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Wednesday 2 November 2022
Prospect Man Sentenced to More Than 19 Years in Prison for Engaging in Sexual Activity with MinorRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that DENNIS ANTHONY SZANTYR, JR., 48, of Prospect, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Vanessa L. Bryant in Hartford to 235 months of imprisonment, followed by 10 years of supervised release, for engaging in illegal sexual activity with a minor.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on multiple occasions between November 2018 and October 2019, Szantyr used smart phones, tablets and other computer devices, and an interactive computer service, to entice a minor victim under the age of 16 to engage in sexual acts. At times, including during the commission of the sexual acts between Szantyr and the minor victim, the victim was in the custody, care or supervision of Szantyr. Szantyr also took videos of his sexual contact with the victim.
Szantyr has been detained since his arrest on related state charges on October 31, 2019. On December 6, 2021, he pleaded guilty in federal court to enticement of a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity.
This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Connecticut State Police. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Konstantin Lantsman.
U.S. Attorney Avery thanked the Waterbury State’s Attorney’s Office for its cooperation in the investigation and prosecution of this case.
This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com.
Preston County man indicted on firearms chargeRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Ricky R. Johnson, of Masontown, West Virginia, was indicted today on a firearms charge, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
Johnson, 41, was indicted today on one count of “Unlawful Possession of a Firearm.” Johnson, a person prohibited from having firearms because of prior convictions, is accused of having a .22 caliber pistol in December 2021 in Preston County.
Johnson faces up to 10 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 Christopher L. Bauer is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, & Explosives and the Preston County Sheriff’s Office investigated.
An indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Presque Isle Woman Sentenced to 10 Years for Methamphetamine Trafficking Following Guilty PleaRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Presque Isle woman pleaded guilty and was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Bangor today to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Darcie N. McElwee announced.
U.S. District Judge Lance E. Walker sentenced Crystal Greenlaw, 32, to 10 years in prison and three years of supervised release following her guilty plea. Greenlaw had previously pleaded guilty in August 2021 to a conspiracy charge that required a mandatory minimum sentence. She pleaded guilty today to a substitute charge that did not include a mandatory minimum sentence.
According to court records, between approximately July 2018 and May 2019, members of the conspiracy obtained methamphetamine in western and southern states from sources in Mexico. Greenlaw and her co-conspirators then distributed the drugs in Aroostook County and other parts of central and northern Maine. Greenlaw made at least two trips to obtain methamphetamine and transport it back to Maine.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations and the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency investigated this case with the assistance of multiple state and local law enforcement agencies.
Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces: This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
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Port Neches, Houston Men Guilty of Trafficking Fentanyl through Southeast TexasRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – Two Southeast Texas men have pleaded guilty to federal drug trafficking violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston today.
Arthur Wilson McDaniels, 46, of Houston. and Marcus Terrance Weathersby, 49, of Port Neches, each pleaded guilty to drug trafficking violations today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Zack Hawthorn.
According to court documents, beginning in January 2022, local law enforcement and federal agents began an investigation into a drug trafficking conspiracy involving phencyclidine (PCP) and fentanyl in Jefferson County. The investigation revealed McDaniels was supplying drugs from Houston to Weathersby in Port Neches for further distribution in the area. Law enforcement ultimately seized approximately 1.7 kilograms of PCP and three ounces of fentanyl during the course of the investigation. McDaniels and Weathersby were indicted by a federal grand jury on May 11, 2022.
McDaniels pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute PCP and fentanyl. Weathersby pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl.
“If you are dealing dangerous drugs in our community we are coming after you,” said U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston. “These drugs are capable of killing many people. There is a dangerous wave of illegal fentanyl poisoning our citizens. Please talk about this, discuss this, share this message with others to save a life. In 2022, fentanyl is suspected of killing more Americans than car crashes and gun crimes combined. This is a problem.”
McDaniels faces up to 40 years in federal prison. Weathersby faces up to life in federal prison. The maximum statutory sentences prescribed by Congress are provided here for information purposes, as the sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing hearings will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Port Arthur Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Anderson.
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Poplar woman admits involuntary manslaughter charge in fatal crash on Fort Peck Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS — A Poplar woman today admitted to a charge stemming from the death of a passenger when the vehicle she was driving crashed on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
Rachel Aileen Goodbird, 29, pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter. Goodbird faces a maximum of eight years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Chief Judge Morris set sentencing for March 9, 2023. Goodbird was detained pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court records that on July 24, 2021, Goodbird was driving the vehicle of the victim, Jane Doe, who was a passenger, in a reckless manner. Goodbird and Jane Doe had been drinking alcohol that evening prior to Goodbird driving the vehicle. An investigation determined that seconds before the accident, Goodbird was driving at approximately 80 mph in a 35-mph speed zone in the Poplar area. The vehicle was unable to make a turn, entered a ditch and hit an embankment. Jane Doe was found unresponsive in the front passenger seat and transported to the hospital, where she was pronounced dead. The victim was not wearing a seatbelt and the cause of her death was determined to be blunt force injuries.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Wendy A. Johnson is prosecuting the case, which was investigated by the FBI, Fort Peck Law Enforcement, Roosevelt County Sheriff’s Office and Montana Highway Patrol.
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Owner of New York Commercial Drum Company Pleads Guilty to Fraudulent Billing SchemeRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Robert A. DiNoto, age 48, of Huntington, New York, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, in connection with a fraudulent billing scheme involving a manufacturing company with facilities in Harford County, Maryland.
The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Darrell J. Waldon of the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, Washington, D.C. Field Office.
According to his guilty plea, Robert A. DiNoto, is the owner and President of American Pride Distributors (“American Pride”), located in, Woodbury, New York. American Pride sold commercial drum containers used by manufacturers to store and transport products. Robert DiNoto is the brother of Eugene DiNoto (E. DiNoto), a former longtime employee of Company 1, a family-owned global business headquartered in New York, but with manufacturing facilities in Belcamp and Abingdon, Maryland, both in Harford County.
As detailed in his plea agreement, beginning no later than 2014, Robert and E. DiNoto agreed to execute a fraudulent billing scheme to defraud Company 1, through the submission of false invoices for undelivered drums. As the facility manager for Company 1, E. DiNoto oversaw the purchasing and storing of drums for use at the Harford County manufacturing facilities and had the authority to review drum invoices and authorize payments to the drum vendors. Robert DiNoto approached E. DiNoto about how he could start his own drum vending company. E. DiNoto subsequently told Robert DiNoto about other drum vendors that were defrauding Company 1 using a fraudulent billing scheme. Robert DiNoto, who was in the real estate business at the time, decided to use a company he owned, called Sandpiper Properties, Inc., trading as American Pride Distributors, to facilitate the scheme to defraud Company 1.
Once American Pride Distributors was formed, Robert DiNoto began receiving drum purchase orders from E. DiNoto for Company 1 to establish a legitimate pattern of drum sales between American Pride and Company 1. However, because Robert DiNoto was never in the business of manufacturing or reconditioning drums, he filled Company 1’s orders by buying the requisite number of drums from an actual drum manufacturer and arranging to ship them to Company 1’s facilities in Harford County, Maryland. Robert DiNoto billed Company 1 for the drums using American Pride invoices, which E. DiNoto approved for payment via emails to Company 1’s accounting department in New York.
Soon thereafter, Robert DiNoto began fraudulently invoicing Company 1 for drums that he and American Pride never delivered to the company. To conceal the fraudulent invoices, he would intermittently send the bogus invoices before and after sending legitimate ones. For example, in 2017, Robert DiNoto sent legitimate invoices #1555 through #1558 between February 15 and April 12 in the amounts of $19,223, $19,419, $18,038, and $20,908, respectively. He then submitted a fraudulent invoice, #1559, and received a payment from Company 1 for $19,448 for a shipment of 358 “NEW 55 GALLON STEEL DRUMS” that were never delivered.
Between December 2016 and August 2019, Robert DiNoto used American Pride’s invoices to bill and receive a total of approximately $257,181 from Company 1 for nonexistent drum deliveries. Robert DiNoto used the proceeds from the fraudulent billings for personal expenses, including to pay his credit card bills.
To avoid scrutiny throughout the conspiracy, the DiNotos kept their familial relationship with American Pride a secret from Company 1 employees. Despite their best efforts, third-party vendors used by American Pride would sometimes inadvertently forward an email or invoice intended for the Robert DiNoto to Company 1. E. DiNoto would criticize Robert DiNoto for the mistake and ask him to remind his third-party vendors never to send correspondence to Company 1’s address. On at least one occasion, Robert DiNoto used an alias to conceal his identity when communicating with Company 1 employees.
Robert DiNoto faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud. He will also be required to forfeit and pay restitution in the full amount of the loss, $257,181. U.S. District Judge Lydia Kay Griggsby has scheduled sentencing for Robert DiNoto on March 21, 2023 at 2:00 p.m.
Eugene Andrew DiNoto, age 51, of Bel Air, Maryland, previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, engaging in an illegal monetary transaction, and filing a false tax return, in connection with schemes that defrauded his employer of more than $29 million. He is awaiting sentencing.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI and IRS-CI for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Martin J. Clarke and Harry M. Gruber, who are prosecuting the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/report-fraud.
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Owner and Employees of the Sayville Motor Lodge Indicted for Sex Trafficking and Managing a Drug PremisesRead the Press Release
An indictment was unsealed today in federal court in Central Islip charging Narendarakuma Dadarwala, his wife Shardaben Dadarwala, their son Jigar Dadarwala, Ashokbhai Patel, and Himanshu, Inc. d/b/a Sayville Motor Lodge with sex trafficking conspiracy. The Dadarwalas, Patel, and Himanshu, Inc. are also charged with managing a drug premises, and Narendarakuma Dadarwala is charged with distribution of proceeds of prostitution and narcotics businesses. Patel was arrested yesterday in Nebraska and will be arraigned in the Eastern District of New York at a later date. The other defendants were arrested this morning and will be arraigned this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Lee G. Dunst. A fifth co-conspirator remains at large.
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), Rodney K. Harrison, Commissioner, Suffolk County Police Department (SCPD), and Raymond A. Tierney, Suffolk County District Attorney, announced the indictment and arrests.
“As alleged, the defendants made the Sayville Motor Lodge a money-making refuge for prostitution and narcotics trafficking, and a blight on the surrounding community,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “With these arrests, we send a clear message that our Office will prosecute those who use motels or any other venue as their base of operations for trafficking human beings and drugs.”
Mr. Peace also thanked the United States Marshal Service, the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office, the Nassau County District Attorney’s Office, United States Customs and Border Protection, and Homeland Security Investigations for their assistance.
“We allege the owner and employees of the Sayville Motor Lodge looked the other way when pimps trafficked human beings in their hotel. More egregiously, we allege they took money from those pimps and drug dealers, who beat and abused the women involved in front of them. Other hotel owners who operate in a similar fashion should take heed, we will hold them accountable for their actions in allowing sex trafficking to take place in their establishments. We're asking anyone who is a victim of human trafficking, or believes they know of someone who is, to call us at 1-800-CALL-FBI," stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Driscoll.
“From the outside, the Sayville Motor Lodge appeared to be a typical roadside motel, but in reality, there was far more than just overnight stays occurring there,” stated SCPD Commissioner Harrison. “The owners and employees facilitated sex trafficking and drug sales for financial gain at the expense of women, including a minor. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to stop those who exploit victims of human trafficking and will continue to help these victims receive the services they need to get their lives back on track.”
“These defendants are alleged to have not only knowingly allowed criminal behavior to run rampant at the Motor Inn for years, they also financially benefited from these same illegal activities directly through kickbacks," stated District Attorney Tierney. "Thanks to our partnership with U.S. Attorney Breon Peace and the Suffolk County Police Department, this blight on the community will no longer be open for illicit business.”
As set forth in court filings, the Dadarwalas have owned and operated the Sayville Motor Lodge since approximately 1984. They reside and work at the motel. From 2017 to 2019, Ashokai Patel was employed and also lived there. The Dadarwalas and Patel facilitated the criminal activity at the Sayville Motor Lodge and profited from the prostitution and narcotics activity that routinely took place there. Specifically, the Dadarwalas and Patel conspired with traffickers. They exercised control over room rentals and booked dates and set room rates for commercial sex. They were aware that women engaged in prostitution, including at least one minor trafficking victim. They warned traffickers and women engaged in prostitution when law enforcement was on the premises and observed traffickers inflict physical violence on their victims and customers. They also financially benefited from the commercial sex activity at the Sayville Motor Lodge. The traffickers, sex workers, and drug dealers at the Sayville Motor Lodge frequently interacted with the staff and called Narendarakuma Dadarwala “Dad” and “Pa” and Shardaben Dadarwala “Mom” and “Ma.”
From approximately 2014 until 2018, an unapprehended co-conspirator allegedly operated his sex trafficking business out of the Sayville Motor Lodge, in coordination with the Dadarwalas and Patel. The co-conspirator trafficked several women out of the motel, including a minor, and routinely subjected the women who worked for him to physical violence. In furtherance of his operation, the co-conspirator kept the women who worked for him addicted to drugs and introduced them to prostitution in exchange for drugs, posted ads on the internet and set rates for commercial sex acts, confiscated proceeds from prostitution, and mentally and physically abused the women and minors who worked for him.
In addition, from 2014 to the present, the Dadarwalas, Patel, and Himanshu, Inc. profited from the narcotics trafficking that was conducted openly on Sayville Motor Lodge property. The defendants allowed customers to freely use drugs, including heroin, cocaine and crack cocaine, in plain view and in motel rooms. Much like the traffickers, drug dealers paid the Sayville defendants for the privilege of selling drugs at the Sayville Motor Lodge. Narendarakuma Dadarwala wired funds from the rental of rooms for prostitution and narcotics trafficking to his son and Patel.
Further, as set forth in the indictment, the government is seeking to forfeit the Sayville Motor Lodge. To ensure the property is preserved for forfeiture, the United States has obtained an order restraining the defendants from transferring, encumbering or operating the Sayville Motor Lodge in violation of law.
If convicted, the defendants each face a minimum of 15 years’ imprisonment and a maximum of life imprisonment on the sex trafficking charge. Jigar Dadarwala, Narendarakuma Dadarwala, Shardaben Dadarwala and Ashokai Patel face up to 20 years for the managing a drug premises charge; and Narendarakuma Dadarwala faces up to 5 years on distribution of proceeds of prostitution and narcotics businesses charge.
