Turner had failed to do so. Furthermore, to operate a drone under these circumstances, a certificate was needed, which Turner also had not obtained.
Turner was indicted by a federal grand jury on July 12, 2022. He faces up to three years in federal prison at sentencing. The maximum statutory sentence prescribed by Congress is provided here for information purposes, as the sentencing 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 U.S. Probation Office.
This case is being investigated by the FBI, the Bureau of Prisons, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, and the Federal Aviation Administration. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Russell James.
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Hennepin County Man Sentenced to 9.5 Years in Prison for Violent Armed CarjackingRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Hennepin County man has been sentenced to 115 months followed by five years of supervised release for a violent armed carjacking, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, on June 5, 2021, Jerome Lee Swanson, 21, approached an individual who was driving a 2005 Buick LaCrosse in Minneapolis. Swanson asked for a ride to a nearby location and,. when the victim and Swanson arrived, Swanson pulled out a pistol and pointed it at the victim, and demanded they give Swanson the vehicle. A struggle ensued and the victim was shot in the hip. Swanson fled from the scene driving the victim’s vehicle. Swanson was later apprehended with the vehicle and the pistol used to facilitate the carjacking.
Swanson pleaded guilty on July 8, 2022, before U.S. District Chief Judge John R. Tunheim to one count of carjacking and one count of brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI and the Minneapolis Police Department
Assistant U.S. Attorney David P. Steinkamp prosecuted the case.
Grand Junction Woman Sentenced to 37 Months for Wire Fraud and Filing False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
Denver - The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces Debra Campbell, age 66, of Grand Junction, Colorado, was sentenced today to 37 months in prison and ordered to pay $410,889 in restitution for wire fraud and filing false tax returns.
According to the plea agreement, from 2009 through April 2018, Campbell owned and operated a company called A Better Alternative Management (ABAM), which was hired by homeowners’ associations (HOAs) to manage their finances. Campbell had access to, and signatory authority for, the HOAs’ bank accounts. Campbell collected and deposited payments from HOA members and paid administrative expenses on behalf of the HOAs. Through these management relationships, Campbell became aware of which HOA boards did not monitor their HOA’s bank account and finances. Starting in March 2015, Campbell began making unauthorized transfers to ABAM’s bank accounts from some of the HOAs’ bank accounts and used that money for her personal expenses. Campbell selected HOAs whose boards did not monitor their HOA’s bank account or finances.
In order conceal and perpetuate her theft, Campbell regularly altered the HOAs’ bank statements, so they did not reflect the unauthorized transfers and falsely reflected a higher balance than actually existed in the account. In this manner, between March 2015 and April 2018, Campbell stole more than $250,000 from 23 of her client HOAs.
Campbell also failed to include the income gained from her scheme on her 2014-2017 tax returns, substantially underreporting her income and resulting in a tax loss to the federal government of more than $150,000. Campbell signed and filed these returns knowing that they substantially underreported her taxable income and knowing that she had a legal obligation to report and pay taxes on all of her taxable income.
U.S. District Court Judge Christine M. Arguello sentenced the defendant on November 8, 2022. The prison term will be followed by 3 years of supervised release.
“This defendant wrongfully thought she could line her own pockets with money belonging to her clients who placed their trust in her to manage their finances,” said U.S. Attorney Cole Finegan. “We commend our partners at IRS-CI for their work to hold fraudsters accountable for their actions.”
“Campbell took advantage of her clients and further compounded her greed by attempting to hide her ill-gotten gains from the IRS,” said Andy Tsui, Special Agent in Charge, IRS-CI Denver Field Office. “This sentencing should serve as a reminder to small businesses and HOAs about the importance of having financial safeguards in place to avoid becoming a victim of fraud.”
The investigation in this case was conducted by the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation. The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Pegeen Rhyne.
CASE NUMBER: 21-cr-00113-CMA
Gloucester County Man Admits Fraudulently Obtaining More Than $400,000 in Unemployment Insurance BenefitsRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Gloucester County, New Jersey, man today admitted that he illegally obtained more than $400,000 in unemployment insurance benefits, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Willie Carter, 23, of Paulsboro, New Jersey, pleaded guilty by videoconference before U.S. District Judge Reneé Marie Bumb to an information charging him with wire fraud.
According to documents filed in the case and statements made in court:
From July 2020 to October 2020, Carter submitted fraudulent unemployment insurance benefit applications to various states. These states provided, and Carter falsely obtained, more than $400,000 in unemployment insurance benefits.
