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12 December 2022
“Operation River Fork” Defendant Pleads Guilty to Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – Michael Wilkerson, 38, of Woonsocket, one of eighteen individuals arrested in October 2020 as the result of a wide-ranging FBI Safe Streets Task Force Project Safe Neighborhoods investigation into the trafficking of drugs and firearms in four Rhode Island cities pleaded guilty today to federal cocaine trafficking charges, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.
“Operation River Fork” a ten-month investigation that began in Woonsocket and quickly expanded into Providence, Cranston, and Warwick, led to the identification of three drug and/or firearms trafficking conspiracies and eight individuals who were independently involved in the trafficking of drugs and/or firearms. During the investigation, FBI Task Force agents witnessed multiple controlled sales of drugs and firearms, including drug sales by Wilkerson, and agents seized five loaded firearms and more than a kilo of cocaine.
Detained since his arrest on October 7, 2020, Wilkerson today pleaded guilty to distribution of cocaine and possession of cocaine with intent to distribute. Wilkerson admitted to a federal judge that over a three-month period beginning in June 2020, he sold nearly 93 grams of cocaine.
On the day of his arrest in October 2020 members of the FBI Task Force seized nearly 375 grams of cocaine and $78,212 in cash during a court-authorized search of his residence; those funds will be forfeited as part of his sentence.
Wilkerson is scheduled to be sentenced on March 13, 2023. The defendant’s sentences will be determined by a federal district judge after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Stacey Erickson and Christine D. Lowell.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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Washington State Man Charged with Production of Child Pornography and EnticementRead the Press Release
EUGENE, Ore.—A Tacoma, Washington man is facing federal charges after he allegedly used social media to find young girls and convince them to produce and send him sexually explicit photos and videos and engage in self-harm.
On November 17, 2022, a federal grand jury in Eugene returned an indictment charging Brandon Kuper, 20, with production of child pornography and enticement.
According to court documents, Kuper, operating under the username “Merqzs”, used Discord and Snapchat, two social media messaging applications, to find an unknown number of young girls and convince them to produce and send him sexually explicit photos and videos. Kuper threatened to harm his victims’ families or post sexually explicit photos of them online if they did not comply with his demands. In several instances, Kuper further asked his victims to cut his social media username, “Merqzs”, into their skin, photograph it, and send him the photos.
Kuper made his initial appearance in federal court today before a U.S. Magistrate Judge. He was arraigned, pleaded not guilty, and detained pending a jury trial scheduled to begin on February 14, 2023.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) with assistance from the Bend Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amy Potter and John Brassell are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Anyone who has information about the physical or online exploitation of children are encouraged to contact HSI at (866) 347-2423 or submit a tip online at report.cybertip.org.
Federal law defines child pornography as any visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct involving a minor. It is important to remember child sexual abuse material depicts actual crimes being committed against children. Not only do these images and videos document the victims’ exploitation and abuse, but when shared across the internet, re-victimize and re-traumatize the child victims each time their abuse is viewed. To learn more, please visit the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at www.missingkids.org.
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. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Washington State Felon Convicted of Unlawful Possession of an Assault Rifle and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
OAKLAND – James David Allen, II, was convicted of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition by a federal jury, announced United States Attorney Stephanie M. Hinds and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Robert K. Tripp. The verdict follows a three-day jury trial before Honorable Haywood S. Gilliam, Jr., U.S. District Court Judge.
Evidence at trial showed that Allen, 37, of Everett, Washington, had been previously convicted of a felony and was found by Pinole Police Department officers asleep in a reported stolen vehicle in a residential neighborhood in Pinole, Calif. Allen told the officers he was on his way from Washington State to San Francisco, Calif. A search of the vehicle revealed a loaded AR-15-style semiautomatic rifle. The rifle was immediately accessible to the driver’s hand having been pointed barrel down with the rear stock leaning against the front edge of the passenger seat. The weapon was equipped with a loaded, high-capacity 30-round magazine. Upon taking possession of the rifle, the arresting officers found a live round chambered and the fire control switch set to “fire.” A second loaded, high-capacity 30-round magazine was taped to the first magazine; the second magazine was positioned opposite so that the shooter could drop the first magazine from the rifle and easily flip it over to insert the other loaded magazine. In addition, a third loaded, high-capacity magazine was found in the trunk of the vehicle.
Additional evidence at trial demonstrated that the rifle had hand-drawn markings on the rifle, including Allen’s initials (JDAII) and his alias. The arresting officers found a total of 79 rounds of 5.56 millimeter NATO caliber ammunition that matched the barrel of the rifle. Evidence submitted at trial included Allen’s statement when being transported to the Martinez Detention Facility that he wished the officers had done a traffic stop instead, because he would have “shot it out” with them.
A federal grand jury indicted Allen on July 23, 2020, charging him with one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 922(g)(1). Allen was convicted of the offense in November 2020; however, the original conviction was vacated on appeal after the Court of Appeals concluded the COVID-19 pandemic-related restrictions on public access to the courtroom during his trial violated federal constitutional guarantees to a public trial.
Judge Gilliam scheduled Allen’s sentencing hearing for March 1, 2023. The maximum statutory penalty for a violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1) is 10 years’ imprisonment and a fine of $250,000. However, any sentence will be imposed by the court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Noah Stern and Kelly Volkar are prosecuting the case with the assistance of Lance Libatique. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI and Pinole Police Department.
Walker County Man admits to cyberstalking via social mediaRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 25-year-old Huntsville resident has pleaded guilty to receiving child pornography as well as multiple counts of cyberstalking, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Kody Nicholas Bohac stalked an out-of-state woman over social media and threatened to post nude photographs of her on the internet if she did not contact him. She did not respond. Subsequently, Bohac posted the images on the internet.
At the hearing, Bohac admitted to the stalking through social media and sending her nude images of herself and threatening to make them public if she did not contact him. He also said he offered to pay multiple females online for nude photos. When they complied, he refused to pay, demanded additional nude photos and threatened to post them online if they did not contact him.
He ultimately admitted to stalking approximately 20 females on social media, demanding they send additional nude photos, wanting to meet them in person and to call him “daddy.” When they refused, he posted the already obtained nude photos online, threatened to ruin their lives, sent photos to their school, families and friends and created fake online accounts using their names with sexually explicit references.
The investigation revealed multiple social media messages on his phone in which Bohac stalked numerous victims. They also found images and videos of child pornography on his cell phone which depicted minor females engaged in sexual acts on adult males.
“The individual behind this cyberstalking case was well-versed in social media. He not only stalked and terrorized his young victims through social media platforms, but he also victimized them even further by threatening to send compromising content of them to their family and friends,” said Special Agent in Charge James Smith of the FBI. “These sinister actions cannot be undone and will forever affect the victims. The FBI’s priority in protecting our teens and young adults from predators couldn't be clearer through this investigation. We want to thank our local law enforcement partners for their assistance in this case.”
U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen accepted the plea and set sentencing for May 8, 2023. At that time, Bohac faces a minimum of five and up to 20 years for the receipt of child pornography as well up to five years for cyberstalking.
Bohac has been and will remain in custody pending that hearing.
The FBI-Bryan Resident Agency and the FBI-Philadelphia Field Office conducted the investigation with assistance from the Sam Houston State University Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard W. Bennett is prosecuting this case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
United States Settles False Claims Act Allegations Involving Medical Product Manufacturer for $14.5 MillionRead the Press Release
Company Self-Reported Violations of Contractual Provisions
WASHINBGTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia reached an agreement with Coloplast, a medical product manufacturer, in the amount of $14,547,347 to settle claims that the company violated the Trade Agreements Act and the Price Reduction Clause in its business dealings with the Department of Veteran’s Affairs. The settlement was announced today by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and VA Inspector General Michael J. Missal.
Coloplast self-disclosed that it misapplied the Trade Agreements Act substantial transformation standard, which resulted in (a) Coloplast reporting incorrect countries of origin for several Coloplast-manufactured products and (b) some products remaining on the contract after switching manufacturing locations to nondesignated countries. Coloplast also self-reported that it misapplied the Price Reductions Clause by failing to provide the Government with discounts pursuant to the terms of the contract. This failure led to overbilling the United States for certain medical and pharmaceutical products sold to the United States.
“The United States government expects its business partners to act in good faith and follow the rules they agreed to follow,” said United States Attorney Matthew M. Graves. “We cannot overlook the great potential for harm when a company provides products from non-compliant countries.”
“This settlement is significant in both its monetary value and in the message it sends to other corporations who wish to do business with VA—our nation’s veterans deserve the highest quality products, at the best possible prices available, and that comply with all applicable laws and regulations,” said VA Inspector General Michael J. Missal. “We will continue to work with our partners at the US Attorney’s offices to ensure that VA is treated fairly and appropriately under the requirements of the law.”
The case was handled by the Civil Division for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, in collaboration with the VA Inspector General’s Office of Investigations and Office of Audits and Evaluations, VA National Acquisition Center, and VA Office of General Counsel. U.S. Attorney’s Office Civil Division Deputy Chief John C. Truong investigated the matter, with valuable assistance from VA Inspector General Supervisory Auditor Danielle Aguilar and Chief Investigative Counsel Katharine Brown.
The claims alleged here are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
United States Attorney Leigha Simonton Sworn into OfficeRead the Press Release
On Saturday, December 10, 2022, Leigha Simonton took the oath of office to become the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas. Ms. Simonton was nominated by President Joseph R. Biden on November 14, 2022 and confirmed by the U.S. Senate on December 6, 2022.
She took the oath of office from U.S. District Judge Barbara M.G. Lynn, for whom Ms. Simonton clerked during her first year as an attorney. She succeeds Chad E. Meacham, who had served as the U.S. Attorney since October 2021.
“For nearly 18 years, I’ve had the privilege of litigating, supporting, and observing the most important cases our office has pursued, from public corruption to violent crime to counterterrorism,” said U.S. Attorney Simonton. “The Northern District of Texas is incredibly fortunate to have some of the most dedicated, innovative, and tenacious prosecutors and civil attorneys in the nation – and our law enforcement partners are equally impressive. I am honored to have been selected for this critical role, and I look forward to leading the office as we continue to pursue justice for the people of our district.”
As U.S. Attorney, Ms. Simonton is the top-ranking federal law enforcement official in the Northern District of Texas, which includes Dallas, Fort Worth, Lubbock, and Amarillo. She oversees a staff more than 200, including 100 attorneys and more than 100 support personnel. The office is responsible for prosecuting federal crimes in the district, including crimes related to terrorism, public corruption, child exploitation, firearms, and narcotics. The office also defends the United States in civil cases and collects debts owed to the United States.
Ms. Simonton is a career federal prosecutor who has worked in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for almost 18 years. She is a 1994 graduate of L.V. Berkner High School in Richardson, Texas. In 1997, she graduated early from the University of Texas at Austin with highest honors. After briefly working in the Chicago Public Schools system, she attended Yale Law School, where she served as Managing Editor of the Yale Law Journal and received the John Fletcher Caskey Prize for best advocate in the law school’s mock trial finals.
Ms. Simonton graduated law school in 2001 and returned to the Northern District of Texas, where she served as a law clerk for U.S. District Judge Barbara M.G. Lynn and, later, for Judge Patrick E. Higginbotham on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.
From 2003 to 2005, Ms. Simonton practiced in the Specialized Litigation and Appellate Sections at the Dallas office of Haynes & Boone, LLP, working on complex commercial litigation, white-collar, appellate, and antitrust matters.
In 2005, Ms. Simonton began her career as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas, practicing in the office’s Appellate Division. As an appellate prosecutor, she primarily defended convictions and sentences against defendants’ appeals in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, arguing more than 20 times before that court and acting as sole counsel in almost 400 criminal appeals. She also prosecuted cases at the trial-court level and provided extensive appellate advisory support to numerous trial teams throughout the district.
In 2014, Ms. Simonton won the Director’s Award from the Department of Justice’s Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys for her multi-year trial and appellate work on the Dallas City Hall corruption case involving former Mayor Pro Tem Don Hill, his wife Sheila Farrington, former City Plan & Zoning Commissioner D’Angelo Lee, and several other defendants. Most recently, she led her office in successfully overturning a three-judge panel decision in the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals that had suppressed key evidence in a child exploitation case. After successfully petitioning for the full Court of Appeals to review the three-judge decision, the full Court disagreed with the three-judge ruling and allowed the government use of that evidence.
In addition to her substantive legal work, Ms. Simonton has served in several leadership roles within the office. Most recently, Ms. Simonton served as the Chief of the Appellate Division and, before that, Deputy Chief of that Division. As Chief, she served as the office’s lead appellate attorney and as a member of the office’s senior management team, advising the U.S. Attorney on legal, strategic, and administrative matters. She also managed a team of several Assistant U.S. Attorneys and support staff and coordinated with various Main Justice components including the Appellate Section of the Criminal Division and the Office of the U.S. Solicitor General.
As she took on her new responsibilities, U.S. Attorney Simonton thanked Mr. Meacham for his many years of public service with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and his commitment to justice over the last year as he served as the United States Attorney. Mr. Meacham looks forward to returning to the courtroom to prosecute cases.
Two sentenced to federal prison in separate cases for fraudulently obtaining COVID-19 relief fundingRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: A former soldier paid for submitting false information to obtain COVID-19 relief funding and a Camden County woman who received funding after providing fake documents have been sentenced to federal prison.
Jerrod Bellamy, 26, of Savannah, was sentenced to 22 months in prison and ordered to pay $223,807.14 in restitution after previously pleading guilty to Conspiracy and Filing a False Tax Return, said David H. Estes, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. Bellamy admitted he provided false information in his personal tax return, fraudulently obtained a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan, and conspired with others to fraudulently obtain PPP loans for them. He also received more than $50,000 in kickbacks for helping co-conspirators fraudulently obtain COVID-19 relief funding. At the time of his offenses, Bellamy was a Specialist in the U.S. Army and stationed at Hunter Army Airfield. He since has been discharged.
In a separate case, Roshawnda Richardson, 29, of Waverly, Ga., was sentenced to 15 months in prison and ordered to pay $166,665.50 in restitution after previously pleading guilty to Wire Fraud. Richardson admitted participating in a scheme to fraudulently obtain PPP funding for two businesses.
U.S. District Court Judge Lisa Godbey Wood ordered Bellamy and Richardson to each serve three years of supervised release after completion of their prison terms, and there is no parole in the federal system.
“These sentences, with restitution representing the scope of these defendant’s thefts from the American people, serve as a warning to other scam artists who used fraud to received small-business relief funding,” said U.S. Attorney Estes. “With our law enforcement partners, we will continue to hold accountable those who have siphoned off funds from this assistance program.”
Since passage of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, in March 2020, and its subsequent funding of more than $6.5 billion, the Southern District of Georgia U.S. Attorney’s Office has federally prosecuted more than 40 defendants for fraudulently obtaining PPP funding or Economic Injury Disaster Loans through Small Business Administration.
“These sentences show that individuals will be prosecuted when they break the law,” said Special Agent-in-Charge Scott Moreland, Army Criminal Investigation Division Major Procurement Fraud Field Office. “It should send a message to those who are tempted to defraud the government that CID and its federal law enforcement partners are committed to rooting out fraud.”
“Schemers who stole taxpayer dollars from SBA ‘s Paycheck Protection Program will be brought to justice,” said SBA OIG’s Eastern Region Special Agent in Charge Amaleka McCall-Brathwaite. “These sentences demonstrate that those responsible will be held accountable. I want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s office and our law enforcement partners for their support and dedication to pursuing justice in this case.”