The charges in the indictment are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
If you were a victim, please contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Civil Rights Section and Long Island Criminal Division. Assistant United States Attorneys Catherine M. Mirabile, Samantha S. Alessi and Special Assistant United States Attorney Vanessa McEvoy are in charge of the prosecution. Assistant United States Attorney Brian Morris of the Office’s Asset Recovery Section is handling forfeiture matters.The Defendants:
JIGAR DADARWALA (also known as “Cobra”)
Age: 44
Sayville, New YorkNARENDARAKUMA DADARWALA (also known as “Naren,” “Pa” and “Dad”)
Age: 76
Sayville, New YorkSHARDABEN DADARWALA (also known as “Sharda,” “Ma” and “Mom”)
Age: 69
Sayville, New YorkASHOKBHAI PATEL, also known as “BG”
Age: 58
Omaha, NebraskaHIMANSHU, INC. d/b/a Sayville Motor Lodge
E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 22-CR-22-CR-494 (JS)
Oklahoma Man Sentenced for Transporting a Minor Across State Lines for ProstitutionRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A former resident of Fort Worth, Texas, and Tulsa, Oklahoma, has been sentenced in federal court to 78 months’ incarceration and 15 years of supervised release on his conviction of violating the Mann Act by transporting a minor across state lines for the purpose having the minor engage in prostitution and conspiracy, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon imposed the sentence yesterday on Oscar Carter, 38, formerly of Tulsa, Oklahoma.
On July 11, 2022, Carter pleaded guilty and admitted that he agreed and conspired with another individual, Shelby Summer Brown, to commit an offense against the United States, that is, to knowingly persuade, induce, entice, and coerce an individual, Minor A (an individual who had not yet attained the age of 18 years) to travel in interstate commerce, from Ohio to Pennsylvania, to engage in prostitution and any sexual activity for which any person can be charged with a criminal offense, and did so, from March 6, 2018 through March 14, 2018.
Assistant United States Attorney Heidi M. Grogan prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Chung commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation – Pittsburgh Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, which includes members of the Cranberry Township Police Department and the City of Pittsburgh Bueau of Police, for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Carter.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
New Orleans Man Pleads Guilty to Two Carjacking OffensesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LA – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that on October 25, 2022, MERVIN BAILEY, age 20, of New Orleans, Louisiana, pleaded guilty to a three-count superseding bill of information. The charges include Count 1, carjacking in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2119(1); Count 2, brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924 (c)(1)(A)(ii); and Count 3, attempted carjacking in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2119(1).
According to court documents, Counts 1 and 2 arose from the carjacking of a BMW X7 SUV in New Orleans, Louisiana on June 3, 2021. As the victim was pulling out of her driveway, BAILEY jumped out of a white truck while brandishing a firearm. He forced the victim out of her car, demanding her keys and drove off in her vehicle. The victim immediately flagged down a pedestrian and used their cell phone to call the New Orleans Police Department (“NOPD”). BAILEY initially evaded NOPD on a high-speed chase, but officers later located the abandoned SUV and the K-9 unit found him hiding nearby. A black CZ-PF10F 9mm Luger handgun with an obliterated serial number was found in the area and personal property belonging to the victim was found on BAILEY.
Court documents also reveal BAILEY committed an attempted carjacking on October 4, 2021 in New Orleans, Louisiana. In that instance, BAILEY used a cellular phone to request a ride on the Lyft ride-sharing application. When the victim arrived in her Kia Optima, BAILEY and an accomplice attempted to carjack the vehicle while brandishing a firearm.
The maximum penalty BAILEY faces for Counts 1 and 3 is up to 15 years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000.00, up to three years of supervised release, and a $100.00 mandatory special assessment fee, as to each count. The maximum penalty he faces for Count 2 is a mandatory minimum of 7 years imprisonment up to a maximum of life, to run consecutive to all other sentences, a fine of up to $250,000.00, up to five years of supervised release, and a mandatory $100.00 special assessment fee.
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.
The case was investigated by the New Orleans Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles D. Strauss is in charge of the prosecution.
New Orleans Man Admits to Using Stolen Identity at Local StoresRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that COREY THOMAS, age 49, from New Orleans, pled guilty to wire fraud, stemming from fraudulent charges he made in someone else’s name at local stores.
According to court documents, THOMAS used a victim’s personal identifying information to make fraudulent charges at Best Buy and several Lowe’s Home Improvement stores in New Orleans and the surrounding parishes. THOMAS attempted the purchases on behalf of other actual customers, offering to charge the goods on a store credit card in exchange for a cash payment that was less than the purchase price. Under the terms of the plea agreement, THOMAS agreed to repay a total of $77,781.98 to Synchrony Bank, which issued the Lowe’s credit cards that THOMAS used in his scheme.
At sentencing, THOMAS faces up to twenty years in prison. Following any term of imprisonment, THOMAS faces up to three years of supervised release, as well as a fine of up to $250,000 and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee. Judge Ivan L.R. Lemelle set sentencing for February 15, 2023.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas D. Moses is in charge of the prosecution.
New Orleans Duo Sentenced to Two Years in Federal Prison for Interstate Motorcycle Theft SchemeRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – A pair of New Orleans, Louisiana men were each sentenced to two years in federal prison for a scheme to steal motor vehicles and transport them across state lines.
According to court documents, Tim Jackson, 27, and Jerrell Maxon, 25, were part of a group of individuals from New Orleans called the “East Side Wheelie Kings,” who were responsible for breaking into motorcycle shops along the Gulf Coast and stealing motorcycles, dirt bikes, and four-wheelers.
In the early morning hours of May 1, 2018, Jackson, Maxon, and several other individuals stole two trucks from a U-Haul location in Mobile. Surveillance video showed the thieves entering the U-Haul facility through a hole in the fence, starting the stolen trucks by breaking their key cylinders, and ramming the trucks through the property’s gate. A short time later that morning, the defendants and their coconspirators used the stolen U-Haul trucks to ram into the front entrance of Hall’s Motorsports, a motorcycle shop in Mobile. The group stole several motorcycles and dirt bikes from the business and took them back to New Orleans. Law enforcement later recovered some of the stolen bikes and the stolen U-Haul trucks in Alabama and Louisiana.
Detectives analyzed the defendants’ cell phone geo-location records, both of which placed them in the vicinity of the victim businesses at the time of the break-ins. Law enforcement executed search warrants at the defendants’ houses in New Orleans and found, among other things, clothing matching that worn by the burglars, a stolen dirt bike, keys for four-wheelers, and handwritten notes for motorcycle shops in Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi. Maxon made recorded calls from jail admitting that he had been “hitting the businesses all over the South.” Jackson admitted that he participated in the burglaries, and records from his Instagram account revealed that he offered one of the motorcycles stolen from Hall’s Motorsports for sale. In total, the victim businesses suffered $147,795 in financial losses due to building damage and stolen property.
Senior United States District Judge William H. Steele ordered the defendants to serve three-year terms of supervised release upon their release from prison, during which time they will be subject to credit restrictions. The court did not order a fine, but Judge Steele ordered the defendants to pay $147,795 in victim restitution and a total of $300 in special assessments.
U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement.
The Mobile Police Department, the Louisiana State Police, and the New Orleans office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bishop Ravenel and Justin Roller prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
New Haven Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Federal Prison for Role in Cocaine Trafficking RingRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JOSE RODRIGUEZ-CARABALLO, also known as “Puma,” 33, of New Haven, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey A. Meyer in New Haven to 144 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, for cocaine trafficking offenses.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in November 2020, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Narcotics and Bulk Cash Trafficking Task Force executed a federal search warrant on a suspicious package that had been sent through the U.S. Mail from New Haven to an address in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. The package contained $102,450 in cash. The investigation revealed that an associate of Rodriguez-Caraballo was supervising the receipt of numerous parcels containing kilogram quantities of cocaine that had been shipped from Puerto Rico to addresses in and around New Haven, the resale of the cocaine to others, and the shipment of narcotics proceeds to individuals in Puerto Rico. During the investigation, law enforcement intercepted multiple parcels of cocaine and U.S. currency that was sent through the U.S. Mail.
The investigation revealed that Rodriguez-Caraballo picked up cocaine parcels from the addresses they were shipped to, repackaged the cocaine, and helped distribute it to other drug sellers and customers.
Rodriguez-Caraballo was arrested on March 18, 2021, after he traveled with a co-conspirator to a location in Milford to sell two kilograms of cocaine for $86,000. Investigators seized the cocaine and a loaded 9mm handgun from their vehicle.
Rodriguez-Caraballo has been detained since his arrest. On January 27, 2022, he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine, and one count of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine.
This matter is being investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Narcotics and Bulk Cash Trafficking Task Force and the Drug Enforcement Administration, with the assistance of the New Haven Police Department. The Task Force includes members from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Postal Service – Office of the Inspector General, the Connecticut Army National Guard, and the Hartford, New Britain, Meriden and Town of Groton Police Departments.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Konstantin Lantsman and Karen Peck through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
New Hampshire Man Pleads Guilty to Violent Home Invasion in YorkRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Manchester, New Hampshire man pleaded guilty today to conspiracy, robbery and firearm charges stemming from a violent home invasion in York, U.S. Attorney Darcie N. McElwee announced.
According to court records, in August 2019, Jason Candelario, 33, and three other co-conspirators met in Hooksett, New Hampshire and planned a home invasion of a York residence to rob marijuana and marijuana sale proceeds from the home’s resident. The group traveled to the York residence where Candelario and one co-conspirator, armed with handguns and wearing masks, waited in the woods for the victim to return home. When the victim arrived home, accompanied by two others, a violent physical altercation ensued. During the fight, a firearm was discharged, and the bullet struck the victim in the lower abdomen. Candelario and the co-conspirator fled. Police arrived approximately 15 minutes later, and the victim was rushed to the hospital where he underwent surgery to remove a .45 caliber bullet from his lower abdomen.
At the time of the home invasion Candelario had four prior felony convictions and was therefore prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition under federal law.
Candelario faces a period of imprisonment of up to 20 years on the conspiracy charge, up to 20 years on the robbery charge and up to 10 years on the firearm charge. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Co-conspirator Derek Daprato, 34, from Hookset, New Hampshire entered a plea of not guilty and is scheduled for trial in December.
The FBI, in conjunction with the York Police Department and the York County Sheriff’s Office, investigated the case.
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Michigan man admits to role in a drug conspiracy in Harrison CountyRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Drake D. Dodson-Williams, of Southgate, Michigan, has admitted to a drug charge, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
Dodson-Williams, also known as “KO,” 31, pleaded guilty today to one count of “Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine.” Dodson-Williams admitted to having methamphetamine in October 2021 in Harrison County.
Dodson-Williams faces up to 20 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $1,000,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
This operation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher L. Bauer is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives; the Drug Enforcement Administration; the Greater Harrison Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; and the Harrison County Sheriff’s Office investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.
Mexican national sentenced to four years, nine months in prison for carjackingRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced that Gael Rodriguez was sentenced on Nov. 1 to four years and nine months in prison for carjacking. Rodriguez, 20, a citizen of Mexico, pleaded guilty on March 23.
On Jan. 16, Rodriguez approached an elderly victim in northwest Albuquerque outside her apartment complex and asked her for a cigarette. The victim responded that she had no cigarettes and Rodriguez then demanded her purse and the keys for her vehicle. When the victim resisted, Rodriguez stabbed her hand with a knife, causing her to drop the keys. Rodriguez grabbed the keys and fled in the victim’s vehicle.
An Albuquerque Police Officer was dispatched to the scene and relayed a description of the vehicle and Rodriguez to the Rio Rancho and Corrales police departments. Police were able to locate the vehicle in Corrales. After a pursuit on foot, police subdued and arrested Rodriguez.
Upon his release from prison, Rodriguez will be subject to three years of supervised release and will be subject to deportation.
The FBI’s Albuquerque Violent Crimes Task Force (VCTF) investigated this case with assistance from the Albuquerque Police Department and the Corrales Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jaymie L. Roybal prosecuted the case.
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Mexican National Sentenced to 37 Months in Prison for Illegally Reentering the U.S.Read the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that GERMAN EDUARDO MARTINEZ FRANCO, 42, a citizen of Mexico last residing in West Haven, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Janet C. Hall in New Haven to 37 months of imprisonment for illegally reentering the U.S. after being deported.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on seven occasions between 1998 and 2015, Martinez was encountered in Arizona was subsequently removed to Mexico. In the District of Arizona, in 2010, Martinez was convicted of illegal entry and sentenced to 90 days of imprisonment. In 2011, he was convicted of illegal reentry and sentenced to 18 months of imprisonment; In 2014, he was convicted of possession with intent to distribute marijuana and was sentenced to 33 months of imprisonment. Martinez was last removed to Mexico in December 2015.
On July 1, 2021, Martinez, who was using another identity, was arrested in West Haven and charged in state court with possession with intent to sell greater than one ounce of heroin or methamphetamine, possession with intent to sell a narcotic substance, two counts of possession of a controlled substance, criminal impersonation, and forgery in the first degree.
Martinez has been detained since July 1, 2021. On August 8, 2022, he pleaded guilty in federal court to illegal reentry.
Martinez pleaded guilty in state court and was sentenced to 72 months of incarceration.
This investigation was conducted by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, with the assistance of the West Haven Police Department and Drug Enforcement Administration. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patricia Stolfi Collins.
Medical Doctor Plus Eight Others Indicted for Drug Trafficking and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – On September 28, 2022, a grand jury in Phoenix, Arizona returned a 34-count indictment against nine individuals, including:
- Yvette Porras-Ochoa, 40, of Wittmann, Arizona
- Ricardo Ochoa, 41, of Mesa, Arizona
- Kourtney Moore, 40, of Akron, Ohio
- George Martinez-Aviles, M.D., 55, of Peoria, Arizona
- Vanessa Quijada, 36, of Phoenix, Arizona
- Josefina Thomas, 57, of Glendale, Arizona
- Angel Borunda, 26, of Odessa, Texas
- Ibis Efren Miranda Hernandez, 43, of Peoria, Arizona
- Kristel Pimentel, 37, of Buckeye, Arizona
A 2021 investigation revealed that Martinez-Aviles, M.D., Porras-Ochoa, Ochoa, Moore, Quijada, Thomas, and Pimentel, each conspired to distribute oxycodone knowingly and intentionally, and to distribute promethazine-codeine outside the scope of professional practice and not for a legitimate medical purpose. Furthermore, Porras-Ochoa, Moore, Ochoa, and Borunda each face additional charges for conspiring to distribute cocaine for profit. Lastly, Moore also faces additional charges for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. Six of the defendants were also charged with related money-laundering offenses.