The charge of wire fraud is punishable by a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of the greater of $250,000, twice the gross profits to Carter or twice the gross loss suffered by the victims, whichever is greatest. Sentencing is scheduled for March 14, 2023.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Mellone; postal inspectors with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service in Newark, under the direction of Acting Inspector in Charge Raimundo Marrero, Philadelphia Division; special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jacqueline Maguire in Philadelphia, and special agents of the Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Inspector General Joseph V. Cuffari, with the investigation leading to the guilty plea.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Kogan of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Cybercrime Unit in Newark.
Fugitive Bookkeeper Apprehended in Utah After 8 Years on the Run Sentenced to 90 Months in Prison for Embezzling More than $2.2 MillionRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS– Jody Russell Trapp, 58, of Indianapolis, was sentenced to 90 months in federal prison for wire fraud, money laundering and tax evasion.
According to court documents, from July 2009 through December 2011, Trapp was a bookkeeper for Shelton Machinery, Inc., a Fishers-based distributor of advanced machines, drill-tap machines, production saws, and band saws. As a bookkeeper for Shelton Machinery, Trapp’s duties included overseeing the preparation and mailing of checks to outside vendors.
Between September 2009 and December 2011, Trapp stole more than $2.2 million from Shelton Machinery by diverting checks made payable to one of Shelton Machinery’s suppliers into his personal bank account. To accomplish his theft and to conceal his actions, Trapp prepared fictitious or duplicate invoices for work that had already been billed and paid, as well as checks to pay the fictious or duplicate invoices.
Trapp was arrested in January 2012. On June 8, 2012, Trapp was charged by Information and a petition to plead guilty was filed with the federal court on November 9, 2012. A change of plea and sentencing hearing was scheduled for March 7, 2013. Less than two weeks before the hearing, however, Trapp absconded from his residence, where he’d been ordered by the court to remain while on pretrial release.
Trapp’s whereabouts remained unknown until 2021, when Deputy U.S. Marshals located him living under an assumed name in Utah. Trapp was arrested in October 2021 and transported back to Indiana to face the still-pending charges. Trapp formally pleaded guilty to the criminal charges on July 19, 2022.
“Mr. Trapp has finally been held accountable for stealing millions of dollars from a company that trusted him and fleeing in an attempt to avoid the consequences,” said Zachary A. Myers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “The punishment imposed today demonstrates that those who try to obstruct and evade justice will ultimately be held accountable. I commend the FBI, IRS-Criminal Investigations, and our determined partners at the U.S. Marshals Service for their determined efforts to investigate and apprehend the defendant.”
“Mr. Trapp took advantage of his position and exploited his employer’s trust to divert funds for his personal use and then vanished for years leaving no resolution for the business and its clients,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Herbert J. Stapleton. “The dedication of all the law enforcement agencies involved in locating him and bringing him back to face the court demonstrates that the FBI and our partners will continue to investigate and pursue those who choose to enrich themselves at the expense of others.”
“The role of IRS Criminal Investigation becomes even more important in fraud cases like this due to the complex financial transactions that can take time to unravel,” said Justin Campbell, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Chicago Field Office. “As we often see, the victims here are not only the taxpayers, but also the small businesses and individuals who suffer the financial harm.”
FBI and IRS-Criminal Investigation investigated the case. The sentence was imposed by Chief Judge Tanya Walton Pratt. As part of the sentence, Judge Pratt ordered that Trapp be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for three years following his release from federal prison and ordered Trapp to pay $2,528,716.63 in restitution to his victims.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn E. Olivier who prosecuted this case.
Fredericksburg Man Pleads Guilty to Pandemic Unemployment Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Fredericksburg man pleaded guilty yesterday to conspiring to obtain pandemic unemployment benefits. His family members were also indicted for their roles in the scheme, along with a separate mail theft and bank fraud scheme.
According to court documents, from in or about May 2020 through in or about January 2022, Eric Wilhoit, II, 28, conspired with his siblings, Odyssey Wilhoit, 23, and Jeremiah Wilhoit, 26, and cousin, Dejhaun Wilhoit, 26, to obtain pandemic unemployment benefits. Yesterday, Eric Wilhoit pleaded guilty and admitted that he applied for pandemic unemployment benefits in his name and in the names of others, many who were identity theft victims. He also admitted that he falsely represented, among other things, the applicants’ work history and that they lost their employment as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. As part of yesterday’s plea, Eric Wilhoit admitted that he instructed his coconspirators on how to make the claims and used VPNs and false or anonymized email addresses in an attempt to hide the fraud. Additionally, he admitted that he recruited others so as to use their physical addresses to receive the prepaid debit cards that contained the unemployment benefits. Eric Wilhoit admitted that he and his coconspirators made significant cash withdrawals and bought luxury goods with the benefits. Specifically, Eric Wilhoit purchased a diamond ring among other things. Eric Wilhoit admitted that the associated loss was somewhere between $550,000 and $3,500,0000.