“Those who choose to fraudulently utilize government assistance for their own personal gain undermine the efficacy and integrity of programs designed to support those who are dire need of government relief,” stated Special Agent in Charge Darrin K. Jones, Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), Southeast Field Office. “DCIS and our investigative partners will continue to hold those accountable who exploit these programs for selfish gain.”
“The U.S. Secret Service’s collaboration with our law enforcement and prosecutorial partners continue to demonstrate our commitment to pursuing the bad actors who choose to exploit the systems created to help those effected by COVID-19 pandemic,” said Craig Reno, Resident Agent in Charge of the Savannah Resident Office. “The results of these cases will serve as a deterrent to fraudsters, and let them know they will be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”
The cases were investigated by the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division, the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, the Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General, IRS Criminal Investigations, and the U.S. Secret Service, and prosecuted for the United States by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Georgia.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Third Suspect Arrested and Charged in Violent Armed Robbery of Martha's Vineyard BankRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A third individual has been charged and arrested in relation to the violent armed bank robbery on Martha’s Vineyard on Nov. 17, 2022.
Romane Andre Clayton, 21, of Jamaica, was arrested on Dec. 9, 2022 in Connecticut and charged with one count of being an accessory after the fact to armed bank robbery. He will appear in federal court in Boston at a later date. Two co-defendants, Miquel A. Jones and Omar Odion Johnson, were previously arrested and charged by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Boston on Dec. 1, 2022. Jones and Johnson remain in state custody on related charges.
According to the charging documents, on the morning of Nov. 17, 2022, three masked and armed individuals forced their way into the rear door of the Rockland Trust bank in Tisbury. All three individuals were wearing dark colored clothing and white masks resembling an elderly man with exaggerated facial features. According to witnesses, each of the individuals were allegedly carrying what appeared to be semi-automatic handguns. The video surveillance also showed that one of the individuals was carrying what appeared to be a walkie-talkie. Once inside the bank, one of the individuals allegedly held a gun to the head of one of the bank employees and forced him to open the bank’s vault. It is further alleged that the individuals entered the vault and took approximately $39,100, then bound the employees with duct tape and plastic zip ties, demanded access to one of their vehicles, and left the premises in an employee’s car.
A short time after the robbery, the stolen car was located in a parking lot approximately 2.3 miles from the bank and determined that, minutes after the robbery, the individuals allegedly left the parking lot in another vehicle.
According to the charging documents, following an investigation, Jones and Johnson were identified as suspects. It is alleged that subsequent searches resulted in the recovery of three $100 bills and clothing consistent with the robbers in Jones’ car; a black handgun from Johnson’s home; and paperwork reflecting both a money transfer to Jamaica in the approximate amount of $700 and cash deposits in the amount of $4,100 made at a bank in Connecticut in Johnson’s car.
Additionally, according to the charging documents, during a search of the Tisbury farm used by a local landscaping company which employs Jones, a glove, paper money band, zip tie and multiple rubber band – items consistent with the bank robbery – were recovered. During the search, investigators observed an area that appeared to have had a recent fire, and found burned pieces of nylon, white metal plastic consistent with a white mask, burned walkie-talkie pieces, an antennae, batteries and pieces of metal consistent with a duffle bag zipper. Within a few feet of the burned area two semi-automatic handguns loaded with 9mm ammunition were discovered buried inches under the ground. These items, including the handguns, were consistent with items possessed by the robbers during the robbery of the Rockland Trust bank.
According to surveillance video obtained from the Steamship Authority ferry terminal in Vineyard Haven, it is alleged that less than 40 minutes after the robbery – at approximately 8:58 a.m. on Nov. 17, 2022 – Clayton was captured arriving in a silver sedan to a parking lot nearby the ferry terminal, parking the vehicle, purchasing ferry tickets and boarding a ferry at 9:21 a.m. Approximately 30 minutes later, at 9:53 a.m., Johnson is allegedly captured arriving to the same parking lot and getting into the driver’s seat of the silver sedan Clayton had previously arrived in and parked before boarding a ferry. It is further alleged that Johnson is later captured driving the silver sedan to the vehicle reservation clerk booth, purchasing a vehicle ferry ticket and boarding a freight ferry in the silver sedan at 12:24 p.m.
On Nov. 19, 2022, Jones was arrested on state charges of accessory after the fact and was later charged with armed and masked bank robbery in Edgartown District Court on Nov. 28, 2022. On Nov. 25, 2022, a criminal complaint and warrant were issued by the Edgartown District Court charging Johnson with the Nov. 17, 2022, masked and armed robbery of the Rockland Trust bank. Johnson was located and arrested in New Haven, Conn., and was taken into state custody. The investigation remains active and ongoing.
The charge of being an accessory after the fact to armed bank robbery provides for a sentence of up to 150 months in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Cape & Islands District Attorney Michael O’Keefe; Colonel Christopher Mason, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Tisbury Police Chief Chris Habekos; West Tisbury Police Chief Matt Mincone; Edgartown Police Chief Bruce R. McNamee; Chilmark Police Chief Jonathan Klaren; Oak Bluffs Police Chief Jonathan Searle; Aquinnah Police Chief Randhi P. Belain; Canterbury (N.H.) Police Chief Michael Labrecque; and New Haven (Conn.) Police Chief Karl Jacobson made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the United States Postal Inspection Service; the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms; Immigration and Customs Enforcement; and the United States Customs and Border Protection. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Meghan Chambers Cleary and Kenneth G. Shine of Rollins’s Major Crimes Unit are prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
St. Paul Felon Sentenced to 240 Months for Shipping Drugs into Minnesota Correctional FacilitiesRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A St. Paul man has been sentenced to 240 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for distribution of a drug analogue, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, and illegally possessing firearms as a felon, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, in March 2021, the Minnesota Department of Corrections (“DOC”) initiated an internal investigation into the introduction of narcotics into multiple DOC facilities, including Stillwater, Oak Park Heights, Faribault, and Rush City prisons. Investigators identified Walter Davis, a/k/a “Disney,” 40, as the source. On April 12, 2021, Davis attempted to mail six letters to DOC inmates that contained news articles printed on high-quality Strathmore cotton paper soaked in MDMB-4en-PINACA, a synthetic cannabinoid substance which produces hallucinogenic effects when consumed. Investigators intercepted and seized the letters. Investigators obtained search warrants for two residential locations Davis frequented. Following a search of the first location, Davis’s primary residence in Eagan, investigators recovered two baggies of fentanyl, $3,000 in cash, digital scales, and a loaded Smith and Wesson .38 caliber revolver. A search of the second location, an apartment in Maplewood, yielded over 400 grams of fentanyl, digital scales, a spray bottle containing MDMB-4en-PINACA, a package of Strathmore cotton paper, and a loaded Rossi .357 caliber Magnum revolver.
Davis was sentenced on Friday by U.S. District Court Judge Wilhelmina M. Wright. On June 15, 2022, Davis went to trial before U.S. District Judge Wilhelmina M. Wright. On June 17, 2022, three days into the trial, Davis pleaded guilty to all counts, including one count of attempted distribution of a controlled substance analogue, one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, and two counts of possessing a firearm as a felon.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the United States Postal Inspection Service and the Minnesota Department of Corrections.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Allison K. Ethen, Lauren O. Roso, and Ruth S. Shnider prosecuted the case.
Shelby County Man Charged with Producing Child Pornography and Related CrimesRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A federal grand jury indicted a Mode, Illinois, man, Trent Lilly, 43, of the 200 block of 2050 East Road, on December 6, 2022, for allegedly producing, receiving, and possessing child pornography.
The indictment alleges that Lilly created a video of child pornography between 2010 and 2019, received child pornography between 2002 and 2022, and possessed child pornography on or before October 2022.
On November 15, 2022, upon his return to the United States from Thailand, Lilly was arrested in Chicago, Illinois. Following a detention hearing, United States Magistrate Judge Karen McNaught ordered that Lilly be detained, and he remains in the custody of the United States Marshal. His trial before United States District Judge Sue Myerscough is currently scheduled for February 7, 2023.
If convicted, the maximum statutory penalties for the alleged crimes are at least 15 but not more than 30 years’ imprisonment for production of child pornography, at least five years and up to twenty years’ imprisonment for receipt of child pornography, and up to twenty years’ imprisonment for possession of child pornography. The charges also carry the possibility of up to a life term of supervised release, $250,000.00 fine, and restitution to the victims.
Members of the public are reminded that an indictment is merely an accusation; the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
Agencies participating in the investigation include the Federal Bureau of Investigations, Springfield Field Office, with assistance of Shelby County Sheriff’s Office, Illinois Attorney General’s Office, Illinois Secretary of State, and the Shelby County State’s Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tanner K. Jacobs is representing the government in the prosecution.
If you believe you or someone you know is a victim of sexual exploitation by Lilly, you are encouraged to contact the FBI’s Springfield Field Office either by submitting information online at https://www.fbi.gov/trentlilly or by contacting the FBI at 217-522-9675 or 1-800-CALL-FBI.
The case is brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Seven newly indicted on federal charges for crimes including drugs and illegal firearms possessionRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: Seven defendants are among those facing federal charges including illegal possession of firearms after separate indictments by a grand jury in the Southern District of Georgia, while recent actions in U.S. District Court include guilty pleas and criminal sentences related to illegal gun possession.
The indicted cases are being investigated as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods in collaboration with federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the FBI, to reduce violent crime with measures that include targeting convicted felons who illegally carry guns.
“As we continue the fight against violent crime in the Southern District, we commend our law enforcement partners for their efforts in getting guns out of the hands of those previously convicted of felonies,” said David H. Estes, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. “Keeping our communities safe remains our top priority.”
In the past four years, more than 800 defendants have been federally charged in the Southern District of Georgia for illegal firearms offenses – most often for possessing a firearm after conviction for a previous felony. Recent federal legislation increases the maximum penalty for illegal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon to 15 years, up from 10, for those found in possession after June 25, 2022.
Defendants named in federal indictments from the December 2022 term of the U.S. District Court grand jury include:
- Olajuwon Raheem Williams, 25, of Augusta, charged with Kidnapping; Use of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Crime of Violence; and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon;
- Zion Howard, 22, of Augusta, charged with Possession with Intent to Distribute 5 Grams or More of Methamphetamine and an amount of Cocaine; Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime; and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon;
- Dequan Dante Payne, 31, of Augusta, charged with Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine, Crack Cocaine, and Marijuana; Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime; and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon;
- Demmerio Swint, 28, of Savannah, charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon;
- Darvin Preston Morris, 38, of Townsend, Ga., charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon;
- Antonio D’Avaris Bowens, 34, of Gray, Ga., charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person, a charge related to a prior conviction for domestic violence; and,
- Brandon McCall Williams, 31, of Savannah, charged with Receipt of a Firearm by a Person Under Indictment.
Indictments naming additional defendants recently were unsealed following initial court appearances:
- Derrick Drurell Long, 32, of Augusta, charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon;
- Horatio Trimane Bynes, 65, of Augusta, charged with Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine and Marijuana; Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime; and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon;
- Kevon Quantae Davis, 23, of Augusta, charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon;
- Reco Casey, a/k/a “Rico,” 33, of Augusta, charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon;
- Daquan Marquise Rolack, 25, of Grovetown, Ga., charged with two counts of Possession with Intent to Distribute Marijuana, and two counts of Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime;
- Jared Tyrese Adger, 23, of Augusta, charged with Receipt of a Firearm by a Person Under Indictment;
- Dontrell Kydreek Mathis, 30, of Augusta, charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, and Possession of Cocaine.
Criminal indictments contain only charges; defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Additional defendants recently have been adjudicated on federal charges that include illegal firearms possession:
- Kareem M. Harris, 38, of Savannah, was sentenced to 90 months in prison after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Savannah Police officers arrested Harris in August 2021 after a brief vehicle and foot chase. He had been sought in relation to an early-morning shooting in July 2021 in Ellis Square in which one person was wounded. Harris has a substantial criminal history including drugs, guns and obstructing police, and state charges including aggravated assault are pending.
- Jonathan McGregor, 46, of Woodbine, Ga., was sentenced to 72 months in prison after pleading guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine and Heroin, and Possession of Firearms by a Convicted Felon. Kingsland Police officers arrested McGregor in November 2020 after finding a loaded pistol, two rifles, drugs and cash in his vehicle during a traffic stop.
- Gilberto Mojica-Ravelo, 37, of Savannah, was sentenced to 68 months in prison after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Mojica-Ravelo, who has a previous state conviction on gang charges, was charged following a Dec. 2019 domestic dispute in which Savannah Police officers found a semiautomatic pistol with a high-capacity magazine in his vehicle.
- Trevor Watson, 31, of Sylvania, was sentenced to 21months in prison after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by an Illegal Drug User. Watson was indicted in October 2021 along with eight other defendants in Operation Washout, a drug-trafficking investigation by the Burke County Sheriff’s Office and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.
- Davonta Johnson, 31, of Hinesville, Ga., was sentenced to 46 months in prison after pleading guilty to False Statement During Purchase of a Firearm, and Possession of Firearms by a Prohibited Person, relating to a prior conviction for domestic violence. Johnson admitted that he lied in May 2020 about his prior conviction while purchasing a pistol at a Bullock County pawn shop. Hinesville Police arrested Johnson two months later during a traffic stop and found two pistols in his vehicle.
- Charles Dean Jones, 26, of Grovetown, Ga., was sentenced to 60 months in prison and fined $1,500 after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. A Georgia State Patrol trooper charged Jones in November 2021 after an attempted traffic stop, pursuit and crash of the motorcycle Jones was riding in Columbia County. Police found a loaded pistol in the backpack Jones was wearing.
- Seth Patrick Anderson, a/k/a “Shane Anderson,” a/k/a “AB,” 37, of Hinesville, Ga., awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Long County sheriff’s deputies arrested Anderson in October 2021 at a license checkpoint after finding a pistol in the vehicle he was driving. Anderson is a member of the Aryan Brotherhood white supremacist street gang.
- Rondell Smith,a/k/a “Rondal Smith,” 27, of Hephzibah, awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Richmond County Sheriff’s deputies arrested Smith in February 2022 after finding a pistol in his vehicle during a traffic stop. At the time of his arrest, Smith was on supervised release from a 2017 federal conviction for Possession of a Stolen Firearm.
- Alonzo Ware Henderson, 37, of Augusta, awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Richmond County Sheriff’s deputies investigating a disturbance at a convenience store arrested Henderson in August 2021 after finding a pistol in his pocket. Henderson has multiple prior felony convictions involving violence, drugs and firearms.
- Joshua Jerome Russell, 27, of Swainsboro, Ga., awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Discharging a Firearm in a School Zone. A Johnson County Sheriff’s office investigator arrested Russell in August 2022 after seeing Russell exit his vehicle at a Johnson County High School football game, point a pistol in the air and fire multiple times, causing a panic at the stadium.
- Tareem Burgess, 39, of Hephzibah, Ga., awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Richmond County Sheriff’s deputies arrested Burgess after a traffic stop in August 2020 when they found a pistol in his vehicle. Burgess has prior convictions for robbery and family violence.
- Deon Brown, 31, of Augusta, awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute Heroin, Cocaine, Crack Cocaine, and Methamphetamine, and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Agents from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration arrested Brown in August 2021 at his residence and found drugs and multiple handguns in his vehicle. Brown has prior convictions for drugs and gun possession.