Over the course of this investigation, law enforcement officers seized cocaine, marijuana, oxycodone, promethazine-codeine, and counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl.
An indictment is simply a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The Drug Enforcement Administration led the investigation with significant contributions from Homeland Security Investigations, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the United States Marshals Service, the Phoenix Police Department, the Surprise Police Department, the Peoria Police Department, the Glendale Police Department, and the Goodyear Police Department. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-22-1265-PHX-SPL
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-199_Porras-Ochoa, et al# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.
MS-13 Members Sentenced for Kidnapping and Murdering Two JuvenilesRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Five members of the transnational street gang La Mara Salvatrucha, or MS-13, have received sentences of life imprisonment for their roles in the kidnapping and murder of two adolescent boys in 2016.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, MS-13 gang members Elmer Zelaya Martinez, Ronald Herrera Contreras, Henry Zelaya Martinez, Pablo Velasco Barrera, and Duglas Ramirez Ferrera, along with their co-conspirators, targeted E.E.E.M., a 17-year-old resident of Falls Church, who they erroneously suspected was a member of the rival 18th Street gang. On the night of August 28, 2016, the gang lured E.E.E.M. to Holmes Run Stream Valley Park in Fairfax County under the pretense that there was going to be a gang meeting there. Instead, in a wooded area of the park, gang members restrained, attacked, and killed E.E.E.M., stabbing and chopping him more than 100 times with knives, a machete, and a pickaxe. Afterwards, the gang broke one of E.E.E.M.’s legs so that his body would fit into the pre-dug hole that was nearby.
Court records and evidence presented at trial also established that the same gang members, along with their co-conspirators, targeted S.A.A.T., a 14-year-old resident of Alexandria, who they erroneously suspected was a police informant. On the evening of September 26, 2016, the gang told S.A.A.T. that there was going to be a gang meeting later that night and encouraged him to attend. Not long thereafter, S.A.A.T. went outside in his pajamas, telling his mother he was just taking out the trash. Eventually, several gang members picked up S.A.A.T. and drove him to the same park where they had killed E.E.E.M. The gang members restrained, attacked, and killed S.A.A.T., stabbing and chopping him with knives, machetes, and a pickaxe. They also filmed the murder with a cell phone so that they could prove to gang leaders in the United States and in El Salvador that they deserved to be promoted in rank. Once S.A.A.T. was dead, the gang broke his legs and tied him up with his own pajama pants so that he would fit into the shallow grave that was dug for him that night.
“Words alone are incapable of describing the tragedy and senselessness that mark this case. Mere proximity to MS-13 and its twisted code cost two unassuming teenage boys their lives. In the wake of their appallingly violent murders lie wrecked families and fear-stricken communities,” said Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “The sentences of life imprisonment imposed by the court are fitting; they will protect the public from these five defendants, send a message to other members and associates of MS-13 that there will be severe consequences for committing violent crimes in furtherance of their gang’s illicit activities, and provide a measure of justice for the victims and their families. EDVA remains steadfast in its commitment to prosecuting members of street gangs and deterring acts of violence perpetrated in their name.”
“Brutality is the hallmark of MS-13. The defendants kidnapped and murdered two innocent teenagers, shattering their dreams and stoking fear in the communities we live and work in," said Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office's Criminal and Cyber Division. “This joint investigation demonstrates the FBI and our law enforcement partners' refusal to tolerate violent gang members who terrorize our neighborhoods and ruthlessly murder rival gang members and innocent civilians.”
“This is a profoundly disturbing case involving gang members taking the lives of young members of our community. We are proud to work with our Federal partners on cases like this to keep Fairfax County and surrounding communities safe,” said Kevin Davis, Fairfax County Chief of Police.
To date, a total of 17 defendants have been charged in this case, five of whom went to trial and were convicted of all charges. Nine defendants pleaded guilty prior to trial. See the table below for additional information on the defendants who were convicted at trial.
Name
Age
Country of Origin
Convictions
Sentence
Elmer Zelaya Martinez
31
El Salvador
Conspiracy to commit kidnapping and murder in aid of racketeering activity; conspiracy to kidnap; murder in aid of racketeering activity; kidnapping resulting in death
Sentenced to six terms of life imprisonment and two terms of 120 months, all to run concurrently
Ronald Herrera Contreras
24
El Salvador
Conspiracy to commit kidnapping and murder in aid of racketeering activity; conspiracy to kidnap; murder in aid of racketeering activity; kidnapping resulting in death
Sentenced to six terms of life imprisonment and two terms of 120 months, all to run concurrently
Henry Zelaya Martinez
28
El Salvador
Conspiracy to commit kidnapping and murder in aid of racketeering activity; conspiracy to kidnap; murder in aid of racketeering activity; kidnapping resulting in death
Sentenced to six terms of life imprisonment and two terms of 120 months, all to run concurrently
Pablo Velasco Barrera
24
El Salvador
Conspiracy to commit kidnapping and murder in aid of racketeering activity; conspiracy to kidnap; murder in aid of racketeering activity; kidnapping resulting in death
Sentenced to six terms of life imprisonment and two terms of 120 months, all to run concurrently
Duglas Ramirez Ferrera
26
El Salvador
Conspiracy to commit kidnapping and murder in aid of racketeering activity; conspiracy to kidnap; murder in aid of racketeering activity; kidnapping resulting in death
Sentenced to six terms of life imprisonment and two terms of 120 months, all to run concurrently
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; and Kevin Davis, Fairfax County Chief of Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Rossie D. Alston, Jr.
The FBI Washington Field Office, the Fairfax County Police Department, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Washington Field Office, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Alexandria Police Department, the Prince William County Police Department, the Montgomery County (MD) Police Department, and the Marin County (CA) Sheriff’s Office provided significant assistance on the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexander E. Blanchard and Cristina C. Stam and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Rebeca H. Bellows prosecuted the case.
The case was investigated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). The OCDETF program is a federal multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional task force that supplies supplemental federal funding to the federal and state agencies involved in the identification, investigation, and prosecution of major drug trafficking organizations. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking, and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply.
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. 1:18-cr-123.
Lowell Postal Carrier Pleads Guilty to Attempting to Bribe Supervisor to Divert Packages of CocaineRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Lowell postal worker pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to attempting to bribe a postal supervisor and sell them cocaine.
John Noviello, of Nashua, N.H., 61, pleaded guilty to one count of bribery of a public official and one count of distribution of cocaine. U.S. District Court Judge Angel Kelley scheduled sentencing for Feb. 14, 2023. Noviello was charged on May 11, 2022.
Noviello was a mail carrier for the U.S. Postal Service in Lowell. On Feb. 15, 2022, Noviello approached a U.S. Postal supervisor seeking their assistance in a scheme to divert postal packages suspected of containing cocaine. Noviello offered to pay the supervisor $1,750 per kilogram of cocaine successfully obtained from any diverted packages. On Feb. 17, 2022, Noviello left $850 in cash, concealed in a Dunkin’ bag, inside the supervisor’s vehicle in an attempt to encourage the supervisor to agree to the scheme. Noviello, referring to the $850, later commented to the supervisor, “that was a nice envelope for starters.” After contacting authorities, the supervisor conducted a controlled purchase from Noviello during which the defendant distributed approximately 3.7 grams of cocaine for $200.
The charge of bribery of a public official provides for a sentence of up to 15 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of distribution of cocaine provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Matthew Modafferi, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Postal Service, Office of Inspector General, Northeast Area Office; and Ketty Larco Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Mulcahy of Rollins’ Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.
Local man sent to prison for conspiracy to transport 124 peopleRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – A 67-year-old Laredo man has been sent to federal prison following his conviction of conspiring to transport people in a sealed trailer, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
A federal jury deliberated for approximately two hours following a two-day trial before returning a guilty verdict July 20 on one count of conspiracy against David William McKeon.
Today, U.S. District Judge Marina Garcia Marmolejo ordered McKeon to serve 57 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. In handing down the sentence, the court repeatedly emphasized McKeon’s actions resulted in endangering over 100 people.
On April 20, McKeon arrived at the Laredo North Border Patrol (BP) checkpoint while driving a tractor-trailer. At that time, law enforcement heard suspicious noises coming from the trailer. They opened a vent door and discovered 124 locked behind the doors.
At trial, the jury heard that McKeon had said he was recruited for the job at his birthday party a few days earlier. They heard he picked up the tractor-trailer from a dirt road then was given a fraudulent bill of lading in the parking lot of a Popeye’s restaurant before driving to the checkpoint.
However, the defense attempted to convince the jury that McKeon didn’t know there were aliens inside the trailer. The jury ultimately found him guilty of engaging in a conspiracy to transport the aliens.
McKeon has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of BP. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian Bajew and David Fawcett prosecuted the case.
Lincoln Woman Sentenced to over 12 Years in Prison for Conspiracy to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Steven Russell announced that Ashley O’Connell, 33, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was sentenced today in federal court in Lincoln. United States District Judge John M. Gerrard sentenced O’Connell to 150 months for conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine mixture. Following her term of imprisonment, O’Connell must serve a five-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
Law enforcement investigation revealed that from about November 1, 2017, and continuing to about November 27, 2019, O’Connell conspired with at least eight other individuals to distribute methamphetamine in the Lincoln area. During the course of the conspiracy, O’Connell obtained methamphetamine in quantities ranging from a quarter ounce to a half pound from several individuals and sold methamphetamine to several others in quantities ranging from one-sixteenth ounce to a quarter pound. On November 27, 2019, law enforcement stopped a stolen vehicle driven by O’Connell in Lincoln. O’Connell was the sole occupant of the vehicle. The vehicle was subsequently searched. Law enforcement found in the vehicle two baggies of methamphetamine weighing over a gram, a firearm, and a digital scale with methamphetamine residue.
This case was investigated by the Lincoln/Lancaster County Narcotics Task Force and the Lincoln Police Department
Las Vegas Man Pleads Guilty to Child Sexual ExploitationRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – A Las Vegas resident pleaded guilty to multiple child sexual exploitation crimes one day before the start of his federal jury trial.
Stephen Thomas Parshall, aka “Kiwi,” (38) pleaded guilty on October 31, 2022, to two counts of sexual exploitation of children, one count of coercion and enticement, and one count of receipt and distribution of child pornography. U.S. District Judge Jennifer A. Dorsey scheduled sentencing for February 6, 2023.
According to court documents, during protests on May 30, 2020, law enforcement learned of Parshall’s membership in the “Boogaloo” movement and his involvement in a conspiracy to cause destruction of government property in Las Vegas. The “Boogaloo” movement is a decentralized ideological network that believes in a coming second U.S. civil war and espouses anti-government and anti-law enforcement rhetoric. Law enforcement officers located 10 images of child sexual abuse material, and numerous images of child erotica, on Parshall’s cellular phone after he was arrested. Investigators identified Victim 1, a child under the age of 18 years old, in two of the child sexual abuse images located on Parshall’s phone. Parshall forced Victim 1 to perform sex acts upon him while he photographed it.
Investigators also located social media conversations on a second cell phone owned by Parshall, under account names “cptkiwi1”, “nopictoobad”, and “pervysage”. In some of those social media conversations, Parshall messaged with Victim 2, another child under 18 years old, and convinced Victim 2 to take sexually explicit pictures. Victim 2 sent the requested child sexual abuse material to Parshall.
Additionally, in separate social media conversations, Parshall traded child pornography material with other users.
At sentencing, Parshall faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and a maximum of 30 years in prison for each count of sexual exploitation, a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and up to a maximum of life in prison for coercion and enticement, a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up to a maximum of 20 years in prison for receipt and distribution of child pornography, a $250,000 fine for each count, and a $5,000 assessment under the Justice for Victims Trafficking Act for each count. Under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, Parshall will also be required to register as a sex offender.
U.S. Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Spencer L. Evans for the FBI made the announcement.
The case was investigated by the FBI and Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Bianca Pucci and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas Portz are prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Department of Justice’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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Justice Department Announces Takedown of Nationwide Catalytic Converter Theft RingRead the Press Release
Federal, state, and local law enforcement partners from across the United States executed a nationwide, coordinated takedown today of leaders and associates of a national network of thieves, dealers, and processors for their roles in conspiracies involving stolen catalytic converters sold to a metal refinery for tens of millions of dollars.
Arrests, searches, and seizures took place in California, Oklahoma, Wyoming, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Nevada, North Carolina, and Virginia. In total, 21 individuals in five states have been arrested and/or charged for their roles in the conspiracy.
The 21 defendants are charged in two separate indictments that were unsealed today in the Eastern District of California and the Northern District of Oklahoma following extensive law enforcement arrest and search operations. In addition to the indictments, over 32 search warrants were executed, and law enforcement seized millions of dollars in assets, including homes, bank accounts, cash, and luxury vehicles.
“Amidst a rise in catalytic converter thefts across the country, the Justice Department has today carried out an operation arresting 21 defendants and executing 32 search warrants in a nation-wide takedown of a multimillion-dollar catalytic converter theft network,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “We will continue to work alongside our state and local partners to disrupt criminal conspiracies like this one that target the American people.”
“This national network of criminals hurt victims across the country,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “They made hundreds of millions of dollars in the process—on the backs of thousands of innocent car owners. Today’s charges showcase how the FBI and its partners act together to stop crimes that hurt all too many Americans.”
“With California’s higher emission standards, our community has become a hot bed for catalytic converter theft,” said U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert for the Eastern District of California. “Last year approximately 1,600 catalytic converters were reportedly stolen in California each month, and California accounts for 37% of all catalytic converter theft claims nationwide. I am proud to announce that we have indicted nine people who are at the core of catalytic theft in our community and nationwide.”
“In Tulsa alone, more than 2,000 catalytic converters were stolen in the past year,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson for the Northern District of Oklahoma. “Organized criminal activity, including the large-scale theft of catalytic converters, is costly to victims and too often places citizens and law enforcement in danger. The collective work conducted by federal prosecutors and more than 10 different law enforcement agencies led to the filing of charges in the Northern District of Oklahoma against 13 defendants operating an alleged catalytic converter theft operation.”