While attempting to flee his arrest, Eric Wilhoit led law enforcement on a high-speed chase, resulting in him crashing his car with his minor children in the backseat.
In addition to alleging that Odyssey Wilhoit, Jeremiah Wilhoit, and Dejhaun Wilhoitm engaged in this pandemic unemployment benefits scheme, the indictment also alleges Odyssey Wilhoit conspired with Jaleai Morrison, 23, of Temple, Georgia, in a separate mail theft and bank fraud scheme. Morrison pleaded guilty on November 7 to participating in this scheme. According to court documents, Morrison would steal checks from a U.S. postal collection box and provide the checks or personal information from the checks to Odyssey Wilhoit. Odyssey Wilhoit then allegedly used the information to create counterfeit checks, which she would then deposit into bank accounts. After her conspiracy with Morrison ended, it is alleged that Odyssey Wilhoit continued her bank fraud scheme through at least July 2022.
Eric Wilhoit and Morrison are scheduled to be sentenced on January 25, 2023. Eric Wilhoit faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. Morrison faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison. If convicted, Odyssey Wilhoit, Jeremiah Wilhoit, and Dejhaun Wilhoit face a mandatory minimum of 2 years and maximum penalty of 30 years. 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; Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal Division; Kevin Davis, Fairfax County Chief of Police; Damon E. Wood, Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; and Troy Springer, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Washington, DC Regional Office, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Anthony J. Trenga accepted the plea.
The Charles County Sheriff’s Office and Virginia State Police provided assistance in this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kimberly Shartar and Christopher Hood 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-191.
An indictment is merely an accusation. Odyssey Wilhoit, Jeremiah Wilhoit, and Dejhaun Wilhoit are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Former Tracy Resident Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Defraud Financial InstitutionsRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. —Johnathan Ward, 44, formerly of Tracy, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, Ward conspired to defraud financial institutions using a scheme called “refund fraud.” This scheme exploited the refund process used by merchants to pay back customers for returns, reimbursements, and erroneous charges. The conspirators posed as merchants and executed fraudulent bankcard refunds, such as credit and debit card refunds, causing an unauthorized transfer of money from a merchant bank account to a bankcard account under the conspirators’ control.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Regional Enforcement Allied Computer Tear (REACT) Task Force, which includes investigators from the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Jessica Delaney is prosecuting the case.
Ward is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd on April 11, 2023. Ward faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 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.
Former St. Louis Insurance Agent Sentenced to 3 Years in Prison for Aiding Reality Show Star’s Murder ConspiracyRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge John A. Ross on Monday sentenced a former insurance agent to three years in prison for helping a former reality show star fraudulently obtain life insurance on the nephew the star later had killed.
Judge Ross said there was no evidence that Waiel “Wally” Rebhi Yaghnam knew that a murder was going to occur when he committed insurance fraud, but added, “It was a foreseeable outcome that bad things were going to happen.”
Yaghnam, 44, pleaded guilty in July to a charge of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud. He admitted conspiring with James Timothy Norman to fraudulently obtain a life insurance policy on Norman’s nephew, Andre Montgomery Jr.
Norman and Yaghnam began submitting life insurance applications in October 2014 containing numerous false statements regarding Montgomery’s income, net worth, medical history, employment and family background in an attempt to obtain policies.
One $200,000 policy was ultimately issued that contained a $200,000 accidental death rider that would pay out if Montgomery died of something other than natural causes, and a $50,000 term rider that would pay out if Montgomery died within 10 years of the policy’s issuance.
After Montgomery, 21, was fatally shot by Travell Anthony Hill at 3964 Natural Bridge Avenue in St. Louis on March 14, 2016, Norman repeatedly contacted the insurance company about the claim, and later hired an attorney to help. Yaghnam placed two telephone calls to the insurance agencies seeking to file a claim.
Montgomery’s relatives pointed out in statements during Monday’s hearing that Yaghnam coached Norman on how to pretend to be Montgomery to obtain the policy, a policy that was necessary to make the murder-for-hire profitable for Norman.
Norman and Montgomery appeared on the reality show Welcome to Sweetie Pie’s.
Hill, 31, was sentenced last month to 32 years in prison for a charge of conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire and one count of murder-for-hire.
The sentencing for Norman, 43, who was convicted in September of conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, murder-for-hire and conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, is set for March 2.
Another co-defendant, Terica Ellis, 38, is scheduled to be sentenced January 10 on the murder-for-hire conspiracy charge. Ellis, an exotic dancer from Memphis, Tennessee, admitted helping Norman find Montgomery, provide his location to Hill and lure Montgomery outside before the shooting.
The case was investigated by the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Angie Danis and Gwendolyn Carroll are prosecuting the case.