- Donald Lorenzo Evans Jr., 44, of Augusta, awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Richmond County Sheriff’s deputies arrested Evans in May 2020 after finding drugs and a pistol in his vehicle during a traffic stop. Evans has prior convictions for drug trafficking and domestic violence.
- Dwight Eady, 40, of Milan, Ga., awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of Ammunition by a Convicted Felon. Eady was arrested in September 2020 after running from a Georgia State Patrol traffic stop in Telfair County. Telfair County Sheriff’s deputies and a Georgia Department of Natural Resources warden later found Eady in a wooded area, along with drugs, ammunition and a semi-automatic pistol. Eady has prior federal and state felony convictions for drug trafficking.
- Corii Arkeem Bussey, 32, and Darnell Dwight Brown, 30, both of Augusta, await sentencing after pleading guilty to felony charges following a December 2021 shootout at an Augusta convenience store in which a U.S. Postal Service worker and her vehicle were caught in the crossfire. Bussey pled guilty to Assaulting, Resisting, or Impeding a Federal Employee and faces up to 20 years in prison, while Brown pled guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a User of Illegal Drugs and faces up to 10 years in prison.
- Christopher Napolian Middleton, 34, of Savannah, awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Savannah Police officers arrested Middleton in December 2021 while responding to a report of a man brandishing a firearm and found a pistol in Middleton’s pocket.
- Jamar Lavelle Alexander, 35, of Crawfordville, Ga., awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Taliaferro County Sheriff’s deputies arrested Alexander in November 2020 after finding him passed out behind the wheel of a car parked in the middle of a county highway with a loaded pistol in his lap. Alexander previously was convicted on state charges of weapons possession.
- Ephelius Artavis Brinson Jr., 28, of Hephzibah, Ga., awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Richmond County Sheriff’s deputies arrested Brinson in June 2022 after he fled from a traffic stop, leaving behind a backpack containing a loaded pistol and drugs.
- Diemond Dajion Wimberly, 25, of Augusta, awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Richmond County Sheriff’s deputies arrested Wimberly during an April 2022 traffic stop after finding a pistol with a high-capacity magazine in the vehicle.
Agencies investigating these cases include the ATF, the FBI, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, the Savannah Police Department, the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office, and the Georgia State Patrol.
The cases are being prosecuted for the United States by the Southern District of Georgia U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Under federal law, it is illegal for an individual to possess a firearm if he or she falls into one of nine prohibited categories including being a felon; illegal alien; or unlawful user of a controlled substance. Further, it is unlawful to possess a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense or violent crime. It is also illegal to purchase – or even to attempt to purchase – firearms if the buyer is a prohibited person or illegally purchasing a firearm on behalf of others. Lying on ATF Form 4473, which is used to lawfully purchase a firearm, also is a federal offense.
For more information from the ATF on the lawful purchasing of firearms, please see: https://www.atf.gov/qa-category/atfw-form-4473
Service of process on the United States Attorney in civil casesRead the Press Release
As a temporary measure due to COVID-19 concerns, service on the United States Attorney in civil cases shall be via email and US mail as follows: A copy of any summons, complaint or emergency motion shall be emailed to [email protected].
A paper copy shall be mailed to the Civil Process Clerk, United States Attorney’s Office, 1000 Louisiana St., Suite 2300, Houston, Texas 77002. Hand delivery may not be accepted.
Please do not use this e-mail box for general pleadings or correspondence. Service will not be deemed effected until you receive an e-mail acknowledgement from our office.
This emergency accommodation will expire on June 30, 2023. In addition to serving the United States Attorney, the Social Security Administration should be served in 405(g) disability cases at [email protected].
Alamdar S. Hamdani
United States AttorneySeabrook man charged with operating illegal charter cruise businessRead the Press Release
GALVESTON, Texas – A 65-year-old has been taken into custody on violation of captain of the port order, making a false statement, obstruction of a proper compliance inspection and forgery of ships papers, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Gordon Johnson is expected to appear for his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Andrew Edison at 11 a.m. tomorrow.
The indictment was returned Dec. 1, which was unsealed upon his arrest this morning.
Johnson allegedly operated the MV SPANISH PRINCESS without complying with an order of the highest ranking U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) officer in the Houston-Galveston area. The indictment further alleges he made false statements to USCG personnel in which he claimed not to have paying passengers on his ship and instructed passengers to falsely tell personnel they were not paying passengers. He further forged the signature of the seller of the vessel on a USCG bill of sale, according to the charges.
If convicted, Johnson faces up to 10 years in prison as well as a possible $250,000 maximum fine. He could also be ordered to forfeiture the MV SPANISH PRINCESS.
“The Coast Guard Investigative Service (CGIS) is firmly committed to partnering with law enforcement agencies to identify and stop those who pose a hazard to the boating public,” said Special Agent in Charge Brian Jeanfreau, CGIS Gulf Region. “Ensuring mariners are fully qualified to safely operate passenger vessels is of upmost importance to the U.S. Coast Guard.”
The CGIS conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam L. Goldman prosecuted the case with assistance from law clerk Kathleen Whitmore.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Savannah man sentenced to prison for violent kidnappingRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: A Chatham County man with a long, violent criminal history has been sentenced to federal prison after admitting to a kidnapping that left the victim robbed and badly injured.
Robert Stephens, 25, of Savannah, was sentenced to 213 months in prison after previously pleading guilty to Kidnapping, said David H. Estes, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. U.S. District Court Judge R. Stan Baker also ordered Stephens and a co-defendant to pay $33,157.46 in restitution, and to serve five years of supervised release upon completion of his prison term.
There is no parole in the federal system.
“This nightmarish, multi-state crime left the victim near death, and it sadly was a continuum of Robert Stephens’ violent, antisocial history,” said U.S. Attorney Estes. “Hard time behind bars will protect the community from this depraved criminal.”
Stephens’ co-defendant, James Daniel Page, 49, of Savannah, is serving 315 months in federal prison after sentencing in September 2021 on a kidnapping charge.
As described in court documents and proceedings, in November 2020, Stephens and Page forcibly restrained the male victim, an associate of Page, robbing him and forcing him into the back seat of the victim’s SUV, then drove from Jacksonville, Fla., to Savannah. Stephens then repeatedly assaulted and stabbed the man and drove away in the victim’s vehicle after abandoning him shortly after 2 a.m. in a city park. The victim later was helped by nearby residents and transported to the hospital.
While the two were being sought by investigators from the Savannah Police Department and Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, Page and Stephens traveled from Savannah to Aiken County, S.C., in the victim’s vehicle while using the victim’s debit card to withdraw cash from multiple ATMs. Approximately 18 hours after the victim was found, Aiken County Sheriff’s deputies spotted the stolen vehicle and attempted a traffic stop. The SUV crashed during the ensuing chase, and Stephens and Page were treated at an Augusta hospital and taken into custody.
Both Stephens and Page have long and violent criminal histories with multiple felony convictions in state and federal courts.
“The crime committed by this defendant and his associate was violent and shameless. Unfortunately, the damage Stephens inflicted will be felt by this victim for the rest of his life,” said Keri Farley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners and devote significant investigative resources toward removing violent criminals from our neighborhoods, making them safer for law abiding citizens.”
The case was investigated by the FBI, the Savannah Police Department, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, and the Aiken County Sheriff’s Office, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Frank M. Pennington II and Darron J. Hubbard.
Sacramento Man Sentenced to More than 3 Years in Prison for COVID-19 Relief Fraud, Embezzlement, and Unemployment Benefit FraudRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Aaron Ashcraft, 42, of Sacramento, was sentenced today to three years and five months in prison after pleading guilty to carrying out a scheme to defraud the Paycheck Protection Program of over $1.2 million in COVID-19 relief loans guaranteed by the Small Business Administration (SBA) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, between May 2020 and April 2021, Ashcraft submitted to lenders approved by the SBA at least seven fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program loan applications in the names of purported businesses. In the applications, Ashcraft falsely represented that each of the purported businesses had employees and monthly payroll expenses. To support the loan applications, Ashcraft submitted fabricated records, including IRS forms, checking account statements, and payroll summaries. In total, Ashcraft requested over $1.2 million in Paycheck Protection Program loans and obtained approximately $920,000.
In addition to Paycheck Protection Program fraud, Ashcraft admitted that, from September 2017 through June 2020, he embezzled at least approximately $780,000 from his former employer—a street-sweeping company in Sacramento. Ashcraft held multiple positions at the company, including chief financial officer. As chief financial officer, Ashcraft had access to the company’s business credit card accounts. Without authorization, Ashcraft used those accounts to pay for personal expenses.
Finally, Ashcraft admitted to defrauding the Maine Department of Labor. According to his plea agreement, in July 2020, Ashcraft applied for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance, falsely claiming that he lived in Maine and was unable to work due to COVID-19. To support his application, Ashcraft submitted falsified IRS forms in which he represented that, in 2019, he operated a business in Maine that received over $160,000 in income and made a net profit of more than $66,000. In total, Ashcraft fraudulently obtained unemployment compensation of more than $58,000.
As part of his sentence, Ashcraft was ordered to pay restitution as follows: a total of $919,598 to three SBA-approved lenders; $45,979 to the SBA; $779,832 to his former employer; and $58,050 to the Maine Department of Labor.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General, and the Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Thuesen prosecuted the case.
Providence Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possessing Thousands of Images and Videos of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – Mario F. Martinez, 27, of Providence, found in August 2020 by members of the Rhode Island State Police Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force to be in possession of thousands of images and hundreds of videos depicting child sexual abuse, was sentenced today to three years in federal prison, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.
The ICAC Task Force opened an investigation after receiving information from a networking website typically used by individuals interested in video games or gaming that Martinez had uploaded files to his account that depicted sexually explicit conduct involving minors.
In August 2020, members of the Rhode Island State Police Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force executed a court-authorized search of Martinez’s residence and discovered three electronic devices that contained a total of 2,800 images and 387 videos of child pornography involving prepubescent children.
Martinez pleaded guilty on February 23, 2021, to possession of child pornography. He was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Judge Mary S. McElroy to thirty-six months in federal prison to be followed by five years of federal supervised release.
United States Attorney Cunha thanks the Rhode Island Attorney General’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations for their assistance in preparing this case for prosecution in federal court.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Milind M. Shah.
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Providence Man Admits to Trafficking Cocaine and FentanylRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A Providence man charged in federal court with trafficking cocaine and fentanyl pleaded guilty today to federal drug distribution charges, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.
According to court documents, on six occasions in just over one month, beginning in early January 2020, Josimar Pereira, 36, who was at the time serving a term of state probation related to an unrelated firearm conviction in state court, sold a total of more than $6,300 worth of cocaine and fentanyl to another person. Each transaction was monitored by members of the FBI’s Rhode Island Safe Streets Gang Task Force. On each occasion, the drugs were quickly seized by Task Force agents.
Today, Pereira pleaded guilty to a charge of distribution of cocaine and a charge of distribution of fentanyl. He is scheduled to be sentenced on March 23, 2023.
The defendant’s sentences will be determined by a federal district judge after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
According to court records, at the time of his arrest in this matter, Pereira was serving a term of state probation related to his 2018 conviction in Rhode Island Superior Court on a charge of possession of a sawed-off shotgun or rifle.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stacey Erickson.
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Peter D. Leary Sworn in as 17th Presidentially Appointed U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of GeorgiaRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. – Peter D. Leary was officially sworn in today as the 17th presidentially appointed U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia.
U.S. Attorney Leary was administered the oath of office by Chief U.S. District Judge Marc Treadwell at the U.S. Courthouse in Macon in the presence of his immediate family late this afternoon. President Joe Biden nominated Leary on Nov. 14, and the U.S. Senate confirmed his nomination on Dec. 6.
“The opportunity to serve the citizens of the Middle District of Georgia as their U.S. Attorney is a tremendous honor,” said U.S. Attorney Leary. “Our office’s strong legacy is due to its dedicated team members and the positive relationships fostered with each other and our law enforcement partners, defense bar, court and community-at-large. Together, we will never cease in our mission to uphold the rule of law, keep our communities safe and protect the civil rights of all people.”
Prior to receiving the presidential nomination, Leary served as the U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia in acting and then interim capacities—appointed by order of Attorney General Merrick B. Garland and then by Judge Treadwell—since Dec. 2020. Currently, Leary serves on two Attorney General Advisory Committee of U.S. Attorneys (AGAC) subcommittees: Violent Crime and Cyber and Intellectual Property.
Leary has served the citizens of the Middle District of Georgia as a prosecutor since 2012 and as its First Assistant U.S. Attorney since 2018. Since joining the United States Attorney’s Office (USAO), he has worked as the office’s Anti-Terrorism Advisory Council (ATAC) coordinator, its Computer Hacking and Intellectual Property (CHIP) prosecutor and its National Security Cyber Specialist (NSCS). In 2021, he shared an Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys Director’s Award for Superior Performance in Prevention and Reentry Activities for work on a campaign aimed at educating youth about gun possession: www.armedwithknowledge.org. In 2019, he received the Anti-Defamation League’s SHIELD award with the FBI and Department of Justice partners, and he shared the 2018 International Association of Chiefs of Police/Thomson Reuters Award for Excellence in Criminal Investigation with the FBI and the GBI.
Leary served as a trial attorney in the Federal Programs Branch of the Department of Justice’s Civil Division from 2007 to 2012, where he worked extensively with the Intelligence Community. Prior to joining the Department of Justice, Leary served as a law clerk for U.S. District Judge Hugh Lawson on the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Georgia from 2005 to 2007.
As U.S. Attorney, Leary is the top-ranking federal law enforcement official in the Middle District of Georgia, which covers 70 of Georgia’s 159 counties and includes Albany, Athens, Columbus, Macon and Valdosta with a population of approximately 2,045,000 people. The office is responsible for prosecuting federal crimes in the district, including crimes related to terrorism, public corruption, child exploitation, fraud, firearms, illegal gangs and narcotics. The office also defends the United States in civil cases and collects debts owed to the United States.
Raised in Watkinsville, Georgia, and a graduate of Athens Academy in Athens, Georgia, Leary received his B.A. and J.D. from University of Virginia, where he was a Jefferson Scholar.
Paris, Tennessee Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Possessing over 50 Grams of Actual Methamphetamine with the Intent to DistributeRead the Press Release
Jackson, TN – Jimmy Horton, Jr., 54, has been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for possession of over 50 grams of actual methamphetamine with the intent to distribute. United States Attorney Kevin Ritz announced the sentence today.
According to information presented in court, on March 14, 2020, officers with the Paris Police Department conducted a traffic stop for speeding near the intersection of Highway 218 and Fairgrounds Road in Paris. During a roadside interview of a female passenger, officers discovered that the passenger was in possession of around a half-ounce of crystal methamphetamine. The female passenger told officers that she was staying in a motel room in Paris, that there was around three ounces of crystal methamphetamine and a pistol in her room, and that the items belonged to Horton.
Officers conducted a consent search of the motel room and located Horton in the room, along with around 87 grams of suspected crystal methamphetamine that was bagged for resale on the bed. Officers also located and seized digital scales, baggies, drug paraphernalia, multiple bags of marijuana, and a loaded Lorcin L380 pistol in the room.
Later on June 15, 2020, Horton was found in possession of 11 baggies containing over 16 grams of methamphetamine and $340 in cash during a traffic stop in Paris.