“The success of this national takedown highlights the importance and necessity of dynamic law enforcement partnerships that we foster at DHS every single day,” said Deputy Secretary John K. Tien of the Department of Homeland Security. “This calculated, cooperative whole-of-government approach across multiple states illustrates our commitment to protecting the homeland from those who seek to profit from sophisticated schemes. Homeland Security Investigations [HSI] will continue to focus its efforts on keeping these types of criminal elements off our streets while dismantling the groups behind these and other thefts.”
“Just like the precious metal inside every catalytic converter, there’s a money trail at the core of every criminal scheme,” said Chief Jim Lee of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI). “Our IRS-CI special agents and partners are incredibly well-versed at unraveling financial trails, and this case is not unique. There are real victims here – friends, neighbors, and businesses – and our hope is that today’s arrests will deter similar criminal activity.”
Catalytic Converters
Catalytic converters are a component of an automotive vehicle’s exhaust device that reduce the toxic gas and pollutants from a vehicle's internal combustion engine into safe emissions. Catalytic converters use precious metals in their center, or “core,” and are regularly targeted for theft due to the high value of these metals, especially the precious metals palladium, platinum, and rhodium. Some of these precious metals are more valuable per ounce than gold and their value has been increasing in recent years. The black-market price for catalytic converters can be above $1,000 each, depending on the type of vehicle and what state it is from. They can be stolen in less than a minute. Additionally, catalytic converters often lack unique serial numbers, VIN information, or other distinctive identification features, making them difficult to trace to their lawful owner. Thus, the theft of catalytic converters has become increasingly popular because of their value, relative ease to steal, and their lack of identifying markings.
Eastern District of California Case
A federal grand jury in the Eastern District of California returned a 40‑count indictment charging nine defendants with conspiracy to transport stolen catalytic converters, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and other related charges.
According to court documents, Tou Sue Vang, 31, and Andrew Vang, 27, and Monica Moua, 51, all of Sacramento, California, allegedly operated an unlicensed business from their personal residence in Sacramento where they bought stolen catalytic converters from local thieves and shipped them to DG Auto Parts LLC (DG Auto) in New Jersey for processing. The defendants allegedly sold over $38 million in stolen catalytic converters to DG Auto.
Defendants Navin Khanna, aka Lovin Khanna, 39; Tinu Khanna, aka Gagan Khanna, 35; Daniel Dolan, 44; Chi Mo, aka David Mo, 37; Wright Louis Mosley, 50; and Ishu Lakra, 24, all of New Jersey, operated DG Auto in multiple locations in New Jersey. They knowingly purchased stolen catalytic converters and, through a “de-canning” process, extracted the precious metal powders from the catalytic core. DG Auto sold the precious metal powders it processed from California and elsewhere to a metal refinery for over $545 million.
“This national takedown exemplifies the complexities of organized criminal operations and stresses the importance of law enforcement collaboration to identify and disrupt all facets of a criminal enterprise,” explained Special Agent in Charge Sean Ragan of the FBI Sacramento Field Office. “This case demonstrates how investigations often evolve to expose the higher level organizations that fuel street-level crime. While catalytic converter thefts are a significant and pervasive challenge for local law enforcement agencies, these street-level crimes often benefit larger criminal networks. Organized crime must be addressed comprehensively and collaboratively to disrupt these networks and reduce crime in our communities. We are grateful for the commitment and partnership of our local, state, and federal law enforcement colleagues who worked tirelessly to ensure this criminal enterprise was effectively disrupted.”
Northern District of Oklahoma Case
A federal grand jury in the Northern District of Oklahoma returned a 40‑count indictment charging 13 defendants with conspiracy to receive stolen catalytic converters, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and other related charges.
According to court documents, together the defendants bought stolen catalytic converters from thieves on the street, then re-sold and shipped them to DG Auto in New Jersey for processing. Over the course of the conspiracy, defendant Tyler James Curtis received over $13 million in wired funds from DG Auto for the shipment of catalytic converters and received over $500,000 from Capital Cores for catalytic converters. Defendant Adam G. Sharkey received over $45 million in wired funds from DG Auto. And defendant Martynas Macerauskas received over $6 million in payments from DG Auto for catalytic converters. In all these incidents, most of the catalytic converters sold to DG Auto were stolen, and DG Auto knew or should have known that when they paid for them.
The 13 defendants are Navin Khanna, 39, of Holmdel, New Jersey; Adam Sharkey, 26, of West Islip, New York; Robert Gary Sharkey, 57, of Babylon, New York; Tyler James Curtis, 26, of Wagoner, Oklahoma; Benjamin Robert Mansour, 24, of Bixby, Oklahoma; Reiss Nicole Biby, 24, of Wagoner, Oklahoma; Martynas Macerauskas, 28, of Leila Lake, Texas; Kristina McKay Macerauskas, 21, of Leila Lake, Texas; Parker Star Weavel, 25, of Tahlequah, Oklahoma; Shane Allen Minnick, 26, of Haskell, Oklahoma; Ryan David LaRue 29, of Broken Bow, Oklahoma; Brian Pate Thomas, 25, of Choteau, Oklahoma; and Michael Anthony Rhoden, 26, of Keifer, Oklahoma.
Trial Attorney Danbee C. Kim of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section, Assistant U.S. Attorney Veronica M.A. Alegría for the Eastern District of California, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Reagan Reininger and David Nasar for the Northern District of Oklahoma are prosecuting the cases.
The FBI Sacramento, IRS-CI Sacramento, HSI Tulsa, and IRS-CI Tulsa are investigating the cases.
FBI Las Vegas (NV), FBI Richmond (VA), FBI Charlotte (NC), FBI Newark (NJ), FBI Dallas (TX), HSI Dallas (TX), HSI Houston (TX), HSI Amarillo (TX), HSI St. Paul (MN), HSI Long Island (NY), HSI Newark (NJ), IRS-CI Chicago Field Office (IL), IRS-CI Oakland Field Office (CA), IRS-CI Dallas Field Office (TX), IRS-CI Newark Field Office (NJ), Tulsa Police Department (OK), Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office (OK), Oklahoma Highway Patrol (OK), Oklahoma Attorney General’s Office (OK), Wagoner County Sheriff’s Office (OK), Houston Police Department (TX), Amarillo Police Department (TX), Broken Arrow Police Department (OK), Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department (CA), Sacramento Police Department (CA), Davis Police Department (CA), Auburn Police Department (CA), Livermore Police Department (CA), San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department (CA), Customs and Border Protection (NJ), Port Authority Police Department of New York and New Jersey (NY; NJ), Hudson County Sheriff’s Office (NJ), Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office (NJ), Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office (NJ), Morris Township Police Department (NJ), Springfield Police Department (NJ), New Jersey State Police (NJ), Union County Prosecutor’s Office (NJ), Port Authority of NY & NJ (NY; NJ), Howell Police Department (NJ), Warren Township Police Department (NJ), Freehold Borough Police Department (NJ), Middletown Police Department (NJ), Marlboro Police Department (NJ), Manalapan Police Department (NJ), Ocean County Sheriff’s Office (NJ), Burlington Police Department (NJ), Willingboro Police Department (NJ), Waterfront Commission of NY Harbor (NY), Nassau County Police Department (NY), Suffolk County Police Department (NY), Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (NV), Greensville County Sheriff’s Office (VA), Emporia Police Department (VA), Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office (VA), Halifax County Sheriff’s Office (NC), Saint Paul Police Department (MN), Minnesota Commerce Fraud Bureau (MN), Blaine Police Department (MN), McLeod County Sheriff’s Office (MN), Anoka County Sheriff’s Office (MN), Carver County Sheriff’s Office (MN), Roseville Police Department (MN), Plymouth Police Department (MN), Bloomington Police Department (MN), Eagan Police Department (MN), Woodbury Police Department (MN), Brown County Sheriff’s Office (MN), Brooklyn Park Police Department (MN), Fridley Police Department (MN), Mendota Heights Police Department (MN), Chaska Police Department (MN), and Coon Rapids Police Department (MN) provided assistance.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Justice Department Announces Takedown of Nationwide Catalytic Converter Theft RingRead the Press Release
Federal, state, and local law enforcement partners from across the United States executed a nationwide, coordinated takedown today of leaders and associates of a national network of thieves, dealers, and processors for their roles in conspiracies involving stolen catalytic converters sold to a metal refinery for tens of millions of dollars.
Arrests, searches, and seizures took place in California, Oklahoma, Wyoming, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Nevada, North Carolina, and Virginia. In total, 21 individuals in five states have been arrested and/or charged for their roles in the conspiracy.
The 21 defendants are charged in two separate indictments that were unsealed today in the Eastern District of California and the Northern District of Oklahoma following extensive law enforcement arrest and search operations. In addition to the indictments, over 32 search warrants were executed, and law enforcement seized millions of dollars in assets, including homes, bank accounts, cash, and luxury vehicles.
“Amidst a rise in catalytic converter thefts across the country, the Justice Department has today carried out an operation arresting 21 defendants and executing 32 search warrants in a nation-wide takedown of a multimillion-dollar catalytic converter theft network,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “We will continue to work alongside our state and local partners to disrupt criminal conspiracies like this one that target the American people.”
“This national network of criminals hurt victims across the country,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “They made hundreds of millions of dollars in the process—on the backs of thousands of innocent car owners. Today’s charges showcase how the FBI and its partners act together to stop crimes that hurt all too many Americans.”
“With California’s higher emission standards, our community has become a hot bed for catalytic converter theft,” said U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert for the Eastern District of California. “Last year approximately 1,600 catalytic converters were reportedly stolen in California each month, and California accounts for 37% of all catalytic converter theft claims nationwide. I am proud to announce that we have indicted nine people who are at the core of catalytic theft in our community and nationwide.”
“In Tulsa alone, more than 2,000 catalytic converters were stolen in the past year,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson for the Northern District of Oklahoma. “Organized criminal activity, including the large-scale theft of catalytic converters, is costly to victims and too often places citizens and law enforcement in danger. The collective work conducted by federal prosecutors and more than 10 different law enforcement agencies led to the filing of charges in the Northern District of Oklahoma against 13 defendants operating an alleged catalytic converter theft operation.”
“The success of this national takedown highlights the importance and necessity of dynamic law enforcement partnerships that we foster at DHS every single day," said Deputy Secretary John K. Tien of the Department of Homeland Security. “This calculated, cooperative whole-of-government approach across multiple states illustrates our commitment to protecting the homeland from those who seek to profit from sophisticated schemes. Homeland Security Investigations [HSI] will continue to focus its efforts on keeping these types of criminal elements off our streets while dismantling the groups behind these and other thefts.”
“Just like the precious metal inside every catalytic converter, there’s a money trail at the core of every criminal scheme,” said Chief Jim Lee of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI). “Our IRS-CI special agents and partners are incredibly well-versed at unraveling financial trails, and this case is not unique. There are real victims here – friends, neighbors, and businesses – and our hope is that today’s arrests will deter similar criminal activity.”
Catalytic Converters
Catalytic converters are a component of an automotive vehicle's exhaust device that reduce the toxic gas and pollutants from a vehicle's internal combustion engine into safe emissions. Catalytic converters use precious metals in their center, or “core”, and are regularly targeted for theft due to the high value of these metals, especially the precious metals palladium, platinum, and rhodium. Some of these precious metals are more valuable per ounce than gold and their value has been increasing in recent years. The black-market price for catalytic converters can be above $1,000 each, depending on the type of vehicle and what state it is from. They can be stolen in less than a minute. Additionally, catalytic converters often lack unique serial numbers, VIN information, or other distinctive identification features, making them difficult to trace to their lawful owner. Thus, the theft of catalytic converters has become increasingly popular because of their value, relative ease to steal, and their lack of identifying markings.
Eastern District of California Case
A federal grand jury in the Eastern District of California returned a 40‑count indictment charging nine defendants with conspiracy to transport stolen catalytic converters, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and other related charges.
According to court documents, brothers Tou Sue Vang, 31, and Andrew Vang, 27, and Monica Moua, 51, all of Sacramento, California, allegedly operated an unlicensed business from their personal residence in Sacramento where they bought stolen catalytic converters from local thieves and shipped them to DG Auto Parts LLC (DG Auto) in New Jersey for processing. The Vang family allegedly sold over $38 million in stolen catalytic converters to DG Auto.
Defendants Navin Khanna, aka Lovin Khanna, 39; Tinu Khanna, aka Gagan Khanna, 35; Daniel Dolan, 44; Chi Mo, aka David Mo, 37; Wright Louis Mosley, 50; and Ishu Lakra, 24, all of New Jersey, operated DG Auto in multiple locations in New Jersey. They knowingly purchased stolen catalytic converters and, through a “de-canning” process, extracted the precious metal powders from the catalytic core. DG Auto sold the precious metal powders it processed from California and elsewhere to a metal refinery for over $545 million.
Northern District of Oklahoma Case
A federal grand jury in the Northern District of Oklahoma returned a 40‑count indictment charging 13 defendants with conspiracy to receive stolen catalytic converters, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and other related charges.
According to court documents, together the defendants bought stolen catalytic converters from thieves on the street, then re-sold and shipped them to DG Auto in New Jersey for processing. Over the course of the conspiracy, defendant Tyler James Curtis received over $13 million in wired funds from DG Auto for the shipment of catalytic converters and received over $500,000 from Capital Cores for catalytic converters. Defendant Adam G. Sharkey received over $45 million in wired funds from DG Auto. And defendant Martynas Macerauskas received over $6 million in payments from DG Auto for catalytic converters. In all these incidents, most of the catalytic converters sold to DG Auto were stolen, and DG Auto knew or should have known that when they paid for them.
The 13 defendants are Navin Khanna, 39, of Holmdel, New Jersey; Adam Sharkey, 26, of West Islip, New York; Robert Gary Sharkey, 57, of Babylon, New York; Tyler James Curtis, 26, of Wagoner, Oklahoma; Benjamin Robert Mansour, 24, of Bixby, Oklahoma; Reiss Nicole Biby, 24, of Wagoner, Oklahoma; Martynas Macerauskas, 28, of Leila Lake, Texas; Kristina McKay Macerauskas, 21, of Leila Lake, Texas; Parker Star Weavel, 25, of Tahlequah, Oklahoma; Shane Allen Minnick, 26, of Haskell, Oklahoma; Ryan David LaRue 29, of Broken Bow, Oklahoma; Brian Pate Thomas, 25, of Choteau, Oklahoma; and Michael Anthony Rhoden, 26, of Keifer, Oklahoma.