Former Oklahoma Undersheriff Pleads Guilty to Federal Civil Rights Charge for Using Excessive ForceRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that Kendall Morgan, 44, the former undersheriff of the Le Flore County Sheriff’s Department (LCSO) in Le Flore County, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to a criminal civil rights violation for using unlawful force on an arrestee.
According to court documents, on Jan. 25, 2017, while acting in his official capacity as LCSO’s undersheriff, Morgan willfully assaulted an individual identified as D.P. by repeatedly striking D.P. while D.P. was in handcuffs and not resisting arrest. The assault deprived D.P. of his right to be free from unreasonable force, did not further a legitimate law enforcement purpose, and resulted in bodily injury to D.P.
“This defendant, an experienced law enforcement officer, is being held accountable for unlawfully injuring a handcuffed man who was not resisting arrest and unable to defend himself,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department is committed to prosecuting any officer who violates their position and authority by using excessive force without cause.”
“Every citizen is entitled to be treated fairly and law enforcement officers should be models of this very important principle,” said U.S. Attorney Christopher Wilson for the Eastern District of Oklahoma. “The defendant’s actions in this case were illegal, immoral and unethical, and justice demands he face the consequences for his acts.”
“Mr. Morgan’s actions not only violated the civil rights of his victim, but compromised the public’s trust in the law enforcement system,” said Special Agent in Charge Edward J. Gray of the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office. “The FBI is committed to holding those who abuse their authority accountable and safeguarding the civil liberties of all Americans.”
Morgan faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. A sentencing hearing has not yet been set.
Assistant Attorney General Clarke, U.S. Attorney Wilson and Special Agent in Charge Gray made the announcement.
The FBI Oklahoma City Field Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jarrod Leaman for the Eastern District of Oklahoma and Trial Attorney Avner Shapiro of the Civil Rights Division are prosecuting the case.
Former Oklahoma Undersheriff Pleads Guilty to Federal Civil Rights Charge for Using Excessive ForceRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – The Justice Department announced today that Kendall Morgan, 44, the former undersheriff of the Le Flore County Sheriff’s Department (LCSO) in Le Flore County, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to a criminal civil rights violation for using unlawful force on an arrestee.
According to court documents, on Jan. 25, 2017, while acting in his official capacity as LCSO’s undersheriff, Morgan willfully assaulted an individual identified as D.P. by repeatedly striking D.P. while D.P. was in handcuffs and not resisting arrest. The assault deprived D.P. of his right to be free from unreasonable force, did not further a legitimate law enforcement purpose, and resulted in bodily injury to D.P.
“This defendant, an experienced law enforcement officer, is being held accountable for unlawfully injuring a handcuffed man who was not resisting arrest and unable to defend himself,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department is committed to prosecuting any officer who violates their position and authority by using excessive force without cause.”
“Every citizen is entitled to be treated fairly and law enforcement officers should be models of this very important principle,” said U.S. Attorney Christopher Wilson for the Eastern District of Oklahoma. “The defendant’s actions in this case were illegal, immoral, and unethical and justice demands he face the consequences for his acts.”
“Mr. Morgan’s actions not only violated the civil rights of his victim, but compromised the public’s trust in the law enforcement system,” said Special Agent in Charge Edward J. Gray of the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office. “The FBI is committed to holding those who abuse their authority accountable and safeguarding the civil liberties of all Americans.”
Morgan faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. A sentencing hearing has not yet been set.
Assistant Attorney General Clarke, U.S. Attorney Wilson and Special Agent in Charge Gray made the announcement.
The FBI Oklahoma City Field Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jarrod Leaman for the Eastern District of Oklahoma and Trial Attorney Avner Shapiro of the Civil Rights Division are prosecuting the case.
Former Brownsville police officer sentenced for escorting drugsRead the Press Release
BROWNSVILLE, Texas – A 53-year-old man residing in Brownsville has been ordered to federal prison following his conviction of trafficking one kilogram of meth, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
Jose Salinas pleaded guilty Aug. 2. He is a former law enforcement officer of the Brownsville Police Department.
Today, U.S. District Judge Fernando Rodriguez Jr. ordered Salinas to serve 96 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release. He was further ordered to pay a $3,000 fine. In handing down the sentence, the court noted the position that Salinas held as an officer and that he misused this position of trust to commit the crime over a period of time, not just on one occasion. Judge Rodriguez also expressed concern that the criminal conduct Salinas committed cast all law enforcement in a bad light in the community.
On March 19, 2020, Salinas met people he believed to be drug traffickers at a used car lot he owned. Salinas received $2,500 in cash for escorting meth and cocaine from the lot to a stash house he provided. During that time, Salinas had parked his marked police car in front of the stash house to protect the drug load.
Salinas was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration and Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with assistance of the Brownsville Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys David A. Lindenmuth, Israel Cano and Jody Young prosecuted the case.