Horton was charged in federal court with several offenses, including possessing over 50 grams of actual methamphetamine with the intent to distribute on March 14, 2022. He pled guilty to that offense on August 16, 2022.
On December 9, 2022, Chief Judge S. Thomas Anderson sentenced Horton to 120 months imprisonment to be followed by five years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by the Paris Police Department, TBI, DEA and the ATF. United States Attorney Kevin Ritz thanked Assistant United States Attorney Josh Morrow, who prosecuted this case.
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For more information, please contact Public Information Officer Cherri Green at 901-544-4231 or [email protected]. Follow@WDTNNews on Twitter for office news and updates.
Pan Am Flight 103 Terrorist Suspect in Custody for 1988 Bombing over Lockerbie, ScotlandRead the Press Release
Abu Agila Mohammad Mas’ud Kheir Al-Marimi (Mas’ud), 71, of Tunisia and Libya, made his initial appearance in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia on federal charges, unsealed today, stemming from the Dec. 21, 1988, civilian aircraft bombing that killed 270 people. The victims included 190 Americans, 43 citizens of the United Kingdom, including 11 people on the ground in Lockerbie, Scotland, and citizens from the following countries: Argentina, Belgium, Bolivia, Canada, France, Germany, Hungary, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Philippines, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and Trinidad and Tobago.
On Dec. 21, 2020, the Department of Justice made public a criminal complaint charging Mas’ud with destruction of aircraft resulting in death, and destruction of a vehicle used in foreign commerce by means of an explosive resulting in death. The United States subsequently requested the publication of an INTERPOL Red Notice – as is typical in cases involving foreign fugitives – requesting all INTERPOL member countries to locate and arrest the defendant for the purpose of his extradition or lawful return to the United States to face the charges. On Nov. 29, 2022, a federal grand jury formally indicted Mas’ud on the same charges contained in the criminal complaint. That indictment was unsealed today.
From the time the tragic events occurred in 1988 through the present, the United States and Scotland have jointly pursued justice for all the victims of the Pan Am 103 bombing. The partnership will continue throughout the prosecution of Mas’ud.
“Nearly 34 years ago, 270 people, including 190 Americans, were tragically killed in the terrorist bombing of Pan Am Flight 103. Since then, American and Scottish law enforcement have worked tirelessly to identify, find, and bring to justice the perpetrators of this horrific attack. Those relentless efforts over the past three decades led to the indictment and arrest of a former Libyan intelligence operative for his alleged role in building the bomb used in the attack,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The defendant is currently in U.S. custody and is facing charges in the United States. This is an important step forward in our mission to honor the victims and pursue justice on behalf of their loved ones.”
“Today’s action is another crucial step in delivering justice for the victims of the senseless terrorist attack on Pan Am Flight 103,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco. “Our thoughts are with the victims’ families, whose tireless work to honor the lives and legacies of their loved ones has inspired the Department of Justice and our Scottish partners throughout our investigation for the last 34 years. Let this be a reminder that the men and women of the Department of Justice will never forget the loss of innocent lives or waver in our commitment to holding terrorists accountable – no matter how long it takes.”
“While it has been nearly 34 years since the tragic bombing of Pan Am 103, the FBI and our partners throughout the U.S. government have never forgotten the Americans harmed and we will never rest until those responsible are brought to justice,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “Our reach and our memory are long, as this investigation shows. The progress we have made would not have been possible without the hard work and determination of the men and women of the FBI and the Justice Department, and the assistance of our Scottish partners. My thoughts today are focused on those lost and their loved ones as the work to achieve justice continues.”
“The Justice Department has worked for more than three decades to seek justice for the 270 innocent victims of the Pan Am 103 bombing,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “Today, Mas’ud is charged for his alleged role in this heinous act of terror and he will appear in an American courtroom to answer for those crimes. To those who would seek to harm Americans anywhere in the world, know that we will find you however far you run and we will hold you accountable however how long it takes.”
“We never forget an act of terrorism against American citizens,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves for the District of Columbia. “This defendant is charged with making the fateful decision to carry out a callous, cold-blooded act of terrorism, one that left behind devastation and despair for so many. Thanks to the vigilance, skill, and dedication of this team of investigators and prosecutors, and so many who preceded them in working on this case, the families of the victims will finally see a defendant face charges in a U.S. courtroom for his role in this heinous attack. This prosecution may bring little solace to those who have lost a child, a spouse, a parent, a sibling, a relative, or a friend. But we hope, today, the victims feel the embrace of the people who have poured their hearts and souls into bringing them a few steps closer to achieving some sense of justice for them and their loved ones.”
“We cannot heal the wounds left nearly 34 years ago, but we can and will continue to work to bring the justice that we can to the families of the victims of Pan Am 103. The lawful arrest and presentment in court of the alleged bombmaker, Abu Agila Mas’ud Kheir Al-Marimi, is the product of hard work and partnerships across the globe,” said Acting Assistant Director in Charge Michael H. Glasheen of the FBI Washington Field Office. “He will now face justice in the U.S. for the crimes he is charged with having committed decades ago against citizens of 21 countries. Thank you to the investigators, prosecutors, and victim advocates who have diligently and tirelessly continued to work for decades and across the globe to find answers about the horrific bombing of Pan Am 103. Most importantly, thank you to the families of the victims for showing us your perseverance and strength for decades. The U.S. government will also persevere in our quest to bring justice, on your behalf, for those we so tragically lost.”
December 21, 1988
At 7:03 pm (GMT), on Dec. 21, 1988, Pan Am Flight 103 was destroyed, almost instantaneously, 38 minutes after takeoff, when a bomb in the forward cargo area exploded. The plane was at 31,000 feet over Lockerbie, Scotland. It had taken off from London-Heathrow and was en route to John F. Kennedy Airport in New York.
Citizens from 21 countries were killed. Among the 190 Americans lost were 35 Syracuse University students returning home to the United States for the holidays after a semester studying abroad. Of the 43 victims from the United Kingdom, eleven residents of Lockerbie, Scotland perished on the ground as fiery debris from the falling aircraft destroyed an entire city block of homes. The international terrorist attack, planned and executed by Libyan intelligence operatives, was considered the largest international terrorist attack in both the United States and the United Kingdom at the time.
Immediately after the disaster, Scottish and American law enforcement undertook a joint investigation that was unprecedented in its scope and, in November 1991, it led to criminal charges filed in both countries charging two Libyan intelligence operatives – Abdel Baset Ali al-Megrahi (Megrahi) and Lamen Khalifa Fhimah (Fhimah) – for their roles in the bombing. They were tried in a Scottish court sitting in The Netherlands. Fhimah was acquitted. Megrahi was found guilty.
Planning and Executing the Bombing of Pan Am Flight 103
The December 2020 criminal complaint alleged that from approximately 1973 to 2011 Mas’ud worked for the External Security Organization (ESO), the Libyan intelligence service which conducted acts of terrorism against other nations, in various capacities including as a technical expert in building explosive devices. In the winter of 1988, Mas’ud was directed by a Libyan intelligence official to fly to Malta with a prepared suitcase. There he was met by Megrahi and Fhimah at the airport. Several days later, Megrahi and Fhimah instructed Mas’ud to set the timer on the device in the suitcase for the following morning, so that the explosion would occur exactly eleven hours later. Megrahi and Fhimah were both at the airport on the morning of Dec. 21, 1988, and Mas’ud handed the suitcase to Fhimah after Fhimah gave him a signal to do so. Fhimah then placed the suitcase on the conveyor belt. Subsequently, Mas’ud boarded a Libyan flight to Tripoli schedule to take off at 9:00 a.m.
According to the allegations in the complaint, three or four days after returning to Libya, Mas’ud and Megrahi met with a senior Libyan intelligence official, who thanked them for a successful operation. Approximately three months after that, Mas’ud and Fhimah met with then-Libyan leader Muamar Qaddafi, and others, who thanked them for carrying out a great national duty against the Americans, and Qaddafi added that the operation was a total success.
If convicted, Mas’ud faces a maximum penalty of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI Washington Field Office is investigating the case along with prosecutors from the National Security Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Counterterrorism Section of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the U.S. National Central Bureau provided valuable assistance in this matter.
Victims of this crime and their families may contact the Department of Justice on the VNS website at https://www.notify.usdoj.gov or the VNS Call Center at 1-866-DOJ-4YOU (1-866-365-4968) (TDD/TTY: 1-866-228-4619) (International: 1-502-213-2767).
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Pan Am Flight 103 Terrorist Suspect in Custody for 1988 Bombing over Lockerbie, ScotlandRead the Press Release
Defendant Arrested by FBI and Brought to US for Court Appearance
WASHINGTON, DC - Abu Agila Mohammad Mas’ud Kheir Al-Marimi (“Mas’ud”), 71, of Tunisia and Libya, made his initial appearance in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia on federal charges, unsealed today, stemming from the December 21, 1988 civilian aircraft bombing that killed 270 people. The victims included 190 Americans, 43 citizens of the United Kingdom, including 11 people on the ground in Lockerbie, Scotland, and citizens from the following countries: Argentina, Belgium, Bolivia, Canada, France, Germany, Hungary, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Philippines, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and Trinidad and Tobago.
On December 21, 2020, the Department of Justice made public a criminal complaint charging Mas’ud with destruction of aircraft resulting in death, and destruction of a vehicle used in foreign commerce by means of an explosive resulting in death. The United States subsequently requested the publication of an INTERPOL Red Notice - as is typical in cases involving foreign fugitives – requesting all INTERPOL member countries to locate and arrest the defendant for the purpose of his extradition or lawful return to the United States to face the charges. On Nov. 29, 2022, a federal grand jury formally indicted Mas’ud on the same charges contained in the criminal complaint. That indictment was unsealed today.
From the time the tragic events occurred in 1988 through the present, the United States and Scotland have jointly pursued justice for all the victims of the Pan Am 103 bombing. The partnership will continue throughout the prosecution of Mas’ud.
“Nearly 34 years ago, 270 people, including 190 Americans, were tragically killed in the terrorist bombing of Pan Am Flight 103. Since then, American and Scottish law enforcement have worked tirelessly to identify, find, and bring to justice the perpetrators of this horrific attack. Those relentless efforts over the past three decades led to the indictment and arrest of a former Libyan intelligence operative for his alleged role in building the bomb used in the attack,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The defendant is currently in U.S. custody and is facing charges in the United States. This is an important step forward in our mission to honor the victims and pursue justice on behalf of their loved ones.”
“Today’s action is another crucial step in delivering justice for the victims of the senseless terrorist attack on Pan Am Flight 103,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco. “Our thoughts are with the victims’ families, whose tireless work to honor the lives and legacies of their loved ones has inspired the Department of Justice and our Scottish partners throughout our investigation for the last 34 years. Let this be a reminder that the men and women of the Department of Justice will never forget the loss of innocent lives or waver in our commitment to holding terrorists accountable – no matter how long it takes.”
“While it has been nearly 34 years since the tragic bombing of Pan Am 103, the FBI and our partners throughout the U.S. government have never forgotten the Americans harmed and we will never rest until those responsible are brought to justice,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “Our reach and our memory are long, as this investigation shows. The progress we have made would not have been possible without the hard work and determination of the men and women of the FBI and the Justice Department, and the assistance of our Scottish partners. My thoughts today are focused on those lost and their loved ones as the work to achieve justice continues.”
“We never forget an act of terrorism against American citizens,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves for the District of Columbia. “This defendant is charged with making the fateful decision to carry out a callous, cold-blooded act of terrorism, one that left behind devastation and despair for so many. Thanks to the vigilance, skill, and dedication of this team of investigators and prosecutors, and so many who preceded them in working on this case, the families of the victims will finally see a defendant face charges in a U.S. courtroom for his role in this heinous attack. This prosecution may bring little solace to those who have lost a child, a spouse, a parent, a sibling, a relative, or a friend. But we hope, today, the victims feel the embrace of the people who have poured their hearts and souls into bringing them a few steps closer to achieving some sense of justice for them and their loved ones.”
“The Justice Department has worked for more than three decades to seek justice for the 270 innocent victims of the Pan Am 103 bombing,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “Today, Mas’ud is charged for his alleged role in this heinous act of terror and he will appear in an American courtroom to answer for those crimes. To those who would seek to harm Americans anywhere in the world, know that we will find you however far you run and we will hold you accountable however how long it takes.”
“We cannot heal the wounds left nearly 34 years ago, but we can and will continue to work to bring the justice that we can to the families of the victims of Pan Am 103. The lawful arrest and presentment in court of the alleged bombmaker, Abu Agila Mas’ud Kheir Al-Marimi, is a product of hard work and partnerships across the globe,” said Acting Assistant Director in Charge Michael H. Glasheen of the FBI Washington Field Office. “He will now face justice in the U.S. for the crimes he is charged with having committed decades ago against citizens of 21 countries. Thank you to the investigators, prosecutors, and victim advocates who have diligently and tirelessly continued to work for decades and across the globe to find answers about the horrific bombing of Pan Am 103. Most importantly, thank you to the families of the victims for showing us your perseverance and strength for decades. The U.S. government will also persevere in our quest to bring justice, on your behalf, for those we so tragically lost.”
December 21, 1988
At 7:03 pm (GMT), on Dec. 21, 1988, Pan Am Flight 103 was destroyed, almost instantaneously, 38 minutes after takeoff, when a bomb in the forward cargo area exploded. The plane was at 31,000 feet over Lockerbie, Scotland. It had taken off from London-Heathrow and was en route to John F. Kennedy Airport in New York.
Citizens from 21 countries were killed. Among the 190 Americans lost were 35 Syracuse University students returning home to the United States for the holidays after a semester studying abroad. Of the 43 victims from the United Kingdom, eleven residents of Lockerbie, Scotland perished on the ground as fiery debris from the falling aircraft destroyed an entire city block of homes. The international terrorist attack, planned and executed by Libyan intelligence operatives, was considered the largest international terrorist attack in both the United States and the United Kingdom at the time.
Immediately after the disaster, Scottish and American law enforcement undertook a joint investigation that was unprecedented in its scope and, in November 1991, it led to criminal charges filed in both countries charging two Libyan intelligence operatives - Abdel Baset Ali al-Megrahi (Megrahi) and Lamen Khalifa Fhimah (Fhimah) - for their roles in the bombing. They were tried in a Scottish court sitting in The Netherlands. Fhimah was acquitted. Megrahi was found guilty.
Planning and Executing the Bombing of Pan Am Flight 103
The December 2020 criminal complaint alleged that from approximately 1973 to 2011 Mas’ud worked for the External Security Organization (ESO), the Libyan intelligence service which conducted acts of terrorism against other nations, in various capacities including as a technical expert in building explosive devices. In the winter of 1988, Mas’ud was directed by a Libyan intelligence official to fly to Malta with a prepared suitcase. There he was met by Megrahi and Fhimah at the airport. Several days later, Megrahi and Fhimah instructed Mas’ud to set the timer on the device in the suitcase for the following morning, so that the explosion would occur exactly eleven hours later. Megrahi and Fhimah were both at the airport on the morning of Dec. 21, 1988, and Mas’ud handed the suitcase to Fhimah after Fhimah gave him a signal to do so. Fhimah then placed the suitcase on the conveyor belt. Subsequently, Mas’ud boarded a Libyan flight to Tripoli schedule to take off at 9:00 a.m.
According to the allegations in the complaint, three or four days after returning to Libya, Mas’ud and Megrahi met with a senior Libyan intelligence official, who thanked them for a successful operation. Approximately three months after that, Mas’ud and Fhimah met with then-Libyan leader Muamar Qaddafi, and others, who thanked them for carrying out a great national duty against the Americans, and Qaddafi added that the operation was a total success.