Trial Attorney Danbee C. Kim of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section, Assistant U.S. Attorney Veronica M.A. Alegría for the Eastern District of California, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Reagan Reininger and David Nasar for the Northern District of Oklahoma are prosecuting the cases.
The FBI Sacramento, IRS-CI Sacramento, HSI Tulsa, and IRS-CI Tulsa are investigating the cases.
FBI Las Vegas (NV), FBI Richmond (VA), FBI Charlotte (NC), FBI Newark (NJ), FBI Dallas (TX), HSI Dallas (TX), HSI Houston (TX), HSI Amarillo (TX), HSI St. Paul (MN), HSI Long Island (NY), HSI Newark (NJ), IRS-CI Chicago Field Office (IL), IRS-CI Oakland Field Office (CA), IRS-CI Dallas Field Office (TX), IRS-CI Newark Field Office (NJ), Tulsa Police Department (OK), Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office (OK), Oklahoma Highway Patrol (OK), Oklahoma Attorney General’s Office (OK), Wagoner County Sheriff’s Office (OK), Houston Police Department (TX), Amarillo Police Department (TX), Broken Arrow Police Department (OK), Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department (CA), Sacramento Police Department (CA), Davis Police Department (CA), Auburn Police Department (CA), Livermore Police Department (CA), San Bernardino County Sherriff’s Department (CA), Customs and Border Protection (NJ), Port Authority Police Department of New York and New Jersey (NY; NJ), Hudson County Sheriff’s Office (NJ), Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office (NJ), Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office (NJ), Morris Township Police Department (NJ), Springfield Police Department (NJ), New Jersey State Police (NJ), Union County Prosecutor’s Office (NJ), Port Authority of NY & NJ (NY; NJ), Howell Police Department (NJ), Warren Township Police Department (NJ), Freehold Borough Police Department (NJ), Middletown Police Department (NJ), Marlboro Police Department (NJ), Manalapan Police Department (NJ), Ocean County Sheriff’s Office (NJ), Burlington Police Department (NJ), Willingboro Police Department (NJ), Waterfront Commission of NY Harbor (NY), Nassau County Police Department (NY), Suffolk County Police Department (NY), Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (NV), Greensville County Sheriff’s Office (VA), Emporia Police Department (VA), Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office (VA), Halifax County Sheriff’s Office (NC), Saint Paul Police Department (MN), Minnesota Commerce Fraud Bureau (MN), Blaine Police Department (MN), McLeod County Sheriff’s Office (MN), Anoka County Sheriff’s Office (MN), Carver County Sheriff’s Office (MN), Roseville Police Department (MN), Plymouth Police Department (MN), Bloomington Police Department (MN), Eagan Police Department (MN), Woodbury Police Department (MN), Brown County Sheriff’s Office (MN), Brooklyn Park Police Department (MN), Fridley Police Department (MN), Mendota Heights Police Department (MN), Chaska Police Department (MN), and Coon Rapids Police Department (MN) provided assistance.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Justice Department Announces Takedown of Nationwide Catalytic Converter Theft RingRead the Press Release
Federal, state, and local law enforcement partners from across the United States executed a nationwide, coordinated takedown today of leaders and associates of a national network of thieves, dealers, and processors for their roles in conspiracies involving stolen catalytic converters sold to a metal refinery for tens of millions of dollars.
Arrests, searches, and seizures took place in California, Oklahoma, Wyoming, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Nevada, North Carolina, and Virginia. In total, 21 individuals in five states have been arrested and/or charged for their roles in the conspiracy.
The 21 defendants are charged in two separate indictments that were unsealed today in the Eastern District of California and the Northern District of Oklahoma following extensive law enforcement arrest and search operations. In addition to the indictments, over 32 search warrants were executed, and law enforcement seized millions of dollars in assets, including homes, bank accounts, cash, and luxury vehicles.
“Amidst a rise in catalytic converter thefts across the country, the Justice Department has today carried out an operation arresting 21 defendants and executing 32 search warrants in a nation-wide takedown of a multimillion-dollar catalytic converter theft network,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “We will continue to work alongside our state and local partners to disrupt criminal conspiracies like this one that target the American people.”
“This national network of criminals hurt victims across the country,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “They made hundreds of millions of dollars in the process—on the backs of thousands of innocent car owners. Today’s charges showcase how the FBI and its partners act together to stop crimes that hurt all too many Americans.”
“With California’s higher emission standards, our community has become a hot bed for catalytic converter theft,” said U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert for the Eastern District of California. “Last year approximately 1,600 catalytic converters were reportedly stolen in California each month, and California accounts for 37% of all catalytic converter theft claims nationwide. I am proud to announce that we have indicted nine people who are at the core of catalytic theft in our community and nationwide.”
“In Tulsa alone, more than 2,000 catalytic converters were stolen in the past year,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson for the Northern District of Oklahoma. “Organized criminal activity, including the large-scale theft of catalytic converters, is costly to victims and too often places citizens and law enforcement in danger. The collective work conducted by federal prosecutors and more than 10 different law enforcement agencies led to the filing of charges in the Northern District of Oklahoma against 13 defendants operating an alleged catalytic converter theft operation.”
“The success of this national takedown highlights the importance and necessity of dynamic law enforcement partnerships that we foster at DHS every single day," said Deputy Secretary John K. Tien of the Department of Homeland Security. “This calculated, cooperative whole-of-government approach across multiple states illustrates our commitment to protecting the homeland from those who seek to profit from sophisticated schemes. Homeland Security Investigations [HSI] will continue to focus its efforts on keeping these types of criminal elements off our streets while dismantling the groups behind these and other thefts.”
“Just like the precious metal inside every catalytic converter, there’s a money trail at the core of every criminal scheme,” said Chief Jim Lee of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI). “Our IRS-CI special agents and partners are incredibly well-versed at unraveling financial trails, and this case is not unique. There are real victims here – friends, neighbors, and businesses – and our hope is that today’s arrests will deter similar criminal activity.”
Catalytic Converters
Catalytic converters are a component of an automotive vehicle's exhaust device that reduce the toxic gas and pollutants from a vehicle's internal combustion engine into safe emissions. Catalytic converters use precious metals in their center, or “core”, and are regularly targeted for theft due to the high value of these metals, especially the precious metals palladium, platinum, and rhodium. Some of these precious metals are more valuable per ounce than gold and their value has been increasing in recent years. The black-market price for catalytic converters can be above $1,000 each, depending on the type of vehicle and what state it is from. They can be stolen in less than a minute. Additionally, catalytic converters often lack unique serial numbers, VIN information, or other distinctive identification features, making them difficult to trace to their lawful owner. Thus, the theft of catalytic converters has become increasingly popular because of their value, relative ease to steal, and their lack of identifying markings.
Eastern District of California Case
A federal grand jury in the Eastern District of California returned a 40‑count indictment charging nine defendants with conspiracy to transport stolen catalytic converters, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and other related charges.
According to court documents, brothers Tou Sue Vang, 31, and Andrew Vang, 27, and Monica Moua, all of Sacramento, California, allegedly operated an unlicensed business from their personal residence in Sacramento where they bought stolen catalytic converters from local thieves and shipped them to DG Auto Parts LLC (DG Auto) in New Jersey for processing. The Vang family allegedly sold over $38 million in stolen catalytic converters to DG Auto.
Defendants Navin Khanna, aka Lovin Khanna, 39; Tinu Khanna, aka Gagan Khanna, 35; Daniel Dolan, 44; Chi Mo, aka David Mo, 37; Wright Louis Mosley, 50; and Ishu Lakra, 24, all of New Jersey, operated DG Auto in multiple locations in New Jersey. They knowingly purchased stolen catalytic converters and, through a “de-canning” process, extracted the precious metal powders from the catalytic core. DG Auto sold the precious metal powders it processed from California and elsewhere to a metal refinery for over $545 million.
Northern District of Oklahoma Case
A federal grand jury in the Northern District of Oklahoma returned a 40‑count indictment charging 13 defendants with conspiracy to receive stolen catalytic converters, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and other related charges.
According to court documents, together the defendants bought stolen catalytic converters from thieves on the street, then re-sold and shipped them to DG Auto in New Jersey for processing. Over the course of the conspiracy, defendant Tyler James Curtis received over $13 million in wired funds from DG Auto for the shipment of catalytic converters and received over $500,000 from Capital Cores for catalytic converters. Defendant Adam G. Sharkey received over $45 million in wired funds from DG Auto. And defendant Martynas Macerauskas received over $6 million in payments from DG Auto for catalytic converters. In all these incidents, most of the catalytic converters sold to DG Auto were stolen, and DG Auto knew or should have known that when they paid for them.
The 13 defendants are Navin Khanna, 39, of Holmdel, New Jersey; Adam Sharkey, 26, of West Islip, New York; Robert Gary Sharkey, 57, of Babylon, New York; Tyler James Curtis, 26, of Wagoner, Oklahoma; Benjamin Robert Mansour, 24, of Bixby, Oklahoma; Reiss Nicole Biby, 24, of Wagoner, Oklahoma; Martynas Macerauskas, 28, of Leila Lake, Texas; Kristina McKay Macerauskas, 21, of Leila Lake, Texas; Parker Star Weavel, 25, of Tahlequah, Oklahoma; Shane Allen Minnick, 26, of Haskell, Oklahoma; Ryan David LaRue 29, of Broken Bow, Oklahoma; Brian Pate Thomas, 25, of Choteau, Oklahoma; and Michael Anthony Rhoden, 26, of Keifer, Oklahoma.
Operation Heavy Metal was led by Homeland Security Investigations and IRS-Criminal Investigation. Oklahoma agencies that also contributed to the lengthy investigation included the Tulsa Police Department, Oklahoma Attorney General’s Office, Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office, Oklahoma Highway Patrol and the Wagoner County Sheriff’s Office. (see a complete list of participating agencies at the bottom of the press release. Also see attachments for NDOK indictment and Regional law enforcement leadership quotes from HSI-Dallas, IRS-Criminal Investigation-Dallas, Tulsa Police Department, Tulsa County Sheriff's Office, and the Oklahoma Attorney General's Office)
Trial Attorney Danbee C. Kim of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section, Assistant U.S. Attorney Veronica M.A. Alegría for the Eastern District of California, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Reagan Reininger and David Nasar for the Northern District of Oklahoma are prosecuting the cases.
The FBI Sacramento, IRS-CI Sacramento, HSI Tulsa, and IRS-CI Tulsa are investigating the cases.
FBI Las Vegas (NV), FBI Richmond (VA), FBI Charlotte (NC), FBI Newark (NJ), FBI Dallas (TX), HSI Dallas (TX), HSI Houston (TX), HSI Amarillo (TX), HSI St. Paul (MN), HSI Long Island (NY), HSI Newark (NJ), IRS-CI Chicago Field Office (IL), IRS-CI Oakland Field Office (CA), IRS-CI Dallas Field Office (TX), IRS-CI Newark Field Office (NJ), Tulsa Police Department (OK), Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office (OK), Oklahoma Highway Patrol (OK), Oklahoma Attorney General’s Office (OK), Wagoner County Sheriff’s Office (OK), Houston Police Department (TX), Amarillo Police Department (TX), Broken Arrow Police Department (OK), Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department (CA), Sacramento Police Department (CA), Davis Police Department (CA), Auburn Police Department (CA), Livermore Police Department (CA), San Bernardino County Sherriff’s Department (CA), Customs and Border Protection (NJ), Port Authority Police Department of New York and New Jersey (NY; NJ), Hudson County Sheriff’s Office (NJ), Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office (NJ), Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office (NJ), Morris Township Police Department (NJ), Springfield Police Department (NJ), New Jersey State Police (NJ), Union County Prosecutor’s Office (NJ), Port Authority of NY & NJ (NY; NJ), Howell Police Department (NJ), Warren Township Police Department (NJ), Freehold Borough Police Department (NJ), Middletown Police Department (NJ), Marlboro Police Department (NJ), Manalapan Police Department (NJ), Ocean County Sheriff’s Office (NJ), Burlington Police Department (NJ), Willingboro Police Department (NJ), Waterfront Commission of NY Harbor (NY), Nassau County Police Department (NY), Suffolk County Police Department (NY), Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (NV), Greensville County Sheriff’s Office (VA), Emporia Police Department (VA), Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office (VA), Halifax County Sheriff’s Office (NC), Saint Paul Police Department (MN), Minnesota Commerce Fraud Bureau (MN), Blaine Police Department (MN), McLeod County Sheriff’s Office (MN), Anoka County Sheriff’s Office (MN), Carver County Sheriff’s Office (MN), Roseville Police Department (MN), Plymouth Police Department (MN), Bloomington Police Department (MN), Eagan Police Department (MN), Woodbury Police Department (MN), Brown County Sheriff’s Office (MN), Brooklyn Park Police Department (MN), Fridley Police Department (MN), Mendota Heights Police Department (MN), Chaska Police Department (MN), and Coon Rapids Police Department (MN) provided assistance.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Jury convicts felon of illegally carrying firearmRead the Press Release
AUGUSTA, GA: A U.S. District Court jury convicted a Richmond County man of illegally carrying a gun after previously being convicted of a felony.
Christopher Fitzgerald Jones, 35, of Augusta, was found guilty of Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, said David H. Estes, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. Jones’ conviction subjects him to a statutory penalty of up to 10 years in prison, without parole.
“Convicted felons perpetuate violent crime in our communities by illegally carrying guns,” said U.S. Attorney Estes. “With our law enforcement partners, we will continue to remove these criminals from our streets.”
As presented at trial, Richmond County Sheriff’s Office investigators were planning to arrest Jones in October 2021 on a felony warrant when he drove away from a home under surveillance. As the investigators followed his vehicle, Jones abruptly stopped his car and stepped out, facing the police vehicle. As he was taken into custody, the investigators found a loaded 9 mm semiautomatic pistol in Jones’ back pocket.
From the beginning of the trial, both sides agreed that Jones knew, as a previously convicted felon, that it was illegal for him to carry a firearm. Jones has a violent criminal history, including convictions in state court for domestic violence and illegal gun possession.
Sentencing before U.S. District Court Chief Judge J. Randal Hall will be scheduled following completion of a pre-sentence investigation by U.S. Probation Services.
“Today’s announcement is a perfect answer to one of our most important ‘whys’ – why we chose to protect and serve the public. Illegal firearm possession in our communities is dangerous and damaging to everyone involved in the criminal activity,” said Beau Kolodka, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. “ATF will remain in lockstep with our local, state and federal partners in our continuing effort to combat violent crime and maintain public safety.”
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorney Henry W. Syms Jr. and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Spitulnik.
Jury Convicts Independence Man Following Home InvasionRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An Independence, Mo., man has been convicted by a federal trial jury of illegally possessing the firearm he used in a home invasion robbery.
Theodore Watkins Jr., 32, was found guilty on Tuesday, Nov. 1, of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Independence police officers were called to a residence at 11:25 a.m. on May 12 by a neighbor who reported that he saw Watkins push his way into the residence of an elderly woman. The caller said they thought they observed something in the man’s hand when he forced entry.
Officers arrived at the residence and established a perimeter. A SWAT unit and hostage negotiators also arrived, and after making announcements on the loudspeaker, the victim came out of the residence through the front door. A short time later, Watkins came out of the residence and was taken into custody.
The victim, who was visibly shaken and had bruising on her right arm, told investigators that Watkins originally came to her door and offered to mow her lawn. He came back a few minutes later, she said, and forced the door open, forcing his way into the residence. Watkins pointed a loaded Sig Sauer 9mm handgun at her and said, “Where’s the money?”
Watkins dumped out her purse and took the money from it, then began going through her dresser drawers, closets, and other areas of the house. He used her cordless phone and her cell phone to make calls, including a call to his wife. At one point, while he was on the phone telling his wife to come and pick him up, he asked the victim for her address.
When police arrived, Watkins told the victim to tell officers they were friends and he was helping her do yard work. Watkins threatened that, if she didn’t, he would have his friends come back and kill her. Watkins hid his gun in a furnace return air vent in the bedroom. Police officers found the firearm when they searched the house.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Watkins has two prior felony convictions for robbery, two prior felony convictions for burglary, two prior felony convictions for armed criminal action, and prior felony convictions for drug trafficking, kidnapping, and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Following the presentation of evidence, the jury in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo., deliberated for about an hour and 15 minutes before returning a guilty verdict to U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark, ending a trial that began Monday, Oct. 31.
Under federal statutes, Watkins is subject to a sentence of up to 10 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 Stefan C. Hughes. It was investigated by the Independence, Mo., Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
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.
Jacksonville Armed Meth Trafficker Sentenced in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – Lee Graham, a 31-year-old Jacksonville man, was sentenced on November 2, 2022, to 180 months in prison and 60 months of supervised release for trafficking more than 229 grams of crystal methamphetamine and using a firearm in connection with such drug trafficking. On August 4, 2022, Graham, who has three prior state drug trafficking convictions, pled guilty to the federal charges.
According to court documents and other information presented in court, the Jacksonville Police Department (“JPD”) had received information that led them to believe that Graham was trafficking in large quantities of crystal meth. From November 2020, through mid-January 2021, the JPD utilized an undercover agent and a cooperating informant to conduct ten controlled purchases of illegal drugs from Graham. During the controlled purchases, Graham sold a total of 229 grams of crystal meth (having a purity rate of 98-99%), 12 grams of fentanyl, and quantities of crack cocaine and heroin. Graham, who was on state probation at the time he was involved in his most recent drug trafficking, used and carried a Smith and Wesson handgun during the last controlled purchase.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Terrence W. Boyle. The Jacksonville Police Department, the Onslow County Sheriff’s Office, the Carteret County Sheriff’s Office, and the ATF Wilmington Resident Office investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Dennis M. Duffy prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-CR-00018-BO.
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Instagram Personality Known as “Jay Mazini” Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud, Wire Fraud Conspiracy and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
Earlier today, Jebara Igbara, also known as “Jay Mazini,” pleaded guilty in federal court in Brooklyn to a three count information charging him with wire fraud, wire fraud conspiracy and money laundering. As set forth in the information, up until March 2021, Igbara maintained a popular Instagram account under the name “Jay Mazini,” where he would post videos depicting, among other things, occasions during which he would hand out large amounts of cash to various individuals as gifts. In reality, Igbara was perpetrating overlapping fraud schemes, scamming investors out of at least $8 million.
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 Thomas Fattorusso, Special Agent-in-Charge, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, New York (IRS-CI) announced the guilty plea.
“With today’s plea, the defendant has admitted to leveraging his Instagram popularity to prey upon innocent investors and steal at least $8 million of their hard-earned money,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “Together with our agency partners, this Office is committed to bringing scammers to justice.”
“As he admitted today, Igbara deliberately operated multiple scams to cheat a multitude of investors out of their money. The FBI and our law enforcement partners are committed to stopping fraudsters of all types and holding them accountable in the criminal justice system,” stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Driscoll.
“All the victims in this case were promised something that was too good to be true. Those in the Ponzi scheme were all assured a high rate of return in a short amount of time, while the victims of the Bitcoin advance fee scheme were guaranteed above current market value for their Bitcoin. This multi-million dollar case is a reminder for anyone thinking of investing: Be skeptical of any investments with larger than life promises, because if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is,” stated IRS-CI Special Agent-in-Charge Fattorusso.
As detailed in the information, Igbara is charged with perpetrating a scheme to defraud members of the Muslim-American community in New York by soliciting their money for purported investments in stock, electronics resale, and purchases of COVID-19 related personal protective equipment (PPE). In reality, Igbara was operating a Ponzi scheme, and misappropriated nearly all of the money for his personal expenses and gambling.
To raise money in order to pay his investors “returns,” and keep them on the hook, Igbara also perpetrated a second fraudulent scheme, wherein he posted on his Instagram and other social media accounts that he was willing to pay above-market prices for various cryptocurrencies. He would then send his victims doctored images of wire transfer confirmations that purported to show he had sent money for the cryptocurrency as promised, when in reality, the payment was never sent, and Igbara was merely stealing the cryptocurrency sent by his victim.
When sentenced, Igbara faces up to 20 years’ imprisonment.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Business & Securities Fraud Section. Assistant United States Attorney Lauren Howard Elbert is in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendant:
JEBARA IGBARA (also known as “Jay Mazini”)
Age: 27
Edgewater, New JerseyE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 22-CR-424 (FB)
Hartford Gang Member Guilty of 2013 Drug-Related MurderRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, David Sundberg, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Hartford Police Chief Jason Thody today announced that a federal jury in Hartford has found ANTWANE WILLIAMS-BEY, also known as “Buck,” 31, guilty of the drug-related murder of Valentin Santos Jr., 21, in Hartford in 2013.
The trial before U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea began on October 20 and the jury returned the guilty verdict this afternoon.
According to evidence at trial, on August 12, 2013, Williams-Bey, a member of the Orange Street Killas (OSK) street gang, shot and killed Santos, also known as “Macho” and “Ubby,” on Linnmoore Street in Hartford in retaliation for a theft of Williams-Bey’s drug stash/money. Santos was shot approximately 12 times, mostly in the back.
At sentencing, which is not scheduled, Williams-Bey faces a maximum term of imprisonment of life.
Williams-Bey has been detained in federal custody since February 2017 and is currently serving an 84-month federal sentence for distributing heroin and crack cocaine.
This investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force and the Hartford Police Department's Major Crimes Division. The Task Force includes members of the FBI, Hartford Police Department, East Hartford Police Department, New Britain Police Department, West Hartford Police Department, Connecticut State Police and Connecticut Department of Correction. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian P. Leaming and Robert S. Ruff.
Former Rikers Correction Officer Sentenced to More Than Two Years in Prison for Taking Bribes to Smuggle Contraband to InmatesRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that RASHAWN ASSANAH was sentenced today to 27 months in prison and more than $18,000 in financial penalties for taking bribes from inmates to smuggle contraband into a Rikers Island facility. ASSANAH previously was arrested on May 26, 2021, and later pled guilty to bribery and conspiracy charges. United States District Judge Colleen McMahon imposed today’s sentence.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Rashawn Assanah violated his oath to protect inmates in his care when he accepted cash bribes to smuggle dangerous contraband into Rikers Island. That conduct was outrageous and unacceptable. His prison sentence should send a clear message to any correction officer who may be tempted to smuggle contraband to inmates: this is a serious crime that leads to serious jail time.”
As reflected in the Indictment, public filings, and statements made in public proceedings:
RASHAWN ASSANAH abused his position as a correction officer to smuggle contraband, including cigarettes, K2, and a weapon, into the Robert N. Davoren Center on Rikers Island in return for over $7,500 in bribes from at least in or about November 2020 up through and including in or about February 2021.
Following ASSANAH’s guilty plea and before sentencing, and in order to adjourn his sentencing, ASSANAH lied to the court by claiming to have cancer and be undergoing chemotherapy — even submitting a forged note from a doctor who does not exist to substantiate his bogus claims.
* * *
ASSANAH, 26, of Queens, New York, pled guilty on October 22, 2021, to one count of conspiracy to commit federal crimes and one count of federal program bribery. In addition to his prison term, ASSANAH was sentenced to three years of supervised release, ordered to forfeit $7,500.00, and directed to pay $10,935.60 in restitution to the New York City Department of Correction.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New York City Department of Investigation.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Public Corruption Unit, and Assistant United States Attorneys Marguerite Colson and Jarrod L. Schaeffer are in charge of the prosecution.
Former High School Teacher and Theme Park Employee Sentenced to 10 Years for Attempting to Meet A Minor for SexRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States District Judge Wendy W. Berger has sentenced Dennis Lee Line (53, Winter Springs) to 10 years in federal prison for attempting to coerce or entice a minor to engage in sexual activity. A federal jury had found him guilty on August 11, 2022.
According to evidence admitted during trial, Line, who most recently taught at Oviedo High School for 18 years (ending in 2019), met who he believed to be a 15-year-old girl on a dating application on February 9, 2022. Later that day, the 15-year-old girl and Line began sending text messages to each other. In the text messages, Line initiated a discussion about sex and meeting later that night so that he could teach her about sex and perform oral sex on her.
Line agreed to meet the 15-year-old girl in Orange County after he left his job at a theme park. Unbeknownst to Line, the 15-year-old girl was actually an undercover law enforcement officer. Line was arrested when he arrived at the meeting location.
This case was investigated by the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, the Orlando Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn P. Napier.
Former Georgia County Commissioner Convicted of ExtortionRead the Press Release
A federal jury in Atlanta convicted a former commissioner of the DeKalb County Board of Commissioners today for extorting a DeKalb County subcontractor in connection with a $1.8 million contract.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, from about May 2014 to August 2014, Sharon Barnes Sutton, 63, of Stone Mountain, Georgia, demanded monthly payments of $500 from a subcontractor, later increasing her demand to $1,000 per month. The subcontractor made the first $500 payment in June 2014 at a restaurant in Decatur and the second $500 cash payment in July 2014 at Barnes Sutton’s residence. The FBI disrupted Barnes Sutton’s continued demands in August 2014. Separately, Barnes Sutton also accepted a $5,000 cash bribe from an FBI confidential source who had business before the DeKalb County Board of Commissioners.
Barnes Sutton was convicted of two counts of extortion. She is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 6, 2023 and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division made the announcement.
The FBI Atlanta Field Office investigated the case.
Senior Litigation Counsel Victor R. Salgado and Trial Attorney Jordan Dickson of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section (PIN) are prosecuting the case. Former PIN Trial Attorney Amanda Vaughn assisted in the prosecution.
Former Buffalo Man Pleads Guilty to COVID FraudRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y. – U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Mohammad Fares, 28, formerly of Buffalo, now of Florida, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo to theft of government property, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $,250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles M. Kruly, who is handling the case, stated that on May 18, 2020, Fares submitted an online application to the New York State Department of Labor for unemployment insurance benefits, stating that he did not work any day during the week of May 18, 2020; that he did not have gross earnings over $504; that his last day of work was March 21, 2020; and that his workplace had closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. At the time, Fares co-owned a trucking company in Buffalo, for which he managed truck drivers and coordinated shipments. On June 11, 2020, Fares received $3,600 in Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation benefits. Every week through May 2, 2021, Fares certified to that he did not work during the prior week and had not returned to work. In doing so, Fares certified his continued eligibility for Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation and NYS Department of Labor unemployment benefits. During this time period, Fares continued to manage the trucking company. Fares received, in total, approximately $43,320 in unemployment benefits and Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation.
The CARES Act is a federal law enacted on March 29, 2020, designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans who are suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. It expands states’ ability to provide unemployment insurance for many workers impacted by COVID-19, including for workers who are not ordinarily eligible for benefits. The CARES Act provided for three new UI programs: Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA); Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC); and Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC).
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations – Labor Racketeering and Fraud, New York Region, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Jonathan Mellone and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Michael Stansbury.
Sentencing is scheduled for March 7, 2022, before Judge Vilardo.
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Former Bangor Business Owner Sentenced to 20 Months for Paycheck Protection Plan (PPP) Loan FraudRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Skowhegan man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Bangor for a bank fraud scheme arising from his applications for Paycheck Protection Plan (PPP) loans, U.S. Attorney Darcie N. McElwee announced.
U.S. District Judge Lance E. Walker sentenced Nathan Reardon, 44, formerly of Brewer, Maine, to 20 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. Reardon pleaded guilty on July 5, 2022.
In imposing sentence, Judge Walker called Reardon’s conduct “a fundamental breach of the public trust during a time of public crisis.”
According to court records, Reardon owned and controlled Global Disruptive Technologies Inc., a Bangor-based business. In April 2020, Reardon obtained a $59,145 PPP loan for Global Disruptive Technologies Inc. using false employee wage information and false supporting payroll documentation. Reardon then improperly spent the PPP funds on items and expenses he knew were not covered by the program. After receiving the first loan, Reardon submitted additional fraudulent PPP applications to the same bank in April and May 2020. Two of the applications were for companies that had no active business operations, employees or payroll.
The Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act is a federal law, enacted in March 2020, that was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans who suffered economic effects resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. One source of relief provided by the CARES Act was the authorization of forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses through the PPP.
Businesses were required to use PPP loan proceeds for payroll costs, interest on mortgages, rent and utilities. The PPP allowed the interest and principal to be forgiven if businesses spent the proceeds on these expenses within a set period and used at least a certain percentage of the funds for payroll expenses.
The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration and the U.S. Small Business Administration investigated the case.