If convicted, Mas’ud faces a maximum penalty of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI Washington Field Office is investigating the case along with prosecutors from the National Security Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Counterterrorism Section of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the U.S. National Central Bureau provided valuable assistance in this matter.
Victims of this crime and their families may contact the Department of Justice on the VNS website at https://www.notify.usdoj.gov or the VNS Call Center at 1-866-DOJ-4YOU (1-866-365-4968) (TDD/TTY: 1-866-228-4619) (International: 1-502-213-2767).
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Ocala Convicted Felon Pleads Guilty to Illegally Possessing A FirearmRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Ricky Darnell Franklin, Jr. (31, Ocala) has pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. He faces up to 10 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set. Franklin had been indicted on May 24, 2022.
According to court documents, Franklin has four prior state felony convictions, including two convictions for attempted second-degree murder with a firearm (2010), shooting at or into an occupied vehicle (2010), and possession of a firearm by a delinquent (2010). On September 30, 2021, officers from the Ocala Police Department stopped a vehicle in which Franklin was a passenger. The officers recovered methamphetamine and a loaded handgun from inside the vehicle. DNA testing by the FBI conclusively showed that Franklin had possessed the firearm. As a convicted felon, Franklin is prohibited from possessing firearms under federal law.
This was investigated by the Ocala Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hannah Nowalk.
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.
Norfolk Church Youth Group Leader Convicted of Sexual AbuseRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A federal judge convicted a Norfolk man today on charges of traveling with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Charles Willoughby III, 39, served as a youth group leader at New Life Worship Center (NLWC) in Norfolk. From 2006 to 2012, Willoughby routinely groomed minor teenage girls who were part of the church’s youth program in order to attempt to sexually abuse them. On June 26, 2012, Jane Doe, who was then 15 years old, and other youth group members boarded a chartered bus from NLWC to travel to Georgia for a national church youth group conference. Willoughby served as one of the chaperones. While on the bus there, Willoughby forced Jane Doe to engage in a sexual act. Jane Doe did not disclose the abuse until 2018, and other victims were identified after that disclosure.
Willoughby faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison when sentenced on April 19, 2023. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Derek W. Gordon, Acting Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C.; and Colonel Gary T. Settle, Superintendent of Virginia State Police, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Elizabeth W. Hanes pronounced the verdict.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elizabeth Yusi and Megan Montoya 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 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
In 2021, EDVA launched “UnMasked,” a community-based educational outreach and prevention program in Virginia dedicated to raising awareness and educating the community about the prevalence of online sexual exploitation involving children and young adults. UnMasked is a multi-disciplinary partnership of local, state, federal, and non-profit stakeholders. The core curriculum is provided by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children’s (NCMEC) NetSmartz program. To report an incident involving online sexual exploitation, call 1-800-843-5678 or submit a report at report.cybertip.org. To request an UnMasked event at your school or organization, please contact EDVA’s Community Outreach Coordinator at [email protected].
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. 2:21-cr-96.
New Orleans Man Sentenced to Forty-Two Months Imprisonment for Violating the Federal Controlled Substances ActRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – JARRIN GAYDEN, age 34, a resident of New Orleans, Louisiana, was sentenced on December 8, 2022 by U.S. District Judge Eldon E. Fallon to a term of forty-two (42) months’ imprisonment followed by a term of four (4) years’ supervised release and a $100.00 mandatory special assessment fee after pleading guilty to a one-count superseding bill of information that charged him with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute one-hundred grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of heroin, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(B), announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.
According to court documents, in November 2017, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) began to investigate the death by heroin overdose of an individual in Metairie, Louisiana. FBI agents identified the individual’s heroin supplier and arrested him after making a controlled purchase of heroin from him. After the supplier was arrested, GAYDEN assumed control of the supplier’s phone and began to sell heroin to customers who called to purchase heroin from the supplier. After learning of GAYDEN’S drug activity using the supplier’s phone, agents made two controlled purchases of heroin from GAYDEN totaling two grams.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office. The prosecution was being handled by Assistant United States Attorneys André Jones, Melissa Bücher and Christopher Usher.
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New Britain Man Charged with Child Pornography OffensesRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Matthew B. Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Boston, today announced that JOSHUA GLAESER, 34, of New Britain, has been charged by federal criminal complaint with possession and distribution of child pornography.
As alleged in court documents, in the summer of 2022, a Connecticut State Police detective investigating child exploitation offenses identified an IP address at Glaeser’s New Britain residence that was being used in the distribution of child pornography. In 2012, Glaeser was convicted in state court of possession of child pornography. Glaeser was arrested on December 9, 2022, after HSI special agents executed a court authorized search warrant at his residence and seized Glaeser’s Chromebook, tablet, smartphone and storage cards. Preliminary analysis of the seized items revealed images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children, including prepubescent children.
After his arrest, Glaeser appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert A. Richardson in Hartford and was ordered detained.
If convicted of distribution of child pornography, Glaeser faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 15 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 30 years. If convicted of possession of child pornography, Glaeser faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. The penalties in this matter are enhanced based on Glaeser’s prior conviction for possession of child pornography.
Avery stressed that a complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This matter is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Connecticut State Police. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel E. Cummings.
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.
McKeesport Man Admits Role in Cocaine and Fentanyl Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A resident of McKeesport, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to violating federal narcotics laws, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
Brandon Jetter, 41, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute a quantity of cocaine from March of 2019 through September of 2020, before United States District Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan. Jetter is one of 13 defendants charged in the Indictment returned in this case.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that in 2019, the Drug Enforcement Administration began investigating a cocaine and fentanyl trafficking organization that operated throughout the United States, including Florida, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Puerto Rico. Beginning in December of 2019 and continuing through August of 2020, the DEA received authorization to conduct a Title III wiretap investigation into the organization. Jetter was intercepted communicating with his codefendant and coconspirator about purchasing and distributing cocaine. In addition to the intercepted communications, agents seized cocaine, heroin, fentanyl, methamphetamine, ecstasy, marijuana, firearms, and bulk United States Currency from members of the organization.
Judge Ranjan scheduled sentencing for March 30, 2023. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not more than 20 years in prison, a fine not to exceed $1,000,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Mark V. Gurzo is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Drug Enforcement Administration in Pittsburgh, PA; the DEA, Columbus, OH; DEA, Harrisburg, PA; Homeland Security Investigations, Pittsburgh, PA; HSI, Orlando, FL; Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations; United States Postal Service, Columbus, Ohio; Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General; Lawrence County Drug Task Force – Special Investigations Unit; and New Castle Police Department conducted the investigation leading to the prosecution of Jetter.
This prosecution is a result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles high-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten communities throughout the United States. OCDETF uses a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Mauldin Woman Sentenced to Sixteen Months in Prison for Theft of Deceased Mother’s Social Security Administration BenefitsRead the Press Release
ANDERSON, SOUTH CAROLINA — Beth Beamer, a/k/a Beth Ballard, 48, of Mauldin, was sentenced to 16 months in prison after pleading guilty to theft of government property.
According to court documents, in October 2020, the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General (SSA-OIG) received information from the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office that Beth Beamer’s mother, Rena Beamer, reportedly went missing from her home in Mauldin on an unknown date in the summer of 2017. SSA-OIG learned that despite Rena Beamer being a missing person since 2017, her SSA Title II-Retirement benefits were still being paid and deposited into her bank account, to which Beth Beamer had access.
From May 2017 to May 2020, SSA electronically deposited benefits into Rena Beamer’s bank account. In May 2020, the benefits were suspended for SSA to develop a new address for Rena Beamer. On December 21, 2020, SSA received a phone call from an unknown female caller who identified herself as Rena Beamer and provided Rena’s name, date of birth, place of birth, and bank account number. Additionally, the caller, who was later identified as Beth Beamer, updated the mailing address to an address in North Carolina. This phone call caused the SSA to restart paying benefits into the bank account of Rena Beamer. SSA-OIG reviewed bank records for Rena Beamer’s bank account and determined that Beth Beamer was accessing the SSA payments and spending the money on herself.
In May 2021, Beth Beamer was arrested in North Carolina on South Carolina state charges of Neglect of a Vulnerable Adult, Exploitation of a Vulnerable Adult, Obstruction of an Investigation, Abuse or Neglect Resulting in Death, Unauthorized Removal of a Dead Body, and Destruction/Desecration of Human Remains. Upon her arrest, she was interviewed by Greenville County Sheriff’s Office deputies and SSA-OIG agents.
Regarding the theft of Rena Beamer’s SSA benefits, Beth Beamer stated that in August 2017, she had removed Rena Beamer’s dead body from their Mauldin home and thrown the body down a roadside embankment into a river near Tryon, North Carolina. She also said that she did not notify SSA of the death of Rena Beamer, that she called the SSA to impersonate Rena Beamer, and that she continued to receive the SSA benefits intended for Rena Beamer until May 2021. SSA-OIG determined that from August 2017 until May 2021, Beth Beamer received $69,909.40 of Social Security Administration Title II-Retirement benefits to which she was not entitled.
United States District Judge Timothy M. Cain sentenced Beamer to 16 months in prison, to be followed by three years of court-ordered supervision. Beamer was also ordered to pay $68,909.40 in restitution to the Social Security Administration. There is no parole in the federal system.
The Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General (SSA-OIG) investigated the case with the assistance of the Greenville County, South Carolina, Sheriff’s Office; South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED); Lincoln County, North Carolina, Sheriff’s Office; and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (NCBI).
Assistant U.S. Attorney Dean H. Secor prosecuted the case.
Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office Announces the Seizure of 55 Domain Names that Violated Copyrights by Illegally Live Streaming the World CupRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland has announced the seizure of 55 separate websites for allegedly live streaming the World Cup games, an infringement of the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) copyrights. Individuals visiting the sites will now see a message that the site has been seized by the federal government and be redirected to another site for additional information.
The seizure of the domain names was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Special Agent in Charge James C. Harris of Homeland Security Investigations – Baltimore; and Director James R. Mancuso of the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center.
According to the affidavit filed in support of the seizures, FIFA is the international governing body of association football and holds the exclusive rights to sanction and stage the FIFA World Cup 2022, which is being hosted in multiple cities in Qatar. Beginning in September 2022, HSI received information from a representative of FIFA identifying several sites being used to distribute and transmit copyright-infringing content, without FIFA’s authorization. HSI Agents in Maryland reviewed World Cup games accessible from each of the subject domain names, in violation of FIFA’s copyright.
As detailed in the affidavit, free access to live sports-related copyright-protected content can attract heavy viewing traffic, which makes websites offering such content a potentially lucrative way to serve advertisements. Based on the pervasive use of advertising on each site, the affidavit alleges that the purpose for distributing the infringing content is the private financial gain to these websites’ operators. By seizing the subject domain names the government prevents third parties from acquiring the name and using it to commit additional crimes, or from continuing to access the websites in their present forms.
“HSI will continue to focus on removing websites that facilitate digital piracy, and other intellectual property violations, from the internet,” said Special Agent in Charge James C. Harris III of HSI Baltimore. “While many may believe that such websites do not constitute serious threats, the infringement upon rights holders of any intellectual property is a growing threat to our economic viability. The impact can be felt across multiple industries, and it can be the conduit to other forms of criminal activity.”
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron and Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite commended HSI for its work in this investigation and thanked the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center and the National Cyber-Forensics and Training Alliance for their assistance. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Aaron S.J. Zelinsky and Stephanie Williamson and Trial Attorneys from the Justice Department's Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, who are handling the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao/md.
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Man Pleads Guilty to Sex Trafficking of Minors at the Bakersfield Desert Star MotelRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Darnell Bernard Edwards, 33, of Antioch, pleaded guilty today to two counts of sex trafficking of a minor, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, in April and May 2019, Edwards transported two minors to the Desert Star Motel in Bakersfield and had them engage in prostitution. Edwards also transported the minors to other locations within California, supplied them with marijuana, and all three had the letter D and a crown tattooed on their bodies.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Bakersfield Police Department with assistance from the Antioch Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Gappa is prosecuting the case.
Edwards is scheduled to be sentenced on March 20, 2023, by U.S. District Judge Ana de Alba. Edwards faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison and up to life in prison, a fine of $250,000, a lifetime term of supervised release, forfeiture of property, and possible restitution to victims. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
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 those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet-safety education.
Leader of East Bay-Based Fentanyl Trafficking Organization Sentenced to 10 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
OAKLAND – Javier Castro Banegas-Medina (Castro) was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison for leading a fentanyl drug trafficking organization in the East Bay, announced United States Attorney Stephanie M. Hinds and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Robert K. Tripp. The search of Castro’s residences led to what was then the largest seizure of fentanyl in the Bay Area. The sentence was handed down by the Hon. Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, United States District Judge.
Castro, 41, and two of his two co-conspirators, Elmer Rosales-Montes, 29, and Jose Ivan Cruz-Caceres, 32, admitted in separate plea agreements to their respective roles in the scheme. On July 28, 2022, Castro entered into a written plea agreement in which he acknowledged that, as the leader of the organization, he conspired with others to distribute more than 10 kilograms (22 pounds) of fentanyl. The drug trafficking organization distributed fentanyl from two residences, one located in San Leandro and the other in Oakland, where Castro lived with Rosales-Montes and Cruz-Caceres. Castro admitted that he and his co-members of the drug trafficking organization fulfilled well over 100 orders for fentanyl between approximately April 21, 2021, and May 19, 2021. During the searches of the residences, investigators recovered approximately 10 kilograms of fentanyl and hundreds of rounds of ammunition in multiple calibers that had been hidden in fenceposts surrounding the Oakland property. Investigators also seized a total of $31,400 in drug trafficking proceeds, as well as other equipment associated with drug distribution including dyes, scales, and blenders.
On February 24, 2022, Castro was charged by information with one count of possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 846, 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(B)(vi). Pursuant to his plea agreement, he pleaded guilty to the charge.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Gonzalez Rogers also ordered Castro to serve four years of supervised release, to begin after his prison term is completed.
Judge Gonzalez Rogers also sentenced Rosales-Montes and Cruz-Caceres to 26- and 60-month prison terms, respectively, for their roles in the conspiracy.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Benjamin Kleinman and Noah Stern prosecuted the case with the assistance of Katie Turner, Kay Konopaske, Leeya Kekona, Karina Ruiz, and Mimi Lam. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office. This investigation and prosecution are being conducted under the auspices of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force, which 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.
Law enforcement, public servants honored by U.S. AttorneyRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Twenty law enforcement officers and public servants from across the Northern District of West Virginia were recognized today for their outstanding work by United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld.
The U.S. Attorney Awards are given annually to honor exceptionalism in criminal investigations and community service. This year’s ceremony was held at the United States Courthouse in Clarksburg.
Outstanding Financial Crime Investigation
Special Agent Jim Rogers and Operational Support Technician Dottie Pugh, both of the FBI, and Sgt. David Simmons, of the West Virginia State Police, were honored for their work in U.S. v. Phillip W. Conley. Conley defrauded West Virginia churches, pastors, and others of nearly $5 million by persuading victims to invest in false ventures such as student housing construction, high-yield fixed income securities, oil and gas technology, mineral rights, and timber leasing. He was sentenced to 87 months in prison.