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Former Army Ranger bank robber resentenced to 31 years in prisonRead the Press Release
Seattle – The leader of a military-style bank robbery, who later assaulted a co-defendant and tried to hire someone to kill a federal prosecutor, was resentenced today to 31 years in prison for his crimes, announced U.S. Attorney Nick Brown. Luke Elliott Sommer, 36, of Peachland, British Columbia, Canada, had successfully petitioned U.S. District Judge James L. Robart to review his sentence based on his youth at the time of the crimes and his reform while in prison. In reducing the sentence from 43 years to 31 years, Judge Robart first noted that Sommer’s crimes “are some of the most extreme, violent and dangerous actions to come before this court.”
“Luke Sommer told the court, and the victims of his crimes, that he had truly changed and expressed his sorrow for his actions,” said U.S. Attorney Nick Brown. “He claims to be committed to working on his reform and doing what is right – he now has more than a decade to demonstrate that commitment while he remains incarcerated.”
Luke Sommer was originally sentenced to 24 years in prison on December 12, 2008, for Conspiracy to Commit Armed Bank Robbery, Armed Bank Robbery, Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence, and Possession of an Unregistered Destructive Device – Hand Grenade. Sommer was the mastermind of the August 7, 2006, robbery of a Tacoma branch of Bank of America. Five men, including Sommer, participated in the robbery. Two were armed with fully automatic AK-47 machine guns. Sommer and another man carried loaded semi-automatic handguns. The men wore soft body armor to protect themselves in case of a shoot-out with police and carried hundreds of rounds of extra ammunition. Sommer told the others that he wanted to use the proceeds of the robbery to start a crime family to rival the Hell’s Angels in British Columbia, Canada. The men escaped with more than $50,000 but were quickly tracked down and arrested thanks to an alert citizen who noted the license plate of the getaway car.
Today, three victims of the bank robbery told the court how they suffered following the crime with post-traumatic stress and anxiety. The former branch manager described how she saw the red dot of Sommer’s laser site pointed at her young tellers. “The staff was never the same, I will never be the same,” the branch manager said.
In addition to the bank robbery, in 2010 Sommer was convicted of offering an undercover FBI task force officer as much as $20,000 for murdering an Assistant United States Attorney. Law enforcement was alerted to Sommer’s interest in hiring a hit man in January 2009, barely a month after Sommer was sentenced for the bank robbery. Sommer moved forward with the plot in March 2009, when he tried to hire the undercover officer telling him he wanted news reports of the hit to reflect that it was “murder not an accident.”
Additionally, on January 23, 2009, Sommer used a prison-made knife to attack a co-defendant in the bank robbery case. The two men were to be housed separately at the Federal Detention Center at SeaTac, but Sommer schemed to get to the other man’s prison unit with the weapon. Sommer attacked the other inmate, fighting until the two were pulled apart by staff. Sommer continued to yell and threaten the safety of the victim. Although the victim suffered a minor stab wound and multiple abrasions, neither man had to be hospitalized.
In reducing Sommer’s sentence, Judge Robart noted that “punishment is not vengeance or retaliation.” The judge said he put weight on the letters from Bureau of Prisons staff who indicate Sommer has “worked hard to do the right thing while incarcerated.”
Assistant United States Attorneys Todd Greenberg and Teal Miller handled the resentencing.
Florissant Man Admits Being Shot While Robbing a St. Louis StoreRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A man from Florissant, Missouri on Wednesday admitted robbing a St. Louis store of $30 in 2020 before he was shot.
John L. Smith, 43, pleaded guilty in front of U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey to a robbery charge and a charge of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.
Smith admitted that on Aug. 19, 2020, he entered the New Carrie’s Corner Market at 4500 Athlone Avenue, pulled a small black handgun and pointed it through an opening in the plexiglass surrounding the cash register. Smith demanded, “Give me all you got!” He threatened to kill a store employee if he did not move faster toward the register. Another employee fired a shot that hit Smith, who ran away. Smith dropped his cellphone, however, which led investigators to him, as did DNA results from blood left behind.
Smith is scheduled to be sentenced February 1 and both sides will recommend a sentence of 15 years in prison, the plea agreement says.
The case was investigated by the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Christian Goeke is prosecuting the case.
Florida Man Sentenced to 84 Months in Federal Prison for Defrauding Paycheck Protection ProgramRead the Press Release
MIAMI – Luke Joselin, 36, of Coral Springs, Fla., was sentenced today to 84 months in federal prison for seeking nearly $2 million in fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
According to the evidence presented during a three-day trial in August 2022, Joselin and his co-conspirators, Judlex Jean Louis and Renaldo Harrison, flooded online loan processors with multiple fraudulent PPP loan applications. They used increasingly brazen tactics and sought more and more money as the scheme progressed.
Joselin first applied for and received a PPP loan of about $27,000 for his nonexistent sole proprietorship. He used a fake social security number and fake tax documents. He then coached Harrison and Jean Louis on how to do the same. Joselin and Jean Louis then applied for several more similarly sized PPP loans in the names of people whose identities they had stolen.
After obtaining these smaller-dollar PPP loans, Joselin, Harrison, and Jean Louis began submitting PPP loan applications worth around $180,000 for companies they controlled. These larger-dollar applications were typically for companies that had no real operations and also were supported by fake tax forms, including one form that Joselin, Harrison, and Jean Louis recycled in multiple applications, changing only the company name.
Following trial, a federal jury convicted Joselin of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, nine counts of wire fraud, and one count of aggravated identity theft. In addition to the prison term, a federal judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida also ordered Joselin to serve three years of supervised release and pay $812,857 in restitution and $396,477 in asset forfeiture.
Jean Louis and Harrison were charged separately and sentenced in the Southern District of Florida for their roles in the scheme.
Juan Antonio Gonzalez, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida; Brian Swain, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service’s (USSS) Miami Field Office; and Matthew D. Line, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI), Miami Office, made the announcement.
USSS and IRS-CI investigated the case, with assistance from the Coral Springs Police Department: Economic Crimes Unit; the Broward County State Attorney’s Office; and the Broward County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorneys Kiran N. Bhat and Michael B. Homer prosecuted the case. Assistant United States Attorney Raemy Charest-Turken handled asset forfeiture.
On September 15, 2022, the Attorney General selected the Southern District of Florida’s U.S. Attorney’s Office to head one of three national COVID-19 Fraud Strike Force Teams. The Department of Justice established the Strike Force to enhance existing efforts to combat and prevent COVID-19 related financial fraud. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please click here.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: here.
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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Five Men Indicted in Drug Conspiracy Case, Accused of Selling Drugs Within 1,000 Feet of SchoolRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON –Five area men have been indicted on federal narcotics and firearms-related charges stemming from an ongoing investigation into a drug trafficking organization that operated outside a gas station and within 1,000 feet of a school on South Capitol Street.
The indictment was announced today by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Christopher Amon, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Jarod Forget, Special Agent in Charge for the Washington Division of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Those charged include Tayion Hamiel-Ward, 25, of Washington, D.C.; Karl Dunn, 45, of Suitland; Brian Williams, 27, of Largo, Maryland; Kurtis Mathes, 33, of Washington, D.C., and DeShawn Barnes, 28, also of Washington, D.C. Hamiel-Ward previously was detained. Dunn, Williams, Mathes, and Barnes were arrested this week.
The indictment, which was unsealed yesterday in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, followed an investigation into open-air drug markets operating near a gas station and tobacco store in the 4600 block of South Capitol Street SW. Since at least March 2021, there have been several shootings at these locations, and law enforcement has recovered firearms on the premises. The charges relate to four firearms, magazines, ammunition, marijuana, and more than $79,000 in cash seized from the defendants over the course of the investigation.
“Armed drug trafficking and traffickers put ordinary citizens at risk, and that conduct must be held to account,” said U.S. Attorney Graves. “This indictment is a testament to our strong, collaborative relationship with ATF and other law enforcement partners in dismantling drug operations that threaten public safety.”
“Today’s announcement is the result of a long-term investigation focused on the illegal use of firearms, narcotics trafficking, and acts of violence in our community,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Amon of the ATF’s Washington Field Division. “Thanks to the hard work and dedication of the men and women of ATF and our valued law enforcement partners, violent criminals are being held accountable”
“Operations like this are a great example of our collective and decisive work at all levels – federal, state, and local – to band together and reverse the rise in violent, drug-related crime and ensure public safety. Let me be clear, drug trafficking organizations do not care if they are poisoning and killing people,” said Special Agent in Charge Forget of the DEA Washington Division. “As part of our initiative Operation Overdrive, we are making a difference in our communities, cutting violent crime, stopping violent drug traffickers in their tracks, and keeping our local families safe”.
All five defendants are charged with conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute marijuana. They also are charged with drug distribution, including charges that the transactions took place within 1,000 feet of a school. Hamiel-Ward, Dunn, and Williams also are charged with using, carrying, or possessing firearms during drug transactions. Mathes and Barnes also are charged with unlawfully possessing ammunition.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. Every defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty.
The case is being investigated by the ATF’s Washington Field Division, the DEA’s Washington Division, and the Metropolitan Police Department. Valuable assistance was provided by the FBI, the Prince George’s County, Maryland Police Department, and the U.S. Secret Service.
The case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys Allison McGuire and Brian Lynch, of the Violence Reduction and Trafficking Offenses Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. Assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland.
Felon Sentenced to over Eight Years in Federal Prison After Shootout in Streets of Cedar RapidsRead the Press Release
A man who engaged in a gun battle in Cedar Rapids was sentenced on November 1, 2022, to more than eight years in federal prison.
Lamont Bailey, age 40, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after an April 11, 2022 guilty plea to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Surveillance videos introduced at the sentencing hearing showed that, on December 11, 2021, Bailey drove his car to a business on Kirkwood Court SW in Cedar Rapids and parked. Before he exited his car, Bailey tucked a pistol into his waistband. Bailey then went into the business. As Bailey exited the business, he took his pistol out of his pants and re-entered his car. Three individuals were walking through the parking lot behind Bailey’s car, but there was no altercation at that time. Bailey drove his car onto Kirkwood Court SW, but then abruptly stopped his car and parked it on the side of the road. Moments after Bailey parked his car, one of the three individuals who had been walking through the parking lot began shooting toward Bailey’s car. Bailey then stood up from the driver’s side of his car and fired two shots in the direction of the three individuals. He then re‑entered his car and drove away. The other individual continued shooting at Bailey’s car. Officers located Bailey later that night and found a 9mm pistol that was later determined to match two shell casings from the scene of the shootout. Bailey had been previously convicted of three drug felonies in Chicago, Illinois.
Bailey was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Bailey was sentenced to 100 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Bailey is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Lisa Williams and Dan Chatham and investigated by the Cedar Rapids Safe Streets Task Force. The task force is composed of representatives from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Cedar Rapids Police Department.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is 22‑CR‑00019‑CJW‑MAR.
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Federal Jury Vindicates Navy’s Merit Selection Promotion Process, Rejects Allegations of DiscriminationRead the Press Release
Assistant U. S. Attorney Morgan Suder (619) 546-8819 and Betsey Boutelle (619) 546-8764
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – November 2, 2022
SAN DIEGO – A federal jury has returned a unanimous verdict on Thursday in favor of the United States, rejecting allegations that the Navy wrongfully discriminated in selecting a Hispanic applicant over a Caucasian applicant for a supervisory engineering position in 2018.
The dispute focused on the process for promoting civilian engineers at Fleet Readiness Center Southwest (“FRCSW”), which supports the nation’s aviation warfighters through overhaul, repair, and maintenance of Navy and Marine Corps front line tactical, logistical, and rotary-wing aircraft and their components. In 2018, FRCSW posted a vacancy announcement for a Supervisory Electronics Engineer, a high-level supervisory position requiring excellent communication, problem-solving, and collaboration skills. The plaintiff, Brett Gardner, one of three internal applicants, was not selected. Gardner then initiated administrative proceedings, alleging that the selecting official, a Hispanic woman, discriminated against him based on race. Two years later, the plaintiff voluntarily left the Navy to start a consulting business.
Following a lengthy administrative process and two years of litigation in U.S. District Court, the case proceeded to trial before a jury on October 24, 2022. During four days of evidence, multiple current and former FRCSW employees testified, about the thorough, unbiased process the Navy follows to ensure that promotion decisions are based on merit, not on impermissible factors such as race, ethnicity, national origin, sex, or disability.
During the 2018 promotion process, the selecting official—the department head of Avionics and Propulsion and Power—appointed a three-member advisory panel to evaluate the applicants. One panel member served as EEO representative for the process, and he received additional EEO training immediately before the candidate interviews.
The advisory panel members all testified that they independently reviewed and scored the applicants’ resumes, and that each candidate was asked the same five interview questions. The selecting official explained that she drafted the interview questions but gave the panel chairperson flexibility to modify them if desired.
The three panel members all testified that they scored the candidates based on merit, and that the selected candidate outperformed the plaintiff in the interview process. They presented the scores and a recommendation to the selecting official, and she followed the panel’s recommendation. Many witnesses testified about the selecting official, emphasizing that she makes promotion decisions based on qualifications, not on race or other impermissible factors. She had promoted numerous Navy engineers of many races over the past decades, and she did not consider race in any of those decisions.
After deliberating less than an hour, the jury of seven citizens returned a unanimous verdict for the Navy on October 27, 2022, rejecting the claims of racial discrimination.
“The jury’s verdict confirms that the Navy’s process in this case was fair and merit-based,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Haden. Haden thanked the trial team for their excellent work on this case.
“Fleet Readiness Center Southwest takes its duty to eliminate discrimination seriously,” said Katerina Chau, attorney with the Office of Counsel, Fleet Readiness Center Southwest. “We thank the jury for their time in hearing and considering the evidence in this important case.”