Outstanding Investigative Effort
Special Agent in Charge Colin Davis and Resident Agent in Charge Keith Vereb, of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, and Special Agent Ashley Archibald, FBI, were honored for their efforts in the case of U.S. v. Reta Mays. Mays, a nursing assistant, administered lethal doses of unprescribed insulin to eight patients at the VA hospital in Clarksburg. Mays entered pleas of guilty to seven counts of second-degree murder and one count of assault with intent to commit murder and was sentenced to seven terms of life imprisonment plus 20 years.
Outstanding Firearms Investigation
Special Agent Mark McNeal and Special Agent Troy Jeffers, FBI; Special Agent Eric Orta, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives; and Inspector Ryan Amstone, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, were honored for their work in U.S. v. Timothy John Watson. Watson produced devices that converted firearms into fully automatic weapons and sold them to followers of the Boogaloo Movement. Watson was convicted and sentenced to 60 months of imprisonment.
Outstanding National Security Investigation
Special Agent Justin Van Trump and Special Agent Peter Olinits of the FBI, and Special Agent John Nocella, of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, were honored for their work on U.S. v. Jonathan and Diana Toebbe. The investigation revealed that Jonathan Toebbe, who was an engineer with the U.S. Navy, stole restricted data related to the nuclear submarine program and attempted to sell it to another country. Mr. Toebbe was convicted and sentenced to 19 years, 4 months. Mrs. Toebbe – who conspired with her husband - was sentenced to 21 years, 10 months.
Outstanding Firearms Conspiracy Investigation
Special Agent Seth Cox of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, and the Eastern Panhandle Drug and Violent Crimes Task Force were honored for the case of U.S. v. Greenfield, in which the defendant recruited multiple straw purchasers in the Northern District of West Virginia to purchase firearms that were later trafficked to Washington, D.C.
Outstanding Drug Investigation
Task Force Officer Jeremy Jenkins of the Mountain Lakes Drug Task Force was honored for his work in U.S. v. Waitman Frederick in which he led an investigation into methamphetamine distribution in Glenville, Gilmer County. The efforts of TFO Jenkins led to an indictment against 11 defendants, each of whom was convicted.
Outstanding Financial Fraud Investigation
Corporal. Don Wolford of the West Virginia State Police was honored for his work in the case of U.S. v. Bradley Glaspell in which a contractor defrauded seventy people in West Virginia and Pennsylvania for total loss to the victims of more than $600,000. Glaspell was convicted and sentenced to 10 years in prison.
Outstanding Violent Crime Investigation
Special Agent Jared Newman, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives was honored for his work in U.S. v. Vickers and Oliverio in which the defendants were convicted of an attempted carjacking. Oliverio was sentenced to 121 months in prison and Vickers to 104 months.
Outstanding Drug Task Force
The Eastern Panhandle Drug and Violent Crimes Task Force was honored for its exceptional investigative work and community outreach efforts. The Task Force was instrumental in the prosecution of U.S. v. Luna, a case involving money laundering and the distribution of large amounts of heroin, cocaine base, and cocaine hydrochloride. The drug trafficking organization operated appliance stores in Hagerstown, Maryland and the Dominican Republic as a mechanism to launder drug proceeds.
Outstanding Youth Advocate
Jessica Watt Dougherty was honored for her unwavering care and empathy for the students at Madison Elementary School in Wheeling.
Outstanding Community Drug Prevention
The Monongalia County Quick Response Team was honored for its innovative efforts to prevent drug overdose deaths and help those struggling with substance abuse disorder to receive the help they need to get well.
Last of Gangster Disciples Sentenced in Racketeering & Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE – The final six defendants in a RICO conspiracy operating out of Clarksville, Tennessee, were sentenced last week in U.S. District Court, announced U.S. Attorney Mark H. Wildasin for the Middle District of Tennessee. This multi-year investigation resulted in federal charges against 32 gang members and associates, including 12 in this RICO indictment.
For more than a decade, Gangster Disciples members engaged in drug trafficking, intimidated witnesses to prevent them from cooperating with law enforcement, protected the gang’s drug territory, financed the drug trafficking enterprise, and targeted members of rival gangs and others through murders, attempted murders, and other shootings.
Those sentenced this week include Maurice Burks, 36, of Hopkinsville, Kentucky ‒ sentenced to 35 years in prison; Brandon Hardison, 36, of Nashville, Tenn. ‒ sentenced to life plus 20 years in prison; Lamar Warfield, 34, of Guthrie, Kentucky ‒ sentenced to 22 ½ years in prison; Elance Lucas, 33, of Guthrie, Kentucky ‒ sentenced to 19 ½ years in prison; Lawrence Mitchell, 38, of Clarksville, Tenn. ‒ sentenced to 10 years in prison; and James Luke, 36, of Clarksville, Tenn. ‒ sentenced to 8 1/3 years in prison.
As outlined in Court records, members of this gang planned and carried out murders and numerous shootings and assaults in the Clarksville area. These convictions, which were the product of trial verdicts and/or guilty pleas, notably included convictions related to four cold-case homicides in Clarksville: the murder of a Bloods gang member in 2012; the murder of a Gangster Disciples associate, and the related murder of his girlfriend, who was a witness to the murder, in 2012; and the murder of a person who had “disrespected” members of the Gangster Disciples at a party in Guthrie in 2014. Several of these defendants also held local and regional positions of authority in the gang. Their arrest and prosecution resulted in the dismantling of the gang’s leadership structure in middle Tennessee.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation; the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department; the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office; the Clarksville Police Department; the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office; the Murfreesboro Police Department; the Gallatin Police Department; the Kentucky State Police; the 19th Judicial District Drug Task Force; and the Hopkinsville, Kentucky Police Department participated in this decade-long investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ben Schrader of the Middle District of Tennessee, Assistant U.S. Attorney Shauna Hale of the Middle District of Florida, and Trial Attorneys Ivana Nizich and Gerald A. A. Collins of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section prosecuted the case.
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Las Vegas Man Sentenced to Prison for Attempted Receipt of Child Sexual Abuse Material via Instant Messaging AppRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – A Las Vegas man was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Andrew P. Gordon to 84 months in prison followed by a lifetime of supervised release for attempted receipt and possession of hundreds of child sexual abuse material.
Jonathan Robert Risse-Santos (30) pleaded guilty in February 2022 to attempted receipt of child pornography and possession of child pornography. In addition to imprisonment, Risse-Santos will be required under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act to register as a sex offender.
According to court documents, on March 1, 2021, Risse-Santos contacted who he believed to be a 14-year-old child through Kik Messenger. He repeatedly asked the child to send nude images of herself. The next day, Risse-Santos exchanged messages via TextNow, another messaging application, and discussed engaging in sexual activity with the child. He agreed to meet the child at her home where law enforcement arrested him. During the search of Risse-Santos’ cell phone, 259 images and six videos of child sexual abuse material were discovered.
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.
This case was investigated by the FBI, the North Las Vegas Police Department, and the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Supriya Prasad prosecuted the case.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’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 and for information about internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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Jury Finds Washington, D.C. Man Guilty of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon in Road Rage ConfrontationRead the Press Release
Defendant Pointed Firearm at Mother and Daughter
WASHINGTON – Jacobi Williams, 36, of Washington, D.C., has been found guilty by a jury on felony assault charges, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Williams was found guilty on Thursday, December 8, 2022 of two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon (firearm) following a two-week trial in D.C. Superior Court. The Honorable Michael O’Keefe scheduled sentencing for March 14, 2023.
On April 26, 2018, Williams began honking his horn at a mother and daughter sitting in the vehicle ahead of him in traffic at the intersection of 4th and I Street NW. Mr. Williams tried to drive around them but was unable to do so. He reversed his vehicle and threatened the mother and daughter at gunpoint before driving away when the traffic cleared. Williams was identified from surveillance footage in the immediate moments before and after the assault.
Mr. Williams is currently in custody on an unrelated 2021 homicide offense. This case is set for trial in June 2023. Mr. Williams is facing another homicide offense in Charles County, Maryland.
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 work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Omeed Assefi and Anna Forgie, who tried the case.
Jaime Esparza Sworn in as U.S. Attorney for the Western District of TexasRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – Jaime Esparza was sworn in late Friday afternoon as the United States Attorney for the Western District of Texas. Chief U.S. District Judge Alia Moses administered the oath of office to Esparza at the federal courthouse in San Antonio.
“It is with great honor that I accept this appointment to serve as the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas,” said Esparza. “I’ve been proud to dedicate the past four decades of my life to justice within the state of Texas and will continue to ensure we hold accountable those who seek to harm vulnerable victims and obstruct the American way of life.”
As U.S. Attorney, Esparza is the chief federal law enforcement officer in the Western District of Texas. He is responsible for prosecuting violations of federal law and representing the federal government in civil litigation where the United States is a party. The Western District of Texas includes 68 counties, spans about 93,000 square miles and serves more than six million residents. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas employs more than 300 people and has staffed offices in Austin, Alpine, Del Rio, El Paso, Midland, Waco and San Antonio.
U.S. Attorney Esparza served as the District Attorney for the 34th Judicial District of Texas from 1993 to 2020. He is credited with creating the award-winning Domestic Violence 24-hour Project, bringing more focus and support to victims of domestic abuse. He also introduced the District Attorney Information Management System, reducing arrests by 20 percent and saving millions of dollars for El Paso County. In 2005, U.S. Attorney Esparza was named Prosecutor of the Year by the State Bar of Texas and in 2015 he received the National Mothers Against Drunk Driving President’s Award for Outstanding Criminal Justice Prosecutor.
U.S. Attorney Esparza was Assistant County Attorney in the El Paso County Attorney’s Office in 1992, First Assistant Public Defender in the El Paso County Public Defender’s Office from 1988 to 1991 and Assistant District Attorney for the 34th Judicial District of Texas in 1987. U.S. Attorney Esparza began his legal career as Assistant District Attorney in the Harris County District Attorney’s Office, where he served from 1983 to 1987. U.S. Attorney Esparza received his Juris Doctor from the University of Houston Law Center in 1983 and a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Texas at Austin in 1979.
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Jacksonville Man Sentenced to More Than Four Years in Federal Prison for Facilitating “Off the Books” Pay Scheme as Part of Conspiracies to Defraud the IRS and Workers’ Compensation Insurance CompanyRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Brian J. Davis today sentenced Oscar Molina-Avila to four years and four months in federal prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to defraud the United States for the purpose of impeding the lawful functions of the Internal Revenue Service. As part of his sentence, the court ordered Molina-Avila to pay more than $5.4 million in restitution to his victims, specifically, $2,111,151 to a workers’ compensation insurance company and $3,330,596.42 to the IRS. The court also entered an order of forfeiture in the amount of $2,111,151, the proceeds of the wire fraud conspiracy. Molina-Avila had pleaded guilty on February 3, 2021.
According to court documents, between 2016 and 2020, Molina-Avila conspired with others to facilitate the payment of construction workers “off the books” in order to avoid paying premiums for workers’ compensation insurance and payroll taxes. Construction contractors and subcontractors entered arrangements with Molina-Avila and his co-conspirators, through which shell companies facilitated both the distribution of proof of insurance and the payment of workers with cash. In exchange for 6% to 8% of the contractors’ and subcontractors’ payroll, Molina-Avila and others caused the distribution of certificates of liability insurance in the names of the shell companies, which contractors and subcontractors then used as nominal proof that they were supposedly insured. In reality, the shell companies’ insurance policies were issued based on fraudulent applications that never disclosed that contractors and subcontractors would be employing workers who were ostensibly insured under the shell companies’ barebones insurance policies. As a result of contractors and subcontractors using the shell companies’ proof of insurance but never paying any insurance premiums, insurers were defrauded out more than $10 million.
Molina-Avila and others also facilitated the deposit of checks into the shell companies’ bank accounts, as well as the withdrawal of cash to be paid to the employees of the contractors and subcontractors – all without withholding, or paying over, payroll taxes to the IRS. Through these arrangements with Molina-Avila, the construction contractors and subcontractors could disclaim responsibility for withholding and paying payroll taxes to the IRS or ensuring that the workers were legally authorized to work in the United States. By facilitating the payment of workers of more than $49 million without payroll taxes being withheld, Molina-Avila and his co-conspirators caused the U.S. Treasury to lose more than $12 million in tax receipts.
The shell companies used in the scheme included All National Remodeling, El Boqueron Construction, La Fuente Construction, Goyos Construction Services, and Universal Florida Construction.
“Payroll taxes are an integral source of funding for government programs such as Social Security and Medicare. Today’s sentencing proves that those who shamefully choose to perpetrate payroll tax schemes will be thwarted and brought to justice,” said Ronald A. Loecker IRS-CI Acting Special Agent in Charge. “IRS-CI actively investigates these schemes to ensure cheaters do not gain a competitive edge over those who comply with our nation’s tax laws.”
“This criminal evaded workers’ compensation premiums, avoided paying employment taxes, and brokered bulk-cash drops, through fraud against the government, private industry, and America’s workforce, resulting in illicit profits and proceeds in the millions of dollars” said Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Jacksonville Assistant Special Agent in Charge K. Jim Phillips. “Thanks to the dedication of HSI special agents, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations, and the Florida Department of Financial Services, this criminal will now be held accountable for his complete disregard of U.S. laws.”
This case was investigated by Internal Revenue Service — Criminal Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the Florida Department of Financial Services. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Coolican. The forfeiture is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Mai Tran.
Indianapolis Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Distributing Child Sexual Abuse Material via TwitterRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS- David McCutcheon, Jr., 25, of Indianapolis, was sentenced to 180 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to Distribution and Receipt of Child Pornography.
According to court documents, on March 23, 2021, the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) began investigating McCutcheon after receiving a CyberTip from Twitter. The tip reported that McCutcheon had uploaded 17 hyperlinks containing sexually explicit videos to other Twitter users via direct message. The videos distributed by McCutcheon included depictions of the sexual abuse and rape of prepubescent and preschool-aged children. Investigators were able to tie the account to McCutcheon’s Indianapolis residence and obtained a warrant to search for evidence of the crimes.
Members of the Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) task force executed the warrant and recovered two cellular devices containing 1,316 images and 469 videos of children being sexually abused. One of McCutcheon’s devices included screen-recorded videos of McCutcheon using OmeTV (Omegle TV), a free application which allows users to randomly engage in webcam live video chat with others, including minor girls. In one of the recorded chats, McCutcheon can be seen talking to two prepubescent girls, who appear to be between 8-10 years of age who partially disrobe, apparently at McCutcheon’s direction.
The materials McCutcheon collected also included recordings of children being subjected to sexual bondage and the sexual abuse of toddlers and infants. In his plea agreement, McCutcheon admitted that he shared child sexual abuse materials online in hopes of receiving more of the same material and because he was sexually attracted to children.
“Pedophiles like the defendant use online platforms like Twitter and OmeTV to trade horrific depictions of child rape and to hunt for children to sexually exploit,” said Zachary A. Myers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “The outstanding investigators of the Indiana ICAC Task Force work tirelessly to protect our children by identifying and arresting dangerous criminals who seek to prey on our children. Serious federal sentences like the one imposed today should put potential offenders on notice: those who sexually abuse our children or trade in images of that abuse will be held accountable and sent to prison.”
Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, Jeffrey R. Adams, Special Agent in Charge of the USSS Indianapolis Field Office, and IMPD Chief Randal Taylor made the announcement.