Case Number
Brett Gardner v. Secretary of the Navy, 20-cv-2172-MMA-RBB
SUMMARY OF CLAIMS
- Race Discrimination in Violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act (Unanimous Jury Verdict in favor of the Navy)
- Retaliation in Violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act (Summary Judgment entered for the Navy prior to trial)
AGENCY
Department of the Navy – Fleet Readiness Center Southwest
Federal Jury Finds Louisville Men Guilty of Conspiring to Distribute Fentanyl and Heroin, Distributing Fentanyl, and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – Yesterday, a federal jury convicted two local men of a drug trafficking conspiracy involving heroin and 40 grams or more of fentanyl, multiple counts of distribution of fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl, and several federal firearms crimes.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Jodi Cohen of the FBI Louisville Field Office, Special Agent in Charge R. Shawn Morrow of the ATF Louisville Field Division, and Chief Erika Shields of the Louisville Metro Police Department made the announcement.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, between December 7, 2017, and July 15, 2020, Frank Trammell, Jr., age 30, and Khalid Ashanti Raheem, II, age 25, conspired to distribute fentanyl and heroin in the Louisville area. Additionally, on ten occasions, Trammell, often assisted by Raheem or others, sold fentanyl to undercover informants at various locations in eastern and southern Jefferson County as well as in the downtown area. These fentanyl sales took place in parking lots of restaurants, gas stations, and grocery stores, and always involved two vehicles parking window to window while fentanyl and cash were tossed from vehicle to vehicle.
Pursuant to court authorized wiretaps, over 3,000 drug related phone calls and text messages were intercepted in a thirty-day period. During these intercepted calls, dozens of drug transactions on a nearly daily basis were arranged. Drug addicted customers, when unable to come up with cash, would sometimes trade packages of socks and underwear, firearms, or assorted prescription medications in exchange for what they believed to be heroin. However, DEA laboratory testing established that Trammell was almost always selling fentanyl to those seeking heroin. During one intercepted call, a drug user called Trammell and said that she believed he had sold her fentanyl and that he should warn his other customers to “be careful.”
Evidence presented at trial also included the results of several search warrants of premises and vehicles simultaneously executed on July 15, 2020. From locations related to Trammell and Raheem, law enforcement seized over 240 grams of fentanyl, $284,000 in cash, assorted ammunition, and eleven firearms, including at least one assault rifle and one stolen handgun.
The jury also convicted Trammell of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and two counts of possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Raheem was also convicted of one count of possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.
Sentencing for both defendants is scheduled for February 28, 2023, before a U.S. District Court Judge for the Western District of Kentucky. Trammell faces a minimum sentence of fifteen years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison. Raheem faces a minimum sentence of five years in prison and a maximum sentence of forty years in prison. There is no parole in the federal system. Trammell remains in federal custody, and Raheem was taken into custody following the verdict.
This case was investigated by the FBI, the ATF, and the Louisville Metro Police Department, with assistance from the DEA, the IRS Criminal Investigation, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, the St. Matthews Police Department, the Jeffersontown Police Department, the Shepherdsville Police Department, the Kentucky State Police, and the Indiana State Police.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin McKenzie and Assistant U.S. Attorney Frank E. Dahl, III prosecuted the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
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Federal Juries Convict Two Men of Sex Trafficking ChildrenRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — Federal juries have convicted two men on sex trafficking charges for recruiting two children to travel to Chicago from Indiana and causing them to engage in sex acts for money.
The juries in U.S. District Court in Chicago on Tuesday convicted KENNEDY SPENCER, also known as “Kenny,” 53, of Chicago, and RONALD WILLIAMS, also known as “Slim,” 63, of Lynwood, Ill., on sex trafficking and conspiracy charges. Spencer and Williams were tried before separate juries in a trial that lasted more than two weeks.
The convictions carry a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison, and a maximum of life.
The convictions were announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; and John S. Morales, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. The Tinley Park Police Department and the FBI out of South Bend, Ind., provided valuable assistance in the investigation. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew C. Erskine and Erika L. Csicsila.
According to evidence presented at trial, the victims were under the age of 18 when Spencer induced them to travel to Chicago in the spring of 2018. Once in the city, Spencer on multiple occasions arranged for the victims to meet with individuals to engage in commercial sex acts. Williams drove the victims to some of the meetings. Afterward, Spencer and Williams kept the bulk of the proceeds.
Both victims testified at trial about their ordeals being sex trafficked by Spencer and Williams.
If you believe you are a victim of sexual exploitation, you are encouraged to contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children by calling 1-800-843-5678 or logging on to www.cybertipline.com.
Federal Grand Jury Indicts Louisville Man for CarjackingRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – A federal grand jury in Louisville, Kentucky returned an indictment today charging a local man with carjacking and a business robbery.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Jodi Cohen of the FBI Louisville Field Office, and Chief Erika Shields of the Louisville Metro Police Department made the announcement.
According to court records, Robert Dumonte, 31, of Louisville, was charged with one count of carjacking, one count of interference with commerce by robbery, and one count of brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
The defendant is currently in custody on state charges and will be arraigned in the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky once he is transferred to federal custody. If convicted of carjacking, he faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. If convicted of interference with commerce by robbery, he faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. If convicted of brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, he faces a minimum sentence of 7 years and maximum sentence of life in prison to run consecutive to all other sentences. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. There is no parole in the federal system.
The FBI and Louisville Metro Police Department are investigating the case.
The charges were the result of an ongoing joint federal and local law enforcement initiative targeting carjackings which includes the United States Attorney’s Office, the Office of the Jefferson County Commonwealth’s Attorney, the Louisville Metro Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and Homeland Security Investigations.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney (SAUSA) Emily Lantz is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Drug Dealer Sentenced in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced today, that BROCK MELANCON, age 35 from Terrebonne Parish, was sentenced on October 27, 2022 to 262 months in federal prison for his role in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine as well as for federal firearms violations.
Earlier this year MELANCON pled guilty to Counts 1, 2, and 3 of the superseding indictment pending against him.
Count 1 charged MELANCON with participating in a conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. Count 3 charged him with possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and heroin. Count 2 charged him with being a felon in possession of a firearm. At his sentencing hearing, United States District Judge Barry Ashe found that MELANCON was a “career offender” and imposed a sentence of 262 months as to Counts 1 and 2 and 120 months as to Count 3, all to run concurrently with each other. He was also placed on supervised release for a term of five years after his release from prison.
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.
The case was investigated by the Houma Police Department, the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (D.E.A.). Assistant United States Attorney Maurice Landrieu was in charge of the prosecution.
District Man Found Guilty of First-Degree Murder While Armed in December 2018 Killing of 15-Year-Old YouthRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Malik Holston, 20, of Washington, D.C., was found guilty by a jury today of first-degree murder and other charges for the fatal shooting of a 15-year-old boy, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department.
The verdict followed a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. In addition to the murder charge, the jury found Holston guilty of two related firearms offenses. The Honorable Rainey R. Brandt scheduled sentencing for Jan. 26, 2023.
According to the government’s evidence, on Dec. 13, 2018, at approximately 3:40 p.m., Holston and a second assailant – both armed and wearing masks – pursued 15-year-old Gerald Watson through the parking lot area near buildings in the 2900 block of Knox Place SE. Mr. Watson ran inside a multi-unit apartment building, followed by Holston, while the second gunman waited outside. Inside the building, Holston cornered Mr. Watson at the top landing and shot him 16 times with a .40-caliber revolver. Holston and the second gunman then fled the scene. Mr. Watson was taken to a hospital, where he died from the injuries.
The shooting took place shortly after Mr. Watson returned home from school and headed outside to play basketball. Within about five minutes of leaving home, the shooting occurred.
Holston was arrested on Dec. 18, 2018, and has been in custody since that time.
The second assailant was himself killed by gunfire on Sept. 10, 2019.
In announcing the verdict, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Contee commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force and the District of Columbia Department of Forensic Sciences. They acknowledged the efforts of those who provided assistance in the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Special Agents Durand Odom and Mark Crawford of the Criminal Investigations Unit; Paralegal Specialists Stephanie Gilbert and Kelly Blakeney; Victim/Witness Advocate Jennifer Allen; Witness Security Coordinators Marlon Hernandez-Quijano, Maenylie Watson, La June Thames, and Katina Adams-Washington; Intelligence Analyst Zachary McMenamin; Supervisory Litigation Technology Specialist Leif Hickling and Litigation Technology Specialist Claudia Gutierrez; Chrisellen Kolb, Chief of the Appellate Division, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Suzanne Curt, Daniel Lenerz, and Peter Roman.
Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael C. Liebman and Andrea Coronado, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
Denton County Man Guilty of Child Pornography ViolationsRead the Press Release
SHERMAN, Texas – A Denton County man has pleaded guilty to federal child pornography violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston today.
James Buck Briggs, 48, of The Colony, pleaded guilty to two counts of distributing child pornography today before U.S. District Judge Amos Mazzant. Briggs entered his guilty plea during his federal trial on the charges.
According to public information, in December 2021, an undercover law enforcement officer encountered Briggs in an online chat room dedicated to the sexual abuse of children. Briggs and the undercover officer began a chat which resulted in Briggs sending the officer a video depicting child pornography involving a very young female victim. The undercover officer was able to trace the IP address to Briggs’ residence in The Colony and a search warrant was executed. A search of Briggs’ cellular phone revealed hundreds of images which contained child pornography. Briggs was indicted by a federal grand jury on Jan. 20, 2022.
Briggs faces up to 20 years in federal prison for each count 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 part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Frisco Field Office and the Plano Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lesley Brooks and Maureen Smith.
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Defendant Charged with Trafficking Firearms from Arkansas to All Five Boroughs of New York CityRead the Press Release
An indictment was unsealed today in federal court in Brooklyn charging Kyler Booker with conspiring to deal in firearms and making false statements to acquire firearms. According to public filings, Booker was a straw gun buyer who purchased at least 137 firearms from dealers in Arkansas between December 2019 and September 2021. Law enforcement has recovered at least 13 firearms illegally acquired and distributed by Booker in New York City, across all five boroughs. Booker was arrested this morning in Arkansas and is scheduled to be arraigned today at the federal courthouse in Little Rock, Arkansas, and removed to the Eastern District of New York at a later date.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, John B. DeVito, Special Agent-in-Charge, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and Keechant L. Sewell, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the arrest and charges.
“Today’s arrest stops one bad actor who illegally purchased at least 137 guns, funneling many into our community including putting firearms in the hands of minors and a convicted criminal,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “While 13 guns have been recovered from across all five boroughs of New York City, as is the unfortunate side effect of the gun violence epidemic, many more of the defendant’s firearms may still be out there. Our Office and our law enforcement partners remain committed to keeping our community safe by doing all we can to stop gun traffickers and quell gun violence.”
Mr. Peace thanked the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Arkansas for its assistance with the investigation.
“As alleged, Kyler Booker illegally trafficked firearms directly into the hands of violent criminals in New York; far from the neighborhoods in which they were originally purchased. This case is yet another example of fully exploiting crime gun intelligence and the collaborative work amongst law enforcement and prosecutors to identify and stop these individuals. Mr. Brooker and all others involved in weapons trafficking should know that the men and women of the ATF Joint Firearms Task Force, NYPD and EDNY will work tirelessly to keep our communities safe. Special thanks to the ATF Little Rock Arkansas Field Office for their tireless work on this investigation,” stated ATF Special Agent-in-Charge DeVito.
“The surge of gun violence in New York City is being fueled by individuals who circumvent the law and supply firearms to trigger-pullers,” stated NYPD Commissioner Sewell. “The weapons recovered in this case were headed to only one place, our neighborhoods, in the hands of criminals fully prepared to commit acts of wanton violence. I commend and thank all of the investigators with the NYPD, the ATF, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District for their outstanding work on this and many other cases.”
As alleged in court filings, Booker visited numerous federally licensed retailers in Arkansas and, in 26 separate transactions, purchased at least 137 firearms, including dozens of 9-millimeter pistols. In connection with purchasing the firearms, Booker falsely affirmed that he was the actual buyer when, in fact, he had conspired to sell the guns to other individuals, including customers he communicated with by phone and over Facebook.
The NYPD has recovered at least 13 of the firearms dealt by Booker from across every borough, including eight from Brooklyn:
- Twelve of the recovered firearms were loaded;
- Two were recovered from or near a minor;
- One was recovered from the residence of a parolee who had been convicted of attempted burglary;
- Seven were recovered on a party bus that had been stopped for traffic violations.
The charges in the indictment are allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Booker faces a maximum of 10 years’ imprisonment for each of the false statement counts and a maximum of five years’ imprisonment for the conspiracy count.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Organized Crime and Gangs section. Assistant United States Attorney Victor Zapana is in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendant:
KYLER BOOKER
Age: 44
Little Rock, ArkansasE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 22-CR-489 (NM)
Cranston Man Appears in Federal Court on Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A Cranston made an initial appearance in federal court today on charges that he allegedly produced and possessed child pornography, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.
It is alleged that Gregory Phillips, 42, coerced a 7-year-old child to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of such conduct, and that he possessed images and videos of child pornography.
Phillips is charged by way of a federal criminal complaint with production of child pornography and possession of child pornography.
The defendant’s alleged conduct was brought to the attention of a Cranston Police Department Detective and the Rhode Island State Police Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force in June 2022 by way of a report provided by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. After further investigation, Philips was arrested on September 3, 2022, and ordered detained on Rhode Island state charges.
Philips was taken into federal custody today pursuant to a federal arrest warrant issued on October 26, 2022.
United States Attorney Cunha thanks the Rhode Island Department of Attorney General for their assistance which led to the filing of a federal criminal complaint A federal criminal complaint is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Homeland Security Investigations assisted the ICAC Task Force and the Cranston Police Department in the investigation of this matter.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lee H. Vilker.
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Cogan Station Man Sentenced for Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
WILLIAMSPORT- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Devon T. Buck, age 34, of Cogan Station, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on November 1, 2022, by U.S. District Court Chief Judge Matthew W. Brann to two years of probation and a $3,000 fine for attempting to evade income taxes. Chief Judge Brann also ordered Buck to pay restitution in the amount of $203,324 to the IRS.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Buck operated a landscaping business called DCL Landscaping and for the calendar years 2015 through 2019, Buck attempted to evade $203,324 in federal income taxes. Buck prepared and delivered business invoices to DCL customers requesting that they make checks for landscaping services payable to Buck personally, instead of DCL, Buck asked customers to not place the DCL name on their checks, and he provided DCL invoices to customers which included an instruction to make their payments payable to Buck individually. From 2015 through 2019, Buck diverted approximately $677,877 of DCL receipts by cashing customer checks rather than depositing them into a business bank account, and he deposited only $240,749 of customer payments into the DCL business bank account during that period. He provided fraudulent business summaries to his tax return preparer for use in preparing IRS Form 1040 income tax returns and Schedule C statements of business receipts and expenses, which falsely underreported DCL gross receipts and evaded the payment of federal income taxes.
The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney George J. Rocktashel prosecuted the case.
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