The U.S Secret Service and IMPD investigated the case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Chief Judge Tanya Walton Pratt. As part of the sentence, Judge Pratt ordered that McCutcheon be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for 10 years following his release from federal prison $45,000 in restitution to the child victims. McCutcheon must also register as sex offender wherever he lives, works, or goes to school, as required by law.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorney Kristina M. Korobov, who prosecuted this case.
This investigation was conducted by the Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, a partnership of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies led by the Indiana State Police. The Task Force is dedicated to investigating and prosecuting crimes involving the technology-facilitated sexual exploitation of children and the trafficking of child sexual abuse material. Each year, Indiana ICAC investigators evaluate thousands of tips, investigate hundreds of cases, and rescue dozens of children from ongoing sexual abuse. In fiscal year 2019, the most recent year for which data is available, the Southern District of Indiana was second out of the 94 federal districts in the country for the number of child sexual exploitation cases prosecuted.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc
Imperial, PA Daycare Operator Sentenced for Failing to Account for and Pay over TaxesRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA - A resident of Imperial, Pennsylvania has been sentenced in federal court to one day of imprisonment to be followed by three years of supervised release, the first six months of which are to be served on home detention, and ordered to pay $367,956.89 in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service, on her conviction for failing to account for and pay over payroll taxes to the Internal Revenue Service, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
United States District Judge Nicholas Ranjan imposed the sentence on Rebecca Lynn Boyce, age 44.
Previously, in connection with her guilty plea, the court was advised that from at least 2006 through at least 2019, Boyce owned and operated Cutie Patootie Daycare, a childcare center in Imperial, Pennsylvania. During that period, Cutie Patootie employed staff and withheld payroll taxes from the paychecks of its employees. Cutie Patootie was required to pay over payroll taxes to the IRS on a periodic basis and was required to account for payroll taxes by filing with the IRS on a quarterly basis Form 941, an Employer’s Quarterly Federal Tax Return. Boyce failed to pay over payroll taxes to the IRS and failed to file any Forms 941 from the quarter ending March 31, 2015, through the quarter ending Dec. 31, 2018. Boyce was informed of her obligation to file Forms 941 and make payroll tax payments during IRS audit and collections activities that preceded the periods charged in the Indictment.
Assistant United States Attorney David Lew prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
The Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Boyce.
Greensboro Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison on Drug and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
GREENSBORO, N.C. - A Greensboro resident was sentenced on December 12, 2022, in federal court in Greensboro for knowingly possessing with intent to distribute cocaine base, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking g offense, and being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced United States Attorney Sandra J. Hairston of the Middle District of North Carolina.
ELLIOTT MAURICE BROWNING, age 32, was convicted of the three above-described charges on August 24, 2022, following a 3-day trial. The offenses occurred in Greensboro, North Carolina.
United States District Judge William L. Osteen, Jr., sentenced BROWNING to a total of 360 months in federal prison. In addition to the prison time, BROWNING was ordered to serve concurrent five-year terms of supervised release and to pay a special assessment of $300.00.
The case was investigated by the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the Greensboro Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Veronica L. Edmisten.
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Four York County Men Indicted for Drug Trafficking OffensesRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA — A federal grand jury in Columbia returned a three-count indictment against Quonzy Hope, 33, Timario Gayton, 30, Javaris Johnson, 35, and Thomas Perry, 29, all of the York County area, for drug trafficking offenses.
The indictment alleges that beginning in August 2022, the defendants engaged in a conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute over 400 grams of fentanyl, over 500 grams of methamphetamine, and over 500 grams of cocaine. The indictment further alleges that on October 19, 2022, the defendants possessed with intent to distribute over 400 grams of fentanyl, over 500 grams of methamphetamine, and over 500 grams of cocaine. Additionally, the indictment alleges that in August 2022, Hope possessed with intent to distribute and distributed over 400 grams of fentanyl.
The defendants face a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.
This investigation 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. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and York County Multijurisdictional Drug Enforcement Unit (YCMDEU). Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Major is prosecuting the case.
U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs stated that all charges in the indictment are merely accusations and that the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Former VA Psychologist Charged with Submitting False Medical Documents to Employer, Obstruction of Justice, Medicare FraudRead the Press Release
Benton, Ill. – A federal grand jury in Benton, Illinois, returned a six-count indictment charging Theresa Kelly, 56, of Herrin, Illinois, with engaging in a scheme to seek approved medical leave and reasonable accommodations from her former employer without valid documentation. Kelly was also charged with submitting false medical documents in connection with a 2020 lawsuit against the VA, as well as a scheme to bill Medicare for services that she did not provide at a Southern Illinois nursing home.
Kelly, a licensed clinical psychologist, was employed by the VA at its medical center in Marion, Illinois. According to court documents, between November 2016 and August 2020, Kelly submitted fraudulent medical documentation in the name of real and fake medical providers as part of the approval process for reasonable accommodations and medical leave, including FMLA leave.
The indictment alleges that Kelly provided the VA with letters and documentation purportedly from a “Dr. K. William Dixon” and “Amy J. Aron, Ph.D.” that detailed those providers’ alleged treatment of Kelly. Investigators later determined that there were no medical providers by the name of “Dr. K. William Dixon” or “Amy J. Aron, Ph.D.” practicing in Illinois, and that the documents submitted by Kelly were fraudulent. Kelly is also charged with submitting false medical documents that bore the forged signature of two legitimate medical providers.
“Employees who make fraudulent claims to government agencies and assistance programs for personal gain threaten the public’s trust in our systems,” said U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe. “Committing fraud and submitting false medical documents are serious offenses, and justice will prevail for those who attempt to take advantage of taxpayer dollars.”
Kelly was charged with four counts of making false statements to the VA in connection with the false medical documents she submitted and her efforts to conceal the fraudulent nature of those documents. The indictment also alleges in December 2020, Kelly obstructed justice in a civil proceeding in federal court by submitting fraudulent medical documentation to her attorney—the contents of which were used to seek a continuance of the judicial proceeding.
“Allegations of a VA employee providing false information and obstructing justice are taken seriously by the VA OIG and will be thoroughly investigated,” said Special Agent in Charge Gregory Billingsley with the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General’s Central Field Office. “The VA OIG thanks the US Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners for their efforts in this joint investigation.”
In addition to her submission of fraudulent medical documents, the indictment alleges that between May 2016 and January 2018, Kelly engaged in a scheme to defraud Medicare and obtain payment for psychiatric services that she did not provide to residents of a Southern Illinois nursing home. In addition to her full-time job at the VA, Kelly owned a company by the name of TS Onsite Mental Health through which she claimed to provide psychotherapy sessions to patients at Shawnee Christian Nursing Center in Herrin, Illinois. According to the indictment, Kelly billed Medicare for over 400 claims—worth more than $54,000—for services that she did not provide. Kelly billed for at least some of the services on days she was on approved medical leave from the VA.
“HHS-OIG is committed to safeguarding federal health care programs from fraud and ensuring the appropriate use of taxpayer dollars,” said Curt L. Muller, Special Agent in Charge with the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “We will continue to work alongside our law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute such egregious conduct.”
An indictment is merely a formal charge against a defendant. Under the law, the defendant is presumed to be innocent of the charges until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt to the satisfaction of a jury.
Kelly is scheduled to appear on Monday, Dec. 19, 2022 for her arraignment before United States Magistrate Judge Reona J. Daly at the federal courthouse in Benton. If convicted, Kelly faces a maximum of 10 years in prison and fines up to $250,000. Kelly could also be ordered to repay the government for her fraudulent billing of Medicare.
The investigation was conducted by investigators with the VA-OIG and HHS-OIG. Assistant U.S. Attorney Zoe J. Gross is prosecuting the case.
Former President of the New York Building and Construction Trades Council and 10 Other Union Officials Plead Guilty to Accepting Bribes and Illegal PaymentsRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Raymond A. Tierney, District Attorney for Suffolk County, announced today that 11 former union officials — JAMES CAHILL, former President of the New York State Building and Construction Trades Council, CHRISTOPHER KRAFT, PATRICK HILL, MATTHEW NORTON, WILLIAM BRIAN WANGERMAN, KEVIN MCCARRON, JEREMY SHEERAN, a/k/a “Max,” ANDREW MCKEON, ROBERT EGAN, SCOTT ROCHE, and ARTHUR GIPSON — have pled guilty to charges stemming from their acceptance of bribes and illegal cash payments from a construction contractor (“Employer-1”) from in or about October 2018 to in or about October 2020 while the defendants were serving as union officers. MCCARRON and EGAN pled guilty earlier today before United States District Judge Colleen McMahon to violating the Taft-Hartley Act, and the remaining defendants previously pled guilty either to honest services fraud conspiracy or to violating the Taft-Hartley Act. Each defendant has or will be sentenced by Judge McMahon in Manhattan federal court.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “The defendants exploited their union positions and hard-working union members to feed their own greed. They accepted bribes to corruptly favor non-union employers and influence the construction trade in New York. The convictions in this case reflect our continuing commitment to root out corruption and bring to justice those who abuse positions of power out of personal greed. I thank the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office for their partnership in this case.”
Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney said: “These convictions highlight a shocking level of corruption among powerful labor officials in New York State. Through their greed and self-dealing, these defendants betrayed the hard-working members of their respective unions, and undermined the protections meant to be afforded by organized labor. While their members were performing difficult work at job sites throughout the region, these defendants sold out their membership by accepting bribes and cash payments in restaurant bathrooms. My Office will continue to uncover and prosecute corruption of all kinds, including that committed by union officials. I would like to thank the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York for partnering with my Office on these cases, and for bringing these prosecutions to a successful conclusion."
According to the allegations in the Indictment, statements made in court, and court filings:
JAMES CAHILL was the President of the New York State Building and Construction Trades Council (the “NYS Trades Council”), which represents over 200,000 unionized construction workers, a member of the Executive Council for the New York State American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (the “NYS AFL-CIO”), and formerly a union representative of the United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipefitting Industry of the United States and Canada (the “UA”). During the charged conspiracy, CAHILL accepted approximately $44,500 in bribes from Employer-1, and as part of his guilty plea, CAHILL acknowledged having previously accepted at least approximately $100,000 of additional bribes from Employer-1 in connection with CAHILL’s union positions.
KRAFT, HILL, NORTON, WANGERMAN, MCCARRON, SHEERAN, and MCKEON were Business Agents, EGAN was the Secretary-Treasurer, and ROCHE was the Business Agent At Large of the Local 638 of the UA (“Local 638”). GIPSON was a Business Agent of the Local Union 200 of the UA (“Local 200”). Each of these defendants accepted thousands and, in some cases, tens of thousands of dollars of cash bribes from Employer-1, a contractor who had projects and potential projects within the jurisdiction of Local 638 and Local 200.
All 11 defendants accepted cash from Employer-1 — usually stuffed in envelopes that Employer-1 handed off inside the restrooms of restaurants. During the meetings at which the payments were made, Employer-1 repeatedly requested favorable action from Local 638 and/or Local 200 including the following: (1) that the relevant union would support Employer-1’s bids on various projects, (2) that the union would consider signing Employer-1 to labor agreements that Employer-1 regarded to be favorable (including agreements that would pay union workers lower rates than their experience merited), and (3) that the union would permit Employer-1 to falsely claim to developers that Employer-1 employed union workers. JAMES CAHILL was the leader of the conspiracy and introduced Employer-1 to many of the other defendants, while advising Employer-1 that Employer-1 could reap the benefits of being associated with the unions without actually signing union agreements or employing union workers.
Employer-1 contracted to work on — or would bid on — projects that could have otherwise employed union workers belonging to Local 638 and/or Local 200. At the time Employer-1 was bribing the defendants, Employer-1’s business employed workers who were not members of Local 638 and/or Local 200 but would have been eligible for membership.
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A chart containing the names, offenses of conviction, maximum penalties for the defendants, and sentencing dates for each is set forth below. The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the Special Agents and investigators within the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York and the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Violent and Organized Crime Unit and the Public Corruption Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Frank J. Balsamello, Marguerite Colson, Danielle Sassoon, Jason Swergold, and Jun Xiang, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura de Oliveira, are in charge of the prosecution.
Defendant
Offense of Conviction
Max. Penalty
Date of Sentencing
JAMES CAHILL
Honest Services Fraud Conspiracy
20 years in prison
March 7, 2023, at 4:00 p.m.
CHRISTOPHER KRAFT
Honest Services Fraud Conspiracy
20 years in prison
December 12, 2022, at 4:00 p.m.
PATRICK HILL
Honest Services Fraud Conspiracy
20 years in prison
December 19, 2022, at 2:00 p.m.
MATTHEW NORTON
Taft-Hartley Act Violation (Felony)
Five years in prison
December 13, 2022, at 11:00 a.m.
WILLIAM BRIAN WANGERMAN
Taft-Hartley Act Violation (Felony)
Five years in prison
January 30, 2023, at 4:00 p.m.
KEVIN MCCARRON
Taft-Hartley Act Violation (Misdemeanor)
12 months
in prison
March 14, 2023, at 2:00 p.m.
JEREMY SHEERAN
Taft-Hartley Act Violation (Felony)
Five years in prison
January 13, 2023, at 2:00 p.m.
ANDREW MCKEON
Taft-Hartley Act Violation (Felony)
Five years in prison
January 18, 2023, at 2:00 p.m.
ROBERT EGAN
Taft-Hartley Act Violation (Felony)
Five years in prison
March 14, 2023, at 12:00p.m.
SCOTT ROCHE
Taft-Hartley Act Violation (Misdemeanor)
12 months
in prison
Sentenced on December 6, 2022, to two years’ probation and $10,000 fine
ARTHUR GIPSON
Taft-Hartley Act Violation (Felony)
Five years in prison
March 9, 2023, at 2:30 p.m.
Former Mobile Phone Store Owner Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Multimillion-Dollar Scheme to Illegally Unlock CellphonesRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A former owner of a T-Mobile retail store in Eagle Rock was sentenced today to 120 months in federal prison for his multimillion-dollar scheme in which he stole T-Mobile employee credentials and illegally accessed the company’s internal computer systems to illicitly “unlock” and “unblock” cellphones.
Argishti Khudaverdyan, 44, of Burbank, was sentenced by United States District Judge Stephen V. Wilson, who also ordered him to pay $28,473,535 in restitution.
Khudaverdyan ran a multi-year scheme that illegally unlocked and unblocked cellphones, which generated tens of millions of dollars in criminal proceeds. During this time, most cellphone companies – including T-Mobile – “locked” their customers’ phones so they could be used only on the company’s network until the customers’ phone and service contracts had been fulfilled. If customers wanted to switch to a different carrier, their phones had to be “unlocked.” Carriers also “blocked” cellphones to protect consumers in the case of lost or stolen cellphones.
From August 2014 to June 2019, Khudaverdyan fraudulently unlocked and unblocked cellphones on T-Mobile’s network, as well as the networks of Sprint, AT&T, and other carriers. Removing the unlock allowed the phones to be sold on the black market and enabled T-Mobile customers to stop using T-Mobile’s services and thereby deprive T-Mobile of revenue generated from customers’ service contracts and equipment installment plans.
Khudaverdyan advertised his fraudulent unlocking services through brokers, email solicitations and websites. He falsely claimed the fraudulent unlocks that he provided were “official” T-Mobile unlocks.
From January 2017 through June 2017, Khudaverdyan and a former business partner were also co-owners of Top Tier Solutions Inc., a T-Mobile store in Eagle Rock Plaza. However, after T-Mobile terminated Khudaverdyan’s contract in June 2017 based on his suspicious computer behavior and association with unauthorized unlocking of cellphones, Khudaverdyan continued his fraud.
To gain unauthorized access to T-Mobile’s protected internal computers, Khudaverdyan obtained T-Mobile employees’ credentials through various dishonest means, including sending phishing emails that appeared to be legitimate T-Mobile correspondence, and socially engineering the T-Mobile IT Help Desk. Khudaverdyan used the fraudulent emails to trick T-Mobile employees to log in with their employee credentials so he could harvest the employees’ information and fraudulently unlock the phones.
In total, Khudaverdyan and others compromised and stole more than 50 different T-Mobile employees’ credentials from employees across the United States, and they unlocked and unblocked hundreds of thousands of cellphones during the years of the scheme.
Khudaverdyan obtained more than $25 million for these criminal activities. He used these illegal proceeds to pay for, among other things, real estate in Burbank and Northridge.
In a sentencing memorandum, prosecutors argued that Khudaverdyan was “a sophisticated fraudster with no remorse for his crimes. He personally caused millions of dollars in losses to wireless carriers while furthering the trafficking of lost and stolen cell phones.”
At the conclusion of a four-day trial, a federal jury on August 1 found Khudaverdyan of 14 felonies: one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, three counts of wire fraud, two counts of accessing a computer to defraud and obtain value, one count of intentionally accessing a computer without authorization to obtain information, one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, five counts of money laundering, and one count of aggravated identity theft.
Alen Gharehbagloo, 43, of La Cañada Flintridge, a co-defendant and a former co-owner of Top Tier Solutions Inc., pleaded guilty on July 5 to three felonies: conspiracy to commit wire fraud, accessing a protected computer with intent to defraud, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for February 13, 2023.
The United States Secret Service’s Cyber Fraud Task Force (CFTF) and IRS Criminal Investigation investigated this matter. The CFTF includes representatives of the United States Secret Service, the FBI, the Los Angeles Police Department, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, and the California Highway Patrol.
Assistant United States Attorneys Lisa E. Feldman and Andrew M. Roach of the Cyber and Intellectual Property Crimes Section prosecuted this case. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan S. Galatzan, Chief of the Asset Forfeiture and Recovery Section, is handling the asset forfeiture portion of this case.
Former Mail Carrier and Co-Schemer Who Lived on His Mail Delivery Route Each Sentenced to Nearly 3½ Years in Prison for COVID FraudRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A former United States Postal Service mail carrier was sentenced today to 41 months in federal prison for scheming to steal more than $250,000 in unemployment insurance (UI) funds by making false claims of COVID-related job losses and for stealing UI debit cards intended for other people on his mail route.
Stephen Glover, 33, of Palmdale, was sentenced by United States District Judge Percy Anderson, who also ordered him to pay $151,698 in restitution.
Glover pleaded guilty on July 11 to one count of mail fraud and one count of theft of mail matter by an officer or employee.
Judge Anderson today also sentenced Glover’s co-schemer, Travis McKenzie, 26, of Valencia, to 41 months in federal prison and ordered him to pay $448,228 in restitution. McKenzie, who lived on Glover’s mail route, pleaded guilty on July 13 to a three-count information charging him with mail fraud, mail theft and identity theft.
From August 2020 to June 2021, while he was employed at the United States Post Office in Valencia, Glover schemed to defraud the California Employment Development Department (EDD) out of hundreds of thousands of dollars in COVID-19 -related unemployment benefits. Glover’s co-schemers applied for unemployment benefits using false statements and sometimes using stolen identities. Based upon the fraudulent claims, EDD mailed out debit cards to addresses listed on the applications.
The fraudulent UI claims were federally funded through programs authorized by Congress in response to the pandemic, including the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance and Lost Wage Assistance programs.
Glover abused his position as a mail carrier by providing co-schemers with addresses on his mail route, which his co-schemers then used as mailing addresses on the fraudulent EDD applications. After EDD mailed debit cards to those addresses, Glover intercepted and stole that mail.
Glover also stole legitimate EDD debit cards intended for recipients on his mail route. Glover used the EDD debit cards in other people’s names to withdraw thousands of dollars in cash from ATMs. He also activated the debit cards in other people’s names by calling EDD and using PINs he had discovered from stolen EDD mail. During a search of his girlfriend’s residence in June 2021, law enforcement found 37 pieces of mail from EDD address to 15 different individuals.
The total intended loss related to Glover’s mail fraud scheme is $270,698.
McKenzie admitted in his plea agreement that law enforcement found more than 150 pieces of mail from EDD addressed to more than 50 different names, as well as mail from the Virginia Employment Commission, at his residence. McKenzie used cash withdrawn from ATMs using EDD debit cards to purchase items from luxury retailers including Louis Vuitton and Prada handbags from luxury retailers Nieman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue.
The intended loss applicable to McKenzie’s participation in the mail fraud scheme is approximately $577,522. McKenzie further admitted to possessing 317 pieces of stolen mail.
The United States Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General; the United States Postal Service, Office of Inspector General; the California Employment Development Department, Investigation Division; and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorney Charles E. Pell of the Santa Ana Branch Office prosecuted these cases.
Anyone with information about allegations of fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at (866) 720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Former Gold River Resident Charged with Defrauding Clients of Surrogacy AgenciesRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Darryl Lynn Kauffman, 74, of Las Vegas, was arrested today in Los Angeles, after being charged in a scheme to defraud intended-parent clients of surrogacy agencies in Placerville and San Francisco, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
On Nov. 3, 2022, a federal grand jury returned an indictment today charging Kauffman with 17 counts of wire fraud. The indictment was unsealed today following his arrest.
According to court documents, Kauffman, who was a CPA, held himself out as an escrow agent who specialized in providing escrow services to surrogacy agencies and their clients, the intended parents. California law requires that intended parents using the services of a surrogacy agency use escrow services and a licensed escrow agent for the payment of medical expenses and other fees to surrogate mothers. Kauffman provided escrow contracts to the intended parents through the agencies that listed him as an escrow agent. Kauffman, who was not a licensed agent, also advertised that his specialty was in providing escrow services for surrogacy cases.
According to the indictment, beginning in 2015 and continuing until March 2018, Kauffman defrauded clients from two surrogacy agencies. Intended parents in the United States, Asia, and Europe wired money to Kauffman believing he was an escrow agent and was segregating their funds into individual accounts. In fact, the intended parents were wiring money directly into Kauffman’s business bank accounts where it was co-mingled with funds from other intended parents’ and Kauffman’s other business ventures. Kauffman eventually stopped paying surrogacy fees and expenses as required by the escrow contract and converted the intended parents’ money to his own personal use. Kauffman sent false account statements to the intended parents that listed remaining funds in their escrow accounts when, in fact he had already spent their money. Kauffman ultimately defrauded the intended parents of more than $900,000.
This case is the product of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations and the California Department of Consumer Affairs – Division of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Heiko P. Coppola is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Kauffman faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Former Coast Guard Employee Sentenced in Test-Fixing CaseRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS - U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that former United States Coast Guard employee BEVERLY MCCRARY was sentenced on December 8, 2022 for engaging in a bribery scheme at a Coast Guard exam center. United States District Court Judge Barry W. Ashe sentenced MCCRARY, age 64, to 54 months’ imprisonment for Conspiracy to Defraud the United States. MCCRARY was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release following her prison term and to pay a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
MCCRARY had been employed as a credentialing specialist at a Mandeville, Louisiana Coast Guard exam center known as REC (Regional Exam Center) New Orleans. REC New Orleans administered examinations that merchant mariners were legally required to pass in order to obtain licenses to serve in various positions on vessels. The examinations tested mariners’ knowledge and training to safely operate under the authority of the licenses.
MCCRARY and two other Coast Guard employees, Dorothy Smith and Eldridge Johnson, participated in a scheme to sell mariners false passing exam scores. In October 2022, Judge Ashe sentenced Smith and Johnson prison terms of 60 months and 72 months respectively.
During her guilty plea, MCCRARY admitted that her role in the scheme was as an intermediary for Smith, who entered the false scores. MCCRARY would gather mariners’ money and information about the desired licenses and then provide the information and a portion of the money to Smith. MCCRARY participated in the scheme both during her employment at REC New Orleans and also following her 2015 retirement.
MCCRARY almost always required upfront cash payments, but on occasion would accept non-monetary things of value. For example, from one mariner, MCCRARY accepted a cooler of shrimp in exchange for arranging false test scores.
To make it less likely that the scheme would be discovered, MCCRARY instructed mariners: to not contact the exam center regarding their license applications; to not work on vessels during the days they were supposed to be testing; and to use code words when discussing the scheme on the telephone.
MCCRARY recruited some of the mariners while she was on duty at REC New Orleans. For example, when mariners came to the exam center to address matters related to their license applications, MCCRARY would strike up conversations with them and proceed to solicit them to engage in the scheme.
MCCRARY also developed her own network of intermediaries beneath her in the scheme. These included Alexis Bell, Micheal Wooten, and Sharron Robinson, who all pleaded guilty to conspiracy and who collectively admitted to having MCCRARY arrange false scores for a total of 31 mariners, including themselves. Earlier this year, Bell was sentenced to 42 months imprisonment and Wooten and Robinson were each sentenced to 54 months imprisonment. In December 2021, another intermediary, who operated under Bell in the scheme, Alonzo Williams, received a 40-month sentence for his conspiracy conviction.
In addition to the defendants mentioned above, 32 mariners were charged with, and pleaded guilty to, the felony offense of unlawful receipt of a mariner license. Some of these defendants were charged in MCCRARY’s case while others were charged in a separate case assigned to United States District Court Judge Eldon E. Fallon.
MCCRARY admitted that she engaged in the scheme from before April 2012 until May 2019 and that she caused more than 50 mariners to receive false passing scores, with some mariners obtaining false scores on multiple occasions. Each falsely-reported examination resulted in the issuance of an unearned license. The wide range of fraudulently obtained licenses for which MCCRARY was responsible included the Master Unlimited Oceans endorsement, which authorizes the holder to serve as the captain of vessels of any tonnage in any waters, as well as licenses for other high-level positions such as Chief Mate and Chief Engineer.
“Former Coast Guard exam center employee Beverly McCrary risked public safety for financial gain,” said U.S. Attorney Evans. “Today’s sentencing holds her accountable for her egregious breach of trust.”
“The Coast Guard Investigative Service is firmly committed to protecting the integrity of the Coast Guard Merchant Mariner Credentialing system and will vigorously investigate and seek prosecution of any individuals suspected of defrauding the system” said Special Agent in Charge Brian Jeanfreau, CGIS Gulf Region. “Today’s sentencing demonstrates the tireless efforts of the Coast Guard and Department of Justice to hold those accountable who commit fraud for personal gain.”
U.S. Attorney Evans commended the work of the Coast Guard Investigative Service Gulf Region. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chandra Menon was in charge of the prosecution.
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Former California Correctional Officer Sentenced to 21 Months in Prison for Helping Cover up Civil Rights Violation Regarding Assault on Inmate at CSP-SacramentoRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Ashley Aurich, 33, of Sacramento, was sentenced today to 21 months in prison and ordered to pay $7,500 in fines for submitting a false report to try and cover up a criminal civil rights violation for the on‑duty assault of an inmate, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, Aurich was a correctional officer at California State Prison, Sacramento (CSP-Sacramento). On Sept. 15, 2016, while escorting an inmate, Aurich watched her partner, Arturo Pacheco, grab the inmate’s legs and pull them out from under him. The inmate, whose hands were handcuffed behind his back, fell forward onto the concrete floor, breaking his jaw and several teeth, and suffering other injuries. That inmate was transported to UC Davis Medical Center where he received treatment for his injuries. Approximately two days later, the inmate suffered a pulmonary embolism and died. While the inmate was receiving treatment, Aurich, Pacheco, and other correctional officers began falsifying reports to cover up the incident.
On Oct. 17, 2022, Arturo Pacheco was sentenced to 12 years and seven months in prison for criminal civil rights violations.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with the cooperation of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Office of Internal Affairs. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael D. Anderson and Rosanne L. Rust prosecuted the case.
Former Butte County Man Sentenced for Theft of FEMA Benefits in Connection with Paradise Camp FireRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Andrew Keffer, 46, previously of Chico, was sentenced today to one month in prison to be followed by 150 days of home detention for theft of FEMA benefits issued in connection with the 2018 Camp Fire, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
Following the 2018 Camp and Carr Fires, FEMA assistance was available to individuals who, as a result of the fires, had emergency needs for food, shelter, and personal items. To qualify for certain benefits, an individual’s primary residence—the place where the individual resided at the time of the fire—had to have been destroyed or damaged by the fire, among other eligibility criteria.
According to court documents, FEMA issued Keffer two checks totaling $4,481.85, based on his application for FEMA benefits that falsely claimed Keffer’s primary residence had been destroyed in the Camp Fire. Keffer cashed the two checks knowing he was not a victim of the Camp Fire and was not entitled to the money. This case came to the attention of federal law enforcement through a tip from a member of the public.
This case was the result of an investigation by the Department of Homeland Security, Office of the Inspector General with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Shelley D. Weger prosecuted the case.
The U.S. Department of Justice established the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) to investigate, prosecute, and deter fraud in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, when billions of dollars in federal disaster relief poured into the Gulf Coast region. Its mission has expanded to include suspected fraud from any natural or manmade disaster. More than 20 federal, state, and local agencies participate in the NCDF, which allows the center to act as a centralized clearinghouse of information related to disaster relief fraud. Report disaster fraud by contacting the NCDF Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or www.justice.gov/DisasterComplaintForm.
Florida Man Sentenced to More Than 10 Years in Federal Prison for Shipping Himself over 18 Pounds of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Virginia M. Hernandez Covington has sentenced Jason Ryan Hardy (40, Tarpon Springs) to 10 years and 10 months in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. Hardy pleaded guilty on January 11, 2022.
According to court documents, Hardy flew to California to coordinate the delivery of methamphetamine from California to Florida. On June 19, 2020, package delivery employees in California reported receiving a suspicious package. Despite being shipped from California, the sender’s address and the return address on the package were both based out of Florida. The sender’s address was later confirmed to be Hardy’s and Hardy was listed as the person to return the package to if the package could not be delivered. Law enforcement officers searched the package and discovered that it contained more than 18 pounds of methamphetamine. On June 22, 2020, Hardy called to inquire about the status of the package. He identified himself by his first name and provided his true phone number and e-mail address.
“This criminal was stopped from smuggling large amounts of deadly drugs into our communities,” said Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Assistant Special Agent in Charge Micah McCombs. “HSI special agents, working with our partners from the Tarpon Springs Police Department and the Pasco Sheriff’s Office, prevented large amounts of methamphetamine from entering our neighborhoods and have certainly saved lives.”
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Tarpon Springs Police Department, and the Pasco Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Charlie D. Connally.
Federal Jury Finds St. Paul Man Guilty of Possession with Intent to Distribute CocaineRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A federal jury convicted a St. Paul man of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
Following a four-day trial before U.S. District Judge Wilhelmina M. Wright, Hugo Escudero, 45, was convicted on December 9, 2022, of one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later time.
According to the evidence presented at trial, on September 22, 2021, Escudero was arrested in the parking lot of a Home Depot in St. Louis Park while attempting to sell one kilogram (2.2 lbs.) of cocaine for $38,000. Law enforcement also recovered approximately 13.5 kilograms (30 lbs.) of cocaine at two properties belonging to Escudero.
This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the West Metro Drug Task Force and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nathan H. Nelson and Matthew D. Forbes.